Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Major: International Studies
Program Overview
By completing a major in international studies, students develop expertise in a region of the world, including one of its languages, and in a transnational topic. They also become familiar with a variety of international issues and frameworks. They use this expertise and knowledge to understand and analyze the dynamics and complexity of the human world.
Popular transnational topics include international security and diplomacy, global environment, international development, global health, international business, intercultural communications, global arts, and international law. Common languages to study are Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish.
Students majoring in international studies earn a BA degree. The major is useful for careers in the arts, business, engineering, government, health, law, media, and the nonprofit sector, among other fields.
Undergraduate Policies
For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Office of Undergraduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.
Accelerated Master's Programs
Undergraduate students may participate in accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees. For more information and details of the policies and procedures related to accelerated studies, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the latter set of requirements.
The major in international studies requires a minimum of 33 credit hours, chosen from approved topical and area studies courses, plus satisfaction of a language competency requirement. Each student will prepare a program of study that includes course selections meeting the seven requirements below. Two courses from each other major or minor can count simultaneously toward the international studies major if they fit the requirements. Courses taken to satisfy the language competency requirement are exempted from this rule, and several international studies courses contribute to the completion of general education requirements.
Requirements for the Major
1. Multidisciplinary Foundations (required courses; 12 hours). These courses provide students with the analytical tools and frameworks to understand global issues.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| ANTH 102 | Being Human: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ECON 103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| HSTY 113 | Introduction to Modern World History | 3 |
| POSC 172 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
2. Area Focus (6 hours): Two courses that concentrate on a single region of the world. Such courses are offered in many departments and programs. In order to count toward the area focus, courses from the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures must include content other than exclusively language learning, such as the study of literature or cinema. Area foci include Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa.
3. Topical Focus (6 hours): A related pair of courses that examine a transnational topic. Topical foci include, but are not limited to, international security and diplomacy, global environment, international business, global health, international development, and global arts.
4. Elective Area or Topical Courses (6 hours): Two additional courses toward the area focus or topical focus.
5. Students must include courses from at least two different departments or programs among their six area focus, topical focus, and elective area or topical courses. These courses should be selected in consultation with the International Studies Program director.
6. Senior Project (required course, INTL 399, 3 hours): The senior project offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the complexity and dynamics of the human world as a result of majoring in international studies. In the required course, students analyze topics relevant to the foreign geographic area and broad theme they have chosen for their major foci. To do so, they draw on their international experience, knowledge acquired through a foreign language, and prior coursework for the major. Students share their conclusions in the seminar itself and in a public presentation. This course meets the requirements of a SAGES capstone.
7. Language Competency (0 to 16 credit hours): In addition to the 33 credit hours of international studies course work, students must demonstrate competency in a language other than their native language. This may be done by:
- completing a language course at the 300 level or above
- completing four semesters in a single language
- demonstrating to the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures a non-native language competency equivalent to that attained by completing a 300-level or above course
Honors: Honors are awarded to students who meet three requirements: an exceptional senior project (grade of A), a 3.3 overall GPA, and a 3.7 GPA in international studies courses (area focus, topical focus, and electives).
There is no minor in international studies. International studies can be a secondary major.
