International Studies
Women's College
Overview
Major
International studies—international business–Four-year plan
International studies—international relations–Four-year plan
Anne E. Henderson, Ph.D., Coordinator
The School of Arts and Sciences' international studies program offers a major to students in the Women's College. The program develops the global knowledge and skills students will need in order to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Core courses in international studies are drawn from the political science and history, business and economics, and modern foreign languages departments. The program fosters an understanding of different cultures as well as the institutions, ideas and policies that determine how nations relate to each other in the 21st century. An off-campus experience in the form of an internship, study abroad semester or study tour provides the student with opportunities to immerse herself in another culture and to apply her knowledge in a realistic setting while increasing her awareness of career possibilities in the field.
This major prepares students for graduate work in law, international relations, political science and international development, as well as professional positions in the foreign service, international finance, international business, international journalism, and with international humanitarian organizations. Recent graduates have pursued advanced study at institutions such as The Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, the University of London, American University, the University of Notre Dame and McGill University. Students specializing in this field of study are employed at Visa International, the Department of Homeland Security, Montgomery College, Catholic Relief Services, MBNA, the National Security Agency, various law firms, the United States Department of Commerce, and the International Monetary Fund.
International studies majors mustchoose a specialization in international business or international relations.They are encouraged to deepen their knowledge of a world region by adding aminor in Asian studies or Latin American studies (see catalog listings for Asian studies and Latin American studies for details on these minors). Students are also encouraged to take MAT-215 Statistics to satisfy their general education requirement in mathematics and ECO-211 Macroeconomics for the social science general education requirement.
Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all courses taken to complete the requirements of the major.
Programs of Study
Required Courses for a Major in International Studies (Credits)
POL-103 Introduction to International Affairs (3)
POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization (3)
HIS/POL 456 Senior Seminar (3)
Four of the following five courses (12):
POL-440 Global Issues (3)
HIS/POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism
HIS-404 U.S. Foreign Relations (3)
HIS/POL-330 European Foreign Relations Since 1815 (3)
POL-351 Problems of Developing Nations (3)
Off-campus experience (one of the following) (3+)
Internship (IDS-361, 461)
Study tour
Study abroad semester
Foreign language*
Two courses beyond the general education requirement (one may be a culture course in the foreign language) (6)
*International students may take LEF-203 English: Conversation for International Students or LEF-204 English: Composition for International Students to fulfill the language requirement for the major, or may be exempted from the language requirement if they test above LEF-203 or LEF-204.
Concentration in International Business
In addition to the required core courses
BUS-261 Managing Financial Resources (3)
BUS-302 Principles of Management (3)
BUS-303 Principles of Marketing (3)
BUS-350 International Business (3)
ECO-212 Introduction to Microeconomics or
ECO-211 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3)
ECO-404 International Economics (3)
Concentration in International Relations
In addition to the required core courses
POL-361 Methods in Political Science Research (3)
HIS/POL-430 International Organizations and World Politics (3)
Three of the following courses (9)
HIS-252 Latin American History and Politics
POL-370 Honors: Model OAS
HIS-331 Modern China
HIS-335 Modern Japan
HIS-222 Europe, 1848-Present
HIS-308 History of England II
HIS-338 Russia Since 1917: History and Literature
HIS-320 African Diaspora
HIS-328 Post-Colonial Africa
HIS-200 Honors: Genocide
HIS/POL 290 Women In Islamic Societies
ENV-220 Environmental Politics and Policy
International Studies—International Business—Four-year Plan
Sample program of study for the international studies—international business major. Students should select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor.
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | |||
| IDS-100 Perspectives in Ed. | 3 | Philosophy (200-level) | 3 |
| ENG-101 College Writing | 3 | COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Comm | 3 |
| POL-103 Intro. Intl. Affairs | 3 | MAT-215 Statistics | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | ECO-211 Macroeconomics or ECO-212 Microeconomics |
3 |
| BUS-302 Principle of Mgt. | 3 | BUS-303 Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| [15 credits] | [15 credits] | ||
| Second year | |||
| ECO-211 Macroeconomics or ECO-212 Microeconomics |
3 | RST-201 Intro to Biblical Studies | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | Foreign Language | 3 |
| Philosophy 201 | 3 | BUS-261 Managing Fin. Resrces | 3 |
| Gen ed/Electives | 6 | Gen ed/Electives | 6 |
| Physical Education | 1 | [15 credits] | |
| [16 credits] | |||
| Third year | |||
| Literature | 3 | Philosophy (upper-level) | 3 |
| Religious Studies (upper-level) | 3 | BUS-350 International Business | 3 |
| Major elective | 3 | HIS/POL-330 Eur For Rel | 3 |
| Internship or study tour | 3 | POL-440 Global Issues | 3 |
| General Education/Electives | 3 | Major Elective | 3 |
| [15 credits] | [15 credits] | ||
| Fourth year | |||
| Major elective | 3 | POL-351 Problems of Developing Nations | 3 |
| ECO-404 Internation Econ. | 3 | HIS/POL-404 US For Rel. | 3 |
| POL-401 Pol & Eco Global | 3 | Major elective | 3 |
| General Education/Electives | 3 | HIS/POL456 Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Internship or study tour | 3 | General Education/Electives | 3 |
| [14–16 credits] | [15 credits] |
International Studies—International Relations–Four-year Plan
Sample program of study for the international studies—international relations major. Students should select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor.
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | |||
| IDS-100 Perspectives in Education | 3 | Philosophy 201 | 3 |
| ENG-101 College Writing | 3 | COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Comm | 3 |
| POL-103 Intro Intl Affairs | 3 | Major elective | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | Foreign Language | 3 |
| General Education/Elective | 3 | MAT-215 Statistics | 3 |
| [15 credits] | [15 credits] | ||
| Second year | |||
| ECO-211 Macroeconomics or ECO-212 Microeconomics |
3 | Major elective | 3 |
| Major elective | 3 | Foreign Language | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | Natural Science | 4 |
| 3 | Literature | 3 | |
| Physical Education | 1 | RST-201 Intro to Biblical Studies | 3 |
| Gen ed or Elective | 6 | ||
| [16 credits] | [16 credits] | ||
| Third year | |||
| HIS/POL-325 Revolution/Terr or HIS/POL-404 U.S. For Rel |
3 | Major elective | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | Philosophy (upper-level) | 3 |
| Religious Studies (upper-level) | 3 | Internship or study tour | 3 |
| General Education/Electives | 6 | POL-351 Prob. Dev Nat | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | ||
| [15 credits] | [15 credits] | ||
| Fourth year | |||
| POL-361 Methods in Research | 3 | POL-440 Global Issues | 3 |
| POL-430 International Org | 3 | HIS/POL-330 Europe For Rel | 3 |
| HIS/POL-elective | 3 | POL-401 Pol & Eco Global | 3 |
| General Education/Elective | 6 | Internship or study tour | 3 |
| HIS/POL456 Senior Seminar | 3 | ||
| [15 credits] | [15 credits] |
For course descriptions, see listings in the following programs: business, economics, history, languages and political science.