International Studies

History and Political Science Department

Anne E. Henderson, Ph.D., Coordinator

Degrees offered

Major
Minor

Campuses

Main Campus

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 students choose a specialization in international business or international relations, and can minor in Asian studies or Latin American studies. Students are strongly 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

Four of the following five courses:

POL-440 Global Issues (3)
HIS/POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism (3)
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:

HIS/POL-252 Latin American History and Politics
POL-370 Model OAS
HIS-331 Modern China
HIS-335 Modern Japan
HIS-222 Europe, 1848-Present
HIS-338 Russia Since 1917
HIS-328 Post-Colonial Africa
HIS/POL-200 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
NDMU-100 Perspectives in Education	3	Philosophy (200-level)	3
ENG-101 College Writing	3	COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Comm	3
POL-103 Introduction to International Affairs	3	MAT-215 Statistics	3
Foreign Language	3	ECO-211 Macroeconomics or ECO-212 Microeconomics	3
BUS-302 Principle of Management	3	BUS-303 Principles of Marketing	3
[15 credits]		[15 credits]
Second year
ECO-211 Macroeconomics or ECO-212 Microeconomics	3	RST-201 Introduction to Biblical Studies	3
Foreign Language	3	Foreign Language	3
Philosophy (300-level)	3	BUS-261 Managing Financial Resources	3
General education/Electives	6	Generation education/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 European Foreign Relations	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 or HIS/POL-404 U.S. Foreign Relations	3
ECO-404 International Economics	3	HIS/POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism	3
POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization	3	Major elective	3
General Education/Electives	3	General Education/Electives	6
Internship or study tour	3	[15 credits]
[14–16 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
NDMU-100 Perspectives in Educaiton	3	Philosophy (200- level)	3
ENG-101 College Writing	3	COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Communication	3
POL-103 Introduction to International Affairs	3	HIS/POL-290 Women in Islamic Societies or HIS/POL-200 Genocide	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	POL-252 Latin America or HIS-335 Modern Japan	3
HIS-222 Europe, 1848–Pres	3	Foreign Language	3
Foreign Language	3	Natural Science	4
Philosophy (300-level)	3	Literature	3
Physical Education	1	RST-201 Introduction to Biblical Studies	3
General Education/Elective	3	[16 credits]
[16 credits]
Third year
HIS/POL-325 Revolution/Terrorism or HIS/POL-404 U.S. Foreign Relations	3	HIS-331 Modern China	3
Foreign Language	3	Philosophy (upper-level)	3
Religious Studies (upper-level)	3	Internship or study tour	3
Physical Education	1	POL-351 Problems Developing Nations	3
General Education/Electives	6	General Education/Elective	3
[16 credits]		[15 credits]
Fourth year
POL-361 Methods in Research	3	POL-440 Global Issues	3
POL-430 International Organizations	3	HIS/POL-330 Europe Foreign Relations	3
HIS/POL-elective	3	POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization	3
Major elective	3	Internship or study tour	3
General Education/Elective	3	General Education/Elective	3
[15 credits]		[15 credits]

For course descriptions, see listings in the following programs: business, economics, history, languages and political science.

Courses

HIS-325 Revolution and Terrorism

Traces the causes, patterns and outcomes of the French, Russian, Cuban and Iranian Revolutions, and analyzes the similarities and differences between revolutionary movements and guerrilla and terrorist groups. The course looks at the ideological, ethnic and religious terrorist groups with a special emphasis on religious terrorism and its worldwide impact. Fulfills general education requirements in history and cross-cultural studies. [ 3 credits ]

HIS-404 United States Foreign Relations in the 20th Century

Examines United States foreign relations from the end of World War I to the post-Cold War Era. Focuses on the Cold War, its aftermath and the fallout from September 11. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]

HIS-456 Senior Seminar in History

Applies ideas, methods, and approaches from history, political science, and international studies to the exploration of selected topics. Students situate their discipline within the context of related fields, while also advancing the skills necessary for professional work in their own areas. In this team-taught course, history majors address the selected topic through focusing on the history of history, the politics of history, and the art of writing history based on original sources. Meanwhile, political science and international studies majors use the selected topic as a focal point for synthesizing their understanding of the diverse theories and methods of their disciplines. All students will, in consultation with their professors, select, design and write an original research paper to be presented to the class at the end of the semester. Serves as the capstone course for history, political science, and international studies majors. Pre-requisites: POL 101 or 103 and POL 361 for Political Science and International Studies majors; HIS101 for History Majors. For seniors only; juniors by permission of instructor and department chair. [3 credits]

POL-103 Introduction to International Affairs

Introduces students to different perspectives on power, conflict, international economics and the environment. The role of international organizations and especially the United Nations will also be a focus of the class. Fulfills general education requirements in social science and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism

POL-330 Compar Europe Frgn Rel

POL-351 Problems of Developing Nations

Introduces students to economic, political and cultural issues of development and underdevelopment in Asia, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa. Fulfills general education requirement in cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]

POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization

Introduces students to the political implications of trade, aid, investment, technology and energy relations along with their impact on relations between rich as well as poor countries. Fulfills general education requirement for cross cultural studies. Prerequisite: POL-103 or permission. [3 credits]

POL-440 Global Issues

Examines five to six major topics that interconnect or divide the contemporary world. Democracy, the global economy, religion and ethnicity, global migration, population trends, women, the environment, and technology and communication are some of the issues we visit. Fulfills general education requirement in cross-cultural studies. Prerequisite: POL-103. [3 credits]

POL-456 Senior Seminar

Applies ideas, methods, and approaches from history, political science, and international studies to the exploration of selected topics. Students situate their discipline within their context of related fields, while also advancing the skills necessary for professional work in their own areas. In this team-taught course, history majors address the selected topic through focusing on the history of history, the politics of history, and the art of writing history based on original sources. Meanwhile, political science and international studies major use the selected topic as a focal point for synthesizing their understanding of the diverse theories and methods of thier disciplines. All students will, in consultation with their professors, select, design and write an original research paper to be presented to the class at the end of the semester. Serves as the capstone course for history, political science, and international studies majors. Prerequisites: POL-101 or POL-103 and POL-361 for POL and INS majors; HIS-101 for History Majors. For seniors only; juniors by permission of instructor and department chair. [ 3 credits ]