2023-2024

International Studies (Major)

History and Political Science Department

Pamela O'Brien, Dean, School of Arts, Sciences and Business
Anne E. Henderson, Ph.D., Coordinator

Degrees offered

Major
Minor

Campuses

Main Campus

The International Studies Program in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business offers a Major and Minor to traditional undergraduate students. The program develops the global knowledge and skills students will need in order to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. 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.

Summary

International Studies students choose a specialization in International Relations or International Business, and can Minor in Latin American Studies or Peace and Justice Studies.

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 Core Courses for a Major in International Studies (30 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 courses

       POL-440 Global Issues (3)
       HIS-325/POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism (3)
       HIS-404 U.S. Foreign Relations (3)
       HIS-233 Europe and the World (3)
       POL-351 Problems of Developing Nations (3)

       Off-campus experience (one of the following) (3+ credits)

       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 Studies 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.

International Studies with a Specialization 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-200/POL-200 Genocide (3)
       HIS-222 Europe, 1848-Present (3)
       HIS-252/POL-252 Latin American History and Politics (3)
       HIS-290/POL-290 Women in Islamic Societies (3)
       HIS-328 Post-Colonial Africa (3)
       HIS-331 Modern China (3)
       HIS-335 Modern Japan (3)
       HIS-338 Russia Since 1917 (3)
       POL-370 Model OAS (3)

International Studies with a Specialization in International Relations - Four-Year Plan

Below is a 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 Education 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 HIS-338 Russia Since 1917 3
HIS-252/POL-252 Latin American History & Politics 3 Foreign Language 3
Foreign Language 3 Natural Science 4
Philosophy (300-level) 3 Literature 3
Physical Education 1 General Education/Electives 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-328 Post Colonial Africa
3
Foreign Language 3 General Education/Elective 6
General Education/Electives 9 Internship or study tour 3
[15 credits]
POL-351 Problems Developing Nations 3


[15 credits]
Fourth year


POL-361 Methods in Research 3 POL-440 Global Issues 3
POL-430 International Organizations 3 HIS-233 Europe and the World 3
HIS/POL-elective 3 POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization 3
Major elective 3 HIS/POL-456 Capstone Seminar 3
General Education/Elective 3 General Education/Elective 3
[15 credits]
[15 credits]

International Studies with a Specialization in International Business

       In addition to the required Core courses:

       BUS-261 Managing Financial Resources (3)
       BUS-202 Principles of Management (3)
       BUS-203 Principles of Marketing (3)
       BUS-350 International Business (3)
       ECO-211 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3)
       ECO-212 Introduction to Microeconomics (3)
       ECO-404 International Economics (3)

International Studies with a Specialization in International Business - Four-Year Plan

Below is a 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 Education 3 General Education/Electives 3
ENG-101 College Writing 3 COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Communication 3
POL-103 Introduction to International Affairs 3 MAT-215 Statistics 3
Foreign Language 3 ECO-211 Macroeconomics or
ECO-212 Microeconomics
3
BUS-202 Principles of Management 3 BUS-203 Principles of Marketing 3
[15 credits]
[15 credits]
Second year


ECO-211 Macroeconomics or
ECO-212 Microeconomics
3 Foreign Language 3
Foreign Language 3 BUS-261 Managing Financial Resources 3
General Education/Elective 9 General Education/Elective 9
[15 credits]
[15 credits]
Third year


Literature 3 BUS-350 International Business 3
Internship or study tour 3 HIS-233/POL-233 Europe and the World 3
Major Elective 3 POL-440 Global Issues 3
General Education/Electives 6 Major Elective 3


General Education/Elective 3
[15 credits]
[15 credits]
Fourth year


ECO-404 International Economics 3

POL-351 Problems of Developing Nations OR
HIS-404/POL-404 U.S. Foreign Relations

3
POL-401 Political and Economic Globalization 3 HIS-325/POL-325 Revolution and Terrorism 3
Internship or Study Tour 3 Major Elective 3
Major elective 3 General Education/Elective 6
General Education/Elective 3 [15 credits]
[15 credits]


 Minor in International Studies

The department offers a minor in International Studies consisting of minimum 18 credits of course work. Students who wish to minor in International Studies should consult the program coordinator.

For course descriptions, see listings in the following programs: Business, Economics, History, Languages and Political Science.