International Studies is an interdisciplinary program that provides an opportunity to explore cultures and issues beyond the United States. To appreciate, understand, and interact in a global community students need to explore other nations and cultures from various perspectives. Students understand other nations through courses that cover the historical developments of a nation, the political organizations that rule a country or countries, the economic systems that distribute resources, and the social organizations that support the cultural norms. It is equally essential for students to develop a willingness to understand how people from a different culture think and behave in order to communicate effectively with them. In order to be effective global citizens, we must be able to recognize that there are issues that go beyond our borders and require us to apply our understanding of culture and peoples.

The International Studies Certificate (ISC) is designed to complement a student’s major. The interdisciplinary nature of the certificate requires students to take a diverse set of courses in order to meet the goal of understanding nations, peoples, and issues. Students are also asked to have an independent learning experience that is international in scope.

Students are required to take 28 credit hours, with no more than 8 credit hours taken from a single department or in the student’s major. At least two courses must be “G” courses. There are three components of the Certificate:

A. Internationally Focused Courses.

A student may take a minimum of 24 credits of internationally focused courses, with no more than 8 credit hours taken from a single department in the student’s major. These courses focus on countries, peoples, organizations, systems, or societies outside of the United States and must be selected from ANTH-100, 225, 232, 242; ANTH/ENV-252; SOC-237; MGT-300; ECON-361, 362, 263; EAS-224, 314; HIST-101, 102, 151, 152, 175, 176, 202, 203, 251, 252, 254, 275, 276, 303, 307, 351, 352, 354, 375, 376, 451W, 475W; IDS-102; JPN-300 and 400-level courses; MCS-350; all Modern Language courses above 112; POL-242, 252, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350A/B, 353, 355.

B. Global Issues Courses.

A student must take 4 credits of courses that address global issues or have global ramifications, selected from ENV-100, POL-357, POL-399 (Human Rights), SOC-263; HIST101, 102, 151, 152, 176, 202, 203, 251, 254, 303, 307, 351, 376; PHIL/ENV 248, RELS-111, RELS-336.

C. Independent Learning Experience (ILE)

Students must either study abroad or complete an internship in a program approved by the International Education Committee. The internship may be conducted abroad or with a domestic company or organization that has a significant international orientation. Students are required to document their experience in a written journal and produce a research paper on an international topic.

Special topics courses and courses relevant to International Studies taken abroad may be included to meet the Certificate requirements with the approval of the program coordinator.