International Studies BA

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Program Requirements

The major consists of 48 to 51 semester hours, structured as follows:

complete 9 semester hours from a list of introductory courses listed below
choose three thematic concentrations from the following five:
language and culture, international relations and comparative politics, economics and development, international commerce, and regional societies and history. Majors complete 12 hours in each theme (except international commerce, which requires 15). Below is a list of preapproved courses in each concentration. Students wishing to apply courses not on the list may do so with the approval of the program director.
a capstone seminar (3 semester hours) for students in their last year
the major is interdisciplinary, and students must take classes in at least three different disciplines (anthropology, economics, geography, history, international commerce/business, modern languages, political science or religious studies). No more than 18 hours in any one discipline will be accepted toward the major.
students are expected to develop a regional specialization. They must choose courses from the introductory and thematic concentration lists that contribute to an understanding of a world region.
all international studies majors must demonstrate a proficiency in a language other than English. This may be fulfilled with the fourth semester of a foreign language course sequence. Students must receive a grade of C or better in all language courses; they also have the option of testing out of this requirement.
majors must complete at least half (24 hours) of the semester hours at the Downtown Campus. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better is required, with a minimum grade of C- earned in all major courses to graduate.

Required Courses

Introductory Courses

Choose one course from each of the following three groups:

Choose one:

ECON 2012 - Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 2012
GEOG 1102 - World Regional Geography Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 1102

Choose one:

INTB 3000 - Global Perspectives Summer 2010 Registration: INTB 3000
PSCI 3022 - Introduction to Comparative Politics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 3022
PSCI 3042 - Introduction to International Relations Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 3042

Choose one:

ANTH 2102 - Culture and the Human Experience Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 2102
HIST 3451 - Introduction to African History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3451
HIST 3460 - Introduction to Latin American History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3460
HIST 3470 - Introduction to Asian History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3470
HIST 3480 - Introduction to European History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3480
HIST 3483 - Introduction to Modern South Asia Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3483
RLST 2660 - World Religions Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 2660

Total: 9 Hours

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Thematic Concentrations

Students must take a minimum of four upper-division courses in each of three of the following five concentrations, for a total of 36 semester hours (12 hours in each concentration). Please note that the concentration in international commerce requires five courses rather than four, for a total of 39 semester hours. The list below does not include all the international courses applicable to the major, only the ones frequently taught. It is expected to change as departments develop new courses and hire new faculty in different areas.

Note: Concentrations are interdisciplinary and are not the same as academic departments. Students must take courses in at least three different academic departments and no more than 18 semester hours in any one department.

Language, Culture and Literature

This concentration aims at deepening the student’s understanding of the cultural underpinnings and worldviews of different societies.

Modern languages: any upper-division courses in the Department of Modern Languages except Methods of Teaching French/German/Spanish. We have not listed the courses individually because there are so many upper-division courses on world literature and culture available in modern languages.

ANTH 3121 - Language and Communication Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 3121
ANTH 4130 - Comparative Religious Systems Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4130
-OR-
RLST 4010 - Comparative Religious Systems Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 4010
PHIL 4650 - Differing Concepts of God Summer 2010 Registration: PHIL 4650
-OR-
RLST 4400 - Differing Concepts of God Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 4400

International Relations and Comparative Politics

Courses in this concentration stress comparative approaches, diplomacy and conflict resolution. Students will have an understanding of how different societies make decisions and manage international relations. How do other cultures conceive of and practice power?

ANTH 4180 - The Nature of Power Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4180
HIST 3121 - The World at War, 1914-1945 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3121
HIST 4032 - Globalization in World History Since 1945 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4032
HIST 4220 - U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1912 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4220
HIST 4412 - Mexico and the United States: People and Politics on the Border Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4412
HIST 4471 - The Second World War Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4471
HIST 4475 - The Vietnam War Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4475
* PSCI 3022 - Introduction to Comparative Politics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 3022
* PSCI 3042 - Introduction to International Relations Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 3042
PSCI 4057 - Religion and Politics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4057
-OR-
RLST 4500 - Religion and Politics Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 4500
PSCI 4105 - Comparative Politics: Europe Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4105
PSCI 4146 - Indigenous Politics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4146
PSCI 4156 - The Arab-Israeli Peace Process Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4156
PSCI 4185 - Corruption in the U.S. and Abroad Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4185
PSCI 4216 - International Politics: Human Rights Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4216
PSCI 4217 - Human Rights in Theory and Practice Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4217
PSCI 4225 - Democracy and Democratization Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4225
PSCI 4226 - The United Nations in World Affairs Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4226
PSCI 4236 - American Foreign Policy Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4236
PSCI 4266 - International Law Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4266
PSCI 4286 - International Relations: War or Peace? Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4286
PSCI 4726 - Russian and Chinese Foreign Policy Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4726
PSCI 4736 - The Middle East in World Affairs Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4736
PSCI 4807 - Revolution and Political Violence Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4807
PSCI 4995 - Travel Study Topics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4995
* If not taken to fulfill the introductory major requirements.
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Economics, Development and Environment

Students taking this concentration will develop an understanding of economic processes in an international context. The courses offer comparative approaches and cultural perspectives on development and environment.

Note: Students in this concentration must take

ECON 2012 - Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics

as one of their three introductory courses.

Required economics course

ECON 2022 - Principles of Economics: Microeconomics Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 2022

Choose three upper division courses from the following:

ANTH 4010 - Global Health Studies I: The Biocultural Basis of Health Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4010
ANTH 4070 - Culture of Development and Globalization Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4070
ANTH 4140 - Principles of Economic Anthropology Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4140
ANTH 4170 - Culture and the Environment Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4170
ANTH 4390 - Laboratory Methods in Archaeology Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4390
ECON 4081 - Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4081
ECON 4230 - Law and Economics Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4230
ECON 4410 - International Trade Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4410
ECON 4420 - International Finance Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4420
ECON 4540 - Environmental Economics Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4540
ECON 4770 - Economic Development–Theory and Problems Summer 2010 Registration: ECON 4770
GEOG 3300 - Population and Resources in the World Environment Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3300
GEOG 3411 - Globalization and Regional Development Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3411
GEOG 3420 - Political Ecology Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3420
GEOG 3430 - Geography of Tourism Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3430
GEOG 4265 - Sustainability in Resources Management Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 4265
INTB 3000 - Global Perspectives Summer 2010 Registration: INTB 3000
PSCI 4085 - Comparative Public Policy Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4085
PSCI 4126 - Introduction to International Political Economy Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4126
PSCI 4235 - Politics and Markets in Latin America Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4235
PSCI 4248 - Gender, Globalization and Development Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4248
PSCI 4326 - Advanced International Political Economy: Globalization Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4326
PSCI 4365 - Global Ecological Crises Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4365
PSCI 4555 - International Women’s Resistance Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4555

International Commerce

The objective of this concentration is to give students an introduction to international business practices.

ECON 2012 and ECON 2022 are prerequisites for most of these courses. Note that the first three courses are prerequisites for MGMT 4400 and MKTG 4200. Students opting for this concentration must take both MGMT 4400 and MKTG 4200. Students must meet Business School entrance requirements for the international commerce concentration, with a 3.0 GPA overall or in the last 24 hours.

Note: This concentration requires 15 hours, not 12.

ACCT 2200 - Financial Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis Summer 2010 Registration: ACCT 2200
(MATH 1070 or MATH 1110 prerequisite and sophomore standing).
* MGMT 3000 - Managing Individuals and Teams Summer 2010 Registration: MGMT 3000
* MKTG 3000 - Principles of Marketing Summer 2010 Registration: MKTG 3000
* MGMT 4400 - Environments of International Business Summer 2010 Registration: MGMT 4400
* MKTG 4200 - International Marketing Summer 2010 Registration: MKTG 4200
* Students must have junior standing to take the 3000-level courses and must be formally admitted to the international studies program to take the 4000-level courses.

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Regional Societies and History

Students in this concentration are expected to develop a historical understanding of how nations and political systems develop. To understand why international actors behave in a given way, one needs to understand the historical background of those actors; this concentration will familiarize students with that background.

ANTH 4220 - Community in Global Context Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4220
ANTH 4250 - Culture Change in the Modern World Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4250
ANTH 4740 - Ethnography of Mexico and Central America Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4740
ANTH 4995 - Travel Study Summer 2010 Registration: ANTH 4995
GEOG 3120 - Geography of Europe Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3120
GEOG 3130 - Central America and the Caribbean Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3130
GEOG 3140 - Geography of South America Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3140
GEOG 3150 - Middle East Summer 2010 Registration: GEOG 3150
HIST 3350 - Colonial Latin America Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3350
HIST 3500 - African History in Novels and Films Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3500
HIST 3995 - Travel Study Topics Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 3995
HIST 4024 - Nineteenth Century Europe Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4024
HIST 4025 - Twentieth Century Europe Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4025
HIST 4027 - The Enlightenment: Eighteenth Century Intellectual History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4027
HIST 4028 - After the Revolutions: Nineteenth Century Intellectual History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4028
HIST 4029 - Fin de Siecle: Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Intellectual History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4029
HIST 4046 - Victorians and Victorianism Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4046
HIST 4051 - Great Britain: 1760-1914 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4051
HIST 4062 - Modern France, 1789 to the Present Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4062
HIST 4071 - Modern Germany Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4071
HIST 4074 - Post-War Germany Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4074
HIST 4082 - Reform and Revolution in Russia: The 1860s to 1917 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4082
HIST 4083 - Russia Since 1917 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4083
HIST 4086 - Eastern Europe Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4086
HIST 4303 - Sex and Gender in Modern Britain Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4303
HIST 4411 - Modern Mexico Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4411
HIST 4414 - Nationalism and State Building in Latin America, 1750-1850 Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4414
HIST 4415 - Social Revolutions in Latin America Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4415
HIST 4421 - Modern China Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4421
HIST 4451 - Southern Africa Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4451
HIST 4455 - African Struggle for Independence Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4455
HIST 4460 - The Islamic World’s Golden Age Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4460
HIST 4461 - The Modern Middle East Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4461
HIST 4621 - Explorers and Exploration Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4621
PSCI 3125 - Introduction to Latin American Society Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 3125
PSCI 4155 - Political Systems of the Middle East and North Africa Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4155
PSCI 4165 - Islamic Politics and Culture Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4165
-OR-
RLST 3100 - Islamic Politics and Culture Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 3100
PSCI 4175 - Politics and Governments of the Pacific Rim Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4175
PSCI 4505 - The Post-Soviet World: Origins and Present Condition Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4505
PSCI 4554 - Chicano and Latino Politics Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4554
PSCI 4615 - Politics and Government of China Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4615
RLST 3400 - Asian Philosophies and Religions Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 3400
-OR-
PHIL 3666 - Asian Philosophies and Religions Summer 2010 Registration: PHIL 3666
RLST 3500 - Religions of India Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 3500
RLST 3660 - Chinese Philosophy and Culture Summer 2010 Registration: RLST 3660
-OR-
PHIL 3981 - Chinese Philosophy and Culture Summer 2010 Registration: PHIL 3981

International Studies Capstone Course

All majors must take a 3-semester-hour seminar focusing on a global issue. Currently the designated capstone courses are:

HIST 4417 - Commodities and Globalization: Dessert in World History Summer 2010 Registration: HIST 4417
PSCI 4126 - Introduction to International Political Economy Summer 2010 Registration: P SC 4126
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