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International Studies

This recommended four-year plan is designed to provide a blueprint for students to complete their degrees within four years. These plans are the recommended sequences of courses. Students must meet with their Major Advisor to develop a more individualized plan to complete their degree. This plan assumes that no developmental courses are required. If developmental courses are needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which are not listed in the plan and degree completion may take longer.

NOTE: This recommended Four-Year Plan is applicable to students admitted into the major during the 2021-2022 academic year.

First Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Second Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Third Year

Fall Semester

  • Major: Global Issues course (HRS 4)
  • Major: Global Issues course (HRS 4)
  • Major: Global Issues course (HRS 4)
  • School Core: Language III* (HRS 4)
  • Total: (HRS 16)

Spring Semester

  • Study Abroad Elective***/Major: Area Studies course (HRS 4)
  • Study Abroad Elective/Major: Area Studies course (HRS 4)
  • Study Abroad Elective/Major: Area Studies course (HRS 4)
  • Study Abroad Elective/Elective (HRS 4)
  • Total: (HRS 16)

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
  • General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
  • General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
  • General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
  • Total: (HRS 16)

Total Credits Required: 128 credits    GPA: 2.0

Note: 5 writing intensive courses are required for graduation: Critical Reading and Writing, and Studies in Arts and Humanities; the other three course are taken in the major. POLI 205, POLI 235, and INTL 450 are all Writing Intensive. If you do not take both POLI 205 and POLI 235, make sure that one of your Global Issues or Area Studies courses is Writing Intensive. 

* The SSHGS school core requires that each student have proficiency in a language through the Intermediate I level. If you are starting from Foundations I, that means three language course (Foundations I, Foundations II, Intermediate I). You can take a placement test to determine whether you can start at a higher level or prove proficiency without taking any courses. Any language course at the Intermediate level or higher can count as one of your Area Studies courses in the International Studies major. If General Ed Global Awareness is not fulfilled by a language course, INTL 127 and ANTH 102 in the International Studies major also fulfill this requirement.

**All students must choose two out of three distribution categories within General Education, and then take one course from each of the two selected categories. Some International Studies courses can double count with this part of General Education, specifically:

Culture and Creativity: ANTH 235 Religion: Cross Cultural Perspectives, HIST 289 Islamic Art and Architecture

Values and Ethics: INTL 250 Contemporary International Human Rights, POLI 233 East Asia: History and Politics

***All International Studies majors are required to either study abroad for at least 4 weeks, or complete an extensive internship or co-op with an international focus. See convener for details.

◊Some Global Issues and Area Studies courses also double-count with General Education. However, you can only double count two classes between General Education and your school core and major.