International Studies

Major

How We Work 

1. We talk the talk and walk the walk. Having a truly global understanding isn't just an effort of statistical study or of subjective personal experience—it's a combination of the two. That's why our students learn the structures of international communities, take two years of language instruction, and eventually go abroad. They're as versed in textbook analysis as they are in genuine human interactions.

2. We're citizens of the world. In our classes, you'll study alongside international students, domestic students who have lived abroad, and those who have never left the country. We foster a community of unique individuals, so that our students can emerge with a more nuanced and holistic view of the world.

3. We don't play it safe. International Studies majors have the freedom to design their course of study-be that focusing on a certain region, on themes across several countries and regions, or even combining the major with another field of study.

4. Our faculty is with you all the way. Our faculty spans the departments of History, Political Science, Anthropology/Sociology, Modern Languages, and Economics, so our students are free to focus on the issues they care about, and to seek guidance from instructors they relate to. That means any International Studies advisor can help design an abroad experience. It also means that our educational prospects are always growing: any professor with an interest in international issues can become a member of the International Studies faculty.

5. We put ourselves to the test. Our capstone projects demonstrate the competence we've acquired in our language abilities, our understanding of history and economics, and our immersive foreign work. And of course, our research is as diverse as we are: be that a reflection on the specifics of "The Impact of Tea on the Angami-Naga Society of Northeast India" (Lungalang '11) or as comprehensive as a "Global Analysis of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Rates and Related Country Variables" (Lashway '12).

6. Our grads find success. Tim Schmeling '11 works for UTC Aerospace Systems and will be continuing on to law school. Rachel Dean '06 has taught in Japan for seven years, and is now a support coordinator for international exchange at CIEE. Matt Berg '00 is a Time Magazine's 100 "Most Influential People" for his work in community health service entrepreneurship in Africa.