last modified:2009-09-30 13:59:31
Requirements for the Major
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
There are no admission requirements for the International Studies major.
The University of Utah offers both a B.A. and a B.S. degree with an International Studies Major. The major requires 33 credit hours and has four basic components:
1. FOREIGN LANGUAGE ( 6 CREDIT HOURS )
B.A., third year of foreign language (or equivalent)
For B.S. substitute six credit hours of additional upper-division courses with international subject matter.
2. CORE COURSES ( 15 CREDIT HOURS )
POL S 2100, Intro to International Relations
HIST 1510, World History Since 1500 (Student must make sure to register for HiIST 1510. World History to 1500, HIST 1500 will not count toward the IS major).
BUS 2900, International Business
Two additional courses are required from the following lists, one from each:
Humanities
COMM 5620, International Communication
ENGL 3780, Global/Transnational Literature
CLCS 3670, World Literature and Civilization
LING 3600, Cross Cultural Communication
PHIL 3730, Justice and International Affairs
Social and Behavioral Sciences
ANTHR 1010, Culture and the Human Experience
ECON 3500, International Economics (Prerequisite: Economics 2010 and 2020 or Economics 1010 and instructor’s permission)
FCS 3470, International Consumer Policy
GEOG 1300, World Regional Geography
SOC 3436, Global Social Structure and Change
3. UPPER DIVISION EMPHASIS ( 12/18 CREDIT HOURS )
Your upper-division program of study must be approved, and entered in your DARS record. You should use the Sample Programs of Study on the IS website as a self-advising tool to locate courses that you would like to take, and then make an appointment with the Academic Advisor to discuss and gain approval for your program of study. Keep in mind that your course work must originate in at least two different departments. The goal of this meeting is a list of 6-9 possible courses that fit the program requirements. These will be entered in your DARS record, and will show when you run a subsequent report. You must gain approval from the Academic Advisor for any subsequent changes in the program of study. Choose a Global Studies theme or one region in Area Studies.
Area Studies/Geographic Emphasis: The area studies track allows students to focus their program on one region: Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle East Studies. Thematically, this focus could be wide-ranging, including politics, history, economics, geography, language, literature, culture, etc., – or a combination of different disciplinary approaches.
Students seeking a BA in International Studies have to complete Foreign Language requirement in a language that is relevant to their area of study.
Global Studies/Thematic Emphasis: The global studies track allows students to focus their electives on a broad vision of international issues and themes and their impact over several regions. By definition, the global track is comparative. Courses will always look at local, national, regional, and international issues from the broadest comparative perspective. In this track students may choose preset themes (such as development, the environment, health) or upon consultation with and approval by the Academic Advisor students may create their own thematic focus.
4. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Engagement with another culture for the equivalent of at least one semester is required for the major. Unlike the other requirements for graduation, this is not a credit hour requirement, but it nonetheless is a real requirement you must fulfill or you will not graduate. The requirement can be fulfilled in one of two ways:
1. A Study Abroad program in which you transfer at least 3 credit hours to the University of Utah. You may wish to make an appointment to discuss Study Abroad opportunities with the Academic Advisor. The International Center in the Union Building can also provide information and advising on these programs. Please keep in mind the following about Study Abroad programs:
Fulfilling the Study Abroad Requirement: There is no automatic mechanism by which we are informed that you completed a Study Abroad program. When you complete one, and the credits are on your transcript, you should ask the Faculty Director of the Study Abroad program, or a staff person at the International Center, to send an email/ a letter to the Academic Advisor verifying that you completed the program. If you participate in a program sponsored by another university, or if you attend a foreign university on your own, you should have the appropriate administrator connected with the program verify by email/ mail that you completed the program.
Transferring credits from a Study Abroad: Credit hours from Study Abroad programs run by the University of Utah are automatically placed on your transcript. However, credit hours from other programs must be transferred to your U of U transcript. All transfers of credits from other universities, either US or foreign, are done by the Admissions Office. If you plan to take courses abroad that you wish to have considered as upper-division courses, you must obtain the approval of the relevant U of U department before the Admissions Office will enter them as upper-division. This means that, for example, for Political Science courses taken abroad, the U of U Political Science department must approve them as upper-division courses. The IS program has no courses of its own, and so you must contact the advisor in the U of U department that offers courses similar to the ones you are taking abroad. Departments may give you advance advice about this before you leave for the Study Abroad program, but in most instances they will give final approval only after you return. You should save syllabi, exams, papers, and other materials from the courses you take abroad to help gain their approval.
2. Alternate Procedure: If you have had a significant (at least 3 months) international experience, are planning to do an international internship, or an international service project or if you are unable for personal reasons to participate in a Study Abroad program, it may be possible to follow an alternate procedure to fulfill the International Experience requirement. You should discuss this with the Academic Advisor when you declare the major.
We want to provide you with the best advising we can. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Academic Advisor via phone 801-581-8180 or email arminka.zeljkovic@utah.edu