BA in International Studies
Degree Program Description
The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies is an individually designed major with a strong multicultural and global focus. Students in the major have the opportunity to design a major that reflects their own interests and goals. The increased level of flexibility requires a higher level of commitment than is typical of traditional majors because students MUST do the work of building their own degree. International Studies majors acquire analytical skills and knowledge that will enable them to understand and contribute to shaping the quickly evolving global community. The program prepares students for graduate study and careers in academia, teaching, law, business, public policy, humanitarian aid, non-profit organizations, government, and diplomacy. Students in the program will study advanced second language and participate in a study abroad experience to fulfill degree requirements.
Major Program Requirements
A student majoring in the BA in International Studies must complete 18 hours of specified Core coursework to fulfill Arts and Science Foundation Requirements, an additional 42 hours minimum for the major, and a study abroad experience. A minimum grade of C- is required for courses taken for the major. A minimum cumulative GPA in all major coursework is 2.0. In addition, students must complete all College of Arts and Science and University graduation requirements, including University general education.
The information below pertains to the BA in International Studies and most of its emphasis areas. Links to additional information can be found on the International Studies Home Page. Students interested in the emphasis area of International Business and a dual degree option with the BSBA in Business Administration, can find additional information on the International Business Catalog Page.
Required Core Coursework
Complete the following courses: | ||
ANTHRO 2030 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
GEOG 1100 | Regions and Nations of the World I | 3 |
or GEOG 1200 | Regions and Nations of the World II | |
POL_SC 1400 | International Relations | 3 |
or POL_SC 2700 | Comparative Political Systems | |
In addition, complete 3 of the following courses and at least one of the courses completed must come from the Humanities section: | ||
Biological and Physical Sciences Core Courses | ||
ATM_SC 3600 | Climates of the World | 3 |
BIO_SC 1060 | Basic Environmental Studies | 3 |
BIO_SC 1400 | Evolution for Everyone | 3 |
GEOL 1050 | Planet Earth | 3 |
GEOL 1100 | Introduction to the Earth with Laboratory | 4 |
GEOL 1200 | Environmental Geology with Laboratory | 4 |
GEOL 1250 | The World's Oceans | 3 |
Behavioral Sciences Core Courses | ||
ANTHRO 1000 | Introduction to Anthropology: Human Biology, Prehistory, and Culture | 3 |
ANTHRO 1300 | Multiculturalism: An Introduction | 3 |
PEA_ST 2000 | Exploration in Social and Economic Justice | 3 |
SOCIOL 1000 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
or RU_SOC 1000 | Rural Sociology | |
SOCIOL 2200 | Social Inequalities | 3 |
WGST 2040 | Perspectives on Empowerment | 3 |
WGST 2250 | Gender, Race, Class and Sexuality in the Americas | 3 |
Social Sciences Core Courses | ||
ECONOM 1014 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
or ABM 1041 | Applied Microeconomics | |
ECONOM 1015 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
or ABM 1042 | Applied Macroeconomics | |
ECONOM 3224 | Introduction to International Economics | 3 |
ECONOM 4326 | Economics of International Trade | 3 |
PEA_ST 1050 | Introduction to Peace Studies | 3 |
WGST 1120 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
Humanities Core Courses (at least one course from the list below is required) | ||
ARCHST 1600 | Fundamentals of Environmental Design | 3 |
ARH_VS 1110 | Ancient and Medieval Art | 3 |
ARH_VS 1120 | Renaissance through Modern Art | 3 |
ENGLSH 2155 | Introduction to World Literatures | 3 |
ENGLSH 2159 | Introduction to World Literatures, 1890 to Present | 3 |
FILMS_VS 2020 | World Cinema for Non-Majors | 3 |
FILMS_VS 2820 | Trends in World Cinema | 3 |
FRENCH 4820 | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context | 3 |
or FRENCH 4820W | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context - Writing Intensive | |
GERMAN 3510 | Think Global: Fundamentals of Globalization and Digital Technologies (Also offered as H, W) | 3 |
GERMAN 4810 | Case Studies in an Inter/Multicultural World | 3 |
GERMAN 4820 | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context | 3 |
or GERMAN 4820W | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context - Writing Intensive | |
GN_HON 2112H | Here Be Monsters | 3 |
GN_HON 2113H | Reasonable Devils and Dark Visions | 3 |
GN_HON 2114H | Diagnosing the Dark | 3 |
JOURN 1000 | The News Media: Journalism and Advertising in a Democratic Society | 3 |
MUSIC_NM 1310 | Masterpieces of Western Music | 3 |
MUSIC_NM 1313 | Introduction to World Music | 3 |
PEA_ST 2410 | Philosophies of War and Peace | 3 |
PEA_ST 3510 | Think Global: Fundamentals of Globalization and Digital Technologies | 3 |
PHIL 2100 | Philosophy: East and West | 3 |
REL_ST 1100 | Introduction to Religion | 3 |
REL_ST 2100 | Indigenous Religions | 3 |
REL_ST 2110 | Global Religions | 3 |
REL_ST 2630 | History of Christian Traditions | 3 |
REL_ST 2700 | Islam | 3 |
REL_ST 4750 | Women, Religion and Culture | 3 |
RUSS 4820 | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context | 3 |
or RUSS 4820W | Blogging the World: The Web in Cultural Context - Writing Intensive | |
WGST 2080 | Perspectives on Sexual and Gender Diversity | 3 |
Major Requirements (42 hours minimum)
Language Requirements (6 hours minimum)
For the major, students must complete 6 hours minimum in a single foreign language, beyond the elementary level.
Regional/Cultural Area (12 hours minimum)
Could include additional language and literature courses from the language of major study, as well as coursework with an international focus from Philosophy, Religious Studies, Art History, Film Studies, and Civilization courses.
Social/Behavioral Sciences Area (12 hours minimum)
Could include coursework with an international focus from Geography, History, Political Science, Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, Rural Sociology, Women's and Gender Studies and Peace Studies.
Emphasis Areas (12 hours minimum)
The emphasis area options are: East Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, European Studies, International Business, Latin American Studies, Peace Studies, or South Asian Studies. Course work with an international focus of the student’s choice allowing the study of one area in depth. For all emphasis except International Business, the area is typically related to the foreign language the student is studying. Students are encouraged to take 9 credits from a single department or area. The 3-credit capstone experience will complete the 12 hours of credit in the emphasis area. The International Business emphasis has a different set of requirements. For details on requirements in an emphasis area, refer to each degree page.
Capstone Options
Policies
- The Capstone must be completed in the final 45 hours of coursework.
- Students must earn a C- or higher to fulfill the Capstone requirement.
- Students must have a Capstone approved by their academic advisor.
- Students may complete an Internship or Readings that is not used as a Capstone.
- Students may not earn retroactive credit for internships.
Internships 4940
- Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA to apply for approval of an internship project.
- Students must not have any active Student Conduct holds.
- Students may not complete an internship at an existing position.
- Students must work 50 hours for each credit hour earned.
- Only internships in the United States can be approved.
- During the Internship period, students must submit the following assignments:
- a well-written proposal outlining the details of the internship must accompany the application
- a carefully-prepared factual report about the internship which addresses the questions outlined in the student’s internship proposal
- a résumé which includes the student’s internship experience and documents the tangible skills they attained while working
- an interpretative essay in which students connect what they have learned from their internship experience with their academic work in their individualized major
- Internship supervisors must submit a performance evaluation.
- Internships receive a grade of S or U (pass/fail).
- The Office of Multidisciplinary Degrees reserves the right to deny internship project approval to any student it believes will not be a good representation of the University.
Readings 4960
Students work independently with MU faculty on research and/or professional projects. A student finds a campus professor with whom to work. Together, they create concrete objectives for a meaningful project. The professor guides and supervises the student towards completion of the project and is responsible for awarding a letter grade for the course.
Service-Learning 4970
Service-Learning provides hands-on experience in service experiences that are coordinated in collaboration with MU and the community. Service-Learning experiences create valuable learning environments for students as they connect with the community in partnerships that provide effective and far-reaching assistance to those in need. To apply, students must have a 2.5 GPA or higher.
4000-level Capstone course
Students can select a 4000-level course in the Focus Area to fulfill the Capstone requirement. This course does not need to be a departmental Capstone in order to fulfill the requirement.
Study Abroad Experience Requirement
- Students should study abroad for a minimum of 4 weeks.
- If a program is less than 4 weeks, it must be approved by the academic advisor.
- Credit earned during a study abroad experience may be used to fulfill major requirements.
- Students should complete their study abroad experience prior to their last year.
- Preparation for a study abroad experience should begin a year in advance.
- Information on study abroad is available at the International Center website.
Semester Plan
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | Second Language | 5 |
Humanitites | 3 | POL_SC 1400 or 2700 | 3 |
Second Language | 5 | Biological/Physical Science Course w/Lab | 5 |
American History or Government course | 3 | Math and Quantitative Reasoning course | 3 |
14 | 16 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
GEOG 1100 or 1200 | 3 | Second Language | 3 |
Second Language | 3 | ANTHRO 2030 | 3 |
Humanities | 3 | Writing-Intensive/Social Science | 3 |
Social Science | 3 | Biological/Physical Science Course | 4 |
Behavioral Science | 3 | Humanities | 3 |
15 | 16 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
Social/Behavioral major course | 3 | Behavioral Science | 3 |
Core major course | 3 | Regional/Cultural major course | 3 |
Humanities | 3 | Social/Behavioral major course | 3 |
Regional/Cultural major course | 3 | Core Humanities major course | 3 |
Second Language | 3 | Core major course | 3 |
15 | 15 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
General Elective | 3 | Emphasis Area Capstone 4000 Level | 3 |
Emphasis Area major course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
Writing-Intensive/Emphasis Area major course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 2 |
15 | 14 | ||
Total Credits: 120 |
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.