Overview
International Studies at SIUE
International studies is an interdisciplinary degree program designed to help students reflect on and engage in the complex social, political, economic, and cultural interrelations that exist among nations and regions of our increasingly globalized world. The program offers a broad range of curricular options in the College of Arts and Sciences, allowing students to explore, in regards to various peoples and across populations, aspects related to geography, history, religion, government, trade, communication, languages and literatures, music and arts, social justice, and environmental challenges. Students in the program will learn critical and analytical problem-solving skills that they can apply to contemporary global issues.
The international studies major is an interdisciplinary 120-hour course of study including, in addition to general education and foreign language requirements, core courses, international travel study, and electives. Students declaring a major in international studies must select one of the three concentration areas and a minor.
Concentration Areas
- International Art, Culture and Communication
- International Development and Sustainability
- International Relations and Diplomacy
Core Courses
- INTS 200 Essentials of International Studies
- GEOG 201 World Regions
- POLS 370 Introduction to International Relations
- INTS 499 International Studies Senior Assignment
International Travel Study
This major requires six credit hours of international travel study, either for the duration of a semester or during a summer session, and thus immersion in a foreign culture and first-hand exposure to international issues.
Elective Courses
Elective courses may be selected from an array of academic areas, including anthropology, applied communications studies, art and design, biological sciences, criminal justice, economics, English language and literature, environmental sciences, foreign languages and literature, geography history, humanities, mass communication, music, philosophy, physics, political science, public administration and policy analysis, social work, sociology, theater and dance, and interdisciplinary studies (IS).
Career Opportunities
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in international studies are qualified for many positions in diplomacy or with nonprofits, governmental organizations and businesses. Students can apply their knowledge of globalization, language and culture in workplace settings in the areas of foreign service, foreign aid or international intergovernmental organizations. Examples of government agencies seeking these graduates are the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency. In recent years, there have been hundreds of thousands of export related jobs and employment opportunities with foreign firms in Illinois and in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Possible job titles include: foreign service specialist; human rights advocate; lobbyist and administrative/legislative aid; Peace Corps officer; teacher of English as a foreign language in international settings; family and community support service provider for humanitarian agencies in the United States and internationally; and business consultant in international firms.
