International Studies

The bachelor’s degree offers students a rigorous education in the basic elements of the field. The program provides a sound general education for the student interested in the complex interrelationships (political, economic, social, and cultural) that exist among nations in the interdependent modern world.

Advising. The role of the faculty advisor as mentor is central to the program. Students interested in applying to the program should choose a faculty member with whom they have a common area of interest to act as their advisor and mentor, typically one of the core or participating faculty members named above or a faculty member from the student’s concentration areas. Advising about specific major requirements is available from the department’s undergraduate advisors.

Admission. Students who want to major in international studies must have completed at least two terms at the University of Oregon and should have attained at least a 3.00 grade point average (GPA). In addition, students must have taken at least one regular international studies (INTL) course. Freshman seminars do not count toward this requirement. Students are strongly encouraged not to wait until their junior or senior year to apply. Premajor advising and help with application procedures are available at the international studies office. Applicants must meet with an international studies undergraduate advisor to review the application before submitting it for consideration. Applications are due on Monday of the fourth week of fall, winter, and spring terms.

In exceptional cases, students entering the university may apply to become an international studies major without completing the required two quarters. More information is available from an international studies undergraduate advisor.

Major Requirements

For the most current information about courses and requirements, visit the department website listed above.

The major consists of an initial 4-credit preparatory course, Introduction to International Issues (INTL 101), to be followed by work in three core blocks: international core foundation, professional concentration area, and geographical focus. A minimum of 48 credits, 24 of which must be upper division, are required in these blocks. Courses must be passed with grades of C– or better to satisfy major requirements. In addition, three years’ proficiency in a second language is required. To encourage the study of less commonly taught languages, students also may fulfill the language requirement with the "two-plus-two" option: two years’ proficiency in a commonly taught language (i.e., French, German, Italian, or Spanish) and two years’ proficiency in any other language.

The major may include courses from a number of departments. The minimum requirement is 16 credits in each block. Courses applied to the major, with the exception of the language requirement and up to 8 credits in INTL 406 or 409, must be taken for letter grades.

A maximum of 12 credits in courses taken to fulfill the university group requirements may be applied toward the international studies major.

A maximum of 20 credits in courses taken in a single department other than international studies may be applied toward the international studies major, exclusive of the language requirement.

Preparatory Course. Students are required to complete Introduction to International Issues (INTL 101) as part of the major. It is recommended that students take this course early, ideally before the Block A courses.

Block A: International Core Foundation. Four courses are required from among these six options: Special Studies: International Cooperation and Conflict; International Economy and Business (INTL 199); Perspectives on International Development (INTL 240); Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective (INTL 250); Culture, Capitalism, and Globalization (INTL 260); Global Environmental Issues (INTL 280). INTL 300- and 400-level courses may also be used to fulfill this requirement. More information is available from an international studies advisor.

Block B: Professional Concentration Area. Students select one of fifteen professional concentration areas.

Students may design their own professional concentration area if none of the predefined areas fits the student’s professional goals. Students who choose this option must designate one of the core faculty members of the Department of International Studies as an advisor and work with that individual in designing the concentration. All professional concentrations require four upper-division courses (16 credits).

Block B professional concentration areas are listed later in this section.

Block C: Geographical Focus. Students concentrate on one cultural area—a group of nations that share common cultural, historical, geographic, and linguistic experiences. To satisfy the language requirement for the major, students should choose a language that is relevant to their regional specialization. Only one term (4 credits) of third-year language sequence courses may be used to fulfill the geographical focus requirement.

Areas of focus may include Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Central Asia, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Pacific islands, Russia and Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Appropriate Block C courses should have significant course content on the region of study.

International Studies Honors Thesis. Students who have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 or higher and want to graduate with department honors write a thirty- to fifty-page thesis. An advisor must be selected and a proposal approved by the department faculty two terms before graduation. Students may apply as many as 4 credits in Thesis (403) to the appropriate block of the 48 credits required for the international studies major.

The completed thesis must be awarded a grade of mid-B or better by the advisor (P, or pass, for a Clark Honors College thesis) and be approved as meeting thesis guidelines by the department head. This includes addressing an international or cross-cultural topic and using a minimum of two second-language sources for all projects, including the honors college thesis.

Language Requirement. To satisfy this requirement, students must achieve proficiency in a second language at a level associated with three years of study. Proficiency in the language may be demonstrated by passing three terms of a 300-level language sequence with grades of mid-C or better, or by an examination.

A student may also fulfill the language requirement with two years’ proficiency in two different languages (exclusive of the student’s native tongue) if at least one of the two is a less commonly taught language, not ordinarily offered as a regular course at the University of Oregon. Students wishing to pursue this option must get approval from the undergraduate studies faculty director.

International Experience. Majors must have a significant international experience to complete requirements for the major. This is usually satisfied by at least one term of study or work in another country that coincides with their geographical focus area. For information about study abroad, see International Affairs in the Academic Resources section of this catalog and index entries under "Overseas study opportunities." Advice is available from International Affairs, 330 Oregon Hall.

Internship Option. Students may earn pass/no pass (P/N) credit for work done as interns. Interested students should consult with international studies advisors.

Block B: Professional Concentration Areas

Comparative International Development

Cross-Cultural Communication, Indigenous Cultural Studies, and Ethnic Identity

Culture and Art

Diplomacy and International Relations

International Business

This concentration area requires early planning to meet prerequisites. See departmental advisors for prerequisites specific to international studies majors.

If double-majoring in business administration and international studies, other options apply.

International Economics

International Education

International Environment

International Gender Issues

International Nonprofit Management

International Tourism

Law and Human Rights

Required Courses (8 credits)

Special Studies: International Human Rights (INTL 399), Aid to Developing Countries (INTL 422)

Elective Courses (minimum of 8 credits)

Anthropology. Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (ANTH 314)

Environmental Studies. Environmental Justice (ENVS 435)

Geography. Culture, Ethnicity, and Nationalism (GEOG 445), Geography, Law, and the Environment (GEOG 463)

International Studies. Special Studies: International Cooperation and Conflict, Islam and Global Forces (INTL 399), Gender and International Development (INTL 421), Development and the Muslim World (INTL 423), Cross-Cultural Communication (INTL 431), South Asia: Development and Social Change (INTL 442), Development and Social Change in Southeast Asia (INTL 444), Development and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (INTL 445), Comparative Tribalisms (INTL 447)

Law. Human Rights Law (LAW 610), International Law (LAW 671), Human Rights and Environment (LAW 693). (Special registration process is required for law courses)

Planning, Public Policy and Management. Global Leadership and Change (PPPM 327), Introduction to Public Law (PPPM 418)

Political Science. Special Studies: International Peacekeeping, Palestine and Israel (PS 399), International Organizations. (PS 420),Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (PS 485)

Sociology. Systems of War and Peace (SOC 464)

Media: Journalism and Communication

Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution

Second-Language Acquisition and Teaching

Before selecting this concentration, students must gain the approval of the linguistics department. The course work typically includes 12 approved credits in second-language acquisition theory and language-teaching methodology; 12 approved credits in linguistic description of a target language; 2 to 4 credits in practicum, internship, or supervised tutoring; and college-level second-language study (two years of a second language if the certificate target language is English; three years if the target language is Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish). For more information, visit slat.uoregon.edu/courses.html.

Urbanization: Migration and Refugees

The interdisciplinary MA degree in international studies is offered for students who contemplate careers in international affairs, international development, diplomacy, international organizations, or domestic organizations with an international focus. A minimum of 73 credits must be completed for the degree.

The degree program can be tailored to meet the unique professional needs of each student. In close consultation with a faculty advisor, the student develops a program that combines expertise in a specific professional area with interdisciplinary training in international studies. Areas of professional concentration include comparative development, cross-cultural training, cultural arts, gender and development, health education and nutrition, international business, international community development, international education, international tourism, journalism, management of nongovernmental organizations and private voluntary organizations, and public policy and planning. Concentrations in other professional areas can be arranged.

Graduates of the Department of International Studies serve as international technical advisors, career diplomats, community development professionals, international business and trade experts, analysts in developing countries, international educators, administrators of international programs, and cross-cultural communication consultants.

Admission. The applicant must be a graduate of an accredited four-year college or university with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.30 or better in all academic work. The application deadline is January 15 for the following fall term. A Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) score is required. Students whose native language is not English must verify a score of 575 (paper-based test) or 90 (Internet-based test) or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree from a college or university in an English-speaking country. A score of 7.0 or better on the overall band of the International English Language Testing System test may be submitted instead of the TOEFL. Application forms and additional information about the graduate program may be obtained from the Department of International Studies website.

International Students. International students are encouraged to apply. Study programs are designed to meet students’ professional needs and those of their home countries. As many as half the program’s graduate students are international students.

Graduate Curriculum

Of the 73 course credits needed to complete the degree, students must take a minimum of 28 graded credits: 12 in the interdisciplinary core and 16 in the professional concentration area. A maximum of 24 credits may be taken in any department other than international studies in order to allow an appropriate degree of specialization.

Proseminar Series. The Department of International Studies conducts two required proseminars in which students and faculty members explore the field—Seminar: Proposal Writing (INTL 607) and Research and Writing in International Studies (INTL 656).

Interdisciplinary Core. Students take 16 credits of interdisciplinary courses that form the common core of the curriculum. The core is composed of one course, Seminar: International Studies Graduate Core (INTL 607), and two major competence areas: cross-cultural communication and understanding, and international relations, development theories, and approaches. Students may select from a range of courses to satisfy this requirement. A minimum of one course must be taken from each competence area, and three of the four courses must be INTL courses.

Professional Concentration Area. Students take a minimum of 24 credits in their area of professional concentration. In consultation with an advisor, students choose courses from relevant departments or professional schools. Concentration areas are tailored to individual student interests. Students interested in agricultural extension, forestry, and public health may take courses at Oregon State University. (For information about concurrent enrollment, see the Registration and Academic Policies section of this catalog.)

Geographic Focus. Students must take a minimum of 12 credits in their area of geographic focus (e.g., Africa, East Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, or Southeast Asia). Students who earned their undergraduate degrees from institutions outside the United States may substitute an additional 12 credits in the professional concentration for the 12 credits of geographic focus. Students are encouraged to choose a geographic focus outside their home region.

Language Study and Competence. Students must demonstrate a third-year level of proficiency in a second language relevant to their professional or geographic focus before completing the program. The University of Oregon offers formal courses in a number of European and non-European languages. Students also may study languages through self-instruction at the Yamada Language Center. Language courses may be taken in lieu of up to 4 credits in the geographic focus, 8 credits in the professional concentration area, or 12 credits of the field internship if the language is studied in a country where it is commonly spoken. A total of no more than 16 credits of second-language study may be applied to program requirements. International students whose high school or university instruction was not in English demonstrate proficiency in English as a second language through completion of the master’s degree requirements. It is recommended that international students study a language from their region of concentration.

Supervised Field Internship or Field Research. Twelve credits of internship or field research is required. The program assists students in locating internships or research opportunities and securing funding. The internship or research experience should be related to the student’s career plans to enhance future job opportunities. International students may do their internship or research in the United States. Students must pay all or most of the costs. Many graduate students in the program have competed successfully for funding to support internship and research experiences.

The international studies faculty expects students to gain the following from the internship or research experience: (1) a reasonably in-depth experience in a culture other than the student’s own, (2) greater fluency in the language of the culture in which the internship or research takes place, and (3) knowledge and experience useful to the career goals of the intern.

Master of Arts Project. Each student must prepare an MA project, usually in the form of a thesis, a policy paper, or an article that has been accepted for publication in an approved refereed journal. Successful completion of the final project requires an oral defense before the student's final project committee. Other types of projects may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the student’s master’s advisor. Nine credits are awarded for a thesis and 6 credits for a policy paper or a published article.

Concurrent JD/MA Degree. A four-year program for students interested in international human rights, this program provides background in legal theory and instruments sensitive to social, cultural, economic, and political realities against which international human-rights law is implemented. Future lawyers concerned with asylum, immigration, or public-interest law benefit from the study of international relations and cross-cultural communication.

101 Introduction to International Issues (4) Survey of major political, economic, and cultural themes in international studies through in-class debates on key contemporary issues.

196 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–2R)

198 Colloquium: [Topic] (1–2R)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

240 Perspectives on International Development (4) Introduction to major ideologies, theories, historical processes, and contemporary challenges in international development. Galvan.

250 Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4) Introduction to value systems of various cultures, focusing on how values relate to religion, forms of social organization, group affiliation, and patterns of conflict resolution. Carpenter.

260 Culture, Capitalism, and Globalization (4) Cultural and historical perspectives on the development of capitalism as a way of life and its relationship to contemporary global issues and imbalances. Wooten.

280 Global Environmental Issues (4) Examines root causes of environmental problems at local, regional, national, and global scales. Critically compares approaches to addressing international environmental challenges. Hindery.

345 Africa Today: Issues and Concerns (4) Introduces students to current challenges facing African peoples today. Extends survey of Africa courses, and prepares students for more advanced study regarding the African continent. Wooten.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–12R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–12R)

406 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–12R)

407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) Special topics in international studies.

408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–12R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–12R) Closely supervised participation in the activities of public or private organizations, institutes, and community service agencies.

410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R) Recent topics include Africa: Development and Social Change. R when topic changes.

420/520 International Community Development (4) Introduction to communitarian theory and grass-roots development practices. Comparison across North-South divide of efforts to alleviate poverty, promote sustainability, and ensure mobilization and cohesion. Prereq: INTL 240. Galvan, Hindery.

421/521 Gender and International Development (4) Analysis of the changing roles, opportunities, and expectations of third-world women as their societies undergo social upheavals associated with the problematic effects of development. Prereq: INTL 240. Weiss.

422/522 Aid to Developing Countries (4) Examines the history and current dynamics of international bilateral and multilateral development assistance, the possibilities and constraints of aid, and other related issues. Prereq: INTL 240. Weiss.

423/523 Development and the Muslim World (4) Introduction to discourse on current development in various Muslim societies. Focuses on North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Weiss.

431/531 Cross-Cultural Communication (4) Focuses on skills and insights needed by professionals working in cross-cultural settings. Considers values, development, education, politics, and environment as central to cross-cultural understanding. Prereq: INTL 250.

432/532 Indigenous Cultural Survival (4) Explores case studies of global indigenous peoples who are facing cultural survival issues and developing strategies and institutions to deal with this complex process.

433/533 Childhood in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4) Explores the experience of childhood around the world and examines how this experience is shaped by beliefs about who and what children are and by local conditions and contingencies. Carpenter.

434/534 Language Issues for International Studies (4) Explores the influence of language on policy issues in societies around the world relative to nationalism, identity, multilingualism, education, human rights globalization, and language spread and loss. 

442/542 South Asia: Development and Social Change (4) Introduction to the vast social changes and development issues confronting the South Asian subcontinent. Weiss.

444/544 Development and Social Change in Southeast Asia (4) Introduction to the region and to the complex social issues facing the peoples of Southeast Asia. Carpenter.

445/545 Development and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (4) Introduces theoretical and practical aspects of development and social change in sub-Saharan Africa, with focus on key issues in African development during the postcolonial era. Braun, Galvan, Wooten.

446/546 Development and Social Change in Latin America (4) Explores development challenges, debt cycles, urban growth, neoliberalism, populism, socialism, gender, the environment, U.S.–Latin American relations, ecotourism, and drug geographies in the region. Hindery.

447/547 Comparative Tribalisms (4) Situates contemporary polemics in Africa and the U.S. regarding ethnic, racial, and religious violence, culture wars, and nationalism in a comparative analytic framework. Galvan.

503 Thesis (1–12R) Prereq: exit project committee’s consent.

601 Research: [Topic] (1–12R)

602 Supervised College Teaching (1–5R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–12R)

606 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–12R) Prereq: exit project committee’s consent.

607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

608 Special Topics: [Topic] (1–12R)

609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–12R) Closely supervised participation in the activities of public or private organizations, institutes, and community service agencies.

610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

656 Research and Writing in International Studies (1) Focus on conceptualizing research topics; accessing bibliographic databases; writing grant applications, reports, and theses. Weiss.