(18 semester hours)
The Minor in International Studies is an interdisciplinary minor meant to complement any major on campus either by adding an international component to that major or by strengthening an existing international emphasis. The minor provides a broad overview of international issues while also permitting some degree of specialization on a particular issue or region of the world. These objectives are accomplished not only through a flexible selection of courses outside the major, but also through direct engagement that might include study abroad, internships, home-stays, the study of foreign language, and the development of a final senior project that allows the student to integrate learning from both major and minor into a project with an international focus.
The International Studies Minor is administered and supervised by the Committee on International Studies (CIS), an interdisciplinary faculty committee centered in the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences. Programs of study and senior projects must be approved by the committee.
Students entering the program may be advised by any member of the Committee on International Studies or by their major advisor in collaboration with the program’s director. The Program of study should have either a topical or regional focus and courses in the Core Requirements should be selected from at least two disciplines outside the student’s major. Study abroad is an important component of this minor and students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities for overseas study offered by Radford University or other institutions.
The content of the minor will vary with each student. The following suggest some of the possibilities, but are not fully inclusive: The Role of Dance in Culture, Economics of Developing Countries, Japanese (or European) Studies, Educational Systems in Africa, the Politics of Fundamentalist Islam.
Sample Programs of Study in International Studies
Below are two actual examples of completed Programs of Study for recent Radford University graduates. Each program reflects the different majors, experiences, and interests of the individual student.