Mar 19, 2024  
2015 - 2016 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2015 - 2016 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

International Studies Minor


(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.

Requirements


Requirements for the Minor in International Studies total 18 semester hours, including the following four areas:

Introductory Course (3 credits)


Choose one of the following:

Note(s):

This introductory requirement may be met in any number of ways, including study abroad, internships, homestays, or service learning projects. While the study abroad option is not required, it is strongly encouraged. Students receive no specific credit for the study abroad experience, but courses taken overseas and transferred to Radford University may be used to meet the requirements of a student’s General Degree program, those in the student’s major, or the International Studies Minor, if appropriate.

Required Core (12 credits)


Hours should be chosen from at least two disciplines outside the student’s major and reflect in some fashion the topical or regional focus of the student’s minor in International Studies.

Note(s):

Ideally, this course is taken during the student’s last semester and is a culmination of the international knowledge and experiences gained. The project may be a research paper, a work of art or multi-media presentation, a film, series of articles, etc. A senior project proposal must be submitted to the Committee on International Studies for approval in the semester prior to the student’s enrollment. The project is supervised and graded by a designated faculty member, preferably in the student’s major department. Students must earn a grade of “A” or “B” in the course to have met the requirements for the minor. Students are encouraged to give a public presentation of their work in some forum.

Recommended


Contact the Director of International Studies for recommended elective coursework in conjunction with the minor in International Studies.

Foreign Language


The study of foreign language is important in the understanding of other cultures, and as such, students are encouraged to complement their minor with foreign language study, particularly as part of a study abroad experience.

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.

Focus: German Studies (IDSL Major)


Focus: Islamic North Africa (SOCY major)