Support the ProgramInternational Studies
at Miami University
Major for BA in International Studies
International Studies (ITS) at Miami University is a multidisciplinary major through which students can incorporate an international dimension and a foreign area of interest into their undergraduate education. The program in International Studies consists of four interrelated components:
- A series of core courses covering international politics, economics and business, geography, anthropology, and diplomatic history
- Individually selected foreign areas of emphasis in which students take a minimum of 12 hours in at least 3 different disciplines or fields
- Proficiency in a modern foreign language which provides important communication skills as well as additional depth in the chosen regional area of emphasis
- At least 1 semester of study abroad
Students have some flexibility in satisfying these requirements. In addition, elective hours can be utilized to acquire more knowledge in a specialized field leading, for example, to an area studies minor or to becoming proficient in a second foreign language. The student may also pursue work in a related discipline that might result in a "double major" such as ITS and Economics. Students who complete a second major or a minor automatically fulfill the Miami Plan thematic sequence requirement. Most credits earned while studying abroad apply directly toward the degree.
Major Requirements
In conjunction with study abroad, the ITS Major has 3 sets of requirements:
- 1. Interdisciplinary Core
(20-30 hours) - 2. Language Requirement
(12 hours) - 3. Concentration Requirement
(12 hours)
Interdisciplinary Core (20-30 hours)
Take all of these courses:
- Introduction to International Studies
(ITS 201M, 3 hours, ITS majors only) - Policy Taskforce Capstone in International Studies
(ITS 402, 3 hours, senior year only) - International Economics
(ECO 344, 3 hours, prerequisites: ECO 201 & ECO 202)
Take 1 of these courses:
- Problems of Non-Western Societies
(ITS 302, 3 hours) - Applied Topics in International Studies
(ITS 365, 3 hours)
Take 3 of the following courses:
- World Political Geography
(GEO 378, 3 hours) - World Politics
(POL 271, 4 hours) - World History 1500-present
(HST 198, 3 hours) - Intercultural Relations
(ITS/ATH 301, 3 hours)
Language Requirement (12 hours)
Spanish, French, and German require 12 hours at the 300 level or above. All other languages require 6 hours at the 300 level or above. All courses must be taken in the target language. Courses in translation or taught in English are not acceptable.
International students, who are non-native speakers of English and who have had the College of Arts and Science language requirement waived, complete a second concentration in lieu of the language requirement.
* Many students earn upper level language credits while studying abroad.
Concentration Requirement (12 hours)
Take at least 12 hours from at least 3 different disciplines in your chosen concentration. (Conflict, Peace and Diplomacy requires only 2 different disciplines.)
* Many students earn concentration credits while studying abroad.
Choose either a functional concentration or a regional concentration:
Functional Concentrations
- Conflict, Peace and Diplomacy
- Global Cultural Relations
- Global Environment
- International Development
- Women in the World
Regional Concentrations
- Africa
- East and South Asia
- Latin America
- Middle East
- Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia
- Western Europe
If you still have questions about the ITS major, please visit our frequently asked questions page.