International Studies Program

Next Steps for Freshmen

Check the INST core courses. Start with INST 2000.

Core Courses: INST 2000, COMM 2100, ECON 2000, 1 of 2 choices in HIST, GEOG, POLS (INST 3000 & 4000 taken Senior Year)
Study Abroad: Link to 2nd language, Length of time abroad (minimum 4 weeks), Fill out your profile for BGSU's AcademicWorks for scholarships.

Meet with the INST Faculty Mentor for best strategy regarding your 2nd language & general interest in the major

Discuss Focus Area, the Peace Corp Prep Certificate, and other Scholarship options.

Next Steps for Sophomores

Continue with INST core courses.

Continue with second language courses. Attend the Embracing Global Engagement Conference (students present on their experience abroad), Check out BGSU's CURS for scholarships.
Check in with the Marvin Center on Student Engagement and Civic Leadership (University Hall) for Field Work experience for Peace Corp Prep or Professional Training.

College of Arts & Sciences requirements: Multidisciplinary Component courses. Tie these to the Peace Corps Prep requirements.

Select a Study Abroad option. Think about applying to be an INST Ambassador to help with events, such as the Transnational Forum on Current Events.

Next Steps for Juniors

BGP requirements (nearly) fulfilled? College of Arts & Sciences requirements completed?

Selection of Study-Abroad destination & timeline established.
Note: Two final core courses only offered once a year (INST 3000: Fall semester; INST 4000, Spring semester.

Focus Area: Have you thought about / submitted a title and description with your choice of 3 courses? (These can be tied to the PC Prep certificate.)

Professional Experience: Network with our Alums (Career Night) and/or Participate in Student conferences (Embracing Global Engagement; Symposium on Diversity; Transnational Forum)

Next Steps for Seniors

Select INST 3000 (Research & Methods) in Fall semester; INST 4000 (Senior Seminar) in spring semester.

Check the INST Major Degree Planner: Have you completed all requirements (including BGP Requirements, College of A&S requirements)?
If you have chosen the Peace Corps Prep Program, have you completed the reequirments, including the field work(50 hours) and leadership experience?

Present your Research Project in a Student Conference and/or Submit you research to our student online International ResearchScape Journal.

Professional Training: have you contacted the Kuhlin Career Center to review your CV and to schedule a mock interview?

Find out more about the International Studies Program (click to read)

The Global 21st Century: how to find your place in it?

The Program in International Studies provides you with a wide array of knowledge and skills thanks to a strong team of faculty from across our different Colleges, in particular, the College of Arts & Sciences, where International Studies is housed, the College of Business, the College of Education & Human Development, and the College of Health & Human Services.

Explore our new Peace Corps Prep Program to bundle your academic and professional development. The PC Prep certificate can lead to a career in the Peace Corps or another international NGO (non-governmental organization, e.g., Doctors Without Borders; Human Rights Watch, World Wildlife Fund, …).
It also enhances your CV because of name recognition, especially in the public sector.

Sectors you can study & work in through an international Focus:

Environmental Issues: “Strengthen Food Security;” “Protect our Planet”
Economic Development: “Cultivate Opportunity;” “Participate in International Development”
Experiments in Democracy around the Globe; Conflict Resolution through Intercultural Studies
Global Health: “Advance Health Equity”
Education: “Teach for Tomorrow;” “Empower the Next Generation”
Social Justice, to name a few.

How can you become a part of the international community? Develop your intercultural IQ through:

Experience Abroad (4-week minimum requirement);

Connection with others through a second language (2 courses at the 3000 level or minor or double major/ minor in WRLD);
Core Courses that develop your skills in the Humanities [World Languages & Cultures) & the Social Sciences [Political Science; History; Geography; Economics; Media & Communication];
Interdisciplinary Seminars [to think outside the box & problem-solve through research or hands-on projects].
Explore BGSU’s many opportunities at Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship [CURS] to learn about student conferences like Embracing Global Engagement; the Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement to find opportunities for field work and/or internships; the Office of International Programs and Partnerships to find out about study abroad possibilities and scholarships.

Reach out to the Director of International Studies, your Faculty Mentor!

TESTIMONIALS

Broader perspective of the World

My Bachelors in International Studies has given me a broader perspective and appreciation for how cultures communicate differently. That insight has improved my ability to communicate with those coming from different backgrounds.

Path to International Development

Set me on the path of international development. Developed my sense as a policy generalist with a wide range of topic areas. Helped me adjust to other cultural contexts and will help me in the Peace Corps to do that well.

Prepared me for my career

Ultimately, International Studies prepared me for a career interacting with people from all kinds of backgrounds, understand the forces at play in the world, and how to think critically about how they continue to shape our relationships with each other.

Easily got employed

I have always been able to get an international job since graduating from BGSU. I have been at my current international job for 22 years.

Request a Meeting with an INST Mentor

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FEATURED

Why students need a global awareness and understanding of other cultures

From trips to Normandy beaches to language blogs, José Picardo explores the growing importance of offering students international experiences

News and Stories

Elevating the student experience: 15 BGSU students chosen for prestigious global leadership fellowship Through the semester-long Millennium Fellowship, students apply what they learn to create public good in their communities and beyond.
BGSU nationally recognized for its approach to increase voter participation in upcoming presidential election BGSU has received numerous accolades from ALL-IN Campus Democracy for its efforts to increase nonpartisan engagement among students.
BGSU is only Ohio university to receive federal funds to train student poll workers for November's election Committed to engaging students in the democratic process, BGSU received a grant from the Help America Vote College Program to recruit and train college students to work at the polls in the upcoming presidential election and beyond.
BGSU Honors College student gains firsthand look at foreign policy through State Department internship Senior Elyse Adrian is grateful for the support and opportunities BGSU provided that led to an internship with the federal government.
BGSU Honors College graduate to teach English abroad as U.S. Fulbright Scholar Bailey Price ‘24 looks forward to helping non-native speakers improve their English language fluency as a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in International Studies are expected to be able to:

Understand the connections between countries;
Describe the impact of international events or arrangements at the regional, national, and local levels in at least one major area of the world;
Articulate how historical processes, such as colonialism, post-colonialism, and globalization, have led to our current situation in general, and to specific conditions in at least one area of the world;
Analyze and describe global issues both qualitatively and quantitatively, using approaches from both the humanities and the social sciences;
Demonstrate a basic command of at least two appropriate disciplinary approaches, such as economics, sociology (demographics), political science, history, literature, popular culture, environmental studies, cultural studies, or regional studies;
Apply interdisciplinary approaches, including foreign language skills and international experience, to research and present specific global issues.

Accreditation and/or Program/Cluster Review
Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The International Studies program went through Program/Cluster Review during the Academic Year 2016-17.

Professional Licensure (If applicable)
Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The International Studies program does not lead to professional licensure.

Gainful Employment (If applicable)
Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The International Studies program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

Updated: 08/29/2024 09:00AM