Department website: http://internationalstudies.wvu.edu/
Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Arts
Nature of the Program
The international studies major is composed of internationally oriented courses drawn from several disciplinary and interdisciplinary study areas. Students take courses from departments such as economics, geography, history, political science, sociology/anthropology, and world languages.
Students who earn a degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences must complete the University requirements, the College requirements for their specific degree program, and their major requirements.
Minors
All students have the possibility of earning one or more minors; a list of all available minors and their requirements is available at http://catalog.wvu.edu/undergraduate/minors/. Please note that students may not earn a minor in their major field.
Study Abroad, Internships, and Other Experiential Education Opportunities
Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for professional internships and study abroad, which may be undertaken for academic credit (often fulfilling specific course requirements for the major) with the approval of students’ designated international studies advisers. Through internships, students gain first-hand knowledge of organizations engaged in international social, economic, and governmental affairs. To experience another society and in many cases to improve their foreign language capabilities, students may also study abroad for a summer, one semester, or an entire academic year. Interested students should consult their international studies adviser. Additional experiential education opportunities available to international studies majors include academic simulation programs and global service-learning.
Second Majors, Minors, and Other Coursework
Students are encouraged to work closely with their international studies advisor and faculty in the program to select relevant courses, second majors, and/or minors that will complement their work in international studies and lead to meaningful career options.
Faculty
Director
- Clarissa Estep - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Department of Political Science
Professors
- Clarissa Estep - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Department of Political Science, International Relations - Joe D. Hagan - Ph.D (University of Kentucky)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Barnette Professor in Political Science, International Relations and World Politics, Comparative Foreign Policy Analysis - Daniel Renfrew - Ph.D. (Binghamton University, State University of New York)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Environmental and political anthropology, Social movements, Latin American cultures
Associate Professors
- R. Scott Crichlow - Ph.D. (Louisiana State University)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Department of Political Science, International Relations, Foreign Policy Decision-making, Middle East Politics - Karen Culcasi - Ph.D. (Syracuse University)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Department of Geology and Geography, Political Geography, Middle East - Christina Fattore - Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Department of Political Science, International Political Economy, International Organization, European Union Politics - William Hal Gorby - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Associate Graduate Faculty, Department of History, West Virginia, Appalachia, Immigration - David M. Hauser - Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh)
Department of Political Science, International Conflict, National Security Analysis - Mason W. Mosley - Ph.D. (Vanderbilt University)
Regular Graduate Faculty, Department of Political Science, Comparative Politics, Latin American Politics, Comparative Political Institutions
Admissions for 2025-2026
- Freshmen are admitted directly into the major.
- Students admitted from another WVU major must have an overall GPA of a 2.0.
- Students admitted from another institution must have an overall GPA of a 2.0.
Major Code: 1453
Click here to view the Suggested Plan of Study
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, College B.A. requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours. For complete details on these requirements,visit the B.A. Degrees tab on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences page.
Departmental Requirements for the B.A. in International Studies
- Capstone Requirement: The university requires the successful completion of a Capstone course. For International Studies majors, INTS 488 will fulfill this requirement.
- Writing and Communication Requirement: International Studies Bachelor of Arts students fulfill the Writing and Communication Skills requirement by completing ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 (or ENGL 103), and any two additional SpeakWrite Certified CoursesTM selected from: ANTH 350, ANTH 458, CHIN 301, CHIN 303, COMM 309 FCLT 310, FLIT 217, FLIT 239, FLIT 266, FRCH 301, FRCH 302, FRCH 303, FRCH 304, GEOG 243, GEOG 302, GEOG 415, GEOG 443, GEOG 455, HIST 180, HIST 209, HIST 221, HIST 225, HIST 242, HIST 318, HIST 325, HIST 439, HIST 464, INTS 488 (3 credit hour),POLS 230, POLS 240, POLS 250, POLS 300, POLS 355, POLS 491A, RELG 230, RELG 231, RELG 301, SPAN 312.
- Calculation of the Major GPA: A minimum GPA of a 2.0 is required in all courses applied to major requirements. If a course is repeated, all attempts will be included in the calculation of the GPA, unless the course is eligible for a D/F repeat.
- Area of Emphasis: A minimum GPA of a 2.0 is required in all courses applied to the Area of Emphasis. Students must declare an Area of Emphasis. Fifteen credits within the Area of Emphasis must be completed at the 300 level or above.
- Regional Focus: Students must select a regional focus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 71 | |
| ECAS B.A. Requirements | 6 | |
| International Studies Major Requirements | 43 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 | 27 | |
| INTS 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 43 | |
| Total Hours | 71 | |
ECAS Bachelor of Arts Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Arts Requirement | 3 | |
| Global Studies and Diversity Requirement | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
International Studies Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 13 | |
| Professional Development: Success After International Studies | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Survey of Economics | ||
or ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Empirical Political Analysis | ||
or INTS 300 | Social Inquiry in International Studies | |
or GEOG 333 | Human Geography in Practice | |
| Select one of the following courses: | ||
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| World History Since 1500 | ||
| Society and Food | ||
| Global Political Issues | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to World Religions | ||
| Global Sustainability | ||
| Area of Emphasis | 18 | |
Select an area of emphasis (18 credits) | ||
| Regional Focus | 9 | |
Select a regional focus (9 hours) from Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe, or The Americas | ||
AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST (Select one class from 3 of the 4 following categories) | ||
Language | ||
| Arabic Conversation 1 | ||
or ARBC 304 | Arabic Conversation 2 | |
or FRCH 303 | Structure and Communication | |
or FRCH 304 | Advanced Readings | |
History | ||
| The Middle East | ||
or HIST 321 | Colonial Africa and Independence | |
or HIST 428 | East Africa Since 1895 | |
or HIST 434 | West Africa from 1885 | |
Politics | ||
| Politics of the Middle East | ||
or POLS 358 | Politics of Africa | |
Culture | ||
| Francophone Literature in Translation | ||
or FLIT 315 | Modern Arabic Literature | |
or FLIT 316 | Arab Women Writers | |
or FRCH 301 | Language Through Civilization | |
or FRCH 302 | Language Through Culture | |
or GEOG 243 | Geography of Africa | |
or GEOG 244 | Geography of the Middle East | |
or GEOG 443 | African Environment and Development | |
or RELG 232 | History and Practice of Islam | |
ASIA (Select one class from 3 of the 4 following categories) | ||
Language | ||
| Third Year Chinese 1 | ||
History | ||
| East Asia: An Introduction | ||
or HIST 225 | Gandhi and Beyond: Modern History of South Asia | |
or HIST 325 | Modern China | |
or HIST 326 | Modern Japan | |
or HIST 435 | History of Chinese Thought | |
Politics | ||
| Government of Japan | ||
or POLS 354 | Government of China | |
or POLS 369 | Far East International Affairs | |
Culture | ||
| Readings in Modern Chinese 1 | ||
or FCLT 210 | Chinese Civilization and Culture | |
or FCLT 310 | Chinese Cinema | |
or FLIT 217 | Chinese Literature in Translation 2 | |
or RELG 230 | Religions of India | |
or RELG 231 | Religions of China and Japan | |
or RELG 301 | Studies in Asian Scriptures | |
EUROPE (Select one class from 3 of the 4 following categories) | ||
Language | ||
| Structure and Communication | ||
or FRCH 304 | Advanced Readings | |
or GER 301 | Language and Society | |
or GER 302 | Conversations in Context 2: Germany Today | |
or RUSS 301 | Conversation and Composition 1 | |
or RUSS 303 | Advanced Structure and Reading 1 | |
or SPAN 311 | Readings in Spanish | |
or SPAN 312 | Written Communication in Spanish | |
History | ||
| Twentieth Century Europe | ||
or HIST 218 | History of Russia: 1900-Present | |
or HIST 221 | History of Modern Germany | |
or HIST 314 | France Since 1815 | |
or HIST 318 | Twentieth Century German Central Europe | |
or HIST 331 | History of Italy since 1800 | |
or HIST 418 | Eastern Europe Since 1945 | |
or HIST 420 | USSR and After: 1953 to Present | |
or HIST 422 | Twentieth-Century Germany from Weimar to Bonn | |
Politics | ||
| Russian and Post-Soviet Politics | ||
or POLS 352 | Politics of the European Union | |
or POLS 353 | Western Democratic Governments | |
or POLS 452 | European Union Law/Legal Systems | |
or POLS 453 | European Union Law/Institutions | |
or INTS 360 | The European Union and Contemporary European Affairs | |
Culture | ||
| Italian Cinema 1945 to Present | ||
or FRCH 301 | Language Through Civilization | |
or FRCH 302 | Language Through Culture | |
or GEOG 241 | Geography of Europe | |
or GER 303 | Youth Culture in German-Speaking Countries | |
or GER 304 | Culture and Science in German-speaking Countries | |
or INTS 361 | European Identity and French-German Cooperation along the Rhine | |
or RUSS 342 | Survey of Russian Literature | |
or RUSS 451 | Russian Culture | |
THE AMERICAS (Select one class from 3 of the 4 following categories) | ||
Language | ||
| Readings in Spanish | ||
or SPAN 312 | Written Communication in Spanish | |
History | ||
| Latin America: Past and Present | ||
or HIST 242 | Latin America: Reform and Revolution | |
or HIST 370 | Latin America and the World | |
or HIST 439 | History of Modern Mexico | |
Politics | ||
| Governments of Latin America | ||
Culture | ||
| Latin American Culture | ||
or FCLT 360 | Latin American Cinema | |
or FLIT 266 | Latin American Literature | |
or FLIT 361 | Latin American Literature and Violence | |
or GEOG 245 | Geography of Latin America | |
| Capstone Experience | 3 | |
| Capstone International Studies | ||
| Exit Interview | ||
| Total Hours | 43 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| INTS 191 | 1 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| GEF 2 | 3 | GEF 2 | 3 |
| Core Elective 1 | 3 | GEF 3 | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | GEF 5 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | AoE Course 1 | 3 |
| INTS 288 | 1 | ECON 200 or 201 (GEF 4) | 3 |
| ECAS Fine Arts Requirement (GEF 6) | 3 | GEF 8* | 3 |
| POLS 260 (ECAS Global Studies and Diversity Requirement and GEF 7) | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| GEF 8* | 3 | GEF 8* | 3 |
| AoE Course 2 | 3 | AoE Course 3 | 3 |
| Regional Course 1 | 3 | AoE Course 4 | 3 |
| POLS 300 or SOCA 311 | 3 | Regional Course 2 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| AoE Course 5 | 3 | INTS 488 | 3 |
| Regional Course 3 | 3 | AoE Course 6 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
- *
Students completing a minor, a second major or a dual degree already meet F 8.
Areas of Emphasis Offered:
Majors are required to select an area of emphasis for specialized advanced study.
Global Affairs
Global Connections Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AREA OF EMPHASIS: GLOBAL CONNECTIONS | 18 | |
| Select six of the following courses from at least two disciplines. Fifteen credits must be earned at the 300 level or above: | ||
| Principles of Accounting 1 | ||
| Environmental Anthropology | ||
| Environmental Biology | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | ||
| International Economics | ||
| Economic Development | ||
| Elements of Environmental Protection | ||
| Global Justice | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Migration and Human Rights | ||
| Rural and Regional Development | ||
| Global Environmental Change | ||
| Twentieth Century American Foreign Relations | ||
| American Foreign Relations 1941 to Present | ||
| Introduction to Policy Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Public Administration | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law and Institutions | ||
| Comparative Foreign Policy | ||
| International Law | ||
| American Foreign Relations | ||
| Contentious Politics | ||
| Gender and International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Public and Community Health | ||
| Global Perspectives of Public Health | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Sociology of Globalization | ||
| Women in International Development | ||
| Principles of Conservation Ecology | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Security and Diplomacy Area of Emphasis Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AREA OF EMPHASIS: SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY | 18 | |
| Select six of the following courses from at least two disciplines: | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Migration and Human Rights | ||
| Geospatial Problem Solving | ||
| Introduction to Remote Sensing | ||
| Remote Sensing Applications | ||
| American Foreign Relations to 1941 | ||
| American Foreign Relations 1941 to Present | ||
| Introduction to National Security | ||
| Introduction to Intelligence Analysis | ||
| Intelligence Analysis Methods | ||
| Politics of Terrorism | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law and Institutions | ||
| Comparative Foreign Policy | ||
| International Law | ||
| American Foreign Relations | ||
| Foreign Policy Decision-Making | ||
| Politics of War and Peace | ||
| Contentious Politics | ||
| Transformation of War | ||
| Intelligence Failures | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Degree Progress
Benchmark Expectations
By the third semester in the program, students should have:
- Completed or be registered for: POLS 260, ECON 200 or ECON 201, and one additional course from the core list.
- Made progress toward the world language requirement.
All majors must meet with an INTS adviser each semester (double majors should meet with both advisers).
Students who do not meet these requirements may be removed from their major.
Major Learning Outcomes
International Studies
Knowledge
- Students will apply theories and concepts drawn from appropriate disciplines such as political science, history, economics, geography, and sociology to international affairs.
- Students will display substantive knowledge of global and/or regional challenges through synthesis of the history, culture, society, geography, politics, and economy of a major world region.
Skills
- Students will demonstrate basic receptive and productive proficiency (four or more semesters) in a language appropriate for their chosen regional focus.
- Students will apply interdisciplinary social science research methods, including using library databases to find relevant literature, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of academic arguments, and applying basic quantitative and qualitative methods to make solid, evidence-based decisions.
Attitudes
- Students will exhibit the intellectual and ethical responsibilities of active global citizenship.