Undergraduate Program
International Studies is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major and minor that draws on the courses, faculty, and resources of a large number of UNM departments and colleges, with a central orientation toward contemporary global themes and different world areas. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the program is housed in the International Studies Institute (ISI) in the College of Arts and Sciences, yet also draws on faculty and courses from across the university. The ISI not only provides administrative support and advising for the International Studies major and minor but also organizes lectures, lecture series, and special events and provides scholarships to undergraduates.
The core elements of the International Studies major and minor allow students to combine studies in languages, humanities, and social sciences with studies in other fields in order to create an integrated, interdisciplinary undergraduate concentration.
Undergraduate Advisement
Humanities Building, Room 415A
studiesadvise@unm.edu
To schedule an appointment please log in to LoboAchieve.
Faculty Advisor
Humanities Building, Room 418
College of Arts and Sciences and International Studies Major Undergraduate Admission Requirements
A minimum of 26 credit hours; 23 credit hours must be in courses acceptable toward graduation.
A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on all work.
- Transfer students must have a 2.00 transfer GPA.
- Continuing UNM students must have a 2.00 institutional GPA.
Demonstrated academic achievement by satisfying the following:
- Completion of General Education Curriculum: Communication.
- Completion of General Education Curriculum: Mathematics and Statistics.
- Completion of General Education Curriculum: Second Language.
Completion of International Studies major admission coursework with a grade of "C" or better:
- One course at any level (excluding 101 and 111) from ARAB, CHIN, FREN, GREK, GRMN, ITAL, JAPN, LATN, PORT, RUSS, SPAN.
Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (B.A.)
Concentrations: Africa; Arts and Culture; Asia and Middle East; Conflict, Peace and Diplomacy; Environment and Sustainability; Europe; Global Markets and Governance; Latin America; Rituals, Identities and Belief; Women and Gender.
Major Study Requirements
The major in International Studies requires 36 credit hours of which at least 24 credit hours (8 courses) must be at the upper-division level. The requirements include a foreign language, core introductory courses, thematic and area studies concentration courses, and the capstone seminar. No more than 12 credit hours may be selected in any one department. Students work closely with the academic advisors for International Studies in planning their program of study and must receive approval for all coursework in fulfillment of the major.
Foreign Language
Three credit hours upper-division of any language other than English or Signed Language (i.e. Language 301 and above). The course must be taught in the language of study.
Program Core Courses
Twelve credit hours from the following:
| Credit Hours |
||
| INTS 1101 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| POLS 2120 | International Relations | 3 |
| Select 6 credit hours (3 of which must introduce the student's chosen thematic concentration) from the following: | ||
| Humanities Group | 3 | |
| Select from: ARTH 2110, 2120; COMP 224; ENGL 2560, 2650, 2660; HIST 1170, 1180; MLNG 1110; RELG 1110, 2110, 2120. | ||
| Social and Natural Sciences Group | 3 | |
| Select from: ANTH 1140; CCST 1110; COMM 1155; CRP 181; ECON 2125; ENVS 1130; GEOG 1160, 1175, 1150; PCST 1110; PH 102; POLS 2110; SOCI 2340; SUST 1134. | ||
| Total | 12 |
Thematic Concentration
Nine credit hours in approved upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the following:
- Arts and Culture
- Conflict, Peace and Diplomacy
- Environment and Sustainability
- Global Markets and Governance
- Rituals, Identity and Belief
Area Studies Concentration
Nine credit hours in approved upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the following:
- Africa
- Asia and Middle East
- Europe
- Latin America
Capstone Seminar in International Studies
INTS 400 is open to majors who have recently completed an approved international (i.e. study abroad) or intercultural academic experience related to their thematic and/or area studies concentration. Two options are available to gain the required international or intercultural experience prior to taking the capstone seminar:
Option 1: Study Abroad (preferred)
Students must meet with the INTS faculty advisor to discuss and plan their study abroad experience. The study abroad experience may consist of a traditional semester or year spent at a university abroad, a short-term program (2-4 weeks) during intercession, or a summer language program. An appointment with UNM's Global Education Office (GEO) is required to begin the study abroad process. Once a study abroad program has been chosen, students must consult with the INTS advisor to ensure department requirements are met.
Students may also design their own international experience in consultation with the INTS advisor. A formal proposal must be submitted for approval well in advance of the planned international experience. A meeting with the GEO office is also required to begin the independent study abroad process.
Option 2: Intercultural Experience
There are diverse opportunities on the UNM campus, in the community, and throughout the United States for majors to gain intercultural understanding and experience. This option allows students to find and explore these opportunities in consultation with the INTS advisor. A formal proposal must be submitted to the INTS faculty advisor for approval well in advance of the planned intercultural experience.
Thematic Concentrations
The thematic concentrations below each have a wide variety of possible courses from across campus that can count for the 9-hrs upper-division requirement. Please see the list of approved courses published on the ISI website every semester. The list reflects current acceptable courses, but is not always exhaustive, so students may suggest additional courses with at least 25% international and/or global content for approval by the INTS faculty advisor. Students must formally apply to request a course approval, including submission of a copy of the course syllabus and reading list.
Arts and Culture
| Credit Hours |
|||
| I. | Core Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one: | |||
| ANTH 1140 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| ARTH 2110 -or- ARTH 2120 |
History of Art I History of Art II |
||
| COMM 1155 | Communication Across Cultures | ||
| COMP 224 | Literary Questions | ||
| ENGL 2650 -or- ENGL 2660 |
World Literature I World Literature II |
||
| MLNG 1110 | Approaches to Languages and Cultures | ||
| II. | Upper-Division Courses | 9 | |
| Select three from the ISI-approved course list. |
Conflict, Peace, and Diplomacy
| Credit Hours |
|||
| I. | Core Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one: | |||
| PCST 1110 | Introduction to Peace Studies | ||
| POLS 2110 | Comparative Politics | ||
| SOCI 2340 | Global Issues | ||
| II. | Upper-Division Courses | 9 | |
| Select three from the ISI-approved course list. |
Environment and Sustainability
| Credit Hours |
|||
| I. | Core Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one: | |||
| CRP 181 | Environmental Issues in a Changing World | ||
| ECON 2125 | Society and Environment | ||
| ENVS 1130 | The Blue Planet | ||
| GEOG 1150 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | ||
| II. | Upper-Division Courses | 9 | |
| Select three from the ISI-approved course list. |
Global Markets and Governance
| Credit Hours |
|||
| I. | Core Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one: | |||
| ECON 2125 | Society and Environment | ||
| GEOG 1175 | World Regional Geography | ||
| POLS 2110 | Comparative Politics | ||
| SOCI 2340 | Global Issues | ||
| II. | Upper-Division Courses | 9 | |
| Select three from the ISI-approved course list. |
Rituals, Identities and Belief
| Credit Hours |
|||
| I. | Core Course Requirement | 3 | |
| Select one: | |||
| RELG 1110 | Introduction to World Religions | ||
| RELG 2110 | Eastern Religions | ||
| RELG 2120 | Western Religions | ||
| II. | Upper-Division Courses | 9 | |
| Select three from the ISI-approved course list. |
Area Studies Concentrations
The courses in the area studies concentrations reflect current course offerings but are not exhaustive. INTS faculty and students may suggest additional courses with at least 50% area content to the INTS advisor for approval. Students must formally apply to request a course approval, including submission of a copy of the course syllabus and reading list. Lists of courses that satisfy the area studies concentrations are available on the International Studies Institute Web site. The lists are not necessarily complete since new courses are added each year, and students are therefore encouraged to ask about courses not found on the lists that may satisfy the requirements.
Majors are required to take 9 credit hours (3 upper-division courses) in their chosen area studies concentration. Courses must have at least 50% of their content in the area and come from at least two of the four general areas below. Courses are offered by the Departments/Programs listed in parentheses:
- Fine Arts (Architecture, Art, Film and Digital Arts, Music, Theatre and Dance).
- History.
- Literature and Philosophy (Africana Studies, Comparative Literature, English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Spanish and Portuguese). Does not include language courses.
- Social and Natural Sciences (Anthropology, Biology, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Economics, Geography and Environmental Studies, Peace Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Women Studies).
Second Major Study Requirements
The second major in International Studies requires 27 credit hours of which at least 15 credit hours (5 courses) must be at the upper-division level. The requirements include a foreign language, core introductory courses, thematic and area studies concentration courses, and the Capstone seminar. No more than 9 credit hours may be selected in any one department. Students work closely with the academic advisors of the International Studies program in planning their program of study and must receive approval for all coursework in fulfillment of the minor.
Foreign Language
Three credit hours upper-division of any language other than English or American Signed Language (i.e. Language 301 and above). The course must be taught in the language of study.
Second Major Core Courses
|
Credit |
||
|
INTS 1101 |
Introduction to International Studies |
3 |
|
POLS 2120 |
International Relations |
3 |
|
Select 3 credit hours (which must introduce the student's chosen thematic concentration) from the following: |
||
|
Humanities Group |
3 |
|
|
-or- |
||
|
Social and Natural Sciences Group |
||
|
Total |
9 |
Capstone Seminar in International Studies
INTS 400 is open to second majors who have recently completed an approved international (i.e. study abroad) or intercultural academic experience related to their thematic and/or area studies concentration. Two options are available to gain the required international or intercultural experience prior to taking the capstone seminar:
Option 1: Study Abroad (preferred)
Students must meet with the INTS faculty advisor to discuss and plan their study abroad experience. The study abroad experience may consist of a traditional semester or year spent at a university abroad, a short-term program (2-4 weeks) during intercession, or a summer language program. An appointment with UNM's Global Education Office (GEO) is required to begin the study abroad process. Once a study abroad program has been chosen, students must consult with the INTS advisor to ensure department requirements are met.
Students may also design their own international experience in consultation with the INTS advisor. A formal proposal must be submitted for approval well in advance of the planned international experience. A meeting with the GEO office is also required to begin the independent study abroad process.
Option 2: Intercultural Experience
There are diverse opportunities on the UNM campus, in the community, and throughout the United States for majors to gain intercultural understanding and experience. This option allows students to find and explore these opportunities in consultation with the INTS advisor. A formal proposal must be submitted to the INTS faculty advisor for approval well in advance of the planned intercultural experience.
Thematic Concentration
6 credit hours in upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the list under Major Study Requirements, and choose courses from the corresponding list of approved courses.
Area Studies Concentration
6 credit hours in upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the list under Major Study Requirements, and choose courses from the corresponding list of approved courses.
Minor Study Requirements
The minor in International Studies requires 21 credit hours of which at least 12 credit hours (4 courses) must be at the upper-division level. The requirements include a foreign language, core introductory courses, and thematic and area studies concentration courses. No more than 9 credit hours may be selected in any one department. Students work closely with the academic advisors of the International Studies program in planning their program of study and must receive approval for all coursework in fulfillment of the minor.
Foreign Language
Three credit hours of any language other than English or American Signed Language at the level of fourth semester proficiency (e.g., ARBC 2150, FREN 2120, etc.). The course must be taught in the language of study.
Minor Core Courses
Six credit hours from the following:
| Credit Hours |
||
| INTS 1101 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| POLS 2120 | International Relations | 3 |
| Total | 6 |
Thematic Concentration
6 credit hours in upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the list under Major Study Requirements, and choose courses from the corresponding list of approved courses.
Area Studies Concentration
6 credit hours in upper-division courses. Select one concentration from the list under Major Study Requirements, and choose courses from the corresponding list of approved courses.
Departmental Honors
(INTS 402, 3 credit hours)
Majors interested in departmental honors in International Studies should contact the faculty advisor of the International Studies program during their junior year. Honors students must register for two consecutive semesters of coursework on the thesis.
The first semester consists of a readings course/independent study in the home department of their thesis advisor. This course is the preliminary work and research for the honors thesis, and it may count as one of the student's electives in either the thematic or area studies concentration. During the second semester, the student must enroll in INTS 402 while completing the research and writing the thesis under the direction of their thesis committee. The committee should consist of at least two ISI-affiliated faculty members, including the student's thesis advisor and one ISI team member (i.e., ISI Director, Associate ISI Director, or ISI Instructor).
Note: This option adds 3 credit hours to the International Studies major.
Courses
INTS 1101. Introduction to International Studies. (3)
INTS 320. Study Abroad Research Methods. (1-3, may be repeated once Δ)
INTS 400. Capstone Seminar in International Studies. (3)
INTS 402. Honors in International Studies. (3)
INTS 499. Topics in International Studies. (1-3 to a maximum of 9 Δ)
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