Minor in International Studies
The University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a Minor in International Studies, an interdisciplinary program of ten participating Departments jointly offering 61 courses. International Studies prepares students for dialogue between cultures and civilizations.
First, it is a multi-disciplinary field, in which students are exposed to economics, art, social and political history, literature, and a modern language (other than English) of their choice. Indeed, any discipline can enrich International Studies if it contributes to a better understanding of the nature of international issues. The International Studies Minor broadens the knowledge base of University of Mount Saint Vincent students wishing to pursue a graduate education in law or in international studies, as well as those who wish to obtain careers in international affairs, business, government, non-governmental organizations or international organizations.
Second, the field of International Studies emphasizes a multi-cultural world view and values multi-lingual competency, thus fostering understanding and communication across cultural divides. Currently, University of Mount Saint Vincent students originate from many different countries, and the proportion of students whose mother tongue is not English is over 40%. Given its multi-cultural orientation, the International Studies Minor is well suited to meet both the interpersonal and the intellectual needs of this diverse group of students.
Program Goals
The goal of the International Studies minor is to contribute to a better understanding of the nature of international issues by equipping students with a relational, interdisciplinary and multicultural perspective on international society and systems, at both the intergovernmental and non-governmental levels. Emphasis is placed on cross-cultural communication and the acquisition of multilingual competency.
Program Requirements
- The minor in International Studies is 18 course credits.
- One course must be in Modern Languages and Literatures, in addition to the 6-credit core curriculum requirement. This can be any 200- or 300-level language or culture course, according the student’s needs.
- Five additional courses must be taken in the eligible disciplines, which include Accounting, Business, and Economics, Communication, English, Fine Arts, History, Modern Languages and Literatures, Philosophy/Religious Studies, Psychology, and Sociology. At least one course must be in Accounting, Business, and Economics, and at least one in History.
- No more than two courses can be taken in any one discipline.
- At least four of the courses must be at the 300/400 level.
- A minimum grade of C is required for credit in each of the six courses.
- No more than six credits can be accepted from courses that have been taken to satisfy requirements in a student’s major or minor, or in the core curriculum.
- A minor contract must be approved by the coordinator(s) of the minor in International Studies.
Course Requirements
Category A. One course in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, in addition to the six-credit core curriculum requirement. This can be any 200- or 300-level language or culture course, according to the student’s level of proficiency. See course descriptions (3 credits).
Category B. Five courses from the following list of courses, no more than two of which can be taken in any one discipline. At least one course must be in Accounting, Business, and Economics, and one in History (15 credits).
Accounting, Business, and Economics |
| BUSN 309 International Business |
| BUSN/ECON 370, 470 Special Topics in Business/Economics |
| BUSN 401 International Political Economy |
| BUSN 409 International Marketing |
| BUSN 419 International Finance |
| ECON 336 International Trade |
Communication |
| COMM 370, 470 Topics in Communication I, II, III, IV, V, VI |
| COMM 371 Intercultural Communication |
English |
| ENG 215 Dialogue with World Writers |
| ENG 421 Topics in Literature II |
Fine Arts |
| ART 313 Nineteenth Century Art |
| ART 314 Modern Art |
| ART 431 Art of Native Cultures |
| ART 436 Topics in Art |
History |
| HIST 315 Colonial Latin America |
| HIST 317 Modern Latin America in the 19th and 20th Centuries |
| HIST 330 Colonialism in Africa and Asia |
| HIST 333 Modern Asia |
| HIST 349 Modern Africa |
| HIST 376, 476 Topics in World History |
| HIST 414 History of Russia |
| HIST 417 The U.S. Role in Vietnam, 1940-1975 |
| HIST 430 Europe, 1830-1914: Industrialization, Ideologies, Imperialism |
| HIST 437 Europe, 1914-45: World Wars and the Holocaust |
| HIST 445 Europe, 1945-1995: From the Cold War to Democratic Revolutions |
| HIST 447 Modern Irish Politics: North and South |
| HIST 448 Modern France. 1789 to the Present |
| HIST 466 International Terrorism |
Modern Languages and Literatures |
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Prerequisite for all 300-level courses is one of the following: French/Italian/ Spanish 209, and 210 or 216, or placement with an extraordinary background in French/Italian/Spanish, or near-native fluency. Prerequisite for all 400-level courses: 307, 350, and one of the following: 340, 341, 342 or 351; or with the permission of the Chairperson |
| FREN 216/316 Aspects of French and Francophone Culture |
| FREN 303 French and Francophone Culture through Film |
| FREN 340 French Civilization |
| FREN 341 Contemporary French Civilization |
| FREN 342 The Francophone World: A Cultural Study |
| FREN 420 Special Topics in French |
| ITAL 216, 316 Aspects of Italian Culture |
| ITAL 303 Italian Culture through Film |
| ITAL 340 Medieval and Renaissance Italian Civilization |
| ITAL 341 Contemporary Italian Civilization |
| ITAL 420, 320 Special Topics in Italian |
| SPAN 300 Hispanic Musical Heritage |
| SPAN 303 Hispanic Culture through Film |
| SPAN 340 Spanish Civilization |
| SPAN 341 Latin American Civilization |
| SPAN 420, 320 Special Topics in Spanish |
| SPAN 440 Gender Studies in Hispanic Literature |
Philosophy/Religious Studies |
| PHIL 326 Thought and Culture |
| PHIL 370, 470 Topics in Philosophy |
| RELS 215 Introduction to the Eastern Religions |
| RELS 370, 470 Topics in Religion |
Psychology |
| PSYC 321 Social Psychology |
| PSYC 330 Special Topics in Psychology |
Sociology |
| SOC 302 Race and Ethnicity |
| SOC 304 Globalization and Inequality |
| SOC 305 Urban Sociology |
| SOC 362 Organized Crime |
| SOC 399 Sociology of Gender |
Contact
(718) 405-3493 or 3787
internationalstudies@umsv.edu