Resources for Students

International Studies

To succeed as a student in the International Studies program requires tenacity and an ability to think and operate independently. While some students pursue interests related to specific disciplines, regions or nation-states, we also encourage students to develop a focus through their various upper level courses on a number of other issues pertinent to the world around them. For instance, students may want to focus on a region such as the Middle East through their course selections, but others may want to concentrate on issues such as human rights, gender, environment or security, just to name a few. It is suggested that students think strategically as they can often fulfill dual degree plans simultaneously such as majoring in International Studies and taking a double major or minor in another degree program related to coursework in the major. It is also suggested that students pick courses that provide a large purview of global issues and then focus in on specific topical interests. Proficiency in a foreign language should run parallel to upper level coursework.

Advice for Transfer Students

Students seeking information on admission to Towson University should contact the admissions office.  A description of the International Studies major is also available through the Towson University catalog.  Course equivalents for classes transferred to Towson University from either area community colleges or other institutions are evaluated by the registrar’s office, not the director of the program. It is recommended that you contact the registrar’s office should you have questions about course equivalents for Towson University courses or refer to the ARTSYS website that lists course equivalents for Maryland Colleges and Universities.  It is recommended that transfer students seeking to major in International Studies focus on foundation courses required for the major prior to applying for admission to Towson University.

If there are questions about courses not equated students can discuss this with their assigned advisor upon admission to the university.  Students should be aware that International Studies is not a department, but an interdisciplinary program under Interdisciplinary Studies at Towson University. The International Studies major pulls on courses from a variety of departments throughout the university.  The International Studies major also requires a language proficiency of four semesters in a language offered by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures at Towson University.

Thematic Coursework Suggestions in International Studies

Regional Focus: Students may wish to pursue a specific region of the world to develop an expertise in issues related to these areas. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology, Geography and History, Asian Studies, Latin and Latin American Studies and African and African American Studies.

Sample Courses: Korea and Globalization, Latinas in the Americas, Peoples of the Middle East, Tradition and Revolution in Latin America, The Francophone World, Japan 1930-Present, History of Modern India, The Making of the Modern Middle East, Russian Government and Politics, Culture and Civilization of Spain, Hispanic Popular Cultures

Development: Issues around the work of non-governmental aid organizations, global entities such as The World Bank and economic systems all inform perspectives on global development. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology and Political Science.

Sample Courses: Globalization in Cross Cultural Perspective, Rethinking Indigeneity, Survey of International Economics, Economics of Poverty and Discrimination, Grant and Advocacy Writing, Cultural Geography, The Global Economy, Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, Ethics, Comparative Public Policy, International Law and Organization

Human Rights: Global awareness dictates an acknowledgment of human rights issues that affect a variety of populations. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology, Political Science and Women's Studies.

Sample Courses: Moral Panics, Drugs in Global Perspective, Economics of Poverty and Discrimination, Political Geography, Population Geography, Nationalism in East and Southeast Asia, The United States and Vietnam 1945-1975, The Making of Colonial Africa, African Philosophy, Ethics, Social Movements, and Peoples of the Middle East.

Gender: Students may wish to pursue courses related to a variety of gender issues globally. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies. 

Sample Courses: Anthropology of Gender, International Perspectives of Women, The Erotic Imagination in Christianity and Hinduism, Latinas in the Americas, Economics of Poverty and Discrimination, Contemporary International Politics, Islamic Ethics

Political Systems: Issues related to government practices in nation-states and international relations. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in History and Political Science.

Sample Courses: Wealth, Power and Politics in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Globalization in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Perspectives in Global Culture, The Global Economy, Theory of International Politics, Contemporary International Politics, Comparative Governments of Foreign Powers: The Western World, Comparative Political Systems, Government and Politics of East Asia, Latin American Policy of the United States, and Comparative Foreign Policy.

Globalization: There are several courses that focus and address the contemporary phenomenon of globalization both theoretically and through regional approaches. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology, Geography and History, Asian Studies, Latin and Latin American Studies and African and African American Studies.

Sample Courses: Wealth, Power and Politics in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Globalization in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Perspectives in Global Culture, The Global Economy, Comparative Modernisms, Comparative Postmodernisms, Social Movements, Korea and Globalization, The Anthropology of Sub Saharan Africa, International Business: Theory and Practice, Multinational Management and Culture, and Global Marketing.

Religion: The importance of religion, faith and belief in global affairs is addressed in a number of courses topically in the major. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Sample Courses: Buddhism in Tibet, Buddhist Saints and Their Stories, Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah, Islamic Ethics, Sufism: Islamic Mysticism, The Erotic Imagination in Christianity and Hinduism, Religion Magic and Witchcraft

Technology: Students are exposed to a number of courses where the topic of technology is addressed both theoretically and methodologically. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Anthropology, Geography and History, Asian Studies, Latin and Latin American Studies and African and African American Studies.

Sample Courses: Information Age Cultures, Anthropology of Media, Perspectives in Global Culture, Social Movements, and Demography.

Economies: The economic context for various global conditions is analyzed through a number of different courses in the major. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Economics and Business.

Sample Courses: Globalization in Cross-Cultural Perspective, International Finance, Survey of International Economics, History of Economic Thought, Comparative Economic Systems, Tradition and Revolution in Latin America, Wealth Power and Politics in Cross-Cultural Perspective, Economic Development, Economics of Poverty and Discrimination, Multinational Management and Culture, Global Marketing, International Economics, and International Monetary Theory and Policy.

Media: The importance of various media continues to grow globally both in terms of production and the analysis of various cultures. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Mass Communication or Electronic Media and Film.

Sample Courses: Information Age Cultures, Anthropology of Media, Perspectives in Global Culture, France Today Through the Media, Orientalism and Western Construction of the Middle East, Global Marketing

Literature: A major focus of several courses in the major is the literary corpus of various cultures and nation-states. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in English.

Sample Courses: Post-Colonial Literature, World Literature Written in English, Early 17th-Century British Literature, Modern World Poetry, Comparative Modernisms, Comparative Postmodernisms.

Arts and Humanities: One approach to understanding the global condition is to analyze various cultures and regions through the arts. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in programs such as Art, English, Design and Museum Studies.

Sample Courses: Shakespearean Comedy, Shakespearean Tragedy, East Asian Art and Architecture, Art of China, Art of Japan, Latin American Art: 1800 to Present

Geographic Processes: Understanding the processes of cultural flows, ideas of borders and cartography are crucial for understanding contemporary nation states. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Geography and Environmental Studies.

Sample Courses: Cultural Geography, Population Geography, Geography of Africa, Geography of East Asia, Geography of Southeast Asia, Geography of the Middle East, Geography of Europe, Geography of the European Union, Geography of Latin America

Environment: Concerns over the environment and its impact in global conflict and resource allocation is an important topic considered in several courses. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Geography and Environmental Studies.

Sample Courses: Rethinking Indigeneity, Resource Wars, Environmental Geography, The Global Economy, Information Age Cultures, and Cultural Geography

Global History: In order to understand contemporary conditions in various nation-states and regions it is paramount to understand the historical conditions that undergird and inform them. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in History.

Sample Courses: Ancient Greek Civilizations, Roman Civilization, Nationalism in East and Southeast Asia, Traditional India: Its Historical Development, History of Modern India, History of South Africa, Imperial China: The Last Dynasty, Japan 1930-Present, The making of Colonial Africa, Democratization in Latin America, Israel/Palestine: Conflicting Past and Conflicting Present, and Disease and History: From the Neolithic to the Present.

Security: The analysis and understanding of security is a topic addressed by many courses int the major. A concentration on this thematic would have potential for double major or minors in Political Science.

Sample Courses: Drugs in Global Perspective, Cultural Geography, The Global Economy, Conflict in Ireland, Israel/Palestine: Conflicting Past and Conflicting Present, International Economics, U.S. Homeland Security Policy, International Law and Organization and Model Organization of American States.

Language : There are a number of courses related to various languages offered in the Foreign Languages department that include methods for composition and conversation in addition to topical courses on a number of topics beyond the 202 level required of all majors that students may wish to pursue.  A concentration on a particular language would have potential for a double major or minor in any foreign language.

Advising

Advising for the International Studies major is conducted by faculty in a number of departments. Your advisor is listed on your PeopleSoft page. Students are expected to fill out an advising form prior to meeting with their academic advisor every semester. You must meet with your academic advisor in order to be cleared for course registration each semester.  All students receive emails from their advisors for appointment times.

International Studies Advising Form

Each semester a number of topics courses are approved by the director of the program for inclusion in the International Studies major.  For your convenience the director publishes a list of all courses that can be utilized as upper level electives for the major each semester that includes these unique topics courses as well as courses already in the university catalog that count for the major.  Please use these documents as resources for choosing your courses and filling out your advising form prior to meeting with your advisor.

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2024

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2024

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2023

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2023

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2022

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2022

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2021

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2021 (PDF)

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2020 (DOCX)

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2020

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2019

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2019

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2018

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2018

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2017

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2017

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2016

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2016

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2015

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2015

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Fall 2014

Approved Upper Level Electives for INST Spring 2014

 Graduation Portfolios

Each student enrolled in the International Studies major must complete a graduation portfolio in their final semester in order to be cleared for graduation.  Instructions for the completion of the graduation portfolio can be found here:

Graduation Portfolio Instructions