International Studies Program

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.

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

ICS Team Teaching Courses

Jun 2, 2022 Learn from BGSU faculty and students as they talk about their experience with ICS Team Teaching program and team-taught classes from Dr. Kristie Foell and Dr. Neal Jesse as well as Dr. Margaret Weinberger and Dr. Nathan Hensley.

News and Stories

BGSU Expands its Peace Corps Connections

Reviewing Peace Corps materials are (left to right) Margaret Booth, V Rosser, Beatrice Guenther and Molly Kosnak.

International Studies 3800, Intro to International Service-Learning, Receives Kurt E. Hofmeister Outstanding Undergraduate Group Award

Dr. Beatrice Guenther's Service Learning course was awarded the award by the Center for Public Impact as part of the 2017 Community and Civic Engagement Awards. Find more information here:

Travels and Internships Provide Perspective

Recent alumna Toni Smith interned with Women at Risk, International, a nonprofit organization that creates safe havens for at-risk women and children in more than 30 countries. She also had study abroad experiences in France and Burkina Faso in West Africa. "It is not only a great way to build your resume and see the world, but also a catalyst for personal development and awareness," she said.

MODEL UN TEAM RECEIVES HONORABLE MENTION

The BGSU Model UN team this year received an Honorable Mention Delegation award at the Model UN conference held in late March in New York City. The 14 students all enrolled in the political science course Model UN to participate in the conference, where they represented Latvia in a role-playing simulation of the UN.
International Studies Students participating include majors Tyler Way, Rachel Zarick, Courtney Keeney and Renee Wott as well as minor Brandon Willinger.

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: 02/19/2024 03:08PM