Major code ND4404

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in International Studies (BAIS) seeks to prepare students for international competence, which involves understanding other peoples and societies well enough to be able to work effectively on a broad range of common problems. It calls for the education and training to become proficient in a language other than one’s own and to understand the history, culture, goals, aspirations, and worldview of the people speaking that language.

The program of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts with a major in International Studies aims to provide students with the skills to interact competently with people from other cultures through the development of: (a) cross-cultural literacy—the direct experience of another culture via a study abroad experience, the achievement of a high level of proficiency in a second language, and the ability to compare and contrast issues in different regions and cultures of the world; (b) environmental literacy—the study of a world region outside the United States (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America) in depth through its history, geography, politics, societies, economics, fine and performing arts, and popular culture, with special attention to the issues of gender, class, ethnicity, and race; and (c) critical thinking—expressed both in writing and orally in English and in a second language.

Throughout this program of study, students are also expected to develop information processing skills, which enable them to seek, sort, analyze, and evaluate information, as well as apply information to the solution of problems.

Admission to the Major

Students who satisfy Arts and Sciences admission criteria are admitted as “premajors” (major code ND4404) and subsequently their major of choice once the following requirements are completed:

1. Complete a three-course sequence that includes POLS 250—International Relations, ANTH 101—Cultural Anthropology, and one of the following: INST 103—Asian Studies, INST 113—African Studies, INST 118—European Studies, or INST 121—Latin American Studies) with a B- average for the three classes.
2. Students must receive a B average for the first three language courses completed at Ohio University. The language chosen must match their area of study: Akan, French, Kikuyu, Somali, Sudanese Arabic, Swahili, Tigrinya, or Wolof for Africa; Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Thai, or Vietnamese for Asia; French, German, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish for Europe; and Portuguese or Spanish for Latin America. You may contact the BAIS coordinator to petition the BAIS committee to receive approval to use languages other than those listed above to satisfy the language requirement.

Requirements for the Undergraduate Major in International Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies is an interdisciplinary major within the College of Arts and Sciences, and requires the completion of all Arts and Sciences College requirements. Major requirements consist of 33 hours in courses of a broad cross-cultural or international nature and 28 hours on a single world region.