- Willamette
- College of Liberal Arts
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- Academic Disciplines
- I - P
- International Studies
International Studies
View Department Website The International Studies major is offered through an interdisciplinary program which integrates social, economic, political, geographic, and historical perspectives in the examination of the dramatic trends toward increased interdependence among nations. It seeks to develop an awareness of the fact that many problems or issues which have been regarded as primarily domestic can no longer be understood or resolved without consideration of the global context. The program also aims to provide majors with a recognition of the importance of cultural diversity, through grounding in a specific foreign culture and language, as an essential complement to the international courses in the curriculum.
International Studies majors are strongly encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities.
The International Studies major is prepared to enter graduate training in various fields of international relations and area specialization. Careers in international business and government are often sought as well as careers in teaching, journalism and related fields. The major is good preparation for entry into a variety of graduate programs.
Requirements for the International Studies Major (12 Credits)
Core courses (4)
- ECON 122 Principles of Microeconomics
- ENVR 105 Introduction to Environmental Science or ERTH 230 World Geography
- POLI 214 International Politics
- INTST 499W Seminar in International Studies
3rd Year Foreign Language (2)
Elective Courses from Economics, History and Politics (6)
Economics (2)
- ECON 351 Comparative Economic Systems
- ECON 352 The Economics of Developing Countries
- ECON 353 International Economics
History (2) (at least one above 100-level)
- HIST 116 Western Civilization Since 1650
- HIST 118 East Asia Civilization Since 1800
- HIST 119 Intro to Modern African History
- HIST 254 20th Century Europe
- HIST 258 (4th Sem Lang Req) Modern Latin America
- HIST 273 Africa Since 1945
- HIST 282 (TH) China in Revolution
- HIST 372 History of Modern Russia
- HIST 373 History of Modern France
- HIST 381 (TH) History of Modern Japan
- HIST 383 Mao's China 1949-1979
- HIST 390W (4th Sem Lang Req) Germany from Bismarck to Hitler
- HIST 391 (4th Sem Lang Req) Germany Since 1945
- HIST 445 Postwar Japan
Politics (2) (at least one 300 level)
- POLI 216 (US) Politics of Advanced Industrial Societies
- POLI 218 (US) Politics in the Developing World
- POLI 316 The Politics of International Justice
- POLI 326W Globalization and Equity
- POLI 362 Latin American Politics
- POLI 370W Europe and the International System
- POLI 372 American Foreign Policy
- POLI 373 International Security and Cooperation
- POLI 374 Asia and the International System OR
- POLI 380 Asian Politics and Development
- POLI 382 Capitalism, & Democracy
- POLI 384 Transnational Feminist Politics
- POLI 386 Political Ecology
- POLI 387 Africa and the World
Courses taught on a one-time basis, or special topics course in Economics, History, or Politics that contain significant international content may be counted towards the relevant elective set.
Indicators of Achievement
Student Learning Outcomes for the International Studies Major
- Knowledge of international/comparative/global issues: develop an understanding of important international (comparative and/or global) processes and conditions:
- Students read widely about, follow, and be able to discuss topics of current international significance, with an ability to relate them to economic, geographical, historical and political contexts;
- Students attend or participate in co-curricular events that discuss international affairs (events or trends);
- Students formulate a research proposal for the senior seminar that draws on and integrates their courses and co-curricular experiences.
- Capacity for multi-disciplinary and analysis: develop an ability to undertake critical analysis of issues of international, comparative, or global significance that draws on and integrates economic, geographical, historical, and political approaches:
- Students can identify and discuss multiple dimensions of single international trends or problems, including some combination of those issues' economic, geographic, historical, political, and economic elements;
- Students formulate and carry out a research project that reflects a multi-disciplinary approach to such a problem.
Faculty
- Sarah Clovis Bishop, Assistant Professor of Russian
- Maria Blanco-Arnejo, Professor of Spanish
- Mark Conliffe, Associate Professor of Russian
- Anna Cox, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Film Studies
- Gaetano DeLeonibus, Professor of French; Department Chair
- William Duvall, E. J. Whipple Professor of History
- Greg Felker, Associate Professor of Politics; Chair of International Studies
- Amadou Fofana, Associate Professor of French
- Miho Fujiwara, Associate Professor of Japanese
- Jonneke Koomen, Assistant Professor of Politics
- Yan Liang, Associate Professor of Economics
- Ronald Loftus, Professor of Japanese Language and East Asian History
- Michael Marks, Professor of Politics
- Raechelle Mascarenhas, Assistant Professor of Economics
- Cecily McCaffrey, Associate Professor of History
- Joyce V. Millen, Associate Professor of Anthropology
- Ana Montero, Associate Professor of Spanish
- Bianca Murillo, Assistant Professor of History
- April Overstreet, Associate Professor of Spanish
- William T. Smaldone, Professor of History
- Laura Taylor, Associate Professor of Economics
- John Uggen, Professor of Spanish
- Patricia Varas, Professor of Spanish
- Huike Wen, Assistant Professor of Chinese
- Megan Ybarra, Assistant Professor of Politics
- Juwen Zhang, Associate Professor of Japanese/Chinese; Department Chair
- Aili Zheng, Assistant Professor of German
Course Listings
INTST 499W Seminar in International Studies (1)
Interdisciplinary examination of international issues with emphasis on global interdependence.