College of Arts and Sciences
School of Multidisciplinary Social Sciences and Humanities
www.kent.edu/multidisciplinary-studies

About This Program

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies program is your ticket to a global career. With a focus on language, culture and politics, this program prepares you for a wide range of roles in fields such as diplomacy, international business, and non-profit organizations. Read more...

Contact Information

• Program Coordinator: Julie Mazzei | jmazzei@kent.edu | 330-672-8934
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers

• Government, including diplomacy, national intelligence and security agencies, as well as positions in Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security
• Law
• Business, including finance, communication and multi-national corporations
• International organizations, such as the United Nations and its affiliated agencies
• Non-governmental organizations in such areas as human rights, economic development and immigration

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

²

Students will meet with the International Studies advisor during the close of the third or beginning of the fourth semester to plan their path through electives in a way that offers coherence given their interests and goals.

³

Students may substitute a different study abroad experience with permission from the program coordinator.

Graduation Requirements

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.¹
To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options²:

1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
2. Elementary I and II of a second language
3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:

• Intermediate I of the same language
• ARAB 21401
• ASL 19401
• CHIN 25421
• MCLS 10001
• MCLS 20001
• MCLS 20091
• MCLS 21417
• MCLS 21420
• MCLS 22217
• MCLS 28403
• MCLS 28404

¹

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

²

Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Describe their own agency as global actors.
2. Explain how a multidisciplinary understanding of international problems can reshape long-standing approaches to those issues.
3. Identify and utilize appropriate research tools for analyzing an international problem.
4. Articulate in writing ways in which the cumulation of coursework and problem-analysis skills speak to specific career aspirations.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies empowers students to make a difference on a global scale. Whether students are interested in human rights, economic development, international law, peace-building, climate change or some other global question, they are encouraged to understand international problems from a range of perspectives and see more clearly how they can make an impact on them.

The International Studies major is multidisciplinary, which enables students to explore issues from a combination of perspectives, including Africana studies, communication, economics, geography, history, peace and conflict studies, political science and sociology.

Study abroad is available and encouraged. The program has permanent arrangements for study in Geneva, Switzerland and Florence, Italy, with more customized opportunities possible.

Because of their broad exposure to global issues, program graduates go on to rewarding careers in almost every imaginable sector, including international organizations, non-profit agencies, law, advocacy, journalism, business and government.