THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

 

FACULTY SENATE

 

Senate Document Number     4105S

 

Date of Senate Approval      04/07/05  

 

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

 

APC Document  32:                                                     Addition of International Studies Major;  
Changes to International Studies Minor;
Addition of New INTS Classes

 

Effective Date:  Fall 2005

 

 

Delete:             On pgs. 142-143, the entire entry for Interdisciplinary Studies: International Studies (INTS)

 

Add:                 On pg. 141, before the entry for Interdisciplinary Studies: Africana Studies (AFST)

           

Interdisciplinary Studies:  Concentration in International Studies (INTS)

Assistant Professor Cornett (Director)

 

The International Studies program gives undergraduate students an opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the contemporary world from different disciplinary perspectives. This interdisciplinary approach is designed to provide students with the broader range of ideas and skills necessary to analyze and respond to the diverse mix of cultural, economic, and political forces that shape the global community.

The program is valuable for students with career aspirations in a number of fields, including law, journalism, business, public service, and teaching.  It is of particular value to people interested in global inter-governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations such as the United Nations and private religious and humanitarian service organizations.

The concentration in International Studies affords students an opportunity to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of some of the most important trends and forces which cut across national borders and regional boundaries.  In addition to classroom work, students must engage in participatory activities and are strongly urged to study abroad. 

 

I.    Required courses for the majorB 22 hours, including: HIST 152; POLS 380; 3

     hours chosen from ANTH 100, POLS 281, ECON 250;  3 hours from INTS 361 and 362; INTS 495; 3 hours from INTS 499; 6 hours of modern foreign language at or above the 200-level.

            II.   Focus on a specific area of international affairs, as well as international experience, are critical components of the International Studies concentration. To help students gain a broader understanding of the contemporary world, they must complete 21 additional hours, with 15 hours from A., and 6 hours from B.

      A.   Areas of Emphasis: Students are expected to pursue a focused plan of study in international affairs by choosing at least 15 hours from the following areas of emphasis.  At least 9 of the 15 hours must be chosen from a single emphasis area. Some courses may have prerequisites that are not part of the International Studies major. Up to six hours of appropriate courses may be substituted with the permission of the International Studies director.                       

 

1.   Society and Culture in the Global Community: ANTH 325, 350, 361, 365, 425; ARTH 360; DRAM/LIT 355; MCOM 482; SOC 359, 364.

2.  International Law and Human Rights: PHIL 214; POLS 331, 384, 387, 388, 389; SOC 480.        

             3. Trade and Development: ECON 314, 350; MGMT 398; POLS 363, 383;            SOC 446.         

      B.   International experience represents a critical component of international studies.

Thus students must select one of the following options for six credit hours:

             1.  6 hours earned in a UNCA-approved study abroad experience. These credits must be earned in courses appropriate to the theme of International Studies and must be approved by the INTS director.

             2. 6 credit hours from INTS 365

             3.        6 hours of modern foreign language study at the 300‑level or above.

III.   Other concentration requirements--Major competency is demonstrated through successful completion of INTS 499.  Oral competency is demonstrated through successful completion of INTS 495.  Computer competency is demonstrated through successful completion of INTS 361.

 

Declaration of Major in Interdisciplinary Studies: Concentration in International Studies

Declaring a major in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in International Studies requires the student to complete a Declaration of Major Form that must be signed by the director. Before declaring a major, a student must satisfy the LANG 120 requirement.

 

Minor in International Studies

The minor in International Studies allows students to pursue a self-designed interdisciplinary and comparative study of world affairs.  The minor gives students an opportunity to enhance and enrich their major field of study by incorporating a global and interdisciplinary perspective into their intellectual repertoire.

Students majoring in any discipline may choose a minor in International Studies with the consent of the Director of International Studies.  Students pursuing the minor may select from a variety of courses and disciplines including modern foreign languages, humanities, the arts, and the natural and social sciences with substantial modern international content and approved by the Director of International Studies.  Individual programs of study require coordinated planning between each student=s academic advisor and the Director of International Studies.

Students participating in UNCA-approved study-abroad programs may apply appropriate overseas study credits to the minor with the approval of the Director of International Studies.  The study abroad program must be incorporated into the approved study plan prior to the student=s participation.

 

Choosing an Area of Emphasis

Students choosing to minor in International Studies determine a concentration perspective through consultations with their department advisor and the Director of International Studies. The selected concentration provides a theme around which a program that best suits the student’s intellectual and career objectives is developed. A study abroad experience is recommended, but not required, for the minor.

 

Requirements

Students seeking a minor in International Studies must take 21 semester hours which satisfy the requirements outlined below. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade-point average in the International Studies courses listed in their program.

 

Specific requirements for the International Studies minor include the following:

1.   Six of the required 21 hours must come from modern foreign language study beyond the 100-level.

2.   Courses must be taken from at least four disciplines, as approved by the program director, and include an introductory course and a capstone course. The introductory course requirement for the international studies minor may be met by ANTH 100, HIST 152 or POLS 281. The senior capstone requirement for the international studies minor can be met by a 400-level course approved by the program director. Nine of the required hours must be taken at the 300 level or higher. No more than 6 hours from the student’s major may be applied toward the completion of the requirements for an International Studies minor.

3.   Courses included in a student’s program must include significant international content relating to the modern era. The director of international studies, in consultation with the student’s academic advisor, will determine suitable courses.

 

361       Contemporary Issues in World Affairs (1-2)

A seminar facilitating discussion of current international issues.  Students are required to attend public presentations or activities addressing contemporary world affairs, pursue additional independent research on selected topics, followed by directed discussions in a seminar setting. May be repeated for a total of 4 hours credit. Spring and Fall.

 

362       Participatory Learning in World Affairs (1-2)

Students gain an intimate understanding of international and global issues and institutions through simulations and competitions such as Model United Nations and Moot International Court of Justice.  May be repeated for a total of 4 hours credit.  See International Studies director.

 

365       International Experiential Learning Project (3-6)

Students participate in a service learning project or internship either overseas or with an approved international organization in the US.  An IP grade may be awarded at discretion of instructor. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: permission of International Studies director.  See International Studies director. 

 

495       Senior Colloquium (1)

Students formally present and discuss their research findings and/or service learning projects. Students are required to demonstrate mastery in their work and its significance. Prerequisite: INTS 499; or appropriate research seminar in another discipline with approval of International Studies director. Spring.

 

499       Undergraduate Research in International Studies (1-6)

Independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. An IP grade may be awarded at discretion of instructor. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours credit. See International Studies director.

 

171-6, 271-6, 371-6, 471-6 Special Topics in International Studies (1-6)

Courses with significant international content that do not fall within the traditional subject matter of one academic department but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See International Studies director.

 

 

 

 

179, 379, 479  Liberal Studies Colloquia (LS 179, 379, 479)

Colloquia offered to fulfill ILS requirements.  See Liberal Studies for course descriptions.  May not be used to fulfill major or minor requirements.  INST 479 may not be used by students majoring in International Studies.     

 

 

IMPACT STATEMENT:

While the impact is difficult to gauge in advance, there have been more than a dozen students pursuing individual degrees over the last several years who have fashioned similar majors.  It is likely that there will be a small increase in enrollment in the listed courses.  The chairs of the affected departments have been consulted and concurred with the proposal.  The Director of International Studies will secure staffing for the new classes, generally within existing scheduling constraints.  However, the AVC for University Programs – to whom International Studies reports, and from whom it gains support B has indicated that adjunct money may be available for occasions when the program could benefit from local expertise, outside the existing faculty and curriculum.  Where the major might impact enrollments in various departments, the department chairs were consulted and expressed confidence that they could accommodate any increased demand for the affected courses with existing resources.

 

We hope that the biggest impact will be to demonstrate and reinforce UNCA=s commitment to Adevelop students of broad perspective who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and participate actively in their [increasingly global] communities.@  In light of the NC Board of Governors Ainternationalization@ initiative, UNCA=s demonstrated commitment to international studies may also help us compete for resources the Office of the President and Board of Governors are aggressively pursuing to support UNC=s international programs.

 

RATIONALE:

UNCA’s central mission is “to develop students of broad perspective who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and participate actively in their communities.”  In a world increasingly characterized by globalization, an international as well as a multidisciplinary perspective represents a central component of a liberal education.  In 2002-2003, the International Programs Advisory Committee adopted a multi-phased plan to develop a major concentration in International Studies to help fill this need.  Since the UNC Board of Governors has also designated Ainternationalization@ as one of the UNC system=s seven strategic initiatives, this effort is timely, as well as important.

 

The International Studies concentration focuses explicitly on issues that cut across national borders and regional lines.  While the International Programs Advisory Committee sought to incorporate area concentrations (e.g. Latin American Studies, Asian Studies) into the International Studies concentration, the University’s curriculum includes too few classes in most areas to support a full selection of area studies at the present. Adding area studies component to the International Studies major concentration remains an important goal that we hope to realize as departments hire new faculty members with international interests and as existing faculty gain a new appreciation for the importance of international influences in their respective disciplines and curriculum.

 

The International Studies concentration incorporates the basic principles of Interdisciplinary studies in three ways.  First, it pulls currently existing courses from different disciplines into a coherent course of study.  POLS 380 AGlobalization and Its Critics@ will serve as the integrative capstone course.  Second, the concentration incorporates IST=s commitment to the University=s emphasis on undergraduate research by making the execution and presentation of a research project the demonstration of a student=s competency.  Third, the INTS 361, 362, and 365 courses are innovative efforts to make service learning and community contact part of the student=s experience.  In addition, it is expected that when sufficient resources become available, overseas study will be a mandatory component of the major.