International Studies Major

Contact:
Hiroko Hirakawa, Foreign Languages Department

Guilford seeks to promote and expand global awareness within the Guilford community and to prepare students to live as citizens and leaders in an increasingly interconnected world.

International education at Guilford is based upon the traditional Quaker values of tolerance and respect for diversity. Guilford supports a peaceful world where people who are different learn to work together toward a common human goal of harmonious coexistence. Guilford expects its students to learn to appreciate the many faces of human culture, to understand the many ways in which humankind organizes itself, and to speak in more than just their native language.

Degrees Offered

The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered in international studies.

Major Requirements

Students majoring in international studies take a minimum of eight courses (32 credit hours; see Specific Course Requirements) and also have a second major in an academic discipline in order to enhance their opportunities after graduation.

Students focus their courses, language study, and abroad experience on one geographic region-Africa, East Asia, Europe, or Latin America.

Specific Course Requirements

The international studies major requires a minimum of eight courses, which also may satisfy distribution requirements.

  • Global Perspectives, the international studies core course (INTR 101), is required of all majors. Normally taught annually in the spring semester, this class is for sophomores or juniors in the program.
  • Two international courses that focus on global issues and/or the approaches used in different academic disciplines to study international topics. Courses include the courses on the following list. These courses may double count with certain Foundations and Explorations courses and with the disciplinary major.
    • BUS 346: International Business
    • ECON 221: Macroeconomic Principles
    • ECON 335: Comparative Economic Systems
    • ECON 336/IDS 433: Economic and Social Development
    • ECON 432: International Economics
    • IDS 442: International Development
    • PSCI 103: International Relations
    • PSCI 105: Comparative Politics
    • PSCI 330: International Political Economy
    • PSCI 345: Avoiding War, Making Peace
    • PSCI 445: Globalization and Its Discontents
    • REL 315: Human Rights
    • REL 316: Globalization from an Ethical Perspective
    • SOAN 103: Cultural Anthropology
    • SOAN 105: The Anthropology of Colonialism
  • Four regional courses, including one historical survey and one cultural foundations class, in one of the four geographic regions. At least two academic disciplines and at least two upper-level courses (300- and 400-level) must be included among the four regional courses.

    African Studies
    • ENGL 334: African Women Writers
    • FREN 311: The Francophone World
    • HIST 241: Africa to 1800
    • HIST 242: Africa since 1800
    • HIST 343: Women in Modern Africa
    • PSCI 222: African Government and Politics
    • SOAN 215: Anthropology of Slavery
    • SOAN 234: Culture and Sexuality in Africa
    • SOAN 235: African Families in Transition
    • SOAN 358: African Cultures
    • SOAN 415: Gender and Development in Africa

    East Asian Studies
    • HIST 264: The Asian Pacific in Modern Times
    • HIST 266: Contemporary Chinese Society in Film
    • HIST 268: History of Chinese Women            
    • HIST 383: Imperial China
    • HIST 384: China in Revolution
    • HIST 385: Medieval Japan
    • HIST 386: Modern Japan: The Road to War
    • JAPN 202: Intermediate Japanese II
    • JAPN 220: Women in Modern Japan
    • JAPN 221: Contemporary Japanese Society
    • JAPN 310: Media, Gender and Nation in Japan
    • PSCI 210: East Asian Politics
    • PSCI 275: Asia and the World
    • PSCI 315: Chinese Politics
    • PSCI 316: China and the World
    • REL 284: Spread of Buddhism across Asia
    • REL 319: Buddhist Emptiness
    • THEA 341/IDS 408: East Asian Theatre

    European Studies

    • ENGL 221: British Literature I
    • ENGL 222: British Literature II
    • ENGL 223: Shakespeare
    • ENGL 306: Medieval Literature
    • ENGL 309: Renaissance Literature
    • ENGL 327: British Romantic Literature
    • ENGL 328: Victorian Literature
    • FREN 310: Contemporary France
    • FREN 365: Literature and Culture: Period
    • FREN 375: Literature and Culture: Theme
    • FREN 385: Literature and Culture: Genre
    • GERM 310: Contemporary German Culture
    • GERM 311: German Youth Culture
    • GERM 320: Culture and Society: The Weimar Republic
    • GERM 400: Seminar, 18th Century
    • GERM 400: Seminar, 19th Century
    • GERM 400: Seminar, 20th Century
    • HIST 101: The Medieval Web
    • HIST 102: The Web of Europe since 1400
    • HIST 233: Medieval Civilization: Crusades and Chivalry
    • HIST 235/Art 235: The Renaissance in Florence
    • HIST 236: The Reformation: Luther to Fox
    • HIST 237: Europe in Revolution, 1789-1918
    • HIST 238: War and Peace, 20th-century Europe, 1914-present
    • HIST 335: Ancient Greece from Homer to Socrates
    • HIST 336: The Elizabethan Age
    • MUS 310: Music History I
    • PHIL 201: Ancient Western Philosophy
    • PHIL 202: Modern Western Philosophy
    • REL 235: Quaker Origins
    • SPAN 311: Contemporary Spain
    • SPAN 321: Culture and Society: Golden Age of Spain
    • SPAN 323: Culture and Society: Beginnings of a Nation
    • SPAN 403: Senior Seminar: Spain


    Latin American Studies

    • ENGL 378: Caribbean Literature                                        
    • ECON 336/IDS 433: Economic and Social Development
    • HIST 271: Colonial Latin America
    • HIST 272: Modern Latin America
    • SOAN 245: Race/Ethnicity in Latin America
    • SOAN 330: Inequality in Latin America
    • SOAN 331: Latino Migration Patterns
    • SOAN 425: Latin American Politics
    • SPAN 310: Contemporary Latin America
    • SPAN 320: Culture and Society: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
    • SPAN 322: Culture and Society: South America
    • SPAN 340: Film, Life, and Literature of Latin America
    • SPAN 402: Senior Seminar: Latin America
  • Two 200-level language courses relevant to the region of study (French and Twi for Africa; Chinese or Japanese for East Asia; Spanish, French, or German for Europe; Spanish for Latin America). Students wishing to test out of this requirement must have the approval of the foreign languages faculty.
  • Study abroad in the relevant region in an approved academic program, normally for one semester. The International Studies Committee must approve exceptions prior to a student's participation in the program. Up to four courses taken abroad count for the international studies major; a minimum of four courses must be taken on campus.