The International
Studies Program cuts across traditional barriers
between intellectual disciplines and draws on the resources of the
Departments of English, History, Geography and Anthropology, Modern
Foreign Languages, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science, and
Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the
Department of Economics and International Management in the College
of Business.
The curriculum is flexible; it can be adapted to meet the
student's individual interests and needs. Students are encouraged
to pursue a second major or minor in a complementary discipline.
Studying Abroad, although not required, is an important component
of the program.
The Major offers students the cultural competency necessary to
be successful in an increasingly complex and global job market. It
prepares students for careers in government, international
organizations, journalism, international consulting, international
business, education, community development, and human rights work
with non-governmental organizations (NGO's). It also provides a
foundation for graduate work in such disciplines and programs of
study of law, international studies, international relations, area
studies, social sciences (anthropology, history, political science,
sociology, etc.), comparative literature, religion studies, public
policy and public administration. Butler University also provides a
minor in
International Studies.
The Program director for the International Studies Program is Antonio
Menendez.
Why study International Studies?
The International Studies major is an interdisciplinary program
designed to give students an awareness of the diversity, complexity
and interdependence of the world community, and to provide them
with the necessary background to understand and analyze the
political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of current world
problems and issues. The International Studies major offers
students the cultural competency necessary to be successful in an
increasingly complex and global job market. It prepares students
for careers in government, international organizations, journalism,
international consulting, business, education, community
development, and human rights work with non-government
organizations. It also provides a foundation for graduate work in
such disciplines and programs of study as law, international
studies, international relations, area studies, public policy and
public administration.
Why study International Studies at Butler University?
The curriculum of the International Studies program at Butler is
flexible; it can be adapted to meet the student's individual
interests and career plan. The following outlines some of the key
characteristics and advantages of studying International Studies at
Butler University.
- A student oriented program
- A large number of full time faculty from various departments
and areas of studies, rendering the curriculum truly comprehensive
and global, and offering the students a great variety of
perspectives
- A curriculum, which prepares the students to be able to work
and be successful in an increasingly multicultural environment
- A curriculum which prepares the students for interdisciplinary
research
- A well structured curriculum which gives the student the
fundamental knowledge in the field, while allowing students to
concentrate on regional foci and sub fields of their interest
- Washington D.C. Internship: Students can intern in many
government agencies, in the congress, non-governmental
organizations, foreign embassies, international organizations such
as OAE, IMF, etc, and Think Tankers
- International internships, where students can learn hands-on
knowledge of many countries around the world
- A comprehensive study abroad program with opportunities for
study in nearly every country around the world
- Concrete experiences in Diplomacy by participating at the
Harvard National United Nations Model or McGill University United
Nations Model in Montreal (cost of travel and lodging to
participate is covered by the program.)
- Participation at the Midwest European Union Model
- Financial support for students conducting thesis research
- Financial support for travel for students presenting papers at
conferences
- An active student-run International Studies Club
- Students are informed early in their studies about career and
post-graduate opportunities suitable for international studies
majors
Student Learning Objectives
The program provides students with the opportunities to acquire,
develop knowledge and understanding on a range of skills and
abilities in relation to the international system and process of
globalization. Students who complete this degree will be able
to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major dimensions of globalization
such as economic, political and cultural globalization
- Describe the major functions of international organizations,
such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization
- Draw connections between social issues in their local community
and the larger national and global context for such issues
- Describe and assess the main aspects of international
relations, including the main aspects of U.S. foreign policy,
colonialism and nationalism
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate social scientific methods
to compile and interpret data in assigned research projects or
papers
- Understand the complexity of the contemporary world and
demonstrate familiarity with the variety and relativity of cultures
within one major world region