The International Studies Specialization is an academic program that combines coursework at UW-Stout and abroad with practical experience living, studying or working with people of another country or culture. Many students take the specialization in place of a minor. With careful planning, many of the requirements of the specialization can also be used to meet requirements in your degree program. Therefore, you can often get the specialization without taking a lot of additional courses beyond your degree requirements. The combination of study abroad and the International Studies Specialization can help you develop:
- Ability to communicate ideas clearly with people of different cultures and languages.
- Ability to analyze and solve problems from local, national, global and cross-cultural perspectives.
- Self confidence in living and working with people from other countries and cultures.
- Tolerance for other cultures and different cultural approaches to problem-solving.
Who can enroll in the specialization?
Any student interested in international studies can enroll. However, the Specialization is designed to work best for students in the following majors:
- Apparel Design and Development
- Business Administration
- Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
- Retail Merchandising and Management
- Education Majors
- Undecided
And students wanting to study a foreign language
What is the program of study?
All students enrolled in the specialization study international relations, world geography, cross-cultural communication, language and area studies at Stout or in one of the study abroad programs.
Then you take additional professional courses from one of the specialized options listed below:
- International Business
- International Tourism
- Language Studies
- Area Studies
- International Education
- Apparel Design and Development: Retailing
The specialization is flexibly designed to offer you an opportunity to better understand other cultures and international relations, and to prepare for life and a career in the global society of the 21st Century. Many students combine the specialization with a study abroad program in order to gain actual experience living in another culture.
