International Studies Minor

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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. 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 International Studies director. Individual programs of study require coordinated planning between each student’s academic advisor and the International Studies director.

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

Requirements for the minor:

Students seeking a minor in International Studies must take 21 semester hours which satisfy the requirements outlined below. Specific requirements for the International Studies minor include the following:

I. Foreign language requirement:

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

II. Courses must be taken from at least four disciplines:

Courses include an introductory course and a capstone course. The introductory course requirement for the international studies minor may be met by completing one of the following courses.

ANTH 100 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (4)
HIST 152 - World History Since 1600 (4)
POLS 281 - Principles of International Relations (4)
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.

III. Other concentration requirements:

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.

Additional Information

University-wide minimum requirements for a minor: 1) one-half of the hours required for a minor must be completed in residence at UNC Asheville, to include at least 6 hours at the 300-400 level; 2) students must have a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 2.0 on minor courses taken at UNC Asheville.