International Programs at UWW

Major or Minor? Choosing the international program that meets your needs

  There are a variety of majors and minors with an international focus at UW-Whitewater. They are designed to meet different needs and interests. Recent changes in these programs provide students with more choices than ever before.   The International Studies major is a 54-credit multidisciplinary course of study; it does not require a minor. Twenty-one credits in courses from a range of disciplines-anthropology, religious studies, history, geography, economics, sociology, communication, political science-are required courses. In addition, students select a 21-24 credit emphasis and 9-12 credits of electives. The four available emphases are: a) foreign language and area studies; b) business; c) public diplomacy; and d) international economics. In addition to these requirements, students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language, through 16 credits of course work or the equivalent. They are also required to earn at least six academic credits studying abroad and complete the requirements for the L&S Global Engagement Certificate. The major provides broad multidisciplinary knowledge on international issues with an emphasis designed to meet students' interests and career needs. The wide range of course choice allows students to tailor the major to suit their individual requirements.   The International Studies minor is designed for students who want to combine a general background in international issues with a regional concentration (12 credits). The minor complements foreign language majors particularly well.   IS majors and minors must take two writing-intensive courses that focus on the development of research skills. INTRNAR 200 ("Issues and Inquiry in International Studies") should be taken as early as possible in the student's career. The capstone seminar (INTRNAR 488) is a variable topics course and should be taken as late as possible in the student's career, ideally in the final semester of study.   Three other minors, the Latinx/Latin American Studies minor (offered by the Race and Ethic Studies program), the Asian Studies minor, and the Middle East minor, offer more focused regional specializations. These minors are similar in many ways to the requirements for the foreign language and area studies emphasis in the international studies major. But these are stand-alone minors, which can be paired with a wide variety of majors.   Other majors/minors with international content include those in foreign languages (French, German, Spanish, and Japanese) and a World Religions Minor.   Finally, the Business School offers an International Business  major and minor. Most of the courses in the major are business or economics courses with international content. The major also requires a semester-long study-abroad experience and 16 credits (two years) of foreign language coursework, COMM 424 (Cross-Cultural Communication) and nine credits of non-business courses (selected from a list of courses in Economics, Geography, and Political Science).