International Affairs (B.A.)

Faculty

Dr. James Stocker, Assistant Professor of International Affairs (program chair)
Dr. Susan Farnsworth, Professor of History
Faculty representing diverse disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences collaborate with and contribute to the International Affairs Program.

Description

Trinity's program in International Affairs offers an interdisciplinary major and minor to undergraduate students. Students enrolled in the International Affairs program gain knowledge and analytical skills that will enable them to respond to urgent, worldwide needs for informed citizen awareness and active citizen engagement in contemporary global issues.

The program in International Affairs involves faculty from such disciplines as business, communication, economics, geography, history, political science, and sociology, all of whom have strong interest and involvement in international issues. The major and minor combine work in the classroom with opportunities to move beyond the traditional curriculum and make optimal use of the University's location in one of the world's leading international cities.

Concrete knowledge of international topics, with particular emphasis on their economic, geographic, historical, political, and sociological components, is essential to fostering students' effective global awareness and involvement. In this regard, Trinity's undergraduate program in International Affairs seeks to instill within each student the following learning outcomes:

• An understanding of the nature of international affairs, fostering, where possible, an emphasis on the relationship between international issues and issues of gender;
• Acquisition of knowledge and familiarity with the disciplinary methods required for critical assessment of global events, processes, trends and issues;
• An understanding of the interrelationship of disciplines and the interdisciplinary approach;
• Acquisition of competency in an area of concentration within the major;
• Advancement to the level of intermediate written and oral competency in a second language;
• An ability to collect, compile, analyze, and corroborate factual data through effective independent research and organization of research findings;
• An ability to communicate effectively in written and oral presentations;
• An opportunity to exercise leadership and collaborative skills in and beyond the classroom;
• The orientation of student learning toward career options and/or the pursuit of graduate or professional study upon completion of the program.

Students seeking an undergraduate degree in International Affairs are required to complete 27 core credits along with 18 credits in an area of concentration. International Affairs majors are also required to attain the equivalent of a minimum proficiency level of three college semesters in a second language, along with at least one other course that advances multi-cultural understanding.

Students are strongly encouraged to elect internationally oriented courses offered as part of the general education curriculum and to take advantage of courses scheduled on a cyclical basis by academic programs participating in the major. All international affairs majors are strongly encouraged to elect a three-credit internship and to consider study abroad opportunities.

The major in International Affairs is offered to students in the College of Arts and Sciences.  An 18 credit minor in International Affairs is also offered.

Major Requirements

Required Core Courses

The core courses for the major total 27 credits.

Introduction to International Affairs (required):

INAF 201

Students who plan to major in international affairs are strongly recommended to take INAF 201 as early as possible in their undergraduate careers.

World Geography (one required):

INAF 251
INAF 252

Global Economy (one required):

ECON 252
ECON 253
ECON 351
ECON 353
BADM 210
BADM 307
BADM 320
BADM 328
BADM 350
INAF 385

Students planning to major in international affairs should take ECON 100 as a part of their general education requirements; it is a prerequisite for any economics course chosen to fulfill the INAF major economics requirement.

Political Science (both required):

POLS 231
POLS 241

History (two required):

HIS 255
HIS 314
HIS 317
HIS 342
HIS 358
HIS 369
HIS 485

Sociology (one required):

SOCY 103
SOCY 131
SOCY 231

Senior Seminar (required):

INAF 499

Second Language Requirement

Trinity’s International Affairs major recognizes the importance of the ability to communicate effectively in more than one language.  All majors must demonstrate a competency in a second language equivalent to at least the third semester in a second language. Ideally, students will be able to continue their language studies and progress through the fourth semester of intermediate study. The completion of four semesters in a second language is one option for meeting the second language requirement.  Alternatively, students may follow the third semester of second language study with the completion of another course that deepens their knowledge of the importance of language and culture.  For example, after completing the 201 course in a second language, students then could take a course such as COM 225, Intercultural Communication, or another literature, cultural studies, or history course dealing with the regions in which this language is prominent. Students should plan their approach to the satisfaction of this requirement in close consultation with the program chair and program faculty.  In short, the second language requirement represents 12 credits of study, completed through one of two possible pathways. This proficiency may be demonstrated through course work, approved language tests, or other means approved by the program chair.

Area of Concentration

International affairs majors must complete an additional 18 credits in an area of concentration determined in cooperation with their adviser and the international affairs program chair. Courses counted toward an area of concentration must be in addition to those counted toward the required courses for the major; no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both required major courses and an area of concentration. This area of concentration should include courses that relate to a region of the world (such as Latin American, African, or Asian studies) or a thematic topic (such as US Foreign Policy, Global Social Issues, International Development, or Conflict Resolution). These courses may not count in fulfillment of other course requirements for the major. It is recommended that three of these credits be earned through a professional internship or other experiential learning opportunity, such as study abroad. Students may take some of these credits through other institutions in the Consortium.

Minor Requirements

The international affairs minor requires 18 credits.

Introduction to International Affairs (required):

INAF 201

World Geography (one required):

INAF 251
INAF 252

Global Economy (one required):

ECON 252
ECON 253
ECON 351
ECON 353
BADM 210
BADM 307
BADM 320
BADM 328
BADM 350
INAF 385

Political Science (both required):

POLS 231
POLS 241

History (one required):

HIS 255
HIS 314
HIS 317
HIS 342
HIS 358
HIS 369
HIS 485

Students choosing to minor in international affairs are urged to plan their program with the advice of the Program Chair.

Program Policies

Advanced Placement Policy:
As an interdisciplinary program, the International Affairs Program follows the policies of its disciplinary components on issues applicable to this major. Please refer to the statements of the appropriate program for policies on credits earned through advanced placement examinations.

CLEP Policy:
The International Affairs Program follows the program policies of its component disciplines for credits earned through CLEP examinations.

Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in the courses required in the major for graduation.

Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling the major requirement may not be taken pass/no pass.

Senior Assessment:
All majors in their senior year must complete an independent research paper examining an issue in contemporary international affairs under the direction of the Program Chair.  Seniors present and assess their research findings in an oral discussion with the Program Chair and a second member of the international affairs faculty.

TELL Policy:
The International Affairs Program follows the program policies of its component disciplines for TELL credits applicable towards the major.

Transfer Credits:
Because it is an interdisciplinary program, the International Affairs Program follows the transfer policies of the contributing disciplines in determining the applicability of transfer credit to the requirements of the major. At least 12 credits in the major must be taken at Trinity, including INAF 499.

Course Descriptions

INAF 201
INAF 251
INAF 252
INAF 300
INAF 310
INAF 311
INAF 313
INAF 321
INAF 363
INAF 371
INAF 372
INAF 381
INAF 382
INAF 383
INAF 491
INAF 497
INAF 498
INAF 499
BADM 210
BADM 236
BADM 307
BADM 320
BADM 328
BADM 330
BADM 350
COM 225
COM 335
COM 388
ECON 221
ECON 223
ECON 252
ECON 253
ECON 351
ECON 353
HIS 255
HIS 342
HIS 358
HIS 369
HIS 485
POLS 231
POLS 241
POLS 443
SOCY 103
SOCY 131
SOCY 231
SOCY 333