Students majoring in International Studies begin with foundational coursework in international relations, economics, geography, and sociology/anthropology, and complete their degree requirements with a senior research project. To prepare for this, they develop their own specialization drawing on courses from three thematic areas: Global Development; Conflict, Diplomacy, and Peace Building; and Humanitarianism and Social Justice. The challenges and perils that face the global community are multifaceted and complex. Students acquire different sets of knowledge, tools, and perspectives to deal with the complexities that face local to global communities.
Complementary Studies and International Opportunities
Students complement their International Studies major with coursework in related departments like politics, economics, sociology, history or foreign languages, and in the Dolan School of Business. Many students also pursue related interdisciplinary programs, such as environmental studies, women's studies, peace and justice, and area studies with which International Studies works especially closely. They also study economics and business emphasizing multinational organizations and regional trade pacts, economic and political systems, socio-cultural structures, microfinance and diversities that have operational significance for community and economic development and international business.
The International Studies Program reinforces multidimensional learning with real-world experience through language studies, service learning, Model United Nations, the Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship, internships, and study abroad opportunities, and through work with our faculty on research projects. Therefore students are expected to engage in one or more of these forms of experiential learning.
Graduation with Honors in International Studies
Fairfield University has a campus chapter of Sigma Iota Rho, the national honor society for international studies. Students must have attained a junior standing and completed at least twenty-one hours of course work toward the International Studies/Business major. Students with an overall GPA of 3.30 or greater and a GPA of 3.40 or higher in their International Studies or International Business major are nominated for membership.
For a 30-credit major in International Studies, students complete the following:
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| INST 1050 | People, Places, and Global Issues | 3 |
| INST 1051 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| INST 1052 | Culture and Political Economy | 3 |
| INST 1053 | Introduction to Economics | 3 |
or ECON 1011
& ECON 1012 | Introduction to Microeconomics
and Introduction to Macroeconomics |
| INST 4999 | Senior Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| 1 | 15 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
Magis Core Curriculum
Beginning with the Class of 2023, all undergraduate students will be required to complete the Magis Core Curriculum. Please refer to the Curricula section of this undergraduate catalog for a detailed explanation of the Magis Core.
International Studies and International Business Electives
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| ANTH 1115 | Cultures of Africa | 3 |
| ANTH 1120 | Islamic Societies and Cultures | 3 |
| ANTH 2015 | Refugees and Culture | 3 |
| ANTH 3710 | Theory and Practice in Anthropology | 3 |
| COMM 2241 | Communication and Culture: East and West | 3 |
| ECON 3230 | Comparative Economic Systems | 3 |
| ECON 3231 | International Trade | 3 |
| ECON 3233 | International Economic Policy and Finance | 3 |
| ECON 3235 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ECON 3237 | Fair Trade and Microfinance | 3 |
| FNCE 3200 | Global Capital Markets | 3 |
| FNCE 4240 | International Financial Management | 3 |
| HIST 2284 | 20th Century Russia | 3 |
| HIST 2285 | Modern China: 1800 to Present | 3 |
| HIST 2289 | Modern Latin America, 1800-Present | 3 |
| HIST 3366 | Gender, Culture, and Representation: Women in China and Japan, 1600 to Present | 3 |
| INBU 1054 | Contemporary Issues Affecting the Global Business Environment | 3 |
| INST 3980 | Internship | 3 |
| INST 3990 | Independent Study | 3 |
| ISOM 4310 | E-Business Applications | 3 |
| MGMT 4350 | International Law | 3 |
| MGMT 4390 | Cross-Cultural Management | 3 |
| MKTG 3312 | Global Marketing | 3 |
| POLI 2253 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| POLI 2255 | Middle East Politics | 3 |
| POLI 2259 | The Development Gap | 3 |
| POLI 2474 | International Environmental Policies | 3 |
| POLI 2477 | Globalization | 3 |
| POLI 4304 | Seminar on Global Environmental Politics | 3 |
| SOCI 1145 | Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 1160 | Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Society | 3 |
| SOCI 1165 | Social Change in Developing Nations | 3 |
| AETH 2293 | Ethics of War and Peace | 3 |
| ANTH 3710 | Theory and Practice in Anthropology | 3 |
| COMM 2240 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| HIST 2251 | The American Century: The United States and the World Since 1900 | 3 |
| HIST 2265 | History of the Indian Subcontinent: Colonialism, Nationalism, and Democracy, c.1857 to Today | 3 |
| HIST 2273 | History and Culture of Central and Eastern Europe Since 1945 | 3 |
| HIST 2274 | Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Global Crises | 3 |
| INST 2471 | United Nations Security Council Crisis Simulation | 3 |
| INST 3980 | Internship | 3 |
| INST 3990 | Independent Study | 3 |
| MGMT 4360 | Negotiations and Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| PHIL 2263 | The Concept of Human Rights | 3 |
| POLI 2251 | Islam and Muslim Politics | 3 |
| POLI 2252 | African Politics | 3 |
| POLI 2257 | Northern Ireland: Politics of War and Peace | 3 |
| POLI 2258 | Political Violence | 3 |
| POLI 2476 | United States Foreign Policy | 3 |
| POLI 2478 | International Law | 3 |
| POLI 2479 | Threats to Global Security in the 21st Century | 3 |
| POLI 4303 | Gender, War, and Peace | 3 |
| SOCI 1155 | Sociology of Europe | 3 |
| ANTH 1125 | Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation | 3 |
| ANTH 2100 | Culture and Inequality | 3 |
| ANTH 3700 | Grant Writing for the Social Sciences | 3 |
| ANTH 3710 | Theory and Practice in Anthropology | 3 |
| ECON 2120 | Introduction to Environmental Economics | 3 |
| HIST 2270 | History of Global Humanitarian Action | 3 |
| INST 2150 | International Operations of Non-Profits | 3 |
| INST 2481 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| INST 3980 | Internship | 3 |
| INST 3990 | Independent Study | 3 |
| LCST 3301 | Justice and the Developing World | 4 |
| MGMT 4370 | Managing Non-Profit Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 4385 | Managing People for Global Business | 3 |
| PHIL 2263 | The Concept of Human Rights | 3 |
| POLI 1102 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLI 2331 | Introduction to Peace and Justice | 3 |
| POLI 2472 | Politics of Humanitarian Action | 3 |
| POLI 2480 | Border Politics | 3 |
| RLST 2335 | Liberation Theology | 3 |
| SOCI 1150 | Introduction to International Migration | 3 |
