International and Global Studies

Contact Information

Website: www.uis.edu/spia/global-studies-ba
Email: spia@uis.edu
Office Phone: (217) 206-6646
Office Location: PAC 350

Bachelor of Arts
Concentrations: (2)
Minor

Departmental Goals and Objectives

The world of the twenty-first century is one of both great promise and great danger; one in which technological changes promise to bring us closer together, but ideological, cultural and religious diversity threaten to pull us apart. The task of a university in this complex era must be to produce students, who, as citizens and community leaders, can provide an informed public that can make the difficult policy choices future generations will face.

International and Global Studies examines the interactions and inter-relations among countries and peoples across the globe; studies particular regions and cultures in a comparative and interactive way; and considers issues affecting more than one country. The curriculum is designed to provide students with the tools necessary to understand how other peoples see the world and the issues confronting the global community. The degree uses an interdisciplinary approach that emphasizes political science, history, economics, sociology/anthropology, communications, gender studies, and environmental studies. Within these disciplines, as well as across them, students learn a variety of theoretical approaches for understanding international and global issues such as war and peace, globalization, and development.

Global Experience Program

The Global Experience Program includes UIS study-away seminars and exchange programs, as well as programs administered by other universities and educational institutions. UIS has developed short-term study-away programs in a number of countries; yearly offerings vary. UIS has also signed exchange agreements with a range of universities across the world. These exchange agreements permit UIS students to study at the partner institutions for a semester or year paying UIS tuition. For more information regarding Study Away, go to https://www.uis.edu/study-away. Other UIS partnerships to promote global studies include the Sister Cities Association of Springfield and the World Affairs Council of Central Illinois.

Model United Nations

Model United Nations (MUN) is designed to teach students how the United Nations fosters peace in the international system. The MUN courses (PSC 478 and PSC 483) allow students to participate in committee simulations where world problems are debated and solutions are presented. Students learn how to operate in a caucus environment while role-playing a country that is not their native homeland. The courses are specifically designed to prepare UIS students to compete at the National Model United Nations Conference held annually in New York City.

The Bachelor's Degree

International and Global Studies students with no concentration may take elective courses from either or both concentrations (Diplomacy and International Relations and/or Global Affairs and Development) or other elective courses with an international or comparative focus with advisor’s approval through a Student Petition.

Advising

Majors in International and Global Studies are advised by faculty appointed to the program. However, majors are welcome to seek the advice of associated faculty who teach courses in the program as well. Particular care is required in choosing courses in the upper division concentrations.

Grading Policy

International and Global Studies majors must receive a grade of C (2.0) or better in IGS 301 and in IGS 491.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Increased knowledge of:

Other cultures
Student’s culture within a global and comparative context
Global issues, processes, trends, and systems - topics within the student’s concentration area

2. Increased skills in:

Effective independent research and writing to communicate clear, logical, and substantive ideas
Intercultural competence
Integrating knowledge, diverse cultural frames of reference, and alternative perspectives to think critically and solve problems
Using knowledge of other cultures and other relevant skills to extend access to information, experiences, and understanding

3. Developed attitudes in:

Intellectual curiosity
Personal flexibility
Appreciation of the language, art, religion, philosophy, and traditions of different cultures
Acceptance of cultural differences and toleration of cultural ambiguity
An ongoing willingness to seek out international or intercultural opportunities

Requirements

Core Courses
ECO 201	Introduction to Microeconomics	3
ECO 202	Introduction to Macroeconomics	3
IGS/PSC 301	Introduction to Global Studies	3
IGS/PSC 371	ECCE: Comparative Politics	3
IGS/PSC 373	Introduction to International Relations	3
IGS 491	International and Global Studies Capstone	2
Select one History Course at 300 or 400 Level. Other courses from the History Department may be selected with advisor's permission		3-4
HIS 365	ECCE: Culture Wars/Europe
HIS 371	Islamic Civilization
HIS 375	ECCE: Conflict in the Middle East
HIS 419	Egyptology
HIS 479	ECCE: From Vikings to Hackers: A Pirate's World History
Select one Culture course from theses units of: COM, ENG, ENS, or SOA. Other courses may be selected from thses or other deparments and with advisor's permission.		3-4
COM 477	ECCE: Global Media and Culture:China
ENG 320	Topics in World Literature I
IGS 331	ECCE: Cultural Geography
SOA 301	ECCE: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
Core Total Hours		23-25
Elective Courses ¹		12-16
Degree Program Total Hours		35-41

¹: Students may focus on one of two concentrations or take 12 to 16 hours of electives (see above).

After completion of the first seven core courses above, students may then focus on one of a number of topical concentrations or take 12 to 16 hours of electives. The two concentrations are "Diplomacy and International Relations" and "Global Affairs and Development." Students may also choose electives without a concentration.

The final course in the curriculum, IGS 491, is designed to help students to weave together the components of their curriculum.

While theory is important, International and Global Studies majors also have the opportunity to put their learning to the test of experience. One of these ways could include participating in the Model United Nations (MUN) simulation (by taking PSC 478 and PSC 483), which requires students to represent a country (usually not the US) at the UN, learn UN procedures, practice the diplomatic arts of persuasion and coalition building, and learn about the issues facing their adopted country. A second way that students can learn from experience is by participating in one of our study-away programs. For more information on study away opportunities please go to, https://www.uis.edu/study-away. Special encouragement is given to students to enhance their foreign language skills by choosing to study away in a country where the foreign language of their choice is spoken.

Finally, each International and Global Studies major is required to do a 3 - 6 hour "civic engagement" experience. In addition to Study Away, this might include doing an internship at the US headquarters of a multinational corporation, or for a non-governmental organization (NGO) dealing with human rights or the environment.

ONLINE DEGREE

Our online courses are as rigorous as our on-campus courses, and are taught by the same faculty members who teach our on-campus courses.

For our online International and Global Studies Bachelor’s Degree and our online Minor in International and Global Studies, students are able to take 100% of their classes online, enabling them to earn their degree regardless of their physical location and schedule.

Professors are open to conducting the online course as they see best for the course content and for their students. Some professors choose to record their lectures and have students view them online, while other professors choose to do “live” lectures, where students can view the lecture synchronously (all at the same time) online or view a recorded version of the “live” lecture asynchronously (at different times) online. Most of our online students work full-time and go to school part-time and our online students vary in location and time zones, so our online classes are designed to work with different schedules and different time zones.

EHS HDC Admissions
Degree Program	Program Type	Dept Application Materials and Admission Criteria	Prerequisite Course Requirements	Department ADM Review	Dept Conditional Admits	Dept Appeal Process
International and Global Studies	BA	No additional admission requirements beyond the general UIS criteria	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Courses

IGS 101. Global Culture and College-age Youth. 3 Hours.

This introductory college course explores concerns, interests, and aspirations of college-age students around the world. Using comparative tools, it develops skills to discover issues of identity, diversity, and inclusivity of college-age people in the U.S. and abroad. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of First-Year Seminar or in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

IGS 125. The History of Everywhere. 3 Hours.

Global History Survey. Focuses on historical events that happened at the same time across the globe. This allows us to explore fascinating connections and coincidences, a complex web of interactions, exchanges, influences that have shaped the course of civilization across geographical/cultural/temporal boundaries. Course Information: Same as HIS 125. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Comparative Societies Humanities.

IGS 301. Introduction to Global Studies. 3 Hours.

Provides an interdisciplinary overview of the field of global studies, including the principles issues, scales, perspectives and modes of study that make up a global approach to world problems. It provides a foundation for the major in Global Studies and the minor in International Studies to chart a course of study, including the discussion of a possible concentration, study abroad, or internships. Course Information: Same as PSC 301.

IGS 325. ECCE: Latina/o/x USA. 4 Hours.

Introduction to the study of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, and Central/South American communities in the U.S. Main themes are immigration, identity, gender and racial constructions, labor, education, and activism. Other topics include demographic trends, political participation, and relations with origin communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Course Information: This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of U.S. Communities.

IGS 331. ECCE: Cultural Geography. 3 Hours.

Explores the cultural processes of human interaction with the environment. Includes understanding of the geographic diversity, distribution and diffusion of people across the world, through such cultural processes as ethnicity, religion, language, politics, agriculture, and economic means. Course Information: Same as ENS 332. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

IGS 371. ECCE: Comparative Politics. 3 Hours.

Course examines concepts and theories in the study of comparative politics. Topics include: comparative systems and institutions, electoral politics, and democratic development. Course Information: Same as PSC 371. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

IGS 373. Introduction to International Relations. 3 Hours.

This course provides students with the basic concepts and theories of the study of international relations. Topics include: the international system, the balance of power, and economic interdependence. Course Information: Same as PSC 373.

IGS 415. ECCE: Archaeology of Global Slavery. 4 Hours.

This academic journey delves deep into the tangible remnants of one of the most profound, tragic, and enduring human experiences in history. It combines archaeology, anthropology, history, and sociology to unravel the material culture and lived experiences of enslaved individuals across continents and centuries. Course Information: Same as HIS 415. This course fulfills an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience requirement at UIS in the area of Global Awareness.

IGS 442. Mexican Migration to the U.S.. 4 Hours.

This interdisciplinary course on Mexican migration to the US examines global power inequalities that lead to international migration. Topics include the formation of the US-Mexico border, why people migrate from Mexico, how most Mexican immigration has become "illegal," and the contributions of Mexican immigrants to the United States and Mexico. Course Information: Same as PSC 442 and SOA 442.

IGS 455. Global Masculinities. 4 Hours.

Interdisciplinary survey of expressions of masculinity in global and transnational perspective, with emphasis on non-Western cultures. Themes and topics include motives for, and ethnographic and systematic approaches to study of men and masculinities interspersed with case studies of specific forms of masculinity in various geographic regions. Course Information: Same as SOA 456 and WGS 455. Prerequisites: Prior mastery of fundamental concepts, theories and terminology in WGS.

IGS 464. Introduction to Human Rights. 3,4 Hours.

Introduces human rights as a domestic and international phenomenon. Focus on cultural, economic, political, and social rights, and their implications for particular groups such as race, gender, age, religion, nationality, language, political affiliation, and disability status. Specific issues such as human trafficking will be explored through the lens of international law. Course Information: Same as CCJ 463 and LES 464.

IGS 467. US-Mexico Border Politics. 3,4 Hours.

This reading and discussion-based course discusses the dynamics and politics of the US-Mexico border in three parts by emphasizing history and the border, the laws and policy that govern migration, and communication and public opinion about this highly salient topic. Course Information: Same as PSC 467.

IGS 491. International and Global Studies Capstone. 2 Hours.

The culminating course in the International and Global Studies curriculum will direct students to review and integrate the knowledge, skills, attitudes gained from the curriculum. Students will work 4 hours outside the classroom each week on a final research project tailored to the major and with the close supervision of the capstone instructor.

IGS 499. Tutorial. 1-4 Hours.

Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her.