International Studies
Office of Interdisciplinary Degree Programs
College of Arts and Sciences
203 Clemens Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4670
Phone: 716.645.2245
Fax: 716.645.3640
Web: cas.buffalo.edu/programs/idp/ugrad/
Lee Dryden
Director
dryden@buffalo.edu
About the Department
The International Studies concentration of the Social Sciences Interdisciplinary major is essentially academic, providing a general background useful for graduate studies or in a number of career fields with international involvement. The three tiers of the curriculum beyond the prerequisite level are based on:
1) the belief that significant language competence is fundamental to the international field of inquiry/activity;
2) the assumption that students in the field should be exposed to a range of disciplinary approaches; and
3) the desirability of pursuing some degree of interest in a particular regionally defined area.
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate: B.A. in Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Concentration: International Studies
About Our Degrees
Acceptance Criteria
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall.
Minimum grade of “C” in PSC 102 and UGC 112.
Students must successfully complete the first year of one of the languages listed under Degree Requirements.
Acceptance Information
Deadlines: Rolling
Number of Accepted Majors (2003-2004): 18
Number of majors currently enrolled: 37
Degree Requirements
Please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
Transfer Policy
Transfer students must first apply to the university and meet the university’s transfer admission GPA requirements. Applications for students are then forwarded to the Office of Interdisciplinary Degree Programs for review and course equivalency evaluation. Newly admitted transfer students who have completed the prerequisite requirements or have completed 60 or more credit hours at their transfer school are accepted to the major on a provisional basis, with full admission dependent upon completion of prerequisite requirements and attaining a minimum UB GPA of 2.0 within a specified time frame.
Courses from two-year colleges cannot be used toward fulfillment of the advanced-level course requirements in any of the interdisciplinary programs. At least 50 percent of coursework toward the major must be completed at UB.
About Our Courses
Each of the Interdisciplinary Degree Programs' concentrations offers a curriculum that allows students to combine coursework from three or more departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. There are also options to incorporate courses from other areas of the university allowing students to obtain a broad range of skills and education.
The typical class size for:
Freshman/introductory courses is: 25-200
Sophomore/intermediate courses is: 40-50
Upper level/advanced courses is: 35-40
In the International Studies concentration, what do student teaching assistants (TA's) do?
There are no teaching assistants in the IDP. Many courses in the social sciences interdisciplinary program's curricula originate in other departments, where teaching assistants may be assigned instructional or grading duties.
Suggested Introductory Courses
- An introductory foreign language course consistent with a focus area in the major
- ECO 181 Introduction to Microeconomics
- GEO 103 Geography of Economic System
- PSC 102 Introduction to International Politics
- PSC 103 Politics Abroad
- UGC 112 World Civilizations II
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
The IDP faculty, though limited in number, not only teach courses applicable to the program's degree tracks, but are also involved in the advisement of IDP majors, a function that is vitally important for students selecting courses from a number of different departments.
Special Academic Opportunities
The Interdisciplinary Degree Programs (IDP) offer an opportunity to focus studies on a particular topic whose brealih and diversity overlap several departments in the faculty.
Students in the International Studies concentration are encouraged to do study abroad for at least one semester.
Extracurricular Activities
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Majors that Complement International Studies
- Any of the romance languages
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Political Science
Minors that Complement International Studies
- French
- Geography of International Business and World Trade
- History
- Political Science
- Spanish
Career Information
While the IDP degree tracks were not developed primarily to train students for specific careers, they are intended to provide an academic background relevant to a wide range of occupations and fields of graduate study.
Work settings include:
- Broker at Waterhouse Securities
- English language instructor for the Japanese government
- International analyst for the U.S. Department of Commence
- International customer relations specialist at Invitrogen Corp.
- Interpreter/translator at Berlitz World Languages Institute
- Legislative assistant at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Post-undergraduate Opportunitites
- Communication at University of Illinois
- Foreign Service at Georgetown University
- Humanities/Caribbean Studies at University at Buffalo
- International Affairs at George Washington University
- International Political Economy at Fordham University
- Law school at University at Buffalo