2025-26 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Nov 22, 2025  
2025-26 Undergraduate Catalog

International Studies Interdisciplinary Degree Program


Alexandru Balas, coordinator
International Studies Program
Old Main, Room 110
607-753-4823
cortland.edu/istudies/

School of Arts and Sciences

Degrees and Minor

Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
Minor in International Studies

Concentrations

Area Concentrations:

  • Africa
  • Asia and Pacific Basin
  • Europe
  • Latin America

Disciplinary Concentrations:

  • Culture and Global Development
  • Geography
  • Global Economic Systems
  • Global Political Systems
  • Historical Development
  • International Health and Environment

Description

The international studies (IST) major is a unique global studies approach to understanding the international world in the context of a liberal arts education. The interdisciplinary nature of the major provides students with knowledge of the historic and contemporary development of the international system as well as the opportunity to choose the direction of their study of particular aspects of the global social, economic and political structure from disciplinary or geographical vantage points.

Students also complete the IST major with a foreign language background, enabling them to begin careers in the international world immediately upon graduation.

Special Features

  • Wide-ranging study-abroad opportunities
  • Opportunities for internship experience
  • Independent study and collaborative research with faculty members
  • Involvement in the Model European Union

 

The IST major's 36 credit hours comprise a set of five core courses and a seven-course concentration chosen from the list in the program. The core courses orient the student to the historical processes and contemporary economic issues of the modern international system. The concentration may be geographical in nature, or be focused within a particular discipline.

Note: some courses in concentrations may have prerequisites not listed.

Waivers of requirements and approval for substitution of courses may be granted only by the coordinator with the approval of the associate dean. In order to satisfy major requirements, students may take topics courses offered in individual departments, arrange for an independent study, or complete up to six credit hours of an internship (CPV 400), with approval of the advisor, the international studies coordinator and the associate dean.
 

Programs

    MajorMinor

    Courses

      International Studies