International Studies

International Studies

Contact
Jane Hammang-Buhl, M.B.A. – International Business Concentration
Madame Cadillac Building, Rm 205
Direct: 313.927.1465
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Allan Cook, Ph.D. – International Professional Communication Concentration
Madame Cadillac Building, Rm 262
Direct: 313.927.1541
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Lourdes Torres, Ph.D. – Modern Language Translation Concentration
Madame Cadillac Building, Rm 357
Direct: 313.927.1363
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Programs Offered
Bachelor of Arts, Language and International Business (B.A.)

Potential Careers
Bilingual Assistant, Business Manager, Court & School Mediator, Foreign Service Worker, Publications Manager, Public Relations Expert, Technical & Scientific Writer, Translator and Website Editor.

Faculty
Allan Cook, Ph.D.
Karen Davis, Ph.D.
James Dicks, M.B.A., C.P.A.
Jennifer Gansler, M.A.
Gerold Haas, M.B.A., J.D.
Jane Hammang-Buhl , M.B.A.
Ellis Ivory, M.A.
Thomas Klug, Ph.D.
Donald Levin, Ph.D.
Chae-Pyong Song, Ph.D.

International Studies Overview

General Information
This international studies program, coupled with second-language fluency in Arabic, French, or Spanish, is designed to prepare you with the ability to communicate effectively or conduct business in a multicultural and global environment in the US and abroad. As a student in this program, you will develop strong writing and speaking skills in more than one language; you will gain the necessary understanding for interacting and negotiating with a diverse workforce in fields such as sales, the airline and tourism industries, health care, counseling, human resources, communication and public relations, and legal advocacy; and you will be prepared to work within a broad range of industries, governmental agencies, multinational corporations, social organizations, and educational institutions.

Specific Information
This degree is offered as a collaborative effort by the Departments of English and Modern Languages, Business, Humanities, Political Science, Sociology, and History. Requirements include core content courses, language courses, and one of four concentrations, not to exceed a total of 72 semester hours, in addition to general education credits.

Career Informaiton
Here are some of the reasons why you might like to include language study as a part of your professional training.

Arabic
Arabic, which is used by approximately 200 million speakers in 24 Middle Eastern, North African, and Sub-Saharan African countries, is the fifth most spoken language in the world and is quickly becoming one of the most important international languages for business and international relations. Although Arabic is also widely spoken in some parts of the United States, there is a recognized shortage of trained speakers of Arabic in North America.

French
French competes with English and Spanish as a leading “international” language and remains an important tool for anyone who plans to go into international business or law. French is spoken not only in France, but also by millions of people in 34 other nations around the world in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Spanish
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world – and in the U.S. The ability to speak Spanish is a skill applicable to a wide range of careers, both at the domestic and international levels, including law, business, and international trade.

This interdisciplinary degree will prepare you for a wide range of professions. For example, you may seek careers as translators, bilingual assistants, customer service representatives, multinational marketers, international entrepreneurs, business managers, technical and scientific writers, publications managers, web site editors, foreign service workers, coordinators of multicultural recruitment, diversity trainers, court and school mediators, agency or foundation administrators, and public relations experts.

This degree can also lead to a variety of graduate fields of studies, for example, International Business, Business Management, Educational Leadership, Human Resources, Professional Communication, Translation, International Studies, Area Studies, Cultural Studies, Intercultural Communication, Cross-Cultural Studies, and Community Counseling.

Bachelor of Arts, Language and International Business (B.A.)

The requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies in Languages, Business, and Culture are as follows:

A. General Education Requirements

B. Interdisciplinary Core Requirements
(12 cr. minimum)

C. Core Language Requirement
(21 cr. minimum)

D. Concentration (30 to 36 cr.)

REQUIRED COURSES
A. General Education Requirements

See general education requirements.

B. Core Content Courses
ENG 328 * Intercultural 3 cr.Communication
BUS 308 Business and 3 cr.Professional Writing Senior Seminar within
concentration 3 cr.
HUM 362 Travel Seminar 3 cr. min. -OR- SAB 300 Study Abroad 3 cr. min.
-OR-
SAB 300 Internship Abroad 3 cr. min. -OR-Multicultural Immersion 3 cr. min. (Cooperative Field Experience, ARA/FRE/SPA 488)

C. Core Language Requirement
FRE 151 Elementary French II 3 cr. -OR- SPA 151 Elementary Spanish II 3 cr.
FRE 250 Intermediate French I 4 cr.-OR- SPA 250 Intermediate Spanish I 4 cr.
FRE 251 Intermediate French II 4 cr. -OR- SPA 251 Intermediate Spanish II 4 cr.
FRE 310 Business French 4 cr. -OR- SPA 310 Business Spanish 4 cr. -OR-
FRE 350 Advanced Grammar 4 cr.and Composition -OR- SPA 350 Advanced Grammar 4 cr. and Composition
FRE 325 European Humanities 3 cr. -OR- FRE 335 Caribbean Humanities 3 cr. -OR- FRE 340 French Film Comedy 3 cr.
SPA 332 Latin American Humanities 3 cr. -OR- SPA 354 Iberian History and Culture 3 cr.

D. Concentration
Choose one of the following four concentrations:

  • Translation (30 cr.)
  • Multicultural Studies (30 cr.)
  • International Professional Communication (30 cr.)
  • International Business (36 to 39 cr.)

Translation Concentration
Translation Certificate, 15 cr.
Take each of the following in Arabic, French, or Spanish, totaling 15 credits:

ARA 400 Principles of Translation 3 cr. -OR- FRE 400 Principles of Translation 3 cr. -OR- SPA 400 Principles of Translation 3 cr.
ARA 401 Translation Workshop I 3 cr. -OR- FRE 401 Translation Workshop I 3 cr. -OR- SPA 401 Translation Workshop I 3 cr.
ARA 402 Translation Workshop II 3 cr. -OR- FRE 402 Translation Workshop II 3 cr. -OR- SPA 402 Translation Workshop II 3 cr.
ARA 403 Business Translation Workshop 3 cr. -OR- FRE 403 Business Translation Workshop 3 cr. -OR- SPA 403 Business Translation Workshop 3 cr.
ARA 488 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr. -OR- FRE 488 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr. -OR- SPA 488 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr.

Writing, 6 cr.
ENG 317 The English Language 3 cr.

Choose one from the following three courses
ENG 313 Journalism 3 cr.
ENG 316 Grant Writing 3 cr.
ENG 319 Writing Creative Nonfiction 3 cr.

Communication
Choose one of the following two courses, 3 cr.
ENG 318 Professional Communication Design 3 cr.
ENG 309 Oral Presentations for the Professional World 3 cr.

Electives
Choose two electives from the Writing or Communication lists above, the other concentrations, or foreign languages, 6 cr. min.

Multicultural Studies Concentration
Choose French or Spanish, 6 cr.
FRE 320 French Conversation 3 cr.
SPA 320 Spanish Conversation* 3 cr.
FRE 351 Introduction to Francophone Literature 3 cr.
SPA 351 Introduction to Hispanic Literature 3 cr.

Choose two from the following group of Humanities/Area Studies and English courses, 6 cr.
ENG 350 World Literature 3 cr.
Area Studies (Arab and Asian, Latin American, African I, African II, African-American, Caribbean: HUM 330, 332, 333A, 333B, 334, 335) 3 cr.
HUM 340 French Film Comedy 3 cr.

Choose two from the following Social Sciences courses, 6 cr.
POL 377 Transnational Politics 3 cr.
POL 395 Comparative Politics 3 cr.
POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic and Cultural Studies 3 cr.
SOC 312 Global Women’s Issues and Policies 3 cr.
HIS 306 World in the 20th Century 3 cr.

Electives
Choose four additional classes from the above list of classes, the other concentrations, or foreign languages, 12 cr. min.

International Professional Communication Concentration
Writing classes, 9 cr.
ENG 317 The English Language 3 cr.
ENG 313 Journalism 3 cr.
ENG 316 Grant Writing 3 cr.

Choose either the Translation Certificate (Arabic, French, or Spanish), or the Writing/Communication classes listed below, 15 cr.
ENG 319 Writing Creative Nonfiction 3 cr.
ENG 363 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction 3 cr.
ENG 309 Oral Presentations for the Professional World 3 cr.
ENG 318 Professional Communication Design 3 cr.
ENG 388 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr.

Electives
Choose two additional electives from English, foreign languages, or the other concentrations

International Business Concentration
Business, 21 cr.
BUS 173 Introduction to Business 3 cr.
BUS 302 Principles of Marketing 3 cr.
BUS 342 International Marketing 3 cr.
BUS 266 Principles of Organizationand Management 3 cr.
BUS 304 Business Law I 3 cr.
ACC 224 Principles of Accounting I 4 cr.
ACC 234 Principles of Accounting II 4 cr.
BUS 307 Finance 4 cr.

Economics, 9 cr.
ECN 200 Introductory Macroeconomics 3 cr.
ECN 203 Introductory Microeconomics 3 cr.
ECN 361 International Economics and Finance 3 cr.

Elective (beyond the 36 required credits)
BUS 388 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr.

* Pending course approval by the Curriculum Committee

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