International Studies Major - University of Wisconsin-Madison

International Studies Major
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

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International Studies Major

Frequently Asked Questions
Considering an IS Major? | Major Requirements | Other

I'm interested in majoring in International Studies. What do I do now?

As soon as you think you are interested in majoring in IS, you should begin working toward the prerequisites in the major. The IS Advisor offers informational sessions about the major every semester. Check out the schedule and plan to attend one. Make sure to take the time to read through this website, which will answer many questions about Options, the curriculum, etc. Plan to meet with an IS Advisor annually.

Can you help me decide which Option to choose?

Students find it helpful to read through the descriptions of the Options and to look through the course lists to get a better idea about the Options basic theme. Considering a general career direction also helps narrow down your choices as well as looking at the courses you've taken and thinking about which ones you've enjoyed the most and why.

How many credits are in the major?

The major is 35 credits in addition to the 11-14 credits of pre-requisite courses. Students in the old curriculum may opt to reduce their overall credits from 36 to 35 with permission from the IS Advisor. Because of the reduction in 4-credit courses, several students struggle to complete the final, 36th credit.

When can I declare the major?

Students may declare the major when they have completed their pre-requisites (with the exception of the language requirement) or have their final pre-requisites in progress of completion, ie. students have registered for the last courses. By this time, you should have an Option chosen for the major.

Students should come see an IS Advisor. During this meeting, the Advisor will review your course work, help establish a plan for completing the major, discuss your career plans, talk about ways to prepare for the job market, and together you will fill out course work to officially declare the major. After filling out the paperwork, you can expect your new major and advisor to show up in your Student Center within four weeks.

What do you mean by 5th semester college-level language course?

Students must complete the 5th semester of one language to satisfy this requirement. Do not be confused by the requirement for the BA which allows students to fulfill the four-semester language requirement with a combination of two languages (3 of one, 2 of another). Following the 3-2 combination will not satisfy the IS requirement. For example, a student studying Spanish will have to take Spanish 226 or higher. The advisor will waive the foreign language requirement for international students, whose second language is English.

I'm struggling with the economics requirement. What are my options?

Students may continue to take economics at the UW-Madison and solicit help from a tutor in Econ. You can find the list of available tutors here. Alternatively, students opt to take Econ 101 and 102 at another school, such as MATC, over the summer. The UW System has a Transfer Information System which helps students navigating transfering betwen Wisconsin colleges and universities. As with any transfer courses, students should work closely with the Office of Admissions to make sure you understand the transfer process and to assure that courses transfer properly.

How do I choose my courses?

Once you have chosen your Option in the major, you may select courses from our semester offerings lists. If you have not chosen your Option yet, all lists have information about pre-requisite offerings. Students should choose courses from the list in order to fulfill the different requirements in the major. Note that many of the upper-level courses have pre-requisites. Students should be aware whether they meet those requisites before registration. Meeting with an IS Advisor annually will help students stay on track with a plan to complete the major in a timely fashion. Students should make sure to plan in advance of registration to see an Advisor.

Some of my courses aren't showing up in the major on my DARS. What's wrong? What should I do?

During the period of transition from one curriculum to another, many of the recently added courses in the major may not show up in the DARS for the major, or they may show up in the wrong category within the major. Students in the new curriculum should take no action. The new DARS will fix this problem. The new DARS will be available in fall 2009. Students who have declared in the current curriculum should email the IS Advisor with the following information: 1) name, 2) student id, 3) track in the major, 4) which courses are problematic and what's happening to them. The IS Advisor will correct the error for you.

Can I get credit for an internship?

Currently, the College of Letters & Science does not have a means for students to get credit for internships. If you would like to earn credit for an internship, you may complete a directed study. Download this info sheet for more information.

May I double-major or earn a certificate?

Whether or not to double major is a personal decision you should seriously consider before either declaring another major or dismissing the idea. If you find it intellectually desirable to pursue two majors, do so. While some students believe that double or triple majoring will dramatically improve their employment opportunities or provide other benefits for the employment market, this is not necessarily the case. You should not double major unless you are confident that you can do well in both majors. A spotty record with two majors will not impress in the same way as a solid academic record with one major. You can supplement your major with extra-curricular activities such as: interning, participating in performance groups, writing for one of the campus newspapers, leadership positions in student organizations, tutoring, volunteering, shadowing a professional in your potential career field, or working.

Many IS majors choose to double major and/or pursue a certificate in a specialized area of knowledge. Ideally the choice of an appropriate additional major or certificate should be based on more than just the convenience or the way it overlaps with the IS major. As you are reviewing your options, keep in mind your career goals and ask yourself if the major you are considering will be a useful addition in terms of knowledge and/or skills.

You can find a list of majors here and a list of certificates here.

I found a course that seems like it should count in the major but it doesn't. How do I know for sure?

You may come across a course with international content which is not listed on the IS course lists. If you think a particular course might be relevant to the International Studies major, you may bring a copy of the syllabus and consult with the Advisor. The content of "topics" courses (ie Poli Sci 401) and seminars offered in many departments may have relevant topics in any given semester. Check these with the advisor. However, keep in mind not all courses you take whether internationally related or not, will count in the major.

Have a question we didn't answer? Email the advisor!