Course Lists
IS Major Course Lists are lists of classes taught each semester that are approved for various tracks in the IS Major.
We strive to maintain accurate lists. Occasionally courses on these courses lists are canceled or changed after we have compiled our lists for the semester. Most commonly, these late changes will not be reflected in the course lists.
We begin preparing the semester lists once the timetable has been released. Please be patient: we try to post them as soon as possible!
If you declared your IS Major before 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
If you declared your IS Major after 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
If you declared your IS Major before 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
If you declared your IS Major after 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
If you declared your IS Major before 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
If you declared your IS Major after 8/25/2025 please refer to this course list
Directed Study
If you are interested or enrolled in a directed study, please consult with your IS Major Advisor.
- You should develop a research project proposal before approaching an instructor.
- Match your subject to an instructor, or work out a subject with an instructor you have had in the past and would like to work with further.
- Come up with at least two possible instructors to whom you can pitch your idea, and discuss your project proposal in person if possible.
The content of your work must be relevant to the Major.
- Your topic must match your Named Option to be counted in Issues.
- The project must be modern in scope (post 1800s)
- The project must be international: topics pertaining to the US must place the US within a global context (i.e. comparative institutions or policies, migration patterns from other regions into the US, flows of capital and goods between the US and foreign countries, etc…).
-Discuss the enrollment process with your instructor (who will contact you about enrolling for the course, how many credits, etc…).
-Be specific about the scope and length of the project, research methods, and deadlines.
-Clarify the instructor’s role in evaluating your work throughout and at the end of the semester. Work with your instructor to create a regular meeting schedule throughout the semester.
Honors in the IS Major
The L&S Honors Program provides a community for high-achieving and highly motivated students who seek to deepen their intellectual engagement. Honors offers small, intensive faculty-led courses and research opportunities. Each department in the College of Letters & Science administers its own Honors in the Major (HM) requirements. Requirements for admission and for completing Honors in the Major differ among departments.
Students wishing to earn Honors in the IS Major should declare in their sophomore or junior year and then meet the following requirements:
A minimum of 16 upper-level honors credit that fulfill requirements in the major is required. Those courses that would count for honors would include courses specifically designated honors in the Schedule of Classes (Timetable) along with appropriate and pre-approved special topics courses (e.g., Poli Sci 401 and 695, Intl St 601). No blanket statement can be made about the suitability of topics courses for the major. They will be designated as fulfilling honors credits on a case-by-case basis. Students who both study abroad and pursue Honors in the Major must also work closely with the advisor to determine which, if any, courses taken abroad can fulfill honors credits in the major.
A 3.5 GPA in the IS major and an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses taken at UW–Madison at the time of graduation.
Complete the following upon consultation with the international studies advisor: two senior seminars (6 credits) such as the International Studies topics seminars. For those students who are invited to take graduate-level courses an individual exception will need to be made.
Students may also choose to do an interdisciplinary senior thesis, which is a two-semester commitment. Work with your IS Major advisor if/when you choose to do so. Advising for Honors in the Major requirements is through the International Studies Major.
Complete the L&S Honors in the Major Declaration after meeting with your IS Major Advisor. You can read more about how to declare Honors in the Major on their website.