International Studies
About International Studies
Our Program and Courses
International studies is an innovative program that combines off-campus study in a non-English-speaking location with on- and off-campus coursework. A rotating team of faculty teach courses from a range of disciplines to give you a broad multinational perspective. You’ll study globalization, human rights, global environmental policies, international business, and more.
By the time you graduate, you will have:
- Gained a multinational perspective through various academic lenses
- Developed an advanced level of proficiency in a foreign language
- Built a deeper understanding of other cultures through one or more international travel experiences
Joint Major in International Studies
You can major in international studies by combining the field with another discipline. This offers you a distinctive opportunity to design a major that is customized to your learning goals. Examples include:
- International Studies & Anthropology
- International Studies & Business, Organizations and Society
- International Studies & Dance
- International Studies & Environmental Studies
- International Studies & Government
- International Studies & Public Policy
- International Studies & Sociology
Minor in International Studies or Area Studies
F&M’s International Studies program offers two minors: international studies and area
studies. If you choose area studies, you will focus your minor on a specific region
of the world. Examples include:
- African Studies
- Asian Studies
- European Union
- Japanese Studies
- Latin American Studies
- Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
We encourage all of our students in the program to reach a high level of proficiency in a second — or even a third — language. We offer courses in nine modern foreign languages and two classical languages:
- German
- Italian
- Russian
- Chinese
- Greek
- Latin
- Japanese
- Spanish
- Hebrew
Curious what international studies classes are like? Take a look at our course catalog to see the depth and breadth of what’s available to you.
Learning Outside the Classroom
A critical component of the international studies program is immersing yourself in the languages and cultures you choose to study. You’ll find extraordinary opportunities to step off the F&M campus and extend your understanding in other continents.
Off-Campus Study
International studies majors are required to participate in one semester of off-campus
study in a non-English-speaking country. They also must complete research or coursework
in the native language of the country to which they choose to travel. Those minoring
in the program are strongly encouraged to study outside the U.S., but are not required
to do so. Our students have studied on six of the seven continents.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Research Opportunities
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led
research. International studies students in particular can look forward to summer travel awards,
scholarships, and post-graduate fellowships to support their research or study-abroad
experience.
Explore research at F&M
Joseph International Center
The heart of F&M’s global community is the Joseph International Center, a campus space
dedicated to bringing all members of the F&M community together across borders, cultures
and languages. JIC has an open, airy communal space for coffee hours and group study,
a cozy seminar room, a kitchen, and a small Japanese garden. It hosts a variety of
events such as a weekly international coffee hour and Lunar New Year celebrations.
The JIC is the primary hub for off-campus study planning, international student services
and the international studies academic program.
Explore the Joseph International Center
Success Beyond F&M
After you graduate with a degree in international studies, a world of opportunities awaits.
Graduate School
Graduate school is a popular path for our students. Many complete or enroll in doctoral programs in government, languages, science, medicine or law. Our graduates have completed their advanced degrees at the best universities in the U.S. and abroad.
Career Paths
Career outcomes for international studies graduates are diverse. Many obtain entry-level positions in government, nonprofits, foreign service, international law, healthcare, medicine, and marketing and business consulting.
Alumni Spotlight
“Coming from a first-generation background and having parents that are immigrants, I’ve thought a lot about diplomacy and the impact of aid – specifically international aid.”
Munahil “Muna” Sultana ’24, a joint major in international studies and government, was named a recipient of the prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program. The fellowship is a competitive award that prepares outstanding young people for foreign service careers in the U.S. Department of State. “I heard about the Pickering Fellowship when I was a sophomore in high school. At the time, I was an Alexander Hamilton Scholar. I got paired with a mentor who was a Pickering Fellow,” Sultana said. “Coming from a first-generation background and having parents that are immigrants, I've thought a lot about diplomacy and the impact of aid – specifically international aid – and my parents' journey to come to the U.S. and their visa process. My mentor told me about the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program. I remember being a sophomore in high school knowing that this is what I want to do. When I applied to F&M, I wrote about it in my application!” As a student at F&M, Sultana spent a semester in Amman, Jordan with the School of International Training (SIT) Jordan Geopolitics, International Relations and the Future of the Middle East program.Read More »
Alumni Spotlight
“Before I could even start officially writing, the consequences I was going to predict were already happening.”
As international studies and government major Anna Synakh '22 began researching Russian soft-power politics, her studies took a startling turn. The Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine in February added a new dimension to her work — one that felt particularly close to home. "I am a Ukrainian immigrant who moved here with my parents back in 2012. Only two years later, Russia invaded Crimea," Synakh said.Read More »
Related Fields of Study
Government
F&M’s Department of Government has earned a reputation as one of the finest in the country. Study government at F&M and examine power, politics, justice, equity, and change while developing skills in language, economics, mathematics and philosophy.
History
Embark on an enriching journey through time, exploring a vast range of geographic regions, topical themes, and time periods. By studying history at F&M, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of history and historical processes, and develop keen insight into how they have shaped the present and will influence the future.
Sociology
One field of study engages in all sorts of questions about people, institutions, and social structures: sociology. How does power operate in society? How do politics shape our lives? How and why have family relationships changed over time? As a student of sociology, you will explore these interactions to better understand how they shape the world and cultures that we live in.
Explore International Studies at F&M
October 30, 2024
Jake Lamb ’25: F&M Transfer ‘One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made’
“Becoming a Diplomat has changed me for the better,” said Jake Lamb ‘25. Learn about his experience transferring to F&M and meet other students who made the switch.
July 12, 2024
Two Alumni Earn Prestigious Foreign Affairs Fellowship
Lam Tran ’21 and Munahil Sultana ’24 will begin their careers in global diplomacy this fall through the prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program.
April 17, 2024
My Student Experience: 'Night at the Museum' Could Never Compare
As a double major in French and history, people ask Ruth Axford, "What are you going to do with that?" How about spending a study abroad working in a Paris museum.