Currently viewing 2007-08 bulletin

Wabash College is committed to preparing its students for leadership and service in a changing global society. As part of that commitment, the Program in International Studies affords students the opportunity to gain a firm grounding in either Latin American or European studies. Available to students majoring in any discipline, the Program in International Studies encourages students to improve their language proficiency and learn about Latin American or European nations. Through coursework, off-campus study, and a summer internship, students in the Program in International Studies may obtain a coherent, well-rounded understanding of another culture. Successful completion of the Program satisfies the College requirement for an area of concentration. The Program is administered by the International Studies Committee.

Requirements The requirements of the program include the following:

• Spanish, French, German, or Russian at the proficiency level associated with four semesters of college-level language study by the end of the sophomore year.

• Four courses outside the major designated as international studies courses. The International Studies Committee will approve this set of courses as part of the application process. At least two of the courses should be taken at Wabash before the off-campus experience. Students are encouraged to use relevant work done on off-campus study to help fulfill this requirement.

• Two half-credit seminars on international studies. Students will take the first in the spring semester of the sophomore year and the second in spring semester of the senior year.

• At least one semester (normally spring semester junior year) of off-campus study in a European or Latin American country where students can practice their newly acquired language skills.

• A summer internship, where possible, related to a student's major field of study, after his off-campus study period, in the country where he studied.

Application
Students apply for admission to the program in International Studies in the fall of their sophomore year. Applicants are expected to meet the basic requirements for off-campus study (including a 2.7 GPA). They must be on track to complete four semesters of college-level language by the following spring semester. They will be asked to furnish information about their interest in international studies and provide information needed on the off-campus study application, including material about the off-campus program(s) in which they propose to enroll. In consultation with IS committee members, students, shall list on their applications the names of their own committee members. The student's committee should made up of individuals on the IS committee or who teach courses listed in the student's own IS area of concentration.

Courses
In addition to the two half-credit seminars, the Program in International Studies requires students to take four additional courses related to international studies in general or to the student's area of study within the Program, i.e., Europe or Latin America. These courses must be outside the student's major (and any other minor).

At least two of these should be taken at Wabash before studying off-campus. The courses appropriate for satisfying this requirement will vary, depending on the student's major (and any other minor). In general, students may not “double-count” courses toward the Program in International Studies and toward a major or minor. Nor may they take more than 11 courses in their major field (of 34 needed for graduation) by counting some of these toward completion of the Program in International Studies.

The list of courses below is not intended to be exhaustive. Students may use other courses to satisfy this requirement (e.g., special topics courses, freshman tutorials, or other courses of particular relevance to the planned study abroad). A student who wishes to use a course not listed below should explain his reasons for doing so to the International Studies Committee and obtain the Committee's approval.

Courses with a European Focus

Courses with a Latin American Focus

Plus intermediate or advanced courses in the Modern Language Department emphasizing Latin American languages/literature. These courses must be in addition to those needed to meet program proficiency requirements.

Course Descriptions

270. Special Topics

296, 298, 496, 498. Seminar in International Studies
This half-semester course is taken twice by all international studies students, as sophomores and again as seniors. It meets once a week throughout the semester. The seminar is offered in two sections, one for those studying Europe (298, 498) and the other for those interested in Latin America (296, 496). The course allows students to explore contemporary issues in their region of interest and to enhance their language skills by performing research using materials from the countries of their off-campus study. Sophomores do background reading to enhance their experience abroad and begin to design projects to investigate while abroad. Seniors bring to their reading the perspective of those who have lived in the region of interest. They share what they have learned and complete the projects they began as sophomores. One-half course each time taken. Admission to the Program in International Studies or consent of the instructor required.

Spring semester. Introductory for sophomores; Advanced for seniors.