International Studies

Science Building, Room 216C
Katie Laatikainen, Director
p – (516) 877-4052
e - laatikainen@adelphi.edu
w - international-studies.adelphi.edu

Faculty

The International Studies major is a 45-60 credit-hour interdisciplinary program that combines the study of language and culture with the study of political science, or business. A sequence of core courses offers all majors a foundation for integrating the disciplinary tracks. In the senior year capstone, students conduct either an original interdisciplinary research project or an internship that allows them to apply the interdisciplinary knowledge they have gained in the classroom.

The International Studies major at Adelphi is distinctive because it combines interdisciplinary learning with in-depth disciplinary knowledge. Integral to the International Studies major is the language concentration. Students in the major not only learn to communicate effectively in their target language, they also gain a cross-cultural perspective on the contemporary political, economic, and social institutions of the countries or region whose language they are studying. The combination of disciplinary tracks with a core curriculum helps students bridge discrete bodies of knowledge and understand the interdependent global community in which we live. By mastering subjects that connect the global community like politics and business, students acquire the tools necessary to understand and analyze the problems that confront our increasingly complex world.

International Studies majors continue their education outside the classroom, from participating in faculty-led study abroad trips to a full semester or year spent studying abroad. Opportunities also exist closer to home. Adelphi University’s status as a non-governmental organization (NGO) of the United Nations and our strong connection to the UN offers many opportunities for International Studies majors. From participating in UN NGO conferences and briefings, to attending the Ambassadorial lecture series on campus, to taking the National Model United Nations course, International Studies majors can take advantage of our proximity and growing relationship with the UN to expand their horizons and to network in a truly global environment. Adelphi’s easy proximity to New York City, a world business and financial center, provides both intellectual and practical opportunities to International Studies majors, particularly in the business track.

With intensive language training and thorough immersion in a disciplinary track, International Studies majors master both disciplinary knowledge and learn to transcend disciplinary boundaries. Our graduates have gone on to great success, finding employment at international organizations such as the World Bank, non-governmental organizations such as the World Federalist Association, with export-import banks, and in international education. International Studies graduates frequently pursue advanced degrees, and they have been accepted to some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including institutions such as Columbia University, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan, Cambridge University, and the London School of Economics.

Program Honors in International Studies

Program Honors in International Studies are conferred on graduating seniors who have maintained a GPA of 3.5 or better in all courses for the major (language and disciplinary tracks as well as the interdisciplinary core courses) and completion of the Mid-Level Research Seminar with a grade of B or higher.

Sigma Iota Rho

Sigma Iota Rho is the honor society for International Studies, with more than 100 chapters in the leading colleges and universities in the US and abroad. Membership makes one eligible to compete for travel grants and research support, submit papers for publication in the SIR journal, and access the SIR job search Links. The qualifications for membership in Adelphi’s Gamma Zeta chapter Include: 1) junior or senior level standing (transfer students will only be considered In their senior year); 2) completion of 21 credit hours of coursework toward the IS Major, including at least two courses at the 300 or 400 level; 3) GPA of at least 3.3 In international studies coursework; 4) GPA of 3.2 in all university courses.

Programs

• International Studies: Business Track, B.A.
• International Studies: Political Science Track, B.A.