The International Studies Program is founded upon the belief that understanding political structures, forces, and processes is crucial to interpreting international relations and global events. Accordingly, our curriculum places importance on key concepts and theories used by political scientists to discuss events and trends at the international level. Given the need for a solid grounding in world politics, all students are required to take GVPT 100(S), Principles of Government and Politics, taught annually by the Faculty Director.

Of course, today’s complex and interdependent world means that we must not limit our understanding of international studies to politics alone. The relationships among the world’s governments must be viewed in connection with other actors, with socio-economic and cultural structures, and with historical and geographical influences. Therefore, the International Studies curriculum is inter-disciplinary and suitable for all undergraduate majors. We structure our courses to encourage critical thinking at various levels of analysis and to incorporate co-curricular programs in the residence halls with various activities on and off campus.

At the end of the program, sophomores may present their research and projects at the Undergraduate Research Day and Academic Showcase. We hold the International Studies Program Citation Ceremony in October of the students' third year.

The curricular and co-curricular experiences discussed reflect the following underlying principles and goals of the College Park Scholars International Studies Program:

• Global Awareness and Critical Thinking
• Scholarship and Experiential Learning
• Intellectual and Personal Development
• Community Building and Tolerance
• Individual Commitment and Responsibility
• Leadership and Service