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International Studies

Investing in global citizenship for a more just world

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Introduction

In our increasingly interconnected world, we no longer have the luxury of focusing only on our own country. What happens globally can affect us locally, while policies enacted locally can have implications for citizens halfway around the world. So how can we address the challenges of today’s world—from refugee displacement to gender inequality to rising authoritarianism—in a way that ensures a safe, sustainable and fair future for all?

International Studies (IS) explores global justice, including international development ethics, and the intricacies of how culture and society feed sociopolitical issues (and our understanding of them). Through discussions, in-class projects and guest speakers, students delve into the Sustainable Development Goals and learn what it means to be a citizen not just of one’s country but of the globe.

Students consider questions such as:

  • What does a more just world look like and how can we get there?
  • What does inclusive global citizenship mean for—and require of—communities, institutions and individuals?
  • Can we justify extreme poverty amidst immense riches? Who is responsible for aiding the world’s poorest and most vulnerable?

IS offers an engaging and immersive opportunity for students who are interested in better understanding the world, including the forces that are shaping it. All majors and backgrounds are welcome. The program will be of particular interest to anyone interested in global justice, development ethics and human rights, but also international issues more broadly.

Colloquium and Lecture Topics

  • Forced displacement (refugees and internally displaced persons)
  • International development and human rights
  • International Humanitarian Law and the “laws of war”
  • Individual identity and intercultural dialogue
  • Social action, diplomacy and the tools of change

I love International Studies because the topics we cover are ever-changing, relevant to current events and interdisciplinary. I find it amazing how we're able to cover and connect with many different topics like human geography, political science and public health!

White female college student with brown hair, wearing a blazer
Caroline Thorne '24

Other Learning Opportunities

The IS experience is shaped in part through excursions and other active learning opportunities, both on and off campus. To broaden our understanding of what is covered in the classroom, we may visit embassies in Washington, DC, the Organization of American States, the Museum of the Americas, the Museum of the American Indian and our local Piscataway indigenous community, among others.

Students have walked Washington, DC’s, culturally diverse Heritage Trails to glean the international elements of the nation’s capital, participated in international negotiation simulations, presented on policy solutions to global challenges, and engaged in project-based learning in the classroom. Students also have the opportunity to engage in ongoing community-based learning by tutoring and mentoring refugees.

Curriculum Overview

Over the two-year program experience (four semesters), students will take a colloquium, practicum and select additional courses. Note that these Scholars courses are generally in addition to any courses students take to satisfy major requirements.

The following table represents a typical two-year curriculum, but individual schedules may vary. Details about courses and requirements can be found on the International Studies Citation Checklist.

SEMESTER COURSES CREDITS
Semester 1 CPSN 100: Colloquium I 1 credit
Semester 2 CPSN 101: Colloquium II (DVCC) 1 credit
GVPT 200: International Political Relations (DSHS, DVUP; or
GVPT 241: The Study of Political Philosophy: Ancient and Modern (DSSP)
3 credits
3 credits
Semester 3 CPSN 200: Colloquium III 1 credit
IS Sophomore Supporting Course 3 credits
Semester 4 CPSN 230: Internship; or
CPSN 240: Service-Learning; or
CPSN 250: Research; or
CPSP 359S: Discovery Research (DSSP); or
CPSP300: Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation (DSSP); or
Study Abroad
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits

Office Address

1117 Cumberland Hall

Office Phone

301-405-9304

Faculty

Portrait of Stacy J. Kosko

Stacy J. Kosko

Program Director, International Studies
Portrait of Sarah Kilmer

Sarah Kilmer

Associate Director, International Studies
Portrait of Karim Makkawy

Karim Makkawy

Graduate Assistant, International Studies
Portrait of Trevor Norton

Trevor Norton

Graduate Assistant, International Studies

News and Notes, Etc.


International Studies News

Showing 7 - 12 of 25
  • UMD Grant Initiative Bolsters Scholars Curricula With Additional Experiential Learning

    Hands-on, active learning has always been a hallmark of College Park Scholars. Thanks to new grants from the University of Maryland (UMD), some Scholars programs will expand upon those traditions with more resources and support. The grants come from UMD’s campuswide Teaching and Learning Innovation Grants initiative, which is providing significant funds—up to tens of thousands of dollars in some cases—for innovative educational projects that focus on active and experiential learning.

  • 4 Scholars Among the Freshman Cohort Spotlighted in Maryland Today

    College Park Scholars students are an impressive bunch, and this year's entering cohort is no exception. Four Scholars students were among the handful of first-year Terps profiled in today's issue of "Maryland Today," the University of Maryland's daily newsletter: Marcus Barros, Public Leadership Aidan Borden, Media, Self and Society Shonchori Mukherjee, International Studies Sayee Naresh, Media, Self and Society

  • 4 Graduating Scholars Alums Recognized With Prestigious University Awards

    Four Scholars alumni are among the handful of graduating seniors recognized this month with some of the University of Maryland’s most prestigious awards. Gabriela Winter, an alum of the Public Leadership Scholars program, received the Wilson H. Elkins Citizenship Awards, presented each year to one of the top students in the graduating class who has displayed outstanding involvement and leadership in campus activities.

  • Course provides safe space to unpack power, privilege

    When Michelle Pinkrah strolled into her first Thursdays-at-3:30 p.m. class of the semester in late January, she had no idea what she’d signed up for. She had signed up by accident, actually. The class wasn’t her first choice for her practicum course requirement with College Park Scholars, where she is a student, and she’d quickly forgotten it was even on her schedule. Pinkrah sat down in the circle of her peers and encountered something she hadn’t expected: a dialogue class, or, a class that centers around group discussion of life and experiences.

  • Making Tough Conversations a Little Easier

    The following article originally appeared in Maryland Today: You might feel the attentiveness—or lack of it—of a doctor listening to you describe your symptoms, based on your accent. Or the eyes on you when you take your seat in a lecture hall full of people with skin tones different than yours. Or the fear when you’re driving while Black and realize your taillight is out. In ways big and small, social identity molds our individual experiences, often making it difficult to explain ourselves to people who don’t share our backgrounds and worldviews.

  • International Studies Scholars Alum Named Student Speaker for Winter Commencement

    The University of Maryland (UMD) has announced its student speaker for its Winter 2021 Commencement: Kiara Anthony, an alum of the International Studies Scholars program. Anthony, a government and politics major, boasts a diverse array of experiences from across campus, from being a member of the UMD equestrian team to co-chairing the University Student Judiciary and more. She also reportedly likes to consider issues from a global, interconnected perspective—something she no doubt became good at doing during her time in International Studies Scholars.

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