About
Can you envision yourself working in a field with a global perspective? Are you interested in interacting more effectively with persons from other cultures, particularly in professional settings?
The MA in international studies program is truly interdisciplinary and draws its strength from the cooperation of several departments in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and various professional schools and colleges. Each of the four core courses you will take features a different discipline (anthropology, geography, political science, global and multicultural discourse). You can choose from a range of concentrations in business, international public administration, Hispanic studies, public health, international education, security studies, economic development, or design your own.
The MA in international studies degree has a solid core of required courses and a great deal of flexibility in the design of its concentrations. The four-course concentrations allow you to acquire essential skills in a professional discipline, to pursue interdisciplinary study of a major international issue, and to enhance your knowledge of a world region. The international field experience gives you first-hand knowledge of another culture.
MA in international studies students come from across the United States and around the world. They represent many races and ethnicities. They also represent the full spectrum of political positions, religions, ideologies, ethnic groups, and life experience. This diversity contributes to the richness of life in the MA in international studies.
ECU Advantage
Unlike other international studies programs, the MA in international studies program at ECU focuses on the process and dynamics of international, intercultural understanding. The core courses provide you with global perspectives on the interrelations between economic, political, cultural and environmental systems in the world. They also cultivate your skills in communications across cultures, conflict resolution, as well as knowledge of multicultural discourse.
The program is specifically designed to prepare you to interact more effectively with persons from other cultures, particularly in professional settings. Graduates of ECU's program have found success in a wide variety of fields where their skills in understanding and working with people from other countries and cultures have served them well. Graduates also have been accepted for further graduate study in medicine, law, business, political science, geography, and history.
As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.
What You Will Study
- INTL 6005 - Communication Across Cultures
- INTL 6105 - Global Issues
- INTL 6500 - International Problem Solving and Decision Making
- INTL 6510 - Global and Multicultural Discourse
- INTL 6930 - International Field Experience
- INTL 6940 - International Field Experience
- Waiver may be granted by international studies program coordinator.
- Students must successfully complete the comprehensive cumulative portfolio required in INTL 6940.
(Choose one of the following options.)
- ANTH 5015 - Advanced Ethnographic Methods and Theory
- ANTH 6050 - Advanced Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology
- COMM 6030 - Research Methods
- MPH 6020 - Research Methods
- SOCI 6500 - Qualitative Methods
- SPAN 6002 - Humanities Research Methods
- SPAN 6003 - Applied Research Methods
- Any research skills/methods course approved by the program coordinator
- INTL 7000 - Thesis (repeat once)
- ACCT 6241 - Financial and Managerial Accounting
- FINA 6144 - Financial Management I
- MGMT 6102 - Comparative Management
- MKTG 6162 - Marketing Management
- OMGT 6123 - Quantitative Methods
- PLAN 6045 - Environmental Planning and Policy
- PLAN 6305 - Developmental Planning and the Environment
- Any three 6000-level PLAN courses (3 s.h. each) approved by the program coordinator
- ECON 5150 - Development
- PADM 6123 - Economic Development
- SOCI 6400 - Social Issues in Regional Development
- Any two 3 s.h. electives approved by the program coordinator
- MPH 6005 - African-American Health
- MPH 6006 - Making Sense of Data
- MPH 6007 - Global Public Health: A Global Perspective
- MPH 6008 - Ethnic Health and Health Disparities
- MPH 6009 - Capstone Experience in Ethnic Health and Health Disparities
- FREN 5305 - Advanced Syntax
- FREN 5700 - Special Topics in French or Francophone Studies
- FREN 6000 - Advanced Language Skills I
- FREN 6100 - The Culture and Civilization of France
- FREN 6101 - The Culture and Civilization of the Francophone World
- GEOG 6250 - Advanced Environmental Impact Analysis
- GEOG 6270 - Advanced Water Resources Management and Planning
- GEOG 6320 - Feminist Theories of Economy
- GEOG 6325 - Advanced Population and Development
- GEOG 6330 - Global Restructuring of Agro-Food Systems
- GEOG 6360 - Geographies of Global Climate Change
- PLAN 6015 - Disaster Planning, Policy, and Practice
- PLAN 6020 - Seminar in Environmental Planning
- PLAN 6025 - Housing and Community Development
- PLAN 6045 - Environmental Planning and Policy
- PLAN 6305 - Developmental Planning and the Environment
- GERM 5700 - Selected Topics
- GERM 6000 - Advanced Language Skills
- GERM 6100 - The Culture and Civilization of the German-Speaking World
- HIST 5480 - Weimar and the Rise of Hitler
- Any 3 s.h. elective approved by the program coordinator
- COMM 6210 - Media and Health Communication
- COMM 6211 - Health Communication Campaigns
- COMM 6220 - Interpersonal Health Communication
- COMM 6221 - Intercultural Communication in Health Contexts
- COMM 6222 - Family Communication and Health
- COMM 6224 - Communication and Health Organizations
- COMM 6226 - Communication Approaches to Health Advocacy
- COMM 6240 - Special Topics in Health Communication
- SPAN 6002 - Humanities Research Methods
- SPAN 6003 - Applied Research Methods
- SPAN 6004 - Engaged Field Work
- SPAN 6010 - Hispanic Cultural Studies
- SPAN 6020 - Contemporary Issues of the Hispanic World
- SPAN 6030 - Special Topics in Hispanic Studies
- SPAN 6040 - Current Trends in Hispanic Linguistics
- SPAN 6050 - Professional Literacies
- SPAN 6070 - Engaged Research Experience
- SPAN 6521 - Special Readings
- SPAN 6522 - Special Readings
- SPAN 6523 - Special Readings
- ENGL 6340 - Ethnic American Literature
- ENGL 6345 - Jewish Literature
- ENGL 6350 - Studies in Native American Literature
- ENGL 6360 - World Literature Written in English
- ENGL 6370 - Caribbean Literature
- ENGL 6375 - Middle Eastern Literature
- ENGL 6380 - Studies in African Literature
- ENGL 6420 - Studies in Asian American Literature
- ENGL 6460 - Studies in African American Literature
- ENGL 6470 - Literary Theory
- ENGL 7080 - Cultural Studies Theory and Method
- ENGL 7300 - Directed Reading in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
- ENGL 7350 - Seminar in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
- ENGL 7365 - Selected Topics in Multicultural and Transnational Literature
- ENGL 7465 - Folklore
- ENGL 6700 - Information Design and Production
- ENGL 6702 - Research Methods in Technical and Professional Communication
- ENGL 6715 - Foundations of Technical and Professional Communication
- ENGL 6721 - Technical Editing
- ENGL 7702 - Research Methods in Empirical Inquiry
- ENGL 7705 - Ethical Issues in Professional Communication
- ENGL 7712 - Grant and Proposal Writing
- ENGL 7721 - Managing Editing and Publication Processes
- ENGL 7745 - Teaching Professional Communication
- ENGL 7746 - Training in Professional Communication
- ENGL 7750 - Writing Public Science
- ENGL 7765 - Technical and Professional Communication
- ENGL 7766 - Special Studies Seminars in Communication and Emerging Technologies
- ENGL 7780 - Theory of Professional Communication
- ENGL 7790 - Public Interest Writing
- BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
- MPH 6000 - Public Health Practice
- MPH 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
- MPH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
- MPH 6013 - Principles of Health Behavior
- PADM 6101 - Analysis for the Public Sector
- PADM 6110 - Human Resource Management in Public Agencies
- PADM 6123 - Economic Development
- PADM 6124 - State and Local Government Finance
- PADM 6140 - Administrative Law and Ethics
- PADM 6165 - Program Evaluation
- PADM 6170 - Intergovernmental/Interagency Relations
- PADM 6220 - Leadership and Ethics in the Public Sector
- CSCI 6100 - Cryptography and Information Security
- EHST 6010 - Fundamentals of Environmental Health
- HIST 6260 - The United States and the Middle East, 1783 to the Present
- ICTN 6823 - Information Security Management
- CRIM 6502 - Criminal Justice and Terrorism
- PADM 6170 - Intergovernmental/Interagency Relations
- PADM 6220 - Leadership and Ethics in the Public Sector
- PLAN 6015 - Disaster Planning, Policy, and Practice
- POLS 6382 - Global Terrorism
- POLS 6425 - War, Peace and Security in the Middle East
- SECS 6000 - Security Studies Foundations
- SECS 6155 - Changing Nature of National Security Policy
- SECS 6260 - Intelligence and National Security
- SECS 6320 - Cyber Warfare and Security
- SECS 6350 - Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
- ADED 6100 - Introduction to Student Affairs
- ADED 6450 - Community, Junior, and Technical College
- ADED 6456 - Adult Education and Social Justice
- ADED 6590 - Multicultural Issues in Education
- COAD 6100 - Introduction to Student Affairs
- COAD 6402 - Career Development and Counseling
- COAD 6407 - Social and Cultural Issues in Counseling
- COAD 6411 - Student Affairs and College Counseling
- COAD 6412 - Developmental Counseling and Learning: A Life-Span Approach
- COAD 7408 - Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Counseling
- COAD 7411 - Administration and Management of Student Affairs in Higher Education
- SUTO 6000 - Principles of Tourism and Sustainability
- SUTO 6100 - Environmental Systems and Sustainability
- SUTO 6200 - Development and Management of Sustainable Tourism
- SUTO 6300 - Policy and Planning for Sustainable Tourism
- Any 3 s.h. elective approved by the program coordinator
- ENGL 6525 - Language and Society
- ENGL 6526 - The Structure of English: Phonology and Morphology
- ENGL 6527 - The Structure of English: Syntax and Semantics
- ENGL 6528 - TESOL: Theories and Principles
- ENGL 6530 - Descriptive Linguistics
- ENGL 6531 - TESOL: Methods and Practicum
- ENGL 6535 - Principles of Language Testing
- ENGL 6680 - Writing Systems of the World
- ENGL 7605 - Discourse Analysis
Choose one of the following research skills/methods courses related to the major area of study and intended research in consultation with the program coordinator.
Students must pass the thesis defense and repeat INTL 7000 once for a total of of 6 s.h.
Electives must be at the 5000-level or higher and must be approved by the program coordinator. Electives should be in an academic, professional, or geographic field related to the thesis.
Students complete 15 s.h. of program coordinator approved coursework at the 5000 or higher level in an academic, professional, or geographic concentration, but not limited to, the following concentrations and related courses. Students are encouraged to ask the program coordinator about the possibility of completing a graduate certificate in the chosen area of study or in a related field of study.
A 12 s.h. graduate certificate in development and environmental planning is offered by the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
A 15 s. h. graduate certificate in economic development is offered by the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
A 12 s.h. graduate certificate in ethnic and rural health disparities is offered by the Department of Public Health (Brody School of Medicine). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
Choose five of the following courses:
A 12 s.h. graduate certificate in health communication is offered by the School of Communication (College of Fine Arts and Communication). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
An 18 s.h. graduate certificate in Hispanic studies is offered by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences).
Choose five of the following courses:
A 12 s.h. graduate certificate in multicultural and transnational literatures is offered by the Department of English (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
A 15 s.h. graduate certificate in professional communication is offered by the Department of English (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
A 15 s.h. graduate certificate in public health foundations and practice is offered by the Department of Public Health (Brody School of Medicine). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
A 15 s.h. graduate certificate in public management and leadership is offered by the Department of Political Science (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
A 15 s.h. graduate certificate in security studies is offered by the Department of Political Science (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
A 15 s.h. graduate certificate in student affairs in higher education is offered by the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions (College of Education). For more information, click here.
A 12 s.h. certificate in sustainable tourism is offered by the School of Hospitality Leadership (College of Business). For more information, click here.
Choose five of the following courses:
A 9 s.h. certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) is offered by the Department of English (Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences). For more information, click here.