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So You Want to Be An International Studies Major

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… good choice!

Just one example of the cool kinds of things you could be studying

What is International Studies?

International Studies is an interdisciplinary program. Translation? It’s not just one subject. In my (almost!) 2 years of the program, I’ve delved into history, philosophy, political science, economics, law, and more. As someone who had a difficult time settling on a program to study because I wanted to learn EVERYTHING, this works really well for me.

What kinds of classes can you take?

The courses I’ve taken so far that count toward my International Studies major are: International Society; Global Geography; Culture, Globalization & Civil Society; Critical Thinking and Research in International Studies. See what I mean about broad? As you get into your upper years, you can start taking more specialized courses depending on what interests you in the introductory ones. There are classes for peace and human rights, economics or development — it’s up to you!

Are there any opportunities for learning outside of the classroom?

Yes! Glendon offers a course called Professional Internship, which is where students have the opportunity to do a work or research placement in Canada or abroad. In addition, the International Studies department has a class called International Symposium, where a group of students selects a country of interest and puts on a conference. Kelly just blogged about the Symposium if you want to know more! And, of course, as with any program, there are lots of extracurriculars offered at Glendon that can relate to your classes, such as the Model UN team, the York-Glendon Global Issues Group, and much more.

What comes out of an International Studies degree?

Since what students learn in the International Studies program is so diverse, it makes sense that their career paths are as well. Some common next steps include public policy, diplomacy, journalism, and business. A lot of students also go on to do a Master’s program or law school. Personally, I’m interested in law at the moment and my International Studies courses have helped develop the critical thinking skills I would need for that.

What do you like about International Studies?

I like that it’s a little bit of everything. I like that it keeps me up-to-date on what’s going on in the world. I like that it encourages me to think critically about what I hear and study. I like that it’s a challenging program and I get to build on a variety of skills (research papers, conceptual debates, presentations, etc.). Most of all, I like that it teaches me to explore beyond my little part of the world and learn about new cultures, processes and ways of living.

Sound like a program you might be interested in? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions! You can also tweet me @soniapGL