The College of Charleston’s new international studies major is the fastest growing major at the College and will celebrate its first graduates in May 2011. The international studies major, housed in the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs, was added to the curriculum in fall 2010 and the number of students declared has grown by 175% in just one semester.

“It is no surprise that it is the fastest growing major at the College,” said David Cohen, dean of the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs. “Our students realize they are tied to the larger community and they want to immerse themselves in the languages and cultures. Our interdisciplinary approach allows them to see all different perspectives.”

The international studies major draws on a variety of disciplines that will give students multidimensional linguistic, cultural and international outlooks. They will choose from a concentration that focuses on Africa, Asia, European, Latin America and the Caribbean, or international comparative literature. The courses range from politics and history to advanced language acquisition and international economics. All international studies majors must study abroad and have at least three years of foreign language study.

“I chose international studies because of my love for learning about our constantly changing world and the different peoples, cultures, and ways of life that inhabit it,” says Chernor Bah, one of the first international studies graduates. “I believe that in this increasingly globalized world it is very important to learn about how the world works. In addition to dual degrees from the College of Charleston (international studies and political science), I am also graduating with my Registered Nursing degree from Trident Technical College. I plan to work for a year and then start law school to study health and international law. I hope to get a job with an international NGO or United Nations.”

The School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs is home to one of the most comprehensive foreign language programs in the southeastern United States, with in-depth majors in classical and modern languages and area studies, overseas study programs, specialized programs for future language professionals, and offerings in several less commonly taught languages (such as Arabic and Chinese). The school is composed of four departments – Classics, French and Francophone Studies, German and Slavic Studies, Hispanic Studies – and includes a myriad of interdisciplinary programs and area studies.

For additional information about the major in international studies, please contact Doug Friedman at 843.953.5701.