Burson House
Josep Rota, Director
The Center for International Studies is the nexus for global and area studies and activities at Ohio University. The center's interdisciplinary teaching, research, publications, service, and outreach programs bring together faculty and students from all parts of the university-the social sciences, humanities, sciences and professional schools-in Athens and on the regional campuses. Ohio University established the Center for International Studies in 1964; it was founded on the broad belief that an appreciation of others' values and institutions increases mutual understanding, enriches individual lives, and prepares citizens and students for work in the global environment.
The Center for International Studies embodies Ohio University's commitment to international understanding and solidarity and to the development of knowledge and skills necessary for competition in a global marketplace of ideas and jobs. The Center seeks to advance its mission through interdisciplinary academic programs and activities; faculty development; the encouragement and promotion of research; the development of library resources; outreach to the community; the cultivation of solidarity with other peoples and cultures, particularly with the developing regions of the world; and the maintaining and strengthening of faculty area and international expertise in collaboration with other academic units. Through the Office of the Associate Provost for International Programs, the Center for International Studies coordinates Ohio University's international programs and activities.
The Center's African Studies Program has been designated a U.S. Department of Education National Resource Center since 1994. The Southeast Asia Studies Program also receives Title VI funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The Center's nationally known Monograph in International Studies series makes available more than 100 scholarly titles relating to Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
Visit our Web page at https://www.ohio.edu/~intsdept/
Depending on the program, one of the following is required to complete the degree: a comprehensive written exam, a comprehensive oral exam, or a research/grant proposal. This ordinarily takes place in the last quarter of study excluding summer.
A thesis option also is available. The number of credits granted for the thesis (up to a maximum of 10) is determined by the student's advisory committee.
All students in the M.A. program must maintain a minimum grade-point average (g.p.a.) of 3.0. If the g.p.a. falls below this level, students will be placed on academic probation. If the g.p.a. is not raised by the end of the following term, the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. University policy prohibits awarding any type of financial assistance to students on academic probation. Should a student receive more than two grades below a "B" ,the director reserves the right to drop him or her from the program. A grade below "C" will not count toward the degree requirement.
Language Proficiency Each student is required to demon-strate an acceptable level of achievement in a foreign language appropriate to the area of concen-tration. For non-European languages, this may be accomplished either by a) satisfactorily completing a minimum of one academic year in one of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian/Malay, Japanese, Siswati, or Swahili, or b) taking an examination in a language not taught at Ohio University or demonstrating an acceptable level of achievement on an examination administered by other recognized testing agencies. For students in concentrations offering a European language, an intermediate level of proficiency is required
Note:Thai and Vietnamese language courses are offered on demand. Latin American Studies offers Portuguese through the enhanced language skills option. Southeast Asian Studies requires two years of coursework or its equivalent in a Southeast Asian language. Language courses cannot be included in the degree hour requirement.
Two completed applications
Things to keep in mind:
The African Studies Program grew out of the excitement emanating from the decolonization of the continent in the mid-1960s and the awareness of the important role Africa could play in U.S. and world affairs. Today the multi-disciplinary nature of the program allows students to build a course of study reflecting Africa's contemporary reality. Themes include the socioeconomic development of the continent in the context of Africa's grand cultural and historical traditions, ecological sustainability, and the African family. Students may also view the study of Africa as an excellent case-study of the process of social change in the modern world.
The Ohio University Board of Trustees established the Institute for the African Child in 1998. This new initiative is designed to expand the conversation among African Studies scholars, to include those in the professional fields of communication, education, health and human services, and medicine, to work together on issues that affect Africa's children. Clearly there are no one-dimensional problems in the field of children and youth issues in Africa. Our intent is to provide a new cross-disciplinary venue for conferences, fellowships, and collaborative research that will lead to improvement in the living conditions of this important population. The establishment of the Institute for the African Child is also a new opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of the health-education-information nexus on minority children in Africa's Diasporas.
Proficiency in an African language is an important element of the African Studies degree and is seen as an essential tool for understanding the culture and working on the continent. The requirement can be fulfilled through a satisfactory FSI score, completion of the proper course work, or evidence of fluency in an African language.
African languages offered at Ohio University include Arabic, Siswati, and Swahili. A wide variety of languages also are available through Ohio University's participation in the Summer Cooperative African Language Institute (SCALI), a nine-week intensive summer language program.
Core Courses
AAS 530 Social Theories of Underdevelopment
AAS 532 Third World National Movements
ANTH 551 Political Anthropology
ANTH 557 Anthropology of Religion
AH 532 West African Art
AH 533 Central African Art
ARAB 571 Elementary-Intermediate Arabic
ECON 551 Agricultural Development
ECON 555 African Economic Development
EDCI 505 Comparative Cultures and Education
EDCI 506A Education and Development in Africa
EDCI 508 Poverty, Education, and International Development
SISW 571 Elementary-Intermediate Siswati
SWAH 571 Elementary-Intermediate Swahili
GEOG 531 African Thematic Geography
GEOG 532 Africa: Regional Approaches
GEOG 684C Seminar in Regional Geography: Africa
HIST 535 History of Women in the Middle East
HIST 535A Middle East to 1800
HIST 535B Middle East Since 1800
HIST 536B North Africa Since 1914
HIST 538 History of West Africa
HIST 541 Colloquium: African History
HIST 541B Traditional Africa
HIST 541C Modern Africa
HIST 542A South Africa to 1899
HIST 542B South Africa Since 1899
HIST 640 Seminar in African History
HCFN 525 Readings in Food and Nutrition
HCFN 526 World View of Nutrition
INST 610A Seminar in African Studies
PHIL 572 Islam
PHIL 578 African Philosophy
POLS 541 African Politics
POLS 563 The United States and Africa
POLS 590 Africa and the OAU
In the second year, students design and execute a communication campaign. A field study or internship also is required. A student must demonstrate proficiency in a language applicable to the geographic area of study. Students normally require two years to complete the 90-credit-hour minimum.
Course Concentration
Six courses in telecommunications
Four courses in area of specialization
Four courses in area studies (including INST 500)
Three courses in development
Two courses in research methods or information processing skills
Field Study or Internship
Telecommunications Component
TCOM 601 Introduction to Mass Communication ResearchTCOM 601 Introduction to Mass Communication
TCOM 602 Quantitative Research Methods or TCOM 603 Quantitative Research Methods
TCOM 765 Communication and National Development
TCOM 770 Mass Communication Theory
Plus any three of the following courses:
TCOM 563 New Technologies
TCOM 767 Comparative Systems of Telecommunications
TCOM 768 International Telecommunications
INCO 510 Cross-Cultural Communication
INCO 710 Communication and Information Diffusion
Area Studies Component
Other courses can be considered after consultation with the director of the program. See course lists for Southeast Asian Studies, African Studies, and Latin American Studies.
Development Component
See Development Studies core list.
Research and Information Processing Tools
Research and information processing courses are offered in several departments. The following list is representative of the courses offered.
CS 556 Software Design and DevelopmentGEOG 579 Advanced Remote Sensing
TCOM 568 Action Research
TCOM 759 Audience Research
EDCI 610 Rapid Rural Appraisal
INCO 530 Communications and the Campaign
JOUR 507 Electronic Publishing
JOUR 891 Seminar in Content Analysis
VICO 512 Advanced Informational Graphics
VICO 514 Desk Top Publishing
VICO 571 Digital Imaging
Students are encouraged to acquire broadcasting experience through the informal "broadcasting for development" laboratory. TCOM 610: Introduction to Audio and Visual Production is a prerequisite for participation.
Admission is in the fall quarter only (September)
The program provides a broad perspective examination of issues related to growth and change in developing countries. A multi-disciplinary approach focuses on combining theory, practical application, research, and implementation skills to produce graduates who are catalysts for international development.
Students in International Development Studies build upon a core curriculum by specializing in one of three disciplinary concentrations:
International Development and Health
As expressed in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, health is a basic human right that resides within the context of human and social development. Because it reflects wider social, economic, and political influences, health should be approached in an integrated manner. The concentration in International Development and Health explores global health problems that affect developing nations. It provides students with an understanding of the field of health and international development while considering the important contribution that a healthy population makes to its own social and economic development process.
International Development and the Environment
Environmental problems and degradation pose a growing threat to the well being of people throughout the world. Workable solutions must focus on how humans and their social and economic interests interact with the resources of the natural environment. The concentration in International Development and the Environment is designed to provide students with an understanding of how people perceive and utilize the environment and how various processes involving the relationship between human beings and their surroundings either damage or protect the environment. This program challenges and prepares professionals to take action in response to environmental issues facing developing countries.
International Development and Social Sciences
There are numerous economic, environmental, social, and political challenges facing developing countries today. International development becomes a vast multidisciplinary area of concern and action and embraces a multitude of approaches. The International Development and Social Sciences concentration prepares students to study and analyze a broad scope of issues facing developing nations today within the conceptual framework of economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, and geography. Particular attention is paid to courses and development approaches that are designed to serve and enhance the capability of communities to further their own development.
Degree Requirements
The program core is structured around a progressive series of pro-seminars, colloquia, and courses in development for 20 credit hours. These courses deal with concepts, issues, and methods of development and draw on the worldwide interests and experiences of students and expert faculty. The courses listed under "methods" and "development" reflect the spirit of the requirements; other courses may apply as well.
INST 500 Introduction to Graduate StudyGEOG 539 Geographic Patterns of Developing Nations
INST 690 Pro Seminars and Colloquia in Development
Methods Courses (minimum 10 credit hours)
CS 590 Computer Science for Non-MajorsEDRE 501 Introduction to Research Method
ECON 501 Statistical Foundations
GEOG 571 Quantitative Methods
POLS 582 Quantitative Political Analysis
PSY 520 Elementary Statistics
SOC 654 Social Research Methods
TCOM 602 Quantitative Research
TCOM 603 Qualitative Research
Development Courses (minimum 15 credit hours)
AAS 530 Social Theories of UnderdevelopmentDisciplinary Concentrations (minimum of 25 credit hours) HealthANTH 571 Ethnology
ECON 550 Economics of Development
EDCI 508 Poverty, Education, and International Development
GEOG 680 Third World Development and the Environment
POLS 540 Politics of Developing Areas
SOC 518 Third World Development
HCFN 525 Readings in Food and NutritionHCFN 526 World View of Nutrition
HCFN 529 Community Nutrition
HCFN 533 Food Sanitation and Safety
HCFN 590 Human Nutrition
HCFN 610 Maternal and Child Nutrition
HLTH 512 International Health Programs
HLTH 527 Health of Women
HLTH 620 Bioethics in Health Care
HLTH 630 Epidemiology in Health Planning
MICR 511 General Microbiology
MICR 518 Epidemiology
MICR 544 Tropical Disease Biology
MICR 682 Medical Entomology
MICR 541A Parasitology
PSY 715 Psychology of Human Differences
SOC 525 Sociology of Food Production
Environment
ANTH 579 Human EcologyBIOS 581 Conservation Biology
BUSL 570 Environmental Law
ECON 513 Economics of the Environment
ECON 514 Natural Resource Economics
GEOG 517 Landscape Ecology
GEOG 521 Population Geography
GEOG 538 Geography of Southeast Asia
GEOG 540 Environmental Impact Analysis
GEOG 544 Agricultural Ecosystems
GEOG 547 Resource Management
GEOG 550 Land Use Planning
GEOG 553 Environmental Planning
GEOG 555 Geography of Latin America
GEOG 680 Third World Development and the Environment
PBIO 521 Agricultural Ecology
PBIO 522 Tropical Ecology
PBIO 525 Plant Ecology
POLS 555 Environment and Natural Resource Policy
POLS 556 International Organizations
SOC 525 Sociology of Food Production
Social Sciences
A very large number of courses in diverse areas fall within this disciplinary concentration. Many thematic groups of courses are possible: Business, Culture, Communication, Economic Policy, Education, Gender, Politics/Public Policy, as well as area studies in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
Certificate Programs
While pursuing the MA degree in International Studies, it may be possible to fulfill the requirements of one or more of the available certificate programs which include Conservation Biology, Contemporary History, Gerontology, Health Policy, and Women's Studies.
Internships
Internships are strongly encouraged. Such an experience with a domestic or international development organization allows the student to put into practice what has been learned from the program. Modest funds are available, on a competitive basis, to support local internships and research travel.
Entry is only available in the FALL Quarter (September).
The Latin American Studies Program is actively career oriented. Over four-fifths of its graduates find careers in or related to Latin America in areas such as teaching, non-governmental organizations, government service, business, and communication. The special, second Iberian language option, as well as the skills minor, greatly enhances graduate's employment options. In addition, the program works to find its candidates Latin America-related internships in Washington, other cities in the United States, and in Latin America. Participation in internships is encouraged and earns academic credit towards the 73-hour graduation requirement.
Degree Requirements
The program is designed to allow students to acquire or expand multidisciplinary knowledge, expertise and language skills concerning Latin America. Students must complete seventy-three credit hours of course work including forty in explicitly Latin American-focussed material, twenty-five in a "skills minor" (a non-Latin American theme or discipline), two three-hour seminars, and one two-hour introduction to graduate studies. In addition, they must be competent in at least one of the region's Iberian languages.
Enhanced Language Skills Option: To compliment the program's stress on both Spanish and Portuguese Latin America-and since over eighty percent of our students enter with competency in one of the two Iberian languages-the latter are urged to acquire competency in the other language by taking either second year Spanish or accelerated Portuguese. Upon passing a competency exam in the second Latin language, fifteen hours of credit toward the graduation requirement is given.
Core Courses
ANTH 566 Cultures of the AmericasANTH 568 Latin American Prehistory
AH 531 Pre-Columbian Art
ECON 554 Latin American Economic History
ECON 574 Economics of Latin America
GEOG 535 Geography of Latin America
GEOG 684A Seminar in Regional Geography: Latin America
HIST 523A Latin America: The Colonial Era
HIST 523B Latin America: The 19th Century
HIST 523C Latin America: The 20th Century
HIST 524 U.S./Latin America Relations
HIST 525 Lecture U.S./Latin America Relations
HIST 526 Dictatorship in Latin America
INST 601 Seminar in Development
INST 610B Seminar on Latin America
INST 690 Readings in Latin America
POLS 534 Government & Politics of Latin America
POLS 535 Revolution in Latin America
POLS 579 Latin American Political Thought
POLS 590 Studies in Government: U.S. Policy in Latin America
SOC 508 Latin American Society
SOC 518 Third-World Development
SPAN 539 Modern Spanish Usage
SPAN 543 Survey of Spanish American Literature
SPAN 547 Themes from Spanish American Prose
SPAN 548 Contemporary Spanish American Literature
SPAN 560 Spanish American Civilization and Culture
TCOM 765 Communication and National Development
The graduate program benefits from a dedicated faculty with expertise in anthropology, communications, economics, geography, history, linguistics, management, philosophy, political science, and sociology. An extensive Southeast Asia library collection enhances the program's distinctive opportunities with an elaborate collection of insular SEA materials as well as an Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center.
Degree Requirements
The Southeast Asia Studies Program has a flexible curriculum which allows students to enroll in courses offered by various schools and departments across the University. The curriculum is divided into concentrations of Anthropology, Business Management, Geography, History, International Studies, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science and Telecommunications.
The Master's Program consists of a minimum of seventy credit hours (excluding language study) in at least three disciplines. Forty-five credit hours come from core Southeast Asia courses, the remainder from such disciplines as education, journalism, plant biology, and TOEFL.
An important element within the Southeast Asia program is proficiency in a Southeast Asian language. Two years of course work or its equivalent in a vernacular Southeast Asian language is required of non-native speakers. The Indonesian language is taught in a course-based format through the advanced level. In addition a new Critical Language Program coordinated by the Department of Linguistics makes it possible to offer other Southeast Asian languages on demand, including Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian, among other possibilities.
The course work (excluding language study) may be completed in fifteen months. The course of study concludes with a comprehensive written examination given during the last term of the student's program. A thesis option is available in lieu of the comprehensive examination.
Students entering the program usually are interested in careers in Foreign Service, government, non-governmental organizations, business, research, and university teaching.
Core Courses
ANTH 585 Cultures of SEAANTH 586 Problems in SEA Anthropology
ECON 573 Economics of SEA
GEOG 538 Geography of SEA
HIST 544A History of the Malay World
HIST 544B History of Burma and Thailand
HIST 544C History of Vietnam
HIST 545A History of SEA to 1750
HIST 545B SEA 1750-1945
HIST 545C SEA 1945-present
INDO 540 Traditional Literature of SEA
INDO 545 Modern Literature of SEA
INST 550 Focus on Malaysia
INST 590 Tun Razak Seminar
MGT 691 Seminar in SEA Business
PBIO 569E Tropical Plant Biology
PBIO 569F Agricultural Plant Ecology
PHIL 570 Hinduism in SEA
PHIL 571 Seminar on Buddhism in SEA
PHIL 572 Islam in SEA
POLS 547A/B Government and Politics of SEA
POLS 648 Seminar on Politics in SEA
TCOM 569P Media and Popular Culture of SEA
Additional courses are available in business and management, education and gender studies, philosophy/religion, sociology, and telecommunications.
Southeast Asian Languages
Indonesian and Thai are supported on campus, with Vietnamese anticipated. A variety of languages are also available through Ohio University's participation in the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI), a nine-week intensive summer language program.
FLAS Fellowships
The Southeast Asia Studies Program is pleased to offer Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships. FLAS Fellowships are open to new and continuing graduate residents of the U.S. Fellows receive a stipend of $10,000 plus tuition. FLAS Fellows are required to study a Southeast Asian language and carry a full-time academic load of 15-18 graduate credits per quarter. Competitive applicants demonstrate a strong Southeast Asian career and/or research interest. Applicants should indicate in their �statements of purpose� how Southeast Asian language study would enhance their research/career goals.
Entry is only available in the Fall quarter (September).
University Publications and Computer Services revised this file( https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/99-01/areas/inaf.htm
) December 11, 2000.
Please e-mail comments or suggestions to " gcat@www.ohiou.edu ."
(740) 593–9381 | Building 21, The Ridges
Ohio University | Athens OH 45701 | 740.593.1000 ADA Compliance | © 2018 Ohio University . All rights reserved.