International studies highlights the relationships among nations and different cultures and the cultural-linguistic factors that affect people's perception of the world. The program offers you the opportunity to use skills and perspectives gained from the study of modern languages and civilizations to enhance your understanding of international events and developments.

With an emphasis in international studies, you will integrate perspectives from a number of different fields. You will choose a major that complements your area of interest from those Lawrence offers, or you can design your own by combining courses from one or more departments. Your participation in the interdisciplinary area is intended to augment your chosen major, and completion of its requirements will be noted on your Lawrence transcript.

Curriculum

Before beginning the program, you will be expected to have achieved intermediate proficiency in a foreign language, and you will be required to take at least one course past the intermediate level in the language of your choosing. Lawrence offers instruction in Chinese, French, German, Japanese , Russian, and Spanish. 

You will begin your work in international studies with the one-term course Introduction to International Studies, in which you will focus on the interaction of social, cultural, linguistic, political, and economic factors in relations among nations.

For your remaining course work, you may decide on one of two approaches to international studies: the regional approach, in which you will select a particular region or nation; or the thematic approach, in which you will focus on a theme such as development and modernization or international economics.

Additional course selections may be made from a long list of civilization courses – such as Cours de civilization: La France et la Francophonie, Modern East Asian Civilization, and Latin American Civilization and Culture -- and disciplinary courses: among them, Ecological Anthropology (anthropology), International Economics (economics), European Democracies (government), and Modern Africa (history).

Advanced Work

When you have defined your interests, you can enroll in a tutorial or independent study. Individually or with a small group of students, you may invite a professor to spend a term examining an issue, question, or institution that is not covered in any course.

You might decide to undertake a significant research project. These projects often culminate in senior honors papers. Examples include:

Student Organizations

The Lawrence student body has a large number of international students -- nearly 12% of Lawrence students are from outside the United States, representing over 40 different countries. Lawrence International, a student organization, sponsors programs on world issues. Every year, the group presents speakers, events, and film series for the Lawrence community. Their main event is the annual Cabaret, an evening of international food, dance, and music.

Lawrence International meets in the International House, a building open to all students for both academic and social gatherings. The house receives international television broadcasts and contains a collection of international publications.

Asia-A promotes Eastern culture. Viva! sponsors events that address aspects of Spanish and Hispanic cultures. All the language departments offer weekly language tables in the dining commons, giving students and faculty an informal environment in which to practice their language skills.

Internships

All students pursuing International Studies at Lawrence are strongly encouraged to consider an internship that will utilize their language and social skills. Internships are also an integral part of many study abroad programs. Recent placements include a consulting firm in Shanghai, China and an international NGO in London, England.

After Lawrence