Bachelor of Philosophy in International and Area Studies
American students face increasing pressure to become internationalized—to attain an education that will enable them to respond intelligently to a world undergoing rapid globalization and to compete in a global economy.
What Is the BPhil IAS?
The University of Pittsburgh’s University Honors College and University Center for International Studies (UCIS) have created the Bachelor of Philosophy in International and Area Studies (BPhil IAS) degree—a research-based undergraduate degree that will help students meet the global demands of today’s workplace.
The BPhil IAS degree is awarded by the honors college and is the first undergraduate degree in international studies at Pitt.
The goal of the BPhil IAS degree is to enable students to think critically about their global world and to gain “global competence,” which involves working effectively in different international settings, an awareness of the major currents of global change and the resulting issues raised, the capacity for effective communication across cultural and linguistic boundaries, and personal adaptability to diverse cultures.
Requirements
Students seeking the BPhil IAS degree must:
- have a minimum grade point average of 3.25/4.00;
- complete an approved program of study involving course work, foreign language, and study abroad; and
- write and publicly defend their research thesis before a faculty examining board that includes a visiting faculty member from outside the University.
Unlike freestanding departmental degrees, the BPhil IAS requires a second disciplinary major as well as a research thesis on an international topic done in close collaboration with a faculty advisor.
BPhil IAS (Global Studies)
The global studies track is the first of the tracks available to students pursuing the BPhil IAS major. (Future BPhil IAS tracks from other Pitt area studies programs may emerge from faculty initiatives.)
Developed with UCIS’ Global Studies Program, the BPhil IAS (global studies track) allows students to focus on such global issues as sustainable development; global economy and governance; changing identities in a global world; communication, technology, and society; conflict and conflict resolution; and global health.