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2024-2025

International Studies, Bachelor of Arts

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Richard Bland College
Richard Bland College
Associate degree

Associate of Arts

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies is designed for students to acquire the historical, theoretical, and methodological knowledge to explore how culture, religion, media, politics, economics, and the environment shape each other and shape human life and the hands-on experience to participate in the work of building a sustainable and generous society that empowers all persons to live well as responsible global citizens. The program strengthens students’ abilities to see the world from diverse perspectives, communicate across cultures, and work with others to address significant challenges facing human beings locally and globally.


The program offers concentrations in Film Studies, Latin American Studies, European Studies, and International Social Justice. Each concentration offers a range of courses from which students may choose to fashion a course of study that best supports their educational and career goals. As is true with World Studies’ degrees in Anthropology, Foreign Languages, and Religious Studies, International Studies offers opportunities to engage in real world learning through internships, lab-based and field research, and study abroad programs. Through their coursework, students connect with students from different cultural backgrounds and develop genuine empathy and a practical commitment to contribute to the social good.

Career opportunities

International Studies majors graduate with an abundance of transferable knowledge, skills, and experience that are highly employable in a variety of businesses, government agencies, non-profit organizations, institutions, and programs that understand the value of diversity and are committed to contributing to the health and well being of society. These include such areas as social betterment organizational management, leadership, and advocacy; humanitarian relief; refugee assistance; research analyst for organizations and institutions that focus on barriers to and support for development, democracy, human rights, and environmental restoration, preservation, and protection; international cultural ambassadorship and cultural affairs; international journalism, reporting, communications; global business affairs; civil rights and legal aid/advocacy.


We encourage students to double-major in International Studies and one of the other majors degrees in the School of World Studies: Anthropology, Foreign Languages or Religious Studies, as doing so strengthens their cumulative knowledge, experience, academic record and resume for success in whatever path they choose after graduation.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Blogger/Vlogger
  • Event Planner
  • Flight Attendant
  • Health Systems Front Desk Specialist
  • Office Manager
  • Reporter
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
  • Social Media Manager
  • User Experience (UX) Researcher
  • Web Content Manager
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Diplomat
  • Foreign Affairs Specialist
  • International School Administrator
  • Producer
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.25+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for International Studies with concentration in European Studies, General Studies, International Social Justice Studies, Latin American Studies, World Cinema

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

International Studies, Bachelor of Arts

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Arts)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
Experience Year 2
  • Use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Learn about the World ePass and start considering how you will fulfill the experiential learning requirement for the bachelor's degree.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the BA degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of World Studies.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or School of World Studies-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Learn about the World ePass and start considering how you will fulfill the experiential learning requirement for the bachelor's degree.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the BA degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of World Studies.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or School of World Studies-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

International Studies, Bachelor of Arts

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Arts)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
ENGL 101 Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Research II UNIV 200 3 General education
Language & Ideas Select 2: ENGL 203, 204, 205, 206, 210, 211, 214, 215, 216, PHIL 101, 201, 202, 203, 270, REL 201, 209, 210, 270, COMM 101, 102, 201. VCU equivalent 6 General education
Fine Arts Select 1: ART 201, 202, 231, MUS 103, MUS 123, THEA 201. VCU equivalent 3 General education
MATH Select 1: MATH 110 Contemporary Mathematics or MATH 121 Pre-Calculus I MATH 131 or MATH 141 3 General education
Human Experience Select 2: PHIL 101, 121, 201, 202, 203, PSY 201-202, 217, 218, 240, 250, 292, 295, REL 201, 209, 210, SOC 201, 204, 208, 250, 253. VCU equivalent 6 General education
U.S. & World Cultures Select 3: ECON 201, 202, GEO 101, GEO 103, GOVT 201, GOVT 202, GOVT 203, HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 191, 192, HIST 201, HIST 202, HIST 240, REL 209, REL 210, REL 219, REL 220, REL 254 (at least one must be history). VCU equivalent 9 General education
Lab Science Select 1 with lab: BIOL 101/L, 110, 151/L, CHEM 101/L, 110/L, PHYS 101/L, 201/L, SCIE 111/L. VCU equivalent 4 General education
SPAN/FREN 201 Intermediate Spanish/French I SPAN 201 or FREN 201 3 Major (Ancillary)
SPAN/FREN 202 Intermediate Spanish/French II SPAN 202 or FREN 202 3 Major (Ancillary)
Complete requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 17 Elective
Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
International Studies, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in general studies
INTL 215 International Studies in the Professional World 3 Major
INTL 375 Interdisciplinary Methods for International Studies Research 3 Major
INTL 465 Rethinking Globalization 3 Major
INTL 490 Senior Capstone in International Studies 3 Major
WRLD 210 International Social Justice Studies 3 Major
WRLD 302 Communicating Across Cultures 3 Major
SPAN/FREN Select two upper-level foreign language course work (300- or higher) 6 Major
Concentration electives (see VCU advisor for course options) 12 Major
INTL 101 Human Societies and Globalization 3 Major (Ancillary)
WRLD 495 World ePass Portfolio 0 Major (Ancillary)
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 6 Elective
Open electives 15 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120