Graduate Catalog 2010-12

International Studies

The Master of Science in International Studies is an interdisciplinary program that prepares generalists to work in governmental and non-governmental organizations internationally to address issues related to the global human experience. The core of the program is designed to deepen students’ knowledge of the historical and contemporary global political economies, theories of international relations, culture, human rights and indigenous epistemologies. The curriculum also permits students to specialize in one of six regions of the world—Africa, East Asia, European Union, Middle East, Slavic Europe and Middle with a global, theoretical, or conceptual perspective.

The master's program in international studies (30 credits) is individually designed by students and their faculty advisors to ensure that career plans and research interests are accommodated. If a student wishes to travel or work in a different country, these preferences may receive consideration within the program's scope. Another approach involves graduate course selection from a variety of disciplines, including modern languages, history, geography, political science, economics, anthropology, communication and others, provided at the University to develop specializations with a global or theoretical orientation.

To ensure adequate preparation for a career or further study in international affairs, language competency related to the area of specialization is required. Mid-level reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills may be demonstrated by examination or through appropriate course work.

Faculty

International Studies Program Director: Dr. Evelyn Newman Phillips (phillipse@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2617)

African Studies: Sheri Fafunwa (fafunwas@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2646) and Warren Perry (Perryw@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2613), Co-Directors, Center for Africana Studies, and Co-Coordinators, African Studies Program
T. Ayeni, F. Best, W. Brown Foster, J. Buxton, C. Carter-Lowery, T. Darko, G. Emeagwali, S. Fafunwa-Ndibe, K. Harris, M. Howell, S. Jones, P.Kyem, S. Lee, P. LeMaire, A. Moemeka, E. Newman Phillips, S. Odesina, P. Osei, C. Ragaven, S. Sogunro, J. Woodruff

East Asian Studies: S. Tomoda, Coordinator (tomodas@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2892); M. Jones Y. Ju, K. H. Kim, C. S. Lien, J. McKeon, P. Petterson, X. Shen

European Union/West European Studies: P. Lapuerta, Coordinator (lapuertap@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2884); R. Benfield, M. Charkiewicz, D. Engwall, C. Liard-Muriente, A Morales M. Passaro, C. Pesca, L. Petit, P. Petterson, K. Ritzenhoff, L. Uribe

Latin American Studies: M. A. Mahony, Coordinator (mahonym@ccsu.edu, 860-832-0119); A. Adams, W. Brown-Foster,G. Cueto, J. C. del Alma, F. Donis,, V. Garcia, A. Garcia-Lozada, C. Liard-Muriente P. Iannone, C. Liard-Muriente, G. Mejía, S. Mendez-Mendez, B. Merenstein, A. Morales, K. Sugg, L. Uribe

Middle Eastern Studies: Ghassan El-Eid, Coordinator (eleid@ccsu.edu, 860-832- 2963); F. Abdollahzadeh, N. Al-Masoud, A. Ayalon, K. Beyard, A. Cannella, A. Antar, G. Emeagwali, F. Farahmand, J. McKeon, N. Mezvinsky, T. Rickard, N. Sadanand, M. Salinas, L. Zidani-Eroglu

Slavic/East European Studies: M. Ciscel, Coordinator (ciscelm@ccsu.edu, 860-832-2749); R. Benfield, J. Bergman, M. Biskupski, I. Gotchev, P. Karpuk, D. Kideckel, W. Tracey, E. Wolynska

Program

Master of Science in International Studies

Program Rationale:
The Master’s of Science in the International Studies program educates students in several key areas of the world: Middle East, Africa, Asia, Western Europe and European Union, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Students are grounded in theories of internationalization, history of diverse countries and regions, cross-cultural communication, and cosmologies of various international cultures and are provided programmatic, analytical, and practical skills to address international issues. The program prepares generalists to work in governmental and non-governmental organizations within and outside of the United States to address issues related to the global human experience.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Students in this program will:

produce a capstone project on internationalism guided by School of Graduate Studies guidelines based on primary research;
demonstrate their ability to communicate at the intermediate level in the language of the region of their specializations;
be able to write well-researched, clearly theorized, and analytical papers that explain issues concerning internationalism; and
understand, through hands-on experiences, the history, culture, environment, and political and economic structures of the region in which they specialize.

Admission

In addition to the regular admission requirements, an applicant for the MS in International Studies program must send a resume and a four-page essay that addresses his/her past experiences, career goals, and the region in which he/she wishes to specialize (select from Africa, East Asia, European Union/Western Europe, Latin America, Slavic/Eastern Europe, and Middle East). Each application must be sent electronically or by mail to the International Studies Director, who will then direct it to the chair of the region in which the student seeks to specialize.

Early applications are encouraged for full consideration. The admission deadline for spring semester is December 1 (priority deadline is November 1); for fall semester the deadline is May 1.

Course and Capstone Requirements

(30 credits in International Studies [Plan A or Plan C])

Common Core (15 credits; take 5 of the following):

IS 570 Modern World Issues

IS 571 International Diversity and Integration

COMM 543 Intercultural Communication

GEOG 544 The Geography of World Economic Development

LING 515 An Introduction to Sociolinguistics

PS 501 Advanced Studies in International Law

Specialization (9 credits):

Approved courses in one of African Studies, East Asian Studies, European Union/West European Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, or Slavic/East European Studies; or approved courses to constitute a cohesive specialization with a global, theoretical, or conceptual perspective.

Research and Capstone Requirements (6 credits):

Plan A: IS 598 Research in International Studies and IS 599
Thesis in International Studies

Plan C: IS 598 Research in International Studies and IS 595
Special Project in International Studies

Note: No more than nine credits at the 400 level, as approved by the graduate advisor, may be counted toward the graduate planned program of study.

Language Requirement

The International Studies program requires that all students have a level of proficiency in the reading, writing, speaking, and understanding of a single modern language-preferably in their areas of geographical specialization-equal to the completion of the Modern Language Department at the 226 level. Fulfillment of this requirement will be determined three possible ways: by a CCSU instructor of the language, the chair of the Department of Modern Language, or a professor who is a native speaker, when the language is not offered as part of the CCSU curriculum.

Advisors

Initially, on acceptance to the program, students will be assigned advisors appropriate to their regional or thematic specializations. This advisor will normally serve as the faculty member supervising the advisee's IS 598 course and thesis, special project or comprehensive examination.

Note: During the 2010-2011 school year, the curriculum will be revised to allow students more options.