Center for International Studies

    

Burson House

Josep Rota, Director

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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/

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M.A. Program in International Affairs

General Requirements

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 demonstrate 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.

Admission

• Two completed applications

• Two official college transcripts from an accredited college

• $30 non-refundable application fee (applications will not be processed without fee)

• Affidavit of support with supporting documentation (international applicants only)

• Three letters of recommendation (at least two from people who can judge academic abilities)

• Autobiographical sketch

• Statement of purpose (a two-page statement indicating career goals and how the program of study chosen will help meet those goals. Be specific in discussing the aspects of your personal and academic background that may lead to success in the area of study chosen)

• A curriculum vita TOEFL scores (international applicants only)

Things to keep in mind:

1. Each program has its own admission committee. Be sure to specify on the application the program for which you are applying

2. Individual files will not be reviewed until all relevant documents have been received.

3. Individuals who wish to receive early consideration for fall quarter admissions and financial aid should submit their materials by January 15. March 1 is the standard deadline for fall quarter; November 1 for winter quarter; February 1 for spring quarter; April 15 for summer quarter. International applicants are advised that it can take up to six months for visa processing and should therefore submit application materials at least six months prior to the desired quarter of entry rather than adhere to the dates listed above for winter, spring, and summer quarters.

4. Communication and Development Studies, International Development Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies admit only in the fall quarter (September) with a firm application deadline of March 1.

5. All International students will be required to take an English proficiency test (which includes composition) when they arrive on campus. The test can be waived if you hold a degree from an American university. If the level of proficiency is not at the 550 (paper test) or 213 (computer test) level you must enroll in the Ohio Program of Intensive English until you reach the required level. Financial aid cannot be used to pay for English language courses.

Financial Aid

• A good undergraduate record
• Strong letters of recommendation
• Appropriateness of background to program of study
• Work experience
• Special skills

Curricula and Courses

African Studies

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 Institute for the African Child

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.

Degree Requirements

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 Gikuyu, 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.

FLAS Fellowships

Core Courses

AAS 530     Social Theories of Underdevelopment


AAS 532     Third World National Movements


AAS 540     The Black Child 


AAS 550     Economic Anthropology


ANTH 551    Political Anthropology


ANTH 557    Anthropology of Religion


ANTH 581    Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa


AH 532      West African Art


AH 533      Central African Art


ECON 551    Agricultural Development


ECON 555    African Economic Development


EDAD 703    Administration of Education in Other Countries


EDCI 505    Comparative Cultures and Education


EDCI 506A   Education and Development in Africa


EDCI 508    Poverty, Education, and International Development


EDLE 710    Cultural and Contextual Foundations of Leadership


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 532    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 541A   Early Africa


HIST 541B   Traditional Africa


HIST 541C   Modern Africa


HIST 542A   South Africa to 1899 to present


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 564    Africa and the OAU

Communication and Development Studies

Degree Requirements

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 Research

TCOM 602      Quantitative Research
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 Development
	
GEOG 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)

International Development Studies

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

70 hours approved coursework including:


20 hours core courses


10 hours methods


15 hours development electives


25 hours disciplinary concentration

Preparation of grant proposal or thesis. Each student is required to complete either a grant proposal or thesis. Candidates choosing the proposal option will develop a grant proposal addressing a need in a particular developing region of the world. Candidates who choose the thesis option are expected to complete a course of study that culminates in a scholarly work of publishable quality. Core Courses

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 Study

GEOG 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-Majors 	
	
EDRE 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 Underdevelopment
	
ANTH 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

Disciplinary Concentrations (minimum of 25 credit hours) Health

HCFN 525    Readings in Food and Nutrition	

HCFN 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 Ecology 

BIOS 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).

Latin American Studies

The program maintains solid teaching and library strength concerning both South and Central America. In regard to South America, it has strong institutional relations withÑand faculty interest inÑBrazil and Ecuador, and excellent library holdings for the whole region. It is especially known, however, for its strength in the area of Central America, where strong faculty interests and numerous publications are informed and enriched by an out-standing library collection. Among other things, the library features a large and varied microfilm/fiche collection of U.S. diplomatic records. Since 1997, it is the only official depository collection of Guatemalan government publications in the United States.

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 Americas

ANTH 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

Southeast Asian Studies

Established in 1967, the Southeast Asian Studies Program at Ohio University has been designated a U.S. Department of Education Title VI National Resource Center for Southeast Asia. The rich cultures, traditions and opportunities of Southeast Asia are the focus of an interdisciplinary program that offers a masterÕs degree and supports doctoral studies that include an emphasis on Southeast Asia. Courses in professional fields such as development studies, communication, education, international business and management enrich the options. Dual degrees are available in some areas, including the MBA.

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.

Students entering the program are often seeking careers in Foreign Service, government, non-governmental organizations, business, and international development agencies, as well as scholarly careers in teaching and research.

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. Presently, Ohio University offers classroom instruction in Bahasa Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese. A variety of languages are also available through Ohio UniversityÕs participation in the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI), a nine-week intensive summer language program.

The course work 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.

Core Courses

ANTH 585    Cultures of SEA

ANTH 586    Problems in SEA Anthropology 

ECON 573    Economics of SEA

FLL 540     Traditional Literature of SEA

GEOG 529    World Economic Geography

GEOG 538    Geography of SEA

GEOG 539    Geographic Patterns in Developing Countries

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

HIST 645    Colloquium in History of SEA

INDO 540    Traditional Literature of SEA

INDO 545    Modern Literature of SEA

INST 550    Focus on Malaysia

INST 590    Tun Razak Seminar

INST 610C   Overseas Chinese in SEA

MGT 584     International Management

MGT 586     Business World of Asia

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 anthropology, business and management, education, gender studies, geography, interpersonal communication, journalism, philosophy/religion, sociology, and telecommunications.

FLAS Fellowships

The Southeast Asian Studies Program is pleased to offer Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships. FLAS Fellowships are open to new and continuing graduate students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Fellows receive a stipend of $11,000 plus tuition and fees. 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.

    

University Publications and Computer Services revised this file(https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/01-03/areas/inaf.htm) October 16, 2001.

Please e-mail comments or suggestions to "gcat@www.ohiou.edu."