Why International Studies? 

Learning Outcomes for the INTS program

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies may provide you immense riches, a career as a globetrotting executive, or happiness. With hard work and luck, these things may come to you, but they are not guaranteed. However, CU Denver can guarantee that if you deeply invest yourself in the INTS program—if you devote considerable time and energy to learning and engagement—you will obtain the ability to:

View the World from Multiple Perspectives, Not Just One

A degree in International Studies provides you a unique combination of cross-disciplinary perspectives that sum up to a viewpoint greater, more interesting, and more useful than any particular major. For example, take Economics and Communication, both of which contribute courses to the INTS program: Economic analyses of trade tell us something different about global brands than analyses of the human stories that global brands communicate to audiences. Why is Disney’s largest retail store located in China, but no Chinese brands are among the top 100 in the world? These are the types of complex questions that INTS graduates are uniquely able to answer.

See Connections Among Events, Places, and People that Others Don’t See

INTS graduates see events and people in ways that other majors do not because the program is devoted to identifying the unseen connections among phenomena. INTS graduates understand that financial flows are underwritten by the meaning of goods and services constructed in communication and culture. Cultures, in turn, are shaped by geography and history. INTS graduates are trained to see interconnections, bringing a unique depth and breadth to their analyses of events, places, and people. 

Transform Personal Idealism into Concrete Action in the World

INTS graduates gain knowledge, skills, and abilities to not only understand the world, but also improve it. The program stresses concrete, practical experience through travel study, internships, and various types of applied learning in the classroom. Through working with classmates and community partners, students can have an immediate impact in the world.

Build an Identity and a Network of Lifelong Friends Who Share Your Passion

In the process of earning your degree, you will build an identity as an International Studies student—an identity shared by thousands of students enrolled in similar academic programs around the world. At CU Denver, you will take classes with a cohort of students, some of whom will become lifelong friends and form the core of your future professional network. This cohort, composed of students from many countries and every walk of life, will share your passion for a wide and deep understanding of international issues.

This unique combination of abilities provides INTS graduates with diverse opportunities for international work and graduate studies. To learn more, schedule a time to speak with the Director or any INTS-affiliated faculty member. 
 

What Students Say

"The International Studies program has exceeded my expectations. It has verified a lot of my theories while completely crushing other ones. It has honed my research skills, challenged my political views and provided me with the necessary balance of realism and idealism that we need to truly make a positive impact on this world. Each class I have taken builds on the last, regardless of the order in which you choose to take them, putting another piece of a very complex puzzle together. No matter what your career goals are, the classes that are a part of the International Studies program will give you tremendous insight, and benefit you both professionally and personally." 

-- Maya Knight, BA student, International Studies