The International Studies Program offers a flexible and rigorous interdisciplinary undergraduate major and minor in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences that develops keen analytical skills and ethical reasoning amidst complex global dynamics.
Where will the International Studies Program take you?
We can't wait to find out.
- Read a welcome letter from our director, Erik Owens
- Keep in touch by subscribing to our weekly newsletter and following us on Instagram. You can also read past issues of our newsletter.
- Review the list of approved Fall 2023 courses, or a complete list of all approved courses offered in any semester.
- Late applications to join the IS major will be considered if space permits; see the Admission page for details.
- Meet our Peer Advisors, who help majors and minors understand grad requirements, course registration, study abroad, and more.
- Locate forms for course substitutions, withdrawals, or pre-approvals; internships, etc. on the Academic Forms page.
- Learn about the pathway through the major and minor, including admission, selecting courses, preparing for study abroad, writing a senior thesis, and thinking about post-grad opportunities. We have posted presentations, webinars (which inlude student testimonials), and a program flyer.
- Read reflections from students and alumni about their experience in the IS Program.
Please visit our Admission page for complete information about applying to the major or declaring a minor. Here are a few important details:
- BC students who wish to become IS majors should submit an application by 5pm on February 1 of their freshman year.
- Transfer students who will start their sophomore year at BC should complete the same application as freshmen at BC. Each year we reserve a handful of spots for transfer students, and when space allows, we admit addiitonal transfer students who are incoming sophomores.
- Late applications are welcome from BC students and transfer students, and they are accepted at the discretion of the director and associate director, when space allows. Please submit your application here and let us know (via isp@bc.edu) that you've filed an application. Please note that it is rare for new majors to be accepted after the first week of their sophomore year.
- All IS majors should meet with their academic advisor before registering for next semester's courses.
- New majors (class of 2026) will be assigned an IS faculty advisor this summer, but can work with IS Peer Advisors and Prof. Nakazato until then.
- Please consult the IS Advising Handbook for detailed requirements for the IS major and minor.
- Approved Fall 2023 IS courses will be listed on the Courses page and on the Approved Fall 2023 Courses spreadsheet.
- A central list of *all* approved electives -- which does not indicate the semester offered, but gives students a sense of course options for the future -- is also available.
- Registration dates:
- Rising seniors (2024): April 11-12
- Rising juniors (2025): April 13-14
- Rising sophomores (2026): April 18-19
- All courses taken abroad for IS credit must be pre-approved, using this form.
- The IS Program would benefit greatly from a gift of your time (to give advice, share job listings, mentor students, or write about your experiences) or your financial support (to enhance programs and opportunities for studens and faculty)!
- See the Giving page for more details.
The Global Korea Project launches this week with a lecture by Prof. Myung-Lim Park entitled "Global Korea’s Past and Future: A Puzzle of Peculiarity vs. Generality" on Thursday, September 21 at 5pm in the Andover Room of Connolly House (300 Hammond Street). Prof. Park is Director of the Kim Dae-jung Presidential Library, and a Professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, where he teaches political theory, peace studies, constitutionalism, Korean Studies, and East Asian international relations. Join us for the lecture and reception!
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Pop in for Peer Advising office hours this Fall semester at Connolly House: Mondays 12-2pm; Tuesdays 9am-3pm; Wednesdays: 10am - 1pm and 3-5pm; Thursdays: 10:30am - 1pm; Fridays 10:30am - 1pm.
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Join Global Conversations
The Global Conversation project is hosting dozens of new conversations this year, and we're looking for student leaders! Read more about the leadership roles or go directly to the application.
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Global Engagement Portal
From October 23 to November 16, connect with students, refugees, civil society leaders, and experts from a dozen countrieas in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. See how your class or club can book a time!
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to keep up with all our activities during the academic year. Each week includes program news, campus events, career and fellowship information, student and faculty spotlights, a postcard from students around the world, and more.