<p>BPhil can be thought of as a more advanced BS. It is the undergraduate equivalent of a PhD, as it requires a original research component. I don’t think you are required to stay a summer to get a BPhil, although depending on your field they may recommend summer field programs, and that may be helpful to do that depending on the research needed to be completed in a particular field. The BPhil requires a thesis and its defense (to a private board of honors college faculty). You probably have to take some honors level courses as well. However, I don’t think it is particularly difficult to turn multiple years of undergraduate research into a thesis if you doing that research anyway. (see [here](<a href=“http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/bphil/index.html]here[/url]”>http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/bphil/index.html)</a>) </p>
<p>The IS BPhil is an undergraduate degree, but it is a special program just through the honors college in collaboration with the Center for International Studies, so its completion has the same additional requirements as any other honors college BPhil, but I believe it would provide much better training than a standard IS BS at another school. You probably have found it, but there is more about the program [here[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Pitt’s Center for International Studies coordinates programs among all study areas, and all the schools and departments, throughout the university in a multidisciplinary approach to multiple topics. For a non-honors, undergraduate program in that would include international topics, you would choose a major in a school or department and complement that with a certificate program(s) from Pitt’s Center for International Studies. For instance, something like the Global Studies program certificate, which is a collaborative program between the Center and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and focuses on topical specializations in international studies…e.g. health, conflict resolution, sustainability, etc. If you were interested particularly in Asian business, you’d probably want to a certificate in Asian Studies with an undergrad business major. Operating as a Center, instead of a single program, allows it to pull in resources from all over the university…all the schools, centers and departments: like language departments, education, health sciences, business, history, political science, economics, along with the national resource centers in Latin American, Asian, Russian, and East & West European studies, among others. For undergrads it also provides special housing in the International Studies Living and Learning Communities and coordinates study abroad and research/fellowship opportunities. That may make it more confusing, so I would highly recommend contact the UCIS and asking questions (see contact info at the bottom of the page [url=<a href=“http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/main/index.html]here[/url]”>http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/main/index.html]here](<a href=“http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/bphil/bphil-ias.html]here[/url”>http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/bphil/bphil-ias.html)</a>)</p>