Hello, I was accepted into the International Studies major as a transfer for next year. It wasn’t really on my radar at Irvine, so I was hoping to hear some opinions on how the major’s designed, opportunities like study abroad, professors, etc.
I appreciate anything you can offer.
I graduated from UCI’s International studies program 2 years ago, so I can give you some of my thoughts.
The major itself is really flexible in terms of the upper division courses you can take. There’s no set list of required classes for upper divs, and you can take these abroad. In fact studying abroad is one of the requirements. I was able to go abroad 3 times during my undergrad and although you are a transfer, you can definitely still apply. The study abroad center is a great resource for that.
In terms of international opportunities on campus, there really isn’t any and I think this is due to the fact that it’s located in the suburbs. However, there are a lot of international students on campus and clubs you can join to interact with the schoo’ls global community.
I’d say the best part about being in this major was the fact that it was so easy to find classes abroad that were transferable to your degree requirements.
As for professors, it all depends on which class you take. However. I recommend taking all international related classes abroad. If you’re interested in taking a class on Japanese history, why not take it in Japan?
@Chikara Thank you for your response, it’s very insightful. May I ask what you did post-grad? Is it a career in a relatable field or have you continued your education?
So far everything I hear gets me more and more excited and grateful for this admittance.
Hi Lamorra. After graduating, I went on to do my Masters in urban planning. I love UCI so much that I actually stayed here for graduate school!
I think going abroad narrowed down what I wanted to do as a career. My goal is to work on urban planning projects in developing countries and I believe continuing my education in urban planning along with my BA in International Studies would bring me one step closer.
Here’s a link to the UCs study abroad website if you’re interested in researching your options right now: