International Studies

If you would like to travel or work with people from other countries, consider a major or minor in one of the degree programs offered by International Studies. Students preparing for careers in international business, government agencies (e.g., State Department), non-governmental organizations, education, public health, journalism, the music industry, social work, or travel and hospitality will find our programs especially useful. Our programs in African, Asian, European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern Studies make ideal second majors or minors and compliment the Global Development Studies and International Studies GE Pathways.

International Studies programs are interdisciplinary, designed to promote understanding of history, culture, and contemporary social, political, and economic issues. You will study with experts across the campus in departments like Foreign Languages and Literatures, Anthropology, Art History, Geography, History, and Political Science. You will have the flexibility to emphasize those aspects of a region or culture that most interest you. International Studies majors are very strongly encouraged to study abroad for a semester or a year, and program coordinators make every effort to apply the courses that you take abroad to your degree program.

African Studies offers a minor in the second largest and most diverse continent of the world. Optional study abroad programs in Ghana and South Africa provide students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience with African development.

Asian Studies offers a major and a minor that focus on South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Students may pursue special interests in one area while taking core courses that ensure breadth of knowledge. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of several study abroad options in China, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Latin American Studies offers a robust major that includes language study in Spanish and Portuguese as well as coursework in anthropology, art history, geography, history and literature. Students can fulfill many degree requirements while studying abroad in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, or Mexico.

The European Studies minor provides students majoring in a social science, humanities, or a professional degree program with an interdisciplinary perspective on European history, politics, economics, and culture. CSU, Chico offers more than two dozen semester- and year-long study abroad programs in Europe, and returning students often choose this minor to compliment their majors. 

Middle Eastern Studies focuses on a region that is the cradle of several of the world's major religions—including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism—and has played a pivotal role in human culture and history. The region also has strategic importance and is key to understanding U.S. foreign policy and contemporary world events.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Study abroad exposes you to experiences and perspectives that you won't get in the US and can strengthen your résumé, especially as globalization makes international experience more attractive to employers. Students who choose to study abroad often report that their experience overseas was the highlight of their University career.

The CSU system has an International Program with a number of study abroad centers throughout the world. CSU, Chico also belongs to the University Study Abroad Consortium, which offers more than forty programs in five continents. Students who qualify for financial aid may apply it to study abroad programs. For information, please visit the Study Abroad office on the fourth floor of the Student Services Center or consult with the relevant International Studies coordinator.

Graduate Program

The MA in Teaching International Languages is a 36-unit interdisciplinary program that focuses on the study of languages and cultures as an integral part of a world-class education in a global society. Designed to develop knowledgeable, reflective, inquiry-oriented professionals, the program offers language studies patterns in teaching foreign languages and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Coursework addresses linguistic, literary, cultural, and educational theory and research, and its practical applications in the effective teaching and learning of international languages. For more information please inquire in the School of Education.