East Tennessee State University will offer a new undergraduate degree major in international affairs beginning with the fall semester.Established through the ETSU Department of Political Science, the new program will provide students with insight into and an understanding of international and global affairs.

The international affairs major will help students meet the challenge of living and working in an ever-smaller world and prepare them for employment opportunities in local, state and federal government, with non-governmental organizations and in businesses that may be locally owned but whose marketing and production is progressively more global.

The major will also provide preparation for graduate work in an assortment of areas, such as political science, law, international business and international studies.

The ETSU international affairs major is the only one of its kind offered in East Tennessee and is a reflection of the university’s emphasis on the globalization of its curriculum and its increasing links to schools in other countries.

“We are providing a unique opportunity for students who want to pursue a career in international affairs,” notes Dr. Weixing Chen, chair of the ETSU Department of Political Science.

Completion of the program requires 33 credit hours of international affairs courses in a degree program totaling 120 semester hours.

Available classes include comparative politics, world politics, international relations, and international law and organizations.

Other courses provide information on the international political economy; peace, security and development; American foreign policy; and international economics.

Students can choose to examine the history and culture of Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe or the Middle East, and they may opt to study abroad for academic credit.

Through the use of existing faculty and resources, the new program will not require additional funding.

For further information, contact Chen at (423) 439-6632 or chen@etsu.edu.

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