International Studies (A.A.)
Associate in Arts
Program Advisor: Lois Cooper
413-236-4615 • lcooper@berkshirecc.edu
The International Studies concentration is designed for students wishing to have increased global awareness, including those intending to transfer to a baccalaureate institution to pursue a major in a field with an international component. Related majors at the baccalaureate level include anthropology, area studies, business, communications, economics, fine arts, history, journalism, law and politics.
This is a MassTransfer eligible program.
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- Understand the cultures, histories and/or politics of the countries they have studied;
- Make connections in the study of international affairs in a multidisciplinary fashion;
- Make informed comparisons between their own country and countries of the international community;
- Continue their studies in upper division courses in a bachelor’s degree program; and
- Use a foreign language with a proficiency equivalent to at least the first year of college language study.
Graduation Requirements
To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program and general education credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.
Program Courses
| ECO-150 | World Economy | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
-
| | |
ENG-
| Literature | 3 |
-
| Foreign Language | 8 |
-
| Free Electives | 7 |
-
| International Studies Electives (see options below) | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Literature: See footnote 1
Foreign Language: See footnote 2
General Education Courses
| ANT-101 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
COM-
| Communication | 3 |
ENG-
| English Composition/Writing | 6 |
ENG-
| Literature | 3 |
| GEO-125 | World Geography | 3 |
-
| | |
| HIS-113 | Western Civ to 1500 | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HIS-121 | World History to 1500 | 3 |
-
| | |
| HIS-114 | Western Civilization Since 1500 | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HIS-122 | World History Since 1500 | 3 |
-
| | |
MAT-
| Mathematics | 3 |
-
| Environmental Studies | 1 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 7 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 35 |
COM Communication: See footnote 3
ENG Literature: See footnote 1
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 3
Environmental Studies: See footnote 5
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 5
Additional Requirements
| Core Competencies Portfolio |
4 items |
| Forum |
4 units |
| Health/Fitness |
30 hours |
| Minimum Cumulative Average Overall |
2.000 |
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
The following is a suggestion for completing this program in two years. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
-
| Foreign Language | 4 |
| ANT-101 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
COM-
| Communication | 3 |
ENG-
| English Composition/Writing | 3 |
-
| | |
| HIS-113 | Western Civ to 1500 | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HIS-121 | World History to 1500 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Foreign Language: See Footnote 2
COM Communication: See Footnote 2
Second Semester
-
| Foreign Language | 4 |
ENG-
| English Composition/Writing | 3 |
GEO -
| Geography | 3 |
-
| | |
| HIS-114 | Western Civilization Since 1500 | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HIS-122 | World History Since 1500 | 3 |
-
| | |
MAT-
| Mathematics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Foreign Language: See footnote 2
MAT Mathematics: See footnote 4
Third Semester
| ECO-150 | World Economy | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
-
| | |
ENG-
| Literature | 3 |
-
| Free Elective | 3 |
-
| International Studies Elective (see options below) | 3 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
ENG Literature: See footnote 1
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 5
Fourth Semester
-
| Free Elective | 4 |
-
| International Studies Elective (see options below) | 3 |
ENG-
| Literature | 3 |
-
| Environmental Studies | 1 |
-
| Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14 |
ENG Literature: See footnote 1
Environmental Studies: See footnote 5
Natural or Physical Science: See footnote 5
Options for International Studies Electives
The professional concentration/electives, shown below, should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor and should be consistent with career goals:
International Studies Electives
| ECO-212 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
ENG-204
| Literature of Peace and War | 3 |
| ENG-221 | Literature of Western Civilization I | 3 |
| ENG-222 | Literature of Western Civilization II | 3 |
| ENG-297 | Special Topics in Literature | 3 |
| FAS-171 | Pre-Renaissance Art History | 3 |
| FAS-172 | Renaissance to Modern Art History | 3 |
| FAS-173 | Twentieth Century Art History | 3 |
| HIS-113 | Western Civ to 1500 | 3 |
| HIS-114 | Western Civilization Since 1500 | 3 |
| HIS-121 | World History to 1500 | 3 |
| HIS-122 | World History Since 1500 | 3 |
| HIS-225 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
HIS-232
| The World Since 1945 | 3 |
| HIS-238 | History of the Holocaust | 3 |
HON-298C
| 17th Century: Emergence of Modern World | 3 |
| MUS-225 | Music History I | 3 |
MUS-226
| Music History II | 3 |
| PHL-105 | World Security and Sustainability | 3 |
SPA-
| Spanish | 4 |
| THR-111 | History of Theatre and Drama I | 3 |
| THR-112 | History of Theatre and Drama II | 3 |
Footnotes
- One ENG literature course must be chosen from ENG-204, ENG-221, ENG-222, or ENG-297 with an international focus.
- Candidates for the International Studies Concentration must attain first-year college proficiency in a foreign language. Most students achieve this with one year of study at BCC earning eight credits. However, students with sufficient background may meet all or part of the requirement through the CLEP examination and then complete more elective credits to meet the required 62-credit total for this degree.
- COM-104, Intro to Interpersonal Communication, is recommended.
- MAT-123, Elementary Statistics, is recommended.
- The Natural or Physical Science requirement must be fulfilled by one 4-credit laboratory science and one-three credit non-laboratory science or by two 4-credit laboratory sciences. Completion of an environmentally focused laboratory science, such as BIO-109, BIO-110, ENV-101, ENV-102, fulfills both the Natural or Physical Science and the Environmental Studies