International Studies - Political Science

Division of Business, Communication, and Sport

Division Dean: Stephen R. McClung, Ph.D.

Department Chair: Gerald Seals, M.A., M.Div., D.Div., Ph.D.

Interdisciplinary Faculty:

Sarah Bryant, Ph.D., Professor of Business Administration
Gregory Cole, Ph.D., Professor of Spanish
Jesse Scott, Ph.D., Professor of History 
Timothy G. Elston, Associate Professor of History
Dennis Lambries, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Political Science
Gerald Seals, M.A., M.Div., D.Div., Ph.D.,  Associate Professor of Business Administration
Matthew Kidder, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Business Administration

The International Studies program is dedicated to educating students to be at home in the world of the 21st century taking advantage of the college’s extensive history with host countries situated in Europe and South America. To this end, students investigate global structures (cultural, economic, environmental, health, legal, and political) that promise, with varying degrees of success, to serve as common bases for worldwide human interaction. Through interdisciplinary instruction, language training, overseas education, and internship opportunities, this program prepares students for occupations in both the public and private sectors. Courses are selected from a variety of disciplines including the arts, sciences, languages, social sciences, humanities, and the professions. Successful completion of a May Term travel abroad course is mandatory for students born or naturalized within the U.S. This program also encourages international students to develop a deeper understanding of global society through a pre-approved international experience.

The curriculum is divided into:

(1) core courses,
(2) areas of concentration,
(3) internship/study away options, and
(4) a capstone paper.

The core courses provide students with an interdisciplinary perspective on the global society and the issues that face the world. The area of concentration explores the common theme of international relationships in Business Administration, Foreign Language, or Political Science. Students select an area of concentration (Business Administration, Foreign Language, or Political Science) which gives them the content knowledge and skills to understand and analyze global society. The internship/study away option is designed to immerse the student in a reality-based international experience. This requirement must be pre-approved by the student’s major area advisor. The capstone paper allows the student to analyze a complex global issue in the area of concentration. The program includes a 6-hour foreign language requirement that may be satisfied by taking Spanish at Newberry College or by taking another language at an accredited college.