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International Studies Schools and Programs in The United States

76 schools in The United States teach International Studies.

  • Stetson University

    University DeLand, The United States In an official register

    Stetson University is an independent institution of higher learning, established in 1883, operating four colleges and schools across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. The Center for International…

International Studies Studies in The United States

International studies is an interdisciplinary field. It combines political science, economics, history, languages and the study of world regions to explain how countries, markets and societies are connected. In the United States it is taught as a major within a four-year bachelor's degree, as a master's degree at schools of international affairs, and as a research doctorate. SpainExchange lists 76 colleges and universities in the United States under international studies.

How the degree is organised

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. U.S. undergraduate education is based on the liberal arts and sciences: students take courses in many subjects and normally declare their major at the end of the second year. An international studies major then adds core courses, a regional or thematic focus and, in many programmes, foreign-language study and a period abroad. Three schools in this directory show how this works:

  • University of California San Diego: the International Studies Program offers nine B.A. pathways (anthropology, business, economics, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science and sociology), has a language requirement and strongly encourages study abroad for academic credit. A joint bachelor's-master's programme with the School of Global Policy and Strategy leads to a Master of International Affairs
  • University of Washington: the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies lists six undergraduate majors, among them International Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Studies, 19 minors and eight graduate programmes
  • Georgia Institute of Technology: the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, founded in 1990, offers a B.S. in International Affairs, a B.S. in International Affairs and Modern Languages and a B.S. in Economics and International Affairs, with a focus on science and technology

At graduate level, the master's degree usually takes two years. The Jackson School describes its Master of Arts in International Studies as a two-year programme that builds skills in language, research, critical thinking and analysis, and regional expertise. Georgia Tech also offers a five-year combined B.S./M.S. and a PhD in International Affairs, Science, and Technology.

Admission and language

Each institution sets its own requirements. Undergraduate applicants need to have completed high school; master's applicants need a bachelor's degree. Teaching is in English, and universities require an English proficiency test before admission. EducationUSA, the U.S. Department of State's advising network, recommends starting the search 12 to 18 months before the academic year.

International students need an F student visa for a full degree. They must first be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), whose international student office issues the Form I-20 for the visa application.

Costs

Tuition is set by each institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average tuition and fees at four-year institutions in 2022-23 were $9,800 at public institutions and $40,700 at private non-profit institutions. The public figure is the in-state rate, so international students should check the non-resident rate of each university. Starting at a community college is cheaper: public two-year colleges charged $4,000 on average in 2022-23, and students can complete a bachelor's degree with two years of community college followed by two years at a university.

Where to study international studies

The schools are spread across the country: no city in this directory has more than two. Dayton has Wright State University and the University of Dayton, and Atlanta has Spelman College and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Other examples are the University of Washington in Seattle, the University of California San Diego in La Jolla, The University of California at Berkeley, The Ohio State University in Columbus, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Duke University in Durham, Yale University in New Haven and Fordham University in New York. The Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey is a graduate school in this field, and community colleges such as Laramie County Community College are also listed.

Recognition

International studies is not a regulated profession, so there is no licence or professional accreditation to look for. What counts is the accreditation of the institution: recognition of credits and degrees by other universities and by employers is linked to it. There is no official ranking of U.S. universities. Among professional schools in the field, the Jackson School states that it is a founding member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA).

Careers

Graduates work in government, international organisations, non-profit organisations, companies and research. The Jackson School, for example, says its alumni can be found at the U.S. Department of State, UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and companies such as Amazon and Starbucks.

The degree does not lead to one single occupation, so official statistics cover only parts of the field. For political scientists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports about 6,100 jobs in 2025, 68% of them in the federal government. A master's degree is the typical entry requirement. BLS projects a 2% decline in employment from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 openings a year.

Frequently asked questions

Is international studies a bachelor's or a master's degree in the United States?

Both. Undergraduates take it as a major within a four-year bachelor's degree, and schools of international affairs offer master's degrees that usually take two years, as well as doctorates.

Do I need to study a foreign language?

Often, yes. The International Studies Program at UC San Diego has a language requirement, and the University of Washington's master's degree includes language skills. Check the requirements of each programme.

Can I combine international studies with another subject?

Yes. At UC San Diego the major is built around one of nine disciplines, such as economics, political science or business, and Georgia Tech combines international affairs with economics or modern languages.