1. PROPOSED PROGRAM TITLE: International Studies Program (Major and Minor) 2. CIP CODE REQUESTED 3. CONTACT PERSON: John Passé-Smith University of Central Arkansas Department of Political Science 201 Donaghey Avenue Conway, AR 72035 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 501.450.5687 4. PROPOSED STARTING DATE: Spring 2007 5. PROGRAM SUMMARY: Program Description: The International Studies Program (Bachelor of Arts degree) is a multi-disciplinary program to be located in the Department of Political Science at the University of Central Arkansas that is intended for students who are interested in studying international topics and problems primarily from a social science perspective. Students are exposed to a variety of courses in the fields of international relations and comparative politics within the discipline of political science, as well as a variety of courses within the disciplines of economics, geography, and history. There is also a foreign language component to the program. Students are required to take courses in at least one second language. Students may choose to pursue either a major or a minor in International Studies. Students who choose to major in International Studies are required to select one of three different concentrations (international politics and diplomacy; international political economy and development ; and regional studies). The concentration in international politics and diplomacy emphasizes the political relations and interactions between and among states in the international system, as well as the behaviors of sub-national groups that operate within states and transnational groups that operate across state boundaries. The concentration in international political economy and development emphasizes the economic relations and interactions between and among states in the international system, including the role of global institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Finally, the concentration in regional studies emphasizes the study of political, economic, and cultural systems within specific regions of the world. 1 Program Costs: Faculty Resources: With the current three fulltime, tenured or tenure-track faculty in the Department of Political Science who currently teach courses in the area of international studies, we do not anticipate the need for additional faculty members for the program at this time. However, we would anticipate that as the university expands and Political Science and the International Studies program expands along with it, it eventually could become necessary to recruit an additional, full-time tenure-track faculty member to help cover the core courses as well as offer electives in important areas (e.g., governments and politics of Asia and the Pacific) that currently are not available in the Department of Political Science. The estimated salary of one additional tenure-track faculty member (based on current levels) would be $46,000 plus benefits. In addition, a start-up cost of $5,000 will be needed for faculty technology such as a laptop computer and printer. Library Resources: An annual budget of $2,000 is requested for the program. Facilities and Equipment: No additional facilities or equipment are needed at this time. Purpose of the Program: The International Studies Program will prepare students to enter into one of many increasingly important and competitive careers in the 21st century, including business, diplomacy, intelligence, and economic development. Students may choose to pursue employment with the United States government, including the State Department, Defense Department, Commerce Department, National Security Agency, and Central Intelligence Agency. Students may also choose to work for an inter-governmental organization (IGO), such as the United Nations, WTO, and Organization of American States. Finally, students may choose to seek a job in the private sector for a multinational corporation (MNC) or a non-governmental organization (NGO). The International Studies Program will also prepare students to enter graduate programs in a variety of disciplines, including business, economics, geography, history, and political science. 6. NEED FOR THE PROGRAM A Survey of Students A survey of students was conducted to determine the level of interest in an International Studies Program. In all 775 students were surveyed by faculty in the Department of Political Science. While this is not a random sample, the respondents represent approximately 7 percent of the entire student body of the University of Central Arkansas. The instrument was delivered by all faculty in nearly all political science classes. Students were assured of anonymity either by 2 the faculty conducting the survey or by the fact that their names were in no way associated with the survey instrument. Of the 775 respondents, 142 (18.3 percent) were political science majors. In terms of class status 32 percent were Freshmen, 33.8 percent were Sophomores, 21 percent were Juniors, and 13 percent were Seniors. The survey instrument included questions on students’ general level of interest in international affairs, the time they spend reading about international affairs, and their interest in the creation of an international studies program. When asked about their interest in international affairs 30.3 percent of the respondents claimed to be “Very Interested” in global affairs. When combining the “Fairly Interested” and “Very Interested” categories, this percentage rises to 73.5. Approximately 22 percent claim to spend between 2 and 4 hours per week reading about global affairs and an additional 11.7 percent spend more than 4 hours per week availing themselves of information on international affairs. These percentages alone are sufficient to demonstrate that there is considerable student interest in an International Studies Program at the University of Central Arkansas. However, when asked directly about their interest in an International Studies major, 104 students responded that they were “Very Interested”. This number rises to 266 when adding in those students who claimed to be “Fairly Interested”. It is important to note that interest in an International Studies Program goes beyond political science majors. While the percentage of political science students claiming that they have an interest in global affairs is more than double the interest rates shown by non-majors (57.7 percent to 24.2 percent), examining the numbers shows that the number of non-majors very interested in global affairs is quite high, 153 (as compared to 82 political science majors). Also, of the 104 students stating that they have an interest in an International Affairs major, 62 of them are not political science majors. This survey of 775 students demonstrates that UCA students are aware of and have an interest in global affairs. They recognize the importance of the global system and politics, and they are interested in an International Studies major. Job Opportunities There is an increasing demand in the United States, including the state of Arkansas, for individuals majoring in International Studies and other multi-disciplinary programs. The proposed B.A. degree in International Studies will provide important skills (writing, speaking, researching, analyzing, and critical thinking) and substantive knowledge for students planning to pursue governmental and non-governmental careers in a number of professional fields including social science, law, business, and education. Specifically, students majoring in International Studies can expect to seek employment as diplomats, congressional/legislative assistants, intelligence analysts, secondary school teachers, university professors, international trade, finance, development specialists, military officers, international lawyers, and other similar positions. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-2005 Edition published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, employment growth projections for the professional fields mentioned above are as follows: Social Science and Related Occupations – the total number of jobs in this field is projected to increase nationwide from 426,000 in 2002 to 512,000 in 2012 (20.1 percent increase). Nearly 3 one-third of the jobs in social science and related occupations are with local, state, and federal governments (128,437 in 2002; 141,949 in 2012). The remaining two-thirds of the jobs are in the non-governmental sectors, including information, finance and insurance, and educational services. Legal Occupations – the total number of jobs in this field is projected to increase nationwide from 1,168,000 in 2002 to 1,357,000 in 2012 (16.2 percent increase). Most of the individuals who are employed in this field are lawyers, judges, legal assistants, and law clerks. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-2005 Edition, “prospective lawyers should develop proficiency in writing and speaking, reading, researching, analyzing, and thinking logically – skills needed to succeed both in law school and in the profession. Regardless of major, a multidisciplinary background is recommended. Courses in English, foreign languages, public speaking, government, philosophy, history, economics, mathematics, and computer science, among others, are useful.” Management, Business, and Financial Occupations – the total number of jobs in this field is projected to increase from 15,501,000 in 2002 to 17,883,000 in 2012 (15.4 percent increase). Education Occupations – the total