Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [International Affairs] From Skidmore College

Students majoring in International Affairs must also successfully complete another approved minor, major (strongly recommended), or regional concentration to provide depth of knowledge in a discipline or geographic region of the world. In consultation with the IA director, students propose a coherent course of study, which provides both breadth through coursework on international issues from different disciplines and depth through coursework in a region or a specific disciplinary or interdisciplinary area of study. The individual student is free to select any specific minor, major, or regional concentration that best fits the student's personal interests and educational objectives, but must present a coherent proposal of courses and clearly argued rationale for the minor, major, or regional concentration for approval by the IA director and, if necessary, the IA steering committee. The major culminates with an approved capstone experience that allows the student to synthesize the course of study and serves as the basis for further work in the IA senior seminar.

Skidmore's International Affairs Program draws on the expertise of faculty from a broad array of academic disciplines. International Affairs majors are also encouraged to study abroad in order to learn about the world beyond the borders of the United States, recognize their own cultural biases, and develop skills to communicate with people from other cultures. Studying abroad enables students to gain foreign language proficiency and first-hand experience of the ways different political, economic, and social systems operate.