New major added in international affairs

Pitt-Bradford is launching a new interdisciplinary major in international affairs to prepare students for the increasingly multicultural, globalized world.

The major will blend a strong foundation in political science and economics with foreign language and an understanding of foreign cultures, art and literature.

Students will also be required to study abroad and encouraged to participate in applied service-learning, internships or research.

Dr. Helma de Vries-Jordan, assistant professor of political science, is the director of the new program, which is now available.

She developed the proposal for the international affairs program along with faculty in several academic divisions: Behavioral and Social Sciences; Management and Education; and Communication and the Arts. The purpose of the program is to prepare students for careers and graduate study in international affairs and related disciplines.

According to de Vries-Jordan, “The international affairs major helps prepare students for leadership, scholarship, and service in an increasingly multicultural, globalized world.”

Students studying international affairs may be interested in careers and graduate study in fields such as international affairs, international relations, comparative politics, public policy, diplomacy, global environmental policy, human rights, international law and organization, international business, international political economy, international development, peace and conflict resolution, international service, and international humanitarian relief.

Further, students may pursue employment with the government, intergovernmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, the domestic nonprofit sector, social services, business, consulting firms, think tanks, and educational institutions.

Although students within the major are required to take a large number of credits, many of them also count for the university's general education requirements, giving students adequate flexibility to add a secondary major or a minor.

History and political science, economics, and business management are expected to be popular secondary majors.

Similarly, international studies; political science; economics; international business; gender, sexuality, and women's studies; and Spanish are expected to be popular minors. Students will be able to study languages such as Spanish, French, or Mandarin on campus, and they can also study a wide range of foreign languages during study abroad experiences.

Students studying abroad will have access to the University of Pittsburgh's extensive network of study abroad programs.

The proposal for the new international affairs major was endorsed by the dean of the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, who indicated that the new major, which happens to be the first undergraduate international affairs major offered in the Pitt system, could position Pitt-Bradford to be a leader with the broader university. Further, the curriculum of the new major will prepare students to compete successfully for graduate school admission and entry-level jobs related to international affairs.

For more information on the major, contact de Vries-Jordan at hdevries@pitt.edu or 814-362-7586.