BA International Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Programme overview

International Studies is an interdisciplinary major with a broad background in international and transnational political, social, economic, commercial, and environmental affairs, together with a comparative study of politics, economics, security, and culture. The goal is to provide students with the necessary tools to understand global processes in their totality and how they are situated and lived in specific regions. The major provides an integrated program of courses that lays the foundation for professional training in a wide variety of areas.

Faculty: College of Letters & Science | Department: Institute Regional International Studies | Duration: 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: Madison, WI, United States

What you will study

The degree requires 120 credits in total. Courses listed in the requirements include INTL ST 101 Introduction to International Studies; ECON 111 Principles of Economics-Accelerated Treatment; POLI SCI 350 International Political Economy; GEOG 355 Africa, South of the Sahara; GEOG 358 Human Geography of Southeast Asia; HISTORY 139 Introduction to the Modern Middle East.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applies to College of Letters & Science, not specific to this major: How to Get in No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, see Advising & Careers. Courses required to get in Students must be enrolled in or have completed INTL ST 101 prior to declaring the major. GPA requirements to get in None. Credits required to get in None. Other None.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year entry terms: Fall (Early Action and Regular Decision) and Spring. Transfer entry terms: Fall (Priority and Regular Decision) and Spring.

First-year Fall Early Action: application deadline November 1, materials deadline November 9, decision on or before January 31. Fall Regular Decision: application deadline January 15, materials deadline January 22, decision on or before March 31. Spring Regular Decision: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. First-year fall and spring applications open August 1. Early Action is non-binding.

Transfer Fall Priority: application deadline February 1, materials deadline February 16, decision on or before March 31. Fall Regular: application deadline March 1, materials deadline March 15, decision on or before April 30. Spring Regular: application deadline October 1, materials deadline October 15, decision on or before December 31. Fall transfer applications open December 1; spring transfer applications open August 1.

Apply via the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application. The application fee is $80 US and is non-refundable; fee waivers are available for applicants with financial hardship. ACT and SAT scores are optional for students applying for admission through the spring 2028 term (application deadline October 1, 2027).

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