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Student Resources

Accelerated Paths

Students majoring in International Studies can apply to participate in accelerated paths into the following UNF graduate programs:

  • Master of Arts in History
  • Master of Social Work
  • Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

These paths allow students to take a variable number of graduate courses while still in the undergraduate program, and if successful in those courses, apply to the respective graduate program through an expedited process and potentially complete that program in less time. For more information on each path, see the information and instructions about accelerated pathways on the website of the UNF Graduate School. As explained under "Process" on that page, you should speak with your undergraduate academic advisor to apply.

Careers

Finding Direction 

Career Services is the primary resource on campus for International Studies students looking to explore professional directions. Career Counselors are available to meet individually with students to help them discuss their interests and identify potential professional directions. This can involve helping you to assess and better understand your own talents and skills. For more information, contact Vivian Senior, associate director. 

Those interested in conducting preliminary research on their own may find the following online tools to be helpful:

  • Global Jax (for local information) 
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Dept. of Labor (provides data related to specific careers, such as average salary and growth rates),
  • O*Net OnLine (will allow you to search for career types using keywords, and provides data by geographical area, including video clips about career types and current job openings. 

Other links are available on the Career Services website.

The faculty members who serve on the International Studies Advisory Committee are also available to discuss career paths within their disciplinary areas.

The UNF Pre-Law Program can advise students interested in careers in the legal field. 

Searching for Jobs and Interviewing

Students must realize that prospective employers will examine what you have posted on social media. You need to make sure you are protecting your image online. Career Services is also the first place to go on campus when looking for help in securing employment. They assist students in areas such as the following:

  • creating and refining resumes;
  • drafting cover letters;
  • searching for jobs;
  • using social media as part of a job search; and
  • preparing to meet potential employers, by conducting mock interviews and providing guidance on etiquette and proper attire. 

Career Services organizes job fairs and recruiting events at which students can connect with potential employers. See their website for more information.

Courses

The program of study for the major in International Studies lists all courses that can count for the major and minor.

Documents that indicate which courses are offered on a semester-by-semester basis are found on the Course List page of the International Studies Program Canvas site.

Double Majors/Dual Degrees

Students can combine International Studies with other programs  of study by double-majoring (combining the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with another Bachelor of Arts program) or pursuing dual degrees (combining the BA in International Studies with another degree, such as a BS) is also a possibility. The director of International Studies is available to work with students, academic advisors and other disciplinary programs to explore possibilities for such combinations.  As explained in the UNF Undergraduate Catalog, a student can double-count up to 18 hours between the major in International Studies and other programs of study — majors, minors, or graduate-level programs (for those enrolled in our accelerated paths).

 

Note the following:

  • Students who are double-majoring or pursuing dual degrees are not required to complete a minor, and may be able to count some courses toward both majors/degrees.
  • Credits that students have earned through accelerated mechanisms, such as AP, IB, CLEP or dual enrollment, do not count toward the total number of hours (generally 120, but not always) used in calculating financial aid awards or the excess credit hours surcharge. 
  • The statewide policy on excess credit hours provides special allowances for students pursuing double-majors or dual degrees.

Students should consult with their academic advisor and/or contact a One-Stop Student Services coordinator for individualized guidance on these matters.

Graduate School

Graduate Programs at UNF

UNF offers a variety of graduate programs that may be of interest to those in the International Studies major. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

For more information on any of these programs, please contact The Graduate School.

Graduate work at UNF may cost less than you think. Visit the Tuition and Fees website.

Programs at Other Institutions

Career Services can assist you in identifying programs at other universities.

The UNF Pre-Law Program can provide advice regarding the LSAT and the law school application process. 

Timeline for Applications 

If you intend to begin graduate studies the fall after you finish your undergraduate degree, keep in mind the following general timeline:

  • Junior year: begin researching
  • Summer before senior year: schedule campus visits
  • August of senior year: take the GRE/GMAT
  • September of senior year: register for another GRE/GMAT if necessary
  • October of senior year: request transcripts, and make contact with those writing recommendation letter
  • November of senior year: proofread your personal statement, and make sure all scores have been sent to the school
  • December of senior year: complete and submit all applications and keep an accurate record

Be aware that financial awards such as teaching and research assistanceships are in many cases only available to students applying during the regular admissions cycle (to begin during a fall semester).

 

Honors in the Major

The Honors in the Major in the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies is available by application to students who seek to enhance their undergraduate experience and document a high level of achievement in this interdisciplinary degree program.

To earn honors in International Studies, students whose applications are approved must fulfill the requirements of the major with a 3.4 GPA in their major courses, must earn a minimum grade of B in INS4930 International Studies Senior Research Seminar, and must complete at least three experiences that fall within the following categories:

  • internships undertaken for academic credit through the International Studies Program (or through other programs, pending approval by the director of International Studies);
  • study abroad experiences that entail at least 6 hours of academic credit (generally UNF semester-long exchanges or faculty-led summer semester programs);
  • graduate-level courses, 
  • completion of a second major in any field; and
  • research supervised by a faculty member in the context of a directed independent study (subject to the International Studies Program's policy on directed independent studies).

A student may count multiple activities within any of the first three categories--in other words, a student could do multiple internships, qualifying study abroad experiences or graduate-level courses. Only one directed independent study will be counted, however. 

 Additional options may be available, in consultation with the director of the International Studies Program.

As each of the categories stated above involves an activity that bears at least three hours of credit, the minimum number of hours associated with Honors in the Major for International Studies will generally be nine. In most cases, however, these will not represent additional hours, as internships, study abroad coursework, directed independent studies and relevant graduate-level coursework, if planned properly, can all count as elective coursework for the major. A student enrolled in an accelerated path from the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies into a UNF graduate program can count any graduate courses taken as part of that path toward this requirement, and in some cases, may fulfill the requirements stated herein by default through their participation in that accelerated path.

A student who completes these requirements will have Honors in the Major noted on their transcript and diploma. For further information and/or to apply, please contact the director of the International Studies Program. At the time of application, a student must have completed, or be currently enrolled in, INS3003 Introduction to International Studies.

This language above approved by the UNF Faculty Association in December 2019. The phrase in bold was added in Abril 2020, by approval of the Advisory Committee to the International Studies Program and the Hicks Honors College.

The application for Honors in the Major, along with a form for documentation your completion of requirements, are available on the Forms page of the International Studies Program Canvas site.

Internships

Students in International Studies may pursue internships, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Internships that have an international focus and are undertaken for credit can, with approval of the director of International Studies, be used to satisfy the International Educational Experience requirement (see Policies).

For examples, consult the list of internships undertaken by International Studies majors in recent years located in the International Studies Program Canvas site.

Receiving Academic Credit

International Studies students can receive credit for internships through various academic departments, as well as through the International Studies Program itself. For information, see Policies.

Financial Assistance

The sources of funding listed on the Study Abroad page of this website generally may also be used to support internships abroad that are undertaken for credit. For assistance, contact the International Center.

Registering for and Completing INS3950 International Educational Experience

If you are using an internship to fulfill the International Educational Experience requirement, you must register for the 0-credit course INS3950 for the semester in which you will be doing your internship. See Policies.

Finding and Applying

Opportunities in Jacksonville and North Florida

  • The International Studies Program has relationships with refugee resettlement and youth programs operated by Lutheran Social Services and Catholic Charities. Students who seek interning with these programs should contact the director of the International Studies Program.
  • Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens offers unpaid internships.
  • The Northeast Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross accepts interns. Contact the director of International Studies. 
  • International Studies students have interned in the past with the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville.
  • GlobalJax has internship programs focused on marketing and communications and government relations. Contact the director of International Studies.
  • The director of International Studies can help students to explore other possibilities for internships in North Florida.

Opportunities elsewhere in Florida

  • Students looking to do internships within Florida may consider working with one of the foreign consulates located in the state. Those include the Colombian, Haitian and Mexican consulates in Orlando; those of Greece, Panama and Peru in Tampa; and the over 30 consulates in Miami, many of which correspond to nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Opportunities elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad

  • UNF has a relationship with the Washington Center, which helps students to find internships and lodging in Washington, DC. The State of Florida provides financial assistance to students who are selected to participate. 
  • The Department of State has an internship program with in-person and virtual opportunities, based in the US and overseas.
  • The FBI, the CIA, and other federal agencies have programs for interns.
  • The International Center can provide assistance to students looking for other internships outside the US.

Other resources

  • The Department of Political Science and Public Administration maintains a list of internship opportunities in Jacksonville and elsewhere in Florida, as well as in Washington, DC, and New York City. They can assist students in International Studies to identify and apply. 
  • Career Services can help students research internship opportunities, and can also assist in preparing a resume and other materials needed for a successful application. 

Research Internships

On occasion, current International Studies students and recent graduates from the Program have pursued internships as research assistants—either for credit or as volunteers—to UNF faculty on specific projects. This is not a common arrangement, but one that can, under certain circumstances, be beneficial both to faculty members and to students who are interested in gaining experience and building their resumes as they prepare for graduate school. For more information, contact the director of International Studies.

A Note on Timing 

For some opportunities, such as those with the Department of State, the deadlines can be far in advance (more than 6 months) of start dates. If you want to do an internship, therefore, you should begin planning as early as possible. If you wait until your last few semesters at UNF, you may be too late to take advantage of some opportunities. Many larger, institutional internship programs are only available to current, registered students.

Programs of Study

Major

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies is an interdisciplinary degree that enables students to better understand today’s world and prepares them for graduate study and employment in a broad range of professional fields.

Students in this major complete an International Educational Experience, consisting of a study abroad program, an internship overseas, or an internship with an international focus in the United States. International Studies majors must study a foreign language through the Intermediate II level or demonstrate equivalent proficiency, and are encouraged to minor or double major in a foreign language. A student who combines International Studies with another major may be able to double–count some courses toward the completion of both programs of study.

For complete details, see the full program of study in the UNF Undergraduate Catalog.

 

Minor 

UNF also offers a minor in International Studies, consisting of three required courses and two elective courses.

Study Abroad

Options

In fulfillment of the International Educational Experience requirement, students may participate in:

  • short-term programs led by UNF faculty, or
  • semester-long programs at institutions with which UNF maintains exchange agreements. 

Subject to approval by the director of International Studies, students may also:

  • enroll as transient students in study abroad programs run by other colleges and universities in the United States (including programs offered by other Florida institutions, through the Florida Shines program); 
  • enroll directly as foreign students universities outside the US; 
  • participate in programs coordinated by third-party study-abroad providers (who generally charge significant fees); or
  • pursue an internship with an international focus, in the US or abroad.

For more information, see the section "International Educational Experience Requirement" on Policies.

The International Center can assist students interested in all types of study abroad opportunities.

Approvals

In order to have your study abroad experience fulfill the International Educational Experience requirement for International Studies, you must register for the 0-credit course INS3950 during the semester in which you will be studying abroad. For details, see the section "Registering for and Completing INS3950" on Policies. 

Funding

SAILS

SAILS is the primary sources of funding available to International Studies students for study abroad.

The Student Affairs International Learning Scholarship (SAILS) offers $1,500 for short-term (10 weeks or fewer) and $2,500 for long-term (more than 10 weeks) experiences abroad. There are three deadlines per year (for the fall, spring and summer semesters). The International Center offers workshops to help students prepare high-quality applications, which is key to securing this funding. SAILS is generously funded by the University, and assists a significant number of students each year to study abroad.

Other Funding Sources

  • The James Van Vleck Study Abroad Scholarship is made possible through the generosity of local philanthropist and honorary UNF alumnus Mr. James Van Vleck. This scholarship is awarded annually to one student majoring or minoring in International Studies. For more information, contact the director of the International Studies Program.
  • The Gray Study Abroad Scholarship offers awards of up to $2,000 to a small number of students majoring or minoring in Art History, English, Fine Arts, French Studies, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, or Spanish. Applications are due in the fall semester (generally early November).
  • The Falloon Study Abroad Scholarship offers an award of $1,000 annually to one student in a major within the College of Arts and Sciences, to study in a country where English is not the primary language. 
  • The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville sponsors the annual Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Scholarship Program, which makes merit-based awards to help undergraduate and graduate students in the local area study abroad or undertake internships outside the U.S.
  • The International Center maintains a list of other study abroad scholarships. 
  • Separate funding for study abroad is available to students enrolled in the Hicks Honors College. Contact the Honors College for information.
  • A student's regular financial aid should generally be applicable when paying for coursework taught by UNF professors as part of faculty-led programs. The same applies to students participating in UNF exchange programs, who pay their tuition at UNF, not at the host institution. For clarification on a case-by-case basis, please consult with a One-Stop Student Services coordinator. The International Center can also provide assistance.

Coordinating with the One-Stop

If you are planning a study abroad experience, you are strongly encouraged to call or email One-Stop Student Services to make an appointment to meet with the Office of Student Financial Aid to discuss how your plans may impact your financial aid situation, particularly with regard to Cost of Attendance limitations and minimum credit-hour enrollment requirements. This is especially important if you plan on applying for, or have been awarded, any study abroad scholarships which are paid out through the accounts of participating students as financial aid, and are thus subject to Cost of Attendance limitations, as well as possibly other restrictions.

Be prepared to explain at this meeting the specifics of your trip, including start and end dates, the number of credit hours in which you'll be enrolling, the type of experience (UNF faculty-led, UNF exchange, third-party provider or direct enrollment at a foreign institution) and the dollar amounts of any sizable expenses involved, including, most importantly, the cost of your airfare. If you are participating in a faculty-led trip for which airfare or other large expenses are included in the program fee, you may need to consult with your faculty leader to determine those amounts before meeting with the Office of Financial Aid.

Please realize that financial aid calculations are based on a variety of factors that will differ between any two given students, and it is critical that you personally review your own circumstances in consultation with the Office of Financial Aid.

The director of the International Studies Program cannot provide assistance on specific matters related to the financial aid situation of individual students, but he is available to provide general guidance as needed.

Language Coursework Abroad

This section does not apply to students participating in summer programs led by UNF faculty who teach French and Spanish.

Students who intend to do foreign language coursework abroad, or to take literature or culture courses that they would like to apply to UNF programs of study in foreign languages (the minor in Chinese, French or Spanish, or the majors in French and Francophone Studies and Spanish) or International Studies must contact Dr. McCarl, director of International Studies, prior to registering for such coursework.

If that coursework involves languages others than Chinese, French or Spanish, and the student plans to apply that language coursework to the Foreign Language Requirement for International Studies, the student must also complete the following document on the Forms page of the International Studies Program Canvas Site: "Request for Permission to Fulfill International Studies Language Requirement with a Language Other than Chinese, French or Spanish." Students who begin language study abroad in a language other than Chinese, French and Spanish (which are consistently taught thought the intermediate level at UNF) will need to make their own arrangements to finish coursework through Intermediate II in that language at an institution or institutions other than UNF, and have the respective credits transferred back. 

Students should be aware that when pursuing language study at many non-UNF programs abroad, they will be asked to take a placement test upon arrival. If a student places at a lower level than they anticipated, they may be placed into courses that do not match those mapped out prior to departure on the concurrent enrollment/use of credits form. This may, in turn, impact how courses are brought back as transfer credits and counted (or not counted) toward requirements for major or minor programs of study at UNF.

Students seeking to receive academic credit at UNF for language coursework completed abroad should be aware that such credit can only be earned through coursework undertaken at (or through) universities or other institutions of higher learning, in the US or abroad, that can provide an academic transcript. Credit cannot be awarded for courses taken at language schools or academies, including those run by governmental entities.