NEWS
The IS website will soon contain an area specifically for advising information. Until then, please see the information below including FAQ and curriculum summaries by catalog year.
Advising
A number of resources are available for student advising, and the appropriate advisor will depend on a student’s specific needs. The International Studies program generally deals with the degree requirements specific to the INTL major and minor, while advisors at the college of Arts and Sciences handle more general issues. Academic Programs Abroad is responsible for study abroad issues, while Career Services can assist you in finding internships and preparing for your post graduate career. The table below summarizes the primary responsibilities of each of these offices.
Where to go:
International Studies
Associate Director
Dr. Pallavi Rastogi
(intlstud@lsu.edu)
* Degree substitutions
* Approval of PACE forms
* Course equivalence for transfer students (INTL rubric courses only.)
Arts and Sciences Student Services
119 Hodges Hall
578-3141
* Declare or change a major, minor or concentration
* Change catalog year
* Waive A&S residency requirements
* Appeal of General Education requirements
Academic Programs Abroad
106 Hatcher Hall
578-6801
* advice on programs abroad
* application to study abroad
* transfer of credit from study abroad (in conjunction with Office of Admissions)
Career Services
B4 Coates Hall
578-1548
* career advising
* job search strategies
* internship opportunities
* suspend TOPS for full time internship (see Career Services office of Experiential Education 578-1548)
International Studies FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):
The Degree Audit:
What is a Degree Audit?
How do I get a copy of my Degree Audit?
What if PAWS says my Degree Audit “could not be found”?
What if PAWS says my Degree Audit was “too long to display”?
Catalog Year:
What is a Catalog Year?
What is my Catalog Year?
Should I change my Catalog Year?
Degree requirements:
What are the requirements for the International Studies Major?
Can a course apply to more than one requirement?
What if a course is not on the list of General Education courses?
Can I substitute a course for one of my International Studies requirements?
The Degree Audit
What is a Degree Audit?
The Degree Audit is the output from a computer program which compares the requirements for your degree(s) at LSU with the list of courses you have taken, and are currently enrolled in. The Degree Audit indicates which requirements you have already met, and identifies those courses which will apply to each of your degree requirements. The degree audit is the primary tool to determine whether you have met the requirements for the International Studies major or minor.
How do I get a copy of my Degree Audit?
You can view your Degree Audit from your PAWS account. Click on the “Degree Audit” link under the “Student Services” menu. The output from your PAWS interface is color coded with unmet requirements highlighted in red, partially met requirements in yellow, and completed requirements in gray. You can also ask the Student Services in Arts and Sciences to print out a hard copy of your Degree Audit for you. (Student Services is located at 119 Hodges Hall, 578-3141)
(More information on the PAWS version of the degree audit is available from the GROK knowledge base url=http://grok.lsu.edu/Categories.aspx?parentCategoryId=661)
What if PAWS says my Degree Audit “could not be found”.
If you have declared the INTL major, but have not chosen a concentration, then PAWS will not know which Degree Audit to display. You should declare a concentration as early as possible to make sure your coursework will apply to your major.
What if PAWS says my Degree Audit was “too long to display”?
This is a problem with the PAWS interface for some Degree Audits, particularly if they involve minors or double majors. If you get this error message, you will need to ask an Arts and Sciences counselor to print out your Degree Audit for you.
Catalog Year
What is a Catalog Year?
Students are generally expected to meet the degree requirements which were in force during the academic year they first enrolled at LSU. Thus a student enrolling is the Fall of 2008 should follow the requirements printed in the 2008-2009 LSU General Catalog. If the degree requirements change while you are enrolled at LSU, you may elect to follow a newer set of requirements. This is called changing your Catalog Year.
Should I change my Catalog Year?
Students who enrolled at LSU before 2008 are required to have more credit hours (128 vs. 120) and to take 2 additional hours of science labs. These students may find it simpler to meet the new degree requirements. However, some students, particularly those with a second major, or with a concentration in Africa and the Middle East, may find it more difficult to graduate under the new requirements. If you choose to change your catalog year, you must request this change from the counseling office of the college of Arts and Sciences.
Degree requirements:
What are the requirements for the International Studies Major?
Because the degree requirements do change over time, you should consult the LSU General Catalog for your Catalog Year to identify the requirements for the International Studies major which apply to you. Note that there are three distinct types of requirements. General Education requirements are university wide requirements which apply to all students at LSU, and ensure a basic competence in math and writing, as well as a breadth of coursework across the arts, sciences, and humanities. General Education requirements are established by the LSU Faculty Senate. The College of Arts and Sciences has another set of degree requirements including minimum coursework in residence in the college and basic competence in a foreign language. The International Studies program has another set of degree requirements which include a set of 4 foundation courses in Anthropology, Geography, History, and Political Science, the two core International Studies courses (3001 and 4003), coursework in a primary and a secondary area of concentration, and a foreign language requirement.
Can a course apply to more than one requirement?
That depends. And a course cannot be used to meet two General Education requirements or to meet two International Studies major requirements. However, a course which is used to meet requirements for the International Studies major can often also be used to meet General Education requirements.
For example, students will take HIST 1007 as one of their International Studies foundation courses. This course can also count towards the General Education humanities requirement.
However, HNRS 2000 “Critical Analysis” can count either as a General Education humanities course, or as a General Education social science course, but not as both. Likewise, FREN 3080 “French Culture and Civilization” can count either towards the International Studies language requirement, or towards an International Studies area of concentration in Europe, but not towards both.
Note one important exception regarding foreign language courses. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences cannot apply introductory or intermediate courses in a foreign language to their General Education Humanities requirement. So an INTL major cannot count FREN 2101 or 2102 as a General Education humanities course. However, FREN 2155 or 3080 could count both towards General Education and towards the INTL language requirement.
A final note about double counting courses- courses can only count once towards the total number of credit hours required for the degree (128 or 120 depending on the catalog year). If students apply an unusually large number of International Studies courses to their General Education requirements, they may need to take a few extra elective courses in order to reach the required total number of credit hours.
What if a course is not on the list of General Education courses?
Students may appeal to the General Education Committee of the LSU Faculty Senate for a waiver or substitution of a General Education requirement. Waivers are not likely to be granted. Substitutions are most likely to be granted if they are supported by the department involved. (For example, when asking to substitute a course for a General Education course offered by the Philosophy department, you should obtain a letter of support from that department.) Please allow several months for any appeals of a General Education requirement.
Can I substitute a course for one of my International Studies requirements?
Courses may be substituted for INTL requirements at the discretion of the Associate Director. Students are generally not allowed to make substitutions for the foundational courses (intro Anthropology, Geography, History, and Political Science) and for the International Studies core (INTL 3001 and 4003). Substitutions are more common for the areas of concentration, and generally involve a new course which was created after the student’s catalog year, a special topics course where the topic happens to be relevant to the concentration, or a course taken abroad.
Curriculum Summaries (by catalog year)
A helpful summary and checklist of required courses for the International Studies major according the requirements of your catalog year.
2008-2009 checklist
2007-2008 checklist
2006-2007 checklist
2005-2006 checklist |