Policy & Curriculum
(for students who entered UNH before fall 2010)

Permission is required for all IA core courses. Contact CIE for registration details.

IA 401 - International Perspectives: Science, Business, and Politics

• taken no later than the fall of the sophomore year

IA 501 - Global Issues in International Affairs

• taken no later than the spring of the sophomore year
• Pre-requisite – IA 401
• completed before study abroad

IA 701 - Seminar in International Affairs

• capstone senior seminar (usually taken in the spring of the senior year)
• Pre-requisites – IA 401, IA 501, Geography & Foreign Language competencies, & Foreign Experience. Students must be declared IA majors in order to register for IA 701.
• There is an assignment due on the 1st day of class. Check on Blackboard.

IA 555 - Sustainable Development in Costa Rica (optional study abroad)

This optional eight-week, 10-credit program for International Affairs dual majors to explore Costa Rica and take elective courses as they fulfill the World Cultures Discovery/IA study abroad requirement. This summer program was designed especially for those who find it difficult to be abroad for a semester. Students take cutting edge courses in Human Development, Sustainable Tourism, Corporate Social Responsibility, or Spanish for Development Studies. All courses are taught in English except Spanish for Development Studies. Deadline: March 19, 2012.

Students must take four IA electives, one course out of each of the following four groups:

Foreign Area
Science, Technology and Private Sector
Public Policy
Theory in International Affairs

• Complete list of electives (pdf)
• Fall semester electives (pdf)
• J-term 2012 electives (pdf)
• Spring semester electives (pdf)
• Courses used to satisfy International Affairs elective requirements must be from outside the student’s disciplinary major(s). Students pursuing two disciplinary majors in addition to International Affairs may count one of the courses in either disciplinary major as an International Affairs elective.
• For any major with 14 or more required courses (or 56 or more required credit hours), the IA program permits counting a maximum of three courses or 12 credits from the major program as International Affairs electives.
• International Affairs electives may be used to fulfill Gen Ed, honors program, and/or minor requirements.
• Three of the four IA electives must be UNH courses, offered on-campus or by a managed program. Only one elective can be taken at another institution, e.g., while abroad or transferred from another university.
• The Foreign Area elective is taken prior to study abroad and must be approved by the International Affairs advisor as relevant to the country or region where the student will study.

IA majors must demonstrate functional reading, writing, speaking, and listening ability in a foreign language at the advanced college level. Students who are taking a language at UNH that is not offered at the 3rd year level, will be required to satisfy the 600 level IA language requirement by studying a minimum of 8 U.S. semester credits (or the equivalent) at an accredited institution or on an approved study abroad program.

• Foreign language competency requirement can be satisfied through:
  • Completing the study of the chosen language through the 3rd year, 2nd semester (generally this is the 632 level)
  • a grade of C or better in an examination measuring competency in the chosen foreign language, equivalent to that required in the 3rd year, 2nd semester.
• Students who pursue less commonly taught languages such as Arabic, Chinese or Japanese should speak with the Coordinator of Student Programs for a list of resources. For those who choose to study Arabic, it is required that students take the introductory and intermediate level courses at UNH prior to their international experience.
• Foreign language competency must be established before a student may register for IA 701
• Most IA dual majors also graduate with a minor in their foreign language.

    Reference: National Geographic Student Atlas of the World, 3rd edition
    Exam is offered once each semester; date will be announced on Blackboard's
    International Affairs organization and sent to you via email.

The Geography Competency test is administered once every semester.

• The test is graded on a pass/fail basis
• Students are allowed up to three tries to pass the test
• Students must pass the test before they can register for IA 701
• Study Guide (pdf)

Minimum eight weeks of study, directed research, internship, or professional experience in a foreign country.

• done after a student has completed IA 501 & declared IA as their second major
• must be completed before enrollment in IA 701
• plan foreign experience at least one full year before term abroad
• Students interested in directed research may wish to explore the Study Abroad Research Grants available through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, Hood House 209. There is a rolling deadline for applications.
• Students who wish to complete the foreign experience requirement through an internship or professional experience abroad must develop a detailed proposal with the support of a faculty advisor. Proposals should be submitted to the University Committee on International Studies for approval before the middle of the semester prior to the term in which the internship or experience is to occur.