International Studies
This award is not eligible for Financial Aid
The Academic Certificate (AC) in International Studies program will provide students the opportunity to broaden their horizons and their understanding of our increasingly interdependent global society. The Certificate approaches broad cultural issues and includes a strong emphasis on world politics and religions. It also includes developing proficiency in cross-cultural communications and the capacity to navigate world cultures. Proficiency in a modern language is also an integral part of the Certificate.
Details
Field of Interest
Culture and Society
Degree Type
Academic Certificate (AC)
Academic Plan
International Studies (CER)
Academic Plan Code
6213N
Total credits required
12-13
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2014
Admission criteria
None
Notes
This program is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Study abroad credit may replace courses identified as electives with the approval of the Program Director or Department Chairperson.
What You'll Learn
- Describe the influence of world religions on social, economic, and political developments.
- Describe similarities and differences among the beliefs, traditions, and practices of major world religions.
- Delineate the historical development of interstate relations and the place of the nation-state in that development while describing relevant issues such as national security, war, economic integration, trade, etc.
- Distinguish, define, and depict the chief characteristics of the three levels of analysis--individual, state, and international systems--and the method of arriving at policy choice decisions.
- Describe the differences between policy-making framework and motives inherent in the approaches of realism versus idealism.
- Differentiate and make connections between economic and political issues and questions that affect world politics, and list the various analytical and theoretical positions used to explain world politics.
- Describe the issue of change in the international environment and those forces that may initiate their change, including the distinction between an international current event and a current international issue.
- Describe the differences in political economic terms among neomercantilism, liberalism, and socialism.
- Distinguish comparative methodologies developed to compare various political systems of government, including unitary, federal, and confederal government models.
- Compare the election practices in a selected democratic or open society with those of a non-democratic or closed society.
- Compare and contrast open and closed nations relative to the organization of their executive systems and relative to the operational characteristics of their representative assemblies.
- List major components of justice found in open societies, and state how they differ from practices of justice in closed societies.
Career statistics
Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Political Scientists
$96,820 Show expanded career information for Political Scientists
* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG101 or ENG107 or CRE101 |
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL or College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment. | FYC or FYC or L | 3 |
Term 2
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REL100 | World Religions | G, HU | 3 | ||
| POS120 or POS140 |
International Relations or Comparative Government | G, SB or G, SB | 3 | ||
| POS210 | Political Ideologies | SB | 3 |
Program Electives
| Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASB102 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | G, SB | 3 | ||
| HIS102 | History of Western Civilization 1789 to Present | G, H, HU, SB | 3 | ||
| SPH245 | Hispanic Heritage in the Southwest | C, HU | 3 | ||
| FRE+++ | |||||
| ITA+++ | |||||
| JPN+++ | |||||
| NAV+++ | |||||
| SPA+++ | 3-4 | ||||
| Restricted Electives for a Total of 3-4 Credits. | |||||
Course Area Key
- C = Cultural Diversity in the US
- FYC = First Year Composition
- G = Global Awareness
- H = Historical Awareness
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
This certificate is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm?id=78791).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.