Major Advising Page: International Studies
As an international studies (IS) major, studying abroad can enrich your educational experiences and open up future career opportunities. Studying abroad will allow you to further your knowledge of international studies by experiencing the current issues that you are engaging with in the classroom.
Study abroad is a natural combination with the IS major since we expect all students to pursue a significant international experience during their undergraduate career.
As an international studies student, you can study abroad at almost any time in your college career, but there are some important facts to consider. The information below will help in your planning and conversations with an international studies advisor.
Course considerations
International studies advisors will review your study abroad course selections and help you understand how your courses may/may not count toward IS major requirements.
Up to 20 credits from study abroad may count toward your IS major. You may apply study abroad credits towards certain foundational requirements, issues courses, and electives in the major. Study abroad courses need to be international in their content. In addition, international studies is a modern major, so the course content needs to be post-1800s.
At UW-Madison, classes that focus on math, science, or 1st-4th semester language acquisition do not count towards the IS major. Depending on program course offerings, you may progress toward or complete your fifth-semester language requirement while abroad.
There is a 15-credit on-campus requirement for the IS major, meaning that at least 15 credits of your IS major need to be completed on campus at UW-Madison. In addition, you cannot take your track core courses while abroad.
The IS major strongly suggests that you meet with an advisor to review classes before you go abroad. During these meetings, IS major advisors will work with you to fill out the IS Major Study Abroad worksheet, which helps IS advisors keep track of how the classes you take abroad may count toward your IS major. If you have questions while abroad, the IS major advisors are happy to meet with you virtually. Please schedule an appointment via Starfish, or contact an IS major advisor via email.
Map your experience as an
international studies student
There is no “best time” to study abroad; the major is flexible enough that you can study abroad whenever it works “best” for you! International studies majors study abroad in the fall, spring, winter, and summer semesters of their freshman through senior years. The international studies major also encourages students to extend their study experience to include an internship abroad.
If you have multiple majors or certificates, you will ultimately want to determine the best path by consulting with your academic advisors. Please follow the guidelines listed above, consider other factors such as your apartment lease, and work with an IS major advisor to plan your time abroad into your degree plan.
Prospective students
If you plan to major in international studies, please note the three track core courses must be completed at UW-Madison. In addition, the vast majority of students will also complete many of the IS major foundational requirements (e.g., INTL ST 101, Economics Foundations, Historical Foundations, etc) at UW-Madison before going abroad. In general, classes taken abroad will fit into your Issues or Elective credits. Students can also work towards completing their 5th-semester foreign language requirements while abroad.
You should do some research regarding where you would like to study abroad and then meet with an IS major academic advisor to plan out how classes taken abroad will fit with your particular degree path. You can research potential study abroad programs by attending the Study Abroad Fair, using the Program Search on the International Academic Programs (IAP) website, or scheduling a meeting with advisors at IAP.
Ask questions
- What classes must I complete on campus for my degree?
- What breadth/depth requirements do I need to complete? What major requirements do I need to complete?
- What remaining prerequisites must I fulfill, and how will studying abroad impact progress?
- How many credits of electives do I have remaining in my major? Are those advanced/intermediate level or elementary level requirements?
- Are there any in-residence requirements I need to be aware of before I go abroad?
- How should I follow up with you as my study abroad plans are confirmed?
- What do I need to do after I return to make sure the classes taken abroad count for the IS major?
- What classes can I take abroad?
- How and when do I select courses for my program?
- When will I know course equivalents for my program?
- What is the class structure like abroad?
- What skills do careers related to my major require, and how might participating in a particular program help me gain those skills?
- When would be the best time to participate in a program based on my career goals?
- How will participating in a study abroad, study away, or international internship make me stand out?
- Why do I want to study abroad?
- How long do I want to study abroad for — a few weeks, a semester, a year?
- How does studying abroad fit into my academic, personal, and/or professional goals?
- What career skills or proficiencies will I strive to acquire or enhance on my program?
Discover programs that are right for you
The following are programs that may be of interest to you! Durations and courses vary and may count toward electives or degree requirements. If you do not have specific requirements, there’s more flexibility in program type and location.
These opportunities are not an exhaustive list of all programs.
In this section
Semester and academic year programs
Argentina
IFSA Argentina Study Abroad Programs (semester or summer)
Australia
Czech Republic
Denmark
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
England
UW in London (spring semester)
France
- Academic Program in Aix-en-Provence
- UW in Paris (spring semester)
Iceland
Israel
University of Haifa (semester or summer)
Kazakhstan
AC Russian Language and Area Studies Program (semester or summer)
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
USA
UW Wisconsin in Washington, DC Internship Program (semester or summer)
Short-term programs
Argentina
IFSA Argentina Study Abroad Programs (semester or summer)
Denmark
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
India
Israel
University of Haifa (semester or summer)
Kazakhstan
AC Russian Language and Area Studies Program (semester or summer)
Sweden
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
USA
UW Wisconsin in Washington, DC Internship Program (semester or summer)
International Internships
International internships allow you to apply your academic skills to the real world and gain valuable professional experience abroad while earning UW–Madison course credit.
As you consider your academic and professional goals for studying abroad, explore the different internship options, including UW Signature internships, internship-focused programs, part-time internships, or applying for credit for an external internship.
Check with your academic advisor to see if earning credit for your internship abroad can fulfill a major or certificate requirement.
Hear from students in your major
Explore student blogs and reflections to see how your peers have connected international experiences to their studies. Discover real stories about the skills, challenges, and professional insights gained through our programs.
Photo credit: Sakinah Yusuf (England)
Want more information?
Dive deeper into how courses and credits work on our programs, or connect with an advisor to find the best fit for your goals.
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