The Program

The International Scholars Program Certificate recognizes students who have completed the International Scholars Program (ISP).  ISP is a selective program that provides an academic context for students who plan to spend their junior year studying abroad. The program currently accepts 15 to 20 students each year. It is open to all honors students so long as they are in good academic standing.  Non-honors students with overall GPAs of 3.400 or higher may be considered on a space-available basis. Interested students apply to ISP during their first year and, if accepted, take two preparatory courses as sophomores: seminars in International Issues (Honors 251H) and Cross-Cultural Communication (Honors 252H). Participants then study abroad as juniors for one or two semesters on any IPO approved program. A Cross-Cultural Reentry Seminar (Honors 451H), taken during the senior year, provides the program’s culminating experience.

The certificate requires:

Sophomore-year core curriculum:
Honors 251H (3 credits): International Issues Seminar
Honors 252H (4 credits): Cross-Cultural Preparation Seminar

Junior-year study abroad:
Students must spend at least one semester on an IPO approved study abroad program, though they are encouraged to spend two semesters.

Senior-year core curriculum:
Honors 451H (3 credits): Cross-Cultural Re-Entry Seminar and Project

Supplemental curriculum:
Students must complete three additional courses, each worth 3 credits or more, drawn from the program’s main academic disciplines: international studies or cross-cultural communication (including language study). Students may fulfill this requirement either during their period of study abroad or on campus. Only one of these courses may satisfy a requirement in the primary major.  These supplemental courses must comprise a coherent program related to the student’s academic goals and plans for study abroad.