COURSE CURRICULUM

University of Colorado Denver offers a highly flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum in International Studies that allows students to customize their education around personal interests and career goals while developing a strong understanding of global issues, cultures, politics, and international systems. The degree requires 48 credit hours and is designed to maximize student choice by combining courses from multiple academic disciplines. Students begin with five introductory courses that build foundational knowledge in areas such as Foundations of International Studies, Macroeconomics, Global Perspectives, International Relations, Political Systems of the World, Global Communication, and Culture and Human Experience. Students also study regional history courses focused on areas such as Africa, Latin America, East Asia, Europe, Russia, Eastern Europe, Japan, or the Middle East, helping them develop global awareness and cross-cultural understanding. After completing the introductory requirements, students select 10 upper-division elective courses based on their own academic and professional interests. These electives cover a wide variety of international topics including globalization, migration, transnationalism, economic development, international trade and finance, global demography and health, population and resources, international business, world literature, American national security, international marketing, technology and culture, the United Nations in world affairs, arts of Japan, and global communication. The curriculum encourages students to combine perspectives from politics, economics, culture, communication, and business to better understand international challenges and opportunities. Students complete the program with an International Studies Capstone course that focuses on career preparation through résumé development, mock interviews, and professional skill building. In addition to major coursework, students complete the CU Denver Core Curriculum and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences core requirements covering English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, psychology, public health, logic, and scientific reasoning. Some students may also complete foreign language coursework to strengthen international communication skills. Overall, the curriculum prepares graduates for careers in diplomacy, international business, public policy, nonprofit organizations, communication, global development, and government while developing leadership, critical thinking, and intercultural understanding.