International & Global Studies
If you choose international and global studies at Central College, you’ll gain a springboard to careers in many fields. Our students become international representatives, ambassadors, teachers and more.
This program combines many disciplines — you’ll explore changing forces of globalization and develop understanding of historical and contemporary world issues. Central’s program encourages cross-cultural sensitivity by emphasizing the interrelatedness of cultural, societal, linguistic, political, economic, environmental and aesthetic issues in our world. You’ll choose your own focus area—a specific geographic region or a custom focus, like global studies, international relations, cultural studies, global environment, political or economic development.
The Central Difference
Facilities
The Weller Center for Business and International Studies houses faculty offices and classrooms for the department of economics, accounting and management, department of sociology and anthropology and department of modern languages. The $3.9-million building completed in 1999 includes state-of-the-art technologies, a 24-hour computer lab on the main floor and eight high-tech classrooms, two of which contain student computers.
The center has a 26-station interactive computer language lab, which can be used by classes and individual students to supplement traditional methods of language learning — teachers can organize a variety of conversational activities such as telephone, conference groups and written chat groups. The system allows for use of both digital and analog sound recordings for student listening activities and recording the voices of multiple students at one time.
Adventures Unlimited
French and econ double major Cody Bock ’17 takes an international route toward making people’s lives better.
Off-Campus Experiences
Central students can study off-campus — both internationally or domestically in the United States. These opportunities give students the chance to prepare to be global citizens, equipped to compete in the global job market. Students can check out experiences led by Central faculty or attend select academic programs across the world that provide opportunities for study, service, internships and other types of experiential learning. Options include experiences in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Central America, Ghana, England, the Scottish Highlands and more.
Beyond Central
Putting the “Hire” in Higher Education
- English teacher and translator, Idiomas Milagros, Leon, Spain
- Family development specialist, Hispanic Educational Resources, Des Moines
- Program director, Reading Is Fundamental, Austin, Texas
- U.S. Embassy employee, Beijing and Chongqing
- English First representative, Urumuchi, China
- Ambassador to Niger, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
Beatriz Mate-Kodjo ’11 Receives Alumni Leadership Award
Beatriz Mate-Kodjo ’11 was named the 2023 Engaged Campus Award for Alumni Leadership by Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact.
Organizations
No matter what your interests are, Central has a student group or organization for you.
- Culture Club
- Coalition for Multicultural Campus (CMCC)
Graduate Placement
Students go on to graduate school in a number of fields, studying language, culture, government, education and more.
- Latin American studies, University of New Mexico
Internships
International studies students also gain experience through internships that prepare them for future employment or entrance into graduate school.
Courses & Faculty
All students in international and global students work closely with a faculty advisor to design their course of study. In addition, students are encouraged to gain proficiency in a foreign language and study abroad for at least one semester.
Learn more about this discipline in the course catalog.
Learn More
Want to find out more about International & Global Studies at Central? Contact us to learn more about this discipline and our other strong academic programs.
Visit campus to observe classes and experience The Central Difference firsthand.
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