University of Sydney Handbooks - 2016 Archive

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International and Global Studies

The International and Global Studies program is based in the School of Social and Political Sciences (SSPS), located in the RC Mills Building. It includes majors from other areas in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the University of Sydney Business School.

Program structure and content

The Bachelor of International and Global Studies is three years full time; four years full time (honours).

The ability and skills to interpret and operate effectively in an increasingly integrated world are critical to graduates' success in a range of professional fields. Accordingly, the University of Sydney has redeveloped this degree to give students interested in a range of disciplines a way to focus their studies on international and global perspectives. The degree consolidates the University's position as a leading institution for the study of international and global issues within the humanities and social sciences.

In recognition of the range of internationally focused career paths that students may wish to follow, this degree provides students with increased flexibility to reach across a range of subjects in their chosen areas of interest.

Students undertake a core of degree-specific units of study as well as specialisation in their chosen disciplines.

The degree-specific units give students access to a range of academic disciplinary approaches, emphasising the inherently inter-disciplinary nature of the subject area. In first year this includes the perspective of politics, sociology, political economy and anthropology. In addition, students complete a core major, with the choice of focusing on any of the above disciplines, an area studies or international business. Combined, the core ensures that students have both an inter-disciplinary perspective and a strong foundation within a conventionally-defined discipline. This provides a strong foundation for employment or a range of postgraduate programs.

Students can complement their core major by studying another of the core disciplines or choose from a wider range of discipline areas within the University. This provides the opportunity to add a second language, but students can look to disciplines elsewhere in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or in other faculties, subject to meeting entry requirements.

Degree requirements

The requirements for the Bachelor of International and Global Studies include 24 credit points of compulsory degree-specific units of study and completion of a core major. The major can be chosen from the following list of subjects:

  • American Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Arab World, Islam and the Middle East
  • Asian Studies
  • European Studies
  • Government and International Relations
  • History
  • International Business
  • Political Economy
  • Sociology.

A second major or elective units of study may be chosen from any one of the above mentioned subject areas, or from Table A or B as listed in this handbook (if International Business is undertaken as a core major, a second major from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Table A) must also be completed).

Foreign language requirement

Students are required to study a minimum of 18 credit points in a single language other than English as part of the degree.

Study abroad

A minimum of 12 credit points taken in an approved exchange program at a university outside Australia is a requirement of this degree. There is some financial assistance available to assist students with their travel.

Pathway through the degree
Sample Pathway
First Year S1

INGS1001

Junior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Junior LANGUAGE unit Junior Elective unit
S2

INGS1002

Junior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Junior LANGUAGE unit Junior Elective unit
Second Year S1

INGS2601

Senior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Senior LANGUAGE unit Senior Elective unit
S2

Senior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit

Senior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Senior Elective unit Senior Elective unit
Third Year

S1

Exchange

Senior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Senior COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Senior Elective unit Senior Elective unit
S2

INGS3601

Senior-advanced (3000 level) COMPULSORY MAJOR unit Senior Elective unit Senior Elective unit
Honours

An honours year may be undertaken in any of the departments listed under the compulsory major. It is available to students who have successfully completed the pass degree and honours prerequisites at a standard determined by the relevant department.

Please note: from 2015 the minimum requirement for entry into Honours will increase to an average of 70 percent or above across 48 senior credit points in the intended subject area/s.

Contact/further information

Further information is available from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Office in the Quadrangle A14, ph: +61 2 9351 6673, or email

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