International Studies Program

Varner Hall, Room 217
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(248) 370-2154

Director: Paul Kubicek (Political Science)

Africa and African-American Studies: Getnet Bekele (History), DeWitt Dykes (History), Matthew Fails (Political Science), Mark Stone (Music, Theatre and Dance).

Chinese Studies: Hsiang-Hua (Melanie) Chang (Chinese), Alan Epstein (Political Science), Yan Li (History), Mingming Liu (Chinese), Chiaoning Su (Journalism)

Japanese Studies: Stephen Filler (Japanese), Robert del Greco (Japanese)

Latin American Studies: Henri Gooren (Anthropology), Aldona Pobutsky (Spanish), Cecilia Saenz-Roby (Spanish), Elizabeth Shesko (History)

Middle Eastern Studies: Paul Kubicek (Political Science), Laura K. Landolt (Political Science), Weldon C. Matthews (History)

Russian and East European Studies: Cristian Cantir (Political Science), Paul Kubicek (Political Science)

Drawing on faculty from various disciplines, the International Studies Programs offers for general education a variety of interdisciplinary courses that introduce students to the civilizations of seven world areas outside of North America and Western Europe: China, Japan, Africa, India, Latin America, Russia and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In these courses, students will explore various aspects of these civilizations: art, government, history, language, literature, music, religion and social organization. Also offered are major and minor programs that focus on these world areas. Its major programs include Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, and Latin American Studies. Its minor programs include African and African-American Studies, Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Russia and Eastern European Studies, and South Asian Studies.

Departmental Honors

Honors are available to outstanding students in the majors. A GPA of 3.60 or higher in courses credited to the major is required. Because basic language courses at the 1000 and 2000 level are not counted toward the total number of credits for the major, such courses may not be figured into the GPA for departmental honors. Qualified students may apply for honors at the start of the semester in which they will graduate. For more specific information, students should contact the International Studies Program, 521 Varner Hall, (248) 370-2154.

Study Abroad Opportunities

The following are some of the study abroad opportunities offered through the International Studies Program or the Office of International Education. Visit the International Education website for additional information.

Student Exchange Program, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan. Two-semester program. One year of Japanese language required. Courses taught in English. Housing with Japanese family. Coordinator: Professor Stephen Filler, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 375 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2070, filler@oakland.edu.

Japan Center for Michigan Universities, Hikone, Shiga, Japan. Two-semester program. No language proficiency required. Courses taught in English. Housing in Center’s dormitory. Coordinator: Professor Stephen Filler, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 375 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2070, filler@oakland.edu.

Macerata and Siena, Italy, Study Abroad Program. One-semester and two-semester programs. No language proficiency required. Courses taught in English. Housing with Italian family. Contact: Alex Zimmerman, International Education, 160 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-2889.

Segovia, Spain, Study Abroad Program. Fall, winter or summer program. Two years of college-level Spanish required. Courses taught in Spanish. Housing with Spanish family. Contact: Alex Zimmerman, International Education, 160 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-2889.

Student Exchange Program, University of Orléans, Orléans, France. One-semester or two-semester program. Two years of college-level French required. Courses taught in French. Housing prior to start of class and holidays with a French family; otherwise, in university dormitory. Coordinator: Jennifer Law-Sullivan, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 366 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2080, law@oakland.edu.

Student Exchange Program, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany. One-semester or two-semester program. Two years of college-level German required. Courses taught in German. Housing in university dormitory, shared flat with other students, or room in private house near University. Buddy Program with German students. Coordinator: Anja Wieden, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 358 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2071, widen@oakland.edu.

Chinese Language and Culture Program at the China Foreign Affairs University, Beijing. Intensive 5-week language and culture study offered periodically in May and June. Beginning and intermediate level Chinese language courses taught in Chinese; culture courses taught in English. Culmination of program is a one-week tour of historic sites in Northern and Southern China. Housing in college’s international guest house/dormitory on campus. Coordinator: Mingming Liu, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 354 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2050, mingmingliu@oakland.edu.

British Studies at Oxford, Oxford University, Oxford, England. One four-week session in July. No foreign language proficiency required. Courses taught in English. Housing in college’s private rooms. Coordinator: Alex Zimmerman, International Education, 160 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-2889.

For specifics about any of these programs (minimum GPA requirement, if any, course offerings, costs, faculty and other eligibility requirements), the student should contact the individual program.

Schedule of classes

Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes.