International Studies Major Map
Use this major map to explore possibilities and plan for success in five overlapping areas of career and academics.
Choose your year below, then see what you can do when you:
- Learn. Develop the knowledge and skills to complete your major.
- Engage. Contribute to campus and the community.
- Network. Build a foundation of professional connections.
- Transform. Make a positive impact in a diverse world.
- Prepare. Plan for life after graduation.
The map just offers suggestions - you don’t have to do it all.
Learn: What foundational courses should I be taking?
- 100 and 200 levels of Arabic, French, German or Spanish. If you have placed higher due to your background, keep taking the appropriate level, don´t stop courses in language
- Start picking your professional track
- Take the pre-reqs for the upper level courses in your track, so you can start taking more advanced, interesting courses
Engage: What kinds of activities and organizations can I explore?
- Join Talent Gateway - UM-Dearborn’s online community where you can complete challenges, earn points, and connect experiences with courses and professional goals.
- Check out all the opportunities offered by the Office of Student Life.
- Participate in First Year Programs, offered through the Office of Student Life
- Meet with a First Year Experience Librarian to learn about Mardigian Library resources
Network: What are important topics in my field?
- Visit your professor’s office hours to introduce yourself
- Join a professional organization related to your major
- Visit Mardigian Library to explore endless resources and librarian support
- Familiarize yourself with the organizations and companies related to your field in Metro Detroit
Transform: What are the challenges and the strengths in my community?
- Attend a local meeting of your community board
- Explore the EIC and sign up for one of their community or university activities
- Visit Mexicantown and Dearborn to connect with local stakeholders
- Visit German companies that are located in the Detroit Metro area
- Explore the French influence and history of Detroit
Prepare: What are the career options for people with my major?
- Start building your CV - your academic resume
- Explore career options in your field to learn about requirements and expectations
- There are four major areas: Communications, Government, Business, Human Service
Learn: How do I build on foundational courses?
- Join La Mezcla, the Spanish club, or the Arabic Tea hour, or many of the events that the French and German disciplines organize
- Integrate language in your life
- Read in that language about things you like
- Listen to the music you enjoy in the foreign language
- Watch your favorite show in that language
Engage: What activities and organizations will help me develop professional skills?
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Join a major-specific club or any of a number of Student Organizations on campus
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Join Globally United Students Association (GUS)
Network: How do I connect with faculty and students with similar interests?
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Submit one of your best papers or projects to the Meeting of Minds Undergraduate Conference
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Attend department colloquium and other research talks on campus
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Attend research talks at UM-Ann Arbor, Wayne State, or Oakland University
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Contact directly other students in peer institutions
Transform: What are the challenges and strengths of the Detroit Metro area?
- Volunteer for a campus or community organization
- Become a Diversity Ambassador or participate in a Conversation on Race
- Volunteer with the communities that you have connections with through your major, language concentration, and professional track
Prepare: What resources are available on campus to help me develop the professional skills I will need?
- Develop your “academic toolkit” through numerous Seeds of Success workshops through the Office of Student Life.
- Meet with your professors to discuss your skills and possible career options
- Find out about internships and whether your job qualifies for credit
- Visit the Campus Writing Center
Learn: How do I gain expertise in my major?
- Approach professors and your advisor
- Start attending meetings and career fairs
- Interact with all materials related to your major that you come across
- Meet seniors and ask them about their post-graduation plans
Engage: How can I grow as a leader on campus?
- Consider running for Student Government or a leadership position in a campus organization
- Be a leader in your area
- Volunteer at the Foreign Language Lab to use your language skills
- Create events on campus related to your professional track
- Involve your professors in your learning, not only in the classroom
Network: How can I broaden my professional relationships?
- Connect with alumni through the 30-Minute Mentors Program
- Establish a LinkedIn profile to connect with UM-Dearborn alumni or to join industry-related LinkedIn Groups that hire students
- Submit your best paper or research to an undergraduate student journal
Transform: How can I prepare to effectively solve local and global challenges?
- Visit the Office of International Affairs to plan and register for a Study Abroad course
- Diversify your perspective - take a course outside your major
- Use Mardigian Library resources to learn more about real world problems and solutions
- Go outside your comfort zone - experience how different communities in the area live, work and play
Prepare: What practical things should I do to further my career options?
- Schedule a visit to the Office of Career Services.
- Work an internship into your schedule to gain professional experience
- Make an appointment with the director of the international studies program: Jorge González del Pozo
- Get a certificate in global engagement
Learn: How do I finish strong?
- Embrace learning as part of your life-long activities
- Keep your curiosity at the highest level possible
- Explore local and global matters and how they intersect
- Find relationships between your world and the concepts-subjects-field that you are studying
- Ask questions
Engage: How can I mentor others to be leaders on campus?
- Become a peer tutor in the CASL Writing Center
- Create a new club or student organization
- Become a tutor in the Foreign Language Lab
Network: How can I demonstrate my readiness for the next steps?
- Submit your best paper for the Campus Writing Center Awards
- Make sure your applications for graduate or professional schools are complete
- Network with alumni in careers of interest
- Request letters of recommendation from faculty
- Get a certificate in global engagement
Transform: How can I add to the strengths of my community, the region, and the world?
- Contribute to global learning initiatives on campus
- Add a minor or certificate program to your degree.
- Consider spending the summer volunteering with a government agency or nonprofit
Prepare: How do I make the best use of university resources to launch my professional next steps?
- Apply to jobs, consider furthering your education, or make plans for new adventures
- Visit Career Services for advice with job searching and interviewing, resumes, and graduate school applications
- Explore possible graduate program opportunities at UM-Dearborn
COMMUNICATION
- Foreign correspondent
- Journalist
- Translator
- Public relations
GOVERNMENT
- Overseas service officer
- Intelligence researcher
- Customs officer
- United Nations member
BUSINESS
- Export/Import agent or sales manager
- International banking
- Consultant/Cross cultural relations
- International sales representative
HUMAN SERVICE
- Affirmative action officer
- Philanthropic foundation administrator
- Teacher/Bilingual education, ESL
- Social worker
Use the map on the interior portion of this brochure to review possibilities and plan for success in the five areas listed - Learn, Engage, Network, Transform, Prepare. The map gives options so you can select what best matches your interests and goals. Start thinking about your future now and build a path throughout your UM-Dearborn career that will prepare you for success.
College is a time for discovering your passions–figuring out who you are and what drives you. UM-Dearborn offers more than 100 majors and minors, so you can find a program that is right for you. We are committed to cultivating a campus community that acknowledges our similarities and celebrates our differences. On campus you’ll find a range of support services and offices that provide the programs you need to be successful both academically and personally.