The Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Department of International Studies offer a 5-year (3+2) degree program that allows international studies (INTS) majors to enter the Bush School at the start of their senior year at Texas A&M University. This enables students to receive both their international studies undergraduate degree (B.A.) and a Master of International Affairs (MIA) graduate degree in five years.
Description | Core Required | MIA Required | Admissions | Curriculum | Advising
Description
To be considered for the 3+2 degree program, international studies students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and have completed 102 of the 120 hours of course work required to receive a bachelor’s degree. These courses must include all of the specific prerequisites for a Bachelor of Arts in international studies (within the politics and diplomacy emphasis track), as well as the courses required by the College of Liberal Arts and Texas A&M for an undergraduate degree. The INTS experience abroad requirement must also be completed prior to enrollment.
International Studies Bachelor of Arts
Texas A&M Core = 51 hours
- ENGL 104 (3 hrs).
- Communications (3 hrs).
- Mathematics (6 hrs).
- Life and Physical Sciences (9 hrs).
- Creative Arts (3 hrs).
- Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 hrs).
- Literature (6 hrs).
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hrs).
- American History (6 hrs).
- U.S. Government (6 hrs).
INTS B.A. Requirements (pre-Bush enroll) =51 hours
- INTS Core (9 hrs of 15) to include INTS 201, 205 (3x) and an INTS 400 level writing intensive course.
- Foreign Language levels 1-4 (20 hrs).
- International Politics and Diplomacy track (6 hrs of 18).*
- General electives (7hrs).
- Geographic Area Studies from one of the following: (9 hrs)
- Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America or Middle East North Africa.
Bush School’s MIA First-year
Up to 18 hours* can double count for INTS undergrad credit.
- INTS Core:
- INTA 606 (3 hrs).
- INTS 481 (3 hrs).
- International Politics and Diplomacy track:
- BUSH 631 (3 hrs).
- INTA 605 and 608 (6 hrs).
- INTA approved elective (3 hrs).
MIA Degree Requirements
Admitted students will be enrolled in Bush School graduate courses with an undergraduate classification (U4) during their fourth year and will be re-classified as degree-seeking master’s students (G7) prior to the start of the fall semester of year five.
Five-year students are required to complete the same two-year, 48-hour curriculum as other MIA students. The curriculum includes six core courses (18 hrs), at least two concentration areas of three courses each (18 hrs), and four elective courses or an additional concentration (12 hrs). An internship or an intensive language/cultural study for those without professional experience is completed in the summer between the fourth and fifth years. A capstone project for a real world client in the final semester caps the learning experience. Additionally, native English speakers must pass an oral exam demonstrating proficiency in one foreign language before graduation.
Admissions
International studies majors who have at least a 3.5 GPA and who will have taken all of their prerequisite courses and otherwise completed 102 hours by the fall of their fourth year (meaning you have the summer before entry to complete any required hours) will be eligible to apply for the 3+2 program in their junior year. Admission criteria for the 3+2 program will be the same as for other students. Applicants will submit the same support materials with the exception of an internal 3+2 application found on the Bush School website; this is in place of the GradCAS application and portal, so no application fee is charged. Detailed application instructions are found online.
Students who choose not to finish the MIA degree after being admitted to the 3+2 program may exit the program at any time. Completed Bush School courses will be applied to their bachelor’s degree in international studies, as appropriate. Failure to complete the MIA will in no way impede their ability to attain a bachelor’s degree when the requirements for that degree are completed.
Those who pursue the 3+2 program will receive both Texas A&M degrees upon completion of the entire program, earning a Bachelor of Arts in international studies and a Master of International Affairs at the end of their second year in the Bush School. Although they earn both degrees, students will only walk for their MIA graduation.
Curriculum
Fourth Year
Semesters I & II
- BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods I.**
- INTA 606: International Politics in Theory and Practice.*
- INTA 608: Fundamentals of the Global Economy.**
- Track Requirement:
- IDEP: BUSH 635: Quantitative Methods II, Policy Analysis.
- NSD: INTA 605: American Foreign Policy since WWII.**
- Two approved INTA electives.**
- Two approved electives.+
Summer
- Internship or intensive language study.
Fifth Year
Semester III
- Four approved electives or study abroad.+
Semester IV
- INTA 670: Capstone Seminar.
- Three approved electives.+
*Denotes GBS course that could double count as INTS Core.
**Denotes GBS course that could double-count as IPD track course.
+Elective courses must complete two required MIA concentrations, with one tied to the NSD track.
NOTE: INTS 400-level courses will be limited to the fourth year only. Students typically take INTS 481 in the fall of their fourth year to complete their senior thesis. The second 400-level INTS required course is taken care of by a Bush School INTA elective.
Advising
Advising for the 3+2 program is coordinated by the Department of International Studies for undergraduate and the Bush School for graduate courses. Departmental advising helps ensure that interested students have satisfied the prerequisite course requirements for the bachelor’s degree and have set aside relevant INTS courses by the start of their senior year.
INTS advisors:
Daniella Stratta, Sarah Borden, and Lizette Medrano: intsadvising@tamu.edu
You may also contact the Bush School for admissions information and curriculum advising:
- Kathryn or Ashlee, Recruitment & Admissions, bushschooladmissions@tamu.edu, 862-3476 for overview.
- Peg Hosea, INTA administrative coordinator, plhosea@tamu.edu, 458-2276 for degree specifics follow-up.
