Ford-Ahmed recalls a trip to Moscow four years ago when students struggled to come up with the funds to travel out of the country. Ford-Ahmed also points out that the option to study abroad is not limited to students in the international studies program. Natsis attributes this interest to the trend toward globalization. To obtain a minor in international studies, the student is required to take an introductory course and three credit hours in a foreign language beyond the 200 level, or pass a foreign language proficiency test issued by the modern foreign language department. Additionally, the student needs nine credit hours from the list of internal studies electives, a list that is approved by the international studies minor committee.
Students also have the option of one to six credit hours of independent study or study abroad.
Natsis, who also serves as a counselor for those interested in the minor, strongly encourages students to study abroad, even if only for a short time. One is a short-term visit. The other is the Study Abroad program, which is typically a semester or a year in length. WVSC offers many opportunities for short-term study abroad throughout the year. Professor Danny Boyd s organization, the Paradise Film Institute, is planning a trip to Venezuela over Spring Break and another trip to Prague is scheduled for May 2000.