Center for International Studies

It's All Here

Your passport to a Global Education Experience

University of St. Thomas Houston students with Colosseum in background during study abroad trip to Rome, Italy We aren’t just a study abroad office. We’re home to one of the largest undergraduate programs on campus. You’ll learn about political and economic cultural diversity and how it’s relevant to your future.

Your experience will include:

Coursework
Study Abroad
Club activities and events
Internships
Community work

Meet Some of Our Alumni

"UST gave me the support and guidance I needed to discover who I am today, and more importantly, what I wanted to do with my life."

Flor Dimassi Founder and CEO

GlobalSpeak Translations

"UST professors taught me how to think critically and write clearly. These two skills have opened up more doors than any subject matter expertise."

Thomas Mendez Medical-Legal Partnership Attorney

Texas Children’s Hospital

Sarah Flanagan – Head of Acceptability, Nonconventional Product Line- Total

"UST helped me grow in faith, heart and mind. I believe I can make a difference and I have faith that my steps are being guided in the right direction."

Sandra Flanagan-Lay Head of Acceptability, Nonconventional Product Line

Total

Venol Raymond - Army Veteran – Vets Eligibility Specialist, Harris County Community Services

"UST Professors and students treat each other with respect. It’s a positive, safe learning environment with an outstanding student support system."

Venol Raymond Army Veteran – Eligibility Specialist

Harris County Community Svcs

"The professors in the International Studies department were passionate and pushed me towards achieving my potential. I wouldn't have received the same care anywhere else."

Azeemeh Zaheer Exec. Managing Director/CEO

Naissance Capital Real Estate Ltd.

"It was at UST where I developed a passion for international politics and economics, inspired by professors that helped shape who I am today."

Tomas Garibaldi VP

Bel Air Investment Advisors

"UST prepared me for the real world by challenging my analytical, time management and interpersonal skills. All of them are essential to my career."

Claudia Lopez Downstream Rotational Analyst

Shell

Slide 1: Flor Dimassi – Founder and CEO - GlobalSpeak Translations
Slide 2: Thomas Mendez – Medical-Legal Partnership Attorney – Texas Children’s Hospital
Slide 3: Sarah Flanagan – Head of Acceptability, Nonconventional Product Line- Total
Slide 4: Venol Raymond - Army Veteran – Vets Eligibility Specialist, Harris County Community Services
Slide 5: Naissance Capital Real Estate Ltd.
Slide 6: Tomas Garibaldi - VP – Bel Air Investment Advisors
Slide 7: Claudia Lopez – Downstream Rotational Analyst - Shell

MajorsMajors

B.A. Intl. Studies

Helps you become an informed and active citizen in a global society, preparing you for careers in:

Public service
Teaching
Communications
International public law
Travel and tourism

You can also do this as a joint major with areas like:

Catholic studies
Communication
Political science
Spanish

Available as a major or a minor.

Major Degree Plan Minor Plan

B.A. Intl. Development

Identifies common themes of importance to human development by combining the study of:

Catholic studies
Communication
Political science
Spanish

Additional technical training is provided in business-related fields including:

Accounting
Economics
Finance

Major Degree Plan

Bachelor of International Business

A joint collaboration with UST’s Cameron School of Business.

Helps you be an effective problem solver and decision-maker in a global business context, preparing you for careers in:

Management
Human resources
Labor relations
Banking and finance
Economics
Product and supply chain management
Healthcare administration
Manufacturing

Major Degree Plan Learn More about the Bachelor of International Business program

B.A. Spanish

Spanish is the second most popular language in the United States, spoken by about 40 million people. Houston is one of the top 5 Spanish-speaking U.S. metropolitan areas.

Learning Spanish can open up new doors of opportunity for you in:

Government
Industry and commerce
Travel and tourism
Interpretation/translation
Service and education
Arts, media and entertainment

Available as a major or a minor.

Major Degree Plan Minor Plan

Minors

Minor in International Studies

Includes international studies, politics, intercultural issues and studies of Europe, Latin America, East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

Equips you with better understanding and ability to systematically analyze global politics, cultures and economics.
Through electives, students can deepen their understanding of regions in the world or topics such as diplomacy, conflict, economic and political development and cross-cultural communication.
The IS minor is an important addition to majors in all fields in which graduates will work in diverse communities or teams and/or international partners and settings.

Minor Plan

Minor in Latin American Studies

Includes international studies, political science, Spanish and history classes totaling 18 credit hours.

Helps you develop:

An understanding of the histories, cultures and societies of Latin America
A deeper knowledge of the historical and contemporary interaction of Latin American states and the U.S.
Greater awareness and appreciation of social realities, migration patterns, politics, economics, arts and literature

Prepares you for a career in:

Government
Business
Private industry
Law
Nonprofit organizations
International teaching
Peace Corps
Military service

Minor Plan

Minor in East Asia Studies

Offers you the opportunity to engage in more focused study of the history, cultures, language (Japanese or Mandarin), and current affairs of East Asian states and their relationship with the U.S.

Given the region’s economic, security, and diplomatic importance to the world and the United States, the Federal Government has identified East Asia as a region of critical importance.

Prepares you for a career in:

Federal government
International business
Military and intelligence
Law and politics
Media

Minor Plan

Minor in Spanish

Spanish is the world’s second-most spoken language (after Mandarin Chinese), making the study of Spanish a wise investment of time for anyone looking forward to a future in international business and trade.

Prepares you for a career in:

Education
Local and federal government
Business
Law
Nonprofit and advocacy organizations
Peace Corps

Minor Plan

You can add a 12-hour concentration or certificate to any major program. This is a great opportunity to focus general elective hours toward deeper specialization.

Study AbroadStudy Abroad

University of St. Thomas students in Argentina during study abroad trip

At UST, the world is your laboratory and you’re the researcher living in the experiment.

We provide study abroad programs for all students and you can study abroad as early as your freshman year!

Each year, we host 9 faculty-led group programs, each of which runs about 2-3 weeks. Plus, you can study at partner schools across the globe.

University of St. Thomas students standing in front of Aizuwakamatsu Castle during study abroad trip to Japan

UST students study abroad in Japan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan invited 21 UST undergraduate students to participate in Japan's Friendship Ties program which promotes a people-to-people exchange between Japan and the United States.

As ambassadors, students went on cultural excursions, learned about Japanese culture and the economy, and engaged in discussion with Japanese counterparts.

North America

Main area of focus is Mexico. Experience Mexican life (fiestas, nightlife, etc.) and immerse yourself in local language and culture.

Latin America

We have active student exchange agreements with sister schools in Argentina and Chile – vibrant countries with diverse populations.

Europe

We have sister schools in England, France, Hungary, Ireland and Spain. We’ve also visited Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Asia

Encounter cultures very different from the U.S. We have active student exchange agreements with schools in Japan and Taiwan.

Your SuccessYour Success

The World Revolves Around You With our program, everything happens within one department. Working with your adviser, you’ll be able to tailor your degree. When we write the curriculum, we’re writing it with the flow of the degree in mind. The courses speak to each other. Faculty members know where you’ve been and where you’re going. Everyone moves in a common direction.

In most international studies programs, you’ll take a set number of courses in Political Science, History, Economics, etc. And they’re all separate experiences developed separately from each other that only come together on a degree plan.

This notion that we academics are holed up in our ivory tower – that's dying. We're active, involved in our community and invested in your success.

Dr. Hans Stockton Director, Center for International Studies

Activities

Activities At the Center, your success is defined by more than just academics. We have an active student life to help you sharpen your social skills. Clubs include:

Chinese Culture and Language Association
French Club
International Study Society
Japanese Club
Model United Nations
Political Science
Spanish Club
UNICEF Club

Internships Internships
Presentations Presentations
Events Events

Faculty

Dr. Hans Stockton

Tenured Professor of International Studies; Division Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences & Global Studies; Cullen Trust of Higher Education/ Fayez Sarofim Endowed Chair in International Studies

Associate Professor

Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Slide 1: Dr. Hans Stockton Tenured Professor of International Studies; Division Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences & Global Studies; Cullen Trust of Higher Education/ Fayez Sarofim Endowed Chair in International Studies
Slide 2: Dr. Elizabeth Coscio Associate Professor
Slide 3: Dr. Ulyses Balderas Associate Professor
Slide 4: Mr. Richard Sindelar Assistant Professor
Slide 5: Dr. Yao-Yuan Yeh Associate Professor