International Learning
In this section:
- School of Arts and Sciences Departments and Programs
- University Center for International Studies (UCIS)
- Study Abroad
The School of Arts and Sciences offers dynamic, internationally-focused courses and programs with the belief that appreciation of other cultures enhances and strengthens our curriculum and helps prepare our students as global citizens. Below are a few specific opportunities designed to help expand our students' horizons beyond Oakland. Learn more by contacting Study Abroad or a specific department related to your interest, such as the departments of French and Italian, Germanic Languages and Literatures, East Asian Languages and Literatures, Hispanic Languages and Literatures, Slavic Languages and Literatures, or Linguistics.
School of Arts and Sciences Departments and Programs
Through departments that specialize in international cultures, the School of Arts and Sciences provides both required and elective courses pertaining to languages, literatures, histories and contemporary issues of countries and communities from around the world. All Arts and Sciences students are required to take courses in foreign language and cultures as part of their general education requirements. Arts and Sciences majors and minors include programs of study in the following international languages, literatures, and cultures, with less-commonly taught languages, such as Swahili, available through the linguistics department.
| Majors | Minors | Certificates |
|---|---|---|
| Africana Studies | French | German |
| Chinese | German Studies | |
| French | Italian | |
| German | Japanese | |
| Italian | Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian Culture | |
| Japanese | Slovak Studies | |
| Polish | ||
| Russian | ||
| Slavic Studies | ||
| Spanish |
Summer Language Institute, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures
The Summer Language Institute offers students the opportunity to engage in intensive study of a Slavic language and culture during summer sessions. Courses in Russian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovak, Polish, and Ukranian include intensive language study as well as cooking classes, films, lectures, and receptions that complement the classroom. Upon successful completion of intensive language, students may elect to travel abroad for another part of summer in countries such as Bulgaria, Poland, or Russia. For more information, please contact the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at 412-624-5906 or visit its Web site. Scholarships are available.
University Center for International Studies
In addition to majors, minors, and certificates that focus on foreign cultures, School of Arts and Sciences students may complement their major with an international studies certificate offered through the University Center for International Studies (UCIS). A complete listing of UCIS certificates is located in the Declaring a Major section of this handbook. UCIS is home to four internationally recognized area studies centers. Each one has been designated a National Resource Center by the US Department of Education, certifying their status as leading centers of their kind in the United States. The centers include the Asian Studies Center, the Center for Latin American Studies, the Center for Russian and East European Studies, and the Center for West European Studies. In addition, UCIS is home to a European Union Center, one of only fifteen so designated and partially funded by the European Union in the United States. It also operates programs in African Studies and in Global Studies. The Study Abroad Office and the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs round out UCIS component programs. Visit www.ucis.pitt.edu/main/ for more information.
Study Abroad
Under the auspices of the University Center for International Studies, the Study Abroad Office, located on the 8th Floor of the William Pitt Union, helps students choose a course of study in another country for a term, a summer, or a full year. The study abroad staff help students select programs that are most applicable to them and their fields of study. They offer guidance in seeking scholarships or financial aid, obtaining a passport, and health and safety. In partnership with Study Abroad, our own School of Arts and Sciences instructors lead students on the following study abroad programs: Pitt in Italy, Pitt in London, Pitt in China, Pitt in India, Pitt in France, and the Augsburg Program. Please note that Arts and Sciences students must earn their last 30 credits in the School of Arts and Sciences and must have a 2.75 in order to study abroad. Appeals to this policy may be approved by an assistant dean by calling 412-624-6480 and making an appointment. Freshmen are not permitted to study abroad. We recommend that interested students plan to study abroad during their sophomore or junior year. For more information, please visit Study Abroad at 802 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7413.