Bachelor of Arts in International Studies

at Shorelight Group - University of South Carolina USA

Be a creator in tomorrow's media landscape through filmmaking, video game design, animation, manga, new media and more.

Everywhere you look in our world, you see screens. You're used to movie theaters, television and the web. But the screens around you are proliferating. Walk down the street in any city, and you'll see them. Go into any art gallery, and they are there. We bet there's even a screen in your pocket right now. Someone has to decide what those screens look like ... what they mean. Someone has to make them relevant. Someone needs to make them beautiful.

Whether you're interested in filmmaking, game design, animation, internet art, manga, mobile media or worlds beyond, a degree in media arts at South Carolina will prepare you to be a creator in tomorrow's media landscape. Our students are agile, independent artists who are driving the next wave in media culture. Our facilities and equipment are professional-level, and our curriculum is both practical and intellectually challenging. Our faculty members have screened their work on every continent (yes, even Antarctica), and our graduates are making names for themselves all over the world.  

Socrates believed that the unexamined life is not worth living. Our philosophy department helps students examine the world, especially human practices and institutions, in an effort to gain understanding and wisdom.  

Philosophy majors have a wide range of educational opportunities. The department emphasizes analytical reasoning both for general education and as a preparation for pre-law students.

As a philosophy major, you will work with outstanding faculty members who promote study opportunities both at the university and overseas. You will learn how to reason analytically and develop the ability to argue persuasively. Your courses will promote reflection on either the historical developments in philosophy or ethical values as they relate to business, engineering, morality, politics and social justice. You may also choose to pursue research opportunities in nanotechnology.

Our chemical engineering curriculum provides a strong foundation in the core areas of chemical engineering and prepares you for employment in industry or for graduate school. It integrates the study of engineering, chemistry, physics, computer modelling, health and safety. Optional concentrations allow you to specialize in an area of interest.

 Major subjects included in the chemical engineering curriculum include

• Introduction to Chemical Engineering
• Chemical Process Principles
• Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
• Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics
• Heat-Flow Analysis
• Mass Transfer
• Chemical Engineering Kinetics
• Computer Programming
• Computational Methods for Engineering Applications
• Process Safety, Health, and Loss Prevention?
• Separation Process Design
• Chemical Engineering Laboratories
• Chemical-Process Analysis and Design

• Students will demonstrate a solid base of knowledge in Biology. Subjects such as cell and molecular biology, genetics, ecology and evolution, plant biology, and physiology are all crucial subject areas that will be mastered.
• Students will analyze qualitative and quantitative data, assess validity of work and identify gaps in knowledge, and evaluate the results of analyses and experiments and decide on next steps.
• Students will identify assumptions, create and evaluate hypotheses,  and design relevant experiments.
• Students will be trained to locate sources of information and to evaluate the quality of the information needed to make decisions.  Students will be trained to critically read and discuss primary literature and evaluate its validity (on an appropriate level).
• Students will demonstrate the ability to learn independently and then share that knowledge with others as well as to work collaboratively.

The jazz studies program fuses performance, composition and arranging into a study plan that prepares you for the professional performance world. 

Our goal is not just to help you master your primary instrument, but also to help you use new and improved skills to hear and bring out the music inside you. We help you become solid in the fundamental skills of ear training, keyboard technique, music theory and arranging.

In addition to our world-class faculty, our state-of-the-art facilities and performance venues give students all the experience you need to enter the world of professional music with the confidence of a seasoned musician.

The bachelor of arts program in environmental studies has coursework that includes sustainability, policy and advocacy. The curriculum was significantly revised beginning in fall 2020 to include courses in environment and society, science and a skills class.

The following courses fulfill some of the requirements for a bachelor of arts with a major in environmental studies:

• Environmental Science and Policy
• Environmental Issues Seminar
• Ecology Pollution and Health
• Integrating Sustainability
• Environmental Anthropology
• Energy, Society and Sustainability
• Global Food Politics
• Green Politics or Environmental Policy

As a geography major, you will take courses in computer cartography, GIS and air photo interpretation/remote sensing. You will also have ample opportunities to study the Earth’s physical features and processes and how this physical environment is modified by human activities. Students may choose to take courses that include the real-world collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of geographic data to prepare you for careers in geography.
The following courses fulfill some of the requirements for a B.A. with a major in geography. Please note that additional course requirements vary depending on the concentration you choose to pursue.

• Landform Geography
• Weather and Climate
• Peoples, Places and Environments
• Seminar in Geography

As a journalism major — either broadcast or multimedia — you will be exposed to challenging courses that aim to prepare you for a career in major markets across the globe. As a senior, you will work to create daily newscasts in a state-of-the-art newsroom or will work to create content for an online and print newspaper.

Journalism courses concentrate on news gathering. You will also be trained in online print and digital media. As with other majors in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, you will be encouraged to gain additional educational experiences through internships in media outlets. As a senior, you will be in the newsroom producing content for Carolina News and Reporter.

All journalism majors will develop the skills necessary to conduct research, gather information, write clearly and correctly, and present relevant news or persuasive information at the professional level.

Emphasizing the interdisciplinary pursuit of comparative and/or international politics, the international studies program is designed to create the leaders of tomorrow. We allow students to tailor their programs of study to focus on such topics as foreign policy, global economic or environmental studies, or international conflict and cooperation.

As an international studies major, you will gain an understanding about how politics, government and governance shape the world and the quality of citizenship in the world. You will benefit from outstanding faculty members and challenging coursework that will help you develop critical learning skills, especially as related to the study of politics.

You will be able to focus on one or two fields within international studies, such as international security, international economics, U.S. foreign policy, global environmental politics, international human rights, Latin American studies, European studies, African studies, Asian studies and international development. You will also complete a public service internship to gain hands-on experience.

Around the world, people and places are intimately linked. Our flexible, interdisciplinary program is designed to engage students in pressing global questions, allowing you to develop a deeper understanding of the complex relationships and processes that connect the global community.

As a global studies major, you will focus on themes relating to globalization while learning to appreciate the world’s diversity. To achieve this end, this major requires students to focus on a particular world region and to attain proficiency in a modern foreign language.

Students in the Global Studies Program will focus on one of four themes: global health, global conflict and security, global sustainability and development, and global cultures. These themes, along with the major components around which the degree program is structured, will prepare students for careers where an understanding of urgent global issues is required, and where an ability to work with people from a variety of cultures is indispensable.