School of Humanities and Social Sciences

School of Humanities and Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Minors

International Studies
The international studies minor is designed to provide students with:

(a)    awareness of international issues, challenges and opportunities,

(b)   knowledge of global similarities, differences, ways of understanding and approaches to policymaking,

(c)    opportunities for cross-disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary approaches to academic study, and

(d)   experience with cultures outside the United States.

This 15 credit minor is easy to combine with a variety of campus majors and plans of study and allows students to explore in-depth areas which compliment their major coursework—such as international business, comparative political systems, or cross-cultural communication. While not required, students who pursue this minor are strongly encouraged to combine their interest in international studies with in-depth study of languages like Spanish and coursework which provides broad international content. Please consult the International Studies Minor website on a regular basis for an update as to which courses are being offered in any given semester. If you have questions about the minor or seek advising as to how to incorporate the minor into your plan of study, please consult Dr. Donna McLean at domclean@iuk.edu.

The international studies minor is open to all students on the IU Kokomo campus.

Requirements:  The minor comprises at least 15 credit hours of coursework including:

  1. Gateway Course: I100 Introduction to International Studies
  2. Capstone class: Any approved overseas study course (3 credit class) which may include, but is not restricted to the following: BUS-D 496 Foreign Study in Business, HSS-F 200 Foreign Study, NURS-K 433 Korean Culture and Healthcare practicum (2 credits) with NURS-K 432 Korean Culture and Healthcare (1 credit), or HSS-I 450 The Innovations Symposium (3 credits) or SPCH-S 427 Cross-cultural Communication. As a capstone experience students are required to take either S427 Cross-cultural Communication (as long as they have not taken the course as part of their third requirement for the minor described below—you can only get credit once in the minor for taking this class), or any overseas study class offered through the university. To satisfy the overseas study requirement for students not taking SPCH-S 427,  students must complete at least 3 credits of coursework which involves travel, an internship or service work opportunity outside of the US, or an in-depth approved study of a culture unfamiliar to the student.
  3. An additional nine credits of coursework from any TWO of the following categories:

Global Markets and Governance
Coursework in political science, economics or business with broad international content

  • POLS-Y 217 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 credits)
  • POLS-Y 219 Introduction to International Relations (3 credits)
  • POLS-Y 339 African politics (3 credits)
  • BUS-D 300 International Business Administration (3 credits)
  • BUS-D 301 The International Business Environment (3 credits)
  • BUS-D 302 International Business: Operations of International Enterprise (3 credits)

Possible special topics courses may also be approved as part of this requirement. Such courses are generally not available on a regular rotation, but when available, students can determine whether a course meets the requirement by contacting Dr. McLean or consulting their advisor.

Arts and Civilization
Coursework in the humanities, fine arts or history with broad international content

  • FINA-A 101 Ancient and Medieval Art (3 cr.)
  • FINA-A 102 Renaissance Through Modern Art (3 cr.)
  • ENG-L 225 Introduction to World Masterpieces (3 credits)
  • ENG-G 301 History of the English Language (3 credits)
  • HIST-H 228 History of the Vietnam War (3 credits)

Possible special topics courses may also be approved as part of this requirement.

These courses are generally not available on a regular rotation, but if a course meeting criteria determining broad international content was offered in the area of arts and civilization, students would be able to authorize the course as part of the international studies minor. An example of a special topics course might be ENG-L 381,  Recent Writing: Twentieth-Century World Literature.

Health and Environment
Coursework in nursing, public policy or the natural sciences with broad international content

  • CHEM-C 390 Special topics in Chemistry (3 credits)
  • NURS-K 432 Korean Culture and Healthcare (1 credit)
  • NURS-K 433 Korean Culture and Healthcare practicum (2 credits)

Possible special topics courses may also be approved as part of this requirement. These courses are generally not available on a regular rotation, but if a course meeting criteria determining broad international content was offered in the area of health and environment, students would be able to authorize the course as part of the international studies minor

Culture and Society
Coursework in communication, sociology or cultural study with broad international content

  • S200 Workshop in special topics: Hispanic Culture (3 credits)
  • PSY-P 391 Psychology of Gender and Ethnicity (3 credits)
  • SPCH-S 427 Cross-cultural communication (3 credits)
  • SOC-S 335 Race and Ethnic Relations
  • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 credits)
  • SOC-S 419 Social movements and collective action

Possible special topics courses may also be approved as part of this requirement. Special topics courses are generally not available on a regular rotation, but if a course meeting criteria determining broad international content was offered in the area of culture and society, students would be able to authorize the course as part of the international studies minor. A possible special topics class might be SOC-S 344, Sociology of Childhood (3 credits)

If students would like to certify that a special topics course will fit into the international studies minor, they are requested to send the course number with a brief description of the course to the International Studies Committee. Please email the request to: domclean@iuk.edu for distribution to the International Studies Committee. The committee will review the matter and get back to the student as soon as possible through email.

Leadership Minor

The Leadership minor is designed to provide students with:

  1. Knowledge about leadership theories and practices as well as which approaches work best in different situations
  2. Opportunity for cross-disciplinary approaches to leadership studies
  3. Experiential learning involving applying classroom gained knowledge in real-world situations

The 18 credit hour minor is easy to combine with a variety of campus majors and plans of study.


Requirements for a Minor in Leadership

The Leadership minor is comprised of at least 18 credit hours.

Required Courses -- 9 Credit Hours

  • HSS-S 200 Introduction to Leadership Studies
  • HSS-S 300 Leadership Practicum - Leadership in Action
  • HSS-S 400 Leadership Capstone

Elective Courses -- 9 Credit Hours
An additional 9 credits from any of the following categories: Courses with an asterisk (*) have additional prerequisites. For all categories, additional special topics courses may be offered periodically that also might count toward the minor.

Business
This includes coursework in business with a leadership focus.

  • BUS-Z 302 Management and Behavior in Organizations
  • BUS-X 487 Business Seminar (SIFE - Students in Free Enterprise)
  • BUS-Z 447 Leadership, Teamwork, and Diversity*
Public Administration
This includes coursework in non-profit management with a leadership focus.
  • PAHM-V 462 Non-Profit Management and Leadership*
  • PAHM-V 412 Leadership and Ethics*
  • PAHM-V 473 Management, Leadership, and Policy*
Interdisciplinary
This includes any of the coursework listed above in Business and Public Administration, any other approved coursework with a leadership focus, as well as the following:
  • SPCH-S 122 Interpersonal Communication
  • SPCH-S 229 Discussion and Group Methods
  • SPCH-C 380 Organizational Communication
  • SPCH-S 322 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
  • SPCH-S 427 Cross Cultural Communication
Approved travel courses with a leadership or service component can also be included. Recent examples include:
  • HSS -I 450 Innovation Symposium to England
  • HSS -F 200 Foreign Study Trip to Guatemala
Leadership Minor Courses

HSS-S 200 Introduction to Leadership Studies (3 cr.)
This course provides an overview of leadership theories and practices. It is offered in the hybrid format, meeting once per week on campus and once per week online.

HSS-S 300 Leadership Practicum - Leadership in Action (1-2 cr.)
This course provides hands-on experiences with leadership activities and events that provide a leadership opportunity. Students will take this class for three credits--either as three one-credit modules or as a one credit/two credit sequence.

HSS-S 400 Leadership Capstone (3 cr.)
This course is an applied, experiential learning course where students can practice the knowledge gained in other courses. It serves as a capstone for the minor and students will complete a semester-ling project.

Women and Gender Studies
Women and Gender Studies is a rapidly growing academic field dedicated to the study of women and their changing position in society. Its importance lies both in its interdisciplinary approach to the study of women and in the timely opportunity it offers for the study of issues long neglected by traditional academic scholarship. Minoring in Women and Gender Studies can potentially complement any major at Indiana University Kokomo. The minor helps students understand the position of women in society, the changes that come about through efforts to eradicate discriminatory social practices, and the transformation still needed to achieve a just and caring society. Such knowledge and sensitivity to women’s concerns should enrich students’ educational experience both personally and professionally, give insight into their own situations and society, and enable them to work more effectively in their careers. For more information on the minor in Women’s Studies, please contact your academic advisor.

Requirements for the Minor in Women and Gender Studies
The Women’s Studies minor requires the completion of 15 credit hours: 3 required credit hours and 12 credit hours of elective Women’s Studies courses approved by the Women and Gender Studies Committee. Students are encouraged to consult the Women and Gender Studies director for advising as they complete the minor.

Required Course: WOST-W 350 Women: Images and Perspectives (3 cr.)
Fall or spring. This interdisciplinary course studies how women’s lives in America are shaped by social values; by cultural beliefs, traditions, and ideology; and by social, political, and economic institutions or policies. It also considers how these are reflected in imaginative literature as well as social reality.

Electives cross-listed with Sociology:
Consult the “Sociology, History and Political Science ” section for a description of these courses.
  • SOC-S 316 The Family (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 338 Gender Roles (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 cr.)
Cross-listed with Humanities:
Consult the “Humanities” section for a description of these courses.
  • ENG-L 378 Studies in Women and Literature (3 cr.)
Note: The women’s studies faculty periodically develop new courses in women’s studies. For an updated listing of courses, students should consult the Schedule of Classes each semester.

Minors in Other Schools and Divisions
Students can also select minors from other schools or divisions of IU Kokomo, such as minors in Business, Mathematics, or Biology. For more information on minors outside the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, please see other sections of this Bulletin.

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