The Department of International and Area Studies is an exciting and rapidly growing academic unit of the University’s College of International Studies that directly responds to OU President David Boren’s challenge to place more emphasis on international and interdisciplinary programs.


The goal of IAS is to train students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and to promote continuing internationalization of the curriculum at OU.

Our programs allow students to learn a language, live and work where that language is spoken and under- stand the politics and cultures of different world regions.

The Master of Arts degree in International Studies equips students with the tools to engage in a globally integrated environment, whether in the realm of international diplomacy, international security, the international economy,  humanitarian aid and economic development assistance, or international advocacy. Program coursework provides a rigorous foundation in international and comparative politics, world history, international economics, and analytic and statistical methods. Students in the program also have the flexibility to focus their coursework through either the Global Studies option, which includes specializations in global economics and development and global security studies; or the Area Studies option, which includes regional specializations in Asia, Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East.

International career fields are diverse, challenging, and exhilarating. The purpose of the CIS Careers and International Internships webpage is to assist International and Area Studies students to navigate the realm of international careers and discover the best fit for their passions and expertise. We offer a range of resources and programs to educate students such as the, 'Put Your IAS Degree to Work' series, and Career Mentorship program through which current students are paired with a mentor from alumni and friends of the College of International Studies. More information on these and other programs is available by selecting from the links on the right hand menu above.