To earn an International Degree, you must

1. meet university dual degree requirements
2. gain advanced proficiency in a foreign language
3. complete an experience abroad in a country where that language is spoken
4. take four ID core courses
5. write a thesis on an international dimension of your primary major

Your graduation audit will be completed by an advisor in your Primary College or Department. Confirmation of the International Degree will be appropriately noted on your transcripts, and you will receive separate diplomas for your primary major and International Studies.

1. University Dual Degree Requirements

You must successfully complete all departmental, college, and institutional requirements for your primary degree.

You must also complete a minimum of 32 credits in residence beyond the 180 credits required for most primary degrees (some majors require more than 180 credits).

• Credits from an OSU-sponsored program abroad are in-residence.
• Depending on level of previous foreign language study and experience abroad, you could take anywhere from the minimum 32 credits to more than 70 credits to complete the degree.

Additional International Degree requirements may be established for your primary degree, so check with your major adviser or the International Degree Contact in your department to make sure that you know what they are and that you are able to complete them. When you meet with your adviser, have a transcript in hand.

2. Advanced Proficiency in a Foreign Language

Advanced proficiency is usually evidenced by completion of the third term of a fourth-year language sequence at OSU (413). The OSU Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC) will approve your language proficiency and sign off on theLanguage Proficiency Form once you have completed this requirement.

• Language courses must be taken for a letter grade (not S/U).
• The student’s cumulative GPA in language courses must be a minimum of 3.0.
• Exceptions may be considered only by petition (see International Degree Office for details).

Possible methods of demonstrating fourth-year language proficiency:

• Completion of the sequence ending in 413 with minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in language classes
• Coursework or experience identified by OSU foreign language faculty advisor as equivalent to 413 with minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in language classes
• Courses at another accredited U.S. college or university may substitute if combined third- and fourth-year language courses constitute a minimum of 18 quarter/12 semester hours with minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in language classes
• Acceptable score on a recognized national or international proficiency test*
• Completion of a minimum of 1 term international internship or international research program using target language after completion of 313 class with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all language classes **
• Completion of a minimum of 9 months of international immersion through study, internship, or research using the target language after completion of 213 class (for language not taught at OSU at fourth year level). **
• International Student/Non-Native English (native language )

* fees involved in administering a language proficiency exam are the responsibility of the student.
** The student must clearly demonstrate how the target language was used and linguistic progress achieved during their cultural immersion in a brief portfolio presented to the OSU Department of World Languages and Cultures.

3. Experience Abroad

You must spend a minimum of 10 weeks in a country where your International Degree language is spoken, engaged in one of these activities: study abroad, international internship or independently arranged research project/directed study.

4. ID Core

You must successfully complete a minimum of four courses for the International Core selected from the Baccalaureate Core Curriculum (see General Catalog for yearly changes). These courses are in addition to the University’s Baccalaureate Core requirements. The International Core course requirements must come from the following categories:

• One course from the Western Culture category;
• Two courses from the Cultural Diversity category;
• One course from the either the Western Culture, Cultural Diversity, or Contemporary Global Issues categories

Note: you can not take all four of the additional Baccalaureate Core courses focusing on the same culture/language group.