Indiana University, School of Global and International Studies

What do you get when you mix two centuries of excellence in global studies, a renowned program in area studies with instruction in 70 languages, scholars on the cutting edge of interdisciplinary learning, and a major new influx of funding? Indiana University’s new School of Global and International Studies (SGIS) builds on a long tradition of excellence. Its innovative, multidisciplinary programs emphasize cultural fluency and applied social policy, based on the premise that to change the world, first you need to understand it.

“The blend of area studies with policy studies sets us apart among international affairs schools,” says Lee Feinstein, founding dean. “We want people to understand different cultures and different global influences.” In addition to having opportunities to study abroad and pursue internationally oriented internships, SGIS students benefit from the insights of faculty members with extensive experience in government and policymaking in an intellectual community that values the humanities, social sciences, and language studies as much as it values practical experience and scholarship.

This year, SGIS is introducing a new MA in International Studies that will prepare students for careers in international business, government, NGOs, and more. In 2017, the school will introduce an MS in International Studies emphasizing data-driven solutions to global challenges.The blend of area studies with policy studies sets us apart among international affairs schools.Lee Feinstein, founding dean, School of Global and International Studies, Indiana University

In area studies, SGIS offers several master’s degrees in its East Asian Languages and Cultures program, as well as a Near Eastern Languages and Cultures program and MA degrees focusing on Africa, Europe, Latin America, and more. These reflect the SGIS mission of helping students develop a sophisticated understanding of how people in different cultures live and think as a starting point to addressing pressing global issues.

Studies that prepare area specialists for careers in government and the private sector include the renowned Russian and East European Studies program, graduates of which include former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Having a school in the heartland of America focused on global and international studies, of this caliber, is essential for our country.U.S. Secretary of State John KerrySGIS is adding 25 full-time professors to its faculty of 100 distinguished scholars and practitioners, including scholars of culture and language, as well as policy scholars who focus on global institutions, political economy, and international relations. Current faculty members include former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, who served 34 years in the U.S. House, where he chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Both have been named distinguished scholars and professors of practice at SGIS.

Last October, Secretary of State John Kerry came to SGIS to dedicate the school’s new home: a $53 million, state-of-the-art, LEED gold–certified building in the heart of Indiana University’s historic campus.

“Having a school in the heartland of America focused on global and international studies, of this caliber, is essential for our country,” Kerry told the SGIS community.