Frequently Asked Questions

One of the wonderful things about majoring in such a flexible program is that you can do almost anything with it. One of the hardest things about such a flexible program is that you can do almost anything with it. We have graduates in fields from graphic design and film to law and business to non-profits and health professions. The point is to leave the U being able to articulate the skills you gained, no matter what your degree is. The advantage to International and Area Studies is that they are unique, and you will have needed language and cultural skills that apply to every kind of environment.

In a struggling economy, you are no more able to easily get a job with a Business degree than you are with a Humanities degree. The best path to success is studying something you are passionately interested in, and use your unique qualities to find the right career. Nothing is guaranteed - make choices that will help you stand out, not fit in! According to a recent international survey of more than 12,000 people, 31 percent of executives who responded are bilingual, and the need for bilingual and culturally knowledgeable executives will be even greater in 10 years.

Absolutely. Though we don't recommend switching too many times, you should be in the program(s) that really interests you. Many students double major, and you also have the option of switching a major to a minor and vice versa if you would like. It is not necessary to have a major removed - you will only graduate with degrees for which you turn in a graduation application. Absolutely. Though we don't recommend switching too many times, you should be in the program (s) that really interests you. Many students double major, and you also have the option of switching a major to a minor and vice versa if you would like. It is not necessary to have a major removed - you will only graduate with degrees for which you turn in a graduation application.

No, but you are very strongly encouraged to take advantage of studies abroad now. As an undergraduate, you have the time and access to resources that you will never have access to again. 

The major is 33 credit hours long, which is the minimum number of credits for any degree at the U. Depending on your language level, you will easily be able to graduate (assuming your first 2 years were spent on General Education and Bachelor's degree requirements) within 2 years or sooner. 

All of your electives are entered manually by the advisor. If you see electives that haven't been entered into your DARS yet, it means you have not met with the advisor recently (this should ideally happen a few times a year). Make an appointmentwith an advisor to discuss these courses or email us at ias@utah.edu.

Yes. Some majors will have a limit on how many you can double-count. The general rule for double majors in International and Area Studies is no more than 4 courses total may be from one department. There are also some courses which have designations allowing them to fulfill General Education or Bachelor degree requirements, but it doesn't happen very often. NEVER leave specific requirements to the end of your career, because if the correct courses are not offered it could result in a delay to your graduation date.

Because we are a program and not a department, we unfortunately do not have any say in when courses will be offered. If you find a course you really want to take and it doesn't seem to be offered frequently, we suggest you rearrange your schedule if possible to take it then. We cannot guarantee elective courses.

Because we are a program and not a department, we unfortunately do not have any say in when courses will be offered. If you find a course you really want to take and it doesn't seem to be offered frequently, we suggest you rearrange your schedule if possible to take it then. We cannot guarantee elective courses.