"Human beings draw close to one another by their common nature,
but habits and customs keep them apart." ~ Confucius

Welcome to International Studies Program

Northwest Vista College’s International Studies program is designed to help students face the challenges of functioning in today’s diverse world and to celebrate the opportunities that diversity brings. Participants critically assess their reactions to events and to personal interactions with those whose worldviews are unlike their own. They develop the tools to recognize and appreciate the similarities and differences that make the world interesting. Students taking internationalized courses discover themselves as they learn how their own culture affects their identity.

Internationalized courses at NVC guide participants to:

• Discover other cultures from the perspective of the people who live in them
• Think about the ways a person’s culture affects his or her actions, thoughts, and beliefs
• Explore intercultural interaction through mutual respect
• Experience in-class interaction where each participant’s voice is valued

Students can register for individual internationalized courses or pursue an Associate of Arts Degree in International Studies.

Each semester there are internationalized courses available in many disciplines.(link)

The International Studies Program strives to prepare students for the ever-changing world in which we live whatever the students’ future roles may be. The American Council on Education surveys community leaders to discover how best to prepare our students to be effective citizens of the world. Corporate executives across the nation have expressed the need for college graduates who are:

• able to think critically and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;
• comfortable working in teams, both within their areas and cross-functionally;
• proficient in information and telecommunications technologies; and
• knowledgeable about the global environment in which they must function and facile in the cultural diversity it entails

(Oblinger, Diana G. and Anne-Lee Verville. What Business Wants from Higher Education. Phoenix: American Council on Education Series on Higher Education. Oryx Press, vi.)

To satisfy this need, the classes at Northwest Vista College will:

• Focus on critical thinking as we read and discuss all topics
• Respectfully share ideas in class discussions and in response papers to readings
• Complete research and present topics in teams
• Utilize traditional library sources, databases and Internet searches to become familiar with credible sources of information from around the world