THE EXPERIENCE
The flexible design of the Huntsman curriculum allows students to graduate in four years with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (from the College of Arts & Sciences) and a Bachelor of Science in Economics (from Wharton). Students take business fundamentals courses in the Wharton School, and also complete coursework in the humanities and social sciences by completing the College’s general education curriculum,while completing the International Studies major that includes advanced language.
THE HUNTSMAN MAJOR:
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
International Studies is a major in the College of Arts and Sciences that is unique to the Huntsman Program; non-Huntsman students may not major in International Studies. The interdisciplinary nature of the International Studies major means that each Huntsman student is able to personalize his or her curriculum, and no two Huntsman students will have the exact same educational experience.
COLLEGE AND WHARTON REQUIREMENTS
In addition to completing requirements for the Huntsman specific major, International Studies, students must also complete the general curriculum requirements for both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School.
LANGUAGE
Huntsman students specialize in one of the following 11 languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
STUDY ABROAD
The Program’s focus on language and area studies is enhanced by a required semester abroad. While abroad, students immerse themselves in the target language and culture, matriculating alongside students in the country/region where their target language is the dominant language. Huntsman students may choose a study abroad location from options approved by the College of Arts & Sciences or the Wharton School.
GLOBAL IMMERSION PROGRAM
The Huntsman Global Immersion Program is a fully immersive, experiential learning course that takes place in different global cities around the world. Led by Huntsman faculty and staff, it offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about contemporary issues in international politics and business through first-hand engagement with policymakers, business leaders, and community organizations. Students will deepen their understanding of concepts discussed in the classroom by participating in site visits, cultural excursions, and conversations with scholars, practitioners, and industry professionals, including Penn alumni. All participants will earn .5cu that can be applied towards the Huntsman Business requirement of the major or as an elective credit.
Eligibility and Program Features:
- Open to all Huntsman students in their first, second, or third years, irrespective of target language or region.
- The Huntsman Global Immersion seminars are worth .5 CU and will appear on your transcript as a standard Penn course.
- The typical format of a Global Immersion Seminar includes half a semester of classroom instruction followed by a week of international travel and immersion. Destinations vary from year to year and will be announced in the fall semester.
“The Global Immersion course was an invaluable opportunity to dive into an intellectually stimulating topic alongside my Huntsman friends. We heard from incredible speakers, toured the most relevant sites, and got to know each other on a deeper level.”- Gabriela Garity C ’24 W ’24
SENIOR CAPSTONE
Huntsman students complete a thesis during their senior year under the supervision of a member of the faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences or the Wharton School (or in other schools, as appropriate.) The purpose of the thesis is research by the student, and the writing of the results of this research in the form of a substantial formal research paper.
