The International Studies program of Francis Marion University is designed to introduce students to life in the global village of the twenty-first century. The program provides students with an opportunity to develop a course of study in consultation with faculty advisors that will prepare them for meaningful participation in a challenging, complex, and increasingly interconnected world. This program emphasizes individual student initiative, the use of a variety of learning media, and the importance of innovation and critical thinking. Reflecting the diversity of the modern era, the International Studies program employs several approaches to the study of human endeavor in culture, business, and politics throughout the regions and nations of the world with instruction provided by faculty members in several different academic disciplines. This program supports Francis Marion University's announced mission to promote the understanding of other cultures among students in order to help them become responsible, productive citizens in a rapidly changing world.