Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies program is based on a student's prior coursework and motivation to complete a bachelor's and a master's in a total of three years.
Admissions Requirements Overview
Language Proficiency
Native English Speakers
BA/MA students are required to complete 8-12 credits of advanced foreign language study as part of their degree program. The 8-12 credits must be dedicated to a single language of study (e.g. Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish, or Russian). Students must complete at least 8 credits of advanced language and may choose to select an additional 1-4 credits of language coursework or up to 4 credits of Intercultural Competency coursework.
For successful admission students must be ready to begin their language studies at the following level by the time they begin the degree program:
Spanish or Arabic – ready to start at the 200-level, equivalent to second-year college level. Successful applicants will have had at least one recent academic year of beginning language;
-or-
one summer of intensive language the summer prior to enrolling in the degree program.
Chinese, French, Japanese or Russian – ready to start at the 300-level, equivalent to third-year college level. Successful applicants will have had at least two recent academic years of beginning language;
-or-
one recent academic year plus one summer of intensive language at the intermediate level the summer prior to enrolling in the degree program.
Test Your Language Proficiency
Diagnostic TestSelf-assess the level at which you read, write and understand your target language of study. |
Placement TestNew students are required to complete an online language placement test prior to orientation week. |
Non-native English Speakers
We recognize that many of our international students come to the Monterey Institute with sophisticated language backgrounds. Terms like "native-speaker," "fluent," or "bilingual" often do not accurately reflect the rich backgrounds of our students. In order to maintain the quality and integrity of the Monterey Institute experience, candidates will be asked to demonstrate English proficiency as part of the admission process.
Non-native English speaking candidates must provide evidence of English proficiency from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations. Institutional TOEFL reports are not accepted. However, students who have completed all four years of their undergraduate degree at a U.S. University may be eligible for a TOEFL or IELTS waiver. If you feel that you are eligible for a TOEFL or IELTS waiver, please contact Admissions for an application to waive this requirement.
| Minimum TOEFL Scores | Minimum IELTS Scores |
|---|---|
(No sub-scores below 19) |
(No sub-score below 6.0) |
Scholarships for Summer Intensive Language Study
The Betty and David Jones Scholarships offer the opportunity to attend either the Monterey Institute or Middlebury Language Schools to enhance their foreign language proficiency prior to enrolling in a degree program at the Monterey Institute. Languages include Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
The Kathryn Davis Fellowships offer scholarships to study at Middlebury Language Schools prior to enrolling in a degree program at the Monterey Institute. Languages include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.
Prerequisite Coursework
Applicants that would like to complete their bachelor's degree must have previous college/university study that satisfies the following prerequisite subjects and 60 semester hours of credit with grades of B or above:
- Composition (3 credits)
- Math (3 credits)
- 4 courses from at least 2 of the following: (12 credits)
- Physical-Biological Science
- Social Science
- Arts/Humanities
- Language Semester 1 (3 credits)
- Language Semester 2 (3 credits)
- Electives
The maximum number of credits that will be accepted for transfer to the Monterey Institute is 70 semester credits. It is required that all must be taken for credit with a grade of B or better.
Completing Bachelor's and a Master's Degree
Students must apply separately to a master's degree program at the Monterey Institute after they have enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies program. Learn more about our master's degree programs and admission requirements.
Overall credits required for the bachelor's program are 120 and a minimum of an additional 30 credits for the master's program. If a student completes all requirements, the master's degree is awarded at the end of the third year of study at the Institute. Because the BA/MA sequence is accelerated, it is regarded as an "honors program." To succeed in this demanding program, students should be well prepared, highly motivated, mature, and willing to follow the advice of their academic advisor.
