As the world faces increased security challenges, West Virginia University aspires to raise awareness of human diversity and global security needs through a new collaborative graduate degree.
The program is designed as a dual-degree, two-year program consisting of 60 U.S. credit hours, or 120 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits. Students earn half of these credits at WVU and the other half at Collegium Civitas. Following a successful completion of all requirements, including the thesis defense, graduates will receive two master’s degrees — one in history from WVU, and the other in international relations from Collegium Civitas.
“This exciting dual-degree program represents a new phase in the department’s relationship with Collegium Civitas that will work to the mutual benefit of graduate students at both institutions,” said Joseph Hodge, chair of the Department of History. “It will especially assist our recent efforts to provide diverse career options for advanced degree recipients.”
The partnering institutions have developed a unique joint curriculum that emphasizes interdisciplinary learning. At WVU, the curriculum is focused on the study of modern international history, with specialized focal areas in European, Latin American, Asian, African and U.S. diplomatic history, which familiarizes students more broadly with the historiographies that have defined the discipline in these areas.
At Collegium Civitas, students will take courses primarily in international relations, with emphasis on central and eastern Europe, the policies of the European Union and issues related to terrorism, energy security and sustainable development.
Both institutions also offer opportunities to explore subjects in other related disciplines, such as political science, geography, sociology and law.
“Students will acquire interdisciplinary knowledge beyond the specific disciplines of history and international relations, which will enable them to comprehend and analyze issues beyond their immediate thematic, definitional or geographic contexts,” said Robert Blobaum, the Eberly Professor of History and coordinator of the transatlantic program. “Ultimately, the goal of the curriculum is to increase student understanding of human diversity and, by extension, to raise awareness of the common needs and desires of people for security, broadly defined, in a shrinking world.”
Students will be responsible for the regular tuition and fees at their home universities only and will be exempt from any additional payments while studying abroad at the host universities. To support their studies, students are eligible to compete for scholarships, fellowships, assistantships and internships at both their home and host institutions and for WVU-Collegium Civitas partnership funding under the European Union’s Erasmus Plus program to assist with travel and living expenses.
WVU alumna Shea Lamanna (BA History, 2017), currently an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, will begin the program this fall. Having already traveled to 21 countries by the age of 21, she looks forward to the opportunity to study abroad again while continuing her research on immigration and refugee and citizenship policy in Europe.
“The program provides a truly exceptional opportunity to expand your worldview while working toward completion of two master’s degrees. I appreciate the opportunity this program gives students to become well-rounded global citizens,” Lamanna said. “Studying abroad for a year will allow me to once again push myself out of my comfort zone, immerse myself in course content and learn about diplomatic history and international relations while becoming a more global citizen.”
To learn more about the program and apply, visit the Department of History website.