Dubai, April 18^th, 2011 : The American University in Dubai (AUD) officially launched its Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (B.A.I.S.) degree program today, and is now accepting applications for the target start date of Fall 2011. The mission of the B.A.I.S. is to provide students with an interdisciplinary educational experience combining Politics, History, Business, and Culture. The program is designed to enhance students’ employment opportunities within the global marketplace and increase their ability to examine global issues from various perspectives.

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The B.A.I.S. degree is the first Bachelor of Arts degree offered at The American University in Dubai. In introducing the B.A.I.S. degree program, AUD seeks to capitalize on the international nature of its host city of Dubai as well as the increasing international nature of existence for people around the world. One driving force in developing that particular program was the realization that living in an era of globalization, people can either watch events unfold from a distance or learn to understand how modern growth and its foundations are related. This world is driven by international banking and finance, telecommunications and information access, and the interactions of geographical regions and peoples. In this world, people encounter historical traditions, political systems which were born under very different conditions, and a diversity of cultures. The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (B.A.I.S.) degree is designed to provide the educational context in which to understand this “big picture.”

Chair of the Division of Arts and Sciences Dr. Gerald Legé commented on the introduction of a degree which was received by the likes of former US President Bill Clinton, Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia’s former Ambassador to the US, and CNN news anchor Wolf Blitzer:

"We guarantee students a foundation for future success by developing their understanding within a framework which forces them to connect ideas -- whether it is business principles applied to particular societies, the emergence of global themes which serve as an umbrella for understanding the details of the various disciplines, or historical development of, and appreciation for, politics and culture. We see this kind of integrated knowledge and thinking as a powerful asset to 21st Century corporations."

There are several features to the B.A.I.S. degree that make it unique at AUD. Students have a great degree of freedom in customizing their educational experience. They study four major disciplines – history, politics, business, and culture – both individually, and in an interdisciplinary way. Within each category, there are several courses from which to choose. There are several seminars offered for seniors featuring current or more specialized issues. Finally, all students are required to design and carry out a research project and present their findings as the culmination of what they have learned in the program. In essence, the project reveals their understanding of “the big picture.”

Prominent people who majored in international studies include William Jefferson Clinton - 42nd President of the United States of America; Wolf Blitzer - CNN news anchor; Condoleezza Rice - 66th U.S. Secretary of State; Bandar bin Sultan - Saudi Arabia’s former Ambassador to the US; John E. McLaughlin - Former Deputy Director of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency; and Cassandra D. Waldon - Chief, External Communications Office, United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Possible government career options include Diplomacy, Civil Service, Peace Corps, Public Affairs Coordinator, International Security Agencies, Interpreter/Translator, Central Intelligence Agency, International Business and Banking, Law Firms, Public Relations, Tourism Industry, Journalism/Media/Publications/Radio. Possible career options within the UN and related organizations include: Humanitarian Agencies, Humanitarian Relief, Policy Research – Think tanks, Industrial Development Agencies, US Agency for International Development, World Trade Organization, and World Health Organization. B.A.I.S. holders can also seek to join non-profit organizations, work in areas blending Art/Culture/Music or teach abroad in International Education and English as a Foreign Language programs. Additionally, they will have the option of continuing their education in a more focused aspect of International Studies from graduate school programs worldwide.