Classes You Didn't Know You Could Take: International Studies Research

June 28, 2021
PSFA Stories Team

PSFA 501 students conduct their cross-cultural studies by connecting with international students on the SDSU campus, as well as through connections with international institutions.
PSFA 501 students conduct their cross-cultural studies by connecting with international students on the SDSU campus, as well as through connections with international institutions.

Mei Zhong

PSFA 501: International Studies Research

Units: 3.0

Prerequisites: PSFA350

Online or Face to Face: Both

How I would describe this class to someone I met in line at the coffee cart:

PSFA501 was created in the wake of the pandemic. It’s for students in the International Studies Minor who are unable to study abroad due to travel restrictions since spring of 2020. This course allows these students to conduct their cross-cultural studies by connecting with international students on the SDSU campus, as well as through our connections with international institutions.

Who should definitely take this class?

Students in the International Studies Minor who are still uncertain about traveling abroad in fall 2021 and spring 2022. PSFA501 is designed to help students who’re unable to travel abroad in order to complete the International Studies Minor. We hope to keep this as an option in the future, even after the travel restrictions are lifted, in order to attract more students into the ISMinor.

Who should not take this class?

Non-International Studies Minors.

Why I’m enthusiastic about teaching this class:

Because it’s the only way that provides an opportunity for our students to progress toward graduation with the Minor.

Why I love this subject:

Study abroad is a requirement for ISM students. Without this arrangement, our students are paused in their process of graduating with the Minor.

How I’m preparing for this class:

I’m preparing for this class in two ways: 1) by recruiting students in my PSFA280 class in the fall. This class consists of all international students at SDSU; 2) through my COIL program with partner institutions in Chile and the U.K.

Three things you’ll learn/do in this class:

  • I will help students to conduct data collection for their cross-cultural research project on the international side.
  • I will encourage students to be friends with international partners either at SDSU or abroad.
  • I will make arrangements so students will learn from these international students about their cultures, as well as serve as cultural informants about our U.S. culture.

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.