Croft Students

The Croft staff serves as the official academic advisors for all international studies majors.  Formal advising for the following semester takes place in October and March.  Students are assigned a new advisor each year, and all the members of our advising team work together closely to ensure that each student makes steady progress through the major.

Students are always welcome to contact their advisor - or another member of the staff, if the advisor is not available - with any questions about classes, university life, career planning, or anything else that we might be able to help with.

The course selection tool is an interactive webpage that allows students to see what courses will count for the regional, thematic, and methods requirements each semester.  The list of approved courses contains all courses approved for those requirements.

Sophomores must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in the international studies major.  All students are required to abide by the university's standards for academic integrity.  And finally, several international studies courses count for honors credit.

Studying abroad is an integral part of the B.A. in international studies.  All Croft students are required to study abroad for at least one academic semester in a country where their language of choice is spoken.  Many students also study abroad during the summer or for an entire year.

The first point of contact for planning to study abroad is the Croft foreign language advisor.  These advisors work with each student to determine which programs best match his or her academic interests and language ability.  Once a student is ready to apply to a program, the University of Mississippi Study Abroad Office handles the application and visa process and serves as the liaison between the University of Mississippi and the host institution.  The Croft advisors'  only role is to approve courses taken abroad for international studies credit.

The senior thesis is the culmination of a Croft student's undergraduate career.  It is an original, independent research project that is conducted over two semesters under the direction of a faculty mentor.  Students typically develop the topic for their thesis during their research methods class and may do research while studying abroad.

The thesis encompasses two courses, Inst 421 and Inst 422, typically taken in the fall and spring of the senior year.  Each course is designed to help students move through the stages of research, analysis, and writing as smoothly and efficiently as possible.  The entire process culminates in the thesis defense, in which the student presents his or her research orally and answers questions from his or her mentor, other faculty readers, and the rest of the audience.

The model theses page is only available to Croft students, faculty, and staff.

The best theses in each of the regional concentrations, the best interregional thesis, and the best overall thesis are recognized each year at the Croft graduation ceremony.

The Croft Institute enriches the lives of its students in many ways beyond the classroom.  In addition to holding a variety of social gatherings, many organized by the Croft Senate, the Institute also provides space for its students to study and relax and hosts visiting speakers and other events.

The University of Mississippi Career Center is a great resource for students planning their post-college careers, and the Ole Miss Alumni Association is a great way to connect to thousands of professionals in a wide variety of fields.  In addition, the Croft Institute can offer more specific advice to international studies majors and connect our current students with our graduates.

The Croft Institute's academic advisors serve as the primary point of contact for career advising.  Students can ask for advice during their academic advising session or at any other time.  We can help students think about what sort of career to pursue, offer tips on finding a job or graduate program, and put students in touch with Croft alumni.  We also host a series of career-planning workshops and alumni panels throughout the year.