In pursuing your objective of study, certain tools will be required to develop an expertise in the student’s area of specialization.  Any of the following tools are an option.  The most common and often the most important tool for studying other countries is to develop language skills or a appropriate research methodology:
 

Students selecting language competency as their research tool must demonstrate competency at the second-year level of college training, i.e. a competency comparable to that acquired through two years (four semesters) of college-level course work. Students may have had some exposure to foreign languages in high school or through travel and may wish to intensify that experience by taking some foreign language classes.  This can be accomplished by choosing relevant language courses at UPJ.

-    enrolling in language courses at PITT Oakland (e.g., during the summer)
- enrolling in language courses at another institution specializing in language training (e.g., another college, a language institute, etc.)
- completing a language component within an appropriate study abroad program
- demonstrating second-year level competency based on previous experience abroad
- having completed significant language training at the high school level as demonstrated by a language placement exam upon entering UPJ.
 

In exceptional cases, a student’s region of study (e.g. the British Isles) or  future area of expertise may require specific skills other than foreign language training.  Upon special approval by the IS director, a student may substitute all or a part of the language requirement by enrolling in research methods courses.  UPJ offers a variety of methods courses in a number of fields: Cartography/GIS (Geographic Information Systems), Sociology 300 (Social Science Research Methods), or selection of appropriate courses in anthropology, mathematics, statistics or computer science, and/or appropriate work within an internship at organizations and agencies that training students for international tasks (e.g. National Drug Intelligence Center), or appropriate overseas fieldwork experience (e.g. in the Peace Corps). Note, however, that the normal requirement for an IS Certificate involves the development of a language competency.