Signing of Dual Degree, February 29, 2008 at the University of Surrey. First row from left to right, Philip Henry, Registrar, Univeristy of Surrey and Heidi Hobbs, Director, Master of International Studies, NC State. Second row, Deputy Vice Chancellor, John Turner, University of Surrey and Larry Nielsen, Provost, NC State.

NC State and University of Surrey Forge Partnership

The British are coming. And in exchange, the Wolfpack is heading to the UK!.

Recent agreements signed by NC State and representatives from the University of Surrey have formalized student exchanges and a new dual degree graduate program in international studies.

A delegation from NC State recently returned from the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, where final agreements were signed. Both programs are now accepting applications for Fall 2008. NC State’s first undergraduate exchange student will head to Surrey in Fall 2008, when NC State anticipates welcoming its first Surrey undergraduate exchange students here.

Provost Larry Nielsen and Sharon Nielsen traveled to Surrey, accompanied by Betsy Brown, Special Assistant to the Provost, CHASS faculty members Bill Kinsella (Communication) Heidi Hobbs and Rick Kearney (School of Public and International Affairs), and Arnold Bell, Director of the Cooperative Education Program.

For the dual degree, graduate students will spend one year working toward the master’s degree in International Studies from NC State, then complete their degree and earn a Master of Arts in European Politics at the University of Surrey in their second year.

“This program will add greater depth to our international studies program,” says Heidi Hobbs, director of the MIS program within the CHASS School of Public and International Affairs. “The European Politics program is research oriented and will complement the more professional MIS degree.”

With more than 130 nationalities represented in its student population, Surrey offers a strong international education. Its lovely campus is located 40 minutes by train from London and close to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

“These are the first two of what we hope will be many agreements between NC State and the University of Surrey,” says Provost Nielsen. Areas for future development include faculty exchanges, a summer study abroad program at the University of Surrey for NC State students, collaborative faculty research, and shared international partnerships in countries such as India and Korea.

For more information on the dual degree, contact Heidi Hobbs: heidi_hobbs@ncsu.edu or visit the MIS website at http://mis.chass.ncsu.edu