January 01, 1982 by

William Carey International University is named after one of the most brilliant and enterprising Englishman of the eighteenth century. Dedicating his entire adult life to the people of India, he served that country with unique distinction as a missionary in an exceptionally wide context of development: horticultural and botanical, social and economic, but principally through his prodigious literary, linguistic and educational contributions.

Today, the WCIU is focused on helping people in developing countries to reach their full potential, using the resources at hand in their home setting. It is largely a graduate institution, granting Masters and Doctoral degrees, with the major emphasis upon field based research.

Students at WCIU are involved in investigating general as well as specific development methods as applied within specific cultures.

In the area of Intercultural Studies, students may investigate the history, sociological patterns, and world view of non Western cultures. Areas of present concentration are: Armenian, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese, Jewish, Muslim, Slavic, or Tribal Studies; or the more general Historical or Religious Study in a comparative context.International Communications explores the potential of communication technology, and ethnic arts as vehicles in cross cultural understanding and as agents of social change. Studies address such issues as developing sensitivity to the artistic expression of cultural sub groups, the development of indigenous communication technology in non Western countries, and the role of communication technology in international relations.

Areas of concentration in International Communications include: Cinema and Television, Ethnic Arts, Hearing Impaired Studies, Publishing Science, and Radio.

The Division of International Development focuses on integrating contributions from normally disconnected disciplines of the behavorial, physical and social sciences. Studies seek to develop a holistic understanding of the complex factors of social change. A degree in Development may involve significant studies from other divisions.

Concentrations of this area include: Administration of Voluntary Organizations, Appropriate Technology, Community Development, Community Health/Nurse Practitioner, Development Training Materials, and Economics of Development.

Other WCIU courses are conducted by the Institute of International Studies Program, and the program in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). See elsewhere in this issue of Mission Frontiers for more information about those programs.