The UCLA International Institute offers a variety of interdisciplinary academic programs, all with a regional or global perspective.
They include six undergraduate majors, ten undergraduate minors, and three
M.A. programs. Together, they enroll close to 1,000 students per year. Our
alumni, some of whom go on to pursue professional degrees, work in education,
government, cultural, nonprofit, and business sectors all over the world.
We invite you to explore these programs, along with information about faculty,
staff, alumni, and opportunities for engagement.
International Education Week and UCLA's global footprint
New chairs take the helm at several UCLA International Institute academic programs
The UCLA International Institute offers a variety of interdisciplinary academic programs, all with a regional or global perspective.
They include six undergraduate majors, ten undergraduate minors, and three
M.A. programs. Together, they enroll close to 1,000 students per year. Our
alumni, some of whom go on to pursue professional degrees, work in education,
government, cultural, nonprofit, and business sectors all over the world.
We invite you to explore these programs, along with information about faculty,
staff, alumni, and opportunities for engagement.
“What's really important is not only what I learned in Australia, but how it is seen through a U.S. lens as well," said UCLA sophomore Fiona Xie about the program.
The three award winners of 2026 are living proof that the idealism of IDS students is paired with a deep commitment to doing the work on the ground and in the classroom that prepare them to make significant contributions to the world.
The annual International Development Studies Academic Award commemorates graduating seniors for exceptional academic achievement in the IDS major, particularly in upper-division coursework.
Katya Daniel (UCLA 2008) was named 2019 Young Alumnus of the Year at the annual UCLA Alumni Association awards ceremony held June 8, 2019, at the Luskin Conference Center.
After earning a B.A. in Latin American Studies at UCLA in 1996, John Arboleda built a career in higher education in the U.S. and Europe. He now serves as director of special projects & innovation at Instituto Europeo di Design in Barcelona and runs a consulting company based in Spain.
After studying development at UCLA and serving in the Peace Corps in Liberia, Ken Fukuda (IDS 2009) left his job and moved to Germany to pursue his passion for professional racing.
The new academic chairs include both existing institute faculty and professors from other disciplinary departments at UCLA.
Deanna Placa has been awarded a yearlong Newman Civic Fellowship for the 2026–27 academic year. Fellows are nominated by their president or chancellor based on their potential for public leadership and their work with communities.
A doctor and medical anthropologist, Sandesara works as a clinician, researcher and professor at UCLA. As of July, he became academic chair of the International Institute's global health program, where he has been a faculty member since 2023.
