The program provides opportunities for scholarly inquiry and intellectual innovation, encourages faculty and student interchange, and organizes conferences and public events on international and global topics from an interdisciplinary perspective. IAS consists of a wide range of courses from a variety of departments with particular expertise in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East as well as instruction in 14 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Swahili, and most European languages.

The program offers a major with five concentrations available: development, Eurasian studies, European studies, global cultural studies, and international affairs. Study abroad is an integral part of the IAS undergraduate experience, and the program works closely with the Office of Overseas Programs to give students the opportunity to acquire the broad cultural knowledge, languages, and the practical skills necessary to participate fully in a global society.