Best institutions to study Regional Studies (U.S.
A program that focuses on the defined geographic subregions and subcultures within modern and historical countries and societies.
8 U.S. institutions graduated 783 Regional Studies (U.S. students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 05.0122, a specialization of Area Studies (CIP 05.01), and leads most directly to the Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary occupation (BLS SOC 25-1062).
About Regional Studies (U.S. programs
A program that focuses on the defined geographic subregions and subcultures within modern and historical countries and societies. Includes such topics as Acadian Studies, French Canadian and Quebec Studies, Southern (U.S.) Studies, New England Studies, Southwestern Studies, Northern Studies, and others.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign) program is a specialized area within the broader field of Area Studies. It focuses on the geographic subregions and subcultures of modern and historical countries, particularly within the U.S. and Canada. This program is ideal for students interested in exploring diverse cultural, ethnic, and social dynamics across different regions.
Students in this program develop essential skills such as critical thinking, effective communication, and active learning strategies. Coursework often includes topics related to race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of various societal issues.
Credentials awarded
What Regional Studies (U.S. graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree394 graduates / yr · 5 institutions50%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year232 graduates / yr · 2 institutions30%
- Bachelor's degree73 graduates / yr · 5 institutions9.3%
- Doctor's degree - other49 graduates / yr · 1 institution6.3%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship34 graduates / yr · 2 institutions4.3%
- Associate's degree1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
Graduates over time
Regional Studies (U.S. completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 84 |
| 2013 | 80 |
| 2014 | 74 |
| 2015 | 64 |
| 2016 | 52 |
| 2017 | 62 |
| 2018 | 42 |
| 2019 | 56 |
| 2020 | 31 |
| 2021 | 681 |
| 2022 | 578 |
| 2023 | 740 |
| 2024 | 675 |
| 2025 | 783 |
Top 8 institutions for Regional Studies (U.S., ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Fort Worth, TXPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearDoctoralBachelor'sDoctoralAssociate's | 708 | 28% | — |
| 2 | University of Mississippi University, MSPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 38 | 72% | — |
| 3 | University of Guam Mangilao, GUPublicMaster's | 16 | 37% | — |
| 4 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 7 | 89% | $21,956 |
| 5 | Colorado College Colorado Springs, COPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 88% | $23,510 |
| 6 | Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WVPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 5 | 51% | — |
| 7 | Houghton University Houghton, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 65% | $20,470 |
| 8 | Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland, KYPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 51% | — |
Offered in 8 states & territories
Where Regional Studies (U.S. graduates come from. Each state links to all Area Studies programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1 | 708 | The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary708 / yr |
| Mississippi | 1 | 38 | University of Mississippi38 / yr |
| Guam | 1 | 16 | University of Guam16 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 7 | Boston University7 / yr |
| Colorado | 1 | 6 | Colorado College6 / yr |
| West Virginia | 1 | 5 | Shepherd University5 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 2 | Houghton University2 / yr |
| Kentucky | 1 | 1 | Ashland Community and Technical College1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 25-1062, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Regional Studies program can pursue careers as Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers at the postsecondary level. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an annual growth rate of 2.4% and approximately 1,100 openings each year. The median wage for these positions is $84,290, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 05.0122
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondaryprimary SOC 25-1062 | $85,020 | +2.4% About as fast as average | ~1,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Regional Studies (U.S. programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Tools and technology used
Other Area Studies specializations
The 36 other 6-digit CIP codes under Area Studies (CIP 05.01).
- American/CIP 05.0102
United States Studies/ Civilization 1,027 graduates / yr120 institutions - Asian Studies/CIP 05.0103
Civilization 549 graduates / yr94 institutions - Area StudiesCIP 05.0199505 graduates / yr65 institutions
- East Asian StudiesCIP 05.0104446 graduates / yr62 institutions
- Latin American StudiesCIP 05.0107365 graduates / yr86 institutions
- Near and Middle Eastern StudiesCIP 05.0108261 graduates / yr46 institutions
- African StudiesCIP 05.0101171 graduates / yr45 institutions
- European Studies/CIP 05.0106
Civilization 161 graduates / yr27 institutions - Russian StudiesCIP 05.011081 graduates / yr30 institutions
- French StudiesCIP 05.012478 graduates / yr26 institutions
- RussianCIP 05.010569 graduates / yr12 institutions
- Latin American and Caribbean StudiesCIP 05.013466 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Japanese StudiesCIP 05.012756 graduates / yr15 institutions
- Italian StudiesCIP 05.012645 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Spanish and Iberian StudiesCIP 05.0130partial data43 graduates / yr7 institutions
- Western European StudiesCIP 05.0114partial data40 graduates / yr5 institutions
- German StudiesCIP 05.012537 graduates / yr17 institutions
- Chinese StudiesCIP 05.012329 graduates / yr12 institutions
- Pacific Area/CIP 05.0109
Pacific Rim Studies partial data28 graduates / yr5 institutions - Scandinavian StudiesCIP 05.0111partial data20 graduates / yr5 institutions
- South Asian StudiesCIP 05.0112partial data20 graduates / yr5 institutions
- Ural-Altaic and Central Asian StudiesCIP 05.0120limited data14 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Southeast Asian StudiesCIP 05.0113partial data12 graduates / yr4 institutions
- Slavic StudiesCIP 05.0118limited data12 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Appalachian StudiesCIP 05.0135limited data8 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Korean StudiesCIP 05.0128limited data6 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Irish StudiesCIP 05.0133limited data6 graduates / yr2 institutions
- Canadian StudiesCIP 05.0115limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 8 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Balkans Studies05.0116
- Baltic Studies05.0117
- Caribbean Studies05.0119
- Commonwealth Studies05.0121
- Polish Studies05.0129
- Tibetan Studies05.0131
- Ukraine Studies05.0132
- Arctic Studies05.0136
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, a Bachelor's degree, or an Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, active learning, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a postsecondary teacher in area, ethnic, and cultural studies.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 2.4% and 1,100 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Regional Studies (U.S.?+
Regional Studies (U.S. is CIP 05.0122 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Area Studies (CIP 05.01). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the defined geographic subregions and subcultures within modern and historical countries and societies. Includes such topics as Acadian Studies, French Canadian and Quebec Studies, Southern (U.S.) Studies, New England Studies, Southwestern Studies, Northern Studies, and others.
How many institutions offer Regional Studies (U.S. programs?+
8 U.S. institutions reported Regional Studies (U.S. graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 8 states & territories, awarding 783 credentials in the year. That is 15.9% of all Area Studies graduates.
How much do Regional Studies (U.S. graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary occupation, which Regional Studies (U.S. most directly leads to, pays a median of $85,020 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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