International studies involves investigating how various actors relate to each other on the world stage. It includes subjects such as conflict, economics, politics, the environment, and other issues that affect more than one country.

Oceania also known as Oceanica is a region centred on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean.[4] Opinions of what constitutes Oceania range from its three subregions of Melanesia,Micronesia, and Polynesia[5] to, more broadly, the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.