Program Overview

Global Studies Program

The Global Studies program at Pacific Lutheran University is designed to help students understand the forces shaping our planet and prepare them to take action. As a Global Studies major, students will gain the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to understand and engage local and global issues, their origins, and possible solutions.

About the Program

The program offers three key tracks for students: international affairs, development and social justice, or transnationalism. Students will dig into big issues like poverty, climate change, conflict, and migration, and classes are grounded in different perspectives and disciplines. This approach enables students to think critically and work across cultures and communities.

Skills You'll Gain

• Cross-Cultural Competency: Learn to navigate cultural differences by working with communities and perspectives beyond your own.
• Communicating Complexity: Strengthen your ability to clearly explain and present complicated global issues and solutions in both written and spoken forms.
• Interdisciplinary Thinking: Analyze and connect ideas across fields like economics, politics, history, anthropology, and religion.
• Empathy & Global Awareness: Develop a deep understanding of how global systems shape people's lives, and learn to approach issues with compassion, inclusion, and awareness of power and inequality.
• Applied Global Engagement: Put learning into action through study away, internships, and community projects that prepare you to lead thoughtfully and make an impact at both local and global levels.

Concentrations

• Development & Social Justice
• International Affairs
• Transnationalism And Its Consequences

Career Paths

Graduates from the Global Studies program have gone on to pursue a variety of careers, including:

• Immigration Attorney
• Climate Strategist
• Housing Development Specialist
• Financial Analyst
• International Program Coordinator
• Public Health Educator

Graduate Programs

Alumni have also been accepted into prestigious graduate programs, such as:

• Master of Arts in Development Studies, London School of Economics
• Doctor of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical School
• MA in International Security, University of Sussex
• Law School, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
• Master of Science in Epidemiology, University of Washington
• Master of Arts in Education, Pacific Lutheran University

Study Abroad

100% of Global Studies students study away, with options all over the world. This experience is integral to the program, providing students with firsthand knowledge of global issues and the opportunity to apply their learning in real-world settings.

Outcomes

• 60% of 2024 Global Studies graduates completed an internship, demonstrating the program's emphasis on practical experience.
• A significant percentage of graduates reported either employment or acceptance into graduate school within 6 months of graduating, highlighting the program's effectiveness in preparing students for their next steps.
• The median salary of 2024 Global Studies graduates was $75,000, indicating strong career prospects for alumni.