Program Overview

Global Studies Program

The Global Studies program is a broad-based study of processes and problems that transcend national boundaries, preparing students to become global thinkers and problem-solvers for the twenty-first century. The program includes the study of global historical processes that have made the world more interconnected, as well as contemporary issues of global politics, violence, and security issues, global migrations, travel and social movements, global literature, arts and media, the global economic system of trade and finance, and issues of global health and disease, environmental change, and sustainability.

Program Requirements

Students will be grounded in two disciplines, as well as a geographic area of study and a foreign language.

Lower-Division Requirements

• GBST 001 - Global History, Culture, and Ideas
• Introductory courses in two disciplines
• Two courses in World History
• Foreign language proficiency up to the 4th quarter level satisfied either through a placement exam or course work in that language

Upper-Division Requirements

• Eight courses with global content in at least two different disciplines (i.e., 3 ANTH, 2 POSC, 3 PHIL courses, all with a global perspective)
  • At least one of these courses must be an upper-division Global Studies (GBST) course
  • At least two of these courses must focus on a geographic area (i.e., 2 courses that focus on Latin America, Europe, or Asia)
• Capstone requirement (at least 4 units): Students are required to complete their major with a capstone experience, which may be an advanced seminar on a topic of global significance, a major research paper supervised by a Global Studies faculty member, or a study abroad program approved by the Chair of Global Studies.