Undergraduate Program
Global Studies majors take a total of ten (10) courses, and every GLBL major will choose a theme and area studies region in which to concentrate studies.
Of the ten required courses for the major, the first three (3) will be core courses.* The other seven (7)** courses comprise the student’s concentration.
Click the Concentration and Language Requirement dropdowns below for more information.
* All majors must take GLBL 210 as the gateway core course. The remaining two core courses should represent a variety of disciplinary approaches to international and global issues, and they cannot come from the same academic department.
** Of these seven concentration courses, five must be above the survey level (courses numbered 200 and above).
Of the seven (7) concentration courses required for Global Studies majors, four (4) will target the chosen thematic area and three (3) will pertain to the chosen geographic area.
The following thematic concentrations can be chosen as a focus for coursework to fulfill the thematic requirement:
- International politics, nation-states, social movements
- Global economics, trade, development
- Global health and environment
- Transnational cultures, identities, arts
Additionally, students must take three (3) courses that are substantially grounded in a world area, exemplifying the transnational issues explored in the chosen theme. World areas include:
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
- Middle East
- Russia/Eastern Europe
- Western Europe/European Union
Global Studies majors must also earn credit for six levels of modern language study* or otherwise demonstrate proficiency.
Students may choose either:
- Six levels of one language, or
- Four levels of one language and two of another
The curriculum urges that in addition to fulfilling requirements, GLBL students continue the study of a foreign language to a level as close as possible to fluency.
View more information concerning foreign language requirements here.
* The primary language must be relevant to the declared world area concentration.
Study Abroad
Though study abroad is not required, GLBL students should make every effort to include a study abroad program in their undergraduate education, ideally in sophomore or junior year.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities.
Additional Information
Further questions about major requirements may be addressed to Dr. Jonathan Weiler, Director of Undergraduate Studies.