Global Studies

In an increasingly interconnected world, you need a global perspective on pressing issues. A degree in Global Studies instills a critical, global outlook that prepares you to engage with pressing global questions and to thrive in a global economy.

Find out what it's like to major in Global Studies.

Drop in on our next information session to meet faculty and advisors.

Ready to learn more now?

Email Dr. Austin Crane (undergraduate studies director) or Alan Marsee (academic advisor) to learn more about the Global Studies Major.

Explore Global Issues Your Way with the Flexible Global Studies Major

The Global Studies major gives you flexible options to study the global issues and regions that interest you the most. Along the way, you’ll explore the complex historical and contemporary relationships and processes that connect the world.

My goal is to become a doctor and improve healthcare access for non-English speakers. Global Studies broadened my perspective on culturally competent care, especially through my rewarding experience studying Spanish in Salamanca, Spain. My Global Health concentration deepened my understanding of health systems and diseases, while the program allowed me to add a Spanish major and Biology minor, giving me a strong foundation for medical school.

- Reagan Borland

What will I learn in Global Studies?

The revised Global Studies degree has four main components.

1. A focus on major global issues, addressing one of four major themes:

- Global Peace, Conflict, and Diplomacy
- Global Economic Development
- Global Humanitarian Action
- Global and Transnational Cultures

2. A deep understanding of the cultures, languages, social practices and challenges of a world language through completion of one of the following:

- A minor in a foreign language in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

- An area studies minor in the Walker Institute of International and Area Studies:
  - African Studies
  - Asian Studies
  - European Studies
  - Islamic World Studies
  - Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies
  - Middle East Studies
  - Slavic, East-Central European, and Eurasian Studies

3. Integrated opportunities to study abroad to build regional and cultural awareness and enhance language acquisition

Together, these components prepare students for careers that require an understanding of urgent global issues and the ability to work with people from a variety of cultures.

The courses offered as part of the Global Studies degree cover many subject areas, world regions, and perspectives. They are taught in many departments across the university, giving you a broad background that fosters critical thinking and a global outlook.

See the undergraduate bulletin for a full list of courses.

Where can I go with a Global Studies degree?

Wherever you want! The Global Studies program encourages students to learn a foreign language while immersing themselves in the culture of a foreign country. Whether you're looking to study French in Paris, master chopsticks in Japan or visit the fjords of Norway, the Education Abroad Office can help you find the program for you.

What can I do with a Global Studies degree?

Global Studies alumni excel in careers where knowledge of other cultures, language facility, and travel experience are indispensable:

Diplomacy and foreign affairs
Economic development officer
Environmental policy analyst
Foreign correspondent
Global trade
Human rights advocacy
International law
International relief work
Political risk analysis
Social work