Global Studies (B.A.)
The Global Studies program is an interdisciplinary major that offers capable and motivated students a unique academic program tailored to their creative and career interests. Global Studies recognizes that overcoming the most significant challenges facing the world today - such as climate change, resource scarcity, violent conflict and discrimination - requires the understanding of multiple perspectives and the integration of knowledge. To gain the skills needed to address these challenges, students in the Global Studies program draw on the expertise of faculty in a number of carefully selected fields. These faculty help students develop a coherent and balanced plan for learning.
Our alumni have entered graduate degree programs in urban planning, human rights, and global governance, become interpreters, served overseas in the Peace Corps, and worked in the U.S. Department of State.
The Global Studies program consists of:
- An introduction to globalization and the methods used for discovering solutions to contemporary global problems.
- A four-course concentration that reflects a student's research interests.
- Foreign language training to achieve intermediate proficiency.
- A culminating project in the senior year that proposes solutions to a global problem within a local context. The project delivers a defined outcome with a measurable impact and incorporates leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. The topic of the senior project relates to the location of a student's study abroad experience.
Global Studies majors participate in at least one semester of a study abroad or other international experience, selected in conjunction with guidance from the Center for Global Education & Fellowships and program faculty. This experience can be used to fulfill course requirements in the major and in the university's general curriculum.
Global Studies majors complete a minimum of 120 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree, including 41–44 credits of core courses and 48 credits of major courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| CEG-222 | Research Methods | 3 |
| CEG-450 | Capstone | 3 |
| ECN-102 | Introductory Microeconomics | 3 |
| ENV-334 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| GLO-300 | Public Policy Writing | 3 |
| GLO-100 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 |
| GLO-350 | Earth 2050 | 3 |
| POL-345 | International Environment and Development | 3 |
| Two intermediate-level foreign language courses | 6 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Humans and their Environment | ||
| The Sociological Imagination | ||
| Anthropology: Interpreting Cultural Differences | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Modern Global History | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| Global Studies Concentration (choose four courses in consultation with advisor) | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Global Media | ||
| Global Economics | ||
| International Trade and Global Corporations | ||
| Coastal Economics & the Maritime Environment | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||
| Global Health: Society, Medicine, and the Body | ||
| Food Matters | ||
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| Contemporary Latin America | ||
| Contemporary Middle East | ||
| Contemporary Africa | ||
| Contemporary Asia | ||
| Contemporary Europe and Russia | ||
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| Exploring North American Indigenous Cultures | ||
| World Archaeology | ||
| Cultures of Francophone World | ||
| Islamic Philosophy | ||
| Chinese Philosophy | ||
| Japanese Philosophy | ||
| Engaging the Jewish Experience | ||
| Engaging the Muslim Experience | ||
| Engaging the Hindu Experience | ||
| Engaging the Buddhist Experience | ||
| Thesis Cultural, Environmental & Global Studies | ||
| Total Credits | 48 | |
Foreign Language Study
Global Studies majors must be able to read, write, and speak at an intermediate level of proficiency in a language other than English, demonstrated by completion of SPA-206 Intermediate Spanish II, FRN-206 Intermediate French II, ITL-206 Intermediate Italian II or an equivalent language course offered as part of a study abroad program or through the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (AICU Rhode Island) Language Consortium. During their study abroad programs, Global Studies majors are required to study the native language of their study abroad destinations if the native language is not English. This requirement is waived for native speakers of languages other than English who decide to work on issues related to a region/problem in which they would not need further language study. Courses taken abroad may fulfill the Global Studies language requirement with the approval of the Chair of the Modern Languages department.
Degree Plan for Global Studies (B.A.)
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| STU-101 | First Year Studio | 1 |
| WRT-105 | College Writing and Research Intensive 1 | 3 |
| PHL-105 or RTS-105 |
Finding Your Moral Compass 2 or Faith, Mercy, Justice in the 21st Century |
3 |
| Intermediate Foreign Language I | 3 | |
| Core Course or Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Core Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHL-105 or RTS-105 |
Finding Your Moral Compass 2 or Faith, Mercy, Justice in the 21st Century |
3 |
| Intermediate Foreign Language II | 3 | |
| GLO-100 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 |
| ECN-102 | Introductory Microeconomics | 3 |
| Science Core 4 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| STU-201 | Sophomore Studio 5 | 1 |
| MTH Core 6 | 3 | |
| HIS Core 7 | 3 | |
| ENG Core 8 | 3 | |
| Core Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Core Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CEG-222 | Research Methods | 3 |
| ENV-334 | Environmental Justice | 3 |
| Core Course or Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| POL-345 | International Environment and Development | 3 |
| GLO-350 | Earth 2050 | 3 |
| GLO Concentration Course | 3 | |
| GLO Concentration Course | 3 | |
| GLO Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Study Abroad- Consult with Center for Global Education & Fellowships in Spring of Year 2 | 12 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CEG-450 | Capstone | 3 |
| GLO-300 | Public Policy Writing | 3 |
| GLO Concentration Course | 3 | |
| Core Course in RTS or PHL | 3 | |
| Art Core 9 | 3 | |
| Elective workshop | 1 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective Workshop | 1 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 121 | |
- 1
The first-year writing requirement may be fulfilled by completing WRT-105 in either the fall or spring semester. Alternately, a student may opt for the two-course sequence, completing WRT-102 in the fall and WRT-103 in the spring.
- 2
One each semester.
- 3
SOA-130 Anthropology: Interpreting Cultural Differences or SOA-110 The Sociological Imagination recommended.
- 4
BIO-140 Humans and their Environment & BIO-140L Humans and their Environment Lab recommended.
- 5
This weekend workshop may be taken in either the fall or spring semester of sophomore year.
- 6
MTH-171 Mathematics in Social Sciences recommended.
- 7
HIS-265 Modern Global History recommended.
- 8
ENG-205 Contemporary Global Literature recommended.
- 9
ART-202 Sculptural Concepts recommended.