Formerly known as international studies, global studies is an interdisciplinary major. What this means is that students can tailor majors to their own specific interests. Global studies provides an excellent general education for students interested in the complex interrelationships (political, economic, social, and cultural) of our interdependent modern world. The program offers students tools to make sense of a fast-changing global arena; it ensures the practical application of their research; and it immerses them in the language, history, and culture of a major world region.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Critical Thinking: Use analytical tools to examine global issues in the primary thematic areas of the department: international development, culture and globalization, gender and development, environmental sustainability, global health and well-being, and cross-cultural communication and understanding. Critically analyze the complex interrelationships that exist among first nations, nation states and between peoples, and civil society organizations and the environment throughout the interdependent modern world.
  • Critical Thinking: Contrast methods of interdisciplinary social science research from qualitative ethnographic methods to quantitative survey instruments; use library databases to categorize relevant literature, appraise the strengths and weaknesses of academic arguments, use evidence to support arguments.
  • Critical Thinking: Modify and apply a critical and well-grounded understanding of multiple worldviews and perspectives, experiences, power structures, and ethical and cultural positions in relation to contemporary global issues.
  • Content Knowledge: Describe, explain and apply basic knowledge of the historic and contemporary role and effects of different actors in the global system (e.g., multilateral and bilateral organizations, development agencies, social movements, nation-states, civil society, business, and philanthropic and non-governmental organizations).
  • Content Knowledge: Describe and discuss the history, culture, society, geography and political economy of a major world region, and its relations to global political economic processes.
  • Content Knowledge: Describe, summarize and transfer basic knowledge of a professional concentration area onto a real-world career objective.
  • Content Knowledge: Connect course content surrounding political systems, health, history, culture, economics, or education, to a set of intercultural experiences.
  • Communication: Demonstrate receptive and productive proficiency in at least one language other than English.
  • Communication: Convey complex information and ideas in written English that are clear, robust, carefully edited, well organized, and stylistically engaging and accessible.
  • Communication: Interact with people from a diverse range of cultural, religious, ethnic, and national backgrounds in a way that is respectful and informed. Use knowledge and skills to develop and advocate for informed, appropriate action to solve complex problems in the human and natural worlds.

Global Studies Major Requirements

Course List
Code Title Credits
Introduction to Global Issues
Foundations for Intercultural Competence
Global Wellbeing
Perspectives on International Development
Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Globalization and the Global Economy

1

2

Total Credits56

Additional Requirements

Courses must be passed with grades of C- or better to satisfy major requirements. In addition, three years' proficiency in a second language is required (see below for details).

Courses applied to the major, with the exception of the language requirement and up to 8 credits in Field Studies: [Topic] (GLBL 406) or Terminal Project (GLBL 409), must be taken for letter grades.

A maximum of 12 credits in courses taken to fulfill the university area requirements may be applied toward the global studies major.

A maximum of 20 credits in courses taken in a single department other than global studies may be applied toward the global studies major, exclusive of the language requirement and the External Block B Professional Concentration option.

For the most current information about courses and requirements, visit the department website.

Language Requirement

To satisfy this requirement, students must achieve proficiency in a second language at a level associated with three years of study. Proficiency in the language may be demonstrated by passing three terms of a 300-level language sequence with grades of mid-C or better, by an examination, or by graduating from a high school in which English was not the medium of instruction.

A student may also fulfill the language requirement with two years' proficiency in two different languages exclusive of the student's native language. Students wishing to pursue this option must get approval from the director of undergraduate studies faculty.

Intercultural Experience

The Global Studies Major requires a significant intercultural experience to fulfill the major requirements. An experience is intercultural when it involves direct engagement with people from a cultural group or subcultural group that is significantly different from the participant's own background.

To meet this requirement, experiences should provide the opportunity to:

  1. Explore multiple worldviews and perspectives, experiences, power structures, and ethical and cultural positions in relation to contemporary global issues.
  2. Connect course content surrounding political systems, health, history, culture, economics, environment, or education, to a set of intercultural experiences.

Interact with people from a diverse range of cultural, religious, ethnic, and national backgrounds in a way that is respectful and informed. Use knowledge and skills to develop and advocate for informed, appropriate action to solve complex problems in the human and natural worlds.              

   A sustained intercultural experience is a core component of our program. Students may fulfill this requirement via study or internship abroad, or via local intercultural engagement.  Please consult with your faculty advisor to tailor your plans for your personal academic and professional aims.

Option #1 - A credit-bearning intercultural experience consisting of at least 4 credits (e.g., GEO study abroad, GlobalWorks internship, or a credited research experience such as GLBL 406 or 409). This option does not need to be pre-approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Option #2 - A non-credit-bearing intercultural experience consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of engagement (e.g., internship with an organization). Prior to applying for or starting an experience for Option #2, students should first contact the Intercultural Experience coordinator for pre-approval, and provide a one-paragraph abstract detailing how they foresee the proposed opportunity will meet the criteria enumerated on the Department of Global Studies website.

Following completion of the experience, for verification, students will choose from:

  • 8-10 page reflection paper
  • Academic poster
  • Multi-media product (blog, story map, program evaluation, project report etc).

Verification, which should address how the opportunity involved the above criteria, will be submitted to Intercultural Experience Coordinator (not the advisor) for approval.

Approved field experiences for the Global Health Minor may count toward the intercultural experience requirement. 

Overlap Policy

  • 16 credits can be overlap with another major
  • 8 credits can be overlap with another minor

Block C: Geographic Focus Areas

Choose 1 of the following 7 Geographic Focus options. Earn 16 credits total: 

A) 1 required GLBL course (4 credits)

B) 2 or 3 electives (12 credits)

C) All credits must be upper division.

As many as 4 credits in a third-year language sequence may be used to fulfill the geographic focus requirement. Appropriate courses should have significant course content on the region of study. Areas of focus may include Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, North America, South and Central Asia, and East and Southeast Asia. A North American geographic focus is only open to international students.

Students may submit a substitution request to use one term (4.00 or 5.00 credits) of introductory (100 or 200-level) language for their geographic focus requirement, and, as long as it is confirmed as different from the language the student is using for their 3-year language requirement for the major, the substitution will be approved. Students seeking this exceptional substitution should discuss the matter with Global Connections Advisors in the Tykeson College & Career Advising unit.

Course List
Code Title Credits

African Contemporary Issues and Concerns
Development and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

GLBL 323

GLBL 423

GLBL 432

Archaeology of Egypt and Near East
African Archaeology

BI 309

African Dance Aesthetics
Voices of Africa
French Survey of Francophone Literature

FR 361

French-English Translation
Geography of the Middle East and North Africa
Precolonial Africa
Colonial and Postcolonial Africa
Society and Culture in Modern Africa: [Topic]
African Regional Histories: [Topic]
Musical Instruments of the World
Popular Musics in the African Diaspora

Language and Culture I
Language and Culture II
Language and Culture III
Reading Classical Arabic
La France contemporaine
Oral Skills
Total Credits16
Course List
Code Title Credits

United Nations Intervention in Global Crises

GLBL 432

ANTH 430

Ancient Mediterranean Art: [Topic]
History of World Architecture I
History of World Architecture II
Hellenistic Art and Architecture
Medieval Art

ARH 348

Art of the Enlightenment
Medieval Art and Architecture: [Topic]
Greek and Roman Epic
Greek and Roman Tragedy
Classical Greek Philosophers
English Novel
Medieval Romance
Chaucer
Old English I
Knights, Queens, and Rebels
Monarchy, Liberty, Revolution
Modernity and Creativity
French Poetry
French Theater
French Narrative

FR 361

French Film

FR 451

19th-Century Literature: [Topic]
20th-Century Literature: [Topic]
Diversity in Germany

GER 352

German Gender Studies
German Cinema: History, Theory, Practice
German Fairy Tales
German Literature Poetry, Plays, Prose
German Literature Literary Movements
Play Performance: [Topic]
Modern Europe
Modern Europe
Modern Europe

HIST 320

HIST 321

HIST 332

HIST 336

HIST 337

German History: [Topic]

HIST 345

Soviet Union and Contemporary Russia
Ancient Greece: [Topic]
Ancient Rome: [Topic]

HIST 420

HIST 425

Intellectual History of Modern Europe: [Topic]
Europe in the 20th Century: [Topic]
Modern Germany: [Topic]
Italian Survey: 19th and 20th Centuries

ITAL 449

European Politics
Russian Politics
Marxism and Radical Thought
Russian through Theater

RUSS 331

Russian Literature and Film

RUSS 426

Russian Literature: [Topic]
Nordic Cinema
Directors, Movements, and Manifestos
Constructions versus Constrictions of Identity
Revisions of the Scandinavian Dream
Norse Mythology
Genres in Scandinavian Literature
Spanish in the Media
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics

SPAN 341

Hispanic Cultures through Literature II
Hispanic Cultures through Literature III
Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV
Introduction to Poetry
Introduction to Poetry
Introduction to Theater
Introduction to Narrative
Creative Writing in Spanish
History of the Spanish Language

SPAN 450

SPAN 466

19th-Century Spanish American Literature: [Topic]
20th-Century Latin American Literature: [Topic]
Marxist Sociological Theory

La France contemporaine
Culture et langage Le monde francophone contemporain
Oral Skills
French Theater
French-English Translation
Intermediate Language Training I
Advanced Language Training

GER 412

Authors: [Topic]
Authors: [Topic]
Authors: [Topic]
Cultura e lingua: l'Italia contemporanea
Cultura e lingua: arte, musica, i mass media

ITAL 307

Italian Survey: Baroque and Enlightenment

ITAL 320

Authors: [Topic]
Authors: [Topic]
Third-Year Russian I
Third-Year Russian II
Third-Year Russian III
Advanced Russian: [Topic]
Cultura y lengua: Identidades hispanas
Cultura y lengua: Expresiones artisticas
Cultura y lengua Cambio social
Oral Skills
Culture and Language Bilingual Communities
Spanish in the Media
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV
Cultura e lingua: Brasil ontem e hoje
Total Credits16
Course List
Code Title Credits

Southeast Asia Today

GLBL 323

Pacific Islands Archaeology
Archaeology of East Asia
Chinese Buddhist Art
Japanese Art: [Topic]
Japanese Prints
What Is Asia: Theoretical Debates
Asian Foodways
Chinese Economy: Transition, Development, Globalization
History of Chinese Literature
History of Chinese Literature II, The Imperial Age
History of Chinese Literature
Literature of Modern Taiwan
Gender and Sexuality in Traditional Chinese Literature
Gender and Sexuality in Modern Chinese Literature
Special Studies: [Topic]
Seminar: [Topic]
Experimental Course: [Topic]

CHN 411

CHN 412

Modern Chinese Texts: [Topic]
Intermediate Language Strategies
Intermediate Language Strategies
Literary Chinese
Literary Chinese
Chinese Academic Writing
Advanced Chinese: [Topic]
Chinese Film and Theory
Chinese Linguistics

CHN 481

History of the Chinese Language
Contemporary Korean Film
Special Studies: [Topic]
Seminar: [Topic]
Experimental Course: [Topic]
Second-Language Acquisition

ENG 362

Early China
Samurai in Film
China: [Topic]
Early Japanese Culture and Society: [Topic]
Introduction to Japanese Literature
Introduction to Japanese Literature
Introduction to Japanese Literature
Special Studies: [Topic]
Seminar: [Topic]
Experimental Course: [Topic]
Fourth-Year Spoken Japanese
Fourth-Year Spoken Japanese
Fourth-Year Spoken Japanese
Fourth-Year Reading and Writing Japanese
Fourth-Year Reading and Writing Japanese
Fourth-Year Reading and Writing Japanese
Modern Japanese Literature: [Topic]
Advanced Readings in Japanese Literature
Advanced Readings in Japanese Literature

JPN 471

Introduction to Korean Linguistics
Korean Popular Culture and Transnationalism
Contemporary Korean Film
Special Studies: [Topic]
Experimental Course: [Topic]
Politics of China
Southeast Asian Politics
Political Economy of East Asia
Chinese Religions
Japanese Religions
Dark Self, East and West
Readings in Buddhist Scriptures

Third-Year Chinese I
Third-Year Chinese II
Third-Year Chinese III
Third-Year Japanese I
Third-Year Japanese II
Third-Year Japanese III
Third-Year Korean I
Third-Year Korean II
Third-Year Korean III
Total Credits16
Course List
Code Title Credits

South Asia: Development and Social Change

The Global Story of Race

GLBL 423

Bollywood's Lens on Indian Society

What Is Asia: Theoretical Debates
Cultures of India and South Asia
India
Dark Self, East and West
Readings in Buddhist Scriptures
Total Credits16
Course List
Code Title Credits

Development and Social Change in Latin America

Immigration and Farmworkers
Latino Roots I
Race and Gender in Latin America
Latin American Art History: [Topic]
Decolonization and Education

ES 442

Latin America
Latin America
Latin America, 1910 to the Present
Mexico
Latin America: [Topic]
Music of the Americas
Introduction to Latin American Philosophy
Governments and Politics in Latin America
Spanish in the Media

SPAN 341

Hispanic Cultures through Literature II
Hispanic Cultures through Literature III
Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV
Latinx Culture and Society
Introduction to Poetry
Introduction to Theater
Introduction to Narrative
Creative Writing in Spanish
Special Studies: [Topic]
Seminar: [Topic]
Experimental Course: [Topic]
History of the Spanish Language
National Identities and Border Cultures in the Americas

SPAN 450

SPAN 466

19th-Century Spanish American Literature: [Topic]
20th-Century Latin American Literature: [Topic]

La France contemporaine
Culture et langage Le monde francophone contemporain
Oral Skills
French-English Translation
Cultura y lengua: Identidades hispanas
Cultura y lengua: Expresiones artisticas
Cultura y lengua Cambio social
Oral Skills
Culture and Language Bilingual Communities
Spanish in the Media
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV
Cultura e lingua: Brasil ontem e hoje
Total Credits16
Course List
Code Title Credits

GLBL 432

Native North Americans
Anthropology of the United States
Oregon Archaeology
Latino Roots I

ANTH 443

American Architecture III
American Deaf Culture
US Film Industry
Literature of the Northwest
African American Writers
Native American Writers

ENG 362

Chicano and Latino Writers

ENG 364

American Novel
American Novel
Modern American Superhero
Race and Popular Culture: [Topic]
Women of Color Issues and Concerns
Native Americans and the Environment
Social Equity and Criminal Justice
Race and Ethnicity and the Law: [Topic]
History of Native American Education

GEOG 471

History of Women in the United States I
History of Women in the United States II
US Military History
The United States in the 1960s
United States Business History
Vietnam War and the United States
Advanced Women's History: [Topic]

HIST 449

Colonial American History

HIST 456

19th-Century United States: [Topic]
American Economic History: [Topic]
The Pacific Northwest
American Indian History: [Topic]
African American History to 1877: [Topic]
African American History since 1877: [Topic]
American Environmental History: [Topic]

J 411M

J 412

Hip-Hop History, Culture, Aesthetics
American Philosophy: [Topic]
Native American Philosophy
States' Rights and Wrongs
United States Political Thought
United States Foreign Policy I
Terrorism and Weapons Proliferation

PS 347

Mass Media and American Politics
Politics and Film
Democratic Dilemmas
Political Parties and Elections
Music and Politics
United States Social Movements and Political Change
Marxism and Radical Thought
Racial Politics in the United States
LGBT Rights in the Courts
The United States Presidency
U.S. Interventions in Developing Nations
United States Supreme Court
United States Political Economy
American Society
Marxist Sociological Theory
Latinx Culture and Society
National Identities and Border Cultures in the Americas
19th-Century Spanish American Literature: [Topic]
Women and Gender in American History
Feminist Perspectives on Identity, Race, Culture
Total Credits16

Four-Year Degree Plan

The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.

Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies

Below is an example of how to complete a BA in global studies with a diplomacy and international relations professional concentration and a Middle East geographic focus. Since the major offers 16 options for professional concentration areas and seven different geographic focus regions, with a wide variety of courses that can count toward each concentration, there are innumerable paths through the global studies major.

This degree plan is for general planning purposes only and, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the major, it is imperative that students speak with advisors to determine which courses would best match their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Degree Map
First Year
Fall
CHN 101 First-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 101 Introduction to Global Issues 4
WR 121Z Composition I 4
Core-education course in science 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 102 First-Year Chinese 5
WR 123 College Composition III 4
GLBL 250 Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 103 First-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 199 Special Studies: [Topic] 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
Second Year
Fall
CHN 201 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 240 Perspectives on International Development 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 202 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 230 Global Wellbeing 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 203 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 270 Globalization and the Global Economy 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Third Year
Fall
CHN 301 Third-Year Chinese I 5
REL 335 Introduction to the Qur'an 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 302 Third-Year Chinese II 5
GLBL 420 Global Community Development 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 303 Third-Year Chinese III 5
GLBL 431 Cross-Cultural Communication 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Fourth Year
Fall
ENVS 435 Environmental Justice 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 12
Winter
CRES 435 Israel and Palestine 4
SOC 465 Political Sociology 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
 Credits 12
Spring
GLBL 422 Aid to Developing Countries 4
Elective courses 8
 Credits 12
 Total Credits 189

Bachelor of Science in Global Studies

Below is an example of how to complete a BS in global studies with a diplomacy and international relations professional concentration and a Middle East geographic focus. Since the major offers 16 options for professional concentration areas and seven different geographic focus regions, with a wide variety of courses that can count toward each concentration, there are innumerable paths through the global studies major.

This degree plan is for general planning purposes only and, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the major, it is imperative that students speak with advisors to determine which courses would best match their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Degree Map
First Year
Fall
CHN 101 First-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 101 Introduction to Global Issues 4
MATH 105Z Math in Society 4
WR 121Z Composition I 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 102 First-Year Chinese 5
MATH 106 University Mathematics II 4
WR 123 College Composition III 4
GLBL 250 Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 103 First-Year Chinese 5
MATH 107 University Mathematics III 4
GLBL 199 Special Studies: [Topic] 4
Core-education course in science 4
 Credits 17
Second Year
Fall
CHN 201 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 240 Perspectives on International Development 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 202 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 230 Global Wellbeing 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Core-education course in science 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 203 Second-Year Chinese 5
GLBL 270 Globalization and the Global Economy 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
Third Year
Fall
CHN 301 Third-Year Chinese I 5
REL 335 Introduction to the Qur'an 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Winter
CHN 302 Third-Year Chinese II 5
GLBL 420 Global Community Development 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Spring
CHN 303 Third-Year Chinese III 5
GLBL 431 Cross-Cultural Communication 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 17
Fourth Year
Fall
ENVS 435 Environmental Justice 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 12
Winter
SOC 465 Political Sociology 4
CRES 435 Israel and Palestine 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
 Credits 12
Spring
GLBL 422 Aid to Developing Countries 4
Elective courses 8
 Credits 12
 Total Credits 189