To complete the concentration, students must:
- Take one introduction course from the Global Studies 101-110 series (or equivalent course)
- Take a comparative course.
- Fulfill the requirements of a track.
- Complete a senior exercise in their track.
Global Studies 101-110 Series
All students wishing to pursue the concentration should take one introduction course from the Global Studies 101-110 series early in their careers. The topics and regions covered will vary and be selective, but all will be designed to place cultural, political, economic, environmental, and technological issues in conversation with one another to illustrate the necessity of cross-disciplinary and comparative perspectives. Students may petition to the Global Studies Chair to meet this requirement using a course that may not have been cross listed as part of the Global Studies curriculum but is equivalent in scope to the 101-110 series and serves a similar purpose.
Area or Thematic Tracks
After taking an introductory course from the Global Studies 101-110 series, students are asked to select a track that will structure their global studies curriculum.
There are two types of track:
Area Track: This track focuses on a particular region of the world or a contact zone where multiple communities encounter one another.
Thematic Track: This track is organized thematically and permits students to explore a cultural, political, economic or technological issue globally and comparatively.
At present the program consists of the following tracks:
Area Tracks:
African Studies
East Asian Studies
Latin American Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
European Studies
Russian and Eurasian Studies
Central Asian Studies
South and Southeast Asian Studies
Caribbean and Central American Studies
Oceania
Thematic Tracks:
Borders, Exile and Diaspora Studies
Economic Development Studies
Urbanizing World
Global Indigenous Studies
Food and Agriculture
Poverty and Insecurity
Human Rights
War, Security and Violence
Languages, Art and Culture
South-South Connections
North-South Connections
Transport, Logistics and Supply Chains
Climate Change
Global Health and Epidemics
De-Colonization
Contract Track
To fulfill the requirements of a track, students must complete three approved courses from at least two academic disciplines (i.e. from different department/programs) take a comparative course (i.e. a course that might not cover material directly dealing with the track, but would enrich a student’s engagement through comparative inquiry), and address their track in their senior exercise. Students may petition to use courses completed on approved study away programs to fulfill elective requirements. Students may not count a course toward more than one requirement in the track.
For a full listing of courses available for each track, please consult the course catalog or the courses page of this website.
Senior Exercise
All concentrators must complete a senior exercise. The senior exercise will be a substantial piece of writing (20-25 pages) that draws together concentrators’ disciplinary skills and their expertise in their track. It might be work done in the context of a senior capstone course in a relevant department, an Independent Study, or in the context of a shared seminar sponsored by the Global Studies program.
Study Abroad & Internships
Although not a requirement, study away, research and or relevant internships are an essential component of Global Studies. Where relevant to the curriculum plan of concentrators, the program Chair, in coordination with the Study Away Advisor and the Career Center, will advise students on opportunities in these areas.
Honors
A candidate for honors in Global Studies must maintain at least a B+ average in the concentration and be admitted to candidacy by the Chair. An honors candidate must complete their project in a semester (and Winter Study). An honors candidate will prepare a forty-page thesis or its equivalent while enrolled in the senior thesis course, 491 or 492 (and Winter Study). This course will be in addition to the courses required to fulfill the concentration. A student wishing to become a candidate for honors in Global Studies should secure a faculty sponsor and inform the program chair in writing before spring registration of her/his junior year. The Honors students will present and defend their final honors project at the Global Studies Colloquium typically held in early May.