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.
Global Studies Major Requirements
The Global Studies Major consists of:
- Gateway Courses (8 GLBL credits)
- Block A: Foundation Courses (16 GLBL credits)
- Block B: The Professional Concentration (16 GLBL credits)
- Block C: The Geographic Focus (16 credits)
- Language Requirement:
- Intercultural Experience Requirement:
A minimum of 56 credits, 32 of which must be upper division, are required for the major (this number does not include the credits taken to fulfill the language requirement or the intercultural experience requirement).
Courses must be passed with grades of C- or better to satisfy the major requirements.
All courses taken for the major must be graded, with the exception of the language requirement and up to 8 credits in GLBL 406 or GLBL 409.A maximum of 12 credits in courses taken to fulfill the university group requirements may be applied toward the Global Studies major.
A maximum of 20 credits in courses taken in a single department (with the exception of Global Studies) may be applied toward the Global Studies major, exclusive of the language requirement.
Global Studies Major Requirements - Details
Gateway Courses
The "New" 'Global Studies major requires the following two Gateway courses (8 credits)
- GLBL 101: Introduction to International Studies
- GLBL 102: Foundations for Intercultural Competence*
*Offered prior as: INTL 199: International Skills (Fall 2019); GLBL 199, "Navigating Cultures" (Winter 2021).
Block A: Core Foundation Courses
The "New" 'Global Studies major requires the following four Core Foundation courses (16 credits)
- GLBL 230: Global Wellbeing*
- GLBL 240: Perspectives on International Development**
- GLBL 250: Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- GLBL 270: Globalization & the Global Economy***
*Offered prior as: INTL 199: Wellbeing (Winter 2020); GLBL 199, Wellbeing (Spring 2021, Summer 2021).** Please note this course serves as a pre-requisite to many upper-division GLBL courses, including those required for various Professional Concentrations.***Offered prior as: INTL 199: Globalization & the Global Economy (Spring 2018, Spring 2019, and Spring 2020); GLBL 199: Globalization & the Global Economy (Winter 2021 and Fall 2021).The "New" major does not prohibit students from applying for a substitution to utilize two upper-division (300 or 400-level) GLBL courses (8 credits) of the four course (16 credits) Core Foundation requirement. Seeking a substitution? Talk to a Global Connections Advisor.Global Connections Advisors will seek approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies for any requests to substitute the following courses into the Block A: GLBL 399 experimental courses, GLBL 401 "Research," GLBL 403 "Thesis" GLBL 405 "Reading," GLBL 406 "Field Studies," GLBL 407 experimental courses, GLBL 409 "Practicum," and GLBL 410 experimental courses.Global Connections Advisors are authorized to substitute other 300 or 400-level GLBL courses into the Block A, if requested though students are encourage to complete all four 200-level Core Foundation courses.
Block B: Professional Concentration
Students will now be able to fulfill their Block B Professional Concentration requirements either via an Internal Professional Concentration or an External Professional Concentration.
Internal Professional Concentration
All Internal Professional Concentrations require four upper-division (300 or 400-level) courses (16 credits). Students pick one of the following twelve internal professional concentration areas and complete required credits choosing from a diverse and exciting list of required and elective courses. Click each Professional Concentration for more details, including a list of required and elective courses.
External Professional Concentration.
In addition to the minor requirements (which vary in number of credits required), all External Professional Concentrations require four upper-division (300 or 400-level) GLBL courses (16 credits).
- Complete all requirements for a minor certificate in any other UO department.
- In addition, complete a breadth requirement in Global Studies by completing four upper-division (300 or 400-level) GLBL courses (16 GLBL credits).
"Are you serious?" you ask? Oh yes, we're serious. "Any minor??" you ask? Yes any minor. Use the Admissions website's "Find Majors and Minors" page to explore minors by interest, or by school or college. Just enter "minor" in the search bar and feast your eyes on the possibilities.
A note regarding individualized study GLBL courses:
Students can work with a Global Connections Advisor to apply up to four credits of the following courses to their Block B: GLBL 401 "Research," GLBL 403 "Thesis," GLBL 405 "Reading," GLBL 406 "Field Studies," GLBL 409 "Practicum."
Block C: Geographic Focus
The "New" Global Studies major Block C Geographic Focus areas haven't changed in terms of options, but what has changed is an expanded list of course options for each region.
The Geographic Focus areas that Global Studies majors may choose from are listed below. Click each Professional Concentration for more details, including a list of required and elective courses.
North America - only a regional option for international (non-domestic) students.
Notes:
List of electives are not exhaustive but simply list courses which are known to teach material relevant to the professional concentrations. If a student finds other courses which may be appropriate electives in a given concentration area, they may consult with the Global Connections Advisors for approval. Seeking a substitution? Talk to a Global Connections Advisor.
A note regarding individualized study GLBL courses: Students can work with a Global Connections Advisor to apply up to four credits of the following courses to their Block B: GLBL 401 "Research," GLBL 403 "Thesis," GLBL 405 "Reading," GLBL 406 "Field Studies," GLBL 409 "Practicum.
"Non-GLBL courses listed as approved electives may have pre-requisites in place as required by those departments. Global Studies majors are responsible for completing pre-requisites for those courses, in addition to the elective course approved for their Block B. Global Studies staff and advisors are not able to override these pre-requisites for Global Studies majors; all requests such as these should be directed to the appropriate departments.
One other update related to the Geographic Focus: students may now apply for a substitution to use one term (4 or 5 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 the substitution will be approved. (Prior, students were only allowed to use four credits of an upper-division language course as an elective for the Geographic Focus). Seeking a substitution? Talk to a Global Connections Advisor.
Major Language Requirement
The "New" Global Studies major encourages Global Studies students to take a variety of language courses!Global Studies students have two options for completing the major's language requirement: Three Years of a Second Language
- Demonstrate third-year, third-term proficiency in any one language, other than the student's native language. The language does not have to coincide with the student's geographic focus, and English becomes the second language requirement for international students.
- If a student chooses to take language classes to fulfill the requirement, they must complete three terms of at least 300-level courses for one language.
- Proficiency can be fulfilled either through coursework or taking a placement exam.
"2+2" Option
- Demonstrate second-year, third-term proficiency in any two languages, other than the student's native language.
- If a student chooses to take language classes to fulfill the requirement they must complete three terms of at least 200-level courses for two different languages.
- Proficiency can be fulfilled either through coursework of taking a placement exam.