Major in Global Studies
Why Major in Global Studies?
Globalization has laid bare the demand for degree holders at home crossing cultural, linguistic, political, economic, and social boundaries. Whether in business, governmental organizations, artistic consortiums, NGOs, or non-profits, individuals who possess such skills are in high demand.
Various metrics show that governmental, non-governmental as well as corporate institutions favor a workforce capable of understanding and managing the realities of a globalized world. The B.A. in Global Studies is conceived as a direct response to such needs as it provides an education that is more consistent with the 21st century. Because it emphasizes analysis of transnational interactions and global trends, the Global Studies major trains students to look beyond the traditional boundaries of the nation-state and encourage them to think in terms of the interconnectedness of the issues affecting the world today. This major is a truly interdisciplinary degree that prepares students to think critically and communicate about and engage with issues of global reach.
In addition, this degree offers more exposure to the College’s various disciplines. Students interested in Global Studies are encouraged to pursuea minor or a second major in a specific discipline because a number of credits earned towards the Global Studies major would count for the second major.
Take a look at our
Course requirements and bachelor’s checklist
.
Why Global Studies at FAU?
The Bachelor degree in Global Studies at FAU engages students in a distinct and coherent interdisciplinary curriculum designed to increase understanding and engagement with the globalizing processes that include the present time.
FAU holds a unique position in that its relatively low-cost tuition allows access to a diverse student body that is often absent at other universities within the SUS. Roughly 27% of our students identify as Hispanic. Another 20% identify as Black. Additionally, a significant number of our students also have familial ties to the Caribbean and Latin America. A degree in Global Studies recognizes the existent diversity and internationalism that comprises our student body and builds upon it by formalizing many of the transnational links that many of our students already possess in a course of study that speaks to some of their life experiences.
Furthermore, students in Global Studies will have access to study abroad programs and internships that will allow them opportunities for personal development; they will be able to hone their language skills, learn about other countries and cultures, and improve their career opportunities. The degree includes a mandatory capstone research course which aligns with the University’s undergraduate research initiative.
How does this major differ from other degrees in the College?
The global studies program offers an otherwise unavailable educational experience that invites students to pull from a variety of disciplines within the social sciences and humanities in order to gain a critical and practical perspective of global affairs/concerns today.
The BA in Global Studies requires students to take 4 core courses: 2 in Global Studies, 1 in Cultural Studies, and 1 in Research and Methods. In addition, a Study Abroad or an Internship in selected companies or NGOs is required. Furthermore, elective courses are concentrated in areas such as “Global Cultures,” Global Movements and Identities,” “Human and Natural Environments,” and “Peace, Justice, and Human Rights.” Finally, the program requires a capstone course, a Directed Independent Research course, that will culminate in a research project that should meet the definition posted on FAU’s OURI website