Global Studies, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies is an interdisciplinary degree program that familiarizes students with complex historical and contemporary relationships and processes that link people and places. Focusing on themes relating to globalization, the major encourages students to recognize and appreciate the world’s diversity. The overall aim of the program is to foster in students a critical, global outlook that will allow them to engage with pressing questions and to thrive in an interconnected world.
Students majoring in Global Studies will focus on one of four themes: Global Economic Development; Global Humanitarian Action; Global Peace, Conflict and Diplomacy; or Global and Transnational Cultures. In addition, majors will demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language or area specialization through completion of a relevant minor, allowing them to study, work, travel and conduct research outside the United States.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the global processes that have shaped historical and contemporary societies around the world. This includes describing the reasons that thinking globally matters to the past, present, and future.
- Engage in interdisciplinary scholarship by drawing upon two or more disciplinary traditions (i.e., Anthropology, English, Geography, History, Languages/Literature, Political Science, and Religious Studies etc.).
- Evaluate the interactions between global and local processes in a selected world region.
- Synthesize key global issues, knowledge, skills, and experiences in one of four Professional Pathways: Global Development and Sustainability; Global Health; Global Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights; and Global Cultural Studies.
Admissions
Entrance Requirements
New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another USC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:
- Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
- Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher on a USC campus.
Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, Cardiovascular Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
Program of Study
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Carolina Core | 32-44 |
| 2. College Requirements | 15-18 |
| 3. Program Requirements | 34-49 |
| 4. Major Requirements | 24 |
Founding Documents Requirement
All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers. This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.
1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-44 hours)
CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
- any CC-CMW courses
ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours)
- GLST 107 or any CC-ARP courses
SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)
- Two 4-credit hour CC-SCI courses
GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language (0-6 hours)
- Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.
- It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.
GHS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)
- any CC-GHS course
GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)
- GLST 101 or any CC-GSS Course
AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)
- any CC-AIU course
CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course
INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course
VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)
- GLST 101 or any other stand-alone or overlay CC-VSR course
- 1
Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.
2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)
Foreign Language (0-3 hours)
- only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency
History (3 hours)
The College of Arts and Sciences requires one additional GHS course beyond the Carolina Core GHS requirement.
- If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course.
- If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a U.S. history course.
Please select the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement from the approved list of U.S. and non-U.S. history courses.
Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (12 hours)
- Social Science (3 hours)
- Fine Arts/Humanities (9 Hours)
- A Bachelor of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences requires three 3-hour Fine Arts/Humanities Courses
3. Program Requirements (34-49 hours)
Minor (18 hours) Required
Foreign language, area specialization, and cultural competence are necessary components of the B.A. in Global Studies. Students must declare and complete a minor in either (1) a foreign language (in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures) or (2) a minor in an area studies program from the following list:
- African Studies
- Asian Studies
- European Studies
- Islamic World Studies
- Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies
- Middle East Studies
- Slavic, East-Central European, and Eurasian Studies
Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University. Students can satisfy this requirement by completing a second major.
Electives (16-31 hours)
120 degree applicable credits are required to complete any degree at USC. After the cognate, minor or second major is complete, any additional credits needed to reach 120 total credits can be fulfilled by electives. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.
4. Major Requirements (24 hours)
A minimum grade of C is required in all major requirements.
Major Courses (15 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GLST 201 | Diplomacy, Advocacy, and Global Policy | 3 |
| GLST 401 | Global Studies Capstone | 3 |
| Select 9 hours from the following: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Global Studies Through Literature | ||
| Introduction to International Development | ||
| Global Migration | ||
or GEOG 305 | Global Migration | |
| Global Media Industries | ||
or FAME 308 | Global Media Industries | |
| Global Health Geographies | ||
or GEOG 320 | Global Health Geographies | |
| Comparative and International Education | ||
| History of Capitalism 2: From the Industrial Revolution to the Global Economy | ||
| Global Human Rights | ||
or GEOG 380 | Global Human Rights | |
| Topics in Global Studies 1 | ||
| Advanced Topics in Global Studies 1 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
- 1
This course may be repeated under different topics up to three times.
Concentrations (9 hours)
Students must select one of the following Professional Pathways Concentrations and complete 9 hours of major electives from the courses listed in that concentration.
1. Global Economic Development
2. Global Humanitarian Action
3. Global Peace, Conflict, and Diplomacy
4. Global and Transnational Cultures
Special topics courses with appropriate content may be applied to the Professional Pathways concentration with approval of the advisor.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses selected from one of the following theme groups: | 9 | |
| Global Economic Development: | ||
| Environmental Racism and Justice | ||
| Anthropology of Globalization and Development | ||
| Anthropology & Development | ||
| Gender and Globalization | ||
| Toxic Environments and Invisible Harms | ||
| International Development and the Environment | ||
| Introduction to Economics | ||
| The International Economy | ||
| History of Economic Thought | ||
| International Trade Economics | ||
| International Monetary Economics | ||
| International Development Economics | ||
| Law and Economics | ||
| Political Economy | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Environmental Literature | ||
| Green Technology in Germany | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Integrating Sustainability | ||
| Environmental Racism and Justice | ||
| Energy, Society and Sustainability | ||
| Decolonizing the Environment: Race, Nature, Power | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Economic Geography | ||
| Cities in a Changing World | ||
| Sustainable Cities | ||
| Environment and Society | ||
| International Development and the Environment | ||
| The Idea of Nature in Germany | ||
| Green Technology in Germany | ||
| Into the Wild: Global Conservation since 1800 | ||
| History of Capitalism 2: From the Industrial Revolution to the Global Economy | ||
| History of Capitalism 2: From the Industrial Revolution to the Global Economy | ||
| Business in Historical Perspective | ||
| Urban Experience in Modern Europe | ||
| History of the Automobile | ||
| Sustainability in World History from Early Times to the Anthropocene | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Ethics of Science and Technology | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Comparative Politics of Developing Countries | ||
| Comparative Politics of Industrialized Countries | ||
| Economic Aspects of International Politics | ||
| Green Politics | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Gender and Labor | ||
| Gender and Globalization | ||
| Ecofeminism | ||
| Global Humanitarian Action: | ||
| Plagues Past and Present | ||
| Food and Culture | ||
| Disease, Health, and Social Inequities | ||
| Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth | ||
| Global Women's Health | ||
| Health and Disease in the Past | ||
| Anthropology of Migration: Displacement, Borders, and Health | ||
| Literature and Medicine | ||
| Environmental Pollution and Health | ||
| Global Environmental Health | ||
| Global Food Politics | ||
| Weather and Climate | ||
| Geopolitics and Refugees | ||
| Disasters | ||
| Climate and Society | ||
| Water as a Resource | ||
| Migration and Globalization | ||
| Environmental Hazards | ||
| Hazards Analysis and Planning | ||
| Global Food Politics | ||
| Plagues and Societies in World History | ||
| Medical Ethics | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Social Justice & Religion | ||
| Origins of Western Morality | ||
| Religions, Medicines, and Healing | ||
| Sociology of Medicine and Health | ||
| Refuge and Refugees | ||
| Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth | ||
| Global Women's Health | ||
| Global Peace, Conflict, and Diplomacy: | ||
| The American Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Antiracist Education | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
| Black Activism | ||
| Black Women Writers | ||
| Violence and Peace: Anthropological Perspectives | ||
| Humans Going Nuclear: Atomic Bombs, Cold War, and the Fallout | ||
| Anthropology of Law and Conflict | ||
| Conflict Archaeology | ||
| American Military Experience | ||
| Antiracist Education | ||
| Literature and Law | ||
| Literature and Film of the Holocaust | ||
| Postcolonialism | ||
| Geography and Global Geopolitics | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| NATO in Global Affairs | ||
| French Revolution and Napoleon | ||
| The History of Modern Russia and the Soviet Union | ||
| War and European Society, 1914-1945 | ||
| History of Airpower | ||
| History of the Holocaust | ||
| The Nobel Peace Prize: Peace, War, and Politics | ||
| Evolution of Warfare II | ||
| The American Civil Rights Movement | ||
| American Military Experience | ||
or ARMY 406 | American Military Experience | |
| Literature and Film of the Holocaust | ||
| History of the Holocaust | ||
| Language Conflict and Language Rights | ||
| Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Disobedience, Dissent, and Revolution | ||
| Language Conflict and Language Rights | ||
| Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Political Theory | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| International Relations | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| International Organization | ||
| Genocide: A Comparative Perspective | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Theories of War in International Relations | ||
| International Law | ||
| Law and Contemporary International Problems | ||
| Ideology and World Politics | ||
| International Relations of Latin America | ||
| Russian Foreign Policy | ||
| Globalization and Security | ||
| International Relations of East Asia and the Pacific | ||
| International Relations of Africa | ||
| Politics and Government of China | ||
| International Relations of the Middle East | ||
| Black Activism | ||
| Politics and Government of Russia | ||
| Politics and Governments of Europe | ||
| Politics and Governments of Africa | ||
| Politics and Governments of Latin America | ||
| Research in Language Conflict and Language Rights | ||
| Law and Religious Traditions | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
| Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Gender, Race and Social Justice | ||
| Feminist Theory | ||
| Global and Transnational Cultures: | ||
| Introduction to African-American Studies | ||
| Introduction to African American Religions | ||
| Comparing Cultures Through Film | ||
| Anthropology of Magic and Religion | ||
| Gender and Culture | ||
| Drinking in Culture: Anthropology of Alcohol | ||
| Archaeology in Film and Popular Culture | ||
| Cultures of Islam | ||
| Language and Popular Culture | ||
| Language, Culture, and Society | ||
| Anthropology of Sex | ||
| Ethnography of Communication | ||
| Visual Cultures | ||
| Language and Gender | ||
| Language and Globalization | ||
| Globalization and Cultural Questions | ||
| History of 20th Century Art | ||
| History of Cinema II | ||
| Topics in Modern Architecture | ||
| Afrofuturist and Afrosurrealist Art | ||
| Special Topics in Global Media | ||
| Special Topics in Global Film and Media | ||
| History of Modern Architecture | ||
| World Literature | ||
or ENGL 270 | World Literature | |
| Great Books of the Western World I | ||
| Great Books of the Western World II | ||
| Great Books of the Eastern World | ||
| Great Books of the Western World I | ||
| Great Books of the Western World II | ||
| Great Books of the Eastern World | ||
| Global Contemporary Literature | ||
| Landscape and Cultural Geography | ||
| Globalization and Cultural Questions | ||
| History of the Devil | ||
| The Crusades | ||
| The Expansion of Christianity | ||
| Post-World War II Italian Cinema | ||
| Language and Popular Culture | ||
| Language, Culture, and Society | ||
| Morality, Ethics, and Religion | ||
| History of the Devil | ||
| Anthropology of Magic and Religion | ||
| Religion and the Arts | ||
| Sex, Gender, and Religion | ||
| Religion and Literature | ||
| Gender and Culture | ||
| Human Life Cycles in Different Cultures | ||
| Sex, Gender, and Religion | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Note: Students are strongly encouraged to spend a period of time overseas, preferably in a country where they can develop their language skills. Participating in a study abroad program or an overseas work experience are two ways to gain an international experience. A period of a semester or full year is most beneficial. Approved study abroad courses may apply to some Global Studies major requirements, with permission of the advisor and the College.
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.