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 health, global conflict and security, global sustainability and development, or global cultures. Students also choose one of six world regions for intensive study: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa, or Russia and Eurasia. In addition, majors will demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language, allowing them to study, work, travel and conduct research outside the U.S. The degree program also offers a Leadership in the Global Economy concentration.  

Learning Outcomes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.).
  3. Evaluate the interactions between global and local processes in a selected world region.
  4. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours) 

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

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.

CC-GFL courses

  • 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) 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

Select one course from the following:

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)

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)

NOTE: Students may not use courses in foreign language toward the Fine Arts or Humanities requirement, as those courses will count toward the Supporting Courses Foreign Language requirement.

3. Program Requirements (34-49 hours)

Supporting Courses (0-15 hours)

Foreign Language (0-15 hours)

The Global Studies program requires students to complete foreign language(s) beyond the 122-level required by the College of Arts and Sciences.  Students may meet this requirement in two ways:

  • One language completed through 6 hours at the 300 level, or
  • Two languages distributed as follows:
    • Carolina Core GFL language continued through 6 hours at the 200 level, and a
    • Second language completed through the 122 level, which may require from 6 to 9 hours, depending on whether the language begins with 109 or 121.

Note: The number of hours that students must take to fulfill this requirement will depend upon their proficiency in the language, e.g. students who test into 300-level of a language would not need to take the 200-level prerequisites and would only need 6 hours to meet this requirement.  Additionally, should students choose to add a foreign language minor or foreign language as a second major and successfully complete course requirements, then this will satisfy the foreign language requirement for the Global Studies major.  This requirement may be satisfied through foreign language placement tests.

Minor (18 hours) Optional

The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must follow a structured sequence.

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.

A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z.

Electives (1-49 hours)

120 (or 128) 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 (or 128) 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)

Selection of major courses must include at least one Carolina Core Integrative course:

Course Title Credits
AFAM 366Medicine, Disease, and Slavery3
ANTH 355Language, Culture, and Society3
ANTH 366Medicine, Disease, and Slavery3
ANTH 371Ethnography of Communication3
ANTH 381Gender and Globalization3
ENGL 382The Enlightenment3
ENGL 434Environmental Literature3
ENGL 437Women Writers3
ENGL 438DAfrican Literature3
HIST 305Greece and Rome in Film and Popular Culture3
LASP 301Interdisciplinary Study of Latin America3
POLI 315International Relations3
POLI 316Comparative Politics3
RUSS 319Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature in Translation3
RUSS 320Twentieth-Century Russian Literature in Translation3
WGST 381Gender and Globalization3

Note: These courses require additional prerequisites not included in the program.

The Global Studies major consists of three separate components:

  1. Professional Pathway (9 hours)
  2. World Region (9 hours)
  3. Global Thinking (6 hours)

Of the 24 hours in the major, at least 18 hours must be completed at the 300 level or above.

Professional Pathway (9 hours)

Students must complete one Professional Pathway from the following lists. The 9 hours must come from courses listed within a single pathway.

  1. Global Development and Sustainability
  2. Global Health
  3. Global Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights
  4. Global Culture

Special topics courses with appropriate content may be applied to the Professional Pathways with approval of the advisor.

Professional Pathway (9 hours)

Course Title Credits
Select three courses selected from one of the following theme groups:9
Global Development and Sustainability:
Environmental Racism and Justice
Anthropology of Globalization and Development
Humans Going Nuclear: Atomic Bombs, Cold War, and the Fallout
Ancient Civilizations
Introduction to Economics
Environmental Literature
Green Technology in Germany
Environmental Ethics
Integrating Sustainability
Environmental Racism and Justice
Energy, Society and Sustainability
Landscape and Cultural Geography
Sustainable Cities
The Geography of Disasters
Environment and Society
Climate and Society
Green Technology in Germany
The Idea of Nature in Germany
Into the Wild: Global Conservation since 1800
History of Capitalism 1: Ancient and Medieval World
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
Global Health:
Disease, Health, and Social Inequities
Anthropology of Sex
Medicine, Disease, and Slavery
Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth
Global Women's Health
Art, Anatomy, and Medicine, 1700-Present
Medical and Scientific Terminology
Between Magic and Method: Ancient Medicine
Literature and Medicine
Environmental Pollution and Health
History of Medicine: Antiquity to the Scientific Revolution
Plagues and Societies in World History
Between Magic and Method: Ancient Medicine
Medical Ethics
Religions, Medicines, and Healing
Sociology of Medicine and Health
Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth
Global Women's Health
Global Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights:
Convergence and Divergence in African American and Jewish Relations: Historical and Contemporary
The American Civil Rights Movement
Antiracist Education
Race and Ethnic Relations
Jim Crow: Histories & Revivals
Black Activism
Black Women Writers
Anthropology of Law and Conflict
American Military Experience
Antiracist Education
Comparative and International Education
Literature and Law
Literature and Film of the Holocaust
The Enlightenment
Postcolonialism
The History of Modern Russia and the Soviet Union
Global Geography of Human Rights
War and European Society, 1914-1945
History of the Holocaust
Evolution of Warfare I
Evolution of Warfare II
American Military Experience
The American Civil Rights Movement
Jim Crow: Histories & Revivals
American Military Experience
Post-World War II Italian Cinema
Literature and Film of the Holocaust
Language Conflict and Language Rights
Social and Political Philosophy
Crime and Justice
Feminist Philosophy
Disobedience, Dissent, and Revolution
Language Conflict and Language Rights
Social and Political Philosophy
Contemporary Political Theory
Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Feminist Theory
International Relations
International Organization
Gender and Politics
Genocide: A Comparative Perspective
Revolution and Political Violence
Theories of War in International Relations
International Law
Black Activism
Social Justice & Religion
Origins of Western Morality
Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Race and Ethnic Relations
Gender, Race and Social Justice
Refuge and Refugees
Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
Gender, Race and Social Justice
Feminist Theory
LGBTQ+ Studies
Feminist Philosophy
Gender and Politics
Global Culture:
Introduction to African-American Studies
Introduction to African American Religions
Comparing Cultures Through Film
Anthropology of Magic and Religion
Drinking in Culture: Anthropology of Alcohol
Language and Popular Culture
Language, Culture, and Society
Ethnography of Communication
History of 20th Century Art
History of Modern Architecture
Women in China
Introduction to Classical Mythology
Sport and Combat in the Ancient World
Greece and Rome in Film and Popular Culture
Great Books of the Western World I
Great Books of the Western World II
Great Books of the Eastern World
Realism
Postmodernism
Great Books of the Western World I
Great Books of the Western World II
Great Books of the Eastern World
Women Writers
Global Contemporary Literature
History of the Devil
Greece and Rome in Film and Popular Culture
The Crusades
The Expansion of Christianity
Language and Popular Culture
Language, Culture, and Society
Sex, Gender, and Religion
Morality, Ethics, and Religion
History of the Devil
Anthropology of Magic and Religion
Religion and the Arts
Christian Ethics
Religion and Literature
Women Writers
Religion and Science: Human Questions
Visions of Apocalypse
Total Credit Hours9

World Region (9 hours)

The Global Studies major requires students take three courses (9 hours) from one of the following area studies groups: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Russia and Eurasia. 

Course Title Credits
Select three courses from one of the following area studies groups:9
Africa
Religions of the African Diaspora
African Literature
Saving Africa: Development and Humanitarianism in Historical Perspective
Africa to 1800
Africa since 1800
East Africa and the Indian Ocean World
International Relations of Africa
Politics and Governments of Africa
Religions of the African Diaspora
Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
Asia
Chinese Popular Culture
History of Asian Art
Topics in Art History
Women in China
Introduction to Premodern Chinese Literature
Modern Chinese Literature
Screening China
Modern East Asia
Late Imperial China
China Since 1949
1947 Partition of India and Pakistan
Introduction to Japanese Culture
Japanese Culture and Society through Film
Japanese Culture and Society through Theatre
Japanese Culture and Society through Animation
International Relations of East Asia and the Pacific
Politics and Government of China
Introduction to Buddhism
Yoga: The Art of Spiritual Transformation
Women in China
Europe
Introduction to European Studies
Select two additional courses from the following:
History of 18th-Century European Art
History of 19th-Century European Art
Greek Art and Archaeology
The Renaissance
Romanticism
Modern English Literature
Scottish Literature
Irish Literature
Geography of Europe
Knights and Ladies
German Culture and Civilization
Viking Mythology
Age of the Reformation
French Revolution and Napoleon
The Enlightenment
Europe from World War II to the Present
The History of Great Britain I
The History of Great Britain II
France Since 1815
Modern Germany
Women in Modern Europe
Greek and Roman Philosophy after Aristotle
History of Medieval Philosophy
Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy
Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Philosophy
Politics and Governments of Europe
Latin America and the Caribbean
Interdisciplinary Study of Latin America
Select 6 hours from the following:
Caribbean Cultures
Latin American Cultures
Geography of Latin America
Colonial Latin America
Modern Latin America
History of Mexico
Caribbean Race and Slavery, 1500-1900
Independent Study
Senior Seminar
International Relations of Latin America
Politics and Governments of Latin America
Middle East
Cultures of Islam
Geography of the Middle East
The Middle East in Modern Times
Jewish History I: Late Antiquity to 1500
Jewish History II: 1500 to the Present
Islamic Institutions and Traditions
Kabbalah: Science, Religion and Nature in Western History
Science, Magic and Religion
International Relations of the Middle East
Introduction to Judaism
Introduction to Christianity
Introduction to Islam
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)
New Testament
Gospel Literature and the Formation of Christianity
Early Christianity
Old Testament Prophets
The Qur'an and Hadith
Islamic Theology and Philosophical Thought
Sufism
Jewish History I: Late Antiquity to 1500
Jewish History II: 1500 to the Present
Kabbalah: Science, Religion and Nature in Western History
Russia and Eurasia
The History of Russia from the Earliest Times to the Mid-19th Century
The History of Modern Russia and the Soviet Union
Stalinism
Russian Foreign Policy
Politics and Government of Russia
Introduction to Russian Civilization
Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature in Translation
Russian Shorts: Stories and Essays
Russian Folklore and Fairy Tales
Total Credit Hours9

Global Thinking (6 hours)

All Global Studies majors must take at least one of the GLST designated courses listed below or a course cross-listed with a GLST course (such as FAMS 308). For the remaining three hours, students may choose from the same list or choose three credit hours from the list of comparative courses.

Course Title Credits
Select one from the following:3
Global Media Industries
Introduction to Global Studies Through Literature
Introduction to International Development
Global Media Industries
Topics in Global Studies
Select one additional course from the following:3
Gender and Globalization
World Literature
Comparative and International Education
World Literature
Global Media Industries
Landscape and Cultural Geography
Geography and Global Geopolitics
Introduction to Global Studies Through Literature
Introduction to International Development
Global Media Industries
Topics in Global Studies
Comparative Politics
Ideology and World Politics
Gender and Globalization
Total Credit Hours6

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.

Global Studies, B.A.