Global Studies, B.A.
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)
- 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)
Select one course from the following:
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)
- any overlay or stand-alone 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
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 366 | Medicine, Disease, and Slavery | 3 |
| ANTH 355 | Language, Culture, and Society | 3 |
| ANTH 366 | Medicine, Disease, and Slavery | 3 |
| ANTH 371 | Ethnography of Communication | 3 |
| ANTH 381 | Gender and Globalization | 3 |
| ENGL 382 | The Enlightenment | 3 |
| ENGL 434 | Environmental Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 437 | Women Writers | 3 |
| ENGL 438D | African Literature | 3 |
| HIST 305 | Greece and Rome in Film and Popular Culture | 3 |
| LASP 301 | Interdisciplinary Study of Latin America | 3 |
| POLI 315 | International Relations | 3 |
| POLI 316 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| RUSS 319 | Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature in Translation | 3 |
| RUSS 320 | Twentieth-Century Russian Literature in Translation | 3 |
| WGST 381 | Gender and Globalization | 3 |
Note: These courses require additional prerequisites not included in the program.
The Global Studies major consists of three separate components:
- Professional Pathway (9 hours)
- World Region (9 hours)
- 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.
- Global Development and Sustainability
- Global Health
- Global Peace, Conflict, and Human Rights
- 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 Hours | 9 | |
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 Hours | 9 | |
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 Hours | 6 | |
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.