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Overview
Global Studies is an interdisciplinary major composed of six concentrations or tracks:
- Global Development Studies is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program with a focus on social justice, sustainable economic development, public health, global interconnection, and public service
- Global Public Health explores the cultural, social, political, economic, and environmental conditions, factors and pathways that affect health, health care, access, and quality of life around the world.
- Environments & Sustainability prepares students to understand the physical environment and to transform it in sustainable ways.
- Middle East & South Asia explores the complex cultural, historical, literary, and political context of the Middle East and South Asia, marrying the depth of perspective gained from sustained attention to particular world areas (MESALC) with the Global Studies Program’s distinctive attention to critical global inquiry.
- Security & Justice allows students to explore both empirical and ethical aspects of conflict in the world today.
- Global Commerce in Culture and Society examines the social, cultural, and historical dimensions of business, trade, finance, organizations, property systems, and work.
Admissions
Admission to the Global Studies major is by Application. This is a process that takes into account the student’s GPA, intellectual interests, and plans for study. Undergraduate students from across the University may apply for entrance to the Global Studies program in spring semester of their second year. Please see the Global Studies website for up to date application deadlines:
https://globalstudies.as.virginia.edu/admissions.
Students may apply to two Global Studies tracks (but no more); if accepted into both tracks, a student can accept only one.
Newly admitted
transfer students who will begin their third year in the fall semester can apply for entrance to the major in May, as soon as they have been notified of their admission to the University. We will not accept transfer applications after June 1.
Policy on Double Majors
Students may double major in Global Studies and other majors across the University, including students studying in the Schools of Architecture, Commerce, Education, Engineering, Nursing, and Public Policy. Students are not permitted to double-major in Global Studies and any other College major that requires an application. You may apply to multiple College majors, but if you are accepted into Global Studies and another application-based College major, you must choose one or the other. You can, however, major in Global Studies and participate in the distinguished majors program of another department.
Requirements for the Global Development Studies Track
The Major in Global Development Studies requires 30 total credits plus two prerequisite courses and language competency as defined below.
1. Pre-requisites (6 credits)
- ECON 2010 or 2020
- One “area” course relevant to the student’s topical or geographic interest. This course can come from any department. Its purpose is to give the student background on a topic or geographic area to be pursued as a research project within the major. Geographic areas can be relatively broadly or narrowly defined (“Latin America” is a relatively broad category, “Cuba” is much narrower).
2. Core Courses (12 credits)
- GDS 3010-3020, Global Development, Theories and Case Studies (6 credits)
- GDS 3010 is to be taken in the first semester of the student’s third year; GDS 3020 can be taken in second semester of the student’s third year or in the first semester of the student’s fourth year.
- This two-semester sequence focuses on theories and case studies illustrating different approaches to global development.
- GDS 3100, Development on the Ground (3 credits)
- To be taken in the first semester of the student’s third year.
- Focuses on the practical, political and ethical issues that face development workers as they engage communities “on the ground” or “in the field.”
- GDS 4991, Fourth-year Seminar (3 credits)
- To be taken in the second semester of the student’s fourth year.
- Each student will complete a major research paper.
3. Elective Courses (18 credits)
- Electives will be chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor, who will help the student put together a suite of courses that will culminate in a research paper prepared for GDS 4991. All courses must be at or above the 3000 level.
4. Language competency
- One (1) course beyond the 2020 level of any language taught at UVA (or in an approved study-abroad program).
-OR-
- If a student has reached the 2020 level in one language but does not want to go further with that language, the student can satisfy the requirement by studying a second language and reaching the 1020 level.
Requirements for the Global Public Health Track
1. Global Studies Core Courses (9 credits)
- Three Global Studies core courses drawn from these areas: Global History, Global Humanities, Global Social Sciences, and Quantitative Skills, which are selected thoughtfully in consultation with a GS-GPH advisor, taking into account the student’s individualized global health focus; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
2. PHS Required Courses (9 credits):
- PHS 3825 Global Public Health: Challenges and Innovations
- PHS 4050 Public Health Policy.
- A PHS Methods/Quantitative Course, which may include: PHS 3090 Health Care Economics, PHS 3095 Health Policy in the United States: Economic Perspectives, PHS 3104 Introduction to Epidemiology: Methodological and Ethical Considerations, PHS 3130 Introduction to Health Research Methods, PHS 3620 Built Environment & Health Impact, or another course approved by the student’s GS-GPH advisor. Titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
3. PHS Capstone Seminar (3 credits)
- PHS 4991 Global Public Health Capstone
4. Electives (9 credits)
- Three electives that must be preapproved for each student.
- These courses will be selected thoughtfully in consultation with a GS-GPH advisor, taking into account the student’s individualized global health focus. Students are also encouraged to take another available PHS course to fulfill an elective requirement. Titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
5. Language competency
- One (1) course beyond the 2020 level of any language taught at UVA (or in an approved study-abroad program).
-OR-
- If a student has reached the 2020 level in one language but does not want to go further with that language, the student can satisfy the requirement by studying a second language and reaching the 1020 level.
Requirements for the Environments & Sustainability Track
1. Core Courses (12 credits)
- Four core courses in Global Studies: Global History, Global Humanities, Global Cultures, and Global Diagnostics; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
2. Foundation course
- GSVS 2150 Global Sustainability
3. Electives (15 credits)
- Five electives from the list linked here, as well as student-proposed electives (including internships and independent study courses).
4. Capstone Seminar
- GSVS 4991 Capstone Seminar in Global Environments & Sustainability
5. Language competency
- One (1) course beyond the 2020 level of any language taught at UVA (or in an approved study-abroad program).
-OR-
- If a student has reached the 2020 level in one language but does not want to go further with that language, the student can satisfy the requirement by studying a second language and reaching the 1020 level.
*** Students are encouraged to complete at least one of the four Global Studies core courses prior to applying for the major.
Requirements for the Middle East and South Asia Track
1. Pre-requisites
- Completion of a 2020 or equivalent Middle Eastern (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian) or South Asian (Hindi, Urdu) language.
2. Co-requisite
-
Completion of a 3010 or equivalent Middle Eastern (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian) or South Asian (Hindi, Urdu) language.
3. Requirements (30 Credits Total)
- A total of ten courses (5 Global Studies courses, 5 MESALC courses)
3A. Global Studies Courses (Contributing 15 Credits)
3B. MESALC Courses (Contributing 15 Credits)
- Completion of a 3020 or equivalent Middle Eastern (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian) or South Asian (Hindi, Urdu) language. (3 Credits)
- Four non-language courses (12 Credits) from a list of approved courses. Two of these courses (6 Credits) must be 3000 level or above. Additional courses may be approved with advisor permission. Please see the full list here: https://globalstudies.as.virginia.edu/major-requirements-1
4. Other Requirements
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A maximum of 12 study abroad and domestic transfer credits are allowed, with the permission of the major advisor.
-
USEM credits do not count toward major requirements.
-
Students who declare a major in any of the Global Studies tracks may not declare a major in another Global Studies track.
-
Students may declare a major in both Global MESALC and any other MESALC degree (Middle East Studies, Middle Eastern Language & Literature, South Asian Studies, or South Asian Language & Literature).
Requirements for the Security & Justice Track
1. Track Foundation Course
- GSSJ 3010 Global Issues of Security and Justice
- Typically completed during the fall of junior year.
2. Capstone Seminar
- GSSJ 4991 Capstone Seminar in Security and Justice
- Typically completed during the spring of senior year.
3. Core Courses
- Three to four “core” courses in Global Studies; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
4. Electives
- Five to six electives from the list linked here, as well as student-proposed electives (including internships and independent study courses).
5. Language competency
- One (1) course beyond the 2020 level of any language taught at UVA (or in an approved study-abroad program).
-OR-
- If a student has reached the 2020 level in one language but does not want to go further with that language, the student can satisfy the requirement by completing at least one additional semester of a second language at UVA or by otherwise demonstrating proficiency and/or immersion in that second language.
*** Students considering GSSJ are encouraged to enroll in one or more Global Studies core courses and/or GSSJ electives.
Requirements for the Global Commerce in Culture and Society Track
The Major in Global Commerce in Culture and Society requires 30 total credits plus two prerequisite courses and language competency as defined below.
1. Pre-requisites (6 credits)
- 1 course in ANTH or SOC
- ECON 2010, 2020, or 3010
2. Core Courses (12 credits)
- GCCS 3010, Global Commerce in Culture and Society (3 credits)
- To be taken in the first semester of the student’s third year
- 1 core course in Social and Cultural Analysis, such as ANTH 2120 The Concept of Culture, ANTH 2250 Nationalism, Racism, and Multiculturalism, ANTH 2400 Language and Culture, SOC 2320 Gender and Society, SOC 3056 Culture and Power, SOC 3410 Race and Ethnic Relations; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester
- 1 core course in Political Economy, such as ANTH 2285 Anthropology of Development and Humanitarianism, ANTH 3220 Economic Anthropology, ANTH 3325 Capitalism: Cultural Perspectives, GSGS 3112 Global Perspectives on Corruption, SOC 2442 Systems of Inequality, SOC 2900 Economy and Society, SOC 3480 Sociology of Globalization, SOC 3710 Organizations, Institutions, Markets; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester
- GCCS 4991, Fourth-Year Seminar
- To be taken in the second semester of the student’s fourth year
- Each student will complete a major research paper
3. Methodologies Courses (6 credits)
- Two courses in Business and Professional Writing, Statistics, Accounting, Quantitative Analysis, or Computer Programming; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester. ENWR 2XXX Business and Professional Writing [to be created] is recommended.
4. Electives (12 credits)
- 4 SOC, ANTH, HIXX or other College courses to be chosen in consultation with an advisor, who will help the student put together a suite of courses that will give the student background on a topic or geographic area to be pursued as a research project culminating in the research paper for GCCS 4991. Two of these courses must be at the 3000-level or above.
5. Language Competency
- 1 course beyond the 2020-level of a language taught at UVA (or in an approved study abroad program). This requirement can also be fulfilled by fluency in a world language other than English.
-OR-
If a student has reached the 2020 level in one language but does not want to go further with that language, the student can satisfy the requirement by studying a second language and reaching the 1020 level.
