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Overview
Global Studies is an interdisciplinary major composed of four 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.
- Security & Justice allows students to explore both empirical and ethical aspects of conflict in the world today.
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. Applications for the next cycle must be received by March 4, 2016. The admissions committee will complete their review and send notifications to applicants by March 31, 2016. All accepted students must declare the Global Studies major by April 15, 2016 in order to reserve a place in the major.
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 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. Core Courses (9 credits)
- Three Global Studies core courses drawn from these areas: Global History, Global Humanities, Global Cultures, and Global Diagnostics; titles and course numbers vary from semester to semester.
2. PHS Required Courses (9 credits):
- PHS 3825 Global Health Perspectives
- One of the following: PHS 3090 Health Care Economics, PHS 3095 Health Policy in the United States-An Economic Perspective, PHS 4050 Public Health Law, Ethics, and Policy, or PHS 5250 Public Health Ethics: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives.
- PHS 3130 Introduction to Health Research Methods; or Summer UVA PHS Study Abroad in St. Kitts and Nevis, The Dominican Republic, or South Africa.
3. PHS Capstone Seminar (3 credits)
4. Electives (9 credits)
- Three electives that must be preapproved for each student.
- These courses will be selected in consultation with an advisor, taking into account the student’s language proficiency, disciplinary interests, and concentration in a world area.
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 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.
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