Interdisciplinary Major of Global Studies

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Overview

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Global Studies is an interdisciplinary major composed of five 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.

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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

• GSMS 3010: The Global in Situ: Perspectives from the Middle East and South Asia (3 Credits)

• GSMS 4991: Capstone Seminar. To be taken in the second semester of the student’s fourth year. (3 Credits)

• Elective Courses: Three courses (9 Credits) from the following list of approved content courses. Additional courses may be approved with advisor permission.

  • Global Development Studies

    GDS 3112: Ecology & Globalization in the Age of European Expansion

    GDS 3113: A Buddhist Approach to Development

    GDS 3250: Mother Lands: Landscapes of Hunger, Futures of Plenty

    GDS 3820: Global Ethics & Climate Change

    GDS 4825: Development Practice: Social Enterprises in Bangladesh

    GDS 4961: Critical Issues in Education Abroad

    GDS 4962: Critical Issues in International Education

  • Global Security & Justice

    GSGS 3110: US Military Experience and International Development

  • Global Public Health

    PHS 3825: Global Health Perspectives

    PHS 5090: Health Care Economics

    PHS 5050: Public Health, Law, Ethics and Policy

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 the following list of approved courses. Two of these courses (6 Credits) must be 3000 level or above. Additional courses may be approved with advisor permission.

  • Middle Eastern & South Asian

    ARTR 2500: Taboo and the Arabic Novel

    ARTR 3245: Arabic Literary Delights: Humor, Food, and Erotology

    ARTR 3290: Modern Arabic Literature in Translation

    ARTR 3350: Introduction to Arab Women’s Literature

    ARTR 3390: Love, Alienation, and Politics in the Contemporary Arabic Novel

    ARTR 3490: Arab Cinemas

    HETR 2300: Introduction to Israeli Literature in Translation

    MESA 2010: Literatures of South Asia and the Middle East

    MESA 2350: Women and Media in the Middle East and South Asia

    MESA 2360: Women and Social Media in the Middle East and South Asia

    MESA 2559: The Art & Architecture of the Ottoman Empire

    MESA 2700: Recent Revolutions in the Islamic World

    MESA 3010: Men and Women of South Asia and the Middle East

    MESA 3470: Language and Culture in the Middle East

    MESA 3650: Introduction to Linguistic Typology

    MESA 4991: Four-Year Major Seminar

    MESA 4998: Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies Senior Thesis

    MESA 4999: Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies Senior Thesis II

    MEST 2270: Culture and Society of the Contemporary Arab Middle East

    MEST 2470: Reflections of Exile: Jewish Languages and their Communities

    MEST 2600: Major Dimensions of Classical-Medieval Arab-Islamic Civilization

    MEST 2610: Major Dimensions of the Modern Arab World

    MEST 3110: Women and Middle-Eastern Literatures

    MEST 3470: Language and Culture in the Middle East

    MEST 4991: Middle East Studies Seminar

    PETR 3210: Persian Literature in Translation

    PETR 3220: Twentieth-Century Persian Literature in Translation

    PETR 3320: Life Narratives & Iranian Women Writers

    PETR 3340: Poetics of Existentialist Persian Literature

    SAST 2050: Classics of Indian Literature

    SAST 2060: Bollywood Dreams: Indian Cinema

    SAST 2200: Delhi: The Gateway to India

    SAST 2700: Indian Politics and Society

    SAST 2800: The World According to South Asia

    SAST 3300: The Pleasures of Bollywood: Melodrama, Realism, Mythos

    SAST 3400: Pop Culture in S. Asia: Advertising, Visual Aesth., Posters & Photography

    SAST 3450: The Languages of South Asia

    SAST 3640: Women & Politics in S Asia

    SAST 3701: Business and Banking in South asia

    SAST 4991: South Asian Studies Capstone Seminar

    SAST 4993: Colonial Indians in the West: Negotiation, Appropriation and Assimilation

    SATR 2000: Introduction to South Asian Literature

    SATR 2010: Remembering India’s Partition through Literature and Poetry

    SATR 2110: Cultural Translation: Travel Writing in South Asia

    SATR 2300: Colonial and Postcolonial Bengali Literature in Translation

    SATR 3000: Women Writing in India & Pakistan: 1947-Present

    SATR 3010: Colors of Loneliness: Literature of Diasporic Imagination

    SATR 3110: Modern Urdu-Hindi Literature

    SATR 3280: Poetry of Passionate Devotion: The Ghazal

    SATR 3300: Literature & Society in South Asia: Breaking the Cast(e)

    SATR 3700: Medieval Indian Literature: Vernacular and Bhakti Revolution

4. Other Requirements

• 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

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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.