2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog

The minor in Global Studies is a part of the program in Democracy and Justice Studies.  Democracy and Justice Studies explores diverse ideals and practices of democracy and justice in the United States and the world though interdisciplinary social and historical studies. Democracy and Justice Studies students look at how people past and present have sought in various ways to sustain and change political, economic, cultural, and social orders. We ask why and how societies develop and whether their political, economic, cultural and social relations and activities promote justice, freedom, equality, and democracy.

The Global Studies minor encourages students to become aware of how contemporary political, economic, social, and environmental problems affect vast regions and diverse communities. The curriculum links global awareness to local concerns, emphasizes the responsibilities of democratic citizenship, and engages the challenges of human rights and justice, values and ethics, resource flows, cultural resistances, and environmental crises. The requirements of 24 credits complement general education at the introductory level, promote sharp thematic study in the upper-level core, and encourage practical experiences outside the classroom.

Key questions are: What is globalization? What accounts for the phenomena of globalization? When did the world’s polity, economy, environment, culture, and society become global? What analytical tools exist to help students understand globalization’s influence on politics, cultures, values and ecosystems?

An interdisciplinary introduction provokes students to think about how globalization touches their lives and to analyze distinct responses to globalization’s effects on societies, governments and natural resources. Introductory courses are drawn from existing general education requirements. Students should check carefully the prerequisites for upper-level courses in the minor before choosing lower-level general education courses.

Global Studies upper-level core courses help students acquire knowledge about globalization from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives, historical experiences, and cultural preferences. Core requirements address the implications of globalization for citizens, states and communities around the world, include surveys of recent literature, and strengthen communication skills and critical thinking.

Students are encouraged to participate in travel courses and study abroad offered by the University. Some travel courses contain global content and may be applied to the Global Studies minor. Please contact an adviser concerning appropriateness of a specific travel course. At least two years of a modern foreign language is strongly recommended.

Upon completing the minor in Global Studies, students will be able to

• reflect upon and ask questions about connections and contradictions in public debates over globalization. 

• recognize and identify different disciplinary perspectives being used when discussing globalization.

• evaluate differences in political systems, including institutional design and the roles that citizens play in them.

• analyze the complex nature of global environmental sustainability issues and problems and the interrelated roles of science, administration, politics, and technology in their solution.

• explain how human societies are inextricably connected with local, regional, and global systems.