Major Requirements

The Global Studies major has three components:

  • Interdisciplinary coursework (core courses, foundational electives, and thematic electives)
  • Foreign language
  • Global experience (study abroad)

The following requirements pertain to Global Studies students who declared their major during or after the Fall 2023 term. For past iterations of program requirements (2014-2018 and 2018-2023), please access archived UMBC Catalogs at catalog.umbc.edu.

Courses for the Global Studies major have the study of globalization as a central component. Our electives include the study of global, transnational and international processes as well as the study of specific dimensions of human societies (economy, culture, technology, etc.) across major world regions (more than two countries) or historical epochs.

You must take the following GLBL required core courses:

  • GLBL 100 – Introduction to Global Studies (3.00)
  • GLBL 300 – Research Methods in Global Studies (3.00)
  • GLBL 400 – Approaches to Globalization (3.00, writing intensive)

You must take 9 credits from courses in the following list:

  • ANTH 211: Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 382: Global Flows in Local Worlds
  • GES 363: World Regions: Contemporary International Issues
  • GLBL/POLI 383: Global Citizenship
  • GLBL/POLI 386: The Politics of Development
  • GLBL 409: Selected Topics in Global Studies
  • GLBL/MLLI 460: Global Stories
  • GWST 340: Women, Gender and Globalization
  • HIST 200: Themes in World History
  • HIST 204: Food in World History
  • MCS 334: Media and Globalization
  • MLL 305: Introduction to Intercultural Communication
  • PBHL 280: Global Health and Disease
  • POLI 280: International Relations
  • SOCY 235: Sociological Perspectives on Globalization

You must take 18 credits of thematic electives. When selecting electives, you may choose to focus on certain themes such as:  Culture, Place, and Identity;  Development, Health, and the Environment; Global Governance, Human Rights, and Civil Society.

These themes are simply an organizational tool to focus your elective selection upon certain areas within the wide-ranging interdisciplinary study of Global Studies, they will not appear on your diploma or transcript. You are encouraged to highlight the specific focus of your work in your resume, personal statements, and in future interviews.

You can view the full list of thematic electives HERE

Of the 27 credits from elective courses (9 from foundational and 18 from thematic electives): (a) no more than 12 may be from the same department, (b) at least 9 must be upper-level

GEP + 2: Students must take two semesters of language study in addition to fulfillment of the UMBC GEP requirement. If courses are taken within the same language that met the GEP requirement, they must be beyond the 201 level. If courses are taken in a different language, they can be at any level.

For example, you may take Spanish up to the 201 level to fulfill the GEP requirement and then take Spanish 202 and 301 to fulfill the GLBL requirement OR you may take Spanish up to the 201 level to fulfill the GEP requirement and then take French 101 and German 101 to fulfill the GLBL requirement.

Due to recent program changes regarding the Global Language Requirement, please contact the program advisor (castl@umbc.edu) to review your language coursework completed to date to ensure you are making progress towards the Global Language requirement.

Global Studies majors should participate in an in-depth international study experience to develop linguistic and cross-cultural skills for professional careers and to broaden their perspectives on their own society and culture. If a student cannot study abroad because of special circumstances, they should contact the program director to explore an alternative.

You may choose to study abroad for the duration of a regular fall/spring semester, a full academic year, or a summer/winter semester in a program led by UMBC faculty or a program pre-approved by both the Global Studies Program and the Study Abroad Office.

While abroad, you may take language courses toward the GLBL language requirement, courses that will count as GLBL electives, or a mix of both. You are not required to take classes spoken in the language you are pursuing for the language requirement.

Global Studies majors work with the UMBC Study Abroad Office to arrange international study plans. For more information about completing your study abroad application, please visit the Study Abroad Office website and attend a Study Abroad 101 session at least one semester prior to the term you plan to study abroad. Scholarships and grants are available for study abroad.

To learn more and to read the stories of GLBL students who have recently traveled abroad, click HERE