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 at least 3 courses from the following list:

  • AMST 200: What is an American?
  • ANTH 211: Cultural Anthropology
  • GES 363:  World Regions: Contemporary International Issues
  • GWST 340: Women, Gender and Globalization
  • GLBL 383: Global Citizenship
  • GLBL 460: Global Stories
  • HIST 200: Themes in World History
  • HIST 210: Migration in World History
  • MLL 305: Introduction to Intercultural Communication
  • MUSC 230: Musics of the World
  • POLI 280: International Relations
  • POLI 386: The Politics of Development
  • RLST 220: Introduction to Comparative Religion
  • SOCY 235: Sociological Perspectives on Globalization

You must take up to six electives from the Thematic Electives index. When selecting among their 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 nine courses required of Tier II and Tier III (at least three Foundational Electives and up to six Thematic Electives) selected by each student: (a) no more than four may be from the same department, (b) at least three 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.

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 are required to 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.

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 are required to 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