Overview

Global Studies at SJSU is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to look at the world holistically. The tremendous international migrations of people, movements of goods, technology transfers, and mixing of cultures makes it important to study the world as a human community in ways we haven’t considered in the past. The program is designed to train future leaders to grapple with some of the most pressing issues of our time, from a global perspective. The focus of our program on studying global issues from multiple perspectives provides students the intellectual foundation and the analytical and communication skills to prepare for careers in government, education, NGOs, international development agencies, international philanthropic organizations, law, consulting, global health organizations, writing, and graduate study. We are the only Global Studies program in the San Francisco Bay Area and one of the few in the CSU system that offers an interdisciplinary program that includes a suite of core courses in Global Studies. Global Studies is a relatively new field and our program is at the leading edge of shaping this field for the future.

Global Citizenship is an interdisciplinary certificate program intended to assist students and members of the non-student community in understanding the interconnectedness of peoples, genders, cultures, and societies and celebrating the richness of human diversity in a global context. The program complements SJSU’s goals of globalizing the campus and graduating students who are globally responsible citizens. Students will examine questions of meaning and value associated with citizenship in today’s increasingly connected world. Students will also develop their own understanding of personal, social, and corporate responsibility to the global community. In a rapidly changing world, it is necessary for college students to acquire the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to adapt and thrive in the enlarged and evolving global context.