Dec 03, 2024

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Global Studies, BA

Global Studies, offered by the Department of Environmental Studies , 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 make 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 using 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.

Program Learning Outcomes

Summary of Degree Units

University Graduation Requirements	41
Major Preparation	6
Major Requirements	55
University Electives	18
Total	120

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

University Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the major and Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements , which includes unit, GPA, and residency requirements as well as the below identified General Education , American Institutions, Graduation Writing Assessment, and Physical Education requirements. Courses that meet Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements are noted with an area designation (see Course Note Abbreviations ).

Core Lower Division General Education (30 units)

Of the 39 units required by the university, 9 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Courses that meet GE Areas A1, A2, A3, B4, or F must be passed with a “C-” or better to meet the requirement. Consult with a major advisor for details.

Upper Division General Education

Of the 9 units required by the university, 9 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Consult with major advisor for details.

American Institutions (6 units)

Complete one 6-unit sequence of American Institutions (US123) courses, which also satisfies GE Area D. Students may also satisfy the American Institutions Requirement with other courses, but these may not satisfy other GE areas.

The American Studies sequence (AMS 10 /AMS 11 ; 6 units) satisfies the American Institutions Requirement and additional GE Areas (see course descriptions for details).

Consult with a major advisor to select the appropriate sequence.

U.S. History and Government (6 units)

Complete One US1: US History Course

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) (C2+US1)
HIST 15 - Essentials of U.S. History 3 unit(s) (D+US1)
HIST 170S - Topics in American History: American Identities and Institutions 3 unit(s) (S+US1)

Complete One US23: US Constitution and California Government Course

AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 15 - Essentials of U.S. & California Government 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 16 - Power and Ideas in American Politics 3 unit(s) (C2+US23)
POLS 170V - American Politics in Global Perspective 3 unit(s) (V+US23)

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (3 units)

At SJSU, students must pass a Writing in the Disciplines (100W) course with a grade of C or better (C- not accepted) to meet graduation requirements. Exceptions to the GWAR may be found in the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) section.

This requirement is fulfilled in this major with:

GLST 100W - Writing Workshop
3 unit(s) (WID)

Physical Education (2 units)

All SJSU undergraduate students, regardless of major, have an opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in physical activities. To accommodate students’ needs and interests, the university offers a diverse selection of activity courses .

Major Preparation (6 units)

GLST 1A - Introduction to Global Studies 3 unit(s)
GLST 1B - Introduction to Global Studies 3 unit(s) (B2)

Major Requirements (55 units)

Core Courses (9 units)

GLST 164 - Advanced Seminar in Global Citizenship 3 unit(s)
GLST 179 - Capstone Seminar in Global Studies 3 unit(s)

Complete one course from:

GLST 188 - Special Topics in International Experiences 3 unit(s) (V)
GLST 189 - Global Experience 1-3 unit(s)

Major Breadth Courses (24-28 units)

Complete the Global Studies course and one additional course in different departments in these four areas.

Area 1: Global Sustainability (6-7 units)

GLST 167 - Changing Ecologies of Globalization 3 unit(s) (R)

Complete one course from:

ANTH 129 - Environmental Anthropology 3 unit(s)
BIOL 110 - Biodiversity and Biopolitics 3 unit(s) (R)
COMM 146F - Communication and the Environment 4 unit(s)
ENVS 150 - Introduction to Environmental Thought 3 unit(s) (S)
ENVS 152 - Globalization and the Environment 3 unit(s) (R)
ENVS 159 - Nature and World Cultures 3 unit(s) (V)
GEOG 121 - Population and Global Change 3 unit(s)
GEOL 111 - Geology and the Environment 3 unit(s) (R)
GEOL 112 - Hazards, Risks of Earthquakes and Volcanoes 3 unit(s) (R)
PH 172 - Contemporary Environmental Health Issues 3 unit(s) (R)
METR 112 - Global Climate Changes 3 unit(s) (R)
NUFS 139 - Hunger and Environmental Nutrition 3 unit(s) (R)
PHIL 126 - Environmental Ethics and Philosophy 3 unit(s)

Area 2: Global Development, Population, Human Rights (6-7 units)

GLST 143 - Gender, Power, Intnl Dev 3 unit(s) (V)

Complete one course from:

ANTH 151 - Modernity and Disease 3 unit(s)
ANTH 132 - Creating Built Worlds 3 unit(s)
BUS5 187 - Global Dimensions of Business 3 unit(s)
ECON 113B - Economic History of Europe 4 unit(s)
ECON 190 - History of Economic Thought 4 unit(s)
GEOG 115 - Global Development 3 unit(s)
HIST 155 - 20th Century World 3 unit(s) (V)
JS 171 - Human Rights and Justice 3 unit(s) (V)
JS 172 - Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery 3 unit(s)
JS 173 - Advancing Human Rights Through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 3 unit(s)
POLS 147 - Globalization 4 unit(s)
POLS 155 - The Wealth of Nations 4 unit(s)
SOCI 118 - Sociology of Human Rights and Social Justice 3 unit(s)
SOCI 160 - Immigration and Identity 3 unit(s)
SOCI 169 - Political Sociology 3 unit(s)
WGSS 102 - The Global Study of Women 3 unit(s) (V)
WGSS 112 - Women in the Global Economy 3 unit(s)

Area 3: Global Security and Technology (6-7 units)

GLST 156 - Technology of the Modern World 3 unit(s)

Complete one course from:

ANTH 136 - Thought Control in Contemporary Society 3 unit(s)
ANTH 146 - Culture and Conflict 3 unit(s) (V)
BUS5 165A - Global Leadership 3 unit(s)
COMM 115P - Communication and Conflict 4 unit(s)
COMM 179 - Global Media and Resistance 3 unit(s) (V)
GEOG 107 - Mapping the World 3 unit(s) (R)
GEOG 112 - Nations, Cultures & Globalization 3 unit(s) (V)
GEOG 70 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4 unit(s)
GEOG 181 - Introduction to Remote Sensing 3 unit(s)
JS 123 - Terrorism, Intelligence, and Security 3 unit(s)
JS 161 - Introduction to Cybercrime 3 unit(s)
MCOM 180 - Independent Study 1-6 unit(s)
POLS 148 - Nationalism and Comparative Political Cultures 4 unit(s)
POLS 150 - War and Peace 3 unit(s) (V)
POLS 152A - International Organizations and NGOs 4 unit(s)
TECH 198 - Technology and Civilization 3 unit(s) (V)

Area 4: Global Cultures and Society (6-7 units)

SOCI 116 - Global Society 3 unit(s)

Complete one course from:

ANTH 107 - Eating Culture: The Anthropology of Food 3 unit(s)
ANTH 115 - The Emerging Global Culture 3 unit(s) (V)
ANTH 148 - Religion and Anthropology 3 unit(s)
ARTH 193A - Worlds of Art and Culture 3 unit(s) (V)
ARTH 193B - East Meets West in Art 3 unit(s) (V)
CA 173 - Thinking About Contemporary World Arts 3 unit(s) (V)
COMM 152I - Communication in World Cultures 4 unit(s)
COMM 173F - Intercultural Communication and Global Understanding 4 unit(s)
COLT 122 - Topics in Comparative World Literature 4 unit(s)
ENGL 117B - Global Film, Literature, and Cultures 3 unit(s) (V)
ENGL 123A - Literatures of the Americas 3 unit(s) (V)
ENGL 123B - Literatures of Africa 3 unit(s) (V)
ENGL 123C - Literatures of the Pacific 3 unit(s) (V)
ENGL 123D - Literatures of Asia 3 unit(s) (V)
ENGL 126 - Holocaust Literature 3 unit(s) (V)
HIST 132 - Advanced Topics in World History 4 unit(s) (May be taken twice if topic changes and with advisor approval.)
HUM 128 - Perspectives on the Twentieth Century: The West in a Global Context 3 unit(s) (V)
LING 122 - English as a World Language 3 unit(s) (V)
MCOM 106 - Global Mass Communication 3 unit(s)
PHIL 120 - Comparative Philosophy Theory & Practice 3 unit(s)
TECH 198 - Technology and Civilization 3 unit(s) (V)
WGSS 189 - Feminist Perspectives on Gender and Religion 3 unit(s)

Minor Requirement (12-16 units)

Global Studies majors are required to select a minor field in consultation with the Global Studies advisor.

Major Upper Division Electives (6 units)

Students may take GLST 162 or GLST 192 or electives in the Breadth categories listed above to fulfill this requirement. See a Global Studies Advisor for additional approved Upper Division Electives.

About

Global Studies, BA

University Requirements

Core Lower Division General Education (30 units)

Upper Division General Education

American Institutions (6 units)

African American Studies (6 units)

Asian American Studies (6 units)

Chicana and Chicano Studies (6 units)

U.S. History and Government (6 units)

Complete One US1: US History Course

Complete One US23: US Constitution and California Government Course

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (3 units)

Physical Education (2 units)

Major Preparation (6 units)

Major Requirements (55 units)

Core Courses (9 units)

Complete one course from:

Major Breadth Courses (24-28 units)

Area 1: Global Sustainability (6-7 units)

Complete one course from:

Area 2: Global Development, Population, Human Rights (6-7 units)

Complete one course from:

Area 3: Global Security and Technology (6-7 units)

Complete one course from:

Area 4: Global Cultures and Society (6-7 units)

Complete one course from:

Minor Requirement (12-16 units)

Major Upper Division Electives (6 units)

University Electives (18 units)

Total Units Required (120 units)