Faculty
Global Studies Program Steering Committee
Jan H. Pranger, director
Kenneth W. Foster
Matthew L. Lindholm
Fanny R. Roncal Ramirez
Vincent J. Reusch
Odile J. Streed
C. Tess Varner
Sonja P. Wentling
Leila Zakhirova
The global studies program equips students with the expertise needed to thrive in an interconnected world and enables students to pursue their passionate interests in issues facing our global community and societies across the world.
All majors are strongly encouraged to take part in at least one study abroad program (including semester abroad programs, May seminars, summer school abroad courses, and summer field study courses) during their time at Concordia. The global studies program works closely with students to enable credits earned through study abroad to be counted toward their global studies major requirements.
Majors are also encouraged to pursue experiential learning opportunities such as internships and service-learning programs, earning Cooperative Education credits either through GS 390 Academic Internship or through completion of a 390 course in another department. The program works with majors to enable Cooperative Education credits to be counted toward their global studies major requirements.
Language learning is an important component of the global studies major for many students. In addition to language classes offered on campus and through study abroad programs, students may study one of the many languages offered in the summer at Concordia Language Villages by enrolling in WLC 395 Language & Culture at CLV.
Students majoring in global studies pursue diverse programs of study depending on which concentration they choose and which particular courses they take as electives within their concentration. However, the program provides all students with learning experiences that prepare them to achieve a common set of learning outcomes, which include being able to:
- use their understanding of the diverse forms of interconnectedness found in our world today, and their familiarity with the major institutions, processes, and actors that animate the global community, to analyze and explore solutions to contemporary problems
- use their understanding of how the existence of diverse cultural traditions and normative frameworks affects our contemporary world, and of how we might move toward greater intercultural understanding, to analyze and explore solutions to contemporary problems
- utilize a distinctive global perspective as they reflect on a wide variety of issues and as they pursue their chosen career
- integrate diverse forms of knowledge and diverse perspectives in order to advance understanding and address problems
- demonstrate a critical degree of competency in a particular thematic or regional area of concentration
- demonstrate the ability to analyze information and trends, formulate appropriate and interesting questions, and develop innovative answers and solutions
- possess a thoughtful sense of their personal place within the global community and thoughtful positions on the major ethical issues that surround the study of our increasingly globalized world
The global studies program cooperates closely with other departments and programs on campus, and many global studies majors pursue a second major in a traditional academic discipline.
Courses
This course introduces students to the study of societies and regions of the world as distinct entities and as elements of a world system that transcends the boundaries of individual societies. The course examines how history, geography, culture and social institutions (e.g. political, economic and religious institutions) interact to define the character of the world system.
This interdisciplinary course examines forms and sources of diversity and fragmentation, including individual and group cultural identities and beliefs. Diverse cultural traditions and expressions of belief will be explored as both sources of conflict and resources for addressing global problems.
This course is designed to introduce students to the field of Latin American studies, discuss key contemporary issues, understand the historical roots of Latin American dilemmas and challenges, and explore the political implications for development and democracy in Latin America. The course includes journal keeping, group discussions, oral presentations and lectures presented by various experts.
This multidisciplinary course provides an introduction to the study of Asia (emphasizing China, Japan, Korea and India). In addition to a study of contemporary events featured in Asian news sources, likely topics will include: the role of the family, imperialism and nationalist revolution, economic development and environmental challenges.
This interdisciplinary course focuses on the challenge of creating thriving, socially just, and ecologically healthy societies. During a month-long stay in China, students will carry out intensive research on specific questions related to this theme. To enroll, students must be in the Credo Program or possess a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
This course is a one-month PEAK Portal Seminar located in Edinburgh, Scotland. Students will learn about how contemporary Scottish families and subcultures influence individual identities and worldviews. This investigation will occur experientially and correspond to different kinds of ethnographic writing assignments based on meeting with, interviewing, and observing social groups, such as religious communities, non-profit organizations, and groups organized around parenting, activism, and more.
A one-month faculty-led seminar held abroad focused on deep engagement with a local community. The course will center on experiential and community-based learning, and it will involve hands-on service in support of community goals. It is intended especially for students who want to practice connecting across cultures under occasionally challenging conditions and to do so from a fully interdisciplinary perspective
Courses covering various topics of interest in global studies are occasionally offered.
The Senior Seminar is a research capstone course that students majoring in global studies take during the spring semester. The course focuses upon a contemporary or expected problem of global reach and significance and supports in-depth reflection and problem solving through collaborative student investigation and individual research. The selected course problem will encourage students to explore comprehensive and holistic solutions to complex, interlocking problems - both old and new - that require creative and urgent response. As a capstone experience, the seminar will consider a problem that allows students to engage the five objectives of the major and the diverse perspectives of seminar participants. Enrollment restricted to Global Studies majors.
This course provides an opportunity for individual students to conduct in-depth study of a particular topic under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
This course provides an opportunity for individual students to conduct research in a specific area of study, completed under the direction of a faculty mentor. Specific expectations of the research experience to be determined by the faculty. Repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.