Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Global Studies Major

Major Requirements

To earn a major in global studies, students take three courses required of all majors and also complete the requirements for one concentration. Students may choose to complete two concentrations.

The requirements for a major in global studies are 32 to 44 credits, depending on the concentration chosen (certain electives require additional prerequisite credits):

Global Studies Courses
GS 117International Issues and Global Governance: An Introduction to Global Studies4
GS 118Culture, Identity, and Dialogue: An Introduction to Global Studies4
GS 410Special Topics (Global Studies Senior Seminar)4
Concentration
Global Studies majors must choose at least one concentration20-32
Total Hours32-44

Concentrations for a Major in Global Studies

Thematic Concentrations

Culture and Identity in Global Affairs Concentration

Culture and Identity in Global Affairs Concentration requires 24-28 credits:

This concentration is intended for students who are interested in focusing on how culture and identity create and shape a variety of issues faced by communities around the world. In addition to learning to analyze the interaction of different cultural and identity groups, students will learn how cultural/identity differences can be navigated in order to address difficult problems. Examples of relevant issues and themes include ethnic tensions, religious nationalism, conflict and conflict resolution, peacemaking, immigration, migration, and tensions among local, regional, and global identities. Students in this concentration will improve their intercultural competency and acquire tools that will help them to work on issues involving culture and cross-cultural dialogue.

In a very few cases, courses included in the different lists of elective choices below have prerequisites; that is so noted wherever it is the case. No specifically required courses have prerequisites.

Foundational Theories, Concepts, and Tools Courses
Select 8 credits from the following courses that focus on providing foundational theories, concepts, and tools used in the study of culture, identity, and cross-cultural interaction (courses must be from two different departments):8
Intercultural Communication
Global Literature and Human Experience
Pre-Study Abroad: France
Thinking About Values
Global Political Islam
Psychology and Culture
Social Psychology
Religions of East Asia
World Christianity
Religions of India
Cultural Anthropology
Class, Race, and Ethnicity
Comparative Cultural Encounter
Colonialism and Postcolonialism Courses
Select 4 credits from the following courses with a substantial focus on colonialism and postcolonialism:4
Native American Literatures
Postcolonial Literatures
Race, Gender, and Power in the Francophone World
World in Perspective since 1500
Indigenous Peoples of North America
Latin American History
Islam and the West: Historical Encounters
World Christianity
Religion in the Postcolonial World
Cultural Anthropology
Regional or Local Expertise and Experience Courses
Select 5-8 credits from the following courses that provide regional or local expertise and experience:5-8
Topics in Chinese Society (taught in Chinese)
Race, Gender, and Power in the Francophone World
French Culture and Civilization (taught in French)
German Cultural History in Overview (taught in German)
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Today (taught in German)
Academic Internship (An approved cooperative education course with a community organization working on issues and tasks relevant to the concentration) 1
Arts of Asia
Mexican American Border Studies
Black American History
Latin American History
Modern East Asian History
History of the Japanese Islands
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Comparative Politics
Russian Politics
Chinese Politics
Religions of East Asia
Religions of India
The Culture of Spain (taught in Spanish)
Latin American Historical and Cultural Perspectives (taught in Spanish)
Modern Spain: A Critical Look
A language course at the 212 level or above
Study Away – 4 credits from an approved study away experience 1
Portal Seminar – 1 credit from an approved Portal Seminar study away program 1
Tools and Intercultural Competencies Courses
Select 8 credits from the following courses focused on providing the tools and intercultural competencies needed to take action to address social problems and to bridge cultural/identity- based divisions: 1,28
Social Activism: Making Change Happen
Interpersonal Communication
Intercultural Communication
Global Political, Social, Economic and Environmental Issues in the French-Speaking World
Academic Internship (A 4-credit approved cooperative education course focused on taking action to address problems and bridge divisions) 1
Seeking Justice in an Unjust World
Environmental Ethics
Environmental Policy-Politics
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Introduction to Interfaith Studies
Religion, Violence, and Nonviolence
Social Change in Theory & Practice
Comparative Cultural Encounter
Portal Seminar – An approved Portal Seminar study away program 1
PEAK – An approved PEAK experience 1
Total Hours25-28
1

For a GS 390 Academic Internship, Portal seminar, PEAK, or study away course/experience to count in the concentration, the student must make a written proposal that describes how the course/experience fits within the concentration. The director of the global studies program will evaluate the proposal, seeking advice from the Steering Committee if necessary. Only one credit portal seminar or PEAK may be counted in the concentration.

2

A portal seminar or PEAK experience may be used in place of one 4-credit course.

  • No more than two courses counted in the concentration may be from any one department.

Development Studies Concentration

Development Studies Concentration requires 27-28 credits:

This concentration is for students who are interested in issues concerning poverty, inequality and socioeconomic development. The curriculum enables students to gain expertise in the social, political and economic aspects of poverty, inequality and the effort to promote socioeconomic development.

Developmental Studies Courses
BUS 201Principles of Global Economics4
Comparative Polical Analysis and International Relations Courses
Select 4 credits from the following courses on comparative political analysis and international relations:4
International Politics
Comparative Politics
Socioeconomic Development Courses
Select 8 credits from the following courses focused entirely on the subject of socioeconomic development:8
Politics of Development
Global Development Issues
The Ethics of Aid and Development
Global Socioeconomic Development, Poverty and Inequality Courses
Select 7-8 credits from the following courses with subject matter that is relevant to the study of global socioeconomic development, poverty and inequality:7-8
Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
Comparative Education: A Policy Perspective
Postcolonial Literatures
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Race, Gender, and Power in the Francophone World
Environmental Nutrition
Women and Development: The Asian Experience
Petroleum Politics & Planet
Global Sustainability Issues
Religion in the Postcolonial World
Cultural Anthropology
Urban Communities
Social Change in Theory & Practice
Study Abroad or Experiential Learning Opportunity
4 credits earned through a study abroad or experiential learning opportunity 14
Total Hours27-28
1

Credits must be approved by the chair of the global studies program. Credits may be earned in the following way:

  • completion of a relevant 4-credit Cooperative Education course (390);
  • completion of a relevant 4-credit course taken as part of a study abroad experience that is related in some way to the study of development.

Global Environmental Studies Concentration

Global Environmental Studies Concentration requires 32 credits:

This concentration is for students who are interested in gaining the expertise necessary for engaging with the ecological and environmental issues facing humanity. Environmental problems and their solutions are explored from a distinctly global perspective.

Global Environmental Studies Courses
BIOL 101General Biology4
BUS 201Principles of Global Economics4
ENVR 103Ecosystems and Human Influence4
ENVR/BIOL 360Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)4
Ethics Courses
Select 4 credits from the following ethics courses:4
Environmental Ethics
Ethics of Sustainable Community
Environmental Policy Courses
Select 4 credits from the following courses on environmental policy:4
Environmental Policy-Politics
Petroleum Politics & Planet
Global Sustainability Issues
Social Sciences or Humanities Courses
Select 4 credits from the following relevant courses in the social sciences or humanities:4
Art and Environmental Activism
Global Literature and Environmental Justice
Sustainability in Germany
Environmental Nutrition
Nature's Place in U.S. History
Food in Global History
Sustainable Communities
Politics of Development
Environmental Policy-Politics
Petroleum Politics & Planet
Global Sustainability Issues
The Ethics of Aid and Development
Religion and Ecology
Global Development Issues
Political Sociology
Urban Communities
Study Abroad or Experiential Learning Opportunity
4 credits earned through a study abroad or experiential learning opportunity 14
Total Hours32
1

Credits must be approved by the chair of the concentration. Credits may be earned in one of the following ways:

  • completion of a relevant 4-credit Cooperative Education course (390);
  • completion of a 4-credit independent study (480) or research project (487) that involves original field research;
  • completion of a relevant 4-credit course taken as part of a study abroad experience that is related in some way to the study of global environment issues.

Global Systems and Processes Concentration

Global Systems and Processes Concentration requires 28 credits:

Students pursuing this concentration will explore the contemporary institutions, assumptions, norms and practices that transcend individual states and civilizations and shape the interactions – social, political, economic and religious – of the peoples and states of the world. Students will not only explore the evolution of these various arrangements (including institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization), they will also be encouraged to think about the implications of current trends and developments for the future of these arrangements.

Global Systems and Processes Concentration
BUS 201Principles of Global Economics4
HIST 152World in Perspective since 15004
PSC 241International Politics4
REL 392Religion and World Affairs4
or REL 339 World Christianity
Select one of the following:4
Global Development Issues
Class, Race, and Ethnicity
Social Change in Theory & Practice
International Perspectives Courses
Select 4 credits from the following international perspectives courses (explores the social, political, economic, or religious interactions of two or more states or geographic regions with an eye both to discerning areas of disagreement and common ground and to exploring the impact of these relationships on the global system):4
American Foreign Relations since 1900
Islam and the West: Historical Encounters
Arab-Israeli Conflict
U.S.-China Relations
U.S. Foreign Policy
Global Perspectives Courses
Select 4 credits from the following global perspectives courses (focuses on social, political, and economic problems in a global context, with particular attention to exploring the role of contemporary institutions, assumptions, norms and practices in addressing these various problems):4
World Geography
Politics of Development
International Security
Global Sustainability Issues
Ethics and International Relations
The Ethics of Aid and Development
Ethics of Sustainable Community
Cultural Anthropology
Total Hours28

Regional Studies Concentrations

Students pursuing these concentrations will focus their study in a particular geographical and cultural region. Attention will be devoted to exploring a region’s unique history, institutions, assumptions and practices. Students selecting this concentration will be expected to complete a language requirement linked to their particular region of study.

Asian Studies Concentration

Asian Studies Concentration requires 20 credits, plus the language requirement:

Asian Studies Courses
Select 20 credits from the following: 120
18th and 19th Century Art in the East and West
Art and Religion
Arts of Asia
Asia in a Global Age: An Introduction
Foundations of East Asian Civilization
Modern East Asian History
Women and Development: The Asian Experience
Asian Philosophy
U.S.-China Relations
Chinese Politics
Religions of East Asia
Religions of India
Non-Western Theatres and Cultures
India Program: Justice, Peace, and Sustainable Communities (up to 12 credits)
Kanda University Program, Japan (up to 12 credits plus language)
Temple University Program, Japan (up to 12 credits plus language)
United International College, China (up to 12 credits plus language)
USAC Programs in Japan, Thailand, South Korea (up to 12 credits plus language)
Total Hours20
1

To fulfill these requirements, courses must be primarily focused on Asia; if comparative, a minimum of one-half of the course content addresses Asia and a comparison with Asia is integral to the course (courses must be selected from no fewer than three academic departments).

Language Requirement (number of language credits will vary by student’s choice of language):

  • Demonstration of proficiency in an Asian language at the level of a 212 (fourth semester) language course. This may be fulfilled in the following ways:
  • Completion of Chinese 212 or higher course
  • Completion of Japanese 202 or higher course through the Tri-College (MSUM)
  • Transfer of credit earned at another institution (for the study of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Vietnamese or other Asian language) equivalent to the level of a 212 or higher course at Concordia.
Recommended Study Abroad Options
  • India Program: Justice, Peace, and Sustainable Communities
  • United International College, Zhuhai, China
  • Sichuan International Studies University, Chongqing, China
  • World Christianity Semester, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong, China
  • Kanda University Program, Chiba, Japan
  • Temple University Program in Tokyo, Japan
  • USAC Programs in Japan, Thailand, and South Korea

European Studies Concentration

European Studies Concentration requires 24 credits plus the language requirement:

Europe from Historical and Contemporary Perspective Courses
Select 8 credits from the following courses that explore the question of Europe from historical and contemporary perspectives:8
European History in Perspective to 1500
European History in Perspective since 1500
International Politics
European Society and Political Perspectives Courses
Select 12 additional credits (minimum of 4 credits from each of the two areas) from the following courses that focus on European society and political perspectives: 112
Area 1: Defining Community through the Arts:
Renaissance and Baroque Art
20th Century Art
British Literature in Historical Contexts
Shakespeare and the English Renaissance
Introduction to French Literature Through Poetry
Development of French Theatre
Development of French Prose
Introduction to German Literature and Film
The German Art Song
Topics in Literature, Art and Music
Topics in German Literature
Topics in German Film
Reel Norden: Scandinavian History and Film
Modern Philosophy
The Legacy of Luther
Topics in Spanish Literature
Theatre History I: Origins to Romanticism
Theatre History II: Realism to Postmodernism
Area 2: Challenges in European Society:
French Culture and Civilization
French in the Business World
Global Political, Social, Economic and Environmental Issues in the French-Speaking World
German Cultural History in Overview
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Today
Sustainability in Germany
Topics in Society, Politics and Economics
Russia since 1917
Hitler's Germany
Islam and the West: Historical Encounters
The Legacy of Luther
The Culture of Spain
Study Abroad or Experimental Learning Opportunity
4 credits earned through a study abroad or experimental learning opportunity that includes a focus on contemporary issues 24
Total Hours24
1

The question here is how one defines community in European context and what the issues are which either help provide cohesion whether on a regional, national or European-wide basis or place that sense of identity into question.

  • No more than one course may be taken within the same discipline.
  • Many of these electives require language proficiency at the 212 level or above. See catalog course descriptions for prerequisite information.
2

Credits must be approved by the chair of the concentration. Credits may be earned in the following ways:

  • completion of a relevant 4-credit Cooperative Education course (390)
  • completion of a relevant 4-credit course taken as part of a study abroad experience

Language Requirement (number of language credits will vary by student’s choice of language) – One year (8 credits) of a non-English European language in addition to the college’s Core language requirement, fulfilled in one of the following ways:

  • Demonstration of proficiency in a non-English modern European language at the level of a 212 (fourth semester) language course at Concordia. This may be achieved through the completion at Concordia of a 212 language course in French, German, or Spanish or through the transfer of credit earned at another institution for a course equivalent to the level of a 212 or higher course at Concordia
  • Completion of two semesters of a second (in addition to the language used to fulfill the college’s Core language requirement) non-English European language
  • Completion of one semester each of two additional (in addition to the college’s Core language requirement) non-English European languages
Recommended Study Abroad Options
  • Liverpool Hope University, England
  • University of Glasgow, Scotland
  • Arcadia University in Athens, Greece
  • Lorenzo de Medici Institute, Italy
  • Friedrich Schiller Universität, Jena, Germany
  • Lebnitz Universität, Hannover, Germany, International Business
  • National University of Ireland, Galway
  • Institut de Gestion, Université de Rennes, France, International Business
  • L’Université François-Rabelais, Tours, France
  • Centro de Estudio Hispanicos de Segovia, Spain
  • Universidad de Alicante, Spain
  • Center for Cross-Cultural Studies, Seville, Spain

Latin American Studies Concentration

Latin American Studies Concentration requires 20 credits, plus the language requirement:

Latin American Studies Courses
GS/HISP 210Introduction to Latin American Studies4
HISP 311U.S.-Latin American Relations4
HIST 320Latin American History4
Select 8 additional credits from the following:8
Mexican American Border Studies
Pre-May Seminar to Latin America or Spain
May Seminar
Business Spanish
Latin American Historical and Cultural Perspectives
Topics in Latin American Lit
Total Hours20

Language Requirement (number of language credits will vary by student’s choice of language) – Students must demonstrate competence in Spanish. Competence may be proven with a grade of B or better in SPAN 312 Conversation and Film in the Hispanic World or a higher course. Native speakers of Spanish who have had extensive experience in the language should consult with a Latin American studies member of the faculty.

Recommended Study Abroad Options
  • Universidad de las Américas, Mexico City, Mexico, International Business
  • Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
  • Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina
  • Universidad Dela Habana, Cuba

New Pathways Concentration

This concentration is for students who wish to engage in an area of study that cannot be pursued within one of the other concentrations. A student in this concentration will design and follow a new and unique pathway to a global studies major that enables the fulfillment of the student’s goals.

Gaining Approval to Pursue a New Pathways Concentration

Students who believe they would be best served by designing a plan of study within this concentration should schedule an initial consultation with the chair of the global studies program. If the chair deems the request to be feasible and to have merit, the student will submit a proposal. The proposal must include a one-paragraph description of the program of study, a statement of the rationale for why the new pathways concentration is the best option for the student, and a curricular plan. The Global Studies Steering Committee will review the plan and take one of three actions: approve, request revisions, reject. The chair will then communicate the decision to the student and schedule a meeting. Students whose plan is approved will be assigned a faculty advisor who will oversee their progress in completing their new pathways concentration.

Conditions that must be met before submitting a proposal:

  • The student must have already taken either GS 117 International Issues and Global Governance: An Introduction to Global Studies or GS 118 Culture, Identity, and Dialogue: An Introduction to Global Studies.
  • The student must have freshman or sophomore status at the time of proposal submission.
  • No more than two of the courses (7-8 credits, excluding GS 117 International Issues and Global Governance: An Introduction to Global Studies and GS 118 Culture, Identity, and Dialogue: An Introduction to Global Studies) included in the proposed plan of study may have been already completed by the student.

Requirements for the New Pathways Concentration

  • A student wishing to complete a major in global studies with a new pathways concentration must develop a curricular plan of study and gain approval of it from the Global Studies Steering Committee.
  • The concentration requires 28 credits of approved coursework. This may include credits earned studying abroad and cooperative education (internship) credits. Note that GS 117 International Issues and Global Governance: An Introduction to Global Studies, GS 118 Culture, Identity, and Dialogue: An Introduction to Global Studies, and GS 410 Special Topics (Global Studies Senior Seminar) are not included in these 28 credits, as they are required for all global studies majors, including those who create a new pathways concentration.
  • The curricular plan of study must focus on an area of study that cannot be pursued within an existing concentration and that fits within the global studies program. The curricular plan will typically involve one or more courses taken abroad. Language courses at the 200-level and above may be part of the plan.
  • The curricular plan of study may not include more than one 100-level course (excluding GS 117 International Issues and Global Governance: An Introduction to Global Studies and GS 118 Culture, Identity, and Dialogue: An Introduction to Global Studies).
  • The curricular plan of study must be feasible, interdisciplinary and coherent.

Degree and Graduation Requirements
In addition to the program-specific requirements listed above, all students must complete the graduation requirements specified for their degree.  See the Degree and Graduation Requirements section for more information.