The world is facing increasingly complex challenges, including poverty and inequality, climate change, terrorism, conflict, and global economic governance. Our career-connected, interdisciplinary major equips you with skills in a wide range of disciplines to understand and address these issues—from policy, economics, politics and ethics to data analysis. Grounded in a human-centered approach, you will learn to navigate complexity and lead with purpose.
The United Nations is the premier forum to address global issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be addressed by individual countries acting alone. The UN and its specialized agencies work to advance the global agenda of peace and security, international law, sustainable development, economic and social progress, and more.
Students in the major explore their own areas of interest in global affairs, drawing on their strengths and interests, through a choice of regional concentrations. Students also take a range of core courses, including introductory economics and political science as well as a course in a modern language.
During the final year of the program, majors participate in a capstone project (GLBL 4499) or write a senior essay either in a substantive seminar or in GLBL 4500, the global affairs senior essay course. In both cases, students are responsible for securing their own advisor and a secondary reader—who may be a faculty member.
Global affairs students are required to complete a minimum of one course with the L4 language attribute, and may count up to two summer or term-time courses abroad toward their total degree requirements, subject to DUS approval. In addition, any course taken on a credit/D/Fail basis cannot be counted towards the major requirements.