Global Studies, Minor College of Letters & Science

The minor is overseen by the Global Studies Minor Committee. For more information, see Global Studies Minor.

The interdisciplinary minor in Global Studies (20-24 units) will enable students across disciplinary areas to learn about global issues as well as to gain first-hand experience both locally and internationally through academic coursework and experiential learning. The minor can be completed with or without international travel. A combination of coursework and experiential learning will allow students to develop capacities in three areas: global awareness, global diversity, and global action. As they develop global awareness, students will examine actions and relationships that influence global systems from multiple perspectives, analyzing how complex systems impact self and others. To engage global diversity, they will explore complex dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusion around the world, including language, culture, and identity. To translate knowledge into global action, they will learn to create strategies to apply knowledge, skills, and abilities to collaboratively and equitably foster global well-being and resilience.

Students will be expected to work closely with an academic advisor in developing an intellectually coherent global learning program. Each student’s program must be approved by the student’s advisor and by the Faculty Director of the Global Learning Hub.

Students must meet with a Global Studies Minor advisor and complete a Global Learning Cluster Worksheet to demonstrate subject interrelatedness. The advisor must approve all courses and credited experiential learning to be counted toward the minor. If it is not feasible for a student to complete the gateway course, the advisor can approve an appropriate substitution. Students will work with the advisor to create a digital portfolio that documents their global learning, which can be shared when pursuing postgraduate employment and/or education.

Restrictions

No more than two courses from a single UC Davis Department may satisfy the minor requirements. This will guarantee an interdisciplinary program of study. All courses used towards the minor other than the Gateway Course, EAP 001, must be upper division.

Foreign and/or Heritage Language Study

Students are strongly encouraged to study a foreign and/or heritage language. As specified above, only upper-division coursework in languages may be used to fulfill the minor.

Students will work with the advisor to create a digital portfolio that documents their global learning, which can be shared when pursuing postgraduate employment and/or education.

Gateway Course
EAP 001Global Thinking4
Global Learning Cluster
Choose one:12-16
Thematic (Global Theme)
OR
Regional (Area of the World)
One of the above courses can be replaced by a course in the study of an upper-division foreign language and/or heritage language that relates to the chosen thematic or regional focus. Up to 8 units can be substituted by for-credit experiential learning and/or internship with a global dimension. One of the above courses can be replaced by a course in the study of an upper-division foreign language and/or heritage language that relates to the chosen thematic or regional focus.
Up to 8 units can be substituted by for-credit experiential learning and/or internship with a global dimension.
Note: A minimum of 8 units of classroom-based courses will satisfy Requirement 2 when combined with 4-8 units of experiential learning or internships. The variation in experiential or internship units intentionally accounts for variability in units when students pursue internships or other forms of experiential global learning. The Global Studies Minor advisor guides students and approves variable units. When no experiential learning option is pursued, a minimum of 12 classroom units will satisfy the Global Learning Cluster.
Capstone Experience
Choose an Option:4
Option 1: 4 units of experiential or internship learning with a global dimension.
Option 2: A globally-focused seminar from UC Davis offerings.
Total Units20-24