Bachelor of Arts in Global and International Studies
Why choose a Global and International Studies degree?
A degree in Global and International Studies will give you the tools to understand the rapid changes occurring internationally and transnationally throughout the world. In our interdisciplinary program, faculty and students think critically about some of the most fundamental global and regional issues facing societies today such as:
- population growth,
- politics and governance,
- migration,
- the global economy,
- poverty and inequality,
- religion, race and ethnicity,
- gender and sexuality,
- peace and conflict, and
- climate change.
Besides access to quality instruction and content, our students have access to the amazing international resources that put KU on the top shelf for international education--a nationally-ranked Study Abroad Program, instruction in 40 foreign languages, and local, national, and international internship opportunities.
Students are able to choose from 4 different concentrations within the program. These paths include:
- Global & International Concentration
- European Concentration
- Latin American & Caribbean Concentration
- Middle East Concentration
After graduation, a degree in GIST is helpful for careers in journalism, Foreign Service, business and industry, education, law, politics and government, and social service agencies.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Requirements for the B.A. Major
Global and International Concentration
Global & International Core Knowledge and Skills (6 hours/2 units).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students must take: | ||
| Introduction to Global and International Studies | ||
| Students must also select one course from the following list: | ||
| General Anthropology | ||
| The Varieties of Human Experience | ||
or ANTH 162 | The Varieties of Human Experience, Honors | |
or ANTH 360 | The Varieties of Human Experience | |
| Introductory Economics | ||
or ECON 105 | Introductory Economics, Honors | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
or ECON 145 | Principles of Macroeconomics, Honors | |
| Global Environment I: The Discovery of Environmental Change | ||
| Global Environment II: The Ecology of Human Civilization | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| People, Place, and Society | ||
or GEOG 103 | People, Place, and Society, Honors | |
| Culture and Health | ||
or GIST 211 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
or AAAS 204 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
or GEOG 202 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
| Environment and History | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
or POLS 151 | Introduction to Comparative Politics Honors | |
| Introduction to International Politics | ||
or POLS 171 | Introduction to International Politics Honors | |
| Introduction to Religious Studies | ||
| Comparative Societies | ||
Additional Language (3-5 hours/1 unit). Satisfied by:
Completion of one additional foreign language course (3 hours) beyond the 4th semester proficiency language requirement (300 level or above) or any available additional language course (3-5 hours).
The Capstone Research Coursework (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by the completion of the following two courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Interdisciplinary Methods for Global Contexts | ||
| Students must complete the prerequisite GIST 220 before GIST 610 | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
or GIST 699 | Capstone Seminar, Honors | |
| Students must complete GIST 610 before GIST 698 or GIST 699 | ||
Issues in Global Studies (9 hours/3 units). Majors must take three courses from an approved list of GIST courses focusing on contemporary global themes on subjects such as human trafficking, the global environment, terrorism, transnational migration and borders, global issues in gender, citizenship, indigenous peoples, the global economic system, and globalization at the 300-level or above. Courses offered as: GIST 550 Issues in Global Studies: _____ are always approved to fulfill this requirement.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Issues in Global Studies (9 hours/3 units) | 9 | |
| Sociology of Global Food | ||
| World Indigenous Literatures | ||
| Global Environmental Literature | ||
| Key Themes in Modern Global History | ||
| Globalization: History and Theory | ||
| Globalization: A Geographic Approach | ||
| International Women's Rights | ||
| Environmental Geopolitics | ||
| Immigrants, Refugees, and Diasporas | ||
| Analyzing Contemporary Global Issues | ||
| Genocide and Ethnocide | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| Transnational Terrorism | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| Global Internship | ||
| Globalization | ||
| Issues in Global Studies: _____ | ||
| The Literature of Human Rights | ||
| Anthropology of Violence | ||
| Human Dimensions of Global Change | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| Wealth, Power, and Inequality | ||
| Sociology of Global Health | ||
| Global Ethnic and Racial Relations | ||
| Violence and Society | ||
| Gender, Culture, and Migration | ||
International Electives (9 hours/3 units). Majors must take three courses from the list of approved international elective courses at the 300-level or above on the list below. Students are strongly encouraged to strategically select a cluster of three courses that would help them to fulfill KU Core requirements, or maximize a double-major with another program. For example, students double-majoring in geography or history should select their international electives from the list of approved GEOG or HIST courses. Students may, however, select from any of the approved courses available.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic and Islamic Studies | ||
| Introduction to Africa | ||
| Introduction to African History | ||
| Introduction to West African History | ||
| African Traditional Religion and Thought | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of North Africa and the Middle East | ||
| Modern Africa | ||
or AAAS 307 | Modern Africa, Honors | |
or HIST 307 | Modern Africa, Honors | |
| African Studies In: _____ | ||
| Islam | ||
| Africa's Human Geographies | ||
| Religion, Power, and Sexuality in Arab Societies | ||
| African Art and Gender | ||
| Women and Islam | ||
| Global Ethnic and Racial Relations | ||
| African Studies in: _____ | ||
| Language and Culture in Arabic-Speaking Communities | ||
| Geography of African Development | ||
| Migration, Diasporas and Development | ||
| Sexuality and Gender in African History | ||
| Politics in Africa | ||
| The United States in Global Context | ||
| General Anthropology | ||
| The Varieties of Human Experience | ||
or ANTH 162 | The Varieties of Human Experience, Honors | |
or ANTH 360 | The Varieties of Human Experience | |
| Myth, Legend, and Folk Beliefs in East Asia | ||
| Fundamentals of Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Language in Culture and Society | ||
or ANTH 321 | Language in Culture and Society, Honors | |
or LING 321 | Language in Culture and Society, Honors | |
| Language, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | ||
| The Anthropology of Gender: Female, Male, and Beyond | ||
| Magic, Science, and Religion | ||
| Love, Sex, and Globalization | ||
| Introduction to Intercultural Communication | ||
| East Asian Communication | ||
| Asian Religions | ||
| Survey of Japanese Film | ||
| Minorities in Japan | ||
or EALC 610 | Minorities in Japan | |
| China's Cultural Legacy | ||
or EALC 530 | China's Cultural Legacy | |
| Studies In: _____ | ||
| Language and Society in East Asia | ||
or EALC 553 | Language and Society in East Asia | |
| Post-Colonial Korea | ||
or EALC 562 | Post-Colonial Korea | |
| Political Economy of East Asia | ||
| International Relations of Asia | ||
| Politics and Society in China | ||
| Topics in East Asian Languages and Cultures: _____ | ||
| The Economics of Globalization | ||
| History of Economic Analysis | ||
| Energy Economics | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Economic Development | ||
| Economic Development of Latin America | ||
| Economic Issues in China | ||
| Economic Development of Africa | ||
| International Trade | ||
| International Finance | ||
| Literature and Film: _____ (when covering international issues) | ||
| The London Review | ||
| European Culture and Society 1945 to Present | ||
| Seminar in European Studies | ||
| Topics in European Studies: _____ | ||
| The European Union | ||
| Global Environment I: The Discovery of Environmental Change | ||
or EVRN 144 | Global Environment I: Discovery of Environmental Change, Honors | |
or GEOG 144 | Global Environment I: Discovery of Environmental Change, Honors | |
| Global Environment II: The Ecology of Human Civilization | ||
or EVRN 145 | Global Environment II: The Ecology of Human Civilization, Honors | |
or GEOG 145 | Global Environment II: The Ecology of Human Civilization, Honors | |
| Environmental Policy Analysis | ||
| Sociology of Global Food | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Health | ||
| Soviet and Post-Soviet Russian Cinema | ||
| International Women Filmmakers | ||
| France and the French | ||
| Studies in French Culture: _____ | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| People, Place, and Society | ||
| Mapping Our Changing World | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Geography | ||
| East Asia | ||
| Geography of Latin America | ||
| First Year Seminar: _____ | ||
| Muslim Lives: Politics, Culture, and Society | ||
| Culture and Health | ||
or GIST 211 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
or AAAS 204 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
or GEOG 202 | Culture and Health, Honors | |
| Globalization and Afro-Brazilian Culture | ||
| World Indigenous Literatures | ||
| Global Environmental Literature | ||
| Key Themes in Modern Global History | ||
| Globalization: History and Theory | ||
| Graphic Novels as Memory | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of South Asia | ||
| Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An Introduction | ||
| Iran Through Literature and Film | ||
| Study Abroad Topics in: _____ | ||
| Globalization: A Geographic Approach | ||
| International Women's Rights | ||
| Environmental Geopolitics | ||
| Immigrants, Refugees, and Diasporas | ||
| Analyzing Contemporary Global Issues | ||
| Iran, Turkey, and the Kurds | ||
| Genocide and Ethnocide | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| Politics of Human Trafficking | ||
| Transnational Terrorism | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| Global Internship | ||
| Topics in: _____ | ||
| Advanced Topics in South Asian Studies: _____ | ||
| Advanced Topics in Middle East Studies: _____ | ||
| Globalization | ||
| Literature and Society in the Contemporary Middle East | ||
| Issues in Global Studies: _____ | ||
| The Literature of Human Rights | ||
| Anthropology of Violence | ||
| Human Dimensions of Global Change | ||
| Social Movements in the Middle East | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| Chinese Foreign Policy | ||
| Russia, An Introduction | ||
| Latin American Culture and Society | ||
| From Mystics to Feminists: Women's History in Europe 1600 to the Present | ||
| History of Women and the Body | ||
| History, Ethics, Modernity | ||
| History of Sushi | ||
| Topics in Western History: _____ (when an international topic) | ||
| Topics in Non-Western History: _____ | ||
| Foodways: Latin America | ||
| The History of Brazil | ||
| The Refugee Experience: Stories of Statelessness and Citizenship | ||
| Europe Today | ||
| Introduction to International Business | ||
| Business in Latin America | ||
| Business in East Asia | ||
| Comparative and Cross-Cultural Management | ||
| International Management | ||
| Jews, Christians, Muslims | ||
| Topics in History and Culture of the Jewish People: _____ | ||
| Introduction to Judaism | ||
| Regimes in the Middle-East and North Africa | ||
| Interdisciplinary Themes in Latin American Studies | ||
| Topics in Latin American Area Studies:_____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - Anthropology: _____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - History: _____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - Spanish American Literature and Culture: _____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - Brazilian Literature and Culture : _____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - Politics, Society, Business and Economy: _____ | ||
| Topics in LAC - Transatlantic and Transnational: _____ | ||
| Language and Society in Latin America | ||
| Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies | ||
or PCS 221 | Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies, Honors | |
| Intelligence: Supporting National Security | ||
| Intelligence Analytics | ||
| Counterintelligence | ||
| Politics of the Middle East | ||
| International Organization | ||
| The European Union | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| Topics in International Relations: _____ | ||
| Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
| Extremist Groups and Government Response | ||
| Western European Politics | ||
| Understanding Russia and Eastern Europe | ||
or REES 111 | Understanding Russia and Eastern Europe, Honors | |
| Societies and Cultures of Eurasia | ||
or REES 221 | Societies and Cultures of Eurasia, Honors | |
| Understanding Russia and Eastern Europe | ||
or REES 311 | Understanding Russia and Eastern Europe, Honors | |
| Islam | ||
| The Buddhist Tradition in Asia | ||
| Understanding Russia | ||
or SLAV 141 | Understanding Russia, Honors | |
| Introduction to Slavic Folklore | ||
or SLAV 149 | Introduction to Slavic Folklore, Honors | |
| Russian Business Culture | ||
| Post-Soviet Communication | ||
| Wealth, Power, and Inequality | ||
| Sociology of Immigration | ||
| Sociology of Global Health | ||
| Violence and Society | ||
| The Politics of Physical Appearance | ||
| From Mystics to Feminists: Women's History in Europe 1600 to the Present | ||
| Gender, Culture, and Migration | ||
European Concentration
European Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by taking each of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| European Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills | 9 | |
| Introduction to Global and International Studies | ||
| French Revolution to the Present: Europe 1789-Present | ||
or HUM 205 | Western Civilization II | |
| The European Union | ||
Additional Language (3-5 hours/1 unit). Satisfied by:
Completion of one additional foreign language course (3 hours) beyond the 4th semester proficiency language requirement (300 level or above) or any available additional language course (3-5 hours). All language study must be in modern western European languages (French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Spanish).
The Capstone Research Coursework (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by the completion of the following two courses, with a senior project specifically focused on a European topic:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GIST 610 | Interdisciplinary Methods for Global Contexts | 3 |
| Students must complete the prerequisite GIST 220 before GIST 610 | ||
| GIST 698 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| or GIST 699 | Capstone Seminar, Honors | |
| Students must complete GIST 610 before GIST 698 or GIST 699 | ||
Upper-Division General European Electives (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by two courses focused on Europe in general at the 300-level or above found in the list below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prehistory of Europe and Asia | ||
| European Culture and Society 1945 to Present | ||
| Seminar in European Studies | ||
| Europe Today | ||
| Topics in European Studies: _____ | ||
| The European Union | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| From Goddesses to Witches: Women in Premodern Europe | ||
| From Mystics to Feminists: Women's History in Europe 1600 to the Present | ||
| Magic and Superstition in European History | ||
| Topics in Western History: _____ (when covering Europe) | ||
| Recent European History, 1870 to the Present | ||
| Contemporary Continental Philosophy | ||
| Politics in Europe | ||
| Topics in Comparative Politics: _____ (when covering Europe) | ||
| Topics in International Relations: _____ (when covering Europe) |
Upper-Division National or Regional Electives (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by three courses focused on a region or country within Europe at the 300-level or above from the list below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Current Economic Issues of East Europe | ||
| The British Novel | ||
| Major British Writers after 1800 | ||
| Studies in British Literature | ||
| Irish Literature and Culture: _____ | ||
| Magic, Murder, Monsters: German Literature and the Modern Era | ||
| France and the French | ||
| Introduction to French Literature | ||
| Paris, City of Lights and Legends | ||
| Studies in French Culture: _____ | ||
| Border Crossings in German Culture | ||
| The Spanish Inquisition | ||
| Hitler and Nazi Germany | ||
| Everyday Communism in Eastern Europe | ||
| France and Its Empire: From Acadia to Zidane | ||
| Introduction to Italian Literature and Textual Analysis | ||
| Italy and the Italians | ||
| Studies in Italian Culture: _____ | ||
| Studies in Italian Cinema | ||
| Politics of East-Central Europe | ||
| Western European Politics | ||
| The Language Landscape of Eastern Europe | ||
or SLAV 341 | The Language Landscape of Eastern Europe, Honors | |
| Twentieth Century Spanish Studies: _____ | ||
| Studies in Spanish Culture and Civilization: _____ | ||
Latin American and Caribbean CONCENTRATION
Latin American and Caribbean Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by taking each of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAC Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills | ||
| Introduction to Global and International Studies | ||
| Latin American Culture and Society | ||
| Interdisciplinary Themes in Latin American Studies | ||
or LAC 310 | Topics in LAC - Anthropology: _____ | |
or LAC 332 | Language and Society in Latin America | |
or LAC 334 | Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | |
Additional Language (3-5 hours/1 unit). Satisfied by:
Completion of one additional foreign language course (3 hours) beyond the 4th semester proficiency language requirement (300 level or above) or any available additional language course (3-5 hours). All language study must be in Latin American Caribbean languages (Spanish, Portuguese, or Indigenous Latin American Languages).
The Capstone Research Coursework (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by the completion of the following two courses, with a senior project specifically focused on a Latin American and Caribbean topic:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Interdisciplinary Methods for Global Contexts | ||
| Students must complete the prerequisite GIST 220 before GIST 610 | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
or GIST 699 | Capstone Seminar, Honors | |
| Students must complete GIST 610 before GIST 698 or GIST 699 | ||
Upper-Division Latin American and Caribbean Electives (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by taking three LAC (or crosslisted) courses at the 300-level or above (this can include LAC 300, LAC 310, LAC 332, or LAC 334).
Upper-Division Interdisciplinary Electives (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by taking two courses focusing on the Latin American and Caribbean region from related departments at the 300-level or above included in the list below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Haiti: Culture and Identity | ||
| Introduction to Caribbean Literature | ||
| Slavery in the New World | ||
| Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | ||
| Peoples of South America | ||
| People and the Rain Forest | ||
| Introduction to Caribbean Literature | ||
| Latin American Cinema | ||
| Geography of Latin America | ||
| Invention of the Tropics | ||
| A History of Afro-Latin America | ||
| Brazilian Culture | ||
| Studies in Brazilian Culture and Civilization: _____ | ||
| Studies in Brazilian Film: _____ | ||
| Transatlantic Hispanic Cultures | ||
| Latin American Cultures: _____ | ||
| Studies in Latin-American Literature and Culture: _____ | ||
| Colloquium on Latin American Film |
Middle East CONCENTRATION
Middle East Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by taking each of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East Concentration Core Knowledge and Skills | ||
| Introduction to Global and International Studies | ||
| Arabic and Islamic Studies | ||
Additional Language (3-5 hours/1 unit). Satisfied by:
Completion of one additional foreign language course (3 hours) beyond the 4th semester proficiency language requirement (300 level or above) or any available additional language course (3-5 hours). All language study must be in Middle East languages (Arabic, Turkish, Persian, or Hebrew).
The Capstone Research Coursework (6 hours/2 units). Satisfied by the completion of the following two courses, with a senior project specifically focused on a Middle East topic:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Interdisciplinary Methods for Global Contexts | ||
| Students must complete the prerequisite GIST 220 before GIST 610 | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
or GIST 699 | Capstone Seminar, Honors | |
| Students must complete GIST 610 before GIST 698 or GIST 699 | ||
Upper-Division Concentration Electives (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by taking three of the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Islam | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of North Africa and the Middle East | ||
| Literature and Society in the Contemporary Middle East | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| Politics of the Middle East | ||
| Islam and Politics |
Upper-Division Interdisciplinary Electives (9 hours/3 units). Satisfied by taking three Middle East electives at the 300-level or above from the list below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Peoples and Cultures of North Africa and the Middle East | ||
| Religion, Power, and Sexuality in Arab Societies | ||
| Women and Islam | ||
| Islamic Literature | ||
| Language and Culture in Arabic-Speaking Communities | ||
| Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An Introduction | ||
| Iran, Turkey, and the Kurds | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| Social Movements in the Middle East | ||
| Islam and Politics | ||
| The Premodern Middle East | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| Travelers' Tales of the Middle East | ||
| The Middle East After World War II | ||
| Mystical Tradition in Judaism | ||
| Israel: From Idea to State | ||
| Israel/Palestine: The War of 1948 | ||
| Politics and Government in Israel | ||
| Polls and Public Opinion in Israel | ||
| International Relations of the Middle-East | ||
| Regimes in the Middle-East and North Africa | ||
| Politics of the Middle East | ||
| Practicing Religion in Muslim Societies | ||
| Sociology of the Middle East |
Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 11 units (minimum of 33 credit hours) of major courses.
Overlapping Courses
Students in the GIST major can overlap relevant coursework with other programs; however, in order to ensure interdisciplinary breadth, they can only take up to 5 courses offered or cross-listed by any single other academic program.
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 21 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Sample 4-year plans for the BA degree in Global and International Studies with the following concentrations can be found here: Global and International, European, Latin American & Caribbean, Middle East, or by using the left-side navigation.
Departmental Honors
To graduate with departmental honors in Global and International Studies, students must complete all requirements for the major plus GIST 699 (Honors Capstone) with a 3.5 grade-point average in the major. The honors seminar allows students to receive research assistance from three-member faculty committee while writing their theses.
To enroll in the program, students must have a 3.5 grade-point average in the courses making up the Global and International Studies major. Students must obtain approval of their research topic by the instructor with advice from committee members. Each student will defend their honor's thesis in an oral examination before their thesis committee. The student's committee includes the GIST 699 instructor as the chair and two university faculty members the student chooses with the assistance of the instructor.