Program in Globalization Studies

Faculty

Associate Professors
Kate S. Coddington, Ph.D., Syracuse University (Geography and Planning)
Thomas P. Narins, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles (Geography and Planning)

Lecturer
David Banks, Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Geography and Planning); Program Director

The Globalization Studies Program offers a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a faculty-initiated concentration in Globalization Studies, designed for students seeking a liberal arts education that focuses on major global issues. Students will gain a systematic awareness of the global forces and processes that shape our lives, and they will study and discuss major global issues and problems. A minor in Globalization Studies is also available. 

The Interdisciplinary Studies major with a Globalization Studies concentration helps prepare students for a world that we are only just seeing emerge. One marked by climate change, a multipolar geopolitics, and rising grassroots movements. 

This major is useful for a wide range of internationally related careers in business, nonprofits, government, education, media, international organizations, international development agencies, international labor organizations, and the U.S. foreign service. Intercultural skills and knowledge of global issues are crucial to success in many professions. Examples of applications include the promotion of international trade, investment, and tourism; labor advocacy, the management of social development programs for international migrants and refugees; research on the social and environmental impacts of major transnational investment projects; and, the design and management of programs to protect local economies, cultures, and ecosystems from the negative impacts of globalization. 

Students pursuing Globalization Studies are encouraged, though not required, to study abroad as part of their undergraduate education at the University at Albany. 

Advisement

The Department of Geography and Planning takes primary responsibility for advising students pursuing this major or the minor in Globalization Studies.

Curriculum

The Globalization Studies concentration enables students to take a variety of courses focusing on the comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis of globalization processes. It prepares students to “think globally” by providing them with an undergraduate education that responds effectively to today’s global interconnectedness and fosters a thorough knowledge and a critical understanding of the social, economic, cultural, political, and environmental forces that are reshaping the lives of peoples and nations around the world.

Degree Requirements: Interdisciplinary Studies Bachelors of Arts with a Concentration in Globalization Studies

General Program B.A.:

A minimum of 42 credits, distributed in the following way:

Core Requirements: 9 credits:

  • AGLO 103 Perspectives on Globalization (3)
  • AGLO/AGOG/AUSP 225 World Cities: Geographies of Globalization (3)
  • AGOG 440 Global Politics, Space and Place (3)

Disciplinary Perspectives: 9 credits:

One 3 credit course from each of the following two areas:

Social & Economic Processes

  • AANT 108 Cultural Anthropology (3)
  • AECO 110 Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics (3)
  • AECO 111 Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics (3)
  • AGOG 102 Introduction to Human Geography (3)
  • BACC 211 Financial Accounting (3)
  • RPOS 102 Comparative and International Politics (3)

Environmental Analysis

  • AANT 119 The City and Human Health (3)
  • AATM 100 The Atmosphere (3)
  • AATM 103 Introduction to Climate Change (3)
  • AATM 107 The Oceans (3)
  • ABIO 230 People and Resources in Ecological Perspective (3)
  • AGOG 101 Introduction to the Physical Environment (3)

Global Perspectives: 18 upper-level credits:

  • AAFS 311 History of Slavery in the Western Hemisphere (3)
  • AANT 340 Topics in Ethnology (3)
  • AANT/ALCS 341 Ethnology of Mesoamerica (3)  
  • AANT 447 Food, Taste, and Culture (3)
  • AANT 472 Social Movements in Latin America (3)
  • AEAC/AHIS 379 History of Premodern China (3)
  • AEAC/AHIS 380 History of Modern China (3)
  • AEAC/AHIS 385 History of Modern Japan (3)
  • AEAJ 389 Topics in Japanese, Literature History and Culture (3)
  • AEAJ/AHIS 436 Fascism: Japan and Beyond (3)
  • AEAJ 438 World War II: Japanese View (3)
  • AEAK/AHIS 376 History of Premodern Korea (3)
  • AEAK/AHST 377 History of Modern Korea (3)
  • AEAK/RPOS 422Z North Korea History, Culture, Politics (3)
  • AECO 330 Economics of Development (3)
  • AECO 360 International Economic Relations (3)
  • AECO 385 Environmental Economics (3)
  • AENG 355 Studies in Film (3)
  • AENG/AWSS 362 Critical Approaches to Gender and Sexuality in Literature (3)
  • AENG/AWSS 366 Critical Approaches to Ethnicity in Literature (3)
  • AENG 372 Transnational Literature (3)
  • AENG 373 Transnational Literature (3)
  • AENG 374 Cultural Studies (3)
  • AFRE 341 Introduction to Global French Studies (3)
  • AGLO/AGOG/AUSP 325 Global Urbanism and Culture (3)
  • AGLO 327 World Regions and Global Markets (3)
  • AGLO/AANT 376 Global Ethnography
  • AGLO 402 Globalization Studies Internship
  • AGOG 444Y/544 Population and Development (3)
  • AGOG/AEAC 452/AGOG 553 The Chinese City (3)
  • AGOG 493 Geographic Thought (3)
  • AHIS 312 History of American Foreign Policy II (3)
  • AHIS 320 Vietnam Wars (3)
  • AHIS 345 Europe Since World War II (3)
  • AHIS 353 History of Eastern Europe II (3)
  • AHIS 367 Contemporary Latin America (3)
  • AITA 318 Italian Cinema and Literature (3)
  • AJST 343 Issues in Medieval Jewish History (3)
  • AJST 344 Issues in Modern Jewish History (3)
  • ALCS 315 Film in Contemporary Latin America (3)
  • ALCS 359 Globalization in the Americas (3)
  • ALCS 374 International Migration and Transnationalism (3)
  • ALCS 345/RPOS 324 Latino Politics in the United States (3)
  • ALCS 410 Tourism, Culture, and Identities (3)
  • APHI 355 Global Justice (3)
  • APHI 365 Environmental Ethics (3)
  • ASOC 320 Population Changes (3)
  • ASOC 370 Social Demography (3)
  • ASPN 303 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (3)
  • ASPN 310 Introduction to Literary Analysis (3)
  • ASPN 318 Topics in Hispanic Film (3)
  • ASPN 322/ALCS 302 Los Latinos en Estados Unidos (3)
  • AUSP/AGLO 320 International Urban Planning
  • AWSS 308 Global Perspectives on Women
  • HSPH 321 Global Environmental Issues and their Effect on Human Health
  • RPOS 351 European Politics (3)
  • RPOS 356 Russian Foreign Policy (3)
  • RPOS 360 Violent Political Conflict (3)
  • RPOS 362 Nationalism and Nation-Building (3)
  • RPOS 366/RPAD 364 Approaches to Development (3)
  • RPOS 367 Politics of the Middle East (3)
  • RPOS 370 International Relationship: Theory (3)
  • RPOS 375 International Organization (3)
  • RPOS 377 Politics of Southeast Asia (3)
  • RPOS 383 American Foreign Policy (3)
  • RPOS 386 International Conflict and Security (3)
  • RPOS/RPUB 395 International Political Economy (3)
  • RPOS 479Z Topics in International Relations (3)

Capstone Experience: 3 credits:

  • AGLO 402 Globalization Studies Internship (3) or AGLO 420 Human Dimensions of Global Change (3)

Language Requirement: 6-8 credits of world language instruction:

Chinese:

  • AEAC 101 Elementary Chinese I (4)
  • AEAC 102 Elementary Chinese II (4)
  • AEAC 201 Intermediate Chinese I (4)

Japanese:

  • AEAJ 101 Elementary Japanese I (4)
  • AEAJ 102 Elementary Japanese II (4)
  • AEAJ 201 Intermediate Japanese I (4)

Korean:

  • AEAK 101 Elementary Korean I (4)
  • AEAK 102 Elementary Korean II (4)
  • AEAK 201 Intermediate Korean I (4)

Arabic:

  • A ARA 101 Elementary Arabic I (3)
  • A ARA 102 Elementary Arabic II (3)

French:

  • AFRE 101 Beginning French I (3)
  • AFRE 102 Beginning French II (3)
  • AFRE 221Y Intermediate French I (3-4)
  • AFRE 222Y Intermediate French II (3-4)

Hebrew:

  • AHEB 101 Elementary Hebrew I (4)
  • AHEB 102 Elementary Hebrew II (4)
  • AHEB 201 Intermediate Hebrew I (3)
  • AHEB 202 Intermediate Hebrew II (3)

Italian:

  • AITA 100 Elementary Italian I (3)
  • AITA 101 Elementary Italian II (3)
  • AITA 200 Intermediate Italian I (3-4)
  • AITA 201 Intermediate Italian II (3-4)

Portuguese:

  • APOR 100 Elementary Portuguese I (3)
  • APOR 101 Elementary Portuguese II (3)
  • APOR 201 Intermediate Portuguese (3)
  • APOR 206 Conversation and Spoken Grammar (3)

Russian:

  • ARUS 101 Elementary Russian I (3)
  • ARUS 102 Elementary Russian II (3)
  • ARUS 201 Intermediate Russian I (3)

Spanish:

  • ASPN 100 Elementary Spanish I (4)
  • ASPN 101 Elementary Spanish II (4)
  • ASPN 200 Intermediate Spanish I (3-4)

Spanish for Heritage Speakers:

  • ASPN 105 Basic Spanish for Heritage Speakers (3)
  • ASPN 205 Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers (3)
  • ASPN 209 Spanish Composition and Conversation for Heritage Speakers of Spanish (3)