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 BA with a Concentration in Globalization Studies

General Program B.A.:

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

Core Requirements: 9 credits:

  • A GLO 103 Perspectives on Globalization (3)
  • A GLO/A GOG/A USP 225 World Cities: Geographies of Globalization (3)
  • A GOG 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

  • A ANT 108 Cultural Anthropology (3)
  • A ECO 110 Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics (3)
  • A ECO 111 Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics (3)
  • A GOG 102 Introduction to Human Geography (3)
  • B ACC 211 Financial Accounting (3)
  • R POS 102 Comparative and International Politics (3)

Environmental Analysis

  • A ANT 119 The City and Human Health (3)
  • A ATM 100 The Atmosphere (3)
  • A ATM 103 Introduction to Climate Change (3)
  • A ATM 107 The Oceans (3)
  • A BIO 230 People and Resources in Ecological Perspective (3)
  • A GOG 101 Introduction to the Physical Environment (3)

Global Perspectives: 18 upper-level credits:

  • A AFS 311 History of Slavery in the Western Hemisphere (3)
  • A ANT 340 Topics in Ethnology (3)
  • A ANT/LCS 341 Ethnology of Mesoamerica (3)  
  • A ANT 447 Food, Taste, and Culture (3)
  • A ANT 472 Social Movements in Latin America (3)
  • A EAC/HIS 379 History of Premodern China (3)
  • A EAC/HIS 380 History of Modern China (3)
  • A EAC/HIS 385 History of Modern Japan (3)
  • A EAJ 389 Topics in Japanese, Literature History and Culture (3)
  • A EAJ/HIS 436 Fascism: Japan and Beyond (3)
  • A EAJ 438 World War II: Japanese View (3)
  • A EAK/HIS 376 History of Premodern Korea (3)
  • A EAK/HST 377 History of Modern Korea (3)
  • A EAK/R POS 422Z North Korea – History, Culture, Politics (3)
  • A ECO 330 Economics of Development (3)
  • A ECO 360 International Economic Relations (3)
  • A ECO 385 Environmental Economics (3)
  • A ENG 355 Studies in Film (3)
  • A ENG/WSS 362 Critical Approaches to Gender and Sexuality in Literature (3)
  • A ENG/WSS 366 Critical Approaches to Ethnicity in Literature (3)
  • A ENG 372 Transnational Literature (3)
  • A ENG 373 Transnational Literature (3)
  • A ENG 374 Cultural Studies (3)
  • A FRE 341 Introduction to Global French Studies (3)
  • A GLO 325 (= A GOG/A USP 325) Global Urbanism and Culture (3)A GLO 327 World Regions and Global Markets (3)
  • A GLO 376 (= A ANT 376) Global Ethnography
  • A GLO 402 Globalization Studies Internship     
  • A GOG 444Y/544 Population and Development (3)
  • A GOG/EAC 452/A GOG 553 The Chinese City (3)
  • A GOG 493 Geographic Thought (3)
  • A HIS 312 History of American Foreign Policy II (3)
  • A HIS 320 Vietnam Wars (3)
  • A HIS 345 Europe Since World War II (3)
  • A HIS 353 History of Eastern Europe II (3)
  • A HIS 367 Contemporary Latin America (3)
  • A ITA 318 Italian Cinema and Literature (3)
  • A JST 343 Issues in Medieval Jewish History (3)
  • A JST 344 Issues in Modern Jewish History (3)
  • A LCS 315 Film in Contemporary Latin America (3)
  • A LCS 359 Globalization in the Americas (3)
  • A LCS 374 International Migration and Transnationalism (3)
  • A LCS 345/R POS 324 Latino Politics in the United States (3)
  • A LCS 410 Tourism, Culture, and Identities (3)
  • A PHI 355 Global Justice (3)
  • A PHI 365 Environmental Ethics (3)
  • A SOC 320 Population Changes (3)
  • A SOC 370 Social Demography (3)
  • A SPN 303 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (3)
  • A SPN 310 Introduction to Literary Analysis (3)
  • A SPN 318 Topics in Hispanic Film (3)
  • A SPN 322/ALCS 302 Los Latinos en Estados Unidos (3)
  • A USP 320 (= A GLO 320) International Urban Planning
  • A WSS 308 Global Perspectives on Women
  • H SPH 321 Global Environmental Issues and their Effect on Human Health
  • R POS 351 European Politics (3)
  • R POS 356 Russian Foreign Policy (3)
  • R POS 360 Violent Political Conflict (3)
  • R POS 362 Nationalism and Nation-Building (3)
  • R POS 366/R PAD 364 Approaches to Development (3)
  • R POS 367 Politics of the Middle East (3)
  • R POS 370 International Relationship: Theory (3)
  • R POS 375 International Organization (3)
  • R POS 377 Politics of Southeast Asia (3)
  • R POS 383 American Foreign Policy (3)
  • R POS 386 International Conflict and Security (3)
  • R POS/R PUB 395 International Political Economy (3)
  • R POS 479Z Topics in International Relations (3)

Capstone Experience: 3 credits:     

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

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

Chinese:

  • A EAC 101 – Elementary Chinese I (4)
  • A EAC 102 – Elementary Chinese II (4)
  • A EAC 201 – Intermediate Chinese I (4)

Japanese:

  • A EAJ 101 – Elementary Japanese I (4)
  • A EAJ 102 – Elementary Japanese II (4)
  • A EAJ 201 – Intermediate Japanese I (4)

Korean:

  • A EAK 101 – Elementary Korean I (4)
  • A EAK 102 – Elementary Korean II (4)
  • A EAK 201 – Intermediate Korean I (4)

Arabic:

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

French:

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

Hebrew:

  • A HEB 101 – Elementary Hebrew I (4)
  • A HEB 102 – Elementary Hebrew II (4)
  • A HEB 201 – Intermediate Hebrew I (3)
  • A HEB 202 – Intermediate Hebrew II (3)

Italian:

  • A ITA 100 – Elementary Italian I (3)
  • A ITA 101 – Elementary Italian II (3)
  • A ITA 200 – Intermediate Italian I (3-4)
  • A ITA 201 – Intermediate Italian II (3-4)

Portuguese:

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

Russian:

  • A RUS 101 – Elementary Russian I (3)
  • A RUS 102 – Elementary Russian II (3)
  • A RUS 201 – Intermediate Russian I (3)

Spanish:

  • A SPN 100 – Elementary Spanish I (4)
  • A SPN 101 – Elementary Spanish II (4)
  • A SPN 200 – Intermediate Spanish I (3-4)

Spanish for Heritage Speakers:

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