Global and Regional Studies: Global Studies Concentration, BA

Global and Regional Studies: Global Studies Concentration, BA

The Global Studies Track is a multidisciplinary program that supplies students with the skills and knowledge base to tackle global challenges.

Our seasoned, approachable faculty will guide you through a diverse set of global topics, including world history, macroeconomics, cultural geography, and world politics. From there, you have the opportunity to craft your educational trajectory, with multiple study abroad opportunities and a wealth of course offerings in everything from archaeology to Mexican literature. Your studies will culminate with an original contribution to the field of Global Studies research. 

You will leave this program with greater language proficiency, cultural literacy, and communication and critical thinking skills, all valuable assets in any future career. 

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Global and Regional Studies: Global Studies Concentration, BA

BA

Learning Outcomes

  • PLO 1: Define their place as citizens in global society.
  • PLO 2: Understanding of the political, economic, cultural interconnectedness that constitutes our world today.
  • PLO 3: Ability to communicate at a basic functional level of proficiency in a language, other than English, specific to the geographical region of study.
  • PLO 4: Ability to analyze specific social aspects of a geographical region employing in a competent and creative way the appropriate conceptual and theoretical tools of the following disciplines: anthropology, economics, history, literature and art, and politics.
  • PLO 5: Ability to investigate the increasing interdependent nature and complexity of cultural, economic, environmental, political, and social processes that constitute the global experience, and to examine those processes from a global justice perspective.

Requirements

Language Study

The interdisciplinary and language courses taken by students will prepare them for critically engaged learning experience.

  • Intermediate French (4 units)
  • Intermediate Italian (4 units)
  • Intermediate Japanese (4 units)
  • Intermediate Spanish (4 units)

Lower Division

The following lower-division course is required for all GRS majors

  • Intro:Global&Regional Studies (4 units)

Lower Division Elective

Take two from the following lower division courses:

  • Intro to Social & Cultrl Anth (4 units)
  • Macroeconomic Principles (4 units)
  • Global History to 1500 (4 units)
  • Global History Since 1500 (4 units)
  • Intro to International Relatns (4 units)

Upper Division

All GRS majors take the following UD courses:

  • Cultural Geography&Glbl Soc (4 units)
  • Interdisciplinary Issues GS (3 units)
  • Glbl Perspectives on Lit & Art (3 units)
  • Senior Research Capstone (4 units)

Group A (Intellectual Traditions)

Take one of the following:

  • Issues in Globalization (4 units)
  • Developmnt of Economic Thought (4 units)
  • International Economics (4 units)
  • Economic Development (4 units)
  • Comparative Economic Systems (4 units)
  • Historiography (4 units)
  • Politics in the Global Economy (4 units)
  • Theories of Justice (4 units)
  • Global Sociology (4 units)

Group B (Issues and Topics)

Take one of the following:

  • Culture, Health & Healing (4 units)
  • Kinship, Marriage & Family (4 units)
  • Global Perspectives on Race (4 units)
  • Urban Anthropology (4 units)
  • Anthropology of Religion (4 units)
  • Food and Culture
  • Compar/Transnat US History (3 units)
  • Global Citizens and Subjects (4 units)
  • Dynamics of Terrorism (4 units)
  • Politics of Develop Countries (4 units)
  • Food Politics (3 units)
  • Human Rights (4 units)
  • Topics in Intl Politics (3-4 units)
  • Global Migration (4 units)
  • Culture & Civilization: Spain (3 units)
  • Culture & Civilization: Lat Am (3 units)
  • Culture & Civilization: Mexico (3 units)

Group C (Regional Studies)

Take one of the following:

  • World Cultures: N Africa (4 units)
  • World Cultures: E Africa (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Mid Africa (4 units)
  • World Cultures: S Africa (4 units)
  • World Cultures: West Africa (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Caribbean (4 units)
  • World Cultures: C America (4 units)
  • World Cultures: S America (4 units)
  • World Cultures: North America (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Central Asia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Eastern Asia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: SE Asia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Southern Asia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Western Asia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Cent/E Europe (4 units)
  • World Cultures: N Europe (4 units)
  • World Cultures: S Europe (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Western Europe (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Oceania (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Polynesia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Melanesia (4 units)
  • World Cultures: Antarctica (4 units)
  • 19-20th Century Lit: (4 units)
  • French Lit Outside Europe (4 units)
  • Explorations in Latin Amer His (3 units)
  • Environment in Latin Am Hist (3 units)
  • Explor in Modern European Hist (3 units)
  • Women in Modern European Histo (3 units)
  • Hlth & Welfare in Modern Euro (3 units)
  • Explorations in Asian History (3 units)
  • War and Peace in Modern Japan (3 units)
  • Revolutionary Mvmt Mod China (3 units)
  • Expl African History (3 units)
  • Women in Lat Am History (4 units)
  • Revolutions in Latin America (4 units)
  • African Diaspora in Lat Am (4 units)
  • Drugs in Latin American Hist (4 units)
  • Sp Top 20th C European Hist (4 units)
  • German History (4 units)
  • Special Topics in Asian Hist (4 units)
  • Ethnic Ident & Cnflct in China (4 units)
  • Special Topics in African Hist (4 units)
  • African History Since 1850 (4 units)
  • Middle East Politics (4 units)
  • Asian Politics (4 units)
  • Latin American Politics (4 units)
  • West European Politics (4 units)
  • Russian Politics from Lenin (4 units)
  • East European Politics (4 units)
  • Latin American Literature II (4 units)
  • Contemp Latin American Lit (4 units)
  • 20th Century Mexican Literatur (4 units)
  • Culture/Civilization of Italy (3 units)

Earn an Global and Regional Studies: Global Studies, BA and a Single-Subject Teaching Credential at Saint Mary's in just four years through our Single Subject Teaching Credential Integrated Pathway!

Learn More

  • Intro:Global&Regional Studies (4 units)
  • Human Geography (3 units)
  • GRS Elective (1-5 units)
  • Cultural Geography&Glbl Soc (4 units)
  • Interdisciplinary Issues GS (3 units)
  • Glbl Perspectives on Lit & Art (3 units)
  • GRS UD Elective (1-5 units)
  • Internships for Social Justice (1-4 units)
  • Internships for Social Justice (1-4 units)
  • Senior Research Capstone (4 units)
  • Independent Study (1-4 units)

What can you do with a degree in Global Studies?

Interdisciplinary training in languages, global systems, and cross-cultural analysis prepares you for roles across diplomacy, development, business, and NGOs. 
(*Some careers may require additional certification or graduate study).

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Ace the Interview with AI

Foreign Service / Diplomatic Officer (Entry-Level)
Support reporting, cultural outreach, and policy briefs on global political and economic issues.

International Development Project Coordinator
Manage grants, partner logistics, and monitoring & evaluation for humanitarian or sustainability programs.

Global Supply Chain / Trade Compliance Analyst
Track regulations, tariffs, and logistics risks to keep cross-border operations efficient and compliant.

Human Rights / Policy Analyst (Junior)
Synthesize research, draft memos, and brief stakeholders on governance, migration, or civil-society topics.

Risk & Intelligence Analyst (OSINT)
Integrate open-source data to assess geopolitical, regulatory, and security exposures for multinational teams.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) / ESG Analyst
Collect impact metrics, align reporting with frameworks, and support ethical sourcing and climate goals.

International Education & Study Abroad Advisor
Place students in overseas programs, manage visas and safety protocols, and deliver intercultural prep.

Global Communications / Localization Specialist
Adapt content for regional audiences, coordinate translators, and maintain terminology and QA workflows.

Saint Mary's Testimonials

“The education I received from St. Mary’s has helped me enormously. I would not have this job without the Spanish I learned. Cultural competency is also extremely important when working with people from different cultures.”

Rachel Kane, Class of 2016

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