Teaching in IGS

From introductory foundations courses to a culminating senior capstone experience, IGS-prefixed courses guide students through every stage of the International & Global Studies major. Students also choose language classes and electives from more than 14 disciplines across campus, giving them the opportunity to learn from faculty with a wide range of expertise. This combination allows students to explore global issues through diverse lenses and develop a truly interdisciplinary perspective.

IGS*1410: International Relations

This course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the complex and dynamic interactions between nation-states, inter-governmental organizations, and non-state actors in the international system. By examining key International Relations theories alongside historical events and contemporary global issues, students will consider various challenges to the post-World War II international order and will gain insights into: whether and how states engage in war and conflict; the conduct of foreign policy; the ambitions and limits of international law; the causes of global poverty and inequality; and the significance of non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations, and transnational social movements in an interconnected world. Students will learn how to analyze and critically assess some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as insecurity and protracted conflict, chronic underdevelopment, economic instability and crisis, and the compounding impacts of climate change. This course is crosslisted with Political Science (POL*1410).

IGS*2210: World in the 20th Century

This survey of contemporary history examines critical events, ideologies and movements that have shaped our world. Students gain an understanding of the historical context of current global issues by examining developments in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. This course is crosslisted with History (HST*2210).

IGS*2500: Global Studies: Approaches and Perspectives

This course introduces students to the field of International and Global Studies and to the critical examination of global issues and globalization more generally. International and Global Studies reaches across academic disciplines to build new understandings of states, peoples, cultures, and societies facing a range of contemporary global challenges – from international migration, sustainable development, and human rights to public health, economic and social inequality, armed conflict, and terrorism. The course introduces students to some essential concepts, questions, and methods adopted by International and Global Studies scholars working across academic disciplines. Students consider the value and limits of different sources of knowledge, evaluate the relation of knowledge to culture and power, and engage in cross- and inter-disciplinary investigations of a number of specific global issues. They also learn how to develop and refine their own research interests in International and Global Studies.

IGS*4970: Senior Seminar

The senior seminar is a capstone experience designed for majors. This course offers practical experience in researching, writing and presenting a senior thesis which builds on previous work in global studies and the regional concentration.

 

For an overview of IGS elective options, please consult the Smart Catalogue, which provides a comprehensive listing of courses available across the more than 14 participating disciplines. Appropriate special topics courses, as approved by the program director, may be included in the global studies category. Study abroad courses, special topics courses, core seminars, and courses in the department of World Languages and Cultures relevant to a concentration may be included under the regional concentration, as approved by the program director.

International & Global Studies majors are required to develop proficiency in a foreign language as an essential part of their global education. Students are encouraged to explore the full range of language options and program details by consulting with their academic advisor or the IGS program director and visiting the Department of World Languages and Cultures website.