Undergraduate Degree

The Global and International Studies in Social Science major provides students with breadth in social science foundational courses combined with in-depth knowledge in a world region or global topic. World region concentrations include Asian Studies, Canadian Studies, European and Eurasian Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and Middle East and African Studies. Global topical concentrations include Global Health, International Development, and Migration Studies. Students can also work with faculty and advisors to design and complete an Integrative Studies concentration focused on a global topic of interest. Students enrolled in a concentration cannot complete a minor in the same concentration area.

In addition to academic focus on a region or theme, students must demonstrate second-year foreign language competency in a non-English language relevant to their course of study. Students also engage in interdisciplinary thinking and research through required introductory, methods, and capstone courses..

Students are strongly encouraged to have at least one international experience through study abroad, internships, or independent study. The major helps prepare students for jobs in government, business, and non-governmental organizations and for graduate study in international or area studies and other fields.

Graduates of the Global and International Studies in Social Science program will be able to: 1) Describe how social sciences intersect with other disciplines to enhance understanding of global topics and how skills learned in their interdisciplinary major will prepare them for career, graduate education, and effective citizenship. 2) Expand their personal perspectives around shared and complex problems to better understand and include the diverse perspectives of others—particularly in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion from underrepresented and/or marginalized voices. 3) Identify established disciplinary ways of knowing within the social sciences and integrate these perspectives and methods around complex global and international issues. 4) Demonstrate the use of interdisciplinary methods and analysis to illuminate highly complex global and international issues that require multiple lenses to more fully understand, engage with, and resolve. 5) Apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and methodology through experiential learning opportunities and through successful design, execution, and dissemination of interdisciplinary research and writing.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Social Science, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Global and International Studies in Social Science

1. The graduation requirements of the University as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Global and International Studies in Social Science.
   
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Global and International Studies in Social Science major is met by completing Social Science 499. That course is referenced in item 3. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	Three of the following foundational courses. No more than one course can be from a single discipline (9 to 12 credits):
   	ANP	201	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology						3
   	EC	201	Introduction to Microeconomics						3
   	EC	202	Introduction to Macroeconomics						3
   	GEO	151	Introduction to Human Geography						3
   	GEO	204	World Regional Geography						3
   	HST	140	World History to 1500						4
   	HST	150	World History since 1500						4
   	PLS	140	Introduction to Comparative Politics						3
   	PLS	160	Introduction to International Relations						3
   	SOC	161	International Development and Change						3
   	With advisor approval, qualified students may substitute Economics 251H for Economics 201.
   b.	The following courses (9 credits):
   	SSC	299	Integration of Social Science Perspectives						3
   	SSC	495	Interdisciplinary Research Methods						3
   	SSC	499	Capstone in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science (W)						3
   c.	Complete a minimum of 15 credits in one of the following concentrations with no more than two courses from a single discipline. At least 9 credits must be from the College of Social Science.
   	Asian Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	415	China: Culture and Society						3
   	ANP	437	Asian Emigrant Communities: A Global Perspective						3
   	EC	413	Economic Analysis of Asia (W)						3
   	GEO	337	Geography of Asia-Pacific						3
   	HST	160	Introduction to Asian History and Culture						4
   	HST	210	Modern East Asia						4
   	HST	365	The Vietnam War						3
   	HST	367	Imperial China						3
   	HST	368	China since 1900						3
   	HST	369	Japan in the Age of the Samurai						3
   	HST	370	Modern Japan: History, Culture, and Society						3
   	HST	371	Women and Gender in Asia						3
   	HST	451	Special Topics in Asian History						3
   	HST	485	Seminar in Asian History (W)						3
   	PLS	354	Politics of Asia						3
   	SSC	293	Introduction to Asian Pacific American Studies						3
   	SSC	393	Topics in Asian Pacific American Studies						3
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	CHS	360	Chinese Film Studies						3
   	DS	481	Indian Film and Media Production						8 to 12
   	ENG	352	Readings in Asian/Asian American/Asian Diaspora Literature and Visual Culture						3
   	HA	260	Asian Art						3
   	HA	261	Modern Asia Art						3
   	HA	262	Buddhist Art and Architecture across Asia						3
   	HA	461	Selected Topics in Modern Asian Art						4
   	HA	462	The Arts of China						4
   	MC	319	Asian American History						4
   	MC	324D	Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Asia						4
   	MC	441	Islam and World Politics						4
   	REL	335	East Asian Religions						3
   	REL	345	Religions of South Asia						3
   	REL	350	Buddhism in South Asia						3
   	REL	355	Southeast Asian Religions						3
   	Canadian Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	411	North American Indian Ethnography						3
   	ANP	432	American Indian Women						3
   	ANP	433	Contemporary American Indian Communities						3
   	ANP	452	North American Archaeology						3
   	CJ	439	Homeland Security						3
   	GEO	331	Geography of Canada						3
   	HST	301	Indigenous-European Encounters in North America						3
   	HST	391	Environmental History of North America						3
   	SSC	290	Selected Topics in Social Science						3
   	The content in SSC 290 must be approved by the student's academic advisor.
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	ENG	204	Topics in North American Literatures						3
   	FLM	491	Special Topics i Film Studies						3
   	FOR	466	Natural Resource Policy						3
   	FW	207	Great Lakes: Biology and Management						3
   	HA	253	Native North American Art						3
   	JRN	472	Environmental, Science, and Health Reporting						3
   	REL	306	Native American Religions						3
   	The content in FLM 491 and FW 207 must be approved by the student’s academic advisor.
   	European and Russian Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	GEO	336	Geography of Europe						3
   	GEO	340	Geography of Eurasia						3
   	HST	206	European History since 1500						4
   	HST	295	The Nazis						3
   	HST	335	Europe in the Age of Revolution, 1700-1870						3
   	HST	336	Europe from Bismarck to Brexit						3
   	HST	338	European Power, Culture and Thought: The Modern Era						3
   	HST	344	Russia in the Twentieth Century						3
   	HST	347	Modern France						3
   	HST	355	Spain and the Muslim World						3
   	HST	387	The First World War						3
   	HST	388	World War II: Causes, Conduct and Consequences						3
   	HST	392	History of the Holocaust						3
   	HST	411	European Jewish History						3
   	HST	452	Special Topics in European History						3
   	HST	483	Seminar in Modern European History (W)						3
   	PLS	356	Politics of Europe and the European Union						3
   	PLS	357	Politics of English-Speaking Democracies						3
   	PLS	358	Politics of the U.S.S.R. and Its Successor States						3
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	AL	431	European Fairy Tale Tradition						3
   	ENG	205	Topics in British Literature						3
   	ENG	315	Readings in British Literature						3
   	ENG	316	Readings in Irish Literature and Culture						3
   	JRN	486	British and Irish Mass Media Education Abroad						6
   	MC	321	The Cold War: Culture, Politics and Foreign Policy						4
   	MC	324E	Regional Politics, Cooperation and Conflict in Europe						4
   	MC	328	Russian Foreign Policy						4
   	MC	329	European Security: Challenges and Strategies						4
   	MC	331	Encounters with Post-Communism						4
   	MC	387	Jews and Anti-Semitism						4
   	MC	441	Islam and World Politics						4
   	PHL	421	Topics in European and Continental Philosophy						3
   	REL	310	Judaism						3
   	RUS	231	19th-Century Russian Literature in Translation						3
   	RUS	232	20-th Century Russian Literature in Translation						3
   	RUS	241	Russian and Slavic Folklore, Fairy Tales, and Folk Traditions						3
   	RUS	421	Russian Life and Culture in the 20th Century						3
   	RUS	440	Contemporary Russian Life and Culture (W)						3
   	RUS	441	Russian Literature (W)						3
   	Global Health
   	Required course:
   	OST	450	Introduction to Global Health						3
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	270	Women and Health: Anthropological and International Perspectives						3
   	ANP	370	Culture, Health, and Illness						3
   	ANP	425	Issues in Medical Anthropology						3
   	GEO	214	Geography of Drugs						3
   	GEO	235	Geography of Environment and Health						3
   	GEO	410	Geography of Good and Agriculture						3
   	GEO	435	Geography of Health and Disease						3
   	HST	220	History of Food and Alcohol						3
   	HST	420	History of Sexuality since the 18th Century						3
   	HST	425	American and European Health Care since 1800						4
   	PSY	320	Health Psychology						3
   	SOC	350	Society and Mental Health						3
   	SOC	475	Health and Society						3
   	UP	400	Special topics in Urban Planning						2 to 4
   	The content in UP 400 must be approved by the student's academic advisor.
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	EPI	390	Disease in Society: Introduction to Epidemiology and Public Health						4
   	FOR	110	Contemporary Issues in Forests and the Environment						1
   	FSC	211	Principles of Food Science						3
   	FSC	421	Food Laws and Regulations						3
   	FW	423	Principles of Fish and Wildlife Disease						3
   	FW	463	Wildlife Disease Ecology						3
   	FW	481	Global Issues in Fisheries and Wildlife						3
   	HNF	385	Public Health Nutrition						3
   	HNF	406	Global Foods and Culture						3
   	JRN	372	Environment, Science and Health Journalism Special Topics						3
   	MC	337	Global Public Health						4
   	MC	450	International Environmental Law and Policy						3
   	PDC	491	Special Topics in Planning, Design and Construction						1 to 4
   	PH	103	Social Justice and Health Equity: Global Perspectives						3
   	PHL	344	Ethical Issues in Health Care						4
   	The content in PDC 491 must be approved by the student's academic advisor.
   	International Development
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	325	Anthropology of the Environment and Development						3
   	ANP	436	Globalization and Justice: Issues in Political and Legal Anthropology						3
   	EC	310	Economics of Developing Countries						3
   	GEO	113	Introduction to Economic Geography						3
   	GEO	204	World Regional Geography						3
   	GEO	413	Urban Geography						3
   	GEO	414	Transportation Systems and Sustainable Cities						3
   	GEO	453	Metropolitan Environments: Urban Forms and Land Uses						3
   	HST	326	United States Foreign Relations since 1914						3
   	HST	390	History of International Relations						3
   	PLS	342	Comparative Political Economy						3
   	PLS	344	Politics of Developing Areas						3
   	PLS	347	Democratic Regimes						3
   	PLS	363	International and Domestic Political Conflict						3
   	PLS	364	Politics of the United Nations and International Organizations						3
   	SOC	161	International Development and Change						3
   	SOC	362	Developing Societies						3
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	AFRE	206	World Food, Population and Poverty						3
   	ATD	431	Global Context for Sustainable Design						3
   	CSS	101	Introduction to Crop Science						3
   	CSS	120	Issues in Food and Agriculture						3
   	CSS	431	International Agriculture Systems						3
   	CSUS	215	International Development and Sustainability						3
   	FW	181	Introduction to Science, Technology, the Environment and Public Policy						3
   	FW	444	Conservation Biology						3
   	FW	445	Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice
   	GSAH	301	Global Citizenship						3
   	MC	430	Applied International Development						4
   	PHL	452	Ethics and Development						3
   	TE	353	International Education						3
   	WS	403	Women and Change in Developing Countries						3
   	Integrative Studies   Similar to other concentrations, students interested in completing an Integrative Studies concentration must complete 15 credits of course work with no more than two courses from a single discipline and at least 9 credits in the College of Social Science. To pursue this concentration, a student must develop a proposal in coordination with a Global and International Studies in Social Science advisor that includes the following: (a)  A proposed outline for the course work to be taken with a rationale for each course; (b)  A statement of purpose for the proposed course work;  (c) A set of learning outcomes that will be achieved through the course work that is not available in other majors at the University, or the College. The proposed course of study must be approved by a Global and International Studies in Social Science advisor, two faculty members in the College of Social Science, and the Center for Integrative Studies director.
   	Latin American and Caribbean Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	410	Anthropology of Latin America						3
   	CLS	201	Introduction to Chicano/Latino Studies
   	CLS	492	Chicano and Latino Studies: Research, Theory and Practice						3
   	GEO	335	Geography of Latin America						3
   	HST	212	National Latin America						4
   	HST	382	Modern Brazil						3
   	HST	383	The Caribbean						3
   	HST	384	Modern Mexico						3
   	HST	453	Special Topics in Latin American History						3
   	HST	486	Seminar in Latin American History (W)						3
   	PLS	352	Latin American Politics						3
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	ENG	351	Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures						3
   	HA	254	Latin American Art						3
   	HA	454	Selected Topics in the Arts of the Americas						4
   	PHL	212	Latin American Philosophy						3
   	PRT	340	Topics in Luso-Brazilian Language and Culture						3
   	REL	306	Native American Religions						3
   	SPN	320	Cultural Readings and Composition (W)						3
   	Middle Eastern and African Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	417	Introduction to Islam in Africa						3
   	ANP	419	Anthropology of the Middle East						3
   	ANP	455	Archaeology of Ancient Egypt						3
   	EC	414	Economic Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa (W)						3
   	GEO	338	Geography of Africa						3
   	GEO	339	Geography of the Middle East and North Africa						3
   	HST	205	The Ancient Mediterranean and the Medieval World						4
   	HST	208	Introduction to African History, Culture and Society						4
   	HST	281	Atlantic Slavery						3
   	HST	355	Spain and the Muslim World						3
   	HST	363	East Africa in the Twentieth Century						3
   	HST	364	South Africa: From Shaka Zulu to Mandela						3
   	HST	372	The Middle East: Islam and Empires						3
   	HST	373	The Modern Middle East: From Empires to Nation States						3
   	HST	450	Special Topics in African History						3
   	HST	484	Seminar in African History (W)						3
   	HST	487	Seminar in Comparative History (W)						3
   	The content in HST 487 must be approved by the student’s academic advisor.
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	ENG	350	Readings in African, African American, or African Diaspora Literature						3
   	HA	271	African Arts						3
   	HA	471	Selected Topics in African Art						4
   	JRN	488	Visual Storytelling in Kenya						4
   	MC	324A	Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in the Middle East						4
   	MC	335	Israeli Politics, Cultures and Society						4
   	MC	441	Islam and World Politics						4
   	PHL	213	Africana Philosophy						3
   	PHL	315	African Philosophy						3
   	REL	310	Judaism						3
   	REL	330	Islam						3
   	REL	360	African Religion						3
   	Migration Studies
   	College of Social Science courses:
   	ANP	370	Race, Ethnicity, and Nation: Anthropological Approaches to Collective Identity						3
   	ANP	417	Introduction to Islam in Africa						3
   	ANP	419	Anthropology in the Middle East						3
   	ANP	437	Asian Emigrant Communities: A Global Perspective						3
   	ANP	439	Human Rights: Anthropological Perspectives						3
   	GEO	113	Introduction to Economic Geography						3
   	GEO	335	Geography of Latin America						3
   	GEO	338	Geography of Africa						3
   	GEO	409	Global Climate Change and Variability						3
   	GEO	413	Urban Geography						3
   	GEO	436	Spatial Analysis of Populations						3
   	GEO	440	Geopolitics						3
   	GEO	441	Cultural Geography						3
   	HST	254	Migrations in History						3
   	HST	281	Atlantic Slavery						3
   	HST	301	Indigenous-European Encounters in North America						3
   	HST	363	East Africa in the Twentieth Century						3
   	HST	366	Modern Southeast Asia						3
   	HST	383	The Caribbean						3
   	HST	390	History of International Relations						3
   	PLS	392	Special topics in Political Science						1 to 4
   	SOC	460	Advanced Seminar in Human Migration						3
   	SSC	293	Introduction to Asian Pacific American Studies						3
   	Courses outside of the College of Social Science:
   	ENG	350	Readings in African, African-American, or African Diaspora Literature						3
   	ENG	351	Readings in Chicano and Latino Literatures						3
   	ENG	352	Readings in Asian/Asian American/Asian Diaspora Literature and Visual Culture						3
   	ENG	460	Seminar in Global and Postcolonial Literature						3
   	FLM	451	Studies in Postcolonial Cinema						3
   	GSAH	201	Introduction to Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities						3
   	GSAH	310	Questions of Justice in Global Contexts						3
   	GSAH	311	Global Perspectives on Borders and Migration						3
   	MC	281	Immigrants, Minorities, and American Pluralism						4
   	TE	352	Migration and Education						3
   d.	Language Competency
   	Students must demonstrate competency in a non-English language relevant to their region of study or thematic concentration. This is achieved through the completion of the second year of study or equivalent language placement scores. This requirement may be satisfied by placing into a 300-level language course based on a Michigan State University placement test. Students will select a language to study in consultation with an academic advisor. We encourage students to study less-commonly taught languages as relevant. Students who already speak a language other than English should contact their academic advisor to discuss placement.