Global Affairs (Interdisciplinary) Major
Global Affairs major is an interdisciplinary major that highlights the multidirectional influences, engagements, and exchanges that shaped, shapes, and is shaping, the world around us. Students are taught the ideas, history, beliefs, and politics of other nations and cultures, preparing them to promote a more just and inclusive world. The defining challenges of our time are global, creating an essential need for graduates equipped to analyze and influence affairs on the world stage.
Though housed with the Department of Political Science, the interdisciplinary nature of the Global Affairs major will enable graduates to lead fruitful careers in various fields including, but not limited to, diplomatic service, think tanks, federal and local government, non-governmental and non-profit organizations, international institutions such as the United Nations, museum curators, and many more.
This major is designed to obscure the boundaries of the “local” by revealing its relationship to the “global” and vice versa. The major will introduce and impart an understanding of global sensitivity and diversity by exposing students to voices often obscured in taken-for-granted narratives and explore our relationships to them.
The Global Affairs major will encourage interpretive, critical thinking, and comprehension skills and aid in developing an extensive and comprehensive understanding of the relationships and power dynamics related to historical and contemporary events and issues.
As global markets and cultures merge, the modern workforce values leaders who can critically navigate international relations and global trends. The defining challenges of our time are global, creating an essential need for graduates equipped to analyze and influence affairs on the world stage. Graduates in Global Affairs will also be ready to pursue advanced degrees, in and outside the US, in an array of different fields such as political science, history, religious studies, area studies, anthropology, sociology, security studies, and other adjacent disciplines.
Course Requirements
Students pursuing this major must complete the requirements linked below.
Why Choose This Degree?
- Learn how to engage with people and ideas outside of your own communities, and respect differences to support a more just world.
- Promote global understanding, communication across differences, and acknowledgement of the benefits of inclusivity and respecting diversity
- Recognize and interrogate the power relations within narratives of understanding of an increasingly globalized world community
Why Earn it at Greensboro College?
Graduates with a major in Global Affairs from Greensboro College develop dynamic skills in political structures, cross-cultural communication, and the ability to translate complex global information into strategic insights to solve real-world problems. These competencies translate directly into specialized career paths across government, corporate, and humanitarian sectors.
Ultimately, the program transforms graduates into globally conscious leaders prepared to engage authentically with international communities and advocate for a more just society.
What Can I Do After Graduation?
In today’s interconnected economy, global perspective equals market value. A Global Affairs degree from Greensboro College delivers a powerful return on investment (ROI) by matching your interests with high-earning, high-growth industries.
Domestic Career Paths (U.S.-Based)
- Federal Government Intelligence Agencies: Working in national security
- Immigrant and Refugee Resettlement: Coordinating local integration and legal aid.
- Corporate Compliance Departments: Managing domestic trade regulations and legal tracking.
- Political Campaigns & Think Tanks: Conducting public policy research and analysis.
- State or Local Government: Serving as public relations specialists or legislative assistants.
International Career Paths
- U.S. Foreign Service: Operating as diplomats or consular officers within overseas American embassies
- Multinational Business Branches: Advising on international expansion strategies and global marketing campaigns.
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Leading international development or humanitarian aid projects.
- Global Logistics & Supply Chain: Managing trans-national product movements and customs compliance.
- International Journalism Bureaus: Working as foreign correspondents or global affairs reporters.
