The world’s most pressing issues, from terrorism and refugee crises to global inequality and environmental challenges, require collaboration between governments, international organizations and private corporations. A degree in global affairs gives you the skills and experience to tackle these challenges in the real world—and open up a variety of career paths.
What is the difference between global affairs and international relations?
While many universities use the terms “global affairs” and “international relations” interchangeably, they are actually two different academic fields. Global affairs is an umbrella term that houses disciplines like political science, history, sociology and environmental studies, while international relations is a more specific field that looks at the interactions between countries, groups and individuals.
Our interdisciplinary approach to global affairs means you’ll have the opportunity to build your knowledge of key regions, topics and issues in ways that reflect how the world really works. You’ll be challenged to think flexibly across cultures, time periods and systems—skills that employers in all sectors want in their employees.
You’ll apply your academic training in a real-world policy challenge during a capstone course at the end of your senior year. Students can choose to complete their capstone in a substantive seminar of their choice or take the global affairs senior essay course (GLBL 4500). In either case, students are responsible for securing their own academic advisor and a secondary reader. The number of spaces for the global affairs capstone is limited and applications will be made available in the fall of sophomore year.