About the Program

The Globalization Studies and International Relations major is an interdisciplinary program that combines academic perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering to study, research, and create knowledge on global and trans-regional issues. The program focuses on e the emerging changes wrought to human communities by both historic and on-going processes of globalization. Facilitating the movement of goods, capital and people, globalization has introduced a new level of complexity to traditional issues and has transformed both the character of these challenges and the potential solutions to them.  The dynamic interaction of human groups, cultural traditions, technology and knowledge affect all aspects of societal well-being, and may be seen in environment, legal, health, economic and technological developments. The curriculum prepares students to critically examine and actively research these global flows. They will also focus on how these flows impact existing social, economic, and political inequalities.

As part of the major, students complete a set of Core Courses each combining theoretical and experiential components. Students will also complete a course of Language Study to enhance their language skills beyond the introductory level required of all Stony Brook students. Each student will complete clusters of coursework focusing on Global Flows and Global Issues. These Global Flows and Global Issues will become their areas of expertise, which they will apply in the Capstone Seminar as they tackle the complex set of phenomena associated with globalization. Students are encouraged to either participate in a semester abroad study program, or to complete a semester-long internship in an institution, business, or government agency that engages directly with the student’s research and professional interests. The program educates leaders and researchers in global issues, international service, diplomacy, and activism. We also prepare students to pursue graduate study in programs that train professionals in a wide variety of fields, from diplomacy and consultants, to research journalism and social entrepreneurship.