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About the Global Studies Major

The Department of Global Studies at Providence College is committed to developing critical consciousness among learners, so we can question historical and social positions, and to view the world through a problem-posing lens. The Freirean inspired pedagogical approach we adopt invites us to think of systems of power and the large-scale socioeconomic and political implications that our actions have across national and international boundaries, to recognize that societies can be transformed, and to understand the kind of agency we can exercise to enact change. The department emphasizes pedagogical approaches that involve students in active learning activities, experiential education, community involvement, and in educational self-awareness. We create curricular initiatives and structures that provide students with opportunities to create their own knowledge, with faculty as partners and guides. Given the critical importance of student, as well as faculty, engagement, we strive to create a learning community, inside and outside the classroom.

Mission

Global Studies at Providence College is committed to the idea that a better and more just world is possible. It offers a transdisciplinary exploration of globalization and its effects upon communities, environmental sustainability, and the dignity of all living things. By emphasizing collaborative learning, participatory research, community engagement, activism, and cross-cultural competency, Global Studies cultivates global citizens who think critically and are equipped to respond to the challenges of a diverse, complex, and globalized world.

Who We Are

The Global Studies team at Providence College is committed to a pedagogy that stresses an active learning approach within a student-learning centered platform.  The Department emphasizes pedagogical approaches that involve students in active learning activities, experiential education, community involvement, and in educational self-awareness.  We are committed to a constructivist approach to learning, and seek to create curricular initiatives and structures that provide students with opportunities to create their own knowledge, with faculty as partners and guides.  Given the critical importance of student, as well as faculty, engagement, we strive to create a learning community, inside and outside the classroom.

What is Global Studies?

Global Studies students share why they enjoy about the major.

Expanding Learning Horizons

Students interested in learning about worldwide societies and cultures and international markets and institutions will find the Global Studies major an inspiring area of study as we seek to explore and understand our rapidly changing world. Winner of the 2012 Sen. Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization, the Global Studies Department has a commitment to student engagement, global awareness, cross-cultural immersion, and real-world problem-solving.

Global Studies majors graduate with the potential to imagine the world as it might be and then make positive contributions to our globalized world. Whether they pursue careers in education, international law, politics, media, global markets, or nonprofit organizations, they will be well-equipped to impact the social, political, and economic institutions of our society.