Loyola University Maryland

Global Studies

Advising a Student

This page is designed for anyone advising Global Studies majors, or students who may be considering the Global Studies major.

For those advising entering or first-year students

  • First year students should take EC 102 and EC 103.
  • First year students should take MA 151 or MA 251 (Calculus) if he or she qualifies. This level of math is a prerequisite for many upper level economics courses. However, it is not required for the major, and a student can opt to take ST 111.
  • First year students should be reassured that any study abroad program they choose will fit very well with the Global Studies major.
  • There are scholarships and other financial support for study abroad.
  • Study abroad programs do require a minimum g.p.a., so students should treat their academic progress with care.
  • First year students should be reassured that the Global Studies major fits well with many minors, including interdisciplinary science minors and business minors. A foreign language minor is an especially good fit. 

For those advising rising sophomores or present sophomores

  • This is the time to consider and prepare an application for study abroad. Loyola has many choices, but sophomores should be reassured that any study abroad program they choose will fit very well with the Global Studies major.
  • There are scholarships and other financial support for study abroad. Study abroad programs do require a minimum g.p.a., so students should treat their academic progress with care.
  • Sophomores should be reassured that the Global Studies major fits well with many minors, including interdisciplinary science minors and business minors. A foreign language minor is an especially good fit. 
  • Sophomores are welcome to take upper level analytic courses. The major requires one “analytic course” from each of these departments: Economics, History, Political Science and Sociology, and the list of courses to choose from is restricted to what appears in the catalogue under the category, “Analytic Component.” 
  • Sophomores should begin to consider which “topical component” they intend to choose. The topical component is a concentration of courses on a theme. The themes to choose from are 1) Globalization and Sustainable Development; 2) Conflict and Human Rights; and 3) Identity, Place and Power. 
  • Within the topical component there are a wide range of courses to choose from, and students can take these at Loyola or abroad. Courses appear in the catalogue under the 
    category, “Topical Components.”
  • To graduate with a Global Studies major students must have taken four analytic component courses and four topical component courses, as well as a senior capstone course and completed a study abroad experience.

For those advising rising juniors or present juniors

  • If you are abroad and are unsure what a course is equivalent to in the major, please email Carsten Vala, Global Studies Director, at cvala@loyola.edu.
  • We do not offer internships for credit at the moment, but we strongly encourage students to do internships without academic credit. A great source for Global Studies internships is www.idealist.org
  • Juniors should make progress on their upper level “analytic courses”. The major requires one “analytic course” from each of these departments: Economics, History, Political Science and Sociology, and the list of courses to choose from is restricted to what appears in the catalogue under the category, “Analytic Component.” 
  • Juniors should identify the “topical component” they intend to choose. The topical component is a concentration of courses on a theme. The themes to choose from are 1) Globalization and Sustainable Development; 2) Conflict and Human Rights; and 3) Identity, Place and Power. 
  • Within the topical component there are a wide range of courses to choose from, and students can take these at Loyola or abroad. Courses appear in the catalogue under the category, “Topical Components.”
  • To graduate with a Global Studies major students must have taken four analytic component courses and four topical component courses, as well as a senior capstone course and completed a study abroad experience.

For those advising rising seniors or present seniors

  • If you are abroad and are unsure what a course is equivalent to in the major, please email Carsten Vala, Global Studies Director, at cvala@loyola.edu.
  • We do not offer internships for credit at the moment, but we strongly encourage students to do internships without academic credit. A great source for Global Studies internships is www.idealist.org.
  • Seniors should aim to complete their upper level “analytic courses”. The major requires one “analytic course” from each of these departments: Economics, History, Political Science and Sociology, and the list of courses to choose from is restricted to what appears in the catalogue under the category, “Analytic Component.”
  • Seniors should identify and complete a chosen “topical component.” The topical component is a concentration of courses on a theme. The themes to choose from are 1) Globalization and Sustainable Development; 2) Conflict and Human Rights; and 3) Identity, Place and Power.
  • Within the topical component there are a wide range of courses to choose from, and  students can take these at Loyola or abroad. Courses appear in the catalogue under the  category, “Topical Components.”
  • To graduate with a Global Studies major students must have taken four analytic component courses and four topical component courses, as well as a senior capstone course and completed a study abroad experience.