Undergraduate Programs

Global Affairs is an interdisciplinary academic unit that introduces students to the processes of globalization that affects all societies. Students are able to pursue undergraduate degrees in Global Affairs and Russian and Eurasian Studies as well as minors in Global Affairs and area studies minors, including Latin American Studies, Middle East Studies, and Asia-Pacific Studies. All students will gain a sophisticated understanding of complex issues that affect the world such as global inequality, refugee crises, terrorism, conflict, and health and environmental challenges. Coursework provides a knowledge foundation of the political, economic, cultural, and environmental processes. Students can pursue concentration or elective coursework that help them tailor the degree to their interests and careers goals. Students in this unit are encouraged to participate in study abroad opportunities, internships, and other hands-on learning experiences.

Graduate Programs

Global Affairs offers a master's degree in Global Affairs and in Middle East and Islamic Studies, which also offers a graduate certificate. These interdisciplinary programs offer students the opportunity to engage in the advanced study of a broad range of global issues. Students pursue interdisciplinary core courses and then complete specialization or elective coursework that help them create a graduate degree that fits their interests and goals.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Programs

Highly qualified undergraduates in any major are invited to apply to the Accelerated Master's Programs in Global Affairs or Middle East and Islamic Studies. If accepted, students will be able to earn an undergraduate degree in their chosen major and a graduate degree in global affairs after satisfactory completion of 138 credits, generally within five years.

Program Faculty

Professors

Iccha Basnyat
Cortney Hughes Rinker
Gyu Tag Lee
Soyoung Kwon
Paul Smith

Emeritus Professors

Yehuda Lukacs

Associate Professors

Jennifer Ashley
Fletcher Cox
Steven Barnes
Johanna Bockman
Niklas Hultin
Yasemin Ipek
Jihye Lim
Jonathan Repinecz
Byunghwan Ben Son
Matthew E. West

Assistant Professors

Ilona Moore
T. Tu Huynh
Laura Sauls

On This Page

Global Affairs (GLOA)

GLOA Course Schedule

100 Level Courses

GLOA 101: Introduction to Global Affairs. 3 credits.
Surveys wide range of global topics: previous periods of globalization, international organizations and law, transnational corporations and global economy, immigration and refugees, world environmental concerns, world culture, war and peace, paradoxical presence of nationalism and fundamentalism in global world, and antiglobalization movement.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core, Global Contexts, Global Understanding, Just Societies
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

300 Level Courses

GLOA 305: Global Affairs College-to-Career. 1 credit.
Focuses on career choices and effective self-presentation for soon-to-be graduating students with majors in Global Affairs. Explores how skills typically learned in humanities majors can be leveraged for a successful transition to post-graduation employment.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to UNIV 420.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 371: Latin America and Globalization. 3 credits.
This interdisciplinary course explores both how Latin America has been shaped by the forces of globalization as well as the ways in which it has been a site for innovation. Students will analyze cultural production from Latin America to trace how expressions of identity and resistance travel and how this production is intertwined with political and economic globalization. The course will engage ecological questions through discussions of extractive industries and their relation to Indigenous movements. It will examine the role local and international actors in the region are involved in development, the installation of dictatorships and the democratization processes that followed, as well as debates around topics such as migration and security. Engaging with anthropology, political science, history, and cultural studies, students will critically analyze Latin America not just as a region shaped by global forces, but as a key actor in imagining and transforming the global order.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 373: Asia and Globalization. 3 credits.
Asia is generally considered a ‘winner’ of globalization due largely to the region’s miraculous economic success in the past decades. Not discussed as frequently are 1) the challenges each society in the region faces in political, economic, and/or cultural fronts and 2) the diverse ways in which such challenges are perceived in different countries. In this class, we do a deep-dive into these challenges and reactions. The specific issue areas where this discussion takes place includes, but not limited to, democratic regime; welfare system; (im)migration; financial crisis; territorial disputes; corruption; inequality; transitional justice and human rights. We will also talk extensively about Asia(ness) in other regions.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 374: Europe and Globalization. 3 credits.
This course examines how European countries drive and are affected by globalization. It explores European responses to globalization and the effort to create a “post-national” Europe as well as critiques of this effort. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary scholarship on the contemporary European context, while locating developments in the broader historical contexts that include post-WWII emergence of transnational European institutions, the Cold War and Europe’s role in trans-Atlantic security, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its effects on Europe. Possible topics include the European Union and the Council of Europe, Europe’s role in international institutions (e.g., NATO, UN), the symbolism of Europe and European cultural industries, the Mediterranean refugee crisis, the rise of right-wing populism including Brexit, and Europe’s response to the Russian war against Ukraine.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 375: Middle East and Globalization. 3 credits.
This course explores the major contemporary issues relating to the Middle East region through global and interdisciplinary perspectives. Examines how the politics, cultures, and economics of the region have shaped and have been shaped by global processes such as capitalism, forced displacement, wars, cultural exchanges, and mass protests. Situates the Middle East within global histories of state-building, colonialism, and nationalism. Covers topics such as oil and ports, authoritarianism, religion and sectarianism, refugees and humanitarianism, racism and Islamophobia, and activism and social movements.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 386: Media, Technology, and Globalization. 3 credits.
Using media as a lens, examines the cultural, political, and economic dimensions of globalization. Covers historical debates around media, technology, and globalization from the 1970s and ’80s to the present, including the controversies over the possibilities and risks of artificial intelligence. Examines a series of topics related to media globalization, such as making and distributing compelling entertainment media for global audiences, media in political campaigns, algorithms, digital activism, information overload, and blockchain technology.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 387: Human Security, Globalization, and Development. 3 credits.
Examination of human security from an interdisciplinary perspective emphasizing critical approaches to it from fields such as development studies, anthropology, history, and geography. Human security is often articulated with non-conventional security threats. Course traces genealogy (and critiques of it) of human security including connections to the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Students examine the sources of insecurity in today’s world and the intersection of insecurity and development, contributions of government and international actors usually not seen within the security field, and the role of grassroots actors in promoting human security.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GOVT 134 or GLOA 101
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 388: Global Health and Development. 3 credits.
This course explores the intersection of health, globalization and development drawing from multidisciplinary theoretical perspectives to provide a critical perspective on global health and development research as well as practice. Will provide students an opportunity to examine and understand the historical context of global health and development; the role of contemporary global health institutions, the politics of health and global health, and behavior change and development strategies.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101 or SOCI 120
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 396: Topics in Global Affairs. 1-3 credits.
Selected topics in global affairs. Content varies. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: GLOA 101.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

400 Level Courses

GLOA 400: Global Affairs Capstone. 3 credits.
Students draw from interdisciplinary core and concentration coursework in order to synthesize, compare and consolidate the various approaches and theories explored throughout the major through a focus on a pressing global issue. Additionally, course is designed to further develop research, writing, presentation, and organizational skills.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Mason Core: Mason Core, Mason Apex, Capstone
Specialized Designation: Research/Scholarship Intensive
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of GLOA 101 or SOCI 120 and 18 credits in major.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 480: Study Abroad. 1-6 credits.
Study abroad under supervision of Mason faculty. Course topics, content, and locations vary. Notes: May be repeated with permission of department.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 490: Independent Study in Global Affairs. 1-6 credits.
Reading or research on specific topic related to globalization, under direction of faculty member. Notes: At least one written paper required. Course may involve combination of reading assignments, tutorials, presentations, or off-campus activities.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Global Affairs majors with 90 credits, GLOA 101, and permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Independent Study
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 491: Honors Seminar in Global Affairs. 3 credits.
Emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of global affairs. Covers a variety of topics, including consideration of economic, political, and cultural forces at work in the complex interactions among global processes.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to Global Affairs honors in the major.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 492: Honors Research Project in Global Affairs. 3 credits.
Honors-level research on specialized topic in Global Affairs culminating in substantial paper and oral presentation.Offered by Global Affairs. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core, Mason Apex, Capstone
Specialized Designation: Research/Scholarship Intensive
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of GLOA 491 with minimum grade of B.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
GLOA 495: Global Experiential Learning. 1-18 credits.
On-the-job training in transnational or international fields through approved internship programs. Notes: Enrollment and credits controlled by Global Affairs Program. Contact Global Affairs Program one semester before planned enrollment.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term.
Schedule Type: Internship
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

500 Level Courses

GLOA 599: Issues in Global Affairs. 1-6 credits.
Studies current issues and debates in global affairs. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

600 Level Courses

GLOA 600: Global Competencies. 3 credits.
Explores the nature of globalization. Students will understand the characteristics of the current global system; be familiar with key global issues and debates; have an advanced understanding of and appreciation for organizations, languages, cultures in many global contexts; and be better habituated to thinking across disciplinary lines.Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 605: Interdisciplinary Research Methods. 3 credits.
Designed to provide students with an overview of basic techniques in quantitative and qualitative methods with special attention to epistemological and ethical concerns in global studies research. Course includes a discussion of the theoretical assumptions that shape research questions and design, practical exercises in research techniques, and analysis of methodology in practice.Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 610: Economic Globalization and Development. 3 credits.
Focuses on the intersection of countries and firms in the arenas of international trade, investment and finance, as the lenses into understanding better today's "global" economy: countries of differing levels of economic development and economic system structure, factors of monetary union and currency disequilibria, trade liberalization or protectionism, market entry, cross-border variables, risk and relations. Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 615: Case Studies in Globalization. 3 credits.
Introduces interdisciplinary, social theoretical approaches and themes useful to understanding today’s global issues and then applies them to a particular case study. Considers scholarly debates around globalization in the context of this case study. NOTE: Can be repeated for credit as long as topic is different.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 690: Independent Study. 1-3 credits.
Reading or research on specific topic related to globalization, under directions of faculty member. Notes: At least one written paper required. Course may involve combination of reading assignments, tutorials, presentations, or off-campus activities.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: 12 MA credits and permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment limited to students in the LA-MA-GLOA program.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Independent Study
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 695: Internship. 1-3 credits.
On-the-job training related to Global Affairs through an approved internship. Students may apply up to 3 credits of GLOA 695 to their specialization.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Internship
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

700 Level Courses

GLOA 710: Seminar Abroad. 3 credits.
Intensive program in a foreign setting focusing on a deep overview of the research specialization of the supervising faculty member. Required pre-departure component to set the intellectual, logistical and culture terms of the abroad period. Locations vary from year to year. Notes: May be repeated with permission of program.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
GLOA 720: Capstone Research Seminar. 3 credits.
Provides students with the opportunity to engage in significant original research an analysis of a topic in global affairs. Topics vary from year to year.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisite: GLOA 605B-.
B- Requires minimum grade of B-.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

Middle East/Islamic Studies (MEIS)

MEIS Course Schedule

500 Level Courses

MEIS 500: Critical Issues and Debates in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 3 credits.
Introduces the interdisciplinary study of the Middle East and the Islamic world through an examination of recent seminal works and debates in the field representing the disciplinary perspectives of history, religious studies, political science, and sociology.Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Middle East Islamic Studies.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
MEIS 599: Issues in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 3 credits.
In-depth study of current issues and debates in Middle East and Islamic studies in theoretical and historical context.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

700 Level Courses

MEIS 794: Graduate Internship in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 3 credits.
Internship credit for completion of Middle East and/or Islamic studies related work at an approved government, nonprofit, or private institution.Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: MEIS 500, HIST 575, RELI 644.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Internship
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
MEIS 796: Directed Readings in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 3 credits.
Directed readings in the field of Middle East and Islamic Studies.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: MEIS 500, RELI 644, HIST 575.
Registration Restrictions:

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Independent Study
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
MEIS 798: Research Project in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 3 credits.
Research project related to Middle East and Islamic studies taken under supervision of faculty adviser.Offered by Global Affairs. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 21 credit hours toward MA in Middle East and Islamic Studies degree; satisfactory completion of a research methods course approved as a core course for the MA MEIS.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Thesis
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.
MEIS 799: Thesis Research and Writing in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 1-6 credits.
Original research and thesis writing for students in the Middle East and Islamic Studies MA program.Offered by Global Affairs. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of MEIS 500, HIST 535, GOVT 731, GOVT 733, RELI 644; and 27 credit hours toward MA in MEIS degree; permission of MEIS director.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Thesis
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.