Global and International Studies Program
Bard’s Global and International Studies Program (GISP) is an interdisciplinary academic concentration which students do in addition to a primary divisional program (such as Political Studies, Anthropology, Economics or Biology). The program is divided into two tracks, Global and International Affairs and Global Public Health. The program’s objectives are to:
- provide develop a rigorous curriculum that outlines a clear path for the formal study of global and international affairs, including global public health;
- provide students with the opportunity to obtain a formal qualification in the area of global and international affairs;
- encourage students to have an international academic experience; and
- link non-classroom experiences, be they internships, lectures or students programs (such as Model United Nations), with an academic program which focuses on international issues.
Entrance into the Program
Entrance into the program takes place parallel to, or proceeding, moderation in a major academic concentration (Political Studies, Economics, Anthropology, Human Rights, Biology etc.). Some students combine GISP with multidisciplinary studies, such as Middle Eastern Studies and Global and International Studies. Under these circumstances, students moderate into GISP after their program of study has been approved by the Multidisciplinary Studies Committee. They should consult with the director of GISP prior to submitting their request.
Program Requirements
Global and International Affairs Track (GISP/GIA)
Students in the GISP/GIA track are required to take a total of 10 courses: seven from the areas outlined below, two semesters of senior project and one one-credit senior seminar. Three, excluding the Senior Project, should come from the 300 level. The following represents program requirements and samples of courses that will fulfill those requirements.
I. Political Studies (and related disciplines): Three courses: one on theories of international relations, one on theories and practice of globalization and one on US foreign policy. While the majority of courses that fulfill these requirements are listed in political studies, courses from other disciplines, such as history and anthropology, may also fulfill GIS/GIA requirements.
- A. International Relations Theory
Sample Courses:
- Introduction to International Relations
- Power Politics
- Realism Reconsidered
- B. Theories and Practice of Globalization
Sample Courses:
- Globalization and Citizenship
- Politics of Globalization
- Globalization and Its Critics
- The Spread of Democracy
- C. US Foreign Policy
Sample Courses:
- Dreams of Perfectibility
- History of the Cold War
- The American Age
- US/Latin American Relations
II. Economics: Two courses focusing on macro-economics, international economics, economic development, or international economic institutions. We particularly encourage students to take courses in international trade or finance.
- Sample Courses:
- Introduction to Macroeconomics
- Economic Dimensions of World Issues
- International Economics
- International Trade and Finance
III. Geographic Requirements: Two area studies courses (excluding the study of the United States) in different geographic areas covered in the Bard curriculum. Courses may come from any of the social studies disciplines which offer area studies courses, including anthropology, history, politics, religion, economics and sociology.
- Sample Courses:
- Chinese Politics
- Latin American History, Culture and Society
- African Encounters I: Culture, History and Politics in Africa
- South Asia and the Ethnographic Imagination
- European Politics and Society
- History of Islam in the Modern Middle East
IV. Senior Project: The two-semester senior project must address global and international themes and, while it will be based in a discipline, should incorporate the interdisciplinary lessons students have learned during their GISP coursework.
V. Language requirement: GISP students are expected to demonstrate basic proficiency in one language in addition to English. Proficiency is determined according to the standards of the corresponding language program at Bard. (Such proficiency would normally be achieved through 12 or 16 credits of study or placement in a 200 level course. For students who study languages not offered at Bard, 12 credits will be sufficient.) Students who come to Bard with basic proficiency in a language other than English are not required to take additional language study.
top
Global Public Health Track (GIS/GPH)
Students in the GIS/GPH track are required to take a total of 10 courses: eight from the areas outlined below and two semesters of senior project. Three, excluding the Senior Project, should come from the 300 level. The following represents program requirements and samples of courses that will fulfill those requirements.
I. Social Dimensions of Health: One course in the social dimensions of public health. Courses may come from any of the social studies disciplines that offer health courses, including anthropology, philosophy, political studies, and sociology.
- Sample Courses:
- Anthropology of Medicine
- Disease, Medicine, and Power
- Sociology of AIDS
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- Global Change and Human Health
- The Global Context of Public Health
- Chinese Medicine
- Plague
II. Science: Three courses: one in subcellular biology, one in organismal diversity, and one in the biology of health or disease.
- A. Subcellular Biology
Sample Courses:
- From Genes to Traits
- Subcellular Biology
- B. Organismal Diversity
Sample Courses:
- Organismal Biology
- Biodiversity
- C. Biology of Health or Disease
Sample Courses:
- Biology of Infectious Disease
- Genetics
- Physiology
- Biology of Non-infectious Disease
- Comparative Anatomy
III. Political Studies (and related disciplines): Two courses: one on theories of international relations and one on theories and practice of globalization (in some cases students can substitute a second course in theories and practice of globalization for a course in theories of international relations). While the majority of courses that fulfill these requirements are listed in political studies, courses from other disciplines, such as history and anthropology, may also fulfill GISP requirements.
- A. International Relations Theory
Sample Courses:
- Introduction to International Relations
- Power Politics
- Realism Reconsidered
- B. Theories and Practice of Globalization
Sample Courses:
- Globalization and Citizenship
- Politics of Globalization
- Globalization and Its Critics
- C. Statistics: One course in statistics.
Sample Courses:
- Biostatistics
- Statistics for Social Sciences
IV. Economics: One course focusing on macro-economics, international economics, economic development, or international economic institutions. Note: If students place out of the foreign language requirement (see below), two courses in economics are required.
- Sample Courses:
- Introduction to Macroeconomics
- Economic Dimensions of World Issues
- International Economics
- International Trade and Finance
V. Statistics: One course in statistics.
- Sample Courses:
- Biostatistics
- Statistics for Social Sciences
VI. Senior Project: The two-semester senior project must address global and international themes and, while it will be based in a discipline, should incorporate the interdisciplinary lessons students have learned during their GISP coursework.
back to top
Moderation
Students moderating into either track of GISP should normally have taken three GISP courses prior to moderation. Entrance into the program takes place parallel to, or proceeding, moderation in a major academic concentration (Political Studies, Economics, Anthropology, Human Rights etc.). To moderate into GIS, each student is required to submit a plan of study to the program director (Jonathan Becker—jbecker@bard.edu) that demonstrates a coherent vision of global and international studies within his/her academic program. The plan should include a list of potential courses the student would take over his or her remaining time at Bard, address plans for possible study abroad/study at the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program in New York City, and explain how the study of different disciplines would benefit the student’s research interests. Students will meet with the program director and will be considered moderated into GISP when their program of study
is approved and they have successfully moderated into a major academic program.
back to top
Core Faculty
Amy Ansell (Sociology); Jonathan Becker, Director (Political Studies); Sanjib Baruah (Political Studies); Jonathan Cristol (Politics); Sanjay DeSilva (Economics); Nara Dillon (Political Studies); Michael Donnelly (Sociology); Omar Encarnacion (Political Studies); Greg Moynahan (History); Felecia Keesing (Biology); Mark Lytle (History); Catherine O'Reilly (Biology); Pierre Ostiguy (Political Studies); Jesse Shipley (Anthropology); Yuka Suzuki (Anthropology); Elaine Thomas (Political Studies); Michael Tibbetts (Biology).
back to top
Courses
Recommended Courses
The following are recommended, but not required, for students in GISP:
- A course in social sciences method or statistics (In some cases this can be substituted for another requirement.)
- Model United Nations
- Introduction to Human Rights
- Global History courses
- Students are encouraged to develop oral and written competence in at least one language in addition to English.
- Students should study abroad and/or in the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program. Some experience in a culture outside of the United States is particularly encouraged. GISP may also offer study tours during intersession and vacations.
- Students should seek internships and/or practical experiences that will help them to contextualize their learning. Bard offers a number of internship possibilities through its Career Development Office, Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program, and the Human Rights Project.
- Students in GISP are encouraged to participate actively in all program activities.
Current Courses
The courses listed below are subject to change.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
back to top
|