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Studying Globally at Bard
   
 

Global and International Studies Program

Bard's Global and International Studies Program (GIS) is an interdisciplinary academic concentration which students complete as a complement 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:

  1. provide a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum that outlines a clear path for the formal study of global and international affairs, including global public health;
  2. give students the opportunity to obtain a formal qualification in the area of global and international affairs;
  3. encourage students to have an international academic experience; and
  4. link non-classroom experiences, including internships, lectures or extracurricular activities (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 primary academic program (Political Studies, Economics, Anthropology, Human Rights, Biology etc.). Some students combine GIS with multidisciplinary studies (MDS), such as Middle Eastern Studies and Latin American and Iberian Studies. Under these circumstances, students moderate into GIS after their program of study has been approved by the Executive Committee. They should consult with the director of GIS prior to submitting their request to the Executive Committee.

Program Requirements

Global and International Affairs Track (GISP/GIA)

Students in the GIS/GIA track are required to take a total of 9 courses: seven from the areas outlined below and two semesters of senior project. Two, excluding the Senior Project, should come from the 300 level. Below is a list of program requirements and samples of courses that 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
    • The Spread of Democracy
    • BGIA Core Seminar on Global Affairs
  • 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 micro-economics, macro-economics, international economics, economic development, or international economic institutions. We particularly encourage students to take courses in international trade or finance. Please note that graduate schools in international affairs usually require a minimum of micro- and macro-economics. Students may substitute a statistics class for one economics class.

  • Sample Courses:
    • Econ 101 Introduction to Microeconomics
    • Econ 102 Introduction to Macroeconomics
    • Econ 200 Money and Banking
    • Econ 202 Intermediate Macroeconomics
    • Econ 115 Economic Dimensions of Global Issues
    • Econ 221 Economics of Developing Countries
    • Econ 323 Topics in International Trade
    • Econ 3xx Topics in International Finance
    • Econ 3xx Topics in Economic Growth and Development

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
    • Economic History of Central Asia

IV. Senior Project: The two-semester senior project, based in the student's primary discipline, must address global and international themes by incorporating the interdisciplinary lessons students have learned during their GIS coursework.

V. Language requirement: GIS/GIA 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 be required to take additional language study.

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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. Below is a list of program requirements and samples of courses that 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 which offer health courses, including anthropology, philosophy, political studies, and sociology. The best course for this requirement is Global Public Health offered as a part of the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program in New York City which is recommended to all students in the program.

  • Sample Courses:
    • Global Public Health
    • 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

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 GIS 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

IV. Economics: One course focusing on macro- or micro-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, based in the student's primary discipline, must address global and international themes by incorporating the interdisciplinary lessons students have learned during their GIS coursework.

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Moderation

Students moderating into either track of GIS should normally have taken three GIS 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 aboard/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 GIS when their program of study is approved by Professor Becker and they have successfully moderated into a major academic program.

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Core Faculty

Amy Ansell (Sociology); Jonathan Becker, Director (Political Studies); Sanjib Baruah (Political Studies); Jonathan Cristol (Politics); Sanjay DeSilva (Economics); Michael Donnelly (Sociology); Omar Encarnacion (Political Studies); Felicia Keesing (Biology); Tamar Khitarishvilli (Economics); Mark Lytle (History); Pierre Ostiguy (Political Studies); Yuka Suzuki (Anthropology); Elaine Thomas (Political Studies);

Associate Faculty

Tom Keenan (Human Rights); Greg Moynahan (History) Catherine O'Reilly (Biology); Michael Tibbetts (Biology).

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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.

Courses Spring 2012
Area Requirements  
ANTH 101 A Yuka Suzuki Introduction to Cultural Anthropology MW 1:30-2:50
ANTH 101 B Laura Kunreuther Introduction to Cultural Anthropology T Th 10:10-11:30
ANTH/AFR 218 John Ryle Africa: The Great Rift M W 4:40-6:00
ANTH 275 Yuka Suzuki Post-Apartheid Imaginaries M W 11:50-1:10
ANTH 349 Yuka Suzuki Political Ecology T 10:10-12:30
ECON 218 Sanjaya DeSilva Economic History of Modern Asia W F 1:30-2:50
HIST 102 Gennady Shkliarevsky Europe Since 1815 M W 3:10-4:30
HIST 2203 Jennifer Derr The Politics of the Post-Colonial Middle East M W 3:10-4:30
HIST 340 Robert Culp The Politics of History M 10:10-12:30
PS 105  Ken Haig Comparative Politics T Th 1:30-2:50
PS 222 Omar Encarnacion Latin American Politics MW 3:10-4:30
US Foreign Policy   
HIST 183 Jennifer Derr The United States in the Middle East: A History T Th 4:40-6:00
PS 247 Walter Russell Mead American Foreign Policy Debates WF 11:50-1:10
PS 368 Omar Encarnación Promoting Democracy Abroad T 10:10-12:30
PS 377 Walter Russell Mead Grand Strategy from Sun Tzu to Clausewitz TH 1:30-3:50 
International Relations  
PS 104  Michelle Murray International Relations MW 1:30-2:50
PS 254 Michelle Murray Security and International Politics M W 10:10-11:30
PS 349 Jonny Cristol The Nature of Power M 1:30-3:50
Globalization  
ANTH 233 John Ryle Problems in Human Rights M W 10:10-11:30
BGIA 301 Jonathan Cristol Core Seminar on Globalization and International Affairs Th 4:00-6:20
BGIA 321 Giles Alston Intelligence, Risk and Decision Making TBA
BGIA 342 Tom Parker Trends in Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism TBA
PS 145 Omar Encarnacion Human Rights and Global Politics M W 11:50-1:10
Economics  
ECON 101 A Sanjaya DeSilva Introduction to Microeconomics WF 10:10-11:30
ECON 101 B Thomas Masterson Introduction to Microeconomics T Th 3:10-4:30
ECON 102 A Olivier Giovannoni Introduction to Macroeconomics M W 11:50-1:10
ECON 102 B Taun Toay Introduction to Macroeconomics T Th 11:50-1:10
ECON 218 Sanjaya DeSilva Economic History of Modern Asia W F 1:30-2:50
ECON 229 Alex Chung Statistics T Th 11:50-1:10
Global Public Health  
BGIA 319 Kate Bourne Issues in Global Public Health TBA
BIO 141 John Ferguson Subcellular Biology WF 10:10-12:10 F 1:30-6:00
BIO 201 Michael Tibbetts Eukaryotic Genetics M 9:30-11:30     W 8:30-11:30                     
BIO 407 John Ferguson Diabetes Mellitus M 3:10-5:10
BIO 415 Felicia Keesing Ecology of Infectious Diseases M 9:30-11:30
Recommended  
BGIA 330 Michael Moran Writing on International Affairs T 4:40-6:50

GIS Courses Spring 2012 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

 

GIS Courses Fall 2011 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

 

GIS Courses Fall 2010 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

 

GISP Course List Spring 2010 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

 

GISP Course List Fall 2009 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

 

GISP Course List Spring 2009 (to print)
Click here to download this course list

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www.bard.edu/globalstudy
Institute for International Liberal Education, Ottaway Gatehouse, Bard College, PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Tel: 845-758-7080 E-mail: khelz@bard.edu