Faculty member teaching outside

Global Studies

About Our Program

You want to make the communities you’re a part of better. As a global studies major, you’ll gain the tools you need to tackle the complex challenges they’re facing and contribute to innovative solutions. 

You’ll confront issues like healthcare, immigration, food security, or climate change from a variety of perspectives to understand the way they impact one another. You’ll analyze their intersecting effects in St. Lawrence County, across the country, and abroad. Through your research, you’ll report on underrepresented voices and grassroots movements working to combat big issues and drive positive change in their communities. The whole time, you’ll work closely with faculty who believe in your ability to make an impact and push you to dig deeper into the questions that motivate you.

The work you do as a student will open up a world of possibilities after you graduate, whether you want to continue your studies, pursue a law degree, teach at home or abroad, work for a non-profit, become an activist, work in public policy, and so much more.

Program Offerings

  • Major
  • Minor

Department

Learning Experiences to Prepare for Your Career

Your curiosity (along with your collaborative faculty mentors) will be your guide as you craft a unique path based on your interests. After St. Lawrence, your deep understanding of intersecting global problems and processes will better position you to help organizations tackle their most complex problems.

Choose Your Concentration

Our students mold their global studies major based on their passions for different areas, like African or Asian studies, languages, and themes, such as development, environmental studies, health, and social movements. 

Senior Year Experience (SYE)

Your global studies major culminates in a Senior Year Experience research project that ties together the questions, issues, or areas you’ve spent time investigating in your courses, volunteer work, or study abroad experiences. You’ll work closely with a faculty mentor (who is also an expert in your subject matter) and glean valuable insight from an experienced writer and researcher as you fully immerse yourself in a topic you’re passionate about. Topics can be as unique and creative as your interests are. For example, Meca-Gaye Francis ’20 analyzed how memes can teach us about power and representation, while Paul-Hudson Erwin ’21 photographed street art in New York City at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Weave News 

Put your knowledge into the world and share the work you’re doing with a broader audience through written reporting, podcasting, or photojournalism. Weave News is an independent media project of the global studies department that investigates underreported stories across the globe thanks to an active and engaged network of current students, alumni, and citizen journalists. Not interested in reporting? You can also gain experience with social media management, graphic design, or grant writing.

Global Dialogue Center

A space to engage with pressing global topics with your peers, the Global Dialogue Center encourages collaboration and conversation among diverse cultural backgrounds. You could gather here to work on a group project for class, mobilize volunteers for a community event, or host a “flash seminar” on topics like human rights protests in Hong Kong or equitable distribution of life-saving vaccines in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Past Internships

Learn by doing in a real-world environment. Our majors intern with a wide range of organizations, including: 

  • Nature Up North
  • U.S. Senate
  • Office of the New York City Public Advocate
  • Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition
  • Heal Zimbabwe Trust 

Explore Internships

Volunteer Work

You can also gain experience while making a difference through service work. Our majors engage with our community through:

  • Preparing and serving meals with Campus Kitchens
  • After school programs at the Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club
  • Reading/math help at local middle and elementary schools
  • The Breakfast Club at Deep Root Community Center

Explore Volunteer Opportunities

Study Abroad

Enrich your understanding of some of the world’s biggest challenges by understanding how they affect communities and people on the ground. Choose from more than 30 semester-long programs in more than 20 international locations, including Spain, London, Kenya, New Zealand, and Costa Rica. 

Travel Enrichment Grants

Apply for a grant to pursue further experiences while abroad and enrich your understanding of a place or culture. While studying abroad in Jordan, Cassandra Kunert ’21 used her grant to travel to Beirut to document street art for “Weaving the Streets,” a project of The Weave News.  

Off-Campus Study in the U.S. 

Other U.S.-based off-campus study programs include a Liberal Arts in New York City experience, which includes an internship with a Manhattan-based business or nonprofit. 

Short-Term Trips & Field Experiences

In addition to semester- and year-long programs, you’ll also have the chance to participate in short-term travel study trips through your courses or when conducting research with faculty.

Explore Our Programs

Connect with Community

Among the 150+ clubs and organizations at St. Lawrence, you’ll find many that involve cross-cultural exchange, global issues, community engagement, and advocacy, including: 

  • Andrew Goodman Foundation
  • The Advocates 
  • African Student Union
  • A.S.I.A Club
  • Black Laurentian Initiative
  • Commons College
  • Euphrates Club
  • Environmental Action Organization 
  • Literacy for Nepal
  • Model U.N. 
  • Divestment Club
  • La Sociedad 
  • International House
  • SLU Legal
  • Planned Parenthood Generation Action
  • Thelomathesian Society
  • UBUNTU. Magazine
  • SLU Funk

Learn More About Student Life at St. Lawrence

Alumni Network 

St. Lawrence graduates are big thinkers, problem solvers, and fearless leaders at companies and organizations across the country and world. Our alumni network is the second-most influential source for recent graduate employment (only behind internships).

Explore the Power of our Alumni Network

Outcomes

Laurentians do not seem to shy away from complex challenges, and those working in public policy or advocating for change to enhance the lives of others are part of a growing community of alumni.

Recent Employment

  • World Resources Institute
  • AmeriCorps
  • Peace Corps
  • World Wildlife Fund
  • Education First
  • Grassroots Campaigns
  • United Nations Development Program

Recent Graduate School Placements

  • Georgetown University
  • U.C. Santa Barbara
  • University of Oxford
  • The American University of Beirut
  • Tufts University

Learn About Success After St. Lawrence

Why St. Lawrence for Global Studies

96%

of global studies majors are employed or continuing their education within a year

61%

of St. Lawrence students study off campus at least once

Unlimited Access

As a St. Lawrence student, you’ll amplify your education with free access to reputable news sources like:

  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • Washington Post
  • Access World News

 

89%

of global studies majors conduct at least one internship during their time as a student

A person rides an all terrain bicycle on a dirt trail in the woods.

Alumni at Work: Advocacy in Action

Laurentians don't shy away from complex challenges. That's why many St. Lawrence graduates go on to work in public policy and advocate for change.

Read About Alums Making a Difference

Recent Employment

  • World Resources Institute
  • AmeriCorps
  • Peace Corps
  • World Wildlife Fund
  • Education First
  • Grassroots Campaigns
  • United Nations Development Program

Recent Graduate School Placements

  • Georgetown University
  • U.C. Santa Barbara
  • University of Oxford
  • The American University of Beirut
  • Tufts University

#1

Volunteer-producing University

Peace Corps 2019, 2020

77%

of St. Lawrence students pursue more than one area of study

More Program Information

Program Requirements & Courses

Explore global studies major requirements, as well as electives and combined study options.

Julie DeGuardi

Fueled for Fulbright

For Julie DeGuardi ’17, curiosity has fueled her ambitious exploration as a student and as a graduate. Now, she is using her insatiable drive to learn, teach others, and make a difference as a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Grant recipient.

Read More
Weave Logo

Stitching the World Together

Protecting pollinators. Political uprising in Haiti. Sustainable farming in the North Country. Bring underreported stories to life with Weave News.

Read The Weave News

Get More Information

We’re excited to learn more about you, tell you more about our interdisciplinary academic programs, show you around our beautiful campus, and help you navigate your college search.

Apply to St. Lawrence

We’re looking for curious students who are eager to make a difference. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and consider all aspects of your application and what we learn about you.