About Global Studies
Research and Teaching Foci
Certificate Programs
Bachelor of Philosophy in International and Area Studies
International Learning Opportunities
Fellowship and Grant Opportunities
Outreach
Oversight Committee
Research and Teaching Foci
GSP supports teaching and research in six areas of concentration, which are designed to promote a more global understanding of the causes and consequences arising from the process of globalization:
Changing Identities in a Global World asks how our understanding of who we are changes under globalization, exploring issues such as race, religion, nationality, and gender. It considers how identities are affected by changing patterns of human interaction, the evolution of culture and cultural clashes, the interchange of ideas between cultures, movements of people, international rights, and other factors impacting cultural development in different parts of the world.
Communication, Technology, and Society addresses how technological change creates new kinds of global connectedness, exploring the international impact of the communications revolution, the role of the media in international relations, technology, and the arts, and implications for issues ranging from work to politics to leisure.
Conflict and Conflict Resolution explores the causes and consequences of international, ethnic, and religious conflicts, and considers ways of preventing and resolving conflicts, including negotiation and fostering of deeper cross-cultural understanding. It raises issues such as the role of the United Nations, peacekeeping and armed intervention, non-governmental organizations and humanitarian relief, terrorism, international law, and diplomacy.
Global Economy and Global Governance explores the changing reach and nature of economic flows and political organization under conditions of globalization, raising issues such as international economic growth and crisis, global competition, the United Nations and human rights, global civil society and international non-governmental organizations, and state sovereignty in global relations.
Global Health explores the risks and opportunities of globalization for the health of the world population, including the increased spread of diseases across borders and oceans, and the enhanced ability to alert populations and health organizations about epidemics. It addresses major global epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and SARS, as well as international emergency response systems for health epidemics in different parts of the world.
Sustainable Development explores challenges and solutions to improving quality of life without increasing the use of natural resources beyond environmental capacity or compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It addresses issues such as global population growth, economic and human development, global resource management, environmental change, and international environmental law.
Certificate Programs
The certificate program helps build global competence in students. Through the program, students are better able to: appreciate differences in cultures and institutional conditions; develop and understanding of the global forces bearing on societies and how these forces emerged; develop skills in comparative analysis; and attain a level of comfort in working with non Americans an in non American contexts. Students choose one of the six concentrations and unite it with the study of a particular region and language. Learn more about our undergraduate and graduate programs.
Bachelor of Philosophy in International and Area Studies
The Bachelor of Philosophy in International and Area Studies, Global Studies Track, is an interdisciplinary researched-based degree offered by the University Honors College in collaboration with GSP. The Global Studies Track is geared toward students interested in building international careers working on issues of global concern. Students with a minimum QPA of 3.25/4.0 (B+) complete an approved plan of study involving coursework, foreign language and study abroad, and must complete and publicly defend a research thesis before a faculty examining board.
International Learning Opportunities
GSP encourages students to enroll in a study or service abroad program. Through the Study Abroad Office, students have the opportunity to participate in study abroad programs in over 100 countries.
Fellowship and Grant Opportunities
GSP administers non-degree programs to individuals from developing countries who demonstrate potential as future leaders. The Heinz Fellowship program, established by an endowment from the H.J. Heinz Company Foundation, is for one year while the Carl Malmberg Fellowship program is a nine month program for individuals from Lesotho. The goal is to improve the fellows’ capacity to contribute to the development of their home countries and enhance their understanding of the United States.
Global Academic Partnership (GAP)
GSP offers competitive GAP grants for faculty to support interdisciplinary international research conferences or workshops on global issues, which result in publications, curricular developments, and international scholarly ties, and which raise the international profile of the University of Pittsburgh.
Outreach
GSP's outreach program draws on the outstanding resources available at Pitt in order to provide resources and sponsor activities that enrich the intellectual and cultural life of K-12 students and teachers, university/college faculty, local business groups, and the Pittsburgh community in general. GSP outreach programs offer six different types of resources: workshops, professional development, Act 48 Credit, lending library and resources, speakers bureau, and lectures.
Oversight Committee
Faculty Advisory Committee: Faculty Advisory Committee members contribute toward strengthening GSP by advising on issues relating to their areas of expertise, providing feedback on existing projects and suggesting new directions for the program, serving as a conduit to departmental and institutional links, facilitating networking and coordination, and attracting resources in support of the program.