Coordinator, Deb Kim

This certificate is available to all undergraduate students through Global Programs and Studies.

The Global Studies Certificate provides a structured framework of courses and experiences that serve to bring an intentional international focus to a Wheaton education. The program builds a cohesive and substantive body of knowledge, skill, and experience foundational to engage an increasingly interconnected world where transnational processes present both opportunities and challenges to the flourishing of all peoples and the environment within both global and local contexts. The certificate also prepares a student to be an active participant in the global church and to represent Christ graciously and sensitively across cultural and religious boundaries. Specifically, the program is designed to develop knowledge about a range of global issues and processes, build intercultural competencies and cultural humility, enhance language learning, and increase vocational reflection. Its flexible design allows a student to integrate the required coursework and experiences into the major field of study and vocational interests while maintaining an interdisciplinary focus.

To earn the Global Studies Certificate, students must complete requirements in Categories A through D. Students who wish to pursue the certificate should meet with the coordinator during the freshman or sophomore year to maximize the integration of coursework, language study, and immersive experiences in collaboration with their major advisor.

The required categories of coursework and experiences to receive a Global Studies Certificate are:  

A.  Language Study: Sixteen (16) credits of college-level study in the same language or the equivalent; 4 credits from AP or IB-HL may be counted toward the 16 and may include language courses taken during study abroad. The language can be one offered at Wheaton, at another institution, or on a study abroad program. If the language is not offered at Wheaton, students must be able to complete the equivalent of 4 semesters of formal instruction. This requirement may also be met through two semesters of the same classical language paired with two semesters of its modern form, e.g., two semesters of Biblical Hebrew plus two semesters of modern Hebrew or two semesters of Latin paired with 2 semesters of a modern, romance language.

B.  Coursework:

Requirements:
In addition to intercultural competencies, these courses also incorporate an emphasis on the study abroad location which augments the course work in area studies.
GPS 231Orientation to Study Abroad2
GPS 232Study Abroad Re-Entry Seminar2
For HNGR Certificate students, the following together fulfill this requirement:
HNGR 385Field Research Methods4
or ANTH 385 Field Research Methods
HNGR 494HNGR Capstone Integration Seminar2

Complete at least one course (equivalent to 3 or 4 credits each) taken at any college-level in each of the four thematic areas below with an emphasis on contemporary issues and cultures. (A course in one category may not be double counted for another.) These courses may be taken on-campus, during the semester abroad, or during the summer experience. At least two of these courses should be outside of the major. Courses taken on a non-Wheaton semester or summer abroad program may count toward thematic areas 1-4 with approval of the certificate coordinator.  

One course in each of the following four thematic areas:
If the AIS requirement has already been met, but that course is not one of the course options listed below for the certificate, a student may NOT take a second AIS course to fulfill a certificate requirement.
(I) World Religion, Non-Western Philosophy, or Global Christianity:
ANTH 324Anthropology of Global Christianity2
BITH 342Majority World Theology4
CORE 318AIS: Faith, Reason, and Politics in Islam4
CORE 356AIS: Global Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations4
CORE 362AIS: Christianity - Asia to America4
HNGR 484Global Christian Perspective4
IR 312Islam & Politics4
PHIL 106Global Philosophy4
PHIL 226Asian Philosophy2
or PHIL 227 Asian Philosophy
RELI 212World Religions:Asia2
RELI 214World Religions: Middle East2
RELI 225Major World Religions4
RELI 364Islam: Foundations to Modernity4
(II) Global Systems—These courses introduce students to transnational political, economic, or social systems that shape the contemporary world. Students select one of the following.
CORE 314AIS: Economy & Society4
ECON 365Development Economics4
ECON 366International Economics4
ECON 374Globalization4
HNGR 114Poverty, Justice and Transformation4
IR 155Comparative Politics4
IR 175International Politics4
IR 315Politics of Global Development4
IR 375Globalization4
IR 379International Political Economy4
PPE 201Introduction to Political Economy4
SOC 385Social Change in Latin America4
(III) Global Issues: These courses address a variety of global topics such as human rights, global health, status of women, pollution, or violence that may or may not focus on a single geographical region, country, or culture but do not focus primarily on the U.S. Students select one of the following.
ANTH 116Cultural Anthropology4
ANTH 284Culture, Travel & Tourism4
ANTH 383Cities in the Global South2
ANTH 431Culture, Economy, and Morality4
BIOL 318Global Health4
B EC 331International Business4
CORE 301AIS: Human Trafficking: Causes, Consequences and Responses4
CORE 318AIS: Faith, Reason, and Politics in Islam4
CORE 322AIS: What is Money Good For? A Comparative Global Investigation4
CORE 344AIS: Gender and Global Health4
HNGR 114Poverty, Justice and Transformation4
IR 315Politics of Global Development4
IR 325Justice Among the Nations4
MATH 106Mathematics for the Benefit of Mission and Society4
PACS 201Introduction to Peace and Conflict4
PHIL 251Global Justice4
PSYC 235Cross-Cultural Psychology2
URBN 114Social Life of Cities4
URBN 383Cities in the Global South2
(IV) Area/Culture Studies: These courses are focused on a geographical region, country or culture and can have an historical or contemporary focus. Ideally this course should relate to the location of the study abroad program, the language studied, and/or the preprofessional experience. Students select one of the following.
ANTH 381Politics of Veiling in the Modern Middle East2
ANTH 432Violence and Peace in Latin America4
ANTH 435Power and Gender in Southeast Asia4
CHIN 334Chinese Culture and Traditions 4
CHIN 336Chinese Cinema4
CHIN 337Readings of Chinese Culture and Society4
CHIN 346Modern Chinese Literature4
CORE 303AIS: Making the Modern Middle East4
CORE 333AIS: Country Behind the Curtain: Public Institutions & Private Life in the German Democratic Rep4
CORE 339AIS: Remembering Africa's Oral Past4
CORE 362AIS: Christianity - Asia to America4
ENGL 115Topics in Modern Global Literature4
ENGL 364British Modernism: 1900-19394
ENGL 365British Literature after 19394
ENGL 371Modern European Literature4
FREN 333Global French: Introduction to the Francophone World4
FREN 334Culture And Communication2
FREN 335Francophone Civilization and Culture2-4
FREN 347Francophone Literature4
FREN 348Coming of Age in French Literature4
FREN 439Topics in French Language and Literature2,4
FREN 489Topics in Francophone Country2
GERM 341Contemporary German Culture and Mores4
GERM 342Contemporary German Culture: Politics, Economics, and Current Events4
GERM 343German Cultural Identity from Charlemagne to the Berlin Republic4
GERM 351Topics in German Literature4
GERM 361Topics in German Language and Cultural Studies4
GERM 363Topics in German Language and Cultural Studies2
GERM 431"Other" Germans: Turkish and Minority Experience4
GERM 432The Holocaust and Contemporary Jewish Experience4
GERM 492Faith & Literature & Film2
GPS 301Survey of Mexican Art2
GPS 302Exploring Mexican History4
GPS 321Engaging Mexican Cultures4
HIST 231History in Africa Before 18504
HIST 232History in Africa Since 18504
HIST 291Introduction to Modern East Asia4
HIST 292Latin American History4
HIST 335The Construction of Modern Japan, 1800-19604
HIST 336Modern Korea4
HIST 349Origins of Contemporary Europe (1870-1950)4
HIST 365Modern Middle East4
IR 347East Asian Politics4
IR 348Middle East Politics4
IR 356European Politics4
MUCS 274World Music4
MUCS 335Music of the African Diaspora2
PHIL 226Asian Philosophy2
PHIL 227Asian Philosophy4
PHIL 456German Historical Seminar2
PHIL 457German Historical Seminar4
SPAN 334Spanish Culture and Civilization4
SPAN 335Latin American Cultures and Civilizations4
SPAN 337Survey of Spanish American Literature4
SPAN 341Writing the Empire: Spanish Literature before 18004
SPAN 342Global Spain: Spanish Literature after 18004
SPAN 352Topics in Spanish Language and Hispanic Literatures and Culture2
SPAN 353Topics in Spanish Language and Hispanic Literatures and Culture4
SPAN 389Costa Rica Culture & Society4

C.  International Immersion Experiences:   

  1. At least one must be a full-time, semester-long program (12-18 credits) on a Wheaton-run or approved program with a significant immersive component. To be considered immersive, at least two courses should be taught in the language studied in category (A), and involve a homestay or other living arrangements that are not primarily with other international students for at least half of the duration of the program.  If the program is in a predominately English-speaking country (U.K, Ireland, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand) at least two of the courses should be in area studies related to the region and involve a homestay or lodging with local students for at least half of the duration of the program.
  2. GPS 296 Pre-Professional International Experience - One 8-10 week immersive, international pre-professional work experience such as research, internship, student teaching, ministry, or service is required.  The preprofessional requirement will typically be completed during a summer.  The experience may be credit or non-credit bearing.
  • Ideally, both experiences take place in a country where the language under study is spoken and reflects the area studies focus.
  • If a semester-long internship (at least 240 hours), research, student teaching, service, or ministry opportunity is completed during the semester abroad, the summer experience may be fulfilled through an immersive summer study abroad program.  If the summer program is less than 8-10 weeks, additional pre-approved immersive experience in the same location (or country) may be added to fulfill the time requirement.
  • Whenever possible, the supervised, pre-professional experience should be linked to the major or minor.
  • In selecting coursework, students are encouraged to apply one or more courses taken during either the international experience to categories (A) and/or (B).
  • For those whose study abroad program is connected to a university, consider opportunities to remain through the summer at the same institution.
  • The six-month HNGR internship fulfills both immersive experiences.

D.  Vocational Integration:

  1. Complete the CVC curriculum for international/cross-cultural pre-professional experiences.
  2. During the senior year, meet at least once with the CVC staff after the pre-professional experience to articulate the significance of the certificate’s coursework and experience to prospective employers or graduate programs.