Are you curious about the world? You’ve heard about “globalization” but wonder what it means? Do you want to know how the world works? Do you want to learn first-hand in countries and cultures that will give you new perspectives on issues important to your community, country, and planet?
Penn State Berks offers the only Global Studies degree in the Penn State University system. While emphasizing a traditional liberal arts education in literature, politics, history and foreign language study, the B.A. in Global Studies also promotes intercultural understanding and sensitivity to diversity that are critical to navigating the twenty-first century global environment. Students will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from study abroad and internships that add real world experience to classroom preparation.
Skills for the Real World
Students study international relations, world history, intercultural communication, world literature, and the history, culture, and politics of regions around the planet. Our graduates have studied and performed internships in 40 countries on six continents, and are employed in the fields of education, law, law enforcement, the United Nations, study abroad, corporate research analysis, state government research, and more.
Global studies majors learn intercultural communication skills, how to write and speak effectively about complex current and historic global events and issues, and how to analyze political, historical, and policy documents in order to advise companies and institutions in critical decision-making.
Internship Opportunities
As part of their requirements in the Global Studies Program, all students must complete INTST 495 International Internship in which they fulfill the requirement by performing an internationally-oriented internship either outside of the United States or with an organization in the United States that deals with international issues. Students have completed a wide-array of internships both in the US and abroad. A popular option is to work with children in distressed environments whether in New Zealand, Mexico, Rwanda, Ukraine, India, or Argentina.
Students have worked with refugees in New Zealand and Lancaster, PA. Other students have worked with artisan groups in the Andes, the US Federal Reserve, the US State Department, a women's rights organizations in Nepal and the Dominican Republic, human rights organizations in Argentina, a research institute in Sweden, museums in Puerto Rico, an immigration office in Italy, the British Parliament, the Kenyan Foreign Ministry, NGOs working with underprivileged populations and abused women in Reading, PA, and in the office of a Pennsylvania state senator.
Research Opportunities
Graduates from this degree program have conducted research in:
- international literature
- Latin American history
- African politics
Double Majors
Students can pair the following programs with this degree program for a double major:
Minors
Students can pair the following minors with this degree program:
After Graduation
The flexible and broad nature of the program will help students to prepare for graduate or professional school in business, law, or the social sciences.
Graduates from this degree program have gotten jobs as:
- researchers in international institutes
- consultants in defense ministries
- teachers in public schools
- law enforcement officers
- translators
- business analysts in multinational corporations
- operations assistants on U.S. development projects
- service workers with marginalized populations
- advisers at the United Nations
- political researchers in state capitals
- international studies coordinators
- paralegals in migration law offices
Graduates from this degree program have gone on to graduate school at:
- School for International Affairs at Penn State University
- Humanitarian Services Administration at University of Connecticut
- Global Affairs and Management at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State
- University
- Public and International Affairs at University of Pittsburgh
- Global Affairs at Rutgers University
- Political Science at Florida International University.
