European Studies

A concentration in European Studies provides interdisciplinary exposure to Europe’s history, culture, and politics, emphasizing both Europe’s regional specificity and its historical and contemporary interactions with other global regions. The concentration prepares students culturally and linguistically for professions in the public and private spheres in the US and Europe. Majors must have the following prerequisite, which does not count toward the 18 required credit hours: 202 or equivalent in one European language;

ES concentrators are strongly encouraged to participate in study abroad programs in Europe. Courses taken abroad are evaluated toward the ES concentration on a case-by-case basis.

Declaring a concentration in European Studies requires meeting with an ES advisor to create a plan of study. This plan of study must be filed with the Director of European Studies on behalf of the Area Concentration Faculty Committee. Students should keep in mind that not all courses listed as eligible for the ES concentration are offered each year and should work closely with a European Studies advisor to ensure their plan of study is viable given actual course offerings. Students are also advised to check with professors in contributing departments to confirm the frequency with which specific courses are taught. Similarly, if a student is interested in taking a course that is clearly relevant to European studies, but not yet listed in the catalog of possible courses, they may always petition the Director of European Studies.

Course prerequisites are indicated in brackets after the appropriate course titles (slashes between course numbers indicate that students must take one of the listed courses).

The Global Studies Programs

Students who major in Global Studies (GBST) design an interdisciplinary sequence of courses together with an advisor in one of the following area concentrations: Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, and Russian and Post-Soviet Studies. Through coursework in the culture, history, languages, literature, politics, and religions of major world regions, students explore the specificity of a given region, the ways in which global forces are realized in and through local contexts, and the interconnections between global regions. Majors often combine their program of study with service learning, internships, or study abroad. Familiarity with a specific region provides a foundation for grappling with the emerging possibilities and the ethical responsibilities of living in an interconnected world.

In general, a major in Global Studies includes courses from at least three departments. Detailed descriptions of the degree programs are provided below. Additional information about courses and requirements is available from area concentration faculty advisors.

Language Requirement. Degrees in Global Studies include a modern foreign language component which exceeds the College’s proficiency requirement. Students meet the requirement by completing a specific level of language instruction as detailed in their concentration.

Major Writing Requirement (MWR). The major writing requirement may be satisfied in Global Studies by (1) completing the appropriate senior seminar of the individual program, or (2) fulfilling the major writing requirement for a department contributing courses to your selected concentration or (3) completing a writing project designed to meet the MWR with special permission from a faculty member. Students should consult with their area concentration advisor on how best to fulfill this requirement.

Major Computer Proficiency Requirement (CPR). Global Studies majors may satisfy the computing proficiency requirement by (1) fulfilling the computing requirement for a department that offers a course in the student’s major (2) completing a course that counts for the CPR for a student’s area concentration or (3) completing CSCI 131 or higher. Concentrators in AMES fulfill the CPR by completing AMES 493 with a grade of C- or better.

Study Abroad. Students are strongly encouraged to seek overseas opportunities and pursue summer and semester-long programs of study, scholarship, and service in all areas of Global Studies, or at approved institutions in the United States. Contact the Global Education Office at the Reves Center for International Studies for information on William & Mary study abroad programs and on programs offered by other institutions. With prior approval, courses taken abroad may be applied to the major or used for other requirements. Funding for independent research projects may be available from the Charles Center for Interdisciplinary Study; students should also investigate scholarship opportunities available through the Reves Center’s Global Education Office for language study.

Major Declaration. Prospective majors in Global Studies should discuss their plans for study with an affiliated faculty in an area concentration by the end of the sophomore year. Declaration forms and instructions for majors and minors are available at the Global Studies website and at the Registrar’s Office.

Minors. In Global Studies students may complete a minor in Comparative and Diaspora Studies of Asia and the Middle East, East Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Russian and Post-Soviet Studies, or South Asian Studies.

Senior Honors Students who wish to conduct an honors project must apply for admission to the Departmental Honors program, which is administered by the Charles Center. As part of the application, students must get the approval of an honors project by a faculty member of their area concentration. Application, which includes a faculty signature and a prospectus, should be made to the Charles Center by the end of classes in the academic semester before the project is to begin. A prospectus includes: (1) a clear statement of the problem to be researched; (2) a brief, critical review of scholarly literature on the research topic; (3) a description of the methodology to be employed; (4) and an approximate schedule of work. Eligible applicants must carry a 3.2 grade point average in Global Studies and must also meet the College eligibility standard of 3.0 overall or in their junior year. For further information and an application, contact the Charles Center.

Students admitted into the Honors program in Global Studies will enroll in the honors courses (495-496) appropriate to their concentration during both semesters of their senior year. Honors candidates are responsible for (1) formulating and completing a program of study in consultation with a faculty advisor; (2) preparation and presentation, by two weeks before the last day of classes in the spring semester, of an honors essay; and (3) satisfactory performance in a comprehensive oral examination which focuses on the subject matter of the honors essay. For College provisions governing admission to the Senior Honors program, see the discussion of major honors elsewhere in this catalog and the Charles Center web site.

Program and Course Descriptions

Programs

Courses

European Studies