Honours BA Global Studies with Concentrations
Global Studies majors (either single or combined) may pursue one concentration in the department's three thematic areas of study (peace and conflict studies; international development studies; globalization and culture).
Concentration consists of 3.0 credits, including 0.5 credit from required courses (or from a short list of ‘core' courses in the case of the Concentration in Globalization and Culture) and 2.5 credits from elective courses.
To graduate with a concentration, students are required to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 7.0 (B-) in the GS major, including all courses contributing to the requirements of the concentration. All GS majors are eligible to apply for any of the concentrations beginning in Year 2 of their program. Students wishing to have any one of the concentrations added to their honours major must complete and submit the appropriate program selection form. After a student's eligibility has been confirmed, the concentration will be added to their program.
Students admitted into Global Studies with
Concentrations with Co-op accumulate 12 months of experience
by completing three 4-month work terms. Both
work and academic terms are full-time and follow a
formalized sequence. The time spent in the
workplace comprises at least 30% of the time spent
in academic study. Co-op work terms are approximately the length of each study term.
Students are exposed to the work environment
during more than one season of the year and their
co-op programs begin and end on an academic
term.
Students admitted to Global Studies Co-op will have
their first (W1) of three 4-month work terms in the
Fall of the third year following 3A. The second work
term (W2) will take place in the Spring of the third
year; the third work term (W3) will take place in the
Winter of the fourth year. Following the third work
term, students will take full-time courses in the
spring term of their fourth academic year to
complete their academic requirements. The
complete schedule is as follows:
Year 1: 1A (Fall), 1B (Winter)
Year 2: 2A (Fall), 2B (Winter), 3A (Spring)
Year 3: W1 (Fall), 3B (Winter), W2 (Spring)
Year 4: 4A (Fall), W3 (Winter), 4B (Spring)
Co-op students follow the same academic program
as regular students. Because of the alternating
pattern of work and study terms, there may be
some differences in the scheduling of individual
courses.
In addition to the 20.0 credits required by their
program, co-op students must complete the
following requirements to graduate with the Co-
operative Education designation:
Employers provide job descriptions, and the Department of Co-operative Education approves those jobs that provide a suitable learning environment and engage the student in productive work. Students apply to employers with whom they are interested in working and participate in a competitive recruitment process. Although the university cannot guarantee that students will obtain employment, staff members in the Co-op Office strive to make suitable employment available to co-op students.
Employers supervise their students and evaluate their workplace performance. Co-op staff members monitor each student's progress during the work term. The co-op curriculum supports student learning goals, personal evaluation and reflection; students are required to set goals each term and write work term reports. Employers compensate students for the work they perform.
Participants pay a co-op fee in each of four academic terms, as detailed in the fee schedule on the co-op website.
To obtain the co-op designation, students must complete all the requirements of both their academic program and the co-op program. For a complete description of the academic program, refer to the academic requirements of the departments offering honours programs.
Students completing the program will have the notation "Co-operative Education" appended to their transcript and noted on their degree. Students receive a half-credit for the co-op fundamentals course and for each work term. Co-op credits are in addition to a student’s academic program and are not included in a student’s overall GPA or in their credit count for degree completion.
Application Procedure
Students apply to the Global Studies Co-op program at the beginning of their second year. The deadline for applying for admission is the date stipulated on the Laurier website. Students on study permits may apply to co-op programs at Laurier. Enrolment in co-op is limited, and the admission process is competitive.
Application procedure includes:
i. completion of an online application
ii. full-time registration in Honours BA Global Studies
iii. submission of a résumé
iv. an admission interview
In order to qualify for an admission interview, applicants must obtain a minimum GPA of 7.00 overall as of the fall of Year 2. Selection of candidates is based on their academic record, performance during the interview, recent work experience, and recent volunteer service and extracurricular activities.
The only entry point for the Global Studies co-op is at the beginning of the fall term in second year. Students who have withdrawn or been removed from their academic program are not eligible to continue in co-op, even if they are later reinstated into that program.
For further information, contact the Department of Co-operative Education at the address provided in the previous section.
The Concentration in Globalization and Culture provides GS majors with a thematic specialization in the field of globalization and culture. Completion will result in a "Globalization and Culture Concentration" on student transcripts.
Core Courses (0.5 credit from any two of the following four courses):
GS220/RE221 - Being Human in a Global Age
GS221 - The Cosmopolitan Village?
GS222 - Contemporary Western Societies
GS223/RE206 - World Religions in Global Perspective
Electives (2.5 credits):
AN345 - Life after Socialism
AN348 - Space, Place and Culture
GS305 - The Individualized World
GS321 - Special Topics in Culture and Globalization
GS323/RE323 - Global Migrations, Refugees and Diasporas
GS325 - Religion, Culture and Society
GS327 - Tourists, Tourism and the Globe
GS332/RE321 - Gandhi: Colonialism, Resistance, and Controversies
GS333 - War, Memory and Popular Culture
GS353 - Education and International Development
GS355/AN355/RE355 - Indigenous Peoples in Global Context
GS357 - Gender and Sexualities in Global Context
GS366/RE366 - Religion and Violence
GS421 - Ethical Encounters
GS422 - Dialogue and Critique in an Age of Terror
GS431 - Narratives Of/About Violence
GS451 - City Worlds
RE211/AN211 - Indigenous Religions
RE227 - Religions and Cultures of the Middle East
MZ300 - Special Topics in Muslim Studies
The Concentration in International Development Studies provides GS majors with a thematic specialization in the field of international development studies. Completion will result in an "International Development Studies Concentration" on student transcripts.
Required Courses (0.5 credit):
GS211 - Introduction to International Development
GS212 - Issues in International Development
Electives (2.5 credits):
AN345 - Life after Socialism
GS311 - The Global Economy
GS312 - Special Topics in International Development
GS342 - Global Social Movements and Advocacy
GS351 - Nature, Culture and Development
GS352 - UN Sustainable Development Goals
GS353 - Education and International Development
GS355/AN355/RE355 - Indigenous Peoples in Global Context
GS361 - Disasters, Vulnerability, Resilience
GS411 - Global Justice
GS413 - Globalization Unhinged
GS425 - The Global Lives of Natural Resources
GS453 - Human Rights in Global Context
GS461 - Global humanitarianism: Between Gift and Power
IP300 - Integrative Seminar in International Policy
SY213 - Sociology of Globalization
SY338 - Women and Development
WS306 - Women and Social Justice
The Concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies provides GS majors with a thematic specialization in the field of peace and conflict studies. Completion will result in a "Peace and Conflict Studies Concentration" on student transcripts.
Required Courses (0.5 credit):
GS231 - War, Culture and Conflict
GS232 - Peace and Conflict Transformation: An Introduction
Electives (2.5 credits):
GS331 - Contemporary Case Studies in Peace and Conflict
GS323/RE323 - Global Migrations, Refugees and Diasporas
GS332/RE321 - Gandhi: Colonialism, Resistance, and Controversies
GS333 - War, Memory and Popular Culture
GS335 - Peacebuilding in the Shadow of War
GS337 - Peace Education
GS355/AN355/RE355 - Indigenous Peoples in Global Context
GS366/RE366 - Religion and Violence
GS422 - Dialogue and Critique in an Age of Terror
GS431 - Narratives Of/About Violence
GS434 - Armed Conflict and International Humanitarian Law
GS435 - Disarming Conflicts
GS436 - Conflicts in African States
GS453 - Human Rights in Global Context
