Goshen College is one of the very few academic institutions anywhere in the world to place such an extraordinary emphasis on service towards universal rights, equity and justice… it is what set me on the path to try and become a true global citizen.
Global Studies
Minor
Add a Global Lens to Any Major
Add intercultural understanding and a justice-minded view of the wider world to whatever you’re already studying.
The global studies Minor at Goshen College adds a global, intercultural lens to any major, blending global systems, intercultural communication and justice-oriented analysis across history, economics, political science and cultural studies.
If a small college sounds like a small world, this minor is the opposite: half of Goshen students study abroad through the Study-Service Term(SST), living with host families in places like Indonesia, Senegal, or Ecuador. It’s built around global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking, and servant leadership and it pairs with majors across the college.
What You’ll study
In the global studies program, you’ll examine how the world’s political, economic and cultural systems connect, and how they shape the lives of people and communities across borders. Concentrations in this minor include:
- International Development Explore issues like poverty, sustainability, and community development and the history of international development.
- Global Economics Examine trade, finance and economic systems in a global context, in courses like International Economics.
- Global Education Prepare to teach, lead or support learning across cultural and national boundaries.
View the complete program requirements in our catalog.
Learning Across Cultures
At the heart of global studies is a cross-cultural experience like the immersive, semester-long Study-Service Term. This program takes students to locations such as Indonesia, Senegal, or Ecuador. You live with host families, study local culture and language and serve in community organizations, with advising and preparation that help you go and come back changed.
Students also complete internships with international or local organizations focused on peace building, immigration, advocacy or community development. Some student placements include nonprofits, international non-governmental organizations(NGOs) or faith-based organizations engaged in cross-cultural work. Global learning continues across campus through advising and cross-cultural events, with a community that welcomes students of every background.
Shashi Buluswar '90
faculty at UC Berkeley, and the CEO of Global Health Labs
Paying for Goshen College
As a global studies minor, you’ll be eligible for Goshen College’s academic scholarships and need-based financial aid. Additional support may be available for students pursuing service-oriented or intercultural learning paths. To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator or explore your options at the financial aid and scholarships pages.
Common Questions About Global Studies
It pairs with majors across the college, from business, economics and political science to education, biology, social work and the languages. If your work touches justice, development, education, diplomacy or the environment, a global lens sharpens it. The minor is interdisciplinary by design, so it complements both pre-professional and liberal-arts paths.
You’ll build a foundation in global systems, intercultural communication and justice-oriented analysis across history, economics, political science and cultural studies. Sample courses include International Economics, Peacemaking and Justice, History of International Development, Cultural Anthropology, Environmental Policy and Politics and World Languages and Cultures, with focus areas in development, economics or education.
Goshen’s Study-Service Term is a semester-long, immersive cross-cultural experience in places like Indonesia, Senegal, or Ecuador, where you live with host families, study local language and culture and serve in the community. Half of Goshen students study abroad through SST, and it sits naturally at the center of a global studies path.
It supports work in nonprofits and NGOs, international education, peace and conflict resolution, government and diplomacy, environmental advocacy and international development, in roles like program coordinator, foreign service officer, educator abroad, immigration advocate or policy analyst. Many graduates also pursue advanced degrees in international relations, public policy, global health or development studies.
Study AbroadFinal retreat in Ecuador
By Hillary Harder On Sunday, July 26, our students returned to Quito from their service communities and we began our final retreat together! The afternoon was full of joyful reunions as each student arrived at our Quito home, la Casa…
Study AbroadLife on the ward
By Dayanara Aguirre-Mulato During my service placement at the municipal Centro Médico in Riobamba, I had the privilege to be able to work alongside other nurses. Day to day each patient comes in to register for their appointment and I…
Study AbroadService visits: opportunities for connection in Ecuador’s “provincias”
By Hillary Harder During the Service term, leaders have the privilege of traveling to visit each student at the home and volunteer assignment where they are spending their time during the second half of SST. For us, that meant traveling…
Kendra Yoder
Professor of Sociology
RJS and Co-Director of Global EngagementJerrell Richer
Professor of Economics
Carl Kreider Chair and Co-Director of Global Engagement
