Global & International Studies Bachelor’s Degree
Core Knowledge and Skills (6 Hours):
- GIST 220: Introduction to Global and International Studies
- AAAS 102 Arabic and Islamic Studies
Additional Language (3-5 Hours):
Satisfied by completion of one additional foreign language course beyond the 4th semester proficiency language requirement (300 level or above) or any available additional language course (3-5 hours). All language study must be in Middle East languages (e.g. Arabic, Turkish, Persian, or Hebrew).
Capstone Coursework (6 Hours):
Satisfied by the completion of the following two courses, with a senior project specifically focused on a Middle East topic.
- GIST 610 Interdisciplinary Methods for Global Contexts
- GIST 698 Capstone Seminar or GIST 699 Capstone Seminar, Honors
Upper-Division Concentration Electives (9 Hours):
Satisfied by taking three of the following courses.
- AAAS 349/REL 350 Islam
- ANTH 303 Peoples and Cultures of North Africa and the Middle East
- GIST 535 Literature and Society in the Contemporary Middle East
- HIST 328 The Modern Middle East
- POLS 661 Politics of the Middle East
- POLS 667 Islam and Politics
Upper-Division Interdisciplinary Electives (9 Hours):
Satisfied by taking three Middle East electives at the 300-level or above. The following list shows examples of commonly taught approved electives; speak with the Undergraduate Advisor for GIST for a complete list of approved courses.
- AAAS 415 Women and Islam
- AAAS 433 Islamic Literature
- AAAS 543 Language and Culture in Arabic-Speaking Communities
- ANTH 372 Religion, Power, and Sexuality in Arab Societies
- GIST 624 Social Movements in the Middle East
- GIST 633 Iran, Turkey, and the Kurds
- HIST 327 The Premodern Middle East
- HIST 328 The Modern Middle East
- HIST 570 The Middle East After World War II
- JWSH 330 Mystical Tradition in Judaism
- JWSH 410 Israel: From Idea to State
- JWSH 414 Israel/Palestine: The War of 1948
- JWSH 426 Polls and Public Opinion in Israel
- JWSH 681 Regimes in the Middle-East and North Africa
- REL 355 Muslim Societies
- REL 557 Modern Islamic Reform Movements
- SOC 532 Sociology of the Middle East
Additional Requirements
Major Hours & Major GPA:
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the
following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours:
Satisfied by 11 units (minimum of 33 credit hours) of major courses.
Overlapping Courses:
Students in the GIST major can overlap relevant coursework with other programs;
however, in order to ensure interdisciplinary breadth, they can only take up to 5 courses offered or cross-listed by any single other academic program.
Major Hours in Residence:
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours:
Satisfied by a minimum of 21 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA:
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and
repeated courses. To calculate GPA, see the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.