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Global Studies and Human Geography prepares you to succeed in an increasingly globalized world.  Our students study global change and the movement of people and resources in the world, focusing in particular on the spatial aspects of issues, communities, and cultures.  They develop skills in critical thinking and complex analysis, written and verbal communications, and how to work effectively across cultures – the skills needed to work and thrive in the modern world.  Nearly all of our majors and minors go abroad during their studies, often on study abroad trips led by our faculty.  These opportunities are life-changing experiences; our students gain confidence, friendships, and experiences working internationally that allows them to thrive after graduation. Our students go on to leadership positions in NGOs and non-profits, government, and business.


What We're Doing

Study Abroad

First-Hand Experience for International Careers

All MTSU Global Studies students study abroad at least once, and these are transformative, life-changing experiences. Students live for one month to one year in a country of their choosing and study courses or complete an internship. In recent years, our students have studied in over 30 different countries on five continents. In a globalized world, students are prepared to thrive in business, media, the arts, and non-profit sector. 

Fulbright Scholarship Winner Brittney Johnson

Fulbright Scholarship Winner

Brittney Johnson (Global Studies, '20) was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Spain. Fulbrighters meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country; the program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs. While an undergraduate, Brittney also won the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study in Chile for a semester. 


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The study of Global Studies and Human Geography can open many doors. Below are examples for both concentrations.

A Global Studies degree develops viable, valued employees for the international marketplace. With a broad-based educational background, study abroad, and language skills, the Global Studies student is empowered with tools to pursue graduate work, professional service, and careers in public and private sectors—here and abroad. The majority go to graduate school.

For information on career options available in government, education, media, journalism, business, tourism, non-profit organizations, click here. To learn more about building a career in Global Studies and Human Geography, click here.

Employers of MTSU alumni include

  • SALT International
  • Foreign Service
  • Multinational corporations
  • Peace Corps
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Service agencies
  • International education

There are numerous career options and possibilities with a degree in Human Geography. The nature of the program is built around the diversity and flexibility of geography; therefore, our majors find jobs in many sectors of the economy.

Examples of employment and work places include

  • Area and regional specialists
  • Community development
  • Demographers
  • Location and market analysts
  • Park rangers and interpreters
  • State and federal government agencies such as National and State Parks, Bureau of Census, Department of Agriculture, and Department of State
  • Teaching – domestically and abroad
  • Tourism 

The Global Studies and Human Geography Program offers an interdisciplinary major in Global Studies and Human Geography that leads to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Students choose from two concentrations: 

  • The Global Studies concentration allows students to critically examine, understand, and reflect upon local, regional, and global connections between peoples, places, and events from cross-cultural, interdisciplinary perspectives.Through rigorous academic coursework and an exciting study-abroad component, students have the opportunity to achieve their educational goals and gain skills to effectively pursue and serve in a wide range of careers in the United States and abroad.

  • The Human Geography concentration allows students to critically engage a range of issues relating to such topics as human migration, human/environment interactions, and changing cultural landscapes. Geographers are at the forefront of exploring human societies. Students are offered an in-depth study of different cultures, peoples, places, and global processes.  The Human Geography concentration seeks to provide students with professional, highly sought-after skill sets to help them analyze and solve problems in a complex, globalized world.

For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS button to the right.

The major, which leads to a Bachelor of Science degree, consists of 33 hours including 12 hours in required classes, 12 hours in the student's field of study, and 9 hours in a region of study, along with a 12-hour foreign language cognate, general education requirements, electives, and a minor area of study.

Teacher Licensure

The Global Studies and Human Geography (GSCG) Teacher Licensure Program offers an innovative, interdisciplinary teacher licensure track for those pursing Tennessee secondary education (6-12) Social Studies endorsements. This 120-hour GSCG degree option allows students to pursue a "fast-track" B.S. in Global Studies and Human Geography while simultaneously earning credits toward dual teaching endorsements in Geography and one of three additional fields: History, Government (Political Science), and Economics. This program consists of an interdisciplinary, content-driven curriculum with experiential learning courses, education abroad opportunities, and field experiences that makes graduates more attractive to prospective school systems and boosts earning potential. No foreign language requirements make this program the most direct path to the social studies classroom.

Also offered are interdisciplinary minors in Global Studies and in Cultural Geography. The Global Studies minor requires 18 hours and includes 9 hours in required courses and 9 additional hours selected by the student and advisor. The Cultural Geography minor requires  GEOG 2000 Introduction to Regional Geography and GEOG 4360 Cultural Geography; the remaining 12 hours are selected from the cultural geography offerings.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

The Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) College of Education’s teacher licensure preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and are eligible for accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Global Studies and Human Geography with teacher licensure program at MTSU is designed to meet the licensure requirements set by the Tennessee Department of Education. Students should be aware that licensure requirements vary from state to state and are subject to change. MTSU has not made a determination whether a specific program will meet all of the requirements of another US state or territory. MTSU recommends that students who plan to seek licensure outside the state of Tennessee contact the appropriate licensing agency and discuss their plans with their advisor. To obtain current information about each state’s and territory’s licensure requirements and any additional regulations, students should consult the US Department of Education’s website for state contacts at https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html.

Graduates of MTSU teacher education programs certified to teach in Tennessee are eligible for certification reciprocity in many states. Reciprocity is not an automatic or complete transfer of certification, thus individuals should consult the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) site at https://www.tn.gov/education/licensing.html and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) site at https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Interstate as well as the US Department of Education state contacts site for information about any additional state requirements.  

Global Studies

Global Studies and Human Geography, Global Studies Concentration, B.S.

Global Studies and Human Geography 
615-898-5656
Amy Atchison, interim chair

The Global Studies concentration provides students with a systematic awareness of the global forces and processes directly transforming contemporary societies and individuals. Students achieve a thorough understanding of globalization through a course of study that combines study abroad and language skills with a broad-based educational background. This approach empowers Global Studies students with the tools to pursue graduate work, professional service, and careers in public and private sectors-here and abroad.  Where there is the need-national, international, or intercultural-Global Studies students have the education and expertise to meet ever-changing global demands.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Global Studies and Human Geography, Global Studies, B.S., Academic Map  

Degree Requirements

General Education41 hours
Major Requirements30 hours*
Foreign Language12 hours
Minor15-18 hours
Electives19-25 hours
TOTAL120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

Major Requirements (30 hours)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education.

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application  3 credit hours  
    (3 hours)(3 credit hours)  dotslash:(3 credit hours) title:(3 hours) 
    (3 credit hours) 

    GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GS 4990 - Senior Seminar in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GEOG 4990.) Required of all Global Studies majors or minors. Capstone course requiring projects reflecting integration and demonstration of knowledge and skills used by all successful global citizens. Projects determined by the student with advisement of the program director and may be completed on campus, abroad, or in the field. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Field of Study 12 credit hours  (See course listings below.)

Courses for Field of Study

Students will select one of the following fields of study: Global Human Diversity and Multiculturalism (for those students interested in aspects of culture), Global Governance and Commerce (for those students interested in government, global affairs, and commerce), and Global Gender (for those students with interest in gender from a global perspective). Students will select 12 upper-division hours (3000- and 4000-level) of electives to meet the field of study requirement. No more than nine (9) hours can be selected from a specific or single discipline. Courses selected for each field of study will be global, multicultural, or transnational in nature and reflect the interest and career goals of the student. The student will select these 12 hours with the approval and guidance of the Global Studies advisor. Courses that may be used for fields of study are provided below. Each contains a global, international, or multicultural component.Note: Other courses may be used that are not on the list only with the approval of the program director. Courses for each field of study will be selected from the following colleges:

  • Global Human Diversity and Multiculturalism: Courses will be selected from the College of Liberal Arts, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, and the College of Media and Entertainment.
  • Global Governance and Commerce: Courses will be selected from the College of Liberal Arts and the Jones College of Business.
  • Global Gender: Courses will be selected from the College of Liberal Arts, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, and the College of Media and Entertainment.

Global Human Diversity and Multiculturalism

  • ANTH 3710 - Topics in Anthropology  1 to 6 credit hours  

    ANTH 3710 - Topics in Anthropology

    1 to 6 credit hours

    An in-depth study of a special topic which is significant in current anthropological literature.

  • ANTH 3750 - Race, Class, and Gender

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: 3 hours anthropology or women's studies; ANTH 2010 recommended. An anthropological examination of the biological and cultural aspects of human identity as expressed through the concepts of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Focus on ways in which regional, ethnic, and gender identities are celebrated, contested, and regulated cross-culturally.

  • ANTH 4130 - Anthropology of Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Junior standing; ANTH 2010, ANTH 3010, or GS 2010, or permission of instructor. Explores the phenomenon of globalization anthropologically including competing understanding of transnational flow of capital, goods, people, images, and ideas around the world.

  • CJA 4930 - International Criminal Justice

    3 credit hours

    Compares the American criminal justice system with those in other countries. Examines historical origins, structural differences, and varying degrees of effectiveness and efficiency in law enforcement, courts, and corrections in selected nations. Explores challenges posed by the globalization of crime and terrorism.

  • COMM 2560 - Intercultural Communication

    3 credit hours

    Introduces how communication patterns are influenced by perceptions, values, and norms of behavior that vary among people of different cultural, racial, and national backgrounds. Content focuses on increasing understanding as well as improving abilities to facilitate cross-cultural interactions.

  • COMM 3350 - Diversity in Communication

    3 credit hours

    Explores communication and intergroup relationships among people of different ethnic/racial backgrounds in the United States. Students will expand their perspectives of issues, values, and communication styles that vary among groups in the U.S. in order to facilitate the development of positive interethnic relationships.

  • COMM 4200 - Communication in the Global Workplace

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: COMM 2140. Critical examination of multinational organizations and the expatriate experience, including analysis of organizational preparation and employee training.

  • EMC 4790 - Global News and World Media Cultures

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Systems and philosophies associated with gathering international news and news coverage in different regions. Looks at global communication systems and ownership; examines how cultures shape news and the role of the individual in reporting news internationally. Includes discussion of development issues and role of global advertising and public relations.

  • ENGL 3760 - Introduction to Folklore

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C-  or better. Contemporary folklife studies emphasizing traditional and new vernacular expression through vocal, performance, and material culture creations as they relate to the diverse communities that practice them.

  • GEOG 3720 - Cultural Ecology  3 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    GEOG 3720 - Cultural Ecology

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: 3 hours anthropology or geography. Comparison of ecological systems utilized by tribal, peasant, and industrialized peoples of the world. Special attention paid to the theoretical approaches examining the interface of the environment and culture, the evolution of modes of subsistence, and contemporary development and indigenous people. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Cultural Geography

    3 or 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Detailed examination of problem or topic pertinent to cultural geography. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. (Upon sufficient demand)

 

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography  3 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4550 - Global Issues  3 credit hours  

    GEOG 4550 - Global Issues

    3 credit hours

    An examination of current global issues in the context of their geographic environment. Emphasis on geographic factors impacting those issues. Topics examined vary from year to year. (Spring even-numbered years)

 

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GS 3040 - Contemporary Migration: Global Trends, Local Implications

    3 credit hours

    Examines past and present trends in global migration; causes and effects of human movement; the impact migration has on host and home societies; emergence of transnational communities; evolving concepts of race, gender, and class in an era of accelerating globalization; and socioeconomic challenges caused by transnational immigration. Requires off-campus assignments. (Fall odd-numbered years)

  • GS 3050 - Globalization Through Film

    3 credit hours

    Utilizes films to examine issues of globalization such as human diversity, movement of people and goods, and conflict. Compares and contrasts film's history (specifically Western cinema) from creation, promotion, and perpetuating views of global cultures with those films produced in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East. Some off-campus film viewing possible. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Global Studies

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010. A detailed examination of a problem or topic pertinent to Global Studies. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. No more than three (3) hours may apply toward the Global Studies major or minor. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  

    GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: GS 2010, permission of department, and junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to Global Studies. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 3999 - Independent Study in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to global studies under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 4000 - Global Issues in Human Trafficking

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4150.) Prerequisite: Junior standing. Human trafficking examined globally in regards to issues of recruiting, transporting/transferring, and harboring/receiving persons through force for the purpose of exploitation. Laws and preventative measures also examined. Students research trafficking issues in global contexts and engage in Experiential Learning activities by volunteering in service projects with registered and certified local non-profit organizations, whose missions are to combat human trafficking locally and globally. (Spring even-numbered years)

  • GS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    GS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4030.) Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • GS 4275 - NGOs and Non-Profits

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4275.) Key topics and issues surrounding the environment and competing pressures that international non-governmental organizations and domestic non-profits confront. Formal readings paired with discussions from practitioners in the field and hands-on professional exercises.

  • HIST 3070 - Topics in World History

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Three hours of HIST 1010, HIST 1020, HIST 1110, or HIST 1120. A detailed examination of a topic pertinent to world history. Topics vary. May be taken more than once for credit with different topic.

  • JHS 2010 - Jewish Culture and Civilization

    3 credit hours

    Interdisciplinary study of the development of Jewish culture and civilization from the pre-Biblical period to the present.

  • JHS 3020 - The Holocaust  3 credit hours  

    JHS 3020 - The Holocaust

    3 credit hours

    An interdisciplinary survey of the origins, development, course, and consequences of the Nazi genocide.

  • JOUR 4790 - Global News and World Media Cultures

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Systems and philosophies associated with gathering international news and news coverage in different regions. Looks at global communication systems and ownership; examines how cultures shape news and the role of the individual in reporting news internationally. Includes discussion of development issues and role of global advertising and public relations.

  • LSTS 4850 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Leisure and Tourism

    3 to 6 credit hours

    An in-depth study of the leisure experience in other (non-U.S.) cultures through onsite observations; visits to cultural/historic sites; and interactions with managers and staff at selected parks, museums, attractions, and world heritage sites.

  • MUHL 4130 - Survey of World Music

    3 credit hours

    Selected music cultures from around the world and here at home. Listening, watching, reading, and concert attendance.

  • PGEO 4280 - Special Topics and Problems in Physical Geography

    1 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Research participation or guided readings in a particular area or topic appropriate to the student's interest and professional objectives.

  • PS 3400 - Municipal Policy and Politics

    3 credit hours

    Powers, functions, and politics of municipal governments from the standpoint of city management. Attention is given to problems related to the execution of municipal policy. Offered infrequently.

  • PS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    PS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4030.) Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • PS 4220 - World Politics  3 credit hours  

    PS 4220 - World Politics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Experiencing contemporary international politics through the medium of simulation. Particular focus areas include the U.S., F.S.U., People's Republic of China, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southern Africa.

  • PS 4390 - Special Topics in Political Science

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or PS 1005 or permission of the instructor. An in-depth study of a special topic significant in contemporary political developments or political science literature. May be taken more than once, as topics change, with up to six credit hours applied to a Political Science major.

  • RS 3020 - Comparative Religion

    3 credit hours

    Employs central categories and concepts from the academic study of religion to analyze case studies from Western, Eastern, and Indigenous religions.

  • RS 3600 - Religion and Film  3 credit hours  

    RS 3600 - Religion and Film

    3 credit hours

    Examines the cinematic expression of religious traditions and development of religious issues in cinema.

  • RS 4030 - Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Religions

    3 credit hours

    Examines and analyzes contemporary issues in the religious lives of Native American, First Nations, Aboriginal, and other indigenous groups from a religious studies perspective.

  • RS 4050 - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

    3 credit hours

    Explores historical and socio-cultural developments within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; their relation to other religions of the world.

  • SOC 4150 - Topics in Sociology

    3 credit hours

    An in-depth study of a special topic which is significant in current sociological literature.

  • SOC 4520 - Population and Society

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: SOC 1010 or SOC 2010 or permission of instructor. Examines world and U.S. population trends and the impact of social forces on such demographic variables as births, deaths, migration, age, sex, education, and marital status and how these impact social conditions.

  • SW 3200 - Cultural Diversity: Competency for Practice

    3 credit hours

    Examines culturally appropriate practice issues that are essential considerations for effective service delivery, including African American families and other historically oppressed groups in the U.S.

  • SW 4100 - International Social Work

    3 credit hours

    International dimensions of social work. Explores the impact of globalization on social work problems. Includes status of women, aging populations, family breakdown, drug addiction, child abuse and neglect, poverty, and emerging problems such as civil strife, ethnic cleansing, resettlement, and AIDS.

  • VFP 4500 - International Cinema

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Admission to candidacy in VFP or upper division status with permission of department

    Explores how culture and the contours of history influence filmmaking. Illustrates how foreign filmmakers both emulate and challenge mainstream U.S. fare.

  • WGST 3900 - Women and Globalism

    3 credit hours

    Introduces the most relevant issues affecting women globally. Focused survey of the experiences of women around the world. Exposes students to transnational examples and critical ways of thinking about poverty, violence, and resistance. Seeks to further understanding of the global dimensions of gender, race, class, and sexuality.

Global Governance and Commerce

  • ANTH 3710 - Topics in Anthropology  1 to 6 credit hours  

    ANTH 3710 - Topics in Anthropology

    1 to 6 credit hours

    An in-depth study of a special topic which is significant in current anthropological literature.

  • ANTH 4730 - Economic Anthropology

    3 credit hours

    The ways people produce, distribute, and consume goods, how such systems are organized, how they operate, how they develop, and how they relate to other systems, especially the family, political, and ideological. Draws on case material for household economies, the transition to capitalist economies, and the world economic system.

  • ECON 4440 - International Economics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites:  ECON 2410, ECON 2420; junior standing; admission into the College of Business. Differences between domestic trade and international trade, foundations of international trade, economic effects of free trade and restricted trade; mechanisms of international payments and structure of balance of payments; history and contemporary issues of trade policies and world monetary systems.

  • ECON 4470 - Economic Development of the Third World

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites:  ECON 2410, ECON 2420; junior standing; and admission into the College of Business. Conditions and problems of the less-developed countries; causes, processes, and consequences of economic development; introduction to basic growth models, development theories, and strategies for development. Economic as well as noneconomic factors studied.

  • ECON 4650 - Comparative Economic Systems

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Admission into the College of Business. Compares economic institutions and performance among nations; presents the historical and cultural context of economic evolution in selected nations; and examines the relationship between institutional arrangements and outcomes such as prosperity, liberty, and equality.

  • ECON 4990 - Independent Study in Economics

    1 to 3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Junior standing and admission into the College of Business. Problems for intensive study are chosen in joint consultation between student and instructor.

  • GEOG 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Cultural Geography

    3 or 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Detailed examination of problem or topic pertinent to cultural geography. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. (Upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4300 - Military and Conflict Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. A consideration of geographical and geopolitical influences upon military operations and strategic decision-making as well as the cultural and economic implications of a military presence. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4325 - Global Geo-Political Economics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010, GEOG 2000, ECON 2410, or PS 1010. Overview of global economic and political systems from a geographic perspective. Emergence and growth of a global economy and changing geo-political boundaries examined historically to present day using spatial and temporal analyses used by geographers. Examines role of transnationalism in global economies, the changing concept of nation-states, and evolution of sections of the global economy. Global case studies such as NAFTA, OPEC, and EU examined along with regional and local examples. Requires field work. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 4550 - Global Issues  3 credit hours  

    GEOG 4550 - Global Issues

    3 credit hours

    An examination of current global issues in the context of their geographic environment. Emphasis on geographic factors impacting those issues. Topics examined vary from year to year. (Spring even-numbered years)

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GS 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Global Studies

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010. A detailed examination of a problem or topic pertinent to Global Studies. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. No more than three (3) hours may apply toward the Global Studies major or minor. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  

    GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: GS 2010, permission of department, and junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to Global Studies. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 3999 - Independent Study in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to global studies under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 4010 - Global Warfare and Culture

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Examines the philosophical and organizational influences upon the evolution of warfare and culture through societal, strategic, organizational, military, and human dynamics. Development of a warrior ethos among various cultures also considered. Case studies and off-campus activities required. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    GS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4030.) Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • GS 4150 - Ecotourism, Geotourism, and Sustainable Development

    3 credit hours

    In-depth examination of ecotourism (low-impact study and travel), geotourism (human engagement with abiotic resources), and sustainable development (interaction with and preservation of the natural environment). Examines the role humans play in interpretation and preservation of our natural and cultural surroundings from local, regional, and global perspectives. Requires field component(s). (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 4275 - NGOs and Non-Profits

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4275.) Key topics and issues surrounding the environment and competing pressures that international non-governmental organizations and domestic non-profits confront. Formal readings paired with discussions from practitioners in the field and hands-on professional exercises.

  • HIST 3070 - Topics in World History

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Three hours of HIST 1010, HIST 1020, HIST 1110, or HIST 1120. A detailed examination of a topic pertinent to world history. Topics vary. May be taken more than once for credit with different topic.

  • HIST 3150 - Twentieth Century Global History

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Three hours of HIST 1010, HIST 1020, HIST 1110, or HIST 1120. An integrated examination of major themes and selected area studies of the twentieth century. Themes include the world system, colonialism, the Great Depression, both world wars, the cold war, emergence of independent countries, economic globalization and dependency, religious stirrings, urbanization, massive migrations, social revolution, and the postindustrial world.

  • PGEO 4280 - Special Topics and Problems in Physical Geography

    1 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Research participation or guided readings in a particular area or topic appropriate to the student's interest and professional objectives.

  • PS 3100 - Politics and Film  3 credit hours  

    PS 3100 - Politics and Film

    3 credit hours

    Analysis of political ideas as expressed in motion pictures. Topics include leadership, political biographies, campaigns and elections, ideology, and war.

  • PS 3210 - International Relations

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. The state system and national power, balance of power, balance of terror, game theory, psychological aspects of international conflict, decision making, diplomacy and negotiation, war, disarmament, and collective security.

  • PS 3220 - Comparative Politics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Seminar covering the theoretical literature, methodological debates, and current issues in the field of comparative politics. Offers preparation for upper-division courses in comparative politics.

  • PS 3500 - International Law  3 credit hours  

    PS 3500 - International Law

    3 credit hours

    General principles of modern international law taught by the case study method in a seminar format encouraging debate and discussion. Issues concerning the development of international law and human rights will be studied.

  • PS 4510 - International Political Economy

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. The relation between politics and economics in international affairs and its implications for global peace, security, ecology, and social welfare.

  • PS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    PS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4030.) Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • PS 4210 - International Conflict: Causes, Consequences, and Responses

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding the causes of interstate war, intrastate war, and transnational terrorism as well as the social consequences of and policy responses to international conflict.

  • PS 4220 - World Politics  3 credit hours  

    PS 4220 - World Politics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Experiencing contemporary international politics through the medium of simulation. Particular focus areas include the U.S., F.S.U., People's Republic of China, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southern Africa.

  • PS 4390 - Special Topics in Political Science

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or PS 1005 or permission of the instructor. An in-depth study of a special topic significant in contemporary political developments or political science literature. May be taken more than once, as topics change, with up to six credit hours applied to a Political Science major.

  • PS 4850 - Topics in Comparative Politics

    3 credit hours

    Advanced study in the area of comparative politics. May be repeated for credit when subject matter varies.

Global Gender

  • COMM 3245 - Women, Leadership, and Communication

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Explores communication behaviors and issues unique to women in leadership positions in gendered organizations. Activities and discussions designed to develop critical-thinking skills, broaden perspectives, adapt decision-making skills to professional environments, and develop professional relationships.

  • ENGL 3360 - Multicultural Literature of the United States

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better. Writers, genres, and criticism in Native American, African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American literatures.

  • ENGL 3885 - Topics in Gender and Film

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Completion of 1000- and 2000-level English requirements with a grade of C- or better. A selected subject or focus within gender and film studies. Topic will vary each time course is taught. Possible topics include representation of women in film, history of gender representation in film, women directors; Hollywood and gender; queer film studies; gender and international cinema; gender, race, and Hollywood, etc. May be repeated up to four times with different topics.

  • GEOG 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Cultural Geography

    3 or 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Detailed examination of problem or topic pertinent to cultural geography. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. (Upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4550 - Global Issues  3 credit hours  

    GEOG 4550 - Global Issues

    3 credit hours

    An examination of current global issues in the context of their geographic environment. Emphasis on geographic factors impacting those issues. Topics examined vary from year to year. (Spring even-numbered years)

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  

    GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: GS 2010, permission of department, and junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to Global Studies. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 3999 - Independent Study in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to global studies under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    GS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4030.) Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • GS 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Global Studies

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010. A detailed examination of a problem or topic pertinent to Global Studies. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. No more than three (3) hours may apply toward the Global Studies major or minor. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GS 4275 - NGOs and Non-Profits

    3 credit hours

    (Same as PS 4275.) Key topics and issues surrounding the environment and competing pressures that international non-governmental organizations and domestic non-profits confront. Formal readings paired with discussions from practitioners in the field and hands-on professional exercises.

  • HIST 3070 - Topics in World History

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Three hours of HIST 1010, HIST 1020, HIST 1110, or HIST 1120. A detailed examination of a topic pertinent to world history. Topics vary. May be taken more than once for credit with different topic.

  • PGEO 4280 - Special Topics and Problems in Physical Geography

    1 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Research participation or guided readings in a particular area or topic appropriate to the student's interest and professional objectives.

  • PS 3010 - Women's Rights in American Law

    3 credit hours

    Analysis of the legal treatment of women in the home, school, and workplace. Examines development of law, relationship of law to political movements, and current state of law and legal theory on women's rights and gender equality.

  • PS 4030 - Human Rights  3 credit hours  

    PS 4030 - Human Rights

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4030.) Prerequisite: PS 1010 or permission of instructor. Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

  • PS 4260 - Women and Public Policy

    3 credit hours

    Explores the relationships between women and contemporary public policy in in the Global North and Global South. Topics include how public policy is made and women's political roles in the making of public policy, as well as women's administrative roles in the implementation of public policy. Focuses on theories of representation, whether women have identifiable policy interests, the diversity of women's policy interests, how those interests expressed, and whether women's policy interests differ from men's (e.g., the gender gap in voting and public opinion).

  • PS 4390 - Special Topics in Political Science

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1010 or PS 1005 or permission of the instructor. An in-depth study of a special topic significant in contemporary political developments or political science literature. May be taken more than once, as topics change, with up to six credit hours applied to a Political Science major.

  • PSY 4620 - Psychology of Women

    3 credit hours

    Examines the lives of girls and women in North America, including topics such as gender stereotypes, gender roles, work, relationships, sexuality, physical and mental health, violence against women, and women in later adulthood.

  • SOC 3250 - Social Deviance  3 credit hours  

    SOC 3250 - Social Deviance

    3 credit hours

    A general survey and theoretical review of the definitions, causes, and consequences of deviance and social control. Analyzes drugs, panics, sex, media violence, and emotions in society.

  • SOC 3400 - Gender and Society

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: SOC 1010, SOC 2010, or WGST 2100. A sociohistorical and cultural exploration of the socialization patterns, relationships, expectations, influences, organizational, institutional, and aging experiences of women and men in American society.

  • SOC 4011 - Social Inequality  3 credit hours  

    SOC 4011 - Social Inequality

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: SOC 1010 or SOC 2010. The origins, variations, and consequences of class, status, and power in society. Individual and group economic interests, social prestige, ideology, market and institutional inequality.

  • SOC 4150 - Topics in Sociology

    3 credit hours

    An in-depth study of a special topic which is significant in current sociological literature.

  • SOC 4361 - Contemporary Issues in Women's Health

    3 credit hours

    Examines the social and cultural issues that shape women's health-related experiences and disparities in health and illness in contemporary culture. Critically analyzes problems associated with medicalization, technological favoritism, and for-profit intrusion. Explores issues and experiences among women by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic class, age, sexual orientation, and abilities.

  • SOC 4520 - Population and Society

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: SOC 1010 or SOC 2010 or permission of instructor. Examines world and U.S. population trends and the impact of social forces on such demographic variables as births, deaths, migration, age, sex, education, and marital status and how these impact social conditions.

  • SW 3050 - Women and Poverty  3 credit hours  

    SW 3050 - Women and Poverty

    3 credit hours

    Predominant theories, policies, and programs dealing with poverty among women. Explores the effects of poverty on women in addition to a general knowledge of poverty; ageism, sexism, and racism in relation to poverty; historical treatment of women and views of poverty.

  • WGST 3500 - Women in the Media

    3 credit hours

    Women in popular/mass media. Emphases include images of women in the media; women as producers and consumers of media; the intersections of gender, race, and class in the media; comparative global images and issues; and feminist approaches to media study.

  • WGST 3900 - Women and Globalism

    3 credit hours

    Introduces the most relevant issues affecting women globally. Focused survey of the experiences of women around the world. Exposes students to transnational examples and critical ways of thinking about poverty, violence, and resistance. Seeks to further understanding of the global dimensions of gender, race, class, and sexuality.

  • WGST 4201 - Symposium in Women's Studies: Women and Religion

    3 credit hours

    (Same as RS 4201.) Additional prerequisites may apply to individual courses within the series. Examines changing conceptions of women's roles in various religious traditions with particular attention to the ways religious beliefs and practices have influenced and are influenced by feminism and struggles for gender equality both within and outside religious institutions.

  • WGST 4500 - Feminist Theory  3 credit hours  

    WGST 4500 - Feminist Theory

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: WGST 2100 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Major voices, texts, and ideas in the field of feminist theory from the early seventeenth century through the present within the contexts of a variety of critical discourses and emergent critical fields. Intended as a capstone for the minor. Required for all Women's and Gender Studies minors.

  • WGST 4900 - Independent Study

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A variable-content course examining a topic within the study of women and gender not covered in depth in other Women's and Gender Studies courses. Student develops project, conducts research, and confers regularly with the instructor. Student must submit a formal project proposal to be approved by the Women's and Gender Studies Program's Independent Studies Committee at least one semester prior to enrolling for WGST 4900. (Not offered during Summer terms. Please consult the Women's and Gender Studies website for more information.) May be taken for credit no more than twice.

Foreign Language (12 hours)

Global Studies majors will successfully complete 12 hours in foreign languages that best suits their academic and career needs. At least 6 hours must be in one language.

Minor (15-18 hours)

Students are required to minor in one of the following interdisciplinary minors: African Studies, Asian Studies, Modern European Studies, Jewish and Holocaust Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle East Studies, or Russian Studies.

An alternative cognate may be allowed in place of one of these minors if approved by the chair of the Department of Global Studies and Human Geography. The cognate requires completion of a different minor and 9 credit hours from one of the listed interdisciplinary minor programs.

Electives (19-25 hours)

Curriculum: Global Studies and Cultural Geography, Global Studies Concentration

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

  • ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing

    3 credit hours

    The first General Education English course. Emphasis on learning to adapt composing processes to a variety of expository and analytic writing assignments. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: ENGL 1010. The second General Education English course. Emphasis on analytic and argumentative writing and on locating, organizing, and using library resource materials in the writing. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication  3 credit hours  
    (Comm(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm 
    (Comm) 

    COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication

    3 credit hours

    Introduces principles and processes of effective public oral communication including researching, critical thinking, organizing, presenting, listening, and using appropriate language. Counts as part of the General Education Communication requirement. TBR Common Course: COMM 2025

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education.

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Foreign language 6 credit hours
  • Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
  • Mathematics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 hours

Sophomore

  • ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA(Hum/FA) OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA) OR title:(Hum/FA 
    (Hum/FA) OR 

    ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Traces a specific theme or idea through a number of literary texts that reflect different historical and cultural contexts. Subject will vary.

  • ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA(Hum/FA OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA OR title:(Hum/FA 
    (Hum/FA OR 

    ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. The reading of a variety of literary types which illuminate themes and experiences common to human existence.

  • HUM 2610 - World Literatures  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA)(Hum/FA)  dotslash:(Hum/FA) title:(Hum/FA) 
    (Hum/FA) 

    HUM 2610 - World Literatures

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Representative works of French, German, and Hispanic authors in English translation. No foreign-language proficiency required. Carries General Education credit.

  • Social/Behavioral Science 3 credit hours
  • Elective 3 credit hours
  • Natural Sciences 8 credit hours
  • Foreign language 6 credit hours
  • Major field area 3 credit hours

Choose 6 hours from:

  • HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from the beginning to 1877. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2010

  • HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from 1877 to the present. May be used to satisfy one part of the the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2020

  • HIST 2030 - Tennessee History

    3 credit hours

    The role of the state in the development of the nation. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. TBR Common Course: HIST 2030

  • HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in establishing and shaping the American nation. Covers their historical development and contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

    NOTE: HIST 2040 is not a prerequisite for HIST 2050.

  • HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in shaping the American nation and creating a twentieth-century racial identity. Covers their historical development and examines their contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • Major field area 6 credit hours
  • Electives 6 credit hours
  • Minor courses 12 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4990 - Senior Seminar in Human Geography

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4990.) Prerequisites: Permission of department; senior standing. Required capstone course for all Human Geography majors. Implements acquired knowledge from previous cultural geography courses to develop a research project. Offers preparation for graduate study and/or job opportunities in geography. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Major field area 3 credit hours
  • Minor courses 9 credit hours
  • Electives 10 credit hours

Subtotal: 28 Hours

Human Geography

Global Studies and Human Geography, Human Geography Concentration, B.S.

Global Studies and Human Geography 
615-898-5656
Amy Atchison, interim chair

The Human Geography concentration offers a comprehensive, applicable skill set designed to understand the diversity of cultures and socio-geographic complexities found in human societies. Human geographers seek to understand how humans uniquely create, manipulate, and adapt to the places they inhabit by examining natural environments, cultural practices, and economic and political systems. Knowledge gained from the Human Geography concentration is valuable as contemporary societies are interacting globally with one another as never before. Human geographers identify and comprehend these changes and find solutions to a variety of sociocultural problems taking place. This marketable skill set is attractive to a wide range of employers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Global Studies and Human Geography, Human Geography, B.S., Academic Map  

Degree Requirements

General Education41 hours
Major Requirements36 hours*
Supporting Courses7 hours
Professional Skills Cognate12 hours
Minor15-18 hours
Electives6-9 hours
TOTAL120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

Major Requirements (36 hours)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4990 - Senior Seminar in Human Geography

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4990.) Prerequisites: Permission of department; senior standing. Required capstone course for all Human Geography majors. Implements acquired knowledge from previous cultural geography courses to develop a research project. Offers preparation for graduate study and/or job opportunities in geography. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

 

  • GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 
    (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Permission of department; junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to geography. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography  3 to 6 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

Regional Geography (9 hours)

Select three courses from the following:

  • GEOG 3120 - Geography of Tennessee and the South

    3 credit hours

    Geography's influence upon Tennessee and the American South's development in local, regional, national, and global contexts. Examines the physical, cultural, political, and economic geographies and their role in shaping the state and the region. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 3410 - Cultures and Landscapes of the United States and Canada

    3 credit hours

    Study of cultural and physical features of the U.S. and Canada with focus on culture regions, settlements patterns, natural resources, and cultural landscapes. (Fall odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 3420 - Latin America in the 21st Century: Challenges, New Opportunities

    3 credit hours

    Comprehensive survey of the human and physical geographies of Latin America. Examines the ecological, historical, cultural, economic, and political processes that shape the region. Emphasis placed on socioeconomic development, migration, globalization, and linkages. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 3430 - Geographical Approach to Contemporary Europe

    3 credit hours

    Explores the past and present physical and cultural processes that influence Europe (including Russia) by examining ideas and concepts about economics, politics, culture identity, environment, and territory from a geographical perspective. (Fall even-numbered years)

  • GEOG 3440 - Geography of Asia and Pacific Rim

    3 credit hours

    Inclusive geographic survey of sub-regions of Asia such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia along with areas comprising the Pacific Rim. Focus on linkages and diversity within this geographic region specifically those dealing with culture, religion, politics, economies, resources, transnationalism, migrations, and globalization. Emphasis on Japan, China, India, and Pacific Rim.

  • GEOG 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa

    3 credit hours

    Cultural and physical geography of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Emphasis on geography of humans specifically their demographics, settlement patterns, urbanization, internal and external migrations, ethnicity and ethnic tensions, humans and natural resources, and globalization. (Spring even-numbered years)

  • GEOG 3999 - Independent Study in Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to geography under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4500 - Geography of the Middle East and North Africa

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Situated at the intersection of Europe, Africa and Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa together form a complex and dynamic region linked by similarities such as environment, culture, and religion. Explores the geography of the region emphasizing current issues such as population and migration, religion, conflict, natural resources, geo-political alliances and globalization. (Spring odd-numbered years)

Topical Geography (9 hours)

Select three courses from the following:

  • GEOG 3720 - Cultural Ecology  3 credit hours  

    GEOG 3720 - Cultural Ecology

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: 3 hours anthropology or geography. Comparison of ecological systems utilized by tribal, peasant, and industrialized peoples of the world. Special attention paid to the theoretical approaches examining the interface of the environment and culture, the evolution of modes of subsistence, and contemporary development and indigenous people. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 3999 - Independent Study in Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to geography under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4300 - Military and Conflict Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. A consideration of geographical and geopolitical influences upon military operations and strategic decision-making as well as the cultural and economic implications of a military presence. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4325 - Global Geo-Political Economics

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010, GEOG 2000, ECON 2410, or PS 1010. Overview of global economic and political systems from a geographic perspective. Emergence and growth of a global economy and changing geo-political boundaries examined historically to present day using spatial and temporal analyses used by geographers. Examines role of transnationalism in global economies, the changing concept of nation-states, and evolution of sections of the global economy. Global case studies such as NAFTA, OPEC, and EU examined along with regional and local examples. Requires field work. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 4340 - Historical Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. The changing human geography of the United States during four centuries of settlement and development. Emphasis on changing population patterns as well as patterns of urban and rural settlement. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 4370 - Urban Geographies: Key Trends, Problems, and Solutions

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Explores different geographies of cities through contemporary socioeconomic processes that shape urban development. Cityscapes of North America and abroad surveyed to determine how cultural, economics, globalization, infrastructure, race, geography, and policy influence urban growth. Global networks and associations emphasized. (Fall even-numbered years)

  • GEOG 4470 - Rural Settlement and Agricultural Landscapes

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: GEOG 2000; junior standing. A geographical analysis of forms, structures, and distribution of rural settlements in distinctive parts of the earth based upon their origin, function, and development. Special emphasis in analyzing rural settlements of middle Tennessee.

  • GEOG 4480 - Recreational and Tourism Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. A geographical analysis of natural and cultural factors influencing use of space for recreation and tourism. Concepts and themes such as globalization's influence on recreation and tourism, long-term sustainability of recreational space/place, cultural landscapes of tourism, and public geography/history and the role of interpretation of places examined. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4540 - Geography of Indigenous Peoples

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: junior standing. Historical and current examination of indigenous peoples from a geographic perspective including their locations(s), history, diffusion and migration, human/land relationships, cultural traits, and cultural landscapes. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

  • GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  

    GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Permission of department; junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to geography. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4772 - Field Course in Historical Geography/Archaeology

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisites: HIST 4860 and ANTH 3210; junior standing; permission of department. Key elements of historical geography explored using archaeologically generated data. Themes such as migration, economic interaction spheres and linkages, public history/geography, and historical landscape change examined through archival and field work. Requires off-campus activities. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

Supporting Courses (7 hours)

  • PGEO 1030 - Physical Geography

    4 credit hours

    The physical earth as the home of humans. The global earth in space, tools of the discipline, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere. Field trips may be required. Three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week.

 

  • PGEO 3000 - Maps and Mapping  3 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    PGEO 3000 - Maps and Mapping

    3 credit hours

    Introduces the art of making maps. Examines the cartographic process of effective symbolization, generalization, and interpretive processes that produce effective visualization of geographic data.

  • PGEO 4000 - Climatology and Climate Change  3 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    PGEO 4000 - Climatology and Climate Change

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: PGEO 1030 or GEOL 1030/GEOL 1031 or GEOL 1040/GEOL 1041. Non-mathematical introduction to the causes and patterns of global climates and in-depth analysis of climate change, including paleoclimatology and recent global cooling and warming trends, their natural and human-induced causes, potential future trends, human and environmental adaptation, and mitigation including geoengineering.

  • PGEO 4380 - Cartography  3 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    PGEO 4380 - Cartography

    3 credit hours

    General knowledge of the field including familiarity with the techniques and tools of professional cartography and graphics. Selected lectures, class discussions, and a series of map construction assignments. Three hours lecture per week.

  • PGEO 4490 - Remote Sensing  4 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    PGEO 4490 - Remote Sensing

    4 credit hours

    The various aspects of remote sensing such as radar, satellite imagery, and infrared data. Use of data in preparation of maps and application to land use and environmental problems examined. Three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week.

  • PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems

    3 credit hours

    Lecture and laboratory work relative to computer-manipulated geographic data base. Laboratory work will involve experience in practical application of a geographic information system (GIS) to problem solving.

Professional Skills Cognate (12 hours)

  • COMM 2140 - Introduction to Organizational Communication

    3 credit hours

    Introduces theories and processes pertaining to organizational communication; topics may include communication networks, teamwork, leadership and power, information technology, crisis communication, and organizational trends.

  • COMM 3250 - Communication in Nonprofit Organizations

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: COMM 2140. Explores theories and techniques involving communication between organizations and their constituencies. Identification and analysis of communication involving corporate philanthropy and fundraising, fundraising events, volunteers, image, and grant writing. Possible topics include health organizations, art organizations, and nonprofits.

     

  • COMM 3500 - Communication for Organizational Effectiveness

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: COMM 2100 and COMM 2140. Organizational communication and its relationship to employees, leadership, corporate culture, diversity, change, and innovation. Possible topics include work-life balance and organizational identity.

  • COMM 4200 - Communication in the Global Workplace

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: COMM 2140. Critical examination of multinational organizations and the expatriate experience, including analysis of organizational preparation and employee training.

  • ENGL 4640 - Advanced Topics in Technical Writing and Communication

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Explores advanced issues in technical writing, technical communication, and scientific discourse such as ethics and visual design, navigating the grant and proposal writing process, and theoretical examination of documents and discourse related to the job-search process. May be repeated once when the primary topic varies for a maximum of six credit hours.

  • GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  

    GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Permission of department; junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to geography. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

  • INFS 2400 - Web Development  3 credit hours  

    INFS 2400 - Web Development

    3 credit hours

    Web development using HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia Web content. Covers planning, design, development, and publishing of a Web site.

  • JOUR 2710 - Media Writing  3 credit hours  

    JOUR 2710 - Media Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020 or equivalents. Theory and practice of writing for print and electronic media according to the techniques, styles, and formats of various media.

  • JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Skills

    3 credit hours

    Professional skills necessary to create digital platform stories that integrate audio, photo, video, and text.

  • LEAD 3000 - Leadership Tools and Self-Assessment

    4 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Introduces leadership theory and practice using self-assessments and current leadership books. Students develop a practical understanding of the value of good leadership for successful team development and completion of quality work. Self-assessments will help identify students' approach to leadership and provide guidance for best practices. (One week intensive.)

  • LEAD 3010 - Leadership Skills and Development

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Junior standing; admission into the College of Business. Focuses on individual leadership development. Emphasis on leadership practices and skill development.

  • LEAD 4125 - Leadership Development for Women

    3 credit hours

    (Same as MGMT 4125.) Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Business; junior or senior standing. Examines women and leadership with an emphasis on personal development. Critically analyzes the challenges, constraints, and opportunities that women face in exercising leadership. Includes an examination of women's diverse leadership styles through an experiential learning project with a community partner.

  • MGMT 3610 - Principles of Management

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Concepts of the management functions of planning, organizing, and controlling with an emphasis on behavioral science concepts as applied to managing people in organizations.

  • MGMT 3800 - Managing Change and Conflict in Organizations

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Junior standing; admission to the Jones College of Business. Examines contemporary thought on managerial roles in identifying, fostering, and implementing change in complex environments. Study of current developments in leading groups through change and managing conflict in organizations by use of competencies related to negotiation and mediation.

  • MGMT 3890 - Managerial Decision Making

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: MGMT 3610; admission to the College of Business; junior standing. Investigates the decision-making processes of business professionals to gain an understanding of how decisions are made. Emphasis on creative problem solving, critical thinking, problem formulation, and decision analysis.

  • PGEO 4530 - Geographic Information Systems

    3 credit hours

    Lecture and laboratory work relative to computer-manipulated geographic data base. Laboratory work will involve experience in practical application of a geographic information system (GIS) to problem solving.

  • PGEO 4560 - Intermediate Geographic Information Systems

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PGEO 4530. Lecture and laboratory work related to the principles and applications of geographic information (GIS). Continued training in GIS analysis including raster analysis, spatial analysis, network analysis, and geocoding. Examines data management including data editing and geodatabase design and creation. Other topics include resource management, demographic, and civic applications.

  • PGEO 4570 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PGEO 4560; coursework in statistics and computer programming recommended. Advanced course in spatial analysis. Using spatial statistics, Visual Basic programming, and databases to solve problems involving proximity, density, clustering, the cost of travel paths, etc. Other major topics include environmental modeling and error analysis.

  • PHOT 1050 - Basic Digital Photography

    3 credit hours

    Introduces simple and multiple image photography, principles, methods, theory, and practice for both Photography majors and non-Photography majors. Explores digital camera anatomy, operating, and handling while discussing proper in-camera exposure, metering, focusing, shutter speeds, apertures, depth of field, and camera accessories. Basic principles of lighting, design, and image composition discussed. Digital darkroom techniques and image manipulation using tools such as Photoshop included. Emphasis placed on  cameras with manual controls. Students required to own a digital camera with manual controls. Must have working knowledge of the Macintosh computer system.

    Three-hour lecture plus up to three-hour lab per week.

  • PS 3250 - Public Management  3 credit hours  

    PS 3250 - Public Management

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: PS 1005 or permission of instructor. Fundamentals of public management--organization theory, leadership, policy making, planning, budgeting, personnel, administrative law, bureaucratic behavior.

  • PS 4275 - NGOs and Non-Profits

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4275.) Key topics and issues surrounding the political environment and competing pressures that international non-governmental organizations and domestic non-profits confront. Formal readings paired with discussions from practitioners in the field and hands-on professional exercises.

  • SOC 3040 - Research Methods  3 credit hours  

    SOC 3040 - Research Methods

    3 credit hours

    Issues and strategies used by sociologists in their scientific studies and in their applied work in society.

  • SOC 3050 - Data Analysis  4 credit hours  

    SOC 3050 - Data Analysis

    4 credit hours

    Analysis, interpretation, and reporting of social science data. Incorporates the use of a statistical package such as SPSS or SAS. Offers fundamental applied research skills for the job market. Laboratory required.

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (6-9 hours)

Curriculum: Global Studies and Human Geography, Human Geography Concentration

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

  • ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing

    3 credit hours

    The first General Education English course. Emphasis on learning to adapt composing processes to a variety of expository and analytic writing assignments. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: ENGL 1010. The second General Education English course. Emphasis on analytic and argumentative writing and on locating, organizing, and using library resource materials in the writing. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication

    3 credit hours

    Introduces principles and processes of effective public oral communication including researching, critical thinking, organizing, presenting, listening, and using appropriate language. Counts as part of the General Education Communication requirement. TBR Common Course: COMM 2025

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Mathematics 3 credit hours
  • Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
  • Natural Sciences 8 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

  • ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA) OR(Hum/FA) OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA) OR title:(Hum/FA) OR 
    (Hum/FA) OR 

    ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Traces a specific theme or idea through a number of literary texts that reflect different historical and cultural contexts. Subject will vary.

  • ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA) OR(Hum/FA) OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA) OR title:(Hum/FA) OR 
    (Hum/FA) OR 

    ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. The reading of a variety of literary types which illuminate themes and experiences common to human existence.

  • HUM 2610 - World Literatures  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA)(Hum/FA)  dotslash:(Hum/FA) title:(Hum/FA) 
    (Hum/FA) 

    HUM 2610 - World Literatures

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Representative works of French, German, and Hispanic authors in English translation. No foreign-language proficiency required. Carries General Education credit.

 

  • Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 credit hours
  • Minor courses 6 credit hours
  • Professional Skills Cognate 6 credit hours
  • PGEO 1030 - Physical Geography

    4 credit hours

    The physical earth as the home of humans. The global earth in space, tools of the discipline, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere. Field trips may be required. Three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week.

 

Choose 6 hours from:

  • HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from the beginning to 1877. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2010

  • HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from 1877 to the present. May be used to satisfy one part of the the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2020

  • HIST 2030 - Tennessee History

    3 credit hours

    The role of the state in the development of the nation. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. TBR Common Course: HIST 2030

  • HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in establishing and shaping the American nation. Covers their historical development and contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

    NOTE: HIST 2040 is not a prerequisite for HIST 2050.

  • HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in shaping the American nation and creating a twentieth-century racial identity. Covers their historical development and examines their contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

  • Major core courses 12 credit hours
  • Professional Skills Cognate 6 credit hours
  • Supporting course 3 credit hours
  • Minor courses 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4990 - Senior Seminar in Human Geography

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GS 4990.) Prerequisites: Permission of department; senior standing. Required capstone course for all Human Geography majors. Implements acquired knowledge from previous cultural geography courses to develop a research project. Offers preparation for graduate study and/or job opportunities in geography. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Major core courses 6 credit hours
  • Minor course 3 credit hours
  • Electives 9 credit hours

 

  • GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship  1 to 12 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 
    (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship

    1 to 12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Permission of department; junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to geography. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography  3 to 6 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

Subtotal: 27 Hours

GSHG Teacher Licensure

Global Studies and Human Geography, Human Geography Teacher Licensure, B.S.

Global Studies and Human Geography
Amy Atchison, interim chair
615-898-5656

The Human Geography teacher licensure program offers a comprehensive, applicable skill set designed to understand the diversity of cultures and socio-geographic complexities found in human societies. Human geographers seek to understand how humans uniquely create, manipulate, and adapt to the places they inhabit by examining natural environments, cultural practices, and economic and political systems. Knowledge gained from the Human Geography concentration is valuable as contemporary societies are interacting globally with one another as never before. Human geographers identify and comprehend these changes and find solutions to a variety of sociocultural problems taking place. This marketable skill set is attractive to a wide range of employers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Students in the licensure program complete the Secondary Education Minor and choose an additional minor in History, Political Science, or Economics.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Global Studies and Human Geography Teacher Licensure, B.S., Academic Map  

Degree Requirements

General Education41 hours
Major Requirements37 hours*
Secondary Education Minor30 hours
Minor15-18 hours
Electives1-4 hours
TOTAL120-126 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If courses for this program are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the program of study may be completed in 120 hours.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

Major Requirements (37 hours)

  • GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science  3 credit hours  
    ANDAND  dotslash:AND title:AND 
    AND 

    GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science

    3 credit hours

    Corequisite: GEOL 1031. The earth and its relationship to its space and environment emphasized. Forces and processes which combine to mold the face of the earth and its atmosphere, as well as the internal constitution of the earth. Three hours lecture. Together, GEOL 1030 and GEOL 1031 satisfy 4 hours of the Natural Sciences portion of the General Education requirement.

  • GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab  1 credit hour  
    (4 credit hours)(may be counted in General Education)  dotslash:(may be counted in General Education) title:(4 credit hours) 
    (may be counted in General Education) 

    GEOL 1031 - Introduction to Earth Science Lab

    1 credit hour

    Laboratory to accompany GEOL 1030.

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education.

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

  • GS 4990 - Senior Seminar in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GEOG 4990.) Required of all Global Studies majors or minors. Capstone course requiring projects reflecting integration and demonstration of knowledge and skills used by all successful global citizens. Projects determined by the student with advisement of the program director and may be completed on campus, abroad, or in the field. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4340 - Historical Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. The changing human geography of the United States during four centuries of settlement and development. Emphasis on changing population patterns as well as patterns of urban and rural settlement. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography  3 to 6 credit hours  
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 
    (3 credit hours)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application  3 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)  dotslash:(3 credit hours required) title:(3 credit hours required) 
    (3 credit hours required) 

    GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • PGEO 4380 - Cartography  3 credit hours  

    PGEO 4380 - Cartography

    3 credit hours

    General knowledge of the field including familiarity with the techniques and tools of professional cartography and graphics. Selected lectures, class discussions, and a series of map construction assignments. Three hours lecture per week.

  • GS upper-division 3 credit hours
  • GEOG regional elective 6 credit hours

Secondary Education Minor (30 hours)

A Secondary Education minor is required for licensure.

Minor (15-18 hours)

Students choose a second minor from History, Political Science, or Economics.

Electives (1-4 hours)

Curriculum: Global Studies and Human Geography, Human Geography Licensure

Curricular listings include General Education  requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

  • ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing

    3 credit hours

    The first General Education English course. Emphasis on learning to adapt composing processes to a variety of expository and analytic writing assignments. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: ENGL 1010. The second General Education English course. Emphasis on analytic and argumentative writing and on locating, organizing, and using library resource materials in the writing. Minimum grade of C- required to meet degree requirements.

  • COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication  3 credit hours  
    (Comm)(Comm)  dotslash:(Comm) title:(Comm) 
    (Comm) 

    COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication

    3 credit hours

    Introduces principles and processes of effective public oral communication including researching, critical thinking, organizing, presenting, listening, and using appropriate language. Counts as part of the General Education Communication requirement. TBR Common Course: COMM 2025

NOTE: Either GS 2010 or GEOG 2000 may be counted in General Education.

  • GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography

    3 credit hours

    Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • Humanities and/or Fine Arts 6 credit hours
  • Endorsement 1 or 2 elective 3 credit hours
  • Mathematics 3 credit hours

 

  • GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science  3 credit hours  
    ANDAND  dotslash:AND title:AND 
    AND 

    GEOL 1030 - Introduction to Earth Science

    3 credit hours

    Corequisite: GEOL 1031. The earth and its relationship to its space and environment emphasized. Forces and processes which combine to mold the face of the earth and its atmosphere, as well as the internal constitution of the earth. Three hours lecture. Together, GEOL 1030 and GEOL 1031 satisfy 4 hours of the Natural Sciences portion of the General Education requirement.

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

  • ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA) OR(Hum/FA) OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA) OR title:(Hum/FA) OR 
    (Hum/FA) OR 

    ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Traces a specific theme or idea through a number of literary texts that reflect different historical and cultural contexts. Subject will vary.

  • ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA) OR(Hum/FA) OR  dotslash:(Hum/FA) OR title:(Hum/FA) OR 
    (Hum/FA) OR 

    ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. The reading of a variety of literary types which illuminate themes and experiences common to human existence.

  • HUM 2610 - World Literatures  3 credit hours  
    (Hum/FA)(Hum/FA)  dotslash:(Hum/FA) title:(Hum/FA) 
    (Hum/FA) 

    HUM 2610 - World Literatures

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020. Representative works of French, German, and Hispanic authors in English translation. No foreign-language proficiency required. Carries General Education credit.

 

  • GS 3000 - Globalization  3 credit hours  

    GS 3000 - Globalization

    3 credit hours

    Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

  • YOED 2500 - Planning and Assessment

    3 credit hours

    Offers preparation for planning instruction, assessing student learning, and understanding how classroom assessment and standardized testing should impact instruction. Introduces education policy, professionalism, and theory which informs students as they enter and practice the profession. Field experience required.

  • Natural Sciences 8 credit hours
  • Endorsement 1 or 2 electives 6 credit hours
  • GEOG regional elective 3 credit hours

 

Choose 6 hours from:

  • HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from the beginning to 1877. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2010

  • HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II

    3 credit hours

    Survey of the political, economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic phases of American life in its regional, national, and international aspects. Discusses the era from 1877 to the present. May be used to satisfy one part of the the General Education History requirement. HIST 2010 is NOT a prerequisite for HIST 2020. TBR Common Course: HIST 2020

  • HIST 2030 - Tennessee History

    3 credit hours

    The role of the state in the development of the nation. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement. TBR Common Course: HIST 2030

  • HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in establishing and shaping the American nation. Covers their historical development and contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

    NOTE: HIST 2040 is not a prerequisite for HIST 2050.

  • HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II

    3 credit hours

    The role of African Americans in shaping the American nation and creating a twentieth-century racial identity. Covers their historical development and examines their contributions to American art, music, literature, and religion. May be used to satisfy one part of the General Education History requirement.

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

  • PGEO 4380 - Cartography  3 credit hours  

    PGEO 4380 - Cartography

    3 credit hours

    General knowledge of the field including familiarity with the techniques and tools of professional cartography and graphics. Selected lectures, class discussions, and a series of map construction assignments. Three hours lecture per week.

  • GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

  • GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application  3 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours)(3 credit hours)  dotslash:(3 credit hours) title:(3 credit hours) 
    (3 credit hours) 
    OROR  dotslash:OR title:OR 
    OR 

    GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

  • GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography  3 to 6 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours)(3 credit hours)  dotslash:(3 credit hours) title:(3 credit hours) 
    (3 credit hours) 

    GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography

    3 to 6 credit hours

    Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

  • YOED 3000 - Classroom Management

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: YOED 2500 with grade of B- or better and admission to Teacher Education. Introduces a variety of classroom management strategies and techniques that will foster a positive learning environment in the classrooms. Provides an overview of behavior management models, theories, and research as a foundation for classroom practice. Facilitates, through the use of field experiences, the analysis of school-wide policies/procedures and insight on real life classroom management expectations of the first-year teacher.

  • YOED 3300 - Problem-Based Instructional Strategies

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisites: YOED 2500 with grade of B- or better and admission to Teacher Education. Offers preparation for students to develop and present instructional strategies that frame curriculum content in problem-solving contexts. Field experience in a public school setting required.

  • GS upper-division elective 3 credit hours
  • GEOG regional elective 3 credit hours
  • Endorsement 1 or 2 electives 9 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

  • GEOG 4340 - Historical Geography

    3 credit hours

    Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. The changing human geography of the United States during four centuries of settlement and development. Emphasis on changing population patterns as well as patterns of urban and rural settlement. (Spring odd-numbered years)

  • GS 4990 - Senior Seminar in Global Studies

    3 credit hours

    (Same as GEOG 4990.) Required of all Global Studies majors or minors. Capstone course requiring projects reflecting integration and demonstration of knowledge and skills used by all successful global citizens. Projects determined by the student with advisement of the program director and may be completed on campus, abroad, or in the field. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

  • YOED 4030 - Residency I: Grades 7-12

    9 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Admission to teacher education program; successful completion of YOED 2500, YOED 3000, YOED 3300 with a grade of B or better; overall grade point average maintained at a minimum of 2.75; grade point average in the major at a minimum of 2.5; and senior standing. A school-based clinical experience in a problem-based learning format.

    NOTE: All students must obtain a grade of B or better in this course to move forward to Residency II.

  • YOED 4400 - Residency II  12 credit hours  

    YOED 4400 - Residency II

    12 credit hours

    Prerequisites: Admission to Teacher Education program; successful completion (with grade of B or better) of YOED 2500, YOED 3000, YOED 3300, YOED 4020,YOED 4030, or YOED 4040; passing score(s) on the specialty area exam(s) of Praxis II; overall grade point average maintained at a minimum of 2.75; grade point average in the major at a minimum of 2.50; and senior standing. A full-day, full-semester supervised teaching experience in a public school classroom. Pass/Fail grading.

Subtotal: 27 Hours

 

 

Our adjunct faculty bring outstanding professional experience to our programs. Many are industry leaders with decorated careers and honors. Importantly, they are innovative educators who offer hands-on learning to our students to prepare them to enter and thrive in a dynamic, and oftentimes emerging, industry and professional world. They inspire, instruct, and challenge our students toward academic and professional success.

Global Studies

GS 2010 - Introduction to Cross-Cultural Experiences
3 credit hours

Required of all Global Studies majors or minors and Human Geography majors. Establishes a broad-based foundation for understanding varying perspectives and values in a culture other than one's own. Differing global and international views on cultural and environmental issues past, present, and future. The student's cultural background will be used for comparative purposes. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GS 2500 - Understanding U.S. Culture and Education
3 credit hours

Serves as an introduction to U.S. culture and higher education in the U.S. for international students. Emphasis on various topics that beginning students who are new to the U.S. need to know in order to be successful in academic, research, or business programs in the U.S. (Fall)

GS 3000 - Globalization
3 credit hours

Required of all Global Studies and Human Geography majors. Explores concepts and history of globalization including forms and processes. Introduces historical antecedents and contemporary issues of globalization such as globalism verses globalization and Americanization, migration and cultural diffusion, civil discord, global and regional governance, technology, environment, media, gender and inequality, regionalism, and the cultural landscapes of globalization/globalism. Requires off-campus activities. (Spring)

GS 3010 - Education Abroad: Reflection and Application
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: GS 2010 or approval of department chair. Required of all Global Studies majors and minors. Completed after returning from the required education abroad experience, students reflect on their experiences abroad and its application to their coursework in the major/minor and application to their personal and professional lives. (Fall)

GS 3040 - Contemporary Migration: Global Trends, Local Implications
3 credit hours

Examines past and present trends in global migration; causes and effects of human movement; the impact migration has on host and home societies; emergence of transnational communities; evolving concepts of race, gender, and class in an era of accelerating globalization; and socioeconomic challenges caused by transnational immigration. Requires off-campus assignments. (Fall odd-numbered years)

GS 3050 - Globalization Through Film
3 credit hours

Utilizes films to examine issues of globalization such as human diversity, movement of people and goods, and conflict. Compares and contrasts film's history (specifically Western cinema) from creation, promotion, and perpetuating views of global cultures with those films produced in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East. Some off-campus film viewing possible. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 3300 - Global Studies Internship
1 to 12 credit hours

Prerequisites: GS 2010, permission of department, and junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to Global Studies. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GS 3400 - China Under Transformation
3 credit hours

Critical examination of the immense changes taking place in contemporary People's Republic of China. Topics covered include government, economy, political culture, family and children, sexuality, the Internet, films, avant-garde art, rock and roll, and sports with a special focus on how power and resistance to power exercised in various ways. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 3990 - China and the World
3 credit hours

Critical examination of the nature and scope of China's global impact. Topics include international trade, human rights, security and cultural clashes with a special focus on understanding the complexity of China at the international level. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 3999 - Independent Study in Global Studies
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to global studies under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GS 4000 - Global Issues in Human Trafficking
3 credit hours

(Same as PS 4150.) Prerequisite: Junior standing. Human trafficking examined globally in regards to issues of recruiting, transporting/transferring, and harboring/receiving persons through force for the purpose of exploitation. Laws and preventative measures also examined. Students research trafficking issues in global contexts and engage in Experiential Learning activities by volunteering in service projects with registered and certified local non-profit organizations, whose missions are to combat human trafficking locally and globally. (Spring even-numbered years)

GS 4010 - Global Warfare and Culture
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. Examines the philosophical and organizational influences upon the evolution of warfare and culture through societal, strategic, organizational, military, and human dynamics. Development of a warrior ethos among various cultures also considered. Case studies and off-campus activities required. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 4030 - Human Rights
3 credit hours

(Same as PS 4030.) Fosters critical thinking about human rights by developing skills in weighing powerful but opposing arguments in complex moral situations. Familiarizes students with the role of both national and international organizations in global politics.

GS 4150 - Ecotourism, Geotourism, and Sustainable Development
3 credit hours

In-depth examination of ecotourism (low-impact study and travel), geotourism (human engagement with abiotic resources), and sustainable development (interaction with and preservation of the natural environment). Examines the role humans play in interpretation and preservation of our natural and cultural surroundings from local, regional, and global perspectives. Requires field component(s). (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Global Studies
3 to 6 credit hours

Prerequisite: GS 2010. A detailed examination of a problem or topic pertinent to Global Studies. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. No more than three (3) hours may apply toward the Global Studies major or minor. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GS 4275 - NGOs and Non-Profits
3 credit hours

(Same as PS 4275.) Key topics and issues surrounding the environment and competing pressures that international non-governmental organizations and domestic non-profits confront. Formal readings paired with discussions from practitioners in the field and hands-on professional exercises.

GS 4990 - Senior Seminar in Global Studies
3 credit hours

(Same as GEOG 4990.) Required of all Global Studies majors or minors. Capstone course requiring projects reflecting integration and demonstration of knowledge and skills used by all successful global citizens. Projects determined by the student with advisement of the program director and may be completed on campus, abroad, or in the field. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Cultural Geography

GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography
3 credit hours

Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Examines world regions using the geographical perspective, identifying the main physical and cultural features, especially through the use of maps. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GEOG 2105 - Introduction to Latin American Studies
3 credit hours

(Same as SPAN 2105, PS 2105, SOC 2105, ART 2105, ANTH 2105.) A multidisciplinary, team-taught introduction to Latin America. Covers the cultures and societies of the region: pre-history, history, geography, politics, art, languages, and literatures. Required course for all Latin American Studies minors. (Fall)

GEOG 3120 - Geography of Tennessee and the South
3 credit hours

Geography's influence upon Tennessee and the American South's development in local, regional, national, and global contexts. Examines the physical, cultural, political, and economic geographies and their role in shaping the state and the region. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 3402 - Cultural Geography Field Course
4 credit hours

Prerequisites: Permission of department. Required for all Human Geography majors. Supervised study in some geographical area/topic. Emphasis on cultural elements of the environment with special attention directed toward interpretation of cultural landscapes. For fees and specific credit, consult the instructor. Course has required off-campus activities. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 3410 - Cultures and Landscapes of the United States and Canada
3 credit hours

Study of cultural and physical features of the U.S. and Canada with focus on culture regions, settlements patterns, natural resources, and cultural landscapes. (Fall odd-numbered years)

GEOG 3420 - Latin America in the 21st Century: Challenges, New Opportunities
3 credit hours

Comprehensive survey of the human and physical geographies of Latin America. Examines the ecological, historical, cultural, economic, and political processes that shape the region. Emphasis placed on socioeconomic development, migration, globalization, and linkages. (Spring odd-numbered years)

GEOG 3430 - Geographical Approach to Contemporary Europe
3 credit hours

Explores the past and present physical and cultural processes that influence Europe (including Russia) by examining ideas and concepts about economics, politics, culture identity, environment, and territory from a geographical perspective. (Fall even-numbered years)

GEOG 3440 - Geography of Asia and Pacific Rim
3 credit hours

Inclusive geographic survey of sub-regions of Asia such as Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia along with areas comprising the Pacific Rim. Focus on linkages and diversity within this geographic region specifically those dealing with culture, religion, politics, economies, resources, transnationalism, migrations, and globalization. Emphasis on Japan, China, India, and Pacific Rim.

GEOG 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
3 credit hours

Cultural and physical geography of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Emphasis on geography of humans specifically their demographics, settlement patterns, urbanization, internal and external migrations, ethnicity and ethnic tensions, humans and natural resources, and globalization. (Spring even-numbered years)

GEOG 3720 - Cultural Ecology
3 credit hours

Prerequisites: 3 hours anthropology or geography. Comparison of ecological systems utilized by tribal, peasant, and industrialized peoples of the world. Special attention paid to the theoretical approaches examining the interface of the environment and culture, the evolution of modes of subsistence, and contemporary development and indigenous people. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 3999 - Independent Study in Geography
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Permission of department. Allows senior students to explore a topic of interest related to geography under supervision of a faculty member. May take many forms including but not limited to directed readings, applied work, assisting a faculty member with a research project, carrying out an independent research project, or other activities deemed appropriate by the supervising faculty member and the department. Public presentation of results required at completion of course. Not repeatable. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GEOG 4270 - Special Problems and Topics in Cultural Geography
3 or 6 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. Detailed examination of problem or topic pertinent to cultural geography. Topics vary and may be taken as an independent study or in a traditional classroom setting. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics. (Upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4300 - Military and Conflict Geography
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. A consideration of geographical and geopolitical influences upon military operations and strategic decision-making as well as the cultural and economic implications of a military presence. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4325 - Global Geo-Political Economics
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: GS 2010, GEOG 2000, ECON 2410, or PS 1010. Overview of global economic and political systems from a geographic perspective. Emergence and growth of a global economy and changing geo-political boundaries examined historically to present day using spatial and temporal analyses used by geographers. Examines role of transnationalism in global economies, the changing concept of nation-states, and evolution of sections of the global economy. Global case studies such as NAFTA, OPEC, and EU examined along with regional and local examples. Requires field work. (Spring odd-numbered years)

GEOG 4340 - Historical Geography
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. The changing human geography of the United States during four centuries of settlement and development. Emphasis on changing population patterns as well as patterns of urban and rural settlement. (Spring odd-numbered years)

GEOG 4360 - Cultural Geography
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: GEOG 2000 or permission of instructor. Required for all Global Studies and Human Geography majors and Cultural Geography minors. Description and explanation of spatial patterns and ecological relationships in human culture. Emphasis on "reading" the cultural landscapes. (Fall)

GEOG 4370 - Urban Geographies: Key Trends, Problems, and Solutions
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. Explores different geographies of cities through contemporary socioeconomic processes that shape urban development. Cityscapes of North America and abroad surveyed to determine how cultural, economics, globalization, infrastructure, race, geography, and policy influence urban growth. Global networks and associations emphasized. (Fall even-numbered years)

GEOG 4460 - The Cultural Landscape
3 credit hours

Through behavior, cognition, and perception people assign meaning to the environment and transform spaces into places and create a sense of place. These dynamic processes result in cultural landscapes. Explores the types, methods, and meanings used by geographers to "read" those landscapes constructed by humans. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4470 - Rural Settlement and Agricultural Landscapes
3 credit hours

Prerequisites: GEOG 2000; junior standing. A geographical analysis of forms, structures, and distribution of rural settlements in distinctive parts of the earth based upon their origin, function, and development. Special emphasis in analyzing rural settlements of middle Tennessee.

GEOG 4480 - Recreational and Tourism Geography
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. A geographical analysis of natural and cultural factors influencing use of space for recreation and tourism. Concepts and themes such as globalization's influence on recreation and tourism, long-term sustainability of recreational space/place, cultural landscapes of tourism, and public geography/history and the role of interpretation of places examined. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4500 - Geography of the Middle East and North Africa
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. Situated at the intersection of Europe, Africa and Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa together form a complex and dynamic region linked by similarities such as environment, culture, and religion. Explores the geography of the region emphasizing current issues such as population and migration, religion, conflict, natural resources, geo-political alliances and globalization. (Spring odd-numbered years)

GEOG 4540 - Geography of Indigenous Peoples
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: junior standing. Historical and current examination of indigenous peoples from a geographic perspective including their locations(s), history, diffusion and migration, human/land relationships, cultural traits, and cultural landscapes. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4550 - Global Issues
3 credit hours

An examination of current global issues in the context of their geographic environment. Emphasis on geographic factors impacting those issues. Topics examined vary from year to year. (Spring even-numbered years)

GEOG 4572 - Geography Internship
1 to 12 credit hours

Prerequisites: Permission of department; junior standing. Practical experience in a professional setting relating to geography. Number of credit hours determined by hours interned and subject to advisor's approval. Six (6) hours can be applied to the major and three (3) to the minor. Pass/Fail. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

GEOG 4600 - Field Experience in Geography
3 to 6 credit hours

Prerequisite: Junior standing. Intensive field-based exploration of selected themes of the human and physical environment. Depending on instructor, course can take many forms including but not limited to faculty-led excursions, research-oriented data collection projects, and/or service learning. Involves field trips which may occur locally, in other regions of the United States, or abroad. No more than six hours of GEOG 4600 may count toward the Global Studies and Human Geography degree. (Offered on sufficient demand).

GEOG 4772 - Field Course in Historical Geography/Archaeology
3 to 6 credit hours

Prerequisites: HIST 4860 and ANTH 3210; junior standing; permission of department. Key elements of historical geography explored using archaeologically generated data. Themes such as migration, economic interaction spheres and linkages, public history/geography, and historical landscape change examined through archival and field work. Requires off-campus activities. (Offered upon sufficient demand)

GEOG 4990 - Senior Seminar in Human Geography
3 credit hours

(Same as GS 4990.) Prerequisites: Permission of department; senior standing. Required capstone course for all Human Geography majors. Implements acquired knowledge from previous cultural geography courses to develop a research project. Offers preparation for graduate study and/or job opportunities in geography. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Online or Hybrid Programs at a Glance

This program is available .


For More Information or Explore Your Options​

Contact your department / program coordinator or advisor for more details about the program OR work one-on-one with your advisor to explore your options.


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The Online Advantage​

With over 25 years of experience in online teaching and learning, MTSU Online offers students access to innovative, high-quality programs. Designed with students in mind, our courses allow maximum flexibility for those unable to participate in person. ​

Resources and services for online students are available from MTSU Online or contact us at distance@mtsu.edu.

Contact Information

mtglobal@mtsu.edu
615-494-7744

Natasha DeLeon, Executive Aide
Natasha.Deleon@mtsu.edu
615-494-7744

Who is My Advisor?

Amber Hawkins (A-L)
Amber.Hawkins@mtsu.edu
615-494-7826 | PH 126

Ja'Net Davis  (M-Z)
JaNet.Davis@mtsu.edu
615-494-7651 | PH 123

Mailing Address

Global Studies Program
Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 133
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

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