Global Courses

To deepen the interdisciplinary critical transnational approach introduced in ICS 195, majors complete four courses chosen from an ICS-approved list of global courses, or taken during a study abroad program. These courses were previously labeled "comparative."

The four Global courses must originate from at least two disciplinary or interdisciplinary departments (which is how Duke courses are listed on the ICS course page) and meet ICS global criteria.

Global Criteria

Global courses are organized by a connective, transnational, comparative, or international approach to cultural, social, historical, political, economic, environmental, or discursive dynamics. Course content should not be delimited by a focus on one place or nation-state. Course content is theoretically informed and empirically engaged (ethnography, observation, interviews, archives, surveys, and statistical data; institutional, literary, artistic, cultural, commercial, or environmental artifacts, processes, or forms). Course content examines dynamics that occurred at any time from 1500 to the present, although it may include content that began in earlier periods.

Courses approach the above through one or more of the following nodes:

  1. institutions, organizations, or systems
  2. identities and lived experiences
  3. circulations, circuits, borders, and migrations
  4. social or other movements
  5. cultural productions and receptions

Depth Requirements in Region and Global Courses

To ensure depth, ICS majors are allowed no more than one course at the 100 level ito fulfill the eight courses required for Region and Global categories.

ICS majors are required to take at least one approved ICS course at the 400 level or above in the Region or Global categories. The second semester of the honors thesis course sequence does not exempt majors from this requirement.

ICS treats study abroad courses approved for Region or Global as intermediate — between 200 and 399.