Requirements for Major
The Major in Global Development Studies requires 30 total credits which include the following:
1. Pre-requisites (6 credits)
- ECON 201
- One “area” course relevant to the student’s topical or geographic interest. The area course can come from any department. Its purpose is to give the student background on a geographic area to be pursued as a research project within the major. Geographic areas can be relatively broadly or narrowly defined (“Latin America” is a relatively broad category, “Cuba” is much narrower).
2. Core Courses (12 credits)
- Global Development, Theories and Case Studies (6 credits) GDS 3010-3020
- to be taken in the first and second semesters of the student’s third year
- organized in 4-, 5- or 6-week study units, each unit grounded in a particular social-science discipline, and each one focusing on theories and case studies illustrating the discipline’s approach to global development.
- Development on the Ground (3 credits), GDS 3100
- to be taken in the first semester of the student’s third year
- focuses on the practical, political and ethical issues that face development workers “on the ground” or “in the field.”
- Fourth-year Seminar (3 credits), GDS 4010
- to be taken in the second semester of the student’s fourth year.
- each student will complete a major research paper. In general, from the area course (pre-requisite) to the final seminar, the major will require students to develop a research project of their choice.
3. Elective Courses (18 credits, all at or above the 300 level)
- One (1) course in Economics
- One (1) course in Politics
- One (1) course in Sociology or Anthropology
- Three (3) courses relevant to the student’s area or topic of interest
Electives will be chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor, who will help the student put together a suite of courses that will culminate with a research paper prepared for GDS 4010.
4. Language competency
One (1) course beyond the 202 level of any language taught at UVA (or in an approved study-abroad program)
- OR -
One (1) year of a language that is new to the student and relevant to their GDS focus.