Global affairs is the study of the international connections among countries and regions. It includes an exploration of political, economic, social, and environmental processes that influence all societies and that are global in scope. The program provides a sophisticated understanding of global issues such as war, terrorism, immigration, climate change, poverty, and regional instability. The major offers students the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to fit their own interests and career goals through a choice of a regional or thematic concentration. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of study abroad programs and internships.
Our expert faculty research and analyzes a broad range of international issues, including conflict and cooperation, global economies and trade, world health, foreign policy and diplomacy, peace and security, and nation building. The research of the Center for Global Affairs (CGA) is interdisciplinary, bringing together perspectives from the social sciences and humanities and connecting scholarship with practice.
The Center serves as a nexus for NYU SPS’s global affairs programs and activities, from undergraduate studies to master’s degrees and professional certificates, short-term study abroad through Global Field Intensives, consulting practicum projects with international partners in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and the Global Affairs Mentorship Program. It connects students with a network of experts in global politics, economy, and business, history, culture, religion, and the environment.
The Global Affairs major provides an in-depth exploration of the challenges facing our world, and equips students to understand and address them. By their nature, these problems demand fluency in the approaches and frameworks of multiple disciplines across the social sciences and humanities and an ability to bridge scholarship and practice.