Global studies can broadly be defined as the study of global issues for example: population growth, poverty, diseases, environmental degradation, conflicts and trends such as globalization and interdependence in their economic, political, cultural, and social dimensions, area studies, and the acquisition of foreign language skills. As such, students pursuing a major in Global Studies and, for example, a minor in area studies, will become familiar with these issues, trends, and areas,  and strive to acquire a high level of proficiency in a foreign language. More broadly, it means understanding the increasingly global nature of every aspect of life and how this affects the local environment in the United States as well as in other countries.

The Major in Global Studies offered by Missouri State University is inherently linked to the state-wide mission in Public Affairs in that students will be educated as globally aware citizens. In an increasingly interdependent world, students must be aware of and educated in political, social, economic and cultural aspects and, combined with necessary language skills, be able to live and work as citizens in such a world. The Major is thus a logical extension of public affairs at the international level.

The Major will be housed in the Office of International Programs and Affairs and be administered by the director of that office.  An interdisciplinary advisory body, consisting of representatives from various departments, will periodically review and update the curriculum of the program.  Any programmatic and curricular changes in the Major must be approved by the advisory board.  Students will be advised by the department of Modern & Classical Languages and the Department of Political Science.

The Global Studies Major consists of 45-51 hours (depending on the student’s level of foreign language proficiency) that include a 15-hour core requirement, 6 additional foreign language hours beyond the 12 hours required for the B.A. degree, 15 hours in a focus area (Language and Culture, Business and Economics, or Politics and Society), and 15
hours in regional studies.
 
The Global Studies Major does require a minor, and students are strongly encouraged to combine the Major with a minor or minors in Area Studies—Asia, Middle East, and Latin America—, a modern language—French, German, Spanish, or Chinese, other related fields, and individualized minors, including in a language where regular minors are not available. Some minors can easily be obtained on the basis of courses included in the Majors, but not more than nine (9) hours may count towards both the Major and a minor.

Students who have double majors are not required to have a minor, but may count only up to nine (9) hours towards both majors.

As a Bachelor of Arts degree, students will be required to take HST 103 and HST 104, 12 hours of a foreign language, a philosophy course, and six hours of fine arts.

The 18-hour language requirement for the B.A. Major must be in a modern foreign language (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish; other modern languages may be accepted upon the recommendation of the Head of the Modern and Classical Languages Department).  Students must take an additional 6 hours beyond the BA requirements in their primary modern foreign language as part of the major, for a total of 18 hours. The language requirement and language courses may partially or fully be fulfilled with courses taken as part of study-abroad programs or at other American universities and colleges. Students also have the opportunity to acquire proficiency certificates reflecting their level of foreign language competency and, according to their level, will be able to test out of part or all foreign language requirements.