Examine diverse cultures and become a gifted navigator of complex social relationships in an increasingly connected world. Explore our global cultural studies degree.
Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts
Major, Minor
124
4 Years
Salem
Our alumni have explored careers in health, medicine, non-profits, museums, government, education, and business. By understanding diverse cultures and developing critical thinking skills, there are plenty of career options to choose from. Learn what paths our alumni have explored.
As Chronic Disease Prevention Program coordinator, this alum educates youth about vaping harms.
Conor Foley '12, leveraging his public health studies, fights adolescent tobacco use at Marion County Health and Human Services. From Rwanda to Oregon, Foley's journey reflects his commitment to community service instilled at Willamette.
Global Culture Studies alum enhances tech education at Goodwill Qilin Xie ‘23, a Global Culture Studies graduate, is making a significant impact as a Career Center Instructor at Goodwill, specializing in software skills training. Fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, Xie brings a multicultural perspective to their work. Combining their Global Culture Studies with a passion for teaching, Xie is dedicated to helping others and living Willamette's motto.
Our faculty members are experts in a variety of disciplines. They've lectured about ethnic studies, they've published books, and they've mentored students. Through small class sizes, research projects, and independent study mentorship, students develop a deep connection with professors.
Dr. Ana Montero's research encompasses Iberian medieval literature, women and gender studies, art history, and Spanish for heritage learners. Dr. Montero teaches a variety of courses, fostering a deep understanding of Spanish literature and culture among her students.
Dr. Juwen Zhang's research explores Chinese and Asian American folklore, ritual studies, and diasporic identity. He teaches courses on folklore and Chinese language, integrating innovative approaches to enhance cultural understanding and communication.
Dr. Amadou Fofana's research focuses on French and Francophone literatures, African languages, and cinema. He teaches courses on French language, African literature, and film, exploring the cultural and historical dynamics of the Francophone world.
Global Cultural Studies students learn skills in close reading, pattern detection, critical analysis, and original thinking. They also focus on promoting cross-cultural understanding through a variety of core courses and special topic courses. Explore gender and sexuality, learn about African cinema, or take a class about fashion history.
Discover the rich diversity of cultures, languages, and societies from around the world. Dive into fascinating themes like language, power, race, and gender to explore cultural understanding.
Explore powerful themes of displacement, imperialism, and racism through translated Spanish literary works. Delve into historical and modern issues and engage in discussions that inspire activism.
Our Global Cultural Studies program requires 36 semester hours to complete the major, with a total of 124 credit hours required to complete the degree. This includes 8 semester hours of core courses, 4 semester hours of Anthropology courses, and 24 hours of Cultural Electives.
Students pursuing a Global Cultural Studies minor will need to complete 20 semester hours in Global Cultural Studies core courses.
Our Global Cultural Studies program is open to first-year students, transfer students and international students. Learn more about Willamette’s undergraduate admissions process to get started.
Willamette University is committed to supporting Global Cultural Studies majors with generous merit scholarships and financial aid. There is no separate application required for these scholarships. All admitted undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, starting at $26,000 per year. These scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, taking into account cumulative GPA and SAT or ACT scores, if provided.
Willamette University