Bachelor’s programme

Global Studies

40 Bachelor's programmes Arts & Culture, Digital Society, European Studies & Global Studies | 2024/2025
Global Studies
Would you like to understand how different parts
of the world are connected through global
phenomena such as climate change and
migration? Would you like to contribute to a more
sustainable planet and debate solutions for a
more just society? Do you want to understand
global challenges from a variety of perspectives
coming from Psychology, Law, Economics, History,
Global Health, Politics and Sociology, to name a
few? Then the bachelor’s programme Global
Studies is for you.
Global Studies is a truly interdisciplinary
programme. It is the only bachelor's programme
in the Netherlands to have 6 faculties equally
teaching in the programme. This means that
experts will help you to integrate knowledge from
different disciplines to better understand and
intervene in complex global problems. You will
study with an international group of students,
receive two years of language training, and have
the opportunity to conduct a field study.
Fast Facts
• explore five global topics in detail
• learn with scholars from over a dozen disciplines
• go on field study or choose a minor
• have two years of language training
• belong to a dedicated study association
• 3-year, full-time bachelor's programme
• taught entirely in English
• small-scale groups of +/- 12 students
What will you learn?
Global Studies trains you to understand and
develop solutions for complex global issues. The
programme is structured around five themes:
• environment & economy
• migration & citizenship
• tolerance & beliefs
• peace & justice
• 21st century learning
The themes are preceded by an introductory
semester that introduces you to the field of
Global Studies. In your final year, you will put your
expertise to the test with a local or international
field study, write an interdisciplinary bachelor’s
thesis, and have a chance to develop an
intervention for a societal problem presented to
you by an NGO, government agency, firm or a
school.
International classroom
The fostering of a truly international classroom is
central to the aims of Global Studies. You will
work together with students with a diversity of
cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in and
outside the classroom, as 83% of the students
come from abroad, representing 26 nationalities.
This will help you acquire competencies in two of
the central aims of Global Studies: Global
Citizenship, and Interpersonal Competencies
related to intercultural and transdisciplinary
communication and understanding.
Bridging the Disciplines
Complex, global problems require solutions that
are rooted in multiple disciplines. Global Studies
trains you to integrate knowledge and skills that
pertain to the natural and technical sciences
(environmental science, data science), social
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sciences (development geography, political
economy, governance, law, sociology, economics,
international relations, and technology studies),
life sciences (public health, psychology), and
humanities (anthropology, history, and
philosophy). All semesters and themes are
co-developed and co-taught by scholars from at
least three disciplines. Studying with these
experts, you will:
• build an understanding of how individual
disciplines look at particular questions
•debate how the theories and assumptions of
different disciplines can be connected to arrive
at a richer view
• learn and practice research methods that are
used by different disciplines to allow you to
collect your own data, perform strong analyses
and arrive at relevant conclusions
• formulate evidence-based advice and
recommendations for complex problems
• develop your skill-set as a future professional,
academic and citizen of the world
Perspectives from around the globe
To ensure that the programme offers a truly
global focus in which perspectives from the
Global majority get as much attention as
perspectives from the Global North, each course
will include theories and concepts developed by
non-Western scholars that will be compared with
those developed in the West.
Field Study
During the theme on Peace and Justice, you will
have the opportunity to go on a month-long field
study, exploring and learning about a local
relevant problem at your chosen destination (for
example in Colombia, Mozambique, Cyprus,
Uruguay, Thailand or The Hague). Together with a
small group of your fellow students, accompanied
by an expert and hosted by a local partner, you
will have the opportunity to study a complex
issue, discover local solutions and practice your
own skills as a global citizen.
42 Bachelor's programmes Arts & Culture, Digital Society, European Studies & Global Studies | 2024/2025
Bachelor’s Thesis
Your final piece of work in the BSc Global Studies
will be to write a bachelor’s thesis on a topic of
your choice — perhaps a deepening and
continuation of your field study, a study on a
target of the Sustainable Development Goals, or a
topic that resonates with the final semester-long
theme, 21st Century Learning? Your thesis will
integrate expertise from at least two disciplines
and serves as a bridge to the next step in your
career.
Your future
Global Studies was designed to be a fully
interdisciplinary programme, with opportunities
to learn about the theories and assumptions of
individual disciplines, how to integrate insights
from different disciplines and to practice how to
apply the insights of multiple disciplines to
complex, global problems. As a result, you will be
well-placed to pursue a career path that allows
you to contribute to solving important social
challenges. Given the interdisciplinary nature of
the Global Studies programme, you will have a
strong academic foundation to pursue a variety of
master's programmes in the Netherlands and
around the world.
Possible professions upon completion of your
degree include:
• policy maker on global issues (climate change,
migration)
• advisor on global health risks for companies and
governments
• ethics advisor for companies operating globally
• researcher/consultant for public, non-profit or
private sector on migration, environment,
cultural diversity, peace
• corporate and government training schemes
• teacher, director of secondary schools
For more information about Global Studies,
please go to:
www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/bachelor/gs
Annex 2: Curriculum

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Period 6

Year 1 Language Classes Semester 1 Project: Language Classes Semester 2 Project:
(2.5 ECTS) Choosing an (2.5 ECTS) National Greenhouse
Introduction to Introduction to Intervention Environment Environment Gas Emissions
Global Studies I Global (5 ECTS) & Economy I & Economy II Mitigation Strategy
(7.5 ECTS) Studies II (7.5 ECTS) (7.5 ECTS) (5 ECTS)
(7.5 ECTS)
Research Research Research Research
Methods for Methods for Methods for Methods for
Global Studies I Global Studies II Environment Environment
(2.5 ECTS) (2.5 ECTS) & Economy I & Economy II
(2.5 ECTS) (2.5 ECTS)
Academic & Academic & Academic & Academic &
Professional Professional Professional Professional
Skills I Skills II Skills III Skills IV
(1 ECTS) (1.5 ECTS) (1 ECTS) (1.5 ECTS)
Year 2 Language Classes Semester 3 Project: Language Classes Semester 4 Project:
(2.5 ECTS) What is the (2.5 ECTS) Preparing for the
Migration & Migration & Power of my Tolerance & Tolerance & Field (5 ECTS)
Citizenship I (7.5 Citizenship II Passport? Beliefs I Beliefs II
ECTS) (7.5 ECTS) (5 ECTS) (7.5 ECTS) (7.5 ECTS)
Research Research Research Research
Methods for Methods for Methods for Methods for
Migration & Migration & Tolerance & Tolerance &
Citizenship I (2.5 Citizenship II Beliefs I Beliefs II
ECTS) (2.5 ECTS) (2.5 ECTS) (2.5 ECTS)
Academic & Academic & Academic & Academic &
Professional Professional Professional Professional
Skills V (1 ECTS) Skills VI Skills VII Skills VIII
(1.5 ECTS) (1 ECTS) (1.5 ECTS)
Year 3 Peace & Justice I Peace & Justice II 21st Century 21st Century
(8 ECTS)** (12 ECTS)** Learning I Learning II
(6 ECTS) (9 ECTS)
Academic & Academic &
Professional Professional Skills
Skills IX (2 ECTS) X (3 ECTS)
Take modules of the offered minors*
(25 ECTS)
Literature exam (maximum 12 ECTS) Bachelor Thesis (20 ECTS)

* Check the UM website (https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/education/bachelors/minors) for the minors that are

offered for Global Studies.
** Students can choose Peace and Justice including a field study or take a minor + Literature exam.

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