November 24, 2009

TTU Home Outreach & Distance Education Bachelor of General Studies

Highly motivated and focused students may wish to culminate the integration of concentration areas in a written research project supervised by a student-selected faculty member from one of the concentration areas. This can be done by selecting individual research or individual studies courses for the final 6 hours of coursework in one or more of the concentrations. Under the direction of a faculty member, such courses engage the student in readings, research, or an applied project related to the concentration areas. The faculty member may recommend, or the student may elect, that the project be evaluated by at least one other faculty member from each of the other concentration areas.


This specially structured interdisciplinary program is for students interested in pursuing global careers with the U.S. government, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, private voluntary organizations, or further academic studies in related fields.

This specialization consists of three inter-related minors, or concentration areas, of at least 18 hours each. All students will take the international studies minor as one concentration area. Working closely with the global affairs specialization advisor, students may choose the other two concentration areas from minors that offer substantial international content, in accord with their interests and career goals. For example, a student might choose one concentration area from the existing interdisciplinary studies minor programs, such as Asian Studies, European Studies, Russian Language and Area Studies, or Latin American and Iberian Studies. The other concentration area could be from a social science discipline, history, additional foreign language study, or another field that fits the student's individual needs and interests. Students will consult with the program advisor to ensure that the areas of concentration they choose, in addition to the international studies minor, fit with the specialization's requirements.

To complete the B.G.S. degree requirements for this specialization successfully, students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by taking a minimum of two courses of conversation or grammar at a junior or senior level. Students can select language study as one of their three areas of concentration. The research option of the general studies degree is available to students in the global affairs specialization. To enhance their language and inter-cultural skills, students taking the specialization are strongly encouraged to undertake one semester of study abroad at one of Texas Tech's international centers or through an affiliated program. The program advisor will work with students to assure that their degree plans comprehensively address their areas of interest.

Contact information for Bachelor of General Studies with Global Affairs Specialization: Dr. Dennis Patterson, Department of Political Science, 806.742.4081, dennis.patterson@ttu.edu.