I am delighted to welcome you to the Bachelor of Global Studies. This programme is the first of its kind in New Zealand, and as the country’s largest and most international university, we are well-positioned to host it. Hosted by the Faculty of Arts, the Bachelor of Global Studies is a cross-faculty degree that draws on the combined expertise of the faculties across the University. The programme has input and support from government, business and the not-for-profit sector.
Global Studies is an emerging transdisciplinary field that incorporates a variety of disciplinary and new approaches to understanding the transnational features of our global world. It takes an issues-based approach focusing on the analysis of events, activities, ideas, trends, processes, and phenomena that appear across national boundaries and cultural regions. It is critical and multicultural and seeks not to privilege a single cultural perspective. Responsibility and engagement are also central. Our focus on global problems, implies a motivation to help solve those problems. Global Studies programmes also aim to foster a sense of global citizenship among their students.
Our Bachelor of Global Studies programme reflects these values by offering a choice of issues-based, interdisciplinary majors; it requires language study and specialisation in a related region of the world. This degree will expand your mind and foster your understanding of other cultures and perspectives. You will be exposed to new ways of thinking about the world we live in. You will also acquire a range of skills including the ability to think critically, to problem-solve,
to work in a team and to do individual research. You are also highly encouraged to spend some time earning credit for your degree overseas.
It is my hope that the experiences you gain from the Bachelor of Global Studies and your time here will shape you as a global citizen and prepare you for many exciting career opportunities.
Be different, make a difference – go global!
DR HILARY CHUNG Director of the Bachelor of Global Studies The University of Auckland