Major Requirements & Course Planning

Use the links below to access extra copies of the major requirements sheet and suggested plan of study, along with a Global Studies major course planning tool, to help keep you on track as you progress through the pre-major and the full, upper division major:

For students who declared the full major by spring 2022 (and before), here are your materials:

For students who declared (or will declare) the full major by summer 2022 (and later), here are your materials:

Special notes for pre-majors:

 

  1. The Pre-major requirements include GPA minimums (2.7+ combined on Global 1 and 2; 2.0+ combined on the three History cluster courses.) If you are concerned that you will not be able to meet these pre-major GPA requirements, please be aware of our appeals process, including eligibility guidelines.
  2. Beginning in winter quarter 2023, we were notified that the History department will begin phasing out History 2A and not teaching it as frequently (or at all) past summer sessions 2023. With this in mind, we approve History 4A to be used in its place in either the World (2A/2B/2C) cluster option or the Europe (usually 2A/4B/4C) cluster options under pre-major area II on the major sheet. Please visit our Registration Resources page, under the Toolkit section, to find a link to a spreadsheet that outlines current History department course timings for the next several quarters.

 

 

Combine these documents with a regular check on your Major and GE Progress Check (find this on GOLD - it's under the Progress tab) to stay current with your progress in the major and towards your overall degree completion.

 

Do keep in mind that you also need to complete all general university graduation requirements (GE course areas and upper division electives - at least 60+ upper division units overall) to be eligible to declare candidacy and graduate. For those extra upper division electives, consider adding a second major, or a minor, or just taking upper division courses that interest you!

 

Contact the department that hosts your potential second major or minor to get started with (or ask questions about) that major or minor. Keep in mind that you are able to cross over 2 upper division courses between two majors, and 1 upper division course between a major and a minor. For Global Studies, foreign language courses (even if upper division) are considered "freebies" and don't count towards this crossover cap as long as you are using the courses for the foreign language requirement (that's considered a usually lower-division part of the major!)

 

I'm in the Pre-Global Studies major - what do I need to know? What's next? When and how do I apply to the full major?

Four main steps (and see the resources section, below, for links):

  1. Run your Major and GE Progress Check on GOLD (under the Progress tab) for the "Pre-Global Studies" major and check the major requirements sheet (above) to see what courses and requirements you have and have not completed as you work your way through the Global Studies pre-major requirments.
    • Keep in mind: you do not need to complete the "preparation for the major" section before applying to the full major - you just need to finish it before graduating.
       
  2. When you are in your last quarter of pre-major courses, apply to the full major using the Google Form (linked below) by the end of week 8 of that quarter.
    • Keep in mind: this does mean that you'll plan the following quarter's courses under the assumption that you will not be in the full major by the time those courses start. Why? We need time to process your application, which involves checking your final pre-major course grades, which are released long after you will have built the next quarter's schedule.​
       
    • Check out the "Pre-Global Studies/Application to the full major" videos on our YouTube channel if you have not already done so - it will outline the full process.
       
  3. After the end of the quarter in which you apply, we will check your grades and process your application through a Docusign (an electronic form that comes through your UCSB email) change of major form.
    • Watch your UCSB email in the first weeks of the next quarter (or summer, if you applied in spring) for an email from a service called Docusign with more details about signing an electronic "change of major" form to change from Pre-Global Studies to the full Global Studies major
       
    • Since the beginning of a quarter is a busy time, you may not hear from us immediately if you were accepted into the major. Watch for the Docusign email - check your different UCSB Gmail tabs/spam folder carefully!
       
    • You can also see if you qualified by checking your Major and GE Progress Check on GOLD - a green checkmark next to the "Pre-Major" section of your Global Studies requirements indicates that you met the requirements.
      • If you see a green checkmark there and didn't get a Docusign email from us by the end of week 2 of the next quarter, please contact us!
         
      • If you do not see a green checkmark there but you have completed all pre-major courses, you will need to consider a different major. Please reach out to us with any questions about this!
         
  4. Once you have signed your Docusign change of major petition, watch GOLD periodically over the following several weeks (it can take 2-6 weeks for all the offices involved to approve your change of major). You should be able to make schedule plans for the following quarter that do assume that you'll be in the full major - please reach out to us if you are having trouble enrolling in Global Studies department courses but have signed a Docusign to be admitted into the full major.

Tools you will find helpful with the above steps:  

  • Visit our YouTube channel for refreshers on:
    • The Pre-Global Studies major to the full major application process
    • Reading your Major and GE Progress Check on GOLD
    • Planning your Global Studies schedule - especially the video section on what to do if you about to enter that "waiting quarter" where you need to plan next quarter's classes assuming you won't be in the full major yet 
  • Pre-Global Studies major information sheet
     
  • Pre-Global Studies form to apply to the full major (due by the end of week 8 in the quarter in which you are finishing your last pre-major courses)

  • Major requirements sheet + suggested plan of study + a Global Studies major course planning tool for you to fill out if desired - see top of this page
     
  • Double major notes: we recommend that you apply for a double major separately from the moment that you're applying to the full major after completing pre-major requirements. In most cases, you can work on requirements for that second major without needing to formally declare it yet.
    • So, either apply for the double major while you are still completing Pre-Major requirements OR wait until your change of major into the full major is fully processed to add that second major - that will make it less likely that your paperwork will get stuck in processing since it has to go through a different office when you're applying for a double major.
       
    • Visit this page for more information on a double major process.
       
  • Still have questions? Email us, book an appointment (great for longer questions) with us, or visit us in drop-ins (best for shorter questions and clarifications after you've done your initial research) by returning to our main Undergraduate Advising page