Global Studies Certificate

Language Proficiency

Building on Pitt’s vast offering of over 30 languages, a minimum of two years of college-level study (four semesters) in a foreign language is required. Students can fulfill this requirement by passing a proficiency exam at the intermediate-mid proficiancy level.

Content Courses

Four Global Thematic Courses (12 credits): After students select a global concentration, they choose from a comprehensive and dynamic list of courses ensuring three disciplines are represented to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on their chosen global concentration.

• Graduate students should complete a minimum of 3 unique credits of coursework. In other words, at least three credits of the course work used to complete the requirements of any graduate level certificate in UCIS must be in addition to the credits used to complete the student’s primary degree program. In consultation with the academic advisor, students may fulfill these standards through one of the following options:
  • Students may contextualize non-credit bearing internships that are required in various graduate degree programs as credit bearing experiences for UCIS certificate programs. Prior approval must be received from the academic advisor to pursue this option.
  • Students who can add content courses without affecting their tuition bill will be encouraged to do so.  
  • Students who are exempt from the language requirement because of previous coursework or heritage language skills may use language course credits towards the requirement for “additional work beyond the graduate degree.
• The 3 credits may be comprised of the following combinations:
  • A language course 
  • A content course

Research Paper

Submission of a digital portfolio.

12 Credits