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The Grand Challenges Program requires the Interdisciplinarity experience in order to emphasize the ability to analyze and synthesize contributions from multiple disciplines to solve complex problems. My Global Studies: Health, Development, and the Environment major is my interdisciplinary experience. The Global Studies major at UMBC has two classes of its own name (Global Studies 101 and 301), four gateway courses that build a foundation of knowledge, and the rest of the courses that make up the major are found in a variety of other departments.
The Grand Challenges Program requires the Interdisciplinarity experience in order to emphasize the ability to analyze and synthesize contributions from multiple disciplines to solve complex problems. My Global Studies: Health, Development, and the Environment major is my interdisciplinary experience. The Global Studies major at UMBC has two classes of its own name (Global Studies 101 and 301), four gateway courses that build a foundation of knowledge, and the rest of the courses that make up the major are found in a variety of other departments.
I personally have taken classes in 12 departments: Economics; Emergency Health Services; English; Geography and Environmental Systems; Gender and Women’s Studies; Health Administration and Policy Program; History; Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication; Peace & Conflict Studies; Political Science; Psychology, and Spanish. I first started the major in the Fall of 2014 and I will complete it at the end of this semester in May 2018 with over 120 credit hours.
I personally have taken classes in 12 departments: Economics; Emergency Health Services; English; Geography and Environmental Systems; Gender and Women’s Studies; Health Administration and Policy Program; History; Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication; Peace & Conflict Studies; Political Science; Psychology, and Spanish. I first started the major in the Fall of 2014 and I will complete it at the end of this semester in May 2018 with over 120 credit hours.
The Global Studies: Health, Development, and the Environment major relates directly to my Grand Challenge of Improving Access to Clean Water. Through these interdisciplinary classes, I have learned a lot about the health impacts of not having clean water available and the international development theories behind how to potentially implement solutions.
The Global Studies: Health, Development, and the Environment major relates directly to my Grand Challenge of Improving Access to Clean Water. Through these interdisciplinary classes, I have learned a lot about the health impacts of not having clean water available and the international development theories behind how to potentially implement solutions.
Through the completion of my major, my values of persistence and integrity have strengthened. Not every class has been easy, but I maintained a 3.92 cumulative GPA by working relentlessly to learn material even when it didn't come naturally to me. Several classes are taught as seminars with lots of discussion. These classes challenge your values and beliefs because other students or even the professor may see things differently than you. Because of these discussions, I found myself standing more confidently on one side of an issue or sometimes changing my opinion after listening carefully to someone else's perspective. After four years of such work, I am steady in my choices and opinions.
Interdisciplinary Solutions to a Complex Problem
Interdisciplinary Solutions to a Complex Problem
The issue of clean water will take a lot of collaboration between many disciplines, some that I have experience in and some that I do not. The Global Studies Program allowed me to become familiar with relevant social science and humanities fields that would be useful when interacting with a community interested in improving their access to clean water. The most relevant classes had a public health and intercultural communication focus, but disciplines like environmental science and engineering will also be critical in creating technologies that can solve this problem when implemented appropriately.
Creating Common Ground Between Disciplinary Perspectives
Creating Common Ground Between Disciplinary Perspectives
The Global Studies Program at UMBC allows an individual student to see the value but also the difficulties of so many disciplines. I have met so many students in a variety of disciplines through my electives and had the opportunity to discuss the challenges of their field compared to others. If everyone can have these conversations, students and professionals will be able to appreciate each others' work from different perspectives and see the contributions they are making towards the same problem.
Bridging Strategies for Conscious Integration of Different Disciplines
Bridging Strategies for Conscious Integration of Different Disciplines
After completing classes in so many different disciplines, I am more purposeful in considering all perspectives when discussing or analyzing current events. In the final class for Global Studies majors, we are expected to produce thoughtful analysis of two case studies relating to globalization, capitalism, and world system theory. In this project alone, it is not only Global Studies knowledge that is necessary, but also Economics, History, Political Science, and more.
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