Global and Regional Studies, Certificate

Our world is defined by its connections and separations: divided by national borders, distinct regional identities, and different economic systems among other barriers, yet linked by global exchanges of information, money, and people. The objective of the Certificate in Global and Regional Studies is to introduce you to a wide variety of analytical approaches and conceptual frames that will help you understand the forces that shape culture, commerce, conflict, and other international relations worldwide.

Few aspects of our lives are untouched by global connections: consider pressing global concerns such as post-pandemic inflation, climate change, and Russian expansion. Alongside these large-scale events, we see globalization in our own lives in the growing need to foster virtual collaboration and inclusive environments at work and in economically significant cultural phenomena like the World Cup soccer tournament and the international sensation of K-pop music. Ideas travel broadly, bypassing borders as if they were not there; money, commerce, and trade flow at global and international as well as local and regional scales.

The Certificate in Global and Regional Studies combines several approaches to explore these facets of our interconnected world. While an international studies curriculum might focus on the relationships between nations, global studies captures the complexity of how people, trade, and culture move worldwide, and regional studies focuses more closely on the governance and economies of particular geographic areas and cultural formations. With global and regional studies courses, you gain greater competence in understanding and mastering the impact of the connections, forces, and inclusions that define the world today. In addition, you develop analytical, writing, and communication skills around these issues.

Global and Regional Studies Certificate Requirements

• The Certificate in Global and Regional Studies is a 4-course, 4 c.u. credit program of study taught by University of Pennsylvania faculty.
• To earn a certificate, students complete four courses offered (two in global studies and two in regional studies), in any order. See courses below.
• Students who complete the basic certificate may pursue an Advanced Certificate in Global and Regional Studies (6-course, 6 c.u.) by adding two additional courses (one in global studies and one in regional studies).

Flexible Course Schedule

Penn LPS Online courses in the Certificate in Global and Regional Studies are offered on an accelerated (8-week) schedule. Courses in the online certificate program are largely asynchronous with some synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors. All Penn LPS Online courses are taught at the undergraduate level by Penn instructors.

You have the option to enroll in individual global and regional studies courses without committing to the entire online certificate, enjoying the flexibility and expertise offered by Penn LPS Online to suit your schedule and interests. 

Read more about the Certificate in Global and Regional Studies.

The Certificate in Global and Regional Studies prepares you to:

• Gain command of key concepts and theories to support your analysis of global and regional issues in the world of work
• Think critically about global commerce, international relations, and culture over time in different places
• Develop a broad understanding of global movements of people, goods, money, and ideas across regions and in different historical moments, with knowledge based on specific regions supporting a global view
• Identify and have a good understanding of current trends and historical transformations, and thus be better able to analyze change in the future
• Gain confidence addressing global and regional issues because you have learned ways to approach new and different material
• Manage the challenges of a multinational workforce and leadership in global careers

Curriculum

Certificate students who complete two global studies and two regional studies courses listed below earn a Certificate in Global and Regional Studies. Those students are then eligible to pursue an Advanced Certificate in Global and Regional Studies by taking any two additional courses.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

The Penn LPS Online Certificates in Global and Regional Studies require students to take 4 CUs for a Basic certificate and 6 CUs for an advanced certificate. There is no single required course, but rather several basic courses that are explicitly global in reach. With the basic courses, students are introduced to a wide variety of analytical approaches and develop conceptual frames that will help them as they take other Global Studies courses. These basic courses develop ability to consider ideas in different contexts, in different countries, in different historical moments. Supplementing the basic courses are regional studies courses that bring deeper and more sustained study of specific areas or cultures. This combination of global reach and local focus follows the development of global studies as a field of study, and adds value to more general studies. In addition, a course on Intercultural communication is part of the offerings of the certificate, helping students develop concrete skills that will support students in today's globalized workspaces.

Curriculum

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.