The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences has recently made available a Global Social Change and Development (GSCD) track within the International Studies major, with a stated focus on changes in wealth and power distribution, new forms of global conflict and “the degree to which we as individuals can influence global social change.” Students who pursue GSCD will graduate with a double major in International Studies and Sociology.
Since its founding, Hopkins was designed to be a research university, and the creation of this program will help further that purpose. The development of a new research-oriented track for the International Studies major will help cultivate the attitude that the primary purpose of Hopkins is to further the creation of new knowledge via research.
This page believes that research-oriented majors are just as important to the social sciences as they are to the hard sciences, especially in the field of international studies. By allowing students to pursue an additional degree in Sociology, Hopkins has better equipped graduates to analyze global trends. A background in a field of study that teaches students how to use analytical tools gives graduates greater flexibility to apply knowledge to their respective fields and generate new and interesting perspectives, rather than enter the workforce armed only with knowledge that will quickly become outdated in a changing world.
The program will likely attract new minds to International Studies by placing a renewed focus on the organic nature of the field. By using the resources of a top-tier research university, this program will produce individuals qualified to engender global change.
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