Keough School of Global Affairs: Undergraduate Programs

Explore the world without boundaries

Be an agent of change in today’s interconnected world.

We offer a variety of opportunities inside and outside the classroom, so you can become a worldchanger with deep knowledge and diverse skills. Major in global affairs or study with one of our international institutes. To gain practical experience, pursue a research project with a faculty mentor, apply for travel grants and internships, or choose from language study opportunities around the globe.

Your global journey begins here

From the moment you get involved with the Keough School of Global Affairs, you’ll be on your way to a truly global education. As a student you’ll learn cutting-edge approaches to confronting today’s most pressing global challenges.

AT THE KEOUGH SCHOOL YOU CAN:

Combine academic disciplines to study injustice and inequality from multiple perspectives.

Declare a major that integrates economics, political science, religion, and culture.

Focus your studies with specialized coursework in your area of interest.

A global course of study for the 21st century

Gain the knowledge and skills you need to address challenges to human flourishing around the world with a Keough School major in global affairs.

UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

Central to undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame is the core curriculum, a set of requirements that apply to all students, regardless of major.

The Keough School major in global affairs

KEOUGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS (13–30 CREDITS)*

For students whose primary major is in the Keough School

*Total hours dependent on incoming language proficiency.

Language Requirement Cross-cultural Requirement Keough School Interdisciplinary Seminar Ethical Practice Seminar

What can you do with a degree in global affairs?

You can begin a challenging and fulfilling career, or go on to a distinguished graduate school program.

Address critical issues through diplomacy or global development.

Work to end violent conflict or prevent environmental destruction.

Apply important scientific and technological discoveries to human health.

JOB PLACEMENTS FOR NOTRE DAME GRADUATES:

US Department of State, Civil and Foreign Service

Habitat for Humanity International Brookings Institution The World Bank Oxfam USAID United Nations US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Pew Research Center Catholic Relief Services Save the Children Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

GLOBAL AFFAIRS MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (33 CREDITS)

Introduction to Global Affairs and Integral Human Development Introduction to Global Politics and Policy Statistics or Quantitative Methods for Global Affairs Principles of Economics Capstone Seminar

Electives (6) Including: at least 2 courses in the same discipline at least 1 course with a regional focus at least 1 course focused on the historical understanding of a contemporary global issue an approved research methods course

Student Stories

See how Notre Dame students have expanded their worlds through the Keough School.

Majors & Minors Research, Internships & More

You can choose additional programs of study in many of the Keough School’s nine international institutes and centers.

MAJORS (8–10 COURSES)

Asian Studies

Supplementary Major— Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies

Peace Studies

Supplementary Major— Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

MINORS (6 COURSES)

Asian Studies—Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies

Civil and Human Rights— Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights

European Studies—Nanovic Institute for European Studies

International Development Studies—Kellogg Institute for International Studies

Peace Studies—Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation—McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business and Pulte Institute for Global Development

You don’t have to declare a major in the Keough School to learn more about global affairs. You can pursue hands-on research opportunities in the country of your choice, gain skills and experience through internships, or immerse yourself in language study programs in the United States and overseas.

OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

Research with Faculty

Gain high-level research experience by working collaboratively with faculty in a wide range of disciplines. Grants and Fellowships

Apply for research funding, travel grants, and other exploratory project opportunities.

Internships

Acquire valuable professional experience and apply classroom concepts in a real-world environment.

Language Study

Learn to adapt to different cultures and people while developing a lifelong skill.

Student-led Conferences

Present your original research, connect with students from other universities who share your professional interests, or even learn what it takes to organize your own conference.

PATRICK GRIFFIN madden-hennebry professor of history director of the keough-naughton institute for irish studies researches the movement of peoples and cultures across the Atlantic Ocean

Mary Treacy ’21 Alexander Shyne ’22

As an economics and applied math major, Mary Treacy participated in two international internships through the Keough School’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies.

“I had never traveled outside the US and was curious about other cultures,” Mary said.

As a rising sophomore, Mary interned at Yuan Ze University in Taoyuan City, Taiwan, where she developed a market research study for a testing kit that could detect genetically modified DNA in food.

“I had never done a market research study before,” Mary said. “I was constantly problemsolving and had to be flexible. I used to be afraid to step out of my comfort zone, yet here I was about as far away from home as I could possibly go. I just dove right in, and it was the experience of a lifetime.”

Mary opted to return to Asia the following summer, again turning to the Liu Institute to help her secure an internship in Tokyo with an advertising agency charged with marketing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I used to be afraid to step out of my comfort zone, yet here I was about as far away from home as I could possibly go. I dove right in, and it was the experience of a lifetime.”

Alexander “Xander” Shyne is a mechanical engineering graduate who also earned a minor in European studies through the Keough School’s Nanovic Institute for European Studies. As a student, he was a member of Notre Dame’s Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC).

“Because I’m a huge sports fan it was a dream come true,” Mary said. Working in the agency’s global business department, Mary contributed to a comparative study of social media usage across geographic regions.

That same summer, Mary interned with the renowned Brookings Institution as part of its global development team. After graduating from Notre Dame in 2021, she began work as an economic research assistant with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Xander participated in two of the Nanovic Institute’s immersive seminars: “Berlin, Brussels, and Beyond” and “Europe Responds to the Migration Crisis.” While traveling in Berlin and Brussels, Xander was able to meet with clean energy experts at NATO and EU headquarters.

“Speaking with experts on clean energy implementation within Europe impressed upon me the importance of continued innovation in the field of energy,” Xander said.

“Being able to explore humanities alongside engineering has allowed me the ability to explore topics I otherwise would never have known about, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the struggles of maritime refugee rescue organizations in the Mediterranean,” Xander said. “I hope that by learning all that I can, I can gain a unique outlook that will serve me and help me better serve others in the future.”

“I hope that by learning all that I can, I can gain a unique outlook that will serve me and help me better serve others in the future.”

Discover a world of opportunities with and

THE ANNUAL STUDENT-LED together from across North America present on

LAKSHMI IYER associate professor of economics and global affairs political participation in market your understanding of cultures around the globe

BAN KI-MOON spoke at Leadership

PAUL WINTERS keoughhesburgh professor of global affairs researches rural poverty, food insecurity, and sustainable food systems

FLASH PANELS focus attention on breaking world events

ERNESTO VERDEJA associate professor of political science LABS DESIERTO of