Global and Historical Studies

Global and Historical Studies (GHS 201  - GHS 212 ) is an array of interdisciplinary courses that allows students to engage in investigation of and reflection about a culturally diverse and increasingly globalized world. Students will learn to employ a conceptual framework that appreciates cultures as dynamic, heterogeneous, and in constant conversation with one another. In doing so, students will draw on a variety of sources and disciplines, including the arts, the humanities, and social and natural sciences, and they will continue to develop the skills of expository writing introduced in the First Year Seminar.

One semester of GHS is automatically waived for international students.  If a student studies abroad in a Butler-approved program and successfully completes 9 or more credit hours of coursework while abroad, the student automatically receives a one-semester/3-credit-hour waiver from GHS.  However, students are not allowed to receive two waivers for GHS; they must take at least on GHS course at Butler University.  Exceptions require the approval of the Faculty Director of Global and Historical Studies.

Course Structure

All students are required to complete two semesters of GHS (for a total of 6 credit hours), ideally but not necessarily during their sophomore year. Students may not take both GHS 203  (“Modernizing and Contemporary Europe”) and GHS 209  (“Revolutionary Europe and Contemporary Colonial Nigeria”) to complete the GHS requirement, but any other combination of courses is allowed. Course titles and descriptions can be found through the online Course Search utility using the GHS course attribute.

Learning Outcomes

• To employ a conceptual framework for global and historical studies that appreciates cultures as dynamic, heterogeneous, and constantly in conversation with one another
• To draw on a variety of sources and disciplines–including the arts, the humanities, and the social and natural sciences
• To recognize both the benefits and challenges of living in a culturally diverse and increasingly globalized world
• To continue development of skills of expository writing