GCS 201   Global Cultural Studies   1 Unit

This course is a debriefing seminar for students who participated in the Around-the-World Semester experience. The class will enable the students to synthesize the various components of the semester abroad and make meaning from the experience. Debriefing the semester abroad will enable students and program leadership to look to the future, engage in collaborative reflection, and make assessments after thoughtful deliberation.

GCS 202   Understanding Other Cultures Anthropologically   1 Unit

Students will study theories of cross-cultural adaptation, acclimation, and assimilation in this course. Occurring before their departure for the study-abroad country, students will be better prepared to make the transition to their new home and develop an awareness of others and self, and become more effective observers of internal (intra-personal) changes, and external (inter-personal) discovery.

GCS 203   Cross-Cultural Communication Awareness   1 Unit

The globalization of organizations, public and private, and their multicultural make-up requires today's citizens to have a solid cross-cultural competence, involving an understanding of ones own culture and communication preferences, identifying others' preferences, and having a flexible behavioral repertoire to bridge cultural differences.

GCS 301   Foundations of Language   4 Units

This course will provide specific applications for learning a new foreign language and understanding English structure and usage, including sound system, word formation, grammar, syntax, expression of meaning, variation, etymology, and/or change. Cultural and artistic uses of languages; and comparison of oral and written aspects of language will also be covered.

GCS 399   Service Learning Practicum   2 Units

This course is meant to bring the practical service experience to students as they take responsibility for a variety of service projects that will challenge them, not only as they prepare ahead of time for outreach, but also as they adapt to sharing messages of love and forgiveness.

GCS 495   Senior Capstone   3 Units

In this course students will read and discuss topics in international and comparative studies from an interdisciplinary perspective with the purpose of enhancing student learning while making connections between the local and the international learning experience. The emphasis in this course will be on independent work and completion of a research paper. This capstone course is a required seminar for International Studies seniors.