The Global Affairs major prepares Yale undergraduates to solve today’s most pressing global challenges.
The Global Affairs major is designed to give students the social science research tools to solve today’s most pressing global challenges. It is a truly interdisciplinary program with courses in nearly all departments at Yale. Students in the major are selected by competitive admissions.
In the fall of senior year, Global Affairs majors complete the Capstone Course, a unique public policy project on behalf of a real client, supervised by a faculty member. Students often travel to the client’s location.
Many Jackson undergraduates spend their summers abroad. The school provides fellowships for student projects including internships and independent research projects related to international affairs. Learn more
Hear from Alumni
Jade Ford '16, Law '20
“My biggest advice for those interested in a career in public service or advocacy is to stay true to your goals even when it may seem easier—and more prestigious—to pursue a career in consulting, finance, or any of the other major sectors that recruit heavily at Yale. It’s easy to lose sight of what really excites you and makes you feel fulfilled when many of your friends, who you deeply admire and respect, are practicing for case interviews or the like. But it’s critical to remember what is meaningful to you and to chase after it even when it seems like more of an unknown.
I decided to go to law school to find a way to help others through the law, and I hope to devote my career to civil rights litigation post-graduation. My only wish is that I had sought out more information about career paths outside of the major recruiting sectors earlier.”