Global Affairs Major FAQs

FAQs for current B.A. Global Affairs majors

 

What is the policy on course substitutions for major requirements?

There are strictly no substitutes for some of the Global Affairs major requirements. For students accepted before Fall 2025, there are no substitutes for:

  • Applied Quantitative Analysis II (GLBL 2122);
  • Either of the two core courses (Approaches to International Security and Approaches to International Development); or
  • Intermediate microeconomics or Intermediate macroeconomics.

For students entering the major in or after Fall 2025, there are no substitutes for:

  • Any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “2 Political Science” courses requirement;
  • Applied Quantitative Analysis II (GLBL 2122);
  • The “Challenges in Global Affairs” integrated core course (GLBL 3101); or
  • Any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “one additional advanced course” requirement.

Please note that only students who have tested out of Intro to Microeconomics and/or Intro to Macroeconomics may take a substitute course that lists the course they’ve tested out of as a prerequisite, or alternatively, an additional Global Affairs elective.

 

Can I take any of the major requirements as Credit/D?

None of the courses required for the major can be taken credit/d/fail. In rare circumstances and in consultation with the DUS, only an L5 (if admitted prior to fall 2025) or L4 (if entering the major from fall 2025 on) language course used to demonstrate language proficiency may be taken credit/d/fail. A “credit” in the L5/L4 course will meet the major’s proficiency requirement.

 

What is the policy on course substitutions and “testing out” of courses for major requirements?

There are strictly no substitutes for some of the Global Affairs major requirements. For students accepted before fall 2025, there are no substitutes for:

  • Applied Quantitative Analysis II (GLBL 2122);
  • Either of the two core courses (Approaches to International Security and Approaches to International Development); or
  • Intermediate microeconomics or Intermediate macroeconomics.

For students entering the major during or after fall 2025, there are no substitutes for:

  • Any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “2 Political Science” courses requirement;
  • Applied Quantitative Analysis II (GLBL 2122);
  • The “Challenges in Global Affairs” integrated core course (GLBL 3101); or
  • Any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “one additional advanced course” requirement.

Please note that Students who have tested out of Introduction to Microeconomics and/or Introduction to Macroeconomics according to the Yale Economics department only must take a substitute course that lists the course they’ve tested out of as a prerequisite, or alternatively, an additional Global Affairs elective.

 

Can my class in _____ count as a Global Affairs elective?

Students can use the Yale Course Search “Any Information Attribute” and filter by “YC GLBL: Elective” to determine which courses count as electives in each term. If a course you have taken does not have the “YC GLBL Elective” attribute but you strongly believe it should count as such, you can petition for it to be accepted as an elective by filling out the Course Exception form. If you are not yet a Global Affairs major or plan to study abroad, you may request provisional approval for specific courses using this form.

 

Can classes from my study abroad program count towards the major?

Yes, but only with approval from the DUS upon your return from study abroad and after the credit transfers to Yale. Students must submit the syllabus and their coursework to the DUS. Provisional approval for a course counting toward the major may occur before the program takes place by submitting this Provisional Course Approval form. Final approval for any study abroad course can only take place after the completion of the study abroad program. Please use this Course Exception form to request that the study abroad course be approved. Students should note that only language courses and electives may be petitioned to count toward their major requirements, with the exception of the London School of Economics’ summer courses “Introductory Microeconomics” and “Introductory Macroeconomics” in the Economics program. Additionally, no more than one summer study course plus two courses per full semester abroad, may be petitioned (for up to a potential maximum of five courses total).

 

What should I do in the summer before my senior year?

Global Affairs majors are encouraged to complete an internship or a research project in a field/topic in global affairs in the summer between their junior and senior year. The Jackson School Career Development Office assists Global Affairs majors in finding suitable internships and projects. The Jackson School also has some funding available for these internships and/or projects.

 

Can I receive credit for an internship?

The Jackson School itself does not facilitate credit for internships. To receive credit for an internship, you must propose and complete a Fieldwork Practicum Analysis (PRAC 4710/4720) through Yale College’s Office of Career Strategy.

 

Does being a Global Affairs major guarantee me a spot in any/all courses taught by Jackson Senior Fellows?

Not necessarily, but Global Affairs majors and Jackson School M.P.P. students do have some priority in any course that is primarily a Jackson course. Although majors may not be able to take all classes taught by Senior Fellows, this policy means they should be able to take at least one and likely more while at Yale. If a Global Affairs course that counts as an elective is offered at a graduate level, please follow the Yale College policy of Enrolling in a Graduate and Professional Schools courses.

 

Can classes taken toward another major or certificate count toward Global Affairs?

Per Yale College policy and for any student completing a double major or a major and certificate, no more than two classes may be applied to the requirements of a double major or a major and one or more certificates.

 

When will I know what classes count toward the major when I am selecting my courses?

Courses that count toward the major are clearly noted on the Jackson website under the Global Affairs Major courses tab. You may also find courses by the term that you are looking for by searching on Yale Course Search using the “Any Course Information Attribute” filter. There, you can search by “YC GLBL Additional Methods” courses (only for those admitted prior to Fall 2025),“YC GLBL Qualitative Methods” (only for those entering the major in fall 2025 and after), and “YC GLBL Elective” and “YC GLBL 2121 Alternative” courses for all Global Affairs majors.

 

Does American Sign Language (ASL) or Latin count as a language for the Global Affairs proficiency requirement?

No. The Global Affairs language requirement can only be fulfilled with a modern language other than English, as the purpose of this requirement is a proficiency in communicating beyond American borders. Students with heritage or native speaking ability in a modern language other than English may consult the DUS and/or Jackson registrar on whether this ability fulfills the Global Affairs language requirement.

 

How should I choose between doing a Capstone versus a senior thesis?

Capstone projects are group-based courses that are geared toward answering a specific policy concern brought to the course by an external partner. Students who would like the opportunity to conduct original research on a topic of their own choosing in Global Affairs can complete a senior thesis. Sometimes the choice may be informed by a student’s post-graduate goals, and students may consult advisors at Jackson as they decide upon a senior project.

 

Who do I contact if I have a question about my internship, my resumé, my summer plans, or my career plans?

Start with Yale’s Office of Career Strategy (OCS), which has a large resource center, oversee ERecruiting (an online opportunities system), and offer resume advising. After you have visited OCS, please contact the Assistant Dean for Career Development at Jackson, who can provide you with global affairs-specific information.

 

Who do I contact if I have a question about my courses, the major, or degree audit?

Jackson’s Office of Academic Services & Registrar, Jackson.registrar@yale.edu, is the best first contact for these sorts of questions.

 

 

FAQs for prospective students

 

I am a high school student applying to Yale and I am interested in the Global Affairs major at Jackson. Who can I talk to?

Interested majors must first apply to and get admitted to Yale College, so you should reach out to the Yale College Admissions Office with questions. Current Yale undergraduate students apply for the major during their sophomore year. You can find information about the Global Affairs major on our website and our FAQs, and students can attend an information session that is held early each fall semester.

 

Yale College requires students to declare a major by the end of their fourth semester. I am a rising second-year, and I do not have time to complete the introductory courses by the end of my sophomore year. Can I still major in Global Affairs?

 Yes. You may declare another major temporarily and then declare the Global Affairs major once you successfully complete all eight introductory requirements.

 

What are the options for a senior project and what is a capstone course?

During the senior year, Global Affairs majors are required to complete either a senior thesis or a capstone course. A senior thesis is the product of original, individual research that a student completes either in a substantive seminar or in the Global Affairs senior thesis course. A capstone is a semester-long public policy project on behalf of a real, external partner. The clients for these capstone courses will be government agencies, not-for-profit groups, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector entities in the United States and abroad. Each course will consist of up to 10 students and will be overseen by a Yale faculty member. Working together as a group, and with their faculty instructor, the students will complete the project over the course of the semester. Capstone enrollment requests and assignment into projects take place in the spring semester of students’ junior year, so students wanting to complete a capstone must have the major declared by that time.

 

Can courses required for Global Affairs also count for my Yale distributional requirements?

Yes. If the course record indicates that a course fulfills a distributional requirement (Hu, Sc, So, QR, WR), it will count toward your Distributional Requirements, regardless of where it fits in the major.

 

If I am very interested in the Global Affairs major, which classes would be best to take during my freshman and sophomore years so that I can best take advantage of the major?

In addition to working toward Yale College Distributional Requirements, students interested in the major are strongly encouraged to work toward completing the introductory requirements for Global Affairs. Specifically, students should take courses from among the following: introductory economics courses (ECON 1108, ECON 1110, or ECON 1115, and ECON 1111 or ECON 1116); introductory political science courses (Introduction to International Relations, PLSC 1113; Introduction to Comparative Politics, PLSC 1413; or Political Theory, PLSC 1327, 1335, 1352, or Directed Studies); and one or two History courses. Prospective students are also encouraged to work toward the L4 language requirement early in their course planning. All students interested the Global Affairs major should also plan to take GLBL 2121 Applied Quantitative Analysis I in the fall of their sophomore year (and not beforehand) to best prepare them for GLBL 2122 Applied Quantitative Analysis II, a requirement that is taken in the spring of sophomore year and is closed to non-majors. We strongly recommend that students take GLBL 2121 rather than one of its accepted substitutes unless they have a course planning issue that cannot otherwise be resolved (or other compelling reason).

 

Can a non-English native language fulfill the language requirement? If so, what documentation is required?

Yes. Documentation must be provided that shows that the language of instruction in high school was not English. This is the same documentation that is usually required by Yale College. If the non-English native language was not the language of high school instruction, students must receive approval of L4 equivalence from the appropriate language department.

 

What summer or term abroad courses can count toward the major?

We recommend choosing courses during your Term Abroad in light of your interests as a Global Affairs elective or in fulfillment of Yale College Distributional Requirements. Economics courses taken abroad may count toward the major only if Yale’s Economics Department reviews them as comparable to Yale’s offerings, which is rare. Courses are approved only with the express written permission of the DUS, and may only be formally petitioned to count toward the major requirements after the credit transfers to Yale. We strictly do not allow course substitutes for: any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “2 Political Science” courses requirement; Applied Quantitative Analysis II (GLBL 2122); The “Challenges in Global Affairs” integrated core course (GLBL 3101); or any of the courses with attributes or course numbers associated with the “one additional advanced course” requirement.