B.A. FAQs
Admitted Students
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 do this through Yale College’s Office of Career Strategy (Derek Webster oversees the process).
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.
- 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.
What if I want to keep my faculty adviser who teaches in Global Affairs?
Yes, you can keep your adviser. You may also request a specific faculty member who teaches in Global Affairs as an advisor.
Does the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education have to sign my schedule?
No. However, students pursuing a double major or combination of a major and (one or two) certificate(s), or similar, are encouraged to meet with the DUS/Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education to discuss their plan of study, after creating and sharing a spreadsheet outlining a concrete plan to complete both/all academic programs successfully in time for graduation.
If I have tested out of one or both introductory economics courses, is the course requirement waived? Which courses should be taken in place of those requirements?
Students who have tested out of Intro to Microeconomics and/or Intro to Macroeconomics 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 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. 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 one semester-long course, or two courses during a full semester abroad, may be petitioned.
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 courses I completed prior to being admitted to the major count toward my Global Affairs requirements?
Yes, as long as they have the same attributes or course numbers (for example, an attribute as a YC GLBL Elective) as the requirement(s) in question, and, for those admitted starting Fall 2025, any courses that are clearly noted according to the Global Affairs major course requirements for students accepted during or after Fall 2025.
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 admitted starting Fall 2025), and “YC GLBL Elective” and “YC GLBL 121 Alternative” courses for all Global Affairs majors.
Does Latin or American Sign Language (ASL) 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.
Can my class in _____ count as the core course in development or international security?
No. All Global Affairs majors must take GLBL 225 and GLBL 275.
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 or plan on taking 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.
How many courses can be taken credit/d/fail toward the major’s requirements?
None of the courses required for the major can be taken credit/d/fail. Only an L5 (if admitted prior to Fall 2025) or L4 (if admitted starting Fall 2025) 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.
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.
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.
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. Students are presented with their project prior to the start of the semester. Working together as a group, and with their faculty instructor, the students will complete the project over the course of the semester.
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 applying to 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 if I am admitted?
In addition to working toward Yale College Distributional Requirements, students interested in applying to the major are strongly encouraged to 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. These courses are all required for the updated major and progress toward completing them, at the time of application, will be considered.
All students interested in applying to 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. Enrollment in the first AQA requirement (GLBL 2121) is also considered at the time of application. 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).
Do you have a waitlist for admission?
Global Affairs does not have a waitlist for admission. Students accepted into the Global Affairs major will be notified and must confirm their acceptance of the offer.
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.
Is there an “intensive major” option?
No.
What do you look for in a Global Affairs application?
Applicants will be assessed by a combination of preparedness (in terms of having taken recommended courses required for the major, such as the introductory political science, economics, or history courses, Quantitative Analysis I or an acceptable substitute, or the language requirement) and academic performance. Overall, we look for applicants with a strong foundation in analytical skills and frameworks, a clear roadmap to the successful completion of the major, a demonstrated record of academic excellence, and an exceptional interest in addressing the complex challenges that we face as concerned global citizens.
How many students are admitted to the major each year?
Historically, we have accepted anywhere from 50-90 students per year. However, it would be best to attend the information sessions (usually listed here) to get the most accurate number in the year in which you are applying.
When can I apply for the major?
Each fall, the call for applications is posted on the Jackson School website, circulated through Residential College deans’ offices, and noted in Yale's Advising Resources .
Global Health Scholar FAQs
General Questions
I’m interested in global health. How can I learn more about the Global Health Studies Program?
Welcome! The Global Health Studies Multidisciplinary Academic Program (MAP) is an interdisciplinary program for a select group of Yale undergraduates, called Global Health Scholars, who apply to the program during the fall of their sophomore year. The Global Health Studies MAP provides rigorous training in interdisciplinary global health methods and practice.
The Global Health Studies MAP runs within Yale’s Jackson Institute of Global Affairs. Scholars engage with an outstanding range of undergraduate and graduate students, Faculty, Fellows, and practitioners. Scholars take courses in a variety of Global Health Studies electives and have the opportunity to participate in a range of speaker sessions and social occasions, examining critical issues in global health. Upon completion of the program, Scholars receive a certificate in Global Health Studies, which is listed on their Yale transcript.
To learn more about the program, please feel free to explore the Global Health Studies website, learn more about our exceptional Scholars and terrific faculty, check out our events, attend the information session, and be in touch!
When is the information session?
We hold an information session in the fall, typically in mid-October, with details posted on our events page. We open applications to enrolled sophomores in early November. Applications are typically due just due before Thanksgiving, and we communicate decisions over winter break. You can check our events page for more details on the information session in the fall and the How to Apply section for the application.
Can I declare any major and still apply to the program?
Yes! We take students from a wide array of backgrounds and majors with interests in global health. One of the unique parts of a MAP is the ability to interact with a range of Yale students across many different majors. You will pursue common interests in global health through different majors, methods, and perspectives.
What are the Global Health Studies Program requirements?
Please see the requirements page of our website for details. In brief, Scholars take the introductory lecture course (HLTH 230: Global Health: Challenges and Responses) in their sophomore or junior years, the senior colloquium (HLTH 490: Global Health Research Colloquium) in their final year, and achieve global health competencies through their major and four Global Health Studies electives.
Can I study abroad while in the GHS MAP?
If it works with your major and MAP requirements, absolutely! If you need the courses taken abroad to count toward the GHS electives, please see this answer. In general, you are expected to fulfill your competencies with courses taken during your terms at Yale.
GHS Application Questions
Where do I find the application?
Details on the application process are posted on the How to Apply section of the website here.
If I missed the deadline, can I still apply?
We’re sorry, but no, we cannot accept late applications.
Is an unofficial transcript acceptable for the application?
Yes. You may upload an unofficial transcript or, if necessary, a screen shot documenting courses taken at Yale and applicable grades.
Can I ask a research mentor, my lab’s principal investigator, or a teaching fellow to be my recommender?
Yes, a Yale faculty member, research mentor, PI, or teaching fellow who has familiarity with your academic interests can serve as your recommender.
My recommender is not from Yale. What can I do?
A Yale recommender is preferable, but on occasion, we can accept a reference letter from a recommender outside of the Yale community, such as a summer internship mentor or employer.
If my application is accepted, what do I need to do?
Congratulations! We will ask you to fill out a form committing to the program during the winter break. You will also be contacted by the GHS Program Manager to plan courses and competency electives for the program, and receive notices for welcome events for the Global Health Scholar community.
If my application is not accepted, what can I do?
We’re sorry we cannot accept all qualified applicants because entry in this Program is particularly competitive. Please note that we do not provide feedback on applications. We hope you continue to pursue your interests in global health; many of the global health courses and events are open to the wider Yale community.
What if I have another question not included here?
Please feel free to get in touch with us on the contact form or by emailing the GHS Program Manager, Cara Fallon.
GHS Courses and Competencies
What are global health competencies?
Global health is an interdisciplinary field of study. All Scholars are expected to meet six global health competency areas during their time in the program.
These are:
- Biological & Environmental Influences on Health
- Historical Approaches
- Health & Societies
- Performance & Representation
- Political Economy & Governance
- Understanding & Interpreting Quantitative Data
For the competency areas, do I need to meet all six?
Yes. Scholars meet two competency areas automatically through their major and the other four areas by taking four Global Health Studies electives that do not overlap with the courses required for the major.
Which competencies do I meet through my major?
You will discuss these with the GHS Program Manager.
If I am a double major, do I still need to take four non-overlapping electives?
No. Double majors earn two competency areas for each major, amounting to four competencies. However, double majors must ensure that at least two courses in their major requirements demonstrate coverage of global health (based on the course title, description, or syllabus) and register these courses with the GHS Program Manager. Double majors meet the final two competency areas by taking two GHS electives that do not overlap with either major.
How do I know if a course I’d like to take meets a certain competency area?
Before each term, a spreadsheet of recommended courses and their associated competencies is posted on the requirements section of the website. If a course is not listed on this sheet and you believe it will meet a particular area, you may submit a petition to the GHS Program Manager by emailing the syllabus and specifying what competency area it fulfills.
Can one course count for two competencies?
No. One course counts for one competency area. Where courses fulfill two competency areas, as specified on the recommended course list, you must choose which competency they fulfill for your Global Health Studies requirements.
Can I change which competencies I count a particular course toward?
Yes. Adjustments can be made as you progress through the program. As long as the course was listed as fulfilling more than one competency area in the recommended course list, you can petition the GHS Program Manager to switch competencies areas. Please email your request with the course number, previous competency met, new competency you’d like the course to fulfill, and the spreadsheet detailing the recommended course list and competency areas.
If I have already taken courses listed on the recommended course list before being accepted to the program, can I count them toward the competency areas?
Yes.
Can I take a class Credit/D/Fail and count it for the competency area?
No. Courses must be taken for a letter grade to fulfill a competency area.
Can I use study abroad courses to count toward competency areas?
Courses completed abroad that are not listed for a grade on your Yale transcript cannot count toward the GHS competency areas. Courses completed abroad may only meet a given competency area if: 1) the courses are listed for a grade on your Yale transcript, 2) the course satisfies the scope and competency requirements as listed on the website, and 3) you submit a petition to the GHS Program Manager by emailing your request with the course number, course syllabus, competency you’d like to fulfill, and a transcript documenting a letter grade for the course.
Grand Strategy Student FAQs
What is the Grand Strategy Program?
The Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy is a year-long academic opportunity that consists of:
- a two-semester seminar
- a summer research funding opportunity
- supplemental events and activities (like dinners and conferences) with professors, alumni, and practitioners (diplomats, politicians, military personnel, media experts, and social reformers)
What do you do in the Grand Strategy class?
In the Grand Strategy class, we learn how to achieve large ends with limited means, whether in military conflict, foreign policy, domestic politics, or social movements. This is done by studying and discussing readings from authors like Machiavelli, Frederick Douglass, Che Guevera, and Immanuel Kant. The program emphasizes interaction between academics and practitioners, and between participants of differing political views.
We also learn how to apply this knowledge in the real world by way of interactions between academics and practitioners at dinners and conferences. In addition to this, students participate in group presentations of strategy briefs to high-level officials and a summer fellowship.
Should I apply?
Yes! To be eligible, you must be either an undergraduate in their junior year or a Yale University masters or doctoral student.
What does the application process entail?
The application consists of
- a few biographical questions
- providing one Yale faculty reference (but not a letter of recommendation)
- cover letter (which expresses your interest in Grand Strategy, relevant course and extracurricular work, and what you wish to obtain from the course)
- resume
- unofficial academic transcript
- (if you move onto the final round) a ten-minute interview
Who is involved with the program (i.e. professors/alumni/current students)?
Students in the Grand Strategy program arrive with a wide variety of backgrounds and academic interests which include, but are not limited to, foreign policy, social change, geopolitics, racial justice, immigration, military strategy, climate change, and so much more. You can view all current students here.
The program is directed by Professor Mary Sarotte, supported by a group of senior Yale faculty and staff.
M.A.S. FAQs
M.P.P. FAQs