Globalization Courses

Globalization is the ongoing process of the intertwining and integration of economies and cultures around the world. While the history of globalization dates back at least several centuries to the “age of exploration” driven by European countries beginning in the 15th century, and could be considered to date back millennia to the continent-spanning migrations and wars of the great ancient civilizations, globalization typically refers to the rapidly accelerating interactions between countries spurred on by advances in communications and transportation technologies since the 18th century. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the advent of the internet, the 21st century has seen this process accelerate even further, and understanding globalization is of essential importance to understanding today’s world.

The impacts of globalization are as diverse and multifaceted as the countries that this process is steadily weaving together. We see it perhaps most obviously in the realm of culture, where American movies, Korean pop music, and Mexican cuisine have become incredibly popular around the world. The realities of globalization also increasingly drive the economy, with international businesses and supply chains connecting consumers with innovative products at low costs. Globalization is also impacting concerns around international security, with risks around issues like cyber-crime and terrorism as well as tensions around migration and trade becoming increasingly important as well as difficult to manage.

No matter what your interests are in the world of business, culture, or politics, the accelerating flows of globalization are creating new opportunities as well as new potential challenges to tackle. Learning about this far-reaching historical phenomenon is critical to understanding the lay of the land today - and where the world may be heading in the future.‎

An understanding of the myriad of ways that globalization is shaping the economy is essential for many careers in business. Whether you’re overseeing the logistics of a manufacturing company looking to take advantage of overseas supply chains, a branding guru trying to develop truly global marketing campaigns that can reach culturally diverse consumers, or an analyst in the world of finance trying to anticipate shifts in global commodity markets, the ability to understand and anticipate the opportunities and challenges presented by globalization can give you an edge.

If you want to dig into the macroeconomic data of globalization and shape how businesses and governments understand this phenomenon, you can pursue a career as an economist. These expert researchers and analysts typically have a master’s degree or a doctorate and may choose to specialize in the study of specific industries like healthcare or energy or decide to look more broadly at issues such as employment levels, tax policy, and international business cycles. Globalization is elevating the importance of economists; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, economists earned a median annual salary of $105,020 in 2019, and these roles are expected to grow much faster than average.‎

Absolutely! Coursera offers a wealth of learning opportunities on a wide range of topics in business and politics, including courses that focus specifically on globalization and its impacts in specific fields. Appropriately for the subject of globalization, Coursera also lets you learn about this phenomenon from top-ranked universities from all over the world, including IE Business School, Universiteit Leiden, Sciences Po, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of New Mexico. Regardless of where you choose to learn from, the ability to view course materials and complete assignments on a flexible schedule lets you focus on your education - and not on planning it around your existing work, family life, or time zone.‎

If you're interested in making a difference in the world and you embrace the idea of immersing yourself in another culture, globalization (or global studies) might be the right college curriculum for you. Drawing broadly from the humanities and social sciences, globalization looks at issues affecting various cultures around the world and explores possible solutions. If you proceed down this educational road, you'll be studying a broad range of subjects, from political science and economics to geography and history.‎

Because the global studies curriculum is so broad, you can go in many different directions when it comes to a career. You might decide to enter law school or become a legal assistant. You can be a government official, a diplomat, or a political analyst. If you're interested in the corporate side of things, you might want to be a marketing director, a human resources manager, or a business consultant for a multinational company. If you're inspired by the idea of public service, you can run a non-profit agency or become a civil service worker, a public health expert, or a human rights advocate. If you wish to work for a college or university, you might consider teaching a global studies class or conducting social science or economic research.‎

With a background in global studies you can go to work at state and national governments, private and non-profit corporations, law firms, hospitals and clinics, humanitarian agencies, travel agencies, newspapers and magazines, and churches. Intelligence agencies like the CIA and NSA also hire people with a global studies background.‎

Because globalization has to do with other cultures, a few related topics you can study include foreign languages, linguistics, art, music, and agriculture. When it comes to building roads and bridges around the world, civil engineering is useful, and other topics that go hand-in-hand with globalization include teaching, pre-med courses, and criminal justice.‎