About the Year-Long Program
Globalization and International Relations is a social science course that introduces
students to the forces, events, individuals, and issues that define the increasing
interaction and interdependence of the people and nations of our 21st century world.
The curriculum's presentations, interactive workshops, readings, writing prompts,
team and individual student projects are based on the disciplines of geography, political
science, economics, anthropology, sociology, and international studies.
This course was created through a unique collaboration between the UCI School of Social Sciences' faculty and graduate students, and the educators and administrators at Saddleback Valley Unified School District's Laguna Hills High School and Newport Mesa Unified School District's Newport Harbor High School. Teacher and student editions of the GlobalScope Curriculum Guides were developed at UCI to assist in the introduction and implementation of the course.
The course addresses Thematic Strand IX: Global Connections of the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and incorporates key standards defined in the California State Standards and Framework.
The course will teach students to relate and recognize the direct impact that forces of globalization have on the economic, political, social, and cultural development of nations and regions of the world. Students will also be introduced to core concepts of international relations and expected to apply these theoretical concepts to a range of specific contemporary case studies or simulations.
Course Syllabus
SEMESTER I: GLOBALIZATION
Volume I: Introduction to Globalization
- Introduction to Globalization
- Our Earth
- Nation-States
- Globalization & the Global Citizen
- Appreciating Cultural Diversity
- Immigration
- Media Literacy
- Climate Change
Volume II: Project of Change
- Introduction to Sustainable Development Goals
- Creating an Original Project of Change
- Hunger, Poverty, & Food Scarcity
- Water & Sanitation: Water Crisis
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Capstone Project: Creation of Original NGOs
Volume III: Comparing the Wealth of Nations
- Defining Economic Roots of Globalization
- Defining Wealth
- Infrastructure
- Inequality
- Comparing the Wealth of Nations
- Origins of Trade
- Multinational Corporations
Capstone Project: Comparing Nation-States
SEMESTER II: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Volume IV: Introduction to International Relations
- Exploring Foreign Policy
- Fragile States
- Introduction to Human Rights
- Genocide
- Introduction to Voting Systems
Capstone Project: International Reporter’s Notebook
Volume V: Hot Topics & Hot Spots
- Freedom of Expression
- Cybersecurity
- Nuclear Proliferation
- Terrorism
- Immigration & the Refugee Crisis
- Public Health and Pandemics
- AI/ML and Society
Volume VI: Generation Z - On the Path to Global Citizenship
- Generation Z
- Social Media
- Social Movements
- Global Citizen
Capstone Project: On the Path to Global Citizenship