Global Studies

AAS Degree:  Global Studies

Certificate:  Global Studies

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Global Studies is a credential a student at Jefferson Community and Technical College can obtain that demonstrates that the student has acquired a basic global competency and literacy. The degree is designed to prepare students to be more globally aware and globally literate employees and citizens of the commonwealth of Kentucky, the United States, and the world. It exposes students to a diverse set of competencies which will prepare them to live and work in settings with diverse ethnic and cultural populations and to function more effectively as members of an increasingly interconnected world.

 Following the Stanley Foundation and the American Council on International and Intercultural Education (ACIIE), an arm of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), global competency exists when a learner is able to:

• Understand the interconnectedness of peoples and systems

• Have a general knowledge of history and world events

• Accept and cope with the existence of different cultural values and attitudes and

• Celebrate the richness and benefits of diversity

Because we at JCTC believe that global literacy is essential to an undergraduate education and to the social, cultural and economic prosperity of Kentucky, the common objective of this degree program is to foster as many of the following basic competencies of a globally literate student:

• A knowledge of world history and geography

• A knowledge of current international affairs

• An understanding of interrelated “global issues,” including economic, political, environmental, social/cultural, and scientific issues

• The ability to understand and appreciate cultural differences and similarities

• The ability to have a self-awareness of bias

• Proficiency in a language other than English

• Exposure to and proficiency in technical skills and knowledge: (information literacy skills and the new language of the global economy)

Students will choose from a selected list of over 80 courses taken from the General Education Course listings under the headings of Social Interaction, Science, Heritage, Humanities/Fine Arts, and Foreign Language that have a strong international and/or intercultural focus. All the courses in the program are taught by the diverse and highly qualified General Education faculty at Jefferson Community and Technical College.