Best colleges for International/Globalization Studies
A program that focuses on global and international issues from the perspective of the social sciences, social services, and related fields.
303 U.S. institutions graduated 4,972 International/Globalization Studies students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 30.2001, a specialization of International/Globalization Studies (CIP 30.20), and leads most directly to the Political Scientists occupation (BLS SOC 19-3094).
About International/Globalization Studies programs
A program that focuses on global and international issues from the perspective of the social sciences, social services, and related fields.
See also: 45.0901 - International Relations and Affairs.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The International/Globalization Studies program focuses on global and international issues through the lens of social sciences and related fields. It is designed for students interested in understanding complex global dynamics and their impact on societies. This interdisciplinary program prepares graduates to engage with various global challenges and opportunities.
Students in this program develop essential skills such as critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication. Coursework often includes topics related to law, government, history, and communications, equipping students with a broad understanding of global issues and the ability to analyze them from multiple perspectives.
Credentials awarded
What International/Globalization Studies graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree3,843 graduates / yr · 251 institutions77%
- Master's degree753 graduates / yr · 41 institutions15%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year228 graduates / yr · 36 institutions4.6%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate63 graduates / yr · 12 institutions1.3%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years38 graduates / yr · 3 institutions0.8%
- Associate's degree26 graduates / yr · 9 institutions0.5%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship16 graduates / yr · 4 institutions0.3%
- Award of less than 12 weeks5 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
Graduates over time
International/Globalization Studies completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 6,558 |
| 2013 | 7,000 |
| 2014 | 7,059 |
| 2015 | 6,980 |
| 2016 | 6,929 |
| 2017 | 6,914 |
| 2018 | 7,376 |
| 2019 | 7,321 |
| 2020 | 7,166 |
| 2021 | 6,606 |
| 2022 | 5,966 |
| 2023 | 5,760 |
| 2024 | 5,130 |
| 2025 | 4,972 |
Top 50 institutions for International/Globalization Studies, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field starting salary* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicBachelor's | 369 | 86% | — | $45,168 |
| 2 | American Public University System Charles Town, WVPrivate for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sPost-degree cert.Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 254 | 57% | $10,199 | $64,133 |
| 3 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor's | 160 | 89% | — | $42,701 |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 145 | 97% | $22,055 | — |
| 5 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor's | 122 | 84% | — | $41,886 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor's | 119 | 93% | — | $44,446 |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 115 | 83% | — | $33,553 |
| 8 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 112 | 87% | — | $33,388 |
| 9 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor's | 106 | 74% | — | $33,892 |
| 10 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearDoctoralMaster's | 101 | 68% | — | $37,161 |
| 11 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 88 | 74% | — | — |
| 12 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 83 | 93% | — | $46,660 |
| 13 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 77 | 0% | — | $37,161 |
| 14 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 75 | 65% | — | $36,883 |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WIPublicBachelor's | 75 | 90% | — | $40,594 |
| 16 | Northeastern University Professional Programs Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 73 | — | — | — |
| 17 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 67 | 91% | $21,126 | $51,371 |
| 18 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OKPublicBachelor'sMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 64 | 75% | — | $32,129 |
| 19 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor's | 63 | 91% | — | $29,043 |
| 20 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, INPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 59 | 95% | $19,452 | $69,362 |
| 21 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 57 | 94% | $14,126 | $38,854 |
| 22 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 57 | 85% | — | $45,648 |
| 23 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZPublicMaster'sBachelor'sPost-degree cert. | 56 | 68% | — | $27,416 |
| 24 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicBachelor's | 53 | 78% | — | $38,953 |
| 25 | University of Oregon Eugene, ORPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 52 | 72% | — | $28,502 |
| 26 | University of North Texas Denton, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 49 | 61% | — | $30,621 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania State University University Park, PAPublicMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearPost-degree cert. | 47 | 86% | — | — |
| 28 | DePaul University Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 45 | 68% | $28,141 | $41,636 |
| 29 | College of Charleston Charleston, SCPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 45 | 66% | — | $25,764 |
| 30 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicBachelor's | 42 | 81% | — | $38,410 |
| 31 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, COPublicBachelor's | 38 | 67% | — | $28,919 |
| 32 | Georgetown University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 38 | 95% | $22,242 | — |
| 33 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 36 | 69% | — | — |
| 34 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor's | 35 | 93% | — | $39,082 |
| 35 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, IDPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 35 | 55% | $6,760 | $29,287 |
| 36 | Texas State University San Marcos, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 35 | 55% | — | $37,397 |
| 37 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NCPublicBachelor's | 31 | 71% | — | $21,830 |
| 38 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor's | 30 | 69% | — | — |
| 39 | Brandeis University Waltham, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 30 | 86% | $25,074 | $36,874 |
| 40 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicMaster's | 29 | 68% | — | — |
| 41 | University of South Alabama Mobile, ALPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearBachelor's | 28 | 53% | — | — |
| 42 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor's | 28 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 43 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 28 | 90% | — | — |
| 44 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor's | 28 | 69% | — | $32,206 |
| 45 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 27 | 73% | $33,454 | — |
| 46 | University of Wyoming Laramie, WYPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 27 | 59% | — | $29,132 |
| 47 | Purdue University Global West Lafayette, INPublicPost-degree cert. | 25 | 50% | — | — |
| 48 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, COPublicBachelor's | 24 | 88% | — | — |
| 49 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor's | 23 | 69% | — | $31,589 |
| 50 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 23 | 71% | — | $26,104 |
* Field starting salary (1 yr): median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader International/Globalization Studies field (CIP 30.20) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 51 states & territories
Where International/Globalization Studies graduates come from. Each state links to all International/Globalization Studies programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3094, Political Scientists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the International/Globalization Studies program can pursue careers as political scientists or educators in social sciences. While the job outlook for this field is projected to decline by 3.1%, there are approximately 500 annual openings. The median wage for political scientists is $139,380, and a master's degree is typically required for advancement.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 30.2001
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Political Scientistsprimary SOC 19-3094 | $142,080 | -3.1% Decline | ~500 | Master's degree |
Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other SOC 25-1069 | $72,990 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~1,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in International/Globalization Studies programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Teach political science.
- Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
- Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
- Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
- Advise political science students.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, such as election results and public opinion surveys, reporting on findings, recommendations, and conclusions.
Tools and technology used
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, or a postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, writing, and mathematics.
What careers can I pursue?+
You can work as a political scientist or a social sciences teacher, among other roles.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is projected to decline by 3.1%, with around 500 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for International/Globalization Studies?+
International/Globalization Studies is CIP 30.2001 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within International/Globalization Studies (CIP 30.20). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on global and international issues from the perspective of the social sciences, social services, and related fields.
How many institutions offer International/Globalization Studies programs?+
303 U.S. institutions reported International/Globalization Studies graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 51 states & territories, awarding 4,972 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all International/Globalization Studies graduates.
How much do International/Globalization Studies graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Political Scientists occupation, which International/Globalization Studies most directly leads to, pays a median of $142,080 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader International/Globalization Studies field report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $32,819, College Scorecard.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all International/Globalization Studies graduates, so its figures match the International/Globalization Studies program page.
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