The interdisciplinary Minor in Global Engagement and Research is open to baccalaureate students in all majors and degree programs. The minor is based on the idea that in an increasingly globalized environment, success requires the ability to navigate a dynamic multicultural terrain, whether in Houston, across the nation, or internationally, and that in developing that global awareness and perspective, students should build upon what they learn in the classroom through meaningful engagement with the communities they are studying and seek to understand.
Two aspects of the minor will make it distinct: global is not defined as international, but more broadly, as including Houston and its region, the nation, and the world. This global focus will be designed for the student to explore questions about how a specific place and its physical, political, economic, social, historical, and cultural topography make a difference relative to other locales.
Said another way, the minor addresses the question, "what difference does 'here' make?" In addition, each elective course approved for the minor will include a significant experiential learning component; this engagement, ranging from Learning Abroad/Learning Away experiences to service learning or community research components, will differentiate the minor from a traditional, classroom-restricted approach to global and international studies.