Program FAQs
What is the Global Citizenship Program?
How much time will I have to commit to the Program?
What type of plan of study can I expect and how will it fit into my existing Lehigh curriculum?
What can a student expect out of the Global Citizenship curriculum?
How are faculty involved in the Global Citizenship Program?
What is the travel component for the Global Citizenship Program?
What is the cost of the Program?
What will a student receive upon completion of the program?
How do I apply to the program?
What is the Global Citizenship Program?
Lehigh University ’s Global Citizenship Program is a cross-college co-curricular certificate designed to attract students from all fields, including engineering and science, business, arts, humanities and social sciences. Envisioned as a “backpack” – or a set of courses and experiences that any student can fit into her/his major – the program requires students to examine the questions of meaning and value associated with the theme of "citizenship" within today’s "global" world.
How much time will I have to commit to the Program?
The Global Citizenship Program spans four years of study. Students will begin the Global Citizenship Program in their Freshman Year and complete it during their last year at Lehigh. A typical plan of study includes two to three courses per year. Year one and three also require a travel-abroad component. The option to register for more than the minimum required Global Citizenship courses is encouraged.
Please note that all of the Global Citizenship courses not only meet the program requirements, but also can count towards the student’s major or minor of study. Consultation with an academic advisor is recommended.
What type of plan of study can I expect and how will it fit into my existing Lehigh curriculum?
The Global Citizenship Program consists of 23 to 27 credits. 7 of these credits will be awarded during a student's Freshman Year, as the Program requires all freshmen to take specially designed English courses rather than the standard freshman English 1 and 2, in addition to a 1-credit practicum that prepares students for their Winter Intersession Trip. Incoming freshman who have AP or IB credits in English can apply these credits as Humanities credits. Other requirements include a language/communication/study abroad experience, focused seminars and interdisciplinary courses, and the completion of a capstone thesis project. A minimum of two co-curricular activities are required each semester, and can range from internship opportunities to on-campus speaker series to participation in international on-campus events. Apart from fulfilling the program’s requirements, Global Citizenship courses may also double-count towards the student’s major, minor, or elective courses.
What can a student expect out of the Global Citizenship curriculum?
The curriculum will focus on various content areas: trade and commerce, environment and ecology, comparative cultures and identity, creative expression, imagery and the arts, science and technology, and language and communication. All content areas will be concerned with critical perspectives of ethical responsibility, humanistic values, and cultural/religious/institutional awareness associated with the theme of "global citizenship."
How are faculty involved in the Global Citizenship Program?
Faculty development is a core commitment of the Global Citizenship Program at Lehigh University. Faculty participation in the program - from offering Global Citizenship courses on campus, to working with students in international projects, to advising students in fashioning their studies, to leading international trips - is vital to the program's potential transformative effect on the lives of students. To that end, select faculty participate in the annual Global Citizenship faculty seminar which provides an inter-disciplinary forum for course and curriculum innovation in light of the Global Citizenship mission. Many faculty offer courses that cross list as Global Citizenship courses.
What is the travel component for the Global Citizenship Program?
Travel is the distinctive element of the Global Citizenship Program. The first-semester experience introduces students to not only writing and communication in a global context, but also prepares them for their 10-12 day intersession travel experience. Travel will take students to destinations where they experience the challenge of negotiating otherness and confronts them with the human face of globalization. Cultural and academic activities are organized by Lehigh staff, and Lehigh faculty accompany students on this intersession trip.
It is expected that students will participate in an additional study abroad experience. Acceptable study abroad experiences must be at least 5 weeks in length, take place in a non-English speaking country, and include language instruction. Home-stay is encouraged. Students are encouraged to spend a semester abroad, but summer programs are acceptable. Students may choose to return to the country they visited during their Freshman Year, or they may travel to another country that faces current global challenges.
What is the cost of the Program?
In addition to regular tuition, students are expected to contribute $500 towards the Freshmen Intersession Trip. This contribution helps subsidize the cost of travel, lodging, food, and cultural experiences. Students are also responsible for other summer or intersession study abroad costs.
What will a student receive upon completion of the program?
A certificate in Global Citizenship. Completion of the Program will also be listed on one's academic transcript.
How do I apply to the program?
For further program information and application material, please contact Magdalena Grudzinski-Hall, Program Development Officer at (610)758-3014 or via e-mail at magdalena@lehigh.edu. Applicants will be evaluated on their essays, letters of recommendation, interest in service and/or civic engagement, interest in language and study abroad, and extracurricular activities. A telephone interview may be required. Lehigh’s Global Citizenship Program recruits for diversity and expects students from a variety of backgrounds and differing career goals. We expect to admit 30 students annually.