Global Studies and Languages

an illustration and a painting of a man from the 1800s

Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan, 1853-1854. (Image courtesy of Visualizing Cultures.)


MIT Global Studies and Languages (GSL) offers a rich collection of courses, seminar series, and research projects to give students the training they need to be thoughtful and active global citizens. Global engagement requires sensitivity to enduring local differences—language, culture, history, politics and more. Subject offerings allow students to attain both linguistic and intercultural competence.

Formerly named Foreign Languages and Literatures, MIT Global Studies and Languages is committed to promoting research agendas that will transform international cultural studies for the 21st century while also training students to be the next generation of engaged global citizens. To accomplish these goals, we offer a rich collection of courses, seminar series, and research projects that explore global connection and local differences. Contrary to some early predictions, globalization has not eliminated cultural diversity. Rather, global engagement requires sensitivity to enduring national distinctiveness in terms of language, culture, history, politics, and more.

We aim to be a hub for research and teaching on subjects that investigate international diversity. Subject offerings allow students to attain both linguistic competence and a solid understanding of cultural and historical contexts. GSL faculty encompass a number of disciplines, including anthropology, history, linguistics, cultural studies, and political sociology.


Global Studies and Languages Courses

Course # Course Title Level
21G.010 Introduction to European and Latin American Fiction Undergraduate
21G.011 Topics in Indian Popular Culture: Spectacle, Masala, and Genre Undergraduate
21G.013 Out of Ground Zero: Catastrophe and Memory Undergraduate
21G.017 Germany and its European Context Undergraduate
21G.019 Communicating Across Cultures (Spring 2005) Undergraduate
21G.020J After Columbus Undergraduate
21G.022J International Women's Voices Undergraduate
21G.024J Linguistic Studies of Bilingualism Undergraduate
21G.027 Asia in the Modern World: Images & Representations (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
21G.030 East Asian Culture: From Zen to K-Pop (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
21G.031J Topics in the Avant-Garde in Literature and Cinema Undergraduate
21G.034 Media Education and the Marketplace Undergraduate
21G.035 Topics in Culture and Globalization: Reggae as Transnational Culture (Fall 2010) Undergraduate
21G.035 Topics in Culture and Globalization (Fall 2003) Undergraduate
21G.039J Gender and Japanese Popular Culture (Fall 2015) Undergraduate
21G.040 A Passage to India: Introduction to Modern Indian Culture and Society Undergraduate
21G.041 Topics in South Asian Literature and Culture Undergraduate
21G.043J Introduction to Asian American Studies: Literature, Culture, and Historical Experience Undergraduate
21G.044 Classics of Chinese Literature Undergraduate
21G.049 French Photography Undergraduate
21G.052 French Film Classics Undergraduate
21G.053 Understanding Contemporary French Politics Undergraduate
21G.056 Visual Histories: German Cinema 1945 to Present Undergraduate
21G.059 European Thought and Culture Undergraduate
21G.061 Advanced Topics: Plotting Terror in European Culture Undergraduate
21G.064 Intro to Japanese Culture (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
21G.065 Japanese Literature and Cinema (Fall 2013) Undergraduate
21G.067J Cultural Performances of Asia Undergraduate
21G.068J The Invention of French Theory: A History of Transatlantic Intellectual Life since 1945 Undergraduate
21G.069J Race and Gender in Asian America Undergraduate
21G.076 Globalization: the Good, the Bad, and the In-Between Undergraduate
21G.084J Introduction to Latin American Studies (Fall 2006) Undergraduate
21G.084J Introduction to Latin American Studies (Fall 2005) Undergraduate
21G.098J Working in a Global Economy Undergraduate
21G.101 Chinese I (Regular) (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
21G.102 Chinese II (Regular) (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
21G.103 Chinese III (Regular) (Fall 2005) Undergraduate
21G.103 Chinese III (Regular) (Fall 2003) Undergraduate
21G.104 Chinese IV (Regular) (Spring 2006) Undergraduate
21G.104 Chinese IV (Regular) (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
21G.105 Chinese V (Regular): Chinese Cultures & Society Undergraduate
21G.106 Chinese VI (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and Societies Undergraduate
21G.107 Chinese I (Streamlined) (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
21G.108 Chinese II (Streamlined) (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
21G.109 Chinese III (Streamlined) Undergraduate
21G.110 Chinese IV (Streamlined) Undergraduate
21G.114 Chinese VI (Streamlined) Undergraduate
21G.171 Chinese I (Regular) (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
21G.181 Chinese I (Streamlined) (Fall 2014) Undergraduate
21G.191 Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese East Asia (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
21G.193 East Asian Culture: From Zen to K-Pop (Spring 2015) Undergraduate
21G.214 High-Intermediate Academic Communication (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
21G.222 Expository Writing for Bilingual Students Undergraduate
21G.223 Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
21G.226 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering (ELS) (Spring 2007) Undergraduate
21G.228 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Social Sciences and Architecture (ELS) (Spring 2007) Undergraduate
21G.232 Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening Skills (ELS) (Spring 2007) Undergraduate
21G.301 French I (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
21G.302 French II (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
21G.311 Introduction to French Culture Undergraduate
21G.312 Basic Themes in French Literature and Culture Undergraduate
21G.315 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Contemporary French Society Undergraduate
21G.321 Childhood and Youth in French and Francophone Cultures Undergraduate
21G.325J New Culture of Gender: Queer France Undergraduate
21G.341 Contemporary French Film and Social Issues Undergraduate
21G.346 Topics in Modern French Literature and Culture: Global Paris Undergraduate
21G.346 Topics in Modern French Literature and Culture: North America Through French Eyes Undergraduate
21G.347 Contemporary Short French Fiction: Social and Literary Trends since 1990 Undergraduate
21G.401 German I (Fall 2008) Undergraduate
21G.402 German II (Spring 2005) Undergraduate
21G.403 German III Undergraduate
21G.404 German IV Undergraduate
21G.405 Germany Today: Intensive Study of German Language and Culture Undergraduate
21G.412 Advanced German Literature & Culture: Madness, Murder, Mysteries Undergraduate
21G.412 Texts, Topics, and Times in German Literature Undergraduate
21G.414 German Culture, Media, and Society Undergraduate
21G.451 German I (Fall 2008) Undergraduate
21G.471 German I (Fall 2008) Undergraduate
21G.501 Japanese I (Fall 2012) Undergraduate
21G.502 Japanese II (Spring 2013) Undergraduate
21G.503 Intermediate Japanese I Undergraduate
21G.504 Japanese IV Undergraduate
21G.505 Advanced Japanese I Undergraduate
21G.506 Advanced Japanese II Undergraduate
21G.590 Asia in the Modern World: Images & Representations (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
21G.591 Gender and Japanese Popular Culture (Fall 2015) Undergraduate
21G.592 Intro to Japanese Culture (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
21G.593 Japanese Literature and Cinema (Fall 2013) Undergraduate
21G.701 Spanish I Undergraduate
21G.702 Spanish II (Spring 2004) Undergraduate
21G.703 Spanish III Undergraduate
21G.704 Spanish IV Undergraduate
21G.705 Oral Communication in Spanish Undergraduate
21G.711 Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition Undergraduate
21G.712 Spanish Conversation and Composition Undergraduate
21G.714 Spanish for Bilingual Students Undergraduate
21G.716 Introduction to Contemporary Hispanic Literature (Fall 2007) Undergraduate
21G.716 Introduction to Contemporary Hispanic Literature (Spring 2005) Undergraduate
21G.717 Introduction to Spanish Culture Undergraduate
21G.730 Hispanic America: One Hundred Years of Literature and Film Undergraduate
21G.735 Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature and Film: The Films of Luis Buñuel Undergraduate
21G.740J The New Spain:1977-Present Undergraduate
21G.801 Portuguese I (Fall 2011) Undergraduate
21G.802 Portuguese II (Spring 2012) Undergraduate
21G.820 Portuguese Advanced Conversation and Composition Undergraduate
21G.880 Accelerated Introductory Portuguese for Spanish Speakers (Fall 2013) Undergraduate
21G.991 Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese East Asia (Fall 2004) Undergraduate
21G.S01 Modern Mexico: Representations of Mexico City's Urban Life Undergraduate
21G.021 Communicating Across Cultures (Spring 2005) Graduate
21G.034 Media, Education, and the Marketplace Graduate
21G.037 Topics in Culture and Globalization: Reggae as Transnational Culture (Fall 2010) Graduate
21G.037 Topics in Culture and Globalization (Fall 2003) Graduate
21G.151 Chinese I (Regular) (Fall 2014) Graduate
21G.152 Chinese II (Regular) (Spring 2015) Graduate
21G.157 Chinese I (Streamlined) (Fall 2014) Graduate
21G.158 Chinese II (Streamlined) (Spring 2015) Graduate
21G.213 High-Intermediate Academic Communication (Spring 2004) Graduate
21G.224 Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation (Fall 2004) Graduate
21G.225 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering (ELS) (Spring 2007) Graduate
21G.227 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Social Sciences and Architecture (ELS) (Spring 2007) Graduate
21G.233 Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening Skills (ELS) (Spring 2007) Graduate
21G.351 French I (Fall 2004) Graduate
21G.352 French II (Fall 2004) Graduate
21G.452 German II (Spring 2005) Graduate
21G.551 Japanese I (Fall 2012) Graduate
21G.552 Japanese II (Spring 2013) Graduate
21G.752 Spanish II (Spring 2004) Graduate
21G.851 Portuguese I (Fall 2011) Graduate
21G.852 Portuguese II (Spring 2012) Graduate
21G.855 Accelerated Introductory Portuguese for Spanish Speakers (Fall 2013) Graduate

Archived Global Studies and Languages Courses

Some prior versions of courses listed above have been archived in OCW's DSpace@MIT repository for long-term access and preservation. Links to archived prior versions of a course may be found on that course's "Other Versions" tab.

Additionally, the Archived Global Studies and Languages Courses page has links to every archived course from this department.