Professor pointing at a world map while teaching students

Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages

At the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages, UO students engage with diverse cultures, languages, histories, and lifeways across the world. The school prepares our graduates for life after college with an interdisciplinary curriculum, innovative language teaching, and abundant learning opportunities outside the classroom.

New Schnitzer School: 
A World of Opportunity

A landmark $25 million commitment from Jordan Schnitzer and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation is the largest-ever to the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences and will fuel significant advancements in global education and research.

18
languages offered in person
94
core faculty members
5

languages ranked in the top ten for degrees awarded

27

majors, minors, masters, and PhD programs

What you can do with a Global Studies and Languages degree

Students in the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages graduate with the skills necessary for a robust career in the global sector. Professional Concentration Areas such as Law and Human Rights or Business, Trade and Tourism provide students with career-relevant electives and language learning, all centered on a theme.

Amy poses with a cherry tree in the background

How Global Studies and Languages Kick-Starts Your Career

“The coursework in global studies, coupled with Arabic studies and political science, taught me about the origins and current state of our international relations system, as well as cross-cultural communication. My courses and collaboration with peers set me apart from other folks in the DC area who have gone to other universities on the East Coast and gave me a view of what it meant to work in the international affairs world. 

"That preparation helped me get a job right after college, starting with the United Nations, and it set me up to succeed in my current position with the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.”

—Amy Schenk, BA, global studies and double minors in Arabic studies and political science, '17

Our Degree Programs

The Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages brings together roughly 100 core faculty members across four language and literature departments, five area studies programs, the Yamada Language Center, and the Department of Global Studies. The school has an integrated curriculum that combines experiential learning programs and new ways to study and apply languages, while incorporating social science education, cultural competency, and professional training to create a hub for global careers and language learning at the UO.

Affiliated Programs, Centers and Institutes

Angers, France

Learn from Experts in the Field

The Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages faculty specialize in a range of research fields that deal with some of the most important contemporary and historical issues, including:

  • global health, media, and culture
  • environmental studies
  • social and political justice
  • language and cognition across cultures
  • migration
  • food studies
GSL-Real World Experience

Get Real-world Experience

To prepare students to thrive in a globalized workforce, our aim is to provide exceptional academic and professional development opportunities both at home and abroad. A few ways we do this:

  • GlobalWorks Internship Program
  • Academic Residential Communities
  • First-year Interest Groups
  • Global Education Oregon centers in Spain, Italy, and the UK

Scholarships and Funding

Our participating departments offer a variety of funding opportunities to undergraduate majors and graduate students. The College of Arts and Sciences and the UO also offer scholarships to all students.

Undergraduate Scholarships 
Graduate Funding

Academic Support

Academic help for undergraduate students is available through Tykeson College and Career Advising. Located in Tykeson, the Global Connections Flight Path serves as a framework for you to explore internationally focused majors and help align your personal interests with a rewarding career track.

Undergraduate Advising

Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages Events and News

Recognizing and Addressing Islamophobia, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Bias on Campus
Feb4
Recognizing and Addressing Islamophobia, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Bias on Campus Feb 4
Gilman Scholarship Workshop
Feb4
Gilman Scholarship Workshop Feb 4 Lillis Business Complex
Sustainable Business in Costa Rica Information Session
Feb4
Sustainable Business in Costa Rica Information Session Feb 4
French Immersion in Angers Info Session
Feb5
French Immersion in Angers Info Session Feb 5 McKenzie Hall
Research Talk: Media Ecosystems in Latin America
Feb5
Research Talk: Media Ecosystems in Latin America Feb 5 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Fibers in Florence Info Session
Feb6
Fibers in Florence Info Session Feb 6 Millrace Studio 1
Anthropology in Barbados Information Session
Feb10
Anthropology in Barbados Information Session Feb 10 Condon Hall
Food, Media, and Tourism in Italy and Spain Info Session
Feb10
Food, Media, and Tourism in Italy and Spain Info Session Feb 10 Anstett Hall
Intertwined Personal Storytelling Workshop | Theme: ROOTS: Belonging and Becoming
Feb10
Intertwined Personal Storytelling Workshop | Theme: ROOTS: Belonging and Becoming Feb 10 Condon Hall
Transforming Organizations in London Info Session
Feb11
Transforming Organizations in London Info Session Feb 11 Anstett Hall

All events »


STUDY ABROAD — The Arlene Schnitzer Study Abroad Scholarship is a new opportunity for students majoring in one of the programs offered by the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages to experience its interdisciplinary curriculum out in the world.
ROMANCE LANGUAGES — Brandon Rigby, PhD ’17 (romance languages, literatures, linguistics) never imagined he would speak Spanish as a career, let alone use it to represent the US around the world as a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State. Seven years and three countries later, he would not change a thing. 
SPANISH - Dulce Gutierrez valued the flexibility to explore different majors and minors. Originally a biology major, she switched her major to political science and government and picked up a minor in Spanish. She went to law school and is now a practicing attorney and finds herself using her multilingual studies in a practical manner.

All news »