Office of International Affairs

Global Option

The Global Option is a curriculum enhancement program to internationalize the students’ learning experiences at The Ohio State University.

The Global Option is a key component of Ohio State's strategy for institutional internationalization as presented to the President and Provost's Council on Strategic Internationalization. The Provost's Council approved the Global Option concept on October 17, 2011 and the Council of Academic Affairs (CAA) approved the general framework on October 9, 2012. Since then seven Colleges and one school have begun offering a global option program to their students (see list below). All programs are integrated into students’ academic plans without adding time to graduation.

Global Option Programs

Each College, school or unit has designed its own curriculum based on an articulation of the following broad global competencies:

  • Social dimensions
    • Awareness of and adaptability to diverse cultures, perceptions and approaches
    • Capacity for effective communication across linguistic divides
  • Knowledge base
    • Versed in current issues and major global trends
    • Ability to comprehend the international dimension of one’s field of study
  • Goal
    • Ability to communicate across racial and cultural divides and work effectively in international settings

The Office of International Affairs collaborates with all Colleges or units on their program planning and implementation. The academic program in each participating College/unit meets the following general criteria:

  • Open to any student with a minimum GPA set by each program
  • Students opt into a plan to complete a set of requirements
  • No extra burden on students beyond academic challenge
  • Time to degree unchanged (integrated in study plan)
  • Extra costs for students vary with choices of education abroad
  • Learning outcomes are assessed using capstone projects, ePortfolio, or an evaluation tool
  • Satisfactory completion results in a designation on academic transcript
  • Non-completion carries no penalty

Internationalizing the student learning experience

Global Option - Undergraduate Programs

Global Option programs in discussion

  • College of Medicine
  • College of Arts and Sciences

Global Option - Graduate Programs

Other programs modeled on the Global Option