UBC:Global Citizenship

This subject is not offered in 2014.

Admission into the D-GLOBISS Diploma in Global Issues.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability
Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage
Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course
Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to
those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found
at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Just what does it mean to be a “global citizen”? When few people even agree on what “global citizenship” means, this idea is murky, even if a more just and tolerant future world is compelling. In this highly interactive interdisciplinary and fully online course, you will consider themes relating to global citizenship through debate, discussion and critical analysis. Perspectives on Global Citizenship is an interdisciplinary and interactive online course developed for students at UBC and partner Universities worldwide. The course is designed to complement your specialized areas of learning, and challenges you to consider what responsibility you have – within your political, social, cultural and professional contexts – to participate as an active global citizen. It comprises twelve weekly thematic modules, presented via UBC’s Web-based course management system, and makes heavy use of instructor-led group discussion. Week by week you will consider topics that include: the meaning of ‘citizenship’ and the possibilities for a global ethics; key challenges to global citizenship: including continuing divisions of race, ethnicity, culture, language and nationalism and the challenges of being informed in the face of media bias or control. Modules on world issues examine: population health; trade, wealth and poverty; consumerism; human impact on the environment and sustainability. Finally, we will focus on your options for action and engagement through politics, participation and civil society.

In completing this subject, students:

• consider the concept of “global citizenship” and develop your own definition of this complex and contested notion;
• acquire a broad understanding of barriers and bridges to global citizenship;
• acquire a broad understanding of issues of key concern to the international community;
• consider the roles, responsibilities and impact you may have, as a global citizen, within your local, national and international communities.

Students will be assessed weekly on the quality of participation in weekly facilitated online discussions (50% of final grade) and on four short written assignments (50% of final grade). There are no examinations.

A list of texts and readings will be provided at the start of the course.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Transcripts are sent from the international partner university approximately six weeks after the completion date of the course, therefore students are advised not to take this subject in the final semester of their undergraduate program if they wish to graduate in the December ceremonies.

Due to the varied grading schemes used by partners teaching into the U21 Diploma in Global Issues grades will be scaled according to the University of Melbourne standards using the grading scale online at http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/u21/gip