Abstract:

A college-wide, interdisciplinary and globally focused undergraduate major in global resource systems (GRS) at Iowa State University (ISU) provides a model to globalize the curriculum and offer courses with an international focus. By utilizing an interdisciplinary systems perspective to analyze resources, students learn how the world uses its limited resources and to plan for their efficient use to create sustainable systems. Descriptions of the planning and development of the GRS major at ISU and context for a new, college-wide major include its unique curriculum model and co-curricular activities, related activities of the major, characteristics and success of graduates during the major’s first decade of operation,  funding, and ideas for the future development of the program. High-impact educational activities in GRS major’s curriculum and co-curricular programs consist of a learning community, study abroad, service learning, honors program, global internship, faculty-mentored senior-level research project, and collaborative senior team capstone project for a real-world global client. A majority (87%) of student respondents (62% of invited participants) in a survey at the time of graduation between 2015 and 2018 indicated they were strongly satisfied or satisfied with the GRS major and their experiences as a GRS student.