Richmond

Eastern Kentucky University has launched an undergraduate degree program in Globalization and International Affairs, the first such program of its kind in the commonwealth. According to Laura Melius, director of career services at EKU, Kentucky ranks 19th nationally in foreign exports, with more than $17 billion in goods exported annually, and approximately 85,000 Kentuckians work for firms directly held by foreign investors. “With this level of investment and international trade,” Melius said, “Kentucky employers and those nationally are in need of college graduates who have an understanding of global economies and how Kentucky and the U.S. can continue to compete in the global market.” The program combines core courses from the fields of geography, history, political science and economics and includes electives from anthropology, as well as foreign languages and humanities.