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14. Interdisciplinary Course Parameters

14.4 Intercultural Perspectives-Global Parameters

  1. The Intercultural Perspectives-Global requirement is designed to teach students about cultural diversity in contexts outside of the United States.
  2. Intercultural Perspectives-Global courses should help students develop cultural humility, appreciation of cultures different from their own, and an ability to identify their own cultural identities and biases.
  3. Required readings should include authors native to the culture under study.
  4. Courses should be designed from the bias of learning about and from, rather than primarily critiquing or changing, the country or region being studied. [Note: There may be cases where human rights abuses may warrant advocating transformation.]
  5. Faculty members teaching the course should
    1. have a broad knowledge of the country/region being covered in the course through formal study, extended residence, or some other commensurate means; 
    2. be familiar with the introductory literature on the country/region being studied, including a basic knowledge of the country's history and contemporary social/cultural context; and
    3. be widely read in the literature related to the themes/topics which will serve as the focus of the course.