14. Interdisciplinary Course Parameters

The Intercultural Perspectives-US and Intercultural Perspectives-Global course requirements can also be fulfilled through cross-cultural courses. The following parameters serve as guidelines for the development of domestic and international off-campus cross-cultural studies courses. The general education committee will be responsible for approving and monitoring cross-cultural courses and alternate activities.

1. Messiah University cross-cultural courses will include the following components. Faculty are responsible to design courses to accomplish the objectives and may use a variety of pedagogical strategies and course requirements to do so.
   1. A cognitive component - Cognitive learning may be accomplished through readings and lectures which include a culture or country survey and representative literature from the host culture preferably developed by members of the host culture. Content might include history, literature, language, religion, social systems, economics, government, health care, education etc. The cognitive component should include attention to the study of culture including culture theory, cross cultural communication, cultural relativism, and culture shock.
   2. An experiential component - Leaders should create opportunities for students to learn from members of the culture in order to learn specific elements of culture or learn about educational course content from the perspective of an individual within the culture. While partnerships with educational organizations are encouraged, non-faculty human resources are to be used for no more than half (22.5) of the course instructional time. Students should have experiences as participant observers in the culture through close involvement with a small unit of people (e.g., home stay with local family, work group) for at least five days. Involvement in the culture should aim for relationship-building, listening, mutuality, and reciprocity. Cross-cultural courses must include experiences through which students enter the culture and become vulnerable to it and dependent upon it. Cross-cultural trip leaders should model to students how we might respect and serve others through travel, rather than simply to consume through travel. Proposals should provide examples of ways the trip will provide benefits to students and hosts, such as:
      1. Work with a travel company in the host country rather than a U.S. based travel agency
      2. Ensure the local culture benefits from the presence of the group (e.g., financially through support of local businesses, through service to the community) 
      3. Partnerships with institutions in the local community
   3. An observation and reflective component - Students should observe the culture in a disciplined way and reflect on the meaning of cultural practices. They should reflect on their own culture through their experience in another culture. This may be done through discussion, regular journaling or periodic response papers.
   4. An integrative and analytic component - In order for learning to happen, students must engage in structured integration and analysis that brings together the experiences, readings and lectures. This may be done through a paper, examination, presentation, or similar activity.
2. Student evaluation will be on a letter grade basis.
3. Cross-cultural courses should be inclusive as possible (e.g., open to all majors; no prerequisites other than language). On occasion, however, departments may propose discipline-specific courses which could provide a waiver of the cross-cultural studies requirement. Requests for a waiver will be governed by these guidelines:
   1. All the objectives for cross-cultural studies shall be met. Syllabi will include approved course objectives.
   2. Major or department objectives unrelated to cross-cultural studies will be balanced with cross-cultural course objectives.
   3. Discipline specific courses will be prepared by the appropriate department (not individual faculty). Such courses will follow the normal process for new courses including review by General Education Committee and Academic Council.
   4. Discipline-specific courses that carry cross cultural studies waiver may be limited to students in the appropriate department and may carry course prerequisites. These courses will not be cross-listed.
4. Cross-cultural course leaders need to demonstrate sufficient evidence of three of the following criteria:
   1. Service involvement with members of the culture, in the host country
   2. Connection to institutions or people in the host country related to the topic of study
   3. Evidence of having lived in the country for a period of time, describing the nature of that residence and engagement with the local culture
   4. Scholarship related to the region and culture
   5. Teaching a course related to the region and culture
   6. Knowledge of the language (*If faculty member does not have proficient knowledge of the language, s/he needs to address how communication needs are planned for)
5. Faculty expenses and load credit are provided in the following manner:
   1. Expenses incurred by the course faculty (i.e. transportation, lodging, and meals) should be included in the costs assumed by students enrolled in the course.
   2. Faculty load credit of three hours will require an enrollment of at least 12 students; full load credit for two faculty members will require an enrollment of at least 22 students and a maximum of 28 students.
   3. Second educators should offer the course as an overload, regardless of term.
   4. Faculty should have a significant role in course design, implementation, instruction (which may or may not include content delivery) and grading. While it may be unusual, faculty who participate in the course but do not play a significant role in course development and delivery will be eligible for a partial load credit, as determined by the Provost’s Office, based on responsibilities.
   5. For courses during the summer or at other times the load credit will be consistent with university policies for awarding credit during that time period.
6. Course proposals for all new cross-cultural courses must be submitted by October 15 of the year prior to when the course is to be scheduled; Proposals for repeating a previously approved course must be submitted by November 15 of the year prior to when the course is to be scheduled.  All proposals must submit a Pre-Approval form.  Please contact the General Education Office for a link to the form.
7. All cross-cultural study courses should be at least three weeks in length inclusive of travel time.  Because cross-cultural courses occur in May, departure may not occur prior to the Friday of May Development Week.