15.2 Intercultural Perspectives-Global/Cross-Cultural Waiver
Messiah recognizes that some students, whose primary language is English and/or their primary residence has been in the U.S., have had intense cross-cultural experiences that might count toward meeting the Cross-Cultural requirement.
To ensure that students have had an experience deep enough to merit the waiver, applicants’ experiences must first meet the below criteria, to then complete the application requesting the waiver. The basis of the waiver itself will then be evaluated based on applicant’s successful demonstration of meeting the learning outcomes and providing other supporting narrative, as outlined in the waiver form maintained by the Office of General Education and Common Learning.
- Minimum 2 months within host culture
- Extended experience with host culture significantly different than one’s own
- Intentionally structured with an in-country partner
If student experience meets the above criteria, the student must read Richard Slimbach’s Becoming World Wise: A Guide to Global Learning, which is available in eBook form via Murray Library. They must cite this source in their waiver application.
If a petition for a waiver is reviewed and accepted, the one course Intercultural Perspectives-Global requirement is waived. The waiver does not award any credits. International experience does not count toward fulfilling any language study requirements. In other words, the student must still successfully complete two semesters of language study in one language, or its equivalent. Obtaining the waiver does not meet Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) requirement.