World Cultures University Requirement (WC)

Each baccalaureate student must take at least one course of three credits or more designated to meet the world cultures requirement. These courses deal primarily with living cultures of Asia, Africa and the non-Anglo-Saxon Americas. They may include such topics as literary, artistic and other cultural achievements; religious and ethical values; social, economic and political systems; or intellectual and historical trends. At least two-thirds of the content of each course concentrates on patterns of thought and action that account for the distinctive ethos of the world culture(s) being studied. Transfer students seeking approval of a substitute course to meet this requirement should contact the Registrar’s Office and provide a course syllabus for the course they wish reviewed. Students completing the world cultures requirement should be able to:

1. Comprehend and articulate the distinctive world view (e.g., values, norms and beliefs) of at least one culture that varies significantly from Anglo-American and Western European cultures;
2. Understand how culture is expressed in terms of artifacts, artistic accomplishments, technology, customs and texts;
3. Understand and respect social and cultural diversity and complexity in a global context;
4. Understand how factors such as racial, ethnic, gender and class differences affect how groups within a culture relate to each other; and
5. Articulate the important achievements and contributions of other cultures in such areas as the arts, literature, philosophy, ethical values, religion and science.

Below are the approved list of courses that may be applied toward the World Cultures University Requirement as outlined above: