World Cultures and Societies Attribute

WORLD CULTURES & SOCIETIES ATTRIBUTE

Courses carrying the World Cultures and Societies Attribute focus on a broad array of questions that shape our global community, both past and present. 

INTRODUCE

students to the values, practices, and/or cultural products of one or more non-U.S. or Indigenous culture and/or society (historical or contemporary)

DEVELOP

the analytical tools necessary to explore how those values, practices and/or cultural products have shaped the contexts of these societies 

ENCOURAGE

students to reflect on their own place and positionality in the world

 

As a world-class university, it is our responsibility as Wildcats to understand and respect non-US and Indigenous societies, and to think critically about our place in the world. As part of this commitment, students are expected to complete at least one course with the World Cultures & Societies Attribute in either Exploring Perspectives or Building Connections.

EXPANDING BEYOND THE PREVIOUS DIVERSITY EMPAHSIS,
COURSES CARRYING THE WORLD CULTURES & SOCIETIES ATTRIBUTE: 

1) Are more geographically expansive

The WCS Attribute is geographically expansive. It includes European cultures and civilizations (past and present) as well as the cultures and societies of Indigenous peoples within the United States.

2) Develop awareness of perspectives

In keeping with the General Education philosophy, courses carrying the WCS Attribute will help students to develop an awareness of disciplinary perspectives and the analytical tools used within those disciplines. 

3) Center voices from the communities and/or societies that are being studied

These courses will take care to center voices from the communities and/or societies that are being studied and will help students think critically about who is producing knowledge about these cultures and societies.

4) Provide more opportunities for self-reflection

Courses carrying the WCS Attribute will provide students with more opportunities for self-reflection so that they may think critically about how they fit within a global community. 

Required Student Learning Outcome:

Students will describe, from one or multiple perspectives, the values, practices, and/or cultural products of at least one non-US culture/society; relate how these values, practices and/or cultural products have shaped their social, historical, political, environmental and/or geographic contexts; and reflect on how the student's own background has influenced their perceptions of other societies and their sense of place in the global community. 

Interested in learning more? Sign up to for the Quick Start courses (training for course approval).