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Diversity Requirement for Graduation

Being aware of the role we can play in educating our students for participation in a multicultural world, the Diversity & Cultural Enrichment Core Theme Council along with the Educational Achievement Core Theme Council has identified the following six diversity competencies we believe all students who seek an associate in arts and sciences DTA degree should learn through taking at least five credits from diversity courses (course highlighted with a “D” designation) during their term of study at WVC. The diversity requirement for graduation will be in effect starting with new students in Fall 2018.  Every student seeking an associate in arts and sciences DTA degree will need to take at least five diversity credits to graduate.

Six Standards

1. Understanding Discrimination and Racism: An understanding of race and racism in the U.S. while also exploring the meaning of power and privilege, along with historical patterns, marginalization and demographics of American society in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability and class differences.

2. Self-reflection of Personal Identities and Bias: Self-reflection by students regarding one’s own personal identities, biases and personal prejudices, in a manner that is observable by the instructor.   Expression of student’s cultural awareness, sensitivity, diversity and cultural competency.

3. Global or International Issues and Impact on U.S. Culture: Global or international issues, including the flow of people, religion, genocide, human rights violations, cultures, labor, capital, diseases, or resources past or present, across or within geographical borders with an emphasis on the global understanding of the diversity of United States culture and other cultures across the globe.

4. Identity Development and Intersectionality: Exploring how race, class, gender and other categories of difference are socially constructed, flexible, and overlapping; how identities and their representations change over time; how different identities intersect with one another and are shaped by power, privilege and systemic discrimination.

5. Systemic Discrimination and Oppression: Knowledge of the origins and systemic nature of prejudice, discrimination and oppression that has been directed toward people of diverse backgrounds and orientations.

6. Analysis of Public Policy and its Effect on Diverse Populations: Analyzing and critiquing public policies that affect various groups of people in different ways; understanding how social trends impact institutions and lives of individuals; developing conceptual tools for analyzing bias, prejudice, and discrimination in society.

Student learning Outcomes Categories: Cultural Diversity

  1. Understanding discrimination and racism
  2. Self-reflection of personal identities and bias
  3. Global or international issues and impact on U.S. culture
  4. Identity development and intersectionality
  5. Systemic discrimination and oppression
  6. Analysis of public policy and its effect on diverse populations

Diversity Courses

-Courses certified as of June 2022 

AIIS 102 - Introduction to American Indian Studies

AIIS 103 - The Indigenous Pacific Northwest

AIIS 150 - History of American Indian Education

AIIS 170 - Film and Cinema Through the Indigenous Lens

AIIS 202 - Contemporary Topics in American Indian & Indigenous Studies

AIIS 203 - Introduction to American Indian Indigenous Literature

AIIS 209 - Native American History to 1815

AIIS 210 - Native North America 1815 to Present

AIIS 240 - Indigenous Women of North America

ANTH 100 – Survey of Anthropology

ANTH 206 - Cultural Anthropology

ANTH 220 - Cross-Cultural Studies

BIOL 103 - Salmon, Ecosystems and Society

CHST 112 – Chicano/a History: An American Journey

CHST 115 – La Chicana: Gender, History and Intellectualism

CHST 120 – Identity, Art and Culture

ENGL 247 – Multicultural Literature

ENGL 255 - Women's Literature

GEOG 100 – Introduction to Geography

GEOG 102 – World Regional Geography

GEOG 150 – Introduction to Sustainability

GEOG 207 - Geography of the Economy

HIST 147 - US History II

HIST 202 - The American Constitution

HIST 215 - Women in US History

HIST 230 - History of the First Peoples of the Plateau Region

HIST 240 - Hip Hop History

HIST 260 - History of Mexico

HIST 261 - Latin America: History Through Revolution

HUMN 242 - Global Cinema

POLS 203 – International Relations

POLS 205 – Contemporary World Problems

POLS 206 - State and Local Politics

SOC 135 - Sociology of Women

SOC 151 – Sociology of Race & Ethnicity

*Study Abroad Courses – Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, Germany etc. Students must individually petition to have study abroad courses meet the diversity requirement.