Multicultural Course Development and Approval

Multicultural competence is defined as the ability in personal and professional contexts to interact respectfully and effectively with diverse individuals and groups in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth, and protects the rights and dignity, of all.  To foster multicultural competence, the goals of the curriculum should include (a) increasing students’ understanding of issues of race, gender, age, language, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, ability or disability, sexual orientation, nationality, national origin, and other factors of diversity and hierarchy; and (b) developing their ability to recognize, analyze, and work to transform social relations favoring some groups and subjugating other groups, while understanding their own position in these relationships. 

The expected outcome is that students will graduate with the ability to interact with others productively in their communities, jobs, nation, and the world.

To foster multicultural competence, the curriculum needs to provide opportunities for students to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, economic, social, political or racial diversities in the United States or throughout the world.
2. Apply the methods of inquiry of the natural sciences, social sciences or the arts and humanities to understand cultural, economic, social, political, or racial diversity in the US or the world.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary social or ethical issues related to diversity, whether in relation to the US or the world.
4. Demonstrate skills required to engage in an informed and respectful way with diverse people, cultures, and histories of the US or the world.

Courses that address these outcomes will be designated as multicultural competence (MC) courses.  Students must take any two courses designated as MC, SRV (Service Learning) or SRVI (Service Learning Intensive) or requiring an approved study abroad component.

The Wright State electronic curriculum review process will be used to apply for the MC designation to be attributed to Wright State Core courses.  Faculty seeking MC designations for their courses will be required to explain (a) how the instructional strategies/academic assignments (readings, writings, exams, presentations, reflection activities, projects, etc.) will be connected to each of the four required outcomes; and (b) how the accomplishment of each of the four required outcomes will be assessed.  The MC learning outcomes should be included in the syllabus of any approved MC course. MC proposals will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.