This component consists of the following requirements:
One to two courses in a language other than English.
One Intercultural Diversity course.
One American Social Diversity course.
This component responds to a contemporary world in which
communication, travel and trade increasingly juxtapose cultures, values
and ideas. Courses help students understand, interpret, and appreciate
cultural, social, moral, economic and political systems different from
their own.
Language Requirement [LA]
By learning another language, students see the world from a different linguistic and cultural perspective, and increase their awareness of their own language and culture. In a globalized world the ability to understand and appreciate cultural differences is imperative. These courses help students understand that all languages have similarities and differences, but that each language offers insight into the culture of a particular community.
Requirement: One of the following options, subject to high school language study and placement test.
- FRN, GMN, GRK, ITA, LAT, SKT, or SPA 101/102 (6 credits)
- FRN, GMN, or SPA
102/201*
- FRN, GMN, or SPA 201 Language and Culture in the
Spanish-Speaking World - Intermediate
Level I
| This is an active and immersive language and culture course, taught almost entirely in Spanish in which students will develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish and cultural awareness of the cultures associated with the Spanish. Fulfills requirement: Language and Culture. Prerequisite: SPA 102 or placement test. 3 credits. |
- One FRN, GMN, or SPA course at the 300 level or higher
- Effective
|
High School
Study |
Placement Test
Level |
Required Language Sequence |
None or no
language study
for six full years |
100 or none |
101/102 |
| 200 |
102/201* or 201/202 |
| 300 or higher |
One 300 or higher level course |
| 1-2 years in Grades 9-10 or 1 year in Grades 11-12 |
100 |
101/102 |
| 200 |
102/201* or 201/202 |
| 300 or higher |
One 300 or higher level course |
| 2 years in Grades 11-12 |
100 |
102/201* or 201/202 |
| 200 |
201/202 |
| 300 or higher |
One 300 or higher level course |
| 3 years |
100 or none |
201/202 |
| 200 |
201/202 |
| 300 or higher |
One 300 or higher level course |
|
|
*102/201 option requires the permission of the chair of the Languages Department.
Note: Effective with the Fall 2016 semester, all language courses above the 101 level are offered for 4 credits with an added focus on intercultural competence. Students will have the option to complete the language requirement by taking one 4-credit language course at the 102 level or higher, depending on the placement level at time students enrolled at LVC. Students who have taken one 3-credit course as part of a two course sequence described above must still complete the next level course for 4-credits. For the purpose of satisfying the language requirement in French and German, 200 courses are considered equivalent to former 201 courses; 280 courses are considered equivalent to former 202 courses.
Language Placement Test: Students who meet any the following conditions are required to take the placement test:
- All students who, in six years prior to enrollment at LVC, have completed at least one year of French, German, or Spanish in high school, or at least one semester in college even if they are considering beginning study in a new language
- Native speakers of French, German, or Spanish
- Students in whose home French, German, or Spanish is the primary language
If a student chooses to take a level lower than the level indicated by these guidelines, up to 6 hours of elective credit can be granted. If a student would like to take a level higher than that indicated by the placement test, they should consult with a faculty member in the Languages Department. For more information regarding the placement test, please visit www.lvc.edu/languages.
Transfer Students: Transfer students who have completed a two semester (6-credits minimum) language sequence at another institution, subject to LVC’s transfer policy, will be considered to have satisfied the language requirement, regardless of placement or high school language study. For the purposes of this requirement, transfer students are those who, after graduating from high school, have attended another college or university for at least one semester prior to enrolling at LVC.
Exemptions: The language requirement may be waived, with permission from the chair of the Languages Department, for a foreign national (typically one who holds a student visa) who has grown up in a non-English speaking culture and successfully completed secondary school work taught in a language other than English. Official certification from the school of the language of instruction and completion of the TOEFL exam for entry into LVC will be required. Students who have competence in a language other than English and do not meet these requirements are encouraged to take the CLEP test (see CLEP section of this catalog) or the Foreign Language Proficiency test of the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, or another appropriate test as approved in advance by the chair of the Languages Department and the Registrar. Students who takes the NYU test and earn a minimum score of 13 on the 16-point exam will be exempt from LVC's Language requirement and earn four elective credits. The College will provide a proctor and test facility for the NYU test to be administered at LVC. Alternatively, students may take the test at NYU.
Students with significant language-based learning disabilities or auditory disabilities (e.g., auditory processing deficits or deaf/hard of hearing), as verified by the Office of Disability Services, will be permitted to substitute Intercultural Diversity courses for required language courses.
Intercultural Diversity [ID]
Courses increase students’ global awareness by introducing
them to important aspects of societies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East
and Latin America to foster an understanding of cultural, social,
political, religious, or economic systems outside the European
tradition.
This requirement may be met through one of the following options:
- Successful completion of one course from the approved list below.
- Complete the Language requirement at the
intermediate level (201/202, 201/280, or 200/280) or higher. Note: Entering students who
score a 4 or 5 on the AP language exam in Spanish, French, or
German must complete either one 300-level Language course or
one Intercultural Diversity course. Students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP
literature exam in Spanish, French, or German must complete one Intercultural Diversity course.
- Participate in a semester-long study-abroad program or
complete approved course work that involves substantial on-site
immersion in a foreign culture.
For this option, the restriction to cultures “outside the European tradition” is waived.
Approved courses:
BUS 275 Business in the European Union| This course is part of a short-term summer study abroad program in Maastricht, Netherlands. It introduces students to the major issues of doing business in the European Union, including foreign investment, management across cultures, marketing and financing issues. Course will also cover the origins, structure, and operations of the European Union and how businesses function within this unique political and economic system. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: Completion of 28 credits or more by May of the
academic year in which the student is intending to
participate in the Maastricht Summer Study Abroad Program. 3 credits. |
| This four-week German language and culture course provides students possessing intermediate to advanced proficiency with an intensive linguistic and cultural immersion in an authentic German university environment. It combines daily classroom instruction with organized cultural activities and excursions. Language of instruction is German. Offered each summer. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: GMN 200 or equivalent, permission of the
instructor. 4 credits. |
| This fall semester program offers students in any major the chance to complete certain LVC major/minor, general education, and elective requirements in a suburb of the world's most livable large cities. Students will attend Kingston University with British natives and other multinational students enrolled in a wide range of stimulating and flexible courses, earning up to 16 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This fall or spring semester program offers students in any major who want to improve their knowledge of the French language and culture the opportunity to take courses in almost all areas of concentration, earning up to 17 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit) toward the applied concentration in French. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This fall or spring semester program is offered to students in any major who have completed at least one year of college-level German language. Courses are tailored to Americans at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced German language level, with courses also offered in English. Students will earn up to 17 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| The Umbra Institute provides LVC students fall and spring semester program options in the medieval city of Perugia, Italy. Students can choose from a variety of courses with integrated field trips to famous Italian cities and sites, community engagement opportunities outside of the classroom, and extra-curricular activities, earning a total of 16 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This fall or spring semester program offers students the opportunity to take four courses abroad in almost any concentration, earning a total of 16 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This spring semester program offers Audio and Music Production and Music Business majors the opportunity to take courses in their major at a large university, earning a total of 16 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This spring semester program offers students in any major the chance to complete certain LVC major/minor, general education, and elective requirements in an urban environment. Students will attend Dublin City University with full-degree seeking students from Ireland and around the world enrolled in a range of course topic areas. Students will earn up to 15 credits (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Application through the Center for Global Education required. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. 0 credits. |
| This fall or spring semester program offers students in any major who have completed coursework in Spanish at the intermediate-level, the opportunity to participate in a total immersion cultural experience, earning up to 17 credits toward the Spanish major/minor (excluding this IME course, which does not carry credit). The city of Valencia is third largest city in Spain, with a population of nearly 800,000. Valencia sits on the Mediterranean and is surrounded by immense beaches. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| Students may pursue their own semester abroad through a program unaffiliated with LVC. Students are required to obtain prior approval of the program and its courses. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This course develops an understanding of the practice of global human rights. This course is taught every other summer at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Fulfills requirement: . 3 credits. |
Criteria for Intercultural Diversity courses:
- At least two-thirds of the content of these courses shall be devoted to studies of non-western cultures. This requirement does not apply to study abroad programs described in the third option above.
- Courses that involve comparisons of aspects of western and non-western societies or address factors that influence culture in non-western societies (e.g., geography, climate, environment, natural resources) are eligible as long as these other considerations are clearly subordinate to the primary goal of understanding different cultures.
American Social Diversity [AD]
Requirement: One Course
Courses focus on the social diversity in the United States
and allow students to engage critically the issues—such as race, gender,
class, sexual orientation, religion—that historically have divided and
defined Americans. Students who participate in semester-long programs in
Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Study Abroad office
will be considered to have fulfilled the American Social Diversity requirement.
Approved courses:
BUS 330 Managing Diversity in the Workforce| An investigation of reasons why questions of diversity affect organizations including demographic changes, types of diversity and relevant federal legislation. Considers differences in race, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic background, age, physical ability/disability and geography. This course also includes a global perspective that looks at the international community and discusses the concept of managing diversity on an international platform. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing, or permission of
the instructor. 3 credits. |
| This course is designed to allow the pre-service music, art, language, or grade 7 - grade 12 secondary teacher certification candidate to gain an understanding of the complex factors impacting the education and language acquisition of the diverse language and cultural minority groups of the United States. This course is required under Act 49-2 and may be taken by early childhood, special education, and secondary education students while student teaching. Music education students may not take this course while student teaching. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits. |
| Investigation of the ways in which women from a broad diversity of cultural backgrounds respond to and reshape a tradition that has typically been gendered as masculine. This course explores the effects of culture, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and religion on women's writing. Fulfills requirement: Humanistic Perspectives,Human Diversity. Prerequisite: FYE 111 or 112. 3 credits. |
| This course considers the ways in which literature written by and/or about Native Americans reflects indigenous cultural histories and values, as well as the ways in which that literature reflects the differences between Native American and European literary forms. In addition to studying literature, we will study the historical, political, and cultural background of that literature, as well as the critical commentary that surrounds it. Fulfills requirement: Human Diversity,Humanistic Perspectives. 3 credits. |
| This course is a general introduction to aspects of the history, literatures and cultures of Latinx people in the United States. It will include Mexican-Americans or Chicanas/os, Puerto Ricans/Nuyoricans, Cuban-Americans, Dominican Americans, and Central American-Americans, with some references to South American-Americans. We will pay close attention to the intersections between Latina/o/x experience and that of other people of color in the United States and to particularities of women's and LGBTQ issues like those of poverty and inequality. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. This course is restricted to students
admitted into the College Honors Program. Additional
students are permitted to register with instructor approval. 3 credits. |
| Topic to be determined at time of course schedule publication. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. By instructor
permission only. 3 credits. |
| This fall or spring semester program offers students in any major the chance to complete an internship in the heart of our nation's capital while earning 15 academic credits. The Washington Center provides opportunities for professional exploration, intellectual development, and personal growth. Their accredited program features a field placement, forum, and an elective class. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Application through the Center for Global Education
required. 0 credits. |
| This course uses key cases to study important doctrines established by the Supreme Court with regard to civil rights and civil liberties. Students will examine the Court's rulings concerning the establishment and free exercise of religion, protection of freedom of speech and of the press, privacy rights (abortion and sexual freedom), the rights of the accused in the criminal justice system, and the law governing racial or sexual discrimination. The course places particular emphasis on various forms of textual interpretation used by individual justices to apply the Constitution in deciding cases and writing opinions. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the
instructor. LAW 215 recommended. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with POL 316) |
| This course uses key cases to study important doctrines established by the Supreme Court with regard to civil rights and civil liberties. Students will examine the Court's rulings concerning the establishment and free exercise of religion, protection of freedom of speech and of the press, privacy rights (abortion and sexual freedom), the rights of the accused in the criminal justice system, and the law governing racial or sexual discrimination. The course places particular emphasis on various forms of textual interpretation used by individual justices to apply the Constitution in deciding cases and writing opinions. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the
instructor. LAW 215 recommended. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with LAW 316) |
| This course examines how race continues to be a central feature of identity in America. Students will explore how multiple facets of identity - such as class, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality - intersect with race and form a complex matrix of inequality that has shaped the United States, in the past as well as the present. Understanding such complex intersections of identity will prepare students to work affectively in diverse domestic and global contexts. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits. |
| An examination of women's contributions to the world, their roles in social institutions, and issues arising from their uniqueness and social situations. Topics will include images of women and their writings; biology and health; issues of sexuality and gender identity; and women's roles in the family, religion, education, and in the worlds of work and politics. Fulfills requirement: Social Scientific Inquiry. 3 credits. |
| The major objective of this course is to help students become aware of the degree to which behavior (including one's own) is culturally determined. As we continue to move toward a global society with increasingly frequent intercultural contacts, we need more than simple factual knowledge about cultural differences; we need a framework for understanding inter-cultural communication and cross-cultural human relations. Through lecture, discussion, simulations, case- studies, role-plays and games, students will learn the inter-cultural communication framework and the skills necessary to make them feel comfortable and communicate effectively with people of any culture and in any situation involving a group of diverse backgrounds. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits. |
| This is a special course for Hispanic, Latinos or students that have been exposed to Spanish consistently at home while growing up, have listened to it and want to develop the formal aspects like grammar, more extensive vocabulary and cultural information about their own places of origin. This class will include readings, movies and studies of geographical areas and maps in order to examine historical and social events represented in the students' countries of origin and will require work outside class in the Latino community. Fulfills requirement: Language and Culture. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or placement into 300-level or higher
according to the placement test; permission of the
instructor or chair. 3 credits. |
Criteria for American Social Diversity courses:
-
Courses focus on social diversity within the United States.
-
Courses require students to analyze critically how race, ethnicity, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and/or religious convictions have divided and defined Americans.