The College of Education has established the Cultural Proficiency Minor, which will debut this fall semester. “This new minor will be a cross-disciplinary one, with classes and professors drawn from departments across campus,” said Dr. Tanis Starck, assistant dean for special projects for the College of Education. “The 15 units of coursework from different academic departments and faculty will provide students a balanced approach to understanding the viewpoints of others, and help students to develop a practical set of skills related to decision-making, communication, leadership, and collaboration.”
The Cultural Proficiency Minor consists of three required 3-unit courses and an additional six units from approved elective courses. The first class, ED 203, starts fall 2017.
Cultural competence is the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. In practice, both individuals and organizations can be culturally competent.
The program’s objectives are to equip students with skills to:
- Become a citizen of the world;
- Work together to enhance diversity, inclusion and cultural and linguistic competence in the workforce;
- Learn, share, enhance creativity and support efforts to cultivate diverse community partnerships;
- Respond to increasingly diverse communities across the country; and
- Have both the motivation and communication skills to be successful in diverse environments.
“This interdisciplinary minor will help students explore, discover, and create practical solutions to real issues related to economics, health care, human rights, civil rights, and the environment,” added Starck.