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Diversity Course Requirement PDFDownload to print

The purpose of Kent State’s diversity requirement is to help educate students to live in a world of diverse communities, many of which are becoming increasingly permeated with cultural and ideological differences. The study of diversity is intended to promote awareness of local and global differences, to identify shared values, to improve understanding of one’s own culture, and to encourage people to explore and respect differences.

The diversity requirement is part of the university’s broader efforts to encourage, both at the university and beyond, the development of communities in which all members and their contributions are recognized and valued. Diversity courses provide opportunities for students to learn about such matters as the history, culture, values and notable achievements of people other than those of their own national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, physical and mental ability, and social class. Diversity courses also provide opportunities to examine problems and issues that may arise from differences, and opportunities to learn how to deal constructively with them.

Courses that satisfy the diversity requirement aim to give students significant opportunities to:

  • Address diversity issues, particularly those involving unequal and/or discriminatory treatment
  • Compare positive and negative implications of various parochial or "...centric" perspectives
  • Encourage global awareness and sensitivity Engage issues of racial or ethnic perceptions, attitudes and stereotypes
  • Examine patterns and trends of diversity in the United States
  • Explore ways to communicate and participate constructively in a diverse community
  • Foster appreciation of aesthetic dimensions of other traditions and cultures
  • Learn systematic approaches to understanding cultural differences and commonalities
  • Learn systematic techniques for dealing constructively with problems arising out of cultural differences
  • Participate in special programs that promote understanding other peoples
  • Study Western and non-Western cultures in a world context or from a comparative perspective
  • Understand how one’s own culture shapes one’s perceptions, ideology and values

It is understood that not every course will address all of these criteria.

Requirements

As part of the requirements for any bachelor's degree at Kent State, all students must satisfy the diversity requirement, consisting of one course addressing domestic (U.S.) issues and one course addressing global issues.

At least one course must come from the Kent Core. Students may satisfy the second diversity requirement in one of three ways:

  1. They may complete the second diversity course from the Kent Core, which also will count toward fulfilling the Kent Core.
  2. They may complete any non-Kent Core diversity course. This course may also count toward major or minor program requirements or may be used as an elective.
  3. They may, with approval from their dean, satisfy the second diversity requirement by completing one semester of study in another country.

Diversity with Domestic Focus
Diversity with Global Focus

Diversity Criteria and Guidelines

Courses marked K also fulfill the Kent Core; those marked W also fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Domestic Diversity Focus

    Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM)
K   11001 Introduction to Conflict Management (3)
    Communication Studies (COMM)
K   26000 Criticism of Public Discourse (3)
    35912 Gender and Communication (3)
    Criminology and Justice Studies (CRIM)
    37311 Minorities in Crime and Justice (3)
    37411 Women in Crime and Justice (3)
    37511 Immigration: Law, Crime and Justice (3)
    Economics (ECON)
    32083 The Economics of Poverty (3)
    English (ENG)
    21001 Introduction to Ethnic Literature of the United States (3)
    21002 Introduction to Women's Literature (3)
    21003 Introduction to LGBT Literature (3)
    34021 Women's Literature (3)
    35301 LGBT: Critical Perspectives (3)
W   41001 Sociolinguistics in Schooling (3)
    Geography (GEOG)
K   17064 Geography of the United States and Canada (3)
    Gerontology (GERO)
K   14029 Introduction to Gerontology (3)
    History (HIST)
K   12070 Early America: From Pre-Colonization to Civil War and Reconstruction (3)
K   12071 Modern America: From Industrialization to Globalization (3)
    41056 History of Colonial America, 1492-1714 (3)
    41057 Eighteenth-Century America, 1714-1789 (3)
    41070 American Social and Intellectual History, 1790-1876 (3)
    41071 American Social and Intellectual History, 1876-Present (3)
    Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)
    24011 Interpersonal Relationships and Families (3)
    Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC)
K   20001 Media, Power and Culture (3)
    Music (MUS)
    22131 Survey of Rock Music History (3)
    42161 History of Jazz (3)
    Pan-African Studies (PAS)
K   23002 Black Experience II: 1865 to Present (3)
    30010 African and African-American Philosophies (3)
    33100 African-American Family in Historical Perspectives (3)
    33110 The Black Woman: Historical Perspectives (3)
    33171 The African-American Community (3)
    33310 Latinos, the African Diaspora and American Society (3)
    Philosophy (PHIL)
    31035 Philosophy and Justice (3)
    31040 Women and Philosophy (3)
    31070 African and African-American Philosophies (3)
    31072 American Indian Philosophies (3)
    Political Science (POL)
K   10100 American Politics (3)
    40183 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties (3)
    40470 Women, Politics and Policy (3)
    Psychology (PSYC)
K   11762 General Psychology (3)
K   20651 Child Psychology (3)
K   21211 Psychology of Adjustment (3)
K   22221 Multicultural Psychology (3)
    40625 Development of Gender Role and Identity (3)
    Public Health (PH)
W   44000 Health Disparities (3)
    Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (RPTM)
    36040 Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Leisure Services (3)
    36085 Leisure and Culture (3)
    Sociology (SOC)
K   12050 Introduction to Sociology (3)
    32560 Sociology of Families (3)
    32565 Sociology of Gays/Lesbians (3)
    32570 Inequality in Societies (3)
    42315 Sociology of Changing Gender Roles (3)
    42568 Race and Ethnic Studies (3)
    42879 Aging in Society (3)
    Special Education (SPED)
    23000 Introduction to Exceptionalities (3)
    Sport Administration (SPAD)
    25000 Sport in Society (3)
    Technology (TECH)
W   31000 Cultural Dynamics of Technology (3)
    Theatre (THEA)
    41113 Theatre in a Multi-Cultural America (3)
    41115 LGBTQ Theatre (3)
    Women's Studies (WMST)
    30000 Colloquium in Women's Studies (3)

Global Diversity Focus

    Anthropology (ANTH)
  18210   Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3)
K      18420 Introduction to Archaeology (3)
    38240 Culture and Personality (3)
    48212 Kinship and Social Organization (3)
    48250 Culture and Curing (3)
    48630 Pacific Island Cultures (3)
W   48830 Human Behavioral Ecology and Evolution (3)
    Art History (ARTH)
K   22020 Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas (3)
    42025 Art of West Africa (3)
    42026 Art of Nigeria (3)
    42027 Art of Central Africa (3)
    Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM)
    21010 Cross-Cultural Conflict Management (3)
    22020 International Conflict Resolution (3)
W   41010 Reconciliation Versus Revenge: Transitional Justice (3)
    Classical Studies (CLAS)
K   21404 The Greek Achievement (3)
K   21405 The Roman Achievement (3)
    Communication Studies (COMM)
    35852 Intercultural Communication (3)
    Dance (DAN)
K   27076 Dance as an Art Form (3)
    English (ENG)
W   31006 World Englishes (3)
    33013 Pan-African Women's Literature (3)
    33015 African Literatures (3)
    34011 World Literature in English (3)
    Geography (GEOG)
K   17063 World Geography (3)
    22040 Introduction to Global Tourism (3)
K   22061 Human Geography (3)
    32080 Politics and Place (3)
    36065 Cities and Urbanization (3)
    37040 Geography of Africa (3)
    37050 Geography of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (3)
    37066 Geography of Europe (3)
    37070 Geography of East and Southeast Asia (3)
    37079 Geography of South Asia (3)
    37084 Geography of South America (3)
    37085 Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean (3)
    History (HIST)
K   11050 World History: Ancient and Medieval (3)
K   11051 World History: Modern (3)
    31140 Modern Latin America (3)
W   42497 Colloquium: Women in Modern Europe (3)
    Modern and Classical Language Studies (MCLS)
    21417 Multiculturalism in Today's Germany (3)
    28404 The Latin American Experience (3)
    Music (MUS)
K   22121 Music as a World Phenomenon (3)
    42181 Popular World Music (3)
    Pan-African Studies (PAS)
K   23001 Black Experience I: Beginnings to 1865 (3)
    24407 Caribbean Studies (3)
    32050 African Literatures (3)
    34000 Introduction to African World View (3)
    37100 Pan-African Women's Literature (3)
    Philosophy (PHIL)
K   11001 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
K   21001 Introduction to Ethics (3)
    31075 Philosophy and Multiculturalism (3)
    Political Science (POL)
K   10004 Comparative Politics (3)
K   10500 World Politics (3)
    30530 Asian Politics (3)
    30540 African Politics (3)
    30550 Latin American Politics (3)
    40540 Politics of Development (3)
    40560 Human Rights and Social Justice (3)
    Public Health (PH)
    10002 Introduction to Global Health (3)
    Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (RPTM)
    26060 Introduction to Global Tourism (3)
    Religion (REL)
K   11020 Introduction to World Religions (3)
K   21021 Comparative Religion (3)
    Sociology (SOC)
K   22778 Social Problems (3)
    42575 Family Patterns: A World Perspective (3)
    Theatre (THEA)
K   11000 The Art of the Theatre (3)