Diversity within Distribution Lists
Diversity/Multicultural Descriptions & Requirements in Distribution Lists
Communication and Media Literacy DL
“A democracy is dependent upon an informed and articulate citizenry. Effective oral and written communication consistently appears on polls showing desired attributes and core competencies of prospective employees… These courses in this list will highlight the importance of not only the message but also the messenger. They will help students use communication media more effectively and to control better the media’s impact on themselves and others. [Students will learn to] grasp the effects—including moral effects-- of communication on individuals, society, and culture, [as well as] develop and adapt messages and/or arguments to different audiences.”
Contemporary Social Issues DL
“Insights gained through the study of contemporary social issues take on a critical significance at a time when the world’s population is increasing rapidly and diverse societies and cultures are coming into closer contact, and in some cases, with intensifying conflict. Questions of class, civil society, gender, public health, justice, and identity continue to be pervasive in societies around the world today… The general intent of this requirement is to provide an introduction to the social world, meant to serve as a foundation or starting point for further exploration of these topics through electives, major fields of study, and/or minors… As citizens of local, national, and global communities, these courses will equip students with the moral foundation, cultural context, and/or knowledge and skillsets for informed and constructive civic engagement.
The courses will provide an introduction to contemporary societal topics—including but not limited to social, cultural, moral, religious, political, economic, communication/informational society, and health and environmental issues… Students will explore the inter-connectedness of factors/phenomena that contribute to the complexity of societal issues. Students will gain a deeper understanding of and empathy for individuals and groups from other societies, races, religions, genders, ethnicities, and socio-economic statuses, with the intent that they will be able to articulate and practice the virtues of compassion and justice in our world today. Students will learn about the major social and economic processes at work in our world today including but not limited to globalization, resource depletion/destruction, cross-cultural intolerance, religious and ideological differences, social and economic disparities, and communication coherence. And, students will learn to evaluate and form critical opinions based on their own assumptions and religious identities around local, regional, and global contemporary issues. In this process, students will be able to discern between descriptive and normative modes of moral analysis.”
Fine Arts/Performing Arts DL
“These courses will focus on the creative process by enabling students to generate original artistic work (“doing” art) and/or by exploring the artistic work of others (examining “how art is done”)… The course must teach students to understand both particularity and universality in art and to cultivate an appreciation for beauty in great art. The course will study the role of the artist as a prophetic voice within the culture who offers, at times, a critique of cultural imbalance, injustice, or dissonance.”
Foreign Languages and Cultures DL
“Since Baylor’s mission is to “educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service,” it is essential that graduates be able to demonstrate proficiency in a second language at the intermediate level, for which completion of 2310 is the minimum. The requirement also encourages students to continue developing proficiency in a second language beyond 2310 if they have already met the 2310 minimum, but gives students the opportunity to take classes taught in English that explore cultures in non-English-speaking linguistic traditions…Courses must be designed to teach students to communicate effectively in a foreign language to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes… Courses must be designed to teach students to: (i) interact with cultural competence and understanding, (ii) use language to connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives on the student’s chosen major/career, (iii) develop insight into the nature of language and culture, (iv) participate in multilingual communities (contemporary and historical) at home or around the world.”
Literature in Context DL
“The Literature in Context Distribution List will allow students to study literature in its historical or social context to gain insight into the connections between literature and society, enabling rich interdisciplinary conversations. Students will apply the learned skills to a specific body of literature to contemplate how language and culture enact discussions of issues such as the natural and supernatural world; power and knowledge; and groupings of race, religion, ethnicity, class, and gender… The course should give students a deeper understanding of the human condition and of complex moral, ethical, social, and epistemological questions. The course must allow students to closely examine critical thought as they examine the ways writers wrestle with a society’s central questions. The course must support the core curriculum by providing an interdisciplinary lens through which students can engage both critically and emotionally with a historical period and examine the impact of human concerns such as religious beliefs, philosophical and scientific thought, political movements, social reform, etc.”