Learning a World Language enables students not only to communicate with and understand other individuals but also to appreciate the culture and artistic expressions of another people, whether past or present. In addition, by developing cognitive awareness of the structures of language and of the wide variety of ways thought or conception can be expressed in words, courses in world languages enhance students’ verbal reasoning capacity, communication and critical skills, and appreciation of the power of language in general.

Courses in World Cultures invite students to examine culture as a vital framework for thought and action. The study of culture includes consideration of the linguistic, social and cognitive contexts of literature, the arts, oral tradition, religion, politics, family structure, and other aspects of human communities. World Cultures courses look at these subjects from a comparative perspective. They focus particularly on developing students’ awareness of ethnocentrism and of the dynamic nature of cultures.

Criteria for Distribution Courses in World Languages

All introductory, intermediate and advanced world language courses, whether classical or modern, may be counted in the World Language Distribution area. These courses may concentrate either on the language itself or on literature or culture, as long as the course materials are in the target language.

Criteria for Distribution Courses in World Cultures

Courses that meet the World Cultures Distribution Requirement must

1. Include explicit consideration of at least one of the following topics: meanings of culture, relationships between language and culture, concepts or processes of cultural change. In treating these topics courses should make students aware of the problems arising from ethnocentrism.
2. Include explicit focus on comparison between or among cultures. Students should be actively engaged (through writing, discussion, or other appropriate experiences) in identifying and understanding features of cultures other than their own (e.g., literary and artistic production, religious and mythic traditions, family structure, politics, economic behavior, adaptation to environment, both natural and human).