Diverse Cultures (Graduation Requirement)
Undergraduate Programs
Description
Diversity at Minnesota State Mankato is a commitment to create an understanding and appreciation of diverse peoples and diverse perspectives; a commitment to create an academic, cultural, and workplace environment and community that develops mutual respect for all and celebrates our differences.
In keeping with the spirit of this commitment, all Minnesota State Mankato under¬graduate students must satisfy the DCGR for graduation. For purposes of further clarifying the DCGR, diversity is defined in comprehensive terms as the many faceted ways in which human beings differ from one another. Often overlapping, these differences can include: age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, mental/ physical ability, race/ethnicity.
Policies & Faculty
Policies
Graduation Requirements:
- Students pursuing a baccalaureate degree must take either:
a. at least one (1) course for a minimum of 3 credits from the list of courses designated as Purple (Content) and at least one (1) course for a minimum of 3 credits from the list of courses designated as Gold (Experiential and Reflective), OR
b. at least two (2) courses for a minimum of 6 credits from the list of courses designated as Purple (Content). - One Purple course for a minimum of 3 credits satisfies the Diverse Cultures requirement for the AA or AS degree issued by Minnesota State Mankato.
- Transfer students who have taken between 30 and 59 credits will be granted 3 credits toward the Purple course requirement.
- Transfer students who have taken 60 or more credits or have already received an AA degree will be granted 3 Purple course credits and 3 Gold course credits, thus satisfying their entire Diverse Cultures Graduation Requirement.
- Students must take courses from at least two different disciplines to satisfy the Diverse Cultures Graduation Requirement.
- Students are encouraged to complete the Purple course requirement prior to completion of the Gold course requirement.
Curricular Procedures
The Diverse Cultures Graduation Requirement was made effective beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year. Courses that met the university’s previous Cultural Diversity requirement will not automatically be included in the list of Purple and Gold courses that meet the new requirement.
Departments will need to submit course proposals through the Curriculum Design System (CDS) to include these courses in the new requirement all course submissions for consideration as either Purple or Gold courses will be reviewed in a manner consistent with all other curricular proposals.
An individual course may be either a Purple course or a Gold course, but not both. Any 100-400 level undergraduate course that meets the relevant goals and outcomes may be included among the Purple and Gold courses. No consideration will be given to proposals that limit participation to specific sections of a course.
Only courses in their entirety, not specific sections of courses, are eligible for designation as Purple or Gold courses.
Courses without specific content (e.g., independent study, individual studies, directed readings, topics, internships, practicums, and field experience courses) will generally not be considered Purple or Gold courses. Exceptions may be made for specific cases if potential for achievement of the Purple or Gold course outcomes can be clearly demonstrated prior to registration for the course in question.
All Purple and Gold courses will undergo systematic assessment as established by the university’s curricular committees all departments and programs with Purple or Gold courses are expected to fully participate in the assessment process.
