General Education Requirement for Diversity
UVM's diversity requirement is intended to provide undergraduate students with the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to function productively in a complex global society, by fostering an understanding of and respect for differences among individuals and groups of people.
All UVM undergraduate students must successfully complete the following two requirements prior to graduation:
- One 3-credit course from Diversity Category One (D1) (Race and Racism in the U.S.), to be taken as early as possible after matriculation to UVM - preferably no later than the sophomore year); and
- A second 3-credit course from either Diversity Category One (D1) or Diversity Category Two (D2)(the Diversity of Human Experience).
These requirements will also apply to undergraduate transfer students receiving bachelor's degrees from May 2012 onward.
Diversity Course Criteria
Category 1 (D1) Race and Racism in the United States
Courses in this category have as a primary focus race and racism in the United States as it pertains to ALANA populations. A D1 course must promote an understanding of:
- Race and racism in the U.S.;
- The meaning of power and privilege;
- The importance and impact of diversity and multiculturalism in U.S. society
Category 2 (D2) The Diversity of Human Experience
Courses in this category focus on expanding students’ cultural awareness. A D2 course is intended to:
- Promote an awareness of and appreciation for the diversity of human experience in all its forms including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, language, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and disability; and/or
- Foster an understanding of global and international issues including the flow of people, cultures, diseases, and capital or other resources within or across political and geographical boundaries.
Diversity Requirement Competencies and Intended Outcomes
| Competencies | Intended Outcome |
|---|---|
| Awareness | |
| Develop an awareness of the diversity of individuals, cultures, and communities within the U.S and globally. | Develop an awareness of diversity |
| Develop an awareness of one’s identities, attitudes, beliefs, values, and assumptions. | Develop an awareness of identity and be able to engage with people of different and similar identities, |
| Develop an awareness of how one’s identities, attitudes, beliefs, values, and assumptions influence how one interacts with or views those who are similar to or different from oneself. | |
| Develop an awareness of the influence and impact of diversity-related concepts such as intersectionality (i.e., the intersection of multiple dimensions on diverse cultural identities), power and privilege, and so forth at the individual, group, and systems levels. | Develop an awareness of diversity-related concepts |
| Knowledge | |
| Cultivate knowledge and an understanding of the histories, traditions, values, contemporary issues, experiences, demographics, and practices linked to diverse identities and groups within the U.S. and globally. | Understand history, traditions, and values of diverse groups |
| Cultivate an understanding of foundational concepts such as diversity, culture, equity, equality, social justice, power/privilege, etc. | Understand core diversity concepts |
| Cultivate an understanding of the origins and systemic nature of prejudice, injustice, discrimination, and oppression directed toward people of diverse backgrounds | Understand systemic nature of injustice |
| Skills | |
| Develop critical thinking skills to enable one to analyze information and evaluate arguments from diverse viewpoints and multiple perspectives. | Analyze information and evaluate arguments from diverse viewpoints |
| Develop the written and oral communication skills necessary to engage in intellectual discourse about diversity-related topics. | Be able to talk about diversity |
| Develop interpersonal skills that support respectful, meaningful, and effective interactions with those from diverse backgrounds, including understanding the intent and impact of one’s actions. | Be able to effectively engage with those from diverse backgrounds |
| Integration And Application | |
| Develop the ability to recognize and name dynamics (e.g., identity-related, cultural, power) at the individual, group, and systems levels that are present when exploring issues related to diversity. | Be able to recognize dynamics at the individual, group, and systems levels |
| Engage skills to problem-solve and to develop action plans that address diversity-related issues and situations. | Be able to problem-solve and develop action plans |
| Develop the ability to effectively intervene and respond to acts of bias or intolerance, as well as to resolve conflicts that occur across differences. | Be able to intervene and respond to bias incidents |
| Develop the ability to effectively facilitate the learning and development of others around diversity. | Be able to teach others about diversity |