Mission Statement & Criteria:

Mission Statement: The Upper-Division International Course Requirement will give students a broad base of knowledge about global issues and about global perspectives in a comparative context. It will introduce students to international frames of reference so that they may think critically about long-standing and newly emerging issues. It will help students accept and appreciate the interdependence of nations and the viewpoints of other nations, and give them the ability to communicate with people across international borders.

Committee: An International Requirement Committee that functions analogously to the General Education Committees in Undergraduate Studies, will solicit, select and review courses.

Criteria: Courses will cover major regions and international topics, and will represent a broad range of departments and colleges. The Committee welcomes a variety of disciplinary approaches; it also encourages courses within specific majors. However, all courses must be at the 3000 level or higher.  Study abroad programs may fulfill the requirement, if they include an academic component that meets the criteria. The Committee will select courses that meet the three course content criteria, and are based on their broad commitment to the desired student outcomes. 

Course Content Criteria:

1. Course primarily has an international, transnational, or comparative focus that includes a variety of perspectives
2. Course focuses on cross-border phenomena (borders conceived in the broadest sense: language, cultural, economic, political, etc)
3. Course focuses principally on contemporary issues, or shows how historical approaches are relevant to contemporary issues.

Desired Student Outcomes:

1. Identify and explain some contemporary issues that impact the global community.
2. Identify and explain political, economic, social, and/or cultural connections between the United States and other communities of the world.
3. Identify some examples of global interdependency and explain their relevancy for the future.
4. Explain how global awareness will impact his/her frame of reference in the future.
5. Use a comparative framework for an understanding of local, national, and disciplinary issues in an international or global context.
6. Examine and explain how different nationalities may use different frameworks to understand issues.
7. Communicate across language, cultural, and political borders.

Application Deadlines:

The International Requirement goes into effect in the fall of 2007. The International Requirement Committee (IRC) has already begun and will continue to accept course proposals throughout the year except summers.

Submission Requirements:

1.) General Catalog Listing:  The course must be listed in the online General Catalog, before it can be considered by the IRC.

2.) Online Application:

• Course Content Criteria: The course must meet all three (3) areas of the content criteria.
• Desired Student Outcomes:  Using in class examples and referencing assessment and evaluation techniques, please explain how the course achieves at least three (3) of the seven desired student outcomes.
• All examples, evaluations, and course content must clearly correlate with items in the syllabus.  In other words, “If it doesn’t readily appear in the syllabus, please do not include it in the online application.”

3.) Course Syllabus and Support Material:

• The course’s syllabus must follow the “Syllabus Guidelines” set forth by the Undergraduate Council. 
• A representative syllabus for each modality in which the course is taught (class, telecourse, web) and from each department that will teach the course. The online application will allow you to browse and attach an electronic version of your syllabi. (.doc, .rtf, .txt. or .pdf formats only). 
• You may also attach up to three (3) additional items that support examples and evaluation techniques discussed in the online application. 
• Only narrative course content discussed in the following sections of the syllabus will be considered:  1) Course Description 2) Course Objectives 3) Content Overview.

4.) Dean and Department Chair Notice: You must notify both your Dean and Department Chair that you intend to submit your course for IR consideration.

Timeline:

Fall 2007 - All freshmen AND transfer students must include this requirement in their degree program for graduation. Students who entered the U of U before fall 2007 are exempt if the degree is completed by August 2013.

Fall 2013 - ALL students, regardless of their entrance date, will be required to complete this requirement.

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