Introduction to Multicultural Studies

This course is a part of:

Associate of Paralegal Studies

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Bachelor of Business Administration

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

This course is a survey of the major topics involved in the existing and growing diversity in American society. This course is designed to engage the student in an examination of the increasingly important issues of cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity as well as gender and class differences in the United States. The student will explore the unique links that exist between pluralistic politics and the social, cultural, and economic diversity of Americans. The course also analyzes the complexity of American society from a variety of perspectives using reading materials from many disciplines, including history, the social sciences and literature.

Course Learning Outcomes

• Investigate, explain, apply, and analyze the role of stereotypes in human relationships and how and why they develop.

• Compare, explain, and analyze the concepts of race, ethnicity, culture, acculturation, class, heritage, gender, sexual orientation, religion, minority group and dominant groups.

• Assess and evaluate racism, sexism, prejudice, and discrimination and examine how and why they develop and what we can do to eradicate negativity and perceived prejudices.

• Compare and evaluate the principal demographic characteristics of the population of the United States.

• Describe, analyze and evaluate how various aspects of culture, art music, and literature, media, and performing arts institutions, inform our understanding of pluralism and diversity and contribute to society.

• Analyze and evaluate the major policies of “dominant groups” toward minority groups and why this term may or may not be utilized in society.

• Describe, examine, analyze and evaluate the rationale for all citizens to embrace the existing and growing diversity of our society in the United States.