American Cultures Studies

Coordinator

Edward Park

Mission of American Cultures Studies

Courses in American Cultures Studies will enhance students’ familiarity with and appreciation of several of the diverse cultural groups that comprise the multi-ethnic society of the United States. The in-depth, comparative, and interdisciplinary study of the cultures, behaviors, experiences, and inter-group relations of the following groups - African American, Asian/Pacific Islander American, Chicano/Latino American, Euro-American, and Native American - will provide students with competencies and sensibilities that will enable them to contribute to and thrive in a culturally diverse world. (It is understood that the above categories do not include the entirety of peoples comprising the United States of America. Moreover, it is recognized that a rich variety of cultures is also represented within these broad groups.)

Students will strengthen their knowledge and awareness of various ethnic or cultural groups. They will also develop analytical responses to various forms of cultural expression. This approach asks students to challenge the boundaries of ethnicity, culture, and academic discipline. In so doing, students improve their intergroup communication skills and become better able to see, appreciate, and respect the perspectives of others - factors that are essential to the creation of a more understanding and just society.

Goals of American Cultures Studies

Courses in American Cultures Studies are designed to:

Provide strategies and competencies necessary to thrive in and contribute to a multiethnic and inter-cultural environment.
Link theory and practice in the Jesuit-Marymount tradition.

American Cultures Studies Student Learning Outcomes

Students who have completed an AMCS course will:

Know the histories, cultures, and politics of major ethno-racial groups in American society
Know the role of race and ethnicity in shaping the American experience.

Students who have completed an AMCS course will be able to:

Become more informed and effective participants in a culturally diverse world
Evaluate the multiracial and multiethnic dimension of American life.

Students who have completed an AMCS course will value:

Historical and contemporary efforts to build a more just and inclusive America
Commitment to social justice and inter-culturalism.

All courses in this curriculum satisfy the AMCS component of the student’s core requirement. Some of the courses are also cross-listed in other disciplines.