Diversity
Cardinal Core Diversity (D1 and D2) Requirements and Petition Process
Diversity refers to the difference that differences make. All courses in Diversity will examine the ways in which components of identity and social and material stratification positively or negatively affect life experiences, opportunities, and sense of belonging in national or global contexts.
Courses in U.S. Diversity (D1) will broaden students’ understanding of how the experiences and opportunities of individuals and groups in the United States are shaped by the various historical, cultural and social structures and processes of stratification. These courses will center on race, socio-economic status, and gender, and/or their interactions with other social demographics.
Courses in Global Diversity (D2) will broaden students’ understanding of how the experiences and opportunities of individuals and/or groups in non-U.S. societies are shaped by the various historical, cultural and social structures and processes of stratification locally or globally.
Diversity Requirement (6 hours):
Students must take one course in U.S. Diversity (D1) and one course in Global Diversity (D2).U.S. Diversity (D1)
Students who satisfy this requirement will demonstrate that they are able to do all of the following:
- Identify how historical, social, and cultural structures and processes shape understandings of race, class, and gender and/or their interaction with other social demographics in the U.S.
- Demonstrate understanding of how these structures and processes affect the life experiences and opportunities of individuals and/or groups in the U. S.
- Identify, interpret, and evaluate evidence from different social locations and from multiple points of view.
Global Diversity (D2)
Students who satisfy this requirement will demonstrate that they are able to do all of the following:
- Identify how historical, social, and cultural structures and processes shape understandings of social stratification in non-U.S. societies.
- Demonstrate understanding of how these structures and processes affect the life experiences and opportunities of individuals and/or groups in non-U.S. societies.
- Identify, interpret, and evaluate evidence from different social locations and from multiple points of view.
Petitions for Diversity (D) Credit
Students may receive one diversity credit by petitioning the Cardinal Core Curriculum Committee under the following claims. Only one diversity credit may be earned by petition.
Diversity (D) Credit for Study Abroad Courses
Students may petition for diversity (D) credit for coursework undertaken as part of a study-abroad program prior to participation. Courses not previously approved for Cardinal Core credit will not be accepted for diversity (D) credit even if they are part of a university-approved study-abroad program. Petitions must be submitted to the committee through the Cardinal Core website and will be evaluated based on alignment with the Diversity outcomes.
Online Petition Form
Diversity (D) Credit for Transfer Courses
A student may petition the Cardinal Core Curriculum Committee to evaluate transfer courses identified by the Admissions Office as not equivalent to any existing approved diversity (D) course. The student requesting the evaluation must provide a catalog course description and a syllabus of the course. Students should contact their academic advisor about submitting a transfer course for review of Diversity credit.
Diversity (D) Credit for Military Experience
A student may petition for diversity (D) credit based on military experience. Petitions must be submitted to the committee through the Cardinal Core website and adhere to the following criteria:
Please provide a 500-1000 word essay explaining how military experience addresses the outcomes of the identified Diversity competency (D1 or D2). You must present clear evidence of competency in all three of the outcomes for D1 or D2. For each learning outcome the essay should explain how and why they experience met the learning outcomes. You must present evidence to support your claim. Petitions will be strongly evaluated on the student’s ability to demonstrate the outcomes of the diversity competency in the essay.*Your essay should:
- Provide the type of Diversity credit that is requested
- Provide an overview of where you served and the timeframe for your service.
- Discuss factors, such as politics, economics, religion, and/or issues of identify, etc. for the societies where you served.
- Explain how the identified factors shaped your own interactions and the interactions of others during your service.
- Discuss how the identified factors shape life experiences and opportunities of the individuals within the society
- Discuss how this experience impacted your own social perspective.
*For students enrolled prior to summer 2018, CD1 courses taken under the old General Education Program will automatically fulfill the D1 credit and CD2 courses will fulfill the D2 credit. Students who took two CD1 courses or one CD1 and one CD2 (6 hrs of CD credit) under the previous General Education Program will not be required to take any further Diversity courses to fulfill Cardinal Core program requirements.
Contact Us: Please direct all questions related to the Diversity (D1 or D2) petition process to gecc@louisville.edu. Please put "Diversity petition" in the subject line.