Intellectual Foundations

Students will:

1. Summarize: (a) a broad outline of world history, or (b) at least one other world civilization or multi-cultural region in one or more historical period, including cultures, geography, institutions, societies, polities, and economies
2. Analyze ways of thought in one or more historical period, in one or more other world civilization or multi-cultural region, including at least two foundational fields of thought (e.g., science and religion, or artistic expression and political philosophy).
3. Classify an era in terms of the historical periodization, continuities and discontinuities, in the development of other-world civilization or multi-cultural region.
4. Identify information and ideas from at least one other world civilization or multi-cultural region and apply the information and ideas to other world civilizations and multi-cultural regions (critical thinking).

Definitions: The term “civilization implies the existence of a society with a relatively advanced degree of occupational specialization and the evolution of classical religious, philosophical and literary traditions.  Courses in ancient civilizations generally must be comparative.  The term “multi-cultural region” implies the existence of several cultures that approach the definition of “civilization” or did at one time.  Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin American might be examples.  The term “non-western” implies a primary focus outside of Europe, the U.S., and Canada or on the indigenous peoples of North America.