Descriptive Guidelines for Ethnic Studies Courses

The Ethnic Studies Implementation Committee developed a series of descriptive guidelines to facilitate implementation of the Ethnic Studies Requirement.

• ESR courses must be offered for a minimum of 3 credits.
• Evidence (e.g., syllabus, reading list) must be provided demonstrating that the course material illuminates the circumstances, conditions, and experiences of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.
• Courses that explore the circumstances, conditions, and experiences of racial and ethnic minorities in a comparative international format must devote at least 25% of the course (lecture, discussion, reading materials, etc.) to the experience and/or theoretical understanding of the means by which persistently marginalized groups in the US negotiate the conditions of exclusion or marginalization.
• Courses that explore the condition of U.S. ethnic groups that were at one time marginalized but which have since been widely assimilated into the dominant U.S. culture must devote at least 25% of the course to the experience and/or theoretical understanding of the means by which persistently marginalized groups in the US negotiate the conditions of exclusion or marginalization.
• In cases where religion is intertwined with respect to ethnic/racial minorities that are persistently marginalized or discriminated against in the U.S., courses that focus on religion may fulfill the ESR.

(These guidelines were approved by University Academic Planning Council action, as reported in the Provost's 6-10-2005 memo accepting the final report of the Ethnic Studies Implementation Committee.)

Last updated: 27 June 2005

Additional observations:

• As a convenience to students, the ethnic studies content should also be reflected in information readily available to students (course title, catalog descriptions, and in some cases, syllabi) when they select courses.
• In general, courses with variable topics will not qualify as Ethnic Studies courses unless the topic title and catalog description clearly indicate that courses offered under that topic title will ALWAYS meet the ethnic studies criteria. For example, "Topics in Race and Class in the US" would be likely to qualify, whereas a more general title ("Topics in Sociology") would not.

Last updated: 27 June 2005

Adding to the Ethnic Studies Course Array

Existing courses that do not currently carry the "e" designation but that meet the Criteria for Ethnic Studies Courses can be brought into the ESR course array via the usual course proposal process, as outlined online at http://www.secfac.wisc.edu/divcomm/courses/CourseProposals.htm. The process will require submission of one of two forms:

• "Course Change Forms" must be submitted to bring existing courses into the ESR course array. Please include a course syllabus and request "review for Ethnic Studies Designation" as the requested change. If the existing catalog description does not refer to ESR content, you may also wish to revise the catalog description.
  
• "New Course Proposal Forms" must be submitted for new courses developed to meet the requirement. Please indicate on Item 13(b) that the course should be reviewed as a potential ethnic studies course.

The course proposal process usually includes review and approval of these forms and the proposed course by three review bodies:

• Departmental Curriculum and/or Executive Committee (depending on department procedures)
• School or College Curriculum Committee
• Divisional Executive Committee

The approval of Ethnic Studies courses requires an additional review, conducted by the Ethnic Studies subcommittee of the General Education Committee. Proposals will be sent to the Ethnic Studies Committee for consideration by the L&S Curriculum Committee (for courses proposed in L&S) or by the Divisional Executive Committee Office (for courses proposed by schools or colleges other than L&S). The committee will communicate its determination to Dr. Nancy Westphal-Johnson (Chair, University General Education Committee), as well as to the department and Registrar.

Please note that while course additions or revisions can be proposed at any time, the process requires advance planning to meet Timetable and Undergraduate Catalog press deadlines. Departments should plan to get materials to their college curriculum committees at least six weeks in advance of these deadlines.

Questions about the Ethnic Studies Committee's work and ESR courses can be directed to Dr. Elaine M. Klein (kleine@ls.admin.wisc.edu, or 307E South Hall, or 265-8484).

Last updated: 12/22/04

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