Given the very broad definition of “cultural diversity” which appears in the statement endorsed by the Faculty Senate, we believe our undergraduate program area addresses the diversity requirement in five areas. Overall, we aim to help our students view diversity as a source of possibilities and not solely as a set of problems to be overcome.

1. Core Requirements
   • Students entering our program are required to take EFND 2030, SPED 2000, and EPSY 2020 in addition to at least one course in a foreign language. All these courses contribute to students’ conceptual knowledge of issues related to cultural diversity.
2. Teaching Field Coursework
   • Students entering our program are required to have completed seven upper division courses in their teaching field. Students are strongly advised to take at least two courses that specifically address issues pertaining to cultural diversity (e.g. African American Literature, Women’s studies, East Asian Literature, etc.)
3. Year-long Advanced Professional Education Course Sequence
   • Students are required to develop and share with peers a research proposal. Many students choose to investigate questions involving awareness of cultural diversity.
4. The required course in Adolescent Literature includes reading and discussion centered on developing awareness of diversity.
5. Students participate in various local inquiry projects involving shadowing, study groups, interviewing, etc. that confront them with the reality of cultural diversity.
6. Students create unit plans in which they are required to demonstrate an awareness of issues related to cultural diversity.In these and other ways the Year-long Course Sequence contributes to students’ conceptual knowledge of issues related to cultural diversity.
7. Guided Field-Experience and Student Teaching
   • Students experience multiple placements in public schools that are naturally diverse.
   • Prior to student teaching, students complete an on-site research project that requires consideration of diversity as an issue.
   • Students are provided with opportunities for guided reflection before and during student teaching that helps them increase their level of competence and effectiveness in interacting with diverse groups.
   • Following their student-teaching experience, students participate in a seminar which is devoted in part to considering the role of diversity in shaping the quality of their experience.These aspects of the Year-long Course Sequence contribute to students’ ability to apply the conceptual knowledge they have acquired to recognize the potential of student diversity to enhance the conditions for learning in classrooms as well as to meet the challenge of posing and solving problems in real-life educational settings.
8. ESL Add-On Certification
   • Students are strongly advised to consider acquiring ESL endorsement as they fulfill basic requirements for T-4 certification.