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Global Engagement Requirement

The New Global Engagement Requirement
 
To develop ARHU students' understanding of other cultures and languages in an increasingly global society, the college has expanded its current “Foreign Language Requirement” and renamed it the “Global Engagement Requirement." Learning a second language produces deep knowledge of cultural as well as linguistic differences while opening pathways for common understanding. The new requirement will retain the current requirement in foreign language study as an option while adding two additional options. 

Important Note: Students who have already satisfied the existing foreign language requirement have in fact fulfilled the Global Engagement Requirement and are not affected by this policy change.

Students may satisfy the ARHU Global Engagement Requirement in one of the following three ways, all of which require the study of a foreign language:  

Option 1: Study of a Foreign Language
Requirement: Students will take foreign language coursework to the designated  level at UMD.  Please consult an ARHU advisor for a list of the required course sequences.

Option 2: Cultural Immersion through Study Abroad
Requirement: Students will participate in a semester long Study Abroad experience in a country where English is not the primary language. 
 
The study abroad experience must include:  
  1. At least the first year/elementary level language of the host country before or during the experience or equivalent as determined by the ARHU foreign language placement policy;
  2. A reflection component that will challenge students to assess their pre-departure, during and post experience (0-3cr.);
  3. Participation in one of the following pre-approved engagement experiences:
  • Internship (1-6 cr.)
  • Service learning (0 cr.)
  • A living situation involving daily interaction with host nationals (e.g. a pre-approved home stay with a host national family) (0 cr.);
  • Other –an engagement experience approved in advance of departure

Student must develop a learning contract with an ARHU advisor in advance of studying abroad in order for the experience to count for the Global Engagement Requirement. Past study abroad experiences will not be considered retroactively.

Option 3: Individually-designed Engagement Experience
Requirement: Students may also create an individually-designed experience that achieves the learning outcomes of the global engagement requirement. 

This option must include: 
  1. At least the first year/elementary level language of the host country before or during the experience or equivalent as determined by the ARHU foreign language placement policy;
  2. A pre-approved menu of short- and long-term study abroad programs appropriate for inclusion in this option has been developed by ARHU in conjunction with the Education Abroad office;
  3. Students must develop a learning contract with an ARHU advisor and petition to have the experience approved in advance;
  4. Students proposing study abroad in an English-speaking country must choose to study a language that has significance to the historical or current culture of the host country. Students will need to research and discuss the intersection of the chosen language and culture in their petition.
 
Examples of individually-designed experiences:
 

1. A pre-approved short-term program plus language of the host country and a reflection component.

One semester of Foreign Language taken pre or post departure (3 -6 cr. depending on language choice/placement)
+ Pre-approved short term program (3-6 cr.)
+ Reflection component (0-3 cr.)
= 6-15 cr. (depending on student’s choice of language, short term program and reflection component)

2. A pre-approved semester program in an English-speaking country plus language and a reflection component. One semester of Foreign Language taken pre or post departure (3 -6 cr. depending on language choice/placement)

+ Pre-approved program in an English Speaking country (3-15 credits)
+ Reflection component (0-3 cr.)
= 6-15 cr. (depending on student’s choice of language, program and reflection component)
 
Important note: As of September 15, 2011 all students will be required to take a placement test in order to register for foreign language courses unless you have fulfilled the designated prerequisites. 

Students already beyond the required language must document their language proficiency by taking a placement exam or equivalent course work as determined by the ARHU foreign language placement policy.