Undergraduate Bulletin - Loyola Marymount University

94 / AMERICAN CULTURES STUDIES
American Cultures
Studies
Coordinator
Edward Park
Mission of American Cultures Studies
Courses in American Cultures Studies will enhance
students’ familiarity with and appreciation of several of
the diverse cultural groups that comprise the multi-ethnic
society of the United States. The in-depth, comparative,
and interdisciplinary study of the cultures, behaviors,
experiences, and inter-group relations of the following
groups—African American, Asian/Pacific Islander American,
Chicano/Latino American, Euro-American, and Native
American—will provide students with competencies and
sensibilities that will enable them to contribute to and
thrive in a culturally diverse world. (It is understood that
the above categories do not include the entirety of peoples
comprising the United States of America. Moreover, it is
recognized that a rich variety of cultures is also represented
within these broad groups.)
Students will strengthen their knowledge and awareness of
various ethnic or cultural groups. They will also develop
analytical responses to various forms of cultural expression.
This approach asks students to challenge the boundaries
of ethnicity, culture, and academic discipline. In so doing,
students improve their intergroup communication skills
and become better able to see, appreciate, and respect
the perspectives of others—factors that are essential to the
creation of a more understanding and just society.
Goals of American Cultures Studies
Courses in American Cultures Studies are designed to:
• Provide strategies and competencies necessary
to thrive in and contribute to a multiethnic and
inter-cultural environment.
• Link theory and practice in the Jesuit-Marymount
tradition.
American Cultures Studies Student Learning
Outcomes
Students who have completed an AMCS course will:
• Know the histories, cultures, and politics of major
ethno-racial groups in American society
• Know the role of race and ethnicity in shaping the
American experience.
Students who have completed an AMCS course will be able
to:
• Become more informed and effective participants
in a culturally diverse world
• Evaluate the multiracial and multiethnic dimension
of American life.
Students who have completed an AMCS course will value:
• Historical and contemporary efforts to build a
more just and inclusive America
• Commitment to social justice and interculturalism.
All courses in this curriculum satisfy the AMCS component
of the student’s core requirement. Some of the courses are
also cross-listed in other disciplines.
AMCS 100
Introduction to American Cultures
3 Semester Hours
Lower division introductory courses in American Cultures
Studies explore the meaning and dynamics of such issues
as race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, and other factors
that define members of our society. These issues are
explored from the vantage point of at least three ethnocultural
groups. Courses may be taught from myriad
disciplinary perspectives and emphasize the development
of basic skills for understanding and interacting in today’s
multicultural society.
Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore students only.
AMCS 161
Young America: 1607-1900
(See HIST 161)
AMCS 198
Special Studies
1-3 Semester Hours
Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore students only.
AMCS 199
Independent Studies
1-3 Semester Hours
AMCS 298
Special Studies
1-3 Semester Hours
Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore students only.
AMCS 299
Independent Studies
1-3 Semester Hours