The global perspective requirement for undergraduates stems from the goals of UW-Stout's distinctive mission and array of programs that combine theory, practice and experimentation.
Both the globalization of work and the career education that is part of UW-Stout's mission make it desirable that students appreciate cultural, economic, political, environmental and social differences. Increasingly, graduates will work with people who do not speak English well or whose culture is quite different from their own. Learning a second language and developing an understanding of another culture can provide students with skills they will be able to use in international situations. Therefore, to earn a bachelor's degree, students must fulfill a global perspective requirement, choosing one of the following options:
- Second Language Option
- Complete two years of the same second language in high school with a grade of "C" or above, or
- Complete four university credits of a second language with a grade of "C" or above, or
- Demonstrate competency in a second language by means of a standardized examination. International students who are not native speakers of English must have a TOEFL score of 500.
- Global Experience Option
- Complete a program of university-approved work or study abroad, or
- Complete six credits of courses approved by the CIC as fulfilling the global perspective requirement. *
* For a course to fulfill the global perspective requirement, it must, at a meaningful level,
- directly address global issues, or
- focus on other subject matter while emphasizing understanding and appreciation of global issues, or
- teach professional skills or theories that include a global perspective component.
General Education, Ethnic Studies, and Global Perspective Requirements [PDF]