General Education Requirements
Director: Kundai Chirindo
Administrative Assistant: Dawn Wilson
Lewis & Clark’s General Education program is designed to spark students’ curiosity, encourage them to take intellectual chances, and push them to participate thoughtfully and passionately in a diverse and interdependent world.
In the first year, students take one faculty-led foundational seminar per semester. These small classes (19–25 students) are designed to help students develop the reading, writing, discussion, and analytical skills they will need to succeed in college and life. One of the two courses focuses on interpreting the meaning and significance of texts (CORE 120 Words), while the other focuses on interpreting quantitative information and models (CORE 121 Numbers). Both of these courses allow students to explore a specialized topic of particular interest with a faculty member and a small group of students.
Over the course of their time at L&C, students will fulfill a set of requirements (categories below) designed to ensure they graduate having explored the breadth of the college’s curriculum.
Courses meeting General Education requirements (except for First-Year Seminars) may also be counted toward a major. No course may meet more than one General Education requirement, except that a course might satisfy Bibliographic Research in Writing, as well as another requirement. General Education courses account for approximately one-third of each student’s total coursework.
Credit earned for independent study, directed study, practica, or internships is not allowed to fulfill General Education requirements. With the exception of Physical Education and Well-Being courses that are only offered for CR/NC, only courses taken for a letter grade will apply to General Education requirements.
First-Year Seminars
(8 semester credits)
Lewis & Clark’s dynamic First-Year Seminar courses, Words and Numbers, develop students’ skills in analysis and both oral and written communication. These are not one-size-fits-all writing and math courses. Instead, students select from a menu of sections addressing a variety of urgent current issues and profound eternal questions. The foundational abilities honed along the way will begin to equip students for college and a life of learning, engagement, and leadership.
Each section is designed as an introduction to college inquiry and our community of scholars. Within each section, a faculty member joins a small group of students in critically exploring a topic about which they share a passion. These courses honor individual student backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences while asking students to challenge themselves to think in new ways and expose themselves to new ideas. All sections engage meaningfully with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Students take either CORE 120 Words or CORE 121 Numbers in their first semester and the other in their second semester.
Words teaches students to explore the meaning and significance of texts via close reading and analysis, and to express that analysis in writing.
Numbers teaches students to interpret quantitative information presented in various forms and contexts; to understand the logical structure of quantitative arguments; and to use quantitative models, theories, and data to simplify, explain, and make predictions.
First-Year Seminar Requirement
Students must complete the First-Year Seminar requirement in their first two semesters at Lewis & Clark. The two-part program may be completed in either order, but students must enroll in one First-Year Seminar each semester of their first year.
Students may withdraw from First-Year Seminar courses only with the approval of the director of the Office of General Education.*
Students who (1) fail to successfully complete a First-Year Seminar course, (2) are approved to take a leave of absence during a semester in which taking First-Year Seminar would be required, or (3) obtain an AES deferral must, in each subsequent semester they are in attendance, take at least one First-Year Seminar course until they have satisfied the requirement. No student can participate in an overseas or off-campus program until the First Year Seminar requirements have been completed.
Students Enrolled in Our Academic English Studies Courses
With the approval of the director of the General Education program, in consultation with the AES section head, undergraduate students enrolled in one or more AES courses may be eligible to defer First-Year Seminar coursework while enrolled in AES courses. Students will be required to enroll in a First-Year Seminar course in the semester following the successful completion of AES 222. Official notification must be made to the Office of the Registrar by the director of General Education each semester. At the end of the approved deferral period, students who have deferred First-Year Seminar coursework are required to take CORE 120 Words and CORE 121 Numbers, in either order but consecutive semesters, regardless of class standing. Students who have deferred First-Year Seminar coursework are bound by all other Core requirements as stated above.
Transfer Students
Students matriculating as transfer students are not required to complete the First-Year Seminar courses.
Courses
CORE 120 Words
Content: Words teaches students to explore the meaning and significance of texts via close reading and analysis, and to express that analysis orally and in writing. Specific content and topics will vary with instructors.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Special registration for first-year students.
Usually offered: Annually, fall and spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
CORE 121 Numbers
Content: Numbers teaches students to interpret quantitative information presented in various forms and contexts; to understand the logical structure of quantitative arguments; and to use quantitative models, theories, and data to simplify, explain, and make predictions. Specific content and topics will vary with instructors.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Special registration for first-year students.
Usually offered: Annually, fall and spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.
*Without approval of the director, students may withdraw from a First-Year Seminar course only if withdrawing from all classes during the semester.
Bibliographic Research in Writing
(4 semester credits)
As global citizens, we must speak and act knowledgeably, consider arguments that counter our own, and evaluate the strength of evidence used to support our own and others’ claims. To further these ends, students are required to take one 4-credit course that fosters bibliographic research and writing. Bibliographic Research in Writing (BRW)-designated courses familiarize students with modes of critical inquiry by requiring them to (1) discover and document the existing information available on a research question by identifying and evaluating relevant books, articles, and other types of sources, and (2) create a polished written product that may take the form of a research paper or other academic writing. Students will work closely with faculty in developing and revising their work, make use of print and digital library resources, and draw on the expertise of librarians in the process. The BRW-designated course need not be taken in one’s major. BRW-designated courses may be applied toward a major or minor, and also toward another general education requirement.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a BRW-designated course, students will have:
- Articulated or investigated a research question that engages with the scholarship of a given field;
- Identified relevant literature of the scholarship area and documented their research process;
- Used sources appropriately by considering the information-creation process, authority in context, diversity of perspectives, and the relationship of the sources to one another;
- Developed a polished written product incorporating revisions based on detailed faculty feedback.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Art
| Modern European Art | |
| Modern China | |
| Art After 1945 | |
| Theory in Practice | |
| Memory as Representation | |
Biology
| Animal Behavior | |
| Phylogenetic Biology and Molecular Evolution | |
| Chromosome Structure and Dynamics | |
Classics
| Health and Healing in the Ancient World | |
Economics
| Technology, Institutions, and Economic Growth | |
English
| Renaissance Medicine in Literature | |
| Topics in Literature | |
| Text and Image | |
| Radical Film | |
| Animals and Animal Rights in Literature | |
| From Scroll to Codex: Working With Medieval Manuscripts | |
| Medieval Literature | |
| Romanticism in the Age of Revolution | |
| Modern British and Irish Literature | |
| Chaucer | |
| Major Figures | |
Environmental Studies
| Environmental Analysis | |
| (Un)Natural Disasters | |
French
| French Literature and Society | |
History
| Making Modern China | |
| Asian American History in the U.S. | |
| 20th-Century Germany | |
| Medieval Europe, 800 to 1400 | |
| The Holocaust in Comparative Perspective | |
| Eastern Europe: Borderlands and Bloodlands | |
| Histories of Indigenous Peoples in North America (Turtle Island) | |
| African American History Since 1863 | |
| Public History Lab | |
| Modern European Intellectual History | |
| History of Soviet Russia | |
| Immigration and Asylum Law | |
International Affairs
| International Political Economy | |
Mathematics
Music
| Workshops in World Music | |
| The Symphony | |
| Music and Social Justice | |
| History of Western Music I | |
| History of Western Music II | |
| Music of the Middle East & North Africa | |
| Topics in Music | |
| Writing About Music | |
Philosophy
| Introduction to Philosophy | |
| Ethics | |
| Philosophy of Religion | |
| Indian Philosophy | |
| Philosophy of Law | |
| Data, Privacy, and Ethics | |
| Philosophical Methods | |
| Ancient Western Philosophy | |
| 19th-Century Philosophy | |
| Recent Continental Philosophy | |
| Ethical Theory | |
Political Science
| Research Methods in Political Science | |
| Transitions to Democracy and Authoritarianism | |
| Public Policy | |
| Law, Lawyers, and Society | |
| Civil Society, Politics, and the State | |
Religious Studies
| Religion and Violence | |
| Religion, Spirituality, and Medicine | |
| Jewish Origins | |
| Christian Origins | |
| Religion and Culture of Hindu India | |
| Medieval Christianity | |
| Gender, Sex, Jews, and Christians: Ancient World | |
| Gender in American Religious History | |
| Religions of the Northwest | |
| Mormonism in the American Religious Context | |
| Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity | |
| Family, Gender, and Religion: Ethnographic Approaches | |
| Mysticism and Religious Experience | |
| Asceticism | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
| Religious Fundamentalism | |
| Religions of the Northwest | |
| Mysticism and Religious Experience | |
Rhetoric and Media Studies
| Public Discourse | |
| Rhetorical Criticism | |
| Discourse Analysis | |
| Politics of Public Memory | |
Sociology and Anthropology
| Ethnographic Research Methods | |
| Reading "Texts": Discourse, Visual, and Material Analysis | |
| Research Theory and Design | |
Theatre
| Oregon Shakespeare Festival | |
| Theatre and Society: Global Foundations | |
| Theatre and Society: Modern Continental Drama | |
| Topics in Global Theatre and Performance | |
World Languages and Literatures
| Topics in World Literatures | |
Creative Arts
(4 semester credits)
The practice and study of the creative arts increase students’ understanding of their own creative powers and potential, others’ artistry, and the historical and cultural contexts surrounding artistic creation. The arts provide us insights into ourselves and the complexities and ambiguities of artistic representation, meaning, and culture. Students at Lewis & Clark should therefore acquire, as part of their general education, an awareness of this unique yet foundational way of knowing, forging, and experiencing the world and themselves.
Students may fulfill the creative arts requirement either by engaging in the creative process through courses in artistic production (e.g., the creation of studio art, media, design, music performance and composition, dance, theatre, creative writing) or courses in the study of artistic production (e.g., art history, literature, music history and theory, aesthetics).
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a Creative Arts General Education course, students will have demonstrated their knowledge of an art, an artistic process, its meaning, and/or the interpretation of an art through one or more of the following:
- The production of an artistic artifact/performance;
- The analysis of artistic technique, form, and/or process;
- The analysis of the frameworks of artistic production, representation, and reception (e.g., historical, cultural, theoretical, or global).
Students will have also developed their own informed artistic perspective by cultivating both a sense of receptivity to artistic expression and an understanding of art's materials, techniques, concepts, and forms.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Art
| European and North American Art | |
| Digital Media I | |
| Sculpture I | |
| Drawing I | |
| Ceramics I | |
| Painting Fundamentals | |
| Figure Painting | |
| Photography I | |
| Chinese Art | |
| Modern European Art | |
| Pre-Columbian Art | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | |
| Art & Ecology: Material Matters | |
| Global Baroque | |
| Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| Realism, Photography, and Print Culture in the 19th Century | |
| Art of New York | |
| Studio Seminar on Contemporary Art Theory and Practice | |
| Modern Architecture | |
| Ovid and the Visual Arts | |
| Special Topics in Studio Art | |
| Visual Perspectives on Dante's Divine Comedy | |
| Modern China | |
| Art After 1945 | |
| Theory in Practice | |
| Memory as Representation | |
Chinese
| Introduction to Chinese Literature in Translation | |
| Topics in Chinese Literature in Translation | |
Classics
| Art and Archaeology of the Aegean | |
| Attic Tragedy | |
| Topography and Monuments of Athens | |
English
| Introductory Topics in Literature | |
| The Art of the Novel | |
| Jane Austen | |
| Films Adapting Fiction | |
| Creative Writing: Fiction 1 | |
| Creative Writing: Poetry 1 | |
| Creative Writing: Nonfiction 1 | |
| Introduction to American Literature | |
| Writing and Illness | |
| Renaissance Medicine in Literature | |
| Topics in Literature | |
| The Brontës: Legends and Legacies | |
| Text and Image | |
| Women Writers | |
| Radical Film | |
| Women and Film | |
| Law and Literature | |
| Animals and Animal Rights in Literature | |
| From Scroll to Codex: Working With Medieval Manuscripts | |
| Creative Writing: Fiction 2 | |
| Creative Writing: Poetry 2 | |
| Creative Writing: Nonfiction 2 | |
| Ancient Masterpieces and English Literature | |
| Medieval Literature | |
| Literature of the English Renaissance | |
| The Early English Novel | |
| Satire and Sentiment, 1660-1780 | |
| Romanticism in the Age of Revolution | |
| The Victorians: Heroes, Decadents, and Madwomen | |
| Modern British and Irish Literature | |
| Modern Poetry | |
| Postcolonial Literature: Anglophone Africa, India, Caribbean | |
| Inventing America: Literature of Colonialism and the Early Republic, 1540-1830 | |
| National Sins, National Dreams: American Literature 1830-1865 | |
| Getting Real: Post-Civil War American Literature | |
| American Modernism | |
| Post-World War II American Literature | |
| African American Literature | |
| Chaucer | |
| Shakespeare: Early Works | |
| Shakespeare: Later Works | |
| Major Figures | |
| Special Topics in Literature | |
| Topics in Literary Theory/Criticism | |
| Creative Writing: Nonfiction 3 | |
French
| French Composition and Conversation | |
| Introduction to French Literary Studies | |
| Francophone Literature | |
| French Literature and Society | |
| Topics in French and Francophone Literature | |
| Major Periods in French Literature | |
| Special Topics | |
Gender Studies
| Gender and Aesthetic Expression | |
German
| German Literature in Translation | |
| Introduction to Literary Studies | |
| Introduction to German Literary and Cultural Studies in English | |
| Topics in German Literature and Culture | |
| Major Periods in German Literature From the Beginning to Enlightenment | |
| Special Topics in German | |
Music
| Beginning Keyboard Skills Class | |
| Intermediate Keyboard Skills Class | |
| Orchestra | |
| Wind Symphony | |
| Jazz Combos | |
| Voces Auream Treble Chorus | |
| Community Chorale | |
| Cappella Nova | |
| Vocal Performance Workshop | |
| Gamelan Ensemble | |
| Songwriting Private Lessons | |
| Ghanaian Music Ensemble | |
| Zimbabwean Music Ensemble | |
| Indian Music Ensemble | |
| Latin American Music Ensemble | |
| Beginning Voice Class | |
| Beginning Piano Class | |
| Beginning Guitar Class | |
| Percussion Ensemble | |
| Banjo Private Lessons | |
| Applied Brass Lessons | |
| Applied String Lessons | |
| Applied Woodwind Lessons | |
| Hindustani Voice Private Lessons | |
| Sitar Private Lessons | |
| Tabla Private Lessons | |
| Charango Private Lessons | |
| Cuatro Private Lessons | |
| Shamisen Private Lessons | |
| Fiddle Private Lessons | |
| Jazz Voice Private Lessons | |
| Classical Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Folk Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Jazz Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Electric Bass Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Flamenco Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Jazz Piano Private Lessons | |
| Classical Piano Private Lessons | |
| Harpsichord Private Lessons | |
| Organ Private Lessons | |
| Voice Private Lessons | |
| Violin Private Lessons | |
| Viola Private Lessons | |
| Cello Private Lessons | |
| Bass Private Lessons | |
| Harp Private Lessons | |
| Flute Private Lessons | |
| Oboe Private Lessons | |
| Clarinet Private Lessons | |
| Saxophone Private Lessons | |
| Bassoon Private Lessons | |
| Trumpet Private Lessons | |
| Horn Private Lessons | |
| Trombone Private Lessons | |
| Euphonium Private Lessons | |
| Tuba Private Lessons | |
| Drumset & Percussion Private Lessons | |
| Jazz Drum Set Private Lessons | |
| Mandolin Private Lessons | |
| Ghanaian Percussion Private Lessons | |
| Guitar Ensemble | |
| Chamber Music Ensembles | |
| Intermediate Guitar Class | |
| Intermediate Piano Class | |
| Accompanying Class | |
| Advanced Jazz Voice Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Electronic Music Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Classical Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Folk Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Jazz Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Electric Bass Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Jazz Piano Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Piano Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Organ Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Voice Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Violin Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Viola Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Cello Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Bass Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Harp Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Flute Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Oboe Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Clarinet Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Saxophone Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Bassoon Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Trumpet Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Horn Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Trombone Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Euphonium Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Tuba Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Percussion Private Lessons | |
| Composition Private Lessons | |
| Advanced Jazz Drum Set Private Lessons | |
| Music Theory Fundamentals | |
| Jazz Appreciation | |
| Sound and Sense: Understanding Music | |
| Workshops in World Music | |
| Music in the United States | |
| The Broadway Musical | |
| Chamber Music | |
| The Symphony | |
| Music and Social Justice | |
| Music Theory I | |
| Contemporary Trends in Music | |
| History of Western Music I | |
| History of Western Music II | |
| Music Theory II | |
| Introduction to Electronic Music | |
| Music of the Middle East & North Africa | |
| Music of Asia | |
| Music of Latin America | |
| Music Theory III | |
| Piano Literature | |
| Vocal Literature | |
| Art & Science of the Voice | |
| Music Theory IV: Contemporary | |
| Portland Music Scenes | |
| Topics in Music | |
| Topics in Music, Comparative and North American | |
| Jazz Theory | |
| Seminar in Electronic Music | |
| Orchestration | |
| Counterpoint | |
| Conducting | |
| Advanced Conducting | |
| Writing About Music | |
| Topics in History and Music I | |
| Senior Project | |
Overseas and Off-Campus Programs
| Art and Culture in India | |
| The Fine Arts in Contemporary London | |
| 20th Century Art and Architecture | |
| Irish Literature and Theatre | |
| Topics in Art History | |
| History of New York | |
Rhetoric and Media Studies
| Media Design and Criticism | |
| The Documentary Form | |
| Digital Media and Society | |
| Queer Film and Television | |
| American Cinema Studies: Advanced Analysis and Criticism | |
| Television and American Culture | |
Russian
| Topics in Russian Literature and Culture in Translation | |
Spanish
| Latin America and Spain: Pre-Columbian to Baroque | |
| Topics in Peninsular Culture | |
| Topics in Transatlantic Culture | |
| Topics in Latin American Culture | |
Theatre
| Stage Makeup | |
| Costume Design | |
| Fundamentals of Movement | |
| Ballet | |
| Contemporary Dance Technique | |
| Theatre Laboratory | |
| Acting I: Fundamentals | |
| Contact Improvisation | |
| Social Dance Forms: History, Practice, and Social Significance | |
| Stagecraft | |
| Acting II: Realism | |
| Dance in Context: History and Criticism | |
| Voice and Movement | |
| Fundamentals of Design | |
| Creative Movement | |
| Stage Lighting | |
| Performance From the Inside Out | |
| Oregon Shakespeare Festival | |
| Theatre in New York | |
| Introduction to Playwriting | |
| Theatre and Society: Global Foundations | |
| Theatre and Society: Modern Continental Drama | |
| Playing at the Border: Migration and Art | |
| Directing | |
| Dance Composition and Improvisation | |
| Acting III: Style | |
| Design for Performance | |
| The History and Theory of Modern and Contemporary Performance | |
| Rehearsal and Performance: Main Stage Production | |
| Devised Performance | |
| American Drama: Minoritarian Perspectives | |
| Topics in Global Theatre and Performance | |
World Languages and Literatures
| Topics in World Literatures | |
Culture, Power, and Identity
(4 semester credits)
Courses in this category recognize culture, power, and identity as consequential themes within a liberal arts education. These themes have emerged in various disciplines as critical lenses for grappling with historical and current discrimination, domination, and inequality. These courses also invite us to consider how broader structures of power interact with culture and/or identity to operate with respect to our community’s varied histories and experiences. Courses that meet this requirement approach various topics from a range of analytical perspectives across the full scope of social, cultural, political, economic, scientific, psychological, and artistic processes represented in the Lewis & Clark curriculum. As students investigate the interplay of culture, power, and/or identity, they learn to cultivate communication practices, critical reflection on their own position, and/or recognition of different experiences, identities, and perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a Culture, Power, and Identity General Education course, students will have critically examined one or both of the following:
- How dynamic structures of culture and power affect society and individuals via social, cultural, political, economic, scientific, psychological, and/or artistic processes in historical and/or contemporary contexts;
- How individuals, embedded within structures of power, shape interactions in historical and/or contemporary contexts.
Students will have also cultivated at least one of the following practices:
- Collaborative and productive communication about culture, power, and/or identity in their community;
- Critical reflection on their own position in relation to culture and power;
- Recognition of different experiences, identities, and perspectives.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Art
| Sculpture I | |
| Modern European Art | |
| Pre-Columbian Art | |
| Art & Ecology: Material Matters | |
| Realism, Photography, and Print Culture in the 19th Century | |
| Modern China | |
| Art After 1945 | |
Asian Studies
| Introduction to Contemporary Asian Studies | |
Classics
Economics
| The Financial System and the Economy | |
| Radical Political Economics | |
English
| Radical Film | |
| Law and Literature | |
| African American Literature | |
Environmental Studies
| Environmental Engagement | |
| (Un)Natural Disasters | |
| Environmental Theory | |
Ethnic Studies
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | |
| Topics in Race and Ethnic Studies | |
French
| Francophone Literature | |
| French Literature and Society | |
Gender Studies
| Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Society | |
| Genders and Sexualities in Global Perspective | |
History
| Making Modern China | |
| Making Modern Japan | |
| Introduction to Korea: Origins to the 21st Century | |
| Modern European History | |
| United States: Revolution to Empire | |
| The United States in the 20th Century | |
| Colonial Latin American History | |
| Modern Latin American History | |
| Asian American History in the U.S. | |
| Japan at War | |
| The Emergence of Modern South Asia | |
| Tudor and Stuart Britain, 1485 to 1688 | |
| Britain in the Age of Revolution, 1688 to 1815 | |
| The Making of Modern Britain, 1815 to Present | |
| 20th-Century Germany | |
| The Holocaust in Comparative Perspective | |
| Eastern Europe: Borderlands and Bloodlands | |
| U.S. Women's History, 1600 to 1980 | |
| Histories of Indigenous Peoples in North America (Turtle Island) | |
| Constructing the American Landscape | |
| Race and Ethnicity in the United States | |
| Borderlands: U.S.-Mexico Border, 16th Century to Present | |
| African American History Since 1863 | |
| India in the Age of Empire | |
| Global Environmental History | |
| From Stumptown to Portlandia: The History of Portland | |
| Religion, Society, and the State in Japanese History | |
| Popular Culture and Everyday Life in Japanese History | |
| History of Islam in Europe | |
| The British Empire | |
| Crime and Punishment in the United States | |
| Race and Nation in Latin America | |
| Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics, and Economic Crisis | |
| Modern Cuba | |
| What's for Dinner | |
| Immigration and Asylum Law | |
| Cross-Cultural Law & Justice in Early America | |
Japanese
| Topics in Japanese Literature in Translation | |
Music
| Jazz Appreciation | |
| Sound and Sense: Understanding Music | |
| Workshops in World Music | |
| Music and Social Justice | |
| Music of the Middle East & North Africa | |
| Music of Asia | |
| Music of Latin America | |
| Portland Music Scenes | |
| Topics in Music | |
Overseas and Off-Campus Programs
| Area Studies: East Africa History, Culture, and Change | |
| Contemporary East Africa | |
| Moroccan Modernity | |
| Gender and Society in Morocco | |
| Development in India | |
| Thai History and Society | |
| Contemporary England | |
| Contemporary Germany | |
| Irish Life & Cultures | |
| The Irish Welfare System | |
| Emigration in Italy and Europe During the Globalization Era | |
| Contemporary Ecuador | |
| Contemporary Australia | |
| Indigenous Studies | |
| Repeated Colonization, a History of New Zealand | |
Philosophy
| Ethics | |
| Philosophy of Religion | |
| Indian Philosophy | |
| Philosophy of Law | |
| Philosophy and the Environment | |
| Data, Privacy, and Ethics | |
| 19th-Century Philosophy | |
| Recent Continental Philosophy | |
| Ethical Theory | |
Political Science
| American Constitutional Law: Equal Protection and Due Process | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Revolution and the Social Contract | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: The Fate of Democracy | |
| Global Justice | |
| Ethics and Public Policy | |
| Religion and Politics | |
Psychology
| Social Construction of Madness | |
| Advanced Topics in Social Psychology | |
Religious Studies
| Apocalyptic Imagination | |
| Jewish Origins | |
| Christian Origins | |
| Power, Politics, and Scripture | |
| The Reformations of the 16th Century | |
| Prophets, Seekers, and Heretics: U.S. Religious History from 1492 to 1865 | |
| Religion in Modern America, 1865 to Present | |
| Islamic Political and Social Movements | |
| Gender, Sex, Jews, and Christians: Ancient World | |
| Gender in American Religious History | |
| Family, Gender, and Religion: Ethnographic Approaches | |
| Religious Fundamentalism | |
Rhetoric and Media Studies
| Rhetoric, Colonialism & the Western Imaginary | |
| Data and Democracy | |
| Media Theory | |
| Politics of Public Memory | |
| Comparative Rhetoric | |
| Health Narratives | |
| Argument and Social Justice | |
| Rhetoric of Gender in Relationships | |
| Digital Media and Society | |
| Queer Film and Television | |
| Science, Technology, and Society | |
| Feminist Discourse Analysis | |
| Television and American Culture | |
Russian
| Topics in Russian Literature and Culture in Translation | |
Sociology/Anthropology
| Introduction to Sociology | |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | |
| Social Change | |
| Social Power of Music | |
| Ethnography of Jews and Judaism | |
| Work, Leisure, and Consumption | |
| Race and Ethnicity in Global Perspective | |
| Reproductive Justice: Bodies, Health, and Society | |
| Space, Place, and Landscape | |
| Gender and Sexuality in Latin America | |
| Gender and Sexuality in South Asia | |
| Social Change in Latin America | |
| Pacific Rim Cities | |
| Anthropology of Print Media | |
| Culture and Power in the Middle East | |
| Social Theory | |
| Religion, Society, and Modernity | |
| Theory Through Ethnography | |
| Power, Privilege, and Inequality | |
| Power and Resistance | |
| Borderlands: Tibet and the Himalaya | |
| Indigenous Peoples: Identities and Politics | |
| Decolonizing Anthropology | |
Theatre
| Social Dance Forms: History, Practice, and Social Significance | |
| Dance in Context: History and Criticism | |
| Theatre and Society: Global Foundations | |
| Playing at the Border: Migration and Art | |
| American Drama: Minoritarian Perspectives | |
| Topics in Global Theatre and Performance | |
World Languages and Literatures
| Topics in World Literatures | |
Global Perspectives
(4 semester credits)
To become educated citizens of an interdependent world, all Lewis & Clark students are expected to gain a critical understanding of perspectives, politics, economics, societies, religions, creative arts, and/or cultures distinct from the United States, sometimes through comparison with the United States. This understanding can occur either through immersion in another global region’s culture as part of an overseas study program or via a classroom experience.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the Global Perspectives requirement, students will have:
- Gained a critical understanding of perspectives, politics, economics, societies, religions, creative arts, and/or cultures distinct from those of the United States, or of regional or global trends therein; and/or
- Fostered recognition and development of cross-cultural skills by comparing United States perspectives in politics, economics, societies, religions, creative arts, and/or cultures with those of other countries and regions.
Students may fulfill the Global Perspectives requirement in one of two ways:
- By successfully completing at least 8 credits on a fall, spring, or summer semester Lewis & Clark overseas study program.
- By successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Please note that language-acquisition courses require intervention from the registrar’s office to be applied.
Academic English Studies
| Developing Intercultural Competence | |
Art
| European and North American Art | |
| Chinese Art | |
| Modern European Art | |
| Pre-Columbian Art | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | |
| Global Baroque | |
| Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| Visual Perspectives on Dante's Divine Comedy | |
| Modern China | |
Asian Studies
| Introduction to Contemporary Asian Studies | |
Chinese
| Introduction to Chinese Literature in Translation | |
| Topics in Chinese Literature in Translation | |
Classics
| Introduction to Ancient Greek Thought and Culture | |
| Introduction to Ancient Roman Thought and Culture | |
| History of Byzantium | |
| Art and Archaeology of the Aegean | |
| Topography and Monuments of Athens | |
| Greek and Roman Epic | |
| Roman Women | |
Economics
| Economic Development | |
| Technology, Institutions, and Economic Growth | |
| Economic Crises and Financial Contagions | |
| Global Health Economics | |
| International Finance | |
English
| Modern British and Irish Literature | |
| Postcolonial Literature: Anglophone Africa, India, Caribbean | |
Environmental Studies
| Introduction to Environmental Studies | |
| Situating the Global Environment | |
French
| Intermediate French II: Reading in Cultural Context | |
| French Composition and Conversation | |
| Introduction to French Literary Studies | |
| Francophone Literature | |
| French Literature and Society | |
| Topics in French and Francophone Literature | |
| Major Periods in French Literature | |
| Special Topics | |
Gender Studies
| Genders and Sexualities in Global Perspective | |
German
| German Literature in Translation | |
| German Composition and Conversation | |
| Introduction to Literary Studies | |
| Introduction to German Literary and Cultural Studies in English | |
| Topics in German Literature and Culture | |
| Major Periods in German Literature From the Beginning to Enlightenment | |
| Special Topics in German | |
Health Studies
History
| Early East Asian History | |
| Making Modern China | |
| Making Modern Japan | |
| Introduction to Korea: Origins to the 21st Century | |
| Modern European History | |
| Colonial Latin American History | |
| Modern Latin American History | |
| Japan at War | |
| Ancient Greece | |
| The Emergence of Modern South Asia | |
| Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire | |
| Tudor and Stuart Britain, 1485 to 1688 | |
| Britain in the Age of Revolution, 1688 to 1815 | |
| The Making of Modern Britain, 1815 to Present | |
| 20th-Century Germany | |
| The Holocaust in Comparative Perspective | |
| Eastern Europe: Borderlands and Bloodlands | |
| Borderlands: U.S.-Mexico Border, 16th Century to Present | |
| India in the Age of Empire | |
| Global Environmental History | |
| China in the News: Socio-Anthropological and Historical Perspective on Modern China | |
| Religion, Society, and the State in Japanese History | |
| Popular Culture and Everyday Life in Japanese History | |
| Modern European Intellectual History | |
| History of Islam in Europe | |
| History of Soviet Russia | |
| The British Empire | |
| Race and Nation in Latin America | |
| Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics, and Economic Crisis | |
| Modern Cuba | |
| What's for Dinner | |
| Immigration and Asylum Law | |
International Affairs
| Introduction to International Relations | |
| Perception and International Relations | |
Japanese
| Topics in Japanese Literature in Translation | |
| Readings and Composition in Japanese | |
| Readings and Composition in Japanese II | |
| Advanced Readings in Japanese: Society and Culture | |
| Advanced Readings in Japanese: Fiction and Nonfiction | |
Latin American and Latinx Culture
| Latin American and Latinx Cultural Studies | |
Music
| Workshops in World Music | |
| The Symphony | |
| Music and Social Justice | |
| History of Western Music I | |
| History of Western Music II | |
| Music of the Middle East & North Africa | |
| Music of Asia | |
| Music of Latin America | |
| Portland Music Scenes | |
| Topics in Music | |
| Topics in History and Music I | |
Music Performance
| Gamelan Ensemble | |
| Ghanaian Music Ensemble | |
| Zimbabwean Music Ensemble | |
| Indian Music Ensemble | |
| Latin American Music Ensemble | |
| Hindustani Voice Private Lessons | |
| Sitar Private Lessons | |
| Tabla Private Lessons | |
| Charango Private Lessons | |
| Cuatro Private Lessons | |
| Shamisen Private Lessons | |
| Flamenco Guitar Private Lessons | |
| Ghanaian Percussion Private Lessons | |
Overseas and Off-Campus Programs
| Area Studies: East Africa History, Culture, and Change | |
| Contemporary East Africa | |
| Morocco: Development & Sustainability | |
| Moroccan Modernity | |
| Gender and Society in Morocco | |
| Language and Society in India | |
| Development in India | |
| Art and Culture in India | |
| Area Studies: South Asia | |
| Thai History and Society | |
| Sustainability and Natural Resources | |
| Topics in Southeast Asia | |
| Contemporary England | |
| The Fine Arts in Contemporary London | |
| Topics in Humanities: London | |
| Modern Greece: Language and Culture | |
| History of Modern Berlin: From 1815 to Present | |
| Contemporary Germany | |
| 20th Century Art and Architecture | |
| Metropolitan Development: Urban Studies in Comparative Perspective | |
| Irish Life & Cultures | |
| The Irish Welfare System | |
| Irish Literature and Theatre | |
| Topics in Art History | |
| Religious Cultures and Traditions in Italy | |
| Introduction to Sociolinguistics | |
| Emigration in Italy and Europe During the Globalization Era | |
| Contemporary Ecuador | |
| Area Study: Australia | |
| Contemporary Australia | |
| Indigenous Studies | |
| Cultural Ecology of New Zealand | |
| Repeated Colonization, a History of New Zealand | |
| Environment, Society & Natural Resource Management | |
Philosophy
| Philosophy of Religion | |
| Indian Philosophy | |
| Ancient Western Philosophy | |
| 19th-Century Philosophy | |
| Recent Continental Philosophy | |
Political Science
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | |
| Transitions to Democracy and Authoritarianism | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Revolution and the Social Contract | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: The Fate of Democracy | |
| Russian Politics in Comparative Perspective | |
| Civil Society, Politics, and the State | |
| European Politics | |
Psychology
| Culture, Film, and Psychology | |
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | |
Religious Studies
| Religion, Spirituality, and Medicine | |
| Religion and Culture of Hindu India | |
| Religions and Cultures of East Asia | |
| Buddhism: Theory, Culture, and Practice | |
| Introduction to Islam | |
| Islamic Political and Social Movements | |
| Family, Gender, and Religion: Ethnographic Approaches | |
| Mysticism and Religious Experience | |
| Asceticism | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
| Seminar in Islamic Studies: Islamic Law | |
| Mysticism and Religious Experience | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
Rhetoric and Media Studies
| Rhetoric, Colonialism & the Western Imaginary | |
| Politics of Public Memory | |
| Comparative Rhetoric | |
Russian
| Topics in Russian Literature and Culture in Translation | |
| Readings and Conversation in Russian | |
| Russian Composition and Conversation | |
Sociology/Anthropology
| International Migration | |
| Ethnography of Jews and Judaism | |
| Race and Ethnicity in Global Perspective | |
| Southeast Asia: Development, Resistance, and Social Change | |
| Gender and Sexuality in Latin America | |
| Gender and Sexuality in South Asia | |
| Critical Perspectives on Development | |
| Social Change in Latin America | |
| Pacific Rim Cities | |
| Anthropology of Print Media | |
| Culture and Power in the Middle East | |
| Religion, Society, and Modernity | |
| Power and Resistance | |
| Borderlands: Tibet and the Himalaya | |
| Indigenous Peoples: Identities and Politics | |
| Global Inequality | |
| Decolonizing Anthropology | |
| Anthropology of Tourism: Travel in Asia | |
Spanish
| Latin America and Spain: Pre-Columbian to Baroque | |
| Topics in Peninsular Culture | |
| Topics in Transatlantic Culture | |
| Topics in Latin American Culture | |
Theatre
| Theatre and Society: Global Foundations | |
| Theatre and Society: Modern Continental Drama | |
| Playing at the Border: Migration and Art | |
| Topics in Global Theatre and Performance | |
World Languages and Literatures
| Topics in World Literatures | |
Historical Perspectives
(4 semester credits)
Global citizenship requires us to understand perspectives and contexts other than our own. These contexts and perspectives may be geographic and cultural, and they may be temporal. The Historical Perspectives requirement engages students in explanations and understandings from outside our present moment, illustrating how our present arises from our past. Historical Perspectives courses attend to how the stories we tell about the past are historically influenced by cultural, social, political, economic, and religious motivations, and to the ways that our current explanations and understandings of the world are contingent. By studying events, texts, art, artifacts, and ideas from the past—and the narratives we construct about them—students expand their imaginative and interpretative capacities and cultivate skepticism and humility in understanding the world beyond the present moment.
Courses fulfilling the Historical Perspectives requirement present students with opportunities to learn about events, texts, art, artifacts, or ideas significantly removed from the present perspective, i.e., before 1945, a year marking a significant break in global history.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a Historical Perspectives General Education course, students will have:
- Explained and demonstrated an understanding of contexts or perspectives from outside the current era;
- Explained or evaluated events, texts, art, artifacts, or ideas from before 1945, including primary sources;
- Placed cultures, events, objects, texts, or ideas from before 1945 in conversation with one another and/or with the present moment.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Art
| European and North American Art | |
| Chinese Art | |
| Modern European Art | |
| Pre-Columbian Art | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art | |
| Global Baroque | |
| Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| Realism, Photography, and Print Culture in the 19th Century | |
| Modern Architecture | |
| Visual Perspectives on Dante's Divine Comedy | |
| Modern China | |
Classics
| Ancient Greek Myth: Gods and Goddesses, Heroines and Heroes | |
| Introduction to Ancient Greek Thought and Culture | |
| Introduction to Ancient Roman Thought and Culture | |
| History of Byzantium | |
| Art and Archaeology of the Aegean | |
| Attic Tragedy | |
| Health and Healing in the Ancient World | |
| Topography and Monuments of Athens | |
| Greek and Roman Epic | |
| Roman Women | |
English
| Introduction to American Literature | |
| Renaissance Medicine in Literature | |
| The Brontës: Legends and Legacies | |
| Animals and Animal Rights in Literature | |
| From Scroll to Codex: Working With Medieval Manuscripts | |
| Ancient Masterpieces and English Literature | |
| Medieval Literature | |
| The Early English Novel | |
| Satire and Sentiment, 1660-1780 | |
| Romanticism in the Age of Revolution | |
| The Victorians: Heroes, Decadents, and Madwomen | |
| Modern British and Irish Literature | |
| Inventing America: Literature of Colonialism and the Early Republic, 1540-1830 | |
| National Sins, National Dreams: American Literature 1830-1865 | |
| Getting Real: Post-Civil War American Literature | |
| American Modernism | |
| African American Literature | |
| Chaucer | |
Ethnic Studies
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | |
French
| French Literature and Society | |
| Topics in French and Francophone Literature | |
| Major Periods in French Literature | |
German
History
| Early East Asian History | |
| Making Modern China | |
| Making Modern Japan | |
| Introduction to Korea: Origins to the 21st Century | |
| Early European History | |
| Modern European History | |
| United States: Revolution to Empire | |
| Colonial Latin American History | |
| Modern Latin American History | |
| Asian American History in the U.S. | |
| Japan at War | |
| Ancient Greece | |
| The Emergence of Modern South Asia | |
| Ancient Rome: From Republic to Empire | |
| Tudor and Stuart Britain, 1485 to 1688 | |
| Britain in the Age of Revolution, 1688 to 1815 | |
| War and Society in Premodern Europe | |
| The Making of Modern Britain, 1815 to Present | |
| 20th-Century Germany | |
| Medieval Europe, 800 to 1400 | |
| The Holocaust in Comparative Perspective | |
| Eastern Europe: Borderlands and Bloodlands | |
| U.S. Women's History, 1600 to 1980 | |
| Histories of Indigenous Peoples in North America (Turtle Island) | |
| Race and Ethnicity in the United States | |
| Borderlands: U.S.-Mexico Border, 16th Century to Present | |
| African American History Since 1863 | |
| India in the Age of Empire | |
| Global Environmental History | |
| Religion, Society, and the State in Japanese History | |
| Popular Culture and Everyday Life in Japanese History | |
| Modern European Intellectual History | |
| History of Islam in Europe | |
| History of Soviet Russia | |
| The British Empire | |
| Race and Nation in Latin America | |
| Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics, and Economic Crisis | |
| Modern Cuba | |
| Cross-Cultural Law & Justice in Early America | |
Music
| Jazz Appreciation | |
| Sound and Sense: Understanding Music | |
| The Symphony | |
| Music Theory I | |
| History of Western Music I | |
| History of Western Music II | |
| Music Theory II | |
| Music of the Middle East & North Africa | |
| Music of Asia | |
| Music of Latin America | |
| Music Theory III | |
| Vocal Literature | |
| Music Theory IV: Contemporary | |
| Topics in Music | |
| Counterpoint | |
| Topics in History and Music I | |
| Senior Project | |
Overseas and Off-Campus Programs
| Area Studies: East Africa History, Culture, and Change | |
| Thai History and Society | |
| History of Modern Berlin: From 1815 to Present | |
| 20th Century Art and Architecture | |
| Topics in Art History | |
| Religious Cultures and Traditions in Italy | |
| Contemporary Ecuador | |
| History of New York | |
Philosophy
| Introduction to Philosophy | |
| Philosophy of Religion | |
| Indian Philosophy | |
| Ancient Western Philosophy | |
| Early Modern Philosophy | |
| 19th-Century Philosophy | |
| Recent Continental Philosophy | |
Political Science
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: Revolution and the Social Contract | |
| Pillars of Western Political Thought: The Fate of Democracy | |
Religious Studies
| Food and Religion in America | |
| Apocalyptic Imagination | |
| Jewish Origins | |
| Christian Origins | |
| The Reformations of the 16th Century | |
| Religion and Culture of Hindu India | |
| Religions and Cultures of East Asia | |
| Buddhism: Theory, Culture, and Practice | |
| Medieval Christianity | |
| Prophets, Seekers, and Heretics: U.S. Religious History from 1492 to 1865 | |
| Religion in Modern America, 1865 to Present | |
| Introduction to Islam | |
| Gender, Sex, Jews, and Christians: Ancient World | |
| Gender in American Religious History | |
| Religions of the Northwest | |
| Mormonism in the American Religious Context | |
| Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity | |
| Asceticism | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
| Religions of the Northwest | |
| Seminar: Social and Religious World of Early Judaism and Christianity | |
| Seminar in Islamic Studies: Islamic Law | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
Rhetoric and Media Studies
Russian
| Russian Composition and Conversation | |
Theatre
| Dance in Context: History and Criticism | |
| Theatre and Society: Global Foundations | |
| Theatre and Society: Modern Continental Drama | |
| Acting III: Style | |
Natural Sciences
(4 semester credits)
To prepare for lifelong learning and civic leadership in an interdependent world, students must be familiar with scientific inquiry and reasoning methods that lead to evidence-based explanations of natural phenomena and inform the development of technology. Lewis & Clark students make necessary progress toward this goal by completing at least one course in the natural sciences.
To register for many of the courses that fulfill this requirement, the student must first do one of the following: (a) earn the appropriate score on a quantitative reasoning examination; (b) receive a score of 4 or 5 on an AP exam in calculus AB or BC; (c) receive a score of 5, 6, or 7 on an International Baccalaureate higher-level mathematics exam; (d) successfully complete QR 101 or another prerequisite course. Some courses have additional prerequisites (see course descriptions).
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a Natural Sciences General Education course, students will have:
- Recognized science as an iterative, exploratory process that requires both reasoning and creativity;
- Come to understand that scientific principles result from the analysis of evidence collected through experimental or observational approaches;
- Developed and used skills for analysis and interpretation of scientific data;
- Demonstrated familiarity with the use of data to generate and answer questions about natural phenomena;
- Become familiar with the major concepts of at least one field of the natural sciences; and
- Assessed the broader impact of topics discussed in the course.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least 4 semester credits from courses listed below.
Biology
| Perspectives in Biology | |
| Biological Investigations | |
| Explorations in Regional Biology | |
| Biological Core Concepts: Systems | |
| Biological Core Concepts: Mechanisms | |
| Ecology | |
Chemistry
| Perspectives in Environmental Chemistry | |
| Perspectives in Nutrition | |
| General Chemistry I | |
| General Chemistry II | |
| Organic Chemistry I | |
| Organic Chemistry II | |
Earth System Science
| Environmental Geology | |
| Climate Science | |
| Issues in Oceanography | |
| The Fundamentals of Hydrology | |
| Topics in Earth System Science | |
| Spatial Problems in Earth System Science | |
Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation
| Technologies of the Future | |
Physics
| Astronomy | |
| The Physics of Music | |
| Great Ideas in Physics | |
| Introductory General Physics I | |
| Introductory General Physics II | |
| Physics I: Motion | |
| Physics II: Waves and Matter | |
Psychology
| Behavioral Neuroscience | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | |
Physical Education and Well-Being
(Two courses/2 semester credits)
Physical education is a facet of the liberal arts tradition that stresses the interdependence of the physical, mental, and social dimensions of human experience. Students will learn to recognize and experience the positive benefits of building physical fitness and self-care habits, explore aspects of the body’s structure and function, and engage in experiences within a group or community setting.
The wide array of classes that satisfy this requirement are offered at many levels and modes of engagement, including physical education courses (with dozens of options from weightlifting to rock climbing to yoga and meditation), varsity sports, and dance and movement classes. Courses promote personal health and well-being, often serving collective purposes of expression and teamwork. Students learn to challenge themselves by setting goals and measuring progress toward those goals.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the requirements of a Physical Education and Well-Being course, students will have:
- Learned to recognize and experience the positive benefits of building physical well-being and self-care habits as part of the liberal arts tradition;
- Explored structural and functional aspects of their bodies as part of a healthy relationship with the body;
- Discovered connections between the mind and body; and
- Engaged in these experiences within a group or community setting.
Students can meet the requirement by successfully completing at least two courses (for a minimum of 2 semester credits) from those listed below.
Physical Education and Well-Being
| Activities | |
| Varsity Athletics | |
| Wilderness Leadership | |
Music*
| Art & Science of the Voice | |
| Conducting | |
| Advanced Conducting | |
Music Performance*
| Voces Auream Treble Chorus | |
| Community Chorale | |
| Cappella Nova | |
| Vocal Performance Workshop | |
| Ghanaian Music Ensemble | |
| Zimbabwean Music Ensemble | |
| Indian Music Ensemble | |
| Latin American Music Ensemble | |
| Beginning Voice Class | |
Theatre*
| Fundamentals of Movement | |
| Ballet | |
| Contemporary Dance Technique | |
| Contact Improvisation | |
| Social Dance Forms: History, Practice, and Social Significance | |
| Creative Movement | |
| Rehearsal and Performance: Dance Extravaganza | |
| Dance Composition and Improvisation | |
Students may register for no more than one 101 course per semester, except in the summer semester, when one course may be taken each session. The maximum credit in Activities (PE/A 101), Varsity Athletics (PE/A 102), and Wilderness Leadership (PE/A 142) courses that may be applied toward the 128 credits required for graduation is 4 semester credits.
*Theatre and music courses counting toward this requirement may be taken credit/no credit if that grading option is available for the course.
World Language
(Language other than English proficiency requirement)
The study of a language other than one’s own has always been a hallmark of a liberal education and is all the more important in today’s interdependent world. Learning a new language reveals nuances and subtleties that yield insight into cultural practices, values, belief systems, and everyday life in the contemporary world and/or historical contexts.
At Lewis & Clark in particular, language learning has a place of central importance, both because of Lewis & Clark’s historical commitment to global perspectives and because encounters with diverse cultures have become an integral part of the undergraduate program. Not only does language study enhance our appreciation for and sensitivity to the world around us, it also better enables us to understand and appreciate our own languages and cultures. World language proficiency, whether in a modern or classical language, is a requirement for all Lewis & Clark students.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the World Language General Education requirement, students will have demonstrated proficiency in a language other than English by having:
- Obtained a passing grade in any world or classical language course at the 201 level; or
- Achieved an ACTFL score (for modern languages) equivalent to the 201 level in both speaking and writing; or
- Met the SCS guidelines (for classical languages) equivalent to the 201 level in reading and translation skills.
Students completing this requirement will have also acquired a familiarity with the cultural, historical, and/or literary contexts of the language studied.
A student can satisfy this requirement in either of the following waysi:
- By completing study of a language other than English through the 201 level, either on campus or by completing an approved overseas program. (The list of approved programs is available from the Office of Overseas and Off-Campus Programs.)
- By placing into 202 or above on a language placement examination for a language other than English. (Language placement examinations must be provided by a regionally accredited institution.)ii
i Students admitted as international students whose first language is not English are exempt from the World Language requirement.
ii Students admitted as U.S. citizens or dual citizens who have acquired non-English language proficiency by virtue of living in another country must complete a language placement examination from a regionally accredited institution. If no regionally accredited institution offers a placement examination in the language, other testing alternatives may be available. Please see the registrar’s office for information and procedure.