Comparative Cultural Studies, Bachelor of Arts

In addition to University Requirements:

• At least 49 units of major requirements which includes 24-33 units of emphasis or coursework requirements 
• At least 16 units of language requirements

• Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

• For this major the liberal studies prefixes include CCS, ARH, HUM, MST, and REL

• Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion	120
Major GPA	2.0
Highest Mathematics Required	MAT 114
Foreign Language	Required
Fieldwork Experience/Internship	Required
Study Abroad	Recommended
University Honors Program	Optional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A	Recommended
Progression Plan Link	View Progression Plan
Emphasis or Coursework Required	An emphasis or coursework is required for this degree.

Purpose Statement

The BA in Comparative Cultural Studies (CCS) is a 49-58 credit degree designed to give students a deep comparative knowledge of global cultures and the critical skills with which to become cultural mediators, interpreters, and educators. The CCS BA prepares the student for professional work in cultural institutions, diplomacy and foreign services, non-governmental and governmental institutions, tourism, education, journalism, and business. The degree also provides students preparation for further professional credentializing in graduate programs, including cultural studies, museum studies, religious studies, art history, and education. With students increasingly recognizing the challenges and opportunities of working in a global, multicultural market, the CCS degree also offers a valuable second major complementing other degree programs across the university curriculum. Finally, the degree enables the student to develop the skills necessary to be a life-long learner and global citizen.

Student Learning Outcomes

Comparative Cultural Studies Coursework Emphasis 

• Critical thinking – graduates will have learned to assess the validity of arguments, evidence and conclusions in scholarly proposals regarding global cultural expressions.
• Critical Reading – graduates will be skilled at identifying global perspectives, values, and claims made in original works and the scholarship regarding those works, and analyzing current issues using these approaches.
• Effective Writing – graduates will have demonstrated the ability to articulate a thesis, provide comprehensive analysis of evidence, and suggest well-grounded conclusions in a variety of professionally executed documents.
• Interdisciplinarity – graduates will have familiarized themselves with and applied interdisciplinary methods fundamental to global scholarly work in Art History, the Humanities, and Religious Studies.
• Comparative Cultural Awareness – graduates will leave the department with an awareness of, and respect for, differing cultural viewpoints. Graduates will be able to communicate, both orally and in written form, about how such global perspectives influence the creation and reception of works of art, literature, and religious expression.  They will also be able to work successfully with individuals with differing cultural and religious backgrounds in diverse settings.

Comparative Cultural Studies: Emphasis in Asian and North African Studies - Interdisciplinary Global Program (ANS-IGP)

• Critical thinking - graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will have learned to assess the validity of arguments, evidence, and conclusions in scholarly publications regarding global knowledge of Asian and North African Studies based on historical, cultural, linguistic, social scientific, and artistic analyses.
• Critical Reading -  graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will have acquired skills to identify and evaluate Asian and North African perspectives, values, and claims made in original works and the scholarship regarding those works.
• Effective Writing - graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will have demonstrated the ability to articulate a thesis, provide comprehensive analysis of evidence, and suggest well-grounded conclusions in a variety of professionally executed documents.
• Civil Discourse - graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will know how to conduct themselves among their peers in terms of offering and being receptive to constructive criticism in regard to a global understanding of cultural differences and social conditions. ANS graduates will have the ability to negotiate cultural differences in social and professional contexts.
• Interdisciplinarity - graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will have familiarized themselves with interdisciplinary methods fundamental to global scholarly work in Asian and North African Studies, including coursework in the following disciplines: Art History, Geography, History, Humanities, Languages, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies.
• Global Asian And North African Studies Awareness - graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will graduate with an awareness of, and respect for, differing cultural viewpoints. Graduates will understand how expressions of human values and aspirations pertaining to various cultures are created and received, will evaluate conflicting claims, and will be able to apply this understanding to interpersonal and professional settings in their various postgraduate careers.

In addition to the above student learning outcomes, graduates of the ANS-IGP Emphasis will gain a practical experience concerning the professional culture of their chosen discipline within their country of focus based on an intensive 12-credit study-abroad ANS internship.

 

Major Requirements

• This major requires 49-58 units distributed as follows:

  • Comparative Cultural Studies Common Courses: 9 units
  • Select an emphasis or coursework: 24-33 units
    • Comparative Cultural Studies Coursework: 33 units
    • Asian and North African Studies Interdisciplinary Global Programs Emphasis: 24 units
      • Arabic Studies Specialization
      • Chinese Studies Specialization
      • Japanese Studies Specialization
  • Foreign Language: 16 units

  
  Comparative Cultural Studies Common Courses (9 units): 

  • CCS 250 (3 units)
  • CCS 350W which meets NAU's junior writing requirement (3 units)
  • CCS 490C which meets NAU's senior capstone requirement (3 units)
  
  CCS Coursework or Asian and North African Studies Interdisciplinary Global Programs Emphasis (Choose One)

• • Comparative Cultural Studies Coursework (33 units)

    • Introduction to Comparative Cultural Studies (9 units)
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • HUM 101 or HUM 175
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • REL 150, or REL 151
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • ARH 142  or ARH 143
    • Cultural Foundations (9 units)
      • Select one from (3 units): 
        • ARH 269, ARH 270 
        • CCS 201 
        • HUM 261
        • REL 241, REL 261 
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • CCS 220
        • HUM 195
        • MST 210, MST 250
        • REL 285
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • ARH 252
        • HUM 291
        • REL 211, REL 221, REL 231

• • • Specialized Studies (12 units)
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • ARH 370 or REL 352
        • HUM 362 
        • REL 303, REL 340, REL 362, REL 396
      • Select one from (3 units): 
        • ARH 341, ARH 344, ARH 346, ARH 347, ARH 351, ARH 353, ARH 361 
        • HUM 351, HUM 352, HUM 353, HUM 375  
        • REL 302, REL 312, REL 313, REL 325, REL 326
        • (REL 332 or ARH 380) 
      • Select one from (3 units): 
        • ARH 335, ARH 355  
        • HUM 344, HUM 356, HUM 371, HUM 373, HUM 382, HUM 395 
        • REL 306, REL 307, REL 361, REL 365, REL 390, REL 393
      • Select 3 additional units from the Specialized Studies courses. 
    • Applications (3 units)
      • Select one from (3 units):
        • CCS 408, CCS 485, CCS 497 
        • MST 460 

• • 
    Interdisciplinary Global Programs Emphasis

• • You may only complete the Interdisciplinary Global Programs (IGP) Emphasis if you are concurrently enrolled in an eligible degree offered through the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences (CEFNS), the College of Engineering, Informatics and Applied Sciences (CEIAS), or the W. A. Franke College of Business. For a listing of eligible degrees, please contact an advisor in CEFNS, CEIAS, or the W. A. Franke College of Business.

• • 
    Asian and North African Studies Interdisciplinary Global Programs Emphasis (24 units)
    
    NOTE: If the IGP is taken, 16 units of foreign language will be completed (9+24+16 = 49)
    
    In this emphasis, you will select a specialization that corresponds to your language of study: Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese (ARB, CHI or JPN). You must select this same language (ARB, CHI, or JPN) to satisfy the 16-unit foreign language requirement.
    
    Select 24 units in one of the following specialization, based on your language of study (ARB, CHI, or JPN).

• • • Arabic Studies Specialization

      • HIS 230 or HIS 231 (3 units)
      • CCS 408 (12 units)
      • Select 9 units (at least 3 units at the 300-level or higher) from:
        • CCS 299*, CCS 399* 
        • ARH 335*, ARH 380
        • GSP 241, GSP 348*
        • HIS 230, HIS 231, HIS 270
        • HUM 382
        • POS 372
        • REL 231

• • • Chinese Studies Specialization

      • ARH 143 (3 units)
      • CCS 408 (12 units)
      • Select 9 units (at least 3 units at the 300-level or higher) from:
        • CCS 299*, CCS 399*
        • ARH 269, ARH 335*, ARH 370
        • GSP 241, GSP 348*
        • HIS 250, HIS 251, HIS 325, HIS 379
        • HUM 261, HUM 362*, HUM 382*
        • POS 370*
        • REL 261, REL 362

• • • Japanese Studies Specialization

      • ARH 143 (3 units)
      • CCS 408 (12 units)
      • Select 9 units (at least 3 units at the 300-level or higher) from:
        • ARH 270, ARH 335*, ARH 370
        • CCS 299*, CCS 399*
        • GSP 241, GSP 348*
        • HIS 250, HIS 251, HIS 331, HIS 332, HIS 379
        • HUM 261, HUM 362*, HUM 382*
        • POS 370*
        • REL 261, REL 362

       *Topics course: students must select a topic corresponding to their specialized track.

Minor Requirements

• A minor is not required for the CCS BA degree. However, we strongly encourage you to consult with an advisor about a minor and/or elective coursework that is appropriate for your career aspirations and educational needs. We recommend minors in Anthropology, Art History, Asian Studies, English, Ethnic Studies, French, History, Humanities, German, Latin American Studies, Museum Studies, Philosophy, Comparative Study of Religions, Theatre, Studio Art, or Women's and Gender Studies.

Foreign Language Requirement

• You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or through credit by exam. (16 units)

General Electives

• Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

  You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
  
  We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• Study Abroad
  
  We strongly encourage you to participate in a Study Abroad program. Requirements include a 2.5 GPA and sophomore standing or higher. Programs with English-language instruction in CCS's emphases and minors are available in:

  • China
  • The Czech Republic (Masaryk University)
  • Finland (University of Eastern Finland)
  • Greece (American University of Greece)
  • India (Northern Arizona University's Himalayan India program)
  • Italy (Siena School for the Liberal Arts)
  • Japan (Kansai Gaidai University)
  • Malta (University of Malta)
  • Northern Ireland (University of Ulster)
  • South Korea (Sogang University)
  • Thailand
  • United Kingdom (Nottingham Trent University, University of Hull, and University of Essex)
  For more information, see the department chair or your advisor. NAU's Center for International Education's website also contains useful information about these and other programs, financial aid, and scholarships.
  
  Internships
  
  We strongly encourage you to pursue a local, regional, national or international internship (Fieldwork Experience) in your junior or senior year. A departmental contract is required for all internships - please speak with the department chair or your advisor for more information.
  
  Teaching Assistantships
  
  CCS students may apply to be teaching assistants in the department's FYLI courses. For more information, please contact the appropriate Program Coordinator in Art History, Comparative Study of Religions, Asian Studies and Public Humanities (see CCS website for contact information).

   

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