• Undergraduate Studies
  • Information for Students
  • Staff
• Admissions
  • Applying
  • Tuition and Fees
• General Education
  • First-Year and Intermedia Seminars
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Distribution Requirement
  • Diversity Requirement
  • How To: Course Proposals
• Writing Proficiency
  • Registration
  • Brief Introduction
  • Advice for Students
  • Evaluation Rubric
  • Helpful Publications
  • Portfolio Requirements
  • Forms
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Links to Online Writing Resources (including understanding Plagiarism for Students and Faculty)
  • Hours & Location
  • Writing Proficiency Assessments at Peer Institutions
• JFK Awards
  • Current Recipient
  • Past Recipients
• All Programs

Office of Undergraduate Studies > General Education

Office of Undergraduate
Studies
617-287-6330

The Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

UMass Boston believes that explicit study of the diversity of the world’s peoples is an essential component of an undergraduate education. The university defines diversity broadly to include race, gender, culture (national origin, ethnicity, religion), social class, age, sexual origin, and disability. Attention to cultural and social groups previously ignored or marginalized in curricula helps students acquire analytical tools and knowledge with which they can understand human diversity in our complex and changing world, and strengthens their academic preparation by exposing them to a rich body of scholarship from a wide range of disciplines. All undergraduates at UMass Boston must therefore take courses that address human diversity as a major theme.

If you are in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Science and Mathematics, there are two groups of courses to choose from. The courses in one group focus on diversity in the United States, those in the other have an international focus. If you enter UMass Boston with fewer than 60 credits, you must take one course from each group. If you enter UMass Boston with 60 or more credits, you must take one course, which can be drawn from either group.

If you are in the College of Management, you must complete one diversity course. The course can have either a US focus or an international focus. Please note that the College of Management requires you to complete an “international management” course as well.

If you are studying nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, you will meet the diversity requirement automatically by taking courses required for the major.

If you are studying exercise science and/or physical education in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, you must take ESPE 220 and one other course. That second course can be ESPE 180 or a course designated as a diversity course by the College of Liberal Arts or College of Science and Mathematics.

If you are in the College of Public and Community Service, you will meet the diversity requirement automatically as you meet other college requirements.

Courses that have been approved as fulfilling the diversity requirement are listed below.

US Focus

International Focus

AfrSty 108 Black Social Movements AfrSty 111 Black History II AfrSty 230 Black Women's History AfrSty/AmSt L260 African-American Folklore AfrSty 410 Black Urban Politics AmSt 100 American Identities AmSt G110 US Society & Culture since 1945 AmSt 210 American Dreams/American Realities AmSt 215 America on Film AmSt/AsAmSt/Sociol L223 Asian Minorities in America AmSt/AsAmSt/Sociol L225 Southeast Asians in America AmSt/AsAmSt/Sociol L228 Asian Women in America AmSt 235 The Social History of Popular Music AmSt/AfrSty L260 African-American Folklore AmSt/Anth L270 North American Indians AmSt/Anth L301 Childhood in America AmSt 312 Country Music and American Culture AmSt/Engl L372 American Women Writers & American Culture AmSt 393 The Social History of American Women AmSt/WoSt L394 Women in Social Movements AmSt 405 The Immigrant Experience AmSt/Anth L476 Native Americans: Contemporary Issues ( frmly 276) Anth/AmSt L270 North American Indians Anth/AmSt L301 Childhood in America Anth/AmSt L476 Native Americans: Contemporary Issues ( frmly 276) AsAmSt 200 Introduction to Asian American Studies AsAmSt/Engl L221 Intro to Asian American Writing AsAmSt/AmSt/Sociol L223 Asian Minorities in America AsAmSt/AmSt/Sociol L225 Southeast Asians in America AsAmSt/AmSt/Sociol L228 Asian Women in America AsAmSt 270 Cambodian American Culture and Community AsAmSt 370 Asian American Media Literacy Core C130 Identity and Community CrmJus/Soc L321 Race & Ethnic Rels Econ 210 Intro to Marxist Economic Analysis Econ 343 Political Economy of Black America Econ 385 The Economics of Education Econ 392 Women's Economic Roles Econ 394 Sex-Segregated Labor Markets Econ 395 Economics of Social Welfare Engl 206 Six American Authors Engl/AsAmSt L221 Intro to Asian American Writing Engl 230 History of Am. Lit. I Engl 235 Black Literature in America Engl 354 Black Presence in American Literature Engl 356 The African-American Novel in America Engl/AmSt L372 American Women Writers & American Culture Engl 373 Literature of the Working Class Engl 380A Multiethnic American Literature Engl 389 Whitman (frmly 396) Hist/RelSty L381 History of American Religion Music 241 American Music Music 252 African and African-American Music Phil 108 Moral and Social Problems Phil 230 Philosophy and Feminism Phil 232 Philosophy, Race, and Multiculturalism Phil 265 Sanity and Madness Phil 287 Equality Phil 318 Race and Racism PolSci 225 World War II Internment of Japanese Americans PolSci 332 Civil Liberties PolSci 340 Boston: Coop & Conflict in the Urban Environ. Psych 234 Psychology of Cross Culture Relations Psych 235 Psychology and the African-American Experience Psych 236 Psychology of Women RelSty/WoSt L356 Feminist Theology and Spirituality RelSty/Hist L381 History of American Religion Sociol G110 Insiders/Outsiders Sociol/AmSt/AsAmSt L223 Asian Minorities in America Sociol/AmSt/AsAmSt L225 Southeast Asians in America Sociol/AmSt/AsAmSt L228 Asian Women in America Sociol 346 (formerly 240) The Self in Society - Studies of Autobiographies Sociol/CrmJus L321 Race and Ethic Relations Sociol 382 Sociology of Gender Sociol 460 Internship in Urban Social Service (frmly 480B) Thrart 240 Women in Theatre WoSt 100 Women and Society WoSt 200 Twentieth Century Women Writers WoSt 240 Educating Women WoSt 250 Women and Aging WoSt 270 Native American Women WoSt/RelSty L356 Feminist Theology and Spirituality WoSt 375 Dynamics of Discrimination WoSt/AmSt L394 Women In Social Movs.

AfrSty 100 Introduction to Black Literature AfrSty 101 Introduction to Black Studies AfrSty 150 African Images in Literature AfrSty 225 Origins of Caribbean Civilization AfrSty 440 Post-Colonial Literature: Africa & the Caribbean AmSt/Hist L349 Cold War: Rise and Fall Anth C100 Culture and Human Behavior Anth G112 Understanding Human Behavior Anth 271 Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East Anth C272 Peoples and Cultures of Africa Anth C273 Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica Art/EAsian L104 Introduction to East Asian Art (frmly 204) Art 230 Architecture, Design and Society Art 256 Arts of Japan Art 258 Arts of China AsAmSt 226 Becoming South Asian Biol 105 Economic Botany Classics 287 Women in Greek and Roman Literature Classics 288 Women of Rome E&GS 102 World Regional Geography EAsian/Art L104 Intro E Asian Art EAsian/History L160 East Asian Civ. I EAsian/History L161 East Asian Civ. II EAsian/RelSty L358 Psychology, Politics, and Philosophy in East Asia EAsian/Hist L361 Modern China EAsian/Hist L363 Modern Japan Econ 338 The Latin American Economy Engl 313 Gay & Lesbian Literature (frmly 370) Engl 325 Narrative in the Novel and Film Enlg/WoSt L342 Women Film Directors (frmly L321) ES/ModLang L200 Europe Today German 230 Crisis Continuity: German Culture & Society German 275 Images of Women and Men in German Lit. Hist 114 Modern World History Hist 152 Introduction to African History Hist 153 Africa in the Twentieth Century Hist 155 Latin America before 1800 (frmly 355) Hist 156 Latin America since 1800 (frmly 356) Hist/EAsian L160 East Asian Civilization to 1850 Hist/EAsian L161 East Asian Civilization since 1850 Hist/AmSt L349 Cold War: Rise and Fall Hist 357 Vietnam War (frmly 280) Hist/EAsian L361 Modern China Hist/EAsian L363 Modern Japan Hist 364 From Rebellion to Independence: India since 1857 Hist 450 Nationalism and Revel.: the Mid East since 1914 Honors 243 Modern Cuba Honors 246 History of Eugenics LAS C103 Foundations in Latin America LAS 100 Native Peoples of South America LAS 205 Analyzing Lat. American Cult. & Soc. through Film LAS 290 Central American Society and Culture LAS/Port L375 Brazilian Civilization ModLang/ES L200 Europe Today ModLang/WoSt LC275 Women in European Thought and Lit. Music 248 Universe of Music Phil/PolSci LC270 The Darwinian Revolution PolSci 202 Comparative Politics--Third World PolSci 220 International Relations PolSci/Phil LC270 The Darwinian Revolution PolSci 305 Images of World Politics in Film and Literature PolSci 375 Third World Development Port/LAS L375 Brazilian Civilization Psych 357 Psychology of Visual Arts RelSty C241 Myth, History, Prophecy: Old Testament RelSty/EAsian L358 Psychology, Politics, and Philosophy in East Asia Russian/WoSt L255 Women in Russia Russian 264 Soviet Life and Culture Sociol 220 Survey of East Asian Societies Sociol C272 Social Change in the Third World Sociol/WoSt L355 Women in Third World Development WoSt/Russian L255 Women in Russia WoSt/ModLang LC275 Women in European Thought and Lit. WoSt 340 Women in African Cultures WoSt/Engl L342 Women Film Directors (frmly L321) WoSt/Sociol L355 Women in Third World Development