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Peace Corps Prep Program Curriculum

Students who wish to earn a certificate for the "Peace Corps Prep Program" may do so at É«ÖÐÉ« University. (NOTE: Students in certain large, sequential programs may find it difficult to complete LINC, their major, and the PCPP requirements in a normal 4-year time frame.) 

There is significant overlap between the PCPP requirements and LINC options.  Students in the PCPP are encouraged to pursue such double dips whenever possible.  Courses taken in fulfillment of the PCPP certificate may also be used in fulfillment of a major, minor, or certificate.

In applying to the Peace Corps Prep Program, students identify one of the following sectors in which they would like to serve:

  • Education
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Agriculture
  • Youth in Development
  • Community Economic Development

Students choose their coursework based on the sector in which they wish to serve.  The PCPP at É«ÖÐÉ« University requires the following:

  • 2 terms of Spanish, Arabic, or French, regardless of level (3 or more are encouraged, as the student's schedule allows; 4 terms of study is considered ideal)
     
  • CORE COURSES:
    • SOC 113 (Cultural Anthropology), taken as the M4 requirement
  • ELECTIVE COURSES:  (Choose 2 or 3)
    • COMM 111 (Human Communication; M4)
    • HIST 111 (Modern Latin America; M5)
    • HIST 115 (History of Africa; M5) 
    • HIST 119 (Arab-Islamic Civilizations; M5) 
    • HIST 129 (Mexico: Revolution and Globalization; M5) 
    • POSC 125 (Comparative Politics; M5)
    • POSC 127 (East Asia and the Future; M5)
    • POSC 228 (African Politics)
    • POSC 241 (International Security)
    • POSC 245 (Politics of the Third World: Middle Eastern Politics; M5)
    • POSC 255 (The Political Wisdom of the East)
    • POSC 327 (Topics in Comparative Politics)
    • POSC 346 (The Politics of the Global Economy)
    • REL 115 (Major Themes in the Qur’an; M3)
    • REL 123 (Religions of India: Hinduism and Buddhism; M5)
    • REL 124 (Religious Thought of China and Japan; M3)
    • REL 125 (Introduction to Islam; M3)
    • REL 127 (Healing, Health and Medicine in Asian Contexts; M5)
    • REL 128 (Asian Traditions through Film; M6)
    • REL/PHIL 261 (Islamic Philosophy; M5)
    • SOC 268 (Nation, Region, and Religion in India; M5)
    • World Literature, including English 240 (Post-Colonial Literature; M5), FORL/IDIS 214 (Immigration, Exile and Internal Displacement in Latin American and Latino Literature; M5), French 241 (Introduction to French Literature; M2), and Spanish 241 (Introduction to Spanish Literature; M2); other literature courses focused on Latin American, Asian, African, or post-colonial literature.
    • Other special topics or catalog courses focused on African Studies, Latin American Studies, Chinese Studies, Indian Studies, Poverty Studies, Peace and Justice Studies, and international economics.  (Students may use some of the sector courses below as one of these electives, if taken outside of the chosen sector.)
  • Three additional full-unit courses aligned with the sector identified above (12 credit hours) in ONE of the following areas (please note that some of these courses have prerequisites; Economics 152, which is a prerequisite for most of the courses in management or economics, may count as one of the three courses in Agriculture or Community Economic Development):  
    • Education: ANY 3 units in Education, English, Math, Computer Science, Physics, Earth Science
    • Health: ANY 3 courses, chosen from Biology, Nursing, Environmental Science, Health, Public Health, ANTH/SOC 280, ECON 211 (U1), or IDIS 216 (M5)
    • Environmental Studies: Environmental 112 (F4), plus 2 additional courses in environmental studies (ENVR)
    • Agriculture: Biology 119, 230, 360; ENVR 112; IDIS 213 (Impact of Technology on Diet and Disease; U1), ECON 152
    • Youth in Development: Education 130 or 211; Sociology 125, 210, 240, 245, or 366; Psychology 105 (M4), 207, 361, 362, 370, or 371; courses in social work
    • Community Economic Development: Choose 3 from among Economics 220, 228, 231, 236, 240, 241, 329, or 330; Science, or Biology health and/or nutrition studies, biology (especially Biology 119 or 360); or other agriculture courses; courses in social work; Art 131; Accounting (any); Computer Science (any); Management 223, 250, or 330; Communications 111 or Sociology 260
  • At least 50 hours of community, volunteer or internship experience in education, health, HIV-AIDS, economic development, environmental studies, youth development, or agriculture
  • Tutoring or teaching experience with high school, college-aged, or adult students in English, math, or science (recommended, but not required)

Other courses or course clusters may qualify or may be added at a future date. Courses taken through cross-registration at another LVAIC school or on study abroad may fulfill some of these requirements. Consult with Professor Cheung, the PCPP advisor, or any member of the PCPP advisory committee.