University College

Languages, Cultures, and Community

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This course explores global perspectives as you consider your future life in our increasingly diverse society and world. Together, we will develop intercultural competence. We'll start by looking at your new campus home and understanding the "culture" of university life.  Intercultural competence is broad and deep. It encourages us to consider a diversity of thought and experience through many lenses: cultural studies, sociological frameworks, the arts and humanities, and language and its role in society. Class activities, readings, and discussions will vary.  Guests will share aspects of lived culture and engage you in exploring cultural products (folk tales, film, art, other media) and the perspectives they reflect. We may engage with others abroad via a virtual exchange and enjoy international food together. 

NOTE: Enrollment is restricted to members of the Languages & Cultures Residential Learning Community.

Course Details
Prefix: 
UCO
Course Number: 
1200
Section Number(s) and Day/Times Taught: 
184: TR 2:00-3:15pm
Term: 
Spring 2024
Categories: 
Global Issues
Well-Being
RLC Name: 
Languages & Cultures
Instructor(s)

Sarah Miller

Sarah Miller smiling on skis.

Sarah Miller is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. In that department, she teaches introductory linguistics, English as an Additional Language for international students, literature in translation, Second Language Acquisition, and German. She's also taught courses in learner diversity and languages and cultures in public schools for the Reich College of Education. She earned her Master's of Education in Bilingual/ESOL/Multicultural Education at UMass, Amherst, studied German language, literature and translation, art history and political science at the Universität Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria, and has a B.A. in English (postcolonial literature and theory). Sarah's favorite thing about teaching is working with interesting students and colleagues, learning and growing from seeing things from others' perspectives and experiences. Together with her family, Sarah moved to Boone from Uganda, East Africa in 2008. Although her native language is English, she speaks German, and knows random words, phrases and sometimes songs in other languages, including Spanish, Serbian, Lakota, Kiswahili and Amharic. Sarah loves to travel, and has lived in Austria, Germany, Montenegro, Uganda, and Ethiopia. She loves biking, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and camping, and learning about pretty much anything! As a native Minnesotan, she loves it when winter gets really cold and snowy, so she can cross-country ski around Boone.