Learning Outcomes

Legislative Processes

A. Definition: The student demonstrates an understanding and ability to communicate across the various bodies and interrelationships in the legislative process.

B. Competencies:
Knowledge: The student is able to compare local, county, state and federal and comparative global legislative processes. She or he is able to explain the statutory and historical context of lawmaking.

Abilities: The student crosses sector boundaries in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policy using the key variables in the legislative process including budgets and appropriations.

Abilities: The student diagnoses legislative problems, prescribes creative solutions, and explains legislative proposals with brevity, clarity and coherence.

Abilities: The student works effectively with legislative staff, lobbyists, advocates, and others in the context of committees, boards, and commissions.

C. Prerequisite: Courses in government and political institutions.

7. Cross Cultural Competence

A. Definition: The student demonstrates an understanding of the role diverse cultural values and attitudes play in political participation and the development and implementation of public policy. He or she also is capable of communicating and negotiating with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds different than their own.

B. Competencies: Knowledge: The student has knowledge of theories of cultural competency and the challenges ethnic and cultural diversity poses for the formulation and implementation of public policies including knowledge of specific ethnic, racial and culturally diverse populations and the role they play in the political and social landscape of California and the nation.

Abilities: The student communicates effectively with individuals from racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds different than her or his own and understands how the beliefs and behaviors of individuals from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds influence their attitudes toward and response to public policies.
Abilities: The student reflects on her or his own culturally based values and attitudes and is able to demonstrate skills in how to approach and mediate conflicts between groups from cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds different from than one's own.

C. Prerequisite: Prior association with individuals or groups from and knowledge of a cultural, racial or ethnic background other than one's own.