The Penn Experience: Racism, Reconciliation, and Engagement

Catalog description

This new non-credit asynchronous course, consisting of six Modules, aims to establish common basic language and concepts for incoming graduate and professional students to facilitate subsequent difficult conversations about race, racism and difference in the classroom and beyond. Using video interviews, presentations, short readings and podcasts, the course highlights the significance of Penn and Philadelphia's history of racism and other forms of oppression, Penn's evolving relationship to West Philadelphia, and Penn's efforts toward greater engagement and inclusion. Modules also focus on implicit bias, intercultural communication gender identity and disparities in healthcare. A final module was designed primarily to address the antiracist work that must be done to dismantle white supremacy. All incoming SP2 master's students are expected to spend 20 or more hours reviewing the six modules and completing short assessments prior to starting the fall semester. Other graduate and professional schools will assign modules to be completed based on their schools requirements.