IIAS WES Clusters (AAAS & ANTH)

The Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies (IIAS) at Western Michigan University offers many courses that meet requirements for WMU Essential Studies (WES). Explore the cluster groupings below to find courses to satisfy WES Category and Component requirements.

Cluster# 1 - Social Justice, Activism and Civic Engagement

Cluster #2 - Gender and Intersectionality

Cluster #3 - Global Consciousness and Human Rights

Cluster #4 - Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Studies

Cluster #5 - Global Diversity

WES Requirements Category Keys

IIAS Cluster #1—Social Justice, Activism and Civic Engagement

Course	Title	WES Level	Category	Diversity Inclusion Component (DI)*	Planetary Sustainability Component (PS)**
AAAS 2100	Forms of Black Consciousness	1	SC
AAAS 2800	Serious Laughter, African American Humor	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	The 1619 Project	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Rebellions and Revolution in the Black World	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Black Lives Matter: Race, State Violence, and Social Movements	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Gender and Environmental Justice: A Global Perspective	2	SC	X
ANTH 2510	Forensic Anthropology	2	LP
ANTH 3470	Ethnicity/Multiculturalism	3	LNP	X

IIAS Cluster #2 – Gender and Intersectionality

Course	Title	WES Level	Category	Diversity Inclusion Component (DI)*	Planetary Sustainability Component (PS)**
AAAS 2800	Black Feminist Thought	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Beyonce & Black Feminisms	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Motherhood Denied: Race, Class, Gender, and Reproductive Rights	2	SC	X
AAAS 3100	The Black woman: Historical Perspective/Contemporary Status	3	LNP	X
AAAS 3900	Women Writers in Contemporary Black Literature from 19th Century to the Present	3	GP	X

IIAS Cluster #3 – Global Consciousness and Human Rights

Course	Title	WES Level	Category	Diversity Inclusion Component (DI)*	Planetary Sustainability Component (PS)**
AAAS 2000	Introduction to AAAS	1	IE
AAAS 2100	Forms of Black Consciousness	1	IE
AAAS 2800	Global Africa: Past and Present	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Apartheid South Africa	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Gender and Environmental Justice: A Global Perspective	2	SC	X
AAAS 3000	African American History, Culture and Experience to 1865	2	SC	X
AAAS 3010	African American History, Culture and Experience, 1866 Present	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800/ ANTH 3580	African Diaspora	2/3	SC/GP	X
ANTH 4530	Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights	3	GP

IIAS Cluster #4 – Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Studies

Course	Title	WES Level	Category	Diversity Inclusion Component (DI)*	Planetary Sustainability Component (PS)**
AAAS 2800	Gender and Environmental Justice: A Global Perspective	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Climate Change in African American Communities	2	SC	X
ANTH 2400	Principles of Cultural Anthropology	2	SC		X
ANTH 3300	Anthropology of Climate Change	3	GP
ANTH 3400	World Cultures: TBA (ex: Asia)	3	GP		X
ANTH 3390	Cultures of Latin America	3	GP		X

IIAS Cluster #5 – Global Diversity

Course	Title	WES Level	Category	Diversity Inclusion Component (DI)*	Planetary Sustainability Component (PS)**
ANTH 1200	Peoples of the World	1	IE
ANTH 1500	Race, Biology, and Culture	2	ST	X
ANTH 2400	Principles of Cultural Anthropology	2	SC		X
ANTH 2500	Intro Biological Anthropology	2	LS
ANTH 3010	Anthropology through Film	2	ATP
ANTH 3440	Indigenous North America	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	The 1619 Project	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Roots of Jazz	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Rebellions and Revolution in the Black World	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Apartheid South Africa	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Motherhood Denied: Race, Class, Gender, and Reproductive Rights	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Black Lives Matter: Race, State Violence, and Social Movements	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Gender and Environmental Justice: A Global Perspective	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	Serious Laughter: African American Humor	2	SC	X
AAAS 2800	African Diaspora: The Americas	2/3	SC/GP	X
ANTH 3470	Ethnicity/Multiculturalism	3	LNP	X
ANTH 3400	World Cultures: TBA (usually Asia)	3	GP		X
ANTH 3580/ AAAS 2800	The African Diaspora: Peoples and Cultures	3	GP	X
ANTH 3390	Cultures of Latin America	3	GP		X

WES Requirements

(12 Courses)	WES Requirements
4 Courses	Level 1: Foundations
6 Courses	Level 2: Exploration & Discovery
2 Courses	Level 3: Connections

Category Keys

Key	Category
ATP	Artistic Theory and Practice
GP	Global Perspectives
IE	Inquiry & Engagement
LNP	Local & National Perspectives
LS	Scientific Literacy with a Lab
SC	Societies & Culture
ST	Science and Technology

*Courses designated as DI fulfill the Diversity & Inclusion requirement of one course in Level 2 or 3.
**Courses designated as PS fulfill the Planetary Sustainability requirement of one course in Level 2 or 3.