2 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture HonorsLower DivisionVariable Title
In this course, students from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana) and at universities abroad will collaborate virtually in interdisciplinary teams to identify solutions to a major global challenge. Each semester, the theme of the global challenge changes. At the start of the course, students at both universities will meet together as a class to learn about the topic from a range of disciplinary perspectives through guest lectures, assigned readings, and class discussions. Students will then be divided into interdisciplinary teams with members from both universities and provided a prompt related to the semester's theme. Teams will spend several weeks of the course focused on researching, developing, and packaging their solutions, before presenting them publicly at the end of the term. In addition to increasing knowledge of the topic and improving teamwork skills, students in this course will advance in intercultural knowledge, skills, and attitudes through their international collaborative experience.
Learning Outcomes1Increase basic knowledge of global pandemics and their effects on societies.
2Gain new perspectives on the social implications of design emerging from multiple academic disciplines.
3Analyze global issues and challenges, as well as potential solutions, from multiple cultural perspectives and the positions of multiple stakeholders around the world.
4Advance research and teamwork skills through the completion of a group project and presentation addressing real-world problems.
5Practice intercultural communication skills and other intercultural competencies through in-class activities and discussions, and through group work completed in international, cross-cultural teams.
6Develop deeper intercultural self-awareness through reflective thinking and journaling.
Prerequisites
made by Purdue students.