UW-Madison departments may apply for a course to fulfill the CALS International Comparisons requirement. Applications are reviewed each winter by the committee for effective dates of the following fall.
For courses to fulfill the CALS requirement, they must meet all criteria in the application and address the stated learning outcomes published in Guide. (Note that the requirement name, criteria, and learning outcomes were updated by the CALS Curriculum Committee on November 11, 2025 and Guide will reflect those changes on June 1, 2026. The application has been updated with the newly approved requirement information). Courses must have their own permanent course number and cannot be offered under a Topics course. As part of the review of applications, the department owner(s) of the course will be contacted to confirm a commitment to meeting the CALS International Comparisons criteria and learning outcomes.
Applications are due by the end of December each year for inclusion the following fall and must be submitted through the online application. Applications will require course information, a sample syllabus, and explanation of how the course meets the criteria and learning outcomes to fulfill the CALS International Comparisons requirement.
It is strongly recommended that applications be discussed with your department/unit curriculum committee(s) before submission to ensure understanding of the criteria. The application process includes follow-up with department chairs to confirm a continuing commitment to maintain required elements even with any changes in instructor(s).
Courses approved for the CALS International Comparisons requirement will be periodically re-evaluated for continued approval.
Contact Megan Ackerman-Yost at megan.ackermanyost@wisc.edu or the CALS Academic Affairs general mailbox at academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu with questions.