Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2025 - FASS 805 G100

STT-Centring Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in Practical Life Settings (1)

Class Number: 4722

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Jun 13, 2025: Tue, 1:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Roselene Dhaliwal

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explore topics in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) and their application in workplace, educational, and social settings. The primary objective will be to present the scholarship that has informed JEDI principles in an accessible way and to have you envision applying these in practical life settings. Students will have opportunities to reflect on core JEDI and adjacent concepts. Students may take this course for credit up to three times if a different topic is taught. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Students with credit for FASS 305 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

[Note: this course is taught concurrently with FASS 305.]

Despite numerous advances, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives have recently come under scrutiny and are being rescinded in various sectors across North America. Skills to bridge across cultural differences however, remain essential across disciplines including higher education, business, government, healthcare, entertainment, sports, among others. 

This course explores the concept of cultural humility, which involves a lifelong approach to learning, self-reflection and recognizing dynamics of power and privilege. Students will have the opportunity to complete the Intercultural Development Inventory, a 50-question online assessment which is “a statistically reliable, cross-culturally valid measure of intercultural competence” (IDI LLC, 2023).

The course is designed to help students understand the importance and relevance of JEDI programs and initiatives in transforming practice and provide opportunities for them to critically examine their own positionality so that they may participate as agents of change in that process. Students will be given the opportunity to reflect on cultural beliefs and how they impact attitudes and behaviours across workplace, educational, and interpersonal settings. Opportunities for group work will be given wherein students can apply knowledge gained in the course through roleplay of various practical life scenarios. Upon completion of the course, students will be well-positioned to apply the knowledge gained in current and future work, educational, and interpersonal settings.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  • Distinguish key concepts in the area of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI)
  • Reflect on cultural beliefs and how they impact attitudes and behaviours
  • Understand the core elements of cultural humility
  • Complete the Intercultural Development Inventory
  • Appreciate the insights and critiques of the Intercultural Development Continuum
  • Examine the importance of JEDI programs and initiatives, and explore how to advance inclusion across a variety of settings
  • Reflect on personal experience and knowledge gained through the course to apply JEDI principles in current or future work, educational, and interpersonal settings

FASS 805 G100 runs for 5 weeks (sessions on May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10). The first session is 1 hour, the rest of 4 sessions are 3 hours each. This is a 1 unit/credit course.


Grading

  • Grading is pass/fail, based on: engagement (attendance and participation), weekly reflection journals, group project and final paper. 100%

NOTES:

This FASS Forward course is delivered entirely in-person. It is designed to improve your skills for future success and work in this class is expected to be of high quality. A competency-based grading system will be used to assess your academic performance and active participation in all learning activities. That means only a S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) will appear on your transcript. There is no numerical equivalent for the final grade, and it does not affect either your grade point average or cumulative grade point average.

  • S (satisfactory) means that you have demonstrated your competency in relation to the learning objectives, met all the criteria for the course, and demonstrated the skills you have acquired.
  • U (unsatisfactory) means that you do not receive credit for the course.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All readings will be made available through Canvas or online. 

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.