Framing and Efficacy of University-Required Diversity Courses in the Research Literature

Abstract

This literature review examines the research in the last 30 years in relation to university-required diversity courses, as well as highlights areas that have been understudied. Utilizing the social justice rationale for diversity, this review analyzes 25 quantitative and qualitative research articles that address university-required diversity courses. This literature review unpacks the mixed results from quantitative studies as well as analyzes the case studies presented in qualitative research. The results highlight that addressing student bias is an important goal and framework for these courses, but that the ability to shift quantitative measures of bias is not clear. I also argue that research examining student work produced in required diversity courses and course design for strategies is largely absent from the field of study.