Courses Open to First-Year Students by Department with Descriptions
Africana Studies
AFS 180 - The Black Atlantic
The concept of the "Black Atlantic" was created by Paul Gilroy to counteract the divisive forces of nationalism and race, which gives rise in people of African descent to a 'double consciousness'. In the Black Atlantic, we seek to understand how the conceptualization of nation/culture around "race" creates a double consciousness and how, in spite of this, peoples of African descent have sustained cultural links that stretch across the Atlantic, uniting Africa, Europe and the Americas. Starting with possible pre-Columbian voyages, through the Middle Passage to the return voyages of contemporary Americans to Africa, we chart these connections across time and space. (McCorkle, annually fall)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; McCorkle
American Studies
AMST 101 - Topics in American Studies
These introductory courses in American Studies engage questions central to the field by focusing on how questions of power and difference shape tensions and contradictions in American culture. Students will examine American paradoxes such as the "American Dream," freedom and equality, immigration and reconstruction as well as infrastructures like consumer culture, the urban built environment, and national borders through an interdisciplinary lens. The courses also introduce students to American Studies methods through a close interdisciplinary analysis of a variety of cultural artifacts such as popular fiction, leisure, music, architecture, performance, propaganda and social practices. Readings are drawn from a range of sources including politics, history, popular culture, literature, media studies, and contemporary theory. Specific topics will vary based on the instructor. Offered each semester.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Mukherji
- 02 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Mukherji
AMST 232 - The Latina Experience
Through the use of life stories (testimonies) and documentaries, students in this course will examine the experience Latinas in the context of the United States and the Geneva community. We will be exploring issues such as migration and immigration; biculturalism and bilingualism; labor and education, cultural production and social activism through the collection and analysis of testimonial texts, as well as the analysis and production of documentaries. (Molina, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Molina
Anthropology
ANTH 102 - Archaeology & World Prehistory
This course seeks to replace myths of "killer apes" and "ancient astronauts" with archaeological reality. A broad survey of archaeological knowledge of both New and Old World prehistory provides a framework for analysis of major transitions in cultural evolution and of selected archaeological puzzles, such as the enigmatic markings of the Peruvian desert near Nazca. This course is designed for non majors who want a general understanding of what "happened" in prehistory. The course is also suitable for prospective majors who need an overview of the archaeological record against which to set more specialized courses in archaeology. (Clark, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Clark
ANTH 110 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
This course explores the anthropological understanding of human society through ethnographic case studies of particular societies. In the holistic approach of anthropology, the interrelations of kinship, economics, politics, and religion are stressed. Special emphasis is also placed on anthropological theories of human behavior and the wide range of creative solutions to the problem of social living devised by various cultures of the world. (Staff, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Annear
- 02 LEC TR 12-1 PM; Maiale
arabic
ARAB 101 - Beginning Arabic I
This course will introduce students to the Arabic alphabet and script, phonetics, and elementary grammar and conversation. Students will develop the ability to communicate in the present tense, to employ different grammatical forms, to carry out and understand basic conversations. Multimedia technologies will be employed to improve listening comprehension and oral expression. Attendance at a weekly language table is required. (Staff, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM
ARAB 201 - Intermediate Arabic I
In this course students will be exposed to more complex grammar structures and they will expand their communication skills in increasingly complex and varied situations. Multimedia technologies will be employed to improve listening comprehension and oral expression. Attendance at a weekly language table is required. (Staff, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 12-1 PM
Architectural studies
ARCH 110 - Introduction to Architectural Studies
An introduction to architecture and design culture, this course introduces students to the aims, methods, and issues of the design and planning disciplines with architecture at the core of our studies. This course also encourages students to think, look, and read critically about designed objects, places, and spaces through drawing, although no prior experience with sketching is expected. With these tools, the student will have a basic understanding of design, and will be prepared to undertake more specialized study. (Blankenship, Piersol, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Blankenship
ARCH 313 - History of Modern Landscape Architecture
This course presents a survey of landscape design from the 19th century to the present with an emphasis on the 20th century. Lectures, readings, and discussion will present and analyze specific parks, gardens, roads, planned communities, and other sites of invention. Works of landscape design will be physically contextualized through consideration of contemporary and allied humanities, especially philosophy, literature, painting, and architecture. The relationship of individual landscape projects to their topographic and social contexts will emerge as a central theme of the course. Students will learn to see, analyze, and appreciate works of landscape design, and also the historical trends and cultural forces that have shaped them. (Blankenship, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Blankenship
ARt History
ARTH 101 - Ancient to Medieval Art
This course offers a chronological study of principal monuments and developments in paintings, sculpture, and architectures from prehistoric to medieval times in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Islamic world. (Tinkler, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Tinkler
ARTH 102 - Renaissance to Modern
This course is a chronological study of principal monuments and developments in painting, sculpture, and architecture from Renaissance Italy to contemporary America. (Leopardi, Szymanek, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Leopardi
ARTH 201 - Black Arts in America
Using a loosely chronological framework, this course presents a series of topics on Black American art and its crucial role in the shaping of the history and development of American visual arts and culture. Beginning with the Harlem Renaissance, we will study the discourse around so-called 'New Negro' art as it was formulated throughout the 1920s and the rise of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s through contemporary practice. Importantly, this course will simultaneously engage with questions pertaining to the very category of 'Black Arts.' In our study of arts made by artists of the African and Caribbean diaspora in the U.S., we will be careful to consider the politics of identification across race as well as class, sex, and gender difference. (Szymanek, offered occasionally)
- 01 LEC MWF 12-1 PM; Szymanek
ARTH 206 - Greece-Greek Revival in Architecture
In this course students will study the Classical tradition in its Greek and Roman contexts, examining both free interpretation of models and rigid following of rules - whether authentic or imagined - of an always contested Classical tradition. The course will spend significant time on the introduction of the Classical tradition into German, Russian, British, and American settings where it had never existed before. Issues of historical preservation will be examined. (Tinkler, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Tinkler
ARTH 209 - Chinese Pictures: 1000 Years
This course will explore a thousand years of Chinese pictorial arts, from 907 to the end of imperial rule in 1911, focusing on painting, calligraphy, and printmaking. Calligraphy (which has a pictorial component) and painting are regarded as the highest art forms in the earliest Chinese histories of art, while prints are often connected to the publishing industry. Material will be presented chronologically, but broader topics will include why calligraphy is regarded as art; subject matter in Chinese pictorial arts, including figural topics and landscapes; art criticism and theories on painting; social classes of artists; and artistic patronage and collecting. No prerequisites or co-requisites. (Blanchard; offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Blanchard
ARTH 237 - Princely Art
This course will focus on the Renaissance Court Culture of the cities of Milan, Mantua, Ferrara and Rome. The course is meant to examine art production within the strict confines of noble patronage by Italian princes. Particular attention will be paid to female patronage of Italian duchesses. All media will be taken under consideration - painting, sculpture and architecture - while paying particular attention to the ways in which artists responded to their patrons and introduced innovations eventually imitated by the merchant middle classes throughout the Italian peninsula. (Leopardi, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Leopardi
ARTH 282 - 20th Century American Art
This course traces the history of American art as it developed throughout the first half of the 20th century. Using a loose chronological framework, the course is a study of a series of major stylistic, technological, and ideological developments within American art and visual culture including those precipitated by the shift of the Western avant-garde art world from Paris to New York City with the onset of WWI. Spanning half of the century as well as a vast array of mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography, and architecture, the aim of this course is to familiarize students with notable movements and art world figures as well as the socio-political contexts that both made their innovations possible and expanded the field of possibilities for the very definitions of art and authorship as they continue to develop into the 21st Century. (Szymanek, offered regularly)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Szymanek
Studio Art
ARTS 105 - Color and Composition
A perceptual approach to the study of color interaction and compositional dynamics, students work through a carefully structured series of problems designed to reveal empirically the nature of color interaction and relatedness and the fundamentals of good visual composition. Projects range from narrowly focused color problems to ambitious, expressive compositional inventions. (Ruth, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC TR 8:55-11:40 AM; Ruth
- 02 LEC TR 1:25-4:20 PM; Ruth
ARTS 114 - Introduction to Sculpture
A broad introduction to sculptural processes and principles. Traditional and experimental approaches to creative artistic expression in a variety of media are investigated, including carving, clay modeling, casting and construction. Materials may include plaster, wood, clay, metal, and mixed media. The history of modern sculpture is incorporated into the course through readings and discussion, as well as image and video presentations. (Aub, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 1:25-4:20 PM
ARTS 115 - Three Dimensional Design
An introduction to three-dimensional concepts, methods, and materials with an emphasis on design. Project assignments involve investigations of organization, structure, and creative problem solving. Materials generally used in the course include cardboard, wood, metals, fabric, and plexiglas. This course is offered primarily, but not exclusively, for students with an interest in the architectural studies program and they are given first priority with enrollment. (Aub, Blankenship, D'Angelo, Piersol, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC TR 8:55-11:40 AM
ARTS 125 - Introduction to Drawing
A basic course in visual organization and visual expression, students focus on drawing from observation and the relational use of visual elements to create compositional coherence, clear spatial dynamics, and visually articulate expression. Students experiment with a range of drawing materials and subject matter. (Aub, Yi, Ruth, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 9:40 AM-12:25 PM; Yi
ARTS 165 - Introduction to Imaging
In this studio-based course in photography, students will explore the camera as a medium for artistic expression while building a foundation of photographic skills. Topics covered include camera controls, natural and studio lighting, photographic composition, wet darkroom and digital darkroom techniques. As inspiration and to broaden our understanding of the medium, we will look at a wide range of photographic practices from the camera obscura to the photographs of living, working artists. Through discussion and critique of creative projects, we will discuss how a photographic image works to communicate visual and conceptual ideas. (Chin, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 9:40 AM-12:25 PM; Chin
- 02 LEC 8:55-11:40 AM; Chin
Asian Studies
ASN 101 - Trekking through Asia
Welcome to the "Asian Century." Asia has re-emerged as the center of the world, after a brief hiatus that started in the 18th century. With histories and religious traditions stretching back three millennia, today as we see cultures across Asia have transformed in ways to meet the demands of our rapidly changing world. China, Japan, and India are three of the world's top economies. Asia contains six of the world's ten largest countries, and is home to over half of the world's population and two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. For decades Asian countries have been leaders in global manufacturing, and Asian universities are now renowned centers for scientific and medical innovation. Fifty percent of the declared nuclear-weapon states are also in the region. Simply put, Asia matters a great deal! In this course, we trek through the Asian past and present, exploring this vast and vibrant region. Through writings and travelogues that documented the peoples and lands of places stretching from the Sea of Japan to Persia, and from Java to the Mediterranean Sea, we will learn about the cultural systems that helped shape Asian societies. We will consider how these traditions contributed to and were changed by historical interactions in Asia itself and in relationship to the rest of the world. Join us on the journey! (Yoshikawa, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Yoshikawa
- 02 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Yoshikawa
ASN 212 - Confucianism, Marxism & Chinese Women
This course examines the interplay between Confucianism, Marxism, and Chinese women's experience, tracing their influence on women's roles and identities from imperial China to the present day. The course will address several key questions: How did Confucianism and Marxism influence public philosophy and the feminist movement in China? What are the similarities and differences between Confucian, Marxist, and Western feminist perspectives on women's issues? How do Chinese women negotiate their identities and interests amidst competing and conflicting discourses and practices? The course aims to provide students with a comparative perspective on the interactions between Confucianism, Marxism, and Chinese women, and help them understand the implications and relevance of these interactions for the future of China and the world. No prerequisites. (Zhou, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Yoshikawa
ASN 296 - China and the U.S.
Since the Nixon administration opened a new chapter with the People's Republic of China in 1972, China-U.S. relations have shifted from hostile relations to normalization and engagement. However, the relationship between the two countries has nosedived to the lowest point in four decades. The biggest challenge to the U.S. today is the communist China. Cooperation and competition between the two largest world's economies will determine the direction of Asia and the future of global development. The relationship between China and the U.S. has become one of the central global issues in the twenty-first century. By employing a perspective of cultural studies, this course will examine the development of China-U.S. relations since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, explore the roles of culture in shaping China-U.S. relations, discuss the relationship between characteristics of culture and the mindset of foreign policymakers, and analyze the future of China-U.S. relations and its implications to western hegemony and the international order. No prerequisites. (Zhou, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Zhou
biology
BIOL 167 - Introductory Topics
These courses, while focused on a range of topics, are designed to help students (1) distinguish between scientific inquiry and other modes of inquiry; (2) articulate in general terms the central concepts of biology, including the process of evolution through natural selection; the central role of DNA, RNA, and proteins in living organisms; and the inheritance of genetic information; (3) ask relevant biological questions, develop scientific hypotheses, and design experiments to test hypotheses; and (4) explain the relevance of biological knowledge to society. Lab is required, but which lab section you register for is independent of the lecture section. Prerequisites: none. (offered every semester)
- 01 LEC Biology of Environmental Change MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Cushman
- 02 LEC The Secret Life of Bees MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Fischman
- 11 LAB M 1:10-4:10 PM; Cushman
- 12 LAB T 1:10-4:10 PM; Cushman
- 13 R 8:40-11:40 AM; Cushman
- 14 LAB R 1:10-4:10 PM; Cushman
BIOL 225 - Ecology
This course is an introduction to ecological theories as they apply to individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Topics covered include physiological ecology, population dynamics, competition, predation, community structure, diversity, and the movement of materials and energy through ecosystems. The laboratory is designed to provide experience with sampling techniques and an introduction to the methods of experimental ecology. With laboratory. Required for all biology majors. Prerequisite: BIOL 167.
BIOL 220 - Genetics
This course focuses on the foundational principles that define the broad and integrative field of modern genetics. The major topics considered are the structure of genetic material, its replication, its transmission, and its expression. Special emphasis is placed on the central features of genes, transcription and translation, and the mechanisms that regulate expression and transmission. Epigenetics, genome modification and editing, and applications of genetics in medicine are explored through the primary literature. The course consists of lectures and laboratory experience with either animal or plant systems. Through the laboratory experiences, students will build upon and expand their skills in experimental design as well as molecular and/or cellular techniques routinely used in the field. With laboratory. Required for all biology majors. Prerequisite: BIOL 167.
chemistry
CHEM 101 - That's Cool Chemistry
This course provides a platform for students to help them understand and appreciate the underlying science that surrounds them every day. Topics will include nomenclature, understanding and using chemical equations, chemical bonding, atomic and molecular interactions. The course will also answer questions such as "Why do snowflakes always have six points?" More extensive topics may include environmental chemistry, atomic and nuclear chemistry, simple thermodynamics, the structure and function of macromolecules (such as nucleic acids and proteins), forensic chemistry, food chemistry, and the chemistry of fossil fuels and biofuels. These topics will be chosen in part based on the expertise of the instructor and on relevant and timely issues. The course will also allow students to develop qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills. Two or three lectures a week, one of which will include a hands-on component in which students will conduct experiments in order to explore the scientific process. This course is not open to students who have taken or intend to take CHEM 110, or who must do so for their intended or declared major. (Spring, offered occasionally)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Pelkey
CHEM 110 - Introduction to General Chemistry
This course presents a survey of chemical concepts in the context of understanding technology that impacts our lives. Fundamental chemistry is illustrated by applications to air pollution (including global warming and ozone depletion), water pollution, energy production, nutrition, and drug design. Three lectures per week. This course prepares students for CHEM 120 and CHEM 240. No prerequisites. (Fall, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Church
- 02 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Bowyer
- 03 LEC MWF 12-1 PM; Pelkey
CHEM 190 - Accelerated General Chemistry
This course is designed for first year students with a strong high school background in chemistry. The course will begin with a brief review of the material covered in high school chemistry and then move on to more advanced topics. Questions such as (1) whether a reaction will occur and at what rate, (2) does a reaction require heat or liberate heat? (3) To what extend will a reaction proceed? and (4) How fast does a reaction proceed? will be explored. Prerequisite: Foundational knowledge of high school chemistry and a satisfactory score on the HWS chemistry placement exam. (Fall, offered annually)
- 01 MWF 8:30-9:30 AM; Slade
chinese
CHIN 101 - Beginning Chinese I
An introduction to modern Mandarin Chinese, the course teaches four skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students acquire solid training and knowledge in pronunciation, writing, grammar, usage of words, and other fundamentals of general communication skills. The principal text is Integrated Chinese, Part 1-1, Simplified Character Edition, which introduces Pinyin Romanization System. Online learning programs, a CD, and a DVD accompanying the text are used to help students learn to read, write, and use approximately 250 characters. Students also acquire skills in Chinese word-processing and are able to use Chinese character input system to type characters and sentences. Laboratory is mandatory. (Zhou, Fall, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Zhou
- 11 LAB; Wu
CHIN 201 - Intermediate Chinese I
This course continues CHIN 102 and instruction is conducted half in Chinese. Students learn an additional 400 characters on top of the 550 characters they learned at the beginning level. They speak and write frequently in class and after class, acquiring a higher level of language proficiency in all four skills. They are expected to do Chinese word-processing and electronic communication with ease. The principal text is Integrated Chinese, Level 1-2, and Integrated Chinese, Level 2-1 Traditional/Simplified Character Edition, which is used along with online learning programs as well as CDs and DVDs accompanying the text. Instruction consists of three class contact hours and two lab sessions per week. Prerequisite: CHIN 102 or the equivalent. (Zhou, Wu, Fall, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Wu
- 11 LAB; Wu
computer science
CPSC 120 - Principles of Computer Science
Designed to appeal to a diverse audience, this course examines some of the fundamental ideas of the science of computing within a particular topic area, which varies from semester to semester. Past topics have included Graphics and Animation, Multimedia, Robots, and Web Site Development. This course is intended for students with no previous programming experience, and is appropriate for those who are interested in computer science as well as those who might not have considered computer science but are interested in a particular topic area. This course counts towards the major and minor in computer science but cannot be taken concurrently with or after completion of CPSC 124. No prerequisites.
- 01 LEC F 10:50-11:50 AM; Bridgeman
- 01 LEC MW 10:50-11:50 AM; Bridgeman
CPSC 124 - Introduction to Programming
An introduction to the theory and practice of computer programming, the emphasis of this course is on techniques of program development within the object-oriented paradigm. Topics include control structures, objects, classes, inheritance, simple data structures, and basic concepts of software development. Currently, Java is the programming language used in the course. This course has a required lab component, and is required for the major and minor in computer science. No prerequisites. (Offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Hu
- 11 LAB M 2:50-4:20 PM; Hu
CPSC 220 - Introduction to Computer Architecture
This course reveals how hardware executes software. Students design digital logic circuits to work with binary data, develop programs using both assembly language and machine language, and analyze operations of the central processing unit during program execution. This course has a required lab component and is required for the major in computer science.
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Fietkiewicz
- 11 LAB R 1:10-2:40 PM; Fietkiewicz
dance and movement studies
DAN 101 - Introduction to Dance: Body & Self
This introductory movement course will focus on the development of both functional movement skills and the body's expressive capacities. Course content will include: developmental movement patterning, introductory Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis, and other somatic approaches, all of which will be applied to the lived, adult, movement experience. Students can expect to move fully during class time and have reading and writing assignments in which they are asked to relate theoretical movement material to their classroom learning and experiences. No prior dance experience is required. (Davenport/Staff, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Davenport
DAN 110 - Introduction to Dances of the African Diaspora
This course introduces students to dances and rhythms from Guinea, West Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States. Each dance practiced is presented as a language for communicating and preserving the values and traditions of each given community with respect to its lineage stemming from the African continent. In this studio-based course, students develop a theoretical framework for the dances through movement experiences, weekly reading, viewing and writing assignments, class discussion and witnessing live dance. No prior experience is required. (Johnson, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 11:20 AM-12:50 PM; Johnson
DAN 230 - Community Arts: Activism Embodied
Taught sometimes as a service-learningcourse that takes students into the local community and to campus to embody an activist role, coursework focuses on commitment to social change. Taught also as a combined studio and theory course, the focus is on deepening understanding of privilege, stereotypes, oppression, and the inequities and injustices that surround us in the USA. Students utilize contemplative body practices as a tool for deepening empathy for self and others and explore creative expression through the arts. By the end of the course, students embody greater self-awareness and commitment to positive social change. (Davenport, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Davenport
DAN 922 - Contemporary Ballet II
This studio-based course offers intermediate to advanced level student dancers instruction in the contemporary ballet technique, and therefore focuses on learning non-traditional ballet positions and movement sequencing, as well as performing the contemporary vocabulary with greater precision and clarity. Developing a more nuanced understanding of balance and off-balance, direction changes in center work, complex musical phrasing and meters, and the differences between contemporary and classical ballet is emphasized. Somatic and kinesiological sound approaches to learning contemporary ballet technique are prioritized. Contemporary ballet versions serve as an inspiration for barre and center combinations so that students gain deeper understanding of the aesthetic developments and artistic trends of ballet technique. A solid foundation in ballet technique is required. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:50 PM
DAN 940 - Modern Dance II: Somatic Found
This is a studio-based course designed to further students' performance and understanding of the technical, stylistic, and expressive aspects of modern dance. A consistent emphasis throughout the term will be on establishing a strong sense of alignment in both stationary and locomotor sequences, and identifying the particular strengths and weaknesses that contribute to one's personal movement capabilities. A central focus is on providing a rich array of dance experiences that support students' growth as dance artists by helping every individual discover and uncover their movement habits and patterns. Complex and diverse movement experiences will emphasize breath support, movement clarity, versatility, body connectivity, and self-expression in order to develop greater technical acuity and enhance performance artistry. Bill Evans technique, Laban/Barteneiff movement concepts, historical modern dance styles, and contemporary somatic systems are presented to serve as frameworks for physical and artistic development. ( Williams, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-11:10 AM; Williams
data analytics
DATA 101 - Introduction to Data Analytics
Introduction to Data Analytics introduces students to answering questions with large datasets. We explore data types, obtaining data, integration, management, visualization, and examples of data modeling. We will also explore questions of data privacy, the ethics of collecting, storing and manipulating data, and the specter of bias. Students will also begin to acquire fluency in the R statistical computing language and will fine tune professional skills including effective communication, presentation, and storytelling with data. Students will develop a working knowledge of data analytics through hands-on projects and case studies in a variety of domains. Class sessions will be a combination of lecture, demonstration, independent coding work, and group collaboration. This introductory course is open to all students interested in the applications of data analytics and is the first course in the Data Analytics minor. The course partially satisfies the quantitative reasoning goal. (Staff, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Capreedy
DATA 127 - Math Foundations of Data
DATA 127 covers the key mathematical tools for data analytics and other quantitative fields. Topics covered include limits, derivatives, definite integrals, optimization, matrix algebra, and vector spaces. A special emphasis is placed on practical applications in the interpretation of large data sets. Students will explore the uses of these mathematical tools through computer coding. Prerequisites: (1) Math 100 with a grade of C- or higher or a score 15 or higher on the Math Placement Test; (2) DATA 101 with a grade of C- or higher, a declared Data Analytics minor, or permission of the instructor. DATA 127 substantially fulfills the Goal 3 (Quantitative Reasoning). (Staff, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Hebb
economics
ECON 120 - Introduction to Economics
Introduction to economics through the application of different analytical tools and perspectives to a variety of contemporary policy issues, such as inflation, unemployment, the environment, regulation, urban problems, economic development, and the role of women and minority groups in the economy.
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Greenstein
ECON 122 - Economics of Caring
There is more to economics than the wealth of nations. A good society is more than its wealth; it has the capacity and is willing to care for those who cannot completely provide for themselves. In this course students explore, analyze, and assess how our society cares for those who cannot provide all of the necessities of life for themselves; including children, the infirm, and the elderly. They examine public policies and debates concerning poverty, health care, education, child protection, and adoption. (Waller, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Waller
- 02 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Waller
ECON 126 - Economics of Immigration
Immigration is a centuries-old phenomenon, yet a pressing issue for many countries in the modern era. This course aims to explore, analyze, and evaluate the following topics about immigration: the statistical facts and patterns, determinants, and impacts on the source and destination countries. Students will also examine immigration policies in selected countries and other emerging issues such as climate migrants. This course will introduce approachable economics frameworks as analytical tools for social issues.
- 01 SEM MWF 8:30-9:30 AM; Lee
ECON 160 - Principles of Economics
This course is the first course in economic theory. Microeconomic topics include supply and demand, comparative advantage, consumer choice, the theory of the firm under competition and monopolies, and market failure. Macroeconomic topics include national income accounting, the determinants of national income, employment and inflation, the monetary system and the Fed, and fiscal policy. This course is required for all majors and minors in economics. Open to First year or Sophomore status; Econ or INRL Major or Minor. Prerequisite: Minimum score of 16 on the placement test which can be taken on-line or one of MATH 100, MATH 130, or MATH 131 with a C- or better. (Offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 8-9:30 AM; Tessendorf
- 02 LEC MW 1:10-4:20 PM; Tessendorf
- 03 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Grayson
educational studies
EDUC 230 - Teaching English Language Learners
While the number of school children speaking a language other than English at home has been growing exponentially over the last few decades, their level of academic achievement has lagged significantly behind that of their language-majority peers. This course aims to contribute to preparing future teachers for working in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. One of its major goals is to give students a better understanding of the cognitive, linguistic, and emotional challenges involved in being schooled in a second language. In the first part of the course, therefore, through readings and discussions, students will become acquainted with some key theoretical frameworks for understanding second language and literacy development as well as sociocultural issues particularly relevant to the education of English language learners. The second major goal of the course is to provide students with pedagogical strategies for adjusting instruction to meet the needs of English language learners in the mainstream classroom. This goal will be achieved in the second part of the course, which will consist predominantly of lesson planning workshops and teaching demonstrations. The course will have a service learning component consisting of 15-20 hours of tutoring an English language learner, and it is required for TESOL certification in the TEP and for the TEFL certificate. (Roberson, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC MW 8-9:30 AM; Roberson
english and creative writing
ENG 152 - American Revolutions
From Declaration of Independence to the Declaration of Sentiments, America's revolutionaries and reformers have written their own literature. This course will explore the history of politics and culture in the United States from the American Revolution to the Civil War. We will study the work of writers who were for the rights of women and against the removal of Indians from their lands, who were for the liberation of enslaved people of African descent and against the use and abuse of alcohol. We will also read the writings of the early labor and environmental movements. Like the figures we study, we will experiment with different forms to express our ideas and arguments. (Black)
- 01 LEC 1:10-2:40 PM; Black
- 02 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Black
ENG 175 - Travel Literature
The mobilities of populations have been crucial to the ways in which human beings have been organized across the planet - in empires, in nations, on continents, in hemispheres. Several factors encourage or deter mobility or travel - technological, economic, demographic, and so on. But travel inevitably introduces an encounter with otherness. We begin and end the course with an encounter with "America." We will encounter embodiments of racial and gendered otherness, but we will also examine the encounter between the human and the machine, the technological otherness of the android. The texts typically include Shakespeare's "The Tempest," Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," Phillip Dick's "Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?," Octavia Butler's "Kindred," and George Orwell's "Burmese Days." (Basu)
- 01 LEC TR 12-1 PM; Basu
ENG 266 - Modern American Poetry
This course is a study of selected major early twentieth century figures, including Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, H. D., Jean Toomer, Ezra Pound, Marianne Moore, and William Carlos Williams.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Babbitt
ENG 287 - Jane Austen in Film
Because Jane Austen’s novels are essentially her own, written creations and films based on them are collaborative and characterized by sound, motion, and visual detail, the two media approach narrative in fundamentally different ways. We will consider to what extent a film version of a Jane Austen novel is an entirely new work that is artistically independent of the original. We will also examine the consequences of viewing such films as translations of Austen’s novels both for the filmmakers who approach their projects this way and for critics who read the films from this perspective. While we will certainly take into account the techniques employed by directors and screenwriters to create a coherent and effective narrative that captures the original story, according to their notions of what this means, as they strive to keep the finished film within a reasonable running time, it is important to note that this is not a film course. The focus here is on the interplay between two methods of storytelling that results when novels written by an author who deliberately avoids description are made into films.
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Minott-Ahl
- 02 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Minott-Ahl
ENG 290 - Creative Writing
This course offers introductory techniques in the writing of both fiction and poetry. The workshop format emphasizes group discussion of the writings of class members. Readings of modern authors supplement discussions of form and technique. This course is normally required as a prerequisite for fiction and poetry workshops. Prerequisite: at least one other ENG course. Not open to students who have taken ENG 190. (Staff)
- 01 LEC MW 8-9:30 AM; Schonning
- 02 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Cowles
environmental studies
ENV 102 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
This class introduces numerous questions and perspectives regarding global climate change. While the media now reports daily on climate change, understanding its causal mechanisms and effects are exceptionally complex. Is the climate changing and how do we know? What are climate change's causal forces? What are some ways that climate change affects ecosystems and human life? How do we imagine and plan for futures that may look and feel dramatically different from the present? What is being done to mitigate climate change and its effects? And why is more not being done? Addressing these questions requires an interdisciplinary approach, spanning the natural and social sciences as well as the humanities. In this course, we will scratch the surface of multiple approaches to the problem of global climate change and techniques of environmental studies, paying particular attention to the ethical dimensions of climate action. (Staff, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM
- 02 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Kinne
fisher center
FSCT 210 - Rebels on Screen: Women and Freedom in American Cinema
This interdisciplinary course explores the autonomy of women by studying movement in, out, and around the home, what scholars across fields have called the “domestic sphere.” We begin this course by examining the historical nineteenth-century construction and elevation of the concept of the home in American culture. Often, literature presented the home as a moderating force set against the modernizing, market-oriented outside world. In this construction, the home was the province of women. Many of the idealized concepts of the home and women’s place in it has persisted throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through films from the 1940s to today, including Mildred Pierce (1945), The Rain People (1969), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Daughters of the Dust (1991), Mi Vida Loca (1994), Erin Brockovich (2000), Transamerica (2005), Revolutionary Road (2008), Carol (2015), and Tangerine (2015), students will study the movement of diverse women in and out of the domestic sphere as they weigh social expectations against personal desires. This course draws on disciplinary frameworks from history, gender studies, media studies, cultural studies, and literary analysis. Assignments will consist of three film analysis essays. For the final project, students will showcase their understanding of the themes and narratives explored throughout the semester by writing a screenplay featuring a woman from American history.
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Rambold
french and francophone studies
FRN 101 - Beginning French I
For students with no French experience, or placement. This is an immersion course that teaches speaking, listening, reading, writing, and French body language through a creative combination of interactive materials that introduce students to French culture as well as language. This course uses French as the principal language of instruction in the classroom. Students will work weekly in an integrative way with interactive materials online such as online exercises, movies, music and cultural readings. It is open only to students with no prior experience and students who have been placed in FRN 101, or students who have permission of the instructor. (Offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM
FRN 225 - Parlons Francais
This course is designed as an intensive training in oral expression for semi-advanced students. It course focuses on the practice of speaking and aims to help students develop pertinent vocabulary, as well as conversational or idiomatic expressions used in everyday life by French speakers. Students will gain greater fluidity and confidence and improve their oral communication skills by exploring contemporary issues in films and the media and reading and discussing short stories, plays, and articles from French and Francophone magazines and newspapers. This course will prepare students linguistically for 240-level French topics courses through a wide variety of challenging conversational activities. Prerequisite: FRN 202 or equivalent, placement, or permission of the instructor.
- 01 DIS MWF 9:30-10:40 AM; Dahouda
geoscience
GEO 144 - Astrobiology
Astrobiology is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of life in the Universe. It brings together perspectives from astronomy, planetary science, geoscience, paleontology, biology and chemistry to examine the origin of life on Earth and the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe. This course is designed to help students understand the nature and process of science through the lens of astrobiology. We will explore questions such as: What is life? How did life arise on Earth? Where else in the Universe might life be found? How do we know about the early history of life on Earth? And how do we search for life elsewhere? We will evaluate current theories on how life began and evolved on Earth and how the presence of life changed the Earth. We will review current understanding on the range of habitable planets in our solar system and around other stars. And we will discuss what life might look like on these other planets and what techniques we could use to detect it. This course is designed to fulfill a student's goal of experiencing scientific inquiry and understanding the nature of scientific knowledge. It does not count toward the major in Geoscience or Physics. (Hebb, Kendrick, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Kendrick
GEO 182 - Introduction to Meteorology
The influence of weather and climate affect our daily activities, our leisure hours, transportation, commerce, agriculture, and nearly every aspect of our lives. In this course many of the fundamental physical processes important to the climate system and responsible for the characteristics and development of weather systems will be introduced. We will examine the structure of the atmosphere, parameters that control climate, the jet stream, large-scale pressure systems, as well as an array of severe weather phenomena including hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms and blizzards. Upon completion of this course, we will have developed: (a) a foundation of basic scientific inquiry (b) a basic comprehension of the physical processes that govern weather and climate, and (c) an understanding of the elements of weather and climate that are most important to society. (Laird, Metz, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MW 8-9:30 AM; Laird
GEO 184 - Introduction to Geology
We will explore the form and function of the solid Earth, using plate tectonics as a central paradigm. From this framework, we investigate minerals and rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, the rise and fall of mountains, the origin and fate of sediments, the structure of our landscape and geologic time. We analyze geological resources such as minerals and fossil fuels, and the many other ways human society interacts with our restless planet. We work extensively in the field and typically take one mandatory weekend field trip. This course is a prerequisite for many geoscience courses. (Arens, Kendrick, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Arens
- 11 LAB T 1:10-4:10 PM; Arens
- 12 LAB W 1:10-4:10 PM; Kendrick
GEO 186 - Introduction to Hydrogeology
Water and water resources are critical issues for the sustenance of every society. This course is an introduction to hydrogeology and explores water in the atmosphere, lakes, oceans, and other reservoirs found on land and the movement among reservoirs. Discussion of the role of water in natural systems results in an exploration of (1) atmospheric moisture; (2) floods and stream processes; (3) the physical , chemical, and ecological characteristics of lakes and oceans; (4) aquifers and groundwater processes; and (5) wetlands. We will use quantitative reasoning to examine the characteristics and importance of water across environmental and geophysical sciences. This course is a prerequisite for many geoscience courses. (Curtin, Finkelstein, offered fall)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Curtin
- 11 LAB M 1:10-4:40 PM; Curtin
- 12 LAB T 1:10-4:10 PM; Curtin
german area studies
GER 101 - Beginning German I
German instruction endeavors to foster inter-cultural competence by infusing historical knowledge, cultural artifacts, and social structures into the very first lesson. Auf geht's!, the instructional materials for German 101 through 201, is a communicative-based text that offers many opportunities for intercultural investigation. Instruction is designed to improve all skill areas of language acquisition through level-appropriate reading, writing, listening, and oral assignments. (Offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 8:30-9:30 AM
GER 102 - Beginning German II
This course is a continuation of GER 101 and continues to pursue the goals established above. Prerequisite: GER 101 or the equivalent. (Offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 8:30-9:30 AM
GER 301 - Introduction: German Area Studies I
This course represents students' first exposure to the field of German Area Studies. In addition to improving the students' ability to express their thoughts clearly, concisely, and correctly in spoken and written German, the class will introduce students to core issues of the field, i.e. the culture of German-speaking Europe in various forms and expressions. Besides learning about canonical texts and figures, students will also explore film, music, politics, and pop-culture as contributors to the culture of central Europe. In addition, the skills that constitute intercultural competence are also developed and honed via projects, for example the role of geography in the construction of German culture. Prerequisite: GER 202 or its equivalent, or permission of instructor. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM
institute for global studies
GLS 101 - Introduction to Global Studies: Alcohol
For over nine thousand years human beings have produced alcoholic drinks in various forms. While some theories say our ancestors started to do so millions of years ago in a quest for calories, now alcohol is many things to many people: indispensable beverage, religious obligation or prohibition, sign of high or low culture, curse or blessing, and more. We will consider the historical, cultural, and political roles alcohol has played in multiple contexts as we engage the question of how this substance has both driven human development and also reflects the cultures which consume (or refuse to consume) it.
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Galloway
- 02 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Galloway
GLS 201 - Global Cultural Literacies
Global Cultural Literacies will examine cultural productions from around the world and the social/political/cultural forces that help shape world literature, such as socialism, anarchism, feminism, capitalism, migration, and various aesthetic movements. Students will develop an understanding of how cultural artifacts demonstrate and influence the production of meaning and worldviews. The course will present terms and techniques necessary for conducting literary analysis and offer insight into the fundamentals of language learning in languages other than English. This course is team taught by faculty from various Global Language departments. Students need either the prerequisite or the co-requisite to enroll. Pre-requisite: GLS101 or completion of any global language course at HWS -OR- Co-requisite: participation in a global language course while taking GLS 201. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 8:30-10:10 AM; Wells
Greek
GRE 101 - Elementary Ancient Greek
The aim of the beginning Greek sequence (GRE 101 and GRE 102) is to provide students with the vocabulary and grammatical skills necessary to read ancient Greek authors as quickly as possible. This sequence also offers an interesting and effective approach to learning about the culture and thought of the ancient Greeks. No prerequisites. (Fall, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Himmelhoch
gender, sexuality, and intersectional justice
GSIJ 100 - Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectional Justice
Race. Gender. Sexuality. Ability. How do these intersectional social categories determine access to rights, resources, and power? In this course, we examine the notion that sex, gender, sexuality, ability, race, and other categories of identity shape the social world in a myriad of ways, from how we organize our families and communities and how we spend time, to how we conceptualize the self and make meaning, to how we interact with our environment and create and re-create the body. This class seeks to challenge conventionally held "truths" and offer creative alternatives, including even how we conceive of and practice classroom learning itself. The course serves as a gateway to three justice-oriented majors: LGBTQ+ Studies, Gender and Feminist Studies, and Bodies, Disability, and Justice. Students are encouraged to think through the histories and impulses of each of these overlapping fields, and to raise their own questions about the meaning and practice of justice and how we can achieve it. The course invites students into a collective dialogue about how we can utilize critical theory and feminist, queer, and crip critique as a method of creatively re-imagining a more just world. No Prerequisites. Offered each semester. This course substantially addresses the Social Inequalities and Ethical Judgement Goals.
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Hayes-Conroy
GSIJ 213 - Transnational Feminism
Is woman a global category? How is gender performed differently across the globe? How do representations of first, second, and third-world women circulate transnationally? In this course, we will investigate how gendered bodies travel, perform, and are understood in a wide variety of national, diasporic, and global media contexts, from theater and film, to politics and popular culture. (Formerly WMST 213) (Martin-Baron, offered alternate spring semesters)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Martin-Baron
GSIJ 247 - History, Psychology and Feminism
Should the history of feminism and psychology be x-rated, as was asked once of science more generally? This question opens onto psychology's expressways where histories of feminism, gender, sexuality, race and what are sometimes called the 'psy' disciplines crosscut in the greater search for knowledge of who we are or might become. Running parallel throughout this history are the ways feminist and critical gender scholars tackled the very ways the science of psychology upheld cultural conventions of gender, race and sexuality. This course examines these tangled stories from early case studies of hysteria and spiritualism through to mid-century depictions of the "mommy pill," "how the clinic made gender" and to late twentieth and early twenty-first century concerns around gender, race and bodies. The course uses history, theory and research in psychology to appreciate psychology's changing views, treatment and study of diverse lives, and how feminism shaped psychology as much as psychology shaped feminism. This course also counts toward the major in psychology. (Formerly WMST 247)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Bayer
GSIJ 250 - Chicana Feminism & Visual Culture
This course lays the foundations for the study of Chicana feminism, women of color feminism, feminist visual cultural studies, and arts-based activism. This course traces the emergence of Chicana as an identity category and its challenges to Chicano and feminist activism; the radical ways Chicanas have employed visual, performance, and graphic arts as a means of educating and catalyzing social change; and the rich body of indigenous folklore that has both defined gender and sexual roles and provided the platform for defying them. Throughout the semester, we will draw from primary texts from the beginning of the Chicano movement, a rich selection of visual, performance, and graphic arts, and contemporary scholarship in women's studies, Chicana/o studies, and visual cultural studies. (Formerly WMST 150) (Martin-Baron, offered alternate fall semesters)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Martin-Baron
GSIJ 300 - Who's Afraid of Gender?
This seminar surveys several strands of feminist theorizing and their histories. The course examines how activist movements ground feminist theories, including changing technologies (from print to digital and social media). By critically engaging the underlying assumptions and stakes of a range of theories, students become more aware of their own assumptions and stakes, sharpen their abilities to productively apply feminist analyses in their own work and lives, and create ways to take feminist theory beyond the classroom. Prerequisite: GSIJ 100 or permission of instructor.
- 01 LEC W 1:10-4:10 PM; Bayer
history
HIST 111 - Topics in Introduction to American History
These courses investigate different topics, but they all explore critical episodes or themes in American history to help you: 1) understand the complex nature of the historical record; 2) engage in historical inquiry, research, and analysis; 3) craft historical narrative and argument; and 4) practice historical thinking in order to better understand and engage with present-day society. Prerequisites: none. (Offered every semester.)
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Crow
HIST 231 - Modern Latin America
This course will trace out the historical construction of national and regional identities in Latin America through an examination of paradigms of modernity and marginality. It will focus on: the continuities and ruptures from Spanish colonialism to nation-state rule; the imposition of stability in Latin America, and the ideological foundations of the dominant, transnational paradigm of progress; identity politics and the rejection of European paradigms of progress; the coming and process of the global paradigm of Cold War, and its new models of anxiety, hope, and marginality in Latin America; the survival and even prosperity of Latin America's indigenous populations in the era of neoliberalism. In so doing, we will examine the possibilities for the most marginal of populations to represent themselves, and the limitations of such self-representation. (Ristow, offered annually).
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Ristow
HIST 233 - History of American Thought to 1865
This class provides an immersion in the intellectual history of the United States from its colonial beginnings to the end of the Civil War. Major topics include law and constitutionalism, republicanism and the history of political thought, theology and religious history, literature, and philosophy. Contexts for the class include early modern and modern empire, settler colonialism, gender ideology, and the centrality of slavery to early American politics. The class will include a focus on close reading, critical reflection, and deep, respectful discussion. Offered semi-annually. (Crow)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Crow
HIST 235 - Civil War America
In America's mid-nineteenth century, rising tensions over slavery's expansion, diverging ideas about federalism, and polarizing sectional identities erupted into violence, leading to four years of protracted, brutal war. The outcome was nothing less than revolutionary: the nation's political structures, economic systems, and social hierarchies were transformed. Paying careful attention to Americans' lived experiences, in this course we will seek to understand how and why the Civil War began, what changes it wrought, whether or not its fundamental conflicts were solved by Reconstruction, and finally, why it continues to have such a profound impact on America's vision of itself even today.
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Free
HIST 283 - South Africa in Transition
After a long period of colonialist domination, exploitation, racial humiliation, and destructive wars, southern Africa is emerging as a land of renewed hope for peace, stability and prosperity. This transition is explored in this course from the late 19th century to the rise of Nelson Mandela. By placing greater emphasis on South Africa, the course investigates such themes as the rise and demise of apartheid, wars of national liberation, economic development, demographic and environmental concerns, and democratization and the construction of pluralist societies.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Slade
HIST 284 - Africa: From Colonial to Neocolonial
In the US media, the signifier `Africa' has become synonymous with images of warfare, poverty, disease, and famine. Undeniably, these features are commonplace in some African societies. However, what is insidiously missing in most accounts of the challenges facing much of the continent is a historical perspective that traces a genealogy of these problems. Events like the Rwandan Genocide are unproblematically explained as having been caused by 'ethnic conflict,' a calculus that does not consider the manner in which colonial encroachment fundamentally altered the socio-political landscape of the continent. In short, to understand modern-day Africa we need to be attentive to the processes that created its everyday realities. To this end, students will investigate the legacies of colonialism in key sites dotted throughout Africa, and examine how contemporary power relations [neo-colonialism] continue to impact the continent.
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Slade
HIST 297 - Pre-Modern Mediterranean Law
Starting with the creation of Roman Law, this class traces the major legal developments across the Mediterranean World until the Renaissance. The course focuses on the development of barbarian law, religious law (canon, rabbinic, and Islamic law), and English common law. The class also problematizes these changes by exploring dispute resolution and extra-judicial violence.
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Whitten
international relations
INRL 140 - Introduction to Comparative Politics
An ambitious introductory course, aimed at teaching students basic theoretical and empirical concepts necessary for comparison across the world's political systems. Student will be introduced to the fundamental tenets of diverse political and economic systems and ideologies, explore the foundations of political order and disorder (including discussions of nationalism, state-building, globalization, revolution, and more), and consider the myriad ways in which relationships between state, society, and market are ordered. Theoretical discussions will be supplemented with empirical case studies from around the world. Combining theoretical insights with political, social, and economic history and current events will help students as they endeavor to understand just why it is that the world's political systems are organized the way they are. Also listed as POL 140. (Philbrick Yadav, Ost, offered each semester, subfields: CP)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Philbrick Yadav
INRL 180 - Introduction to International Relations
As a broad introduction to the study of international relations (IR), this course is designed to give students an understanding of the basic concepts of world politics, an appreciation of the evolution of the current state system, and a sampling of various approaches and theories of IR. Readings come from primary documents, as well as a standard text. The course is grounded in an awareness of current events. Students examine how the lens used to view the world shapes understanding of the world, its problems, and possible solutions. (Dunn and Yadav, offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Yadav
INRL 248 - Politics of Development
This course examines contending historical and contemporary explanations for the phenomenon of absolute poverty and critically assessed policy solutions implemented to end this form of poverty in our time. The course contrasts micro-level approaches, which seek to built an "inclusive capitalism" through the extension of property rights and the enhancement of individual capacity with meso-level approaches that rely on a "developmental state" to guide markets, and macro-level approaches that seek to restructure the international regime on debt relief and intergovernmental development organizations. (Yadav, offered alternate years; Political Economy keystone course in INRL)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Yadav
INRL 285 - Borders, Belonging, and Rights in the Middle East and North Africa
This course examines the politics that have produced and sustained the Middle East and North Africa as a region from the late-colonial to the contemporary period. The course examines the role of borders and bordering practices, the dynamics of migration and the construction of national and transnational publics. Placing particular emphasis on the many ways in which the high politics of states shape the lived experiences of different communities in the region, it works to better understand how and why borders shape the rights and rights-claims of different communities of belonging.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Philbrick Yadav
italian
ITA 101 - Beginning Italian
This course is designed for absolute beginners who have never been exposed to Italian. Students will learn basic pronunciation, grammatical structures and vocabulary for everyday use. Students' exposure to the language will be enhanced by music, films, short literary texts and other authentic cultural materials. By the end of the course, students should be able to understand simple dialogues and passages and to express themselves with simple sentences using the present and past tenses.
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM
- 02 LEC MWF 12-1 PM; Lucci
ITA 102 - Beginning Italian II
This course is designed for students who have already taken one semester of Italian and are able to express themselves in the present and in the past using limited vocabulary. Students will be introduced to more complex tenses (like future and conditional), as well as more advanced vocabulary. They will improve their listening and reading comprehension skills and oral proficiency. Students' exposure to the language will be enhanced by music, films, short literary texts and other authentic cultural materials.
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM
japanese
JPN 101 - Beginning Japanese I
This course provides an introduction to modern spoken Japanese. (Klaus, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Klaus
latin
LAT 238 - Latin Epic (Vergil Or Ovid)
This course is a careful reading in Latin of a significant portion of the Aeneid or the Metamorphoses, with the entire poem read in English, to enable students to appreciate the poetry and Vergil's or Ovid's presentation of Augustan Rome against the background of its historical and literary heritage. Suggested prerequisite: LAT 102 or the equivalent. (Offered every three years)
- 01 LEC Himmelhoch
latin american studies
LTAM 232 - The Latina Experience
Through the use of life stories (testimonies) and documentaries, students in this course will examine the experience Latinas in the context of the United States and the Geneva community. We will be exploring issues such as migration and immigration; biculturalism and bilingualism; labor and education, cultural production and social activism through the collection and analysis of testimonial texts, as well as the analysis and production of documentaries.
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Molina
mathematics
MATH 100 - Elementary Functions
Intended for students who plan to continue in the calculus sequence, this course involves the study of basic functions: polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric. Topics include a review of the real number system, equations and inequalities, graphing techniques, and applications of functions. A problem-solving lab is an integral part of the course. Permission of instructor is required. This course does not count toward the major or minor in mathematics. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM
- 11 LAB T 10:20-11:50 AM
MATH 130 - Calculus I
This course offers a standard introduction to the concepts and techniques of the differential calculus of functions of one variable. A problem-solving lab is an integral part of the course. This course does not count towards the major in mathematics. Prerequisite: Satisfactory performance on the department's placement exam, or MATH 100. (Offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 8:30-9:30 AM
- 02 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; King
- 03 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; King
- 11 LAB T 1:10-2:40 PM
- 12 LAB R 8:40-10:10 AM; King
- 13 LAB R 10:20-11:50 AM; King
MATH 131 - Calculus II
This course is a continuation of the topics covered in MATH 130 with an emphasis on integral calculus, sequences, and series. A problem-solving lab is an integral part of the course. Prerequisite: MATH 130 or permission of the instructor. (Offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Hao
- 11 LAB R 1:10-2:40 PM; Hao
MATH 204 - Linear Algebra
This course is an introduction to the concepts and methods of linear algebra. Among the most important topics are general vector spaces and their subspaces, linear independence, spanning and basis sets, solution space for systems of linear equations, and linear transformations and their matrix representations. It is designed to develop an appreciation for the process of mathematical abstraction and the creation of a mathematical theory. Prerequisites: MATH 131 or MATH 232, and MATH 135 strongly suggested, or permission of the instructor.
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Bell
MATH 232 - Multivariable Calculus
A study of the concepts and techniques of the calculus of functions of several variables, this course is required for the major in mathematics.
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Biermann
media and society
MDSC 100 - Introduction to Media & Society
This course provides an introduction to various media and their modes, methods, and themes. We will explore the role of the media in shaping social consciousness, global economies, and material culture. Examples drawn from film, television, print media, and digital environments will be contextualized, analyzed, and theorized as crucial elements of our media culture. Students will gain an appreciation for the social, cultural, economic, and political influences of global communications while performing close readings of conventional media objects. Writing assignments, exams, and projects will help to cement insights gained through close investigation of films, TV shows, advertisements, video games, music videos, and more.
- 02 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Patti
MDSC 130 - Introduction to Global Animation
This course will introduce students to the global culture of animation. Students will learn fundamental methods and approaches to analyze animation as an object and a culture through case studies and hands-on approaches. Overall, this course will help students to understand and appreciate the circulation of animation as a global media culture.
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Zulkarnain
business management and entrepreneurship
MGMT 101 - Entrepreneurial Leadership
As technology and globalization continue to spur interconnectedness, leaders must navigate tumultuous environments where change is rapid, discontinuous and unpredictable. Innovation, ingenuity and an ability to add value by solving problems are necessary. This course will examine the attributes required of successful entrepreneurs in contemporary leadership roles. Students will learn how to take an idea to impact. They will consider important concepts, such as ethics, sustainability, economic Darwinism, and managing uncertainty. They will discuss product invention, service implementation, economic choice, risk and return, scale and scope, value creation, and small business generation. As a significant course assignment, students will develop a strategic plan for a product, service, startup or organization that is worthy of implementation. No prerequisites required. (Forbes and Hamilton, offered annually)
- 02 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM
- 03 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Tessendorf
- 04 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM
- 06 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Ryen
MGMT 120 - Economic Principles
The course seeks to provide students with the foundational understanding of microeconomic theory necessary to pursue entrepreneurial enterprises in contemporary markets. Students will acquire the analytical tools for solving complex organizational or policy issues. Key topics will include: economic principles guiding various types of organizations; rational behavior; competition vs. monopoly power; simple game theory; pricing strategies; and production costs and behavior in the short and long-term. This course will be more applied than a traditional intro to economics class, relying on entrepreneurial case studies and news reports as appropriate.
- 02 LEC MWF 12-1 PM; Talmage
music
MUS 120 - How Music Works
How much of your day revolves around listening to music? Do you ever wonder why you can't stop singing the melodies to your favorite songs? What exactly are the reasons that one musical style sounds so different from another? Why do certain pieces of music evoke melancholy and nostalgia, while others make you want to get up and dance? This course seeks to answer these kinds of questions through a hands-on approach, showing students how music works by focusing on listening, analyzing, and playing music. Students 1) learn the basic elements of music and how they can be combined to form patterns and styles, 2) develop the theoretical knowledge and aural skills necessary to perceive musical details and concepts, 3) listen to music critically and play it musically, and 4) think artistically about musical form and content. By the end of this course, students will be actively integrating thinking, hearing, and playing, and they will be developing skills in musical notation, songwriting, keyboard proficiency, and musical analysis. (Offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Lofthouse, Cricco
- 02 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Potter
MUS 190 - History of Rock & Roll
This course provides a survey of rock and roll from its roots through contemporary times. Beginning with a study of the development of rock from earlier sources, such as mainstream popular music, rhythm and blues, and country and western, the course proceeds by considering the artists and trends that serve to define rock music through the decades. The course places a strong emphasis on hearing the music that is discussed: students receive guidance in listening to basic musical features such as form, rhythm and meter, and instrumentation. Attention is also given to content of lyrics and to the role that rock music plays as a general, sociological phenomenon. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Cowles
MUS 210 - Remixing Western Music History
The word "remix" calls to mind the technological practice of altering, contorting or otherwise reconceiving a cultural artifact, appropriating and changing it to make something new. Remixes are spaces in which authorship is broadened, authority is questioned, power is redistributed, and the past is reinterpreted. If we can remix a song, why not a history? Reconceiving (or remixing) remix as an intellectual, rather than technological, practice, this course rewrites European music history with pluralistic, anti-racist! and anti-imperialist voices. Deconstructing the longstanding dichotomy between "the West and the rest," we'll examine the centrality of othering in the construction of European selfhood, as well as music's participation in that project. In the process, we will consider Western music's ambivalent relations with popular, folk, and non-Western music; its role in the formation of national and racial identities; and issues of representation and difference in jazz, blues, and world music. Remixes often claim to preserve the "aura of the original"; in this case, with reverence for the music itself, it is precisely the aura of imperialism, patriarchy, colonialism, and slavery-that is being contested. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM
MUS 211 - Science, History & Art of Video Games
This course engages video game music by analyzing its history and effect on players and listeners through three interlocking and integrated viewpoints: music cognition and emotion; the history of video game music and game sound design; and the art of choosing and creating music for gaming. Students will learn about the history of video game music, including its journey from beep-boops to full-orchestra scores and choose-your-own soundtrack adventures. This history provides a framework for learning how video game music works on us - tools from the science of music cognition, including music's origins in human evolution; biological and neurological accounts of musical emotion; music and game processing and multimedia environments; musical anticipation; and music theories surrounding behavior and play will allow students to explore what specific parts of our human actions, feelings, and behavior are affected by games and music. Lastly, students practice the art of video game music by composing or choosing music for a game, applying the knowledge to a real-world gaming experience. MUS 110 or 120 and/or some background in music performance is helpful but not required. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Lofthouse, Cricco
MUS 214 - Rock, Pop & the Written Word
This course invites students into the professional world of music critics, journalists, agents, and publicists, who use language as a tool to characterize and promote music of all kinds. As emerging critics, students will learn to generate and articulate intellectually grounded responses to a variety of examples from the popular music canon, including commercial pop, indie, rock, hip hop, jazz, blues, and R&B, in dialog with the aesthetic principles studied over the course of the semester. As developing agents, publicists, and promoters, they will learn to harness the resources of social media, create one-sheets for record releases, gather content for crowdfunding, and draft press releases, bios, and website content. Through these combined efforts, students will deepen their appreciation and understanding of music, while enlisting that knowledge in a broader study of cultural and commercial enterprises that support it. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM
public health
PBHL 100 - Introduction to Public Health
Drawing from interdisciplinary sources as well as key scholarship from within the field of public health, this course provides an introduction to the core functions of public health, covering both US and global contexts. The course uses historical and contemporary examples to highlight the role of public health in promoting the health status of different populations, and the relationship of public health to other forms of health promotion in clinical and community settings. Focal topics include issues of global health, environmental health, health justice, and clinical health. Students are encouraged to think critically and reflexively about what it means to intervene in human health in such contexts, and to consider how social inequality and structural injustice plays a significant role in health outcomes. (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 8:30-9:30 AM; MacPhail
philosophy
PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
This course seeks to provide an understanding of what philosophy is by discussing some of the main problems that philosophers examine and by developing skills in the methods used in philosophy. Among the kinds of problems considered in this course are: Is it always wrong to break the law? Can we prove God's existence? What is 'personal identity'? What distinguishes knowledge from mere belief? (Staff, offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Brophy
- 02 LEC MWF 12-1 PM; Brophy
PHIL 154 - Environmental Ethics
This course explores the ethical and philosophical issues that arise when we consider the relation between humans and the natural environment - issues made urgent by our current environmental crisis. Among questions examined are: Is the value of nature intrinsic or only instrumental? Do humans have obligations toward nonhuman animals? Why are animal species worth preserving? Is it individual animals or ecosystems that should be of moral concern? What can feminism tell us about our treatment of nature? Are economic efficiency and cost/benefit analysis adequate criteria for assessing our relation to the environment? (Ward, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Ward
- 02 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Ward
PHIL 163 - Philosophy of Sport
Explore the philosophical questions that underlie amateur and professional sports. This course will examine questions such as: What is the difference between sports and other games? Are e-sports actually sports? What is the value of participating in or watching sports? Is it ever okay to purposely commit a foul? What should be done about performance enhancing drugs? Are there some sports that should be banned? What role should gender play in creating competitions? Should technology replace humans in officiating some elements of sports? The goal of this course is to use these questions to gain insight into what it is to do philosophy, including how to approach both ethical and metaphysical questions.
- 01 DIS MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Barnes
- 02 DIS TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Barnes
PHIL 275 - God
This course examines both the nature of God and the foundation of rational belief in God. The traditional understanding of God, at least according to the Abrahamic religions, is a being that is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. However, each of these properties introduces classical philosophical problems. The puzzle of omnipotence challenges the idea that omnipotence is even a coherent notion. The dilemma of freedom and foreknowledge implies that God's omniscience is incompatible with human freedom. Last, the problem of evil gives reason to doubt that God is truly omnibenevolent. In sum, the class explores the following major questions: does God exist? What is God like? How do we know what God is like? Do we have good evidence for belief in God? If not, can we still have rational belief in God? (Leininger, offered alternate years) [Area 1: Knowledge & Reality]
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Leininger
physics
PHYS 115 - Astrobiology
Astrobiology is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of life in the Universe. It brings together perspectives from astronomy, planetary science, geoscience, paleontology, biology and chemistry to examine the origin of life on Earth and the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe. This course is designed to help students understand the nature and process of science through the lens of astrobiology. We will explore questions such as: What is life? How did it arise on Earth? Where else in the Universe might life be found? How do we know about the early history of life on Earth? And how do we search for life elsewhere? We will evaluate current theories on how life began and evolved on Earth and how the presence of life changed the Earth. We will review current understanding on the range of habitable planets in our solar system and around other stars. And we will discuss what life might look like on these other planets and what techniques we could use to detect it. This course is designed to fulfill a student's goal of experiencing scientific inquiry and understanding the nature of scientific knowledge. It does not count toward the major in Geoscience or Physics. (Offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Kendrick
PHYS 150 - Introduction to Physics I
This is a calculus-based first course in mechanics and waves with laboratory. Prerequisite: MATH 130 Calculus I (may be taken concurrently). (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Allen
- 02 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Allen
- 11 LAB M 1:10-4:10 PM; Dumitriu
- 12 LAB T 1:10-4:10 PM; Dumitriu
- 21 LAB W 1:10-4:10 PM; Dumitriu
- 22 LAB R 1:10-4:10 PM; Dumitriu
PHYS 160 - Introduction to Physics II
This course offers a calculus-based first course in electromagnetism and optics with laboratory. Prerequisites: PHYS 150 and MATH 131 Calculus II (may be taken concurrently). (Offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-1:50 AM; Spector
- 11 LAB M 1:10-4:10 PM; Spector
- 12 LAB M 7:30-10:30 PM; Spector
PHYS 285 - Math Methods
This course covers a number of mathematical topics that are widely used by students of science and engineering. It is intended particularly to prepare physics majors for the mathematical demands of 300-level physics courses. Math and chemistry majors also find this course quite helpful. Techniques that are useful in physical science problems are stressed. Topics are generally drawn from: power series, complex variables, matrices and eigenvalues, multiple integrals, Fourier series, Laplace transforms, differential equations and boundary value problems, and vector calculus.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Spector
politics
POL 110 - Introduction to American Politics
This course examines the capability of the American political system to respond to the needs of all its citizens, exploring the historical origins, basic institutions, distribution of power, popular influence, political parties, social movements, and inequalities based on class, race, and gender. (Lucas, Passavant, Quish, offered each semester, subfields: LG, ap)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Lucas
- 02 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Quish
POL 130 - Introduction to Law & Politics
This course provides an introduction to law and politics focused on the United States. What ideas underwrite the concept of constitutional government? What is the role of the Supreme Court in United States politics? What should it be? What are the intended constitutional responsibilities of Congress and the Executive Branch? How do they function today? What constitutional roles should the people play? Do the American people play that role today? This course will consider a variety of historic and more contemporary legal controversies in this light. Controversies may include slavery. women's suffrage, civil rights, freedom of speech, abortion and reproductive autonomy, and right to bear arms, among others. Reading may include works by John Locke, Frederick Douglass, and Larry Kramer, in addition to legal documents (Constitution and Supreme Court cases), legal commentaries, and speeches.
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Passavant
POL 160 - Introduction to Political Theory
This course reads classical political theory from the Ancient Greeks through the early modern period in England. The class introduces students to some of the major themes through which politics and political life have been understood. Beginning with Thucydides, it examines the virtues and values of the ancient world with attention to the dilemma between justice and expediency. Continuing with Plato and Aristotle, it considers justice, reason, and the good in the context of life in the polis. The course ends with the challenges Machiavelli's and Hobbes' notions of power present for the presumption of an original human sociality, for the emergence of liberal ideals of individual autonomy and national sovereignty. (Dean, Quish offered annually, subfields: FT, pt)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Dean
POL 208 - Law and Society
Law and Society is a field that seeks to understand law as a socio-political phenomenon. Among the questions Law and Society asks include the question of law's impact on the ground, in the actual functioning of society. For example, the Law and Society movement has been interested in why there seemed to be a gap in the 1950s and 1960s between Supreme Court decisions ruling that racial segregation violated the Constitution ('law on the books') and the impact of those decisions in light of the almost total lack of integration in the Deep South for years thereafter ('law in action'). Topics may include access to justice, how law influences and is influenced by a cultural order, law and inequality, and law and the government of gender, sexuality, or racialized subjects. Prerequisite: a 100- or 200-level POL course or by permission of instructor. (Passavant, offered alternate years, subfields: LG, ap)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Passavant
psychological science
PSY 100 - Introduction to Psychology
This course offers a comprehensive survey of the methodology and content of present-day psychology. Emphasis is placed on the development of a critical evaluative approach to theories and empirical data. (Fall and spring, offered each semester)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Fisher
- 02 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Fisher
religious studies
REL 105 - Religion, Peace, and Conflict
What is religion? What counts as peace? How do religion and other social institutions contribute to, and are influenced by, peace or conflicts? This course explores on humans' search for meaningful and peaceful life and on the role of religion in such pursuit. It will first of all investigate the meaning, elements, and functions of religion in humans' pursuit of peace and meaning. It will then examine the meaning of peace and conflicts and the conditions that contribute to peace or conflicts. In turn, the course will look at the ways in which peace or conflicts may influence religion. Finally, the course will examine the role religion plays in peacemaking efforts.
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Kafrawi
REL 228 - Religion and Resistance
In this course students explore the ways in which religion and resistance are related. Among other questions, students ask how the religious imagination helps us to see alternate realities and permits us to call into question our current realities. Students also explore the role of religion in legitimizing the status quo and oppression. They ask how religious communities identify and combat oppression. In combating oppression, the class also turns to questions of practice. Is it enough to talk about liberation? Is religion a “call to action?” If so, what is meant by “action?”
- 01 DIS TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Kafrawi
REL 274 - Zionism, Israel, Mideast Conflict
An examination of the roots of Zionism - a complicated religious, ideological, and political movement. Such external factors as the Holocaust and the acute problems of the surviving refugees; the conflict between Jews and Arabs in Palestine; the breakdown of the British Mandate and the mutual rivalries of the Western powers in the Middle East; and the East-West conflict in the global scene are some of the historical forces which accelerated the creation of the Jewish state that are examined. But attention is also given to the internal intellectual and spiritual forces in Jewish life, which were at least as important and which constitute the ultimately decisive factor. (Dobkowski, offered occasionally)
- 01 LEC TR 2:50-4:20 PM; Dobkowski
REL 278 - Modern Judaism
This course examines Jewish life, thought, and cultural development from 1760 to the present. Among the topics discussed are: the rise of Hasidism and reaction to it; the Enlightenment and modern varieties of Judaism; Zionist thought; and revolution and Jewish emancipation. The course also focuses on major Jewish thinkers and actors who have had a profound impact on shaping, defining, and transforming Jewish thought and praxis. This includes thinkers like the Baal Shem Tov, Martin Buber, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Mordecai Kaplan, and Blu Greenberg. (Dobkowski, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Dobkowski
REL 286 - Islam and Environment
The course offers an overview of key concepts in Islamic environmental ethics, Muslim responses to environmental catastrophes, and the link between local and global forces in Islamic societies and their impacts on environment. The course will begin with a comparative ethical approach on the relationship between humans and their environment by introducing the concept of the sacred. The foundations of Islamic ethics will follow. The course will also evaluate Muslims' treatment of their environment, as well as their responses to climate change and natural disasters using theological, ethical, textural, political, cultural, and civic approaches. Such discussions will be contextualized in the interplay between local factors that shape Muslims' attitudes and behaviors toward their environment and global forces, such as colonialism and capitalism, that exacerbate the use and abuse of nature. Social justice, sustainability, Islamic socialism and anti-capitalism, and disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of tsunamis are also key topics in the course.
- 01 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Anwar
REL 291 - Ethics of Identity
Identity and identity politics has become an inescapable hot button issue in our current public discourse in the last decade. Too often, however, such discussions are so focused on picking a side in the political aspects of the debate, that they do not stop to articulate what identity is and how it shapes our individual and collective lives. This course will take a philosophical deep dive into the questions and challenges of identity along three vectors; Being, Knowing, and Doing. In the first section on “Being”, we will explore the ontology of identity by asking such questions as What does it mean to have an identity or be a person with an identity? (Why) Is identity important? What are different types of identity (ethno-cultural, national, sexual, gender, race, religious, socio-economic, philosophical, political) and how do they intersect and interact? How are group identities related to and distinct from individual ones? In the second section, “Knowing,” we will explore how identity shapes perception and knowledge creation. Here we will pursue such questions as; how do the different types of identity discussed in the first part of the course influence how we are able to perceive the world and be perceived by it? How does identity shape how we come to know things individually and the extent to which we contribute to public or group knowledge? And what is the relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in ideal epistemic practice? In the final section we will explore the role which identity plays in the moral sphere by asking such questions as; how does identity shape our processes of moral reasoning and our ability to act “virtuously”? What is the relationship between identity and human rights or identity and moral duties? Should all rights and obligations be universal, or should forms of identity inflect either or both? Finally, how should we prioritize between individualism and group identities when they come into conflict? There are no prerequisites for this course, however, it may be of particular interest to students interested in politics, philosophy, ethics, critical sexuality, and social epistemology. (Gervais, offered biannually)
- 01 DIS TR 8:40-10:10 AM; Gervais
REL 297 - Religion, Ethics, and Society
How do humans create meaning and orient their individual and collective lives? What role has "religious" thinking played in these central human projects historically, and what do religious feeling, cults, rituals, prayer, high priests, and prophets look like in our supposedly post-religion age? In this course we will explore the inextricability of the religious and cultural; how they inform one another, and how they work together in tension to help us make sense of life's persistent questions concerning: What can we know? What should we do? And what can we hope for? We will focus particular attention on contemporary manifestations of this relationship, with case studies ranging from Soul Cycle, to inceldom, to video games, to Hijab solidarity, to the neopagan witch renaissance. This course will be of interest to students studying philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, religion, and media and society.
- 01 DIS TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Gervais
russian area studies
RUS 101 - Beginning Russian I
An introduction to the Russian language designed particularly to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing. Weekly laboratory hour is mandatory.
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Lemelin
RUSE 101 - Blood and Ice: Russian Empires
The largest country in both Europe and Asia, Russia has dominated Eastern Europe and north Asia for over a thousand years. Through an examination of its long, varied, and frequently bloody history, we will investigate the nature of "empire" as defined and interpreted by the various political entities, which have ruled the Russian land.
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Galloway
sociology
SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts of sociology, this course focuses on such central issues as the social nature of personality; the effects of social class, race, and gender on social life; the interactional basis of society; and the place of beliefs and values in social structure and social action. A fundamental concern is to analyze the reciprocal nature of social existence, to understand how society influences us and how we, in turn, construct it. Typically, the course applies the sociological perspective to an analysis of American society and other social systems. (Freeman, Harris, Kosta, Monson, Perkins, Sutton, offered every semester) Note: All upper level sociology courses require SOC 100 as a prerequisite.
- 01 LEC 8-9:30 AM; Kosta
- 02 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM
spanish and hispanic studies
SPN 101 - Beginning Spanish I
Designed for students who have not taken Spanish before, this course develops the basic skills in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing the language, and introduces the student to a variety of cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Beginning Spanish I, as well as the other courses in the beginning and intermediate levels, use a combination of three weekly master classes with the regular instructor and an additional hour of laboratory practice or the equivalent, using the multimedia materials accompanying the text. This course is the first part of the beginning sequence; students who take SPN 101 in the Fall are highly advised to take SPN 102 in the Spring of the same academic year. (Offered Fall semesters)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM
SPN 201 - Intermediate Spanish I
This course is designed for students who have been placed in SPN 201, or students who have completed SPN 102. The course further develops the basic language skills acquired in the beginning sequence including grammar review, conversation, writing, and reading. Cultural awareness is emphasized through an exposure to authentic materials from the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students who complete the intermediate course will meet the language criteria to apply for the department's off-campus programs in Spain and Chile. Prerequisite: SPN 102 or placement in SPN 201. (offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM
SPN 204 - Bilingual Realities
This course will appeal to students who use Spanish in every-day life and bilingual contexts. We will study dynamic bilingual communication practices in academics, popular culture, creative writing, and public speaking. Through memoirs, manifestos, novels, music, film, and podcasts, we will explore diverse bilingual/bi-cultural life experiences and forms of expression. Topics of discussion include, but are not limited to, migration, education, social media, art, and activism. We will practice conversational fluency, grammatical precision, persuasive writing, and vocabulary building. Readings may include the following: De cómo las muchachas García perdieron el acento by Julia Alvarez, Spanglish by Ilan Stavans and Poet X by Elizabeth Azevedo. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, or the equivalent. (Farnsworth, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 9:40-10:40 AM; Farnsworth
- 02 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; Farnsworth
SPN 231 - Spanish for the Professions
This course focuses on the use of Spanish in a variety of professional careers. Students explore the vocabulary and cultural implications of using Spanish in fields such as business, health care, the legal system, social services, and education. Class activities include role-playing, skits, translations, a video newscast project and a mock trial. Emphasis is placed on acquiring vocabulary, increasing cultural competence, and improving oral fluency. This course is recommended for students who intend to use Spanish in a professional field, students who intend to teach Spanish to English-speakers or English to Spanish-speakers, as well as bilingual students. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, or the equivalent. (Travalia, offered annually)
- 01 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Travalia
theatre
THTR 100 - Page to Stage
This course will teach students how to analyze and break down dramatic literature in order to create a blueprint for production choices. Students will engage in the close examination of literature in varied styles, regions, and historical periods from the points of view of theatre practitioners (actors, directors, and designers), learning diverse techniques of analysis in the process. These techniques include the study of plot structure, character analysis, internal and external actions, conflict, rhythm, and idea/theme. This course encourages students to consider the links between other periods and our own, and the ways in which detailed readings of dramatic literature inform the communicative and aesthetic power of the performed text. (May, offered annually)
- 01 LEC MWF 10:50-11:50 AM; May
THTR 130 - Acting I
Non-actors often ask actors "how do you learn all those lines," thinking that the memorization process is the bulk of what it is to be an actor. This course will work to demystify the acting process and to introduce the beginning student to the craft of acting through the use of improvisation, theatre games, acting exercises, monologues and scene work. Instead of simply relying on their instincts, students will learn how to craft a performance through careful analysis of the character and the script with a special emphasis placed on objective/action-based acting. Time will also be spent discussing how the techniques we learn about acting can help us in our pursuit of accomplishment in other professional settings such as job interviews, business presentations, and public speeches. This course is a prerequisite for all other courses in acting and directing.(Hatch, Woodworth, offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Hatch
- 02 LEC MW 2:50-4:20 PM; Hatch
- 03 LEC TR 10:20-11:50 AM; Woodworth
THTR 160 - Introduction to Stagecraft
This is a lecture/laboratory course which will provide students with a practical overview of the technical production aspects of live theater and performance. Students will work in the classroom, scene shop and off-stage developing an aptitude in set construction, props, introductory lighting and stage effects as determined by production need. The class focuses on the non-performative aspects of theatre from hands-on skill building to production budgeting. A wide breath of topics are presented through weekly readings, assignments, video and lecture/discussions. All students complete a weekly lab (and two weekend labs) in which they will work in the McDonald Theatre and scene shop working on the current faculty-directed productions (Hallborg, fall, offered alternate years)
- 01 LEC TR 1:10-2:40 PM; Hallborg
writing and rhetoric
WRRH 100 - Writer's Seminar
This course is for students in any major who want to become successful as college writers. By honing skills in critical reading and thinking, students are introduced to analysis and argumentation in order to consider their ideas within the context of academic writing and their own lives. Students develop writing techniques through composing and revising narratives, analytical essays, and guided research projects. The course focuses on writing individually and in collaboration with peers, the instructor, and other student (Writing Colleagues or CTL Writing Fellows) support through an emphasis on the process of invention, drafting, and revision. Course times and themes vary with instructor. (Repeatable, offered every semester)
- 01 LEC MW 1:10-2:40 PM; Hess