FRESHMAN REGISTRATION AND FAMILY ORIENTATION 09

  

What other choices do I have in the General Education curriculum?

 

There are six sections of the Liberal Studies General Education requirements besides Science.  Find the pink General Education Program brochure and study your choices in each section.  Some General Education courses may fulfill some of the core requirements of your College for your selected major.  Your advisor during the afternoon will be able to identify these courses if applicable.  Most often the choice will be yours.  These courses are intended to prepare students for life beyond the university.  Study your choices.  Read course descriptions.

 

 

GENERAL EDUCATION DESCRIPTIONS

  • Offered fall 2009

 

  • ANT 101 Cr. 3     Self & Society

Human Nature/Human Culture

This course is designed to focus student participation on discovering and understanding what it means to be human. The interdependency of human biology and culture are deciphered through a modern anthropological perspective.

 

  • ANT 202 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Contemporary Global Issues

This course will offer a contemporary multi-disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the global society in the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern global society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science, and history. (Cross-listed with ECO/GEO/POL/SOC/HIS 202; may only earn credit in one department.)

  

  • ARC 100 Cr. 3     Self & Society

Archaeology: Discovering Our Past

This course is an introduction to the fascinating world of archaeology designed as a detailed exploration of the methods used to learn about past human lifeways before written records. Each student will be involved in the process of discovering our past.

 

  • ART 102 Cr. 2    Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Art Appreciation

Discovering the visual world. An introduction to the visual arts of applied arts, architecture, craft arts, film/video arts, painting/drawing, printing/ graphic arts, and sculpture. The student will learn to use analysis and evaluation to explore the meaning of art.

 

  • ART 160               Cr. 3       Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

General Art Foundations

An introductory course in visual art, with emphasis on understanding the methods of art making in a variety of studio disciplines. Topics include: recognition of visual elements and principles of design, methods of applying these elements and principles throughout a variety of art forms, thematic development, relationship of the visual arts to other fields of human endeavor, and an introduction to writing about visual art. Course content includes representative paradigms of world art, Western art, multicultural and contemporary art. Critical thinking is explored through responses to the visual arts through active involvement with various creative processes and media. Prerequisite: Art or Art Education major plan, Art minor plan or by instructor consent.

 

  • ART 172               Cr. 2       Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Photography Appreciation

An introduction to the information and skills necessary to appreciate fully the photographic medium. Students will learn to use analysis and evaluation to critically present their views on the art of photography with respect to content, technique and historical context. 

 

  • ART 301               Cr. 3       International & Multicultural Studies

World Art

This course will be an in-depth examination of art forms in various historical, social, and religious contexts of Africa, South and South East Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas. Students will explore issues, approaches, and controversies in cross cultural civilizations through art as a primary source of understanding. They will experience how, through art, the values and ideas of many cultures have evolved and new patterns of globalization have shaped the modern world. Prerequisite: junior standing.

 

  • ART 302                               Cr. 3       Self & Society

Visual Language in the Global Classroom

This course provides a discovery of the connections between visual art and a variety of disciplines through a study of cultural values, and education as a social institution. Students will use analysis and evaluation to explore art as an inherent social and cultural behavior and its development from early childhood through adolescence. Creative processes, discussion and critiques, informed by interdisciplinary, contemporary and global issues, present an opportunity for students to consider their major in a broader context. Lect. 1, Lab 3. Recommended for students in Teacher Education. Prerequisite: Completion of at least 45 university credits.

 

BIO 102                                Cr. 3       Science 

Contemporary Issues in Biological Sciences

An intra-disciplinary approach to investigating current issues within the biological sciences. Specific topics under the general categories of health, medicine, environment, genetics, and industrial technology will be identified, described and characterized. The science underlying the issue will be explored and the potential impact (past and future) of applied scientific advances within the respective disciplines will be examined in depth. Not applicable to a major or minor in biology.

                               

BIO/PSY 107 Cr. 3             Science

Brain Basics

Students will be introduced to the field of neuroscience, including an examination of the cells that make the brain operate, how they operate together to form structures and systems, and how the operation of these systems relates to human behavior. The range of behaviors to be examined will include everyday learning and memory, sleeping and dreaming, as well as an exploration of the brain when abnormal behaviors occur. We will also investigate the impact that advances in the neurosciences have had on society in general. (Cross-listed with PSY; may only earn credit in BIO or PSY.) Not applicable to Biology major or minor.

 

  • CS 101 Cr. 4        Mathematical/Logical Systems and Foreign Languages

Introduction to Computing

Computers and computer software are an integral part of modern society. This course explores this relationship. Students will examine the computer as a problem-solving tool through the use of database, spreadsheets and small scale programming. Students will examine the computer as a communication tool through the use of word processing and the Internet. Other topics include the history and future of computer technology, computer hardware basics, man/machine relationships, applications of computers in various disciplines, and social/ethical issues. Credits earned in C-S 101 cannot be applied to the C-S major or minor.

 

  • CS 120 Cr. 4        Mathematical/Logical Systems and Foreign Languages

Software Design I

An introduction to the fundamentals of software development; including software classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, logic, selection control, repetition control, subprograms, parameter passage, and rudimentary software engineering techniques. Students complete numerous programming projects using a modern programming language. Prerequisite: MTH 151 or 175, or math placement test scores at, or above, MTH 151.

 

  • ECO 110 Cr. 3     Self & Society

Microeconomics and Public Policy

Introduction to microeconomic principles and their application to decision making by individuals, businesses, and government. General topics include: supply and demand, market structures, product and factor markets, labor unions, government regulation, income distribution, and economic analysis of current social issues.

 

  • ECO 120 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Global Macroeconomics

Introduction to the functioning of the world economy. Applications of economic principles to domestic and international problems with an introduction to economic systems, economic thought, and economic history around the world. General topics include: the economics of international trade and exchange rates, global macroeconomics, international monetary systems, and economic development.

 

  • ECO 336 Cr. 3     Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Women in the U.S. Economy

An introduction to the status of women in the U.S. economy. Topics include alternative perspectives on women, work and the labor force, the value of paid versus unpaid labor, pay equity, the social support network, and the prospects for change.

 

ECO/THA 376     Cr. 3       Self & Society

Economics of Art and Entertainment

The overall goal of this course is to enable participants to make or evaluate selected decisions and policy issues pertaining to the arts and to better understand the unique status the arts hold in the American economy. Prerequisite: sophomore standing. Offered Sem. II, every other year.

 

  • EFN 205 Cr. 3      Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Understanding Human Differences

The course will focus on human differences and the factors which influence these differences, specifically group identifications. It will explore the interaction between misperceptions and ethnocentric perspectives which foster the development of prejudicial attitudes. It will explain the effect of prejudicial attitudes on expectations for “different” others (stereotyping) and on behavior toward those others (discrimination). It will examine diverse groups in our society and how membership in one or more of these groups affects one’s sense of identity and one’s opportunities.

  

  • ENG 200 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

Literature and Human Experience

Intensive study of selected literary texts, with emphasis on various ways of reading, studying, and appreciating literature as an aesthetic, emotional, and cultural experience. Content varies with instructor. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG 201 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

American Literature I

An exploration of American literature from early times to the late nineteenth century; including such authors as Bradstreet, Franklin, Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, and Dickinson. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG 202 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

American Literature II

An exploration of American literature from the late nineteenth century to the present; including such authors as Twain, Freeman, James, Chopin, Frost, Hemingway, Faulkner, Wright, and Bellow. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG 203 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

English Literature I

Encounters with major works of English literature from medieval times through the eighteenth century, including fiction, drama, essays, and poetry. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG 204 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

English Literature II

Encounters with major works of English literature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including fiction, drama, essays, and poetry. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG 205 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

Western Literature I

An examination of the expression and development of the ideas and values of Western Civilization in time-honored works of literature ranging from Biblical times, through the Greek and Roman eras, to the European Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

ENG 206 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

Western Literature II

An examination of the conflicting ideas and values of Western Civilization as expressed in the literature of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries; with special attention to the literary and cultural impact of science and modern philosophy and the roots and identity of the modern age. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

ENG/ERS 207 Cr. 3            Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Multicultural Literature of the United States

This course examines cultural themes in American literature in an effort to enhance student awareness of the multi-ethnic nature of American culture. Students engage in close reading, discussion, analysis, and interpretation of texts written by individuals from a variety of American ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Content varies with instructors. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ERS; may only earn credit in ENG or ERS.)

 

ENG 208 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

International Studies in Literature

A study of representative authors from selected regions and ages of the world, ranging from such non-Western traditions as the Indic, Arabic, African, Chinese, and Japanese to such Western traditions as the Icelandic, Scandinavian, Australian, Russian, and South American. Content and focus vary with instructors. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENG/ERS 210 Cr. 3            Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Literature of Black America

Survey and exploration of Black American prose and poetry from their eighteenth century beginnings to the end of the Harlem Renaissance and the depression years. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ERS; may only earn credit in ENG or ERS.)

 

ENG/ERS  215     Cr. 3  Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women's Studies 
African American Authors
A study of the principal post-depression (1940 to present) African American authors, critics, and scholars which clarifies the relationship between these writers and the general field of American literature and which illustrates their unique contributions as representatives of African American culture. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ERS; may only earn credit in ENG or ERS.) 

 

ENG 220     Cr. 3                 Self & Society

Women and Popular Culture

Fundamentals of cultural studies, with a focus on analyzing representations of women in modern American popular culture and their historical reception. Primary texts from media such as film, television, advertising, and popular fiction will be studied for how they communicate cultural values regarding women and femininity. Prerequisite: ENG 110.

 

  • ENV 201 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Introduction to Environmental Studies

An interdisciplinary, introductory seminar which will explore current environmental issues from a variety of perspectives (scientific, historical, and social) and disciplines (natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.) Attitudes toward the natural world and approaches to public and private decision-making will also be examined. Some field trips will be used to examine local and regional practices and issues.

 

  • ERS 100 Cr. 3      Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Introduction to Minority Cultures in the United States

An examination of the persistence of minority and ethnic problems in the United States and consideration of the contributions, parallels, similarities, and differences between and among ethnic and minority groups.

 

  • ERS 110 Cr. 3                Self & Society

Myth and Reality: An Examination of Ethnic and Racial Stereotyping

This course will trace how popular entertainment mediums such as film, television, books, comics, "wild west shows," music and cartoons have impacted perceptions of ethnic and racial groups from the early seventeenth century to the present. Besides analyzing the persuasive power of these types of mediums, it will examine why such representations were created and why they still persist. The mythopoeic image that surrounds American Indians, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and other minority groups will be juxtaposed against the historical reality that these groups have faced and the contemporary inequalities that we still must confront.

 

ERS/ENG 207 Cr. 3            Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Multicultural Literature of the United States

This course examines cultural themes in American literature in an effort to enhance student awareness of the multi-ethnic nature of American culture. Students engage in close reading, discussion, analysis, and interpretation of texts written by individuals from a variety of American ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Content varies with instructors. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ENG 207; may only earn credit in ERS or ENG.)

 

  • ERS/ENG 210 Cr. 3            Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Literature of Black America

Survey and exploration of Black American prose and poetry from their eighteenth century beginnings to the end of the Harlem Renaissance and the depression years. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ENG; may only earn credit in ERS or ENG.

 

ERS/ENG  215     Cr. 3  Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women's Studies 
African American Authors
A study of the principal post-depression (1940 to present) African American authors, critics, and scholars which clarifies the relationship between these writers and the general field of American literature and which illustrates their unique contributions as representatives of African American culture. Prerequisite: ENG 110. (Cross-listed with ERS; may only earn credit in ENG or ERS.) 

 

  • ESC 211                Cr.3                        Science

Global Warming and Climate Change

The course explores the scientific basis of global warming and climate change, and their current and likely impacts on human society and the environment, before addressing the action that could be taken by governments, by industry and by individuals to mitigate the effect. Discussion of global warming is situated in the context of models of climate change, focusing on alternative interpretations of the effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gases on global warming.

 

§                     ESS        104         Cr. 2       Arts: The Aesthetic Experience
Dance Appreciation
This course attempts to develop an awareness and appreciation of the role of dance in human society through the study of its purposes, functions and various forms. 

 

§                     FIN  207 Cr. 3      Self & Society
Personal Finance

A survey course covering personal financial issues; topics include goal setting, budgeting, major purchases, loan provisions, taxation, insurance coverages, investment opportunities (including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds) and retirement planning. Open to students in all colleges.

 

FRE 220                Cr. 3       International & Multicultural Studies

France and the Francophone World

This course offers both historical and contemporary perspectives on France and its relationship to the Francophone world. Students will examine French history and colonialism and their impact on such regions/countries as Quebec, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Senegal, Tahiti, and the Maghreb (North Africa). This course will also explore the multiple identities (based on ethnicity, race, gender and sexual orientation) that continue to "disrupt" the notion of a collective French consciousness as it persists today. These include North-African and Russian immigrants, Jews, women, gays and lesbians. Taught in English.

 

  • GEO 102  Cr.3     Self & Society

Maps and Society

This course introduces all aspects of the map and how they affect the individual in society.  It examines the evolution of maps, the map as an art form, the map as a communication medium for spatial knowledge, the meaning of maps and their relationship to culture and society past and present, the influence of maps on an individual through mass media and the Internet, and the way maps reflect personal and societal points of view.  It focuses on privacy and civil liberty issues of the individual in the age of digital information where maps and map databases can disclose the privacy of personal space.  In addition, today's GIS maps embed substantial amounts of personal information that can affect personal security and how our lives are directly, indirectly, knowingly, and unknowingly influenced.

 

§                     GEO 110 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

World Cultural Regions

This course provides an understanding of the global distribution of world cultures. The cultural, economic and natural patterns and their interrelationships are examined on a global and regional scale. The development and distribution of cultural regions within countries are included when appropriate.

 

§                     GEO 200 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Conservation of Global Environments

Introduction to natural resources, resource management, environmental and land use ethics, environmental impacts of resource utilization and strategies to resolve environmental conflicts. Course examines the relationships between society and the environment from the global to the local scale.

 

  • GEO 202 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Contemporary Global Issues

This course will offer a contemporary multi- disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the global society as it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern global society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science and history. (Cross-listed with SOC, ANT, ECO, GEO, POL, and HIS 202; may only earn credit in one department)

 

GER 399 Cr. 3       Humanistic Studies

German Literature in Translation

A course designed to introduce students to great works of German literature. The course will center on representative writings by leading authors of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries whose works illustrate important aspects of German history and culture. In general these will be longer works of fiction and/or multiple works by such writers as Kafka, Goethe, Kleist, Mann, Boll, Grass, Wolf, etc. Works and authors will vary. Offered Sem. II.

 

  • HED 207                Cr. 3       Health & Physical Well-Being

Youth Health Issues

This exploratory course is designed to identify the health issues that affect youth throughout various stages of their development. Societal institutions that support the healthy growth and development of youth will be identified, while students consider strategies that enable the healthy mental/emotional, physical and social development of today's youth between the ages of 4-18.

 

 

  • HIS 101 Cr. 3       International & Multicultural  Studies

Global Origins of the Modern World

This course explores the origins and development of the modern world, focusing on the dual dynamics of globalization and vital indigenous civilizations. The course will critically examine a minimum of three world civilizations, their ancient antecedents, and will include multiple themes, such as technology and science, religion, gender, war and peace, and the environment.

 

  • HIS 102 Cr. 3       International & Multicultural  Studies

Global Transition and Change

This course examines world history from the perspective of one specific theme, such as technology and science, religion, gender, cross-culture connections, war and peace, arts and literature, government, or the environment. The course is global in scope, covering a minimum of three world civilizations. Individual sections will trace the development of one theme over the course of major changes in world history, ancient origins to the present. Students will have their choice of sections, thus of themes.  Fall 2009 themes: Gender, Human Rights, Gender and Family, Revolution, Environment and Childhood.

 

HIS 202 Cr. 3       International & Multicultural  Studies

Contemporary Global Issues

This course will offer a contemporary multi-

disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the global society as it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern global society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science and history. (Cross-listed with SOC/ANT/ECO/GEO/POL; may only earn credit in one department.

 

HIS  205   Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies
History of Ethical Values in World Religions
This course is a comparative historical survey of selected religions which focuses upon the distinctive ways that each religion developed norms of good and bad behavior that it imposed upon its adherents. What behaviors did each religious tradition label as good or bad, pure or impure? Why did each tradition place behaviors in those categories? How did those value judgments concerning good and bad behaviors change over the centuries? Some of the topics covered in this comparative historical fashion will include the treatment of women, attitudes toward abortion, contraception, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, war, attitudes towards other religions, and environmental ethics.

 

HIS 206 Cr. 3       Self & Society

Life in 20th Century America

This course focuses on the individual in a changing society. It will trace transformations in political and economic institutions, but will focus on the individual in a time of changing racial, gender, family, and cultural structures. It will explore the history of the self in American history.

 

HIS 220 Cr. 3       International & Multicultural Studies

The United States in the Global Community

A survey of the history of the United States focused on the ways that its constitutional creations, expressions of representative politics, growth of empire, racial and ethnic policies, economic growth and military power have interacted with the global community. Offered once a year.

 

HIS 306         Cr. 3               Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
History of Ethnic America

The role and impact of immigrants and ethnic minorities on the political, economic and cultural development of the United States from colonial times to the present. Emphasis on the immigrant experience — the problems of immigrant adjustment, patterns of immigrant mobility and assimilation, and the persistence of ethnicity and ethnic tensions.

 

HIS         336         Cr. 3       Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
Hispanics in the United States
This course will introduce students to the diverse experiences of Hispanic peoples in the United States through an interdisciplinary survey of their social, historical, political, economic, and cultural experiences.

 

  • HPR 105 Cr. 3     Health & Physical Well-Being

Creating a Healthy, Active Lifestyle

This course will focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for developing and maintaining a healthy, physically active lifestyle throughout one’s lifespan. Major issues directly affecting one’s health such as physical fitness, movement skills and activities, health promotion and disease prevention, the effective use of leisure and content in various wellness topical areas will be included.

 

  • MIC 130                Cr.3        International & Multicultural Studies

Global Impact of Infectious Diseases

A multifaceted examination of issues related to infectious disease throughout the world. The course will begin with historical examples of how infectious disease has impacted society, from plagues of centuries past to recent emerging diseases. After defining the types of pathogens and methods for their control, the interplay between infectious disease and global economics, health and politics will be evaluated. Additionally, the impact of public perceptions and misconceptions on the spread of infectious disease will be analyzed. Finally, the role of current human activities in shaping disease patterns of the future will be explored. Offered Sem. II.

 

 

MLG 299    Cr. 3                 Humanistic Studies

Foreign Literature in Translation

The primary focus of this course is on major and representative works originally written in French, German, Russian, Spanish and Chinese. The course is team-taught in English by specialists of the respective literatures. Content and theme vary with instructors. Offered Sem. II.

 

§         MUS 105 Cr. 2     Arts: The Aesthetic Experience
Music Appreciation

The Western classical tradition. A survey of the forms and styles within each period since the Baroque. Emphasis on the content of specific masterpieces to enhance perceptive learning. Not open to students with credit in MUS 110. Not applicable to major or minor.

 

  • MUS 110 Cr. 3     Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

The Listening Experience in Music

An introductory course to music listening, with emphasis on methods of perceiving and understanding musical information. Topics include factors in listening, recognition of musical elements and other concepts which contribute to aural perception, and understanding the influence of musical context. The course content will include representative examples of world music, compositions by women, and representative music from the Western classical tradition. Prerequisite: Not open to students with credit in MUS 105. Not applicable to major or minor.

 

  • MUS 201 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Musical Cultures

World music from a global perspective, celebrating both the similarities and differences of musical expressions. Exemplary artistic, folkloric, and popular music cultures of the world are compared to those of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. An introduction to hearing these expressions as cultural phenomena, using objective methods of study that lead to a general understanding of music by visual and aurla analysis and by hearing music in its cultural context. Prerequisite: MUS 105 or MUS 110 or music major, minor.

 

  • MUS 204 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Latin American Music: Its Context and Impact

A survey of Latin American musical styles, their cultural contexts, and their impact in the U.S.

An assessment of religious, artistic, and popular music, focusing on major schools and traditions in Latin America. The course develops from a geographical, chronological approach ranging from pre-Columbian to European and African manifestations in the 20 Latin American republics, with emphasis on the Hispanic domination. Then the course traces the U.S. impact of Mexicans in the southwest since the California missions, Puerto Ricans in New York, and Cubans in Miami; the inroads of Latin dances on jazz and rock.

 

§         MUS       209         Cr. 3       Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
History of Jazz Culture
A chronological study of the history of jazz from its African/Creole roots to the present with emphasis on ethnic cultural contributions and innovations through listening and selected readings.

 

  • MUS 317               Cr.3        Arts: The Aesthetic Experience      

Musical Classroom

Contextual music methodology course designed for elementary classroom teachers. This course is intended to explore the role of the classroom teacher. The emphasis of the course is to incorporate music into the daily class activities through performance and teaching opportunities. The course content will include listening to representative selections of Western classical, American, and Asian music in relation to its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Not applicable to the music major or minor; most appropriate for Teacher Education.

 

  • PHL 100 Cr. 3     Humanistic Studies

Introduction to Philosophy

An introduction to the major views on important philosophic topics such as knowledge, religion, morality, art, reality, feminism, and social diversity.

 

  • PHL 101                Cr. 3      Mathematical/Logical Systems and Foreign Languages

Introduction to Logic

An introduction to logic, the science of valid reasoning. This course introduces the student to both formal and informal methods of reasoning and evaluating arguments.

 

PHL 229                Cr. 3       Minority Cultures & Multiracial Women’s Studies

Multicultural Philosophy in the United States

This survey course will examine philosophical ideas and systems that are generated from a wide range of cultural traditions found in the United States. The aim of this search will be to broaden and deepen understanding and appreciation of the diversities of philosophies in the United States. Prerequisite: PHL 100. Offered every fourth semester.

 

PHL        230         Cr. 3      International & Multicultural  Studies
International Multicultural Philosophy
This survey course will examine philosophical ideas and systems that are generated from a wide range of cultural traditions world wide. The aim of this search will be to broaden and deepen our understanding and appreciation of the multiplicity of philosophical perspectives which are part of an increasingly diverse, interconnected, and globalized world. Prerequisite: PHL 100. Offered every fourth semester. 

 

PHL       332            Cr.3     Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Philosophy of the Arts
An examination of aesthetic experience and the questions that are relevant to works of art. Questions discussed include: What is art? What is artistic creation? What is artistic expression? What is artistic form? What is artistic criticism? Prerequisite: PHL 100.

 

  • POL 101 Cr. 3     Self & Society

American National Government

An introduction to the underlying principles and values, administrative and political decision-making processes, and institutions of American national government in an international context utilizing a comparative approach. The course includes discussion, analysis and development of critical thinking skills related to public policy-making problems and current issues. The course emphasizes the development of intellectual skills associated with an informed, involved and active citizenry.

 

  • POL 102 Cr. 3     Self & Society

State and Local Government

An introduction to the underlying principles of federalism and focus on the new increasing decentralization of government program responsibilities to subnational governments in the United States. This is complemented by a comparison of the complex cultural, economic and intergovernmental settings of subnational governments. Students consider the implications of different environments for citizen participation, government characteristics, policy processes, and values associated with policy outcomes. The course emphasizes constructive citizenship in an environment where subnational governments will increasingly affect their lives.

 

  • POL 202 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Contemporary Global Issues

This course offers a contemporary multi-disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the global society as it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern global society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science, and history. (Cross-listed with ANT/ECO/GEO/SOC/HIS 202; may only earn credit in one department.)

 

POL  205  Cr. 3                   Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
Women and Politics

An examination of the positions and roles of women in the political arena. This course discusses the nature and extent of women’s political involvement, both in the United States and abroad, with particular emphasis on the cultural and racial diversity of women political participants in the United States. Additional topics will include the legal status of women, differences between male and female political behavior, factors that influence women’s political participation and current political issues related to women.

 

POL 234 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Comparative Political Systems

The course is devoted to the comparison and the critical analysis of selected topical global societies and regions. A general comparative framework will be utilized to develop a critical assessment of a representative sample of developed and developing contemporary societies. Emphasis will be given to a comparative study of institutions and their functions, various administrative and decision-making processes, and contemporary problems and issues. Finally, implications for the 21st century will also be discussed.

 

§                     POL  251  Cr. 3   Humanistic Studies
The Individual and the State: Values and Power

An examination of some historically and currently important issues in political philosophy concerning the relationship between the individual and the power of the state. The course focuses on a range of perennial questions in political thought. Topics addressed include the following questions: By their nature, are humans good, evil, both or neither? What is the nature and purpose of state power? Is it properly addressed only to enforce order or may it be employed to promote equality or enforce morality? Who should rule and why? What are the limits, if any, of political obligation? Can it be right to break the law? And, are there human rights beyond the reach of government power? The course emphasizes development of the intellectual skills necessary to understand and analyze the assertions of some important political philosophers on these questions. The course also strongly emphasizes the value, to both society and the individual student, of thoughtfully confronting these issues. 

 

  • PSY 100 Cr. 3      Self & Society

General Psychology

A comprehensive introduction to contemporary basic principles and theories of behavior and related processes along with supporting scientific evidence and applications. Topics include sensory processes, perception, learning, memory, motivation, emotion, developmental change, measurement, social interaction and abnormal behavior.

 

PSY/BIO 107 Cr. 3   Science
Brain Basics

Students will be introduced to the field of neuroscience, including an examination of the cells that make the brain operate, how they operate together to form structures and systems, and how the operation of these systems relates to human behavior. The range of behaviors to be examined will include everyday learning and memory, sleeping and dreaming, as well as an exploration of the brain when abnormal behaviors occur. We will also investigate the impact that advances in the neurosciences have had on society in general. (Cross-listed with BIO; may only earn credit in PSY or BIO, not both.) Not applicable to a biology major.

  

PSY        285         Cr. 3       Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
Culture and Mental Health

This course provides an examination of the relationship between culture and mental health. Specific attention is given to the impact of racism, prejudice, and minority status on the lives of various American minority groups and how the effects of these factors reveal themselves within a mental health framework. An eclectic, multidisciplinary approach that draws from clinical and social psychology, as well as sociology, is utilized. Prerequisite: PSY 100 and sophomore standing.

 

  • PSY 318 Cr. 3      Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Psychology of Women

Theories and research concerning the biological, psychological, and social aspects of female functioning will be evaluated. The course will analyze psychological literature that addresses itself to the experience, development, and behavior of women from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Prerequisite: PSY 100 and sophomore standing.

 

  • PSY 360 Cr. 3      International & Multicultural  Studies

Cross Cultural Development

This course focuses on the ways in which cultures influence the development of individual behavior, values, and attitudes across the lifespan. The course uses cross-cultural studies to examine both the diversity and uniformity of human development. Topics include such fundamental concerns as child rearing, schooling, work, aging, and the development of morality, identity, prosocial behavior and deviance. Prerequisite: PSY 100; ANT 101 or HIS 101.

 

RUS 305    Cr. 3                  Humanistic Studies

Golden Age Russian Literature and Culture,

A course designed to introduce students to the great Russian writers of the 19th century, a period referred to as the Golden Age of Russian literature. Literary works will be discussed in their social, cultural, and historical context. The course will center on works by such writers as Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Chekhov. Taught in English.

 

  • SAH 105 Cr. 3     Health & Physical Well-Being

Analysis of Health, Wellness and Disease for the Healthcare Consumer

In our technological world, health research and information is expanding rapidly and has become readily available to consumers. As life-long consumers of this information and healthcare services, students need to be able to understand the principles on which healthcare is based and to interpret this information in its application to their personal, family and community situations. This course uses an inquiry-based format to consider topics in nutrition, pharmaceuticals, cancer, communicable disease, contraception and sexually transmitted disease, chronic diseases, environmental impacts on health, recreation, fitness, epidemiology and disease prevention.

 

SAH   307             Cr. 3       Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
Changing the Culture: Women in Science
This course will focus on the relationship between science and culture, specifically with regard to women. A comprehensive approach will be taken to explore both women’s roles in science and women as objects of scientific investigation. Issues that will be addressed include cultural and historical attitudes toward women in science, cultural and historical barriers fought against and overcome by women, and contributions of women to multiple scientific disciplines. Women as objects of psychological and physiological investigation will be explored, and knowledge will be applied to an assessment of how cultural and gender biases have impacted women’s health and lives. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

 

  • SOC 110 Cr. 3     Self & Society

The Social World

An analysis of the complex relationship between society, the individual and the physical environment. It examines such questions as: how social patterns develop and persist over time; how the individual is shaped by social, cultural and environmental factors; why societies are constantly changing; and how individuals, through social interaction, shape their social world. Cross-cultural comparisons will be emphasized, showing how society and the physical environment affect the life choices of individuals.

 

  • SOC 120 Cr. 3     Self & Society

Social Problems

Social analysis, critical thinking, and problem solving are introduced as basic social science skills. These skills are applied to major contemporary social problems related to deviant behavior, social inequality, social change, and problems associated with major societal institutions. A variety of individual and collective responses and social policy strategies at local, national, and international levels are examined.

 

  • SOC 202 Cr. 3     International & Multicultural  Studies

Contemporary Global Issues

This course will offer a contemporary multi-

disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the Global Society as it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern Global Society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science and history. (Cross-listed with ANT/ECO/GEO/POL/HIS 202; may only earn credit in one department.)

 

  • SOC 225 Cr. 3     Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Racial and Ethnic Minorities

An investigation into the social dynamics shaping racial and ethnic minority experience in America. Processes of prejudice formation and prejudice reduction are discussed. The nature of institutional discrimination and institutional racism is analyzed in proper socio-historical context. Minority group achievements and legacies are emphasized. Contemporary issues and assessment of minority group progress in America are vigorously examined.

 

  • THA 110 Cr. 2     Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Theatre Appreciation

A study of theatre as an art form. Emphasis on the role of the audience as collaborators in the performance and their understanding and appreciation of the elements of a theatrical production.

 

  • THA 120               Cr. 3       Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Acting for Non-Theatre Majors

 

  • THA 130               Cr. 3       Self & Society

Multicultural U.S. Plays: Acting the Text

 

  • THA 201               Cr. 3       Arts: The Aesthetic Experience

Dramatic Literature and Theatre Arts

 

THA       351         Cr. 3       International & Multicultural  Studies
World Theatre
Survey of historical and contemporary theatre in cultural context from various cultures/geographic regions around the world. These areas include India and the near east, China, Japan, and the far east, Africa, Latin America, and the middle east. Particular attention is paid to local custom, religious practice and theatrical practice. Prerequisite: THA 110.

 

ECO/THA 376     Cr. 3       Self & Society

Economics of Art and Entertainment

The overall goal of this course is to enable participants to make or evaluate selected decisions and policy issues pertaining to the arts and to better understand the unique status the arts hold in the American economy. Prerequisite: sophomore standing. Offered Sem. II, every other year.

 

  • UWL 100 Cr. 1    Self & Society

First Year Student Seminar

Students of this course will, individually and together in groups, pursue the question “What does it mean to be an educated person?” This question will be examined from many perspectives, particularly through three secondary questions: 1) What are the skills of an educated person? 2) What are the intellectual dispositions? 3) What contexts are needed? In pursuing these questions, students will practice and acquire the basic habits and patterns of inquiry through reading, discussion, writing, and involvement in campus activities.

 

  • WGS 100 Cr. 3    Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Gender Race & Class in American Institutions

This course provides an introduction to women’s social roles and contributions and to how gender roles are created, transmitted, interpreted, and institutionalized through family and kinship, education, the media, work, government, and the health care system. It offers a critical perspective on scholarship which omits or distorts female experience, and provides interdisciplinary and integrated approaches to the study of women and gender in society.

 

WGS        210         Cr. 3     Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies
Women’s Voices/Women’s Culture
An examination of how women have expressed female experience in a variety of forms, including fiction, autobiography, oral traditions, and song. By analyzing women’s words and forms of self-expression, students will explore what is individual and what is common in women’s lives, and will learn tools for understanding female experience and culture.

 

  • WGS 230              Cr. 3       Minority Cultures or Multiracial Women’s Studies

Women’s Diversity: Race, Class, and Culture

This course explores the diversity of women’s experience in America as it has been affected by race, ethnicity, class, and other factors, and the effects of gender on women of different groups. Issues that have united and divided women in movements for social change are also addressed.