course descriptions

What is wrong with the rest of the world that it doesn’t think or act like we do? With as much as we share biologically with people everywhere in the world, it’s astounding how many radically different cultures there are and how little we know about most of them. Explore the meaning of “being human” from the rainforests of the Amazon to the deserts of Central Asia, from great cities to humble villages – put your own cultural biases to the test as we examine the enormous diversity of our little planet.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

ATY 213 Syllabus

Dance is a form of self and cultural expression that has roots in every society, from the most primitive to the most modern. It conveys every emotion from grief to joy and has given meaning and identity to people since the dawn of time. As with every art form, there are basic elements that need to be understood before we can truly appreciate dance for what it is and why it is. Movement and music are forever linked in most people’s minds, but dance is also tied to many visual art forms as well. Experience dance as an observer and as a participant.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (fine arts)

DCE 200 Syllabus

Introduction to microeconomic principles and analysis. Topics include the market economy, supply and demand, shortages and surpluses, competition and monopoly, international trade, and public policy issues. When a group of Sarbonians—aliens totally unfamiliar with the concept of scarcity—find themselves stranded on a hostile planet light-years from home, all sorts of things can go wrong—and quickly do. By the way, congratulations! You’ve just been elected their leader. In this interactive video game/economics course, your survival depends on growing an economy from scratch—providing your crew with enough food, shelter and medicine—while battling the elements, evading some very unfriendly wolves and rodents, and finding the cause of a mysterious disease that threatens to wipe out your crew. Later, using your newfound economic abilities, you grow your civilization, master trade, figure out the finer points of supply and demand, and create a business empire. Along the way, you’ll polish your math skills, rediscover biology, and learn something about ethics. You may never want to go home again.

ECO 201 Syllabus

First-year language course focusing on the essentials of elementary German speaking, listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. The courses use an online textbook and course materials offer well-designed and sophisticated instructional features that enhance language acquisition through interactive and multi-media activities.

NOTE: Students will need headphones with microphones.

First-year language course focusing on the essentials of elementary German speaking, listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. The courses use an online textbook and course materials offer well-designed and sophisticated instructional features that enhance language acquisition through interactive and multi-media activities.

NOTE: Students will need headphones with microphones.

Every time you open the newspaper or turn on the TV, you read or hear about the latest health crisis in our society: obesity, heart disease, diabetes, you name it. The truth is that many health problems can be avoided or lessened by developing and committing to a physical fitness program that we can live with and enjoy (yes, enjoy) throughout our lifetime. It’s never too late to start. A healthier, happier life can be yours by starting today, and we’ll show you how to begin planning your physical fitness program.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

KIN 220 Syllabus

No other entertainment medium has had the same impact as the motion picture. Movies have influenced style, morality and public opinion from the earliest days of flickering black-and-white images up through today's digital blockbusters. Take a cinematic journey through the annals of film and examine the movies as an art form. Learn to deconstruct the components of a film and critically analyze the contributions of writers, directors and cinematographers as you view some of the most important films of all time. (MPAA Rating of PG-13 or lower)

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (fine arts)

NOTE: Students will have to view several movies for this course. It is the student's responsibility to secure these movies (DVD or VHS format to watch on their own).

MST 225 Syllabus

Music Appreciation is an exciting and unexpected journey through Western music. The tuneful town of Musicopolis is holding its annual music festival and you’re invited. The town’s eccentric and eclectic characters take you through the forms, eras and styles of Western music where you’ll meet important composers and hear some of their major works. You don’t need any musical training so come along, the festival is about to begin!

MUS 241 Syllabus

One of the quickest ways to find an argument is to pick an issue, any issue, and defend one side of it. As our society becomes more complicated, we frequently find ourselves being polarized by topics we only just learned about in today’s newspaper, last week’s hot-button issue is quickly replaced by this week’s. As active participants in society we feel compelled to weigh in on one side or the other, armed only with the tiniest bit of information. Where do you stand (or think you stand) on topics such as abortion, euthanasia, global warming, war, sexual mores, capital punishment and a host of others? There is always more to every story than meets the eye (or ear) and as responsible citizens we must always learn more than we can get from thirty-second sound bites.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (philosophical/religious/ethical perspectives)

PHI 121 Syllabus

Americans approach politics with a unique set of assumptions and values. What is it that sets Americans apart from the rest of the world? And how is this game of politics played? How do our formal and informal institutions interact with one another to create policy? Political Science 100 is a survey of American political culture, constitutional development, and the structure and functions of our national government and informal institutions, such as political parties. At the end of this course students will be able to explain the distinctive and unusual features of America’s democracy, and the importance of the Constitution as a foundation for the system.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

PSC 100 Syllabus

Experience political science like never before. Are you a Socialist, an Anarchist, or a Libertarian? Would you torture your fellow man? Examine political ideologies and competing theories about freedom, justice, and equality throughout history and around the world. Challenge your political opinions and rethink your responsibilities using introspective examinations of current global political issues. Defy yourself. Define yourself.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

PSC 105 Syllabus

This course will survey the many subtopics that together comprise the modern science of psychology. We will begin by looking at how the science of psychology is conducted, then explore such areas as the nervous system, perception, learning, conditioning, memory, language, thinking, problem-solving, motivation and emotion. The course concludes with a focus on social influences on thinking and behavior, and on the nature of psychological disorders and their treatment.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

PSY 121 Syllabus

Peter Berger once claimed, “It can be said that the first wisdom of sociology is this – things are not what they seem.” The reason Berger would say something like that is that the sociological point of view is not part of our culture in the U.S. Most of us believe that human behavior, feeling, and thinking are psychological or individual in origin. Sociology, on the other hand, sees the influence of social factors on human behavior, emotion, and thought. The objective in this course is to see the world through social lenses.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

SOC 101 Syllabus

A trouble, something that bothers us, affects us personally. An issue, something that bothers a group, community, or society, affects us socially. Troubles and issues are intricately connected. I’m overweight; it’s a personal trouble. Fifty-eight percent of adult Americans are overweight; it’s a social issue. This course examines social problems as both troubles and issues. As troubles, we look closely at how race, food, disease, income, alcohol, and other problems modify and change our personal lives. As issues, we look at how these troubles are linked to broader social, cultural, and historical patterns.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing (social and behavioral science)

SOC 201 Syllabus