Learning Perspective course descriptions, 2025-26 spring semester

ART-101 Drawing (4 Credits) (PA) Fundamentals of drawing such as value, line, form, space and composition, exploring abstraction as well as traditional subject matters through observational studies. Theory and practice through a variety of drawing media including use of color. $60.00 lab fees.

ART-123 Design: Two Dimensional (4 Credits) (PA) Theories of basic design, with emphasis on both formalism and expression in art. Design fundamentals of color, texture, shape, line, value and principles of balance, repetition, variety, harmony and unity explored. A variety of media will be investigated. $60.00 lab fee

ART-124 Design: Three Dimensional (4 Credits) (PA) The theory and language of three-dimensional design and its application to artistic communication, with an emphasis on contemporary practice. Projects emphasize understanding intellectual aspects of three-dimensional form, working processes and techniques in a variety of media. $60.00 Lab fee

ART-211 Painting (4 Credits) (PA) Basics of color theory and practice of painting in oil and/or acrylics. Emphasis on developing fundamental painting approaches, conceptual development and individual expressions through color. Art periods, movements and practice researched. $100.00 lab fee

ART-228 Digital Photography (4 Credits) (PA) An introduction to digital photography: This studio-based class provides an opportunity for students to explore image-making within a culture context. $40.00 lab fee and access to Adobe Photoshop required. $40.00 lab fee

ART-231 Ceramics: Hand Construction (4 Credits) (PA) This course explores methods of hand building in clay with an emphasis on creative thinking and technical facility. Assignments emphasize developing surface design, use of glazes, and a research project. Lectures include viewing and analysis of a broad spectrum of historical and contemporary ceramic work. $50.00 lab fee

ART-241 Sculptures (4 Credits) (PA) The emphasis of this course is technical and creative exploration of three-dimensional forms. Working with plane, line, and multiples, students will explore processes including modeling, construction, and mold-making. Materials include paper, wood, plaster, and metal. Course will highlight contemporary sculpture methodologies including collaborative work and digital fabrication through creative projects and a research presentation. $60 fee

ART-252 Fabric Design (4 Credits) (PA) Exploration of surface design and off-loom fabric construction. Course will begin by introducing fabric printing, resist dyeing (tie dye), wet felting, quilting, and stitching alongside historical and contemporary developments in surface design and the use of pattern in contemporary art. Students will work towards a visual and conceptual research project culminating in a final project building on processes introduced in class. $60.00 lab fee

ART-261 Relief Print Making (4 Credits) (PA) Introduction to basic monotype and relief printmaking methods including linoleum and woodcut techniques. Methods of registering multi-colored prints will be employed. Students will work collectively on a print portfolio with a common theme of their choosing. $80.00 lab fee

CHST-260 Introduction to Chinese Films (4 Credits) (PA)  An introduction to the Chinese cinema and culture produced in the Chinese-speaking world including People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as well as Chinese immigrant societies in the USA. Students will examine what kind of contextual differences exist in the Chinese-speaking world and how they are represented and negotiated in cinematic productions. Taught in English. No prerequisites required.

ENCW-201 Writing Poetry (4 Credits) (PA) Practice in writing poetry with an introduction to poetic form, voice and techniques. Emphasis will be on generating, critiquing and revising student work, but students will also study the work of published poets.

ENCW-202 Writing Fiction (4 Credits) (PA) Practice in writing with an introduction to the various forms the genre assumes (memoir, profile, literary journalism, nature writing, spiritual autobiography) and emphasis on techniques writers use to translate personal and researched experience into artful nonfiction. The class stresses drafting, workshopping, and revising.

GRD-222 Typography (4 Credits) (PA) This studio-based course focuses on typographic design while encouraging experimentation with form-making and concept development. Methodically advancing technical skills while developing a process of working that is unique to the individual encouraged. $40.00 lab fee

JPST-230 Japanese Theatre (4 Credits) (PA, G) The primary goal of this course is to invite students into an intellectual and physical investigation of Japanese performing arts. It introduces the classical performance genres of No, Kyogen, Kabuki, and Bunraku (puppet theatre) in their historical, cultural and performative context, and considers their aesthetic formation. Students shall be able to analyze and appreciate different kinds of performance through lectures, readings, videos, and possibly some hands-on workshops. As such, a selection of plays will be examined in English alongside the work of theatre directors and performance makers including artists working to develop interdisciplinary and intercultural forms of expression.

MJMC-235 Podcast & Audio Storytelling (4 Credits) (PA) Podcasting and Audio Storytelling is an immersive, hands-on course that will introduce you to the art and craft of modern audio storytelling. We'll explore the history and concepts behind audio storytelling while introducing genres such as narrative nonfiction, creative storytelling, documentaries, analytical journalism, and professional communication. Then, using free, open-source software, you'll produce engaging podcasts from conception to launch both individually and collaboratively. This is an ideal class for students interested in learning how to make content for the annual 1.3 billion people who use podcasts for entertainment, information, and education.

MUSC-101 Introduction to Music (4 Credits) (PA) Exploration of the fundamental elements, various forms, and styles of music. Through listening, discussion, and live concert experiences, students will learn about music in various cultural and historical contexts. This course is not a part of the music major and no experience in music is required.

MUSC-107 Music in Worldwide Perspective (4 Credits) (PA,G) Introduction to ethnomusicology and survey of indigenous music of the various regions of the world. Does not apply to major in music.

THEA-100 Intro to Theatre (4 Credits) (PA) Introduction to Theatre. Theatre as a collaborative, vital and multi-faceted art form that reflects and impacts culture and society. Through study of theatre practice and various dramatic texts from Ancient Greece to contemporary times, this course will examine how the written word is translated into action and images on stage.

THEA-240 Acting I (4 Credits) (PA) Introduction to the acting process through study of its basic principles and development of fundamental performance skills. Studio work includes improvisational exercises, scene study and various performance projects. Emphasis on the use of creative imagination in the context of performance.

WGSS-270 Queer Art (4 Credits) (PA) In this studio-based class, we leverage the works of feminist and queer-identified artists as inspiration for making new work. Students are encouraged to explore meaning-making within a wide range of creative processes. $40.00 studio fee.

ASIA-200 Intro to Asian Studies (4 Credits) (PH, G) An introduction to Asia as a world region of great diversity, dynamism, and contemporary significance. Students will encounter interdisciplinary approaches to the study of Asia and attend to the lived experiences and perspectives of Asian peoples and individuals.

CHST-240 Intro Chinese Culture (4 Credits) (PH) (G) An overview of Chinese culture, with emphasis on various aspects within Chinese society, including religions, literature, art, language and philosophy. Readings are supplemented by audiovisual material, discussion and projects. Taught in English. May not take CHST-240 if CHST-340 has already been taken.

COMM-260 Communication and Culture (4 Credits) (PH) (G) Examines how communication helps create culture and how culture constrains communication, reasoning, and morality; introduces similarities and differences in understanding self and other in cultural contexts.

MJMC-215 News Literacy (4 Credits) (PH) Examines forces that shape news today and how the news media have changed. Prepares students to understand journalism and critically evaluate news sources as well as analyze their own roles as news consumers and communicators using current events as a backdrop. Assignments and discussion focus on topics such as: news values, detecting bias, source credibility, journalistic constraints, and media economics.

PHIL-101 Knowing & Being (4 Credits) (PH) Introduction to central topics in philosophy, such as ethical theory, metaethics, knowledge and skepticism, theology, free will, personal identity, and the nature of meaning. Attention is paid to the careful formation and critical evaluation of arguments.

PHIL-105 Life and Death (4 Credits) (PH) An introduction to ethics, approached through an examination of the ethics of living, letting die, and killing. The course will introduce students to major theories of morality, such as utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, and apply these theories to issues that may include euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, and just war.

PHIL-120 Puzzles & Paradoxes (4 Credits) (PH)  An introductory survey of well-known paradoxes that arise in the philosophical study of logic, ethics, theology, metaphysics, epistemology, and decision theory. Also explored are paradoxes from other disciplines, such as psychology, physics, statistics, and economics. Through these paradoxes, the concepts of reason and rationality are examined.

RELG-285 Islam: An Intro (4 Credits) (PH, G) A scholarly critical examination of global Islam through history. Students first learn how to study religion from an academic perspective. Course content focuses on the origins of Islam, the Qur'an, the historical Muhammad, Islamic sects, Sunni schools of thought, Twelver and Ismaili Shi'ism, Muslim debates about God's existence and attributes, Islamic law (sharia) and rituals, Islamic Mysticism (Sufism), sexuality and gender, and Muslim views of war and peace. No prior knowledge of Islam or religious studies is required.

WGSS-250 Critical Race Feminism (4 Credits) (PH,D) Critical Race Feminism is a theoretical and pragmatic movement that builds upon Critical Race Theory and Feminism as a means to correct the chasms of early human rights movements that have further marginalized oppressed populations. In the hierarchical microcosm of America there is a pervasive paradox that plagues race and gender discourse within the social justice arena. The Civil Rights movement and its successors have found empowerment and privilege in Critical Race Theory frameworks, while proponents of elite white womanhood have found refuge in feminist theory. These movements have often been lauded as "bastions of liberality" with a trickle-down economy that will "eventually" reach those who are further down on the intersectional totem pole. However, in their respective challenges of race, gender, and power dynamics, both movements have often shut out those whose regional, global, and religious positionalities do not align with the "mainstream" narratives of oppression. This leaves Black women, women in third world countries, Asian women, Latinx women, African women, Indigenous women, Islamic women, poor women, and mentally disabled women silenced and vulnerable as they fight for equality and humanity in isolated and increasingly hostile environments. In this course, students will build a foundational knowledge of the movement and use a Critical Race Feminist lens to interrogate and challenge historical and contemporary issues that continue to disenfranchise women from regionally and globally oppressive regimes. As students explore concepts of counternarratives, diverse pedagogical constructs, protest literature, and intersectional legal discourse, they will also develop practical ideologies that will nurture activism in the academy and the community.

CLAS-240 Women in Antiquity (4 Credits) (PS, G) This course looks at the lives of women in antiquity from Bronze Age Crete to the early Roman Empire. Using textual, material, and artistic evidence, students will learn how women from slaves and prostitutes to the wives and mothers of emperors navigated their world. They will also examine how the Greeks and Romans defined the categories of masculine and feminine and how these categories were used in discourses of politics, law, religion, and medicine, while considering how ancient conceptions have shaped our contemporary views of gender roles.

COMM-220 Communication & Social Relationships (4 Credits) (PS, D) Examines how family, peer and cultural socialization influences communication in close relationships. Consideration of race, class, gender and sexual orientation as they relate to communication in diverse relationships.

COMM-240 Advert & Consumer (4 Credits) (PS) COMM240 traces the evolution of the persuasive strategies, effects and messages in commercial discourse, from its origins in colonial America to today, with special emphasis on portrayals of race, class, family and gender in contemporary America. Course assignments will incorporate instruction on media content analysis and textual analysis as research methods.

ENVR-101 Social Dimension (4 Credits) (PS) This course provides an in-depth examination of the structure and dynamics of complex sustainability problems. We pay particular attention to the role of humans in creating and responding to these problems by investigating the relationships between our natural world and social, cultural, and political institutions. Particular topics may include: population and consumption dynamics; environmental justice; social and behavioral change; environmental policy; and food, energy, and water systems. Students will complete a campus-based sustainability project focused on social and/or behavioral change. Seniors by permission only.

GEOG-120 Human Geography Global (4 Credits) (PS, G) Human geography focuses on social, economic, political, cultural, and human-environment processes and patterns and how they change over space and time. This course examines the interconnections between places around the world and how global flows intersect in our local communities. Major topics include economic globalization, geopolitics, the spatial aspects of population growth and distribution including international migration, health, urbanization, cultural differentiation and the spread of ideas and innovation, and the environmental impacts of development. The course aims to engender a critical geographical perspective on the past, present and future development of the social world.

POLS-101 American Government National (4 Credits) (PS) A study of constitutional principles and their implementation to create a functioning national government. Development of basic institutions--presidency, Congress, courts, bureaucracy. Analysis of Political Behavior -- political parties, campaigns, and interest groups. Examples from public policy are used to show the institutions and groups in action.

POLS-103 Global Perspectives (4 Credits) (PS,G) Examination of major issues of world politics from various theoretical and country perspectives. Considers issues -war and peace, international law and organization, economic globalization, climate change, nuclear weapon proliferation and human rights- which pose questions of justice or represent threats to the peace or to global survival.

PSYC-100 Intro to Psychology (4 Credits) (PS) A survey course of the major areas of interest within the field of Psychology (physiological, cognitive, clinical, and social), including fundamental principles and theories about human behavior as well as the scientific methods used by psychologists to draw these conclusions.

PUBH-100 Introduction to Public Health (4 Credits) (PS) This course introduces the interdisciplinary field and application of public health. Students will explore the social, political, and environmental determinants of health, and will be introduced to the institutions that shape health outcomes at the local, national, and global levels. This course will also help students understand how public health impacts the health of populations on a daily basis. Course activities will examine a diverse range of topics such as community health organizations, ethics in public health practice, maternal and child health, control of chronic and infectious disease, health through the lifespan, mental health, nutrition, and more. This course has no prerequisites. First year or sophomore status required.

SOAN-101 Intro to Sociology (4 Credits) (PS, D) A general introduction to society and culture, socially learned patterns of human behavior, formal and informal organization, collective behavior and social change.

SOAN-102 Intro to Anthropology (4 Credits) (PS, G) A general introduction to society and culture, diverse cultural systems and groups of people from around the globe, and a holistic examination of the many parts of culture. Students will learn the tools, methods and key concepts anthropologists use to study humanity.

SOAN-226 Ethnography (4 Credits) (PS) This course investigates the ethnographic methods used by anthropologists to generate knowledge about human populations. We will explore a variety of issues and problems in the anthropological study of culture by reading and discussing ethnographies that depict communities in varied cultural, geographical, political and economic contexts.

ARHI-166 Survey of World Art II (4 Credits) (PP, G) A chronological survey of the art and architecture from around the world from the Renaissance in Europe to the contemporary global art market. Students learn to analyze the formal elements of works of art and architecture, examine works within the original cultural and historical contexts, and compare art across cultures and from different time periods.

ENGL-265 History of American Literature (4 Credits) (PP) American literature and social history from 1620 to the present. This course will introduce students to the study of literature by emphasizing the aims, methods, and tools of the discipline. Students will become familiar with critical vocabulary, with selected authors, and with genre and historical context in a way that will carry over to more advanced classes.

HIST-116 Europe 1800-Present (4 Credits) (PP,G) This course will address central moments in modern Europe, including the Industrial Revolution, WWI, fascism, WWII, the Holocaust, the birth and death of Soviet Communism, the Cold War, and the foundation of the European Union. Special emphasis will be placed on developing students' ability to write their own historical interpretations through a critical use of eyewitness accounts.

HIST-130 Rethinking American History, to 1887 (4 Credits) (PP) Rethinking American History, to 1877 Almost everything most people know about American history is at worst, wrong, and at best, oversimplified. This course examines enduring problems, powerful stories, and common misconceptions about the American past. Students will learn a set of problem-solving skills that historians use to make sense of the past, so that they can reach their own conclusions and recognize sense from nonsense.

HIST-131 Rethinking American History, 1877-Present (4 Credits) (PP) Rethinking American History, 1877-Present Almost everything most people know about American history is at worst, wrong, and at best, oversimplified. This course examines enduring problems, powerful stories, and common misconceptions about the American past. Students will learn a set of problem-solving skills that historians use to make sense of the past, so that they can reach their own conclusions and recognize sense from nonsense.

HIST-170 World History Since 1500 (4 Credits) (PP, G)  Rethinking American History, to 1877 Almost everything most people know about American history is at worst, wrong, and at best, oversimplified. This course examines enduring problems, powerful stories, and common misconceptions about the American past. Students will learn a set of problem-solving skills that historians use to make sense of the past, so that they can reach their own conclusions and recognize sense from nonsense.

RELG-287 Religion & Philosophy of India (4 Credits) (PP, G)  An introduction to religions and philosophies originating in the Indian subcontinent, including traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and a study of texts, devotional practices, and more modern developments such as the impact of colonialism and Gandhi's political activism.

SCAN-250 Vikings to Volvos (4 Credits) (PP, G)  An introduction to the history, literature, and culture of Scandinavia and the Nordic region, from the Viking age (700s) until the modern era (iconically represented by the Volvo automobile). Includes discussion of Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as Svalbard and Greenland. Course material will address literature, the arts, cinema, indigenous cultures, and popular culture of the region. Taught in English.

COMM-230 Communication, Politics, & Citizens (4 Credits) (PL) Addresses issues of communication effects and ethics as they impinge on citizens of a free society, with a focus on political discourse in the public sphere. Features rhetorical tactics, communication strategies and argument patterns in political campaigns, public policy, and the media.

ENGL-125B Literature and Business (4 Credits) (PL) A literature course for students interested in professional work, finances, consumerism, and the so-called American Dream. Texts will include classic and contemporary works (both written and visual) on work, earning, spending, and seeking economic justice.

ENGL-125S Literature and Sports (4 Credits) (PL) A literature course for students interested in sports writing and the drama of sports competitions. Readings will include stories from the sports page, longer essays on the meaning of sports, and novels, poems, and other genres depicting athletes competing while seeking greater meaning in their lives.

ENGL-235 Sci Fi & Fantasy (4 Credits) (PL) An introduction to the alternative worlds of myth, fantasy, utopia and dystopia. Students will develop the close-reading skills and vocabulary of the discipline as they explore deeper meaning, ambiguity, and complexity in classic and contemporary works of fantasy and science fiction.

ENGL-255 Women in Literature (4 Credits) (PL, D) This course examines representations of women in literature and introduces students to women's literary traditions.

ENGL-275 Intro to African-American Lit (4 Credits) (PL,D) Principal works by African Americans representing literary forms and significant currents of thought from the era of slavery to the present.

ENGL-292 Illness Narratives (4 Credits) (PL) This course explores the different stories told about illness: by our culture, by the medical profession, and by sick people themselves. Our aim will be to examine how such stories can help, and sometimes hurt, people trying to understand and come to terms with their illnesses. In addition to fictional literary texts, we will read nonfictional accounts of illness written by the sick and suffering, and study different "types" of illness narratives, and the effect they have on the ill.

SPST-251 Latino/a Culture in US (4 Credits) (PL) Exploration of major themes and issues around Latino/a cultural production including fiction, memoirs, essays, films, and music. This course will consider interaction between individuals and social groups as they reflect on and give meaning to the concept of Latinidad in the United States. No knowledge of Spanish is required. All texts will be read in English translation. Does not count toward the major/minor in Spanish.

ASTR-145 Stars and Galaxies (4 Credits) (PN) A non-calculus course intended for all majors on stars, galaxies and the universe. Topics include the formation and evolution of stars, basic stellar astrophysics, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution and cosmology. Observational techniques and scientific methodology will be discussed. Evening observing sessions in the Carl Gamble observatory will be required. Suggested prerequisite: A math-index score of 840 or higher is recommended (pre-calc ready).

CHEM-114 Molecule Changed World (4 Credits) (PN) This course is intended to give students an appreciation of how chemists and chemistry affect everyday life by studying the impact of a class of molecules on our lives today. Students will gain an understanding of the molecular paradigm of chemistry and how it enables chemists to design molecules to address essential human needs and wants. Does not count toward a chemistry or biochemistry major.

ENVR-100 Ecological Dimension (4 Credits) (PN) In-depth interdisciplinary examination of complex sustainability problems (water, food systems, climate change, forests, etc.) including their systemic structure, dynamics, future development, and normative issues. In-depth examination of human dependence upon and alteration of supporting (biodiversity, disturbance regimes, soil resources, hydrological cycle, and nutrient cycles), regulating, provisioning, and cultural ecosystem services. Emphasis on formulating an interdisciplinary model to understand the resilience and vulnerability of complex social-ecological systems (SES) to disturbances and stresses and using such model to assess the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of local and regional sustainability problems. Introduction to key methods used to identify, analyze, and solve the ecological dimensions of such problems. Students will complete an ecologically-oriented campus-based sustainability project. The culminating project and case study will require students to place the ecological component of such systems within the context of the entire SES by emphasizing the two-way interactions (dependence of human well being on ecosystem services and influence of human pursuits of well-being on such services) between the ecological and social components. Includes one two-hour lab per week that focuses on a campus or local sustainability problem

GEOG-105 Weather and Climate (4 Credits) (PN)  An introduction to elements of weather and climate systems and the hazards they may pose to society. How can we (or should we?) prepare and adapt to live in areas of natural atmospheric hazards? Topics include a study of the earth's atmosphere, ocean systems, precipitation processes, severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes), drought, and climate change. Includes one two-hour lab per week.

GEOL-101 Phys & Environ Geology (4 Credits) (PN) Introduction to the science of the Earth and our environment through topics of Earth materials and cycles, natural resources, tectonic processes, hydrologic systems, volcanoes, earthquakes, paleoclimatology, and geologic time. Additional themes include anthropogenic impacts on our environment, environmental hazards and environmental justice. Includes a weekly 2-hour lab that integrates experiential exercises, computer applications, collections of the Fryxell Geology Museum, and local field trips. Gateway course to the geology major.