Social Studies

Concentrates on the broad sweep of U.S. history from colonial beginnings through Reconstruction using a variety of perspectives and sources. The ideas and realities of freedom shape nearly every part of our lives. How did this develop in the United States from its earliest European settlements to the aftermath of the Civil War? HS-115 focuses on this central theme of freedom - how people have defined and pursued it, as well as expanded and restricted it, in different places. You will also learn how to analyze primary sources (those created during the time period under study)and apply a historical perspective to issues that shape your life today.

4 CreditsH, SW-USPre- or Co-Requisite: FYC-101

This course uses original documents to explore major themes of US history since 1877, to examine the consequences of actions taken at the national and local level through a lens of ethical responsibility.

4 CreditsH, SW-ERPre- or co-requisite: FYC-101

This course will trace the development of world civilizations from the 16th century to the present. (Previously titled: World Civilizations From 1500)

4 CreditsH, I, SW-GEPrerequite or Corequisite: FYC-101

When discussing culture in a historical context, we must be careful to avoid the stereotypes that may leap to mind. In the twenty-first-century United States, the mention of Islam or the Near East provokes stereotypes that are inaccurate and misleading. In this course, we will learn about the early history of Islam and its intersection with western Christianity and the society of the European Middle Ages. In doing so we will discover the similarities and differences between the cultures and learn (modern prejudices notwithstanding) how they depended on one another both culturally and economically.

3 CreditsSW-GH1 

This course will provide students with an understanding of women in sub-Saharan African cultures, their history, traditions, diversity, resilience and adaptability. To do this we will be looking at social structure, kinship networks, economic systems, gender relations, ethnicity and ethnic conflicts, traditional religion, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other health issues.

4 CreditsCA, H, I, CTDH 

An introduction to the theory and practice of United States government. The course surveys the underlying structure of U.S. politics, its economic, cultural and legal foundations and the daily practice of politics, e.g. groups, parties, and the mass media.

4 CreditsS, WK-SIPre- or Co-requisite: FYC-101

Analyzes the principles and practice of international relations and the foreign policy of the United States, political, diplomatic, military and economic.

4 CreditsS, I, SW-GE

Understanding international economics is increasingly important for private and public decision-makers. In a world of growing economic interdependence, the ability of policy makers to provide a stable environment for business is a key issue. Accordingly, this course develops the principle topics of international economics, including trade theory, the balance of payments, the cause and consequences of exchange rate movements, the flow of capital, currency crises and regional trade issues. The applied topics emphasized will be based on the most pressing current issues.

3 CreditsS,I

An overview of the content and methodology in the field. Topics such as the history of psychology, physiological psychology, learning and memory, perception, motivation, child development, personality and social foundations are considered

3 CreditsS

The study of human social groups and the social processes that lead to both structural and cultural integration and differentiation primarily within contemporary American society.

3 CreditsS

This colloquium exposes students to employment opportunities available to them through the study of history. It focuses upon the development of the skills necessary for success in the history classroom. The Sophomore Colloquium is designed for students with strong interest in history, including education students and students with secondary emphases in history.

4 CreditsH, CWPre-requisites: sophomore standing and two courses in History or permission of the instructor.

This course will examine the history of Western Europe from the Roman Empire to approximately 1450. This 1000-year period was the setting for both large and small changes in the way people inEurope thought about themselves, governed each other, and lived everyday lives. During the course, we will follow a chronological timeline, but we will frequently stop, look, and enjoy thescenery. (Formerly titled: European History to 1550)

4 CreditsH, I, WK-HTPre- or Co-Req: FYC-101 or EN-110 orEN-109

This course is a comparative introduction to the history of New Zealand and Australia. We will begin the course by studying the indigenous people of the region: Australian Aborigines in Australia and Maoris in New Zealand, before moving to think about the arrival of white settlers. During the semester, we will pay particular attention to the process of colonization and dispossession, race and gender relations, the search for national identity, popular culture, and politics in the two countries.

4 CreditsI, H 

This course will challenge students to consider how engineering projects undertaken across the British empire shaped ecosystems on land, in the air, and on water. The class will also reflect on the social and health consequences to local populations and the legacy of imperial British engineering.

3 CreditsWK-HTPre- or Co-Requisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109

People through history have imagined Rome in different ways, and it conjures up lots of different images for us: civilization; barbarism; conquest; freedom; slavery; technology; virtue and vice. In this course, we will explore the period between the founding of Roman civilization and the year 325 A.D., examining what the Romans thought and said about themselves and what they mean to us today.

4 CreditsH, WK-HT 

The course examines the origins and development of the Gullah Geechee cultures of the Lowcountry. How did these members of the African diaspora develop a creole culture within the profound and brutal limitations of slavery, and how did they sustain it and change under Jim Crow and into the climate and development challenges of the present?

3 CreditsH, CA, SW-US 

Our troubling relationship with the natural world might well be the most important issue human societies will face in your lifetime. HS-262 examines one root of this relationship: how and why we have shaped, and been shaped by, different North American environments over time. Through discussion, lectures, readings, and films, we will examine the social, cultural, economic, and political spheres of these human activities since the fifteenth century.

3 CreditsH 

Love, hate, fear, confusion, respect, admiration, wonder: these are just some of the powerful feelings that infused the relationships between Native Americans and European colonists, and that shaped the history of North America from about 1500 to the eve of the American Revolution. Through extensive discussion, reading, writing, and a role-playing game, HS-272 will help you understand relationships that still affect American society today.

4 CreditsH, CW, SW-US 

This class is designed to be the entry-level course to the Medical Humanities Secondary Emphasis. This means it will interest pre-health students and is suitable for all first-year students. Over the course of the semester, we will investigate the changing meanings and entanglements of Victorian science and medical practice through the lens of class, gender, and race. We will examine ideas about the body and disease, the changing role of medicine, the importance of new technologies, and the social construction of scientific and medical knowledge.

4 CreditsWK-HT, HPre- or Co-Req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

Offers supplements to the regular departmental program, exploring topics and areas not regularly scheduled. Note: Students may take each ST: course for credit.

1-4 Credits  

Examines the political, social, military, economic and ideological origins and consequences of the Civil War and Reconstruction. The course looks deeply into several important questions. What caused the Civil War? Why was the Union victorious? Why did the war proceed as it did? What was the nature and legacy of reconstruction? What does this period in our history mean to us now?

4 CreditsH, CW, CTDHPrerequisites: HS115 or HS116 and SO, JR, or SR standing.

This seminar will cover the years 1877-1900 and explore the themes on the cultural, political, economic and social history of the U.S. South. Among the important questions covered in the class are: What is the South? How did the South change through significant events such as the Populist movement, the rise of Jim Crow, the Great Depression, the second World War, economic development, and the Civil Rights movement. We will ask how the South's arts, especially music, reflect its history and culture.

4 CreditsHPrerequisites: HS116 or permission of the instructor.

What can the study of the history of medicine tell us about the nature of rule and the politics of race in European empires? How did medical theories of disease and healing shape ideas about colonial environments, populations, bodies, and racial differences in the imaginations of European colonizers? How did medicine and science function as tools of colonial domination and as part of broader "civilizing" projects, and what were the limits of such efforts at social control? Can the study of medical reforms and everyday life shed light on how colonial subjects conceptualized, challenged, and defined their own positions in the social order?

4 CreditsCA, I, H, SW-GE, CTGESPre- or Co-Requisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

Despite our popular understanding of the European middle ages as a dirty, disease-ridden, hopelessly backward period, the sources show us quite a different picture. Although a lack of understanding of the means of genetic change and the cause of viral and bacterial disease caused medieval people to understand the human body very differently than we do, that system was not without its logic and efficacy. This course will explore the human body and its diseases in the middle ages through a series of connected readings that introduce the body as a conceptual system and medieval science's attempts to understand it. We will then look at the growing field of genomic research as a way of understanding and comparing our modern systems of understanding the body.

4 CreditsH, CW, SW-GE,CTGESPre- or Co-Requisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

At the start of the War of Independence, General George Washington called the defense of American liberties the " glorious cause. " This course examines central questions such as: What caused the American Revolution? How did the United States win the War of Independence? What resulted from the American Revolution?

4 CreditsHPre-requisite: Any one history or art history course

You have grown up in a world shaped by terrorism. How did this happen? What is terrorism, how has it developed, and how have people responded to it? In this course, we will analyze (interpret) terrorism from different directions: its many definitions, its general history beginning with the French Revolution, and the many ways in which people have responded to it. You will also dive into specific topics and present (interpret) your research for a non-academic audience. It is important for us historians to communicate effectively. If we can broaden and deepen the public's understanding of, and appreciation for, the past, we enrich our society. You will learn how to convey your knowledge in a way that the public will find accessible, and even enjoyable or exciting. Course requirements include a field trip.

3 CreditsSW-ER 

What did women do in the Middle Ages? What was it like to be a nun? Was anyone really a witch? By reading medieval women’s own accounts and the accounts of people who knew (or claimed to know) them, we can learn a great deal. In this course we will look at various aspects of women's lives during the Middle Ages and try to answer as many questions as we can. While we’re at it, we will have to examine medieval ideas of what it meant to be a man – ideas that, much of the time, were conceptualized as the opposites of ideas about women. The course is topical instead of chronological and is organized around themes and ideas.

4 CreditsH, CW, WK-HTPrerequisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109

Covers the social, political and economic history since the Second World War. Themes include: the Cold War, suburbanization, the rise of consumer society, and more.

4 CreditsHPrerequisite: HS116.

This course will provide students with an understanding of women in sub-Saharan African cultures, their history, traditions, diversity, resilience and adaptability. To do this we will be looking at social structure, kinship networks, economic systems, gender relations, ethnicity and ethnic conflicts, traditional religion, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other health issues.

4 CreditsCA, H, I, CTDH 

An introduction to the study of literary forms, including poetry, drama, short story, novel, novella, and essay. Students will read texts from a wide variety of genres and historical periods, to examine how litereay forms developed and gain/lost popularity over time. Students will learn the vocabulary and technique of literary analysis.

3 CreditsH 

Utilizing Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, World War Z, and other popular works of fiction for class, this introductory course will engage students in the fundamental terms and approaches needed to analyze, appreciate and discuss works of fiction at the college level. Students will study introductory elements of literary theory, emphasizing using various social and theoretical perspectives, as a means of learning how to identify cultural and literary meaning within texts.

4 CreditsH 

Studies literature by and about women; looks at the rich history of women's literature and the variety of traditional and non- traditional approaches women have used to describe their experience, from poetry, plays, and novels to letters and diaries; explores the effect of culture on women's writing.

4 CreditsH 

Studies works of African, Asian, Latin American, South American,Caribbean and Native American literature. Discussions focus on ways literature reveals cultural perspectives and philosophies.

3 CreditsH, I 

Theodore Sturgeon, science fiction writer of the mid-twentieth century, famously said: " 90% of everything is crap. " He was right, too: there's a lot of crap out there. And we'll be reading some of it in this class. But-what do we mean when we say literature is " crap " ? Isn't it just a matter of taste? And if it isn't, how can we tell crap from genius? And who decides? And if 90 percent of everything is in fact crap, does the crap serve any useful function in society? All of these questions and many more, as we enter the wonderful world of bad literature.

3 CreditsH 

In this course we will examine the ways in which specific novels, short stories and films explore various perspectives on nightmarish or ideal societies through alternative political and social ideologies. The class will introduce various literary theories (including Marxism, approaches to feminism and New Historicism) as well as the genre and history of utopian and dystopian literature. V for Vendetta, Sir Thomas More's Utopia, Plato's Atlantis writings, Children of Men and other works will be covered during the semester.

3 CreditsHPrerequisites: EN110 or EN109.

Students will consider ways in which sports literature written over the last eighty years reveals the developing and shifting American ideologies concerning subjects such as race, gender, sexuality, and justice, over that same time period. Students will also develop an understanding of the genres and purposes in various forms of sports literature, including newspaper articles, magazine feature articles, short stories, and novels.

3 CreditsHPrerequisite: EN110 or EN109.

In this course students will read a variety of novels and review media that inspires and reflects our cultural fixation with zombies. Through critical thinking, analysis, and discussion, students will explore the intersections between fictional zombies and actual cultural practices that reflect the mindlessness of a zombie culture.

4 CreditsCA, HPrerequisites: EN110 or EN108 & EN109.

This course explores the experiences of men and boys as represented through works of fiction and analyzed via cultural, economic and social contexts. The course considers " maleness " as a social construct and how perceptions within American society influence men's actions and the ways in which they perceive themselves, other men, women, and social situations.

3 CreditsH 

This course considers how various texts portray individuals with disabilities. Via short stories, novels, theoretical articles, films, and memoirs we will explore ways that stereotypical portrayals can stigmatize and discriminate against people with disabilities. The class will also examine narratives and voices that question the definition of 'normal' as well as reinterpret traditional representations of disability. We will consider key concepts such as ableism, justice, access, and the medical and social models of disability. The course will also introduce some of the ways that disability intersects with other aspects of identity such as gender, sexuality, race, and class.

3 CreditsH 

An examination of works of literature that have been labeled obscene. Using examples from the comedy of Aristophanes to the poetry of Allen Ginsberg, the course looks at why and how serious writers deploy scandalous and offensive elements in their work.

3 CreditsH, CW 

Applying various cultural and theoretical perspectives, students will view and read works from Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, Kurt Vonnegut, Salman Rushdie, David Foster Wallace and others to examine ways that consumerism, technology, social institutions and other facets of modern culture and society shape identities and influence the human condition. 

4 CreditsCAPrerequisites: EN110 or EN109.

The United States has always been a violent nation, and American writers have used that violence to explore questions of justice, truth, and human nature. This course will examine the portrayal of violence in writers from Poe to Cormac McCarthy.

3 CreditsH 

A survey of African American literature from the mid-18th century to the present, with emphasis on both the vernacular/oral and written traditions of African American literature and attention to the historical and cultural contexts in which the literature was created. Readings include folktales, slave narratives, autobiographies, poetry, stories, novels, essays, sermons and speeches, hymns and spirituals, as well as blues and gospel music and works by such writers as Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Dubois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Amiri Baraka, and others.

3 CreditsCA, HPrerequisites: EN110.

The personal autobiographies of American slaves are the foundational works of the African American literary tradition, and they have influenced generations of American authors. Originally written as a means of promoting the abolition of slavery, contemporary writers have taken this historical form and transformed it to reflect upon the past and engage with problems of the present. Neo-slave narratives are a reminder that, as Faulkner writes, " The past is never dead. It's not even past. " In this course, we will read a variety of original slave narratives and put them in dialogue with contemporary fictionalized slave narratives. In doing so, we will explore topics such as the boundaries between fact and fiction, the political uses of literature, the afterlife of slavery, and many others.

4 CreditsH, CWPrerequisites: EN110 or EN109.

Deaths. Betrayals. Loves lost. Falls from grace. These calamities, and those that suffer them, have captivated dramatists, novelists, philosophers, and theoreticians since the first tragedy was staged in ancient Athens over 2,500 years ago. This course will explore how literary cultures have understood and expressed notions of tragedy in different historical periods. By examining the ways in which we inflict and endure suffering, we will consider how literary tragedy informs our understanding of the human condition.

3 CreditsH 

Students will read & analyze a variety of literature from the Young Adult Lit category. Students will engage in class discussions and make presentations based on individual research.

3 CreditsH 

In this course, we will explore the use of literature as a means of protesting social injustice throughout U.S. history. How have American authors used novels, poems, stories, and essays to illustrate social problems, create empathy, and advocate for social change? What are the boundaries between art and politics? How might literary aesthetics inspire social action? How has literature shaped social progress and vice versa? Questions of literary form, merit, and content will guide our search, as will questions of representation, politics, and economics. Though topics will range widely (but often intersect), we will ask how each literary work engages with the foundational statement of American dissent, " The Declaration of Independence. "

4 CreditsSW-USPrerequisite or corequisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

This course will explore how film communicates the myths of a various societies to its members. By combining theoretical approaches to myth with film analysis, we will explore the ways in which cinema both influences and reflects the way we think, what we value, fear, and aspire to achieve. Focusing on some of the most prevalent themes in this genre, students will be introduced to Classical and contemporary adaptations of myths and their historical and cultural contexts, examining how those narratives provide meaning today via cinema.

4 CreditsHPrerequisites: EN110 or EN108 and EN109.

Students will examine the various functions revenge plays in human culture by tracing its role as a literary device from the bloodbaths of popular Greek tragedies to the more psychological retaliation of contemporary works. Engaging in a focused study of the historical and cultural influences that have shaped human notions of revenge over centuries, students will contemplate the often complicated distinctions humans make between perceptions of retribution and justice.

4 CreditsHPrerequisite: EN110 or EN109.

When talking about the canon in literature, we are usually gesturing towards the classics-works of art that have stood the test of time as culturally significant. How did those books become classic in the first place? We will study the histories of canon formation before debating what works to include in a self-designed literary anthology.

4 CreditsH 

Examines historical moments, cultural perspectives, and theatrical constructs that shaped the writing, acting, and reception of Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, and history plays.

3 CreditsHPrerequisite: EN110 or EN109.

By applying queer theory frameworks to a variety of texts, we will examine literary representations of LGBTQ identity. Readings will include works by James Baldwin, John Rechy, Audre Lorde, Leslie Feinberg, Tony Kushner, and others. Topics will include: biological essentialism vs. the social construction of gender and sexual identity; authenticity and performance; social and legal forms of identity categorization and boundary maintenance; the role of literature in social reform; and more.

4 CreditsCA, HPrerequisites: EN110 or EN109.

Heroes-yay! Villains-hiss! All our lives we've learned to think in terms of good guys and bad guys. But why do we think in those categories? And what exactly do we mean by good guys and bad guys? And should we even be in the business of separating good guys from bad guys? This course will take a detailed look at heroes and villains in literature, movies, and television, and ask you to think about the whole duality, and what it means for the stories we tell.

3 CreditsHPrerequisites: EN110 or EN109.

This class will examine the many meanings of " border crossing " in 20th- and 21st-century literature about immigration to the United States. Using critical race theory, this class will put works of fiction and autobiography in historical context to better investigate the influence of immigration law on U.S. national literature. Beginning with short texts from the turn of the twentieth century, we will focus primarily on contemporary works dealing with the post-1965 (or " new wave " ) immigrant experience. Topics will include: " American Dream " mythology, social mobility, generational conflict, acculturation and assimilation, hyphenated identity, nativism, barriers to full citizenship, and more.

4 CreditH,CW,SW-USPrerequisites: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109

Provides a classroom experience for freshmen and students who are interested in education to explore teaching as a career and observe the application of multiple philosophies, theories, and teaching strategies.

1 CreditSCorequisite: ED-110

Examines human physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development from preadolescence through emerging adulthood. Topics include: identity, sexuality, and gender issues; emotional and behavioral challenges of adolescence, the impact of culture, language, and disability on adolescents, and the role of family, schools, and peers on development.

3 CreditsSEnrollment priority in this course is given to Education POEs.

Focuses on the historical, legal, and cultural issues pertaining to meeting the educational needs of English language learners. Students are be introduced to research based best practices in instruction and assessment strategies for working with English language learners in the general education classroom setting.

1 CreditSPrerequisite: ED120 or ED130.

The purpose of this course is to learn how to develop and manage effective inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities at the secondary level. Content will focus on the knowledge and skills necessary to create an instructional environment that communicates challenging expectations to students while utilizing and modifying research based instructional strategies/resources/technologies. Students will learn the critical components of effective collaboration with parents and professionals. Successful completion of a field experience in an educational setting is also a requirement.

4 CreditsCW, SPrerequisites: ED110, ED111 and ED240.

Secondary pre-student-teaching practicum is a required 80-hour minimum practicum in the linked placement where you will be going for student teaching. Students should plan to spend four consecutive hours in their placement each week.Reliable transportation is REQUIRED.

1 CreditSCo-Requisite: ED-420.

Requires the application and practice of evaluation and assessment of learning and classroom management. Students are required to complete a field experience in their upcoming student teaching placement.

3 CreditsSPrerequisites: ED341 and junior or senior standing. Corequisite: ED419. Note: Students must have reliable transportation. (3.0 overall GPA required).

Secondary Education Field Trip (1 credit): Join in an interdisciplinary course that will design and execute a field trip for local secondary students. This is a practical application course that will highlight the importance of field trips and provide an opportunity for designing and executing a successful field trip.

1 CreditS 

Student teaching is the capstone experience for students preparing for certification to teach in their content area(s). Students synthesize and apply knowledge of developmental theory, content, and teaching methodology as they design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences in an intensive internship in the classroom. Corequisite: ED451 and completion of all clearances and requirements. Note: A special fee is assessed. Secondary level student teaching is in the fall semester; PreK-4th, and foreign language education student teaching is in the spring semester. Students must have access to reliable transportation.

14 CreditsS,SW-LE 

In conjunction with student teaching, students attend weekly seminars that are led by the college supervisors. These meetings focus on professional topics and allow students to reflect upon and share their student teaching experience. In addition, students develop interviewing techniques, become familiar with employment seeking strategies, and develop a portfolio that includes but is not limited to a resume, a philosophy of education statement, lesson plans, and documentation of professional experiences.

1 CreditSCorequisite: ED450.