FS 201 Descriptions (Spring 2018)

FS 201 courses complete the required FS sequence and also count for elective credit in the department offering the course. Because FS 201 forms a bridge between the first-year FS courses and the Junior Seminar, students are expected to take FS 201 in the sophomore year. Some majors and minors require an FS 201 course in that specific program; in these cases, the same FS 201 course may be used to satisfy both the FS requirement and the major/minor requirement.

Course Short Title Faculty Description
FSBIO*201 Investigative Approaches in Bio Various An investigative laboratory course that emphasizes experimental design, modern experimental techniques and instrumentation, analysis and interpretation of data, and written and oral presentation. The course consists of three multi-week project modules designed to illustrate investigative approaches at different levels of biological organization—molecular/cellular, organismal/physiology, and population/ecosystem. There is an emphasis on independent and cooperative laboratory/field work, and on writing and speaking in the sciences. One two-hour recitation/discussion and three-hour lab period per week. Prerequisite: BIO 220. This course is required for Biology majors and minors.
FSCHEM*201 Research Methods in Chemistry Van Horn, R An introduction to writing, speaking, and research methods in the discipline of chemistry. Topics include experimental design, statistical analysis of data, ethical conduct of research and selected classical, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods of analysis. Analytical techniques are discussed in the context of laboratory projects that are designed, performed, and interpreted by the class. Taught in the fall semester. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in CHEM 122 or CHEM 112.
FSCOMRT*201 Cartographies of the Imagination Sinha Roy, I A study of the way in which visual representations map imaginary boundaries that affect material practices and cultural identities. The course uses critical/cultural scholarship on how (post)colonial maps produce a hierarchy of nations through the politics of representation. We examine the theorization of skin as a particular kind of boundary that justifies constructions like walls, camps, and prisons to keep a culture pure from cultural and racial contamination, and how discourses on global health often equate disease and underdevelopment. This course challenges students to think through complex global issues from various perspectives. This course may be counted toward the major or minor in Communication Arts.
FSDMS*201 Dance: Ritual of Experience Reedy, J An exploration of ritual and ceremonial dances from multiple cultural perspectives, drawing upon insights into dance as human thought and as physical, cultural, social, economic, psychological, political and communicative behavior. Of particular interest is the role dance plays in the expression of both resistances to and maintenance of cultural expressions of power and value. Special emphasis is placed on relating each student’s personal experience of dance to the topics covered. Effective writing and speaking within the guidelines of the discipline is emphasized. May count toward a minor in Dance and Movement Studies.
FSECON*201 The Pol Econ of Africa & Mena Onyeiwu, S An exploration of the economies of Sub-Saharan and North African countries, with emphasis on the impact of colonization, post-colonial development strategies, globalization, and contemporary economic policies.  Students learn how economic, political, and social factors interact to shape economic development in Africa and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.
FSENGL*201 American Immigrant Literature Lo, A A study of immigrant literature published in the U.S. As we read through various genres, including poetry, short story, and memoirs, of immigrant narratives, we also consider different methods of reading and studying literature. In preparation for junior seminars and senior projects, students develop research questions and skills through studying authors such as Junot Diaz, Jamaica Kincaid, and Soul Vang.
FSENVSC*201 Environmental Problem Analysis Various An interdisciplinary analysis of modern controversial environmental issues. Students examine scientific, economic, cultural and political underpinnings of issues. Areas of study address environmental degradation, natural resource use and misuse, human-environmental interactions, and environmental justice. Written assignments and oral arguments and presentations are emphasized. Counts toward the major in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies. Prerequisite: Environmental Science 110.
FSGHS*201 Topics/Approach Global Health Finaret, A An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Global Health Studies. Students are introduced to the research methods and modes of communication used in the field of global health and use case studies to investigate different approaches to identifying, analyzing, and responding to global health issues. We read primary and secondary research, interpret data, evaluate tools for communicating effectively to different audiences, and explore various research methods. Ethical, cultural, and interdisciplinary dimensions of global health research and work are emphasized throughout. Prerequisite: GHS 130.
FSHIST*201 Russian Revolutions Pinnow, K An introduction to research, writing, and speaking in the discipline of history. Students approach historical thinking by considering the centenary of the Russian Revolutions of 1917. The course focuses on skills central to producing historical accounts as students explore ideas about the meanings attached to the revolutions and the ways that we remember the past.
FSMATH*201 Combinatorial Game Theory Barry, M An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Mathematics. Combinatorial game theory, which involves the analysis of two-person games with no hidden moves and no moves decided by chance, became a respectable area of mathematics due in large part to the work of John H. Conway. Its most important example is the game of Nim, because every game is equivalent to some Nim game. This seminar, which may be counted toward the completion of a major or minor in Mathematics, highlights how the software package LaTeX can aid effective written and oral communication in Mathematics. Prerequisite: Mathematics 160 with a grade of “C” or better, or permission of the instructor.
FSMODLG*201 Acad Comm in Lang Lit Cult Hernandez, W An introduction to research and communication in the disciplines of Modern Languages. Through close work with a small number of texts and cultural topics, students engage with the norms and processes of research, including the development of appropriate topics; the location, evaluation, use, and citation of secondary sources; the incorporation of these sources into their own analyses; and the communication of these analyses in writing and speech as part of a scholarly conversation. While given in English, our study prepares language majors for research in the target language, including in the Junior/Senior Seminar and Senior Project. Prerequisites: Two language courses at Allegheny College or permission of the instructor.
FSPOLSC*201 International Institutions Kirschner, S Explores the history and development of international law and the role of international organizations on issues such as humanitarian interventions, environmental change, nonproliferation, and development.  Students will discuss competing academic and policy perspectives on the appropriate role and scope of regional, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental organizations.
FSPSYCH*201 The Human Potential Movement Searle-White, J An exploration of the evolution of the research and theory on a specific topic in psychology. Through an examination of relevant primary source materials, the course demonstrates how questions prompting research on a specific topic, as well as research methodologies, have evolved. Effective writing and speaking within the guidelines of the discipline are emphasized. The focus for this section is an examination of writings from psychologists in the psychodynamic and humanistic traditions who attempted to understand the vast potential of human beings for development and growth. Prerequisite: any course in Psychology. Psychology majors are encouraged to take their sophomore seminar in the Psychology Department. May count toward a major or minor in Psychology.