FS 201 Descriptions (Fall 2022)

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.

Please consult Self-Service to confirm the days, times, and locations of these sections.

FSBIO 201 01, Investigative Approaches in Bio
Professor Mumme, R.
4 Credits
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. Two 3-hour meetings per week.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: BIO 220.
This course is required for Biology majors and minors.

FSBIO 201 02, Investigative Approaches in Bio
Professor Nelson, M.
4 Credits
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. Two 3-hour meetings per week.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: BIO 220.
This course is required for Biology majors and minors.

FSCHE 201 00, Research Methods in Chemistry
Professor Ams, M.
4 Credits
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. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in CHEM 120.

FSCOM 201 00, Communication and Controversy
Professor Silva, V.
4 Credits
An introduction to writing and speaking in the disciplines of Communication Arts and Theatre. Students explore contemporary public controversies, particularly in public media and performance, in order to understand the ways in which communication scholarship can enhance our understandings of media, culture, politics, and identity in the American context. This course may be counted toward the major or minor in Communication Arts.

FSECO 201 00, Fraud and Business Ethics
Professor Waugh, J.
4 Credits
Fraud by employees costs business trillions of dollars globally each year. We will explore the elements of theories about fraud, the role of whistleblowers, internal and external controls, the characteristics of fraudsters and victim organizations as well as different fraud schemes. We will examine how fraud actors are able to work alongside their counterparts while victimizing their employer at the same time. FBI reports and biographical accounts of fraudsters as well as fraud documentaries, scholarly articles, and interactive fraud investigation educational tools will be utilized.

FSENG 201 00, Grave Matters: The Afterlives of Literature 
Professor Miller, J.
4 Credits
An introduction to literary methods as a set of tools for listening to and reanimating dead thinkers, voices, and ideas. Students read and analyze texts about death in order to understand literature’s unique ability to grapple with life’s big questions. We then delve into the diverse schools of interpretation critics have developed to understand how those questions, in turn, are affected by the very language we use to ask them.

FSENV 201 01, Environmental Problem Analysis
Professor Byrnes, D.
4 Credits
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.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: ENVSC 110.

FSENV 201 02, Environmental Problem Analysis
Professor Byrnes, D.
4 Credits
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.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: ENVSC 110.

FSGEO 201 00, Field Geology
Professor
4 Credits
Applied principles and field methods in geology and environmental geology. Students are exposed to critical analysis and communication in the geosciences through field and laboratory projects involving topographic maps, aerial photographs, geologic maps, rock and soil properties, subsurface drilling and geophysical data, and computer applications. Geologic mapping and hazards, landfill siting, environmental pollution, and oil exploration issues provide context for the projects. May include a multi-day field trip. Field work or laboratory, one period.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.

FSGHS 201 00, Topics and Approaches in Global Health
Professor Dawson, R.
4 Credits
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.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: GHS 130.

FSHIS 201 00, Controversies in American History
Professor Keysor, A.
4 Credits
An introduction to the methodology and practice of writing history. The course focuses on the interpretation of documents, framing of historical questions and construction of historical explanations to better understand key historical disputes throughout American history.

FSPHY 201 00, Investigative Approaches in Physics
Professor Torigoe, A.
4 Credits
An investigative laboratory course that emphasizes experimental design and analysis, interpretation of data, and written and oral presentation. This course stresses independent and cooperative laboratory work. Writing and speaking in the physical sciences is emphasized through written, oral and poster presentations.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.

FSPOL 201 00, Public Opinion and Its Problems 
Professor Williams, T.
4 Credits
An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of political science. We examine “public opinion” through the study of polls and surveys. Many citizens use the words “public opinion” to signify the will of “the people.” For many, “public opinion” is also tied to the results of polls and surveys. We explore how polls and surveys measure the beliefs, values, and preferences of citizens. We consider the challenge of writing good survey questions. We ask whether polls inherently constrain the amount of political influence citizens can achieve.