FS 201 Descriptions (Spring 2020)

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 WebAdvisor to confirm the days, times, and locations of these sections.

FSBIO 201, Investigative Approaches in Bio
Various
MW 1:30 PM 4:20 PM
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 0, Research Methods in Chemistry
Professor Chapp
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM, Lab TH 1:30 PM 4:20 PM
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 122.

FSCOM 201 0, Communication and Controversy
Professor Silva
MWF 10:00 AM 10:50 AM
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.

FSDMS 201 0, Dance: Ritual of Experience
Professor Reedy
TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
4 Credits
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.

FSECO 201 1, Food Security: Local and Global Challenges in the Food Supply Chain
Professor Bender
TTH 9:30 AM 10:45 AM
4 Credits
A study of the challenges in the food industry throughout production, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Concepts, theories, and tools for analyzing food allocation and waste are introduced, discussed, and then applied to evaluations of policies and reforms for improving food security and decreasing food waste. These challenges are examined in both a local and global context with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the United States. Prerequisites: ECON 100 or Permission of the instructor.

FSECO 201 2, The Political Economy of Africa and The MENA Region
Professor Onyeiwu
MW 2:30 PM 3:20 PM
4 Credits
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.

FSENG 201 0, Twice-Told Stories
Professor Hellwarth
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM
4 Credits
An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of English. Students investigate the conventions of communication in the discipline and the methods by which practitioners position their work within larger disciplinary contexts. Few stories spring brand-new out of our imaginations. Instead, we draw both consciously and unconsciously on what we have read, seen, and been told in our lives. In this course we examine various re-imaginings of stories from the past. How do foundational human experiences such as falling in love, betrayal, aging, and the sadness of loss become cast in stories that are told generations apart? Why do the storylines and intrigues of King Lear and Romeo and Juliet (which were retellings even when Shakespeare wrote them) still speak to audiences in new forms in our time? This course must be taken on a letter-grade basis.

FSENV 201 1, Environmental Problem Analysis
Professor B. Haywood
TTH 8:00 AM 9:15 AM
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 2, Environmental Problem Analysis
Professor Gross-Camp
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM
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.

FSGHS 201 0, Topics and Approaches in Global Health
Professor A. Finaret
TTH 9:30 AM 10:45 PM
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 0, Controversies in American History
Professor Keysor
TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
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.

FSMAT 201 0, Cryptography – The Mathematics Behind Secure Communication
Short Title: Cryptography

Professor Ellers
MWF 1:30 PM 2:20 PM
4 Credits
An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of mathematics. Students explore mathematical techniques for encoding and decoding messages, focusing on public key cryptosystems – systems in which the encoding algorithm is published and available to anyone, but decoding is possible only for those who have information that is kept secret. Students learn to use a computer algebra system and a software package for mathematical typesetting.
Prerequisites: MATH 141, or MATH 151, or MATH 160 with a “C” or better

FSMLG 201 0, Academic Communication in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Professor Lewis
TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
4 Credits
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. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis. Prerequisite: Two language courses at Allegheny College or permission of the instructor.

FSPHI 201 0, Philosophy as the World Burns
Professor P. Jackson
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM
4 Credits
An exercise in understanding both the limitations of and the liberation made possible by thinking hard in the face of real existential danger. Every day, the news seems to grow grimmer and more hopeless – mass-shootings brought on by unfathomable despair, the obvious inability of current governments to solve even the most basic problems of civilization, drug-resistant syphilis, the coming climate catastrophe. What better time to read widely and reason carefully? What better time to look for meaning? What better time, in other words, for philosophy?  

FSPOL 201 0, Public Opinion & Its Problems
Professor Williams
TTH 9:30 AM 10:45 AM
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.