Introductory Special Topics (190’s and 290’s) (Fall 2021)

Courses numbered in the 190’s and 290’s focus on a particular topic and are offered only once or twice. These courses are taught at an introductory or intermediate level; specific prerequisites (if any) are noted in the course descriptions.

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

NOTE: Additional changes are pending once courses are approved by the Curriculum Committee (CC)

ARAB 290, Levantine Colloquial Arabic: Jordanian and Palestinian
Professor S. Alkyam
Credits: 4
This is an introductory course to a specific variety of Arabic, i.e. Levantine Arabic. By focusing on the three overreaching groups of dialectical variations Jordanian, Palestinian Urban, and Palestinian/Jordanian Rural dialects, students develop listening/speaking and conversational skills in spoken Arabic at a beginning-level proficiency. Throughout the semester, students develop their speaking skills to talk about the following topics: self, family, relatives, friends, hobbies, daily activities, surroundings (home, school, city, country, etc.). Moreover, students acquire basic conversational skills in certain social occasions such as: exchanging pleasantries; asking for, offering, accepting, and rejecting things.
Prerequisites: ARAB 110 or the equivalent

GHS 290, Communicating Health
Professor C. Waggett
Credits: 4
An introductory course analyzing strategies employed to communicate information about disease and health. Students evaluate how public health initiatives have succeeded and struggled to change behaviors, policies, infrastructures, and norms. Students identify the differing health behavior models used to reduce risk, promote healthy habits, and prevent disease. Through an examination of health initiatives at various scales and targeted at different populations, students examine essential elements of public health messaging. Students analyze successful and failed health initiatives across cultures and global contexts to recognize approaches that can both foster confidence in public health messages and initiatives and change people’s attitudes and behaviors. Students explore how various tools can be used to communicate public health outreach initiatives and how these tools can either advance public health messaging and combat misinformation or can serve to hinder efforts and propagate misinformation. This course will fulfill a GHS major and minor elective in ‘Cultures and Society’ dimension.
Prerequisites: GHS 130

HIST 190, Law and Democracy in Ancient Greece                                              
Professor J. Herrman
Credits: 4
An examination of legal and political ideals and practices in ancient Greece, with a particular focus on classical Athens, the birthplace of democracy. Topics include the emergence of the concept of justice in archaic Greece, the institutional structure of the political system in classical Athens, and attitudes towards politics and justice as reflected in drama and philosophy. Special attention is paid to the rule of law and the role of the courts, with close studies of prosecution and defense speeches from Athenian trials.
Prerequisites: None

INTDS 290 00, Global Citizen Scholars and Globalization
Professor I. Sinha Roy
Credits: 2
An evaluation of the ways in which current issues and events related to globalization have impacted the cohort-related theme of the Global Citizen Scholars program, both domestically and internationally. Within the class, an analysis of regional and international case studies explore the complexities related to this theme and the barriers that have hindered progress. Experiential learning through community-based projects center on issues of privilege, power, and social justice across a variety of cultural contexts. Students explore the histories that inform contemporary global issues and the differential impacts of human organizations and actions on global systems. Participants learn to develop and advocate for social justice in ethical and sustainable ways. Students must be Global Citizens Scholars to enroll in this seminar. Signature required.
Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisites: INTDS 190 (Introduction to Global Citizen Scholars)

LS 290, Inclusive Peer Educating
Short Title: Peer Education
Professors A. Hart and O. Lang
Credits 2
This course will provide peer educators with the skills they need to fulfill the goals of the tutoring program. The course combines practical and theoretical work. Readings, videos, in-class activities, and homework assignments are designed to ensure that peer educators understand that the act of tutoring and the tutoring space are not neutral and call on peer educators to acknowledge and challenge the existence of power in tutoring structures.
This will b e taught as a seven-week course.
Must be taken Credit/No Credit
To be taught 21/FA Module B

THTR 190, The Evolving Karamu House and Social Justice
Abbrievated Title: Evolving Karamu House
Professor T. Spivey
Credits: 2
A study of Black theatre and drama through the evolution of Cleveland’s Karamu House from the civil rights movement through the Black Arts Movement to today. Students investigate documentary plays on social justice and racial identities from Tamir Rice to Michael Brown. Artists including Charles Gilpin, Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka, and Dael Orlandersmith are considered. This will be taught as a seven-week course.
Prerequisites: None