190’s and 290’s are considered Introductory-Level.
390’s and 490’s are considered Advanced-Level.
COMJ 390 00, Authoritarianism and Democracy
MW 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
Professor Allums
Credits: 4
A study of authoritarian political formations at multiple scales (e.g. local, national, international) within liberal democracies. Students read widely across social sciences and humanities, exploring timely questions of freedom, power, and self-determination. Particular attention is paid to implications for justice and collective governance.
Prerequisites: Any previous COMJ course
ENVSC 195 00, Environmental Geology
MWF 10:00 AM 10:50 AM
Lab W 1:30 PM 4:20 PM
Professor Misner
Credits: 4
An introduction to geologic principles with applications to Earth processes emphasizing interactions between humanity and the physical Earth. The course covers basic concepts of Earth materials (rocks and minerals), Earth structure, and surficial environments. Topics include water resources and contamination, land use planning, natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and floods, energy and economic resources, and environmental regulations and policies. Field trips and labs will be completed once per week during the scheduled lab period.
ENVSC 395 00, Ecosystem Science
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM
Lab M 1:30 PM 4:20 PM
Professors Geyer and Griffin
Credits: 4
The study of ecosystems and how energy, water, and key elements (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) move between Earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. Emphasis on how to scale from locally-observed processes to global cycles, and how humans are impacting systems. Laboratory focuses on first-hand field and laboratory experiences to measure local carbon and nitrogen cycling related to land use (e.g., urbanization), water quality (e.g., runoff and eutrophication), and agriculture (e.g., soil health). Lab will meet once a week.
Prerequisites: ENVSC 210 or a lab-based course in the Natural Sciences
GERMN 390 00, German Across the Curriculum
MW 11:00 AM 12:15 PM
Professor Ludewig
Credits: 4
A study of German-language materials designed to complement students’ concurrent curricular interests. Students practice their reading, writing, listening, and speaking capacities in German while developing content and research skills by contextualizing the readings within German history and culture. Course is given in English, with tailored assignments and assessments in German based on a student’s interests and proficiency in German.
Prerequisites: Basic communication skills in German or the equivalent of GERMN 120
GHS 290 oo, HIV/AIDS in Global Context
TTH 9:30 AM 10:45 AM
Professor Bryan
Credits: 4
A study of HIV/AIDS as one of the most significant and enduring pandemics, reshaping global health and society since the early 1980s. While HIV has been transformed from a fatal disease to a chronic condition, access to lifesaving therapies remains profoundly unequal. This course focuses on how governments, international organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and activists shape both the visibility of the pandemic and the distribution of care, as well as the sustainability of the response. Students consider the impacts of HIV/AIDS on education, trade, security, behavior, and the environment.
MUSIC 190, Music for Film
MWF 10:00 AM 10:50 AM
Professor Dolan
Credits: 4
An introduction to the use of music in film. Students learn the history of the relationship between music and film, along with the techniques and practices employed by musicians and filmmakers. Activities include exploring touchstone film composers and works and analysis of the use of sound and music in particular scenes.
NEURO 392 00, Experimental Techniques in Neuroscience
TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
Professor Powell
Credits: 4
A study of neuroscience research from cellular processes to complex social behavior, using both animal models and human subjects. In this class, we will discuss a broad range of experimental techniques currently used in neuroscience and learn how each works. Students will discuss the appropriate technique for a given experimental question, read both overviews and primary research articles on these methods, and explore some of these tools in practice. Students will design their own experiments to answer a question in neuroscience, and explore the appropriate experimental choices to carry that experiment out. The course is appropriate for students in both neuroscience and psychology who want to build methodological expertise for both conducting and interpreting neuroscience research.
Prerequisites: NEURO 110 OR PSYCH 154
PHIL 290 00, Love
TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
Professor Kurtsal
Credits: 4
An analysis of the biological and social aspects of love. Main focus is on romantic love, with some attention given to other forms of interpersonal love. Texts are drawn primarily from the European/“Western” Anglophone tradition of philosophy, from Plato to contemporaries. By examining how love—hardwired into our brains through evolution—shapes both personal lives and cultural ideals, the course highlights love’s central role in understanding what it means to be human.
SPAN 390, Spanish for Health and Healthcare
TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
Professor Herrera
Credits: 4
A study of terminology and cultural expressions surrounding health and medical care in Spanish. Students explore vocabulary, examine patient case studies, and consider aspects influencing health in Hispanic communities.
Prerequisites: SPAN 225, appropriate score on a placement test, or permission of instructor
WGSS 390 00, Clinical History of Gender and Sexuality
TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
Professor Giardini
An interdisciplinary seminar on the ways that clinical, medical, and scientific thinking have impacted the history of gender and sexuality, and the ways that feminist and queer activists have shaped clinical and medical practice. Students read publications by clinicians, scientists, and sexologists, including Sigmund Freud, Alfred Kinsey, Masters & Johnson, and John Money, and explore a variety of scientific, social, and historical approaches to questions of sexual orientation, sexual health, gender identity, and gender transition, among other topics. Feminist, queer, and trans critics are integrated throughout the course, and students have the opportunity to think about contemporary science and culture using the historical lens developed.