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The courses listed herein have been approved by the faculty as authorized by the Board of Trustees. Prerequisites (if any) and the General Education Requirement(s) which each course fulfills (if any) are noted following each course description.
1.00 credit hours Advances in neuroscience have brought about several ethical questions surrounding the utilization and implementation of techniques and discoveries in vertebrates and humans. Accompanying the NEUR 300 laboratory, students are educated and trained in the ethical use of vertebrates in research. An examination of the ethical boundaries when utilizing novel and experimental techniques to treat developmental and neurological disorders will supplement NEUR 300 course material.
4.00 credit hours Examination of the cellular and molecular underpinnings of neuronal communication in organisms ranging from invertebrates to humans. Topics include the fundamental properties of excitable membranes, synaptic transmission, and neuronal integration. These topics are investigated utilizing classical and cutting edge molecular neuroscience techniques in this vertebrate based laboratory intensive course.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 210 and NEUR 200; Concurrent enrollment in NEUR 311. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Writing Intensive.
1.00 credit hours Neuroethics studies the moral issues arising in connection with advances in neuroscience. Examination of the ethical boundaries when utilizing novel and experimental molecular techniques in both vertebrates and humans. Course material complements NEUR 310. In the NEUR 310 laboratory, students are educated and trained in the ethics of molecular neuroscience research.
4.00 credit hours An in-depth study of a specific topic in neuroscience. Students are expected to read and discuss original sources and current literature in neuroscience, culminating in an APA style paper. Repeatable with different content. Capstone.
1.00-4.00 credit hours A community engagement project in neuroscience that serves as the culminating neuroscience curriculum experience. Students are expected to arrange the community engagement experience, design materials for the engagement experience and analyze the effectiveness of this experience. A final paper (traditional APA-style research report or audience-specific research report) incorporating primary literature, appropriate quantitative or qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of the experience, and reflection is required. To fulfill the capstone experience, students must complete a minimum of four credit
hours from a single capstone designation. Capstone.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 255 and NEUR 200. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Community Engaged Learning.
0.00-12.00 credit hours Valuable professional experiences supplement classroom instruction and allow students to apply neuroscience concepts to broader social issues and systems. Students explore career options within neuroscience, and critically reflect on the experience in a structured manner. Course work includes required hours in the field, written assignments, and a substantial APA style literature review/hypothesis paper directly related to this experience. To fulfill the capstone experience, students must complete a minimum of four credit hours from a single capstone designation. Capstone.
1.00-4.00 credit hours Students work in collaboration with faculty to produce a culminating research experience. Activities vary according to project needs and student background, but may include creation of materials or agents, recruitment of participants, animal care, data collection, data coding and entry, literature review, statistical analysis, poster or oral presentation preparation. The senior thesis culminates in a APA style research paper. Students earning credit for a capstone experience must complete a minimum of four credit hours, with the option of spreading credit hours over two semesters. To fulfill the capstone experience, students must complete a minimum of four credit hours from a single capstone designation. Capstone.
1.00-12.00 credit hours Students explore a topic of interest in an individualized learning situation under the supervision of a faculty member. Coursework includes significant critical reading, writing, and discussion of primary resources (no collection of data).
4.00 credit hours Introduces the role of nutrition in human biological systems as related to human health. The types of nutrients in foods, their properties and interaction with genetics, the environment and health risk are addressed. Human nutrient requirements and the composition of healthy diets are also discussed within a cultural context. How nutritional guidelines are developed, assessed and the role of the nutritional professional in health promotion is also explored
4.00 credit hours Provides an overview of food systems in the United States from agriculture to food production and processing. The impact of food system practices on human health, food insecurity and the environment is examined and contrasted with other global food systems. The accessibility and availability of food across populations in the United States is discussed as well as the sustainability of current food trends. Food safety is also examined from a “farm to fork” perspective highlighting potential health hazards in the modern food industry.
4.00 credit hours Nutrition requirements, considerations and health risks are examined across the human life cycle from birth to senescence. Early development, growth, maturation and aging are discussed in relationship to nutrition, food and lifestyle choices. Health disparities, cultural, environmental, psychosocial, physical, and economic factors affecting nutritional status through the life cycle are explored.
4.00 credit hours The study of nutrients is continued through a biochemical and biological perspective by examining the process of digestion, absorption and metabolism. Biochemical principles of nutrition and metabolism are discussed in relation to the body’s normal state of nourishment as well as in altered disease states.
4.00 credit hours Food science principles related to food preparation are examined, including the chemical, physical and sensory properties of foods. Emphasis is placed on food preparation techniques and practices and their impact on the nutritional content of foods. Altering food preparation techniques based on health or economic concerns are discussed in the context of food science and
food quality. Experiential learning through food preparation and demonstration will connect food science and sensory evaluation techniques with nutrition and food science concepts.
2.00 credit hours Explores food cultures and eating traditions in the United States and Globally. Nutrition principles are applied to evaluate healthy eating behaviors and diet quality across cultures. Barriers to adopting unfamiliar eating traditions or incorporating unfamiliar foods into the diet are discussed and current dietary guidelines are evaluated for cultural diversity. Students complete a project that adapts a nutrition education tool to reflect different food cultures.
2.00 credit hours Examines how cooking can be used to enhance behavior change for health lifestyles. Topics include eating behavior at home or dining out in the United States, incorporating cooking demonstrations/active education into nutrition education, nutrition comparisons of processed and home cooked foods and tasting assessments. Small groups of students will create and demonstrate an active cooking/food preparation lesson.
4.00 credit hours Basic concepts related to professional ethics, inter-professional collaboration and the scope of practice for nutritional professionals are explored. Assessment tools and methods for screening and assessing nutritional status, evaluating diet/nutrient intake and eating behavior are introduced. Emphasis will be placed on the nutrition care process and how assessments and plans are documented in the medical record and communicated with other health care professionals.
4.00 credit hours The role of the nutrition professional in community settings is explored with a focus on needs assessment, intervention, development and evaluation of nutrition programs. Nutrition problems in contemporary American communities, as well as developing nations, are examined with a focus on vulnerable populations and the role nutrition policy plays on the local, state and national level. Programs and strategies to meet nutrition needs outside acute care settings, such as nutrition education and food assistance are explored. Experiential learning opportunities through health initiatives on campus or in the community provide students an avenue to apply assessment and intervention techniques.
4.00 credit hours Students apply evidence-based knowledge of nutritional interventions to the prevention and management of diseases related to energy imbalance, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal diseases. Topics explored include medical terminology, clinical laboratory values, nutritional assessment, menu planning, behavioral interventions and dietary analysis as they relate to these disease states. Emphasis will be placed on the nutrition care process, therapy options within a cultural context and indications for referral when the condition warrants specialized care. Opportunities to apply concepts are provided through the use of case studies, standardized patients and client interactions.
2.00 credit hours Examines the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research methods and designs found in nutrition research. Students will apply knowledge through analysis of research papers and by rating the strength of findings, as well as developing study designs for nutrition research questions. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking skills and analyzing key elements of research designs related to nutrition practice.
2.00 credit hours Research concepts presented in Nutrition Research I will be applied through the development and participation in research projects. Collection, analysis and interpretation of data found in health or community settings will be the focus of the course. Topics explored include survey design, qualitative interviews and simple data analysis. Students will complete a project using one of these research methods.
2.00 credit hours Reviews specialty areas of nutrition practice including critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, obesity, sports nutrition, diabetes, eating disorders, food service management, food product development, etc. Students will choose an area they are interested in, research it and present opportunities for nutrition careers and the scope of practice within that area of nutrition to the class.
4.00 credit hours Principles of food preparation related to quantity food production and service are examined, including care and operation of equipment, ordering/storing foods and other goods, menu development, food costing and managerial responsibilities required for food service. Students apply quantity food principles, sustainability, nutrition and management principles to planning and executing a meal service in a campus dining or catering facility.
4.00 credit hours The study of evidenced-based knowledge related to the prevention and management of specific disease states continues with the examination of nutritional interventions for endocrine, renal, neurological, respiratory, metabolic, musculoskeletal and neoplastic diseases. Topics explored include medical terminology, clinical laboratory values, nutritional assessment, menu planning and dietary analysis as they relate to these disease states. Emphasis will be placed on the nutrition care process, therapy options and the use of enteral and parenteral nutrition in the critically ill. Opportunities to apply concepts are provided through the use of case studies, standardized patients and client interactions.
4.00 credit hours Various strategies are explored to assist individuals in making changes to health behavior related to food and nutrition with emphasis on nutrition education and counseling. Approaches are based on theoretical behavior change models, teaching and learning styles and other behavioral concepts. Students will actively apply techniques through case studies, hypothetical situations and supervised counseling opportunities. Application of principles will occur through group nutrition education exercises and direct interactions with clients.
NUTR 470 - Capstone: Nutrition Myths and Controversies
4.00 credit hours Using integrated knowledge obtained through nutrition science course work, students will choose a nutrition-related health app, diet program or cuisine to evaluate depending on their area of interest. Evaluation includes adhering to the diet program, using the app or preparing and consuming the cuisine for two to four weeks, assessing the program/app/cuisine for safety, nutrition or health outcomes, potential for behavior change and cost-effectiveness. Students will present their findings through a presentation in an open forum.
4.00 credit hours An examination of basic questions in philosophy, such as how we can know anything, whether God exists, how moral judgments can be justified, whether people have souls and whether people have free will.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions. iCon(s): Being Human, Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours Professional ethics in selected career fields including law, business and biomedicine. Students may apply basic concepts to the career of their choice, relate their personal ethics to professional ethics and become better informed consumers of professional services. This course begins with an examination of the alternative bases for making moral judgments.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions. iCon(s): Innovating the World.
4.00 credit hours (Same as: ENVI 225.) After a brief examination of philosophical ethical frameworks, the following will be considered: the history of environmental ethics; the problem of the “moral status” of nonhuman animals and other aspects of nature: the environment and “the good life,” ethical issues related to population growth, sustainability, diminishing/vanishing resources and the use of cost benefit analysis in environmental policy.
4.00 credit hours An examination of inductive and deductive reasoning, formal and informal fallacies and rules and procedures for evaluating arguments.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to existentialism as a 19th and 20th century philosophical and literary movement. Authors discussed typically include Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions. iCon(s): Being Human.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to the concept of law, including such topics as the nature of law, liberty and law, justice, legal responsibility, punishment and theories of legal interpretation.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 203 or one Philosophy course. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to the philosophy of mind, including such topics as the mind/body problem, the nature of consciousness, perception, and theories of mental content. Special attention is paid to philosophical questions that arise in psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities. iCon(s): Being Human, Examining Health, Innovating the World.
4.00 credit hours An examination of aesthetic experience, the norms which govern aesthetc judgment and the significance of the idea of beauty in our experience of art and nature.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Arts, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Being Human, Challenging Inequity, Examining Health, Experiencing Place.
4.00 credit hours An inquiry into the nature of scientific evidence, laws, explanations and theories, as well as the nature of the relationship between the natural and social sciences.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities. iCon(s): Being Human, Innovating the World.
4.00 credit hours An examination of topics in contemporary and/or classical ethical theory. Course may focus on key figures in ethical theory or issues in normative ethics and metaethics. Topics have included virtue ethics, feminist ethics and relationships between normative ethical theory and social or natural sciences.
4.00 credit hours Examines feminist contributions to and criticisms of philosophy. Students are exposed to both historical and contemporary figures in feminist philosophy, including Mary Wollstonecraft, Simone De Beauvoir, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and Judith Butler. Topics include women’s rights, feminist political and ethical theory, the role of gender in identity formation, and gender at the intersection of race and class.
Prerequisite(s): One Philosophy or Gender and Sexuality course. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity, Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours An investigation of political philosophy in the Western philosophical tradition. Students question how we ought to live together, organize social life, and structure our political institutions. Topics covered include individual freedom, the distribution of property, ideal forms of government, race, gender, and class.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequality, Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours An examination of the basic issues in the philosophy of religion, including the relation of faith and reason, the problem of the existence and nature of God.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions. iCon(s): Being Human.
PHIL 363 - Science and Religion: Conflict or Dialogue?
4.00 credit hours An examination of the contemporary dialogue between science and religion in relation to different Western and Asian religious traditions. The course considers the implications of recent scientific theories for understanding and assessing the belief systems of various theistic and non-theistic religions.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities. iCon(s): Being Human.
4.00 credit hours Part three of the History of Philosophy sequence:The Analytical and Continental Traditions from the 20th century through the present day.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities, Ethical Dimensions. iCon(s): Being Human.
4.00 credit hours An examination of such topics as theories of knowledge, truth and justification of belief, the problem of skepticism, the mind-body problem, the problem of universals and theories of being.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Humanities. iCon(s): Being Human.
4.00 credit hours Examination of a major philosopher or central problem in one of the areas of philosophy such as philosophy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology or value theory.
4.00 credit hours Physics of sound, musical instruments and musical recordings. Production and propagation of sound waves, physical principles underlying pitch and timbre of musical instruments and the human voice, digital audio. Laboratory required.
Prerequisite(s): High School Algebra II and ability to read music. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Sciences. iCon(s): Being Human.
4.00 credit hours Celestial phenomena, the sun and solar system and the observable universe with emphasis on astronomy as a scientific activity relevant to the perception and comprehension of our world. Laboratory required, includes observational techniques and physical principles relevant to astronomy and astrophysics.
4.00 credit hours Kinematics, Newton’s Laws, conservation laws, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. Laboratory required. Credit may be earned for only one of PHYS 131 and PHYS 161.
4.00 credit hours Oscillations, waves, sound, electricity and magnetism, and optics. Laboratory required. Credit may be earned for only one of PHYS 132 and PHYS 162.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 131 and Precalculus (Algebra & Trigonometry) competence.
PHYS 160 - Einstein and Heisenberg: Physics of the Fast and the Small
2.00 credit hours Introduction to the special theory of relativity: Galilean relativity, space-time diagrams, Lorentz transformations, relativistic collisions and conservation of four-momentum. Introduction to the principles of quantum physics, Heisenberg’s matrix mechanics, Pauli’s spin matrices.
4.00 credit hours Newton’s Laws of motion, energy conservation, rotational motion, thermodynamics. Laboratory required, includes experimental physics and an introduction to computational modeling. Credit may be earned for only one of PHYS 131 and PHYS 161.
Prerequisite(s): CSCE 160; MATH 151 or concurrent enrollment. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Sciences.
PHYS 162 - Physics II: Electromagnetism, Waves and Optics
4.00 credit hours Oscillations, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics. Laboratory required, includes experimental physics and computational modeling. Credit may be earned for only one of PHYS 132 and PHYS 162.
PHYS 200 - Electronic Instrumentation for Scientists
4.00 credit hours Survey of electronics with focus on application to scientific instrumentation. Topics include digital principles, combinational and sequential logic, digital applications, DC and AC circuits, discrete semiconductors, operational amplifiers. Focus is on applied learning in the laboratory. Laboratory required.
4.00 credit hours Classical mechanics with application to engineering problems. Topics include equivalent systems of forces, centroids, analysis of trusses and frames, machines and forces due to friction, virtual work, hydrostatic pressure.
4.00 credit hours Analysis of stress and deformation of materials. Applications to the design of machine and structural elements subjected to static, dynamic and repeated loads.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to quantum physics. Quantum phenomena, the Schrodinger equation, analysis of one-dimensional potentials, the hydrogen atom and the electronic structure of multi-electron atoms, spin-orbit coupling.
2.00 credit hours An exploration of the experimental foundations of quantum physics. Selected experiments from the photoelectric effect, electron impact spectroscopy, Bragg scattering and x-ray diffraction, single photon two-slit experiment, molecular spectroscopy, muon decay and others.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 263 or concurrent enrollment.
4.00 credit hours Newton’s Laws, projectile and charged particle kinematics, conservation laws and oscillations. Advanced methods in mechanics. Mathematical methods introduced as needed. Laboratory required, focuses on computation and modeling.
2.00 credit hours Computer-assisted measurement and automation of experiments using the LabVIEW graphical programming platform. Hands-on experience through laboratory exercises and projects. Laboratory required.
2.00 credit hours Properties of crystalline solids. Crystal structure, reciprocal lattice, x-ray diffraction, electrical conduction, band theory, semiconductors and semiconductor devices. Other topics may include thermal properties, magnetic properties of solids.
2.00 credit hours Interrelationships among temperature, energy, entropy, and other properties of a physical system, examined at the macroscopic level using the tools of thermodynamics. Topics covered include equations of state, the laws of thermodynamics, energy, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy, Maxwell relations, phase equilibrium. Laboratory required.
2.00 credit hours Interrelationships among temperature, energy, entropy and other properties of matter, examined at the microscopic level using the tools of statistical mechanics. Topics include macrostates and microstates, entropy, Boltzmann and quantum distribution functions; selected applications from paramagnetism, Einstein solids, blackbody radiation and others.
1.00 credit hours Professional development topics such as ethics, job seeking skills and safety. Students, faculty and guest presenters discuss research results in the format of a scientific meeting.
1.00 credit hours Students learn to search the scientific literature, read primary literature and orally present a journal article. Students, faculty and guest presenters discuss research results in the format of a scientific meeting.
4.00 credit hours The theory of electromagnetism, including electrostatics, magnetostatics and electrodynamics. May include applications to electromagnetic waves, guided waves and transmission lines, plasmas, radiation theory and relativistic electrodynamics.
2.00-4.00 credit hours Advanced topics in physics, such as biophysics, astrophysics and cosmology, particles and nuclei, general relativity, advanced mechanics.
2.00 credit hours How do local, state and United States’ governments function, or not? How does citizen participation in the democratic process work? Most importantly, how does civic well-being affect, and is affected by, other measures of well-being (emotional, physical, financial, etc.)? This course introduces students to the ways in which understanding and participating in democratic processes contributes to a deeper connection to oneself and broader communities, while creating a healthier, collective, civil society at the same time. This course does not count toward a major or minor in Political Science.
4.00 credit hours An introduction to the fundamental ideas, actors, and institutions that make up the American political system. We examine the legal and structural basis of our government, evaluate the institutions that carry out its day-to-day functions, and analyze the role the individual citizen can play in influencing governmental policy. For each subject, we engage with some of the leading perspectives in political science; we also incorporate current events and our personal experiences. This course also includes a community-engaged learning component, allowing students the opportunity to put into practice the theories they have learned in the classroom.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures, Community Engaged Learning. iCon(s): Engaging Civic Life.
POLS 102 - Introduction to International Relations
4.00 credit hours An introductory look at the variety of concepts, issues, debates, ideologies, and theoretical perspectives that have traditionally defined the discipline of International Relations. In particular, the course examines core issues such as international conflict, cooperation, globalization, international law, human rights, economic development, poverty, and terrorism. A great deal of time is devoted to exploring the dominant theoretical perspective of the field including realism, liberalism, Marxism, constructivism, and feminism.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, Global Understanding. iCon(s): Thinking Globally
POLS 200 - Scope and Practice of Political Science
4.00 credit hours What does it mean to think, research, and write like a political scientist? Using rigorous methods and theoretical approaches, political science examines curiosities about the institutions, practices, and relations that shape the political world. This course introduces students to the scientific study of politics, covering the basics of research design and practice including the ways in which data and theory intersect, and how political scientists conceptualize, measure, and test relationships of interest in the discipline. For example, why are some social movements more effective than others? What explains the rise in partisan polarization over time? What are the causes of war? By the end of the term, students approach questions like these using the scientific method.
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, Writing Intensive.
4.00 credit hours Traditional approaches to studying the law emphasize skills like advocating for a client or drafting a legal document. This class takes a different approach by providing an exploration of law’s relationship to contemporary society. To do this, we will consider how law shapes, and is shaped by, the political, social, and cultural contexts in which it exists. This course examines a variety of topics, including: the development of the legal system of the United States, the varied approaches to studying the “law,” and the relationship between those who make, adjudicate, and directly experience the law in everyday life.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.
POLS 204 - Political and Legal Dimensions Disasters
4.00 credit hours Natural and manmade disasters are a perennial feature of political life. When a non-routine event happens (from a hurricane to a terrorist attack to a nuclear accident), political and legal actors and institutions must activate in order to prepare for, respond to, and explain what happened. The costs imposed by disasters have always been high, and these events, while relatively low on the public’s agenda, are constant sources of challenge for politics at all levels. This course will introduce students to the political and legal dimensions of disasters, including: How does politics respond to disasters? What are the main institutions that engage with disaster politics and policies? Who is responsible for harms caused by a disaster, and how has the law evolved in the area of disaster politics?
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Sustaining Our World.
2.00 credit hours This course encourages students to explore the interaction between music and the political world. Students examine issues of race, class, sexual orientation, gender, censorship, violence and power, focusing primarily on Western music genres such as hip-hop, rock, punk, folk and country. Students also explore refined music (specifically opera) and electronic dance music in an international context. Students have the opportunity to interact with this material to increase appreciation for the myriad ways that music and politics are mutually interdependent.
4.00 credit hours From George Washington to Donald Trump, we examine of the history and evolution of the Office of the President, as well as the roles and approaches of the officeholder. We take a theoretical, rather than historical, approach to understand presidential selection and powers, the president’s relationships with other actors, and the role of the electorate in presidential politics. This examination lends itself to answer one central questions: Have U.S presidents become the Green Lantern?
Prerequisite(s): POLS 101. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences. iCon(s): Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours As the branch with the most constitutional authority, and the lowest approval rating, Congress is misunderstood. The Least Popular Branch provides a thorough introduction to the beautifully flawed U.S. Congress. Examination of themes in the literature on Congress include: the development of Congress, member’s motivation for reelection, congressional elections, the role of parties and committees, extreme polarization, the changing legislative process, and the relationship between Congress and the branches of government and other actors.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 101. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences. iCon(s): Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours This course examines public opinion and political behavior in contemporary American politics. The course will cover topics like: how to conceptualize and measure public opinion, where opinions “come from,” the nature of opinion about several salient issues, and whether public opinion affects policy making or political behavior. Students will reflect on debates about the “competence” of the public and how much public opinion should affect public policy, as well as become savvier consumers of public opinion data.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 101. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences.
POLS 220 - First Ladies: Symbol of American Womanhood
4.00 credit hours A theoretical examination of the evolving role of the first lady from party hostess to policy advocate. While discussions of first ladies have often been relegated to internal dynamics of their relationships with their husbands, redecorating, and clothing, we will dive into the nuanced job of the first lady by reading the scholarship, while scant, on the progressing role of the first lady. Specific attention is paid to particular first ladies who have made significant impacts in the way the first lady is expected to behave.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures.
4.00 credit hours An introductory look at the concepts, ideologies, and methodology that define the field of Comparative Politics. The course will provide a comparative analysis of the various institutions of governance around the world and how those institutions structure state behavior. Comparative Politics seeks to understand different forms of government by comparing them to one another. We will also investigate key topics such as the state, political culture, ethnicity, nationalism, authoritarianism & totalitarianism, democracy, development, globalization and political violence.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, Global Understanding. iCon(s): Thinking Globally.
4.00 credit hours This course offers a general introduction to the history, traditions and theories of American foreign policy. The course highlights the evolution of American foreign policy since World War II exploring the crucial decisions that shaped the current geopolitical environment. We will examine the ways domestic politics, public opinion, the media, presidential leadership and other factors have impact the conduct of American foreign policy. Specific emphasis is placed on contemporary challenges facing the United States, such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation, the rise of China, North Korea, and Russia.
Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, Global Understanding. iCon(s): Thinking Globally.
2.00 credit hours This course offers an introduction to the application of psychological theories and methodology to the study of government and politics. Topics include elite decision-making, mass political attitudes, voting behavior, genetics, and psychophysiological approaches to political science research.
POLS 230 - Mock Trial I: Techniques and Procedures
4.00 credit hours Introduction to the rules, procedures, and case materials of the American Mock Trial Association in preparation for invitational, regional, and national competition.
2.00-4.00 credit hours An examination of a current topical political issue in politics explored in a seminar style format. Students conduct an analysis of the topic using primary documents and scholarly sources.
1.00-4.00 credit hours Students work in collaboration with faculty on ongoing research. Activities vary according to project needs and student background, but may include recruitment of participants, data collection, data coding and entry, bibliography construction, literature review or statistical analysis. This course is graded pass/no pass. May be taken more than once for up to four total credit hours.
POLS 300 - Great Decisions in International Politics
4.00 credit hours A comparative case study analysis of the decision making process for three seminal events in international politics. The course explores the causal dynamics behind the origins of World War I, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the 2003 Iraq War decision. Students learn the core components of qualitative research through the collection and review of archive research materials. The objective of the course is to develop the knowledge and skill set for evaluating foreign policy decision making in theory and practice.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 102. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, Global Understanding. iCon(s): Thinking Globally.
4.00 credit hours It’s complicated. However, by emphasizing how American political institutions shape the behavior of voters, candidates, parties, interest groups, and the media, students come to understand the outcomes of elections in the United States.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 101. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity, Engaging Civic Life.
4.00 credit hours If women have now surpassed men in both number of total Americans as well as percent of the electorate that votes, why do women comprise such a small portion of all of those who hold political power? The position of women in the American political system has evolved over time from being left out of the Constitution, to the suffrage movement, to the equal rights movement, the Lily Ledbetter Act, to Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the presidency. Nonetheless, there are structural components of the American society and political system that have created disequilibrium between men and women. We examine the institutional, psychological, economic, and sociocultural causes and effects of such disequilibrium.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 101. Cardinal Directions Designation(s): Social Sciences, U.S. Power Structures. iCon(s): Challenging Inequity.
2.00 credit hours The course explores the procedural and political dynamics of the United Nations as it confronts the political, economic and cultural challenges facing the international community. The class provides an introduction to the history and structure of the United Nations as well as an intense case study of the country assigned to the NCC delegation. Students will learn to be diplomats and advocate for the interests of their country. The course culminates with students participating in the National Model United Nations simulation in New York City.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 102. iCon(s): Thinking Globally.