Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (Archive 2018-2019)

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

3.00

The study of color and design is supportive of every studio discipline and is vital to the understanding of all visual media. This course emphasizes the basic concepts and practices of two-dimensional design and color theory. Students employ an intensive, hands-on approach as they explore and master the elements of design (including line, shape, and value) and the three fundamental properties of color (hue, value, and strength). These skills are used in the construction of formally cohesive compositions, the development of arresting images, and the communication of visual ideas.

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

3.00

This cross-disciplinary course will integrate the ideas and practices of two-dimensional design, color and drawing emphasis will be placed on understanding the creative process, exploring concepts and developing research skills. Students will undertake individual and collaborative projects in three spaces; the studio classroom, the digital world and the city at large.

3.00

This course will provide students with an understanding of orthographic principles and their importance to spatial thinking and design communication. Students will produce manual drawings in order to manipulate scale. Students will employ Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) software to create measured architectural plans, elevations and sections. The course will introduce students to file management skills and develop proficiency in using cloud based resources. Students will employ virtual workspaces to conduct work in, and out of class. Vector graphic software will also be used to compose work, manipulate technical drawings and illustrate plans and sections for portfolio use.

4.00

Two of the most daunting challenges the world faces (or will face) is how to provide for both its growing energy needs and potable drinking water. Regular news events include climate change, droughts, flooding, and petroleum struggles. Human nature often requires a severe crisis before it responds. This course will investigate the historical science driving the use of energy since the Industrial Revolution to convert energy resources into work, including the steam engine, the electric motor, and the internal combustion engine. It will also consider alternative energy options to fossil fuels, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean power. Along the way we will consider the evidence for Global Warming and Climate Change. We will look into human nature, simple life styles, conspiracy theories, and the influence of those in power to shape human opinion. We will also consider how our water supply is provided and where it goes after being used. What options do developing countries or drought racked areas have to remedy their water needs? Although the course pursues a scientific understanding of these issues, the mathematics used will be gentle, and a larger emphasis will be placed on the intuitive appreciation of these concerns.

4.00

Rain or shine, the great 18th century Enlightenment philosophers would meet at the famous cafes of Paris to discuss their ideas, and to observe and criticize society. From these informal debates emerged ideas that are at the core of our modern understanding of the nature of society, marginality, human nature, civil rights, the essence of creativity and genius. Come join us in the quest to understand, define, observe, and analyze the key ideas and concepts of these great thinkers, such as Rousseau, Diderot, and Voltaire, still so relevant in our time. We will read key works of these creative thinkers and philosophers. We will enrich our experience and understanding through the use of film, theatre performances, museum visits, as well as the occasional cafe debate.

4.00

Using the current Boston theatre season as its syllabus, this writing- and analysis-intensive course will explore several plays in production at some of Boston's many professional theatres. We will study the script of four to five plays before attending performances of those works. Students will gain insights on the world of theatre through backstage tours and conversations with theatre professionals such as producers, directors, actors, designers, playwrights, and critics. Students must be available for evening (usually Wednesday) performances. A fee for student-rate tickets will be assessed.

4.00

This seminar will investigate the impact and legacy of the Beatles. The Fab Four deserve our scholarly attention as musical innovators and as cultural avatars of the 1960s, an era that still exerts influence today. We will examine the many ways in which the Beatles rocked the establishment and became defining figures in post-war youth culture. We will also discuss other media (the visual arts, film, fashion, style) and fields of study (mass media, marketing, recording technology, copyright law, English history) using the Beatles as our guides.

4.00

The theatre has always been a metaphor for life. In modern times life has become theatre. This seminar will confront the idea of real life and the eroding boundary between performers and audience. Students will study the roots of the contemporary obsession with stars and stardom, a mania that began in the 18th century and flourished in the 19th century. We will look at performance studies, performers memoirs, plays, and films that dramatize this dilemma.

4.00

Popular beliefs about crime are often inspired by the media and by specific criminological theories. These theories about and media images of crime will be examined in detail, including the "hits" and "misses".

4.00

This course will focus on classic works of ancient and modern literature that examine the human condition from a tragic perspective. We will concentrate on close readings from the following texts: Homer's Iliad, Sophocles' Antigone, The Bhagavad-Gita, Shakespeare's Othello, Chekhov's short stories, and Joyce's Dubliners.

4.00

From some of the earliest examples of what we call science fiction to today's cutting edge writers, artists, and videographers, the devastation of war and other disasters and their aftermath have loomed large in how the future (and alternative versions of the present) plays out. This course will look at some of the more important issues of future war and post-apocalyptic literature, with a dash of television and film and a soup�on of art.

4.00

This course is about the basketball hoop dream played out at the high school and college levels. We will study a wide variety of materials - novels, films, websites, reference works - to understand both the construction, and destruction, of the hoop dream in such diverse places as New York City, Seattle, rural Indiana, suburban Georgia, and the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Issues of race and culture will serve as guiding themes as we develop critical theory explaining why the hoop dream has persisted, and adapted, over time, to fit the needs of its believers and supporters.

4.00

Is there a relationship between accumulated political power and mass media representations? Is news content impacted by existing political power relations? It is the object of this course to critically analyze the role of the mass media within the framework of existing political power relations in the United States. In particular, the course will focus on the role the mass media plays in promoting and reinforcing dominant political practices and ideologies. The course will begin by exploring various theories of the press, notably its function in a democratic society, as well as the concepts of power and propaganda. We will continue with a series of case studies, complemented by secondary sources that highlight how media representations affect the contemporary distribution of political power in the US. Topics of discussion will include the current US war on terrorism, the ongoing health care debate, the public disavowal of "big government", and the concept of a liberal media.

4.00

With a focus on some selected ethnic groups from Asia, "Asia in America" studies the history and current status of Asian Americans in Boston and other parts of the country. We will examine the major reasons why these immigrants chose to leave their home country as well as their expectations and experiences here in America. We will also discuss the issues Asian immigrants have faced in this adopted "home" as well as the connections and conflicts among different ethnic groups or even within the same ethnic group due to political and socio-economic reasons. The course will include some level of community engagement, through Chinatown tour and service, which may enable us to have a direct contact with the Asian American population and reflect on what is being discussed in class. Through this course, we hope to gain a better understanding of the racial and cultural history of the country and arrive at a deep appreciation of the dynamics of cultural interactions in the twenty-first century. The course fulfills the SCGP requirement.

4.00

"Why did they change the ending of the book? The novel is so much better!" We will explore the concept and industry of film adaptation. Students will read novels and watch respective film adaptations to explore how the written word is adapted to the screen; both fiction and non-fiction works will be considered. Also, field trips to past film locations in Boston will be taken to explore why specific settings were chosen for respective situations. Additionally, students will create their own written adaptations of source materials, putting into practice the concepts studied in class.

4.00

In this project and team-based course, students study a sustainability problem at Suffolk University and spend the semester developing proposals to address the problem. At the end of the course students will present their proposals to Suffolk University's sustainability committee, and will exhibit their websites and visual aids in the Donahue lobby to educate the Suffolk community about sustainability. If their proposals are well-researched and well-communicated, students can see their ideas actualized while they are still undergraduates.

4.00

What accounts for the power of music to move us so profoundly? This course explores how our brains and music evolved together: "What music can teach us about the brain, what the brain can teach us about music, and what both can teach us about ourselves."

4.00

The EU is a powerful political, economic and cultural block that is meant to play a major role, together with the USA and China, in the creation of a new post-crisis world order. The seminar is intended to cover, at a basic but reachable level, the history, the politics, the culture and the functions of the EU in the beginning of the Twentieth Century. An extraordinary experiment of sociopolitical engineering, comparable to that of the United States of America, the EU has been changing the life of an increasing number of Europeans for over 50 years. No American student could afford to ignore the inner structure as well as the particular peculiarities of such inclusive supranational organization in today's world. Issues as institutional functioning, problems derived from individual state sovereignty, economic coordination to face common challenges, cultural integration, future enlargement, etc. are all indispensable to understand the way in which Europe is changing. But also much more day-to-day issues, such as travel mobility, education exchange programs, citizen's participation, supranational networks of people in the arts or in business, unified labor market, gender participation, human rights, consumer's protection, etc. are all in the process of developing a more robust and functional European Citizenship.

4.00

This class will examine some of the many controversies surrounding the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, two conflicts that have been profoundly polarizing for the American people. There are widely divergent perspectives regarding the fundamental questions surrounding each war. Were the reasons for American involvement "just"? To what extent were the methods used by the United States military during each war "just"? To what extent did the media play an appropriate role before, during, and after each war? Did opposition to these wars serve primarily to benefit "the enemies" of the United States or did it constitute a form of patriotism and love of country? This interdisciplinary course will address these and other complex questions by examining the histories, literature, and films (both documentaries and dramatic) that have been produced in response to these wars.

4.00

The course will explore the physical geography, history, and image in literature, film, and pop culture of Suffolk University's Beacon Hill neighborhood. The purpose and objective of the course is to provide students with a deep knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of Beacon Hill through examination of written and visual sources, and feet-on and eyes-on experience of the public parts of the Hill.

4.00

This course will examine four major problems in the early American republic: forming a government; bridging vast distances on the American continent; slavery; international relations. We will explore the various proposed solutions to these problems. Some of the solutions worked well, others were more disastrous than the initial problem. We will read primary documents pertaining to these issues, and try to imagine how men and women considering the problems might have responded to them. What solutions could be proposed? What solutions would work? What were the political, economic, or social difficulties generated by the problem and by the proposed solutions? In considering the problems, we will also learn how to use the various archives close at hand: the Sawyer Library, the Boston Public Library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Massachusetts State Archives. Students will also post their findings on a class blog, and present their work to one another in class.

4.00

What do we live for? Which beliefs, values, and experiences sustain meaningful, fulfilling existence? Are we authors of our destinies or powerless pawns in an unfathomable cosmic game? Does death render all our efforts superfluous? This award-winning course offers a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary exploration of these questions through philosophical and religious texts, art, fiction, autobiography, and psychological studies. The course opens with the Old Testament's book of Ecclesiastes, followed by three units: 1) A Life Worth Living: Humanity's Ideals focuses on the ancient and modern visions of human flourishing; 2) Threats to Meaning: Humanity's Discontents, discusses the disillusionments leading to the loss of meaning; and 3) Recovery of Meaning: Crises and Hopes, explores the post-crisis possibilities of self-discovery and growth. Please visit http://meaningoflife.cherkasova.org/

4.00

Since the beginning of time, women have been "doing battle" to themselves, while men have gone to battle against others. Whether it is through converting to Christ, yielding to captors in order to survive, or carrying a baby, this course introduces students to the many ways in which, whatever battles they face, women are warriors; they survive. Utilizing an array of captivity, conversion, and confession narratives by women, and pairing them across the centuries, students will make connections and draw conclusions between early-and mid-19th-century-American and contemporary women. Students will connect, for example, the trials of the 17th-century Puritan captive, Mary Rowlandson, and contemporary hostage, Elizabeth Smart, to explore how women (no matter how different they seem) draw upon unique inner resources to survive.

4.00

How is it that the knowledge, intelligence, wisdom and values of the Greeks and Romans still educate and edify the world by providing venues towards leading fulfilling and dignified lives? The guiding principles of their respective civilizations rested upon eight pillars: -Humanism: It was recognized that humans have the potential to master their world and live life to the fullest. -The Pursuit of Excellence: To imagine the highest good and strive to attain it. -Self Knowledge: It is imperative to know oneself before seeking to know the world. -Rationalism: Always question, reason and discern truth from falsehood and never consider any matter superficially. -Restless Curiosity: Often the resolution of one issue leads to the revelations of others mysteries and pursuits which compels further investigation. The wise individual makes this a lifelong endeavor. -Love of Freedom: As long as one brings no harm to others, one must be free to live and discover as much as possible. -Individualism: All are unique and, therefore, must recognize individual strengths and identity. -The Practice of Moderation: The prudence of avoiding extremes in personal and social conduct. In this course, students will read two (brief) texts on the Greek and Roman contributions to the world and then will proceed with specific readings which illuminate the eight principles above for achieving the good life.

4.00

This section of the Seminar for Freshmen will consider the forms, venues, and impacts of narrative nonfiction in contemporary culture. From the exploding popularity of personal essays in the digital age to the living, evolving essays we create on social media, we are constantly narrating and archiving our lives, shaping their content for specific audiences. In doing so, we shape what our experiences mean and represent. In order to analyze the power of narrative nonfiction, we will look at a variety of multimodal texts: essays, podcasts, Instagram and Twitter feeds, stand-up comedy, and storytelling slams, as well historical texts such as the essays of Michel de Montaigne and historical artifacts at the National Archives in Boston. We will also write our own narrative nonfiction, and adapt our first-person stories for listening and viewing audiences, such as the MassMouth story slam and podcasts like This American Life. Additionally, we will practice narrative nonfiction for professional audiences, using storytelling as a way to showcase personal strengths to employers, internship coordinators, and the like.

4.00

Explores the eleven countries and 600 million people of Southeast Asia starting with foundations- geography and environment- and then looking at the human imprint, in the form of the history, religions, and cultures of the region. An examination of contemporary issues related to demography, politics, and (especially) economics.

4.00

This course explores the evolution of dogs from wolves and the ways in which dogs have adapted to their niche in human society. The ecology, behavior, genetics, and adaptations of dogs will be explored in relation to both their wolf ancestry and artificial selection by humans. The course includes 2 mandatory field trips to a wolf sanctuary and an animal shelter.

4.00

This course reviews the principal features of global and national security as it is currently practiced by tracing the evolution of theories, policies and circumstances whereby current international security is developed. Students will evaluate the nature and origins of war, arms proliferation, military instability, terrorism, genocide, health threats and natural resources depletion.

4.00

Explores themes of adventure, self-discovery, exile, and culture shock in classic and contemporary travel writing (including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction) as well as film. Students will experiment with creative writing of their own, develop theories of cosmopolitan world citizenship, travel through the city of Boston on field trips, and team up to learn about different countries in Suffolk's global network of study abroad programs.

4.00

This course is design to provide students with an overview of the social settings and cultural meanings of religion in the contemporary world. Topics that will be covered in reading and discussions include the rise of religious fundamentalism, religion and violence, women's and men's religious experiences, new religions, and portrayals of religion in popular films. In addition to the readings, students will observe and experience religious expressions and activities through fieldwork assignments. The emphasis on films and fieldwork reflects my belief that religion is made up of "lived experiences" of actual individuals and communities. In order to understand religion in contemporary society we will make every effort to see (in person or in film) a wide range of religious activities. The films we will see include some of the following: Leap of Faith, Devil's Playground, Kadosh, Women of Hezbollah, Singing Stream, A Still Small Voice.

4.00

This course explores relationships between reproductive health and rights both nationally and internationally. Many of our topics fit into two broad areas: conflicts over the control of childbearing (sterilization abuse, birth control, and abortion) and conflicts over who deserves to be a mother,especially when the mothers in question face social stigma and lack political power. Other topics include safe birth and maternal mortality, breastfeeding, infertility and reproductive technology. We also examine the politics of women's sexual and reproductive autonomy, including the policies that shape women's choices to prevent, achieve, abort, or carry to term a pregnancy. Throughout, we are guided by the following questions: Why is reproduction an important site through which to understand society? How do statuses such as race, class, gender, sexuality and ability influence people's reproductive possibilities? What is the role of the state in shaping these experiences? How have communities supported or resisted efforts at reproductive control? Why is reproductive justice central to these answers?

4.00

A systematic exploration of thinking of and about America, from the founding of the republic to American issues and traditions of thought that reflect upon the founding principles and the unfolding American experiment. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will be studied with an eye to their philosophical content and sources. The course will also examine works of philosophers and other thinkers who address conflicts over the meaning of founding principles in the course of the nation's history, from the struggle over slavery to America's contemporary role in the world. Because this course intends to apply theoretical understanding to real life, students will be expected to read contemporary journalism on a regular basis and assess the controversies of today in the light of the nation's philosophical and historical currents.

4.00

This seminar provides an introduction to Visual Studies, a relatively new interdisciplinary field that examines how images communicate and the roles that they play in society. Students will apply the concepts and techniques of Visual Studies to analyze sites and signs around Boston, such as advertisements, street signs, fashions, newspaper photographs, buildings, and public spaces. Class projects will increase students' awareness of their visual environment and their ability to critically analyze the visual rhetoric that surrounds us and is often used to manipulate us.

4.00

This course examines sixteen case examples providing a clear and compelling introduction to one of the most important topics in the relation between public policy and law. This course addresses: the history of the insanity defense; the effects of different standards for determining insanity; the arguments for its retention; abolition, and revision; media and other responses to it; and the controversies around pre and post conviction commitment. The case examples illustrates a variety of outcomes and include individuals who were found not guilty by reason of insanity; found guilty even though mentally ill; and not charged because of mental illness.

4.00

Conversation about the weather is considered to be the universal icebreaker. Yesterday's sweltering heat, the storm predicted for this weekend, even long-term climate shifts find their way in our daily conversation. Today, however, such casual conversations have an edge to them, because we are realizing that humans play a role in determining the climate shift. In fact, understanding the human fingerprint in the Arctic tundra melting, or a devastating hurricane, has gone well-beyond small talk to become one of the most important challenges our society faces today, and on that is wedded to geopolitics. To meaningfully participate in any dialogue that addresses this challenge people have to be aware of certain key ideas of Physics and Planetary Science. The aim of this course is to provide you with some of the essential facts and pieces of science underlying such questions. This course will enable you to grasp many of the issues that dominate today's political discourse and to develop an informed opinion (your, not our!) for which you can rationally argue.

4.00

"The Walking Dead" tells viewers that life in the zombie apocalypse requires people to "fight the dead, fear the living." Sociologists want to know why we should fear the living. How do individuals come together and try to recreate society for themselves: either to build community or fight other groups? What role do morals and values have in a society? How does all of this determine life, death, and the struggles people must face? Questions like these will give our class a new view of "The Walking Dead" and can help us to learn more about the society that we live in where so far the dead have remained in the ground.

4.00

This writing and script analysis intensive course will explore plays across a range periods and styles. The scripts of five plays will be studied and we will attend performances of two of those works at professional theatres in Boston. Other activities will range from a backstage tour to conversations with theatre professionals such as producers, directors, actors, designers, playwrights and critics, in order to lift the script off the page and provide a living experience of theatre. Requires students to be available for evening (usually Wednesday) performances. A fee for tickets at student rates will be assessed.

4.00

It is hard to believe that only 60 years ago, our only close-up view of a planetary body was that of Earth. We are truly living in the Golden Age of Space Exploration, when a new mission every few years brings us spectacular images from either a neighbor in the solar system or galaxies at the edge of the universe. This course will describe the dozen space missions that changed our view of the universe, ranging from our solar system to the most distant galaxies.

4.00

Since the beginning of time and across cultures, people have been interested in the supernatural, the paranormal, and the otherworldly. Often, these phenomena have appeared in the form of witches, wizards, and spirits, whether good or bad, wicked or wonderful. Women who have not fulfilled traditional gender roles have historically been cast as witches or, to use Shakespeare's phrase, as "weird sisters", or, in Donald Trump's recent election parlance, as "nasty women." Men in turn appear as wizards, usually more positively than female witches. Men and women alike also can take the form of spirits or ghosts; even houses can be possessed. What lies beneath the great fascination with the supernatural and the paranormal, with the haunted, the possessed, and the spellbinding? What accounts for the different manifestations of spirits? This course takes students on a tour of witches, wizards, and otherworldly spirits throughout American literary history. Tropes of the witch and the wizard have appeared in literature from the time of Shakespeare (see Macbeth) to the contemporary best-selling Harry Potter series, and hits every century in between, such as in Anne Hutchinson's Puritan accounts form the 1600s, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe's in the 1800s, The Wizard of Oz in 1900, and John Updike's The Witches of Eastwick in the 20th century. The course offers readings across genre lines-poetry, fiction, non-fiction, young adult fantasy, and drama-and includes excerpts from film and television shows based upon wizards and witches (such as Bewitched, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Vampire Diaries). The course may include a field trip to Salem, MA, as well as possibly the opportunity to see Wicked at the Boston Opera House (if it is renewed through the fall season, 2017).

4.00

While newspaper headlines focus on the multiple problems Europe is facing today, the evolving adaptation of European nation states and the integration process receive less attention. Brexit and economic crises seem to be synonymous of Europe today, but facts such as the European Union accepting five new members in the coming five years or Europe being the most advance environmental actor or the main international provider of official aid are often ignored by public opinion. This Seminar for Freshman examines the dynamic evolution of the integration process in Europe in the context of globalization. Three sections articulate the main debates and tensions in the interplay between national and supranational institutions and policies. The first part analyzes how eight European countries have forged their national preferences to delineate their level of immersion in the integration process; it later proceeds with the examination of the main historical events in the history of the integration process. The second part explores the functioning of the EU institutions in order to grasp the essence of the complex policy-making in the Europe of 28 members. The third and final section presents the analysis of the main areas of the EU policy making such as agriculture, monetary and economic issues, among others, and observes the main developments in the area of EU external relations.

4.00

This semester we will explore Boston's history. We will read books, visit historical sites, and you will learn how to do historical research on your own. This course meets the requirement of Humanities and History.

4.00

This course focuses on French-language films - with subtitles! - that address pressing social issues of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as hunger, female genital mutilation, immigration, racism, economic inequality, genocide, gender, sexuality, colonialism and post-colonialism.

4.00

Readers lining up at midnight for the newest Harry Potter book, hundreds of thousands of viewers crashing HBO's website in their eagerness to watch Game of Thrones: examples of fantasy's recent popularity are everywhere. This course explores the genre of contemporary fantasy through a historical and critical lens, from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien to the 2015 Nebula Award Winner, Uprooted. We will begin by reading selections from medieval literary texts, including Arthurian legend and Anglo-Saxon epic, to understand the roots of the fantasy genre and consider how these early works have inspired and informed the world-building efforts of later authors. We will also explore fantasy's newest manifestations across different kinds of media, from big-budget film adaptations to internet fan fictions. Critical questions will include: How do works of fantasy deal with the ethical questions surrounding the categories of "good" and "evil", "monstrosity" and "otherness" How do common fantasy plots such as coming-of-age or quest narratives work to aid in fictional character development and build suspense? How are contemporary anxieties about issues such as gender, race and class explored through the genre of fantasy?

4.00

This course will focus on the concept of authenticity in American culture, from its origins in the early 19th century to the present. When the advertising gurus of Coca-Cola branded it as "The Real Thing," they were exploiting something powerful: the idea of something real, stripped of any falsity or illusion. Humans have always desired to know the world and others "as they really are," but this desire is particularly strong in the modern world: witness the eagerness to discover one's "true self," cut through the B.S., obtain the genuine article, and "live authentically." In this course we will interrogate this pursuit of the Real Thing. In various ways, the texts we study both embrace authenticity as an ideal and also question its goodness, usefulness, or even its very possibility. We will thus confront a number of interrelated questions: Where does this desire for authenticity come from? What counts as "authenticity," in life and in art? Is authenticity really a virtue to live by? How does it shape artistic and literary expression? Is there even such a thing as "the real you" This course will be divided into three units. In the first unit, "Counterfeiters and Self-Made Men," we will study how a commitment to authenticity arises in antebellum American literature and culture during a time of rapid national expansion and invention. Readings will include texts by Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Herman Melville, and P.T. Barnum. In the second unit, "Authenticity and Contamination,"we will consider two major ways in which authenticity becomes idealized around the turn of the 20th century: as artistic ideal set against fears of mass cultural production, and as a cultural ideal set against fears of racial and cultural mixing. Readings will include texts by Ernest Hemingway, Nella Larsen, Jean Toomer, and William Carlos Williams. In Unit Three, "Buying and Selling Authenticity," we will examine how authenticity becomes commodified (associated with products and "lifestyles") in post-WWII American culture. Texts will include works by Andy Warhol, David Foster Wallace, George Saunders, Banksy, and the TV series Mad Men. Final projects will ask students to consider authenticity today: how is the pursuit of the Real Thing affected by technologies of reproduction, by commodification, and by the increasingly virtual world of the 21st century?

4.00

Most of the world's religious traditions have as a part of their doctrines some notion of immortality, rendered both in scriptures as well as iconographically. What precisely is entailed by immortality and why does it constitute such a significant element of so many religious traditions? What can we learn about immortality by investigating various conceptions of the afterlife? Is immortality truly a desirable thing? These questions among others will be examined from the perspectives of philosophy, religion, psychology, anthropology, and biology. Besides being cross-disciplinary, the course will be multi-media in nature. In addition to reading philosophical and religious texts concerning the nature of immortality, students will study various accounts of immortality and the afterlife, examine how the afterlife has been dealt with in (visual) art, literature, and film, and investigate current research into life prolongation (biomedical gerontology).

4.00

The thematic focus of this seminar will be friendship. Friendship is one of the most important of human relationships; one that every student in this seminar has already participated in for many years. It shapes who we are and helps determine who we may become. And while it is a universal phenomenon, it has been practiced quite differently at various times and places in human history. And while we all have an intimate, personal and practical knowledge of friendship through our own experiences, sometimes things that are so close and so obvious to us can be hard to see. Over the course of the semester we will inquire into friendship from many different angles, trying to gain both a broader and a deeper understanding than our own individual experience allows. We will look at friendship first through the lens of philosophy, particularly through the foundational text of Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics. We will look at other views of friendship from the ancient world, starting in the past to help us see that friendship has not always been thought of the way we think of it now. After this initial foundation is laid, we will examine other writers and thinkers and take up additional topics like friendship in different cultures, friendship and gender, friendship in and through the arts and include an examination of friendship through the lenses of many different academic disciplines to see how other systematic thinkers conceive of friendship. All along we will be comparing and contrasting with our own personal experiences and considering what modern technology, such as social networking sites, has done to influence friendship, in the way we practice it and the way we conceive it. It is the aim of this class that students not just study different academic points of view, but that that they take up the questions and challenges that these thinkers present to them and fully engage with them on a meaningful personal level.

4.00

Hyphenated-Americans of Latino origin come from many places and backgrounds. Often perceived as a divide, an either/or that separates and distinguishes one ethnic group from another, the hyphen can also be viewed as a link that connects, integrates and facilitates the formation of "new" cultural spaces. Through films and written narratives by and about U.S.A. Latino(a)(x)-Americans, students will examine how individuals who live on the threshold between two languages and cultures embrace the challenge of preserving their own identity and moving beyond stereotypes. Each of the Latino/a/x authors that we will read in this course will describe his/her own experiences living in the U.S.A. By examining their views through our own filtered lens we shall try to answer questions like the following: 1. What role does language have in our definition/understanding of cultural identity? 2. How do individuals move beyond the hyphen and stop seeing themselves as hybrids? 3. How can an individual who does not belong to a marginalized group (i.e. one considered less powerful and secondary) understand and empathize with those who do? 4. How does globalization affect the dichotomies that arise in bi-cultural and multi-cultural communities?

4.00

One hundred and sixty nine years have passed since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. It is only fitting to analyze the profound changes that the gain/loss of these territories caused for the citizens of both sides of the border. This course will explore the literature, culture, and history of the United States-Mexican Border and the most pressing problems pertaining to the region. Emphasis will be on contemporary border theater and film. The works of Salcedo, Galindo, Lopez and others will be studied as well as contemporary films and documentaries such as Alambrista, Senorita Extraviada, The Gatekeeper, Sin Nombre, Wetback: the Undocumented Documentary, Victoria para Chino, Which Way Home, and much more. There are no prerequisites for this course. Though the course in conducted in English, parallel readings in Spanish will be made available to those who wish to read and/or compare the original texts.

4.00

This course is an introduction to both ancient and modern Chinese civilization with a focus on its literature, arts, and 4000 year cultural history. We will see China at its earliest stages through its archaeology and progress to the heights of literary splendor in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Study of select early plays from the Mongol Yuan period will clearly tie into the development of Ming and Qing period fiction. With the fall of imperial China in 1911, the focus of literature changed drastically and we will study how many modern authors were able to draw from a massive wealth of literary resources to help create a new Chinese literature and culture. We will watch several films that will provide a rich visual portrait of the culture. We will read quite a few representative literary and historical works in English translation that will give a great deal of insight into modern China and how we can both relate to and interact with this complex and amazing country. This course is a good introduction to further study of Chinese history and culture and, in particular, provides a valuable context for students in all majors that wish to gain a deeper understanding of Asian culture.

4.00

What makes a fact a fact? What makes a fact true? At one time, these questions were only asked by epistemologists and postmodernists, but with the rise of fake news and the discourses surrounding it, these questions are relevant to everyone. Understanding facts is also essential to college students, who must learn to use reliable sources in order to create credible work. In this class, we will examine works of literature, art, science, and history that interrogate how facts are created and how we determine their truth value. Texts will include podcasts, novels and book-length studies of memory and theory of mind (the study of how we understand what others are thinking). We will also utilize the resources of Boston and Suffolk University; we will visit the WBUR NPR newsroom, a local museum, and learn about the legal definition of "truth" from a representative of the law school. By analyzing these texts, participating in these experiences, and completing a series of assignments that ask students to think critically and creatively, this class seeks to understand how we create facts, and why we need them.

4.00

The course will consider major changes in thought that revolutionized the cultures and societies in which they were embedded. Topics include the rise of monotheistic religions; the American Revolution; the recognition of slavery as a moral evil; the idea of women's equality; Freudianism; Darwinism; Marxism; as well as Einstein and the Theory of Relativity. We will enrich the readings and classroom conversations with visits to museums, churches, historic sites and other locations that reflect some aspect of the revolutionary changes that are our focus.

CAS Honors students only

4.00

Two of the most daunting challenges the world faces (or will face) is how to provide for both its growing energy needs and potable drinking water. Regular news events include climate change, droughts, flooding, and petroleum struggles. Human nature often requires a severe crisis before it responds. This course will investigate the historical science driving the use of energy since the Industrial Revolution to convert energy resources into work, including the steam engine, the electric motor, and the internal combustion engine. It will also consider alternative energy options to fossil fuels, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean power. Along the way we will consider the evidence for Global Warming and Climate Change. We will look into human nature, simple life styles, conspiracy theories, and the influence of those in power to shape human opinion. We will also consider how our water supply is provided and where it goes after being used. What options do developing countries or drought racked areas have to remedy their water needs? Although the course pursues a scientific understanding of these issues, the mathematics used will be gentle, and a larger emphasis will be placed on the intuitive appreciation of these concerns.

CAS Honors students only.

4.00

Rain or shine, the great 18th century Enlightenment philosophers would meet at the famous cafes of Paris to discuss their ideas, and to observe and criticize society. From these informal debates emerged ideas that are at the core of our modern understanding of the nature of society, marginality, human nature, civil rights, the essence of creativity and genius. Come join us in the quest to understand, define, observe, and analyze the key ideas and concepts of these great thinkers, such as Rousseau, Diderot, and Voltaire, still so relevant in our time. We will read key works of these creative thinkers and philosophers. We will enrich our experience and understanding through the use of film, theatre performances, museum visits, as well as the occasional cafe debate.

CAS Honors students only

4.00

This course is about the basketball hoop dream played out at the high school and college levels. We will study a wide variety of materials - novels, films, websites, reference works - to understand both the construction, and destruction, of the hoop dream in such diverse places as New York City, Seattle, rural Indiana, suburban Georgia, and the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Issues of race and culture will serve as guiding themes as we develop critical theory explaining why the hoop dream has persisted, and adapted, over time, to fit the needs of its believers and supporters.

CAS Honors students only

4.00

How is it that "comics", a genre often viewed as entertainment for children and adolescents, has become one of the most exciting forms of narrative and visual art? To answer this question, this seminar will examine a range of graphic novels, from those that celebrate their origins in superhero comics, such as Alan Moore's Watchmen, to those that treat subjects not usually considered proper to the comics genre, such as Art Spiegelman's Maus, about the Holocaust, and Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, about the complexities of sexual identity. As we read these works, we will look at how the combination of words and still images makes the graphic novel a unique storytelling form, as well as how artists and writers push the envelope to create new styles and challenge our expectations. In addition to class discussions and writing assignments, we will take a field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts and create a collaborative group graphic novel step-by-step over the course of the semester (all abilities welcome).

CAS Honors students only

4.00

In this project and team-based course, students study a sustainability problem at Suffolk University and spend the semester developing proposals to address the problem. At the end of the course students will present their proposals to Suffolk University's sustainability committee, and will exhibit their websites and visual aids in the Donahue lobby to educate the Suffolk community about sustainability. If their proposals are well-researched and well-communicated, students can see their ideas actualized while they are still undergraduates.

CAS honors students only.

4.00

What do we live for? Which beliefs, values, and experiences sustain meaningful, fulfilling existence? Are we authors of our destinies or powerless pawns in an unfathomable cosmic game? Does death render all our efforts superfluous? This award-winning course offers a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary exploration of these questions through philosophical and religious texts, art, fiction, autobiography, and psychological studies. The course opens with the Old Testament's book of Ecclesiastes, followed by three units: 1) A Life Worth Living: Humanity's Ideals focuses on the ancient and modern visions of human flourishing; 2) Threats to Meaning: Humanity's Discontents, discusses the disillusionments leading to the loss of meaning; and 3) Recovery of Meaning: Crises and Hopes, explores the post-crisis possibilities of self-discovery and growth. Please visit http://meaningoflife.cherkasova.org/

CAS Honors students only

4.00

This course explores the evolution of dogs from wolves and the ways in which dogs have adapted to their niche in human society. The ecology, behavior, genetics, and adaptations of dogs will be explored in relation to both their wolf ancestry and artificial selection by humans. The course includes 2 mandatory field trips to a wolf sanctuary and an animal shelter.

Restricted to CAS Honors students

4.00

Explores themes of adventure, self-discovery, exile, and culture shock in classic and contemporary travel writing (including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction) as well as film. Students will experiment with creative writing of their own, develop theories of cosmopolitan world citizenship, travel through the city of Boston on field trips, and team up to learn about different countries in Suffolk's global network of study abroad programs.

CAS Honors students only

4.00

This writing and script analysis intensive course will explore plays across a range periods and styles. The scripts of five plays will be studied and we will attend performances of two of those works at professional theatres in Boston. Other activities will range from a backstage tour to conversations with theatre professionals such as producers, directors, actors, designers, playwrights and critics, in order to lift the script off the page and provide a living experience of theatre. Requires students to be available for evening (usually Wednesday) performances. A fee for tickets at student rates will be assessed.

4.00

Study and practice of the writing process and revision in terms of expository writing modes for an academic audience.

WRI-101 or ENG-099 with at least a B and ENG-P099 with a P or WRI-H103

4.00

Study and practice of argumentative and research writing through further work with writing process and revision and the critical reading of a variety of texts.

4.00

This course affords students extended practice with persuasive and expository writing in the essay form through frequent writing assignments based on critical readings of class texts and discussions. Students will also compose a research paper and study the process of writing and revising for an academic audience. No standard pre-requisites; offered every semester. Students who are placed into WRI-100 must complete the course with a C in order to continue on to WRI-101.

4.00

This course affords students extended practice with persuasive and expository writing in the essay form through frequent writing assignments based on critical readings of class texts and discussions. Students will also compose a research paper and study the process of writing and revising for an academic audience. No standard pre-requisites; offered every semester. WRI-100+ sections require students to meet with their instructors once per week for a thirty-minute, one-to-one tutorial session, to be scheduled by the instructor with each individual student.

By Invitation Only.

4.00

This course is by invitation only and reserved for incoming Suffolk students with high admission scores. Advanced study and practice of writing process, revision, and research, based on close readings of a variety of texts. Fall semester only.

Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

3.00

This cross-disciplinary course will integrate the ideas and practices of two-dimensional design, color and drawing emphasis will be placed on understanding the creative process, exploring concepts and developing research skills. Students will undertake individual and collaborative projects in three spaces; the studio classroom, the digital world and the city at large.

ADF S101; Non-majors interesting in taking art and design courses for elective credit should refer to offerings under the ART course listings.

3.00

This course builds on the Integrated Studio 1 experience: synthesizing fundamental visual ideas. IS 2 investigates the construction, documentation, and transformation of volumetric form, environmental space, and time. Projects will explore narrative strategies and the creation of immersive experiences. Students will develop critical and analytical skills while employing a range of traditional and digital media as they explore the creative boundaries of the classroom studio, the city of Boston, and virtual space.

MATH level 2, or Mathshop, or MATH-104

4.00

From the ISBN on a book, to buying a car, from the size of small chips in a cell phone, to the size of the national debt, or just reading a graph in the daily newspaper, mathematics plays an important and vital role in countless areas of life and your future career and courses included. Mathematics is both an art and a tool created by humans. The common bond is a way of thinking and a way of reasoning to describe and solve problems of many types. This course uses the context of modern real life problems to introduce math needed for literacy and problem solving in contemporary life and work. It uses a minimal amount of algebra and focuses on math models, concepts and basic math manipulations. It encourages students to move from anxiety about math, to using formulas well, to thinking critically in the math context to use math to solve problems and pose new problems. Topics include scientific notation, basic financial math, linear, exponential and polynomial models and an introduction to probability. (Formerly Math 132)

MATH-104, or MATH-121, or MATH level 3

4.00

Linear Modeling (for example, using linear functions to model supply/demand situations), graphing, linear programming, financial functions (compound interest, annuities, and amortization of loans) sets, Venn diagrams, counting and combinatorics, discrete probability, conditional probability, Bernoulli experiments, Bayes theorem. Several sections offered each semester. *This course cannot be applied toward a departmental concentration in Mathematics by Sawyer Business School students.

MATH-104, MATH-121 or MATH level 4

4.00

A one-semester introduction to differential and integral calculus. Theory is presented informally and topics and techniques are limited to polynomials, rational functions, logarithmic and exponential functions. Topics include a review of precalculus, limits and continuity, derivatives, differentiation rules, applications of derivatives to graphing, minima/maxima, applications of the derivative, marginal analysis, differential equations of growth and decay, anti-derivatives, the definite integral, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, and area measurements. This course cannot be used to satisfy core or complementary requirements by students majoring in chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics. Several sections offered each semester.

Permission of Instructor

4.00

This course provides an alternative to MATH 165 (Calculus I) for those students who have taken MATH 134 (Calculus for Management and Social Sciences) but who do not have the trigonometric precalculus prerequisite (such as MATH 121) for MATH 165. In other words, the sequence MATH 134 / MATH 164 serves as an alternative to the sequence MATH 121 / MATH 165, and similarly prepares students to take MATH 166 (Calculus II). The course includes a thorough review of trigonometry and other precalculus topics. Aspects of limits and differentiation which students have already seen in MATH 134 are presented briefly, but in most cases with more emphasis on conceptual understanding, and often illustrated using more complicated examples. New calculus topics (i.e. not covered in MATH 134) include one-sided limits, special trigonometric limits, differentiability, derivatives of trigonometric functions and their inverses, derivatives of general inverse functions, logarithmic and implicit differentiation, related rates, L'Hopital's rule, intermediate values theorem, Rolle's theorem, mean values theorem, Newton's method, and linearization. 4 lecture hours plus 1 recitation session each week. Normally offered in fall.

MATH-121 with a minimum grade of C, MATH-075, or MATH level 5

4.00

Functions, limits and continuity, squeeze theorem, limits at infinity; instantaneous rate of change, tangent slopes, and the definition of the derivative of a function; power, product, and quotient rules, trig derivatives, chain rule, implicit differentiation; higher order derivatives; derivatives of other transcendental functions (inverse trig functions, exponential and log functions, hyperbolic trig functions); applications of the derivative (implicit differentiation, related rates, optimization, differentials, curve sketching, L'Hopital's rule); anti-derivatives; indefinite integrals; Fundamental Theorem; applications (net change). 4 lecture hours plus 1 recitation session each week. Normally offered each semester.

MATH-164 or MATH-165 with a minimum grade of C

4.00

Riemann sums and definite integrals; Fundamental Theorem; applications (areas); integration of exponential functions, trig functions, and inverse trig functions; techniques of integration (substitution, by parts, trig integrals, trig substitution, partial fractions); area, volume, and average value applications; differential equations (separable, exponential growth, linear); improper integrals; infinite sequences and series; convergence tests; power series; Taylor and Maclaurin series (computation, convergence, error estimates, differentiation and integration of Taylor series). 4 lecture hours plus 1 recitation session each week. Normally offered each semester.

4.00

Examines the portrayal of homosexuality in political, social, and cultural discourse. Analyzes the role of media and symbolic construction in the shaping of public values, opinions, and social movements.

4.00

Examines the persuasive strategies of social reform movements with special emphasis on the civil rights', women's rights, and gay rights movements in the United States.

4.00

Surveys painting, sculpture, and architecture in Asia from prehistoric times to the modern era, including the Middle East, India, China, Korea, and Japan. Emphasizes the connection between visual arts, belief systems, and historical contexts with a focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam as well as secular literature.

4.00

Explores issues of sexuality, gender, race, and social class in the ancient and medieval worlds. Examines key artworks from ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and medieval Europe within historical, social and cultural contexts.

4.00

Surveys women artists from the sixteenth century to the present and examines new direction in art-historical scholarship developed by feminist art historians during recent decades.

4.00

An interdisciplinary introduction to Asian Studies will touch upon the history, politics, economics, philosophy, geography, arts, and cultures of Asia. Sample topics include political economy, religious and cultural exchanges, international relations, Asian experience in America, and the role of Asia in the twenty-first century. Students will develop conceptual frameworks for exploring the subjects covered by the Asian Studies curriculum.

4.00

Engages in an internship in a business or non-profit organization that deals with Asia or an Asian American community. Students may complete the internship either in Asia or in the U.S. Students will complete appropriate exercises and reports to document their learning. (1 course, 4-12 credits; can be taken multiple times in different semesters)

BLE-215, PHIL-119, PHIL-120, PHIL-123 or PHIL-127

3.00

Surveys business ethics as they transcend the diverse perspectives of global business. Explores current global ethics standards and values, ethical challenges, controversies, convergence and trends. Students explore famous global business cases through films, websites and independent research. Emphasizes identification and resolution of global business ethical issues within the context of ethical decision-making and sustainability. Analyzes corporate social responsibility ; hence, transforming global business ethics through business.

At least 24 credits earned.

3.00

Prague offers students a more recent view into history and will serve as a backdrop to learning "Design Thinking." The curriculum will use Czech and Central European cultural features as the inspiration for learning the creative process, skills that can be applied broadly and globally across disciplines. WWII and its fall to Communism left the Czech Republic undamaged. Artists played a vital part in the country's rise to a Republic during the Velvet Revolution. These dissidents, including writers, actors, artists and musicians were innovators who were the catalyst for change. One could say that creative minds changed this country. This course is designed to demystify the creative process by introducing the creative practice as a disciplined approach to problem solving and innovation requiring research. This one-month study abroad experience will offer a more worldly insight to the significance of developing skills where divergent thinking and risk taking are one of many key tools in learning to generate new ideas. Travel fee covers accommodations, transfers, some meals and cultural visits. Airfare and tuition not included.

4.00

An examination of communication variations and cultural viewpoints and their impact on cross-cultural communication. A special emphasis is placed on rituals and message patterns in non-Western cultures.

4.00

An introductory course in film studies with a focus on foreign films. Movies studied include masterpieces of cinema from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and other nations (Films have subtitles).

4.00

Students critically analyze Asian popular culture since the 1980s using a cultural ethnographic approach. Students apply the lenses of gender, identity, globalization, and business strategies to examine pop phenomena such as Korean Wave, Cool Japan, and Cantonese popular music.

4.00

By examining the film texts of Hong Kong auteurs such as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, Tsui Hark, Andrew Lau, and Alan Mak, the course examines issues such as film genres, colonization/decolonization, transnational political economy, the Greater Chinese media market, and the diaspora.

4.00

The course focus is on some of the divisions and conflicts within Israeli society. Students analyze and compare mainstream media discourse to alternative representations in documentary film. Analysis also covers media representation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

4.00

A critique of the circulation of media goods and ideologies from both a cultural and political/economic perspective. Topics include global Hollywood, the images of Muslim women in transnational media, the information society, and global social movements.

4.00

Why do so many countries remain so poor? Why have some (e.g. the Asian "tigers") grown so rapidly? Why have most of the countries of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union been slow to ignite economic growth? These questions are addressed by looking at domestic factors (government policies, resource endowments) as well as the international environment (mobile investors, international financial institutions). Asks what economic choices these countries face now. Normally offered yearly. Cultural Diversity B

4.00

The study of how economic and human activity is distributed across space, the reasons for these spatial distributions, and the processes that change the spatial organization of economic activity over time. Topics include: maps, map projections, and geographic information systems; population geography; the organization and location of cities, towns and villages; transportation and communication policy; industrial location; the geography of world trade; and geographic features of economic development. The course takes a global perspective, and draws on cases and examples from all over the world. Cultural Diversity B

4.00

The relationship between cultural diversity and schooling is explored by examining impediments to academic achievement and advancement by minority students, non-native English speaking students, and other under-represented groups. Topics include: standardized testing, identification of inequities, legal and ethical responsibilities of teachers, and promoting equity. Ten pre-practicum observation hours required for teacher candidates.

4.00

This course examines the specific needs and challenges of the various language and cultural groups in schools. Topics include: theories of 1st and 2nd language acquisition, strategies for teaching academic content, modifying instruction in the mainstream classroom, creating classroom cultures that invite all students into learning, the role of advocacy and professional collaboration in ESL, and analysis of policies related to assessment and placement of English Language Learners.

4.00

Literary masterpieces from ancient times to the Renaissance, including: Homer's Odyssey, Sophocles' Oedipus, Virgil's Aeneid, selections from the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels, and Dante's Divine Comedy. List may vary at the discretion of the instructor.

4.00

This course will introduce students to a selection of Great Books from around the world from the 17th century to the 21st, such as Don Quixote (Spain), Madame Bovary (France), The Communist Manifesto (Germany), The Origin of Species (England), War and Peace (Russia), On Dreams (Austria), Night (Hungary), Things Fall Apart (Nigeria), "Satyagraha" (India), "I Am Prepared to Die" (South Africa), Saeed the Pessoptomist (Israel), The Rouge of the North (China), and The House of Spirits (Chile). Readings may vary at the discretion of the instructor.

4.00

A study of literature written in English from cultures around the world, with emphasis on major modern and contemporary writers from countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa and the Caribbean. Regularly assigned essays on reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

WRI-102 or WRI-103

4.00

A study of literature written in English from cultures around the world, with emphasis on major modern and contemporary writers from countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa and the Caribbean. Regularly assigned essays on reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct and persuasive writing. Offered every semester. Cultural Diversity B

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

An introduction to selected Asian-American writers with an emphasis on socio-cultural issues, such as race, gender and ethnicity. Authors include Bulosan, Hwang, Jen, Kingston, Lee, Mukherjee, Odada, and Tan.

FR 202 or Instructor's consent

4.00

Explores the francophone world through the study of short stories, print media, and film, by engaging with the rich textured and diverse francophone literary canon. Teaches advance notions of French grammar, write compositions, and the art of conversation related to cultural themes.

4.00

Masterpieces of French and Francophone Literature in English Translation. Studies works translated into English by major authors from the Middle Ages to the present. Explores drama, fiction, and poetry from many regions of the world: Africa, Western Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Vietnam.

4.00

Introduces the main actors, ideas, institutions, and processes that shape the international system. Analyzes key international developments, including imperialism, nationalism, the causes of wars and peace, and globalization. Integrates international relations concepts with history to explain the unprecedented levels of prosperity and violence in Europe, particularly in light of its dominant role in recent centuries. Emphasizes contemporary developments taking place in other regions such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Helps students understand the global arena as a space of complex interconnections and sets the foundations for other courses in international relations and regional studies. Normally offered every semester. This course sets the foundations for other courses in International Relations and Regional Studies

4.00

This course explores the relationship between politics & religion in the United States. How and why does religion influence politics in the U.S? What does freedom of religion mean in the U.S.? Why do some groups today erroneously claim that the U.S. was founded as a "Christian nation"? This course also examines what major world religions say about the status and responsibilities of the state and the roles that minority religious groups (Buddhism, Islam, etc.) play in U.S. politics.

GVT 110, GVT 115, and GVT 120 or consent of instructor; Sophomore status or higher

4.00

Introduces various approaches of comparative politics, such as institutionalism, structuralism, political culture, corporatism, state-society relationship, political economy, etc. Applies the different approaches to explain how various factors affect government institutions, sociopolitical and economic development in different societies. An effort is made to include countries from all regions of the world. Normally offered every semester.

4.00

This class examines the way in which national identity, global and regional economics and international development intersect. It uses the professionalization of the sport of hockey and its subsequent spread around the globe as its case. It will look at the rise of the pro game, the way in which it shapes national identity in the Canadian case, the way in which the pro business model has changed in response to broad socio-economic changes in North America and geo-political shifts around the globe, especially in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.

Junior status

4.00

How do we explain the appearance or absence of social movements? What social or individual factors explain their development and decline? Who joins social movements? Who does not? Why? What ideas or ideals animate those who do participate? What is it like to be part of a social movement? What effect do they or have they had on politics, power and efforts at social change? These are some of the questions that have traditionally shaped debates over social movements, both domestically and internationally. They will form the analytical core of the work in this course. By critically evaluating several competing schools of thought in social movement theory and history we will attempt to highlight the social forces that have, at varying points in times, facilitated, maintained, as well as blocked the development of social movements in the US and beyond.

4.00

An interdisciplinary introduction to Asian Studies will touch upon the history, politics, economics, philosophy, geography, arts, and cultures of Asia. Sample topics include political economy, religious and cultural exchanges, international relations, the Asian experience in America, and the role of Asia in the twenty-first century. Students will develop conceptual frameworks for exploring the subjects covered by the Asian Studies curriculum.

4.00

Presenting the major trends relevant to social, cultural, and economic transformations that can be seen in Asia today. Especially, students will explore the following trends: the Diaspora of the Chinese and Indian People; the hold of Traditional Religious Beliefs in a Modernizing Asia such as the influences of Buddhism and Islam; the preservation of Martial Values and in Militarism in Asia; Issues related to Gender and Sexuality; Pop Culture among young people in Asia.

4.00

Explores the broad historical forces, conflicts and major events that have shaped the contemporary nations of the modern Middle East. Topic include: the emergence of the modern Middle East from the empires of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; the age of colonialism; the rise of nationalism; socialism, capitalism; the impact of Israeli and Palestinian conflict on the region; oil, the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the rise of Islamic fundamentalist movements; U.S. policy; and Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

4.00

Outlines the history of Chinese martial arts in five movies, highlighting Chinese views of violence, personal loyalty, government, and justice.

4.00

China, Japan, and Korea - East Asia's critical players - share many historical influences, but each has a distinct culture, and they competed with each other for much of the twentieth century, proud of their achievements but feeling threatened by their neighbors. Lectures interspersed with movies and documentaries to show how East Asia has developed in the past one-hundred-plus years.

4.00

Discusses the rise of China as the world's largest economy and its impact on our life through films, media, and history.

4.00

Compares and analyzes the history of race and politics in South Africa and the United States from the 17th century to the present. Examines how race as a social and ideological construct influenced and informed political conflicts over land, labor, and social relations in the two countries including slavery, segregation, apartheid, and the struggle to create racial democracies.

4.00

Explores the history of the Mediterranean from the ancient times to the 20th century, with emphasis on the extraordinary interaction between the rich cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds of the peoples of Europe, Middle East, and North Africa.

4.00

Explores the condition of European women from 1800 to 1914. Readings focus primarily on women's experiences in France and Great Britain. Topics include: the effects of industrialization on the lives of working-class women; working and middle-class women's negotiation of marriage, work, and family life; the rise of feminism, women's greater participation in the public sphere, and conservative reaction to these changes in women's place in society; women and crime; Victorian ideas about female sexuality; the politics of class and gender in nineteenth-century European society.

4.00

Examines the changing place of women in European society since 1900. Topics include: women's suffrage and the political advances of the 1920s and 1930s; the revolution in sexual mores, birth control, and the rise of companionate marriage; women and the consumer economy; the anti-woman policies of Fascist Italy and Germany under National Socialism; liberation of women and retrenchment in the Soviet Union; World War II; feminism, sexual liberation, and women's political engagement since the 1960s; and, throughout the twentieth century, women's continuing negotiation of work and family responsibilities.

4.00

Presents a coherent account of the origin and history of Islam since its foundation in Arabia in the seventh century A.D. to the present. Analyzes the terms, events, characteristics, developments, movements, and institutions that have been part of the shaping of Islam. Ideological challenges and impact of Islam in the world today from both spiritual and political perspectives are examined.

4.00

Traces the roles, images and experiences of women in America from colonial times to 1865. Topics include the family, work, religion, education, health care, motherhood, sexuality, social and political activism legal status, labor activism and popular culture. With attention to ethnicity, race, class, age, region of residence, disability and sexual orientation, the course focuses primarily on the everyday lives of ordinary women.

4.00

Explores ideas about emotional life from the fields of history, anthropology, sociology, and psychology as well as the evolution of emotion rules and prescriptions, focusing on western Europe and the United States since 1700. In the eighteenth century, emotions were seen as a positive influence on politics and public life, especially during the French Revolution. After the fall of Robespierre, the emotions were banished to the private sphere - so we will read both primary sources and recent scholarship on 19th- and 20th- century ideas about masculinity and femininity, romantic love and marriage, childrearing, and about what parents and children are supposed feel toward each other, how ideas about these subjects have changed over time, and whether our feelings change with them.

4.00

Covers topics in folk, traditional, and modern music of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe in the context of the cultures and lives of the indigenous peoples of those regions; examines how music interacts with the issues of race, gender, class, religion, politics, and social movements. Normally offered every other year.

3.00

This course will examine social change in the U.S. and abroad. The course will also examine the role of business, nonprofits, and the public sector in addressing social problems. Topics studied may include the Industrial Revolution, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, environmentalism, and the gay and lesbian movement.

3.00

This course will examine social change in the U.S. and abroad. The course will also examine the role of business, nonprofits, and the public sector in addressing social problems. Topics studied may include the Industrial Revolution, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, environmentalism, and the gay and lesbian movement.

4.00

In this class you will be introduced to the perspectives and methods of politics, philosophy, and economics and see how these three disciplines present distinct but interconnected dimensions of current social and political issues.

4.00

This course is an introduction to the philosophy of feminist thought. Feminist theories of epistemology, metaphysics and morality will be examined as critiques of traditional philosophy,. Feminist perspectives and methodologies include radical, liberal, postmodern, as well as more recent trends in ecofeminism. Special emphasis will be placed on explicit and implicit practices of alienation and exclusion as they have unfolded in the "gendering" of thought, truth, and reality. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every third year. C b

PHIL 119, or PHIL 123, or PHIL 127

4.00

Examines the political, social, and ecological problems facing us as a global community. Having its roots in feminist theory and deep-ecology, eco-feminism provides a critical framework for ecological responsibility and accountability. Writings from eco-feminist thinkers and environmental activists around the world will be used to highlight the philosophical and political conflicts and challenges, including globalization and loss of biodiversity, global warming, international human rights, the relationship of gender and nature, and modes of redress for eco-justice and sustainable development.

4.00

The exposition and critical evaluation of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Islam. Special attention is given to foundation principles as well as to the similarities and differences of each of these philosophies to basic ideas in Western philosophy. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered alternate years. C b

4.00

An historical survey of Buddhist philosophy. We will explore Buddhist origins, central teachings, devotional and meditational practices, ritual and institutions as developed from classical to modern times. Special attention given to the philosophical diversity of the Buddhist world view. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered alternate years. C b

4.00

An exploration into the various dimensions and ideologies concerning the role of the feminine in relation to the Divine. Belief systems, myths and archetypes from ancient Goddess worship to 20th century feminist theology will be examined in terms of the philosophical content and psychological consequences. Special emphasis will be placed on feminist metaphysical structures for understanding consciousness and Reality. Classes will be conducted by means of lectures, primary and secondary texts and class discussions. Normally offered alternate years. Cultural Diversity A

4.00

A survey of the main developments in Chinese Philosophy. The course begins with the early dynastic concept of humanism and then turns to Confucius and Mencius. Having developed the central Confucian doctrines, students next examine the Taoist response to Confucianism in the writings of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. The course then considers Zen Buddhism, which is called Ch'an Buddhism in China, where it originated. In particular, students study the concept of sudden enlightenment before turning to the Neo-Confucian scholars.

Take PSYCH-114;

4.00

Explores the application of psychological theories and principles to organizations and the workplace with attention to the role of culture and context. Topics includes job analysis, recruitment, selection, evaluation, training, retention, and termination. Employee morale, well-being, stress, and hardiness are considered.

4.00

Examines theoretical and empirical approaches that provide insight into Asian viewpoints on socialization practices, family systems, health/well-being, cultural traditions/values, and spiritual philosophy/literature. Explores the diversity among Asian cultures in terms of language, history, religion/spiritual faith, and healthcare practices, all of which play a significant role in shaping the psychological characteristics, interpersonal relationships, and work dynamics of Asians and Asian immigrants.

4.00

This course will explore the comparative history and structure of Western religious traditions, broadly understood, and their impact on other world religions, while attempting to recognize the similarities and the differences among them. Traditions to be studied include Greek and Roman religion, the monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as Zoroastrianism, Sikhism and Bahaism). We will also explore the impact of the Western religions on indigenous traditions, such as African religion, Native American religion, and Pacific Island religion. Attention will be given to the reading of original texts when available. Requiring students to observe religious ceremonies will enhance practical understanding of many of the above traditions. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.

4.00

This course will examine a variety of Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism. Possible connections to be explored will be the impact of these traditions on others, such as Pacific Islands and African religion, as well as the growing place of Eastern religion in the West. This course will explore the history and structure of each tradition, while attempting to recognize the similarities and the differences among them. Attention will be given to the reading of original texts when available. Requiring students to observe religious ceremonies will enhance practical understanding of many of the above traditions. Normally offered every year. Cultural Diversity B

Please email Hillary Sabbagh at [email protected] to register for a travel seminar.

3.00

An in-depth analysis of timely special issues in international business. Specific topics are announced when the course is scheduled.

4.00

This course is about the basketball hoop dream played out at the high school and college levels. We will study a wide variety of materials - novels, films, websites, reference works - to understand both the construction, and destruction, of the hoop dream in such diverse places as New York City, Seattle, rural Indiana, suburban Georgia, and the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Issues of race and culture will serve as guiding themes as we develop critical theory explaining why the hoop dream has persisted, and adapted, over time, to fit the needs of its believers and supporters.

4.00

With a focus on some selected ethnic groups from Asia, "Asia in America" studies the history and current status of Asian Americans in Boston and other parts of the country. We will examine the major reasons why these immigrants chose to leave their home country as well as their expectations and experiences here in America. We will also discuss the issues Asian immigrants have faced in this adopted "home" as well as the connections and conflicts among different ethnic groups or even within the same ethnic group due to political and socio-economic reasons. The course will include some level of community engagement, through Chinatown tour and service, which may enable us to have a direct contact with the Asian American population and reflect on what is being discussed in class. Through this course, we hope to gain a better understanding of the racial and cultural history of the country and arrive at a deep appreciation of the dynamics of cultural interactions in the twenty-first century. The course fulfills the SCGP requirement.

4.00

Explores the eleven countries and 600 million people of Southeast Asia starting with foundations- geography and environment- and then looking at the human imprint, in the form of the history, religions, and cultures of the region. An examination of contemporary issues related to demography, politics, and (especially) economics.

4.00

What happens if you commit a crime on an Indian reservation? Who will prosecute you and how will they punish you? This course will explore the roots of tribal legal systems and criminal law, both the Native and American influences. You will gain an understanding of tribal government, legal systems, criminal law, and the role of tradition in contemporary tribal law. The course will also examine the conflict between Native and Non-Native perspectives on several cases: sovereignty, rights to cultural practices, women, freedom of religion, and land.

4.00

Despite the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, race remains one of the most divisive forces in U.S. society. While many of us struggle against racism, racial classification continues to affect where we live, where we work, and how we see ourselves. Racial classification affects our access to health care and our encounters with police officers. Distorted images of racial groups fill television and movie screens. Appeals to racism and fear of foreigners are dominant themes in elections to state and national offices. This course examines the formation and re-formation of racial classifications: how particular groups become racially identified, how these classifications change over time, and how conflicts over race have shaped American society. The meanings of race, as seen from a variety of perspectives, will be a consistent theme throughout the course.

4.00

Enables students to examine, as well as develop an awareness and appreciation of, diversity within today's society. Providing an overview of the major racial, ethnic, and cultural groups in the U.S., the focus is on the ways in which cultural awareness enhances professional helping relationships and improves the operation of human services systems.

4.00

This course examines the complex relationships between women and crime today. This focus will include women as criminal offenders; women as victims of crime; and women as both offenders and victims. Course materials draw from recent feminist scholarship on these issues in the social sciences. Topics include the causes of women's crime women, drugs, and crime; child abuse and trauma; prostitution and sex trafficking; race, gender and victimization; and feminist social movements against violence. Crimes of violence against women are a central focus in the course.

Prerequisite: SOC 113 or SOC 116.

4.00

Globalization is shrinking the world. How and why did this happen? This course will explore global change and the global processes which effect key social institutions: culture, the economy and politics. Students will study the processes of globalization and its impact on our lives and people around the globe.

4.00

Relying on a simplistic demand or supply explanation of why Americans use/abuse drugs obscures the reality of America's drug problem, is ineffective as a guide to public policy and has unforeseen, often negative consequences. Drug use is a complex and multi-faceted issue. There are no easy answers. To comprehend the complexity of America's drug problem one needs an understanding of the geography, history, religion, law, economics and international politics of the Middle and Far East, Eastern Europe, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. This class will provide this basic understanding without losing sight that the problem we seek to remedy is our own.

4.00

An examination of changing definitions of life and death, social factors affecting causes and rates of death, care of the dying and their families, institutionalization, the funeral industry, suicide, crisis intervention, and the impact of technology on the dying process.

4.00

An examination of how different cultures understand health and illness. Healing approaches from Asia, Africa and the Americas will be explored.

SPAN 201 or Instructor's consent.

4.00

Continues skills development from 201. Students read a collection of short stories, write compositions, develop cultural insights through comparative and contrastive assignments, and practice listening and speaking skills in weekly conversation sessions.

Prerequisite: Spanish 202, 203 or 250 or Instructor's consent

4.00

Develops written and oral skills in various contexts and registers. Emphasis on strengthening written skills and learning to speak clearly and persuasively in Spanish. Short texts and audio-visual materials provide the basis for classroom activities which include regularly assigned essays, group discussions and debates.

Spanish 202, 203, 250 or Instructor's consent.

4.00

Explores a selection of Peninsular and Latin American cultural materials. Primarily examines texts from different literary genres (narrative, drama, essay, and poetry). Develops critical skills required in more advanced Spanish courses, through close readings and textual analysis. Activities include regularly assigned essays, group discussions, and short scene work.

Spanish 202, 203 or 250. Spanish 290 or 300 are strongly recommended

4.00

Examines the civilization and culture of Spain highlighting its historical development and cultural manifestations from pre-historic times to the nineteenth century. Students improve their four skills through activities that include discussions, oral presentations, and writing assignments based on reading and films.

Spanish 202, 203 or 250 or Instructor's consent. Span 290 or 300 strongly recommended.

4.00

Introduces students to the complexity Latin America by examining its roots in pre-Columbian America and the impact of Spanish exploration and colonization. Places emphasis on cultural, economic, historical, philosophical, political and religious patterns that define the region. Includes class discussions, oral presentations, and writing assignments based on reading and audio-visual material.

SPAN 202 or 203 or Instructor's consent. SPAN 290 or 300 strongly recommended.

4.00

Examines the path taken by Latin American and Caribbean countries to build independent nations out of colonial territories highlighting the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, ethnic plurality, and cultural complexity in areas such as politics, religion, sociology, economics, customs, music & film. The cultural contributions of Spanish-speaking minorities in the United States are also addressed. Includes class discussions, oral presentations, and writing assignments based on readings and audio-visual material.

SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructor's consent.

4.00

Integrates language learning with culture via business context of the Hispanic world. Spanish for banking and finance, marketing and advertising, and international commerce are highlighted. Students increase their cross-cultural understanding and written and oral proficiency in business Spanish through a wide range of assignments.

SPAN 300; SPAN 302 is strongly recommended

4.00

Examines authors from Latin America and the Caribbean in their historical and cultural contexts. Reading and class discussions consider the relationship between the writer and society by covering such topics as colonialism, the oral tradition, modernism and the emergence of new narratives in the twentieth century. The Inca Garcilaso, Sor Juana, Carlos Fuentes, Rigoberta Menchu, and Pablo Neruda are among some writers studied.

4.00

This course is a survey of American musical theatre from its roots in the mid-19th century to the present. It provides the analytical tools and historical insight to more fully appreciate Broadway's greatest musicals and musical theatre artists. Students will explore the ways in which American forms of popular entertainment helped to shape Broadway musicals from their infancy through their adulthood. The course also explores the ways in which musicals provided opportunities for African-Americans, women, immigrants, and the GLBT community.

4.00

This course provides a formal introduction to the theories and practices strategically used by American theatre artists after the Second World War. Special emphasis is placed on theatre artists exploring issues of cultural identity including works by GLBT, African-American, Asian-American, and Latin American playwrights. These playwrights may include Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, August Wilson, David Henry Hwang, Philip Kan Gotanda, Eduardo Machado, and Melinda Lopez. The course will also provide an introduction to trends in post-modern theatre practices related to emerging work of the auteur director, solo performers, and interdisciplinary collectives. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4.00

Explores the roles and images of women in Western culture and the realities of women's everyday lives through literature, film, history, art, psychology, and recent feminist scholarship. Analyzes gender inequalities and the influence of gender on social structure, human behavior, and artistic expression. Topics include: the social construction of gender and identity; domestic prescriptions for women; women and work; intersections of gender, class, and race in American society; sexualities and identity; the politics of motherhood and reproductive rights; educating girls; negotiating male privilege and structural inequalities; representations of women in Western art and film; and women as artists and gendered models of creativity in art, film, fiction, and science.

At least a 3.3 GPA required.

4.00

Explores the roles and images of women in Western culture and the realities of women's everyday lives through literature, film, history, art, psychology, and recent feminist scholarship. Analyzes gender inequalities and the influence of gender on social structure, human behavior, and artistic expression. Topics include: the social construction of gender and identity; domestic prescriptions for women; women and work; intersections of gender, class, and race in American society; sexualities and identity; the politics of motherhood and reproductive rights; educating girls; negotiating male privilege and structural inequalities; representations of women in Western art and film; and women as artists and gendered models of creativity in art, film, fiction, and science.

4.00

Explores women's lives from the perspective of the social and natural sciences, including examination of recent biological, psychological, and sociological theories about gender and gender roles, as well as the influence of feminist scholarship in these areas. Topics include: the social construction of gender; the psychology and biology of sex and gender; women and work; media representations of women; the female body and eating disorders; women's health and lifecycle; women and sexuality; reproduction, abortion, and motherhood; and sexual violence against women.

4.00

Introduces the key topics and debates that have shaped the field of gender studies, including queer studies, masculinity studies, and women's studies. Through lecture and class discussion of texts from literature, film, history, psychology, and sociology, explores the pervasive influence of gender on the structure of society and our everyday experiences and the role that gender plays in our understanding of love, friendship, sexuality, and even violence. Topics include: biological arguments about gender and sexuality; the social construction of gender and identity; intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality; masculinity and femininity; and theories of sexual difference and the construction of sexuality.

4.00

Explores how gender and sexuality are depicted, constructed, and interrogated across a variety of visual mediums, including film, television, and photography. We will pair foundational readings in queer and feminist thought with representations in order to consider how theory and popular culture engage in a constant dialogue. Topics include: the maintenance of norms regarding gender and sexuality; how race, class, and ability complicate our understanding of gender and sexuality; the ways in which sexuality intertwines with other social and political formations; imagining alternative theories and practices in representing gender and sexuality in contemporary media culture. Possible texts include theoretical work by Sigmund Freud, Judith Butler, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, and David Halperin and media such as The Shape of Water (2017), Blade Runner (1982), Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003-2007), and Jess Dugan's To Survive on This Shore (2018).

4.00

Investigates the complex intersections between feminism and popular culture through several different lenses: by exploring how feminists make arguments about popular culture; by looking at the complexities of public femininity in today's popular culture, including figures such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and television shows like The Bachelor and Grey's Anatomy; by focusing on a variety of articulations of feminism within mass media, blogs, social media, and popular books such as Ariel Levy's Female Chauvinist Pigs, and Caitlin Moran's How to Be a Woman. Along the way we will ask questions about: what makes a work of art feminist; how modern media contributes to or distracts us from a variety of political debates in the realm of female equality and how can we, as individuals, use modern media to create and advance smart, feminist arguments.

4.00

Investigates how feminists, both today and in history, have understood inequality and difference and looked for the best ways to address these issues and bring about social justice. Examines how feminist theorists help us to understand how gender and other social categories, such as race, class sexuality, disability, age and nationality, are constructed within and through each other; and analyzes feminist engagements with liberalism, socialism, psychoanalysis, existentialism, post-colonialism, critical race theory, and queer theory, as well as consider anti-feminist arguments. Readings include classic critical texts by authors including Mary Wollstonecraft, Emma Goldman, Virginia Woolf, Chandra Mohanty, Gloria Anzaldua, and Judith Butler.

4.00

Explores of various cultural worldviews in order to reveal and assess the voices of women from around the world as they respond to important global issues such as sexual violence and gendered oppression. Topics include: national citizenship, sexual politics, legal discourse, aesthetic representation, literary movements, genre, constructions of femininity, sexual identities, and representations of gender in relation to race and class and international cultures, and the relationship of self-image to the body politic.

4.00

Explores the stories that help us to understand communities, identities, and bodies that could be considered queer, and the ways that film, music, memoir and fiction have discussed queer as different, unusual, or other. Texts include the documentary, "Paris Is Burning", Frank Ocean's 2012 album, "Channel Orange", and Janet Mock's recent memoir, "Redefining Realness", as well as foundational queer theory from Judith Butler, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, and Lee Edelman, among others, to help build a framework for approaching and interpreting both fictional and non-fictional accounts of queer lives.

4.00

Examines the history of female portrayal on the Western stage including women in Shakespeare and other early modern plays (when female characters were played by men); in Restoration comedy; the works of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw; and 20th and 21st century depictions of women on stage, including in the works of authors such as Lillian Hellman, Lorraine Hansberry, Caryl Churchill, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Rebecca Gilman, and Sarah Ruhl. Students develop familiarity with key concepts in performance theory including catharsis, Brecht's alienation effect, and the distinction between performance and the performative.

Non Science Majors Only

4.00

Major topics include the scientific basis of evolution, the fossil history of vertebrates, evidence of evolution in the human body, and applying an evolutionary perspective to the social interactions and possible futures of humanity. Meets one of the non laboratory science requirements for the non-science major. This reading and writing intensive course is a non-laboratory science option for non-science majors. This course will not fulfill requirement for a major or a minor in Biology.

Non Science Majors Only.

4.00

This course focuses on the ancient, intimate, and mutually beneficial relationship between humans and plants. We will discuss the basic anatomy, physiology, and genetic characteristics of flowering plants and how these characteristics have facilitated their use by humans. We will explore the impacts of a wide range of plants and their products on human society while considering the evolutionary changes that these plants have undergone through artificial selection. We will also touch on the synergistic role of fungus and plants in alcohol fermentation. This course fulfills the non-lab natural sciences requirement for BFA, BSJ, and BA degrees. Non-biology majors only.

Must take BIO L111 concurrently

3.00

Explanation of key biological structures and reactions of the cell. This is an introductory course required of all biology majors and minors, and some non-biology science majors. This course is not recommended for the non-science student.

Concurrently with BIO 111

1.00

Sessions are designed to familiarize the student with biological molecules, and the techniques used in their study. The techniques covered include basic solution preparation, separation and quantification of molecules, enzyme catalysis,and cell isolation.

Must take BIO L114 concurrently.

3.00

Rigorous introduction to organismal biology emphasizing evolution, phylogenetics, form, and function. This is an introductory course required of all biology majors and minors, and some non-biology science majors. This course is not recommended for the non-science student.

Must take BIO 114 concurrently

1.00

A series of laboratory experiences in evolution, diversity, anatomy and physiology.

Non Science Majors Only.

4.00

This course seeks to answer five current questions from all levels of biology, from the subcellular to the ecosystem level. Topics will be discussed in the context of genetics, evolution, and ecology. We will focus on the process of doing science, including how scientists evaluate ideas and communicate their findings. Emphasis will be placed on topics in biology that impact daily life.

ENT 101

4.00

This course addresses the crucial intersection between chemistry and business, and the impact of these fields on society. It provides an introduction to important chemistry concepts and practices of business management. Primary focus is on understanding the chemistry principles behind some of the consumer products in our everyday lives, and using this knowledge to create and evaluate ideas for new products. The course also introduces the business aspects involved in the development and marketing of new products. An important component of the course is in making effective presentations; this component concludes the course, culminating in team presentations of a new chemical product to panel of executives and peers. This course satisfies the Sawyer Business School Science requirement.

4.00

Introduces the latest discoveries and applications of biotechnology. Topics include genetically modified food, stem cells, genetic testing, cloning, and forensics. A combination of lectures, discussions, short documentaries, mock congressional hearings, and hands-on activities will provide insight into the numerous medical, social, legal, and ethical issues surrounding this technology.

Placement at MATH 104 or better. Students who do not place at MATH 104 must take MATH 104 concurrently. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM-L111.

3.00

Fundamental principles of chemistry are discussed. Introduces atomic structure, stoichiometry, the periodic table, the nature of chemical bonds, and chemical reactions. This course is recommended for science majors or those considering careers in the health sciences.

MATH-104 MATH-108 MATH-121 MATH-128 MATH-130 MATH-134 MATH-164 MATH-165 MATHT-MPEL1 MATHT-MPEL2 or MATHT-MPEL3. Must be taken concurrently with CHEM 111.

1.00

Introduces the basic principles of chemistry through "discovery" laboratory experiments. Learn safe laboratory practices and basic techniques such as determining mass and volume, representing data in the form of tables and graphs, and synthesizing and isolating a metal complex. Participate in workshop activities that include understanding modern approaches to the scientific method, reading and understanding the scientific literature, and building molecular models. This laboratory is designed around the foundational laboratory skills practiced by science students in a wide variety of majors.

Math placement level of 2 or above or any MATH course at the level 100 or above

4.00

Do viruses and rumors spread like forest fires? How do ants cooperate? Do spoken languages and biological species evolve in a similar way? "Ants, Rumors, and Gridlocks" exposes students to introductory aspects of computational science by addressing and answering these and many other questions. Students use and modify virtual experiments preprogrammed in the NetLogo programming language to investigate these topics and others in Social Sciences, Biology, and Environmental Science. No prior knowledge of computer programming or NetLogo is required.

4.00

The world is addicted to quantifying the essence of everything, from personal IQ, to the speed of a baseball, to our healthiness, or our chances of winning the lottery. Behind most of these numeric values exists a science of measurement. Some of this is referenced to international standards, such as for length, time, weight, or temperature. Others are more arbitrary and subjective, such as ranking Olympic performance in gymnastics, beauty pageants, or popular responses as found in the game show "Family Feud." A third category includes controversial areas, such as measuring whether a person is lying when interrogated, or using hype rather than reality to market products. Sometimes statistics are used to predict sports outcomes, such as in the annual March Madness NCAA basketball brackets. Finally, in a world subject to fraud and deception, it can be essential to distinguish legitimate from counterfeit items, such as in money, art, collectibles, and historical documents. Don't get hoodwinked! This course examines all of these, starting with how measurements have been made throughout history, along with a full deck of entertaining terms used during the ages. This may help you sort out your weight, whether given in pounds, kilos, or stones. Often these terms will provide insights into how people lived in different eras. We will also look at some of the technologies currently available to provide these measurements, and unravel the complexities of various sensors that are used. As we consider the meaning of "accuracy" we may become less naive about how much confidence to ascribe to the results given us. Hovering around all of these measurements should be the question of validity - are they meaningful, useful, or misleading? And the impact they have on society - whether they steer behavior more powerfully than one might originally suspect. Each student will also be given an opportunity to become an "expert" in an area of measurement of personal interest. By the end of the course all students should have gained greater insight into how the world around them is quantified, and whether numbers can provide accurate predictors for our future. Algebra helpful. Basic science background helpful. Curiosity essential!

ENS L103 MUST BE TAKEN CONCURRENTLY.

3.00

"This course provides exposure to engineering practice, with particular focus on electrical engineering components such as circuit elements and systems. It seeks to go beyond the mathematics and provide an intuitive appreciation of functional devices. Examples taken from a broad swath of technological history illustrate significant crossroads, decisions, and inventiveness. Emphasis is placed on learning to think as an engineer - assessment of problems, candidate solution tradeoffs, and implementations. Frequent exercises in creative engineering design will be used. Students will be required to design several elementary devices, such as a magnet, a capacitor, a timing device, and a motor, which they will enter in a competition for overall strength, compactness, accuracy, or speed. Sometimes assignments relate to ""survival on an island"" concerns, such as communication or drinking water. Students also learn about reverse engineering by selecting, building, troubleshooting, and presenting an electronic kit of their choice. A term paper determining the engineering behind a topic of their choice will also be written and presented. On occasion (see ENS L103) there will be team competitions between various smaller groups in the class."

Must be taken Concurrently w/ ENS-103

1.00

The Lab is designed to provide opportunities to gain familiarity with engineering tools. Students will be introduced to parts (e.g. learn the resistor color code), test equipment (multimeters, prototyping trainers, signal generators, and oscilloscopes), and construction techniques (wiring, soldering, troubleshooting). Although it varies from year to year, Class Projects can be built during the Lab sessions. In the past these have included a 25 Watt electric generator, various door lock systems (both mechanical and electronic), and an AM transmitter and receiver (all projects made from scratch). It is likely that 2010-2011 may introduce some robotic creations for a competition. Electronic kits and motors can also be built and serviced in the Lab. There is an adjoining machine shop, which can be utilized (with supervision), for fabricating items. Individual creativity is encouraged, and informal problem solving sessions occasionally occupy lab time. However, the lab is accessible outside of the traditional scheduled time.

UES-L107 must be taken concurrently.

3.00

Unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) or Drones are high-tech, intelligent machines capable of traveling by air, land, or sea via a remote connection. This course presents concepts and practical methods of using Unmanned Vehicles in a professional context, particularly for environmental projects. UAVs are increasingly being used in a professional capacity such as cinematography and filming, real estate, construction, surveying, mapping, agriculture, industrial inspections, utilities inspections and many more. The course covers mission planning, operations, field data collection, data processing, legal implications, data analysis and data deliverables. The course and laboratory will include learning flying micro-drones and preparing to pass the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Airmen (Part 107) exam. The course will have an associated Laboratory component in which students will learn how to properly plan effective flight missions, fly safely and legally, develop risk management strategies, analyze the data captured and convert it into a useful data deliverable.

UES-107 must be taken concurrently.

1.00

Unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) or Drones are high-tech, intelligent machines capable of traveling by air, land, or sea via a remote connection. This course presents concepts and practical methods of using Unmanned Vehicles in a professional context, particularly for environmental projects. UAVs are increasingly being used in a professional capacity such as cinematography and filming, real estate, construction, surveying, mapping, agriculture, industrial inspections, utilities inspections and many more. The course covers mission planning, operations, field data collection, data processing, legal implications, data analysis and data deliverables. The course and laboratory will include learning flying micro-drones and preparing to pass the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Airmen (Part 107) exam. The course will have an associated Laboratory component in which students will learn how to properly plan effective flight missions, fly safely and legally, develop risk management strategies, analyze the data captured and convert it into a useful data deliverable.

Take UES-L111 concurrently

3.00

Applies the fundamentals of science to environmental issues. Topics include population dynamics and resources, environmental degradation, ecosystems, geologic processes, deforestation, biodiversity, climate change, air, soil, and water resource management, and pollution and risks to health.

Take UES-111 concurrently

1.00

Laboratory exercises are used to illustrate topics covered in UES 111. Field testing and analysis of environmental samples. Field trips may be required.

Take UES-L121 concurrently

3.00

Examines art and cultural objects through the lens of the biological, chemical, and physical principles of the materials and processes we use to make them. Includes consideration of factors important in art conservation. Provides an environmental context for the manufacture and use of art materials and the preservation of cultural objects.

Take UES-121 concurrently

1.00

Provides hands-on work with pigments, dyes, and other art materials using the basic principles of science and technology. Students will conduct laboratory experiments that produce art objects and other consumer products. Instruction in safe laboratory practices and basic techniques such as determining mass and volume, representing data in the form of tables, graphs, and graphics. Practice in synthesizing compounds like paints and finishes and in evaluating methods of art conservation.

Take UES-L225 concurrently

3.00

Provides the fundamentals of geographic information science (GIS) including the history of automated mapping. A review of the necessary hardware and software elements used in GIS is presented. Hands-on exercises with computerized mapping software are required.

Take UES-225 concurrently

1.00

Required companion computer laboratory to be taken concurrently with UES 225.

4.00

In this course students meet community needs by engaging in service-learning outside the classroom. Develops students' awareness and understanding of wetlands including inland and salt marshes,mangroves, and swamps. The beginning of the semester is devoted to understanding of how these vital ecosystems function with topics including wetland hydrology, biogeochemistry, management,and restoration. The latter portion of the semester is focused on developing a testable citizen science project (e.g. a sampling protocol) for a local salt marsh in conjunction with a local community partner.

Honors student or at least 3.3 GPA

4.00

In this course students meet community needs by engaging in service-learning outside the classroom. Students' awareness and understanding of wetlands including inland and salt marshes, mangroves, and swamps will be developed through exploration of these vital ecosystems (topics include wetland biology, management, and restoration). The latter portion of the semester is focused on developing a testable citizen science project (e.g. a sampling protocol) for a local salt marsh in conjunction with a local community partner where students will be going into the field three times over the course of the semester via pre-arranged private transportation.

FS-L103 concurrently

3.00

Application of the principles of forensic science in evaluating physical evidence, with emphasis on its role in criminal investigation. Class experiences may include guest lectures and field trips. 3-hour lecture. Normally offered Fall

FS-103 concurrently

1.00

Laboratory experiences related to the collection and analysis of physical evidence as performed by forensic science professionals. Experiments may include forensic microscopy, drug analysis, forensic serology, physical patterns, fingerprint and firearm evidence analysis techniques. 3-hour laboratory. Normally offered Fall

4.00

Introduces the field of neuroscience, the study of the organization and function of the nervous system of humans and other animals. Topics include the neuron and neural transmission, the overall function and organization of the nervous system, the development of the brain, neural plasticity, sleep, memory and other higher cognitive functions.

Take MATH-121 or MATH-134 or MATH-165 or permission of Physics department chair; PHYS-L111 taken concurrently

3.00

Introduction to the fundamental principles of physics. Study of kinematics, vectors, Newton's laws, rotations, rigid body statics and dynamics, energy and work, momentum,heat and thermodynamics, kinetic theory. The laboratory consists of experiments to illustrate the basic concepts studied in the course.

PHYS 111 concurrently

1.00

Introduction to the fundamental principles of physics. Study of kinematics, vectors, Newton's laws, rotations, rigid body statics and dynamics, energy and work, momentum,heat and thermodynamics, kinetic theory. The laboratory consists of experiments to illustrate the basic concepts studied in the course. Error propagation, use of Excel, laboratory notebooks and formal reports required.

MATH-121 or higher (previously or concurrently) and PHYS L151 concurrently

3.00

PHYS 151 is the first of three courses (PHYS 151, 152, 153) that comprise the calculus based introductory physics sequence at Suffolk University intended for students majoring in the physical sciences, engineering and mathematics. This course aims to teach basic techniques in physics that fall under the topic of classical mechanics and their application in understanding the natural world. Specific topics include the study of vectors, Newton's laws, rotations, rigid body statics and dynamics, fluid mechanics, simple harmonic motion, mechanical waves, sound and hearing. The student will learn how to analyze physical situations by using simple models, and also how to solve those models and derive useful conclusions from them. This course will show students how experimental results and mathematical representations are combined to create testable scientific theories, and how the complexities of most real-life physical situations can be reduced to simple problems by identifying the essential physical features and ignoring the rest. The student will learn to distinguish the scientific approach to physical situations from other ways of looking at them, for example, artistic, humanistic, and business.

MATH 121 or higher (previously or concurrently) PHYS 151 concurrently

1.00

The laboratory consists of experiments to illustrate the basic concepts studied in the course: measurements, propagation of errors, vectors, Newton's laws, work and energy, momentum, rotations, oscillations, simple harmonic motion, fluid. Knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, differentiation and integration required.

PHYS-151 and PHYS-L151. Must be taken concurrently with PHYS-L152.

3.00

This calculus based course begins with topics in kinetic theory and the laws of thermodynamics. It then covers electric charge and field, Gauss' law, electrical potential and capacitance, electric currents and DC circuits. Next magnetism, electromagnetic induction, Faraday's law and AC circuits are discussed. This is followed by Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, and properties of light.

PHYS 151 and L151 and PHYS 152 must be taken concurrently

1.00

The laboratory consists of experiments to illustrate the basic concepts studied in the course: heat, gas laws, electric forces, field, and potential, DC and AC circuits, magnetic field, electromagnetic induction, Faraday's law, optics. Calculus, algebra, trigonometry are required. Error propagation, use of Excel, laboratory notebooks, and formal reports required.

MATH-121, MATH-164, or MATH-165; PHYS-151; PHYS-L153 concurrently

3.00

This calculus-based course is the introduction of the topics of modern physics. It begins with special relativity, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic momentum and energy, addition of relativistic velocities, then covers early quantum theory, blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, the Compton effect, photon interactions, pair production, and the Bohr theory of the atom. Then Schrodinger's equation is introduced with use of wave functions, particle box, barrier penetration, quantum mechanical tunneling, the Pauli Exclusion principle, the development of the periodic table, and the X-ray spectra. Development of solid state physics with bonding in molecules, band theory of solids and semiconductor behavior. The final topics cover nuclear physics, radioactivity, half-life, nuclear fission and fusion, medical uses of radiation, elementary particle physics and introduction to astrophysics.

PHYS-153 concurrently

1.00

The laboratory consists of experiments to illustrate the basic concepts of special relativity, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic momentum and energy, addition of relativistic velocities, then covers early quantum theory, blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, the Compton effect, photon interactions, pair production, and the Bohr theory of the atom.

SCI-L103 must be taken concurrently

3.00

Case study approach to the fundamentals of science applied to environmental degradation, ecosystems, geological processes, population dynamics, deforestation and biodiversity, climate change, ozone depletion, air soil, and water resource management, pollution and risks to health, economics and the environment, politics and the environment, and ethics and the environment.

Must take SCI-103 concurrently

1.00

Laboratory exercises to illustrate the topics covered in Science 103. Field-testing and analysis of environmental samples. Field trip required.

4.00

Introduces the top ten U.S. adult cancers, as well as the most common pediatric cancers. Topics to be covered include cancer causes, detection, and prevention. Psychosocial aspects of being diagnosed with cancer and the role nutrition plays for cancer patients will be integrated. The course will also discuss the major treatment modalities for each cancer including radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplants.

4.00

Students meet community needs by engaging in service-learning outside the classroom. This course introduces the top ten U.S. adult cancers, as well as the most common pediatric cancers. Topics to be covered include cancer causes, detection, and prevention. Psychosocial aspects of being diagnosed with cancer and the role nutrition plays for cancer patients will be integrated. The course will also discuss the major treatment modalities for each cancer including radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplants. Service-learning is a pedagogy integrating academically relevant service activities that address human and community needs into a course. Students connect knowledge and theory to practice by combining service with reflection in a structured learning environment. Students will engage in service-learning with an underserved community partner in regards to cancer by working directly with cancer patients or by assisting on a project that supports cancer patients.

MATH-128 or higher and SCI-L111 must be taken concurrently.

3.00

History of Astronomy from the ancients to Newton; light; telescopes; sun, earth, moon planets, comets, asteroids, meteors; space programs, science and technology in society. Course culminates with a visit to the Clay Center Observatory, where students will be able to make first hand observations. For non-science majors.

Take SCI-111 concurrently

1.00

Laboratory experiments and exercises to illustrate the principles discussed in Science 111. Observational exercises using the Celestron telescope, astrophotography exercises, and computer simulations. Course culminates with a visit to the Clay Center Observatory, where students will be able to make first hand observations.

MATH-128 or higher and SCI-L112 concurrently

3.00

Astronomy of the cosmos; sun, stars, interstellar materials, galaxies, pulsars, quasars, black holes; nature of time relativity, cosmology. Course culminates with a visit to the Clay Center Observatory, where students will be able to make first hand observations. For non-science majors.

Take SCI-112 concurrently

1.00

Laboratory experiments and exercises to illustrate the principles discussed in Science 112. Observational exercises using the Celestron telescope, astrophotography exercises, and computer simulations. Course culminates with a visit to the Clay Center Observatory, where students will be able to make first hand observations.

4.00

This course introduces non-science majors to concepts that are central to making our planet habitable. It presents Earth in context of the solar system with a broad view of global climate change and energy resources in a quest to better understand the workings our planet. This course on Earth and Planetary Science is suitable for students who may have taken their last science and math course several years ago, or are just curious about knowing facts on major issues that pertain to the future of our planet. Together with a reading component, this course aims to give students a flavor of how researchers think, investigate and develop conclusions that directly affect our political and economic future. Topics covered in this course range from the solar system to the study of search for other habitable Earth-like planets, search for extraterrestrial life, and evolution of life on Earth. Other characteristics of this course are heavy use of audio-visual materials often including computer animations and simulations, in-class experiment demonstration, and intensive use of INTERNET-based resources.

4.00

About 15 billion years ago, (data indicate) the big bang occurred and the universe was born. With it came physical laws and a spectacular array of consequences that lead to the universe as we know it. This non-lab , 4 credit course explores the inner workings of the physical universe in terms of the scientific inquiry which lead to Newton's laws, an understanding of energy, waves, light, electricity, atomic structure, chemical reactions, nuclear physics, particle physics, relativity, and the big bang theory. During the course, students will learn to make use of modern resources to access scientific and technical literature to research a scientific topic. They will learn to distinguish between science and technology (e.g. quantum mechanics and nanotechnology, the discovery of the Higgs boson and the large hadron collider that made it possible, etc.) and to understand how the science, technology, and engineering disciplines play a crucial role in recognizing and solving problems of society and the world that we share.

4.00

The most basic needs of humans have not changed - water, food, and shelter - but the means of meeting these needs has. In this course, we will examine how technology-driven societies operate by studying how cities are built and how they function. Topics will include water supply and distribution systems; transportation systems (including road and bridge design and construction); building design, construction, and operation (including skyscraper and sustainable building design), and waste removal systems (municipal and industrial wastewater removal and treatment, solid waste removal and treatment). This is not a course about little gadgets and widgets; this is a course about big engineering marvels; and it emphasizes applications of science - how things work - rather than scientific theory.

SCI-L173 must be taken concurrently.

3.00

Geographic Information Science (GIS) link information (number of fire hydrants on a block) to features on a map (e.g., a point representing street address) that has a designated geographic location (as designated by global coordinates). Unlike paper maps, GIS software allows the production of interactive maps that allows the user to layer data, to indicate spatial patterns, to analyze trends, and to combine different features of the mapped area in novel ways. For example, a business person may wish to use GIS to determine the optimum location of retail outlet (based on the mapped demographics of a neighborhood), while an environmental engineer may use GIS to describe the location of outfalls to see how they correlate to areas of stream pollution. In this course, students will be introduced to maps, map vocabulary and attributes, and GIS mapping through a series of mapping exercises. A knowledge of Windows-type applications is presumed.

SCI-173 must be taken concurrently.

1.00

This laboratory illustrates concepts and methods taught in SCI 173. In this lab students will be introduced to maps, map vocabulary and attributes, and GIS mapping through a series of mapping exercises. A knowledge of Windows-type applications is presumed.

4.00

No longer offered on Boston campus This is a four credit, non-lab, science course that examines the central scientific problems confronting the 21st century. The course studies particular topics and teaches the necessary science around these topics to provide a good understanding of the issues. The topics currently are: Energy, Science and Economic Decisions, Sustainability of Life on Earth, Health and Science.

4.00

This is a 4 credit, project based science course that examines the central scientific problems confronting the 21st century. The course consists of lectures, class discussions, field trips, and in-class hands-on activities designed to familiarize the student with different concepts of the lectures. The current focus is on sustainable energy production. A final team project related to the course topics will be given. This is the version of SCI 183 without a separate lab component. Students who have taken SCI 183, L183 are not allowed to take this course.

4.00

This course presents a topical introduction to the key principles and concepts of physics in the context of the world events and natural phenomena that confront world leaders and that require informed decisions and responses. Energy, health, counter-terrorism, remote sensing, space programs, nuclear proliferation, and a host of other modern challenges have technological and scientific dimensions, the understanding of which is essential to avoiding disastrous policy decisions. This course considers the application of physics to these societal challenges. The material is covered at a level and pace that a future world leader should be able to handle; the emphasis is on the development of physical reasoning skills, and not on detailed, mathematical problem solving.

Take SCI-L210 concurrently

3.00

This course will provide undergraduate students of various disciplines with an introduction to gems and crystals using interactive, evidence-based teaching approaches. Crystalline forms of matter are critical to our existence. Using innovative teaching strategies of in-class hands-on demonstration, supplemented with visuals of crystal details, the course provides students insights into the formation, alteration and unique properties that make crystals invaluable. Topics range from the study of proteins and nucleic acids to the interior of planets. The in-class lectures will provide a basic guide that will serve as a platform for individually catered in-depth study. Therefore, the course is open to advanced students as well, who can pick up higher level of information for discussion and class projects.

Take SCI-210 concurrently

1.00

This course introduces concepts that are central to understanding crystals, gemstones and other natural materials abundant throughout the solar system. It includes an introduction to carbon-based crystals (diamonds, proteins, viruses and ices) in context with origins of life, geopolitical significance and their applications This laboratory-based course is an introduction to modern tools and techniques for crystal analysis with a historical context of some of the greatest discoveries in science (DNA, and other nanomaterials). It presents crystals and gems from their visually appealing point of view to their sometimes-dramatic physical characteristics, with a broad view of their formation, occurrence, physics, chemistry and resources perspective.

4.00

Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from classical Greece through 18th-century China. Normally offered yearly.

4.00

Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from the 19th century to the present.

4.00

Study of poetry, prose, and drama, with emphasis on close reading and literary analysis. Students will compose formal essays discussing the meanings and relationship between texts as well as the author's craft and relationship to the reader. Offered every semester.

4.00

A study of literature written in English from cultures around the world, with emphasis on major modern and contemporary writers from countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa and the Caribbean. Regularly assigned essays on reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

4.00

Study of poetry, prose, and drama from the British literary tradition, with emphasis on close reading and literary analysis. Students will compose formal essays discussing the meanings and relationship between texts as well as the author's craft and relationship to the reader. Offered every semester.

4.00

Study of poetry, prose, and drama from the American literary tradition, with emphasis on close reading and literary analysis. Students will compose formal essays discussing the meanings and relationship between texts as well as the author's craft and relationship to the reader. Offered every semester.

4.00

Literature has the capacity to record and interrogate history in an imaginative and artistic context. African-American literature is a rich, varied, and complex body of literature that faces our tainted history directly. The authors we will read in this class examine slavery's long-term psychological and social effects while forging a literary history that is at once a part of and apart from American literary history more generally.

4.00

This course focuses on the reading and analysis of horror literature and the ways in which horror reflects and represents personal and cultural anxieties. Readings will include both classic and contemporary authors, for example, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and others. Assignments will include analytical essays as well as creative writing.

4.00

This course will examine a wide range of writers and film makers who have sought to bridge the gap that exists between those who have experienced war and those who have not. Some stories we will examine are told from an American perspective; some are told from the perspective of soldiers who fought against Americans; and some are told from those who experienced life under U.S. military occupation.

4.00

A study of literary works by the so-called "Beat Generation," the American literary underworld of the late 1950s and 1960s, including major works by the three central figures (Ginsburg, Kerouac, Burroughs) and less central figures (Corso, Snyder, DiPrima, Jones/Baraka) as well as the influence of the Beats on the work of Bob Dylan, the only musician to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

4.00

Young Adult Literature's recent explosion in popularity raises important questions about the stories it tells, the values it promotes, and the audiences it seeks. This course approaches the YA phenomenon as one with deep historical roots as well as contemporary cultural relevance. From nineteenth century classics to current series favorites, literary works focused on young people reframe perennially fresh narratives about coming of age, negotiating personal identity, and navigating a complex moral universe. This course also considers YA literature as part of an evolving network of writers, readers, publishers, critics and filmmakers.

4.00

This course will use close readings to examine poetry as a heightened form of language seeking to make contact with divine sources of faith. We will consider poems that provide examples of the struggle to attain belief, as well as poems that deny belief. Language as both the grammar of ascent and the locus of descent. The position of human beings in relation to God, or the gods, or the absence of the divine.

4.00

This course takes students on a tour of witches, "nasty women," and other "unruly tongues" or "bitter spirits" throughout American literary history. Regularly assigned essays on the reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct, and persuasive writing. Fulfills the Literature Requirement of the CAS Core Curriculum.

3.00

For more than a thousand years, the city of London has been a cultural center, the home of playwrights and poets, novelists and critics, theaters and libraries. In this class we will read a wide range of literary works in different genres that take the city of London, and the experience of living or writing there, as central themes. The class will emphasize close reading and literary analysis of London texts, and will also explore contextualizing materials from newspaper articles to music and art. Designed to be taken in tandem with an optional one-credit study abroad trip to London, UK.

4.00

Study of 20th century writing on the American West by American women and men in the form of novels, memoirs, and short stories. Regularly assigned reading responses and essays on the readings as well as discussion questions and quizzes provide the basis for the study of "frontier" or western literature by American authors. Fulfills the Literature Requirement of the CAS Core Curriculum.

English Majors and Minors or Instructor Permission

4.00

Study of major writers of England from the beginning to the mid-18th century. Regularly assigned essays on the reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct, and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

English Majors and Minors or Instructor Permission

4.00

Study of major English writers from the mid-18th century to the present. Regularly assigned essays on the reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

English Majors and Minors or Instructor Permission

4.00

Study of major American writing from its origins through 1865. Regularly assigned essays on reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct, and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

English Majors and Minors or Instructor Permission

4.00

Study of major American writing from 1865 through the present. Regularly assigned essays on reading provide the basis for individualized instruction in clear, correct, and persuasive writing. Offered every semester.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

This course focuses on Gothic literature by women writers, from its origins in the 18th century to the present, focusing primarily on 20th century writers. The novels, short stories, and films we will discuss involve haunted houses, secret chambers, madness, and other Gothic tropes. Writers to be studied will include Charlotte Bronte, Daphne du Maurier, Shirley Jackson, Jean Rhys, Angela Carter, and others.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

An investigation of the lives and works of two of nineteenth-century America's greatest and most original poets. Topics will include types of poetic language and formal structure, the work of the poetic imagination in transforming observations of the world into art, and the ways in which poets process the idea of death and the reality of war. Finally, this course examines Whitman and Dickinson's impact on American popular culture as well as on the writings of modern poets and literary critics.

Take WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

Study of 19th and 20th century writing on the American West by American women in the form of novels, memoirs, and short stories. Regularly assigned reading responses and essays on the readings as well as discussion questions and quizzes provide the basis for the study of the gendering of the "frontier" and literature of the West by American women authors.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

The course will cover major works of American fiction from the period between the end of the American war in Vietnam and the present. The course will emphasize fiction reflecting America's cultural diversity and current trends in fiction.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

An introduction to selected Asian-American writers with an emphasis on socio-cultural issues, such as race, gender and ethnicity. Authors include Bulosan, Hwang, Jen, Kingston, Lee, Mukherjee, Odada, and Tan.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

This course follows the spirit of utopian experimentation as it travels through the linguistic patterns and imaginative conditions of brave new worlds in literature. We will consider how utopian thinking allows writers to take creative license with political systems, social relations, gender roles, and racial identities, and to blur dividing lines between nature, technology, and culture as well as between Earth and the cosmos. Our readings will balance such foundational texts as Plato's Republic and More's Utopia with revolutionary works from the nineteenth through the twenty-first centuries, and conjure utopian dreams as well as dystopian worlds gone wrong. Selected works of literary criticism and films will also be included.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

This course examines the rhetoric of memoirs written primarily by international figures who seek to use personal stories to shape readers' perspectives on political issues. After a brief introduction to rhetorical theory and to the genre of memoir, this course will examine contemporary memoirs that address such issues as racism, sexism, religious extremism, war, and genocide.

WRI-102 or WRI-H103

4.00

A survey of major works of literature and thought crucial to the transformation of pagan models of reason to Christian systems of belief, including works by Plato and Plotinus, St. Augustine and Dante. Of central concern is the changing conception of love, from Eros to Agape. Note: This course is cross-listed with HST 339.

4.00

Masterpieces of French and Francophone Literature in English Translation. Studies works translated into English by major authors from the Middle Ages to the present. Explores drama, fiction, and poetry from many regions of the world: Africa, Western Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Vietnam.

FR 202 or Instructors permission

4.00

Analyzes and discusses canonical works of French literature from medieval times to the eighteenth century.

FR-202 or instructor's permission

4.00

Study, analyze and discuss canonical works of French-language literature from the nineteenth through the twenty-first centuries, as they relate to important events in the art, culture, and history of the Francophone world.

FR-205 and FR-305 or Instructor's consent

4.00

Examines literature in the French language focusing on memoir, essay, and autobiography. Read authors such as, Montaigne, Rousseau, Lamartine, Colette, Duras, Beauvoir, Le, Chamoiseau, Djebar, Conde, Ernaux, Genet, and Satrapi. Develops an appreciation of the differences between autobiography and autofiction. Explores the question of truth and the fallibility of memory.

4.00

A study of the nineteenth-century Russian novelist Feodor Dostoevsky and his contribution to world philosophy and literature. Dostoevsky's stories, which weave together philosophical reflections, unique personalities and gripping plots, earned the author numerous superlative titles. Dostoevsky has been praised as a literary genius, a prophetic political thinker, a keen psychologist and an expert on human condition. His work inspired generations of intellectuals, among them prominent European thinkers: Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Sartre, Camus, Hesse and many others. In addition to a detailed study of Dostoevsky's writings the course explores the socio-political, literary, and intellectual contexts in which he developed as a thinker, introducing students to both his opponents and admirers.

SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructor's consent. Spanish 302 is strongly recommended

4.00

Introduces students to the most important movements and playwrights of Latin American Theater in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Students examine the history of Latin American Theatre since its inception and become familiar with the most important performing centers.

4.00

Explores what we can learn from the books that teenage girls read. In addition to a wide array of interesting and complex Young Adult novels targeted to young female readers, students will be exposed to theories of adolescent development, literary criticism, and social theory. Topics include how the dilemmas of girlhood have changed or stayed constant and the urge, so common in books for children and teens, to teach kids how to think and behave.

4.00

Examines through both classic and contemporary science fiction a variety of possibilities for world-reimagining in the realms of gender, sexuality, race, and other forms of difference. Draws on theories of utopian and dystopian discourse, engages with questions of biology and reproduction, and explores colonialism through first-contact and space empire narratives.

4.00

Explores of various cultural worldviews in order to reveal and assess the voices of women from around the world as they respond to important global issues such as sexual violence and gendered oppression. Topics include: national citizenship, sexual politics, legal discourse, aesthetic representation, literary movements, genre, constructions of femininity, sexual identities, and representations of gender in relation to race and class and international cultures, and the relationship of self-image to the body politic.

4.00

Examines the history of female portrayal on the Western stage including women in Shakespeare and other early modern plays (when female characters were played by men); in Restoration comedy; the works of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw; and 20th and 21st century depictions of women on stage, including in the works of authors such as Lillian Hellman, Lorraine Hansberry, Caryl Churchill, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Rebecca Gilman, and Sarah Ruhl. Students develop familiarity with key concepts in performance theory including catharsis, Brecht's alienation effect, and the distinction between performance and the performative.

4.00

A systematic introduction to the major thinkers and their positions on the main issues of ethics, such as: What is morality? What are moral values? How should we live our lives? Are there objective, universal, absolute moral standards? If so, what are they, and what is their basis? 1 term - credits. Normally offered every year.

4.00

In this class you will be introduced to the perspectives and methods of politics, philosophy, and economics and see how these three disciplines present distinct but interconnected dimensions of current social and political issues.

4.00

An examination of contemporary Western society, particularly in the United States, in relation to philosophical attempts to define the "good life." Current books that exhibit a philosophical approach towards important contemporary social issues will be discussed, as well as classics in philosophy. Topics may include: civic virtue, consumerism, current events, economic justice, popular culture (film, music, television), religion and secularism, etc. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.

4.00

A critical examination of a number of contemporary moral issues such as: abortion, affirmative action, animal rights, capital punishment, cloning, drug legalization, environmental ethics, euthanasia, genetic engineering, gun control, pornography, same-sex marriage, suicide, war and terrorism, etc. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.

4.00

Examines the influence of media on contemporary society from a social science perspective. Television, radio, film, and print formats are discussed in terms of their persuasive impact on mass culture in the U.S.. The emergence and development of "Rock N Roll" is discussed in unison with the Civil Rights, Student's Rights, and anti-War movements of the period from 1946-1972.

4.00

An introduction to the role of media in contemporary society, focusing on media's influence on cultural, political, and ideological processes. An examination of the historical contexts within which newspapers, radio, television, and new media technologies develop, and how audiences interact with and influence the use of media.

4.00

Historical development of the theory of organizations, examination of information flow, network analysis, communication overload and underload, corporate culture, superior-subordinate communications, organizational effectiveness, and change processes.

4.00

Focuses on the natural environment through the lens of social science and humanities. Students will study texts from those disciplines to acquire a deeper understanding of the values and beliefs that underlie environmental issues. Students will investigate the policy-making processes and institutions through which those issues are decided, and the social inequalities in the distribution of environmental problems. Texts to be studied will range from literature, philosophy, and film to policy statements, impact reports, community advocacy materials, and investigative journalism.

4.00

The study of how economic and human activity is distributed across space, the reasons for these spatial distributions, and the processes that change the spatial organization of economic activity over time. Topics include: maps, map projections, and geographic information systems; population geography; the organization and location of cities, towns and villages; transportation and communication policy; industrial location; the geography of world trade; and geographic features of economic development. The course takes a global perspective, and draws on cases and examples from all over the world. Cultural Diversity B

4.00

An introduction to the American political system and constitutional framework. Focus will be on the interplay of various institutions (the Presidency, Congress and the Judiciary) in creating public policies. Contemporary public issues will be discussed, as will the role of political theory in shaping American democracy. Attention will be given to the role of the news media, public opinion, political ideology, political parties and interest groups in the American system.

4.00

Introduces the main actors, ideas, institutions, and processes that shape the international system. Analyzes key international developments, including imperialism, nationalism, the causes of wars and peace, and globalization. Integrates international relations concepts with history to explain the unprecedented levels of prosperity and violence in Europe, particularly in light of its dominant role in recent centuries. Emphasizes contemporary developments taking place in other regions such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Helps students understand the global arena as a space of complex interconnections and sets the foundations for other courses in international relations and regional studies. Normally offered every semester. This course sets the foundations for other courses in International Relations and Regional Studies

4.00

Surveys core theoretical concepts and contemporary empirical research from the major sub-fields of psychology: physiology; perception; cognition; learning; emotion; motivation; development; personality; psychopathology; psychotherapy; and social behavior. Offered every semester.

4.00

Examines biological, cognitive, social, and emotional development across the lifespan, with attention to the role of culture and context. Explores how various major theories of development can be used to adaptive and maladaptive behaviors and trajectories and considers. Implications for treatment, prevention, and positive development across the lifespan. Normally offered yearly.

4.00

An introduction to the sociological understanding of human interaction, group process and social structures. Students are introduced to basic concepts, theories and methods of sociological investigation. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of "C" or better.

4.00

An examination of traditional and contemporary problems associated with major social institutions such as the family, economics, government and education. Social forces related to ethnicity, social class, health and welfare, and urbanization are also included. Alternative remedial measures based on behavioral science theories are discussed. Majors and minors must pass with a grade of "C" or better.

4.00

This course will explore our natural environment and human interacations with it. We will connect a critical study of society, power, and inequality to the study of our natural environment and the ways it is altered by human behaviors. We will also consider ways to change our society's relationship with the natural environment to keep our earth clean and safe for human society.

4.00

An exploration of the diversity of contemporary families. Comparisons are made between the cultural myths of the "ideal family" and the lived realities. Challenges confronting contemporary families and their implications for social policy are examined in such areas as work/family conflicts, gay and lesbian families, welfare, family violence.

4.00

Spain has experienced major socio-demographic changes since the mid 1970s. These transformations mainly arise from the new role of women in society and, in particular, women's higher levels of education, work experience, and labor market attachment. The changes in women's labor force participation have occurred in conjunction with a progressive postponement of main family events, such as leaving the parental home, forming a partnership and having children, as well as with a reduction in the family size. Spain is, indeed, characterized as having one of the "lowest low fertility levels" within Western industrialized countries, a pattern that is exacerbating the ongoing process of population aging. This picture partly reflects the conflicting relationship that currently exists between women's labor force participation and the accommodation of family responsibilities: the so-called work/ family balance. Ongoing differences among countries have been accounted for by different explanatory factors that involve socio-economic, cultural and social policy dimensions. From a comparative perspective, the course is intended to cover recent debates, controversies, and research on family formation and family dilemmas in contemporary Spain.

4.00

Despite the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, race remains one of the most divisive forces in U.S. society. While many of us struggle against racism, racial classification continues to affect where we live, where we work, and how we see ourselves. Racial classification affects our access to health care and our encounters with police officers. Distorted images of racial groups fill television and movie screens. Appeals to racism and fear of foreigners are dominant themes in elections to state and national offices. This course examines the formation and re-formation of racial classifications: how particular groups become racially identified, how these classifications change over time, and how conflicts over race have shaped American society. The meanings of race, as seen from a variety of perspectives, will be a consistent theme throughout the course.

4.00

Explores women's lives from the perspective of the social and natural sciences, including examination of recent biological, psychological, and sociological theories about gender and gender roles, as well as the influence of feminist scholarship in these areas. Topics include: the social construction of gender; the psychology and biology of sex and gender; women and work; media representations of women; the female body and eating disorders; women's health and lifecycle; women and sexuality; reproduction, abortion, and motherhood; and sexual violence against women.