Instructor: Susanna Fein, Ph.D., Harvard University

We will read books known for “greatness” and seek to understand what qualities have caused them to endure. All works will be read closely not only for how they express the cultures in which they were written but also for how they model human endeavors and insistently challenge our ways of thinking. At least two books will be studied in particular depth: Virgil’s Aeneid and Dante’s Inferno. Authors are representative of developments in Western thought. They come from diverse historical and geographical origins (ancient Greek and Roman; North African; medieval French, German, Italian, and English). Genres vary from drama to epic, romance to comic tale.

The course will consist of lectures and discussions. Steady in-class activity will be expected: reading quizzes, written responses to readings, recitations, dramatized readings. There will be two one-hour exams and one final exam, each consisting of in-class essay writing. In addition, students will produce a formal essay, 7-10 pages in length, guided by one-on-one conferences with the instructor.

Readings will be drawn from the following representative list:

• Aeschylus, Oresteia
• Bible, selected books
• Virgil, Aeneid
• Ovid, Metamorphoses
• Augustine, Confessions
• Hrotsvitha, Plays
• Beowulf
• Song of Roland
• Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot
• Marie de France, Lais
• Gottfried von Strassburg, Tristan
• Dante, Inferno
• Boccaccio, Decameron
• Chaucer, Canterbury Tales
• Malory, Le Morte Darthur

This course is designed to introduce you to some of the traditional and contemporary, Western and non-Western, male and female writings on ethics. We will begin with a discussion of divine ethics. We move on to an examination of virtue ethics. Next we will study two normative ethical theories based on duty and utility respectively. We will end with an ethic associated with feminism—caring ethics.

There will be four quizzes and three (5-6 page) papers.

Texts:

• Trial and Death of Socrates (Plato); Nicomachean Ethics (Aristotle)
• The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morality (Kant); Utilitarianism (Mill)
• Caring (Noddings)

Instructor: Steve Rugare, PhD, University of California at Santa Cruz

Note:  Not for architecture majors

This course covers the major monuments of western architecture from pre-history to the 14th century, with particular attention to basic issues of architectural analysis, historiography, and social and intellectual history. The class format will be lectures with opportunity for discussion. Student evaluation will be based on slide identification quizzes, essay exams, and a few brief assignments (some involving drawing) Honors students will be expected to complete a moderate-length (6-8 pp) research essay on a topic of their choice. They will also provide written notes in response to a number of supplemental readings from primary sources.

Texts:

• Moffett, et. al., Buildings Across Time
• Additional readings from Vitruvius, Ten Books on Architecture and 19^th   Century sources on the Gothic (Ruskin, Viollet-le-Duc, Victor Hugo)

Instructor: Carol Salus, PhD, The Ohio State University

Through lecture and discussion in what is hopefully a relaxed environment the course content as it moves from the Paleolithic era to the Italian Gothic world provides advanced students with weekly exposure to reasons why art and architecture were created in terms of specific historical periods. The course includes study of Islamic art to further understanding of non-Western creativity and religious beliefs. The students realize how art is interrelated to human survival and religious life perhaps more in this course than in many others. The students soon dismiss the naïve notion of a work of art as a decorative adornment to architecture or the home.

The course material includes the roles of art in early burial customs and ancient societies as well as varying belief systems about the spiritual world and the roles of divinities in culture. Houses of worship are examined during various historical periods covered and provide students with a sense of the persistence of religion and art and their various manifestations in each culture. 

We will consider in class how a work of art functions in terms of the social, cultural, and religious aspects of human life. The advanced students will realize that art history is integral to the milieu in which it was created. They will also understand the relationship of art history to the other humanities and fields of study. Recognition of the great importance of art throughout the ages is one of the major objectives for students in this course.

Examinations will be based on the classroom lectures and assigned readings in the text. There will be four tests. Study guides listing works of art and terms for which students are responsible on the exams are sent by e-mail prior to each exam. Quizzes will be given by surprise in the periods before a test is given; their point value will be added to the score of the upcoming exam. Each student will submit an investigative research paper to supplement classroom learning. The focus can be on a specific work of art in the Cleveland Museum of Art from their collections relating to course content. Another option is to discuss a societal issue in which discussion of art work is included. For example, if a student wishes to realize what the Olympics in the ancient world involved, works of art in which appropriate athletic events are depicted would be included. The medical treatment of Egyptians can be examined and illustrated so that the advanced student realizes the belief systems of this important civilization and find visual examples to support their findings.

Texts:

• Stokstad, Marilyn and Cothren, Michael, Art: A Brief History, 5^th   ed., Boston: Pearson, 2012 (Required)
• Barnet, Sylvan, A Short Guide to Writing About Art, 9^th ed., Boston: Little, Brown, 2007 (Optional)

Instructor: Diane Scillia, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University

The art (including architecture) of the Western World from the prehistoric to Late Gothic periods. I include Islamic art as part of the Western development. Lectures illustrated with slides make up the class meetings. I assume that students have only the barest knowledge of art coming into the course and hope that they will have a better understanding of art after taking the course. There are three exams during the semester. These have sections on which specific knowledge is tested as well as an essay section in which students can bring in their own ideas. No papers are required. Class participation can include discussions or critical questioning.

Texts (Subject to change):

• Barnet, Sylvan, A Short Guide to Writing About Art, 9^th ed.   Boston:  Little, Brown, 2007
•  Kleiner, Fred S., Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 13^th ed., Boston:  Thomson Higher Education, 2009
• Other up-dated introductory   textbooks, like Stokstad's and Janson's, are also acceptable

Students are exposed to a variety of world music traditions and extra-musical associations. Students will be asked to identify and associate musical traditions and related cultural aspects of various regions through aural recognition and analysis. A sampling of musics from around the world (ie. Oceania, India, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the Americas, Asia, etc.) will be provided. Written project includes a travel report researching an area of the student's choice. 

Text:

• Miller, Terry and Shahriari, Andew, World Music: A Global Journey, 3^rd ed., ISBN 978-0-415-98878-0

Instructor: Katherine Burke, MFA, Purdue University

This course is designed to increase theatre audience awareness and understanding of theatrical production process, theatre traditions, and rules, and the role of theatre in different cultures.

Course Objectives: Using the life-centered nature of theatre as the medium of analysis, this course is designed to develop a broad foundation in all the elements that make up the theatre. It also aims to develop critical and analytical skills of the students. Through reading and viewing a number of plays and participating in a hands-on project, students will learn cultural, sociopolitical and aesthetic meanings embedded in theatre performance, performance practices, and texts. It is also a participation course; class discussions, creative projects, and writing are strong components of the course. Students are required to attend plays on campus and to write reaction papers (theatre reviews) afterwards.

Instructor: Joy St. James, MA, Kent State University

Students have come of age in a world where the human population is rapidly growing while technological advances are breaking down barriers of distance and language. As a result, there are more opportunities for interactions across cultures than ever before in human history. But what is a culture? What is it worth to keep a culture from changing or to keep a language alive? Is it worth dying for? Answers to these questions shape our lives and inform foreign and domestic policies for all governments. Cultural Anthropology seeks to strengthen students understanding of our world by focusing attention on contemporary cultural diversity and the opportunities and challenges presented by such diversity.

Course Objective:  To introduce students to the basic concepts of cultural anthropology and a broad sampling of the ways that these concepts can aid us in understanding the world today. 

More specifically, the primary objectives of this course are for students to:

• gain factual knowledge of the terms, concepts,   and methods used by anthropologists to describe the characteristics of   cultures;
• become familiar with the fundamental   principles and theories that guide the discipline of anthropology;
• analyze and critically evaluate ideas,   arguments, and points of view from class readings and discussion;
• develop an interest in the field and   confidence in your ability to formulate good questions and seek satisfying   answers from anthropological literature.

Traditional lectures, PowerPoint presentations, movies, discussions and exercises will be part of this class.  Assessments will include three exams, one small project (e.g. making a genealogy chart), and one 6-10 page paper on an appropriate topic of the student’s choice that will be due toward the end of the semester.

Instructor: Patrick Coy, PhD, Syracuse University

We begin from the premise that conflict is part of everyday life. It is as common as laughter, anger, love, hope, work, play and is probably no less important than any of these. Conflict is neither good nor bad in and of itself. If managed constructively, it can reveal injustices, usher in much-needed change, and be a source of personal growth, reconciliation, even social and political transformation. On the other hand, if managed destructively conflict can also breed resentments and alienation, and may be waged with all manner of destructive violence, including war. So our question becomes: what tools can individuals, groups, and governments use to manage, transform, or wage their conflicts in largely constructive ways? The answers this course provides include potentially positive conflict management tools like active listening and communication skills, principled negotiation, various forms of mediation, and nonviolent action.

Course material and exercises should bring about greater personal awareness of our individual “conflict styles,” including your habits, attitudes, and beliefs related to conflict, and to organizing for change. We will develop knowledge about the nature of conflict, the growing field of conflict management and various ways to constructively approach conflict. But in this course students should also build usable skills in active listening, assertion, principled negotiation, and informal mediation.

We will use hands-on exercises, role-plays, small group activities, discussions, and lectures to engage the material. Writing assignments will include a mix of self-reflective and analytical short pieces as well as some exercises designed to help you master skills. There will also be three written examinations.

Texts:

• Course   Reader (purchased at WordSmiths Copy Center)
• Bolton,   Robert, People Skills: How to Assert   Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts, NY:  Simon and   Schuster, 1986
• Fisher,   R., and W. Ury, Getting to Yes:   Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, NY:  Penguin, 1990
• Harper, Gary, The Joy of Conflict Resolution:   Transforming Victims, Villains, and Heroes in the Workplace and at Home,   New Society Publishers, 2004

Instructor: Sherry Creswell, MA, Kent State University

This is an introductory course in microeconomic theory and its applications. It is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of microeconomics and to apply principles of economic analysis to the day-to-day decision-making of individuals and households (consumers) and to different types of firms. Students are introduced to the basic models of market structure and how firms behave under these different structures.  We will examine concepts such as what determines market supply and demand, how firms decide how much to produce in order to maximize profits under different circumstances, and a wide range of economic policy issues. The classroom presentation will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and in-class exercises. Students will have opportunities to apply economic theory to a number of policy issues in written assignments, class presentations, and discussions.

Text:

• Boyes & Melvin, 9^th ed., with   Aplia homework bundle: available with a discount through publisher.

Instructor: Staff

Television, newspapers, radio, magazines, movies, advertising - these are the major sources of information and entertainment in the United States. They also are powerful forces of cultural transmission and socialization. The purpose of this course is to provide students from across the university with the opportunity to acquire critical media literacy by reflecting upon the values, norms, stereotypes and ideology contained in mass media messages, understanding the political and economic structures that shape the media, and analyzing how media play a role for individuals, social groups and institutions.

Honors only:  This is a “1-hour” seminar-style addition to the online section of Media, Power, and Culture. This gives us the opportunity to explore in more depth some of the topics discussed in the online portion. The purpose is for you to research and discuss selected topics related to mass media and their role in society through additional material, class discussion, and presentations.

Instructor: Jocelyn Folk, PhD, University of South Carolina

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of human behavior. As such, a broad number of topics that cover the diversity of behavior studied by psychologists will be covered, including sensation and perception; human development; memory, language, and problem solving; personality; psychopathology and therapy; and social interactions. Class meetings will be a mixture of presentations, discussion, exercises, and demonstrations.

By the end of this course, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Describe psychological theories, principles   and concepts relevant to the following topics: history and methods,   physiology (biology of behavior, consciousness, perception), cognition   (learning, thought, language), social, organizational, developmental,   personality and psychopathology and its treatment.
• Articulate knowledge of classic as well as   contemporary research in each of the major subfields of psychology.
• Recognize diversity and individual differences   and similarities in a variety of contexts.
• Be able to think critically about research   findings and apply what you have learned to real world situations.

Students will be expected to demonstrate how well they have achieved these objectives through class discussion, exams, and homework assignments. Assignments will include short papers, application/reflection papers, and application questions.

Text:

• Weiten, W., Psychology: Themes and Variations. Briefer Version, 9^th   edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (ISBN-13: 978-1-133-93906-1) 2013. Note: You have several options for the textbook. There are e-book and loose-leaf (ISBN-13: 978-1-133-95910-6) versions available from the publisher at reduced prices; you can also rent it directly from the publisher or get only the chapters that we cover ( www.cengagebrain.com).

Instructor: Staff

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of the human mind in all of its manifestations, including sensation and perception; human development; memory, language, and problem solving; motivation and emotion; personality; psychopathology and therapy; and social interactions. Class meetings will be a mixture of discussion, student and faculty presentations, exercises, and demonstrations. The primary objectives are for the student to understand the human mind by learning how psychologists use behavior to understand mental processes. Students will be expected to demonstrate how well they have achieved this objective through class discussion, class presentations, and essay exams, including a comprehensive final exam. Portions of these exams may be “take-home,” that is, be in the form of short papers, application/reflection papers, and homework questions.

Instructor: Staff

Prerequisite: PSYC 11762

A review of the data, concepts, and theories of psychology that contribute to our understanding of adjustment problems and adjustment successes. Also, elements from daily life experiences will be related to scientific and theoretical perspectives. Although there will be a lecture format, discussion of topics of interest will be encouraged.

Instructor: Staff

The course is intended to be a high-level introduction to sociological analysis stressing the manner in which sociologists approach and deal with questions rather than "facts." The manner of presentation will be part lecture, part discussion. Course objectives are contained in the course outline. Most likely three examinations will be given, trisecting the class. Examinations are essay type. A course paper of no more than 20 pages is required. You should expect that the course will be stimulating, far-reaching, AND rigorous.

Lecture Instructor: Jennifer Marcinkiewicz, Ph.D., University of Illinois

Principles of biology—cell biology, energetics, reproduction and heredity, molecular genetics, animal systems—presented within an evolutionary perspective. In lecture there will be four exams, including the final exam. The Honors component may include a series of readings from biological literature and scientific journals. The laboratory includes investigative, as well as observational, exercises. Short laboratory quizzes and laboratory practical exams are given, and reports about some laboratory exercises are required.

The Honors students will have the following work that differs from non-Honors students:

• Separate lab with additional assignments   involving writing about biology in the news
• Lab quizzes are designed to be more   challenging
• Lecture exams will have a different format for   Honors students—not just multiple choice but some short answer/essay   questions

NOTE: Lecture is mixed Honors/non-Honors; lab is all Honors. This description applies to both sections of BSCI 10120.

Texts:

• Ravens & Johnson, Biology, 7^th ed., WCB/McGraw-Hill, 2005
• Morgan and Carter, Investigating Biology, 2^nd   ed., Benjamin-Cummings Publishing

Instructor: Songping Huang, PhD, Michigan State University

Chemistry 10960 is the first part of a two-semester sequence of mathematically-based, college-level general chemistry. Students will first be introduced to modern atomic and molecular structure theories, chemical bonding, and the periodic law. These basic principles will then be applied to the discussion of chemical stoichiometry, acid and base reactions, intermolecular forces in gases, liquids, and solids. The classroom time will be divided into lectures, discussion, and problem-solving sessions. Sections 001-003 will attend the same classroom, but be divided into different lab sections.

Text:

• Robinson, Odom, and Holtzclaw, General Chemistry, 10^th   edition, 1997

Instructor: David Singer, PhD, Stanford University

GEOL 21062 Environmental Geology is a 3-credit course intended to familiarize students with the application of geology to environmental problems including natural resource extraction, impacts of hydraulic fracturing, water usage and supply, pollution, global warming, waste disposal, landslides, floods and land use planning.  The course’s learning outcomes are: Explain the dynamic behavior of the Earth as a complex system; Discuss issues related to human population growth and its impact on the natural world; Discuss evidence of global climate change and impacts of anthropogenic effects; Describe appropriate locations for nuclear waste disposal; Explain the causes of soil, air and water pollution.  In addition to lectures, assignments and exams, students will participate in 10 hands-on experiments and demonstrations, which will parallel the course themes. A highlight of the course will be a fieldtrip to the Huff Run Watershed; a site of historic coal mining where exposure of the coal has resulted in the production of acid seeps and metal release into surface waters.

Instructor: Spyridon Margetis, PhD, Frankfurt University

This course deals with seven significant ideas or concepts in the development of physics: Copernican astronomy, Newtonian mechanics, energy, entropy, relativity theory, quantum theory, and conservation principles and symmetry. We will discuss the origin and significance of these ideas, how they evolved and were established, their limitations, and their interplay with each other and other areas of knowledge. The course is primarily non-mathematical in nature, but some material and homework exercises will involve mathematical maturity at about the level of high school algebra. Subject matter will be presented through a combination of lectures, classroom demonstrations, discussions, and assigned readings. Grading will be based on in-class examinations and homework. Examination questions will include a mixture of essay, short answer, and simple problems.

Instructor: Stephen Gagola, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Prerequisite:    Minimum C (2.0) grade in MATH 11010 and MATH 11022; or ALEKS math upper-level minimum score 70; or ALEKS math single assessment minimum score of 78

Material covered will include limits, continuity, and derivatives. Also, we will introduce definite and indefinite integrals for functions in one real variable. Applications include maximization, related rates, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. The course will include regular homework assignments and several exams. The main method of presentation will be lecture, but we may break into small groups on several occasions.

A TI-81 (or equivalent) graphing calculator will be required.

Text:

• Stewart, James, Essential Calculus, KSU custom edition

Instructor: Aaron Hanlin, MEd, Kent State University

Honors Introduction to Human Communication emphasizes communication as a mutually shared process. Students will explore both classical and contemporary theories and concepts drawn from a variety of disciplines including communication, philosophy, psychology, and sociology to develop an understanding of the nature and functions of human communication in interpersonal, group, and public contexts.

Interpersonal Communication

Students will analyze their personal communication messages and behaviors and those of others to consider how communication can enhance (or diminish) relationships. We will study topics such as self-disclosure, stages of relationship development, and conflict as they apply to peers, friendships, families, romantic relationships, and professional relationships.

Group Communication

Working with others is a critical skill for success in our personal, academic, social, and professional lives. Students will examine the role of communication as it applies to successful teamwork. Group communication topics will include decision-making, problem-solving, group roles, leadership, and conflict management.

Public Speaking

Particular emphasis in the Honors section will be placed on the role of public speaking as a forum for civic discourse in a diverse democratic society, which will include an examination of communication theories and practices through an analysis of rhetoric as it applies to social and political contexts. Through critical analysis of historical and contemporary speeches, students will develop skills in the practice of researching, organizing, and delivering public presentations. Specifically, students will analyze how speakers can utilize the five canons of rhetoric (invention, disposition, style, memory, and delivery) to meet speaking goals. Students are required to deliver three speeches in the course: an informative, persuasive, and group presentation.