Course Descriptions

This course explores selected psychosocial concepts and theories basic to nursing practice. The use of self as a therapeutic agent is emphasized in the promotion of psychosocial health. Students develop strategies of intervention based on the nursing process, nursing theories and research. Clinical experience is provided within a psychiatric treatment facility.

An introduction to the fundamental principles common to all living organisms. Presents basic biological principles using human systems as a study model including cell biology, genetics, and physiology. A course for non-biology majors. Three lectures and one 3-hour laboratory per week.

Natural Science with Lab. This course focuses on fundamental biological concepts at an organismal level. It also fulfills the Natural Science core requirement and provides a foundation for more advanced courses in Biology. BI 122 is devoted to biodiversity, plant form and function, and animal form and function. Particular emphasis in the course is placed upon the scientific method and upon the evaluation, analysis, and synthesis of information.

Arts & Letters-Literature. Littérature francophone de l'Afrique Francophone et des Antilles Françaises A study of representative written passages from various authors of Francophone Africa and the French Antilles. Analysis of various readings in both discussions and compositions. The course also covers the arts, history, and present political situation of the countries studied (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Burkina-Faso, Martinique, and Guadeloupe). An allied class of the minor in Latin American Studies.

Arts & Letters-Literature. A study of literature written by women, exploring what it means when women become the center of their own stories. The subtitle of the course will help define the focus: it may focus on writings by women from Britain, the U.S., any ethnic and/or national group, or a combination of any of the above. The course may focus on one century, a more limited historical period, or span several. Feminist literary and cultural theory may be an added focus. Writers may include: Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Kate Chopin, Virginia Woolf, Adrienne Rich, Maxine Hong Kingston, Toni Morrison, Louise Erdrich, Sandra Cisneros, Gloria Anzaldua.

The Honors Scholars seminar series continues by weaving the rise of the scientific revolution with the leading social philosophies of the 17th and 18th centuries, including empiricism, rationalism, and idealism, including the roles of satire, farce, and drama in literature.

The study of basic physiological functions of the body and their response to exercise. Topics include muscle structure and function, responses and adaptations to exercise, energy metabolism, effects of exercise and training on body composition, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and nutrition and other aids to performance.

Independent study is open to junior and senior students only. At the time of application, a student must have earned a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. A student may register for no more than three (3) semester hours of independent study in any one term. In all cases, registration for independent study must be approved by the appropriate department chairperson and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Elusive Self: On Mind, Brain, and Consciousness.

No concept is more central to our lives than the notion of "I." We could not navigate the world if we lacked a fundamental sense of self-hood. Yet, for philosophers and psychologists alike, this commonplace idea has been the starting point for much speculation, research, and wonder. This course explores various dimensions of what we call the self from both psychological and philosophical perspectives. We begin with questions on the nature of consciousness, with special emphasis on the relationship between the mind and the brain. We then explore issues related to personal identity, self-awareness, and memory. We next consider the prospects for consciousness and self-hood in non-human animals and machines. Finally, we reckon with the self's ultimate limitation, death.

A Discerning Eye: Depression, Trauma and Madness in Literature.

How do we diagnose a mental illness? How are symptoms of mental illness portrayed in literature? Depression, Trauma and Madness will examine the ways in which psychology and literature both overlap and diverge on the subject of mental illness. The course will consist of a conversation between literary texts that portray mental illnesses and psychologists' current understanding of those illnesses. The course will focus on comparing and contrasting current diagnostics for many common psychological disorders and how certain disorders are reflected in the literature. The course will have distinct units with specific texts used to highlight important aspects of depression, trauma and madness.

An Integrative Learning course where students receive CORE credit in Arts & Letters-Fine Art.

This course introduces students to basic concepts of professional communication and artistic creation in the context of the French fashion industry. Over the semester, students will learn to sketch clothing for both fashion and theatrical contexts, to render the costumes using appropriate scale, to add color using watercolors, and to communicate with a director or editor, and with clients, vendors, and co-workers about their work both in English and in French.

A Shared Space - Animal and Human Geography and History.

This course focuses on an examination of how spatially situated human-animal relations have changed through time. Looking critically at the relationships that exist among people, animals, and the landscape this course engages students in the study of the ways in which interrelationshipss between humans and animals have been constructed over time and space. It also illustrates how the study of animals - past, present, even mythical - demands critical analyses of the three main fields it brings together, anthrozoology, history, and geography, enriching all three.

This course will seek to weave together the problem and question of God with historical case studies illuminating humanity's capacity for cruelty, atrocity, and genocide. By exploring some of the leading philosophical and theological arguments regarding the problem of evil, for example, alongside real historical examples, we will force the class to confront the reality that neither discipline has all the answers to the difficult questions posed by the human potential for evil.

Course will be offered every two years, in the fall semester.

The senior paper is an original work a student prepares under the guidance of a professor in the Philosophy Department. It must provide evidence of scholarship in any of the major philosophical areas and is approved by the Department Chair.

An overview of the principles, methods, and practice of research in the social sciences. The course will assist students in research design, case studies, conducting field research, analyzing and evaluating their research data, conducting needs assessment, program evaluation, and practice effectiveness.

Fulfills Global or National Diversity requirement depending on topic.

Taught Fall, Even.

Prerequisites: SP 303, SP 305 and SP 306 or permission of the instructor.

This course will provide a strong foundation for building sound critical-thinking skills based on classic and current empirical-based research by providing an overview of the best practices for working with persons who have low incidence disabilities. Students will be encouraged to develop their own appreciation for individuals who are the most vulnerable because of their disabilities and demonstrates how to effectively collaborate with educators, families, and professionals in a variety of settings. Students will develop their philosophy for working with persons with low incidence disabilities and the complex issues affecting these individuals' lives. The course provides an overview of low incidence disabilities and appropriate practices for working with persons with low-incidence disabilities, including ethical guidelines for professionals who partner with these diverse individuals Students will complete 15 hours of observation in a classroom with students who have low incidence disabilities.