2020-2021 University Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 

CORE: Scientific Perspectives on the World

  
  • CORE 124S - Cells and Human Development


    The fusion of sperm and egg cells to form a single-celled zygote is the initial step in development in most multi-cellular organisms. In humans, repeated divisions of this single fertilized egg are responsible for the production of more than 70 trillion cells of greater than 200 different types. In this course students examine how a fertilized egg undergoes division, how the stem cells produced by these divisions become “determined” to form cells of particular types, and how these determined cells finally differentiate into the highly specialized cells that make up most tissues and organs. As this process is examined, students also explore the relationship between cells and developmental patterns, and investigate how genetic and environmental factors can influence (and alter) cell fate. Biological, social, and ethical aspects of the human manipulation of development are also considered, including examination of such topics as cloning by nuclear transfer, reproductive technology, fetal surgery, stem cells, and embryonic gene therapy.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 126S - Computers in the Arts and Sciences


    Introduces students to the inner workings of computers, the Internet, the Web. Students learn to create a well-designed web page; build a website; perform regression analysis; analyze a small social network; etc. Students spend two weeks on the notion of data modeling, build simple but useful financial models, and in the process learn the basics of financial literacy. There are several lab assignments and two group projects, one to build a website on the subject of choice, the other to analyze a social network. No computer experience is required.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: COSC 100  
    Corequisite: CORE 126SL 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 126SL - Computers in the Arts and Sciences Lab


    Required corequisite to CORE 126S .

    Credits: 0.25
    Corequisite: CORE 126S 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 128S - Global Change and You


    Our planet is currently undergoing a level of abiotic and biotic change that is unprecedented in recent history and the scientific consensus is that it is anthropogenic. This course introduces students to the recent data on climate change and inferred causes and consequences of that change. Throughout the course, the way in which humans influence these changes and also the ways in which these changes impact humans are explored. The main focus of the course is the carbon cycle, specifically on human energy consumption, food production, and water use, and how they are linked to biodiversity loss. The many sides of issues (e.g., biofuels) are explored and debated throughout the course. The immediate consequences of global change are demonstrated in a required weekend field trip to the Adirondacks in the third week of the classes to learn about the effects of pollution and climate on our local ecosystems.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 129S - Dangerous Earth: Science of Geologic Disasters


    Geologic disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, serve as dramatic reminders of the power of nature and the catastrophic impact that these disasters have on society. As recent events such as the 2003 tsunami in Sumatra demonstrate, these disasters can exact a terrible cost in both economic terms and loss of life. Society has a clear interest in understanding what causes these disasters and how to reduce their impact on human populations. Geology provides a scientific framework for understanding the potential risks and effects of geologic disasters. This course examines the science behind four disasters that pose major risks to society: floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and meteoric impacts. Students examine significant case studies to understand the types of data collected to study these disasters, ambiguities in the data, and how risk is estimated. Students also examine potential ways to reduce the damage caused by such hazards and the scientific, economic, political, and societal implications of these approaches.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 130S - Rejected Knowledge


    “Rejected Knowledge” refers to things known, by whatever process and persons, that do not fit orthodox paradigms of belief and are therefore commonly excluded from academic consideration. The course examines such topics as the evidence for prehistoric high civilizations, the claims of parapsychology, UFO myths, and paranormal phenomena. What are the reasons for their exclusion, and how can the scientific method, properly employed, help in their investigation?

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 134S - The Sixth Extinction


    The fossil record reveals that Earth has experienced five cataclysmic events, or mass extinctions, which in each instance had a profound effect on its history by redirecting the course of evolution. As detectives attempting to solve the world’s greatest murder mysteries, students of this course examine when each of these catastrophic events occurred, what caused ecosystems and evolutionary processes to be disrupted, why and where biological diversity was greatly diminished, and who survived to begin the evolutionary repair of life during subsequent recovery and radiation phases. In the final part of the course, students use their knowledge of these past events to hypothesize about and investigate the severity of the Sixth Extinction. The course addresses modern conservation practices and specific actions that hope to enhance the future existence of a biologically diverse planet.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 137S - Mind, Body, and Health


    The relationship between the mind and the body has been a topic of speculation and controversy through human history. This course explores this relationship by examining how psychological and social factors influence human health. Proponents of Western medicine have frequently dismissed a mind-body link as folklore; others, especially writers for the popular media, have claimed that the mind has miraculous power to cure disease. In recent years, scientists have conducted numerous studies aimed at discovering how thoughts and emotions actually influence physical health, and what mechanisms underlie this influence. Students evaluate this literature, learning about the effects of beliefs, emotional states (depression, anxiety), personality characteristics, and stress on people’s susceptibility to and recovery from illnesses. Students also explore literature suggesting that psychological approaches can prevent or treat physical conditions. By doing hands-on experimentation, students learn how to measure stress and even how to control their own physiological responses to it. The course emphasizes the value and limitations of using Western scientific methodology to gain knowledge, and contrasts this approach with ideas from “alternative” and Eastern approaches to medicine.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 138S - The Advent of the Atomic Bomb


    Examines the scientific evolution of nuclear weapons and the historical context in which they were developed. World War II made urgent the exploitation of atomic power for military purposes. Topics include the scientific thought that made harnessing nuclear power possible, the political pressure that shaped that process, the ramifications of the bomb for science and politics during and immediately after the war, and the subsequent impact of nuclear bomb use on the population and the environment. Includes consideration of post-WWII developments of nuclear weapons, weapons testing, and nuclear power generation, with an emphasis on their environmental impact.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 139S - Election Methods and Voting Technology


    How should we elect our president and other officials? What is the best way to cast and record our votes? This course surveys different methods of conducting elections. We develop tools to assess the fairness of our election methods in this country and how they might make policy decisions related to elections. These policies concern the ways of casting our votes (voting technology) and the election methods. One part of the course compares different ways of electing candidates and the mathematical theory behind these methods. The second part of the course considers different ways that votes can be cast. This includes the history of different methods of voting and their vulnerability to fraud. This leads to current debates about voting technology: How effective are different modern systems, such as electronically scanned ballots and direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines, for accurately and securely recording votes and protecting against voting fraud?

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 140S - Language and Cognition


    What is the relationship between language and cognition? To answer this question this course explores the interrelation between verbal expression and such cognitive faculties as bodily experience, imagination, memory, categorization, and abstract thought. The study of language as a cognitive phenomenon is a relatively new discipline. It originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since then, cognitive linguistics has been a rapidly growing field that has both benefited from and contributed to its allied disciplines of cognitive psychology, cognitive anthropology, and cognitive neuroscience. The course begins by examining the advantages and shortcomings of the cognitive perspective on the different levels of language (e.g., sounds, words, sentences, texts, etc.). Students explore the connections of cognitive linguistics with the related fields that are broadly referred to as the “cognitive sciences.” No background in linguistics is required, but interest in linguistics is expected.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 141S - From the Atkins Diet to the Kyoto Treaty: Science, the News Media, and You


    Many of the important issues that confront society, from health-related concerns to environmental protection, are scientific at their core, and society relies almost exclusively on the news media for information about them. However, a lot can happen to scientific data on its way to becoming a headline. Politicians, industries, and other groups have a stake in the perception of scientific issues and can potentially influence the content and presentation of news. This course dissects the forces that control perception of scientific news and provides strategies for obtaining more detailed information. The course comprises a series of self-contained units that each focus on a single issue and may include such disparate topics as the Atkins diet, the Kyoto Protocol, nanotechnology, the human genome project, and space exploration, as well as some of the students’ choosing. Each unit begins with a general introduction to the underlying science, moves on to explore social, political, and economic aspects, and culminates with a writing assignment or class-wide participatory event.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 143S - Introduction to Statistics


    Introduces students to statistical thinking by examining data collected to solve real-world problems. A wide range of applications are considered. Topics include experimental design, descriptive statistics, the normal curve, correlation and regression, probability theory, sampling, the central limit theorem, estimation, hypothesis testing, paired observations, and the chi-square test. Particular emphasis is given to the models that underlie statistical inference. This course is no longer crosslisted as MATH 102.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Three years of secondary school mathematics
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Restrictions: Not open to students who have either received credit for or are currently enrolled in MATH 416 .
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 147S - Emerging Global Challenges: Science, Technology, and Culture


    In the 21st century, global citizenship will require a comprehensive understanding of key challenges on a planetary scale, including global warming, diminishing energy resources, population pressures (adequate water and food supplies, humane living conditions), urbanization, and the impact of natural disasters. This course will explore the underlying scientific concepts essential to developing a thorough understanding of the phenomenon and developing a healthy skepticism and critical analysis of complex, global-scale processes. Through the application of design-thinking project-based learning, students will assess the potential global ramifications of selected global issues, develop their own interpretations, and propose creative solutions.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 149S - The Scientific Study of Willpower


    Willpower allows people to delay gratification, resist temptations, and reach challenging long-term goals. This course is devoted to the study of this unique human capacity to regulate behavior. Students explore the psychological mechanisms underlying willpower from a scientific perspective. While reading relevant theoretical and empirical works, students test the ideas under study through laboratory exercises. Discussions explore the broader implications of research findings and apply these principles to the self-regulatory challenges that one faces every day. Assignments focus on developing strong writing and scientific-reasoning skills, and gaining useful insight into one’s own motivational tendencies. A final research project allows students to investigate empirically an original idea on the nature of willpower.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 150S - Linguistics: Data, Theory, and Experiments


    Language is by far the most important means of communication among humans and the central cognitive ability separating them from the rest of the animal kingdom. Linguistic activity is all-pervasive and forms the foundation of all other high-level symbolic activities. At the same time, many aspects of this activity remain deeply mysterious. How did the language ability come about? Why is it that children learn their first language with such ease, while most adults have great difficulties learning a second one? How is it possible to learn such a complex set of rules in such a short time, on the basis of a very small corpus of data, much of it grammatically incorrect? These and other questions form the subject matter of the field of linguistics and are explored in this course.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 153S - Acid Rain: A Persistent Environmental Problem


    Acid rain surfaced as an environmental problem in the 1960’s and a multitude of studies were conducted in the Northeastern US, Canada and much of the United Kingdom and Europe that examined the sources and scope of the problem as well as the impacts on terrestrial and aquatic environments. The Adirondack Mountains are particularly sensitive to acid deposition because of their geology and topography. Many different collaborative studies were conducted with geologists, biologists, hydrologists and atmospheric scientists, and their results led legislators to enact the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Twenty five years later, we examine how scientists addressed skeptical concerns about the extent of the acid rain problem, how effective the legislation has been in recovery of lakes, streams and forests as well as efforts to mitigate the effects of acid deposition through lime applications that neutralize acid and restore chemistry to lakes, streams and forests. Students will gain an understanding of linkages between soils, forests, streams and lakes, and we will compare how scientists and legislators addressed the acid rain problem versus our current actions to address climate change. Students compare restoration “success” in the Adirondack Mountains to changes in precipitation chemistry and biota in other parts of the world such as Canada, different European countries, the United Kingdom and Asia.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 154S - Caribbean Ecology and Environmental Concerns


    When we think of the Caribbean, the first images that come to mind are beautiful, clear, blue oceans, white sandy beaches, never-ending sunshine, and perpetual serenity with laid-back populations. Yet these images do not capture the presence of the myriad ecological and social concerns of the region. What are the different ecological settings of these islands, ranging from the terrestrial to the marine? What are the human-environment interactions within these ecological contexts? How have these interactions led to stressors within the ecological settings, and what are the implications of these stressors? This course seeks to address how these questions are answered through the use of science and also seeks to highlight some of the limitations of science when contending with complex ecological and social systems, using the Caribbean region as the area of focus.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 156S - Drugs, Brain, and Behavior


    Drugs, used recreationally and medicinally, can have physiological and behavioral consequences that are important to both the individual and society. The processes in the brain and nervous system that mediate drug-induced effects on behavior and physiology are examined with emphasis on the strategies and methods used to evaluate, scientifically, the effects of drugs. This course is designed for students with no background in the field of neuroscience.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 158S - Molecules that Rock Your World


    How could a collection of atoms, tethered together to form molecules, have played such important roles in colonization, health, environment, lifestyle, and so forth? We will look at 13 of the most intriguing molecules in history. As we explore these interesting histories, we will catalogue a few of the relevant scientific observations and molecular structures that give rise to the important characteristics of particular “world rocking” molecules. Molecular modeling, demonstrations, and lab-like exercises will illustrate the connection between structure and function. Students will also suggest and research other molecules that have impacted history or might be projected to have a profound influence in the future.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 159S - Ecology and the Quality of the Environment


    A mix of interlocking problems is reaching crisis levels on our planet, which is the only home for us and a rich diversity of other life forms. The bad news is the growing evidence that we are depleting the Earth’s natural capital at unprecedented and accelerated rates by living in ways that are eventually unsustainable. This course introduces students to a variety of ecological principles that explain the nature of the environment. Topics include human population dynamics, matter and energy resources, ecosystems, and others. The master ecological concepts are applied to current world environmental problems to help explain water pollution, hazardous waste disposal, renewable and nonrenewable resources, etc. Environmental degradation and pollution are approached from an ecological perspective, but students also search environmental ethics and economic and political aspects for potential solutions.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 160S - Psychology of Sport and Exercise


    Knowledge and beliefs related to sport and exercise behaviors are based on a variety of approaches, ranging from superstition to the scientific method. This information is also variously transmitted, ranging from verbal folklore, popular media, textbooks, and peer-reviewed science journals. Sport and exercise psychology is the scientific study of human behavior as it relates to sport and exercise. It forms an excellent canvas on which to view, comparatively, the strengths and weaknesses of using the scientific method to address issues of practical importance. This course provides a broad overview of sport and exercise psychology, explicitly addressing the scientific perspective. No prior exposure to psychology and no assumptions regarding prior athletic experiences.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 162S - Foodwise


    Food is essential for all of us to survive but we often take food and food preparation for granted. Have you ever wondered why some food tastes as it does or how food preparation can alter the taste of consistency of a dish? What is a balanced diet and why do we strive to have one? In this course students explore how understanding the science of food and cooking enhances our enjoyment of it as well as our benefit from it. Students look at the history and culture of human nourishment, and explore some controversial aspects of food and food technology, such as use of additives, genetically modified organisms, and diets and weight loss programs. If you have an appetite for learning or are just food motivated, this course may appeal to your senses.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 163S - This Old Earth: Scientific and Cultural Perspectives on the Discovery of Deep Time


    The antiquity of the Earth is geology’s most important contribution to science. In the late 18th and 19th centuries new findings about the Earth’s history and fossil record came into conflict with religious and cultural understandings of creation, evolution, and the place of man in the universe. These issues have been debated since Darwin first articulated his theory of evolution by natural selection. More recently, controversy over anthropogenic climate change has provoked similar questions: How long has our present climate lasted, and what has been the scale of climate change in the past? Knowledge of the Earth’s vast age has reached past scientific debates and influenced all aspects of life, including religion, poetry, art, and architecture. In this course, students explore the changing cultural and scientific views of the age of the Earth and how these longstanding debates influence how science is seen by non-scientists.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 166S - The Air Up There


    Weather and climate command our attention because they deeply affect life on Earth. Now more than ever, life on Earth also affects atmospheric conditions, with vitally important scientific, political, cultural, and ethical implications. Course readings, discussions, and lectures examine the atmosphere from microscopic and macroscopic points of view, exploring the atomic basis for atmospheric properties such as pressure, temperature, and transparency; investigating the physical processes behind weather patterns and disturbances; and examining some of the complexities of global climate change. The course emphasizes interactions between the atmosphere and humans, as well as interactions between science and other human endeavors. Students better their understanding of the atmosphere, weather phenomena, climate change, and the power and limitations of scientific inquiry. A term project allows students to study an atmospheric phenomenon of their choosing and to strengthen their knowledge through written, oral, and visual presentations.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 168S - Stem Cells, Gene Therapy, and Bionics: The Making and Remaking of the Human Body


    Examines several topics on the cutting edge of regenerative science. Initially focuses on the body’s ability to repair itself. Students examine the nature of stem cells, as well as the limitations and potential for future work with these cells. Students then explore how gene therapy techniques have the potential to repair a wide variety of genetic disorders, but may also bring about the possibility of selective improvement in normally functioning bodies. Finally, students look at how scientists are developing techniques to grow organs in the laboratory to replace damaged or injured organs, and how bionic parts are being investigated increasingly as alternatives to biological replacements. Along the way, students consider the ethical and social concerns that surround each of these approaches, and explore whether current definitions of humanity will apply well to a future where we can increasingly manipulate fundamental aspects of the human body.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 170S - Media Effects


    Uses a social scientific approach to examine the effects that media exposure has on audience members. Students develop an understanding of how the media affects audience members’ physiology, cognition, beliefs, attitudes, affective states, and behavior. Key media topics studied include violence, sex, politics, and portrayals of groups. Key types of media studied include television, music, video games, and social media.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 172S - The Biology of Women: Sex, Gender, Reproduction, and Disease


    Myths regarding the female body have been circulating for centuries and still influence human behavior throughout the world. Though female and male anatomies differ, the underlying genetic material of each is very similar. This course investigates the historical and environmental construction of gender, the biological aspects of sex, the unique characteristics of female anatomy and reproduction, and the effect of sexually transmitted diseases and cancer on female health. Lectures, discussions, and in-class exercises explore the scientific methods used to acquire our current understanding of hormonal signaling, genetic inheritance, development, microbial pathogenesis, and cell biology that underlie these topics. Social and ethical issues that exist and are raised by the biological differences between males and females are also discussed, including hormonal therapy, in vitro fertilization, prenatal genetic testing, female genital mutilation, and the use of birth control to prevent AIDS transmission. This course is open to both men and women.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 175S - The Science of Drinking: Methods in Alcohol Research


    Even before the dawn of written history, humans left evidence that they enjoyed alcohol. Despite this long history, though, there is still much to be learned about alcohol and its consumption. For example, why do people drink? When is drinking considered a problem? How can alcohol problems be addressed and treated? While topics like these can often be influenced by media events and political agendas, the goal of this course is to approach drinking from the perspective of scientific inquiry. The course explores recent theories of alcohol use and methods in alcohol research that are aimed at answering these three questions. Students engage in a real, ongoing intervention research project in partnership with the Shaw Wellness Institute.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 176S - Natural Disasters: Science, Media and Movies


    Natural disasters are part of the normal processes that shape the Earth, but can have dramatic and tragic impacts on human populations around the globe. Many citizens, however, are only exposed to these phenomena through media coverage seeking high viewership or movies optimized for spectacular special effects. This course will introduce the science behind many natural disasters – including earthquakes, asteroid impacts, storms, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis – while also considering how media stories and films present, frame, or incorporate disaster science. Students will gain a practical understanding of natural disasters, and learn to critically analyze the representation of science in popular media.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 177S - Critical Analysis of Health Issues


    Examines a key global health issue, such as AIDS or Cancer, from an interdisciplinary approach. The readings introduce students to the history, politics, science, and public health issues of the disease. Students will examine the epidemiology of the disease, examining how geography, socioeconomic status, and other factors influence transmission and treatment, and statistical measures used to analyze data about causes, cures and spread of disease will be introduced. Finally, the impacts of the disease on communities at different scales will be examined.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
    Formerly: CORE 116S and CORE 136S


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 178S - Water


    Explores water technologies and their evolution through time, and how the technologies related to water distribution and treatment evolve with human’s understanding of and interaction with water. Through the lens of science and engineering, students examine the role water plays in human health, the environment, and sustainability. Focused on history of water transportation; water quality issues, coinciding with an improved understanding of water following advances in chemistry, biology, and physics; and modern and emerging problems related to water and water technology. Students cover topics on the application and limitation of scientific knowledge, and broader impacts that technology has on past and current societies.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 179S - Living and Dying in an Unequal World


    Social inequality affects us all. This course will explore what the science of social psychology tells us about how social inequality shapes the ways we think, live, and die. Because social inequality is about the relative status of people based on their group memberships, we will begin the course by exploring social psychological theories that help explain the centrality of our group memberships to our identity. As we will see, these group memberships can be based on many different aspects of our identity: race, gender, socioeconomic status, among many others. Next, we will explore what experimental data tell us about the sources of, and consequences of, group-based disparities. In particular, we will examine the roles of limited resources, identity, power, morality, and prejudice in perpetuating inequality. Finally, we will discuss the emerging literature on how to coexist more peacefully in an unequal world.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 180S - The Science of Music


    What is music? How do natural raw sounds become a musical phenomenon? Why are some combinations of sounds more pleasant than others? The answers to these questions are tightly related to the concepts of matter, energy, time and space. Where there is music, there is sound; and where there is sound, there is physics. This course is an exploration of the underlying principles of the musical phenomena, including acoustics of musical instruments, formation of scales and perception of sound.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 181S - Cooperation & the Environment


    Cooperation is the key to understanding many environmental problems and policies. When and how do humans cooperate with each other to solve environmental issues? What features make that cooperation easier or harder, and what can we do to encourage cooperation? This course explores the origins of cooperation from an economic, biological, psychological, and social perspective, with a particular focus on game theory. This knowledge is then applied to a variety of environmental issues, ranging from climate change to overfishing to the hole in the ozone layer.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 182S - From Paintings to Pixels


    Introduces students to interdisciplinary thinking: they learn the elements of computer programming in the context of visual art, developing problem solving skills that bridge disciplines. Students formally analyze the visual structure of paintings to create abstractions, sketches and collages, which provide templates that structure the computer programs they write.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: No prior programming experience is expected.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 183S - The Science Fiction Effect: Popular Science Writing and Science Fiction in Public Discourse


    Combines popular science writing with works of science fiction in order to interrogate the ways in which science is presented, expressed, and translated into texts intended for lay people. Students will consider the role both kinds of work play in shaping public scientific literacy. Readings will include essays from Best American Science Writing, recently published nonfiction in the genre of popular science, assorted recent articles, as well as seminal and contemporary works of literary science fiction. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how science is practiced and written about today, as well as the ways in which fiction about scientific advances popularizes the science it addresses. Given what we learn through reading nonfiction, is fictional writing about real science a fruitful part of public scientific discourse?

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 184S - Fire


    Fire is the quintessential human technology. It is also a potent symbol whose meaning has become central to our national and community discourse. Fire is at the root of countless traditions, myths, and foodways, and through controlled combustion of fossil fuels, fire has grown to be the central process at the heart of modern industrial and agricultural systems. The deliberate release of energy through different forms of combustion has changed the course of human social- and potentially, biological evolution. But where does the energy in combustion come from? How do humans harness that energy to do work? And how do storytelling and cultural perceptions of fire influence the choices individuals and societies make about what resources to burn, where to burn them, and what to do with the waste products?

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


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  • CORE 185S - Balderdash, Codswallop and Malarkey


    Takes a scientific approach to understand the sources and validity of information. Students focus on the roles of language, mathematics, and computation in the production, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge. Discussions include strategies for recognizing false or misleading information, and topics are considered through multiple lenses. This requires questioning one’s own expertise as well as understanding the lifecycle of information, for good judgment and intellectual humility are two sides of the same coin.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


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  • CORE 186S - The Rhetoric of Science


    Applies rhetorical theories and methods to scientific discourse in the public and academic sphere. Students develop an understanding of the relationship between research and writing, and they practice these skills by examining historical and current scientific debates and controversies. Through looking at case studies, students will gain an increased understanding of how, where, and when scientific research is influenced by (and influencing of) different audiences and communities. Students will examine and work with qualitative research methods, genre theory, rhetorical style, and multimodal compositions.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


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  • CORE 187S - The Things with Feather: Human’s Passion for Birds and Scientific Study of Bird Intelligence


    Emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the historic journey of scientific studies of bird behavior and nature while celebrating the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures. Students examine the study of intelligence of birds from behavior, brain mechanisms, to ecological and evolutionary adaptation. Students look at the history of ornithological study in the past centuries and examine the key social-cultural events and conceptual breakthroughs that advance scientific study of birds. Students also explore how these scientific findings can shed light on human behaviors and help us to better understand ourselves.  Moreover, students examine the impacts of human-created environmental changes on the behavior, reproduction, and survival of these precious creatures, and how citizen science has helped contribute to numerous bird conservation projects.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


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  • CORE 188S - It’s a Dog Life


    Dogs are a fascinating study organism. From their very beginnings their evolutionary history contains unpredicted effects across all levels of biological organization. From the social construct of being a wild animal (wolf), to becoming dependent on man (domestication), and colonizing our homes and our beds (inter-species bonding). The history of this single species provides a rich learning opportunity to introductory students. Readings and discussions include a brief introduction and exploration of most branches of biology, in an interdisciplinary manner: evolution, ecology, genetics, physiology, and behavior, with the underlying theme of how dogs are unique to each of those branches in biology. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between wild animals and early humans, and tracks that interaction through time as the domestication of the dog has progressed. Further exploration occurs on physiological aspects of canine biology that are beneficial for humans, for example, cancer research. Students are challenged to formulate questions about science and how science relates to the inter-species relationship we have created with “man’s best friend.”

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


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  • CORE 189S - Sleep


    Why do we sleep? Why do we dream? Do we really need to get 8 hours of sleep a night to perform our best? How is sleep affected by a person’s neighborhood, job, family, or culture? Students will study the theories and empirical research that seek to answer these questions. The course begins examining sleep at multiple levels of analysis, including its biological underpinnings, methods of assessment, and developmental changes, as well as common sleep disorders and connections between sleep and learning, dreaming, and health. The second half of the course will address environmental influences on sleep and explore ways to improve sleep in diverse populations via intervention and policy.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • CORE 190S - The Unreliable Internet


    In our hyperconnected world, we expect the Internet, and its abundance of information, entertainment, social networking, e-commerce, and more, to always be accessible. Our expectations are usually satisfied thanks to a complex system of specialized devices and software. However, this infrastructure is susceptible to physical failures, human errors, cyber attacks, and censorship that compromise our ability to access (parts of) the Internet. In this course, students will learn how the Internet works and explore Internet design flaws and operational limitations that have been demonstrated by scientific measurements of Internet infrastructure. Additionally, students will examine a variety of technology- and policy-based solutions for making the Internet more reliable and open.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives


    Click here for Course Offerings by term



Linguistics

  
  • LING 291 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • LING 391 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • LING 491 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term



Mathematics

  
  • MATH 105 - Introduction to Statistics


    An introduction to the basic concepts of statistics. Topics include experimental design, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, basic probability, mean tendencies, the central limit theorem, point estimation with errors, hypothesis testing for means, proportions, paired data, and the chi-squared test for independence. Emphasis is on statistical reasoning rather than computation, although computation is done via software.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Three years of secondary school mathematics
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Restrictions: Not open to students who have either received credit for or are currently enrolled in CORE 143S  or   or   or MATH 416  or  .
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 161 - Calculus I


    An introduction to the basic concepts of differential and integral calculus including limits and continuity; differentiation of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; applications of the derivative to curve sketching, related rates, and maximum-minimum problems; Riemann sums and the definite integral; and the fundamental theorem of calculus.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Three years of secondary school mathematics including trigonometry
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 111


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 162 - Calculus II


    A continuation of the study of calculus begun in MATH 161. Topics covered include the calculus of inverse trigonometric functions, techniques of integration, improper integrals, L’Hôpital’s rule and indeterminate forms, applications of integration, and Taylor series.

    Note: MATH 161  may not be taken after credit is earned for MATH 162.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 161  with a grade of C- or higher or equivalent experience in a secondary school calculus course
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 112


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 163 - Calculus III


    The content from MATH 161 and MATH 162 is extended to several variables. Among the topics considered are surfaces in three-dimensional space, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, and multiple integrals.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   with a grade of C- or higher or   (PHYS 232 may be taken concurrently) (MATH 162 prereq can be satisfied with equivalent experience in a secondary school calculus course)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 113


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 214 - Linear Algebra


    A study of sets of linear equations and their transformation properties over vector spaces. Topics include: systems of linear equations, matrices, determinants, vector spaces, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and diagonalization.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 163  (may be taken concurrently) or MATH 113
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 250 - Number Theory and Mathematical Reasoning


    Questions about the positive integers 1, 2, 3 … have fascinated people for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks noted the existence of right triangles with sides of integral length, corresponding to equations such as 32 + 42 =52 and 52 + 122 = 132. Is there a way of describing all such “Pythagorean Triples”? As another example, 5 = 12+ 22, 13 = 22 + 32, 17 = 12 + 42, while none of the primes 7, 11, or 19 can be expressed as the sum of two squares. Is there a pattern? Does it continue forever? This course focuses on such equations as a means for introducing students to the spirit and methods of modern mathematics. The emphasis throughout is on developing the ability to construct logically sound mathematical arguments and communicate these arguments in writing.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) or (MATH 163  or MATH 113) with a grade of C or better
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 260 - Computational Mathematics


    An exploration of computer manipulation and presentation of mathematical ideas. The computer allows mathematics to be explored, manipulated and connected to data. No background in programming is presumed. Students learn how numbers are stored and manipulated on the computer in order to do mathematics (from calculus to linear algebra to exploring patterns in the integers), how mathematical functions can be encoded and presented, and how data relates to functions. Induction and continuity are methods of proof relying on infinity, yet will be explored using the finite number cruncher called a computer. The results provide examples and intuition for further mathematical investigation. The required lab portion of the course allows students to implement these ideas in practice.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: MATH 260L  
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 260L - Computational Mathematics Lab


    Required corequisite to MATH 260 .

    Credits: 0.25
    Corequisite: MATH 260 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 291 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 302 - Systems Biology


    Systems biology is an emerging interdisciplinary field that focuses on system level understanding of complex interactions of biological processes using quantitative approaches. The course focuses on the applications of mathematical techniques such as differential equations, network structure measures, machine learning and modeling (e.g., Boolean and stochastic modeling) to the study of gene regulation, synthetic gene circuits, small- and large-scale biological networks, and signal transduction pathways. Students also learn how to use computer software that is designed for biological data analysis such as GenePattern and COPASI.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: BIOL 302  
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 161  or MATH 111 or MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (BIOL 182  or MATH 163  or MATH 113 or PHYS 204 or COSC 101 )
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 308 - Differential Equations


    Differential Equations relate unknown functions to their derivatives. Finding the solution involves identifying functions that satisfy that equation. This course focuses on techniques for solving ordinary differential equations as well as some basic general theory of ordinary differential equations. Topics include: first order equations with associated initial conditions, linear higher order equations with constant coefficients, systems of linear and nonlinear differential equations, and solutions written as power series and/or using transforms. Applications are presented.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 310 - Combinatorial Problem Solving


    Develops methods to solve combinatorial (finite) problems arising in mathematics, computer science, and other areas from the natural and social sciences. Enumeration and graph theory are the main subjects. Topics include recurrence relations, generating functions, inclusion-exclusion, modeling with graphs, trees and searching, graph coloring, and network algorithms. The emphasis is on problem solving rather than theory.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 162  or MATH 112
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 312 - Math Modeling: Social Sciences


    How do we translate problems from the world into solvable mathematical problems? Mathematical modeling is the art of creating mathematical problems whose solutions are useful for real world problems. Methods such as scaling, qualitative analysis, limits of predictability, and simple random models are discussed. Applications considered arise from economics, political science, and sociology.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 214 
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 313 - Functions of a Complex Variable


    By introducing the imaginary number i = √-1 the analysis of functions over the complex plane becomes, at times, distinctly different than over the real plane. Topics include complex numbers and functions, the theory of differentiation and integration of complex functions, sequences and series of complex functions, conformal mapping. Special attention is given to Cauchy’s integral theorem.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 315 - Mathematical Biology


    Mathematical biology is a fast growing and interdisciplinary area in which mathematics is utilized as a tool for studying various biological phenomena such as population growth, infectious diseases, the spread of invasive species, cell movement, dynamics of a neuron, etc. This course provides an introduction to the basics of discrete and continuous models and mathematical concepts for students to learn how to derive, interpret, solve, simulate, and understand models of biological systems.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 316 - Probability


    An introduction to the basic concepts of discrete and continuous probability: axioms and properties of probability, standard counting techniques, conditional probability, important random variables and their discrete and continuous distributions, expectation, variance, and joint distribution functions. Additional topics may include: Poisson processes, Markov chains, and Monte Carlo methods.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 354 - Data Analysis I - Normal Model Inference


    An applied regression course that involves modeling data with normal models including hands on Tukey-style data analysis with statistics software. Students explore topics that are widely used today across disciplines in academic research and in business; such topics include inferences for normal parameters, correlation, regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), model diagnostics, model building, and transformations. Students will start with regression analysis with a single predictor variable, then consider regression analysis where two or more variables are used for making predictions. While applied, this course aims to combine theory and application to emphasize the need for understanding each methods’ theoretical foundation. This conversation is had through illustrating a variety of inferences, residual analyses and fully exploring the implications of our assumptions.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: ECON 375  or BIOL 320  or PSYC 309  or (  and MATH 260 ) or (  and  ) or (  and COSC 290 ) or (  and  )  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 357 - Geometry


    A study of several geometrical systems, with emphasis upon a development of Euclidean geometry that meets current standards of rigor.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Prerequisites:   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 327


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 360 - Graph Theory


    An investigation of the properties and structure of graphs. Graph theory uses mathematical constructs called graphs to approach a diverse set of problems that have nontrivial applications in computer science, operations research and other disciplines. It is one of the very few mathematical areas where one is always close to interesting unsolved problems. Topics include graphs and subgraphs, trees, connectivity, Eulerian and Hamilton cycles, matchings, colorings, planar graphs, directed graphs, network flows, counting arguments, and graph algorithms.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites:   or   or   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 375 - Abstract Algebra I


    Abstract algebraic structures, rather than results specific to the usual number systems, are developed. Basic algebraic structures presented include groups, rings, integral domains, and fields.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 250   with a grade of C or better
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 320


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 376 - Numerical Analysis


    An introductory treatment of methods used for numerical approximation. Topics include: roots of equations, simultaneous linear equations, quadrature, and other fundamental processes using high speed computing devices.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 260   with a grade of C or better 
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 329


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 377 - Real Analysis I


    Results from calculus, including limits, continuity, the derivative, and the Riemann integral, are given a rigorous treatment.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (MATH 162  or MATH 112) and (MATH 163  or MATH 113) and (MATH 250  or MATH 260 ) with a grade of C or better
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 323


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 382 - Topology


    An introduction to both point-set topology and basic algebraic topology. Topics include metric spaces, topological spaces, compactness, connectedness, the classification of surfaces, mod-2 homology, and the Jordan curve theorem. Additional topics that demonstrate connections with analysis, dynamics, and algebra are determined by the instructor based on student interest.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 250   with a grade of C or better
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 342


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 389 - Axiomatic Set Theory


    Set theory serves as a foundation for all of mathematics, in the sense that all of the objects and constructions of mathematics can be expressed in terms of sets. It was discovered over 100 years ago, however, that intuitive set theory is riddled with contradictions. This course introduces students to the axioms of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, which restrict the ways in which sets can be formed, in the hope of avoiding the contradictions. Topics include the Zermelo-Fraenkel axioms and some of their consequences; well-orderings and various statements equivalent to the axiom of choice; and ordinal and cardinal numbers.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: MATH 250   with a grade of B+ or higher
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 391 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 408 - Partial Differential Equations


    Explores mathematics as it is applied to the physical sciences. Mathematical topics may include boundary value problems, partial differential equations, special functions, Fourier series and transforms, Green’s functions, and approximate solution methods.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 308  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 311


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 410 - Ramsey Theory on the Integers


    The study of structures of mathematical objects that are preserved under partitions. Many results in Ramsey theory sound rather complicated and can be hard to follow; they tend to have a lot of quantifiers and may well involve objects whose elements are sets. However, when the objects under consideration are sets of integers, the situation is much simpler. This course will offer students a glimpse into the world of mathematical research and the opportunity to begin pondering unsolved problems.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 310  or MATH 375  or MATH 320
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 416 - Mathematical Statistics


    Building on the material learned in MATH 316, students examine the theoretical underpinning of statistical results. Topics include estimation theory, confidence intervals, and tests of hypotheses (including an introduction to Bayesian and nonparametric estimation). More specifically, students explore sufficiency, maximum likelihood techniques, minimum variance principles, uniformly most powerful tests, pivotal quantities, test inversions, and asymptotic evaluation with the choice of topics determined by the instructor. Students may find MATH 416 a useful companion to the application-focused MATH 354.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 316  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 317


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 448 - Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos


    An introduction to the techniques and concepts used to analyze real-time dynamic models that involve nonlinear terms. Applications are emphasized and demonstrate the universality of chaotic solution behavior. This course is team-taught by members of the physics and mathematics departments.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: PHYS 448  
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 308  or (  with a grade of C- or higher)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: Students should enroll through the department for which they intend to use the credit.
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 458


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 450 - Number Theory II


    Continues the study of number theory begun in MATH 250 and includes the Quadratic Reciprocity Law of Gauss, the Cubic Reciprocity Law of Einstein and Jacobi, and other topics from algebraic number theory.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 375  or MATH 320
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 331


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 454 - Data Analysis II - Nonlinear Model Inference


    An applied regression course that involves modeling and interpreting data with nonlinear models including K Nearest Neighbors, Logistic Regression, Discriminant Analysis, Bootstrapping, Ridge Regression, LASSO, Principal Components Analysis, Regression Splines, Generalized Additive Models, Tree-Based Models, and Support Vector Machines. While applied, it aims to combine theory and application to emphasize the need for understanding each method’s theoretical foundation. This conversation is had through illustrating a variety of inferences, residual analyses and fully exploring the implications of our assumptions.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: MATH 354  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 460 - Hilbert and Banach Spaces


    Introduces the notions of Hilbert and Banach spaces. A thorough understand­ing of these types of spaces is crucial in several areas of mathematics and applied mathematics. For example, quantum theory can be formulated in terms of operators on infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces. Students are also introduced to the notion of frames. In finite dimensions frames are spanning sets for a vector space.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: MATH 214 and MATH 377
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 481 - Modeling of Biological Systems


    Quantitative techniques have become a crucial tool in recent years for analyzing biological systems, a field which has been flooded with highly detailed experimental data due to new advanced data acquisition techniques in the biological sciences. This interdisciplinary research tutorial explores the analysis of biological systems using quantitative approaches such as mathematical modeling, statistical learning, and computer programming. Research topics include (but are not limited to) gene regulation, disease networks, and cell cycle regulation.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: BIOL 481  
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 482 - Research Seminar: Applied Mathematics


    This capstone seminar presents senior Applied Mathematics majors with a research experience in applied mathematics. Each student will work closely with the instructor on a research problem that will require the integration of previously developed applied mathematics skills. Students will apply their learning from previous math courses toward a specified research problem and will delve deeply into material related to the specific problem. Each student will complete a written piece of mathematics addressing their research problem and will present their work as a final thesis.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Prerequisites: (MATH 376  or MATH 329) and (MATH 377  or MATH 323)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 483 - Research Seminar: Mathematics


    This capstone seminar presents senior Mathematics majors with a research experience in mathematics. Each student will work closely with the instructor on a research problem that will require the integration of previously developed mathematics skills. Students will apply their learning from previous math courses toward a specified research problem and will delve deeply into material related to the specific problem.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Prerequisites: (MATH 375  or MATH 320) and (MATH 377  or MATH 323)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 485 - Abstract Algebra II


    Continues the study of abstract algebraic structures, providing a careful and intensive study of topics such as group theory, ring theory, field theory, and Galois theory.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 375  (or MATH 320) with a grade of B or better
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 421


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 487 - Real Analysis II


    Topics for this course are selected from among the following: metric spaces, sequences and series of functions, the Lebesgue integral.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 377  (or MATH 323)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 424


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 491 - Independent Study


    Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.

    Credits: variable
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MATH 499 - Mathematical Logic


    The topics covered include the following: propositional and predicate calculus, completeness and compactness theorems, the foundations of nonstandard analysis, first-order model theory, recursive functions, a full proof of Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem, and undecidability.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 375  or MATH 320 with B or higher
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: MATH 452


    Click here for Course Offerings by term



Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

  
  • ARAB 121 - Elementary Arabic I


    Offers elementary training in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through intensive training in the phonology and script of Modern Standard Arabic and its basic vocabulary and fundamental structure. There is a focus on simple interactive communicative tasks involving teacher with students and students among themselves. Basic grammar is taught through reading, writing, and speaking drills in conjunction with the formal exercises in the text. This training is supplemented with simple lessons on interpersonal transactions and cultural contexts.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: Formerly MIST 121


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 122 - Elementary Arabic II


    Continues the presentation of fundamentals of Arabic grammar and the development of proficiency in reading, writing, and spoken communication skills and oral comprehension, including extensive cultural material. Provides additional training in formal spoken Arabic, with significant consideration to deviations of certain Arabic dialects. In addition to standard drills, students are expected to engage in structured and semi-structured speaking activities, as well as content-based language activities built around regional topics.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 121  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 195 - Elementary-Level Arabic Language Abroad


    Elementary-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 201 - Intermediate Arabic I


    Continues the study of Modern Standard Arabic begun in   and  , or their equivalent. Emphasis is placed on grammatical analysis, writing, and reading of increasingly longer and more complex texts; further vocabulary acquisition; and continued practice in listening and speaking formal Arabic.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 122  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 202 - Intermediate Arabic II


    Continues the presentation of fundamentals of Arabic grammar and the development of proficiency in reading, writing, and spoken communications skills and oral comprehension, including extensive cultural material. Students should be able to receive instructions in Arabic. Provides additional extensive training in formal spoken Arabic, with significant consideration to classical Arabic, as well as the deviations of certain Arabic dialects. Students concentrate on extensive reading and writing as well as correct prose. Students encompass interdialectical features as well as the variations of modern standard Arabic; and complete and emphasize the functional as well as the situational aspects of the Arabic language. Students are expected to write brief essays in Arabic and continue to engage in structured and semi-structured writing and speaking activities, as well as content-based language activities built around regional topics.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 201   or equivalent
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 295 - Intermediate-Level Arabic Language Abroad


    Intermediate-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 301 - Advanced Arabic I


    The first part of a year-long advanced Arabic sequence that aims to move students from the intermediate level towards the advanced level of proficiency as defined by the standards set by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Designed to enable students to refine and expand their knowledge of Arabic grammar and sentence structures via intensive daily instruction that includes practice of all the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural awareness is also integral to the Advanced Arabic course and is introduced through readings, lectures, and activities, and further reinforced through an assigned cultural project. Conducted in Arabic and most of the materials are authentic.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 202  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 302 - Advanced Arabic II


    Second part of a year-long advanced Arabic sequence that aims to move students from the intermediate level towards the advanced level of proficiency as defined by the standards set by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Designed to enable students to refine and expand their knowledge of Arabic grammar and sentence structures via intensive daily instruction that includes practice of all the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural awareness is also integral to the Advanced Arabic course and is introduced through readings, lectures, and activities, and further reinforced through an assigned cultural project. Conducted in Arabic and most of the materials are authentic.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 301  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 315 - Classical Arabic of the Qur’an


    An advanced course dedicated to studying the Classical Arabic language and key themes of the Qur’an, the central text of Islam, and of classical commentaries which draw on it. The course aims to provide students with the advanced Arabic language skills specific to comprehending this Muslim holy text. By analyzing selected Āyāt (verses) of the book, students become acquainted with the distinct language of the Qur’an-its complex vocabulary, style, orthography, phonology, morphology, and syntax. Students also become familiar with the rules for its correct recitation as well as basic Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis). The languages of in class discussion will be both Classical Arabic (which draws on the Qur’an) and Modern Standard Arabic. A small selection of assigned readings are in English.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: MIST 202
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 395 - Advanced-Level Arabic Language Abroad


    Advanced-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.

    Credits: 1
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 401 - Topics in Arabic Language and Culture I


    MIST 401 and MIST 402 comprise a year-long course sequence aimed at moving students from the Advanced-Low level of proficiency towards the Superior one. Six themes (three in each semester) are selected to represent a wide range of topics that are highly discussed among Arabs and non-Arabs in today’s world. These themes enable students to further develop their abilities to extract essential information and identify linguistic nuances in the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as well as further deepen their understanding of Arab cultures. The courses are designed in accordance with the latest pedagogical philosophy and in light of the national standard guidelines and best practices in teaching Arabic a foreign language. The only language allowed in class is Arabic.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 302  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • ARAB 402 - Topics in Arabic Language and Culture II


    MIST 401 and MIST 402 comprise a year-long course sequence aimed at moving students from the Advanced-Low level of proficiency towards the Superior one. Six themes (three in each semester) are selected to represent a wide range of topics that are highly discussed among Arabs and non-Arabs in today’s world. These themes enable students to further develop their abilities to extract essential information and identify linguistic nuances in the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as well as further deepen their understanding of Arab cultures. The courses are designed in accordance with the latest pedagogical philosophy and in light of the national standard guidelines and best practices in teaching Arabic a foreign language. The only language allowed in class is Arabic.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: ARAB 401  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Human Thought and Expression


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MIST 214 - Muhammad and the Qur’an


    Provides an in-depth introduction to the Qur’an, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and the centuries of interpretative debates among both Muslims and non-Muslims over the meaning of these two foundations of the Islamic tradition. Students begin with an immersion in the earliest Islamic primary sources, reading excerpts from the Qur’an itself and the first biography of Muhammad ever written. Next, students examine recent scholarly debates over the nature of Muhammad’s movement and message. The second half of the course adopts a more thematic approach, looking at issues like the place of women in the Qur’an, the authority of reason vs. revelation, Islamic education, and Qur’anic ethics.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: RELG 214  
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


  
  • MIST 215 - Comparative Politics: Middle East


    An introduction to Middle Eastern politics, including historical foundations of the modern Middle East, competing strategies of state building, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf War, the rise of political Islam, and American policy toward the region.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: POSC 215  
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term


 

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