LC 1: URBANIZATION, CIVILIZATION
EC 101 Macroeconomics Dr. Mary Rose Leacy
HI 115 Cities and Civilizations Dr. Alison Smith
RFT Urbanization, Civilization and Collapse
Inspired by Jared Diamond’s new bestseller, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, this LC examines the rise and fall of cities and civilizations, using the examples of ancient
LC 2: HEARTS
EN 111 World Literature Christopher Hogarth
TH 103 Script Analysis Felicia Ruff
RFT Hearts and Minds: War, Conflict, and Homecoming
The two classes that comprise LC 2 are World Literature and Script Analysis. Each class requires extensive reading in various genres, periods, styles, and elements of national identity. Our critical analysis will focus on the ideas or war, conflict, and homecoming. The reflective tutorial will focus student’s thinking and writing on these issues through a letter writing exchange with troops currently in combat as well as exploring other artistic interpretations and social dimensions of conflict whether on the battlefield or in the home.
LC 3: WEALTH & WAR: THE ECONOMICS OF INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT & CRISIS
GOV 251 International Politics Dr. Shaohua Hu
EC 101 Macroeconomics Dr. Jayne Dean
RFT Globalization & Its Discontents
This LC will examine the connections between nations’ economic goals and the political decisions regarding war and peace. Through two standard introductory courses, students will explore how political scientists explain when countries cooperate and when they go to war, and how economists explain when a country’s economy is booming or contracting. The RFT will synthesize these two perspectives through an historical examination of countries’ behavior in three periods: the rise of imperial rivalry leading up to World War I, the interwar period and the great depression, and the postwar resurgence of globalization. We will be examining the factors that lead to war and depression.
LC 4: THE HISTORY OF ART, RISE OF CHILDHOOD,
AH 118 Introduction to Art History: The Ancient Sarah Scott
World from a Non-western Perspective
RFT The History of Art, Rise of Childhood, and Emergence of Children’s Literature
Art mimics life; life today occurs in a global, multi-cultural world. While studying art through the historical lenses of various cultures through time, students will also focus on the emergence of childhood. Is childhood a recent phenomenon as expressed by various scholars? Or is it a sometimes unrecognized bond between parents and children which has existed from the beginning of humankind? How can educators better guide children through a global world? By understanding the material world of other cultures, we can better prepare children to interact and function within a global setting. By visiting museums, examining writings, and surveying 500 years of children’s literary works, students will develop an appreciation for world art and children’s literature.
LC 5: PERCEPTION, ILLUSION,
RE 105 Religions of the East (I) Dr. Walter Kaelber
SO 203 Principles of Social Psychology Dr. Laura Martocci
RFT Perception, Illusion and the Social Construction of Self
Through the study of religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, in conjunction with modern social and psychological perspectives, this LC will challenge your assumptions about who you are and what is real. Issues such as the social construction of identity and the role of language in structuring perceptions of “reality” will be explored.
LC 6: EMERGING GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERNS
CH
RFT Emerging Global Health Concerns
An examination of the role of chemistry in issues affecting the health status of individuals and groups throughout the world with emphasis on the needs of vulnerable populations and equity of health care. Factors such as environment, culture, ethics, access, cost and politics as well as their impact on an individual’s ability to function are explored. A thorough understanding of these factors will be integrated with the science of dealing with the composition, properties and reactions of substances. Public health initiatives and the health care industry are discussed to promote change and healthy lifestyles.
LC 7: A POLITICS
EN 111 World Literature Dr. Erica Johnson
GOV 104 Politics and Government Dr. Patricia Moynagh
RFT A Politics and Literature of Courage
This Learning Community draws upon classical as well as contemporary works in the history of political thought and world literature to probe notions of courage in a changing world. We’ll examine various literary and political interventions that allow us to think through what socially responsible citizenship might entail. What does it mean to write and act with courage when one’s society or world is not hospitable to the one who writes or the one who acts? How does the exile or the outsider introduce new ways of seeing and being in the world with others? We’ll address these kinds of questions through a rigorous reading of literary and political works.
LC 8: DIVERSITY at HOME and ABROAD
PH 103 Contemporary Moral Problems Dr. Sarah Donovan
SP 111 Intermediate Spanish I Dr. Margarita Sanchez
RFT Diversity at Home and Abroad
In this LC, students will have the opportunity to begin the study of the Spanish language, and to examine moral theory with an emphasis on the contemporary issues of race, gender, language, diversity, and rights. “Diversity at Home and Abroad” will be a literary, linguistic, philosophical and experiential journey in which students will learn to look at their own culture through different lenses. Field trips into
LC 9: MINDS, MACHINES,
PH 202 Medical Ethics Dr. John Danisi
BI 209 Human Anatomy and Physiology Prof. Linda Raths
RFT Minds, Machines, and Human Beings
We will examine various philosophical and biological approaches to our understanding of conscious life and their cultural impact. We will discuss the nature of the mind, the concept of a person, the relation of mind and body, the reduction of mind to brain, and whether a machine could think. Can robotic technology transform, or perhaps, replace human beings? A question of this sort will be explored in our LC. (Designed for physician assistant and nursing majors.)
LC 10: Cultural Insights into the Making of the Modern World
HI 112 Western Civilization in Modern Times Dr. Lori Weintrob
MDS 106 Ways of Knowing Dr. K. Gonzalez-Acquaro
RFT Visualizing Change…Making a Difference
Are you interested in learning new ways to think, communicate and make a difference in the world? This learning community explores past and present to reveal how encounters with diversity--between people of different race, religion, class, gender and ability--create opportunities for both creativity and conflict--in the arts, the classroom, the boardroom and the streets. We will examine the power of critical thinking and visual culture through revolution, industrial and technological development, colonialism, war and holocaust to the present day. We will debate how different perspectives on philosophies of interactive and visualized learning can enhance our lives, build our skills and facilitate social responsibilities toward different communities. By participating in the award-winning program "Connect with Art," teaching literacy, art and history to third graders at P.S. 57, students will have a chance to harness their own talents for the public good.
LC 11: SÌ SOAVE PAROLA: EXPLORING THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC OF
MU 102 Introduction to Music Literature David Schulenberg
IT 107 Accelerated Elementary Italian Colclough Sanders
RFT Sì soave parola: Exploring the Language of Music and
This Learning Community provides an introduction to the music of the Western classical tradition (with an emphasis on the music of
LC 12: STOCKHOLDERS vs. SOUP KITCHENS
RFT Stockholders vs. Soup Kitchens
Is government responsible for the welfare of society? Do corporations have a social responsibility, beyond the aim of maximizing profit? This Learning Community will address this issue from three perspectives. The Government class will explore, among other things, the issues of race and the welfare state. The Business class will explore the arguments for and against the idea of corporate social responsibility. The Reflective Tutorials will focus on these issues, in the light of students' placement experiences. Please note that students in this LC may be assigned to the YMCA for their placements. The YMCA requires a complete background check, fingerprinting and drug testing before accepting any students.
LC 13: SCIENCE: THE GOOD, THE BAD,
BI 213/213L Genes, Cells, and Evolution Dr. Heather Cook
CH 111/111L General Chemistry Dr. Maria Gelabert
RFT Science: The Good, The Bad, and The Controversial
This LC, designed for students interested in the sciences of pre-health, will focus on scientific thought and method as related to human health, pharmaceuticals, waste and pollution. The chemistry and biology behind specific issues such as industrial drug design, chemical mutagens in water, and compost and solid waste disintegration will be analyzed. The benefits and costs to human society associated with these scientific advances will also be discussed.
LC 14: SOCIETY
GOV 205 Urban Politics Dr. Abraham Unger
SO 103 American Society and Its Problems Dr. John Esser
RFT Society and the City
This LC explores the historical development of urban politics within a broader American social context characterized by race, gender, class, religious, and ethnic distinctions. It emphasizes the political and economic development of American cities and the intersection of public and private interests in urban policy-making, with a special focus on
LC 15: EXPLORING
French 117 Accelerated Intermediate French Dr. Katica Urbanc
English/French 356 French Cinema: Retrogrades, Dr. Natalie Edwards
Rebels, and Realists
RFT Exploring
This LC exposes students to the French language at the intermediate level (2 or more year of previous experience with the language) in conjunction with major works of French literature and cinema. In language classes, students will perfect communication skills in the language and will work on their ability to read, write, speak, and listen to French. In film classes, students will view a range of French films from 1930s to the present day, concentrating on film techniques and the interpretation of cinema as an art form. In the reflective tutorial, students will explore works by French women writes (in translation) that represent the formation of identity. Our novelists are about the same ages of our students, and through out readings we will compare how we have all questioned, problematized and begun to develop our own identities.
LC 16:
PS 101 Introduction to Psychology Dr. Steve Jenkins
AN 101 Introduction to Anthropology Prof. Celeste Gagnon
RFT Mind, Body, and Culture
Who we are is a complex interplay of our psychology, biology, and the influence of our society. In this LC, we will examine the basic foundations of the fields of psychology and anthropology: evolutionary theory, cultural relativism, and the study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Within this framework, we well take a look at a variety of fascinating and sometimes controversial topics. What is the evolutionary history of our species? What is the cause of, and how do we treat psychological illness? Why did some ancient societies thrive for hundreds if not thousands of year only to collapse in ruin? How do drugs and alcohol alter our states of consciousness? Why do some people around the world admire the
LC 17: CARBON DATING: Our Relationship with the Environment
CH 101 Chemistry in the Environment & Society Dr. Cass Freedland
MA 124 Applied Calculus Dr. Florin Pop
RFT Carbon Dating: Our Relationship with the Environment
This LC will explore the application of chemistry and mathematics in our environment through a study of pollution in the air, water and soil. Students will investigate local environmental issues of current interest, and participate in community efforts.
LC 18: RACE MATTERS & GENDERED SELVES IN AMERICAN SOCIETY
PS 241 (D) Psychology of Gender Dr. Amy Eshleman
SO 103 (D) American Society and Its Problems (D) Dr. Jean Halley
RFT Race Matters and Gendered Selves
This learning community serves as the introductory courses for the Civic Engagement Certificate Program. We will explore contemporary aspects of the modern self with a particular focus on gender, social class and race/ethnicity. Learning about and simultaneously critiquing the disciplines of psychology and sociology, we will examine both individual and social experience in our modern historical context. We will look at how human beings shape social experiences and understanding of race, class and gender, and how race, class and gender shape us in our lives. One of the main goals of this learning community will be to develop students’ skills in writing, scholarly reading and critical thinking. This learning community will challenge students to reflect on their personal experiences, evaluate others’ arguments, explain social scientific research, and propose their own questions about and answer to modern human experience. For the experiential component, students will analyze issues of race, class and gender in a nursing home while engaging in service learning.
LC 19: SEEING THE UNKNOWABLE
MI 200 Microbiology Kathleen Bobbitt
AR 203 Graphic Art I Andy Needle
RFT Seeing the Unknowable and Knowing the Unseeable: Promoting Health at the Microbiological Level
This Learning Community will explore the influence of microbiology on people’s health and the ways that health issues get promoted in the general population. Students will explore how health concerns such as
LC 20: LANGUAGE, CULTURE
SP 111 Intermediate Spanish I (For Future Educators) Dr. Marilyn Kiss
RFT Language, Culture, and Ways of Knowing: The Spanish Connection
Are you thinking about a career as teacher? This is the LC for you! You begin meeting your language requirement while at the same time exploring the relationship between culture, the use of language, and the development of the mind. Students will study how one's cultural/linguistic community shapes beliefs, values and attitudes. In the language class, students will begin or build on their listening, reading and writing skills while learning vocabulary and cultural contexts associated with their future role as educators. In the multi-disciplinary course, the fields of psychology, philosophy, and education will provide the framework for understanding the effects of cultural conditioning on the individual and society. The RFT will enable students to relate the content of their courses by tutoring in public schools or working with the Spanish-speaking community of
LC 21: CyberPolitics In Perspective
CS 107 Computers: Fundamentals of Networking and Internet Dr. Michael Ruth
GOV 102 Politics and Government Dr.
RFT Cyberpolitics in Perspective
This course is the first ever to explore how the dawn of the Internet age has impacted the American political landscape. Critical attention will be placed upon the interaction between cyberspace, power, authority, and social organization in
