Biology - Major in Biology Program

Required Courses:
ECN 101 Principles of Microeconomics

The course examines how individuals and firms make choices within the institution of free-market capitalism. Individuals decide how much of their time to spend working and what to buy with the earnings of their labor. Firms decide how much to produce and in some cases what price to charge for their goods. Together these choices determine what is produced, how it is produced, and for whom it is produced in our economic system. Fulfills requirement: Quantitative Reasoning. 3 credits.

ECN 102 Principles of Macroeconomics

This course extends the study of consumer and producer choices to discover how they affect the nation's economy. Macroeconomics deals with the economy as a whole as measured by the key variables of inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. Emphasis is on both Keynesian and classical theories and how they predict what monetary and fiscal policies can be used to affect these variables and reach national economic goals. Fulfills requirement: Quantitative Reasoning. 3 credits.

HIS 102 Recent Pennsylvania Politics and History

This course focuses on the history and politics of Pennsylvania from the late 20th century to the present. We examine the main branches of government, voting and elections, key historical and political developments, and selected public policies. 1 credit.

HIS 150 The Business of History

This course is designed to orient History majors (and humanities majors more generally) to the wide variety of occupations available to them. Some go into law, business, public policy or politics, while others work in museums, archives, national parks or the military. Students will be introduced to people applying their degrees to the real world, and will survey ways to research professional opportunities. 1 credit.

HIS 250 The Historian's Craft

An introduction to the basics of historical research and writing. The most important goal of the course is to help students produce a clearly written research paper, with footnotes and a bibliography. A primary source paper and other writing assignments will prepare the students for the achievement of this goal. Class discussion will revolve around analysis of various types of primary sources, secondary sources, journal articles, issues of interpretation, and research methods. The course will also include several research trips to libraries, archives, historical societies, or local history collections. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisites: At least two 100-level history courses; or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

HIS 251 Topics in Political History

This course will examine specific topics in political history, with a focus on either US, European, African, or Latin American political history. Specific topical emphases might include 19th and 20th Century US Political History; the impact of Colonial and Post-Colonial African Political History; Populist Politics in 20th & 21st Century Latin America; and Transformation in European Political Systems in the 20th & 21st Centuries. Topics will be announced two years in advance. Fulfills requirement: . This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, and at least two 100-level courses in History; or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

HIS 252 Topics in Economic History

This seminar will focus on topics in economic history. The modern market economy has created unprecedented productivity growth that has lifted billions of people out of grinding poverty. For the first time in history, there are more people who are overweight than underfed. This course examines the origins and the current state of a world economy with profound contradictions and possibilities. We delve into the various ways the modern economy emerged and the different paths taken by different countries, or by the United States at different points in time. We also look at the various ways that historians and other scholars have understood the economy. Fulfills requirement: . This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, and at least two 100-level courses in History; or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

HIS 253 Topics in Comparative History

This seminar will focus on topics in comparative history with a focus on European, Asian, and African history. Topics might include World War I, imperialism, nineteenth-century Europe, revolutions, or religion and violence. The comparisons might be within the context of European history, or might compare topics across the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, and at least two college level history courses; major or minor in history, politics or global studies; OR permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

HIS 254 Topics in the History of the Americas

This seminar focuses on questions, issues, and themes in the history of the Americas (i.e., the Western Hemisphere). Topical and thematic emphases might include: Race, Class & Gender in the Americas from the Age of Revolution to the Present; Comparative Slavery & Post-Emancipation Societies in the Americas; Social Movements & State Formation in the Americas; and the Americas during the Cold War. Topical focus will be announced two years in advance. Fulfills requirement: . This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, and at least two 100-level courses in History; or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

HIS 350 Introduction to Public History

This course introduces students to the field and practice of public history, or "history beyond the walls of the traditional classroom." We explore the many ways that historians, curators, archivists, and others research, preserve, and present historical topics to public audiences in museums, archives, historical societies, and via electronic media. Exposing students to the theories and practices on the presentation of history to public audiences, the course combines in-class study, presentations by public history experts, service-learning at an area museum, archive, or historical society, and student presentations of their service-learning projects. Prerequisite: Two courses in History; at least one at the 200-level or above. 3 credits.

MAS 170 Elementary Statistics

An introduction to elementary descriptive and inferential statistics with emphasis on conceptual understanding. Fulfills requirement: Quantitative Reasoning. A student may not receive credit for MAS 170 after completing MAS 372. A student may not receive credit for both MAS 170 and MAS 270. 3 credits.

POL 110 American Politics and Government

This course provides students with a critical understanding of the U.S. political process and analytical tools to evaluate authority structures that exercise power and influence. Fulfills requirement: . 3 credits.

POL 352 Public Policy and Public Administration

Public policies affect the lives of all Americans, and public administrators are the main touchstones with government for most citizens. In the first half of the course we focus on how and why the public policymaking process functions as it does, and examine various areas of policy at the national and state levels. In the second half, we turn to the implementation of policy by government agencies and the management of public organizations. This course is of value to all citizens in a democracy, but will be particularly helpful for students in any discipline whose careers are affected by public policy, or who are considering a career in government. Fulfills requirement: . 3 credits.

Two of the following:
ECN 321 Public Finance

This course extends the study of public economics to its application in the principles of taxation and public expenditures. Topics include the structure of the Federal Budget, the national debt and fiscal deficits, but also state and local financing and the division of responsibilities between the federal and local governments. Prerequisites: ECN 101 and 102. 3 credits.

PHL 210 Ethics for Social Justice

An inquiry into the central problems of values applied to human conduct, with an examination of the responses of major ethical theories to those problems. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. 3 credits.

POL 210 Comparative Politics

This is an introduction to the study of comparative politics: the comparison of political systems in order to understand how and why these systems function differently. The course is built around three fundamental questions: What is comparative politics? What kinds of phenomena do we compare? What are the major theoretical approaches that guide our studies? We also examine distinctions between the "developing" and the "developed" worlds, and between authoritarian and democratic political regimes. The last half of the semester is devoted to the study of individual country case studies, with an emphasis on those in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

POL 256 Political Behavior

A key principle of democratic theory is the sovereignty of the people. Thus, the notion of the "will" and "power" of the people matters in democratic societies such as the U.S., and helps us understand how the political system operates. This course examines critical topics including interest group behavior, political parties, elections, public opinion, and political communication and the mass media. 3 credits.

POL 312 United States Foreign Policy

This course examines the domestic interests, values, and political institutions and international forces and pressures that shape the conduct of United States foreign policy. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.

POL 370 Research Methods in Political Science

Students will learn various qualitative and quantitative research methods in political science and how to write an empirical research design. Fulfills requirement: Quantitative Reasoning. 3 credits.

POL 380 European Union Simulation

This course offers an enriching, hands-on, interdisciplinary exploration of the dynamic processes of policy formation in the core institutions of the European Union. Near the end of the semester, students participate in the simulation in Washington D.C., organized by the Mid-Atlantic European Union Simulation Consortium (MEUSC). This experiential learning program endeavors to connect American students to EU policy makers and policy making in a unique way, utilizing the simulation experience to bridge the gap between the academic study of the EU and the actual political processes of the European Union. Students engage in discussions and debates about the EU that are current and topical in EU decision-making circles. A distinct theme is chosen as the focus of the simulation each year. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. Course may be repeated for credit. 3 credits.

Three of the following:
HIS 103 The Ancient World: World History from the Dawn of Civilization to the Fall of the Han and Roman Empires

This course is a study of world history from the development of human civilizations around 3500 BCE to the end of the first era of empire-building in China and Rome, ca. 200-400s BCE. Topics include the advent of civilizations; the formation of great philosophies and religious traditions; and the first empires. This course is organized geographically and chronologically within the examination of the civilizations of the Near East (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia, India, China, Greece, and Rome. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

HIS 104 The Second Age of Empires: World History from Rome and the Han Dynasty to the Mongols

This course is a survey of the second phase of world history spanning the period of the fall of Rome and Han Dynasty (220-500) to the end of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Mongol invasions in Asia and Russia (ca 1400s). Civilizations covered include the major Western European empires (Rome/Byzantium), the Han dynasty in China and its successors, and the Islamic caliphates. It also examines the peripheral regions influenced by major empires (Western Europe, Japan, and sub-Saharan Africa). This course focuses on the themes of empire-building, cultural diffusion, and cross-cultural contact. The course encourages students to reflect on how past cultures have shaped the different subcultures that make up the US and to develop intercultural awareness. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

HIS 105 Formation of the Modern World

This survey of modern world history (ca. 1450 to the present) explores key developments in the formation of the modern world, from the knitting together of Afro-Eurasia and the Americas to the emergence of global capitalism, colonization, and the nation-state system to the world wars of the 20th century, the Cold War and its aftermath, the process of globalization, the rise of Islamic extremism, and the intensifying impacts of global climate change. Bringing past and present together into a coherent analytical framework, the course encourages students to analyze contemporary global and domestic issues from diverse cultural perspectives, and to engage in ongoing reflections about their own culture and other cultures. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

HIS 125 United States History to 1865

The major events and developments in America from Columbus to the Civil War, with emphasis on the creation of a distinctive American society from the interaction of different cultures, ethnic groups, and ideas. Major themes include the transformation of European cultural ideas in colonial America and the impact of republican ideology, democratization, and the spread of the market economy between the Revolution and the Civil War. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

HIS 126 With Justice for All?

Since the end of the Civil War, Americans have changed their conception of who belongs to "We the People." Moreover, we have also reconsidered the appropriate role of government for citizens and the world. This course provides an introduction to those controversies in the past and present. Fulfills requirement: Intercultural Competence. 3 credits.

Six credits from the following:
HIS 460 Undergraduate Research

This course is designed to provide students in political science, history, and international studies opportunities to obtain credit for engaging in undergraduate research projects under the faculty supervision. Students engage in research projects with faculty on a range of topics, subject to approval of the individual faculty member. Course may be repeated up to a limit of 12 credits; but only up to 6 credits can be applied to the major. Prerequisites: Completion of one course in History; sophomore standing, 2.5 GPA, and permission of the instructor/chair. 1-6 credits.

HIS 499 Senior Seminar in History

Focus on a theme in history such as World War I, the industrial revolution, or the Enlightenment. These topics will be approached from a variety of perspectives (economic, political, or social for example) and from the viewpoint of many national histories. Class meetings will include discussion of course readings, research methods, and the historiography related to the theme of the course. Students will write a research paper on some aspect of the course topic utilizing a variety of primary and secondary sources and present their research to the class. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisites: Senior history majors or permission of instructor. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with JSTC 286H)

Internship (minimum 2 credits).

HIS 400 Internship

Field experience related to student's work, research interests, or graduate school plans. A journal and paper in addition to fieldwork are required. Fulfills requirement: Immersive Experience. Students may take up to 6 credits per semester and up to 12 credits during the summer. Prerequisites: Junior or senior status; overall GPA of at least 2.5; completion of registration forms; approval of internship site by student's advisor prior to registration; approval of department chair. 1-12 credits.

Two HIS electives (6 credits) including the following:
COE 204SS Past Imperfect

Utopian thinking builds on the ancient parts of our brain that quickly categorize people into insiders or outsiders. Such implicit biases shape the social movements claiming to perfect the world that are as old as Islam and as recent as free-market capitalism. Marx inspired reformers who banned child labor but he was also used by communist regimes that justified their dictatorships by appeals to his ideals combined with a police state. Adam Smith's thinking inspired economic changes that have raised global living standards but have also been used to rationalize corrupt police states throughout the world. Understanding the appeal of perfection, the good and bad that it has done, provides a window into the messy nature of the human condition and the world itself. Fulfills requirement: Connective Experience. Prerequisite: FYE-112. 3 credits.

COE 212SS Cyber Attacks and Disinformation: Asymmetric Tactics and Hybrid Warfare in the 21st Century

In this course, students will be challenged to understand the roles played by state and non-state actors engaging in cyberattacks, direct disinformation, and covert influence campaigns to undermine and undercut democratic political systems, confuse citizens, and shape public opinion around the world. Fulfills requirement: Connective Experience. Prerequisite: FYE-112. 3 credits.

COE 215SS Collective Memory Twentieth Century

We typically think of memory as the mental faculty by which individuals acquire and retain knowledge about their own experiences. Memories seem like the most private and personal parts of who we are. However, social scientists have argued that there is also a complex collective memory-a set of memories not just belonging to an individual, but rather an entire group or society. Similar to an individual, a society has significant memories-particularly surrounding events such as war, terrorism, natural disasters, revolutions, or pandemics and other health crises- that become defining features of its status and identity. This course is an introduction to that collective memory- to the collection of memories a society creates and shares-and examines the way American culture in particular has constructed, and continues to construct, major cultural memories. Students will pay especially close attention to slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and September 11th, and will also reflect on the way contemporary events (such as Covid-19) will likely be memorialized. Fulfills requirement: Connective Experience. Prerequisite: FYE-112. 3 credits.

COE 224SS Evolutionary History

This course allows students to apply evolutionary theory and evidence to the study of history from the earliest beginnings of humanity to the recent past. Fulfills requirement: Connective Experience. Prerequisite: FYE-112. 3 credits.

COE 248SS Paths to Enlightenment

This course addresses the history and philosophy of the Enlightenment of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe, North America, and Latin America. Topics of discussion will include new political and economic ideas such as liberalism and laissez-faire capitalism, the beginning of religious tolerance, experiments in science and education, and the ways in which colonialism and cross-cultural contacts changed the perspectives of the thinkers of the time. The course will also address the social history of the period in order to understand the society that produced Enlightenment ideas and how they circulated. Fulfills requirement: Connective Experience. Prerequisite: FYE-112. 3 credits.