English Communications (2 courses)
Writing Requirement (3 courses)
This component recognizes the central role communication plays in
learning and in life. Courses teach the principles of clear and
effective communication and provide opportunities to practice and refine
them throughout a student’s college career.
English Communications [EC]
Two courses are available to satisfy the first-semester of the Communications requirement. Each course focuses on the development of competencies such as writing, information literacy, and critical reading.
FYE 111 First Year Experience I| This is a seminar-style course that promotes intellectual inquiry and develops competencies essential to meet the rigorous curricular demands of our College. The primary focus is on writing with a secondary focus on critical reading. Students must take the corresponding companion course of FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Students must take the corresponding companion course of
FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. 3 credits. |
(First-Year Experience, 4 credits) is a theme-based seminar with an academic component that meets for 3 hours per week and a 1-hour per week companion component focusing on the successful emotional and intellectual transition to college. ENG 111 (English Communications, 3 credits) is not organized around a particular topic, so its students can expect to write essays about a variety of different topics.
Requirement:
One of:
ENG 111 English Communications I
FYE 111 First Year Experience I| This is a seminar-style course that promotes intellectual inquiry and develops competencies essential to meet the rigorous curricular demands of our College. The primary focus is on writing with a secondary focus on critical reading. Students must take the corresponding companion course of FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Students must take the corresponding companion course of
FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. 3 credits. |
and one of
ENG 112 English Communications II
FYE 112 First Year Experience II
| This seminar style course continues to promote intellectual inquiry and further develop critical writing and critical reading skills with an added emphasis on information literacy. Students learn library research techniques, including how to evaluate the quality and relevance of sources, and use information legally and ethically, culminating in a research paper. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Prerequisite: FYE 111, or permission of the instructor. 3 credits. |
In their second semester, students may choose between ENG 112 (English Communications II, 3 credits) and FYE 112 First Year Experience II
| This seminar style course continues to promote intellectual inquiry and further develop critical writing and critical reading skills with an added emphasis on information literacy. Students learn library research techniques, including how to evaluate the quality and relevance of sources, and use information legally and ethically, culminating in a research paper. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Prerequisite: FYE 111, or permission of the instructor. 3 credits. |
(First-Year Experience II, 4 credits). Both courses provide a foundation in the skills essential to information literacy, i.e., the ability to find, evaluate, and make effective use of source material relevant to a research topic. Like
FYE 111 First Year Experience I| This is a seminar-style course that promotes intellectual inquiry and develops competencies essential to meet the rigorous curricular demands of our College. The primary focus is on writing with a secondary focus on critical reading. Students must take the corresponding companion course of FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Students must take the corresponding companion course of
FYE-111C, as evident by matching section numbers. 3 credits. |
,
FYE 112 First Year Experience II| This seminar style course continues to promote intellectual inquiry and further develop critical writing and critical reading skills with an added emphasis on information literacy. Students learn library research techniques, including how to evaluate the quality and relevance of sources, and use information legally and ethically, culminating in a research paper. Fulfills requirement: First Year Experience. Prerequisite: FYE 111, or permission of the instructor. 3 credits. |
is theme based and includes an additional 1-hour per week component focused on developing a personal curricular plan and career exploration.
Writing Requirement [WP]
In addition to English Communications, students must complete three courses designated Writing Process,
preferably one each during the sophomore, junior and senior years.
Requirement: Three courses from the following approved list.
ART 260 The Photograph| This course explores the role of photography as an art form, as a tool for communication and storytelling, and as a medium of realism that is increasingly called upon for verification within the society. In providing a history of the photograph from its origins in the early nineteenth century to the digital age, the course grapples with the compelling nature of the photograph as a carrier of potent meaning. Students will examine the use of photography for portraiture, landscape and architecture, social documentary, and scientific research while gaining an understanding of the stylistic shifts in the medium in relation to cultural aesthetics. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. 3 credits. |
| Color is central to our visual perception of the world, and throughout human history artistic representations have relied on color to tell stories and preserve memories. Today we take it for granted that nearly all visual media is produced in color and that, through the power of digital filters, we can easily manipulate the color of our own images. Yet in the history of film, color was not widely used until the 1970s - and many of the most critically acclaimed works of film were created in black-and-white. Color & Film explores the history of film color through the technological and artistic origins of moving pictures, the establishment of film aesthetics, and the symbolic use of color (and non-color) as distinguishing characteristics of films as art and entertainment. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. 3 credits. |
| Do you have a deep and enduring interest in museums? Are you curious about how a museum operates? This course is intended for students interested in all types of museums including art, history, science, and social issues. By introducing students to the origins of museums and exploring the role museums have played in shaping history and knowledge, students will gain exposure to museology from a global perspective. Topics include the evolution of museum collections, methods of display, and the changing role of museums in reaching a broad spectrum of society. Museology also provides essential professional skills for students pursuing career or graduate opportunities in the museums or related fields including education, design, marketing, outreach, archiving, and conservation. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. 3 credits. |
| The design of this course is intended to impart an understanding of the basic concepts of human physiology with emphasis on neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and endocrine physiology. Laboratory exercises place emphasis on effective experimental designs and data analysis in the study of physiological mechanisms. Lab exercises cover such topics as muscle contraction measurements, spirometry, and ECG analysis. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: a C- (1.67) average in BIO 111/L and
BIO 112/L.
Corequisite: BIO 222L. 4 credits. |
| An organismal and molecular approach to the study of animal development using typical invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. The laboratory includes the study of slides as well as experiments on fertilization, regeneration and metamorphosis. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: a C- (1.67) average in BIO 111/L and BIO
112/L, and BIO 201/L or BIO 205, or permission of the
instructor.
Corequisite: BIO 304L. 4 credits. |
| A study of the functioning of plants, with emphasis on vascular plants. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: a C- (1.67) average in BIO 111/L and
BIO 112/L; three semesters of chemistry or permission.
Corequisite: BIO 307L. 4 credits. |
| This course equips students with essential skills for effective communication and critical thinking in professional settings, focusing on developing writing, speaking, and listening skills for business management. Students will learn to express themselves clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing. The curriculum emphasizes crafting content tailored to specific purposes and audiences, understanding communication processes, and applying critical thinking and ethical considerations in today's digital workplace. Practical training includes delivering oral presentations, using effective listening techniques, and building writing skills focusing on style, mechanics, organization, and content. Additionally, students will develop information literacy skills, enabling them to compose well-researched reports using appropriate documentation formats and perform professionally in speech, writing, and interpersonal communication within global and diverse work environments. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 111/112 or FYE 111/112. Majors in
accounting and business administration majors need a
cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater in all
foundation courses completed to date. 3 credits. |
| A capstone course to study administrative processes under conditions of uncertainty, integrating prior studies in management, accounting and economics. Uses case method and computer simulation. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: BUS 230, MKT 240, senior standing, and either
BUS 361 or ACT 231 and BUS 260. Designed for last semester
seniors. Course requires business casual or business
professional dress at all class sessions. Underclassmen
admitted with permission of instructor and chairperson.
Required GPA of 2.00 in the major. 3 credits. |
| Students will be exposed to a number of advanced synthetic and characterization methods including inert atmosphere manipulations, high vacuum and temperature dehydrations, mixed solvent growth and recrystallizations, modern spectroscopic techniques and photochemical transformations. Fulfills requirement: . Corequisite: CHM 222. 1 credit. |
| Experimental study of the principles of physical chemistry, focusing on phase and reaction equilibrium, transport properties, and chemical kinetics. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 311. 1 credit. |
| A continuation of the experimental study of the principles of physical chemistry, focusing on the use of spectroscopy and computational methods. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 312. 1 credit. |
| Technical communications requires students understand the basics of the human-centered design process, while focusing primarily on the use of writing and video to clearly and precisely communicate ideas. Students will develop copy and content appropriate to a given audience, client needs and goals, and context. The course will emphasize iterative design, prototyping and usability testing of acts of persuasive and informative writing. Fulfills requirement: . 3 credits. |
| Students will begin with a foundation in media law and ethical reasoning and examine both legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of digital media. They will then move on to examine the ways that the Web and digital media platforms have transformed traditional understandings of concepts like intellectual property rights, privacy, and free speech. Students will work with case studies, national and international legal documents, academic research, and company guidelines in order to understand whether legal strictures or ethical reasoning should guide personal, governmental, and corporate behavior. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 112 or FYE 112, and junior or senior
standing. 3 credits. |
| Students will learn how advertising is used to create awareness in audiences, to persuade them, and move them to action, drawing from theories and practices established by academics and advertising professionals in design, psychology and rhetoric. Students will learn about the advertising industry, how advertisements are commonly structured- particularly on digital platforms-- read case studies of both successful and disastrous brand audience interactions, and learn how to gauge the effectiveness of content and measure audience engagement through the use of success metrics and analytics. They will also examine the various moderation tools and philosophies used by news organizations, commercial comment spaces, and social media sites, and develop guidelines for best moderation practices. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: FYE 112, and junior or senior
standing. 3 credits. |
| The role of digital editor for real-time content is like that of a live-TV producer-involving fact checking, rewriting copy, performing format and design maintenance, editing graphic elements, overseeing an organization's social media outlets, making informed and ethical decisions, managing online platforms, and analyzing success metrics and analytics to measure the effectiveness of their content. Editors manage a variety of web and networked content that should communicate information to audiences clearly, accurately, and effectively. Students will learn to manage web platforms such as Word Press and Moveable Type; be introduced to basic content management systems, learn how to work with writers, graphic designers, and programmers by understanding their restrictions and concerns; perform follow-up research to rate effectiveness of content; and adhere to current industry communication standards. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 112 or FYE 112. 3 credits. |
| Social media connects organizations, companies, and individuals throughout the world, fostering interaction, collaboration, discussion, and community. And it is not surprising that social media networking is the number one online activity of people in the United States. Students in this course will study the history and theory of social media. They will also put into practice specific marketing, community building, and institutional support activities that take place through social media channels. This course is for students who wish to obtain analytic and practice-based skills for careers in media, Web-based companies, and publicity in any form. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 112 or FYE 112. 3 credits. |
| A course that addresses the continued development and growth of the fluent reader and writer. The course foundation is supported by both a balanced approach to literacy and the PDE Academic Standards for Foundational Skills, Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature, Writing, and Speaking and Listening. Stressing the importance of comprehension, students will explore a variety of classroom approaches to teach reading and writing across the content areas as supported by research. Emphasis will be placed on making appropriate accommodations and adaptations for students with disabilities as well as struggling readers and English language learners. Special attention is placed on the development of thematic units and multi-genre writing. Fulfills general education requirement: Writing Process. PDE Stage 3 field experience competencies are assessed in this embedded course. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: ECE 110, 240, 330; limited to
early childhood education majors or permission of the
instructor. 3 credits. |
| Benefit-Cost analysis (BCA) is the study of competing public policy alternatives. The purpose of benefit-cost analysis is to inform social decision-making and facilitate the equitable and efficient allocation of society's resources. This course introduces the basic theory and principles of benefit-cost analysis and examines its implementation and effectiveness. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: ECN 101 and 102. 3 credits. |
| This course introduces the theory and practice of international economic relations. It includes not only the history and purpose of trade and the traditional theory of the gains from trade, but also the more modern theory of trade with imperfect competition. The history and nature of the institutional structures of trade (World Trade Organization) are covered. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: ECN 201. 3 credits. |
| This small seminar course is a reading course in support of the research interests of the professor, the student, or both. The content and structure of the course will depend on the research interests of the professor, but will always require from each student a major paper related to this area. Reading and critiquing articles from referred economic journals and the popular press are also included. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: ECN 201 and 202 and junior standing. 3 credits. |
| Introduction to literary genres and the basic methodology, terminology and concepts of the study of literature. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. 3 credits. |
| This course draws on English, American, and Commonwealth traditions in poetry from the Middle Ages to the present, introducing students to a wide range of poems, a critical vocabulary, and varied approaches to interpretation. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. Prerequisite: ENG 120 or 200-level literature survey, or
permission of instructor. 3 credits. |
| Concentrated study of early Shakespearean drama, especially the comedies and the histories. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: ENG 120 or 200-level Literature Survey. 3 credits. |
| Concentrated study of late Shakespearean drama, especially the tragedies and the romances. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: ENG 120 or 200-level literature survey. 3 credits. |
| This course will engage students in close and extensive readings of the work of selected major British or American poets. Students will develop their skills as readers and interpreters of poetry and literary criticism. The particular poets studied will vary from semester to semester. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing,Humanistic Perspectives. Prerequisite: ENG 120 or 200-level literature survey,
or by permission of instructor. 3 credits. |
| Introduction to the theory and practice of editing, with an emphasis on reading closely, revising, and other aspects of refining and preparing content for publication or online distribution. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: FYE 112, or permission of the instructor. 3 credits. |
| 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: Social Scientific Inquiry. 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. |
| 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: Social Scientific Inquiry. 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. |
| Seminars have a thematic focus, currently the origins, impacts, and responses to the climate crisis. Class meetings include discussions, readings, research methods, and the historiography. Students will write a research paper on an aspect of the topic of their choosing utilizing a variety of sources and present their research to the class. How this period is represented in the news, popular culture and other forms of public history such as cinema are reviewed. Fulfills requirement:?Critical Thinking through Writing. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisites: Senior history majors or permission of
instructor. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with JSTC 286) |
| This course uses key cases to study important doctrines established by the Supreme Court with regard to civil rights and civil liberties. Students will examine the Court's rulings concerning the establishment and free exercise of religion, protection of freedom of speech and of the press, privacy rights (abortion and sexual freedom), the rights of the accused in the criminal justice system, and the law governing racial or sexual discrimination. The course places particular emphasis on various forms of textual interpretation used by individual justices to apply the Constitution in deciding cases and writing opinions. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the
instructor. LAW 215 recommended. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with POL 316) |
| A study of literature, materials and approaches appropriate for choral and general music classes in grades 5-12. Fulfills requirement: . 3 credits. |
| An advanced course in music history. Beginning with late-19th-century musical developments, the course continues chronologically through the 20th century. Designed for music majors and interested non-majors who read music well. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: MSC 115 or permission of the instructor. 3 credits. |
| 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. |
| This course uses the levels of analysis approach to understand international politics and theories in international relations to draw connections between concepts and world issues. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. 3 credits. |
| 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. |
| This course uses key cases to study important doctrines established by the Supreme Court with regard to civil rights and civil liberties. Students will examine the Court's rulings concerning the establishment and free exercise of religion, protection of freedom of speech and of the press, privacy rights (abortion and sexual freedom), the rights of the accused in the criminal justice system, and the law governing racial or sexual discrimination. The course places particular emphasis on various forms of textual interpretation used by individual justices to apply the Constitution in deciding cases and writing opinions. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the
instructor. LAW 215 recommended. 3 credits. (This course is cross-listed with LAW 316) |
| Students in this course study the development of Western political thought from Classical Greece to modern times, examining the conceptual evolution of citizenship, civic obligation, and the nature of justice and exploring the connection between moral and positive law in the western tradition. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of the
instructor. 3 credits. |
| This foundational laboratory course introduces students to scientific methodology and experiment design as it applies to psychology. Students learn how to identify research questions through literature reviews, develop hypotheses, appropriately design and conduct research projects, and draw conclusions from the findings. The course engages students in data-collection laboratory experiences that culminate in the development, execution, analysis and APA-style presentation of an original experiment on a behavior-related topic of their own choosing. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: PSY 110 and 125, or NEU/PSY major with
Sophomore standing, or completion of at least 6 credits of
PSY courses. 4 credits. |
| An examination of the societal bases of health, illness and health care. The course will include an examination of the three components of medicine: the patient, the medical professional and the health care organization. Specific topics will include: the role of the patient; doctor-patient relationships; the socialization of medical professionals; the hospital as a complex organization, cross-cultural comparisons of health care and current topics of concern such as the AIDS epidemic, new technologies and social response to the terminally ill patient. Fulfills requirement: . Prerequisite: SOC 110 or permission of instructor. 3 credits. |
| This course is an advanced course designed to help students develop communication, writing, and reading skills in Spanish, as well as an awareness and appreciation of Hispanic culture(s). It takes an interactive communicative approach and stresses cultural competency in language learning and successful communication. Fulfills requirement: Language and Culture. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or placement into 300-level or higher
according to the placement test. 3 credits. |
| This course is designed to introduce all categories of disability. Specific attention will be given to the potential cognitive, physical, social, behavioral, and language differences in children with disabilities. Delivery approach will include, but not be limited to lecture, case study discussions, and writing instruction. Students will be expected to write two papers (totaling 3,000 words) researching various aspects of disability. Writing instruction will be provided throughout this course. The instructor will provide substantive written and/or oral feedback through individual writing conferences, which will be held throughout the semester. In addition, this course has a two hour per week required field experience. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Course restricted to Education majors. 3 credits. |
- Course teaches students to write according to the conventions and expectations of a particular discipline.
- Writing will be taught as a process, beginning with thinking about (and perhaps conducting research on) a topic, then articulating a tentative thesis or hypothesis, drafting an outline, and working through successive drafts of an essay before arriving at the finished product.
- Faculty will offer instruction in writing and will provide substantive written or oral feedback on students' written performance during the writing process.
- Evaluation of writing quality shall be an important factor in determining the course grade.
- Students in writing process courses will write a minimum of 3,000 words in formal writing (i.e. case studies, discipline specific documents). In-class examinations and quizzes, laboratory notebooks, journals, diaries, and essays of fewer than 500 words may count toward the final course grade, but shall not count toward the 3,000-word minimum requirement. Exception: A course taught in a language other than English shall be held to the 3,000-word minimum requirement, but shall be permitted to count reflections, journals, and in-class writings as part of the writing process.
- The number of students in a writing-process course shall be capped at a level no higher than 22 students.
- Equivalent courses taken at other institutions may not necessarily include a writing component and therefore will not automatically satisfy the WP requirement. Students who wish to meet the Writing Process requirement off-campus must petition the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for approval.