2017-2018 University Catalogue 
    
    May 17, 2024  
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2017-2018 University Catalogue [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

 

Philosophy

Course classifications:

Major Figures (MF)
Metaphysics and Epistemology (M&E)
Value Theory (VT)
  

  • PHIL 312 - Contemporary Political Philosophy (VT)

    This course offers a critical engagement with the rich work in political philosophy that has appeared since the landmark publication of John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice. After a close examination of Rawls’ egalitarian liberalism, the course takes up the range of alternative positions that dominate contemporary political theory: conservatism, libertarianism, communitarianism, feminism, Marxism, and multi-culturalism.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No First-year
    Recommended: At least one course in ethics or political theory is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 313 - International Ethics (VT)

    Nations increasingly come into contact with one another in a common international arena, and these encounters raise a host of important moral questions: Are there moral standards that apply across all human communities, and if so, how specific are they? Do all human beings have rights, and if they do, what are they? What duties do wealthy countries have to aid poor ones? Are there moral constraints on how war must be conducted, and if so, what are they? In this course students engage with the work of contemporary theorists exploring these and related questions.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: At least one course in ethics or political theory is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 320 - 20th-Century Analytic Philosophy (M&E)

    This course will employ the tools of analytic philosophy to address the large topic of the mind, the world, and the relation between them; it also explores the closely related topics of how our concepts get their content and how our language gets its meaning. By analyzing both our concepts and our experience, students in this course will try to answer questions like: What is the relation between experience and the world beyond the mind? Do beliefs about the world amount to knowledge? Is the content of experience conceptual – and so fully expressible in language – or does experience have a richness that always surpasses the expressive power of language? Where do concepts come from? What fixes their content, and what fixes the meaning of the words that express them? If the content of language is based in part on experience, can one understand the language of someone whose experience is different? Course readings will include works by Russell, Carnap, Quine, Sellars, Davidson, and McDowell.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: One course in philosophy
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 325 - Logic II

    This course covers a selection of advanced topics in logic: computability, Turing machines, soundness and completeness theorems, undecidability of predicate logic, Skolem-Löweheim theorems, nonstandard models, and Gödel’s incompleteness theorems.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHIL 225 
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 329 - The Philosophy of Law (VT)

    This course examines some central ideas of jurisprudence and the philosophy of law. Readings concentrate on general theories of law, justice, legal rights, liability, and legal responsibility, and on the nature of judicial reasoning and legal principles. Some broader methodological questions pertaining to causation and the law and the relation of law and morality are discussed and related to the readings.

    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: PHIL 229


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  • PHIL 330 - Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art (VT)

    Discussion of the classical writings of philosophers on art and central ideas of aesthetics: form and content, expression, taste, and standards of criticism are included in this course. Readings include Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Nietzsche, etc., as well as contemporary essays.

    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


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  • PHIL 332 - The Philosophy of Race and Racism

    This course serves as a sustained investigation into the concepts of race and racism through an examination of metaphysical, psychological, ethical, linguistic, and political problems associated with race. Topics to be discussed include the nature of race (are races real and if so what are they?), the formation of racial identities, individual and institutional racism, and notions of distributive and compensatory justice and how they are used to address issues of racial injustice. Readings include Appiah, Boxill, DuBois, Fanon, Garcia, Hacking, Lycan, Taylor, and others.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: ALST 332  
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 333 - Topics in Environmental Philosophy

    This course involves a critical examination of selected fundamental issues and theories in environmental philosophy. Precise issues and themes vary from year to year, but may include sustainability and moral obligations to future generations; the nature of the good life for humans; the status of environmental values; recent work in environmental ethics theories including deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism; the moral and metaphysical status of human modifications to the world, including environmental restoration and genetic engineering; and aesthetics of the natural world. An emphasis is placed on exploring the connections between philosophical theory and environmental policy and practice.

    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


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  • PHIL 335 - Contemporary Epistemology (M&E)

    This course examines contemporary theories of how knowledge claims are justified, and also how these theories respond to skeptical challenges. This involves detailing fundamental strategies of epistemic justification such as foundationalism, coherentism, and naturalism. The course also inquires into what makes a body of beliefs a structure of knowledge and considers how the interpretation of rationality is related to these questions of justification.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: One course in philosophy
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 340 - Metaphysics (M&E)

    A systematic study of central issues involved in theorizing about reality at the most general level. Is the world a world of substances or a world of events? What is the nature of causation? Do concepts and statements refer to the world as it is in itself, or is such a notion idle or incoherent? How are such things as possibility and necessity and laws of nature to be understood? The topics are handled in a way that stresses the historical persistence of the debates over these issues but focuses on recent and contemporary discussions of the topics.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Two courses in philosophy
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 341 - Philosophy of the Mind (M&E)

    This course examines the historical and contemporary debates about the nature of the mind. These questions are considered: How do minds (or their states or products) manage to be about things? Are all minds conscious? How serious is the difference between first-person and third-person perspectives on mental activity? What beyond consciousness is required for self-hood? What grounds our concept of mental health? What kind of mind makes individuals responsible for their behavior?

    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


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  • PHIL 342 - Philosophy of Language (M&E)

    This course examines major topics and insights in the philosophy of language from its modern inception in the late 19th century to the present. Core questions include: How does linguistic meaning relate to how people use language to communicate? What is meaning’s relationship to concepts like reference, truth, verification and use? Is there a systematic theory that can generate the meaning of every sentence in a language? In answering the above questions, students will master the logical and conceptual tools for analyzing particular parts of language, which may include names, definite descriptions, demonstratives, metaphors, slurs, and other interesting linguistic expressions. Among the thinkers discussed are Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Austin, Grice, Quine, Searle, Davidson, and Kripke.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: A prior course in logic is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 343 - Topics in Moral Theory (VT)

    Moral theory concerns what makes acts right or wrong, what makes people good or bad. In addressing these issues, the course also considers the following questions: Do moral standards apply universally, or are they relative to one’s culture, religion, or other moral framework? Can we reconcile the impartiality of morality with the partiality we feel toward certain people, such as parents, spouses, or children? Are there ethical principles that apply in all circumstances, or is morality fundamentally a case-by-case affair? This course centers primarily on contemporary approaches to these questions, with the aim of enabling students to address these questions critically and rigorously.

    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


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  • PHIL 345 - Topics in African-American Philosophy (VT)

    An introduction to issues in African-American philosophy. In particular, it explores the political and ideological goals of leading intellectuals from the 19th century to the present. From DuBois and Delany to the black power movement of the 1960s, analysis of African-American experiences has produced divergent strategies intended to better the condition of black communities in America. The course investigates nationalist strategies and their roots in notions of black identity as they have been developed through the writings of intellectuals, artists, and political figures. It also addresses challenges as to whether or not non-integrationist strategies can be used to achieve social equality. Authors include Elizabeth Anderson, Anthony Appiah, Countée Cullen, Martin Delany, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Alain Locke, Claude McKay, Tommie Shelby, Malcolm X, Huey P. Newton, and Bobby Seale.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: ALST 345 
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 360 - Philosophy and Feminisms

    This course explores questions at the intersection of feminist philosophy and the theory of knowledge (epistemology). How have gendered assumptions influenced philosophical views about what knowledge is and how knowledge is best pursued? What roles, if any, should considerations of gender play in our theories of knowledge? In addition to these general questions, the course addresses issues in feminist philosophy of science, specifically issues concerning the scientific study of sexual differences in behavior and brain structure. The role of testimony in the transmission of knowledge is also considered. Feminist epistemologists and philosophers of language have explored ways in which gender affects the assessment of testimony as trustworthy. Patterns of acceptance of testimony matter for how the claims people make—in law courts and elsewhere—are heard (or not) by others. The course concludes by considering what this means for the proper philosophical treatment of testimony about personal experience.

    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


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  • PHIL 371 - Scottish Philosophy and Fact-Value (Study Group)

    The distinctions between fact and value, reason and emotion, and objectivity and subjectivity, have long and varied histories. This course examines the role those distinctions played in two thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment: David Hume and Adam Smith. The motivations for and benefits of these distinctions are explored, with special attention paid to Hume’s concerns about religious “enthusiasm.” Rigid versions of these distinctions have, however been criticized for their serious costs in both epistemology and ethics. The course engages recent major criticisms, and then considers whether Hume or Smith might have had a more nuanced understanding of the distinctions they worked with than their many followers did.

    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


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  • PHIL 380 - Issues in Epistemology and Metaphysics (M&E)

    This is an umbrella course designed to allow students to delve into specific topics in epistemology or metaphysics. The study will situate each problem in its appropriate historical context thus allowing student access to the approaches to a given issue offered in Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and recent works. The course will bring students inside some problems and methods that lie at the heart of philosophy by inquiring into issues such as the structure of knowledge, our basis for making claims about other minds, possible worlds, skepticism, and the justification of belief.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: A course in philosophy, preferably PHIL 335  or PHIL 340 
    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
  

  • PHIL 381 - Issues in Epistemology and Metaphysics (M&E)

    This is an umbrella course designed to allow students to delve into specific topics in epistemology or metaphysics. The study will situate each problem in its appropriate historical context thus allowing student access to the approaches to a given issue offered in Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and recent works. The course will bring students inside some problems and methods that lie at the heart of philosophy by inquiring into issues such as the structure of knowledge, our basis for making claims about other minds, possible worlds, skepticism, and the justification of belief.

    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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 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: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 405 - Major Figures in Philosophy

    This course studies the thought of a central figure in the history of philosophy. A different thinker is the subject of the seminar in different years. The seminar is primarily for majors in philosophy.

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


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  • PHIL 411 - Wittenstein and the Philosophy of Language

    This seminar is a detailed study of the thought of Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century. This course first examines his early work in relation to problems about the nature of logic and language raised by Gottlob Frege and Bertrand Russell, and then it uses Wittgenstein’s later work to explore the nature of meaning and the concept of mind. Throughout, this course attempts to articulate the character and purpose of philosophical inquiry.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Three courses in philosophy
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Philosophy & Religion, Philosophy Majors
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: A prior course in logic is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 417 - Advanced Topics in Philosophy

    The choice of a central philosophical problem to study varies from year to year. The seminar is primarily for majors in philosophy.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Philosophy & Religion, Philosophy Majors and Minors
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 418 - Advanced Topics in Philosophy

    The choice of a central philosophical problem to study varies from year to year. The seminar is primarily for majors in philosophy.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Philosophy & Religion, Philosophy Majors and Minors
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 419 - Contemporary Moral Theory

    This course focuses on questions about the status of moral value (whether it is objective or subjective, and in what sense) and questions about the respective roles of reason and sensibility in moral judgment and moral motivation. The central concern of the course is how best to understand and explain the metaphysics, epistemology, and semantics of moral value. Is there moral knowledge? Are values grounded in feeling or desire? Are there moral facts? The course explores the basic character of moral judgment and moral language, with special attention to developments during recent decades. The seminar is primarily for majors in philosophy.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Three courses in philosophy, including a course in ethics
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Philosophy & Religion, Philosophy Majors and Minors
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 490 - Honors

    Students pursuing honors in philosophy enroll in this course.

    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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHIL 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: Only Philosophy Majors
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term

Physics
  

  • PHYS 105 - Mechanical Physics I

    This course covers fundamental principles of Newtonian mechanics and their applications into science, engineering, and in particular, architecture. Selected topics including waves, fluids, optics, electricity and magnetism, and thermal physics are aimed toward applications in the geosciences. This course is not suitable for students majoring in programs or concentrations requiring two or more semesters of physics.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only, but not necessarily every year

    Corequisite: PHYS 105L  
    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
  

  • PHYS 105L - Mechanical Physics I Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 105 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Fall semester only, but not necessarily every year

    Corequisite: PHYS 105 
    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
  

  • PHYS 111 - Fundamental Physics I

    This introductory course emphasizes concepts and principles of mechanics, heat, waves, and sound. The focus is on building concepts, grasping principles, and learning how consequences of principles and concepts can be quantitatively calculated and measured. Students may not take this course after having completed PHYS 431 .

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 111L 
    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
  

  • PHYS 111L - Fundamental Physics I Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 111 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 111 
    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
  

  • PHYS 112 - Fundamental Physics II

    This course develops concepts and principles of electricity, magnetism, light, and modern physics.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 112L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 111   with a grade of C- 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
  

  • PHYS 112L - Fundamental Physics II Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 112 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 112 
    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
  

  • PHYS 131 - Atoms and Waves

    An introduction to modern physics via the concepts and discoveries of the 20th century. Topics include the structure and dynamics of atoms, special relativity, wave-particle duality of matter, and fundamentals of quantum mechanics. Studies contemporary physics using algebra, trigonometry, and a minimum of calculus. Two lectures, two problem-solving recitations, and one laboratory meeting per week.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 131L , PHYS 131RE
    Prerequisites: Students who plan to continue into PHYS 232  should co-register for MATH 161  
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: This course is required for students planning to major in physics, physics-astronomy, or physical science, and for students interested in pre-engineering.
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 131L - Atoms and Waves Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 131 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 131 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 201 - Mathematical Methods for Physics

    This half-semester course is an introduction to computational physics, providing the mathematical foundation required for sophomore- through senior-level physics courses.

    Credits: 0.25
    Corequisite: PHYS 201L , PHYS 232  
    Prerequisites: with a grade of C- or higher. (MATH 163  may be taken concurrently)
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 201L - Math Methods for Phys I/Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 201.

    Credits: 0.00
    Corequisite: PHYS 201 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHYS 205 - Mathematical Methods of Physics

    A one-semester introduction to the mathematical methods of physics, with an emphasis on applications and how these methods are used to approach various problems. The course will cover topics such as ordinary differential equations, complex numbers and Euler’s equation, linear systems, Fourier series, Fourier transforms, computational techniques, series expansions, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems, vector differentiation, divergence and curl, integration methods and multi-dimensional integrals. These topics will be brought to bear on physical problems such as the damped and driven oscillator, coupled oscillators, electric dipoles, beat frequencies, electromagnetic waves and electrostatic boundary-value problems.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 163   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: PHYS 202, 203 & 204


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  • PHYS 232 - Introduction to Mechanics

    A study of classical mechanics using astronomical themes. The principles of kinematics, dynamics, conservation laws, and gravitation are developed and used to understand the properties of astronomical objects such as planetary systems, binary stars, and galaxies. Treatment is more thorough than in PHYS 111 . Differential and integral calculus and vector manipulation are used throughout. Two lectures, two recitation meetings, and one laboratory session per week.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 232L , PHYS 201  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 131  and MATH 161    both with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Restrictions: Students may not take this course after having completed PHYS 431 .
    Recommended: Required for students planning to major in physics, astronomy-physics, or physical science, and for students interested in pre-engineering. It is also recommended for chemistry majors. Students who plan to take physics courses beyond PHYS 232 should co-register in MATH 163  and PHYS 201 .
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHYS 232L - Introduction to Mechanics Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 232 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 232 
    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
  

  • PHYS 233 - Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism

    The classical theory of electricity and magnetism is assembled from observations of nature and physical inference, using differential and integral calculus. Emphasis is on the fundamental roles played by the electric and magnetic fields, their geometrical properties, and their dynamics. Principles of elementary circuits are also included.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 233L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 201  and PHYS 232  and MATH 163   both with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Restrictions: Students are not eligible to take this course after completing PHYS 431 .
    Recommended: This course is required for students planning to major in the physical sciences and pre-engineering. Students planning to take physics courses beyond PHYS 233 should co-register in PHYS 205 .
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • PHYS 233L - Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 233 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 233 
    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
  

  • PHYS 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
  

  • PHYS 304 - Physical Optics

    A study of physical optics from the basics to advanced topics, such as optical instrumentation, Fourier optics, laser physics, and holography. The course prepares students for knowledgeable use of optical instruments in fields such as astronomy and teaches modern laser techniques for use in basic and applied research. Four lecture meetings and one laboratory meeting each week.

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

    Corequisite: PHYS 304L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 233  and (PHYS 201  and PHYS 202 and PHYS 203 and PHYS 204) or (PHYS 201  and PHYS 205 ) all with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: PHYS 404


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  • PHYS 304L - Physical Optics Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 304 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: PHYS 304 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: PHYS 404L


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  • PHYS 310 - Advanced Topics and Experiments

    This is an optional junior-year research experience open to qualified students. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, each student works on an experimental or theoretical project that ideally produces original results. A final thesis and a formal oral presentation are essential components of the course.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

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


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  • PHYS 334 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Special Relativity

    This course provides the mathematical and conceptual foundation to understand two important developments in modern physics: special relativity and quantum theory, concentrating on wave mechanics.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 233  and PHYS 205   both with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 336 - Electronics

    A comprehensive treatment of basic electronics. The course covers analog and digital electronics. The analog section includes DC and AC circuits, filters, diodes, transistors, and operational amplifiers. The digital section includes combinational and sequential logic, integrated circuits, and interfacing.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 336L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 205  or PHYS 233   both with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: PHYS 282


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  • PHYS 336L - Electronics Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 336 .

    Credits: 0.25
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 336 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None
    Formerly: PHYS 282L


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  • PHYS 350 - Biophysics

    An introduction to biological physics including a survey of topics such as diffusion, Brownian motion, non-Newtonian fluids, self-assembly, cooperativity, bioenergetics, and nerve impulses, as well as experimental techniques and analytical approaches. Students first develop the interdisciplinary knowledge needed to address biophysical questions. The course then focuses on the reading, presentation, and critique of current biophysics research literature. Although challenging in its breadth, this course is intended to be accessible to juniors and seniors majoring in physics, chemistry, or biology.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: BIOL 350  
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 161   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No First-year, Sophomore
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 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


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  • PHYS 410 - Advanced Topics and Experiments

    This is a required senior research experience. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, each student works on an experimental or theoretical project that ideally produces original results. A final thesis and a formal oral presentation are essential components of the course.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

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


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  • PHYS 410L - Advanced Topics and Experiments Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 410 .

    Credits: 0.00
    Corequisite: PHYS 410  
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 431 - Classical Mechanics

    A detailed study, using vector calculus, of important problems in the mechanics of particles and extended bodies including a derivation of Lagrange’s and Hamilton’s equations, and other advanced topics.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 432 - Electromagnetism

    A study of Maxwell’s equations and their applications to topics in electrostatics and electrodynamics, including electromagnetic waves.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 433 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

    An introduction to the physical concepts underlying the formalism of thermal physics. Emphasis is on the role and meaning of entropy in physical systems and processes. Topics include black body radiation, liquid helium, superconductivity, negative temperature, and the efficient use of energy.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 434 - Quantum Mechanics

    An introduction to the theory and formalism of quantum mechanics. This course addresses the philosophical and mathematical foundations of the theory. It develops the linear algebraic formulation using spins, photon and atoms; and cover topics that include time evolution, angular momentum, the harmonic oscillator, the Schrodinger equation, entanglement, and quantum information. A series of optional laboratories gives students vivid examples of quantum mechanical principles.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: PHYS 434L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 434L - Quantum Mechanics

    Required corequisite to PHYS 434 .

    Credits: 0.25
    Corequisite: PHYS 434 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 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: MATH 448  
    When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MATH 308  or PHYS 302 or PHYS 431   (One 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: PHYS 458


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  • PHYS 451 - Computational Mechanics

    This course investigates general algorithms and their implementation for the exploration of problems in classical and quantum mechanics. Applications range widely from solar system dynamics and chaotic systems to particles in general quantum potentials. Fourier analysis, including the fast Fourier transform, and its application to the understanding of physical systems and data analysis, are also studied. Each student undertakes a major numerical project of his or her choice.

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

    Corequisite: PHYS 451L  
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a grade of C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 451L - Computational Mechanics Lab

    Required corequisite to PHYS 451 .

    Credits: 0.25
    Corequisite: PHYS 451 
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 453 - Solid State Physics

    Several important properties of matter in its solid form are examined. The ordered, crystalline nature of most solids is used as a starting point for understanding condensed material and as a basis for introducing the band theory of solids. The course investigates thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties of metals, semiconductors, and insulators.

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

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334  and (PHYS 201  and PHYS 202 and PHYS 203 and PHYS 204) or (PHYS 201  and PHYS 205 ) all with a C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 456 - Relativity and Cosmology

    At the beginning of the 20th century, Einstein’s discovery of the Special and General Theories of Relativity revolutionized understanding of space and time. This course studies both theories; the emphasis is on General Relativity, including cosmology and the study of black holes.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: PHYS 334   with a C- or higher.
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHYS 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


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Political Science

Course classifications:

American politics (AM)
Comparative politics (CO)
International relations (IR)
Political theory (TH)
  

  • POSC 150 - America as a Democracy (AM)

    While most Americans take it for granted that our political system is a democracy and that it serves as an ideal by which other systems might be measured, the United States is only one of many stable democratic polities in existence today. This course identifies various characteristics of democratic systems that set them apart from others, and compares the operation of our presidential system with the parliamentary model adopted by many industrialized democracies. (AM)

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


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  • POSC 151 - Politics and Moral Vision (TH)

    This introduction to political theory addresses the ways in which personal morality and ideas of human flourishing determine one’s perceptions and responses to political institutions that shape the life and culture of one’s nation. Using a wide variety of texts, the moral underpinnings of different political systems are discussed in terms of fundamental normative concepts such as right, duty, virtue, liberty, and equality. Other essential terms, basic to building a foundational political vocabulary, such as liberalism, conservatism, individualism, communalism, and modernity are also explored. This introduction to normative political theory gives special emphasis to the genesis and development of liberal democracy and the tensions between its component parts, particularly as they relate to visions of a well-lived, moral life. This course is designed to enrich one’s perceptions of the evening news and the political discourse of our times. (TH)

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


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  • POSC 152 - Global Peace and War (IR)

    This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how international politics - politics between governments - differs from politics within a state. It considers how the international system has evolved and currently operates, and examines some of the enduring questions of international relations: Why there is war? How can war be avoided? Is international equality a prerequisite for order? Can order, justice, and cooperation be achieved in a non-institutionalized and non-hierarchical system? (IR)

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


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  • POSC 153 - Introduction to Comparative Politics (CO)

    Nearly 200 independent states coexist in the world today. Although they are all unique, political scientists study them in systematic ways, comparing them to discover fundamental political patterns that can help produce broadly applicable generalizations across different cultures and geographies. Themes such as democratic or authoritarian regime type, models of economic development, state institutions, civil society, and issues of national and ethnic identity all form important realms of inquiry for researchers engaged in the practice of comparative politics. This course introduces students to the principle themes and basic theories of comparative politics using examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, including both authoritarian and unstable democratic countries. (CO)

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


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  • POSC 208 - Comparative Democracies (CO)

    This course offers a comparative examination of the social bases of democracy and of different forms of constitutional government and competitive politics in both advanced industrial and developing countries in regions including Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The course explores questions about the causes of democratic stability and instability across countries and the effectiveness of their democratic government in delivering goods to their citizens. It examines key conditions that appeared conducive to producing democratic transitions across the three “waves” of democratization. Finally, students will consider the process of democratic consolidations, considering topics such as civil society, civil-military relations, institutional design, and international influences. (CO)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 210 - Congress (AM)

    This course analyzes the legislative process with a special emphasis on the relationship between Congress and the presidency. This course examines the historical development and structural attributes of Congress that determine its role in the executive-legislative relationship. Since the decision-making process varies enormously by issue area, the course focuses on several distinct policy areas. Course materials include classics of congressional scholarship as well as results from some of the latest research in the field. (AM)

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


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  • POSC 211 - The Presidency and Executive Leadership (AM)

    An examination of the complex and controversial role the presidency plays in the American political system. The course begins with the founders and with the creation of the presidency at the Constitutional Convention. This is followed by an examination of the powers vested in the office and the ways in which they check and are checked by Congress. Discussion then turns to what has come to be called the “managerial presidency.” Descriptive and analytical treatment of the ways in which the country elects presidents is a major topic. At many points the American presidency is compared to executive power in other democracies. (AM)

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


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  • POSC 212 - The Politics of Race and Ethnicity (AM)

    Examines the political dynamics of race in American society, focusing primarily on the experience of blacks as a socio-political group and to a lesser degree on that of other racial and ethnic minorities. The overriding theme is how race has influenced American politics and, conversely, how certain political phenomena have shaped the development of race. The specific topics around which the course is organized include the following: the most enduring and predominant racial issue - racial inequality; competing explanations for the origins and continuance of racial inequality; leadership approaches and ideologies for redressing the race problem; mass political strategies for dealing with the problem; majority attitudes and opinions regarding racial issues (including racial inequality); and the comparative experience of non-black minorities. These topics, individually and collectively, represent the essence of racial politics. (AM)

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: ALST 212 
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 213 - Comparative Politics: The Third World (CO)

    What is the Third World? Should countries as diverse as India and Cuba be included in its description? Why is democracy so fragile in Latin America? How can women contribute to development? This course tries to answer these questions by examining the historical origins, political evolution, and economic development of Third World countries from Thailand to Tanzania. Using the tools and methods of comparative inquiry, students explore the states, societies, and economies of different regions included under the rubric of the “Third World” such as the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The role of women, health, population, migration, and democratization issues in these regions are discussed, as well as the theories and methods used by comparativists in order to explain political systems and economic changes in the “Third World.” (CO)

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


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  • POSC 214 - Comparative Politics: East and Southeast Asia (CO)

    This course introduces students to the politics of East and Southeast Asia. It compares and contrasts the diverse political and economic evolution of countries across the region by examining the historical development of state structures, regime types, and the development of institutions and organizations such as parties and civil society groups. The course focuses on the experiences of the East Asian “early developers” (Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan), the transition to democracy across the region, and considers the emergence of China as an economic and political power. (CO)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 215 - Comparative Politics: Middle East (CO)

    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. (CO)

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


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  • POSC 216 - Comparative Politics: Latin America (CO)

    Today Latin America is one of the most democratic regions of the developing world, although it faces problems of inequality, gridlock, and economic growth. Latin America’s 20th-century experiences of coups, revolutions, and instability also present important lessons for comparative politics. This course introduces students to the countries of Latin America and the important patterns of similarity and difference that can help them understand political development and elucidate comparative trends. Regime type is one prism through which students examine the region’s countries, including democracy, semi-democracy, and various authoritarian regimes, especially bureaucratic authoritarianism. Another important topic is the United States’ relationship with the region’s polities, on issues like the Cold War, drug wars, and economic policies. In addition to big countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, the course also focuses on countries of particular student interest. (CO)

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


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  • POSC 232 - Fundamentals of International Relations (IR)

    This course is an introduction to the basic approaches to international relations, such as realism, idealism, and the interdependence school. It also considers fundamental problems of national security, the uses of power, the causes of war, the nature of international institutions, the relationships among security, deterrence, conflict escalation, and nuclear proliferation. (IR)

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


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  • POSC 260 - Foundations of Political Thought (TH)

    This introduction to political thought explores the questions: What is a just society? What is the best way of life? The course examines major alternatives from Plato to Nietzsche, as well as recent critics and defenders of American liberal democracy. (TH)

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


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  • POSC 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: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 300 - Geneva Colloquium

    This course is intended for students accepted to the Geneva Study Group the following spring. It has three purposes: to prepare students for life in Geneva through readings on the history and culture of Switzerland and discussion of the practical aspects of living in the city; to introduce students to the international organizations that the group will visit in Brussels at the beginning of the spring program; and to prepare students for their internships at international organizations and NGOs in Geneva.

    Credits: 0.50
    When Offered: Fall semester only

    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 304 - Islam and Politics

    Studies the impact of the Islamic resurgence on international and intra-national politics. The course begins with an introduction to the Islamic faith. Students explore the origins of the Islamic resurgence, the ideas of influential Islamic political thinkers, and Islamic movements in comparative perspective (Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, the United States, and France). The class concludes by examining two issues of great contemporary importance: the impact of Islam on democracy and the future relationship between the Islamic world and the West.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted: MIST 304 
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 305 - The Political Economy of East and Southeast Asia

    This course studies the role of the state in economic and social development and the relationship between economic development and democratization in East and Southeast Asia. It covers a variety of topics: the relationship between the state and the market in economic development, the interaction between growth and the development of political institutions, and the political repercussions of developmental outcomes such as demographic change and rapid urbanization. Students explore the interplay of state capacity, market development, and democratic institution building.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 307 - China’s Foreign Relations

    examines China’s complex relations with the world mainly since the 1990s. It begins with a brief consideration of traditional Chinese understandings of international relations, historical legacies, geopolitical predicaments, and China’s foreign policymaking process. The course examines the recent reorientation of Chinese foreign policy as a result of China’s post-Mao economic reforms. It assesses China’s grand strategy of “Peaceful Development,” Chinese integration into “international institutions,” and China’s partial participation in an emergent Asian regionalism. Geographically, the course examines China’s relations with its Pacific neighbors, other developing countries (especially in Africa), and with advanced countries (Europe and the USA). The course also evaluates the prospects for military conflicts over Taiwan, the Senkaku/Diaoyu, and the South China Seas. The problem of nationalism in foreign policy is assessed through an analysis of the “interactive nationalisms” driving the triangular US-China-Japan relationship. The course investigates China’s foreign policies on major international issues in an age of globalization. Specifically, with regard to the global economy, climate change, and international human rights are examined. The course concludes by assessing the prospects for Chinese foreign policy in the 21st Century.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 313 - Political Corruption

    Like it or not, corruption is a significant form of political influence, as much a part of politics as voting or writing a member of Congress. Indeed, in some parts of the world, corruption is not the exception, but the norm. This course examines the limits of privately interested political action in a variety of societies and considers possible explanations for corruption, examines case studies drawn from American politics and from other nations, and identifies the consequences of corruption, both for whole societies and for important groups within them. Reforms are a concern as well. Finally, the class considers the ways people in a variety of cultures judge right and wrong, and how they respond to the wrongdoing they perceive around them.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: POSC 150  or POSC 151  or POSC 152  or POSC 153 
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 315 - Government and the Economy

    The course examines the inevitable intrusion of politics into economic policy making, with examples drawn from a variety of policy areas including traditional economic regulation, the new social regulation, energy and environmental policies, and recent trends toward deregulation. The course begins with elementary economic theory: the case for free markets, a review of the various ways unregulated markets break down, and rational prescriptions for remedying market failures. The bulk of the course then examines the factors operating to make these market failures more complex than at first they appear, producing policies that depart from economic ideals.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 317 - Identity Politics

    This course examines the politics of identity in comparative perspectives. The course introduces students to a variety of theoretical approaches concerning the origin, transformation, and mobilization of national, ethnic, and other forms of collective identity. The course considers empirical applications of these theories: students identify processes through which identity becomes politicized, explore why some identity conflicts manifest as violence, and analyze the various ways - ranging from electoral solutions to genocide - in which states manage difference. Case studies are drawn from Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, the Asian sub-continent, and the United States.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 320 - States, Markets, and Global Change

    Do states intervene in the economy too much as conservatives and libertarians claim, or should they intervene more as many liberals and progressives argue? Does business have too much power or have the critics of “big business” and multinationals been too alarmist? Is the role of the government diminishing as the world becomes more global? This course discusses contemporary controversies regarding the relationship between government and the economy. It evaluates and examines the extent and kinds of state intervention into markets and the private sector, the influence and impact of corporations and business leaders on government institutions and policy from the United States to Latin America.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 321 - Political Parties and Electoral Process

    Political parties are some of the most influential entities in politics, and this course examines them as they pursue pork, policy, and power in the arenas of elections and elected institutions. After providing a strong background in party theory and the American party system, the remainder of the course highlights important commonalities by comparing party activity and party system development in other countries that straddle the developed and developing world.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 322 - The Politics of Privatization

    The adoption of neoliberal economic policies has been one of the most significant reforms undertaken around the world in the last two decades. Privatization, in particular, has been so popular and so widespread that one writer has remarked that even the United States, that quintessential free market economy, was “looking for something to sell.” This course examines political and economic explanations for the global adoption of privatization and economic restructuring in the 1980s and 1990s. It looks at the conditions under which governments enacted policies and compares the outcome of privatization measures in selected countries and sectors in East and Central Europe, Latin America, and Africa. It analyzes the claims of critics of privatization and the responses of privatization’s winners and losers. Students examine recent changes in the approach to the distribution of public goods and explore innovative public-private partnerships such as that between the development agency, CARE, and the coffee company, Starbucks, to provide water, sanitation, or micro-credit in developing countries.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 323 - American Elections and Party Power

    This course focuses closely on the US party system and the electoral area in which the parties struggle for power. In order to develop a strong conception of American parties, it combines scrutiny of the day-to-day media representations of political parties with important comparative perspectives that help students understand how American parties and elections fit into broader political science frameworks, as well as their long-term and global implications. Students compare the current US party system in three directions: back through history (especially the 20th century) to understand the roots of today’s parties; out to the rest of the world, comparing party systems in other highly democratic countries; and also down to the state level, where the course examines to what degree New York State parties and elections reflect national trends. Important topics covered include the effects of redistricting and campaign finance. Students also investigate the importance of issue-framing with unites on contrasting party strategies of presenting a “war on women” and President Obama’s “socialism.”

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 328 - Religion and Politics

    Religion and politics influence each other–pervasively and controversially–in almost every political system across the globe. This course examines this fundamentally important relationship in a variety of national settings through a comparative assessment of issues and controversies such as constitutional relations between religious institutions and the state; the appropriate role of religious beliefs in a democracy; the challenges posed to contemporary governments by the expansion of religious pluralism; the role that religious interests and religious leaders can play in elections and policy making; and the many ways that religion and religious mobilization are shaping the very nature of political life in the modern world.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 330 - Post-Mao China and World Development

    Examines post-Mao China’s socioeconomic development and post-socialist transition in an age of economic globalization. It analyzes the evolution of Chinese economic market reforms and China’s uneven integration into the Liberal World Order since 1978. This two-pronged developmental trajectory, however, encounters major challenges such as socioeconomic problems, ecological degradations, political dysfunctions, ideational crises, and international impediments. With varying efficacy, the Chinese government has attempted to redress these daunting problems through administrative reforms, economic rebalancing, anti-corruption campaigns, and international institutions. These major challenges and their attempted ameliorations are analyzed in-depth. The course concludes by examining the practical and discursive ramifications of China’s development model for Chinese society, world politics, and the philosophical search for alternative modernities.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 331 - Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa

    This course provides an understanding of politics in 48 countries that constitute sub-Saharan Africa. Following the independence era of the early 1960s and 1970s, much of the sub-continent exploded into a seemingly endless cycle of violence underscored by military coups d’état and civil wars. Over the last decade, various conflicts subsided enough for some states to institute political and market reforms. Others remained stuck in the throes of economic stagnation, on the verge of disintegration and vulnerable to terrorist groups and drug runners who exploit their vast ungovernable territories. What explains the various transitions that some states have experienced in sub-Saharan Africa? Why did most states disintegrate in violence following the end of colonial rule? Drawing upon pre-colonial accounts and histories of state formation and the theoretical, methodological, and conceptual tools that various Africanists have used to analyze key events, this course offers answers to these and other important questions about political and socio-economic developments on the continent of Africa.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 332 - African Political Economy

    This course examines the wide array of processes, actors, and institutions that shape the collective formation of the political economy of African states. In particular, the course is designed to take into account international and domestic processes, actors, and institutions, and how they interact. These include cultural, institutional, soci-economic, and broadly defined economic structures and processes, forces that create opportunities and constraints that shape economic policy making.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 335 - U.S. Environmental Politics

    Public policies to protect the environment are among the most important and controversial issues in local, state, and national government. This course analyzes the politics of environmental protection in the United States through the use of social science theory and a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods. The course introduces frameworks for understanding environmental policy problems and reviews several important American environmental laws. Readings include social science “classics” on the environment, as well as recent scholarship on environmental politics and emerging environmental issues. Topics covered in the course include the politics of environmental science, environmentalism as a social movement, environmental lawmaking in Congress, bureaucracy and environmental regulation, federalism, environmental law, and environmental justice.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 337 - Law and Order

    In the American criminal justice policy process the people are represented by two separate, but equally important groups: the politicians who enact anti-crime laws and criminal justice officials who are empowered to enforce them. This course investigates “Law & Order” politics and policymaking in the U.S. by way of probing the extent to which the adoption of criminal justice policies by lawmakers and the administration of criminal law are driven and chiefly so by democratic pressures.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 340 - Politics of the American Metropolis

    The United States is an urban society: today nearly 80 percent of Americans live in urbanized, metropolitan areas. These urban areas are governed by a dizzying array of local, state, and federal institutions whose policies affect citizens’ lives enormously and in myriad ways. This course explores the politics of urban America in the context of the contemporary metropolis. The legal and philosophical origins of local American government are discussed, along with the political economy of the city and classic theories of urban politics. The course traces the history of urbanization and the accompanying growth of government institutions, and addresses issues of suburbanization, regional balkanization, and federalism. Other issues addressed in the course include land use, segregation, housing, economic development, and poverty.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: POSC 150 
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 341 - War and the Shaping of American Politics

    Examines the impact of warfare, expansion, and national security policy on the development of domestic American institutions and politics since the Revolution. War’s impact has been multifaceted and contradictory, fueling a politics of reaction and repression in many contexts while serving as a catalyst for advances in political, racial, and economic equality and inclusion in others. Students will explore those contradictions by connecting war mobilization and security politics to the trajectory of American political development and state/society relations over time. Topics include: the role of the putatively weak American state in shaping 19th century territorial expansion; the effect of wartime mobilization and participation on racial politics; the interplay of warfare and the welfare state in American history; the postwar politics of the “military-industrial complex;” and the impact of foreign policy and national security on the American party system. Readings will engage such topics from the perspective of political scientists, sociologists, and historians working on a broad empirical terrain ranging over several centuries.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 344 - Politics of Poverty

    This course examines the nature and extent of poverty in the United States, with particular emphasis on public policies designed to alleviate poverty and recent proposals for reform. Political factors affecting the formulation and implementation of poverty policies are examined, drawing on case studies of selected issues such as the war on poverty, Medicare, food stamps, aid to families with dependent children, and negative income tax proposals.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • POSC 346 - Beneath the Black Robes: Courts as Political Institutions

    This course focuses on the causal dynamics of judicial behavior. It introduces students to the study of courts as political institutions and, in doing so, provides some understanding of the political nature of the role of courts in American society. The course departs from the view that landmark national decisions such as Roe v. Wade, Baker v. Carr, and Brown v. Bd. of Education, along with their more recent conservative corollaries, are solely the product of adherence to constitutional standards of interpretation. Instead, it posits that these controversial rulings and judicial policy in general can be explained through careful examination of certain political factors. In short, the course is based on the premise that the judiciary is a permeable structure that is responsive to democratic processes and that, in turn, exerts influence upon those processes. Two major theoretical concerns integrate the lectures and materials covered in the course: 1) the dynamic relationship between court decision-making processes and major features of the larger American political arena, and 2) the inherent tensions between judicial independence and democratic politics.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: 100-level POSC course
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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