2022-2023 University Catalog 
    
    May 20, 2024  
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2022-2023 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

 

Music

Course classifications:

History and Appreciation (H&A)
Performance (PF)
Theory (TH)
  

  • MUSI 101 - The Beatles

    In the sixties, the Beatles revolutionized popular music. This course is an in-depth study of the music of the Beatles with a focus on songwriting. The goals are to learn how to analyze their songs, to gain insights into their music and lyrics, to understand why they were so successful and to think critically about music. Issues of the significance of rock on the culture and history of the sixties are also discussed.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 103 - Basic Music and Songwriting (TH)

    Introduces students to the fundamental elements of music theory through performance, songwriting, and analysis. While focusing primarily on Western art music (“classical music”), popular song, and jazz, these broad categories represent the roots of many specific genres. Consequently, the practical techniques learned can be applied to many styles. In addition to written and aural assessments, students will perform keyboard hearings and compose several short pieces, culminating in the composition of an original song. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: Students who have taken private lessons or have high school music performance experience should take  .
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 111 - The History of Rock (H&A)

    Rock is a dominant force, a phenomenon. It began as the language of youth and grew to its present centrality. This music course examines innovative songs and artists, primarily from the `50s through the `70s, the era of classic rock. The goals of the course are to broaden students’ knowledge of rock history for this period, to gain insights into the music and lyrics, to learn how to listen and analyze music, and to think critically. Since rock reflected 20th-century society, broad issues of culture, art, and history are also discussed. (H&A)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 141 - Traditions of Catholic Music (H&A)

    A survey of liturgical and paraliturgical music of the Roman Catholic tradition from c. 800 A.D. to present times, considered from purely musical but also liturgical and theological perspectives. Students learn to distinguish by ear plainchant, classic polyphony, operatic-symphonic, and popular idioms (including some of non-western cultures) as well as the history of each. The course also covers the principal liturgies of the Roman rite and some of the more important 20th-century legislation regarding liturgical music. This is an 8-week course. (H&A)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 151 - The Musical Experience (H&A)

    An introduction designed to acquaint the listener with some of the masterpieces of Western classical music and beyond, and to develop an awareness of the role of musical elements, such as melody and orchestration, in the works studied. While it is not expected that students have played an instrument or read music, the course does attempt to develop some skills in score reading, notation, and close listening. (H&A)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Restrictions: May not be taken after a 200-level course has been completed.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 161 - The History of Jazz (H&A)

    A study of American jazz from 1920 to the present, through readings, intensive study of recordings, and class lectures. Several topics are studied in depth: listening skills, the quality of swing, group interaction, the development of solo improvisation, the blues, and the evolution of jazz performance practice. Important composers, bands, and soloists are highlighted, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and the Miles Davis groups. (H&A)

    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
  

  • MUSI 203 - Harmony I (TH)

    An introduction to the harmonic language of Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles. Students learn to make basic chords and coordinate them with melodies to create sensible progressions in all keys. The course includes ear-training skills. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Music background required
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: Students considering a major or minor in music should take this course as soon as possible. 
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 204 - Harmony II (TH)

    A continuation of Harmony I. The first part of the course is an intensive review of harmonic principles that develops greater fluency with them. The second part covers chromatic harmony and completes the chord grammar begun in Harmony I. The third part applies all the harmonic principles in an extensive analysis of a major composition such as a Beethoven symphony. Laboratory time devoted to ear training is required as in Harmony I. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   
    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
  

  • MUSI 205 - Popular Songwriting Workshop

    A study of the compositional techniques employed in popular songwriting with the goal of writing three fully formed original works that combine music and lyrics. The course will cover pop introductions, endings, standard popular chord progressions, melodic construction, forms & structure, and lyric writing. In addition to various composition assignments, activities include analysis of classic and contemporary pop songs by Ed Sheeran, John Legend, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder and others. Students must be able to read and write music as well as possess knowledge of basic chord structures and major and minor scales. The mid-term and final projects will be performed and recorded at a basic demo level. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Performance Experience Required
    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
  

  • MUSI 208 - Jazz Theory and Improvisation (PF)

    Offers the study of basic jazz theory and its application in jazz improvisation. Topics include chord/scale relationships, musical line construction and development, jazz as a language, tension and release techniques, analysis of transcribed solos recorded by jazz masters, ear training, and jazz phrasing. Students play in class and practice outside of the classroom with pre-recorded rhythm section tracks. Theoretical material and several jazz compositions are memorized with students learning to play this material from memory on their instruments. Exams include written and performance segments. It is expected that enrolling students can read music and have played their instrument for at least three years. Open to wind, string, and keyboard musicians. (PF)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended: Previous completion of   is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 215 - Music History I: Medieval through Baroque Periods (H&A)

    A survey of music history from Gregorian chant to Bach and Vivaldi. Music is studied both by itself and within its contemporary social context. Major genres, styles, and techniques of musical composition are discussed in both analytical and historical perspectives, through the study of representative works. (H&A)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Music background preferred
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 216 - Music History II: Classic through Modern Periods (H&A)

    A survey of music history from the era of Mozart and Beethoven to the present. Major genres, styles, and techniques of musical composition are discussed in both analytical and historical perspectives, and alongside contemporary social, political, and artistic trends. (H&A)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 217 - Chamber Music I (PF)

    The Colgate Chamber Players (strings, pianists, winds) explore and perform a diverse chamber music repertoire in 4-5 yearly concerts, both on and off campus. A bi-yearly concert tour features series concerts, outreach activities and repertoire research. Unless separated by off-campus study, two consecutive terms are required for a student to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 220 - Digital Music Studio (TH)

    A workshop class that provides an introduction to the modern digital studio. Students learn mixing and signal processing techniques in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), analog and digital synthesis, and the mastering process to develop skills in writing, recording, and editing digital music to meet current industry standards. In addition to creating original tracks, students are assessed on studio terminology and their ability to identify common audio routing techniques in the work of other musicians, producers, and engineers. (TH)

    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
  

  • MUSI 221 - World Music (H&A)

    A study of music as a cultural phenomenon. The course examines how music relates to many aspects of life, identifies social classes, embodies political issues, shapes ceremonial practices and creates cultural identity. Students attend extra musical events during the term and complete listening assignments. No musical experience is necessary. (H&A)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 230 - University Orchestra I (PF)

    The 68-member student and professional orchestra offers four major concerts on the music department concert series every year. With the same wide-ranging repertoire of any major urban professional orchestra students learn about the works technically, stylistically, and historically. To earn credit, a student must take two consecutive terms. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 232 - Colgate Concert Jazz Ensemble I (PF)

    The ensemble introduces basic elements of jazz improvisation (blues) and includes interaction with nationally and internationally recognized guest artists. Students perform works by the top contemporary jazz writers as well as classic charts from the standard big band repertoire including Bob Mintzer, Thad Jones, Shelly Berg, Bill Holman, Sammy Nestico, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Participation in two consecutive terms is required in order to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 234 - University Chorus I (PF)

    A performance course in choral music. The University Chorus rehearses and performs a diverse repertoire of choral masterworks, often with an accompanying guest orchestra. Unless separated by off-campus study, two consecutive terms are required in order to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 236 - Private Instruction I (PF)

    Private study in voice or musical instruments is offered to advanced students. The course consists of one-hour lessons each week during the term and may include a public performance. (PF)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Student must have studied at Colgate with their studio instructor for at least two semesters before applying to take lessons for credit. Proposal required. 
    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
  

  • MUSI 245 - Composition (TH)

    Students will learn to compose for acoustic instruments. Through a survey of 20th-century repertoire ranging from Stravinsky to Leonard Bernstein to John Williams and beyond, students will discover what makes a melody memorable, the expressive power that can be drawn from harmony, and essential post-tonal idioms that have resonated with audiences in the concert hall and the cinema. Over the course of the semester, students will explore these techniques by composing several short pieces before composing a complete work for chamber ensemble. These pieces are then performed in a public concert at the end of the semester. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: MUSI 103  or   
    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
  

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 301 - Criticizing Music (TH)

    Can music be evaluated (criticized) rationally and objectively? After a review of traditional harmonic theory, the course covers critical theories of the 20th century, which students then apply to compositions of Western masters ranging from Bach to Brahms in order to test their claims. The course concludes with students’ own critical evaluations of an important composition. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   
    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
  

  • MUSI 302 - Composition in Historical Styles (TH)

    In this course, students study music history by trying to imitate the composers that made the history. During the term, students complete a Renaissance motet, a fugue in the style of Bach, a sonata movement in the style of Mozart, and a prelude in the style of Chopin. (TH)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   
    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
  

  • MUSI 313 - The Italian Opera Tradition (Study Group) (H&A)

    After an introduction to the principles of music drama, this course concentrates on operas representative of all important periods of the Italian tradition. The composers include Monteverdi, Mozart, and Verdi. The remaining operas studied are determined according to what is offered in the opera houses in and around Venice during a particular season. (H&A)

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Venice Study Group

    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
  

  • MUSI 317 - Chamber Music II (PF)

    The Colgate Chamber Players (strings, pianists, winds) explore and perform a diverse and rich chamber music repertoire in 4-5 yearly concerts, both on and off campus. A bi-yearly concert tour features series concerts, outreach activities and repertoire research. Unless separated by off-campus study, two consecutive terms are required for a student to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 320 - Music for Multimedia

    An advanced workshop seminar in which students learn to compose and produce music for passive and interactive media. Course topics include sample library realization, coding interactive sound in real and virtual spaces, and post-production procedures for contemporary physical formats and digital codecs. Students must demonstrate proficiency in a DAW or notation software.

    Credits: 1.0
    Prerequisites:   or   
    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
  

  • MUSI 321 - Explorations in Global Music (H&A)

    It is often said that “music is a universal language,” but how true is it? Students explore the “language” of music around the globe from the perspectives of sound, culture, history, and basic principles to shed light on what music means, what it sounds like, and how it functions (theoretically and socially) within different musical-cultural contexts. Through lectures, discussions, practical workshops, and performances, students examine traditional music, popular styles, and modern changes in regions such as Korea, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and China with the goals of thinking critically and analytically about music while understanding its relevance within specific cultures.

    Credits: 1.0
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 330 - University Orchestra II (PF)

    The 68-member student and professional orchestra offers four major concerts on the music department concert series every year. With the same wide-ranging repertoire of any major urban professional orchestra students learn about the works technically, stylistically, and historically. To earn credit, a student must take two consecutive terms. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 332 - Colgate Concert Jazz Ensemble II (PF)

    The ensemble introduces basic elements of jazz improvisation (blues) and includes interaction with nationally and internationally recognized guest artists. Students perform works by the top contemporary jazz writers as well as classic charts from the standard big band repertoire including Bob Mintzer, Thad Jones, Shelly Berg, Bill Holman, Sammy Nestico, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Participation in two consecutive terms is required in order to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 334 - University Chorus II (PF)

    A performance course in choral music. The University Chorus rehearses and performs a diverse repertoire of choral masterworks, often with an accompanying guest orchestra. Unless separated by off-campus study, two consecutive terms are required in order to receive a single credit. (PF)

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • MUSI 336 - Private Instruction II (PF)

    Private study in voice or musical instruments is offered to advanced students. The course consists of one-hour lessons each week during the term and may include a public performance. (PF)

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: Student must have studied at Colgate with their studio instructor for at least two semesters before applying to take lessons for credit. Proposal required. 
    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
  

  • MUSI 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
  

  • MUSI 470 - Senior Seminar

    Offered as an independent study, this course is required for honors or high honors in music. Taken in the senior year, study may be in whatever the student and faculty adviser regard as the student’s major musical strength.

    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
  

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term

Native American Studies
  

  • NAST 243 - Native American History

    Typically, American history is told from the perspective of European colonizers, with the story beginning on the east coast and expanding west across the continent. How does American history look different when we reverse this perspective and put the continent’s original people at the center of the story? What has been the experience of America’s Indigenous people, both before and after European contact? And why is this history essential for understanding the world we live in today? With these questions in mind, students will examine the history of indigenous peoples in what is now the United States from 1492 to the present day. Particular focus will be placed on Native Americans’ history of adaptation and resilience in the face of European and American colonialism.

    Credits: 1
    Crosslisted: HIST 243
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 291 - Independent Study

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

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 300 - Continuity in Pueblo Communities

    Focusing on the words from people within the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, this course introduces students to the Pueblo worldview. Students listen to a variety of voices–poets, storytellers, educators, artists–as they seek to understand interdependence, complementarity, and the vital interconnections across past and present that are held within specific places. As preparation for the Santa Fe study group, this course also enables students to prepare for their service learning work in the pueblos or at the Santa Fe Indian School.

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 301 - Native American Women

    Focuses on women’s leadership, historically as well as currently, in American Indian nations. Indigenous women have been at the forefront of language revitalization programs, elder care, environmental justice movements, and native health and wellness initiatives. Each time the course is taught, it may take up a different facet of women’s leadership. Through readings, guest lectures, and informal conversations with women from different Native communities, students engage the many-layered complexities at work in the long histories of colonialism.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 302 - Contemporary Issues in the Native American Southwest (Study Group)

    Focuses on various issues facing Native American communities of the Southwest today, in particular the Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache peoples. Areas explored in the course include cultural expression, sovereignty, land claims, environmental protection, education, healthcare systems, religious rights, and economic development, among others.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Santa Fe Study Group

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No First-year
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 302L - Contemporary Issues in the Native American Southwest: Community-Based Learning (Study Group)

    Taught in conjunction with   on the Santa Fe Study Group, students participate in service learning programs in Cochiti or Tesuque Pueblo or at the Santa Fe Indian School. The Study Group Director arranges service placement in consideration of student interest and Pueblo needs and desires for assistance.  Service learning opportunities have included projects in sustainable farming, land and animal management, law, health and wellness, elder care, and education from preschool through high school. Students work two days per week in the selected program and meet as a bi-weekly seminar and individually with the instructor to discuss their work in the pueblos.

    Credits: 0.50
    When Offered: Santa Fe Study Group

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 303 - Service Learning in the Native American Southwest (Study Group)

    Taught on the Santa Fe Study Group as an alternative to 302/302L. Students participate in service projects in Cochiti or Tesuque Pueblo or at the Santa Fe Indian School according to their own interests and Pueblo needs and desires for assistance. Community learning opportunities have included projects in sustainable farming, land and animal management, law, health and wellness, elder care, and education from preschool through high school. Students work two days per week in the selected program and meet as a bi-weekly seminar and individually with the instructor to discuss their work in the pueblos.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Santa Fe Study Group

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


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 304 - Contemporary Issues in Native American Studies

    Focuses on various issues facing Native American communities today. Areas explored include cultural identity, sovereignty, land claims, environmental protection, education, healthcare systems, religious rights, commercialization of sacred imagery, and economic development, among others. Students may explore these issues with a particular regional focus, or consider how Native American artists or activists address them.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


    Click here for Course Offerings by term
  

  • NAST 320 - In the Courts of the Conqueror: Native American Religious Freedom

    Explores the interaction of indigenous religions and secular law in the United States. What does the U.S. Constitution say about Indigenous religious beliefs and practices? Why have Indigenous beliefs and practices been historically marginalized within U.S. law, and what does this history tell us about the separation of church and state? Students address these questions through an exploration of key U.S. Supreme Court cases from the 20th and 21st centuries. No prior knowledge of U.S. religion or U.S. law is assumed.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:    
    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
  

  • NAST 356 - Global Indigenous History

    Indigenous communities exist throughout the world, but rarely is their history approached in global terms. What does “indigenous” mean, and how does world history look different when approached from the perspective of indigenous people? How does such an approach change the way we think about our national stories, and why does that matter? With these questions in mind, students explore the history of indigenous peoples from around the world, including communities in the United States, Latin America, Pacific island nations, Canada, and Australia. By examining these diverse people’s experiences with outside colonization from the 15th century to the present, students are offered new perspectives on ongoing histories of colonialism, resistance, adaptation, and cultural resilience.

    Credits: 1
    Crosslisted:   
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • NAST 360 - Borderlands of North America

    Instead of looking at history from the vantage of national centers, borderlands history focuses on the complicated places where empires, nations, and Indigenous peoples have collided, converged, and overlapped over time. Borderlands were—and continue to be—perplexing places, where national identities and boundaries often held little sway, and where marginalized peoples sought to forge new paths. A focus on borderlands has the power to change our perspective on the history of North America, and to lend insight into the complex politics that define the border up to the present day, including heated debates over migration and the building of border walls. With this in mind, students examine the history of Indigenous, U.S.-Mexican, U.S-Canadian, and imperial borderlands from the 16th through the 21st centuries, including their political, social, and environmental dimensions. (TR)

    Credits: 1
    Crosslisted: HIST 360
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • NAST 391 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • NAST 491 - Independent Study

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

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


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Natural Science
  

  • NASC 110 - Singapore, Science, and the Life Aquatic (Study Group)

    This fractional credit course serves as the foundational experience for the Singapore Study Group. The course introduces students to the rich culture and history of Singapore, provides discussions about the unique geographic setting, and examines the role of science, technology and engineering in the growth and future of Singapore. This course will be taught primarily in the three weeks leading up to the beginning of the term at the National University of Singapore (NUS) with reflection on the themes continuing throughout the study group, and concluding during reading week at NUS.

    Credits: 0.50
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NASC 291 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • NASC 391 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • NASC 491 - Independent Study

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

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


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Neuroscience
  

  • NEUR 170 - Introduction to Neuroscience

    In this introduction to the neuroscience major, relationships between brain and behavior are examined at a variety of levels, including neurochemical, neurophysiological, physiological, and cognitive functioning. This course does not normally count towards the psychological science major.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken  .
    Recommended: AP Chemistry or Biology,  /CHEM 111 ,  , or   is strongly recommended. Prospective neuroscience majors should complete this course by the end of the sophomore year.
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 201 - Strategies & Discoveries in Systems Neuroscience

    This intermediate-level course approaches the study of neuroscience through a critical analysis and interpretation of primary literature, experimental design and execution, general quantitative analysis, and effective communication of ideas (both written and oral formats). This course offers a unique opportunity for students to understand a variety of concepts and challenges within systems neuroscience through the lens of the scientific process.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites:    
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 202 - Strategies & Discoveries in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

    This intermediate-level course approaches the study of neuroscience through a critical analysis and interpretation of primary literature, experimental design and execution, general quantitative analysis, and effective communication of ideas (both written and oral formats). This course offers a unique opportunity for students to understand a variety of concepts and challenges within cellular & molecular neuroscience through the lens of the scientific process.

    Credits: 1.00
    Prerequisites:   and    
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 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


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  • NEUR 300NE - Topics in Neuroscience

    An intermediate-level course in specific neuroscience topics offered by various staff members. Students should contact the department regarding the topics offered during any given term.

    Credits: 1.0
    Crosslisted:   
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   or   or    
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 353 - Visual Perception and Cognition

    Our everyday visual experiences typically yield a sense of certainty in that we believe we are operating directly from information in the world around us. Despite such a belief, many of our decisions and actions depend on perceptual inferences derived from our internalized representations of external information. Put another way, many of our decisions and subsequent actions are the direct result of our brains making guesses based on fabricated information. The purpose of this course is to explore how perceptual and cognitive processes act to formulate low- and high-level visual representations of the physical world, and how those representations inform (and are informed by) our knowledge of the world. The vast majority of the readings for this course employ behavioral paradigms that target the neurological (functional) underpinnings associated with visual representations and knowledge structures. Therefore, it contains a mix of both behavioral and neurophysiological components (with an emphasis on functional neuroscience).

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (  or  ) and (  or   or  )
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Recommended:   is recommended.
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 355 - Language and Thought

    Language is a distinctive human ability that distances humans from the rest of the animal kingdom - including chimpanzees, with whom people share 98 percent of the same genetic inheritance. Although language is considered as primarily serving communication in its advanced form, it is also an important vehicle for thought, with the potential to extend, refine, and direct thinking. The interaction of language with other cognitive abilities is the central focus of the course. Students compare the communication systems of other species with human language, examine efforts to teach human language to apes, learn how psycholinguists conceptualize and investigate language-mind relationships, and inquire into the cognitive abilities of various types of language users, such as bilinguals and deaf and hearing signers. Attention also is given to evolutionary changes in the neural structures implicated in human language and to neural processes constraining the developmental course of language acquisition.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (  or  ) and (  or   or  )
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • NEUR 374 - Computational Neuroscience

    Computational neuroscience is one of the fastest growing fields in neuroscience. By itself, it is a field that is largely concerned with using computational modeling and advanced data analysis techniques to evaluate and extend critical concepts in neuroscience. This course is therefore designed as an introduction to modeling methods and advanced data analysis in cellular and systems neuroscience. Through in-class instruction and computational programming exercises, students explore the use of numerical simulation for modeling the electrical properties of neuron membrane channels, single cells, and a variety of processes within micro­ and macro-scale neural networks.

    Credits: 1
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (NEUR 170 or PSYC 275) and BIOL 182
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 375 - Cognitive Neuroscience

    Cognitive neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field - drawing from chemistry, biology, medicine, neuroscience, psychology and philosophy - that explores the relationship between the mind and the brain. The scope of this course is broad, focusing on brain mechanisms for such diverse processes as sensation and perception, attention, memory, emotion, language, and consciousness. Students read primary journal articles on case studies from the clinical literature of patients with localized brain damage and reports from the experimental and neuroimaging literature on the effects of invasive and noninvasive manipulations in normal subjects. Mind-brain relationships are considered in the context of cognitive theories, evolutionary comparisons, and human development.

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


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  • NEUR 376 - Functional Neuroanatomy and Neural Development

    In addition to exploring concepts of typical human neuroanatomy and neural development through a functional perspective, students also discuss these topics through the lens of atypical human neural development/developmental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, ataxia, visual impairment) and comparative biology across different animal species.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: (  or  ) and BIOL 182  and (NEUR 201   or    or  )
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 377 - Psychopharmacology

    Discussion of the effects of drugs upon psychological processes and behavior in humans. Readings in the textbook treat the mechanisms of action (physiological and neurochemical) of various classes of drugs used in therapy or “on the street.” Readings in professional journals illustrate the experimental study of drug effects in humans and in animals.

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


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  • NEUR 378 - Topics in Neuroscience

    Courses in specific neuroscience topics offered by various staff members. Inquiries about the topics offered any given term should be directed to the coordinator of the Neuroscience Program.

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


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  • NEUR 379 - Fundamentals of Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology

    Focuses on two diseases: relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and idiopathic Alzheimer’s disease. The initial portion of the course examines the various methods neurochemists utilize to answer questions about these two diseases. The remainder of the course focuses on the epidemiological, neuroanatomical, cellular, biochemical, and molecular aspects of the two diseases. Multiple sclerosis is a more intercellular question examining the interaction of immune cells and the glia of the nervous system whereas Alzheimer’s disease tends to focus more on intracellular mechanisms leading to the synthesis of beta-amyloid and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, the two hallmarks of this disease.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    Corequisite:   
    Prerequisites: (  or  ) and   and   and (NEUR 201   or    or  )
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 379L - Fundamentals of Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology Lab

    Required corequisite to  .

    Credits: 0.00
    Corequisite:   
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 381 - Behavioral Genetics

    An introduction which demonstrates that nature and nurture both play a fundamental role in the development of behavioral traits; and how genes interact with the environment to shape the development of various behavioral traits. The course uses an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the studies in genetics, neuroscience, and behavior; with a comparative approach to explore human and other animal models; and cover the traditional behavioral genetic methodologies as well as modern molecular genetic techniques.

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


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  • NEUR 384 - Fundamentals of Neurophysiology

    This seminar and laboratory course examines the physiology of the nervous system. Topics include ion channel structure and function, synaptic transmission, second messenger systems, neuromodulation, the neurophysiological basis of behavior in “simple” animals, the evolution of neural circuits, the cellular basis of learning and memory, and the cellular basis of selected human nervous system diseases.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   &   
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   or PSYC 275  or   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 385 - Neuroethology

    Neuroethology is a sub-field of neuroscience focused on the study of the neural basis of natural behavior. Many types of behavior and a wide array of animals are studied, and the approach is often comparative and evolutionary. Students delve into the neuroethological literature, examining the neural basis of animal communication, navigation, movement, sensory processing, feeding, aggression, and learning.

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


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  • NEUR 385L - Neuroethology Lab

    Required corequisite to  . Laboratory exercises teach methods of behavioral analysis and electrophysiological recording techniques.

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


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  • NEUR 389 - Molecular Neurobiology

    Examines the cell biology behind the functioning of the nervous system. Students explore how cells make fate decisions during neural development, how neurons elaborate the complex structures they take on, how they form and refine specific connections, and how these together allow the precise transmissions of complex signals. Students also examine the molecular pathways by which sensory systems transduce physical stimuli into electrochemical signals and integrate that information into the nervous system.

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


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  • NEUR 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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  • NEUR 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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  • NEUR 498 - Senior Thesis

    Neuroscience majors plan and carry out one-term experimental research projects under the guidance of faculty members in the neuroscience program; such students enroll in NEUR 498 in either the fall or spring. For students who wish to be considered for honors, two-term thesis projects are required; such students enroll in NEUR 498 in the fall and   in the spring. On occasion, students who are not pursuing honors or high honors may complete two semesters of senior research by taking NEUR 498 in the fall and   in the spring. With permission, PSYC 450, when appropriate, may be substituted for 498.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Neuroscience Majors and Minors
    Class Restriction: Only Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • NEUR 499 - Senior Thesis

    Neuroscience majors plan and carry out one-term experimental research projects under the guidance of faculty members in the neuroscience program; such students enroll in   in either the fall or spring. For students who wish to be considered for honors, two-term thesis projects are required; such students enroll in   in the fall and NEUR 499 in the spring. On occasion, students who are not pursuing honors or high honors may complete two semesters of senior research by taking   in the fall and NEUR 499 in the spring. With permission, PSYC 450, when appropriate, may be substituted for  .

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Neuroscience Majors
    Class Restriction: Only Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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Peace and Conflict Studies
  

  • PCON 111 - Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies

    Provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of peace and conflict, as well as to the peace and conflict studies major. Focuses on attempts to study and explain the evolution of warfare and the dynamics of peace from the early Modern period to today’s most imminent and controversial security issues. Students explore the relationships between global and historical patterns of mass violence, the theoretical paradigms that attempt to account for these patterns, and the various disciplinary and methodological approaches used to explore war and peace at all levels of analysis.

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


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  • PCON 191 - Independent Study

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

    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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  • PCON 218 - Practices of Peace and Conflict: War in Lived Experience

    Introduces students to a range of approaches and problems in the descriptive analysis of peace and conflict. Students juxtapose core theoretical texts on war and violence from the social and human sciences with detailed ethnographic case studies. Practices of contemporary conflict are paired with the interpretive paradigms whose aim is to understand and resolve them. For example, case studies in terror are paired with the field of trauma studies; specific regional conflicts with theories of global networks; and contemporary mass violence with analysis of genocide perpetration. In the process, introduces students to important methodological paradigms from the social sciences, chiefly from anthropology, sociology, and geography, as well as humanities-based approaches from comparative religion, literature, and language studies.

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


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  • PCON 225 - Theories of Peace and Conflict: War, State, and Society

    Examines problems of institutional systems and the articulation of power. Students are introduced to critical evaluation of the major theoretical approaches to the study of power and politics. Students consider rationalist, functionalist, and interpretive approaches in the social sciences, as they relate to questions of peace and conflict. Students examine the specific operative theories that have emerged out of these intellectual traditions - theories of state formation, security, international norms, and transnational networks - as they have been incorporated into and further developed in the study of peace and conflict. Students test major theories on case studies linked to major world events. For example, deterrence theory is examined in light of the end of the Cold War.

    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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  • PCON 245 - Organizing War: Military Organization, Culture, and Thought Since the Beginning of the Modern Age

    How are modern militaries built and how does it impact their world – and ours? Students discuss major themes from the first precursors of modern military organization to contemporary conflicts, with a focus on military organization.  Students explore how and why militaries change and adapt – or fail to – and ask what exactly they are meant to do in the first place. Special focus is given to the interrelatedness of military organization and cultural, social, and economic factors.  Part of our challenge is to try and understand the nature of the relationship among these factors. On the way, students gain literacy in major topics in military studies as well as major issues in current military policymaking.

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


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  • PCON 260 - Gender in Conflict and Peace

    Aims to make a feminist sense of contemporary wars and conflicts. Students trace the gendered processes of defining citizenship, national identity and security, and examine the role of the military in the construction of femininity and masculinity. One of the most prominent social constructions of gender is that of the male provider/warrior and the female caregiver/peacemaker. The making of war depends in large part on the maintenance of this simplistic conceptualization. In addition, the inequalities and power imbalances that lead to situations of conflict, at both macro- and micro-levels, reflect and reinforce the structural and discursive inequality between men and women. The class is interdisciplinary and gives equal weight to theory and practice while drawing on writings by local and global activists.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • PCON 291 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • PCON 301 - International Human Rights and Advocacy

    The gap between the promise of international human rights law and its actual practice is vast. For many advocates and activists, the gap is a source of frustration as international human rights laws and norms rarely translate into basic protections at the level of the individual. This course is designed to make students aware of the contentious nature of human rights, both in theory and in practice. It is premised on the idea that human rights are constantly claimed and developed, if not made anew, by multiple actors–whether as rights-holders, advocates, or otherwise, and that this takes place in the context of intense struggle between state and non-state actors. Students examine both the international human rights regime and the struggle for human rights, and how they interact in practice. The course takes a purposeful right-based and victim-centered approach, with the goal of introducing students to the profession of human rights advocacy.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   or   or   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • PCON 303 - The Camp: A Global History of Civilian Internment

    Reviews a history of civilian internment by analyzing the geographic proliferation of camps throughout the planet. In modern and contemporary history, authoritarian states and democracies alike have developed concentration camps, internment camps, refugee camps, detention camps, and displaced persons camps – in ever increasing numbers. Countries have done so in order to separate and define populations they would or could not assimilate within the political life of the nation state, thereby relegating those populations to an exceptional status instead. To study the geographic spread of camps as technologies for advancing a state of exception, then, is to learn how –and to what extent– human rights have been acknowledged or betrayed in contemporary history.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:    
    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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  • PCON 304 - Criminal Underworld: Drugs, Guns, Bodies

    Examines the violent networks of the illicit global economy: from guns and drugs smuggling, to human trafficking and animal poaching among others. Drawing from multiple scholarly traditions, it compares the concrete geographical organization of these illicit networks - that is, where and how they become grounded - and asks the following questions: What are the relationships of these illegal activities to legal circuits of power and profit? In what ways are transnational criminal networks redefining the nature of contemporary violence and the meaning of peace?

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


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  • PCON 310 - Geopolitics

    Broadly defined, Geopolitics is the study of “the relationship among politics and geography, demography, and economics, especially with respect to the foreign policy of a nation.” As the study of political geography on a global scale, geopolitics examines the relationship between territories, boundaries, and states in the “closed system” we call planet earth. But geopolitics is more than an academic field. Geopolitical thought has actually instructed states how to relate to one another in the contest for territory, security, and resources. For example, the history of geopolitical analysis is closely connected to – and has often justified – various imperial projects. As a result, this course examines the relation between the development of geopolitical thought on one hand, and geopolitical events on the other. Of particular importance to the relation between theories of geopolitics and the actual geostrategies of states has been the development of conflict on a planetary scale. And so, this course traces that relation through the study of geopolitical thought and practice in the course of imperial struggles in the 19th century, World Wars and the threat of nuclear wars in the 20th, and new global challenges such as resource wars and environmental security in our own time.

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


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  • PCON 314 - Media War: Peace and Conflict in the Digital Age

    The first purpose of the course is to demonstrate the central importance of media in defining the reality of war, peace, and violence in modern culture. The second goal is to introduce, in a selective manner, film, art, and written works that shaped these definitions. The primary framework is chronological, beginning with a survey of images of war and peace in art, covering in detail World War I and World War II, and ending with current images of war and of preparations for nuclear war. The secondary framework distinguishes types or degrees of war: World War I and World War II, civil wars (Spain) and genocide (the Armenians, the Jews in Europe); struggles of national liberation (Vietnam and Algeria); and prospects of global holocaust, this last creating new imagery - both positive and negative - in art, poetry, fiction, and film.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PCON 322 - Weapons and War: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

    Mustard gas, airpower, submarines, A-bombs, Agent Orange, landmines, terror wars, “Star Wars”: weapons technology profoundly shaped the science, politics, and culture of the last century. This course explores the myriad effects of the production, deployment, and use of weapons. Specifically, the course considers how the horizons of science and technology have been shaped by the quest for ever-more-powerful or -sophisticated weaponry; how the creation of new weapons changes the nature of war and peace; how new weapons may impact lives and the planet; terror as a weapon, and scientific and social responses to it; the role of media images in the public consciousness of weaponry and war; and impacts of the global arms trade. While critically theorizing the social, environmental, and philosophical impacts of war over the past century, the course also examines the place of global ethics in discussions about weapons and war.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   or   or   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No First-year
    Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
    Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements


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  • PCON 329 - Environmental Security

    The environment poses one of the most important security threats of the 21st century. Taught from an interdisciplinary perspective, this course introduces students to the different ways that climate change and environmental problems more generally are presenting new kinds of security threats. In many ways, greater environmental concern from governments and international organizations over the dramatic environmental changes afoot in the world is a welcome development. But will the “environmental security” framework reinforce global inequalities and maintain the status quo? Or might it mean rethinking the very foundations of what we mean by “security”?

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


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  • PCON 340 - Terror and Counter - Terror: Histories and Logics of Asymmetric Warfare

    For as long as empires and states have been going to war, people have been fighting them with the tactics and technologies now known as terrorism and guerrilla warfare. Asymmetric warfare, however, is no mere historical artifact. It dominates headlines as much as it confounds leaders around the world. Central to this course are several in depth case studies of counter-insurgency and terrorism, including France in Algeria and Indochina; the British in Malaya, East Africa and Northern Ireland; state terrorism in Latin America during the Cold War; and the United States in the Philippines, Vietnam, and, after September 11, 2001, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. The evolution of non-state terrorism — from the violent acts of Anarchists in the late 19th Century to the potentially apocalyptic terrorism of radical religious groups the early 21st Century — also comes under scrutiny. From Clausewitz to General Petraeus, from Mao Zedong to Ayman Al-Zawahiri, this class explores how asymmetric war is lived and understood by various observers and participants.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   or   or    
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: None
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PCON 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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  • PCON 345 - Transitional and Historical Justice

    In what ways and under what conditions do states pursue justice for past wrongs? Is democracy credible without confronting the abuses of previous regimes? Do programs for transitional and historical justice unwittingly mask or even perpetuate injustice by recognizing certain types and forms of violence, while ignoring others? Students examine the theories and practices of transitional and historical justice since 1945. A global line-up of case studies are presented, which students evaluate in a comparative framework. Specific topics may include Post-WWII Germany, Latin America, South Africa, Rwanda, Eastern Europe after 1989, Cambodia, Australia, and the United States.

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


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  • PCON 351 - The Israel/Palestine Conflict

    Focuses on the longstanding struggle between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as on the history of the way the conflict has been defined (e.g., an Arab-Israeli conflict, a religious war between Jews and Muslims, etc.). The course profiles episodes in the history of the conflict–and of the efforts to resolve it–in light of contemporary developments across the globe. The war of 1948 is analyzed in light of decolonization struggles following WWII, just as the “Six-Day War” of 1967 is studied in light of Cold War politics. In addition to focusing on flashpoints in the history of the conflict, the course also examines international agendas for ending it. Repeated US efforts to broker a peace are analyzed in light of geopolitical developments elsewhere. Students will become well-versed in the historical and social developments of the conflict and study the various treaties, armistice agreements, and memoranda that have guided efforts to bring it to a conclusion. They also study outstanding issues in the contest between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as well as current peace and armistice proposals.

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


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  • PCON 358 - Transnational Politics

    Examines the segment of world politics that includes interactions and transactions between actors who are not representatives of governments or intergovernmental institutions. Non-state actors as diverse as global social movements, multinational corporations, religious communities, and even terrorist networks are now recognized as playing crucial roles on the world’s political stage. This course focuses on a variety of these transnational actors, as we seek to stretch the limits of state-based approaches, and emphasize the rich variety of relationships and interactions that characterizes contemporary world politics.

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


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  • PCON 368 - After Genocide: Memory and Representation

    An investigation of the impact of genocide on the self and the imagination’s representations in literature, film, and art. Primary texts include poetry, memoir, video testimony, film, and visual art. Scholarly methodology involves readings of literary criticism and theoretical work in the study of trauma, literary theory, and testimony. Among the questions the course asks are: How does trauma shape imagination and open up access to the site of disaster that is now carried in fragments which inform memory? How do representations of violence shape and inflect aesthetic orientations and literary and artistic forms? The course concerns itself with the aftermath of two 20th-century genocides–that of the Armenians in Turkey during World War I and of the Jews in Europe during World War II–both seminal events of the 20th century that, in various ways, became models for ensuing genocides.

    Credits: 1.00
    Crosslisted:   
    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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  • PCON 391 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • PCON 479 - Research Seminar: Peace and Conflict, Themes and Analysis

    This is a theme-based seminar that examines the literature of peace and conflict studies and other relevant theoretical and analytical work relating to violence and conflict resolution at all levels of society. The seminar also focuses on the range of responses to war and violence, by both the state and the peace movement. Significant independent and group research is required. This course is required of all peace and conflict studies majors and minors in the senior year, but is open to others who meet the prerequisites.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   and   and    
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Peace & Conflict Studies Majors
    Class Restriction: Only Senior
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PCON 491 - Independent Study

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

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


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  • PCON 499 - Honors Seminar in Peace and Conflict Studies

    Students qualified to pursue honors or high honors take this seminar in the spring of the senior year to complete or extend the thesis they have already begun in PCON 479. Enrollment is limited to seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher and a major GPA of 3.50 or higher, who have had their honors/high honors research proposal approved by the Peace and Conflict Studies faculty. To qualify for honors students must have achieved an A- or higher in PCON 479, or receive permission from the program director. Students who are not pursuing honors may also take this seminar to conduct independent research, by permission of the program director.

    Credits: 1.00
    When Offered: Spring semester only

    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites:   
    Major/Minor Restrictions: Only Peace & Conflict Studies Majors
    Class Restriction: Only Senior
    Restrictions: Permission of the program director is required
    Area of Inquiry: None
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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Philosophy

Course classifications:

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

  • PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophical Problems

    Acquaints students with the nature of philosophical problems and the means by which one might try to solve them. Readings and discussions are organized around perennial questions regarding the nature of morality and justice, free will, the existence of God, the meaning of life, the nature of knowledge, and the relation between mind and body.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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  • PHIL 111 - Ethics

    Explores central questions of morality. What makes a good life good? What makes some actions right and others wrong? Are there human rights that everyone has? What are our obligations to others? Are there good answers to these questions, or is it all relative? Among the philosophers explored are Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Bentham, Mill, and various significant contemporary thinkers.

    Credits: 1.00
    Corequisite: None
    Prerequisites: None
    Major/Minor Restrictions: None
    Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior
    Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression
    Liberal Arts CORE: None


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