Fall 2012 Special Topics
CHEM 494-1
Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry: Intermolecular Interactions
A review of the major intermolecular interactions that contribute to the chemical and physical properties of chemical compounds and molecular aggregates. These interactions will include an analysis of dispersion, dipole-dipole, and hydrogen bonding interactions, but will also include others that are not introduced in the typical chemistry and biochemistry courses. Applications to inorganic, organic, and biochemical systems will be emphasized. A significant portion of the course will involve computational analysis of these interactions. Prerequisites: MATH 162, CHEM 202 and 250, and PHYS 202 or 206.
COMM 350-1
Topics in Communication: Narratives in Organizations
Develops and applies concepts from narratology and narrative research to understand communication in the contemporary workplace. On the analogy to music appreciation, students’ narrative appreciation is enhanced by gaining familiarity with six clusters of ideas about narrative that include (1) action, motivation and morality; (2) sequence and locale; (3) character and identity; (4) interest and memory; (5) aesthetics; and (6) complexity and control.
COMM 350-3
Topics in Communication: Organizational Communication Ethics
Examines ethical questions that impact how organizations communicate and what they choose to relay and omit to their various audiences. Considers personal ethical decision-making processes taking place in workers’ everyday lives. Explores theories on ethics as well as approaches that engage important questions of power, equality and justice.
COMM 420-1
Topics in Communication Theory: Feminist Rhetoric
The study of feminist perspectives about rhetoric, feminist rhetorical theories and feminist rhetorical analyses of public discourse. Students will learn about critical concerns voiced by feminist rhetorical scholars; about the tradition of rhetoric; and will comprehend, evaluate and apply feminist rhetorical theories to texts or artifacts.
COMM 420-2
Topics in Communication: Asian Americans and the Media
Examines Asian Americans’ relationship to the media, including television, film and emerging media, as well as experimental, documentary, independent and Hollywood features. Studies these texts in relation to the history of Asian Americans, the historical imaging and imagination of Asian Americans, and Asian American class, sexuality, and culture more generally. Explores how Asian Americans attempt to construct histories and identities, how media, film and video intersect with developments in Asian American politics, and how social, artistic, and literary movements relate to dominant culture and dominant media/film organizations.
CS 497-2
Topics in Computer Science: Introduction to Mobile Programming
Introduces students to the fundamentals of developing applications for mobile devices including smart phones and tablets. Students will choose their focus on consumer devices between Apple iOS and Android operating systems. Common issues and special consideration for programming with both platforms will be discussed. Software engineering principles in project design and human-computer interaction will be applied. Students will also learn about cross platform mobile application development frameworks. Prerequisites: CS 311 and CS 351.
CS 597-1
Advanced Topics in Computer Science: Introduction to Bioinformatics
Introduces students to the power of bioinformatics as a set of scientific tools. Subjects describe how to access bioinformatics tools to study, analyze, and archive genomic and protein data. Questions such as how to make inferences from data archives and how to make connections among them to derive useful and interesting predictions will be answered. Prerequisite: CS 311
DNCE 130-4
Topics in Dance Practice: Ballroom Dance
Creatively practice and engage with Smooth and International Latin forms such as Salsa, Swing, Waltz, ChaCha, and Tango. Learn about cultural history, partnering, musicality, style, body posture, and alignment. Skills focus on leading and following, variations, transitions, tension, and compression. Open to all levels of experience.
DNCE 130-5
Topics in Dance Practice: Afro-Cuban Dance
Afro-Cuban Dance is an intriguing and lively dance form that blends African dance and Africanist culture with Caribbean rhythms and Cuban culture. Afro-Cuban Dance emerged through colonization and is recognized globally as a growing and thriving market of embodied history and practice.
GBST 390-1 (cross-listed with HIST 300-6)
Thematic Topics in History: Haiti and World History
Covers Haitian history from Columbus’ arrival in Hispaniola to the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Provides an historical perspective on Haiti in colonial times (when it was called Saint-Domingue), during the Haitian Revolution, and after Haiti’s independence in 1804. Attention will be paid to the multiple challenges that Haiti faced after independence, from ongoing internal struggles to international hostility. Special focus on Haiti in the 21st century and to issues of globalization and development.
HIST 300-5
Topics in History: Modern Latin American History
Part of a new, two-part survey of Latin American History which uses a chronology starting with the independence movements in the early 1800s through the mid-20th century. Themes of political and economic development will be explored in the nations that emerged from Spanish and Portuguese colonies. The historical experience of diverse social groups will be considered, especially through emerging media technologies such as photography and cinema. Employs historical methods to analyze historical documents from the period and current historical scholarship.
HIST 300-6 (cross-listed with GBST 390-1)
Thematic Topics in History: Haiti and World History
Covers Haitian history from Columbus’ arrival in Hispaniola to the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Provides an historical perspective on Haiti in colonial times (when it was called Saint-Domingue), during the Haitian Revolution, and after Haiti’s independence in 1804. Attention will be paid to the multiple challenges that Haiti faced after independence, from ongoing internal struggles to international hostility. Special focus on Haiti in the 21st century and to issues of globalization and development.
HIST 300-7
Topics in History: The Middle East in Film
An examination of modern cinematic and television depictions of the Middle East, including the rise of Islam, the Crusades, World War One, and the Iraq Wars. Films produced in the region as well as Hollywood features will be covered. Special emphasis is placed on understanding why the Middle East serves as a setting for films, particularly after 9-11, how accurately such films portray the Middle East, and how they serve as commentaries on U.S. perspectives of the region.
KINE 390-7
Topics in Kinesiology: Eating Disorders and Weight Control in Sport
Provides an introduction of the definition, health consequences, prevalence, risk factors, and management and treatment strategies of clinical and subclinical disordered eating behaviors in sport and discusses healthy weight management practices for athletes. Reviews current peer-reviewed research on topics related to athlete eating disorders, disordered eating, and the Female Athlete Triad. Restricted to Kinesiology majors.
KINE 390-8
Topics in Kinesiology: Introduction to Manual Therapy Techniques
Provides students with knowledge and hands-on practice in the most common manual therapy techniques, including: the ability to locate various muscles, joints and anatomical landmarks through palpation, stretching and myo-fascial release techniques, learning to work within the personal space of others with an appreciation of professional boundaries, and understanding the key components of a professional consultation and examination.
MASS 430-2
Topics in Mass Media Production: Documentary Production
Follows-up on the introduction classes in film and video by drawing upon the particular expertise of faculty in creating non-fiction or documentary projects. Emphasizes non-fiction field production, with theory, history and practice, focusing on a hands-on experience. Screenings, readings, lectures and discussion prepare students to envision, plan, shoot, edit and screen a documentary video. Students gain experience working individually and in groups. Cross-listed with VPA 380-20.
MGMT 482-3
Training and Development
An advanced human resource management course that provides an overview of the process for designing training and development programs. Covers the assessment, design, development, implementation and evaluation activities required to effectively and efficiently develop employee knowledge, skills, abilities and other competencies. Prepares students to understand, develop and evaluate human resource development strategies and plans based on principles of equity, efficiency and effectiveness . Relevant for all managerial positions to ensure human resources are equipped with required competencies in the short- and long term to achieve desired performance, organizational loyalty and risk mitigation for illegal behaviors and practices in the workplace. Pre or Co-requisite: MGMT 415.
MGMT 484-4
Selected Topics in Management: Managing the Sustainable Enterprise
Explores the role of business in building a sustainable world. With increasing evidence that firms can no longer ignore current environmental and societal concerns, managers have an important role in reshaping business models and industries, to build sustainable value. Students learn what sustainability means to business, how it is measured and reported, as well as how to formulate and implement actionable strategies. Prepares students to thrive in a changing business environment which values innovativeness and adaptability to current global challenges. Enrollment restricted to students who have completed all lower-division pre-business core (major status in Business Administration). Prerequisite: BUS 302.
MIS 484-3
Topics in MIS: IT Startup
This is an integrative course for the MIS Option. The objective is to apply a broad range of skills acquired from the undergraduate business sequence by developing a business plan for a new IT venture or an extension to an existing IT venture of the student’s choosing. Enrollment restricted to students who have completed all lower-division pre-business core (major status in Business Administration).
MKTG 484-2
Selected Topics in Marketing: Using Social Media for Marketing
Social media are a dynamic set of technologies that are being used by companies to promote themselves and their products. Consumers are adopting devices that are linked to the Internet continuously. New forms of social media are constantly being introduced. Companies are using forms of social media to reach these consumers. This course will determine how to best use social media as part of an integrated promotional campaign. Enrollment restricted to students who have completed all lower-division pre-business core (major status in Business Administration). Prerequisites: MKTG 302 or 305.
MUSC 180-2
Topics in Music: Music of World Religions
A study of religious music, both from the perspective of the social-cultural milieu in which such traditions were derived, as well as the relative influences these ostensibly sacred works have had trans-nationally. Explore some popular forms that exemplify this nexus, such as gospel-hip hop, hard rock-Christian rock, as well as Qawwali and Sufi traditions that have commercially and spiritually influenced millions in the Islamic world.
PSCI 390-9
Topics in U.S. Politics: Protest, Power and Change in the Middle East
Focuses on recent political events in the Middle East and North Africa including the widespread political protests in several countries, the formation of new social movements pushing for political change, the ongoing political transitions in Tunisia and Egypt, and the Middle Eastern and North African leaders’ varied responses to the unprecedented wave of political unrest.
PSCI 390-12
Topics in U.S. Politics: Politics and Culture in Contemporary Iran
Gives students a better understanding of the historical developments in modern Iran (1800-present). Examination of the ideological background of political establishment in contemporary Iran. Review of the institutional arrangements of the Iranian government. Discussion of Iranian foreign policy, with an emphasis on Iran-U.S. relations. Introduces students to some cultural aspects of the Iranian society.
PSYC 560-3
Topics in Psychology: Socio-emotional Development in Childhood
Provides students with an in-depth study at the graduate level of the psychological development of the child in the social and emotional domains. Subjects covered will include temperament, development and regulation of the emotional system, attachment, gender development, and relationships with others. Consent of instructor required.
SOC 490-4
Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice: Issues in Restorative and Transformative Justice
An investigation of theories and practices related to restorative and transformative justice, which are alternatives to mainstream theories of crime causation and punitive responses to crimes and other harms. An in-depth look at their origins, analysis of restorative and transformative justice theories, and critical examination of the ways in which these theories have been translated into practices in the criminal justice system and in social service agencies. Concludes with a consideration of the ways in which restorative and transformative justice have been used as tools in movements to reform and/or overhaul the criminal justice system and other societal institutions.
VPA 380-15
Advanced Studio Production
Focuses on integrating digital video studio production with an understanding of the history and effects of television. Using the Kellogg Library professional multi-camera digitial studios along with readings, screenings, and discussion of practical, aesthetic and critical approaches to producing TV, students will develop practical as well as critical tools in producing television shows. Cross-listed with MASS 457. Enrollment Requirement: MASS 302 or VPA 309 or any basic video production background.
VPA 380-17
Digital Photo Sketchbook
Investigates a broad range of artistic practices and contemporary artists who use digital media as a tool for contemporary photographic practices. Students will experiment with different conceptual approaches to art making and develop aesthetic strategies for engaging audiences. Students will learn to use digital still cameras and mobile devices for their experimental and documentary work.
VPA 380-19
Topics in the Arts: Media Genres
Examines how media production participants develop products that fit common formats (e.g., sitcoms, soaps, heavy metal, rap, action films, comedies), how production participants and audiences develop recognition and understanding of genres and their conventions, and how production processes differ for various formats. Considers the persistence and change of common cultural forms. Provides the opportunity to create media projects applying course concepts. Cross-listed with MASS 424.
VPA 380-20
Topics in the Arts: Documentary Production
Follows-up on the introduction classes in film and video by drawing upon the particular expertise of faculty in creating non-fiction or documentary projects. Emphasizes non-fiction field production, with theory, history and practice, focusing on a hands-on experience. Screenings, readings, lectures and discussion prepare students to envision, plan, shoot, edit and screen a documentary video. Students gain experience working individually and in groups. Cross-listed with MASS 430-2.
VPA 380-21
Topics in the Arts: Media Narrative
What are stories and what role do they play in shaping our lives? Explores the pervasiveness and importance of narrative within traditional and new media works. Examines multiple theories of narrative, distinguishing commonalities and differences among film, television, the web, and computer gaming. Cross-listed with MASS 432.
WMST 300-12
Topics in Women’s Studies: Disney Films: Gender and sexuality in Animated Movies
Focus on feminist analysis of the cultural representations in Disney animated films, from early movies such as Snow White ( 1937) to recent productions, including The Princess and the Frog (2009) and Tangled (2010). Disney animated films are a pervasive and powerful cultural force, both in the U.S and internationally. Often drawing their inspiration from classic fairy tales and novels, many Disney animated films offer stereotypical female roles, including damsels in distress, princesses hoping that “someday my prince will come” absent or bumbling fathers, and evil stepmothers. A whirlpool of contradictory messages, Disney animated films are a fascinating subject for cultural study and feminist deconstruction. Students will watch Disney animated films, complete a series of academic readings that offer analysis of the gender roles and gendered cultural messages in the films, and develop their own analytical and critical thinking skills as cultural consumers. This course carries General Education certification in area CC.
WMST 300-13
Topics in Women’s Studies: Reproductive Rights
This course will explore the history of reproductive rights for women in the United States and globally, including the emergence of family planning practices, the design and availability of contraception, access to abortion and assistive technologies, focusing on legal and policy developments, religious/political/cultural contexts, women’s activism, and feminist theoretical perspectives of reproductive rights and wrongs. This course carries General Education certification in area DD.
WMST 300-16
Topics in Women’s Studies: Feminist Geography
Introduces geographical concepts such as space, place and location as they relate to gender and feminism. Explores how the social category of gender and the organization of gender relations are implicated in, constituted by and maintained through spatial processes. Feminist geographers in particular have contributed greatly to the understanding of how and why various spaces and practices become gendered. By applying the critiques of feminism and focusing on the lived experiences of individuals, feminist geographers seek to understand the construction of gender division and gender identity in connection to various geographies and spaces. Will incorporate GIS techniques for spatial analysis coupled with feminist critiques of the technologies and methodologies used.
WMST 401-2
Seminar in Women’s Studies: Women in Peace and Justice
One path to creating a culture of peace is through learning about the nature of war and violence, peace and justice, and the interrelationships among these. This course contributes to this field of study by dealing with perspectives on women and their connections to peace work and social justice movements that address war and militarism. In addition, the course focuses on examples of the impact of war upon women and women’s peace activism in a global context.
Information provided by the Office of Curriculum
Posted April 13, 2012
