Concentration AreasEnvironmental Studies

Art

Approved Concentration Courses: ART
Advisor contact director Jeff Jeremiason

  • ART-110. Drawing
  • ART-112. Color & Composition
  • ART-113. Form & Space
  • ART-240. Photography
  • ART-234. Sculpture, ART-242. Wheel Thrown Ceramics, ART-243. Hand built Ceramic Sculpture I or one course in Art History

ART-110.DRAWING A course in the fundamentals of drawing, both as a medium for visual exploration and as a medium for finished works of art. The objective is the development of visual and aesthetic perception in drawing through studio exercises and projects. The class works with a variety of drawing materials and explores a variety of subject matter, including landscape, still life, the human figure, and images from the imagination. ARTSP, Fall and Spring semesters.

ART-112.COLOR AND COMPOSITION This course deals with the fundamentals of two-dimensional art. It examines the underlying elements and principles and the ways in which they are used in making a personal expressive statement. Students work with a variety of basic materials and formal problems in order to develop a visual vocabulary and the perceptual ability to make aesthetic judgments. Student critiques and slide lectures on design from a variety of historical periods supplement the class work. ARTSP, Fall and Spring semesters.

ART-113.FORM AND SPACE A basic course in the fundamentals of three-dimensional concerns. Students work with a variety of materials and formal problems in order to develop a visual vocabulary. Concerns center around design theory, the formal issues of design, functional aspects of design, and design as it pertains to architecture. ARTSP, Fall and Spring semesters.

ART-234.SCULPTURE An exploration into three-dimensional form using clay, plaster, wood, and mixed media. Includes a series of portrait, figure, and creative composition studies in relation to lectures addressing the formal issues of sculpture. In terms of out-of-class work, emphasis will be placed on the creative process as it relates to personal growth and interest. ARTSP, Fall and Spring semesters.

ART-240.PHOTOGRAPHY Photography as a medium of the fine arts with emphasis upon the development of personal visual expression. Basic technical aspects of camera operation and darkroom procedures are thoroughly explored as a means to the creative end. Numerous critiques of student work are held, and slide presentations given on the history of photography. A camera with adjustable lens and a built-in or hand-held light meter are required. ARTSP, Fall and Spring semesters.

ART-242. WHEEL THROWN CERAMICS I This course is an introduction to the use of the potter's wheel as a means of personal study of the creative art making process. A wide range of pottery forms and surface treatments will be studied and applied to the work made. Students will be given a strong foundation in the history, aesthetic and technical aspects of working with clay on the potter's wheel. ARTSP. Fall semester.

ART-243. HAND BUILT CERAMIC SCULPTURE I An introduction to ceramics through hand-building, glazing and firing to make containers, sculptures, and reliefs. Development of capacities for positive critical analysis of volumetric function, sensitivity of three-dimensional form, and surface enrichment. Emphasis will be on the creation of work that is well crafted and reflects the students ability to develop ideas surrounding personal images and creative problem solving abilities. The hand-building techniques of slab, coil, pinch, and press modeling will be taught. Assignments will be structured to build both technical skill and one's problem solving aptitude. Experience will be gained in the use of glazes and the firing of kilns. Materials presented will involve historical, technical and aesthetic concerns of sculptural hand built clay forms. ARTSP. Spring semester.

Biology

Approved Concentration Courses: Biology
Advisors Cindy Johnson-Groh, Pam Kittelson

  • BIO-101. Principles of Biology
  • BIO-102. Organismal Biology
  • BIO-201. Cell & Molecular Biology
  • BIO-202. Ecology, Evolution & Behavior

Plus any level 2 or 3 biology course--courses recommended are BIO-245 Conservation Biology, BIO-370 Ecology, BIO-372 Animal Behavior, BIO-376 Entomology, BIO-377 Plant Systematics, BIO-383 Freshwater Bio.)

OPTION 2

  • BIO-101. Principles of Biology
  • BIO-102. Organismal Biology
  • BIO-241. Invertebrate
  • BIO-242. Vertebrate
  • BIO-245. Conservation

101.PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY (1 course) A general introduction to the study of biology. Topics include the structural organization of organisms, cellular reproduction, basic metabolism, genetics, ecology and evolution. Four lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. LAB, Fall semester.

102.ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY(1 course) This course covers the basics of plant and animal organization. Topics include phylogeny, development and the structural-functional relationships of plants and animals. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly. Prerequisite: BIO-101. Spring semester.

201.CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY(1 course) This course provides a study of the structure and function of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Additional topics include energy transformation, respiration, photosynthesis, cytogenetics, signal transduction, and the molecular aspects of gene regulation. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly. Prerequisites: BI0-101, BIO-102, CHE-107, CHE-141. Fall semester.

202.EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY, AND BEHAVIOR(1 course) This course focuses on three themes: (1) The mechanisms and patterns of microevolution and macroevolution, including the evidence for evolution and a broad survey of the evolution of life on earth; (2) ecology, including organismal responses to the environment, population dynamics, species interactions, community structure, and ecosystem processes; and (3) behavior. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory or field trip weekly. Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, CHE-107, and CHE-141. Spring semester.

241.INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY(1 course) A study of the structure, life history, classification, and phylogenetic relationships of invertebrate animals. Laboratory work includes the collection and identification of local species. Two lectures and two two-hour laboratories weekly. Prerequisites: BIO-101 and BIO-102. Fall semester.

242.VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY(1 course) A study of the life histories, behavior, morphology, physiology, and taxonomy of animals representing each of the vertebrate classes, with emphasis on Minnesota fauna. Two lectures and two two-hour laboratories weekly. Prerequisites: BIO-101 and BIO-102. Spring semester.

245. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY (1 course) This course focuses on the ecology of conserving biodiversity. It is organized to include species, population, and ecosystem-level issues. Topics such as biodiversity, extinction, sustained yield, exotic species and preserve design will be covered. Management implications and the ecology of issues are integrated throughout the course. Labs emphasize ecosystems and conservation problems of southern Minnesota. Prerequisite: BIO-101 and declared major in biology or environmental studies. Fall semester.

Culture & Environment

Approved Concentration Courses: Culture & Environment Track
Advisor Karen Larson & Rich Hilbert

  • S/A-111. Cultural Anthropology
  • S/A-239. Population Problems
  • S/A-243. Globalization
  • S/A-258. African Culture in Latin America
  • IDS-213. Indigenous People Globally

111.CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY(1 course) An introduction to the discipline of anthropology and to the study of simple and complex societies. Universal aspects of human culture, including kinship, economic, political, and religious systems, are examined in cross-cultural perspective. SOSCI and NWEST, Fall and Spring semesters.

239.POPULATION PROBLEMS(1 course) The study of world population problems. Attention is given to the fundamentals of population study with emphasis on population process and problems. SOSCI, January Term.

243. GLOBALIZATION (1 course) Globalization has become one of the defining processes of the contemporary world, as nations, communities, and regions are being linked through the world economy. The course will familiarize students with various theoretical perspectives proposed to explain globalization. Attention will be given to the politics and economics of globalization as well as to key issues, such as global crime, information technology, and the environment. NWEST, Spring semester.

258. AFRICAN CULTURE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN The Atlantic slave trade forced millions of Africans to Latin America and the Caribbean. This course examines the origins, character, and persistence of diverse African cultures in the New World as well as their extraordinarily colorful and creative hybridization through interactions with European and indigenous languages and traditions. This includes African dialects, religions, music, art, dance, family structures and values, folk psychologies, healing practices, and more. The goal is to understand the origins and development of Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean cultural experience and the dynamics of cultural change from an anthropological perspective. NWEST, Fall semester.

IIDS-213. Indigenous People Globally

Economics

Approved Concentration Courses: Economics
Advisors Glen Barnette, Larry Wohl

  • E/M-102. Microeconomics

Plus 4 of the following:

  • E/M-202 Econ. Of the Environment & Natural Resources
  • E/M-251 Ethics in Business & Economics
  • E/M-280 Public Finance
  • E/M-281 Government & Business
  • E/M-372 Economic Development & World Resources
  • E/M-380 Micoreconomic Analysis
  • E/M-381 Macroeconomic Analysis

101.PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS(1 course) A study of the performance of the American economy including an understanding of basic economic theories, economic institutions, and the history of the discipline of economics. Topics include introductory supply and demand analysis, national income determination, the money and banking system, monetary and fiscal policy, and the application of economic principles to the problems of achieving full employment, price stability, economic growth and a favorable balance of payments. Some study of economic development and the impacts of globalization. SOSCI, Fall and Spring semesters.

202. ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES This course explores the economics of environmental protection and natural resource management. The first portion of the course introduces theoretical and measurement issues related to environmental policy. Topics in this phase include the problem of externalities, theories of regulation, methods of regulation, and cost-benefit analysis. The remainder of the course uses the tools of economics to analyze specific environmental and conservation issues. These issues include conservation of exhaustible resources, management of renewable resources, and sustainable development. Prerequiste: E/M-102. Spring semester.

251.ETHICS IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS(1 course) An investigation of ethical issues and moral dilemmas in the conduct of corporate business and in the evaluation of economic systems. Areas to be covered in ethics in business include corporate social responsibility, employee rights and responsibilities, hiring and dismissal, investment and production, regulation, and advertising. Topics in the ethics of economic systems include laissez faire capitalism, communism, socialism, social market capitalism, and conservationism. The historic relationship between religion and economics in the West will be discussed. Contemporary Western moral philosophy, historic and contemporary Christian ethics, and social theory will provide a context for the study. Prerequisites: E/M-101 and completion of the Christianity requirement. Fall and Spring semester.

280.PUBLIC FINANCE(1 course) Theory, character, and trends in public expenditures, revenues, and debt management of governments, local, state, and national. Prerequisites: E/M-101, E/M-102, and E/M-130. Spring semester, even years.

281.GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS(1 course) This course examines the interaction of government and business in a market economy. Students will apply economic theory to an analysis of the legal and institutional aspects of government regulation. Topics include: antitrust law (mergers, price-fixing, monopolization, etc.); economic regulation and deregulation in markets for energy, transportation, and telecommunications; and social regulation in the areas of environmental protection, occupational safety and health, and consumer protection. Prerequisites: E/M-101, E/M-102. Fall semester.

372. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD RESOURCES (1 course) This course is a study of the factors influencing the economic modernization of less developed countries, including cultural, human, and natural factors involved in the appearance and disappearance of economic resources. Topics include economic growth and development, poverty and income distribution, food problems, population growth, environment and development, sustainable development, capital formation, investment allocation, structural transformation, planning, markets, the role of the state, privatization, third world debt, development planning, macroeconomic stabilization policies, and the international economics of development. The effect of economic advancement on the rates of resource utilization and its implications for less-developed countries, more-developed countries, and world resources will be examined. Prerequisite: E/M-101. Fall semester.

380.MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS(1 course) An intermediate analytical approach to consumption, production, distribution, government regulation, and welfare economics. Students can not receive credit for both E/M-360 and E/M-380. Prerequisites: E/M-101, E/M-102, E/M-130, and completion of the departmental mathematics requirement. Spring semester.

381.MACROECONOMIC ANALYSIS(1 course) This course is an analytical and empirical approach to macroeconomics. Using current computer software and web-based applications students will explore the long run determinants of economic growth, inflation and unemployment for both developed and developing economies. The course also focuses on an analysis of short run fluctuations in income, employment, how government policies affect the stability of the economy, as well as the interdependence of the domestic and global economies. Prerequisites: E/M-101, E/M-102, E/M-130, and completion of the departmental mathematics requirement. Spring semester.

English

Approved Concentration Courses: English
Advisor Don Scheese

  • ENG-128. American Pastoralism

Plus 4 of the following:

  • ENG-121. American Literature
  • ENG-252. Writing Magazine Articles
  • ENG-255. Research & Writing
  • ENG-256. Reading & Writing Essays
  • ENG-274. American Renaissance
  • ENG-291. 391 Independent Study
  • ENG/GEG-234. American West
  • ENG/GEG-350. American Environmental History

121.AMERICAN LITERATURE I(1 course)
A survey of American literature from pre-Columbian Native American oral traditions through the Puritan and Revolutionary periods culminating with the American Renaissance. The writings of authors such as Bradstreet, Franklin, Douglass, Fuller, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Whitman, and Dickinson will be studied for their aesthetic, historical, and cultural implications. HUMAN. Offered annually.

128.AMERICAN PASTORALISM(1 course)
Pastoralism has been defined as the desire, in the face of the growing complexity of the industrial age, to disengage from the dominant culture in order to seek a simpler, more harmonious way of life "closer" to nature. We will consider the promise as well as the problems posed by pastoral literature. Writings of Thoreau, Willa Cather, Hemingway, Robinson Jeffers, N. Scott Momaday, Annie Dillard, Wendell Berry, and others, as well as landscape painting and photography, will be studied. HUMAN, Spring semester, even years.

252.WRITING MAGAZINE ARTICLES(1 course)
A course concentrating on how to write the major varieties of magazine articles, such as profiles, exposes, how-to-it articles, round-ups, and commentaries. Prior experience with library research is assumed. Among the skills to be learned and practiced are reportage, summary, interviewing, and use of anecdotes, descriptions, patterns of organization, and structural revision. In articles written for the course, audience and market will be central concerns. Prerequisite: ENG212 or consent of instructor. Spring semester, odd years.

255.RESEARCH AND WRITING(1 course)
An interdisciplinary course in conducting research and in writing for both academic and popular audiences. This course will provide students with a methodical procedure for conducting research, organizing information, and writing the paper or article. Emphasis will be placed upon audience, patterns of argument, library research, and reference materials. Students outside of the English program are encouraged to use this course as an introduction to research materials in their discipline. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior status. Fall semester.

256. READING AND WRITING ESSAYS (1 course)
The essay has enjoyed a long history and richly diverse forms. Essays are short prose compositions -- to be read at a single sitting -- in which a writer considers some event, idea, problem, or human experience. The essay is, literally, an "attempt" or a "trial" at coming to terms with an idea. This is a course on appreciating, analyzing, evaluating, and writing the essay. Students who have competence in the basics of expository writing are encouraged to take this course to extend their repertoire of voices and perfect their prose style as well as to engage in thoughtful writing. Spring semester.

274.AMERICAN RENAISSANCE(1 course)
The mid-nineteenth century saw a burst of literary activity in America. Writers reacted to religious, social, and political issues of the day such as Transcendentalism, slavery, and "the woman question." We will read authors traditionally associated with the American Renaissance -- Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Dickinson -- as well as less well-known figures to enrich our appreciation of the variety and quality of the writing of this important period. Spring semester, odd years.

291, 391.INDEPENDENT STUDY(Course value to be determined)
Each student will design a detailed proposal in consultation with an appropriate member of the Department. The proposal must include a well-written rationale, details of reading and written work, and a list of all previous English courses and instructors. The proposal must be submitted, on proper forms, to the department chairperson no later than the third week before the end of the current term for work to be done in the next term (including January Term and Summer).

GEG-350.AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY(1 course)
What is the relationship between culture and the land upon which it exists? How are people shapers of as well as shaped by the nonhuman environment? These are some of the questions the new field of environmental history seeks to answer. This course will focus on different bioregions of North and South America from the pre-Columbian era of Native occupation to the present in order to study the creation of different landscapes over time. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. HUMAN, Spring semester, odd years.

Geography

Approved Concentration Courses: Geography
Advisors Bob Douglas, Mark Bjelland , Jean Lavigne

  • GEG-243 Water Resources
  • GEG-350 American Environmental History
Plus 3 of the following:
  • GEG-108 Meterology
  • GEG-232 American South
  • GEG-233 Central Amer./ Carribean,
  • GEG-235 Subsaharan Africa
  • GEG-239 Climate & Human Affairs
  • GEG-243 American West
  • GEG-340 Geographic Information Systems
  • GEG-341 Cartography
  • or GEG-342 Quantitative Methods

108.METEOROLOGY(1 course)
Using satellite technology, data from the global weather network as well as earth-bound observations from the United States, this course will attempt to provide an understanding of the processes that produce daily and seasonal weather patterns. Fronts, weather systems, cloud patterns, severe weather, climate, and climate change will be studied within a framework of the planetary radiation budget and upper wind system. LAB, Fall semester.

232.THE AMERICAN SOUTH(1 course)
A study of the past and present physical and cultural landscapes of the South as a distinctive American region. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. SOSCI. Fall semester.

233. CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (1 course)
This course focuses on the historical and contemporary geographic landscapes of the Central America/Caribbean region. Past and present physical and cultural environments will be examined, including pre-Columbian cultures, the Spanish conquest, colonialism and neo-colonialism, and the impact of commercial farming, logging, and eco-tourism. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. NWEST, Spring semester, even years.

235.SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA(1 course)
This is a regional course providing an introduction to the physical, social, economic and political environments of the continent. We will attempt to set aside our cultural bias and step into the complexity of Africa with its triple heritage: the African traditional society, the Islamic influence, and the influence of the European colonists. To come to an understanding of Africa, it is important to recognize the influence of cultural bias in approaches to problems. In this way "development" programs will be assessed on the basis of acceptability in the cultural context and appropriateness in terms of sustainablility and affordability. Thus, throughout the course, a Western and a Non-Western view is contrasted. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. NWEST, Fall semester.

239.CLIMATE AND HUMAN AFFAIRS(1 course)
The course begins with a short review of basic climatic processes affecting energy, moisture, and air circulation, emphasizing ocean-atmosphere interactions. An examination of ways people have modified these processes constitutes the major part of the course and will include such topics as global warming (the Greenhouse Effect), air pollution, droughts, floods, severe weather, and solar energy applications. Prerequisite: GEG-108. Offered occasionally.

243. WATER RESOURCES (1 course)
This course examines physical as well as cultural elements of water resource management. After an introduction to the principles of surface and groundwater hydrology, the emphasis turns to the socio-economic aspects of water resource development, including the role of federal, state, and local governments, water rights, and water law. Water resource problems from the American West, Canada, Middle East, and the Upper Mississippi River Basin are examined. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. GEO-111 recommended. Fall semester.

340.GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS(1 course)
This course examines the theory and methods of geographic information systems. Students learn to: identify components of a G.I.S.; collect, evaluate, and analyze various types of spatial data; and use vector and raster GIS computer software to solve land-use planning, natural resource management, and business geography problems,. Prerequisite: at least sophomore standing. Fall semester annually and Spring semester, even years.

341.CARTOGRAPHY(1 course)
An introduction to the basic techniques of map compilation and drafting, including data collection and statistical mapping. Sources, interpretation, and use of maps as aids in scientific research are also emphasized. Laboratory instruction with some computer applications. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. Offered occasionally.

342.QUANTITATIVE METHODS(1 course)
An introduction to quantitative techniques employed in geographic investigations. Emphasis is placed on how certain statistical and quantitative analyses are used in a problem solving context. Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. Fall semester.

Geology

Approved Concentration Courses: Geology
Advisors Jim Welsh

  • GEO-111 Principles of Geology
  • GEO-246 Geomorphology
Plus 3 of the following:
  • GEO-112 Evolution of the Earth
  • GEO-259 Earth Resources
  • GEO-371 Mineralogy
  • GEO-374 Sedimentology

111.PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY(1 course)
Geology is the scientific study of the earth. This is an introductory course in geology and emphasizes earth systems; those processes that operate and have operated upon and within the earth to give it its present character. The course emphasizes Plate Tectonics as a unifying theory to explain earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, continents, ocean basins, and crustal composition. In addition, the course examines the role of surface processes such as erosion and deposition by water, ice, and wind in the sculpting of the earth's surface. In both lab and field work the course emphasizes problem solving in geology and familiarizes the student with minerals, rocks, topographic maps, and geologic maps. LAB, Fall and Spring semesters.

112.EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH(1 course)
This course is a second course in geology covering the geological evolution of the earth and the history of life. This course examines the theories, the types of information, and the methods that earth scientists use to approach complicated histories and unrepeated events. Topics include the origin and age of the earth and the adequacy of Plate Tectonics as an explanation of the nature of the seafloor, continents and mountain chains. The fossil record will be used as data for an outline of the major events in the history of life. The diversification of life in the seas, the transition onto land, and the radiation of vertebrates will be examined in light of Darwinian and competing theories. Prerequisite: GEO-111 or permission of the instructor. QUANT. Fall and Spring semesters.

246.GEOMORPHOLOGY(1 course)
The study of the earth's surface and the processes that shape it. Processes discussed include those associated with weathering, streams, glaciers, ground ice, ground water, wind, oceans, tectonism, and volcanism. The laboratory is research oriented and consists of learning basic tools (maps and photos) and applying these to several field research problems. Prerequisite: GEO-111. Fall semester.

259. EARTH RESOURCES (1 course)
An introduction to the geology of mineral and energy resources. Focus will be on the geological processes that form these deposits. Economic considerations involved in the development and exploitation of these deposits as well as the environmental concerns associated with the extraction of these deposits will also be addressed. Prerequisites: GEO-111 and high school chemistry. Fall semester, odd years.

371.MINERALOGY(1 course)
Elementary crystallography and crystal chemistry; physical and chemical properties of minerals; elementary phase diagrams. Emphasis is on the common rock forming minerals. Two 2-hour laboratories per week. Prerequisite: High school or college chemistry, or concurrent enrollment. Spring semester.

374.SEDIMENTOLOGY/STRATIGRAPHY(1 course)
An introduction to the study of sediments and stratigraphy. Topics include sediment sources, weathering, erosion, transportation, and deposition. The course will also include a thorough look at global depositional environments. Traditional concepts of lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, aqueous geochemistry, diagenesis, and radiometric dating will be studied, as well as the newer fields of basin analysis and sequence stratigraphy. Prerequisites: GEO-111, GEO-112, and GEO-371. Spring semester.

International Issues

Approved Concentration Courses: Culture & Environment Track
Advisors Richard Leitch, Deane Curtin

A combination of 5 courses from the following departments and programs:

  • GEG-102 World Regional Geography
  • PHI-109 Philosophies of the Environment
  • POL-130 International Relations
  • E/M-372 Economic Development
  • PHI-243 Ethics of International Development
  • POL-250 Politics of Developing Nations

Appropriate Study Abroad Courses

102.WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY(1 course)

A comparative study of the physical and cultural characteristics of selected world regions including Latin America, South and East Asia, the Middle East and Europe. NWEST, Fall and Spring semesters.

109.PHILOSOPHIES OF THE ENVIRONMENT(1 course)

This course examines the ways in which contemporary attitudes toward the environment developed as well as alternative philosophical theories of the environment. Issues include the treatment of nonhuman animals, instrumental vs. intrinsic theories of environmental value, the impact of first world environmental perspectives on third world peoples, and women's perspectives on the environment. Alternative approaches include Aldo Leopold's land ethic, deep ecology, and ecofeminism. This course counts toward fulfillment of the Environmental Studies major and the Women's Studies minor. HUMAN. Offered periodically.

130.INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS(1 course)

This course introduces students to the structures and processes of international politics and surveys the major global issues of our time. The course focuses on the functions of the modern nation-state system and the patterns of conflict and cooperation in contemporary international relations. The purpose of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of how the international political system works and to help them develop their own perspective on global issues. Fall and Spring semesters.

372. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD RESOURCES (1 course)

This course is a study of the factors influencing the economic modernization of less developed countries, including cultural, human, and natural factors involved in the appearance and disappearance of economic resources. Topics include economic growth and development, poverty and income distribution, food problems, population growth, environment and development, sustainable development, capital formation, investment allocation, structural transformation, planning, markets, the role of the state, privatization, third world debt, development planning, macroeconomic stabilization policies, and the international economics of development. The effect of economic advancement on the rates of resource utilization and its implications for less-developed countries, more-developed countries, and world resources will be examined. Prerequisite: E/M-101. Fall semester.

243.THE ETHICS OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT(1 course)

Peoples of the third world outnumber those of the first world by a ratio of six to one. Some of the most urgent international moral questions are those concerning relationships between these groups. Moral issues in international development include the following: Do all people have "basic rights" to safe food, clean water, adequate health care, and a healthy environment? What are the responsibilities of first world consumers to third world producers? Can the rich help the poor without reproducing relations of dependence? This course focuses in particular on the roles of women in community development, and it counts toward fulfillment of the Women's Studies minor. NWEST, Spring semester, even years.

250.THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS(1 course)

This course examines important features of politics, economics, society and culture in developing nations and focuses on common problems associated with political modernization, economic development and social change in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Through comparative analysis, the course also attempts to develop generalizations about key problems and prospects in various regions of the developing world, such as East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Prerequisite: Either POL-130 or POL-140 is recommended. NWEST, Fall semester.

Philosophy

Approved Concentration Courses: Philosophy Track
Advisor Deane Curtin

  • PHI-109 Philosophies of the Environment
  • PHI-243 Ethics of International Development

Plus 3 of the following:

  • PHI-201 Ancient Philosophy
  • PHI-246 Ethical Theory
  • PHI-202 Modern Philosophy
  • PHI-248 Feminist Philosophy
  • PHI-247 Applied Ethics
  • PHI-251 Philosophy of Science

109.PHILOSOPHIES OF THE ENVIRONMENT(1 course)
This course examines the ways in which contemporary attitudes toward the environment developed as well as alternative philosophical theories of the environment. Issues include the treatment of nonhuman animals, instrumental vs. intrinsic theories of environmental value, the impact of first world environmental perspectives on third world peoples, and women's perspectives on the environment. Alternative approaches include Aldo Leopold's land ethic, deep ecology, and ecofeminism. This course counts toward fulfillment of the Environmental Studies major and the Women's Studies minor. HUMAN. Offered periodically.

201.ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY(1 course)
Philosophy began in ancient Greece, and the problems that these first philosophers raised are still profound and significant. There are characteristically Greek philosophical problems: the nature of the soul, the state, the good, and the nature of reality. However, Greek philosophy is also a distinctive way of thinking about these problems. This course will focus on Greek modes of thought by examining in some detail its two principal representatives, Plato and Aristotle. Some attention may also be given to Presocratic, Hellenistic, and Roman philosophers. HUMAN, Fall semester.

202.MODERN PHILOSOPHY(1 course)
A continuation of PHI-201, covering British Empiricism and Continental Rationalism during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Philosophers examined usually include Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. HUMAN, Spring semester.

240.PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION(1 course)
A philosophical scrutiny of some of the central concepts and doctrines of the Judeo-Christian religious tradition, seeking understanding of the peculiar logic and function of religious discourse through readings and discussions of the thought of outstanding philosophers and theologians with respect to such topics as the existence of God, religion and myth, faith and reason, the problem of evil, and life after death. HUMAN, Spring semester, odd years.

243.THE ETHICS OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT(1 course)
Peoples of the third world outnumber those of the first world by a ratio of six to one. Some of the most urgent international moral questions are those concerning relationships between these groups. Moral issues in international development include the following: Do all people have "basic rights" to safe food, clean water, adequate health care, and a healthy environment? What are the responsibilities of first world consumers to third world producers? Can the rich help the poor without reproducing relations of dependence? This course focuses in particular on the roles of women in community development, and it counts toward fulfillment of the Women's Studies minor. NWEST, Spring semester, even years.

246.ETHICAL THEORY(1 course)
A detailed examination of selected topics of central importance to ethical theory, such as freedom, responsibility, rationality, good, bad, right, wrong, duty, obligation, virtue, and happiness. Fall semester.

247.APPLIED ETHICS(1 course)
A critical examination of some of the conceptual problems associated with contemporary moral issues such as abortion, reverse discrimination, euthanasia, capital punishment, homosexuality, and sexual equality. Contemporary moral arguments devolving around some of these issues will be surveyed and critically evaluated, and objections to them will be examined. HUMAN. Fall semester, even years.

248.FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY(1 course)
An exploration of central issues in historical and contemporary feminist philosophy. The focus of the course will vary, and may be drawn from social and political philosophy, ethics, or epistemology. It will generally consider such issues as: "woman" as a socially-constructed category; the nature of women's oppression; and the relations between gender, race, and class as they function as structures of domination. This course counts toward fulfillment of the Women's Studies minor. Spring semester, odd years.

251.PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE(1 course)
An examination of the concepts, methodology, and scope of science. Topics typically studied include the positivist model of scientific theories, the observational-theoretical distinction, the underdetermination of theory, reductionism, antireductionism, supervenience, the structure of scientific explanation, historicism and revolutionary science, social constructivism, the genderization of scientific knowledge and the realism-antirealism debate. HUMAN, Fall Semester, odd years.

Political Science

Approved Concentration Courses: Political Science
Advisor Richard Leitch

  • POL-260 Environmental Politics

Plus 4 of the following:

  • POL-130 International Relations
  • POL-150 Comparative Politics
  • POL-250 Politics of Developing Nations
  • POL-335 International Organizations
  • POL-340 Issues for American Foreign Policy

130.INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS(1 course)
This course introduces students to the structures and processes of international politics and surveys the major global issues of our time. The course focuses on the functions of the modern nation-state system and the patterns of conflict and cooperation in contemporary international relations. The purpose of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of how the international political system works and to help them develop their own perspective on global issues. Fall and Spring semesters.

150.COMPARATIVE POLITICS(1 course)
This course introduces students to the comparative study of a variety of political systems. The course focuses on comparative analysis of various aspects of political systems, including: historical legacies; political culture and society; political institutions and parties; citizen participation and group formation; leadership and policy-making. Political systems are also evaluated in terms of their performance in economic development, political stability and political change. Countries studied include: Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, Japan, India, Mexico and Nigeria. SOSCI, Fall semester.

250.THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS(1 course)
This course examines important features of politics, economics, society and culture in developing nations and focuses on common problems associated with political modernization, economic development and social change in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Through comparative analysis, the course also attempts to develop generalizations about key problems and prospects in various regions of the developing world, such as East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Prerequisite: Either POL-130 or POL-140 is recommended. NWEST, Fall semester. (Not offered, 2000-2001)

260 . ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (1 course)
This course is an introduction to the theories, themes, selected issues, and contending viewpoints of environmental politics, from both a domestic and international perspective. By the end of the semester, course participants will appreciate how the environment has become "politicized" and the conflict over it pluralized; recognize the major actors in the policymaking process, their positions, and their strategies; understand the potential and limits of conflict and cooperation among these competing actors; and realize what can and is being done as part of this process. Fall semester, odd years.

335.INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS(1 course)
This course focuses on the role played by international organizations in world politics. Most attention is given to international governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, the European Community, and other regional organizations. Non-governmental organizations from multinational corporations to the International Red Cross are discussed as well. The course investigates the extent to which all of these organizations contribute to the development of a peaceful and just world community of nations. Students do a term project as well as smaller papers on the readings. Prerequisite: POL-130 recommended. Spring semester.

340.ISSUES FOR AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY(1 course)
Students will develop a term project on a foreign policy issue of their choice, as well as discuss the central dilemmas and assumptions about U.S. foreign policy in the present and near future. The purpose is to help students clarify their own substantive views on the major foreign policy issues for our time. The course, therefore, has a substantive focus more than a focus on how foreign policy is made. Fall semester.

Psychology

Approved Concentration Courses: Psychology
Advisor Mark Krueger

  • PSY-100 General Psychology
  • PSY-230 Cognitive Psychology
  • PSY-232 Social Psychology
  • PSY-238 Brain & Behavior

And a statistics course in either Math, Political Science, or Psychology

100.GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY(1 course)
A general survey of the basic facts and principles of behavior. The course is designed as an introduction to the field of psychology. It includes assigned readings, lectures, class demonstrations, and laboratory activities. This course or its equivalent is prerequisite to all other courses in the department unless indicated. SOSCI, Fall and Spring semesters.

230.COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY(1 course)
The purpose of this course is to survey the major theories and empirical findings within the field of cognitive psychology. In doing so we will review research concerning a variety of higher mental functions, including attention, memory, language, and problem solving. Prerequisite: PSY-100. Fall semester.

232.SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY(1 course)
Social psychology is the scientific study of the manner in which the behavior, thoughts, and feelings of individuals influence, and are influenced by, the behavior and characteristics of others. Topics which are examined in this course include attitudes, person perception, social cognition, liking and friendship, altruism, aggression, conformity, social exchange, and the behavior of individuals in groups. Prerequisite: PSY-100. Fall and Spring semesters.

238.BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR(1 course)
The course will introduce the student to the biological underpinnings of human behavior. After basic training in the fundamentals of brain anatomy and physiology, the role of the brain and basic biological processes in topics such as sensation and perception, food intake, reproductive behavior, learning, emotion, mechanisms of drug effects, and mental disorders will be examined. Methods used to study how the brain works will be introduced in laboratory sessions. Prerequisite: PSY-100. Fall and Spring semesters.