Goucher College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
    Jun 21, 2024  
Goucher College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Course Descriptions


 

Prelaw Studies

  
  • PLS 299 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)


  
  • PLS 385 - Business Law (4 Cr.)

    (BUS 385)
    This course explores the elements of business law including its regulations, the jurisprudence system and legal instruments. The latter includes torts, contracts, sales agency, transactions, negotiation instruments, and business entities. Prerequisite: For Legal Studies minors PLS 250 ; for business majors and minors WRT 206 , and 16 credits in BUS courses as well as junior status. Spring semester. First offered 2018.

Premedical Studies

  
  • PMS 290 - Premedical Internship (0-4 Cr.)


    Placements in hospitals. Prerequisites: permission of the director and completion of appropriate courses in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Graded pass/no pass only.

Psychology

  
  • PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 111)
    This course provides an overview of the contemporary discipline of psychology, integrated with experiential learning activities designed to develop scientific thinking and research skills. Topics include fundamental issues in psychology, brain and behavior, perception, learning and cognition, personality theories, psychological disorders, and humanistic, developmental, and social psychologies. Students will learn the philosophical and methodological foundations of psychology as a scientific study of mind, brain, behavior, and human experience. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Choe, McCabe, Starkey, Wilterdink.
  
  • PSY 201 - Professional Development in Psychology I (1 Cr.)


    Develop an enhanced understanding of the breadth of psychology as a discipline, as well as interdisciplinary connections, through discussions with psychology faculty. Explore the psychology major - requirements, courses, opportunities. Attend and discuss Center for Psychology events related to the field and to career/graduate school topics. Discuss academic success and student comportment. Create a 4-year plan for academic, personal, and professional goals. Required for psychology majors who enter Goucher starting Fall 2017 and after. Offered on a Pass/No-Pass basis only. Prerequisite: PSY 105 . Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Program faculty.
  
  • PSY 207 - Educational Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (cross-listed as ED 207)
    This course focuses on the core theories of learning as established through research in the fields of education and psychology. Topics include: the art and science of teaching; current theoretical perspectives of learning; academic motivation; selecting instructional practices and strategies to optimize learning.  Prerequisite: ED 104  and   or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 219 - Black Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)
    Cultural psychology is a subfield within the areas of social psychology and cultural anthropology. It involves the study of the interconnections between and among intergenerationally transmitted behaviors, meanings, and symbols, and psychological processes such as cognition, affect, personality structure, and behavior. This course offers a foundation to the field through a case study of Black culture and psychology. Specifically, we will examine the cultural psychological experiences of people of African descent, primarily African Americans, and Black Psychology as a specialty with important implications for human and social science conceptual paradigms, theory, knowledge production methods, and intervention. Community Based Learning Course. Prerequisite: PSY 105 . Restricted to first-year and sophomore students only, or juniors and seniors with instructor permission. Fall semester. Grayman-Simpson.
  
  • PSY 220 - Personality Psychology (4 Cr.)


    Personality refers to an individual’s characteristic patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, together with the psychological mechanisms behind these patterns. This course examines theories of personality, how personality persists and changes across the lifespan, how nature and nurture influence personality, and the measurement of personality. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Spring semester. Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 221 - Assessment in Education for Improved Practice (2 Cr.)

    (cross-listed as ED 221)
    Knowing how to evaluate a student’s progress and achievement is an essential component in the teaching/learning process. In this course, we explore the macro legislative and accountability context impacting educators including Federal Legislation, Maryland assessment practices, and the Common Core. We practice micro processes of collecting and using information to adjust a particular practice for a particular outcome. We learn to use the “language” of assessment as well as the appropriate and inappropriate uses of assessment results. Theories and basic principles of test construction, progress monitoring, Curriculum-Based Measures, and authentic assessment will be discussed. Spring semester. Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 222 - Human Learning and Memory (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 202) (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    This class explores fundamental concepts and current issues in human learning and memory, with a focus on how and why behavior changes with experience, and how this information is stored in the mind. In addition to classic research and theories, there is emphasis on real-world applications, such as in the domains of education, mental health, and the legal system. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Fall semester. McCabe.
  
  • PSY 224 - International Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)
    This course is an introduction to the psychosocial factors of salience to international communities, with an emphasis on refugees, immigrants, and international students residing in the United States. Utilizing a constructivistic de-colonozing approach, the course provides a psychological understanding of international communities., the reasoning behind and process by which individuals migrate to the U.S., the consequences of such migration, and/or the resources to navigate such migration. Prerequisite: PSY 105 . Offered spring or fall semesters. Ngoubene-Atioky.
  
  • PSY 227 - Feminist Psychology (4 Cr.)


    Examination of sociocultural and biological influences on the psychological development of women. Topics will include feminist scholarship and research; gender role socialization; women’s health and well-being; sexuality; and close relationships and family dynamics. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Restricted to first-year and sophomore students only, or juniors and seniors with instructor permission. Spring semester. Grayman-Simpson.
  
  • PSY 230 - Social Psychology (4 Cr.)


    Study of how the thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and motivations of individuals dynamically interact with the social context that surrounds them. Topics include close relationships, aggression, conformity and obedience, social cognition, group dynamics, stereotypes and prejudice, and the impact of gender roles and cultural ideology on the development of the social self. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Spring semester. Patrick.
  
  • PSY 233 - Sensation and Perception (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    This course is a survey of current theory and research in perception. The primary goal is for students to gain an understanding of how people obtain reliable and useful information about the environment around them through their senses. Exploring several perceptual systems, including vision, audition, touch and pain, and smell and taste, we will cover topics such as the physiological structure of sensory systems, psychophysics, attention, sensory integration, and comparative perception. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Fall semester. Ghirardelli.
  
  • PSY 238 - Psychological Distress and Disorder (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 271)
    This course presents different approaches to understanding and conceptualizing psychological distress and disorder. The major psychological disorders will be examined in cultural context. Different theoretical perspectives will be considered, as well as the ways in which psychological disorders have been and are currently treated. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Fall semester; repeated spring semester in 2019 and alternate years. Friedman-Wheeler.
  
  • PSY 244 - Lifespan Developmental Psychology (4 Cr.)


    A lifespan approach tracing human development from conception through the life cycle until death. Important theoretical contributors are highlighted, including Freud, Erikson, Bowlby, Piaget, Chomsky, Kohlberg, and Kubler-Ross. Topics will include prenatal development, language acquisition, the formation of emotional bonds in relationships, personality and identity development, changes in family and work roles, and the experience of facing one’s mortality. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Fall semester. Choe.
  
  • PSY 245 - Psychology of Environmental Problems (4 Cr.)

    (cross-listed as ES 245) (GCR-ENV)
    This course outlines current environmental problems and their historical bases. The course then explores how different psychological perspectives view the relationship between individuals and the environment, as well as reviews psychological research related to environmental sustainability. Guidance is provided for improving environmental sustainability based on the different psychological perspectives. A major goal of this course is for students to develop an understanding of how psychology can contribute to promoting sustainability of the environment. A community-based learning experience is required. Prerequisite:   or PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Fall semester. Mills.
  
  • PSY 250 - Statistical Methods in Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 200) (GCR DAF)
    An introduction to and critical examination of statistical and quantitative methods as applied in psychology and related fields. Exploratory, descriptive, and inferential concepts, techniques, and applications are considered including frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, variability and correlation, parameter estimation, and hypothesis testing (binomial tests, t-tests, analyses of variance, chi square, and selected non-parametric approaches). Statistical packages such as SPSS for Windows will be introduced and used throughout the course. Prerequisites: PSY 105  or PSY 111(inactive); or ED 101(inactive); or ED 103(inactive); or ED 104 ; one additional 200- or 300-level psychology course or ED 207 ; or permission of the instructor. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Ghirardelli.
  
  • PSY 295 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)


    Special fields of study within psychology pursued independently under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive); sophomore standing; and permission of the instructor.
  
  • PSY 301 - Professional Development in Psychology II (1 Cr.)


    Continue to reflect and think critically about goals, motivations, and interests as a psychology student. Explore career paths, and post-undergraduate opportunities including graduate school. Discuss issues of professional comportment and development. Attend and discuss Center for Psychology events related to the field and to career/graduate school topics. Create a plan for remaining semesters at Goucher, and strategies to pursue professional goals in the future. Required for psychology majors who enter Goucher starting Fall 2017 and after. Prerequisite: PSY 201 ; and junior or senior standing. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Program faculty.
  
  • PSY 302 - Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 252) (GCR DA-AC)
    This course will address the overall process of psychological research from the development of a research question to the presentation of research results. Topics to be covered include the role of theory in the scientific method, research design, various collection techniques and analytic strategies for quantitative empirical data, and ethical considerations. Students will develop skills in scientific writing (APA style) and critically reading and reviewing the literature. The course will require statistical analysis of research data and interpretation of the results. WID (Writing in the Discipline) course. Prerequisites: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive), and PSY 250 ; and completion of GCR - Data Analytics Foundational level. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Choe, Friedman-Wheeler, Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 305 - Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 255) (GCR DA-AC)
    An introduction to qualitative empirical methods and their application to selected problems of psychology, providing an introduction to issues of qualitative research design, analysis, and report writing. Central topics include narrative approaches, biography, phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, and case study. These topics are introduced and developed in the context of student-generated, collaborative research projects of significance to researchers and participants and will involve field observations, open interviews, emergent design, and a variety of approaches to data analysis and interpretation. Ethical considerations are emphasized throughout. WID (Writing in the Discipline) course. Prerequisites: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive), and PSY 250 ; and completion of GCR - Data Analytics Foundational level. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Grayman-Simpson, Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 312 - Existential and Humanistic Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 212)
    Major theories of existential and humanistic psychology are covered, including consideration of the work of May, Laing, Frankl, Fromm, Rogers, and Maslow. Themes of human freedom, love, peak experiences, and optimal development will be emphasized. This course has a community-based learning component. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Next offered Fall 2019. Patrick.
  
  • PSY 322 - Cognitive Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 235) (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    The science of Cognitive Psychology involves exploring how the human mind processes information. This includes studying how and why the human mind evolved, how it develops through the lifespan, how it accomplishes the extraordinary achievements necessary for day-to-day living, and what happens when something goes wrong. Major topics include: perception, attention, memory, imagery, language, problem solving, and decision-making. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Spring semester. McCabe.
  
  • PSY 337 - Neuroscience (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 237) (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    This course is an introduction to the relationships between the brain, cognition, emotion, and behavior. Topics include the structure, function, and development of the human nervous system, and the neural bases of sensory and motor systems, learning, stress, atypical development, psychological disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Spring semester. Starkey.
  
  • PSY 338 - Health Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 239)
    Selected topics relevant to the ways in which the mind, body, and behavior interact in health and disease, including health behaviors and behavior change, coping with illness, self-management approaches to physical illness, the impact of stress and coping on disease and on immune function, and the relationship between psychopathology and physical health. Course involves a community-based learning component. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive). Spring semester. Next offered in 2020, then in alternate years. Friedman-Wheeler, Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 390 - Internship in Psychology (0-4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 290)
    Placements available in clinical, school, business, research, and other related settings. Students participate on site under the supervision of professionals in the field and also completed specific assignment(s) as determined by the faculty internship sponsor. Each credit requires 45 internship hours. Graded pass/no-pass only. PSY 390 and 490 must each be taken for a minimum of 2 credits in order to count as an Advanced Practicum Experience (Capstone) for the psychology major. Prerequisites: four courses in psychology and permission of instructor. Offered variable semesters.
  
  • PSY 394 - Mentored Research Team (variable credits)

    (Formerly PSY 298)
    This course is designed for students to gain valuable research experience and skills by working on a faculty-mentored research team at a basic level in the planning and/or execution of an empirical research project. Each credit requires 45 research team hours. If PSY 394 is taken as a pre-requisite for the Advanced Practicum Experience (and Capstone) PSY 494 for the psychology major, students should enroll in PSY 394 for at least 2 credits. Graded pass/no pass only. Can be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: PSY 105  or PSY 111 (inactive); and permission of instructor.
  
  • PSY 412 - Seminar in Existential and Humanistic Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 315)
    Advanced exploration of topic in the study of existential and/or humanistic psychology. Topics will be selected from the following: Self-determination theory; the autonomy-relatedness dialectic; terror management theory; Gestalt therapy; intensive study of specific theorists, such as Laing, May, and Rogers. Prerequisites: PSY 230  or PSY 312  (formerly PSY 212); and either PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Patrick.
  
  • PSY 419 - Seminar in Cultural Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 379)
    Cultural psychology is a subfield within the areas of social psychology and cultural anthropology.  It involves the study of the interconnections between and among intergenerationally transmitted behaviors, meanings, and symbols, and psychological processes such as cognition, affect, personality structure, and behavior.  This particular seminar will: (1) consider anti-Black racism in its global context; (2) include anti-discrimination interpersonal response training; and (3) examine the culture and psychology of white racism from multiple perspectives including psychodynamic, clinical, behavioral, social psychological, and developmental psychological perspectives. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisites: PSY 219  or PSY 226  (course now inactive) or PSY 230 ; and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Grayman-Simpson.
  
  • PSY 422 - Seminar in Cognitive Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 380)
    A detailed examination of one or more selected topic(s) in cognitive psychology, with an emphasis on critical evaluation of assumptions and methodologies for scientific study of the human mind. Topics may include: applied memory; cognitive perspectives on teaching and learning; representation of knowledge; psycholinguistics; problem solving; reasoning and decision making; case studies in cognitive processes.  Prerequisites: ED 207  or PSY 207  or PSY 222  (formerly PSY 202) or PSY 322  (formerly PSY 235); and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of the instructor. Next offered Spring 2020, then offered in alternate years. McCabe.
  
  • PSY 424 - Seminar in International Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 428)
    The seminar in international psychology will offer a constructivistic post-colonial psychological understanding of topics in international psychology (e.g. immigration psychology, study abroad in psychology, immigrant health disparities, acculturation, specific immigrant or refugee communities, etc.). The review of critical topics in international  psychology may include key definitions, historical underpinnings, cultural identity-related factors, life span perspectives, social activism, and ethical considerations. The course will also examine the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes of salience to international communities. This course may be repeated for credit as topics in international psychology will vary. Prerequisites: One course from PSY 224 , PSY 219 , or PSY 227 ; AND one course from PSY 226 (inactive course), PSY 230 , or PSY 312 ; AND one course from PSY 302  or PSY 305 . Fall semester. Ngoubene-Atioky.
  
  • PSY 428 - Seminar in International Psychology (4 Cr.)

    *CHANGED TO PSY 424 BEGINNING FALL 2020
    The seminar in international psychology will offer a constructivistic post-colonial psychological understanding of topics in international psychology (e.g. immigration psychology, study abroad in psychology, immigrant health disparities, acculturation, specific immigrant or refugee communities, etc.). The review of critical topics in international  psychology may include key definitions, historical underpinnings, cultural identity-related factors, life span perspectives, social activism, and ethical considerations. The course will also examine the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes of salience to international communities. This course may be repeated for credit as topics in international psychology will vary. Prerequisites: One course from Cluster II (PSY 220 , PSY 230 , or PSY 244 ); AND one course from Cluster III (PSY 219 , PSY 226 - inactive, PSY 227 , or PSY 312 ) of the psychology major curriculum; AND (PSY 302  or PSY 305 ); or permission of instructor. Fall semester. Ngoubene-Atioky.
  
  • PSY 430 - Seminar in Social Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 370)
    Selected topics in social psychology with emphasis on current research. Topics are selected from close relationships, group behavior, attitudes, and social influence. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisites: PSY 230 ; and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Next offered in 2019. Patrick.
  
  • PSY 433 - Seminar in Experimental Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 345)
    This seminar serves as an introduction to the experimental study of selected topics in perception and attention through a detailed examination of one or more selected topic(s). Topics are selected from among attention, sensory integration, comparative perception or other related topics. We will approach these topics in the context of the scientific method, research design, data collection techniques, and analytic strategies. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisites: PSY 233 ; and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly 255); or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2022 and alternate years. Ghirardelli.
  
  • PSY 437 - Seminar in Neuroscience (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 376)
    This seminar focuses on one or more specific topics relevant to neuroscience and physiological psychology, such as brain imaging, educational neuroscience, psychopharmacology, neuropsychological case studies, or other aspects of brain/behavior relationships. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisites: PSY 337  (formerly 237); and PSY 302  (formerly 252) or PSY 305  (formerly 252) or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Starkey.
  
  • PSY 438 - Seminar in Clinical Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 386)
    In-depth examination of selected topics in advanced clinical psychology. Topics include a discussion of theoretical and social issues in the prevention and treatment of psychological disorders.  May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisite: PSY 238  (formerly PSY 271); and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Friedman-Wheeler, Grayman-Simpson, Program Faculty.
  
  • PSY 444 - Seminar in Developmental Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 340)
    In-depth study of a selected topic in developmental psychology. Topic may be a particular stage of life (e.g., infancy, childhood, old age) or a current research issue (e.g., maternal employment, day care, friendship development, moral development). For each topic, attention is given to theoretical underpinnings, methodological issues, assessment of current knowledge, and directions for future investigations. May be repeated for credit with different topics.  Prerequisites: PSY 244 ; and PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Choe.
  
  • PSY 486 - Counseling Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 321)
    Counseling Psychology is a specialty within professional psychology that maintains a focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan. It privileges the use of scientific inquiries to: (1) understand and support people through periods of psychological, social, and emotional distress; (2) prevent abnormal psychological, social, and emotional functioning; and (3) promote optimal functioning. Counseling psychology is grounded in evidence-based, strengths-focused, culturally sensitive, socially just practices. Students develop proficiency in microcounseling skills, and apply them in 4 hours/week of practicum work with Crisis Text Line. Acceptance as a Crisis Text Line Counselor requires application, background check, approximately 40 hours of training, and a year-long commitment. Counts as an “Advanced Practicum Experience” course in psychology, and also as a Psychology Capstone. In addition to content and relevant skill development, students will focus on broader integration of and reflection on their educational experiences at Goucher College. The Center for Psychology strongly recommends that students enrolling in this course apply for practicum placement with Crisis Text Line before the end of the spring semester. In the event that the practicum application is rejected, the student will need to withdraw from the course and make other plans in order to meet the Psychology program’s advanced practicum major requirement. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing; and PSY 312  (formerly 212), or PSY 220 , or PSY 238  (formerly 271). Fall semester. Grayman-Simpson.
  
  • PSY 488 - Advanced Self-Directed Projects in Psychology (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 329)
    This course provides the opportunity for students to consult with each other toward identifying topics of individual interest in psychology and developing those interests into more fully developed projects and proposals. Projects may consist of empirical research; development of programs, services, or interventions, or creative artwork or writing. Students will review relevant literature and work with their instructor, a faculty project mentor, and their classmates to clarify and refine their interests into a well-defined topic of inquiry before moving toward the generation of a project proposal. Alternatively, some students may enter the class with a previously developed project proposal and will use the class as an opportunity to work toward implementation of their project. Counts as an “Advanced Practicum Experience” course in psychology, and also as a Psychology Capstone. In addition to the course topic and relevant skill development, students will focus on broader integration of and reflection on their educational experiences.  Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing and at least 5 courses in psychology; or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Patrick.
  
  • PSY 490 - Advanced Internship in Psychology (0-4 Cr.)


    Placements available in clinical, school, business, research, and other related settings. Students participate on site under the supervision of professionals in the field, and also complete substantive academic work at an advanced level as determined by the faculty internship sponsor. Each credit requires 45 internship hours. To count as an “Advanced Practicum Experience” course in psychology, and also as a Psychology Capstone, ordinarily students will complete 2 credits of PSY 390 (formerly 290) Internship in Psychology, followed by at 2 credits of PSY 490 (4 credits total). In addition to the course topic and relevant skill development, students will focus on broader integration of and reflection on their educational experiences. Must be taken for a letter grade. PSY 390 and 490 must each be taken for a minimum of 2 credits in order to count as an Advanced Practicum Experience (Capstone) for the psychology major. Prerequisites: PSY 290 or PSY 390 ; and junior or senior standing; and permission of instructor. Offered variable semesters.
  
  • PSY 494 - Advanced Mentored Research Team (2-4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 398)
    Planning and executing an empirical research project on a faculty-mentored research team at an advanced level. Each credit requires 45 research team hours. To count as an “Advanced Practicum Experience” course in psychology, and also as a Psychology Capstone, students will ordinarily complete 2 credits of PSY 394  (formerly 298) Mentored Research Team, followed by 2 credits of PSY 494 (4 credits total). In addition to the course topic and relevant skill development, students will focus on broader integration of and reflection on their educational experiences. Must be taken for a letter grade. Can be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: 5 courses in psychology, including PSY 302  (formerly PSY 252) or PSY 305  (formerly PSY 255); PSY 394  (formerly PSY 298); junior or senior standing; and permission of instructor. 
  
  • PSY 495 - Senior Thesis (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSY 450)
    Pursue an independent project related to psychology, following Goucher College guidelines for Senior Thesis. Each credit requires 45 thesis hours. Counts as an “Advanced Practicum Experience” course in psychology, and also as a Psychology Capstone. In addition to the thesis topic and relevant skill development, students will focus on broader integration of and reflection on their educational experiences. Prerequisites: Senior standing and instructor permission.

Public Health

  
  • PH 101 - Introduction to Public Health (2 Cr.)


    The goal of public health is to optimize the well-being of populations. We will learn about historical and contemporary research, policy, and practice aimed at preventing and eradicating contagious and chronic disease and limiting injuries, thus extending healthy life expectancy. The class will also introduce the basic measures and methods of the discipline with a focus on both U.S. and global issues. Fall semester. Greenberg.
  
  • PH 110 - Epidemiology (2 Cr.)


    This course introduces students to the study of patterns and determinants of disease in different populations and the application of methods used to improve health outcomes. Epidemiology provides the main science of public health, and students will engage with methods of measurement and study design as they explore biological, behavioral, social and environmental factors associated with health and disease. Fall semester. Booth.
  
  • PH 216 - Topics: Collaboration for Justice (2 Cr.)

    (PCE 316)
    Students in this course will examine the intersections among health, equity, access to services and opportunities in relation to the jobs movement called Turnaround Tuesday and at least one offshoot program working in a Baltimore City elementary school. The course blends theory and practice as students collaborate with Baltimoreans involved in community-building and livability-enhancing activities such as improving access to employment, supporting leadership opportunities for returning citizens, and implementing restorative practice circles with school children. Course content will provide contextualizing information on trauma-informed restorative practices, social capital, social control, solidarity, and community well-being standards while students engage with academic definitions of social cohesion in relation to Turnaround Tuesday and its larger transformative aims. Note that off-campus activities are a required component of this course; interested students should contact the professor regarding the specific times that these activities will take place in any given semester. Course is repeatable for different topics. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Fall and Spring semesters. Bess.
  
  • PH 390 - Public Health Internship (0-4 Cr.)


    Experience in public health settings either locally or abroad. Prerequisites: permission of the Public health faculty and completion of appropriate coursework. Internship can be graded or taken pass/no pass, appropriate to the experience. Variable credit. Fall and spring semesters. Bess, Shope, Friedman-Wheeler.
  
  • PH 497 - Public Health Capstone (2 Cr.)

    (Formerly PH 350)
    This course will provide a bridge to graduate study in Public Health. The course will be team-taught by faculty from Biology, Psychology, Sociology, and Peace Studies, focusing on approaches to research in Public Health, data analysis, literature review and grant writing. Our approach reflects the multidisciplinary nature of Public Health, and it will help you to identify and understand the role of the skills, methodologies and theoretical paradigms you bring to the table from your majors as you develop new abilities. Prerequisites: Open to juniors and seniors participating in the Public Health (PH) minor and having completed a statistics or methods course in the natural or social sciences (MA 268 PSY 250 EC 206 , PCE 210 , SOA 217 ), preferably with some introduction to SPSS. In addition, students should have completed a minimum of one course in each of the two additional categories defining the PH minor (Natural Science; Social Sciences and Peace Studies). This course may be open to other students by permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Bess, Shope, Friedman-Wheeler.

Religion

  
  • RJ 205 - Religion, (In)justice, and Power (2 Cr.)


    The aim of this interdisciplinary course is to introduce students to thinking about religion as a global, human phenomenon bound up with the structures of power. Students will explore, among other things, how the category of religion has interacted with and continues to influence and be influenced by political, social, economic, legal, artistic, and cultural frameworks. We will focus especially on how religion can support as much as stand in tension with the aims of social justice, especially as pursued in a global context. Fall semester, first offered 2021. Duncan, Shuster.
  
  • RJ 290 - Internship in Religion and Justice (0-4 Cr.)


    Each credit requires 45 hours at the internship site. Course may be taken during academic semesters as well as summer and winter breaks.
  
  • RJ 399 - Advanced Independent Study in Religion and Justice (1-4 Cr.)


    Advanced independent study in Religion and Justice.
  
  • RJ 450 - Advanced Practicum in Religion and Justice (0-4 Cr.)


    Student initiated independent project focused on on-campus programming and/or community engagement around inter-religious engagement and justice. Variable semesters.
  
  • RLG 130 - Introduction to World Religions (4 Cr.)

    (LER-DIV)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course will introduce students to the major beliefs and historical development of the world’s religions. Attention will be paid to how myth, doctrine, symbols, rituals and ethics shape these traditions. Students will engage with primary texts and will explore how these traditions have manifested in the United States and, through field trip opportunities, the Baltimore area. Spring semester.
  
  • RLG 153 - Religion and Society (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This is a lecture discussion course designed to introduce students to the phenomenon and study of religion. This will be achieved by exploring the meaning and nature of religion, the role of religion in the life of the individual; and the role of religion in the construction, maintenance, and daily life of society. Fall semester. Duncan.
  
  • RLG 206 - New Testament and Early Christianity (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course will survey the text of the New Testament and the first three centuries of Christian history. Students will study the books of the New Testament with an eye to historical/critical methods of study and interpretation. In addition to close readings of the texts to explore the theology espoused within them, we will examine the Jewish roots of Christianity, non-biblical texts written during the same period and the cultural, political and religious Influences that lead to the beginning and growth of the Christian religion. No prior knowledge of the New Testament is needed. Fall 2017 and alternate years thereafter. Duncan.
  
  • RLG 239 - Religion, Law, and Politics in America (4 Cr.)

    (PSC 239) (GCR RPP)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course will cover the roots of the American separation of church and state, its practical application in the courts and in public policy, and some of the trends and evolutions of this understanding resulting from changing aspects of the American political, social, and religious landscape. Students will examine the importance of racial and religious privilege in shaping not only the laws and policies but the paradigms of American identity. Fall 2018 and alternate years thereafter. Duncan.
  
  • RLG 240 - Special Topics in Religion (2 or 4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area if taken for at least 3 credits)
    Intermediate study in a historical period, theme, issue, or thinker in religious studies. Topics for a given semester are posted for registration. May be repeated with a different topic. Prerequisite: one course in religion or sophomore standing. Variable semesters.
  
  • RLG 268 - Chinese Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (PHL 268 )
    An analysis of Asian philosophical and religious texts with particular emphasis on the Chinese tradition. Students read selected works from the vast scholarly literature of the Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions, and situate these text, their authors, and the schools they represent within their historical context. Prerequisite: sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Spring 2017 and alternate years thereafter. DeCaroli.
  
  • RLG 290 - Internship (0-4 Cr.)


    Internship opportunities include work in faith-based organizations, religious communities, and community groups. Students complete work on site under the supervision of professionals in the field and also complete academic assignments as determined by the faculty internship sponsor. Each credit requires 45 hours at the internship site. Prerequisites include at least two Religion Courses. Graded pass/no pass. Course may be taken during academic semesters as well as summer and winter terms.
  
  • RLG 299 - Independent Work in Religion (1-4 Cr.)


    Special topics on study based on previous course work in the program and selected in conference with the instructor.
  
  • RLG 330 - American Sacred Space (4 Cr.)

    (cross listed with ARH 330/AMS 330/VMC 330) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course examines the role of the built environment and natural spaces in American religious experience and practice. Through attention to methodological, theoretical and primary sources, we will examine how Americans have defined and designated spaces as sacred and thereby separate from the profane world. The class will take a field trip to a variety of “sacred spaces” in the Baltimore and/or Washington, D.C. area. Prerequisite: At least one course in Religion or Art History or permission of instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018 and every other year. Duncan.
  
  • RLG 331 - Problems of Evil and Suffering (4 Cr.)


    What is the meaning of evil? How are we to understand human suffering? What is the meaning of the human being in relation to evil? What is the significance of God in relation to evil and suffering? What is the meaning of truth and justice in light of evil? These are some of the questions this course considers as it investigates the problem of evil and suffering. Theological, philosophical, literary as well as justice responses to particular social/historical manifestations of evil (i.e., slavery and the Holocaust) are examined in order to help students discern the complex issues with regard to evil/suffering and to develop their own theological, philosophical, and justice-related responses. Prerequisite: one course in religion or sophomore standing. Variable semesters.
  
  • RLG 333 - Christian Ethics and War (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    How do religions impact individual and communal self-understanding and decision-making? In this course students are introduced to the study of Christian ethics through investigation and analysis of one particular ethical issue: war. Students study war theory and its relationship to Christianity, as well as Christian pacifism and nonviolence. Their investigation will focus on how Christian sacred texts, history, theology, and practice are utilized by Christian ethicists to diverse ends. Prerequisite: one course in religion or sophomore standing. Fall 2016 and alternate years thereafter. Duncan
  
  • RLG 334 - Special Topics in American Religious History (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    Courses to cover specific religious movements, themes and topics in American Religious History. This course will involve either a field-work or community-based learning component. Variable semesters.
  
  • RLG 399 - Advanced Independent Work (4 Cr.)


    Advanced independent work designed in conference with an advising faculty member. Junior or Senior standing recommended. Variable semesters. 
  
  • RLG 497 - Religion Major Capstone (2 Cr.)

    (Formerly RLG 395)
    All senior Religion Majors will register for this course in conjunction with RLG 499 Capstone Independent Work. Enrolled students will meet as a group regularly throughout the semester for faculty and peer mentoring related to independent research projects. The course will end with presentations of projects to the group and other Religion program students and faculty. Prerequisite: Religion major and Senior standing. Spring semester.
  
  • RLG 499 - Capstone Independent Work (4 Cr.)


    Independent work completed in conjunction with RLG 497 Religion Major Capstone. For students not completing a senior thesis. Prerequisite: Senior standing Religion major. Spring semester.

Sociology and Anthropology

  
  • SOA 100 - Culture and Society (4 Cr.)

    (LER SSC)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course offers an introduction to anthropological and sociological perspectives. We explore cultural variations and similarities among different societies and gain insights into the relationship between our personal lives, the lives of others, and the social forces that structure society. We examine the fundamental importance of human interactions, cultural tools and symbols, belief systems, and the socio-cultural formation of families and communities, self and identity, deviance, and race, gender, and social class. We also address inequality and the socio-cultural conditions of social change. Students who have previously received credit for SOC 106, ANT 106, SOA 107, or ANT 107 cannot take SOA 100 as it covers much of the same material and satisfies the same course prerequisites as these courses. Fall and spring semesters. Program faculty.
  
  • SOA 200 - Development of Social Thought (4 Cr.)

    (WEC)
    This course traces the development of anthropological and sociological theory. We will consider the ideas of influential theorists in their own historical contexts, as well as in relation to contemporary theoretical concerns in the disciplines. We will also use these ideas as frameworks for conceptualizing current issues and for offering insights into everyday social life. Some of the topics we will consider include: agency, subjectivity, social change, power, race, symbolic meaning, and the politics of representation. Prerequisite: SOA 100  or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Mullaney and Schwarz.
  
  • SOA 201 - Writing and Interpreting Social Life (4 Cr.)


    This course provides a foundation in writing and qualitative research design in the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. The course is team-taught and divided into two main segments. During one part of the course, the focus is on qualitative methods of inquiry, including: in-depth interviewing, focus groups, participant observation, and narrative research. Course readings will allow students to explore the link between theory and methods and examine ethical issues in research as well. The second part of the course will focus on qualitative data analysis and interpretation, as well as developing skills for writing in the disciplines. This writing component of the course includes, (but not limited to) learning how to: develop and support an argument, select and incorporate relevant sources, communicate ideas clearly, find one’s voice in writing, and use appropriate citation styles. The course also serves as the Writing in the Discipline (WID) course for majors in the program. Prerequisite: SOA 100  or permission of instructor. Fall semester. Mullaney, Schwarz, and Shope.
  
  • SOA 205 - African Cultures and Societies (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 205) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course invites students to more deeply consider aspects of cultural process and the human condition in Africa through the lens of ethnographic inquiry and attention to African expression. Readings explore infancy and old age, gender, rural and urban settings, agriculture and industry, work and play. Our framework is simultaneously local and global, historical and contemporary, modern and traditional, situating African lives in the complex layering and contexts that shape social experience. Through our engagement with the readings and with documentary films, we will encounter and address such theoretical themes and issues as agency, colonialism, nationalism, performance, enculturation, political economy, cultural change, and the ethics and practices of ethnographic representation. This course will prepare students to move beyond superficial understanding of African lives, and provide inspiration and possible focus for study abroad or other further research. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Turner.
  
  • SOA 208 - Culture and the Human Body (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 208) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)


    We all have a body, yet the ways that we use and experience our bodies vary greatly across societies, social classes, ethnic groups and genders. Clearly, the body is not just natural but also cultural. How does culture influence our understandings of the body and its processes? How does it influence the way we live in our bodies?  Students who choose to take this course will answer these questions by examining the role of “the body” in the mind/body divide, industrial capitalism, medicine & healing, reproduction, and technology. Offered spring 2019 and thereafter alternate fall semesters beginning fall 2020. Schwarz.

     

  
  • SOA 211 - Culture and Healing (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 210) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course looks at cultural dimensions of healing and illness. How is health understood in different cultures? How do people heal? Material will be explored from a broad range of cultural settings, and will include such topics as indigenous medicine, narrative and the cultural construction of illness, subjectivity, the ethics of biomedicine, and social suffering. Fall semester. Offered 2019-20 and alternate years. Turner.
  
  • SOA 213 - Sociology of Education (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 213) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course considers education as a social institution, broadly and comparatively. Topics addressed vary by year, but often include the functions of education; links between education and inequality by class and race; cross-cultural variation in primary, secondary, and tertiary education systems; the role of colleges and universities in the United States; and challenges to “mainstream” educational models such as home-schooling movements and critical pedagogies. This class may include a service-learning component. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Program faculty.
  
  • SOA 216 - Development and Social Change in Costa Rica (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 216) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course examines the particular development path and processes of social change in Costa Rica with an emphasis on the post-World War II paradigm that gave rise to the social-democratic structure of Costa Rican society. Drawing on the body of literature from Latin-American theorists, students will explore notions of exceptionalism, myth-making and myth-breaking, conservation and the Green Republic, and the rise of ecotourism in Costa Rica. Prerequisite: 100-level course in a social science. Spring semester.
  
  • SOA 217 - Methods of Social Research (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 217) (GCR DA-AC)(LER Math)
    Concepts and methods of quantitative social science research. Research methods, research design, and statistical analysis of data. Ethics in social research. Training in the selection of appropriate research designs for a variety of sociological problems. Major data sources and methods of data collection. Use of statistics in analyzing and presenting data. Exercises in design, data collection, and statistical analysis. Required of all program majors. Open to other students by permission of the instructor. Prerequisite: SOA 100  and one 200-level SOA course. Spring semester. Shope.
  
  • SOA 220 - Comparative Race and Ethnic Relations (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 220) (GCR RPP)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course provides an understanding of contemporary race and ethnic relations in the United States. We explore the historical accounts of the social constructs of race and racism, ethnic groups, racial institutions, privilege, racialized forms of migration, racial inequality and injustices. While our intent in this course is to focus on these social constructs of race and ethnicity in the context of the United States, we also explore them in the contexts of various societies around the world. This course also considers connections between race, gender, and social class. Spring semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years.
  
  • SOA 228 - Subcultures and Social Problems (4 Cr.)

    COURSE IS FOR STUDENTS IN GOUCHER PRISON EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM ONLY (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Course is for students in the Goucher Prison Education Partnership program ONLY. Traditionally associated with youth, subcultures differ from mainstream society in a variety of ways: their norms, values, beliefs, behaviors, and style. Researchers examine how these groups arise as both responses to blocked structural opportunities and attempts to resist mainstream culture and create distinct social identities. This course explores the emergence of subcultures, the construction and maintenance of subcultural identities, perceived connections to social problems and moral panics, and subcultures beyond youth. Special attention is paid to the theory and methods used by researchers in the field.
  
  • SOA 230 - Food, Nutrition, and Culture (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    We all need to eat in order to survive. Yet the ways that we as a species have addressed this basic biological need-both historically and in modern times-are incredibly diverse. What and how we eat are dependent on many social and cultural factors, such as religion, identity, gender, ethnicity, class, technology, and access to political power. This course uses an anthropological perspective to help us gain insights into the dynamic relationship of culture, food, and nutrition. We will look at the diet and eating habits of people all over the world, from prehistoric times to the cultures of today. Some of the topics we will consider are: human evolution and diet, obesity, food symbolism and taboos, global food industries, and alternative food movements. Fall semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years. Schwarz.
  
  • SOA 234 - Ethnography of Religion (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 234) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    In this course we will engage with ethnographic inquiries into spiritual life that provide rich windows into the range of religious meaning and experience. These ethnographies offer analytic and interpretive strategies to understand what it is like to be human in different times and places, and the importance of myth, symbol, and ritual in the individual and collective challenge of the human condition. Exploring this material may challenge our assumptions about other people’s religious practices, and invite us to reconsider our own understanding of ourselves and the world. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Turner.
  
  • SOA 238 - Cultures of Contemporary Europe (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 238) (WEC)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Overview of major themes and current fieldwork of Europeanist cultural anthropology. Themes include: immigration and nationhood; political ritual and collective memory; family and kinship; religion and politics; gender; and social class. Includes survey of post-1945 era (economic recovery, decolonization, the collapse of Communism, European unification). May be taken with FR 295  (1 credit). Recommended but not required: 12 college credits or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Ingram.
  
  • SOA 243 - Ethnographic Fieldwork (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 243) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course engages with ethnographic fieldwork and representation in its practical and theoretical dimensions. How can we meaningfully, accurately, and ethically come to understand and represent the lives of others? We will look at the history, challenges, and contributions of ethnographic fieldwork and undertake a sustained ethnographic inquiry. This course will be of interest to writers, researchers, artists, and activists who want to connect deeply with people and represent them with respect, insight, and purpose. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Turner.
  
  • SOA 245 - Wealth, Power, and Prestige (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 245) (GCR RPP)
    Exploration of the origins, nature, and functions of social inequality, focusing on the processes that produce and maintain inequalities in wealth, power, privilege, and prestige in modern societies. Comparative analysis of objective and subjective consequences of class and caste stratification systems. Relative impact of class, race, gender, or ethnic differences on life opportunities. Fall semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years. Shope.
  
  • SOA 250 - Sociology of Crime (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 250) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course highlights the social construction of crime by examining the social factors that impact how we define, recognize, measure, and respond to criminal behavior. Using criminological theory, the course traces how ideas surrounding the nature of crime and punishment have changed and continue to change across time and place. The course also gives special attention to the intersections between various forms of social stratification and experiences with crime and the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and prisons. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Mullaney.
  
  • SOA 255 - Political Anthropology (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 255) (GCR RPP)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Political orders and processes vary tremendously across cultures. How do different societies address such issues as legitimacy, order, justice, violence, hierarchy and power through political ideas and actions? How do societies respond to political domination and change? How is culture political and the political culture? Consideration will be given to traditional forms of political organization and to the relationship of peoples to the state and other dominating institutions. Spring semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years. Turner.
  
  • SOA 260 - Deviance and Social Control (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 260) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course introduces the concept of deviance as a social process, constructed by social actors with differing degrees of power in defining deviance and responding to it through various measures of social control. Topics explored include: how individuals become deviant, who defines the boundaries of deviance, stigma and other consequences of deviant labels, the temporal boundaries of deviant identities, and ethical considerations of researchers studying deviance. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Mullaney.
  
  • SOA 262 - Studies in Self-Determination in Native America (4 Cr.)

    (formerly ANT 262) (PCE 262) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course provides a critical overview of Native American self-determination. Drawing on examples from prehistory, the era of conquest and US expansion, and modern-day battles over natural resources, this course will encourage students to examine concepts such as identity, colonization and sovereignty through an inter-disciplinary perspective. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Spring semester. Offered 2018-2019 and alternate years. Bess.
  
  • SOA 265 - Health and Illness (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 265) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Examination of illness, health, and the organization of medical care from a sociological perspective, focusing on the medical system as a social institution and the history of public health and medicine. Specific topics include the reciprocal roles of patient, practitioner, and ancillary health care personnel and the social and cultural factors affecting etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Fall semester. Offered 2018-2019 and alternate years. Shope.
  
  • SOA 270 - Gender, Work, and Family (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 270) (cross listed as WGS 270 ) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Examination of gender expectations and experiences in work and family. Review of theories explaining effects of gender on employment and family life. Issues discussed include occupational segregation, pay inequities, household division of labor, intimate partner violence, and alternate family forms. Fall semester. Offered 2017-2018 and alternate years. Shope.
  
  • SOA 271 - Social Movements (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 271) (GCR RPP)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course provides an understanding of social movements with an emphasis on questions about social movement formation and the historical context of power relations in the United States. The course explores movement organization, participants, ideology, and the social effects of various movements, including the civil rights movement, women’s liberation movement, anti-war protests, and environmental movements. This course also explores the reasons for pushback and resistance to social movements. Other social movements around the world among societies struggling over issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, and the environment, are also discussed. Fall semester. Offered 2020-2021 and alternate years.
  
  • SOA 272Y - Intensive Course Abroad (1-5 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 272Y) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area if taken for at least 3 credits)


    May be repeated if topic is different.


    CIVIL SOCIETY AND SOCIAL CHANGE  (5) (PSC 272Y)
    The pre-course (2 credits) is a detailed introduction to South African social and political history, culture and contemporary society, followed by a three-week intensive experience in South Africa (2 credits) The semester course is followed by a three-week intensive experience in South Africa (3 credits). Shope, Singer.


    ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC IN BALI (5: 4+1) This 4 credit interdisciplinary course invites students to experience Bali through intensive immersion in its music, dance, and visual arts, and exploration of its culture and history. In this intensive course abroad, students will have opportunities to document their experiences and share their reflections on Bali, grappling with such questions as the everyday nuances of cultural difference, the impact of the creative economy and tourism on Balinese culture, the transformative power of Balinese performance and art, and their own role as global consumers and citizens. We will explore Bali’s rich history, performing and visual arts, traditions and heritage through workshops, lectures, performances, and site visits led by Balinese scholars and artists. Students will come away from this course with a deep, informed, and experiential appreciation of Bali’s unique artistic gifts, the ability to document, describe and critically reflect on Balinese cultural performances, and an understanding of the unique Balinese response to challenges of cultural sustainability in our global era. The 1 credit pre-departure course focuses on ethnographic practices of participant-observation, reflexivity, and cultural documentation, and introduces key readings and concepts in the study of Balinese culture and society and encourages awareness of the body through exercises focusing on body movement. Turner, Free.

    COSTA RICA: DEVELOPMENT, CONSERVATION, ECOTOURISM, AND SPANISH (4)
    Costa Rica is a leading tourist destination as a result of its commitment to peace and protection of its environment. Of its energy production, over 90% is from renewable resources. It considers the social services of education and health to be a right of its citizens. This course will examine the current state of Costa Rica’s political, economic, and social development within the past 50 years, with special emphasis on the issues surrounding demilitarization, conservation, education, health and rural development. Students will explore the relationship between natural resources, ecotourism and sustainable development in Costa Rica-a tropical, demilitarized country between two oceans and two continents. Mullaney
     

  
  • SOA 280 - Themes in Sociology and Anthropology (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 280) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Critical analysis of substantive issues in the fields of sociology and anthropology. Topics are determined by interests of the instructor and students and are announced one semester in advance. May be repeated for credit if the topic is different. Fall or spring semester. Program Faculty.
  
  • SOA 283 - Topics in Social Science (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 283) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Targeting social science majors, this course will be team-taught by Monteverde Institute’s (MVI) and visiting faculty, with topics reflecting the expertise of visiting faculty and MVI’s thematic foci of water, ecotourism, land use planning and development, community health, and tropical ecology and biodiversity. In addition, students will learn social science research methodologies applicable to their research projects. Prerequisite: One 200-level course in social sciences. Methods course encouraged. Spring semester.
  
  • SOA 290 - Internship in Sociology and Anthropology (0-4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 290)
    Faculty-directed, off-campus experience in administration, research, and service with private institutions, community organizations, agencies, or government, and (occasionally) independent professionals. Graded pass/no pass. Preliminary application and interview required.
  
  • SOA 299 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 299)
    An independent research project and presentation of findings or a special program of directed readings. Students arrange individually with any member of the program.  Prerequisite: SOA 100  or permission of the instructor.
  
  • SOA 381 - Seminar: Common Sense(s) (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 381)
    This seminar in cognitive sociology examines how the social influences our senses or the ways we take in the world around us. Special attention will be given to the processes of perception, classification and boundary creation, time reckoning, identity formation, and collective memory. Course materials will draw from the fields of sociology, psychology, economics, literature, and other related areas. Prerequisites: Junior standing and one of the following courses: SOA 200 , SOA 201 , or SOA 217 . Fall semester. Offered 2017-2018 and alternate years. Mullaney.
  
  • SOA 383 - Seminar: The Good Life (4 Cr.)


    What does it mean to live a life that is a “good life”? This course takes an anthropological approach to understanding the many ways that human beings conceptualize and live out “the good,” both in terms of aspirations to live well and in terms of moral worth. We will bring together a wide range of studies in anthropological subfields, such as economic anthropology, medical anthropology, psychological anthropology, and the anthropology of morality, to address what people around the world think makes life worth living. How is happiness defined and pursued cross-culturally? What does it mean to be a “good person” or to “do good” in the world, and how might these meanings vary from one cultural context to another? How are the obstacles to achieving the good life experienced, and what are the implications of these experiences for personal or cultural wellbeing? Some of the topics we will consider are: health and healthcare; wealth distribution and inequality; volunteerism; pleasure and emotional wellbeing; and humanitarianism and human rights.  Prerequisites: Junior standing and one of the following courses: SOA 200 , SOA 201 , or SOA 217 . Spring. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Schwarz.
  
  • SOA 388 - Seminar: Sex, Selves, and Society (4 Cr.)


    This course explores the social foundations of sex and sexualities. In particular, we consider how time, place, systems of inequality, and other forms of social organization influence the seemingly most individual and personal expressions, such as sexual practices, desire, pleasure, and the selection of partners. Additional topics covered include: cultural sexual scripts, constructions of normalcy and deviance, sexual subcultures, sex research, and issues surrounding education and policy. Prerequisites: Junior standing and one of the following courses: SOA 200 , SOA 201 , or SOA 217 . Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. Mullaney.
  
  • SOA 389 - Seminar: Sociology of Mental Health (4 Cr.)

    (formerly SOC 389)
    This course examines the way people define mental health, the causes and consequences of mental health problems, and how institutions respond to mental illness. Specific issues explored include the social construction of mental disorder, depression, medicalization of life problems, and the social consequences of mental health problems. Prerequisites: Junior standing and one of the following courses: SOA 200 , SOA 201 , or SOA 217 . Spring semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years. Shope.
  
  • SOA 391 - Seminar: Environmental Sociology (4 Cr.)

    (ES 391) (GCR ENV)
    Environmental sociology explores the interactions and interdependencies between societies and the natural environment. This seminar emphasizes current theory and research in environmental sociology aimed at understanding and addressing social and environmental trends, changes, and problems in advanced industrial nations, resource-deprived nations, and the world system as a whole. Seminar topics include: science and technology, industrialization, production, advertising and consumption, ecological modernization, ideologies of environmental domination and concern, risk society, and ecofeminism. Prerequisites: Junior standing and one of the following courses: SOA 200 , SOA 201 , or SOA 217 . Spring semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years.
 

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