Goucher College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
    May 18, 2024  
Goucher College 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Course Descriptions


 

Peace Studies

  
  • PCE 330 - Collapse (4 Cr.)


    This course explores the epochal crisis of unsustainable resource consumption and the conflicts and systems collapses it causes. We will study collapse in the historical past, the present and in the near future. We will examine the ways in which basic resources such as water, energy, seed, food crops, timber, among others become scarce, how political actors respond to scarcity, and the social impact of scarcity. Our goal is to find realistic alternatives to over-consumption and collapse. Prerequisites: a 100-level course in Peace Studies and junior standing. Spring 2017. Dawit.
  
  • PCE 335 - Future Cities: Strategy and Possibility (4 Cr.)


    How can imagination be used as a tool for problem-solving? In this workshop-based class students combine analysis of urban case studies with realizing and expanding their ability to see and pursue solutions, even those considered “unimaginable.” Cities are crossroads where many different people, industries, and cultural activities interact. But cities, including Baltimore, have also been places of great division and inequity. Using the city as our setting, the class explores examples of imagination as a skill, from public policy, art, literature, and science. A series of creative and research assignments culminate in students having the opportunity to design and share their own “unimaginable” about a topic of their choice. Prerequisite: a 100-level course in Peace Studies or sophomore standing. Spring Semester. Hopper.
  
  • PCE 340 - Topics: Global Peace Case Studies (2 or 4 Cr.)


    Examination of advanced concepts in peace, conflict resolution, and/or human rights thought through an in-depth study of major international and current events. These may include conflict in relation to peacekeeping, public health, globalization, international tribunals, and diplomacy. Repeatable with different topic. Prerequisite: Junior standing. Variable semesters.
  
  • PCE 399 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)


  
  • PCE 497 - Senior Capstone (2 Cr.)

    (Formerly PCE 380)
    As the concluding experience in the Peace Studies Program, the capstone course for majors, minors and IIM majors, provides students an opportunity to bridge peace thought and peace work through a subfield of peace studies of interest to them. Students will produce work including a portfolio of their peace education with a reflection on their intellectual journey, a collection of materials for future study in their chosen subfield as well as a shadowing experience with a professional in that or in an analogous field. The four-credit capstone is a full-year course of two credits each semester. Pre-requisites: Senior standing and Peace Studies majors, minors and IIM (Peace) students. Full year, 2 credits each semester.

Philosophy

  
  • PHL 105 - Personal and Community Ethics (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An introduction to ethical thought with particular attention given to the conflict between of individual interests and communal goods. The course includes a survey of classical writings on ethics as well as a selection of more recent texts that focus on concrete issues such as racism, economic injustice, and environmental ethics. In each case, we will examine how various conceptions of individual rights coincide with the obligations individuals owe to their neighbors, their nation, and the global community. Fall semester. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 110 - Black and Indigenous Philosophies of the Americas (4 Cr.)


    The contemporary Americas are founded on the twin legacies of the transatlanc slave trade and the genocide of Indigenous peoples. Powerful philosophical and activist traditions have emerged in response to the continued forces of anti-blackness and settler-colonialism to think about resistance, joy, mourning, and futures. This course surveys the history of these literatures and brings them into the contemporary moment to think about ongoing struggles for liberaon. Possible thinkers covered include: Vine Deloria, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois, Frantz Fanon,Saidiya Hartman, C.L.R. James, Winona Laduke, Audra Simpson, Hortense Spillers, and Haunani-Kay Trask. Spring semester. Kimoto.
  
  • PHL 205 - Environmental Ethics (4 Cr.)

    (ES 207 ) (GCR-ENV)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies)
    A philosophical examination of the relationship between human beings and the natural world. Readings address the cultural an scientific constructions of nature, the environment, and the world; the metaphysical underpinnings of various restoration positions; relationships between environmental and social problems; and the role of imagination in environmentalism. Following an introduction to environmental theory, we will examine various areas of ethical concern. Fall semester. Offered 2019-2020 and alternate years. Shuster.
  
  • PHL 206 - Writing Practicum in Philosophy (2 Cr.)


    Often when we practice philosophical writing, we discover that our words, language, and prose are more competent and creative than we thought ourselves to be. The Practicum on writing in philosophy offers the beautiful opportunity for students to explore many different approaches to philosophical writing. These include exegesis (summary and explication of a philosophical text), analysis, argument, application of a text to an event, situation, or phenomenon, evaluation/critique of a philosophical position, synthesis, reflective essays, and contributions to philosophy. Our practicum will also work on composing and drafting, revising and editing, and proof reading. The beauty of writing philosophy is also that these processes of philosophical writing can change the way you frame your world and deepen your experience of being human.
  
  • PHL 207 - Philosophy Research Lab (2 Cr.)


    Several of Goucher’s philosophy courses include individualized research projects which culminate in final papers. But what does research in philosophy actually entail? What makes for a robust, original research topic? And how does one know where to begin and when to end? This lab explores questions that inspire research, and why they do so. Students will learn how to turn their passions-philosophical but not only-into well-formed, manageable research projects. They will improve at organizing time and resources and recognizing when a project is completed (and when it is not). Each participant will leave the lab with an original, individualized project which they may then turn into a finished paper in the Writing Practicum in Philosophy, if they so choose.
  
  • PHL 208 - Philosophy of Religion (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    In a historically sensitive and comparative manner, this course examines classical and contemporary philosophical accounts of the nature and existence of ultimate reality. Topics covered include conceptions of ultimate reality, evil, immortality, religious experience, and human subjectivity as well as arguments for and against theism, atheism, and agnosticism. Our approach will draw on both Eastern and Western traditions and will be sensitive to the social and political relations that animate religious traditions. Offered spring 2017 and every two years. Shuster.
  
  • PHL 209 - Philosophy of Science Fiction (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    Science fiction offers opportunities to explore new things in a philosophical register: different kinds of bodies, new environments, alternate histories, and technologies that don’t exist yet. Readings include SF classics by Philip K. Dick, Stanislaw Lem, James Tiptree, Jr., and Ursula K. LeGuin, but also explore the avant-garde possibilities of the genre, from writers Hakim Bey and Samuel Delany to filmmakers Andrei Tarkovsky and Lizzie Borden. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor.
  
  • PHL 218 - Philosophy of Time (4 Cr.)

    (WEC)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    What is time? Examination of speculations about time in Ancient Greece, Classical, Enlightenment, and Contemporary periods. We will look at the specific ways these speculations have helped develop philosophy, physics, mathematics, theology, religion, history, psychology, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Key themes include the role of time as a measure, time and the cosmos, time as feeling or perception of passage, time as money and capital, clock time, the “billable hour,” times zones, the historical change to internalize time as something we “do,” time and being, and the ubiquitous presence of concepts of time in every understanding of the natural world, abstraction, classification, and our self-understanding throughout Western thought. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor.
  
  • PHL 220 - Phenomenology (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    What is Phenomenology? And why has Phenomenology been looked to by some to solve the problems of knowing, consciousness, mean-making, and social-political conflicts in the 20th and 21st Century? And reviled by others as a hopeless dream or a perversion of philosophy? Phenomenology is a method for doing a “presuppositionless description” of the moments when meaning arises in a conscious intention towards the world. Phenomenology is currently practiced by a wide range of researchers in politics, social science, cognitive scientist, psychologists, and therapists as a more holistic way of knowing than the detached the detached, objective methodology of the natural and social sciences. We will begin with the transcendental phenomenology of Edmund Husserl and then turn to the existential phenomenologies of Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger. We will conclude with the phenomenology of the lived body in Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor.
  
  • PHL 231 - Political Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (PSC 231) (LER-TXT)(GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An introduction to political philosophy with particular attention paid to the modern period during which time the fundamental concepts of western politics were developed. The course includes a survey of classical writings on politics as well as a selection of more recent texts that focus on concrete issues such as citizenship, the social contract, sovereignty, and human rights. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 237 - Queer Theory (4 Cr.)

    (formerly PHL 437) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    Queer theory is one of the richest and fastest growing fields of contemporary philosophical inquiry. This course will trace various arguments for overcoming the categories “heterosexual” and “homosexual,” as defined in hetero-patriarchy, in favor of a more contemporary understanding of sexuality (and gender itself) as mobile, contradictory, and irreducibly mediated by social forces. In addition to the classic literature in this area, readings will explore kink, camp, affect, the relationship between queer and feminist resistances, and the queering of the philosophical tradition.
  
  • PHL 238 - Derrida (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 338) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An in-depth study of Jacques Derrida’s early work, which begins with his critique of logocentrism, tracing its trajectory from his work on language and semiotics to the deconstruction of the metaphysics of presence. The class concludes with readings of his later work, exploring the relevance of deconstruction for contemporary democratic theory, critical animal studies, and media studies. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years.
  
  • PHL 253 - Philosophy and/of Art (4 Cr.)

    (VMC 253) (GCR RPP)
    This course explores what art is and what aesthetic experience is, and especially what significance art has or can have for us as human beings. We will read some classic texts on these topics in the history of philosophy while examining pieces of art, whether painting, music, literature, graphic novel, film, television, and/or particular genres like humorous, political, religious, or abstract art. Some topics that we might cover include: How are our emotions involved in our experience of art? What is the relationship between art and representation? How are art and ethics related (why is some art considered offensive or dangerous)? What’s the relationship between politics and art? And how do notions of race, gender, and class relate to art? We will discuss these and other issues associated in the context of particular art forms. This class will thereby serve both as an introduction to thinking about art and as an introduction to philosophy. Offered Spring 2020 and every other spring semester. Shuster.
  
  • PHL 268 - Chinese Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (RLG 268 ) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An introduction to the philosophical and religious texts of the Chinese tradition. We will read selected works from the vast scholarly literature of the Daoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditions and situate these texts, their authors, and the schools they represent, within their historical context. Prerequisite: either sophomore standing, one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 276 - Feminist Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Cross listed as WGS 276 ) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    A philosophical study of gender and gender inequality. The class will explore cultural constructions of femininity and masculinity, theories of male normativity and masculine privilege, sexuality and heterosexism, and various, competing strategies for resistance, including cyberfeminism, Black feminism, and non-normative approaches to sex. Students will reflect on gender in relation to other areas of social inequality, like race, class, and physical ability. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor.
  
  • PHL 288 - Philosophy Workshop (2 Cr.)


    Focused study in a particular historical period, theme, issue, or thinker in the Western or Eastern philosophical tradition, designed to emphasize student-center learning. The field of discussion is delimited differently each time the course is taught. Topics for a given semester are posted before registration. Spring semester. Department. 
  
  • PHL 290 - Internship in Philosophy (0-4 Cr.)


    Placements in business, government, civic organizations, coalitions, and volunteer groups. Each student designs a plan with a member of the program to develop a clear goal and a rigorous method of pursuing it. All ideas will be considered. Prerequisites: preliminary interview and sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. Course may be taken pass/no pass only.
  
  • PHL 298 - Independent Work in Philosophy (2 or 4 Cr.)


    Special topics of study based on previous course work in the program and selected in conference with the instructor.
  
  • PHL 312 - Ethics After Auschwitz (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)
    This course will center around what it means to ‘go on,’, to live, and to exist as an ethical agent in a world ‘after Auschwitz,’ i.e., after a century of genocides and mass death. Throughout the course, we will focus on the ways in which philosophers have assessed, responded to, and ultimately understood human existence after a century of mass murder, what they claim it revealed about humanity and society, and especially what it suggests for or proposes about our future, together, as humans. Some of the figures we may read include Herbert Marcuse, Theodor W. Adorno, Emmanuel Levinas, Hannah Arendt, Jean Améry, and others. Fulfills the RPP course requirement. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester, every 2 years. Shuster.
  
  • PHL 316 - Modern Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 216) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An advanced survey of seventeenth and eighteenth-century philosophy as developed in the writings of Descartes, Leibniz,Spinoza, Locke, Hume and others. All readings are from primary sources, supplemented by lecture and discussion. We will consider not only the internal arguments of these texts, but also the broader cultural and political questions that frame their arguments. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 317 - Contemporary Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 217) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An advanced introduction to contemporary philosophy. The course includes of survey of the major philosophers of post-structuralism (post-1968), such as Gilles Deleuze, Judith Butler, Pierre Bourdieu, and Giorgio Agamben, as well as an examination of the traditions that have shaped contemporary philosophical debates, including the work of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 321 - Nineteenth Century Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 219) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    What is the relationship of one philosopher’s works to his predecessors? To philosophy itself? Are current philosophies responsible for explaining and correcting the philosophies of the past? Does the history of philosophy matter to philosophy now? Can philosophy define history? Can we discern patterns in that history? Does the human condition change in human history? This course will examine these questions through the lens of five nineteenth century philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. We will reads Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, and Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and philosophy of history to show their new confidence in human reason; and Marx’s Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals, and Kierkegaard’s The Concept of Anxiety for responses to Kant and Hegel, and the subsequent crisis in confidence in reason and the loss of absolute values that give rise to the issues of modern life. We will also discuss the Influence of these works on psychology, social science, religion, and ethics.
  
  • PHL 327 - Bootlicking and Other Authoritarian Pathologies (4 Cr.)

    (PSC 327) (GCR RPP)
    What is the nature of authority and authoritarianism? Why are certain individuals drawn to and motivated by authority and by acquiescing to it and also by following even to their own detriment or to the extent that they give up their sense of self, responsibility, or individuality? This class will explore these questions from an interdisciplinary perspective focusing on philosophy, political theory, psychoanalysis, anthropology, religion, genocide studies, and history. We will touch especially on questions of authority in the context of how beliefs are formed, how words and language are used, how actions are motivated and justified, how movements arise and are maintained, and how authoritarian structures are sustained and constructed (among others). Some of the specific examples we will look at may involve perspectives of race, gender, and power around white supremacy, white nationalism, antisemitism, misogyny, and/or patriarchy. No prior experience with any of these fields or the topic is necessary. Spring semester. Offered Spring 2021 and every other year. Shuster.
     
  
  • PHL 360 - Ancient Greek Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 260) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An advanced survey and introduction to ancient Western philosophy, beginning with the pre-Socratics, focusing chiefly on Plato and/or Aristotle, and concluding with a consideration of Hellenistic and “medieval” philosophy. In addition to understanding these thinkers in their historical contexts, we will also aim to see how and to what extent they are still relevant today. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2017-18 and alternate years. Shuster.
  
  • PHL 398 - Independent Work in Philosophy (2 or 4 Cr.)


    Special topics of study based on previous course work in the program and selected in conference with the instructor.
  
  • PHL 410 - States of Exception (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course will investigate the nature of the political exception through a sustained examination of the work of the contemporary political philosopher, Giorgio Agamben. The course will be devoted to a careful reading of Agamben’s most important works, paying particular attention to his expansive investigation of the political exception as it appears in such historical figures as the enslaved, the exile, and the sovereign - each of which represents a different manner of being excluded from the legal order. We will explore these figures not only in abstraction, but in relation to concrete contemporary examples, and along the way we will ask whether well-meaning attempts to restore rights, extend sovereignty, and strenghten the law are sufficient to resolve the injustice caused by these forms of exclusion. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. Offered 2019-20 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 414 - Sigmund Freud: Then and Now (4 Cr.)

    (PHL 314) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies)
    This course will present a comprehensive, historically sensitive, and theoretically (as opposed to clincally or practically) oriented overview of the thought of Sigmund Freud, especially his views on human agency, consciousness, and morality; sexuality; sociality; religion/Judaism; violence; human rationality; and history. The course will conclude with a consideration of the ways in which Freud’s thought has influenced contemporary critical theory, and some possible figures we may read in dialogue with Freud include Theodor W. Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, or Judith Butler. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or permission of the instructor. 
  
  • PHL 430 - Nietzsche and His Readers (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 330) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    This course will be a thorough examination of Nietzsche’s throught, especially as it concerns morality, religion, life, art, Western philosophy, truth, human value(s), nihilism, and human agency. In addition to exploring Nietzsche’s ideas, we will conclude the course by examining the ways in which Nietzsche has been read by later generations, including possibly in later European philosophy (Heidegger, Deleuze, Kofman, Irigaray), political philosophy, feminist philosophy, and/or critical race theory. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Shuster
  
  • PHL 432 - Foucault and Neoliberalism (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 332) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An intensive examination of the works of Michel Foucault as well as an introduction to the ideas that shaped the second half of the twentieth century, including the rise of neo-liberalism. The course will be devoted to a careful reading of Foucault’s most important works. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Spring semester Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PHL 433 - Kant and Arendt (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 333)
    An intensive examination of the works of Immanuel Kant, as well as an introduction to the ideas and themes characteristic of the critical tradition he inaugurated. The course will devote considerable time to a careful reading of the standard translations of Kant’s most important works. The course will also examine the twentieth century writings of Hannah Arendt who expands on Kant’s ideas and gives them a profoundly contemporary relevance. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor.
  
  • PHL 485 - Philosophical Topics (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PHL 395)
    Advanced study in a particular historical period, theme, issue, or thinker in the Western or Eastern philosophical tradition. The field of discussion is delimited differently each time the course is taught. Topics for a given semester are posted before registration. Prerequisite: Either two philosophy courses (one at the 300-level), or permission of the instructor. Program faculty.
  
  • PHL 495 - Senior Thesis (4 Cr.)


  
  • PHL 497 - Philosophy Capstone (2 Cr.)


    The philosophy capstone course will include periodic meetings with all students and all philosophy faculty, as well as intensive, one-on-one meetings with individual students. It is designed to encourage academic self-reflection with the goal of creating an opportunity for seniors to complete a deeply meaningful, first-rate project that draws from their past research and learning.  Prerequisite: Senior standing. Fall semester. Program faculty.

Physics

Courses at the introductory level in physics are planned to meet various needs. PHY 115  and PHY 116  are designed to give an algebra-based survey of physics, and are intended for students who plan to major in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, enter the health professions, or teach in elementary schools. PHY 125  and PHY 126  are calculus based and are intended for students who plan to major in Engineering Science or enter the 3+2 Engineering Program.

  
  • PHY 115 - Principles of Physics I (4 Cr.)

    (LER-NS)(GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    First semester of a non-calculus-based course sequence designed for students majoring in the life sciences or non-science students interested in physics. Topics include Newtonian mechanics, kinematics and dynamics of linear and angular motions, universal gravitation, conservation of energy and momentum, fluids and thermal physics. Recommended with PHY 116  for students majoring in the life sciences. Three hours of lecture plus a 3-hour laboratory session per week.  Prerequisite: three years of high-school mathematics. Fall semester. Yoder.
  
  • PHY 116 - Principles of Physics II (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    Second semester of a non-calculus-based course sequence designed for students majoring in the life sciences or non-science students interested in physics. Topics include simple harmonic motion, mechanical and electromagnetic waves, acoustics, nature of light and color, geometrical and physical optics, electricity and magnetism. Three hours of lecture plus a 3-hour laboratory session per week.  Prerequisite: PHY 115 . Spring semester. Yoder.
  
  • PHY 125 - General Physics I (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    A calculus-based course where lecture and laboratory are combined and taught using an interactive teaching method employing computers and guided inquiry through hands-on experiments. The method is designed to increase problem-solving and analytical-thinking skills and to guide students toward a coherent and logical approach to understanding the world. Topics include kinematics and dynamics of linear and angular motions, universal gravitation, conservation of energy and momentum, simple harmonic motion, wave motion, and fluids. Six hours per week, integrated lecture/laboratory. Pre- or corequisite: MA 172 . Spring semester. Markovic.
  
  • PHY 126 - General Physics II (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Biological and Physical Sciences area)
    A continuation of PHY 125 , including integral calculus. Topics include thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, and physical and geometrical optics. Six hours per week integrated lecture/laboratory. Note: Physics and 3+2 engineering students are to take MA 214  as a pre- or co-requisite, as it is required to continue in the major. Pre- or corequisite: MA 172  or MA 214 - Multivariable Differential Calculus (4 Cr.)  or permission of the instructor. Fall semester (offered 2021-22). Markovic.
  
  • PHY 225 - Analytical Mechanics (4 Cr.)


    This course will cover Newtonian Mechanics (including position and velocity dependent forces, and systems with variable mass), Lagrangian Mechanics, oscillations, statics and dynamics of a rigid object. Mathematical topics covered will include ordinary and partial differential equations. Pre-requisite: PHY 126 . Spring semester, first offered spring 2022. Dukan.
  
  • PHY 290 - Internship in Physics (0-4 Cr.)


    Internship opportunities typically involve working in research laboratories in universities and industry and are arranged on the basis of students’ individual interests. 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.   Course may be taken during academic semesters as well as summer and winter breaks. Graded pass/no pass only.  Pre-requisites: PHY 126  and appropriate upper-level courses as determined by the program.
  
  • PHY 300 - Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics (4 Cr.)


    A calculus-based course in which the basic concepts of thermodynamics are introduced from the microscopic point of view. Methods of statistical physics are used to define entropy and temperature, heat and work, and ideal gas behavior. Applications to chemical reactions, Fermi and Bose systems in condensed matter physics, and phase transformations are discussed. The course includes an introduction to relevant mathematical topics from probability and statistics. Prerequisite: PHY 281 (inactive course) or permission of instructor. Fall semester. Markovic.
  
  • PHY 301 - Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory (4 Cr.)


    Intermediate-level discussion of Maxwell’s equations and their applications: electrostatics and dynamics; magnetic fields and magnetic effects; and electromagnetic waves, both in vacuum and in materials. The course also includes an overview of necessary mathematical techniques, including topics from vector calculus and partial differential equations. Prerequisite: PHY 281 (inactive course) or permission of instructor. Spring semester. Markovic.
  
  • PHY 310 - Electronics/Instrumentation (4 Cr.)


    A project-based introduction to principles of electronic instrumentation and microprocessors that trains students to identify appropriate methods and techniques for physical measurements or experimental control. Students learn to automate processes using the Arduino platform. Topics include: DC and AC circuits, diodes, transistors, operational amplifiers, digital logic and sensing, using specialized chips, and data acquisition. The course also includes an introduction to related mathematical topics in Fourier analysis and complex variables. Four hours integrated lecture/laboratory. Fall semester. Offered 2022-23. Yoder.
  
  • PHY 321 - Advanced Laboratory (4 Cr.)


    In this course, students will work in groups to plan, carry out, and analyze a series of sophisticated experimental measurements or demonstrations of an engineering principle. Each experiment or demonstration will include formulation of a clear and testable question, appropriate modeling and/or theoretical analysis, and communication or presentation of results. The course will focus on developing real-world problem-solving skills and instrumentation/analysis choices and relating them to fundamental theoretical principles. Significant project component. Pre-requisite: PHY 225 . Offered fall every other year. First offered fall 2023. Yoder, Markovic.
  
  • PHY 325 - Classical and Quantum Waves (4 Cr.)


    The first part of the course will cover physics of wave motion and the classical wave equation. Mathematical topics covered will include ordinary and partial differential equations, Fourier series and integrals and normal modes. The second part of the course will cover the basic principles of quantum mechanics: wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, quantum waves and the Schrodinger equation, energy levels, reflection and transmission coefficients, applications to atomic physics. Pre-requisite: PHY 126 . Spring semester, first offered spring 2023. Dukan.
  
  • PHY 330 - Special Topics in Contemporary Physics (2-4 Cr.)


    Topics courses in physics are offered to extend knowledge beyond foundation courses and to introduce students to more advanced topics in physics and their applications to many different areas of science and technology. Topics are determined by student interest and needs. Courses include but are not limited to: Condensed Matter Physics (Yoder), Nanoscience and Quantum Materials (Markovic) and Relativity and Cosmology. Depending on a particular topic, the course will have a three-hour lecture, laboratory and/or seminar format. Students may take this course for credit more than once.  Prerequisites: PHY 220 (inactive) or permission of the program. Additional courses as appropriate for the particular topic will be specified by the program. Fall semesters. Markovic.
  
  • PHY 395 - Independent Work in Physics (2 or 4 Cr.)


    Independent theoretical and laboratory work carried out under the supervision of a member of the program. May be one or two semesters. Graded pass/no pass only. Prerequisites: major or minor in physics and permission of instructor. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Program faculty.
  
  • PHY 495 - Senior Thesis - Physics (4 Cr.)

    (formerly PHY 450)
    Fall and Spring semesters.
  
  • PHY 497 - Capstone in Physics (4 Cr.)


    In their capstone experience students will carry out an independent project in collaboration with a faculty mentor. The project, either theoretical or experimental, will include background literature research on the topic, and presentation of the results of the investigation to students and faculty. Prerequisite: 300-level coursework recommended by a faculty mentor. PHY 395  can not be taken at the same time as PHY 497. Offered fall and spring semester. Program faculty.

Political Science

  
  • PSC 121 - Comparative Politics (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 221) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course will introduce students to the study of comparative politics, highlighting theories of nationalism, democracy, ethnic politics, social movements, and armed insurrections. We will draw upon cases from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 143 - American Political System (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 243) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course examines the American national political system with attention to political culture, governmental institutions, and political behavior.  While the range of topics in this course approximates that of a survey course, the materials allows for more critical analysis and greater contemplation of the subject matter than a survey course.  Fall semester.  Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 150 - Approaches to International Relations (4 Cr.)

    (formerly PSC 250) (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course is an introduction to theories and problems of international politics. This course introduces students to the political, economic, and social factors which come to shape the behavior of states and non-state actors on the international stage. The course begins by providing students a framework for understanding what theory is and how theories can be evaluated.  Students explore the major theoretical approaches taken in the study of international relations including but not limited to realism, liberalism, constructivism, economic structuralism and feminist theory. Through projects, simulations, and written assignments students connect theory to policy related to trade, cybersecurity, climate change, terrorism, armament, drone technology and natural resource use. Fall semester. Baqueiro.
  
  • PSC 200 - Classical Political Thought (4 Cr.)


    This course introduces the political thought of Ancient Greek and Medieval thinkers whose work forms a tradition whose aftermath we inhabit, even as they reflect and speak to a world that is in many ways radically different from our own. Through sustained readings of works by Homer, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Herodotus and Plato the course considers themes of authority and equality, tyranny and democracy, knowledge and critique.  The transformation of classical themes by Christianity is approached by a study of Augustine and the course finishes with readings by Christine de Pisan and Marsilius of Padua reflecting on the medieval political order. Variable semesters.
  
  • PSC 201 - Modern Political Thought (4 Cr.)


    This course introduces key texts and thinkers in modern political theory.   Of particular concern in this course is the notion that theorists between Machiavelli and Marx explore the idea that politics is a realm of human artifice. These two thinkers, as well as the social contract theorists (Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau), consider the artificial nature of the political in terms of certain central concerns. These include: the source and authority of law; the nature and sources of property; the relations between justice and power, politics and morality, and politics and religion; the nature and limits of legitimate political power, the state and sovereignty; the relation between political order and religion. Variable semesters.
  
  • PSC 202 - Contemporary Political Thought (4 Cr.)


    This course provides students with the groundwork for engaging with some of the more challenging areas of contemporary political theory.  The course begins with Nietzsche’s critique of central claims of modernity about scientific, intellectual and moral progress, as well as the roots of individual identity and agency.  This beginning gives access to a series of twentieth century who draw upon Nietzsche’s insights to consider the distinctive character of the political (Arendt); the constitution of power (Foucault); and the nature of sovereignty (Schmitt).  The course uses this groundwork as preparation for reading a series of contemporary political theorists including Sheldon Wolin, William Connolly, and Wendy Brown. Variable semesters.
  
  • PSC 211 - Research Methods in Political Science (4 Cr.)

    (GCR DA-AC)(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course provides an introduction to empirical political science research with a focus on quantitative methodology.  Topics include the logic and structure of research designs, variable conceptualization and measurement, descriptive statistics, statistical inference, basic probability, and hypothesis testing. Students will learn basic SPSS and Excel skills. Prerequisite: completion of GCR - Data Analytics Foundational level. Spring semester. Kromer.
  
  • PSC 213 - Practicum in Survey Research (2 Cr.)

    (GCR DA-AC)
    This course examines current methodologies in survey research.  Topics include sampling, questionnaire design, instrument validity and reliability, error reduction, data collection practices, and analysis of survey data.  Additionally, students will learn survey lab management skills and basic programming using industry leading online survey software.  Students will assist with the production of the Goucher Poll and produce an executive report of the results as a final project. Prerequisite: completion of GCR - Data Analytics Foundational level. Variable semesters. Kromer. 
  
  • PSC 216 - Development and Social Change in Costa Rica (4 Cr.)

    (SOA 216 )
    This course examines the 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 social science. Spring semester.
  
  • PSC 217 - Judaism and Political Theology (4 Cr.)

    (JS 217)
    This class explores the relationship between religion and the political order. Some questions that animate it are: is or must the political order somehow be based on or tied to religion? What does it mean to be secular, especially given secularism’s religious origins (a point we also explore)? These and other broader questions are connected to traditions of thinking about these issues in Judaism, itself a fundamental input into both Christianity and Islam, and thereby a large portion of the world, both ancient and modern. Throughout, the aim is to use Judaism to illuminate and think about broader political theological questions–so we are just as likely to read the Talmud or Moses Maimonides as we are to read Barack Obama or Martin Luther King. Spring. Offered Spring 2018 and every other year. Shuster.
  
  • PSC 231 - Political Philosophy (4 Cr.)

    (PHL 231) (GCR Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies area)
    An introduction to political philosophy with particular attention paid to the modern period during which time the fundamental concepts of western politics were developed. The course includes a survey of classical writings on politics as well as a selection of more recent texts that focus on concrete issues such as citizenship, the social contract, sovereignty, and human rights. Prerequisite: Either sophomore standing, one philosophy course, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Offered 2018-19 and alternate years. DeCaroli.
  
  • PSC 239 - Religion, Law, and Politics in America (4 Cr.)

    (RLG 239)
    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.
  
  • PSC 245 - Organized Advocacy in American Politics (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    Advocacy is fundamental to our notions of democracy and plays a strong role in our political system. Organized advocates have had a persistent presence in our system but yet are some of the most understood actors. We treat lobbyists, special interests and PACs with skepticism yet look favorably upon advocates. This course will give you an understanding of organized advocacy in its many manifestations, exploring theoretical and normative considerations alongside the strategies and practices employed. It is recommended that students have completed PSC 143  prior to taking this course. This course fulfills the WEC requirement. Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 246 - U.S. Foreign Policy (4 Cr.)


    The course examines the basic concepts, themes, and issues in U.S. Foreign Policy. Emphasis is on the major trends and patterns in U.S. foreign policy period post-World War II and special focus on post-cold war issues. Topics include the process and content of U.S. Foreign Policy, the interplay with domestic politics and the nation’s foreign policy, foreign policy making, and contemporary policies and issues.  Variable semesters. Honick.
  
  • PSC 247 - An Introduction to Education Policy (4 Cr.)

    (ED 247)
    This course will offer students an introduction to public policy through the lens of education policy in the United States. Students will learn about the various actors involved in making education policy at the local, state and federal levels of government and policy process. Students will also be taught the tools and resources needed in order to analyze and assess education policy. This course does not have any pre-requisites only a desire to better understand how education policy is made in the United States and the impact it has on students. Political science students seeking an introduction to public policy may be interested in this course as well as future educators.
      Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 248 - The 2020 Election (4 Cr.)

    (GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)
    This course examines both theoretical and practical aspects of campaigns and elections. Students are required to volunteer and work on an actual political campaign. Fall 2020. Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 249 - Special Topic in Politics (2 or 4 Cr.)


    Variable semesters.
  
  • PSC 256 - The UN in changing global politics (4 Cr.)


    This course introduces and explores the history, institutions, and the impact of the United Nations in the context of changing global politics. The current operations and future potential of the UN creates a framework for assessing the UN response to current global issues. Emphasis is placed on the UN role in a changing global security environment, with a focus on UN peacekeeping, the challenges of environmental and climate change, sustainability, and the protection of human rights. Assessment of the UN’s role includes its interactions with global actors such as other IGO’s, NGO’s and other non-state actors, international civil society, and the private sector. Variable semesters. Honick.
  
  • PSC 257 - Problems in International Political Economy (4 Cr.)


    This is an introductory course to the study of international political economy (IPE). This course begins with reviewing major IPE approaches such as Mercantilism, Liberalism and Marxism.  Students then evaluate the multifaceted role of international financial actors, identify key political, social and ecological factors that either hinder or help economic growth, and assess trends of protectionism and economic integration in the post-Cold War global economy. Prerequisite: PSC 150 . Fall semester.
  
  • PSC 258 - The International Politics of the Middle East (4 Cr.)

    (JS 258 )
    Examination of regional and international issues in the Middle East. Topics include the Arab-Israeli conflict, inter-Arab rivalries, instability in the Persian Gulf, and the crisis in Lebanon. Variable semesters. Honick.
  
  • PSC 259 - African Politics (4 Cr.)

    (GCR RPP)
    An examination of African politics and societies since 1885. Exploration of the influences of Islam and Christianity, the colonization of the continent by imperial European powers, and the liberation movements, which brought about the demise of colonization. Consideration of contemporary issues and trends. Prerequisites: PSC 121  or PSC 150 , or permission of the instructor. Variable semesters. Singer.
  
  • PSC 262 - Democracy and Violence in Southeast Asia (4 Cr.)


    This course examines colonial experiences, political systems and the dynamics of conflict and violence in Southeast Asia. The course first focuses on the colonial experience of each core case under study: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, and the Philippines. The second segment of the course highlights the variations in the core democratic and semi-democratic cases. The third segment of the course examines the dynamics of conflict, including war, genocide, secessionism and rebellion. Fall semester, alternate years. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 263 - The Pacific Rim (4 Cr.)


    The Pacific Rim, especially East Asia, is a dynamic and critical region for the world economy and politics in the 21st century. This course is designed to introduce basic concepts, approaches, and fundamental issues in studying the international relations of the Asia-Pacific. The course focuses on major trends and issues in the region including key strategic relationships among the main actors: China, Japan, the two Koreas, the U.S., and Southeast Asia. The course examines several contemporary issues in depth - the rise of China as a regional and global power, the North Korean nuclear issue, China and the status of Hong Kong, the maritime disputes in the East Asia and South China Seas, the relationship across the Taiwan Straits, trade wars between China and the U.S., and prospects for arms races in the region. The course provides a broad geopolitical context for understanding the dynamics and patterns of international relations in the Asia-Pacific region. Variable semesters. Honick.
  
  • PSC 266 - Religion and Identity in Asia (4 Cr.)


    This course will examine the intersection of religion and identity in four Asian countries: India, China, Indonesia and Myanmar (Burma). It will highlight three themes across the four cases: belonging, acvtivism, and conflict, drawing on academic literature and current events.
  
  • PSC 272Y - Intensive Course Abroad (1-4 Cr.)

    (GCR - SA)
  
  • PSC 273 - American Political Behavior (2 Cr.)


    This course examines the formation of political beliefs, their translation into mass level political behavior, and the subsequent ramifications for American politics. Topics include the nature and origin of political beliefs focusing on key determinants of vote choice, political participation, and public opinion. Additionally, the course analyzes the connection between public opinion and government officials and institutions. Variable semesters. Kromer.
  
  • PSC 279 - World Crisis (2 Cr.)


    This 7 week course will constitute a specific intensive study into a single world crisis. Topics are selected based on current world problems. Depending on the problem, we draw in appropriate theoretical frameworks and methods, including but not restricted to those from international relations. Fall semester. Offered Fall 2017 and every other year. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 283 - Topics in Social Science (4 Cr.)

    (SOA 283 )
    Targeting social science majors, this course will be team-taught by Monteverde Institute (MVI) and visiting faculty, with topics reflecting the expertise of visiting faculty and MVI’s thematic emphasis on 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. Prerequisites: 200-level course in social sciences. Methods course encouraged. Spring semester.
  
  • PSC 290 - Political Science and International Relations Internship (0-4 Cr.)


    The political science major requires at least one 2-4 credit internship as a degree requirement.  Students may choose to complete a second 2-4 credit internship to count as an elective within the major.  Each credit requires 45 hours of work at the internship site. Internships may be taken for a letter grade only and require an academic component which will be overseen by a faculty member. Prerequisites: a political science course and permission of director. Students are accepted on the basis of course background and availability to upper-level students. First-year students are eligible. Preliminary application and interview required.
  
  • PSC 299 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)


    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: sophomore standing.
  
  • PSC 306 - Seminar in Political Theory (4 Cr.)


    The topic of this seminar will vary between semesters: students are advised to check with the instructor for upcoming themes. Topics may include some of the following: Aristotle; the political theory of cosmopolitanism; theories of sovereignty; Thucydides and imperialism. Whatever the theme, the seminar requires students to sustain a deep engagement with difficult texts and to participate fully in class discussions. A research paper is required. Prerequisites: 200 level Theory course. Variable semesters.
  
  • PSC 321 - Terrorism and Political Violence (4 Cr.)


    This course examines the life cycle of terrorist groups and terrorists, including becoming a terrorist, being a terrorist and ceasing participation in acts of terrorism. Students will learn about theories of terrorism, tactics, recruitment, radicalization and the end of terrorist campaigns. Cases will be drawn from nationalist, right wing, left wing and religious terrorist groups.  Prerequisite: two courses in political science, junior standing, or permission of the instructor. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 327 - Bootlicking and Other Authoritarian Pathologies (4 Cr.)

    (PHL 327) (GCR RPP)
    What is the nature of authority and authoritarianism? Why are certain individuals drawn to and motivated by authority and by acquiescing to it and also by following even to their own detriment or to the extent that they give up their sense of self, responsibility, or individuality? This class will explore these questions from an interdisciplinary perspective focusing on philosophy, political theory, psychoanalysis, anthropology, religion, genocide studies, and history. We will touch especially on questions of authority in the context of how beliefs are formed, how words and language are used, how actions are motivated and justified, how movements arise and are maintained, and how authoritarian structures are sustained and constructed (among others). Some of the specific examples we will look at may involve perspectives of race, gender, and power around white supremacy, white nationalism, antisemitism, misogyny, and/or patriarchy. No prior experience with any of these fields or the topic is necessary. Spring semester. Offered Spring 2021 and every other year. Shuster.
     
  
  • PSC 333 - State Politics and Policy (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 233) (GCR DA-AC)
    This course examines the dynamics of state government, including the legislative process, the role of the executive, and the impact of political parties and interest groups on policy making. Students will learn how to conduct quantitative evaluations of state-level policy and process. Prerequisite: completion of GCR - Data Analytics Foundational level. Variable semesters. Kromer.
  
  • PSC 342 - Seminar in Presidential Politics (4 Cr.)


    This course examines the development of the office of the presidency and executive power.  Readings will explore contemporary issues of the modern presidency.  It is recommended that students have completed PSC 143  prior to taking this course. Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 343 - Seminar in Congressional Politics (4 Cr.)


    A study of the legislative branch in the American system of government. This course considers the incentives and goals of members of Congress and the nature of institutional arrangements. Special attention is given to the changes and reforms occurring since 1995 and their implications for policy-making. It is recommended that students have completed PSC 143  prior to taking this course. Variable semesters. Kasniunas.
  
  • PSC 353 - Special Topics Seminar (4 Cr.)


    Special topics seminar in political science. Description will vary depending on the special topic course being offered. Prerequisite: minimum junior standing. First offered fall 2018.
  
  • PSC 359 - Seminar on African Politics (4 Cr.)


    Examination of the internal and external dynamics that affect the domestic and foreign policies of African states. Seminar participants are expected to develop a research topic and present their findings. Prerequisite: PSC 259  or permission of the instructor. Variable semesters. Singer.
  
  • PSC 365 - Asian Security (4 Cr.)


    The seminar in Asian Security will focus on security issues in Asia, most notably South and Southeast Asia. Topics include nuclear proliferation, the war over Kashmir, environmental security, food security, the drug trade and terrorism. Prerequisite: two courses in political science, junior standing, or permission of the instructor. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 375 - Political Islam (4 Cr.)


    Political Islam is among the most salient, interesting, and misunderstood concepts in our political vocabulary today. This course will endeavor to unpack political Islam, focusing on the theoretical trends in the scholarship as well as the key Islamic social movements and political parties, which are affecting the political discourse. The course will draw on cases of both Sunni and Shia; Arab and non-Arab; and democratic, semi-democratic, and authoritarian polities. Prerequisite: two courses in political science, junior standing, or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. Chernov.
  
  • PSC 399 - Advanced Independent Work (3-6 Cr.)


    Independent work leading to the senior thesis, which may be written as part of a student’s pursuit of honors in political science. Prerequisites: senior status, permission of instructor.
  
  • PSC 495 - Senior Thesis in Political Science (4 Cr.)

    (formerly PSC 350)
    Fall semester and spring semester.
  
  • PSC 496 - Seminar in Scope and Methods in Political Science (4 Cr.)


    What is politics and how should we study it? This course includes a review of competing views emphasizing classic works and contemporary research in the discipline. This course serves as the capstone experience for the political science major.  Prerequisite: Senior standing. Spring semester.
  
  • PSC 497 - Seminar in Theories of International Relations (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PSC 350)
    Designed primarily for senior international relations majors, students examine issues of power, security, and conflict from a historical and theoretical perspective. Students survey leading IR research related to world order; how it is established, maintained and destroyed in the international realm.  Students gather evidence probing the extent to which IR theory is rooted in ideas born from the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and the development of liberal democracy, and interrogate the discipline’s traditional assumptions of order and power.  The course then moves to connect theory to policy application and rethink concepts of security and war in the age of big data and in the dawn of cyberspace.  What are the current security problems or sources of disorder facing decision makers today and how are these likely to evolve in our future? Prerequisite: PSC 150  or PSC 257 , and Senior standing. Spring semester.

Prelaw Studies

  
  • PLS 204 - Law and Society (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PLS 100)
    An introductory, interdisciplinary examination of law as a social institution. Focus is on the origin, history, and philosophy of legal systems from an international perspective, as well as the relationship in the United States between common law and statutory law, federal and state law, the courts and legislative bodies, and the courts and the executive branch of government. Exploration of the legal profession, its history, practice, goals, and place in American society. Spring semester.
  
  • PLS 250 - Legal Writing and Advocacy in the Courts (4 Cr.)

    (Formerly PLS 350)
    Introduces students to persuasive legal writing and oral advocacy at the trial and/or appellate levels. Working from a fictional case file, students will learn fundamentals about the U.S. course systems and pretrial and appellate processes. Students will learn how to read and brief a legal case, articulate legal rules from cases, develop a theory of a case using facts and legal rules, and build on the students’ existing writing and oral advocacy skills to develop and advance that theory. During the semester, students will draft a number of documents including documents to a court, such a motion for summary judgment and/or an appellate brief. Students also will argue their cases in a moot court setting. 
  
  • PLS 290 - Prelaw Internship (0-4 Cr.)


    Internships with the court system, governmental agencies, and law enforcement agencies may be pursued during the academic year, January, and/or the summer. All internships require the approval of and are supervised by the program director. Graded pass/no pass only. Prerequisites: sophomore standing and permission of the director.
 

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