Mar 29, 2024  
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 Course Numbering System

001-099 Developmental Courses (Credit Type DV*)
100-299 Lower division courses; may have prerequisites
300-499 Upper division courses
500-599 Foundational graduate courses and Education graduate certification courses
600-699 Graduate courses

*DV - Developmental courses completed at Avila count toward Term hours, Term GPA and Career GPA, but are not counted in Career hours. Developmental courses completed at another institution are counted in Term hours and Term GPA, but are not counted in Career hours or Career GPA.

Catalog Course Information

The number in parentheses after the course title indicates the credit in semester hours.

The letters following the course description indicate the semester in which the course is given. Fall semester course offerings are indicated by FA; spring semester, SP; summer session, SU. Where frequency of course offering is not indicated, the course is given as required.

 

Human Resources

  
  • HR 323 - Human Resources Management (3)

    Study of human resource management as an integral function of an organization. Areas emphasized are employee influence and human resource flow. Prerequisite: BU 321  or BU 322 . FA.
  
  • HR 325 - Labor-Management Relations (3)

    Basic labor-management relations history, development, and applications. Prerequisite: BU 321  or BU 322 .
  
  • HR 335 - Staffing Design (3)

    Building on prior coursework, this course will provide students with advanced staffing skills. Students will learn to diagnose, analyze, and make recommendations regarding effective programs in staffing, developing, motivating, and managing its personnel. This course covers various aspects of employee staffing including job analysis for job description and selection procedure development, recruitment, screening, interviewing, and ability testing. This course will further the development of conducting performance reviews and determining the quality of personnel. This course will also provide students with skills necessary to lead an organization through the difficult scenarios of termination and downsizing. Prerequisite: HR 323 .
  
  • HR 346 - Employment Law (3)

    The study of state and federal statutory and case law that govern the employee/employer relationship. Prerequisite: BU 305 .
  
  • HR 421 - Compensation & Benefits (3)

    This course focuses on various topics dealing with compensation and reward system. Topics include the role of compensation and benefits in effective recruitment, selection, and retention of employees. Also treated are pay structures, pay-for-performance plans (group and individual), and executive pay. Government/Legal influences and the role of benefits are some of the other topics covered in this course. Prerequisites: HR 323 . FA.
  
  • HR 479 - Training & Development (3)

    Rapid changes in technology and job design, along with the increasing importance of learning-and knowledge-based organizations, make training and development an increasingly important topic in human resources development. In this course, the student will learn how to 1) identify training and development needs through needs assessments; 2) analyze jobs and tasks to determine training and development objectives; 3) create appropriate training objectives; 4) design effective training and development programs using different techniques or methods; 5) implement a variety of different training and development activities; and 6) evaluate training and development programs. Prerequisite: HR 323 .
  
  • HR 499 - Strategic Human Resources Planning (3)

    Building on prior coursework, this course will provide students with skills to analyze organizational need and develop a comprehensive succession plan to ensure a viable pipeline of management and executive talent to continually move the organization forward. We will discuss the impact of the economy, terrorism, the political climate and a global marketplace on the future needs of the organization and develop forward-thinking skills sets to proactively address those needs while maintaining ethical standards of practice. The course will reinforce the critical thinking and writing skills developed in previous coursework. Meets the Capstone requirement in the major. Prerequisites: HR 323 , HR 335 , HR 421 , and HR 479 .

Interdisciplinary Studies

  
  • IS 201 - Intercultural Communication & Education (3)

    This course is an interdisciplinary investigation into culture and education, specifically of the intersection of intercultural communication and the rights and privileges of education, embedded within a cultural immersion experience. Students will examine interpersonal communication, beginning with self and expanding to an intercultural stance with a particular emphasis on new media and technology. Students will examine the values, beliefs, and attitudes of diverse identifiable groups and also study the role that the members of the cultural power structure, specifically majorities, minorities, subcultures, and co-cultures contribute within the larger culture and the role of and rights to education in those groups. The course will also explore how a culture is influenced by its space, including architecture, landscape, and issues of privacy, time and climate. Within the course, students will also learn how nonverbal communication, social relationships, cultural differences, and conflict resolution vary considerably from one culture and context to another. Students will be required to reflect, self-report, and assess their own intercultural capabilities through a critical comparative lens focusing on diverse cultures and systems of education. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 202 - Crossing Barriers/Bridging Cultures (3)

    This course will analyze artistic production created through dialogue between American and Hispanic cultures in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands through film with regards to history, language, literature, geography, religion, family, immigration, violence, gender, music, politics, social justice, and celebrations. Prerequisite: SP 112 . PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Global Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies. SP, odd years.
  
  • IS 203 - Economics of Good & Evil (3)

    The course will introduce students to a variety of theories of social and economic justice and examine philosophical, ethical, and theological concepts that underlie economic schools of thought. The popular political views of Economics has changed as society has changed over the past two millennia and this course will examine the history and development of economic analysis. Students will be familiarized with the main strands of ethical theories that underlie economic systems. The class will integrate current events with course work.  Prerequisites: EN 111 . 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Acquire. Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies. FA, SP.
  
  • IS 204 - Science, Stories, & Superheroes (3)

    What makes a superhero–is it science or is it storytelling? How do we understand and interpret the stories of superheroes? How do these stories help us understand the culture in which they were produced? These are some of the questions that we will work through in this course. Comic books, like all literature, provide the reader a snapshot of the culture, concerns, and social views of the time they were written; they also define cultural perceptions of science throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Students in this course will examine superhero stories through the application of scientific and literary modes of inquiry in order to develop nuanced understandings of superhero stories in both comic books and on film. Prerequisite: Foundations Math course and EN 111  or EN 112 . 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Acquire. SP.
  
  • IS 205 - Introduction to Global Justice (3)

    This course considers the realities of global relations in ways that include: more just relations between people of different cultures and practices; greater attention to the tensions between environmental sustainability and our economic aspirations; our social-political institutions at national and international levels; as well as a number of other issues and frameworks. Working from rich interdisciplinary and multicultural standpoints, students will increase global awareness, gain a fuller appreciation of the complexities of globalization, and engage in considering alternatives that improve relations for people and communities across the globe. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies. FA.
  
  • IS 210 - Images & Realities of Gender (3)

    This course will introduce students to the social construction and significance of gender from feminist, interdisciplinary, and multicultural perspectives. Students will analyze the ways that gender (in combination with race, sexual identity, and social class) affects access to opportunity, power, and resources. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Acquire, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 308 - Ecology & Computer Technology (3)

    The course will ask students to consider the relationship between ecology and computer-related technology at three levels: (1) how efforts to preserve the environment and remediate environmental problems are dependent on the advances in technology and how advances in technology sometimes cause damage to the environment; (2) how technology helps scientists doing field study; and (3) how personal technology use affects a person’s experience with their surroundings and especially the natural environment. Students should gain a greater appreciation for the environment and for the need to preserve it and for wisely used computer technology, and they should better understand how personal technology usage habits affect their life quality of life.  2015 CORE: Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 311 - Peace Studies (3)

    This course provides an interdisciplinary (religious studies, communication, philosophy, sociology, history, and economics) approach to achieving peace on a personal, local, national, and international level. The focus is on developing practical strategies for creating peace and living peacefully in a global society. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 312 - Bioethics (3)

    Interdisciplinary course which examines complex moral issues involving biology and medicine. Multiple viewpoints and issues are studied, such as patient-physician relationship, death and dying, ethics of care, technology and medicine, as well as the ethics and biology of genetics and eugenics. Research and discussion are essential components of the course. Prerequisites: BI 111  or BI 112 ; or PL 111  or PL 255 . PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III.
  
  • IS 314 - Environmental Issues (3)

    This course examines issues involved with the relationships between human societies and their environments. The underlying subtext of this course is the interplay of meeting environmental needs while addressing human desires. Among the specific issues are those associated with human population size and organization, biodiversity, resources and their management, cross-cultural perspectives on the environment, and the role of economy and politics in environmental issues. Prerequisite: One natural and one behavioral/social science course. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 315 - Implementing Change in Children’s Healthcare (3)

    The connection between learning and healthcare provides a multi-perspective view of how culture influences a child’s physical and cognitive development leading toward societal and economic stability. Non-project organizations, such as the World Health Organization and Charlie’s House, provide tools to enhance community awareness and create behavior change. Students will consider cultural influences while participating in self-directed learning while promoting healthy child development. Final products will be constructed using a variety of methods to influence and create behavior change within the KCMO community based on learnings from a global perspective. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies, Community Engagement. FA.
  
  • IS 316 - Sound & Light: Perspectives Science & Art (3)

    This course provides the student with the requisite knowledge and skills to create sound and light designs. Students will learn the relevant physics of sound and light, how to use technology to produce and manipulate sound and light, the physiology and psychology of human perception, and principles of aesthetics and design. Students will participate in laboratory activities and individual or group design projects. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 317 - Catholicism in Latin America (3)

    This course explores the religious and political history of Latin America. It will highlight how church teachings and structures have responded to the needs and demands of various social groups. It will give attention to the ways in which art, architecture, and literature have expressed ideologies. Prerequisite: One course in Religious Studies. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III.
  
  • IS 318 - The Mask (3)

    An interdisciplinary course on the research, generation and development, design, and creation of a personal mask and the theatrical realization (exercises and performance) of that mask personae. The theatrical performance is based largely on the movement, choreography, and physicalization/vocalization of the character and interactions with a group through the improvisational and scene work process. The result, the mask, is less important than the process itself; instead, it is the vehicle for the study of the creative process common to art and theatre. The course will be team-taught and assisted by guest speakers. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 319 - Women, Religion & Community in the U.S. (3)

    This course will examine women and religion and how the interaction of religious and gender ideologies helped shape experiences and create women’s communities within a variety of religious traditions in the United States. We will view religious experience through a multicultural lens which includes the perspectives of African-American, Native American, Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant women and some women founders of American and international religious groups. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III.
  
  • IS 320 - The Holocaust in History & on Stage (3)

    An examination of the Holocaust (1933-1945) as interpreted by the disciplines of history and theatre, focusing on the challenges and limits of representation in dealing such an enormous and seemingly incomprehensible event in human history. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 326 - Shaping the American Dream (3)

    This is an interdisciplinary course that uses literature and religious studies to understand fundamental values which combine to form the culture of the U.S.; central themes are the Puritan Ideal, the Social Gospel Movement, and the diverse face of U.S. culture at the end of the second millennium. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III.
  
  • IS 329 - Mexico: Experience & Art of Homebuilding (3)

    The course is divided into two distinct areas: Art and Communication. A labor intensive hands-on course, students construct a home for a pre-selected needy Mexican family. During the process, participants produce a short documentary film and design the exterior of the structure through artistic self-expression. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 331 - Women & Science (3)

    This interdisciplinary course in Women’s Studies and Natural Science introduces students to the complex and challenging relationship between women and science and technology across the globe. The course introduces students to the history of women and science and technology, including the ways in which female biology has been framed by philosophers, physicians, and scientists from the ancient Greeks to the present and ways in which science has used gender as a way to explain the natural world. The course examines examples of gender bias in the substance of science and technology on both a broad and individual basis, identifies gender stratification within scientific and technological professions, explores the ways in which women use science and technology regarding reproduction, and analyzes persistent barriers to women’s participation and advancement in STEM fields. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Global Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies. FA, odd years.
  
  • IS 332 - Avant-Garde in Art & Experimental Film (3)

    The course traces the history of the avant-garde movements in art and film/video from the early 19th century to the present day. Students will learn how the avant-garde challenges the social, political, economic, and aesthetic norms of contemporary culture, pushing the boundaries of what is “art,” the use of new technologies, and provoking social norms. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Acquire, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 333 - Gender Communication (3)

    A critical analysis of the interrelationship between gender, culture, and communication. Gender differences and sex-role stereotypes and their influence on communication and relationships will be explored so that strategies for bridging these differences can be developed. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III.
  
  • IS 335 - Plagues (3)

    This course is a survey of plagues in world history using the disciplines of biology and history as interpretative guides. The biological origins, historical and modern techniques of disease control, the social consequences of plagues, and the historical and contemporary ethical debates concerning the nature of disease and treatment of plague victims provide the foundation of the course. In addition, the transnational causes and effects of plagues, such as the Black Death (bubonic plague), small pox, cholera, and AIDS, will be explored in depth. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 336 - Health & Healthcare Issue (3)

    This course identifies and examines current issues involving the health behaviors, health status, and healthcare of people in the United States. Among the specific issues included in this course are (1) the impact of health behaviors on health status and the healthcare system; (2) the ethics of healthcare treatment and decision-making; (3) the patterns of health status based on gender, age, race, and income; (4) the cost of healthcare; (5) inequalities in access to healthcare; and (6) alternative models of healthcare reform. Prerequisite: One natural and one behavioral/social science course. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 337 - Tropical Culture: History of Invasions (3)

    Using a combination of a 10-day trip to a tropical location (such as Hawaii or the Bahamas) and classroom experiences at Avila both before and after the trip, this interdisciplinary course will examine the cultural and natural history of the selected tropical location. During the tropical location field experience, students will engage in both biological and social research experiences. Students will study the biology and geology of the tropical location and the surrounding Coral Sea environment. In addition, students will examine the tropical location’s past, present, and future, with an emphasis on the cultural diversity of its residents. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 340 - Mediation (3)

    An interdisciplinary course introducing students to the role of mediation in resolving disputes. It explores the social psychological basis for mediation, including conflict theory. Students develop practical mediation skills. The learning approach includes lectures, simulations, modeling, and practice mediations, in a variety of settings. Case studies and role plays will be used heavily. The disciplines of communication and psychology are represented. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 341 - Environmental Modeling (3)

    Addressing environmental problems involves gathering data and determining specific mathematical equations which describe the data - a process known as environmental modeling. Environmental models help us to assess the impact of a problem and to predict its future consequences. In this course, students learn general principles of environmental science and learn to construct environmental models using basic mathematical equations. Students integrate the disciplines of environmental science and mathematics as they develop specific mathematical models which describe the dispersion of pollutants in the environment, including ground water, air pollutants, and hazardous materials. Students work in teams with the aid of a computer. Field trips support an emphasis on local sites and applications. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 344 - Music & Politics (3)

    Musical works representative of folk, popular, and refined art idioms will provide subject matter for analysis and discussion of the following: conceptualizing the distinct nature of music from other art forms and human activities, the role of emotion in music and politics, the political use of music, and the musical representation of politics and political action as well as the possibility of music affecting social and political relations. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 345 - Politics & Literature (3)

    This course examines the language of political and literary texts in order to define the terms “politics” and “literature” and understand the relationship between them. Students will compare/contrast political and literary texts in terms of intention, use of narrative and metaphor, and effect, analyzing the politics in literature and the literature in political texts. Several questions fuel the course, including: How does the same text incite diverse readings at one historical moment? How do texts evolve through time? What elements give a text power? Can texts change the course of history? What are the factors that can interfere with diverse readings? Is every text political? Students will formulate their answers through discussions and written work and will become stronger readers through close reading, interpretation, and analysis. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 349 - The Language of the Body (3)

    This course examines the language of the body from the perspectives of theatre, psychotherapy, and the science of psychology. It will incorporate exercises and class projects designed to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the body’s capacity for expressive and receptive language. This physically active course will provide the student with an avenue toward personal growth and the knowledge of others. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies. SP.
  
  • IS 350 - Behavior & the Brain (3)

    This course seeks to explain vertebrate (especially human) behavior, traditionally within the domain of psychology, in terms of the biological disciplines of physiology, development, and evolution. Behavior will thus be examined from the viewpoint of both the psychologist and the biologist with common themes emerging from the two somewhat different views. The course provides an introduction to the biological mechanisms most relevant to key issues in psychology. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 351 - Addiction: Psychology & Biological Perspective (3)

    This course treats the topic of addiction from the psychological and biochemical perspectives. Psychological and biochemical models for understanding effects of addictive behaviors and implications for treatment will be presented. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 352 - Forging & Reality: Politics of Entertainment (3)

    This course examines the ways in which television, motion pictures, popular music, sports, and other entertainment modes portray American society, particularly in regard to race, class, and gender. Students will use the methods and insights of political science and history to analyze those representations and identify their effects on society on our political culture and on the individual. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 354 - Restorative Justice: Principles & Practice (3)

    This course provides an interdisciplinary look at restorative practices, particularly in our juvenile and adult penal systems. Students will use restorative philosophy to examine a variety of situations as well as consider the psychological and sociological factors involved. This course is intended for students interested in social justice issues. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 355 - Cross-Cultural Exploration (3)

    In keeping with Avila’s mission to prepare students for responsible lifelong contributions to the global community, this travel course will examine interactions among people of diverse cultural, language, gender, class, and religious backgrounds in educational and community settings. Students will participate in cultural immersion experiences and service learning projects within another country in the world. They will investigate issues of poverty, educational access, health care access, discrimination, and social justice from anthropological, developmental, educational, geographical, historical, psychological, sociological, religious, and economic perspectives. The course is intended to prompt students to examined and responsible action as citizens of the global community. PRE 2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Community Engagement, Global Studies. SP, intermittently.
  
  • IS 356 - Global Health Concerns (3)

    Global health is increasingly becoming a cross-cutting interdisciplinary field, integrating social, behavioral, and biological sciences. This course provides an opportunity to teach public health principles that illustrate global dependency as a contemporary and enduring real world issue. Core public health topics such as biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, behavioral health, health policy and administration, and maternal and child health ethics will be considered in the context of both American public health as well as global health. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies. SU.
  
  • IS 357 - Urban Culture (3)

    Travel to an identified city and encounter the cultural spaces through exploring local art museums, engaging with the architecture, studying the local film and music venues, and experiencing the ethnic enclaves as a way to learn about the culture of urban spaces and the interaction of art and environment. Students will be expected to integrate, synthesize, and communicate knowledge from the disciplines of communication and art + design. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 358 - Violence (3)

    A multidisciplinary investigation into acts and relations of social and political violence. This investigation may focus within the following arenas: the social phenomena of violence and power; the extent of its moral justifiability, political legitimacy, and practical efficacy; the reality and responsibilities of perpetrators, victims, and others; and how communities are rebuilding and sustaining relations within various present realities of violence. Within this subject matter and these contexts, the course aims to enrich and expand video techniques as well as develop creative representational strategies. Throughout the course, students work to advance critical skills as viewers, makers, and readers of filmmaking within the context of course content. Students will work individually and in groups to explore the advocacy potential of the video production process as well as the final product. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies, Community Engagement. SP, even years.
  
  • IS 359 - Literature Into Film (3)

    This English and Communication interdisciplinary course explores the complex interplay between film and literature. The focus of this course is to analyze, interpret, and compare selected works of literature to their film counterpart. This course will review the scholarship of each genre; familiarize students with the elements, structure, and cultural influence of each medium; and explore the process involved in transforming a textual art form into a conceptual one. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.
  
  • IS 360 - Human Rights & Social Justice (3)

    Drawing from the values and perspectives of Catholic Social Teaching through the lenses of Philosophy and Social Work practice, this course critically examines social justice concepts and develops intercultural skills needed to address issues of social justice with individuals and diverse communities. Through a cultural immersion experience abroad, students will be engaged with local communities and participate in community-based learning opportunities which address issues such as human rights, human dignity, solidarity with the poor, and the common good.  PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies, Community Engagement. SP, odd years.
  
  • IS 362 - The “Art” of War (3)

    Using an interdisciplinary methodology drawing upon the expertise from the disciplines of English and visual design, this course develops students’ ability to see beyond the surface meaning of works of art in order to develop an understanding of the ways in which art is used to both clarify and confuse the issues behind war in modern America. Students will explore several rhetorical theories and apply them to a variety of genres including art, film, literature, and posters. Key components of this course are a reconsideration of what should be properly considered “propaganda” and a focus on the moral and ethical implications inherent in creating art in service to a political/national cause. Prerequisite: EN 111  or EN 112 . PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 363 - Sports, Media, & Popular Culture (3)

    Students will explore the dynamic relationship between sports, media, and popular culture. Students will attend sporting events and assess media implications on societal issues including athletes as celebrities; Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and new media impacts on sports coverage; the changing gender roles in sports; and the advertising sports business connection. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Interdisciplinary Studies. FA.
  
  • IS 364 - Psychology of Film (3)

    The psychology of film course will provide the opportunity for students to learn how psychological and neurological process such as sensation, perception, attention, and memory relate to and interact with filmed media. Through film, demonstrations, original readings, and discussion, we will explore these relationships from a low level (such as optics and audition) to more mid-and high-level processes (such as inattentional blindness and perceptual load). PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. FA, odd years.
  
  • IS 365 - Ecology through the Writer’s Lens (3)

    In this course, students will integrate literary and scientific modes of inquiry while engaging in an in-depth study of the natural world. Each semester will focus on a particular ecosystem such as a tropical forest, temperate rainforest, temperate grasslands, or montane ecosystem. The course will include a 6-8 day field trip providing a first-hand experience of the ecosystem of interest. This ecosystem will serve as both a laboratory and a writer’s workshop where students will be encouraged to generate hypotheses and create new meanings. Before the trip, students will study the particular ecosystem and read representative works in nature writing, including science writing and creative writing. During the trip, students will write journals and narratives, do scene painting with words, and conduct detailed natural history observations geared toward generating hypotheses about species interactions and ecosystem dynamics. For their final writing project, students may focus on natural history, creative nonfiction, or fantasy. Final projects will be collated in a single volume and published online. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 366 - Food & Culture (3)

    An introduction to the role of food in society as a system of intercultural communication with an emphasis on advertising, packaging design, cultural identity, and food symbolism in film and art. Students critically analyze how humans use food, from how it is selected, obtained, and distributed to who prepares it, serves it, and eats it. As a universal human experience, food serves as a lens to better understand the diversity of the human experience. The course may sometimes be offered as a travel course, which would focus primarily on one individual country and culture. In its non-travel variation, students may visit various local food-related sites, e.g., restaurants, farmer’s markets, grocery stores, industrial food producers, or farms. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 367 - Art, Advertising, & Hip-Hop Culture (3)

    The elements of hip-hop culture including graffiti, poetry, spoken word, music, fashion, and video are explored as they influence art, advertising, and pop culture. Hip hop is also examined as a tool for community problem solving and advocacy. In this light, students prepare a portfolio of hip-hop influenced artistic and advertising executions for presentation and critique. Youth culture expresses their unique social and political views through graffiti and street art while advertisers market everything from sodas to sneakers mirrored in hip hop culture. The weekend intensive format allows for an exploration into both the breadth and depth of hip hop cultural influence as it relates to individual creativity, cultural evolution, and community problem solving. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Community Engagement. SP.
  
  • IS 368 - Christianity in Film (3)

    This course is a cross-disciplined investigation of the interaction between Christianity (both as a formal social institution and its cultural manifestations) and the global film industry. The course will focus on the widespread themes through which cinematographers have portrayed the world’s largest religion, along the way uncovering the flexibility of Christianity as a force interacting with and being impacted by culture. The course will grapple with the great diversity of Christian representations in film, including topics such as the following: the figure of Jesus; Catholic and Protestant theologies; Christian concepts of good, evil, and morality; and popular cultural forms of Christian discourse. PRE-2015 CORE: Level II & Level III. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 369 - Reasoning, History, & Social Implications of Science

    To date, science is the process that has allowed us to reveal the best, most accurate information about the universe. This course provides education and training in scientific thought and reasoning and in the implications for social justice of the methods and discoveries of science. These outcomes will be approached through a connection to the history, culture, and contributions of science, partially gained by visiting locations where important advances in scientific thinking have occurred. The course includes a required travel component (either regional or international). Daily itineraries during travel will include science/history/art museums, church visits, university/city tours, unique city/area visits, lecture/discussion, travel, and international meals. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 370 - Psychology of Religion (3)

    This course will examine religion as a psychological phenomenon and the way that it impacts the beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, and larger patterns of human culture. More specifically, this course will examine major issues such as (but not limited to) psychological models of religion (including what it is and how it functions), spiritual and religious identity development, the biological and cognitive elements of religion, the nature of religious experience, and the relationship between religion and mental health. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 372 - Being Together: A Global Context (3)

    This interdisciplinary course will introduce the student to thinking about what it means to exist together with other human beings in the midst of a “global” world, especially as that concept is navigated by means of gender, racial, class, and other differences. We will consider both the genesis of these categories and also how best to understand them, and we will do so largely by recognizing that they are influenced or determined by other categories, like, for example, power and desire. In this way, the course will consider both the most basic philosophical issues involved in existing with others (recognition, acknowledgment, and inter-subjectivity, as well as their failures) as well as the more specific ways in which we come to relate to and identify ourselves and each other (gender, race, class, and others). We will conclude the course by exploring issues of justice in light of a global context and of our explorations throughout the semester. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 373 - Restorative Relationships (3)

    This course focuses on the intersection of restorative relationships in the educational setting and the community and emphasizes social justice issues related to children, families, and the community at large. Zero tolerance policies in the educational system will be explored for the impact they have on negatively shaping behavior and how a focus on restorative interactions improves outcomes, including academic success, graduation rates, and behavior. It will also explore the psychological dynamics of conflict and which approaches are most effective in the education system. Discussion and case examples will be used to explore the topics. PRE-2015: Level III. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform, Interdisciplinary Studies. SP.
  
  • IS 374 - Staging History (3)

    This course explores the intersections of theatre and history from a broad, thematic perspective. In particular, students will analyze theatre as a cultural screen on which the challenges of humanity have been projected throughout history. From early Greek drama to the unspeakable horrors of the twentieth century, plays reveal how we struggle to define the meaning of being human, chronicle the social experience, and probe the limits of representation in dealing with the triumphs and sorrows of civilization. By analyzing the writing and staging of plays in a variety of historical, thematic, and global contexts, students will interpret and explore the relationships among creativity, culture, and the human experience. PRE-2015 CORE: Level III.  2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 375 - Theories & Literatures of Suffering (3)

    What is human suffering? How do we, as an audience, encounter it? How ought it be understood? What is its significance–ethically, politically, religiously, and otherwise–for humans and for human society? These questions inform this course, which revolves around examining literatures (poems, music, novels, films) that address suffering in the context of theories of suffering (philosophy). 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
  
  • IS 376 - Math Without Borders (3)

    This course is designed to instruct students on the skills of tutoring mathematics through the learning and application of basic Spanish and the instruction of mathematics. Students will directly engage with elementary school-aged students and/or their parents in both Spanish and English through direct fieldwork, as well as work closely with the course instructors and educators at the target school(s).  Prerequisite: SP 111 and a Foundations Level Math. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Community Engagement, Interdisciplinary Studies. SP, even years.
  
  • IS 377 - Global Bioethics (3)

    Exploration of ethical and societal issues related to modern medical and healthcare research. The course examines the issues from the perspective of the disciplines of healthcare and philosophy. Multiple viewpoints of contemporary global scientific issues are studied and weighed in light of one’s own value system. The purpose of this course will be to revisit various philosophies of ethics and explore how they interact with contemporary health issues.  Prerequisite: PL 255 . 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Contribute, Global Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies.
  
  • IS 378 - Adventures in Science Education (3)

    This course is an interdisciplinary investigation into the intersection of experiential science and education, embedded within a cultural immersion experience. Students in the course will collaborate, via technology, with university students in the host country in designing science laboratories. Students will then travel to the host country to implement the labs with their design partners and teachers in public elementary and/or secondary schools. Throughout this experience, students will examine the fields of science and pre-K-12 education, first through their own cultural lens, then subsequently through what is learned in the context of a culture unlike their own. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies. SP.

Kinesiology

  
  • KN 101 - Introduction to Kinesiology (3)

    This course provides a biophysical introduction to the study of human movement and the body’s responses to physical activity. Topics include an introduction to strength training anatomy, injury prevention, cardiovascular fitness, technology in sports, exercise program design, and nutrition for weight management. Additional emphasis is placed on the exploration of professional career opportunities in teaching, coaching, athletic training, sport management, fitness leadership, sport media, health/wellness, and physical therapy. FA.
  
  • KN 180 - Topics in Kinesiology (1-3)

    Selected topics in sports science based on student/faculty interest and current issues in sports science.
  
  • KN 211 - Applied Sports Medicine (3)

    The basic fundamentals of injury/illness recognition are covered as well as various strategies for the care and prevention of movement related injuries in athletic and physically active populations. Students will also learn to communicate effectively with health professionals and better understand individual rehabilitation needs. SP.
  
  • KN 236 - Measurement & Evaluation in Kinesiology (3)

    This course systematically guides students through the process of identifying and solving human performance problems in the areas of sports medicine, coaching, health promotion, and fitness training. Focusing on the concepts of reliability, objectivity, and validity, course instruction introduces participants to test and measurements and helps them through statistical decision making and accurate interpretation of data. FA.
  
  • KN 271 - Exercise & Nutrition (3)

    Principles of human nutrition are reviewed with an emphasis on human bioenergetics and energy metabolism for health and performance. Specific attention is given to energy transfer in the body at rest and during exercise, measurement of human energy expenditure, individual differences in metabolism, sport supplementation, and the metabolic challenges associated with obesity and diabetes. FA.
  
  • KN 280 - Special Topics in Kinesiology (1-3)

    Selected topics in sports science based on student/faculty interest and current issues in sports science.
  
  • KN 295 - Motor Behavior (3)

    The purpose of this course is to help participants learn the fundamental processes underlying the learning and performing of all kinds of movements. Participants discover how humans learn skilled actions and how the principles of motor performance and learning can be useful in teaching, coaching, rehabilitation, and the design of performer-friendly equipment and work environments. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. 2015 CORE: Global Studies. FA.
  
  • KN 314 - Personal Fitness Training (3)

    This personal fitness training course introduces students to a systematic approach to program design with exercise program guidelines and variables; protocols for building stabilization, strength, and power; and guidance on how to incorporate general fitness into a lifestyle approach that supports lifelong health and well-being. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. SP.
  
  • KN 319 - Biomechanics & Motor Control (3)

    This course provides a scientific foundation for the study of human movement by exploring how the nervous system controls the actions of muscles to produce human motion in relation to biomechanical principles. Emphasis is placed on force-motion relationships, the motor system, and adaptability of the motor system. Laboratory activities involve analyzing movement skills, identifying and correcting errors in movement skills, and developing strategies that optimize motor learning and performance. Prerequisites: PH 117  or PH 231  with a “C” or higher and Junior standing. SP.
  
  • KN 380 - Special Topics in Kinesiology (1-3)

    Selected topics in sports science based on student/faculty interest and current issues in sports science.
  
  • KN 381 - Exercise Physiology (3)

    An in-depth study of exercising muscle, cardiorespiratory function, exercise testing and training principles, and environmental influences on human performance. It builds on the knowledge developed during basic course work in math and science (e.g., algebra, biology, chemistry, physics, human anatomy and physiology) to apply those principles to studying how the whole body responds to the physiological challenges associated with physical activity and physical activity deficiency. Prerequisites: BI 220  with a “C” or higher and Junior standing. SP.
  
  • KN 393 - Sports Psychology (3)

    The primary academic objectives of the course include the introduction of the short but rich history of sport psychology, to provide an overview of the specializations within the field, to explore practical applications of psychological research and theory to exercise and athletic competition, and lastly, to familiarize the student with potential careers and interest areas within sport psychology. Prerequisites: CO 225  or PY 101  with a “C” or higher and Junior standing. SP.
  
  • KN 418 - Clinical Kinesiology (3)

    Provides a solid foundation in neuromechanics and functional anatomy as they relate to both normal and abnormal movement. Emphasis is placed on the integrated relationships between structure and function of the skeletal-articular, myofascial, and motor control systems. Laboratory activities include measuring joint range of motion, manual muscle testing, and movement assessment. Prerequisites: BI 220  with a “C” or higher and Junior standing. FA.
  
  • KN 420 - Stress Physiology (3)

    Examines the stress-response and effects of chronic psychological stress on various body systems. It employs a psychophysiological approach to study the human stress response, regulation and adaptation to chronic stress, and the effects of trauma on physical and mental health throughout the lifespan.  Personal and social responsibilities for dealing with stress related disorders and conditions, health epidemics, natural disasters, and the effects of war are evaluated. The global impact of stress is evaluated through interactions with a diverse range of people, ideas, cultural perspectives, and global organizations. Prerequisites: BI 220  or 300 level Psychology class with a “C” or better and Junior standing. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Contribute, Global Studies. FA.
  
  • KN 455 - Principles of Strength & Conditioning (3)

    This course is based on national standards for strength and conditioning coaches. It provides future strength and conditioning professionals as well as sports medicine specialists a comprehensive review of the structure and function of body systems, nutrition, sport psychology, training adaptations, testing and evaluation, exercise techniques, program design, and organization and administration of facilities. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
  
  • KN 475 - National Certification (1)

    This course prepares students to take a standardized national certification exam in the field of Kinesiology. Students may choose to focus on personal training, strength and conditioning for sports, lifestyle and weight management, health and fitness coaching, or clinical exercise. All approved certification exams are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Prerequisites: KN 314  or KN 455  and Junior standing. FA, SP.
  
  • KN 480 - Special Topics in Kinesiology (1-3)

    Selected topics in sports science based on student/faculty interest and current issues in sports science.
  
  • KN 482 - Internship in Kinesiology (3)

    This course is a carefully monitored work or service experience occurring off-campus at an institution or agency specializing in an area relevant to the student’s ultimate career goals. The student will meet the intended learning outcomes for the experience. For Kinesiology majors only. Prerequisite: Junior standing. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Contribute, Community Engagement. FA, SP, SU.
  
  • KN 498 - Kinesiology Research (3)

    This course provides an overall perspective of the research process and emphasizes a systematic approach through which students critically participate in the practice of inquiry and response that is important to academic and professional success.  Students will work with faculty to review literature, develop methodology, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, report findings, and make recommendations for future research in the area. Prerequisite: Junior standing.  FA, SP.
  
  • KN 499 - Research Seminar (1)

    This course will allow students to demonstrate a basic understanding of the design and methods of kinesiology research. Students will participate in research article discussions and presentations. The course will help students develop skills in research design, research methods, and communication. Students will be required to complete a research paper and presentation on their topic of choice. This meets the Capstone course requirement in the major. Corequisites: MA 155  or SO 230  and Senior standing. FA, SP.

Mathematics

  
  • MA 051 - Math Fundamentals (3)

    The purpose of this course is to review and reinforce elementary algebra skills that are necessary for the successful completion of Mathematical Perspectives. The topics covered may include operations and properties of real numbers, solving linear equations and inequalities, basics of graphing, solving systems of equations, operations involving polynomial expressions, factoring, simplifying exponential and radical expressions, solving quadratic equations, and other related topics. Does not satisfy core requirements, serve as a prerequisite for other math courses, or count toward degree programs.
  
  • MA 092 - Mathematical Literacy (3)

    This class is an introduction to college-level mathematics. In this course, students will develop skills in numeracy, proportional reasoning, algebraic reasoning, and functions in the context of problem-solving. The course will also focus on interpreting data presented in multiple formats in order to help students understand the role mathematics plays in the world. Does not satisfy core requirements or count toward degree programs. FA, SP.
  
  • MA 114 - Mathematics Lab (1)

    This is a supplementary course intended to provide as-needed instruction for students enrolling in either MA 115 or MA 120. The course satisfies the developmental requirement for students who do not meet the placement criteria for MA 115 or MA 120 but have been placed out of or have taken MA 092. This class is graded Credit/No Credit. Failure to earn a grade of Credit in this course will automatically result in an F for the corresponding Foundations course (MA 115 or MA120). Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 092  (or equivalent) with a grade of “C” or better. Corequisite: MA 115  or MA 120 . FA, SP.
  
  • MA 115 - Applications of College Mathematics (3)

    Elementary probabilistic and statistical concepts, systems of equations, elementary linear algebra and other related topics. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score, or MA 092  (or equivalent) with a grade of “C” or better. Placement via MA 092  or certain placement scores will require MA 114  as a corequisite. PRE-2015 CORE: Level I. FA, SP.
  
  • MA 116 - Techno Mathematics (3)

    This class looks at the ways in which technology can be used to study topics in contemporary mathematics. The course will cover topics such as financial mathematics, the mathematics of computing, and coordinate systems. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 092  (or equivalent) with a grade of “C” or better. FA, SP.
  
  • MA 120 - College Algebra (3)

    Equations and inequalities, properties and graphs of linear, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic and inverse functions and other related topics. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 092  with a grade of “C” or better. Placement via MA 092  or certain placement scores will require MA 114  as a corequisite. PRE-2015 CORE: Level I. FA, SP.
  
  • MA 121 - Trigonometry (3)

    Trigonometric functions and their graphs, trigonometric identities, inverse trigonometric functions, solving trigonometric equations, solving the general triangle, vectors, polar representation of complex numbers, powers and roots of complex numbers, some aspects of analytic geometry, and other related topics. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 120  with a grade of “C” or better.
  
  • MA 125 - Precalculus (4)

    Properties and graphs of algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, and inverse functions; trigonometry; and other related topics. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 120  with a grade of “C” or better. PRE-2015 CORE: Level I. FA.
  
  • MA 155 - Elementary Probability & Statistics (3)

    Introduction to basic principles of statistics, probability involving sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression, correlations, and applications. Prerequisite:  Foundations mathematics course with a grade of “C” or better. SP.
  
  • MA 170 - Business Calculus (3)

    Limits, derivatives, and integrals with an emphasis on business applications. This course is intended for students whose major is not mathematics or any natural science. It cannot be used as a substitute for MA 241 . This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: MA 120  or MA 121  or MA 125  with a grade of “C” or better.
  
  • MA 180 - Special Topics in Mathematics (1-3)

    Selected mathematical topics related to a theme chosen by mathematics faculty on the basis of current student interests. Prerequisite: Varies based on topic selected.
  
  • MA 207 - Geometry for Elementary & Middle School Teachers (3)

    Development of non-metric geometry of the plane and space, measurement of lengths and angles, simple closed curves, and congruent and similar figures. These topics are treated with attention to the pedagogical and content needs of elementary and middle school students and teachers. Prerequisite: Foundations math with a grade of “C” or better.  FA.
  
  • MA 230 - Discrete Mathematics (3)

    Introduction to sets, relations, functions, logic, Boolean algebras, induction, combinatorics, sequences, recurrence relations, graph theory, and bases. Prerequisite: MA 121  or MA 125  with a grade of “C” or better. FA.
  
  • MA 241 - Calculus & Analytic Geometry I (5)

    A development of the important ideas of a single variable calculus including limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. This is a Foundations course. Prerequisite: Appropriate ACT or placement score or MA 121  or MA 125  with a grade of “C” or better. PRE-2015 CORE: Level I. SP.
  
  • MA 242 - Calculus & Analytic Geometry II (4)

    A continuation of MA 241 including techniques of integration, indeterminate forms, sequences and series, and Taylor polynomials. Prerequisite: MA 241  with a grade of “C” or better.
  
  • MA 243 - Calculus & Analytic Geometry III (4)

    A continuation of MA 242 including vectors in two and three dimensions, vector-valued functions and their derivatives, line and surface integrals, analytical geometry in three dimensions, differential calculus of functions of two or more variables and applications, and multiple integration. Prerequisite: MA 242  with a grade of “C” or better. SP.
  
  • MA 315 - Introduction to Advanced Mathematics (3)

    Introduction to formulating and writing proofs, logic, sets, relations, functions, mathematical induction, counting, graph theory, elementary number theory, and other related topics. Prerequisite: MA 230  or MA 241   with a grade of “C” or better. Intermittently.
  
  • MA 320 - Linear Algebra (3)

    Elementary theory and applications of matrices, vector spaces and linear transformations, determinants, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and other related topics. Prerequisite: MA 242  or MA 315  with a grade of “C” or better.
 

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