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Honors Program

 

 

Spring 2010 Honors Courses

 

 

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races
one after another" ~Walter Elliott~

 

                                  

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Spring 2010 registration for Honors students will begin on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4. (Second-semester seniors will register two days earlier.) Make sure to see your department or college advisor well before November 4, so that your advising hold will be removed when the time comes for you to register for your Spring classes!

Anthropology 344-01H (25043)

Cultures of Memory
TuTh 9:30-10:45
Professor Andrea Klimt

3 credits. In this course, we will explore how shared understandings of the past are created and argued about. Our focus will be on how those collective memories continually shape what we do, think, and feel—as individuals, as a community, and as a nation—and why some aspects of the nation’s past are celebrated and widely known, while others are ignored, dramatically rewritten, or actively suppressed. We will examine accounts of controversial events such as the Vietnam War, the dropping of the atom bomb, slavery, and the Holocaust in order to understand why people argue so fiercely about how the past is remembered and represented. Various memory sites such as movies, memorials, museums, school textbooks, and family stories will be the focus of our discussions and each student will have the opportunity to conduct original research on a local memory site of her/his choosing. The aim is for us to understand the arguments, passions, and power struggles around the making of narratives that count as “history.” Cross-listed as SOC 344-01H. Gen Ed G; Social Science

Art History 150-04H (24727)

Modern to Contemporary Art
MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor Sarah Lowery Laperle

3 credits. This course introduces students to key moments in the history of modern art in the newly industrial societies of Europe and America. We will examine objects of visual art including painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and video from the late 19th century to the present. We will also examine the contemporary gallery system and marketplace, in part by means of a field trip to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The prerequisite normally required for this course (ARH 125) does not apply to the Honors section. Because prerequisites cannot be waived for individual sections in COIN, however, you will need to ask Professor Laperle for a permission number in order to enroll yourself in COIN. Alternatively, the Honors Director or your advisor can add you to the course by overriding “course requisites” in COIN. Gen Ed C or G; Humanities

Biology 132-03H (24395)

Biology of Organisms Laboratory II
Wednesday 2:00-4:50
Professor Guillermo Paz-y-Miño

One credit. Biology of Organisms Laboratory II is the arena in which students’ analytical skills and critical thinking continue to develop. It is a challenging and enjoyable journey. As a consequence of exploring scientific hypotheses and working in unique experimental settings, students retain much information concerning the structure, function, and behavioral adaptations of living organisms. Most importantly, students become independent learners of biology and value both its philosophical and practical significance in today’s world. Students discover that nature is measurable and factual (=observable) and that biology provides them with naturalistic explanations about life processes andpatterns. Students feel comfortable working in the laboratory and become skillful at using sophisticated equipment; they understand and apply statistical concepts, write scientific papers, design posters and multi-media-based oral presentations, participate in workshop-like experiences, and attend scientific meetings specifically organized for college audiences. Corequisite: BIO 122. Gen Ed S; Natural Science

Chemistry 156-02H/01R1 (25694)

Modern Chemical Principles II
MWF 11:00-11:50, Wed. 12:00-12:50
Professor David Goodson

3 credits. Intermolecular forces; properties of gases, solids, and liquids; aqueous solutions; chemical equilibrium; acids, bases, and buffers; chemical reaction rates; electrochemistry; nuclear chemistry. Prerequisite: CHM 155 or permission of instructor. Corequisite: CHM 162 or 164. Honors students are encouraged to enroll in CHM 164, either section 01 (25719) or section 02 (25720). Gen Ed S; Natural Science

Economics 232-02H (23758)

Principles of Macroeconomics
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Robert Jones

The course examines how the economy works. First, we will define terms like GDP, the inflation rate, the unemployment rate, and other terms that often appear in the news. We will also see how these measures are calculated, and discuss how they can be used to assess the state of the economy. Finally, we will examine how various macroeconomic variables are related to each other. For example, we will see what happens to interest rates when people start saving more, or what happens to prices when the Federal Reserve System prints too much money. After taking the class you should have a basic understanding of how the economy works, and thus be better prepared to make economic decisions as heads of your family, and/or voters, and/or policy-makers, and/or business managers. Gen Ed G; Social Science

English 102-06H (23866)

MWF 9:00-9:50
Critical Reading & Writing II
TBA

English 102-15H (23875)

MWF 11:00-11:50 Critical Reading & Writing II
TBA

English 102-48H (23908)

TuTh 2:00-3:15 Critical Reading & Writing II
Professor Patricia White

English 252-01H (23940)

TuTh 12:30-1:45 Introduction to the Novel
Professor William Nelles

3 credits. We will read and discuss about a dozen novels of various types and periods, tracing the history and form of the genre from its antecedents in the classical romance (e.g., Apuleius, The Golden Ass) through its gradual development from the 18th to 20th centuries as one of the dominant modes of world literature (Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders; Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice; William Faulkner, Light in August) to the “postmodern” narratives of the 21st century (Thomas Pynchon. Inherent Vice). Gen Ed C; Humanities; Literature

History 102-02H (23682)

Western Civilization II
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Robert Pontbriand

3 credits. Western Civilization II: “From Goths to Gargoyles to Gamma Rays.” This is not your father’s Western Civilization survey course! Rather, it is a lively and interactive romp through the development of Western civilization from the time of the Gothic to the great wars of the twentieth century and beyond. The approach is multidisciplinary. You can expect to explore this history through a variety of media including art, music, literature, philosophy, and religion. After all, history is not the mere march of events or facts through time, but is, more importantly, an inquiry into their meaning. The aim of this course is to facilitate an understanding of the process of historical continuity and acculturation, and to develop an appreciation for the study of history and the humanities and to recognize their importance in your own life. You know what the oracle said: “Know Thyself.” There are no prerequisites. Do your brain a favor and sign up now! Gen Ed C or G; Humanities

History 116-07H (23697)

History of the United States II
TuTh 11:00-12:15
Professor Betty Mitchell

3 credits. This course surveys the history of the United States from Reconstruction to the present day. Using monographs and firsthand evidence, students will have an opportunity to act as genuine historians, exploring and analyzing historical issues in times of peace and in times of war. During this semester, we will pose and try to answer a number of important questions about our country’s history. President Abraham Lincoln had hoped that the results of America’s bloodiest war, the Civil War, would result in a new birth of freedom. We will explore the meaning of words like “freedom” and “equality,” and we will ask what these words meant to women and men of different economic classes, races, and ethnic groups. We will also explore the role of our nation in the world, in war and at peace, in prosperity and in decline. Gen Ed C or D; Humanities

History 357-01H (23724)

Empires of Central Asia
MWF 2:00-2:50
Professor Brian Williams

For centuries, conquerors from Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to the Soviet Union have tried to dominate the untamed tribes and mountains of Afghanistan. But they all failed to conquer the “Graveyard of Empires.” Now a new conqueror has arrived from across the globe in the form of the US military, which is hunting the Al Qaeda terrorists who attacked America on 9/11. More American soldiers are now dying in the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan than in Iraq, and President Obama has added an extra twenty thousand soldiers to the war against the seemingly indomitable Taliban insurgents. But for all the fact that Afghanistan, the original theater of the “War on Terror,” has become Obama’s war, few Americans know the basics about the colorful country and its tribal people. This class aims to fill that void by providing the one thing that is missing in most Americans’ discussion of Afghanistan: historical context. This class will introduce you to the waves of conquering hordes, religions, and empires that swept over this land, and teach you the basics of the on-going war to destroy the Taliban and Al Qaeda. We will enter the world of warlords, terrorists, drug dealers, Islamic fanatics, and veiled women, and come to understand this exotic country that is at the heart of the war against the re-grouping Al Qaeda. Professor Brian Williams has interviewed Taliban prisoners of war, lived with warlords, and worked with US Special Forces during his four trips to Afghanistan. For more on Professor Williams and the class, including photographs and videos, see his interactive website at: www.brianglynwilliams.com. Gen Ed C or G; Humanities

Honors 101-01H (25005)

Scholarship in Community
TuTh 12:30-1:45
Professor Robert Darst

3 credits. Sustainability on Campus. What is a “sustainable community”? How can we live “sustainably” in a world of limited resources, environmental degradation, and vast inequalities in human development? Although these are questions of great global importance, the answers begin at home. How can we make UMass Dartmouth a more sustainable community? We will examine this challenge from a wide range of professional and academic disciplines, inside and outside of the classroom, within the Ring Road and beyond. What’s more, we will put our ideas into action by participating in the formulation of a new plan for natural resource management on our 700-acre campus. We will collect baseline data on the diversity, abundance, and behavior of plants and animals on campus, and consider various options for the conservation and utilization of these resources. No prior knowledge is necessary—the only prerequisites are curiosity and a pair of sensible shoes! For freshmen and sophomores in the Honors Program. Gen Ed D or E

Honors 302-01H (25006)

Honors Research Across the Disciplines II
Wednesday 5:00-6:15 PM
Professor Robert Darst

1.5 credits. This is the second half of the Honors Program’s junior-year seminar, designed to prepare students to undertake their Honors thesis or project. We will explore topics such as the steps in the thesis/project process, research ethics, and different forms of public presentation. By the end of the semester, you will (at a minimum) complete “step one” of the thesis/project process, completion of the project proposal. Honors 301 is NOT a prerequisite. If you are planning to begin your thesis/project in Fall 2010, you should enroll in Honors 302 this semester, regardless of whether you have taken Honors 301.

Management 492-02H (24899)

Special Topics in Management: Corporate Social Responsibility & Business Law
Wednesday 6:30-9:30 PM
Professor Adam Sulkowski

3 credits. This course provokes you to examine the responsibilities of managers to all stakeholders of business enterprises. Major concepts and key lessons can be applied in a wide array of other careers. The course will require learning about sustainable business concepts, models of corporate responsibility, and laws. Most weeks will therefore feature three sets of assignments: (1) readings about case studies of positive role models of sustainability, (2) team case studies that require you to develop and defend action plans, and (3) guided readings and discussions about legal concepts that relate to the cases. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing AND permission of instructor (Professor Sulkowski).

Mathematics 112-01H (24933)

Analytic Geometry & Calculus II
MW 2:00-3:45
Professor Alfa Heryudono

4 credits.

The calculus saga at UMass Dartmouth continues. Legendary “Honors” heroes have escaped from the Calculus I labyrinth. Only one question is asked of them: Do you crave more battles? If yes is the answer, the world of Calculus II will be opened for you? New and powerful enemies are waiting: tricky integrals, the shells, never-ending series, the world of infinity, and the polar world. To defeat them, Honors heroes must be exposed to beautiful theorems and cool proofs and trained to solve mind-boggling problems. As in Calculus I, indispensable Computer Algebra System (CAS) tools will be used to create serious damage to the enemies. This Honors course will cover each topic more deeply than regular sections.

Music 103-01H (25764)

Introduction to World Music
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Jamie Eckert

3 credits. In this class, we will explore the musical traditions of various cultures with respect to their historical, social, and cultural backgrounds. We will also explore different approaches to musical organization, musical practice, and significant aspects of style within a world music setting. Historical and contemporary styles of world music studied include reggae, salsa, high life, rock, and calypso. Gen Ed C or G; Humanities

Philosophy 101-04H (24534)

Introduction to Philosophy
TuTh 11:00-12:15
Professor Jennifer Mulnix

3 credits. The goal of this course is to introduce students to the subject of philosophy and philosophical method. It is the job of philosophy to examine our beliefs. Why do we hold the beliefs that we do? Do we have good reasons for them? We will explore several perennial problems in philosophy: How does the mind relate to the body? Is there an enduring self? Does morality depend on personal taste? Are there universal moral principles that apply to all people at all times? What justifies state authority? Is there an ideal just state? Students will learn to recognize, articulate, and construct philosophical arguments, and to apply the philosophical methods learned in this course to other fields of study. Gen Ed C or E; Humanities

Philosophy 215-04H (24553)

Introduction to Ethics
TuTh 9:30-10:45
Professor Timothy Nulty

3 credits. “Introduction to Ethics” serves to inform students about some of the major questions and topics in the study of ethics. This course will enhance your ability to recognize the complex interplay between moral concepts and lived experience, and will provide you with critical thinking skills that are necessary for constructively approaching and evaluating complex ethical dilemmas. We will examine moral problems such as the treatment of animals, affluence and poverty, affirmative action, and the environment. Gen Ed W and C or E; Humanities

Physics 151-01H (23515)

Introduction to Astronomy
TuTh 3:30-4:45
Professor Alan Hirshfeld

In honor of the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s introduction of the telescope to astronomy, the theme of the spring 2009 Honors Introductory Astronomy course will be “The Universe through the Telescope”: how telescopes were invented, how they work, how they propelled the development of astronomy both through history and today, and what they have revealed about our universe. From the first crude telescopes, which barely magnified at all, to modern mountaintop behemoths, which are rigged with computers and lasers to steady their view, to the restored Hubble Space Telescope, which is again peering billions of light-years into space, telescopes have given astronomers the essential tool they needed to reveal celestial objects too faint to be seen by the human eye. The many discoveries made with these instruments will be discussed. Students will also carry out their own night-sky viewing with the university’s 16-inch telescope. Gen Ed S; Natural Science

Physics 352-01H (23526)

Physics of the Environment
MWF 2:00-2:50
Professor Charles Nickels

3 credits. We will study the economics of sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydrogen power. We will also discuss the fundamentals of other sources of power, such as hydroelectric, fission, and fusion. We will study the atmosphere, pollution, and its effect on ecology. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Students must have taken Math 101 or 131, or an equivalent math course in algebra and trigonometry, and one semester of Introduction to Physics.

Political Science 101-04H (24977)

Introduction to American Politics
TuTh 9:30-10:45
Professor Shannon Jenkins

3 credits. Students study a variety of topics in college, but the study of American politics is especially important because we approach the material as citizens as well as learners. As citizens, we are responsible for the health of our political system, and it is critical that we evaluate it accurately and responsibly. Evaluation, however, can only take place with a solid understanding of the true nature of the political process and the institutions of American government. In this class, you will learn how the U.S. political system functions, why it functions this way, and how to evaluate the performance of our government. We will do so not only through readings and discussions about the U.S. political system, but also through a simulation of the Massachusetts gubernatorial election. In this simulation, you and your fellow students will represent competing campaign organizations, each supporting a different gubernatorial candidate’s bid in a mock election. Gen Ed E; Social Science

Psychology 101-08H (24035)

General Psychology
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Amy Shapiro

3 credits. This course is all about YOU. Focusing on a research-based approach to the discipline, the course offers an understanding of basic principles underlying human behavior, including memory, learning, disorders, sleep and dreams, social interactions, and more. The course will draw from a variety of perspectives in the field to explain both common and unusual human behaviors. Social Science

Sociology 101-02H (25081)

Introduction to Sociology
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Colleen Avedikian

3 credits. Have you ever wondered why do people do what they do? What factors influence their behaviors, their values, their understanding of the world around them? If so, this is the course for you! Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior. This course explores the basic concepts, research methods and theories concerning the relationship between individuals and society, with an emphasis on the influence of social groups, culture, social structure and institutions in explaining human activity. We will examine the topics of socialization, deviance, sex and gender, social stratification, race and ethnicity, government and politics, economy, religion, family, education, and social change. Gen Ed D; Social Science

Sociology 200-05H (25093)

Introduction to Social Thought
TuTh 3:30-4:45
Professor Larry Miller

3 credits. In this course, we will read classic works of social theory, including Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Mary Wollstonecraft, Edmund Burke, and Karl Marx. We will discuss these and other works in their historical context and as constituting a long conversation about the nature of society. We will explore the links between this conversation and modern social theory (e.g. Durkheim, Weber and Gramsci). The prerequisites normally required for this course do not apply to the Honors section. Because prerequisites cannot be waived for individual sections in COIN, however, you will need to ask Professor Miller for a permission number in order to enroll yourself in COIN. Alternatively, the Honors Director or your advisor can add you to the course by overriding “course requisites” in COIN. Social Science

Sociology 344-01H (25044)

Cultures of Memory
TuTh 9:30-10:45
Professor Andrea Klimt

3 credits. See the description for Anthropology 344-01H. Gen Ed G; Social Science

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