Summer Term Courses

This course should be taken with a co-curricular community-engaged learning (CEL) experience that has been registered and approved in advance. During the seminar, we will examine theory related to understanding citizenship and civic life in the 21st century and discuss challenging questions related to social change, as well as principles and strategies for responsible and ethical engagement with communities.

1 CreditSW-LE

An introduction to the theory and practice of United States government. The course surveys the underlying structure of U.S. politics, its economic, cultural and legal foundations and the daily practice of politics, e.g. groups, parties, and the mass media.

4 CreditsS, WK-SIPre- or Co-requisite: FYC-101

This course focuses primarily on the impact of ten human infectious diseases that have changed the world. Each disease is analyzed from five distinct perspectives: Clinical, Historical, Economic, Artistic, and Public Health. We also discuss genomics aspects of the infective organisms and of their human hosts. Pre- or co-requisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109

3 CreditsCA,N,WK-SP,CTGES

This course examines the science and politics of global climate change, including data and analyses in the assessment reports of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The course also examines how governments and other political actors craft and shape policies related to climate change. Special attention will be placed on the extent to which public policy is influenced by scientific evidence and political considerations. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course.

4 CreditsCONN,IC

Understanding international economics is increasingly important for private and public decision-makers. In a world of growing economic interdependence, the ability of policy makers to provide a stable environment for business is a key issue. Accordingly, this course develops the principle topics of international economics, including trade theory, the balance of payments, the cause and consequences of exchange rate movements, the flow of capital, currency crises and regional trade issues. The applied topics emphasized will be based on the most pressing current issues.

3 CreditsS,I

Introduces the culture of exceptionalities within the public special education system. Historical, philosophical, educational, and legal perspectives will be presented. Students will learn the categories of exceptionalities, general characteristics of individuals with exceptionalities eligibility criteria, and the referral process for special education services. Professional and community resources, inclusion and other current issues will be discussed.

3 CreditsSPrerequisites: ED-110 and ED-111 and either ED-120 or ED-130.

Pennsylvania is a rich and storied landscape featuring a large rural area bookended by two historic cities, all serving as the backdrop for this course. Using literature and film, as well as articles, musical selections, and local engagement activities, this course will examine stories portraying various cultures, lifestyles, and people in Pennsylvania. This course will also consider how many of the different communities and peoples that make up the Keystone State have been represented historically and in fiction. Students will also explore some of the complex social, political, and economic contexts that have shaped the state's history as well as the lived experiences of its people.

4 CreditsH,SW-USPre-Req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

When we want to convey a message to others, how do we choose whether to Tweet, blog, or shoot video? And why does it matter which we choose? Contemporary life asks us to be agile interpreters of images, texts, and sounds. In response, this course immerses students into the theory and practice of how and why we choose the media in which we communicate. Students explore how we understand and manipulate media, but also how media-in and of themselves-influence what gets written and how. Through an assignment sequence that includes text, webtext, image, sound, and video, students gain strength and versatility as writers by honing their awareness of genre, audience, and rhetorical situation. The course culminates in a multimodal, web-based portfolio. This course may be of interest to those considering not only professional writing, but also business, marketing, technology, creative entrepreneurship, media studies, art, and/or design.

3 CreditsH,CW,CTDHPre-Req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

Analyzes the principles and practice of international relations and the foreign policy of the United States, political, diplomatic, military and economic.

4 CreditsS, I, SW-GE

This course meets the Ethical Responsibility requirement. This course will cover basic issues relevant to understanding and evaluating moral judgment. We will compare philosophical models of human judgment with psychological models of human judgment. You will apply both philosophical and psychological models to contemporary ethical issues and reflect on your own beliefs and social responsibilities.

3-4 CreditsS, SW-ER, CTGES

Cultural psychology is the scientific study of how cultural norms influence how individuals think, feel, and behave. Cultural psychologists study the ultimate social situation: culture. Questions from this field are relevant to our everyday lives and are important in shaping our understanding of ourselves and views of others.

3 CreditsS 

The study of human social groups and the social processes that lead to both structural and cultural integration and differentiation primarily within contemporary American society.

3 CreditsS

This course explores what astronomers know about the size and scale of our Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, and the Universe as a whole. Hands-on exercises introduce students to the tools and techniques used to measure such immense distances.

4 CreditsN,WK-SPPre-req: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

An examination of the convergence of mass media (print, radio, television, sound, film, and internet) which serve our most common public interests. The focus is on the four primary functions to inform, to entertain, to persuade, and to transmit culture. Students have a better understanding of the tension between media as business and its social responsibility to its citizens. This course is not open to seniors.

3 CreditsH, CS

This course on Science and Society is intended to review historical issues in science and the debate that surrounds societal decision-making. Thus, students will examine this topic from the perspective of scientific process and social inquiry. In addition, we will also review current " hot topics " in science, research these topics from various aspects including societal impacts and scientific advancements. They will also discuss potential resolutions, moving toward becoming more scientifically literate. We will also be discussing current " popular " books on related science. Ultimately, we will compare what the scientists are saying in professional journals versus the interpretation presented to the general public. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course.

3 CreditsCONN,CA,CW

This course covers basic descriptive and inferential statistics, normal curve and z-score computations, and addresses hypothesis testing using Chi-Square, T-Test, ANOVA, and linear regression modelling.

3 Credits QS,S

Analyzes consumer behavior leading to selection of product as well as pricing, promotion and distribution strategies. Research projects help students apply concepts to the complexities of decision making in marketing. 

3 CreditsSPrerequisite: EB201. 

Discusses the historical and contemporary bases of major political, economic, legal, sociological, and psychological issues affecting public school systems. Students review current issues in education and write a personal philosophy statement.

3 CreditsSCorequisite: ED111.

First Year Composition is a three-credit course taken during the first semester of the first year. It focuses on developing critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. Course themes will be chosen by individual instructors. FYC courses follow a process-oriented approach to college work and include peer review, individual conferences with the instructor, and revision cycles. FYC courses will introduce students to different types of reading and writing using varied models, genres, and forms (such as popular, scholarly, digital, and print). The courses build students' information literacy skills, rhetorical knowledge, critical thinking, and knowledge of appropriate genre and style conventions. FYC courses focus on developing these skills to prepare students for future academic work.

4 Credits (beginning  Fall 2023)

What do citizens owe to fellow citizens at the local, national, and global levels? This course contemplates this question by examining the role of citizens in civil society. It examines citizens' social responsibility to others. It fosters each citizen's sense of empathy toward other citizens (including toward citizens living in different circumstances or having different worldviews) by exploring the social contexts of public policy problems. Using ethical reasoning, citizens will understand the ethics of citizenship in different settings and traditions. Citizens will consider the ramifications of enacting alternative public policies on the wellbeing of fellow citizens and of civil society.

4 CreditsSW-ER

An overview of the content and methodology in the field. Topics such as the history of psychology, physiological psychology, learning and memory, perception, motivation, child development, personality and social foundations are considered

3 CreditsS

This course introduces the scientific study of emotion (Affective Science). It examines the historical and philosophical origins of emotion but focuses on contemporary theories, concepts, and methods of study in emotion science; the relationship between emotion, cognition, and the brain; and variation in emotion phenomena related to gender, culture, and group processes.

3 CreditsSPre- or Co-Requisite: PY-101 or SO-101.

Compositions are a collaborative way to rehearse a play, build a play, and nurture ensemble. Built off an idea or theme, book or novel, or an existing play, these short theatre pieces can be woven together into a full-length production or simply stand-alone exercises to deepen an artists' understanding of work. We will be building all of our work off of a central idea with multiple source documents with the goal of creating a final, full-length performance piece.

3 CreditsWK-CE, H, F