Professors Bremmer, Brophy, Carlson, Carvill, Casey, Christ, Clark, Dyer, Garcia, Gardner, Heeter, Hirotani, House, Kukral, Luegenbiehl, Mafi-Kreft, Martland, Mason, Michel, Minster, Pickett, Schumacher, Smith, Watt, Williams, and Zoetewey.

MISSION

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) seeks to encourage the emotional and intellectual growth of Rose-Hulman students, enabling them to become sophisticated thinkers, active citizens, and effective leaders and to lead rewarding lives.

GOALS

The Department seeks to foster in each student:

Growth: Curiosity, creativity, an awareness of self, and a commitment to life-long learning and achievement.

Values: Ethical standards, a sense of responsibility for one’s actions, and a desire to contribute to the world.

Critical Reasoning: Analytical and synthesizing skills that permit one to form independent, cogent opinions and to define and solve problems.

Communication Skills: The capacity to understand others and to express oneself clearly and persuasively.

Breadth of Knowledge: An appreciation for the humanistic and social dimensions of human existence.

Systemic Thinking: An awareness that societal processes—the context within which science and technology exist—are complex and interactive.

Openmindedness: An appreciation for alternative points of view and the diversity of human cultures.

Flexibility: The ability to adapt to personal, professional, societal, and global change.

The Department seeks to maintain faculty of high quality, to continue program and curricular development, and to support excellent teaching through professional development. The Department seeks to support and encourage service to the Department, the Institute, appropriate professions, and the community.

DISCIPLINES

The Department’s courses are listed under each academic discipline in the following pages with the discipline identified by the center digit of the course number. In addition, each course fits into one of four thematic categories which is indicated by the course’s two-letter prefix.

Thematic Categories

Global Studies (GL prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on non-Western cultural traditions, or on the interrelationships among multiple societies.
  Rhetoric and Expression (RH prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on human communication in all its forms.
  Self and Society (SL prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on the dynamics and patterns of human and social interaction.
  Values and Contemporary Issues (VA prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on societal values and/or on current topics of importance.

Note: The prefix of foreign language courses identifies the language: GE German JP Japanese SP Spanish

The allocation of these courses into the thematic categories is described below.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

1. General
All students must take a minimum of nine courses (36 credits) in Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS). These courses may be chosen from the HSS offerings, within the restrictions below. (A student taking an area minor in HSS must take a minimum of ten to eleven courses; see below.)

2. Rhetoric and Composition
All students, with the exception noted below, are required to take RH 131, Rhetoric and Composition, on campus. Freshmen, unless exempted or taking a foreign language, are normally enrolled automatically in the course in either the Fall or Winter Quarter. Students who have taken a writing course at another college will be granted Rhetoric and Expression transfer credit, but are not exempted from RH 131.

EXEMPTION: An entering student (freshman or transfer) who meets both of the following requirements may be exempt from the RH 131 requirement.  The student will not, however, be awarded credit for RH 131.  Any HSS course may be substituted for RH 131 for exempted students. 

        1.  A score of 760 or above on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or of 34 or above on the English portion of the ACT. 
       2.  Has received grades of B or higher in all high school English courses. 

3. Distribution Requirements
All students will take two courses in each of the four thematic categories: Global Studies, Rhetoric and Expression, Self and Society, and Values and Contemporary Issues. The section of course descriptions lists courses currently available in each category.

4. Foreign Language
Students who elect to take a foreign language should note the following special requirements.

a. A minimum of two successive language courses must be taken to receive HSS credit.

b. Students who take 2-4 courses in a foreign language sequence may allocate those language courses in any of the four thematic categories as they choose, but may have no more than one language course in any category. In other words, the student must still take at least one course in each thematic category in a discipline other than foreign language and must also take RH 131.

c. Students who take twelve courses (four years) in a single language are exempted from RH 131 and from both courses in Global Studies.

d. Students may not earn foreign language credit in their native languages.

Note: Students planning to study abroad should be sure to have their program approved ahead of time by the head of the HSS Department and by the head of the Department in which they are majoring.

6. Other Requirements
Certain curricula require students to take specific HSS courses. For example, Electrical Engineering requires SL 151, Principles of Economics, and several departments require RH 330, Technical Communication.

HELP WITH REQUIREMENTS
  Students having questions concerning these requirements should consult their advisers or the head of the HSS Department. A check sheet summarizing HSS graduation requirements is available in the HSS Department Office.

AREA MINOR
  A student may elect to take an Area Minor in Philosophy and Religion, German, Japanese, Spanish, History, Language and Literature, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Anthropology, Geography, East Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, or Science, Technology, and Society, by concentrating 5 HSS to 7 courses in that area. NOTE: All Area Minors require taking one additional HSS course, for a minimum of 40 HSS credits, 44 in the case of foreign languages. See the specific requirements listed under each Area. Successful completion of the Area Minor is indicated on the student’s grade transcript. A student interested in pursuing an Area Minor should consult with the appropriate Area Minor Adviser, listed below, for aid in planning a course schedule.

1. No courses counted toward fulfilling the requirements for one minor may be counted in fulfilling the requirements of another minor.
2. When earning a disciplinary minor, a minimum of four HSS courses must be completed outside of the discipline area. Disciplines are identified by the center digit of the course number.
3. When earning a minor in East Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, or Science, Technology, and Society, a minimum of three HSS courses must be completed outside of the minor.

GLOBAL STUDIES

GL 184 Introduction to East Asia 4R-0L-4C F
  Introduces historical background and contemporary life in China, Japan, and Korea, including cultural and social patterns, social roles and lifestyles, and the nature, context, and consequences of the changes brought about by modernization.

GL 207 Asian Religions and Philosophy 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Focuses on the thought systems of India, China, and Japan, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto.

GL 221 Colonial Latin America 4R-0L-4C
  Examines the history of Latin America from before the conquest to independence, with particular emphasis on social, economic, political, and cultural developments between 1492 and 1800.

GL 222 Modern Latin America 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Examines the history of Latin America from independence (about 1810) to the present, with particular emphasis on the social, economic, political, and cultural developments of the past hundred years. Introduces major problems facing contemporary Latin America, including the search for stable government, political violence, environmental degradation, and extreme poverty and inequality.

GL 237 Science Fiction 4R-0L-4C S
  Analyzes literary techniques used for displacing historical reality into a cross-cultural perspective to create science fiction. Emphasizes science fiction’s humanistic usefulness in examining human values from an “extra-species, extra-terrestrial” perspective and in assessing the effects of technology on varieties of belief structures and social institutions.

GL 261 Comparative Politics 4R-0L-4C S
  Examines the political systems of numerous countries throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Explores the concepts and principles of comparative political analysis.

GL 262 International Relations 4R-0L-4C F, W
  Analyzes the structures, actors, and major problems (e.g., warfare, economic interdependence, poverty) of the global system. Explores alternatives for solving these problems.

GL 285 Humans and Culture 4R-0L-4C
  The study of culture: the course focuses on human adaptation and diversity; language and its use; the development and variety of economic, political, religious, family gender and expressive institutions.

GL 291 World Geography 4R-0L-4C F,W
  Explores the people and lands of the world through studies and concepts from human geography with emphasis on cultural landscape, meaning, maps, and visual interpretation. Emphasis is placed on the culture regions of Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the South Pacific.

GL 306 Japanese Values and Technological Development 4R-0L-4C F
  Compares Japanese perspectives on the relationship between human values and technological development to Western views. Develops insights into alternative modes of human existence and their implications for innovation and creativity.

GL 311 Issues in German Culture 4R-0L-4C F
  Examines the global influence and impact of a variety of historical and contemporary issues in German popular and high culture. Same as GE 311.

GL 322 Industrial Revolution in Global Context 4R-0L-4C
  Examines the changes in production, distribution, and consumption commonly known as the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. Explores technological, economic, social, and cultural aspects of these changes, both in industrialized countries and in other parts of the world.

GL 323 Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union 4R-0L-4C W
  Covers the Soviet dictatorship from 1917 to 1991 seen as an outgrowth of Marxism, the Russian populist tradition, the personalities of Lenin and Stalin, and an inhospitable world. Explores reasons for the collapse of Communism and the Soviet empire. Considers also the Commonwealth of Independent States acipation in the war on terrorism.

GL 324 Japan in the 20th Century 4R-0L-4C F
  Analyzes changes in Japanese society and foreign policy from the mid-19th century to the 1990s. Examines the effects of the Meiji restoration, industrial growth, competition for armament and empire, racism, ethnocentrism, and the Asian wars of the late 19th thru 20th centuries.

GL 325 Cities in Latin American History 4R-0L-4C
  Traces the role of the city in Latin America from before the conquest to the present. Examines the significance of such factors as technology, regulation, mass politics, and violence.

GL 333 Travel in World Literature W
  Examines a wide variety of literature—including some in translation—and emphasizes works that comment on travel, tourism, and the effects of colonialism.

GL 334 Utopian Thought and Literature 4R-0L-4C F
  Studies varieties of utopian thought from a cross-cultural perspective.

GL 335 Arabic Literature 4R-0L-4C
  Covers a range of literature and film by writers and filmmakers from North Africa, the Middle East, and the Arabic-speaking diaspora.  Includes literature in translation by major authors of this genre and critical works by a number of scholars of Arabic literature.

GL336 Romanticism and World Literature 4R-0L-4C
  Covers major authors and themes in European Romantic literature from 1770-1830, as well as its repercussions and transformations in other cultures.

GL 357 European Economics Pre: SL 151 4R-0L-4C
  Introduces students to European affairs together with a methodological approach
useful for analyzing economic issues in the future as well as the past. Focus will
be on the costs and benefits of establishing a single currency identified by
economic theory. Various existing monetary regimes will be evaluated, with an
emphasis on the institutional set-up of monetary policy and fiscal policy in the
European Monetary Union.

GL 363 Politics of the Global Economy 4R-0L-4C F
  Analyzes the political aspects of global economic relationships. Reviews the dominant theoretical approaches, concepts, and major issues (e.g., trade relations, globalization, the role of international organizations, etc.) in the international political economy.

GL 366 The European Union 4R-0L-4C W
  Examines the historical development of European integration and current EU institutions, politics, and policy (economic, social, and foreign).

GL 384 Japanese Society 4R-0L-4C W
  Examines the context within which individual Japanese live and work in contemporary Japanese society. Considers the “traditional” roots of Japan, the impact of industrialization, the Japanese “economic miracle,” and current trends. Emphasizes the change and continuity in Japanese life, including the family and marriage, rural and urban lifestyles, education, and the organization of management and labor.

GL 389 Intercultural Communication 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Explores the Constructivist theory of communication at three levels: ethnic cultures, organizational cultures and team norms. Uses ethnographic interviewing as an approach to understand the impact of language and culture on communication.

GL 391 Geography of Africa & Southwest Asia 4R-0L-4C S
  Introduces students to the land and people of Africa and Southwest Asia. Important issues covered are human ecology, colonialism, political geography, culture, economics of travel and tourism, wildlife issues, and the future of Africa.

GL412 Germany in Europe W 4R-0L-4C
  Explores topics in German and European intellectual history as represented in literature, essay, and film. Possible topics: the Enlightenment, nationalism and revolution, the critique of science and technology, avant-garde and politics, modernism, existentialism. Same as GE412.

GL 422 American Diplomacy in the 20th Century 4R-0L-4C F
  Examines American foreign relations from the outbreak of World War II to the post 9/11 period. Includes the origins and nature of the Cold War–both risks and costs—and its effects on both the United States and world. Also considers the challenges facing the U.S. from the appeal of religions and tribal extremism in many strategically important regions of the world.

GL 423 American Arms and Strategy in the 20th Century 4R-0L-4C S
  Analyzes the American military experience in the twentieth century with emphasis on the nature of war and changes in strategy that evolved from the lessons of combat in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Includes theories of strategy, the effect of advances in technology, and the role of the armed forces in a democracy.

GL 455 Economic Growth and Development 4R-0L-4C W  Pre: SL 151
  Analyzes the determinants of economic growth. Pays special attention to problems faced by developing nations and discusses the impact of globalization.

GL 458 International Trade 4R-0L-4C S Pre: SL151
  Analyzes the theory of international trade, trade policy, foreign exchange and the payments adjustment process, adjustment policies and multinational corporations. 

GL 459 International Finance 4R-0L-4C S Pre: SL151
  Studies the workings of international financial markets, the role of exchange rates in international trade and capital movement, and the effects of exchange rate volatility. Topics include exchange rates and the foreign exchange market, the balance of payments, parity conditions, the international monetary system, and international interdependence.

RHETORIC AND EXPRESSION

RH 101 Introduction to Philosophy 4R-0L-4C F 
  Introduces the student to the methods and subject matter of philosophy through a selective consideration of fundamental philosophical problems such as the nature of reality, the existence of God, the criteria of knowing, and the basis of morality.

RH 131 Rhetoric and Composition 4R-0L-4C F,W,S
  Examines selected pieces of writing which are used as models for student composition. Emphasizes the use of evidence and methods of argumentation. Required of all students. (May not be counted for an Area Minor in Language and Literature.)

RH 142 Drawing 4R-0L-4C F,S , W 
  Introduces student to drawing as a basis of personal expression. Exposes the student to a range of tools, techniques, and attitudes.

RH 148 Beginning Photography 4R-0L-4C W , F,S 
  Introduces the student to historical aspects of photography, the impact of the visual image in modern culture, and photography as a medium of individual expression.

RH 230 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 4R-0L-4C W 
  Examines the thought processes necessary to organize speech content. Analyzes components of effective delivery and language. Provides practice in both individual and group presentation. Simulates public, academic, technical, and business settings for speeches.

RH 231 Introduction to Poetry 4R-0L-4C F 
  Provides students with the means for understanding and appreciating poetry. Focuses on the use of tone, speaker, figurative language, verse forms, and structure in poems from a variety of historical periods.

RH 232 Jane Austen and the Rhetoric of Fiction 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Provides a guide to reading, appreciating, and analyzing Jane Austen’s major novels. Analyzes a variety of film adaptations, comparing them to the novels in their rhetorical effects.

RH 234 Rhetoric of Science 4R-0L-4C F 
  Examines rhetorical and philosophical approaches to persuasion in scientific argument. Emphasizes popular science writing, the image of science in contemporary culture, and the role played by science in shaping public opinion and policy.

RH 239 Introduction to Film 4R-0L-4C S
  Studies major cinematic devices—narrative, camerawork, editing, staging, sound, and acting—through which films communicate. Examines arguments implicit in films.

RH 244 History and Appreciation of Music 4R-0L-4C W
  Surveys music history, forms, styles, and media through listening. Examines representative musical compositions.

RH 246 Music Theory I 4R-0L-4C F  
Studies basic materials of music: harmony, melody, rhythm and timbre and their roles in musical structure.

RH 330 Technical Communication 4R-0L-4C F,W,S Pre: RH 131 and Junior class standing or consent of instructor
  Discusses the preparation and presentation of engineering reports, both oral and written. (May not be counted for an area minor in Language and Literature.)

RH 333 Critical Reading 4R-0L-4C W 
  Teaches strategies for reading more analytically. Considers readings likely to be encountered, such as professional writing, popularizations of disciplinary research, newspaper/ newsmagazine articles and editorials, web sites, and company recruiting literature.

RH 334 Creative Writing 4R-0L-4C
  Introduces students to writing in a variety of genres:  poetry, short story, creative non-fiction, and drama.  Employs a variety of writing and revision techniques to assist students in the production of a portfolio of their work. 

RH 346 Music Theory II 4R-0L-4C Arranged Pre: RH 246 or consent of instructor
  Continues study of basic materials of music and applies them to practical use: composition, analysis, and individual projects.

RH 351 The Rhetoric of Economic Thought 4R-0L-4C Pre: SL 151
  Surveys the history of economic thought and examines the literature of economics from rhetorical, historical, and methodological perspectives using original sources.

RH 431 History of the American Novel 4R-0L-4C W 
  Studies the novel in America from its early examples into the present. Emphasizes influential novels with historical and societal impact, placing more recent novels into historical context.

RH466 Seminar on Political Philosophy 4R-0L-4C
  Examines the argumentation and logic of classic and contemporary readings in political thought. These ideas are then applied to current political issues to help clarify positions on basic issues of political philosophy.

RH 471 Literature of Madness W
  Analyzes the literary, biographical, and scientific relationships between artistic and manic-depressed temperaments. Examines how “great wits and madness” relate.

SELF AND SOCIETY

SL 121 United States to 1865 4R-0L-4C W 
  Covers the colonial through the Civil War period. Emphasizes the development of national identity, constitutional democracy, industrial capitalism, and expanding national boundaries.

SL 122 United States since 1865 4R-0L-4C F 
  Covers the United States from Reconstruction after the Civil War through the post-Cold War foreign conflicts. Stresses the origins of such issues as poverty, civil rights, pollution, and the information age.

SL 151 Principles of Economics 4R-0L-4C F,W,S
  Includes both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Analyzes market behavior. Considers production and pricing decisions under alternative industrial structures. Examines the determinants of economic growth, unemployment and inflation, including fiscal and monetary policy.

SL 171 Principles of Psychology 4R-0L-4C F,W
  Surveys learning, motivation, personality, intelligence, abnormal behavior, social behavior, perception, emotion, and psychobiology. Stresses objective analysis of behavior and provides a foundation for advanced courses.

SL 191 Cultural Geography 4R-0L-4C F,W
  Explores themes, topics, and concepts in cultural geography studies with examples from a diversity of world areas. Included are studies and examples from language, religion, settlement, ethnicity, agriculture, urbanization, population, and popular culture.

SL 222 Western Civilization to 1500 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Introduces the origins and growth of ideologies and institutions that have shaped Western Civilization from the first sedentary societies until the first contact between Europe and the Americas. Emphasizes the development of society, religion, the economy, government, science, and technology.

SL 223 Western Civilization from 1500 to the Present 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Introduces the development of ideologies and institutions that have shaped Western Civilization from the beginning of European colonialism to the Cold War, globalization, and the present day. Emphasizes changes in society, religion, government, the economy, and the impact of science and technology on daily life.

SL 231 Introduction to Short Fiction 4R-0L-4C S 
  Guides students in reading, appreciating, and analyzing a range of short fiction. Gives special attention to how reading such fiction can help us better understand ourselves and our relationships to the societies in which we live.

SL 232 Major American Writers 4R-0L-4C W 
  Covers a broad range of American writers, including Franklin, Melville, Hawthorn, Twain, Hemingway, Faulkner, placed against the historical backgrounds of their times.

SL 233 Survey of American Literature F 
  Studies a braod range of American literature since the Civil War. Examines a variety of authors and genres (fiction, poetry, prose, nonfiction).

SL234: Major British Writers
  Examines well-known British writers, placed against the historical backgrounds of their times. Poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction from such famous writers as Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, Swift, Pope, Johnson, Wordsworth, Bronte, Browning, Joyce, Lawrence, Auden, and Beckett will be studied.

SL 261 American Politics and Government 4R-0L-4C W  F 
  Examines the ideology, culture, political processes, institutions, and public policy of the American democratic system.

SL 272 Experimental Psychology 4R-0L-4C Arranged Pre: SL 171
  Emphasizes experimental analysis of perception, motivation, learning, and personality. Programmed and independent experiments are performed. Laboratory periods are arranged.

SL 290 Business Law 4R-0L-4C F
  Studies the legal system and its impact on business people and their customers, with reference to crime, legal contracts, liability, consumer protection, government regulation, and other topics.

SL 307 Ethics in America 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Uses round table discussion videos to critically examine the ethical standards of the professions in American society. Includes discussion of medicine, law, government, business and the military.

SL 331 Literature and Lore of the Sea 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Examines the role of the sea in literature from three perspectives: (1) the heroic tradition, (2) myth and symbolism, and (3) popular culture.

SL 334 Literature of War 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Examines the influence of military engagements on individual writers. Analyzes literary works as responses to the cultural, psychological, and social impacts of war.

SL 335 Shakespeare 4R-0L-4C SS 
  Studies Shakespeare’s histories, comedies, and tragedies, with close textual reading of selected plays. Encourages understanding of Shakespeare’s England and his development as a dramatist.

SL 336 Contemporary American Fiction S 
  Analyzes the evolution of the American novel since 1945, with an emphasis on historical and theoretical context. Emphasizes the transition from modernism to the experimental literary forms of the late twentieth century.

SL 338 Latin American Fiction: The Boom and Beyond S 
  Studies writers associated with the “Boom” in Latin American fiction, along with their literary predecessors and descendents. >Examines related cultural issues such as exile, gender roles, and dictatorship.

SL 350 Managerial Accounting 4R-0L-4C W Pre: SL 151
  Covers accounting concepts and procedures for preparation of financial reporting. Emphasizes use of accounting as a tool for management control and decision-making.

SL 351 Managerial Economics 4R-0L-4C F Pre: SL 151
  Applies economic analysis to the management of modern business enterprise. Emphasizes demand estimation, business forecasting, uncertainty, investment decisions, capital budgeting, and pricing strategies. In addition to SL 151, students should have some knowledge of business statistics.

SL 354 Intermediate Microeconomics 4R-0L-4C W  Pre: SL 151
  Analyzes optimal choice, and the conditions required for efficient exchange in market economies. Emphasizes rational choice theory as it applies to consumers and businesses, with complementary examination of uncertainty, anomalous features of actual market behavior.

SL 355 Intermediate Macroeconomics 4R-0L-4C F  Pre: SL 151
   Studies the economy as a whole, including factors affecting economic growth, unemployment and inflation. Explains economic events and considers how policies affect economic performance.

SL 356 Game Theory 4R-0L-4C F  Pre: SL 151
  Introduces techniques used to solve strategic games encountered in business and economics. Analyzes behavior of economic agents in various situations including single and repeated games with perfect and imperfect information.

SL 363 European Politics and Government 4R-0L-4C S 
  Examines the ideology, culture, political processes, institutions, and public policy of selected European political systems.

SL 372 Cognitive Psychology 4R-0L-4C Arranged Pre: SL 171
  Reviews the scientific study of human memory and cognition. Covers mental events and knowledge we use when we recognize an object, remember a name, have an idea, understand a sentence, and solve a problem.

SL 375 Personality Theories 4R-0L-4C F Pre: SL 171
  Presents an organized summary of major contemporary theories of personality. Compares and contrasts theories of human behavior. Analyzes the degree that behavior is purposive, unconscious, instinctive, learned, modifiable, and predictable.

SL 385 Archaeology and Prehistory 4R-0L-4C
  The study of human past through the analysis of cultural artifacts: the course focuses on the methods and techniques of archaeology and the study of the major cultural and social transformations from foraging to agricultural and complex civilizations.

SL 386 Human Evolution 4R-0L-4C
  The study of human origins and ongoing evolution: the course examines the evidence of the fossil record and genes, compares human behavior with other primates, considers physical basis for behaviors, and the extent and causes of human physical diversity.

SL 398 The Research and Development Organization 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Describes special challenges for organizations and managers created by the nature of the research and development functions and the skills required of engineers and scientists. Examines important issues in managing engineers, scientists, and technical support personnel.

SL 431 Literary London 4R-0L-4C
  Considers literary depictions of London, a highly symbolic and frequently used setting in 19th, 20th, and 21st century British literature.  Covers a broad range of literary texts set in the city, including works by major authors of this genre and a number of recent works by ethnic minority writers.   

SL 451 Mathematical Economics 4R-0L-4C WW  Pre: SL 151
  Illustrates the use of mathematics in economic analysis. Includes discussion of mathematical programming, decision theory, the applications of differential and integral calculus, differential and difference equations.

SL 452 Introduction to Econometrics 4R-0L-4C S  Pre: SL 151
  Applies statistical methods to problems of economic analysis. Stresses the use of regression analysis in economic research and discusses the special problems encountered in empirical investigation of economic phenomena. In addition to SL 151, the student should have some knowledge of statistics.

SL 491 Medieval Europe 4R-0L-4C W 
  Explores the settlement, state and nation building, trade, innovation, and peopling of Europe from the age of Vandals, Goths, and Vikings to the Renaissance. Emphasizes wars, revolts, power and society in transforming the map of Europe through studies of historical geography.

VALUES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

VA 134: Popular Literature 4R-0L-4C
  Analyzes texts written for mass consumption, such as detective novels, horror
stories, fantasy fiction, and contemporary thrillers. Explores these literary genres’
conventions and traditions, their social and historical contexts, and the communities
of readers that form around them.

VA 231 Introduction to Non-Fiction 4R-0L-4C F 
  Guides students in reading, appreciating, and analyzing contemporary non-fiction works, such as essays. Focuses on understanding the purposes of such works–which may include informing, entertaining, and persuading–and the issues raised.

VA 232 American Minority Literatures 4R-0L-4C W 
  Studies the literary traditions of ethnic minorities in the United States, including African-American, Asian-American, Latino/a, and Native American. >Emphasizes recent writers of color while examining the historical sources and backgrounds on which they draw, including experiences of slavery, displacement, and immigration.

VA 233 Introduction to Drama 4R-0L-4C F 
  Traces the development of drama by analyzing representative plays from historical periods and from different cultures. >Analyzes how, and why, drama has changed over time and how individual plays mirror their times and cultures.

VA 291 Geography of Europe 4R-0L-4C W 
  Introduces the culture, landscape, and peoples of Europe through discussion, maps, regional analysis, and visual presentations. Includes social issues and contemporary problems facing the Europeans, from Russia to Ireland and all points between.

VA 302 Philosophy of Religion 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Examines the basic philosophical problems found in religion. Deals specifically with the nature of religion, the nature and existence of God, faith, religious language, and the religious life.

VA 303 Business and Engineering Ethics 4R-0L-4C S  
  Considers the ethical problems faced by professionals in the business world. Deals with the engineering codes of ethics and the issues of advertising, conflicts of interest, and social and professional responsibility.

VA 304 Bioethics 4R-0L-4C F,W , W,S 
  Examines ethical issues in medicine from the perspectives of the professional, the consumer, and society. Emphasizes the patient-physician relationship, questions of life and death, the impacts of technology, and biomedical research.

VA 313 Contemporary Spain 4R-0L-4C F 
   Introduces historical, political, and above all cultural issues in Spanish society, beginning with an overview of Spain prior to the twentieth century, but concentrating on the period from 1975 to the present. Special emphasis on the unique characteristics of Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque Country. Taught in English.

VA 321 United States since 1939 4R-0L-4C F 
  Covers the presidencies from Franklin D. Roosevelt through William J. Clinton. Analyzes such issues as the cold war, the city, the economy, movements for social reform, the effects of prosperity, continuing poverty, and the information revolution.

VA 322 Disasters and Modern Society since 1700 R-0L-4C
  Examines how people at different times and places have tried to explain and prevent natural and technological disasters, and how those disasters have influenced the development of modern society. Explores how societies have thought about nature and technology, measured costs in lives and property, and perceived obligations between rich and poor. Focuses on North and South America.

VA 323 Andean Countries of South America 4R-0L-4C
  Explores Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. Examines historical and contemporary debates related to economic development, indigenous peoples, the drug trade and the war on drugs, European and U.S. involvement, and other issues.

VA 328 Nuclear Weapons and the Modern World 4R-0L-4C W
  Studies the scientific discoveries leading to the nuclear age, the decisions to build and use the atomic bomb, and the implications for Japan and the postwar world. Analyzes the advent of thermonuclear weapons, nuclear proliferation, and the effects of both on the global community.

VA 329 The Information Age 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Analyzes the historical development of electronic media and their social implications. Focuses on the ways in which travel and the traditional exchange of goods and services have been replaced by electronic access and digital experiences.

VA 335 Contemporary British Fiction and Film 4R-0L-4C
  Covers fiction and film produced in the British Isles during the last half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, including works by both canonical and non-canonical authors.  Includes readings about a number of pressing issues in contemporary Britain, and focuses on literary responses to race and class concerns. 

VA 336 Ethics in Human Communication 4R-0L-4C S
  Examines the interconnection between ethics and rhetoric by studying such topics as (1) persuasion versus propaganda, (2) manipulation and distortion through language, (3) manifestations of prejudice (racism and sexism), (4) language of intimidation and oppression, (5) dehumanizing communication, (6) political and commercial doublespeak, and (7) the content and effectiveness of professional codes for ethical communication.

VA 337 Twentieth-Century American Novel 4R-0L-4C S
  Examines the American novel with representatives of the major 20th century literary periods: realism, modernism, postmodernism. Examines the themes and issues addressed in different decades and from different perspectives.

VA 338 Literature and the Environment 4R-0L-4C
  Considers the relationship between art and the natural world. Readings include
myths and poems, travel and adventure narratives, and scientific and philosophical
essays, drawn from a variety of cultural traditions.

VA 352 Financial Markets and Institutions 4R-0L-4C S Pre: SL 151
  Examines the nature and functions of financial markets and institutions. Analyzes the determination of interest rates and the processing of information. Considers the relationship between the financial system and the macroeconomy.

VA 353 Industrial Organization 4R-0L-4C W  Pre: SL 151
  Examines the influence of market structure and competition policy on business firms’ decisions. Discusses modern theories of the firm, implications of market power, strategic interaction, merger and acquisition activity, antitrust policy and regulation.

VA366 America’s Future 4R-0L-4C
  Examines the key political, economic, and security challenges facing the United States in a changing global environment.

VA 373 Gender Issues 4R-0L-4C S
  Examines male-female differences in behavior, personality, emotion, and cognition. Examines how men and women differ as they pursue the goals of life and the degree to which these differences are innate or learned.

VA 382 Anthropology of Religion 4R-0L-4C W 
  Examines various concepts and practices pertaining to the supernatural, focusing primarily on indigenous religions around the world. Discusses the relationships of religious beliefs, values, and practices with social organization, economic behavior, subsistence systems, and technology.

VA 391 Contemporary Europe: Empire to Union 4R-0L-4C F 
  Surveys the changes and dynamics confronting Europe in the 20th Century. The dissolution of empires and communism to the expanding European Union will be examined with maps, theories and concepts from political geography. Ethics and values related to territoriality, place, and culture will be examined.

VA 413 Contemporary Germany 4R-0L-4C S 
  Introduces historical, political, and cultural issues in German society from 1945 to the present. Compares German to European developments. Same as GE 413.

VA 431 Images of the Business Person 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Studies the changing persona of the businessperson from the “captain of industry” to the “man in the gray flannel suit” in literature. Includes emerging concepts of women in the workforce.

VA 434 The Bible as Literature 4R-0L-4C S 
  Examines the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament as literary texts. Emphasizes the variety of genres employed in biblical literature and introduces students to different approaches appropriate to literary interpretation.

VA 436 Reinterpretation of Literary Themes 4R-0L-4C W 
  Examines pieces of literature which rework the themes, characters and/or plots of other works. Such pairings as Beowulf/Grendel and Hamlet/Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead show how different authors from different times and cultures reinterpret earlier works in their own way.

VA 452 Environmental Economics 4R-0L-4C S  Pre: SL 151
  Analyzes the consequences of pollution and discusses possible solutions to reduce pollution. Introduces analytical tools used in environmental planning. Performs benefit-cost analyses of regulations dealing with air, water, and solid waste pollution.

VA 453 The Entrepreneur 4R-0L-4C F,S Pre: SL 151
  Describes the role of the entrepreneur in the economy as a whole and in small and large firms. Uses economic analysis to study entrepreneurship and to develop business plans. Includes applications to a simulated entrepreneurial effort by the students.

VA 454 Financial Economics 4R-0L-4C F , W Pre: SL 151
  Introduces managerial finance. Examines the valuation of assets, the cost of capital, capital structure, working capital management, planning and budgeting, and long-term financing.

VA 498 Technology Management and Forecasting 4R-0L-4C F Pre: Junior class standing or consent of instructor
  Examines elements of managing the growth and operation of technological systems. Discusses technology forecasting tools including expert methods, quantitative trend analysis, simulation and gaming. Techniques for enhancing creativity, managing multi-disciplinary projects, and impact assessment techniques are considered.

SPECIAL TOPICS AND DIRECTED STUDY

GL/RH/SL or VA 399 – Special Topics 4R-0L-4C Arranged
  Examines a selected topic in one of the HSS disciplines in depth. A particular offering may require a prerequisite or consent of the instructor.