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2008 - 2009 Freshmen Seminars
These highly interactive, small enrollment seminars and courses are designed to immediately bring you into the intellectual life of the college. They allow freshmen the opportunity for in-depth study of a current and relevant topic. Your professor will help you understand the process of knowledge discovery and how to become a successful university-level scholar. These three credit hour seminars and courses are offered throughout the year and count towards your graduation requirements.
Autumn Quarter 2008
15ANTH190 (809099)
Fantastic Archaeology and Archaeological Mysteries: Science vs. Pseudoscience
Susan Allen
Fantastic claims about the human past are widely available on television, in books and newspapers, and on the internet. Acceptance of such claims as fact is increasing, despite the fact that they are often based on pseudoscientific claims or unverifiable evidence. This freshman seminar examines how scientific knowledge is accumulated, particularly knowledge about the past, and examines the methodological differences between science and pseudoscience in archaeology. This course will apply to the A&S social science requirement and is scheduled M/W/F from1:00-1:50PM.
15FSEM111 (808838)
Reading Cincinnati: From Slavery Times to the New Millennium
Cheili Reutter
The Ohio River Basin registers historically as one of the most important locales for the Underground Railroad. As such, it provided the venue for the liberation of many slaves. Though the Queen City's recent history has been marked at least in part by racial misunderstanding, an historical view gleamed from literature, museums and sites of interest, no doubt offers a more comprehensive perspective. This seminar aims to offer a profound reading of Cincinnati and its neighboring towns with Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Toni Morrison's "Beloved," and Ann Hagedorn's "Beyond the River." This course will apply to the A&S literature requirement and is scheduled T/H from 9:30-10:45AM.
15FSEM113 (809973)
Beauty: Dissecting and Debating an Enigma
Billie Dziech
Designed for males and females, this course will examine the ways in which physical beauty is depicted in representative literature and films. Students will use the works to analyze varying attitudes about its nature and significance and will explore and debate whether perceptions of beauty are subjective and culturally determined or objective and influenced by biology and evolution. This course will apply to the A&S humanities and social science requirement and is scheduled T/H from 8:00-9:15AM.
15FSEM114 (809974)
Complex Choices/Complex Lives
Billie Dziech
Students in this course will analyze popular novels/films in which characters are faced with ambiguous moral choices. As means of clarifying their own ethical stands, students will examine the reasoning and value systems underlying characters' decisions and will discuss and debate which they consider more principled. This course will apply to the A&S humanities requirement and is scheduled T/H from 9:30-10:45AM.
15FSEM116 (808636)
Mass Media and Presidential Politics
Bob Miller
Examines the constantly changing intersections between mass media and politics. Historical campaigns and elections will serve as parallels to understanding the events in the current election. This course will apply towards the A&S history and social science requirement and is scheduled T/H from 11:00-12:15PM.
15GEOG173 (807274)
Legacies & Landscapes of the Yucatan
Robert South
This freshman seminar/field trip is structured to take students through "space and time" from 300 AD to contemporary times. The primary theme is changes in the landscape or the "sequence occupance" of the region. Students will meet once a week in preparation for the winter break field trip to the Yucatan. The trip will explore Mayan archaeological sites from Uxmal (300 AD), Ek Balam, to Chichen Itza (1100 AD). The Colonial era will be highlighted with tours through Merida (1545), Ixamal, a salt plant operational since the 1700s, and a hacienda. Contemporary changes of the region are viewed with visits to an ejido, a henequen plant, a US manufacturing plant and experiences with the pros and cons of tourism - a government planned resort on the Caribbean (Cancun). The physical-environmental geography of the region will be introduced with an opportunity to swim in a Karst cave, visit a large flamingo sanctuary, and hike through a community - initiated nature preserve in Quintana Roo. Students also have free time for self-exploration, an important component of the educational experience. This course will apply towards the A&S natural science requirement and is scheduled T from 12:30-1:20PM.
15GEOG174 (807353)
Year without China
Roger Selya
Seminar will explore the impact of globalization on the United States at the personal and national levels by analyzing China-USA trade patterns and relations. Will use Sara Bongiorni's 2007 A Year Without "Made in China." This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement and is scheduled M/W/F from 9:00-9:50AM.
15GEOL171 (801447)
Earth History, Life History: Earth's Record of Deep Time
Carlton Brett
Field-based study of principles of sedimentary rocks and fossils centered on the landscape and bedrock geology of southwestern Ohio, northern and central Kentucky, and southern Indiana. Includes five all-day field trips. First-hand observations further develop concepts of Earth history. This course will apply towards the A&S natural science requirement and is scheduled H from 3:30-4:50PM.
15PHIL107 (808421)
Introduction to Philosophy: Through Movies
John Bickle
A survey of philosophical topics through modern media, particularly film. Topics will include ethics, language, epistemology, science, philosophy of mind, and religion. This course will apply towards the A&S humanities requirement and is scheduled W from 6:30-9:10PM.
15SWLC100 (810008)
Exploring Language and Intercultural Competence
Exploration of issues pertaining to the study of world languages and cultures, as well as resources on concepts, and reasons for studying foreign language and culture. Team-taught with faulty and speakers from a variety of departments and organizations. This course will apply towards the A&S diversity and culture requirement and is scheduled for TH from 2-3:15PM.
Winter 2009
15COMM242
Introduction to Public Relations: PR for the Just Community
Lisa Newman
The study of principles and ethical practices of public relations in business and not-for-profit organizations. This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement.
15ECON171
Entertainment Economics
Erwin Erhardt
Explores the modern entertainment industry, with particular emphasis on professional sports, the motion picture industry, and television. The course sheds light on the billions of dollars spent by these industries and the public's demand/willingness to pay for the entertainment they provide. This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement.
15FSEM106
Moving On
Billie Dziech
This seminar will focus on the transition from adolescence to young adulthood and on the role the American education's social structure plays in that shift. Content will be composed primarily of literature and films that depict peer's families', teachers and the media's role in identity formation. This course will apply towards the A&S humanities requirement.
15FSEM112
Etiquette: Everyday Application and Historical Perspective
Keith Ridel
This course will provide students with a comprehensive introduction to etiquette and the principles that are the foundation of successful societal interaction. Students will practice the application of basic etiquette skills (e.g. interacting with those around us, dining etiquette, etc.) while simultaneously exploring perspectives regarding behavior. The goal is to furnish the student with the skills necessary to not only embark on a successful collegiate career but also represent themselves and the university well into the future. Will require no additional resources. This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement.
15GEOL172
Hard Rocks, Tall Mountains: How the Earth Works
Craig Dietsch
Lab-based study of minerals, igneous and metamorphic rocks with an emphasis on how crystalline rocks form in the context of plate tectonics. Analysis of the fact of the ancient age of minerals and rocks. Includes field trips to local geoscience labs to see analytical instruments. This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement.
15JUDC231
Biblical Poetry
John Brolley
This course will study the poetry of the Bible and its chronological development together with its relationship to common ancient Near Eastern poetic forms. Along the way, attention will be called to the relationship of the poetry to parallel prose narratives. Specifically, students will read portions of Judges, Exodus, Samuel, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, and several of the "Minor Prophets." This course will apply towards the A&S literature or humanities requirement.
15WMST150
Having It All: Using the Law to Resolve the Work/Family Conflict
Brionnea Williams
This course will explore both legal and gender issues by examining how our society structures the relationship of paid work to work in the family. Content will offer exposure to pre-law studies as well as women's studies, while also providing a practical framework to guide career/family choices. Will apply to A&S behavioral/social science or humanities requirement.
Spring 2009
15ANTH151
People and the Wetlands
Susan Allen
Examines several case studies that address the complexity of human interactions with wetlands and their many cultural values. In many of these cases, wetlands are viewed as places of pestilences that should be avoided, as are the people who are associated with them, and thus the degree to which people interact with our inhabit wetland landscapes often contributes to the emergence of inequalities and structuring of power relationships between groups. This course engages students both with contemporary issues re: wetland preservation and with current ethnographic and archaeological research on people who live in wetland settings. This course will apply towards the A&S social science requirement.
15 BIOL 123
AIDS: Social & Ethical Issues
Ralph Meyer
A multidisciplinary approach to the AIDS crisis, incorporating art, biology, economics, history, law, literature, medicine, music, philosophy, politics, psychology, religion, and sociology. This course will apply towards the A&S diversity and culture and natural science requirement.
15 FSEM 107
The Aggression Riddle
Billie Dziech
Interdisciplinary seminar exploring the issues surrounding male/female aggression; the extent to which culture and biology shape aggressive behaviors; the differing ways in which the sciences and humanities depict aggressive behavior. Includes readings from science and social science as well as analysis of characters and themes in selected films and fiction. This course will apply towards the A&S humanities requirement.
15GEOL174
Natural Hazards, Human Engineers: Environmental Earth Science
Lewis Owen
Study of interaction of humans with geologic environment including atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. Introduction to climate change. Includes field trips to local site of landslides, hillside creep, floods and landfills. Students will present a selected case study. This course will apply towards the A&S natural science requirement.
15JUDC233
Ancient Stories of Creation
John Brolley
An overview and comparison of different accounts of the creation of the universe and the origins of humankind. The course will focus on writings from the Near East, including but going beyond the standard biblical accounts, discussions of modern religious and cultural perspectives on angels. This course will apply towards the A&S humanities requirement.
15 PHIL 106
Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics
Julian Wuerth
Introductory readings surveying classical problems in ethics and values. This course will apply towards the A&S humanities requirement.
15 PHYS 110
In the Beginning...
Joe Scanio
Examines in detail the first three minutes of existence of the universe. The objective is to impart to students a reasonably clear idea of the probably sequence of physical events in the very early universe. Through the power of physical reasoning, one can build a logical, consistent, and compelling picture of the early universe using experimental observations made now, billions of years later. This course will apply towards the A&S natural science requirement.
Summer 2009
15GEOL175
Advanced Trip through Time: A Culminating Experience of Earth History in the Field
Carl Brett
Field-based advanced study of geological materials and processes used to reconstruct Earth history. First-hand observation of rocks, fossils, structures, landforms, the geologic record of orogeny and deep geological time. Field trip will serve as a synthesis of concepts in Earth history. This course will apply towards the A&S natural science requirement.
