Elective Courses

ANTH 307 – Darwin

Darwin's work in its historical and intellectual milieu; his commitment to empirical support for his theory of evolution. The social controversy associated with misunderstanding evolution today.

ANTH 310 /PAS 368 – Race, Culture, Identity

A cross-cultural examination of the construction and use of racial categories over the last 200 years and their links to gender, political and social trends, ethnicity and nationalism.

ANTH 318/PAS 318 – African-American Cultural Traditions

An intensive examination of Afro-American life and culture in the U.S. drawn from historical, archaeological and socio-cultural literature. Attention is given to various systems of adaptation of people of African descent in America, including cultural traditions, urbanization and kinship.

ANTH 319 – Cultures of the Middle East

Examines social organization, social relations, and cultures in the contemporary Middle East within a local, regional, and national framework.

ANTH 320 – Indians-North America

A survey of the diversity of North American indigenous people before and after European contact. The course examines the social, political and economic effects that colonization has had on American Indian nations and how this is being dealt with today.

ANTH 321 – American Indian Womencrimina

Issues affecting contemporary American Indian women exploring how origins and traditions shape their lives.

ANTH 323/PAS 383 – Cultures of Africa -CD1

Africa is a large continent, with diverse regions, societies, histories, and cultures. This course will provide an introduction to the history and ethnography of colonial and postcolonial societies in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights change and resistance to change since the 1885 Berlin Conference where European nations divided Africa for colonization. In this course, we will come to understand the historical and cultural conditions underpinning current predicaments facing African societies, as well as the fact that tragedy is only one facet of African lives and experiences.

ANTH 325 – The Anthropology of Latin America

An ethnographic examination of Latin American cultural diversity and social, political, and economic systems.

ANTH 331 – Comparative Religious Systems

Examines the contexts within which cultures organize religious ideologies to explain their relationships with the world in which they live.

ANTH 332 – Ecology, Politics, Culture

This class focuses on the complex interactions between people and their environment. It will look at 1) the varying ways that human populations have interacted with, adapted to, and shaped their environments in the past, 2) how elements of the environment have affected variation in socio-cultural, economic, and political organizations, 3) how these reciprocal relationships between human culture and the environment are manifest in human societies today, and 4) what the future holds for human-environmental relationship.

ANTH 333 – Globalizing Inequalities -WR

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR). Explores the widening gap between rich and poor countries and examines innovative approaches to Third World development. Emphasizing practical applications of knowledge, the course examines programs of economic, political, and social change.

ANTH 334 – Conflict, Law, and Culture

Cross-cultural analysis of law as an arena of cultural production where identities and power are produced, upheld, and challenged.

ANTH 336 – War and Society

This course provides cross-cultural and historical perspectives on war and its larger social context. Course readings and lectures use political, economic, cultural, and feminist approaches to understanding war and its effects on social life.

ANTH 337 – Nationalism, Violence and the State

A cross-cultural examination of nationalism, inter-ethnic and racially-motivated violence, genocide, massacres, pogroms, and warfare and the state in historical and contemporary contexts.

ANTH 338 – Anthropology and Refugees

Theoretical and applied aspects of refugee communities; the relationship between refugees, conflict, and underdevelopment; the experience and meaning of refugee status.

ANTH 340 – Human Rights

An overview of human rights discourse, laws, social movements and organizations. Critical anthropological analysis of human rights as a social, cultural and legal system; discussion of debates such as universalism versus cultural relativism.

ANTH 347 – Global Capitalism

This course takes an anthropological approach to explore how capital is spread in ever new forms and examine how capitalism is getting organized, practiced, fused, and sometimes resisted in local settings. This course challenges the Eurocentric view of capitalism and aims at an understanding that various local forms of capitalisms are socially and culturally constituted regimes subject to contradiction and change.

ANTH 352 – Food and the Body Politic

This class explores food and foodways as products of soil, culture, and politics.

ANTH 531 – Anthropology of Water

Explores the political ecology of water from prehistory to present; integrates the archaeological and historical record with contemporary examples of water management; emphasis on privatization, globalization, and health.

ANTH 532 – Cultural Heritage, Tourism & Globalization

Exploration of impact of globalization on tourism, heritage sites and cultural performances.

ART 590 – Art, Thinking, and Social Change

Integrating aesthetics, critical theories and practice of art, students produce artwork that transcends the confines of mediums, reflect upon philosophical issues, critique historical and current events, and examine the boundary between aesthetics and ethics.

AST 335 – China Thru Film

Examination of 20th-century China through the critical study of selected examples of film. Conducted in English.

CHST 335 – China Thru Film

Examination of 20th-century China through the critical study of selected examples of film. Conducted in English.

COMM 275 – African American Communication

Study of various dimensions of communication pertaining specifically to African-Americans. Communication patterns within the African-American community as well as communication patterns about that community are analyzed.

COMM 324/WGST 324 – Communication and Gender

The course examines how gender identities, roles and norms have been structured within different modes of communication (e.g., interpersonal, mass media and institutional)

COMM 328 – Introduction to Urban Communication

An investigation into the communicative dimensions of life in urban areas, especially among various ethnic and racial populations.

COMM 365/465/565 Native Americans & Community Engagement

This class will provide students with an opportunity to study Native American cultures, histories, and images in the media. Students will be exposed to various approaches in American Indian studies. Colonialism and U.S. policy toward Native Americans and its affect within Native communities will also be addressed.

COMM 435 – Media, Culture and Society

Prerequisite: COMM 305. Advanced study of media culture; analytical and critical perspectives on the institutional and social dimensions of television, film, journalism, and popular music.

COMM 440 – Intercultural Communication

Survey of theory and research pertaining to problems of cross-cultural communication, including cultural, national, ethnic, and racial divisions.

COMM 555 – Persuasive Movements

Prerequisite: COMM 311. Seminar focuses upon the role of persuasion and rhetoric in the formation and lifespan of social movements.

COMM 651 – Conflict Management

Uses role-playing and case studies in community organizations to assist students in developing the skills needed for managing conflict.

COMM 630 – Communication and Multiculturalism

Explores the influence of race, nationality, and/or gender on the communication practices of individuals and their institutions.

HUM 316 - Modern Islamic Thought

A study of important Islamic movements and thinkers in the Indian subcontinent, Egypt, and Turkey, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

HUM 331 - Human Perspectives on Sex Roles

Analysis of sex roles as embodied in classic works in philosophy, literature, history, drama, and art in ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary times.

HUM 340 - Women and Religion

An examination of the significance of religious imagery for the socio-cultural roles of women, both past and present.

HUM 512 Topics in Contemporary Religious Thought--Sufism, Buddhism

HUM 513 Comparative Religions

HUM 514 Perspectives on Religious Coexistence and Conflict

HUM 515 Topics in Gender and Humanities

HUM 516 Topics in the History of Religion

Special Topics listed under HUM 512, 513, 514, 515, and 516 shift in focus from semester to semester and may qualify as a PJCT elective. Check with Director of PJCT.

HUM 518 - Arabs and Jews in Israeli and Palestinian Literature and Cinema.

Literary narratives and film documentaries representing the relationship between the Zionist dream of Homeland and the marginal figure of the Arab, both as perceived external threat and as the “Other” within Israeli society.

CJ 200 – Title: Crime and Justice in the United States

A basic survey course covering all agencies involved in the administration of criminal justice. Topics included are: modern concepts of law, crime, the judicial process, punishment, and rehabilitation; criminal justice, police, and corrections history and practice; organization of local, state and federal agencies; courts and criminal procedures; and comparative criminal justice.

CJ 360 – Juvenile Justice

Prerequisite: JA 200 or consent of instructor. A study of the theories and philosophies underlying the evolution and maintenance of the juvenile justice system in America as well as the structure and processes of the contemporary juvenile justice system. Topics included are: the history of the juvenile and the legal system; issues in juvenile justice; and the roles of the police, courts, and corrections in implementing the juvenile justice model.

CJ 403 – Title: Prisons and Jail in the United States

Prerequisite: JA 200, JA 202 or consent of instructor. Issues involved in the design and operation of correctional institutions. In depth examination of prison and jail construction and design, administration and management, career opportunities, programming needs, inmate culture and subculture and the interplay of legislative and case law.

CJ 405 – Title: Crimes Against the Elderly

Description: Course examines federal and state laws designed to protect the older adult population; topics include types of abuse, victim advocacy, perpetrator prosecution, community resources and protection services.

CJ 415 – Substance Abuse, Crime and Criminal Justice

Study of history, origin, extent and causes of substance abuse, focusing on relationships between substance abuse, criminal activity, and criminal justice agencies.

CJ 425 – Profiling Violent Crimes

Examination of the basic concept of criminal assessments of fatally violent crimes. Topics include organized and disorganized criminal personalities, stages of violent homicides, blood spatter interpretation, the process of homicide investigation, media issues, typology of violent personal offenders and various types of murderous personalities.

CJ 430 – Environmental Crime

Provides an understanding of both the theoretical and practical legal issues relating to environmental CJ, including an introduction to criminological solutions to environmental problems.

CJ 440 - Human Trafficking: Critical Thinking about Modern Day Slavery

In depth analysis of trafficking in human beings as a crime prompted by supply and demand. Content includes: definitions of human trafficking, human trafficking as a transitional crime, characteristics of the crime of trafficking in human beings and strategies to most effectively deal with this crime.

CJ 493 – Police and the Community

Course will explore the relationship between the community and those who police it. Topics to include: the history of police and their origin, aspects of police community relations, and the paradigm of Community Oriented Policing.

CJ 519 – Domestic and Family Violence

A course addressing issues relating to family violence, includes examination of partner abuse, child abuse, and elder abuse throughout the life-course.

CJ 520 – Capital Punishment

Seminar on issues related to the death penalty, including: constitutional questions, the effect of death row incarceration, and public attitudes toward the death penalty. Research on Kentucky will be featured.

CJ 523 – Race and Gender Issues in Criminal Justice

His course will study the dynamics of racial discrimination and racial disparity in the U. S. and how it affects the criminal justice system.

CJ 597 – Ethics in Criminal Justice

A study of the need for ethics in criminal justice. The aims of ethics, ethical theories, ethical issues related to law making, law breaking and law enforcement.

ENGL 342 Black Women Novelists

Study of selected novels by contemporary African, African American, and Caribbean women writers, in-depth and in comparative study.

ENGL 368 Minority Traditions in English Literature

An exploration of literary traditions in English coming from groups under-represented in traditional literary studies.

ENGL 369 Minority Traditions in American Literature

An exploration of literature from African, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Native American populations within the United States.

ENGL 373/WGST 325 Women in Literature

The literary treatment of women.

ENGL 374 Gender and Children's Literature

Examination of gender in British and North American literature for children/young adults from the late 19th century to the present with attention to the intersection of gender with common themes ( e.g. heroic journey).

ENGL 375/ WGST 375 LGBTQ Literature

An examination of the evolution of LGBTQ literature and of changes in the portrayal of LGBTQ identities through a variety of literary forms. Historical period varies by semester.

ENGL 423 African American Literature from 1845 to the Present

Study of selected works, in a variety of genres, by African American writers from 1845 to the present day. Taught with attention to historical and cultural context.

ENGL 549 Studies in Post-Colonial and/or Ethnic Literature

In-depth study of selected movements, genres, topics, or groupings of writers in post-colonial and/or ethnic literature.

ENGL 550 Studies in African American Literature

In-depth study of selected movements, topics, or groupings of African American writers.

ENGL 554 Women's Personal Narratives

Course examines issues such as race, class, religion, geography, and sexual orientation surrounding the writing/reading of women's personal narratives ( e.g., diaries, letters, autobiographies, oral histories, biographies, and films) from the 19th and 20th centuries.

ENGL 567 Post-Colonial Voices: Writing Experience in African Literature

Examination of "post-coloniality" through a selection of fiction and literary criticism by African writers.

ENGL 575/ PAS 575 Genre Studies in African-American Literature

In-depth study of a selected genre of African-American Literature.

ENGL 577 The Harlem Renaissance

In-depth study of the literature of the Harlem Renaissance in relation to other literary and artistic productions of the period.

GEOG 300 – Globalization and Diversity

A contemporary approach to world regional geography that focuses on human diversity and the geographic changes that accompany today's rapid rate of globalization.

GEOG 305/HIST 305 – Historical Geography of the United States

Analysis of the changing cultural landscape and settlement patterns of the United States. Emphasis on the changing spatial relationships of ethnic minorities to the majority group.

GEOG 331 – Population Geography

An examination of spatial variations in human population, with emphasis on population characteristics, growth, and mobility.

GEOG 500 – Globalization Seminar

Prerequisite: GEOG 300 or permission of instructor. A discussion-based course that focuses on current events, global economies, and cultural and environmental issues resulting from globalization.

GEOG 510 Global South Urbanism

This reading-based seminar focuses on the processes and practices within the Latin American and African city from spatial, cultural, economic and political perspective.

GEOG 590

The specific topic of these courses varies from semester to semester. The Director of Peace Studies in consultation with the Geography and Geoscience department will determine their relevance.

HIST 305/GEOG 305 – Historical Geography of the United States

Analysis of the changing cultural landscape and settlement patterns of the United States. Emphasis on the changing spatial relationships of ethnic minorities to the majority group.

HIST 318 – U.S. in the Sixties

Major social, political, cultural and economic developments of the decade, with emphasis on the forces critical of mainstream America.

HIST 322 – The History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1900 to Present

Study of the modern civil rights movement, its leaders, programs and strategies, from 1900 to present.

HIST 327 – American Labor History

Working people in America from pre-industrial to post-industrial period, focusing on conditions of the work place; industrialization; community and formal labor institutions.

HIST 513 PAS 513/ SCHG 513/ WGST 513/ – U.S. Social Justice Movements

Course will begin with abolitionism, then concentrate on social justice upsurges of the 20th century, with emphasis on women in the civil rights and Black liberation movements.

HIST 514 – United States Peace Movement

History of the peace movement in the United States from the beginning to the present. The course also examines nonviolent civil disobedience throughout U.S. history. Concentration on the twentieth century with the main focus being the Vietnam Anti-war movement.

HIST 519 – Gilded Age and Progressive Era United States, 1877-1929 –WR

An intensive study of the social, economic, political and intellectual aspects of American History from the end of Reconstruction to the beginning of the Great Depression.

HIST 522 – The American Revolution and the Confederation

An intensive study of the American Revolution and of the background of the Constitution.

HIST 524 – United States Civil War and Reconstruction-WR

Political dissolution of the 1850s; political, social, economic, constitutional, and military events of the Civil War; the Reconstruction era.

HIST 529 – Recent American History, 1945 to Present –WR

The interaction of political, economic, social, and intellectual forces in the shaping of foreign and domestic policy.

HIST 537 – Black Radicalism

Modern Black Nationalists, Marxists, and Black Panthers in the U.S., and their programs, ideologies, and behaviors.

LALS 200 Exploring Latin America

Students will consider issues related to culture and ethnicity through exploration of texts and literature examined within historical, political, and social contexts. Students will learn to recognize the rich cultural diversity of Latin America and the impact of cultural diversity on societal issues.

LAS 310 – Introduction to Latin American Studies

An interdisciplinary overview of Latin American and US Latino Studies, including geography and history; social, political and economic systems; literature, culture and global issues.

LAS 311 – Introduction to Latino Studies

An interdisciplinary introduction to the experience and condition of Latinos in the United States.

LALS 510 Global South Urbanism

This reading-based seminar focuses on the processes and practices within the Latin American and African city from spatial, cultural, economic and political perspective.

PAS 247 – Language, Protest and Conflict in the Global Community

This course investigates the intersection of linguistic behavior and society from the perspective of the global African Diaspora.

PAS 305 – Legal Lynchings: A Survey of Race, Law, and the American Justice System (Social Sciences.)

A historical study of the American justice system and its treatment of persons of African descent.

PAS 313 – Urban Ritual Violence

Examination of the role of ritual in gang culture; discussion of the power of ritual to reinforce and reflect cultural values. Analysis of cultic traditions in gangs in their historical relationships to religious institutions. Critical reflection on the use of ritual violence in organizational and institutional life in human societies.

PAS 318/ANTH 318 – African-American Cultural Traditions

An intensive examination of Afro-American life and culture in the U.S. drawn from historical, archaeological and socio-cultural literature. Attention is given to various systems of adaptation of people of African descent in America, including cultural traditions, urbanization and kinship.

PAS 324 – Politics, Political Violence and Black Resistance

Examination of the structural, institutional and personal dimensions of violence and the human drama as it unfolds in situations of oppression.

PAS 327 – Politics of the Black Community

The politics of black sub communities in the context of political behavior research: political socialization, sub community power structure, leadership, voter and party roles, strategies of protest, and government outputs.

PAS 329 – Slave Trade and Slavery

An historical and sociological study of the trans-Atlantic slave trade through 1900.

PAS 368 – Race, Culture, Identity

A cross-cultural examination of racial categories over the last 200 years and their link to gender, political and social trends, ethnicity and nationalism.

PAS 374 – The Black Power Movement

Examination of the phase of the African American freedom struggle known as the Black Power Movement, spanning the mid -1960's trough the 1970's.

PAS 383/ ANTH 323 – Cultures of Africa -CD1

Africa is a large continent, with diverse regions, societies, histories, and cultures. This course will provide an introduction to the history and ethnography of colonial and postcolonial societies in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights change and resistance to change since the 1885 Berlin Conference where European nations divided Africa for colonization. In this course, we will come to understand the historical and cultural conditions underpinning current predicaments facing African societies, as well as the fact that tragedy is only one facet of African lives and experiences.

PAS 392 SOC 392/ WGST 343 – Faces of Global Poverty (Social Sciences)

Persistent poverty in the 3rd World and specific groups in the U.S. Focuses on causes, consequences, solutions and survival strategies.

PAS 412 – The Underground Railroad and American Memory

The course examines the need for and operation of national and international Underground Railroad and Abolition movements.

PAS 512 – Gender, Race, Work and Welfare

Introduction to theory and research on labor market and welfare state with focus on gender and race/ethnicity as they influence women's experiences of and ideas about work and welfare.

PAS 513/ HIST 513/ SCHG 513/ WGST 513 – U.S. Social Justice Movements

Course will begin with abolitionism, then concentrate on social justice upsurges of the 20th century, with emphasis on women in the civil rights and Black liberation movements.

PAS 514 – History of Pan-African Social Thought

Contributions of African and African-American social theorists from Marcus Garvey to Cornell West; role of ideology in relations of domination and oppression.

PAS 515 – Race and Racism

Manifestations, dynamics and impact of racism in the contemporary American social order. Topics covered include affirmative action, multiculturalism, and inequality.

PAS 520 – The Black Family

Nature and function of African-American familial systems from the slave era to the present. Emphasis on impact of public policy on socioeconomic and political status of Black family structures.

PAS 532 – Slave Trade and Slavery in the African World

An in-depth examination of the evolution and characteristics in the western world, the mechanics and organization of the African slave trade, the nature and types of slave societies established in Europe and the Americas, and the impact of slave trade in Africa.

PHIL 222 – Contemporary Ethical Problems

Ethical aspects of current medical, legal, political, environmental and social problems and of the presuppositions contained in their various solutions.

PHIL 308 – Social and Political Philosophy

Classical and contemporary philosophies of society and the state, individual in society, and social change. Philosophical analysis of such concepts as justice, revolution, freedom, and duty.

PHIL 317 – The Nature of Violence

Analysis of concepts of violence and examination of causes, effects, and solutions to interpersonal and global forms of violence.

PHIL 318/WGST 360 – Philosophy and Feminism

An examination of philosophical issues involved in feminism, including classical, but emphasizing contemporary discussions.

PHIL 319 – Philosophy of Race and Racism -CD1

A critical examination of philosophical issues involved in interdisciplinary inquires into race and racism.

PHIL 328 – Environmental Ethics

Examination of the moral status of the natural environment and ethical problems of human/environment interaction.

PHIL 329 – Social Institutions and Social Change

Philosophical analysis of the nature of social institutions and their constitutive human actions; the ethics of individual and collective action for social change.

PHIL 524 – Philosophies of Peace

History of peace movements; analysis of concepts of nonviolence pacifism, positive and negative peace; approaches to conflict resolution and negotiation for global and local conflicts.

PHIL 529 – Philosophy of Emotions

Philosophical studies in the nature, interrelations, and moral and aesthetic value of specific emotions, such as pride, shame, guilt, regret; jealousy, envy, resentment; anger, hate, contempt; love; joy, happiness, contentment.

PHIL 535 – Political Philosophy

The main concepts of contemporary political thought: Rights, law, power, ideology, legitimacy, democracy, tyranny, the state, and justice, with the focus on the topic of political action in both its individual and collective forms.

PHIL 582 – Gender, Race, and Culture in Health Care

Examines ways social groupings and systems affect the kind of health care needed and the kind people receive. Addresses both biases and stereotypes, and empirical claims about biologically-based differences.

PHIL 583 – Health Care, Justice & Community

Examines theories of justice and equality as they apply to issues in health care delivery, considers explanations for why disparities exist, and the practical ways that communities have addressed inequalities.

PHIL 624 – Philosophies of Peace

History of peace movements; analysis of concepts of nonviolence pacifism, positive and negative peace; approaches to conflict resolution and negotiation for global and local conflicts. Multi-disciplinary. Note: Credit may not be earned for 524 and 624.

PHIL 638 – Critical Social Theory

A critical examination of interdisciplinary theories that seek to understand and explain social formations while at the same time uncovering ways that such formations can be unjust and irrational.

POLS 313 – American Constitutional Law - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

American constitutional law, with a focus on civil and political rights such as First Amendment freedoms, rights of accused persons, racial equality, due process, equal protection of the law.

POLS 314 – Judicial Process

Analysis of court systems, including structure and functions of the courts, staffing, relationship to other branches, formation of judicial policy, and the impact of judicial decisions.

POLS 315 – Race, Law and Politics

This course examines the legal consequences of racial inequality in the United States. It explores the origins of the concept of race and documents the nature of contemporary racial inequality.

POLS 318 – Religion and U.S. Politics

Study of the impact of religion on political processes and the influence of political systems on development of religious thought and behavior; emphasis on contemporary problems of Church and State relationships both American and comparative.

POLS 319 – Media and Politics

An examination from normative, empirical and legal perspectives, of the influence of the news media on American politics.

POLS 320 – Civil Rights and the Law II

An examination of the legal and political aspects of Black civil rights from World War II to contemporary times.

POLS 323 /WGST 323 – Queer Politics

The course examines the political organization of gays, lesbians and transgendered persons, forms of oppression they experience, forms of political activism they utilize, and their relationship to mainstream political institutions.

POLS 324/WGST 355 – Women in American Politics

A study of women's involvement in American politics as active political party members, as candidates for national, state, and local offices, as elected officials, and as appointees to government positions at all levels.

POLS 327 – African American Politics

The politics of black sub communities in the context of political behavior research: political socialization, sub community power structure, leadership, voter and party roles, strategies of protest, and governmental outputs.

POLS 330 – International Relations

An introduction to the study of world affairs, with a focus on interstate politics; examines power politics, the role of ideology and globalism.

POLS 331 – International Organization

Work of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in peacemaking; peacekeeping, and the promotion of global economic, social and humanitarian progress through the interpretation of international law.

POLS 332 – International Law

A study of existing and emerging law, which governs nation-states in their relations with each other.

POLS 384 – Democracy and Its Critics

Problems in democratic theory, examination of the moral foundations of democracy; consideration of such issues as liberty and authority, equality, representation, majority rule, and participation.

POLS 386 – Political Theory and Utopia -WR

Examination of selected literary utopias from the perspective of political theory. Analysis of socialist, anarchist, democratic and totalitarian elements.

POLS 520 – Coping with Conflict

This active-learning course involves students negotiating and then analyzing realistic hypothetical cases related to local, national, and international issues found within the North American countries.

POLS 530 – International Negotiation

POLS 563/ WGST 558 – Women in the Developing World

This course follows the progress on the international women's movement since the United Nations First World Conference on Women 1975 to the present.

POLS 628 – Mediation and Dispute Resolution

Designed principally for incipient practitioners of the mediation process. Class participation, serving as a mediator in cases presented to the class, and a short paper depicting mediating in process are the course requirements

The influences of race, gender, class and sexual bias in American society and its impact on individual psychology as well as on economically and socially marginalized groups.

PSYC 310 - Psychology of Diversity

Exploration of psychological processes as they relate to interactions between diverse individuals and groups. Pertinent psychological processes include perspective taking, belief updating, creativity, identity formation, stereotyping and prejudice.

PSYC 407 – Community Internship in Psychology

On-site formal training and community-based research and/or service with select non-profit agencies. Sites are chosen based on special topics/social issues and programs in applied developmental psychology.

PSYC 408-01 – International Service Learning and Research in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland: An international cultural immersion experience intended to expose students to the impact that intergroup contact in the form of cross-community involvement has in assisting conflict resolution, behavioral and mental health, and multicultural psychology, as students interact and conduct research with individuals in Northern Ireland.

PSYC 415- Family Risk, Resilience and Mindfulness - CUE; WR

Discussion of resilience in the context of scientific literature on such risk factors as poverty, divorce and single parenting, homelessness, mental and physical health issues, nutrition, family and neighborhood violence, and trauma.

PSYC 420 - History of Psychology: A Socio Cultural Perspective - CUE

An overview and synthesis of the history of psychology and how this historical background has led to the development of the systems and issues of contemporary psychology, with an emphasis on how current psychological perspectives have evolved to be more inclusive to women and minorities and the sociocultural context of this evolution.

PSYC 430- Psychology of Peace & Ethnic Relations – CUE

- Theories, research, and psychosocial elements of peacebuilding as they relate to interethnic relations around the world.

PSYC 466- Psychology of Women

Analysis of scientific research and theory related to the psychology of women, including discussion of the role of ethnicity, culture, and social class.

PSYC 485 – Stress & Trauma – CUE; WR

This course focuses on the psychological consequences of experiencing traumatic stressors. It is designed to build both breadth and depth of knowledge in the field of traumatic stress research.

SCHG 300, 301, 302, 303, 399, 500, 501, 503

The specific topic of these courses varies from semester to semester. The Director of Peace Studies in consultation with the Health and Sports Sciences will decide determination of their relevance.

SCHG 453/ SOC 453 – Social Change

Examines social change from a sociological perspective; explores theories, spheres, patterns, consequences of change; involves students in field study of actual case of change in local community or region.

SCHG 513/ WGST 513/ PAS 513/ HIST 513/ – U. S. Social Justice Movements

Course will begin with abolitionism, then concentrate on social justice upsurges of the 20th century, with emphasis on women in the civil rights and Black liberation movements.

SCHG 538 – Critical Social Theory

A critical examination of interdisciplinary theories that seek to understand and explain social formations while at the same time uncovering ways that such formations can be unjust and irrational.

SW 201 – Introduction to Social Work

Introduces students to the profession of social work, its code of ethics, values base and commitment to social justice and working with vulnerable and oppressed groups; 30 hours service-learning requirement.

SW 202 – Family Relationships

The course introduces students to the scientific study and understanding of couple and family life. Examination of attitudes and values regarding intimate relationships is encouraged. Class activities and assignments enable students to integrate personal experiences with newly gained understanding and knowledge.

SW 352 – Child Abuse/Neglect

Restricted to Students admitted to Kent School of Social Work Bachelors. This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to child abuse and neglect from a social work perspective.

SW 364 – Social Work and the Law

Restricted to students admitted to Kent School of Social Work Bachelors. This course is designed to (1) familiarize social work students with the legal system and the various roles of social workers within the legal arena, (2) increase the social work student's understanding of the impact of the legal system on social work clients and client groups, (3) increase the social work student's understanding of the interface of the law with professional social work practice, and (4) develop and enhance the skills needed by the professional social worker in situations where social work and the law interface.

SW 381 – Social Gerontology

Restricted to students admitted to Kent School of Social Work Bachelors. This course is designed to enable students to understand the complexity of the aging process from the perspective of the individual, the family and society.

SOC 201 – Introduction to Sociology –SB

Introduction to the study of human societies. How societies are organized and changed and the implications of social organization on everyday life.

SOC 202 – Social Problems - SBCD2

Structural sources and individual experiences of the major contradictions of contemporary societies. Poverty, racial/ethnic conflict, work and occupations, and the environment may be among the topics considered.

SOC 210 – Race in the United States -SBCD1

Examines the social processes leading to the development of major racial grouping in the United States. Focuses on racialization in the United States, relationship between assimilation and racialization, and causes and consequences of the social construction of race.

SOC 305 – Urban Sociology

An introduction to the sociology of urban areas, including the study of how humans organize their lives in cities; analysis of the form and development of cities; and review of theories and research that aid understanding these phenomena.

SOC 315 – Environmental Sociology

Problem identification, policy formulation, and agenda implementation examined from an environmental and developmental perspective. Review of institutions, processes, and social conflict.

SOC 323 – Diversity and Inequality

Dimensions, sources, and problems associated with social inequality. Includes discussions of social class, gender, and race/ethnicity. Focus on American society, with international phenomena also considered.

SOC 343/WGST 312 – Sociology of Women's Health

Introduces key theoretical and substantive issues in the sociology of women's health and healing. Draws from feminist theories and their intersections with critical perspectives on gender, race/ethnicity, social structure, power and medicine; attention to social and cultural factors in the U.S. and abroad.

SOC 346 – Sociology of Religion

Study of religion as a product of collective human endeavor, as a social institution; functions, types, and structures of religious organizations and conduct; relationships between religion and other aspects of sociocultural and class existence.

SOC 374 – Sociology of Economic Life

The economy as a social institution; sociological theories of the development of capitalism; historical development of industrialization; labor-management relations; trade unions; the service economy; globalization.

SOC 392 PAS 392/ WGST 343 – Faces of Global Poverty –WR

Persistent poverty in the 3rd world and specific groups in the U.S. Focuses on the causes, consequences, solutions and survival strategies.

SOC 394/PAS 334 – Globalization, Culture, and Third World Development

Examination of the social, economic, political, and ideological aspects of global economic development as they affect and shape the African development experience.

SOC 453/SCHG 453 – Social Change

Examines social change from a sociological perspective; explores theories, spheres, patterns, consequences of change; involves students in field study of actual case of change in local community or region.

SOC 454 – Classes and Stratification -WR

Analysis of systems of the distribution of power, property, privilege, and prestige in human communities and societies. Comparison of alternate theories of the nature of distributive systems.

SOC 458 – Women: International Perspective

This course examines some of the major social concerns of women around the world, such as issues related to labor and slavery, sex trafficking, religion, media representation, health, education, political involvement, and violence against women.

SOC 462 – Family Violence

Examines history and theories of family violence, with a focus on the United States. Discusses the sociological factors that condone or discourage violence in the family, as well as the social psychological dynamics by which it is perpetuated.

SOC 464 – Race and Ethnicity –WR

Historical and social origins of racism as a system and an ideology.

SOC 460 – Gender in the Middle East

This course examines the ways in which gender shapes and is shaped by social, political, economic, and cultural processes in the Middle East.

SOC 503 – Political Sociology

Focuses on the theoretical and empirical issues pertaining to the relationship between political processes, political structures, the state, and society.

SOC 512 – Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare

Introduction to theory and research on labor market and welfare state with focus on gender race/ethnicity as they influence women's experiences of and ideas about work and welfare.

SPAD 571 - Sport for Development and Peace Entrepreneurship

Introduces student to sports for social change, often referred to as Sport for Development and Peace (SDP), helping them understand how SDP relates to their future career of choice in the sports industry.

SUST 101 - "Introduction to Sustainability."

This course provides an introductory survey of the concepts, values, frameworks, and methodologies that contribute to understanding and responding to problems such as climate change, environmental degradation, and the issues of limited resource allocation.

SUST 201 - "Environmental Management."

This course introduces students to major environmental problems in sustainability. Students will examine the biophysical or ecological properties, manifestations, and consequences of these problems at local, regional, and global scales.

SUST 202 - "Behavioral Dimensions (Environmental Decision Making)."

This course examines sustainability through a behavioral lens, exploring the psychological processes, primary research methods, and behavioral solutions involved in environmentally responsible behavior and sustainability.

SUST 301 - "Sustainable Built Environment."

This course explores the issues of sustainability from the perspective of the built environment, our history of construction and expansion, and buildings and how they interact with the natural environment.

SUST 303 - "Sustainable Societal Systems."

This course introduces students to the concept of sustainable societal systems. Students examine problems in sustainability from a holistic systems perspective, which takes into account multiple actors, social systems, and environmental processes.

SUST 402 - "Policy and Governance in Sustainability."

The course deals with policy making and governance, and explore the impacts of political economy on overall sustainability.

TA 326 – Cultural Diversity in Performance -WRCD1

Performance and discussion of selected public and private texts written by American minority writers. Course explores what it means to be part of a culturally diverse society.

TA 352 Special Topic: Tai Chi for Actors

WGST 303 - Human Perspectives on Sex Roles

Analysis of sex roles as embodied in classic works in philosophy, literature, history, drama, and art in ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary times.

WGST 312 /SOC 343 – Sociology of Women's Health

Introduces key theoretical and substantive issues in the sociology of women's health and healing. Draws from feminist theories and their intersections with critical perspectives on gender, race/ethnicity, social structure, power and medicine; attention to social and cultural factors in the U.S. and abroad.

WGST 323/POLS 323 – Queer Politics

The course examines the political organization of gays, lesbians and transgendered persons, forms of oppression they experience, forms of political activism they utilize, and their relationship to mainstream political institutions.

WGST 340 - Women and Religion

An examination of the significance of religious imagery for the socio-cultural roles of women, both past and present.

WGST 355/POLS 324 – Women in American Politics

A study of women's involvement in American politics as active political party members, as candidates for national, state, and local offices, as elected officials, and as appointees to government positions at all levels.

WGST 360/ PHIL 318 – Philosophy and Feminism

An examination of philosophical issues involved in feminism, including classical, but emphasizing contemporary discussions.

WGST 343/PAS 392/SOC 392 – Faces of Global Poverty

Persistent poverty in the 3rd World and specific groups in the U.S. Focuses on causes, consequences, solutions and survival strategies.

WGST 513/ PAS 513/ HIST 513/ SCHG 513 – US Social Justice Movement

Course will begin with abolitionism, then concentrate on social justice upsurges of the 20th century, with emphasis on women in the civil rights and Black liberation movements.

WGST 558/POLS 563 – Women in the Developing World

This course follows the progress on the international women's movement since the United Nations First World Conference on Women 1975 to the present.

WGST 593 - Women, Gender in Muslim Societies

Advanced study of selected histories of individual religious traditions and/or interaction between religious traditions in different historical contexts.