Courses of Instruction – Wells College

Courses of Instruction – Wells College
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Courses of Instruction
Wells College course offerings by subject and number.
Courses use letter grades unless otherwise indicated. The College reserves the right to cancel any course not elected by a sufficient number of students.
Course Listings by Subject
Biological and Chemical Sciences
BCS 290/390 - Internship in Biological and Chemical Sciences
Internships provide the opportunity for students to work with professional scientists in a variety of experiences in the Biological and Chemical Sciences.
BCS 292/392 - Research Practicum
The BCS research practicum is designed to provide research-based experiential learning beyond the classroom. The practicum might include BCS field work, or laboratory based research experience on or off-campus.
BCS 398 - Independent Research
Supervised research in selected areas of biology and chemistry, which may include experimental work in the laboratory or field as well as in-depth library research.
BCS 399 - Independent Study in Biological and Chemical Sciences
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
BCS 401 - Advanced Research
Original laboratory or field research on a biological or chemical problem.
BCS 402 - Senior Research Paper in Biological and Chemical Sciences
Independent research paper on a biological or chemical problem, developed under the supervision of a BCS faculty member. Includes constructing a bibliography of relevant literature and writing a paper examining literature. Students who have performed independent laboratory or field research are encouraged to use their results as the focus of this paper.
BCS 403 - Senior Seminar in Biological and Chemical Sciences
This capstone course covers current research literature in biological and chemical sciences. Students will write and present paper summaries for discussion that are appropriate for both a scientific and non-scientific audience. Post-graduate career opportunities, and how to pursue them, will be considered.
BIOL 116L - Plants!
Plant blindness has become a large problem in modern society, with students unsure of basic plant biology and identification of even the most common plants. This course will explore basic plant biology and the importance of plants to our lives. Emphasis will be placed on the common plants found in our region.
BIOL 119L - Ecology and Evolution
Organic evolution, the unifying concept in biology, and its relationship with ecology, the distribution and abundance of organisms. The role of ecology and evolution in environmental science and conservation biology.
BIOL 130L - Biology of Organisms
The study of diversity of organisms in all three domains, Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya, focusing on the fungal, plant and animal kingdoms. The organ structure and functions of these organisms, their reproduction and their development will be studied in an evolutionary context.
BIOL 185 - How do you know?
In this project-based course, students will learn the fundamentals of how to ask questions and use resources to get answers. We will investigate such topics as internet sources and ChatGPT, peer-reviewed and popular articles, art/film, the scientific method, quantitative analyses and graphs, and more! At the end of this course students will be much more prepared to evaluate information and
communicate what they find through writing, oral and poster presentations, and creative works.
BIOL 185/285/385 - Topics in Biology
In-depth study of a selected topic in biology of interest to both students and Faculty. Areas of applied biology (such as horticulture, agriculture, or conservation) or in-depth study of a particular taxon (such as entomology, ornithology, mycology) are likely topics. Level of instruction depends on the topic.
BIOL 201L - Cellular and Molecular Biology
A study of the molecular composition of cellular components, organelles, and the genome, and how these molecules and their interactions ultimately dictate cell structure and function. This includes a consideration of DNA replication, transcription, translation, and mutation. The laboratory focuses on application of current molecular techniques, microscopy, and plant cell culture. Students will leave this course with an appreciation of the importance of understanding cellular and molecular processes in order to comprehend larger scale physiological, organismal, and evolutionary processes.
BIOL 205 - Terrestrial Field Biology
Terrestrial Field Biology is designed to teach students the major plants and animals found in the habitats of central New York. Students will be able to identify approximately 200 common taxa of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and insects in the northeastern region, and will understand the natural history of those species and their relationship to the environment.
BIOL 214L - Anatomy and Physiology I
Anatomy and Physiology I is an overview of all the main human body systems including sensory, reproductive,
skeletal, and digestive systems. Laboratory exercises will include dissections of animals and organs, as well as
physiological exercises using student volunteers.
BIOL 301L - Evolution
This class is an overview of how natural and sexual selection influence evolution of species. We will focus on how flight evolved in insects, pterosaurs, birds and bats as well as why. We will examine the anatomical and physiological adaptations necessary for the evolution of flight and explore how each of the flighted groups solved these specific aerodynamic requirements. The class will explore the specific anatomical and physiological adaptations by comparative dissections, videos, and models and skeleton comparisons.
BIOL 304L - Vertebrate Zoology
The classification, comparative morphology, and evolution of vertebrates. Demonstrations and dissections of selected vertebrates.
BIOL 310L - Microbiology
The structure, physiology, genetics, and immunology of microorganisms and their applications to fields such as foods, sanitation, and medicine. The laboratory stresses bacteriological laboratory techniques as well as recombinant DNA technology.
BIOL 324L - Animal Behavior
In animal behavior we will examine how animals decide what to do. How feeding, breeding, communication
and migration is shaped by evolution and current ecological pressures. Laboratory sessions will include how to
study animal behavior of both free living and captive animals.
BIOL 325L - Limnology
The biological, chemical, geological, and physical aspects of fresh waters. Emphasis will be on the study of lakes and streams as ecosystems, although consideration will also be given to the biology of the organisms that inhabit these bodies of water.
BIOL 326L - Genetics and Genomics
Students will study the transmission of traits both through classical mutational analysis and modern genome-wide association studies. The laboratory will include both hands-on, wet lab experiments and computer-based bioinformatics. This course will also consider the ethical implications of genomics in modern life, including its applications to medicine.
BIOL 330L - Anatomy and Physiology II
Basic physiological mechanisms in animals, including a detailed analysis of the physiology of neural control, excretion, movement, respiration, nutrition, thermoregulation, and reproduction.
BIOL 331L - Developmental Biology
The patterns and mechanisms of development in animals including gametogenesis, totipotency, cellular interactions, and genetic control development.
BIOL 363 - Advanced Ecology
Advanced, field-based research in Ecology, designed to have students investigate an ecological topic at many different scales.
BIOL 364L - Lab in Advanced Ecology
Advanced, field based research in Ecology, designed to have students investigate an ecological topic at many different scales. This lab time will accompany BIOL 363.
BIOL 395 - Tutorial in Biology
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
BIOL 399 - Independent Study in Biology
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
CHEM 107L - General Chemistry
A study of the properties of matter with emphasis upon the relation of properties to structure: atomic theory, chemical bonding, the periodic table, and stoichiometry.
CHEM 108L - Chemical Analysis
The second semester of the introductory chemistry sequence. A study of solutions, solubility, chemical equilibria, acid-base theory, oxidation-reduction reactions, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Quantitative analytical methods, such as volumetric, gravimetric, colorimetric, and electroanalytic techniques will be emphasized in the laboratory.
CHEM 213L - Organic Chemistry I
Carbon-based molecules make up the chemistry of living organisms. This course introduces the structure, nomenclature, functional groups, physical properties, and stereochemistry of carbon molecules. Reaction mechanisms of alkenes and alkyl halides will also be covered. Labs will cover basic isolation and characterization procedures used in studying organic molecules.
CHEM 214L - Organic Chemistry II
This course is a continuation of CHEM 213L.
Nomenclature and reactivity of alcohols, ketone, aldehydes, esters, carboxylic acids, ethers, epoxides, and
amines will be covered. Spectroscopy techniques will in utilized throughout the course to characterize organic compounds. The lab will continue to introduce techniques used to purify and characterize compounds and will introduce students to organic synthesis. The end of the course involves setting up and running an independent research project. Results from this project are presented to the class.
CHEM 215L - Inorganic Chemistry
A study of the bonding, structure, and reactions of inorganic complexes with particular attention to coordination compounds. Topics to be discussed include atomic structure, ionic and covalent bonding, valence bond theory, molecular orbital theory, and organometallic chemistry.
CHEM 303 - Medicinal Chemistry
The chemistry, biological evaluation, and mode of action of representative types of drugs; consideration of structure-activity relationships. Current topics selected for detailed study depend upon the interests of those enrolled in the class.
CHEM 305 - Physical Chemistry I
Special emphasis on those aspects of the subject pertinent to biology and biochemistry. Gases and liquids; thermodynamics and thermochemistry; properties of solutions; chemical equilibria; electrode potentials; reaction kinetics.
CHEM 308L - Lab in Physical Chemistry I
Study of selected physicochemical topics in the laboratory. Examples include calorimetry, ideal gas thermometry and behavior, Joule-Thompson effect, index of refraction of organic liquids, and ratio of specific heats.
CHEM 323L - Biochemistry
A study of the structures of biomolecules and the dynamic aspects of biochemical reactions, especially the structure and reactions of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, with emphasis on enzyme kinetics and mechanisms, and biochemical thermodynamics.
CHEM 326 - Biochemical Pathways
A study of the reactions in the biochemical pathways of living organisms, especially metabolism and anabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, with an emphasis on regulation of interconnected pathways.
CHEM 327L - Instrumental Analysis
Introduction to modern physicochemical methods of analysis with discussion of the theoretical concepts involved, and the application of these in the laboratory.
CHEM 331 - Solid State Chemistry
A survey of topics in the field of solid state chemistry, including symmetry and group theory, crystallography, crystal lattice packing, and phase diagrams. Particular emphasis will be placed on the relationship of three-dimensional structure to physical and chemical properties.
CHEM 385 - Topics in Chemistry
In-depth study of a selected topic in chemistry.
CHEM 395 - Tutorial in Chemistry
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
CHEM 399 - Independent Study in Chemistry
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
Business
BUS 100 - Principles of Business
This course emphasizes on the introduction to the business (profit and non-profit) and how it plays a collaborative role amongst all the related functions in an organization accomplishing overall business objectives. Students will be introduced to key concepts in finance, marketing, production, and other functional management areas.
BUS 201 - Principles of Management
Introduction to management. Topics include overview of the management process, management theory, the environment of business, planning and strategy, management functions, and organization design.
BUS 202 - Principles of Marketing
An analytical study of marketing fundamentals, with attention given to marketing as a business function, policies and institutions involved in the distribution of goods, product development, pricing and consumer behavior.
BUS 203 - Social Entrepreneurship
A practical and theoretical introduction to the field of Social entrepreneurship in which entrepreneurs are using business methods to help solve social challenges often ignored by commerce. Topics include: developing initiatives to make a positive social impact, B corporations, and social intrapreneurship.
BUS 204 - Business Analytics
Business Analytics is the study of data through statistical and operations analysis, the formation of predictive models, application of optimization techniques and the communication of these results to customers, business partners and colleague executives. Students will master the skills of data analysis, modeling, and spreadsheet use with Business Analytics when making business decisions in areas such as Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, and Operations Management. This quantitative methods course provides students with tools to succeed with a student-friendly writing style, and complete Excel integration.
BUS 205/DATA 205 - Visual Analytics
This course focuses on visualization techniques used to represent information in the fields of Business, Science, Social Science, Arts, among others. The course enables students to answer four questions: what data do the final users need to see; what is the most effective way to develop and design data representation; how could the proposed visual representation be constructed; and how to tell a story based on visualizations created. Topics covered include information visualization techniques for abstract data, visualization for spatial data, and visual analytical techniques applied to data transformation and visual exploration. This course is hands-on work intensive and helps develop skills using a modern visualization tool-Tableau.
BUS 213 - Principles of Accounting I
An introduction to basic bookkeeping principles, including analysis of transactions, journal entries, posting to ledger accounts, computer applications, and preparation of the trial balance, income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
BUS 214 - Principles of Accounting II
A study of those accounting concepts employed by internal management. Cost-volume-profit relationships, budgeting, cost accounting, capital planning, and price estimating are some of the topics covered.
BUS 215 - Leadership in a Global Society
This course is designed to provide a basic introduction to leadership by focusing on what it means to be a good leader. Emphasis in the course is on the practice of leadership. The course will examine such topics as: understanding leadership; recognizing leadership traits; engaging people's strengths; understanding philosophy and styles; attending to tasks and relationships; developing leadership skills; creating a vision; establishing a constructive climate; listening to out-group members; handling conflict; addressing ethics in leadership and overcoming obstacles. Students will assess their leadership traits and skills to improve their own leadership performance. This course is also designed to facilitate reading and discussion of various classic and current theories related to leadership in a global context. The perspective taken in this course is that the leader cannot think in terms of local (micro) and regional (macro) issues but must think also of the impact that world events (mega) issues have on the leaders of organizations and how both the leader and the organization may, in turn, impact the global society.
BUS 220 - International Business
This course covers the socio-economic, political, cultural, and legal environments in which international business decisions are made. The course develops skill in methods and strategies of conducting international and multinational business in a global context.
BUS 230 - Introduction to Human Resource Management
Principles of managing personnel in an organization. Topics include hiring, training, evaluating, and compensating employees.
BUS 231 - Principles of Project Management
This course will introduce students to project management fundamentals, with an emphasis on planning. Students will acquire knowledge on areas such as project life cycles, organization and charters, work breakdown structures, responsibility matrixes, and the planning, budgeting and scheduling of systems.
BUS 250 - Innovation: Creative Problem Solving
Students learn a creative problem solving methodology consisting of developing empathy, prototyping process, collaboration, iteration, and feedback. The objective is to enable students to address challenges in business and other disciplines, such as the social and physical sciences.
BUS 253 - Investment Management and Strategies
An introduction to investments, markets asset classes and account types, combined with methodologies to develop investment strategies. Emphasis on practical knowledge in order to make personal investment decisions and guide the Wells Affiliates Portfolio.
BUS 285/385 - Topics in Contemporary Business Issues
In-depth study of a selected topic in business. Application of economic theories and management principles to current business issues. Topics will vary with student interest and the course may be taught by visiting faculty.
BUS 290/390 - Internship in Business
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to business.
BUS 295 - Tutorial in Business
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
BUS 302 - Brand Management
Brand Management is the discipline that links strategic business objectives, marketing, and operations. The fundamental focus of this course is to deliver theoretical and practical understanding of brand management in order to leverage marketing efficiencies in organizations. High performance companies (for-profit or not-for-profit) understand the importance of their brand and actively manage brand equity. This course will address the importance of brands building, measuring, and managing.
BUS 303 - Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
A practical and theoretical introduction to the issues faced by entrepreneurs and small business people. Topics include: establishing and funding the business or social organization, finance, marketing and personnel management. BUS 213 is recommended, but not required.
BUS 305 - Legal Environment of Business
Introduction to the legal system and business law. Students will learn about the legal system, constitutional and administrative law, contracts, torts, product liability, and employment law.
BUS 306 - Business Ethics
This course explores foundational concepts of ethics and discusses application to contemporary business and sustainability issues. Students will discuss, debate, and critically analyze the practical application of these concepts to issues such as corporate social responsibility, ethical supply chains, and workplace leadership issues like inclusion and diversity, sexual harassment, and whistleblowing.
BUS 307 - Marketing Analytics
Marketing Analytics focuses on data-driven marketing management techniques and strategies necessary to make quantitative marketing decisions in organizations. Marketing concepts, such as pricing, forecasting, consumer needs analysis, customer value, market segmentation, advertising, marketing research, internet and social media are integrated. These concepts will be investigated using descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive statistics such as, regression, clustering, classification, tree-methods, conjoint analysis, principal component analysis, market basket analysis, and neutral networks.
BUS 308/PSY 306 - Organizational Behavior
Students will explore issues such as employee motivation, group goal achievement, development of leadership skills, and working successfully with diverse populations. We will discuss power and politics, stress and coping, and other topics related to navigating the workplace.
BUS 310 - Corporate Finance
A study of the theory and practice of corporate financial decision-making. Topics include investment decisions and securities analysis, capital structure and budgeting, working capital management, and strategic planning.
BUS 350 - Business Strategy
A study of the theory and practice of corporate decision-making in areas of markets, products, competitive analysis, organizational design, differentiation, technology and other external and internal factors. Topics are taught using the case-study method.
BUS 360 - Strategic Marketing and E-commerce
A study of the theory and practice of utilizing databases and the internet to increase the effectiveness of sales and marketing for business and fundraising and servicing for social organizations. Topics are taught and extensively illustrated through use of the internet.
BUS 365 - Business Sustainability and Social Responsibility
Course provides a unique focus regarding the burgeoning concern for sustainability and sustainable organizational practices. The course looks at how large multinational corporations, as well as smaller organizations, are making substantial commitments to the "triple bottom line" of economic success, social responsibility, and environmental protection.
BUS 395 - Tutorial in Business
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
BUS 399 - Independent Study in Business
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
BUS 402 - Senior Seminar in Business
Students complete a senior research report or project in an acceptable business format to completely explore a topic of current relevance in business or management.
ECON 101 - Principles of Macroeconomics
An in-depth survey of the basic principles of economic analysis and their application with emphasis on the macroeconomic concepts and issues of aggregate income, economic growth, employment, unemployment, inflation, and interest rates. The effects of fiscal and monetary policies on the economy and their role in economic stabilization are studied.
ECON 102 - Principles of Microeconomics
A survey of basic microeconomic concepts with emphasis on the concepts of supply and demand, production, and distribution. Special attention will be paid to ideas of competition, market structure, efficiency, and equity using examples from current policy discussions.
ECON 209 - Introduction to Political Economy
An analysis of economic theories focusing on the processes of production and accumulation within institutional and political contexts. Topics include the labor theory of value, monopoly capitalism, and the social structure of accumulation.
ECON 233 - Economics of Health and Medical Care
A critical examination of the important health and medical care issues through economic analysis. Emphasis will be placed on the increasingly common questions and dilemmas of efficiency, access to care, and fairness in the financing and delivery of medical services.
ECON 255 - Political Economy of Globalization
The world economy from the standpoint of producing and distributing a surplus. Topics include classical theories of imperialism, global finance, and global and domestic economies in an era where economic growth is limited by peak oil and climate change.
ECON 286 - Money, Banking, and Capital Markets
A study of the functions of money, the operations of commercial and central banking, and the operations of money and capital markets with emphasis on corporate equities, government securities, and municipal bonds. The roles of financial intermediaries and government will also be considered.
ECON 290 - Internship in Economics and Business
Students are encouraged to discover for themselves the use of economic principles and techniques in various institutional settings, including research, institutes, government agencies, banks, corporations, etc.
ECON 302 - Managerial Economics
An application of economic theory to real world problems of management, focusing particularly on how supply and demand, marginal analysis, opportunity cost, and maximization fit into a world of profit and loss statements, capital budgets, and multiple goals.
ECON 303 - Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
A study of optimal allocation of resources in a price system under a pure competitive market structure: demand analysis, production and cost relationships, general equilibrium, and an introduction to welfare economics.
ECON 306 - Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
A study of alternative theories of the nation's income, employment, and price level, in relation to private consumption, investment expenditures, public expenditure, and taxation.
ECON 314 - Econometrics
A study of the derivation and application of statistical methods used in economic research. The focus of the course is on economic estimation and regression analysis, although other methods such as analysis of variance are examined. Three will be extensive applications of the techniques developed in the course to economic problems.
ECON 325 - Ecological Economics
This course models the economy as a sub-system of larger ecosystem, and addresses questions such as optimal scale, investments in natural capital, sustainability, and thermodynamic limits to growth. Sustainable development is treated within the historical context of uneven development.
ECON 326 - Energy and the Economy
This course focuses upon the history of energy's role in the transformation from pre-industrial to contemporary society. The analytical framework includes theories of political economy, the energy return on investment, and the internal and biophysical limits to economic growth.
ECON 330 - The World Economy: Trade and Finance
An analysis of how the world economy including international economic interdependence works. Theories and models will be studied concerning trade and financial issues such as the political economy of free trade versus protectionism, foreign direct investment and foreign exchange markets.
ECON 340 - History of Economic Analysis
The evolution of economic intellectual history from pre-capitalist doctrines until the 20th century. Course will emphasize the development of theories of value and price, production, and distribution, with special emphasis given to the labor theory of values.
ECON 350 - Economics of Developing Countries
A survey of the various economic theories of structural change and growth in developing nations. Particular attention will be paid to the issues of measurement of human welfare and the global distribution of resources.
ECON 385 - Topics in Economics
In-depth study of a selected topic in economics. This course applies economic reasoning to a changing set of specific social and/or theoretical issues. Topics will be selected on the basis of student and faculty interest. Past topics have included an Economic History of the Great Depression.
ECON 390 - Advanced Internship in Economics and Business
In an institutional setting of their choice, students are provided with an opportunity to apply more advanced economic concepts and analysis in a practical context.
ECON 395 - Tutorial in Economics
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation; meets weekly for one hour.
ECON 399 - Independent Study in Economics and Business
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
ECON 402 - Senior Seminar in Economics and Management
The seminar explores methods and content of orthodox economics, political economy and the various facets of management thought. Students will present articles from professional journals, prepare for comprehensive exams, and develop and present an original piece of economic or managerial research.
HRM 300 - Training and Development
Training & Development are key to building an empowered and motivated workforce. This course will help you build knowledge and skill in the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of organization training. You'll also learn how to create effective performance improvement programs, a vital resource in talent retention that is often overlooked. Lastly, you'll get hands on experience, by producing your own sample training plan.
HRM 301 - Total Compensation Management
Great people power great businesses, but attracting and retaining top talent requires companies to offer competitive compensation packages. This course will help you develop knowledge and skills in the development and evaluation of pay structures and benefits packages. You'll also learn how total compensation issues affect every manager in an organization and analyze processes and procedures to create effective compensation plans.
HRM 302 - Employment and Labor Law
This course is an overview of laws and regulations that determine the rights and obligations of employees and employers. You'll learn about the nature of the employment relationship, common law principles, prohibitions against discrimination, wage law, specific governmental acts, and other areas of labor and employment law. By the end of this course you will become familiar with the federal and state laws that govern employment.
HRM 303 - Human Resource Risk Management
This course will examine the scope and role of HR in the occupational health and safety arena, the fundamental components of comprehensive programs and, more importantly, the interplay between these considerations and how important HR professionals are in their success. Topics covered include OSHA requirements, risk management and loss prevention, management of safety & workers' compensation, employee assistance plans, preventative health issues, emergency response and preparedness, and developing a culture of safety, amongst others. There will be focus on the fundamental components of a comprehensive health and safety program to protect the employees in an organization and costly liability.
SBS 290/390 - Internship in Sustainable Business
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to business.
THEA 332 - Acting Styles
In this course, students will research and perform a variety of classical acting styles. Language, voice, and movement of these styles will be considered as students read plays from the various time periods. This course serves to expose the students to advanced styles of acting. Styles may include Greek tragedy, commedia dell'arte, Moliere, Chekhov, Ibsen, and/or Shaw. Some acting experience helpful, but not required.
Criminal Justice
CRIM 116 - Law and Society
This course introduces the study of law as a social institution and its relationship to other societal institutions. It offers an overview of the structure and function of the courts, legislatures, and administrative agencies, along with a discussion of criminal law. The course examines how legal rules both reflect and shape basic social values and their relation to social, political, and economic conflicts within society. It also investigates the process of criminalization and social control by considering topics such as the right to privacy and equal protection of the law.
CRIM 201 - Juvenile Justice
While young people have always been involved in rule-breaking behavior, it was not until the early 19th century that the concept of juvenile delinquent took shape. Through reading and discussion, we trace the development of this social category and explore the criminal justice system's response to this particular type of offender.
CRIM 202 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Systems
What are the major parts of the U.S. criminal justice system? How does a case make its way through this system? This course provides an overview of the U.S. criminal justice system, with special attention given to the origins of law, the enforcement of law by the police, and the application of law by the courts through the determination of guilt or innocence and sentencing.
CRIM 203 - Correctional Institutions
This course examines the history, development, and current status of the U.S. correctional system. Readings also explore the correctional system's efforts at punishing and/or rehabilitating offenders through incarceration (e.g., jail, prison, and other residential facilities), probation, and parole, as well as the efficacy of these efforts.
CRIM 285/385 - Topics in Criminal Justice
In-depth study of a selected topic in crime.
CRIM 290/390 - Internship in Criminal Justice
Individually arranged participation in work of institutions devoted to social control or criminal justice. The setting may include prisons, police departments, the courts, etc. Costs and arrangements are the responsibility of the student.
CRIM 300/SOC 300 - Human Rights and International Law
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the principles and practices of human rights and international law. It explores the development of human rights, their legal foundations, and the mechanisms for their protection at the international level. Students will gain an understanding of the interplay between state sovereignty and global human rights norms, the role of international organizations, and contemporary challenges in the field.
CRIM 303 - Comparative Systems of Social Control
The study of Criminal Justice in contemporary society requires a focus the diverse institutions and mechanisms of justice and social control that exist throughout the developed and developing world. Through a cross-cultural comparative approach, the course will explore contemporary topics in international law, including genocide, caste-system, transnational crimes.
CRIM 304/SOC 304 - Criminology
Why does crime occur? What, if anything, can be done to reduce the amount of crime that occurs? This course introduces students to criminological theories that explain the psychological and sociological origins of crime and suggest possible interventions. Students will also learn about major crime datasets and strategies for assessing crime theories.
CRIM 305 - Critical Issues in Criminal Justice
This course examines current issues and debates in criminal justice from different viewpoints. It investigates recent critical issues facing all components of the criminal justice system and controversial topics that have been discussed for a long time without proper solutions. Specific topics will vary from year to year.
CRIM 306/SOC 306 - Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence
Crime statistics reveal that it is often the people closest to us who are the most likely to harm us. This course explores domestic and intimate partner violence between adults from an interdisciplinary perspective. Readings will identify the sociological and psychological influences on the cycle of violence and control and the legal foundations for responses, such as the proactive arrest policies, restraining orders, and anti-stalking legislation that have emerged across the United States.
CRIM 399 - Independent Study in Criminal Justice
Individually arranged readings and assignments in a focused area within crime and society arranged in consultation with the major/minor coordinator.
CRIM 401 - Senior Research Seminar
This course requires seniors majoring in Criminal Justice to prepare an essay based on class work and original individual research and to present this work to the campus community.
Education
EDUC 105 - Teaching in a Diverse Society
In this course, students learn what it means to be an excellent teacher and examine what it takes to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population in today's schools. Ten hours of fieldwork is required.
EDUC 190/290/390 - Internship in Education
This course is individually arranged participation in an educational institution. Students seeking NYS certification in Inclusive Education or Adolescence Education must complete the internship in an inclusive school setting. The internship must take place in a classroom at a grade level in the certification area. (120 hours of fieldwork required)
EDUC 215 - Issues in Multicultural and English Language Learner Education
This course explores foundational and recent research in multicultural and English language learner education (MC/ELL). Students read a variety of empirical, autobiographical, and practitioner-based texts as they develop their understanding of the complex, multi-layered issues related to MC/ELL education in today's classroom.
EDUC 216 - The Inclusive Classroom
This course is a study of students with special needs within the context of schools. Topics include: low and high-incidence disabilities, the special education process, English language learners, collaborative relationships, co-teaching, and creating a positive classroom environment. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 217 - Inclusive Methods Practicum
This course must be taken concurrently with EDUC 216: The Inclusive Classroom. Students will spend 40 hours in local schools supporting teachers and students. Students will be placed with teachers in their field of certification: Special Education, Elementary, Secondary, English, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or History.
EDUC 225 - Technology in the Classroom
This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to interact with digital tools used in today's classrooms. The course focuses on integrating technology into the teaching process and using technological tools to communicate classroom information.
EDUC 226 - Building Classroom Community
This course will address the current research and practice related to increasing student motivation and developing positive, inclusive classroom communities. We will explore strategies for making your elementary or secondary classrooms a healthy, effective learning environment. Offered annually spring semester. (8 hours of fieldwork required)
EDUC 275 - Using Children's Literature in the Classroom
In this course students will examine the history, genre, trends, and controversies in children's literature. Students will acquire the skills needed to critically read a variety of children's books and to select literature appropriate for diverse educational programs.
EDUC 285/385 - Topics in Education
Past topics have included: Looking Within: Personal Ethnography in the Classroom, Integrating Technology in the Classroom, and Action Research in a Local School.
EDUC 301 - Primary Literacy and Diverse Learners
This course will provide students with the instructional methods necessary to teach reading and writing in grades 1 and 2. Students will gain an understanding of developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and assessment techniques geared to meet the needs of diverse learners. Field experience outside of class time is required.
EDUC 302 - Literacy for Diverse Upper Elementary Classrooms
This course will provide students with the instructional methods needed to create and implement an effective literacy program for diverse learners in grades 3-6. Students will gain an understanding of developmentally appropriate instruction strategies and assessment techniques. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 304 - Inclusive Instruction and Assessment
This course will focus on important skills that lead to being an effective practitioner in student-centered classrooms.
EDUC 307 - Teaching Students with Disabilities
This course will explore instructional planning, assessment and intervention strategies for students with significant disabilities in the general and special education classroom. We will also explore how to support students' needs and development in the contexts of home and community. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 308 - Students with Disabilities Practicum
This course must be taken concurrently with EDUC 307 (Teaching Students with Disabilities). Students will spend time supporting students with disabilities in local general and special education classrooms. (40-hour practicum required)
EDUC 309 - Inclusive Elementary Methods Practicum
Students will spend time supporting students in local inclusive general education classrooms. (40-hour practicum required)
EDUC 331 - Reading and Writing in Content Areas I
This course will provide students with instructional methods for teaching reading and writing through content in grades 7-12. (20-hous of fieldwork required)
EDUC 332 - Reading and Writing in Content Areas II
This course is designed to analyze the instruction and assessment of reading and writing in the content areas for grades 7-12. Field experience outside of class time is required. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 344 - Adolescence Methods Practicum I
This course must be taken concurrently with EDUC 332 (Reading and Writing in the Content Areas II). Students will spend time in local schools supporting teachers and students. Students will be placed with teachers in their field of certification: English, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or History. (40-hour practicum required)
EDUC 345 - Adolescence Methods Practicum II
This course must be taken concurrently with EDUC 406 (Instructional Strategies for Secondary Education). Students will spend time in local schools supporting teachers and students. Students will be placed with teachers in their field of certification: English, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or History. (40-hour practicum required)
EDUC 350 - Elementary Methods: Teaching Social Studies and Science
This course will prepare students to integrate literacy, social studies, and science instruction in the elementary school classroom. Students will focus on using differentiated literacy strategies to engage elementary school students with high-quality, authentic social studies and science content and concepts. (20 hours of fieldwork required)
EDUC 395 - Tutorial in Education
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
EDUC 399 - Independent Study in Education
Students who wish to pursue research and/or fieldwork in an educational setting may submit plans for doing so to the appropriate faculty member.
EDUC 402 - Elementary Methods: Teaching Mathematics
This course explores instructional methods and assessment strategies within mathematics, grades 1-6. Specific focus is on developing mathematics understandings through differentiation and the formative assessment practices of observing, documenting and reflecting on students' responses. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 406 - Instructional Strategies for Secondary Education
Objectives, methods and materials, content, evaluation, and organization of the several subject matter areas of the secondary school. Students will participate with master teachers to create and implement curricula in their subject matter. (A 40-hour practicum is connected to this course)
EDUC 408 - Student Teaching Reflective Seminar
An accompaniment to student teaching, this seminar provides a forum for reflection and analysis of teaching, and an opportunity to discuss essential aspects of the profession. Faculty provide support for the edTPA process and the development of a culminating portfolio.
EDUC 410 - Student Teaching: Preparation and Analysis
Full-time student teaching in selected elementary and secondary settings; supervision by a public/private school teacher and a representative of the College faculty. (Students are expected to provide their own transportation to student teaching sites.)
CREA 271 - Short Story Writing
Practice in fiction writing, including exercises in point-of-view, dialogue, setting a scene, and introducing characters. Emphasis will be on student writing in a workshop format, but stories by outside authors, including visiting writers, will also be studied.
CREA 272 - Poetry Writing
This introductory poetry workshop focuses primarily on writing, discussing, and improving student poems in a
supportive community. Students will build a critical vocabulary to discuss the inner workings of poems, and
they will become better readers of each other’s work, their own, and the work by outside authors (including
visiting writers) we will study. The workshop culminates in both an individual portfolio and a class-wide
collaborative, hand-made chapbook.
CREA 275 - Creative Nonfiction Writing
Practice in writing creative nonfiction, in particular the personal essay and lyric essay, with emphasis on workshopping student pieces. Discussion will focus on elements of craft, style, and discovery of individual voice and subject. Work by outside authors, including visiting writers, will also be studied.
CREA 285 - Topics in Creative Writing
In-depth study of a selected topic in Creative Writing.
CREA 290/390 - Internship in Creative Writing
Individually arranged participation in work of institutions devoted to creative writing.
CREA 295 - Tutorial in Creative Writing
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in
consultation.
CREA 371 - Advanced Fiction Writing
Advanced work in fiction writing for those who would like to build upon the skills garnered in CREA 271. This
workshop offers the possibility of working in long-form fiction. Course includes workshops and conferences.
Some classes to be taught by visiting writers.
CREA 372 - Advanced Poetry Writing
This advanced poetry course builds on the skills developed in CREA 272. Students will hone their poetic craft through workshops, conferences, and discussions with visiting poets. We will also use the facilities of the Book Arts Center to create a collaborative chapbook, working together to bring the students' poems all the way from rough early drafts to a thoughtfully designed, obsessively crafted, handmade codex.
CREA 375 - Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing
A combination of group workshop and individual manuscript/project guidance, this course builds upon CREA 275 with an aim toward building and refining methods for sustained projects in the genre of creative nonfiction. The course will draw material from immersion journalism, methods in historical nonfiction, and practices in long-form memoir and essay writing. Through class visits and/or engagement with the Visiting Writer Series, we will also work with contemporary practitioners of the genre.
CREA 399 - Independent Study in Creative Writing
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
ENGL 104 - Introduction to Literature
This course introduces students to reading and analyzing literature in multiple genres. Students will develop a
rich critical and theoretical vocabulary and hone their argumentative and analytical skills through both in-class
discussions and essays.
ENGL 204 - Global Short Stories
In this course, we will read great stories from around the world, progressing forward in time from the origins of prose fiction up to our current moment. Though the short story as we understand it today really has its roots in the nineteenth century, we will begin with a selection of precursor tales from far, far earlier. We will then trace the rise of the form itself and its evolution across, within, and between nations and cultures.
ENGL 206 - British Literature: Pre-1800
This course will survey British literature from the Middle Ages through 1800, including Arthurian romance, Elizabethan drama, Paradise Lost, and eighteenth-century satire. Along the way, we will pay particular attention to acts of transgression and their consequences. How can these imaginative portrayals of violation in early British literature help us to discern historical understandings of class, gender, race, religion, and sexuality, and how can we interpret them now using our own critical tools? This examination of transgression will also extend to how authors establish, reinterpret, and cross the boundaries of literary forms in their periods.
ENGL 215 - The Evolving Canons of American Literature
Beginning with indigenous creation narratives and ending with difficult questions about the place of literature in contemporary American culture, this course provides students with some of the social and aesthetic contexts underpinning both canonical and historically excluded American writers and storytellers. We'll look to the oral traditions, short stories, poetry, novels, essays, plays, films, and emerging media that comprise the complexity of the chimeric American literary tradition.
ENGL 218 - Global Drama
A survey of classical and contemporary drama and performance traditions from around the globe. Students
study different styles of theatrical representation, adaptations of mythologies and lived histories, reckonings
with colonialism, and imagined futures.
ENGL 219 - Poetry in Translation
Guided in part by student interest, this course explores important poems and poetic traditions from around the world in English translation. We will celebrate a diverse canon of poets, paying special attention to poetic lineages that transcend national boundaries. Possible focuses include international surrealism, the evolving haiku, Western epics, poetry of witness, and contemporary masters.
ENGL 225 - Shakespeare
Sampling from different early modern dramatic genres, students will read tragedies, histories, comedies, and romances by Shakespeare. We will explore the purposes of playing within Shakespeare's drama - including plays-within-plays, role playing, the performance of gendered, sexual, racial, religious, and class identities - the literary form of the play itself. Students will develop close reading, research, and writing skills to analyze and enjoy Shakespeare on the page, stage, and develop close reading, research, and writing skills to analyze and enjoy Shakespeare on the page, stage, and screen. This course considers the literary and performance texts of Shakespeare both within their historical moments of production and as works that are reshaped and reinterpreted across centuries and the globe.
ENGL 226 - Genre Fiction
A study of genre fiction that incorporates analysis, theory, and creative writing within the genre(s) under discussion. Possible topics include Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Romance, Horror, Westerns, and Graphic Novels.
ENGL 245 - Forms of Poetry
In this course, we will explore how meter, stanza structure, repetition, and rhyme interact to shape poems, and how they fit into traditional forms like sonnets, villanellas, and pantoums. In addition to both literary analysis and creative writing assignments, students will pursue independent editorial projects, providing the opportunity for intensive study of poetic forms of their choice from diverse communities.
ENGL 250 - British Literature: Post-1800
This course will survey British poems, short stories, plays, a film, and novels written after 1800. But what do you mean by "British?" Students will pay particular attention to the changing social and historical contexts of war and empire as we trace different literary movements and reworking of form by diverse authors.
ENGL 285/385 - Topics in English
Advanced study of a selected topic in English. Past topics have included Odysseys and Studies in Graphic
Narrative. Prerequisites vary with topic.
ENGL 290 - Internship in English
Individually arranged work experience in publishing, journalism, library work, and other fields or areas related to bibliography, literature, or skills in writing.
ENGL 301 - Found in Translation
What makes a good translation? Is anything really lost in translation, and what can be found? To try to address these questions, we will examine canonical translation theory texts and English translations of international poetry, developing a rich understanding of the theory and practice of literary translation. Students do not need access to any other language to take the course, but they will have the opportunity to shape major elements of the course around the literature, language, and culture of their choice.
ENGL 302 - Advanced Studies in the Novel
This course is a study of the novel as a global, historical, and living literary form. How did the novel develop as
a vehicle for long-form storytelling in different cultural contexts, and how has the reception and prolonged
engagement with the form altered its various functions and expressions? Past topics have included Banned,
Burned, and Adapted books and the Novels of Jane Austen.
ENGL 303 - Film Analysis
This course aims to change how you watch movies by teaching you strategies of formal film analysis. Rather than focus on film as literary adaptation, the course prioritizes the study of film as its own form of literature. Students will gain technical vocabulary and an introduction to schools of film theory, as well as an appreciation for film history and contemporary cinema.
ENGL 349 - Poetry in English
This course focuses on the writing of significant English-language poets and/or poetic movements. The
readings are shaped in part by student interest, and the course supports advanced critical writing about poetry. Past topics have included Global American Poets, Modern British Poets, and African American Poetry After the Harlem Renaissance.
ENGL 367 - American Drama
A study of modern American drama and performance. Students will analyze how playwrights use the stage to
explore stories of gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, inheritance, the inequity and meaning of work and
housing, and national mythologies.
ENGL 380 - Writing Literary Criticism: Methods and Theory
A study of literary criticism as a form. Engaging in a series of paper exercises, annotated bibliographies, abstracts and oral presentation, students will explore historical and philosophical questions about the acts of reading and writing. Theoretical approaches to literature -- "literary theory" -- will be drawn from a variety of critical movements and methodologies. Especially recommended for students who plan to pursue graduate study in English-related professions.
ENGL 390 - Advanced Internship in English
Individually arranged work experience in publishing, journalism, library work, and other fields or areas related to bibliography, literature, or skills in writing.
ENGL 395 - Tutorial in English
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation.
ENGL 399 - Independent Study in English
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
ENGL 401 - Senior Thesis in English
Completion of an extended literary essay by students in the literature concentration, or an extended creative project with a short critical essay by students in the creative writing concentration. Open only to senior English majors.
Environmental Science
ENVR 101L - Introduction to Environmental Science
An introduction to the field of environmental science. Includes an analysis of natural resources and the environmental impact of their extraction and use by humans. Environmental quality, pollution, toxicology will be among the topics covered.
ENVR 102L - Conservation of Biodiversity
An introduction to the field of conservation science. Local and global aspects of species, ecosystem and landscape conservation will be discussed.
ENVR 131L - Physical Geology
The origin, composition, structure, and geological history of the earth. This will include the study of geological processes affecting the earth's crust and interior, and examination of theories concerning geological phenomena such as origin of mountains and plate tectonics.
ENVR 185/285/385 - Topics in Environmental Science
In-depth study of a selected topic in environmental science of interest to both students and Faculty. Past courses have included wetland ecology, geographic information systems, and invasive species management. Level of instruction depends on the topic.
ENVR 195 - Tutorial in Environmental Science
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
ENVR 196 - Tutorial: Mapping our World
A hands-on tutorial in visualizing, analyzing, and utilizing geographic information using ArcGIS online with applications to many fields of study. Focus is on the development of practical skills in the context of an understanding of what geographic information is and where it comes from.
ENVR 199/299/399 - Independent Study in Environmental Science
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
ENVR 204 - The Climate System
From paleoclimate to the current climate crisis this course overviews climate science examining both regional and global scales. The interdependent elements of the climate system are examined and the manner in which humans have perturbed the climate system is discussed. Techniques used to generate the global climate record are reviewed.
ENVR 290/390 - Internship in Environmental Science
Work relating to environmental policy or science in an academic, governmental, industrial or public interest group setting.
ENVR 292/392 - Research Practicum in Environmental Science
The ENVR research practicum is designed to provide research-based experiential learning beyond the classroom. The practicum might include ENVR field work, or laboratory based research experience on or off-campus.
ENVR 303 - Environmental Impact Assessment
Examination of the process that seeks to predict and mitigate the environmental impacts of proposed development or other projects, and that produces environmental impact statements. The goals, steps, strengths and limitations of various kinds of environmental impact assessments will be discussed.
ENVR 340 - Sustainable Agriculture
This course will examine the environmental consequences of agriculture as it is practiced today in tropical and temperate regions, and discuss the agroecological basis for tools and techniques designed to address these problems.
ENVR 401 - Advanced Research in Environmental Science
Independent research on self-designed project overseen by a faculty member in Environmental Science. Course provides experience in designing and conducting research and communicating findings.
ENVR 403 - Senior Thesis Environmental Science
Identification of an original topic and development of a senior research paper or alternative project in environmental policies and values. Preparation and presentation of a paper or project based on independent research and analysis. Work to be conducted in conjunction with a member of the ENVR faculty.
First Nations and Indigenous Studies
FNIS 212/WTQS 212 - Home Lands
This seminar will focus on making a home (on one's own land or stolen lands?), and the multiple relationships that exist between what sexual minorities call "home" as First Nations people, people in Diaspora, and/or immigrants.
FNIS 213/SUS 213 - Indigenous Environmental Activism and Resistance
Indigenous activists around the world are rejecting exploitative and colonizing perspectives and upholding the rights of nature. This course explores historical and contemporary examples of Indigenous environmental activism in defense of water, land, and non-human relations. Students will learn about Traditional Ecological Knowledge as a complement to Western science in addressing environmental problems and explore ways non-indigenous partners can be allies for environmental justice. The class includes service-learning at the Cayuga SHARE Farm (Strengthening Haudenosaunee-American Relations through Education).
FNIS 285/385 - Topics in First Nations and Indigenous Studies
Selected topics of interest. Past topics have included: Contemporary Issues of Native America, Federal Policy and Indian Law, The Haudenosaunee and New York State, and Indigenous Thought and Western Science.
Health Sciences
HHS 100 - Introduction to Holistic Health Studies
Overview of holistic health studies as a "learning community" dedicated to personal and planetary well-being and growth. The course introduces a range of holistic health modalities and certified techniques, such as Bartenieff Fundamentals and the Alexander Technique. Professionally supervised, hands-on work with fellow students.
HHS 290/390 - Internship in Holistic Health Studies
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to Holistic Health.
HS 100 - Introduction to Health Sciences
Exploration of skills and knowledge needed for success in the health professions. Conducted with the context of discussion of healthcare systems and health professions.
HS 109 - Community First Aid and Safety
American Red Cross certification includes Community CPR and Standard First Aid. Additional fee.
HS 195/295 - Tutorial in Health Sciences
A study of selected topics.
HS 200/WTQS 200 - Gender, Sexuality and Health
Students will explore the complexities of gender and sexual diversity, as well as the differences between sex and gender within the context of health and wellness. Particular emphasis will be placed on the specific health issues and health disparities faced by women, transgender and gender non-binary individuals, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and intersex individuals, as well as professional competencies in responding to these issues. This survey course will be a foundation for further exploration of the specific issues faced by these vulnerable populations.
HS 201 - Medical Terminology
Beginning with a systematic presentation of word origins and structure through the introduction of prefixes, suffixes, word roots, and plurals, this course guides the student through the fundamental concepts, terminological systems, and vocabulary used to describe systems and structures of the human body in health and disease. Abbreviations, symbols, surgical procedures, medical specialties and diagnostic tests will be discussed.
HS 285/385 - Topics in Health Sciences
In-depth study of a selected topic in health sciences.
HS 290/390 - Internship in Health Sciences
These internships provide opportunities for well-qualified students considering careers in the health sciences. Interns will work with health professionals. Each student will give a public presentation of his or her internship upon return to campus.
HS 300 - Principles of Human Nutrition
This course is intended for students pursuing a career in healthcare and will cover principles of human nutrition that are essential for the well-being of an individual and community. Topic to be covered include food chemistry, metabolism assessment, lifecycle nutrition practices, and utilizing nutrition in the treatment of diseases. There will also be discussions associated with food safety, supply and security.
HS 301 - Introduction to Animal Nutrition
This course will cover the basics of animal nutrition. This includes the classification and functions of nutrients, gastrointestinal tract anatomy of domestic mammals, digestion and metabolism, feed regulations, and feeding/nutrition of cattle, small ruminants, horses, swine, poultry, dogs, and cats.
HS 399 - Independent Study in Health Science
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
HS 401 - Senior Seminar in Health Sciences
This capstone course covers current topics in the health sciences. Students will write and present original research in the area of discussion amongst the class. Post-graduate career opportunities and how to pursue them will also be considered.
History
HIST 101 - Introduction to World History to 1650
This course examines the rise of interconnected cities, societies, and empires; the invention of languages, technologies, and ways of life; the formulation of novel philosophies; and the experiences of humans across the globe from our evolution in eastern Africa to the year 1650CE. Additionally, this course helps hone foundational liberal arts skills, such as conducting research, interpreting evidence, and communicating effectively. We will focus on two guiding questions: 1) How was the world connected and divided? and 2) How do we know about the study of the past?
HIST 103 - Introduction to World History, 1650-Present
This course explores evolving global empires and trade networks; revolutions, wars, and genocides; scientific and philosophical innovations; and the lives of humans, both ordinary and extraordinary. Additionally this course helps hone foundational liberal arts skills, such as thesis writing, using evidence, reading against the grain, and clarifying voice. We will focus on two guiding questions: 1) How can learning about the past inform our understanding of the present? and 2) How do we know about and study the past?
HIST 200/ENGL 200 - Modern Southeast Asia through Anti-Imperial Literature
This course explores the history of modern Southeast Asia through the medium of anti-imperialist novels, short stories, and essays. Historically a region of rugged seafarers, intrepid explorers, religious thinkers, and hardworking farmers, Southeast Asia became a crucial center for European, American, and Japanese imperial designs in the nineteenth century. Many people benefited from this imperial arrangement, but many more resisted. Why? What is imperialism? What is the legacy of this institution?
HIST 201 - History of Asia to 1650
This chronological and thematic survey, which highlights major events and figures from South, Central East, and Southeast Asia from earliest times to 1650- or what is sometimes referred to as the ancient, medieval, and early modern periods - traces commonality, contact, and continuity across this mega-continent. Asia is the home of critical theories on governance such as Confucianism and Legalism; major world religions such as Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism; cultural creations such as Kabuki Theater, Beijing Opera, and countless influential works of fiction; and technologies and scientific inventions such as the abacus, gun powder, and the compass.
HIST 206 - History of Immigrant America
What is an American? A historical analysis of race, ethnicity, and immigration in the American experience from the colonial era to the present. Students will explore the intersections of American, European, African, & Asian cultures, compare and contrast different immigrant experiences, and examine nativism, racism, and the construction of identity in US history.
HIST 207 - Modern Chinese History, 1644-Present
China is the most populous country in the world. It has the largest landmass, the second largest economy, and the largest standing military. As China takes an increasingly prominent role on the world stage in the twenty-first century, it is important to look at how it got here. This course is a chronological and thematic survey of Chinese history from the Qing Dynasty to the present. It will analyze major historiographical debates and introduce important people, events, and ideas that influenced the Celestial Kingdom.
HIST 210 - Women and Gender in Europe, 1550-Present
Course surveys the experiences of women (and men) in European history and various social constructions of gender over time. Using primary documents, historical scholarship, novels, films, and memoirs, we examine the legacy of ancient attitudes toward gender and sexuality; the evolving definitions of feminine and masculine; structures of everyday life; misogyny and witchcraft; sexuality and honor; marriage and family; working-class and middle class distinctions; feminism and social protest; the impact of war and revolution on gender roles; women's quest for education, individual and collective struggles to transform society; literature and the arts; and LGBTQ issues of the past and present.
HIST 213 - A History of Modern South Asia
Home to nearly one quarter of the world's population, South Asia, which includes the contemporary nation states of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is a region of great importance. Its modern history has been shaped by the Himalayas and the monsoons they caused as well as the Indian Ocean and the trade, wealth, and colonizers it invited. In this course we will research famous leaders like the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi, yet we will also examine the subaltern and explore a rich historiographical tradition steeped in postcolonial theory.
HIST 228 - The Making of Modernity, Europe 1815-1914
Focus on European thought, society, events, and social movements that dominated the tumultuous 19th century and helped create and define what we think of as modernity today. Topics include reactions to the French Revolution and industrial revolution; the development of modern political ideologies; the rise of the bourgeoisie and working classes; social protest, reform, and revolution; urbanization and urban life; nationalism; social Darwinism and global imperialism; changing attitudes toward women, gender and sexuality; the fascination with the irrational; new notions of leisure and consumption; and the creative thinkers, writers, and innovative artists who challenged status quo.
HIST 229 - 20th-Century Europe and the World
The social, cultural, economic, and political history of Europe, 1900 to the present. Using primary documents, recent historical scholarship, memoirs, documentaries, and feature films, we examine the causes and consequences of World War I and II; the Russian Revolution; The Great Depression; the rise of Nazism, Fascism, and anti-Semitism; the Holocaust; origins of the Cold War; imperialism and de-colonization; the social and cultural revolutions of post-WW II period; Eastern European communism; the fall of communism and its aftermath; shifting notions of gender over the century; and terrorism and challenges to tolerance in the multicultural Europe of the late 20th century.
HIST 241 - Interpreting U.S. History I
An analysis of primary documents and secondary sources to arrive at meaningful interpretations of the nation's past. Topics include colonial development, slavery and racism, Revolution, the expansion of a market economy, changing gender roles, religion and social reform, immigration, westward expansion, and sectional crisis.
HIST 242 - Interpreting U.S. History II
An analysis of primary documents and secondary sources to arrive at meaningful interpretations of the nation's past. Topics include Reconstruction, Industrialization and urbanization, social and political reform, race and ethnicity, changing gender roles, the changing role of government in American life, and the emergence of the United States as a global power.
HIST 245 - Civil War and Reconstruction
More than a century and a half after Appomattox, the Civil War continues to haunt the American memory. The devastating conflict and its tumultuous aftermath redefined freedom and democracy, and our nation has yet to come to terms with its legacy. Students will analyze the origins of the conflict, the significance of slavery and race, the military experience, war on the home fronts, reasons for victory and defeat, the achievements and failures of Reconstruction, and the Civil War in historical memory.
HIST 285/385 - Topics in History
In-depth study of a selected topic in history. Past topics have included: Japanese Visual Culture, History of Japan, Introduction to Modern China, History of the Samurai, Islam in Central Asia, Geisha, Culture and Everyday Life in Ancient China, and Cinema and City in East Asia.
HIST 290/390 - Internship in History
Individually arranged participation in work of institutions devoted to historical work and practice. Students in 390 will develop at a more advanced level the skills and techniques demanded from a previous history internship.
HIST 303 - World War II
World War II was a complex and catastrophic combination of regional wars fueled by competing ideologies and interests that in many ways continues to shape the world order in the present. This reading-and discussion- intensive history course, which is global in scope, approaches World War II through five overlapping themes: meaning and rationale, tactics and technology, race and gender, violence and death, and memory and legacies.
HIST 304/WTQS 304 - Women, Gender and Sexuality in Asian History
This thematic course examines how gendered discourses regarding parenting, masculinity, femininity, and sexuality were imagined, crafted, and challenged in Asian history from earliest times to the present. We will cover topics such as labor and equity, widow-immolation and agency, eunuchs and gender spectrums, Orientalism and fetishization, foot binding, anarcho-feminism, gender identity and expression, abortion and legal regimes, and much more.
HIST 310 - Colonial and Revolutionary America
A critical examination of the American experience from early settlement to the Revolutionary Era. Topics include the clash of European, American, and African cultures, the evolution of colonial societies, economic development, war and diplomacy, the origins of the Revolution, the War for Independence , and the founding of the Republic.
HIST 325 - The African-American Experience
A critical historical examination of the African-American experience from enslavement to the modern era. Students will explore the emergence of slavery and race in Early America, the evolution of African-American culture, slave life, black abolitionism, emancipation, Reconstruction, migration and urbanization, the freedom struggle during the Age of "Jim Crow," and the modern Civil Rights Movement.
HIST 327 - The Gilded Age and Progressive Era
A critical examination of the American experience from Reconstruction through World War I. Students will explore industrialization and the changing world of work, popular culture, the rise of the middle class, gender and the "New Woman," race and immigration, Populism and Progressive reform, imperial expansion, and the American experience in the "Great War."
HIST 328 - The Early American Republic
A critical examination of the American experience from the Founding of the Republic through the War with Mexico. Students will explore the emergence of popular politics and the party system, the capitalist Market Revolution, religion and the Second Great Awakening, intellectual movements, utopian communities, social reform, slavery and abolitionism, women's rights, and territorial expansion during the age of "Manifest Destiny."
HIST 330 - Enlightenment and the French Revolution
Examines European thought and society from 1685-1815, with an emphasis on France. Topics include the legacy of Enlightenment ideas, scientific revolution, social conditions of "the people," the French Revolution and its debates, Napoleonic era, and early Romanticism.
HIST 335 - Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe, 1400-1800
Course examines attitudes, beliefs, and practices of common people, especially peasants and workers. Topics include daily life, religion and magic, witchcraft, folklore, attitudes toward women and sexuality, the impact of printing, popular rebellions, relations between "the people" and the elite.
HIST 357 - Modern America
A critical examination of the American experience from the end of World War I to the present. Topics include industrialization and economic change, the emergence of the modern bureaucratic state, social reform, civil rights, popular culture, war, and America's place in the world.
HIST 372 - Colonial Encounters
The cultural and social consequences of European colonialism from the Age of Exploration to the present - incorporating views of both colonizers and colonized. Issues include racism and slavery, women and sexuality, technology and progress, identity and difference, travel, disease, and work.
HIST 375 - Writing History: Theory and Practice
Discussion of the methodological problems involved in historical research and historical criticism. Readings focus on historians' own views of the problems involved in writing and justifying history.
HIST 395 - Tutorial in History
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
HIST 399 - Independent Study in History
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
HIST 401 - Senior Essay in History
Preparation of an essay based on individual research.
HIST 402 - Senior Seminar in History
A collaborative seminar for students writing their senior essays. Seniors will meet regularly to discuss research methods and problems, participate in peer editing of drafts, and give presentations of their work.
Hospitality Management
HM 201 - Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
This course examines the breadth and influence of that hospitality industry and the impact of tourism - from local visitors bureaus to the 9.25 trillion dollars that tourism contributes to the global economy. Students will be exposed to the interrelated nature of hospitality, travel, and tourism and introduced to the many different and exciting professional opportunities that exist in industries such as hotels, restaurants, cruise lines, spas, private clubs, gaming, airlines and the many industries that support hospitality and tourism. Students will develop a holistic perspective of hospitality and tourism across local, regional, and global levels.
HM 202 - Hospitality Financial Performance Analysis
This course places students in the role of an operations manager who must understand the nuances and information contained in accurate financial records. We will explore the various metrics that owners, managers, franchisors and franchisees utilize to judge their performance in relation to industry standards and market competition. Extensive use will be made of MS Excel to model potential operational opportunities as a first step in creating solutions to identified problems. As part of this course students will earn a Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) through the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
HM 203 - Hospitality Industry Leaders Series
The Hospitality Industry Leaders Series serves as an ambassador program, connecting the Wells College Hospitality Major to the industry, and offering students and faculty the opportunity to meet and network with industry leaders while also gaining valuable insight into relevant industry topics. In the weekly course meeting, speakers will provide an overview of their workplace, where it fits within the industry, and their own role and responsibilities. Speakers will share their personal career path and experiences, as well as open the floor for live Q&A. Students will be required to sign up for small group session(s) and will join the speaker for a hosted meal on campus as part of the course.
HM 204 - From Concept to Completion: Developing a Service Facility
Hospitality is centered on tangible experiences that take place in the physical landscape, as apposed to the digital. This course will examine the principles of building and design that contribute to an experience, as well as provide students with a foundational knowledge about how large-scale buildings function both from a systems and daily operations perspective as well as from a concept-to-built perspective. A "brick and mortar" facility becomes just as integral to operating a business as does its staff, customers, marketing efforts, brand promise, and more. Cursory knowledge of systems design, the architectural process, capital expenditures and ongoing maintenance concerns is essential for any manager responsible for a physical space.
HM 205 - Principles of Food Service
To understand the hospitality business, it is essential to understand the impact that food and beverage operations play from the local to the international level; from institutional feeding in hospitals, schools and prisons to glamorous Michelin rated showplaces; from local farmers trying to be ecologically conscientious, to gargantuan beef producers destroying the atmosphere. Students will examine the foundational operating principles of delivering responsible food and beverage experiences and understanding the role these essential functions play within a larger hospitality organization. Students will also delve into the macro-F&B issues that hospitality and tourism are challenged with; from cultural differences, to supply chain issues, to labor shortages, diversity and more.
HM 290/390 - Internship in Hospitality Management
Individually arranged participation in work of institutions devoted to hospitality management.
HM 301 - Hospitality Immersion Experience
The course places students within an active hospitality operation and provides them with hands-on experiences designed to expose them to multiple facets of the business. Starting with the guest perspective, students will explore a luxury resort through the eyes of a consumer, understanding critical guest needs, recognizing where areas of disconnect and friction lie, and interpreting guest experience expectations through marketing and promotional materials. Students will then transition to the employee perspective, gaining insight into the effort and skill it takes "behind the scenes" to create the ideal guest experience, the numerous roles that support the delivery of that experience, and the complexity of bringing all the unique parts together as a whole.
HM 302 - Beverages and the Finger Lakes Region
As the second largest wine producing region in the United States, the Finger Lakes continues to see consistent growth, development, and expansion of the beverage industry. This course will explore the history of the Finger Lakes through the lens of its viticulture heritage, the legislative rules and changes from NY State that are altering the landscape for beverage production in New York, and how these economic changes are shifting the employment, tourism, and agricultural landscape for the region. In addition to exploring the historical growth of the various beverage industries in the Finger Lakes, this course will also include: a broad introduction to cultivation of fruits and other crops necessary to produce wine, beer, hard cider and distilled spirits; the chemistry of fermentation and distillation; regulation of bottling, labeling and distributing alcoholic beverages; an overview of vineyard, brewery, orchard and distillery practices; responsible marketing of alcoholic beverages; and the alignment between beverages and experiential travel and tourism.
HM 303 - Designing and Marketing Experiences
Experiences tap into a consumer's senses, memories, emotions, and more, creating memories and forming lasting impressions and connections along the way. Services marketing is the concept of selling an idea, relationship, trust with a brand or entity, or a yet-to-happen experience, and bridges the gap between anticipation and the reality of living through a pre-conceived notion or expectation. Consumer behavior refers to an individual's emotions, attitudes, and preferences and how they influence that individual's purchasing behavior. These disciplines combine in the complex process of designing and marketing experiences as the tools and techniques required to effectively market something that is so hard to define and so deeply personal and are often entirely different from those used to sell tangible products or commodities. In the marketing of services and experiences, understanding the buyer's expectations, and then how the experience is designed to deliver on those expectations, is key to achieving successful outcomes.
HM 304 - From Revenue Management to Revenue Strategy
Revenue management explores the practice of dynamic pricing and reflects the shifting demand for perishable inventory. These skills can be applied to a variety of industries and concepts - from concert tickets to airline seats to grocery store produce. In this course, students will utilize coursework through HSMAI (Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International) that provides hospitality professionals with the most up-to-date and forward-looking information on revenue optimization principles, practices, and strategies. Students enrolled in this course will have the option to become Certified Revenue Management Analysts (CRMA). In addition, students will examine different applications of revenue management, learning to think critically about how these powerful tools can be applied, and new industries that would benefit by transitioning from a fixed pricing to a dynamic pricing model.
HM 305 - Specialty Hospitality Operations
The hospitality industry encompasses a vast array of niche industries that make up the world's tourism, travel, entertainment, and leisure sectors. This course will offer insight into the depth and breadth of the industry, including the unique attributes of each segment, and the impact of these businesses on local communities. From private clubs to cruise lines, casinos to convention centers, sports stadiums to spas, and glamping to eco-tourism, students will gain an exposure to the wide and varied entities that make up the industry, while honing skills to critically assess how to evaluate demand for a specific product, where opportunity exists within a given market, and more.
HM 306/ANTH 306 - The Anthropology of Tourism
This course applies an anthropological theory and concepts to the trillion dollar global industry of tourism. Here we will consider several social and cultural concerns regarding tourism, such as what exactly is tourism, and what is its relationship to social inequalities her and abroad; we will consider the economics of tourism, the politics consuming the "Other", efforts to maintain cultural survival; we'll think about issues of race, class and gender in the tourism trade; we'll consider issues of authenticity and ownership, and historical and cultural representation; we'll think about the tourists' gaze and experience, environmental sustainability, and more. In the end, we will ask, how can we assure that the tourism we engage in either as tourists, those being toured, or those working in the tourism industry, is sustainable, equitable and a benefit to all.
HM 401 - Senior Seminar in Applied Hospitality Management
This course is a consummation of what the students have learned in the Hospitality Major and it brings together the many components of hospitality management and leadership that have been developed over the course of the academic journey. Delving into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to achieve it, this course will give students unique insight into their own management and leadership styles. To fully utilize the many management and leadership skills students have learned, students will work together to conceptualize, market, and execute an event for members of the broader community. This, along with their event debrief, will serve as their final project and deliverable for the course.
Interdisciplinary
ID 290/390 - Interdisciplinary Internship
Individually-arranged internships in a community or workplace in which students apply and practice the ideals of the liberal arts beyond a single academic discipline. Required reflective assessment activities vary by experience and sponsor.
ID 399 - Interdisciplinary Independent Study
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
IM 401 - Senior Essay in an Individual Major
Preparation for senior essay based on individual research.
Marketing
DATA 131 - Foundations of Data Analytics I
In an increasingly data-driven world, everyone should be able to understand the numbers that govern our lives. Whether or not you want to work as a data analyst, being "data literate" will help you in your chosen field. In this course, you'll learn the core concepts of inference and data analysis by working real data. By the end of the term, you'll be able to analyze large datasets and present your result.
DATA 132 - Foundations of Data Analytics II
This course is intended as a continuation of Foundations of Data Analytics I. In this course, you'll learn how Data Analytics are applied within the workforce. Particular attention will be paid to the role of the Data Scientist or Analyst, machine learning and the applications of Big Data. By the end of the term, you will be able to design and execute a range of data-driven experiments.
DATA 205/BUS 205 - Visual Analytics
This course focuses on visualization techniques used to represent information in the fields of Business, Science, Social Science, Arts, among others. The course enables students to answer four questions: What data do the final users need to see? What is the most effective way to develop and design data representation? How could the proposed visual representation be constructed? How to tell a story based on visualizations created? Topics covered include information visualization techniques for abstract data, visualization for spatial data, and visual analytical techniques applied to data transformation and visual exploration. This course is hands-on work intensive and helps develop skills using a modern visualization tool-Tableau.
DATA 333 - Principles and Techniques of Data Analytics I
Data Analytics combines data, computation and inferential thinking to solve challenging problems and understand their intricacies. This class explores key principles and techniques of data science, and teaches students how to create informative data visualizations. It also explores particular concepts of Linear Algebra which are central to Data Science.
DATA 334 - Principles and Techniques of Data Analytics II
Data Analytics combines data, computation and inferential thinking to solve challenging problems to thereby better understand the world. This class explores key principles and techniques of data science, including quantitative critical thinking and algorithms for machine learning methods. It will also introduce students to the ways in which data analytics is deployed in healthcare, marketing, political science, criminal justice, and other fields.
DATA 402 - Data Analytics Practicum
This course is a capstone project in which students are asked to work through a full data science workflow on a set of real data drawn from sports, politics, business or public health. This course exists to prepare students for the kind of work they will do on Data Science or Analytics teams, and such, also features an emphasis on interviewing for jobs in the space and communicating results to stakeholders.
DM 200 - Social Media Marketing
The average consumer spends 2.5 hours per day on social media sites and this course explores how to effectively use social media to move those consumers to action. In order to be a successful marketer, you must be able to plan a campaign that aligns with strategic goals, execute using the appropriate channels and tactics, and measure the success or failure of your efforts. By the end of the course, you will learn how to do just that. This online class has optional live sessions. Completion of this course will enable students to participate in online certification in Social Media Marketing Strategy from Hubspot.
DM 201 - Email Marketing
Email Marketing is vital to modern businesses and a primary tool in any skilled marketer's toolkit. In this course, you'll learn how to craft successful e-mail marketing campaigns for sales, engagement, and activation. By the end of this course, you'll know how to write e-mails that drive customers to take desired actions and how to structure campaigns for maximum effect. You'll also build your own marketing campaign. This online class has optional live sessions. Completion of this course will enable students to complete online certification in Email Marketing from Hubspot.
DM 202 - Viral and Organic Growth
Going Viral is the goal of most web-based marketing content. Companies that generate content that can spread through the internet organically are the most successful in growing their brand. This course will teach you what drives people to share content and how to build content that is shareable. By the end of this course, you will understand what drives viral sharing and learn how to facilitate it. Completion of this course will enable students to complete online certification in Content Marketing from Hubspot.
DM 300 - Digital Marketing Analytics
Marketing Professionals today have access to incredible amounts of data. The ability to use this data is what differentiates successful marketing efforts from failed ones. This course will teach you how to analyze digital customer behavior data using a range of tools, and use that data to test marketing hypotheses and improve customer acquisition.
DM 301 - Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing
How do you find what you're looking for on the internet? Chances are you turn to google or another search engine. Companies use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) to make sure you see them first every time you turn to a search engine. By the end of this course you'll learn how to optimize a website so that it shows up first on a search, and how to build search ads that will drive customers to your website. Completions of this course will enable students to complete online certifications in Google Ads Search by Google and Search Engine Optimization by Hubspot.
WEB 402 - Goal-Oriented Web Design
One of the main goals of a company's website is to improve its bottom line. In this course, you will propose and build a new website for an existing company. This website should be optimized to boost conversation events for the company in question. In doing so, you will need to research customer behavior and industry trends in order to successfully generate leads and sales. This course will test all of the skills built up through the Web Design major - design, prototyping, optimization, and programming.
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
CS 131 - Programming I: Procedural Methods
An introduction to computer programming, including data types, conditionals, for/while loops, functions, etc. Emphasis placed on the principles of good program design. We finish with a brief introduction to object-oriented programming.
CS 132 - Programming II: Advanced Design
The second course in computer programming, including object-oriented principles like classes, methods, inheritance, polymorphism, and more. Students will design and complete large projects such as 2D video games and/or animations.
CS 133 - Programming for Everyone II
In the first half of the course, you will learn how to leverage your Python skills to treat the internet as a source of data. The second half of the course will teach you the fundamentals of Structured Query Language (SQL) and database design. By the end of the course, you will improve your programming skills and learn how to build a range of applications. This online class has optional live sessions.
CS 199/299/399 - Independent Study in Computer Science
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
CS 225 - Computer Architecture
Part one of a two-course sequence on building a modern computer from scratch. We begin with Boolean logic, which we use to construct virtual computer chips and processors. We then assemble these components to create a functioning virtual hardware that can run programs in machine language.
CS 234 - Data Structures
Theory and implementation of data structures using an object-oriented programming language; investigation of how and why different data structures should be used in various programming situations. The data structures will include arrays, stacks, queues, lists, trees, and graphs.
CS 270 - Web Development
This course, built in collaboration with Google, covers everything you need to know in order to build a website from scratch. You'll learn HTML, CSS and Javascript - the core technologies which power modern websites - and build a website of your own. By the end of this course you'll be able to create interactive, aesthetically pleasing websites for any purpose you can imagine.
CS 271 - User Experience I: Understanding User Experience
Technology companies spend billions of dollars ensuring that their products are intuitive and delight users. This course will teach you how they do that. You'll learn what drives product usability, the basics of User Experience (UX) design and research, and how to build wireframes and prototypes. By the end of this course, you'll be on your way to building experiences that make customers happy.
CS 285/385 - Topics in Computer Science
In-depth study of a selected topic in computer science. Past topics have included: discrete mathematics with
computer applications, network architecture, and programming.
CS 290/390 - Internship in Computer Science
Individually arranged work relating to computers in an industrial, academic, or governmental setting. Primary responsibility rests with the student for making her or his own arrangements in consultation with the instructor.
CS 303 - Machine Learning and Neural Network
An investigation of artificial intelligence via neural networks. We cover the mathematics of neural networks, followed by practical examples of how neural networks are trained and used. We will train our own neural networks to design Al for applications like basic games, recognizing images, and making chatbots.
CS 322 - Algorithms: Design and Analysis
A study of algorithmic solutions to problems, including techniques used in the design of algorithms, analysis of complexity, and proof of correctness. Usual types of algorithms include greedy algorithms, divide and conquer, flow problems, and dynamic programming.
CS 325 - Database Systems
An introduction to database management systems with emphasis on the relational model. Topics include the entity-relationship model, relational algebra and calculus, principles of database design, query processing, and file organization. A project will be implemented in a commercial database package.
CS 341 - Compilers and Operating Systems
The successor to CS 225. We review the workings of assembly code. We then learn the process of compiling object-oriented code to virtual machine language, which we then translate into assembly code that our hardware can run. Finally, we complete our virtual computer by designing a basic operating system.
CS 370 - Application Development I: Exploring Web Applications
Modern development relies on frameworks which provide developers with powerful tools to speed up development. If you want to build apps, you need to understand how to use frameworks. This course, which has been built in collaboration with Google, will introduce you to Django - a framework used for data-driven web applications. You'll learn the fundamentals of Django, improve your database management skills, and begin developing your own apps.
CS 371 - Application Development II: Building Web Applications
This course - built in collaboration with Google - is the second part of the application development series. In this course, you will put your skills into practice and build your own application. By the end of this course, you'll have a greater understanding of the technologies that power modern apps and be able to build your own.
CS 372 - Product Development
Creating Software products is more than just writing code, it also requires an analysis of what your customers want, and how to meet their needs. As a result, understanding product development is key to a successful career in technology. By the end of this course (built in collaboration with Google), you will understand how product teams and processes work, and learn how to develop an idea into an actual product that delights your users.
CS 373 - User Experience II: Building Compelling User Experiences
This course builds upon User Experience I and will teach you how to build effective user experiences through a rigorous process of implementing best practices, testing designs, and iterating. You will also cover topics such as branding, color palettes, user journeys, and designing for multiple platforms. By the end of this course, you will be able to build a mobile app or website prototype and iterate upon it based on user feedback.
CS 395 - Tutorial in Computer Science
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
MATH 105 - Contemporary Mathematics
An introduction to some essential ideas, methods, and applications of mathematics. Topics include logic and deduction, problem solving, and numbers and numeracy. Tilings and symmetry, voting systems, and game theory will be covered as time permits.
MATH 109 - Precalculus
An introduction to the algebra of sets and functions, emphasizing polynomials, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. Applications to business, economics and biology. Serves as preparation for calculus.
MATH 111 - Calculus I: Introduction to Calculus
Properties and graphs of algebraic and transcendental functions. Conceptual and analytical introduction to limits, continuity and derivatives, with applications.
MATH 112 - Calculus II: Introduction to Calculus
Continuation of MATH 111. The fundamental theorem of calculus, methods of integration, and applications. Introduction to differential equations, partial derivatives, vectors, and vector functions.
MATH 151 - Elementary Statistics
Fundamental techniques of applied statistics, descriptive statistics and data analysis, probability, population parameters, hypothesis testing, regression, and correlation. This course is designed for students with three or more years of high school math.
MATH 211 - Calculus III: Multivariable Calculus
Continuation of MATH 112. Infinite sequences and series. Vector functions, functions of several variables and applications. Multiple integrals and vector analysis.
MATH 212 - Linear Algebra
Matrices, vector spaces, linear transformations, determinants, and eigenvalues, with applications.
MATH 213 - Ordinary Differential Equations and Applications
Basic theory of differential equations with applications to continuous models. Focus on analytic methods with introduction to numerical methods. Introduction to computer tools in determining symbolic and numerical solutions.
MATH 251 - Mathematical Statistics
Descriptive and exploratory data analysis, one variable and two. Designing experiments and sampling. Examples of probability distributions, random variables, means and standard deviations. Central Limit Theorem. Correlation and regression. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Other topics as time allows.
MATH 267 - Discrete Mathematics
An introduction to the foundations of mathematics and computer science through the study of discrete structures. Topics include logic, methods of proof, set theory, functions, relations, number systems, and algorithms.
MATH 290/390 - Internship in Mathematics
Individually arranged participation in the work of a computer laboratory, statistical office, or industrial research office. The student must submit a report or paper on an appropriate topic approved by the instructor.
MATH 300 - Probability Theory
Densities and cumulative distributions of discrete and continuous random variables. Mathematical expectations independence. Sums of random variables, analysis of Central Limit Theorem. Multivariate distributions. Application of mathematical probability tools in statistical estimation and testing concepts such as power, error types, regression, maximum likelihood principle.
MATH 301 - Applied and Computational Math
This course will emphasize the mathematical formulation of "real world" problems along with common computational techniques used for their solution. Numerical methods and computer use will be emphasized.
MATH 305 - Operations Research
Theory and application of representative methods in operations research including linear programming, network analysis, dynamic programming, game theory, and queuing theory.
MATH 312 - Real Analysis
Topological aspects of the real line, sequences and series of numbers, convergence, power series, properties of continuous functions, derivatives and their properties, Riemann integration, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.
MATH 313 - Abstract Algebra
Properties and examples of groups, rings and fields. Emphasis on common categorical notions such as homomorphisms, quotients and isomorphism theorems.
MATH 385 - Topics in Mathematics
In-depth study of a selected topic in mathematics. Past topics have included: History of Mathematics. Possible future topics include: Topology; Complex Analysis; Number Theory.
MATH 399 - Independent Study in Mathematics
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
MPS 295 - Tutorial: Fourier Methods
Introduction to the mathematics of Fourier analysis, with application to physical systems.
MPS 402 - Senior Seminar in Mathematical and Physical Sciences I
The student will select a project that integrates and expands on material from earlier courses. The project proposal (to be implemented in MPS 403) will be completed by the end of the semester. Meets two hours a week.
PHYS 106L - Introductory Astronomy
This course covers the basic ideas and techniques of astronomy, the night sky; star physics and evolution; contents and structures of galaxies; black holes and cosmology. Nighttime telescope work, weather permitting.
PHYS 111L - Fundamentals of Physics I
A calculus-based introductory course for all science, mathematics, and pre-engineering students. Particle kinematics; vectors; Newton's law; forces and their effects; energy conservation; systems of particles; momentum conservation; introductory rotational kinematics.
PHYS 212L - Fundamentals of Physics II
A continuation of PHYS 111L. Traveling and standing waves; Electrostatics in vacuum and in materials (Coulomb's and Gauss's laws); Magnetostatics (Biot-Savart's and Ampere's laws); Faraday's law of induction; lenses and mirrors; interference and diffraction of light.
PHYS 221L - Principles of Electronics
Introduction to analog and digital electronics. DC and AV circuit theory, impedance, filters, transistor operation and amplification, operational amplifiers, simple logic gates, counters, D/A converters.
PHYS 290/390 - Internship in Physics
Individually arranged participation in research with industry or a university. This course will not satisfy any requirement in the mathematics/physics major or minor.
PHYS 295/395 - Tutorial in Physics
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
PHYS 302 - Modern Physics
This course completes the introductory sequence in physics. Topics: the photoeffect; black-body radiation; other early results in atomic physics; Schrodinger equation in one and three dimensions; hydrogen atom; atomic spectroscopy; introduction to quantum statistical mechanics, and applications.
PHYS 303 - Theoretical Mechanics
An advanced theoretical study of Newton's laws, making use of numerical computing. Dynamics of particles, orbits, coupled systems, damped oscillators, phase portraits, periodicity, and chaos are topics typically covered.
PHYS 305 - Physical Chemistry I
Special emphasis on those aspects of the subject pertinent to biology and biochemistry. Gases and liquids; thermodynamics and thermochemistry; properties of solutions; chemical equilibria; electrode potentials; reaction kinetics.
PHYS 307 - Special Relativity and Intermediate Quantum Mechanics
An in-depth study of the two pillars of twentieth-century physics. Einstein's special relativity revolutionized humanity's understanding of space and time, and we will study its treatment of kinetics and energetics, with consideration of length contraction, time dilation and mass-energy equivalence. We then turn to, initially, Schrodinger's quantum mechanics as applied to bound and free states, culminating in the hydrogen atom. Finally, we consider an alternative formulation, using operator methods, which allow for understanding of spin and angular momentum, for single and multi-electron systems.
PHYS 340 - Experimental Physics
Advanced laboratory work in the physical sciences, using a variety of specialized equipment (examples: Cavendish torsion balance; frequency response analysis of mechanical systems using Fourier methods; hyperfine splitting of rubidium vapor using Doppler methods; measurement of the e/m ratio).
PHYS 385 - Topics in Physics
In-depth study of selected advanced topic in physics, such as Electricity and Magnetism; Quantum Mechanics; or Thermal and Statistical Physics.
PHYS 398 - Supplementary Advanced Work in Physics
Advanced work or research relevant to the discipline created under the supervision of, or in conjunction with, a faculty member.
PHYS 399 - Independent Study in Physics
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
Modern Languages
ASL 101 - Elementary American Sign Language I
Courses are designed to develop the skills and knowledge needed to communicate in American Sign Language. Students are first introduced to basic sign language vocabulary, fingerspelling, and aspects of American Deaf culture and history in 101.
ASL 102 - Elementary American Sign Language II
In 102, students continue to develop American Sign Language vocabulary and fingerspelling learning sentence construction as well. Students will continue to learn about Deaf culture, community, and education.
ESL 255 - English as a Second Language I
Open to International students and taken concurrently with ESL 256, this course focuses on campus life and American culture. Classes include oral work to review specific grammar points and vocabulary, readings on American culture, and analysis of daily written homework.
ESL 256 - English As A Second Language II
Open to International students and taken concurrently with ESL 255, this course is designed to increase the students' conversation level beyond rudimentary vocabulary and speech patterns. Class work and exams are mainly oral, focusing on new vocabulary and lengthy explanations.
ESL 257 - English as a Second Language III
Open to International students, ESL III focuses on the types of writing required in academia: expository, persuasive, narrative, and descriptive. Students work on writing mechanics, development of good topic sentences and thesis statements, organization, etc., advancing from paragraphs to essays.
ESL 295 - Tutorial in English as a Second Language
In this course we will look at various aspects of American life, while learning vocabulary and reviewing grammatical points related to the readings and discussions. In addition, we will explore several ways to develop ideas and organize them into papers.
JPN 101 - Elementary Japanese I
Development of the four basic communication skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. There will be an emphasis on oral and written practice in class. Students will also learn about Japanese culture and society.
JPN 102 - Introduction to Japanese II
Development of the four basic communication skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. There will be an emphasis on oral and written practice in class. Students will also learn about Japanese culture and society.
JPN 123 - Intermediate Japanese I
Designed to improve students' ability to understand, speak, read, and write Japanese, while also learning about social and cultural aspects of Japanese society. Second semester will emphasize more reading and writing.
JPN 124 - Intermediate Japanese II
Designed to improve students' ability to understand, speak, read, and write Japanese, while also learning about social and cultural aspects of Japanese society. Second semester will emphasize more reading and writing.
JPN 195 - Tutorial in Japanese
Designed to increase students' ability to express thoughts in sustained conversation and to approximate native speech and pronunciation.
SPAN 101 - Elementary Spanish I
This course is for beginners with little or no prior experience with the Spanish language. It focuses on oral and written language development and practice, basic readings on Hispanic culture and civilization, and essentials of grammar. Oral training, grammar essentials, and practice in writing and reading.
SPAN 102 - Elementary Spanish II
This is the second course of Elementary Spanish language and students will build upon skills learned in the first semester course. This class is for beginners with some experience with Spanish. It focuses on oral and written language development and practice, basic readings in Hispanic culture and civilization, and essentials of grammar. Through varied activities, emphasis will be placed on communication. An appreciation of Hispanic culture will be a fundamental part of the course. By introducing the learner to the rich culture of Hispanic world, this course aims also to develop students' intercultural knowledge and understanding. Course materials are designed to support students in developing an understanding of diverse Spanish-speaking cultures.
SPAN 103 - Introduction to Latin American Literature and Culture
This course serves as an introduction to Latin American literatures and culture through texts of varied length from different genres during the 20th and 21st centuries. Representative texts examine images of Latin America from various critical perspectives. By critically analyzing works from a range of genres and cultural expressions including poetry, fiction, memoirs, film, and performance, along with recent literary and cultural theory works, the course will explore some of the major themes and issues that inform the cultural production of Latinx communities. Topics to be discussed include identity, race, gender, and class; diaspora and emigration; and activism through art. This course will be conducted in English.
SPAN 123 - Intermediate Spanish I
Designed to improve the student's ability to understand, speak, read, and write Spanish, while concentrating on social and cultural aspects of Hispanic society. This course aims to expand the oral and written communication skills acquired in earlier classes and to broaden students' understanding of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, including the Hispanic/Latinx communities in the U.S.
SPAN 124 - Intermediate Spanish II
Designed to improve the student's ability to understand, speak, read, and write Spanish, while concentrating on social and cultural aspects of Hispanic society. The second semester places increased emphasis on reading and writing. Three meetings per week and language laboratory, films, drills.
SPAN 128 - Spanish for the Healthcare Professions
This course addresses the need of Wells students with some experience with the Spanish language, for the acquisition of a medical vocabulary - in order to accompany Spanish-speaking patients to medical appointments - and be able to translate medical forms and to interpret and communicate three ways (patient, provider and interpreter) in different environments such as hospitals, specialists, ERs, therapists, family doctors, dentists' office, perinatal, labs and imaging offices, for example. Students will participate in language tasks through listening, reading, writing and conversation to accurately use the medical terminology and be able to interview and record completely and accurately the patients' medical histories, as well as explain correctly, in a culturally appropriate way, necessary medical tests and procedures; and diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of medical conditions - as well as provide written information when needed. This course will be a great opportunity to explore and compare the health-culture of different Spanish speaking countries with the healthcare system in the US.
SPAN 200 - Spanish for the Professions
The course focuses on the importance of bilingualism in the U.S., strategies for lifelong learning, and culture; it includes a review of relevant language. The students will gain necessary skills to read, write and translate documents related to different fields.
SPAN 203 - Advanced Grammar in Context
Spanish 203 studies the structural principles of Spanish. It makes use of current audiovisual technology and provides practice in writing, reading comprehension, and conversation aimed at the development of a reasonable competence in writing and speaking correct Spanish.
SPAN 204 - Conversation and Composition Through Film
The course aims to give students a new appreciation of Spanish language cinema and Hispanic culture while improving their written and conversational skills.
SPAN 207 - Introduction to Hispanic Literature
A study of the most pertinent literary works of the Spanish speaking world, giving special attention to the social, ideological, cultural and economic background. Students will also be introduced to literary criticism to apply to reading assignments.
SPAN 209 - Introduction to Hispanic Culture
This course offers students the fundamentals of the Hispanic culture, utilizing different perspectives and critical readings. Taught in Spanish, its mission is to synthesize the history and traditions of Spain, Latin America, and the Hispanic Caribbean.
SPAN 211 - Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
This course is an introduction to basic concepts in Spanish Linguistics and the methodology of its Acquisition. It explores fundamental aspects of Spanish linguistics including Spanish variation, Acquisition, phonology among other crucial topics.
SPAN 213 - Spanish Translation
This course helps students attain reading and listening proficiency, as well as translation skills of speech, texts and media in Spanish. There is a review of crucial grammar topics that can present difficulty to a translator of Spanish.
SPAN 285/385 - Topics in Spanish and Latin American Studies
In-depth study of a selected topic in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Topics may include Spanish linguistics, topics in Hispanic literature and culture.
SPAN 290/390 - Internship in Spanish
Students wishing to investigate careers in which the Spanish language and culture play an important role may work out a project in consultation with the Spanish Department. In order to be considered for this program the student should have an appropriate background in Spanish.
SPAN 295/395 - Tutorial in Spanish and Latin American Studies
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
SPAN 299/399 - Independent Study in Spanish and Latin American Studies
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
Museum Studies
MSEU 100 - Introduction to Museum Studies
An introduction to the theories and practices of museum governance and exhibition design. Students will learn approaches pertaining to museum work appropriate to a variety of audiences, including science, anthropology, history and art.
MSEU 290/390 - Internship in Museum Studies
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to museum studies.
Off-Campus Study
AOCS 001 - University of Stirling: Stirling, Scotland
Study abroad in Scotland. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 012 - Art-Culture-Lang: Lorenzo de Medici
Study abroad in Italy. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 014 - Off- Campus Study: Spain
Study abroad in Spain. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 019 - Doshisha Women's College, Kyoto, Japan
Study abroad in Japan. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 026 - University College, Cork, Ireland
Study abroad in Ireland. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 032 - OCS in Berlin, Germany
Study abroad in Germany. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 039 - University of Tasmania
Study abroad in Australia. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 040 - Victoria University--Wellington, NZ
Study abroad in New Zealand. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 050 - Costa Rica Summer Study
Study abroad in Costa Rica. Visit study abroad office for more information.
AOCS 051 - USAC Study Abroad: Brighton, England
Study abroad in England. Visit study abroad office for more information.
OCS 110 - January at the Art Students League-NYC
Thorough instruction in drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics, and illustration. The Art Students League is the oldest, and one of the most respected, art schools in the United States. Classes Monday-Friday. Afternoon visits to galleries, museums, and artists' studios.
OCS 200 - Pre-veterinary and Animal Science Immersion Program
The animal science/pre-vet immersion program provides hands-on animal experiences to students interested in pursuing an animal-related career. These experiences are essential for graduate and vet school applications, developing a professional network, and exploring career options in animal science. Besides the hands-on animal work, students will also investigate critical issues faced by veterinarians and animal professionals.
OCS 201 - Rural Health Immersion Program
This program introduces students to health care in a rural community. The goals of this program include helping students gain an understanding and appreciation of rural healthcare settings, having students become interested in a career in rural medicine, exposing students to various healthcare professions, and providing an opportunity to develop and demonstrate professionalism and service. The program will improve students’ understanding of different perspectives, professionalism, critical thinking, and presentation skills.
OCS 205 - Exploring Business and Sustainability in Costa Rica
This course involves 3 weeks of experiential and immersive learning about how businesses, non-profits, and governmental organizations value and implement environmental, social, and economic sustainability practices in Costa Rica. Topics may include social entrepreneurship, ecological diversity and conservation policy, resource management, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and land management practices, and the impacts of tourism. Field trips may include visits to national parks, ecological preserves, green energy facilities, and tours of Indigenous and other locally-owned businesses and artisans. Students will also participate in a short homestay with a local family. This experience is a partnership with Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. Course work will be in English. Spanish is not required but encouraged.
OCS 271 - Cross-Cultural Preparation
Topics include culture, cultural differences, culture shock, cross-cultural conflict, safety while abroad, and re-entry shock. Offered B-session of the semester before going abroad. Required for study abroad.
OCS 272 - Cross-Cultural Reflection
Required during and after studying abroad, this course addresses and reflects on and discusses concepts introduced in OCS 271. Classroom application of new perspectives learned abroad will be one of the topics discussed.
OCS 275 - Women and Public Policy Seminar: Washington, D.C.
Week-long seminar with women leaders in public service. Formal and informal sessions include policy issues and political institutions, including the Supreme Court, think tanks, Congress, the Executive Branch, and nongovernmental organizations - all from women's perspectives.
OCS 280 - Women and Science/Technology Seminar
Week-long seminar with women leaders working in the fields of science and technology, held in Washington, D.C. Speakers are drawn from a variety of agencies and organizations.
OCS 285 - Topics in Experiential Learning
Week-long experiential learning in a variety of settings, including community service, with opportunities to apply and test studies in the liberal arts. Past offerings have included: American Genealogical Resources; Navajo Nation Experience; Environmental Restoration and Protection in the FL Everglades; and Southern Adventures of Fanny Kemble.
OCS 300 - Anthropological Experience in Hawaii
This course will involve 2 to 3 weeks of experiential learning and fieldwork in the Islands of Hawaii. Students will explore issues such as Native Hawaiian culture and history, cultural resource management, environmental preservation, agricultural development of sugar cane and coffee, archaeology, multiculturalism, and the impact of tourism.
OCS 305 - Anthropological Experience in Belize
This is a two week intensive course in the multicultural nation of Belize doing fieldwork among Garifuna, Maya, Creole and American ex-patriots. Issues covered include land rights, education, cultural survival, tourism, archaeology and preservation of natural resources. Experiential learning opportunities are available.
Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 100 - Philosophy
Philosophy is an ongoing and open-ended conversation about basic questions of human existence. This course introduces students to the conversation through the works of major philosophers.
PHIL 114 - Logic and Critical Thinking
Introduction to the art of sound reasoning. Emphasis is placed on informal logic and practical applications, although some formal proofs are also considered.
PHIL 230 - Ancient Philosophy
This course introduces students to major philosophies of the ancient world. Greek & Roman philosophy as well as Eastern philosophies will be discussed.
PHIL 235 - Modern and Post-Modern Philosophy
A study of philosophy from 17th to the 20th century. Focus on major philosophers such as Descartes, Pascal, Kant, Hegel, Mil, Derrida, and Foucault.
PHIL 240 - Ethics, Equality and Justice
This course introduces philosophical theories of ethics. Then we focus on major issues of equality and justice in lieu of these theories.
PHIL 245 - Meaning
This course focuses on philosophical perspectives on the human quest for meaning. We will discuss existentialist themes in philosophy, film, literature, and psychoanalytic theory.
PHIL 285/385 - Topics in Philosophy
In-depth study of a selected topic in philosophy. For example, a topic in ethics such as the family, abortion, or war, or a topic on human nature or religion, such as philosophy of mind, Buddhist philosophy, or existentialism.
PHIL 300 - Philosophy of Religion
This course focuses on main issues in the Philosophy of Religion, such as: the existence of god, the problem of evil, the nature of faith, the evolutionary origins of beliefs in the supernatural. We also consider the social and communal aspects of religious commitment and major differences in religious expression across cultures and time periods.
PHIL 325 - Belief and Knowledge
This course explores philosophical perspectives on belief and knowledge. Sociological, psychoanalytic, and historical perspectives also will be considered. Some topics to be examined include the ethics of belief, the meaning and significance of skepticism, theories of knowledge, the social construction of reality and faith versus reason.
PHIL 331 - Mind
What is it to have a mind? What is the mind's relation to the brain? Do we ever have free will? In this course, we consider multiple perspectives on these questions and others in the philosophy of mind.
PHIL 340/SUS 340 - Ethics and the Environment
This course focuses on the unique and pressing ethical issues that are related to human ecology and the environment. We consider in a careful and sustained way what moral obligations we have to each other, other animals, and the broader world, in view of modern institutions, values, and our unprecedented technology, which can radically alter entire ecosystems.
PHIL 390 - Internship in Philosophy
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to philosophy.
PHIL 399 - Independent Study in Philosophy
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
RELG 100 - Gods and Creation: East and West
This course is a basic introduction to religion in a diversity of cultural contexts, ranging from the ancient Near East to African traditional religions, and focusing on how different traditions have envisioned the gods, the created order, and the place of humanity with that order.
RELG 263 - The Hebrew Bible and Jewish Tradition
A study of the literature, religion, and faith of ancient Israel in light of the ancient Near Eastern environment, religious and ethical factors with Israel, and the course of historical events and social change.
RELG 264 - New Testament and Early Christianity
A study of the literature, religion, and faith of early Christianity, as compared to and contrasted with early Judaism and Hellenistic religions. Jesus, Paul, and the first Christian communities.
RELG 285 - Topics in Religion
In-depth study of a selected topic in religion. Past topics have included: Religion and the News Media; Gnosticism; Science and Religion; Women and World Religions; Rule the World for God?; and Goddess Worship in Western Religions.
RELG 290 - Internship in Religion
The function of this internship is to allow students to explore areas where they might use their background in religion. The student should devise the internship in consultation with instructor.
RELG 321 - Faith and Post-Modern Culture
This course explores the unique characteristics and complexities of faith in contemporary cultures.
Physical Education
PE 102 - Boot Camp
This class is a combination of high intensity cardio and strength training. Each week is different format to prevent participants from becoming bored and to keep the body challenged. Great for any fitness level with modifications available for each exercise.
PE 103 - Tobata Training
One of the most popular forms of High intensity interval training, consisting of eight (8) rounds of ultra high intensity exercises in a specific 20 seconds on - 10 seconds off interval. Excellent program for calorie burning, cardio and strength.
PE 104 - HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training)
The objective of this course is to provide participants with a combination of strength and cardio training. Student will learn proper form while performing certain exercises.
PE 105 - Meditation for Stress Reduction and Relaxation
This introductory level class will explore various forms of meditation for stress reduction and relaxation, including seated meditation, walking meditation, and mindfulness-based meditation. Simple yoga postures and breathing techniques will be included as appropriate to class needs.
PE 110 - Beginning Swimming
Course designed primarily for those students who do not pass the Wells swimming test. Emphasis on basic stroke technique.
PE 115 - Aerobic Kickboxing
This course will explore aerobic kickboxing and fitness training using "Seven Minute Internal-Fire Functional Fitness" routines. In each session new aerobic and kickboxing sequences will be presented and practiced, working up a great sweat and stoking your metabolic furnace with a routine that is not only a great workout but customizable to your personal goals. Additional fee.
PE 118 - Beginning Sailing
Emphasis will be on understanding how to use the wind to sail a boat in a set direction. In addition, how to rig a Sunfish sailboat, take care of equipment in and out of the water, and water safety will be taught. The many different ways a sailboat can be used for personal enjoyment will also be presented.
PE 119 - Canoeing and Kayaking
Emphasis will be on learning basic strokes used to control and power these boats. Also, care of equipment, both in and out of the water and water safety will be taught. How these boats are used for personal enjoyment in many different ways will also be presented.
PE 121 - Water Aerobics
Low-impact exercises designed to tone your body, increase strength and flexibility, and improve your cardiovascular endurance.
PE 123 - Yoga
Yoga is a dynamic system of balance that leads to a healthy mind and body. The course contains various techniques of concentration, proper breathing, posture, cleansing and relaxation. Topics covered encourage knowledge of simple hygienic and nutritional hints.
PE 124 - Toning
Exercises designed to increase strength and flexibility of the various body parts. Challenging. Low impact.
PE 125 - Exercise and Weight Training
Introduction to weight training and exercise principles. Instruction in proper technique and maintenance of a weigh training program utilizing the Universal unit.
PE 129 - Horseback Riding
This course explores the sport of horseback riding mounted and un-mounted. Beginner students will learn to control a horse at a walk and trot. Experienced students can explore pattern work and transition in either hunt seat or saddle seat disciplines. Additional fee. Please see instructor for fee.
PE 135 - Golf
Instruction in basic techniques from being through more advanced levels of play. Opportunity for videotaping and course play.
PE 175 - SCUBA Diving
This course prepares the student for safe and enjoyable participation in recreational scuba diving. Successful completion of classroom, pool, and open water dives results in lifetime international certification. All scuba equipment furnished. Additional fees. Please see instructor for the fees.
PE 180 - Self-Defense
This course presents basic techniques against a weaponless attacker. Self-defense techniques and escapes against grabs, chokes, punches, and kicks are emphasized along with physical skills to avoid injury, strategies applying the psychology of victim/attacker, and tactics to create effective defense.
PE 185 - Beginning Shorin-ryu Karate
This course will introduce students to the basic movement skills and concepts of Shorin-ryu karate. Students will learn elementary hand and foot techniques that will be applied in prearranged movement exercises and beginning-level sparring.
PE 199 - Independent Study in Physical Education
With approval and under special extenuating circumstances, a student may elect an independent course of study for seven weeks in the area of her or his choice. Minimum requirements include seven weeks of activity, five times weekly, for a minimum duration of 30 minutes. A journal is to be submitted upon course completion.
PE 223 - Intensive Yoga
Yoga is a dynamic system of balance that has received scientific documentation for leading to a healthy mind and body, and also having enabled students to combine natural law with practical sense of well-being. The course contains various techniques of concentration, proper breathing, posture, cleansing and relaxation. Topics covered encourage knowledge of simple hygienic and nutritional hints.
PE 290/390 - Internship in Physical Education
Individually arranged participation in activities related to physical education and athletics, at institutions such as YM-YWCAs, high schools, health clubs, or similar sports facilities.
PE 315 - Lifeguard Training
American Red Cross certification. Instruction in advanced rescues and escape techniques. Additional fee.
PE 410 - Intercollegiate Swimming
PE 414 - Intercollegiate Baseball
PE 415 - Intercollegiate Softball
PE 416 - Water Safety Instructor
This course is dedicated to developing the skills necessary to instruct and plan courses in the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program. Students are expected to be proficient in the following strokes: front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, and sidestroke. Additional fee.
PE 420 - Intercollegiate Volleyball
PE 435 - Intercollegiate Cross-Country
PE 440 - Intercollegiate Field Hockey
PE 442 - Intercollegiate Soccer
PE 445 - Intercollegiate Lacrosse
PE 446 - Intercollegiate Basketball
PE 447 - Intercollegiate Golf
Political Science
POLS 151 - Introduction to International Studies
Introduction to concepts and tools for the analysis of international and global issues. Course develops understanding of sociocultural, political, and economic differences and similarities. Topics include work areas and ecosystems, social-cultural differences, cultural identity, values, and international/intercultural relations.
POLS 155 - American Politics
An introduction to the institutional and behavioral foundations of American politics.
POLS 201 - Media and Politics
This course examines the role of media in American politics by assessing the relationships between and among the media, public officials and the public in the context of democratic norms and expectations. What should the media do in our democracy? Why? What does the media do? What are the implications?
POLS 202 - Political Leadership in American Democracy
This course assesses the critical characteristics of successful political leaders in modern American democracy. What do Americans want from leaders? How do good leaders succeed? Why do poor leaders fail? What are the results of successful and unsuccessful leadership for American democracy?
POLS 210 - The United Nations Simulation
Students who participate actively in Model U.N. Club may receive credit for work done in conjunction with the club's activities.
POLS 213 - Sustainability and Comparative Environmental Policy
This course will introduce major concepts in the national and global environmental policy discourse such as sustainability, development and climate change. It will examine intellectually and politically the nature of relationship between them. It will deal with the evolution of sustainability with the United Nations system and analyze how governments are pursuing sustainability as an urgent recommended goal in articulation of their environmental policies. To achieve this assessment objective, it will compare selected national environmental policies and their various implementation processes.
POLS 221 - Liberalism and Its Critics
Liberalism as a central tradition of the West. From its mid-17th century origins, liberalism has encountered a series of problems of the individual, exchange, the public, limits, power, welfare, and the self. Response by critics of liberalism.
POLS 230 - Democracy in America
Explores the central themes of democratic thought in political theory, including classical democracy, social contract theory, and current issues. Both classical and contemporary readings address citizenship, equality, and political participation.
POLS 235 - The U.S. Congress
Introduces students to the development of public policy in the United States by focusing on Congress as an institution, congressional policy roles, and relations between the legislative and executive branches.
POLS 261 - Governments and Politics in the Developing World
This course will examine and compare governmental institutions, their functions, their decision-making processes and their policy formulations and implementations among selected countries located in Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East and South America. It will analyze the nature of the division of powers among the institutions of government, their relationship to civil society and society at large, how contemporary political leadership has emerged, how it has been maintaining itself in power, and how it has been managing the systems of governance in relationship to popular demands for liberal democracy.
POLS 263 - Politics of Globalization
More and more we perceive and define the world as a global system. It is also called the world system. What does it mean in relationship to the functioning of the world of a nation-state and its borders and the world political economy and its imperative? The course introduces students to various concepts, approaches and intellectual perspectives which are articulated in the discipline of political science in order to analyze and understand the globalization phenomenon, which is produced as a result of the interactions, interdependence and interconnection between economic, political, cultural and geographical borders within nation-states and beyond.
POLS 285/385 - Topics in Public Policy and Politics
In-depth study of a selected topic in political science. Study of participation, public policy and policy making in industrial societies. Topics may include: poverty, housing, education, job training, health care, unemployment, welfare, conservation, political participation, elections, and campaigns. Past topics have included: U.S. Social Welfare Policy; Race, Public Policy and Democracy in the U.S.; The Politics of Terrorism; and Politics and Whiteness in the U.S.
POLS 290/390 - Internship in Political Science
Students may submit proposals for internships in any governmental, political, or legal office.
POLS 299/399 - Independent Study in Political Science
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
POLS 340 - Politics of the Emerging Nations in Asia
This course will compare contemporary political institutions, the role of civil society, the national ideologies, and economic policies of the emerging and non-emerging countries in Asia.
POLS 345 - Public Opinion
An investigation of the substance and structure of public opinion in the United States. Students will assess the current literature and conduct independent research.
POLS 355 - Approaches to International Relations
Survey of the main theories and approaches to international relations, such as systems analysis, idealism, realism, environmental and psychological theories, functionalism, imperialism, conflict and decision-making theories.
POLS 360 - The U.S. Judiciary
Examines the role of the U.S. judiciary and public policy with an emphasis on judicial review, civil rights and liberties, and the Supreme Court.
POLS 365 - Governments and Politics in Industrialized Countries
Analysis of the government and politics in major industrialized countries with particular emphasis on political culture, political institutions, policies, and electoral process and behavior.
POLS 401 - Senior Seminar and Thesis in Political Science
This seminar is about the examination of individual research issues and topics that seniors in political science are working on in their theses. Besides specific sessions on methodological and theoretical issues, seniors will regularly meet to exchange ideas related to their common experience.
Psychology
PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology
An introduction to the scientific study of behavior and mind, development of critical thinking skills, and survey of topics in biopsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology Offered fall and spring semesters.
PSY 200 - Sport Psychology
An overview of theories and research related to sport behavior. Topics include motivation; effect of attention, emotion, and mood on performance; cognitive and behavioral interventions; social psychology of sport; and psychobiology of sport.
PSY 206 - Health Psychology
An introduction to the interdisciplinary field of health psychology. Students will learn theories and principles of health psychology and apply them to wellness, prevention, illness and healthcare.
PSY 212 - Cultural Psychology
An introduction to the scientific study of behavior and mind, development of critical thinking skills, and survey of topics in biopsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology
PSY 214 - The Psychology of Women
This course uses theories and methods of psychology to focus on women's development, personality, and role in society.
PSY 224/SOC 224 - Social Psychology
Social psychology is the study of the relationship between the individual and “society” in its many forms
(interpersonal relationships and small groups to large-scale organizations and social institutions). Course
readings will emphasize the social psychological foundations of everyday life by covering topics such as social
cognition, the self, attitudes and discrimination, group processes and collective action, and prosocial and harmful behaviors.
PSY 227 - Clinical Psychology
A survey of research and descriptive aspects of behavior pathology and methods of treatment.
PSY 235 - Forensic Psychology
This course provides an introduction to forensic psychology, which is the intersection of psychology and the legal system. Examples of topics covered are expert witness issues, insanity pleas, false confessions, issues surrounding repressed memory, eyewitness testimony, and criminal profiling. Special attention will be given to the psychological implications of the legal system's treatment of minority groups.
PSY 242 - Addiction
A course on addictive behaviors, including drug, technology, gambling, and sex addictions. The psychological causes and effects of addictive behaviors will be explored from biological, social, developmental, cultural, and cognitive perspectives.
PSY 250 - Human Sexuality
A survey of the biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of human sexuality, including the development of sexual behavior, love and sexual relationships, AIDS, sexual victimization, the physiology of sexual behavior and sexual dysfunctions, and controversial issues in human sexuality.
PSY 270 - Foundations and Methods in Psychology
This course provides students with the tools to succeed as a researcher in psychological science, including understandings of research ethics, APA format, career exploration, and information literacy, and scholarly communication. The course also provides an overview of the research methods used in the study of psychological science.
PSY 275 - Positive Psychology
Review of strength-based approaches to psychology. Research, theory, and cross-cultural perspectives on resiliency, gratitude, forgiveness, spirituality, humor, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and creativity and their effects on well-being and "the good life" are just some of the topics to be investigated.
PSY 280 - Psychology of Art
An examination of the creation and experience of art as a product of human behavior and mental process, and an exploration of the positive uses to which it can be applied (e.g., toward the pursuit of wellness or social justice.) Students who have previously taken Wells 101: Psychology, Art, Culture, & Experience should not enroll for this course)
PSY 285/385 - Topics in Psychology
In-depth study of a selected topic in psychology.
PSY 290/390 - Internship Program in Psychology
Individually arranged field experiences in psychological settings, for example, psychiatric hospitals, both private and public, and education classes for students with disabilities. A journal and a paper evaluating the experience will be required as a form of assessment.
PSY 292/392 - Research Practicum
The PSY research practicum is designed to provide research-based experiential learning beyond the classroom. The practicum might include PSY field work, or laboratory based research experience on or off-campus.
PSY 295/395 - Tutorial in Psychology
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
PSY 299/399 - Independent Study in Psychology
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision.
PSY 301 - Clinical Child Psychology
An examination of prevalent psychological disorders among children (including behavioral, emotional, health-related, development and learning disorders). Objectives include: improved understanding of etiology, learning the basics of assessment and diagnosis, and applying theories to the treatment of childhood mental disorders.
PSY 306/BUS 308 - Organizational Behavior
Students will explore issues such as employee motivation, group goal achievement, development of leadership skills, and working successfully with diverse populations. Students will discuss power and politics, stress and coping, and other topics related to navigating the workplace.
PSY 310 - Child Development
An examination of how humans learn, grow, and change from conception up to late childhood. Physical, social, and cognitive development are explored with emphasis on early and mid-childhood. Major theories are applied to common issues in development, e.g., parent-child relations, education, poverty, and delinquency.
PSY 318 - Adolescent Development
This course explores the complexities and the diversity of adolescent development and the adolescent experience. Theories are applied to the many biological, behavioral, cognitive, and social changes occurring in adolescence. In addition, the course emphasizes intersections of culture, race, class, gender, and sexuality during adolescence.
PSY 330/ FNIS 330 - Indigenous Psychologies
Emphasizes a cultural sciences approach to psychology, including counseling/therapy, assessment, and research. Challenges assumptions of Western psychology and emphasizes the necessity of understanding each culture within its own social and ecological context and frame of reference.
PSY 335/SUS 335 - Environmental Psychology
How does alienation from nature impact mental health? This course explores themes in ecopsychology. Students will learn about therapeutic approaches to support clients with ecological grief, climate anxiety, and more. Students will also discuss cognitive barriers that inhibit environmental action and consider strategies for behavior change.
PSY 338 - Psychotherapy
An examination of the major systems of psychotherapy (psychoanalysis, cognitive, person-centered, behavioral, etc). Objectives include: developing a model of therapy, learning basic elements of counseling, working with diverse populations developing and applying knowledge of the ethics code.
PSY 340 - Psycholinguistics
The psychological study of language as a cognitive process. The course explores theories and research on first and second language acquisition, oral and written comprehension and production, bi- and multilingualism, dialectic and linguistic differences, social and cultural influences on language development and use, and language disorder (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, aphasia, dysarthria), among other topics.
PSY 342 - Biopsychology
A study of the three biological bases of behavior - nervous system, endocrine system, and genetics - an how each plays a role in the expression of behavior, from thirst and hunger to sexual behavior to addictions to psychological disorder and more.
PSY 343 - Neuropsychology
A study of the brain and its basis in human behavior and cognition. The course provides a foundation in neuroanatomy and physiology, structure and function relationships, assessment, and neurological diversity. Case studies provide a view of clinical applications and fodder for lessons on ethical, identity-preserving treatment.
PSY 347 - Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is concerned with the scientific study of the mind and how we process, store, and retrieve information. Mental functions studied in the course include perception, attention, memory, reasoning, decision making, problem solving, and language processing.
PSY 349 - Cognition and Culture
An interdisciplinary exploration of the interplay between cultural and cognitive processes, the resulting diversity of mind, and its role in actions such as intergroup conflict resolution. Conducted as an upper-level discussion seminar complemented by the cultural perspectives of guest speakers.
PSY 355 - Adult Development, Aging and Agism
Using a lifespan approach, this course examines recent research on the physiological, psychological, and social dimensions of different phases of adult development. The goals of this course are to acquaint students with some general processes of adult development and promote positive attitudes and expectations about aging.
PSY 360L - Qualitative Research Methods
Methodologies in psychology which use qualitative description and analysis. Methods emphasized: interviews, case study, and participant observation. Extensive use of video and computer technologies for data collection and analysis. Three class hours and two of field-based study.
PSY 365L - Quantitative Methods in Psychology
This course addresses quantitative research methods commonly used in psychological science. The course also covers practical applications of these methods such as choosing appropriate analyses for research questions/hypothesis in different areas of psychology (e.g. developmental, social, cognitive). For the laboratory session, students spend two hours each week collecting and/or analyzing data.
PSY 370 - Sensation and Perception
An exploration and appreciation of the sensory and perceptual processes that produce an interpretation of the world for us. Experiential activities will include perceptual illusions and experiments, art museum field trip, and mammalian eye dissection.
PSY 403 - Senior Seminar in Psychology
Under faculty advisement, students produce a scholarly research paper on a topic of their choosing. The project can take the form of a literature review, research proposal, or applied project but in all cases will result in a senior thesis paper.
PSY 404 - Senior Empirical Research Project
Empirical research project based on PSY 403 research proposal.
Sociology and Anthropology
ANTH 161 - Introduction to Anthropology
What does it mean to think anthropologically? The course introduces the fundamentals of anthropology with the goal of giving students the ability to think and communicate in the language of anthropology. A primary focus on ethnographic case studies reveals the ways in which anthropology encourages us to confront critical issues of survival for indigenous peoples and local cultures.
ANTH 210 - Anthropology and Museums
The course examines anthropological scholarship on the complex relationship between lived cultures, their material objects, and museums/ethnic theme parks. It explores issues of cultural authenticity, ownership and preservation, political subordination and misrepresentation, and cultural change in a globalizing world.
ANTH 211 - Anthropology of Body and Health
Are bodies just biological entities? What role might culture and society play on illness and health? This course introduces students to the field of health anthropology (aka medical anthropology) where these questions, and others, are explored using concepts such as embodiment, structural violence, social suffering and personhood.
ANTH 222 - Anthropology, Religion, and Colonialism
An exploration of anthropological approaches to the study of religion. Particular attention is paid to "local" or indigenous religions from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and elsewhere. Such local religions are studied in relation to world religions, colonization, and global influence.
ANTH 230 - Culture and Gardens
What is unique about the gardens of Tonga? Fiji? France? The course surveys the relation between culture and gardens as found globally. Local gardening practices—and a great diversity of plants—are studied in relation to forces of culture contact, colonialism, capitalism, globalization, and climate change.
ANTH 231/SUS 231 - Culture and Water
Water is essential for human existence and culture is inherent to human experience. With that in mind, this applied anthropology course examines how our daily need for water is informed by a diversity of cultural expectations, tastes, and desires, as well as by environmental constraints. The course will also pay particular attention to the challenges of climate change in the 21st century.
ANTH 250 - Hawai'i: From Indigenous Settlement to the 21st Century
This course is an anthropological examination of the cultures and religions of Hawai'i, from indigenous settlement to pre-contact with the West to the 21st century. The course is organized around the themes of culture contact, colonialism, and globalization. Particular attention is paid to Hawaiian culture in relation to the effects of missions, sugar plantations, U.S. military presence, tourism, and climate change.
ANTH 260 - Ethnographic Methods
You'll work on a research project of your choice to practice and understand the complexities of doing ethnographic research. We'll work together to formulate a project, consider ethics, collect data, analyze that data and discuss styles of write-up. We’ll determine which methods we will practice as projects take shape, but typically we’ll use photography, interviewing, content analysis, and participant-observation. Other methods are possible.
ANTH 270/FOOD 270 - Anthropology and Food Studies
Anthropology is one of the foundational disciplines of Food Studies. This course introduces students to the anthropological side of food studies. We'll look at cross-cultural meanings of food and eating, food and identity, the social correlates of subsistence patterns, global food systems, food insecurity, the relationship between cooking and human evolution and social movement associated with food (ex: sustainability and food, decolonization of food systems, the slow food movement, etc.)
ANTH 280 - World Archaeology
This course is an introduction to world archaeology and provides a survey of archaeological material and sites from the Paleolithic to recent historical times. The course reviews the development of method and theory for the discipline while providing highlights from some of the world’s most important archaeological research projects and cultural sites.
ANTH 290/390 - Internship in Anthropology
The anthropology internship is designed to be an experience beyond the classroom. The internship might include archaeological fieldwork, service learning in an institution or community, or activism within a particular cultural context. Costs and arrangements are the responsibility of the student.
ANTH 301/ARTH 301 - The Museum in Theory and Practice
The course considers a range of critical approaches to and questions about exhibition spaces and the myths about art, history, and culture that underlie museum practices.
ANTH 302 - Anthropology of Violence
We tend to think of violence in interpersonal ways: one person causing harm to another. But what role do social factors play in facilitating violence? What causes people to commit atrocities? Can things like public policies be violent? This course looks at a few recent ethnographies that address these and other questions to give us a broader understanding of human suffering and its causes.
ANTH 306/HM 306 - The Anthropology of Tourism
This course applies an anthropological theory and concepts to the trillion dollar global industry of tourism. Here we will consider several social and cultural concerns regarding tourism, such as what exactly is tourism, and what is its relationship to social inequalities her and abroad; we will consider the economics of tourism, the politics consuming the "Other", efforts to maintain cultural survival; we'll think about issues of race, class and gender in the tourism trade; we'll consider issues of authenticity and ownership, and historical and cultural representation; we'll think about the tourists' gaze and experience, environmental sustainability, and more. In the end, we will ask, how can we assure that the tourism we engage in either as tourists, those being toured, or those working in the tourism industry, is sustainable, equitable and a benefit to all.
ANTH 330 - Anthropological Theory and Ethnography
The course surveys contemporary anthropological theory and research. A close reading of several ethnographies allows for a critical examination of culture, fieldwork, and ethnographic representation via text, photography, film, and material display. The course examines a select number anthropological texts that critically reflect on ideas about cultural continuity, change, and loss.
ANTH 345 - Maya Ethnography
By reading ethnographic texts we will explore issues pertinent to the lives of Maya peoples in Guatemala, Mexico and Belize, such as genocide and resilience, human rights, economic globalism, immigration, and the relationship between traditional lifeways and well-being. Doing so we will explore topics of interest to students of anthropology, psychology, criminal justice, political science, and sustainability.
ANTH 359 - The Pacific and Cultural Survival
This course is a study of Pacific cultures, and the social, economic, religious, political, and environmental challenges that threaten their survival. Topics such as global warming, depletion of the natural environment, political unrest, and economic crisis are considered in relation to local cultural responses.
ANTH 385 - Topics in Anthropology
In-depth study of a selected topic in anthropology. Past topics included: Contemporary Native American Issues.
ANTH 399 - Independent Study in Anthropology
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
HIST 223/SOC 223 - Oral History: Theory, Methodology, and Practice
Oral history is a method aimed at recovering the histories of everyday people, who are often underrepresented in the official record. This course provides an interdisciplinary exploration of the theoretical foundations underpinning oral history, the methods employed in its collection, and the practical aspects of executing oral history projects. Students will get hands-on experience conducting and analyzing oral history interviews.
SOC 151 - Principles of Sociology
An introduction to the basic concepts and major perspectives of sociology. Sociology is the study of the way societies are structured, how these structures affect people, and how people affect those structures. The course may focus on such topics as the criminal justice system, environmental racism, socialization, identity, race and class.
SOC 199/299/399 - Independent Study in Sociology
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
SOC 201 - Sociology of the Paranormal
How do we know what is real? Why do we trust some pieces of evidence but ignore or discount others? This course provides students with an introduction to the sociology of knowledge. Students will apply social science concepts and theories to offer sociological accounts for the seemingly “unexplainable.”
SOC 224/PSY 224 - Social Psychology
This course will explore the interaction between the individual and the social world. Topics covered will include social cognition; the self; attitudes and persuasion; group process; prejudice; stereotyping, and discrimination; aggression; and prosocial behavior. Cross-cultural perspectives will be examined.
SOC 228 - Social Problems
What is the most significant problem facing our society? Who gets to decide? Whose interests matter, and whose interests are ignored? This course explores these important questions. Readings and discussions explore how some people’s concerns are transformed into social problems. The course concludes by exploring what individuals can do to make social change.
SOC 235 - Social Norms/Social Deviance
What are social norms? Who defines them and why? This course investigates the creation, perpetuation and disruption of social norms in various social arenas such as the criminal justice system, in psychology and medicine, in entertainment, and in the economy. We will cast a critical eye on the moral aspects of "deviance," and question the assumption that having norms and following them is always "good."
SOC 277 - Social Inequities: Race and Class
This course examines issues of poverty, wealth, power and powerlessness as they pertain to class and ethnicity. The main focus will be on the United States, but we will also examine global inequalities.
SOC 285/385 - Topics in Sociology
In-depth study of a selected topic in sociology. Past topics have been: Sociology of Work and Occupations, Gender Differences in Language and Aggression, Hate Crimes and Bias Motivated Violence, Gender.
SOC 290 - Internship in Social Service Agencies
Students learn within social agencies and institutional settings where they observe trained professionals working with clients. The settings may include mental hospitals, child care or nursery schools, nursing homes, etc. Costs and arrangements are the responsibility of the student.
SOC 300 - Humans, Animals and Interaction
What can our close living and working relationships with non-human animals reveal about human society? Why do we eat some animals but consider others our best friend? This course examines our complicated and often contradictory relationships with animals.
SOC 304/CRIM 304 - Criminology
This course critically examines a wide range of criminological theories, with special emphasis given to the ways that social factors can produce or reduce crime.
SOC 315 - Masculinities
This course explores gender as an individual, interactional, and institutional dimension of society. Reading across the disciplines, we theorize multiple masculinities and analyze the relationships among hegemonic, marginalized, subordinated, oppositional, hybrid, and other forms.
SOC 331 - Mass Media and Society
This course investigates two major aspects of media and society. First, it looks at the social and societal benefits and challenges of electronic and social media. Second, it examines the social history of media in relationship to the creation of harmful stereotypes, and current challenges to that history. Students are required to work on an original research project for this class.
SOC 363 - Sociological Theory
This course provides a survey of major sociological theorists from the origins of the field to present day. The course explores the important tensions (e.g., continuity/social change, social structure/agency, and society/individual) which give rise to competing streams of social thought.
SOC 385 - Topics in Sociology
In-depth study of a selected topic in sociology. Past topics have been: Sociology of Work and Occupations, Gender Differences in Language and Aggression, Hate Crimes and Bias Motivated Violence, Gender.
SOC 390 - Advanced Internship in Social Service Agencies
In addition to observing trained professionals working with clients within social agencies and institutional settings, students in this advanced internship assume greater responsibility for working with clients served by the institution. Analysis in the term paper should reflect the knowledge and background of an upper-level student.
SOC 398 - Independent Research
Topic open.
SOCA 401 - Senior Essay and Research Seminar in Sociology and Anthropology
Preparation of an essay in the field of anthropology or sociology based on class work and individual research. Intended for students majoring in anthropology or sociology.
SS 290/390 - Internship in the Social Sciences
Individually arranged field experiences in the Social Sciences.
SS 299/399 - Independent Study in the Social Sciences
Individually arranged independent study in the social sciences.
SS 394 - Research Methods for the Social Sciences
Study of major empirical techniques of quantitative and qualitative research, with an emphasis on the experiment, social survey, content analysis, and structured interviews. Readings on research design and writing research will be complemented by a class research project.
Sport Management
SMGT 101 - Introduction to Sport Management
Students will be given an overview of the topics related to sport management including: history and ethics in sport management, structure and policies of sport governance, professional relations, career opportunities, and field experiences in sport organizations.
SMGT 210 - Contemporary Sport
The duality of sport in the modern world is explored and evaluated. Issues include racial and gender equity, player behavior and violence, health and child welfare in youth sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its relation to amateurism, and professional sports and their impact on communities.
SMGT 290/390 - Internship in Sport Management
Individually arranged participation in the work at an institution engaged in sport management, such as youth, scholastic, collegiate, minor and major professional sport organization.
SMGT 310 - Organizational Leadership and Management in Sport
Students will engage in the study of management responsibilities in sport organizations. Principles in leadership qualities, research, organizational goals, structure, conflict, change and decision making.
Sustainability
FOOD 201 - Gardening
This course provides students with both classroom and hands-on knowledge about gardening. Topics will vary according to the season and instructor expertise. Examples of topics include seed starting, raised bed construction, plant biology, food preservation (canning, fermentation), garden planning, soil composition, bed preparation, composting, biochar, water basics, among others. May be repeated for credit.
FOOD 202 - Introduction to Cooking!
This is a seven week course meant to provide you with basic cooking skills. You will have hands-on making several quick and easy dishes that will provide you with basics useful in many more. Exact recipes will vary from semester to semester, as will the instructors. For this reason you may take this course repeatedly.
FOOD 270/ANTH 270 - Anthropology and Food Studies
Anthropology is one of the foundational disciplines of Food Studies. This course introduces students to the anthropological side of food studies. We'll look at cross-cultural meanings of food and eating, food and identity, the social correlates of subsistence patterns, global food systems, food insecurity, the relationship between cooking and human evolution and social movement associated with food (ex: sustainability and food, decolonization of food systems, the slow food movement, etc.)
FOOD 285/385 - Topics in Sustainable Food Systems
In-depth study of selected topics in Sustainable Food Systems.
FOOD 290/390 - Internship in Sustainable Food
Students will gain experience working in a setting that has some connection to food and reflect on issues of sustainability: organic farms, farmer's markets, food pantries, farm sanctuaries, etc. Cost and arrangements are the student's responsibility.
SUS 100/ART 100 - Art and Sustainability in the Field
This interdisciplinary course is designed for first year students. It explores the question: what does it mean to work in the field? Every week, we travel to a different location to consider the many varieties of working, living, and making that exist (or could exist) in that particular place through a wide spectrum of creative, scholarly, and experiential research methodologies. Topics may include rewilding, Indigenous land histories, local land use issues, wild pigments and ceramic ingredients, and more. Through collective, hands-on immersion in the cultural and ecological histories of the Cayuga watershed, we will explore how we ourselves build, understand, and communicate our own experiences of the world.
SUS 101 - Introduction to Sustainability
Climate change, social injustice, and economic inequality are defining features of our time. How can we meet human needs on a finite planet? This class challenges the cultural stories that led to unsustainable development and showcases examples of communities addressing our most pressing global challenges at the local level.
SUS 102/WTQS 102 - Identity and Belonging in the Outdoors
This course will examine the intersections of gender, race, ability, nationality, and class in regards to knowledge production about human-nature relationships, access to outdoor spaces and recreation in nature, and focus on cultivating a better understanding of our local relationships to land and community. Through a mix of discussion-based classes, and experiential learning, including fieldtrips, students will build a connection to both the campus community and the local community around Wells, and develop key academic skills.
SUS 195 - Tutorial in Sustainability
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
SUS 200/ART 200 - Fields
This seven-week outdoor interdisciplinary course explores the question: what does it mean to work "in the field?" Every class, we'll travel to a different nearby location to consider the many layers of working, living, and making that exist in that place through creative prompts, case studies, and exploration. Site visits, activities, and instructors will vary from semester to semester, so you may repeat this course. Potential topics include: local cultural and natural histories; agriculture; resource management, and recreation; learning from plants, animals, and rocks; creative writing; drawing; taking samples; and other interdisciplinary forms of "field work."
SUS 213/FNIS 213 - Indigenous Environmental Activism and Resistance
This course will examine ways in which Indigenous Peoples locally and globally are engaged in the defense of water, land, and all our relations, how indigenous knowledge and western sciences can work together to restore environmental damage, and how indigenous and non-indigenous people can work together for environmental justice.
SUS 214/ SOC 214 - Power, Privilege, and the Environment
This course offers an in-depth introduction to themes in the social dimension of sustainability. Students will examine the ways systemic inequalities in the U.S. impact access to resources, participation in outdoor recreation, and protections from environmental harms. Students will explore the historical roots of mainstream U.S. environmentalism and analyze contemporary case studies illustrating leadership in communities hit hardest by environmental injustice.
SUS 215 - Systems Thinking: Building Resilient Communities
Understanding the complexity of ways Earth's ecological, social, and economic systems function - and how they can be transformed - is fundamental to the work of sustainability. This course offers students opportunities to build their capacity as systems thinkers to better understand feedback loops, leverage points, and interdependence. We will investigate case studies examining holistic efforts to strengthen community resilience locally and around the world.
SUS 231/ANTH 231 - Culture and Water
Water is essential for human existence and culture is inherent to human experience. With that in mind, this applied course examines how our daily need for water is informed by a diversity of cultural expectations, tastes, and desires, as well as by environmental constraints. The course will also pay particular attention to the challenges of the climate change in the 21st century.
SUS 285/385 - Topics in Sustainability
In-depth study of a selected topic in sustainability.
SUS 290/390 - Internship in Sustainability
Individually arranged participation in work of institutions devoted to sustainability.
SUS 335/PSY 335 - Psychology of Sustainability
This course examines theoretical perspectives and empirical research on promoting environmentally sustainable behavior. Through team-based, service learning projects, students apply knowledge gained in the course to address sustainability issues on the Wells campus and in the surrounding community.
SUS 340/PHIL 340 - Ethics and the Environment
Do we have ethical responsibilities to leave a habitable world for future generations? Do we have moral obligations to the more-than-human world? This course introduces ethical frameworks from several cultural perspectives to guide environmental decision-making. Students will evaluate philosophical texts and wrestle with questions about how humans ought to live in a changing world.
SUS 399 - Independent Study in Sustainability
Independent work in subject in Sustainability
SUS 401 - Senior Capstone in Sustainability
Students will complete research projects on a topic of their interest.
Theatre
DANC 106 - Get Moving!
Students explore concepts of efficient and expressive movement, expand their movement capabilities and understanding, and build a foundation for sports and dance activities. Studio work in guided improvisation and Bartenieff Fundamentals is supported by discussions, readings, and videotapes.
DANC 199 - Independent Study in Dance
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
DANC 205 - Modern Dance Technique I
Foundations of Western modern dance technique, for less experienced dancers. Students work from an anatomical and movement analysis perspective to improve alignment, strength, flexibility, dynamic range, style, expressiveness. Introduces a range of contemporary techniques. Satisfies physical education activity requirement.
DANC 206 - Ballet Technique I
Foundations of classical ballet technique, for less experienced dancers. Develops alignment, strength, flexibility, dynamic range, style, expressiveness. Articulation of Russian and Italian ballet styles. Satisfies physical education activity requirement.
DANC 210 - Dance Technique
Foundations of dance technique. Develops strength, flexibility, creativity, dynamic range and style.
DANC 279 - Rehearsal and Performance/Dance (Student)
Performing, stage managing, or serving as assistant choreographer for a student senior thesis project in dance. Experiential learning: students develop performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership ability, and an understanding of theatrical production.
DANC 281 - Rehearsal and Performance/Dance
Developing and learning choreography for the faculty dance concert. Students rehearse 5-8 hours per week for 8-10 weeks. Two to three performances and formal critique. Hands-on experience of the creative process that develops performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership, and an understanding of theatrical production.
DANC 300 - Dance Kinesiology
This course is designed to serve as an introduction to anatomical language and its biomechanically sound application in dance practice. By focusing on the skeletal and muscular systems of human anatomy, dancers will become more comfortable with basic terminology, dynamic alignment and joint function. Included is the exploration of conditioning methods and equipment for dancers tailored to individual physiological needs as well as discussions of wellness issues including but not limited to: stress management, diet, rest, etc. Integration of course material will be through lectures, class discussions and guided movement explorations.
DANC 305 - Modern Dance Technique II
In depth study of principles and techniques of modern dance, for more experienced dancers. Further develops physical skills, performance presence, musicality. Students study and compare a range of contemporary techniques (Cunningham, Limon, Hawkins) from a Laban Movement Analysis perspective. Satisfies physical education activity requirement.
DANC 306 - Ballet Technique II
In depth study of principles and techniques of classical ballet, for more experienced dancers. Further develops alignment, strength, flexibility, dynamic range, style, expressiveness. Emphasis on both historical perspective and current developments in ballet training, as well as musicality and performance quality. Satisfies physical education requirement.
DANC 310 - Dance Technique II
This course will delve more deeply into the history of each genre of dance while also embodying and enhancing movement practice. Students will develop strength, flexibility, creativity, dynamic range and style.
DANC 316 - Dance History
A cross-cultural study of Western and non-Western theatrical and ritual dance, with attention to selected choreographers, performers, and theorists. Students improve ability to perceive, analyze, and articulate the visual-kinesthetic experience of dance. Movement analysis theory and issues in dance criticism explored by viewing live and recorded performances.
DANC 325 - Dance Composition and Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis
Basic principles of Laban Movement Analysis Theory, and their application through Bartenieff Fundamentals exercises and choreography. Students will compose, perform, teach, analyze, and notate their original choreography as well as selected masterworks.
DANC 349 - Advanced Rehearsal and Performance/Dance (Student Supr.)
Performing at and advanced level, stage managing, or serving as assistant choreographer for a student senior thesis project in dance. Students further develop performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership ability, and an understanding of theatrical production.
DANC 350 - Advanced Rehearsal and Performance/Dance
Developing and learning choreography for faculty dance concert at the advanced level. Opportunity to work with guest artists, and further develop performance and leadership skills. Students rehearse 5-8 hours per week for 8-10 weeks. Two to three performances and formal critique.
DANC 395 - Tutorial in Dance
One hour tutorial in dance; selected topics. Recent topics include: Teaching Dance; Advanced Dance Studies; Advanced Solo Repertory; Advanced Choreography; Bodywork.
MUS 108 - Musical Theatre in American Society
The evolution of musical theatre from the 19th century to the present day, and how society affected or was affected by this evolution. A survey of the best musicals in chronological order, including units on World War II, ethnic, and "Great Books" musicals.
MUS 109 - Listening to Rock and Roll
A survey of Rock and Roll from 1950 to the present, with a focus on listening to style and the evolution of style through hybridization.
MUS 112 - Listening: A Survey of Western Music
A survey of Western classical musical styles in historical perspective including compositions by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Stravinsky.
MUS 121 - Beginning Class: Guitar
Group instruction on acoustic guitar for beginning students.
MUS 141 - Beginning Class: Piano
Class lessons at the beginning level using the electronic keyboard lab. Students will learn basic symbols, terms, rhythms, and to play simple solo and ensemble pieces.
MUS 145 - Introduction to Music Theory
A study of basic music theory with analysis for students with little or no music experience; development of practical skills such as ear training, dictation, sight singing and piano keyboard skills.
MUS 150 - Concert Choir
A performance-based course, Concert Choir is open by audition. Members prepare for a culminating performance of appropriate choral music for a live audience at the end of each semester. Students may sing without registering for credit if desired.
MUS 220 - Wells College Jazz Band
Students learn to perform the standard jazz repertoire on their instrument of expertise. They also learn improvisation technique.
MUS 242 - Music Theory I
A study of the language of music and its construction. Includes part writing in 4 part vocal style and analysis of Western music and harmony with some composition. Electronic keyboard lab is used for practice and assignments.
MUS 253 - Chamber Orchestra
Instrumental musicians rehearse and perform orchestral works from the Renaissance period to the present. Two weekly rehearsals and at least one performance on campus each semester.
THEA 100 - Introduction to Performing Arts
Students gain practical knowledge of the entertainment business while deepening their theoretical understanding and aesthetic appreciation of fine craftsmanship in the disciplines of dance, music and theatre. Required field trips to live performances are followed by class discussion and writing assignments. Hands-on work in scene shop, box office, and other areas. Additional fee: $80 for theatre tickets and travel.
THEA 128 - Acting One
Exploration of acting through improvisation and foundation work with dialogue and text. An introduction for non-majors and those considering majoring in theatre and dance.
THEA 130 - Stagecraft
A lecture and studio class to introduce students to terminology and processes of theatrical productions. Students will become familiar with the theatre while learning skills like shop safety and tool operation, light board operation, and drafting. Students will be required to attend all department productions for in-class discussion.
THEA 200 - Acting Two
Intermediate acting class. Approached to playing characters, text analysis and ensemble work.
THEA 201 - Arts Management
An interdisciplinary approach to arts management. Students will develop skills in marketing, public relations, development, and management of arts programming and organizations through the study of theory as well as through practical experience.
THEA 202 - Scenic Design
A lecture and studio class which guides students through the scenic design process as pertains to the designer's vision and execution of their design.
THEA 210/WTQS 210 - Queer Theatre and Feminist Activism
Students will explore a range of current issues in feminist and queer activism through the lens of Theatre of the Oppressed, a participatory theatre methodology. Coursework will include readings, discussion, and substantial in-class theatre-based work. Open to students from any discipline, and no prior theatre experience is required.
THEA 222 - Introduction to Stage Lighting and Design
A lecture & studio class to introduce students in the use and operation of stage lighting equipment, basic elements of lighting design, and implementation of design.
THEA 224 - Production Practical
This course will put the theoretical knowledge students have gained in technical theatre and performing arts courses into real use on real productions. They will be assigned a "job" in lighting, scenic, properties, costumes, or hair and makeup at level consistent with skills, knowledge, and interest and will work in a semi-professional setting under professors, visiting artists, and other students.
THEA 255 - Stage Management
Study of the techniques and theories of production stage management, including leadership, production planning and scheduling, communication, production team coordination, employee contracts, unions, safety regulations, technical rehearsals, trouble shooting, mediation and calling a show. Class projects and assigned production positions required.
THEA 278 - Rehearsal and Performance/Theatre (Student)
Acting, stage managing, or serving as assistant director for a student senior thesis project in theatre. Experiential learning: students develop performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership ability, and an understanding of theatrical production.
THEA 280 - Rehearsal and Performance/Theatre
Acting, stage managing or serving as assistant director for faculty theatre production. Students rehearse 3-4 days per week for 6-9 weeks. Two to three performances and formal critique. Hands-on experience of the creative process that develops performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership, and an understanding of theatrical production.
THEA 285/385 - Topics in Theatre and Dance
In-depth study of a selected topic in theatre or dance. Past topics have included: Women Making Dance, Arts in Education, Dance Un/framed: Modernism and Postmodernism in American Dance, Costume Design, Scenic Design, and Lighting Design.
THEA 290/390 - Internship in Theatre
Individually arranged participation in areas of arts management, dance, education, or other related careers in the performing arts. Students may submit proposals.
THEA 292/392 - Research Practicum
The Theatre research practicum is designed to provide research-based experiential learning beyond the classroom. The practicum might include Theatre field work, or laboratory
based research experience on or off campus.
THEA 295/395 - Tutorial in Theatre
In-depth study of one topic agreed upon by students and instructor.
THEA 315 - Theatre History
An historical exploration of theatre arts from the ancient Greeks to the present, the development of drama in selected periods against a background of cultural and social norms. The course focuses on comparison and analysis of texts and production elements.
THEA 320/WTQS 320 - Marginalized Voices: Women Playwrights
Study of American identities as they are portrayed in contemporary performance. Students will read plays; view films; and attend performances selected from diverse ethnic, racial, and class perspectives. Issues include nontraditional casting, censorship, ideas of performance and identity.
THEA 325 - Production Practical
This course will put the theoretical knowledge students have gained in technical theatre and performance arts courses into real use on real productions. They will be assigned a "job" in lighting, scenic, properties, costumes, or hair and makeup at level consistent with skills, knowledge, and interest and will work in a semi-professional setting under professors, visiting artists, and other students.
THEA 330 - Improvisational Theatre
An exploration of improvisational theatre concentrating on the forms of comedic improvisation and Playback Theatre. Students will learn how to think on their feet, share the space with other actors, and explore the art of storytelling. Course work consists of group projects and ensemble acting. Some acting experience helpful, but not required.
THEA 331 - Acting Shakespeare
Students will investigate "speaking the speech" of Shakespeare. In-depth script analysis, pronunciation, and rhythm will give basis for scene and monologue work. Students will research character and text, and will perform scenes as part of their course work. Some acting experience helpful, but not required.
THEA 332 - Acting Styles
In this course, students will research and perform a variety of classical acting styles. Language, voice, and movement of these styles will be considered as students read plays from the various time periods. This course serves to expose the students to advanced styles of acting. Styles may include Greek tragedy, commedia dell'arte, Moliere, Chekhov, Ibsen, and/or Shaw. Some acting experience helpful, but not required.
THEA 333 - Getting the Part
Students will learn the techniques of researching and finding monologues for audition material. Students will also learn about the process of auditioning and will gain knowledge of various methods for a successful audition. Monologues, headshots and resumes will be prepared and will be "audition ready" by the end of the course. Some acting experience helpful, but not required.
THEA 338 - Methods of Directing
The study of theories, practices and techniques of stage direction, with special emphasis on the function of director as interpreter, organizer, teacher and visionary.
THEA 349 - Advanced Rehearsal and Performance/Theatre (Student Supr.)
Acting, stage managing or service as assistant director for a student senior thesis project in theatre. Students further develop performance skills, discipline, collaborative leadership ability, and an understanding of theatrical production.
THEA 350 - Advanced Rehearsal and Performance/Theatre
Acting, stage managing or service as assistant director for faculty theatre production at the advanced level. Opportunity to further develop performance and leadership skills. Students rehearse 4-5 days per week for 6-9 weeks. Two to three performances and formal critique.
THEA 399 - Independent Study in Theatre
Individually arranged participation in areas of arts management, dance, education, or other related careers in the performing arts. Students may submit proposals.
THEA 401 - Senior Thesis Project in Theatre
Each student completes a senior thesis project in theatre. Topics must be approved by a faculty member.
THEA 402 - Senior Seminar: Building a Career in Theatre
Seminar includes presentations and discussion as well as individual meetings with faculty advisors.
Visual Arts
ART 118 - Introduction to Sculpture: Material, Time, & Space
A foundational sculpture course with emphasis on experimentation with materials, forms, images, and ideas. Students will be introduced to historical, contemporary, and vernacular approaches to sculpture. Woodshop, mold-making, ceramic processes, and fiber arts will be introduced. Course fee of $50 covers a basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 119 - Visual Organization
Principles of two-dimensional design and color theory will be explored in studio-based projects drawing from a variety of disciplines. Current and historical examples will be emphasized, encouraging fluency with our contemporary visual culture. Materials fee: $50.
ART 121 - Drawing from Life
An introduction to drawing from direct observation with an emphasis on building skills in perception, expression, and a variety of line and value drawing techniques using graphite, charcoal, and inks made from local plants. A major segment of the course will focus on drawing the nude figure. Daily sketchbook exercises and long-term projects will be supported by research, field trips, and critiques to introduce students to a broad foundation of historical and contemporary approaches towards drawing. Course fee of $50 covers a basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 127/BKRT 127 - Introduction to Print and Graphic Design
Explore visual communication via the intersection of the written word, images, and their visual impact for print. By analyzing and understanding how text and image combine to create meaning and learning about visual hierarchy, students develop successful design strategies. Students will be introduced to a variety of hands-on printmaking techniques such as letterpress, risograph, and/or screenprint alongside design software such as Adobe InDesign. The class is presented through a series of lectures and demonstrations with some time in class for students to make progress on their studio projects. Course fee of $50 covers basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 200/SUS 200 - Fields
This seven-week outdoor interdisciplinary course explores the question: what does it mean to work "in the field?" Every class, we'll travel to a different nearby location to consider the many layers of working, living, and making that exist in that place through creative prompts, case studies, and exploration. Site visits, activities, and instructors will vary from semester to semester, so you may repeat this course. Potential topics include: local cultural and natural histories; agriculture; resource management, and recreation; learning from plants, animals, and rocks; creative writing; drawing; taking samples; and other interdisciplinary forms of "field work."
ART 241 - Introduction to Ceramic Sculpture
Clay is a unique sculptural medium that can be technical and precise, a glorious gestural mess, or anything in between. This is an introductory studio course oriented towards sculptural ceramic traditions and techniques through hand-building: pinch, coil, slab, extrusion, and casting. A series of technical and conceptual assignments will engage spatial and creative problem-solving, introduce basic physical and chemical ceramic processes, and explore form and function through various material, cultural, and historical frameworks. Course fee of $50.
ART 242 - Introduction to Wheel-thrown Pottery
Ceramics: an ancient technology that transforms meeting our basic human needs into a beautiful and meaningful act. This introductory studio course takes a deep dive into ceramic vessel-making traditions and techniques through intensive use of the potter's wheel. A series of technical and conceptual assignments will engage spatial and creative problem-solving, introduce basic physical and chemical ceramic processes, and explore form and function through various material, cultural, and historical frameworks. Course fee of $50.
ART 260 - Analog Photography: Experiments with Iron, Silver and Light
This course is an introduction to analog photographic processes through which students explore photography's broad range of material and conceptual possibilities. Processes covered vary each semester, and may include the following: cyanotype; photogenic drawing; Vandyke brown; pinhole cameras; digital negatives; silver gelatin film exposure and printing. These processes will be considered in their contemporary and historical contexts. Course fee of $50 covers a basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 261 - Digital Photography: Screen, Print, Book
This course is an introduction to digital photographic processes through which students develop creative intentionality in the making and critique of digital images within contemporary art discourse. Emphasis will be placed on digital photography’s relationship to memory, time, identity, and belief. Photographic tools including digital SLR cameras, scanners, inkjet and laser printers, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom image editing will be taught with an emphasis on tonality, color, and sharpness in prints. These tools are practiced to facilitate student creative projects culminating in a final photobook project. Course fee of $50 covers basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 262 - Introduction to New Media
What's “New Media?” This seminar/studio course explores the impact of emerging technologies on art and culture with a close focus on time-based media: video, sound, and performance. We'll trace the history of video art from the introduction of the SONY Portapak in 1968 to the latest smartphone, exploring its function as a distinct artistic medium in addition to its long-standing influence on music, sound art, and performance, not to mention its role in fostering social engagement and political action. Spoiler: “New Media” might be a methodology: rather than a particular technology! Course fee of $50 covers a basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 263/BKRT 263 - Photobooks: Design and Print
This course explores the use of multiple photographic images in book form as contemporary art. It focuses on the history, sequencing, spacing, and narrative aspects of photographs in books, as well as introducing students to various techniques in bookbinding, text printing, digital photographic capture, editing, and layout with Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign, and digital photographic printing. Students will experiment with various photobook forms, and create a final photobook that combines photographs with hand bookbinding. Emphasis will be placed on developing relationships between content, form, and materiality within the medium of photographic books. Course fee of $50 covers basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 285/385 - Special Topics in Studio Art
In-depth study of a selected topic in studio art. Past topics have included: Doodling The Unknown, Photographic Archives, Advanced Ceramic Techniques.
ART 290/390 - Internship in Art
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to the visual arts, such as a gallery, museum, advertising agency, artist's studio, or design firm. Students gain real-life, on-site professional experience.
ART 323 - Oil Painting: Materiality and Meaning
This course introduces students to the techniques, strategies, and concepts of oil painting. Students will use both conventional and local plant and mineral pigment paints, and stretch their own canvases, practicing various approaches to develop a meaningful relationship to the medium. During the first half of the semester students will paint representational studies from direct observation, photographic imagery, and the imagination, and learn how to stretch canvases. The second half of the semester will be devoted to the sustained development of the concept and form of a series of oil paintings reflecting each student’s research and interests. Lectures, field trips, assignments, readings, discussions and critiques will support student
connection to historic and contemporary painting practices.  Course fee of $50 covers a basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
ART 395 - Tutorial in Art
Student-initiated advanced small cohort work in ceramics, photography, printmaking, new media, and others. Materials fee of $50.
ART 399 - Independent Study in Studio Art
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic. Majors and minors will be given first priority. Materials fee of $50.
ARTH 101 - Western Art from Prehistory to the Renaissance
This class is designed to explore stylistic developments, art-making techniques, and monuments from the Prehistoric era to the Renaissance. As we address significant moments in the history of art, we will also consider questions about what the study of visual culture reveals about social power structures. How, for example, are our cultural standards of beauty rooted in the ideals of the ancient world? Why do certain works of art come to stand as the most important and influential examples of artistic achievement?
ARTH 102 - Western Art from the Renaissance to Present
This class is designed to explore stylistic developments, art-making techniques, artistic movements, and monuments from the Renaissance to the contemporary era. As we address significant moments in the history of art, we will also consider questions about what the study of visual culture reveals about our social power structures. Why, for example, does your textbook include certain artists yet exclude others? What roles do
curators, scholars, critics, collectors, and dealers play in determining the cultural significance of a work of art?
ARTH 105 - A History of Non-Western Art
This course is designed to offer students a basic understanding of major stylistic developments, art-making techniques, and monuments that fall outside of the western tradition. We will examine the myths of orient and occident—east and west—and how these deeply-rooted constructs have distorted our understandings of non-western cultures. This class considers questions about what it means to delve into global histories of art in meaningful ways and how we can work toward a more inclusive understanding of the world.
ARTH 235 - Contemporary Art
This course is designed to explore major stylistic and conceptual frameworks, art-making techniques, and artistic movements from 1950 to present. Through an exploration of film, photography, video, sculpture, painting, performance, installation, the graphic arts, and the book arts, we will consider how works of art can help us envision more inclusive, equitable, and just futures as shocks of discrimination and violence continue to surge up in our contemporary world and image culture.
ARTH 251 - A Cultural History of Photography
This course is designed to explore a series of significant moments in the history of photography. We will approach questions about the intersections and tensions between fine art photography, social documentary, advertisement, and moving images as we engage with the many ways that the camera provides us with new ways of seeing, recording, remembering, creating, and understanding the world around us.
ARTH 270 - Modern Art
A history of European and American art from 1880 to 1950.
ARTH 285/385 - Special Topics in Art History
In-depth study of a selected topic in art history. Past topics have included: Art and Activism, Shaping Sacred Spaces, Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts, Baroque Art, and Islamic Art in the Mediterranean.
ARTH 290/390 - Internship in Art History
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to the visual arts, such as a gallery, museum, library, or archive. Students gain real-life, on-site professional experience.
ARTH 301/ANTH 301 - The Museum in Theory and Practice
The course considers a range of critical approaches to exhibition spaces: collecting and curating; the social, economic, and intellectual functions of museums; the ways that museums reflect, and shape and national, cultural, racial, ethnic, and gendered identities; the relationships of museums to scholarly research; the implicit myths about art, history, and culture that underlie museum practices.
ARTH 302 - Art and Catastrophe: Visual Responses to Trauma
This course is structured to bring together disparate works of art from 1945 to the present—including film, photography, video, sculpture, painting, performance art, the graphic arts, the book arts, and curatorial practice—as a means of exploring visual responses to loss and cultural catastrophe. Exploring the ways that works of art can draw us closer into the ungraspable darkness of trauma, we will engage with questions about the complex relationships between unthinkable devastation and more ordinary forms of suffering.
ARTH 395 - Tutorial in Art History
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
ARTH 399 - Independent Study in Art History
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
ARTH 401 - Senior Seminar in Art History
A research seminar leading to the development of students' individual research priorities, bibliography, and thesis proposal.
ARTH 402 - Senior Essay in Art History
A research paper and presentation on a topic approved by the instructor.
BKRT 105 - Introduction to Calligraphy
Learn the practice of lettering as an expressive art form, and the relationship of calligraphy to typography. Students will practice and develop a Calligraphic hand while learning letterform terminology and anatomy and principles of design relating to page composition. The work of contemporary and historic calligraphers will also be studied. Course fee of $80.
BKRT 115 - Introduction to the Artist’s Book & Hand Bookbinding
This course introduces students to the book as an artistic form. Students will learn fundamental tools, materials and techniques of bookbinding while exploring a range of ways that the book can function as an art object, a conceptual tool, and a meaningful container for ideas. This course covers a range of image making and printing techniques while looking at both historical and contemporary book structures, as well as modes of production ranging from the finely crafted artist book to zines to art book publishing. Course fee of $75.
BKRT 120 - Letterpress Printing
This course explores the process and mechanics of setting and printing type on Vandercook cylinder proof presses. We'll cover selection of materials, shop safety, operation of presses, typography, page and book design, pairing a structure to a concept, color ink mixing, simple bindings, and more. Students will become familiar with other artists and printers working in letterpress, as well as the vocabulary and tools used in the trade. Students will develop an attention to detail as they refine their craftsmanship within the arts. Lab/materials fee of $75.
BKRT 121 - Paper Making + Form
Learn hand papermaking as an artistic medium. Think creatively and conceptually about paper while learning the basic techniques, materials, and processes for forming both 2-dimensional and sculptural paper. Students gain skills in harvesting and beating a variety of fibers, sheet forming, watermarking, pulp painting, and working with high-shrinkage fibers for sculpture. In addition to wet techniques, students will work dimensionally with dry papers through explorations in paper engineering, pop-ups, and book structures. Lab/materials fee of $75.
BKRT 127/ART 127 - Introduction to Print and Graphic Design
Explore visual communication via the intersection of the written word, images, and their visual impact for print. By analyzing and understanding how text and image combine to create meaning and learning about visual hierarchy, students develop successful design strategies. Students will be introduced to a variety of hands-on printmaking techniques such as letterpress, risograph, and/or screenprint alongside design software such as Adobe InDesign. The class is presented through a series of lectures and demonstrations with some time in class for students to make progress on their studio projects. Course fee of $50 covers basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
BKRT 215 - Intermediate Artists’ Books and Bookbinding
Students refine their skills in using the book as an artistic form, learning more complex book structures while pairing book forms with content. Create a series of editioned and one-of-a-kind art books while honing both concepts and craft. Students will work in thee bindery and in the print studios, building a range of technical tools for presenting content. Course fee of $50 covers basic kit of art supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
BKRT 220/ART 220 - The Photographic Book: Design and Print
This course explore the use of multiple photographic images in book form as contemporary art. It focuses on the history, sequencing, spacing and narrative aspects of photographs in books, as well on introducing students to various techniques in bookbinding; text printing; digital photographic capture, editing, and layout with Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and InDesign; and Epson digital photographic printing. Students will experiment with various photobook forms, and create a final photobook that combines photographs with hand bookbinding. Emphasis will be placed on developing relationships between content, form, and materiality within the medium of photographic books. Previous experience in photography and/or book arts recommended but not required. Lab fee: $40.
BKRT 225 - The Book: From Clay Tablets to Now
Study the evolution of the book in society from ancient cuneiform tablets to the printed book on paper to the digitization of the book and the book as an art form and cultural artifact today. Themes include the evolution of technology, cultural reception, and how technology impacts the exchange of ideas. This class is presented through a combination of readings and lectures, hands-on activities, and field trips.
BKRT 285/385 - Special Topics in Book Arts
In-depth study of a selected topic in the book arts. Topics of focus may include papermaking, marbling, calligraphy, publication, Risograph printing, wood engraving, box making, etc. Materials fee of $50 - $75; additional materials purchases may be required.
BKRT 290/390 - Internship in Book Arts
Individually arranged participation in the work of an institution devoted to the book arts, such as
an artist’s studio, book arts center, gallery, or independent publisher. Students gain real-life, on-site professional experience.
BKRT 295 - Tutorial in Book Arts
Student-initiated advanced small cohort work in an area of special interest in artist books, paper art, letterpress, letterforms, independent publishing, and others. Course fee of $50 covers lab use and basic supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
BKRT 320 - Advanced Book Studio
Produce an in-depth book or publication project incorporating text and image. The focus is on content development, while applying and honing skills in image-making, bookbinding, papermaking, and visual communication learned in prior courses. Students will learn new techniques as needed to support their project, while supporting peer project development through ongoing in-process critiques. Course fee of $50 covers lab use and basic supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semesters on materials for individual use.
BKRT 399 - Independent Study in the Book Arts
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic. Majors and minors will be given first priority. Course fee of $50 covers lab use and basic supplies. Students should be prepared to spend an additional $50 to $100 over the course of the semester on materials for individual use.
VART 300 - Theoretical Frameworks in Visual Art
This course focuses on the philosophical questions related to the making and interpretation of visual art, introducing theories and frameworks about perception, visual languages, arts institutions, and identity. This course will prepare students to critically engage their capstone work.
VART 315 - Professional Practices in Visual Art
Students will learn practical and collective skills for artists, art historians, and curators. These include curation; documenting, framing and installing work; creating online portfolios; promotional writing; and applying for grants, exhibitions and graduate study.
VART 401 - Senior Seminar in Visual Arts
Visual Art majors students will do advanced work in their discipline under the guidance of the appropriate faculty. Art history students will engage in an intensive study of approaches, research methods, and historiographies that apply to art history. The course will also address professional concerns including preparation for graduate school and/or a career in the arts. Course fee of $50.
VART 402 - Senior Project and Exhibition in Visual Art
Visual Art majors concentrating in Studio & Book Arts demonstrate advanced professional practice skills by organizing, planning, and implementing their thesis exhibition or comparably rigorous outcome. Students also complete an Artist Talk during which they articulate the major concepts, aims, and contemporary context of their own work; assessed through critiques, documentation, and artist statement.
VART 403 - Senior Written Thesis in Visual Art
In this class, Visual Art majors concentrating in Studio & Book Arts will engage in a practice of independent research and writing connected to their studio project. They will develop a formal thesis paper that explores the central conceptual aims of their work in historical and contemporary artistic contexts.
Wells Core Courses
WLLS 100 - Wellness, Engagement, and Lifelong Learning for Success
Students will be introduced in a holistic manner to the values, resources, and support services of Wells College. Staff and Peer Leaders will help students develop healthy habits for living, learning, and being a member of the Wells community. Students will engage in hands-on and participatory experiences both inside and outside of the classroom which will help them to better understand themselves and the community.
WLLS 105 - College Writing
This course, offered both fall and spring semesters, covers the fundamentals of college writing. Intended for all first-year students at Wells College, the purpose of this course is to give all Wells students, regardless of major, a shared understanding of how to approach writing throughout their time at Wells and beyond.
WLLS 106 - College Writing Foundations
This course is designed as a writing workshop class supporting students concurrently enrolled in WLLS 105 with additional instruction in writing about readings, essay structure, paragraph development, grammatical precision, and the essentials of puntuation.
WLLS 110 - Personal Financial Management
Personal Financial Management teaches students the skills they need to make informed financial decisions in their life. Topics include transactional accounts, savings, loans, credit cards, mortgages and basic investments. Credit score management and living within one's means will be recurring themes. Course is offered to first year, second semester students through senior year.
WLLS 121 - Research Tools and Skills
This course is designed to teach and strengthen lifelong research and information literacy skills by introducing students to the nature of information and research, and the role of the library in the research process. The method of instruction will be problem-based and require active and collaborative participation.
WLLS 122 - Learning Strategies
This course will assist students on Semester Warning or Academic Probation in developing the academic skills needed to be successful in college. The course will focus on the importance of organization, time management, and specific study strategies.
WLLS 123 - Student Development and Values
This course is designed to enhance your effectiveness as a leader at Wells through reflection, exploration of values, understanding of the environment in which you operate, and examining your philosophy of leadership-all within the context of your student organization.
WLLS 124 - Writing Lab
Offers assistance to students who wish to improve their writing skills. Emphasis on the "paramedic method", correcting common sentence-level errors, and refining sentence structure provides students with "tool kit" for creating meaningful academic argument across the curriculum.
WLLS 126 - Internship, Career and Networking
This seven-week course will prepare students for internships and ultimately, career and graduate school efforts. The course will educate participants regarding concepts, attitudes and actions to attain internship goals and inspire ongoing career explorations, and expression and goal attainment efforts.
WLLS 127 - Career Preparation
A semester long course that focuses on the development of professional workplace skills and job search techniques for students who plan to enter their career field upon graduation. Topics such as becoming a professional, marketing yourself, interviewing, and locating and securing a job will be covered. Students who are successful in this course will develop increased career confidence due to their enhanced workplace readiness skills.
WLLS 190 - Experiential Learning and Reflection
Individually-arranged field experiences allowing students to transcend boundaries by exploring their interests. Through reflection activities, students assess their learning (knowledge, skills, and beliefs) and their own personal development. The student's academic advisor serves as the faculty sponsor for the experience.
WLLS 199 - Independent Study
These courses are available for students who have demonstrated an ability to work without close supervision. Student(s) and faculty members develop the course together on a relevant topic.
Women’s, Transgender and Queer Studies
WTQS 102/SUS 102 - Identity and Belonging in the Outdoors
This course will examine the intersections of gender, race, ability, nationality, and class in regards to knowledge production about human-nature relationships, access to outdoor spaces and recreation in nature, and focus on cultivating a better understanding of our local relationships to land and community. Through a mix of discussion-based classes, and experiential learning, including fieldtrips, students will build a connection to both the campus community and the local community around Wells, and develop key academic skills.
WTQS 148 - Introduction to Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
An interdisciplinary examination of contemporary scholarship on women's experience. The course will include analysis of women's political, social and cultural experiences, using discussions, readings, films, student presentations and guest lectures.
WTQS 200/HS 200 - Gender, Sexuality and Health
Students will explore the complexities of gender and sexual diversity, as well as the differences between sex and gender within the context of health and wellness. Particular emphasis will be placed on the specific health issues and health disparities faced by women, transgender and gender non-binary individuals, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and intersex individuals, as well as professional competencies in responding to these issues. This survey course will be a foundation for further exploration of the specific issues faced by these vulnerable populations.
WTQS 210/THEA 210 - Queer Theatre and Feminist Activism
Students will explore a range of current issues in feminist and queer activism through the lens of Theatre of the Oppressed, a participatory theatre methodology. Coursework will include readings, discussion, and substantial in-class theatre-based work. Open to students from any discipline, and no prior theatre experience is required.
WTQS 212/FNIS 212 - Home Lands
This seminar will focus on making a home (on one's own land or stolen lands?) and the multiple relationships that exist between what sexual minorities call "home" as First Nations people, people in Diaspora, and/or immigrants.
WTQS 230 - Women and Gender in Sport
This course will use sport to understand gender relations in a society. It will focus on how sports shape cultural ideas of masculinity and femininity and examine how assumptions about professional and amateur athletes reflect and challenge social norms about gender, sexuality, race, and class. This course will invite students to consider the intersection of politics, economics, society, culture, and representation in sport and will map out and respond to the multifaceted issues that emerge when women enter the sports world.
WTQS 245 - Body Politics
Analysis of the ways women's bodies are made the site of power struggles between competing interest groups in society, and the effect of this on individual women's lives. Topics include body image, reproductive rights, violence, harassment, sexuality, self defense.
WTQS 260/ FNIS 260 - Indigenous Women's Experiences
Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this course will provide an introduction to the lives and experiences of indigenous women from pre-Contact to contemporary times. By centering indigenous women's experiences, theories, and perspectives, dominant feminist frames of reference will be critically examined.
WTQS 285/385 - Topics in Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
In-depth study of a selected topic in women's, transgender and gender studies. Past topics have included: Women's Utopian/Anti-Utopian Fiction; Femininities/Masculinities; LGBTQ Identities and Communities.
WTQS 290/390 - Internship in Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
Students will use their backgrounds in women's and gender studies to blend their academic expertise with work addressing women's concerns, such as with the Women's Hall of Fame, Planned Parenthood, N.O.W. Arrangements are the student's responsibility in consultation with the instructor(s) and the Office of Career Development Services.
WTQS 295/395 - Tutorial in Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
In-depth study of an area of special interest. Topic to be determined jointly by a faculty member and student(s) in consultation. Meets weekly for one hour.
WTQS 302 - Intersectionalities
Intersectionalities is a paradigm for analyzing multiple oppressions in relation to each other. This course applies the interdisciplinary paradigm of intersectionalities as a method of theorizing within the context of feminist, queer, trans-, and gender studies. Emphasis placed on writing as thinking and preparing for a senior project.
WTQS 303 - Transgender Studies
This course offers students an overview of the rich and evolving field of transgender studies. Topics include foundational concepts in gender diversity, key sociopolitical issues, pivotal moments in trans activism, and cultural representation and misrepresentation of trans lives. Particular emphasis will be placed on the intersections of trans lives with issues of race, class, disability, immigration status, and incarceration.
WTQS 304/HIST 304 - Women, Gender and Sexuality in Asian History
This thematic course examines how gendered discourses regarding parenting, masculinity, femininity, and sexuality were imagined, crafted, and challenged in Asian history from earliest times to the present. We will cover topics such as labor and equity, widow-immolation and agency, eunuchs and gender spectrums, Orientalism and fetishization, foot binding, anarcho-feminism, gender identity and expression, abortion and legal regimes, and much more.
WTQS 320/THEA 320 - Marginalized Voices: Women Playwrights
Study of American identities as they are portrayed in contemporary performance. Students will read plays; view films; and attend performances selected from diverse ethnic, racial, and class perspectives. Issues include nontraditional casting, censorship, ideas of performance and identity.
WTQS 399 - Independent Study in Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
Readings and papers, or a more innovative course comprised of, for example, readings and a creative project, or readings and work with an agency concerned with women's issues.
WTQS 401 - Senior Project in Women's, Transgender and Queer Studies
Project of an interdisciplinary nature, informed by the student's disciplinary focus, concerning gender studies. Directed by a primary adviser (selected from women's studies faculty) and a secondary adviser. Students will present their work in the Women's Studies Colloquium.