Apr 24, 2024  
College Catalog 2019-2020 
    
Catalog Navigation
  Catalog Home
  2019-2020 Calendar
  Mission, History and Religious Affiliation
  Admissions
  Expenses
  Financial Aid
  Academic Policies
  The Curriculum
  Areas of Study
  Courses
  Student Support Services
  Scholarships and Special Endowed Funds
  Directories
  Special Programs
  Archived Catalogs
HELP
College Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses

 

Geology
  

  • GEOL 101 - Dinosaurs

    Dinosaurs dominated Earth’s landscapes for nearly 200 million years, and then they vanished in one of the “big-five” mass extinctions in the history of life. This course explores the evolution of dinosaurs, and examines their biology and behavior. Students are introduced to the various groups of dinosaurs as they study the reasons behind their dramatic diversification and ecological success. Theories that pertain to their abrupt disappearance 65 million years ago are also explored. The class includes a field trip to the dinosaur hall at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 102 - Exploring the Solar System

    Recent planetary missions have provided a wealth of new and exciting information about our solar system and beyond. This course examines the science behind these recent discoveries. Readings and discussions focus on a variety of topics, including: (1) processes of planetary formation, (2) the geology of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and other planets, (3) planetary interiors and atmospheres, (4) asteroids, meteorites, comets, and the newly appreciated role of impacts, (5) the seemingly unique status of the Earth as a habitable planet, and (6) the potential for extraterrestrial life. Course projects make extensive use of internet resources, computer software, satellite imagery, and solar system materials (rocks from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids). Spring semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 103 - Geocinema

    Lights, camera, ACTION! Geologists think planet Earth is incredibly exciting, but nowhere is the story of the behavior of our planet more dramatized and misrepresented than in movies! Whether they are big-budget thrillers like The Core, Volcano, or The Day After Tomorrow, or low-brown science fiction like Boa, movies tend to stretch the reality of natural hazards and earth processes to great dramatic effect. In this course, we will have the opportunity to watch a variety of movie clips that focus on geologic hazards (such as volcanoes, earthquakes, avalanches, floods, and tsunamis) and other earth processes (origins of life, evolution, mass extinction, climate change, and glaciers). We will examine the scientific features and processes depicted in films, learn about their scientific basis, and critique the film’s portrayal of earth process. Students will work in groups to examine a film centered on a geological process, and critique the way science is depicted. The final project gives you the opportunity to develop your own script for a movie that does the geology correctly. This course will cover quantitative concepts relevant to earth processes, such as describing the world quantitatively, understanding uncertainty and risk, and evaluating quality and sources of data. Format: three-hour blocks per week of movie clips, lectures, discussions, and laboratory and group exercises. Evaluation will be based on attendance and participation, homework/classroom assignments, a group project, an 8-10 page movie script (including drafts and peer review), and two one-hour exams. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 104 - Soil: Science and Sustainability

    Cross-Listed as ENVI 104  
    From the food we eat, to the air we breathe, soil shapes our lives. Soil forms in response to local conditions, recording regional climate variability (if you know how to look). Soil is also one of the most important carbon sinks, so the way we interact with soil has the potential to seriously impact our changing climate. However, as an important agricultural resource, we must continue to utilize soil to feed Earth’s growing population. To better understand this under-appreciated layer of Earth, this class will investigate soil formation, soil properties and the variability between types of soil, and how we interact with soil in our world today. This course includes one field trip. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 120 - Environmental Geology

    Cross-Listed as GEOG 120  and ENVI 120  
    The physical environment has begun to show signs of our earth’s expanding population and the increasing need for natural resources. Geologic materials such as soil, water, and bedrock, and geologic processes such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and running water often pose constraints on land use. This course is designed to introduce students to the relationship between humans and their geologic environment: the earth. We will focus on the understanding the processes that shape the surface of the earth, and how these processes affect human activity. We will use current scientific methods to collect and analyze data. Topics include surface-water dynamics and flooding, groundwater and groundwater contamination, pollution and waste management, landslides, volcanic and earthquake hazards, and global climate change. Format: the course will include local field excursions, lectures, discussions and hands-on exercises; evaluation will be based on homework/classroom activities, short writing assignments, and exams. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 160 - Dynamic Earth and Global Change

    Cross-Listed as  
    This course provides an introduction to the materials and structure of the Earth and to the processes acting on and in the Earth to produce change. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of landforms and the formation of Earth resources. Discussions focus on the important role of geologic processes in the solution of environmental problems. Required for geology majors. Local field trips. Three hours lecture and two hours lab per week. Every fall. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 165 - History/Evolution of Earth

    This course provides an overview of the Earth for the past 4.6 billion years. Students explore the concept of geologic time as they delve into the vast past of our evolving planet. Major emphasis is placed on tracking the evolution of life, from the simplest single-celled organisms of the ancient Earth to today’s diverse floras and faunas. Another major focus is the linkage among abiotic and biotic systems, the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere did not and do not evolve independently. The laboratory component of this course is designed to familiarize students with the rocks and fossils that archive the history of Earth. The class includes a fossil-collecting field trip. Required for geology majors. Three hours lecture and two hours lab per week. Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 200 - Field Excursion Seminar

    The geology and geography of a region will be studied during a geologic field excursion to a selected destination. The excursion will be preceded by a seminar course that includes readings and oral presentations. A student may take the seminar more than once for credit. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 160  or GEOL 165  or permission of instructor. Alternate years. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 201 - Geological Excursions

    This course focuses on the geology of a foreign country or a region of the U.S. It also includes a study of the geography and culture of the region. It is designed as a January course. Participants meet prior to departure in order to learn necessary background information. The field excursion generally spans two to three weeks. The region to be studied will be different each year and a student may take the course more than once for credit. This course is offered as S/N grading. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor(s). Offered occasionally. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 240 - Field Methods

    This course is designed to train students in observation, spatial thinking, integrative problem-solving, and critical thinking in the field. Students will keep a detailed field notebook, complete three field projects, and use software to prepare professional quality maps and reports, all of which are important skills needed for careers in the biological, environmental, and geological sciences. Tools used include brunton compass, Jacob staff, GPS, aerial photographs, topographic maps, and computer software. Includes a weekend mapping project and weekly field trips during class. Occasional fourth hour meetings. Offered alternate fall semesters. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 160 , GEOL 165 , or permission of instructor. Alternate fall semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 250 - Mineralogy

    This course examines the relationships between symmetry, chemistry, physical and optical properties, and occurrence of minerals. General cosmochemistry, geochemistry and crystal growth will also be discussed. Laboratory projects include crystal morphology and symmetry, optical mineralogy, x-ray diffraction, wet chemistry, and the identification of common rock-forming minerals. Three hours lecture and three hours lab per week. Field trips. Fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 255 - Structural Geology

    This course focuses on recognizing and interpreting the significance of geologic structures in the Earth’s outermost layers. Discussions focus on the formation of major rock fabrics (e.g., fractures, joints, faults, shear zones, folds, foliation/cleavage, and lineations) from microscopic (thin section) to regional (mountain belt) scales.  Problem sets use graphical techniques to solve structural problems. This course also provides an introduction to map interpretation and mapping techniques. Three hours lecture and three hours lab per week. Local and regional field trips. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 160 , GEOL 165 , and GEOL 250 ; or permission of instructor. Spring semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 260 - Geomorphology

    Geomorphology is the study of physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur on the surface of a planetary body. We will be examining the processes that turn solid rock into transportable material, the transport mechanisms themselves (whether beneath glaciers, down hillslopes, or in rivers), and the patterns of deposition, many of which are unique to the processes that created them. These processes range from the very large (volcanism and mountain-building) to the microscopic (frost cracking of rock, soil creep, and chemical weathering along mineralogic grain boundaries). Some processes occur frequently across geographic boundaries and throughout geologic time (like rainsplash), while others are stochastic in nature and dramatic in their geomorphic signature (like glacial outburst floods). We will focus on the roles of rivers, glaciers, and mass movements in shaping landscapes, but will examine wide-ranging landscapes such as arid environments and coastal regions. The study of current surface processes on the Earth will be examined with an eye toward understanding the evolution of landscapes over geologic timescales. Prerequisite(s):   or   or permission of instructor. Fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 265 - Sedimentology/Stratigraphy

    This course focuses on sedimentary rocks and the stratigraphic record. Topics covered include the origin and classification of sediments and sedimentary rocks (siliciclatic and carbonate), sedimentary structures (physical and biogenic), diagenesis, facies models, and basin analysis. Students are introduced to the principles and practice of stratigraphy. Emphasis is placed on the interpretation of ancient sedimentary environments. Three hours lecture and three hours lab per week. Field trips. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 160 , GEOL 165 , and GEOL 250 ; or permission of the instructor. Spring semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 294 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 300 - Paleobiology

    This course surveys the long history of life, as recorded by the fossil record. Students are introduced to the morphology and paleoecology of the major fossil groups (invertebrates and vertebrates) through discussions, labs, and readings. Students also learn the methods used to study the paleobiology and evolution of extinct organisms. Three lectures and one three-hour lab per week. Local field trips. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 165  or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 302 - Petrology and Geochemistry

    This course focuses on the classification, occurrence, and origin of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Emphasis will be placed on the relationships between lithology, geochemistry, and tectonic setting. Laboratory exercises include hand specimen identification, thin-section interpretation, textural analysis, major and trace element modeling, SEM/EDS and XRF analysis. Students participate in a semester-long research project on a local geological feature. Three hours lecture and three hours lab per week. Field trips. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 250 . Spring semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 303 - Surface/Groundwater Hydrology

    Hydrology is the study of physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur as water interacts with the earth. In this course we will focus on the near-surface cycling of water and the physical processes that drive this motion. We will discuss the dynamics of water as it flows across the surface of the landscape, moves through channels, and passes into the shallow subsurface. Open channel flow, hydrographs, floods, and arid region water scarcity will be the focus of the first portion of the course. The bulk of the course will look at the flow of water through permeable, saturated media, heterogeneity of flow, and several equations used to describe flow dynamics in aquifers. Flow through fractured and karst systems will be discussed. Importantly, we will spend time on the methods used by scientists and engineers (and consultants!) to understand the details and timescales of groundwater flow: wells, slug tests, pump tests, and geochemistry. Contaminant transport via groundwater flow will be examined in case studies. The use of quantitative tools such as calculations, numerical modeling, and estimation will be used to better understand the dynamics of water transport on our planet. $75 trip/materials fee will be charged for this course. Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level geology lab course. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 304 - Tectonics

    This course will provide an overview of processes responsible for the formation, deformation, and destruction of Earth’s lithosphere. The class will combine perspectives from several geoscientific disciplines to address issues pertinent to plate tectonic processes. The laboratory component of the course will focus on developing good scientific writing and presentation habits. A 3-hour lab accompanies the course. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 160  . Fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 360 - Paleoclimate

    Cross-Listed as ENVI 360  
    Earth’s climate has evolved with the planet itself as changing boundary conditions in the ocean, atmosphere, cryosphere and lithosphere have caused ice ages, periods of extreme warmth and mass extinctions. Information about these events is contained in the geologic record in the form of fossils and rock sequences, but also in lake and ocean sediments, ice sheets, cave deposits and tree rings. This course will provide an overview of variations in climate throughout Earth history while simultaneously examining the proxies and archives used to reconstruct those changes. We will also construct our own record of paleoclimate using cores from a local lake and a variety of laboratory techniques. Prerequisite(s): ENVI 240 , ENVI 150  or GEOL 160  . Every other spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 394 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 400 - Capstone Research Methods

    Geology majors and minors conducting research in the geosciences frequently utilize a variety of analytic and other laboratory equipment. This course provides students with guidance, mentorship and hands-on experience using the equipment and analytic tools they require to conduct their capstone and independent research projects. Students may take this course during any semester they are conducting research. S/N grading only. Offered occasionally. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 494 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 601 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual or small group study with a faculty member. A student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of study not available through the regular catalog offerings. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 602 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual or small group study with a faculty member. A student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of study not available through the regular catalog offerings. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 603 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual or small group study with a faculty member. A student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of study not available through the regular catalog offerings. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 604 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual or small group study with a faculty member. A student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of study not available through the regular catalog offerings. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 611 - Independent Project

    Independent study of geologic problems or preparation of senior research thesis. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and permission of the instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 612 - Independent Project

    Independent study of geologic problems or preparation of senior research thesis. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and permission of the instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 613 - Independent Project

    Independent study of geologic problems or preparation of senior research thesis. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and permission of the instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 614 - Independent Project

    Independent study of geologic problems or preparation of senior research thesis. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing and permission of the instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 621 - Internship

    Work that involves the student in practical off-campus experience. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 622 - Internship

    Work that involves the student in practical off-campus experience. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 623 - Internship

    Work that involves the student in practical off-campus experience. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 624 - Internship

    Work that involves the student in practical off-campus experience. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 631 - Preceptorship

    A student works with a faculty member in the planning and teaching of a course. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 632 - Preceptorship

    A student works with a faculty member in the planning and teaching of a course. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 633 - Preceptorship

    A student works with a faculty member in the planning and teaching of a course. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 634 - Preceptorship

    A student works with a faculty member in the planning and teaching of a course. The department chair will determine if this course may be applied toward the major. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 641 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 642 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 643 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GEOL 644 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)

German
  

  • GERM 101 - Elementary German I

    Introduction to German language and culture. Emphasis on comprehension of oral and written contemporary German as well as developing elementary oral proficiency. The course emphasizes vocabulary recognition and acquisition within a variety of concrete contexts. Students develop facility with German within highly structured contexts. Contemporary culture in German-speaking countries provides the content of the course. For beginning students with no previous German language instruction. Students with any previous training in German must take the German placement exam. Three hours per week plus laboratory conversation hour. Every fall. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 102 - Elementary German II

    Continuation of introduction to German language and culture. Vocabulary acquisition continues within broader contexts. Emphasis on both oral and written production with continuing development of reading and listening skills. Students develop creativity and facility with the language using primarily concrete vocabulary within meaningful contexts. The course provides an introduction to extended reading in German as well. Three hours per week plus laboratory conversation hour. Prerequisite(s): GERM 101  with a grade of C- or better, or permission of instructor. Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 110 - Accelerated Elementary German

    An five-credit accelerated course which covers material and proficiency development normally covered in GERM 101 and GERM 102. The course is for students with prior experience with German who need a concentrated review or students with previous other foreign language background who wish to work at an accelerated pace. Three hours per week plus conversation laboratory hour. Every semester. (5 Credits)
  

  • GERM 174 - Vampires - from Monsters to Superheroes

    Vampires are cyclical. Just a few years ago you ran into them anytime you walked into a bookstore or turned on the TV-just like in Victorian times when Bram Stoker’s famous work emerged from a vampire craze. Vampires have always been popular fodder and will continue to be so, even if and as the image of the vampire shifts dramatically over time. The popularity of vampires has waxed and waned for over a hundred years, partially because vampirism can be used as a metaphor for almost anything-from the plague to sexuality to addiction. We will juxtapose classic tales of vampires as monsters with the more recent generation of vampires. What happened to change our imagination of vampires from monsters into hip, outsider superheroes? And what can the examination of vampires tell us about the context in which they were created? Occasionally offered. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 203 - Intermediate German I

    This course is designed to help students increase their proficiency in the German language while emphasizing authentic cultural contexts. Through exposure to a variety of texts and text types, students develop oral and written proficiency in description and narration and develop tools and discourse strategies for culturally authentic interaction with native speakers. Cultural topics are expanded and deepened. Three hours per week plus conversation laboratory hour. Prerequisite(s): GERM 102  or GERM 110  with a grade of C- or better, or placement test, or consent of the instructor. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 204 - Intermediate German II

    The course aims to help students attain a comfort level with extended discourse in German within culturally appropriate contexts. Students develop the ability to comprehend authentic spoken German on a variety of topics at length. They develop effective strategies for comprehending a variety of texts and text types. They gain increased facility with extended discourse, such as narrating and describing. Writing in German is also developed so that students can write extensively about familiar topics. Three hours per week plus laboratory conversation hour. Prerequisite(s): GERM 203  with a grade of C- or better, or placement test, or consent of the instructor. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 255 - German Cinema Studies

    Changing topics in German film. Possible titles include: Nazi Cinema; Film, Philosophy, Politics; Film and the Fantastic; Form and Gender in German and American Cinema; Cinema of the Weimar Republic; Where am I in the Film? Students may register up to two times for courses numbered 255, provided a different topic is offered. Taught in English. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 279 - Value: The Bad, the Ugly, and the Cheap

    Cross-Listed as MCST 279  
    For thousands of years value has been scrutinized in philosophy, art history, and economic analysis, as it cuts across three constitutive aspects of social, cultural, and political life: economy, aesthetics, and ethics. Not only do we have and impose on the world our moral, aesthetic, and exchange values, but these three fields often become difficult to distinguish, as is evident in the slippery flexibility of words that allow us to say as much “this painting is bad or worthless” as “I think this person is bad or worthless,” or “this is a bad, or worthless, remark” and “this is a bad or worthless check.” This course will focus primarily on influential accounts of value in aesthetic theory, while also examining the ways in which aesthetic value demarcates itself from or implicates its moral and economic counterparts, and what the interplays among the three fields entail for aesthetic value. Our readings will focus on the impact of primarily German thought on the formation of modern aesthetic theory-from the early eighteenth century through the Enlightenment and Romanticism to high modernism and the Frankfurt School. Class and readings in English. Prerequisite(s): No pre-knowledge required. This course is appropriate for all level students. Occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 294 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 305 - Advanced German

    This is a language course in which participants expand their abilities in all four language modalities - particularly oral and written expression - through engagement with numerous aspects of the life, literature, and culture of German-speaking countries and their multicultural societies, as well as their relations to the world. Including an extensive review of important advanced language topics, this course offers students the opportunity to improve their German to university-level proficiency. Every semester. (4 credits) Prerequisite(s): GERM 204 , placement test or permission of instructor Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 308 - German Cultural History I

    This course prepares students for upper-level courses in German Studies through the critical investigation of important political, social and aesthetic topics in the context of German cultural history from 1815-1945. Such topics include the tension between the German Kulturnation and the political nation, the economics and philosophical critique offered by socialism, imperialism as discourse and political tool, the aesthetic revolution of modernism in the arts, and the debacle of fascism and the Holocaust.  In addition to historical sources, students read literary and autobiographical texts, view films, and investigate examples of material culture from a variety of periods. Conducted in German. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: GERM 305 , placement test, or permission of instructor. Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 309 - German Cultural History II

    This course prepares students for upper-level courses in German Studies through the critical investigation of important political, social and aesthetic topics in the context of German cultural history from 1945 through the present. Such topics include the tension between consumer culture and Vergangenheitsbewältigung in the West Germany of the 1950s, the theory and practice of collectivism in East Germany, the significance of the Wall, political upheaval and terrorism in West Germany, real existierender Sozialismus in the East, German unification, multiculturalism, and contemporary topics such as environmentalism and sustainability. In addition to historical sources, students read literary and autobiographical texts, view films, and investigate examples of material culture from a variety of periods. Conducted in German. Prerequisite(s): GERM 305 , placement test, or permission of instructor. Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 314 - Darwin, Nietzsche, Freud

    Cross-Listed as PHIL 214  
    What happens when God dies? And what if he’s always already been dead? Few authors have pursued the consequences of secular modernity as persistently as Nietzsche and Freud, both of whom were reacting to Darwin’s discovery of natural selection, which did away with nature as proof of God. Focusing on the related domains of ethics, subjectivity, aesthetics, and cultural value, we will explore how modern thought tries, and just as frequently fails, to overcome its religious past. Discussion topics include: the loss of “truth” as a meaningful term; ethics beyond good and evil; alienation, ideology, and false consciousness; art as ersatz-God; mourning, trauma, and transience. Readings include all or parts of: Nietzsche, Daybreak, The Gay Science and The Genealogy of Morals; Freud, Civilization and its Discontents, Beyond the Pleasure Principle, and Totem and Taboo. Requirements: Readings, three papers, weekly reading responses. Prerequisite(s): Not open to entering first-year students. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 337 - Dead White Men

    Cross-Listed as MCST 337 
    Today we often hear people dismiss the Western (mostly European) philosophical tradition as a bunch of “dead white men.” In other words, the argument goes, these thinkers harbored such passe notions as universal truths, a universal subject, and an individual in total control of itself and endowed with a pure reason unadulterated by rhetoric, imagination, fiction, and politics. Why should we bother with “dead white men” now that we understand that truth depends on historical context, that the self is decentered by the unconscious, that identity is constituted by gender, race, class, and other cultural factors, that truth is linked to power, and that ideology is omnipresent? Unfortunately, this all-too-familiar attitude overlooks its own faulty presupposition: it presumes a clear-cut break between philosophical tradition and contemporary thought, as if contemporary thought had no tradition out of which it emerged and could, therefore, merely discard what preceded it. Hence the popularity of phrases like “philosophy is dead.” It is all the more ironic to see this attitude prevail in the West at the very moment that multiculturalism has become our cause celebre : all cultural traditions are supposed to be “respected,” except the West’s own tradition. (Perhaps as a new way for the West to reinstate surreptitiously its superiority as the sole culture with no tradition?) This course pursues a close reading of texts by various “dead white men” as the unconscious (i.e., repressed and, for that matter, all the more powerful) undercurrent of contemporary thought. Assigned texts will include: Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Pascal, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, Marx, as well as texts by twentieth-century thinkers that stress the dependence of contemporary thought on philosophy. No pre-knowledge required; all readings in English. With different reading lists this course may be taken more than once for credit . Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 360 - Proseminar in German Studies

    Changing German Studies topics such as: Desire, Reason and Power in Modernity; Modernity and the Unconscious; German Nationalism and its Legacy; Kafka and German Expressionism; Karl Marx and the Development of Communism; German Political Theater; Nietzsche: Romantic, Modern, Postmodern; The Comical Effects of Kafka and Kleist. Students may register up to two times for courses numbered 360, provided a different topic is offered. May be taught in German or in English. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 363 - Crime and the Fantastic

     

     

    This course explores the modern fascination with the uncanny, the mysterious, the magical, and the demonic in two related genres: murder mysteries and tales of the supernatural. We will ask why both of these genres were invented in German Romanticism and what function they play in later contexts. Course materials include stories of the uncanny by E.T.A. Hoffmann and Tieck; Goethe’s “Faust”; Grimm’s fairy tales; the fantastic realism of the nineteenth century; Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”; German TV crime drama. Taught in German. Requirements: weekly reading responses; three short papers with revisions. Offered fall term of even-numbered years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 364 - Class Cultures

    This course explores depictions and concepts of “class” in literature, film, and political discourse since the French Revolution. Discussion topics include the invention of the bourgeois family; the Lumpenproletariat (prostitutes, rogues, vagabonds) in literature and art; revolutionary culture and politics in the inter-war period; depictions of class in contemporary mass culture. How does “class consciousness” emerge in German history? Is class an economic necessity or a consequence of culture and politics? Why is culture still fascinated by class? Taught in German. Prerequisite(s):  , GERM 309 , or the equivalent. Offered fall term of odd-numbered years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 365 - Kafka: Gods, Animals, and Other Species of Modernity

    This course approaches Kafka’s work both as a case for literary analysis and as a text that reveals insights into modernism-the historical era within secular capitalist modernity characterized by massive industrialization, increasing bureaucratization, the commodification and massive reproducibility of art, the destabilization of patriarchy, and the development of technology and media. In reading the works of this world-famous author we shall also try to grasp the meaning of the internationally (mis)used word, “kafkaesque.” In addition to reading closely a selection of Kafka’s short stories and excerpts from his novels, we shall also read Crumb and Mairowitz’s graphic version of Kafka’s life and work, and students will contribute with in-class presentations of their interpretations of Kafka’s work, short papers, and a graphic group project. Taught in German. Prerequisite(s):  , GERM 309  or the equivalent. Offered spring semester of even-numbered years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 366 - Literature and Film

    In this course we read closely a selection of German literary texts and compare them to their film adaptations. The literature may range from German “classics” to popular “best sellers,” and the films from critically acclaimed cases to box office successes, as a way of gauging social diversity in interests and taste. Beyond focusing on literary analysis, the course will address questions such as: how the written word is translated to the screen; what happens when the film adaptation occurs in another language and culture; what difference it makes if the work was written in the 1920s and filmed in the 2000s. Taught in German. Prerequisite(s):   or GERM 309  . Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 394 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 488 - Senior Seminar

    Designed as a capstone experience in German studies, the seminar brings together fundamental questions engaged by the field of German studies, and enhances students’ understanding of the theories and methodologies informing contemporary scholarship. Part of the seminar will be devoted to study of an aspect of German studies; students will then conduct independent research, which will serve as the basis of class discussions during the latter part of the semester. Changing topics may include: Constructing National Identity; Radicalism and Conservatism in Modernism; Goethe’s Faust ; Centrality and Marginality in German Culture; Translingual Interventions: Migration and Cultural Identity in Contemporary Germany, Stardom and Charisma. Taught in German. Prerequisite(s):  . Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 494 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 601 - Tutorial

    Limit to be applied toward the major or will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GERM 602 - Tutorial

    Limit to be applied toward the major or will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GERM 603 - Tutorial

    Limit to be applied toward the major or will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GERM 604 - Tutorial

    Limit to be applied toward the major or will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 611 - Independent Project

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GERM 612 - Independent Project

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GERM 613 - Independent Project

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GERM 614 - Independent Project

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 621 - Internship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GERM 622 - Internship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GERM 623 - Internship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GERM 624 - Internship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 631 - Preceptorship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GERM 632 - Preceptorship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GERM 633 - Preceptorship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GERM 634 - Preceptorship

    Limit to be applied toward the major will be determined in consultation with the department. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • GERM 641 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • GERM 642 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • GERM 643 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • GERM 644 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)

History
  

  • HIST 114 - History of Africa to 1800

    A study of the history of Africa before 1800, this course covers the major themes relating to the development of African societies and cultures from the earliest times. Students will engage with themes of state-building, trade and religion as catalysts for change and learn how historians have reconstructed the history of early Africa. This course will provide students with knowledge of specific case studies from North, South, East, West, and Central Africa. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 115 - Africa Since 1800

    This course is designed to introduce students to the history of Africa in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It examines major themes relating to change in the colonial period such as European conquest and imperialism, the development of the colonial economy, African responses to colonialism and the rise of nationalist movements that stimulated the movement towards independence. Students will examine these themes by applying them to case studies of specific geographic regions of the continent. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 121 - The Greek World

    Cross-Listed as CLAS 121 
    This course surveys the political, economic, and cultural development of the peoples of the ancient Greek world from the late Bronze Age through the Hellenistic era. Students will hone their critical thinking skills while working with translations of ancient literature, archaeological remains and works of art. The basic structure of the course is chronological, but we will examine major themes across time and space, which may include the interaction between physical landscape and historical change; rule by the one, the few and the many; the nature and development of literary and artistic genres; the economic, military, and/or cultural dimensions of empire; or the intersections of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, slave/free status and civic identity in the Greek world. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 122 - The Roman World

    Cross-Listed as CLAS 122 
    This course introduces students to the Roman world, which at its height stretched from Britain to Iran, from Germany to Africa, and lasted well over a thousand years. Students will develop critical thinking skills while working with Roman literature in translation, art, architecture and other archaeological remains. The structure of the course is chronological, but we will examine major themes across time and space, which may include the development of Roman literature out of and in response to Greek culture; the effects of the civil wars and the resulting political change from a republic to a monarchy; the cultural, religious and/or military aspects of the Roman empire and its immediate aftermath; Roman conceptions of gender, sexuality, slave and free status, citizenship and/or ethnicity, and how these social categories were used to legitimize or exercise power. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 125 - Influential Indians: A Biographical Approach to American Indian History

    This course introduces students to American Indian history through the biographical studeis of famous (and not-so-famous) American Indians. From athletes to activists, warriors to writers, and political pundits to performers, American Indians were and are a driving force in shaping not only their worlds but the world around them. The historical and contemporary aspects of American Indians’ political sovereignty, cultural preservation, and economic development underscore their agency and highlight their resistance to federal Indian policy. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources written by and about American Indians, students will develop their critical reading skills while fostering their historical research and writing abilities. Occasionally offered. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 137 - From Confederation to Confederacy: US History from Independence to the Civil War

    In the Plan of Union prepared during the 1754 “Albany Convention,” Anglo-American colonists met to consider uniting as a loose confederation for their common defense and to ally with the Iroquois confederacy. That plan failed, but a later experiment in unity succeeded when the united colonies declared independence. Nevertheless, social, cultural, and ideological differences persisted, and the union formed in 1776 was tried and tested before finally fracturing with the secession of South Carolina, precipitating the Civil War. In the intervening years, Americans grappled with how they should govern themselves, who should be included in the polity, and how society should be organized. Reformers considered the controversial issues of women’s rights, the role of Native Americans within the US, and the place of slavery in a nation founded on the precept that “All men are created equal.” This course covers the periods of the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the early national and antebellum periods, before concluding with the Civil War. It also considers the global causes and consequences of the war and the rise of the new United States. We will also analyze the construction of the myth and historical memory of Alexander Hamilton, the founding father who has captured the imagination of people in the modern U.S.  Through a study of the recent biography of Hamilton along with the music and stage production of Hamilton, we will consider both the biographical and mythical Alexander Hamilton in order to understand his era and our own. Spring semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 140 - Introduction to East Asian Civilization

    Cross-Listed as ASIA 140 
    This course introduces the cultures and societies of China, Japan and Korea from the earliest times to the present day. Primarily an introductory course for beginners in East Asian civilization, this course considers a variety of significant themes in religious, political, economic, social and cultural developments in the region. Meets global and/or comparative history requirement. Every fall. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 154 - African Life Histories

    In this course we will learn about African history through the stories that Africans themselves have told about their own lives. We will use oral history, songs of West Africa’s griots; slave narratives; political autobiographies; theatre and film to explore the personal narration of lived experience. To guide our class discussions we will also consult scholarly essays about life history as a genre, to help us understand the methodology behind the production of these important texts. Class activities will include seminar discussions, writing workshops, a field trip and intermittent background lectures. Each student will carry out an individual research project on their topic of choice. Offered annually. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 164 - Governing the Body: Health/Eugenics/Population Control in Global Perspective

    Concerns about health and population transcend both temporal and geographic boundaries. These are problems that have preoccupied governments, colonial armies, international organizations, and individual families throughout history. While disease has affected populations from the earliest days of human civilization, doctors and politicians in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries developed new and different ways of governing bodies. This course traces the dramatic shift from a concern about the transmission of infectious diseases to an overriding fear about the “quality and quantity” of families, workers, and soldiers. Using a global/comparative approach, we will explore themes such as the history of epidemic disease control, population policy and eugenics, and the creation of international health organizations Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 168 - Sex, Love, and Gender in History

    This introductory course will use a global/comparative approach to introduce students to the ways that historians think about sex, love, and gender. We will explore themes such as sex and war, the role of the state in shaping people’s intimate lives, the intersections between gender, race, and social class, changing courtship practices, and the ways that the politics of sex and gender shaped the evolution of empires and nations. Students will engage with a wide variety of historical sources, including memoirs, poems, novels, art, film, and photography and will engage with a range of theoretical approaches to thinking about sex and gender. This course will emphasize critical reading skills and will also introduce students to the basic tenets of historical research and writing. We will discover together how archives work and, as a final project, students will explore the collections at the Minnesota Historical Society and develop their own individual research projects on the theme of “Sex, Love, and Gender in Global Minnesota.” Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 180 - Going Global: The Experiment of World History

    What broad patterns do we see repeated across human cultures and eras? How do current international concerns shape the way we perceive these patterns, and retell the past? This course is an introduction to the youngest and boldest experimenters in the discipline of history: global historians. We follow these trail-blazers to every corner of the planet and across the grandest expanses of time, all the way from the emergence of Homo sapiens to present day. Such a sweeping survey of human history invites us to look beyond chronological, national, cultural and geographic boundaries. It also forces us to sharply rethink the methodology of traditional historians. Throughout our critical survey of world history we will assess the usefulness (and potential outdatedness) of the concepts of civilization, empire, revolution, and global networks. This course fulfills the global/comparative requirement for the major. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 181 - Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean

    Cross-Listed as LATI 181 
    This course offers a general survey of the complex and heterogeneous region we somewhat reductively term Latin America. It follows a roughly chronological approach, beginning with the eve of encounter and continuing through the contemporary era. Discussions will consider themes such as the institution and legacy of colonialism, the search for new national identities, and the onset of modern racial and political strife. The course will emphasize the import of global economic, political, and cultural trends on the formation of the region. Meets the global and/or comparative history requirement. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • HIST 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
 

Page: 1 <- 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 … Forward 10 -> 21