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College Catalog 2011-2012 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses

 

Political Science
  

  • POLI 626 - Internship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. (6 Credits)
  

  • POLI 631 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (1 Credits)
  

  • POLI 632 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (2 Credits)
  

  • POLI 633 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (3 Credits)
  

  • POLI 634 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (4 Credits)
  

  • POLI 641 - Honors Independent

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

  • POLI 642 - Honors Independent

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

  • POLI 643 - Honors Independent

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

  • POLI 644 - Honors Independent

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

Psychology
  

  • PSYC 100 - Introduction to Psychology

    Introductory Course An introduction to psychological perspectives on problems and processes of behavior and experience, surveying such topics as motivation, learning, intelligence, perception, emotion, thought, social processes and language. Recommended for students with no previous exposure to academic psychology who seek a general overview of the field. Lecture and laboratory components. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 180 - Brain, Mind, and Behavior

    Cross-Listed as  
    A multidisciplinary investigation of behavior and the nervous system. Particular emphasis is placed on human processes of perception, cognition, learning, memory, and language. This course also serves as the introductory course for the neuroscience studies major.  Fall semester. Prerequisite(s): .: PSYC 100  or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 182 - Drugs and Society

    Topics covered include: social and legal history of drug use and abuse in America including ethnicity and chemical use, pharmacology of mood altering chemicals, chemical dependence and treatment, and drugs used in treating mental illness. Classes will consist of a mixture of lecture, film, discussion, role plays, etc. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 194 - Topics Course

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

  • PSYC 198 - Excursions Exploring Psychology

    This course exposes students to topics in psychology not covered in our standard curriculum through travel to a new geographic region. The course focuses on aspects of psychology unique to that region and also typically includes a study of the geography and culture of the region. It is designated 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 and area of psychology to be studied varies from year to year, and a student may take the course more than once for credit. This course is offered on a pass/fail basis only. Offered occasionally. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor (2 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 201 - Research in Psychology I

    This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology. We focus on how to design and execute psychological studies, analyze and interpret data, and write research reports. Students conduct studies in different areas of psychology (e.g., social, clinical, cognitive) that illustrate basic methodology and learn statistical techniques commonly used to understand psychological data. The course includes a laboratory component that facilitates expertise with computer statistical software and increases familiarity with American Psychological Association style. Every semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  Permission of instructor is required for first year students (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 202 - Research in Psychology II

    This course continues instruction begun in PSYC 201 . We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys, interviews). Every semester. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 201  or MATH 253 . We recommend that students who plan to take MATH 253  as their gateway to Psychology 202 consult with a member of the Psychology Department as soon as possible. These students will be expected to acquire proficiency in the topics covered in PSYC 201  (e.g., psychological research methods, SPSS, APA writing style, ethical guidelines) (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 220 - Educational Psychology

    Cross-Listed as  
    An introduction to theory and research in educational psychology. Topics include learning theory, learner characteristics, intelligence, creativity, motivation, measurement and evaluation, and models of teaching appropriate for diverse learners from early childhood through young adulthood. Students are required to complete observations in classroom settings. Every semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 240 - Principles of Learning and Behavior

    This course provides an in-depth introduction to the principles and methods used in the study of how behavior changes as a function of experience. The emphasis will be on classical and operant conditioning principles and procedures, which have become the standard research technologies used in biomedical, psychopharmacological, and other animal laboratory research areas. The laboratory component is designed to give students experience with behavioral technology and data collection and analysis. Group A course.  Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 242 - Cognitive Psychology

    A survey of the experimental analysis of the mind. Topics include attention, memory and forgetting, problem solving, creativity, reasoning, and language. Special emphasis is given to the study of discourse comprehension and reading. The weekly laboratory sessions afford students an opportunity to interact directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods. Group A course. Fall semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 243 - Psychological Anthropology

    Cross-Listed as  ANTH 243 
    This course explores the relationship between self, culture and society. We will examine and discuss critically the broad array of methods and theories anthropologists use to analyze personality, socialization, mental illnes and cognition in different societies. Our aim is to address questions related to the cultural patterning of personality, the self and emotions and to understand how culture might shape ideas of what a person is. We will also seek to understand how cultures define behavior as abnormal, pathological or insane, and how they make sense of trauma and suffering. Alternate years. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 111  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 244 - Cognitive Neuroscience

    Cross-Listed as  
    Cognitive neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline that combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive nueroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Group A course. Offered yearly. Prerequisite(s):   or   (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 246 - Exploring Sensation/Perception

    An examination of the processes of sensation and perception. While the course features a strong emphasis on neurophysiology of sensation, classical approaches to the study of perception will also figure prominently. Particular emphasis will be placed on vision and somatosensation, including pain processes. Lecture and weekly 3.5 hour investigatory laboratory.  Offered occasionally. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  or PSYC 180  or   and permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 248 - Behavioral Neuroscience

    An examination of the role of the nervous system in the control of behavior. While the course features a systems approach to the investigation of sensory and perceptual mechanisms, molecular and cellular components of the nervous system will also be discussed in the context of course topics. Particular emphasis is given to the nature of learning, memory, and motor processes, motivation, emotion, homeostasis, cognition, and human neuropsychology. The laboratory will be used for a variety of instructor-demonstrative and student participatory research and laboratory activities. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s): NEUR 180  or BIOL 163  or BIOL 367 , or permission of instructor. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 250 - Developmental Psychology

    This is a course in lifespan human development; as such, we examine psychological theories and research to describe, understand, and explain the processes that shape our lives between conception and death. We will cover issues related to physiological/biological, cognitive/linguistic, and social/emotional development. A theme throughout this course is an exploration of the lifelong interaction between nature and nurture. This course also focuses on developing an understanding of the concepts, methods, research findings, and applied knowledge central to the study of developmental psychology. Group B course. Offered once each year. Prerequisite(s):   or   or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 252 - Distress, Dysfunction, and Disorder: Perspectives on the DSM

    This course will examine the experiences, causes, and treatments of the major forms of distress and disorder codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. We will critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course.  Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 254 - Social Psychology

    This course will survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. The major theories, experiments, and issues associated with social psychology will be examined. Sample topics include love, aggression, conformity, attitudes, prejudice, persuasion, obedience, and attribution. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 . (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 256 - Personality Psychology

    This course will survey the major theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding human personality. Specific topics to be covered include psychoanalytic, humanistic, existential, and biological personality theories; motivation and cognition; traits; identity and the self; and the cultural and social context of personality. Research and assessment strategies for understanding personality will be explored and critically evaluated. Group B course. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 262 - Asian American Psychology

    Cross-Listed as AMST 262 
    This course explores the psychological experiences of Asian Americans through readings from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, Asian American Studies, as well as the popular media. The central question organizing this course is how academic research can inform the daily lived experiences of Asian Americans. Topics include racialization and racialized imagery, how behavior is shaped by prevalent stereotypes of Asian Americans, negotiating bicultural/biracial identities, transracial adoption, immigration, acculturation, and mental health, among others. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 264 - The Psychology of Gender

    Cross-Listed as  WGSS 264 
    This course provides an examination and a critique of psychological theories, methods, and research about gender. We will explore structural, social, individual, and biological explanations of how gender is experienced and represented, as well as of gender similarities and differences. Examples of research and theory will come from a wide variety of areas in psychology and related disciplines, and will address such issues as social and personality development, bodies and body image, social relationships, cognition, identity, language, violence, moral reasoning, sexuality, sexual orientation, etc. We will explore the intersection of gender with other social identities and will also learn about the historical, cultural, and epistemological underpinnings of psychological research on gender. Counts as a UP3 course. Offered occasionally. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  or permission of the instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 266 - History of Psychology

    This course explores major developments and ideas in psychology such as: the history of ideas about “the mind”; the effects of theorists’ life experiences on their ideas; key historical and social events that shaped the field; when and how psychology became a science; and how ideas about what is “normal” shape and are shaped by psychology. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 . (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 268 - The Psychology of Multiculturalism: Identity in Diverse Societies

    This course examines the psychological effects of social diversity on our lives as individuals and as group members. Topics include: 1) gender, ethnicity, social class and other group memberships; 2) the perception of others; 3) social identity formation and change in relation to self; 4) in group/out-group relations in relation to identity; and 5) social change to reduce intergroup tensions. Finally, the class will consider how psychology as a discipline might change to become more relevant and sensitive to questions of diversity. Counts as a UP3 course. Fall semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 270 - Psychology of Sustainable Behavior

    Cross-Listed as  ENVI 270 
    This course is an introduction to the psychological study of sustainable behavior. As scientific evidence of degraded world environmental conditions accumulates, researchers from many disciplines are joining the effort to find solutions. Technological innovation will certainly play a role, but equally important are behavior changes at both the organizational and individual level. Psychologists use their training in the scientific study of human behavior to examine why people do or do not act sustainably in a variety of situations. In this course we will study this body of research and use psychological principles, theories, and methods to understand the factors that underlie both environmentally destructive as well as environmentally sustainable actions. A significant component of the course will be direct application of theory to one’s own actions as well as to a campus-or community-based sustainability issue.  Fall semester. Prerequisite(s):   for Psychology majors (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 294 - Topics Course

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

  • PSYC 300 - Directed Research in Psych

    Students are involved and guided in conducting research within specific content areas approved by the supervising faculty. Research may be conducted individually or in small groups depending on the content area. Research groups meet regularly for presentation of background material, discussions of common readings, and reports on project status. Directed research is typically taken in the junior year and is open only to declared majors. Students will be assigned to sections by the supervising faculty.  Every semester. Prerequisite(s):    and   and an intermediate course in Psychology and junior or senior standing (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 370 - Understanding and Confronting Racism

    An examination of the social psychological factors associated with race prejudice and racism, particularly in the United States. Focusing on the psychological theories proposed to understand racism, this course investigates the causes and consequences of racism at the individual, interpersonal, institutional and cultural levels of society. Special attention will be given to exploring interventions to reduce racism. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 , PSYC 201  (or MATH 153  or MATH 155 ), and at least one intermediate course in Psychology. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 372 - Health Psychology

    The field of health psychology addresses three issues: 1) the ways in which psychological factors and experiences (such as stress, personality patterns, discrimination, etc.) affect health, 2) changing health behaviors and 3) the psychological effects of being ill. We will read research articles, theoretical essays, and first person accounts as a basis from which to understand these issues and also to grapple with such questions as: What exactly is “health”? What are the connections between the mind and the body? Can psychology help explain how our membership in different social groups affects our health? Why do some people get sick and others stay well? What is it like to be a patient? A doctor? How do societal ideas about illness and disability affect us?  Fall semester. Prerequisite(s):  PSYC 100  or PSYC 201  and at least one intermediate course or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 374 - Clinical and Counseling Psych

    This course examines specific applications of psychological principles to the mental health field, focusing on strategies for therapeutic intervention. We will pay particular attention to the issues raised by traditional clinical practice, such as ethics, the politics and economics of mental health, and cultural biases, and consider alternatives to mainstream clinical services, including art therapy, spirituality, and non-Western healing. Fall semester. Prerequisite(s):   or   and   or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 375 - Mood and Anxiety

    Sadness, despair, anxiety, dread: This seminar explores contemporary theories and research that help us understand and alleviate mood and anxiety disorders. We will examine evolutionary, cognitive, biological, sociocultural, and developmental perspectives on mood and anxiety, and we will grapple with current controversies concerning diagnosis, comorbidity, prevention, and pharmacology of mood and anxiety disorders. The seminar will also examine the promotion of well-being and positive psychology. Offered every few years. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 252  or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 378 - Psychology of Language

    Cross-Listed as  
    An examination of psychological factors that affect the comprehension of oral and written language. Topics include the origin of language, how language can control thought, the role of mutual knowledge in comprehension, and principles that underlie coherence in discourse. Includes readings from psycholinguistics, philosophy, sociolinguistics, gender studies, social psychology, and especially from cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on current research methods so that students can design an original study. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):   or   and   or two lingjuistics classes or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 379 - Cultural Psychology

    This course will examine the interplay of culture and the mind. In the first part of the course, we will briefly examie theoretical developments and methodological limitations in the field of cultural psychology, which has hightlighted fundamental differences in models of the self, attention, perception, memory, morality, and emotions across East/Southeast Asians and Western Europeans/North Americans. The remaining time will be spent examining a series of topics on how culture and psychology interrelate in our increasingly globalized world. These topics include, but are not limited to, acculturation, multicultural identity negotiation, cultural evolution and reproduction, multicultural competence, emotion and memory across cultures, culture of gender, and culture of socioeconomic status. Offered yearly. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 380 - Community Psychology

    This course focuses on the theory and practice of community psychology: the promotion of well-being within a social context. Topics include empowerment models, primary and secondary prevention, ecological and systems analysis, coping and social support, and community organizing. We will pay particular attention to the problems and potentials associated with psychological interventions within educational, criminal justice, and traditional mental health systems. In addition to typical seminar activities, students will participate in a service learning experience for a minimum of 2 hours each week to gain direct understanding of the course concepts. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):   and   (or   or  ) OR two CGH-related courses drawn from Categories A and/or B. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 382 - Hormones and Behavior

    This class will focus on the hormonal mechanisms of behavior in animals (including homo sapiens). Following introductory lectures, a series of topics will be explored, with a particular emphasis placed on those behaviors most directly mediated by hormonal activity (such as aggression, sexual and reproductive behaviors, stress responses, etc.). (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 385 - Mind Reading:Understanding Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    Cross-Listed as NEUR 385 
    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technique used to provide indirect measures of neural activity in healthy (and unhealthy) humans. Although the technique has been readily available to researchers for only about 20 years, its popularity and use has grown tremendously in the last 10, and we now see it influencing aspects of culture and society not traditionally based in biomedical research (i.e. law, politics, economics). This course will cover the mechanics of fMRI, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and explore recent applications that have received wide and sometimes controversial media coverage. By the end of the course, students will understand essential components of the fMRI technique and be informed consumers of primary and secondary source reports involving brain imaging. Prequisites: PSYC 100  or PSYC 180 ; PSYC 201 ; and either PSYC 244  or PSYC 248 .  Spring semester. Prerequisite(s):   or   or   and   and   or   (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 386 - Seminar in Neuropharmacology

    Cross-Listed as BIOL 486 
    This is an advanced course that will focus on the study of drugs used to alter the central nervous system. The course will begin with basic pharmacological principles and then concentrate on the various uses of drugs to alter brain neurochemistry. Topics for discussion will include the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia, depression, pain, anxiety and generally, the neurochemical basis of behavior. In addition to discussion of the use of drugs for clinical purposes, a significant amount of time will be spent on the use of “drugs of abuse” (e.g. cocaine, marijuana, LSD). While the focus of the course will be on the biochemical mechanisms of these drugs, an effort will be made to investigate and discuss the sociological ramifications of drug use. Three discussion/lecture hours per week. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 356  and junior or senior standing or permission of instructor (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 394 - Topics Course

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

  • PSYC 488 - Senior Seminar

    Senior seminars examine a variety of topics. Specific topics will be determined at the time of registration, and may include African American Psychology, Lives in Context, Culture and Psychology, and Development in Context. These count as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): Senior majors and minors only (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 494 - Topics Course

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

  • PSYC 601 - Tutorial

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (1 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 602 - Tutorial

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (2 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 603 - Tutorial

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (3 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 604 - Tutorial

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 611 - Independent Project

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (1 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 612 - Independent Project

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (2 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 613 - Independent Project

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (3 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 614 - Independent Project

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 615 - Independent Project

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. (5 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 621 - Internship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. (1 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 622 - Internship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. (2 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 623 - Internship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. (3 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 624 - Internship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Internship Office. (4 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 631 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (1 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 632 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (2 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 633 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (3 Credits)
  

  • PSYC 634 - Preceptorship

    Every semester. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Work with Academic Programs. (4 Credits)

Religious Studies
  

  • RELI 100 - Introduction to Islam: Formation and Expansion

    This course charts the formation of Islam and the expansion of Muslim peoples, from the life of the Prophet Muhammad to the Mongol conquest of Baghdad. It will examine Muslim institutions, beliefs, and ritual practices in their historical contexts. In addition to the basics of Muslim practice and belief, the class will introduce students to mystic traditions (Sufism), Islamicate statecraft, and intellectual/legal traditions as well as cultural trends including art, architecture, and literature. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 101 - Islam in America

    8 million Muslims in America make up only 3% of the population but represent worlds of culture reflecting the diversity of Muslim societies worldwide. The story of Muslims in America distinguishes, for historical and religious reasons, three groups: Blackamericans (42% of American Muslims), Indo-Pakistanis (29%), Arab/Middle Easterners (12%) from the rest of the American Muslim population. The historical and numerical importance of Blackamericans followed by Indo-Pakistanis (whose presence in America can be dated back to the split of the Subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1946) interacts with the religious importance of Arab/Middle Eastern Muslims and becomes the basis of contentions about religious authority and the American Muslim identity. 9/11 presented unique challenges to American Muslims. These issues will be explored in this course. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 102 - Modern Islam

    Muslim-majority societies faced daunting social, political, and intellectual challenges after Europe-s military and economic expansion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In the modern period, Muslims have pursued various attempts at re-imagining Islam and strengthening Muslim-majority polities through different agendas of reform and revival. The course will survey the early-modern Muslim empires (Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal), the encounter of Muslim peoples with colonialism, and the major religious and social developments from the eighteenth century to the present. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 111 - Introduction to Buddhism

    Organized on the basis of the Buddhist triple gem (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), this course examines each in turn, offering an introduction to the personalities, teachings, and institutions of Buddhism. Beginning in India at the time of the Buddha, this course moves throughout most of the Buddhist world, asking students to think both historically and comparatively, learning both about Buddhism “in general,” and about the diversity among “Buddhisms.” (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 120 - Hebrew Bible

    This course introduces students to the academic study of Hebrew Bible texts and other Ancient Near Eastern literature in translation. Students will learn to apply a range of methodologies, from traditional methods such as historical and source criticism to newer methods such as feminist and post-modern interpretations. Students will learn how to write exegesis papers and critically engage the social legacies of biblical texts. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 121 - New Testament

    An introduction to New Testament literature and thought in light of the historical, literary, and religious multiculturalism of the ancient, Mediterranean, Jewish, and Greco-Roman world. The texts that make up the New Testament will be situated in various historical, literary, and cultural contexts, and read as one of a diverse set of representations Jesus and self-understandings of what being Christian meant. The politics of canonization and decanonization will also be addressed. Offered every other year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 123 - Jesus, Dissent, and Desire

    This course introduces students to Christian practice, doctrine, faith, and social organization by examining various historical controversies and the roles they have played in the formation and alteration of the traditions from Christian origins to the present. Specific controversies will be selected from historical events and movements, beginning with the earliest struggles over the significance of the person and nature of Jesus of Nazareth, the ethos and institutional structure of the early communities, and the canonization of scripture. The course will conclude with a brief discussion of contemporary disputes over internal ethical and denominational pluralism and relationships between Christianity and the State. This course is strongly recommended in preparation for RELI 346 - Dissent, Reform, and Expansion in 16th Century Europe  and for RELI 348 - Contemporary Christian Thought and Practice . (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 124 - Asian Religions

    Cross-Listed as  
    An introduction to the study of Asian religious traditions in South and East Asia (India, China and Japan). Open to everyone but especially appropriate for first and second year students. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 125 - Love and Death

    This course explores possible relations between love and death in human life, illustrated in theory, fiction, and film. We shall raise such questions as: How does love differ according to the kind of relationship in which it finds expression (for example, parental love, friendship, sexual intimacy, love for strangers and enemies, neighborly love, self-love, love for learning, love for justice, and devotion to a transcendent reality)? What does love require in regard to how we live and die? How does our awareness that death is inevitable inform our views and experiences of love? What role does love play in the significance we attribute to death? As we raise all of these questions we will repeatedly ask: What difference do racial, gender, class, age, sexual, and religious differences make in how we love and how we die. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 126 - Religion in America

    The social and intellectual history of religion in the United States through the year 1900, with an emphasis on popular religious movements. The social and economic correlates of religious developments will be analyzed as well as the impact of Christian values on American institutions. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 127 - Religions of India

    Cross-Listed as  
    An introductory level course on the popular, classical and contemporary religious traditions of South Asia. Topics include Advaita Vedanta and yoga, popular devotionalism, monastic and lay life in Theravada Buddhism, the caste system, Gandhi and modern India. Alternate years. Prerequisite(s): RELI 124  or permission of instructor. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 135 - India and Rome

    This course is taught jointly between the department of Religious Studies and the department of Classics, by a specialist in the Roman East and a specialist in classical India. We will start on either side of this world, with Alexander the Great and Ashoka, exploring the relationship between empire and religion from Rome to India in the world’s crossroads for the thousand years between Alexander and the rise of Islam. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 141 - Non-Classical Mythology

    What is myth, and why have scholars spent so much time arguing over its nature? How have various groups used narratives and other related forms to describe the origins and nature of humans, animals, love, death, and the cosmos? Do myths exist in our present-day culture? How have people brought themselves into contact with myth through ritual, drama, possession, music, art, pilgrimmage, and other activities? Do people really believe their myths? Do myths change the way in which we experience the world? This class will explore the role of myth in religion and culture, with an emphasis on examples outside of the more familiar ancient Greek and Roman traditions. Our focus will be on the religious aspects of myth, but we will also explore perspectives drawn from Folklorisitcs, Literary Criticism, Art History, Philosophy, and other academic disciplines. Through readings, lectures, slides, videos, and hands-on experiences, we will investigate case studies from many cultures and historical periods. We will explore aspects and uses of myth including myth theory, archetypes and psychological transformation, cosmology and the idea of social charters, myth as a kind of scientific thought, the use of myth in art and performance, political control and subversion, and recent efforts to utilize or create new myths in the form of literature and film. Every other year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 145 - Pagans, Christians and Jews in Classical Antiquity: Cultures in Conflict

    Cross-Listed as CLAS 145 
    This course studies the interaction of Jewish, Christian, and pagan cultures, and the protracted struggle for self-definition and multi-cultural exchange this encounter provoked. The course draws attention to how the other and cultural and religious difference are construed, resisted, and apprehended. Readings include Acts, Philo, Revelation, I Clement, pagan charges against Christianity, Adversus Ioudaios writers, the Goyim in the Mishna, and apologetic literature. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 194 - Topics Course

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

  • RELI 200 - The Qur’an (Koran)

    This course offers an introduction to the Qur-an (Koran), the central text of Islam. Students will read the Qur-an in translation, explore traditions of Qur-anic interpretation, and engage recent academic approaches to understanding the text. In addition to considering the original context of the Qur-an and its relationship to Biblical materials, the course will examine contemporary controversies surrounding the text and its import for living Muslim communities. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 201 - Islam and Philosophy

    (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 202 - Atheism Past and Present

    Over the last decade atheists have entered the public sphere in unprecedented fashion, authoring best-selling books and forcefully arguing their case in the international media. This seminar explores the origins, varieties, and arguments of atheist thought, past and present. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 222 - Christianity in Late Antiquity

    This course introduces students to the emergence of a diverse social movement now termed “Christianity” within the political, economic, historical and cultural worlds of the ancient Mediterranean (i.e. the Roman Empire) We will examine the formation of early Christian identity during the first four centuries of the common era. We will explore multifaceted forms of religious practice, resistance to and adaptations of institutional and social power, relations between Christians and non-Christians, and rhetorical strategies used in articulating Christian identity. Offered every other year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 223 - Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christianity

    The critical study of ancient Christian texts involves making strange texts familiar and familiar texts strange. In this course, we will consider non-canonical texts alongside canonical texts in order to develop insight into the formation of Christian identity in the first through fourth centuries. Special emphasis will be given to the development of the discourses of orthodoxy and heresy, the diversity of Christian beliefs and practices, and the examination of early Christian writings within their social and political contexts. Instead of investigating the material in strict chronological order, we will consider how different people (Jesus, Mary Magdalene, James, Paul, etc) serve as authorizing figures for the texts. Using this organization, we will investigate issues at stake in the development of Christian “canon,” including theology, Christology, apostolic authority, women’s roles, and the relation of Christianity to the state and to other religious traditions. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 233 - Hindus and Muslims

    This class will be a reflection on the long history of co-existence of people in South Asia thought to belong to two very different religions Hinduism and Islam. We will begin by looking at the formation of classical Islam in the Middle East, and looking at the classical Hindu epic, the Ramayana. From there we will move to a survey of the history of encounter and exchange, from the early period (al Biruni), to the establishment of the great Muslim sultanates. We will critically examine the evidence of religious conflict, alongside the evidence of rich cultural exchange, and interrogate the competing historigrahic narratives, according to which South Asia either become a single Indo-Islamic civilization or a place of two cultures destined to become different modern nation states (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). Finally, we will consider colonial and post colonial South Asia and conclude with a reflection on he Babri Masjid crisis and India’s debates about secularism. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 234 - Introduction to Jewish Life and Thought

    This course will survey Judaism’s basic beliefs and practices, from the Bible to the present day, through examination and discussion of religious and social literature created by the Jewish people. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 235 - Theory and Method in the Study of Religion

    The course is an introduction to some of the important theoretical and methodological work conducted by scholars in various disciplines who hope to better define and understand religious phenomena. This seminar begins with some of the early twentieth century texts that are often cited and discussed by contemporary scholars of religion (e.g., Durkheim, Weber, Freud) and then turns to a number of investigations stemming from engagement with earlier theorists or refracting new concerns. The course inquires into the problems of defining and analyzing religious cultures, and the researcher’s position or positions in this analysis, as this has been approached from anthropological, sociological, and religious studies perspectives. Offered every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 236 - Sanskrit and Classical Religion in India

    Like Latin and Greek in Europe, Sanskrit is a highly inflected language of scholarship and revered as the perfect medium for discourse on everything from science and sex to philosophy and religion. It flourished in its classical form afer the age of teh Buddha (5th century BC) and served as a scholarly lingua franca in India until the Islamic period. This course serves as an introduction to the grammar an script of Sanskrit, and we will advance to a point of reading simplified texts from the classical epic Ramayana.Students will be expected to attend class regularly and spend at least ten hours a week outside class studying the grammar and vocabulary. Without this sort of effort, no progress is possible in such a complex language. In addition to the rigorous study of the language, we will consider both the role of the language in classical Indian culture and religion, and some texts from the Ramayana, looking at both English translation and Sanskrit originals. Every other year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 238 - Catholicism

    A study of the religious tradition of Roman Catholicism. Some attention will be given to the theology and historical development of the Roman Catholic Church, but major emphasis will fall on the relationship of the Catholic religion to various Catholic cultures, including Ireland, Mexico, Poland and the United States. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 248 - Philosophy of Religion

    Cross-Listed as  
    The Philosophy of Religion seeks an understanding of religion by raising philosophical questions about its underlying assumptions and implications. When we believe something it is because we think it is true and because we think we have good evidence to support our belief. In the case of religious beliefs, however, we are immediately faced with questions concerning the nature of such beliefs. What claims do they make? What would count as good evidence for a religious belief? What is the nature of religious truth? In this course we will examine the nature of religious beliefs and the ways in which philosophers in different traditions have justified or argued against such beliefs. Perhaps in response to the increasing challenge to religion from the natural sciences, twentieth century philosophers have questioned the traditional philosophical approach to religion. Some philosophers, Wittgenstein for example, question traditional interpretations of religious language and re-examine the relationship between faith and reason. Can religious life be practiced without a theology or with skepticism or agnosticism regarding theological questions? Other topics covered in the course include the attempt to introduce intelligent design into public schools as part of the science curriculum; religious pluralism; the belief in life after death; and feminist critiques of religious language. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 254 - How to Do Things with Dead People

    This class will introduce the issues in the social study of death generally, and offer comparative examples and case studies to explore the general themes, rooting these discussions in concrete cases. The class approach is broadly anthropological. So what are funerals doing? What do they communicate, and what do they achieve? (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 294 - Topics Course

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

  • RELI 300 - Introduction to Islamic Law

    This course introduces students to the basic concepts that recur in the study of Islamic law and provides a general overview of the history and development of Islamic law and legal theories. The course will also offer the students an opportunity to delve into the process of legal reasoning as practiced by Muslim jurists in order to understand it and anticipate its outcome. We will discuss Muslim juristic hermeneutics (their unique way of reading the authoritative texts of the Qur’an and the Sunna/Tradition of the Prophet), their reasoning based on analogy, utility, and their concept of rights. Comparisons with Western legal reasoning will be offered in the course of our discussions, but previous knowledge of law or legal philosophy is not assumed. Prerequisite(s): Two courses in Religious Studies preferred (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 311 - Ritual

    This seminar-style course concentrates on the concept of ritual in approaches to the study of religion, and examines examples of rituals in practice. We will eschew focus on any single religious tradition for a focus on ritual across traditions. This will require students to ‘work with’ concepts - forming a conception of what they mean by ritual, and be willing to change that conception when faced with contradictory evidence. Offered alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 336 - Gender, Caste, Deity

    Since sociologists and anthropologists have long argued that people think about religion and the divine in categories that correlate closely to their social system, it is not surprising that they have been especially interested in the religion and society of India. Beginning with the classic account of the caste system by social anthropologist Louis Dumont, we will examine is view of the hierarchical nature of society and its relationship to religious views that affirm and assume hierarchy in human and divine worlds. From there we will go on to consider the many responses to Dumont’s view, including studies of gender roles; sexuality in mythology and ascetic traditions; untouchability; religious hierarchy and political power; and, resistance to and inversions of hierarchical systems in India. Every other year. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 346 - Dissent, Reform, and Expansion in 16th Century Europe

    This course examines the Protestant, Radical, and Catholic reformation movements of sixteenth century Europe in conjunction with European global expansion. We will explore such theological debates of the time as the nature of religious authority, the relationship between religious and political authority, the relation between faith and works, whether humans are free or predestined in respect to their salvation, whether colonized people have souls, and how to tell if someone is a witch. We will analyze these debates in relation to their historical context with an eye to their roles in the development of the nation state, secularism, and global capitalism, as we know them today. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 348 - Contemporary Christian Thought and Practice

    This course critically examines the engagement of Christian thought and practice with modern and post-modern cultures. Students will explore interactions across theological thinking, ethical action, ritual behavior, and material culture in Christian life. Possible issues for focus include: divine creativity and environmentalism; the nature and gender of God in relation to what it means to be human; liberation theologies and global capitalism; Christian theological responses to violence; Christian identity and U.S. nationalism; Christianity and sexual identity; the rise of evangelicalism to political power; spiritual discipline across Christian traditions; global Christianity; and the relation between the Incarnation and material objects. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 359 - Religion and Revolution: Case Studies

    An examination of five revolutions and their religious engagements: The Diggers and the English Civil War, The Taiping Rebellion in China, Buddhism and the Cambodian Revolution, Cultural Rebirth and Resistance in Native America, and the Algerian Islamist Revolution. All participants will read one work about each example, and then will focus more deeply on the examples in group and individual work. The course intends to develop critical skills in comparing the radical social changes implied by the word revolution with the differing revolutionary impulses that are sometimes drawn from religion, and sometimes opposed to it. (4 Credits)
  

  • RELI 394 - Topics Course

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

  • RELI 469 - Approaches to the Study of Religion

    An advanced seminar required for religious studies majors, open to minors. Both classic and contemporary theories on the nature of religion and critical methods for the study of religion will be considered. Spring semester. Prerequisite(s): Two courses in Religious Studies and permission of instructor. (4 Credits)
 

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