GEOG: GEOGRAPHY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

GEOG 101: ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY (Fall, Spring, Summer), 3 credit hours
This is an introductory course which provides a description of what exists at the surface of the earth, an explanation of how and why physical processes have acted to produce these varying phenomena. In addition, the four organizing traditions that have emerged through the long history of geographical thought (earth-science, culture-environment, location, and area analysis) will be considered. The map and computer are used as analytical tools.

GEOG 102: ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
This course is a continuation of Geography I. Emphasis is placed on location and area analysis in terms of human occupancy of the earth and the uniformity and differences that are recognized spatially on the earth's surface.

GEOG 110: INTERNATIONAL GEOGRAPHY (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
This course is a study of both the human elements and the physical elements within specific areas. Emphasis is placed on understanding of the realities of contrasts in wealth and poverty among nations.

GEOG 211: ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY (Offered Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is a consideration of peoples' systems of livelihood, the distribution of these activities, explanations for the distributions, and the utilization of cultural and natural resources for economic gain.

GEOG 215: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY (Offered Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of political geography and, specifically, how geography/location affects the struggle for power at the national and international levels. See GOVT 215.

GEOG 220: GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA (Every Two Years), 2 credit hours
This course is a general regional survey course which focuses on individual countries, with emphasis on political and sociological issues and the presentation of contemporary development prospects within a broad geographic framework.

GEOG 300: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GEOG 101, GEOG 102, or the permission of instructor. This course is a discussion of selected problems that affect the natural environment and maintenance of renewable resources, conservation of non-renewable resources, reducing the effects of natural disasters, alleviating chronic damage, abating pollution by man, and coping with natural pollution.

GEOG 496: INDEPENDENT STUDY GEOGRAPHY (Special Permission Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: 9 hours of Geography or permission of instructor. This course is an individualized course of independent study designed to allow the advanced student of geography to pursue a specialized topic or research project under supervision. An adequately documented report of publication quality will terminate the study.

GOVT: GOVERNMENT COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

GOVT 130: INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts, theories, and perennial issues of the discipline. (This course is waived for students who transfer into the University with 9 or more credit hours in the field.)

GOVT 140: INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS (Spring, Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is an introduction to the comparative study of how different polities approach problems of government and governing. The focus will be on comparing and contrasting developed and developing societies.

GOVT 145: SCOPE AND METHODS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the basic concepts, principles, and research methods employed in social science.

GOVT 150: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC POLICY (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
This course is an introduction to the study of public policy and the models political scientists use to describe and explain political life.

GOVT 215: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of political geography and, specifically, how geography/location affects the struggle for power at national and international levels. See GEOG 215.

GOVT 231: U.S. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
This course is a study of both the structure of the national government and the process of power and influences in the political system.

GOVT 232: U.S. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
This course is an examination of the constitutional basis, organization, and functions of state and local governments, including their political processes and intergovernmental relations.

GOVT 235: LEGAL RIGHTS AND REMEDIES (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
This course explores the broad legal rights and responsibilities of individuals and raises questions about the nature of remedy as a judicial concept in the U.S.

GOVT 240: BLACK POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 130 or permission of instructor. This course provides an overview of black leadership, as well as a comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic factors that shape black politics in the United States.

GOVT 250: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF AFRICA (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 130 or permission of instructor. This course is a study of the government and politics of selected nations of Africa. Though emphasis will be placed on sub-Saharan Africa, the dominant themes will include pre- and post-colonial economic and political organization, political participation and ideologies, and nationalism.

GOVT 251: AFRICA IN WORLD POLITICS (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 130 or permission of the instructor. This course is an analysis of Africa's international relations, with a particular focus on interactions with Europe, Asia, and the United States in the post-Cold War years.

GOVT 283: URBAN POLITICS AND POLICY ANALYSIS (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
This course is an analysis of the politics and governments of urban areas with a focus on how those governments generate and allocate resources in an attempt to cope with human problems in their polities.

GOVT 300: WOMEN AND POLITICS, 3 credit hours
This course is an explanation of historical and contemporary women's political issues and the ways in which women have sought to address those issues within the political arena. The course examines different theoretical and methodological frameworks used to explain women's socio-political status and their issues, as well as their mobilization and empowerment via the political process.

GOVT 301: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 342. This course is a study of those global institutions that keep order in an otherwise anarchic community of nations. The functions and operations of the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies are given great significance.

GOVT 315: EARLY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY/THEORY (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 130 or permission of the instructor. This course is a study of classical political philosophy from antiquity to the 18th century with emphasis on the ideas of justice, equality, freedom, government, and governing in the human polity.

GOVT 316: MODERN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY/THEORY (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite GOVT 315 or permission of the instructor. This course provides directed reading of the recurring and dominant themes in political thought with stress on modern political ideologies, feminism, exploitation, and leadership.

GOVT 317: U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND HISTORY 1 (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior Standing. This course is an examination of selected U.S. Supreme Court decisions to discover the general principles of the U.S. constitutional system. Special reference will be made to the role of the judiciary with topics such as judiciary review, federalism, separation of powers, and the development of and exercise of national powers.

GOVT 318: US CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND HISTORY 2 (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 317. This course is a study of the development of political and civil liberties in contemporary American society, including First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, association, and religion, aspects of the right to privacy, administration of criminal justice, and the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments' prohibitions of race and sex discrimination.

GOVT 319: LAW AND POLITICS (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 317, GOVT 318, or permission of instructor. This course is an examination of the relationship between law and the political order, with a focus on the use of the legal procedure for political ends in different countries.

GOVT 320: INTERNATIONAL LAW (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 324. This course is a study of the development, sources, and role of law in the community of nations with an emphasis on the interplay of international politics and law among nations.

GOVT 321: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF WESTERN EUROPE (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130, GOVT 140, or permission of the instructor. This course focuses on the government and politics of Western Europe since World War II. Emphasis will be on a comparative analysis of types of governments, political ideologies, leadership, and common concerns.

GOVT 325: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF EASTERN EUROPE (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130, GOVT 140, or permission of the instructor. This course is a comparative study of the government and politics of Eastern European states since 1917. Though the Russian Republic will be a primary focus, its relations with other states in the region will be examined, particularly since the demise of communism.

GOVT 327: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130, GOVT 140, or permission of the instructor. This course is a comparative study of the major governments and political issues in selected Middle Eastern states. Emphasis will be on the region's peoples, political conflicts, and leadership patterns.

GOVT 330: THEORIES OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130 and GOVT 140. This course is a study of the major approaches to the field of comparative politics. Specifically, it will be an emphasis of the major political issues in a comparative perspective through a review of the major schools of thought and concepts of political change, evolution, or revolution.

GOVT 338: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 342 or permission of the instructor. This course is an analysis of the individuals, institutions, and factors that have affected the conduct of U.S. foreign policy since the founding of the Republic. The focus will be on historical trends and future concern.

GOVT 342: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130 and GOVT 140. This course is an examination of the concepts and themes of international politics as well as the basic factors that motivate and guide interactions in international society.

GOVT 348: U.S. LEGISLATIVE PROCESS (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: GOVT 130, GOVT 231, or permission of the instructor. This course is a comparative analysis of legislatures in national and state governments with emphasis on the rules and procedures, party leadership, relationship to the executive branch, interest groups, and legislative behavior.

GOVT 351: U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 231. This course is a study of the growth, structure, and function of political organizations in the United States. The focus will be on the place of the dominant party system in the U.S. polity.

GOVT 355: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior Standing. This course is an overview of the factors that influence political participation in a polity. An application of the scientific method to the study of public opinion and attitudes as well as voting behavior in the U.S. will be stressed.

GOVT 360: FIELDWORK IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (Fall, Spring), 6 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing. This course offers internships in legislative and administrative agencies, or other projects utilizing the political process to bring about social change. The course requires a field placement (prior to registering) and weekly evaluative conferences with the assigned faculty. The department tries to provide internship opportunities and fieldwork experiences for students in the government program, and normally this objective is achieved by securing placement positions (paid or unpaid) in certain government, legal, academic, business, or political settings in the Washington, DC, metropolis. In the past few semesters, students have interned with, gained valuable on-the-job training with, or worked for, the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC, and G.S. Proctor & Associates Inc., a lobbying and consulting firm in Annapolis, MD.

GOVT 391: RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: COSC 110, PSCH 240, or SOCI 309. This course is an analysis of the nature and problems of research in political science with consideration given to the acquisition of skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis or methodologies.

GOVT 400: BLACK POLITICAL THOUGHT (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing. This course is a review of the major African and black (or African American) thinkers who have made significant contributions to political thought. The focus will be on how they have addressed the enduring questions and problems of race, class, and sex, equality and justice, conflict and unity in human polity, etc.

GOVT 460: ADVANCED FIELDWORK IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: GOVT 360: This course is a continuation of GOVT 360.

GOVT 462: CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 1 (Fall Only), 3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduating Senior. This course is a review of the major concepts, themes, and methods of the discipline so as to be better prepared for the Departmental Comprehensive Examination.

GOVT 463: CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 2 (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Graduating Senior. This course is a review of some of the major philosophical and political questions to enable the successful completion of a senior thesis paper.

GOVT 482: HONORS SEMINAR IN POLITICS (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior Standing and Permission of the Instructor. This course is an intensive study of selected issues in political science, such as government and governance, war, cooperation and interdependence, the environment, and poverty and hunger.

GOVT 483: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing. This course is an advanced research project, guided readings, and/or paper undertaken with the approval of the chairman of the department.

HIST: HISTORY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

HIST 110: WORLD CIVILIZATION TO 1500 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a survey of world history from earliest times until the early modern period. It traces the economic, political, social, and cultural development of the civilizations of the world.

HIST 110: WORLD CIVILIZATION SINCE 1500 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a survey of world history from the early modern period to the present. It traces the economic, political, social, and cultural development of the major civilizations of the world.

HIST 114: AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1865 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a history of black American life from its African background to the end of the Civil War.

HIST 115: AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an analysis of the role of black American life from the Civil War to the present.

HIST 201: UNITED STATES HISTORY TO 1865 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a survey of the social, political, and economic developments, from the "age of discovery" to the "era of the Civil War." The nature of constitutionalism and a survey of the major intellectual and cultural trends in American society during the first 100 years are discussed.

HIST 202: UNITED STATES HISTORY SINCE 1865 (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course focuses primarily on the social, political, and economic nature of the nation from the Civil War to the present. Emphasis is on such issues as the evolution and development of corporate capitalism and the emergence of the "welfare state."

HIST 204: BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY: COLONIAL TIMES TO THE PRESENT (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course examines black women's lives from the colonial period to the present. It highlights their activities and contributions within the family, work force, and black community. Special emphasis will be placed on the roles of black women in slavery, in the feminist and civil rights movements, and in the creation of the cultural arts and sciences.

HIST 205: INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course explores the ways in which womanhood or gender shapes the experiences of women and how race, class, ethnicity, and kinship separate women from each other.

HIST 260: HISTORY HONORS COLLOQUIUM (Fall, Spring), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an intensive study of historical movements and issues.

HIST 300: COLONIAL AMERICA TO THE REVOLUTION (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 201. This course is an examination of the development of the seaboard colonies, the administration by the British Empire, and the struggle between France and Great Britain for control of North America. Emphasis is on the causes of the American rebellion and the struggle for independence, the government, economy, and society under the Articles of Confederation, and the development of the Constitution.

HIST 304: THE ANTEBELLUM SOUTH 1800-1860 (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 201. This course is a political, economic, and social examination of the American South between 1800-1860.

HIST 305: CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: HIST 201 and HIST 202. This course is an intensive examination of the causes and results of the Civil War as well as an account of the economic, social, and political forces helping to shape the Reconstruction period.

HIST 306: AMERICAN BUSINESS AND URBAN HISTORY: 1877-1920 (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 202. This course is an analysis of America's evolvement into a mature industrial society and how industrialization affected immigration, urbanization, domestic reforms, segregation, culture and society, and America's entry into World War I.

HIST 307: CONTEMPORARY AMERICA SINCE WORLD WAR 2 (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 202.

HIST 317: RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 110 or HIST 111, or permission of the instructor. This course is a study of the political, economic, social, and cultural changes in Western Europe between 1350 and 1650.

HIST 320: EUROPE FROM 1815 TO 1914 (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of the instructor. This course is a study of the political, economic, social, and cultural developments in Europe from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the outbreak of World War I.

HIST 321: ECONOMIC HISTORY OF EUROPE (Every Three Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an analysis of the economic institutions of Europe from the manorial system of the Middle Ages to the corporate enterprises of today.

HIST 322: 20TH CENTURY EUROPE (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of instructor. This course considers World War I, the Versailles Peace Settlement, domestic and international developments, World War II, the Cold War, and the aftermath.

HIST 328: SOVIET UNION AND RUSSIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY (Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of the instructor.

HIST 331: THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of instructor. This course is a study of the causes, course, events, and aftermath of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.

HIST 337: THE HISTORY OF BRITAIN TO 1688 (Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is a survey of the development of Britain since the Roman occupation to the Revolution of 1688, with an emphasis on English history after the Norman Conquest. Consideration is given to the origins of medieval institutions and their development through the Tudor-Stuart Era.

HIST 338: HISTORY OF BRITAIN SINCE 1688 (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Following sequentially HIST 337, this course is a survey of British history since 1688 with a concentration on political, socio-economic, and cultural developments since 1832. An important theme of this course is the fashioning of modern Britain into the United Kingdom.

HIST 340: CULTURE AND HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: HIST 110, HIST 111 or permission of the instructor. This course is a historic, cultural, and geographic approach to the study of Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

HIST 350: WOMEN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, 3 credit hours
This course examines women's roles from pre-colonial times to the present across cultures and places, their contributions politically, economically, and culturally into an historical analysis that studies intersections of class, ethnicity, and race, and the changing roles of women to create conceptual framework with which to understand the significance of gender in American society and culture.

HIST 360: SURVEY OF AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS TO 1500 (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 110. This course is an introductory survey of the region south of the Sahara. Emphasis is on the evolution of the peoples and nations, their civilizations, and the rise and fall of indigenous states.

HIST 361: SURVEY OF AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS SINCE 1500 (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111. This course is a continuation of HIST 360 and is a survey of the evolution of African nations.

HIST 362: HISTORY OF EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of the instructor. This course focuses on the breakdown of colonial rule, the rise of African nationalism, and the independence movement in East and Southern Africa in the 20th century.

HIST 380: SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES, 3 credit hours
This is an interdisciplinary course designed to examine selected issues, subject areas, and themes within the academic field of women's studies which are not covered in-depth in the core courses. The specific topics of the course will vary. Special topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: "Women of Africa and the African Diaspora," "Women and the Law," "Women and Religion," "Gender and Global Issues," and "Third World Women."

HIST 390: METHODS OF TEACHING HISTORY (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 101. This course focuses on the methods and techniques for the presentation of historical materials, with primary emphasis on the preparations, motivations, and procedures in testing and evaluation as they relate to history. Instruction for this course will be on individual and group bases. History or social science majors seeking certification in the field must take this course, along with EDUC 304: Methods of Teaching Secondary.

HIST 400: AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 201 or HIST 202. This course is a survey of the history of ideas from the Colonial Era to the Civil War. Consideration is given to the major socio-economic, political, and literary issues of the period. Such topics as the Puritan Dilemma, the Rights of Man, transcendentalism, romanticism, abolitionism, and communitarianism will be discussed. This course will also cover the evolution and development of the history of ideas from the Civil War to the present.

HIST 402: DIPLOMATIC HISTORY OF THE U.S. (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 201 or HIST 202. This course focuses on the relations of the United States with the world, with emphasis on the economic, political, and ideological elements determining policy.

HIST 404: DIPLOMATIC HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 111 or permission of the instructor. This course is a study of international relations within Europe and relations of Europe with the rest of the world, including the political, economic, and ideological phenomena affecting and determining policy from 1870 to the present.

HIST 420: EUROPEAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Junior Standing or permission of the professor. This course is a survey of the history of ideas from the early modern period (Renaissance and Reformation) to the postmodernist period (late 20th century).

HIST 441: MILITARY EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA (Spring Every Three Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 201 or HIST 202. This course is a study of the role and influence of the military in the development of the United States from the early Republic to the present.

HIST 460: FIELDWORK IN HISTORICAL MANAGEMENT (Special Permission), 6 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an internship in historical agencies and museums, and requires a field placement and weekly evaluative meetings.

HIST 461: IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a detailed study of the rise and fall of colonial rule in Africa since 1860.

HIST 496: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN HISTORY (Special Permission), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. This is an individualized course of independent study designed to allow the advanced student of history to pursue a specialized topic or research project under supervision. An adequately documented report of publication quality will terminate the study.

HIST 497: SENIOR SEMINAR 1 (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior Standing and permission of the instructor. The primary objective of this course is to prepare students to take the Comprehensive Examination in history. Interested students must contact the chairman of the department and/or the history program coordinator.

HIST 498: SENIOR SEMINAR 2 (Spring Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Senior Standing and permission of the instructor. The primary objective of this course is for students to prepare research and write a thesis paper that is based on primary and secondary sources. A secondary objective is for students to understand the nature of historical study and the philosophy of history.

PHIL: PHILOSOPHY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

PHIL 101: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (Spring, Fall), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This is a general course designed to introduce students to the theory of knowledge, ethics, and metaphysics through a multicultural survey of the history of philosophy.

PHIL 103: INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF REASONING (Fall, Spring, Summer), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an introduction to critical thinking skills, including informal fallacies, diagramming arguments, deductive and inductive reasoning, and categorical logic.

PHIL 200: WOMEN AND PHILOSOPHY, 3 credit hours
This course will examine the ways that feminist thinking and women's perspectives more generally have remapped the philosophical domain, and the ways in which philosophy (as an inherently critical discipline) have influenced our understanding of theoretical and practical problems of gender, race, and class.

PHIL 203: SYMBOLIC LOGIC (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is an introduction that deals with the principles of reasoning, propositional logic, and fallacies. Emphasis is placed on the proper use of argumentation, deductive and inductive reasoning, and the definition, meanings, and symbolic translation of terms and sentences.

PHIL 204: INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course is a historical and literary study of the Old Testament with consideration of the beliefs, ideals, and the relevance of contemporary thought and problems.

PHIL 206: SURVEY OF WORLD RELIGIONS (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
This course is a multicultural survey of the religions of the world, including Native American religions, African religions, and religions originating in India, China, Japan, and the Middle East. Students will attain an understanding of different spiritual perspectives toward being in the world and death.

PHIL 207: RHETORIC OF BLACK AMERICANS (Fall Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: PHIL 101. This course is a critical and analytical investigation of the origins, content, topics, and awareness of the rhetoric of blacks (or African Americans) in the United States. The course includes a study of the dominant trends in political thought from the 17th century to the present.

PHIL 208: INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101. This course provides an introduction to the New Testament. Students will examine the historical context in which Christianity arose. They will examine the Gospels, the traditions about Jesus, and the teachings of Jesus. Other genres, such as the major letters of Paul and the Book of Revelation, will also be discussed. Students will gain an appreciation for the impact that social context, the theological agenda of the editors, and the intended reader had on the development of New Testament writing.

PHIL 209: PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY OF BLACK RELIGION (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
This course will examine the genesis of the African American religious tradition in North America and the philosophical worldview that both informs and sustains it.

PHIL 300: PHILOSOPHIES OF HUMAN NATURE (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or 103. This course studies a number of different theories of what constitutes being human. This course is interdisciplinary, because it encourages naturalistic, dialectical, and feminist points of view. It is also multicultural, because it encourages the examination of philosophical perspectives from around the world. Among the questions raised are: Do human beings have a (unique) nature? Do human beings have a (singular) destiny? Is there a divine being to which or to whom human beings are related? Will high-technology computers be able to have conscious mental states? Are humans animals?

PHIL 301: PHILOSOPHY OF MIND AND MIND DESIGN (Fall Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 101, or PHIL 101 or PHIL 108. This course will critically assess the computational model of mind that has emerged in cognitive science by studying the traditional mind/body problem, the contemporary physicalist critique of Cartesian dualism, the claims of strong artificial intelligence, and the symbol of system hypothesis.

PHIL 305: ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY (Spring Every Two Years), 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: PHIL 101, PHIL 103, or PHIL 203. This course is an introduction to the major trends in ethical theory, including the relativist, consequentialist, virtue, and deontological points of view. Students will apply the theories to current public policy debates.

PHIL 400: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY (Special Permission Only), 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: PHIL 101. Students will engage in a research project using guided readings. Students are required to complete a term paper and verbally defend the thesis of the paper. The subject must be approved by the department.

WOMEN'S STUDIES COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

HIST 204: BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY: COLONIAL TIMES TO THE PRESENT, 3 credit hours
Thesis course examines black women's lives from the colonial times to the present. It highlights their activities and contributions within the family, work force, and black community. Special emphasis is placed on women in slavery.

HIST 205: INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES, 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: HIST 114 or HIST 115. The course uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore the ways in which womanhood or gender shapes the experiences of women, and how race, class, ethnicity, and kinship separate women from each other.

HIST 350: WOMEN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, 3 credit hours
The course examines women's roles from pre-colonial times to the present across cultures and places their contributions politically, economically, and culturally into an historical analysis that studies the intersections of class, race, and ethnicity, and the changing role of women to create a conceptual framework with which to understand the significance of gender in American society and culture.

GOVT 300: WOMEN AND POLITICS, 3 credit hours
The course is an exploration of historical and contemporary women's political issues and the ways in which women have sought to address those issues within the political arena. Different theoretical and methodological frameworks are used to explain women's socio-economic and political status, their issues, and their mobilization and empowerment through the political process.

HIST 380: SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES, 3 credit hours
This is an interdisciplinary course designed to examine selected issues, subject areas, and themes within the academic field of women's studies that are not covered in the core courses. The topics vary.

PHIL 200: WOMEN AND PHILOSOPHY, 3 credit hours
The course will examine the ways that feminist thinking, and more generally, women's perspectives, have remapped the philosophical domain, and the ways in which philosophy, as an inherently critical discipline, has influenced our understanding of theoretical and practical problems of gender, race, and class.

ISIS 210: CONTEMPORARY HEALTH ISSUES FOR WOMEN, 3 credit hours
The course examines selected women's health issues with special emphasis on physical and psychological changes that occur throughout a woman's cycle, with special consideration given to diverse populations.

SOCI 304: SEX ROLES, MARRIAGE, AND THE FAMILY, 3 credit hours
The course is a study of male/female roles in society, the process of courtship and marriage, alternative forms of cohabitation, and the family institution.

SOWK 407: MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS, 3 credit hours
The course is designed to offer the student an opportunity to study complexities and conflicts that exist in the 'battle between the sexes." Attention is focused on the forces that have affected traditional relationships, as well as modern American couples and the role of human service professions in all areas of the service delivery system.

ENGL 353: SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S LITERATURE, 3 credit hours
The course explores different topics in women's literature and women authors. The subjects vary.

FREN 352: FRANCOPHONE, AFRICAN, AND CARIBBEAN WOMEN WRITERS, 3 credit hours
The course is a study of literature and cultural traditions of the French-speaking world outside of France, including Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean. It will focus on the following genres of postcolonial Francophone literature: short stories, legends, poetry, and drama written by African and Caribbean women.

COURSE SYLLABI

Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of any course syllabus (geography, government, history, philosophy, pre-law, or women's studies) should contact the department or communicate with particular instructors. The instructors will assist you in that regard. Eventually, all the course syllabi will be posted on this website.