ISP-IS Courses
Introduction to anthropological knowledge and understanding of human cultures and societies. Cross cultural comparison and review of tribal and industrialized societies. Application of anthropological concepts to provide understanding of other cultures and one's own culture.
An introduction to the biological and cultural evolution of human beings. In addition to the prehistoric record, the course will cover primatology, human variation, and problems of theory and practice in archeology.
In-depth, examination of cultural change and culture process in prehistoric societies in the Americas. The course begins with the first appearance of humans in the Americas and ends with the arrival of the first European explorers and includes multiple theoretical perspectives on prehistoric behavior from the social sciences.
This course will provide a holistic and comparative approach to the study of religious beliefs and practices. Students will explore magical and religious behavior, ritual, myth, shamanism, curing, spirit possession, ancestor worship, witchcraft, and millennial and countercultural movements in a variety of tribal and state societies.
This course focuses on the nature of conflict in human societies around the world and examines the roles of violence from a cross cultural perspective. Conflict and violence are studied in societies ranging from food foragers to complex states, to explore the consequences of what is labeled 'violence'.
An overview of the criminal justice system as it currently operates in its three major components: police, courts, and corrections. A broad-based interdisciplinary perspective is employed to introduce students to the process of criminal justice in the United States.
This course delves into the development and administration of community-based corrections and examines the reentry process of those reintegrating back into society from jails and prisons. This course focuses on diverse types of supervision, treatment, control, restoration, and supportive programs for offenders within the community.
Introduces students to fundamental computer science (CS) principles to prepare students for successful careers. Topics include: hardware & software fundamentals; algorithm development fundamentals; introduction to Java programming; control structures; construction of classes and methods; array processing; introduction to inheritance; interfaces. Not open to students who have completed CS-140.
Introduces website construction as a means of problem solving and communication. Prepares students for successful careers. Topics include: fundamentals of website design; Hypertext Markup Language (HTML); introduction to Extensible Markup Language (XML); other supporting methodologies. Not open to students who have completed CS-150.
Introduces computational thinking using Python, with an emphasis on problem solving through computer science. The course focuses on data manipulation and analysis allowing students to work on real problems using actual data sets and is designed to engage both majors and non-majors in improving critical thinking skills through practice.
Introduction to macroeconomics terminology, concepts and theories using historical context, quantitative tools, graphical analysis, and macroeconomic models. Course concepts examined in a social and/or political context as appropriate.
The course integrates economic theory and economic history into an exploration of the economics of money and banking. Topics include the contested origins of money, the historical evolution of financial systems, contemporary monetary policy, and theories of recurrent financial crises.
This course applies quantitative tools of analysis and appropriate economic theory to organized sports and recreation. Topics include: modeling markets, competitive balance, public goods, market power, discrimination, collective bargaining, the economics of collegiate sports, financing sport / recreation facilities, as well as the role of public policy for these topics.
A survey course examining the social and historical contexts in which competing visions of the organization of economic life emerged. We will explore the evolution of Classical, Neoclassical, Marxist, and Keynesian perspectives through primary source readings, secondary literature, lectures, and in-class discussion.
This course introduces and applies concepts and tools from: economics, multiple discipline perspectives, and systems theory for thinking deeply about human impact on our fragile world. The course integrates College-Wide Learning Outcomes (critical thinking, sustainability, and civic engagement) to grapple with complex, interconnected social and ecological twenty-first century problems.
Explore the idea of sustainability from a system's perspective and a personal perspective. We examine forces at work in shaping the sustainability of agriculture, water, energy, materials, and biodiversity at regional, national, and global levels.
This course analyzes multiple facets of contemporary human geography including global patterns of culture, population, economy, environmental change and geopolitics. It also focuses on how cultures change and respond to the pressures of globalization.
Explores complex relationships between nature, culture and place. Emphasis is placed on spatial aspects of human interactions with the environment resulting in serious issues including pollution, global climate change, and resource depletion. Environmentally sustainable actions will be examined and assessed.
Covers the policies and politics that shape the energy system of today. We examine legislation, policy, and political controversies about fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables. Our focus is both historical and contemporary and primarily centered on the United States. This course is offered completely on-line.
This course explores how environmental advocates work to implement changes to protect the natural world and the public. Theories of social power and personal empowerment, ethical perspectives, diverse models of mobilization, advocacy roles and tools, and various forms of media will be studied as ways to support an advocacy campaign.
An interdisciplinary course exploring the health dimensions of wellness including physical, social, psychological, and environmental aspects. Focus on self-assessment, development of critical thinking and behavior change skills to facilitate personal awareness and well-being.
An introduction to alcohol and other drugs and biopsychosocial and historical perspectives. Topics include the history and classification of drugs; the physical, cognitive, psychological, and societal aspects of psychoactive substances; levels of use; and addiction liability.
An introduction to the social determinants that impact health, such as socioeconomic status, education, culture, and health policy. Topics of social justice and ethics will be explored.
This course examines the core components of selling strategies and business negotiations. Students explore fundamental principles of negotiation theory as well as the importance of negotiation preparation.
A problem-based course that introduces spreadsheet-based data analysis & visualization to transform data into information to draw insights. Participants will conceptualize problems, investigate, collect & explore the data, and communicate the information with visualized data. Associated ethical challenges will also be explored.
Survey of United States politics at the federal level. Emphasis on the context and development of the Constitution and the evolution of political institutions, such as Congress, the Presidency, and the courts. Other topics include political economy, media, public opinion, parties, elections, interest groups, and social movements.
Topics include federalism; institutions and jurisdictional responsibilities of governance at the municipal, county, and state level; participatory potential and policy importance of politics at the subnational level.
An introduction to the modern international political system with emphasis on the key institutions and issues that affect the interactions of the state and non-state actors in the contemporary global community.
Introduction to comparative political systems. Course covers the context and evolution of political traditions, institutions, and behavior. Includes discussion of concepts like states, nationalism, political ideologies, democracy and authoritarianism, and political violence, as well as key political institutions around the world such as elections, executives, and legislatures.
This course examines the modern American presidency. It provides a broad introduction to the executive branch and covers a range of topics, including campaigns and elections, rhetoric and speechmaking, and foreign and domestic policymaking. A key theme concerns the nature and paradoxes of presidential power.
This course examines how laws are drafted, debated, passed, interpreted, and revised. Emphasis will be on legislation and the lawmaking process but alternative routes to policy action and change will be discussed. Government and private actors and their incentives and behaviors will be examined.
Introduction to the political philosophies that have framed political action and governance in modern societies over the past several centuries. Emphasis on variants of individual-centered liberalism and community-focused collectivism prominent over this time period. Students compare these with older and/or alternative contemporary models of human nature and political organization.
An exploration of topical psychological issues for non-majors. Topics vary in sub areas of psychology such as biological, social, cognitive, developmental, and clinical psychology. May be repeated for credit as topics change.
An introduction to the major topics involved in understanding the behavior of humans and animals. Topics include perception, cognition, social behavior, and psychopathology.
This course investigates the major psychological theories of lifespan development and provides a multifaceted introduction to the dynamics of intrapsychic development that occurs across the human lifespan. Major developmental milestones, effects of diversity and multiculturalism, socioeconomic status, family constellation, and socio-cultural variables are essential components of analysis.
Study impact of accidents, develop strategies to eliminate/mitigate accident outcomes through education. Identify factors associated with activities at school, home, and work resulting in accidents. Applying knowledge to make informed decisions leading to minimum risk and maximum success. Not open to Safety majors with more than 12 credits in SOHAS.
Designed for students interested in exploring the complex nature of health risks in hospital environments. This dynamic environment requires critical thinking, developing and expanding hazard assessment skills, and the wider impact of hospital exposures to infectious and chemical hazards on healthcare workers, patients, and surrounding communities.
Introduces basic concepts, theories, and methods of sociology. Develops a sociological perspective on social issues, problems and events. Provides an overview of major subfields in sociology. Also prepares students for the major and a career in sociology and related professions.
A study of selected social problems using a sociological lens. Problems may include alcoholism and drug addiction, crime, divorce, poverty, gender inequality, race relations, and others.
The sociological analysis of sport: issues discussed include the history, definition, and functions of sport; role of sport in the socialization of children; the relationship between sport and values; athletics within the social organization of education; deviance, crime, and violence in sport; the business and economics of sport.
This course applies sociological theories and methods to the study of ethnic relations, conflict, and peacebuilding efforts across the globe. Students also study social problems related to ethnic relations from multiple perspectives and evaluate policies to address them.
This course will examine how racial inequality has shaped government policy and the justice system in the United States. Specific areas of focus will be the criminal justice system, housing, education, employment, and social services.