AcademicsFall 2007 Courses
Generally speaking each course at Marlboro College requires a minimum number of contact hours with teaching faculty based on the credits to be earned. Usually 50 minutes or more of weekly contact time per credit earned is required. Contact time is provided through formal in-class instruction as well as other instructional activities facilitated by the teaching faculty member.
Course List - Fall 2007
| American Studies | Anthropology | Art History | Asian Studies |
| Biology | Biochemistry | Chemistry | Classics |
| Computer Science | Cultural History | Dance | Economics |
| Environmental Studies | Film/Video Studies | History | Languages |
| Literature | Mathematics | Music | Philosophy |
| Physics | Political Science | Psychology | Religion |
| Sociology | Theater | Visual Arts | Writing |
| Writing Seminars | World Studies Program | ||
| Designated
Writing Courses * Courses that begin with an asterisk (*) are Designated Writing Courses. |
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updated 10/15/2007
American Studies
* HISTORY OF POLITICAL LIFE IN THE U.S. I - HUM723
| 4 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 D42 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff | ||
This course offers a wide ranging exploration of the multiple and often conflicting meanings of the democratic tradition in U.S. from the colonial era through the Civil War. Areas of inquiry include the history of slavery, the intellectual and social milieux of the Revolutionary generation, the struggle to ratify the Constitution, the rise of mass political organizations in the nineteenth century, the expansion of a market economy, and the ideology of providential mission and destiny as a force in American politics. This course is strongly recommended for students anticipating future work in American Studies. Prerequisite: None
CONSUMER CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE - HUM1077
| 4 CR | WF 11:30 - 12:50 D42 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Kathryn Ratcliff | ||
This course traces the emergence and development of a consumer oriented culture in the United States from the end of the nineteenth century to the present. We will explore the relationship between consumer culture and democracy, between places of consumption and places of production (leisure and work), between consumer goods and activities and issues of social identity. We will also pay attention to movements and organizations which have resisted or challenged aspects of a dominant consumer culture. By the end of the course you should have an understanding of the history of consumer culture in its related economic, political, social and cultural dimensions and an ability to read critically the messages and structures of contemporary consumer society. Prerequisite None
Anthropology
CULTURAL AND SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION - SSC483
| 4 CR | WF 10:30 - 12:50 Apple Tree | Introductory |
| Faculty: Sara Young | ||
Drawing on cultural anthropology and sociology, this course will provide students with an introduction to diversity in United States' schools. Through ethnographic case studies and socio-cultural theory, we will explore the experiences of individual students as well as the socio-political context of multicultural education. Topics will include: understanding social, cultural and linguistic diversity, affirming cultural identities of all students, and transforming school structures that perpetuate inequality. Prerequisite: None
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ANTHROPOLOGY - SSC479
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 Apple Tree | Introductory |
| Faculty: Tatiana Schreiber | ||
This course focuses on the interconnectedness of people and nature through the lens provided by anthropology. How do different cultures and societies think about nature? What happens to "nature" when human groups can't agree on what it means? Are human societies inevitably destructive of their habitats, or have some cultures and societies developed methods of inhabiting their places sustainably? We will examine these questions and will consider the political and social movements which emerge as different groups clash over the definition and control of the natural environment. A particular focus of the course will be food, agriculture and biodiversity. We will also consider the ethical stance anthropologists might take as they investigate these potentially contentious topics. Prerequisite: None
ANTHROPOLOGICAL THOUGHT & THEORY - SSC128
| 4 CR | MW 11:30 - 12:50 WSC 1 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Carol Hendrickson | ||
An overview of the dominant theories which have shaped anthropological research and writing in the 20th century. Paradigms to be investigated include Boasian anthropology, functionalism, French structuralism, cultural materialism, sociobiology, interpretive anthropology, feminist anthropology, historical anthropology, and reflexive anthropology. Prerequisite: background in social sciences or permission of instructor
SSC477 SOCIOLOGY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
Art History
INTRODUCTION TO ART HISTORY I - HUM1181
| 3 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 Apple Tree | Introductory |
| Faculty: Anne Monahan | ||
This course is intended to introduce students to the major periods in art history and its monuments. The scope of the course will cover the arts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia from the ancient through modern periods. Our task will be to examine human production in the arts and built environment and through these monuments explore the values and customs of the culture that produced these works. We will take the premise that art and architecture contain messages to its intended viewer and often elicit responses in return. We will explore these messages and consider the power of art and architecture to shape people's perspectives of their worlds. Required for Plan work in Art History. Prerequisite: None
LATIN AMERICAN MODERNISM - HUM1290
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Apple Tree | Advanced |
| Faculty: Anne Monahan | ||
In the twentieth century, avant-garde artists from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean created innovative paintings, sculptures, assemblages, mixed-media works, installations, and performances. This course focuses on the return from Europe in the 1920s of Latin American avant-garde pioneers; the expansion of avant-garde activities throughout Latin America after World War II; and recent developments in contemporary art. The sheer volume of work created during this time makes a comprehensive survey impossible; instead, we will focus on specific themes and projects that speak to key issues of their day. The class readings encompass aspects of cultural production and reception so as to address the connections between art and its art- and socio-historical contexts. Prerequisite: Intro to Art History II or permission of instructor
Asian Studies
INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL CHINESE POETRY - HUM1291
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 D34 | Introductory |
| Faculty: D. Andrew Knight | ||
The Tang dynasty (618-907) is often given the label of China's "Golden Age of Poetry." In fact, this classification can be applied to a much larger swath of time. This class will cover the development of poetic verse from the end of the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), through the Wei (220-265), Jin (265-420) and Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), and the Tang. Major historical events during these time periods will be treated, although the focus will remain on literature. Genres of poetry studied will be the shi, fu, yuefu, as well as Daoist and Buddhist verse and inscriptions. Some of the main issues to be discussed are medieval concepts of "poet" as well as "author," court poetry versus the poetics of reclusion, the lyric tradition, and verse of social criticism. The class will be reading intensive, discussion oriented, and conclude with a research paper on a topic chosen by the student. Prerequisite: None
DAOIST DILEMMAS: ISSUES IN THE ZHUANGZI - HUM1292
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D13 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: D. Andrew Knight | ||
The collection of anecdotes known as the Zhuangzi, the teachings of Master Zhuang, is one of the most joyful celebrations of the power and limits of language in the recorded history of Chinese civilization. As one of the three major thought systems of China, Daoism has exerted a powerful influence in many aspects of Chinese culture. Early Chinese philosophy exhibits a concern with ways of "getting along" in the world, and the received text of the Zhuangzi is no different. It is much more than an esoteric guide to life, however, it is also work of the highest literary merit. This class will explore the literary artistry of the Zhuangzi and how that component contributes to its philosophical messages. Though our texts will be translations, fortunately there are a number of excellent translations available, in addition to a host of secondary studies, that will allow the English reader to approach the effects of translation upon literature and philosophy. We will address issues of intertextuality, China's scholarly commentarial tradition, and the transmission of texts in oral and written cultures. Students will conclude the semester with a research paper on the topic of their choice. Prerequisite: None; familiarity with Chinese thought, philosophy or literature helpful
Biology
GENERAL BIOLOGY I - NSC9
| 4 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 Sci 221 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Suzanne Sitkowski | ||
An examination of the molecular and cellular basis for life. Prerequisite: Chemistry
GENERAL BIOLOGY LAB I - NSC174
| 2 CR | M 1:30 - 4:50 Sci 221 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Allison Turner | ||
An exploration of biological principles and biological diversity in a laboratory setting. Recommended for prospective life science Plan students. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in General Biology I or permission of instructor
SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE - NSC369
| 2-4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Sci 217 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Allison Turner | ||
A seminar course covering ten to twenty modalities of alternative healing. We will discuss the theoretical basis of each, read papers from the scientific literature, and elucidate the scientific methods used. Students will give presentations and write papers based on scientific litrature from their chosen healing modality. The course will include a short lab component. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | Tu 1:30 - 2:50 Sci 217 | Intermediate |
| |
F 1:30 - 4:50 Sci 217 | |
| Faculty: Rosalind Yanishevsky | ||
This course will examine the patterns and processes of ecosystems, as living organisms interact with their physical environment. We will use readings from a textbook and primary literature. Field trips to several sites. Prerequisite: General Biology or permission of instructor
Biochemistry
BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE CELL - NSC13
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Sci 216 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Todd Smith | ||
Biochemists used to debate the nature of proteins: their composition, structure, and function. Now we know many extraordinary details of how proteins function: for example, how they help our bodies acquire nutrients from food, use those nutrients for fuel, and carry oxygen to our tissues. In particular, research has revealed the intricacies of how a protein's structure is related to its function. In this course we will employ an evolutionary perspective as we discuss major topics such as amino acids, proteins and protein structure, bioenergetics, enzymes and enzyme function. We will also study major metabolic pathways and their key control points. Our goals are for you to develop a thorough understanding of how enzymes work and to be familiar with key metabolic pathways and how they are controlled. Prerequisite: None
LABORATORY IN BIOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES - NSC425
| 2 CR | Th 1:30 - 4:50 Sci 112 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Todd Smith , Allison Turner | ||
This laboratory will be an introduction to techniques commonly used by biochemists, and must be taken in conjunction with Biochemistry of the Cell. We will begin with basic laboratory procedures such as preparing reagents, chromatography, and performing a protein assay. We will then explore techniques for separating proteins such as one and two-dimensional electrophoresis, and the identification of specific proteins using immunostaining. Finally we will explore a technique for quantifying proteins in solution, the enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). Prerequisite: General Chemistry I, General Biology
Chemistry
GENERAL CHEMISTRY - NSC158
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 Sci 216 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Todd Smith | ||
Chemistry has a rich history, including ancient theories on the nature of matter and recipes for converting lead into gold. Modern research and applications are equally exciting, and include topics such as creating more efficient solar collectors and the reactions of natural and human-made chemicals in the environment. In this course, we will study topics such as atomic structure and the periodic table, reaction stoichiometry, chemical bonds, and molecular structure. Many topics are related to current health and environmental issues. For example, discussions of pH and reduction-oxidation reactions include research on the natural chemistry of surface waters and the effects of acid rain on natural systems. Co-requisite: General Chemistry I Laboratory
GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY - NSC444
| 2 CR | Tu 1:30 - 4:50 Sci 112 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Todd Smith , Allison Turner | ||
In the laboratory, we will apply the same concepts, information and analytical approach we use in the classroom. You will continue to hone problem-solving skills and become familiar with laboratory equipment and procedures. Laboratory sessions will be designed to allow you to explore ideas discussed in class through field and lab work in environmental chemistry. Also, we will try to apply concepts from the field of "green chemistry" to make our investigations more environmentally sustainable. Co-requisite: General Chemistry I
NSC425 LABORATORY IN BIOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES
Classics
BIRTH OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY & LITERATURE, PART I: THE GREEKS - HUM1284
| 4 CR | TuF 3:30 - 4:50 D34 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Emma Park | ||
Western methods of philosophical enquiry and literary themes, conventions and genres began with the ancient Greeks and the spread of writing. During this course, we shall examine some of the poets and thinkers who made essential contributions to ethics and politics, proto-science and logic, drama, epic, rhetoric and the development of prose. We shall investigate the ways in which their ideas and techniques influenced each other, and the role played by the new technology of ink and papyrus. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | MTh 3:30 - 4:50 D34 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Emma Park | ||
A two semester introduction to Ancient Greek, covering all the basics necessary to get a good grasp on the language. Students should expect to be challenged - and, with perseverance, rewarded by the new culture to which they will begin to have access. Students in this course are strongly recommended to take Latin too, as the subjects complement each other, but this is not a prerequisite. Coursebook: Mastronarde, Introduction to Attic Greek. Prerequisite: None
LATIN IA - HUM36
| 4 CR | MWF 8:30 - 9:20 D34 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Emma Park | ||
A beginners' introduction to Latin. This will be a two-semester course, aiming to give students a thorough grounding in the language so that by the end of the spring semester they will have developed the skills and confidence necessary to tackle some of the great ancient texts. We shall also be considering the influence Latin has had on English and other languages. For anyone interested in words, logical thinking, or in gaining a new key to Western thought. Coursebook: Wheelock's Latin, 6th edition. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 D34 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Emma Park | ||
A continuation of Greek I, following Mastronarde's Introduction to Attic Greek and reading classical Greek poets, philosophers and historians, including Homer, Euripides, Herodotus and Plato. Prerequisite: Greek IA & IB or the equivalent
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 D34 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Emma Park | ||
A continuation of Latin I. Students will be using Wheelock to refine their language skills, and reading a variety of classical texts, from Lucretius' world of atoms, through Ciceronian rhetoric and Virgilian pastoral to Ovid's Rome. Prerequisite: Latin IA & IB or equivalent
Computer Science
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING WITH PERL - NSC451
| 4 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 Sci 217 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Jim Mahoney | ||
This is a first class in computer programming, and as such a foundation class for further work in computer science. Much as a competency with English grammar is required for writing, an understanding of programming is required for nearly all intermediate and advanced work in computer science. A similar course is offered every fall, though the language chosen varies from year to year. Perl is a modern high level scripting language used extensively for dynamic web pages, system tasks, and all sorts of other things. It's been called the "duct tape of the internet" and has as its motto "There's more than one way to do it." In addition to learning about programming itself (input/output, conditionals, loops, lists, logic, and all that) expect also to practice a variety of basic computer skills with text editors and operating systems. Prerequisite: None
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - CDS34
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Sci 217 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Jim Mahoney | ||
An examination of the methods used in problems encountered in trying to teach computers to "think." Topics covered will be among the following: representation of knowledge, learning, game theory, perception, neural networks, cellular automata, cognitive modeling, and natural language processing. Most people who work in AI program in Lisp, and so we will likely use it as well (learn it along the way), but that won't be the main focus of the course. This is an intermediate course in computer science and as such assumes previous programming experience. Prerequisite: Substantive programming experience
CONCEPTS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - NSC578
| 3 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Sci 217 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Jim Mahoney | ||
An introduction to the ideas and techniques used in programming "agents" to make decisions and "think". While some programming is required, the work for this course emphasizes the ideas rather than the implementation, including a final paper rather than a final coding project. Topics may include representation of knowledge, learning, game theory, perception, neural networks, cellular automata, cognitive modeling, and natural language processing.
Cultural History
REPORTING FROM THE FRONTLINE - SSC420
| 4 CR | Tu 1:30 - 3:20 Apple Tree | Introductory |
| |
F 1:30 - 2:50 Apple Tree | |
| Faculty: Dana Howell | ||
To know the wider world, we depend upon the "news." Headlines and visual images in the media shape our view of many societies. Reports from war zones are especially powerful, conveying urgency, danger, and excitement, as war reporters take risks in foreign lands to "bring back the story." We grant them authority as eyewitnesses and explorers, and see their accounts as descriptive, not inventive. How should we "read" the news? In this course, we'll discuss the creation of the news as popular narrative, cultural images conveyed by news stories, and the role of war reporters as contemporary adventurers. We will look at war reporting from the conflicts in Iraq and the Balkans, cultural studies of foreign correspondents and prejudice in the media, films which feature war reporters, and an example of "attack" journalism related to terrorism. We'll also consider how the conventions of traditional narratives of adventure and quests may apply to the shape of the news and our views of reporters. Prerequisite: None
THE SOVIET ERA THROUGH FILM AND MEMOIR - CDS434
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 Library 202 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Dana Howell | ||
The Soviet era represents a great social experiment, only recently abandoned. This course is an introduction to Soviet society and post-Soviet reaction, using memoir, film, and historical fiction to discuss the passage from early revolutionary radicalism to Stalinism to contemporary glasnost and cultural conservatism. We will focus on the lived experience, attempts to transform self and society, and reflections of Soviet citizens. Prerequisite: None
RESEARCH SEMINAR IN CULTURAL HISTORY - CDS533
| 4 CR | Th 3:30 - 4:20 Serkin 104 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Dana Howell | ||
A seminar for students doing research projects in cultural history; the semester's work will include discussion of research design and the creation of substantial papers, with individual conferences and presentations to the seminar group. Prerequisite: Intended for Plan-level students; others only with permission of instructor
HUM1284 BIRTH OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY & LITERATURE, PART I: THE GREEKS
HUM286 GREEK IA
HUM47 GREEK IIA
HUM36 LATIN IA
HUM427 LATIN IIA
HUM180 SEMINAR IN EUROPEAN HISTORY: VICTORIAN & EDWARDIAN BRITAIN
HUM1282 SEMIOTICS, DECONSTRUCTION, LITERATURE AND FILM
Dance
BEGINNING JUJITSU: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GENTLE ART - ART893
| 1 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Dance Studio | Introductory |
| Faculty: Daniel Orkwis, sponsored by Kristin Horrigan | ||
This course will provide an introduction to the martial art of Jujitsu. Jujitsu is, translated literally, the "Gentle Art." The focus is primarily on manipulation of an attacker's energy and body in order to safely defend yourself. This involves an understanding of falling safely, throwing others, momentum, joint locking, and some limited striking. Students will also develop a grasp of body mechanics on a variety of body types, and how to direct these in a desired fashion. At the same time, students will be encouraged to develop a greater understanding of their own bodies, and also a knowledge of when and where to use the techniques from this course. A variety of exercises will encourage students to develop flexibility of movement and thought. A number of self-defense applications will also be explored in each class. Through the physical practice, students will also develop mental discipline and a presence in their space which can carry over to other studies. Prerequisite: None
MODERN DANCE TECHNIQUE (BEGINNING) - ART23
| 2 CR | MTh 4:00 - 5:20 Dance Studio | Introductory |
| Faculty: Kristin Horrigan | ||
This course introduces students to modern dance technique. Each class will consist of a warm-up, exercises across the floor, and longer combinations of movement. Through studio practice, students will build physical coordination, strength, flexibility, balance, body awareness, and an understanding of principles of modern dance. Some readings and video viewings will be used to help students contextualize their studio practice. The course will also include some creative work. Prerequisite: None
YOGA - ART614
| 1 CR | W 8:30 - 9:50 Dance Studio | Introductory |
| Faculty: Kristin Horrigan | ||
Inspired by the Ashtanga and Anusara yoga traditions, this class will focus on the practice of yogic postures, with attention to the flow of breath and movement, the focus of the mind, and the alignment of the body. The practive of yoga stretches and strengthens the body, calms and clears the mind, and promotes self-awareness. May be repeated for credit. Meets in the morning. Prerequisite: None
CHOREOGRAPHY - ART850
| 3 CR | F 1:30 - 4:20 Dance Studio | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Kristin Horrigan | ||
In this class, students will explore both the art and the craft of making dances. Responding to specific assignments, students will create a number of dances throughout the semester, bringing a new draft to class each week. Class sessions will focus on viewing and discussing students' work, and when appropriate, on exploring tools for the creative process and ideas about composition. Attention will be given to learning how to give and receive choreographic feedback, and to editing and developing existing choreography. In addition, students will study the choreographic methods of other artists independently and commit a substantial amount of time outside of class to the completion of choreographic studies. Students will present their final projects in an end of the semester showing. This course may be repeated for credit; assignments, readings, and special topics will differ each semester. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
MODERN DANCE: ANATOMY AS A MASTER IMAGE - ART894
| 2 CR | MTh 1:30 - 3:20 Dance Studio | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Alison Mott , Kristin Horrigan | ||
This course will focus on integrating somatic awareness with technical and artistic achivement in the dance studio. With the increasing physical demands on today's dance artists, students of dance need more tools to help them work more efficiently and injury-free. Anatomical information can provide powerful imagery to help students be more aware and articulate in their movement. Our project, then, will be to connect anatomical information with the experience of moving, to develop a vocabulary of anatomical imagery and experiences that will inform exercises and phrase-work. Each class will include an exploration of anatomical structure and function using books andhands-on, exploratory exercises, followed by a rigorous contemporary dance technique class intended to allow greater integration of the day's anatomical information. Prerequisites: Previous dance experience and permission of instructors
| 1 CR | Th 6:30 - 8:20 Dance Studio | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Kristin Horrigan | ||
Students will participate in the creation of a new choreographic work directed by faculty member, Kristin Horrigan. The choreography will be performed at the end of the fall semester. Additional rehearsal times may be scheduled as needed. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
Economics
ECONOMICS: INTRODUCTION TO THEORY & INSTITUTIONS - MICRO - SSC307
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Sci 221 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Valerie Voorheis | ||
Economics is the study of how people provide for their needs and wants given the political and social realities around them. This two-semester "principles" course introduces the major elements of contemporary macro- and microeconomics, including prices and markets, monopoly and competition, trade and development, income and wealth, inflation and unemployment, money and banking, taxation and government policy. Prerequisite: None Students may join this course mid-year.
ECONOMICS: ORIGINS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRY - SSC481
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D34 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Valerie Voorheis | ||
General Motors has been in trouble for a couple of years now...it is all over the news. "As goes GM so goes the country" was a motto of the 1920's. If we apply it to today there is much to be concerned about. American manufacturing dominated the world for most of the 20th century. We can understand the 21st century part by looking back to the 19th century to discover what set the groundwork for the success of the 20th. From this historical perspective we will trace the growth of American technological expertise and economic growth, to the decline in the 1970's and the industrial rise of Germany, Italy and Japan in the 1980's. How did the shift happen? The typical story (and the one often told by GM and other American firms) is that U.S. workers cost too much. But workers in these countries make similar wages to the U.S. In this class we will look at the competitive strategies used to make this change happen, as well as look at strategies that work here and overseas. What we learn will give us insight into how the U.S. might revive a weakening manufacturing base. Prerequisite: Some intro economics preferred
INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS - SSC487
| 4 CR | Th 1:30 - 3:20 Sci 207 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Valerie Voorheis | ||
This course draws on insights from economic theory, institutional analysis, and current events in considering such aspects of the U.S. economy as inflation, unemployment, taxation, debt, money supply, exchange rates, and trade policy. Prerequisite: Introductory macroeconomics or permission of instructor
Environmental Studies
GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC CHANGE - NSC346
| 3 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 Sci 216 | Introductory |
| Faculty: John MacArthur | ||
An examination of the changes occurring in the earth's atmosphere and climate, both short and long term, and due to natural as well as anthropogenic causes. Prerequisite: None
Film/Video Studies
THE ACTIVIST DOCUMENTARY - ART896
| 4 CR | Tu 6:30 - 9:20 Media Lab | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Jay Craven | ||
This class will mount an exploration and dialogue into the theory and practice of documentary filmmaking, with particular attention to films that work to influence and mobilize opinion. We will use screenings, critiques, and production assignments to review and shape effective films that employ techniques of cinema verite, direct cinema, reflexive documentary, mock documentary, and experimental/poetic documentary. We'll also explore various visual strategies aimed at effectively communicating theme, tone, and characterization. Through readings and discussions, we'll study various aspects of social, ethical, and philosophical issues surrounding non-fiction film and video - questions of documentary truth; power relations between filmmaker and subject; effective interviewing; and the role of film in constructing and defining cultural history and memory. Students will be expected to complete a series of readings, writings, screenings, and documentary production assignments. Prerequisite: Previous study in film, anthropology, cultural studies, or sociology, or permission of instructor
ADVANCED NARRATIVE VIDEO PRODUCTION - ART895
| 4 CR | Tu 1:30 - 4:20 Media Lab | Advanced |
| Faculty: Jay Craven | ||
This production course will pick up where the Spring 2007 Narrative Production Class left off - to challenge students to take on more ambitious and more finely crafted projects. We will use screenings and production assignments to advance critical and theoretical dialogues and to produce effective multi-layered videos using more focused applications of camera, light, sound, acting, writing and design. Group projects will be included - to foster collaboration and provide opportunities for students to work more deeply in the respective areas of film craft. Students will be expected to view and critique each other's work and to mobilize collaborating case and crew, as needed. Prerequisite: Previous intermediate film or acting study or permission of instructor
History
* THINKING HISTORICALLY - CDS7
| 4 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 D33E | Introductory |
| Faculty: Timothy Little | ||
An exploration of the concepts and methods of historians in several fields, to learn the skill of thinking historically. A variety of topics and eras will be examined through materials ranging from visual arts to diaries, memoirs, novels, and folklore, to monographs and biographies. Students will write several short papers interpreting the materials as expressions of historical experience, to discover the value of placing texts in the context of their time and place. A foundation course, open to all students, wether planning further study in history or not. Prerequisite: None
SEMINAR IN EUROPEAN HISTORY: VICTORIAN & EDWARDIAN BRITAIN - HUM180
| 4 CR | F 1:30 - 4:20 Library 102 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Timothy Little | ||
A research seminar in Victorian and Edwardian England. Students will read and discuss a common reading list and develop a research topic in consultation with the instructor. Students will then present to the seminar the results of their research. Prerequisite: Some college-level history or literature
SSC420 REPORTING FROM THE FRONTLINE
CDS434 THE SOVIET ERA THROUGH FILM AND MEMOIR
Languages
BEGINNING MODERN ARABIC IA - HUM1119
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 WSC 9 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Fisal Younes | ||
Introduces students to the phonology and script of classical/modern standard Arabic and covers the basic morphology and syntax of the written language. Emphasis on the development of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) at the earliest stages. Samples of modern (contemporary) and classical styles of writing introduced, and audio-visual material from the contemporary Arabic media. Prerequisite: None
MANDARIN CHINESE IA - HUM959
| 4 CR | MWF 9:00 - 9:50 D33E | Introductory |
| Faculty: Ping Jiang | ||
The primary aim of the course is to provide students with a sound basis for learning Mandarin Chinese as it is spoken and written today. Practice is given in all four basic skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing. By the end of the course, students should have mastered many of the basic features of the sound system and be able to use with confidence the basic structures of the language. They should be able to communicate orally and in writing on everyday topics treated in the materials, using the new sounds, structures and vocabulary. Prerequisite: None
SPANISH IC (INTENSIVE ELEMENTARY SPANISH I) - HUM1233
| 6 CR | MWThF 10:00 - 11:20 WSC 1 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Resha Cardone | ||
This intensive, rapid introduction to Spanish grammar is designed for the novice student of Spanish or for students having completed up to three years of basic Spanish language in high school. This rigorous course will enable you to reach the same proficiency level as students completing the first two semesters of elementary Spanish language (Spanish IA and IB). Equal emphasis will be placed on the development of the four language skills - listening, reading, writing, speaking - plus culture. The course will integrate regular lab activities requiring internet access. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 D34 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Taryn McQuain | ||
A review and elaboration of basic grammar and structures. Gradual emphasis on use of French reading, writing, communicating. Prerequisite: French IB or the equivalent at C+ or better
INTERMEDIATE MODERN ARABIC IIA - HUM1120
| 4 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 WSC 9 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Fisal Younes | ||
A continuation of elementary Arabic with equal emphasis on aural and oral skills, reading and writing. Selections from contemporary Arabic media are introduced and serve as a basis for reading and conversation. Prerequisite: Arabic IA
| 4 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 D13 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Edmund Brelsford | ||
A continuation of modern Italian as it is spoken and written today. Practice is given in all four language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing - and every effort is made to provide students with opportunities for self-expression in concrete situations. The course includes the use of integrated software activities, CD ROM's, videos, as well as MP3 files and work online. The entire course is couched within the endlessly rich Italian cultural heritage. Conducted in Italian. Prerequisite: Last year's two-semester introductory course, three years of high school Italian or permission of instructor
L'AUTOBIOGRAPHIE DANS LE 20E SIECLE (20TH C. AUTOBIOGRAPHY) - HUM1289
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Library 202 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Taryn McQuain | ||
When can we safely identify the author as the subject of his or her own literary work? In this class we will explore the autobiographical genre in French and Francophone literature of the 20th century. Using the "Pacte autobiographique" by Philippe Lejeune as our critical foundation, we will explore the function and form of the autobiography in works by Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Cohen, Marquerite Duras, Gabrielle Roy and Yasmina Khadra. We will start with a brief introduction to the history and roots of the autobiography. This class will be discussion oriented and conducted in French. Each week students will write a short response paper to the readings which will be used in class discussions. Students will write a longer paper at the end of the semester using critical sources. Prerequisite: Intermediate French
MANDARIN CHINESE IIA - HUM1294
| 4 CR | M 1:30 - 2:50 D43 | Intermediate |
| |
W 4:00 - 5:20 D33E | |
| Faculty: Ping Jiang | ||
This course is designed to consolidate the foundations built in Mandarin Chinese IA, and continues developing students' skills in aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, students should be able to speak Chinese with fluency on everyday topics, read materials written in simple Standard Written Chinese, and produce both orally and in writing short compositions on everyday topics. Conducted in Mandarin. Prerequisites: Mandarin Chinese IA and IB or permission of instructor
ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION - HUM1272
| 4 CR | MWF 8:30 - 9:20 WSC 1 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Resha Cardone | ||
Advanced Grammar and Composition is a writing course designed for students with at least four semesters of college-level Spanish or spanish IIC . The course will review and build on previous grammar study while continuing to develop the five language skills (listening, reading, writing, speaking and culture). The class will focus foremost on developing the kinds of compositional skills that advanced students of Spanish and professionals are generally asked to perform. The course content and writing assignments will acquaint the student with the techniques and strategies that will make his or her writing effective, coherent and lively. Prerequisite: Spanish IIC with a grade of B- or higher (required of all students who would like to write a portion of their Plan in Spanish or who wish to enroll in any advanced-level culture and literature course)
HUM286 GREEK IA
HUM47 GREEK IIA
HUM36 LATIN IA
HUM427 LATIN IIA
Literature
20TH-CENTURY BRITISH AND IRISH POETRY I - HUM1273
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 D43 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Heather Clark | ||
This is the first semester of a year-long course. In Part I, we will look closely at the poetry of W.B. Yeats, Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Louis MacNeice, Dylan Thomas, Stevie Smith, and Patrick Kavanagh. We will situate these poets in their historical and cultural contexts, then focus intensely on their language. Issues to consider include WWI, WWII, modernism, the "Movement," confessionalism, feminism, and the Northern Ireland "Troubles." You will learn how to analyze poetry with confidence and will gain a good understanding of the political and aesthetic debates that have helped shape modern poetry in Britain and Ireland. Note: The Fall course is not a prerequisite for the Spring course. Prerequisite: None
HISTORY OF THE NOVEL - HUM1280
| 4 CR | MTh 3:00 - 4:50 D42 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle | ||
A reading of selected novels of Daniel DeFoe, Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Thackeray, and the Brontes. Discussion will focus on the presentation of women, views of education, the economic and historical context of the time and effects of mechanization. For 3 credits: classroom attendance and the completion of three 5-page papers. For 4 credits: the completion of a research project of 15 pages. Topics will be chosen in consultation with instructor. Deadline for completion: November 15th. Prerequisite: None
SHAKESPEARE I: THE HISTORY PLAYS AND THE EARLY COMEDIES - HUM1283
| 3-6 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 D33E | Introductory |
| |
MWF 11:30 - 12:20 D33E | |
| Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle | ||
Part I of a year-long course on Shakespeare. This semester will focus on a reading of the plays and early comedies. Attention will be given to style, use of metaphor, scenic form and other structural matters. 15-20 pages of writing required for 3 credits. For additional credit the class sessions will continue from 11:30 to 12:20 MWF to discuss the plays. Students will be required to submit research projects on plays of their choice. Research projects may also include topics on the historical background of the play, a review of criticism or other topics formulated by the student. Prerequisite: Non
"FOR ONCE, THEN, SOMETHING": TWAIN TO ELLISON - HUM1135
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 D42 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Gloria Biamonte | ||
This course will pick up roughly where Apocalyptic Hope left off last year: out of the American Renaissance, into the Gilded Age, the Modernist period, and through the two world wars. Beginning with Mark Twain's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we will go on to consider the works of novelists, poets and playwrights as various as Kate Chopin, Sherwood Anderson, Willa Cather, Robert Frost, Eugene O'Neill, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, Flannery O'Connor, Ralph Ellison, and Adrienne Rich. In exploring a range of 2oth century literature--richly diverse and original, radically expeimental--we will consider the writers' attempts to resond to major social, economic and political events that shaped their lives. NOTE: This course covers the same material as John Sheehy's "What Will Suffice." Though Apocalyptic Hope is not a prerequisite, students who have taken it will be given preference. Prerequisite: None
CRITICAL DEBATES IN MODERN POETRY - HUM1274
| 4 CR | W 10:00 - 11:20 Library 202 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Heather Clark | ||
Weekly discussions about the major critical texts concerning 20th-century poetry. Authors include W.B. Yeats, Rainer Maria Rilke, Sigmund Freud, Ezra Pound, Tristan Tzara, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, Vladimir Mayakovsky, I.A. Richards, William Empson, F.R. Leavis, Frederico Garcia Lorca, Gertrude Stein, Marina Tsvetaeva, Walter Benjamin, Robert Frost, Paul Valery, Martin Heidegger, Theodor Adorno, Roland Barthes, W.H. Auden, Derek Walcott, Julia Kristeva, Czeslaw Milosz, Helen Vendler and others. Prerequisite: Juniors and Seniors on Plan or permission of instructor
* JAMES JOYCE - HUM996
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D43 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Heather Clark | ||
During the semester, we will demystify the works of James Joyce by closely examining his language, themes and narrative style. Through close readings of Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses, we will unravel the various strands of Joyce's thought and come to an understanding of how his work helped change modern literature. In particular, we will consider Joyce's contribution to modernism, as well as his complex relationahip with Ireland and Irish nationalism. Prerequisite: At least one Marlboro or college-level literature course
SEMINAR IN RELIGION, LITERATURE & PHILOSOPHY I - HUM5
| 6 CR | MWF 11:30 - 12:50 D38 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson | ||
A year-long course, reading and discussing some of the major works of Western culture from Homer to Shakespeare. Heavy reading schedule, regular discussions, papers required. Prerequisite: Permission of instructors
SEMIOTICS, DECONSTRUCTION, LITERATURE AND FILM - HUM1282
| 4 CR | M 1:30 - 4:50 WSC 1 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Jaysinh Birjepatil | ||
Semiotics may be defined as a structuralist enterprise focusing on the study of signs which embody cultural codes. Drawing upon the works of Saussure, Roland Barthes, Foucault, Geertz and Eco we shall first examine certain seminal literary texts in the context of socio-cultural semiosis, then set up a dialogue between them and their cinematic reprojections i.e. Shakespeare's King Lear, Kurosawa's Ran, The Trial by Kafka and its film version scripted by Harold Pinter. We shall then consider Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Coppola's Apocalypse Now and Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo to try and understand how Foucault's analysis of "Discourse of Power" continutes to shape current debate about postcolonial cultures. Finally we shall explore selected writings of deconstructionists such as Derrida, Lacan, Deleuze and Guattari in relation to Beckett's Waiting for Godot, Pynchon's Crying of Lot 49 and Robbe Grillet's script for Last Year at Marienbad. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
SEMINAR: SELECTED RUSSIAN AUTHORS - HUM1288
| 4 CR | F 1:30 - 3:20 D22A | Advanced |
| |
F 3:30 - 5:20 TBA | |
| Faculty: Geraldine Pittman de Batlle | ||
Reading list consists of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and The Death of Ivan Ilyich, selected plays and short stories from Chekov, Turgenev's Sketches From A Hunter's Notebooks and Fathers and Sons, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
HUM286 GREEK IA
HUM47 GREEK IIA
HUM36 LATIN IA
HUM427 LATIN IIA
HUM180 SEMINAR IN EUROPEAN HISTORY: VICTORIAN & EDWARDIAN BRITAIN
Mathematics
A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF MATHEMATICS - NSC577
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Sci 216 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Matthew Ollis | ||
Do you want a thorough understanding of the most important and deep theorems in every branch of mathematics? Do you want to achieve this in a three credit course from a standing start? Good luck with that - you won't manage it in this course. Instead, we'll look at six to ten topics, chosen for their accessibility and beauty, and drawn from a broad range of subdisciplines of math. Possibilities include: irrational and imaginary numbers, the infinite, chaos and fractals, Fermat's Last Theorem, the Platonic solids, the fourth dimension, the combinatorial explosion, P vs. NP, the Four Color Theorem, non-Euclidean geometry, logical paradoxes, and many others. No prior mathematical experience is expected. Prerequisite: None
CALCULUS - NSC515
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 Sci 217 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Matthew Ollis | ||
A one semester course covering differential and integral calculus and their applications. This course provides a general background for more advanced study in mathematics and science. Prerequisite: EMLS or equivalent
EXCURSIONS IN CALCULUS - NSC576
| 2 CR | Tu 1:30 - 2:50 Sci 216 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Viktor Blasjo | ||
A deeper study and appreciation of the ideas of calculus, focusing on intuitive understanding of key concepts as well as the contemporary and historical role of the calculus in mathematics and science as conveyed by its wealth of important and beautiful applications. Prerequisite: Calculus or equivalent, or concurrent enrollment in Calculus
TOPICS IN ALGEBRA, TRIGONOMETRY AND PRE-CALCULUS - NSC556
| 1-4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 Sci 216 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Viktor Blasjo | ||
This course covers a wide range of math topics prerequisite for further study in mathematics and science and of interest in their own right. The course is divided into over 50 units (listed on the course web page). One credit will be earned for each group of 6 units completed. Students select units to improve their weak areas. There are also tailored streams for students who wish to go on to study calculus or statistics and for those who wish to prepare for the GRE exam. Over this semester and next, 42 units will be offered in the timetabled sessions. Individual tutorial-style arrangements can be made to study the non-timetabled units or to study units earlier than their scheduled session. Prerequisite: None
LINEAR ALGEBRA - NSC164
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 Sci 221 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Viktor Blasjo | ||
Introduction to linear algebra, including matrices, vector spaces, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, scalar and vector products and linear independence. Prerequisite: Calculus
| 1-4 CR | F 1:30 - 3:20 Sci 218 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Matthew Ollis | ||
A follow-up to Statistics (NSC123) in which students will acquire and hone the statistical skills needed for their work on Plan. Course content will be driven by the interests and requirements of those taking the class. Prerequisite: Statistics (NSC123) or permission of the instructor
| 1 CR | F 3:30 - 4:50 Sci 218 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Matthew Ollis | ||
We will study the writing and presentation of mathematics. All skills needed for writing Plan-level math will be discussed, from the overall structure of a math paper down to the use of the typesetting package LaTeX. Much of the tinme will be spent working on writing proofs. Short papers, based on material in your other math classes, will be read and discussed as a group. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: None
Music
| 1 CR | M 3:30 - 4:50 Ragle Aud | Introductory |
| Faculty: Junko Watanabe | ||
Study and performance of some of the great choral literature from all periods, ranging from medieval to contemporary. Performance given during week prior to exams. Opportunities for solo work. Rehearsals will emphasize interpretation, as well as good vocal production. Grade based on attendance. Although an audition is required for those without choir experience, everyone is admitted. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: None
ELECTRONIC MUSIC - ART658
| 2 CR | Tu 6:30 - 7:50 Serkin 104 | Introductory |
| |
Tu 6:30 - 7:50 Serkin Control | |
| Faculty: Charlie Schneeweis | ||
This course offers students with or without music recording experience a chance to explore the historical context of electronic music production and technology while expanding their own understanding of basic sound recording and editing techniques. The course combines lectures, listening examples, demonstrations, projects, assignments and critique sessions. Topics we will cover include historical artistic movements, composers and techniques that inform electronic music. Basic computer skills will be helpful, as you will produce a series of computer-based audio projects. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisite: None
MUSIC THEORY FUNDAMENTALS - ART14
| 3 CR | MWF 11:30 - 12:20 Serkin 104 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Luis Batlle | ||
A study of musical signatures, meter, rhythm, and basic chordal structure. One additional hour to be arranged each week. Prerequisite: None
| 3 CR | TuF 3:30 - 4:50 Serkin 104 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Luis Batlle | ||
Work towards proficiency in reading treble clefs; sight singing, dictation, simple and compound rhythms. Prerequisite: None
ELECTRONIC MUSIC: STUDIO AND PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES - ART832
| 2 CR | Tu 8:00 - 9:20 Serkin Control | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Charlie Schneeweis | ||
In this course, we will investigate various studio and performance techniques used by electronic musicians and composers, including analog and digital synthesizer sound manipulation, editing, mixing and mastering practices, as well as live performance methods and practices. Guest lecturers/performers will supplement the syllabus. Assignments will employ hands-on application of course concepts using the computers and synthesizers in the lab. Class attendance is mandatory. (This course meets in the evening.) Prerequisites: ART 658 and 758 or permission of instructor
* MUSIC IN THE CLASSICAL ERA - ART78
| 4 CR | TuF 1:30 - 2:50 Serkin 104 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Luis Batlle | ||
End of the Baroque Era, 18th century Italian opera, opera comique and Singspiel, Gluck's reform, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. One additional hour to be arranged each week. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
| 1 CR | W 6:30 - 7:50 Ragle | Advanced |
| Faculty: Alex Ogle | ||
An opportunity for students to meet on a weekly basis to read and rehearse music from the standard chamber music repertoire. If interested see Stan Charkey. Woodwind, string, brass instruments welcome. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Ability to play an instrument or sing and read music.
Philosophy
* INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY - HUM1285
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D33E | Introductory |
| Faculty: Robert Brice | ||
This is an introduction to philosophy course. We will begin with some classic philosophical issues before considering the importance these issues have on our daily lives. Topics include: what do we really know; what is reality; what does it mean to have a mind; is there a basis for our morality; what is the best way to live as a community; the subject of life and death; and finally, how we are to make our lives meaningful. Prerequisite: None
EPISTEMOLOGY - HUM1286
| 4 CR | MTh 3:30 - 4:50 D33E | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Robert Brice | ||
This is a course on the nature of knowledge, or "epistemology." Our central project is to inquire into the scope and limits of human knowledge. What, if anything, can we know? How should we define "knowledge"? What is the structure of knowledge? What role does skepticism play? We will also be concerned with methodological questions about epistemology, such as whether epistemology should become a branch of cognitive science, and whether attempts to define concepts like "knowledge," "truth," and "certitude" will ever succeed. Prerequisite: One prior introductory philosophy course
* THE SEARCH FOR SCIENTIFIC METHOD - CDS523
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 D42 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Travis Norsen | ||
A historical study of the scientific method, analyzing both the methodolgy used by practicing scientists and the questions about that methodology which have been raised by philosophers. Topics include: the roles of deduction and induction, the formation and evaluation of theories, and the ontological status of theoretical entities. Discussion of these issues will emerge from reading on Plato's cosmology, Aristotle's biology, the Copernican revolution in astronomy, the development of the atomic theory of matter, and Darwin's theory of evolution. Prerequisite: One previous science course, one previous philosphy course, or permission of instructor
HUM1292 DAOIST DILEMMAS: ISSUES IN THE ZHUANGZI
HUM286 GREEK IA
HUM47 GREEK IIA
HUM1107 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY
HUM36 LATIN IA
HUM427 LATIN IIA
HUM5 SEMINAR IN RELIGION, LITERATURE & PHILOSOPHY I
HUM1282 SEMIOTICS, DECONSTRUCTION, LITERATURE AND FILM
Physics
GENERAL PHYSICS I - NSC223
| 4 CR | MW 11:30 - 12:50 Sci A117 | Introductory |
| |
Th 9:00 - 9:50 Sci A117 | |
| Faculty: Travis Norsen | ||
This course is the first half of the year-long introductory physics sequence. It is designed to fit the needs of both students intending to go on Plan in physics or another natural science and also non-science students who nevertheless desire some firsthand exposure to the scientific method of approaching and understanding the world. We'll cover Galileo's and Newton's discoveries about the motion of familiar terrestrial objects. But we'll also learn some things about the discovery process itself by doing real-life, hands-on experiments. Said another way, students will learn physics in this course by doing physics - not (primarily) by listening to lectures about physics. So roll up your sleeves and join us! Prerequisite: Mathematical proficiency up through, but not necessarily including, calculus.
CIRCUITS AND OPTICS - NSC573
| 4 CR | Tu 1:15 - 4:50 Sci B117 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Travis Norsen | ||
A combination lab-theory course covering DC, AC, and digital circuits as well as geometrical and wave optics. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Political Science
* COMPARATIVE POLITICS: DEBATING DEMOCRACY - SSC338
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 D33E | Introductory |
| Faculty: Lynette Rummel | ||
This course will offer a basic introduction to comparative government. Democracy will serve as the organizing theme of our investigations, and various case studies, including the Americna political system, will be considered in some depth. Prerequisite: None
* INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY - HUM1107
| 4 CR | MWF 10:30 - 11:20 D42 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Meg Mott | ||
This class considers how politics has been discussed within the western tradition. Although the primary readings cover over 2,500 years of political writings, the themes are surprisingly few. In each era, political writers struggled to answer the problem of how best to grant power over people and how to enhance citizenship within that power structure. Along with primary readings, we will consider two cases that illuminate the role of political thinking in contemporary struggles to end poverty and racism. The first case promotes a radical humanist pedagogy, known as the Clemente series. The second case considers the Black Panthers efforts to dismantle Amerika. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
SPINOZA - CDS550
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Library 102 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Meg Mott | ||
Branded a heretic by the Amsterdam Jewish community and a prophet by postmodern Marxists, Spinoza is not your ordinary political thinker. Reading Spinoza is like parsing your mind through a ring of fire - you may not be reduced to ashes but your ideas about freedom will never be the same. Prerequisite: A solid background in political theory or philosophy
THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT - SSC216
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D42 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Lynette Rummel | ||
This course will examine the process of theory building and paradigm change during the first three qenerations of Third World development scholarship. In particular, the three major schools of modernization, dependency, and post dependency theory will be analysed in light of their comparative contributions and limitations. Theoretical discussions will be grounded in the empirical context of real life Third World development challenges. Prerequisite: Social Sciences background or permission of Instructor
WRITING POLITICAL THEORY - HUM1204
| 4-6 CR | F 1:30 - 3:20 Library 202 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Meg Mott | ||
This writing seminar develops strategies and skills necessary for completing a Plan in political theory. Prerequisite: For seniors writing a Plan in political theory
HUM1282 SEMIOTICS, DECONSTRUCTION, LITERATURE AND FILM
Psychology
| 4 CR | MWF 9:30 - 10:20 D38 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Thomas Toleno | ||
A course on the developing child, emphasizing current research and theories. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | MWF 11:30 - 12:20 D33W | Advanced |
| Faculty: Thomas Toleno | ||
Major theories of personality are discussed and compared. The emphasis is on the underlying assumptions regarding persons and the therapies and psychotherapies that have emerged. Prerequisite: Abnormal Psychology or permission of instructor
Religion
| 4 CR | MTh 3:30 - 4:50 Library 102 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Amer Latif | ||
This course is an introduction to the major themes of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptures. After a brief study of the history of development and canonization, and the role and function of these scriptures within Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities, we will spend the major part of the semester reading and analyzing selected texts in order to discover the vision of these scriptures concerning the purpose of human life, the organization of communities, and the structure of leadership within these communities. We will also investigate the relationship between God and human beings as represented by these scriptures and will examine the models of human behavior presented in various stories of the prophets. Prerequisite: None
INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM - HUM1278
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 2:50 Apple Tree | Introductory |
| Faculty: Amer Latif | ||
This course is an introduction to the fundamental teachings presented in the foundational texts of Islam and elaborated in Islamic ritual, arts, and literature. Our aim, through studying the Qur'an and the life and teachings of the prophet Muhammad, is to grasp the internal logic of the Islamic worldview and the vocabulary used to articulate the vision of Islam. This work will provide the basis for examining the divergence within later Muslim interpretations concerning questions of theology, human development and perfection, leadership, and the organization of communities. This course is a pre-requisite for Introduction to Sufism to be offered in Spring 2008. Prerequisite: None
PLAN SEMINAR: SOURCES AND METHODS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES - HUM1117
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 Sci 217 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Amer Latif | ||
In this course we will examine various methodologies currently employed in the study of religion and the resources available for the study of religious phenomena. We will engage with the perspectives of sociological, psychological, historical, comparative, and religious approaches to the study of religion in order to examine the scope and limitations of each approach. The students will learn and practice the research skills required to locating, sifting through, and evaluating available resources in order to formulate answers to the questions they have posed in their Plan of Concentration. Students will make weekly presentations on assigned texts. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Plan in Religious Studies
* PLAN WRITING SEMINAR - HUM1214
| 2-6 CR | W 10:30 - 12:20 Library 102 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Amer Latif | ||
Plan-based writing seminar for seniors. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Plan in Religious Studies
Sociology
CLASS AND IDEOLOGY IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SOCIETY - SSC482
| 2 CR | Th 3:00 - 4:20 D43 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Peter Berard, sponsored by Gerald Levy | ||
Social class in America is a factor often either glossed over in today's social discussions or else dramatically over simplified. This is a shame because a realistic and sophisticated understanding of class is one of the best tools for understanding America or any society. This course will hopefully begin to give the students the beginnings of this understanding through an examination of how class has evolved in the last fifty years.
INTRODUCTION TO RACE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY - SSC484
| 4 CR | F 1:30 - 3:50 WSC 5 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Sara Young | ||
What does it mean to "act like a man" or to "be ladylike"? What happens if you don't follow the gender "rules"? What is race and how does it shape our experience in the world? We will use popular culture such as children's literature, movies, advertising, fashion, language, and music to understand and at times contest constructions of racial groups, gender identities and sexual orientations. We will also focus on social institutions such as work, education, and sports as sights of oppression and resistance. Keeping in mind the interconnectedness of various other social identities including ethnicity, class, ability, and religion, we will further complicate our understanding of race, gender and sexuality. Prerequisite: None
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY - SSC23
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 D38 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Gerald Levy | ||
An introduction to the ideas, concepts, theories and methodologies of the discipline of sociology, its relationship to the other social sciences, history and philosophy and its relevance to an understanding of social reality. Prerequisite: None
SOCIOLOGY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS - SSC477
| 4 CR | MW 9:00 - 10:20 D42 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Gerald Levy | ||
A research workshop for students in the social sciences, theater, music, film-making and dance who are interested in studying the creative process, the development of artistic identities and lifestyles, artistic-networks, training facilities and communities, and the relationship between the performing artist and society. Prerequisite: None
SSC483 CULTURAL AND SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION
HUM1107 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY
HUM1282 SEMIOTICS, DECONSTRUCTION, LITERATURE AND FILM
Theater
A SURVEY OF DRAMA: FROM SCRIPT TO STAGE TO SCREEN - CDS518
| 4-5 CR | MTh 1:30 - 3:20 Greene | Introductory |
| Faculty: Paul Nelsen | ||
This course will survey a variety of scripts to develop an understanding of the complex ways that plays express themselves in performance audience. Toward this end, we will examine a variety of scripts and interpretive issues - in discussion and through analytical exercises. A parallel objective is to cultivate a range of basic skills - from observation and analysis to interpretation and presentation. For nearly all of the scripts that we read, we will examine performance models. Students may elect, for an additional 1 credit, to complete Designated Writing assignments in addition to the regular class readings, viewings, and exercises. Prerequisite: None
FEMALE PLAYWRIGHTS - ART890
| 4 CR | MW 11:30 - 12:50 Library 202 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Brenda Foley | ||
Through critical analysis of playwrights ranging from Susan Glaspell to Suzan-Lori Parks this course will explore creative works by twentieth and twenty-first century female playwrights. Emphasis will be placed both on close textual study of the works and the realities of staging productions. Course materials will include primary texts, secondary analyses and essays situating the plays in the theatrical and historical contexts in which they were written, and, where available, viewings of recorded performances. Class format will be a combination of response papers, essay exams, discussions, and presentations. Prerequisite: None
INTRODUCTION TO ACTING - ART54
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:30 - 12:50 Whittemore | Introductory |
| Faculty: Brenda Foley | ||
This course is an introduction to the craft of acting. The class will consist of exercises, improvisations, monologues, and scenes aimed at increasing awareness of the constituent elements of performance. There will be some rehearsal required outside of the designated class period. This is a full participation class - wear sweats and t-shirts and expect to roll around on the ground exploring, as Victor Turner has coined it, "the human seriousness of play." Prerequisite: None
PERFORMANCE PRACTICES AND AESTHETICS SEMINAR/LAB - ART889
| 3-4 CR | Tu 1:30 - 5:20 Whittemore | Advanced |
| |
Tu 1:30 - 5:20 Greene Room | |
| Faculty: Paul Nelsen | ||
Using a series of case studies and practical experiments, we will examine aspects of performance theories and interpretive methodologies. Investigations will address interpretive and compositional techniques employed in acting, directing, scenography, costuming, and lighting as well as dramaturgical concerns related to how artists probe scripts. Readings and project exercises will prepare participants for active exchanges in the intensive seminar/lab sessions. Prerequisite: Two previous craft classes in theatre/film/dance or permission of instructor
SSC477 SOCIOLOGY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
Visual Arts
| 4 CR | TuF 1:30 - 3:20 Woodard Pottery | Introductory |
| Faculty: Michael Boylen | ||
This is a course in making pottery forms using handbuilding techniques. There will be short readings in the history of ceramics along with study of the composition and high temperature behavior of earth materials. An introduction to the potter's wheel is included. Materials fee: $60. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | TuTh 9:00 - 11:20 Lower Baber | Introductory |
| Faculty: Timothy Segar | ||
A beginning course designed to develop skills and knowledge in seeing. A variety of tools and materials will be explored while working from the still life, landscape and the figure. Fundamental issues of line, shape, tonal value, composition and design elements will be our basis of investigation. Materials fee: $50. Prerequisite: None
INTRODUCTION TO BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY - ART9
| 4 CR | MTh 1:30 - 4:20 Woodard Classrm | Introductory |
| Faculty: John Willis | ||
This course will be an introduction to black and white photography with an emphasis given both to visual communication and technique. Students will learn basic procedures of camera operation, film exposure and development and enlargement of the image, while exploring the visual and expressive qualities of the medium. Materials fee: $100. Prerequisite: None
THE LANGUAGE OF COLOR - ART888
| 4 CR | WF 10:30 - 12:50 Upper Baber | Introductory |
| Faculty: Cathy Osman | ||
This course will look at color through various lenses, historical, cultural and symbolically. We will "see" color as not only attached to objects, space and light but also as decoration and metaphor. We will consider color as inspiration for poets, philosophers, musicians and painters. Primarily we will paint but there will be work with paper, found materials or non-western approaches to presentation. Materials fee: TBA. Prerequisite: None
THREE DIMENSIONAL DESIGN - ART553
| 4 CR | MTh 1:00 - 3:20 Perrine | Introductory |
| Faculty: Timothy Segar | ||
This course eplores the language of objects. We are surrounded by things and take them for granted, but each item was made by a process of design. In a series of problems, students will be asked to design and build a chair, a package, and a game. Problems will focus on structure, presentation, and invention. The development of design styles will be studied as well. While Sculpture I explores the language of three dimension from a representational and expressive point of view, this course approaches the same language from the point of view of a problem solver. The inventive artistic result of this problem solving is often remarkable. Materials fee: $70. Prerequisite: None
| 4 CR | TuTh 9:00 - 11:20 Woodard Pottery | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Michael Boylen | ||
Intermediate work in ceramics based on wheel throwing and/or handbuilding; critical analysis of three-diminsional form; readings in the history and technical literature of ceramics. Prerequisite: Ceramics course at Marlboro or permission of instructor Materials fee: $15 per credit
| 4 CR | TuTh 1:00 - 3:20 Upper Baber | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Cathy Osman | ||
This course will focus on drawing the figure. In-class work will concentrate on direct observational drawing, examining line, value, proportion, mass, anatomy as they relate to the human form. Extensive outside of class drawing will encourage abstraction, thematic development and a personal drawing language. Materials fee: TBA. Prerequisite: Drawing I or permission of instructor
FORM & PLACE - THE ART OF SITE-SPECIFIC SCULPTURE - ART607
| 4 CR | MW 10:00 - 11:20 Perrine | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Timothy Segar | ||
As sculpture moved off the pedestal in the first half of this century it found new relationships to its place. The development of earth art, installation art, and site specific sculpture, have created a realm of activity for sculptors which has been varied and rich. Through a series of projects and investigations of places and objects, including light and sound, mapping, indoor and outdoor installations, and modelmaking, students will create a series of works. We will be learning and using techniques of steel welding for several projects in this course. Materials fee: $70. Prerequisite: Sculpture I or 3D Design
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE AND WORD - ART886
| 4 CR | TuTh 9:00 - 11:20 Woodard Classrm | Intermediate |
| Faculty: John Willis | ||
This course is an exploration of image and text relationships in non-fictional and fictional story telling. This intermediate/advanced level course will predominately be taught through digital processes. Class time will be divided between visiting professors and artists, reviewing historical and contemporary works, critiquing of individual and group projects, as well as technical demonstrations. It is likely the group projects will have a service-learning component. Materials fee: $100. Prerequisite: Introduction to Black and White Photography or permission of the instructor
ART SEMINAR CRITIQUE - ART359
| 2 CR | Tu 3:30 - 7:50 Woodard Classrm | Advanced |
| Faculty: John Willis | ||
Group critique of students' work on Plan. Methodology and goals will be discussed as well as short readings on art and current issues. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. May be repeated for credit. In addition to some visiting artist lectures, we will be traveling off campus to view and discuss art by way of museum collections, artists' studio visits and galleries. Meets alternate Tuesdays. Students are required to attend six public lectures by visiting artists on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 pm followed by a critique session from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Materials fee: $25 per credit for photo studio. Prerequisite: Plan application on file or permission of instructor
PHOTOGRAPHY PLAN SEMINAR - ART574
| 4 CR | MW 10:30 - 12:20 Woodard Classrm | Advanced |
| Faculty: John Willis | ||
This is a seminar for all students on Plan in photography. May be repeated for credit. Materials fee: $100. Prerequisites: Photography Plan application on file or permission of instructor
Writing
| 3 CR | Th 1:30 - 2:50 D23 | Introductory |
| Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson | ||
An introduction to poetic form, both for those who wish to develop their own skills in formal verse, and for those who want to cultivate an analytical sensitivity to formal elements in poetry. Those in the first category will attempt poems in a variety of forms; those in the second will write short papers about poems in each form. We will explore various principles of rhythm in organizing lines -- meter, syllable count, rhyme, free verse, refrains, prose -- and a broad range of traditional and not-so-traditional stanza structures -- sonnets, sestinas, villanelles, haiku, double-dactyls, nonce forms, and so on. The aim is not to complete polished poems and papers, but to engage technical matters in poetry seriously through exercises and analysis. May be taken in conjunction with Poetry workshop or independently. Prerequisite: None
| 2-5 CR | Tu 1:30 - 4:20 D23 | Intermediate |
| Faculty: T. Hunter Wilson | ||
In this class you will read your classmates' stories extremely closely and offer critiques and suggestions. You will also generate new material by doing exercises geared towards improving your attention to such things as character, plot, rising and falling action, voice, tone, angle of vision, and point of view. You will be expected to steadily produce new work for class and participate in class discussions. Novelists take note: this workshop will focus exclusively on the short story. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Writing Seminars
CAPTIVE MIND: ACCOMMODATION, GUILT & RESISTANCE IN POSTWAR - HUM1276
| 4 CR | TuTh 10:00 - 11:20 Library 102 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Laura Stevenson | ||
During World War II and The Cold War, a great number of Europeans lived under the shadow of totalitarian states in which dissent, either against government ideology or against the elimination of ethinic minorities, was punished by torture, imprisonment, or death. This course studies the states of mind that are engendered by such a situation. On the one hand, there is Resistance and Solidarity - both glorified by literature and movies in a stereotype with which thousands of postwar Europeans have identified themselves. On the other hand, there is the much more common phenomenon: the captive mind, which accommodates both propaganda and the presence of evil, and thus experiences chilling moral erosion in the name of survival. The extent of the damage done by the captive mind has only recently been admitted by Europeans, who would understandably prefer to see themselves as victims of oppression, not as oppressors. But as archives open and a new generation examines them, it becomes increasingly clear that in the last half of the 20th century, thousands of respectable, ordinary Europeans committed extraordinary crimes. Discussions and papers will be focused on understanding (rather than condemning or applauding) accommodation and resistance. Reading will include: Tadeusz Borowski, This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen; Czeslaw Milosz, The Captive Mind; Albert Camus, The Plague; Vaclav Havel, "The Power of the Powerless"; Timothy Garten Ash, "Bad Memories"; James Lasdun, Seven Lies. Movies will include Stanley Kramer, Judgment at Nuremberg and Leni Reiferstahl, The Triumph of the Will. Two 5-7 page papers, one short explication, and one 10-12 page research paper, plus a few grammar exercises. Prerequisite: None
FAIRYTALES, FANTASY AND FICTION - HUM1277
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 Library 102 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Laura Stevenson | ||
There is more to "short fiction" than the short story, and this class is concerned with all forms of short fiction. We will read fables, "folk" fairy tales, selections from Boccaccio's Decameron and Basile's Pentamerone, literary fairy tales of the Romantic era, Robert Louis Stevenson's novella Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and finally some modern tales by Dinesen, Calvino, Malamud, and Bradbury. We will discuss the effects of writing upon a genre originally oral, the effects of "gentrification" of fairy tales, and the use of fiction in exploring psychology and subverting social norms. The stories studied this semester will provide essential background for Fundamentals of Fiction Writing in future semesters. Prerequisite: None
WRITING SEMINAR: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT - HUM1279
| 4 CR | TuF 3:30 - 4:50 D38 | Introductory |
| Faculty: John Sheehy | ||
Great Britain's incarceration rate is quite high by world standards: 142 of every 100,000 Britons are currently in jail. That number in China is 118, in France 91, in Japan 58 and in Nigeria 31. The United States, by contrast, currently imprisons 744 of every 100,000 citizens. In other words, one out of every 135 Americans is currently serving time in jail or prison. Nearly half of the resulting prison population - more than two million people - is African American, while African Americans make up only 12% of the U.S. population. According to a United Nations study, in the world outside the United States there are currently 12 minors serving life sentences in prison. In the U.S., there are more than 2,000. In this seminar we will examine the reality of crime and punishment in the United States. We will begin by studying cases, to build a sense of the principles and practices behind criminal law and criminal sentencing. Then we will move to the deeper level: we will examine the reasoning for and against the death penalty as it is practiced in the United States, and we will see how legal theory has worked itself out in Supreme Court decisions on death penalty cases. We will then examine the larger system itself, asking a simple question: how did the U.S. find itself with the highest incarceration rate in the industrialized world? How are we to judge the costs and benefits of American crime and punishment? And, as in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. For syllabi and course updates, see www.marlboro.edu/academics/requirements/writing_program/ Prerequisite: None
WRITING SEMINAR: THE ALTERED INDIVIDUAL IN FILM & LITERATURE - HUM1287
| 4 CR | MW 11:30 - 12:50 D43 | Introductory |
| |
W 6:00 - 9:00 D38 | |
| Faculty: Brian Baldi | ||
In this course we will examine spectacular transformations of characters in contemporary film and literature. More specifically, we'll examine how these characters are compelled into surreal new circumstances and, through these new circumstances, into new emotional territories. Thus we might better scrutinize our own capacity for personal evolution in the contemporary world. Films to be considered include "Smoke", "Ghost World", "Chungking Express", "After Life", "The Science of Sleep", and others. We will supplement and spark our understanding by reading novels that also hinge on radical transformation, and essays delving into narrative structure, revelation, and the nature of character and modernity. Prerequisite: None
WRITING SEMINAR: THE WEST AND AMERICA - HUM953
| 4 CR | TuTh 11:30 - 12:50 D38 | Introductory |
| Faculty: John Sheehy | ||
At the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner announced that the western "frontier" was now officially closed - and with it closed, according to Turner, the essentially American project of reinvention that the West made possible. In this class, we will examine Turner's thesis (and some more recent responses and revisions to it) in the light of various cultural representations of the American west, including works by Owen Wister, James Welch, Wallace Stegner, Cormac McCarthy...and, yes, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Our goal will be to develop an understanding of what the west represents, both for easterners and for westerners, and to delve into the role the imagined west has played in shaping American thought and culture. And, as in any writing seminar, we will write about all of it: expect at least three major papers, culminating in a research paper, and weekly shorter writing assignments. Discussions of the text will alternate with work on writing: conferences, writing workshops and discussions of style and structure. For syllabi and course updates, see: http://www.marlboro.edu/academics/requirements/writing_program/ Prerequisites: None
World Studies Program
| 1 CR | TBA TBA | Introductory |
| Faculty: Beverly Behrmann | ||
This course prepares students for finding internships that support academic and professional work. It includes a self inventory of interests, skills and experiences, writing effective resumes and cover letters, job search and interviewing skills. Students will define career objectives in the international field and examine current practices in various fields. Guidelines are provided for relating your internship experience with Plan work. (Pass/Fail grade) Prerequisite: None
WORLD STUDIES COLLOQUIUM - WSP53
| 1 CR | W 4:00 - 5:20 WSC 5 | Introductory |
| Faculty: Lynette Rummel | ||
A forum for discussion of cross-cultural experience and international work, with participation by faculty, visiting professionals, alumni and current students. The sessions include an introduction to international resources at Marlboro and SIT, with discussion of area studies, internships, and Plans in international studies. Prerequisite: None
| 3 CR | TuTh 8:30 - 9:50 D33W | Intermediate |
| Faculty: Thomas Toleno | ||
A course focused on fieldwork methods, designing projects for the field, writing field notes and reports, and theoretical, ethical, and practical issues surrounding all of this. A required course for WSP students preparing to go on internship but available for (and open to) non-WSP students considering fieldwork in the U.S. or abroad. Note: Designing Fieldwork will NOT be offered in Spring 2008. If you intend to take this course this academic year, please do so in Fall 2007. Prerequisite: Finding an Internship (WSP 50) or permission of instructor
WORLD STUDIES PROGRAM SENIOR SEMINAR - WSP2
| 1 CR | Th 1:30 - 2:50 WSC 5 | Advanced |
| Faculty: Beverly Behrmann | ||
A seven-week seminar addressing "re-entry culture shock" and the integration of international field experiences into senior Plan work. Required of WSP seniors; for students returning from study or fieldwork abroad. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: Field experience abroad; required of WSP Seniors
CDS434 THE SOVIET ERA THROUGH FILM AND MEMOIR
SSC216 THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT
