Strand Classes - Office of the Registrar

Spring 2026 Strand Course Descriptions

Technology and Innovation (301)
Conflict (302)
Citizenship (303)
Wellness (304)
Sustainability (305)

Technology and Innovation (301)

English (ENGS 301)

ENGS 301-01 (CRN: 10348): “The Future Now: Sci-Fi and Fantasy”
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Livingston

This elective investigates the ways in which the genres of Science-Fiction and Fantasy allow us to examine our present while preparing for the future. We will work through a variety of different works, classical and contemporary, to glean a better understanding of this exciting genre of fiction.

As in all classes in the English department, it is intended that through reading, writing, and discussion, students in this course will develop the capacity to better understand and respect the views and concerns of others, especially regarding gender, ethnicity, and religion.

ENGS 301-02 (CRN: 10501) & ENGS 301-03 (CRN: 10502): “Film, Surveillance, & Big Data”
TR 11:00-12:15, TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Wood

What role does technology play in influencing our behavior? In this class, we will interrogate such questions in relation to script, stage, and screen. Students will analyze the screenplay for the film Ex Machina (2014), then compare the script to the finished film. These two texts will be examined through the lens of surveillance capitalism, a theory which argues that our individual experiences are catalogued and classified as data. Technologies embedded in every aspect of our lives — through “smart” home, phone, and wearable devices — extract our data and influence us to behave in certain ways. In turn, we become legible and predictable to the technologies we cede power to. Learning to recognize these technologies for what they are and what they do forms the basis of this course.

History (HISS 301)

HISS 301-01 (CRN: 10396), HISS 301-02 (CRN: 10351) & HISS 301-03 (CRN: 10710): “Gun & Press in Early Mod. Europe”
MWF 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50, & MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Boughan

This course examines the impact on western Europe, in the period 1450-1650, of two transformative technologies: the gun and the printing press. While the press was invented c. 1450 and the gun existed well before that, both technologies only began to realize their revolutionary potential decades later. We will explore how both profoundly altered the warfare, economy, politics, society, and culture and of Early Modern Europe.

This course’s learning objectives are to 1) chart the development of firearms technology in the period 1325-1650 and print technology in the period 1450-1650; 2) situate guns and the press in their economic, political, religious, social, and economic contexts; 3) interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources in the early history of firearms and print; 4) chart the transformative consequences, both tangible and psychological, of these transformative technologies on early modern Europeans.

SCSS 301-01 (CRN: 10653) & SCSS 301-02 (CRN: 10654): “Technology & Society”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Roof

This course examines the basic concepts and principles of technology. A scientific approach to the analysis and explanation of the complex cultural and sociological debates that surround modern technology.

SCSS 301-04 (CRN: 11459) & SCSS 301-05 (CRN: 11460): “Mapping the States “
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Owens

This course applies spatial data and analysis to assess why location matters. Lectures introduce topics, workshops demonstrate how to do the work, and then students apply the lesson by making maps or conducting spatial analysis. The purpose of the course think about potential innovations based on what we know about people and the context they live in. What solutions exist to optimize transportation? Has the population of a location chanced in ways that impact response times and security? What are the social characteristics that are commonly shared in a community – and can they be measured? The course will also think about the future and how data can inform climate mitigation and adaptation. Upon completion of the course, students will be well versed in how to incorporate data at different geographic levels to reduce error and ultimately lead to better informed decisions.

Natural Science (NTSS 301)

NTSS 301-01 (CRN: 10542): “Nanomedicine”
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Le-Vasicek

Nanomaterials, or materials with a dimension between 10-9 to 10-7 m, are an emerging technology that see commercial application in the fields of engineering, biology, physics, and chemistry. Nanomedicine is the application of nanomaterials for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Nanomedicine is a growing branch of medicine that you are likely to encounter in your lifetime. This course provides a survey of the fundamental theories and general principles of nanomedicine. This course is designed specifically for students without a strong background in chemistry and will begin by introducing elemental knowledge of chemistry. Then, the unique properties of nanomaterials are explored. In the final segment of the course, current and emerging applications in diagnosis, treatment, and drug delivery are discussed.

NTSS 301-02 (CRN: 11038): “Global Change Biology”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Huynh

This course will investigate issues associated with the response of organisms and ecosystems to global-scale changes in the environment caused by anthropogenic activity. Topics covered will include changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration, particularly CO2 and its impact on the global carbon cycle; global warming and its impact on biological systems; changes to the nitrogen cycle (e.g., how eutrophication affects species and their habitats); habitat modification (e.g., how land use and degradation impacts organisms and ecosystem integrity); invasive species biology; and how species and biological communities are changing with biodiversity loss (e.g., how biodiversity decline can impact the processes of evolution by natural selection and alter ecosystem function). From lecture materials, assigned readings, and in-class discussions, students will become familiar with each of the issues, how different synergies can impact biological systems, the current challenges that pervade and stem from them, and the prospective technological solutions being developed and used to address these challenges. In addition, students will learn how to critically examine and interpret media reports and publications pertaining to each of the aforementioned global change issues and apply the scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills they acquire from this course to evaluate the validity of media outlet reports and coverage, determine if scientific studies are cited correctly, identify knowledge gaps, and how to devise and implement comprehensive solutions as informed and responsible global citizens.

SCSS 301-04 (CRN: 11459) & SCSS 301-05 (CRN: 11460): “Mapping the States”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Owens

This course applies spatial data and analysis to assess why location matters. Lectures introduce topics; workshops demonstrate how to do the work, and then students apply the lesson by making maps or conducting spatial analysis. The purpose of the course is to foster thinking about potential innovations based on what we know about people and the context they live in. What solutions exist to optimize transportation? Has the population of a location changed in ways that impact response times and security? What are the social characteristics that are commonly shared in a community – and can they be measured? The course will also think about the future and how data can inform climate mitigation and adaptation. Upon completion of the course, students will be well versed in how to incorporate data at different geographic levels to reduce error and ultimately lead to better informed decisions.

Conflict (302)

English (ENGS 302)

ENGS 302-01 (CRN: 10568), ENGS 302-02 (CRN: 10569), & ENGS 302-03 (CRN: 10355): “The Literature of War”
TR 8:00-9:15, TR 9:30-10:45, & TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Adair

This class provides a broad overview of the major themes of modern war through a mixture of fictional and non-fictional texts. Although the majority of the works cover the Global War on Terror (GWOT), other classic selections have been woven in to provide evolving perspectives. Subjects covered include training for combat, modern combat, the crippling military bureaucracy, PTSD and other post-combat experiences. Finally, the course hopes to raise awareness of psychological stressors in both the military and civilian world and consider healthy coping techniques.

ENGS 302-04 (CRN: 10356): “Ancient Houses Divided”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Hendriks

This Conflict Strand course of the General Education curriculum sequence will center close readings of several celebrated tragic plays that form the foundation of the Western artistic and cultural tradition in order to interrogate our notions of heroism, moral courage, and principled leadership; the significance of defiance against authority—both sacred and secular, personal conscience, and what is commonly accepted as socially appropriate behavior in order to achieve one’s desired ends, and what is required to bring members of a social order into compliance with established power structures. When characters engage in conflict—whether the inciting incident is rooted in personal choice, immutable circumstance, or some combination thereof—the attendant friction takes on a life of its own, impacting the perspective, judgment, and limits of autonomy of the parties involved. We will use the material not only to challenge our own preconceived notions of the basis of oppositional positions, but we will also analyze the premises upon which the works of fiction we read/view are based.

Through reading, writing, analysis, and discussion, students will improve their capacity to think both critically and empathetically: to understand and respect the views and concerns of others, especially regarding gender, ethnicity, and religion.

Academic performance will be evaluated through midterm and final examinations and an assortment of writing assignments and presentations, a number of which will incorporate attention to scholarly publications, culminating in an essay of at least 2000 words.

Required Reading: Sophocles, Oedipus Rex and Antigone & Euripides, Medea and Electra

ENGS 302-05 (CRN: 10964): “Freedom Writers”
MWF 11:30-11:50
Professor Hendriks

This Conflict Strand course of the General Education curriculum sequence will center close readings of works of literature that depict the resistance to enslavement in order to interrogate our notions of heroism, moral courage, and principled leadership; the significance of defiance against authority—both sacred and secular, personal conscience, and what is commonly accepted as socially appropriate behavior in order to achieve one’s desired ends, and what is required to bring members of a social order into compliance with established power structures. When characters engage in conflict—whether the inciting incident is rooted in personal choice, immutable circumstance, or some combination thereof—the attendant friction takes on a life of its own, impacting the perspective, judgment, and limits of autonomy of the parties involved. We will use the material not only to challenge our own preconceived notions of the basis of oppositional positions, but we will also analyze the premises upon which the works of fiction we read/view are based.

Required Reading: Frederick Douglass, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845); Charles W. Chesnutt, “The Passing of Grandison” (1899); James McBride, Song Yet Sung (2008); & Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad (2016)

History (HISS 302)

HISS 302-01 (CRN: 10350), HISS 302-05 (CRN: 10894): “British Homefront in WWI & WWII“
MWF 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Grenier

By focusing on the British experience in World War I and World War II, this course will consider the ways in which “home” becomes a “front” in a time of conflict, and the effects upon the civilian population and the roles of government. We will consider the consequences of recruitment campaigns, rationing, military service, attacks on civilian populations, and the loss of loved ones, both in Britain and in the empire, and will explore the variety of ways these experiences changed expectations of what it means to be part of a nation.

HISS 302-02 (CRN: 10397) & HISS 302-03 (CRN: 10398) & HISS 302-04 (CRN: 10755) : “Early Islamic History”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 11:00-11:50, & MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Wright

This course examines the era of the Islamic Conquests from the 7^th through the 8^th centuries. Attention is given to the historical, political and religious contexts of the conquests, motivations, the makeup of Islamic armies and those of their adversaries, and how these armies changed over time. Includes a detailed look at the conquests of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, North Africa, India, Central Asia, Spain and the invasion of France. Finally, the course discusses Arab migration and settlement into conquered territory, the treatment of conquered peoples and the impact of the conquests.

HISS 302-06 (CRN: 11347): “Military Coups & Dictatorship”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Aguirre

This course will examine the military coups that have shaped Latin America since 1810. Students will be asked to consider the following themes throughout the semester: 1) caudillismo, 2) left-wing/right-wing political ideologies and “isms,” 3) popular reactions/resistance to dictatorships, 4) U.S./Latin American relations. The readings trace historical developments from a variety of perspectives, including cultural history and autobiography, and students will also be asked to read primary sources.

HISS 302-07 (CRN: 11453): “The Heroic Age”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Maddox

Course Description Coming Soon!

Natural Science (NTSS 302)

NTSS 302-01 (CRN: 10541) & NTSS 302-02 (CRN: 10652): “Bioterrorism”
TR 11:00-12:15, TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Johnson

This course will examine diverse aspects of the creation, use, and response to the weaponization of biological agents. An understanding of the science underlying biological agents is critical to preventing the escalation of biological outbreaks. A detailed study of the biological characteristics of these organisms will be the focus for this course.

NTSS 302-03 (CRN: 11104): “Human-Wildlife Conflict”
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor A. Gramling

As the human population grows and the habitat for wildlife shrinks, conflicts between humans and wildlife increase in frequency. These conflicts can be deadly, costly, and frustrating. This elective Conflict Strand course will discuss the biology of predators, pests, and plagues to better understand the nature of their impact on humans. We will also explore methods of wildlife damage management to answer the question: Can we balance the needs of humans with the needs of wildlife?

NTSS 302-04 (CRN: 11210): “Chemistry in War and Peace”
TR 9:30-10:45
Professor Adair-Hudson

Humans have used chemicals and chemical properties to create weapons for centuries, but the conflict associated with the use of chemicals is not just related to war. Both negative and positive impacts on people, animals, and the environment (natural and fabricated) frequently occur with the use of chemicals. For example, food waste and cost can be reduced when lightweight plastics are used for shipping and storing. However, recycling of many plastics can be cost prohibitive due to the same chemical properties that make them useful. Students will learn some common chemical structures and properties to better understand their uses. Students will research and discuss many quantitative factors that produce conflict from chemical use during times of war and peace.

SCSS 302-01 (CRN: 11142): “Political Ideologies”
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Segrest

A study of political ideology as a source of social conflict and violence.

SCSS 302-05 (CRN: 11462) & SCSS 302-06 (CRN: 11463): “Sitcoms in Times of Conflict”
MWF 12:00-12:50, MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Ferguson

This course explores how sitcoms reflect and shape American culture, particularly in moments of conflict and transition. Through the analysis of popular sitcoms from different decades, students will examine how these shows portray moments of social tension, cultural division, and unity in times of both war and peace. The course will consider how humor has been used to respond to conflict, ease societal anxieties, and engage with political and cultural values. By studying these comedies, students will gain a deeper understanding of how sitcoms both mirror and influence America’s ongoing effort to balance ideals of harmony with the realities of division.

Citizenship (303)

Elective (ELES 303)

ELES 303-04 (CRN: 10687): “Immersive Cultural Exp. Abroad”
TBA
Professor Paris

Selected topics or problems in the general area of culture and leadership. This course examines the culture(s) of host country, leadership styles/philosophies, conflicts, changes, and human resources involved in entities/organizations.

ELES 303-05 (CRN: 11458): “Comics – Spanish Speaking World”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Gomis-Izquierdo

This course focuses on the study of comics in the Spanish-speaking world, in both Latin America and Spain. Through the reading and discussion of different types of comics of various genres, we will discuss their characteristics and their social, political, or historical messages.

English (ENGS 303)

ENGS 303-01 (CRN: 10349): “Classic World Lit & Citizenship”
TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Lucas

This course offers a selection of world literature from the earliest times to about the fourteenth century CE, with an emphasis on topics of community, faith, and citizenship. We will read some of the most influential literary writings from a variety of early world cultures, beginning with “western” literature and moving progressively eastward through writings from Africa, the Middle East, India, and Japan. The course strives to offer its participants a knowledge of key works, genres, and writers from the ancient and early modern world. It also seeks to explore how these works resonated in their own time and place and how they still speak to readers, no matter what their cultural contexts, today.

History (HISS 303)

HISS 303-03 (CRN: 10895): “British Homefront in WWI & WWII”
MWF 13:00-13:50
Professor Grenier

By focusing on the British experience in World War I and World War II, this course will consider the ways in which “home” becomes a “front” in a time of conflict, and the effects upon the civilian population and the roles of government. We will consider the consequences of recruitment campaigns, rationing, military service, attacks on civilian populations, and the loss of loved ones, both in Britain and in the empire, and will explore the variety of ways these experiences changed expectations of what it means to be part of a nation.

Natural Science (NTSS 303)

NTSS 303-02 (CRN: 10527): “Biology, Environment and Law”
MWF 10:00-10:50
Professor Berry

This course explores the relationships between biological systems in the environment, and the environmental laws that regulate them. We will examine the profound influence that environmental laws have on species, ecosystems, and landscapes, and the effects of regulation of air, water, and land in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health. The course begins with an exploration of the legal system, and how it relates to the science of environmental biology. We then consider ecosystems biology, the effects of regulations on plant and animal communities, and the importance of land use regulation on ecosystems. We then explore the specific laws that control pollution of air, water and land, and their effects on natural ecosystems. Finally, we review the influence of international laws and agreements on the health of natural communities.

SCSS 303-02 (CRN: 10655) & SCSS 303-04 (CRN: 10845): “The Right to Have Rights”
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 08:00-09:15
Professor Gonzales

Although they’re regularly mentioned in everyday political conversations, intangible concepts such as ‘citizenship,’ ‘duty,’ and ‘human rights’ can be difficult to describe in a concrete way. For example, although ‘citizenship’ is sometimes summarized as ‘the right to have rights,’ there’s not even a universally accepted definition of what a ‘right’ actually is.

Drawing from multiple disciplines (political science, moral philosophy, international law, etc.), this course aims to develop students’ understanding of contemporary trends and debates in human rights thought, especially as they relate to the concepts of duty and citizenship. Although primarily international in focus, this course will also examine these issues in specifically South Carolinian contexts.

Wellness (304)

English (ENGS 304)

ELES 304-01 (CRN: 10822): “Luna-Tic: Image of the Werewolf”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Farnell

This course will examine the evolution of the werewolf in Western Europe. While the focus will be on werewolf imagery and its perception over the course of human history, namely in France, an emphasis will also be placed on historical, social, and cultural conditions that arose in which the image of the werewolf was cultivated. In this course, you will read a combination of (translated) primary sources and critical articles, as well as watch and review several films / clips / music videos that all focus singularly on the connection(s) between humanity and wolf.

ENGS 304-01 (CRN: 10593): “Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome”
MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Heuston

This course will examine a wide range of written sources (fiction and nonfiction from the Roman Empire to the present) and films that deal with the central issue of the Wellness Strand: how to live a good life. We will read and discuss selections from classic works of nonfiction (including the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, and Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own,), fiction (including Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried), poetry (including poems by Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and William Wordsworth) and films (such as Apocalypse Now, Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, and Little Dieter Needs to Fly) alongside more recent nonfiction texts about facing and overcoming life’s manifold challenges. In addition to developing familiarity with our course texts, students will become familiar with related research on aspects of wellness they can apply to their own lives.

This course will help you hone your skills as a critical viewer and reader who engages with and questions a variety of challenging texts and issues. In addition to the required texts listed above, we will read and view a wide range of critical essays, news articles, and online resources. Many of the texts will require substantial, careful reading and will give us a great deal of provocative material to discuss, so make sure to look ahead in the syllabus and budget sufficient time to read them thoroughly. You will apply your ideas and insights directly to your chosen area of academic interest and/or specialization by developing a semester-long research project in consultation with me. The course will also help you develop your skills as a writer. I will assign short response papers and a longer essay (the culmination of the semester project), all of which will be related to the texts or issues we read, view, and discuss in class.

ENGS 304-02 (CRN: 10594) & ENGS 304-03 (CRN: 10749): “Overcoming Ego for Good”
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Frame

In the first part of this course, we will build an interpretive framework from Karl Jung’s shadow self-theory, connect Jung’s concept of the shadow to behaviors (punishing, placating, projecting, and denying) and emotions (fear, anger, and hatred), apply the interpretive framework to analyze works of literature and film, and evaluate victory over inflated ego as a potential key to healthy maturity, creativity, mindfulness, letting go, and reconciliation. In the second unit of the course, we will construct an interpretive framework from Murray Bowen’s family systems theory, contrast Bowen’s relationship patterns and postures (conflict, distance, pursuit, cutoff, over-functioning/under-functioning reciprocity, triangles, and reactive repetition) with autonomy, equality, and openness as healthy alternatives for managing emotional intensity in relationships, and apply this framework to analyze works of literature and film. In the final phase of the course, we will identify points of intersection between Jung’s and Bowen’s theories, synthesize an integrated framework, and apply this framework to analyze a work of literature.

History (HISS 304)

HISS 304-01 (CRN: 10518), HISS 304-02 (CRN: 11455) & HISS 304-03 (CRN: 11456): “Good Life & Death in Pre-Modern China”
TR 9:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15, TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Knapp

Over the three-thousand years of China’s recorded history, its people have long thought about how to live well and prolong life. Since death was viewed as a continuance of life under slightly different circumstances, Chinese simultaneously pondered how to die well. By reading translated philosophical texts, hagiographies, medical treatises, short stories, and diaries, we will see how one could lead a healthy and meaningful life, and perhaps even cheat death by attaining immortality. By examining death testaments, Buddhist scriptures, and archaeological evidence, such as tombs, grave goods, and excavated documents, students will ascertain how Chinese envisioned death and prepared the deceased for a pleasant existence, or even Buddhahood, in the afterlife.

Natural Science (NTSS 304)

NTSS 304-01 (CRN: 10529), NTSS 304-02 (CRN: 10528) & NTSS 304-03 (CRN: 11264): “Human Diseases”
MWF, 09:00-09:50, MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor A. Gramling

What causes human diseases? In NTSS 304, a wellness strand science course, we will explore the general classifications of the causes of disease as well as investigate the disease processes associated with specific diseases and body systems. We will also explore our body’s defense mechanisms to combat diseases and begin to quantify the prevalence of diseases in multiple populations. The purpose of this course is to present a systematic approach and application to the study of human diseases so that the student will be able to use appropriate terminology to describe diseases 2) understand the mechanism and progression of diseases and 3) understand the appropriate treatment options.

SCSS 304-02 (CRN: 10656): “Sports and Society”
MWF 11:00-11:50
Professor Roof

This course is designed to introduce students to critical analysis of contemporary sports culture in the United States. Students will get an overview of the insights, findings, concepts, and perspectives that are held by a wide variety of interdisciplinary popular culture scholars today. Several prominent areas of sports culture to be studied include: youth, race, gender, religion, and economics.

SCSS 304-03 (CRN: 11465) & SCSS 304-05 (CRN: 11466): “Social Problems“
TR 09:30-10:45, TR 11:00-12:15
Professor McNamara

This course is designed to acquaint students with a fundamental understanding of social problems in American society.

SCSS 304-04 (CRN: 11461): “Nature & Nurture in Psychology“
TR 11:00-12:15
Professor Fernald

This course examines human development (both typical and atypical) through the lens of a developmental psychopathology perspective. More specifically, this course focuses on how biological and environmental forces interact to shape human development. Developmental processes will be examined through a review of current research. Students are provided with an overview of the field of developmental psychopathology, including issues related to etiology, typical and atypical developmental processes, developmental pathways, neuroscience, assessment, and prevention and intervention.

In this course we will investigate the factors that contribute to making us who we are as humans. More specifically, we will examine the interaction between nature (genes) and nurture (environment) in human development. Through readings, discussions, videos, presentations, and other sources we will study the protective factors that help make us resilient, as well as the risk factors that contribute to more negative outcomes.

Sustainability (305)

Elective (ELES 305)

ELES 305-01(CRN: 10671): “Critical Thinking in Sustainability“
TR 09:30-10:45
Professor Ortiz

In this course students will be encouraged to think critically, ask questions, and analyze sustainability issues from multiple angles while considering ethical implications. Students will be actively engaged in real-world projects and decision-making activities. The course will explore the United Nations 2030 agenda, and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “The world community has refined its commitment to sustainable development to ensure sustained and inclusive economic growth, social inclusion, environmental protection and to do so in partnership and peace.

English (ENGS 305)

ENGS 305-01 (CRN: 10750): “Capitalism, Socialism, & Sustainability”
MWF 12:00-12:50
Professor Horan

While corporate capitalism is central to contemporary American culture, this course will examine how distinctly Western conceptions of socialism challenge, inform, and alter our dominant socioeconomic paradigm. We will explore the portrayal of socialism in American speculative literature, including Edward Bellamy’s phenomenally popular Looking Backward (1888), which depicts a non-Marxian socialist future, Jack London’s quasi-Marxian The Iron Heel (1907), and B.F. Skinner’s Walden Two (1948), which delves into the controversial relationship between collectivism and behavioral engineering. We will consider Ayn Rand’s critique of socialism and endorsement of the free market in her dystopian novella Anthem (1938). Finally, through Waubgeshig Rice’s Moon of the Crusted Snow (2018), we will explore how catastrophe can test the viability of a traditionally communal society. Through a series of activities and assignments, you will connect the concepts and concerns raised in this literature to contemporary questions of sociopolitical, economic, and environmental sustainability.

History (HISS 305)

HISS 305-01 (CRN: 11454): “Changing American Landscapes”
TR 13:30-14:45
Professor Mushal

In this course, students will explore changing interactions between American society and the natural world, from pre-contact through the 21st century. From hunting practices to urban planning, agriculture to landscape design, and exploration to automobile tourism, how have people shaped the landscape and environment around them, and how have they been shaped by it? How and why have attitudes toward the landscape and natural resources changed? How has changing technology shaped our relationship to the natural world?

Natural Science (NTSS 305)

NTSS 305-01 (CRN: 10629) & NTSS 305-02 (CRN: 11024): “Foraging Wild Plants”
TR 08:00-09:15, TR 09:30-10:45
Professor J. Gramling

A study of significant topics or problems in the Natural Sciences tied to the specific theme of the strand. Topics to be addressed will be drawn from the academic disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

In Foraging Wild Plants (NTSS 305), students will explore the biology of native plants through the practical application of foraging. Core topics include ecology, evolution, plant identification, systematics, and human nutrition. Students will deepen their understanding of general biology through lectures, interpretive walks, and hands-on activities. Daily in-person participation is required for this course.

SCSS 305-01 (CRN: 11464) & SCSS 305-02 (CRN: 10657): “Sociology & Sustainability”
MWF 10:00-10:50, MWF 09:00-09:50
Professor Roof

This course examines the basic concepts and principles of sociology. A scientific approach to the analysis and explanation of culture, personality, and social organization are emphasized along with the major sociological paradigms along with a heavy emphasis on sustainability issues.