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Courses for this department:
LIB 100 - Introduction to Liberal Education. A study of the nature and importance of liberal education, including the education of the adult free citizen, through extensive reading of classical and modern texts and through examination of the contemporary state of liberal education in the university and society. Fulfills Philosophy and Literature Foundation requuirement. Three credits. Offered every semester.
LIB 300 - Jewish Scriptures and Traditions. Focusing in the textual heritage of Judaism, the ancestor of Islam and Christianity as well as a vibrant religion today, this course explores Jewish traditions and rituals as they originated throughout history and as practiced today in the world's diverse Jewish communities. Part of the Religion theme. Offered alternate years. Prerequisite: A course in philosophy or anthropology, junior standing, or permission of instructor. Three credits.
LIB 310 - Creativity. An examination of human creativity and the nature of the creative process. Characteristics of the creative process in artistic and scientific endeavors. Part of Creativity Theme. Three credits. Offered every other year.
LIB 311 - Meaning. Introduction to concepts related to the construction, expression, propagation and understanding of meaning in a diverse society. Emphasis on multidisciplinary perspectives underpinning authentic individual and/or collective agency per dialogue, democracy, and other critical forms of praxis. Part of Perception Theme. Three credits. Offered once or twice a year, depending on demand.
LIB 312 - Dialogue, Integration and Action. An interdisciplinary examination of the basic interpretations of dialogue in a diverse world. This course engages the theory and practice of dialogue through personal reflection, integration, and action. Students develop this relational art for personal, professional and civic lives, and understand its implication for the possibility of a democratic life. Three credits. Offered every year.
LIB 314 - Life Journey. A study engaging the perspectives of the humanities on life development from childhood to old age as found in literature and other expressions of various cultures such as mythology, philosophy, art, film, and music. Part of Human Journey theme. SWS. Three credits. Offered every semester.
LIB 320 - Social Autobiography in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. An inquiry, through reading and writing, into the dynamics of cultural change and personal development in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement through the genres of biography and social autobiography. Part of the Civil and Human Rights Movement Theme and fulfills U.S. Diversity requirement. Three credits. Offered every other year.
LIB 325 - Understanding the Gay Life Cycle. A study of the gay life cycle focusing on issues of identity, relationships, and society. Issues are examined through the use of literature, movies, and guest speakers. Students become aware of similarities and differences between homosexual and heterosexual lifestyles. Part of Gender, Society and Culture Theme. Three credits. Offered every semester.
LIB 330 - The Idea of Nature. An historical and cross-cultural examination of how nature has been interpreted by science, philosophy, religion, literature, and art. Part of Earth and Environment theme. Three credits. Offered winter semester.
LIB 331 - Person and Profession. A study in various professions of the relationship between the person and her/his working life as portrayed in literature, film, art, and social analysis, with special attention to the growth of the idea of profession and professionalism among other concepts of work. Three credits. Offered every other year.
LIB 335 - Scriptures as Literature. A comparative study of Scriptures as literary masterpieces that shape and influence their respective cultural expressions and literary traditions. Readings include Scriptures from major world religions such as The Dhammapada, The LotusSutra, The Rig Veda, Upanishad, The Bible, The Koran, and Tao Te Ching. Part of Religion Theme and fulfills the World Perspectives requirement. Three credits. Offered fall semester.
LIB 340 - Utopias: Ideal Worlds. Is freedom really life without external social constraints, or is it unattainable unless we accept some amount of societal control over our actions? This course reviews several utopias and dystopias -- some real, some fictional -- to probe the proper balance between freedom and both formal and informal means of social control. Part of Freedom and Social Control theme. Three credits. Offered fall semester.
LIB 345 - War in the Nuclear Age. Interdisciplinary survey of the history and culture of the nuclear age. Exploration of how the development of nuclear weapons and the possibility of nuclear war have influenced relations between nations, shaped the U.S. domestic agenda, and profoundly transformed the lives of individuals. Part of the War and Peace Theme. Three credits. Offered fall semester.
LIB 350 - The Immigrant Experience in the U.S. This study of immigrant groups in the United States will focus on the marginalized experience of people who have moved from their home cultures, how they have adapted to the new world, and how this experience has helped shape U.S. culture. Emphasis on the fine arts, literature, biography, film, history, and sociology. Concentration on at least two cultures, one non-European. Part of the Marginality and Difference Theme and fulfills U.S. Diversity requirement. Offered fall semester.
LIB 370 - Universities: History, Function, Future. An examination of the changing role of universities in American and non-American societies. Examines the evolution of the university since the 12th century, debates over the proper mission of the university, characteristic aspects of academic culture, and contemporary controversies about the problems and the future of higher education. Offered every other year. SWS. Three credits.
LIB 373 - American Society and Mass Culture. Interdisciplinary approach to how mediated mass culture, including film, television, and popular music, create meaning for people in contemporary American society. Emphasis on the interactive relationship between the mass audience and mass culture. Part of Society and the Media theme. Three credits. Offered every year.
LIB 380 - Topics in Liberal Studies. A variable topics course emphasizing the practice of liberal studies in relation to a contemporary problem, issue, or theme. Three credits. May be repeated for credit.
LIB 399 - Independent Reading. A scholarly or creative project initiated by the student who has a special interest in a subject not available in the current curriculum. Student, faculty, and advisors agree on the scope of the study, its components, and methods of evaluation. Variable credit. Offered every semester.
LIB 400 - Visionary Thinkers. A variable topics course that focuses on the life and work of a significant contributor to our culture. Figures in the past have included Aristotle, George Orwell, Hannah Arendt, Jean-Paul Sartre, Henry Thoreau, Enrico Fermi, Virginia Woolf, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Richard Feynman. Three credits. May be repeated for credit. Offered once a year.
LIB 401 - Visionary Thinkers in the American Mosaic. A variable topics course that focuses on the life and work of a significant contributor to the American mosaic and thereby the United States' vision of diversity. Part of the American Mosaic Theme and fulfills the U.S. Diversity requirement. Figures in the past have included Martin Luther King, Jr., Louise Erdrich, Jim Harrison and others. Three credits. May be repeated for credit. Offered once a year.
LIB 480 - Annual Synoptic Lecture Series. Features a person who has done significant work in several areas and whose life and career we can usefully study. Students meet in discussion groups before and after lecturers visit. One credit. May be repeated for credit. Offered winter semester.
LIB 490 - Internship. A supervised work experience through which students can relate liberal studies principles, academic work, and practice. Student, faculty, and advisors agree on the scope of the study, its components, and methods of evaluation. Prerequisite: Senior standing and a 3.0 GPA in the major. Variable credit. Offered every semester.
LIB 491 - Practicum. Three or more hours a week of applying liberal studies principles in a public or community setting. This might take the form of a case study, field involvement, or conference attendance and should result in a statement evaluating the theory and practice of the liberal studies. Variable credit. Offered every semester.
LIB 495 - Senior Seminar (Capstone). Students will contrast classical and contemporary statements on liberal education in relation to the principles and core courses on which the program rests. Students will develop and present their senior theses. Three credits. Offered winter semester.
LIB 499 - Independent Research. Independent research and investigation from an interdisciplinary perspective. Variable credit. Offered every semester.
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