WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing
INT 100 - Reflect, Connect, Engage

This pair of courses explores the life of the mind while encouraging students to exercise their own voices and play proactive roles in their education. In addition to reflection, the readings and course content inspire engagement through co-curricular experiences. We will tackle the “big questions” that surround education: Why should anyone go to college? What should students learn? How do they learn? As we grapple with these questions, we will apply this theory to practice. In other words, we will “think about our thinking” while we engage in discussion and writing processes that happen on and off the page. Students should expect to extend concepts from INT 100 and WRT 150 to all other college experiences and beyond.

Professors: Rori Meyer, WRT 150; Justin Pettibone, INT 100

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Writing
• Foundations: Philosophy & Literature

WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing
INT 100 - Reflect, Connect, Engage

A growing body of literature indicates that humans are more alienated from nature than ever before. In the last 20 years the desire to spend time outdoors has diminished despite the reported mental and physical benefits of being in the natural world. Research suggests that this separation has weakened citizen’s ecological literacy and stewardship towards the environment. By exploring and reflecting on Grand Valley State University’s natural surroundings, we will enhance our knowledge of ecosystems, examine controversial topics in nature on a deeper, philosophical level, and gain a greater sense of place. 

Professors:  Darien Ripple, INT 100; Dauvan Mulally, WRT 150

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Writing
• Foundations: Philosophy & Literature

PLS 102 - American Government and Politics
SOC 105 - Social Problems

Explore sociology and political science from the unique perspective of course pairing! During this experience, we will examine the fundamentals of American Government within the context of modern societal inequities including race, gender and class. Through discussions of topics ranging from criminal justice and the education system to war and terror, we will examine critical contemporary issues and how they are and could be addressed within the political system.

Professors: Laura Schneider, PLS 102; Rachel Campbell, SOC 105

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Social & Behavioral Sciences (2)
• Cultures: US Diversity

HST 103 - Introduction to American Civilizations
ENG 100 - Reading for College

This pair of courses will explore common people’s history and current events to understand what is lost in much of our current content. Students will take a bottom-to-top view of American history and current events, examining a variety of primary and secondary sources from different periods, as well as examining various academic perspectives on the contemporary issues stemming from these histories. Students will learn how to read critically, with deeper comprehension, and more efficiency, as well as write persuasively and clearly to make an argument.

Professors: Scott Stabler, HST 103; Roy Black, ENG 100

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Historical Analysis
• Cultures: US Diversity 

ENG 105 - Literatures in English
CLA 131 - Roman Civilization 

This linked course offers a comparative framework for imaginatively exploring and thinking about historical and contemporary relations with the more-than-human environment. During our time together, we’ll work with a diverse range of literary, philosophical, and scientific texts—from ancient Roman society to ours—that ponder the extraordinary, complex, and fragile links between humans and the web of planetary life. Like us, the Romans contended with an array of environmental problems, including plague, and changing climates. What resilience strategies did ancient Romans develop in response to these challenges? How might their responses inspire us to take better care of each other and the planet? We will explore these and other fascinating questions to consider what the study of ancient Rome and the environment can offer us in the face of our contemporary ecological crises.

Professors: Brian Deyo, ENG 105; Charles Ham, CLA 131

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Historical Analysis
• Foundations: Philosophy and Literature

REL 100 -Religions of the World
ITC 100 - Introduction to Intercultural Competence

How are a person's religion and identity connected?  How does this connection affect how a person experiences the world? This course pairing will delve into how religion is lived and impacts a person's identity.  Students will examine how religion intersects with other aspects of identity, such as class, sexuality, and race, to develop a sense of self. These courses will look back at historical shifts and analyze current issues connected to religion and culture.

Professors: Marie Burnside, Jackia Marie

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Cultures: Global Perspectives, U.S. Diversity
• Foundations: Social and Behavioral Sciences

DS 201 - Digital Identities and Communication
WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing

This pair of courses explore the role and future of technology. The courses will encourage students to interact with and use technology to reflect on and evaluate their digital identities and their involvement in digital communities. Students will encounter a range of digital artifacts and texts to grapple with how power relations are shaped through digital devices and by the plans for the future of technology companies. We will address questions like: "How will technology affect our future professional lives? How can our involvement in different digital communities shape our approaches to citizenship and civic participation? How do social media platforms shape our sense of self and our ability to build lasting, meaningful communities? Amid looming threats to democracy and the climate, how can we redirect technology to safeguard a sustainable future?”

Professors: Joseph DeLeon, DS 201; Aiman Mueller WRT 150

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Foundations: Writing
• Foundations: Social and Behavioral Sciences