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Curriculum 2007-2008
Fall 2007
Three-Credit Honors Courses
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Department: |
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Anthropology |
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Instructor: |
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Gail Landsman |
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Course: |
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Making Babies: Anthropologists Look at
New Reproductive Technologies (A ANT 266H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 1:15-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: New
reproductive technologies are not only influential
in transforming the experience of procreation for
individuals, but they both validate and challenge
culturally constructed notions of kinship, identity,
self, and personhood. Thus they speak to some of the
most basic issues in the field of anthropology,
involving debate over our very definitions of what
it means to be human.
In this class we ask: What are the implications of
living in a society in which it is possible to think
of procreation, in Strathern's words, as "subject to
personal preference and choice in a way that has
never before been conceivable"? How does, or might,
widespread use of prenatal testing affect decisions
regarding conception and/or abortion in various
cultures? What does it mean for definitions of
parenthood and women's bodies if children can be
"produced" through "donated" eggs and/or "rented"
wombs? Are we moving towards women's empowerment or
the new eugenics? Taking a cross-cultural approach,
we will critically examine anthropological
scholarship on new and emerging reproductive
technologies.
The format of course will include lecture, class
discussion, and films. Requirements for the course
include a semester-long project tracking media
coverage of new reproductive technologies
(incorporating books and scholarly articles for a
comparative analysis).
For more information about Professor Landsman,
please visit:
http://www.albany.edu/anthro/fac/landsman.htm
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Department: |
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Chemistry |
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Instructor: |
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Lawrence Snyder |
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Course: |
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Chemical Principles I: Advanced
General Chemistry I (A CHM 130H) |
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Meeting: |
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There are two sections of A CHM 130H scheduled for fall
2007.
MWF 9:20-10:15 a.m.
MWF 10:25-11:20 a.m. |
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Description: Energy,
enthalpy, thermochemistry, quantum mechanics and
atomic theory, general concepts of bonding, covalent
bonding and orbitals, gases, liquids, and solids.
Only one of A CHM 120 and A CHM 130H may be taken
for credit.
Prerequisite(s): One year of high school chemistry
and one year of high school physics or concurrent
enrollment in college physics. Students will also be
required to pass a test to assess their knowledge of
chemistry fundamentals on the first day of classes.
Those not passing the test will be advised to enroll
in A CHM 120.
Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences
For more information about Professor Snyder, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/chemistry/lsnyder.shtml
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Department: |
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English |
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Instructor: |
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Judith Barlow |
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Course: |
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Growing Up in America (A ENG 240H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 10:15-11:35 a.m. |
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Description: Growing Up in
America is designed to introduce students to
writings by members of marginalized groups whose
voices are rarely heard in our society in general
and our classrooms in particular. By reading works
by and about Native Americans, African Americans,
Asian Americans, the rural poor, recent immigrants,
the urban homeless, gays, lesbians, transsexuals,
and/or the differently abled, we will learn about
the richness and diversity of our society as well as
how society treats those who don't fit our
arbitrarily defined ideal. These writings are
particularly important because they focus on the
experiences of children, the most vulnerable members
of our culture. Given that the family is in many
ways a microcosm of the larger society, we will also
be looking at the interrelations among societal
values, familial experiences and individual
characteristics. Equally important, we will learn
not only that different people in our country grow
up in different worlds but that their very ways of
seeing differ depending on ethnicity, race, gender,
etc. The languages and narrative devices the writers
use as well as the implied relationship between
writers and readers will also be addressed. In the
course of our discussions we will be examining such
popular terms as "the American dream," "family
values," "the melting pot" and "equal opportunity" -
terms that have widely varied meanings for different
groups. Last but not least, we will discuss how we
can begin to appreciate the diversity reflected in
these works and remedy the societal inequities
revealed by many of the writers.
The format of the course includes classroom
discussions, group presentations, and small group
discussions. Assignments will include two papers.
One paper may be a creative work or a research
paper. The second paper will be based on small group
discussions and reflect the diversity of opinions
within the group. There will also be a brief midterm
and a final examination, both of which will rely
primarily on essay questions.
Gen. Ed.: U.S. Diversity and Pluralism
For more information about Professor Barlow, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/english/faculty/barlow_j.html
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Department: |
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Environmental Science |
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Instructor: |
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John Delano |
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Course: |
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Dinosaurs in Jurassic Environments (A
ENV 175H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 1:40-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: While the
skeletons of animals provide important insights
about dead individuals (e.g., size, appearance),
footprints convey quantitative information about
living animals. At what speed did they travel? Did
they travel in social packs, or as solitary
individuals? What was the geometrical and structural
relationship between the hip and knee (e.g.,
sprawling like alligators and lizards versus upright
like modern birds) indicated by the observed
footprints? What activity were they engaged in when
the footprints were made? What kind of environments
did these theropod dinosaurs inhabit? Could these
dinosaurs swim?
Students will conduct analysis of dinosaur
footprints, and the geochemistry of the Jurassic
sediments that contain them, to infer mechanical and
behavioral aspects of theropod dinosaurs, and the
Jurassic environments in which those dinosaurs
lived. Two field trips to dinosaur footprint
localities in Massachusetts and Connecticut occur
during the semester to collect data that provide the
basis for two 15-page papers.
Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences
For more information about Professor Delano, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/geosciences/jdelano.html
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Department: |
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Geography and Chinese Studies |
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Instructor: |
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Christopher Smith |
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Course: |
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Reform & Resistance in Contemporary
China (A GOG/EAC 230H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 2:45-4:05 p.m. |
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Description: The course
provides a survey of economic and social change in
reform-era China (1978-present), beginning with a
broad review of the policies that have brought about
such a monumental restructuring of the economy. In
the later sections of the class, discussion will
focus on the human impacts of the reforms and the
extent to which the Chinese people have been
constrained in their struggles for a better life and
a more just and equitable society. Readings and
materials from other media (e.g., contemporary film)
will be used to illustrate some of the ways the
Chinese people have been exerting agency in shaping
their own fate and resisting the inevitable forces
that seem likely to overwhelm them in the new era of
free-wheeling capitalism.
Classroom discussions will focus on specific case
studies of resistance drawn from a variety of sites
and a range of contexts in contemporary China, which
will be discussed and analyzed in the context of
social science theories about the nature of
resistance and its outcomes. Students will be
required to read in advance of each class and will
be tested on the readings, either with a mini-quiz,
or in the context of discussion group topics. Two
examinations, both with a short essay answer format,
will be given, and a research paper on a
pre-determined topic related to the course content
will be assigned. This class is offered as part of
the Fall 2007 China Semester.
Gen. Ed.: Social Sciences; Regions Beyond Europe
For more information about Professor Smith, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/gp/people/faculty/pages/smith/smith.html
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Department: |
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History |
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Instructor: |
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Ronald Berger |
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Course: |
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Modern Western Civilization II: A
Multidisciplinary Approach (A HIS 131H) |
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Meeting: |
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MW 2:45-4:05 p.m. |
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Description: Many
introductory courses take a single-discipline
approach to a subject. For example, in history a
chronological analysis of historical events is
usually the preferred mode. This method often
neglects the ways that theory can help us explain
the causes of historical phenomena. In this course
we will employ a multi-disciplinary approach. We
will, for example, explore the way writers dealt
with specific historical issues, not only how they
portrayed those events but how they created
narratives or stories to describe and understand
those events. We will also examine the suggestion
that only by writing history, stories in which
characters and trends interact in a setting of
conflict, can one comprehend complex historical
events. In addition, we will use material from art
history and music to analyze historical issues such
as the relationship between historical and cultural
change Assignments for the course include a mid-term
essay, a final paper, and several brief writing
assignments. Visits to local museums and archives
will take place if possible.
Gen. Ed.: Europe; Writing Intensive
For more information about Professor Berger, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/history/faculty.html
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Department: |
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Journalism |
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Instructor: |
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Thomas Bass |
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Course: |
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Visual Culture (A JRL 220H) |
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Meeting: |
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W 7:15-10:05 p.m. |
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Description: This course
explores the increasing dominance of visual media in
contemporary life. It examines how traditional
narrative forms of story-telling are being replaced
by visual forms of story-telling in journalism,
films, television, the internet, video games, anime,
graphic novels, advertising, and public relations.
The course is designed to teach students how to "read" visual culture and develop a critical
awareness of contemporary media and practices.
The format of the course includes discussion,
student presentations, field trips, and other
hands-on projects. Students will be required to
complete weekly writing assignments and a final
project involving original research or creative
work.
Gen. Ed.: Arts
For more information about Professor Bass, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/english/faculty/bass_t.html
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Department: |
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Languages, Literatures, and Cultures |
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Instructor: |
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Brett Bowles |
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Course: |
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European Cinema and Society (A LLC
275H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 1:15-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: This course
explores the symbiotic evolution of European cinema
and society from the silent era through the present,
focusing on representative films from France, Italy,
Germany, Spain, and the Soviet Union/Russia. We will
approach film not only as an art form whose
stylistic and technological dimensions have shifted
over the past century, but also as a collective
representation that provides insight into social,
political, and cultural issues. We will also
investigate how cinema has shaped national
identities and promoted both international
competition and collaboration. In so doing, our
study of film will naturally open onto a variety of
other disciplines, such as history, psychology,
sociology, political science, and gender studies.
The course will be taught in a collaborative format
emphasizing discussion and student-centered learning
through round-table discussions and group analysis
of film sequences. Working in pairs, students will
regularly be asked to lead class discussions and
sequence analyses. Assignments will include several
class presentations using multi-media technology,
short reaction papers, and a longer research paper.
Gen. Ed.: Arts OR Humanties; Europe
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Department: |
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Mathematics and Statistics |
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Instructor: |
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R. Michael Range |
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Course: |
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Honors Calculus I (A MAT 118H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 1:15-2:35 and M 1:40-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: Honors version
of first-semester calculus. Same topics as A MAT
112, but topics are covered in greater depth. This
course is for students with more than average
ability and more than average interest in
mathematics. Students with a strong interest in
mathematics or the physical sciences should consider
taking A MAT 118 instead of A MAT 112. A MAT 118
substitutes for A MAT 112 toward the prerequisite in
any course. Only one of A MAT 112 & 118 may be taken
for credit.
Prerequisite(s): Three years of secondary school
mathematics and permission of the instructor.
Gen. Ed.: Mathematics and Statistics
For more information about Professor Range, please
visit:
http://www.math.albany.edu/~range/
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Department: |
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Mathematics and Statistics |
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Instructor: |
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Martin Hildebrand |
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Course: |
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Honors Calculus II (A MAT 119H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 10:25-11:20 a.m. and T 10:15-11:10 a.m. |
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Description: Honors version
of second-semester calculus. Same topics as A MAT
113, but topics are covered in greater depth. For
students with more than average ability and more
than average interest in mathematics. Students with
a strong interest in mathematics or the physical
sciences should consider taking A MAT 119H instead
of A MAT 113. A MAT 119H substitutes for A MAT 113
toward the prerequisite in any course. Only one of A
MAT 113 & 119H may be taken for credit.
Prerequisite(s): A MAT 118, a grade of A in A MAT
112, or permission of the instructor.
For more information about Professor Hildebrand,
please visit:
http://www.math.albany.edu/~martinhi/
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Department: |
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Mathematics and Statistics |
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Instructor: |
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Steven Plotnick |
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Course: |
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Honors Calculus of Several Variables
(A MAT 214H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 1:40-2:35 p.m. and M 2:35-3:30 p.m. |
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Description: Curves and
vectors in the plane, geometry of three-dimensional
space, vector functions in three-space, partial
derivatives, multiple integrals, line and surface
integrals.
Prerequisite(s): A MAT 113 or 119H.
For more information about Professor Plotnick,
please visit:
http://www.math.albany.edu/people.htm
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Department: |
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Music |
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Instructor: |
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Nancy Newman |
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Course: |
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American Music (A MUS 214H) |
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Meeting: |
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11:45 a.m.-1:05 p.m |
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Description: This course
surveys the history of music in the United States
through the prism of the nation's most persistent
cultural issue, race relations. From the earliest
transatlantic contacts to the present day,
music-making is viewed as a complex response to both
inherited traditions and a changing environment. The
major periods of American history-from the colonial
and antebellum eras through our own age of
mass-mediation-provide a framework for investigating
the relationship between individual creative
endeavors and broad cultural forces.
The course begins by examining the diverse musical
heritages of Europe and Africa, the transmission and
adaptation of Christianity in the New World, and key
forms of secular music, including minstrelsy and
opera. We will consider compositional responses to
the American experience, such as Stephen Foster's "Camptown
Races" and Louis Moreau Gottschalk's virtuoso piano
solo, "The Banjo." The second half of the semester
traces the commodification of music through the
publishing and recording industries, vernacular
genres such as blues and folk, and the emergence of
a distinctively American art music. Throughout the
course, emphasis is placed on informed listening
through demonstrations of the elements that define
style and genre.
Students will be responsible for several short
presentations based on reading and listening
assignments. The course will culminate with each
student producing an independent research project
developed through a topic proposal, bibliography,
presentation of work-in-progress (with group
feedback), and formal oral and written
presentations.
Gen. Ed.: Arts
For more information about Professor Newman, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/music/faculty2.html
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Department: |
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Physics |
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Instructor: |
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William Lanford |
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Course: |
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Honors Physics I: Mechanics (A PHY
141H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 11:30 a.m-12:25 p.m. |
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Description: Course content
will follow A PHY 140. However, topics will be
covered in more depth and at a somewhat more
advanced level. Students with a strong interest in
physical sciences should consider taking A PHY 141
instead of A PHY 140. Only one of A PHY 140 or 141
may be taken for credit. Offered in fall semester
only.
Prerequisite(s): A MAT 111 or 112 or 118.
Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences
For more information about Professor Lanford, please
visit :
http://www.albany.edu/physics/bill_lanford.htm
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Department: |
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Psychology |
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Instructor: |
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Robert Rosellini |
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Course: |
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Advanced Introduction to Psychology (A
PSY 102H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 1:15-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: This course
explores in greater detail than in A PSY 101 the
basic methods and points of view in the scientific
study of human behavior. Topics include biological
bases of behavior, personality organization,
intelligence, motivation, emotions, learning, and
social relations. Lectures are supplemented with
multimedia presentations and laboratory-data
collection experiences. To gain further expertise in
the research process in psychology, students are
required to read original experimental work on a
topic chosen in consultation with the professor, and
to write a 10-page summary and critical review of
this work. Only one of A PSY 101 or 102 may be taken
for credit.
Gen. Ed.: Social Science
For more information about Professor Rosellini,
please visit:
http://www.albany.edu/psy/rosellini.html
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Department: |
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Women's Studies |
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Instructor: |
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Janell Hobson |
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Course: |
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Women and the Media (A WSS 281H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 11:45-1:05 |
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Description: This course
will examine the intersections of race, gender,
class, nationality, sexuality, and (dis)ability and
how they shape representations of women in mass
media and popular culture. We will explore the local
and global arenas in which "culture" is produced and
consider women's representations (and realities) in
and outside of diverse media scenes. We will also
learn to research and analyze these various media
sources. Most importantly, we will produce creative
media projects to examine such representations and
challenge issues of sexual objectification and
dominance.
The format of the course incorporates class
discussion, lectures, group work,
participant-observation of media in students' daily
lives, and media workshops on digital media
productions. Students will complete specific
assignments requiring primary research of media
sources and applied theories to their media
analysis. They will also work on a larger media
project that challenges conventional representations
of women in the media or engages in the activist
work of independent and/or community media. The
project may be creative work or involve
volunteer/community work throughout the semester at
a local media organization. A presentation of the
project is expected on the last day of class.
Gen. Ed.:
Information Literacy
For more information about Professor Hobson, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/ws/hobson.html
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Department: |
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Accounting |
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Instructor: |
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Ingrid Fisher |
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Course: |
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Information Systems Analysis, Design,
and Implementation for Community-based Organizations
(B ACC 200H) |
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Meeting: |
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MW 4:15-5:35 |
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Description: This course
will familiarize students with the concepts and
tools relevant to the analysis, design,
implementation and monitoring of information systems
in the contemporary environment of both
not-for-profit and for-profit enterprises. Students
will be introduced to the flow of information from
origination to utilization. A particular emphasis is
placed upon electronic means of communication and
the impact of the Internet on information form and
flow as well as the unique challenges information
technology imposes upon a business's internal
control functions surrounding the integrity, privacy
and security of information.
The course is designed for students with career
interests in many fields, not only business. Most
disciplines and careers depend upon the capture,
storage, retrieval, utilization and security of
information. Information is widely recognized as one
of current organizations' most valuable assets.
Consequently, all students in The Honors College may
benefit from this course.
Students will complete an integrated group project
(prepared in teams of 3-4 persons) prepared for
either a community-based not-for-profit or a local
small business enterprise. Students will meet with
representatives of a local enterprise and: (1)
determine what information need they can best meet
for the enterprise, (2) design the information
solution, (3) implement the solution, and (4)
present the solution to the representatives of the
enterprise. Throughout the process, the teams will
keep a log documenting their external communications
with the enterprise as well as their internal
communications at team meetings.
The course will involve lecture, demonstration and
discussion of technical tools, over the first two
months of the course. The final month of the course
will involve regular team meetings (between team
members, with the instructor, and with the client).
Gen. Ed.: Information Literacy; Writing
Intensive
For more information about Professor Fisher, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/business/about/faculty/fisher.html
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Department: |
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Political Science |
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Instructor: |
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Thomas Church |
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Course: |
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Law, Courts, & Politics (R POS 230H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 10:15-11:35 a.m. |
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Description: This course
will examine how law, courts, and politics are
related in the American system of government. Major
topics will include the role of lawyers in the legal
system, and the functioning of both tort law and
criminal law. Reading will include a wide variety of
materials, including court cases, statutes, journal
articles, scholarly books, and in-depth case studies
of a major mass tort case and a criminal case.
Course requirements will include several writing
assignments (with opportunities to rewrite papers).
The format of the class will emphasize class
discussion of assigned materials and discussion on
the course's electronic reserve website.
Gen. Ed.: Writing Intensive
For more information about Professor Church, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/pos/faculty_2/church.htm
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Department: |
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Political Science |
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Instructor: |
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Victor Asal and Barbara Wilkinson |
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Course: |
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Research & Methods in Political
Science (R POS 250H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 9:20-10:15 a.m. |
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Description: This course is
designed to equip students with the tools for doing
original research in the social sciences - in
particular, political science - and to provide them
with a guided opportunity to do such research.
The course is structured to teach students the
basics of social science research: research design,
literature review techniques, data collection,
qualitative and quantitative methods, and report
writing. The students will apply their knowledge to
working on a larger project with the professors, and
on team research projects of their own design.
Students will also present their findings orally.
The course is structured with multiple assignments
that will give students an opportunity to practice
their practical research skills in the relatively
short time frame of a semester. By the end of the
course students will: construct a political science
research design, carry out a literature review,
collect data, analyze the data, write the report,
and have a sense of whether they would like to
pursue research as a career. In order to achieve
these ambitious goals, a great deal of effort both
on the part of the students and faculty will have to
be put into the class.
The course will be taught in seminar and workshop
fashion, with intensive individual instruction.
Assignments for the course include a prospectus and
annotated bibliography, oral presentations, and
20-page final team paper.
Gen. Ed.: Information Literacy; Oral Discourse
For more information about Professor Asal, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/pos/faculty_2/asal.htm
For more information about Professor Wilkinson,
please visit:
http://www.albany.edu/cetl/about/barbara.html
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Department: |
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Public Administration and Policy |
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Instructor: |
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David McCaffrey |
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Course: |
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Introduction to Public Policy (R PUB
140H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 11:45-1:05 |
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Description: The study of
public policy is the study of how society deals with
issues in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors
through government, affecting all of us
individually. Intelligent individuals usually have
different opinions about the appropriate and best
actions regarding related questions. Cultural,
social, psychological, economic, and political
conditions shape the resulting discussions and
outcomes. People who understand these debates and
processes can analyze public policy, support their
own points of view, and respond to relevant
information and experience more effectively. This
course will examine the intellectual and social
structure of these debates.
In addition to participating in general class
readings and discussions, students will examine
these issues through a research paper and formal
presentation to the class on a topic in which they
have a deep personal interest. The course will
combine lectures, class discussions, and one-on-one
consultation with students.
Gen. Ed.: Social Sciences; Writing Intensive; Oral Discourse
For more information about Professor McCaffrey,
please visit:
http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/pad/faculty_1/mccaffrey.htm
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Courses with One-Credit Honors Discussion Sections
Some large lecture courses offer an honors discussion section. All students attend the weekly lectures; honors students then attend the honors discussion section. In some of these courses, all students attend a discussion section and the honors students attend a section that is comprised of only honors students. In other courses, a discussion section is provided only for honors students.
Department: |
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Political Science |
Instructor: |
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Bruce Miroff |
Course: |
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American Politics (R POS 101Y) |
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TTH 11:45-1:05 |
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Description: Political Science 101Y is a survey of American Politics. It takes a broad and critical look at the American political system, including the Constitution, political values, political institutions, political behavior, and citizen engagement.
Students will take two midterms and a final exam, participate in three or more debates and write short papers on them, and engage in discussions in weeks without debates.
Students will earn 4 credits for their participation in R POS 101Y - three non-honors credits for the lecture component and one honors credit for the discussion section |
Gen. Ed.: Social Sciences; U.S. Historical Perspectives
Honors Discussion Section: R POS 105H
Time: F 2:45-3:40 p.m.
Discussion Section Description: We will cover the major topics in the course through discussions and structured debates. The honors section will read two additional books, one comparing the American political system to other democracies and the other discussing the crisis in civic engagement in America. Honors students will also write two additional short papers, one on each of the books specially assigned for the honors section.
In order to sign up for R POS 101Y, it is necessary to register for a discussion section. Honors students must first register for the discussion section for R POS 101Y marked "Honors College students only" in the schedule of classes; signing up for that will get students into the proper discussion section and the lecture. Once students have signed up for the discussion section, the student is automatically registered for the lecture section. Honors students will then register for Honors Tutorial (R POS 105H).
Students will earn 4 credits for their participation in R POS 101Y - three non-honors credits for the lecture component and one honors credit for the discussion section. The discussion section will be led by the professor teaching R POS 101Y.
For more information about Professor Miroff, please visit: http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/pos/faculty_2/miroff.htm
Department: |
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Political Science |
Instructor: |
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David Rousseau |
Course: |
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Comparative and International Politics (R POS 102H) |
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MWF 10:25-11:20 a.m. |
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Description: This course is designed to introduce students to theories of comparative and international politics and to survey the contemporary international system. It will begin with an overview of the major theoretical visions of international relations and a survey of important historical periods. We will then use these theoretical lenses to examine major international events and issues confronting states in the international system today. Topics will include the emergence of the Cold War, the breakdown of the Soviet Union, the rise of the European Union, the spread of nuclear weapons, the impact of nationalism, the economic development of Third World states, the impact of international trade, the violation of human rights, and the degradation of the global environmental.
Requirements will include weekly reading quizzes, three short written assignments, student debates, a midterm exam, and a final exam.
Students will earn 4 credits for their participation in R POS 102H - three non-honors credits for the lecture component and one honors credit for the discussion section |
Gen. Ed.: Global and Cross-Cultural Studies; Social Sciences
Honors Discussion Section: R POS 105H |
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Description: Students will practice debates on a wide variety of issues in the discussion section and participate in an hour-long debate in front of the entire R POS 102 class.
In order to sign up for R POS 102H, it is necessary to register for a discussion section. Honors students must first register for the discussion section for R POS 102H marked "Honors College students only" in the schedule of classes; signing up for that will get students into the proper discussion section and the lecture. Once students have signed up for the discussion section, the student is automatically registered for the lecture section. Honors students will then register for Honors Tutorial (R POS 105H).
Students will earn 4 credits for their participation in R POS 102H - three non-honors credits for the lecture component and one honors credit for the discussion section. The discussion section will be led by the professor teaching R POS 102H.
For more information about Professor Rousseau, please visit: http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/pos/faculty_2/rousseau.htm
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Spring 2008
Class times and General Education Requirements are tentative. More specific information available in October 2007.
Three-Credit Honors Courses
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Department: |
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Anthropology |
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Instructor: |
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John Justeson |
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Course: |
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Lost Languages & Ancient Scripts (A
ANT 124H/197H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 4:15-5:35 p.m. |
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Description: This course
traces the origin and evolution of writing systems
from their earliest precursors up through those of
the modern world. It is organized around a series of
puzzles that will guide participants through the
processes of discovery and decipherment that led to
our current understanding of writing systems. About
half of the course is devoted to small-group
workshops in which participants get hands-on
experience working together on problems in
decipherment. The broader goal of the course is
learn how to do problem solving generally, using
specific procedures and ways of thinking that can be
applied in any discipline.
The format of the course incorporates data analysis
workshops and lecture-discussion sessions. Writing
assignments will be given as a component of in-class
workshops. Near the end of the course, the
participants are given a substantial data set on an
undeciphered script, and an abbreviated workshop is
held to facilitate thinking on this problem.
Participants write full-scale term paper on this
script.
Gen. Ed.: Writing Intensive; Social Sciences; Humanities.
For more information about Professor Justeson,
please visit:
http://www.albany.edu/anthro/fac/justeson.htm
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Department: |
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Chemistry |
Instructor: |
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Lawrence Snyder |
Course: |
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Chemical Principles II: Advanced General Chemistry II (A CHM 131H) |
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MWF 9:20-10:15 a.m. |
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Description: Chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, spontaneity, entropy, free energy, electrochemistry, transition metals, coordination chemistry, organic and biochemical molecules. Only one of A CHM 121 and A CHM 131H may be taken for credit.
Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences
Prerequisite(s): A CHM 130H.
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Department: |
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Classics |
Instructor: |
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Michael Werner |
Course: |
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Imperialism and the Defense of the Roman Empire (A CLA 250H) |
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MW 4:15-5:35 |
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The central theme of the course will be Roman imperialism as it was manifested in the acquisition, maintenance and defense of a geographically extensive, multi-ethnic Mediterranean empire which endured for more than 500 years. Although background materials in Roman studies will be provided, the development of the thematic study will be accomplished through a specific regional examination of the historical data and archaeological remains pertaining to the Roman provincial capital and legionary base at Viminacium on the northern frontier of the Roman empire. The course is intended to provide an introduction to the study of ancient history and Roman civilization through the analysis of ancient texts and archaeological evidence. Interpretations of primary evidence will be presented through the works of modern scholars in the discipline. Students will engage in research during the semester in three areas: analysis and interpretation of translated ancient opinions on imperialism, warfare and colonialism; response to modern authors on the same Roman subjects; presentation of a research project on some aspect of Roman archaeology which can inform on the spread of Roman culture (acculturation and ethnic identification as part of the Romanization process). Disciplinary methodologies in both historical and archaeological research will be emphasized.
General Education: Humanities; Arts; Europe
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Department: |
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East Asian Studies |
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Instructor: |
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Charles Hartman |
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Course: |
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Traditional China and Its Modern Fate (A EAS 105H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 5:45-7:05 |
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Description: The transition from tradition to modernity occurs
in every society, always with drastic social, economic, and political transformations. In
China, this process began in the nineteenth century and continues to this day. Readings and
class discussion will focus on the basic tenants of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism and
on how these ideologies influenced the development of traditional Chinese social
organization, political culture, and artistic expression. The course will conclude with
a consideration of how the advent of modernity in China challenged these traditional
systems and review their continuation and "fate" in modern times.
The course will center on guided discussion of assigned readings, the majority of which
will be primary texts translated from Chinese. The basic methodology will be close textual
analysis of these readings, which range from government documents to poetry to personal
diaries. Writings assignments will focus on an independent research program, developed in
consultation with the instructor, that will include a brief book review and a research paper.
Students will present two in-class reports on their research program, during which they
will lead class discussion on their topic, and answer questions from the instructor and other
class members on methodology and research problems.
Gen. Ed.: Regions Beyond Europe; Humanities
For more information about Professor Hartman, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/eas/hartman.html
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Department: |
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English |
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Instructor: |
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Martha Rozett |
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Course: |
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Reading Shakespeare (A ENG 144H) |
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Meeting: |
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MW 2:45-4:05 p.m. |
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Description: "Reading
Shakespeare" is an introduction to the plays of the
world's most famous playwright. We will read six
plays, including some of the less well-known ones
that students are unlikely to have encountered
before. In this honors section, students will also
read other texts from the Elizabethan period that
place the plays in their historical context. We may
also read contemporary essays that apply the
"lessons" to be learned from Shakespeare to the
world of business and politics, along with excerpts
from some of the best-known Shakespeare critics of
the past century.
Students will have opportunities to perform scenes
from the plays, to do research on the plays'
sources, and to improve their critical writing
skills. Students will write several papers and
engage in individual or group performance projects,
including opportunities to engage in creative
adaptation or "talking back".
Gen. Ed.: Humanities; Oral Discourse.
For more information about Professor Rozett, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/english/faculty/rozett_m.html
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Department: |
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English |
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Instructor: |
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Laura Wilder |
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Course: |
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Introduction to Studies in Rhetoric
and Poetics: Public Argumentation (A ENG 202H) |
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Meeting: |
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TTH 1:15-2:35 p.m. |
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Description: This course
encourages students to become active rhetorical
citizens by giving them practice in analyzing and
writing arguments on important, current
controversies in the public sphere. We will explore
how rhetorical theory can be used as a tool to
clarify what is at stake in the murky midst of
controversy, craft persuasive arguments for specific
audiences, and modify writing style to fit the
occasion. Students' own writing will be the focus of
the course, and assignments will give students
practice in exploring and effectively entering into
public policy debates with the ultimate goal of
advocating for well-reasoned solutions to current
public problems.
The format for the course will include writing
workshops and peer review, as well as discussion and
analysis of readings that both model rhetorical
strategies for students to use (or possibly avoid)
and serve to engage students in contemporary public
debates. There will be four major paper assignments
for the course: a rhetorical analysis of an
argument, a response to an argument, a survey of the
current state of discourse on a controversial issue,
and a proposal argument forwarding a solution to a
current public problem. Each of these will be
submitted first in draft form and receive feedback
from the instructor and other students. We will work
with a shared topic all semester, so students'
arguments and understanding will become more nuanced
as the semester proceeds. Other activities will
include peer review of one another's drafts of major
assignments, an oral presentation of the final
project, and short exercises meant to facilitate
brainstorming and exploration of issues.
Gen. Ed.: Writing Intensive
For more information about Professor Wilder, please
visit:
http://www.albany.edu/english/faculty/wilder_l.html
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Department: |
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Judaic Studies |
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Instructor: |
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Joel Berkowitz |
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Course: |
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Modern Yiddish Culture (A JST 265H) |
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Meeting: |
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MWF 10:25-11:20 |
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Description: Although Yiddish has been spoken for a millennium, secular Yiddish culture did
not begin to blossom until the second half of the 19th century.
Yiddish literary expression before then tended to maintain some connection to traditional Judaism, but the Haskalah
(Jewish Enlightenment) movement of the late 18th century opened the door to a new type of Jewish literature
and culture-often profoundly engaged with Jewish thought and practice but autonomous from traditional religious agendas.
Over time, Yiddish writers drifted away from, and sometimes actively questioned, Enlightenment values, so that Yiddish
literature branched out into various directions, aesthetic as much as ideological. Yiddish-speaking Jews thus bore
witness to a remarkable new era, bringing with it an explosion of cultural expression that would leave a profound mark
on the modern Jewish world.
This course will trace the course of modern Yiddish culture, from its beginnings at the end of the 18th century to the late
20th century.
We will examine works of fiction, poetry, drama, film, and popular music that illustrate the variety and vitality of
modern Yiddish culture as it explores many of the central events and themes of modern Jewish history, such as the tension
between tradition and modernity, new modes of religious expression, antisemitism, mass migrations, and assimilation.
Throughout the course, we will also | |
