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Course Descriptions
ANTH | BIOS | COMS | ENGL | GEOG | HIST | ILAS | PHIL | POLS | SOCI
Course titled with a computer denote that the class is offered online
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
ANTH 331
Studies in language and culture center on the dual question of what, if any, effect one’s language has on one’s perceptions (linguistic relativity), and the effectiveness of extending linguistic models to the analysis of culture. First, we look at how linguistic methodologies such as structuralism and generativism have been adopted into the investigation of culture. Second, we discuss the historical roots of linguistic relativity and then analyze in detail the state of the current debate. The role of language ideology in generating linguistic change and political marginality are extensively dealt with by an in-depth reading of an Indonesian ethnographic work.
331. Relationships of language to other forms of cultural behavior; influence of linguistic structure and categories on modes of thought and cognition; reflections of cultural emphases in language; forms of language and their distribution.
Giovanni Bennardo. ANTH 331 (3 credit hours)
Section UE1 (Ref. #9019) meets at Waubonsee Community College on Monday – Thursday, 5/19-6/12, (Intersession) 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
HUMAN NEUROBIOLOGY
BIOS 359/600A
Human Neurobiology covers a wide range of topics in the realm of neurobiology. Subjects included are: the cellular mechanisms of neural communication; nervous system development; and both sensory and motor components of neural function. This course is taught online with lectures notes and audio visual presentation of lecture information on CD. Quizzes are online. Meeting will review lab material.
359. Biology of the human nervous system, with emphasis on the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system.
BIOS 600A– Physiology. Lectures, discussions, and reports on topics of special interest in a particular field of biology.
Sonya Conway. BIOS 359/600A (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (BIOS 359A Ref. #9045; BIOS 600A Ref. #9047) meets online 6/18-8/6 with 3 face-to-face meetings at Waubonsee Community College, Wednesdays 6/18, 7/9, 8/6, 6:30-9:15 p.m.
Section YE2 (BIOS 359A Ref. #9046; BIOS 600A Ref. #9048) meets online 6/19-8/7 with 3 face-to-face meetings at Elgin Community College, Thursdays 6/19, 7/10, 8/7, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
CRITICAL INTERPRETATION OF FILM/TELEVISION
COMS 356
Critical Interpretation of Film will study the aesthetics, visual grammar and individual artistic vision on the interpretation of film with some emphasis given to genre film. Selected masterpieces will be viewed and analyzed.
356. Influences of aesthetics, genre, mode of production, visual grammar, and individual artistic vision on the rhetorical interpretation of film. Selected masterpieces viewed and analyzed.
Matthew Swan. COMS 356 (3 credit hours)
Section QE1 (Ref. #9063) meets at NIU-Rockford Monday-Thursday, 5/19-6/12, (Intersession) 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
MONETARY POLICY
ECON 310
Why do we use money to buy things? What are bond and equity markets all about? How did the subprime mortgage market cause a crisis that has affected consumers' availability of credit? How do the actions of the Federal Reserve affect our day to day lives? Can monetary policy alleviate macroeconomic problems like recessions, cyclical unemployment, and excessive inflation?
Monetary Policy (Seminar) is a course that will answer these questions and many more, by examining the roles of monetary theory and policy in an economy. The course highlights implications for dealing with current economic problems within the structure of the U.S. monetary system, by way of the historical record (dating back to the 1600s), and by way of macroeconomic models and the application of those models to real world data. The course agenda focuses on analysis to and application for the U.S. economy, but will also make frequent reference to the international economy.
Section UE1 (Ref. #9246) meets at Waubonsee Community College Mondays and Wednesdays 6/16 – 8/6, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
LITERARY CLASSICS
ENGL 310
This course will introduce students to Greek Tragedy through close reading of selected plays by the three great Greek tragedians, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. We will set the plays in their cultural, historical, social contexts and discover the many themes that come out of the plays. Our reading will be focused on individual plays by a particular playwright that form a distinct whole, as well as plays by the three writers that deal with common myths and characters. By the end of the course, we should be conversant with techniques and themes of Greek Tragedy and be able to see its continued relevance to each of us and our own time.
310. Selected works, from ancient to modern, such as Plato's Symposium, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Montaigne's Essays, Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, and Camus's The Plague, read in translation and with attention to theme, technique, genre, and context.
Steven Franklin. ENGL 310 (3 credit hours)
Section DE1 (Ref. #9066) meets at Elgin Community College Mondays and Wednesdays 6/9 – 7/23, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
LITERARY CLASSICS
ENGL 310
Underpinning our study of selected world classics will be Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Tracing the hero's stages of initiation, departure, and return, we will read The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, selections from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, selections from 1001 Arabian Nights, Gilgamesh, Candide, the Book of Luke, and Waiting for Godot. A required field trip to the Oriental Institute of Chicago will take place on June 28. Weekly online discussions, 2-page reader response papers, and a final exam.
310. Selected works, from ancient to modern, such as Plato's Symposium, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Montaigne's Essays, Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, and Camus's The Plague, read in translation and with attention to theme, technique, genre, and context.
Kathy Wright. ENGL 310 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9067) meets online 6/7-7/19 with 3 face-to-face meetings at Waubonsee Community College, Saturdays 6/7, 6/28, 7/19, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
THE VICTORIAN AGE
ENGL 414
What does it mean to be "Victorian"? A silly question, given that the Victorian Age ended, most would agree, with the death of Queen Victoria over one hundred years ago. The temptation is to revise the question to read, "What DID it mean?" And yet, think of how many Americans, especially in the architecturally-rich Midwest, inhabit Queen Anne cottages, arts and crafts and other kinds of bungalows, and, yes, mini- and full-scale Victorians (all of these styles--even the Queen Anne!--were developed during the Victorian era). Think of how many of us have an opinion about such social issues as welfare and such social and political alternatives as Liberalism--these, too, came into their own during Victoria's reign. And think of the contemporary relevance of Victorian fiction, in particular, which continues to stimulate adaptation after adaptation of its major novels even as we make our way into the 21st Century (the recent PBS series, Bleak House, being but the latest example).
414. Later 19th-century English literature, including such writers as the Brownings, Tennyson, the Brontës, Dickens, Eliot, Arnold, and Pater.
Brian May. ENGL 414 (3 credit hours)
Section CE1 (Ref. #9068) meets at NIU-Naperville Monday - Thursday, (Intersession) 5/19-6/12, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
MAPS AND MAPPING
GEOG 256
Though maps have been used by civilizations for well over 5,000 years, practically all aspects of mapping today involve computers—from the collection of real-world data by GPS or satellites to drafting and printing. Rather than study the history of maps and mapping, we will instead study the concept of maps as tools of modern communication and visualization. This course is also the starting point for NIU's certificate of undergraduate study in GIS (which also may apply toward the B.G.S.) and is required for several further courses in geography. Mandatory introductory face-to-face class meeting.
256. Introduction to maps as models of our earth, tools of visualization, and forms of graphic communication. Use of satellite and aerial imagery, land surveying, and geographic information systems in map production. Thematic maps and how they are used. Map design for informational and persuasive purposes.
Paul Sill. GEOG 256 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9089) meets online 6/18-8/6 with a mandatory face-to-face meeting at NIU-Naperville on Wednesday 6/18, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
INTRODUCTION TO GIS
GEOG 359
Have you ever asked yourself, "Where in the world am I?" GEOG 359 may help you answer that question with an introductory study into the principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In this online course, we develop skills in GIS, its components, and how it applies to our surrounding environment. This course is a primer for those who are interested in learning more about the dynamic and ever-changing world of GIS and its career applications.
359. Study of the fundamental principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Emphasis on the development of these systems, their components and their integration into mainstream geography.
Phil Young. GEOG 359 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9090) meets online 6/17 – 8/5 with a mandatory face-to-face meeting at NIU-Rockford on Tuesday 6/17, 6:30-9:15 p.m.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GEOG 459
A Geographic Information System (GIS), composed of multiple map layers of a place, can facilitate problem-solving in a variety of social, environmental, and business settings; this course will apply GIS to examples from these different settings. Methods of integrating land, environmental, demographic, and business information will be demonstrated. In addition to applying to the B.G.S., this class also counts toward NIU’s certificate of undergraduate study in GIS.
459. Study of the conceptual framework and development of geographic information systems. Emphasis on the actual application of a GIS to spatial analysis.
Richard Greene. GEOG 459 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9091) meets online 6/16-8/4 with 3 face-to-face meetings at NIU-Rockford on Mondays, 6/16, 7/7, 8/4, 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
US SPORT HISTORY
HIST 363
This course examines the development of sports in the United States. We begin with pre-colonial Native American sports like baggatway (lacrosse) and conclude with contemporary sports like NASCAR and Ultimate Fighting. The course covers the rise of baseball, college sports and 20th century professional sports. The format includes lectures, discussions, films, guest speakers and a field trip to watch the Rockford Riverhawks.
363. Development of sport in the United States from the colonial era to the present, including the emergence of sport cultures, professional sports, and racial, gender, class, and political issues.
Stanley Arnold. HIST 363 (3 credit hours)
Section QE1 (Ref. #9092) meets at NIU-Rockford, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6/17-8/7, 6:30 - 9:15 p.m.
THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
HIST 434
This course will survey the key cultural, social, and political events and trends in Russian history from 1905 to 1929. We will consider the Russian revolutionary experiences from numerous perspectives, from high politics to everyday life. We will consider the following groups, events, and concepts: the peasantry; modernization; the nationalities question; the revolutions themselves; the roles of gender. Some of the goals of the course include the development of students' historical sense, expanding their perspectives of the world, and honing their critical thinking and ability to articulate themselves. We will also display competence in conducting basic historical research, proficiency in the use of different genres of historical literature, and awareness of the role of interpretation in history and its impact on how we view the past.
434. Causes and consequences of the Bolshevik triumph in the Russian Revolution. Emphasis on the conflict of historical forces and personalities in the three revolutions between 1905- 1917, and on the international context.
Curtis Richardson. HIST 434 (3 credit hours)
Section DE1 (Ref. #9093) meets at NIU-Hoffman Estates, on Mondays and Wednesdays 6/16 – 8/6, 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
INTERNSHIP
ILAS 390
ILAS 390. Internship. Work as an intern in an off-campus agency in activities related to one of the majors in the college. Reading and paper preparation under the supervision of a faculty member in the college. May be repeated once. S/U grading.
Judy Santacaterina. ILAS 390 (3 credit hours)
Section PQE1 meets NIU-Rockford. Phone 753-7961 for permit information.
ADVANCED TOPICS: WORLD RELIGIONS
ILAS 490
An on-line summer course that introduces students to the basic teachings of the major World Religions. We will spend approximately one week on each of the following: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, Primitive and New Age Religions. This will be a whirlwind tour, guaranteed to stimulate more questions than answers. The principal focus will be on shared assumptions and family resemblances, as well as the challenges to religion from both secularism and extremism. Textbook reading, weekly on-line writing assignments, short written paper and presentation (group or individual) required. Bring an open mind and leave your preconceptions at the door.
490. Topics from the sciences, social sciences, and/or humanities treated from an interdisciplinary perspective. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 semester hours when topic varies.
Laura Bird. ILAS 490 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9095) meets online 6/7-8/2 with 3 face-to-face meetings at NIU-Hoffman Estates on Saturdays 6/7, 7/12, 8/2; 9:00 – noon.
AMERICAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE
POLS 308
This course provides a broad introduction to the American Presidency. We begin by examining the processes through which Presidents are nominated and elected to office with an eye on the current presidential election campaign. The second part of the course considers the historical development of the Presidency and the role of the modern President in national policy making.
308 Selection, tenure, succession, and leadership of the American chief executive in the policy, administrative, and legislative processes of government.
Mikel Wyckoff. POLS 308 (3 credit hours)
Section DE1 (Ref. #9137) meets at NIU-Hoffman Estates, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6/17-8/7, 6:30 - 9:15 p.m.
Global Terrorism
POLS 386
Examines competing answers to basic questions about terrorism including: What is terrorism? Why is terrorism increasing? What causes terrorism? What can be done to diminish the incidences and destructiveness of terrorism? In addition, specific terrorist groups are examined in order to determine their goals, objectives, type of organization, their terrorist activities, and their effect on domestic affairs and international relations.
386 Examines competing answers to basic questions about terrorism including: what is terrorism; why is terrorism increasing; what causes terrorism; and what can be done to diminish the incidences and destructiveness of terrorism?
Theresa Eckard. POLS 386 (3 credit hours)
Section UE1 (Ref. # 9138) meets at Waubonsee Community College Monday-Thursday, 5/19 – 6/12, (Intersession) 6:30-9:15 p.m.
LAW, POLITICS, AND FILM
POLS 414
This course explores whether there is a tension between actual legal practices in the "real world" and their portrayal in popular culture-specifically motion pictures. We will ask whether cinematic practices and imperatives give rise to a "reel-world" view of the law. We will focus on a number of related themes: the concept of justice, the relationship between economic status and the law, official v. unofficial law
enforcement including the quasi-law enforcement of private detectives, the practice of law, legal ethics, civil law including divorce and children, and women in law. Students should expect to develop a more in-depth understanding of the issues covered as well as a better appreciation of the cultural and political significance of the way that law and legal actors are depicted in the movies. As this is an on-line course, students will be responsible for viewing various full-length, feature-films ranging from classics such as The Big Sleep (1946) and Adam's Rib (1949) to more recent pictures like Thelma & Louise (1991) and Intolerable Cruelty (2003). Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to join Netflix or a similar film rental service. After independently viewing the required films, students will then use Blackboard to access lectures, readings, and discussions.
414 Examination and analysis of the enduring questions of importance for the legal system. Problems illustrating the intersection of law, morality, and politics are set in the context of contemporary issues. Specific focus of the course changes each semester. May be repeated once as topic changes.
Art Ward. POLS 414 (3 credit hours)
Section YE1 (Ref. #9139) meets online 6/16-8/4 with 3 face-to-face meetings at NIU-Naperville on Mondays 6/16, 7/7, 8/4; 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
BIOMEDICAL ETHICS
PHIL 336F/490F
The course begins with an introduction to moral theory and proceeds to address important biomedical ethical issues such as euthanasia, abortion (RU486; dilation and extraction), stem cell research, genetic manipulation, artificial methods of reproduction, surrogate motherhood, and research ethics.
336F/490F. Examination of moral problems which arise in the context of health care practice and research. Consideration of both issues of individual conduct and public policy. May include discussion of general problems in ethical theory which have a direct bearing on these specific issues.
Sharon Sytsma. PHIL 336F/490F (3 credit hours)
Section CE1 (PHIL 336F Ref. #9134; PHIL 490F Ref. #9136) meets at NIU-Naperville Monday-Thursday, 6/16-7/7, 6:30 – 9:15 pm.
PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
PHIL 362
The course is an introduction to basic ideas and issues in philosophy of law. We will discuss the concept of law, the nature of a legal system, the source of our obligation to obey the law, and judicial philosophy, among other topics. Course grades will be based on five equally weighted exams.
362. Study of the philosophical problems created by law. Typical problems include the relevance of custom to law, the logical structure of legal systems, the justification of law, natural law and social justice, and the relationship between international law and lesser bodies of law. Designed to be of interest to students in political and social science.
John Beaudoin. PHIL 362 (3 credit hours)
Section QE1 (Ref. #9135) meets at NIU-Rockford on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6/16 – 8/6, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
ORGANIZING FOR SOCIAL ACTION
SOCI 392
The objective of this course is to employ the sociological perspective to provide students with an understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of community organizing as a mechanism for change in contemporary society. The course will actively involve students in the community organizing process. The course will consist of lectures, guest speakers, field trips, discussions of extensive readings, multimedia presentations, active class participation, student group projects and involvement in an organizing campaign. This course offers students a unique opportunity to learn, as part of a Chicago -based grass roots social justice agency. Students will be actively involved in actual campaigns and as a team working on an annual community event. An occasional Saturday field trip may replace evening class sessions. Those will be scheduled in consultation with class participants.
392. Social problem analysis and organizing skills for societal change. Approaches to solving social problems other than those encompassed within conventional social, economic, and governmental programs. Strategies of community organizations and social protest movements. May include a service-learning component.
Jack King. SOCI 392 (3 credit hours)
Section CE1 (Ref. #9143) meets at NIU-Naperville on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6/16 – 8/5, 6:30 – 9:15 p.m.
SOCIAL INEQUALITY
SOCI 450
Gender is one of the earliest and most enduring ways that people classify one another. It shapes everything we do, from what we wear, the skills we learn, our majors in college, our job opportunities, our sexuality—even the way we’re treated in illness, old age, and death. In this class, we examine gender in its many forms: from identity and individual behaviors to institutions and social history. We will use empirial evidence to discuss the ways that gender is socially rather than biologically constructed, and the ways that gender contributes to larger social inequalities. We will take a multicultural, trans-historical approach to gender. We will explore the material intellectually as well as creatively, making it personally relevant to our everyday lives. Along the way, we will improve writing, organizational, and analytical skills.
450. The causes and consequences of multiple sources of inequality across social institutions and social locations. Empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues are examined and critically assessed. A culminating experience integrating theory, methods, and scholarly writing is required.
Kristen Myers. SOCI 450 (3 credit hours)
Section DE1 (Ref. #9144) meets at Elgin Community College Monday - Thursday, 5/19 – 6/12, (Intersession) 6:30 – 9:15 pm.