|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Course Criteria
Add courses to your favorites to save, share, and find your best transfer school.
-
3.00 Credits
This course will explore the possibilities for the existence of life on other planets in our solar system and galaxy. Using current understandings of the development of life on Earth we will discuss what habitats mights be suitable for life on other worlds and the strategies scientists have developed to identify those habitats. Lastly, we will discuss the implication of the results for these ongoing searches. Students may receive credit for ASTR 206 or USNA 217---Astrobiology, but not for both Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
This course will examine suburban neighborhoods by focusing on the design of technology and nature in these spaces. The way that people understand and operate in the world is so entangled with values and assumptions that the physical shape of the world cannot be separated from human culture. In this sense, suburban landscapes are not simply neighborhoods but also examples of culture. The form of the land and the technologies in the suburbs are continually reshaped to correspond with the cultures of the people occupying those spaces. By studying suburban landscapes we can see how the ideas in people's heads become part of the physical world in which we live. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
The emphasis of this seminar will be on developing skills of critical analysis of science fiction. A goal of the course is that the students will be able to distinguish plausible from impossible when they read their next science fiction book or watch a sci-fi movie. Upon completion of the course, the students should be well equipped to recognize scientifically unrealistic assumptions and statements in pseudoscientific books, movies, TV programs and other mass media sources. The course will be sufficiently flexible to allow coverage of topics that are proposed by, and interesting to, students, or the topics which would arise during discussions. The course will encourage open-mined approach to understanding controversial areas, as well as emphasize the great achievements that humankind made in the short historical period of our civilization. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
Intended to challenge conventional thinking about "progress", this course will examine the evolution of food production and consumption in the U.S. over the past 50 years. We will begin with the topic of food, itself. We will explore fundamental questions such as, What is food? Why should we care? Where does food come from? Why does it matter what we eat, and equally important, what we eat eats? Students will explore their own eating habits by keeping a journal of what, when, where, and how they eat. Discussions will focus on the social, cultural, nutritional, and technological aspects of food. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
This seminar course is about the fascinating world of science and its role in society. The goal of the course is to develop in students appreciation of science and to show that science is probably the most exciting area developed by humankind. We will discuss history of science, development of scientific ideas, the scientific method, and modern state of affairs in science. We will talk about different scientific fields, from physics and mathematics to economics and history. The course topics will be sufficiently flexible to allow coverage of the areas that would be proposed by students or during our discussions. The course will encourage open-minded approach: we will discuss controversial areas, but we will do it in a respectful and intelligent way using logical arguments. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
Human behavior is a result of the complex interplay between our genes and the environment, both of which have been shaped by evolutionary forces over millions of years. To what extent does natural selection shape our behavior today? Are humans naturally monogamous? Why do conflicts arise even in our most intimate relationships? Is human behavior ultimately in the service of reproductive success, ensuring that our genes are passed into the next generation? This course reviews the history of evolutionary theories of mind and behavior, as well as current ideas about the ecological and genetic components of behavior. We will examine key principles of neurobiology, sociobiology, and evolutionary psychology to critically evaluate evolutionary interpretations of human behaviors, including those comprising cultural traditions and social institutions. Specific topics to be addressed include human mate choice, parenting strategies, interpersonal conflict, and altruism. The course is structured as a seminar, with emphasis on discussion and formation of logical arguments. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
This seminar course will explore the nature of time from many stances, including those of Psychology, Biology, Technology and Philosophy. Yet time is central to Physics, and in Physics we will orient our explorations of time. Our understanding of time has sharpened a great deal in the last few centuries, the most obvious markers being Newton's Absolute time, which remains entrenched in modern culture, and its subsequent physical overthrow by Einstein's relativity. Given the physical primacy of Einstein's time, many questions arise: How malleable is the concept of time? Is there a fact of time? Can the present be defined? The past? The future? The successes of modern Cosmology lead us to ask: Was there a beginning of time? Will time end? The symmetry of fundamental physical laws with respect to the direction of time, counterpointed by asymmetric phenomena, lead to: Is there a master arrow of time? Is the flow of time an illusion? In this course we will investigate what "Time" is telling us about the natural world and ourselves. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
This course explores how scientific controversies are resolved, using examples from astronomy and cosmology. We start with a discussion of the scientific process--both as an ideal and as a practical reality--and an overview of the scale of the universe in space and time. Then we address some historical controversies (with the benefit of scientific hindsight), before turning to modern examples of astronomical debates which remain unresolved. Examples include the Copernican Revolution, the nature of galaxies, the Big Bang, the elusive search for dark matter, and the identity of Pluto. In each case, we will examine the scientific basis of the controversy as well as the roles played by cultural and human biases. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
You're in a crowded room, in the middle of a heated conversation. Suddenly you hear someone across the room say your name. How were you able to pick out that particular sequence of sounds from all the noise around you? Why did you even notice it, given that you were talking to someone else? This course looks at this phenomenon and others having to do with the human attention system. While much of what we read will be from the fields of psychology and neuroscience, we'll also consider aspects of attention that have to do with literature, the arts, and religion. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
-
3.00 Credits
Cholesterol molecules are essential building blocks of human cells and are required for biosynthesis of some hormones. The word "cholesterol" has, however, become notorious as several diseases are linked to improper bio-processing of the molecule. Indeed, all middle-aged people are encouraged to have their cholesterol checked and monitored as needed. This course will educate students with respect to the role of cholesterol in human health and in specific disease states. Students will learn the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterol, and the rationale for these labels. Additional topics include dietary contributions to cholesterol, cholesterol lowering drugs, the continuing evolution of what is considered to be a healthy blood cholesterol level and the factors driving this changing scale. Reading assignments will range from News Paper articles to scientific publications. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSNA, FSCC, FSSO, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Privacy Statement
|
Terms of Use
|
Institutional Membership Information
|
About AcademyOne
Copyright 2006 - 2024 AcademyOne, Inc.
|
|
|