ART 241 Art History Survey I (3) 
This course provides a survey of the historical development of Western and non­-Western art and architecture beginning with the Neolithic period and leading up to the thirteenth century. We will study works of art in their cultural contexts in order to gain an understanding of the purpose, meaning, and significance of works of art to those who made and used them. Emphasis will be placed on the exchange of knowledge, ideas, forms, and iconography across cultures over time, and the subsequent change in the meaning and significance of these when put to new uses in new contexts. We will discuss current issues and debates in art history, such as responsible collection practices and repatriation of art objects. We will relate the aesthetic experiences and values of cultures from our period of study to contemporary culture. Over the course of the semester, students will develop their own analysis of the purpose, meaning, and significance of a single art object that they have viewed in a museum, and which dates from the chronological period the course covers. 

ART 241W Art History Survey (4)
This course provides a global survey of art and architecture from the prehistoric period to the fourteenth century. We will study works of art in their cultural contexts in order to gain an understanding of the purpose, meaning, and significance of works of art to those who made, used, and viewed them. Emphasis will be placed on the exchange of knowledge, ideas, forms, and iconography across cultures over time, and the subsequent change in the meaning and significance of these when put to new uses in new contexts. Women’s contributions to art history and how these are shaped by constructions of gender will be addressed. This course allows a student to earn their Basic Writing requirement.

COMM 103 Introduction to Communication (3)
Students develop an increased competency in communicating with precision and style, and also have the opportunity to think critically and creatively about the process of communication. Major topics in communication theory and practice are surveyed in addition to a focus on public speaking.  

COMM 103W Introduction to Communication (4)
Essentially, students in COMM 103W Introduction to Communications explore one central question: What is human communication? While it is true that humans use verbal “message-and-response” interchanges, we will discover that communication is a sophisticated, ongoing process. This will lead us to other questions: When and where does human communication occur? How has it shaped centuries of human development? What makes us choose one form of communication — email, text messages, etc. — over another? What are the effects of each medium of communication on the quality of our messages? This course allows a student to earn their Basic Writing requirement. 

COMM 111 FYS: Communicating Community and Combatting Loneliness in Online Spaces (3)
This course asks: How can we use leading communication technologies (such as social media and other computer and digital media) to communicate in ways that build community, combat loneliness, and establish spaces of belonging? Students will engage a critical and reflective lens to consider issues of community and communication media from historical and contemporary perspectives. Drawing from interdisciplinary insights, they will build an awareness of the strengths and shortcomings of leading communication technologies in their capacity to build community and spaces of belonging. In a moment of polarization, students will examine constructive practices for communicating for community rooted in dialogic engagement. This course is a First Year Seminar. 

COMM 112 FYS: AI and the Future of Human Communication (3)
How is artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping human communication, academic learning, and ‎societies? This first-year seminar introduces students to the transformative impact of AI, ‎particularly generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, on everyday communication. Students ‎will learn how AI challenges traditional notions of originality, creativity, and authorship, influences ‎educational experiences, and raises ethical concerns related to misinformation, deepfakes, ‎diversity, and digital inequality. Through engaged discussions, guest lectures, case studies, and ‎collaborative projects, they will develop the skills needed to navigate an increasingly AI-driven ‎world. The course fosters interdisciplinary thinking, ethical reflection, and dialogue across ‎differences, empowering students to make informed decisions about AI’s role in their academic, ‎personal, and professional lives. By working in teams, students will explore best practices for the ‎ethical and responsible use of AI in education and beyond, applying their learning to real-world ‎challenges in the 21st century.‎ This course is a First Year Seminar. 

COMM 113 FYS: #MeToo: Communication, Advocacy, and Accountability (3)
 This course engages an interdisciplinary approach to understand legacies of violence against marginalized groups, using #MeToo and the MeToo. Movement as a contemporary example. We employ an intersectional lens to explore the ways in which race, class, gender, sexuality, and other identity markers have historically influenced who is subjected to such violence (and who initiates it), highlighting the role of communication in defining, perpetuating, and resisting violence, as well as mediating accountability therefore. We read a variety of texts, including social media, docuseries, legislative testimony, comedy routines, and news coverage to survey communicative practices and their impacts on victim/survivors, alleged abusers, and societal perceptions. In this seminar, we also engage in active learning by leading class discussions, writing reflectively, and developing a social media campaign in which we advocate for justice.  This course is a First Year Seminar. 

ENVS 161 Introduction to Environmental Studies (3)
An interdisciplinary course on the systemic interaction of human beings with their environments. It identifies interests informing environmental decisions and introduces practices of environmental advocacy. 

ENVS 111 FYS: The Sustainability Project (3)
Cities have been described as humankind’s greatest invention. Most of the world’s population lives in cities, with predictions for urban populations to more than double in size by 2050. This seminar addresses how cities can face the challenges of climate change, declining biodiversity, and social justice that accompany rapid urban growth.  Through the study of best sustainability practices and a series of interactive projects, students develop solutions for cities culminating in the redesign of a real-life community in the South Bend area. Topics include affordable housing, transportation, fire and stormwater management, urban forests and open space, energy conservation, cultural identity, and environmental justice.  Students are welcome to reflect on and employ their own experiences of the city and leave the course with the understanding and ability to influence sustainability in their own city. This course is a First Year Seminar. 

GERO 201 Gerontology: Services and Policies (3)
An overview of programs and policies designed to enable older adults to obtain necessary services, enhance their health, improve or maintain their economic well-being, and provide support to families of the aging. Trends in the aging programs, services, and policies are discussed. Topics include work, retirement, and income maintenance; delivery and regulation of health care; and social or community services that promote well-being in older adults. Depending on current health and safety regulations, visits are made to providers serving older adults and their families, and an experiential learning component is integrated into the course.

GLST 250 Global Places, Peoples, and Problems:  An Introduction to Global Studies (3)
Global Studies is an interdisciplinary, holistic, and experiential field of study that investigates the most pressing issues facing people around the globe today. This course introduces students to key theories of globalization through topics such as: colonialism, nationalism, transnationalism, and postcolonialism; global economic systems, trade networks, and neoliberalism; diaspora, migration, and the refugee crisis; global media, performance, and expressive culture; global anti-blackness and systemic racism; globalization and its impact on women and minoritized genders; and climate change, health & diseases, and environmental justice.

GWS 180 FYS: Intersectional Leadership and Empowerment (3)
This FYS will explore the complexities of gender, leadership, and the challenges leaders face navigating power structures. Students will analyze how norms and stereotypes related to gender, race, class, and sexuality affect leadership while focusing on developing strategies for overcoming barriers and creating more just and inclusive leadership environments. Using a strengths-based approach, students will develop a personalized leadership plan that fosters confidence, self-efficacy, and resilience. Students will engage with diverse readings, personal reflection, and leadership development exercises to cultivate a contemporary understanding of leadership. This course is a First Year Seminar. 

GWS 207 Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies (3) 
This interdisciplinary course introduces students to the field of gender and women’s studies. The course will enable students to understand how gender impacts their everyday lives, social institutions, and cultural practices both locally and globally. Additionally, students will examine the significance and meaning of one’s gender identity in different historical periods, the history of feminist movements, and transnational perspectives on feminism. Students will also discuss how gender intersects with other identity categories such as socioeconomic class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, geography, and generational location. Lastly, students will examine and critique cultural representations and claims about women and gender identities.  

GWS 220 Introduction to Queer Studies (3)
This course will provide an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer studies. The course will investigate the academic foundations of LGBTQ studies and the emergence and transformation of LGBTQ identities, cultural practices, and political movements, and the ways in which gender, race, ethnicity, and class have shaped same-sex sexuality in different historical periods, with an emphasis on the United States (also listed as SOC 220). 

ICS 201 Introduction to Intercultural Studies (3)
This course provides an introduction to understanding the cultural construction of individual and collective identities such as race, class, gender, sexuality, and religion. We will begin by establishing a theoretical understanding of what culture is and how it operates, both globally and locally. And then we will examine how colonization and imperialism impact cultural conflict in the US and around the world. Key issues covered include how race has been constructed historically and culturally; how power and privilege perpetuate interpersonal, systemic, and institutional racism; and how to challenge racism and other forms of oppression. By the end of the semester, students will have a foundation for understanding and addressing inequality in our interconnected world.  

HUST 101 FYS: Imagining Futures (3) 
This course examines how humans have used imagining potential futures and ideal societies as ways to identify and propose solutions for contemporary social problems. Students will analyze films (Metropolis, Blade Runner, Black Panther) and historical and literary accounts of experimental communities (ranging from Plato’s Republic and Thomas More’s Utopia to the Communist Manifesto and Fordlandia to works of science fiction, such as Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun). After encountering debates on topics such as reliance on robots and AI, the control of human thought and reproduction, and concerns for the environment, students will research a community (living, fictional, or historical) to identify and evaluate proposed solutions to social injustices and will consider ways in which more just communities might be constructed.  This course is a First Year Seminar. 

DPH 201 Humanities at Work: Using Your Humanities Training in the 21st Century (3)
This class will help you connect the dots between your love of books and your curiosity about life after college, between analyzing a text and analyzing a data set. It will equip you with answers to big questions like what do we mean when we say the “humanities” and what can you do with a degree in English or History? The class features discussion as well as digital and project-based assignments.