First-Year Seminars: Art & Culture
Lights. Camera. You are at the center of the action.
These First-Year Seminars are designed to let students explore art and culture from a multitude of angles. So whether you are interested in theater, literature, language, or pop culture, you'll find a unique opportunity just waiting to be uncovered.
FS-THEA 1300-001 "He Who Laughs Last...Didn't Get It!"
Plato defined comedy as any exhibition which has the tendency to excite laughter. But what makes something funny? Why do some jokes make you laugh while others just make you groan? When you think about it, comedy definitely isn't a science, but it does have rules. In this course, we’ll explore what’s funny and what’s not. We’ll look at how to employ comedy effectively and give students the chance to act out and create their own performances. From philosophy to practice, we’ll explore comic genres, iconic comic characters, and comedic writing and performance techniques.
Who should take this course? Students interested in performance or humor, leadership, communication, public speaking, marketing or sales, or anyone who wants practice with giving presentations and overall communication skills.
FS-MODL 1300-001 "Murder Down South: Crime and Detection in Latin America"
Christopher Conway, Department of Modern Languages
CSI, Law and Order, and Criminal Minds have brought the world of crime fighting in the United States to life, but what about south of the border? The culture of Latin America provides a unique backdrop for and exploration of detection and crime. In this course, we’ll explore mystery novels, television, and film to compare crime and punishment in Mexico, Peru, and Argentina to the system we’ve come to know here in the US. Note: Students need not have any knowledge of the Spanish language to enroll in this course. However, students fluent in Spanish will have the opportunity to complete some assignments in Spanish.
Who should take this course? Students interested in criminology, criminal justice, law, forensics, Mexican-American studies, international business, Spanish, literature, film, psychology, or multiculturalism.
FS-ENGL 1300-001 "Food, Literature, and Language"
Amy Tigner, Department of English
From the Food Network to cooking competitions to a booming foodie culture, food has become a national obsession. Food, once a simple part of survival, has transcended nutrition and calories to become a multi-billion dollar industry. Now food is about economics, mass production, organic growing, science, the environment, and what tastes good. Food tells us something about who we are and where we come from. In this course, we will look at the 360 degrees of food culture from those who grow and produce it to how it makes us feel when we consume it and why we just can’t get enough of it. “Bon appetit.”
Who should take this course? Students interested in cooking, environmentalism, journalism, health, literature, public policy, sociology, or culture.
FS-MODL 1300-001 "The Mystique of French Food and Film"
Alicia Soueid, Department of Modern Languages
Oui, the French. With their strongly-held opinions and proud tradition of nationalism, they have often courted controversy in the United States. But when "The Artist" won the Best Picture award at the recent Academy Awards, French culture took center stage, and the influence of the French on American movies and cooking became undeniable. Which begs the question, how do different notions of culture inform and influence American and French perceptions of food and film? In this course, we will critically analyze arguments in support of and opposing France's reputation as an innovative contributor to Western cinema and cooking. Has French influence been a force for creative expression, or is their influence a way of thrusting their values on others? Note: Students need not have any knowledge of the French language to enroll in this course.
Who should take this course? Students interested in language and culture, politics, film, cooking and food, travel, current events, psychology, French, or multiculturalism.
FS-UNIV 1300-001 "My Information Nation: How Information Access Defines Who We Are and What We Become"
Mary Jo H. Lyons, Department of Information Literacy
The religious philosopher Sir Francis Bacon once said, "Knowledge is power." Never before has that adage been more true than in today's hyper-connected world. The struggle for democracy highlighted by the Arab Spring has shown us the power of information to inspire change and to promote equality and democracy. The heavy-handed censorship practiced by dictators and repressive regimes has demonstrated the inequality that can develop when information is withheld. Whether intentional or not, our nation is often divided between the information haves and have-nots. In this course, students will not only analyze various issues related to information access, but they will also engage with a community services organization that supports less privileged and disempowered individuals. Students will witness the impact of information inequality and will also work to mend these consequences to make a difference in the community.
Who should take this course? Students interested in community service, social work, psychology, politics, current events, business, history, sociology or those interested in helping to make a difference in the lives of others.