First-Year Seminars: Exploring Our World
To change the world, you must first understand the world. Through careful study and a process of discovery, you can uncover the relationships that fill the world with wonder, confusion, and opportunities for the future. These first-year seminars provide a framework for exploration of the world around us and challenge students pose solutions that will impact our lives.
FS-HIST 1300-001 "Drinking in World History: Beer, Coffee, and Cola in the Rise of a Global Economy"
John Garrigus, Department of History
Do you drink Coke? Are you a fan of Starbucks Coffee? Ever think about where these giant companies came from? Probably not, but maybe you should. Drinks and consumption habits have had a profound impact on our world throughout history. In this course, we’ll investigate the discovery, manufacture, and marketing that have helped to build some of America’s greatest companies and the influence that these commonplace beverages have had on the lives and diets of people from around the world. So the next time you reach for a cold one or crack open a soda, you’ll never look at things the same way again.
Who should take this course? Students interested in business, marketing, advertising, history, public health, public policy, law, politics, environmental issues, or history.
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-BIOL 1300-001 "Global Change and You: Climate, Diversity, and Food"
Laura Mydlarz, Department of Biology
Temperatures are rising. Natural disasters are becoming more extreme. The world is changing all around us. By understanding how these changes will impact our lives, we’ll be better able to prepare for the future. In this course, we will take a look at the science behind current issues such as biodiversity, conservation, food production, climate change, and resource use to explore the ways our world is changing.
Who should take this course? Students interested in a variety of science fields from microbiology to environmental science, conservation, public policy, food, marine ecosystems, law, or politics.
FS-MODL 1300-002 "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-MATH 1300-001 "Topics on Classical Mathematics in the Modern Day"
Barbara Shipman, Department of Mathematics
Math. Maybe you love it. Maybe you fear it. Regardless of your feelings on it, math is everywhere, affecting the ways that we live our lives every day. In this course, we’ll take an in-depth look at the way that classical mathematics continues to change our world, from the mathematics of knots to the arithmetic underlying bar codes, ID numbers, modern medicine, even nature! No special mathematical training is needed for this course. Just come prepared to be amazed by the magic of mathematics that permeates our modern day world.
Who should take this course? Students interested in science, engineering, business, mathematics, physics, or anyone who just loves to solve problems and explore the world around them.
FS-BUSA 1300-001 "Business Thoughtware: Planning, Ethics, Sustainability, and Agility
Larry Chonko, Department of Marketing
Perhaps you’ve watched Donald Trump’s The Apprentice and thought to yourself, “I could do that so much better than any of these people.” Well here’s your chance to prove it by building and presenting your own business plan to a group of professionals. This course is designed to provide an understanding of how business really works, with special emphasis on the practical application of leadership skills, building ethical and sustainable businesses, and understanding the components of business success. In the end, you and your teammates will compete for scholarship money and the chance to determine which fateful catchphrase you’d be hearing from The Donald, “You’re hired!” or “You’re fired!”
Who should take this course? Whether you’re a business major or just interested in owning your own business one day, this course may be for you. Student interested in entrepreneurship, management, leadership, teamwork, psychology, marketing, or those with a competitive streak will find something of value here.
FS-MANA 1300-001 "Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: From Stressed First-Year Student to Successful Student"
James Campbell Quick, Goolsby Leadership Academy and Department of Management
Have you ever felt stressed out? Dumb question, huh? At some point, all of us have had to deal with stress. Stress is great in emergencies and during peak performance events, like sports. But too often, stress is misunderstood and mismanaged, causing people to suffer, become sick, and perform poorly. Mastering the mind-body stress response can dramatically improve health, performance and well-being. In this course, we’ll explore the definitions and causes of stress and protective measures to prevent stress and increase your chances for success.
Who should take this course? Any student coming to college will be dealing with stress, so this class might be a good chance to gain a strategic advantage over others in your courses. Additionally, students interested in business, psychology, physiology, medicine, nursing, athletic training, working out, alternative medicine.
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.