 Examines
the nature of culture and the
diverse ways in which societies make
meaning and are organized across time
and space. Topics include cultural and
religious values and beliefs, modern
historical influences on cultural variation,
and the impact of gender, ethnicity, and
inequality on the cultural experience.
 assist
students in making systematic and
deliberate connections between the ways
various disciplinary perspectives
address the same topic.
 provide a framework for faculty in
different departments to collaborate on
research projects and share innovative
teaching strategies.
 encourage students to explore areas of
specific interest at a deeper level .

This course applies the sociological perspective to
the experience of individuals within differing social
contexts, ranging from interpersonal interactions and
small groups to larger organizations and the broader
society. Relationships between individuals and their
societies are examined with respect to a variety of
issues, including socialization processes and cultural
diversity; the nature of gender, racial, and other
social identities; and institutional settings ranging
from the family to the economy and government.
Required for majors and minors.
 An
introduction to ethical reasoning and
an examination of moral problems in
contemporary social issues.

This course will focus on the biological and cognitive
foundations of individual behavior, as well as the individual
in the social context. Research on psychological phenomena
will be reviewed to demonstrate the logic of the scientific
method, to foster critical thinking, to identify potential
shortcomings in interpretations of behavior (e.g., claims
presented in the popular media), and to describe linkages
to everyday experiences (e.g., aesthetic and perceptual
judgments, improved studying, friendship and attraction,
and development of political attitudes). Students will have
the opportunity to learn how to use empirical data to draw
sound conclusions about behavior. Finally, connections to
other thematic areas of scholarly inquiry within other
disciplines will be presented.

This course will examine family as an institution
through cross-cultural, social, and historical contexts.
The purpose of the course is to provide students with
an introduction to theoretical perspectives used in
the study of families, knowledge of the history of
family life, and learning experiences that provide
opportunities to think critically, communicate
intelligently, and make informed opinions about
contemporary family issues. Connections to other
courses within the individual and society theme will
focus on individual and group decision making
within the context of the family.
 An
anthropological study of gender,
social class, ethnicity, race and sexuality
as cultural categories with a variety of
meanings. Systems of inequality and the
ways in which these categories are used
to limit access to economic wealth,
power, and prestige are analyzed in a
global context.

This course introduces students to a variety of
topics and methods of investigation in the study
of women’s and gender issues. Featuring a
variety of lectures from multiple disciplines, this
course stresses the importance of taking women
and gender seriously for understanding a variety
of topics. Students will also interpret and analyze
the lectures through regular meetings with an
instructor, who also designs assignments and
readings around each lecture topic