2016-2017 Academic Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Search
|
|
|
To search for a course satisfying the Distribution Requirements in effect for students who entered Allegheny College in Fall 2016 or after please do the following:
- In the “Keyword or Phrase” box below, enter one of the eight Distribution Requirement abbreviations as a search term in quotation marks: “CL”, “HE”, “IP”, “ME”, “PD”, “QR”, “SB”, or “SP”.
- To search within a specific department or program, select the desired department from the “Rubric” drop down menu and enter the Distribution Requirement abbreviation in quotation marks in the “Keyword or Phrase” box (i.e., “HE”).
|
| |
Neuroscience |
| |
-
NEURO 600 - Senior Project I
Credits: 2
Individual proposals for senior research projects developed in group and individual meetings with the project advisor and other appropriate faculty members. In order to finalize the research plan, at least one meeting is held with both readers. In addition to oral and written proposals and progress reports, a detailed plan of action for completing the research project is created by the end of the semester.
Prerequisite: A Junior Seminar approved by the Neuroscience program and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
NEURO 610 - Senior Project II
Credits: 4
A continuation of NEURO 600 . Individual and/or group meetings are held to evaluate the progress of individual research projects. Emphasis is placed on data collection, analysis, and interpretation, including modes of presentation of results. A written thesis is submitted prior to an oral defense of the completed project. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: NEURO 600 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
Philosophy |
| |
-
FSPHI 201 - Communication in a Discipline: Philosophy
Credits: 4
An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Philosophy. Students engage with a specific philosophical text, author, topic area or problem: details change with each offering of this seminar (please ask instructor concerning details). Research methods, written assignments, and oral arguments and presentations are emphasized. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: none.
Counts toward the major in Philosophy.
|
| |
-
PHIL 130 - Values and Knowledge
Credits: 4
An introduction to the connections between the values and the ways of knowing that are characteristic of modern western culture. The course focuses upon the pursuit and justification of knowledge and scientific understanding and the ethical and political values that are implicit in those endeavors.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SP.
Not open to seniors.
|
| |
-
PHIL 140 - Ethics and Community
Credits: 4
An examination of contemporary challenges facing democracy as an ideal for the moral life and the moral community.
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
Not open to seniors.
|
| |
-
PHIL 165 - The Examined Life: Philosophy Through the Ages
Credits: 4
A broad introduction to western philosophy through discussion of the perennial questions that have challenged thinkers from ancient Greece to the 21st century: questions about human knowledge, the relation of mind and body, the nature of reality, free will, the existence of God, social justice, ethics, and the meaning of life. Students engage the ideas of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Mill, Wollstonecraft and Sartre, along with those of contemporary thinkers.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
Not open to seniors.
|
| |
-
PHIL 205 - Literature, Film and Medicine: Ethical Perspectives
Credits: 4
A philosophical and interdisciplinary study of how narrative forms- literature, cinema, and memoir-may be applied in medical contexts. Through critical discussion of a diversity of works ranging over individual experiences of disease, disability, and end-of-life, students learn how engagement with fictional and autobiographical narratives can enhance the study of healthcare ethics. Topics include dimensions of the healing relationship, questions of meaning in the face of suffering and disease, crossing cultural boundaries, and extending our knowledge of the human experience of mortality.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 210 - Oppression and Liberation
Credits: 4
An overview of analyses of oppression and theories of liberation generated by groups traditionally marginalized in the United States.
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
Not open to first-year students.
|
| |
-
PHIL 212 - The Problem of the Self: East and West (also listed as RELST 212 )
Credits: 4
An examination of the problem of the self in a cross-cultural context. The Eastern traditions are represented by early Buddhism, the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Sankara, Taoism and Zen Buddhism. The Western tradition is represented by the existential thought of Soren Kierkegaard, the dialogical philosophy of Martin Buber, the deconstructive theology of Mark C. Taylor, and others.
Prerequisite: At least one course in Philosophy or Religious Studies.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
Note: PHIL 212 may be also used to count towards a major or minor in Religious Studies.
|
| |
-
PHIL 220 - Epistemology: The Theory of Knowledge
Credits: 4
What do you really know, and how can you justify your claims to know? This course examines the ways in which philosophers have attempted to answer these questions. It considers skepticism about the possibility of any certain knowledge, presents analysis of reasonable and unreasonable uses and interpretations of the term “truth,” and explores recent failed attempts to provide foundations for knowledge in empirical evidence.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 227 - Religion and the Challenge of Modernity (also listed as RELST 227 )
Credits: 4
An exploration of the philosophical study of religion, particularly in light of the contest between traditional modes of religious expression and the rise of a critical mentality in the modern West. Issues to be addressed may include the ethics of belief, theories of rationality and their relevance to religion, the problem of evil, religious experience, and the epistemic status of belief in God.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 230 - Science in Its Cultural Setting
Credits: 4
A study of the structure and justification of scientific theory and of the activities of scientists engaged in theory development. A theoretical component of the course concerns the logical processes of theory acceptance and rejection. That component is fleshed out in historical study of theory development in one or two notable episodes in the history of science, such as the Copernican revolution in astronomy or the development of Darwinian theory in biology.
Prerequisite: One course in Philosophy, or one course in natural science, or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SP.
|
| |
-
PHIL 240 - Mind and Brain
Credits: 4
A philosophical exploration of historical and 20th-century attempts to understand and to model human thought. A study of episodes in the long tradition of the study of mind and brain in philosophy is connected to current work within the disciplines of neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. Students read the writings of past and contemporary philosophers and practitioners within the other disciplines mentioned.
Prerequisite: One course in Philosophy or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, SP.
|
| |
-
PHIL 250 - Philosophy and the Arts
Credits: 4
An introduction to a wide range of issues arising in connection with the arts. Students consider the nature of art, aesthetic perception and experience, aesthetic value, expression, representation, interpretation and criticism of the arts, morality and art, and the influence of postmodernism on art and aesthetics. The main ideas of such figures as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Tolstoy, and Freud are discussed alongside those of contemporary philosophers and artists.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 260 - Ancient Greek Philosophy
Credits: 4
A comprehensive introduction to ancient Greek philosophy covering the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Through close study and discussion of a range of original texts (in translation), students engage the main ideas of these philosophers on such themes as the nature of reality, the soul, knowledge, virtue, and the good life for humans.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 270 - Early Modern Philosophy: Science and Knowledge
Credits: 4
A study of translated writings from European thinkers of the 17th and 18th centuries on epistemology, the description of the human mind, and the justification of scientific understanding. Authors may include Galileo, Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Hume and Kant. The authors present positions relevant to a number of philosophical movements, including the Mechanical Philosophy, Rationalism, Empiricism and Transcendental Philosophy.
Prerequisite: One course in Philosophy.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
|
| |
-
PHIL 285 - Business and Management Ethics
Credits: 4
A consideration of ethical practice within the activities of management professionals. Case studies are considered in the light of philosophical theories of the good, of ethical action, and of individual and social purposes. Examples include the development, sale, and marketing of dangerous or damaging products such as tobacco; the responsibilities borne by management toward various stakeholder groups; and the roles of political influence and bribery at home and in other nations. Discussion is cast in the language of business ethics and is also relevant to management activity in governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Distribution Requirements: HE, SB.
|
| |
-
PHIL 310 - Global Justice
Credits: 4
An examination of the difficulties facing the ideals of democracy, international aid and development as global and multicultural movements. We consider the justice of such institutions from the perspectives of international responsibilities and local self-determination.
Prerequisite: PHIL 140 or PHIL 210 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, IP.
|
| |
-
PHIL 350 - Ethics and Existence
Credits: 4
A study of some of the major movements in recent continental philosophy with an emphasis on re-imagining ethical responsibility. Among the movements considered are phenomenology, existentialism, philosophical hermeneutics, poststructuralism, deconstruction, and postmodernism. Thinkers to be discussed may include Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, Sartre, Foucault, Derrida, Irigaray, Deleuze, Lyotard, and Levinas.
Prerequisite: One course in Philosophy or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
|
| |
-
PHIL 385 - Medical Ethics
Credits: 4
A study of the principles of medical ethics as applied to case studies. After studying the nature and foundations of the principles of medical ethics, students present oral and written analyses of medical cases that pose significant ethical issues.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SP.
Not open to first-year students.
|
| |
-
PHIL 529 - Internship: Philosophy
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHIL 580 - Philosophy Seminar
Credits: 4
An advanced study of a problem or central figure in philosophy. Course content changes substantially from year to year; consequently, seminars offered under this number may be taken more than once. See department members to discuss, and perhaps to suggest, upcoming offerings. May be repeated for credit. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: At least one course in Philosophy and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHIL 590 - Independent Study
Credits: 1-4
May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHIL 600 - Senior Project Tutorial
Credits: 2
Preparation for the Senior Project; preliminary research and project proposal including a discussion of how work done outside the department for the major will be integrated into the project. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHIL 610 - Senior Project
Credits: 4
Final research, presentation and defense of the Senior Project. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
Physics |
| |
-
FSPHY 201 - Investigative Approaches in Physics
Credits: 4
An investigative laboratory course that emphasizes experimental design and analysis, interpretation of data, and written and oral presentation. This course stresses independent and cooperative laboratory work. Writing and speaking in the physical sciences is emphasized through written, oral and poster presentations. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: PHYS 120 or PHYS 102 .
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 020 - Introductory Astronomy
Credits: 4
A descriptive study of the solar system, the stars, and the universe on its largest scales. Topics covered include the phases of the Moon, the seasons, the tides, the historical roots of astronomy, the constellations, telescopes, the Sun, star formation and evolution, compact objects, and the expansion of the universe. The course is designed to give students an appreciation of the beauty and order of the known universe. Use is made of the Wible Planetarium and the Newton Observatory telescopes. Because observations are weather dependent, students in the course must plan to complete an observation during appropriate evening or other hours. One laboratory per week.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 020 and PHYS 129 .
|
| |
-
PHYS 065 - Introduction to Physics
Credits: 4
For students not intending to major in one of the natural sciences and, as such, it requires no prerequisite course in mathematics. A basic understanding of mechanics, thermodynamics, sound, light, and nuclear physics, as well as some historical perspective, is developed. Emphasis is placed on the application of physics to modern problems and technology. One laboratory per week.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
May not be taken for credit following successful completion of PHYS 101 or PHYS 110 .
|
| |
-
PHYS 101 - Fundamentals of Physics I
Credits: 4
An introductory calculus-based course intended primarily for students majoring in biology, environmental science, and geology with an emphasis on physical concepts and principles from the areas of classical mechanics, thermodynamics and waves. One laboratory/recitation session per week.
Corequisite: MATH 158 , MATH 160 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Offered in sequence with PHYS 102 . Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 101 and PHYS 110 . Students who wish to major in physics after taking this course should consult the physics faculty before deciding which course to take next.
|
| |
-
PHYS 102 - Fundamentals of Physics II
Credits: 4
A continuation of PHYS 101 with an emphasis on the concepts of electricity, magnetism, and optics. One laboratory/recitation session per week.
Prerequisite: PHYS 101 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Offered in sequence with PHYS 101 . Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 102 and PHYS 120 .
|
| |
-
PHYS 110 - Core Concepts in Physics I
Credits: 4
An introductory, calculus-based course covering fundamental physical concepts from Newtonian mechanics, such as the conservation of energy and momentum. One laboratory and one recitation session per week.
Corequisite: MATH 160 or equivalent.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Restricted to first- and second-year students. Students cannot receive credit for both PHYS 110 and PHYS 101 .
|
| |
-
PHYS 120 - Core Concepts in Physics II
Credits: 4
An introductory, calculus-based physics course covering fundamental physical concepts from relativity, electricity and magnetism. One laboratory and one recitation session per week.
Prerequisite: PHYS 110 or permission of instructor. Corequisite: MATH 170 or equivalent.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Students cannot receive credit for both PHYS 120 and PHYS 102 .
|
| |
-
PHYS 129 - Fundamentals of Astronomy
Credits: 4
A study of the Earth and heavenly bodies, their observed characteristics and motions, and the theories that account for them. The course is designed to give the students an understanding of the tools and fundamental physical concepts of astronomy. Topics covered include celestial timekeeping, gravity, orbits, light, the birth and evolution of stars, basic relativity theory, black holes and other compact objects, dark matter, dark energy, and the big bang theory. One laboratory per week.
Corequisite: MATH 157 , MATH 159 , or equivalent (placement into MATH 160 is sufficient).
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 020 and PHYS 129.
|
| |
-
PHYS 210 - Core Concepts in Physics III
Credits: 4
An introductory, calculus-based physics course covering fundamental physical concepts from basic quantum theory and thermodynamics.
Prerequisite: PHYS 120 or permission of instructor. Corequisite: FSPHY 201 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 240 - Relativity
Credits: 2
An introduction to the experimental findings leading to Einstein’s formulation of the special theory of relativity, relativistic kinematics (simultaneity, time dilation, length contraction, etc.), relativistic dynamics (relative mass, momentum, energy, etc.), and the general theory of relativity.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 260 - Introduction to Thermal Physics
Credits: 4
An introductory course focusing on the three laws of thermodynamics and the statistical approach to understanding heat and thermal phenomena.
Prerequisite: PHYS 101 or PHYS 110
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 272 - Mathematics for Physical Science
Credits: 4
An introduction to linear algebra, calculus of several variables, and differential equations with special emphasis on applications to linear and non-linear physical systems.
Corequisite: MATH 170 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Does not count toward optional course for Physics major or minor. Students who have received credit for any two of MATH 210 , MATH 280 and MATH 320 will not receive credit for PHYS 272.
|
| |
-
PHYS 280 - Programming and Simulation
Credits: 4
A study of numerical simulation that includes learning an operating system (Unix), a programming language (Fortran), and some techniques of numerical analysis to solve problems useful in physics. Part of the course is devoted to learning a general-purpose computational tool (Mathematica).
Prerequisite: PHYS 120 (or PHYS 102 ) or permission of instructor. CMPSC 111 is strongly recommended.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 310 - Mechanics of Particles
Credits: 4
A mathematical study of particles and systems of particles using Newton’s laws of motion and Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics. Topics include forces, energy, and potential; gravitation and orbits; and momentum and collisions.
Prerequisite: PHYS 120 (or PHYS 102 with permission of the instructor), and PHYS 272 or MATH 280 (or concurrent registration in MATH 280 ).
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 320 - Astrophysics
Credits: 4
A quantitative study of topics including celestial mechanics as described by Kepler’s and Newton’s laws, radiation in astronomy, telescopes, stellar spectra, star formation, the structure and evolution of stars, relativity, and big bang cosmology.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102 or PHYS 120 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 330 - Analog Electric Circuits and Devices
Credits: 4
A study emphasizing AC/DC circuits, semiconductor devices, and analog circuits including amplifiers. One laboratory session per week.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102 or PHYS 120 , and MATH 170 . CMPSC 111 is recommended.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 340 - Electric and Magnetic Fields
Credits: 4
A mathematical investigation of static and time-dependent electric and magnetic fields emphasizing vector differential operators. Laplace’s, Poisson’s, and Maxwell’s equations.
Prerequisite: PHYS 120 (or PHYS 102 with the permission of instructor), and PHYS 272 or MATH 280 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 350 - Physical Optics
Credits: 4
A study of geometrical, physical, and quantum optics. Topics may include the theory and applications of spectroscopy, lasers, fiber optics, and detectors, as well as an analysis of interference, diffraction, and polarization. One laboratory session per week.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102 or PHYS 120 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 360 - Introduction to Molecular Biophysics
Credits: 4
An introduction to the physical foundations of biological molecules and processes. Topics include the fundamentals of molecular dynamics, transport processes in biological molecules, the physics of biological polymers/membranes, biological energy, membrane excitations, nerve impulses, and signal transduction. Physical methods such as resonance techniques and microscopy and their application to the study of biological molecules are also discussed.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 and CHEM 112 , or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 370 - Introduction to Solid State Physics
Credits: 4
An introductory study of crystalline and amorphous materials including symmetry, crystal-binding, crystal-diffraction, phonons (Einstein- and Debye-models), free electron Fermi gas, Bose-Einstein theory, and superconductivity. Topics of current research interest such as computer simulation of amorphous materials, superlattices, and novel mechanisms of superconductivity are also included.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102 or PHYS 120 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 380 - Quantum Mechanics
Credits: 4
A study of the concepts of quantum mechanics with an emphasis on mathematical analysis. The course begins with an introduction to the Schrödinger equation and the formalism of quantum mechanics. Dirac representation, Hilbert space, and Hermitian operators are introduced. Quantum mechanical systems are compared with classical systems and discussed with respect to quantum mechanical uncertainty, time development, and conservation theorems. Various applications of quantum mechanics are considered.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or CHEM 242 , and PHYS 272 or equivalent.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 420-429 - Current Topics in Astrophysics
Credits: 2
An examination of selected current topics of interest in astrophysics, such as dark matter, dark energy, black hole formation, star cluster dynamics, stellar collisions, the mass of neutrinos, planetary formation, and gravity wave sources. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 102 or PHYS 120 , and PHYS 020 , PHYS 129 , or PHYS 320 ; or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 430-439 - Current Topics in Biophysics
Credits: 2
An examination of a current topic of interest in biophysics. The course focuses on the molecular structure, energetics and dynamics of biological systems with an emphasis on physical spectroscopic techniques. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 440-449 - Current Topics in Chemical Physics
Credits: 2
An examination of a current topic of interest in chemical physics. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Some laboratory work may be included. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 450-459 - Current Topics in Optical Physics
Credits: 2
An examination of a current topic of interest in optical science. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Some laboratory work may be included. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 460-469 - Current Topics in Theoretical Physics
Credits: 2
An examination of some theories that have revolutionized our understanding of nature and the universe. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 470-479 - Current Topics in Computational Physics
Credits: 2
An examination of theories and computational algorithms that have revolutionized our understanding of nature and the universe. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 480-489 - Current Topics in Materials Physics
Credits: 2
An examination of current topics of interest in materials physics, such as surface effects, fluid flow, tribology, and polymers. Students contribute to the class through discussion and brief presentations. Group discussion is based on reading from journal articles and monographs. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: PHYS 210 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
|
| |
-
PHYS 529 - Internship: Physics
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 580 - Junior Seminar
Credits: 2
A seminar in which students, faculty, and guest lecturers make presentations on current topics in physics. The Junior Seminar has three goals: (1) to begin student preparation for the Senior Project, (2) to facilitate student awareness of the impact of physics on society, and (3) to inform the student of other areas of physics research. This is accomplished by becoming familiar with research in the department, giving an oral presentation on some aspect of physics and society, and preparing a written and oral review of research relevant to a prospective senior project. Students are also expected to attend department seminars.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 590 - Independent Study
Credits: 1-4
To be arranged. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 600 - Senior Project I
Credits: 3
The first in a sequence of two courses involving experimental and/or theoretical research under the direction of a faculty member. Background information is collected and preliminary work is carried out. Attendance at departmental lectures is required. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 610 - Senior Project II
Credits: 3
Completion of the senior research project. Students write reports and discuss their results at an oral presentation given for faculty members. In most cases they also present their findings at regional or national physics meetings and lectures. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: PHYS 600 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
| |
-
PHYS 620 - Senior Project
Credits: 4
Equivalent to the PHYS 600 -PHYS 610 sequence and under special circumstances may be taken as an alternate to PHYS 600 and PHYS 610 . Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
|
Political Science |
| |
-
FSPOL 201 - Communication in a Discipline: Political Science
Credits: 4
An introduction to writing and speaking in the discipline of Political Science. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: FS 102 .
Distribution Requirements: none.
The topical material covered in this sophomore seminar varies from section to section and year to year. Some sections of this course may have additional prerequisites.
|
| |
-
POLSC 110 - U.S. National Government and Politics
Credits: 4
An introduction to national political institutions in the United States: The Presidency, Congress, Supreme Court, and administrative agencies. Attention is given to citizen participation, elections, political parties, interest groups and public policy making.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 120 - Comparative Government and Politics
Credits: 4
An introduction to the development of political institutions and the distribution and exercise of political power in selected western, communist and “Third World” countries. Special attention is devoted to the impact of institutional and cultural patterns upon the quality of life in those countries.
Distribution Requirements: CL, IP.
|
| |
-
POLSC 130 - World Politics
Credits: 4
An introduction to politics among nation-states and the conduct of international relations. Topics addressed include the dynamics of war and peace, international law and diplomacy, state and non-state actors in international relations, and transnational economic and environmental issues.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 140 - Political Philosophy
Credits: 4
An introduction to political theory with special emphasis on the problem of justice. Topics include human nature and politics, justice and the best way of life, and the possibility of a just society. Readings are drawn from the work of political philosophers, social theorists, and literary figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Freud and Dostoyevsky.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 213 - Health Policy in the U.S.
Credits: 4
An examination of the origins, status, and future of health care policies, with a focus on the history of the U.S. health care system and attempts at reform. Special topics to be explored include outbreaks of infectious diseases, the euthanasia movement, funding of medical research, the economic behavior of pharmaceutical companies, and food and nutrition policy.
Prerequisite: POLSC 110 is recommended.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 214 - Rural Politics
Credits: 4
A study of the unique political context and problems faced by small towns and rural communities in the United States. Small towns and rural counties face unique problems in terms of education, crime, economic development, social service provision, and infrastructure. To gain a better understanding of the types of political issues and concerns faced by rural towns, as well as specifically how political conflicts unfold in rural settings, students engage in research and service in Meadville and nearby communities.
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 215 - Politics in Popular Culture
Credits: 4
An examination of how American popular culture intersects with American politics. We focus on the processes through which common forms of entertainment, advertising, and material consumption influence our political perceptions, values, and actions. Special emphasis is placed on how experiences with products of popular culture influence our understandings of and (in)actions toward others. Through class discussion and analytical papers, students identify, explain, and evaluate how the content of popular culture influences their political conduct and the political conduct of others.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 219 - American Political Development
Credits: 4
An examination of American political history, with a particular focus on institutions. Readings, which examine critical events from the 19th and 20th centuries, discuss how crisis, conflict, and parties have produced a stronger national government in the United States. We also consider how American political institutions shape individual identity, and we explore the link between institutional change and policy content. Discussions revolve around the costs and benefits of building a stronger federal state and how changes in the federal state complement or contradict constitutional principles.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 220 - Democracy for the Few? Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movements
Credits: 4
The study of political participation and political influence in the United States. The great promise of democracy is that all citizens will have meaningful opportunities to defend their interests and advance their notions of the common good. Yet citizens have grown increasingly concerned about whether such opportunities truly exist in their democracy. We focus on how parties, interest groups, and social movements structure political participation. By integrating theory with both historical and current examples, students assess whether citizens can still find, or perhaps even create, opportunities to exert meaningful influence on political decisions.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 221 - Law, Courts, and Judicial Processes
Credits: 4
A study of the development, organization, and operation of federal and state court systems, with consideration given to the political contexts in which courts operate. Particular attention is given to normative and positive accounts of judicial decision-making, including the role and limits of judicial discretion and the importance of institutions in shaping judicial outcomes.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 226 - Government and Politics of Western Europe
Credits: 4
An introduction to Western Europe comparing societies, cultures and political institutions. Diverse historical experiences are the background to an analysis of post-war and contemporary issues such as European integration; the welfare state; the evolution of party politics; NATO and changing security issues; and immigration and nationalism.
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 228 - Government and Politics of China
Credits: 4
An overview of government and politics in 20th-century China, with a stress on state-society relations. A major focus of the course rests on the post-Mao period and questions such as economic reform and the Tiananmen Square student movement and prospects for democracy. Other topics will include women’s issues, population and environmental issues, and China’s foreign relations. The course draws on autobiographical, journalistic, and cinematic sources as well as text-based readings to chart Chinese politics in this century.
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 232 - Government and Politics of the Middle East
Credits: 4
An examination of political trends in the Middle East and North Africa, focusing on issues such as state-society relations, secular-religious tensions, the role of oil wealth, and the status of women. Case studies of several representative states are included.
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 235 - Government and Politics of Latin America
Credits: 4
An examination of political trends in Latin America, focusing on issues such as the relationship between states and markets, the politics of memory in post-authoritarian regimes, and the challenges of democratization. Case studies of several representative states are included.
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 242 - Immigration and Citizenship
Credits: 4
An exploration of recent immigration to the United States focused on Latin America and Latin American migrants in the United States. We examine the historical foundations of current immigration policy as well as relevant themes in immigration studies, including political participation, religion and migration, the economics of immigration, and social incorporation. We also examine the extent to which contemporary immigration patterns compare to previous immigration waves.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 245 - The Politics of Third World Development
Credits: 4
An introduction to the ongoing struggle over the economic and political “development” of Third World nations. Since the end of World War II, the poorer or so-called “Third World” or “developing” countries of the world have sought to develop their economies and political systems. Despite formidable application of resources and expertise, however, so much has seemingly gone wrong: international debt mounts, poverty deepens, environmental systems deteriorate, population grows, famine continues, and the pernicious gap between rich and poor widens. Why is this so and, given the prevailing distribution of power and influence, what can be done? These questions are explored with particular reference to the domestic and international politics of Asia and Africa and special attention to emerging policy alternatives.
Distribution Requirements: IP, PD.
This course is particularly well-suited to first- and second-year students with little or no training in political science.
|
| |
-
POLSC 248 - Human Rights
Credits: 4
An introduction to international human rights. We explore norms and practices regarding personal integrity rights, including mass killing, torture, and disappearances, and civil rights, such as restrictions on speech or religion. Students are introduced to literature on why governments repress, patterns of treaty ratification and compliance, and variation in the success of strategies to improve human rights. Students also evaluate the cases for and against the international protection of human rights and derive hypotheses about international human rights behavior.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
A field trip may be required.
|
| |
-
POLSC 251 - U.S. Foreign Policy
Credits: 4
An examination of the factors that condition the formulation and conduct of U.S. Foreign Policy. These factors include: the general political, cultural, and economic conditions within the U.S.; various governmental agencies with responsibility for foreign affairs; nongovernmental groupings that affect the scope, direction, and efficacy of U.S. Foreign Policy; international organizations; and the policy-making process itself.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
|
| |
-
POLSC 261 - U.S.-Latin American Relations
Credits: 4
An analysis of United States-Latin American relations over time, with a special emphasis on the post-Cold War period. The central question to be addressed is whether there will be greater harmony between the two regions now that the threat of communism has disappeared or if there will be increased conflict because of the exponential rise of drug trafficking, migratory pressures, growing economic disparity and increasing environmental pressures. An examination of historical case studies will provide students with the requisite background for assessing current issues.
Distribution Requirements: IP, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 280 - The Tragedy of Citizenship
Credits: 4
A study of political psychology focused on the abilities and limitations of citizens. As citizens, we often face complex circumstances and difficult political choices. As human beings, we have limited psychological abilities. We have limited powers of perception and comprehension, and thus are always at risk of error. Yet our need to make choices about what is best for ourselves and our political communities remains. As students of political psychology, we explore how we can attempt to compensate for those limitations.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 285 - American Political Thought
Credits: 4
An analysis of selected classics of American political theory from the first settlement throughout the founding of the Republic up to the present. Texts are drawn from the works of theorists and commentators such as Winthrop, Paine, Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Tocqueville, Henry Adams, Chesterton and Lippmann, as well as from the work of literary figures such as Hawthorne, Melville, Twain and Faulkner.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
|
| |
-
POLSC 289 - Introduction to Research Design
Credits: 2
An introduction to the research process in political science. Students acquire tools useful in identifying, planning, and developing research projects such as seminar papers and the senior project. Students learn how to craft a research question; recognize, survey, and discuss the relevant literature; select and justify an appropriate method; and identify pertinent information to answer the question.
Distribution Requirements: SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 301 - Constitutional Law: Powers of Government
Credits: 4
An exploration of U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding judicial, legislative, and executive power as well as the relationship between states and the national government in a range of policy areas.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 303 - Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Credits: 4
A study of landmark U.S. Supreme Court civil rights and liberties cases. Topics include: speech, obscenity, libel, press, religion, privacy, due process, and the equal protection of the laws.
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 318 - Politics and the Media
Credits: 4
An examination and evaluation of the role of mass media in American politics. Topics include: the legal framework that enshrouds freedom of the press, the newsmaking process, sources of potential bias, the development of investigative journalism, corporate ownership of the media, the role of the press in elections, the impact of mass media on individual behavior and opinion formation, and the politics of entertainment, concluding with an exploration of the process by which the media have become a tool, indeed a weapon, in the contemporary U.S. political process.
Prerequisite: POLSC 110 is recommended.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 320 - State and Local Politics
Credits: 4
An examination of the interaction among state and local governments, representatives, institutions and policies. Topics include gubernatorial policy roles and arenas, the state legislative process, the challenge devolution plays for state and local governments, the role of parties in candidate-focused elections, and interest group organization.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 321 - Urban Government and Politics
Credits: 4
An examination of the political institutions and the policy-making processes in American cities. Emphasis is on the impact of historical and social conditions, institutional arrangements, and power relationships on significant problems facing urban areas, including metropolitan organization, taxing and spending, law enforcement, education, social welfare and housing.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 325 - Rights in Comparative Perspective
Credits: 4
A comparison of legal and political rights throughout the world. We focus on the differences between negative and positive rights, the role of the state in defining and guaranteeing rights, and the spread of “American-style” rights (e.g., rights demanded of the government via the courts that influence social policy) and law-focused social movements throughout the rest of the world. States to be considered include China, the European Union, Germany, India, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
Distribution Requirements: CL, IP.
|
| |
-
POLSC 326 - Sports and the Politics of Race and Memory
Credits: 4
A comparative study of the intersection of politics and sports focusing on how sports programs, teams, and fans influence, reinforce, and/or challenge political power. Themes include the relationship between racism and sports; the role of sports in nationalism; how sports are used to resist, or promote, colonialism; how the relaxation of naturalization requirements for athletes can influence immigration policies for non-athletes; how sporting events help forge a national community among diverse peoples; and the impact of globalization on sports. Countries that might be studied include the United States, India, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand, and Japan.
Distribution Requirements: IP, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 327 - The Political System of Germany
Credits: 4
An introduction to the political system of Germany, with emphasis on actual, daily political events and the current political climate in Germany. Both foreign and domestic issues are discussed, including topics such as East/West relations, disarmament, unification, the environment and Neo-Nazism. Class time is divided between lecture and discussion of outside readings.
Distribution Requirements: none.
Taught in Cologne, Germany.
|
| |
-
POLSC 329 - Islam, Migration & Race in Western Europe
Credits: 4
An interdisciplinary immersion into debates over identity, nationalism, citizenship, religious freedom, immigration, freedom of expression, racism, and secularism in Europe. Students explore how different cultures construct racial hierarchies, how religious identification and racialized categories bleed into one another, and how individuals and groups respond to discrimination and subvert and redefine religious and racial identities in Europe.
Distribution Requirements: IP, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 330 - Megacities
Credits: 4
A study of urban conglomerates whose population is eight to ten million. We examine the urban form and citizenship in geographically and culturally diverse megacities, including Mexico City, New York, Sao Paulo, and Cairo. Drawing on case studies, we ask what we can learn about the global processes that characterize contemporary politics by studying so-called “global cities.” We pay particular attention to the relationship between globalization and the spatial organization of cities, exploring, for example, how social actors and states in specific places claim, reclaim, purpose, repurpose, surveil, contest, and govern public space as part of broader neoliberal social transformation.
Prerequisite: POLSC 120 or POLSC 130 or POLSC 245 .
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 334 - Government and Politics in South Asia
Credits: 4
An introduction to the politics of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, three South Asian countries that collectively account for roughly 22 percent of the world’s population. The first part of our study constitutes a brief survey of the political history of each country. The second part explores the following topics and invites comparison among different countries: Caste, Class, Language and Ethnicity; Democratization, Parties, and Elections; Civil-Military Relations; Religion in Politics; Movements and Insurrections; and Gender.
Prerequisite: POLSC 120 .
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 336 - Politics and Culture in the Asia-Pacific
Credits: 4
A survey of politics in the East Asian region-including China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on cultural legacies and their effects on contemporary political structures and processes. Using literature and film as well as textual sources, this course will examine the unique political and economic development of this region. Questions to be addressed include: Why have parts of Asia experienced such economic success but also economic downturns? How can we understand claims that Asian culture is incompatible with democratic forms of governance? What are the ways that citizens in these areas seek to make their political voices heard?
Distribution Requirements: IP, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 340 - Political Geography
Credits: 4
A study of the relationship between politics and the material environment in which we find ourselves. Both natural topography and the built environment play a major, if often overlooked, role in shaping economics, social interactions, and political decision making. Our study uses both theoretical and empirical tools to consider the link between geography and politics, covering a range of issues from urban design to electoral districts. Through discussion, papers, and direct observation of the environment, students develop a stronger understanding of how the material world shapes politics and individual subjectivity.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 348 - Direct Action Organizing
Credits: 4
A study of ethics, strategies, and tactics of direct action organizing. In a democracy, individual citizens have the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Yet many political goals require the efforts of many to achieve, and, in many cases, there is little that individual citizens can do acting alone. Citizens must therefore learn how to identify shared concerns, how to coordinate with others, and how to harness the efforts of many to influence political decisions. This is the work of direct action organizing. We examine how direct action organizing can succeed and why it sometimes fails.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 354 - War and Peace in the Middle East
Credits: 4
An examination of several types of conflicts - including revolutions, civil wars, interstate wars, and interventions - in the Middle East. Theories of each type of conflict are applied to specific cases. Peace processes are also analyzed and discussed in the context of resolving current regional crises. Through course readings, drawn from popular nonfiction, mainstream journals, and field-specific journals, students gain basic literacy in both qualitative and quantitative approaches to political science.
Prerequisite: POLSC 232 recommended.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
|
| |
-
POLSC 355 - The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Credits: 4
An examination of the history of Israeli-Arab relations from the late 19th century, with a focus on understanding why the conflict has been so intractable and the role played by third parties. Students read primary and secondary sources to explore both the historical background to the conflict and a wide range of perspectives on key issues.
Distribution Requirements: IP, PD.
Sophomore standing or higher recommended.
|
| |
-
POLSC 371 - Politics and Literature (also listed as ENGL 371 )
Credits: 4
A team-taught course that examines the intersection of Politics and Literature in a given situation. While the specific topic may change from year to year, the course seeks to transcend the disciplinary borders between Political Science and English by exploring the vital connections between system and story at a given historical moment. The course may be taken for credit in either Political Science or English.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
|
| |
-
POLSC 380 - Classical Political Thought
Credits: 4
An analysis of selected texts from among the political theorists of antiquity with special attention paid to such themes as the nature and purpose of political life, the meaning of citizenship, problems peculiar to political action, and the character of the best regime. Readings are drawn from the works of dramatists, historians and philosophers such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato and Aristotle.
Prerequisite: POLSC 140 or POLSC 285 is recommended.
Distribution Requirements: HE, SB.
|
| |
Page: 1 <- 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
| 7
| 8
| 9
| 10
| 11
| 12
|
|
|
|
Print this Page