Courses - Spring 2027
AAAS
African American and Africana Studies
AAAS100
Introduction to African American and Africana Studies
Credit only granted for: AASP100 or AAAS100.
Formerly: AASP100.
Significant aspects of the history of African Americans with particular emphasis on the evolution and development of black communities from slavery to the present. Interdisciplinary introduction to social, political, legal and economic roots of contemporary problems faced by blacks in the United States with applications to the lives of other racial and ethnic minorities in the Americas and in other societies.
AAAS100H
Introduction to African American and Africana Studies
Credit only granted for: AASP100 or AAAS100.
Formerly: AASP100.
Significant aspects of the history of African Americans with particular emphasis on the evolution and development of black communities from slavery to the present. Interdisciplinary introduction to social, political, legal and economic roots of contemporary problems faced by blacks in the United States with applications to the lives of other racial and ethnic minorities in the Americas and in other societies.
Restricted to HONR students only.
AAAS101
Public Policy and the Black Community
Credit only granted for: AASP101 or AAAS101.
Formerly: AASP101.
The impact of public policies on the Black community and the role of the policy process in affecting the social, economic and political well-being of minorities. Particular attention given to the post-1960 to present era.
AAAS187
The New Jim Crow: African-Americans, Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
Recommended: AASP100.
Credit only granted for: AASP187 or AAAS187.
Formerly: AASP187.
Students will examine the birth of the racial caste system following the abolition of slavery, the parallels between the racial hierarchy of the Jim Crow system and contemporary mass incarceration, and the rise of the prison industrial complex as a multi-billon business which thrives on the oppression of low-income populations and poor communities of color.
AAAS202
Credit only granted for: AASP202 or AAAS202.
Formerly: AASP202.
The course examines important aspects of African American life and thought which are reflected in African American literature, drama, music and art. Beginning with the cultural heritage of slavery, the course surveys the changing modes of Black creative expression from the 19th-century to the present.
AAAS202H
Credit only granted for: AASP202 or AAAS202.
Formerly: AASP202.
The course examines important aspects of African American life and thought which are reflected in African American literature, drama, music and art. Beginning with the cultural heritage of slavery, the course surveys the changing modes of Black creative expression from the 19th-century to the present.
AAAS211
Get Out: The Sunken Place of Race Relations in the Post-Racial Era
Credit only granted for: AASP211 or AAAS211.
Formerly: AASP211.
Prevailing thought suggests that we live in an era that is post-racial, particularly after the election of Barack Obama. Media often serves to drive our assessment of where our nation stands on issues like race, gender and sexuality. This course uses the film Get Out to delve into the production, evolution and significance of race in present day America. The course will engage multiple forms of media to investigate life in "Post-Racial" America, including but not limited to the role of stereotypes, interracial relationships, police-community relations, etc.
AAAS255
African-American History, 1865 - Present
Cross-listed with: HIST255.
Credit only granted for: HIST255, AASP255, AAAS255 or AASP298A.
An introductory course in the African-American experience in the United States from 1865 to the present. Topics include the aftermath of the Civil War on US race relations, the rise of segregation, northern migration, World War I and II, Civil Rights Movements, and the Black Power Movement.
AAAS265
Constructions of Manhood and Womanhood in the Black Community
Cross-listed with: WGSS265.
Credit only granted for: WMST265, AASP298B, AAAS265, WGSS265 or AASP265.
Formerly: WMST265.
Investigates the ways that African Americans are represented and constructed in public and private spheres and explores the social constructions and representations of Black manhood and womanhood from various disciplinary perspectives.
Cross-listed with WGSS265. Credit granted only for AAAS265 or WGSS265.
AAAS400
Directed Readings in African American and Africana Studies
Prerequisite: AAAS202 or AAAS100.
Credit only granted for: AASP400 or AAAS400.
Formerly: AASP400.
The readings will be directed by the faculty of African American Studies. Topics to be covered will be chosen to meet the needs and interests of individual students.
AAAS400H
Directed Readings in African American and Africana Studies
Prerequisite: AAAS202 or AAAS100.
Credit only granted for: AASP400 or AAAS400.
Formerly: AASP400.
The readings will be directed by the faculty of African American Studies. Topics to be covered will be chosen to meet the needs and interests of individual students.
AAST
Asian American Studies
Department Site
AAST200
Cross-listed with: AMST298C.
Credit only granted for: AAST200 or AMST298C.
The aggregate experience of Asian Pacific Americans, from developments in the countries of origin to their contemporary issues. The histories of Asian Pacific American groups as well as culture, politics, the media, and stereotypes, viewed from an interdisciplinary perspective.
AAST201
Cross-listed with: HIST221.
Credit only granted for: AAST201 or HIST221.
Introduction to the history of Asian Americans and Asians in the United States and the Americas and to the field of Asian American Studies, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Topics include theories of race and ethnicity; Asian migration and diaspora to the Americas; Asian American work and labor issues; gender, family, and communities; nationalism and nativism, and anti-Asian movements; Asian Americans in World War II, the Cold War, and the issues in the civil rights & post-civil rights era.
AAST322
Cross-listed with: SOCY322.
Credit only granted for: AAST322, SOCY222, HIST322 or SOCY322.
Formerly: AAST222, SOCY222.
Explores historical and contemporary Asian immigration to the US in comparison to and in the context of other immigrant groups. From low-skilled laborers to highly-skilled professionals, Asian and other immigrants have been an integral part of the shifting US economy and society since its inception. The course includes theories on why immigration occurs, determinants of its continuation, the uses of migrant labor, and immigrant adaptation and settlement. The second part of the course focuses on theories of ethnicity and racial formation and how immigrants develop and challenge the definitions of race, ethnicity, the "other", and ultimately, who is American. Students will also have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the immigrant experience through a life history interview project.
AAST363
Cross-listed with: AMST323.
Credit only granted for: AAST363, AMST323, AAST398D, or AMST328J.
Formerly: AAST398D.
Focus is placed on Filipino American experiences with an emphasis on identity, community building and organizing to influence public policy We will cover pertinent events from the US and Philippine history in order to understand the impact of colonialism, migration, immigration and assimilation on Filipino Americans.
AAST443
Cross-listed with: AMST498J, GVPT368C.
Credit only granted for: AAST498T, AAST443, GVPT368C or AMST 498J.
Formerly: AAST498T.
Students will gain a greater understanding of 1) the role of Asian Americans in US politics, 2) the political attitudes and behaviors of Asian Americans and 3) how to conduct research on Asian American politics. Though the class will concentrate on Asian Americans, issues related to Asian American politics will be examined within the larger context of America's multicultural political landscape.
AMST
American Studies
Department Site
AMST298C
Cross-listed with: AAST200.
Credit only granted for: AAST200 or AMST298C.
The aggregate experience of Asian Pacific Americans, from developments in the countries of origin to their contemporary issues. The histories of Asian Pacific American groups as well as culture, politics, the media, and stereotypes, viewed from an interdisciplinary perspective.
AMST298J
Cross-listed with: WGSS205, AAAS298E.
Credit only granted for: WGSS205, AMST298J, or AAAS298E.
Developed by feminists of color, reproductive justice frameworks offer a roadmap for economic, social, and medical justice advocacy attentive to the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. This course reviews the historical, legal, and social bases of reproductive rights in the U.S.; discusses the history of feminist organizing for reproductive freedom; surveys critical theories of reproductive justice that go beyond abortion law to advocate for broader social transformation; and evaluates the possible futures of intersectional feminist activism after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Cross-listed with WGSS205. Credit only granted for AMST298J or WGSS205.
Developed by feminists of color, reproductive justice frameworks offer a roadmap for economic, social, and medical justice advocacy attentive to the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. This course reviews the historical, legal, and social bases of reproductive rights in the U.S.; discusses the history of feminist organizing for reproductive freedom; surveys critical theories of reproductive justice that go beyond abortion law to advocate for broader social transformation; and evaluates the possible futures of intersectional feminist activism after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Developed by feminists of color, reproductive justice frameworks offer a roadmap for economic, social, and medical justice advocacy attentive to the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. This course reviews the historical, legal, and social bases of reproductive rights in the U.S.; discusses the history of feminist organizing for reproductive freedom; surveys critical theories of reproductive justice that go beyond abortion law to advocate for broader social transformation; and evaluates the possible futures of intersectional feminist activism after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
AMST310
Introduction to Comparative Ethnic and Racial Studies
Cross-listed with: AAST310.
Credit only granted for: AMST310, AAST398F, AAST310, or AMST328L.
Formerly: AMST328L and AAST398F.
Introduces students to the study of race and ethnicity in the United States. The class is organized according to the following five units: (1) Introduction; (2) Key concepts; (3) Mechanisms of racial formation; (4) Prevailing myths about race; and (5) Contemporary issues related to race and ethnicity. Through readings, film clips, and presentations, we will explore how the concept of race has developed and endured over time and become familiar with key concepts, such as "race" and "intersectionality". We will attempt to better understand how race is associated with other forms of difference, such as class, gender and ethnicity. We will identify and confront the prevailing myths about race and ethnicity in the United States. Finally, we examine the ways in which contemporary issues reveal the dynamics of race and ethnicity.
AMST498J
Cross-listed with: AAST443, GVPT368C.
Credit only granted for: AAST498T, AAST443, GVPT368C or AMST 498J.
Formerly: AAST498T.
Students will gain a greater understanding of 1) the role of Asian Americans in US politics, 2) the political attitudes and behaviors of Asian Americans and 3) how to conduct research on Asian American politics. Though the class will concentrate on Asian Americans, issues related to Asian American politics will be examined within the larger context of America's multicultural political landscape.
ANTH
Anthropology
Department Site
ANTH210
Introduction to Medical Anthropology and Global Health
An introduction to the central concepts in medical anthropology and the anthropology of global health. This course is a survey of anthropological notions of health, disease, and the body in cross-cultural and global contexts, including classic and contemporary texts. It will provide an examination of systems of knowledge and practice with regard to illness, healing, and global health inequities.
ANTH260
Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology and Linguistics
Culture and social relationships in a wide variety of settings from small-scale to complex societies. An overview of how anthropology analyzes human behavior. Particular attention to the relationship between language and culture.
ANTH323
Credit only granted for: ANTH429A or ANTH323.
Formerly: ANTH429A.
The impact of diseases on populations from prehistoric times through the present will be examined, along with public perceptions of disease, scientific breakthroughs on treatment and prevention, and the ways that politics and public health policies can enhance or impede the advancement of disease treatment. The natural history of disease, population structure, and immunity will be discussed. The class will address emerging and re-emerging diseases and the ways that first responders, researchers, and policy makers may affect the outcome of an outbreak.
ARCH
Architecture
Department Site
ARCH420
History of American Architecture
Prerequisite: ARCH225 and ARCH226; or ARCH425 and ARCH426; or permission of the ARCH-Architecture program.
American architecture from the late 17th to the 21st century.
AREC
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Department Site
AREC210
The Food Chain: What Happens As Your Food Goes From Farm to Table
How can we feed a growing global population, reduce farming's environmental damage, and provide a healthier diet, all in the face of climate change? The course explores these global food system challenges in the context of the food supply chains that link farms, input providers, traders, food processors, retailers, consumers, and governments. We assess how supply chains are organized; how they use technologies; and how they can create organizations, develop new technologies, and adapt food production practices to meet these four major challenges facing the global food system.
AREC240
Introduction to Economics and the Environment
Credit only granted for: AREC240 or AREC250 .
Costs and social impacts of pollution and human crowding in the modern environment. The economic, legal and institutional causes of these problems. Public policy approaches to solutions and the costs and benefits of alternative solutions.
AREC345
This interdisciplinary course explores social and economic development around the world. Topics include geography, democratization, political instability and conflict, health and education, agricultural development, micro-entrepreneurship, and an introduction to impact evaluation methods used to evaluate the efficacy of public policy aimed at alleviating poverty.
ARTT
Art Studio
Department Site
ARTT260
Combines a broad historical analysis of the relationship between art and authority with an examination of contemporary culture criticism and art practice. Explores the uses and abuses of art and culture in totalitarianand theocratic states as a prelude to a review of the role of official culture in the United States. Examines art and culture in the public arena and many related areas where the arts and policy interact.
CCJS
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Department Site
CCJS100
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Introduction to the administration of criminal justice in a democratic society, with emphasis on the theoretical and historical development of law enforcement. The principles of organization and administration for law enforcement; functions and specific activities; planning and research; public relations; personnel and training; inspection and control; direction; policy formulation.
CCJS105
Introduction to Criminology
Criminal behavior and the methods of its study; causation; typologies of criminal acts and offenders; punishment, correction and incapacitation; prevention of crime.
CCJS225
What are the dimensions of violence in the United States and worldwide, and how has humanity responded to violence? Conflict is unfortunately resolved through violence in a number of settings. It ranges from interpersonal to international in its scope. This course investigates the strengths and weaknesses of a number of resolutions to reducing violence over the course of history using both state centered and informal control.
CCJS325
Slavery in the Twenty First Century: Combating Human Trafficking
What is human trafficking and how do we stop it? An introduction to the trafficking of human beings in its historical, legal, economic, political and social contexts. Scope of the global problem, different forms of human trafficking, and regional trends and practices. Roles of government, the international community and individual actors. Strategies to combat trafficking.
CHSE
Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
CHSE205
Disability: From Stigma and Sideshow to Mainstream and Main Street
Credit only granted for: EDSP289I or CHSE205.
Formerly: EDSP289I.
Explores the cultural, historical, educational, and medical roots of difference among human beings and examines the impact of cultural and technological changes on individuals traditionally identified as disabled. The course is designed to develop a broad understanding of the concept of "disability" and the emerging technologies that shape contemporary understanding of this phenomenon and the lives of those considered disabled.
CLAS
Classics
Department Site
CLAS276
Credit only granted for: CLAS276 or CLAS289A.
Formerly: CLAS289A.
America, from its very origins as an independent nation, saw itself as the new Rome: its system of government is built on Roman precedents, its national buildings look as if they came from the Roman Forum, and its leisure activities take us to stadiums modeled on the Colosseum. America's relationship to Rome, however, raises its greatest anxiety: will America fall as Rome did? In 1776, the year of American independence, Edward Gibbon published his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; America has been thinking about the trajectory of its history alongside Rome's from the very beginning.
CPSS
College Park Scholars-Science, Technology and Society
CPSS225
College Park Scholars Capstone: Science, Technology, and Society
Prerequisite: CPSS100.
Restriction: Must be in the College Park Scholars Science, Technology & Society (CPSS) program.
Formerly: CPSP227.
Exploration and understanding of ways science and technology shape and are shaped by society.
DANC
Dance
Department Site
DANC383
Dance History & Theory
Restriction: Permission of ARHU-Dance department.
With a primary focus on Western concert dance from the 20th and 21st centuries, this course proposes an understanding of dance as it is situated in historical and cultural contexts. Rather than proposing a canon of "masterworks", this course interrogates choreography and other dance practices from multiple perspectives such as feminist theories, race, gender, and sexuality studies.
ECON
Economics
Department Site
The Department of Economics enforces course prerequisites. Students who do not meet the course prerequisites will be administratively dropped from the course.
ECON185
Will we face an energy crisis in the near future, or will technological breakthroughs solve problems? Will we destroy the environment by careless use of polluting energy, or we will find new and clean sources of energy that resolves the environmental issue once and for all? Will politicians and governments succeed in agreeing on a coherent strategy to deal with global issues related to energy, or do we expect individual countries to move in different directions and exacerbate the problems? Students will explore the demand and supply sides of the energy market and their relationships with government policies and environmental concerns. Students will also analyze empirical evidence to better understand the factors affecting energy production and consumption in the past and possible directions in the future. By examining past situations when technological change mitigated problems in energy markets, we can make informed predictions about what could happen next.
ECON200
Principles of Microeconomics
Prerequisite: MATH107; or must have math eligibility of MATH113 or higher.
Additional information: It is recommended that students complete ECON200 before taking ECON201.
Introduces economic models used to analyze economic behavior by individuals and firms and consequent market outcomes. Applies conceptual analysis to several policy issues and surveys a variety of specific topics within the broad scope of microeconomics.
ECON201
Principles of Macroeconomics
Prerequisite: MATH107; or must have math eligibility of MATH113 or higher.
Recommended: ECON200.
Credit only granted for: ECON201 or ECON205.
An introduction to how market economies behave at the aggregate level. The determination of national income/output and the problems of unemployment inflation, will be examined, along with monetary and fiscal policy.
EDHD
Education, Human Development
Department Site
EDHD201
Learning How to Learn
Immerses students in the theoretical and empirical study of learning by engaging them in orchestrated experiences and activities drawn directly from the disciplinary research. Students achieve deep understanding of their own learning, as well as the means of enhancing that learning both in school and out-of-school contexts.
EDHD210
Foundations of Early Childhood Education
Restriction: Permission of EDUC-Human Development and Quantitative Methodology department.
Students explore historical and current research in early childhood education, primary models of curriculum and pedagogy in the field, and the relationship between critical aspects of young children's development and the creation of inclusive learning opportunities for all children, including children at risk. The concept of developmentally appropriate practice and its application across different developmental levels and early childhood classrooms will be introduced and connected with discussion in EDHD220 and EDSP211. Students examine issues in developing and implementing high quality early childhood education experiences for young children with and without disabilities, including the influence of family, culture, and community, the needs of children at risk (e.g., poverty, immigrant status, English Language Learners), and the role of assessment in early learning.
EDHD221
Aggression and Violence in Everyday Life: Can Violence Be Prevented?
History of aggression and violence in the world and in the United States. Examines the extent to which various forms are prevalent today and scientifically supported prevention strategies. Methods of studying aggression are reviewed, as are theories and methods of preventing aggression and violence.
EDHD230
Development of the individual in the context of relationships with the formal and informal institutions of society. An examination of various aspects of development from the broad perspective of the social sciences.
EDHD310
Your Brain on Education: The Neuroscience of Learning and Development
Prerequisite: PSYC100.
Investigation linking research in the brain science of learning and development, including the neural basis of academic skills, to achievement, disability, and broader applications to classroom learning. This course will focus on areas of education including language (spoken and written), conceptual change, numerical/quantitative processing, and social cognition as well as burgeoning areas of neuroscientific research in general cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and executive processing. These topics will be discussed with respect to typical and atypical development with some focus on developmental disabilities including autism, specific language impairment, reading and math impairment, and attention deficit disorders among others. This course will focus on both the theoretical perspectives and pragmatic issues of how evidence regarding brain development can or may be translated into useful or misleading information for educators, professionals, and parents/guardians of our children.
EDHD320
Human Development Through the Life Span
Central concepts related to parameters of human development, individual and social, which arise throughout the life span. Continuity and change within the developing individual.
EDHD400
Introduction to Gerontology
Multidisciplinary survey of the processes of aging. Physiological changes, cultural forces, and self-processes that bear on quality of life in later years. Field study of programs, institutions for elderly, individual elders, their families and care providers.
EDHD405
Information Weaponization: Thinking Critically in a Changing World
Credit only granted for: HNUH238Y or EDHD405.
Formerly: HNUH238Y.
Contemporary challenges--such as climate change, food, energy and water security, and deadly virus transmission--demand that people think critically. While many societal challenges are seriously impacting local, regional and global communities, an increasing availability of information has contributed to what many call a "Post-Truth Era." We will consider the institutional use of post-truth a form of information weaponization. This course asks how information weaponization impacts the evaluation of valid lines of evidence and explanations. How do we evaluate and what is needed to improve individuals' evaluations of claims? This course will focus on mythological and unproductive thinking, increased digital literacy, enhanced reasoning, evaluation skills, and critical thinking.
EDHD411
Child Growth and Development
Theoretical approaches to and empirical studies of physical, psychological and social development from conception to puberty. Implications for home, school and community.
EDHD412
Infant Development
Infant development across domains, including perceptual, motor, cognitive, language, social and emotional functioning from pre-natal through third year of life.
EDHD413
Adolescent Development
Adolescent development, including special problems encountered in contemporary culture. Observational component and individual case study.
EDHD421
Developmental Perspectives on Peer Interactions, Relationships, and Groups
Recommended: EDHD411 and EDHD306.
Explores the historical and theoretical foundations of contemporary research on peer interactions, relationships, and groups. It examines the interplay between individual characteristics, social behaviors, and relationships, and familial and extra-familial factors with an emphasis on diversity in the peer experience across various cultural, ethnic, gender, ability, and socioeconomic contexts.
EDHD440
Adult Development
Recommended: EDHD413.
Major conceptual approaches to the study of adult development including physical, cognitive, social, emotional and self processes that take place within individuals as they progress from emerging adulthood through middle age.
EDHD460
Educational Psychology
Additional information: Students must have completed PSYC100; or permission of EDUC-Human Development and Quantitative Methodology department.
Application of psychology to learning processes and theories. Individual differences, measurement, motivation, emotions, intelligence, attitudes, problem solving, thinking and communicating in educational settings.
ENSP
Environmental Science and Policy
Department Site
ENSP102
Introduction to Environmental Policy
Additional information: May be taken before or after ENSP101.
Second of two courses that introduce students to the topics studied and methods employed in environmental science and policy. Emphasis on the process of formulating, implementing, and evaluating policy responses to environmental problems, with particular attention to policy controversies related to scientific uncertainty, risk assessment, the valuation of nature, and distributional equity. May be taken before or after ENSP101.
FMSC
Family Science
Department Site
FMSC190
An examination of changing fatherhood roles, health, and inequality in diverse families. Focus will be on masculinities and disparities among men by race and class; provider role expectations; and trauma and violence faced by men in contemporary society.
FMSC230
Formerly: FMSC330.
The objective of this gateway course is to help you understand and apply basic theories and empirical data on family health. The course is designed to provide you with skills to think critically about theories including: Life Course Theory, the Bio-Ecological and Social-Ecological Models, and Systems Theory. We will ask questions about the distinct qualities and intersections of contexts and characteristics that impact the functioning of families. We will apply theory and research to topical issues in family health that are impacted by social structures such as conflict, crisis, migration, incarceration and inequalities.
FMSC260
Couples, Marriage, and Families: Intimate Relationship Across the Life Course
Covers the different aspects of couple relationships and family life. This includes common problems in couple relationships, and resources to strengthen couple and family relationships. You will also learn about stages of relationships, theories of love and family, policy related to couples and family formation, and how research is conducted with couples and families. Together, we will discuss and explore issues that couples and families face in modern times and will consider how many of these issues have changed due to policy, technology, attitudes, and a variety of other societal factors that impact relationships in the 21st century. You will also learn important methods of strengthening current and future relationships.
Restricted to majors or non-majors with less than or equal to 60 credits.
FMSC302
Prerequisite: Must have completed an introductory statistics course.
Restriction: Must be in a major within SPHL-Family Science department.
Introduction to the methods of the social and behavioral sciences employed in family science. The role of theory, the development of hypotheses, measurement, design, and data analysis.
FMSC332
Children in Families
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C- in PSYC100, SOCY100 or SOCY105.
Credit only granted for: FMSC332 or FMST332.
Formerly: FMST332.
A family life education approach to the study of children and families. Emphasis on the interaction of children with parents, siblings, extended kin, and the community.
FMSC381
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C- in PSYC100, SOCY100, or SOCY105.
Restriction: Must be in a major within SPHL-Family Science department.
Social, political, cultural and economic factors influencing income and wealth in American families.
FMSC460
Prerequisite: SOCY100, SOCY105, or PSYC100.
Credit only granted for: FMSC460 or FMST460.
Formerly: FMST460.
Theories of child, spouse, and elder abuse in the family setting. Emphasis on historical, psychological, sociological and legal trends relating to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Introduction to methods for prevention and remediation.
GFPL
Global and Foreign Policy
GFPL100
War, Peace, and Crisis: The Dynamics of Global and Foreign Policy
Cross-listed with: PLCY170.
Credit only granted for: GFPL100, PLCY170, or PLCY288P.
What can we do about the recurrence of wars, crises, and other human catastrophes around the world? This course introduces students to enduring theoretical debates over the causes of conflict and cooperation globally and the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers trying to tackle these issues. The course applies core theories, concepts and debates within global and foreign policy to understand and address pressing global challenges including war and peace; human security and migration; as well as development and sustainability.
GVPT
Government and Politics
Department Site
GVPT170
American Government
A comprehensive study of national government in the United States.
GVPT200
A study of the major factors underlying international relations, the causes of conflict and cooperation among international actors, the role of international institutions, the interactions of domestic and foreign policies, and major issues in security, economy and the environment.
GVPT204
Uncertain Partners: US and China in a Changing World
Credit only granted for: GVPT204 or GVPT289J.
Formerly: GVPT289J.
The rapid ascent of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as a major political and economic power has meant that its relationship with the United States has become central in contemporary international politics. To an increasing extent, some of the biggest global challenges--ranging from nuclear proliferation, to climate change, to economic growth--require U.S.-China cooperation if they are to be managed effectively. Yet the U.S.-China relationship is at times turbulent, and its future remains highly uncertain. Will the U.S. and China be able to forge a closer partnership that will enable them to cooperate in dealing with some of the vexing challenges facing the international community? Or are they more likely to drift toward a more adversarial relationship, as China's growing power--and the US reaction--generate a vicious cycle of mutual mistrust? In this class, students will grapple with these questions as they learn about the history of U.S.-China relations, and about many of the current issues facing the relationship.
GVPT206
Appetite for Change: Politics and the Globalization of Food
Credit only granted for: GVPT206 or GVPT289A.
Formerly: GVPT289A.
An overview of the major forces transforming the food system--political, economic, technological, environmental--and the political debates surrounding them.
GVPT282
A study of the domestic governmental institutions; processes and problems such as conflict and economic development; and the socio-economic environments that are common to lower-income countries around the world.
This is a GVPT Global Learning offering. For more information click here.
GVPT368C
Cross-listed with: AAST443, AMST498J.
Credit only granted for: AAST498T, AAST443, GVPT368C or AMST 498J.
Formerly: AAST498T.
Students will gain a greater understanding of 1) the role of Asian Americans in US politics, 2) the political attitudes and behaviors of Asian Americans and 3) how to conduct research on Asian American politics. Though the class will concentrate on Asian Americans, issues related to Asian American politics will be examined within the larger context of America's multicultural political landscape.
HACS
ACES-Cybersecurity
HACS208A
Restriction: Must be a student in the ACES (Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students) Living-Learning Program.
In today's interconnected digital world, cybersecurity has become one of the most important issues confronting organizations in both the private and public sectors of an economy. Indeed, cybersecurity is a national and economic security priority in countries throughout the world. This is an interdisciplinary Honors Seminar offered as part of UMD's ACES program. The primary objective of this course is to discuss the relationships among accounting, economics and cybersecurity, with a focus on the important roles of accounting and economics in understanding the issues related to cybersecurity. A basic framework for assessing the interactions among accounting, economics, and cybersecurity will be developed and discussed. A secondary objective of the course is to assist ACES students in developing their ability to conduct original and applied research on topics related to "accounting and economic aspects of cybersecurity."
Must be a student in the ACES (Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students) Living-Learning Program.
This course focuses on the relationships among accounting, economics and cybersecurity. Topics include: (1) the cost-benefit aspects of managing cybersecurity resources, (2) determining the costs of cybersecurity breaches on corporations (3) deriving the optimal amount a firm should invest in cybersecurity activities.
This course focuses on the relationships among accounting, economics and cybersecurity. Topics include: (1) the cost-benefit aspects of managing cybersecurity resources, (2) determining the costs of cybersecurity breaches on corporations (3) deriving the optimal amount a firm should invest in cybersecurity activities.
HESP
Hearing and Speech Sciences
Department Site
HESP120
Additional information: HESP120 is required for HESP majors. HESP majors may not substitute LING200.
An introduction to the scientific study of natural language with focus on the basic concepts of phonology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, with subsequent attention to the applied aspects of linguistic principles.
HIST
History
Department Site
HIST123
Overviews early mid-19th-century changes in African societies, European conquest and African resistances in the late 19th-century, colonial states and societies, African nationalisms and decolonization and the independence era. Struggles over social, economic, and political changes are emphasized.
HIST146
Credit only granted for: HIST289L or HIST146.
Formerly: HIST289L.
Explores the transformation of crime and punishment in England, France, and America over five centuries. Focus is on the connections between forms of government, cultural norms, and punishment. How do ideas about government and its rightful exercise connect to which actions are deemed crimes, who is punished, and how they are punished? "Crimes" covered in this course will range from high crimes such as murder, theft, witchcraft, heresy, sedition, and treason to crimes of property and morals crimes such as non-attendance at church and drunkenness.
HIST147
History of Satan: Conceptions of Ultimate Evil from Antiquity to the Present
Traces the concept of Satan in the Jewish and Christian traditions from the Hebrew Bible, through the early modern witch crazes, to the "Satanic Panic" of the '80s and modern conspiracy theories. We'll examine both how our darkest fears have changed over the centuries, and which elements have stayed remarkably consistent across time. In the process, we'll seek to answer our Big Question: How do ideas about the devil reflect the norms and anxieties of the cultures that produce them?
HIST151
Aliens, Brainwashing, and Cybernetics: Science Fiction and the History of Science
How have humans used art--including but not limited to poems, plays, novels, short stories, and films--to explore the potential consequences of new science and technology? Writers, filmmakers, and artists have often used speculative fiction to comment on new knowledge about the natural world and to think about how that knowledge might affect humanity's future. Some works of art express hope that science and technology will improve the human condition; others express anxiety about the consequences of scientific findings and technological developments. This class examines science fiction (broadly defined) in its historical context and considers how specific works both reflected and shaped changing beliefs about science and its role in society. Students will analyze works of fiction alongside scholarly literature about developments in the history of science.
HIST153
How does a nation emerge from revolution? This course investigates how people confront political collapse and, in its aftermath, construct new systems of government, law, economy, society, and cultural identity. Focusing on the United States between 1776 and 1850, we examine one of history's most ambitious nation-building experiments. During these decades, a scattered set of rebellious colonies struggled to define their governing principles, expand their territory, negotiate profound social and economic change, and articulate a national character--ultimately transforming into a sprawling, diverse, and deeply divided continental power. Through readings, discussion, and analysis of primary sources, students will explore the tensions, innovations, conflicts, and contradictions that shaped the early American republic and consider what this formative period reveals about the possibilities and challenges of creating something new from the remnants of a broken order.
HIST187
God, Land, Power, and the People: Moral Issues in the Jewish Historical Experience
Cross-listed with: ISRL187, JWST187.
Credit only granted for: HIST187, JWST187 or ISRL187.
Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.
HIST200
HIST201
Interpreting American History: From 1865 to the Present
Credit only granted for: HIST157 or HIST201.
Formerly: HIST157.
The United States from the end of the Civil War to the present. Economic, social, intellectual, and political developments. Rise of industry and emergence of the United States as a world power.
HIST219X
Modern Iran
Cross-listed with: PERS251.
Credit only granted for: PERS251 or HIST219X.
General sociopolitical introduction to modern Iran from establishment of the Qajar dynasty in the late 18th century to the present day. Taught in English.
HIST220
The Atlantic World in the Age of Exploration, Conquest, and Settlement
Credit only granted for: HIST219V or HIST220.
Formerly: HIST219V.
Study of encounters, exchanges, and clashes between Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans in the early modern Atlantic World. Examines conquest and colonial systems; movement of men and women and mixing of peoples, and the persistence of native folkways.
HIST221
Cross-listed with: AAST201.
Credit only granted for: AAST201 or HIST221.
Introduction to the history of Asian Americans and Asians in the United States and the Americas and to the field of Asian American Studies, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Topics include theories of race and ethnicity; Asian migration and diaspora to the Americas; Asian American work and labor issues; gender, family, and communities; nationalism and nativism, and anti-Asian movements; Asian Americans in World War II, the Cold War, and the issues in the civil rights & post-civil rights era.
HIST222
Credit only granted for: AAST222, HIST222, or SOCY222.
The history of immigration and the development of diverse populations i the United States are examined. Topics include related political controversies, the social experiences of immigrants, ethnicity, generations, migration, inter-group relations, race, and diversity in American culture.
HIST225
Modern Military History, 1815-Present
The military history of Europe through an examination of the economic, financial, strategic, tactical, and technological aspects of the development of military institutions and warfare from the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to the present.
HIST233
Empire! The British Imperial Experience 1558-1997
Credit only granted for: HIST219P or HIST233.
Formerly: HIST219P.
Britain's empire from the mid-sixteenth century to the late twentieth century, focusing on the encounter between Britain and indigenous peoples. Topics include the origins of British imperialism in Ireland and North America, the slave trade, the East India Company and India, women in empire, transportation and the making of Australia, sex in empire, missionaries, racial theories, and decolonization.
HIST235
Divorced, Beheaded, Deposed: England and Britain 1485-1689
British history from the War of the Roses to the Hanoverian succession; Yorkist and Tudor society and politics; the Renaissance and Reformation in England, Henry VIII through Elizabeth I; 17th-century crises and revolutions; intellectual and cultural changes; the beginnings of empire; the achievement of political and intellectual order.
HIST251
Cross-listed with: LACS251.
Credit only granted for: HIST251, LASC251, or LACS251.
Formerly: LASC251.
Introductory survey of the history of Latin America from the era of independence (c. 1810-1825) through the early 1980s. Major themes include independence and sovereignty, postcolonialism and neocolonialism, nation- and state-building, liberalism, citizenship, economic development and modernization, social organization and stratification, race and ethnicity, gender relations, identity politics, reform and revolution, authoritarianism and democratization, and inter-American relations.
Cross-listed with LASC251. Credit granted for HIST251 or LASC251.
HIST255
African-American History, 1865 - Present
Cross-listed with: AAAS255.
Credit only granted for: HIST255, AASP255, AAAS255 or AASP298A.
An introductory course in the African-American experience in the United States from 1865 to the present. Topics include the aftermath of the Civil War on US race relations, the rise of segregation, northern migration, World War I and II, Civil Rights Movements, and the Black Power Movement.
HIST266
The United States in World Affairs
A study of the United States as an emerging world power and the American response to changing status in world affairs. Emphasis on the relationship between internal and external development of the nation.
HIST287
Why the Jews? Historical and Cultural Investigations
Cross-listed with: JWST233.
Credit only granted for: HIST283, HIST287, JWST235 or JWST233.
Examines the history and culture of the Jews from the thirteenth century BCE/BC to the present through an examination of significant themes or problems (such as "religion" or "diaspora") that shape our understanding of the Jewish people. A primary focus in the course will be on texts, artifacts, and other cultural products by Jews and others that illustrate the history of the Jews help understand their cultural heritage.
HIST376
History of Modern Israel
Cross-listed with ISRL342.
Credit only granted for: HIST376 or ISRL342.
History of modern Israel since the beginning of the Zionist settlement in 1882. Attention to different interpretations and narratives of Israel's history, including the historical and ideological roots of Zionism, the establishment of the State of Israel, ideological forces, wars, and the triumphs and crises of democracy.
Cross-listed with ISRL342. Credit only granted for HIST376 or ISRL342.
HIST417
Colonial Encounters: Natives, Spaniards, and Africans in the New World
Recommended: HIST220 and HIST250.
Credit only granted for: HIST417 or HIST428Y.
Formerly: HIST428Y.
An exploration of the discourses and practices of the Spanish colonial project in the New World and the ways in which Indians and Blacks were incorporated into or excluded from that project. Also examines native and African resistance and adaptation to Spanish rule, and the process of transformation and hybridization of Spanish, native and African cultures in Spanish America. An analysis of recent historiographical developments that have profoundly changed the understanding of the Spanish conquest and colonization of the New World.
HLTH
Health
Department Site
HLTH230
Introduction to Health Behavior
Psychological, social psychological, and sociological approaches to the following health areas: development of health attitudes and behavior, patient-provider interaction and the organization of health care.
Restricted to majors or non-majors with less than or equal to 45 credits.
HLTH240
Am I Not a Man? Contemporary Issues in Black Men's Health
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C- in HLTH 140; or permission of SPHL-Behavioral and Community Health.
Recommended: HLTH 200, HLTH 230, and FMSC 190.
Restriction: Must be in a major within SPHL-Behavioral & Community Health Department or enrolled in the Anti-Black Racism Minor.
Exposes students to the fundamental aspects of the lived experiences of Black men in the U.S. by critically examining social, economic, cultural, historical, and environmental factors that determine the health and well-being of this heterogenous population. Utilizing a life course perspective, students will assess the health status and health care needs of this population using a health equity lens by drawing upon foundational aspects in the field of public health including, the ecological approach, determinants of health, public heath critical race praxis, and the health disparities generation research framework. Current contemporary health issues will be applied to both highlight and provide evidence of the multitude of factors shaping the lives of Black men. Ultimately, the course aims to identify potential recommendations and solutions to support the well-being of this critically important community.
HLTH264
Restriction: Must not be in the Public Health Practice program.
Examines the current and potential use of digital health and social media to influence public health. Provides an overview of knowledge, skills and terminology necessary to optimize the effectiveness of these technologies to contribute to the enhancement of individual and community health.
HLTH285
Controlling Stress and Tension
Health problems related to stress and tension. Analysis of causative psychosocial stressors and intervening physiological mechanisms. Emphasis on prevention and control of stress through techniques such as biofeedback, meditation and neuromuscular relaxation.
HLTH285H
Controlling Stress and Tension
Health problems related to stress and tension. Analysis of causative psychosocial stressors and intervening physiological mechanisms. Emphasis on prevention and control of stress through techniques such as biofeedback, meditation and neuromuscular relaxation.
HNUH
University Honors
HNUH218D
Equal Access to Justice in 21st Century America
Why is equal access to justice in the American legal system so difficult to achieve in a country and society like the United States? There is a justice gap in America. Most legal matters involve ordinary, everyday Americans who work, earn an income, and try to pay their bills and pursue happiness. Many such Americans are one lawsuit or personal calamity away from serious financial difficulties. While lawyers, judges, politicians, and advocates claim they want to close the gap, nothing has changed in the history of the country. This course seeks to explore why there is this access to justice gap. It also invites students to debate what it would take for America collectively to truly take another direction on this issue and address it positively.
HNUH228L
Ancient Romans: Telling Stories with Data
When you think of ancient Romans, whom do you picture? The emperors whose deeds are preserved in monuments? The politicians whose writings we still study today? While wealth and power have traditionally shaped whose stories are remembered, technological advances are providing unprecedented access to the lives of Romans lost to history. When AI can decipher the letters of ordinary soldiers and open-access databases let us into the homes of Pompeii's poorest residents, our methods and questions are limited only by our own creativity. But how might these innovative approaches perpetuate old biases, or introduce new ones? In this class, we'll both interrogate and contribute to the ongoing project of populating ancient Rome with diverse, complex individuals, centering the politics of data by examining how the tools we use shape the stories we tell.
HNUH249T
National Security: Domestic Dilemmas
Credit only granted for: HNUH249T or HONR278D.
Formerly: HONR278D.
The police detain a man thought to be plotting a terrorist attack the next day in a U.S. city that would kill or injure thousands. They want to subject him to "enhanced interrogation," which some consider to be torture. Should the police be permitted to use enhanced interrogation techniques? Who decides? This course will ask key questions raised during the efforts of our national security apparatus to protect the nation. Given the tension between the powers of the government to protect citizens, and the necessary limits on that power, what are the fundamental principles that should govern our efforts to protect the nation while preserving our values? Students will try their hand at finding the delicate balance of these principles in difficult national security dilemmas. This course is self-contained but paired with HNUH249P in the National Security track, which explores post-9/11 policy decisions around the U.S. effort to create a sustainable democracy in Afghanistan.
HNUH249T pairs with HNUH249P to complete the National Security Theory/Practice track. This pair of courses can be taken in any order.
HNUH268R
What Makes Land a Homeland?
We live in a world of contested lands. The University of Maryland itself stands on the ancestral land of the Piscataway People. Around the globe, we witness conflicts over land, such as the ongoing war in the Middle East over Israel-Palestine. We hear daily about the refugee crises in Syria and the complex debates surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. These situations raise important questions: What does it mean to truly belong to a place? How does a migrant come to see their new country as home? This course explores the histories, cultures, memories, and stories of lands left behind to understand how places become homelands. Students will examine the politics behind the making of territories and the deep connections people form with land. Through this exploration, we will center the experiences of migration and displacement, questioning how these journeys reshape our understanding of belonging and the places we call home.
HNUH268R is part of the Homeland Insecurity thematic cluster and pairs with HNUH268C to complete the cluster. Homeland Insecurity courses will be offered through Spring 2027.
HNUH278C
Riding the Korean Wave: Kdrama, Race, and Global Culture
How does culture construct our knowledge of the world and ourselves? Using Korean dramas, aka Kdramas, as a case study, this course will explore how various media negotiate blackness for global audiences. As a viral, billion-dollar art form, Kdramas provide an ideal window through which to explore recent trends in our global culture, including colorism, "Black as cool," travel as consumption, and immigration. They illuminate the politics of culture. We will examine how moral panics and social dilemmas are presented in the fictitious world of "Kdramaland," and how they inform our understandings of South Korean society, our own societies, and the world. Drawing on social science research by Koreans and non-Koreans alike, students will debate the ways the culture of the Korean wave reflects, reproduces, and challenges social inequities of marginalized and minoritized groups, as well as how those groups respond, to illuminate the larger global forces at work in intercultural exchange.
HNUH278C is the required Big Question course in the Change the Narrative thematic cluster. Change the Narrative courses will be offered through Spring 2027.
HNUH288C
How do and can we talk about abortion in contemporary society? Civil discussion around the topic of abortion is almost non-existent between people with extremely different views in the U.S. It is such a taboo topic that an exchange of ideas can even be difficult for those with slightly different views--i.e., those who believe abortion should not be regulated by the government (more than any other health care is) and those who believe abortion should be legal and regulated by governments. Although it is an issue about which Americans care deeply, the very people who need most to talk about it seem unable to find any common ground upon which to begin. This course provides students with a solid base of knowledge needed to form opinions and engage in civil debate. Through an exploration of the different ways we talk about abortion in the U.S. and the sources of those strategies, students will learn to find their voice in the controversial topic.
HNUH 288C is the required Big Question course in the Health Check thematic cluster. Health Check courses will be offered through Spring 2027.
IMMR
Immigration Studies
IMMR200
Introduction to Immigration and Migration Studies
Introduces concepts and theoretical interpretations about the causes of international migration; provides an historical overview of the main flows of immigration to the U.S.; analyzes economic, political, social, and cultural aspects that impact the immigrants' settlement process.
INST
Information Studies
INST154
Examines Apollo mission, one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of all time, in which Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Since the mission, people have asked: if we can land on the moon, why can't we eliminate poverty? Why can't we cure cancer? Why can't we prevent global warming? Asks what were the social, political, financial, scientific, engineering, operational, and human aspects of the Apollo program that came together to make the moon landings possible?
INST155
Credit only granted for: INFM289I or INST155.
Formerly: INFM289I.
Introduces methods for analyzing and understanding how people use social media - social networking websites, blogging and microblogging, and other forms of online interaction and content generation - and their societal implications. Introduces students to the science and social science of network analysis. Through real world examples, including analysis of their own social networks, students develop skills for describing and understanding the patterns and usage of services like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others.
INST201
Introduction to Information Science
Credit only granted for: INST201 or INST301.
Formerly: INST301.
Examining the effects of new information technologies on how we conduct business, interact with friends, and go through our daily lives. Understanding how technical and social factors have influenced the evolution of information society. Evaluating the transformative power of information in education, policy, and entertainment, and the dark side of these changes.
INST204
Credit only granted for: INST208D or INST204.
Formerly: INST208D.
Reviews how specific values are built into different automated decision-making systems as an inevitable result of constructing mechanisms meant to produce specific outcomes. These values create differential outcomes for the different people enmeshed in these systems, but both these values and these systems can be changed to support different values and different outcomes. The class serves as an introduction to the emerging field of algorithmic bias that bridges the disciplines of information science, computer science, law, policy, philosophy, sociology, urban planning, and others.
ISRL
Israel Studies
ISRL187
God, Land, Power, and the People: Moral Issues in the Jewish Historical Experience
Cross-listed with: HIST187, JWST187.
Credit only granted for: HIST187, JWST187 or ISRL187.
Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.
ISRL342
History of Modern Israel
Cross-listed with HIST376.
Credit only granted for: HIST376 or ISRL342.
History of modern Israel since the beginning of the Zionist settlement in 1882. Attention to different interpretations and narratives of Israel's history, including the historical and ideological roots of Zionism, the establishment of the State of Israel, ideological forces, wars, and the triumphs and crises of democracy.
Cross-listed with HIST376. Credit only granted for ISRL342 or HIST376.
JOUR
Journalism
Department Site
JOUR150
Additional information: Not applicable toward journalism major.
Survey of the functions and effects of the mass media in the United States. A consumer's introduction to newspapers, television, radio, film, sound recording, books, magazines, and new media technology.
JOUR281
Credit only granted for: JOUR289E or JOUR281.
Formerly: JOUR289E.
Additional information: This course is intended for non-journalism majors.
What are our legal rights and ethical responsibilities as citizens of the digital world? That is the big question we will be exploring this semester. Along the way, you will learn the constitutional foundations of free speech and consider their present-day applications to information gathering and sharing by citizens through social media and online platforms. You will come away with a practical working knowledge of the First Amendment, public access laws, libel, privacy, copyright. You'll develop critical thinking skills for recognizing and dealing with common ethical issues in digital communication.
JOUR284
Scandal: Exposing Corruption, Justice, and Vice in America
Credit only granted for: JOUR289P, JOUR284 or HONR239J.
Formerly: JOUR289P, HONR239J .
What are the ingredients of a juicy scandal? Money? Sex? Power? How are scandals uncovered? Why does society punish some scoundrels but not others? Come explore both serious and salacious scandals with a professor who's an expert in both--and who once exposed many scandals himself when he was an investigative reporter. This class examines scandals in politics, science, religion, social media, business, government, sports, and higher education; feeding frenzies, tabloid scandalmongering, undercover reporting, apologies, and cancel culture. Learn why even trivial scandals matter--and how scandals reflect what we value and ultimately who we are.
JWST
Jewish Studies
Department Site
JWST187
God, Land, Power, and the People: Moral Issues in the Jewish Historical Experience
Cross-listed with: HIST187, ISRL187.
Credit only granted for: HIST187, JWST187 or ISRL187.
Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.
JWST233
Why the Jews? Historical and Cultural Investigations
Cross-listed with: HIST287.
Credit only granted for: HIST283, HIST287, JWST235 or JWST233.
Examines the history and culture of the Jews from the thirteenth century BCE/BC to the present through an examination of significant themes or problems (such as "religion" or "diaspora") that shape our understanding of the Jewish people. A primary focus in the course will be on texts, artifacts, and other cultural products by Jews and others that illustrate the history of the Jews help understand their cultural heritage.
KNES
Kinesiology
Department Site
KNES225
Has sport disadvantaged African American males? This course critically examines sport as a site where notions of black masculinity are publicly debated, critiqued, challenged, celebrated, and also transformed. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this course explores how sport has been invoked across the political and ideological spectrum to interrogate a number of issues impacting the life chances of young, African Americans males including educational attainment, poverty, social mobility, racism, cultural production, and notions of masculinity.
KNES287
Recommended: Minimum grade of C- in KNES285.
Sport will be related to such social problems as delinquency, segregation, collective behavior, and leisure; to social processes such as socialization, stratification, mobility, and social control; and to those familiar social institutions the family, the school, the church, the military, the economy, the polity, and the mass media.
Restricted to majors or non-majors with less than or equal to 45 credits.
KNES350
The Psychology of Sports & Exercise
Restriction: Must have earned a minimum of 45 credits.
An exploration of personality factors, including but not limited to motivation, aggression and emotion, as they affect sports participation and motor skill performance.
KNES350H
The Psychology of Sports & Exercise
Restriction: Must have earned a minimum of 45 credits.
An exploration of personality factors, including but not limited to motivation, aggression and emotion, as they affect sports participation and motor skill performance.
Prerequisite: permission of department. Restricted to students who have been admitted in the Kinesiology Honors program.
LACS
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
LACS235
Issues in Latin American and Caribbean Studies II
Cross-listed with: PORT235, SPAN235.
Credit only granted for: LASC235, PORT235, SPAN235, or LACS235.
Formerly: LASC235.
Major issues shaping Latin American and Caribbean societies including the changing constructions of race, ethnicity, gender and class as well as expressions of popular cultures and revolutionary practices. Taught in English.
LACS251
Cross-listed with: HIST251.
Credit only granted for: HIST251, LASC251, or LACS251.
Formerly: LASC251.
Introductory survey of the history of Latin America from the era of independence (c. 1810-1825) through the early 1980s. Major themes include independence and sovereignty, postcolonialism and neocolonialism, nation- and state-building, liberalism, citizenship, economic development and modernization, social organization and stratification, race and ethnicity, gender relations, identity politics, reform and revolution, authoritarianism and democratization, and inter-American relations.
LGBT
LGBTQ Studies
LGBT200
Cross-listed with: WGSS201.
Credit only granted for: LGBT200 or WGSS201.
An interdisciplinary study of the historical and social contexts of queer and trans life. Explores the social meanings of sex and gender in our current moment; traces the formation of LGBTQ+ social and cultural movements; unpacks the categorization of genders and sexualities.
LING
Linguistics
Department Site
LING200
Introductory Linguistics
Credit only granted for: HESP120 or LING200.
Additional information: This course serves as the prerequisite for further courses in linguistics.
An exploration of the nature of human language. Introduction to the basic concepts and methodology of modern linguistic analysis (sound systems, word formation, sentence structure). Examination of the factors that contribute to dialect differences and the social implications of language variation. Additional topics may include: semantics, pragmatics, language change, writing systems, typology, language universals, comparison with other communication systems.
LING262
Additional information: One class per week will be in-field instruction in collecting data from heritage speakers.
An interdisciplinary examination of the phenomenon of heritage language (a bilingual's home language which is distinct from the dominant language of the wider society). Relationship between linguistic structure, cultural and social aspects of language use, and language change. Interpretations of experimental and theoretical work. Relevance of heritage languages for linguistic theory, language policy, and education.
MLAW
MPower Undergraduate Law Programs
MLAW150
Prerequisite: MLAW100.
Restriction: Course enrollment is restricted to students in the College Park Scholars Justice and Legal Thought Program.
An exploration of the theoretical questions relating to such fundamental questions of jurisprudence as "what is law?" and "how can law be deployed as both an enemy and ally of justice?
NAVY
Navy
NAVY101
Sea Power and Maritime Affairs
Introduces the student to the key themes of naval and maritime history. Curriculum presents an analysis through lectures, reading, and student discussion of the relationship of sea power to American history. Classical concepts and contemporary employment of sea power are examined by viewing historic and current naval and maritime developments.
PERS
Persian
Department Site
PERS251
Modern Iran
Cross-listed with: HIST219X.
Credit only granted for: PERS251 or HIST219X.
General sociopolitical introduction to modern Iran from establishment of the Qajar dynasty in the late 18th century to the present day. Taught in English.
PHIL
Philosophy
Department Site
PHIL202
Know Thyself: Wisdom Through Cognitive Science
Credit only granted for: PHIL209N or PHIL202.
Formerly: PHIL209N.
How do we improve our decision making? Cognitive science demonstrates that self-knowledge isn't as easy as we think, and that there are numerous biases and fallacies that impact our decision-making in ways that are hard for us to be aware of. In this course you will learn what some of these are and how they have been discovered, and you will explore potential strategies for avoiding these fallacies and for making wiser choices.
PHSC
Public Health Science
PHSC430
Public Health in the City: Perspectives on Health in the Urban Environment
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C- in BSCI202 and MIEH300.
Restriction: Must be in Public Health Science program; and junior standing or higher.
Credit only granted for: PHSC430 or SPHL498G.
Formerly: SPHL498G.
Exposure to issues related to city habitation and the health of the public, including how the urban environment impacts the lives and health of city dwellers, including discussion of the social determinants of health. Students are encouraged to think about urban health and policy, and to question the current state of urban public health. Issues of race, class, and equality will be discussed throughout the course as they relate to each of these topics.
PLCY
Public Policy
PLCY100
Foundations of Public Policy
A survey course, focusing on public policy institutions and analytical issues as well as on overview of key public policy problems. Students will be introduced to public policy as a discipline, with a brief overview of the actors and institutions involved in the process, and familiarize themselves with the kinds of problems typically requiring public action. The course will examine these problems from a multijurisdictional and multisectoral perspective. Specific policy areas examined include education policy, health policy, economic and budgetary policy, criminal justice policy, environmental policy, and national and homeland security policy. The course should permit students to have broad foundational exposure to the field that will give them a solid base for more advanced courses.
PLCY170
War, Peace, and Crisis: The Dynamics of Global and Foreign Policy
Cross-listed with: GFPL100.
Credit only granted for: GFPL100, PLCY170, or PLCY288P.
What can we do about the recurrence of wars, crises, and other human catastrophes around the world? This course introduces students to enduring theoretical debates over the causes of conflict and cooperation globally and the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers trying to tackle these issues. The course applies core theories, concepts and debates within global and foreign policy to understand and address pressing global challenges including war and peace; human security and migration; as well as development and sustainability.
PLCY201
Aims to inspire, teach and engage students in the theory and practice of public leadership from the local to the national to the global level. Students will learn and apply diverse approaches to leadership in a multicultural society while developing an understanding of key frameworks and practices necessary to foster collective action across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. This course will allow students to become informed citizens able to reason critically and persuasively about public matters Students will also explore and assess their own personal values, beliefs, and purpose as they develop their leadership potential.
PSYC
Psychology
Department Site
The following courses may involve the use of animals. Students who are concerned about the use of animals in teaching have the responsibility to contact the instructor, prior to course enrollment, to determine whether animals are to be used in the course, whether class exercises involving animals are optional or required and what alternatives, if any, are available.
The Department of Psychology enforces course prerequisites. Students who do not meet the course prerequisites will be administratively dropped from the course.
The Department of Psychology enforces course prerequisites. Students who do not meet the course prerequisites will be administratively dropped from the course.
PSYC100
A basic introductory course intended to bring the student into contact with the major problems confronting psychology and the more important attempts at their solution.
Discussion sections do not meet until after first lecture. Research requirement: may involve participation in research.
PSYC221
PSYC234
Living the Good Life: The Psychology of Happiness
Credit only granted for: PSYC234 or PSYC289D.
Formerly: PSYC289D.
What are the secrets to living a happy life? Can happiness be found within the context of war, a depressed economy, violence and other major stressors? Are some people born happier than others? This course will teach you the scientific process that psychologists use to study happiness (and related emotional variables) and give you the opportunity to practice applying that process in a number of ways. You will learn how we (a) gather and critically evaluate research findings in the existing literature, (b) integrate those findings into coherent and testable theories, (c) design and conduct valid scientific research that tests those theories and extends our knowledge, and (d) effectively communicate our theories and findings to a wide range of audiences. The result of the process is a more accurate and objective understanding of happiness, and that is what prepares you to apply your scientific understanding to explain and influence a wide range of outcomes.
PSYC336
Psychology of Women
Prerequisite: PSYC100.
Cross-listed with: WGSS336.
Credit only granted for: PSYC336, WMST336 or WGSS 336.
Formerly: WMST336.
A study of the biology, life span development, socialization, personality, mental health, and special issues of women.
Students will be expected to meet face-to-face during class time to complete small groupwork on 5-6 Fridays during the semester.
PSYC354
Multicultural Psychology in the U.S.
Prerequisite: PSYC100.
What are the psychological implications of racism, sexism, homophobia and other structures of inequality in the United States? How do socio-cultural privilege and oppression influence individual and group thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? This course will take a current events focus to understanding multicultural and social justice issues in psychology with an emphasis on self-reflection, mental health, cross-cultural communication, and strategies for social change.
SOCY
Sociology
Department Site
SOCY100
Introduction to Sociology
Introduces fundamental concepts and theories of sociology. Guided by C. Wright Mills' "sociological imagination," the course promotes critical thinking; challenges conventional assumptions about culture politics, history, and psychology; and equips students with theoretical approaches and research methods to analyze various sociological topics, including family, work, education, religion, social movements, and issues related to class, gender, race, and ethnic inequalities.
SOCY105
Understanding Contemporary Social Problems - Frameworks for Critical Thinking and Strategies for Solutions
Embark on an exploration of contemporary social issues and unravel the intricate ways in which these challenges are woven into the fabric of society. Develop a comprehensive understanding of societal organization and partake in a detailed study of selected social problems, with a specific emphasis on issues like social conflict and inequality. This course provides an insightful journey into the nuanced interplay between societal structure and prevalent challenges, fostering a heightened awareness of the dynamics shaping our social landscape.
SOCY120
Veterans in American Society: What Does America Owe Its Veterans?
An examination of current and past policies toward compensation for military veterans, data and evidence on current and past adjustments to life after military service, historical variations in the mechanisms for staffing the military, and trends in the contours of the lives of those who do not serve.
SOCY200
Innovation, Exploration and the Evolution of Human Societies
We will explore the nature of human societies through comparative, historical, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Students will delve into the core of social structures, unravel the defining components of society, and examine their organization, evolution, and impact on collective existence. Students will also explore the socio-historical forces and geopolitical dynamics that drive social change to analyze the complex connections that illuminate our shared social experience across time.
SOCY216
Credit only granted for: SOCY216 or SOCY416.
Formerly: SOCY416.
In two generations computers insinuated themselves into the way societies create wealth, wage war, work, and govern their citizens. While scientists across disciplines debate the feasibility of engineering artificial general intelligence, the race is on to create computers (classic and quantum) that match or surpass human intelligence in as many domains as possible. Students in this course will weigh some social consequences of living with smart machines that are everywhere and never sleep, and confront the question of whether AI has gone too far, or not far enough.
SOCY223
Down the Rabbit Hole: Conspiracy Theories, Paranormal Beliefs, and How to Know What's Real
It is becoming increasingly difficult to know what's real. We live in a world replete with deception, biases, fake images that seem indecipherable from real ones, and widespread and coordinated efforts to misinform us. Related to this, belief in conspiracy theories and the paranormal are flourishing. This course will explore the reasons why we so often believe claims that scientists reject and accept contentions that powerful and sinister conspirators are secretly controlling major events. We will investigate who believes, why we believe, and how normal human thinking processes contribute to the holding of questionable beliefs. The course will equip students with tools to evaluate claims and to understand why people believe what they do.
SOCY224
Explore and discuss the major debates and assumptions that construct perceptions of race and how they matter. Sociological and social science theories will give students a historical and present day frame with which to view race and ethnic relations in the twenty-first century.
SOCY230
Sociological Social Psychology
Why do people do that? Sitting at the nexus of sociology and psychology, this course surveys the various ways in which sociologists have answered this question. We investigate individuals-for example, how they develop and understand themselves in relation to others, how they choose to present themselves to the world, and how they form thoughts and opinions. And we study larger units of analyses, from small groups to the broader society. Topics covered include socialization, identity formation, social influence, group processes, how social processes shape individual behavior, and how human behavior shapes society.
SOCY237
Credit only granted for: HNUH238C or SOCY237.
Formerly: HNUH238C.
Do the social and individual benefits of surveillance outweigh its risks? Surveillance is a ubiquitous practice in contemporary society. Governments surveil populations; corporations surveil customers and users; and individuals surveil themselves and others. From red light cameras and doorbell security cameras to geo-tracking apps and smart appliances, surveillant practices shape 21st-century lifestyles. Many take these practices for granted as acceptable trade-offs for individual and collective benefits. Others sound the alarm on the dangers of being tracked and monitored, with concerns over individual liberty, social inequalities, and more. In this course we will debate how surveillance shapes social practices and selves. Students will draw their own conclusions about the role of surveillance in society, and what, if anything, should be done to change it.
SOCY241
Credit only granted for: SOCY241 or SOCY441.
A broad-based overview of inequality in contemporary U.S. society, focusing on measuring patterns and trends over time. A series of learning modules familiarizes students with how inequality unfolds in relation to social stratification processes along the lines of race, gender, education and social class, income and wealth, and health.
Credit granted for SOCY241 or SOCY441.
SOCY322
Cross-listed with: AAST322.
Credit only granted for: AAST322, SOCY222, HIST322 or SOCY322.
Formerly: AAST222, SOCY222.
Explores historical and contemporary Asian immigration to the US in comparison to and in the context of other immigrant groups. From low-skilled laborers to highly-skilled professionals, Asian and other immigrants have been an integral part of the shifting US economy and society since its inception. The course includes theories on why immigration occurs, determinants of its continuation, the uses of migrant labor, and immigrant adaptation and settlement. The second part of the course focuses on theories of ethnicity and racial formation and how immigrants develop and challenge the definitions of race, ethnicity, the "other", and ultimately, who is American. Students will also have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the immigrant experience through a life history interview project.
SOCY340
What is the relationship between globalization and inequality? This course examines the factors shaping both between-nation and within-nation household income inequality for the past century. It is divided into four parts, each considering a different factor. First we seek to understand global trade historically. Second, we examine the more recent phenomenon of outsourcing. Third, we examine welfare and taxation policy and its role in shaping domestic inequality. Finally, we analyze the mechanisms for the accumulation of capital within global finance. By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss globalization beyond the "is it good or bad" binary and understand the complex interaction between domestic politics and international trade.
SPAN
Spanish
Department Site
SPAN235
Issues in Latin American and Caribbean Studies II
Cross-listed with: LACS235, PORT235.
Credit only granted for: LASC235, PORT235, SPAN235, or LACS235.
Formerly: LASC235.
Major issues shaping Latin American and Caribbean societies including the changing constructions of race, ethnicity, gender and class as well as expressions of popular cultures and revolutionary practices. Taught in English.
THET
Theatre
Department Site
THET287
Every society has rebels - those who refuse to conform to the mainstream's rigid rules, aesthetics, and beliefs. From unruly skateboarders, punk rockers, bohemian poets, and radical theater performers, to national revolutionary movements and brick-throwing anarchists - such groups form niches that are defined by their exclusion from society. We will look at how their beliefs and actions fit into a particular historical context, and how their actions drive social change.
TLPL
Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership
Department Site
TLPL210
Childhood Reimagined: Learning In and Out of Schools
Credit only granted for: TLPL288K or TLPL210.
Formerly: TLPL288K.
Surveys innovative approaches to child education, including unschooling, homeschooling, blended instruction, place-based learning, Big Picture Learning, democratic schools, microschools, self-directed learning centers, and other alternatives to traditional schools.
TLPL254
Surmounting School: Democracy, Inequality, and Schooling
This Big Questions course explores the grandest challenges faced by today's public schools and asks: How do schools shape democracy and inequality in the U.S.? At the conclusion of this course, students will propose practical educational policy recommendations aimed at addressing its big question.
TLPL287
Inquiry Into Issues in US Public Schooling: Policies, Practice and Promise
Credit only granted for: TLPL288T or TLPL287.
Formerly: TLPL288T.
Students will inquire into enduring issues faced by US public education, focusing on the forces and stakeholders that have shaped current policy and practice. In addition, students will work to consider the real daily consequences of policy on the lives of students and teachers. Through crafting and researching a question of interest, employing a project based learning approach, students will take a deep dive into the most vexing issues faced by public education in the United States.
TLPL360
Foundations of Education
Credit only granted for: EDPS301 or TLPL360.
Formerly: EDPS301.
Social context of education and conflicts over philosophies, values, an goals that are reflected in educational institutions in our pluralistic society. Helps teachers become reflective, critical thinkers about the social and philosophical issues they face and the choices they make.
TLPL414
Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science
Prerequisite: Must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in TLPL102.
Credit only granted for: TLPL488M or TLPL414.
Formerly: TLPL488M.
Special and intensive treatment of current topics and issues in mathematics and science teaching and learning, policy and leadership. The overall goal of the course is to orient future teachers to the discourses and theories that shape what we know about how students learn math and science.
WGSS
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
WGSS201
Cross-listed with: LGBT200.
Credit only granted for: LGBT200 or WGSS201.
An interdisciplinary study of the historical and social contexts of queer and trans life. Explores the social meanings of sex and gender in our current moment; traces the formation of LGBTQ+ social and cultural movements; unpacks the categorization of genders and sexualities.
WGSS205
Cross-listed with: AAAS298E, AMST298J.
Credit only granted for: WGSS205, AMST298J, or AAAS298E.
Developed by feminists of color, reproductive justice frameworks offer a roadmap for economic, social, and medical justice advocacy attentive to the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. This course reviews the historical, legal, and social bases of reproductive rights in the U.S.; discusses the history of feminist organizing for reproductive freedom; surveys critical theories of reproductive justice that go beyond abortion law to advocate for broader social transformation; and evaluates the possible futures of intersectional feminist activism after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
WGSS265
Constructions of Manhood and Womanhood in the Black Community
Cross-listed with: AAAS265.
Credit only granted for: WMST265, AASP298B, AAAS265, WGSS265 or AASP265.
Formerly: WMST265.
Investigates the ways that African Americans are represented and constructed in public and private spheres and explores the social constructions and representations of Black manhood and womanhood from various disciplinary perspectives.
Cross-listed with AAAS265. Credit granted only for WGSS265 or AAAS265.
WGSS290
Credit only granted for: WMST298D or WGSS290.
Formerly: WMST298D.
Explores the contributions of feminist scholarship in framing and resolving contemporary controversies concerning gendered bodies. It includes the ways in which knowledge about the human body has been shaped by cultural ideas of gender, race, sexuality and ability.
Flagship Institution of the University System of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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