Honors Courses (Fall 2008)

FALL 2008 COURSES

PFORZHEIMERCOLLEGE, PLEASANTVILLE CAMPUS

Honors courses are designed to be innovative and challenging. They may be interdisciplinary, focus on great works and ideas, cover issues of keen interest, or present a topic in great depth with a faculty member who has expertise in the subject. Honors courses are open only to students in the Pforzheimer Honors College. Students who are not in the Honors College may be permitted to register for an Honors course with written permission from the Director of Honors, contingent upon the student's GPA and space available in the course. Each Honors course carries Honors credit which will appear on the student's transcript and will count toward completing the requirements of the Honors College. For additional information, contact Dr. Janetta Rebold Benton, Director, Pforzheimer Honors College, Mortola Library, third floor, Pleasantville campus, at 914 773-3848 or JBenton@pace.edu.

LEARNING COMMUNITY: THE PERSON, 6 credits total

Prerequisite: None

PSY 111 fulfills AOK 5; PHI 110 fulfills AOK 2 or 5

PHI 110  INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY, 3 credits, CRN 73152

Day, T  2:30-3:25 pm, R 2:30-4:30 pm, Lawrence Hundersmarck

PSY 111  INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY, 3 credits, CRN 73155

Day, M, T ,R  1:25-2:20 pm, Robert Keegan.

Course description: This course examines the most influential ideas regarding what it means to be human that have emerged from the traditions of religion, psychology, and philosophy.

LEARNING COMMUNITY: INT 296H, HOLLYWOOD DOES HISTORY, 6 credits, CRN 72301

Prerequisite: None

Fulfills: 6 credit of AOK 2 or 4 or 3 credits of AOK 2 and 3 credits of AOK 4, Writing-Enhanced

Day, M, W 2:30-5:15 pm, Ellen Skinner and Rebecca Martin (Dr. Skinner is the former Chair of the History Department; Dr. Martin is the Chair of the English and Modern Languages Department)

Course description: This course examines major works of the human imagination in 20th-century and early 21st-century American films. The interdisciplinary framework gives students an opportunity to explore movies in terms of their social and historical contexts, and fosters aesthetic perception and visual literacy. Students learn how the techniques of film enrich understanding of history and even create historical meaning. Journeying back in time to the formative years of the movie industry, the relationship between movies and the political, social, and cultural context of the eras in which the films were produced is examined. Depictions of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality are studied through the interpretive lens of a wide range of Hollywood films

ART203  ANCIENT ROMAN ART

Fulfills: AOK 2 or 4; CRN 72851

Evening, M  6:00-8:45 pm, Constantin Marinescu

Course description: This course studies the art and architecture of the Roman empire from its beginning on the Italian peninsula, through its expansion across Europe, north Africa, and parts of the Middle East. The Romans effectively incorporated the heritage of Greek art into their own, creating a rich and diverse artistic milieu that they disseminated throughout the lands under their dominion. Particular attention is paid to the role of art in political propaganda, the methods by which art was transmitted to the provinces, the interaction between painting, sculpture, and architecture, and finally how Roman art was gradually adapted to the needs of the Christian faith. A trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is included.

CIS 101  INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING, 3 credits, CRN 73147

Prerequisite: None

Fulfills: Foundation requirement

Day, T 9:05-11:05 and one hour online, Allen Stix

Course description:  This course provides guided, hands-on exercises with a variety of computer-based tools through two hours of structured computer lab. Students complete web-based projects in problem solving, programming, and spreadsheets, and are introduced to new technologies. The lecture, discussion, and online component promote understanding of the fundamental principles of information technology, preparing students for the new systems and tools of the future.

CIS 102X   INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PLANNING

Prerequisite: None; CRN 73245

Fulfills: AOK 1

Day, F 10:10-12:10 and one hour online, Jonathan Hill

Course description:  This course explores the use of technology to extend the reach and impact of not-for- profit organizations for the good of the community. Working with one or more nonprofit organization(s), students  review the mission and needs of the organization and create a plan (and implementation) for the development of technology such as a web site, blog(s), or social software site, and also a plan for education to assist people in learning to use these technologies.  

ENG 120  CRITICAL WRITING, 4 credits, CRN 71169

Prerequisite: None

Fee: $20

Fulfills: Foundation requirement

Day, M 10:10-12:10 pm, W 10:10-12:10 pm, Zach Snider

Course description: This course emphasizes the development of argument and analysis as students work with a variety of literary and nonfiction texts. Students learn more advanced research skills including methods of documentation, the use of library and Internet resources, and the integration of primary and secondary sources into their own essays.

ECO 296P THE RISE AND FALL OF CIVILIZATIONS, 3 credits

Prerequisite: None; CRN 73412

Fulfills: AOK 3 (pending approval) , Writing Enhanced (pending approval)

Day,  M  11:15-12:10 pm, W 10:10-12:10 pm, Joseph C. Morreale (former Provost of Pace University)

Course Description: What causes major world empires and their civilizations to rise and fall? Taking an interdisciplinary approach, developments in culture, economics, politics, technology, religion, and the environment are studied in relation to the rise and fall of great powers.  The empires of Persia, Rome, China, the Mongols, the Ottomans, Britain, and Russia are examined. Development of the world economy is shown to be linked to the changes in world dominance of the various civilizations. The role of the US as superpower in the 20th century and its future in the 21st century are analyzed using lessons learned from the examination of past rises and falls of empires. This course features guest lecturers from varied disciplines and use of electronic media such as the PBS series on Dynasties (The Greeks, Rome, Egypt, the Medici, and Japan).  

MAT 104  FINITE MATHEMATICS, 3 credits, CRN 72300

Prerequisites: None

Fulfills: Foundation requirement

Day, M, W, F 9:05-10:00 am, Carman Vlad

Course description: This course provides an introduction to linear programming, the corner point and simplex methods for solving linear programs, systems of linear equations, foundations of finite probability, interpretations of probability, equally-likely outcomes, independent events, conditional probability, Bayes's theorem, and mathematics of finance.

PSY 296H   PSYCHOLOGY AND THE MOVIES, 3 credits, CRN 73413

Prerequisite: None

Fulfills:  AOK 4 (pending approval)

Day,  M, W 8:00-8:55 am and one hour online, Sheila Chiffriller

Course description: This course covers various topics in psychology, including existential theory, transference, psychopathology, adolescent, ethical, and diversity issues. Students are expected to read assigned articles or book chapters and discuss these issues and how they relate to the dynamics and characters in popular mainstream films that we view together as a class.

SOC 102  INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY, 3 credits, CRN 73186

Prerequisite: None

Fulfills: AOK 2 or 5

Day, T 11:15-12:10 pm, R 10:10-12:10 pm, Marie Werner

Course description:  This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts, methods, and application of the sociological perspective. These concepts are viewed in relation to contemporary institutions and trends.

UNV 101  FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR: INTRODUCTION TO UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, 1 credit, CRNs 71778, 72511, 71241

Prerequisite: First-year student

Required of all first-year students

Day,  F  10:10-12:10 pm, Christopher Walther, Sue Maxam, Heather Novak

HONORS INDEPENDENT RESEARCH COURSES

3 credits

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing, 3.3 GPA minimum

With the written approval of the appropriate professor, the department chairperson, and the Director of Honors, a student may select a topic for guided research that is not included in the usual course offerings. The student meets regularly with the professor to review progress. To receive Honors credit, the results of this independent research must be presented at the Honors Conference held each April. Students may have their papers published in Transactions, the journal of the Dyson Society of Fellows.

HONORS OPTIONS COURSES

3 credits

Prerequisite: None

The Honors Option is designed for Honors-level work in a non-Honors course. To receive Honors credit, an additional paper (10-20 pages), project, or presentation is required. Written approval of the appropriate professor and the Director of Honors are necessary. Depending upon the number of credits completed prior to entering the Honors College, Honors students are limited to either one or two Honors options; other Honors course requirements must be completed in Honors courses.