Fall 2023 Courses

Fall 2023 Courses

Race, Equity, and Inclusion Theme
*These courses were specifically proposed as part of the REI initiative and have a historical, narrative, applied, analytical, and/or geographic focus in either the US or global context
Black Lives
From Christopher Columbus to Contemporary Charleston: History, Politics and Memory
Preserving African American Heritage
An Exploration of Race, Equity, and Inclusion through American Literature
Journeys to the West: China In Our World
Race and Ethnicity in American Comedic Fiction
Race, Culture, and Identity on Broadway
Beyond the Screen: Exploring the Impacts of Algorithmic Bias
Who Says? Race, Disability and Social Constructions of Power
Schools and Society: Learning from Lived Experiences
The 1967 Legacy and Beyond

LC 1: Black Lives (REI US and REI Global)
AAST 200: Intro to African American Studies and AFST 101 Intro to African Studies and FYSS 101
Kameelah Martin and Christopher Day
African American Studies and Political Science
6 Humanities credits
CRNs: 10839 and 10789 and 13416
Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and TR 10:50-12:05 and M 10:00-10:50

This FYE will investigate and explain the concept of “Black Lives” from the combined perspective of African American Studies and African Studies. The effort to explore this important intersection will build upon a key component of our collective identity at the College of Charleston, which is the unique and essential vantage point from which to study the historical, cultural, and material connections between Africa, the particular experience of the Carolina Lowcountry, and the African American experience more generally.

LC 24: From Christopher Columbus to Contemporary Charleston: History, Politics and Memory (REI Global for HIST 118 Only)
POLI 101: American Government and HIST 118: Modern History/Global Race, Equity, and Inclusion and FYSS 101
Lynne Ford and Lisa Covert
Political Science and History
3 social science credits and 3 history credits
CRNs: 11148 and 13547 and 13444
Course Times: TR 10:50-12:05 and TR 9:25-10:40 and W 11-11:50

In telling the story of a nation’s founding, a political victory or crisis, a community's rise or fall, what do we choose to remember and what do we choose to forget? This learning community explores the role of memory, memorialization, and forgetting in building the narratives of world history and the “American experiment.” In HIST 116, students will explore topics such as imperialism, authoritarianism, slavery and war and grapple with the political and economic implications of history and how it is commemorated, represented or erased. In POLI 101, students will study the founding and political development of American government, paying careful attention to the way our political culture is created, replicated, and sustained around key principles of individualism, liberty, equality, property, order and the rule of law. We will explore the role of memory as a force that unites and divides the American people throughout history and today. Students will have the opportunity to visit and analyze historical sites around Charleston.

Preserving African American Heritage (REI US)
FYSU 105 and FYSS 101
Barry Stiefel
Historic Preservation and Community Planning
CRNs: 13340 and 13337
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 (ONLINE SYNC) and W 12-12:50

The future of the past is the heart of historic preservation, and this course will focus specifically on preserving African American heritage and historic sites. It is an intersectional field of study that has been overlooked yet offers insight into a variety of topics that deal with change and what should be saved for the next generation. The complexities of African American culture are reflected in our buildings, landscapes, material culture, and intangible heritage. This class will provide a broad introduction to preservation and focusing on issues of conservation, planning, management, and methodology unique to the African American experience.

An Exploration of Race, Equity, and Inclusion through American Literature (REI US Course)
FYSU 114 and FYSS 101
Mike Duvall
English
CRNs: 12523 and 13352
Course Times: MW 2:00-3:15 and M 12:00-12:50

Imaginative literature—fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction—immerses us in social, psychological, and embodied realities beyond our own, helping us to see and feel life as experienced by others who may differ from us along one or more of the many intersecting dimensions that construct our social and personal identities and realities: race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, ability, and so on. Literature also helps us recognize the workings of culture and systems that give rise to inequity and inequality, and it can also be a powerful resource for imagining a more inclusive society. In this seminar, we will read, explore, and discuss American literary texts for the ways in which they help us understand race, equity, and inclusion in the US.

Journeys to the West: China In Our World (REI Global)
FYSG 121 and FYSS 101
Amy Gordanier
History
CRNs: 13376 and 13361
Course times: MW 2:00-3:15 and T 11:05-11:55

From Marco Polo to the Monkey King, from the ports of Guangzhou and Amoy in the Age of Sail to the sparkling airports and thriving international Chinatowns of the 21stcentury, people around the world have long imagined China as both the destination and the beginning point of incredible journeys. Join us as we explore the stories of adventurers and immigrants inside, outside, and across the borders of China and East Asia. We’ll learn about the history that has shaped modern China and its place in the world—and, in the process, discover more about the historical experiences, myths, translations, and debates that influence contemporary global debates about the meaning of race, identity, ethnicity, and nationality.

Race and Ethnicity in American Comedic Fiction (REI US)
FYSU 129 and FYSS 101
Larry Krasnoff
Philosophy
CRNs: 13397 and 13372
Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and R 11:05-11:55

Discussions of systemic racism sometimes suggest that our culture has been constructed in ways that exclude Black contributions. In this class, we will study the ways in which American comedy has always been obsessed with Black voices. By examining works of comedic literature by white, Black, and Jewish-American authors, together with video and audio of other forms of comedic performance, we will come to understand that American comedy is the expression of a kind of cultural anxiety that returns again and again to the instability of racial hierarchies.

Race, Culture, and Identity on Broadway (REI US)
FYSU 139 and FYSS 101
Nakeisha Daniel
Theatre and Dance
CRNs: 12525 and 13393
Course times: MWF 12:00-12:50 and W 11:00-11:50

This course is a study of race and representation in Broadway musical theatre and how performances of race and ethnicity by African Americans structure the American musical’s aesthetic and political work. In this course, students will engage in the study of notable musicals written by African American composers and playwrights including Noble Sissy, George C. Wolfe, Michael R. Jackson and Kirsten Childs. Students will also learn about each of these seminal composers and their stylistic contributions to American musical theater. As each musical is analyzed, students will explore how they relate to US culture, history, and politics while also considering how race, gender, sexuality and class are reflected in these works.

Beyond the Screen: Exploring the Impacts of Algorithmic Bias (REI Global)
FYSG 143 and FYSS 101
Amanda Kraft
College of Charleston Libraries
CRNs: 13395 and 13400
Course times: TR 3:05-4:20 and W 3:00-3:50

Is your phone listening to your conversations? Maybe, but it probably already has all the information it needs. We routinely engage with and rely on applications and systems that predict, recommend, and speculate based on our clicks, scrolls, swipes, likes, searches, location tracking, and even personal data coded by race, gender, and other social constructs. This seminar will address the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) and social hierarchies replicated and reinforced by algorithmic bias. Students will use lived experience and research to identify oppressive algorithms and investigate solutions and/or forms of resistance to algorithmic anxiety, racial and intersectional inequities perpetuated by AI, and data discrimination happening across the globe and, of course, on their phones and other devices.

LC 28: Who Says? Race, Disability and Social Constructions of Power (REI Global for ANTH 111 Only)
ENGL 110: Intro to Academic Writing and ANTH 111: The Construction and Deconstruction of Race and FYSS 101
Kathy Beres Rogers and Allison Foley
4 English credits and 3 social science credits
CRNS: 13494 and 13476 and 13448
Course Times: MWF 1:00-1:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th hour) and TR 12:15-1:30 and W 9-9:50

Have you ever thought about how we came up with ideas like race and disability? As social constructions, these notions are not static and are consistently re-defined as society, and power structures, change. In this learning community, we will look at these two concepts—and their inevitable intersections—through the lenses of anthropology and rhetoric. ANTH 111 examines the construction and, more recently, the deconstruction of the concept of "race". From the classificatory "race science" of past centuries to today’s study of human genetics, this course examines the interaction of science, history, politics, and society. The English 110 portion of our class looks at the language we now use when we talk about mental "illness" or physical "disability."  We look at the history of the terms we use, and the rhetoric present in academia, the media, and here at the College of Charleston, to explore the ways in which disability intersects with constructions of race and social power.

Schools and Society: Learning from Lived Experiences (REI US)
EDFS201 and FYSS 101
Tiffany Harris
Teacher Education
CRNs: 13468 and 13624
Course times: MW 10:30-11:45 and T 9:05-9:55

This course is a journey of reflection about our own schooling experiences to critically analyze the education system in the United States from historical and contemporary perspectives. We will examine: 1) the shifting purpose of schools, 2) who should be educated and how, and 3) the nature of teaching and learning. In doing so, we pay special attention to how political, economic, social, and cultural developments in society directly impact schools. It is hoped that students will leave the course with a clarity of understanding of human differences, interpersonal and intergroup relations, and equitable outcomes towards a more democratic society.

The 1967 Legacy and Beyond (REI US)
FYSE 114 and FYSS 101
Valerie Frazier
English
CRNs: 13368 and 13353
Course times: MWF 10:00-10:50 and R 11:05-11:55

CofC’s first black graduate Eddie Ganaway once said of his experience, “It was almost like Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. I did get the sense that I was being looked through." (College of Charleston Magazine, 2007). In this class, we will prompt students to ask: “How can we increase visibility and shine a light on black student, faculty, and staff trailblazers, so that the College of Charleston and Charleston community can better acknowledge and appreciate their contributions?”

This course introduces students to the significance of 1967 (year of desegregation at the CofC), black student contributions at the CofC, and the history of black Charleston. The course also connects students with the Charleston area through lectures, workshops, and community engagement activities.

Human Conflict, Change, and Social Justice Theme
Reading and Writing Social Justice
Banned Books
Terror & Tragedy
The Art of Resistance (also REI course)
From Russia with Code: Cybersecurity and Russian

Reading and Writing Social Justice
FYSE 114 and FYSS 101
Marjory Wentworth
English
CRNs: 13356 and 13347
Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and M 11:00-11:50

Through reading and creative writing, students will examine what it means to be a writer in the community. Students will develop creative writing competency and craft. This is an introductory creative writing class which requires no previous experience. Course readings will examine how writers employ elements of craft to produce works that break silences. Writing exercises will explore how creative writing can serve as a tool for empowerment and social change. Students will write reflection journals, poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction which includes autobiography, testimonials and life stories. Through this process students will learn how to develop a compassionate and critical eye for creative work both inside and outside the classroom.

Banned Books
FYSE 114 and FYSS 101
Marjory Wentworth
English
CRNs: 13358 and 13348
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and R 1:05-1:55

This course examines a variety of texts that have been banned across several centuries and continents. Texts have been seized or outlawed, classified as taboo, their authors fined, jailed, tortured, exiled, and killed throughout history under many different political regimes. The focus is literature from the past two centuries, spanning diverse cultural and political contexts. In America, many writers of our most beloved books have experienced the sting of censorship and distorted judgment aimed at their work. Recent examined within its unique role in our democracy. We will also incorporate contemporary First Amendment issues–especially in terms of the internet (social media), hate speech, the alarming spike in censorship of books and curriculum happening in school districts across the country.

Terror & Tragedy
FYSE 124 and FYSS 101
Ezra Cappell
Jewish Studies
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 13387 and 13366
(A) Course times: T 7:00-9:45 and TBA
(B) CRNs: 13390 and 13367
(B) Course times: T 4:00-6:45 and TBA

In this course, Terror and Tragedy, students will consider the ethical question of how filmmakers, artists, and writers ought to represent the horrors of historical tragedy and war.  Throughout the semester we will analyze historic and aesthetic representations of the Holocaust, the Vietnam War, and the 9/11 terror attacks through a variety of genres, including: films, photographs, paintings, musical compositions, short stories, documentary evidence, historical texts, philosophical texts, religious texts, and survivor testimonies. By the conclusion of this course students will be able to make ethically informed evaluations of artistic representations of war, genocide, and terrorist attacks and will determine for themselves whether and how artists ought to create art from the ashes of human tragedy.

The Art of Resistance (REI Course)
FYSU 105 and FYSS 101
Pat Dillon
Art History
CRNs: 13338 and 13151
Course times: TR 3:35-4:50 and TBA

For centuries, multi-cultural artists of every ethnicity, economic class and sexual orientation have used their creativity for socio-political and economic justice. Sometimes subtle, sometimes less than subtle, often with humor, artists communicate soul to soul.  The visual nature of their messaging overcomes differences in language, race, economic prosperity, and literacy. This course will look at these game changing artists, analyze their contributions and measure the effect of their work on today’s cultural values. Students will learn how race has been socially constructed in the United States and how artistic imagery is effectively used in the ongoing resistance to racial inequity and discrimination.

LC 8: From Russia with Code: Cybersecurity and Russian
RUSS 101: Elementary Russian I and CSCI 111: Intro to Cybersecurity and FYSS 101
Meglena Miltcheva and Lancie Affonso
Russian and Computer Science
3 foreign language and 3 elective credits
CRNS: 10110 and 11156 and 13424
Course Times: MWF 10:00-10:50 and M 2:30-5:15 and W 3:00-3:50

In recent years, Russian cybercrime has become the most dangerous threat to the US computer security systems. Government and businesses are scrambling to find Cybersecurity experts who specialize in Russian. This learning community helps you to acquire this much-needed expertise in the connections between Russia and Cybersecurity. RUSS 101 introduces the Cyrillic alphabet and Russian language, with a focus on computer vocabulary. CSCI 111 focuses on the domains of cybersecurity with specific examples applied to the Russian attacks. We will cover the following domain areas and touch on specific Russian attacks that penetrated the area in question: Access control and identity management, cryptography, policies, procedures, and awareness, physical security, perimeter defenses, network defenses, host defenses, application defenses, and data defenses.

Sustainability Related and Focused Theme
The Human Side of Sustainability (also REI course)
Creating a Sustainable Earth for All (also REI course)
Paddling Towards Sustainability
Biomimicry: Nature as a Mentor
Connecting with Nature in the Modern World

LC 3: The Human Side of Sustainability (REI Global and REI US)
ANTH 115: Intro to Cultural Sustainability and SOCY 102: Contemporary Social Issues and FYSS 101
Christine Finnan and Tracy Burkett
Anthropology and Sociology
3 elective credits and 3 Social Science credits
CRNS: 13473 and 13474 and 13418
Course Times:  TR 9:25-10:40 and TR 10:50-12:05 and W 3:00-3:50

This Learning Community focuses on the human side of sustainability. We examine social and cultural factors that play a part in efforts to create a just, equitable, and healthy world. ANTH 115: Introduction to Cultural Sustainability provides an introduction to cultural anthropology and sustainability literacy, and it places cultural sustainability within economic, environmental, and social issues. SOCY 102: Contemporary Social Issues provides an introduction to sociology and examines social and organizational issues related to sustainability, with a special focus on inequality and strategies for change. Students have the opportunity to become involved in the Sustainability Literacy Institute and potentially identify opportunities for future internships or research projects. Successful completion of these courses will fulfill one required and one elective course for the Cultural Sustainability Certificate

LC 11: Creating a Sustainable Earth for All (REI US for ENGL 111 Only)
GEOL 103: Environmental Geology and GEOL 103L: Environmental Geology Lab and ENGL 111: Intro to Academic Writing and FYSS 101
Vijay Vulava and Simon Lewis
Geology and English
4 natural science and 4 English credits
CRNs: 10927 and 11292 and 13535 and 13427
Course times: MWF 9:00-9:50 and M 2:30-5:30 and MWF 11:00-11:50; W 12:00-12:50 and TBA

In this Learning Community, we explore how human-Earth interactions create social inequities while modifying Earth’s physical environment. Hands-on activities and field trips will allow students to apply Earth science principles to evaluate unsustainable uses of Earth’s resources and their disproportionate impacts in many regions of our planet. Focus on the African American experience in Charleston and South Carolina will allow students to explore themes of local environmental justice in their writing. Together the two courses prompt students to consider the interaction of natural and social forces in the (mis-)shaping of the world around them.

LC 26: Paddling Towards Sustainability
BIOL 101: Concepts and Applications in Biology I* and  PEAC 126: Coastal Kayaking and FYSS 101
Miranda McManus and Ashley Brown
3 science credits and 2 elective credits
CRNs: 12420 and 11489 and 13446
Course Times: TR 10:50-12:05 and R 1:00-4:00** and TBA

This learning community will build awareness of the coastal environment and its benefits and fragility by allowing students to get into it to appreciate it. Through kayaking, students will learn about tides, currents, and the Charleston area waterways. In Biology, students will use evolutionary theory and a basic knowledge of the diversity of life to gain an understanding of various ecological issues, with a particular focus on those affecting coastal ecosystems. Students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature and learn ways to protect local ecosystems, all while building competency as paddlers. The experience of being in the world they are being asked to protect should create a lifelong love and respect for our precious local habitat. Students should schedule in 30 mins before and after the PEAC126 course for travel.
*Students must add BIOL 101L: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology Lab for Natural Science credit
**BIOL 101/BIOL 101L is not intended for Biology Majors - students should take BIOL 111/111L

Biomimicry: Nature as a Mentor
FYSE 108 and FYSS 101
Deb Bidwell
Biology
CRNs: 13345 and 13341
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and T 1:05-1:55

What can nature teach humans about fitting in on earth?  When and why did humans become isolated from the natural world?  Nature constructs, transports, communicates, and transacts business, yet balances form and function with elegant efficiency.  It self assembles, wastes nearly nothing, recycles everything, and produces no pollution. How can modern human civilization (re)learn to live sustainably with the other 30 million species sharing our planet, yet keep our modern lifestyle? Biomimicry is the exciting, emerging, interdisciplinary field that looks to nature as a mentor to design sustainable solutions to human problems.  With over 3.8 billion years of experience, the natural world has already solved the same challenges humans are facing today! In this inspiring, hands-on First Year Seminar we’ll explore biomimicry, and prepare students to take on leadership roles in the sustainability movement.

Connecting with Nature in the Modern World (A-B)
FYSE 142 and FYSS 101
Nick Principe
Environmental Studies
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 13409 and 13398
(A) Course times: TR 12:15-1:30 and T 2:05-2:55
(B) CRNs: 13402 and 13399
(B) Course times: TR 1:40-2:55 and TBA

We know that spending quality time in nature can quickly wash away the worries of the day and if done regularly, can improve our well-being. The question is, if nature is so beneficial for us, then why are we a nation of people who seem to be more uncoupled from nature than ever before? In this course, students will examine ways in which we can connect with the natural world around us, both individually and as a society. The class will explore research on the effects of nature on mental well-being, the state of modern food production, and how reconnecting with nature might just give us a fighting chance against biodiversity loss and the effects of climate change.

Countries and Cultures, Past and Present Theme
Mangia! Eating and Speaking Like an Italian
Experiencing Ancient Rome
Spanish Can Save Your Life: Medicine, Politics, and Hispanic Culture
Human Diseases in the Spanish-Speaking World
Beyond Bratwursts and BMWs: Understanding German Business Culture
¡Conoce España: Comunidades, Costumbres, y Cocina!
Brazil and the US: Business and Culture
American Popular Culture
The History of Museums
Architectural History and Historic Preservation in the Holy City
Sending the ‘Write’ Message: Managing Tourism in Charleston

LC 7: Mangia! Eating and Speaking Like an Italian
HEAL 257: Principles of Nutrition and ITAL 101: Elementary Italian and FYSS 101
Michelle Futrell and Virginia Carlsten
Health and Human Performance and Italian Studies
3 elective credits and 3 foreign language credits
CRNS: 11459 and 12542 and 13423
Course Times: ONLINE ASYNC and MWF 2:00-2:50 and TBA

Food brings people together and this learning community will use the study of food to connect the traditional introductory Italian classroom with the online Principles of Nutrition classroom. The overarching focus of this learning community will be the Mediterranean Diet, recognized as the best overall diet for the third year in a row by US News & World Report. The learning community combines the science behind current dietary guidelines with an examination of the cultural importance of food in the lives of everyday Italians. The Learning Community will provide students with an opportunity to understand their own personal dietary habits in comparison with those of the greater Italian population. Students will also complete one semester of their language requirement.

LC 13: Experiencing Ancient Rome
LATN 101: Intro to Latin and CLAS 105: Roman Civilization and FYSS 101
Blanche McCue and Jen Gerrish
Classics
3 foreign language and 3 Humanities credits
CRNs: 13542 and 13543 and 13429
Course times: MWF 2:00-2:50 and TR 8:00-9:15 and TBA

Come learn about the Romans through their language, literature, archaeology, and art.  Students will learn to read simple passages about Roman history and culture and understand how the Romans’ language communicates ideas. Students will study the basics of Greek and Roman history, religion, architecture, art, entertainment, and social customs. Readings in both classes will highlight connections between language and culture, and you’ll truly get to experience ancient Rome from multiple angles.

LC 16: Spanish Can Save Your Life: Medicine, Politics, and Hispanic Culture
SPAN 202: Intermediate Spanish through Culture and POLI 103: World Politics and FYSS 101
Sharonah Frederick and John Thomas
Hispanic Studies and Political Science
3 foreign language credits and 3 social science credits
CRNs: 11987 and 13297 and 13433
Course times: MWF 2:00-2:50 and TR 10:50-12:05 and TBA

The goal of this learning community is to further students’ understanding of Spanish and introduce the principles of public health, with a collaborative focus on how politics in Latin America interact with the concept of bienestar (wellbeing). This is important as Spanish is a key skill for global public health professionals in an increasingly interconnected world. This learning community will emphasize the importance of population level health with an emphasis on Latin American culture and how health is affected by political change and upheaval. We will focus in particular on regional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and initiatives affecting indigenous and Afrodescendant rights.

LC 21: Human Diseases in the Spanish-Speaking World
BIOL 111: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology* and SPAN 202: Intermediate Spanish through Culture and FYSS 101
Renaud Geslain and Claudia Moran
Biology and Hispanic Studies
4 natural science and 3 foreign language credits
CRNs: 12361 and 10301 and 13441
Course times: TR 1:40-2:55 and and TR 3:05-4:20 and TBA

Are you interested in a future career in public health that taps into your Spanish skills? This Learning Community links BIOL111 and SPAN 202 and will explore predominant human health issues in the Spanish-speaking world. In BIOL 111, students will explore the molecular and cellular aspects of viral, bacterial and non-contagious diseases that are prevalent in Latin America such as HIV, Malaria, TB, Chagas disease, Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and cancer. In SPAN 202, students will learn Spanish vocabulary surrounding these diseases.
*Students must add BIOL 111L: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology Lab for Natural Science credit

LC 23: Beyond Bratwursts and BMWs: Understanding German Business Culture
GRMN 101: Elementary German and GRST: Understanding German Business Culture and FYSS 101
Stephen Della Lana and Ramona Montjoy
German Studies
3 foreign language credits and 3 elective credits
CRNs: 11044 and 11706 and 13443
Course times: MWF 111:00-11:50 and MW 5:55-7:10 and TBA

German business is a global phenomenon with a tremendous impact on the US and especially on South Carolina. There are over 160 German companies based in SC alone and over 40,000 jobs stem from German industry in the state. This learning community explores career opportunities in German industry and begins students on the path towards proficiency in German and intercultural competence that will open up internship and career opportunities in this dynamic and exciting economic ecosystem.  The GenEd Humanities course GRST 122, “Understanding German Business Culture,” provides students with an introduction to German Business Culture and its differences from US Business while GRMN Sprechen Sie Business? 101 will introduce students to the German language with an emphasis on business communication and etiquette.

¡Conoce España: Comunidades, Costumbres, y Cocina!
SPAN 202 and FYSS 101
Devon Hanahan
Hispanic Studies
3 Foreign Language credits
CRNs: 10309 and 13359
Course times: MWF 1:00-1:50 and M 10:00-10:50

This course will fulfill the required Spanish 202 course and cover all of the required departmental curriculum, but it will also focus on the variety of communities, cultures and cuisine of Spain. Students will learn enough Spanish history to understand how Spain’s geography has definitively shaped its history and culture more so than many other countries and will also keep up with current events in Spain. Each student will be in charge of a different region of Spain for the semester and will build up a portfolio to share with the class and the department. Students will have cooking lessons, dine out in a Spanish restaurant and see short films related to each lesson.

Brazil and the US: Business and Culture
FYSE 125 and FYSS 101
Daniela Meireles
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
CRNs: 13392 and 13369
Course times: MWF 1:00-1:50 and W 2:00-2:50

This course intersects Business and Brazilian Studies. Brazil and the U.S. are important trading partners and both countries hold crucial positions in international operations globally. Students will navigate complex intercultural negotiations between Americans and Brazilians. This course will prepare students for personal and business-related and cultural interactions with Brazilians in the U.S. and abroad. Students will explore cultural case studies, photography, documentaries, music, literature, and digital media produced by both Americans and by Brazilians.

American Popular Culture (A-B)
FYSE 135 and FYSS 101
Paul Roof
Sociology
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 13405 and 13377
(A) Course times: MW 2:00-3:15 and M 4:00-4:50
(B) CRNs: 13406 and 13380
(B) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and F 1:00-1:50

This course is designed to introduce students to critical analysis of contemporary popular culture in the United States.  Students will get an overview of the insights, findings, concepts, and perspectives that are held by a wide variety of interdisciplinary popular culture scholars today.  Several prominent areas of popular culture to be studied include advertising, television, film, music, religion, and cyberculture.

The History of Museums
FYSE 105 and FYSS 101
Mary Trent
Art History
CRNs: 13336 and 13150
Course times: TR 9:55-11:10 and W 10:00-10:50

Many of us love to go to museums to see beautiful art, amazing scientific specimens, and historical artifacts. Yet, where did the idea of museums come from? How did they start and who decided what to put in them? Have museums always told the same stories about art, science, and history, or has the story changed over time? In this class, we will study the history of museum practices of collecting and display from roughly the early modern period in Europe through the Contemporary era in the United States (16th-early 21st centuries).  We will discover how museums are culturally specific and how they embody and support specific societal values, which often change over time. We will apply our historical knowledge to an appreciation of artist La Vaughn Belle’s Fall 2023 exhibition at The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art on campus.

LC 2: Architectural History and Historic Preservation in the Holy City
ARTH 105: Intro to Architecture and HPCP 199: Intro to Historic Preservation and FYSS 101
Brigit Ferguson and Rebecca Moffatt
Art History and Historic Preservation
6 Humanities credits
CRNS: 13567 and 13568 and 13417
Course Times: MWF 11:30-12:20 and TR 9:25-10:40 and T 11:05-11:55

Using Charleston as a living laboratory, this LC will introduce students to architectural
history and historic preservation. Introduction to Architectural History explores Western architecture from ancient Mesopotamia to the 21st century in terms of function, structure, form, and historical context. The historic preservation portion introduces students to the economic, environmental and cultural benefits of preservation of our built environment while also addressing issues in heritage management using Charleston examples and studying local buildings in situ. Students will write stylistic analyses, learn basic architectural terminology and research architectural and historic significance using primary sources. The LC will include site visits to buildings across Charleston.

LC 17: Sending the ‘Write’ Message: Managing Tourism in Charleston
HTMT 210: Principles and Practices in Hospitality and Tourism Management and ENGL 110: Introduction to Academic Writing and FYSS 101
Brumby McLeod and Ariel Hartwig
Hospitality and Tourism Management and English
3 elective credits and 4 English credits
Three sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 12340 and 13495 and 13435
(A) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and MWF 10:00-10:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th hour) and M 12:00-12:50
(B) CRNs: 12343 and 13496 and 13436
(B) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and MWF 11:00-11:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th hour) and W 2:00-2:50
(C) CRNs: 12346 and 13497 and 13437
(C) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and MWF 12:00-12:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th hour) and TBA

The purpose of this learning community is to explore how to conduct business in the hospitality industry. Special attention will be paid on how to communicate ideas and strategies effectively throughout both the industry and the community. This class will introduce students to the hospitality environment and guide them in developing professional skills through writing business correspondences such as memos, reports, résumés and cover letters as well as creative and analytical features focusing on industry issues. Students will explore Charleston and all its offerings to understand how the tourism industry works in one of the world’s premier destinations.

 Engaging with Society through Contemporary Issues and Relationships Theme
Being Well: Sociological and Public Health Perspectives on Health and Well-Being
Dancing Away Your Fear of Public Speaking
Politics and Civil Discourse
Talking Spanish, Thinking Sociology
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: More Than Just a Movie
The Power of Play for Young Children’s Learning and Development
Nations and Nationalism
Beat the Carbon Clock
Navigating a Post-Truth World

LC 9: Being Well: Sociological and Public Health Perspectives on Health and Well-Being
SOCY 109: Special Topics in Sociology and HEAL 215: Intro to Public Health and FYSS 101
Sarah Hatteberg and Christy Kollath-Cattano
Sociology and Health and Human Performance
3 Social Science credits and 3 Electives
CRNS: 13475 and 12314 and 13425
Course Times: TR 12:15-1:30 and MWF 11:00-11:50 and T 3:05-3:55

This learning community is designed to introduce students to the fields of public health and sociology through the shared topic of mental health. Students will be exposed to disciplinary research on different topics related to mental health (e.g., social determinants of health, stress, coping, social support, substance use, and physical health/illness), introduced to various campus-based resources, and encouraged to explore strategies for reducing stress and practicing healthy coping behaviors, while also considering the barriers that can prevent engagement with such strategies. Interdisciplinarity will be emphasized as students are asked to consider the similarities and differences in how public health and sociology approach mental health.

LC 18: Dancing Away Your Fear of Public Speaking
COMM 104: Public Speaking and PEAC 122: Social Dance I and FYSS 101
Deborah McGee and Jeff Woraratanadharm
Communication and Health and Human Performance
5 elective credits
CRNs: 12349 and 12350 and 13438
Course times: TR 12:15-1:30 and TR 5:45-7:00 and TBA

Dancing Away Your Fear of Public Speaking is a learning community designed to improve students' ability to communicate, especially in situations in which they are in the spotlight. Both public speaking and social dance are communication skills that will benefit one’s personal and professional lives. Students will learn how to manage stage-fright through dancing and speaking. Students will also learn to adapt to audiences and better evaluate the messaging of others as they learn how to express themselves through voice and body.

LC 19: Politics and Civil Discourse
ENGL 110: Intro to Academic Writing and Poli 150: Intro to Political Thought and FYSS 101
Scott Peeples and Claire Curtis
English and Political Science
4 English and 3 elective credits
CRNs: 13493 and 11644 and 13439
Course Times: MWF 1:00-1:50; W 2-2:50 and MWF 11:00-11:50 and TBA

For many people, “politics” is a bad word, suggesting manipulation and corruption. The  same might be said of “rhetoric,” which often connotes not just saying what you mean.  This learning community combines a course on political thought and a course on writing  and rhetoric that seek to redeem these terms: politics and rhetoric can and should be  used to promote the common good. POLI 150 will focus on how theorists over the last  2500 years have thought about what it means to live together peacefully, and what principles are at stake. ENGL 110 will focus on civil discourse: how to “argue”  constructively, fairly, and respectfully when you write and design documents --- and why  it matters.

LC 20: Talking Spanish, Thinking Sociology
SOCY 101: Intro to Sociology and SPAN 190: Elementary Spanish through Culture I and FYSS 101
Julia Arroyo and Berenice Marquina Castillo
Sociology and Hispanic Studies
3 social science and 3 foreign language credits
CRNs: 13472 and 10227 and 13440
Course times: MWF 11:00-11:50 and MWF 10:00-10:50 and TBA

This learning community uses culture as an entryway for building your ability to speak and write en español and to observe, think, and act “like a sociologist”. Designed for students who have been exposed to Spanish and for anyone who has ever wondered why people act the way they do, this learning community helps students become aware of and grow their thinking, speaking, and writing skills in Spanish and English through a focus on culture and everyday life. Studying cultural diversity (such as in definitions of family) and inequality (such as in access to quality education), students will improve their ability to identify and describe how social forces shape views, experiences, and behaviors. Along the way, students will develop a broader understanding of cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and Latinx-origin groups in the United States.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: More Than Just a Movie
FYSE 136 and FYSS 101
Kent Gourdin
Supply Chain and Information Management
CRNs: 13407 and 13381
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and W 10:00-10:50

Most consumers have little concern for how the products they purchase reach stores. Despite the fact that these come from all over the world, most of us only notice those instances when what we want is not available. We know we live in a port city, perhaps notice a big ship when it is in the harbor, or curse all of the trucks moving containers on our roadways, but we never give a thought to what they represent. This course will introduce students to the fascinating areas of global transportation, logistics, and supply chain management which work together to get us the products we want, when we want them, at a price we are willing to pay.

The Power of Play for Young Children’s Learning and Development
FYSE 138 and FYSS 101
Kelley White
Teacher Education
CRNs: 13411 and 13388
Course times: TR 12:15-1:30 and TBA

This course will explore how children learn through play. It will begin with a focus on defining play and exploring research and theoretical perspectives on the importance of play for children’s cognitive, physical and social-emotional development. Students will visit a variety of schools, museums, and outdoor play spaces around town to observe firsthand how adults best facilitate and advance children’s playful learning.  These visits will allow students to practice observing and documenting young children’s learning through the use of note taking and photo documentation. At the end of the semester, students will work collaboratively with classmates to apply what was learned and design their own play-based learning experiences for young children.

Nations & Nationalism
FYSE 124 and FYSS 101
Joshua Shanes
Jewish Studies
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 13382 and 13364
(A) Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and M 9:00-9:50
(B) CRNs: 13384 and 13365
(B) Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and M 3:00-3:50

Nations seem to be a self-evident reality. Nations are the core unit of political legitimacy, and the “United Nations” is the platform for humanity’s cooperative decision-making. Yet nations are neither ancient nor self-evident; they are modern constructions that compete with other forms of community and identities for legitimacy and loyalty. Even the basic question, “what is a nation,” brings no uniform answer. Nationalism can bond communities, but it is also source of violent conflict and oppression and has facilitated some of the most barbaric acts in human history. This seminar will explore the origins and development of nations and nationalism, comparing various versions of it, and consider what all of this means for us today, as Americans at a time of heightened nationalist feelings and growing awareness of racial oppression. The course will raise basic questions about identity, community, religion, ethnicity, and the human condition.

Beat the Carbon Clock!
FYSE 138 and FYSS 101
Laura Brock
Teacher Education
CRNs: 13519 and 13518
Course times: TR 1:40-2:55 and M 3:00-3:50

In the context of a simulated game experience, students will work in teams representing five hypothetical countries, the United Nations, and a non-profit organization, each with different priorities, challenges, and political structures. The goal of the game is to reduce global carbon emissions. Along the way, countries will face a variety of crises including natural disasters, oil spills, famine, plastic pollution, and deforestation. Countries can innovate and create new solutions to familiar problems by employing 21st century learning skills (e.g., creativity, critical thinking, optimism). The only way to win is to cooperate and take risks. There are no right or wrong answers, only choices and consequences. Embrace mistakes: Every failure represents an opportunity to improve.

Navigating a Post-Truth World
FYSE 143 and FYSS 101
Jared Seay
College of Charleston Libraries
CRNs: 13386 and 13403
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and M 2:00-2:50

The profusion of social media has escalated the concept of “fake news” and radically changed the information environment into a “post-truth” world where anyone is a publisher and sources and authorities are decentralized. Identifying what a document is, much less the credibility of the information, is muddled at best. Students will learn how information was historically accessed and used in comparison with the unique characteristics of the “new media” information environment and how one can successfully navigate this new social information sphere. Using visual literacy, media literacy, and game-based learning activities, they will learn how to identify text packaging, think critically about the information they encounter, develop skills as information consumers and employ ethical behavior as creators of information.

Exploration of Self, Growth, and Development Theme
Designing Your Life: Finding Your Place in the World of Business
How the Moral Mind Works
Teaching Fellows
Travel for Transformation and the Arts: Journeys of (Self) Discovery
FitCatZ Aquatic and Motor Therapy

LC 29: Designing Your Life: Finding Your Place in the World of Business
MGMT 105: Intro to Business and ENTR 260: Special Topics in Entrepreneurship: Design Thinking and FYSS 101
Hayden Smith and Kristen McMullen
Business
6 elective credits
Three sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 11578 and 13457 and 13449
(A) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and TR 1:40-2:55 and T 9:05-9:55
(B) CRNs: 13536 and 13458 and 13450
(B) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and TR 1:40-2:55 and TBA
(C) CRNs: 13537 and 13459 and 13451
(C) Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and TR 1:40-2:55 and TBA

Interested in business but not sure which path to take? This interactive and dynamic learning community will prepare you for whatever your future holds, during college and after graduation. You will get an overview of the basic concepts and principles of business and design thinking while incorporating elements of personal development and life design. This Learning Community aims to help you identify your strengths, interests, values and guides you in developing a vision for your future careers both in the School of Business and post-graduation. You will engage with current students, alumni and industry leaders. You are encouraged to think outside the box, explore new ideas and gain personal development strategies for success.

How the Moral Mind Works
FYSE 129 and FYSS 101
Thomas Nadelhoffer
Philosophy
CRNs: 13401 and 13374
Course times: MW 2:00-3:15 (ONLINE SYNC) and T 4:05-4:55

The central question we will address in this course is whether scientific evidence about how moral  decision-making actually works gives us any insight into how moral decision-making should work. This course will examine five domains: (a) the nature and limitations of moral intuitions, (b) how people make  judgments about free will and moral responsibility, (c) the relevance of findings from situationist  psychology to virtue theory (d) whether or not humans are capable of altruism, and (e) the relevance of  moral disagreement to moral objectivity. Having next surveyed some of the empirical literature on moral  decision-making, students will read Joshua Greene’s Moral Tribes(2014), which explores the relevance of moral  psychology to ethical theory and public policy. 

Teaching Fellows
FYSE 138 and FYSS 101
Ian O'Byrne
Teacher Education
CRNs: 13408 and 13383
Course times: MW 2:00-3:15 and W 9:00-9:50

This course is specifically designed for freshmen Teaching Fellows and Call Me Mister students. These students have chosen education as their major and profession in return from the State of South Carolina. This course is the first in a series of learning experiences for students who will teach in South Carolina schools after graduation. Content of this course will focus on issues in education including, but not limited to, best practices, integrated learning, and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT).  This course is designed to help students adjust to college life and excel as future educators. This course is open only to pre-selected Teaching Fellows.

Travel for Transformation: Journeys of (Self) Discovery
FYSE 141 and FYSS 101
Alison Smith
Women’s and Gender Studies
CRNs: 13412 and 13396
Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and T 11:05-11:55

Have you ever dreamed of undertaking an extraordinary adventure?  Are you eager to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, walk the Camino de Santiago, or climb Mount Kilimanjaro?  In this course, we will explore the transformative potential offered by travel, which might be a globe-trotting adventure or simply discovering a new place in your local area.  Transformative travel involves learning, personal growth, exploring identity, and reflecting on the journey.  It encompasses an array of experiences, such as physical challenges, immersive cultural encounters, journeys of a religious or spiritual nature, or any combination of these and other informative experiences.  The essential components of transformative travel are preparation for the journey, the trip itself, and reflection and action upon return.

FitCatZ Aquatic and Motor Therapy
FYSE 138 and FYSS 101
Susan Flynn
Teacher Education
CRNs: 13410 and 13385
Course times: W 3:00-6:00* and TR 2:05-2:55 PM

Special O.P.S. Therapy Tactics course is designed to provide students interested in pursuing a degree in occupational and physical therapy as well as teacher education, with the knowledge and skills to design and implement movement experiences to enhance children's physical, social and emotional development. Students may be able to participate in the FitCatZ Motor Therapy Program putting theory to practice teaching young children with disabilities in a therapy setting or participate in a virtual therapy guest speaker series. Students must allow for 30 minutes of travel time prior to and after class.

Exploration of Technology, Science, and Nature Theme
Engineering: Perspectives and Communication
Charleston Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Floods, and Artillery!
Preparing Computing Professionals
Gateway to Neuroscience
Structure Determines Function: The Convergence of Biology and Yoga
Biology and Precalculus for Pre-Med Students
Pandemics in Human History, Present and Future
Computers, Music, and Art
The Future of Dinosaurs
Solvable: Scientific Solutions for the Past, Present, and Future

LC 6: Engineering: Perspectives and Communication

ENGR 103: Fundamentals of Electrical and Systems Engineering and ENGL 110: Intro to Academic Writing and FYSS 101
Qian Zhang and Caroline Hunt
Engineering and English
3 elective credits and 4 English credits
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNS: 12280 and 13491 and 13421
(A) Course Times: TR 8:00-9:15 and MWF 10:00-10:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th Hour) and TBA
(B) CRNS: 12285 and 13492 and 13422
(B) Course Times: TR 8:00-9:15 and MWF 12:00-12:50 (Online Class Meetings for 4th Hour) and TBA

In this learning community, students will be able to learn engineering fundamentals, international perspectives on engineering, and some of the multicultural understanding and teamwork skills necessary for professional collaboration. Students are also expected to develop an appreciation towards diversity. Students will also learn about the important role communication plays in enabling the success of engineering projects and in modern technology-driven life including politics, the economy, culture, and the environment.

LC 12: Charleston Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Floods, and Artillery!
GEOL 103: Environmental Geology and GEOL 103L: Environmental Geology Lab and DATA 101: Introduction to Data Science and FYSS 101
Steven Jaume and Lancie Affonso
Geology and Computer Science
4 natural science and 3 elective credits
CRNs: 10928 and 10932 and 10821 and 13428
Course times: MWF 10:00-10:50 and R 12:30-3:30 and MWF 9:00-9:50 and TBA

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Floods, Fires! Natural disasters have defined Charleston’s 350-year history and will likely frame its future. The linked courses (GEOL 103 and DATA 210) will introduce students to publicly available environmental data (e.g., streamflow, tide gauge, meteorological, earthquake, etc.) and several means of analyzing and interpreting these natural phenomena. Students who complete this course will be able to support transparent environmental decision-making and digital storytelling that promotes open data and analysis along with rich interactive visualizations that enable users a high level view of complex problems as well as deep dive into the data. There are no prerequisites for courses in this learning community.

LC 14: Preparing Computing Professionals *
CSCI 220: Computer Programming I and CSCI 220L (Lab) and COMM 104: Public Speaking and FYSS 101
RoxAnn Stalvey and Nia Lewis
Computer Science and Communication
7 elective credits
CRNs: 12060 and 11347 and 10714 and 13430
Course times: TR 11:20-12:35 and W 2:30-5:00 and TR 9:25-10:40 and TBA

Sometimes it’s not what you say, but how you say it! The number one technical skill needed by computing academics and professionals is programming while the number one soft skill needed by this same group is communication. In addition to learning to code, it is important to perfect listening abilities and become knowledgeable about how to share information both verbally and non-verbally. This learning community will merge the fields of Computer Science and Communication to introduce students to programming and problem solving using Python and to teach students how to effectively articulate themselves in a variety of public speaking situations, from interviews, to professional presentations.
*Contact your advisor during registration to get an override into this class

LC 15: Gateway to Neuroscience
BIOL 111: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology* and PSYC 103: Intro to Psychological Science and FYSS 101
Chris Korey and Dan Greenberg
Biology and Psychology
4 natural science and 3 social science credits
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 12310 and 12352 and 13431
(A) Course times: MWF 8:00-8:50 and TR 10:50-12:05 and M 11:00-11:50
(B) CRNs: 12312 and 12355 and 13432
(B) Course times: MWF 8:00-8:50 and TR 10:50-12:05 and R 9:00-9:50

This learning community is aimed at entering first-year students with an interest in Neuroscience, particularly the interface of Psychology and Biology. These courses will demonstrate and reinforce the inherent, extensive connections between the two disciplines. PSYC 103 will introduce students to the science of behavior with special emphasis on the biological bases of behavior (neuroscience) and psychological disorders. BIOL 111 focuses on molecular and cellular biology, with a focus on basic nervous system function and the underlying biological mechanisms associated with neurological disorders.
*Students must add BIOL 111L: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology Lab for Natural Science credit

LC 25: Structure Determines Function: The Convergence of Biology and Yoga
BIOL 101: Concepts and Applications in Biology I* and PEAC 102: Beginning Yoga and FYSS 101
Miranda McManus and Ashley Bell
Biology and Health and Human Performance
4 natural science credits and 2 elective credits
CRNs: 10051 and 10750 and 13445
Course Times: TR 10:50-12:05 and TR 12:15-1:30 and TBA

In this learning community, we will explore how, through the study of life and the practice of yoga, basic levels of structure impact overall function. In Yoga, students will experiment with a range of postures, learning to be mindful of each pose on a micro and macro level and recognizing relationships between inhale and exhale, stability and mobility, body and mind, individual and universal.  These structures provide perspective into how we function on and off the mat, leading to an enhanced capacity to meet the challenges of life as a first-year student. In Biology, we will focus primarily below the cellular (micro) level, where the properties of life begin to emerge.  We will examine the structure of molecules like proteins and DNA and how they interact within living things, exploring how simple structure impacts complex function at the macro (organismal) level and contributes to the extensive diversity we see throughout the biosphere.
*Students must add BIOL 101L: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology Lab for Natural Science credit
**BIOL 101/BIOL 101L is not intended for Biology Majors - students should take BIOL 111/111L

LC 27: Biology and Precalculus for Pre-Med Students
BIOL 111: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology* and MATH 111: Precalculus and FYSS 101
Emily Giarrocco and Wendy Sheppard
Biology and Mathematics
4 natural science credits and 4 math credits
CRNs: 11480 and 13585 and 13447
Course times: MWF 10:00-10:50 and MWF 11:00-11:50; R 10:50-12:05 and TBA

This learning community is tailored to incoming first-year students with a strong desire to pursue a career in medicine or in biomedical research. The fields of Math and Biology are increasingly intertwined. Faculty will use these two introductory courses to demonstrate the natural connections between the fields.
*Students must add BIOL 111L: Intro to Cell and Molecular Biology Lab for Natural Science credit

Pandemics in Human History, Present and Future
FYSE 108 and FYSS 101
Agnes Southgate
Biology
CRNs: 13342 and 13339
Course times: MWF 2:00-2:50 and TBA

Pandemics have always been parts and shapers of human evolution and history, however the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemics caught most of us by surprise. In this seminar we will investigate viral biology and the human immune response to better understand the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on our health, but we will also reevaluate this pandemic in the light of past human encounters with microbes. We will discuss ways by which our global human society can fend this current crisis better, as well as prepare for the ones to come with an emphasis on global health in the context of ecological awareness and sustainability.

Computers, Music, and Art
FYSE 112 and FYSS 101
Bill Manaris
Computer Science
CRNs: 13350 and 13344
Course times: MWF 10:30-11:20 and TBA

This course introduces the creative side of computing in the context of music, sounds, images, and other digital artifacts. Emphasis will be given to computer programming for music making, live performance, and interaction. Students will develop several digital artifacts and elementary musical compositions.

The Future of Dinosaurs
FYSE 117 and FYSS 101
Scott Persons
Geology
CRNs: 13373 and 13357
Course times: MWF 12:00-12:50 and M 4:00-4:50

Being a dinosaur isn't what it used to be. Since the term "Dinosauria" was coined roughly 180 years ago, the scientific definition and perception of dinosaurs has changed radically. Today, our understanding of dinosaurs is evolving faster than ever before, and new discoveries continue to astound and challenge paleontological expectations. If a collection of emerging theories are correct, then what it means to be a dinosaur is in for a paradigm shift. This course explores the newest frontiers in dinosaur paleontology, the pervasive historic and cultural biases that have long confounded attempts at understanding dinosaur ecology, and how the modem world still feels the influence of the Dinosaur Age.

Solvable: Scientific Solutions for the Past, Present, and Future
FYSE 132 and FYSS 101
Stephen Short
Psychology
CRNs: 13404 and 13375
Course times: TR 12:15-1:30 and M 1:00-1:50

A quick glance at current affairs can quickly seem bleak with climate change, pandemics, increased prevalence of mental illness, decreased physical health, and denial of science. But, as the renowned scientist Carl Sagan notes, science can serve as a candle in the dark and inspire hope. Past, present and future scientific discoveries can provide us with solvable solutions to many of today’s problems. In this course students will explore the history of science as a way of understanding the world, review past examples of pivotal scientific discoveries, and apply scientific thinking to many of today’s current issues including improving mental and physical health, addressing climate change, and decreasing science denial.

Engaging Our World through the Arts, Literature, and Religion Theme
Visual Culture: Page and Screen
Play/Write
Exploration of Self Through Photography and Drawing
Comics and American Culture
Ecology and the Literary Imagination
Shakespeare's Afterlives in Film and Performance
Mars Attacks! Mars in Popular Culture
Do You See Me? Diversity and Representation in Performance
Dancing on Stage and Screen: Investigating the Perspective of the Audience

LC 4: Visual Culture: Page and Screen*
ENGL 110: Intro to Academic Writing and ENGL 212: Cinema: History and Criticism and FYSS 101
Tim Carens and Colleen Glenn
English and Film Studies
4 English and 3 Humanities credits
CRNS: 13489 and 13307 and 13419
Course Times:  MW 3:25-4:40 (Online Class Meetings for 4th Hour) and MW 2:00-3:15 and W 1:00-1:50

This Learning Community will help students to better understand central forms of visual culture including advertisements, messaging campaigns, television programs, and cinema. It will emphasize the ways that such media convey ideas, construct attitudes, and entertain minds. In ENGL 110, students will learn how to develop arguments about different forms of visual media by focusing on the explanation of the ways that language and images create meaning. In ENGL 212, students will study movies from a wide range of genres, directors, and time periods and learn the basic elements of film, including editing, cinematography, sound, mise-en-scène, and narrative.
*Contact your advisor during registration to get an override for the required prerequisites

LC 5: Play/Write
ENGL 110: Intro to Academic Writing and THTR 176: Intro to Theatre and FYSS 101
Laura Cannon and Laura Turner
English and Theatre and Dance
4 English and 3 Humanities credits
CRNS: 13490 and 12278 and 13420
Course Times:  TR 9:25-10:40 (Online ASYNC for 4th Hour only) and TR 10:50-12:05 and TBA

How does theatre entrance an audience? How can you write, perform, and persuade in ways that capture attention and move hearts and minds? In this Learning Community, students will analyze how theatre, narrative, and rhetoric use similar strategies to communicate effectively with distinct audiences and under particular constraints. In THTR 176, students will explore how to respond critically to live performance and written scripts, how to develop the capacity to empathize through exposure to diverse theatrical histories, and how to articulate the connection of their own experiences when joined with an audience at the theatre. In ENGL 110, students will explore how they acquired specific forms of literacy, how to understand the rhetorical situation of drama, performance, and writing; and how to remediate their creative and analytical projects to reach new audiences.

LC 22: Exploration of Self Through Photography and Drawing*
ARTS 119: Drawing I and ARTS 220: Sculpture I and FYSS 101
Steve Johnson and Dylan Beckman
Studio Art
6 elective credits
CRNs: 13583 and 13584 and 13442
Course times: TR 11:30-1:20 and MW 9:00-10:50 and TBA

This learning community will provide an opportunity for students to explore their personal and artistic identities through the disciplines of photography and drawing. Light, shape, texture, line, tonality, and movement will be explored through class assignments to develop the ability to perceive and visually express oneself. Class discussions and group projects will teach students how to formally evaluate and critique art through a series of combined class assignments. Students will investigate their self identity and sense of place through reflective writing assignments and an extensive examination into the interrelationships between subject matter, creative concepts, and material use.
*Contact your advisor during registration to get an override into this class

Comics and American Culture
FYSE 111 and FYSS 101
Julie Davis
Communication
CRNs: 13349 and 13343
Course Times: MWF 9:00-9:50 and T 2:05-2:55

Perhaps no other art form has been as critically maligned, and yet as popular and influential as comics. Beginning in newspaper comic strips in the 1890’s, branching out into stand-alone books and magazines, and now spreading through many aspects of American culture, comics have and continue to create, reflect, and disseminate American culture. This course will study comics’ history and industry, as well as different genres of comics. Students will learn how comics come together, read a variety of comics, and critically engage them, through both discussion and written work. Topics will include the history or comics; various genres of comics; politics and comics; gender and comics; and comic transitions, which see comic stories and characters moving into other media.

Ecology and the Literary Imagination
FYSE 114 and FYSS 101
Terence Bowers
English
CRNs: 13360 and 13351
Course times: MWF 10:00-10:50 and M 11:00-11:50

In this course, we will consider a number of big questions:  What should our relationship to the natural world be?  Is having a close connection to nature important for living a good life?  Do we have ethical obligations to other living things?  Do we need to imagine our relationship to nature in a new way?  To answer these questions productively, we will critically read a wide variety of texts (stories, poems, essays) and consider various artworks (films, paintings, photography) that explore our relationship to nature.  Thinking about such issues is especially important for us now as inhabitants of what scientists label the Anthropocene—the current geological era in which human beings are the primary cause of profound changes to the earth’s ecosystems.

Shakespeare's Afterlives in Film and Performance
FYSE 114 and FYSS 101
Yunah Kae
English
CRNs: 13370 and 13355
Course times: MW 3:25-4:40 and R 2:05-2:55

Shakespeare might have written his plays four hundred years ago, but his work continues to affect directors, writers, and artists in our present. How, and why, do we  revise and adapt Shakespeare in contemporary films and performances? In this course,  we will explore modern film and performance adaptations of Shakespeare’s most  famous plays, including Hamlet, Othello, and The Taming of the Shrew. Alongside reading some of the plays in the original, and we will consider how artists in the US and  around the globe have re-thought Shakespeare in films such as Haider, Arivaali, and  Omkara, in contexts of gender, race, and colonialism. Ultimately, we will explore the  social and creative meanings that Shakespeare holds for us in the 21st century. 

Mars Attacks! Mars in Popular Culture (A-B)
FYSE 121 and FYSS 101
Rich Bodek
History
Two sections offered:
(A) CRNs: 13378 and 13362
(A) Course times: TR 9:25-10:40 and W 11:00-11:50
(B) CRNs: 13379 and 13363
(B) Course times: 10:50-12:05 and R 2:05-2:55

Science Fiction (or speculative fiction, which sounds slightly more upmarket), especially stories about Mars and Martians, explores political, social, ethical, technological, and other ideas. Because of the apparent distance from our world that appears in such stories and novels, readers can engage radical new ideas with open minds. This course will look at sci-fi works, MANY OF THEM ABOUT MARS, that explore utopias and dystopias, technology and its discontents, the nature of human beings, contact with cultural others, political philosophies, and war.  Be ready for The War of the Worlds, John Carter of Mars, The Martian Chronicles, and more.

Do You See Me? Diversity and Representation in Performance
FYSE 139 and FYSS 101
Evan Parry
Theatre and Dance
CRNs: 13414 and 13389
Course times: MWF 1:00-1:50 and T 10:05-10:55

The most important questions in our world have to do with equality of opportunity and representation for all. The performing arts today are asking those questions as well. Have plays, musicals and cinema truly shown the world examples of equity and inclusion for women, persons of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and persons who have been denied accessibility? Is lack of representation changing? Is it getting better, fairer? This course will look at past and current examples of plays, musicals, and films which ask hard questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will respond in a variety of ways using discussion, writing, and elements of design and/or performance.

Dancing on Stage and Screen: Investigating the Perspective of the Audience
FYSE 139 and FYSS 101
Kristin Alexander
Theatre and Dance
CRNs: 13415 and 13391
Course times: TR 1:40-2:55 and TBA

The Golden Age of Cinema and Television changed the accessibility of viewing dance, and now more than ever, dance is right at our fingertips.  How does this type of accessibility affect the audience perspective?  Does it help or hinder the desire to attend live dance performances?  Dancing on Stage and Screen will look at performances of all genres of dance in both live and recorded forms, prompting an investigation of the audience perspective. Historical perspective, contemporary trends, artist intent and personal aesthetic will all be discussed.  Additionally, the course will cover dance films and choreography intended for the camera.

Business & the Economy Theme
Economics of Globalization
Women in Entrepreneurship
Exploring Entrepreneurship
Personal Finance as a Form of Empowerment

Economics of Globalization
FYSE 113 and FYSS 101
Beatriz Maldonado-Bird
International Studies/Economics
CRNs: 13354 and 13346
Course times: MWF 9:00-9:50 and TBA

This course introduces topics surrounding economic globalization. It examines the historic and current economic causes and consequences of global integration. Topics include history of globalization, the role of international trade, post-WWII global monetary system and financial integration. It evaluates the arguments on both sides of the globalization debate as well as globalization's effects on domestic economies and policies, labor markets, production, and on the environment (among other topics).

Women in Entrepreneurship
FYSE 126 and FYSS 101
Sarah Castle
Management
CRNs: 13394 and 13371
Course times: TR 10:50-12:05 and TBA

This course provides an introduction to theoretical and experiential issues in entrepreneurship, specifically those related to women and minority entrepreneurs. The course includes history of women and minority entrepreneurs, current trends affecting women and minority-led businesses, challenges and opportunities in venture capital and other funding, and learning from both successful and unsuccessful women and minority-led ventures. Readings, lectures, online discussion boards, reflection, and live case discussions with entrepreneurs will be used to explore these and related issues.

Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Do you have an idea to pitch? Do you wonder if you have an entrepreneurial mindset? This course will immerse students in the real world of starting a business through interviews and engagement with local Charleston entrepreneurs. We will explore how a concept can be developed into a feasible business including idea generation, business plan development, operations start-up and ongoing growth using real-life examples across a variety of industries.  By the end of the course, students will be able to assess their own entrepreneurial possibilities.

This class exposes students to a variety of entities across the financial services industry, as well as a practical review of employment practices and income attainment. Students will explore their immediate personal trajectories and understanding the function and value of credit, and then move into discussions of value creation, sustainability, and loss. From personal budgeting to global microfinance, this class challenges students to consider personal perspectives about wealth, and wealth attainment, but also asks students to reflect on the struggles of others who have similar ambitions but are often locked into environments where access to resources is limited.