Offerings

Description

An introduction to cultural anthropology, which is the study of human cultures, both historical and contemporary. Students analyze the ways in which social categories are imagined, reproduced, and grounded within particular historical and geographical contexts around the world, in order to understand how humans create meaning through everyday practices. (3B) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: preference given to first-year and sophomore students.

Offerings

Description

An introduction to physical anthropology, which surveys the major components of the field: primatology, fossil evidence and evolution, osteology, and contemporary human diversity and genetics. Lectures and laboratory. (4U) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: preference given to first-year and sophomore students.

Offerings

Description

This studio course introduces the fundamentals of three-dimensional design. It stresses line, plane, and volume and the ways these elements occupy and activate space. Additionally, principles that transform viewers’ interpretations and realize artistic intent are addressed through the use of unifiers, modifiers, symbols, metaphors, and embellishments. This course combines studio projects, class discussions, readings, and slide lectures with group critiques. Art appreciation is also a component of this course. (2A) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: none. Course fee is $50.00.

Offerings

Description

This studio course introduces the basic concepts, techniques, and processes of design and drawing. Pencil, ink, collage, charcoal, and other media are used to foster a comprehensive understanding of the descriptive, formal, and expressive possibilities of drawing and design. Group and individual critiques. (2A) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: none. Course fee is $150.00.

Offerings

Description

This course is designed to investigate the basic techniques, concepts, and practices of digital imaging, as well as to support students’ conceptual development. The application of photographic and graphic-related software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator Creative Suite, are introduced in this course. It is also intended to strengthen critical and research skills through students’ artistic productions. The course includes readings, class discussions, writing, slide presentations, individual projects, and group and individual critiques. (2A). Course fee is $100.00

Offerings

Description

This course focuses on observational drawing, particularly of the human figure. Working from live models, a diverse range of drawing processes and media are utilized in the development of a figurative vocabulary. Slides, critiques, and discussions center on figurative themes in art. (2A) Offered occasionally. Course fee is $150.00.

Offerings

Description

Introduction to visual studies explores how images structure the world we inhabit by shaping how we perceive and consume various identities, as well as how we come to understand and occupy our built and natural environment. This course builds visual literacy skills through an examination of traditional forms such as paintings, sculpture, and architecture, and more popular and contemporary forms such as film and video.

Offerings

Description

This half-unit course offers an introduction to both practical and theoretical questions that shape the curatorial practice. Using the Wright Museum of Art’s collection and gallery spaces, this course introduces students to the practice of curating in the context of an art museum. Students learn how art historians look at art and how they write about it. They are also introduced to basic methods for conducting research in the museum and developing an exhibition proposal. Prerequisites: none.

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Description

Students in this course learn practical skills related to doing biology, including experimental design, collection and evaluation of quantitative data, collaboration with peers, and scientific communication. Students also learn the five core concepts of biology (evolution, systems, structure/function, energy transfer, and information transfer) within the context of the human body. This course is an exploration of the anatomy and basic normal functions of the human body with consideration of development, genetics, immunology, endocrinology, and related molecular, cellular, and ecological concepts. Students design, perform, analyze, and report on small research projects. Laboratory work may require dissection. Three two- hour lecture-laboratory periods per week. (4U) Offered yearly.

Offerings

Description

Students in this course learn practical skills related to doing biology, including experimental design, collection and evaluation of quantitative data, collaboration with peers, and scientific communication. Students also learn the five core concepts of biology (evolution, systems, structure/function, energy transfer, and information transfer) within the context of plants. This course is an exploration of the morphology, physiology, cell biology, and genetics of plants with consideration of how they differ from other organisms, how they are adapted to different environments, and their function in ecosystems and human society. Students design, perform, analyze, and report on small research projects. Three two-hour lecture-laboratory periods per week. (4U) Offered yearly.

Offerings

Description

An exploration and application of biological concepts through examination of the structure, genetics, physiology, and culture of microorganisms with emphasis on bacteria and viruses. The course stresses scientific principles and experimental methods in the context of disease and the environment. Students design, perform, analyze, and report on small research projects. Three two-hour lecture-laboratory periods per week. (4U) Offered yearly. Prerequisite: one college-level biology course.

Offerings

Description

An exploration of the relationships between microorganisms, environment, and diseases. General principles of genetics and evolution, as well as historical and political factors, are examined in an effort to explain the emergence of new diseases. Laboratory experiences include basic microbiology, data analysis, simulations, and survey research. Small groups of students design, perform, analyze, and report on a research project. Three two-hour lecture-laboratory periods per week. (4U) Offered yearly. Prerequisite: one college-level biology course.

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Description

This course introduces fundamental business and economics concepts to students, including, how the free market works (demand and supply), understanding key macro-economic variables; the various functions within business (management, leadership, marketing, accounting and finance), basic financial principles (simple and compounding interest, time value of money), and basic accounting principles (the accounting equation; reading and understanding financial statements). Students are also introduced to Excel, and learn how to do career planning, network, and develop a resume and LinkedIn profile. Prerequisites: first and second years, or permission of instructor.

Offerings

Description

Why is chemistry important to other sciences, technology, and society? What processes do chemists use when dealing with real problems? What conceptual models do chemists use to understand and explain their observations? The focus of this course is on the reasons for doing science, the intellectual and instrumental tools used, the models developed to solve new problems, and the assertion that chemistry has a tremendous effect on personal life and on the decisions made by society. Along the way, students cover atoms, molecules, ions, and periodic properties; chemical equations, stoichiometry and moles; Lewis structures and VSEPR model of bonding; reactivity and functional groups; states of matter and intermolecular forces; relationships between structure and properties. Topical applications and issues vary with the instructor and may include climate change, food and fuel, and energy use for lighting. Three two-hour class periods per week of combined lecture, laboratory, and discussion. (4U) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: facility with algebra. Note: Students with a strong prior background in chemistry are encouraged to consult with the department about placement in a more advanced chemistry course.

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Description

This course introduces students to restorative justice as a set of practices for encountering difference with openness and empathy, exercising self-reflection and personal accountability, and implementing social and personal change. Students learn these practices in the context of exploring the intersections of identity categories (gender, race, sexuality, class, dis/ability, non/religiosity, nation, etc.) with structures of power, foregrounding the perspectives of those who have been marginalized by dominant groups over space and time, with a primary focus on the United States. The course emphasizes community building across differences in identity and experience, using Beloit College as a lab of learning. Students develop the intellectual habits, reflective capacities, and collaborative communication skills required for effective interventions in their current and future social worlds. (3B) Offered each fall. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing; juniors and seniors may register with instructor permission.

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Description

All activism is founded on the hope that society not only should change, but has the capacity to do so. This course aims to provide students with the tools they need to live the change they want to see—without burning themselves out in the process. Students develop methods of personal healing and reflection, while building strategies for individual and structural change that can be utilized beyond the classroom. In order to develop those strategies, class members experiment with approaches to transformative justice and collaborative worldbuilding. Prerequisites: none.

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Description

This course is a structured approach to algorithm development and problem solving using computer programming in an object-oriented programming language such as Java or Python. The course develops the concepts of procedural abstraction, program design, debugging, and testing in addition to teaching the standard features of a high-level computer programming language. Students will be introduced to the key concepts of object-oriented programming, including classes, inheritance, polymorphism, and interfaces. Societal issues related to computers (e.g. ethics, privacy, liability, and security) will also be discussed. (1S) Offered each semester.

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Description

This course provides an applied introduction to data science and data analytics using Microsoft Excel as the primary tool. Through real-world case studies, students develop foundational analytical skills, including data manipulation, visualization, and interpretation. The course incorporates guest speakers from the analytics industry to provide insights into practical applications of data science in the industries relying on data to make their decisions.

Offerings

Description

Data visualization is the process by which information is displayed in graphical form, to investigate patterns in datasets and communicate results. This course covers methods of data visualization, centering on two areas: data visualization as exploration and data visualization as communication. Students discuss univariate, bivariate, and multivariate comparisons and use multiple programs to generate visualizations. Each student will create a final portfolio project on a topic of their choice. Prerequisite: none, but preference given to data science and data analytics majors.

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Description

This course covers fundamental economic principles, such as opportunity cost, marginal thinking, and benefit-cost analysis, how a free market works, trade and comparative advantage, firm’s behavior and market structures, and consumer behavior. After examining the theoretical perfect market and its efficiency in resource allocation, students learn the real markets with its various imperfections and inefficiencies, and how policies might help alleviate such imperfections and inefficiencies. Applications include relevant economic, social or environmental issues such as minimum wage, rent control, poverty, inequality, climate change, health care and health insurance, and other topics based on students’ interests. (3B) Prerequisites: none.

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Description

This course provides students with a basic understanding of how the aggregate economy works in both the long-run and the short-run. In studying the economy in the long run, we try to answer questions such as: What explains the unprecedented economic growth that the world economy has experienced in the last 200 years? Why some economies are richer or grow rich faster than others? What factors or policies can promote long-run economic growth? In studying the economy in the short run, we examine the nature and causes of short-term economic fluctuations (why the economy goes through booms and crises) and how government policies can or cannot help alleviate such fluctuations. (3B) Prerequisites: none.

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Description

This course applies economics to sports in the U.S. and around the world. Applications of economics include analytical tools from the fields of industrial organization, public finance, and labor economics. Theoretical outcomes for economic variables such as revenues, costs, and profits as well as sports variables such as winning percentages, team payrolls, and competitive balance are compared with data on these variables from the real world. Cost-benefit analysis of new sports infrastructure is considered both for recurring use by local teams and for non-recurring use to host events such as Olympics or other championships. Offered each year. Prerequisite: Economics 199.

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Description

An exploration of a variety of philosophical and historical approaches to the study of education and youth are integrated throughout this class. Students’ own educational experiences are taken into consideration through digital stories. These student experiences, in school and out of school, as well as the students’ developmental histories and personal philosophies, are considered in their relation to each other, as sources of knowledge and understanding. Students read and write about philosophers and theorists from a broad range of traditions, periods, and places. Integrated with philosophical explorations, students undertake historical investigations of schooling youth; this course focuses on the history of the U.S. and the development of ideas of democratic schooling in contexts of inequality. These explorations also include investigating how media and propaganda impact societal norms and influence education and youth. Additionally, a strong emphasis is placed on anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-heterosexism, and (dis)able bodies. In their writing and face-to-face interactions, students are strongly encouraged to employ philosophical and historical methodologies for their own self-expression. (5T) Offered each fall and alternate spring semesters.

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Description

In this course, students explore psychological frameworks related to the process of learning, with a focus on teaching methods, instructional processes, and individual differences in learning. Additionally, this course explores the impact of trauma on learning and the journey towards radical healing. The following psychological frameworks serve as the lenses through which students seek to explore, understand, assess, and create alternative learning environments: cognitive psychology, trauma psychology, and the psychology of radical healing. This course is designed as a seminar. Thus, students are expected to participate actively in discussions while holding themselves accountable for their realizations of and connections to the processes of learning, the impact of trauma on these processes, and the importance of radical healing in addressing trauma. Students are encouraged to apply their understanding of these processes to their own analyses. Alternative learning practices including healing circles, group assessments, and evaluative exploration of curriculum are employed. (3B) Offered each fall and alternate spring terms.

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Description

An exploration of major theories and significant research on the development and explanation of social and cultural differences and how they affect the lives and education of youth. The course will investigate student diversity, with special attention to race, class, gender, language, and the inclusion of students with special needs in general education. Issues are examined mainly through the lenses of sociology, anthropology, and education and youth policy. Using the theories and methodologies of these disciplines, students will critically examine how and why race, class, language, ability and disability, and gender have influenced education. (3B) Offered each spring and alternate fall semesters.

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Description

In this seminar, students explore comparative and international perspectives on education and youth studies by focusing on readings that primarily address comparative methodology, including the questions about the nature of comparative education and why and how to make comparisons. A prominent theme in the courses readings is globalization and localization, what it means and how it influences intellectual and social landscapes, teaching and research approaches, how educational ideas are borrowed or lent, and the ways that people are connected to each other. Students explore how particular kinds of comparative literature might shape public policy as well as teaching and learning. Through a close examination of comparative methodologies and reading of case studies from different cultures and societies, students learn to position domestic issues on youth and education such as language, inclusion, choice, race/ethnicity, class, gender and beyond, in the global context. They also aim to draw implications for the improvement of policies related to teacher education and curriculum and pedagogy from international comparisons. The course is largely discussion-based with class participants responsible for guiding the analyses of case studies and comparative methodology in part by sharing weekly reading response and through group presentation projects. The course also incorporates other multi-media sources such as podcasts and videos to help enrich the course content. (3B) (Also listed as Political Science 205.) Offered each fall.

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Description

The idea of the Quest has captivated writers, readers, filmmakers, and moviegoers for millennia. What is it that we seek in these quests? Why does this idea of finding oneself and meaning resonate across literary fiction, fanfiction, and film? At first glance these texts seem to be about finding oneself, and yet that self is always in a particular cultural and social context. In this course students explore the different ways that the Quest helps them understand who they are, who they want to be, and to re-think how the Quest can be used to foster inclusion and/or exclusion. Students analyze the origins of these stories and explore the consequences of them being used to imagine who is — and is not — part of our communities. In a final creative project, students imagine their own quest. Designed for the potential major in English or French and other interested students. This course introduces students to the close reading of selected poetry, drama, and prose, with training in analysis and critical writing. Prerequisite to advanced courses in English.

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Description

This introduction to literary study addresses how the topics of neurodiversity and artificial intelligence offer compelling frameworks for creative writers to explore in a range of genres. In addition to encountering these formations of “human/difference” as subject matter, we consider how literary form and technique analogously present us with textual and cognitive alterity. Students develop critical reading and writing skills, as well as engage in their own creative writing practice. Please note that this is a reading- and writing-intensive course.

Offerings

Description

This course explores the formation and transformation of literary traditions in English in a range of works about gods, monsters, slaves, and power from the mid-17th to the 21st century. Focusing on British, Anglophone, and Black Atlantic texts, our class addresses the social, political, and aesthetic factors involved in making, breaking, and rethinking the English-language literary canon. Beginning with proto-feminist revisions of *Genesis* and Milton’s epic of Satanic revolt *Paradise Lost* and continuing with Equiano’s *Interesting Narrative* and Shelley’s *Frankenstein*, we trace the evolving shape of narratives of knowledge, authority, rebellion, and reproduction (sexual and cultural). The last third of the class considers how more recent writers (e.g., Ishiguro, Ngugi, Ní Dhomhnaill, Adichie) have re-imagined these narratives in the context of global English, postcolonial identity, and continuing debates surrounding education and cultural authority. Throughout, we ask: what should we read, how should we read it, and how should we evaluate and historicize it today?

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Description

Experimentation and practice in writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Readings to suggest and illustrate forms and techniques. (2A) May be taken for credit only once. Offered each semester.

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Description

This course examines the theory and methods of computer-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their application to interdisciplinary topics such as urban and regional planning and environmental management. Students learn to collect and display various types of spatial data. Interpretation and analysis of spatial data are also emphasized. Through individual and group projects, students are encouraged to explore political, economic, sociological, and/or scientific topics that might benefit from spatial analysis. Lecture, discussion, computer laboratory, and possible field study. Offered every third semester. Prerequisite: One lab-science course, sophomore standing, or consent of instructor.

Offerings

Description

Essentials of French grammar. Composition, conversation, and oral practice. Reading of French prose. Four hours of classroom instruction and recitation and two hours of independent preparation for each classroom hour, including laboratory-type exercises, are required. Students are graded, in part, on their command of oral use of French. (1S) Offered each year. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

This course continues to develop oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills in French through readings and discussions of cultural materials from France and other Francophone countries. These include literary texts, media, and other forms of expression on contemporary issues. It offers an intensive review of the fundamentals of French grammar with the goal of increasing vocabulary, grammatical precision and the four linguistic skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing French. (1S) Prerequisite: French 105 or equivalent. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

The idea of the Quest has captivated writers, readers, filmmakers, and moviegoers for millennia. What is it that we seek in these quests? Why does this idea of finding oneself and meaning resonate across literary fiction, fanfiction, and film? At first glance these texts seem to be about finding oneself, and yet that self is always in a particular cultural and social context. In this course students explore the different ways that the Quest helps them understand who they are, who they want to be, and to re-think how the Quest can be used to foster inclusion and/or exclusion. Students analyze the origins of these stories and explore the consequences of them being used to imagine who is — and is not — part of our communities. In a final creative project, students imagine their own quest. Taught in English. (5T)

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Description

Exploration of geologic processes that shape our dynamic planet and how they interact as a system. Topics include plate tectonics, deep time, climate, volcanoes, earthquakes, streams and groundwater, glaciers, natural resources, and the interactions between geologic processes and human populations. The class emphasizes both global systems and the geology of southern Wisconsin. We focus on using scientific methods to decipher complex interactive processes and developing skills for observation and analysis in the field and laboratory. One Saturday or Sunday field trip. Students who have credit for Geology 110 may not take this course for credit. (4U) Offered yearly.

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Description

In this class, students master the basic vocabulary and forms of the language of the Caesars, Cicero, and the citizens of the Roman Empire. Latin is an advantageous starting point for learning any of the modern Romance languages (including Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian), and an education in Latin literature was once considered the backbone of a liberal arts education. This course is designed to enable a disciplined student to deal as soon as possible with Latin texts in a competent and sure manner. (1S) Offered each fall.

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Description

The focus of this entry-level topics course is on either a specific genre, such as epic, tragedy, or comedy, or on a particular myth, such as that of Medea. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Taught in English. (5T) Offered occasionally.

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Description

Ancient Rome produced great works of literature, art, and architecture, and was the model for the American Republic. Yet its people enjoyed the blood sports of the arena and engaged in the ruthless conquest and subjugation of much of the Mediterranean world. This course explores the history and culture of this seemingly contradictory civilization, from its origins as an Etruscan kingdom through the rise of the Republic and its transition into Empire. Through a critical and integrated analysis of literary and material culture, students develop a picture of what it meant to be Roman, and consider what it might mean to see ourselves as the inheritors of a Roman tradition. Taught in English. (3B) (Also listed as History 222.) Offered fall term, odd years.

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Description

This .75-unit course focuses on the physiology and health of musculature and fascia using the Roll Model Method. Students engage with theoretical and applied approaches to self-myofascial release through massage, alignment, anatomy instruction and mental awareness. Utilizing the full set of required Tune Up Balls, articles and current research, and activities, each student develops and puts into practice their own conditioning and wellness plan specially designed for their sport(s), movement, and/or personal training goals. While there is no textbook for the course, materials cost around $60 and will need to be purchased before the semester begins. A link will be sent out in December.

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Description

Premised on in-depth discussion and analysis of key readings, this survey course covers a broad spectrum of domestic and global issues in public health, including the non-medical [social] determinants of health, health literacy, and disparities in health outcomes. Designed to encourage interaction among students interested in the health professions, this course lays the groundwork for future collaboration and introduces students to possible career tracks as practitioners, analysts, consultants, and social entrepreneurs in the realm of public health. (3B)

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Description

Confucius (551-479 BCE) taught a wide range of disciples during a time we have come to know as the “Spring and Autumn” period of China’s Zhou dynasty. His teaching was interspersed with travel and concerted attempts to find employment in the service of one of the budding and ambitious states in a changing society. After his death, his students compiled his teachings into a series of “analects”—brief observations about human behavior, social structure, and ritual conduct that would carry enormous power throughout the course of Chinese history. Confucius could never have known that his teachings would be studied and adapted for twenty-five centuries. He also could not have anticipated the ways that those teachings would be transformed into something that has carried his name during that time (Western renderings often put it into a form called “Confucianism”). This course will introduce Confucius’s Analects and trace the text’s journey through the widely disparate periods that make up Chinese history to the present day. Through it all, we will consider a “living” Confucius and a “living” text that continues to exert a profound influence on the world both within and well beyond China.

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Description

This course explores major themes in the history of nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism. It focuses on the British and French Empires but also includes some aspects of German and Belgian colonial history. The class analyzes the mindset, ideologies and strategies of the European colonizers, while equally taking into account the experiences and counter-strategies of the colonized populations. Students learn about the economic, political and cultural effects that colonialism had on the non-Western part of the world. At the same time, we also examine the influence that colonialism had on European culture and society. In addition to providing an overview of the period, the class prepares students to undertake their own original research in colonial history, resulting in a research paper at the end of the semester. We explore different methodological and theoretical approaches to colonial history, discuss strategies of developing and conceptualizing research questions, and practice analyzing a wide range of historical sources from different parts of the world, including political writings, novels, poems, and movies.

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Description

This class uses historical simulations from the award-winning *Reacting to the Past* series to introduce key events and concepts in medieval history through a variety of role-playing games. Students will debate and research the people, places, and ideas surrounding several key events in the Middle Ages such as the coming of the Black Death and the Crusades. Through their role-playing, writing, and collaborative deal-making, students will actively engage with some of the major themes of this fascinating period of European History.

Offerings

Description

This course explores major themes in the history of nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism. It focuses on the British and French Empires but also includes some aspects of German and Belgian colonial history. The class analyzes the mindset, ideologies and strategies of the European colonizers, while equally taking into account the experiences and counter-strategies of the colonized populations. Students learn about the economic, political and cultural effects that colonialism had on the non-Western part of the world. At the same time, we also examine the influence that colonialism had on European culture and society. In addition to providing an overview of the period, the class prepares students to undertake their own original research in colonial history, resulting in a research paper at the end of the semester. We explore different methodological and theoretical approaches to colonial history, discuss strategies of developing and conceptualizing research questions, and practice analyzing a wide range of historical sources from different parts of the world, including political writings, novels, poems, and movies.

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Description

Students in this class work with the Archives and Collections of Beloit College and of the Beloit Historical Society to research topics in the history of Beloit College and the City of Beloit. After learning the best practices and skills for working with rare and often fragile items, students research collection items, the people and places associated with them, and how they contribute to our understanding of wider historical themes. Students develop and design projects to showcase their research, whether in the form of exhibits (physical or virtual), lesson plans, or articles written for websites or newsletters.

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Description

This course will examine Japanese history and culture in the context of the wider East Asian and Pacific Ocean worlds. We will begin with early Japanese history and the influence of both Korea and China on early Japanese institutions. We will then examine the development of Japan’s indigenous traditions during the Heian (794-1185), Kamakura (1185-1333), and Ashikaga (1336-1568) periods. The second half of the course will deal with modern Japanese history and culture, paying equal attention to historical and ethnographic materials, and taking a careful look at the development of the Kanto and Kansai regions in modern Japanese history and culture. Throughout the course, we will use examples from the Japanese language—spoken phrases, the two major syllabaries (hiragana and katakana), and kanji, or Chinese characters—to analyze Japanese history and culture in linguistic context. Open to first-year students.

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Description

This course examines the religious beliefs and devotional practices of medieval Christians, with a special emphasis on the development of heretical beliefs, the practice of pilgrimage, and the cults of various medieval saints. Particular attention is paid to primary source material, both visual and written, and to understanding the larger framework of medieval society. (3B) Offered occasionally, fall semester. Open to first-year students. (Also listed as Religious Studies 264.)

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Description

This course will help students understand the concept of mindful awareness, defined as the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, and is essential to personal growth and development. Through the basics of meditative practice, students will learn to define and apply mindfulness to their lives experientially. Open to first-year and continuing students. Studens may take this course two times if the topic is different.

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Description

Provides a foundation in basic Japanese. Students learn most of the basic Japanese grammatical patterns, the two phonetic alphabets, Hiragana and Katakana, as well as approximately 100 Chinese characters (Kanji). Instruction and training in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. (1S) Offered each year.

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Description

A thorough review of the basic patterns of Japanese. Continue work with Kanji. Classes taught in Japanese to stress training in listening comprehension, speaking, and composition. (1S) Offered each year. Prerequisite: Japanese 105 or consent of instructor. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

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Description

This course further develops students’ oral and written proficiency in Japanese, emphasizing accuracy, complexity, and fluency. Sophisticated writing skills are cultivated through frequent composition assignments. Student presentations and class discussions train students to express complex thoughts orally in Japanese. Reading materials cover a wide range of cultural and social issues. In addition, a variety of materials, such as TV programs, newspapers, audiotapes, videos, and Internet resources are used. The course is conducted almost exclusively in Japanese. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Prerequisite: Japanese 115.

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Description

The mathematics necessary for calculus: algebraic manipulations; radicals and exponents; logarithmic, exponential and trigonometric functions; graphing and analytical geometry; theory of polynomials; complex numbers, and how such mathematics is developed. This course is designed for students who wish to take calculus but are not adequately prepared by their high school background. Prerequisite: First- or second-year standing. Not open to juniors and seniors without departmental permission. Not open to students who have received credit for calculus.

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Description

An introduction to differential and integral calculus. Limits and continuity, derivatives and integrals of polynomial, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions, applications of derivatives to optimization and approximation, the Mean Value Theorem, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. (1S) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: four years of high school mathematics, including trigonometry and either college algebra or precalculus.

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Description

Techniques of integration, L’Hôpital’s Rule, infinite sequences and series, Taylor series and applications, first-order differential equations, and introduction to the calculus of multivariable functions, including partial derivatives and multiple integrals. (1S) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: Mathematics 110.

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Description

Exploring the work of filmmakers from around the globe, this introductory-level course examines the formal elements of filmmaking as well as the various forces—political, technological, cultural, and economic—that give rise to specific kinds of cinematic art. The course format combines lectures, discussions, student presentations, and film screenings. (5T) Offered each fall.

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Description

This introductory-level course examines the art and practice of nonfiction video production, focusing specifically on the process of making documentaries. Students acquire basic audio and video production skills—videography, video editing, lighting, sound recording, and sound design—and will apply these skills in the creation of their own, original nonfiction video projects. Students will also examine some of the legal and ethical issues that directors of documentary typically encounter, as well as some of the social and political roles that documentaries play within our society. (Also listed as Journalism 155.) (2A) Offered every other year.

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Description

Lessons are available in music conducting, voice, and instruments for 0.25 credits. Lessons are domain 2A, require the consent of the instructor, and require an additional course fee. Please refer to the Performing & Performing Arts Courses page or My Beloit for further details.

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Description

A survey of the educational, curatorial, exhibition, public relations, and research missions of museums. Stress is placed on the role of museums in various communities, their organizational and administrative structures, their ethical, moral, and legal obligations, and sources of support. Lecture, discussion, and field trips. Offered each fall semester.

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Description

A survey of museum exhibit theory and practice. The course examines best practices in creating exhibits as effective informal learning environments. Students gain a critical perspective on a wide range of current exhibit approaches, techniques, and issues, as well as knowledge of and experience in the skills of exhibit planning, design, and installation. (2A)

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Description

Ensembles include choirs and ensembles involving various instruments and styles for 0.25 credits. Ensembles are open to all students, but some may require an audition or previous experience to participate. Please refer to the Performing & Performing Arts Courses page or My Beloit for further details.

• [PART 051] Beloit College/Community Choir (0.25)
• [PART 055] Chamber Music (0.25)
• [PART 057] Creative Strings Collective (0.25)
• [PART 058] Jazz Ensemble (0.25)
• [PART 062] Chamber Singers (0.25)
• [PART 065] Woodwind Quintet (0.25)
• [PART 066] Wind Ensemble (0.25)
• [PART 068] Percussion Ensemble (0.25)

Offerings

Description

A fundamental acting course designed to develop basic acting skills with strong emphasis on the Stanislavski method. Focuses on the analysis of dramatic action and the process of developing a character. Applicable for majors and non-majors. (2A) Offered every fall semester.

Offerings

Description

Calling all Artists (and arts researchers) interested in multi-media collaboration! The Performing and Applied Arts Department is sponsoring an experimental artistic creation event which will engage musicians, fine artists, writers, dancers, theatre artists, and arts researchers. In 48 lively hours over an intense weekend (to be determined each semester), teams conceive, produce, and rehearse or film a creative response to a “Collaboratory Prompt.” In the 48th hour, all work is showcased at a celebratory Collaboratory. An organizational meeting is held the week before the event and a final reflection is required. This course is for students looking for a wild, wacky, and possibly transcendent artistic experience! Prerequisites: none. May be repeated for credit.

Offerings

Description

A beginning stagecraft course that introduces students to the basic aspects of technical theatre production and construction of theatrical scenery. Students learn the safe operation and handling of tools used in the construction, painting, assembly, and deconstruction of scenery. (2A) Offered every other fall, even years.

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Description

This course explores how and why it is that we, as individuals and communities, read, write, and interpret histories to justify our love of or identification with musics and sounds. The purpose of this course is to learn how we can use music history (including the methods and tools of musicology and music historiography) to empower and liberate our sense of self, our identities, our communities, and our values. (5T) Offered every fall. Also listed as History 211.

Offerings

Description

Students learn about the evolution of rap’s international popularity, its splintering sub-genres, and its reshaping of other current genres of music by learning turntablism, producing beats, and writing verses to create their own songs. In this class, students answer the questions “How do social lives and musical cultures interrelate, and how have genres emerged over time?” by using rap/hip-hop as a semester-long case study where students develop skills in analyzing genre formation through discussions on regional affiliation, musical influence, and technology. Weekly close-listening assignments focused on rap albums from the 1970s to the present are paired to further strengthen students’ understanding of the role musical genre plays in understanding social attitudes and values. “Exploring Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop” is designed for students at any level of musical background: previous experience reading or making music is not required.

Offerings

Description

In this dance class, open to any skill level, students focus on learning choreography and dancing as an ensemble. Students learn the basic techniques of musical theater dance spanning multiple dance genres including but not limited to jazz, ballet, modern, tap/soft shoe, and hip-hop. May be repeated for credit if topic is different.

Offerings

Description

For students looking to develop skills in composing and songwriting, this course blends lessons in music theory and compositional techniques with creative projects in students’ chosen musical styles and mediums. Topics include crafting melody, harmony, and rhythm; developing core musical ideas; and designing individualized creative processes. Returning students investigate instrumentation, voice-leading, form, and markers of musical genres. Class sessions include listening, analysis, discussion, and workshopping. Assignments include both guided compositions using specific techniques and student-designed projects. Students may work in any style as they are also encouraged to explore new territory. Culminating concert features a new piece by each student. (2A)

Offerings

Description

This course instructs students in the rudimentary techniques of sound recording. The course offers students the opportunity to explore the many different techniques of recording, both live and in studio. Aside from recording techniques, the course also offers the student techniques in editing. (2A) Prerequisite: sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Offerings

Description

This course is designed to help students learn the basics of weight training, including proper techniques and the safe way to use weights in their overall training. Using free weights, machines, weighted balls, and body weight, students learn the areas of the body that each exercise targets. They learn about different types of weight for power and strength, training to lose weight, and training for tone. Students learn how to set up their own training programs based on the goals that they set at the beginning of the class. Graded credit/no credit. NOTE: No more than a total of 1.0 unit of PERC courses may apply to a Beloit degree. Any one PERC course may be taken only once for credit.

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Description

An exploration of some of the central questions and problems addressed by philosophers, such as: What is it to be a person? How can we live well and act responsibly? What is the nature of justice? Is it possible to act freely? What can we know about the world around us? What is the relationship between the mind and body? These questions, and others like them, are at the heart of philosophy. In this course, we will engage them through the writings of philosophers who have taken on these questions themselves. Expect to think carefully and write critically, skills meant to serve you in and beyond college. (5T) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: not open to students who have taken Philosophy 115.

Offerings

Description

As an introduction to philosophy, this course covers all of the same core thinkers and problems as PHIL 110, also using primary sources. However, this class explores these philosophical questions through the lens of the TV show, The Good Place (which ran from 2016-2020). Students work through the entire series and use it as a way to see how philosophical topics have been interpreted for popular culture, and how they might understand these topics to be a live part of their own lives. May be used to fulfill any requirement or prerequisite fulfilled by Philosophy 110.

Offerings

Description

In this course students examine the relationship between having agency and taking responsibility for what they do. Students consider the limits of self-interest and instrumental rationality, and the intrinsic relationship between power and justice. Texts include Plato’s “Gorgias,” Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics,” and Michael Sandel’s “What Money Can’t Buy.” (5T) (Also listed as Business 225) Prerequisites: none.

Offerings

Description

An introduction to the fundamental concepts of classical mechanics: Newton’s laws, conservation of momentum and energy, and oscillatory and rotational motion. Students planning to take additional physics courses should take Mathematics 110 concurrently with Physics 101. Four hours of classroom work and two hours of laboratory work are required each week. (4U) Offered each fall. Prerequisite: high-school mathematics, including trigonometry.

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Description

Introduction to U.S. government and politics at the national and state levels. Provides background on guiding principles, constitutional guarantees, the federal system, major institutions, and mechanisms that link citizens to officials. Covers both federal and state levels and their interaction in topics such as elections and political executives, which include the president and governors. Illustrative use of public policy materials, especially health policy, as well as current events and issues. Serves as a basic course for any student wishing to gain a foundation in U.S. politics and as the prerequisite for many courses in the American politics subfield. (3B) Offered each semester.

Offerings

Description

Introduction to the workings of the international political and economic systems from both a practical and theoretical perspective. Offers a brief history of the key events which have shaped international politics, introduces the major theoretical approaches of the discipline, and explores mechanisms for conflict and cooperation. (3B) Offered each semester.

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Description

An introduction to the basics of effective leadership, including an investigation of leadership theories and assessment of leadership styles. Guest speakers provide various viewpoints regarding different leadership styles. Students identify and describe leadership concepts and styles and apply strategies of leadership to various situations and contexts.

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Description

This course focuses on the entrepreneurial process and its component parts. Through case studies, students will explore the elements and skills required for successful venturing such as financing, planning, marketing, and negotiating. Course will focus on pragmatism and developing sound judgment within the context of ambiguous scenarios.

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Description

This course introduces students to psychological issues and phenomena. A wide range of representative topics acquaints students with the methods and content of the field. (3B) Offered each semester.

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Description

Examination of the major sociological paradigms, theories, and processes shaping the relationship between society and individuals. Elements emphasized include the following: social structure, institutions and roles, culture, sex and gender, social class and stratification, social change, methodology, race and ethnicity, socialization. The goal is to develop the sociological imagination, which is an analytical perspective examining the interplay between structure and agency. (Content varies by instructor for each section. Consult instructor for further information.) (3B) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: first or second year standing or consent of instructor.

Offerings

Description

Based on a communicative approach, this course provides a solid foundation of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students have daily assignments intended to help them communicate orally and in written form about themselves, friends, and family as well as customs and practices in the Spanish-speaking world in the present, past, and future tenses. Participation in Spanish-language activities outside of the classroom and/or in the local Latino community is expected. (1S) Prerequisite: Open only to students with no previous knowledge of Spanish. Offered each fall. Students with previous knowledge of Spanish are required to take the placement test. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

Using a content-based approach, this course is organized around a theme or themes determined by the instructor. It offers an intensive review of the fundamentals of Spanish grammar with the goal of increasing vocabulary, grammatical precision and the four linguistic skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Readings reflect the many cultures of Spanish-speaking world. Participation in Spanish-language activities outside the classroom and/or in the local Latino community is expected. (1S) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: Spanish 105 or equivalent. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

While developing their speaking skills, students undergo an intensive review of the fundamentals of grammar with the goal of increasing their vocabulary and grammatical precision in Spanish. Students engage in active dialogue to explore, reflect on, and communicate about present-day issues related to such topics as climate change, global warming, and endangered species in Spain and Latin America. Participation in Spanish-language activities outside the classroom and/or in the local Latino community is expected. (1S) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: Spanish 110 or equivalent. Also taught as Environmental Studies 211. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

Students study advanced grammatical structures and vocabulary to expand and strengthen their lexical and grammatical understanding of the language while completing writing assignments that explore health topics in the Spanish-speaking world and how culture impacts health. While engaging with the writing process, students also have the opportunity to build their confidence in listening, reading, speaking, and conducting research. Participation in Spanish-language activities outside the classroom and/or in the local Latino community is expected. (1S) (Also listed as Health and Society 218.) Offered each semester. Prerequisite: Spanish 210, 214, or equivalent. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

In this course, students investigate a variety of contemporary issues experienced around the Spanish-speaking world through non-fiction storytelling and reporting. Using a journalistic framework, students deepen their understanding of present-day concerns,occurrences, and realities of the peoples who inhabit Spanish-speaking places. Through various media sources, including podcasts, investigative pieces, websites, and documentaries, students discuss and analyze stories with authentic voices and lived experiences. Students also have an opportunity to conceptualize and produce their own authentic story. Participation in Spanish-language activities outside the classroom and/or in the local Latino community is expected. (5T). Offered occasionally. Prerequisite: Spanish 214 or 215. AFTER ON-LINE REGISTRATION CLOSES, MODERNLANGUAGES FACULTY REVIEW ALL LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAS ENROLLED IN THE RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT LEVEL. IF NOT, THE STUDENT WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DROP OR REGISTRATION IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE COURSE IS APPROPRIATE.

Offerings

Description

This course examines Hispanic cultures through films. It may center on films of particular directors, regions, and/or themes to provide cultural appreciation and understanding of the Hispanic world and filmmaking. Taught in Spanish. (5T) Prerequisite: Spanish 240.