Program Requirements

English (6 Credits Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

801-219English Composition 13English Composition 1 develops critical thinking, reading, writing, listening, and speaking for both exposition and argumentation. The course emphasizes college-level writing skills supported by reasoning, organization, and language conventions for research, presentations, and other discourse.

801-223English Composition 23English Composition 2 advances composition skills, emphasizing well-reasoned argumentative writing. This course cultivates critical thinking and college-level discourse. Students conduct research using library and web-based sources, observations, and interviews, using a formal documentation style. Students will read and analyze professional non-fiction texts to understand how writers develop and present ideas through writing.

Speech (3 Credits Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

810-201Fundamentals of Speech3This course includes theoretical examination of the process of communication, the role of speech in self-development, the nature of meaning, and the art of persuasion. It provides practice in selecting speech topics, analyzing audiences, organizing speech content, improving speech delivery, and critiquing speeches via presentation of informative and persuasive speeches. Several graded and non-graded small group discussions sharpen additional communicative skills.

810-205Interpersonal/Small Group Comm3Introduces students to the theories and concepts of interpersonal and small group communication to help students develop appropriate and effective communication strategies in one-to-one and small group communication settings. Theory and practice are combined to aid students in developing an awareness of group dynamics and the employment of small groups in information-seeking and problem-solving processes. Students will participate in a community service activity that will integrate instruction with applied learning.

Humanities (6 Credits Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

801-204Introduction to Literature3Introduction to Literature increases the understanding and appreciation of literary genres through analyzing and writing about non-fiction, fiction, drama, and poetry. Students conduct research using library resources and learn to document in MLA-style format.

801-239American Literature Since 18653This course surveys American Literature from 1865 through the present, focusing on the growing diversity in authorship and techniques during this period. Literature by influential writers, representative of major movements and cultural changes, will be examined.

801-240Intro to Creative Writing3This class is designed to introduce students to the craft of writing through the appreciation, analysis, creation, and revision of contemporary literary fiction and poetry. Through reading, writing, editing, and in-class activities, students will learn the history, trends, and processes of creating innovative, well-written literary pieces of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

801-243American Literature to 18653Early American Literature takes a critical look at pieces of literature that were written/published up to year 1865. Through various theoretical lenses this course examines pieces of fiction, nonfiction, folklore, poetry, and visual representation by influential and diverse authors of the Early American era.

802-218Latin American Studies3This course is an introduction to Latinos in the United States. It provides a cursory look into the people, culture, language, and history of Latin Americans with specific attention given to how these relate to the modern Latino experience in the United States. It explores the complex and intertwined relationship between the United States and Latin America, and how this relationship affects contemporary Latinos in the United States.

803-211U.S. History to 18773A survey of the history of the United States to 1877. Emphasis is placed on colonial settlement & development, the movement for independence, the establishment of government under the Constitution, westward expansion, emergence of sectionalism and the Civil War, and the period of Reconstruction.

803-212U.S. History 1877-Present3A survey of the political, economic, social and cultural history of the United States from 1877 to the present. Emphasis is placed on the post reconstruction Jim Crow South, Native American relations, the Gilded Age, Industrialization, Populism and the Progressive Movement, World War I, the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, Conflict in the Middle East (Iran and Iraq), and Post 9/11 America.

803-214Native American History3This course is a survey of religion, social structure, art, and intertribal relations of various indigenous peoples within the boundaries of the present-day United States. Emphasis is placed on pre-European settlement; the cultural impact and consequences of European colonization; the 17th and 18th century wars for empire; forced removal of native peoples; and the establishment of Native American reservations. The course will conclude with an examination of political, economic, and social issues Native Americans face today.

803-236The Vietnam Era3This course examines the Vietnam War era with emphasis on the years following World War II through the 1970s. The course is taught from the American perspective and focuses on American involvement in Vietnam and the political, social and economic impact the war had (and continues to have) on America and the world.

809-225Ethics3This course engages students in a dialogue with past and present ethical thinkers who provide frameworks for addressing an array of contemporary moral issues pertaining to the individual and society. Students will evaluate responses to contemporary moral dilemmas while developing their own logical ethical stances.

809-230Applied Research3The purpose of this course is to teach basic research skills and concepts needed to plan, conduct, and analyze data from a research project. Skills including performing literature searches, questionnaire development, scale construction, data cleaning and management, data manipulation and analysis, and interpretation and report writing will be taught. Students will use survey and statistical software throughout the course, and the lab will specifically focus on hands-on activities. The final project will involve proposing a research question, finding and analyzing data to evaluate this question, and writing and publishing the findings.

815-201Art Appreciation3Art Appreciation is to study visual arts as the transmitters of cultural, humanistic, and aesthetic values from the remote past to present across different cultures. It will help learners develop visual literacy, analytical skills, problem solving abilities, and lifelong appreciation for the visual arts. Students will learn to question the nature of art and its relevance to daily life and will be encouraged to integrate art history, design principles, and aesthetic criticism in understanding artworks within cultural and historical contexts. Students also obtain knowledge of art-making, the material processes, and being aware of controversial issues in the art world.

815-205Introduction to Drawing3Drawing is a critical method for creative endeavors in art, language, communications, engineering and design. In this introductory course, students will practice various forms of drawing in order to develop skills in traditional and digital media. A range of drawing systems will be investigated as both a foundational skill set and as a practical strategy in later professional activities.

890-261Foundation of Research Methods4This course will outline the fundamentals of doing research, aimed primarily at conducting original research projects with a community service focus. This course will have a focus of systematic inquiry and collection of information and then applying that information to the community around them. The course will appeal to those who require an understanding of research approaches and skills, and importantly an ability to deploy them in your studies or in your future professional lives. No prior knowledge or experience in research is required to take this course. This course is developed to support research training across multiple academic areas.

Social Science (6 Credits Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

809-202Social Problems3This course takes a sociological analysis of current social problems by examining the local, national and global impact. Students will become familiar with how the three main sociological theories are applied to the identification, analysis, explanation, and solutions of the various social problems. Some of the topics covered in this course include: inequality, poverty, crime, racial and gender discrimination, drug and alcohol use, education, population and ecology. Students will also consider relevant policy issues and possible solutions to the various social problems.

809-214Introduction to Gender Studies3This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of gender, examines the components that make up gender, and investigates how gender frames human experience. Students explore sex, gender, femininity, masculinity, queer, sexuality, feminism, culture and related topics from a variety of perspectives. Using a range of concepts, research methods, and tools, students analyze how these components are socially constructed, how they intersect, and how they influence our understanding of the world.

809-223International Relations3International Relations will explore the interactions between states in the international system through the prism of major political science paradigms. In particular the course will examine the ability of these theories to account for military conflict, the creation and expansion of international institutions, and interstate trade. It will also introduce concepts such as power, hegemony, cooperation, nuclear proliferation, and terrorism.

809-227American Government3American Government acquaints students with American political processes and institutions via a system approach which emphasizes the relationship between structure and behavior. The interrelationship of our state and national governments will first be analyzed in detail stressing political theory and methodology. Students will then examine, research, and analyze the complexity of the concept of separation of powers ("checks and balances") between Congress, the judiciary, the presidency, and the bureaucracy as well as explore the role of the media, interest groups, political parties and public opinion in the political process before focusing on the Constitutional rights and responsibilities of citizens and how those citizens access the process of participatory democracy, including elections, most effectively.

809-229Political Theory3This course introduces students to major political theorists whose ideas offer tools for understanding political issues and institutions. Students will analyze and evaluate key concepts with a view to developing their own well-reasoned political perspectives. Furthermore, students will apply concepts such as human rights, freedom, justice, or equality to interpret the contemporary political landscape.

809-251General Psychology3The course will encompass all aspects of the field of psychology from basic research to psychological disorders and treatments. This course will explore the areas of psychology through psychological, environmental, and biological perspectives. The course directs the student to be able to understand and analyze human behavior in everyday life. This is a two hundred 200-level psychology course designed to transfer to the university system, and it includes greater emphasis on psychological theory and research as compared with the 100-level Introduction to Psychology course.

809-271Introductory Sociology3Defines and examines concepts and realities of social structure, the social processes that shape behavior, culture, socialization, social groups, and social change. Analyzes concepts and phenomena such as complex organizations, roles, stratification, class, inequality, deviance, and race. Examines institutions such as the family, religion, education, politics, economics and the media.

809-291Principles of Microeconomics3Introduces, describes, and analyzes how markets work and emphasizing what they do well and why they sometimes fail. Students will analyze how individuals, businesses, and governments choose to use scarce resources. Current issues will be discussed using economic concepts such as income distribution, market structure, and efficiency. Business decisions will be examined with regard to cost analysis and output determinations. Topics such as the environment, regulation vs. deregulation, international markets and trade, technology, and economic development will be discussed.

809-292Principles of Macroeconomics3Macroeconomics is an introductory course. Basic social choices regarding economic systems, basic economic aggregates, fiscal policy, the banking system, monetary policy, and international trade are the principle topics discussed in the course. Balance is drawn between theory, analysis, and a critique of the institutions that characterize modern mixed-capitalist economies. Conflicting social goals, economic constraints, and environmental concerns provide the framework through which the macro economy is analyzed.

Health/Wellness/Physical Ed (1 Credit Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

807-268Wellness Today1This course takes a holistic approach to wellness that includes all eight components of wellness. Areas of study include physical wellness (lifestyle diseases, infectious diseases, general principles of health, nutrition, weight management and exercise), social wellness (relationships and technology use), mental wellness (mental health, stress management, emotional wellbeing), intellectual wellness, financial wellness, spiritual wellness, occupational wellness (time management and priorities), and environmental wellness. The course provides science-based lecture content and experiences upon which to base decisions concerning an individual’s overall wellbeing.

Diversity/Ethnic Studies (3 Credits Minimum)

Course #Course TitleCredits

803-214Native American History3This course is a survey of religion, social structure, art, and intertribal relations of various indigenous peoples within the boundaries of the present-day United States. Emphasis is placed on pre-European settlement; the cultural impact and consequences of European colonization; the 17th and 18th century wars for empire; forced removal of native peoples; and the establishment of Native American reservations. The course will conclude with an examination of political, economic, and social issues Native Americans face today.

809-272Race & Ethnicity in the U.S.3Course introduces learners to the study of racial and ethnic diversity in the United States. The course begins with basic concepts and language, and examines how race and ethnicity are socially constructed and maintained. It discusses the causes, impacts and reduction of racism using related theories. It explores the socio-history of US minority groups: Native American, African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American, and Arab American as well as the European/white ethnic groups. Dominant-subordinate relations, intersectionality and other aspects of group dynamics are identified. In addition to an analysis of majority/minority relations in a multicultural context, the related topics of gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, and religion are explored.