Stevens Institute of Technology 2003-2004 Catalog
 
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   School of
Sciences and Arts

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- Department of Chemistry
and Chemical Biology

- Department of Computer Science
Department of Humanities
and Social Sciences

- Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Physics
and Engineering Physics

- Interdisciplinary Program:
Computational Science

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The Arthur E. Imperatore School of Sciences and Arts

  ISSA_Humanities.pdf

 Department of Humanities and Social Sciences


EDWARD H. FOSTER, DIRECTOR

FACULTY*

Professors

Edward H. Foster, Ph.D. (1970), Columbia University, English and American Literature
Carol Gould, Ph.D. (1971), Yale University, Philosophy
Silvio R. Laccetti, Ph.D. (1967), Columbia University, Urban Studies and History
Susan M. Levin, Ph.D. (1974), Columbia University, English and Comparative Literature
James E. McClellan III, Ph.D. (1975), Princeton University, History of Science
Salvatore Prisco III, Ph.D. (1969), Rutgers University, History
Arnold B. Urken, Ph.D. (1973), New York University, Political Science

Associate Professors

Geoffrey W. Clark, Ph.D. (1972), Columbia University, History
Deborah M. Sinnreich-Levi, Ph.D. (1987), City University of New York, English and Comparative Literature

Affiliate Associate Professor

Andrew Rubenfeld, Ph.D. (1976), New York University, American Literature

Assistant Professors

Mary Ann Hellrigel, Ph.D. (1997), Case Western Reserve University, History of Technology and Science

Affiliate Assistant Professor

Susan K. Schept, M.A. (1975), New School for Social Research, Psychology

*The list indicates the highest earned degree, year awarded and institution where earned.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

    The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a broad education in the liberal arts. It provides a wide range of introductory and advanced courses in traditional disciplines — literature, history, philosophy, the social sciences and the arts. Study of the humanities and social sciences is aimed at the development of an open and inquiring mind. This requires cultural and historical literacy, a knowledge and appreciation of the rich intellectual, social and artistic heritage of humanity, and a thoughtful examination of its ethical and aesthetic values. Such a liberal education also demands the ability to reason clearly and analytically, and to write effectively. Therefore, the program emphasizes the practical exercise and development of these logical and communication skills. Reflecting the traditional values of the liberal arts, it is fully committed to the principle of free and unfettered intellectual inquiry.

    Besides courses for business, computer science, engineering, management and science students, the department offers three special programs: a single B.A. degree, a double B.A. degree, and a minor.

The Core Program for the B.E. and B.S. degrees

Requirements for Engineering and Science Students
    If you are enrolled in either the engineering or science program, the required core consists of eight courses: four 100-level courses during the freshman and sophomore years and four 300/400-level courses during the junior and senior years. Of the four 100-level courses, two must be in Group A (literature or philosophy) and two in Group B (history or social science).

Requirements for Computer Science Students
    If you are enrolled in the computer science program, you must satisfy the requirements for engineering and science degree students (see above) and take one additional 300/400-level course, for a total of nine courses in humanities or social sciences. You are also encouraged to join the minor program in humanities or social sciences (see below) and among the nine basic courses you must take one of the following: HPL 339, HPL 455, HSS 371 or HHS 429.

Requirements for Business and Technology Students
    Since you are enrolled in a lock-step program, you must adhere to the required sequence of courses (see "Department of Business and Technology" in this catalog) which includes two courses in Group A (literature or philosophy) and two in Group B (history or social science), as well as one humanities elective.

The Writing Program
    Proficiency in written English is a graduation requirement of all undergraduates. To achieve an acceptable level of proficiency, you may be required to take courses recommended by the Humanities Department. These courses include but are not limited to Hum 103/104, Freshman Writing and Humanities. If you experience writing skills difficulties while enrolled in any Humanities courses, you may be referred for free tutoring. All students must pass the Stevens English Competence Exam (SECE) in order to graduate. Upper division students may be allowed to submit a writing portfolio for evaluation instead.

Cross Registration with New York University
    You may take courses in the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University through a special cross-registration program at no charge. To have the course count towards a Stevens degree, you must be enrolled full-time in a regular Stevens degree program. Please direct any questions to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Academics at Stevens, (201) 216-5228.

The B.A. Single Degree Program
    You may earn the B.A. single degree in one of five fields of concentration: English and American literature, history, philosophy, or science and technology studies. Special features of the program include a secondary concentration in a professional, applied or scientific field, or in another area of the humanities or social sciences along with a senior thesis written under the close supervision of a humanities faculty member. If you want to pursue an advanced degree, the program serves as preparation for graduate level work in the major field or for professional programs in law, medicine or management.

    During the first and second years you complete eight courses, four each in Groups A and B, including two courses in the major field of concentration. During the last two years you complete eight 300/400-level courses in the major field and a Senior Thesis. This amounts to a total of ten courses in the major field. There are varying distribution requirements for these ten, depending on the field of concentration. They are as follows:

  • English and American Literature. Required: two courses in pre-1798 English literature, one must be an intensive introduction to Chaucer or Shakespeare; two courses in post-1798 English literature; two courses in American literature and Senior Thesis (498). The other three courses are 300/400-level literature courses and are selected in consultation with your advisor. Recommended: a genre course; a course in literary or linguistic theory; a foreign language course (especially for future graduate work); and courses in fields related to the major, including philosophy, history, art and music.
  • History. Required: one year of a freshman/sophomore history sequence: History of European Society and Culture I & II (123, 124), or United States Social and Economic History I & II (125, 126) or History of Science I & II (129, 130); at least one course in American, European or History of Science; Seminar in Writing and Research Methods (301); Senior Thesis (498) and electives from among the history concentration (American, European, History of Science, World), selected in consultation with your faculty advisor.
  • Philosophy. Required: Philosophy I: Ethics and Political Philosophy (111), and Philosophy II: Logic, Knowledge and Reality (112); Ethics (339), Social and Political Philosophy (340) or Aesthetics (348); Philosophy of Science (368) or Logic (442); Theories of Knowledge and Reality (347), Philosophy of Language (443) or Philosophy of Mind (444); and Senior Thesis (498). The other four are 300/400-level philosophy courses selected in consultation with your advisor.
  • Science and Technology Studies. Please consult with your advisor.
  • Interdisciplinary Program of Study. Please consult with your advisor.

Additional Requirements:
    You are required to take a variety of other courses, including two in mathematics, two in science (non-laboratories), one in psychology or economics, one in Writing and Research Methods (Hum 301), five courses as a secondary concentration and ten courses at any level and in any field.
    The formal requirements for the humanities program are listed in the following semester-by-semester schedule, including the Notes.

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Freshman Year        
Term I
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred.
Hu Humanities A2 3 0 3
Hu Humanities B3 3 0 3
CS 115 Intro to Computer Programm. 2 2 3
  Mathematics      
  or      
  Science 3 0(3) 3(4)
PE 200 Physical Education I 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 11 4(7) 13(14)
         
Term II
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred
Hu Humanities A 3 0 3
Hu Humanities B 3 0 3
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
  Economics or Psychology 3 0 3
  Mathematics      
or      
  Science 3 0(3) 3(4)
PE 200 Physical Education II 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 15 2(5) 16(17)
         
Sophomore Year        
Term III
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred.
Hu Humanities A 3 0 3
Hu Humanities B 3 0 3
  Mathematics      
  or      
  Science 3 0(3) 3(4)
  Secondary Concentration 5 3 0(3) 3(4)
  Elective 3 0 3
PE 200 Physical Education III 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 15 2(8) 16(18)
         
Term IV
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred
Hu Humanities A 3 0 3
Hu Humanities B 3 0 3
  Mathematics      
  or      
  Science 3 0(3) 3(4)
  Secondary Concentration 3 0(3) 3(4)
  Elective 3 0 3
PE 200 Physical Education IV 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 15 2(8) 16(18)
         
Junior Year        
Term V
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred.
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
  Secondary Concentration 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
PE 200 Physical Education V 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 15 2 16
         
Term VI
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred
Hu 301 Writing Seminar 3 0 3
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
  Secondary Concentration 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
PE 200 Physical Education VI 0 2 1
         
  TOTAL 15 2 16
         
Senior Year        
Term VII
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred.
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
  Secondary Concentration 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
         
  TOTAL 15 0 15
         
Term VIII
   
Hrs. Per Wk.
    Class Lab Sem.
        Cred
Hu 498 Senior Thesis 4 0 4
Hu Major Concentration 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
  Elective 3 0 3
         
  TOTAL 13 0 13

    Notes (for Single and Double Degree Programs):
    1 All students must satisfy an English language proficiency requirement as described on page 30 in this catalog.
    2 A year-long sequence from Group A: literature and philosophy is required for each of the first two years.
    3 A year-long sequence from Group B: history and social science is required for each of the first two years.
    4 One year of mathematics is required. One year of science courses is required (either 3-0-3 or 3-3-4). In the program schedule it is assumed the mathematics courses are taken in the freshman year and the Science courses in the sophomore year, but the order may be reversed if prerequisites are met.
    5 Secondary concentration courses and electives can be 3-0-3 or 3-3-4.

The B.A. Double Degree Program
    In the double degree program you can earn a B.A. degree in humanities while also obtaining a B.E. or B.S. degree. There are four fields of concentration: English and American literature, history, philosophy, and science and technology studies. You may complete the double degree in four years at no additional cost by maintaining a 2.80 GPA and taking two humanities or social science courses each semester for a total of sixteen. See the section entitled "Academic Procedures" in this catalog for more information.

    You may also complete the additional requirements within four years by taking summer or transfer courses. Many double degree students are co-op students or in accelerated programs. The double degree program is designed for students who are academically strong.

    You must complete the sequence and major concentration requirements for the single degree B.A. program, including the senior thesis. You may substitute HUM 301 for one of the major concentration courses. Most students complete the program by taking two humanities or social science courses each semester.

The Minor Program
    You can minor in the humanities or social sciences if you have a GPA of at least 2.00 and want to concentrate your studies in one of the following five fields: literature, philosophy, history, social science or music. If you are enrolled in the computer science degree program you only need to satisfy the distribution and GPA requirements to receive a minor. Students who complete the minor receive a certificate upon graduation.

    The minor requires a total of nine humanities courses. You must satisfy the requirements of the core humanities program for your degree and the following distribution and GPA requirements: five of the courses must be 300/400-level and five must be in the field of concentration; you must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 in the field of concentration; and the nine courses must cover three of the five fields of humanities or social sciences at Stevens.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Graduate Certificate Program in Professional Communications: Scientific, Technical, and Business
    Communication is an enabling technology and is a critical core professional competence. Communication of all kinds -- written, oral and web-based -- is the sine qua non of today’s professional’s skill set. To earn the graduate certificate, students will take four courses.
    HUM 501 Foundations of Technical Communication
    HUM 502 Professional Presentations
    HUM 503 Advanced Documentation Techniques or HUM 504 Business Plan Writing, and a capstone course on the skills needed in specific industries, chosen from one of the following:

  HUM 530 Writing for Engineers
  HUM 535 Writing for International Markets
  HUM 540 Foundations in Financial Writing
  HUM 545 Medical Writing
  HUM 550 Writing for the Web
  HUM 555 Writing for Project Management
  HUM 560 Writing for and about the Science Community
  HUM 565 Publicity Writing
  HUM 570 Proposal Writing

    Successful completion of all four courses will lead to the graduate certificate. The advantage to our students and their employers to having the four-course certificate program instead of a stand-alone course is the depth and breadth of expertise graduates will acquire. In today’s market, one person must be able to fill the niches once occupied by several employees. Pedagogically, having students take a series of courses will ensure homogeneous class skills. Foundations of Technical Communications is a pre-requisite for the capstone courses. The next two courses have no pre-requisite although the Foundations of Technical Communication course would be useful. Corporate clients might elect to have their employees take a single course, in which case, pre-requisites might be waived.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

    Courses in brackets are not scheduled to be taught in 2003-2004 academic year.

100-Level Courses
    All 100-level courses are designated as Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) and include an English composition requirement.

Group A: Literature/Philosophy

HUM 103 Freshman Writing and Humanities I
(3-0-3)

This course is intended for students, native and non-native speakers of English, who need to improve their writing and speaking skills. Practice in composition is coupled with readings from the disciplines of humanities: literature, sociology, history, philosophy and current affairs.

HUM 104 Freshman Writing and Humanities II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HUM 103.

HUM 105 Studies in Literature and Philosophy I: World Literature
(3-0-3)

A study of great works of literature and philosophy and their impact on world culture.

HUM 106 Studies in Literature and Philosophy II
(3-0-3)

A study of selected major works in world literature and philosophy.

HPL 111 Philosophy I: Ethics and Political Philosophy
(3-0-3)

An introduction to major ideas in moral and political philosophy. Topics include happiness, virtue, rights, obligations, justice and equality, and discussions on contemporary issues such as abortion, privacy, euthanasia and affirmative action. Readings from classical sources such as Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill, as well as contemporary readings.

HPL 112 Philosophy II: Logic, Knowledge and Reality
(3-0-3)

An introduction to methods of reasoning, the theory of knowledge and the nature of reality. Discussion topics may include artificial intelligence, free will vs. determinism, objectivity in science and nature vs. nurture. Readings from such philosophers as Descartes, Hume, Kant, Wittgenstein and Sartre.

HLI 113 Western Literature I
(3-0-3)

Readings in great books of western literature. Representative texts include works by: Homer, Sophocles, and Virgil and readings in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. One section of this course also takes up great books of science such as Vitruvius' Ten Books on Architecture read in conjunction with Virgil's Aeneid.

HLI 114 Western Literature II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HLI 113. Readings include works from Dante, Racine, Shakespeare, de Lafayette, Austen, Brontë and Kafka.

HLI 115 The English Language: Language of Ideas
(3-0-3)

Examination of the philosophical use of language as it deals with concepts and value judgments.

HLI 116 The English Language: Introduction to Literary Forms
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HLI 115. Uses of language to convey thought and feeling in a variety of fictional and nonfictional forms.

HLI 117 American Literature I
(3-0-3)

A survey of major developments in American literature from 1789 to 1900.

HLI 118 American Literature II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HLI 117. A survey of major developments in American literature from 1900 to the present.

HUM 286 Sophomore Honors in Literature/Philosophy
(3-0-3)

By permission of the instructor.

Group B: History/Social Science

HUM 107 Studies in History/Social Science: Modernization
(3-0-3)

This course seeks to provide a multidisciplinary introduction to today’s world and how it came to be. The ecological, technological and scientific bases of the contemporary world are emphasized. Other themes include humankind’s biological and cultural origins, the Industrial Revolution, today’s global socioeconomic context, challenges to the nation-state, and cultural and gender issues.

HUM 108 Studies in History and Social Science II
(3-0-3)

Topics include significant issues in history and political science. This course satisfies spring sequence requirements for freshman/sophomore history and social science courses.

HSS 121 Cities and Civilization I
(3-0-3)

An examination of the origins, nature and progress of urban society. Selected readings focus on recurrent and persistent urban problems: overcrowding, traffic congestion, political corruption, faulty sanitation systems, etc. A student may also engage in field analysis projects that relate either to hometown areas or to the North Jersey region.

HSS 122 Cities and Civilization II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HSS 121. Major emphasis is on current economic, environmental and social problems.

HHS 123 History of European Society and Culture I
(3-0-3)

This course and HHS 124 investigate the social, economic, intellectual, political and cultural trends in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present, in lectures and discussion.

HHS 124 History of European Society and Culture II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HHS 123.

HHS 125 United States Social and Economic History I
(3-0-3
)
This course and HHS 126 examine the main trends in the socioeconomic, political and diplomatic history of the U.S. from the Pre-Revolutionary period to the present.

HHS 126 United States Social and Economic History II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HHS 125.

HSS 127 Political Science I
(3-0-3)

Introduction to the structure and function of institutions in the U.S. political system. Focuses on the origins and evolution of the Electoral College and presidential use of force.

HSS 128 Political Science II
(3-0-3)

A survey of the evolution of juries and recent legal and social scientific analysis of jury rules. Case studies are used to explain the scope of issues decided by juries and conceptions of justice used to evaluate their performance.

HHS 129 Topics in the History of Science and Technology
(3-0-3)

A topical introduction to the humanistic study of science and technology. Discussion covers the nature of scientific ideas, the scientific method and scientific change; the structure of scientific communities, relations between science and technology, and the place of science in society.

HHS 130 History of Science and Technology
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HHS 129. A historical survey of science and technology. Principal topics include science and technology in prehistory, Egyptian and Babylonian science and culture, Greek science, Medieval technology and science, the Scientific Revolution, the making of the modern physical science, Darwin and the Darwinian Revolution.

HSS 175 Fundamentals of Psychology I
(3-0-3)

This course emphasizes the biological underpinnings of behavior and of mental processes. What do we know? How do we come to know? What do we want? Why do we act the way we do? In this course these fundamental questions of psychology are mainly looked at from a biological perspective that emphasizes the study of the brain and nervous systems. Historical, philosophical, as well as evolutionary perspectives on mental processes are considered as well.

HSS 176 Fundamentals of Psychology II
(3-0-3)

An introduction to issues and theories in Life Span Development, Personality Theory and psychological disorders. Topics include cognitive and social development, attachment, moral thinking, psychoanalytical theory. Focus is placed on those seminal theories that have had lasting import for psychology as well as other disciplines. These theories include, but are not limited to, those of Piaget, Erikson and Freud.

HUM 288 Sophomore Honors in History/Social Science
(3-0-3)

By permission of the instructor.

300/400-Level Courses

HUM 301 Writing Seminar and Research Methods
(3-0-3)

In this course, students explore the tools and techniques of advanced writing and research. Students write four research papers and give several oral presentations. This course is required for single degree B.A. students and strongly recommended for double degree students.

Literature

HLI 312 Modern Literature
(3-0-3)

A survey of Modernism in European Literature. The authors to be considered include Rimbaud, Mallarme, Rilke and Mann. Developments in architecture, music and art are provided as well.

[HLI 314 19th Century English Literature: Victorians]

HLI 315 Language, Meaning and Reality
(3-0-3)

The course is a form of argument about meaning that emphasizes two points: 1) the language we have available determines our idea of reality and 2) semantic structures seem to convey their own independent meanings in spite of what speakers of the language may think they intend.

HLI 316 Science Fiction
(3-0-3)

A study of the fiction of science and the science of fiction through the reading of authors from Mary Shelley (Frankenstein) to William Gibson (Neuromancer), the viewing of films such as Metropolis and Dune, and the writing of a piece of science fiction.

HLI 317 The Creative Act
(3-0-3)

A study of 20th-century literary works concerned with sources of creativity. Works to be considered include Mann’s Death in Venice, Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus, and other works.

HLI 318 Ethnicity and Literature
(3-0-3)

Course examines the interrelationship of literary works and the ethnic heritage of their authors and/or the texts themselves.

HLI 321 Literature, Science and Technology
(3-0-3)

This course investigates the views man has expressed about the advent impact of technology and science across recorded history. Questions that might be addressed include: What is the relationship between religion and technology? Has man always viewed technological innovations as positive? What relationship is there between man’s vision of utopian society and technology? Readings may include but are not limited to novels, philosophical treatises and the literature of various societies.

HLI 331 Shakespeare
(3-0-3)

Selected plays by Shakespeare are read and analyzed with the emphasis placed on their success as scripts to be performed in theaters.

[HLI 332 Literary Heritage of Russia]

HLI 334 Chaucer: A Literary Study
(3-0-3)

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is read in modern English against a historical background of Chaucer’s life and times; "The General Prologue" and the "The Nun’s/ Priest’s Tale" are read in 14th-century English (Middle English). Other readings of the period include Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Boccaccio’s The Decameron.

HLI 336 The Short Story
(3-0-3)

The study of prose fiction in short story form. Texts consist of representative selections of the short story genre that offer a wide variety of techniques and themes. All students will participate in classroom critical analysis.

HLI 337 History of the English Language
(3-0-3)

A study of the Indo-European origins and development of English from Old English Anglo-Saxon to Chaucer’s Middle English and the Modern English Period.

HLI 341 19th Century English Literature: Romanticism
(3-0-3)

Consideration of texts by writers of the romantic movement in England: Blake, Coleridge, William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Percy Bysshe and Mary Shelley, Keats and Byron.

[HLI 342 Twentieth-Century Drama]

[HLI 344 British Fiction I: Four Classic Novels]

[HLI 345 A Survey of Dramatic Literature]

[HLI 349 American Poetry to 1900]

HLI 352 The American Renaissance in Literature
(3-0-3)

A study of mid-19th century American culture, focusing on nature and environmental writing as well as landscape painting.

HLI 354/357 American Culture
(3-0-3)

An interpretation of American civilization through its literature and cultural forms. The course this semester involves close reading of a few works by some of the giants of American literature since the World War II.

HLI 358 American Poetry: 20th Century
(3-0-3)

A study of works of major American poets of the 20th century including Pound, Eliot, Williams, Moore, Stevens, Lowell, Ashbery and Ginsberg.

[HLI 362 British Fiction, II - the 20th Century]

HLI 409 Rhetoric and Technical Writing
(3-0-3)

An introduction to classical and modern expository and argumentative writing and speech, as well as an introduction to contemporary technical and science writing.

HLI 410 Medieval Literature
(3-0-3)

This course surveys the work of the medieval period in Europe and includes such works as Beowulf, The Song of Roland, and selections from the works of Dante, Boccaccio, Chaucer, Marie de France and other poets.

HLI 412 Medieval Romance: The Rise of the Individual
This course focuses on the new interest in the individual in society in medieval romance. Works and authors studied include: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Chretien de Troyes, and Gottfried von Strassburg. The course follows the adventuring knight on his quests.

HLI 413 Literature by Women: The Tradition in English
(3-0-3)

A survey of women authors writing in English from the 14th century to the present.

HLI 416 Arthuriana: The Legend of King Arthur
(3-0-3)

The course covers a variety of literary and historical texts beginning with the earliest chronicle reports of Arthur, king of Britain, and ending with romance material such as the Vulgate Quest for the Holy Grail and the Death of King Arthur. The course explores the birth and development of the Arthurian legend.

HLI 417 English Literature from Beowulf to the Restoration
(3-0-3)

A survey of English literature from its beginnings to the restoration of the monarchy in the 17th century.

HLI 418 Literature and Critical Theory
(3-0-3)

The application of contemporary literary theory derived from Heidegger and modern linguistics to the study of postmodern American literature. Students are introduced to various literary theories developed by Barthes, Kristeva, Lacan, Derrida and Foucault, and then asked to apply these theories in considerations of works by such postmodern American writers as Pynchon, Bronk, Gass, Spicer and Ashbery.

[HLI 420 America in the Great Depression and the Second World War]

HLI 446 English Literature: Restoration (1660) to the Present
(3-0-3)

A survey of English literature from the restoration of the monarchy to the present.

HLI 447 Survey of British Literature
(3-0-3)

A study of major works and authors, including Beowulf, Chaucer, Spenser, Milton, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Wolf.

Philosophy

HPL 339 Ethics
(3-0-3)

Discussion and critical analysis of leading contemporary ethical theories, including utilitarianism, intuitionism and virtue theories. In addition, some consideration of criticisms by feminist philosophers of these traditional approaches to ethics is provided.

HPL 340 Social and Political Philosophy
(3-0-3)

A study of the relation of the individual to society and the state. Major issues to be examined include the nature of freedom, justice and equality; the political alternatives of liberalism, socialism, conservation and anarchism; the nature of political authority; social class and alienation; and alternative conceptions of democracy.

HPL 346 Modern Philosophy
(3-0-3)

The philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Readings from his works on reason, science and morals.

HPL 347 Theories of Knowledge and Reality
(3-0-3)

Topics include skepticism, sources of knowledge, truth, being, casualty and free will.

HPL 348 Aesthetics
(3-0-3)

An exploration of theories of art and of aesthetic experience. Are judgments of taste objective? What are the roles of form, expression and representation in the arts? How is art related to society? What is the nature of creativity in art and science? Examples are drawn from the various art forms, including painting, literature, music, dance and film.

[HPL 350 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy]

HPL 368 Philosophy of Science
(3-0-3)

A critical analysis of the aims and methods of science, and its principles, practices and achievements.

HPL 440 Citizenship, Nationality and Ethnicity in Contemporary Global Perspective
(3-0-3)

The resurgence of nationalism, ethnicity and the affirmation of cultural difference in the contemporary world have created problems for older conceptions of citizenship and universal rights. Philosophical arguments underlying alternative conceptions of social, political and cultural identity, and the conflicts that have emerged recently concerning claims to national recognition and cultural group rights. A related theme is the tension between the diversity of cultures and increasing global interconnectedness.

HPL 442 Logic
(3-0-3)

Its methods, results and history - Aristotle, Leibniz, Frege and contemporary logicians.

HPL 443 The Philosophy of Language
(3-0-3)

Problems of meaning and reference in Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein and others.

HPL 444 Philosophy of Mind
(3-0-3)

Philosophical questions on the nature of thinking, perceiving, and sensing.

[HPL 445 History of Philosophy]

HPL 447 19th Century Philosophy
(3-0-3)

A study of major thinkers and movements in the nineteenth century.

HPL 448 Contemporary Philosophy
(3-0-3)

Studies of current trends in analytic and contemporary philosophy.

HPL 449 Philosophy of Law
(3-0-3)

What is the basis for the authority of the law? What are the competing theories of crime and punishment? What are the grounds of legal rights and duties? What are the relations among justice, liberty and equality in the law? We consider such current legal issues as the insanity defense, the death penalty, the rights of unborn children, regulation of the internet and affirmative action.

HPL 450: International Ethics
(3-0-3)

This course will focus on some of the new ethical issues that face social and political actors in the current period of globalization. We will examine the value questions that arise in relations among nation-states in such contexts as human rights, distributive justice, economic development, and the preservation of the environment. Among the topics to be discussed are just war theory and the analysis and response to terrorism; hunger, welfare, and global distributive justice; immigration and refugees; international business ethics; racism and sexism in national and international contexts; and democracy and the Internet. To illuminate these issues, we will consider alternative contemporary perspectives in political philosophy, including liberal, communitarian, and feminist approaches, and will examine their implications for politics in the context of emerging global frameworks. Emphasis will be placed on oral presentations and intensive discussion.

HPL 455 Ethical Issues in Science and Technology
(3-0-3)

Consideration of such issues as the ethical responsibility of scientists and technologists for the uses of their knowledge, the ethics of scientific research, and truth and fraud in science and engineering. We study such contemporary moral questions as those concerning the uses and abuses of nuclear energy, environmental pollution and the preservation of natural resources, and the impact of new technologies on the right to privacy.

HPL 458 Computability and Logic
(3-0-3)

The algorithm: its theory, history and philosophical significance.

[HPL 459 The Philosophy of Social Science]

[HPL 460 Philosophy and Feminism]

[HPL 461 American Philosophy]

[HPL 462 Eastern Philosophy]

History

HHS 312 Technology and Society in America
(3-0-3)

This course surveys the origins and significance of technological developments in American history form the first settlements to the present. It emphasizes the social, cultural, political and economic significance of technology in American history.

HHS 319 The Roman Republic
(3-0-3)

A study of early Roman civilization from the founding of the city of Rome in 753
B.C. to the collapse of the Republic under Julius Caesar. Readings in ancient sources and modern texts.

HHS 325 African-American Studies
(3-0-3)

An exploration of the African-American experience in the United States from the time of the Atlantic Slave Trade to the present. Topics include social and political dynamics shaping African-American history with particular attention focused on Reconstruction, the Great Migration and the Civil Rights Movement. Numerous African-American leaders and their concepts for an African-American identity are also emphasized, including the W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington debates as well as speeches from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

HHS 338 The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Regime
(3-0-3)

The course begins with the contradictions inherent in semi-feudal Russia during the age of imperialism which culminated in the collapse of the Tsarist autocracy during World War I. There is a close analysis of the revolutionary year 1917 to determine the reasons for the failure of the liberal Kerensky regime on the one hand, and the rise of the Soviets and Bolsheviks on the other. Marxist-Leninist ideology is studied and compared to economic, social and political programs during the revolution and during its consolidation in the period of the civil war and in the Stalinist era. The course also covers more recent Russian history.

HHS 340: History of the Middle East I
(3-0-3)

This course is a general survey of the Middle East beginning in pre-Islamic Arabia in the year 600 and ending with the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt in 1798. The course examines the early formation of the Muslim community and follows its growth under the Umayyid and Abbasid empires. It also explores the influence of the Persians and the Turks in the region examining the Ottoman and Safavid empires, the Mongol invasion, and ultimately the influence of Western European powers leading to Napoleons conquest of Egypt in 1798.

HHS 355 U.S. Foreign Relations
(3-0-3)

Selected topics in American diplomatic history are studied including nationalism, imperialism, economic diplomacy, missionary diplomacy, isolationism, world war, cold war and detente. Readings include diplomatic correspondence, documents, interpretive articles and monographs.

[HHS 356 The Golden Age of Athens]

HHS 365 History of Modern Germany
(3-0-3)
German history from its origins, but concentrating on the period from 1870 to the present. German industrialization, the dominant role of Prussia in unification, World War I, the Weimar and Nazi periods, World War II and the post-war era including current developments are covered.

HHS 367 Twentieth-Century History
(3-0-3)

A retrospective of major world events during the century including world war, revolution, economic and social changes, the decline of colonialism and the emergence of developing nations in the non-Western world. Trends for the twenty-first century are also examined.

HHS 374 Psychohistory
(3-0-3)

An interdisciplinary inquiry into individual and group motivations underlying socially significant historical experiences. Selected issues include personality formation through the ages (Martin Luther and Andrew Jackson), individual and collective consciousness (Anne Hutchinson, and the Salem witchcraft hysteria), and psychobiographies of Woodrow Wilson, Adolf Hitler and others.

[HHS 378 Readings in Modern European History]

[HHS 382 The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-39]

[HHS 386 Ancient Civilizations: The Roman Empire]

HHS 390 History of Money, Credit and Banking
(3-0-3)

This course explores the history of mediums of exchange and the consequent development of credit and credit exchange mechanisms from earliest times until the present. In particular, this course examines the relationship of money and credit to the technological environment and how evolving technologies, ranging from metallurgy to electronics, have created and shaped historical eras. Periods covered include pre-feudal, feudal, early capitalist and modern times.

HHS 414 Industrial America
(3-0-3)

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the United States was fundamentally transformed. This course examines the nation’s genesis as an industrial and economic power and society’s adaptation to the industrial age. It also considers the impact of industrialism on such historical problems as technological change, economic development, race and gender relations, political participation, reform movements, urbanization, immigration, imperialism and globalization.

HHS 420: Modern East Asian Studies
(3-0-3)

This course explores the modern economic and political development of China, Korea and Japan from the late nineteenth century to the present and responses to Western imperialism. The rise of Chinese and Korean communism and Japanese fascism during the twentieth century are especially emphasized. There is also a close examination and comparison of development in additional Asian countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam.

HS 429 The Scientist, the Engineer and the Computer
(3-0-3)

To confront the student with social, political, legal and ethical issues that professional scientists and engineers are being forced to reexamine in the light of the computer revolution. The course reviews traditional principles while challenging the student to recognize that technological innovation often drives social change and, specifically, that innovations as sweeping as the rapid and continuing changes in computer technology sometimes lead scientists and engineers into completely uncharted territory.

[HHS 453 Justice in War]

HHS 460 Technogenesis in American History
(3-0-3)

Taught through problem-based learning techniques, the course entails intensive readings on American genesis of technologies through mainly biographical accounts ranging from Eli Whitney’s rifles with interchangeable parts to Jim Clark’s development of Netscape in Silicon Valley, and the contemporary role of universities in generating intellectual property. Such topics as the inventive-entrepreneurial process, patents and the role of government in sponsoring R&D, and the development of Management of Technology techniques are covered.

HHS 465 Engineering in History
(3-0-3)

This course is a social and cultural history of engineering. It examines the nature and the role of the engineer and engineering in western civilization, the emergence of engineering in Europe, the rise of the American engineering professions, the role of engineers in American society, as well as gender and ethical considerations and contemporary issues in the engineering profession.

HHS 468 History of the World
(3-0-3)

A survey of major developments in the history and geography of Planet Earth. A research paper is required.

HHS 469 History of England: 1066 - Present
(3-0-3)

The impact of the Norman Conquest on kingship, government and social structure; the reign of the Tudors on church and state; the Puritan and Lockean revolutions on the development of Parliament and Common Law; the two party system on reform; the industrial revolution on economic power and Empire; and Britain’s role in world wars and the twentieth century. Particular attention is paid to the development of individual rights.

HHS 473 Renaissance Studies: Leonardo da Vinci
(3-0-3)

The life and times of the Renaissance artist-engineer, the institutions and influences which created his imagination, inventiveness and great works of art. The course also covers what he was not, exploding popular myths about his achievements, and investigates his life on a personal, more human level.

HHS 476 History of Medicine
(3-0-3)

Examination of the history of medical science in the Western World from Greek antiquity to the present.

HHS 483 History and Geography
(3-0-3)

A survey of recent trends in the application of ecological and geographical perspectives in historical studies. Some emphasis on historiography is appropriate for thesis writers.

HHS 495 Seminar in History
(3-0-3)

Research topics in history and methods of historical scholarship.

Social Science

HSS 321 Modern Urban Culture
(3-0-3)

The course examines aspects of modern subcultural American life including deviancy and delinquency, crime, drug abuse and ethnicity.

HSS 324 Comparative Ethnic Culture
(3-0-3)

This course is a survey of various cultural traditions. Typical study units include Afro-American, Asian, Hispanic and American ethnic cultures in historical perspective.

HSS 371 Computers and Society
(3-0-3)

An introduction to arguments about the relationship between computing and society, the impact of computing activities on social relationships, and the evolution of institutions to regulate computer-mediated activities.

HSS 373 Social Choice Theory
(3-0-3)

An introduction to the history of and theoretical principles associated with using voting techniques to resolve conflicts. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of operational rules. Student projects constitute a major part of the course.

HSS 375 History of Psychology
(3-0-3)

An analysis of the historical development of psychology. Issues such as perception, learning, cognition and memory are explored within the context of various schools of thought.

HSS 376 Theories of Personality
(3-0-3)

What is theory? What is personality? A review of Freud, Adler, Sullivan, Jung, Rogers, et al., on the nature of personality.

HSS 377 Cities and the Global Economy
(3-0-3)

An analysis of major socioeconomic trends impacting modern American cities. Topics covered include: the nature of globalism, major economic and social trends, U.S. competitiveness, urban economic restructuring and the roles of government.

HSS 379 International Politics
(3-0-3)

An analysis of the contemporary international political framework. The course explores the character of the state system, the nation-state, the role of leadership personality, transnational actors, the balance-of-power, security and economic issues, the nature and limitations of power, the uses of terrorism and Third World issues.

HSS 474 Modern Middle East
(3-0-3)

A survey of the development of the modern Middle East from the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt in 1798 to the present. This course will explore the early efforts for political reform and the beginnings of nationalism with particular emphasis on the period following World War I and the development of modern Middle Eastern nation states.

[HSS 475 Introduction to Sociology]

HSS 477 Psychology of Religion
(3-0-3)

A survey of different approaches to the psychological interpretations of religious phenomena such as the image of God, rituals, myths, faith healing, meditation, mysticism and conversion.

HSS 478 Psychology of Gender
(3-0-3)

An analysis of gender differences and perceptions in contemporary society.

HSS 481 Cultural Anthropology
(3-0-3)

An examination of the varieties of organization of human societies in a comparative ethnographic context.

HSS 489 Freud and Jung
(3-0-3)

An in-depth and extensive study and discussion of the theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Each theory is examined individually; the nature of the unconscious, dream interpretations, religious symbolism and the aim of psychotherapy are critically examined. Students read from primary sources including Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams, Totem and Taboo, Jung’s Man and His Symbols, Modern Man in Search of a Soul as well as from biographical material and other secondary sources. Emphasis on points of confluence and of departure between the two. The course is limited to 15 students. Prerequisite: HSS 376 or permission of the instructor.

Art & Music

HMU 387 African-American Popular Music
(3-0-3)

This course traces the development of black popular music from its earliest roots in northwest Africa to the urban centers of the U.S.

HAR 390 Introduction to the Principles of Form and Design I
(3-0-3)

This course traverses through the elemental study of two-dimensional art and design--structural elements, organizational principles, psychological effects, and communicative functions--focusing on both the technical and the imaginative. Problem-solving studio assignments and critiques combined with visits to museums and galleries enable students to develop criteria for the analysis and evaluation of images created both by themselves and by others.

HAR 391 Introduction to the Principles of Form and Design II
(3-0-3)

A continuation of HUM 390 with an emphasis on sculpture.

HMU 392 Music Appreciation I
(3-0-3)

The development of listening techniques used to aid in the appreciation of classical music; and analysis of representative compositions covering the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods.

HMU 393 Music Appreciation II
(3-0-3)

A survey and analysis of representative composers through critical listening and analysis of important music literature.
Prerequisite: HUM 392.

HMU 394 Why Call It Jazz?
(3-0-3)

Techniques in how to listen and what to listen for. History of the idiom. Analysis of outstanding performances and styles.

HMU 395 Elementary Harmony
(3-0-3)

Course begins with a review of the rudiments of music (scales, modes, key signatures, time signatures, rhythm, meter, intervals and basic acoustical principles) and a review of important compositional trends that have affected the course of Western musical history. Students are then introduced to the triad and seventh chords in all inversions. All theoretical study is accompanied by listening, score analysis and actual writing. All incoming students should already know how to read music (treble and bass clefs).

[HMU 396 Advanced Harmony]

HAR 485 Contemporary Art
(3-0-3)

This course is an overview of a broad range of topics about contemporary fine art combined with complementary hands-on experiences in the creative process. We examine theoretical issues, modern and post-modern styles, and the industry of visual art, as well as make art to further enhance our awareness and understanding of visual imagery. This course approaches its subject matter from the artist's standpoint and is taught by a professional artist.

HAR 486 Art and Technology
(3-0-3)

This course combines a survey of current trends in art and technology with hands-on art projects. Students read and discuss selected writings and visual images, view videotapes, look at computer and "net" art, and make artworks with self-selected materials and tools, i.e. computers, photography, video, kinetic and/or mechanical sculptures, among others. In addition, students visit museums and galleries in Manhattan. This course approaches its subject matter from the artist's standpoint and is taught by a professional artist.

HMU 491 Music Performance: Jazz Ensemble
(1/2 credit)

The study and performance of modern music.

HMU 492 Music Performance: Stevens Choir
(1/2 Credit)

The study and performance of choral masterworks.

HMU 493 Music Through Multimedia and Technology
(3-0-3)

This lecture course, with interactive studio demonstrations, is an introduction and overview of the world of multimedia. The student explores the basics of audio, graphics, photography and video production through the use of digital audio, midi and music production, digital graphics, and photography and video software.

Science and Technology Studies

HHS 309 Newton and the Scientific Revolution
(3-0-3)

A study of the life and works of Sir Isaac Newton. Attention focuses on the scientific, philosophical and religious background of Newton, on his biography, and on his work. Newton’s Principia and Opticks will be read.

HHS 310 Social History of Science
(3-0-3)

This course analyzes science as a social entity. The connections between science and society are studied in the first instance through a historical survey of the externals of science, i.e., the non-cognitive social, institutional and professional dimensions of the scientific enterprise. On a case-study basis, the course proceeds to investigate more theoretical problems concerning relations between scientific knowledge and social structure, particularly as interpreted in the Strong Program of the Sociology of Knowledge. Students complete individual projects arising out of themes developed in class.

HHS 311 Science and Society in the Twentieth Century
(3-0-3)

An examination of the historical process whereby the scientific enterprise became a central concern of the state in modern industrial societies.

[HHS 312 Technology and Society in America]

HHS 361 Galileo and the Scientific Revolution
(3-0-3)

An in-depth study of the career of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) and his place in seventeenth century science.

[HHS 363 Darwin and the Darwinian Revolution]

HHS 369 Studies in the Scientific Revolution
(3-0-3)

An analysis of the intellectual and methodological transformations of sixteenth and seventeenth century science and the development of the modern world view. This course focuses on the major scientific figures of the age (Galileo, Descartes, Newton) with particular attention to the study of original texts. The social and institutional transformations of science in this period are also considered.

[HSS 371 Computers and Society]

[HSS 380 Energy, Politics and Administration]

HHS 397 Historical Materialism
(3-0-3)

A survey of various attempts to base historical explanations on material conditions — microbes and disease, nutritional requirements, agriculture, climate, geography, genes and technical and economic constraints and opportunities.

[HHS 414 Industrial America]

[HSS 454 The Geography of Science]

[HHS 465 Engineering in History]

[HHS 479 Studies in the History of Technology]

HSS 488 Science and Human Nature
(3-0-3)

An introduction to recent Darwinian and sociobiological theories of human nature.

Special Courses

HUM 301 Writing Seminar and Research Methods
(3-0-3)

In this course, students explore the tools and techniques of advanced writing and research. Students write four research papers and give several oral presentations. This course is required for single degree B.A. students and strongly recommended for double degree students.

HUM 498 Senior Thesis
(4 credits)

The student completes a major research thesis in the area of concentration under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Open to B.A. degree students.

HUM 499 Tutorial
(3-0-3)

An individual program of study arranged between student and instructor. A tutorial plan must be prepared (and presented to the Tutorial Committee of the Department of the Humanities) outlining the program and indicating the nature and scope of the project (generally a written paper). Upon completion of the program, the student receives a grade and credit for a Humanities elective.

GRADUATE COURSES

    All Graduate courses are 3 credits except where noted.

HUM 501 Foundations of Technical Communication
This course introduces professional communications: how should professionals construct technical documents for the business or scientific/technical community? what are the techniques writers need for specialized, clear writing? Topics include: genres of technical writing; successful writing strategies; design principles; format and contents. Students will practice the techniques presented through weekly writing assignments.

HUM 502 Professional Presentations
This course will present a range of professional presentation techniques: oral, web-based, audio-visual. Students’ existing skills will be sharpened and enhanced with knowledge of current best professional practices. Weekly assignments will guarantee that students will master new techniques.

HUM 503 Advanced Documentation Techniques
This course sharpens students’ ability to deliver written descriptions, explanations and instructions to a diverse audience who may not share the writer’s technical expertise. Students will create overviews and abstracts; lay out guidelines for readers; craft orderly instructions and explanations; insert necessary illustrations that enhance the documentation; build links to the next set of instructions; summarize effectively; and format for maximum comprehension.

HUM 504 Foundations of Business Plan Writing
This course introduces the foundations of writing a business plan. Topics include: what investors and lenders are looking for; the key elements of a business plan; special considerations when writing a business plan for an international endeavor or web-based or web-supplemented businesses. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the material presented through weekly writing assignments.

HUM 530 Writing for Engineers
This course is an introduction to writing for engineers. As technical writers, engineers may often feel their task to be only one of "informing," but as has been dramatically illustrated over the last few years, "informing" can be vital to successful system deployment and operation. Lives are often affected by not only the accuracy of an engineer’s calculations, but by a clear and understandable presentation of conclusions and recommendations. The ability to write clearly and effectively is essential to an engineer.

HUM 535 Writing for International Marketing
This course introduces the issues related to writing for international markets. What factors make writing for an international market different from writing for a domestic market? Topics covered include: the influence on writing of the key elements that make each nation different; the behavior of foreign consumers; translation issues; considerations when writing presentations, instructional texts, business plans, and web content for international audiences.

HUM 540 Foundations in Financial Writing
This course is concerned with the communication of financial information in writing: How should financial professionals construct documents? What are the writing techniques needed to make the numbers tell their own story? Topics include genres of financial writing; successful writing strategies; organizing information; using tables and charts.

HUM 545 Medical Writing
This course introduces essential concepts for writing in pharmaceutical houses, medical advertising agencies, and other medical settings. Topics covered include basic medical terminology, appropriate AMA style, and form and format in the use of professional research; preparation of meeting and conference materials for professionals in the field, and working with physicians.

HUM 550 Writing for the Web
This course dispels the myths about writing for the web and provides students with the skills to move successfully from print to web. The dynamic medium of the Internet not only demands concise, clear, well-organized copy, but an ability to operate in a non-linear world. This course will enable students to: reinforce good technical writing practices; incorporate usability issues when designing information for the web; think in non-linear ways; recognize the different functions of web copy and how to write for each (educational, promotional, information-seeking); understand the different delivery methods and how they influence the layout of the information and audio-visual choices.

HUM 555 Writing for Project Management
This course introduces the writing tasks that are critical to project management as it is used across a wide variety of industries. Topics covered include: the language of work breakdown structures; addressing project requirements; the semantics of risk analysis; assessing scope; and designing and building a project plan. Students will review online project management tools. Students will apply the techniques of writing for project management by creating a project plan to manage some aspect of an academic or extra-curricular activity.

HUM 560 Writing For and About the Science Community
This course introduces the interpretation and analysis of complex scientific information Ð and the translation of difficult scientific concepts into lively and readable prose. Topics include: effective interview techniques; information-gathering skills; news and feature article structure; editing; writing for the general public, scientists and industry. Students will practice these skills through in-class and take-home writing assignments. Writing assignments will progress from short, weekly articles to longer pieces. By the end of the semester, each student will write a feature article.

HUM 565 Publicity Writing: Techniques of Packaging Information
This course introduces the technical aspects of publicity writing. Topics include: writing a press bio; writing a topic summary; the art of the press release; the basics of the op-ed; and organizing the short informational feature. The course will include "how-to" discussions regarding inquiries from the press and the public, and ways to negotiate direct contacts with both. Guest speakers from the press/marketing field will make occasional presentations during the length of the course.

HUM 570 Proposal Writing
This course helps students developing a case for support for a nonprofit organization, making long-range programmatic and financial plans, researching potential funders, and preparing proposal materials. Students will learn how to find funding sources and will make regular presentations on their research and writing samples. The class will compile a comprehensive set of funding resources, as well as sample grants and planning documents. Guest speakers will share professional insights and experiences.

 

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Undergraduate Programs

The B.A. Single Degree Program

The B.A. Double Degree Program

Graduate Programs

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses

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