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Core
Courses | Core-Related Course
| Non-Core Courses | Skills
| Other
*I. CORE Courses
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The four semester series in the RC CORE are assigned GEC credits in Philosophical/Religious/Ethical Perspectives, Literature, Historical Perspectives and Social & Behavioral Sciences.
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CORE COURSE
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THE AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE: 1900-2000
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MWF 11-11:50 |
This semester of American experience includes changes that occurred as a result of the rebuilding of the nation following the Civil War, the closing of the frontier, the impact of the Industrial Revolution and of new scientific theories. 20th Century development was influenced by the waves of immigrants, a great economic depression, the American involvement in two world wars, civil rights and women’s movements, Korean and Vietnam Wars, and growing ideological tensions.
Common Text: Miles Wolff, Lunch at the 5 & 10
Requirements: Participation and attendance at lectures and seminars, a mid-term and final exam, common readings, and seminar assignments.
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RCO 208-01 |
A Woman’s Work Is Never Done
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Fran Arndt |
Although the 14th Amendment gave African American men the rights of citizenship, black women, like white, were still denied the vote and many other rights. The first half of the 20th Century was marked by women of all races and classes struggling for the right to vote, to work in formerly male-only jobs, to acquire an education, and to control their personal lives. The second half saw the advent of the Women’s Movement, the failure of the ERA, and the continuing confusion for men and women about natural and political rights. This section of Core will examine many of the issues as they are reflected in literature by American women. Students will also select a woman to research and present to the class.
Tentative Texts: Cather, My Ántonia; Morrison, The Bluest Eye; Friedan, The Feminine Mystique; poems by Levertov, Sexton, Rich, Plath; stories by Walker, O’Conner, and Olsen. The shorter works will be given out in class. Suggestions from the class will be considered.
RCO 208-01 counts toward a WGS major.
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RCO 208-02 |
The 20th Century Presidency
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Jeff Colbert |
At the beginning of the century, America was not regarded as a world power and its president was similarly dismissed. However, in the 20th century America rose to be a world power and closed the century as THE world power. At the heart of this change is the office of the president. We will examine the transition of political power to the president in light of national/international events. We will look at the whole century, but will focus more on the period after World War II. You will write a research paper focusing on a 20th century president and a particular problem or incident that he dealt with while he was in office.Texts:
You will read a brief text on the modern presidency, two presidential biographies from a pre-selected group, and the common Core text.
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RCO 208-03 |
Show Me The Money: Populism, Prosperity &
Depression—America In The 20th Century |
Christine Flood |
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In the 20th century, America transformed from Jefferson’s simple agrarian image and Jackson’s mercantile vision to a full-fledged capitalist world power. How did this happen? Who benefited? Who was marginalized? What were the political issues that capitalism brought along with it? Why did America enjoy the height of prosperity, followed by the depths of severe depression (repeatedly)? This seminar will require a short book review and a presentation. And to all my returning students, I’ll get to finally talk about Hitler in the correct context!
Texts: Theodore Drieser, Sister Carrie; F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. Textbook to be named and we will watch part of the film Wizard of Oz, which is actually a political movie!
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RCO 208-04
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The 20th Century American
Experience |
Mark Moser |
By examining the rapidly changing demographic landscape of the nation as a whole—set against the backdrop of major historical events—we will be able to appreciate and better understand the complex layers of recent American history. Using Frederick Jackson Turner’s 1893 essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History" as a starting point, we will examine the movements (both voluntary and involuntary) of Americans during this era. Topics covered will include: immigration trends during the early 20th century; the major periods of African American migration from the south to the north and their subsequent impact on race relations; the isolation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II; and the century-long process of "suburbanization" in the United States, which will include a look at the phenomenon of "white flight" which became prevalent during the 1950s.Texts:
Kenneth T. Jackson, Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States; Gary Y. Okihiro, Storied Lives: Japanese American Students and World War II; John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath. Additional readings on e-reserve.
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RCO 208-05 |
From "Solid" To "Liquid" Modernity In America:
Beyond The Panopticon |
Ben Ramsey |
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In the 20th century, American society, culture, politics, and economics underwent a profound transition from a classical capitalist formation to the "postmodern" formation with which we are presently grappling. In this section, we will examine this transformation, its basis, logic, and implications.
Texts:
Readings for the course will include two texts: Alan Trachtenberg’s The Incorporation of America and Zygmunt Bauman’s Liquid Modernity.
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Core
Courses | Core-Related Course
| Non-Core Courses | Skills
| Other
II. CORE-RELATED
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RCO 222W-01
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Detective Fiction
(GLT, H, WI)
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Frances Arndt
MW 3:30-4:45 PM
Mary Foust 118 |
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Invented by Edgar Allan Poe in a brief period of sobriety and success, the fictional detective is a product of the modern age, an individual able to use his reason or her feeling to unravel difficult puzzles and restore order to a troubled world.
This course will chart the development of this popular genre from its origins in 1842 to the present, looking at the innovations and variations it undergoes as it evolves. Dominated by English and American writers for over one hundred years (western nations were first to develop modern police forces and court systems), it now reflects almost every conceivable culture and national region. Non-western writers such as Xiaolong will be represented as well as western classics such as Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Hammett (Sam Spade).
Besides writing their own detective story, students will help shape the course by reporting on a writer of their choice.
Texts:
Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; Hammett, The Maltese Falcon; Xiaolong, The Loyal Character Dancer; Smith, The #1 Ladies Detective Agency; Hillerman, Dancehall of the Dead; and handouts.
Requirements:
There will be a couple of tests, at least one short paper, a story you write yourself, and an oral report and term paper on a writer you choose.
Maximum Number of RC Students:
20
Equivalent:
HSS 207-05
Note:
This is an Honors class for students who have been admitted to the L
Lloyd International Honors College.
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FMS 160-02
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Hollywood And History:
Truth,
Lies, And Videotape
(GHP, WI)
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Christine Flood
MWF 10-10:50 AM
Ashby Parlor |
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The tragic elements of many eras in American history are almost irresistible to script writers and producers who make them into big-budget films that often take huge historical leaps over the real story. Of course, no one expects movie makers to be historians, nor is that their job, technically—their job is to make good films. Yet the visual images of movies last far longer than any lecture; the characterizations and plotlines in films persist even over the protests of frustrated historians. Movies, in reality, represent history for many of us.
Movies:
In this seminar, we will look at several first-run movies, among them The Patriot, Glory, Gone with the Wind, Grapes of Wrath, Mississippi Burning. The seminar will then critique the films on their historical storytelling.
Texts:
To facilitate this discussion, our readings will include Past Imperfect, a set of history essays on popular films and a history textbook to help us contextualize the real events and issues.
Requirements:
10 page paper, 2-3 response papers, midterm, and final.
Maximum Number of RC Students:
12
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RCO 252-01 |
Epic Of Evolution
(GNS, GLS) |
Ann Berry Somers
MWF 9-9:50 AM
Mary
Foust 118 |
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We live at an extraordinary moment in the history of our species and the natural history of our planet. We are the first generation of living beings (at least on Earth!) to see the universe and know something of our origins in deep time. As we are learning the story of our ancestry, we find that our activity is endangering the life systems of the planet. We have become an evolutionary and a geological force with consequences for all other life forms on the planet and for the course of evolution itself.
Five massive extinctions have been recorded in the fossil record. We are living in the time of the sixth, unprecedented because it is being caused by a single species. Attempts to reverse the trends of the last century will be the task of the citizens of the 21st century. Students will study the origin of the universe and the Earth in order that we may better understand our place in the natural world. We will examine our unique vision, our unique impact, and our unique responsibilities. We will search for and learn what measures should be taken in order to maintain the life systems of the planet to allow all species the opportunity to participate in the great community of existence.
Texts:
No textbook required; readings from two sources: links on web page study guide and articles on Blackboard.
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Requirements |
Points |
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Four Tests @ 80 points each
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320 |
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Final Exam |
100 |
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Class Performance and Attendance |
30 |
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Assignments (includes Environmental Service) |
50
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TOTAL |
500 |
Maximum Number of RC Students:
22
Equivalent:
BIO 105
Note: Students may register separately for BIO 105 Lab. Lab activities will not coincide with class content.
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Core
Courses | Core-Related Course
| Non-Core Courses | Skills
| Other
III. NON-CORE-RELATED
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RCO 101-01 |
Rhetoric and Choice
(GRD) |
Sara Littlejohn
MW 2-3:15 PM
Mary Foust
118 |
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In this course you get to decide what you will write about. Writing is more than an empty exercise we do for our teachers. Writing creates new knowledge, and this course gives you an opportunity to write and learn about what interests you. For writing to be meaningful for us, we have to be writing about issues that matter to us; we have to understand how writing fits into our world today. Students will choose their own topics to explore in a semester-long investigation through writing, with an emphasis on how rhetoric and the writing process influence the way we write. We will learn about students’ individual topics with a focus on the clear communication of ideas through voice, style, arrangement, and argument; all of which will culminate in a writing portfolio showcasing student work.
Texts:
TBA
Maximum Number of RC Students:
24
Equivalent:
ENG 101
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RCO 115-01
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College Algebra
(GMT) |
Tracey Howell
MWF 10-10:50 AM
Mary
Foust 118 |
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This is a traditional college algebra course with in-class lectures 3 days a week and online homework/quiz assignments. The syllabus will be posted on Blackboard approximately one week before the fall semester begins.
Texts:
Mark Dugopolski, College Algebra, 4th Edition, and Access Kit to CourseCompass. The book will be a new edition for Fall 2006, and the Access Kit will come bundled (free) with the purchase of a new book.
Requirements:
Class participation, 4 in-class tests, online homework/quizzes, cumulative final exam, and no more than four absences during the entire semester.
Maximum Number of RC Students:
20
Equivalent: MT 115
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RCO 255-01 |
Introduction to Earth Science
(GNS,
GPS) |
Jay Lennartson
TR 2-3:15 PM
Mary
Foust 118 |
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In this course you will learn about the physical environment of our home "Earth". You will study the fundamental concepts of the four sciences that comprise Earth Science: geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy.
You will learn that Earth in form and structure is a dynamic entity. With a basic knowledge of the Earth and the processes that have shaped it, you will have a greater appreciation for our home Planet Earth.
After completion of RCO 255, students will be able to describe how Earth’s major subsystems are interconnected, describe the nature and makeup of Earth’s major inorganic subsystems, explain and describe the key processes that occur within Earth’s lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, collect and analyze atmospheric, hydrologic and atmospheric data, explain the nature and significance of important local and global environmental problems.
Texts:
Earth Science (11th Edition), Tarbuck & Lutgens
Requirements:
Mandatory regular attendance. Students who miss more than two classes will be dropped from the course. Assignments include papers, exercises, quizzes and exams; field activities, discussions, online activities, and presentations.
Maximum Number of RC Students:
24
Equivalent: GEO 103
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RCO 273-01
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Introduction To Psychology
(GSB) |
Laura Rhoads
TR 3:30-4:45 PM
Mary Foust
118 |
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This course will provide a survey of the field of psychology. Through the use of readings, lectures, audiovisual aids, class discussion/activities, and a group project, students will learn key concepts and fundamentals of psychology such as the importance of the psychological science, the nature-nurture debate, the interaction between the mind and body, and the rationality (or irrationality) of human behavior. Students will also become familiar with a variety of specialty areas within psychology (biological, developmental, behavioral, clinical, etc.).
Texts:
D. G. Myers, Psychology, New York: Worth Publishers; additional readings will be provided by the instructor throughout the course.
Requirements:
Class participation, tests, group project, quizzes.
Maximum Number of RC Students: 24
Equivalent:
PSY 121
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RCO 212-01
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Buddhism
(GPR, GN) |
Charles D. Orzech
TR 11-12:15 PM
Mary
Foust 118 |
This course has three goals. First, (1) the course is an introduction to the study of religion: its methods and concepts, and (2) and an introduction to the issues raised by religion in the modern world. Second, the course is an introduction to Buddhist religious traditions and their cultural contexts. Third, our exploration of Buddhism will involve inquiry into our own culture and its religious traditions as reflected in our understanding (or misunderstanding) of Buddhism. We will focus on classical Buddhism in India and China (with occasional asides to Japan and Buddhism in the modern world).
Texts:
TBA
Maximum Number of RC Students:
12
Equivalent:
REL 221-01
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REL 366W-01
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Religions Of China: Chinese Buddhism
(WI) |
Charles D. Orzech
W 6-8:50 PM
Foust
Bldg 111 |
This fall's seminar on Chinese religion will focus on the development and practice of Buddhism in China. We will begin with an introduction to traditional Chinese religions and then move on to a brief overview of Buddhist traditions in South Asia. We will then shift to reading some of the classic texts of Chinese Buddhism, and to examining the development of traditional and distinctive Chinese Buddhist practices—both those based in monasteries and those among the laity. Although REL 366W has no formal prerequisite, a previous course in religion--particularly a non-western religion—would be helpful, and a previous course either in Buddhism or in Chinese Religions would be highly desirable.
The aim of the course is not only to familiarize you with a subject, but also to sharpen your written and verbal skills. The course is writing intensive. Students prepare and respond to readings in on-line discussion before each class. Each student must post ten substantive on-line responses and participate in in-class group work and discussion. There will also be two 7 to 9 page essays, each of which will be critiqued by peer writing groups in workshop sessions.
Texts:
TBA
Maximum Number of RC Students:
6
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FMS 130W-02
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The Art Of Story Telling
(GFA, SLV, WI, SI) |
Kimberly M. Cuny
TR 9:30-10:45 AM
Mary Foust 118 |
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Take a journey into the folklore of Non-Western countries as we advance multicultural education and foster an appreciation of diversity. Students will research, read, analyze, and perform stories of their choice from around the world. As the journey comes to an end, the final storytelling project will involve telling stories to children at the Greensboro Public Library.
Texts:
Collins and Cooper, The Power of Story.
Requirements:
Class participation, research, exams, in and out of-class story telling, and one paper.
Maximum Number of RC Students:
12 (2 or 3 sophomores)
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RCO 287-01
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Major Authors In Russian Literature:
Tolstoy
(WL, GLT, GN, WL) |
Kathleen Ahern
TR 9:30-10:45 AM
Ashby Parlor |
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This course will examine two great novels by Leo Tolstoy. We will begin the semester with some group presentations on short works by Tolstoy from
Great Short Works of Tolstoy [Harper, 1967]. We will then move to the novel
War and Peace and conclude with Anna Karenina, both written in Tolstoy’s middle period from 1863-1877. The course will be conducted in a seminar format and will focus on analysis of the texts and understand Tolstoy’s artistic style. Minimum page assignments for reading will be given out weekly.
Texts:
Norton Critical Editions [Norton, 2nd edition, 1995].
Requirements:
As the course will be largely discussion-based, it is important that students attend class and participate in classroom discussion. Grading is as follows: Class participation/short essays: 50%; Formal Essay: 30%; Tests: 20%.
Maximum Number of RC Students: 12
Cross-listed:
RUS 313
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Additional Classes Available At Residential College
There are other RC classes available for those students interested. These are Residential College Independent Study (RCO 301) and Residential College Advanced Study (RCO 302).
Please inquire in RC Office if you have interest in these courses.
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