Collegiate Success Institute
Courses
Overview
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Fall and spring semester courses last approximately 15 weeks; courses in the CSI program cover the same amount of material in only 6 weeks. The coursework during CSI is designed to be challenging and fast-paced. However, the faculty and staff that teach these courses are very aware that the CSI students may be experiencing their first college-level course and are willing to work with all students to keep them up to speed.
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All courses offered as part of the CSI program will fulfill a UMBC requirement and carry at least 3 credits.
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All students participating in CSI must take MATH106Y - Algebra and Elementary Functions OR ENGL100Y - Composition. Placement testing will be used to determine which course is an appropriate fit for each student.
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Students who place out of or do not need to take MATH106Y or ENGL100Y, can still participate in CSI and take one of the optional courses. Optional courses included FYS102A - Images of Madness: Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Media and PHIL150Y - Contemporary Moral Issues.
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Every student participating in the CSI program will also participate in an Introduction to an Honors University (IHU) course to learn about resources and requirements of an Honors University. This course will be paired with the MATH, ENGL or PHIL course depending on the student's schedule and will add one additional credit, making one of these three courses worth 4 credits.
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All courses offered during CSI are limited to 25 students, ensuring that each student will have a friendly, supporting environment where they feel comfortable asking questions, exploring ideas, and challenging perceptions of college life and coursework. Best of all – each student will receive on-on-one time with the professors who are carefully chosen because of their abilities to work with new students.
Course List and Information
MATH106Y – Algebra and Elementary Functions
This course is an introduction to the basic techniques and functions of mathematics. This course is especially recommended for those students who need to brush up due to a shaky high school preparation or for those who have not had a mathematics course in several years. Topics include linear equations; quadratic equations; polynomials; and rational functions and their inverses, including exponential and the logarithmic functions.
ENGL100Y – Composition
This course will consist of a workshop in writing. Students will learn about the writing process, how to write clear and effective essays, and how to think critically and support ideas. The course will consist of writing essays, analyzing novels, conducting research using both print and electronic sources and providing review to peers. Ultimately students should walk away from this course being able to write in a clear and effective manner.
FYS102A – Images of Madness
This course reviews Academy Award-winning films depicting mental illness to consider the influence of motion pictures on the public perception of social issues, policies, and services. We will analyze films using a historical framework and with assigned readings that address cultural stereotypes, societal attitudes, and the public's response toward people with mental illness.
PHIL150Y - Contemporary Moral Issues
This course is an introduction to the problems and concepts of moral philosophy that focuses on current moral issues. This course introduces students to moral theories and their implications, the nature of moral reasoning and argument, and the meaning and justification of moral concepts such as obligation and rights. Some topics may include free speech, abortion and euthanasia, environmental ethics, the rights of animals, and distributive and compensatory justice. This specific section of this course examines issues at the intersection of ethics and war. Particular topics may include the justification for war, the morality of torture, the moral status of the practice of terrorism, and the ethical implications of the use of drones in combat.
For more Information, Please Contact:
Program Coordinator
lailams@umbc.edu | (410) 455-3737