First Year Seminars
2011-2012
Fall 2011 | Spring 2012

Fall 2011:

FYS 101D - Turning to One Another: Beliefs and Behaviors
(AH) GEP, (AH) GFR

TuTh, 8:30AM - 9:45AM

Academic Building IV Rm. 108

C Randles, Diane Lee

This course is oriented toward exploration of questions that are both personal and global in their orientation. What do I believe about others? What is the relationship I want with the earth? When and where do I experience sacred? Conversations will occur around topics such as these to expand and inform our understanding of how our beliefs and behaviors have the power to transform.

FYS 101Q - Creating A Culture of Peace:  What would it take?

(AH) GEP

TuTh, 10:00AM - 11:15AM

Sondheim Hall 108

Joby Taylor

Building a Culture of Peace will engage students in investigating the diverse meanings and methods operating in the study and practice of peace. The course will include an interdisciplinary exploration of primary texts, key terms, major theories and methods, and a guest presentation. There will also be individualized research opportunities for students that will result in critical and creative essays across a range of interrelated topics and build toward an overall course learning portfolio.

FYS 101R - Sustainability in American Culture

(AH) GEP

TuTh, 1:00PM - 2:15PM

Fine Arts Building Rm. 215

Rita Turner

This course explores the concept of sustainability, and how it is presented in popular American culture. We will examine cultural conversations and beliefs about the environment and about pressing environmental challenges, investigating how attitudes toward these issues get presented, debated, and constructed in American culture, through such media as books, movies, television, poetry, art, and news stories. Students will be expected to critically analyze readings and viewings, to discuss and reflect upon their own environmental attitudes and experiences, and to produce creative writing, digital stories, research presentations, and a final essay exploring an issue of their choice related to sustainability in American culture.

FYS 101S - Creating Stories About Times of Change

(AH) GEP

TuTh, 1:00PM - 4:00PM

Engineering Rm. 336

Dr. Judah Ronch

This course explores common themes in both adolescence and aging, stages in life that can transform a person’s sense of identity. In intergenerational teams, students will explore changes in their identities by producing video stories together that will focus on common threads, shared insights and lessons about growth. The narrative collaboration will offer opportunities for empathy and broadening of perspective, and participants will gain wisdom about creating identity in times of change.

FYS 102A - Images of Madness

(SS) GEP, (SS) GFR

Th, 4:30PM - 7:00PM

Academic Building IV Rm. 011

Carolyn Tice

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.

FYS 102C - Diversity, Ethics and Social Justice in the Context of Schooling

(SS) GEP, (SS) GFR

M, 3:00PM - 4:15PM

Location TBA

Vickie Williams, Sue Small

We will explore and mediate the tensions that exist in current reform efforts as schools endeavor to meet the needs of diverse students. This course will use an inquiry-based approach to examine federal and local policies and how they impact students, schools and society.

FYS 102P - Creativity, Innovation, and Invention

(AH) GEP

We, 4:30PM - 7:00PM

Meyerhoff Chemistry Rm. 272

Dr. William Lacourse

This course is for undergraduate students of all majors to explore the invention process from the germination of an idea to the development of a prototype in order to solve problems that address everyday needs. The purpose of the course is to inspire creativity and motivate students to invent, and supply them with the minimum expertise necessary to design, market, and protect an invention. Students will work in “active-learning” I-teams that will assume responsibility for tasks that are important to the development and success of their invention. Students will essentially act as the divisions of a company that are all working toward a common purpose.

 

For More Information, Please Contact:
Jill Randles
Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education
jrandles@umbc.edu | (410) 455-3715