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Interdisciplinary Studies
- IDS 402. Business Ethics
Credits: 4. This seminar course addresses current ethical issues in business and frameworks for addressing them. The main objective is for each student to discover for her/himself the core of his/her moral and ethical basis for decision-making in the workplace. The course utilizes a case-Study approach to assist students in applying the principles discussed in class. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 403. Culture/Travel/Writing
Credits: 4. Students examine and compare literary, anthropological, and political theories of culture and travel, as well as explore the critical, creative, and journalistic practices of late 20th/early 21st century travel writers. Two central questions the course engages are: What is travel writing, and can it be seen as a distinctive genre? How are definitions of travel and travel writing inflected by gender and influenced by particulars of cultural history and social class? Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 405. Quakers, Community and Commitment
Credits: 4. Draws on the disciplines of Quaker studies, religious studies, history, anthropology, sociology, and economics to explore a core Quaker testimony of community. The course introduces historical intentional communities as a preliminary to exploring contemporary religious, political, and socio-economic intentional communities. Field trips, with occasional extra fees for participation, are included. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 408. East Asian Theater
Credits: 4. Study of traditional theatre of China and Japan. Examines the literary styles and theatrical conventions of Beijing opera, Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh as living metaphors of Eastern culture. Grounded in study of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and intercultural requirements. - IDS 409. Gay, Lesbian, Queer Studies
Credits: 4. An intensive study of the literature and culture of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer movements in 20th-century American with particular focus on the intersections among queer theory, women's studies and African American studies. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and social justice and environmental responsibility requirements. - IDS 410. Power, Politics, and Public Schools
Credits: 4. The purpose of this course is to explore the origin and nature of inequities in American public education, and the processes through which communities have come together to address them, drawing on the lenses of the history of education, sociology of education and education organizing. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement.Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and social justice and environmental responsibility requirements. - IDS 411. Gender & Development in Africa
Credits: 4. Uses interdisciplinary African ethnographic films and literature to understand the legitimacy of mainstreaming gender equality and sensitivity as fundamental values that should be reflected in development processes, choices and practices. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 412. Race, Ethnicity, Psychology and Law
Credits: 4. Consists of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of African Americans and other racial/ethnic minorities as it relates to psychology and the legal system. Counts as capstone for African American Studies major. Prerequisites: Historical Perspectives, PSY 100, or two courses in African American Studies and minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 415. Understanding Eating Disorder
Credits: 4. Examines eating disorders, using multidisciplinary knowledge to deepen and broaden students’ understanding of ways in which eating disorders are, as Bordo says, “a crystallization of culture” as well as individual responses to that culture. Students will interrogate sociological, philosophical, medical and psychological literature along with personal memoir to gain understanding of disturbed eating. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 416. Biotechnology and Society
Credits: 4. Examines a wide range of innovations in the area of biotechnology including immortal cell lines, transgenic organisms, gene therapy and cloning. Students will consider current and future applications of these technologies and their impact on human health, the environment and society. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 417. Ethics of Capitalism
Credits: 4. Explores the historical business, economic, political and ethical foundations of capitalism, considered by some to be the “engine” for prosperity. Capitalism is both an economic and social system, in which the individual and the government assume specific responsibilities and roles. In “pure” capitalism, production and distribution are private operations; individuals exchange goods and services through markets; and they do so in order to achieve profits. Capitalism raises ethical questions about wealth and poverty, globalization, allocation of resources, utility, freedom, equality, fairness, individualism and social justice. This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of capitalism as a system and presents opportunities for students to think critically about related ethical issues. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 418. Science, Sex and Nature
Credits: 4. Prerequisite: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements. . - IDS 419. Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Life
Credits: 4. Concepts and techniques involved in building artificial systems that claim some level of intelligence or life. Exploration of the technical aspects and the philosophical and social issues involved in attempting to create intelligent and/or living systems. Prerequisites: CTIS 141, and minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 420. Athletics in Higher Education
Credits: 4. A comprehensive and interdisciplinary study of how intercollegiate athletics operate at American colleges and universities. The course examines the impact sport has on the higher education experience for students, faculty, administrators, alumni and external constituents. Prerequisite: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspecitves requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 421. Border Crossings
Credits: 4. This course examines the concept of “the border” that has worked to exclude those seen as not properly a part of “normal” American citizenry. Using the methodology and theoretical commitments of early “outsider” and activist scholarship, the course traces more recent scholarly movements in disability theory, critical legal theory, and queer theory to examine the use of discourses of exclusion and resistance in current border controversies, such as the movement of migrant labor across the Arizona/Mexico border. Prerequisite: Minimum of 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 422. The Harlem Renaissance
Credits: 4. This critical thinking based discussion course introduces students to the “Jazz Age” from an Afro-centric perspective and explores the significance of the era to the development of the African American literary and historical traditions. We consider issues of race, gender and class and question notions of aesthetic standards. Prerequisite: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and diversity in the U.S. requirements. - IDS 423. Ethical Issues Biology and Medicine
Credits: 4. Explores the ethical implications of a number of recent advances in the fields of biology and medicine. The course is designed to be thought-provoking, argument- provoking, and mentally stimulating. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and social justice and environmental responsibility requirements. - IDS 424. Genesis
Credits: 4. This interdisciplinary course will explore the biblical book of Genesis, an ancient multigeneric work regarded as scripture by Jews and Christians, and as a foundational cultural text by champions of the idea of Western Civilization. Employing a variety of approaches to find meaning in Genesis, the course will also consider the way in which the book figures in contemporary discussions about the origins of the universe, morality and ethics, interfaith dialogue, ecology, gender, sexuality, and race. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credtis earned and completion of Historical Perspectives. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 426. Legal Decisions
Credits: 4. Provides an upper-division introduction to the interdisciplinary study of legal decision-making and explores the nature and scope of our rights as citizens and some of the legal principles and procedures that limit and guide interactions in the American legal system. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 435. Understanding Poverty
Credits: 4. Examines the underlying multiple causes and compares anthropological, sociological, political, ecological, and economic theories, of poverty. Explores methodological issues in the measurement of poverty and institutional approaches to its alleviation, including both national and international development strategies. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 437. Barrier Islands: Ecology & Development
Credits: 4. Focuses on coastal processes (the science of wind and waves, tides and currents), coastal habitats (from the high-energy beach to the salt marsh), and coastal problems (caused when humans attempt to control natural coastal processes in order to live on a fragile island) as seen on the barrier islands of North Carolina. The course includes a required field trip to the North Carolina coast. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and social justice & environmental studies requirements. - IDS 440. The American Upper Class
Credits: 4. Examines, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the American upper class throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty first, looking at the distribution of wealth in this country, and the extent to which that distribution changed during the twentieth century. The course considers how perceptions held about upper class life affect the lives of the vast majority of those not in the upper class. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 442. International Development
Credits: 4. Uses the perspectives of history, politics, economics, geography and religion to investigate the factors that determine whether or not developing countries reap the benefits of globalization and development. The course explores the various conclusions reached by different theorists and policy-makers. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 443. Leadership: East and West
Credits: 4. Analyzes and compares Eastern and Western perspectives of leadership. By using cross-cultural approaches, it examines how culture, religion, philosophy, and political ideology cause different understandings of power, legitimacy and justice and therefore shape different leadership styles. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 452. Cultural History of Ancient Greece from Homer to the Death of Socrates
Credits: 4. Introduces students to the history of culture in archaic and classical Greece (ca. 800-400 BCE). The methods and materials for investigating this period are interdisciplinary, drawing on literary, philosophical and historiographical sources, including Homeric epics, Greek drama and histories, and Platonic dialogues. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 455. Human Sexuality
Credits: 4. An interdisciplinary study of human sexuality that draws most prominently from the academic disciplines of biology, psychology, sociology, and health education. Focused topics include male and female sexual anatomy and physiology, birth control, pregnancy and childbirth, sexually transmitted diseases, gender development and identity, and sexual orientation. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 461. Nothin’ But Disasters
Credits: 4. Looks at how the natural world operates, how natural processes such as volcanos, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, landslides, meteorite impact and mass extinctions can harm humans and their works, and how we can avoid these disasters. We will use course elements include science, myth, religion, literature, film, economics and public policy. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 463. Explorations of Consciousness
Credits: 4. Course participants will peer into individual experience, grapple with philosophical insights about the nature of consciousness and probe experimental observations about consciousness, brain and behavior, using scholarly inquiry, research, argument and introspection. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 469. Leadership
Credits: 4. Provides students with a leadership practicum in which to assess their leadership skills and then work on developing and improving these skills. Focuses include leadership theories, leadership traits, ethics, personal/work habits and problem solving and interpersonal skills. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 472. Environmental Planning
Credits: 4. This course is designed to give students the opportunity to apply interdisciplinary methods and tools to assess the current status of environmentally sensitive areas, to protect natural resources, ecosystems, and watersheds, and to study the management and preservation of existing green spaces. Students will also investigate current designs for the development of more sustainable communities, including urban planning strategies that relate to preservation and restoration of the environment. This course will integrate discussion of the scientific concepts that underlie environmental planning decisions, as well as local and federal policies relevant to planning issues. Students interested in closely related fields are encouraged toward in-depth study in these areas, including other scientific disciplines, economics, cultural impacts, policy and law, etc. The course will include a large, applied project that will give students the opportunity to integrate and apply their disciplinary expertise to a complex environmental issue. Prerequisites: 2 laboratory sciences or permission of instructor and a minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 474. Creativity, Vocation, and Success
Credits: 4. Focuses on concepts of creativity and success as they apply to a variety of disciplines and professions. Substantial academic and reflective writing are required. Additionally, all classes are held outside, in the Guilford woods, regardless of weather. Preparation for life beyond the classroom is a metaphorical and literal class goal. There are two mandatory backpacking trips with appropriate clothing required. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 475. Perceptions of Mental Illness
Credits: 4. Develops an integrated understanding of how sociology, biopsychiatry, psychology, the general public and people with mental illness view mental illness and how these approaches can be utilized to comprehend the subject in a broad, social context. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 476. Beethoven and the Age of Revolution
Credits: 4. The life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) bridges the classical and the romantic periods. This course will compare and seek connections between the philosophical, the artistic (both musical and visual) and the historical aspects of this era. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 477. Magic, Science and Religion
Credits: 4. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 478. Aging and Economics
Credits: 4. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 481. Notions of Beauty in 20th Century Culture, Art & Fiction
Credits: 4. Examines intentions and manifestations of beauty in various cultural practices, the valuation and departure from ideal depictions in visual and textual sources and the way these conceptions come to life through the vehicles of history, sociology, contemporary art, advertising, and fiction. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 482. Ecofeminism and Environmental Justice
Credits: 4. Examines the contributions of religion to the environmental movement and the way in which the current environmental crisis and the movement responding to this crisis are reshaping religion. Prerequisites: At least one course in women’s studies, religious studies, environmental studies, or African American, Native American, Pacific Islander/Asian-American or Latino/a studies (exceptions only by arrangement with instructor), minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 483. The Politics of Difference
Credits: 4. Examines the production, negotiation and valuation of difference within postcolonial and liberal multicultural societies. How do societies that claim to accommodate diversity treat cultural, ethnic, racial, religious and sexual difference? Students should have some familiarity with critiques of colonialism and with social theory (ideally including post-structuralism). Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 484. Democratic Law
Credits: 4. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) requirement. - IDS 485. Arab and Islamic Feminisms
Credits: 4. Examines the nature, development and articulations of Arab and Islamic feminisms over the last 100 years. The course will explore the history of the status of women in the Arabo-Islamic world, the variations in feminist movements among various Arab and Islamic countries and the debates around Islamic feminism. Prerequisites: Minimum 88 semester credits earned and completion of Historical Perspectives requirement. Fulfills interdisciplinary studies (IDS 400) and intercultural requirements.
