General Education


General Education at UIC: An Overview

General Education is an important part of every undergraduate degree program. The General Education Program provides students with a breadth of exposure to the academic disciplines and serves as the foundation for the knowledge, skills, and competencies essential to becoming well-educated college graduates and citizens.

The program ensures a certain level of intellectual breadth, while at the same time allowing students the opportunity to select courses or clusters of courses around areas of their own interests. Specifically, the program:

  • provides intellectual guidance by identifying six broad areas of knowledge that correspond to the kinds of experiences that a liberally educated person should have.
  • makes clear to students what they are taking and why.
  • is an open system that does not bind departments into one category. This model thus allows for the development of interdepartmental courses over time. It also allows students to gain interdisciplinary perspectives, which was one of the hoped for outcomes of revising General Education.
  • gives individual colleges some freedom to adjust the General Education requirements to suit their own needs. Although there is a campus wide minimum of one course from each General Education category, colleges may add additional course requirements.

The General Education Program at UIC

The General Education Program at UIC is designed to serve as a foundation for lifelong learning. It also helps prepare students for the world beyond the college experience, a world in which one needs to be able to:

  • think independently.
  • understand and critically evaluate information.
  • analyze and evaluate arguments.
  • develop and present cogent written and oral arguments.
  • explore one’s own culture and history as well as those of others.
  • understand, interpret, and evaluate the arts.
  • think critically about how individuals influence and are influenced by political, economic, cultural, and family institutions.

The General Education Program at UIC (sometimes referred to as Gen Ed or GE) has two main components: a grouping of core courses that are clustered around six themes and sets of required proficiencies. The specific requirements vary from college to college. All colleges, however, require a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit with at least one course in each of the six categories of General Education and proficiency in writing (as demonstrated by successful completion of ENGL 160 and ENGL 161 or by certain scores on placement or other tests). Note: Students may count up to two courses in their major toward their General Education requirements. If students have a double major, then two courses from each of the majors may be applied toward General Education.

General Education Proficiencies

The University Writing requirement is common across all colleges. Individual colleges may have additional General Education requirements and proficiencies. Students should consult their college and department sections of the catalog for information about fulfilling the General Education requirements as a required part of their degree program.

University Writing Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in written English by earning passing grades in ENGL 160 and ENGL 161, or by achieving proficiency (see section on Demonstrating Writing Proficiency for a Waiver of ENGL 160 or ENGL 161) in one or both of these courses certified in writing by the Department of English. The Department of English reserves the right to require a student to take a preparatory course as a prerequisite for ENGL 160 if the student’s score on the Writing Placement Test reveals the need for such a course. Whenever questions arise with regard to the fulfillment of the University Writing requirement through transfer courses, a writing portfolio, or standard examinations, the Department of English will determine whether to grant the student an exemption from the requirement.

Students should consult their college section of the catalog for more information on fulfilling the University Writing requirement as part of their degree program.

General Education Core

The General Education Core includes the following six categories. This section of the catalog provides a description and list of courses for each category.

Analyzing the Natural World

A central principle of a knowledge-based society is that, where possible, experimental tests should be designed to critically evaluate the accuracy of an idea or physical law. It is crucial that students understand both how accurate experimental results are obtained and how uncertainties in these results affect scientific conclusions. Courses in this category provide an understanding of scientific method and the factual knowledge necessary to develop hypotheses, to test them, and to distinguish those conclusions resting on unsupported assertion from those verified by sound scientific reasoning. Theories also play an important role in the way we see the world around us. In the natural sciences, theories are developed to explain experimental observation, form the basis for the design of further experiments, and provide the foundation for advances in technology. Mathematics provides appropriate tools (such as calculus) necessary to formulate the scientific theories.

Courses in this category should introduce students to scientific and mathematical concepts and methods. They should be designed to facilitate the students’ ability to do one or more of the following:

  1. Understand and critically evaluate information and concepts in the natural and mathematical sciences.
  2. Use and understand scientific method to analyze ideas and obtain knowledge.
  3. Appreciate the value of and difference between scientific laws, theories, hypotheses, and speculation.
  4. Use scientific and mathematical reasoning to make relevant distinctions among ideas.
  5. Think critically about contemporary issues in science and technology.
  6. Logically and clearly communicate experimental results and observations to others.
  7. Analyze quantitative information and draw conclusions from these analyses.
Analyzing the Natural World Courses
Anthropology
ANTH 102Introduction to Archaeology c,g4
ANTH 105Human Evolution c,g4
ANTH 238Biology of Women (Same as GWS 238) b,g,h3
Biological Sciences
BIOS 104Biology for Non-majors g4
BIOS 110Biology of Cells and Organisms4
BIOS 120Biology of Populations and Communities4
Chemical Engineering
CHE 150Climate Engineering for Global Warming h3
Chemistry
CHEM 100Chemistry and Life g5
CHEM 105Chemistry and the Molecular Human: An Inquiry Perspective g4
CHEM 115Comprehensive General and Organic Chemistry5
CHEM 116Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I5
CHEM 118Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II5
CHEM 122Matter and Energy h,i3
CHEM 123Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I i2
CHEM 124Chemical Dynamics h,i3
CHEM 125Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II i2
CHEM 130Survey of Organic and Biochemistry5
Computer Science
CS 100Discovering Computer Science h3
Earth and Environmental Sciences
EAES 101Global Environmental Change4
EAES 105Climate, Contamination, and Chicago h2
EAES 111Earth, Energy, and the Environment4
EAES 200Field Work in Missouri2
Economics
ECON 106Tobacconomics b,h3
Electrical and Computer Engineering
ECE 115Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering4
Honors College
HON 130Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Individual and Society b,h3
HON 131Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Past c,h3
HON 132Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Creative Arts d,h3
HON 133Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Exploring World Cultures e,h3
HON 134Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding U.S. Society f,h3
HON 145Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World h3
Human Nutrition
HN 196Nutrition h3
Kinesiology
KN 152Introduction to Exercise Physiology and Health3
Mathematical Computer Science
MCS 260Introduction to Computer Science h4
Mathematics
MATH 125Elementary Linear Algebra h5
MATH 160Finite Mathematics for Business h5
MATH 165Calculus for Business h5
MATH 170Calculus for the Life Sciences h4
MATH 180Calculus I h4
MATH 181Calculus II h4
MATH 210Calculus III h3
Music
MUS 116The Science and History of Sound in the Arts (Same as ART 116) h3
Natural Sciences
NATS 105Physical Systems in Earth and Space Science g4
NATS 106Chemical and Biological Systems g4
Philosophy
PHIL 102Introductory Logic h3
PHIL 105Science and Philosophy h3
Physics
PHYS 112Astronomy and the Universe g4
PHYS 116Energy for Future Decision-Makers (same as EAES 116) h3
PHYS 118Physics in Modern Medicine h3
PHYS 131Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I4
PHYS 132Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II4
PHYS 141General Physics I (Mechanics)4
PHYS 142General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism)4
Public Health
PUBH 120Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics h3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society

g

indicates courses specifically designed for those majoring in areas other than science and mathematics

h

nonlaboratory courses

i

Each of the following pairs will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: CHEM 122/CHEM 123; CHEM 124/CHEM 125.

Understanding the Individual and Society

The primary goal of the Individual and Society requirement is to enhance understanding of the complex activities of individuals and their relations with each other and with groups, institutions, governments, media, and society. Courses within this category seek to:

  1. enhance knowledge and appreciation of the diversity of individuals, societies, and cultures
  2. advance the understanding of human relationships within different contexts and
  3. explore the gathering and assessing of knowledge within any social setting or activity.

Courses present theories about the human activities and ideas and demonstrate how scholars use qualitative, quantitative, and humanistic methods to evaluate those theories. They may also explore the ways that knowledge is formed about the self and the world in historical, literary, philosophical, and scientific realms.

Courses in this category should introduce students either to the complexities of the individual or the relationship of the individual to social structures. They should be designed to facilitate the students’ ability to do one or more of the following:

  1. Recognize, describe, and explain social institutions, structures, and processes and the complexities of a global culture and diverse society.
  2. Think critically about how individuals influence and are influenced by political, geographic, economic, cultural, and family institutions in their own and other cultures and explain how one’s knowledge and beliefs may differ from others.
  3. Explain the relationship between the individual and society as it influences
    1. individuals’ cognition, ethics, social interactions, communication practices and affect; and
    2. the quality of life of the individual, the family, and the community.
  4. Examine how literature, history, ethical systems, scientific inquiry, or communicative practice shape our knowledge and perception of individuals and social structures.
  5. Using the most appropriate principles, methods, and technologies, gather and analyze previous inquiry regarding the relationships between individuals and society, draw logical conclusions about such inquiry, and creatively or scientifically apply those conclusions to one’s life and society.
Understanding the Individual and Society Courses
Anthropology
ANTH 101World Cultures: Introduction to Social Anthropology e3
ANTH 215Anthropology of Religion (Same as RELS 215) e3
ANTH 216Medicine, Culture, and Society e3
ANTH 218Anthropology of Children and Childhood3
ANTH 238Biology of Women (Same as GWS 238) a3
ANTH 273Ethnography of Southeast Asia (Same as GEOG 273) e3
ANTH 277Ethnography of Meso-America (Same as LALS 270 ) e3
ANTH 279South Asian Cultures and Societies (Same as GLAS 279) e3
Architecture
ARCH 200Architecture and Society d4
Art
ART 110Introduction to Art Education d4
ART 290Art and Resistance: Socially Engaged Art4
Art History
AH 101The Naked and the Nude: Studies in Visual Literacy3
AH 180Intro to Museum & Exhibition d3
Black Studies
BLST 100Introduction to Black Studies f3
BLST 103Black Politics and Culture in the United States (Same as POLS 112) f3
BLST 104Race, Place, and Schooling: Black Americans and Education (Same as EDPS 104) f3
BLST 207Racism: Global Perspectives (Same as SOC 207) e3
BLST 263Black Intellectual History (Same as HIST 263) c3
BLST 271Race and the Politics of Incarceration (Same as CLJ 271 and SOC 271) f3
BLST 272Race, Gender, and Sexuality (Same as GWS 272) f3
Classics
CL 208Classical Mythology (same as RELS 208) c3
Communication
COMM 100Fundamentals of Human Communication3
COMM 101Introduction to Communication3
COMM 102Introduction to Interpersonal Communication3
COMM 103Introduction to Media3
COMM 140Fundamentals of Social Media and Communication3
Dialogue
DLG 220Intergroup Dialogue f3
Disability and Human Development
DHD 101Disability in U.S. Society f3
DHD 201Disability, Rights, and Culture3
DHD 202Disability, Health, and Society3
DHD 205Disability, Race, Class and Gender (Same as GWS 205)3
Economics
ECON 106Tobacconomics a3
ECON 111Freakonomics3
ECON 120Principles of Microeconomics f4
ECON 121Principles of Macroeconomics f4
Education
ED 100Introduction to Urban Education f3
ED 101Critical Literacies in a Digital Democracy3
ED 135Child and Youth Policies in Urban America f3
ED 205Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Education f3
ED 217STEM, Education, and Society: Exploring Identity, Community, Ethics, Politics, and Ideology3
ED 222Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Education f3
ED 258Language Development and Learning in a Diverse Society f3
ED 264Sport, Education, and Society3
Educational Psychology
EPSY 160Games, Learning, and Society (Same as ED 160)3
EPSY 242Introduction to Sexuality Development Across the Lifespan3
English
ENGL 135Understanding Popular Genres and Culture d3
ENGL 154Understanding Rhetoric d3
ENGL 230Introduction to Film and Culture (Same as MOVI 230) d3
ENGL 245Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Literature (Same as GWS 245) d3
ENGL 247Women and Literature (Same as GWS 247) d3
ENGL 253Environmental Rhetoric f3
ENGL 258The Grammar and Style of Non-Standard Englishes in the U.S. f3
ENGL 292Introduction to the Writing of Nonfiction Prose d3
Entrepreneurship
ENTR 200Survey of Entrepreneurship f3
Finance
FIN 250Personal Finance3
Gender and Women’s Studies
GWS 101Gender in Everyday Life f3
GWS 102Global Perspectives on Women and Gender e3
GWS 204Gender and Popular Culture (Same as COMM 204) f3
GWS 262Constructions of Gender, Race, Health, and Human Rights (Same as ANTH 262) e3
Geography
GEOG 161Introduction to Economic Geography e3
GEOG 203Human Geography of Latin America including the Caribbean Region (Same as LALS 217) e3
Germanic Studies
GER 120Study of Gender, Class, and Political Issues in German Texts (Same as GWS 120) e3
GER 240Classical German Thought from Kant to Nietzsche c3
Global Asian Studies
GLAS 120Introduction to Asian American Studies (Same as SOC 120) f3
GLAS 210Asian American Histories (Same as HIST 210) f3
GLAS 230Cultural Politics of Asian American Food f3
GLAS 250Critical Issues in Community Engagement f3
GLAS 263Asian American Gender and Sexual Diversity (Same as GWS 263) f3
History
HIST 117Understanding the Holocaust (Same as JST 117 and RELS 117) c3
HIST 137Russia in War and Revolution, 1904-1922 c3
HIST 211The Dawn of European Modernity, 1500-1715 c3
HIST 213Europe in the Age of Capitalism and Imperialism, 1815 - 1914 c3
HIST 214Twentieth-Century Europe c3
HIST 220Modern Germany, 1848 to the Present c3
HIST 224France: 1500 to 1715 c3
HIST 233East Central Europe and the Balkans: From Empires to Nation-States c3
HIST 234The Making of Modern Poland (Same as POL 234) c3
HIST 235The Rise and Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe c3
HIST 237The Russian Empire in the Modern Period: History, Culture and the Challenges of Diversity c3
HIST 282Global Enlightenment: Empire and the 18th-Century European Imagination of the World c3
Honors College
HON 120Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding the Past c3
HON 121Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding Creative Arts d3
HON 122Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Exploring World Cultures e3
HON 123Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding U.S. Society f3
HON 130Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Individual and Society a3
HON 140Honors Core in Understanding the Individual and Society3
Humanities
HUM 101Humanities Core: Understanding the Individual and Society3
HUM 120Engaged Humanities: Understanding the Individual and Society4
Industrial Engineering
IE 118Energy for Sustainable Society (Same as ME 118)3
Jewish Studies
JST 101Introduction to Judaism (Same as RELS 121)3
JST 102Introduction to Jewish History (Same as RELS 126) c3
Kinesiology
KN 150The Healthy Human3
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 103Introduction to Latino Urban Studies f3
LALS 220Latin American Cities in a Global Context: Environment, Employment, and Housing (Same as US 220) e3
LALS 269Latin American Environmental Studies e3
LALS 276Latinas in the United States (Same as GWS 276 and SOC 226) f3
Linguistics
LING 150Introduction to the Study of Language3
LING 160Language and Society f3
LING 170Languages of the World e3
LING 260Language Acquisition, Language Contact and Bilingualism f3
Music
MUS 240Music, Gender and Culture (Same as GWS 240) d3
Philosophy
PHIL 100Introduction to Philosophy3
PHIL 101Critical and Analytical Reasoning3
PHIL 103Introduction to Ethics3
PHIL 104Introduction to Political Philosophy f3
PHIL 106What Is Religion? (Same as RELS 106)3
PHIL 108What Is Freedom?3
PHIL 109Who Am I?3
PHIL 110Philosophy of Love and Sex3
PHIL 111What Is a Fact?3
PHIL 112Morality and the Law3
PHIL 113Philosophy in the Information Age3
PHIL 115Death3
PHIL 120Introduction to Ancient Philosophy (Same as CL 120) c3
PHIL 131Educational Ethics f3
PHIL 225Nineteenth Century Philosophy3
PHIL 240Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (Same as RELS 240 and JST 240) e3
Political Science
POLS 101Introduction to American Government and Politics f3
POLS 120Introduction to Political Theory c3
POLS 130Introduction to Comparative Politics (Same as INST 130)3
POLS 184Introduction to International Relations (Same as INST 184) e3
POLS 190Scope of Political Science3
Psychology
PSCH 100Introduction to Psychology4
PSCH 210Theories of Personality3
PSCH 231Community Psychology3
PSCH 270Introduction to Psychological and Behavioral Disorders3
PSCH 271Resilience: The Psychology of Positive Adaptation3
Public Policy
PPOL 100Individual Action and Democratic Citizenship3
PPOL 232International Development Policy e3
Public Health
PUBH 100Health and the Public f3
PUBH 110Public Health and Global Societies e3
Religious Studies
RELS 100Religion in Human Experience3
Social Justice
SJ 101Introduction to Social Justice: Stories and Struggles3
Sociology
SOC 100Introduction to Sociology f3
SOC 105Social Problems f3
SOC 215Sociology of Childhood and Youth f3
SOC 224Gender and Society (Same as GWS 224) f3
SOC 225Racial and Ethnic Groups (Same as BLST 225 and LALS 225) f3
SOC 228Sociology of Asia and Asian Americans (Same as GLAS 228) f3
SOC 229Sociology of Latinos (Same as LALS 229) f3
SOC 241Social Inequalities f3
SOC 244Sociology of Work f3
SOC 245Marriage and Family f3
SOC 246Sociology of Religion (Same as RELS 246) f3
SOC 251Health and Medicine f3
SOC 265Sociology of Politics3
SOC 268Introduction to Comparative Sociology e3
SOC 276Urban Sociology f3
Spanish
SPAN 192Latin American Women Writers in Translation (Same as GWS 192 and LALS 192) e3
Urban Studies
US 100Concepts in Geography (Same as GEOG 100) e3
US 140Introduction to Urban Transportation3
US 205Cinema and the City3
US 208Mapping the Urban: Cartography and its Alternatives (Same as GEOG 208)3
US 220Latin American Cities in a Global Context: Environment, Employment, and Housing e3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society

Understanding the Past

The study of past events and ideas enables students to view the present within the context of the past, appreciate both the liberating and constraining features of tradition, and understand what forces have affected their own lives as well as those of peoples in different cultures. The objects of study in these courses include the human past and its historical record; the emergence and transformation of nations, states, ideas, and civilizations; traditions and modes of human thought; the relationship between ideas and practices; and the implications of scientific discovery and technological innovation.

Courses in this category should have as their primary focus significant past events. They should be designed to facilitate the students’ ability to do one or more of the following:

  1. Understand the implication and meaning of technological innovation and scientific discovery for the development of human society.
  2. Critically analyze the cultural, economic, geographical, and political processes that influenced historical events.
  3. Recognize, describe, and explain the nature of past historical events and their consequences for the present.
  4. Examine the relationship between individuals and past events, their interactions, and the repercussions of these interactions.
  5. Understand and explain the significance and influence of the past and its connection to current political, scientific, and cultural forces.
Understanding the Past Courses
Anthropology
ANTH 100The Human Adventure e3
ANTH 102Introduction to Archaeology a4
ANTH 105Human Evolution a4
Arabic
ARAB 250The Heritage of Muslim Iberia e3
Architecture
ARCH 210Architecture as Archetype: Explorations of the City and Its Forms3
Art History
AH 122History of Chicago Architecture d3
AH 130Photography in History3
AH 209Near Eastern Art and Archaeology (Same as CL 209) d3
AH 210Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology (Same as BLST 210 and CL 210) d3
AH 259Art in the Age of Enlightenment and Revolution d3
Black Studies
BLST 101Introduction to Black Diaspora Studies e3
BLST 125Black Religious Traditions f3
BLST 246Black Lives in Historical Context (Same as HIST 243) f3
BLST 247African American History to 1877 (Same as HIST 247) f3
BLST 248African American History since 1877 (Same as HIST 248) f3
BLST 249Black Freedom Movements in the U.S. f3
BLST 263Black Intellectual History (Same as HIST 263) b3
BLST 265Harlem Renaissance (Same as ENGL 265) f3
Classics
CL 100Greek Civilization3
CL 101Roman Civilization3
CL 102Introduction to Classical Literature d3
CL 103Introduction to Classical and Mediterranean Archaeology d3
CL 204Greek Art and Archaeology (Same as AH 204 and HIST 204) d3
CL 205Roman Art and Archaeology (Same as AH 205 and HIST 205) d3
CL 208Classical Mythology (Same as RELS 208) b3
CL 218Pompeii: Everyday Life in a Roman Town (Same as AH 218 and HIST 218)3
CL 250Greek and Roman Epic Poetry d3
CL 251Greek Tragedy d3
CL 252Greek and Roman Comedy d3
CL 253Roman Satire and Rhetoric d3
CL 297Studies in the Classical Tradition (Same as ENGL 297) d3
English
ENGL 208English Studies I: Beginnings to the 17th Century d3
ENGL 213Introduction to Shakespeare d3
Germanic Studies
GER 125Diaspora, Exile, Genocide: Aspects of the European Jewish Experience in Literature and Film. (Same as JST 125 and RELS 127) e3
GER 219Princesses and Storytellers: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm and Their Cultural Afterlives d3
GER 240Classical German Thought from Kant to Nietzsche b3
Global Asian Studies
GLAS 252U.S. Racism and Imperialism (same as BLST 252) f3
GLAS 215Techno-Orientalism: Race, Media and Society (same as HIST 215)3
Greek, Modern
GKM 285Cultural History of Modern Greece: 1453 to the Present (Same as HIST 285)3
GKM 286Modern Greek Cities: Historical-Ethnographic Survey (Same as HIST 286)3
GKM 296Fascism and Dictatorship in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean (Same as HIST 296 and POLS 296)3
History
HIST 100Western Civilization to 1648 e3
HIST 101Western Civilization Since 1648 e3
HIST 103Early America: From Colonization to Civil War and Reconstruction f3
HIST 104Modern America: From Industrialization to Globalization f3
HIST 105Global Transformations and the Rise of the West Since 1000 (Same as INST 105) e3
HIST 106The World Since 1400: Converging Worlds, New Circulations (Same as INST 106) e3
HIST 109East Asian Civilization: Ancient China (Same as GLAS 109) e3
HIST 117Understanding the Holocaust (Same as JST 117 and RELS 117) b3
HIST 137Russia in War and Revolution, 1904-1922 b3
HIST 161Introduction to Latin American History (Same as LALS 161) e3
HIST 170The Ottoman Empire e3
HIST 177Middle Eastern Civilization (Same as RELS 177) e3
HIST 200Gandhi: The History and Practice of Nonviolence (Same as GLAS 200)3
HIST 202Ancient Greece (Same as CL 202) e3
HIST 203Ancient Rome (Same as CL 203) e3
HIST 208History of Science in a Global Context3
HIST 211The Dawn of European Modernity, 1500-1715 b3
HIST 213Europe in the Age of Capitalism and Imperialism, 1815 - 1914 b3
HIST 214Twentieth-Century Europe b3
HIST 220Modern Germany, 1848 to the Present b3
HIST 221The Atlantic Slave Trade (Same as BLST 221) e3
HIST 222England to 16893
HIST 223Modern Britain Since 16893
HIST 224France: 1500 to 1715 b3
HIST 225The Age of Revolution in France: 1715-1848 e3
HIST 233East Central Europe and the Balkans: From Empires to Nation-States b3
HIST 234The Making of Modern Poland (Same as POL 234) b3
HIST 235The Rise and Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe b3
HIST 236Russia Between Europe and Asia: Eurasian Spaces and Peoples in the Premodern Era e3
HIST 237The Russian Empire in the Modern Period: History, Culture and the Challenges of Diversity b3
HIST 238Russia from Vladimir Lenin to Vladimir Putin3
HIST 239Twentieth-Century Russia in Film (Same as RUSS 239)3
HIST 240Radicalism in America: From the Revolution to Occupy Wall Street f3
HIST 241Precolonial Africa in World History (Same as BLST 241) e3
HIST 242History of Modern Africa (Same as BLST 242) e3
HIST 244Native American History (Same as NAST 244)3
HIST 245Imagining the American West f3
HIST 246History of American Capitalism (Same as POLS 246) f3
HIST 249The American Civil War f3
HIST 252Sexuality in America: Historical Perspectives (Same as GWS 252) f3
HIST 253The Worker in American Life f3
HIST 255History of Chicago f3
HIST 256Religion in American History (Same as RELS 256) f3
HIST 257U.S. Immigration History3
HIST 259Women and Gender in American History (Same as GWS 259) f3
HIST 261Latin America to 1850 (Same as LALS 261) e3
HIST 262Latin America Since 1850 (Same as LALS 262) e3
HIST 264The Pacific Rim in Modern History (Same as GLAS 264) e3
HIST 266Modern Mexico (Same as LALS 266) e3
HIST 267American Intellectual History to 1865 (Same as POLS 267) f3
HIST 268American Intellectual History since 1865 (Same as POLS 268) f3
HIST 269History of Central America (same as LALS 268)3
HIST 271Late Imperial China: 1500 to 1911 (Same as GLAS 271) e3
HIST 272China Since 1911 (Same as GLAS 272) e3
HIST 275History of South Asia to 1857 (Same as GLAS 275) e3
HIST 276Modern South Asia, 1857 to the Present (Same as GLAS 276) e3
HIST 277The Middle East to 1258 e3
HIST 278The Middle East Since 1258 e3
HIST 282Global Enlightenment: Empire and the 18th-Century European Imagination of the World b3
HIST 289Latina/o History (Same as LALS 289)3
HIST 293The Gilded and the Gritty: Power, Culture, and the Making of 20th-century America f3
Honors College
HON 120Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding the Past b3
HON 124Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Understanding the Creative Arts d3
HON 125Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Exploring World Cultures e3
HON 126Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Understanding U.S. Society f3
HON 131Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Past a3
HON 141Honors Core in Understanding the Past3
Humanities
HUM 102Humanities Core: Understanding the Past3
Italian
ITAL 230Italian and Italian American Culture and Civilization (Same as CL 230) e3
ITAL 293Dante's Divine Comedy (Same as CST 293 and RELS 293) d3
Jewish Studies
JST 102Introduction to Jewish History (Same as RELS 126) b3
JST 103Introduction to Israel Studies e3
JST 124Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Same as CL 124 and RELS 124)3
JST 242The History of Jewish Biblical Interpretation (Same as CL 242 and RELS 242)3
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 101Introduction to Latin American Studies e3
LALS 102Introduction to Latino Studies f3
LALS 104Introduction to Puerto Rican Studies e3
LALS 105Introduction to Mexican Studies e3
LALS 275Gender in Latin America (Same as GWS 275 and POLS 275) e3
LALS 290Mexican-American History (Same as HIST 290) f3
Military Science
MILS 217Introduction to United States Military History (Same as HIST 217)3
Music
MUS 114Jazz History d3
MUS 118American Popular Music since 1850 d3
Native American Studies
NAST 113Native American Studies: Sovereignty e,f3
Nursing Elective
NUEL 244History of Professional Nursing in the U.S.3
Philosophy
PHIL 120Introduction to Ancient Philosophy (Same as CL 120) b3
Political Science
POLS 120Introduction to Political Theory b3
Public Policy
PPOL 230Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society f3
Religious Studies
RELS 120Catholic Thought: An Introduction (Same as CST 120)3
RELS 232The Religious World of the Earliest Christians (same as CL 232 and HIST 232)3
Theatre
THTR 101Theatre History I: Premodern Drama d3
THTR 103History of Chicago Theatre Past and Present d3
THTR 159Fashion and Furniture: History of Cultural Influences from Gothic to Atomic d3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society

Understanding the Creative Arts

Courses in literature (e.g., fiction, poetry, drama), the arts (e.g., painting, sculpture, architecture, design, music, theatre and dance, film, photography, new media) and philosophy examine materials that explore and express the potential of the human imagination. Courses fulfilling this requirement acquaint students with issues involved in making, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating written texts, musical works, visual and material culture, performing arts, and other media presentations in the context of the histories and cultures that have shaped and been shaped by their production. The aim is to develop the ability to read, experience, and view carefully, to think critically, to argue cogently and to communicate ideas effectively in written and oral form.

All cultures create stories, images, objects, built environments, dramas, music, etc. The study of such cultural products is an area with its own questions, techniques, and traditions. A student taking courses in this area can expect to study, in close detail, a number of significant works of literature, art, or other media. Courses in this category should facilitate a student’s ability to address one or more of the following questions:

  1. Basic issues of interpretation. How does a work mean anything? How does one determine meaning? How can a work have numerous meanings, often at the same time?
  2. Questions of poetics. How do the traditions of genres and forms, materials and means of production, and philosophies and theories influence individual literary and artistic works and their interpretation?
  3. Questions of value. How can such creative works be evaluated? How are critical vocabularies developed? How does a work come to be called a “classic”? How do new works and genres become accepted as art?
  4. Questions of cultural and historical context. How do creative works relate to the societies in which they are produced and received? How do cultural roles of creative products, definitions of art, institutions, markets, and patronage affect the creation of works of architecture, art, music, literature, and other media?
Understanding the Creative Arts Courses
Arabic
ARAB 270The Reel Arab (Same as MOVI 270)3
Architecture
ARCH 200Architecture and Society b4
Art
ART 110Introduction to Art Education b4
ART 112Introduction to Drawing4
ART 130Introduction to Painting + Color4
ART 140Introduction to Sculpture4
ART 150Introduction to New Media Arts4
ART 151Introduction to Creative Coding in New Media Arts4
ART 160Introduction to Digital Photography4
ART 170Introduction to Filmmaking4
ART 190Introduction to Socially Engaged Art4
Art History
AH 100Introduction to Art and Art History3
AH 110World History of Art and the Built Environment I4
AH 111World History of Art and the Built Environment II4
AH 122History of Chicago Architecture c3
AH 125Introduction to the Art and Architecture of Asia (Same as GLAS 125) e3
AH 140World Architecture, Climate, and Ecology: An Alternative History e3
AH 160Trends in International Contemporary Art Since 19603
AH 172Visual Culture of the Ancient Americas e3
AH 180Intro to Museum & Exhibition b3
AH 201Reading and Writing Art Criticism3
AH 209Near Eastern Art and Archaeology (Same as CL 209) c3
AH 210Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology (Same as BLST 210 and CL 210)3
AH 211History of Urbanism3
AH 219Art and Architecture of East Asia (Same as GLAS 219) e3
AH 220Buddhist Art and Architecture (Same as RELS 220 and GLAS 220) e3
AH 223Baroque Architecture3
AH 230History of Photography I: 1820-19203
AH 231History of Photography II: 1900 to Present3
AH 242Early Christian and Byzantine Art and Architecture3
AH 243Medieval Art and Architecture3
AH 244Islamic Art and Architecture e3
AH 250Italian Renaissance Art3
AH 251Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture3
AH 252Art of the Baroque and Rococo3
AH 259Art in the Age of Enlightenment and Revolution c3
AH 260European Art from 1750 to 19003
AH 261European and American Art from 1900 to the Present3
AH 262American Art to 19453
AH 263Latin American Colonial Art (Same as LALS 263) e3
AH 264African American Art (Same as BLST 264) e3
AH 265History of Performance Art 1900 - Present3
AH 270African Art (Same as BLST 270) e3
AH 271Native American Art (Same as NAST 271) e3
AH 273Visual Culture of the Ancient Andes (Same as LALS 239) e3
AH 274Visual Culture of Ancient Mesoamerica (Same as LALS 240) e3
AH 275South Asian Visual Cultures e3
Black Studies
BLST 105Black Film, 1900 - Present: Images, Individuals and Ideas on Screen (Same as COMM 105 and MOVI 105) f3
BLST 110Introduction to African American Literature, 1760-1910 (Same as ENGL 118) f3
BLST 111Introduction to African American Literature Since 1910 (Same as ENGL 119) f3
BLST 250Comparative Black Literatures (Same as ENGL 260)3
BLST 262Black Cultural Studies (Same as ENGL 262) f3
Central and Eastern European Studies
CEES 208Central and Eastern European Cinema (Same as MOVI 208)3
CEES 246European Avant-Garde (Same as AH 246)3
Classics
CL 102Introduction to Classical Literature c3
CL 103Introduction to Classical and Mediterranean Archaeology c3
CL 204Greek Art and Archaeology (Same as AH 204 and HIST 204) c3
CL 205Roman Art and Archaeology (Same as AH 205 and HIST 205) c3
CL 250Greek and Roman Epic Poetry c3
CL 251Greek Tragedy c3
CL 252Greek and Roman Comedy c3
CL 253Roman Satire and Rhetoric c3
CL 297Studies in the Classical Tradition (Same as ENGL 297) c3
Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering
CME 111The Art of Structural Form3
Disability and Human Development
DHD 102Disability in American Film f3
DHD 204Disability in the Humanities3
English
ENGL 101Understanding Literature and Culture3
ENGL 103Understanding Poetry3
ENGL 104Understanding Drama3
ENGL 105Understanding Fiction3
ENGL 123Introduction to Asian American Literature (Same as GLAS 123) f3
ENGL 131Understanding Moving Image Arts (Same as MOVI 131)3
ENGL 132Understanding Film (Same as MOVI 132)3
ENGL 135Understanding Popular Genres and Culture b3
ENGL 154Understanding Rhetoric b3
ENGL 175Understanding the Bible as Literature (Same as RELS 175)3
ENGL 207Interpretation and Critical Analysis3
ENGL 208English Studies I: Beginnings to the 17th Century c3
ENGL 209English Studies II: 17th Century to Today3
ENGL 213Introduction to Shakespeare c3
ENGL 223Introduction to Colonial and Postcolonial Literature e3
ENGL 230Introduction to Film and Culture (Same as MOVI 230) b3
ENGL 232History of Film I: 1890 to World War II (Same as AH 232 and MOVI 232)3
ENGL 236Young Adult Fiction3
ENGL 237Graphic Novels3
ENGL 245Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Literature (Same as GWS 245) b3
ENGL 247Women and Literature (Same as GWS 247) b3
ENGL 251Literature and Environment3
ENGL 264Introduction to Native American Literatures (Same as NAST 264) f3
ENGL 267Introduction to U.S. Latinx Literature (Same as LALS 267)3
ENGL 269Introduction to Multiethnic Literatures in the United States f3
ENGL 290Introduction to the Writing of Poetry3
ENGL 291Introduction to the Writing of Fiction3
ENGL 292Introduction to the Writing of Nonfiction Prose b3
French
FR 191African and Caribbean Francophone Literature in Translation (Same as BLST 191) e3
FR 295Science Fiction and Fantasy in the French-Speaking World e3
FR 297Paris in Literature, Film, and Culture e3
FR 298French Literature, Drama and/or Film in Translation e3
Germanic Studies
GER 100Introduction to Germanic Cultures and Literatures e3
GER 122Minority Perspectives in the Germanic Context (Same as JST 122 and RELS 122) e3
GER 123Introduction to Yiddish Culture and Literature (Same as JST 123 and RELS 123) e3
GER 217Introduction to German Cinema e4
GER 219Princesses and Storytellers: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm and Their Cultural Afterlives c3
Global Asian Studies
GLAS 223Global Hip-hop and Asian Diasporas3
Honors College
HON 121Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding Creative Arts b3
HON 124Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Understanding the Creative Arts c3
HON 127Honors Core in Understanding the Creative Arts and Exploring World Cultures e3
HON 128Honors Core in Understanding the Creative Arts and Understanding U.S. Society f3
HON 132Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding the Creative Arts a3
HON 142Honors Core in Understanding the Creative Arts3
Interdisciplinary Education in the Arts
IDEA 110Creativity and Innovation in Design and Arts4
Italian
ITAL 280Italian and Italian American Cinema (Same as MOVI 280) e3
ITAL 293Dante's Divine Comedy (Same as CST 293 and RELS 293) c3
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 109Introduction to Latino Cultures f3
LALS 110Introduction to Latin American Cultures e3
LALS 260Indigenous Storytelling in Latin America e3
LALS 278Latin American/Latino Film Studies (Same as MOVI 278 and SPAN 278) e4
LALS 295Latino Literary Studies (Same as ENGL 295 and SPAN 295) f3
Literatures, Cultural Studies, and Linguistics
LCSL 207European Cinema (Same as GER 207 and SPAN 207) e3
LCSL 250Introduction to Comparative Cultural Studies e3
Lithuanian
LITH 130Lithuanian Prose Fiction in International Context e3
Music
MUS 100Introduction to Music I3
MUS 107Fundamentals of Music Theory3
MUS 113Art Song3
MUS 114Jazz History c3
MUS 115Opera3
MUS 117Music for Symphony Orchestra3
MUS 118American Popular Music since 1850 c3
MUS 119Music for the Piano3
MUS 127Latin American Music (Same as LALS 127) e3
MUS 227Music Cultures of the World e3
MUS 240Music, Gender and Culture (Same as GWS 240) b3
Philosophy
PHIL 107What is Art?3
Polish
POL 120The Polish Short Story in Translation e3
POL 130Masterworks of Polish Literature in Translation e3
POL 140Polish Drama in Translation (Same as THTR 140) e3
POL 150Introduction to Polish Cinema e3
POL 220Modern Polish-Jewish Culture and Literatures (Same as CEES 220 and JST 220) e3
Russian
RUSS 120The Russian Short Story in Translation e3
RUSS 130Masterpieces of Russian Literature in Translation e3
RUSS 140Understanding the Body: Health, Gender, and Disability in Russian Culture e3
RUSS 150Introduction to Russian Cinema e3
RUSS 241Dostoyevsky3
RUSS 242Tolstoy3
RUSS 244Women in Russian Literature (Same as GWS 244) e3
RUSS 247Literature and Fantasy in Russia3
RUSS 248Russian Visual and Material Culture (Same as AH 248)3
Spanish
SPAN 210Introduction to the Formal Analysis of Hispanic Texts3
SPAN 226Early Modern Spanish and Colonial Latin American Literature and Culture in Translation e3
Special Education
SPED 201Children’s Literature and Disabilities (Same as ED 201)3
Theatre
THTR 101Theatre History I: Premodern Drama c3
THTR 102Introduction to Theatre: A Collaborative Art3
THTR 103History of Chicago Theatre Past and Present c3
THTR 105Introduction to American Musical Theatre f3
THTR 159Fashion and Furniture: History of Cultural Influences from Gothic to Atomic c3
THTR 201Theatre History II: Modern Theatre3
THTR 245East Asian Theatre3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society

Exploring World Cultures

A global society demands that individuals gain an appreciation of cultures that are different from their own. Courses in this category explore how cultures function and how they may arise and change, whether through the internationalization of economies, social or political forces, changes in environment, or the development of new technologies. Further, these courses aim to provide students with the necessary tools to study and evaluate disparate social systems and cultural products.

Courses in this category should address significant aspects of any culture that is not part of the mainstream American culture. They should be designed to facilitate the students’ ability to do one or more of the following:

  1. Analyze a culture, including its political, social, ethical, communicative, or economic systems.
  2. Analyze how cultures are formed, transmitted, and changed.
  3. Compare different cultures.
  4. Explore the values or cultural products of non-U.S. cultures.
  5. Analyze the influence of other cultures upon U.S. culture.
Exploring World Cultures Courses
Anthropology
ANTH 100The Human Adventure c3
ANTH 101World Cultures: Introduction to Social Anthropology b3
ANTH 207Asian Cities: Urban Cultures of the Global South (Same as GLAS 207)3
ANTH 208Virtual Lives: Science, Technology, and Culture3
ANTH 215Anthropology of Religion (Same as RELS 215) b3
ANTH 216Medicine, Culture, and Society b3
ANTH 219Anthropology of Globalization3
ANTH 273Ethnography of Southeast Asia (Same as GEOG 273) b3
ANTH 277Ethnography of Meso-America (Same as LALS 270) b3
ANTH 279South Asian Cultures and Societies (Same as GLAS 279) b3
Arabic
ARAB 105Modern Arab Culture3
ARAB 230Arabic Literature in Translation3
ARAB 250The Heritage of Muslim Iberia c3
Art History
AH 125Introduction to the Art and Architecture of Asia (Same as GLAS 125) d3
AH 140World Architecture, Climate, and Ecology: An Alternative History d3
AH 172Visual Culture of the Ancient Americas d3
AH 219Art and Architecture of East Asia (Same as GLAS 219) d3
AH 220Buddhist Art and Architecture (Same as RELS 220 and GLAS 220) d3
AH 244Islamic Art and Architecture d3
AH 263Latin American Colonial Art (Same as LALS 263) d3
AH 264African American Art (Same as BLST 264) d3
AH 270African Art (Same as BLST 270) d3
AH 271Native American Art (Same as NAST 271) d3
AH 273Visual Culture of the Ancient Andes (Same as LALS 239) d3
AH 274Visual Culture of Ancient Mesoamerica (Same as LALS 240) d3
AH 275South Asian Visual Cultures d3
Black Studies
BLST 101Introduction to Black Diaspora Studies c3
BLST 207Racism: Global Perspectives (Same as SOC 207) b3
BLST 221The Atlantic Slave Trade: Violence, Exploitation, Resistance c3
Disability and Human Development
DHD 203Disability in World Cultures3
English
ENGL 223Introduction to Colonial and Postcolonial Literature d3
French
FR 191African and Caribbean Francophone Literature in Translation (Same as BLST 191) d3
FR 295Science Fiction and Fantasy in the French-Speaking World d3
FR 297Paris in Literature, Film, and Culture d3
FR 298French Literature, Drama and/or Film in Translation d3
Gender and Women’s Studies
GWS 102Global Perspectives on Women and Gender b3
GWS 255Introduction to Middle East and Muslim Feminisms (Same as ANTH 255 and GLAS 255)3
GWS 262Constructions of Gender, Race, Health, and Human Rights (Same as ANTH 262) b3
Geography
GEOG 161Introduction to Economic Geography b3
GEOG 203Human Geography of Latin America including the Caribbean Region (Same as LALS 217) b3
Germanic Studies
GER 100Introduction to Germanic Cultures and Literatures d3
GER 120Study of Gender, Class, and Political Issues in German Texts (Same as GWS 120) b3
GER 122Minority Perspectives in the Germanic Context (Same as JST 122 and RELS 122) d3
GER 123Introduction to Yiddish Culture and Literature (Same as JST 123 and RELS 123) d3
GER 125Diaspora, Exile, Genocide: Aspects of the European Jewish Experience in Literature and Film. (Same as JST 125 and RELS 127) c3
GER 217Introduction to German Cinema d4
Global Asian Studies
GLAS 100Introduction to Global Asian Studies3
GLAS 201Asian Markets, Corporations, and Social Justice (Same as ANTH 201)3
GLAS 229Introduction to Asian Film (Same as ENGL 229 and MOVI 229)3
GLAS 242Introduction to Arab American Studies (Same as ANTH 242) f3
GLAS 244Arab and Asian Connections in the U.S. and Globally (Same as ANTH 244) f3
GLAS 248Afro Asian Solidarities (Same as ANTH 248 and GWS 248) f3
GLAS 270Topics in Asian Cultures and Societies3
Greek, Modern
GKM 105Modern Greek Culture3
GKM 203Modern Greek Authors in Translation3
History
HIST 100Western Civilization to 1648 c3
HIST 101Western Civilization Since 1648 c3
HIST 105Global Transformations and the Rise of the West Since 1000 (Same as INST 105) c3
HIST 106The World Since 1400: Converging Worlds, New Circulations (Same as INST 106) c3
HIST 109East Asian Civilization: Ancient China (Same as GLAS 109) c3
HIST 161Introduction to Latin American History (Same as LALS 161) c3
HIST 170The Ottoman Empire c3
HIST 177Middle Eastern Civilization (Same as RELS 177) c3
HIST 202Ancient Greece (Same as CL 202) c3
HIST 203Ancient Rome (Same as CL 203) c3
HIST 221The Atlantic Slave Trade (Same as BLST 221) c3
HIST 225The Age of Revolution in France: 1715-1848 c3
HIST 236Russia Between Europe and Asia: Eurasian Spaces and Peoples in the Premodern Era c3
HIST 241Precolonial Africa in World History (Same as BLST 241) c3
HIST 242History of Modern Africa (Same as BLST 242) c3
HIST 261Latin America to 1850 (Same as LALS 261) c3
HIST 262Latin America Since 1850 (Same as LALS 262) c3
HIST 264The Pacific Rim in Modern History (Same as GLAS 264) c3
HIST 266Modern Mexico (Same as LALS 266) c3
HIST 271Late Imperial China: 1500 to 1911 (Same as GLAS 271) c3
HIST 272China Since 1911 (Same as GLAS 272) c3
HIST 275History of South Asia to 1857 (Same as GLAS 275) c3
HIST 276Modern South Asia, 1857 to the Present (Same as GLAS 276) c3
HIST 277The Middle East to 1258 c3
HIST 278The Middle East Since 1258 c3
Honors College
HON 122Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Exploring World Cultures b3
HON 125Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Exploring World Cultures c3
HON 127Honors Core in Understanding the Creative Arts and Exploring World Cultures d3
HON 129Honors Core in Exploring World Cultures and Understanding U.S. Society f3
HON 133Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Exploring World Cultures a3
HON 143Honors Core in Exploring World Cultures3
Human Nutrition
HN 202Culture and Food2
Italian
ITAL 230Italian and Italian American Culture and Civilization (Same as CL 230) c3
ITAL 280Italian and Italian American Cinema (Same as MOVI 280) d3
Jewish Studies
JST 103Introduction to Israel Studies c3
JST 203Israel Film: Aspects of History, Life, and Culture3
Korean
KOR 130Understanding Korean History, Culture and Society through Contemporary Korean Films (Same as MOVI 130)3
KOR 230Korean Popular Culture in a Global World3
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 101Introduction to Latin American Studies c3
LALS 104Introduction to Puerto Rican Studies c3
LALS 105Introduction to Mexican Studies c3
LALS 108Indigenous Culture Change in Latin America3
LALS 110Introduction to Latin American Cultures d3
LALS 220Latin American Cities in a Global Context: Environment, Employment, and Housing (Same as US 220) b3
LALS 256European-Indigenous Interaction in Latin America (Same as ANTH 256)3
LALS 260Indigenous Storytelling in Latin America d3
LALS 269Latin American Environmental Studies b3
LALS 275Gender in Latin America (Same as GWS 275 and POLS 275) c3
LALS 278Latin American/Latino Film Studies (Same as MOVI 278 and SPAN 278) d4
Linguistics
LING 170Languages of the World b3
Literatures, Cultural Studies, and Linguistics
LCSL 207European Cinema (Same as GER 207 and SPAN 207) d3
LCSL 250Introduction to Comparative Cultural Studies d3
Lithuanian
LITH 115Lithuanian Culture3
LITH 130Lithuanian Prose Fiction in International Context d3
Music
MUS 127Latin American Music (Same as LALS 127) d3
MUS 227Music Cultures of the World d3
Native American Studies
NAST 113Native American Studies: Sovereignty c,f3
Philosophy
PHIL 240Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (Same as RELS 240 and JST 240) b3
Polish
POL 115Introduction to Polish Culture3
POL 120The Polish Short Story in Translation d3
POL 130Masterworks of Polish Literature in Translation d3
POL 140Polish Drama in Translation (Same as THTR 140) d3
POL 150Introduction to Polish Cinema d3
POL 220Modern Polish-Jewish Culture and Literatures (Same as CEES 220 and JST 220) d3
Political Science
POLS 184Introduction to International Relations (Same as INST 184) b3
POLS 231Introduction to Chinese Politics (Same as GLAS 231)3
POLS 232Politics in Korea (Same as GLAS 232)3
POLS 243Politics and Government of the Middle East (Same as JST 243)3
Public Policy
PPOL 232International Development Policy b3
Public Health
PUBH 110Public Health and Global Societies b3
Religious Studies
RELS 101Introduction to World Religions3
RELS 130Introduction to Islam3
RELS 230Topics in Islam3
RELS 250Eastern and Western Philosophies of Religion (Same as INST 250)3
Russian
RUSS 115Russian Culture Before the Revolution3
RUSS 116Russian Culture: The Soviet Period3
RUSS 120The Russian Short Story in Translation d3
RUSS 130Masterpieces of Russian Literature in Translation d3
RUSS 140Understanding the Body: Health, Gender, and Disability in Russian Culture d3
RUSS 150Introduction to Russian Cinema d3
RUSS 244Women in Russian Literature (Same as GWS 244) d3
Sociology
SOC 268Introduction to Comparative Sociology b3
Spanish
SPAN 192Latin American Women Writers in Translation (Same as GWS 192 and LALS 192) b3
SPAN 225Spanish and Latin American Culture through Literature and Film (Same as MOVI 225)3
SPAN 226Early Modern Spanish and Colonial Latin American Literature and Culture in Translation d3
Urban Studies
US 100Concepts in Geography (Same as GEOG 100) b3
US 220Latin American Cities in a Global Context: Environment, Employment, and Housing b3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society

Understanding U.S. Society

The United States is a country that is often characterized by its diversity, including diversity of cultures, religions, classes, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and gender practices. The aim of this category is to study these diversities, explore the principles and experiences that unite us in the face of them, and perhaps most importantly, to examine critically the social, cultural, and political tensions that arise between that which unites and that which divides us. The goal is thus to understand our society and our political and economic systems, whether to gain knowledge of the past events that have shaped current ones, to gain the means to evaluate critically current policy and to shape future ones, or to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of our current communities.

Courses in this category should address some significant aspect of U.S. society as their central focus. They should be designed to facilitate the students’ ability to do one or more of the following:

  1. Analyze aspects of U.S. society.
  2. Analyze the communicative, political, social, economic, or cultural systems in the U.S.
  3. Explore the diverse communities—racial, ethnic, class, gender, religious, and sexual—that define cultural and political life in the United States.
  4. Critically examine the tensions among various groups within U.S. society.
  5. Explore contemporary governmental policies.
  6. Analyze the role and influence of the U.S. in the world.
  7. Study events, ideas, or movements that have influenced U.S. society.
Understanding U.S. Society Courses
Black Studies
BLST 100Introduction to Black Studies b3
BLST 103Black Politics and Culture in the United States (Same as POLS 112) b3
BLST 104Race, Place, and Schooling: Black Americans and Education (Same as EDPS 104) b3
BLST 105Black Film, 1900 - Present: Images, Individuals and Ideas on Screen (Same as COMM 105 and MOVI 105) d3
BLST 110Introduction to African American Literature, 1760-1910 (Same as ENGL 118) d3
BLST 111Introduction to African American Literature Since 1910 (Same as ENGL 119) d3
BLST 125Black Religious Traditions (Same as RELS 125) c3
BLST 246Black Lives in Historical Context (Same as HIST 243) c3
BLST 247African American History to 1877 (Same as HIST 247) c3
BLST 248African American History since 1877 (Same as HIST 248) c3
BLST 249Black Freedom Movements in the U.S. c3
BLST 262Black Cultural Studies (Same as ENGL 262) d3
BLST 265Harlem Renaissance (Same as ENGL 265) c3
BLST 271Race and the Politics of Incarceration (Same as CLJ 271 and SOC 271) b3
BLST 272Race, Gender, and Sexuality (Same as GWS 272) b3
Catholic Studies
CST 150Catholicism in U.S. History (Same as RELS 150 and HIST 150)3
Civil and Materials Engineering
CME 112Evolution of Infrastructure and Society3
Criminology, Law, and Justice
CLJ 101Introduction to Criminology, Law, and Justice3
CLJ 102Foundations of Law and Justice3
CLJ 110Rights, Justice and the Law3
CLJ 114Race, Class, Gender and the Law3
CLJ 120Crime and Society3
CLJ 121Violence in Society3
CLJ 122Gangs and the Media3
CLJ 200Law and Society3
Dialogue
DLG 220Intergroup Dialogue b3
Disability and Human Development
DHD 101Disability in U.S. Society b3
DHD 102Disability in American Film d3
DHD 206Disability, Inclusive Cities, and Environmental Accessibility3
Economics
ECON 120Principles of Microeconomics b4
ECON 121Principles of Macroeconomics b4
Education
ED 100Introduction to Urban Education b3
ED 135Child and Youth Policies in Urban America b3
ED 205Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Education b3
ED 222Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Education b3
ED 252Contemporary Controversies in U.S. Schools3
ED 258Language Development and Learning in a Diverse Society b3
English
ENGL 123Introduction to Asian American Literature (Same as GLAS 123) d3
ENGL 253Environmental Rhetoric c3
ENGL 258The Grammar and Style of Non-Standard Englishes in the U.S. b3
ENGL 264Introduction to Native American Literatures (Same as NAST 264) d3
ENGL 269Introduction to Multiethnic Literatures in the United States d3
Entrepreneurship
ENTR 200Survey of Entrepreneurship b3
Gender and Women’s Studies
GWS 101Gender in Everyday Life b3
GWS 204Gender and Popular Culture (Same as COMM 204) b3
Global Asian Studies
GLAS 120Introduction to Asian American Studies (Same as SOC 120) b3
GLAS 210Asian American Histories (Same as HIST 210) b3
GLAS 217Introduction to Filipino American Studies3
GLAS 230Cultural Politics of Asian American Food b3
GLAS 242Introduction to Arab American Studies (Same as ANTH 242) e3
GLAS 244Arab and Asian Connections in the U.S. and Globally (Same as ANTH 244) 33
GLAS 248Afro Asian Solidarities (Same as ANTH 248 and GWS 248) e3
GLAS 250Critical Issues in Community Engagement b3
GLAS 252U.S. Racism and Imperialism (same as BLST 252) c3
GLAS 263Asian American Gender and Sexual Diversity (Same as GWS 263) b3
History
HIST 103Early America: From Colonization to Civil War and Reconstruction c3
HIST 104Modern America: From Industrialization to Globalization c3
HIST 240Radicalism in America: From the Revolution to Occupy Wall Street c3
HIST 245Imagining the American West c3
HIST 246History of American Capitalism (Same as POLS 246) c3
HIST 249The American Civil War c3
HIST 252Sexuality in America: Historical Perspectives (Same as GWS 252) c3
HIST 253The Worker in American Life c3
HIST 255History of Chicago c3
HIST 256Religion in American History (Same as RELS 256) c3
HIST 259Women and Gender in American History (Same as GWS 259) c3
HIST 267American Intellectual History to 1865 (Same as POLS 267) c3
HIST 268American Intellectual History since 1865 (Same as POLS 268) c3
HIST 293The Gilded and the Gritty: Power, Culture, and the Making of 20th-century America c3
Honors College
HON 123Honors Core in Understanding Individual and Society and Understanding U.S. Society b3
HON 126Honors Core in Understanding the Past and Understanding U.S. Society c3
HON 128Honors Core in Understanding the Creative Arts and Understanding U.S. Society d3
HON 129Honors Core in Exploring World Cultures and Understanding U.S. Society e3
HON 134Honors Core in Analyzing the Natural World and Understanding U.S. Society a3
HON 144Honors Core in Understanding U.S. Society3
Italian
ITAL 270Migration and Diaspora in the Italian and Italian American Experience (Same as ENGL 270)3
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 102Introduction to Latino Studies c3
LALS 103Introduction to Latino Urban Studies b3
LALS 109Introduction to Latino Cultures d3
LALS 276Latinas in the United States (Same as GWS 276 and SOC 226) b3
LALS 283Latinos and Politics (Same as POLS 209)3
LALS 290Mexican-American History (Same as HIST 290) c3
LALS 295Latino Literary Studies (Same as ENGL 295 and SPAN 295) d3
Linguistics
LING 160Language and Society b3
LING 260Language Acquisition, Language Contact and Bilingualism b3
Native American Studies
NAST 113Native American Studies: Sovereignty c,e3
Pharmacy
PHAR 201Pharmaceutical Care in the US3
Philosophy
PHIL 104Introduction to Political Philosophy b3
PHIL 131Educational Ethics b3
Political Science
POLS 101Introduction to American Government and Politics b3
Public Policy
PPOL 210Introduction to Public Policy3
PPOL 212Evidence-Based Public Policy3
PPOL 220Introduction to Civic Technology3
PPOL 230Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society c3
PPOL 231Social Policy and Inequality in the U.S.3
PPOL 240Environmental Policy3
Public Health
PUBH 100Health and the Public b3
Religious Studies
RELS 256Religion in American History c3
Social Justice
SJ 201Theories and Practices of Social Justice3
Sociology
SOC 100Introduction to Sociology b3
SOC 105Social Problems b3
SOC 215Sociology of Childhood and Youth b3
SOC 224Gender and Society (Same as GWS 224) b3
SOC 225Racial and Ethnic Groups (Same as BLST 225 and LALS 225) b3
SOC 228Sociology of Asia and Asian Americans (Same as GLAS 228) b3
SOC 229Sociology of Latinos (Same as LALS 229) b3
SOC 241Social Inequalities b3
SOC 244Sociology of Work b3
SOC 245Marriage and Family b3
SOC 246Sociology of Religion (Same as RELS 246) b3
SOC 251Health and Medicine b3
SOC 276Urban Sociology b3
Spanish
SPAN 224Bilingual/Bicultural Hispanic American Writers3
Theatre
THTR 105Introduction to American Musical Theatre d3
Urban Studies
US 101Introduction to Urban Studies3
US 130Principles of Urban Sustainability3
US 202Social Justice and the City3
US 230Practices for Sustainable Cities3
a

also approved for Analyzing the Natural World

b

also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society

c

also approved for Understanding the Past

d

also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts

e

also approved for Exploring World Cultures

f

also approved for Understanding U.S. Society