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Signature Courses



Fall 2024

Congratulations to the Fall 2024 class that has been awarded Signature Course recognition.

Signature-Course-logo.pngPlants, Places, People
– Dr. Lucy Barnhouse, Dr. Ray Benson, and Dr. Gill Giese – Fall 2024

“Plants, Places, People” is an interdisciplinary course that explores ideas and issues including biodiversity, the mobility of plants and people, and local and global inequities. Topics will include the Green Revolution, the Green Belt Movement, indigenous foodways in the Americas, the medieval trade in medicinal plants, and the transformation of global cuisines and cultivation practices in the wake of the Columbian Exchange. Students will make a podcast, role-play policy-making, and develop transferable skills while examining these topics in the fields of history, agriculture, and plant and soil science.

Spring 2024

Congratulations to the Spring 2024 class that has been awarded Signature Course recognition.

Signature-Course-logo.pngAI and Us
– Dr. Katherine Baker, Dr. Jacob Caton, and Leslie Parker – Spring 2024

“AI and Us” is an interdisciplinary course focusing on advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and art. This exciting course offers students a comprehensive exploration of the transformative field of AI through the lenses of art history, computer science, graphic design, and philosophy. Through this multi-faceted approach, students gain a holistic understanding of AI's technological underpinnings, ethical implications, creative potential, and philosophical implications. The course aims to equip students with both foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills, enabling them to navigate the complexities of AI in an increasingly AI-driven world.


Spring 2023

Congratulations to the Spring 2023 class that has been awarded Signature Course recognition.

Signature-Course-logo.pngSpanish Civil War: Testimony, History, Culture
Dr. Andrea Davis and Dr. Vicent Moreno – Spring 2023

Spanish Civil War: Testimony, History, Culture is an interdisciplinary course that combines history, world cultures, Spanish studies, and digital humanities. The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was the last war fought for utopian ideals, with volunteers coming from all over the world to fight for the Spanish Republic against the Fascist rebels. More than 80 years later, it is still a controversial topic in Spain and around the globe. Using newly available audiovisual testimonies, this course examines the synergies and tensions between first-hand accounts, historical narratives, and cultural representations of the war and its aftermath.

Spring 2022

Congratulations to these Spring 2022 classes that have been awarded Signature Course recognition.

Signature-Course-logo.pngBranding in London and Paris
– Dr. Mary Jackson-Pitts, Dr. Melodie Philhours, Dr. Manu Bhandari – Spring 2022

Branding in London and Paris is an interdisciplinary course designed to engage students in the concept of branding in a global context. Faculty in marketing, strategic communication, and creative media production will lead contextual discussion and workshops for students prior to traveling to London and Paris to experience branding in these culturally diverse European capitals. Through personal journals, photography, and video, travelers will document their branding observations and interactions with professionals during the study abroad tour. Students will develop personal brand content throughout this experience resulting in a digital deliverable that illustrates individual learning and growth.

Signature-Course-logo.pngPuppet Construction for Purposeful Play
– Dr. Susan Whiteland, Kristen Franyutti, Dr. Joy Good, Dayday Robinson, Rachel Boillot – Spring 2022

This interdisciplinary, cross-curricular course investigates the intersection of play therapy, speech pathology, education, theatre, fiber arts, and photography through the medium of puppetry. Students will work collaboratively with peers and multiple instructors to construct, document through photography, and interact with their puppets. Using problem-based learning, students will create learning scenarios to explore how puppets can be used for purposeful play in various contexts. Students will also be involved in service-minded thinking as they use puppets in community settings with clients and children to express themselves in co-play situations.