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ART HISTORY
ARH*E299*05
A Tale of Two Cities: e Museums and Monuments of London and Paris
Tim Smith and Kathleen Spies
Prerequisites:
Instructor Consent
Open To:
All Students
Grading System: S/U
Max. Enrollment: 20 (FULL)
Meeting Times:
On-campus meetings at 1:00pm on Jan 3, 4, and 24,
Travel dates Jan 6-20
is travel project provides students a chance to explore the major museums,
collections, and architectural monuments of two of Europe’s culturally-rich
centers: London and Paris. After preparatory meetings in Birmingham, we
will spend a full two weeks examining in person a wide range of art and
architecture spanning prehistoric times through the current day, focusing
on a single period, movement, or theme at each stop (for example, ancient
sculpture at the British Museum or Impressionist and Post-Impressionist
painting at the Musée d’Orsay). e London itinerary will include the British
Museum, National Gallery, and the Tate Modern as well as Westminster Abbey
and the Houses of Parliament. e Paris itinerary will include the Louvre, the
Musée d’Orsay, and the Pompidou Center as well as Notre Dame and Sainte-
Chapelle.
Estimated Student Fees: $4100
ASIAN STUDIES
AN*E299*06
AN*E499*07
Martial Arts Cinema: Philosophy, Literature, and Art
Daniel Coyle
Prerequisites:
None
Open To:
All Students
Grading System: Option
Max. Enrollment: 14
Meeting Times:
M Tu W 12:30pm-3:30pm and one evening
is project will explore the emergence and globalization of East Asian martial
arts film. Students examine the philosophical roots, classical literature, film
art, reception, and global influence of one of the oldest genres in Chinese
cinema. We begin by reading selections from primary texts of martial
philosophy and early “popular martial fiction” (
wuxia xiaoshuo
武俠小
說
), then trace wuxia film adaptations from the early 20th century into
the transnational kung-fu films (
gongfu pian
功夫片
) of recent decades.
Emphasis will be placed on distinguishing the early feminine tradition in
Chinese cinema, the inadvertent masculinization that accompanied the rise
of realistic Hong Kong kung-fu films in the ’60s and ’70s, and the gender-
bending transpositioning from the ’90s forward. We will screen, discuss, and
write about works by Zhang Che, King Hu, Bruce Lee, and Tsui Hark, Wang
Kar-wai, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou. We will have preparatory reading
and screening assignments during Christmas Break. Once the term begins in
January, students will spend at least 35 hours per week reading, screening,
and researching. Evaluations will be based on attendance, participation,
quizzes, presentations, and either a 10-page formal research paper or a
documented 20-minute oral PowerPoint presentation.
BIOLOGY
BI*E299*08
Better an Fiction: Acclaimed Popular Reading in Biology
Megan Gibbons
Prerequisites:
None
Open To:
All Students
Grading System: Letter
Max. Enrollment: 18
Meeting Times:
M Tu W9:00am-12:00pm
Some of the greatest nonfiction books about biology read like novels. ey
borrow tropes and narrative tricks from science fiction, fantasy, horror, and
more – turning great discoveries into great adventures. In this project, we will
read and discuss four of the best current biology books available (chosen by
students!). Students will complete all readings, participate in online and in-
class discussions, choose a topic from the readings to research and present
(in 15-20min.) to the class, and write four 5-page reflection papers (one for
each book). Depending on the books chosen, we may invite guest speakers
to engage with the class during some of the class periods.
BI*E299*09
Science (Pod)class
Pete VanZandt
Prerequisites:
None
Open To:
All Students
Grading System: Letter
Max. Enrollment: 16
Meeting Times:
M Tu W 1:00pm-4:00pm, with some additional
arranged times
Podcasts are digital audio files made for widespread distribution. ere are
thousands of high-quality podcasts available for free on virtually any topic
imaginable, and the best ones are great entertainment and also excellent
ways to learn. For this project, we will listen to a wide variety of science-
themed podcasts, then discuss themwith each other in the class and online
(both via blogs of our own creation and on the websites of the podcasts
themselves). Students will also produce their own podcast episodes on topics
of their own choosing. e class may take field trips to different locations to
help students gather material for their podcasts. Students will be evaluated
on participation in discussions both in-class and online, and on their final
podcast project.
BUSINESS
BA*E299*10
Business Internships
Paul Cleveland
Prerequisites:
Instructor Consent
Open To:
Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors
Grading System: S/U
Max. Enrollment: 30
Meeting Times:
TBA
Students will identify and secure an internship with a business or organization
(for-profit or non-profit). Students are expected to devote 150 hours to
the completion of the project. Students will keep and turn in a journal of
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