Study-travel projects led by faculty require a commitment early in fall term. Check with your faculty leader for details. If an insufficient number of students express interest in any study-travel project, the College will cancel it on or before Monday, October 2. Students who elect to withdraw from a study-travel project are not guaranteed a refund of any monies submitted toward the project.

NOTE: It is possible that some projects may still have available spots after October 2; however, students run the risk of the project being canceled or full if they wait until then to commit.

AR 499 is the second component of the Senior Capstone experience for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art. BFA candidates will have completed the approved contract proposed at the end of AR 471. AR 499 emphasizes current themes in contemporary art and portfolio development. BFA students will select themes as they relate to the individual and their portfolio as the student focuses on the production and refinement of a cohesive portfolio in preparation for the BFA exhibition, students are required to work outside of class to fulfill a minimum 40-hour workweek.

This project will help students learn about art and art history through an examination of “the real thing,” that is, actual paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints rather than reproductions in a textbook or classroom. Class periods will be held at the Birmingham Museum of Art, with day trips to the Montgomery Museum of Art and the High Museum in Atlanta. Movements, periods, and geographical regions discussed will be of a wide range, with special attention to the art of Europe, the United States, Asia, and Africa. In addition to studying the history of art, we will take a critical look at the aura historically attached to the real object versus the reproduction. We will explore how exhibition practices affect the meaning of art and how scholars and artists recently have been challenging them. Class meetings will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and student presentations.

Estimated Fees:               None
Designations:                  None

Interested in understanding the origins, spread, and responses to infectious diseases? Wondering if “The Last of Us” could really happen? Join as we discuss infectious disease origins and pandemics, from tuberculosis and malaria to Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19. Using readings from popular media and science journals, documentaries, games, and activities, we will explore the history of infectious diseases, where they come from, and how we deal with them. Topics will include vaccines, neglected tropical diseases, evolution of viruses, antimicrobial resistance, and the role of public health organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this project, students will be evaluated based on attendance, out- of-class reading, participation in discussions, quizzes, and an in-class 15-minute presentation on an infectious disease of choice. We will watch the first episode of “The Last of Us” and discuss it. This project will include trips to UAB’s 1917 HIV clinic and to the CDC in Atlanta, GA. This project is open to all students; no previous college science classes required.

The student will secure an internship with an organization for the month of January and enter into an agreement to work under the supervision of someone in the organization. The supervisor will enter into an agreement with the College that the work will be substantive and that agreement is made through the experiential learning office. The student will incorporate academics and experience to gain a better knowledge of a field of human endeavor. The student should find and read three articles and one book related to the field in which he/she works as an intern. The student’s supervisor may be helpful in identifying such readings. In addition, the student should keep a journal of daily activities. Based on these, a critical reflection is the integral component of experiential learning. Critical reflection is defined as the process by which individuals and groups make sense of experiences through inductive, deductive, and abductive reasoning. The DEAL (Describe, Examine, and Articulate Learning) model for critical reflection provides a shared strategy for aligning experiential learning projects with student learning outcomes. The critical reflection paper will be 8-10 pages and is for a grade of S/U

Estimated Fees:             $150.00

Designations:               None

CHN*299*19

An Exploration of Cultural Perspectives on Individual and Collective Rights during the Covid-19 Health Crisis in China

Yan Tong

This project is a capstone experience in clinical practice that involves full-time assignment to a collaborative classroom for four weeks under the join supervision of a certified teacher and college supervisor. Students design, plan, and implement coordinated learning experiences for children with exceptionalities, attend regular seminars, engage in independent conferences, and participate in the development of IEPs for children with disabilities.

GEN *299* 3
ED *499* 4
Education in Belize
Amelia Spencer and Ann Dominick

Travel to Belize to work alongside teachers in a local school. Students will teach English through multiple subjects and experience cultural immersion through service. Students will also experience the culture and natural resources of Belize through meetings with community leaders. The project will be facilitated by Toucan Education Programs. Students will prepare for the project by developing lesson plans and reading assigned articles. Students will be expected to participate fully in the school and group discussions, keep a reflective journal and submit a final reflective essay. Evaluation will be based on quality of preparation, participation, and the final essay.

GEN *299* 27
Civil War, Fascism, and the New Spain

Eduardo Gregori

This embroidery fundamentals project will examine the history and techniques of hand embroidery. This will be done through a series of readings, discussions, technical demonstrations, and hands on assignments followed by peer critiques that explore the structural and communicative aspects of embroidery, the relationship between matter, form, content and craftsmanship.

After building a basic understanding of embroidery stitches and techniques you will use this visual vocabulary to create non- traditional embroidery compositions. Through the critical analysis of critique that follows, the project is evaluated for the success in communication using the visual library of embroidery.

GEN *299* 32
Internships in Community and Social Change

Katy Smith

This project is about discovering the art of balance through Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga, guiding you towards physical strength, flexibility, and inner peace. Learn the intricacies of each practice, mastering poses and sequences while aligning breath with movement. But it doesn’t stop there - delve into the profound benefits of meditation, cultivating mindfulness to reduce stress and enhance mental clarity. Explore the power of self- awareness as you learn to still the mind and find serenity amidst life’s challenges. Nourishing your body is equally vital, which is why we delve into the science of nutrition. Unravel the latest research on a diet that fuels your body, supporting your yoga and meditation practices, and promoting overall vitality.

The rich history of the black freedom struggle in the United States encompasses not only the abolishment of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, but many more events throughout the 100-year struggle. This century is bookended by the Civil War in the nineteenth century and the Civil Rights Movement in the 20th century. Throughout this period, music had an indelible role through spirituals, protest songs, jazz, and concert music. This project will explore music’s role in the Black Freedom Struggle in the United States from 1865 to 1965. Students will visit and engage with source materials at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Archives, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and the Fame and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in studying the overarching history of music’s role in this specific history. Students will also have the opportunity to research and present on a topic of interest surrounding the Black Freedom Struggle and the role of music. Grades will be based on class participation, short comprehension worksheets, brief reflections on field experiences, and a project poster presentation that students will share with their colleagues at the end of the term.

This project allows students planning a career in health care to shadow physicians, dentists, or other health professionals through a 120 contact- hour internship. This internship is designed for students who are sophomores or above. A limited number of established internships are available at Birmingham area healthcare facilities, or students may set up their own internship with a private health care professional if approved by Dr. Woods.

Get over the fear of speaking in front of the public! Share life stories, learn communication skills, influence others and change the world. This project is designed to provide both a practical introduction to public speaking and a forum for practicing public speaking. The objectives are to familiarize you with some basic principles of effective, ethical public speaking, to give you practice enacting those principles, to instill a sense of the importance of public communication in shaping our lives, and to develop your awareness of the ethical obligations involved in social advocacy. You will have the opportunities to prepare for your capstone presentation, your next conference talk, your next professional interview, your social advocacy speech, or your next whatever speech you may deliver.

Estimated Fees:                 None
Designations:                   Leadership Studies, Experiential Learning

Do you wonder how the world could be different or dream of seeing how people live in the distant future? What would racism look like in a world where other species of humans had not gone extinct? How would ideas about community be different if humans reproduced asexually? What if the police had not raided the Stonewall Inn that summer night in 1969? In the society, you will read, watch, and listen to stories about what could be and then discuss ideas in the stories with your classmates. This is not a literature or film class. The emphasis is on speculation, and stories are vehicles for that speculation. The instructor’s role will only be to provide structure and facilitate discussion. By registering, you are committing to coming to meetings prepared to contribute. Expect 9-10 hours of reading per week outside of meetings.

Estimated Fees:                      None
Designations:                        None

Why is bacon so delicious? How does that fresh baked loaf of bread have the perfect combination of crunchiness and chewiness? The secret is often the science used to cook them. In this project, students will learn the science behind basic cooking techniques, and then use those techniques to cook a variety of delicious dishes. Cooking topics will include the Maillard reaction, crystal formation, acid base chemistry, mechanisms of heat transfer, and the science of cleaning up. 

Students will focus on special topics in mathematics beyond the scope of regularly offered courses. Each student will choose a research project and submit a research proposal in writing prior to the end of the fall semester for approval by the instructor. Partner projects are permitted. The bulk of your time for this course will be independent work on your research project. Any approved research project will take a significant time commitment so you should be prepared to devote at least 40 hours per week to your research. Additionally, each student will meet with the instructor (at times to be arranged) and the class will meet together once per week (Wednesdays). Grades will be based on: progress presentations reported in class meetings; progress reported in individual meetings; paper drafts; final research paper; and Senior Conference final oral presentation.

Estimated Fees:                        None

Designations:                          None

The roots of rock & roll begin with the African-American spiritual, developing through the blues, influenced by folk and country music into the high-energy, rhythmic style that caught fire in the 1950s among the Baby Boom after WW2, starting with Howlin’ Wolf, Elvis, through the British Invasion of the 1960s, and much more. Lots of listening, discussion, a wide variety of reading to tie in the music to social issues of the day, including racial tension, the Vietnam War, and the birth of the big business of music due to broadcasting, recordings, live concerts, the payola scandal, and more. Reflection papers will give you a chance to express yourself in writing, and daily discussion in class is essential. A daylong field trip is planned to Muscle Shoals’ two famous recording studios.

Estimated Fees:                      $200.00 (trip to Muscle Shoals)

Designations:                        None

The process for selecting a President traditionally begins with a set of old-fashioned meetings in one rural state, followed by elections in two or three other states, followed by a bewildering array of elections and meetings spread out over a three month period, punctuated by debates, commercials, and endless polls and pundits. Whose idea was this? How did it get this way? Is the system democratic? Does it encourage and select the best potential presidents? Does it need fixing? Students will research and discuss past presidential races, study and respond to what political scientists, legal experts, and campaign professionals have to say about the current system, and finish the term with a detailed essay offering their informed personal evaluation of the process and suggestions for reform.

Estimated Fees:                      None

Designations:                        Leadership Studies

The law office internship provides the pre-law student with the opportunity to observe and participate in the work of a law firm in the Birmingham area. It is intended for students who have minimal prior experience working in a law firm and want to learn more about the practice of law before making a decision to attend law school. In addition to working in a law firm, students are required to do extra readings and to write a series of reflection papers. Students will spend a minimum of 30 hours per week with their law firms and will meet three times during the month with the class and Dr. Morgan. Evaluation will be based on papers, participation, and the assessment of the sponsoring law firm.

This project orients students interested in psychology and related fields to career opportunities at the Bachelor- and Graduate-level. The importance of professional skills-building will be emphasized, and students will have the opportunity to do experiential learning activities throughout the semester. Class time will consist of lectures, videos, and guest speakers and will focus heavily on leading and participating in class discussions and activities. Topics include job searching, interviewing, networking skills, and creating a professional development plan. Collaborations with the BSC Career Services are an important component of this project; both in and out-of-class time may include visits to Career Services and similar venues off-campus. Outside of class, students will create a “Professional Portfolio,” which will include drafts for graduate school and/or job application materials (e.g., cover letters, resumes/CVs, and personal statements). Students will also spend time out of class engaging in professional activities, including shadowing, interviewing alumni and professionals in psychology and related fields, and meeting with BSC professionals. This project includes heavy reading and discussion. Students will be graded on written and oral discussions of assigned readings, professional behavior, and on professional portfolio materials.

This project is designed to introduce the field of sport and exercise psychology by providing a broad overview of the major themes in the area. We will explore such topics as personality, competition and cooperation, exercise and fitness, children’s development through sport, peak performance, burnout and overtraining, group dynamics, and leadership. Students will participate in relaxation techniques, visual imagery practices, and discussions about health and well- being. Students will be required to complete readings and view related media in and out of class. Evaluation will be based on participation, a five-page autobiography of how sports participation/exercise has affected their life, a five page summary discussing the psychology of sport and how it relates to an approved movie, a daily log chronicling their progress towards reaching specific exercise and sports related goals, and a group project.

Estimated Fees:                      None

Designations:                        None

Explore how telling the story of Alexander Hamilton through BIPOC bodies and voices alters the historical narrative. Discuss how “who lives, who dies, who tells your story” tackles issues of diverse representation, both on and off stage. “This is not a moment, it’s the movement” Evaluate conflicting critical perceptions and how the history being made today alters our response to even contemporary works.

Estimated Fees:                  $200 (includes ticket to Hamilton: The Musical, travel and overnight stay in Atlanta)

Designations:                     None