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Computer Science |
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CSCI 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
Prerequisite: Permission of the department. Individual conferences. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. Staff.
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CSCI 493 - Honors Thesis
Credits: 3-3
Planned Offering: Fall-Winter
Honors Thesis. Staff.
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Dance |
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DANC 110 - University Dance
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Participation in a university dance production for a minimum of 24 hours of rehearsal and performance. A journal recording the rehearsal/performance process is required. May be repeated with permission for up to five degree credits. Davies.
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DANC 111 - University Dance Production
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Participation in any production aspect of a university dance production for a minimum of 24 hours. A journal recording the production process is required. May be repeated with permission for up to four degree credits. Evans.
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DANC 120 - Introduction to Contemporary Modern Dance
FDR: HA
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
This course combines the exploration of individual and ensemble artistic expression in contemporary modern dance with the study of the history of modern dance. The course culminates in a performance presentation. Staff.
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DANC 215 - World Dance Technique
FDR: HA
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. This dance class reflects the world dance form that is the specialty of the dance artist-in-residence. The basic dance techniques of that specific form are taught and movement is tied to the historical narrative of the country. Staff.
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DANC 220 - Dance Composition
FDR: HA
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite: DANC 120 and instructor consent A studio course exploring the craft and art of creating dance performances in a variety of styles and contexts. Images, text, music, improvisation and the elements of time, space and energy are examined as sources for dance material leading to group choreography. This course focuses on creating a finished performance piece for presentation. Staff.
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DANC 225 - Intermediate Contemporary Modern Dance Technique
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. A studio course devoted to refining effort/shape values and pursuing performance quality phrasing and style in “Horton” modern dance technique. Students investigate self-directed reverse combinations, deconstruct movement phrases into sequential elements, and learn methods for written and oral analysis of dance. Students practice listening to the body by connecting movement phrases with kinesthetic experiences. May be repeated with permission for up to six credits. Davies.
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DANC 230 - Musical-Theater Dance Technique
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Winter 2012 and alternate years
A studio exploration of choreography in musical theater from the 1940s to the present. Composition, theme, and form are discussed in concert with practical work in restaging historically significant musical dance numbers. Of particular interest are the choreographers’ styles and the many dance techniques prevalent in musical theater. These issues are experienced through dance practica as original choreography is taught. May be repeated with permission for up to six degree credits. Davies.
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DANC 235 - Head to Toe
FDR: HA
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring
The theory and practice of creating a lecture/demonstration-style performance based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for elementary students. This class spends time researching recent scholarly writings on the brain, neural wiring and how pairing movement with traditional educational concepts can help young children to learn better. Students then use these principles to create a lecture/demonstration for local 4th- and 5th-grade students, including meeting and discussing ideas with local principals, setting up performances, creating a concert that ties to Virginia SOLs in English, science or mathematics, making costumes, sets or other production elements, choreographing and performing the material. Students also prepare an evaluation of the production and create literature to leave with the teachers so that the basic principles used to create the performance can be continued if desired. Davies.
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DANC 240 - Contemporary Modern Dance History
FDR: HA
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter 2012 and alternate years
This course is a study of the manifestations of American modern dance from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Students explore the relationship between dance and developments in U.S. culture and study the innovators of the art form and their techniques, writings, and art works through readings, video and lectures. Davies.
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DANC 292 - Ballet Technique
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. This studio course is devoted to the practice of classical ballet technique and to the exploration of classical and contemporary ballet in performance. The course culminates in a performance presentation. This course may be repeated for degree credit with permission for up to six degree credits. Staff.
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DANC 330 - Experiential Anatomy
FDR: HA
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall 2011 and alternate years
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. A study of human motion as it relates to the locomotor and physical activities of the dancer. The course covers the planes of the body; vocabulary of the skeleton; and specific muscles, their actions, and how they relate to the dancer’s body. Injury prevention through alignment and proper movement is considered, as well as the reversal of body alienation. Attention is given to the application of course information to technique class and performance. Davies.
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DANC 340 - Contemporary Dance Observation and Analysis
FDR: HA
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall 2011 and alternate years
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. The observation and analysis of live and recorded contemporary dance focusing on the work of emerging and established choreographers. Exploration of methods for describing the moving body in space. Emphasis is placed on the written and verbal critique of contemporary dance in performance. Davies.
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DANC 390 - Special Topics
Credits: 3 in fall or winter, 4 in spring
Planned Offering: Offered in fall or winter when interest is expressed and departmental resource permit.
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. An advanced studio course for experienced dancers exploring various choreographic styles and methods and the intersections between technique, aesthetics and creative collaboration. This course permits the student to follow a program of specialized applied research in order to widen the scope of experience and to build upon concepts covered in other courses. The course culminates in a performance piece for presentation. May be repeated for degree credit with permission if the topics are different.
Topic for Fall 2011
DANC 390: Special Topic: Aerial Silk (3). Aerial silk is a fabric apparatus in which students’ climb and wrap. This introductory class gives students the basics in climbing, poses, tying hand and foot knots, and inversions. The course builds students’ core and upper-body strength while refining vocabulary and practicing the art of transitioning between phrases. As students’ strength grows, classes include warps, drops, partnering, and performance skills. Aerial safety is covered in depth. Students receive individual attention according to their strength, flexibility and stamina. Questions about physical abilities and potential for the class should be directed to Prof. Davies at daviesj@wlu.edu. (HA) Davies Staff.
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DANC 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered in fall and winter when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Students enrich their academic experience by undertaking a performance project. Students must demonstrate ability to work with little supervision and must develop a written proposal defining the issue to be addresses, an outline of the proposed methodology, and a statement of the intended outcome with a schedule for completion. The project must include written, historical, and practical components, and permission must be secured in advance of registration. Staff.
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East Asian Languages and Literatures |
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EALL 215 - East Asian Cinema
FDR: HA
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years
This course provides an introduction to and overview of contemporary East Asian cinema, including the Chinese-language cinemas of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and those of Japan and Korea. It focuses on the flourishing cinema of East Asia since the 1980s and provides a solid foundation in the successes and dominant tendencies of contemporary East Asian cinema and culture. Among the aims of the course are examining ways in which the contemporary East Asian cinemas and cultures are in dialogue with one another and looking at specific conditions and cultural forces at work in each unique case. The course also explores how the cinemas of East Asia reflect the changing cultural, economic, historical, political and social conditions of each country and how these cinemas and cultures are part of a larger redefinition of the idea of a national culture. Screenings and readings consist of exemplary works from each East Asian culture, organized around specific motifs, such as history, memory, identity, communication, love, and death. Zhu.
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EALL 473 - Senior Thesis
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisites: Senior standing, major in East Asian Languages and Literatures, and instructor consent. Students research and write a thesis directed by a member of the department. Staff.
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EALL 493 - Honors Thesis
Credits: 3-3
Planned Offering: Fall-Winter
Prerequisites: Senior standing, honors candidacy, major in East Asian Languages and Literatures, and instructor consent. Honors Thesis. Staff.
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East Asian Studies |
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EAS 391 - Senior Capstone in East Asian Studies
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Weekly seminar in East Asian studies that focuses on research tools and methodology. Students develop and present to the group their capstone proposals. Additional presentations by East Asian Studies faculty and guest speakers. Staff.
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EAS 393 - Senior Capstone in East Asian Studies
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Capstone project. Weekly seminar, focusing on the completion of the capstone project, including a formal presentation of the finished project to East Asian Studies faculty and students. Staff.
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EAS 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 1
Directed Individual Study.
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EAS 402 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 2
Directed Individual Study.
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EAS 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 3
Directed Individual Study.
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EAS 406 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 6
Directed Individual Study.
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Economics |
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ECON 101 - Principles of Microeconomics
FDR: SS1
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Survey of economic principles and problems with emphasis on analysis of consumer behavior, firm behavior, market outcomes, market structure, and microeconomic policy. The first half of a two-term survey of economics. Should be followed by ECON 102. Staff.
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ECON 102 - Principles of Macroeconomics
FDR: SS1
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. Continuation of survey begun in ECON 101, with emphasis on performance of the aggregate economy. Analysis of unemployment, inflation, growth, and monetary and fiscal policies. Staff.
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ECON 195 - Special Topics in Economics for Non- Majors
FDR: SS1, GE6a
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
This course is offered, without prerequisite, and typically for first-year students on various topics in economics. The course emphasis changes from term to term and is announced prior to preregistration. Staff.
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ECON 203 - Econometrics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite or corequisite: INTR 201. Prerequisite: INTR 202 or permission of the department head. Explorations of regression models that relate a response variable to one or more predictor variables. The course begins with a review of the simple bivariate model used in INTR 202, and moves on to multivariate models. Underlying model assumptions and consequences are discussed. Advanced topics include non-linear regression and forecasting. Examples in each class are drawn from a number of disciplines. The course emphasizes the use of data and student-directed research. Anderson, Blunch.
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ECON 210 - Microeconomic Theory
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102; MATH 101. Contemporary theory relating to consumer behavior, the firm’s optimizing behavior, the nature of competition in various types of markets and market equilibrium over time. Recommended for economics majors not later than their junior year. Guse.
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ECON 211 - Macroeconomic Theory
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisites: Economics major, ECON 101 and 102, or instructor consent. This course develops the classical macroeconomic framework and uses this to explore the causes and consequences of economic growth, inflation, output, and employment. This same exercise is conducted using alternative theoretical frameworks, including those associated with Keynes, Monetarists, and New Classical thinkers. Emphasis is placed on investigating the impact and effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy under each of the theoretical paradigms or schools of thought developed. Davies, Goldsmith, Hooks.
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ECON 215 - Money and Banking
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisites: Economics major, ECON 101 and 102, or instructor consent. A study of the fundamental principles of money, credit, and banking in the United States. Emphasis is on modern conditions and problems, with particular attention to the validity of monetary and banking theory in the present domestic and international situation. Hooks.
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ECON 220 - Mathematical Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101, 102, and MATH 221. An introduction to fundamental mathematical methods of economic analysis with a variety of applications from both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Topics covered include theory and applications of linear algebra, multivariable calculus, static optimization, and comparative statics. The course is highly recommended for anyone planning to undertake graduate studies in economics or a closely related field. Grajzl.
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ECON 221 - Experimental Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. This course explores the use of laboratory methods to study economic behavior. Topics include the design of experiments, laboratory techniques to test theories, financial incentives, and analysis of experimental data. Experimental economics emphasizes applications in a variety of topics: games, bargaining, auctions, market price competition, market failures, voting, contributions to public goods, lottery choice decisions, and the design of electronic markets for financial assets. Guse.
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ECON 224 - American Economic History
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. This course applies economic analysis to topics in American history and aspects of the development of the American economy. Typically, two or three aspects are chosen for intensive study; coverage varies from year to year. Possible topics include the economics of slavery; the coming of the railroads; the rise of the industrial corporation, boom and bust in the 19th century; innovation and technology; and the triumph of central banking. Shester.
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ECON 225 - Industrial Revolutions
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter 2012 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: ECON 101. In the 18th century, the pace of long-run economic growth accelerated; in the end, for the first time in human history, social and economic change became visible within an individual’s lifetime. What are the roles of technical change and population growth in this transformation? Why did England industrialize first, and not China, which had a clear lead in technology in 1600? What is the impact of modern economic growth on society? Insights gleaned from Smith, Malthus, and Marx are applied to country and sectoral case studies; 19th-century novels trace the contemporary perception of social change; and class participation in iron smelting makes concrete the magnitude of technical change. Students are expected to present a major research project to the class. Smitka.
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ECON 226 - Socioeconomic Themes in Literature and Film
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. The causes and consequences of socioeconomic developments are explored using literature and film as texts. Insights are gained by applying fundamental economic concepts to the situations depicted in the literature and film. Viewing socioeconomic issues through the prism of literature and film offers a rich understanding of the human experience, the essence of a liberal arts education. The course is writing intensive, with essays assigned for each film and each novel. Discussion is centered on development and analysis of the socioeconomic themes portrayed in the films and literature. Goldsmith.
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ECON 230 - Labor Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. The mechanisms and institutions which govern the allocation of labor in the American economy. The composition, quantity, and quality of the labor force; the functioning of labor markets and labor market policy; and wage determination and the distribution of income. Kaiser.
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ECON 231 - Economics of Race and Ethnicity
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisite: ECON 101. The purpose of this writing-intensive and interdisciplinary seminar is to enhance understanding of the link between race and ethnicity and economic outcomes. Participants explore a number of topics through assigned reading and classroom discussion, including: What are race and ethnicity, economic theories of discrimination, social-psychological insight about stereotyping, legacy impacts on social-economic status, affirmative action, wealth disparities between racial/ethnic groups, the role of communities in shaping economic and social well-being, concepts of identity, the connection between skin shade and economic outcomes, the contribution of assimilation and English language proficiency to the economic outcomes of immigrant Latino workers, the racial/ethnic composition of schools and academic achievement. The course fosters the development and use of critical thinking, effective writing, and oral presentation skills. Goldsmith.
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ECON 232 - African-American Human Capital Development: Challenges and Opportunities
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2012 and alternate years
Prerequisite: ECON 101. The course analyzes policies and institutions in the U.S. that influence African-Americans in their development of human capital. Examples of topics explored include early child development, K-12 education, postsecondary education, wealth, job training programs, housing segregation, and access to quality health care. Diette.
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ECON 233 - Colorism
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring
Prerequisite: ECON 101. Colorism is the allocation of privilege and disadvantage according to the lightness or darkness of one’s skin. The practices of colorism tend to favor lighter skin over darker skin, although in rare cases the opposite practice also occurs. Colorism is present both within and among racial groups, a testament to its role as something related to but different than race. Colorism is enacted among racial groups in various contexts, from preferences in classroom settings and hiring decisions to patterns in sentencing. This course draws on analytical structures and insights from the social sciences – especially economics, sociology, anthropology, and psychology – as well as material from the humanities to explore the socio-economic consequences. The investigation is global in perspective and makes use of film and music in to enrich insights gained from course readings and classroom discussion. The course fosters the development and use of critical thinking, effective writing, and oral presentation skills while exploring the colorism. Goldsmith.
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ECON 234 - Urban Education: Poverty, Ethnicity and Policy
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2012 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: ECON 101 and instructor consent. Students explore the determinants of education achievement and attainment in urban education through three weeks of fieldwork in schools in the Richmond area (Monday through Thursday each week) and seminar meetings in Lexington. Students observe and work to understand critical components of teaching and learning in the urban classroom. The readings and experience challenge students to consider factors including early childhood development, the role of the family, school finance, teachers, and curriculum. The students then evaluate the current policy proposals for school reform in the United States such as teacher merit pay, charter schools, and student accountability. In addition, students develop and present their own policy proposal for improving public schools. Housing is provided through alumni in Richmond. Diette.
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ECON 235 - The Economics of Social Issues
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: POV 101 or ECON 101 during the first “Pick Two” window. Economics majors only during second “Pick Two” window. ECON 101 after that. This seminar is based on readings that set out hypotheses developed by economists and other social scientists regarding the causes and consequences of a wide range of social problems. Evidence examining the validity of these hypotheses is scrutinized and evaluated. The course is writing intensive and interdisciplinary since readings are drawn from a wide variety of fields. Topics discussed include, but are not limited to, poverty, education, health, crime, race, ethnicity, immigration, and fiscal matters. Goldsmith.
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ECON 236 - Economics of Education
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. Investigation of the role of education on outcomes for both nations and individuals. Understanding of the factors in the education production function. Emphasis on the challenges of pre-K-12 education in the United States; secondary coverage of postsecondary education. Analysis of the effect of existing policies and potential reforms on the achievement and opportunities available to poor and minority students. Diette.
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ECON 237 - Health Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. An overview of the determinants of health using standard microeconomic models to analyze individual behavior, markets, institutions, and policies that influence health and health care. The primary focus of the course is the United States but also includes comparisons to health systems in other developed countries and very limited coverage of developing countries. Particular emphasis is given to challenges faced by disadvantaged groups. The course includes an optional service-learning component with placements involving health issues and/or health care services in Rockbridge County. Diette.
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ECON 238 - Poverty and Inequality in the United States
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. This course takes an economic approach toward investigating recent trends in poverty and inequality in the U.S., focusing on evaluating alternative explanations for who becomes (or remains) poor in this country. Factors considered in this investigation include labor-market trends, educational opportunities, family background, racial discrimination, and neighborhood effects. Aspects of public policy designed to alleviate poverty are discussed, as well as its failures and successes. As part of the required service-learning requirement, students serve in local organizations in order to gain personal experiences that can inform their understanding of course material. Staff.
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ECON 239 - The Economics of Crime and Punishment
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisite: ECON 101. This course explores topics of crime and criminal justice in the United States from an economic perspective. Using both theoretical and empirical methodologies, the decisions of criminals (and would-be criminals) are examined, along with markets for criminal behavior and the goods and services produced within them, and public policies aimed at dealing with crime. Sample topics include: Does crime pay? Does the government regulate crime too much or too little? Does prison “harden” criminals or rehabilitate them? Why does the U.S. imprison more people per capita than any other country? An emphasis of the course is to explore myths and realities regarding the relationships between poverty and crime. Staff.
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ECON 243 - Industrial Organization
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. A comprehensive survey of government policies toward business in the American economy. Discussion centers around the bases and types of control and includes four major policies: maintaining competition, moderating competition, substituting regulation for competition, and government ownership. Special attention is paid to the success and failure of government policies. Marco, Smitka.
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ECON 244 - The Auto Industry: Economics, Society, Culture
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2012 and alternate years
Prerequisite: ECON 101. This course investigates the automobile industry from an interdisciplinary perspective. Why did GM file bankruptcy? Why do we have 600-plus new passenger vehicles available in the US, and what is the cost of that diversity? How and why has the automobile shifted the rhythm of daily life, with the growth of suburbs remote from jobs, and what are the costs and benefits of that? What of safety and the environment? The course also considers cars themselves, the subject of two Tom Wolfe stories in The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. Smitka.
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ECON 248 - Economic Analysis of Law
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Analysis of substantive and procedural legal rules through the application of neoclassical economic theory. Emphasis is on the Chicago school of Posner, Coase, et al, and their critics, stressing efficient allocation rather than income distribution. Topics include property rights and their use to attempt to internalize externalities, the efficiency of contracts and their role in allocating risk, optimal liability rules and sanctions in torts, and the efficient amount of crime. Marco.
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ECON 250 - Public Finance
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Public choices and the public economy. An inquiry into how the references of individuals and groups are translated into public sector economic activity. The nature of public activity and public choice institutions. The question of social balance. The effects of government expenditures and taxes on the economic behavior of individuals and firms. Guse.
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ECON 255 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. Environmental studies majors will have priority during the first “Pick 2” window. The course serves as an introduction to environmental and natural resource economics. Economic principles are used to evaluate public and private decision making involving the management and use of environmental and natural resources. Aspects pertaining to fisheries, forests, species diversity, agriculture, and various policies to reduce air, water and toxic pollution will be discussed. Lectures, reading assignments, discussions and exams will emphasize the use of microeconomic analysis for managing and dealing with environmental and natural resource problems and issues. Casey, Kahn.
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ECON 259 - Supervised Study Abroad: The Environment and Economic Development in Amazonas
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2012 and alternate years
Prerequisite: ECON 101 or ENV 110. Spring Term Abroad course. Amazonas is a huge Brazilian state of 1.5 million sq. kilometers which retains 94 percent of its original forest cover. This course examines the importance of the forest for economic development in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy, and how policies can be develop to promote both environmental protection and an increase in the quality life in both the urban and rural areas of Amazonas. The learning objectives of this course integrate those of the economics and environmental studies majors. Students are asked to use economic tools in an interdisciplinary context to understand the relationships among economic behavior, ecosystems and policy choices. Writing assignments focus on these relationships and look towards the development of executive summary writing skills. Kahn.
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ECON 270 - International Trade
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Specialization of production, the gains from trade, and their distribution, nationally and internationally. Theory of tariffs. Commercial policy from the mercantilist era to the present. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Transnational economic integration: the European Community and other regional blocs. Anderson, Davies.
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ECON 271 - International Finance
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. International monetary arrangements, balance-of-payments adjustment processes, and the mutual dependence of macroeconomic variables and policies in trading nations. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), international investment, and the World Bank. International cooperation for economic stability. Anderson, Davies.
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ECON 272 - Japan’s Modern Economy
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Analysis of the contemporary Japanese economy, including the comparative structure of its economy; the macroeconomics of the late 1980s “bubble economy” and subsequent growth; the changing role of women and its impact on fertility; and the future of an economy facing population decline and the fiscal burden of a rapidly aging population. Texts include works by sociologists and political scientists to emphasize the need to integrate the impact of policy and social structures on economic behavior. Smitka.
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ECON 274 - China’s Modern Economy
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Economic analysis of the Chinese economy in the 20th century. Comparisons of pre- and post-revolutionary periods. Performance and policies of Taiwan and mainland China. Issues include the population problem, industrialization, provision of public health and education, alleviation of poverty and inequality. Microeconomic emphasis. Smitka.
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ECON 275 - Comparative Labor Markets
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. A comparative examination of labor markets and institutions in a set of advanced capitalist countries. Study and analysis address the roles played by institutions in explaining cross-national differences in labor-market outcomes, including employment, unemployment, labor force participation, mobility, and income distribution. The course also considers the likelihood of convergence of institutional arrangements across countries. Kaiser.
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ECON 280 - Development Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. A survey of the major issues of development economics. Economic structure of low-income countries and primary causes for their limited economic growth. Economic goals and policy alternatives. Role of developed countries in the development of poor countries. Selected case studies. Casey, Blunch.
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ECON 281 - Institutions and Economic Performance
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall or Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 101. Institutions such as laws, the political system, and cultural norms embed all social activity. They structure economic, political, and social interaction and as such play a central role in facilitating (or hindering) economic development. This course’s objective is to explore from a broad perspective how institutions affect economic performance, what the determinants of institutions are, and how institutions evolve. We will study examples from the existing capitalist economies, the developing and transition countries, as well as the more distant history. Because the study of institutions is necessarily an interdisciplinary endeavor, the course combines the approach of economics with the insights from law, political science, history, and sociology. Grajzl.
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ECON 282 - Economic Governance & Institutional Design
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Spurred by developmental disasters in the third world, turbulent post-socialist transition, and challenges of globalization, the structure and functioning of economic, political, legal, and social institutions supporting a market economy has become a central topic for economists and policy-makers across the globe. What are appropriate market-oriented institutions and how can societies acquire them? Can good economic governance be engineered top down, through foreign aid? What institutional solutions ensure sound economic governance in a globally interdependent world? This course adopts an economic approach and embraces interdisciplinary analysis to provide an in-depth inquiry into fundamental issues of institutional design, and its impact on economic governance and behavior. Grajzl.
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ECON 288 - Supervised Study Abroad
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102, instructor(s) consent, and other prerequisites as specified. For advanced students, the course covers a topic of current interest for which foreign travel provides a unique opportunity for significantly greater understanding. Emphasis and location changes from year to year and is announced each year, well in advance of registration. Likely destinations are Europe, Latin America, Africa, or Asia. This course may not be repeated.
Spring 2012 Topics:
ECON 288A: Supervised Study Abroad (Belize): Economics of Tropical Coastal Seascapes (4). Prerequisite: ECON 101. This course entails the application of microeconomic analysis to coastal environmental problems and explores the underlying economic basis for the formation of coastal and marine policies, using an interdisciplinary perspective coupled with formal economic analysis throughout. Economic theories of firm and individual behavior are used to develop formal models of coastal development, environmental valuation, fish population dynamics, and the ecological services provided by coastal ecosystems. These formal models provide insights into questions related to: the sustainability of marine resources given commercial and recreational demands; the optimal amount of protected marine areas; the ideal amount of coastal development; and the link between land use-water quality-and marine populations. Class meetings are devoted to reading and discussing articles from journals with a marine or environmental focus. Upon completion of this course, students are able to critically evaluate journal articles and conduct rudimentary economic analyses of coastal and marine policy. Casey.
ECON 288B: Supervised Study Abroad (Ghana): African Economic Development (4). Prerequisite: ECON 101. This course is tightly linked to POL 288. It presents students with an intensive introduction to economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, with an emphasis on Ghana as a case study, beginning with building a firm theoretical basis for students to understand the economics of development and including issues facing developing countries today. Students review the classic theoretical models of economic development and then move on to present contemporary models of economic development. We discuss the importance of health and education in economics development, especially the importance of educating girls and the potential importance of adult literacy programs in economic development in Ghana. While some of this addresses historical experiences, a major focus is on future challenges and opportunities. Readings are from the Todaro-Smith textbook and selected articles, again mostly with a focus on Ghana. Blunch.
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ECON 295 - Special Topics in Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102. Course emphasis and prerequisites change from term to term and are announced prior to preregistration. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. A maximum of nine credits chosen from all special topics in economics courses may be used, with permission of the department head, toward requirements for the economics major. Staff.
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ECON 301 - Strategy and Equilibrium
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 210 and MATH 101. Microeconomics without the assumptions of perfectly competitive markets: small number of agents, asymmetric information, uncertainty, externalities, etc. Applications include auctions, bargaining, oligopoly, labor market signaling, public finance and insurance. Class time combines lectures, discussion and classroom experiments. Heavy emphasis on problem solving using game theory. Guse.
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ECON 302 - Game Theory
Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years
Prerequisites: MATH 101 or equivalent and ECON 210. This course abandons the assumptions of perfect competition. Buyers and sellers may be few; information may be privately held; property rights may poorly enforced; externalities abound and uncertainty is the rule. Game theory is a general framework for analyzing the messy world of strategic interactions. Standard solution concepts such as Nash Equilibrium, subgame perfection, and Bayesian equilibrium are introduced in the context of a broad array of microeconomic topics. These include auctions, bargaining, oligopoly, labor market signaling, public finance and insurance. Class time combines lectures, problem-solving workshops, and classroom experiments. Guse.
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ECON 303 - Topics in Econometrics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101, 102, and 203. Further explorations of regression models, building on the material from ECON 203. The course begins with a review of the OLS model and continues to alternative models, answering questions such as: How do we proceed if the dependent variable is categorical, rather than continuous (as in the OLS model)? How might we proceed if one or more of the Classical Assumptions are violated? Underlying model assumptions and consequences are discussed. Possible topics include models for categorical outcomes, 2SLS/IV, matching methods, quantile regression, time-series analysis, and panel data models. The course emphasizes the use of data and student-directed research. Anderson, Blunch.
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ECON 304 - Health: A Social Science Exploration
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2013 and alternate years
Prerequisite: ECON 203.
Much of the work done by consulting companies, banks, insurance companies, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, etc., is based on applied statistical and econometric analysis. This course helps prepare students for careers in these environments using a hands-on approach and emphasizing the use of data and student-directed research in the specific context of health-related issues. Example of these issues include obesity, vaccinations, pre- and post natal care, contraceptive use, or child mortality; possible determinants include poverty, education, or distance to the nearest health clinic or hospital. An interdisciplinary perspective is highlighted, as is the use and importance of quantitative analysis for public policy. Blunch
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ECON 316 - Central Banking
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 215 and permission of the instructor. This seminar explores the theory, institutions, and history of central banks. It is a reading- and research-intensive course designed to give the student a deep knowledge of theoretical and current issues facing central banks. Readings include classic theoretical studies of central banks by economists such as Bagehot, Friedman, and Schwartz, as well as modern studies such as Leijonhufvud, Goodhart, and Eichengreen. Each student chooses additional readings from the area of theory, history, institutions, or people related to central banking. Hooks.
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ECON 317 - The European Monetary Union
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisite: ECON 215. This course explores monetary union within the European Union. Topics considered include: economic theories about monetary union; policy choices for the new European Central Bank; labor market adjustments to a common monetary policy; fiscal Economics policy coordination among participating countries; and possible expansion of the euro area. Students research topics by country and share their findings through oral and written presentations. Consideration is given to how this information helps to explain current events and how it influences actions taken by policymakers. In addition, the course explores the broader issues related to the impact of economic integration on politics and culture. Hooks.
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ECON 318 - Gold, Silver, and Oil: Monetary Policy in the 1970s
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring, 2011
Prerequisite: ECON 215. An examination of monetary theory and monetary policy in the U.S. in the 1970s, with a focus on selected events, including the closing of the gold window, the oil crisis, and the appointment of Volker to the Federal Reserve. Includes economic, historical, cultural, and journalistic views. Seminar class requires daily reading and written reviews, as well as active participation. Hooks.
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ECON 340 - Innovation and Patents
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2012 and alternate years
Prerequisite: INTR 202. Studying innovation and technological change is extremely important in economics. This course examines the innovation process paying special attention to the role played by patents and patent law. After a brief introduction to patent law and the justification for patent rights, we study issues such as the financial return to patenting, the strategic use of patents in business, knowledge spillovers, and ways in which patents may deter innovation (patent trolls, patent thickets, and the tragedy of the “anti-commons”). A significant part of the course involves hands-on work with patent and financial data using Stata. Marco.
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ECON 356 - Economics of the Environment in Developing Countries
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisites: ECON 101 and 102, and either ECON 255 or 280. This course focuses on the unique characteristics of the relationship between the environment and the economy in developing nations. Differences in economic structure, political structure, culture, social organization and ecosystem dynamics are emphasized as alternative policies for environmental and resource management are analyzed. Kahn, Casey.
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ECON 382 - Health Economics in Developing Countries
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit
Prerequisites: ECON 101, 102, and 203. A survey of the major issues of health economics, with a focus on the experiences of developing countries. Health structure of low-income countries and primary causes for their limited health performance. Health goals and policy alternatives. An examination of the role of econometrics in the evaluation of health programs is a major part of the course, including review of instrumental variables and matching methods. Blunch.
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ECON 395 - Special Topics in Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
Prerequisite: At least one course from among ECON 203, 210, or 211. Course emphasis and prerequisites change from term to term and will be announced prior to preregistration. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. A maximum of nine credits chosen from all special topics in economics courses may be used, with permission of the department head, toward requirements for the economics major. Staff.
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ECON 398 - Field-Specific Research Seminar in Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisites: ECON 203, 210, and 211 and major standing. Students work through the original literature in a given field within the discipline of economics. Emphasis is on critical understanding of that literature. Required written work and class discussion focus on summarizing and reviewing articles, gaining insight into the current economic knowledge documented in that literature, and identifying future research questions implied by the current literature. Student effort culminates with a detailed and rigorous proposal of an independent research project for ECON 399: Capstone Seminar in Economics (3). Staff.
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ECON 399 - Capstone Seminar in Economics
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: ECON 398 and major standing. This capstone course builds upon the foundations developed in ECON 398. The central element is a major independent research project. This project is carried out with continual mentoring by a faculty member. Each student documents research in a formal paper and offers an oral presentation summarizing his/ her research results. Staff.
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ECON 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 1
Prerequisites: Six credits in economics courses numbered 200 or above, either a cumulative grade-point average of 3.000 or of 3.000 in all economics courses, and permission of the instructor. The objective is to permit students to follow a course of directed study in some field of economics not presented in other courses, or to emphasize a particular field of interest. May be repeated for degree credit with permission for different topics. Staff.
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ECON 402 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 2
Prerequisites: Six credits in economics courses numbered 200 or above, either a cumulative grade-point average of 3.000 or of 3.000 in all economics courses, and permission of the instructor. The objective is to permit students to follow a course of directed study in some field of economics not presented in other courses, or to emphasize a particular field of interest. May be repeated for degree credit with permission for different topics. Staff.
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ECON 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Six credits in economics courses numbered 200 or above, either a cumulative grade-point average of 3.000 or of 3.000 in all economics courses, and permission of the instructor. The objective is to permit students to follow a course of directed study in some field of economics not presented in other courses, or to emphasize a particular field of interest. May be repeated for degree credit with permission for different topics. Staff.
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ECON 406 - Directed Individual Study
Credits: 6
Prerequisites: Six credits in economics courses numbered 200 or above, either a cumulative grade-point average of 3.000 or of 3.000 in all economics courses, and permission of the instructor. The objective is to permit students to follow a course of directed study in some field of economics not presented in other courses, or to emphasize a particular field of interest. May be repeated for degree credit with permission for different topics. Staff.
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ECON 493 - Honors Thesis
Credits: 3-3
Planned Offering: Fall-Winter
This course is required of Honors candidates in addition to the 21 credits in economics (courses numbered 200 and above) required of all economics majors.
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EDUC 200 - Foundations of Education
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. An introduction to the issues relating to American public education in the 21st century. Students are introduced to information about teaching strategies and school policy upon which future courses can build. Emphasis is given to school efforts to create environments which promote equity and excellence within a multicultural system. Required for teacher licensure in Virginia. Staff.
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EDUC 201 - Practicum: Foundation of Education
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall
Corequisite: EDUC 200. This practicum is designed to provide an experience observing and participating in a primary or secondary classroom. Additionally, a forum is provided for discussion of issues in education such as classroom management, differentiation, standardized curriculum and more. With these topics in mind, students challenge and refine beliefs as they spend time in a classroom. Working closely with a supervising teacher is invaluable to meeting the goals of this course. To meet the course requirements, students must complete 24 hours of fieldwork during the term. Staff.
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EDUC 210 - Fieldwork in Education
Credits: 1-3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite: Instructor consent.
This course provides students who are not in the teacher-education program an opportunity to observe and assist in elementary and secondary classrooms in the local school systems. It is intended for those students who wish to explore education as a profession or who are interested in post-graduate programs such as Teach for America or Fulbright teaching positions. Students in the teacher-education program should take the practicum courses that correspond to upper level education courses. Sigler, Ojure.
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EDUC 280 - Poverty and Education
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring
This course examines the complex interaction between poverty and education through a variety of activities, including field work in urban and rural settings, review of contemporary film on education in high poverty communities, and relevant policy research and journal readings. In addition, the course examines the challenges of education in high poverty settings or for individuals experiencing poverty as well as schools and communities attempting to overcome the obstacles that poverty creates. Students visit public and private charter schools and innovative educational programs in Washington, D.C. and in rural West Virginia and become immersed in urban and rural culture. Students enrolled in the course must be able to be off-campus for one to two weeks of the term. Additional details form the instructor. Dailey.
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EDUC 302 - Teaching the Exceptional Learner
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisite EDUC 200, POV 101, or POV 103; and successful application to Teacher Education or permission of the instructor. This course addresses education for exceptional individuals by examining the key issues surrounding instruction for children and adolescents with disabilities or special talents. Students study the identification, etiology, and incidence of exceptionality. Through case-study review and individual research projects, students investigate the educational, social, and cultural dimensions of life in American society for exceptional individuals. Required for teacher licensure in Virginia. Ojure.
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EDUC 303 - Practicum: The Exceptional Learner
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program and instructor consent. Corequisite: EDUC 302. This practicum reinforces the content of EDUC 302 by providing students with an opportunity to explore special education in the field through observing and assisting in inclusive classrooms and special classes. Students also study the relationship between general-education and special-education teachers. Ojure.
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EDUC 305 - Teaching Elementary Reading
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application into Teacher Education program. Corequisite: Education 306. This course prepares students to teach reading in the elementary classroom. Participants will develop an understanding of the reading process, consider theories of reading instruction, examine current research in reading development and investigate elements of a balanced literacy program. Strategies for teaching word study, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and spelling will be studied for each developmental reading stage. Students will also examine formal and informal diagnostic techniques and instructional procedures for dealing with various types of reading difficulties. Sigler.
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EDUC 306 - Practicum: Teaching Elementary Reading
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program. This practicum course accompanies Education 305, and provides students with the opportunity to observe and practice reading methods used in elementary education. Sigler.
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EDUC 310 - Art for Elementary Education
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Winter
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education program. This course is intended to introduce students to some of the basic educational theories and methods used for guides for teaching art to children. The emphasis is on art as an experience for children that facilitates their self-expression, growth, and development. We discuss the supportive role of the teacher as well as developing, administering, and evaluating an art program. Developing meaningful art lesson plans with the implementation of Virginia Standards of Learning is a major objective of this course. Throughout the course, we focus on safety issues regarding art materials in a classroom environment. Staff.
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EDUC 315 - Music and Movement for Elementary Education
Credits: 2
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education or consent of the instructor. A study of the variety of media related to music and movement appropriate for preschool and elementary school children. Topics covered include the nature and analysis of music and movement, teaching strategies and techniques, and development and implementation of lesson plans which include the Virginia Standards of Learning and the Foundation Blocks for Early Learning. Students are required to visit local elementary physical education and music classrooms where they teach lesson plans that they have designed. Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium Faculty.
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EDUC 340 - Elementary Language Arts and Social Studies Methods
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education program. This course prepares students to teach language arts and social studies in the elementary classroom. Participants develop an understanding of the theories of language arts and social studies instruction and examine current research in language arts and social studies instruction. Students learn strategies for direct instruction and group learning to meet the needs of learners at different stages of development. Students also learn how to plan and prepare lessons while managing the learning environment of the classroom. Sigler.
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EDUC 341 - Practicum: Elementary Language Arts and Social Studies Methods
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program. Corequisite: EDUC 340. This practicum reinforces the content of EDUC 340. This observation and participation in area schools gives the students the opportunity to carry out instructional techniques and examine language arts and social studies instruction in an authentic environment. Sigler.
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EDUC 343 - Elementary Math and Science Methods
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Winter 2012
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education program. Corequisite: EDUC 344. This course prepares students to teach mathematics and science in the elementary classroom. Participants develop an understanding of the theories of mathematics and science instruction and examine current research in inquiry-based mathematics and science instruction. Students learn strategies for direct instruction and group learning to meet the needs of learners at different stages of development. Students also learn how to plan and prepare lessons while managing the learning environment of the math and science classroom. Sigler.
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EDUC 344 - Practicum: Elementary Math and Science Methods
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Winter 2012
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program. Corequisite: EDUC 343. This practicum reinforces the content of EDUC 343. This observation and participation in area schools gives the students the opportunity to carry out instructional techniques and examine mathematics and science instruction in an authentic environment. Sigler.
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EDUC 353 - Middle and Secondary Content Area Reading and Writing
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall.
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education program. In this course, students examine research on adolescent literacy and study instructional strategies for secondary content area subjects. Students examine how literacy can be developed through specific strategies in the content area classroom. Specifically, the course highlights methods for incorporating reading and writing across the curriculum through content-based reading and writing activities, questioning and discussion techniques, vocabulary exercises, and research-based study techniques. In addition, students examine ways to integrate the arts across all content areas to foster student comprehension and critical thinking Ojure.
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EDUC 354 - Practicum: Secondary Content Area Reading and Writing
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall.
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program Corequisite: EDUC 353. This practicum reinforces the content of EDUC 353 and provides students with an opportunity to teach several lessons they have designed. To meet the course requirements, students must complete 30 hours of fieldwork during the term. Ojure.
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EDUC 356 - Methods for Middle and Secondary Education
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education program. In this course, participants develop an understanding of theories of instruction and examine current research in secondary instruction. Students learn strategies for direct instruction and group learning to meet the needs of learners at different stages of development. Students also learn how to plan and prepare lessons while managing the learning environment of the classroom. Staff.
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EDUC 357 - Practicum: Methods for Middle and Secondary Education
Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisites: Successful application into Teacher Education program Corequisite: EDUC 356. This practicum reinforces the content of EDUC 356. It provides students with an opportunity to observe and participate in secondary school instruction in an authentic environment. To meet the course requirements, students must complete 30 hours of fieldwork during the term. Staff.
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EDUC 365 - Methods for Foreign Language
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall
Prerequisite: EDUC 200 and successful application to Teacher Education, permission of the instructor, or participation in the ESOL program. This course prepares students to teach foreign language in elementary and secondary classrooms. Participants develop an understanding of theories of foreign-language pedagogy and examine current research in foreign-language instruction. Students learn strategies for direct instruction and group learning to meet the needs of learners at different stages of development. Students also learn how to plan and prepare lessons while managing the learning environment of the classroom. Kuettner.
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