GEM Courses

Seven or 15 weeks

A theoretical and contextual overview of the communication discipline, including concepts and models of communication; verbal and nonverbal messages; communication ethics; perception; and listening in public, interpersonal, group/team, and mass communication contexts. Incorporates research, preparation, critique, adaptation, and delivery of informative and persuasive messages in public presentations.

15 weeks

English 101 paired with a studio (lab) component. The studio is an intensive study of a variety of writing concepts and strategies designed to extend the English 101 curriculum. English 101P fulfills the graduation requirement for English 101.

Seven or 15 weeks

An inquiry-based course that continues work with critical reading and writing processes and provides experiences with methods and genres of researched writing. Students will initiate research projects, gather information from a range of sources, and demonstrate they can write about that information purposefully, using appropriate documentation.

Seven or 15 weeks

Survey of quantitative reasoning topics including deductive and inductive reasoning, benchmarks, and sense of scale. Topics will be applied in a conceptual way to interpretation of graphical information, descriptive and inferential statistics, elementary probability, and exponential growth.

15 weeks

Development of mathematical modeling as a tool to interpret information, understand mathematical strategies and apply mathematical reasoning. Modeling will be the outcome of focus on: linear, quadratic and exponential functions; systems of equations; introduction to early ideas of probability and statistics; and finance.

15 weeks

Precalculus treatment of descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, simple linear regression and correlation, and basic data collection concepts. Emphasis on reasoning, interpretation, and communicating ideas in the context of a wide variety of disciplines with computer software for computations. Carries no credit after MATH 254.

15 weeks

Precalculus treatment of descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, simple linear regression, correlation, introduction to probability. Emphasis on reasoning, problem-solving, communicating ideas, and applications to a wide variety of disciplines. Use of computer statistics packages and calculators to handle computations.

Seven weeks

Introduction to the descriptions, analysis, and explanations of the different ways of life, or cultures, through which human groups have adapted to their environments. Explanation of the nature and characteristics of culture as an adaptive mechanism for human survival.

Seven weeks

Comparative survey of beliefs, ceremonies, and ritual in a range of societies. Religious practices, syncretism, shamanism, and revitalization movements are discussed in terms of origins, elements, forms, and symbolism.

Seven weeks

Economics principles are used to analyze the aggregate performance of developed economies. Analysis is applied to domestic and international macroeconomic issues. The goals and problems of high employment, price stability, growth, and the balance of payments are analyzed. Monetary, fiscal, and other national policies are discussed.

Seven weeks

Institutions and processes of the American political system, emphasizing social, ideological, and constitutional background.

15 weeks

Investigation of mental processes and behavior through the lens of the scientific method. This survey course draws from topics within the American Psychological Association’s five pillars of psychology: Pillar 1 Biological (Neuroscience, Sensation, Consciousness, Motivation); Pillar 2 Cognitive (Cognition, Memory, Perception); Pillar 3 Development (Learning, Life Span Development, Language); Pillar 4 Social and Personality (Social, Personality, Intelligence, Emotion, Multicultural, Gender); and Pillar 5 Mental and Physical Health (Abnormal, Health, Therapies).

15 weeks

An introduction to groups, organizations, and societies, and their impact on human behavior. Emphasis is on sociological perspectives, concepts, methods, and applications in areas such as organization, socialization, inequality, institutions, intergroup relations, change, etc.

Seven weeks

An introduction to the basic language of Visual Art.

15 weeks

An exploration of ideas in literature and other cultural texts. Topics will vary, and texts may include film, drama, new and interactive media, poetry, fiction, graphic novels, and other literary and cultural forms.

15 weeks

An interdisciplinary exploration of human intellectual and creative heritage as expressed in literature, music, philosophy and/or the visual and performing arts. Emphasis on the intersection of liberal arts and critical thinking.

Seven weeks

Designed to provide knowledge of the development of motion pictures with attention given to the elements and qualities peculiar to cinema which give it validity as a unique and multi-cultural art form.

Seven weeks

An introduction to some major issues in metaphysics and epistemology, such as free will, the existence of God, the rationality of religious belief, the mind/body problem, personal identity, skepticism about external world, and the problem of induction.

Seven weeks

An introduction to philosophical thinking about selected moral problems, such as famine, abortion, euthanasia, the moral status of animals, and whether killing is worse than letting-die.

15 weeks

Develops beginning abilities in all four language skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Offers a basic study of grammatical structures and vocabulary in a communicative context. Introduces students to Hispanic culture.