Classes

Before coming to campus in the fall, you will be able to select one (1) of the following thirteen (13) courses detailed below that will be offered in an asynchronous online format.

ART 100: Art Appreciation

Professor: Dr. Steve Arbury
Required Textbook: About Art, 3d revised printing (Kendall-Hunt). ISBN: 978-0-4652-5166-4

Course Description: This is an introductory course designed to develop students’ visual awareness. It centers on the study of social, historical, and personal significance of visual art. You will learn about many fascinating art objects and architectural structures via readings, tailored visual presentations, and online videos. We will investigate art media, techniques, styles, and historical periods for many types of art. Western art is emphasized.

At the conclusion of the course students will to be able to:

  • Evaluate works of art in terms of the medium's distinctive language and terminology.
  • Identify the relationship between works of art and specific historical, cultural, and social contexts.
 

CRJU 238: Corrections

Professor: Dr. Riane Bolin
Required Textbook: Hassine, V. (2010). Life without parole: Living and dying in prison today (5th ed.) R. Johnson & S. Tabriz (Eds.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Whitehead, J.T., Dodson, K.D., & Edwards, B.D. (2013). Corrections: Exploring crime, punishment, and justice in America (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Elsevier/Anderson Publishing.

Course Description: This course provides a comprehensive overview of the field of corrections, with special emphasis on community-based corrections as alternatives to institutionalization. A variety of topics will be covered including the rationale behind punishment and imprisonment; sentencing trends and alternatives to incarceration; organization and management of correctional institutions; inmate life and prison; treatment and custody; discharge and parole.

At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the origins of corrections in America
  • Discuss the major goals of corrections including retribution, incapacitation, rehabilitation, reintegration, and deterrence 
  • Explain the similarities and differences between jails and prisons
  • Explain the similarities and differences between probation and parole 
  • Identify and describe the role and function of correctional facilities and correctional personnel 
  • Describe the various categories of correctional clients as they related to race, gender, age, etc. 
  • Identify the arguments in favor of and against the death penalty

CRJU 490: Crime and Justice in Media

Professor: Dr. Nicole Hendrix
Required Textbook: No Assigned textbook for this course.

Course Description: Public knowledge and perception of crime and justice is largely derived from the media. This shortened format online course examines the depictions of crime and criminal justice concepts as depicted in modern media portrayals. Student will identify examples of criminal justice and criminological themes and concepts in their daily activities and surroundings, engage in critical examination and philosophical analysis of issues related to crime and criminal justice, and analyze the influence and application of their personal conceptualizations and perceptions of issues related to crime and criminal justice in the media. Students will examine various artistic mediums, such as music, film, poetry, literature, comic books, art, and more.

Students enrolled in this course will read and analyze research articles and scholarly writings on this topic.

 

DNCE 111: Dance Appreciation

Professor: Professor Danah Bella
Required Textbook: None. Free online materials will be used in this class.

Course Description: We will engage in an experimental multidisciplinary dialogue on the historical, cultural and political dimensions of American Modern Dance. By the completion of this course you should have a more critical understanding of dance in general, American Modern Dance in particular, and a deeper appreciation of its contribution to visual culture in particular and society in general. Please note that this course is approved for General Education credit in the Fine Arts Area of the curriculum.

 

ECON 106: Principles of Microeconomics

Professor: Dr. Seife Dendir
Required Textbook: Principles of Microeconomics, N. Gregory Mankiw, 7th edition, Cengage Learning.

Course Description: This course is designed to introduce students to basic concepts and tools that are useful in understanding individual economic decision making by consumers/households and firms. Topics discussed include basic principles of economics, the economic methodology, international trade, supply and demand, consumer and producer behavior, market structures and market failure. Broadly, the course will fulfill goals of the RU Core Curriculum under Social and Behavioral Sciences (9) and U.S. Perspectives (10).

At the conclusion of this course you will be able to:

  • Recognize how individual, social and cultural factors influence human behavior, and shape reciprocal relationships and the American experience.

 

GEOS 250: Intro to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Professor: Dr. Andrew Foy
Required Textbook: The GIS 20 Essential Skills 2nd edition; provides 180 day trial-version of ArcGIS Desktop.

Course Description: This course uses hands-on experience to provide students with essential mapping and geospatial analysis skills for a wide variety of disciplines and topics, such as geography, geology, biology, natural resources, health, demographics, marketing, environmental issues, energy, infrastructure, etc.   The format of the class balances lectures and lessons on the core principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with applied, lab-based instruction on managing, processing and interpreting geospatial data.  Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of GIS and how to utilize different aspects of a GIS. 

At the conclusion of this course you will be able to:

  • Explain the history and background of GIS and the Geospatial Revolution
  • Discuss software trends in GIS with a focus on ArcGIS10
  • Identify sources to download geospatial data
  • Outline the properties of spatial data and compare those properties to non-spatial data
  • Describe the benefits and limitations of using different geographic projections
  • Combine non-spatial with spatial data to turn data into geographic information
  • Investigate geographic phenomena with attribute and spatial queries
  • Create, edit and manipulate geospatial data
  • Analyze geographic phenomena with overlay analysis techniques
  • Investigate spatial relationships with proximity tools

HLTH 320: Health and Safety Foundations

Profossor: Dr. Michael Moore

Course Description: Provides a study of essential factors relating to safe and unsafe behaviors. Psychological and philosophical factors are explored relative to how they can be modified to prevent accidents. The course imparts essential knowledge and develops appropriate attitudes, habits and skills relative to personal safety, first aid and accident prevention. Students may obtain ARC certification and first aid upon successful completion of the course.

 

ITEC 111: Programming Fundamentals

Professor: Dr. Jeff Pittges
Required Textbook: Java Software Solutions, John Lewis and William Loftus, 7th or 8th edition, Addison Wesley.  ISBN: 978-0133594959 (Same book used for ITEC 120)

Course Description: A self-paced, online, asynchronous course to prepare students for Principles of Computer Science I (ITEC 120). The course provides online video lectures, lab assignments with worked-out video solutions, quizzes, and a final exam. Course modules are organized in a logical progression, but students may work on any module in any order based on their individual needs. Students use quizzes to assess their understanding of the material. The course is offered for audit or Pass/Fail.

 

MUSC 100: Introduction to Music Literature

Professor: Dr. Bruce Mahin
Required Textbook: None. Free online materials will be used in this class.

Course Description: Examine music literature of all periods with an emphasis on standard concert repertory. Students learn the fundamentals of music by studying how melody, rhythm and harmony build extended works of the past and how this music has shaped the music we enjoy today. Students learn how to compose a short, original musical composition. No prior musical experience is necessary.
 

NUTR 214: Introduction to Nutrition

Professor: Dr. Jyotsna Sharman
Required Textbook: Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, 13th edition (2014)
Authors: Frances Sizer & Ellie Whitney
ISBN-13: 9781133603184
Recommended: Study Guide of the textbook
ISBN-13: 9781133609933

Course Description: This course is a study of the essential nutrients and the importance of good nutrition to health at various stages of life and in different lifestyles.

At the conclusion of this course you will be able to:

  • List basic nutrients, their functions, and food sources
  • Summarize the process of digestion and absorption 
  • Explain the role of nutrition in promoting health and preventing disease
  • Analyze the role of nutrition in life’s activities, exercise and the life span
  • Use the SuperTracker tool of USDA’s MyPlate and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to evaluate their diet and learn how to improve it for their future well-being
  • Discriminate between nutrition facts and fallacies in the popular media
 

PSYC 317: Child Psychology

Professor: Dr. Jayne E. Bucy
Required Textbook: Developmental Psychology: The Growth of Mind and Behavior (Frank Keil). ISBN: 978-0-393-12401-9. In addition to the textbook, students will use an interactive web-based simulation that allows them to raise a virtual child from birth age 18 and monitor the effects of their parenting decisions over time.

Course Description: Child Psychology compares the major theories of development for children from conception to puberty. Topics include children’s development of perception, cognition, language and motor skills. Social-emotional developments including attachment and temperament as well as moral reasoning are also addressed. This course fulfills one of the Social Sciences core requirements for the Psychology major and minor.

 

RELN 112: Survey of World Religions

Professor: Dr. Paul Brian Thomas
Required Textbook: Robert Van Voorst, RELG, 2nd edition, ISBN 978-1285434681

Course Description: This is an asynchronous online course delivered via Desire2Learn and Wikispaces. RELN 112 Survey of World Religions: This course introduces students to the world’s most widespread and historically significant religions, including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course will cover the historical development, beliefs, scriptures, and practices of the major religions of the world. Such a course is inevitably cross-cultural and encourages students to develop a comparative perspective regarding religion both diachronically within a religion and comparatively across religions.

 

THEA 100: Theatre Appreciation

Professor: Jimmy Ward
Required Textbook: Theatre The Lively Art, Wilson/Goldfarb, 8th edition (McGraw–Hill). ISBN: 978-07-351420-8

Course Description: Through discussion boards, readings, and applied projects, we will survey the production practices and history of Western Theatre, as well as examine contemporary trends and opportunities to become involved.

 At the conclusion of this course you will be able to:

  • Students will be able to compare/contrast the different periods of Western Theatre history in terms of how each period made a distinct contribution to the art form, and how that contribution was a reflection of the time in which it was made. 
  • Students will be able to identify and explain individual components of theatre production as they exist in contemporary practice. 
  • Students will be able to observe a performance and write a critique of that performance that assesses all of the individual components that make up a theatre production.