College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Overview

Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) is the undergraduate degree offered by the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. The programs in IDST provide an opportunity for students and faculty to explore and question traditional areas of knowledge through the application of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary perspectives. The IDST curriculum fosters an understanding of United States and world cultures and religions in historical and contemporary contexts. IDST encourages students to consider the aesthetic, ethical, political, scientific, and technical dimensions of human experience and culture and to recognize the commonality and diversity of human experience, beliefs, and practices. IDST emphasizes global and environmental interdependence and social responsibility as part of its effort to prepare students for a lifetime of cultural, social, environmental, and technological change.

IDST offers both an interdisciplinary major (IDST), cross-program degree options, and a number of minors/concentrations that may be selected by students in any major. In this section of the catalog, the undergraduate major, IDST, is described first. This is followed by a list of degree options, minors/concentrations, and then a description of each of the programs in IDST. Look under the specific program for a description of the requirements of the concentration(s)/minor(s) and a description of the courses offered by that program.

Graduate Certificates in Liberal Arts (LRTC) and Women’s Studies (WS) are also available. See the Graduate Catalog.

Interdisciplinary Studies Major (IDST)

The interdisciplinary studies (IDST) major is an undergraduate major leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. IDST provides an opportunity for students to explore topics and issues through the application of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary perspectives. Most students who choose IDST as a major are more interested in developing complex problem solving skills, critical thinking, and acquiring a broad education, than in gaining specialized skills for a single occupation. The global focus of the major affords career opportunities in education, business, government, industry, and the service sector, including the nonprofit sector. First-year students entering IDST rate themselves as more skilled than other students in writing and express a greater interest in issues related to leadership and diversity. The major has a strong academic and career advising component.

Degree Requirements

With the exception of students in the IDST Cross-Program Degree Options in Africana Studies (IDAS), Leadership and Social Change (IDLR), Religious Studies (IDRS), the requirements of the IDST major are completed by (a) Curriculum for Liberal Education requirements; (b) the 18-hour IDST Core; (c) 6 hours of foreign language, contemporary non-U.S. culture and civilization, or approved study abroad; and (c) two approved minors or concentrations. All degree requirements are those in effect the year the degree is completed. A complete checksheet showing all degree requirements in detail is available on-line and through the IDST Advising Office. The 18-hour IDST Core consists of:

3 credits, IDST 1114

3 credits of an approved diversity course,

6 credits of 3000-4000-level courses in one of the programs in IDST

3 credits, IDST 3114: Interdisciplinary Topics, and

3 credits, IDST 4114: Senior Research Seminar

IDST Program Degree Options

To complete the IDST major, students must fulfill the requirements for the IDST Core, the culture and civilization requirement, and two minors.

PK-6 Education Option

IDST is an excellent choice of major for students preparing to teach at the elementary school level. There are several minors offered in the IDST department that meet the preparatory course requirements for a masters degree in education. Students interested in the field of education should contact the IDST Advising Center to discuss their options.

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IDST Cross-Program Degree Option in Africana Studies (IDAS)

IDST awards a degree option in Africana Studies (IDAS). This degree option is designed to assess critically present cultural and structural forces and the historical conditions that have given rise to the economic, legal, psychological, educational, social and moral status of Americans of African descent, as well as Africans on the continent and throughout the Diaspora. The Africana Studies curriculum privileges an interdisciplinary approach. The curriculum is composed of courses in literature, history, sociology, political science, religion, and gender relations.

Students in the IDST Cross-Program Degree Option in Africana Studies complete the 18-hour IDST Core, the foreign language or culture and civilization requirement, and 30 hours in Africana Studies.

IDST Cross-Program Degree Option In Leadership and Social Change (IDLR)

IDST offers both a major and a minor in leadership and social change. These embrace a commitment to diversity and an agenda for social change that crosses all programs in IDST. The major and minor were developed in cooperation with other leadership programs at the university. The major and/or minor will be of interest to students planning to pursue a career in non-profit agencies, including governmental and non-governmental agencies with an agenda for social justice. Internships in such organizations are an extremely valuable way for students to gain work-related skills.

Students in the IDST Cross-Program Degree Option in Leadership and Social Change complete the 18-hour IDST Core, the foreign language or culture and civilization requirement, 17 hours of courses in leadership, and a 12 hour cognate in a related area. A checksheet for this option is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

LDRS 1015 - LDRS 1016
This two-semester interdisciplinary course sequence offers an introduction to citizen leadership. LDRS 1015 explores traditional and contemporary leadership theory and competencies by comparing cultural contexts of leadership. LDRS 1016 introduces leadership praxis (action and reflection) as a method of research and service designed to refine leadership theory, competencies, and values. Membership in the Residential Leadership Community required. 1015(3H,3C). 1016(3H,3C). 1015:I, 1016:II.

IDST Degree Option in Religous Studies (IDRS)

The IDST Degree Option in Religious Studies serves effectively as a major in Religious Studies. In addition to 18 semester hours in the IDST "Core," students complete at least 30 hours of Religious Studies and Judaic Studies courses. The IDST Core includes IDST 1114, an IDST Diversity Course, IDST 3114, 6 credits of 3000-4000 level courses from one of the IDST programs, and IDST 4114 (or an approved substitute). The 30 hours of REL and JUD courses include 6 credits of introductory REL courses, 9 credits from REL and JUD courses at the 2000-level and above, 9 credits from REL and JUD courses at the 3000- and 4000-level, and 6 credits from a list of courses outside the REL designator. While courses may not "double-count" within the 30-hour REL/JUD requirement, some courses may be approved to "double-count" for the IDST Core and REL/JUD course requirements.

Study Abroad

IDST majors, including those in the option in leadership and social change, are required to complete 6 credit hours (the equivalent of two 3-credit classes) in either a foreign language or contemporary non-US culture and civilization. Students are strongly encouraged to complete an approved study abroad program outside of the U.S. to satisfy this requirement.

Honors Program

Eligible IDST students are encouraged to participate in the University Honors Program. Completing a degree "In Honors" is an excellent way for outstanding students to integrate the knowledge from several disciplines. Honors students have considerable flexibility in completing the degree requirements.

Double Majors

For information on earning a double major or second degree, contact the IDST Advising Office.

Satisfactory Progress Policy

Students enrolled in IDST must meet the following requirements by the end of the academic year in which the student has attempted 72 semester hours (including transfer, freshmen rule, AP, advanced standing, and credit by exam hours):

Completed at least 6 credits in IDST Core and have a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Earned a minimum of a 2.0 in-major GPA.

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IDST Concentrations and Minors

The following concentrations or minors are offered by programs in IDST. Additional information about each can be found on our website at www.idst.vt.edu. The minors or concentrations may be used as one of the two minors or concentrations required to complete the IDST major. Students in any major may opt to declare them as minors.

African Studies (Sociology) – See SOC for requirements.
African American Studies (Sociology) – See SOC for requirements.
American Indian Studies (Humanities)
American Studies (Humanities)
Appalachian Studies
Asian Area Studies (Humanities)
Film Studies (Humanities)
Humanities (Humanities)
Humanities and the Arts (Humanities)
Humanistic Traditions (Humanities)
Humanities, Science, and Technology (Science and Technology in Society)
Judaic Studies
Leadership and Social Change (IDST)
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Humanities)
Popular Culture (Humanities)
Religious Studies
Science and Technology (Science and Technology in Society)
Women's Studies

Appalachian Studies Program

The Appalachian Studies Program is an academic program supporting teaching, research, and service on issues pertaining to Appalachia. The Appalachian Studies minor provides students with the opportunity to study complex social, political, economic, and environmental issues important to the region from a number of disciplinary perspectives.

The Appalachian Studies minor focuses on complex cultural, political, economic, and environmental issues in the study of an important American region. The course of study ranges from mythic to modern Appalachian America and also provides opportunity for cross-cultural study of mountain cultures worldwide. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Humanities Program

Elizabeth Fine, Director
Professors: E. Fine, M. Saffle
Associate Professors: A. Abeysekara; S. Cook; N. King; A. Puckett; P. Schmitthenner
Assistant Professors: M. Gabriele; E. Satterwhite
Instructors: H. Dyer; G. Harrington; K. Precoda; B. Reeves; C. Roberts; S. Samanta; J. Watson
Adjunct Faculty: T. Papillon (Foreign Languages)

The Humanities Program offers interdisciplinary courses, many of which are in Area 2 of the Curriculum for Liberal Education (a.k.a. University Core Curriculum), and interdisciplinary concentrations and minors open to all university students. Courses lead to the understanding of cultural legacy from ancient through modern civilizations, explored through the traditional humanities disciplines: philosophy, history, and the arts, including languages, literatures, fine arts, architecture, music, and theatre arts.

Humanities Minors and Concentrations

All 18-hour humanities minors and the 15-hour Humanistic Traditions Concentration may be used to complement any disciplinary major in the university or as one part of an IDST degree. For more information, and lists of options for minors and concentrations, contact the minor or concentration coordinator or the IDST advising center.

American Indian Studies Minor

The American Indian Studies minor examines the richness and complexity of American Indian cultures and societies, past and present in regional, national, and global contexts. The interdisciplinary course of study emphasizes a holistic approach to understanding social, cultural, political, economic, and religious issues pertinent to American Indians. The minor was developed by the Humanities Program in cooperation with departments in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Sam Cook

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American Studies Minor

American studies is an interdisciplinary field that draws upon a number of academic disciplines, including history, literature, sociology, to consider relationships between culture and society in the United States as it is embedded in global processes and issues. Students work closely with an advisor to plan a coherent program tailored to each student’s interest.

To complete a minor in American studies at Virginia Tech, students take HUM 2504: Introduction to American Studies and IDST 3114.

Students then choose twelve hours of course work from at least two of four areas: literature; history; the arts and communications; and cultural studies. The approved list includes a variety of courses with a North American emphasis from literature, history, art history, architecture, Africana studies, communications, humanities, music, political science, religious studies, women’s studies, landscape architecture, and urban affairs. Appropriate special topics courses and honors colloquia may be substituted. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Emily Satterwhite

Asian Area Studies Minor

The interdisciplinary minor in Asian Area Studies focuses on the great cultural traditions of the Middle East, South Asia (including India), East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The majority of the earth's peoples belong to one of these cultures, influential for many centuries and representing some of the world's most unique, sophisticated, and important visions of the human experience. Students explore how various Asian traditions explain and represent this experience in literature, philosophy, religion, history, the social sciences, and the arts.

Students work closely with an advisor to shape a program that reflects the student's interest within the range of offerings available for the program. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Peter Schmitthenner

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Film Studies Minor

French director Jean-Luc Godard famously proclaimed that cinema is truth 24 times a second.

Cinema is a key medium of modern mass communication, information-dissemination, and entertainment. It is at once a business, an industry, a means of creative expression, and a social and political force. It has played a vital role in modern political and social movements, and the power of its aesthetic designs and emotional appeals have helped to shape many coordinates of modern thought and culture.

Familiarity with its history, its aesthetic designs, and its industrial context enables students to develop skills that are fundamental to negotiating life in modern society where they are surrounded by images and by the appeals made by image-based media. The Minor in Film Studies addresses cinema in its multiple contexts. Students learn about the history of cinema, its aesthetic designs and production methods, its role in modern social and political movements, and its business operations.

Coordinator: Stephen Prince (COMM)

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Humanities and The Arts Minor

The minor in Humanities and the Arts was developed by the Humanities Program in cooperation with faculty from the departments of Art and Art History, Communication Studies, English, Music, Theatre Arts, and the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. It aims to acquaint students with the historical, critical, and practical dimensions of the arts, while simultaneously examining the relation of the arts to other human endeavors (cultural, philosophical, political, religious, scientific, and social). A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Michael Saffle

Humanities Minor

The Humanities minor gives students the opportunity to create a focused package of Humanities coursework within the following broad guidelines:

1. 18 hours (6 courses) of courses designated HUM are required.
2. At least 9 hours (3 courses) must be at the 3000-4000 level; HUM 4974: Independent Study is strongly suggested as a means of integrating coursework in the minor.
3. Suggested tracks are Historical, Modern and Cross-cultural, but students may design their own combinations of courses with an advisor, who will make substitutions to the courses within the tracks, as appropriate.
A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Elizabeth Fine

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Humanistic Traditions Concentration

The course of study for the Humanistic Traditions Concentration requires at least 15 hours (five courses) in Humanities (HUM). This concentration offers a sustained and broad investigation of the human cultural experience over different time periods and cultures. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Elizabeth Fine

Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor

The Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor was developed by the Humanities Program in conjunction with faculty from participating departments. The minor allows students to gain a broad interdisciplinary understanding and appreciation of European culture between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries, although it allows for some degree of specialization. Students work in close association with an advisor who will help plan a coherent program tailored to the student's interests, but which also reflects the range and variety Medieval and Renaissance Studies. A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Matthew Gabriele

Popular Culture Minor

The minor in Popular Culture provides an understanding of the broadly shared cultures made possible by mass production. Popular culture includes all widely practiced and distributed expressions: news; entertainment; religion; sports; popular art; and styles of decoration, dress, and architecture. Familiarity with the forces that shape its production and reception allows students to develop skills fundamental to life in a consumer-capitalist economy and citizenship in an information age. Minors examine the uses of mass culture by politicians, entertainment companies, consumer-marketers, religious authorities, educators, designers, engineers, and various groups of consumers themselves.
A checksheet for this minor is available on-line or through the IDST advising office.

Coordinator: Neal King

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (IDST)

1114: INTRODUCTION TO INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Introduces the concept of interdisciplinarity. Explores the ways of knowing particular to disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields of inquiry. Emphasizes the integration and application of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to examine and resolve an issue or group of issues. (3H,3C)

1814 (AFST 1814): INTRO AFRICAN STUDIES
Introduces students to the study of sub-Saharan Africa--history, politics, economics, arts, and cultures--and to Africa's place in the world. Required first course in the African (Area) Studies concentration. I,II (3H,3C)

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3004: IDST INTERNSHIP
Placement in a work setting, on or off campus, for an internship that will serve as a practical experience for eligible students. May be repeated for elective credit up to a maximum of 12 credit hours (1 academic credit earned for every 45 hours worked per 15 week semester); cannot be used for core or minor requirements. Junior or Senior standing and instructor consent required. I,II,III,IV Variable credit course. X-grade allowed.

3114: TOPICS IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Variable content, variable credit course that addresses a complex issue or problem through more than one discipline or intellectual domain. Places at the foreground the discussion of how several different methodological approaches inform our understanding of an issue or group of related issues. Often taught by teams of instructors in distinct, instructional modules or learning experiences. Three credit version is writing intensive. May be repeated with different content. I,II,III Variable credit course.

3114H: HONORS TOPICS IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Variable content course that addresses a complex issue through more than one discipline or intellectual domain. Places at the foreground the discussion of how several different methodological approaches inform our understanding of an issue or group of related issues. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of nine credit hours. (3H,3C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

3984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4114: SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR
Senior seminar designed to integrate assumptions, theories, and methods of more than one disciplinary perspective. Includes exploration of interdisciplinary research methods, such as case study and ethnography. Includes developing a proposal for an interdisciplinary senior project. Senior standing required. Pre: 3114. (3H,3C)

4224: SENIOR PROJECT
This seminar is designed to assist students to complete an interdisciplinary senior project. The project may be a thesis, undergraduate research, action-oriented project, or expressive project in the humanities or the arts such as a video, performance, or a photography or visual art exhibit. Pre: Senior standing and IDST 4114 or completion of a preliminary proposal through an approved independent study. (3H,3C)

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

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Undergraduate Course Descriptions (HUM)

Introductory Courses: Introductory culture courses focus on the culture of a particular age and place through critical examinations of a wide range of human activities: the arts, philosophy, history, politics, religion, economics, science, and technology. Emphasis is placed on the interrelationships among these endeavors and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of their, and our, age and culture. Humanities and the Arts courses explore relationships between the arts and other human endeavors. Classes emphasize writing and classroom discussion of issues raised in readings, lectures, and multi-media presentations, including music, drama, film, and slides of art and architecture.

1104 (AINS 1104): INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
Introduces students to the richness and complexity of American Indian societies past and present. The course begins by considering the critical question of what it means to be "American Indian" or "Native American," comparing externally produced stereotypes with a wide variety of indigenous discourses and narratives. Through a special focus on specific indigenous groups and regions, the course examines American Indian experiences with and reactions to colonial confrontations, government policies, and cultural interchanges with non-Indians. (3H,3C)

1114: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE CLASSICAL AGE
The world of classical Athens through its embodiments in the arts, philosophy, politics, history, literature, and religion. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the various forms of cultural expression and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1124: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE ROMAN WORLD AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY
The Roman world and early Christian culture. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1214: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE MEDIEVAL WORLD
The medieval synthesis in Western European thought and the transition to the world of the Renaissance. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1224: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE RENAISSANCE
The interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science of the Renaissance in Western Europe, and how they reflect and contribute to the shaping of the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1314: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: ENLIGHTENMENT AND ROMANTICISM
Major notions and cultural expressions of the Enlightenment and of Romanticism. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science. (3H,3C)

1324: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE MODERN WORLD
The shifts in thought and values over the past century in the Western imagination. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1604: INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS
Explores the verbal, visual, and aural arts of several important periods in Western history, setting them in the context of their times. Introduces the structural principles of each art form. (3H,3C)

1704: INTRODUCTION TO APPALACHIAN STUDIES
Traces the idea of Appalachia in American and world consciousness and its expression in the humanities and arts. Through comparison with other cultural groups, explores humanistic problems of cultural identity, assumptions, change, and manipulation. (3H,3C)

1914: EXPLORATIONS IN TRADITIONAL ASIAN CULTURES
An introduction to salient cultural characteristics of the major premodern Asian civilizations of the Middle East, India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. Differing visions of the human condition represented by these traditions are compared in case studies incorporating historical, literary, philosophical, and artistic works. (3H,3C)

1924: EXPLORATIONS IN MODERN ASIAN CULTURES
An introduction to the cultural modernization of major Asian societies since the eighteenth century. The cultural transformation of the Middle East, South Asia, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia are exemplified and compared in case studies that incorporate modern Asian historical, literary, philosophical, sociopolitical, and artistic works. (3H,3C)

2004: RESEARCH STRATEGIES AND LIBRARY RESOURCES
Focuses on familiarity with specific research tools and construction of logical, efficient methods to research a major paper. Open to all students and tailored to their majors. Concept of library as a learning laboratory. (3H,3C)

2104 (AINS 2104) (COMM 2104): ORAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE
Examination of the world's great oral traditions, both ancient and contemporary. Emphasis on performance contexts, relationships among multicultural traditions, including American Indian oral traditions, and the relationships among orality, literacy, technology, media, and culture. I (3H,3C)

2204: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Explores the theory and the experience of the creative process. Studies both essays on the process of creative activity and examples of its product. Includes a personal creative project. (3H,3C)

2214: EXPERIENCES IN THE ARTS
Guided exposure to selected works of art, including painting and sculpture, literature, and the performing arts as well as participation in arts events; exploration of ways in which individual works of art embody and help explain human experience. May not be repeated for credit. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C)

2444 (CLA 2444) (ENGL 2444): ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY
Survey of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and modern interpretations. In English. No knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin required. Not for credit toward a Latin Minor. (3H,3C)

2454 (CLA 2454) (ENGL 2454): ANCIENT GREEK AND LATIN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION
A variable content course devoted to the study of major works of Ancient Greek and Latin literature in English translation. May be repeated for credit with different content. In English. No knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin required. Not for credit toward a Latin Minor. (4H,3C)

2504: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN STUDIES
Methodology and tools of American Studies, emphasizing interrelations among social, cultural, and technological history, values, and artistic creation. Intensive study of a specific topic or period in American culture since 1850. (3H,3C)

2714 (FR 2714): INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
French culture and civilization from the Middle Ages to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, and theatre in the context of French cultural history. In English. (4H,3C)

2724 (GER 2724): INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
German culture and civilization from the earliest period to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, music, and theatre in the context of German cultural history. In English. (3H,3C)

2734 (RUS 2734): INTRODUCTION TO RUSSIAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Russian culture and civilization from the Middle Ages to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to Russian literature, art, architecture, music, film, and threatre in the context of Russian cultural history. In English. (4H,3C)

2744 (SPAN 2744): INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
(4H,3C) Introduction to Spanish culture and civilization from.

2754 (SPAN 2754): INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH-AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Spanish-American culture and civilization from the discovery of the New World to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, music, and theatre in the context of Spanish-American cultural history. (3H,3C)

2964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3014: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: RENAISSANCE AND EARLIER
Focuses on interdisciplinary topics involving interrelationships among various arts and/or artists (to the end of the Renaissance). (3H,3C)

3024: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: POST RENAISSANCE
Focuses on interdisciplinary topics involving interrelationships among various arts and/or artists (from the end of the Renaissance). (3H,3C)

3034 (COMM 3034): THEORIES OF POP CULTURE
Relationship of popular culture to communication; ways to classify, analyze, and evaluate popular culture; history of main themes with emphasis on the United States; cultural evolution of the electronic revolution. Junior standing required. (3H,3C) I.

3204 (COMM 3204): MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Exploration of communication in various cultural groups through the medium of performance. Emphasis on understanding cultural differences and similarities in styles of communication, aesthetics, worldviews, and values. (3H,3C)

3464 (AHRM 3464) (EDHL 3464) (GEOG 3464) (HD 3464) (SOC 3464) (UAP 3464): APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES
The concept of community in Appalachia using a multidisciplinary approach and experiential learning. Interrelationships among geographically, culturally, and socially constituted communities, public policy, and human development. Must have completed one 2000-level course in any cross-listing department. (2H,3L,3C)

3684 (HIST 3684): CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND THE SUCCESSOR STATES
History and main characteristics of cultural life and the arts in the former Soviet Union, with emphasis on film, music, literature, and the relationship between elite and popular culture. Taught alternate years. II (3H,3C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

4004 (AINS 4004): TOPICS IN AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
A variable topics course in which students will engage an interdisciplinary methodology to pursue a critical and in-depth examination of various topics concerning and pertinent to American indigenous peoples. This course is repeatable for up to 6 hours credit with different topics. Must meet prerequisite or have permission of the instructor. Pre: AINS 1104. (3H,3C)

4034 (COMM 4034): FUNCTIONS OF POPULAR CULTURE
Popular culture as a humanistic discipline; emphasis on archetypes, formulas, and genres; the function of ideas, images, and icons on the popular imagination. Senior standing required. (3H,3C)

4044: TOPICS IN HUMANITIES AND FILM
This course introduces students to critical issues in film from a humanistic but interdisciplinary perspective, examining its production, consumption, and effects on various societies. The specific thematic content is variable. Course may be repeated for up to 9 credits. Pre: 2504, 3034 or COMM 2054. (3H,3C)

4104: EXPLORATIONS IN ADVANCED HUMANITIES TOPICS
In-depth study of special interdisciplinary topics. Topics vary but involve a close and extensive study of the interrelationship between important cultural ideas and movements, and formative myths and values, and their expression in several of the following forms: literature, philosophy, religion, art, music, drama. May be taken only once for credit. (3H,3C)

4324 (REL 4324): TOPICS IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Selected topics from the religions of the world such as time and the sacred, preliterate religions, women and religion, religion and science, mysticism. May be taken three times for credit with different topics. Pre: 3 REL credits. (3H,3C)

4404: APPALACHIAN FOLK CULTURE
Examination of informal learning systems and traditional aesthetic expressions in Appalachia. Investigation of worldview and cultural premises as expressed in traditional artifacts. (3H,3C)

4414: CRITICAL ISSUES IN APPALACHIAN STUDIES
Examination of dominant value conflicts in contemporary Appalachia, focusing on questions of exploitation of human and natural resources. Comparative study of Appalachia, other mountain cultures worldwide, and the Third World. Pre: 1704. (3H,3C)

4554: SCIENCE CAPSTONE SEMINAR
Seminar for advanced undergraduates majoring in the natural sciences. Students and faculty representing several natural science disciplines (including biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geology, physics) participate in the preparation, presentation, and discussion of topics representing a wide range of interdisciplinary scientific interests. Pass/Fail only. (3H,3C) Invitation of student's major department required.

4964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (AINS)

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