Washington and Lee University
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New Courses |
Revised degree, major, |
ACCT 325: International Accounting I (1). Corequisite: ACCT 320. This course provides an understanding of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the current and historical supporting private and governmental structures. This includes an overview of the processes involved in the development of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Formats of financial statements created using IFRS are introduced. Differences between IFRS and US GAAP reporting are examined for a limited number of examples. Oliver. Fall
ACCT 326: International Accounting II (2). Corequisite: ACCT 321. This course provides an in-depth understanding of the organization, pronouncements, and procedures of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The course examines the presentation and disclosures required for financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) both for first time adoption and continuing reporting. A substantial group of IFRS are examined as well as the differences between those standards and their counterparts under US GAAP. The covered IFRS primarily correspond to U.S. standards covered in ACCT 320 and 321. Oliver. Winter
ACCT 328: Writing and Research for Accountants I (2). Prerequisite or corequisite: ACCT 320. Concentrated work in writing for the business world and researching financial accounting issues sharpen students' analytical and writing skills. This course introduces students to various forms of business writing and the types of databases used in researching accounting decisions. The revision process is used to help improve writing skills. The content of the course comes from Intermediate Accounting I. Oliver. Fall
ACCT 329: Writing and Research for Accountants II (1). Prerequisite: ACCT 328; Prerequisite or corequisite: ACCT 321. Concentrated work in writing for the business world and researching financial accounting issues sharpen students analytical and writing skills. Students continue to hone their writing and researching skills using the transactions covered in Intermediate Accounting II. Boylan. Winter
ACCT 345: International Accounting III (2). Prerequisite or corequisite: ACCT 340. This course examines a subset of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) which largely correspond to US GAAP reporting standards covered in ACCT 340. Both the procedural differences between IFRS and their counterpart US GAAP reporting and the financial statement presentation and disclosures required under the covered IFRS are studied. Oliver. Fall
ACCT 348: Writing and Research for Accountants III (1). Prerequisite: ACCT 328; Prerequisite or corequisite: ACCT 340. Concentrated work in writing for the business world and researching financial accounting issues sharpen students analytical and writing skills. Students continue to hone their writing and researching skills using the transactions covered in Advanced Accounting. Weiss. Fall
ANTH 180: FS: American Religions: Imported and Homegrown (3). This seminar provides anthropological and historical perspectives on both American religions that arrived from other parts of the world and those that originated on native soil. How did America become a country so rich in religious traditions? What are the central beliefs and practices of these traditions? What religious and cultural dilemmas did immigrants encounter and continue to face in their attempts to adjust to American society? How successful has the nation's experiment with freedom been? What are some of the various ways in which the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state been interpreted and challenged? Finally, is it possible to speak of AN American religion as well as religions? (SS4) Markowitz. Fall 2009
ARTH 180: FS: Portraits, Politics, and Propaganda (3). Everyone wants to be remembered. In the modern age, photographs can do the trick (as can blogs, twitters, and MySpace pages); but for centuries, technological realities limited the means by which individuals could promote themselves and their causes to their contemporaries and to future generations. This seminar focuses on the most common form of self-commemoration and self-promotion - the portrait - from a variety of intellectual perspectives. Motives for commissions, specific themes and symbolic messages, and even stylistic choices are addressed as we trace the evolution of this highly charged art form from its origins in antiquity through the modern period and the development of the camera. (HA) Bent. Fall
ARTH 351: The City as a Work of Art: Paris (4). This course considers the designs and appearances of major European cities that were originally created in antiquity, that managed to survive (and even flourish) during the Middle Ages, and that then reached a newer, fresher, and more ideologically cohesive appearance during the modem age. Students will travel to the city of Paris, France and examine its origins and evolution, with particular attention paid to its development during the 17th , 18th , and 19th centuries. (HA) Bent.ARTH 367: Seminar on Women Artists (4). An intensive exploration of the roles women artists have played in the history of western art from the renaissance to the present. Special attention is given to the strategies women used for survival and success, and to contemporary theoretical approaches to the subject. Lectures, discussions, readings, papers, and a research project. (HA, GE4a) Simpson. Spring 2011
ARTS 213: Drawing Italy (4). Prerequisites: ARTS 111 and permission of the instructor. Living and drawing on site in Rome, Florence, Umbria, and Tuscany and with day trips to Pompeii, Assisi, and other important art sites in Italy. Students explore Italy's vast artistic heritage within its cultural context, then apply this experience to their own art while working in the distinctive Mediterranean light. Media include pen and ink, pastel and acrylic. Lab fee required. (HA) Olson-Janjic. Spring 2011 and alternate years.BIOL 101: Environmental Biology (4). Using case studies in plant endangerment as a focal point for understanding ecological and evolutionary processes and the impact of human activities on biodiversity, students gain fundamental insight into their relationship with the living world and the importance of preserving biological diversity through a combination of targeted readings, intensive discussions, and basic research in the field, Field activities take place in regional hotspots of plant endemism and give students experience in applied conservation research. Field sites and subject species vary from year to year. Topic for Spring 2010: Endangered Plants of the Appalachians. (SL, GE5a) Winder.
BIOL 217: Aquatic Ecology (4). Prerequisite: BIOL 111 and 113; MATH 101 or higher; or permission of the instructor. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the ecology of freshwater systems, with laboratory emphasis on streams and rivers in the local area. It includes a review of the physical and biological properties of freshwater ecosystems as well as current issues relating to their conservation. Laboratory activities focus around monitoring the impacts of current stream restoration efforts in local watersheds. Humston. Fall 2009 and alternate years
BIOL 241: Field Ornithology (4). Prerequisites: BIOL 111 and 113. This course integrates studies of bird biology with field observation and identification of local bird species. Topics covered include anatomy, taxonomy, reproduction, vocalization, migration, ecology, and evolution. Field trips to a variety of areas throughout Virginia emphasize identification skills and basic field research techniques. No other course may be taken concurrently. Laboratory course. Cabe.
BIOL 464: Richmond Clinical Rotation Program (4). Prerequisites: 3.000 cumulative grade-point average; BIOL 111, CHEM 112, or PHYS 112; sophomore or junior standing; and selection through an application process. This program is for students who have demonstrated an interest in a career in medicine. The Richmond Term Program combines an introductory experience in a medical practice with academic study of Immunology and infectious disease. It exposes the students to the process and problems of medicine through observations, seminars, and discussions. This is a faculty-supervised, off-campus experience with various physicians in Richmond, VA. Simurda.
BUS 105: Life Finance (4). Prerequisite: Junior or senior Standing. Not open to majors in accounting and business administration, business administration, economics, or public accounting. This course applies finance theory to topics in personal finance. Readings focus on personal-finance topics, financial-data sources, and other items in the financial press. Students begin the class focusing on their life's goals: family, career, service to others, lifestyle. After considering personal goals, we explore the tools needed to achieve those goals. A computer lab component enables students to build spreadsheet models useful in making decisions in areas such as financial mathematics, household financial planning, financial markets, investments, and retirement planning. The class is intended for students with an interest in money matters but without a background in finance or economics. Schwartz. Spring 2011
BUS 317: Data Mining for Sales, Marketing and Customer Relationship Management (4). Prerequisites: INTR 201 and 202 and at least junior standing. This course provides an introduction and overview to data mining as a means to understanding customers (existing and potential) in a broad sense, rather than focusing on underlying theory. Many organizations have a wealth of data residing in their databases. Business data mining is the process of collecting and turning this resource into business value. Basic data-mining methods have broad applications: market-basket analysis of scanner data, customer relationship management, churn analysis, direct marketing, fraud detection, click-stream web mining, personalization and recommendation systems, risk management, and credit scoring. The course provides hands-on experience in applying these techniques to practical real-world business problems using commercial data-mining software. Ballenger. Spring 2011
CHEM 175: Developing Outreach Activities for Local Schools (4). Prerequisite: CHEM 100, 106, or 111. This service-learning course teaches the development of hands-on laboratory activities to fulfill physical science goals required by the science standards of learning (SOL) for Virginia's public schools. Students create instructional science experiments for chosen age levels to explore and implement activities with school children in Lexington City and Rockbridge County School classrooms. Students visit at least two different classrooms. Primarily a laboratory course. LaRiviere. Spring 2011
CHEM 191: Science of Cooking (3). An introduction to the structure of molecules as well as their inter- and intramolecular interactions, with an emphasis on those species of importance to food and cooking. Chemical reactivity as it relates to cooking, food preservation, and spoilage is also discussed. Coursework includes cooking and food-based experiments as well as field trips to local food production facilities. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have received credit for Chemistry 295 when the topic was culinary chemistry. (SC, GE5c) France. Spring 2009
CLAS 215: Ancient Drama and Its Influence (3). Prerequisite: Completion of FW or GE1 composition requirement. In this course we study ancient tragedy and comedy, both Greek and Roman, and look, too, at the cultural forces shaping ancient drama and some of the influence on later drama and thought. In addition to later plays that hail from ancient drama, we consider some philosophical interpretations of the significance of drama, and, in particular, tragedy. (HL, GE3) Crotty. Fall.
CSCI 102 (4) - Introduction to Computational Modeling. This course provides a hands-on understanding of the computational methods that support science and technology now and that will be essential for success in the science, engineering, and business worlds of the near future. The central theme of the course is building computational models of the processes that surround us every day, from the effects of drugs on the body to the formation of galaxies in the universe to the interactions of nations in the global economy. Classroom lectures and textbook readings are supplemented with lab exercises implementing the models using state-of-the-art software tools. (SC, GE5c) Levy. Spring 2009 only
DANC 111: University Dance Production (1). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. Fall, Winter
DANC 215: World Dance Technique (2). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. (HA, GE4a) Staff. Winter
ECON 233: Colorism (4). 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 Spring 2011ECON 281: Institutions and Economic Performance (3). 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. Fall, Winter
ECON 304: Applied Econometrics Laboratory (4). Prerequisites: ECON 203 or INTR 202 and permission of the instructor. Much of the work done by consulting companies, banks, insurance companies, think tanks, government agencies, etc, is based on applied statistical and econometric analysis. This course helps prepare students for careers in these environments by providing further explorations of regression models, using a hands-on approach and emphasizing the use of data and student-directed research. Blunch.
ECON 318: Gold, Silver, and Oil: Monetary Policy in the 1970s (4). 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. Spring 2011The following Education courses are not new courses, but they were inadvertently omitted from the printed catalog:
EDUC 303: Teaching and Learning in the Content Area (3). Prerequisites: Education 200, 210, and junior standing. This is a course specifically for those who wish to teach on the middle- or secondary-school level. The course examines research on instruction in all content areas. Students practice and critique instructional strategies for developing reading comprehension and critical thinking across the curriculum. The major learning theories of educational psychology are reviewed and then integrated into the organization of instructional materials that students design and field test. Required for teacher licensure. Ojure. Winter
EDUC 305: Teaching Elementary Reading (3). Prerequisite: Education 200. 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. Winter
EDUC 306: Practicum: Teaching Elementary Reading (1). This practicum course accompanies Education 305, and provides students with the opportunity to observe and practice reading methods used in elementary education. Sigler. Winter
EDUC 401, 402, 403: Directed Individual Study (1,2,3). Prerequisites: Senior class standing and permission of the Director of Teacher Education. Students must have completed at least one course in professional studies and have had relevant field experience. May be completed in the Lexington area. Students investigate current issues in education through research and work in the field and have opportunities to put educational theory into practice in elementary and secondary school settings. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. Ojure.
ENGL 234: Children's Literature (4). Prerequisite: Completion of FW or GE1 composition requirement. A study of works written in English for children. The course treats major writers, thematic and generic groupings of texts, and children's literature in historical context. Readings may include poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, and illustrated books, including picture books that dispense with text. Service-learning placements in literacy-related work in the community supplement class work. (HL, GE3) Keen. Spring 2011
ENGL 254: Jane Austen: The Works and the Phenomenon (4). Prerequisite: Completion of FW composition requirement. A study of Jane Austen's writing as well as her popularity. We study four major novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion), read scholarship on the history of "Janeites" (a name variously claimed by and applied with opprobrium to her devotees), and receive lessons on aspects of culture (such as English Country Dancing) frequently cited in Austen's works. Students contribute to a reading blog, work in a group to produce a project about contemporary Austen fans, and write a longer analytical essay. (HL) Braunschneider. Spring 2011ENGL 285: Reading Lolita in Lexington (4). A study of three novels, The Great Gatsby, Lolita, and Pride and Prejudice, through the lens of Azar Nafisi's memoir, Reading Lolita in Tehran. The course examines the basic tenets of Islam, the history of Iran and its Islamic revolution, and surveys experiences of Muslim women throughout the Middle East, using Geraldine Brooks' Nine Parts of Desire. Includes interviews with fellow W&L students and Muslims in the local community, to learn about the variety of experiences of Islam throughout the world, and the attitudes toward Islam among W&L students. (HL, GE3) Brodie. Spring 2011
ENGL 295: Spring-Term Seminar in Literary Studies (4). Prerequisite: Completion of FW or GE1 composition requirement. Students in this course study a group of works related by theme, by culture, by topic, by genre, or by the critical approach taken to the texts. Involves field trips, film screenings, service learning, and/or other special projects, as appropriate, in addition to 8-10 hours per week of class meetings. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. (HL, GE3) Staff.
ENGL 373: Hitchcock (4). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. An intensive survey of the films of Alfred Hitchcock: this course covers all of his major and many of his less well-known films. It supplements that central work by introducing students to several approaches to film analysis that are particularly appropriate for studying Hitchcock. These include biographical, auteur, and genre-based interpretation, psychological analyses, and dominant form theory through the study of novel-to-film adaptations. (HL) Adams. Spring 2011
ENGN 361: Polymer Science and Engineering (4). Prerequisite: ENGN/PHYS 240 or CHEM 261 or permission of the instructor. Science and engineering of large molecules. Physical and chemical structure of polymers correlated with mechanical properties. Crystal morphology. Theory of rubber elasticity. Time and temperature dependent properties of polymers. Relevance to polymer physics and chemical and mechanical engineering. Van Ness. Spring 2011
First-Year Seminars: (see descriptions in alpha order of catalog listing)
ANTH 180: FS: American Religions: Imported and Homegrown (3).
ANTH 180: FS: The Wired Self: Communication Technologies, Society, and You (4).
ARTH 180: FS: Portraits, Politics, and Propaganda (3).
ARTH 180: FS: Identity, Memory, and the History of Photography (4).
INTR 180: FS: Diversity and Discrimination in Employment and Higher Education (3).
JOUR 180: FS: Covering Great Trials in History: The Impact of the Press and the Public on Justice (3).
LIT 180: FS: Fictions of Vietnam in France and the USA (4).
POL 180: FS: Political Scandals in American Politics (4).
REL 180: FS: The Lives of the Prophet Muhammad (4).
SOC 180: FS: Challenges of Religious Pluralism (4).
HIST 205: Public and Private in Europe, 1700-1900 (4). This course investigates the construction of and relationship between public and private spheres in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. This class investigates the relationship between civil society and democracy, how women's roles were redefined at the advent of modernity and the relationship between the public and the private spheres. (HU, GE4b) Horowitz. Spring 2011 and alternate years
HIST 267: Mapping Roanoke: Metro History and G.I.S. (4). This course provide students with an opportunity to consider the major spatial processes in 20th-century metropolitan history through a local lens by using historical maps, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to understand and map 20th-century Roanoke history. Specific topics may include "white flight," industrial deconcentration, deindustrialization, suburbanization, segregation, transportation and urban renewal. Students learn to develop and test research questions as well as the foundations of geographic information science. (HU, GE4b) Michelmore. Spring 2011
HIST 271: Climate and Society (4). This course examines climate change from a historical and social perspective, two approaches to this critical international environmental issue that receive limited attention in academic research, media reporting, and policymaking. The course focuses on four topics: historical understandings of climate; societal responses to climatic fluctuations; global warming in historical context; and adaptation to climate change. The interdisciplinary approach and world environmental history perspective provide diverse context s for understanding climate issues today - not only the changing climate itself but also the social, cultural, scientific, political, economic, and environmental aspects that underlie how societies grapple with climate change. (HU, GE4b.) Carey. Spring 2011
INTR 180: FS: Diversity and Discrimination in Employment and Higher Education (3). This first-year seminar explores diversity and discrimination laws as they apply to students and workers, with a special emphasis on issues arising in higher education. Topics include affirmative action in admissions, lawful recruiting practices, sexual harassment, retaliation, diversity initiatives, discrimination, accessibility and accommodations for persons with disabilities, sexual stereotyping, and lawful grooming and appearance policies. The syllabus is primarily case-based and the class operates like a law-school course. The goal is to have you thinking, analyzing, arguing, and writing like a lawyer. (SS4) Perdue. Fall 2009
JOUR 180: FS: Covering Great Trials in History: The Impact of the Press and the Public on Justice (3). From the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial to Charles Manson and O.J. Simpson, Americans have long been fascinated by the high-profile trial. Often in dramatic fashion, trials reveal our deepest secrets by exposing the weaknesses, violent tendencies, and obsessions of people we thought were worthy of our respect or our fear. Through famous cases, this seminar examines the complexities of the conflict between two cornerstones of American democracy: the freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial. The course is taught by Reynolds Professor of Legal Reporting Toni Locy, who has covered federal courts, the Justice Department, and the U.S. Supreme Court for several national news organizations. (SS5) Locy. Fall 2009
JOUR 210: Sports Journalism (3). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. A seminar surveying, analyzing, and critiquing local, regional, national and international converged sports reporting and writing by working sports journalist. In addition, students read and analyze several longer pieces by working journalists, and write extensively. de Maria. Winter
JOUR 216: The Press and The Civil Rights Movement (4). Prerequisite: Journalism 101 or permission of the instructor. Appropriate for history majors or African-American studies students. This research seminar examines the press's role in the Civil Rights Movement of the South in the 1950s and '60s. It includes a 10-day tour of key sites of the movement and archives related to its history (Greensboro, Atlanta, Birmingham and Nashville), oral-history interviews with press veterans, readings, discussions, and proposals for a research paper and a magazine article. Cumming Spring 2011JOUR 218: Online Speech: Refuges, Harbors and Perils (4). Prerequisite: Journalism 101 or sophomore standing. An examination of how the marketplace of ideas created on the Worldwide Web impacts, impedes, and affects our communication and discernment abilities through looking at the laws that empower, encourage, and inhibit these abilities on the Web. The online experience includes clashes of interests, conflicts between content producers and content users, issues of privacy and defamation, and amplified roles and effects of anonymous speech in the society. Students examine how courts and lawmakers have dealt with these conflicts, the kinds of public policies engendered, and the effects on the First Amendment. Specific cases include controversies involving Google, YouTube, MySpace, Craigslist, etc. and legislative instruments such the DMCA and the CDA. This seminar focuses on online speech as it affects defamation, privacy, anonymity, pornography, social networking, and citizen journalism. While technical knowledge is not required to take the class, students must be willing to actively participate in class projects. Abah. Spring 2011 and alternate years
LACS 175: Multiculturalism in Latin America: The Case of Brazil (4). This seminar studies Brazil as an example of a multicultural society. Students examine the meaning of multiculturalism and related concepts of identity, heterogeneity, and Eurocentrism, not only in regard to the Brazilian context, but also, comparatively, to that of US culture. The course focuses on the social dynamics that have engaged Brazilians of different backgrounds, marked by differences of gender, ethnicity, and class, and on how multiculturalism and the ensuing conflicts have continuously shaped and reshaped individual subjectivities and national identity. Some of the key issues to be addressed in class are: Brazil's ethnic formation; myths of national identity; class and racial relations; and women in Brazilian society. Readings for the class include novels, short stories, poetry, and testimonial/diary. (HL, GE3) Pinto-Bailey. Spring 2011
MATH 233: Natural Resource and Electric Grid Modeling (4). Prerequisite: MATH 102. This class is designed to teach mathematical modeling by analyzing two separate but related issues - river fish populations and power generation/distribution - that are timely and important, and for which mathematical and scientific analysis is essential to wise policy decision-making. Examples of specific questions addressed include: how should a modern electricity grid should be designed to minimize loss of electricity and accommodate new energy-generating technologies? what is the relationship between native and non-native river fish populations as a consequence of hydroelectric power generation. The class is divided into teams, each of which completes an in-depth analysis of one particular question. Crowley. Spring 2011PE 126: Yoga. The practice of yoga enhances balance, improves flexibility and builds core strength. This class offers a full mind-body workout that improves health, athletic performance, and mental acuity in people of all fitness levels. (FP, GE7) Orrison. Fall, Winter
PHYS 120: Dreams of a Final Theory: The Quest for Unification in Physics (4). This course presents the quest for unification in physics from a scientific, historical, and philosophical perspective. The course introduces students to the evolution of physical theories from the ancient Greek philosophers to the modern concepts of Einstein's special and general theory of relativity, black holes, the standard model in particle physics, as well as the controversial string theory. (SC, GE5c) Mazilu, D. Spring 2011
PHYS 270: The Physics of Complex Systems (4). Prerequisite: PHYS 112. This is an interdisciplinary introduction to the innovative field of modeling and analysis of complex systems. Using statistical physics methods and computer simulations, students study a variety of complex systems such as social and biological networks, voting models, the spread of a fire in a forest, traffic jams, and financial models. The goal is to seek the underlying laws that govern such seemingly diverse systems and to understand the connection between various science fields. This course include traditional lectures, as well as computational labs, group presentations, and seminars given by invited speakers. (SC) Mazilu, I. Spring 2011
PHYS 361: Polymer Science and Engineering (4). Prerequisite: ENGN/PHYS 240 or CHEM 261 or permission of the instructor. Science and engineering of large molecules. Physical and chemical structure of polymers correlated with mechanical properties. Crystal morphology. Theory of rubber elasticity. Time and temperature dependent properties of polymers. Relevance to polymer physics and chemical and mechanical engineering. Van Ness. Spring 2011
POL 274: Terrorism (3). Acts of terror are shocking by definition. They threaten the public's sense of normalcy and stability. Therefore, in order to be successful, terrorism must seem novel, unpredictable and out of the ordinary. This is why each terrorist act perpetuates the idea that we have entered a new era, one more dangerous than what came before. However, terrorism itself is nothing new, nor is it the blight of anyone specific region or culture. This course studies terrorism as a historical and international phenomenon in order to determine its causes and to compare its impact in different contexts. Students try to answer questions such as: Is it possible generalize about the causes of terrorism? Has terrorism ever been successful as a strategy? What kind of solutions were historically effective in dealing with terrorism? (SS2) Zarakol. Winter
POL 275: Totalitarianism (4). Totalitarian regimes aim to exert a totalizing control over their citizens, but they alsoPOL 281: The Politics of Marriage and the Art of Democracy (4). Are marriage and democracy a good match? This course aims to shine light on recent public debate about marriage in the United States, namely the relationship between citizenship rights and same-sex marriage and the relationship between the health of civic community and the viability of long-term, heterosexual couplehood. We examine earlier conceptions of the connection between marital alliances and egalitarian, individualist political practices. Using three novels -- Anthony Trollope's Phineas Finn, Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy, and Tom Wolfe's A Man in Full -- in which the dramas surrounding marriage partners are embedded in the struggle for a more democratic politics in their protagonists' respective communities, we consider how marriage practices in earlier, undemocratic regimes are challenged by the demands of democratic political life. LeBlanc. Spring 2011 and alternate years
POL 283: Minority Voting Rights and Fair Redistricting (4). This course counts towards the field requirement in American politics. This course introduces students to the redistricting process and election law by engaging them in a lab setting in which they use geographic information systems (GIS) software to develop alternative election district plans for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition to learning basic GIS skills, students also study voting rights case law, electoral systems and electoral reform. (SS2, GE6b) Rush, Blackburn. Spring 2011
POL 295: Special Topics in American Politics (3) - Prerequisites: First-year or sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level. Topic, hour, and instructor are announced prior to registration. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. (SS2) Staff.
POL 296: Special Topics in Global Politics (3)- Prerequisites: First-year or sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level. Topic, hour, and instructor are announced prior to registration. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. (SS2) Staff.
POL 297: Special Topics in Political Philosophy (3) - Prerequisites: First-year or sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level. Topic, hour, and instructor are announced prior to registration. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. (SS2) Staff.
POL 342: Law and the Judicial Process (3) - re-numbered from POL 237. Prerequisites: POL 100, 111, or permission of the instructor. A survey of legal theories and the problems of reconciling such theories with the realities of administering a legal system. This course draws upon readings from literature, philosophy, legal scholarship, and political science. Topics include the nature of law and justice, constitutionalism, the role and power of courts and judges, and the function of a legal system. (SS2) Harris, Rush. Winter
POL 374 (SOC 374) (3) - Introduction to Survey Research. Prerequisite: Sociology 102 or permission of the instructor. This course is designed as a group research project. Students select a topic, prepare a list of hypotheses, select indicators, construct a questionnaire, conduct interviews, analyze data, and write research reports. May be executed as a community-based research project. Jasiewicz. Winter 2012
POL 377: Seminar on International Security (3). This course introduces students to the basic problems and proposed solutions in the field of international security. Students become familiar with the basic scholarly approaches to understanding the causes of war and peace in the international system - Realism, Liberalism, Socialism and Constructivism - and test the explanatory power of each of these approaches on historical and contemporary security problems in international relations. Through case studies, students also get a detailed understanding of the complex histories of major conflicts in international relations. Lastly, students learn the art of writing analytical research papers on international relations questions. (SS2) Zarakol. Winter
PSYC 300: The Pursuit of Happiness (4). Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of the instructor. Students examine and discuss the meaning and significance of happiness, explore pathways and barriers to happiness from scientific, theoretical, and philosophical perspectives, and engage in a thoughtful and proactive process of self-examination with regard to personal ideals, goals, and mechanisms of happiness. Students become immersed inSOC 225: Peoples of Central Europe through Literature and Film (4). This course provides basic information about the citizens of the Central European nations of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. The beliefs, attitudes, and value systems of the people of Central Europe are studied using core textbook readings supplemented by feature films, video materials, novels, short stories, plays, and poetry. Class discussions focus on interpreting these works of art in the context of comparative historical-sociological analysis of the Polish, Czech, and Hungarian cultures and societies. (SS4, GE4d) Jasiewicz. Spring 2011
SOC 281: Adolescence Under the Microscope (4). This course focuses on adolescence through the lens of social psychology. Insights from sociology, anthropology, and psychology are employed to explicate the adolescent experience in the United States in contrast to other societies. Topics include: the impact of liminality on adolescent identity in cross-cultural perspective; adolescence as objective reality or cultural fiction; adolescence and peer relations, gender and suicide; and new technologies and virtual adolescence. Each student engages in a research project focusing on adolescence and identity through either interviews or observational techniques. The final project is a group analysis of adolescence as reflected in Facebook. (SS4) Novack. Spring 2011SPAN 172: Supervised Study Abroad: Intermediate Spanish (4). Prerequisite: SPAN 111 and 112, or equivalent, and permission by the instructor. Spring Term Abroad course. A period of intensive language training and exposure to the language, culture, and people of Costa Rica. This course develops intermediate communicative Spanish vocabulary and active intermediate competence in the language. The traditional skills of foreign language instruction (structure, listening comprehension, reading, writing and speaking) are carried out in a small class environment at the host language school and supervised by a W&L faculty member. The program also includes a home-stay with a Costa Rican family, excursions to local and national sites of interest, cultural activities, and a service learning component at the local elementary school, hospital, law and accounting firms, or other community agencies. Barnett. Spring 2011
SPAN 192: Practical Applications of the Spanish Language (1), Pass/Fail only. Prerequisite: 100-level Spanish course or the equivalent and permission of the instructor. Introduction to specialized professional vocabularies. Participants apply learning through service work in the Rockbridge community for at least one hour per week. May be repeated with permission for a maximum of two degree credits. Staff. Fall, Winter
SPAN 201: Supervised Study Abroad: Costa Rica (4). Prerequisite: SPAN 162, 164, or equivalent. Spring Term Abroad course. Direct exposure to the language, people, and culture of Costa Rica. Designed to improve grammar and vocabulary of the advanced student through intensive training in Spanish with special emphasis on oral proficiency. The program also includes a home-stay with a Costa Rican family, excursions to local and national sites of interest, cultural activities, and a service-learning component at the local elementary school, hospital, law and accounting firms, or other community agencies. Barnett. Spring 2011
SPAN 292: Tutorial in Foreign Language Teaching, Translation, and Interpretation (2). Pass/Fail only. Prerequisite: SPAN 162 or 164 or equivalent and permission of the instructor. Preparation for and participation in teaching, translation, and interpretation in the Rockbridge community. Participants oversee teacher training workshops, complete formal translations, and execute live interpretations in the area. The service-learning component requires at least two hours per week in the community. May be repeated once with instructor's permission for a maximum of four credits toward degree requirements. Mayock. Fall, Winter
SPAN 309: History of the Spanish Language (3). Prerequisite: At least one 300-level Spanish course. An introduction to the field of historical linguistics and to the genealogy and development of the Spanish language. What it means to study the history of a language, the concept of linguistic change, and the types of language families, followed by the genealogy and the development of the Spanish language from its Latin origins to present day Spanish. These include the structures and peculiarities of Latin, the cultural and historical events influencing the Spanish language, the properties of medieval Spanish, the most stubborn linguistic myths, and the development of Spanish outside the Iberian Peninsula, especially in Spanish America. Bailey. Winter 2010 and alternate years
SPAN 345: Spanish American Modernist Poetry (3). Prerequisites: SPAN 215 and 240. Considered the literary
movement that achieves the "linguistic independence" of Latin America from Spain, Modernismo is the first
"original aesthetic" which exercises an influence on the poetic production of Europe. This course studies the
movement through the poems and works by four of its principal writers: the Nicaraguan Ruben Dario, the Mexican
Manuel Gutierrez Najera, the Peruvian Manuel Gonzalez Prada, and the Cuban Jose Marti. By contrasting their
literature to the "paradigm of modernity" which surrounded its production, the course distinguishes the dialectics
between the artists and their respective geopolitical circumstances. By analyzing the literature of writers from
different regions, we visualize and distinguish the divergent modernities which emerged in Latin America during
the 19th century and the diverse artistic reactions and consequences. (HL, GE3) González. Winter 2010 and
alternate years
Spring 2010 new and revised courses
Back to Top
ACCT 360: Auditing (4). 3 to 4 credits.
ANTH 255: Terror and Violence in Anthropological Perspective (3) to the list of courses meeting FDR SS4 and GE 6d requirements, effective for Winter 2010.
ARTH 380 to 394: Seminar in Art History (3)
BIOL 225: Medicinal Plant Biology (4). Prerequisites: BIOL 111 and 113 or permission of the instructor. From Taxol to Vitamin C plants provide important medicinal products for humans. This course is an introduction to the study of plant form and function from the perspective of the utilization of plants by humans for medicinal purposes. Lectures cover plant cell biology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, and interactions with the environment. The laboratory includes modern plant biology techniques ranging from molecular to organismal. Laboratory course. Hamilton. Winter
CSCI 341: Image Processing (3) - satisfies the FDR science requirements (SC).
DANC 110: University Dance (1). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. Fall, Winter
DANC 225: Intermediate Contemporary Modern Dance Technique (2) Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. Fall
DANC 230: Musical Theater Dance Technique (2). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. A studio exploration of choreography in musical theater from the 1940s to the present. Classroom work is a practical experience in restaging historically significant musical dance numbers. Of particular interest are the choreographers' styles and the many dance techniques prevalent in musical theater. These aspects are experienced through dance practica as original choreography is taught. May be repeated with permission for up to six degree credits. Davies. Winter 2011 and alternate years.
DANC 292: Ballet Technique (2). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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 with permission for up to six degree credits. Staff. Winter
DANC 340 (from 130): Contemporary Dance Observation and Analysis (3). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. (HA, GE4a) Davies. Fall 2010 and alternate years
DANC 390: Special Topics (3). Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. 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. Staff. Offered in fall or winter when interest is expressed and departmental resource permit.
DANC 403: Directed Individual Study (3). Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. 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. Offered in fall and winter when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.
ECON 288-289: Supervised Study Abroad (3-3) changed to ECON 288 (4)
ENV 250: Ethics, Ecology and Economics in Land-Use Practices (4). Think globally, study locally. This course explores globally significant environmental issues such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable delivery of ecosystem goods and services, and environmental justice, as they are manifested on a local/regional scale. We examine interactions among ethical, ecological, and economic concerns that shape these issues. Students are fully engaged in the development of policy recommendations that could guide relevant decision makers. The course incorporates readings, field trips, films, and discussions with invited experts.
GEOL 373: Regional Geology (4)
May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different but only four credits may be used toward major requirements.
GEOL 350: Structural Geology and Tectonics (3). Prerequisites: Geology 160 and Mathematics 101. Description and methods of analysis of large- and small-scale structural features of the Earth's crust. Topics also include the analysis of geometry, strain and stress as they relate to deformation in the earth. Rock mechanics, application of structural geology in environmental engineering and resource exploration, geometric and computational techniques used in structural analysis, interpretation of geologic maps, and the structural development of mountain systems are also covered. Laboratory course. Connors. Fall
GERM 261 and 262 - corrected to 4 credits each
HIST 322: Seminar in Russian History: The USSR in WWII and the Origins of the Cold War (4)
FDR and GE designations are removed for the future.
HIST 377: Congo, Rwanda, and The Modern World (3). Examines how this seemingly remote region became
the inspiration for the first modern human rights campaign, the source of the uranium used to build the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, a hot spot in the Cold War, and the setting for a genocide that spilled over into an "African World War" fueled by intricate links between African resources and the global economy. (HU, GE4b) Jennings. Winter 2010 and alternate years
ITAL 113 - correction to prerequisite. Prerequisite: Completion of 112 or equivalent in a Romance language.
JOUR 190: Beyond Google and Wikipedia: Finding and Evaluating Information Sources in the Digital Age (1). An introduction to information sources that academic researchers, journalists, public relations and advertising professionals rely on increasingly in the digital age to conduct scholarly research, report and write news stories, and to find, analyze and present research on trends in mass communications. Students learn how to evaluate sources of information for credibility and quality, while they strengthen their basic research skills to go beyond Google and dig below the surface of today's high-tech world. Grefe, Journalism faculty. Fall, WinterLACS 175: Multiculturalism in Latin America: The Case of Brazil (4) to LACS 257
LACS 396: Capstone Seminar in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (3). Prerequisites: completion of all
other minor requirements, junior or senior standing, or permission of the instructor. This capstone course builds
upon the foundations developed in LACS 101 and related coursework in the distribution areas. Students discuss
assigned readings centered around a key theme or themes of Latin American Studies in connection with an
individualized research project. This project is carried out with continual mentoring by a faculty member and in
collaboration with peer feedback. Each student presents his/her findings in a formal paper, or other approved
end-product, and summarizes the results in an oral presentation. Staff. Winter
PHYS 151: Stellar Evolution and Cosmology from (3) - (4) and revised description above
POL 295: Special Topics (3) - split to POL 295: Special Topics in American Politics (3), POL 296: Special Topics in Global Politics (3) & POL 295: Special Topics in Political Philosophy (3)
POL 237 number changed to POL 342: Law and the Judicial Process (3)
PSYC 215: Seminar in Evolutionary Psychology (4). The purpose of this course is to examine evolutionary theory as a means of explaining human behavior. The main premise is that behaviors such as cooperation, aggression, mate selection, and intelligence exist because individuals exhibiting these behaviors were more likely to produce healthy offspring that perpetuated those behaviors (i.e., natural selection). We evaluate the validity of this argument in a number of areas of human behavior and also discuss how culture has shaped our genes. Evolutionary psychology is not an area of psychology, like social psychology or cognitive psychology, but is instead a lens through which all human behavior can be explained. Though it is tempting to engage in "arm chair" application of evolutionary theory to behavior, this is a science course; all arguments must be backed up with data. (SS3) Whiting. Spring 2011 and alternate yearsREL 245 number changed to 205: Self-Help/Pursuit of Happiness (4) - meets HU, GE4d (not SS4, GE6d)
REL 399: Senior Seminar (3), Prerequisite: Senior religion major. In the first half of this seminar, students study a particular theme or problem in the study of religion and apply selected theoretical and methodological models to the topic. In the second half, students engage in an independent research project related to their choice of a course "cluster" or concentration while continuing to meet for discussions of related methodological issues, work in progress, and general reflections on the study of religion. Staff. Fall, 2010RUSS 113: Elementary Conversation from (3) - (4)
SOC 228: Race and Ethnic Relations (3) - satisfies the FDR social science requirement (SS4)
SOC 280: Gender and Sexuality (3) - satisfies the FDR social science requirement (SS4
SOC 289: Sociology of Self: Self Help (4) - meets SS4, GE6d (not HU, GE4d)
Course Deletions
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ECON 289: Supervised Study Abroad (3)
PE 149: Bowling
PSPK 301: Argumentation and Debate (3)
PSPK 305: Seminar in Feminist Rhetoric (3)
PSPK 403: Directed Individual Study (3)
ROML 285: The Road to Santiago (3)
Revisions to Degree, Major and Minor Requirements Back to Top
Accounting
Approved revising the requirements of the majors in accounting as follows.
A major in accounting and business administration leading to a Bachelor of Science with Special Attainments in Commerce requires 50 credits, as follows:
1. ACCT 201, 202, 320, 321, 325, 326; BUS 205, 211, 221; ECON 101, 102; INTR 201, 202
2. BUS 217 or 345 (INTR 345)
3. BUS 340 or 375
4. Six credits from among ACCT 310, 330, 355, 360.
5. Three credits from among ACCT 297, 311, 328, 329, 340, 345, 348, 356, 395, 396.
A major in public accounting leading to a Bachelor of Science with Special Attainments in Commerce requires 56 credits (with 144 credits total being required to graduate) as follows:
1. ACCT 201, 202, 320, 325, 326, 321, 330, 355, 360; BUS 205, 211, 221
2. BUS 217 or 345 (INTR 345)
3. BUS 340 or 375
4. Three credits chosen from among ACCT 297, 311, 328, 329, 340, 345, 348, 356, 395, 396, 403, 453, and 493 (3-3).
Biology
- approved revisions to the major in Biology leading to the Bachelor of Science degree:
Biology (leading to BS degree)
"...2...a. Molecules and Cells: BIOL 215* or 215S*, 222*, 310*, 320, 321*, 323*, 350, 365, 396"
"...3...c. Ecology and Evolution: BIOL 216*, 217*, ..."
- approved revisions to the major in Biology leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree:
Biology (leading to BA degree)
"...2...a. Molecules and Cells: BIOL 215* or 215S*, 222*, 310*, 320, 321*, 323*, 350, 365, 396"
"...2...c. Ecology and Evolution: BIOL 216*, 217*, ..."
For 2010-11 catalog: Approved revising both biology majors by moving BIOL 225: Medicinal Plant Biology from category A (Molecules and Cells) to category D (Structure and Function).
Business Administration
Approved revising the major requirements in business administration as follows.
"...3. International Business: one course chosen from ... ECON 270, 271, 272, 274, 275, ... 356, 382..."
Classics
Approved revising the requirements for a major in classics as follows:
"A major in classics leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree requires completion of at least 33 credits, including the following, and the comprehensive examination: ...
2.) 15 additional credits chosen from the Greek, Latin, or Classics courses, or the following: ..."
Dance
Approved adding a minor in dance:
A minor in dance requires completion of at least 21 credits in dance as follows. In meeting the requirements of this discipline-based minor, a student may not use more than nine credits that are also used to meet the requirements of another major or minor.
1. DANC 111, 220, 240, 340
2. Two credits from DANC 110
3. One course chosen from DANC 330, 390, and 403
4. At least six credits chosen from among the following: DANC 120, 215, 225, 230, 235, 292
Environmental studies
- approved revisions to the major in Environmental Studies:
"6. Systems: One course chosen from among BIOL 217, 245, 246, and GEOL 240
7. Electives: Two courses in addition to those used for the above requirements and chosen from the following, one of which must be at the 300 level, or from other courses approved in advance by the head of the major: BIOL 217, 230, 245, 246..."
- approved revisions to the minor in Environmental Studies:
"...3. Natural and Physical Sciences: one course from each of the following two areas.
... b. BIOL 217, 245, 246, 322; GEOL 141, 150"
FDR correction (page 55)
Literature (HL)
English 205 does not count for HL
Geology correction
The major in geology leading to a Bachelor of Science degree requires:
7. A comprehensive examination in geology.
Journalism and Mass Communication
Approved adding the following revision to the major.
The major is revised as follows:
"1. Journalism ...
c. One course chosen from JOUR 280, 297, 320, 371, 372..."
"3. Mass Communications
a. JOUR 231
b. JOUR 344 or 345..."
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Approved changing the number of LACS 175: Multiculturalism in Latin America: The Case of Brazil (4) to LACS 257, adding the following course, and revising the requirements for the minor:
"2... LACS 195, 257, 421, 422, and 423 may count towards the total count of 15 credits. Additional courses may be used when the topic is relevant and the director approves.
a. Literature: LACS 256 (LIT 256), LIT 259;..."
Mass Communications
Approved adding a minor in mass communications as follows:
A minor in mass communications requires at least six regular three- or four-credit JOUR courses. This is not a minor in journalism. It offers liberal-arts breadth in mass media as a discipline and thorough exposure to the practice or craft but not professional preparation for a career. A student may not complete both a major and a minor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. In meeting the requirements of this discipline-based minor, a student may not use more than nine credits that are also used to meet the requirements of another major or minor.
1. JOUR 101
2. Professional Values: One course chosen from JOUR 242, 301, 344, and 345
3. Media Theory/History: One course chosen from JOUR 221, 225, 231, 296, 318, 319, and 338
4. Journalistic Practice: One course chosen from JOUR 201, 280, 297, 351, 357, 365, 371, and 372
5. Two additional courses in journalism and mass communications
Medieval and Renaissance studies (for 2010-11 catalog)
Approved revising the major in Medieval and Renaissance studies as follows:
add the following courses to History of Ideas: HIST 115, REL 180 when appropriate, SPAN 210
add the following courses to Literature: ENGL 291, ENGL 299, when appropriate
add the following courses to Fine Arts: ARTH 384
Music (for 2009-10 catalog)
Approved revising the major in music as follows:
"A major in music...
a. History: three courses chosen from MUS 220, 221, 231, 232, 233, 295, 296, 331, 332 and 396...
c. Performance: three credits chosen from applied music courses at the 300-level or above; and six credits chosen from MUS 220, 221, 231, 232, 233, 295, 296, 331, 332, 361, 362, 396, and 423..."
Music (for the 2010-11 catalog)
Approved revising the major in music as follows:
Neuroscience
Correction - PHYS 315 does not meet a major requirement
Politics
The following revisions to the major in Politics requirements are approved.
"b. American Government: completion of four courses chosen from POL ... 295, ...
c. International/Global Politics: completion of four courses chosen from POL ... 296, ...
d. Political Philosophy: completion of four courses chosen from POL ...297, ..."
Poverty and Human Capability Studies
Approved changes to the minor as follows:
"A minor in poverty and human capability studies requires completion of seven courses as follows. In meeting the requirements of this interdisciplinary minor, a student must use at least nine credits not also used to meet the requirements of any other major or minor.
"1. POV 101 or 103
2. POV 450 or 453
3...At least 10 credits (9 credits for those completing POV 103) chosen..."
The committee also approved an exception for those students in the Class of 2010. Those who are using the POV 450, zero-credit internship are excused from the requirement to have nine credits not also used to meet the requirements of any other major or minor.
Psychology
Approved revisions to the major in Psychology leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree:
"...3. At least one additional course selected from Psychology 150, 202, 210, 213, 214, 215 ..."
Public Accounting
Revised the major in Public Accounting by dropping the requirement for six credits of 300-level business electives.
A major in public accounting leading to a Bachelor of Science with Special Attainments in Commerce requires 56 credits (with 144 credits total being required to graduate) ...
Spanish and
Romance Languages with a Spanish emphasis
The major requirements in Spanish are revised as follows:
"...3. Five Spanish courses numbered 300 or above, as follows.
a. One course on literature of Spanish America chosen from SPAN 340, 342, 344, 346, 348, 350, 352,
and 398...
c. One additional course in literature chosen from SPAN 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 340, 342, 344, 345, 346,
348, 350, 352, 397, and 398..."
Studio Art
Approved revising the major and minor in studio art as follows:
"A major in studio art ...
4. Nine additional credits, from one of the following five areas. A cross-media emphasis may be taken with permission of the studio art faculty.
a. Drawing: ARTS 112, 211, 212, 213, 214..."
"A minor in studio art ...
1. Completion of one of the following two areas of emphasis:
a. ARTS 111 and three courses in studio art chosen from one of the following two categories:
i. ARTS 213, 214, 217, 218, 291, 317, 318..."
Theater and Dance
Approved changing the name of the Department of Theater to the Department of Theater and Dance, effective Fall 2010.
Policy information: New Deletions--Revisions--Back to Top
NEW
Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory grades
Approved the addition of Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory grades for certain teacher-education courses. The following catalog copy is added.
Grading Scheme (page 70)
S (Satisfactory) is assigned in Teacher Education fieldwork and student teaching courses which are taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. S (Satisfactory) indicates completion of the work of the course equivalent to a grade of C or higher with all course requirements met. Not used in computing grade-point averages.
U (Unsatisfactory) is assigned in Teacher Education fieldwork and student teaching courses which are taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis; U (Unsatisfactory) indicates completion of the work of the course equivalent to a grade of C-minus or lower or a failure to meet all course requirements. Not used in computing grade-point averages.
Grade-point average (page 70)
Work attempted includes all courses for which the student was registered, except those from which the student was permitted to withdraw with no grade or for which grades of P, S, or U were assigned.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grade (to be inserted page 71)
Students taking certain Teacher Education fieldwork courses will receive a grade of either Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). No other letter grades are assigned in these particular courses. A grade of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory can only be earned in specific, designated education courses and cannot be applied to education courses generally or to coursework in other departments. A student receiving a U will receive no credit toward the degree. A course for which the grade of S has been received may not be repeated, except as already approved for additional credit. No more than 18 credits of Satisfactory-graded courses may be used toward degree requirements.
DELETIONS
Academic Life Curricular Changes for 2009-10
Approved by the Faculty: May and September, 2008
Implementation: All students enrolled in Fall 2009-first-years through seniors-will be subject to new requirements (only one course allowed in each spring term; 113 credits for graduation).
Degree credits: At least 113 credits are required for a W&L degree for all students graduating after June 2009.
Credits to be earned at W&L: Beginning in Fall 2009 for all students, no more than 56 of the 113 credits required for the W&L degree may be earned elsewhere or by any other means than through courses offered at W&L or through formal exchanges (e.g. VMI, Mary Baldwin, Spelman). In other words, first-year incoming credits, transfer credits, courses taken abroad, etc., will not count in the 57 credits to be taken at
W&L.
Spring-term course load: Beginning Spring 2010, all new, regular spring courses will be four (4) credits and students may enroll in only one four-credit course. The minimum course load for spring will be four credits. Students are allowed to enroll in no more than one additional credit (maximum five credits) or one scheduled non-credit curricular activity (such as INTR 201, Williams Investment Society, 100- or 200-level PE skills, etc.), with the provision that it not interfere with the schedule and obligations of the four-credit spring term course. Students enrolled in an academic course may engage in other activities not for credit- athletic practice, finishing a thesis or capstone, research projects, etc.-as long as they manage their time to make sure the regular academic course has priority and their full attention.
Exception for formerly approved six-credit spring term courses: Existing six-credit off-campus courses that now meet for six weeks will be exempt from the new four-week requirement and, if offered, allowed to remain six weeks long and valued at six credits. Seniors planning to graduate in May may not enroll in six-week spring term courses.
Limits on incoming credits: Beginning in Fall 2009 for the entering Class of 2013, first-year students may receive a maximum of 28 credits from any and all non-W&L sources completed prior to initial matriculation at W&L (AP, IB, college courses while in high school, etc.). Of the 28, no more than nine credits can be counted toward the requirements for a particular major with departmental approval; individual departments may set a limit of less than nine credits counted toward the major. In order to receive Washington and Lee credit, all documentation (official transcripts, official score reports, required W&L forms, etc) must be received by the University Registrar before the end of the first term in which the student is enrolled at W&L.
Grade-Point Average, begins with the 2009-10 catalog.
"Beginning with Fall 2009, the following calculations will be implemented for grading all undergraduate courses. For this computation, there are assigned, respectively, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 0 grade points for each credit of work on which the grades A, B, C, D, E, and F are recorded. For every unit of plus, with the exception of A-plus, .33 is added; for every unit of minus, .33 is subtracted from the grade points."
Graduation with Distinction (Latin Honors): Beginning with students graduating after June 2009, the candidate for a degree with distinction must earn a grade-point average sufficient to place the student in the top 30 percent of the class, with the specific honors awarded at the following more specific percentages:
summa cum laude top 5%
magna cum laude next 10%
cum laude next 10%
Degree Requirements (effective Fall 2009):
" To graduate, a student must achieve at least the following cumulative grade-point averages:
2.000 on all work attempted at Washington and Lee; ..."
Academic Probation (effective Fall 2009):
"At the end of any term, the Committee on the Automatic Rule and Reinstatement places students on academic
probation for the following term for failing to meet one or both of the following:
1. if the term grade-point average for any term falls below 2.000;
2. if the cumulative grade-point average falls below 2.000.
Students placed on academic probation are warned of their precarious position and advised to limit their participation in
extracurricular activities during the period of their probation. Students whose probationary status is not removed by the
end of the next term fall under the Automatic Rule.
Automatic Rule (Academic Suspension) (effective Fall 2009):
At the end of any academic term, the Committee on the Automatic Rule and Reinstatement suspends students who are on probation if they fail to meet either the term grade-point average or cumulative grade-point average standards described above. Suspension from the university severs all connections and privileges associated with being a student at Washington and Lee.
The following also fall under the Automatic Rule:
1. First-year students whose first-term grade-point average falls below 1.000; or
2. Those students who have been reinstated on probation and who have failed to meet the grade-point standard
required by the Committee on the Automatic Rule and Reinstatement; or
3. Those students withdrawing from the university during any term for reasons other than medical and having a
cumulative grade-point average below 2.000; or
4. At the end of the winter term, those students unable to remove their probationary status by attempting no more
than four credits during the spring term."
LEAVE OF ABSENCE (effective Fall 2009):
Undergraduate students may request a leave of absence from the University for a specific reason and for a specified period of time by petition to the Committee on the Automatic Rule and Reinstatement.
Medical leaves of absence for undergraduate students may be requested through the Associate Dean of the College in consultation with the Dean of Students.
Academic leaves of absence -- normally granted only for the purpose of academic enrichment -- may be requested using the application form available from the Office of the Dean of the College (or online at registrar.wlu.edu/forms/). Students must not be on academic probation at the time of application, and the application must be received no later than three weeks prior to the beginning of the term for
which leave is requested. ..."
Registration policy changes (for Fall, 2009)
There are four basic changes to registration
1) shorten the drop/add period for all three terms, with spring term drop/add to be the first two days of the term.
2) creation of drop with record (W grade after the 2nd week in fall and winter and after the 1st week in spring, and WP/WF grades after midterm)
3) increased fees for late registration changes, and
4) decrease the time allowed for automatic withdrawal - from midterm to 2 weeks in fall and winter and to 2 days in spring
| 1 | Current Policy | New Policy |
| 2 | Registration (page 76) | |
| 3 | A student is subject to a fee of at least $25 for failure to comply with the stated matriculation or check-in schedule | Increase fee to $50 |
| 4 | A student is subject to a fee of at least $25 for failure to comply with the stated registration schedule | Increase fee to $50 |
| 5 | Changes of classes and schedules without charge are limited to the drop/add period held during the calendar week of the fall and winter terms and the first four days of spring term. | ..the first four days of spring term with permission of all instructors and the adviser. |
| 6 | Students may alter their schedules after the drop/add period, before the end of the third week of a term, with the permission of the instructor, the adviser, and a dean and payment of the fee ($25). | Fall and Winter terms: The regular drop-add period is limited to the first five days of the term. During the second week of the term, students may alter their schedules, with the 1) permission of the instructor, the adviser, and an academic dean, and 2) payment of a $100 fee. For spring term, drop-add must be completed by the end of the 2nd day of the term without fee with permission of all instructors and the adviser. through the rest of the first week of spring term, students may alter their schedules for 1-credit and PE courses only, with the 1) permission of all instructors, the adviser, and an academic dean, and 2) payment of a $100 fee. |
| 7 | Students who wish to make any change after the time designated for making changes must petition the Faculty Executive Committee for a waiver of the deadline and pay the appropriate fee. | After the second week in Fall and Winter terms, and the first week in Spring, any changes to the class schedule (except overload and medical reductions as noted below) must be approved by the Faculty Executive Committee, incurring a fee of $100, and in the case of dropped courses, assignment of a grade of "W". After midterm, all dropped courses will receive a grade of "WP" or "WF" as assigned by the instructor of record, regardless of reason for the drop. |
| 8 | Insert into initial paragraph on "Registration Changes" | Courses dropped after the drop/add period will be shown in the permanent record with a grade of "W", "WP", or "WF", depending on the date of the change. Students should process changes on time to minimize withdrawal grades on the transcript. |
| 9 | Degree-seeking students who do not register for a full-time load by midterm, regardless of the reason, will be automatically withdrawn from W&L. | Degree-seeking students who do not register for a full-time load by the end of the regular drop-add period of any long term and within the first two days of the spring term, regardless of the reason, will be automatically withdrawn from W&L. |
| 10 | Increase fee to $200 | |
| 11 | Increase fee to $200 |
EDUCATION
The following Education courses are not new courses, but they were inadvertently omitted from the printed catalog:
EDUC 303: Teaching and Learning in the Content Area (3). Prerequisites: Education 200, 210, and junior standing. This is a course specifically for those who wish to teach on the middle- or secondary-school level. The course examines research on instruction in all content areas. Students practice and critique instructional strategies for developing reading comprehension and critical thinking across the curriculum. The major learning theories of educational psychology are reviewed and then integrated into the organization of instructional materials that students design and field test. Required for teacher licensure. Ojure. Winter
EDUC 305: Teaching Elementary Reading (3). Prerequisite: Education 200. 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. Winter
EDUC 306: Practicum: Teaching Elementary Reading (1). This practicum course accompanies Education 305, and provides students with the opportunity to observe and practice reading methods used in elementary education. Sigler. Winter
EDUC 401, 402, 403: Directed Individual Study (1,2,3). Prerequisites: Senior class standing and permission of the Director of Teacher Education. Students must have completed at least one course in professional studies and have had relevant field experience. May be completed in the Lexington area. Students investigate current issues in education through research and work in the field and have opportunities to put educational theory into practice in elementary and secondary school settings. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different. Ojure.