Honors Course Descriptions

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the role of biology in shaping human behavior. Lecture topics include the anatomy and physiology of the neuroendocrine system, learning and memory, pain and analgesia, homeostatic motivation, emotions, and stress and stress management. Laboratory sessions include explorations of sensory perception, sleep and dreaming, mental illness, biofeedback, sociobiology and chronobiology. A written term project or classroom presentation is required. Class hrs. 3; Lab hrs. 2. Prerequisite: one semester of college-level biology. Offered spring semester.

Study of the impact of American mass media on American culture and on the cultures of other nations. Students are asked to consider how mass media alter concepts of culture; and are encouraged to develop an understanding of the economic forces that influence and shape the media. An emphasis is placed on critical thinking in a seminar situation. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: Approval by Honors Co-Directors. Offered spring semester.

An in-depth exploration of issues and topics in communication. Students learn techniques and styles of oral communication and utilize these throughout the course to share research in special topics such as listening, intercultural communication, communication between genders, and the power of language to shape our perceptions of the world around us. Students work in groups as well as individually, and investigate and experience communication in a variety of contexts. Oral presentations requiring extensive planning and preparation and a research paper are required. Class hrs. 3. Offered fall semester.

This course is designed to introduce students to both the basic principles used in economic theory and to the institutional details of the organization of economic systems in the United States and other countries. In addition, the course helps students understand the ways in which different economies are linked and the effects of economic interactions within and between countries. The contents of the course include demand and supply analysis, national income accounting, economic growth, monetary and fiscal policies, as well as global economic issues such as international trade and capital flows. Various contemporary policy issues are also analyzed. The course develops a conceptual framework to help students independently analyze economic policy issues. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: College-level Algebra and Composition and Literature I.

This course provides an analysis of the basic market forces of demand and supply, and economic outcomes under different market structures such as competitive, imperfectly competitive and monopolistic markets. The labor and capital markets are also analyzed. In addition, the economics of the public sector emphasizes tax policy, externalities, monopoly power and the provision of public goods. The course examines contemporary social issues such as income distribution, poverty and the welfare system as well as global issues such as international trade and protectionism. This course is meant for the student who is already familiar with economic analysis and develops a conceptual framework to help students independently analyze economic policy issues. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: Macroeconomics, College-level Algebra and Composition and Literature I.

Expository and argumentative writing is the focus of this course. Students read and discuss prose essays which present significant issues and respond to them in scholarly form and language. Research and its proper documentation are included in this process. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: Placement essay score of 9 or better.

Composition and Literature II introduces students to literary genre (short story, poetry, drama, novel). This course presents masterpieces in each of these forms which students read, discuss and write about in their journals and in critical essays. Some research is required. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I. Offered spring semester.

Composition and Literature II introduces students to literary genre (short story, poetry, drama, novel). This course presents masterpieces in each of these forms which students read, discuss and write about in their journals and in critical essays. Some research is required. An online component is included. Class hrs. 1 1/2. Prerequisites: An “A” in Composition and Literature I, word-processing skills. Mandatory orientation. Not offered every semester.

Reading and Writing Poetry-Honors integrates critical and creative modes of thought and expression. Students read extensively while working on their own poetry. The complementary acts of reading and writing poetry offer students a full experience of poetry as scholarly endeavor and creative practice. Writing exercises, discussion, workshop groups and individual conferences are designed to make poetry a more familiar language for students as they explore new imaginative territory. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II. Offered spring semester.

Writing for Film-Honors is an intensive screenwriting workshop that incorporates critical as well as creative modes of expression. Students compare literary texts with motion pictures in order to gain a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences between the two art forms. They then engage in a variety of writing exercises before composing their own screenplays. As part of the course requirements, students engage in a group screenwriting project that ultimately leads to the production of a student video. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II.

Examination of political, social, and economic visions of America based on a selection of literature from the “discovery” of America to the present (Columbus, Bradford, Franklin, Douglass, Clemens, Yezierska, Fitzgerald, Ellison, Miller, Kingston, etc.) Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered fall semesters.

Examination of political, social, and economic visions of America based on a selection of literature from the “discovery” of America to the present (Columbus, Bradford, Franklin, Douglass, Clemens, Yezierska, Fitzgerald, Ellison, Miller, Kingston, etc.) Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered fall semesters.

Ten days of intensive study with Cambridge University professors and an on-site, Westchester Community College Honors instructor. Students register for two specialized seminars in Literature Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary and evening lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the Westchester Community College instructor. Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University; four Westchester Community College Honors English/Humanities credits. Class hrs. 4. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II, and Honors permission.

An appreciation of Shakespeare’s plays as poetry and theatre, Shakespeare’s development as dramatist and poet, the intellectual milieu of Elizabethan England and its influence on Shakespeare’s use of dramatic forms and techniques. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II; permission of the Honors Program and the instructor.

Three-week intensive study with Cambridge University professors and an on-site Westchester Community College Honors instructor. Students register for two specialized seminars in Shakespeare Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary and evening lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the college instructor. Certificate of Attendance from Cambridge University. Class hrs. 4. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II and Honors permission.

This course studies the Holocaust in particular and racism in general. It examines a number of major questions such as, “How could a ‘cultured’ people, the nation of Beethoven, commit such barbaric crimes?” Special attention is given to the roles of silence, complicity, and personal responsibility. Students complete a three-part project in which they investigate an aspect of the Holocaust. Guest speakers and films complement the material. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered fall semester.

This course explores film as a form of literature. Students study the similarities and differences between filmmaking and other forms of storytelling. They learn about the element of fiction common to movies and traditional literature as well as the technical and aesthetic features that make cinema so distinctive. By examining the heroes, stories, and cultural values at work in the movies, students learn how to become more informed, critical, creative viewers of feature films. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I and acceptance into the Honors program.

This course offers students the opportunity to read and to engage in intensive study and discussion of classic literary texts—works of enduring influence that stand among the sources of our intellectual tradition and have shaped the development of Western culture. Readings may include the works of Homer, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes, Boccaccio, Chaucer, Dante, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Moliere, Voltaire, Goethe, Shelley, Austen, Flaubert, Dostoevski, Tolstoy, Joyce, Woolf, Hurston, Camus, Ellison, Achebe. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II and Honors permission.

This course explores gender issues in novels, plays, poems, short stories, and essays written by women. Readings are primarily from modern American and British literature, with global literature in translation, along with historical and cultural perspectives. Students read and analyze literary texts, write critical essays, and relate the history and culture of women to the texts. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered fall semester.

This is an honors-level seminar on the movies as an art form and an international phenomenon. Students engage in a focused exploration of the technical and formal elements that make the movies a unique and powerful means of human expression, one that finds its definition in diverse cultural contexts. The course provides students with a window onto the rich cultural landscape beyond their own, exposing them to cinematic accomplishments that extend beyond the conventional American model and their own experience-introducing them to the national cinemas of Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America, India, and The Middle East, with their distinctive perspectives, attitudes, values, and beliefs. The course concerns itself with culture and its impact on film as a work of art, with culture as shaper of both content and form. Methods include class discussion, oral and written reports, individual group class presentations, readings, and critical viewing of selected films and videos. Class hrs. 3.

This honors-level course is a focused investigation of movies in America. Students approach film as an art form, an industry, and a system of representation and communication. They study the important role of movies in our culture, learning how Hollywood has helped to reflect and shape our national image throughout history. Instructional methods include independent research projects, collaborative presentations, readings, class discussion, and critical viewing of selected films and videos. Class hrs. 3. Offered fall semester.

This is an introductory course designed for students who are interested in learning more about Asia; as such, it provides background information on Asia as a whole and an in-depth look at a few selected Asian countries such as India, China, and the Philippines. Current economic, political, and cultural events and their historical and geographical backgrounds are emphasized. In addition, the connections between Asia and the United States and their importance are stressed. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I or equivalent. An additional course in Geography is highly recommended.

This course is a survey of global history from earliest times to the present. It explores themes constant throughout that period to find patterns of development of governmental institutions and economic systems emphasizing the non-western as well as western experience. The rise and decline of major civilizations, the transitions from an agrarian to an urban industrial and now post-industrial society and the nature of warfare are examined. Emphasis is placed on discovering the historical roots of contemporary conflicts. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.

This course presents a history of the United States from the Spanish-American War to the present; the development and impact of big business; the Progressive Era and World War I; the return to normalcy and the Depression; recovery and the New Deal; World War II and its aftermath; the Cold War, Korea, Civil Rights; the Kennedy Administration. It is designed to provide a background in United States social, economic and diplomatic developments in the 20th century. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I. Not offered every semester.

This course consists of three weeks of intensive study with Cambridge University professors and a Westchester Community College Honors instructor. Pre- and Post-Cambridge conferences for preparation and assessment are required. Students register for two specialized seminars in History Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the college instructor. Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University; four Westchester Community College Honors History credits. Prerequisites: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I, ENG 102 Composition and Literature II. Admission to the college Honors Program and permission from the instructor.

This interdisciplinary Humanities course offers students an opportunity to explore classic philosophical texts, the social and historical contexts within which they were written, and the powerful ideas they contain. Among the influential thinkers and texts that may be covered are Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, the Bible, the Koran, Calvin, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Marx, Freud, Jung, and Gandhi. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I and Honors permission.

The Honors Seminar in Ethics is a course whose text is a collection of excerpts written by Western philosophers from Plato to Sartre. We also read short stories, a novel, and plays with protagonists who struggle with moral dilemmas. Students are required to give presentations of their own choice (with the approval of the instructor) about religions, philosophers, belief systems, or other related topics. For example, in the past we have learned about Tao; Confucianism; Ethics in Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, West African religions; animal rights, etc. Journal responses on every reading and essays dealing with ethical questions which arise in our texts are assigned. Students are encouraged to engage in free and open discussions, to question, and to listen to others’ views with respect and interest. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered spring semester.

A survey of the history of Mathematics from counting through Calculus. The Internet is the main reference tool to investigate the contributions of various cultures and individuals. A problem solving approach is used to study the Mathematical contributions of each culture. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: good background in high school math or college algebra recommended.

Development and social importance of advertising; economic and legal aspects; psychology of advertising; the advertising agency and how it works; the advertising manager; major media: newspapers, magazines, radio and television; types of copy; advertising campaigns, research pertinent to advertising effectiveness; analysis of topography media, production, and appropriateness of advertising. Class hrs. 4. Prerequisite: MKT 101 Marketing or permission from the Curriculum or Department Chairperson.

This course offers an introduction to the field of political science and the American political system. Students analyze the organization and working of American political institutions and current issues through the ideological perspective of centrist, liberal, conservative, radical left, and radical right positions. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I. Not offered every semester.

A survey of Western political theory from Plato to Marx, including such political thinkers as Aquinas, Machiavelli, Locke, and Rousseau as well as the theoretical basis of democracy, socialism and fascism. Students are asked to compare and contrast the views of the major thinkers in answer to the question of who should rule, how leaders should be selected, and how much power government should have. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I. Not offered every semester.

This course introduces students to the field of international relations. Topics covered include realism vs. idealism, the role of ideology, nationalism, international law and organizations, war, disarmament and diplomacy. Students read original sources, engage in debates and role-playing, do research projects and attend lectures. They also study major global political, economic, human and environmental problems. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I. Not offered every semester.

This course is an introduction to international law, exploring the theories behind international law, the concept of the nation state and the formation of world organizations in the twentieth century, including the organs and agencies of the United Nations as well as prominent Non-Governmental organizations. It covers important current controversies on human rights, the environment, refugees, terrorism, war crimes and multinational corporations from an historical as well as legal perspective. Emphasis is placed on international problem solving and the issues of peacekeeping and dispute resolution. The student will learn legal terminology, case analysis and legal drafting. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisites: One semester of Political Science, Social Science or History; ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II. Offered fall semester

This course provides the student with an understanding of how psychologists view the world and apply scientific method to the study of behavior. The discipline of psychology is characterized by controversy and change, but has always been committed to objective inquiry to extend our knowledge of the complexity of behavior. Each student designs and carries out a personal research project in order to learn and experience the problems and pitfalls of doing behavioral research. Research methodology, biological foundations of behavior, learning, memory, perception, motivation and personality are topics of study. Class hrs. 3. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature.

This Honors course should appeal to students who are curious about the nature of the social world and who want to participate in a challenging academic environment that sharpens their analytical skills. Students are introduced to the basic principles of sociology and the concept of culture, to important primary texts, and to the challenge of independent research on contemporary issues and problems. Class hrs. 3. Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.