HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT COURSE DESCRIPTIONS II
FILM STUDIES COURSES continued
DHM-FLS/4200 - Special Topics: Selected Film Genres
This course will examine and discuss one or more selected film genres. Genres to be discussed may include the Hollywood Musical, Westerns, Gangster Film, Animated Film, and/or Melodrama. The specific genre addressed in this course may vary from semester to semester.
Prerequisite: DHM-FLS/1030 Introduction to Screen Analysis or permission of the instructor.
DHM-FLS/4300 - European Film Festivals
This course compares and contrasts various European Film Festivals such as those held in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Madrid and Locarno. Students will be required to participate in some capacity in the Torino Film Festival applying their critical skills and knowledge gained about film towards papers, discussions and/or projects.
Prerequisite: Senior Standing or permission of instructor
DHM-FLS/4990-4991 - Senior Project
This involves a two-semester study towards the senior thesis and may take many different forms: it may be either a group project with the goal of pursuing an identifiable problem along with a faculty sponsor or may involve choosing a topic from the literature for critical review. Students who are not represented by a faculty member may look for research project supervisors from another field of study or institution which, however, must be approved by an SJIU faculty member.
Prerequisite: 90 credits
Credits: 8 credits total (4 credits per semester. It is not possible to receive credit for the first semester until the second is completed).
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HISTORY COURSES
DHM-HIS/1010 - Introduction to Western Civilization I
This course explores the transformation that Western civilizations and cultures underwent from prehistory to the Renaissance. The following will be discussed: the diverse interactions between the Mediterranean and Near Eastern peoples in laying the groundwork for Western civilization, the changing of political structures and cultures over time and the development of Western religions and cultures. Through the examination of a wide range of primary source materials, this course will describe how historians examine the past and draw conclusions about it.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/1020 - Introduction to Western Civilization II
This course surveys European history from the Reformation period to present times. Emphasis will be placed on specific political, intellectual and economic transformations that were crucial to the advent of Western modernity and the effect these transformations had for the people living through them. In addition, we will focus on the evolving relationship between Europe and the rest of the world during this time. This course, like DHM-HIS 1010 will describe how historians examine the past and draw conclusions about it through the examination of a wide range of primary source materials.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/1030 - The History of the European Union (W)
The European Union is of growing importance as a supranational level of government. The politics of this institution cannot be understood, however, without familiarity with the broader background of the individual European entities and their increased interdependence. This course will discuss: the birth of the European Union as a supranational political entity, its economic, political, social and cultural context within European history and the balance between a shared European heritage on one side and each country's differences and national rivalry on the other. The course will finish with a discussion concerning social and democratic successes and failures in the European Union as well as the possibility of new developments. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/1240 - Development of the United States I
The course ranges from European colonization in America and the relations with Native Americans to the Civil War. Many important topics will be discussed such as: the diversity of settlement experiences, relations between Europeans and Native Americans, slavery, the causes and consequences of the American Revolution, various changes social, political and cultural changes in the 18th and 19th centuries, the division between North and South and the significance that the Civil War had on America.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/1250 - Development of the United States II
This course examines the history of the United States from Reconstruction to the end of the 20th century. Focus will be placed on issues such as: race and gender relations, industrialization, urbanization and suburbanization. The emergence of new social and political movements, the impact war has had on America’s institutions and America’s rise to world power.
Prerequisite: DHM-HIS 1240 Development of the United States I
DHM-HIS/2310 - History of Ancient Rome and Italy (W)
Surveys the history of Italy and ancient Rome with emphasis on the course which Rome took from its archaic foundations to become an Italic-Latinate kingship. Important themes will be: the establishment, conflicts and expansion made during the Republican period, the cultural revolution of the Augustan “principate” and the rise and decline of the Roman Empire. Readings (in translation) of famous writers such as Cicero, Polybius, Virgil, Livy,
Suetonius, Marcus Aurelius and Tacitus will be examined and studied along with significant works of Roman art and Architecture. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/2320 - History of Ancient Egypt (W)
Studies the culture and history of Ancient Egypt from the old kingdom to the new kingdom. This course will examine the disciplines and methods used in the study of ancient culture and will include a visit to the Egyptian Museum in Torino. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/2330 - Renaissance and Reformation Europe (W)
This course is designed to explore the origins of modern Europe from the beginning of the Renaissance to the Protestant Reformation and the age of religious wars. Both primary-source readings and secondary historical scholarship will be used. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/2340 - The European Age of Nationalism
This course discusses the basic events and developments in Europe between the Napoleonic Wars and the “Age of Imperialism”. This course is primarily an introduction to political history, but will give attention to specific social, historical and scientific developments of the times.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/2350 - The European Age of Imperialism
The course discusses the main themes in European history starting from the Imperial rivalry in the late 19th century, to the First World War, to the age of dictatorships, and finishes with the causes and events of World War II. This course is introductory and requires no previous historical study.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/2360 - Europe Since 1945
This course is structured in a way which combines classical historical studies with other elements of political science and economics. It is a course which follows a chronological path, though some themes, such as the role played by Western Europe in the cold war, and the emergence of the European Union will be dealt with in the perspective of ideology and theory.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-HIS/3100 - The Era of Napoleon and the French Revolution
This course focuses on the history of France from 1770 to 1815. It includes topics such as the rise of the monarchical state, the need for flexibility and innovation due to the rise in population and commercial wealth and new Enlightenment values which led to the rethinking of traditional beliefs and practices.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
DHM-HIS/3200 - Italy from the Risorgimento to the First World War (1815-1918)
This course explores Italian history from the Congress of Vienna to the eve of the First World War. Emphasis will be placed on the emergence of modern nationalism and liberalism, the construction of the new kingdom, the crisis at the end of the century and the age of Giolitti. The principal focus of this course will be on political structures, but with attention to topics such as Italian economy and society, culture and ideas.
Prerequisite: Lower level History Survey course
DHM-HIS/3300 - Italy from Mussolini to the Crisis of the First Republic (1918 to present)
This course surveys the phenomenon of fascism from its origins to the crisis of the first Italian republic in the early 1990’s. Specific attention will be placed on the emergence and nature of fascism, the breakdown of the Liberal system, Mussolini’s “new state”, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the post-war democratic republic which followed fascism.
Prerequisite: Lower level History Survey course
DHM-HIS/3400 - Modern China (G)
We will examine the course of history that China has taken, the major factors which have contributed to this course, and the system of values which operates in China today. (Designated Global Perspectives/Diversity Course)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
DHM-HIS/3500 - Russia: Revolution, State, and Empire (G)
This course outlines the struggle that Russia and the people of other former Soviet republics are engaged in to interpret and understand their recent history: the visions for which it was founded, the victories and losses that altered these visions and its final collapse. In 1991, in fact, ex-Soviet Union found itself to be only the latest in a series of revolutions and upheavals that occurred in the course of the 20th century. Emphasis will be placed on: the shift from absolute monarchy to dictatorship under Stalin, the changes made from Khrushchev to Gorbachev and the economic changes that made the Soviet economy second in the world. (Designated Global Perspectives/Diversity Course)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
DHM-HIS/3600 - Studies in United States History: the Environmental History of Urban America
This course focuses on American cities with strikingly diverse geographic and ecological settings, and whose settlement and development occurred at different rates and times.
The various themes analyzed will be: the effect of environmental transformation on the world, the tension between growth and environmental sustainability, and cultural construction and contingency.
Prerequisite: Lower level History Survey or Permission of instructor
DHM-HIS/3700 - History of Spain
This course will provide the student with general knowledge of the history of Spain, within both a European and international context. After a discussion of the Roman, Visigoth and Muslim rules in Spain, we will consider Spain’s role in important epochs such as the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Napoleonic Wars, the Enlightenment, industrialization, fascism and the European Community. Students will come in contact with primary sources and debate specific aspects of Spanish history.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
DHM-HIS/3900 - Independent Study: Special Topics in History
Independent and directed readings on a chosen topic for history students. Students should make arrangements with an appropriate faculty member.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
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MODERN LANGUAGES COURSES
INTERDISCIPLINARY CULTURE AND LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION
DHM-ICL/1200 - Contemporary American Culture (W)
This course will endeavor to explore some of the central themes and concepts that define 20th-century American literature, history and culture. Topics to be studied include: land, Native Americans, gender, urbanism, violence, race, politics and commodity culture. The course will draw upon insights from many disciplines and will include several kinds of cultural evidence (i.e.: literature, art, and photography; religious, political, and social thought and behavior). (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/1300 - Contemporary Italian Culture (W)
Students will examine the development of Italian culture through the study of cultural materials such as literature, political texts and theatre. Main themes are the relationship between politics and culture within their historical context. In addition, many aspects of Italian society such as family, education, sports, economics, immigration and politics will be examined. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2000 - The Ancient Epic (W)
A study of the texts that constitute the oldest myths of Western culture: the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid and the Metamorphoses. These works are examined in their historical context as well as in relation to modern thought. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2100 - Twentieth Century Italian Literature in Translation: Piemonte
Cesare Pavese, Primo Levi, Carlo Levi, Natalia Ginzburg, Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco and Alessandro Baricco are some the major Italian writers of the twentieth century who have achieved world recognition. All of them also grew up in, lived in, and wrote about the Piemonte region. This course provides a survey of their work in English translation, with selections from their novels, short stories, and poems with a focus on Piemonte and Turin. The course will also include the showing of some English-language film adaptations of their novels: Christ Stopped at Eboli, The Name of the Rose, and Silk.
Prerequisite: None
DHM -ICL/2500, DHM-REL/2500 - Medieval Italian Literature in Translation: Dante’s Divine Comedy
This course focuses on Dante’s visionary poem The Divine Comedy, examining the social, cultural, political, and moral concerns that shape this work, considered one of the great monuments of world literature. We will read selected “cantos” in English translation and follow Dante’s journey: his descent into the “Inferno”, home of all human depravity, his meeting of the redeemed souls in the “Purgatorio”, and finally his ascent to the mystical realm of the blessed, the “Paradiso”.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2600 - The Discovery of Italy in British Romantic Literature
Italy’s Classical, Renaissance and Baroque heritage attracted many British authors and artists throughout the nineteenth century, and such a journey became an extended “study abroad” experience for aristocratic youth, known as the Grand Tour tradition. P.B. Shelley, Lord Byron, Henry James, E. M. Forster, Oscar Wilde, John Ruskin, D. H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, Ann Radcliffe and George Eliot, among others, wrote about their travel experiences in Italy. In this course we will read selections from their novels, essays, journals, and poetry as well as watch a film adaptation of A Room with a View (by E. M. Forster) to appreciate these authors’ romantic fascination with Italy.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2700 - Literatures of the Mediterranean
This course is a comparative survey of the literatures of the Mediterranean basin ranging from ancient Greece to contemporary times. Authors studied include: Homer, St. Augustine, Virgil, Flaubert, Vittorini, Goytisolo and Camus.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2710 - 19th-Century European Novel
This course examines four major European novels chosen from Spanish, Italian, French and German literature. Major themes include national obsessions and contrasting historical contexts. The texts will be read in conjunction with historical background material.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-ICL/2720 - Contemporary European Literature (W)
This course examines how the European novel has changed since World War II. Some of the authors studied will be Duras, Morante, Simon, Wolf, Goytisolo, Handke and Sarraute. (Designated Writing Intensive Course)
Prerequisite: None
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ENGLISH PROFICIENCY COURSES
DHM-EAL/500 - English As An Additional Language (EAL)
This course has been designed specifically for students who already have a basic knowledge of the language but who want their skills.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: None
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ITALIAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE COURSES
DHM-ITA/1000 - Italian Culture and Enogastronomy
The Italian Enogastronomy and Culture Course is designed for students interested in deepening their knowledge of the history and culture of Italy and the Piemonte region which, in addition to being a hotbed of ideas and innovation, continues to be a leader in tourism and gastronomy in Italy. Students will examine particular aspects of regional gastronomic history and culture through the contextualization of its various historic periods. Typical recipes, dishes and wines will be examined. Theoretic and practical lessons will be coupled with visits throughout the region, including the locations of important gastronomic developments of the 17th and 20th centuries.
This course will be held in English.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 3
DHM-ITA/1010 - Beginning Italian I
This course provides a thorough foundation in Italian grammar, oral and written communication, and culture. Classes are supplemented by regular assignments using a variety of video, audio, print and Web-based materials to give students oral comprehension and speaking practice as well as to provide an introduction to Italy and Italian culture.
This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 4
DHM-ITA/1020 - Beginning Italian II
This course introduces students to short conversations using a limited vocabulary for a variety of basic situations. It includes reading simple Italian prose, and writing brief sentences with an emphasis on understanding Italian culture. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: MLL-ITA/1010 Beginning Italian I
Credits: 4
DHM-ITA/1030 - Intensive Italian I
This course meets seven hours per week and covers the equivalent of a full year of elementary language study (Beginning Italian I and II) in one semester. Designed for highly motivated students who wish to develop communicative ability in Italian in a relatively short time. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 7
DHM -ITA/2010 - Intermediate Italian I
The aim of these courses is to develop students’ fluency in spoken and written Italian. Reading short stories, articles from Italian newspapers, and selected texts on Italy and Italian culture as well as writing compositions are used to promote critical and analytical skills. Listening is practiced through Italian cultural videos or TV programs. Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/1020 Beginning Italian II or DHM-ITA/1030 Intensive Italian I
DHM-ITA/2020 - Intermediate Italian II
Review and additional study of Italian grammar. Continued work with speaking, reading and writing. Selected readings and discussion of topics of literary and cultural interest. Listening is practiced through Italian cultural videos or TV programs. Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2010 Intermediate Italian I
DHM-ITA/2030 - Intensive Italian II
This course meets four times per week and covers the equivalent of a full year of intermediate language study (MLL-ITA/2010 Intermediate Italian I and MLL-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II) in one semester. Designed for highly motivated students who wish to consolidate language skills in a short time. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/1020 Beginning Italian II or DHM-ITA/1030 Intensive Italian I
Credits: 6
DHM-ITA/2070 – Intermediate Italian: current events
This course is founded on the The Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, 1999 which describes the five Cs of language acquisition: communication, culture, comparisons, connections, and community. Students have the opportunity to practice the three modes of communication, (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) to learn about Italian culture (products, practices and perspectives), and to make comparisons between their first language and culture and the Italian language and culture. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II
DHM-ITA/2100 - Italian Literature I
This course is a survey of the major Italian writers from the 13th through the 18th century and their works, including Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Poliziano, Machiavelli, Ariosto, Tasso, Beccaria, Parini and Goldoni. Students will examine the evolution of Italian literature from a historical perspective through class work and discussion, with an emphasis on major literary, philosophical and cross-cultural influences. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/2110 - Italian Literature II
A continuation of MLL-ENG 2100, this course analyzes the major writers of Italy from the 18th century to the present, such as Foscolo, Manzoni, Leopardi, Verga, Carducci, D’Annunzio, Pascoli, Pirandello, Montale, Pavese and Moravia. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3000 - Writing Workshop in Italian
The course focuses on developing a nuanced grasp of Italian structures and idioms through the student's own writing. Students are introduced to a variety of writing styles in Italian, including descriptive narrative, journalistic prose, fiction, and the short essay.
Prerequisite: Two 2000-level Italian Literature courses above DHM-ITA 2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3100 - Great Italian Writers of the Twentieth Century
This course outlines the development of Italian 20th-century lyrical poetry from the “Crepuscolare” school to examples of avant-garde poetry of the 1970s. Many different texts will be compared in order to highlight the differences in style and content among the authors. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3110 - 19th Century Italian Poetry
Centering on the poetic production of Leopardi, Foscolo, and Manzoni, the course explores the main literary, artistic and socio-political issues that characterize Italy's cultural contribution within the context of the romantic movements in Europe. This course will be held in Italian. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3200 - Advanced Italian
This course is for students who have reached a good level both linguistically and grammatically and who wish to speak at a more sophisticated level. Its purpose is to improve grammar, syntax and vocabulary. There will be reading and dictations of increasing difficulty as well as essays, and other exercises. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3300 - Oral and Written Communication
Practice in oral and written expression at the advanced level. Through frequent oral presentations, essays, readings on Italian culture and the study of audio and videotapes, students develop the ability to use idiomatic Italian comfortably in various situations. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3400 - Business and Professional Italian
Emphasis on linguistic and cultural competence for functioning in the Italian business world. Includes study of the Italian corporate structure, personnel management, marketing (along with related vocabulary), and the European Union. Includes work on writing resumes, business correspondence, and interviewing.
Both in English and in Italian
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II, DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II or permission of instructor
DHM-ITA/3600 - Advanced Italian Language Through Theater Workshop.
This course, which is conducted entirely in Italian, is designed to develop students' fluency in spoken and written language as well as provide a better understanding of Italian culture through performing-arts skills. Students will be physically, emotionally, and cognitively involved in the language learning process. A variety of Italian texts (poems, short stories, plays, songs, etc) will serve as a repertoire of materials for individual expression and theatrical creation. Students will be introduced to the basic principles and techniques of character building and will perform supervised individual and group work in class. Under the direction of the instructor, students will present a 10-15 minute monologue or dialogue at the end of the semester for a semi- public final performance at the University. The course is open to all interested students, with or without theatrical experience. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/3200 Advanced Italian
DHM-ITA/3700 - Great Italian Poets of the Twentieth Century
This course examines Italian poetry through major 20th-century figures such as Ungaretti, Saba and Montale. It will involve readings from the most significant works of these authors. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3710 - History of Italian Theater
This course covers the development of Italian theater from the Renaissance to the present. Topics will include the Commedia Dell'Arte tradition; Goldoni's reform of the Italian theater; the political role of opera in the Risorgimento; and the crisis of bourgeois realism in Pirandello.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3720 - The Divine Comedy
This course introduces the students to the Divine Comedy. The most relevant themes and the complex structure of the poem will be studied and analyzed in relationship to its political, philosophical, historical and poetic implications. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3730 - The Novels of Manzoni
This course analyzes the evolution of the Alessandro Manzoni’s novels from “Fermo and Lucia” to the last edition of the “Promessi Sposi”. Many linguistic and historical aspects will be examined through the reconstruction of the literary personality of the writer. This course will be held in Italian and is offered every other year alternating with MLL-ITA/3470 Leopardi’s Canti
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3740 - Leopardi’s Canti
This course explores the production in prose of the Zibaldone and the relationship to 19th-century culture in Leopardi’s Canti. The course will be held in Italian and is offered every other year alternating with MLL-ITA/3730 The Novels of Manzioni.
Prerequisite: DHM-ITA/2020 Intermediate Italian II or DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II
DHM-ITA/3900 - Independent Study
Students with special interests may study independently under the sponsorship of a qualified faculty member. Independent study in general subjects is permitted if the board of study offers no formal course covering the material. Independent study may not be substituted for any course specifically required.
Prerequisite: Two 2000-level Italian Literature courses above DHM-ITA 2020 Intermediate Italian II, DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II or permission of instructor
DHM-ITA/3990 - Junior Seminar in Italian Literature and Culture
An in-depth study of an area of concern within the field of Italian literature and culture. Topics may vary. This course will be held in Italian.
Prerequisite: Two 2000-level Italian Literature courses above DHM-ITA 2020 Intermediate Italian II, DHM-ITA/2030 Intensive Italian II or permission of instructor
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SPANISH LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE COURSES
DHM-SPA/1010 - Beginning Spanish I
This course provides a thorough foundation in Spanish grammar, oral and written communication, and culture. Classes are supplemented by regular assignments using a variety of video, audio, print and Web-based materials to give students oral comprehension and speaking practice, as well as provide an introduction to Spanish and Spanish-speaking cultures. The course will be held in Spanish.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 4
DHM-SPA/1020 - Beginning Spanish II
This course introduces students to short conversations using a limited vocabulary for a variety of basic situations. It includes reading simple Spanish prose, and writing brief sentences with an emphasis on understanding the different cultures of Spanish-speaking peoples. The course will be held in Spanish.
Prerequisite: DHM-SPA/1010 Beginning Spanish I
Credits: 4
DHM-SPA/2010 - Intermediate Spanish I
The aim of these courses is to develop students’ fluency in spoken and written Spanish. Reading short stories, articles from Spanish newspapers, and selected texts on Spanish-speaking cultures, as well as writing compositions, are used to promote critical and analytical skills.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. The course will be held in Spanish.
Prerequisite: DHM-SPA/1020 Beginning Spanish II or DHM-SPA/1030 Intensive Spanish I
DHM-SPA/2020 - Intermediate Spanish II
Review and additional study of Spanish grammar. Continued work with speaking, reading and writing. Selected readings and discussion of topics of literary and cultural interest.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. The course will be held in Spanish.
Prerequisite: DHM-SPA/2010 Intermediate Spanish I
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FRENCH LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE COURSES
DHM-FRE/1010 - Beginning French I
This course provides a thorough foundation in French grammar, oral and written communication, and culture. Classes are supplemented by regular assignments using a variety of video, audio, print and Web-based materials to give students oral comprehension and speaking practice as well as provide an introduction to France and French culture.
This course will be held in French.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 4
DHM-FRE/1020 - Beginning French II
This course introduces students to short conversations using a limited vocabulary for a variety of basic situations. It includes reading simple French prose, and writing brief sentences. It explores the systems of language, culture and civilization of French-speaking peoples. This course will be held in French.
Prerequisite: DHM-FRE/1010 Beginning French I
Credits: 4
DHM-FRE/2010 - Intermediate French I
The aim of these courses is to develop students’ fluency in spoken and written French. The reading of short stories, articles from French newspapers, and selected texts in French, on Francophone culture, as well as the writing of compositions are used to promote critical and analytical skills.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in French.
Prerequisite: DHM-FRE/1020 Beginning French II or DHM-FRE/1030 Intensive French I
DHM-FRE/2020 - Intermediate French II
Review and additional study of French grammar. Continued work with speaking, reading and writing. Selected readings and discussion of topics of literary and cultural interest.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in French.
Prerequisite: DHM-FRE/2010 Intermediate French I
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GERMAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE COURSES
DHM-GER/1010 - Beginning German I
This course provides a thorough foundation in German grammar, oral and written communication, and culture. Classes are supplemented by regular assignments using a variety of video, audio, print and Web-based materials to give students oral comprehension and speaking practice as well as to provide an introduction to German and German-speaking cultures. This course will be held in German.
Prerequisite: None
Credits: 4
DHM-GER/1020 - Beginning German II
This course introduces students to short conversations using a limited vocabulary for a variety of basic situations. It includes reading simple German prose, and writing brief sentences. It explores the systems of language, culture and civilization of German-speaking peoples. This course will be held in German.
Prerequisite: DHM-GER/1010 Beginning German I
Credits: 4
DHM-GER/2010 - Intermediate German I
The aim of these courses is to develop students’ fluency in spoken and written German. Reading short stories, articles from German newspapers, and selected texts on Germany and Austrian culture, as well as writing compositions, are used to promote critical and analytical skills.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in German.
Prerequisite: DHM-GER/1020 Beginning German II or DHM-GER/1030 Intensive German I
DHM-GER/2020 - Intermediate German II
Review and additional study of German grammar. Continued work with speaking, reading and writing. Selected readings and discussion of topics of literary and cultural interest.
Both reading and listening activities are followed by in-class discussions. This course will be held in German.
Prerequisite: DHM-GER/2010 Intermediate German I
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PHILOSOPHY COURSES
DHM-PHI/1010 - Introduction to Philosophy
The course is intended to introduce students to philosophical questions, to make them aware of how some of history's greatest philosophers have approached those questions and what they have had to say about them. Students will also articulate philosophical concerns of their own and, most importantly, learn how to address them. Among the areas of philosophy will explore this semester are ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics and theory of knowledge.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-PHI/2050 - Philosophy and Film
This course explores the many ways in which philosophy and film can form a productive relationship. The courses begins by looking at recent 'high-concept' cinema as a tool for teaching philosophical topics such as time, personal identity, freedom, reality and appearance, God, or good and evil. The films chosen will be mostly contemporary ones such as The Matrix, Memento, Total Recall, AI, Crimes and Misdemeanours, Vanilla Sky or Gattaca. This leads to an examinations of recent philosophical theories of film, and concludes by asking how film-art can make us think through its narrative, visual, and auditory structure: in other words, can film philosophize?
Prerequisite: None
DHM-PHI/2100 - Environmental Ethics
This is an attempt to consider the value of environmental policies through the study of the major traditions in moral philosophy. It will raise questions about mankind’s relationship with nature, animals’ rights and our obligations to future generations in regards to the environment. It will also discuss the importance of the social and political institutions that affect it.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-PHI/3200 - Modern Social Philosophy
An examination of principal modes of 20th century moral philosophy and its possible applications. Attention will be paid especially to writings about political ethics, bioethics, violence and war, family, global food supply, but not to the exclusion of other topics.
Prerequisite: Lower Level Philosophy course
DHM-PHI/3500 - Aesthetics
Introduction to problems in the philosophy of art, including the nature of art and beauty, the function of art, the objectivity of aesthetic evaluation and politics and the arts.
Prerequisite: Lower Level Philosophy course
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RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSES
DHM-REL/2100 - The Religions of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
This course explores the religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam through the discussion, reading and interpretation of religious texts (New Testament, Hebrew Bible and Koran). The institutions and practices of each religion will then be discussed. The course begins with the study of Abraham and studies the links between the notions of faith and sacrifice that Abraham embodied on the one hand, and the three above-mentioned religions, on the other.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-REL/2200 - Ritual and Myth
An investigation into ritualistic practices and mythic traditions across the world and at various points in history. We will look at the patterns, figures, and symbolic relations that have been both overlapping and diverse among different lands.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-REL/2300 - The History of Christianity and its Culture
This course is a survey of the historical events, ideas, and figures ranging from the birth of Christianity to the Counter Reformation. It includes a visit to the Duomo of Torino, in which the Holy Shroud is held. With significant Italian cultural sources at hand, students will be able to appreciate significant cultural manifestations of Christianity as they learn of its history.
Prerequisite: None
DHM-REL/2400 - Religions of Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism (G)
This course discusses the basic ideas, written works and practices of Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and Hinduism through primary sources and secondary literature. Students will gain familiarity with the problems inherent to comparative religion and compare these Asian beliefs with Western faith-based definitions of what is and what is not religion. The course begins with the concept of Orientalism and finishes with the analysis of New Age religions and the political implications they have. (Designated Global Perspectives/Diversity Course)
Prerequisite: None
DHM-REL 2500, MLL-ICL - 2500 Medieval Italian Literature in Translation: Dante’s Divine Comedy
This course focuses on Dante’s visionary poem The Divine Comedy, examining the social, cultural, political, and moral concerns that shape this work, considered one of the great monuments of world literature. We will read selected “cantos” in English translation and follow Dante’s journey: his descent into the “Inferno”, home of all human depravity, his meeting of the redeemed souls in the “Purgatorio”, and finally his ascent to the mystical realm of the blessed, the “Paradiso”.
Prerequisite: None
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