A study of some of Shakespeare's plays emphasizing the poetic and dramatic aspects of his art, with attention to the historical context and close, careful reading of the language. Eight or nine plays.

The finest journalists craft engaging narratives to help us better frame and understand our world. They inform us about the near and far (and sometimes extraterrestrial) with extensive research, sharp analysis and incisive critiques wrapped in stylish narratives. This will be our goal. To get there, students will study exceptional works (and some flops) in class, then step beyond their comfort zones to observe, research, analyze and interview as they cover an event, write a profile, and report on an issue of local significance. This is an intense seminar requiring considerable self-motivation.

This seminar will cover selected topics on the geology of Death Valley region, California. We will meet for two hours per week up until spring break, then embark on a ten-day field trip to Death Valley National Park, Thursday, March 10 - Saturday, March 19, 2016. A participation fee is required. Students will be responsible for researching particular topics and presenting a pre-trip oral report and a post-trip written final report.

This course offers practice in writing various kinds of narrative. Assignments emphasize clarity, concision, and creativity. Exercises lead to longer work: sketches or short stories. Students hone critical as well as writing skills. Student assignments will be shared and discussed in class, along with selected works by published authors.

Earth's dynamic climate system is rapidly changing. This course will introduce you to the science behind climate change predictions as they apply to past, present, and future changes in our earth's climate. We will also discuss how, over the course of time, we adapted to these changing conditions with a specific focus on water resources and natural disasters, including floods, droughts, and hurricanes that have been predicted to intensify in response to ongoing climate change.

This seminar is for students who are completing an honors thesis. The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with constructive support during all stages of their research. In particular, this class will assist students with organizing the various components of their thesis work and help them meet departmental thesis deadlines.

This course offers practice in writing various kinds of narrative. Assignments emphasize clarity, concision, and creativity. Exercises lead to longer work: sketches or short stories. Students hone critical as well as writing skills. Student assignments will be shared and discussed in class, along with selected works by published authors.

This course covers mineralogical and chemical compositions, classification, genesis, and mode of occurrence of igneous and metamorphic rocks, including relationships between rock-forming processes and global plate tectonics; labs involve the study of representative rock suites in hand specimen and thin section, introduction to analytical techniques and in-depth coverage of mineral optics. One or more field trips required.

Explore how psychology, neuroscience, and medicine come together to study the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Students will examine the behavioral features and neurobiology behind various clinical disorders such as Autism, ADHD, Substance Use Disorders, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia, Anxiety, and Neurodegenerative Diseases. The course will rely on primary research to identify how changes in physiology and biology might manifest in the behaviors that define psychopathology.