(Offered as SPAN 301 and LLAS 301) This course provides an introduction to the diverse literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world over the course of six centuries, from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Students will learn the tools, language, and critical vocabulary for advanced work reading the canon of Hispanic literatures from Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean Basin, identifying aesthetic trends, historical periods and diverse genres such as poetry, narrative, theater and film.

(Offered as SOCI 337 and EDST 337) In this course, we will focus on the diversification of higher education. We will pay particular attention to efforts made by selective liberal arts colleges and universities to open their doors to students disadvantaged by barriers of racial discrimination and excluded by the means of class privilege. We will critically interrogate the concept of diversity and its implementation, paying attention to both successes and problems. Among these problems is the gap between a diversity promised and a diversity delivered.

(Offered as SOCI 337 and EDST 337) In this course, we will focus on the diversification of higher education. We will pay particular attention to efforts made by selective liberal arts colleges and universities to open their doors to students disadvantaged by barriers of racial discrimination and excluded by the means of class privilege. We will critically interrogate the concept of diversity and its implementation, paying attention to both successes and problems. Among these problems is the gap between a diversity promised and a diversity delivered.

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) reinvented the art of the Russian short story and Russian theater. Accused of killing realism by Maxim Gorky, Chekhov reimagined the form and content of Russian literature in the last days of the Russian Empire. This course surveys some of Chekhov’s most interesting and influential prose and theatrical works with an eye to how, precisely, Chekhov used the tools of the genres and media to shift how literature is capable of signifying.

(Offered as ASLC-245, PHIL-245, RELI-245) What is ultimately real? Does God exist? Is there such a thing as a soul? How do we know? What is beauty? What is the ideal political state?  When, if ever, is violence legitimate? This course introduces systems of metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, and political philosophy in ancient India, along with modern Indian interpreters.

(Offered as ASLC-245, PHIL-245, RELI-245) What is ultimately real? Does God exist? Is there such a thing as a soul? How do we know? What is beauty? What is the ideal political state?  When, if ever, is violence legitimate? This course introduces systems of metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, and political philosophy in ancient India, along with modern Indian interpreters.

(Offered as PSYC 325 and NEUR 325) In this course we will examine the ways in which drugs act on the brain to alter behavior. We will review basic principles of brain function and mechanisms of drug action in the brain. We will discuss a variety of legal and illegal recreational drugs as well as the use of psychotherapeutic drugs to treat mental illness.

(Offered as PSYC 227 and EDST 227) A study of human development across the lifespan with an emphasis on the general characteristics of various stages of development from birth to adolescence and on the determinants of the developmental process. The class will explore: 1) prenatal development, 2) the development of motor skills, cognitive skills, language, emotional understanding, attachments, and morality, and 3) the role of family systems in development. Students will engage with this content using contemporary research and real-world applications.   

In an increasingly diverse society, what do we learn from the psychological experiences of Asian Americans–the fastest-growing minority group in the nation? How do cultural heritage and systemic challenges influence mental health, identity, interpersonal relationships, and more among the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals? This course examines the psychology of AAPI individuals and their communities.

(Offered as PSYC 206 and EDST 206)  This course will explore how children learn through play. The first part of the course will focus on defining play and exploring researchers’ differing perspectives on whether children can learn by playing. The second part of the course will involve visits to the Beneski Museum and Holyoke Children’s Museum to explore the role of museums in studying and advancing children’s playful learning.