Crime and punishment are among the most important issues in contemporary America. This course begins with an introduction to the role of the Constitution in criminal law, including due process, equal protection, and the Bill of Rights. It then introduces the students to substantive criminal law, including basic stages of the criminal process, principles underlying the definition of crime such as the requirements of actus reus and mens rea, causation, attempt, complicity, and conspiracy.

This course will explore the complex social and cultural interactions that can lead to violence. We will begin by examining various theories of human violence from a number of disciplines: anthropology, psychology, and sociology. Students will then survey different cultural attitudes towards violence beginning with several prehistoric sites from the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Next, the course will consider the historical roots of American violence starting with the European invasion of North America.

Students registering for this Honors Practicum must complete a contract with their honors sponsor. Appropriate forms and more information are available at the Bloom Honors Advising Center - 201 Commonwealth Honors College.

This is a stand-alone independent study designed by the student and faculty sponsor that involves frequent interaction between instructor and student.Qualitative and quantitative enrichment must be evident on the proposed contract before consent is given to undertake the study. Further information is available at CHC PATHS (honors.umass.edu/chc-paths/). Submission should be done during pre-registration and completed by the end of the add-drop period.

This intercultural communication seminar is designed to help students who are enrolled in the International Scholars Program prepare for their study abroad experience. It explores the role that culture plays as a medium of communication. It encourages students to see themselves as members of one or more cultural group and to anticipate what it will be like living, working and communicating in a new cultural environment. (GenEd. SB, DG)

Keeping as our primary concern the viewpoint of the individual as he/she journeys through the landscape of war and his/her memory of that experience, we will examine WWI, WWII, and Vietnam. It is through literature, history and film that this course explores the nature of war. Using these mediums we will examine the experience of the individual during wartime, of those who engaged in battle as well as those who did not. We will ask, how do war stories and films influence our values and attitudes about war? How do these stories make us think and feel?

The class examines the practical applications of art in relation to history, society, museum and gallery studies, culture and personal expression. Through field trips, guest speakers, written assignments, guided art-making activities, and a final art exhibition, students will gain an overview of the development of Springfield's identity through art. By a guided analysis of the artists' ability to change the quality of life in the urban environment, students will develop their own understandings of what art means to them and how they think it contributes to society.

This interdisciplinary, discussion-based seminar marks the beginning of a student's journey in the Honors College. Students examine innovative thinkers, groundbreaking ideas, and the strategies that transform these ideas into effective actions. The course is divided into four units: Models of Inquiry; the Impact of Science and Technology; Social Philosophy and Civic Engagement; and Art in the World. The connection between past and present is explored through the life and works of historical figures such as W.E.B.

This interdisciplinary, discussion-based seminar marks the beginning of a student's journey in the Honors College. Students examine innovative thinkers, groundbreaking ideas, and the strategies that transform these ideas into effective actions. The course is divided into four units: Models of Inquiry; the Impact of Science and Technology; Social Philosophy and Civic Engagement; and Art in the World. The connection between past and present is explored through the life and works of historical figures such as W.E.B.

This interdisciplinary, discussion-based seminar marks the beginning of a student's journey in the Honors College. Students examine innovative thinkers, groundbreaking ideas, and the strategies that transform these ideas into effective actions. The course is divided into four units: Models of Inquiry; the Impact of Science and Technology; Social Philosophy and Civic Engagement; and Art in the World. The connection between past and present is explored through the life and works of historical figures such as W.E.B.