Fall 2022 Course Descriptions

  • 256: Ethnic Conflict (SC, CD)
  • 270: Environmental Justice Movements in the United States (SC, CD) Examines how poor and racialized communities have responded to the incidence, causes, and effects of environmental racism and injustice.  Special attention will be given to how critiques offered by these communities challenge the knowledge and procedural forms of justice embedded in environmental policy and democracy in the United States.  Case studies will be drawn from readings on African-American, European-Americans, Chicano and Latino Americans, and Native Americans.
  • 285: Introduction to Historic Preservation (EL)

  • 235: Digital Business Transformation (EL)  Provides an overview of current and emerging technologies used in organizations today.  All business majors should understand the technological infrastructure underlying information systems of the firm including system components, databases, networking, telecommunications, e-commerce and distributed systems.  The course focuses on using information systems and technologies to enhance the competitive position of the firm, enabling managers to make better decisions and solve business problems.  A minimum grade of C- is required in this course.

  • Topics include design and use of spreadsheets to solve problems using formulas, charts and data functions.  Credit does not count towards the COS major. This course assumes practical skills with the Windows operating system.
  • 121: Coding for Everyone (QL) This course introduces computer programming within a specific application domain, with the domain topic changing semester to semester.  Possible applications might include Mobile App development, Data Science, Social Media, Geographic Data, Design, or Life Science. The development process for computer programs will be explored with the goal of creating concrete programs to solve real problems.  The course will also cover fundamental computer programming concepts, such as variables, functions, loops, conditionals, input/output, and data types.  No prior programming experience is expected.
  • 140: Foundations of Computer Science (EL) A rigorous, non-programming introduction to the field of computer science.  Several core areas of computer science are introduced, including digital logic, computer organization and architecture, operating systems, programming languages, and computer networks.  For each, particular solutions to fundamental problems in the area are studied in depth to expose the student to what the field is actually about how computer scientists think.  No programming is taught or required in the course.

Criminal Justice (CRJ)

  • 114: Survey of Criminal Justice (SC) This course is designed to provide an overview of the justice process and the criminal justice system in general. Concepts of crime, deviance and justice will be discussed. Individual rights in a democratic society will be explored, as will the legal definitions of various crimes.  The law enforcement, judicial, juvenile justice and corrections subsystems will also be explored, and a number of reform proposals presented.

  • An introduction to classical ballet dance training. Traditional exercises at the barre and on center floor emphasize body placement, flow of energy, and the creation of expressive movement in space. For the performing artist or general student. May be repeated for credit.
  • Fundamentals of jazz dance technique with emphasis on body alignment, coordination and movement vocabulary. Preparation for expressive movement in relation to modern jazz music. May be repeated for credit.
  • Teaches the fundamentals of Rhythm tap and Broadway Styles technique with emphasis on body alignment, flexibility, strength, rhythm, coordination and movement vocabulary. Expressive movement is encouraged. May be repeated for credit.
  • From swing to salsa and waltz to tango, basic social and Latin dance, with emphasis on alignment, coordination, and movement vocabulary. Additional exposure to Afro-Caribbean roots of today’s dance forms. May be repeated for credit.
  • Study of the principles and elements of choreography. Provides guided practice in the construction of movement phrases, and studies for solo and group dances. Includes an informal studio presentation of student pieces.

  • A study of earth materials and processes, including their impact on humans.  Topics include mineralogy, formation of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, geologic time, weathering and soil formation, glaciation, deserts and desertification, coastlines, earthquakes and seismology, and evolution of mountain belts and plate tectonics.  Laboratory work includes the study of rocks, minerals, topographic maps and aerial photographs in preparation for a one-day weekend field trip to Acadia National Park.
  • Environmental Geology explores the interaction of humans with the Earth’s systems. The course begins with discussions of earth materials and human population dynamics. The science underlying geologic hazards (earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.) is described and the interaction between geologic hazards and humans is explored. Human impacts on earth systems are identified and evaluated with a focus on pollution and climate change. Sources of energy used by humans and the associated environmental consequences of different energy sources are discussed. May include a one day field trip.
  • Explores how Earth’s dynamic processes interact with humans by evaluating: the interplay between Earth’s interior, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere; the effects and underlying causes of natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tidal waves and global warming; Earth’s economic and energy resources how they form and how long they will lasts; and the global environment and how best to interact with it. Lec 3.
  • 107: Energy, Environment, & Climate – online course (AP, QL)
  • Explores how Earth’s climate system works and how past environmental changes affected humans on time scales ranging from interannual to hundreds of thousands of years. Topics will range from the development of agriculture at the beginning of the current interglaciation to how humans are now changing global climate through the addition of greenhouses gases to the atmosphere.
  • 152: Earth’s Changing Climate (AP, QL) Earth harbors a climate that is unique in the solar system, with its ability to sustain liquid water and support life.  The geologic record bears witness to spectacular climate changes in the past, the most recent of which heralded the emergence of a complex, globally interconnected human society.  Today humans are influencing the climate system in potentially unprecedented ways.  The purpose of this course is to understand and evaluate the scientific basis of Earth’s climate and past, present, and future change within the climate system, and to provide scientific context for a warming world.

  • 105: Environmental Policy (PE)  Examines the relation between the natural environment and the economy, the economic sources of environmental degradation and economic analysis of alternative approaches to environmental regulation and management.
  • Principles of microeconomics and their application to economic issues and problems. Analysis of the economic decision-making of individuals and firms; markets and pricing; monopoly power; income distribution; the role of government intervention in markets.
  • Principles of macroeconomics and their application to modern economic issues and problems. Analysis of national income and employment; fluctuations in national income; monetary and fiscal policy; control of inflation, unemployment, and growth; and international aspects of macroeconomic performance.
  • 212: Economics of Social Issues and Ethical Dilemmas (EL) This courses applies economic principles to important contemporary social issues.  A wide range of subjects is explored, ranging from clearly economic subjects such as unemployment and globalization to painful social problems such as crime and poverty to seemingly noneconomic concerns such as organ transplants and illegal drug use.  The theme unifying the topics is the ethical dilemmas that lie beneath the surface.  Thus, widely held beliefs are challenged and critically examined in this course.  Investigation of contemporary social problems using the lens of economics should deepen students’ awareness and understanding of significant current events and their underlying ethical tradeoffs.  This course also introduces and develops an appreciation of the fundamental principles and analytical framework of economics. The goal of the course is to broaden and deepen the students’ understanding of both social issues and economics.
  • 254: Small Business Economics and Management – online course (SD) Application of economic concepts to real world business and economic decisions using graphs, spreadsheets and analytical techniques.  Students will learn introductory small business management concepts, how to estimate the cost of producing goods and services, and how to develop business feasibility studies.  Students will develop a hands-on project that integrates Excel to create a purposeful model.

  • This course provides intense practice with habits of reading, writing, thinking, and revising essential to postsecondary academic work.  Designed for students who want to create a strong foundation for themselves in academic reading and writing.  Available only during fall semester.  Students who complete ENG 100 move on to ENG 106 during the spring semester.  Students will not earn credit or grades for completing both ENG 101 and either course in the College Composition Stretch Sequence, ENG 100 and ENG 106. Students must complete both ENG 100 and ENG 106 with a minimum grade of C or better in each course to satisfy the General Education College Composition requirement.  Neither course taken alone will satisfy this requirement.
  • Students practice the ways in which writing serves to expand, clarify, and order experience and knowledge, with particular attention to persuasive writing. Satisfactory completion of the course depends upon quality of weekly writing assignments as well as demonstration of proficiency in college-level writing.
  • 129: Topics in English Offers small-group discussions of literature focusing on a common theme. Each division takes up a different theme, such as utopianism, the quest myth, growing up in America and the like. Students can expect to read texts closely and write regularly about them. May be repeated for credit.
  • Explores the fundamental activity of why and how we create, tell and read/listen to stories. Readings may include selections from folk tale and myth, saga and epic, drama and novel, film and song, poetry and essay–from the ancient world to the modern, from the western cultural tradition and from a variety of other cultures.
  • An introduction to the close reading of literature. Students write frequently, exploring how conventions of genre, form, and style work in literature. Required of English majors.
  • Offers students experience in writing in three major forms: autobiographical narrative, fiction, and poetry.

  • A survey of food and nutrition principles, including the influence of food patterns on health and physical performance; description of a balanced diet; study of the nutrients, interrelationships, sources, effects of processing and storage, food safety, fads, controversies.
  • This course is designed to utilize the process of making beer as a model to engage students in thinking about the biology, chemistry and processing aspects of the foods they consume.  The course will focus on the process of beer making as well as the ingredients that go into beer and their functions.  Other topics will include the history of beer (from world and U.S. perspectives), styles of beer and a beer judge’s perspective of beer.

  • Introduces students to the major world cultural regions and their characteristics, development and interaction.  It focuses particularly on the relationship between cultural groups and the environment within and between each region.  Students will be challenged to acquire factual knowledge of cultural regions necessary for geographic literacy and to critically evaluate explanations of these patterns.

  • 108: India: Identities and Changes (SD, CD) 
  • 210: History of Maine (WT, SD) A survey of Maine’s social, economic, and political life, from primitive times to the present. After a brief study of Native American life preceding white settlement, the periods of colonial, provincial, and state history are covered.
  • 221: History and Comics (WT, AE) This course provides a concise introduction to the field of comics studies, and then relies on the comics medium to acquaint students with some of the major topics and themes that are commonly encountered in the discipline of history. Comics are highly accessible and foster active engagement, making it a powerful medium through which to experience the discipline of history. In particular, we will be examining comics as historical documents, but also as a medium for historical analysis. Students will develop the intellectual tools, as they relate to the field of comics studies, required to interpret and criticize the content and meaning of a range of comics materials from the past and present. While it is impossible to cover the whole of the discipline of history, students will be introduced to a wide and varied selection of subject matter, including politics and political discourse, armed conflicts and mass atrocities, nature and the environment, race and ethnicity, Indigenous peoples, labor and the working class, and gender.
  • 281: Military History of Modern Asia (CD)

  • 102: My Maine Experience  online course (EL) An interdisciplinary approach to the study of Maine which combines lecture and experiential learning to allow students to explore the variegated landscapes and cultures of Maine and to better understand the interactions between the people of Maine and the environment of Maine.

  • 101: American Sign Language I (EL) – Introduction to American Sign Language, including syntax, morphology, phonology, history, and culture. Focus on dialogue.
  • 101: Elementary French I (CD)* – A systematic study of the basics of the French language. Equal emphasis is placed on developing reading, comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with no previous study of French or fewer than two years in high school.
  • 201: Intermediate French (CD) – An integrated approach. Audio-visual materials and reading texts of a literary and/or cultural nature will be employed to strengthen comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking. Includes a systematic but gradual review of the essentials of French grammar.
  • 101: Elementary German I (CD) – The basics of the German language. Emphasis on developing reading, comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with no previous study of German or fewer than two years in high school.
  • 203: Intermediate German (CD) – An integrated approach. Reading texts as well as various audiovisual materials will be employed to strengthen reading, writing and especially speaking and comprehension skills. Includes a systematic but gradual review of the essentials of German grammar.
  • 101: Beginning Modern Hebrew (CD) – A systematic study of the basics of the Hebrew language. Equal emphasis is placed on developing reading, listening comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with minimal or no previous knowledge of Modern Hebrew.
  • 101: Elementary Latin I – online course (EL) – Fundamentals of the Latin language.
  • 101: Elementary Spanish I (CD)* – A systematic study of the basics of the Spanish language. Equal emphasis on developing reading, comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with no previous study of Spanish or fewer than two years in high school.
  • 102: Elementary Spanish II (CD)* – A continued study of the basics of the Spanish language. Equal emphasis is placed on developing reading, comprehension, speaking and writing skills. For students with no previous study of Spanish or fewer than two years in high school.
  • 203: Intermediate Spanish I (CD)* – An integrated approach. Reading texts as well as other materials will be employed to strengthen reading, writing and especially speaking and comprehension skills. Includes a systematic but gradual review of the essentials of Spanish grammar.

  • Rehearsal and performance of standard opera repertory. May be repeated for credit. Lab 3
  • Rehearsal and performance of music for the large (16-24) jazz ensemble. Membership through audition. Attendance at all rehearsals and performances required. May be repeated for credit. Applied Music 1.
  • The study and performance of chamber music. May be repeated for credit. Lab 2.
  • Performs chamber music composed primarily for percussion instruments. May be repeated for credit. Lab 2.
  • Rehearsal and performance of men’s choral repertoire.  Ensemble with members from campus and community.  Short audition used for placement within the ensemble only.  Attendance at all rehearsals and public performances required.  May be repeated for credit.

  • 102: Introduction to Wabanaki Culture, History and Contemporary Issues (SD, CD) Examines the world view, way of life, history, art, literature and contemporary issues of the Native nations that make up the Wabanaki Confederacy. The culture, philosophy and creation stories of the individual tribes, including the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Micmac tribes are explored. In addition, concepts such as sovereignty, treaty rights and tribal government are discussed.

  • A non-laboratory survey of the broad field of marine science, stresses the interconnections among aspects of oceanography, marine biology and ecology, living marine resources and human interactions with the marine environment. Practical applications of basic scientific principles are stressed.

  • Introduces students to various concepts in the field of Peace and Reconciliation Studies. Topics include forms of violence and their relationship to social structure and cultural practices; global militarization and environmental destruction and their impact on human needs; and peace-making and conflict resolution at both micro and macro levels.
  • Examines Eastern and Western views on the environment in terms of spiritual traditions. A major part of the course addresses a new approach to spirituality of nature, called Deep Ecology which includes ecotheology and ecofeminist spirituality.

  • Examines a variety of moral problems causing controversy in contemporary society. Focuses on evaluating arguments for and against competing solutions to these problems. Also discusses different philosophical strategies for thinking about moral obligations and relationships. Topics surveyed may include: abortion, affirmative action, euthanasia, feminism, the environment, capital punishment, welfare and aid to the needy, technology, war and racism, among others.
  • A study of principles used to distinguish correct from incorrect reasoning including the nature of thought, uses of language, recognition of arguments, informal fallacies, purposes and types of definition, deduction and induction. Emphasis on understanding and mastering through practice some fundamental techniques for testing the soundness of many different kinds of reasoning.
  • A critical study of philosophical significance of individual choices and actions involving questions of personal identity, responsibility and authenticity as these themes are developed in existentialist literature. Special attention will be given to existentialist literary techniques.
  • An analysis of religion as an expression of human culture past and present. Considers institutional and non-institutional manifestations of religion as conveyed through myth and symbol, religious experience, struggle for societal change, mysticism, and quests for the articulation of human values. Inquiry by various disciplines will be considered, e.g., anthropology, psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, and theology.
  • 201: Becoming a Philosopher (WT, WI)

  • Basics of plant anatomy, morphology, ecology, physiology and taxonomy with examples drawn from common agricultural and horticultural plants are discussed. Labs include hands-on investigations of local plants. Lec 3, Lab 2.  Course may include field trips during class hours.
  • Basic design principles and examples of environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural systems. Describes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, but emphasis will be placed on identifying management practices that a) biologically improve soil structure, organic matter content, and fertility; and b) minimize or eliminate the need for chemical interventions for control of insect pests, pathogens, and weeds. Rec 3.

  • Introduces the major principles, structures, processes and policies of United States government. Covers the Constitution and its development, civil liberties, federalism, the role of political parties and interest groups, and the nature of the presidency, the bureaucracy, the Congress and the national courts.
  • A study of contemporary international politics focusing on the interaction of nation-states and including a review of the patterns of global politics from World War II to the present.
  • An introduction to the fundamental questions of political philosophy–what is justice? how ought we to live our lives? what is the best regime?–through detailed study of a few central books in the history of political thought, such as Plato’s Republic and Machiavelli’s Prince.
  • Provides an introduction to the major themes of comparative politics, including: comparative political legacies, processes of modernization, comparative governmental institutions, modern political parties and interest groups, comparative policymaking processes, and problems of establishing and maintaining democratic government.
  • Examines the nature and function of law in America, emphasizing its evolution and incorporation as a dynamic social instrument.

  • Lecture on and discussions of basic psychological processes, including learning, perception, motivation and emotion, higher mental processes, individual differences, personality and additional selected topics.

  • An introductory calculus-based physics course, primarily serving students majoring in engineering or the physical sciences. Treats mechanics and acoustics. NOTE: Because of overlapping subject matter, no more than four (4) degree credits are allowed for any combination of PHY 107, PHY 111 and PHY 121.

  • Introduces the fundamental concepts, principles, and methods of sociology, analyzes the influence of social and cultural factors upon human behavior and evaluates effect of group processes, social classes, stratification, and basic institutions on contemporary society.

  • The fundamentals of drawing through creative exercises exploring the principles of line, value, texture, space, and form. Examines various media and their relationship to expression and composition. Lab 6.

  • 120/121 Introduction to Stagecraft (EL)