{"id":3019,"date":"2026-04-24T09:53:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T14:53:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/?page_id=3019"},"modified":"2026-05-04T12:01:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T17:01:20","slug":"2026fycs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/first-semester-course-selection\/2026fycs\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 First Year Courses"},"content":{"rendered":"

A seminar for first-year students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In your first semester, you must take a First Year Course. There are many options for you to choose from, on a wide variety of topics, representing diverse disciplinary perspectives. Some students choose this course based on the topic; others because they want to explore a department in which they might major or minor. Either approach is fine. Because this is only one course out of four, and it only lasts one semester, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the first year to explore majors or interest areas beyond the First Year Course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing and the FYC:<\/strong> All first semester students are required to take a course that provides significant instruction in either argumentative writing (WA) or creative writing (WC). Many FYCs already fulfill this requirement – you can see which ones do on the table below. However, if your FYC does not fulfill this requirement – if it is listed as writing practice (WP) or ‘none’ – one of your other first semester courses will need to satisfy this requirement. You can find a list of courses that will fulfill this requirement here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many FYCs are also Residential, meaning that students in that class will live on the same floor of a residence hall or in the same building. Faculty and student preceptors may do programming in the residence hall. Approximately 25% of FYCs are residential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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More information about Residential FYCs<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>First-Year Course Offerings for Fall 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WA = Argumentative Writing, WC = Writing as Craft, WP = Writing as Practice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department<\/td>Instructor<\/td>Course name<\/td>Residential<\/td>Writing Designation<\/td><\/tr>
American Studies<\/td>Karin Aguilar-San Juan<\/td>What\u2019s after white empire\u2013and is it already here?<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
American Studies<\/td>Jake Nagasawa<\/td>Keeping the Faith: Race & Religion in the US<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Anthropology<\/td>Olga Gonzalez<\/td>Politics of Memory in Latin America<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Art and Art History<\/td>Serdar Yalcin<\/td>Ancient Greek Temple<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Asian Languages and Culture<\/td>Rivi Handler-Spitz<\/td>Script, Character, Code: Technologies of Writing<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Classical Mediterranean and Middle East<\/td>Andrew Overman<\/td>Demokratia: Origins and Challenges to Government Of, By, and For the People <\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA, WP<\/td><\/tr>
Computer Science<\/td>Paul Cantrell<\/td>Creative Coding<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Computer Science<\/td>Lauren Milne<\/td>Making, Prototyping and Physical Computing<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Economics<\/td>Mario Solis-Garcia<\/td>Economics for the Curious: Big Ideas About Wealth, Power, and Everyday Life<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
English and Creative Writing<\/td>Andrea Kaston Tange<\/td>Ghost Stories<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
English and Creative Writing<\/td>Penelope Geng<\/td>Shakespeare<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Environmental Studies<\/td>Christie Manning<\/td>Psychology and\/of Climate Change<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
French and Francophone Studies<\/td>Julie Rogers<\/td>In Search of Happiness and Well-being<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Geography<\/td>Xavier Haro-Carri\u00f3n<\/td>Neotropical Landscapes<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Geography<\/td>Laura Smith<\/td>Regional Geography of the US and Canada<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Geography<\/td>Holly Barcus<\/td>Geographies of Resilience: Climate, Livelihoods & Adaptation<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Geology<\/td>Alan Chapman<\/td>Dynamic Earth and Global Change<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
German Studies<\/td>Ross Shields<\/td>Introduction to Literary Modernism: Words are Hard<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
History<\/td>Walter Greason<\/td>Wakanda Forever<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
International Studies<\/td>Ahmed Samatar<\/td>Intro to International Studies: Globalization – Homogeneity and Heterogeneity<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
International Studies<\/td>Nadya Nedelsky<\/td>Introduction to International Studies: Border-crossing in the Age of Globalization<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Linguistics<\/td>Morgan Sleeper<\/td>Language and Music<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WC<\/td><\/tr>
Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science<\/td>Andrew Beveridge<\/td>Discrete Mathematics<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Media and Cultural Studies<\/td>Brad Stiffler<\/td>Engaging Cinema<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Music<\/td>Mark Mazullo<\/td>Writing about Art<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Philosophy<\/td>Geoffrey Gorham<\/td>Introduction to Philosophy: Love and Friendship<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Philosophy<\/td>Samuel Asarnow<\/td>Introduction to Ethics<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Physics<\/td>Anna Williams<\/td>Our Place In The Cosmos<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Political Science<\/td>Andrew Latham<\/td>Socialism, Fascism, Nazism and Progressivism<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Psychology<\/td>Steve Guglielmo<\/td>Psychology of Right and Wrong<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Russian Studies<\/td>Maria Fedorova<\/td>Russia Goes East<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Sociology<\/td>Christina Hughes<\/td>Sociology of the Twin Cities<\/a><\/td>Yes<\/td>None<\/td><\/tr>
Spanish and Portuguese<\/td>Toni Dorca<\/td>For God or Revolution: Foreign Fighters in the Spanish Civil War<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WA<\/td><\/tr>
Theater and Dance<\/td>Mina Kinukawa<\/td>Dance and Design<\/a><\/td>No<\/td>WP<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Course Descriptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AMST 130 – F1: What\u2019s after white empire\u2013and is it already here?<\/strong>
Karin Aguilar-San Juan, American Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the Philippine-American War (1898-1910) to Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota (2026), white supremacy and US imperialism have marched hand-in-hand, buttressed by guns, bombs, and the language and mindset of violence. Yet cracks in the walls of racism and empire have also always existed, with hopeful gestures of solidarity and activist movements pushing forward with new possibilities and imagined futures. In this discussion-based course, we will look for the common threads that link David Fagen (Black U.S. army soldier who defected and joined the Philippine nationalists in 1899) to the Vietnam antiwar movement (1955-1975); and Grace Lee Boggs to Julian Bond and Vincent Harding. Among the significant questions we will consider are: How can we change the separatist mindset of “zero-sum” and move toward solidarity on a world scale? What lessons can be drawn from the COVID19 pandemic, George Floyd, and Operation Metro Surge? How do we start to build a culture of peace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AMST 194 – F1: Keeping the Faith: Race & Religion in the US<\/strong><\/strong>
Jake Nagasawa, American Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religion and race continue to be at the forefront of the US\u2019s national politics. Just in 2026, we have witnessed white Christian nationalist justifications for the US\u2019s war in Iran and clergy members from multiple religious traditions supporting communities of color and protesting Operation Metro Surge. With all of this in mind, this course will examine theories and case studies at the intersection of religion, race, and ethnicity in the US. As part of this course, we will make field site visits to local religious sites, hear from guest speakers, and view relevant films. Topics include: Asian American religions in the Twin Cities such as Hmong Shamanism; the veneration of the folk saint Santa Muerte; Black religions during the Great Migration; white Christian nationalism in the US; and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 10:50am – 11:50am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ANTH 251 – F1: Politics of Memory in Latin America<\/strong>
<\/strong>Olga Gonzalez, Anthropology Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course examines and critically analyzes various approaches to the study of how different individuals and communities in particular historical and cultural scenarios in contemporary Latin America create meanings about their past experience with political violence. The course addresses questions related to the tension between remembering and forgetting, the presence of conflicting memories and truths and how these are negotiated or not through distinct forms of representation. The cultural analysis of different means of representation: human rights and truth commission reports, testimonials, film, art and memorials will be the basis for class discussions on different notions of truth and different forms of truth-telling. A close examination of these forms of representation will reveal the extent to which they can conflict with each other while at the same time feed on each other, creating “effects of truth” and leaving room for secrecy as a mode of truth-telling. Finally, the course will also compel students to think about what consequences the politics of memory have for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 3:00pm – 4:30 pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ART 294 – F1: Ancient Greek Temple<\/strong>
<\/strong>Serdar Yalcin, Art and Art History Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classical forms of architecture have had a profound impact on the design of public and private buildings in our cities. Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns, triglyphs, metopes, and numerous other elements created in ancient Greece embellish capitol buildings, opera houses, libraries, train stations, and more today. All of these forms can be traced back to the ancient Greek temple. The association of this structure with sophistication and high culture is so deeply ingrained in the contemporary mind that the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is based not on a mosque, a church, or another building form, but on the fa\u00e7ade of a Greek temple, such as the famous Parthenon in Athens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course will explore the formation of this distinctive building type and its functions in Greek society from the eighth century BCE to the Hellenistic period (ca. 330\u201330 BCE). What social, political, and economic processes led to the creation of Greek temple forms? What role did interactions with cultures in the eastern Mediterranean\u2014particularly Egypt and West Asia\u2014play in this process? Was there a standard form applied to all Greek temples, or did they vary? Who were their designers and patrons? And what historical and intellectual processes identified this iconic structure as the source of the Western architectural tradition? Focusing on these key questions (and many others), this course will help students understand the importance of the majestic residences of Greek gods in shaping not only ancient urban and rural landscapes across the Mediterranean, but also modern ones, especially in Europe and North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 3:00pm – 4:30pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CHIN 194 – F1: Script, Character, Code: Technologies of Writing <\/strong>
<\/strong>Rivi Handler-Spitz, Asian Languages and Culture Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do technologies\u2014from early writing tools to artificial intelligence\u2014shape the ways we read, think, and communicate? How does writing facilitate or hinder community formation? How does it reinforce or subvert power structures? Focusing on the shift from orality to writing, the print revolution, the introduction of the Chinese typewriter, and the advent of AI, this course highlights China\u2019s major contributions to writing, literature, and the humanities, and prompts students to critically assess today\u2019s algorithmic technologies, their ethical implications, and their impacts on human creativity and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLAS 194-F1: Demokratia: Origins and Challenges to Gov. Of<\/em>, By<\/em> and For<\/em> the People<\/strong>: the future in Chinese science fiction 
<\/strong>Andrew Overman, Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where did Democracy come from? What tensions and questions helped forge it? We will study the origins of this political form, and various early mutations of it. We will then look at several seminal recent moments when Democracy was under attack and threatened.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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COMP 194 – F1: Creative Coding<\/strong>
Paul Cantrell, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Department <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology increasingly feels like something being done to<\/em> us instead of for<\/em> us. What if instead it were something done by<\/em> us? Whether you\u2019ve never written a single line of code or coding is your lifelong passion, this class is for you if you are full of creativity, curiosity, and imagination. We will spend the semester using code to create images, animations, and sounds through tinkering and experimentation. We will explore a variety of different programming languages, tools, and techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course is not about using generative AI; it is about embracing slow process, embracing craft and serendipity, embracing play. And yes, this course really is for you even if you have zero<\/em> coding experience: there will be plenty of support and good challenges for new and experienced coders alike. Come join us as we reclaim technology for humans, through the joy of making and doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COMP 194 – F2: Making, Prototyping and Physical Computing<\/strong>
Lauren Milne, Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course is all about prototyping and building. Students will work in groups on four projects, including a sensor-based marble run and an e-textile costume piece, by sewing, soldering, 3D printing, laser cutting and programming microcontrollers. No previous experience in programming or any of the other techniques is required; instead this course is all about iteratively prototyping and embracing novel techniques, including AI, with curiosity and playfulness. We will extend this prototyping to life design with a focus on iteration, failure and intentionality. Throughout the semester, students will keep a journal and write a series of papers exploring their life design, how to make the most of human-AI collaboration, and the meaning of a liberal arts education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ECON 194 – F1: Economics for the Curious: Big Ideas About Wealth, Power, and Everyday Life<\/strong>
Mario Solis-Garcia, Economics Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course introduces the central ideas of economics through books written for a broad audience\u2014no mathematics required. Rather than focusing on technical tools, the course emphasizes the big ideas that shape how economists think about the world. By the end of the semester, you will have a clear understanding of how economists approach questions such as: What causes economic growth? Why do some societies prosper while others remain poor? How should we understand inequality, markets, and the role of government?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through a diverse set of readings, you will encounter competing perspectives within the discipline and learn why economists often disagree. Along the way, we will examine how economic ideas apply to everyday life\u2014from national policies to decisions within families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course is structured as a discussion-based \u201ceconomics book club,\u201d emphasizing critical reading, argumentation, and the ability to connect abstract ideas to real-world issues. Students will develop and demonstrate their understanding through a series of writing assignments completed over the course of the semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MW 8:00am – 9:30am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENGL 125 – F1: Ghost Stories<\/strong>
<\/strong>Andrea Kaston Tange, English Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes a good ghost story? And how are ghosts historically or culturally specific? This course opens with ghost stories from the heyday of the genre in English: specters and haunts from the pens of nineteenth-century masters, including the likes of Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens, Henry James, and Emily Bront\u00eb. In short stories and novels, including Wuthering Heights<\/em>, we will explore what terrifies and how. With these readings for a strong base, the second half of the course considers the legacies of these Victorians in more recent novels and short stories. We\u2019ll think about how the shadows of the past haunt the present, in terms of unhealthy fascinations, or whispers of doubt, or standards of greatness to which a writer must rise. Considering the relationships between modern ghost stories and the legacies of long-dead writers, we will investigate how narratives of what haunts us reveal things about ourselves or our cultural moments. Projects include writing workshops to develop analytic skills and creative opportunities with the development of an exhibit for a Ghost Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 12:00pm – 1:00pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

.back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENGL 115 – F1: Shakespeare<\/strong><\/strong>
Penelope Geng, English Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course will offer an introduction to Shakespeare’s work through a survey of his major plays in all genres (history, comedy, tragedy, and romance) plus selected sonnets. Texts and emphasis will vary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 3:00pm – 4:30pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENVI 273 – F1: Psychology and\/of Climate Chang<\/strong>e
Christie Manning, Environmental Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate change is no longer a distant, hypothetical threat. Yet, though more than half of Americans are “concerned” or “alarmed” about global warming, few are taking significant personal action in response, and only a small minority are involved in civic action to address the issue. This course takes a broad psychological perspective on the questions, “Why are we not doing enough to address global climate change?” and “What will catalyze the social movement necessary to address the issue?” The class will explore psychological theories and studies that help explain why people respond to the climate crisis in the ways they do, and what psychological research tells us about how to shift that response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FREN 194 – F1: In Search of Happiness and Well-being<\/strong>
Julie Rogers, French and Francophone Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does it mean to live a \u201cgood\u201d life? How are the concepts of well-being and happiness connected to cultural and artistic endeavors? What can we learn from earlier time periods about pursuing happiness, and how are our own views of well-being influenced by those earlier times? In order to find answers to these questions, we will explore several literary, philosophical and artistic creations in French and Francophone cultures that also seek to respond to these broad questions. After the great upheavals of the French Revolution of 1789, the Haitian Revolution of 1804, and then the Industrial Revolution of the early 1800s, the nineteenth century became well known as an era when utopian societies flourished, when consumer society and leisure activities exploded, and when theories about melancholia and hysteria were popularized. All of these events offer indications of how and why people searched for well-being and happiness. At the same time, we will also study what it means to search for well-being and happiness in our current times, often troubled by political and cultural conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taught in English, no pre-requisites or background in French required<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 1:20pm – 2:50pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GEOG 239 – F1: Neotropical Landscapes<\/strong>
<\/strong>Xavier Haro-Carri\u00f3n, Geography Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course provides students a basic understanding of the most important biophysical and social characteristics of the dominant landscapes of the Neotropics. The Neotropical realm refers to the biogeographic region that includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and South America’s temperate zone. These areas provide a range of services-both locally and globally-including water sources, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. They are also home to various human populations and support the livelihood of local and global human populations. Among others, these include tropical rain forests, Andean p\u00e1ramos, tropical dry forests, wetlands, deserts and temperate forests of southern South America. For each of these landscapes, we will learn the key biophysical processes that govern their functioning. We also study the peoples that live in them including indigenous communities, afro-descendants, and mestizos. Finally, using examples of these areas, we also analyze human-environment interactions including land-use change, biodiversity, resource and cultural conservation, and climate change impacts and responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 10:50am – 11:50am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GEOG 242 – F1: Regional Geography of the US and Canada<\/strong>
<\/strong>Laura Smith, Geography Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course explores the ways in which diverse groups of people interact with the natural environment to produce the contemporary landscapes (human and physical) and regional differentiation (social and cultural) of the U.S. and Canada. The course emphasizes patterns of human settlement, economic activity, and land use, with special attention given to social and legal issues relevant to Native populations in the U.S. and the historic and current status and development of Native lands. Case studies and a field study to the Boreal Forest region of northern Minnesota will be used to demonstrate broad themes at a more personal scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 10:50am – 11:50am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GEOG 294 – F1: Geographies of Resilience: Climate, Livelihoods & Adaptation<\/strong>
Holly Barcus, Geography Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As climates continue to change and indications of ecological stress emerge across the globe, the concept of resilience and resilient socio-ecological systems, has gained support across different scientific communities.  Although the concept of resilience has its roots in the ecological sciences literatures, new inquiries into the many dimensions of resilience are emerging, including the greater inclusion of humans in social-ecological systems and the inter-linkages between social, cultural and economic dimensions of resilience.  Scholars argue that rural resilience is a pathway towards an end goal of sustainability, one in which the linked socio-ecological circumstances of a community are able to adapt to and survive when faced with significant shocks.  Such shocks may include changing climates and natural hazards on the ecological end of a spectrum to the ability of communities to adapt socially to economic crises, such as economic restructuring on the other end of a spectrum.  Community resilience inherently involves engaging multiple and many voices and perspectives from within a community to address small and large crises. Community engagement practices are one strategy for creating resilience at the community scale, but other scales, such as ecological systems scales, or individual resilience are also embedded in concepts of resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this course, we will explore the varied conceptualizations of \u201cresilience\u201d from ecological and sustainable development framings to more individual, community, and spiritual conceptualizations.  We will specifically discuss the concept of resilience at various spatial scales, from the individual to community-scale practices of resilience.  Topics are likely to include agricultural resilience, cultural resilience, livelihood adaptation strategies for resilience. Guest lecturers will provide case studies from around the world presented by scholars from these places who are actively working in resilience studies and will complement discussions, readings and field excursions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 12:00pm – 1:00pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GEOL 160 – F1: Dynamic Earth and Global Change<\/strong>
<\/strong>Alan Chapman, Geology Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shifting plates, shiny gemstones, hot lava, sheets of ice, rocky planets! This course will delve into fascinating geoscience topics, introducing you to the physical materials and structure of the Earth and other planets, as well as the processes responsible for the creation, change, and destruction of parts of the Earth system. Topics include volcanoes, earthquakes, Solar System formation, the water cycle, and climate change. We will discuss some aspects of the history of scientific thought, look at maps, consider the societal relevance of geology (e.g., modern careers, natural hazards, resource extraction, environmental problems), and admire beautiful rocks. Required for geology majors. Field trip(s). Three 1-hour lectures and one 3-hour lab per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GERM 194 – F1: Introduction to Literary Modernism: Words are Hard<\/strong>
<\/strong>Ross Shields, German Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first decades of the 20th century produced some of the most innovative works in literary history, permanently transforming the way in which we see, hear, and otherwise perceive the world around us. More than any aesthetic movement before or since, modernists including Virginia Woolf, Ezra Pound, Franz Kafka, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Gertrude Stein, Friedrich Nietzsche, James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, and Marcel Proust were keenly aware of both the limits of language and the inevitability of their transgression. They used words in ways that stretch sense to the point where it breaks, but with the aim of revealing a richer domain of finer-grained perception that is obscured by our everyday linguistic and intellectual habits. Over the course of the semester, we will read literary, philosophical, and theoretical accounts that both thematize and perform their own linguistic (in)capacities: to represent, to translate, to obscure, to estrange, to reveal. We will also examine some instances of modernist music, painting, and film. Our aim is to arrive at a nuanced understanding of how words work, contrasting linguistic phenomena with other forms of expressive media, and inquiring into the potential of language to articulate non-linguistic modes of experience. Meets requirements for argumentative writing, internationalism, and critical theory. All readings in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 3:30pm – 4:30pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HIST 138 – F1: Wakanda Forever<\/strong>
<\/strong>Walter Greason, History Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wakanda Forever is an introductory course focused on African-American history and the places it inspired. We will examine the ideological, political, economic, and cultural make-up of the Black architectural traditions in the United States. The basic themes of this course will include: Black geographies; historiography; visual art and design; African-American literature; the spatial revolution; and Afrofuturism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 9:40am – 10:40am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

back to top<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTL 110 – F1: Intro to International Studies: Globalization – Homogeneity and Heterogeneity<\/strong>
<\/strong>Ahmed Samatar, International Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big and small elements of the phenomenon of \u201cGlobalization\u201d are everywhere for the naked eye to see, the ear to hear, the nose to smell, the mouth to taste, and for the intellect to comprehend. The multiple forces at work range from the cultural\/aesthetic, political, economic\/technological, and to the environmental in this age of the anthropocene. Whether a farmer in the middle of Minnesota or a merchant in Shanghai, an artist in Rio or an industrial worker in Munich or Oshawa, a young student in Dakar or a garment factory laborer in Decca, a struggling activist in Yangon or a scientist in Saint Petersburg, the time of disparate identities and fates seems to be closing. Yet, there are diverse approaches to comprehend (and live) our epoch and enter into the on-rushing future. For some, globalization is essentially harmful \u2014 that is, it corrodes local intimacy and autonomy, and breeds alienation. For others, the phenomenon offers new and rich opportunities for individual growth, an enlargement of sensibilities, cosmopolitan civic consciousness, and belonging. This course offers students an initial exploration of the contradictory but challenging approaches to \u201cGlobalization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 3:00pm – 4:30pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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INTL 113 – F1: Introduction to International Studies: Border-crossing in the Age of Globalization<\/strong>
<\/strong>Nadya Nedelsky, International Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open to first- and second-year students. This course develops a base of knowledge, concepts, and analytical skills for engaging with International Studies’ multi-dimensional concerns. Ranging across disciplines but with an emphasis on social science, we study global theories of interaction and conflict between human groups and explore sites and implications of increasing encounter. Focusing on culture, people flows, nationalism and ethnicity, democratization, contending interests, security, religious fundamentalism, gender, and modes of community integration, we examine how particular cases reflect broader processes. Open to first- and second-year students, or permission of the instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LING 220 – F1: Language and Music<\/strong>
<\/strong>Morgan Sleeper, Linguistics Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Language and music are two uniquely human enterprises with a number of parallels: both rely on sound and\/or signs, display hierarchical organization and culturally-specific practices, and can convey both communicative and social meaning. This course examines the intersection of language and music from a linguistic perspective. We will engage with questions such as: How can syntax, phonology, and morphology change when language is sung instead of signed or spoken? How do speakers of tone languages understand lyrics in sung melodies? Is hip hop different in different languages? What does it mean to study melody and rhythm in language? Can music help people learn languages? How do drum- and whistle-languages work? How does music contribute to language revitalization? No musical ability is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 8:30am – 9:30am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MATH 279 – F1: Discrete Mathematics<\/strong>
Andrew Beveridge, Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinking of Discrete Math as just another math class is like calling a Swiss Army knife just a “pocket tool”\u2014it\u2019s actually the ultimate toolkit for the digital age. Instead of dealing with the smooth, sweeping curves of Calculus, you\u2019ll dive into the world of distinct, “discrete” pieces like logic, sets, and networks that form the backbone of everything from social media algorithms to complex puzzles. It\u2019s less about memorizing formulas and more about learning how to think like a professional problem solver, where you\u2019ll master the art of building airtight arguments and spotting patterns in places you never expected. If you enjoy cracking codes, strategizing for games, or just want to understand the “why” behind how computers actually think, this course is your gateway to a new way of seeing the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MCST 194 – F1: Engaging Cinema<\/strong>
<\/strong>Brad Stiffler, Media and Cultural Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course presents cinema as an art form and a social phenomenon that engages us and that we engage with. Our guiding principle will be that watching a film involves us in active practices of engagement, and that these practices shape us as political and social subjects. While we usually perform our roles as spectators in automatic and habitual ways, this class will teach the basic tools of film analysis and theory to help us become more critically aware and alive to our practices and their potential effects. Some of our work will involve watching and analyzing classic (such as Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s Rear Window <\/em>and Agn\u00e8s Varda\u2019s Cl\u00e9o from 5 to 7<\/em>) and contemporary cinema (such as RaMell Ross\u2019 Nickel Boys <\/em>and Kleber Mendon\u00e7a Filho\u2019s Pictures of Ghosts<\/em>). We will learn to engage with these films through critical academic writing, connecting their formal or technical features to their potential meanings. And, while this is not a production-oriented class, we will also engage with cinema by making short abstract videos and writing conceptually about the process. Finally, our class will pay particular attention to the spaces and contexts where we engage with film, from small non-profit repertory theaters to art museums to film festivals to our individual private screens. Part of our class will involve visiting local film exhibition spaces, archives, and film festival events. As a culmination of our studies, we will design and organize our own film screening on campus, using what we\u2019ve learned to curate an experience and invite others to engage with cinema along with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MUSI 194 – F1: Writing about Art<\/strong>
<\/strong>Mark Mazullo, Music Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this writing workshop, we will practice transmuting artistic experience into words. We will look at visual art, listen to music, and watch theatrical and dance performances, and in response, we\u2019ll practice different modes of incorporating our reactions into creative and critical writing. We\u2019ll read fiction, poetry, personal essays, criticism, reviews, memoirs, etc. and we\u2019ll try our hands at each form, gaining a sense of what is involved in describing the color of a cello\u2019s sound, the gestures of a dancing body, or the intangible emotions we feel when we stand in front of a painting. In a final project, students will choose an artistic form and a mode of response and develop a larger-scale piece of writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 1:20pm – 2:50pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PHIL 100 – F1: Introduction to Philosophy: Love and Friendship<\/strong>
<\/strong>Geoffrey Gorham, Philosophy Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said \u201cwithout friends no one would choose to live, though they had all other goods\u201d. (Nicomachean Ethics, 1055a 5-7) It is not clear exactly what Aristotle means by this, but the high value he gives to friendship and love is shared by many philosophers from many eras and traditions. This class will begin with an overview of central themes in ancient and contemporary philosophy \u2014 epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, and including philosophical methods \u2014 and then undertake a detailed investigation of friendship and love: Why are friendship and love valuable to us? How do we become friends, and when should we break-off friendships? With whom can we be friends: family members? Pets? on-line friends? AI? Is \u2018romance\u2019 love real or merely a social construction? How do we decide when to break-off a friendship, or love affair, or marriage? Should we love only one other, or many, or everyone? Could it be good for us to have no friends, or should we have as many friends as possible? What role, if any, does gender play in friendship and love? What, if anything, do we owe to our friends and lovers? We will consider texts by Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Sappho, Confucius, Montaigne, Kant, Emerson, de Beauvoir, Sartre, as well as several contemporary philosophical perspectives on friendship and love. We will also read works of literature, such as Shakespeare\u2019s Sonnets, and poems of Emily Dickinson, and view & discuss together several films, such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Your grade will be based on three short papers, two \u2018take-home\u2019 examinations, reading responses (\u2018convos\u2019), and attendance\/participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PHIL 121 – F1: Introduction to Ethics<\/strong>
<\/strong>Samuel Asarnow, Philosophy Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What matters in life?  Is happiness the only thing that matters?  If so, whose happiness should I care about? Just my own? My family\u2019s? Or everyone else\u2019s, too? Does suffering matter, too? What about the suffering of non-human animals? Is it okay for me to make animals suffer in order for me to enjoy the pleasure of eating their flesh? Or how about the suffering of people who are really far away from me-say, on another continent? Is it okay for me to spend money on cool stuff for myself when instead I could donate it to help people who are suffering very badly far away?  If things in life other than happiness matter, too, what are they? People who oppose torture think that it\u2019s wrong to hurt one person really badly even in order to prevent a large number of people from being hurt.  Are they right?  Is it always wrong to treat someone as merely a means to an end? Is it in general wrong to do things to people without their consent?  Why?  When do people deserve to be praised or blamed for their actions? What kind of person should I be?  Should I try to be happy? Or should I try to be virtuous? Is virtue its own reward? Or are we all inevitably faced with a choice between being virtuous and being happy?  If we are faced with that choice, which one should we pick?  In Ethics, we will talk about these questions, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PHYS 194-F<\/strong>: Our Place In The Cosmos<\/strong>
Anna Williams, Physics Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the millennia of human thought we have sought to understand the origin of the universe, our existence, and the fate of it all. In this course we will grapple with these unknowns by determining our place in the cosmos.  Our main focus will be a survey of our current understanding of physical cosmology: the evolution of the universe, from its beginning to its end.  Along the way we will  get to know our current location in the universe, St Paul, MN, and explore how the night sky shapes the lives of the people that call this land home.  Basic gravitational physics and the interaction between light and matter will be introduced to provide the physical foundation for our exploration of cosmology.  We will look at models of the universe, physical and some metaphysical, through astronomical observations of stars and galaxies and storytelling.   This quantitative course will use mathematics at the introductory calculus level; high-school physics and calculus are recommended.  Assignments will include problem sets, short papers, and a research paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 12:00pm – 1:00pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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POLI 294 – F1: Socialism, Fascism, Nazism and Progressivism<\/strong>
<\/strong>Andrew Latham, Political Science Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this course, we will explore four traditions of political thought that flourished during the first half of the 20th<\/sup> century: socialism, fascism, Nazism, and progressivism. Our main goal is to develop an historically sensitive understanding of these four bodies of political-theoretical speculation. Through a close reading of texts and commentaries, we will critically examine the relevant works of thinkers such as Lenin, Bukharin, Gramsci, Mao, Fichte, de Gobineau, Barr\u00e9, Rosenberg, Schmitt, Hitler, Gentile, Mussolini, L.T. Hobhouse, T.H. Green, Sanger, Dewey, Garvey, and Du Bois. The focus of our inquiries will be on three intertwined questions: (a) What did the main thinkers in each of these four traditions believe about political life? (b) What were the conditions-of-possibility that made these beliefs both possible and popular? And (c) what was the relationship of each of these traditions \u2013 and the political movements they spawned \u2013 to the others and to the adjacent liberal and conservative traditions with which they coexisted and contended? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am – 11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PSYC 194 – F1: Psychology of Right and Wrong<\/strong>
<\/strong>Steve Guglielmo, Psychology Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether we\u2019re reading the news, enjoying a work of fiction, or navigating everyday interactions, we are constantly evaluating the morality of human behavior. This course explores the psychological processes that shape our ideas of right and wrong, helping us to understand and improve our own moral decisions. What sort of acts do we see as immoral, and how do we hold people accountable for them? How do we interpret social inequality, and how do we make up for past moral failings? What role does empathy play in fostering more fair and equitable behavior? Through readings and class discussion, this course takes an interdisciplinary approach to these questions, drawing on research from multiple areas of psychology alongside insights from philosophy, sociology, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 10:50am – 11:50am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RUSS 294 – F1: Russia Goes East<\/strong>
<\/strong>Maria Fedorova, Russian Studies Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s relations with the West often overshadow its deep connections with its eastern neighbors. From the 17th century onward, Russia – and later the Soviet Union – developed strategic approaches to control Siberia and the so-called Far East and assert its power in the Pacific, where it confronted other regional powers, such as China, Japan, and Korea. Given the current shifts in the global political order, understanding the historical connections between Russia, China, Japan, and Korea is more important than ever. This course examines the complexities of these relationships, with a particular emphasis on foreign policy. Key course themes include imperial Russian expansion into the Pacific region; colonization of indigenous populations; modernization projects; the Russo-Japanese War; the 1917 revolution and its effect on China, Korea, and Japan; the Pacific front during WWII; the Korean War and later relations with South and North Korea; Sino-Soviet relations in the 1960-80s; and the fragile partnerships after the fall of the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 1:10pm – 2:10pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SOCI 194 – F1: Sociology of the Twin Cities<\/strong>
<\/strong>Christina Hughes, Sociology Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is sociology and how can it be used to more deeply understand the significance of the Twin Cities? Blending material from urban studies and introductory sociology and applying them to the local context, this course challenges students to develop their own \u201csociological imaginations\u201d by reflecting on how their personal biographies have been shaped by larger socio-historical forces. Applying key theories and concepts from the field like social constructionism, stratification, social solidarity, social control, rationalization, and forms of capital to sites and histories throughout Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the course takes a community-engaged approach to invite students to develop a more mindful and informed relationship to the region\u2019s ongoing histories and political struggles\u2014as well as their place within them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 1:20pm – 2:50pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: None<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SPAN 194 – F1: For God or Revolution: Foreign Fighters in the Spanish Civil War<\/strong>
<\/strong>Toni Dorca, Spanish and Portuguese Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Approximately 40,000 foreign volunteers traveled to Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) to fight against fascism, show their support for the democratically elected Republican government, and usher in a workers\u2019 revolution. The majority of these volunteers joined the International Brigade as soldiers, but many others served as healthcare professionals, engineers, and journalists. On the other side of the political spectrum, roughly 70,000 Italian troops and 16,000 German troops provided vital support for the so-called Nationalists who, on July 18, 1936, had staged a military coup against the Republicans in the name of God and against communism. Most notorious among them is the Condor Legion, the Nazi air force unit responsible for the bombing of the Basque city of Gernika that inspired Pablo Picasso\u2019s eponymous painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Against this historical backdrop, \u201cFor God or Revolution\u201d focuses on the rich mosaic of experiences recorded in letters, diaries, documentaries, films, photographs, and fiction by non-Spaniards who fought in opposing camps of the conflict. Alongside prominent names (Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, Andr\u00e9 Malraux, or Robert Capa), less known female figures merit equal recognition: among others, army captain Mika Etcheb\u00e9h\u00e8re, photojournalist Gerda Taro, nurses Nan Green and Salaria Kea, and novelist Muril Rukeyser. The conflicting testimonies of these men and women highlight the sacrifices they made in pursuit of their ideals, while at the same time reminding us of the complexity of the human condition in times of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taught in English, no background in Spanish required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets MWF 2:20pm – 3:20pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THDA 200 – F1: Dance and Design<\/strong>
Mina Kinukawa, Theater and Dance Department<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unique qualities of dance as an art, a form of expression, and a mode of communication present fascinating opportunities for collaboration among dancers, choreographers, and designers. In this course, we will watch a variety of live and recorded dance performances with an emphasis on contemporary productions. We will learn to examine the relationship between dance and design elements (scenery, costume, light, sound, and projection design) through analysis and hands-on projects. Field trips on evenings and weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Designation: WP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Class meets TR 9:40am-11:10am<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A seminar for first-year students In your first semester, you must take a First Year Course. There are many options for you to choose from, on a wide variety of topics, representing diverse disciplinary perspectives. Some students choose this course based on the topic; others because they want to explore a department in which they […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":961,"featured_media":0,"parent":1097,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3019","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/961"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3019"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3157,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3019\/revisions\/3157"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/academic-programs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}