Humanities (HUMU)

HUMU 120 Global Studies Gateway: Global Citizenship

This course provides an introduction to global studies, a field that examines the interconnectedness of societies at the local, regional, national and international levels through the study of culture. We will investigate the following primary questions: What is a national identity? What is globalization? What are the cultural processes by which these identities shift or mutate across time and space? How is national life (politics, economics, religion, etc.) represented to people both inside and outside the nation, whether in political rhetoric or through cultural production (film, novels, visual arts, theater, graphic novels, etc.)? What is the function of language in the establishment of identity and power? The overall intended goal of Global Citizenship Course (GCC) is to increase students’ cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral engagement in global issues and to help them build leadership skills and motivation to use them to create positive change. This course is only offered through the School of Extended Education. 1 credit.

HUMU 200 Women's Realities: History, Perspectives, and Contemporary Issues

This course provides an overview of women’s studies. Students examine the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and religion. Students explore historical and contemporary perspectives on a variety of topics, including feminist theory, sexuality, culture, and international issues. 3 credits.

HUMU 250 Humanities in a Digital Culture

This course examines the cultural and social impact of digital technologies from the perspective of the humanities. In education, business, medicine--in every part of our daily lives, they are the impetus of change. Students will analyze the ways in which digital technologies have and continue to transform the human experience. 3 credits.

HUMU 310 Contemporary Latin American Societies

This course is an overview of the cultures, populations, migration patterns, and societies of the Latin American region. Students will examine the widely varied cultures and social structures of people living in the geographic region stretching from Mexico and the Caribbean to Argentina and Chile. Topics include art, food, literature, politics, languages, and music. This course is recommended for anyone who has an interest in contemporary life in Latin America. 3 credits.

HUMU 329 Experimental Topics in the Humanities

An examination of selected topics in the humanities relevant to evolving areas of importance to the field. Syllabi must be approved by the Dean and announced to the Curriculum and Academic Committee prior to being offered. May be repeated for credit provided the course content is different. 3 credits.

HUMU 345 Art, Media Technology, and Culture

The goal of this course is to explore the particular ways that art transforms culture. Technologies, from ancient oral narratives through medieval cathedrals, geographical explorations, public theatres and the printing press to the nearly ubiquitous open access of current electronic media, will be studied as essential to both the creation of the works themselves as well as to their transmittal over space, time and peoples. The course historically contextualizes a number of critically important artistic units of cultural information [epiphanies or memes] in order to demonstrate the process of cultural evolution. The course also highlights the primacy of the imagination and the intertwining roles of creator/artist/adapter, medium chosen and publisher/producer/promoter. 3 credits.

HUMU 347 Literature and Film

In this course, students will examine popular literature and culture as a way of critically analyzing society. They will analyze the interrelationship between literature, culture and society, as it has existed in America since post-WWII. Students will read popular genres such as post-modern literature, African American literature, Irish American literature, emergent ethnic literature, and gay/lesbian literature among other genres. Students will interpret the literature and analyze the role of culture and society on literature and vice versa. 3 credits.

HUMU 499 Independent Study

Prerequisites: Instructor's approval and approval of petition.

Directed reading and/or research designed to meet specific needs of superior upper division students. 1-3 credits.