ANTH 1006 Paranormal Archaeology (4 Credits)

This course explores the virtues and limitations of the scientific method for understanding human society and culture. To accomplish this goal it uses selected mysteries and puzzles from the human past that have intrigued, over many years, professional scientists and the general public alike. The course considers a wide variety of topics having anthropological relevance--Bigfoot, the Big Stone Heads of Easter Island, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Earthen Burial Mounds of North America, and other phenomena--in an effort to sort out hard facts, pure fantasies, and genuine mysteries. This course examines where the more outrageous explanations of mysterious phenomena come from, and investigates why such explanations are of continuing popularity in modern society. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ANTH 1010 Anthropology: Humankind in Context (4 Credits)

This course is a basic one in Anthropology that covers all four major subfields of the discipline including Physical Anthropology (Biological), Archaeology, Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology. It focuses on many aspects of anthropology that have applicability today in understanding our species' place in the world, the development of cultural and biological diversity over time, the growth of complex societies and analyses of contemporary cultures. This class allows us to view ourselves inclusively, taking a broad look at many aspects of our shared humanity on a world-wide basis. This is accomplished by not only studying modern cultures, but also by looking at the history of our species over millions of years. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ANTH 2105 Human Nature (4 Credits)

ANTH 2125 Primates (4 Credits)

Non-human primates are used within numerous disciplines as models for understanding the evolution of our own behavior. This course examines non-human primates within the framework of anthropology and explores the ways that the study of other primates contributes to our understanding of human behavior and evolution, and serves to connect us to the living world. The course will examine three aspects of primate life (the three F's: feeding, fighting, and family) first from the non-human primate perspective and then through the lens of human behavior and social organization. To better understand the methods of primatology, students will develop their own research project to take place at the Denver Zoo. As an SI: Society course students will develop an understanding of the defining principles central to inquiry within the discipline of anthropology as well as become proficient in the use and application of anthropological, and specifically primatological, research methods. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ANTH 2200 Contemporary Issues of Native North America (4 Credits)

This class focuses on Native North America and is intended to provide an approach to understanding events and processes that have shaped and continue to influence the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. This course explores contemporary issues within Native American communities in order for students to gain a better understanding of legal and social issues between the Federal government, reservations, and urban Indian populations. We will analyze issues facing contemporary Native American nations including, but not limited to Indian gaming and casinos, federal recognition and issues of sovereignty, blood quantum and biological race, religious freedom and sacred sites, mascots, repatriation of human remains and sacred artifacts, and stereotypical views of Native Americans. Additionally, we will also discuss efforts to reclaim traditions such as language, art, and land. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ANTH 2424 The Social Determination of Health (4 Credits)

This course is an introduction to sociocultural epidemiology. As the scientific basis of public health, epidemiology is the discipline that aims to describe the distribution and causes of health problems in a society, which require interdisciplinary conceptual and analytical tools for a comprehensive understanding of health, disease and health care and their manifestations around the world. This course presents an overview of epidemiology’s history and methods, to then concentrate on the social and cultural aspects of health. The course offers an in-depth exploration of the notion of disease causation, with historical and current examples. Disciplines included in the course include history, philosophy, bioethics, public health, anthropology, and sociology. We will explore ideas and behaviors related to disease causation in different societies and social groups. Topics include the history of epidemiology and theories of disease causation, research methods in epidemiology, social determinants of health, and the notions of disease causation and determination. Course material combines introductory readings, academic articles and films with the analysis of journalistic pieces addressing currently important issues. It also combines the study of cases in the United States with that of other countries. Class meetings will consist of lectures to introduce topics and concepts, and group discussions to apply the concepts and examine them critically. Students will also work on individual and group projects. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 1001 Practicing Communication (4 Credits)

Practicing Communication introduces students to evidence-based communicative practices that aid them in enacting skillful and ethical responses to ongoing communicative dilemmas. The course introduces students to techniques for increasing their awareness of the consequences of their communicative acts and for using mindful communication practices to create and sustain meaningful relationships in interpersonal, organizational, and public settings. The course also helps students develop skills in audience analysis–with a particular focus on crafting messages that are culturally responsive to audiences composed of multiple cultural identities and positionalities. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 1002 Theorizing Communication (4 Credits)

Theorizing communication introduces students to theoretical thinking across the broad range of the communication discipline. Broadly defined, a theory is a set of principles that scholars use to explain or predict how a phenomenon works. This course will introduce students to scholars’ attempts to understand and explain how human communication behavior functions in the world, from both humanistic and social scientific perspectives. In this way, the course serves the aim of Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture courses in that it advances students' understanding of scientific approaches to principles of human functioning and conduct in social and cultural contexts. Students will learn the underlying assumptions of the various approaches to communication studies, examine and critique how these assumptions are applied in specific theories about communication, and apply their knowledge in imagining how a new theory might be constructed. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 1210 Foundations of Communication Studies (4 Credits)

This course offers students an introduction to the study of communication. Students will explore the role of communication in domains that cut across the spectrum of human social life, from communication among individuals, to relationships, to marriage and families, to groups, to organizations, to communication at societal and global levels. In addition to focusing on the specific nature of communication in these distinct settings, students learn as well the different conceptual models for describing and understanding communication across these settings. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 2100 Fundamentals of Communication Theory (4 Credits)

Basic concepts, theories and models of the communication process. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 2130 Introduction to Organizational Communication (4 Credits)

This is a theory-driven course which will introduce students to the major approaches to the study of organizational communication, including classical, managerial, systems, cultural, and critical perspectives. The course uses these perspectives to deepen students' understandings of the organizational communication topics developed in COMN 1550, teaching students how to recognize and approach organizational communication issues from a variety of perspectives. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 2140 The Dark Side of Relationships (4 Credits)

This course is designed to familiarize students with theory and research that focuses on the dark and bright sides of human relationships. In particular, we explore those dysfunctional, distorted, distressing, and destructive elements that sometimes comprise our relations with family members, friends, co-workers, and romantic partners, for example. Additionally, we explore relational issues that typically are presumed to be dark but function to produce constructive outcomes, as well as phenomena that are typically judged as bright but function to produce destructive relational outcomes. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 2270 Intro to Health Communication (4 Credits)

This course is designed to be an introduction to the field of health communication. Through readings, case studies, and discussions, this class is designed to provide an overview of health communication in a variety of health contexts, ranging from public health campaigns to interpersonal communication to community-based health interventions. In this class, we aim to understand how communication can play a vital role in achieving personal and public health objectives. Throughout the quarter, we will examine theoretical and conceptual backgrounds in health communication and evaluate examples of health communication practices. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

COMN 2600 Introduction to Political Communication (4 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the subdiscipline of political communication with a focus on the United States. Through scholarship, case study development, discussion, and activities, this course surveys the major communicative actors in U.S. public and political life. Students will use theories from across political communication to understand the roles of elites, media organizations, and everyday individuals in political talk. Students should leave the course with the ability to identify and critically assess the political communication that permeates their lives. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ECON 1020 Economics: A Critical Introduction (4 Credits)

The course gives students a critical understanding of basic economic concepts, showing the importance of differences in the understanding of these concepts by different economic theories: the theories differ both in their view of the economy and its place in society; and in the potential impact of their policy recommendations on different individuals and social groups. The course begins with the immediate experience of life in the “new economy”; and then frames a critical analysis of this experience, drawing out three themes: the relation of the economy to public and private life; inequality and discrimination; globalization. The critical framework calls for a historical dimension: how did we get here? It also points to a defining feature not only of the “new economy”, but of the modern, capitalist economy since its origins: capitalism generates periodic crises within itself. The most obvious crisis is the “economic” one, but equally important are the crises of inequality and discrimination, and of environmental sustainability. The course concludes by considering what kind of economic order, what agents and institutions, would be required to transform capitalism into a socially and ecologically sustainable system. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ETHN 1004 Introduction to Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (4 Credits)

Critically examines the concept of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity as categories of social, political, historical, and cultural significance, in the United States and internationally, followed by an investigation of colorblindness, diversity ideology, and modern manifestations of racial inequality. Race and ethnicity are examined as they intersect with gender, sexuality, social class, indigeneity, and immigration status. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

GEOG 1410 People, Places & Landscapes (4 Credits)

In this course, students will study the location of people and activities across the surface of the Earth. Describing the locations and patterns of human activity only lays the foundation for exploring how and why such patterns have developed historically, and how they relate to the natural environment and other aspects of human behavior. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

GEOG 2401 The Human Population (4 Credits)

This course covers the fundamental concepts of demography with an emphasis on its relevance to inquiry in disciplines including economics, business, geography, environmental science, political science and sociology. This course includes computer laboratory work involving the exploration and analysis of census data using geographic information systems This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

GEOG 2511 Principles of Sustainability - Honors (4 Credits)

Principles of Sustainability introduces students to fundamental issues and concepts of Sustainability. This topic concerns the long-term viability of a number of phenomena, from the environment to the economy. Sustainability is commonly defined as meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Students will be introduced to issues inherent in discussions of sustainability. The major areas of focus include definitions of ecological and environmental sustainability, economic and political sustainability, social justice, and various metrics used to assess sustainable behavior and practices. Students will study the theory, principles and practices of sustainability, and participate in discussion and writing exercises based on lecture and readings. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement. Enrollment restricted to students in the Honors Program.

GWST 1112 Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies (4 Credits)

This course provides an introduction to the discipline of gender and women's studies. All cultures engage in a complex process of assigning cultural values and social roles which vary according to the cultural environment in which human interaction occurs. Among these, the process of translating biological differences into a complex system of gender remains one of the most important. Gender and women's studies aims to understand how this process of 'gendering' occurs, and its larger effects in society. This course also explores how this system of meaning relates to other systems of allocating power, including socioeconomic class, social status, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and nationality. Using this lens, this course explores contemporary social developments and problems. Gender and women's studies is about studying, but it is also about meaningful engagement with the world. This class presents students with a variety of types of texts from sociological articles to literary fictions and documentary and fictional cinema to explore gender from many different directions. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

HNRS 2701 Wildlife Conservation & Cultur (4 Credits)

The focus of the course is the intersection of conservation and culture. The goal is to generate new and creative ways to think about conservation. Students will be exposed to different examples of conservation governance, ranging from state-controlled access commonly found in national parks to indigenous communities that are assisting conservation efforts. They will inquire as to what impacts different projects are having in not only helping stem the loss of habitat and wildlife, but also the informal governance institutions managing their unique ecosystems in sustainable ways. Importantly, we will consider our main questions through a very broad and informal cost/benefit analysis that encompasses more than the limiting economic factors normally used. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

INTS 1500 Contemporary Issues in the Global Economy (4 Credits)

Introduction to a range of pressing problems and debates in today's global economy, such as global economy, global markets and the global commons. Students will have a good understanding of the policy challenges posed by global economic integration and theoretical frameworks for understanding the functioning of the global economy. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

INTS 1700 Introduction to International Politics (4 Credits)

This course critically examines the nature of contemporary global society. It is designed to familiarize students with the broad parameters of international politics and takes into account numerous methodological and theoretical perspectives. The course explores both the historical development of international politics and how the business of international politics is “done.” The course examines issues such as war and peace, human security, the politics of climate change, and international human rights. The overall goal of this course is to introduce students to the field of International Politics and to make them conversant about the major issues facing the global system in the 21st century. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2160 Sexualities and Screens (4 Credits)

This course offers a critical introduction to the ways that sexual identities and practices are rendered (in)visible within screen-based, digital media culture: television, film, online spaces and platforms, and video games. As a socially contested, disruptive, and liberatory element of social life, sexuality’s mediation offers a lens for us to think about cultural norms, ideologies, and politics, as well as issues related to the commodification of bodies. Throughout the quarter, you will immerse yourself in diverse perspectives, reflective writing exercises, textual analysis, small group discussions, and other active learning measures that will deepen your critical thinking around the intersection of media culture and sexuality. Issues such as sexualization, intimacy coordinators, the mediation of consent, queer digital activism, and the politics of casting will be explored through the lens of Media Studies, Cultural Studies and Intersectional Feminism. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2205 International & Development Communication (4 Credits)

Virtually everywhere we look, whether we are watching a kidfluencer on YouTube, streaming music on Spotify, or scrolling through TikTok, it is evident that we are living in an increasingly interconnected and globalizing world. What does this mean for us as individuals, as Coloradans, as Americans? What does this mean for global humanity? Do we now have a transnational social order and a global culture? If so, what or who is driving this process, and who remains on the sidelines? These are some of the broader questions this class addresses, with an eye toward how media, culture, and communication fit into the larger network of globalization.

MFJS 2210 Introduction to Media and Culture (4 Credits)

Course introduces students to the organization of the U.S. media industries and their historical and contemporary role in U.S. culture. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2220 Popular Music and Social Justice (4 Credits)

What makes popular music a powerful medium for us to “fight the power” and motivate social change, and what hinders it from achieving its full potential? This course examines a range of 20th and 21st century popular music (blues, folk, rock, hip-hop, musicals, etc.) to better understand the complex relationships between music and social (in)justices. Sitting at the intersection of critical media studies, critical race & ethnic studies, popular music studies, and project-based learning, this course examines an array of 20th and 21st century popular music (blues, folk, rock, hip-hop, pop, indie, etc.) to understand the complex relationships between music and social (in)justices.

MFJS 2270 Activist Media (4 Credits)

Various media have played roles in the social and political movements of the past, with social media platforms accelerating the possibilities for intervening in social and political life. Activist media harnesses new communication technologies to resist the domination and limitations of mainstream corporate media, creating new media strategies and messages to promote social change. This class examines the spaces of activist media that have enabled citizens, protesters, journalists, PR professionals, tech developers and hacktivists to harness a diverse range of media tools and platforms for change. It also explores how these platforms have created new risks and challenges, especially for activists. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

MFJS 2280 Politics and Media (4 Credits)

We examine the nature of the media and how media institutions shape the way citizens understand politics. We discuss global media institutions and the role media play in various societies. We explore the role of media in providing information for citizens in a democracy, examine how the media influence the political process, and investigate how the goals of and changes within the media industry influence the effect media coverage has on the political process. Through our study, we explore how the media either enhance or limit the potential for citizens to contribute to democracy. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PLSC 1000 Introduction to American Politics (4 Credits)

Philosophical traditions, historical background, structure and functioning of American government, and political attitudes and behavior. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PLSC 1110 Comparing Politics around the World (4 Credits)

This course introduces students to the study of comparative politics, a sub-field within political science that uses a “comparative method” to compare and contrast countries to understand questions such as Where do ‘states’ come from? Why are only some democratic? How do states promote economic development? Why are some states increasingly rich while others remain poor? Why do people mobilize peacefully to influence politics in some places while they violently attack the established order in others? How do distinct identities rooted in ethnicity, gender, race, and religion influence politics differently around the world? How does globalization affect various countries, and why do some seem to cope with contemporary challenges more effectively than others? This course counts toward the "Scientific inquiry: Society and culture" requirement.

PLSC 1610 Introduction to Political Thought (4 Credits)

This course presents an introduction to some of the key ideas and questions in the study of politics. As an introductory course, it cannot present a systematic overview of the entire study of politics; rather, it seeks to introduce students to some central concerns in the study of politics. In this course we learn about the basic principles of human conduct in social contexts and explain how social scientific methods are used to understand these underlying principles. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PLSC 1810 Introduction to Law and Society (4 Credits)

This course introduces the relationship between law and society, exploring principles of legal conduct in social contexts and explaining how social scientific methods are used to understand these principles. Questions discussed include what is the relationship between the “law-on-the-books” and “law-in-action,” and what can we learn from gaps between formal law and the “real” law that is experienced in society? Empirical examples may include international comparisons and the evolution of law over time. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PLSC 2001 Law and Politics (4 Credits)

Introduces the relationship between law and politics, describing the basic principles of legal conduct in political contexts and explaining how social scientific methods are used to understand these underlying principles. Questions explored may include the following: Where does the law come from? Whose interests does it reflect? Does formal legal change lead to practical political and social change? Why do we comply with the law? What are the limits of enforcement? This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement. It also satisfies the department distribution requirement in law. Prerequisite: sophomore standing & either PLSC 1000, 1110, 1610, or 1810.

PPOL 1910 Introduction to Public Policy (4 Credits)

This class will focus on three main areas. First, we will review the policy-making process in the U.S. and methods of evaluation of critical public policy issues. Second, we will review basic issues with decision-making and their relevance for public policy. Third, we will apply these analytic techniques to some of the most urgent public policy problems, solutions, and tradeoffs we as a society currently confront in the areas such as: government spending, immigration, health care, education, environment, foreign policy. In sum, we will examine a broad range of complex policy choices that our nation faces in this era of remarkable social, economic, and political change. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PPOL 2710 Demography of Public Policy (4 Credits)

Demography is destiny." The consequences for American public policy are profound. America is aging, but becoming more diverse. A society in the midst of dynamic change is a society full of possibilities, but vulnerable to conflict. Values become indeterminate, with traditional communities vying for legitimacy with emergent cultures. Social movements, often populist in nature, challenge the established political order. This course focuses on the delineation of effective public policies to deal with demographic challenges, including (1) immigration policy; (2) the process of assimilation; (3) education; (4) geographic realignment; (5) competitive advantage of the United States relative to the European Union, Russia, and China. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

PSYC 1001 Foundations of Psychological Science (4 Credits)

The goal of this course is to provide a general introduction to psychology examining the biological basis of behavior, perception, learning, memory, developmental transitions, personality, psychopathology, treatment, and social contexts for behavior. After completing this course, students will be able to (1) demonstrate an understanding of the defining principles and perspectives central to the inquiry of psychological science, (2) understand appropriate methods, technologies, and data that social and behavioral scientists use to investigate human functioning and conduct, and (3) develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for social issues considering cultural and social contexts. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

SOCI 1810 Understanding Social Life (4 Credits)

This course is an introduction to the discipline of sociology and to the insights it provides into the human condition. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

SOCI 2250 Criminology (4 Credits)

Social meaning of criminal behavior; relationship between crime and society in particular, how production and distribution of economic, political and cultural resources shape construction of law, order and crime; different types of crime, criminals and victims, and efforts to understand and control them. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

SOCI 2540 Current Social Problems (4 Credits)

We often think about social problems in our social worlds. However, rarely do we consider how certain situations come to be defined as problems and why some "problems" remain a focal point of public attention while others fade, even when the circumstances around that issue have not improved. In this course, we look at these very issues. Using current social problems, we explore how a social phenomenon comes to be seen as a social problem, what is at stake in this process, and how these dynamics matter in terms of thinking about inequality. This course counts toward the Scientific Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.