(Required of all photography majors.) An introduction to large-format photography. The course is structured around the 4 x 5 view camera, with projects in portrait, still life, and architectural photography.This course requires six class hours per week.Prerequisite: ART 272.
Advanced image making through an independent study program prearranged with the instructor.This course requires six class hours per week.Prerequisite: ART 344 or 345.
ART 270, 370, 470 are special topics courses on subjects of special interest offered students at different levels in various areas of studio art.This course requires six class hours per week.
Further work in black and white or color; this class will be based upon student needs.This course requires six class hours per week.Prerequisite: ART 374 or permission of the instructor.
A history of the printmaking media from the invention of paper in second century, A.D., China to the printmaking renaissance of contemporary America.Prerequisite: ARH 106 suggested.
An introduction to the aims and methods of museums and curators with special emphasis upon study from original works, connoisseurship, and exposure to practical training.Prerequisite: ARH 106 suggested.
ARH 200 - Art of the Ancient Classical World (Crete, Greece, and Rome)
1 semester,3 Credits(Fine Arts Core)
From Cycladic figures in the Aegean to the Parthenon in Athens; from the frescoes of Pompeii to Christian basilicas and the fall of Rome.Prerequisite: ARH 106 suggested.
Christian, Jewish, and Islamic art in Europe and Byzantium; from the fall of the Jerusalem Temple in the first century to the flourishing of Gothic cathedrals in the 14th century.Prerequisite: ARH 106 suggested.
An introduction to the various movements and trends in painting, architecture, and sculpture, from the end of the 19th century to the present.Prerequisite: ARH 106 suggested.
A study of the varied artistic achievements of Southeast Asian countries from earliest times to the present. The arts of Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam will be examined in relation to their historical and cultural context.
ARH 301 - Development of North American Architecture
1 semester,3 Credits(Fine Arts Core)
A study of North American architecture and the cultural context in which it was produced, from the 17th century to the present.Same as AMS 301.Prerequisite: ARH 106 or permission of the instructor.
This course will introduce major trends in Western, and especially American art post World War II. A variety of media will be addressed, including not only traditional visual arts, but a full range of new genres, as well. Social and cultural context for works of art and the shifts in style will be emphasized.Same as AMS 304.Prerequisite: ARH 106 or 209.
ARH 307 - From Abraham to Alexander: The Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Middle East
1 semester,3 Credits
Introduction to the art and archaeology of ancient Middle Eastern cultures that formed the milieu for the Old Testament Hebrews. Translated texts supplement the analysis of Mesopotamian and Egyptian artistic achievements. Students learn Egyptian and Mesopotamian art from 3500 B.C. to the advent of Christianity.
Intensive focus on an issue within a particular medium through examination of works of art, followed by group or individual fabrication of a relevant object.Prerequisite: ART 101, ART 102, ARH 106, or permission of the instructor.
This course examines the contributions of women to the arts through an analysis of prominent and influential works in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Each artist’s work is considered not only in and of itself, but also as representative of its media, and against a backdrop of historical, sociological, and political circumstances surrounding female achievement.Same as TDF 320 and WMS 320.
This course introduces art history majors to the variety of approaches to the interpretation of art, art history, and material culture. Required course for all art history majors in the first semester of the junior year; open to other advanced students in related fields or with significant art historical background.
Offers advanced students academic credit for a supervised work and learning experience in an art-related organization. Students work with a faculty advisor and on-site supervisor to develop a series of structured assignments and prepare a final report. Interested students should contact the Art and Art History Department as early as possible.Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and department chair, junior or senior status, and major in studio art or art history.
(Required of senior art history majors.) In readings and seminar discussions, students learn bibliographical resources and utilize critical methodologies of the art historian in order to research and write a thesis.
Traditional and modern Asian cultures will be studied from various perspectives. A team-taught interdisciplinary course that surveys historical development, the arts, religion, economics, and politics of such countries as India, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, and countries of Southeast Asia. Course helps students gain appreciation for the rich historical and cultural diversity of Asia and of its continuing importance in the world today.
Topics discussed vary each semester. Each interdisciplinary seminar examines one Asian country from various perspectives. An introduction to the early history of the culture in relation to its neighbors will serve as a background. Considers the arts, economics, history, philosophy, political science, and other social sciences, and studies how these disciplines have impacted the people of the country. Emphasis placed on contemporary culture, including the “diaspora.”
Introductory course intended for science majors. Cell structure, function, and energetics are considered from the molecular and chemical viewpoints. The characteristics of the gene and reproduction are introduced as well as cell differentiation, pathogenesis, and growth. Laboratory work consists of manual and visual experience with selected areas of the topics listed.* See
Represents the second semester of the introductory biology course intended for science majors. Materials covered include the biology of populations and communities; including topics in evolution and their ecological interrelationships. Laboratory work consists of manual and visual experience with these topics.* See
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
Information is necessary in order to understand and act upon problems associated with overpopulation, resource depletion, air and water pollution, acid rain, ozone depletion, desertification, or nuclear wastes. Aims to develop a perspective based on fundamental properties of mass and energy flow through ecosystems. Intended for non-science majors only.
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
Intended to present the principles of human biology designed to promote the understanding of the body. Subject matter will provide students with the ability to make informed decisions in their lives. The course will present cell theory, genetics, evolution, and human ecology. An analysis of the organ systems of the human body and their diseases are discussed.
BIO 124 - Ethnobotany, the Study of the Plants We Use
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
This course will examine the intimate relationship between humans and plants. Students will explore the origin, history, and use of food plants, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants. These plants will be placed not only in a cultural context, but in a biological context as well. A component of this course is occasional field trips. This course is intended for non-science majors.
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
This course considers the microbial world and its interaction with human life. Although the beneficial aspect of microbes is considered, the emphasis is on the role of microbes as causative agents of disease from a public health point of view. Topics include the biology of microbes, a survey of major microbial diseases, antibiotic resistance, biological warfare and terrorism, and immunization.
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
An explanation of evolution at the non-technical level: DNA, proteins, gene mutation, variation, natural selection, and speciation. Digressions include viruses, cancer, genetic engineering, and topical issues. In the second half, macroevolutionary patterns from the history of life on Earth focus on human ancestry but with attention to diversity and extinction events in other kinds of organisms through time.
1 semester,3 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
Explores the role of genes in the construction of gender stereotypes. A foundation in both classical and molecular genetics will be laid as the basis for consideration of the extent to which gender is determined by genes and environmental influences. Intended for non-science majors. Open to science majors as a free elective only, with permission of the instructor.Same as WMS 127.
This course provides an introduction to cell biology and molecular genetics and is intended for sophomore biology majors. The course focuses on four major areas: fine structure of cells, intra- and intercellular communication, energetics, and the molecular organization and transfer of genetic information. Experimental design, methodology, and current biotechnological applications will be considered.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
A lecture and laboratory course emphasizing evolution of general body plan, adult anatomy, and organ system homology. Laboratory dissection includes cats, sharks, and others, plus demonstration specimens. Although premedical students often have an interest in the course, it is intended as a general gateway for all further studies of vertebrate biology without special emphasis on human anatomy or clinical application.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
Human organ systems from an integrated and functional perspective, especially for students preparing for non-medical- school or allied health programs. The laboratory includes cat dissection and human anatomical models as well as latest software technology.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
1 semester,4 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
A survey of the structure, function, and evolutionary relationships of the major plant divisions. Three lectures and one laboratory (for which field trips may be substituted).Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
1 semester,4 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
A course involving the collection, identification, and ecological relationships of plants as observed in nature. One lecture and one six-hour field trip/week.Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Study of the micro anatomy of animal cells, tissues, and select organs/organ systems. The correlation between structure and function is an overriding theme; genetic, molecular and developmental aspects of cells and tissues also will be addressed. Students will learn to recognize and identify cells, tissues and organs, and will refine their light microscopy skills in the lab.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
1 semester,4 Credits(Natural Science Group II Core)
This course familiarizes students with terrestrial and marine tropical biology. A nine-day trip to a tropical destination provides extensive field experience. The trip is a required component of the course. Students are charged room/board and airfare in addition to their tuition.Prerequisites: At least one semester of biology and permission of the instructor.
This course examines a broad spectrum of symbiotic associations – types and characteristics of symbioses, their integrated and interdependent development, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution will be considered.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
More than 95 percent of the animals on the planet earth do not have backbones – they are invertebrates. This course investigates principles of animal design and patterns of phylogenetic relationships among the major animal phyla. The course will combine field and laboratory studies of animal structure and function.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104 or permission of the instructor.
An investigation of marine communities and the important physical and chemical variables influencing marine organisms. Lecture topics will include: effects of the aquatic environment in terms of body form, life history, and ecology; the relationship between physical and biological structure; nutrient cycling; and oceanic productivity. Course combines field and laboratory study at the ecosystem and individual organism level.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104 or permission of the instructor.
Presents the basic principles of classical and molecular genetics with an emphasis on experimental design, data analysis, and problem solving. Recent advances in molecular and human genetics will be discussed with the use of research papers from the literature. Laboratory exercises will introduce students to the basic techniques and experimental protocols of molecular biology and genetics.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
Designed as an introduction to Darwinian evolutionary theories. Topics include the rise of evolutionary biology, molecular and Mendelian genetics, evidence for evolution, natural selection, molecular evolution, adaptation, macro evolutionary change, speciation, fossil record, biogeography, and classification. Intended for biology majors and minors.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104 or permission of the instructor.
Designed to familiarize students with the principles of development in biological systems. In lectures and laboratories, the process of the emergence of mature from less mature stages in the living organism is considered at various levels: molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal. Emphasis on the description and experimental bases of developmental processes.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
The bewildering diversity of living forms on earth has evolved in accordance with basic physical principles. This course examines the physical rules affecting potential designs of living organisms. Course topics include essential size-shape patterns and the mechanics of walking, running, flying, and swimming. Combines field and laboratory studies of animal structure and function.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104 or permission of the instructor.
Animal behavior investigates the mechanisms, ecology, and evolution of actions by animals as well as historical and current perspectives on the study of animal behavior. Emphasis is placed on discussing proximate and ultimate questions about behavior. The laboratory provides instruction on methods for conducting behavioral research, plus field trips.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
Focus on the biology of neurons—their structure, biology, signaling mechanisms, and how they are affected by psychoactive drugs and disease. An emphasis will be placed upon the cellular and molecular approaches to neurobiology. The laboratory will examine the regulation of neuronal activity and development through the use of computer simulations, animal models, and modern research methods.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
The investigation of special problems in biology. The widest freedom of choice of a problem, compatible with the personnel and physical facilities of the department, will be allowed the student. With the permission of the department chairperson, 395 may be elected by highly qualified biology majors on a pass/fail basis only.Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
The investigation of special problems in biology. The widest freedom of choice of a problem, compatible with the personnel and physical facilities of the department, will be allowed the student. With the permission of the department chairperson, 396 may be elected by highly qualified biology majors on a pass/fail basis only.Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
An introductory course designed to familiarize students with the principles and scope of ecology. The ecosystem approach is emphasized. Some consideration is given to environmental pollution and conservation of natural resources. Field trips are designed to acquaint students with the various habitats present in Rhode Island and the neighboring states.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104 and permission of the instructor.
Designed to provide students with an overview of the functional aspects of higher plants: photosynthesis, nutrition, water balance, growth, developmental, and physiological responses to the environment. Emphasis is placed on emerging research and its applications. The laboratory is designed to acquaint students with current experimental techniques in this field.Prerequisites: BIO 103-104.
Covers the basic principles and mechanisms of animal physiology. Emphasis is placed upon nervous systems, sensory mechanisms, endocrine systems, intracellular signaling mechanisms, and muscle contractility. Homeostatic mechanisms and the systems responsible for supply of the internal environment are also discussed. The laboratory consists of mainly experimental procedures of cellular physiology.Prerequisite: BIO 200 or permission of the instructor.
A lecture-laboratory course covering the biology of microorganisms with emphasis on bacteria and viruses. Microbes are important research tools in many areas of cellular biology, as well as in microbiology per se. Lectures and laboratory exercises will be devoted to a survey of the microbial world, bacterial metabolism and growth, viruses, bacterial genetics, and host-parasite relationships as applied to man.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
Students are required to become proficient in the basic preparation techniques of biological materials for transmission and scanning electron microscopy, in the theory and operation of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the transmission electron microscope (TEM), and in the documentation of data derived from these instruments.Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
A study of the physiological mechanisms of bacteria including nutrition, fermentation, metabolism, and nucleic acid synthesis. Emphasis is placed on the synthesis and degradation of bacterial bio-polymers. Some emphasis is placed on environmental changes caused by procaryotic cells.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
Biological systems are subject to regulation and many recent advances have delineated the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation. This course is designed to provide coverage across a broad spectrum of disciplines including genetics, developmental biology, neurobiology, immunology, physiology, and cell biology. Class discussions will focus on readings from the recent scientific literature.Prerequisites: BIO 200, CHM 201-202. CHM 309 recommended.
Study of how humans and other animals defend themselves against invasion by other organisms. Subjects include the fundamental aspects of innate, humoral, and cell-mediated immunity. Emphasis on the molecular and cellular aspects of immunology. Experiments that are germane to the main topics will be discussed.Prerequisite: BIO 200.
This integrated lecture/laboratory course is designed to introduce the subject of biotechnology and current laboratory techniques, as applied to recombinant DNA technology, microbiology, and immunology including electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting, Southern blot, restriction enzyme mapping, and transformation. Additionally, cell culture, nano-technology, siRNA, DNA microarray, FACS analysis, GMO and Ag-biotechnology, stem cells, and bioethics will be included.Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Offers majors an opportunity to explore practical applications of biological principles in the workplace. Students prepare a proposal, obtain site supervisor and department chair approval, and complete an Internship Learning Agreement prior to registration. Minimally, students spend 8-12 hours per week on site, maintain a journal, and complete a paper integrating academic and experiential components.Pass/fail basis only .
Critically examines an advanced topic of contemporary interest to biology students and faculty. Content is variable. The course is offered after consideration by the department faculty and at the discretion of the chair. Junior and senior biology majors will be given preference.4 credit option includes lab component.Prerequisite: At the discretion of the instructor.
Critically examines an advanced topic of contemporary interest to biology students and faculty. A laboratory component adds a hands-on approach to understanding the topic area. Content is variable. The course is offered after consideration by the department faculty and at the discretion of the chair. Junior and senior biology majors will be given preference.Prerequisite: At the discretion of the instructor.
Continuation of 395, culminating in a documented report of progress. With the permission of the department chairperson, 495 may be elected by highly qualified biology majors on a pass/fail basis only.Prerequisites: BIO 395
Continuation of 396, culminating in a documented report of progress. With the permission of the department chairperson, 496 may be elected by highly qualified biology majors on a pass/fail basis only.Prerequisites: BIO 396.
This course familiarizes the student with the foundations of black studies as a scholarly inquiry, introducing the diverse field’s most important theoretical approaches, preparing the student for further courses in black studies while building analytical skills and fostering an understanding of black life and culture in the Americas.
BLS 210 - Topics in African and African-American History
1 semester,3 Credits
Black studies begins with black history. African civilization, technology and trade, European colonialism, slavery, the Civil War, Emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the northward migration, the civil rights movement, Black Power, and black liberation—these are some important periods and themes that structure historical understanding of Africans in the United States.
Social and cultural analysis provides an understanding of the structures and processes of social and political power. This course examines contemporary issues, achievements and problems of African Americans, their families, and their communities, offering both questions and answers about the persistent inequality and conflict that characterize the black experience in the late 20th century.
This course introduces African history and culture as an independent aspect of world civilization. Students consider Afrocentrism, post-colonialism, world systems analysis, dependency theory, colonialism, imperialism, state formation, and cultural exchange. The course shows how distinctive African contributions have shaped, and are shaped by, the world’s cultures.
A study of the history of jazz from African music to contemporary trends and more popular forms. Emphasis will be placed on styles and performers. Analytical listening will be required.Same as AMS 227 and MSC 227.
BLS 230 - Faith and Spirit in the Black Family and Community
1 semester,3 Credits
Covers the many ways in which religious practice and faith have contributed to the development of contemporary African-American society and culture. African and African-American Catholicism, conventional and evangelical Protestantism, Islam, traditional African spirituality, syncretic traditions of the Caribbean and South America, voodoo, and contemporary mysticism are considered.
A survey of city politics in the United States from a variety of theoretical perspectives, using analytical concepts such as social class, pluralism, political economy, and urban regimes. Includes urban elections and party machines, metropolitan development and suburbanization, and racial and ethnic political mobilization. Fulfills the American Politics requirement.Same as PSC 303.
What was it like to be a part of the 1950s and 1960s U.S. civil rights movement? Examines why people join social movements, how they are organized, why they occur when they do, and why they succeed or fail, and offers a critical evaluation of current theories of social and political movements.Same as SOC 304.
An analysis of race and ethnic relations in America with special emphasis on the historical and contemporary experience of Native Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, and European Americans. Sociological theory and data are used to examine the structural sources and effects of racism, prejudice, and discrimination.Same as SOC 305.
Identifies the extent of, and reasons for, such urban problems as poverty, crime, and homelessness in cities such as Providence, New York, Boston, and Chicago. In generating explanations and developing solutions, the course draws on the theories of urban sociologists and on the personal experience of those who confront urban problems.Same as SOC 307.
Historical development of “whitenesses” within the context of colonialism, slavery, imperialism and globalization and their aftermaths as a way of understanding the cultural environments and processes of ethno-racial and gender-sexual identity formation today. Hegemonic whiteness is deconstructed and challenged. Whiteness is examined as an unnamed, unmarked category, “whites are just normal,” that carries powers and privileges.
BLS 320 - Diversity and Culture in Social Work Practice
1 semester,3 Credits
“Cultural competence” includes awareness of one’s own culture-based world view, awareness of the world views of diverse clients, and skills in working across cultural differences. Such competence will be pursued through reflection and dialogue about students’ own cultures and contacts with others of different cultures in reading, cocurricular exploration, and service learning.Same as SWK 320.
Covers the major social problems of contemporary American society. Attention is given to the problems of poverty, racism, sexism, war, the environment, overpopulation, drug use, and crime. An analysis is made of the structural causes and consequences of these issues.Same as SOC 323.
Focuses on sociological analyses of the constructions and reconstructions of African-American women, examining the interrelationships of gender, race, caste, class, racism, and sexism in the United States, past and present. Topics include the family, male-female relations, poverty, discrimination, social movements, with particular emphasis on origins, consequences, social and individual changes and resistance to change, sociological, and feminist theories.Same as AMS 325, SOC 325, and WMS 325.
Analysis of government and politics in selected African countries, focusing on issues of economic liberalization, democratization and good governance, ethnicity, class, gender, youth, conflicts, and civil wars. Emphasis on evolving state-society and civil-society relations within the context of new political structures and democratic institutions. Fulfills the Comparative Government and Politics requirement.Same as PSC 334.
This course surveys theories and policies of developing nations. Attention is given to geography, natural and human resources, the rural and industrial sectors, governmental administration and planning, monetary and fiscal policies, foreign trade and aid, balance of payments, sustainable development (environment and development), integration, and prospects of further development.Same as ECN 335.Prerequisite: ECN 101 or ECN 102.
This survey course will examine the partition of Africa, colonialism, the growth of African nationalism, independence movements, and the politics of the Cold War Social and cultural issues also will be considered.Same as HIS 344.
This course examines the African-American experience from the beginning of the slave trade through Reconstruction. Topics include the establishment of slavery in North America, the development of the cotton economy of the South, the rise of anti-slavery, the experience of free blacks, African-American religious development, and slave resistance.Same as HIS 346.
This course will examine slavery as a cause of the Civil War, emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, black intellectuals and black history, the migration of African Americans from the South, the emergence of the civil rights movement, desegregation, the role of Martin Luther King, the Black Power movement, the persistence of racism, and affirmative action programs.Same as HIS 347.
BLS 365 - Twentieth-Century African American Literature
1 semester,3 Credits
A reading-intensive introduction to 20th century African American fiction, autobiography, drama, and poetry, with particular attention to social and cultural contexts. Writers include Nella Larsen, Ralph Ellison, Amiri Baraka, Toni Morrison, John Edgar Wideman, and Anna Deavere Smith. Focus on race, class, and gender, and on the authors’ approaches to the role of literary art in society.Same as ENG 365.
Advanced, in-depth survey of racial politics in North America, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Considers analytical perspectives such as post colonialism, pan-Africanism, negritude, indigenismo, critical race theory, racial patriarchy, and the “racial contract.” Examines the politics of Indigenous, African-descent, Latino, and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Fulfills either the American Politics or the Comparative Government and Politics requirement.Same as PSC 416.
The Capstone Seminar in Black Studies offers reading, writing, and small-group discussion in a particular aspect of black studies. Seminar topics will vary.Prerequisite: Junior or senior status, or instructor’s permission.