2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Applied Music Study in voice, piano, organ, and the various string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Departmental permission is required for enrollment. Depending on the instructor, students take either thirteen 45-minute lessons or ten 60-minute lessons per semester. A minimum of five hours individual practice time per week is expected from each student. Attendance at recitals, concerts, and/or studio classes may be required. An additional fee is charged for this instruction which is not refundable after the drop deadline. Applied Music may not be taken on a pass/fail basis and may only be taken as an audit when it constitutes an overload and when it does not constitute the initial semester of a student’s applied music study; permission from both the instructor and department chair is required in this exceptional case. Two semesters of Applied Music may be used to complete the general academic requirement in the Arts (AR).
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MUS 901 - Individual Applied Music - First Area Course unit(s): 0.5
Individual lessons. An extra fee is charged.
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MUS 911 - Individual Applied Music - Additional Area Course unit(s): 0.5
Individual lessons in another area. An extra fee is charged.
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MUS 920 - Techniques Course Course unit(s): 0.25
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
Technique development for students involved in the Moravian Music Education Certification Program.
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MUS 931 - Applied Music - Senior Recital I Course unit(s): 0.5
Preparation for a senior recital. An extra fee is charged.
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MUS 932 - Applied Music - Senior Recital II Course unit(s): 0.5
Preparation for a senior recital. An extra fee is charged.
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Performing Ensembles Ensembles are offered only as zero course unit experiences graded on a satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U) basis.
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MUS 935 - College Choir Course unit(s): 0
College Choir is a large mixed chorus, open to all students by audition or permission of the instructor. Previous choral experience and music literacy skills are helpful but not required. Students are introduced to a wide variety of sacred and secular music in various styles and languages. In addition to learning pieces for performance, students also investigate their repertoire in terms of historical context, social significance, religious and philosophical tradition, stylistic interpretation, textual meaning, poetic construction, and music compositional techniques. Singers hone their musicianship skills (hearing, sight-reading, intonation, ensemble awareness), increase their musical vocabulary, expand their stylistic horizons, improve their abilities in diction and text interpretation, and develop a confident and professional stage presence. The College Choir rehearses twice weekly, performs several times each semester, and constitutes the musical core of the annual Candlelight Carols services in December.
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MUS 936 - Chamber Choir Course unit(s): 0
Chamber Choir is a small, select choral ensemble open to all students by audition or permission of the instructor. Advanced musical skills are required. Students are introduced to a wide variety of sacred and secular music in various styles and languages. In addition to learning pieces for performance, students also investigate their repertoire in terms of historical context, social significance, religious and philosophical tradition, stylistic interpretation, textual meaning, poetic construction, and music compositional techniques. Singers hone their musicianship skills (hearing, sight-reading, intonation, ensemble awareness), increase their musical vocabulary, expand their stylistic horizons, improve their abilities in diction and text interpretation, and develop a confident and professional stage presence. The Chamber Choir rehearses twice weekly and performs several times each semester, including the annual Candlelight Carols services in December.
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MUS 937 - Women’s Ensemble Course unit(s): 0
A female-only vocal ensemble open to students by audition or permission of the instructor. Previous choral experience is recommended but not required. The Ensemble meets once a week. Because there are two to four student-led sectionals each semester, students are expected to spend additional time learning music independently. Women’s Ensemble performs concerts of various styles each semester on campus and, occasionally, off-campus.
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MUS 938 - Opera Workshop Course unit(s): 0
The Opera Workshop is designed to give advanced vocalists an opportunity to explore and perform operatic solo and ensemble pieces. Members should be concurrently enrolled for Individual Applied Music or College Choir.
Open to advanced students by instructor permission.
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MUS 939 - Collegium Musicum Course unit(s): 0
The Collegium musicum is a select group of vocalists and instrumentalists. The ensemble is dedicated to the performance of late Renaissance and early Baroque music. Vocalists develop their skills singing one voice per part and instrumentalists perform on period instruments. The Collegium musicum performs one concert per semester.
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MUS 940 - Chamber Orchestra Course unit(s): 0
The Chamber Orchestra consists of 20-30 string players plus winds, brass, and percussion, and performs works from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. The ensemble performs one concert each semester.
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MUS 941 - Musica da Camera Course unit(s): 0
This ensemble performs chamber music for winds and strings from the Baroque to the twentieth century. Rehearsals are collaborative, and students take leadership roles. One concert each semester and special events by request.
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MUS 942 - Wind Ensemble Course unit(s): 0
The Wind Ensemble provides performance opportunities in traditional and contemporary concert music for interested and qualified wind and percussion players.
Open to all students with permission of the director. Rehearsals are held twice weekly. Participation in all performances required.
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MUS 943 - Jazz Big Band Course unit(s): 0
The Jazz Ensemble is a select group of 20-25 members that performs a wide variety of jazz styles. There is one rehearsal a week and several performances take place during the year.
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MUS 944 - Jazz Improvisation Ensemble Course unit(s): 0
This group is devoted to the study and performance of improvised music. Students participating in the ensemble explore traditional, progressive, and experimental forms of jazz in order to develop a wide range of approaches to improvisation. The ensemble performs one concert each semester.
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MUS 950 - Small Ensembles Course unit(s): 0
Various types of small groups including flute ensemble, percussion ensemble, chamber music, etc.
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Neuroscience |
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NSC 115 - Drug Science Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC. Does not count toward the major in neuroscience.
In this course we will engage in a cross-disciplinary study of pharmacology by appealing to biological, sociological, historical, political, and anthropological points of reference. Our first discussions will center largely on the putative mechanisms by which drugs act in the central nervous system. We will also consider how power may define the representation of drugs in society and the resulting consequences for drug regulation. Additionally, we will discuss the relationship of colonialism to drug history, the social forces governing the perceived “moral” status of drug use, and the emerging ethical issues surrounding drug discovery.
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NSC 201 - Mind & Brain Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
The major trajectory of this course is to evaluate the project of neuroscience, and in so doing, assess the possibility that the mind is manifested in and caused by the brain. We will consider neural arguments about various states of mind, including dreaming, language, selfhood, agency, attention, and intention from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. Class discussions will center on working definitions of consciousness, experimental approaches to consciousness and self-knowledge, and dysregulations of mind. A laboratory will explore systems of consciousness from a physiological and phenomenological perspective. Three class hours and one and one-half laboratory hours per week.
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NSC 202, 203 - Embodied Cognition Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC (and is a linked IL when offered as 203).
This course investigates the role of the body in the cognitive work that humans and animals do as they interact with their material and social environment. It challenges traditional “neurocentric” views in which only the brain is required for cognition and the body is merely a vessel for receiving sensations and for following the brain’s instructions. Class meetings will focus on historical and current embodied cognitive science. Labs will feature experimental demonstrations, discussion of primary literature, and the creation of simple cognitive robots (no knowledge of engineering required!).
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NSC 205 - Sex, Gender & the Brain Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
We will explore the biological and neurobiological basis for sex/gender differences across many species, including humans. We will briefly discuss evolutionary explanations: Why did sex evolve? What evolutionary mechanisms lead to sex differences? We will examine genetic, hormonal, and neural explanations. In many species, adults change sex – how does this happen? Are there sex differences in certain parts of the brain? If so, how are these differences related to differences in behavior? How do lived experiences contribute to sex/gender differences? We will examine the social and cultural reasons that neuroscientific studies often ignore the sex/gender of their study subjects, and we will contemplate the consequences of disregarding sex/gender as meaningful characteristics within neuroscience.
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NSC 301, 302 - States of Consciousness Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W when offered as 302.
Prerequisite(s): NSC 201 Mind & Brain or permission of the instructor.
Critically examines the recent attempts by neuroscience to resolve the neural correlates of various states of consciousness. Our class conversations will broadly center on the philosophical and physiological traditions that guide this work. We will closely study the putative neural underpinnings of several states of consciousness, including sleep/dreaming, pain, meditation, ecstasy, and coma; in parallel, we will discuss how the resolution of neural function shapes and is shaped by social structures and cultural meanings.
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NSC 304 - Receptors & Channels Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W.
Prerequisite(s): NSC 311 Neurons & Networks or BIO 220 Biochemistry or permission of instructor.
A critical discussion of the structural and physiological principles of neurotransmitter receptor and ion channel signaling. Course lectures will introduce the foundational theories and methods of molecular pharmacology, biophysics, and structural biology. Topics discussed will include structural determinations of membrane proteins; receptor-ligand interactions; allosteric signaling of receptors; channel kinetics; and protein-protein signaling associations. Relevant primary literature will be introduced through class discussions and independent critical analyses.
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NSC 305 - Hormones & Behavior Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): BIO 165 From Ecosystems to Organisms or permission of the instructor
In this course, we will examine the bidirectional relationship between the nervous system and the endocrine system - how does the brain regulate hormone secretion? How do hormones alter processes within the brain? We will explore how these interactions regulate physiology and behavior across vertebrates. Focusing on the structure and function of the neuroendocrine system, we will discuss neuroendocrine control of a wide variety of processes, including reproduction, appetite, biological rhythms, aggression, and stress responses Through labs, lectures, and class discussions you will become familiar with the modern behavioral neuroendocrinology “technical toolkit” and conversant in the basic elements of experimental design.
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NSC 307 - Neuroscience of Anxiety Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite or corequisite: PSY 101 Introductory Psychology . PSY 215 Biological Psychology or NSC 310 Brain & Behavior are recommended.
Anxiety is not always a bad thing - it pushes us to achieve and helps to keep us alive. Anxiety becomes pathological only when it manifests in extreme or persistent ways. This seminar will examine anxiety from multiple perspectives (biological, psychological, social) and multiple levels of analysis (from molecular to systems). Readings will be based on case studies and empirical literature, and class meetings will follow a discussion-based format. Discussions will examine the distinction between anxiety and fear, neuroanatomical and neurochemical substrates of fear, and the translation of lab-based studies on fear to cutting edge clinical treatments for anxiety.
Neuroscience or Psychology majors only
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NSC 310 - Brain & Behavior Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PSY 101 Introductory Psychology .
An examination of the biological basis of behavior in humans and other animals. Topics discussed will include neuroanatomy; sensory and motor systems; psychopharmacology and drug abuse; motivated behaviors; learning and memory; and neurological and psychological disorders. Research methods of behavioral neuroscience will be introduced through class discussions, relevant primary literature, and laboratory investigations. Three class hours and three laboratory hours per week.
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NSC 311 - Neurons & Networks Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): BIO 175 From Organisms to Molecules .
An exploration of the molecular and cellular foundations of nervous system function. Topics discussed will include the ionic and electrical properties of neurons; the biochemistry of synaptic signaling; structure and function of ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors; neuronal and synaptic plasticity; and the functional regulation of basic neuronal circuits. Research methods of cellular and molecular neuroscience will be introduced through class discussions, relevant primary literature, and laboratory investigations. Three class hours and three laboratory hours per week.
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NSC 401 - CUE: Advanced Seminar in Neuroscience Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W.
Prerequisite(s): NSC 201 Mind & Brain , NSC 310 Brain & Behavior , and NSC 311 Neurons & Networks .
This course serves as a graduate-style seminar for the senior neuroscience major and will stress reading and discussion of primary texts, independent research writing, and critical analysis of timely issues within the field. Topics discussed may include synaptic mechanisms in memory and learning; analysis of simple neuronal circuits; cortical architecture; neuroendocrinology; the neural basis of sleep and dreaming; pain mechanisms and integration; neurogenetics; neural and psychological disorders; and/or the relationship of neuronal function to behavior and consciousness. Three class hours per week.
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NSC 970 - Neuroscience Independent Study/Research
Each independent study/research course is to be designed in consultation with a faculty sponsor.
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Personal and Professional Development |
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PPD 050 - Foundations for Student Success Course unit(s): 0
Meets GAR: Satisfies general academic requirement PD.
This course is designed to develop an understanding of one’s holistic well-being. We will explore topics around your personal development, career development, and understanding of your community responsibilities as well as support services and campus initiatives to enhance your ability to thrive within the Muhlenberg community and beyond. We will use discussions, assignments, and readings to enable you to strive for your highest potential.
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PPD 060 - Career Development and Networking Course unit(s): 0
Meets GAR: PD
How do passion and interests translate to personal development and career pathways? How is your professional identity shaped by your roles and responsibilities in the college community? What is the value of a mentor network in helping you develop and shape your professional identity? How can you showcase and integrate academic and co-curricular accomplishments to help you achieve your career objectives? During this course students will explore these questions through assignments, workshop activities, and mentor network opportunities.
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Philosophy Introductory Courses |
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PHL 104 - Philosophy East & West Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
In this course, we shall explore some of the foundational philosophies of China and of the West. We shall compare world views, focusing on concepts of ‘humanity,’ ‘nature,’ ‘self,’ ‘reality,’ and ‘knowledge’-to explore what similarities, and perhaps more importantly, what differences there are between the ways people have seen themselves in relation to their world in different cultural traditions.
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PHL 105 - Conduct & Character Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An introduction to philosophical ethics. Students explore standards of ethical conduct, principles of fairness, moral virtue, and human well-being. Questions examined include: how should we understand and define the notion of right action? What makes a distribution fair or just? What constitutes human well-being? What are the core elements of virtues like compassion, gratitude, empathy, and altruism? How do such virtues support and enhance human flourishing?
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PHL 106 - Individual & Society Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An introduction to the field of philosophy through an exploration of selected problems in socio-political theory with special attention to those that confront us in contemporary social life. These might include the grounds for political authority, the nature of individuals and social groups, our knowledge of the social good, and the comparative roles of reason, power, and wealth in human relations. Specific topics may vary.
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PHL 108 - Being & Knowing Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An inquiry into the nature of reality and knowledge. What sort of thing is the universe? Is it composed solely of matter, or does it contain immaterial things like spirits? How can we tell? Is sense experience the only source of knowledge, or are there other ways of knowing? Why are we here? Were we created by God as part of a divine plan, or did we come into being as the result of purely natural processes? Is there a God? If so, what sort of being is he (she) (it)? What kind of creatures are we? Do we have a soul that will survive the death of our bodies, or will we cease to exist when our bodies die? Do we have free will? Are we masters of our destiny, or are our actions caused by forces beyond our control? We will trace the progression of philosophical thinking on these issues from their earliest formulations to the present day. Readings will include selections from both classic and contemporary philosophers.
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PHL 115 - Philosophy of Race Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
In this course, we will explore the philosophical assumptions behind the concept of race, its entanglement with identity, and the political consequences of racialization. Students will examine how race/raza developed within colonial anthropology and expanded into both biological and social formulations. Because concepts of race vary across cultures, we will draw from readings across historical, contemporary, and possible future racial categories.
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Logic |
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PHL 110 - Principles of Reasoning & Argument Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement RG.
A study of the principles and methods of correct reasoning. The course is designed to promote the development of skills in recognizing, analyzing, and evaluating arguments. Both deductive and non-deductive inferences will be considered; identification of common fallacies in reasoning will be emphasized.
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PHL 211 - Formal Logic Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement RG.
The formal analysis and assessment of deductive arguments using modern symbolic logic, including propositional and predicate logic.
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History of Philosophy |
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PHL 221 - Ancient Greek Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
This course examines the beginnings of Western philosophy by studying the enduring philosophical issues in the works of Plato and Aristotle, with brief attention to their origins in pre-Socratic writings. We will focus on theories of poetry and art; soul/mind (psuche); love, friendship, and emotion; ethics and politics. We will read works such as Plato’s Apology, Symposium, Republic and Timaeus; and Aristotle’s Poetics, Nicomachean Ethics, De Anima (On the Soul), and Politics.
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PHL 223 - Modern Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
European philosophical thought during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A study of some of the most important attempts to formulate a systematic world-view consistent with modern science and its implications for an understanding of persons, knowledge, and society. Included are the continental rationalists Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz; the British empiricists Locke, Berkeley, Hume; and the critical idealism of Kant.
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PHL 226 - American Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
A survey of American philosophical thought from the Colonial era through the twentieth century with special emphasis on the moral foundations of our political system, the history and development of the women’s and civil rights movements, the transcendental themes of individualism and optimism, and the meaning and value of religious and aesthetic experience. Readings drawn from the works of Jefferson, Franklin, Thoreau, Emerson, DuBois, Stanton, King, James, and Dewey among others.
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PHL 325, 326 - Nineteenth and Twentieth Century European Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W when offered as 326.
European philosophical thought during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A study of some significant issues and projects- such as the developments of Marxism, existentialism, and critical social theory- in the wake of Kant’s ‘critical’ philosophy and in a society increasingly shaped by scientific and industrial development. Readings will include selections by Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, de Beauvoir, and Fanon. *Note: This course will take a more literary approach.
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Contemporary Areas and Movements |
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PHL 229 - Phenomenology Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
In the twentieth century phenomenology emerged as a new and powerful philosophical program. At its core lay the impulse to reveal the reality that gets obscured by one-dimensional activity and “everyday” thinking. The thinkers who carry out this project reveal both similarities in method and provocative variation in results. For example, some phenomenologists ground reality in the first-person experience of time, whereas others privilege the spatial experience of persons in being with others. We will examine historical and contemporary variations of phenomenology and read figures such as Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Alia Al-Saji, Lewis Gordon, and Elizabeth Grosz.
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PHL 231 - Philosophy of Language Course unit(s): 1
In this course, we shall reflect on the nature of language, communication, and meaning. We shall use the pragmatist Peirce, and the founder of linguistics, Ferdinand de Saussure, as our guides, and will look briefly at the influential ideas of Chomsky. We then engage in an extended examination of contemporary challenges in linguistics and the philosophy of language, focusing largely on the philosophy of Wittgenstein. We also incorporate contemporary empirical scientific research on language in our philosophical reflections.
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PHL 233, 234 - Philosophy of Religion Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and is a cluster course and linked (IL) course when offered as 233.
An examination of the nature of religion, the meaning of religious claims, and the justification of religious beliefs. The views of both religious adherents and critics will be studied. Primary focus will be on the twentieth century writings in the attempt to explore the possibilities of intellectually responsible religious commitment in the contemporary world.
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PHL 236 - Philosophy & the Arts Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
Art works and aesthetic objects are frequently held up as some of the most civilized and civilizing components of any society or community. Foundations preserve their contribution to identity and heritage, museums prolong their status in cultural memory, and institutions receive and distribute funding to ensure their continued role in education and social values. Yet art and aesthetics can also serve as powerful vehicles of critique and disobedience–sometimes attacking these very foundations, museums, and institutions, in addition to government and other individuals and bodies of power–in any given community or polity. In this course we will explore this double nature of art as both civil and disobedient. Readings will include authors and aesthetic genres from groups and geographic locations historically underrepresented in philosophy. Topics include race representation, gender identity, and class difference; classicism, modernism, and postmodernism; street art, kitsch, junkyards, jokes, and mass art, among others.
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PHL 237 - Philosophy of Science Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An examination of the goals, methods, and assumptions of modern science. What distinguishes scientific explanations from non-scientific ones? How are scientific theories discovered and confirmed? What criteria of adequacy are used to decide between competing scientific theories? Are all sciences reducible to physics? Has physics proven that the world does not exist independently of our consciousness? Does science give us objective knowledge of the world? Is science a religion?
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PHL 258 - Coloniality & Catastrophe Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
This course explores the relationship between coloniality, ecology and disaster. Students will examine a variety of theoretical and literary sources that deploy or refute tropes of the “end of the world” while also exploring what makes a disaster man-made or natural. Here the past, present and future will be critically interrogated. Readings will include works by Aime Cesaire, Frantz Fanon, Anibal Quijano, as well as Jane Gordon and Lewis Gordon.
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PHL 328, 338 - Philosophy of Mind Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU (and W when offered as 338).
Prerequisite(s): Any previous course in philosophy or NSC 201 Mind & Brain .
This course is a survey of the fundamental issues, controversies, and methods in contemporary philosophy of mind. Topics will include the relation between the mental and the physical, the problem of consciousness, perception, intentionality, mental causation, and the self. The course will also examine various methods for studying the mind, such as phenomenology, conceptual analysis, and natural scientific approaches.
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PHL 331, 336 - Evidence and Inference Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W when offered as 336.
Prerequisite(s): Any previous course in philosophy.
This class explores the nature, scope, and sources of human knowledge and analyzes the role of evidence in belief formation, hypothesis testing, and theory selection. Diagnostic, explanatory, and causal inferences are studied, as well as predictive, and sample-to-population induction. Questions explored include: What is knowledge, and how is it acquired? What makes some beliefs more reasonable than others? What should we believe when evidence conflicts? How are hypotheses confirmed and disconfirmed? How do social location and intellectual virtue facilitate inquiry and discovery?
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PHL 332 - The Fabric of Reality Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W.
Prerequisite(s): Any previous course in philosophy.
An inquiry into the ultimate nature of reality and our relationship to it. What sorts of things exist? Does the world consist solely of material objects or does it also contain immaterial objects such as God, souls, or numbers? What is the relationship between the mind and the body? Do humans have free will? Can humans survive the death of their bodies? Do our best theories reveal the truth about reality or do they merely reveal the ideological biases of the dominant group? Topics may include realism vs. anti-realism; nature of space and time; persons, minds, and free will; the problem of universals; and the existence of God.
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Global Philosophies |
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PHL 250 - Philosophies of India Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirements HU and DE.
A foundational course that explores the central schools of Indian philosophy, including Vedanta, Samkhya, Nyaya, Jaina, and Buddhist thought. We will examine the arguments of competing metaphysics (theories of reality), epistemologies (theories of knowledge), logic, philosophies of mind, and the ways of life that they recommend.
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PHL 251 - Philosophies of China Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirements HU and DE.
In this class we shall explore the most foundational philosophical systems and concepts of early China. These philosophical theories continue to influence thought and culture throughout East Asia to this day. We will explore the political, ethical, and psychological theories of Confucius, his grandson Zi Sizi, and of his followers Meng Zi and Xun Zi. We will contrast them with the Daoist Philosophies of the Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, which meditate on the relationship between humans and the natural world. We will also explore other philosophical schools, including the Mohists and the Legalists, who believe that humans are selfish and need to be controlled with laws and punishments.
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PHL 254 - Caribbean Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
This course will introduce students to the rich tradition of philosophical ideas in the Caribbean. In particular, students will explore normative, metaphysical, and political questions that are unique to this geography due to twin effects of colonialism and modernity. This includes examining to varying degrees chattel slavery, revolutions, hurricanes, earthquakes, dictatorships, tourism and military occupation. Readings will include works by Édouard Glissant, Sylvia Wynter, Paget Henry, Jamaica Kincaid, and Franz Fanon.
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PHL 256 - Africana Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
Africana Philosophy refers to the thoughts and ideas produced by African and African-descended groups—which includes Afro-Latinos, African-Americans, and Luso-Africans, among others—under the disordered conditions of modernity. Due to these struggles, three important themes have come to structure Africana philosophy: freedom (what is “Freedom” given that it can be consistent with institutional slavery and colonialism?), philosophical anthropology (what is “Humanity,” or what does it mean to be human, if this term has not been extended universally?), and meta-critiques of reason (what is “Reason” given that it can function as a tool of oppression?).
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PHL 351 - Daoist Philosophies Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W.
Daoist philosophy emphasizes the importance of simplicity, spontaneity, and naturalness. It promotes a way of life in which humans learn from and live in tune with the natural world. It has influenced the development of East Asian art, literature, Chinese medicine, physical discipline, and the martial arts. We will study and engage critically with the theories of three important Daoist texts: the Lao Zi, also known as the Daodejing, the Zhuang Zi, and the Lie Zi.
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Ethics and Social Theory |
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PHL 227 - Philosophy of Feminism Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
This course examines the historical development and current state of feminist theory as both a critical perspective and an area of systematic inquiry. We will investigate feminist models of knowledge construction, political theory, gender theory, and ethics as they intersect with each other and drive further the development of feminist theory. We will focus on postcolonial, global, and transnational feminisms.
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PHL 239 - Political Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An examination of central issues and concepts in political philosophy in the work of historical and contemporary thinkers. Topics may include the meaning and value of liberty, equality, and justice; competing political perspectives such as anarchism, liberalism, conservatism, fascism, etc.; debates within particular perspectives; the grounds of political legitimacy and of political obligation.
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PHL 241 - Biomedical Ethics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An examination of the ethical issues raised by such practices as abortion, euthanasia, birth control, life prolonging techniques, human experimentation, recombinant DNA research, and cloning. How might such practices affect the individual and society? Are such practices ethical? Do patients and/or doctors have a right to refuse treatment? What considerations are relevant in making life or death decisions? How should scarce medical resources be allocated?
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PHL 242 - Law & Morality Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU.
An examination of issues at the intersection of law and morality. Readings drawn from historical and contemporary thinkers as well as from legal texts. Topics may include the legitimate extent of legal control of individuals; the relation of legal validity and moral value; the role of moral reasons in judicial decision making; the nature of legal justice; legal obligation and forms of disobedience.
Not suitable for first year students
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PHL 244, 245 - Business Ethics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and when offered as 244 is a cluster course.
A survey of ethical issues that arise in the context of business. Topics include corporate social responsibility, consumer protection, moral and legal rights in the workplace, the meaning and value of work, supply chain ethics, environmental stewardship, and international business, among others. Issues are examined from individual, organizational, and social points of view; core concepts of ethical theory and political philosophy will structure and guide inquiry. Emphasis placed on critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and informed decision making.
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PHL 246 - Environmental Philosophy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement HU and DE.
Examination of several theoretical approaches to the question of human relations with the nonhuman world and to associated questions about valuation, society, and morality. Theoretical approaches include utilitarianism, Kantianism, and right-based moralities, along with contemporary developments such as biocentrism, critical social theory, ecofeminism, and deep ecology. Attention will be given to global South, non-Western, and transnational perspectives. Applied topics include sustainability and our responsibilities to future generations, population ethics and consumerism, environmental racism and indigenous rights, the moral considerability of animals, plants, and inanimate material, and moral issues surrounding climate change.
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PHL 249 - Neuroethics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirements HU and W.
Advances in neuroscience, biochemistry, and genetics have brought a new set of ethical questions to the fore. We now have the ability to not only monitor brain functioning in real time (through such devices as PET scanners and MRIs) but also to alter the structure of the brain (through drugs, surgery, implants, genetic engineering, etc.). But the brain is the seat of the mind; it directly affects how we think, feel, and act. Any change in brain structure can have a profound effect on the self. In this course we will examine the ethical implications of the new brain scanning and brain altering technologies. How should they be used? How should they be regulated? For example: If we could identify people with brain structures that are highly correlated with violent behavior, should we force them to undergo treatment? If brain scanning can reliably tell when people are lying, should that evidence be used in court? If brain-altering procedures can erase memories, increase intelligence, or alter personalities, when, if ever, should they be used?
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PHL 333, 334 - Ethics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W when offered as 334.
Prerequisite(s): Any previous course in philosophy.
Examination of the theoretical structures and historical movement of predominantly western moral theories as well as of recent critical responses to traditional approaches. Perspectives typically covered include ancient and modern virtue theories, utilitarianism, Kantianism and its descendants, the critical views of Nietzsche or Marx, and contemporary Anglo-American work. Related issues, such as indeterminacy, pluralism, and the nature of moral judgment are also addressed.
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CUE Seminar |
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PHL 450-499 - CUE: Seminar Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W.
An investigation into a selected philosophical problem, text, thinker, or movement carried on by readings, discussions, and papers. The seminar is designed to provide majors, minors, and other qualified students with more than the usual opportunity to do philosophy cooperatively and in depth.
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Individualized Instruction |
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PHL 960 - Philosophy Internship Course unit(s): 1
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PHL 970 - Philosophy Independent Study/Research
Each independent study/research course is to be designed in consultation with a faculty sponsor.
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Physics |
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PHY 100-110 - Physics for Life Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): No mathematical preparation beyond secondary school algebra and geometry is required.
Physics for Life is a collection of courses that introduce students to the concepts of physics and physical science. Through in-depth study of simple physical systems, students gain direct experience with the process of science. Each course in this collection concentrates on one or more topics, including but not limited to the following: properties of matter, heat and temperature, light and color, magnets, electric circuits, fluids, and motion. These courses are designed for students who do not intend to pursue further study or a career in physics or physical sciences.
The courses are not open to students who have completed PHY 121: General Physics I or PHY 122: General Physics II without permission of the instructor.
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PHY 101 - Circuits, Science, & the World Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
This course uses the study of electric circuits to introduce elements of the scientific method, including the construction of scientific models, testing of hypotheses, and problem solving with the use of a validated hypothesis. The majority of the course is conducted via guided inquiry with students largely formulating, testing, and refining their own hypotheses and very little traditional lecture. A second theme of the course is scientific literacy and how to think about scientific issues that can impact our day-to-day lives. One or more topics of current interest such as global climate change will be examined through the same lens as applied to circuits: What are the predictions of the relevant scientific models, and how well do they match the data? This course satisfies the environmental perspective for EDU certification.
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PHY 102 - Theory to Tech Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
An activity-based course designed to allow students to investigate some of the most ubiquitous features of the natural world such as light and sound. Using both laboratory equipment belonging to the College and student purchased electronics kits, topics as diverse as color perception and audio speakers will be explored. Online tools made available on Canvas will serve as the mechanism for students to undertake the activities, and extensive use will be made of both simulations and the mobile laboratory platform made available by the kits. Along the way, students will learn about electrical circuits, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, and climate change. This course satisfies the environmental perspective for EDU certification.
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PHY 103 - Heat, Buoyancy, & Climate Change Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
This course is a lab-based, inquiry driven introduction to concepts in physical science. The course focuses on heat, temperature, and buoyancy and their relationship to issues influencing global climate change. Students will develop fundamental scientific ideas through activities modeling scientific investigation. No mathematical preparation beyond secondary school algebra and geometry is required. This course satisfies the environmental perspective for EDU certification.
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PHY 104 - Light, Color, & Electric Circuits Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
This course is a lab-based, hands-on introduction to basic concepts in physical science involving light, color, and electric circuits. Students will analyze simple systems in detail and through observations, develop basic physical concepts. A guided inquiry approach is utilized with an emphasis on scientific reasoning and the process of going from observations to conclusions. Students will work with different ways to represent physical ideas: in words, with diagrams, with formulas, and with graphs. Students will relate these ideas to real-world situations. Investigation of electric energy in circuits serves as a bridge to explore environmental aspects of energy usage. This course satisfies the environmental perspective for EDU certification.
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PHY 111 - Introduction to Astronomy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
A study of the structure, motions, and evolution of the bodies of the physical universe. Emphasis is given to understanding physical principles and the techniques used by astronomers to study the universe. Topics of special interest include the structure of the solar system, the properties of stars, stellar evolution and collapse, the structure of galaxies, and cosmology.
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PHY 113 - Cosmology: The Scientific Exploration of the Universe Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
We are continually seeking the answers to the age-old questions about the origin, age, composition, structure, and ultimate fate of the universe. Just as the cosmos is changing, our views of the cosmos are changing as new observations and interpretations emerge. This course will examine the generally accepted cosmological models and the personalities responsible for these models from the time of the ancient Greeks up to the present. Each will be examined in light of the observational data available at the time. Primary emphasis will be given to understanding the most current observations about the universe and the prevailing inflationary Big Bang model of the universe.
Offered as a course designed for Muhlenberg Scholars.
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PHY 121 - General Physics I Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MTH 121 Calculus I
An introductory, calculus-based physics course. Discussions, demonstrations, and problem solving are emphasized during lecture periods. The activity-based component meets in the laboratory where concepts are explored through experimentation and other hands-on activities. Follow-up discussions, demonstrations, and problem solving are emphasized during lecture periods. Topics covered include one and two-dimensional kinematics and dynamics, momentum, energy, rotational kinematics and dynamics.
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PHY 122 - General Physics II Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
Prerequisite(s): PHY 121 General Physics I .
Topics covered are electrostatics, dc circuits, magnetism and electromagnetic induction, wave optics, ray optics. Follows the same weekly format as General Physics I.
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PHY 140 - The Physics of Music Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SC.
Prerequisite(s): MUS 111 Music Theory I or permission of instructors.
The Physics of Music is designed for students with an interest in the phenomena of sound. This inquiry-based course offers hands-on activities to relate the physics of sound to the students’ everyday experiences of music. The theoretical principles of music, the ways composers write, the design of musical instruments, and our perceptions of music all have their foundations in physics. By studying the physical principles of simple harmonic motion, resonance, harmonic series, waveforms, Fourier analysis and electronic synthesis, we will relate the science of sound to the art of music. Does not count toward the physics major or minor.
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PHY 213 - Modern Physics Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 General Physics II .
An introduction to twentieth century developments in physics with an emphasis on the special theory of relativity, Rutherford scattering, introduction to quantum theory, atomic structure, and nuclear energy.
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PHY 216 - Analog & Digital Circuits Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 General Physics II .
Through a mix of laboratory and classroom work students will build and analyze analog and digital circuits found in many scientific and computer applications. Specific topics include passive and active filters, electronic feedback, operational amplifiers, oscillators, A/D and D/A conversion, digital waveshaping, and instrumentation.
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PHY 226 - Optics: From Lenses to Lasers Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 - General Physics II .
The student will explore the field of optics, starting with the fundamentals of waves and electromagnetic theory through geometrical and physical optics and culminating in the study of selected topics from modern optics. The modern topics may include lasers, optical data processing, holography, or nonlinear optics. This course meets for two hours, twice a week, and will be taught in a laboratory/discussion format.
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PHY 235 - Nuclear & Particle Physics Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 - General Physics II
Elementary particles are the building blocks of nature. The “standard model” describes the interaction of these building blocks and constitutes the most comprehensive understanding of the physical world in existence. An overview of the standard model will be presented as well as topics in nuclear physics. Discussion and hands on experience with particle detectors will be included.
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PHY 241, 242 - Thermal & Statistical Physics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement W when offered as 242.
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 General Physics II .
The laws of thermodynamics, their consequences, and applications. Kinetic theory of an ideal gas and an introduction to statistical mechanics.
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PHY 250 - Simulating Science Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 121 General Physics I .
Computer simulations are an integral part of contemporary basic and applied science and computation is becoming as important as theory and experiment. The ability “to compute” is now part of the essential repertoire of research scientists. This course will introduce students to methods of computer simulation with applications to physics, biology, chemistry, and environmental science. Possible topics include chaotic dynamics (physics), how populations change with time (biology), the kinetic theory of gases (chemistry), and the change over time of pollution levels in lakes (environmental science). No programming experience is necessary. Elements of structured programming will be presented as needed.
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PHY 319 - Analytical Mechanics Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 122 General Physics II and MTH 122 Calculus II .
A detailed study of the kinematics and dynamics of particles, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian formulations of classical mechanics will be considered with applications to oscillators, gravitation, projectile motion in the presence of frictional forces, and motion in electromagnetic fields. Einstein’s theory of special relativity will also be studied.
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PHY 329 - Electromagnetism Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 319 Analytical Mechanics .
A study of electrostatics, magnetostatics, electrical currents, and their effects. Maxwell’s equations are derived. Vector methods are stressed and field notation is used.
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PHY 341 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): PHY 213 Modern Physics and PHY 319 Analytical Mechanics .
Origin of quantum concepts; the wave function and its interpretation; the Schrodinger equation; treatment of the free particle; potential barriers and wells; the linear harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom. Representation of dynamical variables as operators and matrices; introduction to perturbation theory.
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PHY 970 - Physics Independent Study/Research
Each independent study/research course is to be designed in consultation with a faculty sponsor.
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Political Economy and Public Policy |
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PEP 960 - Political Economy Internship Course unit(s): 1
Internship
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Political Science Courses in political science are numbered as follows:
| 100 - 199 |
Introductory courses open to all students; required for the major. |
| 200 - 299 |
Intermediate courses normally open to students beyond the first semester of college. |
| 300 - 499 |
Advanced courses with previous course work in political science normally required; usually require a significant research project or sustained high-impact experience (e.g., simulations, service learning, etc.). |
Political Science courses are grouped into six thematic areas:
- Policy Studies
- States, Conflict, and Culture
- Problems in Democracy
- Institutions and Processes
- (In)Equality, Justice, and Power
- Citizenship and Political Engagement
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PSC 101 - Introduction to American National Government Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
This course examines the constitutional foundations, institutions, and processes of American national government. Key issues explored include relationships between, and powers among, the main institutions of government - Congress, the Presidency, the Judiciary; citizenship and political behavior; campaigns and elections; political parties; the media; interest groups; and a range of contemporary public policy issues.
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PSC 103 - Introduction to Comparative Politics & International Relations Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
The course provides a basic introduction to core concepts and problems in the fields of international relations and comparative government. Key issues explored in the course include how and why nation-states apply their power to act cooperatively, why they occasionally resort to violence to settle disputes, and how and why states differ in their organization and in their relationship between citizen and government.
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PSC 105 - Political Ideologies Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Intended for those planning to major or minor in political science.
An examination of the philosophical and historical foundations of major political ideologies of the modern era. Students will investigate how ideologies make claims about human nature, history, and the state; how they attempt to understand the relationship between socio-economic conditions and the state; how they envision a just political order; and how they prescribe and justify programs of action. Among the ideologies examined: liberalism, civic republicanism, conservatism, socialism, communism, anarchism, nationalism, fascism, Nazism, fundamentalism, and feminism.
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PSC 205 - Constitutional Law I Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: PSC 101 recommended but not required.
An examination of the origins of and limitations on judicial review; the constitutional sources of national authority with special focus on the nature and scope of the commerce and tax powers; the constitutional limitations on presidential and congressional power; and selected First Amendment freedoms.
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PSC 207, 208 - Constitutional Law II Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL (and W when offered as 208).
An examination of the incorporation of the Bill of Rights; the rise and demise of substantive due process; the concept of state action; federal enforcement of civil rights; the nature and scope of equal protection of the law; and selected First Amendment freedoms.
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PSC 209 - Elections & Campaigns in the United States Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
This course examines American elections, campaigns, and voting behavior within the broader context of political representation and electoral systems. Attention is provided to the rules, strategies, and behaviors governing elections in the United States and the internal and external factors influencing the American voters’ decision-making process. Ongoing political campaigns will play a major role in this course with students engaged in numerous exercises related to the various elections taking place during the semester.
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PSC 213 - Public Health Policy Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
The course is a survey of contemporary issues related to the provision of public health policies in the United States. From disease control to the provision of health insurance, government plays a central role in the field of American health care. This course provides attention to numerous aspects of government interaction in the area of health policy, including the funding of research, regulation of pharmaceuticals, management and prevention of epidemics, and the provision of medical insurance. The class is designed for students interested in pursuing careers related to public health or with a general interest in the field. Course requirements include research projects and required service experiences in local health care locations, such as Allentown’s health department and local medical clinics. The class will also include a simulation that examines the decision making process that is used by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in addressing a potential outbreak of an infectious disease.
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PSC 216 - Environmental Politics & Policymaking Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
A study of recent and contemporary U.S. environmental policy and its formulation. The course examines the political and institutional settings and constraints on the formulation of environmental policy, including the role of the President, Congress, the courts, bureaucracy, state governments, and interest groups. Attention will also be given to theoretical issues as they arise out of, and influence, the policy making process. In addition, the course will examine the interaction of global environmental problems and domestic policy making.
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PSC 219, 220 - Public Administration & Policy Implementation Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL (and W when offered as 220).
An examination of the theory and practice of managing the public sector with emphasis on the politics of administration, organization structures, communications, decision-making systems, budgeting processes, and personnel management.
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PSC 223 - Political Organization & Democratic Voice: Parties, Interest Groups, & Citizens in U.S. Politics Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL.
This course examines the bonds between citizens, political elites, and political institutions in the US with an eye toward examining opportunities for political voice in American democracy. Areas of inquiry include political parties, interest groups, and social movements in the context of emergent issues such as: gun control, immigration, populism, criminal justice reform, health care, and US elections.
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PSC 229, 230, 231 - Islam, Populism, and Political Change in Europe Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL and DE (and W when offered as 231, IL when offered as 229).
This course examines contemporary European government and politics from a broad and thematic perspective. The course focuses on three processes that have had an important impact on the shaping and reshaping of contemporary European government and politics: the causes and consequences of the resurgence of populist far right political parties; the challenge of Islam and increasing numbers of Muslim immigrants to European conceptions of secularism and identity; and the process and challenges to European integration.
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PSC 232 - Governments & Politics of East Asia Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR: Meets general academic requirement SL and DE.
Analysis of the contemporary political systems of East Asia, primarily China and Japan, in their social and cultural settings, historical background, and dynamics of modernization.
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