Courses

LIBS 100 - The Craft of Writing (1-2)
A course designed to support study and practice in the craft of writing. This includes expression of facts, ideas and principles of investigation, of organization and effective writing style, while developing analytical reading ability. The course will also address how the craft of writing can become the art of persuasion and self-expression. Pre-requisites: Course restricted to LIBS majors and minors Co-requisite: Enrollment in LIBS 101: The Human Enigma or LIBS 102: In Search of Self. Teaching Mode: Face to Face
LIBS 101 - The Human Enigma (9)

This class is designed to introduce you to the interdisciplinary work of liberal studies and the unique community of the Hutchins School. It concentrates on developing oral and written communication skills by analyzing examples drawn from the aesthetic works of diverse cultures, from ancient to modern civilizations. This course fulfills GE Area C1 (Arts), A1 (Oral Communication) and A2 (Written Communication). Co-requisite: LIBS 103

LIBS 102 - In Search of Self (9)

This course focuses on the individual, exploring how personal history, unconscious processes, and political and historical environments shape the concept of the self. This course develops a fuller understanding of these influences through historical exploration and creative expression, employing materials drawn from psychology, sociology, literature, history, politics and the arts. This course fulfills GE Areas C2 (Humanities), D (Social Science) and E (Lifelong Learning & Self-Development), and American Institutions (US History).

LIBS 160A - Humanities Learning Community (4)

LIBS 160 A/B is a year long course, which features weekly lectures and small seminars. It constitutes a Humanities Learning Community (HLC) for any first-year student. The learning objectives of the HLC will satisfy A3 (Critical Thinking) and C3 (Comparative Perspectives and/or Foreign Languages) GE Areas. C- or better required in the second semester for A3 credit.

LIBS 160B - Humanities Learning Community (4)

LIBS 160 A/B is a year long course, which features weekly lectures and small seminars. It constitutes a Humanities Learning Community (HLC) for any first-year student. The learning objectives of the HLC will satisfy A3 (Critical Thinking) and C3 (Comparative Perspectives and/or Foreign Languages) GE Areas. C- or better required in the second semester for A3 credit.

LIBS 201 - Exploring the Unknown (9)

An investigation of the meaning and limits of knowledge with respect to the nature of the mind and physical reality. These issues are pursued through several different but interrelated fields of study, including literature, art, philosophy, comparative religion, and science. The course considers Newtonian and quantum mechanical theories of physical reality, the religions of various cultures, and the functions of myth. The term includes a section focusing on the nature of human creativity. This course fulfills GE Areas A3 (Critical Thinking), B1 (Physical Sciences), and C2 (Humanities).

LIBS 202 - Challenge and Response in the Modern World (9)

An examination of modern accomplishments and problems that have derived from several sources: the 18th century mechanical models, the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, and the rise of modern economic theories. Asking how it is possible in the 21st century to live a moral life, the course examines the rise of individualism, the tension between personal and social values, the problems of poverty and the distribution of wealth, and the multiple consequences of modern technology upon the human and natural environments. This course fulfills GE Areas B2 (Life Science) w/ Lab Activity, D (Social Science), American Institutions (U.S. Constitution, California State & Local Government), and Critical Race Studies.

LIBS 204 - Minorities in American Cinema (4)
This course is designed to examine the fundamental beliefs, assumptions, and "self-evident" truths that serve as the foundation for American culture, and then to consider those truths in light of challenges provided by multicultural perspectives. Our primary focus will be the representations of racial minorities in American cinema from the beginning of the 20th century up to the present day. Applying an interdisciplinary and multicultural approach, we will investigate the depictions of race, racial identity, and interracial relationships in both mainstream (Hollywood) and alternative cinemas. We will supplement our inquiry through related works of literature and drama, in addition to readings in film theory, film history, and critical cultural studies. Thus, even as we consider the historical truths of American culture, these "truths" will be consistently interrogated and reformulated by examining the representations of minority figures and groups in American cinema. This course fulfills GE Area C1 (Fine Arts, Theatre, Dance, Music, Film) and Critical Race Studies.
LIBS 205 - Topics in American Culture (4)
This course introduces students to important themes in American culture, literature, ethics, and values past and present, using the tools of interdisciplinary inquiry. We will explore a diverse range of textual representations and perspectives and integrate diverse disciplinary approaches together in order to reach a broad-based, humanistic understanding of the subject. Topics vary by instructor. This course fulfills GE area C2(Humanities).
LIBS 208 - Practices of Culture (4)
This course surveys practices of culture through film and/or the visual arts, raising critical questions regarding the intersections of socio-cultural practices and the creative arts in a variety of geographical settings. Topics include artistic and documentary representations of self and other, global politics, popular cultures, and cross-cultural challenges. This course fulfills GE area C1 (Arts).

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