Elon University - General Studies

GST Interdisciplinary Seminars

These interdisciplinary seminars provide a capstone to the General Studies experience. GST Seminars offer the following:

•advanced subject matter

• an interdisciplinary approach

•advanced, interactive teaching methods

• writing-intensive instruction

•high-level critical thinking

Seminar Application (for faculty)

These seminars help create cognitive dissonance for students. As Meyers points out, "Students cannot learn to think critically until they can, at least momentarily, set aside their own visions of the truth and reflect upon alternatives."

GST seminars also set clear, high-level course objectives and develop assignments that measure these objectives.

GST 300-499. ADVANCED INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINARS
These seminars are the capstone of the General Studies Program. Students work with faculty to examine an issue or topic from multiple viewpoints.The subjects of these seminars are chosen by individual faculty members and vary from semester to semester. More than 25 different topics are offered each academic year.The diverse topics reflect the expertise and interests of faculty from across the campus, and allow students a wide range of choices. These courses require advanced critical thinking skills: students must weigh multiple opinions, evaluate theoretical and ethical positions and define and defend their own personal standpoints. Taken in the third or fourth year of study, these seminars are writing intensive, requiring students to write frequently and in a variety of ways. Prerequisite: Open to students in the third or fourth year of study. Students who have questions about their eligibility should see the director of General Studies.

Selected recent seminars
These topics may, or may not, be offered in the future.

GST 338. AMERICAN ADOLESCENCE

This interdisciplinary seminar explores the male and female experience of coming of age in America. We will study major psychological and sociological theories of adolescence and examine how the transition from childhood to adult life is represented in literature and film. Counts toward the Women's/Gender Studies minor. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)

GST 352. CLASSIC, ROMANTIC, POP

How do your preferences in literature, film, and art compare with those of other people? What styles have been popular in the past? This course asks class members to study past and present tastes as well as to give reasons for their personal tastes. The class examines well-known examples of literature, film, and art, and then looks at questionable examples that ask you to make judgment calls. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)

GST 364. TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

This course will examine what roles the computer and related technologies, such as the Internet, play in contemporary culture. Synthesizing elements of computing sciences with social sciences, film studies and literary criticism, this course investigates the promises and perils of computer technology in contemporary society. Students will reconcile their own experiences using computer technology with the prevailing view of the computer as presented in modern film, fiction and contemporary culture. Topics include video games, cyberpunk, science fiction, artificial intelligence, virtual communities, emerging technologies, and social software. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)

GST 395. THE POLITICS OF BEAUTY

What is beauty? How does beauty function as a political force within society? This class will explore a variety of issues surrounding beauty, including the political implications of beauty norms; the sociology of beauty, including the connections between beauty and racism; the claim that beauty is part of our genetic heritage; and the philosophical claims concerning beauty and justice. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)

GST 412. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: CONTEMPORARY FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES

Freedom of expression is a particularly relevant issue during times of war. We'll explore the tension between the public's right to know and issues of national security. We'll address issues such as hate speech, pornography and campaign finance reform in terms of the value of the speech and benefits and harms to society. We'll also look specifically at new media issues such as libel, privacy and obscenity in the digital age. We'll explore these contemporary first amendment speech and press issues from a legal, historical, economic and political standpoint. The course will begin with first amendment theory and history, which will provide a basis for effective discussion of contemporary problems. Those on the fringe of this issue who challenge the traditional way of thinking about freedom of speech will take a central role in this course. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)


First Year Core Liberal Studies Advanced Studies GST Seminars Faculty Tip Sheets Faculty ELR Foreign Language Requirement Independent Major General Studies Home General Studies Director: Janet Warman AVTL Belk Pavilion 117 336-278-5887 warman@elon.edu Elon Writing Center Writing across the Curriculum	GST Interdisciplinary Seminars These interdisciplinary seminars provide a capstone to the General Studies experience. GST Seminars offer the following: •advanced subject matter • an interdisciplinary approach •advanced, interactive teaching methods • writing-intensive instruction •high-level critical thinking *Seminar Application* (for faculty) These seminars help create cognitive dissonance for students. As Meyers points out, "Students cannot learn to think critically until they can, at least momentarily, set aside their own visions of the truth and reflect upon alternatives." GST seminars also set clear, high-level course objectives and develop assignments that measure these objectives. GST 300-499. ADVANCED INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINARS These seminars are the capstone of the General Studies Program. Students work with faculty to examine an issue or topic from multiple viewpoints.The subjects of these seminars are chosen by individual faculty members and vary from semester to semester. More than 25 different topics are offered each academic year.The diverse topics reflect the expertise and interests of faculty from across the campus, and allow students a wide range of choices. These courses require advanced critical thinking skills: students must weigh multiple opinions, evaluate theoretical and ethical positions and define and defend their own personal standpoints. Taken in the third or fourth year of study, these seminars are writing intensive, requiring students to write frequently and in a variety of ways. Prerequisite: Open to students in the third or fourth year of study. Students who have questions about their eligibility should see the director of General Studies. Selected recent seminars These topics may, or may not, be offered in the future. GST 338. AMERICAN ADOLESCENCE This interdisciplinary seminar explores the male and female experience of coming of age in America. We will study major psychological and sociological theories of adolescence and examine how the transition from childhood to adult life is represented in literature and film. Counts toward the Women's/Gender Studies minor. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY) GST 352. CLASSIC, ROMANTIC, POP How do your preferences in literature, film, and art compare with those of other people? What styles have been popular in the past? This course asks class members to study past and present tastes as well as to give reasons for their personal tastes. The class examines well-known examples of literature, film, and art, and then looks at questionable examples that ask you to make judgment calls. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY) GST 364. TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY This course will examine what roles the computer and related technologies, such as the Internet, play in contemporary culture. Synthesizing elements of computing sciences with social sciences, film studies and literary criticism, this course investigates the promises and perils of computer technology in contemporary society. Students will reconcile their own experiences using computer technology with the prevailing view of the computer as presented in modern film, fiction and contemporary culture. Topics include video games, cyberpunk, science fiction, artificial intelligence, virtual communities, emerging technologies, and social software. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY) GST 395. THE POLITICS OF BEAUTY What is beauty? How does beauty function as a political force within society? This class will explore a variety of issues surrounding beauty, including the political implications of beauty norms; the sociology of beauty, including the connections between beauty and racism; the claim that beauty is part of our genetic heritage; and the philosophical claims concerning beauty and justice. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY) GST 412. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: CONTEMPORARY FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES Freedom of expression is a particularly relevant issue during times of war. We'll explore the tension between the public's right to know and issues of national security. We'll address issues such as hate speech, pornography and campaign finance reform in terms of the value of the speech and benefits and harms to society. We'll also look specifically at new media issues such as libel, privacy and obscenity in the digital age. We'll explore these contemporary first amendment speech and press issues from a legal, historical, economic and political standpoint. The course will begin with first amendment theory and history, which will provide a basis for effective discussion of contemporary problems. Those on the fringe of this issue who challenge the traditional way of thinking about freedom of speech will take a central role in this course. (OPEN TO STUDENTS IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR OF STUDY)