Courses for New College

This seminar is to be completed by all Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences students with 90 or more credit hours. This course gives student the opportunity to practice interdisciplinary and integrative methods of scholarship while deepening and refining knowledge of their individual study areas. This course serves as a culminating learning experience, which is integrative, reflective and transitional. Students will complete one paper that reflects upon the interdisciplinary nature of their degree. In addition, students will create and present a portfolio in which they collect and curate work and reflect upon the challenges, learning, and experiences of their undergraduate college career.

Designed to help current and prospective New College students become more informed about the University and about the interdisciplinary studies degree so that they may maximize their opportunities in their undergraduate programs through New College.

In an increasingly polarized world, being an engaged citizen requires skills for resolving the conflicts inherent in a diverse democratic society. Sustained Dialogue (SD) is a five-stage dialogue-to-action model that focuses on transforming change-blocking relationships in order to address issues of social and political differences more effectively. Students will learn the principles and practices of Sustained Dialogue, and they will develop skills for participating in and moderating positive, productive exchanges on challenging topics.

This experiential, service-learning seminar will focus on biodiversity and introduce students to our local environment, local environmental issues, related global environmental issues, and UA’s environmental faculty.

American society today features more cultural acceptance and legal protection than ever before for sexual and gender diversity, but we don’t always know how to live out these changing norms and how to talk about controversial sexual material in the public sphere. This course engages debates around sexuality as central to human behavior and to social structures, in both America and the world. It provides an overview of the “new sexual revolution” and the growing interdisciplinary field of sexuality studies. The course adopts a consent-based model of sexual wellbeing. Its approach is sex-positive—aiming toward sexual justice, responsibility, and pleasure—within a classroom that functions as an open and affirming space for discussion and learning. Students gain the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and cultural competence to evaluate for themselves issues of sexuality in society.

In this course (designed by the student and his or her advisor using the out-of-class learning contract), the student agrees to participate in some form of physical activity that might result in a lifelong interest. These include jogging, swimming, cycling, etc. This course will frequently include a reading requirement relating to the activity.

Introductory course in the humanities (art, literature, music, etc.) with a focus on problem solving, risk taking and communication. Human behavior and writing skills are stressed.

This interdisciplinary seminar uses creativity as an organizing principle. Human culture and consciousness are explored through reading, writing, the arts, projects, studios, and discussion.

This honors interdisciplinary seminar uses creativity as an organizing principle. Human culture and consciousness are explored through reading, writing, the arts, projects, studios, and discussion.

Considers perspectives on environmental studies within the humanities by examining key texts of environmental literature.

This fine arts seminar uses creative work with digital tools as its organizing principle. Human culture, the creative process, and creative expression are explored through written texts, digital media, research, oral and written reports, journals, and individual and group projects. The class goal is to gain a deeper understanding of creativity, innovation and interdisciplinarity in the arts by using computer technology to make creative work. Students will learn through research, hands-on work on creative projects and collaborative work with peers.

An intensive, hands-on course in organic farming taught at a local working farm. Covers the basics of organic farming while also addressing questions about organic versus industrial agriculture models in relation to current environmental problems and solutions.

This course engages students in the study of environmental problems and solutions. It includes an examination of fundamental assumptions about the ethical human-nature relation and of how to value nature. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

This seminar explores significant social problems in contemporary society and the complex ways in which social change occurs. Students investigate and seek solutions for current social problems. This course has a 12 hour service-learning component.

This honors seminar explores significant social problems in contemporary society and the complex ways in which social change occurs. Students investigate and seek solutions to current social problems. This course has a service learning component that may involve 12 service learning hours outside of class time.

This seminar demonstrates how the nature of the laboratory experience plays an essential role in the understanding and advancement of science. Several multidisciplinary experiments are performed in geology, chemistry, physics, and biology.

This course introduces students to the leadership principles that have been effective in bringing about major cultural reforms. Students will explore the methods by which reformers have addressed social injustice. The goal of the course is to: 1) prepare self-reflective students equipped with an awareness of national and international social justice initiatives; and 2) develop an understanding of the methods by which cultural change occurs. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to explore the issues that they value and the role leadership serves in voicing those values.

This seminar is designed to develop an awareness of the methodologies and concerns of the social sciences as they relate to ethical inquiry. The primary focus is on the nature of inquiry and models for the analysis of ethical issues confronting the modern world. Students will explore the complexity of moral dilemmas and effective societal responses to competing moral obligations in the areas of health care, socio-economic disparities, affirmative action, immigration, and racism.

The goal of this course is to prepare students to successfully and safely plan and lead small group excursions into wilderness, backcountry, and front-country outdoor areas using various outdoor recreational activities as a medium. There will also be an emphasis placed on teaching technique and presentation skills as students will be required to present information to the class.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan their own scholarly, creative or skills-based "course" for graded credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of graded credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an internship or other academic interest for which no University class is available may plan an experiential or other "course" for pass-fail credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed internship or course: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member, internship supervisor, or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of pass-fail credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the experience or study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan their own scholarly, creative or skills-based "course" for graded credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of graded credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an internship or other academic interest for which no University class is available may plan an experiential or other "course" for pass-fail credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed internship or course: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member, internship supervisor, or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of pass-fail credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the experience or study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan their own scholarly, creative or skills-based "course" for graded credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of graded credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an internship or other academic interest for which no University class is available may plan an experiential or other "course" for pass-fail credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed internship or course: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member, internship supervisor, or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of pass-fail credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the experience or study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan their own scholarly, creative or skills-based "course" for graded credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of graded credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an internship or other academic interest for which no University class is available may plan an experiential or other "course" for pass-fail credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed internship or course: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member, internship supervisor, or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of pass-fail credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the experience or study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan their own scholarly, creative or skills-based "course" for graded credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of graded credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an internship or other academic interest for which no University class is available may plan an experiential or other "course" for pass-fail credit through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed internship or course: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with New College, from which contract forms are available online, and with a faculty member, internship supervisor, or another authority qualified to assist and assess the study. The number of pass-fail credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning is based, in part, on the breadth or depth of the experience or study and is subject to approval by the contract advisor and director of New College. All New College Independent Study contracts require relevant reading and writing of some kind.

A student desiring to pursue an academic interest for which no University class is available may plan his or her own "course" through Out-of-Class Learning. A contract, or agreement, with New College is prepared by the student, in which the student identifies a variety of features of the proposed study: its goals and objectives, the methodology and resources to be employed in the attempt to meet the goals and objectives, and the procedure by which the study will be evaluated upon its completion. The process of preparing the contract should be in cooperation with the New College office, from which contract forms may be procured, and with a faculty member or other authority qualified to assist and assess the study. Credit hours awarded for Out-of-Class Learning are available, relative to the breadth or depth of the study, and subject to approval of the advisor to the study and director of the New College.

This course will introduce you to a variety of theories and practices of musical experimentalism in a global context. We’ll begin by defining what experimental music is – what is the impulse that drives some artists to push outside the realms of their traditions, or even outside what is normally called music? Rather than limiting our view to experimentalism in Western art music, as has largely been the case in surveys of this subject, we will also listen to and study experiments in jazz, rock, hip hop, reggae and other global musics to put the experimentalist aesthetic in a broad historical and cultural context. In addition to critical reading, discussion and listening we will perform experimental music compositions to encourage a “hands-on” engagement with the subject. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course serves as the course students register for as part of the exchange program with the Consoritum for Innovative Environment in Learning. Students pay tuition to UA but actually study as a full-time student at one of the 12 CIEL sister institutions.

This course will prepare students to understand natural resource practices to better manage one’s woodlands in a rural or urban situation. This course is for any student interested in basic forestry management techniques and should serve future home and land owners, individuals interested in conservation issues, and as an introduction to a broader field for students with professional interest in forestry or environmental studies. This course will discuss basic forest management concepts in order to improve the woodland’s habitat according to the objectives of a landowner. Students will learn how to identify all major tree species in Alabama as well as all major forest insects and diseases. Other topics that will be discussed will include compass and pacing, forest site evaluation, timber estimation, topographic map interpretation, and invasive woodland species. This course does not presuppose any previous knowledge and no prerequisite is required. Much of this course will include “hands-on” outdoor field trips.

The goal for this course is to prepare students to understand creative uses of managing wildlife species according to management objectives. This course is intended for any student interested in basic wildlife management techniques and should serve future home and land owners, individuals interested in conservation issues, and as an introduction to a broader field for students with professional interest in environmental studies or natural resources. This course does not presuppose any previous knowledge and no prerequisite is required.

The purpose of this course is to prepare and encourage students to incorporate the principles of sustainability and the ethics of permaculture into their home or apartment landscape. This course is intended for any student interested in learning the basics of sustainable gardening, water management, pest management, and the use of native plants to provide a backyard habitat for birds and wildlife. No prerequisite is required.

This workshop provides students with practical experience in writing and publishing a special interest publication, the New College Review. Students gain experience in thematic approaches to a publication, concept formation for an audience, socially responsible publishing, and writing and editing persuasive essays. Students are strongly encouraged to take both.

This workshop provides students with practical experience in writing and publishing a special interest publication, the New College Review. Students edit, design, and distribute the New College Review. Students are strongly encouraged to take both NEW 338 and NEW 339 in sequence.

What functions do arts serve in communities? How do creative activities affect cognitive and social learning? We will explore these questions as we develop and offer arts workshops in local public schools. Arts are broadly defined to include theatre, dance, creative media, language arts, engineering, painting, pottery, etc. This is a service learning course. Class time will include active involvement in community arts projects.

How do we experience, define, use and abuse sound? What elements of a sound determine their meaning to us, and why? What can we learn about the world by focusing on its sounds? An emerging interdisciplinary field of research, sound studies asks these questions and more, in an attempt to uncover the important role of sound in our lives. Why do shopping malls sound like they do? What do cellphone ringtones tell you about a person? How has the changing soundscape of the ocean affected natural processes and wildlife? Why do clocktower bells ring? How is music used to both soothe, entertain, and torture or control people? This interdisciplinary course explores sound in a variety of current and historical global contexts – of which music is only one small part – examining the many ways sound signifies and defines our cultures and histories. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This introductory environmental policy course reviews major developments in environmental regulation in the United States, considered in a global context. Readings examine the evolution of U.S. environmental policy, the form and function of social institutions used to govern human-environment interactions, including markets, state and civil society, and conventions, norms, and morals. U.S. and U.N. legal structures, agencies, and NGOs are addressed, with attention to comparative regulatory frameworks. The “new institutional approach,” “resource regimes,” and various incremental and transformative institutional reforms are discussed. The impact of economic and cultural factors—including class, race, gender, and location—on resource use and other policy decisions affecting the physical and built environments will be explored. Evolving institutional approaches to energy use, such as sustainability, “wise use,” adaptive management, and resilience are examined. This course is cross-listed with PSC 365.

Subject matter varies. New College Special Topics seminars vary by instructor-chosen theme, but all are highly interactive courses that enable students to critically engage content in responsible ways. Each seminar is designed to explore interdisciplinary approaches to a particular issue or theme.

A 2016 Pew Research study found that the political polarization in the U.S. continues to deepen and grow more hostile, and the widening economic disparities predicted by the July 2019 McKinsey Global Institute report The Future of Work in America are likely to further accentuate our national divides. In response to these alarming trends, this course takes an innovative approach to prepare students to be citizens more capable of addressing a politically divisive environment, locally and globally. Serving as a civic learning “laboratory,” the Civic Leadership Dialogues offer students the opportunity to acquire the “democratic knowledge and capabilities” that can only be “honed through hands-on, face-to-face, active engagement.”.

This course is designed to provide students with an historical and contemporary understanding of the role that sportsmen and women play in the conservation and management of fish, game, and non-game species. Special attention will be given to sporting organizations and their role in the conservation and management of our nation’s natural resources. This course will also introduce students to important concepts within the wildlife and game management fields such as predator control, population dynamics, predator-prey relations, and introductory genetics.

This course will introduce students to the popular hobby of birding or bird watching. As such, basic field identification methods will be reviewed and practiced. We will also discuss larger conservation issues as they relate to birds. As we will learn, the phrase “canary in a coal mine” has very practical implication for the modern terrestrial world. We will also discuss the cultural connection between people and birds, and what that has meant for both the destruction and conservation of birds during the past couple of centuries.

This seminar explores global health from the perspective of multiple disciplines and from a number of geographic scales from the local to the global. Collectively students will examine major global health determinants, challenges, programs and policies. Students will analyze past, current and emerging global health priorities with a focus on emerging infectious diseases, chronic disease burden in both the developed and developing worlds, health systems across the world, major global health initiatives, and health inequity with associated challenges such as poverty and conflict. This course will contain a heavy focus on case studies and experiential learning, including field trips and service learning activities. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

A study of environmental and cultural landscapes of the American South, as altered and used by successive waves of native peoples, explorers, immigrants, laborers, industrialists, and urban builders, addressing historical and contemporary environmental challenges. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

What does it mean to write about a culture? What can we discover about our environment by talking to people and listening to their stories? How do we learn enough to express something of their essence through words on a page? This course will engage with these and other issues surrounding the act of ethnography (the writing and interpretation of people's lives and cultural practices) through a combination of theoretical and practical approaches. Students interested in anthropology, journalism, sociology, storytelling, cultural criticism, filmmaking, folklore, the arts, social work and oral history will learn useful skills and gain practical experience that can be applied to their own work. We will read critical theory that discusses the role and craft of ethnography. We will examine a range of existing research on a number of global topics that use a variety of disciplinary approaches. Finally, as a research team, we will pursue self-designed research projects to begin the first stage of an "ethnographic map" of our region of Alabama, to learn new things about the world in our backyard and produce a website to share our findings. Interested students should be aware that the second half of the class will likely involve a significant amount of individual or group research in place of traditional course meeting times. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Are you passionate about your writing? This New College seminar provides a supportive space for writers of all abilities to work on their own projects. The workshop provides friendly peer review and group study of the craft of writing. We’ll learn about the publishing industry from visiting authors, editors, and agents. Invited genres include: science fiction and fantasy; fanfiction, children’s literature and young adult, poetry; song lyrics, erotica and romance, film and TV treatments and scripts, memoir and creative nonfiction (travel writing, science writing, food writing, etc.), devotional or inspirational writing, general fiction (in short story and novel form), graphic novels, experimental form and fiction, and more.

This songwriting workshop focuses on how songs are made. After a brief study of various popular song genres (e.g., blues, troubadour, folk) students will produce their own songs. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

What is “mind” and how does it work? This course, designed for anyone interested in neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and education, seeks to answer these questions by exploring the influence of cultural and social processes on the ways we think and feel.

What constitutes "femininity" and "masculinity" in 21st century America? How have gender roles changed? Is gender performance? What are the cultural expectations around sexuality, and how is it influenced and policed in society? Includes professor's current case research in this field. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Popular conceptions of nature hold extraordinary power in shaping our responses and policies toward both the geophysical world and built environments. This interdisciplinary course examines key concepts and controversies in American thought about nature since before colonization. Using accounts from various regions, the course explores evolving conceptions of nature and justice, competing claims about race and class, and changing institutional responses and remedies to environmental degradation in the context of global change. The course is highly interactive, inviting critical thinking about the human place in the physical world. We read and discuss ecological views as presented in colonial writings, slave narratives, Transcendentalist thought, Gilded Age preservationist and conservationist debates, and the work of Progressive Era occupational health specialists and ecologists. We give specific attention to twentieth century social movements for environmental public health, examining contemporary approaches, including eco-feminism, environmental justice, and sustainability. We identify different disciplinary approaches, among them environmental history, ecological anthropology, sociology, and geography, and explore conceptual links between disciplines. A brief introduction to research methods, utilizing qualitative techniques, case studies, and specialized data sources, will be included. Journal articles, law review essays, regulatory documents, court decisions, and films supplement classic texts as we examine race, ethnicity, gender, poverty, and other factors shaping environmental health. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This interdisciplinary course discusses intermedia intersections in 20th and 21st century art and music through lectures, discussions and interactions with visiting artists. We will examine the cultural and historical roots of intermedia art, the outpouring of experimentation in the 20th century avant-garde, and the postmodern pastiche of the digital realm in the 21st century. Spanning work created for galleries, to art and music from urban streets and rural villages, we will explore examples from the visual arts, dance, music, film and architecture to learn how and why artists work with and combine different media. In addition to engaging with a variety of artistic works, we will discuss the cultural, philosophical, theoretical, and compositional issues that meet at intermedia junctions. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This seminar provides an introduction to the key concepts, methodologies, and practice of Cultural Studies, focusing primarily on issues of cultural consumption, representation, audience, identity, and everyday life. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This interdisciplinary seminar introduces students to the key debates, concepts, and questions raised by the emerging field of Girls’ Studies. The course will examine the history and social construction of girlhood in the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as draw on girls’ lived experiences, activism, and cultural productions, in order to challenge established definitions of “girls” and “girlhood.” Writing proficiency within this discipline is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Interdisciplinary course in ethnographic filmmaking, focusing particularly on analyzing the many dimensions of culture and social experience. Students produce a short documentary film on a story of justice or injustice in Alabama. A two semester course.

Interdisciplinary course in ethnographic filmmaking, focusing particularly on analyzing the many dimensions of culture and social experience. Students produce a short documentary film on a story of justice or injustice in Alabama. A two semester course.

This seminar helps students develop the understanding and skills necessary for the practice of public leadership. The course emphasizes framing public issues for discussion and leading the decision making necessary to set the direction of public policy. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course will teach students key components of the American legal system using popular literature, current events, and academic readings. Through written assignments, presentations, and discussion, students will gain knowledge about various bodies of law, conceptions of law / justice, and the implications of law and American culture on one another. This course will benefit students who plan to attend law school, those considering law school, and those who want to expand their legal literacy. Students will learn concepts relevant to: criminal law, torts, contracts, wills / trusts, constitutional law, and procedure / evidence. Further, students will learn how to write about legal issues using the vocabulary of the domain of knowledge. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This interdisciplinary social science course provides an introduction to the cultural and physical ecology of cities, focusing primarily on urbanization in the United States from the late 19th century to the present. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This seminar introduces students to the science of global climate change and examines public perception and coverage of the topic in various news media outlets, films, and books. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This upper level writing intensive seminar explores the ethical dimensions of ecological relationships, with particular attention to conceptions of nature, justice, and environmental health. We will consider classical ethical concepts, such as utilitarianism and natural law theories, and contemporary environmental approaches, including biocentrism, deep ecology, environmental justice, eco-feminism, and sustainability. This course will be highly interactive, inviting critical thinking about changing ideas about the human place in the natural world. Examining various case studies, we explore the ethical debates surrounding such topics as populations, genetically altered crops, global climate change, biodiversity, and emerging crises in global environmental public health. Readings also address corporate responsibility, science ethics, and public policy. We will consider the ethics of sustainability from the campus to the transnational level. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. The course has New College designations for Environment, Sustainability, and Conservation (ESC) and Social Problems and Social Change (SPSC).

This interdisciplinary seminar provides an introduction to the key debates and questions raised by the increasingly close relationship between humans and advanced technologies. The course will draw on critical works, as well as narrative fiction and popular culture texts, to examine how a dependence on technology might change the very definition of "human" and what subsequent ethical, psychological, and philosophical dilemmas result from this close relationship. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Study Belize’s diverse rainforests, coral reefs, and visit Mayan ruins for a glimpse into a past civilization. Belize is unique in that it still contains relatively undisturbed rainforests and the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. However, while Belize has emerged as an international leader regarding conservation efforts, threats from climate change, poverty, and development still exist. The purpose of this course is 1) examine current conservation efforts to safeguard this biodiversity; 2) familiarize students with the most important aspects of tropical lowland terrestrial and marine ecosystems; 3) understand the role of local culture in sustainable conservation; 4) gain an understanding of the fundamental importance of biodiversity; and 5) expose students to new and unique cultures and environments. The course is designed for students who are interested in conservation issues, biogeography, marine sciences, ornithology and birding, archaeology, and outdoor adventures! The trip will be divided between a rainforest and a marine field station located next to the barrier reef. So we will have easy access the most diverse environments on the planet.

This seminar is concerned with the process and analysis of social change. In this seminar, students study the Holocaust, attempting to understand it as an intense and unparalleled human experience. The causes, events, outcomes, and implications are researched through books, films, interviews, tapes, and discussions. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

In this seminar, students study the nature of human and societal survival under extreme conditions. Topics range from issues of a global nature to violent crime, prejudice, and disease. Causes, effects, and possible solutions are all considered.

This course offers a practicum experience for students pursuing the Civic Engagement and Leadership minor, New College students pursuing a depth study in an area related to civic engagement and/or leadership, and student leaders with significant campus or community leadership experience. The course will assist students in applying the theoretical knowledge gained in their academic study of civic engagement and leadership to a professional context of their choosing through a carefully designed and implemented leadership project. Upon completion of the leadership practicum, students will submit a portfolio documenting their professional growth as a leader.

A critical look at the role of religion in public education, the separation of church and state in American education, and educational policies emanating from debates about the separation of church and state.

Subject matter varies. New College Special Topics seminars vary by instructor-chosen theme, but all are highly interactive courses that enable students to critically engage content in responsible ways. Each seminar is designed to explore interdisciplinary approaches to a particular issue or theme.

The Senior Project, completed by all New College students in their senior year, gives students the opportunity to put into practice interdisciplinary and integrative methods of scholarship while integrating and refining knowledge of their depth study area. Projects must result in a piece of interdisciplinary writing and a twenty-minute oral presentation at the New College Senior Research Symposium, and may include other components as well. This course also includes a mentoring component wherein seniors work with incoming New College students. Senior standing in New College and completion of the Third Year Review is required to enroll.

Each prospective LifeTrack student is required to attend the on-campus 2-day Adult Learning Seminar. This seminar includes online work in writing, assessment of computer skills, examining potential for learning outcomes including experiential learning and critical reading and thinking skills.

Writing Skills and Strategies reviews writing principles for developing college level essays.

Writing Strategies for Research teaches the fundamentals of researching and writing research papers.

Writing Strategies for Research teaches the fundamentals of researching and writing research papers.

The purpose of this course is to allow students to gain an understanding of basic learning principles and strategies to improve adult students’ study and learning skills. It provides an opportunity for adult students to develop their own methods of using the strategies and skills they learn to become more effective, involved, and productive workers in their educational experiences and journey.

This three hour course will equip students with the tools necessary to utilize the application of critical thinking. It provides a series development of experiential learning assessment. The course also guides students through the preparation and compilation of components required for prior learning assessment portfolio evaluation. After completion of the course, students may choose to submit a portfolio for evaluation by faculty assessor (fee required).

To introduce the student to the social, legal, and ethical issues related to the use of social media and other Internet technologies in professional and academic settings. The widespread use of technology, including social media, has changed the way we make decisions, communicate, and interact with colleagues, instructors, peers, and others. These changes continue to contribute to new social and legal issues that demand a critical examination. The course also focuses on the potential of social media and other Internet sources as research tool.

This course examines approaches to career development such as: Personality Theory of Career Choice, Trait Factor, Psychological, Decision – Situational or Sociological, Developmental, the theory of work-adjustment, Holland’s Theory of Vocational Personalities in Work Environment, the Self-concept Theory of Career Development, the Theory of Circumscription and Compromise, and Social Cognitive Career Theory.

This course covers a variety of personality theories including the theoretical and scientific explanations for individuals' characteristic patterns of perception, thought, emotion and behavior. Emphasizes the understanding and mastery of personality constructs applied to students' personal and professional lives.

This course is to introduce students to the Internet as a method of communicating in both professional and academic settings. The use of the Internet has changed the way we work, play and communicate with others. This course will also focus on several new emerging methods of communicating via the Internet.

This three credit contract is intended to provide an overview of the history of the digital (including video) game industry and the process of game development and design. Game terminology, platform comparisons, psychological concepts of interactivity, selected motivation theory, and methods of content creation are examined for business, educational, and/or entertainment uses.

Recreation for Life is an independent study for New College LifeTrack students interested in engaging in a new physical activity, and developing an exercise routine that they hope to continue on a regular basis for the rest of their lives (hence the name “Recreation for Life”).

This course allows students to engage with community organizations to learn the challenges and rewards of volunteer service. Students are also exposed to various opportunities for civic engagement.

This course will be a student-designed interdisciplinary travel course. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and an off-campus visit to a site related to the topic of the course, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

This contract is designed to allow students to have an experiential learning experience based on their attendance of either an on-campus extra-course event (lecture based) and follow through with a research project based on the analysis of said event.

This course will introduce students to the function, value, and character of the arts in our everyday lives. It will give students the opportunity to consider the value of the arts in their own development as a person, a student, and as a professional. This course may function a little differently from other courses you take at the University of Alabama. The goal is to push students out into various art communities: formal and informal, professional and student, local and global. Students are encouraged to develop for themselves the resources necessary to make thoughtful decisions about their future with the arts as consumers, practitioners, citizens, leaders, critics, students, skeptics towards the arts, and lovers of the arts.

In this course, students will learn about different types of science, primarily natural sciences, and how they relate to other disciplines. What does cooking have to do with chemistry? How is ecology related to economics? Students will also do a final paper connecting multiple science disciplines back to a project or event in their own community.

This course is to introduce students to the Social Sciences, their methods, and the major areas of study.

This course is meant to give the student an understanding of leadership through studying theories and current topics that addresses the concept of leadership and to be able to identify effective leadership styles.

This course offers four different possible sections that each explore different topics related to professional discourse including the sending and receiving of information between two or more people and the interaction in varying relational situations such as between co-workers, clients, and superiors and subordinates. The course requires significant writing and evaluation of discourse.

The overall purpose of this course is to introduce the beginning student to the fundamentals of creative writing (primarily fiction) through a series of reading assignments and writing exercises.

To further refine and sharpen creative writing skills and techniques introduced in "The Creative Writing Process" course.

A continuation of the Advanced Fiction contract, this contract will allow the student to complete a manuscript in creative writing, i.e., a collection of stories, a novella, or a novel, as part of a Senior Project in Creative Writing.

This course will examine various topics through literature and film. Topics may include a range of genres such as: American Comedy, The American South, American Crime, The American Hero, The 1960s, Decades of Lit & Film, and Best Sellers/Blockbusters.

This course will examine various topics in the arts and humanities. The course topics will vary each semester.

This contract is designed to increase the student's understanding and appreciation of several humanities disciplines through a variety of resources (texts, readings and attendance at cultural events) that direct attention to current ethical and cultural issues.

To acquaint students with myth, mythological systems and mythography in relation to the human cultural system through examination of belief systems and rituals in order to explain the actions of others.

Through literary and other readings, the contract introduces students to the women's movement in the 20th Century and to issues associated with female identity and socialization.

This seminar uses creativity as its organizing principle. Human culture, the creative process, and creative expression are explored through written examples, audio/video materials, individual and group projects, and interactions with creative individuals. Throughout the semester students will explore and challenge their own creative processes and acquire scholarly knowledge of creativity in a variety of fields.

This course will introduce students to the function, value, and character of music in our everyday lives. Students will consider music in their everyday life and be introduced to music from other genres and cultures. Students will have the opportunity to explore the value of music in their own development as a person, a student, and as a professional.

This course examines local culture as expressed through festivals and public displays of various traditions. Students will attend a range of festivals and learn how to thoroughly describe and analyze the festivals using methods from folklore, cultural anthropology, and performance studies. You will explore festivals through selected reading and viewing materials. You will also attend one festival in or near your community. You will learn about the ways in which arts, music, food, film, heritage, ethnic, and/or religious festivals contribute to and represent local cultures and societies.

This course will introduce you to the blues and will focus on the early development of this genre in the Mississippi Delta region. Students will examine migrations of blues performers and the influence of this music style beyond the southeastern United States. Following an exploration of blues origins and history, students will study the blues and its transformation over time in other American music genres.

This course will focus on the individual artists and scholars who will be giving guest lectures as part of this series (typically on the University of Alabama campus). This is an excellent opportunity to hear first hand perspectives from highly regarded visual artists and art scholars. The student may choose one artist or all three and complete required assignments for each one. Each mini-mester course will include one assignment prior to the lecture for students to become familiar with the artist and his or her work, one summary/reflection assignment after attending the lecture in person or viewing the lecture online, and one final essay based on the artist's work or scholarship. Distance students who cannot attend the on-campus visit, will be able to view the artist lecture via streaming video.

This course will be designed by the student with the assistance of their Academic Advisor/selected course UA faculty member. It can cover any topic within the area of Literature, Art and other Humanities. It should be interdisciplinary in construction and all elements will be agreed upon between student and course director.

This course is online only and will be completed using Blackboard Learn software. Science is often steeped in controversy. Some of this comes from misunderstandings between scientists and non-scientists, while some is a result of bad science. In this course we will look at these different types of controversies to come to a better understanding of what constitutes good science and how to better understand science. Controversies covered include climate change, evolution, human cloning, vaccines, and more.

It has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This is becoming increasingly true and obvious as innovative designers and engineers look to a truly original design source for inspiration: nature and life around us. Hence was born the field of ‘Biomimicry’ which imitates elements of nature to solve complex human problems. In this course students will learn about key components of everyday life and their biological -inspired origins. At the end of the course students will put their knowledge to use either researching a biologically inspired item already in use or by developing their own novel biomimetic innovation.

The recent explosion of popular entertainment focused on “supernatural” creatures such as vampires and werewolves has done much to reimagine these ever-popular myths. Any particular version of this genre is sure to add its own twist to origination stories and characteristics. Yet where in fact did these legends begin? And more importantly, is there any data supporting these prevailing classics of folklore? In this course students will examine several works of non-fiction that attempt to explain supernatural myths in our everyday lives.

The world around us is a complicated one. Our lives are governed by natural processes and human technology. Understanding how these processes interact goes a long way towards allowing us to be better citizens. In this course we will explore seven different areas: climate/weather and other natural phenomena, water, energy, pollution, garbage and recycling, agriculture, and biology. This course is online only.

These are instructor designed courses which will explore various topics in the natural sciences.

In this course, students will learn about what makes up the human body as well as how people fit into the broader environment. Topics will include anatomy, physiology, disease, the microbiome, ecology, and humans as animals.

In this course students will learn about human disconnection from and fear of the natural world and the harm this can cause to children and adults alike. The course will cover many phobias that keep people away from nature such as snakes, spiders, and fear of getting dirty. The course will also cover biophilia; the idea that human connection to nature is necessary and beneficial to our well-being.

Our world is incredibly diverse in terms of the animals, plants, and other organisms that live here and its geology and other natural features. In this course students will explore this diversity, reasons that it exists, threats to it, and what efforts are being taken to protect it.

This one hour course will equip students with the tools necessary to examine the fundamental principles of soil quality and the relationship of soil characteristics to productivity. The student will collect a soil sample from a location of choice to determine local soil quality. The sample will be submitted to the local USDA extension office and obtain a certified soil report (fee required).

This one hour course will equip students with the tools necessary to examine the fundamental principles of water quality, with particular emphasis on nutrients and the watershed-level approach. The student will collect a freshwater sample from a lake, river, stream, or pond to determine local water quality. The sample will be submitted to the local USDA extension office and obtain a certified water quality report (fee required).

This course will be designed by the student with the assistance of their Academic Advisor/selected course UA faculty member. It can cover any topic within the area of Science, Technology & Culture. It should be interdisciplinary in construction and all elements will be agreed upon between student and course director.

At some point in all of our lives we will reach the new normal of caring for aging parents, grief, and loss of those dear to us. Many travel this road alone. Together we will explore the many areas of our lives where we face what it means to be an adult child, a widower, or a parent who lost a child. The process of aging, caregiving, grief, and loss of a loved one is not a brief space of time. How do we move back to being a part of the living world? How do we move beyond feelings of seemingly unending grief, and begin our lives again?.

Aliens landed in New Mexico! Elvis did not leave the building! Who shot JFK?! The moon landing was fake! 9/11 was an inside job! AIDS is manmade! RFID chips in your babies! The end is nigh... “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine” --REM This course will explore a sample of conspiracy theories in United States history. Using written and visual sources (Letters, emails, newspaper, editorial cartoons, speeches, etc.), students will be exposed to the conspiratorial language used by Americans to explain the unexplainable. They will emerge from the course with the ability to analyze sources and identify reasons why conspiracies are started.

This seminar explores the rise and fall of the Nazi Party.

This class will explore the history and present of women at work. There is a long history of women working in America that includes a wide range of employment from the domestic sphere to the boardroom. Throughout history and presently, the majority of women have not been able to break “the glass ceiling” which refers to an invisible barrier that prevents someone from achieving further success. It is most often heard in the context of women who cannot advance to the highest levels of power in the workplace. This also affects women based on race and socioeconomic status. The glass ceiling is a way of describing whatever keeps women from achieving power and success equal to that of men. We will look at the past and the present of working women, the challenges they face and decisions they make along the way.

To become familiar with the local history of a community by studying its burial spaces.

This course explores cooperation and conflict in human society. We will investigate these ideas within conflicts around race, gender, class, immigration, poverty, etc. Students will investigate and seek solutions to contemporary social problems found within these areas. Specific themes will include economic citizenship, healthcare, and environmentalism. The Socratic imperative that “The unexamined life is not worth living,” will be central to this class. We must strive to interrogate who each of us, as i ndividuals, are in relation to various examples of social conflict. For example, in terms of conflicts surrounding race, we must each ask ourselves, “How do I participate in race?” The same goes for conflicts surrounding immigration, poverty, class, gender, etc. By asking such questions, we can then discuss how we as individuals, in the “everyday”, contribute to conflict as well as how we can contribute to cooperation.

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a general knowledge and understanding of the problems stemming from delinquency which plague society, theoretical explanations for delinquent behavior, and how juvenile delinquents are processed through the criminal justice system.

The courses provides students with a better understanding of what terrorism is, its origins and its purpose, and the steps used to combat it.

This course will develop understanding and sympathy for women's lives and experiences around the globe. It will increase the students knowledge of history and culture as well as reading, analytical and writing skills.

This course will examine various topics in the social sciences. The course topics will vary each semester.

This course will be designed by the student with the assistance of their Academic Advisor/selected course UA faculty member. It can cover any topic within the area of Community Studies. It should be interdisciplinary in construction and all elements will be agreed upon between student and course director.

This course will be designed by the student with the assistance of their Academic Advisor/selected course UA faculty member. It can cover any topic within the area of Social Sciences. It should be interdisciplinary in construction and all elements will be agreed upon between student and course director.

The purpose of the course is to introduce concepts and principles that are essential to understanding how organizations (public, private and educational) operate. In order to understand administration, one must understand the environment in which administration takes place. organizational studies provide us insight on how effective administration impacts on people, products and society.

Students explore what it means to be a mentor, how mentors and proteges form and maintain pro-social interactions and the benefits of these unique interpersonal relationships.

Family owned enterprises have played a long and significant role in both world and U.S. economic history. Many of the products and services used today were first envisioned and created by entrepreneurs who went on to establish and sustain business enterprises that would last for generations. And yet, most family enterprises do not survive more than one or two generations. Research indicates that upwards of one third of all family firms only last one generation, while fewer than that last beyond two generations. But despite the difficulties they have faced, family owned firms have shaped much of our current world.

Great literary works are often remembered for their great characters. Shakespeare’s King Lear, Arthur Miller’s Willy Loman and Conrad’s Kurtz are just three of many that come to mind. And many of the characters in great literary works are required by the author to exhibit leadership in one form or another. In this course, the role of leadership, as portrayed by key characters in several important works of literature, will be studied.

To learn the basic fundamentals for starting and operating a small business.

The nonprofit sector complements the roles of government and business in addressing social and individual needs. This course is designed to provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the nonprofit sector, an introduction to skills essential for effectively managing nonprofit organizations, and exposure to contemporary issues and strategic opportunities. Through first-hand experience to working with local nonprofits, students will develop a practical understanding of what it takes to be successful as a nonprofit leader or administrator. Engaging with practicing professionals will also provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon their own career goals and interests.

This course may examine various topics in the Leadership Studies. Topics may include: Mentoring, Communication, Human Resource issues, Data Analysis, Strategic Decision Making, Leadership Techniques.

This course will be designed by the student with the assistance of their Academic Advisor/selected course UA faculty member. It can cover any topic within the area of Leadership Studies. It should be interdisciplinary in construction and all elements will be agreed upon between student and course director.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the ethical nature and dilemmas of public administration in American society. The most common approach to ethics in government focuses on avoiding impropriety. This is generally a negative and technical dimension stressing ethical boundaries defined by law. Typical examples include conflict of interest, misuse of public resources for private ends, whistleblowing, and resignation in protest. Though these matters are at times important, they arise infrequently relative to the dilemmas faced in day-to-day decision-making, and seldom have implications beyond the career of the affected administrator.

This course will be topic specific to the area of Literature, Art and Society. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and one weekend on-campus visit, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

This course will be topic specific to the area of Science, Technology & Culture. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and one weekend on-campus visit, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

This course will be topic specific to the area of Community or Leadership Studies. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and one weekend on-campus visit, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

This course will be topic specific to the area of Social Sciences. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and one weekend on-campus visit, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

This course will be an interdisciplinary travel course. It will include the use of materials in the chosen area, work done at a distance and one off-campus visit to a site related to the topic of the course, using interdisciplinary methods of examination, experiential learning and critical thinking and writing.

The Senior Project is a distinctive feature of the LifeTrack Program. It is the culmination of the skills students have learned during their time in the program. The project is designed by the student and includes research, analysis, and synthesis of a particular subject. It is the final step in the completion of the undergraduate degree. The Senior Project may be done for professional enhancement, development of personal interests, academic preparation for graduate school or a combination of these goals. Student projects are matched with a University of Alabama professor.