Preceptorials Linked to the Sustainability LLC 2014-2015
Preceptor: Dr. Can Bilsel
Credit: Fine Arts Core / 3 UNITS
This course examines the modern house as a cultural, social and artistic construct. Foundational readings will focus on the changing concepts of domesticity, privacy and comfort, as well as on the ideas of efficiency and sustainability. We will examine the ways the shifting ideas of “home” transformed modern architecture since the year 1900. In addition to completing foundational readings, students will analyze the houses of a select group of modern designers. In the last weeks of the course students will conduct independent creative projects, reflecting on possible transformations of dwelling in the 21st century and/or designing a house of the future themselves. Class meetings will be conducted as interactive workshops combining lectures, graphic presentations and group “pin up” discussions. This is an introductory course in the history and theory of architecture. It satisfies a lower-division requirement for Architecture, Visual Arts and Art History majors, in addition to USD’s Fine Arts Core requirement.
Preceptor: Dr. Ron kaufmann
Credit: life Science Core / 3 UNITS
The process of evolution is the unifying theme that runs through all of biology. Evolution explains the fascinating diversity of life on earth as well as astonishing similarities among species that seem to be almost completely unrelated. In this course, we will explore the nature of evolution, including mechanisms of inheritance that determine how traits are passed from parent to offspring and ecological factors that affect which organisms survive to produce another generation. Class will include lectures, discussions and hands-on exercises in which we will explore how evolutionary processes contribute to the rich biodiversity and adaptability of life on earth.
Preceptor: Dr. David De Haan
Credit: Physical Science Core / 4 UNITS
General Chemistry I is the first half of a two-semester course that introduces the fundamental principles of modern chemistry, which are vital for understanding the sustainability of materials. While this section will, out of necessity, cover the same chemistry as other sections, it will include events and applications that highlight the contributions of science to creating a sustainable future.
Preceptor: Dr. esteban Del rio
Credit: social Science Core / 3UNITS
This course offers an introduction to the examination of media and media literacy. Students learn about the origins, history, and development of mass media. Additionally, the present structure, characteristics, and challenges in the areas of radio, television, and cable are addressed. Fulfills a core curriculum requirement in the social sciences.
Preceptor: Dr. Kokila Doshi
Credit: Social Science Core / 3 UNITS
An introduction to consumer behavior and the theory of the firm. Topics include the demand behavior of households, the supply behavior of business firms, production and cost, and an introduction to market structure from competition to monopoly. The goal of the course is to develop and use an economic model as a framework for interpreting real world events. Key topics will be illustrated using classroom experiments and simulations. This preceptorial is ideal for students interested in majoring or minoring in Economics, Business Administration, or Accounting.
Preceptor: Dr. Halina Duraj
Credit: Humanities Core / 3 UNITS
What is wilderness? What is nature and what is natural? To what extent are “wilderness” and “nature” human constructs? How has the American vision of what constititues wilderness changed over the centuries? We’ll explore the intersection of language and the concept of “wilderness” in American fiction and non-fiction narratives stretching from Bradford’s Of Plimouth Plantation, through Henry David Thoreau and Mary Austin, all the way to contemporary wilderness writing by Pam Houston and Leslie Marmon Silko, and poetry by Gary Snyder. Course may include field trips to sites around San Diego. Students will read extensively and write numerous essays.
Preceptor: Dr. Drew Talley
Credit: Life Science Core / 4 UNITS
In this class, we will develop a fundamental understanding of basic oceanographic processes, and how these forces shape the organisms that live in the sea. What are the major taxonomic groups in the ocean, and what do we know about their natural history? How do we apply the scientific method to decipher the secrets of these often cryptic species? Importantly, what are the myriad ways the ocean affects our daily lives, even for those who live far inland? Through lectures, labs, field trips, and projects, we will explore these and other questions.
Preceptor: Dr. Colin Fisher
Credit: Humanities Core / 3 UNITS
This course is a survey of food in world history. Themes include: hunter-gatherer societies; plant and animal domestication and the origins of farming; food and early empires; food and long-distance trade; the Columbian Exchange; sugar and slavery; population, ecological limits, and England’s Industrial Revolution; colonialism and nineteenth-century Irish, Indian, and Chinese famines; migration and transplanted culinary cultures; the rise of American agribusiness; World Wars and food; communist agriculture; chemical fertilizer and the Green Revolution; McDonalds, Coca Cola, and global food commodities; organic farming; genetically modified organisms, climate change, and the future of food; and the challenges of feeding seven billion people.