First-Year Connections
First-Year Seminars and Clusters
FALL 2021
FIRST-YEAR SEMINARS AND CLUSTERS Connecting students to faculty, to New York City, and to one another! Your first year of college is a time of exciting changes and transitions. First-year seminars and clusters are designed to get your college experience off to a great start. We encourage you to look at the course offerings and then let us know about your preferences. What’s special about seminars and clusters?
DISTRIBUTION COURSE LEGEN D
• They are reserved for first-year students only. Taking a class with other first-year students will help with the transition to college – you will be able to form connections with other students who are sharing that experience with you.
AA BH CC CP CS HP IS LT MA NS QR
• They help you explore possible interests for majors or minors. We offer seminars and clusters on a wide range of topics, taught by outstanding faculty who are excited for the opportunity to teach first-year students. This is our faculty’s chance to shine a spotlight on their area of expertise, and to share their enthusiasm with you!
Appreciation and Analysis (Humanities) Behavioral (Social Sciences) Cross Cultural Creative Participation (Humanities) Computer Science History/Philosophy/Religion (Social Sciences ) Interdisciplinary Studies Literature (Humanities) Mathematics Natural Sciences Quantitative Reasoning
• They satisfy graduation requirements, even if you are undecided about your major, or even if you switch majors down the line. These courses could satisfy a major requirement, a general education requirement (see “Distribution Course Legend”), or insome cases, both. • They connect course topics to venues in New York City. For example, faculty teaching music, dance, and drama courses accompany their students to performances, and science faculty take their students to museums and laboratories. Although it is easy to use public transportation to get from Hofstra to NYC, students find it helpful to have someone who knows what they are doing explain the process for their first NYC experience. To that end, seminar and cluster faculty accompany students for the duration of their course-related trips. • If these courses interest you, register now! Please note: You may only register for one seminar or one cluster. - To register for a seminar: Look for the CRN next to the course description below and register as you would for any other course. - To register for a cluster: Add your top three preferences here: www.hofstra.edu/updateFYC. If there is space your advising dean will add you to the cluster. - If you already indicated a preference in a seminar or cluster and you have changed your mind, you can update your preferences here: www.hofstra.edu/updateFYC - If you have any questions, contact your advising dean. Living-Learning Communities: Living on campus? Several of the first-year clusters and a number of seminars are aligned with the academic theme of one of the living-learning communities in the first-year residence halls. Residential students enrolled in these clusters or seminars may choose to live together in one of these living-learning communities. Through these vibrant communities, first-year students are exposed to environments that are intellectually stimulating, supportive, and conducive to building lasting friendships and fostering academic excellence. Note: Students may register for a seminar or cluster even if they do not choose to reside in an associated living-learning community. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information.
S.T.A.G.E.
Communications
PreP
Studio
L.E.A.D.
L.I.V.E. NYC
Math/ Science/ Engineering
SEMINARS
Seminars are stand-alone courses – limited to 19 students – that fulfill graduation requirements. They allow you to interact in a small setting and connect with a faculty member who may become your major advisor, depending on the major you choose. We’ve tried to design seminars to fit every interest, from astronomy to psychology and philosophy ANTHROPOLOGY 1. ANTH 14F, sec. 01: Myths Cross-Culturally (BH, CC), 3 s.h. 92499 M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Anne Buddenhagen All over the world, humans have told stories in attempts to explain perplexing elements of their existence – mountains that unexpectedly spewed lava, rains that didn’t stop and flooded the landscape, relatives who betrayed them, and strange behaviors of their spouses. These stories, filled with horror, humor, and (sometimes) wisdom, were told around nighttime fires as part education and part entertainment. This course examines Viking stories of long, strange journeys; Navajo stories of monsters; and Maya stories of how to win wars. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in either the Social Sciences or Cross-Cultural category. 2. ANTH 14F, sec. 02: Bones, Bodies, and Burials (BH, CC), 3 s.h. 91812 T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Kristen Hartnett-McCann This course evaluates popular depictions of forensic science and forensic anthropology and explores the diverse roles of a forensic anthropologist in a modern, medicolegal setting. Students participate in hands-on skeletal analyses, case studies, and mock crime scene investigations. Topics such as human rights, serial killers, mass fatalities, and ethics of human subject research are investigated through readings and discussions. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in either the Social Sciences or Cross-Cultural category. ART HISTORY 3. AH 14F, sec. 01: Exploring New York City’s Art Museums (AA), 3 s.h. 91823 M/W,11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Susan Schafer This course will be an introduction to art history through virtual tours of the great art museums of New York City. We will begin with the extraordinary collections of Egyptian art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum, and continue through Ancient Greece and Rome and the Middle Ages. Next, we will focus on the great artists of the Renaissance and Baroque periods -- for example Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer -- in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Frick Collection. We will continue our exploration with the art of the 18thand 19th centuries including Impressionist painters Monet and Degas and Post-Impressionists Van Gogh and Gauguin and will end our semester-long virtual journey in the rich collections of 20th and 21st century art in the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. ASTRONOMY 4. ASTR 14F, sec. QR1 and Q1L: Cosmic Explosions: The Cataclysmic Lives of Stars & and Galaxies (NS,QR), 3 s.h. 93366 & 93367 Lecture, T, 2:40-4:35 p.m.; Lab, TH, 2:40-4:35 p.m.; Christina Lacey This course investigates the birth and lives of stars, including stars like our sun. We study how stars produce energy and how some stars die with a whimper and some die spectacularly in massive supernova explosions. From there we talk about galaxies that are composed of these stars and the supermassive black holes that lurk at the hearts of most galaxies.
Please note: This course satisfies University graduation requirements in both the Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning categories.
5. ASTR 14F, sec. QRA and QAL: Getting to Know Our Solar System: From the Ancient Greeks to Interstellar Life (NS,QR), 3 s.h. 90898 & 91058 Lecture, W, 4:50-6:45 p.m.; Lab, M, 4:50-6:45 p.m.; Stephen Lawrence In this survey of our solar system, we discuss the evolution of ideas about the nature of our world, and the structure of our cosmos – from visions of an Earth-centered universe, to the modern view of Earth as a small, blue dot in the vast Milky Way galaxy. This seminar covers the sun, the planets, and their moons, plus the small, wandering asteroids and “plutoids” orbiting in the empty places of the solar system – all of which formed very simply from a wispy cloud of dust and gas brought together by gravity. We also learn about planets orbiting other stars in other solar systems, and consider the possibility of extraterrestrial life in all of these places, far beyond the boundaries of our home on Earth. Students are required to attend several evening telescope observing sessions during the semester at the Hofstra Observatory. Please note: This course satisfies University graduation requirements in both the Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning categories.
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE 6. CLL 14F, sec. 01: Sex, Money, and Power (LT), 3 s.h. 92093 M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., John Krapp We are living in a time when “facts” are a matter of intense debate, and consensus about “truth” is often very difficult to reach. But these phenomena are not new. This course is devoted to close readings of texts written by Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, the three “masters of suspicion” who helped articulate many of the ideas about reality, fact, and truth that we continue to deal with today. More precisely, we will look at how these writers discuss (a) the relationship between language and truth; (b) the construction of individual identity; (c) the individual’s capacity to think and to act rationally; and (d) the existence of, and the individual’s relationship to, God or to some equivalent transcendent source of value. We will also consider criticisms that have been brought against Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, for a variety of reasons and from a variety of perspectives, especially in the last several decades. And we will discuss the ways that the ideas of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud continue to resonate today. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. 7. LIT 14F, sec. A: Helen of Troy (LT), 3 s.h. 93502 M/W, 4:20-5:45 p.m., Steven Smith The most infamous woman of classical antiquity, Helen was a powerful woman whose beauty attracted heroic suitors, seduced a prince, and started a war. For millennia, she has sparked debate: was she a victim, or a wicked adulterer? The truth remains elusive, and some even imagined that she was a phantom. One thing is certain: she knew how to survive in a world that refused to see her as anything but a beautiful ornament. Helen of Troy continues to epitomize artistic and intellectual ambiguities, and this course explores representations of Helen from the time of Homer to the twenty-first century. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. DRAMA 8. DRAM 14F, sec. 01: Broadway Goes Hollywood (AA), 4 s.h. 91347 T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Edward Elefterion This course focuses on plays that have been adapted to film. By comparing videotaped performances and play texts to their finished film version counterparts, the class will explore the process of adaptation. Students will learn to identify the kinds of changes that need to be made when translating a play to film, what makes a successful adaptation, and why certain kinds of plays seem to resist the transfer to the big screen, while others flourish there. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category; it does not satisfy the DRAM 3 requirement for drama majors.
ECONOMICS 9. ECO 14F, sec. 01: The Future of Capitalism: Economics and Politics in Our Times (BH), 4 s.h. 90587 M/W, 9:10-11:05 a.m., Massoud Fazeli Globalization and technological change are potent forces that offer prosperity to many and yet are also causing deep rifts, anxiety, and anger in considerable segments of our society. Many observers have referred to rising inequality and the erosion of economic security as defining characteristics of our evolving capitalist economy. Is it feasible to generate sustainable economic growth that is more equitably distributed? Do populism and nationalism merely signify a passing backlash against the new global order? Has the U.S. lost its economic and political dominance permanently? And is it possible to envision a new and qualitatively different global order? Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. ENGLISH 10. ENGL 14F, sec. 01: Picturing Books (LT), 3 s.h. 92556 M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Irene Fizer Let’s rethink the notion that picture books are for child-readers, illustrated books are primarily for children and teenagers, and serious literary works for adult readers have no pictures at all. We explore myriad ways that authors, illustrators, screenwriters, and film/ television directors have combined words and images, by collaborating with one another, or by adapting literary works into various forms of media. Illustrated books – such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market – which have inspired new generations of filmmakers and artists to reimagine their cultural subtexts, serve as our starting point. We book-end our course with contemporary works of young adult fiction, such as Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck, to compare and contrast the original illustrated texts with their respective adaptations on screen, and to reflect on why such unsettling plots and visuals appeal to young and adult readers alike. We also visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, to look at artworks that play a central role in a short story on our reading list. With its interdisciplinary focus, this seminar touches on a wide range of fields, including film and television production, cinema studies, fine art, art history, graphic design, education, and psychology, as well as literature, publishing studies, and creative writing. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. 11. ENGL 14F, sec. 02: Poetry and Popular Song Lyrics (LT), 3 s.h. 93325 T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Scott Harshbarger Although it’s long been debated whether song lyrics can be considered poetry, scholars for decades have taken interest in popular song lyrics for a variety of reasons: they allow us to consider the nature and development of popular culture; they provide a window into the lives and times of artists and audiences; they illuminate the creative process; they are a good gauge of recurring themes and concerns; and, whether poetry or not, they are a kind of verbal art, worthy of analysis and interpretation. In this class, we will draw on all of these approaches, all the while considering the aesthetic interplay between words and music, lyric and literature. To aid in our inquiry, we will consider popular song lyrics and poetry within the cultural and evolutionary contexts presented by Daniel Levitin in The World in Six Songs. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. FINE ARTS 12. FA 14F, sec. 01: Curious Stranger: Experimental Drawing (CP), 3 s.h. 91536 M/W, 9:40-11:05 a.m., James Lee Drawing during this course is defined as organized marks on a surface through investigation and technique. We expand our understanding of rendering beyond observational and perceptual frameworks. This hands-on course introduces experimental materials, methods, and concepts within contemporary drawing practice. Particular emphasis is directed toward drawing as discovery, experimentation, and its expanding vocabulary. Students explore alternative
approaches such as abstract mark making, collaborative drawing activities, incorporating elements of chance, and drawing in exaggerated styles. Prior drawing experience is not expected. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. GEOLOGY 13. GEOL 14F, sec. QR and QRL: Science of Gemstones and Crystals (NS, QR), 3 s.h. 93350 & 93351 Lecture, M/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m.; Lab, F, 12:30-2:25 p.m.; Steven Okulewicz This course explores the world of precious and semiprecious gems, metals, and crystals. Students learn about the variety of precious materials that come out of the Earth, how precious stones form, and where we find them. We also explore how to identify precious stones, how to tell real stones from fakes, and how raw gems are turned into jewelry. This course includes a laboratory component where students work with a variety of precious stones. Please note: This course satisfies University graduation requirements in both the Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning categories. HISTORY 14. HIST 14F, sec. 01: Baseball in American History (HP), 4 s.h. 91364 T/TH, 3:50-5:45 p.m., John Staudt Baseball has played a central role in American culture for almost 200 years. The game’s events and characters reflect critical issues confronted in the larger society. How have people absorbed and participated in the game of baseball? We explore how the game paralleled the growth of the United States from an agrarian society through industrialization and into the 21st century. Topics include the origins of baseball and its development as a business; its role in national segregation and integration policies; topics of gender, regional identity, and immigration; economic issues such as the disparity between rich and poor teams; and labor-management issues. Finally, the course touches on great moments in baseball history, such as Satchel Paige’s strikeout of Josh Gibson, Bobby Thompson’s “shot heard ’round the world,” and “the catch” by Willie Mays. The course includes travel to night games at Citi Field and a local minor league ballpark. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. LEGAL EDUCATION ACCELERATED PROGRAM (LEAP) Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Hofstra’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law offer a selective, accelerated program in which students earn both the Bachelor of Arts and the Juris Doctor in six years (one year less than if each degree were pursued separately). LEAP students can choose from among a wide variety of liberal arts majors. For a full program description, please visit hofstra.edu/leap. LEAP students are strongly encouraged to register for one of the following first-year seminars: 15. PSC 14F, sec. 01: Law, Politics, and Society (BH), 4 s.h. 91903 M/W 2:40-4:35 p.m., Ashira Ostrow 16. PHI 14F, sec. 02: Law, Politics, and Society (HP), 4 s.h. 91367 T/TH, 2:40-4:35 p.m., Amy Baehr Every year, tens of thousands of young people enter law school and begin the study of legal rules. Most do so because they see the legal profession as a noble calling, and they enter it with a desire to promote justice. In their three years of full-time study of the law, however, these future lawyers spend little time thinking critically about legal rules and about the place of the lawyer in a just society. In this course we explore how our legal rules and constitutional norms have developed; how the American legal system interacts with the rest of our political institutions; how the American legal system reflects the cultural norms, class distinctions, and idiosyncrasies of our society; and how legal rules and the role of the lawyer relate to larger ideals of a just society. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category.
PHILOSOPHY 17. PHI 14F, sec. 01: The Meaning of Life (HP), 4 s.h. 91368 M/W, 2:40-4:35 p.m., Mark McEvoy – SECTION CLOSED 25. PHI 14F, sec. 03: The Meaning of Life (HP), 4 s.h. 94138 T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Maria Pacillo-Dellino SECTION OPEN – must register using CRN 94138 For us to have a chance of finding the meaning of life, human life must have meaning, or at least the lives of individual human beings must have meaning. But perhaps these claims aren’t true, or don’t even make sense. Further, if claims about life having meaning aren’t true, or don’t even make sense, would that horrify or at least disappoint you? If so, does that reaction itself show that life has some kind of meaning after all? We pursue these questions through class discussions and readings. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. POLITICAL SCIENCE 18. PSC 14F, sec. 02: Juvenile Justice and Law (BH), 4 s.h. 91391 T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Celeste Kaufman This course will examine the law and practice of juvenile justice in the United States. We will explore the historical reasons for a separate juvenile justice system, one that holds children legally accountable for criminal acts, and the role of the US Supreme Court in limiting and expanding the constitutional rights of juveniles. In this course, students will learn to analyze the ways that legal, political, and historical factors have influenced the development of the American juvenile justice system, describe the legal and philosophical reasons for the existence of two distinct courts for crimes committed by juveniles, and identify landmark US Supreme Court cases that have established criminal procedures dealing with issues ranging from apprehension and prosecution to detention of juveniles. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. PSYCHOLOGY 19. PSY 14F, sec. 01: CSI: Psychology (or, What Psychologists Could Teach Lawyers) (BH), 3 s.h. 92071 M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Robin Flaton – SECTION CLOSED 24. PSY 14F, sec. 01: CSI: Psychology (or, What Psychologists Could Teach Lawyers) (BH), 3 s.h. 94135 M/W/F, 8:30-9:25 a.m., Robin Flaton – SECTION OPEN – must register using CRN 94135 In several recent high-profile cases, jury decisions have left people stunned and angry. What were those jurors thinking? How could a reasonable person have come to that decision? In this course we seek to make sense of these issues. Our focus is not on what jurors might be thinking, but on how jurors might be thinking — about the evidence they are presented, about the witnesses, the accused, the lawyers involved, and about each other. Can psychological research increase the likelihood of a “just” outcome in the courtroom? To answer this question, we examine several areas, including the validity of eyewitness identifications; the effect of institutional racism within the criminal justice system; the efficacy of psychological jury selection; and some cognitive and social dynamics of juror deliberation. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. 27. PSY 14F, sec. 03: Learning to Learn: Applying Psychology Principles to the Classroom (BH), 3 s.h. 94145 M/W/F, 11:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Elisabeth Ploran– SECTION OPEN – must register using CRN 94145 This seminar examines how psychological research on attention, memory, and learning can be applied to your own learning. What study strategies work well, and what are some strategies you should avoid? What is the relationship between how we think and different learning situations? Reading assignments focus on how we investigate learning. Through written reflections and class discussions, you will take a close look at your own study behaviors and weigh their worth against findings from psychological research. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category.
RELIGION 20. RELI 14F, sec. 01: Avatar - The Last Airbender, Modern Day Myth? (CC, HP), 3 s.h. 93393 M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Sophie Hawkins In this course we will return to Avatar: The Last Airbender, a show that many students will be familiar with from their childhood. In watching episodes together in class, we will actively identify and chart the concepts borrowed from indigenous and East and South Asian religious traditions. This will inevitably include a study of animism, interdependence, reincarnation and the intersection of religion and martial arts. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in either the Cross-Cultural or Social Sciences category. ROMANCE LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES 21. SPLT 14F, sec. 01: Rogues: Anti-social heroes in Literature (LT), 3 s.h. 93415 T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Alfonso Garcia-Osuna This course investigates the manner in which the anti-social hero (the rogue) exposes the failings of society. We’ll study how the rogue, abused by a society whose values have been corrupted, subverts the conventional ideas and counterfactual assumptions regarding society’s ethical foundations and principles. We’ll explore the reasons why the rogue needs to be deceitful and engage in criminal activity in order to survive. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category.
SOCIOLOGY 22. SOC 14F, sec. 01: Spacing Out & Zooming In: What the Corona Pandemic tells us about Social-Spatial Arrangements (BH), 3 s.h. 93423 M/W, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Gail Satler The idea of socially organizing physical space is not new, but the Coronavirus has shed light on this hidden dimension of social life. This course will consider the study of “proximity” and social-spatial arrangements as already understood, even prior to and since Coronavirus, and then it will elaborate how we can design ways of creating local and global connections in light of these profound changes. We will look at how human behavior is being refashioned in social and physical space through the use of architectural design and technology, and how these have transformed the institutions of everyday life—health care, retail, schools, public spaces, and public transit, to name a few. Our attention will also be drawn to underlying social inequities that persist or have been intensified via the transformation of space. While we will be enlisting a sociological frame, resources from other spheres, such as technology, architecture, landscaping, and environmental design, will be engaged to help inform policy and practice as it relates to human behavior and physical space. Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category.
WRITING STUDIES AND RHETORIC 23. RHET 14F, sec. 01: Memory and Activism (AA), 3 s.h. 93470 M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Mary Anne Trasciatti 26. RHET 14F, sec. 02: Memory and Activism (AA), 3 s.h. 94139 M/W, 2:40 p.m.-4:05 p.m., Mary Anne Trasciatti Recent controversies over confederate monuments and the centennial of women’s suffrage illustrate the significance of public memory to political activism. The people, events, ideas, and movements that earn a place in public memory
shape our vision of the past, help us imagine what kind of future we want and provide models and inspiration for how we can work to achieve that future. This course introduces students to key terms and concepts in memory studies, and highlights various forms of memory activism. Among the questions we address are: What is the difference between history and memory? Through what communication modes and practices is public memory produced and circulated? Where is public memory enacted? How is public memory rhetorical, that is, how does public memory create community, generate knowledge, and inspire collective action? Please note: This course satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category.
CLUSTERS
Clusters are a “package deal.” You’ll take two or more courses that are grouped around a common theme. For example, one of our Pre-Health Sciences clusters includes chemistry, biology, and first-year composition. Each class satisfies a graduation requirement, and by signing up for a cluster, often your fall semester schedule is at least halfway complete! POLITICS, ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY F1: Globalization Without Convergence: Comparative Perspectives on Political and Economic Institutions (Total = 6 s.h.) This cluster explores: (a) the connections between the functioning of an economic system and the political institutions of a community; and (b) the variety in the economic and political institutions of different countries in the midst of a process of globalization. Within this context, we explore specific questions such as: How do governments establish rules for making decisions, and how do they implement their decisions? How do individuals participate in governance structures and have their interests taken into account? How do government decisions influence the size of the economic pie and its division among the citizenry? While we examine these questions, students learn about basic principles for a comparative analysis of political and economic institutions, and develop a deep appreciation of how political processes play an important role in dictating the rules of the economic game, and in turn how the economic game affects the political process. Please note: ECO 2 is required of all economics and business majors; PSC 2 is a required course for political science majors and satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category. ECO 2, sec. F1: Principles of Economics II (3 s.h.) M/W, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Roberto Mazzoleni and PSC 2, sec. F1:Comparative Politics(BH) (3 s.h.) M/W, 11:20 a.m. -12:45 p.m., Carolyn Dudek F2: What’s Fair in the United States? Politics and Policy Making (Total = 7 s.h.) This First-Year Connections cluster examines values, politics, and policy making in the United States. The cluster focuses on three common themes: foundations of democratic governance; individuals, institutions, and organizations that influence American politics; and challenges of U.S. policy making in the 21st century (with special attention to specific policy debates). We will begin by studying the values and principles that govern American politics, with particular attention to how they have evolved since the late eighteenth century. We then will study the values, institutions, and interests that shape policy-making debates. We will conclude the cluster by considering how different governing approaches to American democracy might change politics and policy making. The cluster courses will examine these topics from their disciplinary perspectives, and in so doing, we will assign common readings that bridge the courses. We also will participate in campus events with guest speakers who will address topics relevant to our cluster. Through Hofstra’s Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, Kalikow School Public Policy & Public Service Programs, Center for Civic Engagement, and other University programs, we will have special opportunities to speak informally with guest speakers as well. This cluster includes 1 semester hour of LIBR 1: Introduction to Library and Information Technology. LIBR 1 is a distance-learning course that introduces students to college-level research practices. Please note: PSC 1 satisfies a University graduation requirement in theSocial Sciences category; LIBR 1 satisfies part of the Liberal Artsrequirement; WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The L.E.A.D. living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn forinformation.
PSC 1, sec. F2: American Politics (BH), (3 s.h.) T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Meenekshi Bose and WSC 1, sec. F2: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 2:40-4:05 p.m., Daisy Miller COMMUNICATIONS, PHILOSOPHY, SOCIOLOGY F3: Journalism, Media, and Society (Total = 9 s.h.) America’s founders were committed to the idea of a free press. The hope was that democracy could be best protected if a vibrant tradition of independent/professional journalism informed citizens about public issues and kept a careful eye on the nation’s power holders. Today, “the media” are a hi-tech, 24/7, globalized, interlocking set of institutions that have complex relationships with corporations, countries, and citizens. This cluster examines the historical trajectory of media development as embedded in major social systems and explores the social and political roles of media from Colonial times to the present. The media interact in distinctive ways with individuals and groups as we act as voters, consumers, workers, family members, even protesters. We explore how “the media” construct the way we view our public issues, our social life, even our notion of self. We pay particular attention to how media developments contribute to the maintenance of existing power relations as well as create new power. Please note: MASS 1 is required of all communications majors; SOC 4 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category; and WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The Communications living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. SOC 4, sec. F3: Contemporary Society (BH), (3 s.h.) T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Rosemary McGunnigle-Gonzales and MASS 1, sec. F3: Mass Media: History and Development (3 s.h.) T/TH, 2:40-4:05 p.m., Brian McFadden and WSC 1, sec. F3: Composition (3 s.h.) M/W, 4:20-5:45 p.m., Robert Plath F4: FilmandPhilosophy(Total=10s.h.) This cluster integrates introductory courses in film and philosophy with first-year composition. The film course introduces the basic language of filmic expression and the methodologies of film study, including their influence on television and video. There is an emphasis on the ways of looking at films and television, the major concepts of theory, the various forms of film and television, and the techniques that determine visual styles. In the philosophy course, students consider whether film is a passive mirror of a preexisting reality, or whether we should think of it as possessing the power to actively construct a reality of its own. Can film be morally or socially dangerous? In the composition course, students write in a variety of genres about their work in the other two courses. Please note: RTVF 10 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category; PHI 10 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Social Sciences category; and WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The Studio living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. RTVF 10, sec. F4: Introduction to Cinema Studies (AA), (3 s.h.) M/W, TBD, Isabelle Freda and
PHI 10, sec. F4: Introduction to Philosophy(HP), (4 s.h.) T/TH, 12:30-2:25 p.m., Amy Karofsky and WSC 1, sec. F4: Composition (3 s.h.) M/W, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Maria Cipriani F5: Film Studies and Production (Total = 6 s.h.) This cluster is intended primarily for film majors, or for other RTVF majors with an interest in film. It combines the critical analysis of film aesthetics and narrative form (RTVF 10) with the practical application of those same principles in the students’ own short film projects (RTVF 27). By taking the first two film requirements together as a cluster, students begin to form connections as a community — a “network” that will benefit them throughout their studies. Please note: RTVF 10 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category; both RTVF 10 and RTVF 27 are required of all film majors or RTVF majors with an interest in film. The Studio living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. RTVF 10, sec. F5: Introduction to Cinema Studies(AA), (3 s.h.) M/W, 8:45-10:45 a.m., Rodney Hill and RTVF 27, sec. F5: Introductory Film Production (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Phil Katzman or RTVF 27, sec. EE: Introductory Film Production (3 s.h.) F, 9:40-11:05 a.m., William Jennings
PERFORMING ARTS F6: Elements of Music (Total = 7-9s.h.) This cluster is designed for music majors, music education majors, or music minors, but is also suitable for nonmajors with strong musical backgrounds. It includes a comprehensive survey of the fundamentals of music theory and notation, sight- reading for singing and rhythmic training, and the principles of voice leading and melodic structure that are most useful in the study of tonal harmony. Please note: MUS 61/61A and MUS 69/69A are required for all music majors. Students are placed in either MUS 61 or 61A, and either MUS 69 or 69A, based on their score on Hofstra’s music assessment test; WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The S.T.A.G.E. living- learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. MUS 61, sec. F6: Elementary Ear Training (2 s.h.) M/F, 8:30-9:25 a.m., Adem Birson and MUS 69, sec. F6: Music Fundamentals (2 s.h.) M/F, 11:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Darren Shekailo or MUS 61A, sec. F6: Elementary Ear Training (3 s.h.) M/W/F, 11:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Adem Birson and MUS 69A, sec. F6: Music Fundamentals (3 s.h.) M/W/F, 8:30-9:25 a.m., Philip Stoecker
and WSC 1, sec. F6: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Rory McDonough F7: This Great Stage (Total = 7 s.h.) This cluster is ideal for students who are considering a major or minor in drama. It includes DRAM 9 and ENGL 115, both required courses for the major. Students explore representative plays from a wide variety of traditions as an access point to a larger discussion about the development of Western drama from the ancient Greeks to the present day, with a particular emphasis on Shakespeare. Assignments focus on sharpening and refining analytical and observational skills through discussion, lecture, and writing. By the end of the semester, students will have gained an overview of the history of Western drama, and they will have developed their writing skills through integrated assignments. Please note: Both DRAM 9 and ENGL 115 are required of all drama majors; ENGL 115 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category. WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The S.T.A.G.E. livinglearning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. DRAM 9, sec. F7: Play Analysis (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Edward Elefterion and ENGL 115, sec. F7: Shakespeare (LT), (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Maureen McFeely and WSC 1, sec. F7: Composition (3 s.h.) M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Jennifer Marx
F8:ModernDance(Total= 8-10s.h.) This cluster is designed for incoming majors in dance or dance education. DNCE 11 focuses on technique in contemporary dance forms, and it is the first course in a four-year major sequence. Students in the Bachelor of Arts track meet three times a week for DNCE 11; students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts track meet five times a week for DNCE 11. Students in both tracks will take MUS 151, which is a study of musical concepts as they apply to dance, and a composition class, in which writing assignments are connected to dance criticism. Students attend a variety of dance and music performances in New York City during the semester. Please note: DNCE 11 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Humanities category; MUS 151 is required for dance majors on the BFAtrack and is stronglyrecommendedfor dancemajorson the BA track; WSC 1 (oritsequivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The S.T.A.G.E. living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. BA and BFA Tracks: DNCE 11, sec. FC: Freshman Performance F, 4:20-5:45 p.m., Robin Becker and MUS 151, sec. F8: Rhythmic Training and Accompaniment for Dance (3 s.h.) T, 4:20-7:05 p.m., Mark Katsaounis and WSC 1, sec. F8: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Aisha Wilson-Carter and BA Track: DNCE 11, sec. FA: Modern Dance I (CP), (2 s.h.) T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Robin Becker
BFA Track: DNCE 11, sec. FAX: Modern Dance I (CP),(4 s.h.) M/W, 2:40-4:05 p.m., Robert Cook T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Robin Becker
ENGINEERING, COMPUTING, PRE-HEALTH SCIENCES F9: Engineering(Total =6 s.h.) This cluster exploresthe world that humans have designed — the products and processes used in its development. There arethree main components of the first-year engineering design course. First, the informed design process connects basic science and mathematics to an eight-step design cycle that enables students to grasp the basics of conceptual engineering design. Second, teamwork is emphasized: Students collaborate on homework and compete with other teams in designing lab projects. Third, communicationskills areexplored and developed through problem-solving activities and brainstorming sessions. Class sessionsare composed of rich media content, including Flash animations, video clips, graphic images, music, and active learning methods to enhance student involvement. Five lab projectsallow teamsto design and build their ownprototypeswithin project specifications and time constraints, develop good interpersonal team dynamics, and improve their oral and written communication skills. Please note: ENGG 15 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Natural Sciences category; WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The Math/Science/Engineering living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. ENGG 15, sec. F9: Designing the Human-Made World (NS), (3 s.h.) M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Mauro Caputi and ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FAL M, 2:40-4:40 p.m., Mauro Caputi or ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FBL W, 2:40-4:40 p.m., Mauro Caputi or ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FCL F, 11:20-1:20 p.m., Mauro Caputi or ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FDL T, 2:40-4:40 p.m., Mauro Caputi or ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FEL TH, 2:40-4:40 p.m., Mauro Caputi or ENGG 15 Lab, sec. FFL TH, 6:00-8:00 p.m., George DeMarco and
WSC 1, sec. FAL: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Joseph Bartolotta or WSC 1, sec. FBL: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 1:00-2:25 p.m., Daniel Cole or WSC 1, sec. FDL: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Daniel Cole or WSC 1, sec. FEL: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 9:40-11:05 a.m., Daniel Cole or WSC 1, sec. FFL: Composition (3 s.h.) T/TH, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Joseph Bartolotta F10: Computer Science: Thinking Machines – Math, Logic, and Programming (Total = 7 s.h.) The field of artificial intelligence (AI) aims at developing “thinking machines” – intelligent computer systems that can learn, understand, reason, plan, solve problems, and even sense and act like humans. Recently, advances in robotics and large- scale systems, machine learning, computational linguistics, computer vision, dynamic systems, neuroscience, and cognitive science have led to substantial advances in AI and brought us closer to reproducing human intelligence. Researchers are now poised to address the main challenge of creating “general AI.” In this cluster we examine the foundations in mathematics and computer science on which all computer programs are built – including those that are capable of AI. Along the way, through research and discussions, we highlight the people, ideas, and events that shaped AI, and explore its frontiers. Please note: Priority is given to computer science and computer engineering majors, but non-majors are welcome. CSC 14 satisfies a University graduation requirement in either the Computer Science or Mathematics category; CSC 15 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Computer Science category. The Math/Science/Engineering livinglearning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. CSC 14, sec. F10: Discrete Structures for Computer Science I (CS, MA), (3 s.h.) Lecture, T/TH, 2:45-4:05 p.m.; Lab, F, 11:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Gretchen Ostheimer and CSC 15, sec. F10 and FAL: Fundamentals of Computer Science (CS), (4 s.h.) Lecture, M/W, 2:40 -4:05 p.m.; Lab, T, 1:00-2:45 p.m.; Chuck Liang F11: Introduction to Computing: Cybersecurity (Total = 7 s.h.) The primary computing challenges of today are twofold: enormous volumes of data, and security vulnerabilities in software and communication. Both have an immense impact on all spheres of society, including record high incidents of identity theft and the crash of mission-critical web-based systems in recent years. This cluster consists of two computer science courses that are naturally united by virtue of their subjects, as well as by the special topics and activities. CSC 15 is an introduction to computer science that explores problem solving and algorithms design, with emphasis on hands-on programming in Python programming language. CSC 14 is a study of the mathematical underpinnings of computing. We study and explore cybersecurity, in particular, web application development, server configuration, and a variety of hacking and defense experiments related to web security. The cluster is enriched by out-of-class activities that may include a field trip to a software company or a New York City attraction, and a programming/security challenge. Please note: Priority is given to computer science and computer engineering majors, but non-majors are welcome. CSC 14 satisfies a University graduation requirement in either the Computer Science or Mathematics category; CSC 15 satisfies a University graduation requirement in the Computer Science category. The Math/Science/Engineering living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. CSC 14, sec. F11: Discrete Structures for Computer Science I (CS, MA), (3 s.h.)
Lecture, M/W, 9:10-11:05 a.m., Krishnan Pillaipakkamnatt and CSC 15, sec. F11and FBL: Fundamentals of Computer Science(CS), (4s.h.) Lecture, T/TH, 4:20-5:45 p.m.; Lab, W, 2:40-4:30 p.m.; Angeliki Zavou F12: Pre-Health Sciences: Biology Focus (Total = 7 s.h.) Medical, dental, and veterinary schools require a solid foundation in the life sciences. This cluster provides an introduction to college-level study in the biological sciences, through an exploration of animal form and function. Lessons on best practices for learning and studying these concepts are embedded in the class discussions. In BIOL 112, we consider how biological processes across scales – from ecosystems to cells – relate to topics relevant to humans, for example climate change, Lyme Disease, and COVID-19. drive animal behavior and function and also influence the human condition. This cluster includes first- year composition (WSC 1), which emphasizes personal expression as well as writing about topics in health. Please note: This cluster carries an additional $60 laboratory fee. BIO 12 satisfies University graduation requirements in both the Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning categories; WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 canregister for the cluster without theWSC 1 component. The Pre-Health Professions (PreP) living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. BIOL 112, sec. F12: General Biology I (NS), (4 s.h.) M/W/F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Jessica Santangelo and BIOL 112 Lab, sec. FAL W, 2:40-5:35 p.m., Jessica Santangelo or BIOL 112 Lab, sec. FCL M, 2:40-5:35 p.m., Jessica Santangelo and WSC 1, sec. F12: Composition (3 s.h.) M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Amna Haider F13: Pre-Health Sciences: Biology and Chemistry (Total = 11 s.h.) Most medical, dental, and veterinary schools require a solid foundation in science, particularly biology and chemistry. After all, organisms are massive collections of biological molecules executing complex combinations of chemical reactions in a highly controlled and regulated manner. This cluster explores general chemistry, biological processes from ecosystems to cells, and the interplay between these disciplines in the function of organisms, particularly humans. Throughout the cluster, we consider how various chemical and biological processes are related and influence the human condition. This cluster includes first-year composition (WSC 1), which emphasizes personal expression as well as writing about topics in health. Please note: This cluster carries an additional $90 laboratory fee. BIO 12 and CHEM 3A satisfy University graduation requirements in both the Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning categories; WSC 1 (or its equivalent) is required of all students. Students who receive transfer credit for WSC 1 can register for the cluster without the WSC 1 component. The Pre-Health Professions (PreP) living-learning community is a good option if you are interested in this cluster. Visit hofstra.edu/livelearn for information. BIOL 112, sec. F13: General Biology I (NS), (4 s.h.) M/W, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Lisa Filippi and CHEM 3A, sec. F13: General Chemistry (NS), (3 s.h.) M/W, 9:40-11:05 a.m., and F, 10:10-11:05 a.m., Scott Lefurgy and WSC 1, sec. F13: Composition (3 s.h.)
M/W/F, 2:40-3:35 p.m., Marc Prinz and BIOL 112 Lab, sec. FBL 93278 T, 2:40-5:35 p.m., Lisa Filippi and CHEM 3B Lab, sec. FB (NS), (1 s.h.) W, 2:40-5:30 p.m., TBD or BIOL 112 Lab, sec. FDL TH, 2:40-5:35 p.m., TBD and CHEM 3B Lab, sec. FA (NS), (1 s.h.) T, 2:40-5:30 p.m., TBD
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: FIRST-YEAR SEMINARS AND CLUSTERS Q. Can all first-year students take seminars and clusters? A. Yes! All first-year students may take seminars or clusters in the fall semester and seminars in the spring semester of their first year. Students enrolled in Honors College may take seminars and clusters, but they should speak with their academic advisor to manage their schedule appropriately. Q. Whatwill my fallcourseschedulelooklike if I takea first-yearseminar or cluster? A. If you take a seminar, it will be one class out of the set of four or five you will take between September and December 2021. If you take a cluster, you will have two or three cluster classes a. for example, philosophy, political science, and composition classes — in addition to two orthree other classes, to total four or five classes for the fall term. Q. I’m a psychology major. Will an economics seminar count toward graduation? A. Yes. First-year seminars and clusters help you move closer to graduation. All students at Hofstra must take distribution courses — University graduation requirements b. and almost all first-year options fulfill these requirements. In fact, we have designed these first-year options to help you explore your major and other paths you may choose to fulfill your career goals. Q. I’m planning to major in business. Which cluster or seminar is right for me? A. All Hofstra undergraduate students (including business majors) must satisfy the same set of required courses, so ANY of the clusters and seminars will count toward your general education requirements. Q. Can I change my mind about my preferences? A. Yes! When you come to New Student Orientation, you and your advisor will work out your full fall course schedule together. At that time — or when you get to campus in the fall — you are welcome to choose courses that are different from the ones you choose here.
For more information, please contact the Center for University Advising, Room 101 Memorial Hall, South Campus. 516-463-6770 or 516-463-7222 • Advising@hofstra.edu
hofstra.edu/fyc 7/9/2021