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Fall 2010 Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Honors Course Descriptions
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BIOL 147H - Psychobiology (and Lab) - Honors 4 credits
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the role of biology in shaping human behavior. Lecture topics include the anatomy and physiology of the neuroendocrine system, learning and memory, pain and analgesia, homeostatic motivation, emotions, and stress and stress management. Laboratory sessions include explorations of sensory perception, sleep and dreaming, mental illness, biofeedback, sociobiology and chronobiology. A written term project or classroom presentation is required.Class Hours: 3Lab Hours: 2Prerequisite: One semester of college-level biology.Offered spring semester.
BIOL 148H Psychobiology - Lab - Honors
COMM 101H - Understanding Mass Media-Honors 3 credits
Study of the impact of American mass media on American culture and on the cultures of other nations. Students are asked to consider how mass media alter concepts of culture; and are encouraged to develop an understanding of the economic forces that influence and shape the media. An emphasis is placed on critical thinking in a seminar situation.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: Approval by Honors Co-Directors.Offered spring semester.
COMM 109H - Speech Communication — Honors 3 credits
An in-depth exploration of issues and topics in communication. Students learn techniques and styles of oral communication and utilize these throughout the course to share research in special topics such as listening, intercultural communication, communication between genders, and the power of language to shape our perceptions of the world around us. Students work in groups as well as individually, and investigate and experience communication in a variety of contexts. Oral presentations requiring extensive planning and preparation and a research paper are required.Class Hours: 3Offered fall semester.
CIS 215H - Management Information Systems — Honors 3 credits
This course supports the five functional areas of business and researches world information management in today’s competitive business environment. Emphasis is placed on the information systems framework of business applications, management challenges, information technologies and the solution to real world problems using case studies, decision making software, collaborative forms of electronic communication, and presentation. This is a HYBRID course. 4 hrs/wk of lecture with integrated computer activities.Was DP 214H previous to Fall 2010.Class Hours: 4Prerequisite: CIS 110 - Computer Information Systems, and consent of Honors Program Director.
CJ 130H - Comparative Criminal Justice - Honors 3 credits
This course will provide an in-depth examination of criminal justice systems from a global perspective. It will describe and compare the criminal justice systems of multiple model nations, including their legal system, law enforcement, courts and corrective processes. The roles of religion, politics, economics and national history will be analyzed in regard to their contribution to each nation’s criminal justice system.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature, CJ 101 Intro to the Criminal Justice System in the U.S. (or permission of Instructor), and permission of Honors Program.
ECON 101H - Macroeconomics-Honors 3 social science credits
This course is designed to introduce students to both the basic principles used in economic theory and to the institutional details of the organization of economic systems in the United States and other countries. In addition, the course helps students understand the ways in which different economies are linked and the effects of economic interactions within and between countries. The contents of the course include demand and supply analysis, national income accounting, economic growth, monetary and fiscal policies, as well as global economic issues such as international trade and capital flows. Various contemporary policy issues are also analyzed. The course develops a conceptual framework to help students independently analyze economic policy issues.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: College-level Algebra and Composition and Literature I.
ECON 102H - Microeconomics-Honors 3 social science credits
This course provides an analysis of the basic market forces of demand and supply, and economic outcomes under different market structures such as competitive, imperfectly competitive and monopolistic markets. The labor and capital markets are also analyzed. In addition, the economics of the public sector emphasizes tax policy, externalities, monopoly power and the provision of public goods. The course examines contemporary social issues such as income distribution, poverty and the welfare system as well as global issues such as international trade and protectionism. This course is meant for the student who is already familiar with economic analysis and develops a conceptual framework to help students independently analyze economic policy issues.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: Macroeconomics, College-level Algebra and Composition and Literature I.
ENG 101H - Composition and Literature I-Honors 3 credits
Expository and argumentative writing is the focus of this course. Students read and discuss prose essays which present significant issues and respond to them in scholarly form and language. Research and its proper documentation are included in this process.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: Placement essay score of 9 or better.
ENG 102H - Composition and Literature II-Honors 3 credits
Composition and Literature II introduces students to literary genre (short story, poetry, drama, novel). This course presents masterpieces in each of these forms which students read, discuss and write about in their journals and in critical essays. Some research is required.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.Offered spring semester.
ENG 113H - Reading and Writing Poetry-Honors 3 credits
Reading and Writing Poetry-Honors integrates critical and creative modes of thought and expression. Students read extensively while working on their own poetry. The complementary acts of reading and writing poetry offer students a full experience of poetry as scholarly endeavor and creative practice. Writing exercises, discussion, workshop groups and individual conferences are designed to make poetry a more familiar language for students as they explore new imaginative territory.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II.Offered spring semester.
FILM 125H - Writing for Film-Honors 3 credits
Writing for Film-Honors is an intensive screenwriting workshop that incorporates critical as well as creative modes of expression. Students compare literary texts with motion pictures in order to gain a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences between the two art forms. They then engage in a variety of writing exercises before composing their own screenplays. As part of the course requirements, students engage in a group screenwriting project that ultimately leads to the production of a student video.Honors permission required.
Was ENG 125H prior to Fall 2010.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II.
ENG 126H - Readings in Human Rights - Honors 3 credits
The study of significant literary, historical and other texts related to human rights. Students read works that raise essential questions of social justice, individual conscience and human dignity. International in scope and interdisciplinary in approach, this course explores the role of writing in the development of human rights. Students supplement their reading through independent projects and participation in human rights activities.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
ENG 204H - Literature of New York-Honors 3 credits
The greatest city in the world is in our backyard. How much do you know about it? Take a “bite” out of the Big Apple with this fascinating Honors course. Learn about the rich and important history of New York City as you read stories, poems and novels by New Yorkers and about New York.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II.Offered fall semesters.
ENG 206H - Cambridge Literature - Honors 3 Honors English/Humanities credits
This course consists of ten days of intensive study with Cambridge University professors and an on-site, Westchester Community College Honors instructor. Students register for two specialized seminars in Literature Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the Westchester Community College instructor. Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University.Students register for two specialized seminars in Literature Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary and evening lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the Westchester Community College instructor. Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University; four Westchester Community College Honors English/Humanities credits.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II, and Honors permission.
ENG 210H - The American Dream — Honors 3 credits
Examination of political, social, and economic visions of America based on a selection of literature from the “discovery” of America to the present (Columbus, Bradford, Franklin, Douglass, Clemens, Yezierska, Fitzgerald, Ellison, Miller, Kingston, etc.)Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II.Offered fall semesters.
ENG 215H - Introduction to Shakespeare - Honors 3 credits
An appreciation of Shakespeare’s plays as poetry and theatre, Shakespeare’s development as dramatist and poet, the intellectual milieu of Elizabethan England and its influence on Shakespeare’s use of dramatic forms and techniques.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II; permission of the Honors Program and the instructor.
ENG 216H - Cambridge Shakespeare-Honors 4 credits
Three-week intensive study with Cambridge University professors and an on-site Westchester Community College Honors instructor.Students register for two specialized seminars in Shakespeare Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary and evening lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the college instructor. Certificate of Attendance from Cambridge University.Class Hours: 4Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II and Honors permission.
ENG 217H - Holocaust Studies-Honors 3 credits
This course studies the Holocaust in particular and racism in general. It examines a number of major questions such as, “How could a ‘cultured’ people, the nation of Beethoven, commit such barbaric crimes?” Special attention is given to the roles of silence, complicity, and personal responsibility. Students complete a three-part project in which they investigate an aspect of the Holocaust. Guest speakers and films complement the material.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II.Offered fall semester.
FILM 220H - Literature Into Film 3 credits
This course explores film as a form of literature. Students study the similarities and differences between filmmaking and other forms of storytelling. They learn about the element of fiction common to movies and traditional literature as well as the technical and aesthetic features that make cinema so distinctive. By examining the heroes, stories, and cultural values at work in the movies, students learn how to become more informed, critical, creative viewers of feature films.Was ENG 220H previous to Fall 2010.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 - Composition and Literature I and II
ENG 224H - Great Books — Honors 3 credits
This course offers students the opportunity to read and to engage in intensive study and discussion of classic literary texts—works of enduring influence that stand among the sources of our intellectual tradition and have shaped the development of Western culture. Readings may include the works of Homer, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes, Boccaccio, Chaucer, Dante, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Moliere, Voltaire, Goethe, Shelley, Austen, Flaubert, Dostoevski, Tolstoy, Joyce, Woolf, Hurston, Camus, Ellison, Achebe.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II and Honors permission.
ENG 298H - Women Writers-Honors 3 credits
This course explores gender issues in novels, plays, poems, short stories, and essays written by women. Readings are primarily from modern American and British literature, with global literature in translation, along with historical and cultural perspectives. Students read and analyze literary texts, write critical essays, and relate the history and culture of women to the texts.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II. Offered fall semester.
FILM 114H - World Cinema — Honors 3 humanities credits
This course explores the historical roots and evolution of the U.S. Constitution from 1787 to the present, beginning with an examination of the document itself in the context of 18th century political theory and social relations as mirrored in the lives of its drafters, and continuing with an analysis of the constitutional controversies over broadening civil rights and popular participation of society through Constitutional amendment.Class Hours: 3
FILM 115H - American Cinema —Honors 3 humanities credits
This honors-level course is a focused investigation of movies in America. Students approach film as an art form, an industry, and a system of representation and communication. They study the important role of movies in our culture, learning how Hollywood has helped to reflect and shape our national image throughout history. Instructional methods include independent research projects, collaborative presentations, readings, class discussion, and critical viewing of selected films and videos.Class Hours: 3Offered fall semester.
GEOG 206H - Asia Today-Honors 3 behavioral/social science credits
This is an introductory course designed for students who are interested in learning more about Asia; as such, it provides background information on Asia as a whole and an in-depth look at a few selected Asian countries such as India, China, and the Philippines. Current economic, political, and cultural events and their historical and geographical backgrounds are emphasized. In addition, the connections between Asia and the United States and their importance are stressed.An additional course in Geography is highly recommended.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I or equivalent.
HIS 107H - Topics Global History-Honors 3 behavioral/ social science credits
This course is a survey of global history from earliest times to the present. It explores themes constant throughout that period to find patterns of development of governmental institutions and economic systems emphasizing the non- western as well as western experience. The rise and decline of major civilizations, the transitions from an agrarian to an urban industrial and now post-industrial society and the nature of warfare are examined. Emphasis is placed on discovering the historical roots of contemporary conflicts.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
HIS 112H - Twentieth Century United States History-Honors 3 social science credits
This course presents a history of the United States from the Spanish-American War to the present; the development and impact of big business; the Progressive Era and World War I; the return to normalcy and the Depression; recovery and the New Deal; World War II and its aftermath; the Cold War, Korea, Civil Rights; the Kennedy Administration. It is designed to provide a background in United States social, economic and diplomatic developments in the 20th century.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.Not offered every semester.
HIS 218H - Cambridge History-Honors 3 Honors History credits
This course consists of three weeks of intensive study with Cambridge University professors and a Westchester Community College Honors instructor. Pre- and Post-Cambridge conferences for preparation and assessment are required. Students register for two specialized seminars in History Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the Westchester Community College instructor. Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University.Students register for two specialized seminars in History Summer School at Cambridge and attend two classes per day, in addition to morning plenary lectures. All written work is submitted to and graded by the college instructor. Certificate of Completion from Cambridge University; four Westchester Community College Honors History credits.Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I, ENG 102 Composition and Literature II. Admission to the college Honors Program and permission from the instructor.
INTER 106H - Topics in History of Ideas-Honors 3 credits
This interdisciplinary Humanities course offers students an opportunity to explore classic philosophical texts, the social and historical contexts within which they were written, and the powerful ideas they contain. Among the influential thinkers and texts that may be covered are Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, the Bible, the Koran, Calvin, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Marx, Freud, Jung, and Gandhi.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I and Honors permission.
INTER 161H - Seminar in Ethics-Honors 3 credits
The Honors Seminar in Ethics is a course whose text is a collection of excerpts written by Western philosophers from Plato to Sartre. We also read short stories, a novel, and plays with protagonists who struggle with moral dilemmas. Students are required to give presentations of their own choice (with the approval of the instructor) about religions, philosophers, belief systems, or other related topics. For example, in the past we have learned about Tao; Confucianism; Ethics in Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, West African religions; animal rights, etc. Journal responses on every reading and essays dealing with ethical questions which arise in our texts are assigned. Students are encouraged to engage in free and open discussions, to question, and to listen to others’ views with respect and interest.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I & II.Offered spring semester.
MKT 203H - Advertising - Honors 4 credits
Development and social importance of advertising; economic and legal aspects; psychology of advertising; the advertising agency and how it works; the advertising manager; major media: newspapers, magazines, radio and television; types of copy; advertising campaigns, research pertinent to advertising effectiveness; analysis of topography media, production, and appropriateness of advertising.Class Hours: 4Prerequisite: MKT 101 Marketing or permission from the Curriculum or Department Chairperson.
MATH 120H - The Nature of Mathematics - Honors 4 credits
The emphasis of this course is on the improvement of problem solving skills and extend students’ understanding of the nature of mathematics beyond algebra. Topics include: problem solving, number theory, secret codes, the golden rectangle, symmetry, the concept of infinity, topology, chaos, fractals, the uses and abuses of statistics, uncertainty, and decision making. This course is appropriate for Liberal Arts students entering fields of study that are not mathematically-oriented.Honors permission required.Class Hours: 4Prerequisite: MATH 093 OR appropriate score on placement test OR 100 TR.
MATH 170H - History of Math-Honors 3 credits
A survey of the history of Mathematics from counting through Calculus. The Internet is the main reference tool to investigate the contributions of various cultures and individuals. A problem solving approach is used to study the Mathematical contributions of each culture.Was MATH 202H previous to Fall 2010.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: MATH 130 - College Algebra; Functions & Models OR MATH 131 - Technical Math I OR appropriate score on placement exam.
MATH 204H - Mathematical Modeling-Honors 4 credits
Advanced mathematics as it is applied in industry, science and government. The modeling process; discrete and continuous dynamical systems; curve-fitting; probabilistic modeling and simulation; discrete and continuous optimization. Students learn the appropriate software, work on modeling problems from the COMAP organization, and become prepared to form teams to enter COMAP’s annual modeling contest.Class Hours: 4Prerequisite: MATH 191 - Calculus II.
MATH 175H - Mathematical Excursions-Honors 3 credits
This unique course emphasizes five major areas: historical research, applications of mathematics in the physical world, modern mathematics from an elementary point of view (topics include graph theory, number theory, applied probability), creative methods of problem-solving (without Calculus) and excursions into non-traditional areas of Mathematical inquiry (art, non-Euclidian geometry, study of polyhedra, topology, etc.). Group and individual interaction and substantial readings in mathematics are required.Was MATH 295H previous to Fall 2010.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: MATH 130 - College Algebra; Functions & Models OR MATH 131 - Technical Math I OR MATH 135 - College Algebra with Trigonometry OR appropriate score on placement exam.
PHIL 201H - Philosophy of Art-Honors 3 credits
What is art? And what makes aesthetic judgments possible? This course addresses these two questions by looking at what some of the most influential Western Philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Ficino, Shaftesbury, Kant, Schelling, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Croce, Dewey, and Heidegger) have said about art and aesthetics. Particular attention is given to how philosophical issues in art have been intimately connected to philosophical visions of the cosmos, god, politics, science, and ethics. Such connections are investigated both through theory and through the critique of famous works of art in various mediums.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
PHYSC 154H - Life in the Universe - Honors 4 credits
An approach to the science of life beyond Earth, from the viewpoint of various physical sciences. Emphasis is on the physical processes that shape our understanding of life and the habitability of terrestrial planets. Specific topics include: the possibility of life within our solar system, planetary atmospheres and geophysics, the search for extra-solar planets, the feasibility of inter-stellar travel, and the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. The social and philosophical implications of the course material is discussed. Lab activities include physics and geology investigations, as well as a class field trip.Class Hours: 4Lab Hours: 0
POLSC 102H - American Government and Issues-Honors 3 social science credits
This course offers an introduction to the field of political science and the American political system. Students analyze the organization and working of American political institutions and current issues through the ideological perspective of centrist, liberal, conservative, radical left, and radical right positions.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
POLSC 111H - Introduction to World Politics-Honors 3 social science credits
This course introduces students to the field of international relations. Topics covered include realism vs. idealism, the role of ideology, nationalism, international law and organizations, war, disarmament and diplomacy. Students read original sources, engage in debates and role-playing, do research projects and attend lectures. They also study major global political, economic, human and environmental problems.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
POLSC 112H - International Law and Organizations-Honors 3 social science credits
This course is an introduction to international law, exploring the theories behind international law, the concept of the nation state and the formation of world organizations in the twentieth century, including the organs and agencies of the United Nations as well as prominent Non-Governmental organizations. It covers important current controversies on human rights, the environment, refugees, terrorism, war crimes and multinational corporations from an historical as well as legal perspective. Emphasis is placed on international problem solving and the issues of peacekeeping and dispute resolution. The student will learn legal terminology, case analysis and legal drafting.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: One semester of Political Science, Social Science or History; ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II.
PSYCH 101H - General Psychology-Honors 3 behavioral science credits
This course provides the student with an understanding of how psychologists view the world and apply scientific method to the study of behavior. The discipline of psychology is characterized by controversy and change, but has always been committed to objective inquiry to extend our knowledge of the complexity of behavior. Each student designs and carries out a personal research project in order to learn and experience the problems and pitfalls of doing behavioral research. Research methodology, biological foundations of behavior, learning, memory, perception, motivation and personality are topics of study.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature.
PSYCH 112H - Theories of Personality-Honors 3 behavioral science credits
This course focuses on the individual and the various theories that explain both the commonalities and the unique qualities that make up our personalities. The following theoretical perspectives will be presented: Psychoanalytic; Neo-Analytic; Trait; Humanistic; Behaviorist and Social Learning; Biological; and Cognitive. Emphasis is on class discussion and seminar style learning.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: One semester of Political Science, Social Science or History; ENG 101, 102 Composition and Literature I and II.
SS 120H - Great Trials — Honors 3 credits
This course exposes students to some of the most celebrated trials in the world. The exploration starts with the trials of Socrates, then the trial of Joan of Arc and Galileo. Many other famous trials are studied—these may include Salem Witchcraft Trial, the Scopes Trials, the Nuremberg Trial, the Trial of Nelson Mandela, and the Tiananmen Square Dissidents Trial.Other regular courses offering an Honors Option (for information, see instructor or go to the Honors Corner, LIB, 2nd floor): ACC 204 - Intermediate Accounting II BIOL 115 - General Biology I BIOL 117 - General Biology II BIOL 236 - Human Genetics COMSC 108 - .NET GUI Development COMSC 210 - Introduction to Data Structure HSERV 262 - Methods in the Helping Process HSERV 264 - Case Management ITAL 201 Intermediate Italian I ITAL 202 Intermediate Italian II ADN 120 - ADN-Nursing I ADN 131 - ADN-Nursing II ADN 221 - ADN-Nursing III PN 107A - Nursing PN II PN 201 Nursing III PN 207 Nursing IV MUSIC 129 Music Theory 1 MUSIC 197S History of Jazz RESP 103A Respiratory Care II RESP 201A Respiratory Care III RESP 203A Respiratory Care IVClass Hours: 3
SOC 101H - Introduction to Sociology-Honors 4 Behavioral Science credits
This Honors course should appeal to students who are curious about the nature of the social world and who want to participate in a challenging academic environment that sharpens their analytical skills. Students are introduced to the basic principles of sociology and the concept of culture, to important primary texts, and to the challenge of independent research on contemporary issues and problems.Class Hours: 3Prerequisite: ENG 101 Composition and Literature I.
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