B.A. in Liberal Studies

Study of media literacy, including techniques and strategies used to analyze the use of diverse media to inform, entertain, and sell. Examines diverse media messages in advertisements, television, film, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.

The purpose of this course is to help students learn how to analyze, critique, and construct arguments. It will enhance the student's ability to read, reason, and write clearly. In this course we will look at visual media, including TV news, newspapers, and short essays by philosophers and analyze them according to what constitutes a well-reasoned argument and what does not.

This course is designed to expose students to the variety of features in ASL by recognizing and considering the ways those features are demonstrated in naturalistic data. Students will compile a collection of data sets, which will allow them to investigate ASL features. Critical analysis of ASL features including ASL fingerspelling, sentence types, and non-manual aspects of the language reinforces students' abilities in creating, utilizing, and analyzing ASL materials for the purpose of academic research, pedagogy, and resources.

This course is an introductory class that aims to show the students the main problems and methods of data science with a minimal mathematical background. The course covers basic data science concepts and algorithms with an emphasis in real-life applications and gaining a broad understanding of the area.

Problems of research planning; collection, analysis, and presentation of research data. Significant studies from various fields of sociology and related disciplines exemplifying different research approaches will be analyzed.

This course is the first part of a two-semester course sequence. This course combines an intensive study of the principles of grammar and usage of the language with exposure to various aspects of Francophone [French-speaking] culture(s), including the cultures of Deaf communities abroad. The course focuses on basic vocabulary building, reading, translation, and composition. A contrastive grammar approach will be incorporated, drawing upon elements of English and ASL, and French signs (LSF), as appropriate. When offered face to face, the course has four hours of classroom instruction plus an additional, required weekly hour in the department's Learning Laboratory. When offered on-line or as hybrid, the lab hour is part of the on-line component.

An overview of historical and contemporary African religions inclusive of a variety of practices indigenous to specific ethnicities as well as enculturated forms of African Christianity and Islam. Attention is given to the impact of colonialism and how the variegated religious practices of the worldwide African diaspora are influenced by African Religious worldviews.

This is the first part of a two-semester course sequence. This course combines an intensive study of the principles of grammar and usage of the language with basic vocabulary building, reading, composition, and translation of elementary texts. A contrastive grammar approach will be incorporated, drawing upon elements of English and ASL. Students will also be exposed to aspects of the target culture(s), including information on Deaf communities abroad. When offered face to face, the course has four hours of classroom instruction plus an additional, required weekly hour in the department's Learning Laboratory. When offered on-line or as hybrid, the lab hour is part of the on-line component.

This course is designed to build basic knowledge and skills of Lengua de Senas Mexicana (LSM) and Mexican Deaf culture. Students are expected to develop basic expressive and receptive skills, through signs and grammar lessons and interactive activities. The visual and spatial language, LSM will be taught with cultural context and brief Mexican Deaf history, as well. This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals needed to initiate and partake in, and understand basic LSM conversations with LSM users.

This course designs to continue the development of Lengua de Senas Mexicana (LSM) and emphasize development and refinement of comprehension, production, and interpersonal skills as well as deepening understanding of Mexican Deaf Culture. The visual and spatial language, LSM II will be taught with cultural context and brief Mexican Deaf history, as well. This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals needed to initiate and partake in, and understand intermediate LSM conversations with LSM users.

This course provides a multidisciplinary introduction to the plethora of challenges Africa presently faces as a result of its colonial legacy, its economic under-development, its tribalism, and the devastation triggered by wars, AIDS, other diseases, and natural or man-made disasters. The focus of this course is to look for possible answers to the question, ¿Why does Africa struggle?¿ Students will apply knowledge, modes of inquiry, and technological competence from the fields of History, Government, Cultural Studies, and Literature to understand the complexity of the issues that shape the lives of people in Africa. Particular attention will be given to the issues that affect deaf Africans. Students will optionally participate in a service learning project in conjunction with and on behalf of Deaf people in an African country of their choice.