Course Code: CHSS101
Title: Eastern Armenian Language 1
Description: In this course students will learn the fundamentals of Eastern Armenian in order to be able to form simple sentences, recognize the Armenian alphabet and hold basic conversations. The course is for non-native speakers only.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS102
Title: Eastern Armenian Language 2
Description: This is an intermediate level Eastern Armenian course for students with basic knowledge of the language. Students must be able to read and write Armenian, and have basic conversational skills. The course is designed to enhance reading, speaking, and writing skills through the use of literary texts, through the application of syntax rules, through lectures, class discussions, group work, video-audio presentations, visits by various scholars, writers and artists, and occasional visits to galleries and museums. Students will be introduced to the evolution of the Armenian language, to classical and modern Armenian (similarities/differences), and to Western and Eastern Armenian (similarities/differences). They will also become familiarized with the classical orthography through some original texts. The selected texts will be provided in the form of a Course Reader designed for intermediate level learning and through additional texts handed out by the instructor throughout the course. The reader will contain poems, short stories, fables and short essays. The students will be assigned to read and to analyze the texts both in oral and written forms.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS103
Title: Armenian Language and Literature 1
Description: This course exposes students to a variety of texts by Armenian and non-Armenian poets, playwrights, and novelists across various historical periods. Students will study the linguistic and literary values of these texts, gaining an understanding of how literature reflects and constructs the Armenian identity in social, cultural, political, and historical contexts. Students will gain an appreciation of the Armenian language and develop skills in literary analysis through close reading, writing, discussion and presentation. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week. Note: Most sections will be offered in Armenian. Non Republic of Armenia citizens who did not graduate from an RoA high school whose language of instruction is Armenian will be eligible to enroll in an English-language section. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS104
Title: Armenian Language & Literature 2
Description: This course involves close reading of influential works by Armenian writers in their historical, cultural and comparative context. The course examines the linguistic and cultural value of epic, short story, and spiritual literature through which students will gain an understanding of the interrelationship between literature and various aspects of Armenia’s history and development. Students are required to draw upon literary theories and influences in their final project and presentation, which may be either an original work or a sustained essay on an influential literary work. This course is designed for students with an Advanced to advanced background of the Armenian language. Although the course will be conducted in Eastern Armenian, it will expose students to literary works in both Western and Eastern Armenian. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week. Non Republic of Armenia citizens who did not graduate from an RoA high school whose language of instruction is Armenian will be eligible to enroll in an English-language section. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS103
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Course Code: CHSS108
Title: Contemporary Issues in American Education
Description: This course engages students in explorations, interactions, and analyses of critical and contemporary educational issues pertaining to American education. More specifically, students will investigate issues influencing the social and political contexts of public educational settings in the United States. Students will actively examine the teaching profession from multiple vantage points both within and outside the domains of the American public-school system. Against this backdrop, students will reflect on and interpret the meaning of education and schooling in a pluralistic society and examine the ethical responsibilities of teaching in a political democracy. When appropriate, students will be asked to engage in comparative considerations of meanings and functions of public education in the United States and Republic of Armenia. Lecture, in-class workshops and group discussions.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS110
Title: Introduction to Philosophy
Description: This course aims at introducing students to some fundamental problems from various branches of philosophy: ontology, epistemology and ethics. Questions regarding the existence of matter, God, causation, free will and other minds, the possibility of knowledge, as well as some ethical questions will be addressed during the course. Students will read carefully selected writings from classical and modern philosophers. Students will be asked to write short essays and participate in well-structured debates and discussions. This course will help students develop critical and creative thinking skills, the ability to deal with uncertainty, conceptualize and theoretically analyze real life situations and problems. Home tasks will include readings and writing assignments. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS111
Title: Introduction to Ethics
Description: This course introduces students to major ethical theories: virtue ethics, deontology and utilitarianism. Students will use these frameworks to analyze ethical issues and develop their own positions to perennial problems. Special emphasis is placed on linking philosophical discussions to topics relevant to students as learners, workers, and citizens which may include numerous aspects of personal, social, professional and political life. Students will read carefully selected readings from classical and contemporary philosophers. Through rigorous inclass debates and discussions, students will be challenged to consider ethical dilemmas from different perspectives and weigh the strengths and shortcomings of various ethical theories. Home tasks will include readings and writing assignments. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS112
Title: Logic & Rhetoric
Description: The course introduces basic laws of logic, forms of thought, strategies and devices of developing and presenting public speeches. The course concentrates on two main questions: 1) How to reason well? 2) How to make a convincing speech or write a convincing essay? Students are expected to read selected texts on logic and rhetoric, prepare and perform oral speeches and write essays using various strategies, logical and rhetorical techniques of argumentation. Speeches and essays will be on various topics, for various audiences. During the course students will also scrutinize, analyze and assess historical as well as contemporary speeches from public and political life. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS114
Title: Introduction to Religion
Description: The course examines religion as a phenomenon of human culture. It firstly introduces the students to the main theoretical approaches and methods through which religion has been studied by historians and social scientists. Secondly, the course looks at the major themes in the study of religion. These themes will be examined drawing on particular religious traditions and through the lens of the theoretical approaches covered. Readings will include theoretical writings about religion by classics and contemporary authors, and primary texts from various religious traditions and by representatives of those traditions. The course combines lectures, in-class discussions, and analytical essays. Its broader aim is to give the students an understanding of the richness of the religious traditions of the world, and to develop skills to analyze religious phenomena and to situate them in their historical contexts. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS120
Title: The Study of History
Description: The purpose of this course is to cultivate historical thinking skills, including the ability to evaluate source reliability, understand multiple causality, and make valid interpretations. Importantly, the analytical techniques addressed in this course are relevant to real-life situations, including the interpretation of daily news reports, whether local, national, or international. This course is interactive, consisting of instructor lectures along with student engagement.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS125
Title: History of the Middle East
Description: A critical survey of the history of the Middle East from the period of Hellenism (323 BCE) to the present. The course especially focuses on the interplay of powerful political, cultural, economic and ideological forces that brought to life the formation and rise of Christianity and Islam, the millennial conflict between the Islamic and European imperialisms, interactions between the Roman-Byzantine, Iranian, Arab, and Turkic ethno-cultural worlds and political systems, westernization and transformations of the Middle East in the course of the First and Second World Wars, and the current regional sociopolitical and economic dynamics. Special attention is paid to the place of Armenia and Armenians in Middle Eastern history. This is a lecture course enhanced by students’ analysis of readings concerning main and supplementary topics. Evaluation is based on letter grading of students’ individual oral presentations, research essays, quizzes, and participation in group projects.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS127
Title: World Civilizations
Description: The course explores the meaning and importance of interdisciplinary study of world history by introducing students to distinctive features and characteristics of civilizations that had developed in the Old and New worlds from the earliest times to 1700 CE. It will emphasize the importance of primary sources and of critical analysis of academic theories. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS128
Title: History of the Modern World
Description: A critical introductory survey of the history of the Modern World from the beginning of the Age of Great Geographic Discoveries in the 15th century to the present. The course explores especially the foundations and transformations of modern imperialism, globalization, nation state, industrializations, forms of sociopolitical and economic organization, financial capitalism, international and domestic competition and conflict, the current technological civilization and humanism, the individual and the collective from a general perspective of history of civilizations. This is a lecture course enhanced by students’ analysis of readings concerning main and supplementary topics. Evaluation is based on letter grading of students’ individual oral presentations, research essays, quizzes, and participation to group projects.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS129
Title: Global Perspectives and Site Stories
Description: This course takes a close look at the historical, cultural, political, global, and economic factors surrounding Armenia’s reemergence as an independent state in the late 20th century and its trajectory in the 21st century. Students will become acquainted with the main events and factors shaping contemporary Armenia and analyze different interpretations of the recent and more distant past as a frame for thinking about current events and longer term scenarios for the Armenian state and nation, placing an emphasis on global and regional issues. The course will be instructor-led, supplemented by group discussion, and may include visits to cultural or historic sites as well as individual or group projects.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS130
Title: Introduction to Art
Description: This course is an introduction to the elements of art: texture, form, shape, color, line and tone/style, proportion, perspective (and for film and mobiles, time/rhythm) as aspects of an artifact, art as it is produced, and art as it is perceived. It is also a survey in both geographic and time dimensions of art as an expression of human creativity, focusing on painting, sculpture, architecture, photography and film, while making relevant connections to other aspects of culture: music, dance, ritual, literature, religion, technology, politics, commerce (advertising), and design. This course will introduce students to the language of art, increasing recognition and understanding of references in popular culture, on clothing, and in film and other media. Visits to museums and excursions will be included in the learning activities. Three hours of instructor-led class per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Course Code: CHSS201
Title: Comparative Education
Description: he course explores the impact of political and cultural differences on educational systems around the world. Utilizing a comparative approach, emphasis is placed on contrasting educational systems and practice in various countries. Major themes include educational access and equity, educational reform movements, the effects of globalization on early childhood care, issues of gender and education, and social transformation in still-developing and industrialized countries. Various case studies will be examined, to provide a broader understanding of comparative research and analysis. A seminar-style learning environment characterizes this class, where alongside lectures, critical reflection on readings, student-led discussions, group presentations, and project-based collaborative work form the main teaching framework. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS207
Title: Ethics in Public Affairs
Description: What role should ethical considerations play in public policy development? How can policy-makers complement economic, political and technological considerations with ethical ones? This course introduces students to key moral theories and methods for exploring ethical as-pects of public policy and public affairs. Specific topics covered by the course may include ethical aspects of policies on property rights, health care, environment, artificial intelligence, etc. Students will be encouraged to apply moral theories and concepts in class discussions and written assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS210
Title: Philosophy, Politics and Economics Seminar
Description: This course integrates the methods of the three component disciplines of the PPE minor. Students will apply the methods, theories and concepts learned in philosophy, politics and economics courses to various problems or policy challenges. The course aims to enable students to analyze, propose, and defend policies from an integrated perspective. Students will study a selection of readings on philosophy, politics and economics, propose their own policy study, and write a paper critically analyzing different policy options.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS211
Title: Great Books
Description: In this course students will perform close reading of classic texts in political philosophy and ethics and engage in class discussion and written reflection on the texts, comparing and tracing the evolution of key ideas with reference, as appropriate, to other texts, historical context and contemporary issues. Texts vary from year to year, drawn from different traditions and eras (e.g., Greek, Roman, European, Armenian, Russian, Eastern, American, ancient, medieval, modern, contemporary). The course does not assume background in political theory or philosophy, but does expect students to spend significant time on reading and preparing for class discussion.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS212
Title: Epistemology & Philosophy of Science
Description: This course discusses fundamental issues related to knowledge and science. The course addresses fundamental epistemological questions such as: What is knowledge? Is knowledge possible? What is truth and what are criteria of truth? Is there a priori knowledge? On what grounds is knowledge justified? What is the difference between science and truth? The course will also discuss central issues philosophy of science, such as the nature and limits of scientific knowledge, theories of scientific progress and social status of science, and differences between of natural and social sciences. Assessment will include papers, exams and presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS213
Title: Symbolic Logic
Description: This course is a comprehensive introduction to symbolic logic. Topics include forms of thought, basics of categorical logic, propositional logic, predicate logic and inductive logic. In this course students will develop critical thinking skills by identifying formal structures of arguments and debates, evaluating arguments from logical standpoint, and devising ways of improving fallacious arguments. In this course students will analyze texts in natural languages and ‘translate’ them into symbolic language and back, solve problems of symbolic logic and explore ways of using symbolic logic outside the classroom.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS220
Title: The Study of History- Upper-Level
Description: The course explores one singularly important question: how do we know what we think we know about human societies and ourselves from the perspective of history, which underlies the theories and philosophies of historical research. It analyzes the development of historical thinking in the course of nearly five thousand years – from the discovery of linear time in the Ancient Near East to the current research in globalization. Explorations of social and intellectual processes shaping the search for facts, construction of historical narratives, transmission of historical memory, and interpretations of the goals and meaning of history are at the core of this course. This is an interactive course consisting of instructor’s introductory lectures to the study of each specific topic and students’ proactive work with primary sources, complemented by analysis of major texts, artifacts, and concepts. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS221
Title: Ancient Near East: History and Civilizations
Description: A critical survey of the history and civilizations of the Ancient Near East from the earliest times to the collapse of the Iranian Achaemenid Empire during the conquests of Alexander of Macedon in the fourth century BCE. The course explores especially the origins of human culture and foundations of civilizations, the revolutionary growth of technologies from the emergence of agriculture to the Iron Age; economies, ideologies, and authority in first pristine states, social stratification, secondary state formation, the formation of world’s first empires and first steps toward globalization. Geographically it covers Egypt, the Levant, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, the Armenian Highland, Caucasus, Iran, and the southern part of Central Asia, at the same time focusing on the diversity of pathways in human history. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS222
Title: Soviet Armenia
Description: The course aims to explore the legacy of Soviet Armenia from various perspectives: political, economic, social and cultural. The course with use sectoral as well as historical approaches to the analysis of the Soviet modernization model and its lasting impact on Armenia, through case studies and comparative analysis. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
The course is taught in Armenian.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS223
Title: Armenian History 1
Description: This course examines the history of Armenia, its land and people. The course will cover history from antiquity to the early modern age (beginning of the 16th century). The course examines the geopolitical, economic, religious and socio-cultural development of Armenia and explores the relationship between Armenia and other countries. Students will critically examine historical events, processes, actors, and models of history writing. Students will work individually and in groups to integrate evidence from various sources in order to develop a greater understanding of Armenian history. Note: Most sections will be offered in Armenian. Non Republic of Armenia citizens who did not graduate from an RoA high school whose language of instruction is Armenian will be eligible to enroll in an English-language section. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS224
Title: Armenian History 2
Description: This course covers various episodes and aspects of the history of the Armenian people and their territories, beginning with King Arshak II (4th century CE) through the establishment of the modern Republic of Armenia and renewed independence in the 21th century. The course explores the political, economic, and cultural trends within and beyond Armenia to understand Armenia’s development and identity in its global context. Students will be required to conduct independent research using primary and secondary sources to analyze contemporary issues through a historical or comparative lens and to evaluate and synthesize evidence and arguments from various disciplines, effectively communicate their ideas to a broad audience, and present their findings utilizing appropriate software and technology. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to be forward-looking, to analyze Armenia’s unique history in order to anticipate challenges and opportunities for development. Students will also be challenged to think of themselves as informed and responsible historical actors capable of positively influencing Armenia’s history. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week. Note: Most sections will be offered in Armenian. Non Republic of Armenia citizens who did not graduate from an RoA high school whose language of instruction is Armenian will be eligible to enroll in an English-language section. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS223
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Course Code: CHSS225
Title: The Modern Middle East: Peoples, States and Societies
Description: In this course students will explore the ethnic and religious minorities in the modern Middle East. Through lectures, discussions and examination of primary and secondary sources students will critically examine the concept and role of religious and ethnic minorities in state policies and the relations between minorities, majorities and states in the wider region between Egypt and Iran. Students will discuss the meanings and limits of concepts such as “coexistence”, “tolerance”, “cosmopolitanism,” and “pluralism.”
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS230
Title: Asian Art
Description: An iconographic and aesthetic analysis of the three principal Asian religious traditions: Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic. Study of painting, sculpture and architecture as reflective of various cultures’ definitions of the Divine, life and the afterlife and value structures. Emphasis on the silk route and migration of style. Exams and final paper. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS231
Title: Armenian Visual Traditions: Illuminated Manuscripts
Description: This course is an introduction to the visual traditions of historical Armenia from the ancient period to the seventeenth century. The study of Armenian painting is largely a study of illuminated manuscripts, their texts, illustration and ornamentation. Students will become familiar with the methods of Medieval and Early Modern Armenian book illustration, codicology, paleography, and the history of the book as art object in the Armenian literary experience. In addition to examining individual illustrations in their original contexts, the course will consider the role of individual artists in transforming manuscript illumination without the infrastructure of traditional “schools” of painting. This course will include trips to local collections of Armenian manuscripts, including the Matenadaran where students will view and analyze manuscripts as well as other works on exhibit. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS232
Title: Topics in Western Art History
Description: This course introduces works of art and monumental architecture as complex cultural repositories from ancient civilizations of the West to the present. While exploring Western art, architecture and objects, students will gain familiarity with artists, their artworks and the historical contexts under which these works were conceived and produced. The course emphasizes close looking and visual analysis while using theories of visualization and visuality to examine the phenomena of cultural production and the consumption of a range of media. The course examines how images and objects function, and how they mediate what we see and experience. This course will provide students with the tools to accurately and describe works of art, iconography, stylistic developments, and the cultural and historical contexts of various sculptures, paintings and architecture. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS234
Title: Cultural Policy and Arts Management
Description: This course presents the theory and practice of cultural policy and arts management, models and instruments of cultural policy, specifics of international cultural relations, legal issues on international and national levels. The course explores interrelation of culture with economy, tourism, education, problems of cultural heritage protection, museum and art gallery management. Other topics include different types of governmental support for culture, public-private partnership, community and civil society role, public relations in cultural institutions and projects, and engagement of media industry and information technologies for promoting culture and art. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
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Course Code: CHSS236
Title: Baroque Era
Description: This course aims to explore the developments in Europe during the Enlightenment through the lens of the aesthetic category of the Baroque. The course examines the distinctive characteristics of the cultural, social and political spheres in the Baroque era, their interdependence, and their continuing relevance. Through close analysis of texts, political, music, painting, architecture, and intellectual history, students will develop critical thinking skills, the ability to distinguish aesthetic eras and draw parallels across disciplines, and learn to view cultures from different perspectives, while gaining knowledge that will enable life-long learning and enrich their appreciation of the lasting legacy of the Baroque. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS237
Title: 20th Century Art
Description: 20th Century Art is a survey of major fine art developments in Europe and the United States from post-impressionism to post-modernism. Media discussed include painting, sculpture and architecture. Assessment may include tests, short assignments and longer papers with focuses on theoretical and critical approaches to the analysis of art. Instructor-led class time and may include off-campus excursions.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS238
Title: Psychology of Gender
Description: The course explores the major theories and central argument in gender studies and human development, and addresses the impact of socio-economic, political, cultural and psychological forces on the development and reinforcement of gender discourse and practice. Students will explore the process of gender socialization and formation of gender roles to unearth why and how social norms, expectations and opportunities are related to gender, and how they affect the experience of gender throughout a person’s life.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS239
Title: The Age of Enlightenment
Description: In this course students will explore the intellectual and artistic developments throughout the Classical era through comprehensive analysis of music, texts, paintings, and historical events. Instructor-led class may include lectures, live/virtual performances of music, seminars, readings, analyses of music and paintings.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS241
Title: Armenian Music
Description: In this course students will explore Armenian music from its origins to the present. Armenian music will be considered in the broader context of world music and will include connections between music and literature, theater, other fields of culture, and history. Students will engage in learning through lectures and discussions, listening to music in and out of class, readings, and musical performance attendance.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS250
Title: Professional Communication in Armenian
Description: This course is designed to give students a comprehensive view of the scope and importance of professional communication in a variety of settings in Armenian. The course aims to develop students’ writing, speaking, and interpersonal skills and specific tools for communicating in professional environments. Students will learn practical skills including writing letters, resumes, proposals, managing meetings and dealing with conflict. The course is intended for native-Armenian speakers and will be taught in Armenian.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS104
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS255
Title: Russian Professional Communication
Description: This course is designed for those who are proficient in the Russian language and who would like to feel confident using Russian language in professional life. This course focuses on developing oral and written skills in the business setting and emphasizes memo writing, business letters, publicity, oral reporting, interviewing and professional presentations. Assessment may include papers, written and oral presentations, and exams.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS256
Title: Latin Language & Literature
Description: This course aims to deepen the knowledge and understanding of Latin language and literature and their role in the evolution of European culture and society. Students will acquire a higher level of Latin reading knowledge through study of excerpts from original texts. Special emphasis will be placed on the relationship between Latin and English (vocabulary, phraseology and syntax). The course will involve study and research of Medieval European societies, culture, religion (Christianity), education, literature, philosophy and architecture. Assessment will include exams, papers, and presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS156
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS261
Title: Armenian Literature in Perspective
Description: This course exposes students to a variety of texts by Armenian and non-Armenian writers focusing on a specific historical period. Students will study the literary values of these texts to gain an understanding of how literary texts construct and reflect the collective imagination of that period. In this respect, the course discusses literary texts as the materialized aspirations of their authors on the one hand, and as the collective dream of a community on the other hand. The particular historical period will change each semester. The course is based on a semester-long student research project. In the beginning of the semester, each student chooses a cultural issue that he/she is interested in. The language of instruction in this course is Armenian and uses Armenian-language course materials.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS104
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS262
Title: Russian Language & Literature
Description: This course, to be taught in Russian, is designed to introduce students to selected masterpieces of Russian literature and to improve their ability to read complex written works. Through understanding the biographical and historical context, main ideas, aesthetic principles and literary techniques of the most prominent Russian writers, students will develop research, writing and discussion skills that will be transferable to various disciplines and professions. Assessment will include papers, essay, exams and presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS272
Title: Comparative Religion
Description: The course examines world religious traditions from a comparative perspective. Students will be introduced to the basic tenets, worldview, and practices of the major religious traditions around the world, polytheistic traditions, Asian religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as well as new religious movements. The course will also examine the sacred texts of various religions. Upon completing the course, students should be familiar with the key beliefs and practices of the major religions and gain an appreciation of the diversity of religious experience through time and across cultures. The course also aims to equip students with concepts and frames for thinking critically about the relationship of Christianity to other religious traditions and comparing the dogmatic, doctrinal and ritualistic practices within various religious traditions. The course combines lectures, in-class discussions, and analytical essays. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS280
Title: Clinical Psychology
Description: Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. This course will review theories of the mind and investigate normal human growth and development. We will examine the life cycle of man from infancy to old age. Personality disorders, neurosis, psychoses, substance abuse and developmental disabilities will be presented. The class will include assessment of the individual by clinical interview. The types of psychological tests that a clinical psychologist uses to assess individuals will be identified. An overview of current treatments of emotional disturbances with medication will be presented. Discussion of relevant topics in the field of clinical psychology will include ethics, educational, industrial, sports and forensic issues. Research methods will be introduced. The course will conclude with a review of current therapeutic modalities. Three hours of instructor-led class per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS281
Title: Human Development and Personality
Description: This course provides an overview of the major theories and topics in human development and to the major topics in personality formation. Topics include theories on normal human growth and the human lifecycle from infancy to old age, with special attention to learning, temperament, personality. Special attention will be paid to childhood development. Upon completing the course, student should gain an understanding of how human thinking, learning, and physical abilities vary and evolve at different ages and stages, and how these various aspects of development influence one another. Assessment includes tests, paper, case studies and presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS286
Title: Comparative Genocide
Description: In this course students will explore in-depth themes related to the phenomenon of genocide with emphasis on a comparative analysis of the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, the Cambodian genocide, and Rwandan genocides. Themes include causes, similarities and peculiarities of these genocides, perpetrators/rescuers issues, genocide reparations and remedies, international reaction, genocide prevention. Assessment may include essays, projects, presentations, and quizzes.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS185 OR CHSS187
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS288
Title: Modern Turkey
Description: This course explores modern Turkey from an interdisciplinary perspective, focusing on historical and current trends in the country’s politics, society and culture. Topics may include nationalism, statecraft, modernization, secularism, religion, minorities, foreign policy, and Armenian-Turkish relations. As a seminar-style course, students will be expected to participate in and lead discussions on readings. Assessment may include class participation, tests, papers, and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS290
Title: Cultural Geography
Description: This course is an interdisciplinary course that uses cultural habitats as a window on how individuals and groups develop their societies and way of life, coexisting with neighbors and shaping and being shaped by their environment. Geographers study ‘culture’ to understand the ways in which culture is constructed, maintained, diffused, and sometimes contested within space and place. The diversity of human culture is embedded in our shared geographies and is used as a force of inclusion, exclusion, and power. This course examines the varied perspectives and processes that shape our everyday experiences and seeks to raise awareness of the plurality of cultural landscapes. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS292
Title: Gender and Social Change
Description: This course is an interdisciplinary women’s studies course with a global perspective, covering various theoretical and empirical approaches from the humanities and social sciences and political, economic and cultural perspectives. The course explores the dynamic ways in which gender is defined and evolves, as a social institution, and how those definitions affect power relations in society, including issues of class, race, ethnicity, and politics, and the impact of gender equality on development outcomes. The course will also take a comparative perspective, looking the local situation in an effort to understanding the role of women in the family and society. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS293
Title: Armenian Studies
Description: This course introduces students to the Armenian Studies as an interdisciplinary subject, including sources and artifacts of Armenian history and culture, research methods, digital and other resources. Topics include ancient and modern written sources, secondary sources, schools of thought, comparative and historical approaches to literature, art, music, and other aspects of Armenian studies. This course will be taught in Armenian. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS294
Title: Advanced Studies in Gender
Description: In this course students will engage in close reading of relevant literature exploring theories and methodologies in Gender Studies to analyze the ways in which gender works in society. Students will examine the genealogy of gender as a concept through various schools of thought.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS189
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS295
Title: Special Topics in the Arts
Description: Course description tailored to course content when offered.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS296
Title: Special Topics in Social Sciences
Description: Course description tailored to course content when offered.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS297
Title: Research Projects in Gender Studies
Description: This course directs students to identify major questions in Gender Studies and design a research project. The course will equip students with a deep understanding of qualitative research methods in Gender Studies both in terms of collecting data and ways of interpretation. It will acquaint them with discussions of politics of knowledge production and feminist situated ethics of ethnography. The course will also focus on developing the project and learning how to use methods such as narrative, visual, and sound analysis, self-study, biographical and autobiographical inquiry in their fieldwork and post-fieldwork processes. The class will be conducted in seminar-style, where alongside lectures, critical reflection on readings, student-led discussions, presentations, and project-based collaborative work form the main teaching framework.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: CHSS189
Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Course Code: CHSS298
Title: Independent Study
Description: nan
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites: