Preceptorials Linked to the Sustainability LLC


EOSC 123: Organisms and Ecosystems

Preceptor: Dr. Drew Talley
Credit: Life Science Core // 4 UNITS

The Earth supports an almost unbelievable diversity of organisms living in a tremendous range of habitats. This course explores that diversity through an introduction to organisms and environmental biology. You will survey the characteristics of major groups of organisms, and how those characteristics shape (and are shaped by) fundamental principles of ecology. In addition to lecture, this course includes a laboratory that will involve observations, experiments, and field trips. Why do fish tails move from side to side, but whales' up and down? Why do we have kelp in CA, and coral in FL? Let's learn about that! 

BIOL 190: Introduction to Evolution

Preceptor: Dr. Geoff Morse
Credit: Life Science Core // 3 UNITS

Why do you look like your parents and siblings, but you don't look exactly like anybody else in the world? Why is this variation important for evolution? This one semester course for Biology majors provides an introduction to the mechanisms of inheritance, evolution, and ecology; and you will gain a foundation for future exploration of biology (and science in general). After all, "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution" (Theodosius Dobzhansky--Co-founder of the Modern Synthesis of Biology). 

Students must have a Math SAT score of 600 or greater, an ACT Math score of 26 or greater, or pass the Level 2 Math Placement exam to qualify for this preceptorial course.

CHEM 151: General Chemistry I

Preceptor: Dr. Christopher Daley
Credit: Physical Science Core // 3 UNITS

Chemistry 151 is the first part of a two-semester lecture course which introduces the fundamental principles of modern chemistry. These principles include atomic and molecular structure, periodicity, reactivity, stoichiometry, equilibrium, kinetics, thermodynamics, bonding, acid-base chemistry, redox chemistry, and states of matter.

Students must have a Math SAT score of 530 or greater, an ACT Math score of 22 or greater, or pass the Level 1 Math Placement exam to qualify for this preceptorial course.

ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics

Preceptor: Dr. Dirk Yandell
Credit: Social Science Core // 3 UNITS

In Microeconomics we examine decision making by looking at how costs, benefits, and incentives influence choices, and how these choices affect individuals and markets.  We discuss how markets can lead to efficient outcomes and when markets may fail to be efficient.  Economics provides necessary tools to understand international trade and global living standards, and a framework to evaluate proposals for environmental protection and sustainability.  Microeconomics provides an introduction to consumer behavior and the theory of the firm. Topics include the demand behavior of households, the supply behavior of business firms, an introduction to market structure, and the workings of input markets.

HIST 260: History of Food

Preceptor: Dr. Colin Fisher
Credit: Humanities Core // 3 UNITS

What does food tell us about the American historical experience? How did Pre-Columbian Native Americans sustain themselves on the land? In what ways is food a window on European colonization and plantation slavery? How did urbanization and industrialization change food production and consumption? What does food tell us about the immigrant experience and changing gender relations? What are the ecological and labor consequences of industrial farming during the 20th century and early 21st century? We will ask these questions and many others. Learning will take place in class and also during a number of field trips.

PHIL 110: Philosophy & Natural Environment

Preceptor: Dr. Mark Woods
Credit: Philosophy Core // 3 UNITS

What is the natural environment? What does it mean to call something “natural”? How do natural environments differ from human-modified or human-created environments? Do we have natural instincts? Is Homo sapiens a natural species, or are we unique? Is there a balance of nature? What does ecology tell us about nature? Are we at the end of nature? Philosophy and the Natural Environment is an introductory course that examines the natural environment through a philosophical lens. We will focus on questions about what the natural world is, how we know and experience it, and how we are related to it.         

SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology

Preceptor: Dr. Julia Miller Cantzler
Credit: Social Science Core // 3 UNITS

Sociology is the scientific study of human action and interaction. The purpose of this course is to develop your sociological imagination and to provide you with the theoretical and methodological tools necessary to critically examine the social world around you. Throughout the class, you will apply your sociological imagination to a wide variety of specific topics studied by sociologists, including family, education, the environment, popular culture and the media, as well as the dynamics of social inequality based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and identity, among other things. Throughout this course, we will grapple with the notion of "social sustainability" and seek a deeper understanding about the social dynamics that enable and obstruct the cultivation of healthy communities.

THEA 230: Acting I

Preceptor: Dr. Evelyn Cruz
Credit: Fine Arts Credit // 3 UNITS

This course examines the tradition of the actor as storyteller and challenges students to increase their ability to express their own experience and the experience of others. It involves improvisation, monologue, and scene work, technical methods in voice, physical action, and text analysis. Satisfies the core curriculum fine arts requirement.

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