ART 300: Art Fundamentals (3 units)

• This course is designed to introduce studio art, art history, art criticism and aesthetics to the future elementary school teacher. This class will provide a foundation for life-long learning within the art discipline. Competencies pertaining to art instruction will be developed through various art experiences based upon art education theory and practice.

BIOL 101L: Principles of Biology (4 units)

• An examination of the cell, inheritance, ecology, human biology, the diversity of life and evolutionary theory. Emphasis is given to understanding central concepts and to the process of science. Attention is also given to the relationships between biology and Christian faith and practice. It provides foundational understandings for general education and liberal studies.

DRA 355: Creative Drama (3 units)

• This course equips people to lead others in process-oriented creative drama activities, including theater games, group improvisation, storytelling and related performance forms.

ECON 390: Global Economics and Sustainable Development (3 units)

• The increasing interconnectedness of the global economy affects people more profoundly today than ever before. This course helps students better profoundly understand and wrestle with some significant positive and negative aspects of the "globalization" process, as well as examine social, political and economic aspects of development and the varied impact of the development process on the world today.

ENV 150: Introduction to Environmental Studies (4 units)

• An interdisciplinary study of the relationships between people and their environment. The use of natural resources, environmental degradation and human population are examined from ecological, social and religious perspectives.

GEOG 220: Cultural Geography (3 units)

• An investigation into the human-land relationships of the world. A geographic perspective is brought to political, economic, social and environmental structures and relationships. The course includes a study of both the physical and cultural features and landscapes present in the world today, with an emphasis on understanding the effects of human modification of the natural environment.

HIST 150: American Civilization (4 units)

• A study of the development of American culture and society from the colonial period to the present. Major themes and events are examined within the context of America's geography, religious and immigrant heritage and sociopolitical development. (This course meets the U.S. Constitution requirement for teaching credential candidates.)

HIST 400: Modern Africa: History, Politics and Culture (3 units)

• Modern Sub-Saharan Africa remains a mystery to many people in the West today. This course will help unpack the mystery of Sub-Saharan Africa's rich history and culture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Special emphasis will be given to the colonial and post-colonial history, politics and culture of Nigeria, the Congo, Kenya and South Africa.

HIST 406: Modern Asia: History, Politics and Culture (3 units)

• The experience of Asia in the colonial and post-colonial era will be studied with an eye towards understanding its unique character as an important region of the world today. The countries of China and India will be used as case studies to better understand and interpret important currents that run through Asian history and shape its politics and culture today.

HIST 410: Latin American History and Religious Thought (4 units)

• A survey of Latin American history from the pre-Columbian era to the present, along with the shaping of religious thought in Catholicism and Protestantism.

HIST 412: History of Mexico (3 units)

• An exploration of the formation of Mexico, its people, its culture(s) and national identity from the 14th through the 20th centuries. The course will examine the significant periods in Mexican history, including that prior to Cortes, Colonial Mexico, Mexican Independence, the Mexican Revolution, Mexico in the mid-twentieth century and the late-twentieth century.

HIST 418: Modern Middle East: History, Politics and Culture (3 units)

• The Middle East is a region many in the West today view with apprehension and hostility. This course will examine the historical, cultural and political forces from the 19th and 20th centuries that have made the region what it is today. Special emphasis will be given to understanding contemporary Islamic and Jewish politics and culture, as well as ways in which the West has interacted with the Middle East over the past century.

HIST 440: California History and Politics (4 units)

• California is often viewed as the "trendsetter" for the rest of the nation. This course seeks to explain why by acquainting students with the social, cultural, economic and political development of California from early settlement to the present. At the same time, it familiarizes them with the state's current political system and the politics that surround it. (Meets the California history and government requirement for teaching credential candidates.)

INTB 370: International Business (3 units)

• A study of the theory and practice of international economics. The course explores international trade and finance, examines the dynamics of different types of economic systems and investigates the emergence of a global economy.

INTB 460: International Finance and Economics (3 units)

• A study of the importance of the international banking system and its interrelationship with economics; the role of major financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; banking operations, multinational finance and capital budgeting.

KIN 460: Elementary Physical Education Methods (3 units)

LA 380: Learning Communities (1 unit)

• A seminar course with two hours per week of field experience that will focus on learning communities of elementary educational systems. The course will involve analysis and evaluation of classroom observations in relation to academic studies of the multiple subject programs.

LANG 310: First and Second Language Acquisition (3 units)

• An introduction to the ways human beings acquire a first and second language and the conditions that support acquisition.

LANG 340: Introduction to Linguistics (3 units)

• Language is studied as a system of systems including phonology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Students also discuss language universals and current usage standards.

LIT 180: Introduction to Literature (3 units)

• A study of outstanding examples of the short story, novel, poetry and drama genres. Designed to introduce the student to the world of literature, to create an appreciation for it and to provide analytical tools for further study.

LIT 380: World Theater: Roots to 1800 (3 units)

• A study of early forms of theater from Africa, South and Central America, Greece and Rome, India, and Japan, with attention to the role of religion in the making of early performance texts. Also explores European playtexts from the medieval to the neoclassical periods.

LIT 385: World Theater: 1800 to Present (3 units)

• A study of performance texts of the 19th to the 21st centuries, drawn from various styles (e.g., realist, expressionist, absurdist, epic theater, protest theater, the musical, performance art, readers and chamber theater) and perspectives (e.g., national, colonial, post-colonial, ethnic, multicultural).

LIT 440: Spanish Literature (3 units)

• This course includes a brief history of the Spanish language and a study of the most notable literary works and authors of Spain, along with their corresponding historical periods. The goals of the class are: (a) to enable students to develop an appreciation for Spanish culture, its people, literature and literary history; (b) to enable students to be able to identify authors and their works; and (c) to help students to recognize the styles of the various epochs and works. This course may be taught in the Spanish or English language.

LIT 445: Latin American Literature (3 units) 

• Literary works of the most famous authors from Mexico and Central and South America will be studied, analyzed and critiqued. The historical setting of the works and the bibliographies of the authors will also be examined. This course may be taught in either the Spanish or English language.

LIT 465: Literature for Children and Young Adults (3 units)

• This course is a survey course in the literature for children from preschool through junior high school. The course is particularly designed to assist teachers and teacher candidates in the selection and use of literature in the classroom.

MATH 132: Arithmetic and Data Analysis (3 units)

• This course is one of the two courses required for liberal studies majors intending to be elementary school teachers. The purpose of the course is to strengthen the students' conceptual understanding of the mathematics taught in the K-7 settings. Topics will include: numeration systems, a variety of algorithmic structures in arithmetic, simple set theory, probability, descriptive statistics, graphical interpretations of data, construction of appropriate graphical structures.

MATH 134: Algebraic Thinking and Geometry (3 units)

• This course is one of the two courses required for liberal studies majors intending to be elementary school teachers. The purpose of the course is to strengthen the students' conceptual understanding of mathematics taught in the K-7 settings. Topics will include: the interplay of algebra and arithmetic, generalization of algorithms from arithmetic to algebra, functions and equations, the hierarchical ordering of operations, basic analytic geometry, elementary geometric ideas of area, perimeter, classification and spatial relationships.

MUS 305: Music in the Classroom (3 units)PE 120: Dance Movement (1 unit)

• Music skills and effective means of teaching them are the subject of this class. A variety of approaches to teaching music, including the Kodaly method, will be explored. Students will learn the basics of reading and performing music. This course fulfills the requirement of the liberal studies major.

MUS 352: Music History and World Music Since 1900 (4 units)

• A study of concert music, with emphasis on listening to the major works of the period. A significant portion of the class will be devoted to a study of music outside the concert traditions of the Western world.

PE 120: Dance Movement (1 unit)

PHYS 105L: Physical Science (4 units)

• An integrative study of the physical sciences, including the history and methods of science, the relationship of scientific truth and biblical truth and the relationship of modern technology to science and its consequences for society.

PHYS 150: Earth Science (3 units)

• This course presents the concepts of the major geological processes affecting the physical earth and helps students appreciate the earth and understand environmental concerns. Exercises in mineral identification are also included.

PS 400: World Politics and Society (4 units)

• Modern communications and transportation, increasing economic interdependence and the spread of political unrest and conflict have made Americans more aware of the impact of the world on their lives. Yet their understanding of other countries, and the forces that influence their relationships with the United States, is often limited. This course acquaints students with the social, economic and political systems of varied nations around the world; helps them to understand why those nations function in the world community as they do; and explores their problems and prospects.

PSY 120: Introduction to Psychology (3 units)

• The objectives of this course are to present the student with an overview of the facts and issues of the discipline, to examine the relationship of psychology to religion and to explore the implications of the subject matter for how we live. Such topics as perception, learning, biofeedback, stress, normality, therapy and community are discussed.

PSY 350: Child Development (3 units)

• A study of the development of the child from conception to adolescence. Topics of development, such as physical, intellectual, social, emotional and moral are studied.

SOC 300: Cultural Anthropology (3 units)

• An introduction to cultural anthropology. The course analyzes various particular cultures and examines questions regarding human culture as a shared, universal phenomenon.

SOC 310: Cultural Communities of California (3 units)

• An examination of the folklore and historical background of the major "parallel" cultural (minority) groups in California, including but not limited to Native American, African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and other Asian American populations. Though special attention is given to cultural groups students come into contact with, national and global, social and cultural issues are explored to enhance their understanding of the similarities and differences among the diverse groups in society. SOC 482 must be taken simultaneously if this is being used to meet a focus series requirement.

SOC 364: Christianity in the Non-Western World (4 units)

• This course investigates Christianity in all its diverse forms, focusing particularly on Asia, Africa and Latin America.

SOC 366: Religions of the World (4 units)

• An introduction to the study of religion and the diverse religious traditions in the world today.

SOC 410: American Ethnicity and Pluralism (3 units)

• A study of the history of immigration, racism, discrimination and assimilation in American society. The experiences of various ethnic groups in America from the nation's founding to the present are examined and the rise of pluralism as the current model for structuring ethnic diversity in American institutional life is explored. SOC 482 must be taken simultaneously if this course is being used to meet a Focus Series requirement.

SPAN 310: Literary Spanish: Prose (3 units)

• This course is designed to familiarize the student with the works of some of the best writers in the Spanish language, such as Borges, Cortazar, Garcia Marquez, Quiroga and Fuentes. Classes will be conducted in Spanish.

SPAN 315: Literary Spanish: Poetry (3 units)

• This course is designed to develop appreciation for the styles and structure, as well as the themes, of the most prominent Spanish poets, such as Paz, Alberty, Lorca, Valencia, Silva and Mistral. Classes will be conducted in Spanish.

SPAN 330: Latin American Thought: Readings in Spanish (3 units)

• This course is a study of the summary of the most dominant philosophies and thought in the cultural development of Latin America. Extensive oral interpretative readings will be done in class. Classes will be conducted in Spanish.