(4 credits)

In this student-driven capstone course, students will collaborate across disciplines to create signature projects that address a significant problem, issue, or question. Prerequisites: Junior Status (students should be at or near the end of their General Education program) (INCO)

Students will articulate, develop, plan, and implement a signature project that addresses the topic of the particular section of the course. A signature project:

• Is transdisciplinary: The project integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines and sources to create something new that could not be created without all of them.
• Is completed collaboratively: The project is large and complex enough that it requires input and work from more than one person to be successful.
• Is student-driven: While faculty, staff, and community partners provide guidance and coaching, student agency and independence move the project forward.
• Requires metacognitive reflection: Students reflect on what and how they learn and how their learned knowledge, skills, and dispositions might be transferable to other contexts.
• Reaches beyond the walls of the classroom: The work of the project touches the world outside the classroom in some way.
• Has an external audience for project results: The results of the project are presented to someone who is outside of the class.
• Is completed ethically and respectfully: Work on the project engages internal/external audiences and/or partners with mutual benefit

The following are the descriptions for each individual section of the course:

• IS4220.01 CRN 31042 Designing Online and Face-to-Face Experiences for Incoming PSU Students (Cathie LeBlanc)
  • MW 12noon-1:40pm
  • How did you decide that PSU was the college for you? How did you learn things like which classes to take and when to take them? Each year prospective, admitted, and enrolled students learn about PSU via web-based and face-to-face interactions designed to provide them with the information they need to make good decisions about their college attendance. In this class, we first will learn about the goals and current implementation strategies for PSU’s interactions with incoming students. We will then examine questions such as “what is design?” and “what is GOOD design?” Finally, we will design new experiences and share our ideas with the administrators in charge of them. This course is particularly well-suited to students interested in marketing, media production and use, communication studies, writing, psychology, education, technology design, user interfaces, and human and organizational behavior.
• IS4220.02 CRN 31047 One Small Step: Marking the 50^thAnniversary of the Moon Landing (Liz Ahl)
  • TR 12noon-1:50pm 
  • In July 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission, was the first human being to set foot on the moon. In 2019, PSU students intrigued by this event and all its many implications will immerse themselves in the history, politics, culture, and science involved in making the moon landing a reality. Then they will use what they have learned to create and share/implement (in small groups, with guidance and support) public “signature work,” which might include commemorative materials, events, products, displays, educational materials/resources, projects, etc., across any number of disciplines and for audiences/participants beyond the classroom, in the wider university, and even in the broader community and region.
• IS4220.03 CRN 31048 American Food Issues: From Fast Food Nation to Farmstands (Abby Goode)
  • TR 2pm-3:40pm
  • What are the issues, images, and narratives associated with eating in American culture? How might they help us confront the many ecological and social crises related to food in our community? Taking into account contemporary environmental debates about organic farming and locavorism, students will examine the many facets of what writer Michael Pollan calls “our national eating disorder.” Collaborating across a range of disciplines, they will use their diverse skills and knowledge to develop, propose, and implement their own solutions to pressing food issues within their community.
• IS4220.04 CRN 31051 The Museum as Medium: Exhibiting Culture on Campus (Sarah Parrish)
  • TR 12noon-1:40pm
  • How can museums, galleries, and cultural organizations help communities build a sense of identity and inclusion? Through readings and discussions, students will enter contemporary debates about the role of exhibition spaces in our diverse twenty-first-century society. For their signature project, they will draw upon their interdisciplinary knowledge to establish all aspects of Plymouth State University’s new Hunnewell-Kline gallery according to their collective vision. Students are encouraged to respond to the challenges facing galleries today by experimenting with the space’s mission, format, and operations. Open to any major, with special relevance to students interested in business, writing, history, philosophy, anthropology, education, communication and media studies, graphic design, and/or the visual and performing arts.
• IS4220.05 CRN 31068 International Media and Development (Metasebia Woldemariam)
  • TR 12noon-1:40pm
  • The telegraph’s promise of instant communication led Thoreau to proclaim “perchance the first news that will leak through into the broad flapping American ear will be that Princess Adelaide has the whooping cough”. Can we craft meaningful messages for global audiences? This course examines theories and practices of global media/audiences so students can formulate appropriate messages related to UN development goals.
• IS4220.06 CRN 31331 Making Resilient Communities (Brian Eisenhauer)
  • TR 10am-11:40am
  • Enhancing environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, and economically viable communities is a complex and multidisciplinary process that requires formative evaluations, objective prioritization, and attentive planning. Students will reflect on and apply theoretical sustainability concepts they have learned throughout their multidisciplinary coursework, evaluate sustainability practices in local communities, and create a project to enhance sustainability within a targeted local community.
• IS4220.07 CRN 31062 Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Dao (Maria Sanders)
  • TR 8am-9:15am
  • Explores the ways in which ancient Daoism and Confucianism are helpful for understanding and living in today’s American society. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will be provided opportunities to make connections between ancient Chinese ideas and contemporary American issues, while proposing real world solutions to issues arising in everyday life from consumerism, emerging technologies, genetic modification, sustainable living, etc.
• IS4220.08 CRN 31351 Global Challenges: Innovation, Sustainable Practices and Futures (Filiz Ruhm)
  • TR 12noon-1:40pm 
  • This course focuses on UN sustainable development goals as a framework to analyze/develop innovative solutions for the most challenging global problems. After learning about approaches to sustainable development from historical, political, economic, ecological, cultural perspectives, students will then be encouraged to use their own knowledge and think/implement bold and transformative steps/solutions as pathways towards a more inclusive and sustainable development.
• IS4220.09 CRN 31574 Sustainable Innovation in Public Health
  • M 11am-1pm and R 12noon-1:4-pm 
  • Through the platform of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, this course covers the basic principles of public health and social determinants of health. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major social factors: poverty, class, race, gender, social networks, community cohesion, capacity and built environment that affect the health of people in the places where they live, work, and play. Students will have opportunities to apply knowledge to real social issues through interdisciplinary collaboration to investigate the field of global health.

Pathway: Contemplative Approaches

Each course in this pathway fulfills a different Direction in the General Education program. Note also that the courses meet together for one hour per week in an “incubator” for sharing of what they’re learning.

• Each course is learner-driven: As a student, you will co-create the course, noticing and nourishing your own curiosity.
• Each class values process and product: As a student you will focus on your intention, effort, and present-moment experiences as well as your goals and the fruits of your labor.
• Each course is a community: As a student, you will engage in collaborative meaning-making, developing respect, humility, curiosity, agency, and resilience through communal creative play.
• Each course values first-person knowing and ethical service: As a student, you will explore your ways of knowing and being to apply your perspective about the past and present in ways that increase joy, reduce suffering, and encourage ethical action on behalf of others.

The courses in the pathway are:

• ENDI1700.01 CRN 31044 Curiosity, Perspective, and Shakespeare (Karolyn Kinane)
  • MWF 1pm-1:50pm and W 7pm-7:50pm
  • (4 credits)
  • Using meditation, contemplation, reading, writing, performance, discussion, research, and reflection, students will explore the relationships among the past and the present. Students will use the works of Shakespeare and later adaptations to consider how and why we approach large themes differently over time, space, and other contexts. This course cultivates students’ curiosity, builds a sense of agency, encourages purposeful expression, and demonstrates the significance of how the past and present shape one another. (PPDI)
• ENDI1650.01 CRN 31043 Curiosity, Playfulness, and Creativity (Karolyn Kinane)
  • MWF 2:30pm-3:20pm and W 7pm-7:50pm
  • (4 credits)
  • Using meditation, contemplation, writing, and reflection, students will explore ways to approach work and life creatively. This writing-intensive course foregrounds playfulness, experimentation, and uselessness as key parts of the creative process. This course cultivates students’ curiosity, builds a sense of agency, and shows how creative enterprises can be a lasting and meaningful part of life. (CTDI)
• BIDI1080.01 CRN 31038 Curiosity and the Nature of New Hampshire (Brigid O’Donnell)
  • MW 12noon-12:50pm and W 7pm-7:50pm
  • (3 credits)
  • This course focuses on the scientific process and how curiosity and focused observations comprise the cornerstone of rigorous hypotheses in biology. We will use repeated observations of biological phenomena to formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and collect and interpret data with the goals of cultivating curiosity and appreciation for investigations of biological phenomena. We will take a contemplative approach, focusing upon the practice of focused observation as a means of generating curiosity-based questions from a scientific perspective. (SIDI)
• BIDI1080.02 CRN 31039 Curiosity and the Nature of New Hampshire (Brigid O’Donnell)
  • MW 1pm-1:50pm and W 7pm-7:50pm
  • (3 credits)
  • This course focuses on the scientific process and how curiosity and focused observations comprise the cornerstone of rigorous hypotheses in biology. We will use repeated observations of biological phenomena to formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and collect and interpret data with the goals of cultivating curiosity and appreciation for investigations of biological phenomena. We will take a contemplative approach, focusing upon the practice of focused observation as a means of generating curiosity-based questions from a scientific perspective. (SIDI)

(3 credits)

Introduces students to the General Education program’s four habits of mind as well as project-based learning. Using critical thinking, design thinking, and information literacy skills, students and the instructor together engage in the development of a project that addresses some aspect of a wicked problem. The wicked problem varies across sections of the course. Required of all first year students during their first semester at Plymouth State University. Elective for transfer students entering with 24 or more credits. Falls and Springs

• IS1111.01 CRN 30436 Gender Equity (Wendy Palmquist)
  • MWF 8am-8:50am
  • In March 2017, The US Women’s Hockey team demanded “Equal Play, Equal Pay”, or they would boycott the World Championship Games. A temporary deal was reached and they won the World Championship. The US Women’s Soccer Team has made the same demand; in 2015 the final game of the Women’s World Championship, won by the United States, became the most watched soccer match in US history, more viewers than for the US Men’s team. Still, neither team is paid as much as the men’s teams are. Fair? The Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was originally introduced in 1923. It did not pass Congress until 1972, when it was sent to the States for ratification. What happened? It has not been ratified. What is going on? Should there be Gender Equity? What does that mean? How do we and the rest of the world approach this issue? Is there a “best” solution to the issue of Gender Equity?
• IS1111.02 CRN 30439 Gender Equity (Wendy Palmquist)
  • MWF 11:15am-12:05pm
  • In March 2017, The US Women’s Hockey team demanded “Equal Play, Equal Pay”, or they would boycott the World Championship Games. A temporary deal was reached and they won the World Championship. The US Women’s Soccer Team has made the same demand; in 2015 the final game of the Women’s World Championship, won by the United States, became the most watched soccer match in US history, more viewers than for the US Men’s team. Still, neither team is paid as much as the men’s teams are. Fair? The Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was originally introduced in 1923. It did not pass Congress until 1972, when it was sent to the States for ratification. What happened? It has not been ratified. What is going on? Should there be Gender Equity? What does that mean? How do we and the rest of the world approach this issue? Is there a “best” solution to the issue of Gender Equity?
• IS1111.03 CRN 30735 Language, Power & Propaganda (Peter Parker)
  • TR 3:30pm-4:45pm
  • It is comforting to associate the term of propaganda with war and dictators, which makes it less relevant to our daily lives. This view, however, fails to acknowledge the ways that propaganda permeates all aspects of our everyday life. This seminar class tackles the wicked problem of propaganda: What is propaganda and how does it differ from persuasion? How is propaganda manifested in the media? What is the relationship between propaganda and truth? What ethical dilemmas are entailed in the production of propaganda and the public’s consumption of the information? What are the purposes and outcomes of propaganda campaigns?
• IS1111.04 CRN 31349 Drugs in the US (Kate Elvey)
  • MWF 1pm-1:50pm
  • From current issues in marijuana decriminalization and legalization, to heroin overdose deaths across the US—and the epidemic in New Hampshire in particular—to the cost of mass incarceration, you have been effected by America’s drug policies. In this First Year Seminar we will explore the relationship between drugs, the law, and society. In order to explore this wicked problem, we will be asking questions such as: why are drugs illegal? Is addiction really something to be concerned about? How can we solve the issue of drug use in the US, either nationally, or locally? Why has heroin taken over the northeast and what steps can be taken to solve this wicked problem?
• IS1111.05 CRN 31355 Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? (Sarah Parsons)
  • TR 10am-11:15am
  • We all have different ways of looking at the world and different priorities, but there is no reason that in spite of our differences, we can’t create a space where we focus our energy on making a difference in the world we live in. In this section, we will work together to create a better understanding of what we believe while also listening to our classmates? beliefs. Our goal will be to learn how to balance your priorities against those of your classmates in order to create a world where we achieve balance. We will take field trips, build bridges, knock things down and rebuild them to learn how to reach a goal together.
• IS1111.06 CRN 31356 Equity in Education (Keith Charpentier)
  • MW 10am-11:15am
  • How do we as a country provide quality education to all students? What inequities stand in the way and how do we solve them? In this course we will “unpack” the multitude of issues surrounding the inequities in education, the possible roadblocks that hinder progress and the steps necessary to narrow these gaps. Students will be encouraged to think critically and constructively about each roadblock/issue within the overall Wicked Problem and discuss their conclusions and future questions with the class.
• IS1111.07 CRN 31357 The Accessibility of Higher Education for Underrepresented Populations (Chris Lee)
  • TR 5:30pm-6:45pm
  • In an era where the gap for access to a higher education widens between the elite and the rest of the population this First Year Seminar will explore questions including: What populations are underrepresented within higher education? What are the levels for determining eligibility of access to institutions of higher education? What is holding these populations back from achieving a higher education or even their ability to be accepted at an institution of higher education? Who is responsible for these barriers?

(4 credits)

Composition is an introduction to the occasions and standards of college writing. Students develop writing abilities through the study and practice of writing processes. Students explore flexible strategies for inventing, generating, drafting, reading, editing, sharing, and presenting their work. The study of ideas, evidence, organization, style, and convention is essential. Coursework stresses the importance of reading and writing for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communication. Students write for varied situations, in a variety of genres, and in response to personal experience, reading, research, argument, and demand. Students examine both the rhetorical and visual impact of the texts they produce. By the end of this course, students are better prepared for the writing they will do in college and beyond.

• Writing in Psychology
  • Jennifer Anderson (EN 1400.01 T 12:30-1:45 Blended)
  • Attention all Psychology Majors – Get PSYCHED about writing! This section will focus on the unique writing demands found within the psychology major. If you know two things for sure – you know you need to take Composition and you want to study psychology – you should take this class. We’ll work on writing technically and succinctly while critically analyzing and presenting research related to Psychology. You will leave this course better prepared for writing in the Psychology major and beyond.
• The Art and Act of Teaching and Learning
  • Carin Plante (EN 1400.02 TR 10-11:40, EN 1400.03 TR 12-1:50)
  • Whether you are interested in becoming a teacher or just want to explore issues around learning and education, this section is for you! We will dig into topics such as the learning environment, art of teaching, and crafting pedagogy and curriculum by reading, discussing, and writing about teaching and learning, as well as putting theory into practice. Writing styles will include narrative, analysis, argument, presentation, and research. Come reflect on your experiences in the classroom, learn about theories of learning and teaching, and discuss the possibilities!
• Ski Composition
  • Elliott Gruner (EN 1400.04 F 9-10:50 Blended)
  • Learn to cross country ski. We’ll divide our time between trail and classroom. Time on skis will give us something to write about—time in the classroom will give us the chance to write together. No experience necessary, but students enrolling in this section should be comfortable spending time outside in winter.
• Death or Glory: Mountaineering & the Mindset of Risk
  • Ethan Paquin (EN 1400.05 Online)
  • Mountain climbers have willingly embraced danger and discomfort for centuries. If climbing the highest peaks on earth is indeed a selfish and “useless” pursuit, as famed French mountaineer Lionel Terray once wrote, why is it a popular and romanticized sport? In a western world that ever values convenience and quick gratification, how is the pain and suffering associated with climbing seen as virtuous? How far would you be willing to go to “feel alive” or “test yourself”? In this online class, we’ll read multiple nonfiction accounts of high-altitude exploits in the Andes, Himalayas, and Alaska; by so doing, students will gain insights into such questions, and work toward understanding the psyches of those who feel compelled to challenge our planet’s most extreme landscapes.
• Running Composition
  • Peter Miller (EN 1400.07 TR 5-6:40)
  • Once derided as a modern-day fad, running has reclaimed its roots as one of the most transforming developments in human history. Credited with providing our evolutionary edge on the African savanna, today it bolsters the strength and resolve of millions worldwide who “go beyond.” This course will explore running’s scientific, commercial, and literary footprints as participants compose personal best blogs, dash off product and race reviews, and hit their stride with features and profiles. A Boston Marathon field trip is planned as a culminating project. The curriculum will include group runs; participants should have a strong interest in the subject but all athletic levels are welcome.
• The Power of Story
  • Sarah Parsons (EN 1400.08 MW 12-1:50, EN 1400.09 MW 2-3:50, EN 1400.10 MW 4-5:50)
  • In this section of cluster composition you will be learning about the power of your own voice by focusing on various forms of the narrative essay. Your writing will center on telling your own story from a variety of perspectives. Working in collaboration with the Museum of the White Mountains, the Art Education Department, and the History Department your work will culminate in a three-part project documenting your story. Along with a personal narrative, you will create artifacts that represent who you are, and a presentation piece. The presentation and the artifacts will become pieces of an exhibition about the stories of first year students at PSU.
• Composition and the Eye of the Beholder
  • Sean Robinson (EN 1400.12 R 5:30-8:30)
  • The old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. But can you write in pictures? Or can pictures be written? In this section of Composition, we will write and talk about audience, aesthetics, and rhetoric. How is the message a person is trying to convey affected by the way it is presented? In addition to learning a college-level writing skill set, we will explore additional skills and think about visuals to accompany (or possibly replace?) our work.
• Writing and Subculture
  • Rebecca Grant (EN 1400.13 MW 10-11:50 and EN 1400.14 MW 12-1:50)
  • The Amish, Hell’s Angels, Hipsters, and Rodeo Queens! In this section of Composition, we will explore the ways subcultures contribute to our shared cultural experience. Students will read, write, and explore the influence and significance of subculture in relation to mainstream beliefs and ideals.
• Writing and Sustainability
  • Rebecca Grant (EN 1400.15 TR 10-11:50)
  • From pollinators to philosophers! In this section of Composition, we will explore issues related to environmental sustainability. Students will have the opportunity to consider the complex relationships between the economy, society, and the environment. Through reading and writing assignments, students will develop their understanding and pursue issues related to sustainability that are significant to them.
• Exploring Bike Week
  • Mark Flynn (EN 1400.17 TR 2-3:50 and EN 1400.18 TR 12-1:50)
  • Laconia Motorcycle Week themed Composition with Mark Flynn explores the history, scale, and phenomena that make up the oldest motorcycle rally in the world. By writing about themes such as freedom, rebellion, risk-taking, and belonging, this course will help students understand not just the event, but also the psyche of the participants who turn Laconia, New Hampshire into the biggest city in the state for one week every summer. Motorcycle enthusiasts range from outlaws to corporate executives, from teenagers to senior citizens, and come from all parts of the world. Unravel some of the mystery of Motorcycle Week while improving your writing.
• Think Local
  • Fanny Fernandez (EN 1400.19 TR 2-3:50)
  • In this composition class, we will look at our relationship with place–this place– Plymouth, NH. What is the relationship between the town and the university? Why does it matter where you go to school? How can we think about the relationship in order to improve it for both sides? What can you learn about Plymouth which will make your time here richer and more beneficial? What connections can you make with people in the community? How can you make Plymouth your home?
• Think Local
  • Meg Petersen (EN 1400.20 TR 10-11:50)
  • In this composition class, we will look at our relationship with place–this place– Plymouth, NH. What is the relationship between the town and the university? Why does it matter where you go to school? How can we think about the relationship in order to improve it for both sides? What can you learn about Plymouth which will make your time here richer and more beneficial? What connections can you make with people in the community? How can you make Plymouth your home?
• Gender and Pop Culture
  • Kristin Stelmok (EN 1400.22 TR 10-11:50 and EN 1400.24 TR 2-3:50)
  • Are you interested in feminism, social media, and Netflix? Do you ever wonder about the social and cultural impacts of Disney films, music videos, and the #MeToo movement? If you’re curious about how popular culture shapes our understanding of masculinity, femininity, and ourselves, you may be interested in this section of Composition. Students will practice thinking critically and writing in various forms, including blogs, social media posts, and more traditional essays. An open mind is the only prerequisite.
• Mountaineering Composition
  • Kristin Stelmok (EN 1400.23 MW 12-1:50)
  • Students in this section of Composition will develop their writing skills through exploration of the White Mountains and the literature of mountaineering. If you’re interested in the complex relationship between mountains and the people who love them, this class is for you. Please note that this course includes a one-credit P.E. co-requisite. Students who sign up for this section of Comp (and the co-requisite P.E. course) will be spending a few long days in the mountains enduring strenuous exercise and potentially extreme weather conditions. For more information, contact instructor Kristin Stelmok (kmstelmok1@plymouth.edu).
• Writing and Youth Movements: How Young People Change the World
  • Suzanne Weil (EN 1400.25 TR 10-11:50 and EN 1400.26 TR 12-1:50)
  • Young people have been at the forefront of every modern social justice movement from Civil Rights and antiwar protests to environmental protection and indigenous rights. Learn about the power of these movements and find your own power to create the change you want to see in the world in this writing class. Learn about the power of the written word through research and practice. Interview activists about their work and journalists about their reporting of protests. Collaborate with students studying information technology to create blogs. Read protest literature, and write research essays, persuasive essays and personal narratives while you find your place as an agent of social change.
• Worldbuilding in the 21st Century
  • Nathan Theriault (EN 1400.27 MF 2-3:40)
  • From Middle-Earth to Azeroth this composition section will discover how writers build worlds filled with hobbits, goblins, zombies, wizards, ghosts and more! Students will explore the history of worldbuilding while reading some of the greatest stories ever told. Analyze your favorite film, RPG’S, books, and many other mediums that sparks your passion. Embark on a writing journey towards a new understanding of the world and how what we create influences everything around us.
• Swim, Bike, Run… Write!
  • Hugo Ventura (EN 1400.28 MW 7-8:50)
  • Are you a Swimmer, Biker or Runner? Or maybe all three? This Composition class seeks to ground the writing process in practicing and reflecting on these three disciplines. Our time will be spent in the pool, on the bike, on the track, and ultimately in the classroom writing and discussing our experiences. You will develop writing skills while also practicing and observing the sport of triathlon. What do these disciplines have to teach us beyond the physical? No special athletic abilities required. Only an open mind and a willingness to actively perform and train for all three of these disciplines–as well as to observe, write and learn about the culture of this modern, unique sport!
• Exploring Video Games
  • Marc Gonzalez (EN 1400.29 MF 8-9:40)
  • Video games have moved from the fringes to the mainstream of our culture. This shift has generated controversy about violent video games, video-game addiction, and games’ effect on human relationships. In this section of composition, we will explore the art, history and culture of video games through the prism of writing. We will learn to think critically about the games we play and the ways they are written. We will explore the universe of gaming, including researched historical games, fantasy world building, and multiplayer online games. No gaming experience necessary.
• Money Changes Everything
  • Kirsta Lamm (EN 1400.30 TR 8-9:40)
  • Is it all about the Benjamins? In this Composition section, we’ll explore a feature of society that permeates our everyday lives – money. We’ll examine our own backgrounds and attitudes towards money, and we’ll also consider the experiences of other Americans. Thinking about money from personal and cultural points of view will shed light on the pros and cons of our socioeconomic system. Texts from a variety of perspectives will focus our discussions and writings. Students will choose research topics and share their findings in class presentations. In the process of becoming more confident and effective writers, they will deconstruct, and reconstruct, the American Dream.
• The Power of Pets
  • Christine Carpenter (EN 1400.31 TR 4-5:50)
  • “Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”– Orhan Pamuk In this Composition class, we will examine the often revered relationship between humans and pets. We will discover how cultures worldwide view, and care for pets. We will investigate the role and impact of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Kennel Club, the New Hampshire Humane Society, and local veterinary hospitals. Student inquiry will include: rules for pets on campus, pet therapy, emotional support animals, and holistic and conventional pet care. Through reading and writing assignments, students will develop a deeper understanding about the human and pet connection.
• Rocket Composition
  • Michael Thompson (EN 1400.32 MW 5-6:50)
  • Students will design, build, launch, track, and (of course) write about their own rocket project. 3D lab and hands-on work will be part of the experience. What does it take to fly what we build? Why would we want to? Science writing, other non-fiction, and film adaptations, such as October Sky, will be among our texts.
• Composition: With Clay in Mind
  • Suzanne Weil (EN 1400.33 TR 4-5:50)
  • “I learn through my hands and my eyes and my skin what I could never learn through my brain. I develop a sense of life, of the world of earth, air, fire, and water.” Centering by MC Richards
  • Like pottery, writing exacts earnest demands of us. In this composition class, you will struggle to gather clay into the center of your wheels and experience into the center of your pages. You will create beauty, meaning, and function using elemental materials; clay and words. You will examine and revise your work with a critical eye and willingness to throw pieces in the slop bucket. In this composition class, use pottery as muse and metaphor for writing. Spend time in the ceramics studio and the classroom learning to make pots and writing. No prior pottery skills required.
• Writing, Culture, and Food
  • Siham Karkaah (EN 1400.34 MW 2-3:50)
  • Food, an exciting subject and always a great conversation! In many international cultures, food is not only viewed as nourishment, but it is also a social experience. In this section of Composition, we will explore the ways that food contributes to our cultural backgrounds. Students will read, write, experience and investigate how the preparation and sharing of food shape local and international cultures. Join us prepared with an appetite to eat and write since we will visit restaurants, cook food, and try new cuisines.
• Standard Composition Sections:
  • Angela Ricciardi (EN 1400.06 Online)
  • Elizabeth Ahl (EN 1400.11 MW 12-1:50)
  • Joseph Mealey (EN 1400.16 MW 2-3:50)

(1 credit)

• EN2030.01 CRN 31049 Basic Screenwriting (Paul Rogalus)
  • M 6:30pm-8:10pm (1st half of the semester only) 
  • This course is a very basic introduction to creating and formatting screenplays. It is intended to be a set up course for students interested in creating their own films. It is a half-semester, one credit course.
• EN2040.01 CRN 31050 Filling the Frame: Film Composition (Paul Rogalus)
  • M 6:30pm-8:10pm (2nd half of the semester only) 
  • This course is an introduction to using the concept of mise-en-scene in film, the setting up of film shots for optimum emotional and intellectual impact. It is primarily intended to be a set up course for students interested in creating their own films. It is a half-semester, one credit course.
• BU2330 CRN XXXXX Storytelling with Data (Scott Mantie)
  • F – 2:00 PM 3:15 PM and online (2nd half of the semester only) 
  • Pictures and graphics make it easier to see patterns and explain the meanings of data. This is storytelling with numbers, and it helps the process of analytical thinking. Students are introduced to data visualization tools and systems that apply principles from graphic design, visual art, perceptual psychology, and cognitive science. With hands-on practice, students create their own visualizations of data.
• BU 2320 CRN XXXXX Building Professional Blogging Skills (Denise Hutchins)
  • F – 12:30 PM 1:45 PM and online (2nd half of the semester only) 
  • Blogging skills are in demand when a blogger has the skills to create an interesting read. This writing course prepares students to professionally blog for themselves or an organization. Students will practice finding their voice, selecting topics, and establishing a sustainable blog. Areas of focus will include digital writing, properly formatting posts, using imagery, links, and blog technology.
• BU 2310 CRN XXXXX Creating Marketing Websites (George Pettinico)
  • F – 11:00 AM 12:15 PM and online (2nd half of the semester only) 
  • Websites are a critical element in the promotion of any business or organization.  This course will teach students the key components in engaging with target consumers via a website.  This will include relevant digital marketing strategy, the fundamentals of consumer-focused web design, an understanding of how to use a common web-creation platform (WordPress), an introduction to SEO and Google AdWords and a knowledge of website analytics to measure effectiveness (Google Analytics). This is an introductory course, with no pre-reqs.  I assume everyone is starting at the “ground level.”

• BU2240.01 CRN 31123 Business Statistics (QRCO) (Dan Lee and Chantalle Forgues)
  • TR 8:00am – 9:15am
• BU2240.02 CRN 31124 Business Statistics (QRCO) (Dan Lee and Chantalle Forgues)
  • MW 9:30am – 10:45am
  • (3 credits)
  • An introduction to statistics based on business applications. Students study statistics through the application of statistics to common business situations. Calculation of business statistics is performed on computers using software commonly found in business enterprises, principally Excel. Topics covered include descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, sampling, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance and regression analysis.
  • The two sections of the course above use a project-based learning approach to teach data analytics and statistical concepts.
    • Students will use state-of-the-art data analytics tools and software programming to evaluate, quantify, and predict the legal risks for New Hampshire businesses.
    • In so doing, students will assist an interdisciplinary cluster project that is currently coauthored by Daniel Lee (economics/data analytics) and Chantalle Forgues (law).
    • The project aims to help local businesses quantify their individual risk of being sued or having to sue another for certain claims. New Hampshire business people will then be better able to understand the legal risks associated with their operations, prepare an accurate budget for their legal risk, and make more informed operating decisions (e.g., assess who a “risky” customer and discontinue business with him or her).
    • Students who are interested in any of the subjects learned in this course, such as computer science, math, analytics, business, and law, might find this transdisciplinary class particularly exciting.
• EN3040.02 CRN 31310 Practicum in Production (Paul Rogalus)
  • Online and Arranged
  • (4 or 2 credits)
  • PREREQUISITE for EN3040 is Permission of the Instructor, Paul Rogalus.
  • The Practicum in Production is designed to help students to gain experience in either: Television and Video Production (through Pemi Baker Public Access Television); or Radio Production (through WPCR, Plymouth State’s radio station). Students will be assigned specific roles and projects by the Executive Director of the television station or the General Manager of the radio station. The practicum instructor will monitor the progress of the student’s practicum work through weekly work detail reports written by the student (on our Moodle site) as well as weekly meetings with the station Director or General Manager. Ideally, this practicum will lead to students doing internships with other television or radio stations.
  • During the first week of classes, Practicum students will decide officially which Media Production they will be working with during the semester. They will make contact with either the Director of the Pemi Baker Public Access TV station or else the General Manager of the WPCR radio station to gain a sense of understanding as to what jobs they will be responsible for, as well making a work schedule for the term. Students will be expected to work approximately eight hours a week on their Practicum, although not all of that time will actually be in the studio. By the end of the first week of the term, all Practicum students will turn in a signed Practicum Contract to the Practicum Instructor, Paul Rogalus, identifying their media and their supervisors.
  • This is a four credit course for the full semester; students may take it for a half semester for two credits.
• ESP 3100 CRN 31285 Local Stewardship Action (Rachelle Lyons)
  • W 5:30-8
  • (2 to 4 credits) Approx. 45 hours effort will be expected per credit.
  • Prerequisite(s): junior/senior status or instructor approval (Rachelle Lyons). Pass/No Pass. Students from all disciplines are welcome.
  • This course builds on an established cluster project. This project provides opportunity for highly motivated students to dig deeply into a major environmental issue , loss of biodiversity, and pushes participants to expand their content knowledge, skill set, and involvement in community scale conservation and stewardship.
  • By building local knowledge of habitat quality and amphibian presence/absence, students, landowners and municipal leaders have the opportunity to engage in active stewardship that addresses information gaps and fosters resilience. This course is an opportunity for students to apply their studies to significant ecological challenges while building field skills, engaging in transdisciplinary collaboration, and serving external partners. Students will practice purposeful communication, and participate in the process of problem solving and decision making in context.
  • As a class we will develop the project tasks and timeline as related to project goals -community scale vernal pool assessment, species occurrence documentation, outreach and education, and assessment of stressors and threats. Each student will set individual goals and develop a personalized work plan with tasks and time commitments guided by their existing skill set, desired learning outcomes and credit load.

• BU3040.06 CRN 31526 ST: Small Business Ice Cream (Bonnie Bechard and Jennifer DeMoras)
  • TR 2pm-3:15pm
  • (3 credits)
  • This is a special topics course that will build on the already successful Caring Scoops brand of ice cream taking that social entrepreneurship concept to the next level. This course will provide in-depth coverage of starting and running a small ice cream business. Topics include: critical resources, legal requirements, target market analysis, ice cream production, operational efficiencies, sales distribution channels, and financial feasibility analysis. Students will gain knowledge and skills about the business of making and selling ice cream through hands-on experience (no prerequisites).

• IPDI 2010.01 CRN 31292 Fakes, Forgeries, Frauds, & Phonies (Matthew Cheney)
  • MW 12:30pm-1:45pm
  • (3 credits)
  • How do we know that information is true? Why do we trust who we trust? Does belief need knowledge? Does knowledge change belief? Students work on interdisciplinary projects to examine hoaxes, forgeries, con games, scams, cheats, tricks, and every variety of flim-flam from the earliest history to the most recent deceptive practices of the digital age.
  • Fulfills the Past-Present Direction within General Education

(1 credit)