FYP-FYS

This course introduces concepts and skills of public speaking rooted in the rhetorical tradition and is designed to develop effective presentation skills, critical thinking, and astute listening. In addition to researching, constructing, and delivering speeches, students will learn the principles of rhetorical analysis and critique. In the FYS Seminar students will expand on their research and writing skills to practice academic level writing. This course counts as PCA 111 and fulfills the FYS and ARTS general education requirements.

Why do we like the music we like?  What makes a musician? According to Siu-Lan Tan, “the field of psychology of music is concerned with the processes by which people perceive, respond to, and create music, and how they integrate it into their lives.”  We will explore the physical properties of sound and the perception and cognition of melody, rhythm, and musical structure.  We will also consider the question of meaning in music, and the social, emotional, and universal significance of music. How musical are nonhuman animals?

The dire warnings of climate change can leave a person feeling helpless and with little hope of affecting positive change for our own times and the future. What difference can a single individual make to assure the long-term stability of our natural environment? Although singular actions are important, history provides examples of successful collective action; of communities recognizing an environmental problem and taking action to address it. Canada and the United States share a terrestrial border that is more than 5,500 miles long.

The word “surveillance” often conjures up George Orwell’s dystopian world in 1984, where a totalitarian government had obliterated intellectual and political freedoms and kept an ever-watchful eye on its citizens. Today, mass surveillance certainly exists in the United States, everything from local traffic cameras to federal agencies monitoring our electronic communications. Edward Snowden revealed just how much the U.S. government knows about us. Yet, there are other kinds of surveillance that we often fail to recognize.

This course is designed as an experiential learning activity where you will study theories and evidence from political science and communication and apply them to some of the key global issues we face today (e.g., wars, economic crises, refugee flows, climate change, pandemics, etc.).

What makes someone a good speaker? Why do Americans report fearing public speaking more than they fear death? How did Barack Obama's skilled oratory influence his presidential campaign? Why are oral communication skills among the most desirable skills on the job market? This course provides an introduction to public speaking rooted in the rhetorical tradition.

This course will emphasize the research, analysis, and exploration of natural patterns and systems as a model for contemporary design. After researching recent biomimicry developments in industry, the sciences, and other fields, students will employ several design media (including but not limited to: drawing, photography, digital modeling, and 3-D printing) as an analytical method in their investigations of nature's "systemness." In the words of Dr. Janine Benyus, after 3.8 billion years of research and development, nature knows what works, what is appropriate, and what lasts.

Have you ever found yourself wondering, “Did that person just say that?”? Have you ever felt like someone just didn’t understand where you were coming from? Have you ever found yourself caught off-guard by a comment and weren't sure how to respond? In this course, students will take stock of the aspects of their personal and social identities and how those identities shape their perspectives and life experiences. Topics will include emotional intelligence, active listening, empathy, civility, and other topics as they relate to diversity and inclusion.

When rock-and-roll surged in popularity in the mid-1950’s, some groups were horrified by the “savage rhythms” and the sexual double entendre of the lyrics, calling it “the Devil’s music.” Beatles records were burned in 1966, and censorship has continued, including banning videos from MTV, preventing groups from performing on talk shows, and cutting songs from the radio.  However, this is not only a recent phenomenon.

Satirical and dystopian works often illuminate pressing issues, present humorous scenarios, and/or portray fantastic visions of post-apocalyptic worlds.  While we are drawn to the fictional escape these works can provide, through them we are also encouraged to question our own realities and ponder both the best and worst humanity has to offer.