Fall Courses
July 22, 2020
From the 2020 presidential election to the origins of the universe, to your community, learn and apply a range of relevant topics in these noteworthy fall courses.
Note: The course schedule for the fall term, as well as the entire academic year of 2020-2021, is still being finalized as Drexel continues to prepare for the return to campus. Course offerings, dates and times, and overall instructional methods may change as a result of these ongoing measures to make the return to campus as safe as possible. The fall schedule will be finalized on August 3rd, 2020 before fall registration opens. For more information on course registration, please visit Drexel Central's Course Registration webpage.
Presidential Election (COM 400)
With the all-important 2020 Presidential Election as a backdrop, this course will explore in real time the many faces and roles of the media in the political process — from the performance of journalists and their fascination with sustaining a “horse race,” to effective and ineffective political ads, to the importance of social media in shaping messages and audience attitudes, with a little history mixed in.
This course, taught by Ronald Bishop, PhD, will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 – 10:50 a.m.
Diversity in China (GST 231)
China is a multi-ethnic society with 56 officially recognized ethnic groups. This course provides an analysis of the formation of ethnic, religious, and national identities as well as phenomena of ethnic relations in the largest multiethnic society in the world. It discusses political, socioeconomic and cultural differences between Chinese ethnic minorities by focusing on identity concepts based on religion, language, traditions and regional factors. Students will explore tensions between nationalism and ethnic identity, consider how national identity is formed and maintained, and examine how ethnic diversity is expressed within the overarching, modern national identity of China.
This credit course, taught by Rebecca Clothey, PhD, will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 1:50 p.m.
Urban Sociology (SOC 240)
This course will provide an overview of the contemporary process of urban change and of key problems and policy issues. It will concentrate on five concerns: the evolution of urban economics; life and culture in the city today; race, ethnicity, gender, and class of urban populations; urban politics and social forces; and new directions in urban development.
This 4.0 credit course, taught by Sarah S. Hosman, PhD, will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 – 11:50 a.m.
Research Design: Qualitative Methods (SOC 241)
This class will provide an in-depth exploration of sociological research design and qualitative methods. Participants will grapple with issues of sampling, validity, human subjects ethics, recruitment, generalizability and extendibility. Students will learn how to design interview guides and conduct research interviews. Introductory information on focus groups, fieldwork, action research and archival research will be presented. Students will also learn how to use NVivo, a software package, to analyze interview data, including mixed-methods applications.
This 4.0 credit course, taught by Jason Orne, PhD, will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 – 3:50 p.m.
Sociology of Global Health 4.0 (SOC 313)
This course will introduce students to a sociological perspective for understanding global health, healing, and medicine — from individual experiences in local circumstances to practices that affect communities and societies throughout the world. It will situate health and health care within cultural, social, historical, economic and political circumstances and address these topics in settings that are primarily outside the United States.
This 4.0 credit course, taught by Susan E. Bell, PhD, will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 – 11:50 a.m.
Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South (SOC 330)
This course will focus on the ways in which the international economy affects the class structure, politics, and development of developing nations. It will focus particularly on multinational corporations and on the successes and failures of import-substitution and export-oriented industrialization programs.
This 4.0 credit course, taught by Emmanuel F. Koku, PhD, will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 – 3:50 p.m.
Survey of the Universe (PHYS 131)
Survey of the Universe provides an overview of modern astronomy, including the scientific method; telescopes; stars and star clusters; stellar evolution; galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe; and the Big Bang. This course was featured in the DrexelNow series “A Day in the Class,” showcasing some of Drexel University's most interesting and impactful courses: Intro to Astronomy Class Provides Innovative, Interpersonal Ways to Discover the Cosmos.
Survey of the Universe is just that: a broad-brush course covering topics from seasons and lunar phases to stars, to galaxies, to the history of the universe — essentially all of astronomy in 10 weeks! This is a three-credit elective course that is not required for any major or minor. While it is designed for students who might not take another science course at Drexel, it also is appropriate for STEM students. It is what many other universities would call “Astronomy 101” (except that students get the added bonus of having a physics course on their transcript!). Ultimately, the purpose is to give students an understanding of how application of the scientific method has enabled humankind to learn about the universe, from near to far.
This 3.0 credit course, taught by Gordon Richards, PhD, is open to all undergraduate students. It will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 1:50 p.m.
Writers Room Studio (WRIT 290)
This year, Writers Room has formalized our curricular offerings by proposing a variable Writers Room Studio class (1-3 credits). As part of this class, students attend WR programming for the term and participate in a guided revision process that includes one-on-one sessions with a faculty member, culminating in a revised piece for publication in Anthology, Writers Room’s annual publication.
Writers Room Lab (WRIT 280)
This 1-credit laboratory asks students to take the academic knowledge they are acquiring and apply it in their communities. This credit attaches to other courses across the university to encourage interdisciplinary and cross-sector learning.