Courses

Science

Biogenetics and Contemporary Issues in Biology
If you are interested in a career in medicine or biotechnology, this is the course for you. You will study microbiology, genetics, gene transfer, gene therapy, cloning, stem cell research, pathogenesis, genetically-modified organisms and the transfer of antibiotic resistance. You will be exposed to current research examples by University professors, and have a chance to discuss the medical, environmental and ethical issues involved. Hands-on research takes place in both the field and laboratory, and you will collect samples, isolate and clone specific genes and then investigate aspects of gene expression. 4 sem. hrs.

English

Into the Green: Explorations of Text and Trail
As we speed into the 21st Century, it is easy to become so excited by our mp3 player or our laptop that we often forget where we came from and all that nature freely teaches us. Nature as text and teacher has been a literary theme since writing was invented, so in this course we will study a selection of both fiction and non-fiction to see what others have learned, to discuss various writing styles and to think more deeply about our own relationships to nature and technology.

Our readings will be enhanced with a variety of outdoor experiences designed to transcend the artificial confines of the classroom and maximize the intellectual potential of combining scholarship with direct experience. We will also view a selection of related films and examine them critically as texts for their connections to our readings and experiences.

Today, as developments in technology continue to accelerate the speed of change, our experience of nature often decreases and we become too busy to enjoy and learn from nature. What is the intellectual value of nature and what important skills and knowledge might we want to preserve as the future unfolds before us? 2 sem. hrs.

Emergency Services Management

Disaster Science and Homeland Security
Hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes and terrorism. If you are intrigued by manmade and natural disasters, consider this course. You’ll have the chance to examine how and why disasters happen, as well as learn the major issues in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Explore the unique threats posed by natural events such as tsunamis and landslides, and the immediate threat of conventional, nuclear and bioweapons. Focus includes disaster plans and preparations, community protection, and coping methods for the personal, social and economic trauma that follows chaos. Students who successfully complete this course also receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training certificate for assigned course work. 4 sem. hrs.

Business

Microeconomics via Classroom Experiments
Inexpensive bananas, iPods, and global warming: What do they have in common? They are each the result of markets. When do markets produce good outcomes for society, and when do they produce bad outcomes? How can we prevent the bad outcomes? Should we have a market for human kidneys too? You will learn the economic approach to answering these questions, as well as how consumers, businesses, and government officials make efficient decisions.

You will learn the theories, simulate the models, discuss the ideas, and practice the concepts with problems sets and computer exercises. You will simulate these theories in classroom experiments. Such experiments model real-world markets and dilemmas.

Students in this course will learn material that is equivalent to a Principles of Microeconomics course in college. While this course is a standard prerequisite for a business major, its insights apply to all types of decision-making. 4 sem. hrs.

Pre-Law

The Constitution, the Practice of Law, and You
You've probably studied the Constitution in school: names, dates, amendments, etc. That's just scratching the surface. In this course you'll have an opportunity to examine the Constitution as a living document and learn how modern-day lawyers deal with constitutional law issues.

We'll approach this through a hypothetical appellate court case on a constitutional issue such as freedom of speech. You'll be researching the issues in the UR Law Library and presenting written and oral appellate arguments in front of real lawyers and judges. Current UR School of Law students will also be working with you. In addition to superior research and writing skills, lawyers must also know how to "think on their feet" and make oral arguments on behalf of their clients. So, you'll be spending some time in front of the camera learning how to sharpen your oral presentation skills. (This is important for success in many professions.)

Thinking about law school and a career in the law? You'll also have a chance to learn about what it's like to be a student at the UR School of Law and to discuss pre-law undergraduate programs at UR. 4 sem. hrs.