2018-19 Courses

ARTSSCI 1A06 | PRACTICES OF KNOWLEDGE

An examination of significant themes in intellectual history through a reading of major works in philosophy and literature that shed light on the conceptual foundations of contemporary life.

Instructor: Dr. Travis Kroeker
Term: 3
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 1B03 | WRITING

This course aims to develop students’ ability to use language in written communication, with a focus on academic writing in particular. Students will develop their writing skills through assignments and activities that ask them to produce, analyze, and reflect on written work in a range of genres.

Instructor: Dr. James L. Sikkema
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 1BB3 | ARGUMENTATION

This course provides students with some of the conceptual tools needed to recognize, understand, evaluate, formulate, and attack arguments. Students will have the opportunity to develop such skills in their oral and written work.

Instructor: Dr. James L. Sikkema
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 1C03 | INQUIRY: GLOBAL CHALLENGES

This inquiry course, designed to develop skills basic to the systematic, evidence-based investigation of public issues, focuses on issues relevant to global development.

Instructor: Dr. Beth Marquis and Dr. Mat Savelli
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 1CC3 | CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS STUDIES

This course will explore the relationship between Indigenous peoples and mainstream society in the 20th century with regard to governmental policy, land claims, economic development, and self-determination.

Instructor: Prof. Katherine Minich
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 1D06 | CALCULUS

This course aims to provide a thorough understanding of the principles and major applications of differential and integral calculus of functions of one variable, as well as an introduction to multivariate calculus and differential equations.

Instructor: Dr. Megumi Harada
Term: 3
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 2A06 | SOCIAL AND POLITICAL THOUGHT

Development of political, moral and religious thought in the writings of such major figures as Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Burke, Marx, Mill, Weber, von Hayek, Nietzsche, Freud and Arendt.

Instructor: Dr. David L. Clark
Term: 3
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 2D06 | PHYSICS

This course explores many of the great concepts of physics in a quantitative way. Beginning with Newtonian mechanics, it moves into Einstein’s relativity, wave phenomena, atomic physics, quantum mechanics and cosmology. Selected laboratory projects will be carried out.

Instructor: Dr. Alan Chen
Term: 3
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 2E03 | ECONOMICS: PRINCIPLES AND POLICY

An introduction to the core principles of economics with the objective of helping students to apply economic reasoning to issues that are central to modern societies, such as: the role of government in a market-oriented setting; equity and efficiency; growth and the environment; and fiscal and monetary stability.

Instructor: Dr. Stephen R.G. Jones
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 2R03 | APPLIED STATISTICAL INFERENCE

Inferential statistics, with an emphasis on applications. Topics include data description, graphical methods, probability, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, one-way ANOVA, analysis of categorical data, regression and correlation. Use of a statistics software package.

Instructor: Dr. Román Viveros-Aguilera
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3A06 | LITERATURE

Literary works drawn from a variety of genres, cultures and historical periods will be examined with a focus on how great writers have treated enduring ethical concerns. It aims to show how literature is an indispensable means of thinking about human life and society.

Instructor: Dr. Jean Wilson
Term: 3
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3B03 | TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY I

The Culture of Technology. Technological practices and approaches are studied as cultural activities in the contexts of beliefs, philosophies, values and social structures both past and present.

Instructor: Dr. Beth Marquis
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3BB3 | TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY II

The Social Control of Technology. The dominant mechanisms of the social control of technology will be studied. Includes an examination of assessment methods and the role of ethics.

Instructor: Dr. David Goutor
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3BC3 | TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY III

This course explores the current explosion of publicly available data and the manipulation of this data as both a positive and a negative societal development. Our focus of inquiry will be on the use of spatial data and cartography as a tool to inform society through the visualization of complex data.

Instructor: Dr. Brian Baetz
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3CL3 | THEATRE, SELF, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Theatre skills are life skills. Class exercises, creative work, and online discussions will allow students to explore the practice and ethics of Applied Drama and to learn how theatre can be used as a tool for social development and change.

Instructor: Prof. Hartley Jafine
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3CU3 | ALUMNI EXPERIENCE INQUIRY

Using an inquiry methodology, students will explore the practical applications of an interdisciplinary degree through interaction with, and mentorship from, graduates of the Arts & Science Program. Emphasis will be on problem-based learning, with the professional experiences of alumni informing the explorationof complex and multifaceted issues.

Instructor: Dr. Mat Savelli
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3EH3 | EXPLORING HAMILTON INQUIRY

This course encourages students to ask questions and explore topics focused on the City of Hamilton, Ontario. Through the exploration of Hamilton from a number of disciplinary perspectives, including cultural, economic, and geological, students will have an opportunity to gain insight into the city that McMaster University calls home.
This course will include excursions during class time and may require small fees for travel.

Instructor: Dr. John Maclachlan
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3GJ3 | GLOBAL JUSTICE INQUIRY

Using an inquiry methodology, students will explore issues pertaining to global justice through an interdisciplinary lens.

Instructor: Dr. Nadine Ijaz
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 3L03 | THE INDIAN RELIGIOUS TRADITION

A study of the origins and early development of Indian Buddhism, largely through readings in Buddhist scripture (pre-Mahayana and Mahayana) in translation.

Instructor: Dr. Shayne Clarke
Term: 1

ARTSSCI 3S03 | THE EAST ASIAN RELIGIOUS TRADITION

Readings of East Asian texts in translation will centre around themes such as culture vs. nature, virtue vs. power, social responsibility vs. personal cultivation, bookish learning vs. meditation.

Instructor: Dr. James Benn
Term: 2

ARTSSCI 3TR3 | TREES INQUIRY

Inspired by the trees on McMaster’s campus, this course examines trees and their significance through a number of different lenses and from a variety of discipline perspectives: biology; colonial and economic histories; visual, material, and performing arts practices; psychology; indigenous and environmental studies; poetry and prose.

Instructor: Dr. Alison McQueen
Term: 1

ARTSSCI 3X03 | INDIVIDUAL STUDY

This course consists of study under the supervision of a McMaster faculty member.

Instructor: Dr. Jean Wilson
Term: 3

ARTSSCI 4A06/9 | INDIVIDUAL STUDY

This course consists of study under the supervision of a McMaster faculty member. Proposal deadline is March 1.

Instructor: Dr. Jean Wilson
Term: 3

ARTSSCI 4BP3 | BODIES AND BODIES POLITIC: FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO GLOBAL HEALTH

This course explores the politics of health through the body, from public health to colonialism to transnational global health. The rights to health care originated at the national level, in political systems. We consider global health in historical perspective and what happens when pharmaceuticals and RCTs travel, with examples from North Africa, the Philippines, India, Doctors Without Borders, and the Middle East.

Instructor: Dr. Ellen Amster
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 4C06/9 | THESIS

This course consists of original research under the supervision of a McMaster faculty member. Proposal deadline is March 1.

Instructor: Dr. Jean Wilson
Term: 1

ARTSSCI 4CB3 | EDUCATION INQUIRY

Students will have the opportunity in this course to use an inquiry-based approach to focus on social, cultural, political, and economic issues that influence and are influenced by education.

Instructor: Dr. Henry Giroux
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 4CD3 | RESEARCH AND CREATIVE WRITING

The course exposes students to creative writing that is grounded in research. It also invites students to explore ways in which research findings might be disseminated through creative expression.

Instructor: Prof. Anton Piatigorsky
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 4CP3 | MEDIA INQUIRY

This course consists of four sections dealing with theoretical and analytical perspectives, political economy of the media, news media, and entertainment media and their cultural effects.

Instructor: Dr. Beth Marquis
Term: 2
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 4EP3 | ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INQUIRY

This course provides a critical analysis of the relationship between public policy making and environmental issues. Students will engage in critical discussion of a range of literature that has direct bearing on explaining how environmental issues, scientific evidence, and the policy process converge. The course also includes a current policy case study designed to help students gain further insight into how course themes and concepts unfold in reality.

Instructor: Dr. Lynda Lukasik
Term: 1
Course Outline

ARTSSCI 4MN1 | LOCAL EXPLORATIONS

An experiential independent study course, which offers students the opportunity to explore an issue of local interest either individually or in teams. The issue to be explored will be selected in consultation with the course instructors. Each student or student team will present a report at the end of the course.

Instructor: Dr. Jean Wilson and Prof. Hartley Jafine
Term: 1

ARTSSCI 4MN2 | MOVEMENT AND INTEGRATION

This course brings together Arts & Science students and exchange students to critically assess the experience of movement away from familiar terrain and reflect on how they can integrate that experiential learning into their lives as an ongoing practice of reflective intentional living.