Interdisciplinary Studies Course Descriptions

IS 320 Detroit Seminar
This course is an introduction to Detroit as an American city with particular emphasis on the interrelationship of various dimensions, such as economics, history, politics, and culture. The main objective is to use the city of Detroit as a laboratory to develop an understanding of the complexity of urban culture, life, and development.

IS 322 Technology Seminar
This course explores the development of technology in relationship to a variety of topics. The main objective is to give students an appreciation of how technology influences and is influenced by all facets of our lives.

IS 324 Social Justice Seminar
This course examines specific social justice issues as they relate to a variety of disciplines. The emphasis is on the critical thinking skills necessary for problem-solving and decision-making in our complex society.

IS 326 Special Topics
This course will explore and analyze a specific topic chosen by instructors from at least two diverse disciplines. Each course will be unique in content and will emphasize the interrelationship among the disciplines represented by the faculty. These courses may include study abroad, service learning, or other field experiences.

IS 100 Liberal Arts Seminar 3 hours
The Liberal Arts Seminar introduces students to college life. Through exposure to various dimensions of liberal arts disciplines students learn the essentials for success as a first year student and ultimately, success as a Marygrove graduate. Students also gain self-knowledge; knowledge of Marygrove history, mission and place within the broader framework of higher education.

MG 102H Honors Liberal Arts Seminar 3 hours
Prerequisites: Admission into Honors Program.Through a liberal use of guest speakers, out of class activities and special readings, the students in this seminar will focus on leadership development and ways of knowing. The course will assist each participant in knowing themselves, knowing the College and its mission, knowing various approaches to the acquisition of knowledge within the disciplines and knowing how to make the most of their Marygrove experience. At the same time, opportunities will be created for the study and exercise of leadership.

IS 320A Detroit Seminar: Detroit and the Contemporary Urban Crisis 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.In this course, we apply ideas from economics and literature to the study of contemporary issues in Detroit. We pay particular attention to several key factors influencing the city’s present condition. These include: race and inequality, federal urban policy, corporate de-industrialization, economic globalization, and local and regional development. Seminar sessions consist of discussions involving all members of the class and presentations by individual faculty and students. In our discussions, we will respond to assigned readings based upon our own experiences of life in and around Detroit. Presentations will focus on specific topics which are the products of our research. The course will include guest presentations, films, and a tour of specific sites which are important to our discussions.

IS 320B-OL Detroit Seminar: Cultural Icons of Detroit 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status. This interdisciplinary seminar combines attendance at cultural events in landmark Detroit institutions with online preparation. The course includes study of historical context, architectural structure, and the cultural experience. Preparation for each cultural site is through course assignments and discussions using the blackboard e-learning classroom.

IS 322A Technology Seminar: Human Communication and Technological Change 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.This course will explore the co-evolution of communication and technology. Other technological benchmark events, such as language, domestication of animals, evolution of writing and weapons will be explored. A focus of this course is to understand the success and collapse of civilizations based on their adaptation to and use of various technologies.

IS 322B Technology Seminar: Toward an Interdisciplinary Philosophy of Technology 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; one Lab Science; 1 course in HIS, HUM, or SOC; junior/senior status.This course explores the development of technology in relationship to a variety of disciplines. The main objective is to give students an understanding of how technology influences and is influenced by all facets of our society.

IS 324A Social Justice Seminar: Why Does America Neglect Its Children? 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.This course examines specific social justice issues as they relate to a variety of disciplines. The emphasis is on the critical thinking skills necessary for problem-solving and decision-making in our complex society.

IS 324B Social Justice Seminar: Global Women’s Issues 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.This course examines specific social justice issues as they relate to a variety of disciplines. The emphasis is on the critical thinking skills necessary for problem-solving and decision-making in our complex society. This particular section will focus on issues related to women.

IS 324B-OL Social Justice Seminar: Online Social Justice Seminar: Women’s Issues 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status. Online IS 324 Social Justice Seminar: Women’s Issues is an interdisciplinary study of women’s issues in the context of social justice. Personal reflection, social analysis, evaluation of cultural/religious values, and identification of action plans will provide the structure for examining issues related to women. While topic areas may change, some of the women’s issues to be explored are biological/personality influences on women’s roles, cross-cultural variations in women’s status, and discrimination in politics and education.

IS 324C Social Justice Seminar: Environmental Policy 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status. This course is intended as a simple, practical introduction to America’s environmental politics, policies, and regulations. It will explore basic environmental science concepts such as ecology, ecosystems, and pollution—which policy makers, regulators, organizations and citizens need to understand. It will answer questions such as: who develops the environmental regulations, what are examples of these regulations, are the regulations and politicians focusing on the most important priorities? How efficient are environmental policies, and can laws balance economic concerns with environmental protection? What are the environmental concerns in Michigan and the Metropolitan Detroit area?

IS 324D Social Justice Seminar: Government in Action 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.This course examines specific social justice issues as they relate to a variety of disciplines. The emphasis is on the critical thinking skills necessary for problem-solving and decision-making in our complex society. It is an interdisciplinary study of social policy combining classroom and fieldwork in the context of social justice. Students will learn to apply key components of public policy to state and local government forum settings.

IS 324E Social Justice Seminar: African-American Struggles 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status.This Social Justice seminar will combine traditional instruction with a travel seminar experience. Students will investigate social justice issues of slavery, discrimination, and segregation. An interdisciplinary approach will emphasize African-American history from slavery passage to civil rights movement and the psychological styles of coping with deprivation and discrimination. A week-long travel seminar will enable students to connect the African-American experience with sites visited in Virginia and North Carolina.

IS 326AH Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar: Religion and Science 3 hours
Prerequisites: Honors students only, or permission of instructors; recommended: 1 natural science/lab course, 1 religious studies course, and basic computer literacy. Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status; admission to Honors Program or permission of instructor.This interdisciplinary seminar focuses on issues at the border between science and religion, with emphasis on the physical and life sciences rather than the social sciences. Such topics are often the most exciting place for new insights and discoveries; they also tend to illustrate the differences and similarities between religion and science. At these “frontiers” conflicts and contradictions also appear.

We will examine a number of points of convergence and explore the various ways in which religious believers and scientific investigators approach these topics. We will seek to understand both past and current interactions between science and religion, and we will look for ways in which both religion and science contribute to our overall knowledge. At the same time, we will learn to better appreciate both the distinctiveness and the complementarities of these diverse ways of knowing.

IS 326B Travel Seminar 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status or permission of instructors.The travel seminar is a study of a specific city, country or regional area and generally includes exposure to the geography, history, culture and achievements of the location. Each travel seminar considers the locale from a unique perspective, dependent upon the expertise of the involved faculty members. All seminars include travel outside the U.S. and some include a Service Learning component.

IS 326C HIV/AIDS: Its Biological and Social Impact 3 hours
Prerequisites: ENG 108; junior/senior status or permission of instructors.This course is a biological, psychological, social and literary interdisciplinary examination of HIV/AIDS. The focus is on the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families and communities. Communities of color will be emphasized. A required academic service learning activity focuses on HIV/AIDS outreach to churches, senior residences/centers, schools and agencies.