The First-Year Seminar Program is a special opportunity for first- and second-semester students to take a small seminar class. First-Year Seminars are open only to first and second semester students. Each course is a small seminar (no more than 15 or 16 students) led or team-taught by UI faculty members. The courses do not offer credit you can apply to the General Education Program and you can’t use these courses toward a major, minor, or certificate, but First-Year Seminars do offer you a chance to focus on unusual and interesting topics in a course developed and taught by some of our most exciting professors.
Some First-Year Seminars are offered for 1 s.h., others for 2 s.h. If you choose to take a First-Year Seminar please remember the College’s guideline: student preparation time over the 15 weeks of a semester usually averages 2 hours of out-of-class work each week for every hour in class, or for every hour of credit earned. For example: Courses for which you earn 2 s.h. of credit generally require 4 hours of out-of-class work each week.
First-Year Seminars use the A—F grading system. Most instructors also choose to use plus/minus grading. All of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences rules on adding and dropping apply to these courses. Talk to your adviser if you decide not to complete a course, or have any questions about adding and dropping courses.
REGISTRATION: All First-Year Seminars are open only to first and second semester students. No special registration numbers are needed, simply add the course when you register. Be sure to check your course—and section number—very carefully. First-Year Seminar courses are listed as “First-Year Seminar” on your printed schedule, the “subtitle” will not appear. Also, please remember that there are only a limited number of spaces available in First-Year Seminars. For this reason, we limit students to registration in only one First-Year Seminar course.
First-Year Seminar: Hamlet on Screen
008:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Douglas Trevor, Department of English
Course Meets: On Wednesdays from 3:30pm to 4:45pm in Room 442 of the English Philosophy Building
This course will minutely explore perhaps the most influential work of English—and European—literature: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and the most recent filmic versions of the play. Endlessly performed and scrutinized (over 8,000 scholarly articles have been written on the play just in the last decade), Hamlet nonetheless stubbornly resists interpretation.
What is it about the play that so fascinates and “puzzles the will” (as Hamlet himself asks)? And why have so many filmmakers been drawn to the play?
In this course we will begin by reading through the play closely over several weeks. During this time, we will consider Renaissance performance history of Hamlet, early modern medical theories, the political context of the late-Elizabethan era, and the complicated textual history of the play (Hamlet exists in three different versions, published on three different occasions). For the rest of the semester we will analyze the play from a variety of filmic perspectives. By comparing cinematic adaptations of the play, from Laurence Olivier’s enduring version to Kenneth Branagh’s epic treatment, to the recent version by Michael Almereyda, we will consider the effects that certain cinematic decisions have on the play itself. How, for example, does a director produce a more or less “Oedipal” version of the drama? And in what ways might a director alter the personality of the prince, making him more or less “mad”?
Grades will be based on: class participation and a final project to be developed by each student in consultation with Professor Trevor.
Douglas Trevor joined the Department of English at the University of Iowa in August, 1999. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University. His latest book is The Reinvention of Sadness: Writing Learned Selves in Early Modern England and he is co-editor (with Carla Mazzio) of Historicism, Psychoanalysis, and Early Modern Culture. He has also taught First-Year Seminars on the writers Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce.
First-Year Seminar: Great Stories: German Literature on Film
13E:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Waltraud Maierhofer, Department of German
Course Meets: On Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30 to 5:20pm in 317 Phillips Hall
In this course, you will be introduced to German literature through the medium of film adaptations. Viewings, discussions, and written assignments will provide a framework for understanding and appreciating non-US literature. The films examined in the course will include some adaptations of the best-known dramas and novels of German literature and films adapted from lesser-known works. Films will include Elective Affinities (after the work of Goethe); The Trail (based on Kafka’s novel); The Tin Drum (adapted from a novel by Gunter Grass); and The Boat (based on a novel by G. Bucheim).
Madness, murder, love, fantasy, intolerance, anxiety, and the anomalies that make up human nature are topics that remain as fascinating and current here and today as when and where these texts were first written.
Grades will be based on: active class participation; a “response journal”; and a semester project.
Waltraud Maierhofer earned a Dr. Phil. from the Universität Regensburg in Germany. She studies German literature of the 18th and 19th centuries, especially narrative prose and the interrelations of literature and art.
First-Year Seminar: The Italians in America
018:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Deborah Contrada, Department of French and Italian
Course Meets: On Tuesdays from 9:30am to 10:20am in Room 321 Phillips Hall
When you hear “Italian,” do you think only of pizza and the Mafia? Do you think Sacco and Vanzetti were a vaudeville act and that the Sopranos are a typical Italian-American family? Is Christopher Columbus a villain or a victim? You’ve probably heard of Al Capone, but what about Francesca Cabrini, Amedeo Obici, A.P. Giannini, and the Grucci family? Maybe you don’t know that an Italian signed the Declaration of Independence. And that an Italian immigrant living on Staten Island invented a “telephone” before Alexander Graham Bell. Or that in 1942, the federal government enacted a relocation program that forced the internment of thousands of Italians and their families. In this course, we will explore the fortunes and misfortunes of Italian immigrants to the New World, through readings and video.
Grades will be based on: home work assignments, class participation, short “reaction” papers, and a final project.
Debbie Contrada teaches Italian Language and Literature, writes about medieval poets no one else has ever heard of, and secretly dreams of teaching courses on Baseball, Hoaxes, and the Mystery Novel.
First-Year Seminar: Computation as Deduction
22C:002 Section 001 1 s.h.
Instructor: Arthur Fleck, Department of Computer Science
Course Meets: On Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 2:20pm in Room B13 MacLean Hall
Note: Although computer programming experience is not necessary for this seminar, students should have had four years of high school mathematics as preparation for the course.
This seminar explores the link between analytical thinking and computer-generated solutions to problems. Specifically, we will be looking at how computation can be conceived of as logical deduction performed by a computer. We will discuss the elements of precise logical thinking, and reveal how logical assertions can effectively serve as a computer program. During the first part of the semester students will learn how to use the University’s computing facilities and get specific training in the use of the Prolog programming language. Each student will learn to read, write, and analyze small Prolog programs.
Grades will be based on: use of computer software tools and projects involving reading and writing small Prolog programs.
Arthur Fleck has a special interest in alternative programming language designs. Logic programming attracts him because of the directness it provides for progressing from conceptual solutions to computer programs. More information is available on his web page: http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~fleck
First-Year Seminar: Calculus-- What Good Is It?
22M:014 Section 001 1 s.h.
Instructor: Keith Stroyan, Department of Mathematics
Course Meets: On Tuesdays from 1:30pm to 2:20pm in Room B5 MacLean Hall
Note 1: A pre/co-requisite for this course is concurrent enrollment in a calculus course (22M:016, :017, :025, or :031) or Advanced Placement AB Calculus in high school.
Note 2: Because students will work in pairs, the enrollment limit for this course is 16.
Calculus is "the language of science." It is used to discuss changes in things ranging from the position of the planets to chemical concentrations, to the rise and fall of the stock market. This seminar will use basic calculus to help students learn to answer serious questions like, "Why were scientists able to eradicate polio, but not measles?" and fun ones like "Will the bungee diver rip his leg or smash his head on the rocks?"
The seminar will begin with an introduction to computing with Mathematica and guided sample project that will help students learn how to write a technical report. Then, students will work in pairs, select a project from a list of over 50 possible questions (covering topics in many areas, including the social and natural sciences).
Grades will be based on: 50% of the grade will be based on work done before the project, and 50% on the written an oral reports of the project.
Keith Stroyan is a Professor of Mathematics whose research focuses on applications of infinitesimals and has received an NSF award to develop on-line materials for multivariable calculus. He raises shohola labradors, and has, on occasion, been seen in a kilt.
First-Year Seminar: Lawyers in the American Political System
030:029 Section 001 1 s.h.
Instructor: Tim Hagle, Department of Political Science
Course Meets: On Wednesdays from 11:30am to 12:20pm in Room 143 Schaeffer Hall
This seminar will introduce students to several topics and issues related to the roles of lawyers and the legal community in the development of the law and, more generally, the American political system. We will look at legal education, the “legal culture,” types of lawyers and legal jobs, how different types of lawyers influence the law in different ways, and how lawyers influence public policy and political institutions. Students will learn how to use internet resources to find information on legal developments –– court decisions, advocacy projects, and so on.
Grades will be based on: class participation and a few short essays and class presentations.
Tim Hagle is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science. He is also the prelaw advisor for Political Science. More information about this course can be found at his web site:http://www.uiowa.edu/~030116/
First-Year Seminar: Understanding Weapons of Mass Destruction
030:029 Section 002 1s.h.
Instructor: Brian Lai, Department of Political Science
Course Meets: On Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 2:20pm in Room 151 Schaeffer Hall
After the events of September 11, 2001, there has been a great deal of discussion among policy-makers, the media, and academics over the possible use of "weapons of mass destruction" (WMD) against the United States. President Bush even highlighted the growing threat of weapons of mass destruction in his 2002 State of the Union Address. What are these weapons? Historically, when have they been used? Who has used them and why? What efforts have been taken to prevent and prepare for a possible attack by states or terrorists using WMD? How have these efforts fared? Finally, what is the threat that these weapons pose to the US?
This seminar will address these questions in the context of the current policy debate about how the US should prevent and prepare for a possible WMD attack. We will also examine the development and use of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons over time and efforts by states to prevent the development and use of these weapons as well as prepare for a possible attack by WMD. Finally, we will examine the current threat WMD pose to the US and what measures the US can take to address these threats.
Grades will be based on: participation; a 7-8 page research paper (developed over the course of several smaller assignments); and a class presentation.
Brian Lai, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, received his Ph.D. from Emory University in 2001 with a dissertation on "Military Mobilization and the Escalation and Outcome of International Crises
First-Year Seminar: The Iowa Caucus and the Presidential Nomination Process
030:029 Section 003 2 s.h.
Instructor: David Redlawsk, Department of Political Science
Course Meets: On Thursdays, from 1:00pm to 2:15pm
in Room 21 Schaeffer Hall
What’s a small state like Iowa doing in a process like this? This seminar will examine the history and impact of the Iowa Caucuses and their role in weeding out the candidates for President of the U.S. many have questioned why Iowa, small and unrepresentative of the nation as a whole, gets to play such a major role in determining who gets to slug it out in the later primaries, and who has to go home a loser. Iowans argue that the kind of grassroots politics needed here provides an important test of a candidate’s organization, commitment, and if nothing else, stamina. As we enter fall 2003, the campaign for caucuses is well underway, with at least nine declared Democratic candidates jockeying to all do “better than expected.” We will look closely at that campaign as we investigate how the caucuses came to play the role they do, the arguments for and against Iowa as kickoff point, and the impact the caucus has on Iowa’s own (non-presidential) politics. Students will read academic studies of the caucuses, follow the on-going 2004 campaigns in local and national media, attend campaign events (this may involve evening meetings) and prepare a multi-media portfolio on one of the 2004 candidates.
Grades will be based on: class participation, an essay on the role of the caucuses, and the multi-media portfolio.
David Redlawsk joined the Department of Political Science in 1999. He is interested in political psychology and voting behaviors. He has been an elected official in New Jersey, and is now a member of the Johnson County Democratic Committee. He is also interested in baseball; his favorite vacation activity is to go on a cruise.
First-Year Seminar: Disasters and Catastrophes
036:029 Section 001 1s.h.
Instructor: Randy Hirokawa, Department of Communication Studies
Course Meets: NOTE: the time/place for this seminar had to be changed to Wednesdays, from 1:30pm to 2:20pm. Enrolled students are being contacted.
Well-publicized tragedies like the recent crash of the space shuttle “Columbia” are grim reminders that man-made disasters and catastrophes are an ever-present aspect of everyday life. This seminar focuses on disasters resulting from human error to promote an understanding of why they occur and what, if anything, can be done to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Grades will be based on: a group project. Two-three member research teams will investigate a man-made disaster and write a detailed report that describes, analyzes and explicates their findings. The written and oral presentation will be graded separately.
Randy Hirokawa is a professor in, and Chair of, the Department of Communication Studies. His research interests include group decision making, organizational communication, and interdisciplinary health care team education. In all of his research, he asks the question, “how does a group's decision-making communication affect its decision-making performance?”
First-Year Seminar: Ghandhian Thought: Applications to the 21st Century
042:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Tom Walz, professor emeritus, School of Social Work
Course Meets: on Wednesdays, from 10:30am to 12:20pm in 302 North Hall
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as Mahatma Gandhi, was one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. The independence of India from Great Britain might not have occurred without his efforts, and he influenced both Nelson Mandela’s approach to South African apartheid and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s philosophy of non-violence during the United States civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
This seminar will explore the experiences that shaped Gandhi’s thinking and introduce students to the core concepts of his philosophy. We will discuss whether Gandhi’s ideas are still relevant and whether they could be applied to current social problems.
Grades will be based on: class participation, a book review, and a short paper.
Tom Walz recently retired from the University of Iowa. He is an international traveler and a former director of Peace Corps operations in Honduras. He was the first North American social worker to teach social work students in Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
First-Year Seminar: The Road in Post War US Culture
045:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Rob Latham, Departments of English and American Studies
Course Meets: On Mondays, from 3:00pm to 4:15pm in 312 English-Philosophy Building
The sprawling horizons of the road have provided a powerful arena for cultural exploration and personal discovery for much of US history. This course tracks this potent literary/cultural tradition from 19th century precursors such as Walt Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road” through major post-World War II novels such as Jack Kerouac’s On the Road to contemporary films like Thelma and Louise. Our focus will be primarily on the postwar period, since the last five decades have seen an unprecedented explosion of literary and filmic texts centered on the road as a peculiarly charged site of desire and suspense, danger and possibility. Over this period, the road narrative has emerged as a coherent genre with a basic repertoire of motifs and images, dominated by stories of flight and pursuit, of identity-loss and self-discovery, of utopian yearning crashing into bleak reality.
This class will survey a range of representative American road texts in terms of this developing genre tradition, attending throughout to broader issues of social context that frame the individual works—especially the growth, during the postwar period, of a complex highway system and an avid automobile culture
Note: Class will meet once each week for 75 minutes, but there will also be 3-4 required, out-of-class film screenings.
Grades will be based on: attendance and participation; a weekly reading journal (which will be circulated to the class as a springboard for discussion); two short analytic papers, and a collaborative research project which will culminate in a series of oral reports at the end of the semester.
Rob Latham is an associate professor in the Departments of English and American Studies. He is currently writing a book on vampires.
First-Year Seminar: Improvisation for the Theatre
049:029 Section 001 1s.h.
Instructor: Ralph Hall, Department of Theatre Arts
Course Meets: on Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 5:30pm
in Room 172 Theatre Building
Note: Because many improvisations are done with partners, enrollment will be open to 16 students.
Improvisation is an invaluable tool. Through practicing improvisational skills, you will become more effective in presentations before an audience, more creative in your approach to problem solving, and more able to analyze the principles underlying any disciplined study. Also, it’s fun.
Each class will begin with a short warm-up activity leading into a further exploration of specific improvisational techniques. As the semester goes on, the exercises and games will gain a deeper layering of interrelated practices, culminating in acts of spontaneous dramatic play.
Each student will also create a personal resource notebook containing a record of class activities and related objectives. In addition, students will be required to attend at least one performance of the UI No Shame Theatre and view one episode of Drew Carey’s Whose Line Is It Anyway.
Grades will be based on: Attendance and participation: 80% (note—you will not be judged on how well you are able to perform, but how much effort you put into the class, as both audience and actor), and Resource Notebook—20%
Ralph Hall is a graduate of Jacque Lecoq’s theatre movement conservatory in Paris, France. He worked for fifteen years as a teacher, school director, writer, and show director at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. He has acted with the Dell’Arte Players Company in California and the San Diego Repertory Theatre. He is currently teaching movement and acting in the UI Theatre Department.
First-Year Seminar: Voice and Speech
049:029 Section 002 2 s.h.
Instructor: Judy Leigh-Johnson, Department of Theatre Arts
Course Meets: on Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 6:15 pm
in room 172 Theatre Building
Our voice is used to express feelings and ideas, to motivate, entertain, and move people to action. It is part of our image. A natural, pleasant, and dynamic speaking voice is often just as important as being an expert in your chosen profession.
In this seminar, students will learn how to be an effective and confident communicator through a practical course designed to develop and improve your vocal sound, vocal strength, and the clarity of your speech.
Note: This course will meet once each week for 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Grades will be based on: class participation, a written journal, and the practical application of the principles and techniques that will be introduced.
Judy Leigh-Johnson graduated from the acting program at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and pursued an acting career on both sides of the Atlantic encompassing a wide variety of major roles in film, TV, radio drama, voice-overs, and commercials. She has taught in Britain, Canada, and the US, and has been a dialect coach for theatre companies in Canada and the US.
First-Year Seminar: Ideas of the University
610:029 Section 001 2 s.h.
Instructor: Frederick J. Antczak, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Course Meets: On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:55 pm to 4:45pm in
Room 215 of the English Philosophy Building
Since the first Carnegie report, there has been lots of controversy about education in the public "research-1" universities like the UI. Some people say that institutions like ours neglect undergraduate teaching, others claim there is no comparably broad or effective system in the world. This course explores how education works at Iowa. The required "text" is the University General Catalog, although there also will be other readings used to guide discussion.
We'll talk about many different topics including: the purposes of a college education, characteristics of effective and less effective learning, the different kinds of good (and not so good) teaching and what to do in response, the impact of technology on learning environments, and how to get the most out of a course. Class members may also lead us to topics like the integration of research and teaching, tenure, academic freedom, even how administrators like me go about making decisions.
Grades will be based on: class participation; an introductory presentation introducing "a student-oriented aspect of the University you didn't know about--but should"; a team project on learning at the university (details to be discussed in class); and an individual project including two short class presentations (a "project proposal" and a "project update," both of which will be scheduled during the first class period) and a 5 page "project report" due on the first Monday morning of exam week.
Fred Antczak came to the University in 1987 after having taught at the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Virginia. He is a Professor of Rhetoric, and does his research on American political rhetoric; you may have heard him on NPR's All Things Considered. He has won two teaching awards, and has served the University in a variety of administrative positions, including currently serving as the College of Liberal Arts and Science’s Associate Dean for Academic Programs.