Page 26 - EducationWorld March 2023

EW FOCUS: LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION

SoLS Foundation Courses

Writing Seminar: This semester-long, first-year seminar philosophy, political science, economics, law): A liberal
introduces students to different modes of critical inquiry education begins with the pursuit of self-knowledge: Who
and academic writing. Students develop appreciation for am I? How do I relate to others and my environment?
diverse academic approaches to real world problems while This class will explore this question through the lens of
developing core skills in reading and writing. They will Psychology or Literature.
write short pieces ranging from autobiographical accounts Paradigms in the History of Science (Primary field:
to historical analysis to policy, that will allow them to Philosophy or History of Science, Science and Technology
practice different styles of written communication. Studies; Secondary fields: Physics, chemistry, computer
Writing Collective: In the second semester of their Fresh- science, mechanical engineering): This course is designed
man year, students meet weekly with a small cohort of to help students develop a critical appreciation for science.
peers, supervised by a faculty advisor. The collective is Students will be encouraged to think about how ideas,
mandatory and students are given grades. Students are ex- inventions, and paradigmatic shifts in science and tech-
pected to write assignments for other classes and provide nology are always grounded in -- and interpreted through
feedback and support to peers. -- specific social, cultural,
Reading Critically: An Intro- political, and material contexts.
duction to the Disciplines 1 India and Its Environs
and 2: The primary aim of this (Primary field: Environmental
two-semester course sequence science; Secondary fields:
is to train students in critical chemistry, physics, law, his-
reading and note-taking strate- Dr. Pritam Baruah tory, political science): This
gies. The secondary aim is to Dean, School of Liberal Studies class continues a core theme
give students a glimpse of the present across all foundational
disciplines they may choose courses: Who am I?, who are
as their major or minor. Each we?, how are we connected?
semester will be divided into This course will focus on pure
two-week units, with each or applied science of environ-
unit covering one of our major mental studies and/or its social
offerings. At the end of the science dimensions.
course, students will select a
text from a carefully curated, Data Literacy (Primary field:
multi-disciplinary list and will Economics or Political Sci-
be given a week to read their ence; Secondary fields: data
selection and write a brief science, statistics): In the age
review. of Big Data, students need
to develop their quantitative
South Asia in Global History
(Primary field: History and Political Science; Optional sec- literacy. This course provides an introduction to statis-
ondary fields: Anthropology, Literary Studies, Sociology): tics and data science, through a specific epistemological
This course will introduce students to historical thinking framework. Students learn to assess quantitative data using
through a study of the subcontinent and its many global questions, assumptions, and norms of either economics or
connections. This course examines South Asia in the con- political science.
text of global influences from antiquity to the present day. Health: Most of our students will be living away from
Reason and Logic: Anatomies of Thought (Primary field: home for the first time. This can be an overwhelming
Philosophy; Optional secondary fields: Mathematics, challenge for many, as they are confronted with newfound
computer science, psychology): Students will investigate autonomy and the numerous opportunities they have to
formal reasoning –its complex genealogy, current meth- make decisions about identity, relationships, sex, money,
odologies, and diverse applications -- as well as debates diet, spirituality, personal organization, and professional
among philosophers about its possibilities and limits. goals. Health will meet once a week and provide a space
for students to access reliable sources of information and
Self and Identity (Primary field: Psychology or Lit- dialogue with peers and a trained faculty mentor about
erature; Optional secondary fields: Literature, history, these important issues.

EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2023