Programs and Elective Courses

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Last Updated: Nov 26, 2024, 09:21 AM

The College of Liberal Arts is comprised of fourteen academic programs in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. These units offer a wide range of majors, minors, and independent programs.

Programs

School of Africana and Multicultural Studies

Africana Studies (AFR)

Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary and global discipline focused on the scholarship of the histories, political and cultural movements, institutions, economies, and identities of Africans and the African diaspora. Africa's own overlapping cultures along with the disbursement of African people -- whether forced or voluntary -- have given rise to the discourse of what "black" and "African" identities and experiences actually mean. This has impelled the discipline of Black Studies to rethink the geographical boundaries and conceptual template surrounding the production of knowledge about Africa and its diasporic communities.

Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS)

Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, an interdisciplinary and global field of inquiry, explores gender and sexuality in societies past and present. While the field continue to focus on women’s experiences, achievements, and positions in society, and ways in which women's lives are shaped by race, class, and culture, these topics are naturally related to broader themes of gender and sexuality, masculinity as well as femininity and feminism, Queer Theory as well as Feminist Theory.

School of Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology

Anthropology (ANTH)

Anthropologists study humanity in many different dimensions, across time and space. The field is divided into four main areas of inquiry: modern human societies (Socio-cultural Anthropology), past human societies (Archaeology), human communication (Linguistic Anthropology), and human and primate biology (Biological Anthropology). At Southern Illinois University, we strive to offer students an integrated, "four-field" approach to the study of humans, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, along with opportunities to work with active researchers in all areas.

Political Science (POLS)

Political Science is the study of issues and decisions in local, national, and global arenas that influence and govern the way we live. Political science majors qualify for many different careers in private and public sector organizations. Some of the more common careers pursued by graduates in political science include: law, business, teaching, journalism, interest groups, and public and international affairs. Political science training also provides valuable preparation for participating in community organizations, electoral politics, movements on behalf of specific policies, or even seeking elected or appointed positions in government.

Sociology (SOC)

Sociology is the scientific study of social change and social life -- by seeking to explain how human groups, institutions, and social movements shape our lives. Sociology develops students' insights into theoretical and practical aspects of life. Students at SIUC study such topics as criminology, delinquency, deviance, identity, international development, marriage and the family, race/ethnic relations, religion, sex and gender roles, sexuality, social problems, social movements, social thought, social change, sports/leisure, and victimology.

School of Communication Studies

Communication Studies (CMST)

A degree in Communication Studies can prepare you for a career in business, the arts, social services, government, education, or industry. Your ability to communicate effectively is essential to your potential career success. In our program you can develop the flexible, practical skills you will need after graduation. You learn from nationally-recognized faculty in small classes. In our program you're a name, not a number.

School of History and Philosophy

History (HIST)

The History Program is strongly committed to creating an environment that is supportive of students from diverse backgrounds while upholding the most rigorous academic standards. Our courses cover the globe, and students are given ample opportunity to work closely with award-winning teachers and scholars. However much we may want to, we cannot escape the relevance of history to our lives. The past lives, and we study history to connect our past with our future and to give meaning to our present. Online BA option is available.

Philosophy (PHIL)

The Philosophy Program at SIUC is a pluralistic one with undergraduate courses in a variety of traditions. The faculty have diverse specializations: history of philosophy, logic, ethics, metaphysics, political and legal philosophy, the philosophy of science, philosophy of technology, and philosophy of religion. Our Philosophy program also houses several world-famous project divisions, including the Phenomenology Research Center, The Center for Dewey Studies, and the Library of Living Philosophers.

School of Languages and Linguistics

Languages, Cultures, & International Studies (LCIS)

The Languages, Cultures, and International Studies Program prepares students to live in today's global community. We teach modern & classical languages and prepare our students to understand their cultural contexts. Our faculty conduct research in literature, linguistics, pedagogy, philosophy, and foreign cultures. We serve the university, our professional communities, local schools, and the general public by providing support and leadership to help citizens thrive in an increasingly globalized world.

Linguistics (LING)

Linguistics is the study of language. Linguists study the sounds of language, how words are built, how sentences are constructed, and what words and sentences mean. We also study how language is learned and processed in our minds and brains, how it is used in social-cultural contexts, and how it changes over time.

School of Literature, Writing, and Digital Humanities

English (ENGL)

The study of literature and written communication disciplines the intellect and teaches us to comprehend the world. Employers want people who respect and understand the diversity of human experience, who can communicate directly and clearly, and who can take on responsibility, initiate change, and solve problems independently. The discipline of English seeks to define what it is to be human by scrutinizing both real and imagined experience; by teaching us how to think creatively and critically, using our interpretive and analytical abilities; and by teaching us valuable lessons about the human experience -- that things may not be as they appear, that language can be both powerful and playful, that even as we differ, humans share many important values. Students who choose to study literature, language, rhetoric, and composition in the SIUC Program of English have access to excellent resources: a talented, friendly faculty, small class size, well-equipped facilities, and extensive library collections. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in teaching, publishing, and law. Others hold responsible positions in business, industry, government and more.

University Studies Program

University Studies Program (UST)

CoLA undergraduates can choose to build their own bachelor of arts (B.A.) or bachelor of sciences (B.S.) degrees using the University Studies Program. This degree tool offers a passage to receiving a real, tangible, liberal arts degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale without a formal, declared major. The University Studies program is the way to build a custom bachelor's degree based on the needs and interests of a particular student. It is a broadly based degree that not only allows, but requires, diversification. Online BA or BS option is available.

College Interdisciplinary Minors

American Studies Minor

Course requirements: 15 credit hours.

The American Studies minor provides undergraduates with the opportunity to study American culture with faculty from a variety of disciplines. The goal is for students to gain an enhanced understanding of the complexity and richness of the social, political, aesthetic and economic structures that inform American life. Simultaneously, the minor exposes students to interdisciplinary approaches to the study of American society.

The minor consists of a minimum of 15 hours: 3 hours (1 class) in an introductory course in American Studies; 6 hours (2 classes) in breadth courses from the University Core Curriculum; and 6 hours (2 classes) in one of the four primary American Studies focus areas. Through coursework in American Studies, students prepare themselves for careers in a variety of fields requiring critical thinking and writing, from teaching to law, health, business and government. The requirements for the American Studies minor are listed below.


I. Core course for the minor:

All students taking the American Studies minor must complete "Introduction to American Studies," which is cross listed in History and English:

  • HIST 212, or
  • ENGL 212

II. Breadth Courses:

Students must take two of the following courses (6 hours):

  • AFR 209
  • AFR 215
  • ANTH 202
  • ENGL 205
  • HIST 210
  • PHIL 211
  • PHIL 210

III. Specialization Courses:

Students must take two courses (6 hours) from one of the below "focus areas":

1. American Cultural Studies:

  • AFR 311A
  • AFR 311B
  • AFR 449
  • ANTH 204
  • ANTH 302
  • ANTH 416
  • ANTH 424
  • CCJ 203
  • HIST 335
  • HIST 354
  • HIST 355
  • HIST 357
  • HIST 362A
  • HIST 362B
  • HIST 364
  • HIST 365
  • LING 416
  • MCMA 449
  • POLS 215
  • POLS 314I
  • POLS 332I
  • POLS 370

2. Political Philosophy:

  • CCJ 474
  • HIST 355
  • HIST 455
  • PHIL 486
  • PHIL 487
  • POLS 332

3. Art and Literature in the U.S.:

  • AD 227
  • AD 267
  • AD 307I
  • AD 317I
  • AD 428
  • AFR 350
  • AFR 355A
  • AFR 355B
  • AFR 357
  • AFR 375
  • ENGL 205
  • ENGL 206A
  • ENGL 225
  • ENGL 307I
  • ENGL 325
  • ENGL 355A
  • ENGL 355B
  • MC 204
  • MUS 303I
  • THEA 454
  • THEA 460

4. Local History/Public History:

  • ANTH 201
  • ANTH 310K
  • ANTH 450A
  • ANTH 450B
  • GEOG 303I
  • HIST 367
  • HIST 496
  • HIST 498
  • POLS 213
  • POLS 214

Native American Studies Minor

The Native American Studies minor is interdisciplinary, designed to provide undergraduates with an enhanced understanding of the culture, history, language, literature, and arts of Native Peoples of the Americas. The minor consists of a minimum of 18 hours that are to be selected from the university’s offerings on these topics and organized to reflect each individual student’s interests. Through coursework in Native American Studies, students may prepare themselves for careers in teaching, government, the media, health care, business, law, and the arts, among others. The requirements for Native American Studies minor are listed below.

Successful completion of the Native American Studies minor consists of satisfying all course requirements.

Associated Faculty

Gray H. Whaley* (History) - Faner Hall Rm 3374

* Native American Studies Advisor & Contact person

Course Requirements

Course Requirements: 18 credit hours, including 6 hours of required core courses and 12 hours of electives, of which 3 hours may be selected from a special interest or related course; for example, Africana Studies.

Required Core Courses:

One of:

  • ANTH 310E/470E: Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of South America
  • ANTH 310I/470: Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica
  • ANTH 310J/470J: Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of the Andes
  • ANTH 310K/470K: Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of the Native Southwest

And:

  • HIST 366: American Indian History

Electives:

Electives can be chosen from the following (note that some have prerequisites or restrictions):

Anthropology (ANTH)

  • 201 Archaeology of Illinois
  • 205 Latin American Civilization
  • 206 Latin American Popular Culture
  • 302 Indians of the Americas
  • 310e/470e Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of South America
  • 310i/470i Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica
  • 310j/470j Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of the Andes
  • 310k/470k Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of the Native Southwest
  • 328a/428a Indigenous Languages of the Americas: North America
  • 328b/428b Indigenous Languages of the Americas: Mesoamerica
  • 328c/428c Indigenous Languages of the Americas: South America
  • 420 Mayan Texts
  • 424 Native American Verbal Art
  • 430A Archaeology of North America
  • 430B Archaeology of Mesoamerica
  • 430E Archaeology of the Eastern Woodlands
  • 430F Archaeology of South America
Art & Design (AD)
  • 317I Contemporary Native American Art
  • 428 Native North American Art
  • 468 Pre-Columbian Art
English (ENGL)
  • 332 Folktales and Mythology
History (HIST)
  • 361 Race and History in the United States
  • 403 American Indians and U.S. Empire
Sociology (SOC)
  • 215 Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States

Peace Studies Minor

The Peace Studies minor is interdisciplinary, designed to provide undergraduates with a better understanding of the causes of war and violence, the history of war and peace, and alternatives to violence in thought and practice.  The minor consists of a minimum of 18 hours that are to be selected from the university’s offerings on these topics and organized to reflect each individual student’s interests.  Through coursework in Peace Studies, students may prepare themselves for careers in teaching, government, media, law, non-profit organizations and NGOs, and the arts, among others.  The requirements for the Peace Studies minor are listed below.

Contact

For more information, contact: Satoshi Toyosaki, Coordinator

Peace Studies Minor

Successful completion of the Peace Studies minor consists of satisfying all course requirements.

Course Requirements

18 credit hours, including 6 hours of required core courses and 12 hours of electives.  The 18 hours must be spread over at least three different departments.

Required core courses

History 358i or Cinema and Photography 358i - Introduction to Peace Studies

Philosophy 309i: Philosophy of Peace, Law, and Justice

Electives

Electives are to be chosen from the following list.  Other courses may substitute, but only with the express approval of a member of the Peace Studies faculty advisory committee.

Anthropology (ANTH)

  • 330 Biological Foundations of Human Behavior
  • 370 Anthropology and Contemporary Human Problems
  • 410A Practicing Anthropology
  • 410E Anthropology of Law
  • 410O Colonialism and Post-colonialism

Africana Studies (AFR) (formerly Black American Studies)

  • 209 Critical Issues in the Black American Experience
  • 332I Introduction to Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
  • 360 Race and History in the U.S. (same as HIST 361)
  • 416 Black Feminist Thought as Theory and Praxis (CMST 416)
  • 447 Communicating Race and Ethnicity
  • 472 Psychology of Race and Racism
  • 497 The U.S. Civil Rights Movement

Cinema and Photography (CP)

  • 469 Queer Visual Culture

Communication Studies (CMST)

  • 301I Intercultural Communication
  • 341 Introduction to Intercultural Communication
  • 412 Environmental Rhetoric
  • 448 Intercultural Training
  • 463 Interpersonal Conflict
  • 464 Compassionate Communication
  • 490C Global Peace Studies in Japan

Criminology & Criminal Justice (CCJ)

  • 203 Race, Class & Gender
  • 492 Special Topics: Genocide and Mass Atrocity

East Asian Studies (EA)

  • 370A Global Peace Studies in Japan

English (ENGL)

  • 493 Rebels, Slaves, Monsters, and Human Rights: From Oroonoko to Game of Thrones

Geography (GEOG)

  • 304 Geography of Globalization

History (HIST)

  • 335 Peace and War in the 20th Century
  • 340 International History of the Cold War
  • 355 Radical View of American History
  • 361 Race and History in the U.S. (same as AFR 360)
  • 456 The U.S. in the 1960s
  • 457 American Environmental History
  • 493 Civil Rights Movement
  • 496 Internship

Linguistics (LING)

  • 320 Language, Gender and Power

Philosophy (PHIL)

  • 210 The American Mind
  • 375 Ecology and Ethics
  • 405 Democratic Theory
  • 433-001 Post-Colonialism
  • 441 Philosophy of Toleration

Political Science (POLS)

  • 324 Politics and Environmental Policy
  • 332 Introduction to Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
  • 370 Terrorism and Counter-terrorism
  • 375 War and Force in World Politics
  • 405 Democratic Theory
  • 490 Philosophy of Toleration
  • International Human Rights

Sociology (SOC)

  • 424 Social Movements and Collective Behavior
  • 435 Social Inequality
  • 437 Sociology of Globalization and Development
  • 438 Sociology and Ethnic Relations in World Perspective
  • 455 Racial Inequality

Spanish (SPAN)

  • 401/501 Third Cinema and Latin American Documentary

University Honors

  • UHON 351 Global Peace Studies in Japan

Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS)

  • 300 Feminist Theory
  • 320i Language, Gender and Power (same as LING 320i)
  • 401 Contemporary Feminism

Mass Communication and Media Arts:

  • RTD 492-002/MCMA 555-002 Special Topics: Militarization and Media
  • RTD 489/MCMA 497 Gender, Media and Militarization
  • CP 270-470A: Topics in Cinema & Photography: Marxism and the Visual Arts and Performance: History - Theory, Twentieth Century to Present
  • CP 470 A Neoliberalism and the Politics of Culture
  • CP 463/MCMA 552 History of Experimental Film: topic Race, Class, Gender and Experiments in Media
  • CP 470B/MCMA 543 Film Production Topic: Art and Activism: a creative revolution

Special Topics and Elective Course Options:

Interested in a Special Topics course, or an elective course for your major? See the various courses below that are offered by CoLA Programs in the Spring 2025. For more course options, please view the Schedule of Classes.

AFR 135: The Third World: The African Model
MWF 10:00-10:50
Instructor: Qiyu Chen
Surveying a wide range of primary and secondary materials in history, political science, literature and film, this course focuses on the intertwined political and cultural history of African decolonization, the rise of Third World (in particular, the Bandung Conference and NAM), the global Cold War, and impact of post-Cold War structural adjustment programs’ broader influence on the African continent.  

AFR 209: Critical Issues in the Black American Experience
T/R 11:00-12:15 with Dr. Joseph Brown
MWF 12:00-12:50 with George Hunt
T/R 2:00-3:15 with Dr. Joseph Smith
Insights into the black American experience. Concepts including race, ethnicity, class, caste, minorities, prejudice, discrimination will be analyzed. Main focus is on exploration of critical socio-economic, political, and cultural themes such as demographic trends; migration and urbanization, political participation and strategies, income and employment, housing, health, education, black family, black religion, law, and justice. Prerequisite: AFR 109 recommended but not required.

ANTH 240C: Introduction to Archaeology
T/R 2:00-3:15
Instructor: Erica Moses
In this course, we’ll discuss methods and techniques used in archaeological research, explore how to interpret archaeological data, and examine how this interdisciplinary field has changed over time as well as some of the critical issues in archaeology today. Examples will be drawn from a variety of regions and time periods. Through a mix of lectures, discussions, and in-class activities, students will learn how to think like an archaeologist and how archaeology contributes to our broader understanding of the human experience. No prerequisites; non-anthropology majors and “undecided” students are welcome.

ANTH 485: GIS in Anthropology (Special Topics)
M/W 1:00-2:15
Instructor: Erica Moses
This course is an introduction to anthropological applications of Geographic Information Systems. We will cover essential GIS concepts and cartographic principles while exploring case studies related to archaeology as well as sociocultural, linguistic, and/or biological anthropology.
Basic computer literacy is expected, but prior experience with GIS is not required.

ASL 351/LING 351: Linguistics of American Sign Language
T/R 2:00-3:15
Instructor: Kimberly Berger
This course will explore basic linguistic concepts, such as phonology, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics, in the context of American Sign Language
No prior knowledge of ASL required!

CLAS 333: Life and Death in Greek Myth
Asynchronous Online
Instructor: Dr. David Johnson
Read the Epic of Gilgamesh (not Greek, but great), Hesiod, Homer’s Iliad and more. What does it mean to live in a world full of immortal gods but where humans have no hope for a meaningful afterlife? We’ll discuss wonderful texts online and in small groups, and try our hand at a Homeric role-playing game. Will King Agamemnon cave in and return Achilles’ prize captive? Will Achilles return to battle, where he is fated to die young, or return home to live a long life? The course is ideal for those who have already taken Greek Myth (CLAS 230), but all are welcome.

CLAS 403: History of English
M/W 2:00-3:15
Instructor: Dr. Jeffrey Punske
In this class we will roll back in time, starting with the global language English is today, tracing its changes and origins. From Germanic bands to global superpowers, we will see how invasion and social upheaval influenced and changed the language. Students will examine linguistic, social, and historical factors related to language change. Watch the video for this class!

CMST 342: Communication & Popular Culture
T/R 12:35-1:50
Instructor: Dr. Dustin Greenwalt
Cocaine Bear. Beats by Dre. Battlestar Galactica. Why does popular culture matter? Why do some of you get this reference, and what does it say about how we communicate and what we value?
From Barbie to Batman, Wilson Pickett to Taylor Swift, Mickey Mouse to Star Trek, and beyond--join us on an exploration of popular culture that spans movies, music, TV, video games, fashion, and more.

CMST 371: Storytelling
M 6:00-8:30
Instructor: Dr. Craig Gringrich-Philbrook
Do you like telling stories? This class teaches the basics of constructing, rehearsing, and performing stories, while examining storytelling theory and the role storytelling plays in communication and culture. No prerequisites!

CMST 445: Performance in Everyday Life
T/R 9:35-10:50
Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Walker-Anderson
Do you like to dress up? Big fan of Halloween, Mardi Gras, or Christmas? Do you like rituals, festivals, and big spectacles? Then this class is for YOU! This class explores how performance operates in daily life activities and events such as play, festivals and celebrations, ceremonies and rituals, media events and politics, conversations and personal narrative, and folklore.

CMST 493-001: Dark Communication
M/W 3:00-4:15
Instructor: Dr. Randall Auxier
This class explores the darker side of communication, including misinformation, propaganda, coercion, lying, and other types of communication aimed at misleading, misrepresenting, or deceiving people.

CMST 493-002: Communication, Activism, and Social Movement
M/W 3:35-4:50
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Gray

ENGL 391: Style and Editing
T/R 12:35-1:50
Instructor: Dr. Anna Sicari
This course explores the rhetorical canon of style and introduces various editing practices. It delves into debates and controversies about style and editing in both academic and non-academic contexts. Students in the course will engage in hands-on and collaborative editorial projects.

HIST 455: The Conservative View in U.S. History
M 5:00-7:30
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan Bean
$100 Book Scholarship!
This seminar traces the evolution of American conservative and libertarian thought from the eighteenth century to the present day. We begin by defining “conservatism.” Why is it considered a “problem” for historians? How does American conservatism differ from its European counterparts? What do traditionalists, neoconservatives, and libertarians have in common? Where do they disagree?

LCIS 200b: Fairy Tales: The Brothers Grimm and Beyond
M/W/F 9:00-9:50
Instructor: Dr. Chris Chiasson
It is impossible to imagine folklore, children’s literature, or popular culture without the Grimms’ fairy tales. In this course, we examine the Grimms’ precursors, their historical context, and how their tales have influenced Western culture.