Current Semester

Through a combination of studio projects and lectures, you will explore practical and theoretical principles of visual communication and perception applied to graphic design. By articulating these principles and engaging with sketches, models, and outlines we will give shape to new projects as they were realized in a professional environment.

Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velazquez, the palaces and churches of Rome, Versailles, Madrid…and more! Baroque art was all about abundance, even excess, and in this course we examine the principles informing artist’s practice and theory, as well as how and why the patrons promoted an unprecedented production of art. This course explores the careers of the major artists active in the prominent centres of Italy and Europe from the early 1600s to the early eighteenth century, and examines structures of patronage and artistic exchanges among important centres.

How did cross-cultural exchanges, explorations, art markets, and travels, influence artistic production, taste, and collecting? By focusing on the early modern period (roughly 15th-18th centuries), this course expands traditional notions of the Renaissance and explores material and artistic exchanges across cultures and investigates case studies casting light on how global encounters among diverse societies have impacted on art and visual culture.

An introductory-level course covering the principles of biology with examples taken from humans.

This course develops students' proficiency in critical reading and writing through the study of a wide range of non-literary and literary texts, and the study of composition, with emphasis on connections between modes of reading and writing.

(see course description above)

Transgressive Fiction: Transgressive fiction authors use shocking characters and themes to question societal and artistic norms. Their protagonists are lonely, nihilistic, anti-social characters who struggle from an often ill-defined social malaise. Through the works of Chuck Palahniuk (Choke), Patrick Süskind (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer), Amy Hempel (At The Gates of The Animal Kingdom) and others, this course shows that the genre, while controversial and subversive at times, often involves not-so-shocking motivations like the quest for community, recognition, and love. We will examine the evolution of this genre and establish why these works, which often escape scholarly consideration, remain so popular.

Leaders face social and ethical questions when they are put in the challenging role of manager, thinker, artist, figurehead, or overall authority figure. This course focuses on works--poems, plays, fiction, nonfiction--exploring the diverse character traits we associate with leadership. Critical writing will develop skills in persuasion, reflection, and research. NB: Ideal for students who have taken ENGL100 for Business, and those interested in Law, Education, Politics, and Community Leadership.

Children's Fantasy Literature: Did you love the Harry Potter series and want to read more books like it? If so, this class is for you! We will study Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, and The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. We will look at the mythological elements used in the novels, particularly the idea of an archetypal hero, as well as how these novels fit into a tradition of children's literature.

Engineering Souls: Biology, Technology, and Humanity: Although this course is a self-contained unit, in many ways it continues directly from the English/Science ENGL100 course. Composition is now focused on research and writing of longer papers; the literature component builds on themes introduced in the Fall semester. This semester we will begin by considering some of the ideas surrounding the evolution of humanity in the 21st century from three key thinkers: Ray Kurzweil, Steve Fuller, and Jaron Lanier. We will then consider these ideas in light of some 20th-century literary texts that focus on the effects of technology on humanity: Karel Čapek’s play about artificial humans, RUR (which coined the term “robot”); and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and William Gibson’s Neuromancer, both of which reconsider what it means to be human in the face of both consciousness-changing technology and free-market capitalism. Writing assignments will focus on developing coherent arguments, using a broad range of research tools, and conducting careful analysis of evidence.

Nature and our Future: In this continuation of English 100-L01, we will explore the ways humans relate to the natural world and each other. Our primary reading is Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy, three works of speculative fiction that take us from creation stories to the imagined end of the world as we know it. These novels provide opportunities to think critically about such issues as climate change, environmental destruction, social breakdown, genetic manipulation, animal rights, and the possibility of being replaced by a whole new species. Writing assignments will culminate in a research essay.

Journey to Middle Earth: J.R.R. Tolkien is one of the great writers of the 20th century, and his works are among the great achievements in fantasy fiction. This course will discuss The Lord of the Rings and a number of shorter writings by Tolkien. By exploring the many ways that Tolkien's writings encourage readers to recover or renew their ideas about the real world, this course seeks to deepen students' understanding of the complex and dynamic relationship between fantasy and reality and of the functions and values of fiction more generally. "

This course will introduce students to the literary genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (but not fantasy or science fiction). Students will exchange constructive criticism with peers and study established contemporary writers. In addition to numerous informal assignments, course requirements will include a project in each of the three genres and participation in a public reading of students’ own original work. Expect to read, write, laugh, and expand our literary boundaries.

The literary image of the pirate—including dress, speech, and demeanor—stems from a very specific historical period, namely, the years from 1715 to 1730, generally known as the final phase of the Golden Age of Piracy (roughly 1680 to 1730).  During this period, the British government undertook to eradicate pirate activity in the Caribbean, installing Woodes Rogers as governor of The Bahamas, and charging him with waging a “war on piracy” that successfully drove piracy out of North America by 1726.  This course will consider the literature about pirates that emerged during this period. Our primary focus will be Charles Johnson’s General History of the Pyrates (1724-28), which we will read partly as an historical source book of actual pirate narratives, and partly as a fictional text that established the popular image of pirates used by later novelists. General History will be read in the context of other documents from the period, including newspaper reports, trial documents, criminal biographies, plays, and novels. By setting General History within the social, economic, and political context of the 1720s, students will develop a stronger understanding of how and why the phenomenon of “pirate tales” became such a popular literary genre, and what such stories have to tell us about how ideology determines which narratives are granted the authority of official fact, and which are dismissed, regardless of what actually happened.

One of the most significant texts in English literature is not, strictly speaking, a work of "English Literature" at all: it is the English Bible. Since the establishment of Christianity in Europe, writers have repeatedly turned to the subject-matter, phrasing, vocabulary and imagery of the Bible for inspiration, sometimes to defend its doctrines, sometimes to challenge them. This course offers a brief survey of some important texts that draw directly from the Bible for both their subject matter and their linguistic composition. We will also explore how the Bible as a religious text is critiqued, rewritten, deconstructed, and transformed by writers within the contexts of Christian, non-Christian, and post-Christian cultures. No previous knowledge of or experience with the Bible or with religious communities is required or expected.

This course introduces the diverse subject matter of human geography. It highlights what human geography is, the foundational themes that unify this versatile area of geography, the multiple issues of interest to human geographers, and how the discipline connects with the broad concerns of society. This course will provide students with a solid foundation in geography, which will serve as a basis for further exploration.

Political geography explores the ways in which geography and politics are intertwined at a variety of spatial scales and time periods. The course will focus on geopolitics and aspects of national level politics. The course will provide students with elaborate theoretical frameworks for interpreting both historical and contemporary political geography. Deep insights will be provided on some of the most significant political geographic events, such as imperialism, the Cold War, the emerging multi-polar world, the increasing globalization of the world, the making of states, and nationalism.

This course will focus on European efforts to explore, conquer and colonize the globe between 1400 and 1800. The search for an easy trade route to Asia led Europeans to sail both east and west. In the process, they made first contact with the peoples of Americas, fought wars of conquest, encouraged piracy, established the slave trade and ultimately changed world history in drastic ways. The course will examine the cultural, political, religious and economic aspects of European contact with the peoples they encountered. We will consider two broad issues: 1) how and why European nations expanded their influence elsewhere in the world during this period and 2) what the consequences of conquest and colonialism were for the cultures and regions they encountered.

How did people live and work in early modern Europe? This course examines life in Western Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an era of drastic social, religious and political instability. The first part of the course is organized around the life cycle and examines issues issues related to conception and birth, childhood, adolescence, courtship and sexuality, marriage, and old age. We will then look at the world of work, and consider the lives of women and men of various social classes, who lived in cities, towns and countryside and tried to make a living in precarious circumstances. Underlying themes to be explored in this course include: illness and medicine, gender and religion, and magic and witchcraft

This course is designed to provide students with a historical examination and assessment of the “Sixties” in North America. This course will chart the social development of the “Sixties” with a special emphasis on the anxiety of the era (political, social, racial, and sexual), how society responded to this anxiety, and how the baby-boomer youth transformed society with the advent of a “movement culture.”

Students will explore major disasters that shook the nation throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through an examination of a variety of ‘natural’ disasters, including fires, floods, and severe storms to human-made disasters, such as explosions, crashes, and spills, this course will highlight the relationship between all levels of government, big business, and charities when responding to disasters. The course will also explore how disasters, such as infectious diseases, shaped Canadian society. By investigating the argument that there is no such thing as a ‘natural’ disaster, students will gain insight into Canadian federalism, humanitarianism, big business, and technological advances.

This course is designed to give students an introduction to the history and diverse cultures of Africa from the earliest times up to colonization. Particular attention will be given to the roots of African peoples, processes of regional differentiation, and evolving patterns of trade, politics, and conflict prior to the penetration by the West. Common myths and misconceptions about Africa held in Western countries will be investigated and critiqued. Lastly, the course will focus on the relationships between Africans and others through slavery, exploration, colonization, and religious proselytization.

This course will examine topics of critical interest in the 21st Century: religious diversity, social constructions of identity, consumer choices, sustainable livelihoods, and current environmental issues. We will explore ideas about locating ourselves and developing agency in a changing and challenging world. Developing communication and research skills is a focus. Coordinated by one faculty member, this course draws on the expertise of instructional faculty from different disciplines. Community service learning through volunteer work (approximately 12 hours for the semester) will complement the academic component of this course. All course work is experiential and project based.

An ecomuseum is a locally-led organization that can help a community come together to explore, interpret and preserve its heritage in multifaceted and dynamic ways, to promote sustainable development. This course will examine the ecomuseum model in detail by looking at ecomuseums in other countries and by helping to facilitate the development of an ecomuseum in central Saskatchewan.

A few new functions are introduced such as logarithmic, exponential and inverse trigonometric functions. Their properties, differentiation and integration formulas are studied. Methods of integration are studied such as integration by parts, trigonometric integration, integration by trigonometric substitution, and integration by partial fraction decomposition. The course will also include indeterminate forms, L’Hospital’s Rule, improper integrals, applications of integration to study volumes of revolution, and sequences and series.

(see above description)

Second and higher order ordinary differential equations, their solutions and applications. Systems of differential equations, Laplace transforms, Infinite Series, convergence tests, Fourier Series, and series solutions to differential equations.

Least squares and other approximations. Difference equations. Solutions of algebraic systems. Symbol manipulators-Mathematica.

Classification and basic properties of partial differential equations, separation of variables, Fourier series, Sturm-Liouville theory, Fourier and Laplace transforms will be examined.

Middle Ages to Baroque: This lecture-style class examines Western Classical, i.e. European art music and its changing role in society by focusing on a carefully selected repertory of representative composers and their oeuvres. Specifically, the evolution of musical style, repertoire and aesthetics in the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque periods will be discussed. NOTE: This class is a continuation of MUHI 202, with emphasis on sharpening reading, listening, writing and presentation skills. Attendance of concerts for credit is required.

This course explores the history of the symphony from its beginnings to the twentieth century and beyond. Representative works by selected composers will be studied through a variety of different lenses.

An introduction to management and leadership principles and practices for nonprofit organizations, including regulatory requirements, organization types, governance and decision-making models, strategic planning, capacity building, leadership styles, sustainability, partnerships/alliances with other organizations, and roles and responsibilities of boards of directors. Technology and software resources for organizational development are presented.

A focus on human resources fundamentals and management for both paid staff and volunteers in nonprofits, including recruitment, screening, orientation, evaluation, retention, supervision, coaching/mentoring, job descriptions, policies and procedures, statutory obligations, communication and recognition, confidentiality and records management, engagement and relationship building, conflict resolution and self care. Labour, human rights and cultural diversity standards are examined.

Explores general approaches and practical skills that can be used in working to achieve social justice-related goals, including policy analysis, political advocacy, organizational and community-based activism, public education, and community development. A variety of real-world advocacy case studies, based in the nonprofit sector, will be explored with a close examination of power, social change processes, multi-layered contextual factors and legal aspects. Students will be introduced to theoretical material as well as explore practical strategies required to achieve desired social change outcomes. Students will be able to design their own advocacy campaign by the end of the course.

Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector is the first course in the Certificate in Nonprofit Sector Leadership and Innovation (NSLI). This course is an introduction to the nonprofit and voluntary sector in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world. It examines theories about why the sector exists, the role it plays in society and contemporary public governance. It also examines the size, scope, and impact of the sector globally. The course examines the various forms and functions of nonprofit and voluntary organizations and accountability in the context of governing and managing a private not-for-profit corporation. Innovation and innovators will be discussed, including the role of information and communications technology tools and social entrepreneurs in modernizing nonprofit and volunteer work.

Philosophy seeks to satisfy our intellectual curiosity about enduring questions: what we can know, what is meaningful, how should we live our lives—all dimensions of the traditional search for wisdom. This course will explore questions concerning knowledge and truth, mind and body, personal identity, free will, morality, politics, and the existence of God. Students will also be introduced to various areas of philosophy including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of religion.

Critical Thinking is an introduction to the systematic study of reasoning. It teaches the theory and practice of good reasoning, allowing students to identify arguments in everyday speech and writing and to understand what makes a good argument. Students will also learn to identify and avoid the most common mistakes in reasoning. The course provides students with reasoning skills that are useful in whatever disciplines and careers they may pursue (such as law, journalism, or business). More generally, Critical Thinking empowers students to formulate and express their own ideas and arguments well, building their capacity to act as citizens and as full participating members of communities to which they belong.

An introduction to the social science aspects of psychology, including the study of adjustment, disorders, development, personality and the social environment of the person.

A study of developmental processes across the lifespan; the interaction between environmental and biological processes; maturational and learning factors; how these interact with social influences in the developing person.

Social Psychology can be defined as the study of the way in which an individual’s thoughts, feelings and actions are affected by the real or imagined presence of other people. It is the study of how we are shaped by our environment through the phenomenon of social influence with particular emphasis on the impact that we have on other people and how they in turn affect our lives. Some topic areas include: self-concept/self-knowledge/self-esteem; social perception; attitudes and attitude change; prejudice and discrimination; interpersonal attraction; aggression and prosocial behaviour; persuasion and propaganda; verbal and non-verbal communication and conformity/obedience/compliance.

Society is intrigued with how people’s personality is manifest in their behaviour. Why do we act the way we do? How do we explain behaviour? What motivates us? How do we understand ourselves? Are we a product of nature or nurture? Can you really change who you are? Why do we have “personality conflicts”? This class is intended to broaden your view of personality through the study of the many differing personality paradigms and their respective theories and application. We will look at concepts, issues, controversies, and research in the context of history, culture and our ever changing personal experiences.

An integrative course examining various perspectives on the study of the person. Personality psychology is the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and functioning of differences between individuals. Why would two people react differently in the same situation? What makes up the cluster of characteristics that make you “you” as opposed to someone else? How do these differences come about? In this course, we will be studying a wide variety of approaches that psychologists have taken to examining these kinds of questions.

A comparative study of the nature and development of normal and disordered patterns of personality and behaviour.

The course in humanistic psychology will cover origins, history, and contemporary movements in this specialty area of psychology. Teaching methods will be congruent with the course material (learning circles, small groups, and essay format exams). Reading assignments include a basic textbook in humanistic psychology, original readings from a least one major contributor to the field, and an additional reading chosen from contemporary theorists in fields such as transpersonal psychology, cross-cultural healing, health psychology, etc.

This course is a survey of the beliefs and practices of the major world religions. It is also an introduction to the academic study of religion. In addition, this particular course will pay some attention to the “etiquette” of social interaction with people from different religions.

(See above description)

This course situates 'Hinduism' in the context of the culture of South Asia and examines texts, beliefs and ritual practices of various traditions which fall under the 'Hindu' rubric. The perspective is historical and social. This course also explores the impact of colonialism upon contemporary religious practice in India.

Religious teachings on sexual practices, desires and orientations, typically constructed within a dialectic of good sex versus transgressive sex, have regulated and reflected social norms and notions of morality. Examining a number of religious traditions, scriptures, oral teachings, and personal narratives selected from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Indigenous practices alongside contemporary religious, feminist, and queer movements, this course invites students to discern tropes and potentiality within the larger discourse of personal agency and social power. A study of the politics of the body, the spectrum of sexual identities, and the frequently passionate adherence to religious identity (whether conceptualized as reinforcing conservative cultural norms or resisting and subverting cultural norms) assists students in understanding why religions have so much to say about sex!

This course introduces students to sociological analyses and theories of ethnic and cultural diversity, with an emphasis on contemporary Canada. Specific topics might include Aboriginal cultures in Canadian society, issues arising from conflicts between concepts of human rights and specific cultural practices, overt and systemic racism, and controversies about immigration.

This course introduces students to sociological perspectives on gender in contemporary society. The course covers aspects of recent research and of current debates on femininity and masculinity, and provides a brief introduction to some classic and contemporary theoretical perspectives on gender

This course introduces students to sociological perspectives on the family, with emphasis on issues of particular importance in contemporary Canadian society. Specific topics might include the impact of social change on family relationships, changing definitions of the family, children's rights, concepts of fatherhood and motherhood, and same-sex marriage.

This course introduces students to sociological perspectives on the study of crime and justice. The course examines sociological concepts of deviance, punishment, and social control.

A continuation of STAT 100; inference for two categorical variables; basic multiple linear regression; one-way and two-way analysis of variance; introduction to nonparametric methods; statistical process control; introduction to survey design.

This course will examine the historical development of feminism and women's studies. Women's representation in academic practice will be analyzed using examples from humanities, the arts, and social sciences. Strategies for change and for the empowerment of women will be considered.

How do feminist principles translate into political action, public policy, organizational structures, artistic or religious movements, or into responding to the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Through historic, global and local stories, ranging from the literary, the experiential and community leaders in the classroom, this course engages students in practical, hands-on application of theory in action.

Sex and Sexualities in Religion: Religious teachings on sexual practices, desires and orientations, typically constructed within a dialectic of good sex versus transgressive sex, have regulated and reflected social norms and notions of morality. Examining a number of religious traditions, scriptures, oral teachings, and personal narratives selected from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Indigenous practices alongside contemporary religious, feminist, and queer movements, this course invites students to discern tropes and potentiality within the larger discourse of personal agency and social power. A study of the politics of the body, the spectrum of sexual identities, and the frequently passionate adherence to religious identity (whether conceptualized as reinforcing conservative cultural norms or resisting and subverting cultural norms) assists students in understanding why religions have so much to say about sex!

Religion contributes to the construction and understanding of gender and sex/sexualities. This course examines how this happens in both historical and contemporary South Asia, for example, how Hinduism informs gender and sex/sexualities in India, Islam the same in Bangladesh and Pakistan, or Buddhism in Sri Lanka.