Faculty-led discussion-based courses for freshmen. Small class sizes. 1–2 credits. Credit/no credit.
Learn “shoulder-to-shoulder” with UW faculty as they share their passion for subjects that interest them most. Explore big ideas, sample an unfamiliar discipline, learn about leadership and enjoy community with a small group of students.
In the last decade, Seattle has become one of the most prominent cultural centers in the US. We will explore the history of Seattle and its cultural diversity by visiting two museums, attending a concert at Benaroya Hall, meeting young activist poets, reading well-known local authors, and having a conversation about the decisive role of arts in creating public awareness about ecological and social issues.
Since its publication in 1895, H.G. Wells’ first short novel The Time Machine has exhilarated and disturbed readers with its stark modern vision of technology, the future of mankind and its relation to time. In an era of climate change, mass extinction and other human-caused accelerations of natural processes on a global scale, Wells’ story, written at the dawn of science fiction, finds renewed relevance today. We will closely read The Time Machine, view its film adaptations, and follow its influence on philosophy, apocalyptic thought, the science fiction genre and popular culture up to the present day.
How is art different after the Internet? The class looks at work being done by artists using the Internet and assesses ways in which the Internet has influenced and changed more traditional art forms. It considers the shifting role of the museum and gallery in relation to the Internet, and it asks, what skills does an artist need today? Students will view and discuss new approaches to art that the Internet has opened up. As well as short weekly readings/viewings and participation in discussion, students will complete a short written assignment in which they will speculate about future possibilities for art, after the Internet.
How do animals impact children in their everyday life? What are the different ways children encounter animals? Why are interactions with animals important to children’s development and health? This seminar will provide an understanding of how children’s lives are enriched by the love and companionship of a pet. Topics include the role pets and therapeutic animals play in children’s health and development, animal-assisted therapies, how young children think about animals and cultural attitudes towards animals. The course is discussion-based and you will learn via classroom and on-site, using visuals and discussions with guests who work with children and animals.
In this seminar, we will examine how scientific and technological advances have changed forever the discovery, collection, analysis, preservation, and presentation of evidence, before and during trial. We will also discuss how these changes impact bias and discrimination in the trial process. Students will learn how a judge determines whether expert scientific opinions are admissible, how social media has influenced jury selection, how advanced technological presentation options have presented both opportunities and obstacles to trial lawyers, how juror access to information on the internet has created invisible avenues of digital "evidence" that can influence jury deliberations, and how mass media coverage of trials can influence the outcome and threaten juror privacy. In addition, we will discuss the impact on jurors of the prevalence of CSI-type television shows and movies that may mislead jurors as to the current state of science, affecting jurors' assessment of evidence presented.
Are you interested in drugs? Steroids. Heroin. Anti-histamines. Viagra. Antibiotics. Marijuana. Chemotherapeutics. Aspirin. Methamphetamine. Cough syrup. Insulin. Cocaine. Do you wonder why they work? How they are discovered? Where they come from? The way we study them? What they do in the body, and what the body does to them? How they are regulated by the government? This seminar will introduce you to the wonderful world of Pharmacology, or the science of drugs. If you aim to attend Medical/Pharmacy/Dental school, or are just curious about drugs, please join us for an engaging discussion!
In pop culture, the Middle Ages are often portrayed as a “Dark Ages” and a time lacking diversity. This seminar will provide you with a new understanding of the “not-so-dark” Middle Ages through the lens of diversity. It will help you critically review how you understand and perceive diversity by learning about medieval ways of coexisting within heterogeneous societies. Additionally, you will learn to critically evaluate your own opinions and ways to keep an open mind in your learning experiences. Come and learn from the Middle Ages with fellow freshmen and build your leadership skills for a successful time at UW!
Why have TED talks become the gold standard of presentations? What do innovative TED presenters do that we might learn from? In this seminar, we will screen TED, Pecha Kucha and Ignite! talks in order to discuss the ideas of each presentation, analyze why and how the video effectively conveys the speaker's points and extrapolate and imagine how we too might try on various speaker and presenter tools to be more effective communicators.
Is there a Seattle Sound? Would it be grunge, that vintage punk-infused and plaided rock aesthetic of the early 1990s? Or is Seattle music really as a constellation of sounds that represent the diversity of those who have called this city home? In this class we explore the latter (grunge included), beginning with early accounts of Coast Salish music, moving into Jackson Street Jazz, Hendrix, garage rock, early hip hop, and ending with today. Along the way we interrogate the term “Seattle Sound” by highlighting musical innovators and leaders whose works have been both marginalized and appropriated.
Why does dance matter? What impact does dance have on our well-being? This seminar will provide an understanding of how dance enhances physical, cognitive and emotional well-being, promotes artistic, creativity and aesthetic development and an understanding of-cultural and historical influences on communities. Topics include non-verbal communication, artistic and embodied creative expression, dance as therapeutic enhancing developmental, physical and psycho-social change, mind-body awareness and an ability to process and respond to sensory information. Guest speakers/dancers, performance artists, documentaries, explorations of dance and arts across cultures and its significance in human thought and expression will be studied.
"Wherever there is life, there is contradiction, and wherever there is contradiction, the comical is present.” (Søren Kierkegaard, 1846). Through directed readings, video clips and class discussions, we will explore the comedic tradition as expressed in literature, theater, cinema, television and spoken word. In addition, students will be encouraged to develop their own comedic voice in both written and oral presentations.
The neural networks in our brains effortlessly perform common miracles of perception, movement, consciousness and thinking. Neuroscientists have learned much about the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and behavior. This course will explore the operation of brain mechanisms in different manifestations, such as generating volitional movements, making decisions, creating and appreciating art, normal and altered consciousness, controlling brain-computer interfaces, etc. The class will discuss experimental strategies to probe the brain, such as recording neural activity in behaving animals, neural network modeling, etc.
This seminar will provide you an informal introduction to philosophy at the University of Washington. In this seminar, you will learn about some of the major areas of philosophy, you will read about some of the important philosophical issues in each of the major areas, and you will have an opportunity to discuss those issues in an informal setting.
Diversity Issues in Science has been taught by Dr. Traxler since 2005. It is a seminar course focused on discussion of how people of different ethnic/social groups or nationalities experience “research” and how research impacts peoples’ lives. Issues include what informed consent for research means, how different people perceive ethical research, and how politics can inform and affect scientific research.
Should physicians help terminally ill patients end their lives? Is abortion ethically permissible? Should we allow couples to "design" their children? How should scarce medical resources be distributed? Should animals be used in research? These are the kinds of questions you will actively explore in this seminar. Using a case-based approach, this class develops your skills of ethical analysis and argument in practical contexts. You will interact with guest speakers from UWMC and learn how ethical issues are handled in real world settings. Whether you are planning a career in health care or science, or simply want to be an informed consumer, don’t miss this seminar!
In 2019, Hong Kong protesters began chanting: “The Revolution of Our Times!” (时代革命). But what does that mean? What do revolutions have in common? How are they different? What determines whether a revolution will succeed or fail? Every week, we will examine one revolution through a work of art (film, song, narrative, drama, comics). We will listen to the Broadway hip-hop musical Hamilton about the American Revolution and observe tactics of recent Hong Kong protesters. Between these historical extremes, we will read and watch works about revolutions in France, Haiti, Russia, China, Iran, etc.
The course is discussion based and students will learn through an online hybrid synchronous & asynchronous learning format. How do animals impact us in our life? How do we impact the lives of animals? What are the different ways we encounter each other? What are the various ways we impact each other, both positively and negatively? Why are interactions with animals important to us in our learning, development and health? What is animal-assisted therapy in schools, hospitals, prisons & juvenile detention facilities, nursing care facilities. This course is interdisciplinary in nature and enhances your knowledge and learning via different disciplines such as psychology, education, medicine, veterinary medicine, animal studies, social work, and public health. The course will be run as an online seminar using a hybrid synchronous and asynchronous discussion based learning format.
