Course descriptions
L&CS 121 : Culture & Civic Responsibility is an upper division course that students take after they have declared Liberal & Civic Studies as their program of study (but not during their freshman year). The course focuses on culture, community, civic responsibility, diversity, critical thinking, and the arts. Redings, class discussions, community service-learning projects, and a multi-cultural workshop are complemented by a visit to Glide Memorial Church and to several arts events on campus. Students are required to participate actively in the class, devote 20 hours during the semester to a service-learning project, write essays, a self-assessment, and maintain a reflective analysis notebook. In addtion to three hours of class meetings each week, a workshop class meets for an hour and a half approximately every other week for course-related discussions and activities. A minimum grade of C– is required to continue on to L&CS 122.
L&CS 122 : Environmental Responsibility in a Global Community This course focuses on the natural world in which we live, and the complex inter-relationship between human activities, the values which determine these activities, and their consequences for the
environment. To better understand our own ethical values and behavior toward
our environment, we examine the belief systems of different societies, and their attitudes and responsibilities toward their natural world. Students engage in service-learning for 20 hours during the semester in a "systemic service-learning setting" in which service activities are directed toward prevention of problems. Students are also required to participate actively in the class, attend several arts events, write essays, a self-assessment, and maintain a notebook of reflective analysis. In addition to three hours of class meetings each week, a workshop class meets for an hour-and-a-half approximately every other week for course-related discussions and activities. Prerequisite: L&CS 121.. A minimum grade of C– is required to continue to L&CS 124.
L&CS 123: Modern Global Issues: The purpose of this course is to gain broad-based exposure to some of the cultural, political and economic issues related to and arising from the processes of globalization. This course will survey recent critical dialogues and philosophies of globalization, including issues of ethnicity/race, gender, identity, urban culture, post-nationalism, multiculturalism and postcolonial studies. Some of the topics covered are inequality, ethics, immigration, outsourcing, child labor and global governance. Students are required to prepare for class, participate actively in the class
including leading discussions, write several research essays, give an oral presentation, take a midterm essay exam, and write news article responses. Prerequisite: A grade of C- or better in L&CS 121 or SEM 21/131.
124 Assessment and Portfolio is a .25- credit course that students take in the semester immediately before Senior Forum. The course helps them assemble their portfolios and prepare for their assessment interviews, which occur in the latter part of the semester. The course consists of eight class sessions. Prerequisite: L&CS 122 & 123. Satisfactory completion of this course is required before a student can continue on with L&CS 130 or 131.
126-127-128-129 Praxis: Art, Community Service, Public Policy and the REACH program are four optional upper-division .25-credit courses. Offered every semester, these courses enable students to involve themselves in exploration of the arts, community service, or public policy. In addition to field work (e.g., attending plays or museums; doing community service; working in student government, environmental projects, or in a political campaign), students meet frequently to discuss their experiences. They produce a culminating paper or project. This course may be repeated for credit, as content varies.
L&CS 130 Democracy and Active Citizenship is the capstone course of the Liberal & Civic Studies Program. It involves a careful examination of the assumptions upon which democracy is based and the work of citizen groups who are addressing America’s social problems, from education and government to human services, jobs, and the media. The course also looks at the unique challenges that the current generation will face in the future. Students draw on the knowledge and skills they have gained in the Liberal & Civic Studies Program to design and implement group service-learning projects. Students complete a journal and three writing projects, including a research paper, which becomes the basis of group presentations to the SMC community. L&CS 130 has a biweekly service-learning lab. Prerequisite: L&CS 124.
L&CS 131 Education, Democracy and Active Citizenship is a section of Senior capstone dedicated to Teachers for Tomorrow students. Like Senior Forum, this class is the capstone course of the Liberal & Civic Studies program. While Advanced Forum includes most of the texts and all of the same requirements of Senior Forum, it emphasizes issues of concern to future teachers.
192 Text-Based Discussion in the Middle School. (.25) is a course required only for the TFT track students; however, EDUC track students should consider taking this course, as it is an excellent in-class teaching experience. This course is designed to be an introduction of the Saint Mary's seminar method as a teaching tool in middle school classrooms. After some in-class practice sessions, students lead middle school students in the seminar reading method, first in pairs and then alone. This course must be taken in the junior year by all TFT students.
