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Consider adding these interesting courses to your spring semester schedule

As the fall semester winds down, it’s officially time to start thinking about spring. Registration for the spring semester begins today (Nov. 8) for undergraduate students; depending on the school, graduate program registration may already have started or may begin in the coming weeks.

Whether you’re still putting the finishing touches on your preferred course schedule, want to learn about a new subject or are looking to add some credits, this list of courses compiled by The Daily can serve as inspiration. Covering a wide range of subjects, the list includes courses on forensic anthropology, environmental issues, programming and more.

The courses highlighted here—many suggested by departments—are categorized in the following subject areas:

  • Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Business, Law and Politics
  • Health and Wellness
  • Science and Tech

Looking for other courses that might pique your interest? Check out the Registrar’s website for additional course listings.

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

ANTH 389: Introduction to Forensic Anthropology

Forensic anthropology involves using a variety of methods and theories about human biology to answer medical and legal questions. Individuals who work as forensic anthropologists collaborate closely with police officers, lawyers, doctors, medical examiners and other specialists to identify human remains and analyze skeletal trauma in cases of suspicious and unnatural death. 

Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the techniques and underlying theory used by anthropologists to recover skeletal remains, reconstruct a biological profile from the skeleton, interpret skeletal trauma and assist in the identification process. Students also will become familiar with the application of forensic anthropology to issues of human rights and mass fatalities. (Prerequisite: ANTH 103)

ARTS 300/400: Art for Different Futures

The movements for social justice (Black Lives Matter, Me Too) are rapidly and dynamically altering long-held conceptions about the role of art in society. The culture industries (along with many other sectors) have been forced to re-examine the viability and utility of their current models, and the assumptions these models are predicated upon. Art institutions are in the process of reconciling their complicated and often contradictory relationship with white, sexist, ableist and classist ideology, in which they have tacitly perpetuated dominant structures and perspectives while rhetorically advocating for reform and radical change. 

In this course, students will explore this contemporary cultural moment and unravel the seismic changes that have brought uncertainty to the art world. Students will speculate potential futures free of racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism and classism, and the role that art could play within those possible futures. Additionally, this course will explore alternative models of artmaking with the potential to instigate those futures through a focus on social engagement, community and radical inclusion.

DANC 122: Dance in Culture—Theatrical Forms

This class will survey ballet, modern, musical theater and tap through lectures, studio days of master classes in each genre and videos. The class counts towards the SAGES Global and Diversity Breadth requirements. 

HSTY 152: Technology in America

This course will trace the origins and significance of technological developments in American history, from the first settlements to present. Emphasis will be placed on the social, cultural, political and economic significance of technology in American history.

SASS 500: Special Topics in Applied Social Sciences—Introduction to Data Analytics for Social Impact

This course can be completed as part of the new Certificate in Data Sciences for Social Impact between the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and Case School of Engineering. It’s geared toward degree-seeking students in graduate programs at CWRU and non-degree students interested in earning a credential in data science.

The certificate is intended to prepare students to navigate and influence this new era of technology and data-driven solutions in social welfare and policy, ensuring proper ethical guidelines are developed and followed; focuses on the intersection of data science and social science to improve social welfare, while critically assessing the human impact of these digital technologies from an ethical perspective; and allows students to design and develop community-relevant research projects under the guidance of domain expert instructors and connect with the experiences of those represented in the data.

Business, Law and Politics

POSC 357/457: Economic, Environmental, and Health Challenges: The Impact of Democracy

To what extent does democracy result in positive economic, environmental and health outcomes? Instructed by faculty from the disciplines of ecology, economics, epidemiology, medicine and political science, students will learn about current economic, environmental, and public health problems and various democratic and non-democratic political institutions. They will read and discuss the latest findings about how democratic and non-democratic political institutions impact economic, environmental, and public health outcomes. Topics include economic inequality, economic growth, global warming, air pollution, infectious and chronic diseases, and worker health and safety. Building on this foundation of knowledge, students will work together to investigate the impact of political institutions on problems of their own choosing.

BTEC 420/DESN 210: Introduction to Programming for Business Applications

This course will introduce students to the basics of programming logic using the Python programming language and environment. The course will help students understand how to apply programming solutions and related algorithmic thinking to solve common business and decision problems. This course will teach the fundamentals of programming logic, which could be applied to any programming language available today or into the future.

Upon completion of this course, students should have a foundational knowledge of how to use variables, operators, manipulate strings, loops, functions and basic array manipulation through Python programming language. The course will culminate with a final project in which students will be divided into groups with each group solving a different small business problem. Each student must have access to a computer that can be brought to class. No programming experience is required.

Health and Wellness

MEDS 9017M: Drawing from Life: Study and Observation of the Human Anatomy

This is a 10-part course focused on drawing the human body and organ systems. Each class (three hours in duration) will consist of a brief introduction and instruction from student facilitators followed by studio work and individual feedback/critique provided by student facilitators and peers. Organ and skeletal models will be provided. There also will be clothed life models for two figure drawing sessions. 

Students will draw/paint organ, skeletal and life models using any art mediums they are comfortable with (e.g., graphite, charcoal, pastels, acrylic, etc.) but must provide their own art supplies. Each session will also have preparatory instructional videos and readings estimated to take approximately one hour to complete per session. No prior art experience is necessary; all skill levels are welcome.

The topics covered in this elective include basic body proportions, skeleton, musculoskeletal system, thorax, abdomen, skin, head and neck, portraiture, and figure drawing.

The goals of this course are to help students develop skills in unbiased observation and accurate portrayal of the human anatomy, reinforce anatomical concepts by drawing components of various organ systems (cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal), and promote student well-being and stress reduction through artistic practice. This course is open to MD program students.

NURS 415: Introduction to Childbirth

This course will provide an overview of the process of physiologic labor and birth and methods to facilitate normal processes and minimize interventions. Anatomical and physiological factors of labor and birth will be explored in detail. The psychologic, social and cultural influences on labor will be examined. Preparation for childbirth by the woman and her family will be explored. The influences of family and health care providers during the labor and birth process also will be analyzed. This course is open to any graduate student or senior undergraduate with permission of the instructor.

Science and Tech

CSDS 290/ECSE 290: Introduction to Computer Game Design and Implementation

This class will begin with an examination of the history of video games and of game design. Games will be examined in a systems context to understand gaming and game design fundamentals. Various topics relating directly to the implementation of computer games will be introduced, including graphics, animation, artificial intelligence, user interfaces, the simulation of motion, sound generation and networking. Extensive study of past and current computer games will be used to illustrate course concepts. 

Individual and group projects will be used throughout the semester to motivate, illustrate and demonstrate the course concepts and ideas. Group game development and implementation projects will culminate in classroom presentation and evaluation.

ECHE 313: Statistical Analysis of Chemical Processes

This course will cover the role of statistics in chemical processes. Topics covered will include Six Sigma methodology, lean manufacturing, statistical quality control, design of experiments (DOE), hypothesis testing, ANOVA, regression and use of Minitab statistical software. (Prerequisites: MATH 126 or MATH 223)

ESTD 202 and EEPS 202: Global Environmental Problems

Global Environmental Problems is a course designed to provide students with an understanding of—and an appreciation for—human-influenced environmental changes that are global in scope. Accordingly, much of the material will focus on the nature and structure of natural global systems, how and where in those systems human influences occur, and will delve deeply into a few particular problems and solutions of current interest, such as population growth, climate change, ozone depletion and fisheries, from a variety of viewpoints.