Courses
HUM 101. Forms and Ideas in Humanities (3)
Prerequisite: EPT score of 151 or higher or completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Introductory course provides instruction in the interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of meaning in art, music and literature ,and in the understanding of philosophical ideas in their own right and as they influence styles and themes in works of art. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
HUM 105. Cultural Eras in Humanities I (3)
Prerequisite: EPT score of 151 or higher or completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Interdisciplinary study of major eras of humanistic development from the ancient world to the 15th century through representative works of visual art, architecture, music, philosophy, religion and oral and written literature. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
HUM 106. Cultural Eras in Humanities II (3)
Prerequisite: EPT score of 151 or higher or completion of the Lower Division writing requirement. Interdisciplinary study of major eras of humanistic development from the 16th to 20th century through representative works of visual art, architecture, film, music, philosophy, religion and oral and written literature. (Available for General Education, Arts and Humanities.)
HUM 296A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Humanities (1-3)
No course description.
HUM 391. Cultural Theories and Methodologies (3-3)
Preparatory: HUM 105 or HUM 106. Intensive interdisciplinary study of an age, movement, problem or theme, with emphasis on the practices and methodologies of interdisciplinary study. The topic of the seminar varies. (Cross-listed with FLIT 391.)
HUM 396A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Humanities (3)
No course description.
HUM 491. Capstone Seminar (3-3)
Preparatory: HUM 391 or FLIT 391; At least one course in intellectual history, cultural theory or critical methodologies. Intensive interdisciplinary study of an age, movement, problem or theme, with emphasis on the application of cultural theory in interdisciplinary study. The topic of the seminar varies. (Cross-listed with FLIT 491 and LRS 491.)
HUM 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Humanities (3)
No course description.
HUM 499A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
No course description.
LRS 100/F. Liberal Studies Freshman Seminar and Field Study (2/1)
Prerequisite: ITEP-Freshman Option students only. Recommended Corequisite: LRS 100F. Introduces first-time freshman students to University culture and expectations and to field work methodology in elementary education. Students focus primarily on themselves as learners with a secondary focus on children as learners. Topics: how students learn; time management; diversity; information competence; introduction to technology; university literacy; campus-specific resources and services; and an introduction to field work methodology. Includes 15 hours of guided field experience in elementary-school classrooms.
LRS 150/F. Liberal Studies and Anthropology and Field Study (2/1)
Prerequisite: ITEP-Freshman Option students only. Recommended Corequisite: LRS 150F. Preparatory: LRS 100/F. Introduction to the study of cultural anthropology, with a focus on cultural issues that influence learning and education of multicultural populations. Students apply cultural concepts to understand themselves as learners and to children in elementary-school settings. Topics include gender, ethnicity and people who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Foundations of ethnographic observation and development of a case study of an elementary-school student. Includes 15 hours of guided field experience in elementary classrooms.
LRS 196A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (3)
No course description
LRS 200F. Liberal Studies Seminar: Science Learning (1)
Recommended Corequisite: BIOL 102L. This course provides prospective elementary teachers with classroom and field experiences that examine and reflect on science learning and cognition. It is designed to provide aspiring teachers with the knowledge background on the source and nature of students’ alternative conceptions, strategies for assessing children’s existing beliefs, skills in analyzing empirical data and the ability to reflect on the implications of children’s conceptions for teaching science. A 15-hour field experience is required.
LRS 250/F. Integrating Reason, Belief and Education and Field Study (3/1)
Prerequisite: ITEP-Freshman Option students only. Recommended Corequisite: LRS 250F. Introduction to the concepts essential to the identification, analysis and evaluation of arguments for students in the Integrated Teacher Education Program. Students examine the variety of sources of justification, evidence and warrant, such as argumentation, problem solving and perception. Emphasizes the application of these and learning in K-12 classrooms. Includes 15 hours of guided field experience in elementary classrooms.
LRS 296A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (3)
No course description.
LRS 300. Liberal Studies Gateway Experience (3)
Prerequisites: Course is limited to Pre-Credential and ITEP-Junior Option students; Junior Standing. Focusing on the elements required for success in integrating subject matter knowledge from multiple disciplines in preparation for a career in teaching, this course is an introduction to the academic and professional requirements for a Liberal Studies pre-credential major. Students will deepen their understanding of the 8 required subject matter areas (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, History/Social Studies, Child Development, Visual and Performing Arts, Health and Physical Education), in the context of their University-based curriculum and of the Academic Content Standards and State Curriculum Frameworks for grades K-8. Research and technology skills required for teachers are introduced and practiced. (Letter Grade only)
LRS 333. Perspectives on Literacy (3)
Prerequisite: ENGL 301. Corequisites: LRS 433/F. This course examines topics related to the development of reading and writing—what people frequently refer to as literacy. These topics range from how the organization of the human brain integrates its design for language with the cognitive demands of representing language in print to understanding the roles of human interaction and culture in the development of early literacy.
LRS 396A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (3)
No course description.
LRS 401. Research in the Digital Age for Professionals (3)
This course will teach students methods of finding, interpreting, and evaluating information for research in the digital age. Students will explore the steps necessary to develop workplace-related research topics, find and evaluate relevant information for their research, and hone their presentation skills appropriate to the occasion and the audience. The following information literacy skills are emphasized in the course modules: understanding the research process; effectively searching print and electronic information resources to compile research findings; correctly citing the information found; and developing effective written and oral presentations of their research findings.
LRS 402. Cultural Literacies in Career Contexts (3)
Cultural Literacies in Career Contexts is designed to teach students to be culturally competent in increasingly diverse career contexts. Students examine assumptions about cultural norms, analyze what culture is and study how power and difference intersect with cultural beliefs. The course addresses the intersectionality of gender, race, class and sexuality in developing students’ cultural literacies as these dimensions crucially impact interactions in the working world. Students learn how culture shapes their worldview and increases their awareness of their own cultural backgrounds, and the contexts (social, cultural and historical) in which they live and communicate.
LRS 433/F. Practicum in Early Literacy (2/1)
Prerequisite: ENGL 301. Corequisite: LRS 333. This is a practicum designed to extend information and concepts presented in LRS 333. The focus of this course is on the application of research in language, development and early literacy. The role of early intervention in the prevention of learning difficulties and concepts related to individual differences in reading and writing are examined. Students are required to connect theory with practice; reflect upon young children’s and their own reading and writing; and design, implement and evaluate evidence-based instruction. 15 hours of supervised field work is required.
LRS 451. Language Arts Capstone (3)
Recommended Preparatory Courses: Lower division writing requirement, ENGL 301, ENGL 305, LING 417. Students in LRS 451, the capstone course in the Language Arts concentration, will immerse themselves in a variety of texts, explicitly connecting the language and structures of these to their meanings, purposes and audiences, and practicing both how to discuss such phenomena and to use them to craft their own texts. Important will be the triangular focus on the language, purpose, and discourse community of considered texts and how these feature categories both define texts and help us understand, craft, and teach them. This course is designed for Multiple Subject credential students only.
LRS 452. Mathematics Capstone (3)
Prerequisites: MATH 311, MATH 312. Recommended Preparatory Course: MATH 331. The capstone course will integrate problems from arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics content areas for students in the mathematics specialization. Through their own problem solving and case studies and video episodes of children working on mathematics problems relating to the four content areas, LRS students will connect their own understanding of mathematics with those of K-6 children’s mathematical thinking. Students will study the mathematical issues involved in how K-6 pupils understand mathematics. Students will read, discuss and write about selected research articles addressing problem solving and connections to learning in elementary classrooms. This course is intended for Multiple Subject Credential students only. Not available for credit towards a Mathematics major or minor.
LRS 454. Social Science A: Places, Cultures, Histories Capstone (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of course 1 and course 2 of Social Science Places, Cultures, Histories specialization. The capstone course will utilize historical and various social-science disciplines in an extensive case study of a single topic or theme, such as civil rights. By focusing on a single topic or theme from a multiplicity of disciplinary perspectives, students will more deeply grasp how the methods and techniques of each discipline construct knowledge in specific ways. Students will also focus on the relations among different disciplines and the value of integrating their perspectives. LRS students will critique social-science lecture presentations by CSUN faculty, and will develop and model social-science lessons to be critiqued by their peers. This course is designed for Liberal Studies Multiple Subject Credential or Education Specialist students only.
LRS 455. Social Science B: Diverse Communities Capstone (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of course 1 and course 2 of Social Science: Diverse Communities specialization. Students explore and practice the design, development, and implementation of K-6 Social Studies programs that incorporate and reflect community diversity, history-social studies skills and content, and social justice themes. Students examine in depth how pedagogy and content may be used to support their future students’ social consciousness about history-social science and their roles as active participants in society. Students engage in activities that connect history to present day social issues and require them to employ historical documents and narrative artifacts, as well as critically examine current social justice issues. Course requires 15 hours fieldwork in diverse communities. This course is intended for Multiple Subject Credential students only.
LRS 456. Science Capstone (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of course 1 and course 2 of science specialization. Recommended Preparatory Courses: PHYS 170, GEOL/GEOG 106LRS. The capstone course will emphasize concepts from the physical science, earth science and life science content areas with an emphasis on scientific investigation and problem solving. Students will integrate crosscutting themes across the sciences such as patterns, cause and effect, scale, energy and matter flow, structure and function, and stability and change. Students will design and carry out scientific investigation projects that allow them to apply their knowledge of scientific practice and scientific concepts. LRS students will connect their own understanding of the sciences with the conceptual understanding of K-6 children. Students will read, discuss, and write about selected research articles assessing problem solving and connections to learning science in elementary classrooms. This course is intended for Multiple Subject Credential students only.
LRS 457. Arts Integration and Inquiry Capstone (3)
Prerequisites: ART 380, KIN 314/L, MUS 361/L, TH 371/L. This capstone course will engage students in the understanding and practice of how the arts can be used in co-equal integration across the multiple disciplines of the K-6 curriculum to connect knowledge and enhance Language Arts literacy.
LRS 491. Capstone Seminar (3-3)
Preparatory: FLIT 391 or HUM 391. Intensive interdisciplinary study of an age, movement, problem, or theme, with emphasis on the application of cultural theory in interdisciplinary study. The topic of the seminar varies. Students will complete a senior project, such as a research paper or a creative performance that demonstrates the integrated knowledge, understanding and skills they have gained in the course of studies in the major. (Cross-listed with FLIT and HUM 491.)
LRS 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (3)
No course description.
RUSS 101. Elementary Russian I (4)
Not open to students who have attended schools where Russian was the language of instruction. Study of the fundamentals of Russian grammatical structures, reading, practice in the spoken language. May not be challenged. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
RUSS 102. Elementary Russian II (4)
Prerequisite: Completion of RUSS 101 or equivalent. Not open to students who have attended schools where Russian was the language of instruction. Continuation of the study of the fundamentals of Russian grammatical structures, reading, practice in the spoken language. May not be challenged. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
RUSS 200. Beginning Russian Conversation (3)
Prerequisite: RUSS 102 or instructor consent. Not open to students who have attended schools where Russian was the language of instruction. Designed to develop the aural-oral skills of students of Russian, and to improve their fluency in spoken Russian. May not be challenged. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
RUSS 201. Intermediate Russian (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of RUSS 102. Brief review of grammar and study of more advanced grammatical concepts. Introduction to the reading of literature. May not be challenged if principal schooling has been in Russian. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
RUSS 202. Intermediate Russian Reading (3)
Prerequisite: RUSS 201. Continuation of study of fundamentals and introduction to Russian literature. May not be challenged if principal schooling has been in Russian. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies.)
RUSS 310. Composition and Conversation I (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of Lower Division courses or instructor consent. Development of active use of oral and written Russian.
RUSS 380. Russian Civilization (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower Division writing requirement or instructor consent. Study of the background of the salient features and institutions of contemporary Russian society.
RUSS 390. Russian Folklore: Slavic Myths and Traditions (3)
Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Epic ballads of early Russia, fairytale and folk tale, modern ballads and folk songs, folklore, with emphasis on the role of the folk element in Russian literature, art, and music.
RUSS 407. Advanced Commercial Correspondence (3)
Prerequisite: RUSS 307. Builds on the skills acquired in RUSS 307 and enables students to conduct business correspondence in Russian on a professional level.
RUSS 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Russian Literature (3)
Selected topics in Russian literature, with course content to be determined.
SUST 111/L. Understanding Climate Change and Lab (3/1)
Corequisite: SUST 111L. Severe global climate change will have disastrous consequences for Earth’s population. This course will develop the basic science behind the predictions for Earth’s climate, and explain why human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases, is the main driver of global warming. Course topics include the causes of climate change, its impacts, projections for the future, possible mitigation, and economic barriers imposed by the global capitalist system. Laboratory exercises include climate prediction modeling, the use of proxy data, and examination of the impacts of climate change. 3 hours lecture and 3 hours lab/week. Students receive credit for only one course chosen from either SUST 111/L, GEOG 111/L, or SCI 111/L. (Available for General Education, Natural Sciences lecture and laboratory requirements.)
SUST 300. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Sustainability (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to help students understand concepts of sustainability from multiple perspectives. Students will build skills to apply theories to real-world problems of sustainability, and develop the ability to apply sustainability principles and critical thinking skills to their personal and professional decision-making processes. (Available for General Education, Social Sciences.)
SUST 310. Best Practices in Sustainability (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. In this course, students will learn current and best practices for planetary sustainability on an individual, institutional, regional and global level. Topics focus on reducing carbon emissions and pollution, and supporting a healthy and sustainable planet. These will include clean-energy technology, water conservation, agricultural-based strategies for sustainable farming, management and preservation of natural resources, natural building techniques and clean transportation systems. (Available for General Education, Lifelong Learning.)
SUST 401. Applied Sustainability (3)
Prerequisite: SUST 310 or permission of instructor. Preparatory: SUST 300. This course offers a practical application of sustainability knowledge and practices to address a community problem. Environmental, equity and economic impacts must be considered in performing situation analyses and developing recommendations. Course provides the opportunity to apply sustainability knowledge in a consulting capacity and evaluate alternative solutions taking sustainability considerations into account. Affords students a community service learning experience. Available for graduate credit.