Course Descriptions
ANTY 375: Anthropology of Humans and the Environment
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr. Scott Dersam scott.wd@icloud.com
Course Description
Anthropology of Humans and the Environment provides students with an overview of the relationship between culture and the environment from an evolutionary anthropological perspective. For nearly a century, multidisciplinary scientists have developed innovative theories and methods for understanding the multifaceted relationships between humans, cultural ontologies, and their roles in bioecological processes.
This class presents an overview of multidisciplinary theories and methodologies used to conceptualize human behavioral, and more specifically eco-cultural interactions with the environment. The goal of this class is to clarify how regional ecologies, biology, weather, and climate have impacted and been impacted by human relationships with natural phenomena. This course relies on interdisciplinary research between anthropology, ecology, biology, geology, and political geography, to better understand the phenomena surrounding human-environmental relationships over the Holocene.
During this course, we will examine multiple methodologies for studying humanenvironmental
interactions, relationships, and manipulations. This course approachesthese topics by presenting research focusing on varying forms, chronologies, and scales
of societal interaction in a diverse array of ecosystems. Additionally, this course
will highlight human impacts and relationships with ancient, historical, and contemporary
environments. We will apply anthropological knowledge and approaches to issues of
climate change, and the concept of the Anthropocene.
You are expected to engage with questions concerning major themes at work in the class, such as population growth, shifting resource distribution, indigenous practices and knowledge systems, food production systems, and humans ontologically influenced roles within global environmental dynamics.
This course is intended for students in anthropology, liberal studies, and other social, natural, and environmental sciences who are interested in the complex interactions between humans and the environment.
AS 403D: Monsoon Asian Civilization
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
Professor Phiip Wlliams
Course Description
English-language Diversity Core survey of Asian civilization from earliest times up to the present day, with a focus on South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia—all in the shadow of Earth’s largest monsoon weather pattern. No previous coursework in an Asian language or culture is required or expected. No portions of Russia or the former Soviet Union are included—nor is any part of Asia to the west of Pakistan emphasized. There is no textbook to purchase; all course readings and associated PowerPoints and weekly audio slideshow audio presentations are accessible through D2L/Brightspace. Grading is based on a research paper (50%), weekly D2L Quizzes (30%), and weekly D2L Discussion Board participation (20%) (AS=Asian Studies).
BIOH 303: Global Diseases and Health
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
tba
Course Description
tba
ENSC 272: Water Resources
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr. William Kleindl
Course Description
Humans use freshwater directly and indirectly in our daily lives. In addition, rising standards of living, changing values, growing populations, and changing climate all stress freshwater resources throughout the world. Understanding Earth's freshwater resources is therefore essential to ensuring the wellbeing of human communities and is vital to natural-resource professionals and all informed and productive citizens.
This course covers a variety of topics relevant to the understanding and management
of freshwater resources. The course begins by considering the distribution, quantity,
and movement of freshwater water on Earth, along with some of the physical, chemical,
and biological characteristics of freshwater. We then consider the freshwater requirements
of natural ecosystems and human communities, and how these natural and human processes
produce changes in water quality, quantity, and location. As we study human water
use, we will also consider the laws, policies, and economic institutions that regulate
our use of and impact on this resource. Finally, we will consider emerging issues
that affect the sustainability and usefulness of Earth's freshwater resources, and
traditional and innovative solutions to water problems.
ERTH 101: Earth System Sciences
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
Robyn Gotz, MS.
Robyn graduated from Montana State University in 2013 with a Master of Science in Earth Sciences. Her graduate research focused on spatial changes in physical snow properties as a result of using avalanche explosives. Robyn has an extensive background in snow avalanche work as a 10-year member of the Snowmass Ski Patrol in Snowmass Village, CO and a 3-year member of the La Parva Ski Patrol in La Parva, Chile. Robyn is currently pursuing her PhD in higher education and focusing her current research on geoscience and online education. As a faculty member of the Department of Earth Sciences, Robyn has taught a range of classes including, Introduction to Earth System Sciences (face-to-face and online), Introduction to Snow Science, Weather and Climate (face-to-face and online), Oceanography, Earth Materials, and has co-taught Snow Dynamics and Accumulation. Robyn also teaches K-14 Earth System Sciences, Middle School Earth System Science, Weather and Climate for Teachers, and Understanding Climate Change for Teachers as part of the National Teacher’s Enhancement Network (NTEN) and Master of Science in Science Education (MSSE) programs.
Course Description
Examination of basic geologic processes, Earth and planets through geologic time, internal geosystems, and surficial geosystems.
This course fulfills the Inquiry (IN) piece of the Montana State University Core curriculum or 4 credits of the Natural Science/Mathematics degree requirement in Liberal Studies.
Required Books/Materials
Price: approx $139 + $19.95 s&h
Students will purchase lab kits directly from eScience Labs.
Purchasing instructions for the lab kit and book will be provided by the instructor prior to the start of class.
GH 327: Translating Global Cinema
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Liana McKelvy M.A.
Prior to my current position, I studied and worked in Berlin, Germany. I worked for a charity art auction (PLACET) and made documentary films. I studied Visual and Media Anthropology (M.A.) at the Freie University in Berlin. I also have a background in film theory and film production and am an alum of Montana State University. In my free time I like to hike, backpack with my dog, and explore cities with friends.
Course Description
Travel the world through Cinema!
Translating Global Cinema introduces students to the international language of film. Skills of “visual thinking” and “visual reading” explore the power of films to build connections across cultures. Analysis of moving images and soundscapes and how they influence us inform and build upon basic media literacy. Key texts build analysis in communication-in-cultural context, introducing anthropological and ethnographic perspectives. By deeply inquiring into such questions, students will learn how to critically view, think about, and write about film.
Prerequisites
University Seminar and sophomore standing.
GRMN 101: Elementary German
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Kate Kithil
Course Description
Learn German online!
This is the first in a series of courses that teach contemporary German language as well as aspects of the culture and literature of German speaking countries in central Europe. It is a beginner's course; no previous knowledge of German is required. You will be developing skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing German in an interactive learning environment.
HSTA 322: Modern America, WWII to Present
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
tba
Course Description
tba
LS 301: Parks, People, & Places: Stories of Our Public Lands
Meeting Place and Times
Online (currently offered in-person, but will have an online option again in the future)
Instructor
Teresa Greenwood, M.A.
Professor Greenwood has a lengthy history with the Liberal Studies program, both as an instructor and past advisor. She holds a B.A. in Literature and an M.A. in Communication Development, with a focus on Rhetoric, Linguistics, and Composition, from Colorado State University. She has also pursued a Ph.D. with a research focus on the American West and connection to place, and has taught courses surrounding tourism, in addition to being well-traveled, with visits across the country and a number of European countries as well.
Course Description
"Parks, People, and Places" will focus on our national parks and public lands, although we will discuss the West in a broader scope as well. We will discuss your perspectives as we examine our national parks (featuring Yellowstone NP), national forests, and wilderness, to include how we interact with, and think about those landscapes. We will open some classic (Stegner, Abbey) as well as newer literary doors and consider a provocative look at “the right to roam.” You’ll write some relatively short reflections on our readings.
Required Books/Materials
Gessner, David. All the Wild that Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2015. Paperback, any edition. ISBN10: 0393352374 [$17 new] 295 pp. PS3551.B2Z66 2015
Manning, Robert, Rolf Diamant, Nora Mitchell, and David Harmon, eds. A Thinking Person’s Guide to America’s National Parks. New York: George Braziller, 2016. ISBN10: 0807600199. Paperback, any edition. [$29
new, $25 used]
Ilgunas, Ken. This Land is Our Land: How We Lost the Right to Roam and How to Take it Back. (New York: Plume /Penguin Random House, 2018). Paperback, any edition. ISBN 9780735217843. [$14 new, $8 used]
Pritchard, James A. Preserving Yellowstone’s Natural Conditions: Science and the Perception of Nature. Second Edition. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press/ Bison Books, 2022).
LS 301: Science in Cinema
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr. John Townsend-Mehler
john.townsendmehler@montana.edu
Course Description
The themes of Science and science fiction have played a hugely significant role in film since cinema began. Over the last few years a number of science fiction films have been nominated for Best Picture by the AMPAS (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) e.g. Arrival, Hidden Figures, The Shape of Water, The Martian, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, etc. In this course, as the title suggests, we will examine the role that science has played in cinema from a number of different perspectives. We will look at science as both a source of inspiration and anxiety, we will look at the limitations of science and notions of scientific authority, and what science can and cannot tell us about ourselves. For this course you will be asked to view a series of films, engage in discussion on them, and occasionally write a short response paper dealing with one or more of the films. You will need to view each in its entirety and be able to demonstrate that you have thought about it critically. Because this course is conducted online, it is expected that you will check your email frequently and have consistent access to the internet.
LS 301: Food War and Migration
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr. Jennifer Hill
Course Description
Food, War, and Migration: Eating Across Cultures in an Age of Turmoil is an examination of the ways that humans use food to bring stability and connection in the midst of cultural trauma.
LS 350: Literature Review: Theory & Practice
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Star Bradley
Course Description
This interdisciplinary course is structured to help Liberal Studies students prepare for their senior capstone projects by establishing a strong foundation in understanding the literature within their chosen topics and fields. It provides the tools and techniques they need to create the literature review portion of their capstone by examining scholarly information resources, the literature review processes and theory, and effective management techniques for tracking scholarly reading and citations.
This course fulfills 3 credits of either the fine arts, social science, natural science or humanities degree requirement in Liberal Studies.
Prerequisites
Junior standing
LS 411: Sustainable Cities
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Daniel Short, M.E.
Daniel currently serves as the Director of the MSU Morrill Scholars Program and a Leadership Fellow at MSU. He is also an experienced instructor who currently teaches courses such as Issues of Sustainability, and now Sustainable Cities. Daniel holds a Masters of Education from MSU in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.A. in Secondary Education. His thesis topic was A Qualititative Case Study Examining the Lived Experience of Instructors Teaching Education for Sustainbility (EfS) Courses in Higher Education. Daniel has over 15 years of leadership and teaching experience in sustainability spanning Austrialia, New Zealand, and the US in both conventional and non-conventional educational contexts. He is a proven leader in sustainability who actively engages individuals and groups in achieving a higher return on investment from sustainability technology and infrastructure, to promote the healthiest, most inclusive, and resilient climate solutions possible.
Course Description
This course will investigate the theory, politics, ethics, and practice of sustainable urban design. As environmental degradation and urban sprawl continue to affect our cities, our communities, and our health, it is ever more important that responsible citizens be knowledgeable about the intersections of urban development and nature.
LS 490R: Senior Project
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
Dr. Jennifer Hill
Course Description
LS 490R – Senior Capstone serves as the culminating experience of the Liberal Studies undergraduate major. Students in LS 490R draw on their unique experiences to conduct research and document meaningful solutions to contemporary real-world problems.
Prerequisites
Senior standing and instructor/program permission.
MUSI 307: World Music
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
David Charles.
David Charles teaches in the School of Music, the College of Letters and Science, the American Studies Program, and the Liberal Studies Program at Montana State University. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and theory from the University of South Carolina, where he studied jazz piano and composition. He earned a Master of Music degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied under Stephen Slawek (who is an acknowledged disciple of Ravi Shankar) and Gerard Béhague. While at UT, he also studied composition with Donald Grantham and was the keyboardist for the Afropop band Easy Motion Tourist. He taught piano privately to young people and adults for many years, first in Austin and then in Bozeman. In and around Bozeman, he has performed a variety of styles of American popular music. His primary interests are African-American music and culture as well as the music and culture of North India
Course Description
Approaches to, and use of, music in world cultures. Impact of world music on the western art music tradition.
This class will study the music of selected world cultures from the perspective of ethnomusicology. Students will survey musical traditions within six geographical areas for the music itself and for the music’s cultural significance. The cultural exploration of music will include social structures, politics, ritual, globalization, history, and identity. The geographical areas of interest are India, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, Latin America, and Native America. In addition, students will investigate the combination of Western (European and American) music and non-Western music from the areas above.
This course fulfills the Inquiry Arts (IA) piece of the Montana State University CORE Curriculum or 3 credits of the Fine Arts degree requirement in liberal studies.
NOTE: Music majors (MUED, MUS, & MTEC) who attend classes on the MSU Bozeman campus are NOT ALLOWED to take this online course unless given special permission by the instructor.
NUTR 221: Basic Human Nutrition
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor(s)
Janet Gamble.Janet Gamble is a Registered Dietitian (RD) who also has her Masters in Teaching. She is an instructor within the Department of Health and Human Development (Food and Nutrition) where she teaches courses such as Basic Human Nutrition, Food Science, Nutrition & Society, Micronutrient Metabolism and Culinary Marketing.
Course Description
Basic concepts of human nutrition which include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, absorption, digestion, metabolism, and energy utilization as they relate to health and food consumption at different stages of the life cycle. Students will complete a personal dietary project designed to assist in self-assessment and understanding for making healthy food choices. Current food and nutrition trends will also be addressed via weekly group discussions.
This course fulfills the Contemporary Issues in Science (CS) piece of the Montana State University CORE Curriculum or 3 credits of the Natural Science degree requirement in the Liberal Studies.
Required Books/Materials
- Nutrition: Science and Applications (Binder Ready Version)
Lori Smolin and Mary Grosvenor
4th Edition
Wiley
ISBN-13: 978-1119087106
ISBN-10: 1119087104
approx $141.00 new Hardcover
Books can be purchased from many online retailers or at the MSU Bookstore.
NUTR 351: Nutrition and Society
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Janet Gamble.
Janet Gamble is a Registered Dietitian (RD) who also has her Masters in Teaching. She is an instructor within the Department of Health and Human Development (Food and Nutrition) where she teaches courses such as Basic Human Nutrition, Food Science, Nutrition & Society, Micronutrient Metabolism and Culinary Marketing.
Course Description
Social and cultural, economic, policy, and environmental factors in the community influencing nutritional status, and public health, techniques to assess community nutritional needs, and methodology for designing, implementing, and evaluating community nutrition programs, practices, and policies.
This course fulfills 3 credits of the Natural Science degree requirement in the Liberal Studies.
Prerequisites
NUTR221CS
Required Books/Materials
PSCI 470: Rural Politics
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr. Jessikay Bennion
Course Description
This course explores the contours of rural politics in America today. Students will learn about the importance, connection, and political identity rural Americans find with the geographic place they reside. In this, the course explores the following questions: What do rural folks care about when it comes to politics? How do they vote? What kind of political candidates do they prefer? What do they think about the role of government in their lives? What are rural values? Students will learn about the driving forces of rural politics today, including the rural-urban divide, economies in transition, and rural public opinion. Rural Politics will cover the policy issues that rural America cares most about, including access to healthcare, jobs, the immigration debate, public lands, and guns.
RLST 223: Sacrifice, Rite, Ritual
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Holly Grether. Assistant Teaching Professor at MSU
Holly Grether received her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara in 2010. She has taught at MSU since 2007 and specializes in History of Religions with a focus on South Asia
Course Description
This course will cover the topics 'Sacrifice, Rite and Ritual' from a variety of disciplinary angles. One recurring theme is that ritual and sacrifice have always played a major role in the construction of society. Though early theorists used these categories primarily to study 'other,' often pre-modern, cultures, this course will consider how these concepts continue to play a major role in American culture.
This course fulfills the IH (Inquiry Humanities) requirement of the MSu Core.
This course fulfills 3 credits of the Humanities degree requirement in Liberal Studies
RLST 321: Religion and Gender
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Holly Grether. Assistant Teaching Professor at MSU
Holly Grether received her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara in 2010. She has taught at MSU since 2007 and specializes in History of Religions with a focus on South Asia
Course Description
This course will examine discourses surrounding gender and religion; primarily Buddhism and Christianity. The primary goal is twofold: 1) understand how gendered discourse produces and maintains power over women in specific socio-religious contexts and 2) discover how particular gender groups (women, LGBTQIA+, etc.) have used religion as a source of empowerment. The approach will be comparative and utilize a wide range of sources. To the extent possible, the material will be organized chronologically in order to best consider historical context.
This course fulfills 3 credits of the Humanities degree requirement in Liberal Studies.
SOCI 359
SOCI 359: Crime, Justice and Media
Meeting Place and Times
Online
Instructor
Dr Sarah Johnson-Palomaki
Course Description
This course will critically examine the social context and impacts of true crime as
a genre of entertainment media. In doing so, we will explore the institutional power
of mass media in shaping our understanding of justice and our fascination with deviance.
The true crime genre appears to be more popular than ever before in the contemporary
American media landscape. However, these constructions are typically presented in
limited ways that best fit the commercial interests embedded in different entertainment
media forms. These portrayals of sensational crime thus present only particular constructions
of deviance and of victimization, which are then often binged by voracious fans. This
course first explores elements of these generic constructions: How are true crime
stories told? What kinds of stories are being told? Whose stories of injustice are
(and are not) popularly featured? Throughout, the course investigates the potential
consequences of these representations of crime, considering how the popular genre
might impact social understandings of criminality and gender, race, class, sexuality,
mental health, and other aspects of social difference. Thus, the course also asks:
What’s wrong with true crime?
SPNS 102: Elementary Spanish II
Meeting Place and Time
Online
This is an online course, but requires working with another student via Skype for oral exercises and debates. Despite not having classroom contact, students will have constant personal/virtual feedback from Veronica. Three oral exams will be taken via Skype and students will take one written exam every two Lecciones (Chapters).
Instructor
Veronica Garcia Moreno verikalobas@hotmail.com
Veronica is from Seville, Spain where she studied Hispanic and Arabic literature and Linguistics. She received her B.A. in Hispanic Studies at MSU-Bozeman. Veronica is a Teaching Assistant Professor who has been teachong for nine years in MSU, both face-to-face classes and online classes. She has a Master's degree in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language (University of Leon, Spain), and a Master's degree in Intercultural Arab-Islamic Studies (University of Seville). Currently, she is living in L.A. and writing her Ph.D. dissertation (through UCLA) on Islamic influence in Spanish literature. Veronica loves studying comparative grammars and literatures.
Course Description
A second semeter elementary level Spanish course designed to help students acquire basic proficiency in communicating in culturally significant contexts. An integrated approach to teaching language skills with emphasis on vocabulary acquisition and basic grammatical structures. This course builds upon the foundation established in Spanish 101. Greater emphasis is placed upon oral and written expression. Reading and discussions are designed to increase comprehension of more linguistucally complex texts and more conceptually complex cultural issues.
This course fulfills the Diversity (D) piece of the Montana State University CORE Curriculum or 3 credits of the language degree requirement in Liberal Studies.
Prerequisites
Spanish 101 at MSU
Required Books and Materials
The material for second semester Spanish is the same as for the first semester, so students who took Spanish 101 do not need to buy anything new. If additional material is required, Veronica will provide it.
Students who have not taken Spanish 101 must purchase the following material:
!Viva! Primer curso de lengua española
Edition: 3rd
Authors: Jose A. Blanco, Philip Redwine Donley
Publisher: Vista Higher Learning
ISBN-13: 978-1-62680-018-2
Price, new: $258
Students can purchase the book directly from Vista Learning here: Vista Learning Website. The text will also be available at the MSU bookstore.
NOTE: The text can be purchased used, but students will also need to purchase the supersite code available on the Vista Learning website.
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Tuition and Fees
If you are accepted into a qualified online program, see the appropriate MSU Online Only Tuition and Fee table.
If you are also taking a face-to-face course, please refer to the MSU Fee Schedules.
Computer Requirements:
- Internet access
- A device and browser that pass the system check for Brightspace LE, MSU's learning management system.
This course uses a learning management system. You will learn more closer to the course start date.
How to Register
You must be accepted as a student to Montana State University to take this course.
Learn how to apply.
After your application has been accepted, you will register via MSU's online registration system, MyInfo.
Registration requires a PIN. Learn how to find your PIN.
Once you have your PIN, learn how to register through MyInfo.