Mar 29, 2024  
Catalogue 2021-2022 
    
Catalogue 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 

Earth Science: II. Intermediate

  
  • ESCI 254 - Environmental Science in the Field


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 254 ) The environment consists of complex and often elegant interactions between various constituents so that an interdisciplinary approach is required to understand how human interactions may affect it. In this course, we study a variety of aspects of a specific environment by considering how biological, chemical, geological, and human factors interact. We observe these interactions first hand during a weeklong field trip. Some of the questions we may consider are: How does a coral polyp create an environment that not only suits its particular species, but also helps regulate the global climate? How has human development and associated water demands in the desert Southwest changed the landscape, fire ecology, and even estuary and fisheries’ health as far away as the Gulf of California? How have a variety of species (humans included) managed to survive on an island with the harsh environment of the exposed mid-ocean ridge of Iceland? The course is offered every other year, and topics vary with expertise of the faculty teaching the course. 

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 260 - Conservation of Natural Resources


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as GEOG 260 ) Natural resources are perennially at the center of debates on sustainability, planning, land development, and environmental policy. The ways we conceptualize resources can be as important to understanding these issues as their actual distributions are. This course provides a geographic perspective on natural resource conservation, using local examples to provide deeper experience with resource debates. We focus particularly on forest resources: biodiversity, forest health, timber resources, forest policy, and the ways people have struggled to make a living in forested ecosystems. We discuss these issues on a global scale (such as tropical timber piracy and forest conversion), and we explore them locally in the Adirondacks of New York. This course requires that students spend October Break on a group study trip in the Adirondacks. Students must be willing to spend long, cold days outside, including some strenuous physical activity (unless special permission is arranged with the instructor). 

    Students wishing to register under Earth Science must have had at least one previous earth science course.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 271 - Structural Geology: Deformation of the Earth


    1 unit(s)
    Structural geology explores the deformation of Earth’s crust caused by the movement of its tectonic plates and the resulting structures that are produced at scales ranging from the microscopic to the mountainous. It underpins the oil and gas industry and mining because fossil fuels and precious metals are commonly associated with folds and faults. It is also important in earthquake and landslide hazard prediction. Lab exercises emphasize the fundamentals of geologic mapping, how to use geometric principles to predict what lies in the subsurface from surface observations, and how rocks behave under varying conditions of stress. Many exercises occur in the field. 

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151  or permission of the instructor.

    Satisfies the college requirement for quantitative reasoning.

    Two 75-minute periods; one 4-hour laboratory/field period. An overnight weekend field trip may be required.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 277 - Biogeochemistry

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Our planet is uniquely suited in our solar system to support complex life. In turn, the engines of biology have altered Earth’s geochemistry in ways that have allowed for the development of higher animals and the establishment of a relatively stable climate system. How do Earth’s biology, chemistry, and geology work together to create the Earth System we know today? Throughout the course we explore case studies from Earth History such as the oxygenation of the atmosphere, the colonization of the continents by land plants, and the advent of calcifying organisms. Lab and field exercises give us a chance to collect and analyze biogeochemical data. In the process, we cement our understanding of biogeochemical cycles and how humanity is altering them today. Laura Haynes.

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151 .

    Two 75-minute periods; one 4-hour laboratory.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 290 - Community-Engaged Learning

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 297 - Readings in Earth Science


    0.5 unit(s)
    Contemplating Time. Deep time, the concept of geologic time recognized by Persian polymath Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Chinese naturalist Shen Kuo in the 11th century and developed further by James Hutton during the 18th century Scottish Enlightenment, has been called the single greatest contribution of geology to science. The concept provides a critical link between earth science and environmental change. Using reading and reflection, the aim of this course is to help students develop a feeling for the enormity of Earth’s duration in relation to human life spans. Students contemplate the nature of time from geoscientific, religious, and literary perspectives. Reading works by Loren C. Eiseley, Mircea Eliade, Malcolm Gladwell, Stephen Jay Gould, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Shunryu Suzuki, and Elie Wiesel, among others, we consider subjects such as the two great metaphors of time, arrows and cycles, in relation to natural and anthropogenic environmental change. The class meets weekly for contemplative practice and is suitable for students at any level. 

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: OTH
  
  • ESCI 298 - Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Execution and analysis of a field, laboratory or library study. The project, to be arranged with an individual instructor, is expected to have a substantial paper as its final product. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Course Format: OTH

Earth Science: III. Advanced

  
  • ESCI 300 - Senior Research and Thesis

    Semester Offered: Fall
    0.5 unit(s)
    Critical analysis, usually through observation or experimentation, of a specific research problem in earth science. A student electing this course must first gain, by submission of a written research proposal, the support of a member of the earth science faculty with whom to work out details of a research protocol. The formal research proposal and a final paper and presentation of results are required parts of the course. A second faculty member participates in the final evaluation. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Yearlong course 300-ESCI 301 .

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 301 - Senior Research and Thesis

    Semester Offered: Spring
    0.5 unit(s)
    Critical analysis, usually through observation or experimentation, of a specific research problem in earth science. A student electing this course must first gain, by submission of a written research proposal, the support of a member of the earth science faculty with whom to work out details of a research protocol. The formal research proposal and a final paper and presentation of results are required parts of the course. A second faculty member participates in the final evaluation. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Yearlong course ESCI 300 -301.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 321 - Advanced Topics in Environmental Geology

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    This course investigates fundamental geologic controls on environmental issues such as resource distribution and use, ground and surface water pollution, and atmospheric pollution. A specific topic is selected each year, and work in the class includes a survey of relevant literature, field visits to local sites, and development of a group project.

    Topic for 2021/22b: Eocene Paleoceanography. (Same as ENST 321 ) 56 million years ago, our planet was in a hothouse climate state with very high atmospheric CO2: crocodiles swam at the poles and Antarctica was covered in palm forests. Fossil fuel emission projections suggest that we may reach a similar CO2 concentration in the coming centuries. We use samples from a deep-sea sediment core, located close to Antarctica, to investigate the climate and ocean history of this warm period. Specifically, we use the fossils of tiny creatures called foraminifera to help us reconstruct ecosystem and ocean chemistry changes through time.  Participants learn methods in sediment processing and preparation, microfossil identification, and geochemical method development and analysis. Along the way we learn about large scientific collaborations and what it’s like to work within the International Ocean Discovery Program. Laura Haynes.

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 221 .

    One 4-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 323 - History of Geological Thought 2020

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as STS 323 ) In this course we examine the historical context and scientific ideas put forth by natural philosophers and scientists including Thomas Burnet, Nicolas Steno, James Hutton, Charles Lyell, Charles Darwin, Alfred Wegener, Marie Tharp, Bruce Heezen, Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, Neil Shubin, James Lovelock and Walter Alvarez. Topics of study include geologic time, continental drift and plate tectonics, evolution and punctuated equilibrium, Gaia, and bolide impacts. This intensive requires a one-week field trip to Great Britain in the first week of Spring Break. Jill Schneiderman.

    Prerequisite(s): Must be a science or Science, Technology, and Society major at the sophomore, junior or senior level, or by permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 325 - Mass Extinctions

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    It is often argued that our planet today is undergoing the “sixth mass extinction”. What defines a mass extinction in the rock record? What forces are able to cause such immense destruction of life on Earth? And, what are the outcomes of mass extinction for life on the planet? In this course we use the geologic record as our guide to understanding the consequences of asteroid impacts, rapid greenhouse gas emissions, and glaciation for the Earth System. We also explore ongoing controversies in the scientific literature regarding the cause of these catastrophic events. In group discussions, we probe the ways that the context of past mass extinctions can be used to inform conservation policy. Laura Haynes.

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 203  or permission of the instructor.

    One 3-hour period.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 335 - Paleoclimatology: Earth’s History of Climate Change


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 335 ) In recent decades, record high temperatures and extreme weather events have led scientists and policy makers to grapple with the fact that human activities are affecting the climate system. At the same time, scientists have come to realize that climate is capable of dramatic shifts in the absence of human intervention. The science of paleoclimatology seeks to understand the extent and causes of natural climatic variability in order to establish the baseline on top of which anthropogenic changes are occurring. In this course we examine the structure and properties of the oceans and atmosphere and how the general circulation of these systems redistributes heat throughout the globe; study how cycles in Earth’s orbital parameters, plate tectonics, changes in ocean circulation, and the evolution of plants have affected climate; and explore the different lines of evidence used to reconstruct climate history. Weekly laboratory projects introduce students to paleoclimatic methods and to records of climatic change from the Paleozoic through the Little Ice Age. 

    Prerequisite(s): 200-level work in Earth Science or permission of the instructor.

    One 4-hour classroom/laboratory/field period.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 340 - Advanced Urban and Regional Studies

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 340  and GEOG 340 ) Topic for 2021/22a: Renewable Energy and Climate Action. Climate action is a central issue of our time, and within this, plans for progress (including the Green New Deal) depend on reforming our energy systems. This course seeks to understand the shape of our rapidly changing landscapes of energy production, with a focus on New York City, New York State, and Vassar’s carbon neutrality goals. We use a variety of methods, including mapping, case studies, and readings, as we try to understand regions of production, leading technologies, the challenges and opportunities for developing them, and the environmental and social implications of these emerging systems. Can renewable energy produce a more equitable, and less exploitive energy regime? How are these shifting landscapes pushing us to rethink geographies of energy? What does it take to embrace these energy systems in a way that is more just—across communities, places, and generations—than we have seen historically? Mary Cunningham.

    One 3-hour period.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 351 - Volcanology


    1 unit(s)
    Volcanoes are an important window into the workings of the earth’s interior. They are also spectacular landscape features: serene in repose, and often violent in eruption. This course addresses the physical aspects of volcanoes, including such topics as the generation of magmas, styles of eruptions, products of eruptions, tectonic controls on the formation of volcanoes, and methods for predicting eruptions and mitigating the hazards associated with volcanic activity. An optional field trip to an active volcano is possible. 

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 201 .

    One 4-hour period.

    Not offered 2021/22.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 361 - Modeling the Earth

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 361 ) Computer models are powerful tools in the Earth and Environmental Sciences for generating and testing hypotheses about how the Earth system functions and for allowing simulation of processes in places inaccessible to humans (e.g., Earth’s deep interior), too slow to permit observation (e.g., orbitally controlled ice sheet growth and decay), or too large to facilitate construction of physical models (e.g., circulation of the world ocean). Taking readings from the scientific literature, we create and then perform experiments with simple computer models, using the STELLA iconographic box-modeling software package.  The course emphasizes Earth’s climate system; topics include our planet’s radiative balance with the sun and resulting temperature, the flow of ice in glaciers, the role of life in moderating Earth’s climate, how temperature profiles in permafrost record the last two centuries of global warming, and the impacts of fossil fuel combustion on ocean acidification. Toward the end of the semester, students apply the skills they have acquired to a modeling project of their own devising.   
      Kirsten Menking.

    Prerequisite(s): One 200-level course in the natural sciences.

    Satisfies the college requirement for quantitative reasoning.

    One 4-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESCI 375 - Advanced Topics in Paleontology


    1 unit(s)
    This course explores emerging issues in the study of life’s history, including but not limited to changes in biodiversity over time (evolution, extinction), paleoecology, biosphere-climate interactions, or biomechanics. Each course offering focusses on a specific topic and may include reading and discussing relevant literature, field or museum trips, and/or participation in a research project.

    Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite: 200-level work in Earth Science or permission of the instructor.

    One 4-hour period.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 381 - Historical Volcanology

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Volcanic eruptions are among the most spectacular geological events, and their associated hazards present many challenges to human civilization. Much of our current knowledge of volcanic systems is based on the largest or most recent eruptions. In this course we investigate the methods that are employed to investigate the temporal and spatial evolution of volcanic systems. Through a combination of literature review and hands on practice, we explore the stratigraphic, geochemical, and geophysical techniques Earth scientists use to probe the evolution of modern and ancient volcanic systems. Field work may be required. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ESCI 201  or permission of the instructor.

    One 4-hour lab.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESCI 399 - Senior Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Execution and analysis of a field, laboratory, or library study. The project, to be arranged with an individual instructor, is expected to have a substantial paper as its final product. The department.

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Course Format: OTH

Earth Science and Society: II. Intermediate

  
  • ESSC 290 - Community-Engaged Learning

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESSC 298 - Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: OTH

Earth Science and Society: III. Advanced

  
  • ESSC 202 - Public Policy and Human Environments


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 202 , ESCI 202 , GEOG 202  and URBS 202 ) This course combines the insights of the natural and social sciences to address a selected topic of global concern. Geographers bring spatial analysis of societal and political-ecological changes, while Earth Scientists contribute their knowledge of the diverse natural processes shaping the earth’s surface. Together, these distinctive but complementary fields contribute to comprehensive understandings of the physical limitations and potential, uses and misuses of the Earth’s natural resources.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ESSC 300 - Senior Thesis

    Semester Offered: Fall
    0.5 unit(s)
    An original study, integrating perspectives of geography and earth science. The formal research proposal is first developed in GEOG 304 , the senior seminar, and then is presented to a faculty member in either geography or earth science, who serves as the principal adviser. A second faculty member from the other respective discipline participates in the final evaluation.

    Yearlong course 300-ESSC 301 .

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESSC 301 - Senior Thesis

    Semester Offered: Spring
    0.5 unit(s)
    An original study, integrating perspectives of geography and earth science. The formal research proposal is first developed in GEOG 304 , the senior seminar, and then is presented to a faculty member in either geography or earth science, who serves as the principal adviser. A second faculty member from the other respective discipline participates in the final evaluation.

    Yearlong course ESSC 300 -301.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ESSC 370 - Feminist Perspectives on Environmentalism


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ENST 370  and WMST 370 ) In this seminar we explore some basic concepts and approaches within feminist environmental analysis paying particular attention to feminist theory and its relevance to environmental issues. We examine a range of feminist research and analysis in ‘environmental studies’ that is connected by the recognition that gender subordination and environmental destruction are related phenomena. That is, they are the linked outcomes of forms of interactions with nature that are shaped by hierarchy and dominance, and they have global relevance. The course helps students discover the expansive contributions of feminist analysis and action to environmental research and advocacy; it provides the chance for students to apply the contributions of a feminist perspective to their own specific environmental interests. 

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor; WMST 130  recommended.

    One 2-hour period.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

  
  • ESSC 399 - Senior Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: OTH

Economics: I. Introductory

  
  • ECON 102 - Introduction to Economics

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Economic forces shape our society and profoundly influence our daily lives. This course introduces students to economic concepts and to how economists think about the world. We explore both basic microeconomics - decision making by individuals and firms - and basic macroeconomics - issues related to coordinating individual activities across an entire economy. Topics will include demand and supply, market structures, GDP, the business cycle, and monetary and fiscal policies. The department.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 120 - Principles of Accounting

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Accounting theory and practice, including preparation and interpretation of financial statements. Frederick Van Tassell.

    Not open to first-year students.

    Course Format: CLS

Economics: II. Intermediate

First-year students may not take 200 , 201 , 203 , or 209  but they may take other courses numbered 200 and above in their second semester provided they have satisfied the prerequisite requirements. 

  
  • ECON 200 - Macroeconomic Theory

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    1 unit(s)
    A structured analysis of the behavior of the national and international economies. Alternative theories explaining the determination of the levels of GDP, unemployment, the interest rate, the rate of inflation, economic growth, exchange rates, and trade and budget deficits are considered. These theories provide the basis for discussion of current economic policy controversies. The department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102  and permission of the instructor.

    NRO for Seniors Only.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 201 - Microeconomic Theory

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Economics is about choice, and microeconomic theory begins with how consumers and producers make choices. Economic agents interact in markets, so we carefully examine the role markets play in allocating resources. Theories of perfect and imperfect competition are studied, emphasizing the relationship between market structure and market performance. General equilibrium analysis is introduced, and efficiency and optimality of the economic system are examined. Causes and consequences of market failure are also considered. The department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 , MATH 121 , and permission of the instructor. With the instructor’s permission, students who have taken ECON 109  may take ECON 201 with concurrent enrollment in MATH 121 .

    NRO for Seniors Only.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 203 - Introduction to Econometrics

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    1 unit(s)
    An introduction to statistical analysis with emphasis on estimation and hypothesis testing and to the methods required for empirical economic research in industry, government, and academia. Topics covered include simple and multiple regression, violations of the classical assumptions underlying the least-squares model, maximum likelihood estimation, instrumental variables, and time series analysis. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102  and MATH 241 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 206 - Gender Issues in Economics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as WMST 206 ) An analysis of gender in education, earnings, employment and the division of labor within the household. Topics include a study occupational segregation, discrimination, the role of “protective legislation” in the history of labor law, and effects of changes in the labor market of the U.S. We also study the economics of marriage, divorce, and fertility. A comparative study of gender roles in other parts of the world is the final topic in the course.  Sarah Pearlman.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 209 - Probability and Statistics


    1 unit(s)
    Probability and Statistics introduces basic probability theory, statistical analysis and its application in economics. The objective is to provide a solid, practical, and intuitive understanding of statistical analysis with emphasis on estimation, hypothesis testing, and linear regression. Additional topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, random variables, sampling theory, statistical distributions, and an introduction to violations of the classical assumptions underlying the least-squares model. Students are introduced to the use of computers in statistical analysis. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 , MATH 121 , and MATH 126 . With the instructor’s permission, students who have taken ECON 109  and MATH 121  may take ECON 209 with concurrent enrollment in MATH 126 .

    NRO for Seniors Only.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 210 - Econometrics


    1 unit(s)
    Econometrics equips students with the skills required for empirical economic research in industry, government, and academia. Topics covered include simple and multiple regression, maximum likelihood estimation, multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, distributed lags, simultaneous equations, instrumental variables, and time series analysis. Paul Ruud.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 209  or MATH 341  or an equivalent statistics course.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 215 - The Science of Strategy

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Strategic behavior occurs in war, in business, in our personal lives, and even in nature. Game theory is the study of strategy, offering rigorous methods to analyze and predict behavior in strategic situations. This course introduces students to game theory and its application in a wide range of situations. Students learn how to model conflict and cooperation as games, and develop skills in the fine art of solving them. Applications are stressed, and these are drawn from many branches of economics, as well as from a variety of other fields. Geoffrey Jehle.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 220 - Health Economics

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as STS 220 ) Applies theoretical and empirical tools of economics to problems of health and medical care delivery. The main focus of the course  addresses how medical care is produced and financed, in both private and public sectors. Emphasis is on the US, and includes a comparison of the US health system to other countries’ health care systems. Alicia Atwood.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 . Students with a strong quantitative background may enroll with the instructor’s permission.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 225 - Financial Markets and Investments

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Financial Markets and Investments provides an overview of the structure and operation of financial markets, and the instruments traded in those markets. Particular emphasis is placed on portfolio choice, including asset allocation across risky investments and efficient diversification. Theoretical foundations of asset-pricing theories are developed, and empirical tests of these theories are reviewed. The course introduces valuation models for fixed-income securities, equities, and derivative instruments such as futures and options. Throughout the course, students apply investment theories by managing a simulated asset portfolio. Additional topics include financial statement analysis and performance evaluation measures.  Tanseli Savaser.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102,   ECON 209  or MATH 241 .

    Recommended: ECON 201  and ECON 209 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 235 - Sports Economics

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Sports economics studies contemporary economic issues in professional and amateur sports. The course analyzes the labor market, public finance, industrial organization, and behavioral economics aspects of both team and individual sports. Topics include player productivity and compensation, discrimination, public financing of sports facilities, economic impact of the Olympic Games, franchise markets, antitrust laws in college sports, competitive balance, wagering markets, and applications of prospect theory in sports. Qi Ge.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Recommended: ECON 203  or 209 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 238 - Law and Economics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Law and Economics uses economics to analyze legal rules and institutions. The primary focus is on the classic areas of common law: property, contracts, and torts. Some time is also spent on criminal law and/or constitutional law (e.g., voting, public choice, and administration). Much attention is paid to developing formal models to analyze conflict and bargaining, and applying those models to specific cases. Topics include the allocation of rights, legal remedies, bargaining and transaction costs, regulation versus liability, uncertainty, and the litigation process. Time permitting, the course may also include discussion of gun control, the death penalty, federalism, and competition among jurisdictions. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 , and one semester of college-level calculus.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 240 - U.S. Economic Issues

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    The U.S. economy has dominated the world economy for the last 60 years. With only five percent of the world’s population, it consumes roughly 25 percent of the world’s resources and produces approximately 25 percent of the world’s output. However, U.S. policy makers face substantial challenges in the years to come. The course surveys the causes and possible solutions for numerous issues including increasing international competition for jobs and resources, an aging population, persistent trade and government budget deficits, and rapid growth in entitlement programs. Other topics will be studied based on student interests and as time permits. This course utilizes readings, writing assignments and classroom discussion rather than quantitative problem sets.  The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Not open to students who have completed ECON 342 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 248 - International Trade and the World Financial System

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    A policy-oriented introduction to basic models of trade adjustment, exchange rate determination and macroeconomics adjustment. These are applied to the principle issues and problems of the international economy. Topics include the changing pattern of trade, fixed and floating exchange rates, protectionism, foreign investment, the Euro-dollar market, the role of the WTO, the IMF and World Bank, the European Community and third-world debt. Tanseli Savaser.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Not open to students who have completed ECON 345  or ECON 346 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 261 - Political Economy

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Political Economy focuses on political strategy, public policy and the private sector and addresses the political, legal and social constraints on economic decision making. While economics typically focuses on strategic interactions in market contexts, e.g., customers, competitors, suppliers, workers—many strategic interactions occur outside of the marketplace. This course uses real world cases to examine strategies in non-market environments. Topics may include: activism, NGOs, the media, lobbying, the US political system, environmental and other regulation, anti-trust, intellectual property, international political economy, IGOs, trade policy, ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Benjamin Ho.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 267 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as STS 267 ) This course examines environmental and natural resource issues from an economic perspective. Particular attention is given to the evidence and analysis presented at the UN climate negotiations and the recent history of climate accords and assesses the case for more drastic commitments. Particular attention is given this year to the evidence and analysis presented at to the UN Conference of the Parties (COP 26). The various possible policies to address the situation are analyzed in economic terms identifying those who gain by, and those who lose by these policies.  The goal is for students to develop a framework for understanding environmental problems and then to learn how to analyze policy actions within that framework. Topics include the economics of externalities, free rider issues, global warming, air and water pollution, the loss of biodiversity, energy demand and technology, and natural resource extraction. David Kennett.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102  or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 271 - Chinese Economy

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    China’s economy has grown swiftly over the past 40 years and, in 10-15 years, it will most likely overtake the U.S. to become the number one economy in the world – yet most people still know very little about it. China’s phenomenal growth has produced both some remarkable achievements and some significant problems. The environmental costs of China’s growth include widespread and sometimes dangerous air, water and land pollution. Because of its size, how well China addresses its problems will affect the entire global economy. This course reviews some of the reasons for China’s growth and examines many of the issues it currently confronts. Specific topics can vary from year to year depending on current events and/or student interest. Robert Rebelein.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

  
  • ECON 273 - Development Economics

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as INTL 273 ) A survey of central issues in the field of development economics. Topics include economic growth, the role of institutions, trade, poverty, inequality, education, child labor, health, the environment, conflict and impact evaluation.  Examples and case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America provide the context for these topics. Gisella Kagy.
     

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 275 - Money and Banking

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Money and Banking covers the structure of financial institutions, their role in the provision of money and credit, and the overall importance of these institutions in the economy. The course includes discussion of money, interest rates, financial market structure, bank operations and regulation, and the structure of the banking sector. The course also covers central banks, monetary policy, and international exchange as it relates to monetary policy and the banking sector. The ultimate goal is to provide a deeper understanding of the structure of financial markets, the reasons why it is optimal for these markets to be well functioning, and the key barriers to this optimal outcome. Esteban Argudo.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 277 - Economic History of the Americas


    1 unit(s)
    A survey of economic development in the Americas emphasizing the United States from colonial times through the 20th century. The emphasis is on the use of economic theory and quantitative evidence to explore key questions and themes related to the development of the American economy.  Dustin Frye.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 290 - Community-Engaged Learning

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 unit(s)
    Individual or group field projects or internships. The department.

    Prerequisite(s): A course in the department. Permission of the instructor.

    Corequisite(s): A course in the department. Permission required.

    May be elected during the academic year or during the summer.

    Unscheduled.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • ECON 298 - Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: OTH

Economics: III. Advanced

  
  • ECON 300 - Senior Reseach

    Semester Offered: Fall
    0.5 unit(s)
    Structured independent work with a faculty advisor designed to result in a paper that can be used as a detailed proposal for the senior thesis.  The paper is typically a literature review and a full description of a theoretical model and/or econometric project (including data) or experimental work required to complete the thesis. Students should seek permission to undertake this course of study from the faculty advisor no later than the beginning of the Fall semester of their Senior year but ideally they will do so during the Spring semester of their Junior year or the summer preceding their Senior year. Required of all students who wish to write a thesis in economics but open to senior economics majors who wish to gain research experience. Students may continue with ECON 301  upon completion of ECON 300 with the approval of the advisor and the department. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 210 .

    Open to senior majors by special permission of the advisor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 301 - Senior Thesis

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    The sequel to ECON 300   leading to the completion of the senior thesis. Students will submit the finished thesis by noon on the fourth Friday after spring vacation and give a half-hour oral presentation of their thesis to the department at the end of the semester. The department.
     

    Open to senior majors who have successfully completed ECON 300  and received departmental approval to complete the thesis.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 303 - Advanced Topics in Microeconomics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    This course introduces students to modern theoretical methods in microeconomics and their application to advanced topics not typically addressed in ECON 201 . Topics vary from year to year, but typically include: modern approaches to consumer theory, welfare analysis, general equilibrium, and the theory of auctions. Geoffrey Jehle.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and MATH 220   or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 304 - Advanced Topics in Macroeconomics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    This course is designed to get you familiar with Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models, which are the workhorse of modern macroeconomic analysis. We learn how to set up, solve, and estimate DSGE models. The course focuses on the study of business cycles to illustrate how to solve and estimate DSGE models. This type of framework is useful to study the effect of monetary and fiscal policies on the macroeconomy, as well as their impact on the income and wealth distribution across individuals. The models we consider can also be adapted to study topics such as growth, trade, and development among many others. The techniques that we develop are broadly applicable; they can be used to solve and estimate models from other subfields of economics and even models from disciplines other than economics. These techniques rely on numerical methods (i.e., methods that require some coding), which means that the course is a great opportunity for you to develop some serious programming skills.  Esteban Argudo.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 200 ECON 201 , and ECON 203  or ECON 209 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 307 - Advanced Topics in Health Economics and Policy


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as STS 307 ) A survey of contemporary issues in the economics of health and health policy including a more detailed examination of select issues from ECON 220 /STS 220  and more advanced topics using recent research in health economics. Alicia Atwood.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 ECON 220 /STS 220  and ECON 203  or ECON 210 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 310 - Advanced Topics in Econometrics


    1 unit(s)
    Analysis of the classical linear regression model and the consequences of violating its basic assumptions. Topics include maximum likelihood estimation, asymptotic properties of estimators, simultaneous equations, instrumental variables, limited dependent variables and an introduction to time series models. Applications to economic problems are emphasized throughout the course. Paul Ruud.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 210  and MATH 220  and MATH 221   or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 318 - Urban and Regional Economics

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as URBS 318 ) An exploration of the nature and development of urban areas that begins with an examination of the theory of why cities grow and how individuals and firms choose their locations before covering patterns of land use, suburbanization, transportation, education, crime, and housing and their influence the growth of cities. Dustin Frye.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 203  or ECON 210 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 320 - Economics of Inequality and Discrimination


    1 unit(s)
    An investigation of the extent, causes, and consequences of inequality and discrimination in labor markets. Leading economic theories of inequality and discrimination are covered and related to theories of labor supply and labor demand. Topics include the determinants of wages, labor supply decisions, returns to education, and decisions about family size. An applied approach using econometric techniques to understand the current literature is emphasized. Gisella Kagy.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 210 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 333 - Behavioral Economics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    A survey of the empirical and experimental evidence that human behavior often deviates from the predictions made by models that assume full rationality. This course combines economics, psychology, and experimental methods to explore impulsivity, impatience, overconfidence, reciprocity, fairness, the enforcement of social norms, the effects of status, addiction, the myopia that people exhibit when having to plan for the future, and other behaviors which deviate from economic rationality. Benjamin Ho.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 203  or ECON 209 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 342 - Public Finance

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Public Finance considers the effects that government expenditure, taxation, and regulation have on people and the economy. Attention is given to how government policy can correct failures of the free market system. Topics include the effect taxes have on consumption and employment decisions, the U.S. income tax system, income redistribution, budget deficits, environmental policy, health care, voting, and social security. Robert Rebelein.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 345 - International Trade Theory and Policy


    1 unit(s)
    This course examines classical, neoclassical and modern theories of international trade, as well as related empirical evidence. Topics included are: the relationship between economic growth and international trade; the impact of trade on the distribution of income; the theory of tariffs and commercial policy; economic integration, trade and trade policy under imperfect competition. Geoffrey Jehle.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 .

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 346 - International Macroeconomics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    The course is devoted to the problems of balance of payments and adjustment mechanisms. Topics include: the balance of payments and the foreign ex-change market; causes of disturbances and processes of adjustment in the balance of payments and the foreign exchange market under fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes; issues in maintaining internal and external balance; optimum currency areas; the history of the international monetary system and recent attempts at reform; capital movements and the international capital market. Tanseli Savaser.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 200  and college-level calculus, or permission of the instructor.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 355 - Industrial Organization

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    This course examines the behavior of firms under conditions of imperfect competition. The role of market power is studied, including the strategies it permits, e.g., monopoly pricing, price discrimination, quality choice, and product proliferation. Strategic behavior among firms is central to many of the topics of the course. As such, game theory is introduced to study strategic behavior, and is applied to topics such as oligopoly pricing, entry and deterrence, product differentiation, advertising, and innovation. Time permitting, the course may also include durable goods pricing, network effects, antitrust economics, and vertical integration. Qi Ge.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 203 ECON 209  or ECON 210 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 367 - Comparative Economics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    A study of different economic systems and institutions, beginning with a comparison of industrialized market economies in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. Pre-perestroika USSR is studied as an example of a centrally planned economy and the transition to a market economy is examined, with additional focus on the Czech Republic and Poland. Alternatives to both market and planned systems - such as worker self-management, market socialism, and social democracy - are also explored with emphasis on the experience of Yugoslavia and Sweden. David Kennett.

    Prerequisite(s): At least two units of Economics At or above the 200-level.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 382 - Economics of Disasters

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    A survey of the frequency, cost, and forms of compensation associated with disasters. A disaster occurs when natural phenomena cause damage, injury or loss of life and assets, environmental degradation, disruption in the livelihoods of individuals and communities, and interruptions in economic and social activity. While disasters are a global occurrence, the primary focus of this course is the experience with disasters in the United States. Risk management and policy discussions related to compensation and mitigation draw upon international best practice. Specific types of catastrophic events examined in the course include hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, drought, wildfires, and geological and man-made disasters. The Department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 203  or ECON 209 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 383 - History of Economic Thought

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)


    A survey of the world-wide history of economic thought, from the ancient world to the present. Major contributions to the theories of value, production, and distribution are considered. Influential schools of thought and the technological, ideological and social forces that shaped them are examined concluding with an analysis of the development of modern economic thinking. Philosophical and methodological issues are discussed throughout. Paul Ruud.

     

     

     

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 200 , ECON 201  and permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS

  
  • ECON 386 - The Economics of Immigration


    1 unit(s)
    This course examines the theoretical and empirical models that economists have developed to study the economic impact of immigration. The course describes the history of immigration policy in the United States and analyzes the various economic issues that dominate the current debate over immigration policy. These issues include the changing contribution of immigrants to the country’s skill endowment; the rate of economic assimilation experienced by immigrants; the impact of immigrants on the employment opportunities of other workers in the US; the impact of immigrant networks on immigrants and the source and magnitude of the economic benefits generated by immigration. The course also studies the social and civic dimensions of immigration - how it relates to education, marriage, segregation etc. We compare various cohorts of immigrants who entered the US at different time periods. We also compare generations residing in the US, more specifically immigrants and their children. The department.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 201  and ECON 209 .

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 388 - Latin American Economic Development

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as LALS 388 ) This course examines why many Latin American countries started with levels of development similar to those of the U.S. and Canada but were not able to keep up. The course begins with discussions of various ways of thinking about and measuring economic development and examines the record of Latin American countries on various measures, including volatile growth rates, high income and wealth inequality, and high crime rates. We then turn to an analysis of the colonial and post-Independence period to examine the roots of the weak institutional development than could explain a low growth trajectory. Next, we examine the post WWII period, exploring the import substitution of 1970s, the debt crises of the 1980s, and the structural adjustment of the 1990s. Finally, we look at events in the past decade, comparing and contrasting the experience of different countries with respect to growth, poverty and inequality. Sarah Pearlman.

    Prerequisite(s):   ECON 102 .

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • ECON 389 - Time Series Econometrics

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)


    A survey of methods used to analyze time series data with applications from macroeconomics and finance. Paul Johnson.

    Prerequisite(s): ECON 200  and ECON 203  or ECON 210 ; or permission of the instructor.

    Recommended: MATH 220 , MATH 221  recommended.

     

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS

  
  • ECON 399 - Senior Independent Work

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Course Format: OTH

Education: I. Introductory

  
  • EDUC 105 - Conceptualizing Latin and Latinx America

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)


    (Same as LALS 105 ) Topic for 2021/22b:  Popular Education and Social Struggle in Latin America. Popular education is a pedagogical technique which builds on the values of solidarity, inclusion, and respect for human rights. This critical theory arms learners with the vital skills and knowledge necessary to construct new forms of anti-capitalist politics and social movements. In this course, students learn about popular education’s philosophical and theoretical assumptions as well as its pedagogical practices. We first look historically at the roots of popular education and liberation theology through the lens of social protest and revolution in Brazil, Central America and Mexico. Next, we turn to the contemporary by studying the developing intersection of popular education and protest in the Southern Cone. In doing so, we explore the ways in which social movements are impacted by colonialism and occupation, armed conflict, extractivism, migration, and racism, as well as how this same academic approach led to the emergence of popular education among civil society groups in Latin America. Students will have an opportunity to study the lives and work of human rights activists and the threats they experience as they educate others.  As a final project, students develop a critical Latin American studies curriculum for middle and high school students that examines the social, economic, gender, environmental, linguistic, and racial justice issues faced by groups within diverse communities in Latin America and the United States.

      Tracey Holland.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS

  
  • EDUC 162 - Education and Opportunity in the United States

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)


    In this course, students identify, explore, and question prevailing assumptions about education in the United States. The objectives of the course are for students to develop both a deeper understanding of the system’s historical, structural, and philosophical features and to look at schools with a critical eye. We examine issues of power and control at various levels of the education system. Participants are encouraged to connect class readings and discussions to personal schooling experiences to gain new insights into their own educational foundations. Among the questions that are highlighted are: How should schools be organized and operated? What information and values should be emphasized? Whose interests do schools serve? The course is open to both students interested in becoming certified to teach and those who are not yet certain about their future plans but are interested in educational issues. Jaime L. Del Razo.

    Open only to first-year students; satisfies the college requirement for a First-Year Writing Seminar.

    Would you like to see a more just and humane world? The SJQ courses engage you from the very start of your Vassar studies in thinking about the relationship between power and social change. A set of public lectures that address the nature of social justice accompany SJQ courses.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS


Education: II. Intermediate

  
  • EDUC 215 - Intersections of Our Homes, Schools, and Communities

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)


    (Same as AFRS 215 ) This course draws on varied and rich experiences of all participants to read about, share and discuss the ways our homes, schools and communities intersect to create experiences for youth. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of different school structures and different behavioral and instructional approaches. We explore how school structures such as standardized testing, tracking, and curriculum design influence students’ experiences in and out of school. Throughout the course we grapple with the continued significance of socially differentiating factors such as race, gender, class, sexuality, dis/ability, and citizenship in shaping public policy and youth’s experiences.

    Essential questions we explore together include:

    • What are the effects of having a predominately white teaching staff teaching in schools that enroll predominately students of color? What effects does this have on families and communities of color?
    • How have zero tolerance policies contributed to a disproportionate suspension and expulsions for children of color?
    • How do families and communities come together to offer alternative educational experiences for youth?
    • How are our own school experiences reflected, or not, in the readings for this course?
    Erin McCloskey.

    Course Format: INT

  
  • EDUC 232 - Accessing the Ivory Tower

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as SOCI 232 ) Since 2000, there has been a 30% increase in the number of students enrolled in colleges and universities. Over 17 million undergraduates are enrolled in an array of degree-granting institutions across the U.S., with enrollments projected to increase another 14% by 2026. But who goes to college? Focusing on the experiences of historically underrepresented students, this course examines the history of higher education’s expansion and the lived experiences of students navigating higher education. Course content that examines the expansion of access to higher education focuses on important developments at the federal, state, and institutional levels. The course covers topics such as the GI Bill®, the 1965 HEA, the formation of the community college system, key court cases that have increased access, state-level legislation (e.g., states that allow undocumented students to apply as residents of the state or make them eligible for state financial aid), and institutional policies concerning admission and financial aid. Course content that focuses on student experiences in higher education explores patterns of racial and socioeconomic stratification within higher education by accounting for students’ varying degrees of college preparedness, choice of college and course of study, campus experiences, persistence to a degree, and post-graduate trajectories. This course aims to uncover how various forms of stratification shape personal relationships with peers, faculty, and administration while in college (e.g., student-faculty relationships, peer interactions, dating, networking, satisfaction with their overall college experience, and the accessibility of higher ed administration). Eréndira Rueda.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 235 - Issues in Contemporary Education

    Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
    1 unit(s)
    This course introduces students to debates about the nature and purposes of U.S. education. Examination of these debates encourages students to develop a deeper and more critical understanding of U.S. schools and the individuals who teach and learn within them. Focusing on current issues in education, we consider the multiple and competing purposes of schooling and the complex ways in which formal and informal education play a part in shaping students as academic and social beings. We also examine issues of power and control at various levels of the U.S. education system. Among the questions we contemplate are: Whose interests should schools serve? What material and values should be taught? How should schools be organized and operated? The Department.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 240 - Building an Alumna/i Archive: Documenting Our Work through Qualitative Research Methods


    1 unit(s)
    The purpose of this intensive is to help in the creation of a robust, interactive, and evolving alumna/i archive for the Education Department. As the Department has grown over the last ten years, many of our former students remain a vital resource, inspiration, and connection for our current ones. Our almuna/i are engaged in community-based movements, transformative educational spaces and schools, and grassroots educational justice and activism. This intensive helps the department organize and conduct panels, focus groups, and surveys to map what our students do when they leave us, forge connections between them and our currently enrolled students, and help us build a web-based database.  Students in this intensive also are immersed in learning research methods and skills, mostly qualitative, including survey design, interview protocols, observations, and data analysis. This course also counts towards the Research Methods requirement for the Educational Studies Major. Maria Hantzopoulos.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 235 .

    One three-hour period.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 250 - Introduction to Special Education

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    This course explores the structure of special education from multiple viewpoints, including legislative, instructional, and from the vantage of those who have experience in it as students, teachers, therapists, parents, and other service providers. We tackle conceptual understandings of labeling, difference, and how individuals in schools negotiate the contexts in which “disability” comes in and out of focus. We raise for debate current issues in special education and disability studies such as inclusion, the overrepresentation of certain groups in special education and different instructional approaches. Erin McClosky.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 162  or EDUC 235 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 251 - Community Organizing and Schools


    1 unit(s)
    This intensive examines the role that community organizations and community organizers play and can play in affecting school change. The intensive focuses on learning about past and current partnerships between various educational agencies and community organizations and community organizers. The intensive puts us in touch with community organizations and community organizers that launched campaigns for educational change in their communities to learn from their challenges and successes. Jaime L. Del Razo.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 255 - Race, Representation, and Resistance in U.S. Schools

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as AFRS 255  and URBS 255 ) This course interrogates the intersections of race, racism and schooling in the US context. In this course, we examine this intersection at the site of educational policy, media and public attitudes towards schools and schooling- critically examining how representations in each shape the experiences of youth in school. Expectations, beliefs, attitudes and opportunities reflect societal investments in these representations, thus becoming both reflections and driving forces of these identities. Central to these representations is how theorists, educators and youth take them on, own them and resist them in ways that constrain possibility or create spaces for hope. Kimberly Williams Brown.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 256 - Bilingualism and/in K-12 Public Education

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as LALS 256  and URBS 256 ) Learning in schools where the language of instruction is new presents a challenge familiar to young immigrants and refugees across the globe. This affects their educational achievement, as well as their sense of inclusion and belonging in their new communities. This course examines the issue of education for English Language Learners through a field based experience. The hands-on component of the course is paired with readings that draw from bilingual education, critical theories of pedagogy, education policy, migration,, and education for social change. A group research and writing project is intended to highlight the academic needs of local ELLs, to examine the current instructional models for bilingual students. The course is open to all Vassar students interested in (a) community-based learning as a tool for social change; (b) learning about the experiences of bilingual students in Poughkeepsie schools; and (c) gaining practical experience researching bilingual education policy.  Tracey Holland.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 261 - Intergroup Dialogue on Race and Migration

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    In this course, students learn about, participate in, and critically reflect on intergroup dialogue with the intention of examining power and power structures in our experiences and the world around us concerning race and migration. This class brings together Vassar students and Poughkeepsie High school students to engage in critical dialogue. Intergroup dialogue is an educational model that brings together students from multiple social identity groups in a cooperative, small-group, learning environment. Intergroup dialogue often involves members of groups with a history of conflict or limited opportunities to engage in deep and meaningful discussion of controversial, challenging, or divisive issues. The goals of intergroup dialogue include: (1) understanding group beginnings and relationship building; (2) understanding social identities and the role of social structures, power, privilege, and institutions in creating and maintaining inequality; (3) developing intergroup and other communication skills; and (4) planning and enacting collaboration and coalition building. The course is organized around multi-disciplinary readings (e.g., historical, sociological, feminist, psychological, and personal narratives), experiential learning activities, weekly writing and summative reflections on race and migration. Kimberly Williams Brown.

    First six-week course.

    One 2-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 263 - The Adolescent in American Society

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    This course examines the lives of American adolescents and the different ways our society has sought to understand, respond to, and shape them. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between educational policies/practices and adolescent growth and development. Empirical studies are combined with practical case scenarios as a basis for understanding alternative pathways for meeting the needs of middle school and high school learners. This course is required for secondary school teacher certification. Leonisa Ardizzone.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 235 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 270 - Undocumented, Unapologetic, Unafraid


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as LALS 270 ) This introductory immigration course is about undocumented people in the U.S. and will be situated within a historical, academic, legal, political, social, cultural, and economic context. The course will take a historical look at immigration law and legal enforcement, with a particular focus on the (mis)construction and criminalization of undocumented immigrants. By examining how the concept of undocumented/unauthorized immigration has been created, we will seek to understand the ways that this immigration status works to unjustly exclude and exploit undocumented people. Course content will consider the array of social institutions that are complicit in this work (e.g. schools, governments, agencies, industries, media, public opinion) and how undocumented people resist these forms of oppression and dominance that are exerted by these institutions and entities. An emphasis will be given to undocumented immigration from Latin America especially Mexico given the large percentage (~79% & 51%, respectively) of undocumented immigration that comes from that region however, it’s important to note that being undocumented is not relegated to just one race/ethnicity/nation of people. Also, a special focus of this course will examine how undocumented students navigate K-12 schooling experiences and pathways to college. Key topics will include but not limited to current legislation like DACA & DREAM Act; current campaigns like Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Undocumented, Unapologetic, and Unafraid campaigns; immigration industrial complex; the theoretical intersectionality of racism and nativism with other forms of oppression; and the global, capitalist, economic forces that create both the need to migrate and the need for immigrant labor. Jaime L. Del Razo.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 271 - Hello, Dear Enemy: Mounting an Exhibition of Picture Books on Experiences of War and Displacement

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as INTL 271 LALS 271 MEDS 271  and WMST 271 ) At a time when the world is witnessing the largest displacement of people since WWII, due in significant measure to armed conflict, this course examines select case studies (both past and present) of armed conflict and their consequences for children. Journalists, photographers and writers of young adult literature have done much to raise awareness about children and armed conflict, and to treat them in such a way that audiences develop understanding, empathy, and solidarity with children affected by armed conflict. A principal aim of the course is to study the topics of war and displacement, journalism and photography, and young adult literature, and then to mount an exhibition in the Collaboratory of photographs and books that will travel to area schools and libraries, where Vassar students serve as docents. Our work is enriched by study of human rights statutes and policy pertaining to children affected by armed conflict, as well as by interaction with visiting artists and educators. Tracey Holland.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 275 - International and Comparative Education

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    (Same as ASIA 275  and INTL 275 ) This course provides an overview of comparative education theory, practice, and research methodology. We examine educational issues and systems in a variety of cultural contexts. Particular attention is paid to educational practices in Asia and Europe, as compared to the United States. The course focuses on educational concerns that transcend national boundaries. Among the topics explored are international development, democratization, social stratification, the cultural transmission of knowledge, and the place of education in the global economy. These issues are examined from multiple disciplinary vantage points. Christopher Bjork.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 235  or permission of the instructor.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 278 - Education for Peace, Justice and Human Rights


    1 unit(s)
    (Same as INTL 278 ) The aim of this course is to introduce students to the field of peace education and provide an overview of the history, central concepts, scholarship, and practices within the field. The overarching questions explored are: What does it mean to educate for peace, justice and human rights? What and where are the possibilities and the barriers? How do identity, representation and context influence the ways in which these constructs are conceptualized and defined and what are the implications of these definitions? How can we move towards an authentic culture of peace, justice, and human rights in a pluralistic world? In order to address these questions, we survey the human and social dimensions of peace education, including its philosophical foundations, the role of gender, race, religion and ethnicity in peace and human rights education, and the function and influence of both formal and non-formal schooling on a culture of peace and justice. Significant time is spent on profiling key thinkers, theories, and movements in the field, with a particular focus on case-studies of peace education in practice nationally and worldwide. We examine these case studies with a critical eye, exploring how power operates and circulates in these contexts and consider ways in which to address larger structural inequities and micro-asymmetries. Since peace education is not only about the content of education, but also the process, the course endeavors to model peace pedagogy by promoting inquiry, collaboration and dialogue and give students the opportunity to practice these skills through presentations on the course readings and topics. 

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 162  or EDUC 235 .

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: CLS
  
  • EDUC 279 - Rethinking Gender in an Educational Context

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)


    (Same as WMST 279 )  This course uses a feminist lens to examine the social and cultural context of education, the structure of schools and classrooms, and the process of teaching and learning. Issues of gender are inherently tied a variety of identities and subjectivities in ways that intersect and interlock. These intersecting and interlocking identities include, but are not limited to: race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, socioeconomic class, and citizenship status. How does that impact immigrant and undocumented youth? Using a variety of methods including reflective self- inquiry the course will answer the following questions:

    1. How do dichotomous understandings of gender shape students’ experiences in schools?

    2. How is gender experienced differently depending on other intersecting identities? Are all “women” the same and do they experience gender oppression in the same ways?

    3. How do schools and curriculum address issues of gender?

    4. What is the relationship between gender, democracy and education?

    5. What role do teachers play in identity development in schools?

    6. How do schools begin to address violence against particular students (LGBTQ, Black students, Latino students and other students from underrepresented groups)? Kimberly Williams Brown.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS

  
  • EDUC 282 - Community Schools Research & Practice

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Using schools as hubs, community schools bring educators, families, and community partners together to offer a range of opportunities, supports, and services to children, youth as well as their families and communities. This intensive focuses on learning about and conducting a PAR (participatory action research) project with a community school. Jaime L. Del Razo.

    Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

    Individual conferences with the instructor.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 283 - Our Lives, Our World: Teaching and Learning About Human Rights Alongside Youth

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    In this course, Vassar students create a human rights club curriculum for high-school youth that teaches about and for human rights in their localized and global contexts. We consider how curriculum must be both a mirror of students’ own experiences and a window into the experiences of others, and use this as a catalyst for social change and action. Vassar students and the instructor then also implement the curriculum with HS youth in the spring. Maria Hantzopoulos.

    One 3-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 286 - Introduction to Inclusive Pedagogies in Quantitative Education

    Semester Offered: Spring
    0.5 unit(s)


    This course is intended to help prepare students for future careers in math and science education. Course topics include educational theories and practices such as Bloom’s taxonomy, Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development, scaffolding, metacognition, the productive struggle, and making use of multiple representations. Students develop inclusion strategies for education through the study of stereotype threat, growth mindsets, and neuroatypical learners.

    This course has some traditional components such as lecture/discussion and regularly features non-traditional course components, as well. Activities may include observations and reactions to tutoring sessions at the Q-Center or Supplemental Instructor review sessions, reflections on tutoring experiences (for those who are currently working as a tutor), student-conducted interviews of professors or other educators of quantitative disciplines, and the development of lessons to be “workshopped” during class meetings. Hudson Gould.

    Prerequisite(s): Must have completed the Quantitative Requirement.

    First six-week course.

    Two 75-minute periods.

    Course Format: CLS

  
  • EDUC 288 - Education and Development in Haiti

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    In this course, students examine research about educational development with particular attention to Haiti. During the first third of the course, they read scholarship that explores the social, political, and educational dimensions of development. This section of the course is led by the instructor.  During the second third of the course, students lead discussions about Haitian society and culture.  Each member of the class is responsible for becoming an expert in a topic of their interest (i.e., politics and education, education for marginalized youth, the role of arts in Haitian schools), and lead a class discussion of that topic.  During the final third of the course, members of the class either conduct independent research projects that connect scholarship presented in the course to current conditions in Haiti—or take a trip to Haiti over spring break; this depends on the political and health situation in Haiti.  Christopher Bjork.

    One 2-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 290 - Community-Engaged Learning

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 2 unit(s)
    All candidates for certification must demonstrate competency in an intensive community-engaged learning experience at the elementary, middle school, or senior high school level prior to student teaching. The Department.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 297 - Independent Reading

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 unit(s)
    Student initiated independent reading projects with Education faculty. A variety of topics are possible, including educational policy, children’s literature, early childhood education, the adolescent, history of American education, multicultural education, and comparative education. Subject to prior approval of the department. The department.

    Course Format: OTH
  
  • EDUC 298 - Independent Study

    Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Individual or group projects concerned with some aspect of education, subject to prior approval of the department. May be elected during the regular academic year or during the summer.

    Course Format: OTH
  
  • EDUC 299 - Vassar Science Education Internship Program


    1 unit(s)
    The Vassar Science Education Internship Program provides opportunities for science students from Vassar College to intern with science teachers in area schools for course credit. Students have an opportunity to gain teaching experience, to explore careers in education, and to help strengthen science education in the Poughkeepsie area schools. Each intern works with a science teacher to design a project and to obtain laboratory and/or computer based educational exercise for their class, and to acquire laboratory and/or computing resources for sustaining a strong science curriculum. Interns participate in a weekly seminar on science education at Vassar College.

    Enrollment is limited and by permission. Students wishing to pursue internships should meet the following criteria: four completed units of course work in the natural sciences or mathematics, with at least two units at the 200-level, a minimum GPA of 3.4 in science and math coursework, and 3.0 overall.

    Not offered in 2021/22.

    Course Format: OTH

Education: III. Advanced

  
  • EDUC 300 - Senior Portfolio: Childhood Education

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    This senior seminar focuses on analysis of the student teaching experience. Through the development of their teaching portfolio, senior students examine the linkages between theory, current research, and classroom practice. This course should be taken concurrently with the student teaching practicum. Maria Hantzopoulos.

    Course Format: OTH
  
  • EDUC 301 - Senior Portfolio: Adolescent Education

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    Same as EDUC 300 , but for students earning certification in Adolescent Education. Maria Hantzopoulos.

    Course Format: OTH
  
  • EDUC 302 - Senior Thesis/Project

    Semester Offered: Fall
    0.5 to 1 unit(s)
    Individual reading, research, or community service project.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 384 .

    Yearlong course 302-EDUC 303 .

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 303 - Senior Thesis/Project

    Semester Offered: Spring
    0.5 unit(s)
    Individual reading, research, or community service project.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 302 .

    Yearlong course EDUC 302 -303.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 304 - Senior Thesis/Project

    Semester Offered: Spring
    1 unit(s)
    Individual reading, research, or community service project.

    One 1-hour period.

    Course Format: INT
  
  • EDUC 305 - Senior Thesis/Project

    Semester Offered: Fall
    1 unit(s)
    By special permission only. Individual reading, research, or community service project. Maria Hantzopoulos.

    Prerequisite(s): EDUC 384 .

    Course Format: INT
 

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