Earn a Social Change degree from Graceland University and prepare to enter the world as a leader ready to make positive change.
Social Change programs are designed with a curriculum to prepare students to improve the world around them. It's focused on innovation and large-scale, fast-moving change in a complicated world. You'll be tasked with the responsibility of finding solutions to things like global poverty, inequality, and injustice.
A Social Change degree from Graceland is a way to give students an education that cultivates and creates a transformative community beyond the walls of the university. The Social Change Major is designed for students in all fields to prepare them to enter the work world as leaders who are enabled to create positive change. Graceland’s community is shaped to provide students with the tangible skills and tools to go into communities to provide meaningful and sustainable change. With half of the credits for the major available through the Equality & Peace track of Graceland’s essential education, students can easily double major in the study of social change and an additional program, providing endless career opportunities in a more socially conscious world.
The Social Change major at Graceland University prepares students to be “difference makers” in their communities. Through an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum, students learn about the history and context of their chosen concentration and are empowered with the practical tools that will best equip them to drive change in their careers and advocacy efforts. This major is intentionally designed to be partially completed through the General Education curriculum, making it very easy to add as a second, complimentary major.
In addition to the general education requirements, majors in social change must complete 36 semester hours as prescribed below:
Core Requirements 18 s.h.
Context (Choose 12 hours from the list of options; at least 6 hours must be upper division; no more than two courses can be from the same discipline):
Tools of Change Courses (6 hours from the following; at least 3 must be upper division; courses should not be from the same discipline):
Recommended for General Education:
A technical course exploring the digital tools used in the graphic design industry. Students are exposed to the function, theory, and use of industry-standard computer hardware, software, and basic digital design principles utilized in the production of graphic design.
This course aims to create social and political change through collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutions through the creation of participatory art. This discipline often values process over final product and become lifelong pursuits. Some examples include artistic activism, community-based art, creative placemaking, cultural organizing, performance, participatory art, social engagement, and social sculpture. No prior art experience necessary. ELO5 Arts - World Citizenship, ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace
Theme-based art history course exploring topics such as innovation, power, politics, architecture, entertainment, sacred spaces, sustainability, and eco art throughout art history to the present. ELO5 Arts - Innovation, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
Theme-based art history course that explores topics such as activism, empathy, justice, disability, mental illness, feminism, sexuality, queer art, social and civic engagement, labor, and race throughout art history to the present. ELO5 Arts - Equality, ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
This introductory printmaking making course introduces students to non-toxic printmaking techniques including relief printing, monotype, silkscreen, and other contemporary processes. The course explores how these traditional methods have been used as a means for informing, gathering, protesting, and celebration. Studio Fee required. ELO5 Arts - Innovation
An exploration into visual story telling through digital photography, imaging, and editing. Course will focus on capturing high quality images to use in professional design work. Studio Fee required.
This course provides a comprehensive overview, with hands-on experience, of Social Media Marketing. The most basic objectives of the course are to provide students with a broad introduction to social media marketing concepts and techniques using the latest online tools combined with practical "real world" application. There will be an emphasis on strategic use of tools, effective design and contemporary marketing techniques. Students will build and maintain real world marketing campaigns.
An examination of concepts that have application to communication across cultural boundaries, with emphasis on relating them to effective intercultural communication skGE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace, GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of rhetorical and political communication theories and practices that are fundamental to social change advocacy. Students will become familiar with basic tools of organizing and advocating for social change, with hands-on application of various communication theories and approaches. +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of the various landmark theories, such as rhetorical, Marxist, and feminist to analyze popular culture, with an emphasis on the importance of communication in the production and consumption of culture. Students will study the development of culture by applying different theories or 'lenses' to cultural artifacts including music, movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of conflict theories and approaches, negotiation process, conflict ethics, and third party mediation. In this class, students will become familiar with the causes of conflict as well as ways strategies and tactics used in conflict management. Further, this class will explore the foundational theoretical concepts and models of dialogue in the context of conflict management. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course will extend scientific knowledge to understand how nature and the environment influence communication and society. Students will learn about significant environmental controversies, from toxic waste to climate change, to pro-environmental behaviors. Using a foundation of persuasion, the course focuses on social responsibility and the history of mediated communication within the context of environmental movements and human-made crises.
An exploration of the emergence of new communication practices as well as their social, political, cultural, and economic impact in personal, community, cultural, social, institutional, and international life. Specific attention will be given to the ways social media influence and shape matters of ethics and privacy, how we see ourselves and others, how we interact formally and informally, and how we do business. ELO4 Global Learning - Innovation +This course is only offered every other year.
Advanced study in specific topics in communication, to be announced the semester before they are offered. May be repeated for credit as topics change.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
Basics of how the World Wide Web works and web site construction using HTML and CSS. Related technology skills will be covered.
Students will learn theoretical and practical foundations related to geographic information systems and spatial analysis. Emphasis on teaching students to integrate and analyze spatial information from various sources. Includes a weekly laboratory section. Prerequisite: MATH1380.
Analysis of the fundamental principles of the American economic system, centering on price, production, market structures, and a survey of contemporary economic problems, e.g. sustainability. ELO5 Social Science - Sustainability
An examination of the taxation policies and expenditure programs of the public sector. Related topics include public goods, income distribution, and public choice theory. Prerequisite: ECON1320. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace. Offered odd years Spring. +This course is only offered every other year.
Analysis of various societal subgroups and how such groups recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases. Students learn to relate effectively to various groups to foster understanding and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Emphasis on self-awareness in human relations issues and how this awareness can be translated into positive relationships. Introduction to ethnographic analysis and pedagogical, curricular, and social considerations involved in working with and educating various societal subgroups. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
Survey of writers from North and South America stretching from the advent of European colonization in the Western Hemisphere to the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War. The course will pay special attention to the legacies of colonialism and slavery, and the ways that literature and language, as oral storytelling and print culture, both underwrote systems of enslavement and created social movements for freedom and equality. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace
Survey of U.S. Literature in the 20th and 21st centuries. Special attention given to the making (and unmaking) of U.S. national mythologies, the major formal transformations that have taken place in U.S. Literature since 1900, and the function of literature as an innovative and adaptive technology that expands human capacities. ELO5 Humanities - World Citizenship, ELO5 Humanities - Innovation.
A survey of multi-ethnic U.S. literature, including African American literature, Latino/a literature, Asian American literature, Native American literature, and American Jewish literature. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of ethnic studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Examines literary works by authors from a broad range of artistic and cultural traditions. Designed to offer students an introduction to literature as a point of access into global communities such as Western European, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, Indigenous, and Latinx. ELO5 Humanities - World Citizenship, ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability, GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. +This course is only offered every other year.
Study of poetry writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive poetry writing and class discussion. Emphasis on poetry as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability +This course is only offered every other year.
Study of fiction writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive fiction writing and class discussion. Emphasis on fiction as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability. +This course is only offered every other year.
A transnational survey of films that deal with environmental issues and, more broadly, with human relationships to the nonhuman world. An examination of the impact of urbanization on rural communities, the mysterious allure of wild and uncultivated landscapes, the threat of climate change to daily life around the world, and the cinematic representation of environmental apocalypse. Explores different genres and styles, including neo-realism, eco-horror, anime, and avant-garde cinema. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability +This course is only offered every other year.
An exploration of issues of gender and sexuality in literature, with a focus on fiction, drama, and poetry by women and LGBT+ writers. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of gender and sexuality studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Special studies in English designed primarily for the non-English major. Content may vary and will be announced at time of offering. When content changes, course may be repeated for credit.
Advanced study of literary, cultural, and moving image theory, and the application to written and filmic texts. +This course is only offered every other year.
An investigation of the role of literature as a vehicle for social change. With a focus on the literatures of emancipatory social movements, this global survey course includes a range of modern authors who merged the personal with the political. Students examine how literature and narrative forms of storytelling function as a means of engaging ethical and social concerns, and eliciting emotions in readers-from rage and defiance to observation and understanding-that might serve to promote social justice. ELO5 Humanities - Peace, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace +This course is only offered every other year.
What makes a work of literature "environmental"? How have humans thought about nature throughout history, and how does that intellectual and artistic history affect us today? Can works of literature help humans prevent environmental catastrophes like climate change and species extinction? We'll seek answers to these questions as we engage with fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. We'll discuss the ways that literary and cultural forms can shape who we are, what we value, and what we imagine for the future. We'll also work to build your skills of critical reading, analytical thinking and persuasive writing, skills that will serve you in the future, in whatever environment you inhabit. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
Study of nonfiction writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive nonfiction writing and class discussion. Emphasis on nonfiction as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
An introduction to languaging and grammatical structures of the English language. Emphasizes the history and development of English in different cultural communities as a means to understand, rather than prescribe, how English-speakers use language. Students will engage with cultural interpretations of linguistics as a field of study to better understand the relationship between the evolution of languages and how that evolution plays a part in social justice issues. ELO5 Humanities - Innovation.
Explores cultural systems of meaning and attendant issues of power, particularly in terms of class, gender, nation, race, nature, and sexuality. Emphasis on commercial and media culture. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
A hands-on introduction to digital film production and editing. Introduces the technical knowledge need to investigate the creative possibilities of composition, light, motion, color and sound in shooting digital film. Examines the fundamentals of nonlinear editing, including continuity development, logging clips, audio tracks, and transitions. Additional fee required. Prerequisites: ENGL2510 or instructor consent. +This course is only offered every other year.
Explores the history, economics, and formal qualities of the “documentary tradition” in filmmaking, with a special focus on documentary films that engage issues of sustainability, broadly defined (environmental, social, and economic). ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
A history of the people of African descent in the Americas, including the United States, as well as the Caribbean, Central and South America. Issues of survival and resistance, the persistence of racism and white supremacy, and struggles for freedom, across countries and time periods, will be stressed. ELO5 Histories - Equality, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace, GE3B Liberal Learning-Histories.
This course examines the causes and consequences of social, political, and economic inequalities in modern United States history. Through the examination of primary sources, students will engage in discussion of the cultural impact that inequality has had in shaping modern US society.
Discussion of sexual biology, psychology, and sociocultural dimension of human sexual health and behavior.
A foundational course designed for students to become informed about health as well as becoming responsible and active participants in the maintenance of their personal health and affecting the health of their community. The course is intended to provide coverage of health promotion, mental health, stress management, afflictions and diseases, aging, environmental health, consumerism and health care and promotion. ELO4 Global Learning - Sustainability.
Capstone project designed to allow students to synthesize knowledge across their social change major through the production of an original work (research paper, creative project, etc.). Must be developed under the supervision of a social change advisor. Students who are completing more than one major may elect to complete this requirement by approaching another major's capstone project through a social change lens. A social change contract to be filled out by the student, the student's social change advisor, and the faculty teaching the capstone in the aforementioned major is required for this option.
A critical thinking approach to data analysis, measures of central tendency, dispersion, correlation, probability, estimation and hypothesis testing. Prerequisite: 1 year high school algebra. ELO6 Math, GE2B Foundational Skills-Mathematics/Quantitative.
This course will focus on how music has historically been used for social justice, activism, and reform both within the United States and worldwide. Additionally, it will foster critical discussion and reflection on a wide range of artistic activism and applied research. What is musical activism? What kind of social responsibilities do music researchers have? Can music be used to bring about social justice? Music has long been used by movements seeking social change. People from around the world have used music as a platform to speak up and sing out about injustices. This course will focus discussion on the sounds and sentiments of social activism in the public sphere and the value and challenge of cultural advocacy in civil society. From protest songs of the Civil Rights Movement, to music concerts for charity causes, to freedom songs of the African Americans, to the Singing Revolution of the country of Estonia, to songs of the LGBTQ movement, to the Sigauque Project in Mozambique, to the protest songs of the American union movement… and so on. Through readings, discussion, and in-depth analysis of these different songs and movements, students would gain knowledge of efforts to bring about both cultural and social change throughout the world. ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
An examination of different conceptions of ethical social relationships and ethical behavior. Considers varying accounts of theories of value and right action with critical analysis of systemic and social influences on individual and collective interactions. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
Study of psychological theories and empirical findings relating to variations in cultures. Prerequisite: PSYC1300. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace.
Christian theology is a centuries-long conversation about the meaning of Jesus’ life and message. As theologians have interpreted their faith, they have often pondered questions of justice and peace. How can the nonviolent message of Jesus challenge cultures of oppression? Can war ever be ‘just’? What insights might theological traditions offer to help critique forces that perennialize poverty? What ethical resources can Christian traditions apply to environmental degradation or the search for gender justice? This course explores such questions by focusing them through the thought of key theologians from across the centuries: e.g., Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Letty Russell. We explore how these thinkers’ questions and proposals remain ethically meaningful in the contemporary World. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Peace, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
Examines the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and other minority statuses and the relationships to personal identity and social structure. Helps to develop an awareness and understanding of diverse values, life-styles, beliefs, and attitudes of various racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities. Focuses on the social, legal, economic, and political aspects of prejudice and discrimination on socially disadvantaged groups. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 (with grade of C or better) and senior standing.
Students will learn theoretical and practical foundations related to geographic information systems and spatial analysis. Emphasis on teaching students to integrate and analyze spatial information from various sources. Includes a weekly laboratory section. Prerequisite: MATH1370.
A technical course exploring the digital tools used in the graphic design industry. Students are exposed to the function, theory, and use of industry-standard computer hardware, software, and basic digital design principles utilized in the production of graphic design.
This course aims to create social and political change through collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutions through the creation of participatory art. This discipline often values process over final product and become lifelong pursuits. Some examples include artistic activism, community-based art, creative placemaking, cultural organizing, performance, participatory art, social engagement, and social sculpture. No prior art experience necessary. ELO5 Arts - World Citizenship, ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace
Theme-based art history course exploring topics such as innovation, power, politics, architecture, entertainment, sacred spaces, sustainability, and eco art throughout art history to the present. ELO5 Arts - Innovation, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
Theme-based art history course that explores topics such as activism, empathy, justice, disability, mental illness, feminism, sexuality, queer art, social and civic engagement, labor, and race throughout art history to the present. ELO5 Arts - Equality, ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
This introductory printmaking making course introduces students to non-toxic printmaking techniques including relief printing, monotype, silkscreen, and other contemporary processes. The course explores how these traditional methods have been used as a means for informing, gathering, protesting, and celebration. Studio Fee required. ELO5 Arts - Innovation
An exploration into visual story telling through digital photography, imaging, and editing. Course will focus on capturing high quality images to use in professional design work. Studio Fee required.
This course provides a comprehensive overview, with hands-on experience, of Social Media Marketing. The most basic objectives of the course are to provide students with a broad introduction to social media marketing concepts and techniques using the latest online tools combined with practical "real world" application. There will be an emphasis on strategic use of tools, effective design and contemporary marketing techniques. Students will build and maintain real world marketing campaigns.
An examination of concepts that have application to communication across cultural boundaries, with emphasis on relating them to effective intercultural communication skGE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace, GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of rhetorical and political communication theories and practices that are fundamental to social change advocacy. Students will become familiar with basic tools of organizing and advocating for social change, with hands-on application of various communication theories and approaches. +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of the various landmark theories, such as rhetorical, Marxist, and feminist to analyze popular culture, with an emphasis on the importance of communication in the production and consumption of culture. Students will study the development of culture by applying different theories or 'lenses' to cultural artifacts including music, movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities +This course is only offered every other year.
An examination of conflict theories and approaches, negotiation process, conflict ethics, and third party mediation. In this class, students will become familiar with the causes of conflict as well as ways strategies and tactics used in conflict management. Further, this class will explore the foundational theoretical concepts and models of dialogue in the context of conflict management. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course will extend scientific knowledge to understand how nature and the environment influence communication and society. Students will learn about significant environmental controversies, from toxic waste to climate change, to pro-environmental behaviors. Using a foundation of persuasion, the course focuses on social responsibility and the history of mediated communication within the context of environmental movements and human-made crises.
An exploration of the emergence of new communication practices as well as their social, political, cultural, and economic impact in personal, community, cultural, social, institutional, and international life. Specific attention will be given to the ways social media influence and shape matters of ethics and privacy, how we see ourselves and others, how we interact formally and informally, and how we do business. ELO4 Global Learning - Innovation +This course is only offered every other year.
Advanced study in specific topics in communication, to be announced the semester before they are offered. May be repeated for credit as topics change.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
Basics of how the World Wide Web works and web site construction using HTML and CSS. Related technology skills will be covered.
Students will learn theoretical and practical foundations related to geographic information systems and spatial analysis. Emphasis on teaching students to integrate and analyze spatial information from various sources. Includes a weekly laboratory section. Prerequisite: MATH1380.
Analysis of the fundamental principles of the American economic system, centering on price, production, market structures, and a survey of contemporary economic problems, e.g. sustainability. ELO5 Social Science - Sustainability
An examination of the taxation policies and expenditure programs of the public sector. Related topics include public goods, income distribution, and public choice theory. Prerequisite: ECON1320. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace. Offered odd years Spring. +This course is only offered every other year.
Analysis of various societal subgroups and how such groups recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases. Students learn to relate effectively to various groups to foster understanding and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Emphasis on self-awareness in human relations issues and how this awareness can be translated into positive relationships. Introduction to ethnographic analysis and pedagogical, curricular, and social considerations involved in working with and educating various societal subgroups. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
Survey of writers from North and South America stretching from the advent of European colonization in the Western Hemisphere to the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War. The course will pay special attention to the legacies of colonialism and slavery, and the ways that literature and language, as oral storytelling and print culture, both underwrote systems of enslavement and created social movements for freedom and equality. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace
Survey of U.S. Literature in the 20th and 21st centuries. Special attention given to the making (and unmaking) of U.S. national mythologies, the major formal transformations that have taken place in U.S. Literature since 1900, and the function of literature as an innovative and adaptive technology that expands human capacities. ELO5 Humanities - World Citizenship, ELO5 Humanities - Innovation.
A survey of multi-ethnic U.S. literature, including African American literature, Latino/a literature, Asian American literature, Native American literature, and American Jewish literature. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of ethnic studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Examines literary works by authors from a broad range of artistic and cultural traditions. Designed to offer students an introduction to literature as a point of access into global communities such as Western European, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, Indigenous, and Latinx. ELO5 Humanities - World Citizenship, ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability, GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities. +This course is only offered every other year.
Study of poetry writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive poetry writing and class discussion. Emphasis on poetry as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability +This course is only offered every other year.
Study of fiction writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive fiction writing and class discussion. Emphasis on fiction as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability. +This course is only offered every other year.
A transnational survey of films that deal with environmental issues and, more broadly, with human relationships to the nonhuman world. An examination of the impact of urbanization on rural communities, the mysterious allure of wild and uncultivated landscapes, the threat of climate change to daily life around the world, and the cinematic representation of environmental apocalypse. Explores different genres and styles, including neo-realism, eco-horror, anime, and avant-garde cinema. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability +This course is only offered every other year.
An exploration of issues of gender and sexuality in literature, with a focus on fiction, drama, and poetry by women and LGBT+ writers. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of gender and sexuality studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Special studies in English designed primarily for the non-English major. Content may vary and will be announced at time of offering. When content changes, course may be repeated for credit.
Advanced study of literary, cultural, and moving image theory, and the application to written and filmic texts. +This course is only offered every other year.
An investigation of the role of literature as a vehicle for social change. With a focus on the literatures of emancipatory social movements, this global survey course includes a range of modern authors who merged the personal with the political. Students examine how literature and narrative forms of storytelling function as a means of engaging ethical and social concerns, and eliciting emotions in readers-from rage and defiance to observation and understanding-that might serve to promote social justice. ELO5 Humanities - Peace, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace +This course is only offered every other year.
What makes a work of literature "environmental"? How have humans thought about nature throughout history, and how does that intellectual and artistic history affect us today? Can works of literature help humans prevent environmental catastrophes like climate change and species extinction? We'll seek answers to these questions as we engage with fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. We'll discuss the ways that literary and cultural forms can shape who we are, what we value, and what we imagine for the future. We'll also work to build your skills of critical reading, analytical thinking and persuasive writing, skills that will serve you in the future, in whatever environment you inhabit. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
Study of nonfiction writing through the lens of sustainability. Investigates the maintenance of various systems that meet human needs (e.g. emotional, physical, social, environmental) through extensive nonfiction writing and class discussion. Emphasis on nonfiction as a means of self-discovery as well as an art form. ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
An introduction to languaging and grammatical structures of the English language. Emphasizes the history and development of English in different cultural communities as a means to understand, rather than prescribe, how English-speakers use language. Students will engage with cultural interpretations of linguistics as a field of study to better understand the relationship between the evolution of languages and how that evolution plays a part in social justice issues. ELO5 Humanities - Innovation.
Explores cultural systems of meaning and attendant issues of power, particularly in terms of class, gender, nation, race, nature, and sexuality. Emphasis on commercial and media culture. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
A hands-on introduction to digital film production and editing. Introduces the technical knowledge need to investigate the creative possibilities of composition, light, motion, color and sound in shooting digital film. Examines the fundamentals of nonlinear editing, including continuity development, logging clips, audio tracks, and transitions. Additional fee required. Prerequisites: ENGL2510 or instructor consent. +This course is only offered every other year.
Explores the history, economics, and formal qualities of the “documentary tradition” in filmmaking, with a special focus on documentary films that engage issues of sustainability, broadly defined (environmental, social, and economic). ELO5 Humanities - Sustainability.
A history of the people of African descent in the Americas, including the United States, as well as the Caribbean, Central and South America. Issues of survival and resistance, the persistence of racism and white supremacy, and struggles for freedom, across countries and time periods, will be stressed. ELO5 Histories - Equality, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace, GE3B Liberal Learning-Histories.
This course examines the causes and consequences of social, political, and economic inequalities in modern United States history. Through the examination of primary sources, students will engage in discussion of the cultural impact that inequality has had in shaping modern US society.
Discussion of sexual biology, psychology, and sociocultural dimension of human sexual health and behavior.
A foundational course designed for students to become informed about health as well as becoming responsible and active participants in the maintenance of their personal health and affecting the health of their community. The course is intended to provide coverage of health promotion, mental health, stress management, afflictions and diseases, aging, environmental health, consumerism and health care and promotion. ELO4 Global Learning - Sustainability.
Capstone project designed to allow students to synthesize knowledge across their social change major through the production of an original work (research paper, creative project, etc.). Must be developed under the supervision of a social change advisor. Students who are completing more than one major may elect to complete this requirement by approaching another major's capstone project through a social change lens. A social change contract to be filled out by the student, the student's social change advisor, and the faculty teaching the capstone in the aforementioned major is required for this option.
A critical thinking approach to data analysis, measures of central tendency, dispersion, correlation, probability, estimation and hypothesis testing. Prerequisite: 1 year high school algebra. ELO6 Math, GE2B Foundational Skills-Mathematics/Quantitative.
This course will focus on how music has historically been used for social justice, activism, and reform both within the United States and worldwide. Additionally, it will foster critical discussion and reflection on a wide range of artistic activism and applied research. What is musical activism? What kind of social responsibilities do music researchers have? Can music be used to bring about social justice? Music has long been used by movements seeking social change. People from around the world have used music as a platform to speak up and sing out about injustices. This course will focus discussion on the sounds and sentiments of social activism in the public sphere and the value and challenge of cultural advocacy in civil society. From protest songs of the Civil Rights Movement, to music concerts for charity causes, to freedom songs of the African Americans, to the Singing Revolution of the country of Estonia, to songs of the LGBTQ movement, to the Sigauque Project in Mozambique, to the protest songs of the American union movement… and so on. Through readings, discussion, and in-depth analysis of these different songs and movements, students would gain knowledge of efforts to bring about both cultural and social change throughout the world. ELO5 Arts - Equality and Peace, GE3A Liberal Learning-Arts.
An examination of different conceptions of ethical social relationships and ethical behavior. Considers varying accounts of theories of value and right action with critical analysis of systemic and social influences on individual and collective interactions. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
Study of psychological theories and empirical findings relating to variations in cultures. Prerequisite: PSYC1300. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace.
Christian theology is a centuries-long conversation about the meaning of Jesus’ life and message. As theologians have interpreted their faith, they have often pondered questions of justice and peace. How can the nonviolent message of Jesus challenge cultures of oppression? Can war ever be ‘just’? What insights might theological traditions offer to help critique forces that perennialize poverty? What ethical resources can Christian traditions apply to environmental degradation or the search for gender justice? This course explores such questions by focusing them through the thought of key theologians from across the centuries: e.g., Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Letty Russell. We explore how these thinkers’ questions and proposals remain ethically meaningful in the contemporary World. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Peace, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
Examines the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and other minority statuses and the relationships to personal identity and social structure. Helps to develop an awareness and understanding of diverse values, life-styles, beliefs, and attitudes of various racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities. Focuses on the social, legal, economic, and political aspects of prejudice and discrimination on socially disadvantaged groups. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 (with grade of C or better) and senior standing.
Students will learn theoretical and practical foundations related to geographic information systems and spatial analysis. Emphasis on teaching students to integrate and analyze spatial information from various sources. Includes a weekly laboratory section. Prerequisite: MATH1370.
99% of students on the Lamoni campus receive financial aid.
As you consider college, you want a simple, easy-to-understand formula designed to ensure that the one-of-a-kind Graceland Experience is within reach for your family. Undergraduate tuition includes our unique Transformational Leadership major, and we offer generous financial aid and scholarships to all of our students, making Graceland as affordable, if not moreso, than most public universities.
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