Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Maymester

Maymester runs from Monday, May 20 through Friday, June 7, 2024. Current students and non-matriculated students will be able to take one course with an HWS faculty member for 3.5 hours, five days a week. Classes are scheduled in the mornings (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) or afternoons (1:30 – 5 p.m.).

2024 Courses

• BIO 105 Scientific Reasoning in a Data-driven World
• CHEM 198 Miracle Drugs in the Time of Pandemics
• ECON 301 Microeconomic Theory and Policy
• EDUC 321 Creating Children's Literature
• ENV 216 Birds in Our Landscape
• FRNE 285 The Troubadours: Songs of Love, War, and Redemption
• GLS 101 Introduction to Global Studies: Alcohol
• HIST 200 Quantitative Methods for Historians
• INRL 180 Introduction to International Relations
• MDSC 100 Intro to Media and Society
• MDSC 130 Intro to Global Animation
• MDSC 309 Media Industries and Alternatives
• PSY 201 Statistics
• SOC 212 Data Analysis
• WRRH 313 Sports Media Seminar

BIO 105 Scientific Reasoning in a Data-driven World
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Biology
Professor Jesse Borden
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
Scientific Inquiry (Substantial)

This is an introductory course for both STEM and non-STEM majors alike to explore the complexities and strength of scientific knowledge and understanding. The aim of the course is to empower students to grasp more deeply what science is and how it works, to be able to evaluate scientific claims, detect false information, and critically engage with public dialogues around science. Course topics will include the scientific method and the cycle of scientific thinking, the merit of science, evaluating science vs pseudoscience, interpreting scientific claims in popular media, discussing other knowledge systems, and broadly exploring how scientific understanding is advanced. This course will be fully online and a combination of synchronous and asynchronous lectures, discussions, and activities.This will be an interdisciplinary course incorporating readings, lectures, discussions, and activities across the disciplines of science, philosophy, and statistics.

CHEM 198 Miracle Drugs in the Time of Pandemics
In-Person Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Chemistry
Professor David Slade
Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)
Scientific Inquiry (Substantial)

When global public health is 'normal', a search for a new miracle drug requires medicinal chemists to make hundreds or thousands of new molecules that might treat some disease while avoiding nasty side effects... but the timeline for success is on the order of a decade or more. What can drug companies do to speed up the process amid a brand-new viral pandemic? We do have several drug cocktails for HIV/AIDS, but AIDS remains a notable outlier of a success story - we have very few small molecule treatments for infectious viral diseases. Instead, most efforts against viral diseases rely on preventing infection, with vaccines being the primary tool in the fight. This course will answer questions like: Why was there so much interest in testing old, well established drugs like Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, Remdesivir, and Dexamethasone against COVID-19? How do we know whether a drug is doing anything useful at all? What are the various vaccine platforms and how do they differ? Famously, the Moderna vaccine was designed within 2 days of the viral sequence being published. Why, then, does data collection and analysis for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) require an additional 11 months or more? What are monoclonal antibodies, and how do they work? There's a very old idea that's worth exploring: can we treat patients with the blood of patients who have already recovered? The backdrop of a pandemic serves to illustrate the pitfalls, challenges, and interesting questions of drug discovery, and the interactions of molecules and viruses with our immune systems. This course is intended to improve scientific literacy while developing analytical skills. No prerequisites.

ECON 301 Microeconomic Theory and Policy
In-Person Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Economics
Professor Joshua Greenstein
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

A study of pricing and resource-allocating processes in the private economy, this course examines the theories of demand and production, and the determination of prices for commodities and factors of production in competitive and non competitive markets. The concept of economic efficiency is central to the course. Prerequisites: ECON 160, one 200-level topics/issues course, and MATH 130 or equivalent.

EDUC 321 Creating Children's Literature
In-Person Course
9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Educational Studies
Professor Darlene Daley
Artistic Process (Substantial)

In this course, students will write and share manuscripts in several genres of fiction and nonfiction for children and young people after examining several exemplary children’s books for their features.  Students will consider issues of child development and the social and pedagogical purpose of children’s literature in relation to appealing literature for children.  And they will consult with practicing writers, illustrators, book designers, editors, and critics of children’s books, both live and in print.  In the process, students will channel their creativity as well as their disciplinary knowledge into works that may be of value to children.  

ENV 216 Birds in Our Landscape
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Biology
Professor Mark Deutschlander
Scientific Inquiry (Substantial)

Birds are an apparent and familiar part of our environments, whether hiking in a national forest or spending time in our own backyards. From pristine natural areas to the most urban settings, birds are ubiquitous and serve as sentinels for the health of the environment. Examining population trends and geographical distributions of birds can help us understand the impacts of urbanization, pollution and pesticides, climate change, and more. In this course, you will learn how distributions of birds inform scientists about environmental change and the impacts of change on the function of ecosystems. You will learn, firsthand through field excursions and exercises, to identify local bird species and how to conduct some basic field techniques for direct monitoring of birds. You will learn how scientists collect distribution data on birds using remote sensing and how citizen science has greatly advanced our ability to understand the distributions and movements of birds. You will also learn how scientists communicate their findings by reviewing scientific publications, which we will use as case studies of how birds in our landscape impact us and tell us about our environments.

FRNE 285 The Troubadours: Songs of Love, War, and Redemption
In-Person Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
French, Francophone, and Italian Studies
Professor Courtney Wells
Artistic Process (Partial)
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Substantial)

This course introduces students to the texts, music, and culture of the troubadours of medieval Southern France, Catalonia, and Italy—and their legacy as the inventors of love poetry in the vernacular. Performing their songs in the most powerful and vibrant cultural centers of medieval Europe, the troubadours sang the praises of their beloved, incited kings to war, accused the decadence and corruption of the ruling classes, and made the vernacular an accepted medium for religious expression. But who were the troubadours? In this class, students are introduced to the language, history, religion, geography, and culture of these poets. Through the study of printed texts, CD recordings, digital images of medieval manuscripts, and artistic representations, students will learn about the origins of the troubadour lyric as live musical performance, its later transformation into written text, and the troubadours' impact on other cultures and literary traditions.

GLS 101 Introduction to Global Studies: Alcohol
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Global Studies
Professor David Galloway
Social Inequality (Substantial)
Cultural Difference (Substantial)

For over nine thousand years human beings have produced alcoholic drinks in various forms. While some theories say our ancestors started to do so millions of years ago in a quest for calories, now alcohol is many things to many people: indispensable beverage, religious obligation or prohibition, sign of high or low culture, curse or blessing, and more. We will consider the historical, cultural, and political roles alcohol has played in multiple contexts as we engage the question of how this substance has both driven human development and also reflects the cultures which consume (or refuse to consume) it.

HIST 200 Quantitative Methods for Historians
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
History
Professor Sarah Whitten
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

Historians use big data sets and quantitative tools to understand the past especially in the fields of demography, economic history, and environmental history. This course provides an introduction to the quantitative tools used by historians including basic statistical methods, visual presentations of data sets, and regression analysis. Students will examine how this quantitative data is used make historical arguments as well as the limits of these methods. Lastly, students will explore how these tools and historical arguments are relevant to the contemporary world. Individual courses will investigate different topics, but all courses will have the same methodological approach.

INRL 180 Introduction to International Relations
In-Person Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
International Relations
Professor Vikash Yadav
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)
Ethical Judgement (Partial)

As a broad introduction to the study of international relations (IR), this course is designed to give students an understanding of the basic concepts of world politics, an appreciation of the evolution of the current state system, and a sampling of various approaches and theories of IR. Readings come from primary documents, as well as a standard text. The course is grounded in an awareness of current events. Students examine how the lens used to view the world shapes understanding of the world, its problems, and possible solutions. (Dunn and Yadav, offered every semester)

MDSC 100 Intro to Media and Society
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Media and Society
Professor Leah Shafer
Artistic Process (Partial)
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)

This course provides an introduction to various media and their modes, methods, and themes. We will explore the role of the media in shaping social consciousness, global economies, and material culture. Examples drawn from film, television, print media, and digital environments will be contextualized, analyzed, and theorized as crucial elements of our media culture. Students will gain an appreciation for the social, cultural, economic, and political influences of global communications while performing close readings of conventional media objects. Writing assignments, exams, and projects will help to cement insights gained through close investigation of films, TV shows, advertisements, video games, music videos, and more.

MDSC 130 Intro to Global Animation
In-Person Course
1:30 – 5 p.m.
Media and Society
Professor Iskandar Zulkarnain
Artistic Process (Substantial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)

This course will introduce students to the global culture of animation. Students will learn fundamental methods and approaches to analyze animation as an object and a culture through case studies and hands-on approaches. Overall, this course will help students to understand and appreciate the circulation of animation as a global media culture.

MDSC 309 Media Industries and Alternatives
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Media and Society
Professor Lisa Patti
Social Inequality (Substantial)
Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)
Ethical Judgment (Partial)

At the end of a film, television show, or other media text, a credit sequence may list hundreds of individuals and companies. What roles do they play? How do changing economic conditions, labor practices, federal and state policies, new technologies, and consumer habits influence their work? How do media industries affect us as consumers and citizens? This course analyzes multiple contemporary media industries in the US (including film, television, streaming, social media, gaming, journalism, and marketing) and their points of intersection. We explore the impact of digitization, globalization, and corporate consolidation on the production, promotion, distribution, and reception of media, examining the roles of various institutions (including studios, networks, publishers, platforms, and unions) and individuals (including executives, directors, writers, publicists, agents, critics, and activists). Our case studies, drawn from recent and emerging media trends and issues, focus on the social inequalities generated, sustained, or challenged by the media industries. Students collect and analyze data that reflect current patterns of representation in the media industries and draft original policy proposals in response. Throughout the semester, we learn from alumni working in the media industries who share their perspectives during visits to our classes.

PSY 201 Statistics
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Psychological Science
Professor Michelle Rizzella
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
Scientific Inquiry (Partial)

A survey of basic procedures for the analysis of psychological data. Topics in this course include basic univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics; hypothesis testing; and a variety of analyses used to examine data of single group, between group, within group, and factorial designs.

SOC 212 Data Analysis
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sociology, Data Analytics
Professor Kendra Freeman
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

This course provides an introduction to the organization and analysis of data in the process of social research. Presentation of data in tabular and graphic forms, the use of elementary descriptive and inferential statistics, and the use of bivariate and multivariate analytic procedures in the analysis of data are examined. This course includes a laboratory experience in the use of computing software to display data and test hypotheses. The course is ultimately intended to prepare students for original research efforts and to help them become more sophisticated consumers of the literature of the social sciences today.

WRRH 313 Sports Media Seminar
Online Course
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Writing and Rhetoric
Professor Ben Ristow
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)

Sports media has converged over the last century from print journalism to a host of evolving new media, including podcasts, documentary film, and now, social, and interactive media. Athletes are not passive spectators to the narratives that construct them, and the course discusses how they take political or social justice stances, argue for fair labor conditions, and advocate for themselves and others on multiple platforms. Sports media is a lucrative, global enterprise, and this seminar analyzes the way that sports are represented, distributed, and consumed in our contemporary moment in the U.S. Students read, write, view, and produce essays and scripts in multimedia forms, and they learn about careers in journalism, sports communication, television/film production, & audio production.