Courses

Wild things happen when we place one foot in front of the other. Strangers meet, kingdoms fall, and lives are changed. The history of humankind is a history of wanderlust, that particularly human propensity to wonder what’s on the other side of the horizon and determine to find out, come what may. It’s the basic stuff of everything from Biblical adventures to horror movies. In this course we will consider the world-changing power of the simple act of walking, of hopping on a bike, taking a road trip, or traversing a border. We will follow the footpaths of epic heroes, medieval pilgrims, and shipwrecked conquistadors, and march in metaphorical step with political revolutionaries, bereft mothers, and desperate immigrants. We will read, we will write, and, yes, we too will walk. And we will reflect on the art and the politics of those walks, on the apparently endless capacity of human movement across space to change lives and change the world. Building on weekly communication exercises (writing, speaking, etc.), this “workshop” seminar will culminate in a significant project in wandering via writing and/or media.

Never before has language changed at such a dizzying pace than in the age of the internet, with new slang and jargon emerging each day alongside innovative uses of punctuation and emojis. The feverish speed of this change provides a fascinating laboratory for the study of language variation, which will serve as the focus of this class. Throughout the semester, students will analyze the patterns that govern linguistic forms on the internet and compare online language to the way we speak and behave irl.

Have you ever thought how many situations in real life have to do with language? From chatting with friends to writing legal documents, from learning to say our first word as babies to improving voice recognition technology for a tech company, from diagnosing a patient during a visit to the doctor’s to examining linguistic evidence while solving crime, the list is endless... A lot of what people do in their private and professional lives has to do with language. Addressing language-related problems/issues in the real world is a complex and dynamic task that requires not only knowledge about what language is and how it works, but also the use of interdisciplinary knowledge and resources. This course will introduce students to the study of language and will explore language problems that arise in different areas of society, including professional and institutional settings where students currently participate or will take part in one day through the exercise of their profession. The course will end with a project where students will be able to investigate a language-related problem of their interest, explore what the latest research says in relation to that problem, and come up with possible ways of addressing it.

Anime is a great resource to introduce the Japanese people's way of living, cultural products, customs, and perspectives. Students will learn the Japanese culture and expand their knowledge about Japanese society, for instance, education system, business culture, family values, food culture, communication style, history, geography, mythology, that are depicted in their favorite Anime. In the first half of the semester, students engage in cross-cultural analysis, group discussion, and reflection to expand their knowledge about Japanese culture. In the second half of the semester, students work collaboratively with a group to host a series of Anime movie nights to showcase their knowledge to the UTSA audience and develop their digital literacy.

Reforesting Ideas departs from the consideration of plants as compelling living beings to open-up philosophical explorations. We will tackle the work of contemporary thinkers who are trying to foreground the importance of plants in the sustenance of our planet. In an age of rapid environmental degradation and the loss of natural environments, the readings, materials, and explorations of this class seek to reframe long standing understandings of plants as passive and silent beings. Together, we will try to reimagine our entanglements with the vegetal world and the cultural approach to our green co-habitants. The class will integrate contemporary theoretical readings on Plant Studies with digital resources from various libraries and collections, rare and unique materials from the UTSA Library special collections, and other primary and secondary literary and visual sources to engage in interactive vegetal explorations.

How have the myths, images, and memories of Texas history aligned with the lived reality of the state’s diverse residents? Students will explore the state’s long history of ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity to create new historical interpretations of Texas. The course topics include cultural geography, the contributions of ethnic minorities and women, the Republic of Texas, statehood, Civil War, Reconstruction, immigration, conservatism, post-World War II growth, industrialization, and civil rights. Through research with primary sources and material objects at UTSA’s Institute of Texan Cultures and Special Collections Library, students will obtain a hands-on experience about the historians’ craft. Students will use these collections to create digital content, including visual timelines, digital mapping projects, and podcasts. Combining digital humanities and public history, students will engage with innovative projects to learn about the complex and rich cultures that are missing from the state’s popular images and myths.

This course involves the analysis of Texas government institutions, political behavior, civic engagement and their political and philosophical foundations. Topics may include discussions of the Texas and U.S. Constitutions; the role of state in the federal system; the diverse demographic, economic, and cultural bases of state politics; elections, interest groups, and elites; and legislative, executive, judicial, urban, and county politics. Considerable time is devoted to thinking about how these components fit together, and how they shape the nature and importance of citizenship and civic engagement in Texas. May be applied toward the Core Curriculum requirement in Government-Political Science.

What is your responsibility as a future health professional? As the global and national needs of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact our lives, public health remains at the forefront of championing for the public’s health and well-being. This course is a survey of the profession of public health and the competencies required of health educators, including examination of philosophies, ethics and current trends. Students will explore the scope of community and public health as we cover the five major content areas of public health. Through class discussions (both virtually and in-person), students will engage with one another to examine critical issues in community and public health, such as current trends, case studies, and/or research topics related to health disparities. As a final project, students will produce a public health campaign around a public health issue/population.

Prerequisite: WRC 1013. Building on the skills introduced in Freshman Composition I, Freshman Composition II focuses on persuasive communication and critical thinking. The course provides intensive writing practice in developing argumentative claims, addressing logical fallacies, and understanding bias and assumptions to help students write clear and effective arguments. Students will further develop the ability to communicate with professional and academic audiences through written, oral, and visual methods by means of individual and team projects. Freshman Composition II continues to develop quantitative literacy skills and to promote ethical decision-making through responsible methods of data analysis and research. The course develops students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources in order to create source-based arguments. The course also encourages students to think critically through self-reflection. Students may enroll in a discipline-specific section of the course, such as business, communication (documentaries or internet arguments), environmental issues, quantitative literacy, science/pseudoscience, or social sciences. This course, or an equivalent, is required to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement in Communication.

Prerequisite: WRC 1013. Building on the skills introduced in Freshman Composition I, Freshman Composition II focuses on persuasive communication and critical thinking. The course provides intensive writing practice in developing argumentative claims, addressing logical fallacies, and understanding bias and assumptions to help students write clear and effective arguments. Students will further develop the ability to communicate with professional and academic audiences through written, oral, and visual methods by means of individual and team projects. Freshman Composition II continues to develop quantitative literacy skills and to promote ethical decision-making through responsible methods of data analysis and research. The course develops students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources in order to create source-based arguments. The course also encourages students to think critically through self-reflection. Students may enroll in a discipline-specific section of the course, such as business, communication (documentaries or internet arguments), environmental issues, quantitative literacy, science/pseudoscience, or social sciences. This course, or an equivalent, is required to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement in Communication.

Prerequisite: WRC 1013. Building on the skills introduced in Freshman Composition I, Freshman Composition II focuses on persuasive communication and critical thinking. The course provides intensive writing practice in developing argumentative claims, addressing logical fallacies, and understanding bias and assumptions to help students write clear and effective arguments. Students will further develop the ability to communicate with professional and academic audiences through written, oral, and visual methods by means of individual and team projects. Freshman Composition II continues to develop quantitative literacy skills and to promote ethical decision-making through responsible methods of data analysis and research. The course develops students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources in order to create source-based arguments. The course also encourages students to think critically through self-reflection. Students may enroll in a discipline-specific section of the course, such as business, communication (documentaries or internet arguments), environmental issues, quantitative literacy, science/pseudoscience, or social sciences. This course, or an equivalent, is required to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement in Communication.

Prerequisite: WRC 1013. Building on the skills introduced in Freshman Composition I, Freshman Composition II focuses on persuasive communication and critical thinking. The course provides intensive writing practice in developing argumentative claims, addressing logical fallacies, and understanding bias and assumptions to help students write clear and effective arguments. Students will further develop the ability to communicate with professional and academic audiences through written, oral, and visual methods by means of individual and team projects. Freshman Composition II continues to develop quantitative literacy skills and to promote ethical decision-making through responsible methods of data analysis and research. The course develops students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources in order to create source-based arguments. The course also encourages students to think critically through self-reflection. Students may enroll in a discipline-specific section of the course, such as business, communication (documentaries or internet arguments), environmental issues, quantitative literacy, science/pseudoscience, or social sciences. This course, or an equivalent, is required to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement in Communication.

Prerequisite: WRC 1013. Building on the skills introduced in Freshman Composition I, Freshman Composition II focuses on persuasive communication and critical thinking. The course provides intensive writing practice in developing argumentative claims, addressing logical fallacies, and understanding bias and assumptions to help students write clear and effective arguments. Students will further develop the ability to communicate with professional and academic audiences through written, oral, and visual methods by means of individual and team projects. Freshman Composition II continues to develop quantitative literacy skills and to promote ethical decision-making through responsible methods of data analysis and research. The course develops students’ critical thinking skills through the analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary sources in order to create source-based arguments. The course also encourages students to think critically through self-reflection. Students may enroll in a discipline-specific section of the course, such as business, communication (documentaries or internet arguments), environmental issues, quantitative literacy, science/pseudoscience, or social sciences. This course, or an equivalent, is required to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement in Communication.

As residents battle over mask mandates, election results, and racial equity it often feels as though our civic life in the U.S. has devolved into a shouting match. How has this social discord impacted our ability to respond to crises and solve problems? The class will compare civic engagement in our community with those in other countries. Students explore our role as citizens in a democracy, observe how local residents advocate on policy issues, and complete a local service project. During the second half of the semester students will participate in a virtual international exchange program that convenes small groups of students from around the world to share perspectives on global issues and develop skills in communication and conflict resolution. Students collaborate on a series of short video interviews featuring local community members. As a final project, the UTSA class will convene a campus conversation on how we can use the Soliya model to bridge divides in our own community.

Who holds power in our society? Who makes the rules, and who is above the law? This course will explore the variety of ways power, both formal and informal, impacts people every day. Using a variety of theoretical lenses, we will explore how power affects people differently based on race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, and sex. Students will design a virtual museum exhibit that explores the origins, history, and contemporary impact of 'redlining' in San Antonio.

The future of medicine and dentistry requires an innovative and bold approach to dissect the ever-changing application process. This professional development course will focus on strategies to become a more competitive applicant to gain admission to medical and dental schools. The topics for this course include: Developing strong analytical skills Strategies for MCAT/DAT preparation Crafting a strong Personal Statement Preparation for Medical/Dental school interview including conducting mock interviews Compiling Letters of Recommendation Completing the Medical/Dental application and video sketches Discussions about Medical/Dental school matching Discussions on Medical/Dental school educational financing Strategies and discussions on Medical/Dental academic success The course will also include a grand debate in which the students will prepare arguments in support of using either augmented reality or a hands-on laboratory teaching modality for Gross Anatomy instruction. The course will culminate in the students developing a professional portfolio, which includes a final iteration of their personal statement, letters of recommendation, headshots, videosketches, and a completed application that can be used for their eventual application. Prerequisites: Honors College students who are declared pre-medical and pre-dental students. Instructor permission required: email Dr. Hernandez. This course counts as a Professional Development Experience in the Honors College curriculum.

In Sustainable Public Spaces adapts an interdisciplinary lens to explore the creation of socially sustainable urban public spaces around the globe. Travelling from Tehran to Tokyo, we identify and appreciate various relations to making socially sustainable cities and community-powered public spaces. Experiencing public spaces around the town firsthand, we explore, examine, and evaluate the fundamental elements that bring such places to life.

Why do certain culinary smells instantly remind us of home? Why do certain cultures take pride in eating food that tastes bad? Why is Thanksgiving not really Thanksgiving without turkey? Why do so many Americans spend more time watching shows about food than actually cooking? Every aspect of food--what we eat (and don’t), how much we eat, when we eat, how often we eat, how we eat (hands, chopsticks, utensils)--offers clues about our social, political, economic, and cultural identity, and the goal of this class is to understand the many meanings of food and the act of eating in contemporary society. This course uses sociological and anthropological texts to unravel the rich cultural meaning of food in America while simultaneously immersing students in the food culture of San Antonio. Specific topics include the economics of grocery stores and restaurants, cultural perceptions of nutrition and health, foodie culture and social privilege, the rise of celebrity chefs, and sustainability. Each week, the instructors will choose a food that represents that week’s topic, so don’t forget to bring a napkin (just kidding, we will provide napkins)!

This course will focus on building students’ skills and capacity for coaching for individual academic performance and accomplishment. They will learn the GROW and FACTS model of coaching and will do so within the context of real world coaching. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have the opportunity to apply to work as Peer Coaches in the UTSA Honors College. This course counts as a Skill Development Experience in the Honors College curriculum.

This course will focus on building students’ skills and capacity for coaching for individual academic performance and accomplishment. They will learn the GROW and FACTS model of coaching and will do so within the context of real world coaching. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have the opportunity to apply to work as Peer Coaches in the UTSA Honors College. This course counts as a Skill Development Experience in the Honors College curriculum.

This class will transform your relationship with rivers and with the communities they nurture by introducing you to canoeing and guiding you through the making of your own wooden paddle. These skill building challenges will be approached in the classroom, the workshop and on the river, as ways of situated learning about ourselves and our world. We will explore the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River and surrounding urban landscape experientially from the water level perspective of our canoe seats as well as from anthropocentric and biocentric perspectives of ecosystem services and deep ecology.

Want to make music on your phone? Smartphones and tablets offer high-quality versions of all the tools needed to make professional-sounding audio productions: microphones, analog-to-digital converters, and sound editing software (DAW’s). Increasingly, album releases are being created by artists who produce their music exclusively using handheld devices. Filtered through the lens of these recent technological and sociological shifts, this course presents a primer to audio production. Students will use their smartphones and/or tablets to experiment with sound, create banks of audio samples, and—over the course of several original productions—gain a familiarity with audio editing applications and the MIDI musical coding protocol. This course is designed for musicians and sound producers of any level of experience, including beginners.

Have you ever wondered why your family members have the same fight over holiday dinners every year? Or why your mom gives such sage advice that really resonates with you? In this Family Communication course, you will have the opportunity to ponder these questions throughout the semester. Specifically, we will dive into what makes a family, we will learn about how different subsets of a family communicate (i.e. sibling relationship, parent to child relationship, and parent to parent relationship), we will go over some common stressors for families and ways to overcome them, and finally, we will end the semester with how to improve family health and well-being. In this course, you will be encouraged to analyze your communication with your own families and ways it can be improved. We will also research current trends in Family Communication research and share it via our class podcast! Who knows, you may be able to answer that burning question of why your uncle is so crazy!

With origins in the indigenous world and the epic reverberations of the Conquest of Mexico, and later being annexed by the United States, this seminar will explore the myriad narratives of Texas as a fraught and often violent saga of human becoming that is still unfolding. Using diverse literary, historical, cultural, artistic and media sources we will delve into the ways the stories of Texas have embodied the struggles of Indigenous, Mestizo, Anglo, African American and Asian American men and women to attain a more equitable and just present and future. Students will participate in the production of a series of podcasts on seminar-related topics, in collaboration with the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures.

Using the legendary character of Jean-Luc Picard from Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek series, we will explore the implications and consequences of major leadership decisions. Looking through the lens of a fictional character in a futuristic universe, you will examine current, real-world decisions and decide for yourself: What would Picard do? As part of this leadership skill development course, you will create a portfolio of your personal leadership experiences and philosophy while engaging in a leadership experience designed just for you.

Between your ears is 3 pounds of matter that makes you what you are. It contains your hopes and dreams and fears, your good and evil, your interests and dislikes. All animals on the planet have a brain but they seem to do a lot less with theirs. What do we have in common with octopods, antelopes and bonobos and what changed to give us so much more capability (and worries)? Where does happiness come from and is it really something to strive for? Do we reason or does emotion run our lives? We will explore these questions and the problems and triumphs of our hodgepodge brain as we learn about how we think and function in society.

The USA has about 5% of the world’s population but almost 25% of the world’s prison population. This course will examine the ways in which the US prison system challenges our moral imagination. What moral challenges are posed by mass incarceration? How do we imagine criminality and appropriate responses to harms? What affect has criminalization and mass incarceration had on our understanding of the humanity of those impacted by it? We will read texts that grapple with these issues and look for creative ways to address and redress social harms. This course also includes an experiential component: Students in this class will participate in the UTSA Philosophy and Literature Circle alongside scholars inside the Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio, TX. During COVID, this will involve following a distance-learning schedule of reading and writing assignments as part of a collaborative study community that includes incarcerated scholars and your fellow Moral Imagination and US Incarceration students. This course counts as an Interdisciplinary Seminar Experience in the Honors College curriculum.

The 20th century arguably saw the most revolutionary developments in all of the history of science. Newton’s world of absolute space and time was replaced with the radical new universe of Einstein and his mind-bending theory of relativity. Just as the scientific community was collectively beginning to wrap its head around these new concepts of space and time, the quantum revolution exploded onto the scene. The lessons of these golden years of physics challenged (and continue to challenge) our most fundamental assumptions of empirical science and of the very nature of reality. This revolution was not restricted to physics; the 20th century also saw enormous leaps in the life sciences. At mid century, the identity of life’s inheritable material, much less its physical structure, was unknown. By the end of just a few decades, DNA had been discovered and its genetic code had been cracked. By the year 2000, the stage was set for an era that would give us the Human Genome Project, Dolly the sheep, and the ability to engineer the first ‘life forms’ in a lab. The 20th century also saw Darwin’s theory revised and re-packaged into the ‘Modern Synthesis’. While this paradigm served as evolutionary doctrine for decades, the latter part of the 20th century saw the beginning of yet another radical revolution, now ongoing, in the modern evolutionary theory. None of these tectonic shifts in our understanding of the universe occurred in a vacuum. Each development came with ripples through society, ultimately shaping many of our deepest held beliefs about ourselves, the nature of reality, and our relationship to it. Without precedence, the 20th century was unique in its influence to shape nearly every aspect of society and the human condition. This course will cover these remarkable developments in 20th century science. In addition to the actual science behind them, we will explore the social, ethical, and philosophical issues raised during this century of discovery. Although we will often look to primary sources (actual scientific reports published), an in-depth scientific background will not be needed for this course.

Prerequisite: BIO 2313 and BIO 3013. Advanced concepts of human disease, diagnosis, and underlying pathology.