First-Year Program Fall Course Descriptions

Courses offered in "Changing the World: Justice & Advocacy" consider ways that change, rebellion, dissent, leadership, and other movements can promote equity in our world.

The Continued Relevance of Race in Higher Education (B. Yang)

This course will explore the topic of race in higher education – past and present. Students will start the semester with the end of the Civil War and slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and several notable legal cases challenging aspects of the "Separate but Equal" doctrine, leading to Brown v. Board of 1954. Following this is an examination of race related policies including the Morrill Land Grant Act, GI Bill, and Affirmative Action, and the more recent DEI pushbacks and bans across the state and federal levels. Students will also explore the area of scientific racism, and learn about how these beliefs continue to impact policies and perceptions of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Lastly, students will learn about critical race theory, White Privilege, White Fragility, anti-racism, and the racial experiences of students and professionals the higher education setting.

Creative Resistance: Art, Activism, and Social Change (S. Ganapathy)

Symbolic communication is a central aspect of the human condition. People have long used art and music as expressive forms to process, make sense of and communicate their lived experiences. But art and music also have transformative properties. In this class, we will examine the way creative practices have been an integral aspect of social movements – not only as a medium of social commentary and critique, but also a vehicle for social transformations.

The Diplomat’s Playbook: Strategy, Conflict, and Cooperation in International Relations (M. Kartal)

Have you ever wondered what it takes to navigate a diplomatic crisis or negotiate a peace treaty? In this course, we will explore the art and logic of diplomacy—how states, leaders, and international actors engage in strategic decision-making to resolve conflicts, build alliances, and advance their interests. Diplomacy is not just for world leaders; its core skills—teamwork, negotiation, public speaking, and decision-making under pressure—are essential in many professional fields, including business, law, and politics, as well as in everyday life.

Through interactive role-playing games and case studies of recent events in world politics, we will step into the shoes of diplomats, world leaders, and negotiators to tackle some of the most pressing global challenges, such as war and peace, terrorism, economic crises, democracy, human rights, migration, and climate change. These hands-on exercises will provide opportunities to refine your ability to persuade, compromise, and strategize when faced with uncertainty.

No prior knowledge of international relations is required—only a curiosity about global affairs and a willingness to engage in debate, problem-solving, and collaborative decision-making. The course will allow you to build a practical skill set that will not only serve you during your time at St. Lawrence but will also be invaluable in your professional and personal life.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sport (C. Young)

Sport is a centric aspect of American culture. But have you ever considered the impact of sport beyond the playing field? This course expands on sport beyond the Xs and Os of the game, taking an interdisciplinary approach to the complexities of sport.

Throughout this course, students will explore the impact of sport in society, looking at how sport influences many complex issues within our society, including gender, socioeconomic status, and other prominent social issues. This course will also outline the business of the sport industry, again exploring many issues current sports governing bodies must navigate to continue their operations.

Courses offered in "The Intentional Life: Interconnectedness & Wellness" seek out practices, discussions, and ways of being intentionally connected to one another in our daily lives through our work and our play.

Community By Design (E. Twedt)

Arriving in a new place can be exciting and intimidating. What is it about different places that make them more comfortable than others? Using foundational theories of place and place-making, community engagement, and environmental psychology, students will investigate the features of different spaces and places that promote and impede community-building. We will use our SLU environment to critically examine how various spaces on campus, and in the broader Canton community, are designed to encourage social inclusion, engagement, and person-environment relationships.

Live Green (S. Ashpole)

The pursuit of sustainability has generated lifestyle changes for individuals across the globe. What does it mean to live sustainably in our society? Is it recycling, reducing our waste, choosing a metal straw, buying local organic food, eating less meat, or opting for a homemade deodorant? What really makes a difference locally and globally? This course aims at helping you achieve a more sustainable existence by discovering what can really make a difference and how to get the most out of life by living more intentionally and considering your impact. However, sustainability goes beyond controlling our consumption and lifestyle. There are key social, political, and economic areas that need to be addressed as well, and there are several steps that individuals can take to help in these areas. Live Green explores the basics of social ecological resiliency, drawing on non-fiction literature, scientific papers, and practical steps that make can make a difference. Assignments include developing one’s own evidence-based guide to living green, a thematic research project, a current issue presentation, and a conceptual diagram. Live Green fosters career development, purpose, and inspiration.

Mindscape (M. Denaci)

Dive into the intricate dance between the psyche and artistic expression! This pioneering course invites you on a journey through the realms of psychoanalysis and art, exploring how the depths of the human mind shape and are reflected in various forms of creative expression. From the canvas to the big screen, sculpture to digital media, uncover the psychological underpinnings that drive creativity and influence perception. Through lectures, film screenings, creative workshops, and critical discussions, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how psychoanalytic thought shapes and is shaped by artistic expression across different cultures and eras. Whether you're an aspiring artist, psychoanalyst, or simply curious about the human mind's complexities, join us to discover how art and psychoanalysis can offer profound insights into consciousness and culture.

An Outdoor State of Mind + required pre-trip (A. Carpenter)

Why do many of us seek out the natural world as a place to play, experience adventure, relieve stress, and rest our minds?  What is it about spending time and engaging in physical activity in the outdoors that seems to attract and heal many of us? In this college, we will explore different narratives of the outdoor experience and different ways to engage with nature. We will think about these topics from an individual, community, and global scale and will do this through hands-on experience, reading, writing, and reflection.   

As part of our inquiry, we will critically examine our own experiences in nature, and practice basic skills needed to safely and responsibly recreate in nature.  Prior experience with outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and paddling are not required; anyone with an interest in the outdoors, and a willingness to safely step outside their comfort zone, will do well in this college. Students will spend time doing outdoor activities on a regular basis.

All members of this FYP will participate in the Adirondack Adventure Outdoor Pre-Orientation trip in August before matriculation and one full weekend wilderness trip during the semester.

Note that practices and games for fall sports and International Student Orientation will conflict with the pre-orientation trips and possibly the weekend trip for this course. Otherwise, any incoming student, of any skill level, is eligible to participate. 

Learn more about the North Country pre-orientation trips. 

Questions? Contact the Outdoor Program at 315-229-5015 or outdoorprogram@stlawu.edu.

Say What? Let’s Talk: Listening & Speaking Across Difference (E. Oey)

Have you ever wondered, “Did that person just say that?”? Have you ever been caught off-guard by a comment and didn’t know how to respond? Have you ever felt that someone just didn’t understand where you were coming from? In this course, students explore their personal and social identities and examine how these identities shape their perspectives and life experiences. Through class exercises and practices drawn from Restorative Justice (RJ), mediation, and a process called Intergroup Dialogue (IGD), students deepen their skills to listen actively, see issues from multiple perspectives, and hold judgement “softly” as they build bridges across differences. Students use these deliberative dialogues to critically reflect on diversity, illuminate learned biases, and broaden their abilities to meaningfully engage in difficult conversations with family, friends, and the wider community.

Trespassing Through Gardens (R. Bara Sturges)

Trespassing through the side lots and backyards of childhood, we may have encountered gardens—well-tended rows of vegetables, or long-abandoned flowers that still might bloom among the weeds, or a seemingly wild landscape that nevertheless hinted at some effort of arrangement. In this course, we’ll explore themes of environmental aesthetics, conservation, and the management of nature. We’ll read Michael Pollan’s "Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education" and a selection of essays, stories, and poems. And, as we tour an extension farm, agricultural lands reclaimed as meadow and woodland, and the wildflower-filled no-mow zones around the Johnson Hall of Science, we will examine how choices made about the landscape in the past shape what we see today. We will strive to build a community of peers who share similar interests in environmental justice and the natural world.

What Is the University For? (H. Eissenstat)

Is going to university “worth it”?  And if so why?  What should we – as individuals and as a society –expect of our universities and of the university experience?  These are not idle questions.  Students and their families invest money, time, and not a little emotion in the process of getting into “the right school” and “the right major.”  We expect universities to be places of learning, of research, of personal growth, and a path to economic success.  Liberals and progressives have often envisioned universities as engines of social change and social justice.  Conservatives worry that these same goals are code for indoctrination.  As you enter university, what better time to take these questions head on, to think about what the goals of your university should be and, indeed, what your goals and priorities should be while you are here.  You are in university now.  What does that mean?  What should it mean?

Wild Story, Sacred Play: Reconnecting Through Nature and Ritual (R. Eckert)

Before there were stages, there were firesides, forests, and open skies. In this course, students reconnect with the primal roots of theatre as a communal, nature-bound act. Drawing from ritual theatre, outdoor performance traditions, and nature-based practices like forest bathing and journaling, students will explore how play and performance can deepen our relationship with the more-than-human world. The course includes improvisational storytelling sessions, collective rituals, and outdoor movement practice. 

Courses in "Figuring it Out: Purpose, Problems & Solutions" engage students in probing problems or purpose to understand solutions and why some are more readily solved than others.

“The Devil Made Me Do It”: Religion in True Crime (D. Berry)

In this FYP we will hone our analytical and communication skills through engaging various media sources on the topic of religion in true crime. A significant portion of the class will be designed to address how one reads and comments on primary, secondary, popular, and scholarly sources in an academic context. This is meant to coach you on the basic skills one needs to thrive in the college environment and that will benefit you greatly regardless of your path after graduation. The first section of the course will be dedicated to defining "religion" in legal and academic contexts and true crime as a genre, including its history and more recent representations. The second section of the course will be dedicated to specific case studies to help us consider source materials in the genre, while the final section of the course will allow students to pick a case study that interests them to exercise the skills developed in the course. There are no exams, but there will be smaller writing assignments throughout. You will also be assessed on class participation and engagement in class discussion.

Kill Your Darlings: Crafting Dark & Compelling Narratives (R. Jewell)

With serial killer celebrities, murder mystery podcasting sleuths, and widespread true crime obsession, clearly Americans are fascinated by narratives of murder, revenge, and justice. What makes these stories so compelling? And, as scholars working in psychology, sociology, and media studies continue to question, is our compulsion toward these dark visions of justice healthy? In this course, we will examine our cultural attraction to vigilante justice and dissect the art of writing vigilantes and anti-heroes. Beginning our exploration of the topic with the gothic notion of the ‘other’ in works by Poe and Hawthorne, we will then move to the non-fiction narrative of America’s first serial killer, H. H. Holmes, in The Devil in the White City. Finally, we will examine the popularity of contemporary antiheroes, such as “America’s favorite serial-killer” Dexter Morgan. In addition to analytical assignments, students will write creatively to construct their own vigilante or antihero narrative.

Narrative Medicine (S. Lee)

How do doctors utilize literary methods like “narrative analysis” and “close reading” in their diagnostic practices?  How might literary descriptions of pain, disability, and vulnerability sensitize the physician and instill empathy and compassion as parts of professional competency? How might characterological constructions of different bodies and psychic states expand our understanding of the human condition? Can creative writing really be a medical instrument, as Dr. Jay Baruch argues? How do you “honor” the stories of illness, as Dr. Rita Charon suggests?  We will explore topics like patient perspective, historically shifting meanings of illness, structural racism in medical practice, stigma and social norms, healthcare activism, and media representations of health and wellness by analyzing literature, film, and critical essays. Students will also participate in weekly “narrative medicine workshops” to practice skills in observation, evaluation, and storytelling. Lastly, students will reflect on the forms and genres of contemporary medical writing to try their hand at it.

“So It Goes”: The Satirical Worlds of Kurt Vonnegut (G. Repicky)

Technological overreach, economic inequality, and the absurdity of human institutions, are key themes throughout the works of Kurt Vonnegut. This course explores the enduring relevance of Vonnegut’s social satire through an in-depth study of three of his lesser known (but perhaps most important) novels: Player Piano, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and Cat’s Cradle. Students will engage in discussions, critical analyses, and research projects that will discover if parallels between Vonnegut’s dystopian visions and today’s contemporary issues in politics, media, and global affairs are still relevant… and if his darkly comedic warnings continue to resonate in the modern world. “Hi ho!”

Courses in "Human Invention: Knowledge, Practice & Action" focus on understanding the how and the why, but ultimately end up practicing the “doing."

Book Arts (M. Schulenberg)

Artist’s books are works of art that are made real in the form of a book. This FYP will examine the interplay between words and images as well as the sequential movement from page to page that this form offers. Students will explore how both original and appropriated texts and images are juxtaposed to create meaning. A variety of binding techniques and formats will be presented. We will look at numerous examples of artists books from the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery and Special Collections. Creative writing and image development will be emphasized in the course with revision and multiple drafts required for projects. This course will include studio projects as well formal written/research projects.

Fast Fashion and Consumerism…And What We Can Do About Them (A. Rife & T. Cooper)

In an era of fast fashion, clothing hauls, influencers, and micro-trends, continuous consumption has become a normal practice. In this class, we will explore the role of consumer culture in the fashion industry, focusing on the tricks, flourishes, and lies that companies use to influence people to keep buying. But, more importantly, we will explore ways that we can contribute to a more sustainable approach to fashion on an individual and global scale. With a focus on anti-consumption, you will learn practice-based skills in hand and machine sewing to begin exploring up-cycling and re-purposing existing clothing. Additionally, you’ll learn how to use your voice to challenge our contemporary consumer culture.

Forgotten Flu: The 1918 Pandemic (L. Lutz)

The pandemic rushed across the world like a rain of fire--sudden, striking its victims inexplicably and indiscriminately. Through it all, people continued living their lives and fighting their world war, never sure who would come out on top: the home front, the enemy, or the virus itself. What was this disease and how was it regarded at the time? Where do we find evidence of it in contemporary writings? How has it driven scientific research over the past century? Did we learn anything at all from the 1918 flu?

How to Human: Life Lessons from Anthropology with CBL (A. Harr)

You are part of a human story that is bigger and stranger than any one person can imagine. Anthropology seeks to piece that story together through the study of all human experiences in all times and places. In this class, we'll explore what anthropology can tell us about living a purposeful life in a complex and ever-changing world. Our semester will be structured around a series of challenges designed to deepen your understanding of what it means to be human. For example, you might strike up a meaningful conversation with a stranger in order to examine social connection or temporarily give up a piece of technology to reflect on how it affects your everyday experiences. These activities will push you to think critically about the forces that shape human existence—both your own and those of others.

As a Community-Based Learning (CBL) course, this class extends beyond the campus. Each week, you'll spend approximately two hours outside of class time embedded with an organization around St. Lawrence University. You might work alongside an off-the-grid farmer, mentor middle-schoolers, or help care for cats at a shelter. These hands-on experiences will allow you to hone skills of anthropological observation and reflection while forging connections with the people around you. If this sounds like your kind of challenge, join us to discover more of your purpose and your place in the grand human story–and start writing its next chapter.

Medicines & Maladies: Past, Present, and Future (S. Tartakoff & S. Tartakoff)

For as long as people have suffered from sickness, they have searched for cures – substances that could relieve their symptoms and improve their quality of life. The quest to understand diseases and to find effective medicines has shaped modern science and has altered the course of history. This class will take you on a tour through history, from the naturally-occurring cinchona alkaloids, which have cured millions from malaria but also enabled colonial exploitation, through the first antibiotics, found on a World War II battlefield, up to the modern pharmaceutical industry, with increasingly effective treatments but equally problematic pricing and business practices. Using readings and films – historical case-studies and modern examples – we will look at the entire process by which medicines are discovered, tested, approved, produced, and distributed. In the process, we will also examine important big-picture questions about global healthcare, including business ethics, access to life-saving medicines, and the different roles government policies play in this process. This course will use writing assignments, group discussions, and oral presentations to help you develop more effective communication skills, whether you are most interested in health, science, or the power of real-world story-telling.

Your Inner Fish (A. Schreiber)

How and why did humans evolve to be the way we are, and what are the implications of our evolved anatomy and physiology for human health in a post-industrial world? Why do we get sick, and how can we use principles of evolution to improve health and wellbeing? To address these questions, this class explores how the genetic and anatomical legacy of fish, reptiles, and other ancestral organisms can be seen today in human anatomy and DNA, including genes involved in the development of our hands, limbs, heart, brain, and many other organs. The class is designed for prospective biology majors who are interested in learning about the exciting field of evolutionary developmental biology, and its implications to human health and disease.

What is CBL?

This course includes an experiential learning component known as Community-Based Learning (CBL). The community-based experience is a required, weekly component for all students in the course, and serves to expand the walls of the classroom to include the community beyond SLU. Students in CBL courses actively engage in their learning by spending two hours a week outside of class time in a placement with one of our community partners. Students then bring their experiences back into the classroom to connect with course content. The CBL office facilitates and manages the entire placement process for students. Please note: Unless specified, travel time to and from the site is not included and is moderate for placements beyond the Canton community. Students do not need a vehicle to participate in CBL classes.

Courses in "New Horizons: Global & Historical Conversations" invite students to investigate a culture, time, space, and/or place different than St. Lawrence University in the contemporary time.

America and the World in the 20th and 21st Centuries (K. Schonberg)

This course will examine the role of the United States in world affairs from the 20th century to the present in order to understand both the causes of historical events and context for current issues in international relations. The class will focus on the interplay of social, political, economic, military, humanitarian, and other factors in shaping American foreign policy over time, and encourage students to start to think about the impact they may want to have on the world in their lives. By considering how shared social ideas about self and other, friend and enemy, and threat and opportunity, have evolved in US political culture and shaped America's world role, students will develop skills to think critically about these processes as global citizens and scholars, and about their own individual identities, principles, and potential in the world. 

Coldest Cold War Flicks (J. Jockel & J. Sieja)

This course will examine the earliest and coldest days of the Cold War, a period extending from the end of World War II in 1945 to the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963, through a sampling of historical texts and American movies made during that time. Movies are often more than just mindless escapism: the stories and texts continually recast by our culture not only entertain but also can provide a window into who we are, and were. We will look at how the motion pictures of the day reflected the major preoccupations of the early Cold War era, chief among them dealing with nuclear weapons, responding to the Soviet communist threat and undertaking America’s new responsibilities abroad, as well as enjoying prosperity and mobility at home in the new suburbs while spawning a generation that eventually would be called the “boomers.” Over the course of the semester, you will watch one film every weekend and write a short paper about a theme related to it. Films range from midcentury noir and family melodramas to science fiction and Oscar winners. The class is almost entirely discussion-based, so come ready to contribute!

A Global History of Love (M. Carpenter)

Romantic love is an intense human experience. But is it a universal one? Do all humans strive to attain and maintain romantic love in their relationships? Or are there cultures in which different kinds of love are more valued, such as love of ones family and friends? Beliefs about the purpose and value of love have varied greatly over time and across cultures. This interdisciplinary course borrows from psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, philosophy, economics, and gender and feminist studies to examine who, how, and why we love.

Identity and Belonging in the St. Lawrence Valley (N. Forkey)

Your university sits in the St. Lawrence River Valley, which has occupied an important place in the history of North America since the pre-contact period between First Peoples and Europeans. It has served simultaneously as a place of residence, transportation route, conduit of commerce, and sometimes national symbol. French explorer Jacques Cartier christened it the “River of Canada.” Indeed, the capital and technological flows between Europe, Montreal, and the Great Lakes region spurred new opportunities and migrations that owe so much to the force of this majestic river. In this course, we will focus on the differing local and national cultures of the United States and Canada as seen in the St. Lawrence Valley. Using a roughly historical approach, we will trace early contact between First Peoples and European settlers, the portrayal of cultures and identities, colonization and expansion, and the development of each nation to the contemporary period. Our prime concern will be the definition of this borderland region as part of the two nation-states and the continuing role its First Peoples play in it. Case studies include differing approaches to Western expansion, models of settlement, trade (the fur trade to free trade), environmental issues, and approaches to social policy. We will expand our exploration of the cultural experiences of Canada and the United States, both mythic and real, outside the classroom through at least one field trip.

Positively Morbid (E. Kissam)

“Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals.” – Sir William Gladstone.

Welcome future corpses! Did you know that NY recently legalized human composting? Have you heard that the living and the dead compete for space, especially in places like Taipei? Death is a part of everyone's life. Dealing with death and dying affects us emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, culturally, financially, environmentally…you get the idea. While preparing you for future academic challenges we will investigate and discuss varied aspects of death and dying.

What is Noise? (F. Schenker)

What counts as noise? Is it the sound of birds outside your window at 4:00am? What about loud music on a street corner in the middle of the afternoon? Or a group of friends laughing in a library? The answers to these questions aren’t cut and dry. The category of “noise” is subjective and revealing: who defines what is noise and what isn’t? Who makes noise and who doesn’t? Who is able to escape noise and who must suffer through endless cacophony? The course is designed to explore the complicated boundaries of noise and the larger implications of describing something, or someone, as noisy. We will turn to a wide range of sources that explore how the idea of noise has been linked to larger worldviews such as racial ideologies and class distinctions. We will build from this general background to consider the world around us through sound. Drawing on models such as The London Sound Survey and “The Roaring Twenties” – which maps the historical sounds of New York City – we will explore and document both historical and contemporary sounds of St. Lawrence University and Canton, NY. What can focusing on sound help us discover about how the world around us is structured?

Courses in "Visionary Ventures: New Advances & Entrepreneurship" explore ways to reimagine the “old”, develop the “new”, and think about ways to move from “it’s always been done this way” to “how could this be different."

The Power of Presence (M. Doyle)

In this course, students will explore the transformative power of presence through the practices of Yoga, Yoga Nidra, meditation, and an exploration of the science behind mindfulness. By delving into principles from quantum physics and neuroscience, students will gain an understanding of how our thoughts and emotions shape our experiences and reality. Drawing connections between the science of consciousness and the ancient practices of yoga, The Power of Presence will help students discover how their mental and emotional states influence their wellbeing, relationships, and overall experience of life.

Through guided yoga sessions, breathwork, and meditation techniques, students will cultivate a deep sense of mindfulness and presence. They will also explore yoga nidra, a relaxation practice that promotes profound rest and mental clarity. By integrating both the physical and scientific aspects of self-awareness, this course offers students tools to navigate the complexities of college life with greater resilience, emotional intelligence, and peace of mind.

Teamwork, Leadership, Problem-Solving, and Critical Thinking (M. Whalen)

Through lectures, readings, videos/documentaries, class discussions and activities, students will explore theories of management and leadership in relation to problem-solving and critical thinking when part of a team.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify and assign team roles to facilitate effective meetings.
• Examine and assess team performance.
• Select strategies to enhance/improve performance by influencing group dynamics.
• Apply appropriate management and leadership styles to guide teams in problem-solving.
• Facilitate critical thinking and avoid conditions of groupthink to move the team toward successful outcomes.

What Makes a Leader? The Creative Experience of Leadership with CBL (P. Doty & A. Warren)

The skills of leadership are human ingenuity and intuition and the rendering of good leadership is a testament to human creativity. We will be looking at a number of theories of leadership and management, drawing upon historical visions of leadership and political power as well as contemporary theory, and these readings will hopefully constitute a contemplation of leadership that facilitates your appreciation for what it takes to lead. The ideas you encounter in this FYP will challenge you to form a perspective on what constitutes effective leadership, what constitutes ethical leadership, what constitutes leadership worth study.

This course includes an experiential learning component known as Community-Based Learning (CBL). The CBL component expands the walls of the classroom to include the community beyond SLU. Students in CBL courses actively engage in their learning by spending two hours a week outside of class time in a placement with one of our community partners. Students then bring the world outside back into the classroom to connect their placement experiences with course content. (Travel time to and from the site is not included and is moderate for placements beyond the Canton community. Students do not need a vehicle to participate in CBL classes.)