Inquiry about a few courses for the 2011-12 academic year

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vassar College
1

<p>Hi everyone, </p>

<p>I am going to take a few classes at Vassar college. I narrowed it down to four main courses i am thinking about.</p>

<p>I would love to get input on the department in general and the lecturer which is teaching the class. The 4 major departments are: Environmental studies, Cognitive science, Film and Media.</p>

<p>MEDS-160-01 Approaches to Media Studies 1.0 17 17 0 3 NR TR 0310PM-0425PM NE 104 Woods, Eva </p>

<p>COGS-100-01 Intro Cognitive Science 1.0 17 17 0 5 NR QA MW 1200PM-0115PM KH 216 Livingston, Kenneth<br>
COGS-100-02 Intro Cognitive Science 1.0 17 18 -1 0 NR QA TR 0310PM-0425PM KH 134 Broude, Gwen<br>
COGS-100-03 Intro Cognitive Science 1.0 17 18 -1 2 NR QA MW 0900AM-1015AM OH 201 Long, John</p>

<p>ENST-107-01 Global Change 1.0 15 15 0 0 NR MW 1200PM-0115PM NE 107 Spodek, Alison </p>

<p>FILM-175-51 The Art of Film 1.0 35 34 1 0 NR TR 0900AM-1015AM DF 109 Elseewi, Tarik<br>
T 0400PM-0700PM DF 109<br>
U 0300PM-0600PM DF 109<br>
* Add'l Screening Sunday, 3-6pm<br>
FILM-175-52 The Art of Film 1.0 35 33 2 0 NR TR 1030AM-1145AM DF 109 Kozloff, Sarah<br>
T 0400PM-0700PM DF 109<br>
U 0300PM-0600PM DF 109<br>
* Add'l Screening Sunday 3-6pm<br>
FILM-175-53 The Art of Film 1.0 35 31 4 0 NR TR 1200PM-0115PM DF 109 Kane-Meddock, Derek<br>
T 0400PM-0700PM DF 109<br>
U 0300PM-0600PM DF 109 </p>

<p>I am also interested in optional courses such as :</p>

<ol>
<li>Introduction to Third-World Studies: A Comparative Approach to Africa and the African Diaspora (1)
This course acquaints students with the major concepts, themes, and approaches to the study of peoples of African descent. These concepts include history and the African past; slavery, forced migration, and the creation of the Diaspora; colonialism and conquest; race and identity; resistance and religion; and cultural transformation. Integrating the disciplines, the course uses a variety of texts, music and visual culture. Ms. Bickerstaff.</li>
</ol>

<p>105a. Themes in American Culture (1)
Topic for 2011/12a: Introduction to Native American Studies. This course is a multi-and interdisciplinary introduction to the basic philosophies, ideologies, and methodologies of the discipline of Native American Studies. It acquaints students with the history, art, literature, sociology, linguistics, politics, and epistemology according to an indigenous perspective while utilizing principles stemming from vast and various Native North American belief systems and cultural frameworks. Through reading assignments, films, and discussions, we learn to objectively examine topics such as orality, sovereignty, stereotypes, humor, language, resistance, spirituality, activism, identity, tribal politics, and environment among others. Overall, we work to problematize historical, ethnographical, and literary representations of Native people as a means to assess and evaluate western discourses of domination; at the same time, we focus on the various ways Native people and nations, both in their traditional homelands and urban areas, have been and are triumphing over 500+ years of colonization through acts of survival and continuance. Ms. McGlennen. Open to freshmen and sophomores only. Two 75-minute periods.
101. a and b. Introduction to Microeconomics (1)
An introduction to economic concepts emphasizing the behavior of firms, households, and the government. Students learn how to recognize and analyze the different market structures of perfect competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. The course also covers theories of how wages, interest, and profits are determined. Additional topics include the role of government in regulating markets, determinants of income distribution, and the environment. The department.</p>

<p>116a. The Dark Ages (1)
(Same as History 116) Was early medieval Europe really Dark? In reality, this was a period of tremendous vitality and ferment, witnessing the transformation of late classical society, the growth of Germanic kingdoms, the high point of Byzantium, the rise of the papacy and monasticism, and the birth of Islam. This course examines a rich variety of sources that illuminate the first centuries of Christianity, the fall of the Roman Empire, and early medieval culture showing moments of both conflict and synthesis that redefined Europe and the Mediterranean. Ms. Bisaha. Two 75-minute meetings.
101. a and b. Fundamentals of Music (1)- Mr. Pisani.-open to all-no previous training
A beginning study of the elements of music including notation, rhythm and meter, scales and modes, intervals, melody, chord progression, musical terms, and instruments. To facilitate reading skills, class exercises in ear training and sight singing are included. May not be counted in the requirements for concentration. Mr. Meltzer, </p>

<p>Would be great to hear of poeple who attend Vassar and people who know of information out side of the college scene.</p>

<p>Thanks </p>

<p>Roman</p>

2

<p>I can’t speak to the other subjects but I love Nancy Bisaha! She’s my thesis advisor and I’ve taken like 4 classes with her. Take the Dark Ages course, the readings are amazing and hysterical and she will kick your writing into shape for Vassar. Unless you take a class with James Merrell, who is a god, but the hardest grader of essays–ever (although you do grow a lot!). I must say though, that while I enjoyed all of Bisaha’s courses, her seminars definitely outshine her 100 or 200-level courses. But this is probably due to the fact that these aren’t survey courses and we went so in depth into subjects that are her specialty. So I’d say take the class, see if you enjoy the material and if you do, have a ball in one of her seminars later!</p>

<p>Pisani is sweet person and an easy going professor, although I did not take the Fundamentals class, I took Opera. His class will probably be relaxing compared to your other ones.</p>

3

<p>Thanks Chii C for the info…</p>

<p>;)</p>

4

<p>From what I’ve heard, Ken Livingston is a god. I haven’t taken a class with him, but everyone I know who has had an amazing experience. That being said, you will work your ass off. Even at the 100-level, you can expect at least two 10-15 page papers. (For one of my friends, these two papers were assigned within the same month) Clearly, with Livingston, you work hard for quality. Broude is actually Livingston’s wife, and I’ve heard good things about her as well. Her courses have a reputation for being slightly easier, if only because she’s a bit more absentminded than her husband, and less inclined to pummel you with coursework.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the pointers anniemouse</p>

6

<p>KENNETH LIVINGSTON IS A GOD WHO WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, but it may be difficult to get into his class…
Eva Woods I’ve heard is great
Idk about Kane-Derreck, but Kozloff is supposed to be pretty good, she’s very passionate from what I can tell
Spodek I don’t know anything about =\ However, I heard the Dark Ages is a good class =)
Hope I helped</p>

7

<p>Thanks KGB1337. Also, it would be nice to hear about cool intro classes that is worth taking. </p>

<p>Roman</p>

8

<p>I recommend taking the full-year intro to art history class, don’t graduate Vassar without having taken it. It’s taught by 13 profs, 1 teaches every week on his specialty to a class of ~150. Then, once a week you split up with the prof you chose for the course and have a 13-student discussion on the week’s area of art history. It’s a legendary course.</p>

<p>Also, explore the English dept’s writing seminars, there’s some great ones.</p>

<p>Lastly, intro micro/macro econ are good to take, just for the knowledge. And try a language, people seem to like Chinese and Japanese as well as Russian and French a lot.</p>