Concordia College CREDO

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CREDO

The CREDO Honors Program offers a distinctive, challenging way to fulfill four of the seven Core Distribution courses required for graduation. Over the course of the freshman, sophomore and junior years, CREDO students take four specially designated courses, one each in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts. These courses are typically team-taught by faculty from two different departments and place a special emphasis on the distinctive methods of inquiry that are brought to bear on the subject matter. During the senior year, CREDO students undertake directed independent research projects, typically in the area of their major.

In addition to course work, the CREDO program offers a variety of extracurricular opportunities, including films and lectures. Beginning in the spring semester 1998, the CREDO program plans to offer an optional semester abroad program. The initial location of the program will be the island of Crete.

Courses:
130. Ancient Greek Philosophy and Religion
210. The Reason of Law: Contemporary Issues in Jurisprudence and Psychology
220. The Science of the Mind: New Frontiers in Neurobiology
221. A Grand (Unified) Tour of the Universe
230. Art and Mind of the Western World

130. Ancient Greek Philosophy and Religion.
Full course. E.
This course is an examination of ancient Greek religious concepts and practices (e.g. piety, immortality, sacrifice, revenge, love) in their philosophical and literary contexts. Special attention will be paid to theories of interpretation of these ancient texts. Authors will include Sophocles, Euripides, Aristotle, Plato, Hesiod, Homer, Aristophanes.

210. The Reason of Law: Contemporary Issues in Jurisprudence and Psychology.
Full course. B.
To the extent that law, as interpreted by judges, is now seen as indeterminate (i.e., that law cannot be clear enough, consistent enough, or complete enough to produce "the single right result in all casesÓ), the possibility of an "objective"jurisprudence has been brought into radical question. Students will experience (via role playing) this problem and will be asked to assess how deeply wounded judicial legitimacy might be. Students will experience the "determinacy problem"in jurisprudence firsthand by encountering the "cruel and unusual punishment"case law of the Eighth Amendment. Because many of these cases deal with convicts who are either mentally retarded or arguably insane, a central component of this course will focus on social and forensic psychology's interface with the criminal justice system.Ó

220. The Science of the Mind: New Frontiers in Neurobiology.
Full course. E1.
This course will explore the workings of the human nervous system. Basic concepts in biology and chemistry will be discussed, along with current discoveries related to the functions of the brain and other components of the nervous system. The methods used to make scientific discoveries will also be stressed through laboratory experiences and field trips to observe ongoing research projects in neurobiology. Prerequisite: high school biology.

221. A Grand (Unified) Tour of the Universe.
Full course. E1.
In this course, we explore and integrate the apparently disparate fields of cosmology and particle physics. After introducing some general principles in physics and astronomy, we will discuss the methods by which scientists investigate the physical world and the results of their explorations. We will discuss the connections between some of the smallest and largest objects in the universe including models describing how stars and galaxies are powered by atoms and nuclei. Finally, we will extrapolate our physical models into the past and future to speculate about the origin and ultimate fate of the universe. Prerequisite: Math 110 or equivalent.

230. Art and Music of the Western World.
Full course. E2.
This course combines perspectives and methodologies of Western art and music history to examine the nature of artistic creativity, the meaning of "style,"and ways in which art and music reflect cultural values. Greek antiquity to present are discussed to understand elements of critical thinking in each discipline, and appreciate the importance of the arts as a means for understanding human experience and human nature.