Courses

Coordinated Courses 

Learning Outside the Lines

How are equity and education connected? What can we learn about ourselves, culture, and society from diverse stories? How can learning anti-oppressive skills help us become fully human? And what would it be like if we could bring our whole selves to our learning? This course brings together the disciplines of Intercultural Communication, Composition, Literature in Society, and Social Psychology to examine ways in which traditional education has been built for a select few. We will explore how our intersectional identities shape our experiences and understanding of each other and reimagine how a transformative education can support us all.

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 101 Composition I (Composition)
• PSYC/SOC 245 Social Psychology (ICS, US Cultures)
• ENGL 265 Literature and Society (VLPA)
• HUM 105 Intercultural Communication (VLPA or ICS, Communication, US Cultures)

Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL& 101
Credits: 10
Class Time: T/TH 10:00am - 12:50pm - Hybrid
Instructors:  Diana Ma, Melissa Grinley
Register For: INTS 100 CH1 - LEC (29547)

Sex, Lies, and Media: Gender and Politics

Rise of fascism! ICE raids on school campuses! Department of Education dismantled! Are you overwhelmed by these recent headlines? Current US government policies around immigration enforcement, vilification of DEI, and threats to reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights challenge the democratic ideals and protections of this country. There has also been an emphasis on controlling media narratives and reducing the availability of counter information by politicians and lobbyists. In this pivotal moment, it is essential to learn how to deconstruct political discourse and engage in democracy as informed citizens. In this 10-credit Integrated Studies class, we will critically examine how media forms like news, advertising, social media, and TV construct messages about marginalized populations, as well as to consider how media outlets exert influence on politics and knowledge production. Additionally, we will consider how media shapes and influences cultural.

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 102 Composition
  II (Composition)
• HUM 200 Media, Power, and Social Change (VLPA, US Cultures, Communication)
• WMN/POLS 213 Women and Politics (ICS, Global Studies)
• AME 201 Diversity and Social Justice (ICS) 

The students also have the option to sign up for an additional two-credit course from this list:

• ENGL 197
• HUM 299

Prerequisites: Completion of ENGL& 101 with a 1.0 or higher.
Credits: 10
Class Time: M/W 10:00am - 12:50pm - Hybrid
Instructors:  Miranda Riley, Terri Chung
Register For: INTS 100 CH2-LEC (29548)

Fall 2025 LINKS

Technology, Society, and Culture

Explore the political, cultural, psychological and social dimensions of human engagement with technology through research projects of your own design.

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 102 Composition II (Composition)
• SSC 101 Intro to Research Skills (ICS)

Prerequisites: Completion of ENGL& 101 with a 1.0 or higher.
Credits: 8
Class Time: ENGL& 102: Online | SSC 101 Online
Instructors:  Shireen Deboo, Brian Gutierrez
Register For: INTS 101 OAZ1 - LEC (29546)

 Coordinated Courses 

Bodies of Research: Bringing a Study to Life

Ever wanted to conduct research on humans? What do you want to know about human behavior and mental processes? And how are concerns about human safety and fairness addressed in the world of social science? In this course, students will conduct original research in psychology, while also learning the processes of scholarly reading, writing and presenting to an academic community. Make your research dreams come alive!

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 102 Composition II (Composition)
• ENGL& 235 Technical Writing (Elective)
• PSYC 209 Fundamentals of Psychological Research (ICS)
• UGR 295 Undergraduate Research (Elective)

Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL& 101
Credits: 10
Class Time: T/TH 10:00am - 12:50pm - Hybrid
Instructors:  Justina Rompogren, Melissa Grinley
Register For: INTS 100 CH1-LEC

Winter 2026 LINKS

Your American Story: a Genealogy Focus to Race and Culture in the United States

Have you ever wondered how your family’s story connects to broader U.S. history? What did your ancestors live through? Join us in this research focused approach to learning and understanding U.S. history, while strengthening your knowledge of library resources and Information Literacy skills.

Classes: The link includes these two courses:

• HIST 150 Race and Culture in the United States (ICS, US Cultures)
• SSC 101 Intro to Research Skills (ICS) 

Prerequisites: Completion of ENGL& 101 with a 1.0 or higher.
Credits: 8
Class Time: Online
Instructors:  Cristobal Borges, Caroline Conley
Register For: INTS

Is Social Justice Dead?

Is Social Justice Dead? With some US political figures espousing xenophobic and racist rhetoric, we are at a point in history when it is imperative to examine the structure of American government, political ideologies and the philosophies behind them all. As some states pass controversial state bills that are being called exclusionary, presidential candidates have a dressed social justice issues such as rights and duties in social institutions, the distribution of wealth, equal opportunity and equity of outcome. Now is the time to look at the nature and philosophical origins of democratic government itself.

Classes: This link includes these two courses: 

• PHIL 110 Intro to Social Ethics (ICS)
• POLS& 202 United States Government (ICS)

Prerequisites: None
Credits: 10
Class Time: Online
Instructors:  Jonathan Harrington, Olga Vishnyakova
Register For: INTS 101, DZ1-LEC

Coordinated Courses 

Once Upon a Time Again: Fairy Tale Retellings

Ever wonder what would happen if Cinderella didn’t fall for the prince? What if Wonderland were a paranormal alternate dimension and Alice were a Black vampire slayer? What about a Latinx retelling of Swan Lake (with a dash of Snow White and
Rose Red too) by a nonbinary Latinx author? What tales would YOU retell and why? Come down the rabbit hole with us!

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 102 Composition II (Composition)
• ENGL 232 (VLPA)
• ENGL 151/152/153, Creative Writing (VLPA, Communication)
• HUM 105 Intercultural Communication (VLPA or ICS, Communication, US Cultures)
   

Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL& 101 
Credits: 10
Class Time: T/TH 10:00am - 11:50am - Hybrid
Instructors:  Diana Ma, Cathryn Cabral
Register For: INTS 100 CH1-LEC

From Hollywood to Hurricanes: Climate, Media, and Cultural Impact

From disaster movies to climate journalism, the media plays a powerful role in shaping our understanding of the environment. This interdisciplinary course cluster examines how film and news media construct narratives about climate change, extreme weather, and environmental justice. Students will explore Hollywood’s history of disaster films, analyze media framing of real-world environmental crises, and uncover how race, class, and power influence the way we experience and respond to climate change. Get ready for film screenings, deep discussions, and critical media analysis that may leave you with more questions than answers.

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENVS 120 Weather and Climate (NW)
• HUM 110 Introduction to U.S. Film (VLPA)
• HUM 200 Media, Power, and Social Change (VLPA, US Cultures, Communication)

Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL& 101 
Credits: 10
Class Time: T/TH 10:00am - 1:30pm - Hybrid
Instructors:  Cristóbal A. Borges, Caroline Pew
Register For: INTS 100 CH2-LEC

Spring 2026 LINKS

Technology and Socialization

This soft linked pairing of ENG&102 and SSC101 will have a theme centered on technology and socialization, with a specific focus on the way technology is changing the human social, intellectual, and material landscape. Writing for the class will be centered on analysis and research. Students will also develop critical thinking as applied to the research process by examining strategies for locating, evaluating, and using information.

Classes: After the quarter begins, you’ll select TWO of the following Courses:

• ENGL& 102 Composition II (Composition)
• SSC 101 Intro to Research Skills (ICS)

Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL& 101 
Credits: 8
Class Time: Online
Instructors:  Justina Rompogren, Ana Villar
Register For: INTS 101