200 Level Courses
INTS 202: Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills. 4 credits.
Combines process of learning to speak in front of audiences with analysis of arguments and persuasive appeals. Students learn how to create and present effective speeches, adapt messages to specific audiences, and evaluate and critique messages produced for others. One credit of experiential learning enables students to examine public speeches, news stories, political campaigns, and advertising, among others, to make meaningful connections between public speaking theory and practice. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 203: Inquiry for Action: Facilitating Change. 6 credits.
Examines the relationships between academic research, individual acts and society's social and political structures. Students design a community-based research project, explore a rich array of qualitative and quantitative approaches, apply information and communication technologies to all aspects of the research process, and learn from individuals and organizations outside the classroom. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 204: Leadership Theory and Practice. 4 credits.
Examines historical and contemporary leadership theories and invites students to be reflective of their own leadership experiences through the lenses of those theories. Students develop critical lenses through which to evaluate their own self-awareness, effectiveness in groups, and ability to navigate structures and systems. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 210: Sustainable World. 4 credits.
Covers basic issues in the natural and social sciences that underlie current environmental problems. Considers ethical matters such as equity as they pertain to global resource consumption, pollution, and climate change. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 211: Introduction to Conservation Studies. 3-6 credits.
Provides foundation for the integrative study of environmental conservation. Formal and informal writing assignments and oral presentations designed to strengthen critical thinking and communication skills important to students who pursue conservation-related professions. Instructors encourage students to use course assignments and off-campus work to identify suitable educational and career paths within the conservation world. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 245: Visual Culture and Society. 4 credits.
Explores the role of visual culture in contemporary society including an examination of photography, the visual and performing arts, film and video, and electronic media. Readings focus on the historical foundations of visuality as well as theories of visual culture and aesthetics. Students investigate the ways that forms of visual culture function in society and how these are linked to race, class, and gender as well as politics and economics. Students will gain hands-on experience working with contemporary visual media tools such as computer graphics and digital video editing. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 249: Digital Literacy. 4 credits.
Investigates information literacy, the mobile web, and interactive and immersive media, including gaming, social networking, blogging and micro-blogging, intellectual, political and civic collaborations, digital aesthetics and emerging digital cultures and art forms. Explores major theories of digital literacy and culture and introduce diverse social, artistic, theoretical and cultural practices that characterize today's digital domains and virtual environments. Notes: One experiential credit is required in this class. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 275: Special Topics. 1-18 credits.
Studies topics of special interest to undergraduates. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
INTS 291: Living-Learning Community. 0-1 credits.
Bridges students' academic interests with their residence hall living experience. Students with common interests live together in the same residence hall and develop personal and academic relationships with other students and faculty from their chosen Living Learning Community focus. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
INTS 292: Leadership for Sustainability. 0-1 credits.
For students living in the Sustainability Living Learning Community and/or students panicipating in the Greenleaf ENCORE Series. Develop your understanding of sustainability in both theory and practice. Learn how change happens at Mason and identify contributions you can make to Mason's continuing pursuit of campus sustainability. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 8 credits.
INTS 294: Service-Learning Experience. 0-15 credits.
Service-learning courses offer students, faculty, and community partners an opportunity to work together to integrate and apply knowledge to address community needs. Learning goals, action strategies, and assignments developed collaboratively. Students demonstrate progress through critical reflection that illustrates growth in acquiring and comprehending values, skills, and knowledge content. Critical reflection may take the form of papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
INTS 295: Field-Based Work. 1-18 credits.
Directed field studies in topic not otherwise available to students. Notes: Topics vary, but entire course or significant component is located off campus. In addition to fieldwork, course may also include reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Students bear costs of required field trips and should consult the Center for Social Action and Integrative Learning for more information. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 24 credits.
INTS 299: Study Abroad. 1-6 credits.
Intended for participation in formally organized course offered by Center for Global Education. A maximum of 15 credits may apply toward INTS degree requirements. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 16 credits.
300 Level Courses
INTS 300: Law and Justice. 3 credits.
Combines various teaching methods including lectures, the Socratic method, case studies, discussion of readings and films, debates, and active inquiry-based learning to investigate the major institutions in the American legal system. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 301: Science in the News. 3 credits.
Examination and discussion of the current trends in science as reported in the popular media. Students learn how to evaluate the science that is reported so they may become informed consumers; discuss how scientific advancement might shape society by looking at how science and society have changed together over time; and use examples from the past to discuss future trends. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 303: Introduction to International Studies. 3 credits.
Explores a multi-disciplinary approach to addressing world issues. Combines lectures, field trips, discussion of readings, films, case studies, projects, and active inquiry-based learning to examine the natural environment, infectious disease and globalization, media and technologies, and war and violent conflict, with an attempt to deepen community members' understanding of an increasingly interdependent world. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 304: Social Movements and Community Activism. 4 credits.
Examines how citizens, individually and collectively, accomplish social change in society through case study analysis. Considers advantages and limits of social change strategies from communication and social movement theory perspectives. Surveys topics including how leaders maintain momentum in face of opposition; how movements and organizations use slogans, symbols and music to inspire followers; and how participants construct persuasive media campaigns and political arguments to facilitate policy change. Notes: One credit of experiential learning enables students to explore their role as social advocates and effective citizens in context of community. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 305: Conflict Resolution and Transformation. 6 credits.
Examines the nature and dynamics of conflict and ways to resolve and transform conflict. Experiential learning is used as the vehicle through which students explore their assumptions about communication and develop their skills for resolving interpersonal conflicts. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 310: Violence, Gender, and Sexuality. 3-6 credits.
Using nonfiction, documentaries, oral histories, case studies, literature, and feature films, examines the dynamics of violence through different cultural lenses as they relate to gender identity, sexuality and socioeconomic status. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
WMST 320.
INTS 311: The Mysteries of Migration: Consequences for Conservation. 6 credits.
Investigates the biology of migration and its implications for science policy. Students consider the phenomenon of migration in the context of natural history, conservation, and cultural issues. The course includes several weekend trips for field study. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 312: Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film. 3-6 credits.
Immerses students in the images of childhood through the media of literature, video, and poetry, with a strong emphasis on historical perspectives of childhood. The class is interactive, requires some work in groups, and requires classroom participation. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
HIST 386,
HIST 498.
INTS 313: Therapeutic Benefits of Play. 3 credits.
Examines the history of therapeutic play programs, theoretical basis for play and how the application of play techniques are used to promote healing, growth, and development for children and adolescents as it relates to multiple professions including child life. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
HDFS 302.
INTS 314: Conflict, Trauma and Healing. 6 credits.
Develops in students an appreciation of human resilience and helps them acquire better coping mechanisms. Imparts knowledge of the nature and dynamics of trauma and healing. Investigates the difficulties people face in responding to settings of conflict such as war, school shootings, abuse, domestic violence, including natural disaster. Examines case studies from a variety of personal, national, and international settings. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 315: Spirituality and Conflict Transformation. 6 credits.
Examines dimensions of spirituality, including peacemaking efforts in large-scale conflicts, conflicts within faith communities, and interpersonal disputes. Experiential learning explores spiritually informed resolution. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 316: Introduction to Childhood Studies. 4 credits.
Focuses on the study of childhood from birth to adolescence from the perspective of several disciplines. Covers childhood theory, research, and policy and their applications to decisions regarding children and youth. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 317: Issues in Family Relationships. 4 credits.
Focuses on interrelationships of communication processes and family systems. Examines how families evolve as members grow, leave, and create related family systems. Content draws from fields of family communication and family relations, and allied disciplines of psychology, social psychology, and family counseling. Major activities include class discussions; analyses and applications of course concepts in small classroom learning groups; group applications of concepts to enhance current and future family relationships; individual research on a family issue pertinent to the student’s career or family interests. Notes: One credit of this course is earned for experiential learning, which occurs through activities beyond the specific class content. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 319: Contemporary Youth Studies. 3 credits.
Examines how scholars study youth, theories they use to guide their research, and how media and culture influence understandings of youth development with special focus on empowerment and social justice. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 321: Parent-Child Relations. 4 credits.
Introduces students to concepts and challenges in parenting, along with family diversity and risk factors. Considers interactions between parents and children from birth to adolescence as well as cross-cultural, historical, and societal influences. Explores efforts that have been successful in changing detrimental parenting actions. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 322: Teacher: A Historical Perspective. 3 credits.
Examines the rich heritage of the teaching profession in Western society. Traces the history of educational philosophy and teaching, beginning with the ancient Greeks and culminating in the 21st century United States. Using the exploration of the various philosophies of education as a foundation, examines contemporary images of teachers in literature and film. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 323: The Hospitalized Child and Family. 3 credits.
Examines the philosophy, purposes, and concepts of Child Life Specialists. Explores developmental and psychological needs of hospitalized children, their families, and those who provide services to children. Examines the impact of illness and illness-related stressors on the dynamics of the family and strategies for coping. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
HDFS 301.
INTS 331: The Nonprofit Sector. 4 credits.
Readings, classroom discussions and activities, and practical experience reveal historical, legal, and socioeconomic forces that define and influence the American nonprofit sector. Explores structures, issues that affect nonprofit management, governing, and financial systems. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 332: Business and Sustainability. 3 credits.
Examines the types of approaches businesses can take to take to respond to sustainability concerns, Designed to prepare students for assisting organizations to incorporate sustainability considerations into their strategic decision-making. Notes: Students from multiple disciplines (business, social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, education, etc.) can participate in the class without having had previous courses in management. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
EVPP 322.
INTS 334: Environmental Justice. 4 credits.
Examines historical and contemporary sociopolitical and socioeconomic conditions that have given rise to the environmental justice movement. Analyzes how individuals contribute to environmental justice or injustice through everyday decisions. Considers how environmental justice movement responds to these issues. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 336: Poverty, Wealth and Inequality in the US. 3 credits.
Explores the social, cultural, political, and spiritual implications of poverty, wealth, and inequality in the United States. Examines the ways in which class identity informs one's views of the world and its politics; how socioeconomic status affects one's access to education and other social goods; and how dominant discourses and stereotypes related to poverty influence mass perception regarding a range of social issues, from educational policy to welfare. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 337: Social Justice Consciousness and Action. 3 credits.
Explores the many spaces at which the quest to strengthen social justice consciousness interacts with processes and commitments for personal transformation. Analyzes through the lens of the activist and in the spirit of bringing mindfulness to activism, how we come to see and experience the world. Examines how socialization informs consciousness. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 344: Youth, Music, & Social Change. 4 credits.
Introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of music, popular and youth culture, and social and political change. While music is generally relegated to a subcategory of popular culture, or viewed as a mere minor facet of youth culture, in this class we will examine its impact and importance as a rhetorical and communicative vehicle, specifically in regards to its instrumentality in social and political movements. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 346: Art as Social Action. 4 credits.
This learning community explores historical records to understand different ways art has been produced, distributed, and consumed. Examines ways artists have affected change in their worlds. Through interdisciplinary studies, teaches major social movements and artists and theories used in socially engaged art. Students engage in experiential learning outside classroom as course requirement. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 347: Gender Representation in Popular Culture. 3-6 credits.
Explores the way in which gender has been represented across the decades in television, movies, music videos, pop art, and print media. Provides a review of the scholarship on historical and contemporary gender roles and examines the contradictions and expectations associated with these. Incorporates active group learning through creative, insight-oriented exercises, critical thinking and discussions, and group presentations and media research activities. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 348: Digital Futures. 3,6 credits.
Investigates important contemporary issues such as surveillance-privacy, censorship, piracy, gender and ethnicity, digital labor and play, mobile media and globalization, and the commercialization and political potential of the digital public spheres. Introduces students to the latest technological, philosophical and creative thinking on the future of human society in a digital age. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 355: Mindfulness, Meaning & Well-Being. 3 credits.
Explores the science of well-being, including theories and practices linked to various domains of well-being such as mindfulness, resilience, life-satisfaction, happiness, mind-body wellness, and meaning and purpose. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 356: Foundations of Resilience and Well-Being. 3 credits.
Focusing on the individual in context, examines the growing research, science, and literature on well-being and resilience. Considers the many ways in which resilience can be learned and developed on individual, community, and organizational levels. Explores how resilience promotes growth and restores efficacy and agency, leading to higher levels of flourishing. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 362: Social Justice and Human Rights. 3 credits.
Considers the philosophical foundations of social justice and human rights. Explores the interpretive difficulties related to identifying what constitutes human rights abuses, and evaluates regional perspectives on human rights. Analyzes institutions that strive to promote and enforce social justice and human rights standards including the United Nations system, regional human rights bodies, and domestic courts. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 363: Social Justice Narratives. 3 credits.
Analyzes depictions and aspects of social justice and injustice in contemporary literature (children’s literature, historical fiction, creative nonfiction, biography and essays). Students will develop an informed awareness of literary censorship and the complex perspectives, uses and boundaries of literature and will learn to recognize and analyze how literature depicts stories related to social justice, tolerance, equality and social change. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 365: Independent Study. 1-12 credits.
Individualized section form required. Study of a topic not otherwise available to the student. May involve any combination of reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, or field/laboratory study (determined in consultation with instructor) Students are encouraged to work as a team on a particular topic. Notes: Maximum 12 credits can be used to fulfill graduation requirements. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
INTS 370: Sustainable Food Systems. 6 credits.
Examines the evolution of US food systems with particular emphasis on the national capital region. Students place conventional agriculture and food systems in historical context; examine changing representations of food systems in film, literature, and other media; and research alternative systems that emphasize sustainability. Through a combination of classroom work and experiential learning, this course asks students to contemplate how capitalism, industrialization, and environmental ethics shape our land, culture, and society. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 371: Food Systems and Policy. 3 credits.
Examines the roles of individuals, corporations, and government in creating and communicating food policy. Students explore the rationale and rhetorics of US agriculture, food production and the environment, food and beverage processing, food safety and labeling, food sales and marketing, dietary guidance, and federal food assistance programs. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 374: Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Television. 3 credits.
Focuses on constructions of race, gender, and sexuality in contemporary and classic television. Examines television through genres, consumption, and social justice issues. Topics can be specific to certain decades of TV, specific identities in representation, and/or specific genres. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
WMST 375.
INTS 375: Special Topics. 1-18 credits.
Studies topics of special interest to undergraduates. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
INTS 390: International Internship. 1-6 credits.
Structured and supervised professional experience, within an approved agency, for which the student earns academic credit. The primary purpose of an internship is to connect the student's academic course work to experiences and challenges outside the university classroom. The faculty also expects that students will enhance their competencies and skills and explore career options. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 24 credits.
INTS 391: Understanding Integrative Studies. 1 credit.
Familiarizes students with the theory and practice of integrative learning. Challenges students not only to learn but also to think deeply about what, why, how, and for what purposes you learn. Develops reflective, critical thinking, and research skills. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 394: Service-Learning Experience. 0-15 credits.
Service-learning courses offer students, faculty, and community partners an opportunity to work together to integrate and apply knowledge to address community needs. Learning goals, action strategies, and assignments developed collaboratively. Students demonstrate progress through critical reflection that illustrates growth in acquiring and comprehending values, skills, and knowledge content. Critical reflection may take the form of papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
INTS 395: Field-Based Work. 1-18 credits.
Directed field studies in topic not otherwise available to students. Notes: Topics vary, but entire course or significant component is located off campus. In addition to field work, course may also include reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Students bear costs of required field trips and should consult the Center for Social Action and Integrative Learning for more information. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 24 credits.
INTS 396: Teaching Assistant Experience. 1-6 credits.
Teaching assistantship and peer-mentoring duties carried out through existing university programs, such as Technology Assistants, Writing Tutors, and Residence Advisors. Also includes teaching assistantship arrangements for specific courses detailed in individualized course contract signed by instructor and student. In addition to peer mentoring/advising, course work may include logistical support, reading assignments, papers, presentations, and portfolios. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
INTS 397: Add-On Experiential Learning. 1-3 credits.
For students who wish to add one or more experiential learning credit to existing experiential learning course or learning community. Notes: May also be used by students who wish to add an experiential learning component to course that provides no experiential learning credit (with permission of instructor). Unless experiential learning add-on requirements are spelled out in course syllabus, requirements for add-on experiential learning credit must be detailed in individualized course contract signed by instructor and student. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 4 credits.
INTS 398: Experiential Learning. 1-15 credits.
Experiential-based individualized studies, mentored by instructor. Notes: Topics decided by student and instructor and approved by executive director. Requirements must be detailed in individualized course contract signed by student, instructor, and executive director. May include reading assignments, papers, journals, and portfolios. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
INTS 399: Study Abroad. 1-6 credits.
Intended for participation in formally organized course offered by Center for Global Education. A maximum of 15 credits may apply toward INTS degree requirements. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 32 credits.
400 Level Courses
INTS 400: Temptress: Sexuality and Power. 3 credits.
Examines the portrayal of powerful and/or sexual women throughout history, identifying famous historical and fictional temptresses and villianesses and investigating the facts known about them. Explores representations and perceptions of contemporary women's sexuality and power. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 401: Conservation Biology. 4 credits.
Introduces students to the fundamentals of Conservation Biology, a discipline that merges taxonomy, natural history, and ecology with “resource” management and restoration ecology, set within a socio-economic, historical, political and legal context. Includes interactive lectures, readings (including a text and primary literature), discussion, group projects, and inquiry-based experiential learning. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 403: Conservation Behavior. 4 credits.
Introduces students to the fundamentals of conservation behavior, a field that seeks to apply theories of animal behavior towards solving biological conservation and wildlife management problems. Consists of interactive lectures, readings (including a text and primary literature), discussion and hands-on, inquiry-based experiential learning while working in groups at the National Zoo to design and conduct independent behavioral-based research on endangered species. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 404: Ethics and Leadership. 4 credits.
Uses an interdisciplinary approach to deepen and broaden student's learning about theories, models, and constructs related to the study and practice of ethics and leadership. Teaches students to develop ethical decision making strategies, communicate effectively in diverse group settings, value civic engagement and actively apply ethical leadership skills. Includes experiential learning activities and discussions that connect formal knowledge with real world experiences and includes one credit of experiential learning. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 405: Women and Leadership. 4 credits.
Examines leadership within the context of the theoretical principles of women's studies through discussion of course texts, interactive exercises, field trips, documentary films, guest speakers, and reflection. Investigates the role that gender plays in the various forms of leadership and leadership styles. Explores the historical record of women in leadership roles, identifying the barriers as well as the opportunities. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 406: Global Leadership. 3 credits.
Develops a concept of global leadership, emphasizing the critical importance of ethical decision-making, social responsibility, and cultural awareness. Students formulate the construction process of a global mindset and begin to develop a personal philosophy of global leadership. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 410: Contemporary Health: Intersections in Science and Society. 4 credits.
Recognizing the value and contribution of science to improving the human condition, this course provides students the opportunity to apply integrative learning approaches to explore the intersections between science, health, and society with a focus on diverse societies and the implications for social justice. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 416: Refugee and Internal Displacement. 3 credits.
Provides students with a deeper understanding of refugee and internal displacement. Explores causes of displacement and its impact on people and societies. Studies the role played by governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the international community in addressing problems faced by refugees in internally displaced persons in terms of relief assistance and humanitarian services. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 417: Human Trafficking and Smuggling. 3,6 credits.
Explores the complexity of human trafficking and smuggling, one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world. Examines forms of human trafficking and smuggling and the countries that serve as source, transit or destinations of trafficked and smuggled individuals and groups. Studies the role of the international community in addressing trafficking and smuggling, including regional and national authorities and non-governmental agencies. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 419: Youth Resistance and Advocacy. 3 credits.
Focuses on contemporary perspectives on youth, resistance, and advocacy, both in the form of social movements and subcultures. Asks questions such as: When do everyday activities constitute "resistance"—and resistance to what?—and how do everyday forms of resistance relate to broader forms of historical change? How do these forms of resistance perpetuate forms of exclusion and inequality? Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 420: College to Career Skills. 1-2 credits.
Develops a variety of work-readiness skills needed to transition to local and global marketplaces. Topics and skills covered include developing a tailored cover letter or goal statement, problem solving in the business setting, workplace ethics and etiquette, interviewing skills, professional networking, and salary negotiations. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 431: Principles of Fund Raising. 4 credits.
Examines history of philanthropy and public policy, and the economic and legal frameworks that shape it. Combining theory and practice, students study human behavior, communications, and management systems that are hallmarks of successful fund raising, and begin to develop skills to generate donations, foundation grants, and other unearned revenue for a nonprofit organization. Notes: Includes 1 experiential learning credit. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 434: Research for Social Change. 3 credits.
Introduces interdisciplinary research methods for social change. Explores students' epistemological assumptions, and uses tools of inquiry and discovery to explore transformative approaches to scholarship and creative work. Examines multiple critical approaches to inquiry including auto-ethnography and ethnography, feminist, queer, and Indigenous research methods, participatory action research, critical quantitative analysis, and more. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 435: Leadership in a Changing Environment. 4 credits.
Examines diverse definitions and processes of change across multiple complex contexts. Focuses on identifying innovative, collaborative solutions to seemingly intractable social problems. Explores topics such as social change and globalization, creative conflict resolution, the nature of power, oppression and influence, and systemic leadership. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 436: Social Justice Education. 4 credits.
Examines educational policy, practice, and materials using a variety of lenses informed by social justice theory and praxis. Investigates ways in which racism, sexism, economic injustice, heterosexism, ageism, and other forms of discrimination influence schools and educational access and opportunity for youth. Considers and practices what individuals and communities can do to ensure that all students have equitable educational opportunities. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 437: Critical Race Studies. 3 credits.
Engages students in an examination of the forms and impacts of racism, as well as movements for racial justice, in the United States. Draws on theoretical frameworks including critical race theory and intersectionality theory in order to examine the structural roots of racism and the implicit and explicit ways in which racism manifests today. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 438: Representations of Race. 4 credits.
Investigates the social and cultural construction of racial categories that have led to inaccurate and stereotypical representations that persist and cause harm today. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 439: Genealogy of Black Feminist Thought. 4 credits.
Explores Black women theorists from the antebellum era to the twenty-first century. Students will gain a deeper understanding of Black feminist theories, philosophies, and practices while also considering how Black women have simultaneously embraced and complicated established feminist and anti-racist readings of race and gender oppression. This course will focus on questions of epistemology, ontology, temporality, the archive, queerness, geography, and intersectionality while paying particular attention to how Black women critique colonialism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and racism. Students will take a historical and theoretical look at Black women thinkers, activists, creatives, freedom fighters, and dreamers using a range of texts including historical documents, novels, documentaries, films, and visual culture. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 441: Policing Black Bodies. 4 credits.
Interrogates the myriad ways in which Black Bodies are formally and informally policed. Special focus is given to the ways in which Black women’s bodies are policed not only by the criminal justice system, but also informally through sexual and intimate partner violence, forced sterilization and contraception. Course utilizes the theoretical lenses of intersectionality and of color blind racism. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to
WMST 416.
INTS 450: Social Innovation in Action. 4 credits.
Develops students' capacity to engage in positive social change. Examines social innovation approaches, including social and political entrepreneurship, philanthropy, corporate responsibility and social movements. Explores how social innovators catalyze multistakeholder collaborations across commercial, governmental and nonprofit sectors, exploring social innovation through case studies, best practice analyses and relevant readings. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 451: Leadership and Organizational Problem-Solving. 4 credits.
Offers a dynamic, practical, and hands-on approach to synthesizing our leadership philosophy with real problem-solving and decision-making skills. Through cases and experiential learning, students will work through framing and diagnosing problems as well as identifying and implementing solutions. Integrates students' interests with the tools necessary to be an organizational problem-solver. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 455: Well-Being in Action. 3 credits.
Covers how principles and practices of well-being relate to career and personal life applications. Includes the theory and practices for deepening the student's own experience with the mindfulness and contemplative approaches to inquiry. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 456: Self-Care and Well-Being for Helping Professionals. 4 credits.
Prepares students to understand and meet a distinct set of challenges facing professionals in careers that involve directly helping others. Studies research findings about factors such as stress, burnout, and compassion-fatigue that undermine professional success and longevity in these career fields. Explores the fundamental tenets of the science of well-being, learning the vocabulary and core principles related to aspects of self-care and well-being such as positivity, strengths, mindfulness, and resilience. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 465: Independent Study. 1-12 credits.
Individualized section form required. Study of a topic not otherwise available to the student. May involve any combination of reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, or field/laboratory study (determined in consultation with instructor) Students are encouraged to work as a team on a particular topic. Notes: Maximum 12 credits can be used to fulfill graduation requirements. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
INTS 470: Professional Pathways in Sustainable Food Systems. 1 credit.
Culminating experience for Environmental and Sustainability Studies majors enrolled in the Sustainable Food and Agriculture concentration. Focused on helping students see how their specific talents, interests and experiences can prepare them for specific professional roles within the emerging field of sustainable food systems. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 475: Special Topics. 1-18 credits.
Studies topics of special interest to undergraduates. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
INTS 490: Internship. 1-6 credits.
Students may take no more than 6 credits in any one semester, unless approved by executive director. A maximum of of 12 credits can apply to the Integrative Studies degree. Structured and supervised professional experience, within an approved agency, for which the student earns academic credit. The primary purpose of an internship is to connect the student's academic course work to experiences and challenges outside the university classroom. The faculty also expects that students will enhance their competencies and skills and explore career options. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
INTS 491: Senior Capstone. 3 credits.
This course requires students to reflect and self-assess their undergraduate learning, synthesizing knowledge and ideas from various courses and experiences; address an issue of multidisciplinary inquiry from the perspective of their concentration in order to demonstrate critical thinking, research and communication skills; and to provide evidence of their qualifications for the workplace or graduate study. 85 credits required. Graduation requirement for integrative studies students. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 492: Graduation Portfolio. 0 credits.
INTS 494: Service-Learning Experience. 1-15 credits.
Service-learning courses offer students, faculty, and community partners an opportunity to work together to integrate and apply knowledge to address community needs. Learning goals, action strategies, and assignments developed collaboratively. Students demonstrate progress through critical reflection that illustrates growth in acquiring and comprehending values, skills, and knowledge content. Critical reflection may take the form of papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
INTS 495: Field-Based Work. 1-18 credits.
Directed field studies in topic not otherwise available to students. Notes: Topics vary, but entire course or significant component is located off campus. In addition to field work, course may also include reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, portfolios, journals, and exams. Students bear costs of required field trips and should consult the Center for Social Action and Integrative Learning for more information. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 24 credits.
INTS 496: Teaching Assistant Experience. 1-6 credits.
Teaching assistantship and peer-mentoring duties carried out through existing university programs, such as technology assistants, writing tutors, and residence advisors. Also includes teaching assistantship arrangements for specific courses detailed in individualized course contract signed by instructor and student. In addition to peer mentoring/advising, course work may include logistical support, reading assignments, papers, presentations, and portfolios. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
INTS 497: Add-On Experiential Learning. 1-3 credits.
For students who wish to add one or more experiential learning credit to existing experiential learning course or learning community. Notes: May also be used by students who wish to add an experiential learning component to course that provides no experiential learning credit (with permission of instructor). Unless experiential learning add-on requirements are spelled out in course syllabus, requirements for add-on experiential learning credit must be detailed in individualized course contract signed by instructor and student. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 4 credits.
INTS 498: Experiential Learning. 1-15 credits.
Experiential-based individualized studies, mentored by instructor. Notes: Topics decided by student and instructor and approved by executive director. Requirements must be detailed in individualized course contract signed by student, instructor, and executive director. May include reading assignments, papers, journals, and portfolios. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
500 Level Courses
INTS 503: Conservation Behavior. 4 credits.
Introduces students to the fundamentals of Conservation Behavior, a field that seeks to apply theories of animal behavior towards solving biological conservation and wildlife management problems. The course will consist of interactive lectures, readings (including a text and primary literature), and discussion. Additionally, students will get hands-on, inquiry-based experiential learning while working in groups at the National Zoo to design and conduct independent behavioral-based research on endangered species. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 534: Research for Social Change. 3 credits.
Introduces interdisciplinary research methods for social change. Explores students' epistemological assumptions, and employs methods of inquiry and discovery to explore transformative approaches to scholarship. Examines multiple critical approaches to inquiry, including auto-ethnography and ethnography, feminist and indigenous research methods, participatory action research, critical and quantitative analysis. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 535: Leadership in a Changing Environment. 3 credits.
Examines change and its elements by asking students to explore and design innovative, collaborative solutions to seemingly intractable social problems. Considers and discerns topics such as social change and globalization, creative conflict resolution, the nature of power, oppression and influence, and systemic leadership. Explores methods of personal and social transformation and examine the strategies, and ideas of effective social change advocates in the 21st century. By the course’s end, each student will develop a creative proposal for solving a societal problem. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 537: Critical Race Studies. 3 credits.
Engages students in an examination of the forms and impacts of racism, as well as movements for racial justice in the United States. Draws on theoretical frameworks including critical race theory and intersectionality theory in order to examine the structural roots of racism and the implicit and explicit ways in which racism manifests today. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 538: Representations of Race. 4 credits.
Investigates the social and cultural construction of persistent and harmful racial categories. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 539: Genealogy of Black Feminist Thought. 3 credits.
Explores Black women theorists from the antebellum era to the twenty-first century. Students will gain a deeper understanding of Black feminist theories, philosophies, and practices while also considering how Black women have simultaneously embraced and complicated established feminist and anti-racist readings of race and gender oppression. This course will focus on questions of epistemology, ontology, temporality, the archive, queerness, geography, and intersectionality while paying particular attention to how Black women critique colonialism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and racism. Students will take a historical and theoretical look at Black women thinkers, activists, creatives, freedom fighters, and dreamers using a range of texts including historical documents, novels, documentaries, films, and visual culture. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 540: Contemporary Issues in Social Justice & Human Rights. 3 credits.
Students will examine, study the socio-historical significance of, and consider solutions for some of the most pressing social justice and human rights issues in the world today. The issues examined will cut across identity, region, and scope, and may include concerns as varied as human trafficking, hegemony, animal abuse, child labor, and sexism. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 541: Policing Black Bodies. 3 credits.
Interrogates the myriad ways in which Black Bodies are formally and informally policed. Special focus is given to the ways in which Black women’s bodies are policed not only by the criminal justice system, but also informally through sexual and intimate partner violence, forced sterilization and contraception. Course utilizes the theoretical lenses of intersectionality and of color blind racism. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. Limited to three attempts.
INTS 550: Social Innovation In Action. 3 credits.
Develops students' capacity to engage in positive social change. Examines social innovation approaches, including social and political entrepreneurship, philanthropy, corporate responsibility and social movements. Explores how social innovators catalyze multistakeholder collaborations across commercial, governmental and nonprofit sectors, exploring social innovation through case studies, best practice analyses and relevant readings. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May not be repeated for credit.
INTS 575: Special Topics. 3-4 credits.
Studies topics of special interest to graduate students pursuing integrative, multidisciplinary degrees. Offered by
School of Integrative Studies. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
INTS 595: Experiential Learning. 1-3 credits.