29 courses with the subject CONN, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
CONN 300Firing the Frontier From cooking hearths to space exploration, ceramic technology is4
one of the most enduring human inventions. This course explores how artists and archeologists utilize our knowledge of the techniques used by Native People of the Juniata watershed and early colonial potters in contemporary practices. We will engage in research and production of ceramic wares through the lens of history. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 301Living With Artificial Intelligence The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has4
experienced unprecedented growth and is being applied in every industry. At the same time, it is poorly understood, easy to misuse, and often a source of bias and discrimination. This course will cover the history, ethics, and current application of AI with hands-on projects such as AI art and writing, image recognition, and autonomous robots. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 302Yoga Theory and Practice In the past fifty years, Yoga has become one of India's best4
known exports, primarily in the form of physical (Hatha) Yoga. Through a concentrated study of asana, meditation techniques, pranayama, philosophical texts, and scientific reasoning, students will engage with the system of yoga through questioning and analysis as we explore how yoga and meditation became popular in the West. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 303Genomics, Ethics, and Society The purpose of this course will be to gain an4
understanding of the science behind the genome project and develop an understanding how ethical norms are established and challenged. Students will discuss and debate the potential implications of this new technology for them as individuals and for society in general. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC, CTGES)
CONN 304Travel Writing 1 How can travel writers experience a place and write in a way that2
respects all of the aspects of a place and the people? In this course, students will explore travel writing in multiple ways - through reading and analysis of contemporary and classic travel writing, learning and
CONN 305Travel Writing 2 How can travel writers experience a place and write in a way that2
respects all of the aspects of a place and the people? In this course, students will explore travel writing in multiple ways - through reading and analysis of contemporary and classic travel writing, learning and practicing travel writing techniques, researching the place and people of Iceland, traveling and journaling for two weeks in Iceland, and using written and oral communication to create and distribute their own travel writing about Iceland after they return. Scientific and journalistic ethics will infuse every aspect of this course as students learn to represent travel in an ethical way. NOTE: This is a two-course series, with students earning 2 credits in the spring semester for the predeparture course, and 2 credits in the summer term for the trip to Iceland followed by online post-travel reflection and writing activities. The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses in the series, with the majority of the fee on the spring semester billing and a $250 administrative fee on the summer term billing. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 307International Security This course examines international security through the lens of3
political science and peace and conflict studies theories. We devote a large part of the course to a negotiation simulation of an international conflict. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN)
Culture 1: This Connections course intends that you understand the living landscape -- human and botanical -- as a result of historical processes, decisions, and accidents. Combining historical methods utilizing primary sources along with biological field methods, the natural and anthropogenic dynamics of West Indian botany are at the heart of the inquiry. Students will earn two credits in the fall semester with on-campus meetings and two credits in winter term for the trip to Barbados. NOTES: Students must be 21 years of age or older by the start date of CONN-309 Barbados Plants & Culture 2. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses, with the majority of the fee on the fall semester billing and a $250 administrative fee on the winter term billing. (CONN)
Culture 2: This Connections course intends that you understand the living landscape -- human and botanical -- as a result of historical processes, decisions, and accidents. Combining historical methods utilizing primary sources along with biological field methods, the natural and anthropogenic dynamics of West Indian botany are at the heart of the inquiry. Students will earn two credits in the fall semester with on-campus meetings and two credits in winter term for the trip to Barbados. NOTES: Students must be 21 years of age or older by the start date of CONN-309 Barbados Plants & Culture 2. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. The total fee for the experience is split between the two
CONN 310Revolution! Part 1 Revolution! will look at the structure of revolutions, broadly1
construed. The course will focus on four specific revolutions in the natural and life sciences, followed by a short-term study abroad experience in Eastern Europe, including Vienna, Brno, Prague, and Budapest, during summer term. Students will produce a script and podcast focusing on a specific revolution. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. NOTE: The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses, with the majority of the fee on the spring semester billing and a $250 administrative fee on the summer term billing. (H, N, CW, IC, CONN)
**Courses in Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Data Science, and possibly other disciplines may be approved as electives if they have a substantial astronomy content or are closely related to astronomy topics. Secondary Emphasis Credit Total = 22 Any course exception must be approved by the advisor and/or department chair.
CONN 312Science and Society This course on Science and Society is intended to review3
historical issues in science and the debate that surrounds societal decision-making. Thus, students will examine this topic from the perspective of scientific process and social inquiry. In addition, we will also review current "hot topics" in science, research these topics from various aspects including societal impacts and scientific advancements. They will also discuss potential resolutions, moving toward becoming more scientifically literate. We will also be discussing current "popular" books on related science. Ultimately, we will compare what the scientists are saying in professional journals versus the interpretation presented to the general public. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN)
CONN 313Science Policy In this course, we will explore how science and technology influence3
and are in turn influenced by, U.S. public policy. We will also discuss how a scientific "consensus" is built and challenged. We will analyze scientific policies, while working to understand the impact of these policies on the development of science as well as that of the nation. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 314Global Climate Change This course examines the science and politics of global4
climate change, including data and analyses in the assessment reports of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The course also examines how governments and other political actors craft and shape policies related to climate change. Special attention will be placed on the extent to which public policy is influenced by scientific evidence and political considerations. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 315FWays of Well-Being (Fall) Mindfulness, Surfing, and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) are hobbies3
sports, lifestyles, and pathways to well-being. Principally, this course is aimed at helping you to cultivate a path towards enhanced personal and collective well-being. The course includes a week-long trip to Costa Rica, where students will enjoy surfing, practicing meditation and Tai Chi, and exploring one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. Note: CONN-315F is the first course in a two-course series, with students earning 3 credits in the fall
CONN 315SWays of Well-Being (Spring) Mindfulness, Surfing, and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) are4
hobbies, sports, lifestyles, and pathways to well-being. Principally, this course is aimed at helping you to cultivate a path towards enhanced personal and collective well-being. The course includes a spring break trip to Costa Rica, where students will enjoy surfing, practicing meditation and Tai Chi, and exploring one of the most beautiful places on Earth. NOTES: 1) While this course includes a study abroad component, it counts towards the Connections requirement, not the Self & The World Global Engagement requirement. 2) Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC, I)
CONN 315WWays of Well-Being (Winter) Mindfulness, Surfing, and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) are1
hobbies, sports, lifestyles, and pathways to well-being. Principally, this course is aimed at helping you to cultivate a path towards enhanced personal and collective well-being. The course includes a week-long trip to Costa Rica, where students will enjoy surfing, practicing meditation and Tai Chi, and exploring one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. Note: CONN-315F is the first course in a two-course series, with students earning 3 credits in the fall semester for the predeparture course and 1 credit in the winter term for the trip to Costa Rica. The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses, with the majority of the fee on the fall billing and a $250 administrative fee on the winter term billing. (CONN, IC, I)
CONN 320The Politics and Cultures of Migration In this course, you will gain an understanding3
of many aspects of migration, such as the motivations, obstacles, and dangers of migration; the evolution of US immigration laws; the the economic, political, and cultural impact of migration on US, Mexican, and Central American societies. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 321Musical Acoustics This course covers concepts of physics as applied to music4
Topics include sound and resonance, pitch and tuning systems, psychoacoustics, anatomy of the ear, workings of musical instruments, electronic music fundamentals and literature, a review of musical notation, aural recognition of intervals and pitches, instrument design/construction, and performance. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN)
CONN 324Origins & Destiny of the World This course studies scientific and religious accounts4
of the origin of the world and predictions about its destiny. Topics include the Big Bang, formation of Earth, evolution of humans, biblical and other ancient stories of creation and the worldwide flood, and scientific theories and religious visions of the end of the world. We will pay special attention to how scientific and religious perspectives on these topics interact and relate to one another. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 325Theatre of the Observed Is empathy a thought or an action? Is it something we have3
give, enact, or embody? How is empathy communicated? In this course, we examine the nuances of empathy through reading, speaking, observing, and embodied action. The course brings together methods of social inquiry and creative expression in order to produce an original verbatim theatrical performances and reflection on the human experience known as empathy. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 331Battlefield Detectives The course will introduce the cultural, historical, and4
geological aspects of the field of geoarchaeology. We focus on how different people interacted and behaved in the past through analysis of the items preserved in the geological record. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (Formerly titled: Geoarchaeology) (IC,
CONN 340Extracting Appalachia This course will use case studies to explore the impacts and4
legacies of extractive industries on the Appalachian region and its inhabitants. Students will work collaboratively with peers and faculty with different perspectives than their own in order to explore multi- faceted problems from many directions and to propose solutions that address these problems. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (Formerly titled "Environmental Justice") (CONN, IC)
CONN 350Community Health Advocacy In this course, students learn to recognize health3
disparities within communities and identify ways to intervene and advocate to promote better health outcomes for community members. Students will explore how poor health outcomes for individuals and communities are linked to social determinants of health. This course uses the competencies for community health workers established by the Pennsylvania Certification Board. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 390Environmental Voices I This interdisciplinary course series examines environmental2
justice and regional extraction by comparing two rural regions: Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, and Sumter County, Alabama. It uses a humanist pedagogical approach and a dual-lens methodology, integrating insights from the humanities (specifically digital media, storytelling, and visual arts) with critical insights from the social sciences. It consists of two components: CONN-390, the 2-credit predeparture course during the spring semester, and CONN-391, a 2-credit study-away course, during which the class will travel to Alabama for two weeks during summer term. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. NOTE: The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses, with the majority of the fee on the spring semester billing and a $250 administrative fee on the summer term billing. (CONN, IC)
CONN 391Environmental Voices II This interdisciplinary course series examines environmental2
justice and regional extraction by comparing two rural regions: Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, and Sumter County, Alabama. It uses a humanist pedagogical approach and a dual-lens methodology, integrating insights from the humanities (specifically digital media, storytelling, and visual arts) with critical insights from the social sciences. It consists of two components: CONN-390, the 2-credit predeparture course during the spring semester, and CONN-391, a 2-credit study-away course, during which the class will travel to Alabama for two weeks during summer term. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. NOTE: The total fee for the experience is split between the two courses, with the majority of the fee on the spring semester billing and a $250 administrative fee on the summer term billing. (CONN, IC)
CONN 392Justice and Global Health This course will introduce students to important4
contemporary debates about the nature of justice and global health from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Topics covered include philosophical approaches to justice, prominent debates within global health around disparate health outcomes, and the impact of neoliberalism on public health systems. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN, IC)
CONN 394Curating Art, History & Science In this course, students will explore the intersection4
of art, history, and natural science while considering the principles, practices, and ethics used by curators in museum settings. We will examine the ways in which curators work as researchers, collaborators, artists, and activists through a series of case studies focused on ethics, collecting, documentation, communication, scholarly research, exhibition design, and interpretation/education. NOTE: Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year when taking a Connections course. (CONN)
