Core Classes: Students select three core classes to help ensure a smooth entry into graduate study, scholarly thinking, and writing. The core classes teach research techniques, approaches to reading scholarly texts and how to create logical arguments about ideas and concepts. You can take these in any order and within your first three semesters. We offer four courses but you choose your three from this list:
MLS 501: Writing about Social Issues: Culture, Gender, Society and Well-being in the Southwest
Learn the current techniques of nonfiction writing and how to create engaging, interesting writing. The course also looks at various approaches to writing about social concerns using memoir, graphic novels, historical texts and other types of literature.
MLS 502: Religion, Culture, and Health - Where Cultures Intersect
This class focuses on how cultural and religious notions may come into conflict around issues of health. We look at contemporary issues found in the growing integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to healing, along with scientific studies behind the placebo effect in treatment. We will examine the complicated medical ethical issues in end-of-life care, vaccination debate and untested medical treatments.
MLS 503: Ethics, Science, and Culture
This class introduces concepts about the social issues transforming our headlines today. The politics of new technologies, religion, bioethics, biogenetic engineering, stem cell research, abortion, cloning, organ transplants, and climate change will be covered. You will also gain insight on current topics, like addressing Ebola globally and at home. Pack your intellectual toolkit with the information you need to master any social situation, hold your own in the boardroom or simply exude the confidence necessary to discuss controversial topics without hesitation.
MLS 504: Film Analysis
An inquiry into the analysis of films through various theoretical lenses as well as the cultural viewpoints exemplified from various national cinemas. By examining the cultural currencies of not only “Hollywood” paradigms but inclusive of global cinematic texts and methodologies of production we can explore more clearly the hybridization of current and evolving world film styles. Other texts and ideas that we will be exploring through the film viewing assignments will include the politics of war, diaspora, race, class, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender complexities and gender orientation.