Courses Offered

FMS 115-01
T,R | 9:30 – 10:45 AM
Instructor: Dr. Susan Thomas
MAC: Written Communication

This Freshman Seminar in Reasoning and Discourse will focus on the post-Civil War American South through the twentieth century. Our readings will explore how historians, journalists, and novelists have depicted the region and its people. While that sounds straightforward, we will learn that whether intentional or not, writers often present ideas in ways that obscure rather than reveal underlying truths. They construct identities and create indelible impressions through and from a common language; but frequently the reality bears no resemblance to the carefully crafted image presented. We will be examining a variety of texts, looking at both fiction and non-fiction, some of which will provide historical foundations for our course so that we can build from an understanding of the ‘roots’ of southern culture. Various assignments will emphasize the writing/revising process and critical reading, which will require analysis of the sources and generating original work that reflects some aspect of your own experience.

FMS 115-02
MWF | 9:00 – 9:50 AM
Instructor: Virginia Weaver
MAC: Written Communication

In this course, we will discuss the origins and evolution of the vampire in culture, from historical panics over the alleged undead in Eastern European villages to today’s magnetic, glamorous, and monstrous media representations. We will interpret vampire media using concepts from rhetorical theory and students will use these rhetorical concepts to produce analytical, argumentative, and expressive writings of their own.

FMS 115-03
MWF | 10:00 – 10:50 AM
Instructor:​ Henriikka Koivisto
MAC: Written Communication

 “Horror is like a serpent; always shedding its skin, always changing. And it will always come back.”
–Dario Argento

From Early Modern revenge tragedies to 21st century horror film, humans have been drawn to things that scare, horrify, and disgust us. This course explores why we are drawn to horror, what horror stories can reveal to us about ourselves and the world we live in, as well as horror’s potential to serve as a platform for social change. Through reading and discussing various types of horror texts ranging from short stories to scholarly arguments on horror, this course aims to sharpen your skills as a reader, writer, and thinker while also strengthening your understanding of the horror genre. The assignments in this course will have an emphasis on writing and revision process, reflection, and critical reading.

FMS 115-04
T, R | 12:30 – 1:45 PM
Instructor:​ Brittany Hilliard
MAC: Written Communication

When fan fiction is considered, fan created art, videos, and stories that alter or add onto content found in books, film, and video games can come to mind. Frequently, those interactions with the narrative’s world enhance the author’s participation in it and can help other audiences feel more included in it as well. Fan fictions, then, fulfill an author’s individual needs and desires regarding those narratives. Once published, those creations also have the power to speak to other people’s interests and build communities. In those ways, fan fiction composition is both a personal and social act.

In this course, we will critically read a variety of texts, including film and video games, analyze how other authors altered those texts, and how narrative modification appeals to the self and society. Assignments will emphasize the writing and revision process through creative engagement with texts and the formations of original arguments about them that ultimately will help you express yourself and discover your individual academic investments.

FMS 116-01
T,​R​ |​ ​11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Instructor: Jessica Sullivan
MAC: Oral Communication

I can’t believe you just said that.  Why won’t you talk to me?  What do you mean that topic is “off limits?”  We’ve all been there.  We’re trying hard to have a meaningful and productive conversation with someone, but are finding it difficult to make headway.  Maybe you’re trying to address someone’s bias or discrimination.  Maybe you’re trying to communicate your own identity, or work through challenging family dynamics. In this class, we’ll explore theories and strategies to guide us toward effective listening, conversations, and conflict resolution.  You’ll have opportunities to practice ethical dialogue and will learn to clearly articulate your own positions and feelings orally.

FMS 116-02
M, W | 2:00 – 3:15 PM
Instructor:​ Calvin Lowery
MAC: Oral Communication

In this course, students will gain valuable insights into the legal profession and develop communication skills through a hands-on approach. Students will participate in legal client interviews, negotiations, moot court, and a mock trial. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, you will learn how to effectively communicate and advocate for your clients’ interests. This immersive experience will enhance public speaking, presentation, and legal analysis skills.

FMS 116-03
MWF | 11:00 – 11:50 AM
Instructor: Evan Moore
MAC: Oral Communication

Whether it’s telling stories to friends, finding multiple versions of something, or engaging in internet conversations, we engage with revised ideas every day—even if we don’t know we’re doing it. The oral communication skills involved are usually just assumed, but we should be more active. We should ask: “Why am I telling this story differently to two different people? Why are they lying about what clearly happened? Why would someone tweet an update to a book they already published?” Texts change overtime, just like we do, and so we call them “living texts.” In this class, we’ll try to understand why and how those changes take place. We’ll create stories ourselves, and we’ll read several short stories from the ancient world through to today.

FMS 116-04
T, R | 12:30 – 1:45 PM
Instructor: Blair Lunn
MAC: Oral Communication

In this course, we will explore the process of adaptation across a variety of mediums and modalities. We’ll consider the influence of various power structures and how our choices in adaptation might shift in relation to our audience, with the following always in mind: What is gained, lost, or negotiated through this process–and for whom?

FMS 117-01
M, W | 2:00 – 3:15 PM
Instructor: Tiffany Holland
MAC: Diversity and Equity

What is freedom? Can freedom be boundless, or does it have limitations? Who can define it, and who protects it or polices it? Does it look like 1920s Harlem, Wakanda, the Mothership Connection, or worlds we have yet to imagine?

The course will utilize Black feminist thought, Afrofuturism, queer theory, and historical analysis to explore the ways in which Black people in the United States have imagined freedom and their varied efforts to achieve it. We will evaluate how radical imagining, speculation, and dreaming can transform institutions and individuals and can push the boundaries of ideas of race, gender, sexuality, nation, belonging, and liberation. In addition to scholarly works, we will examine novels, art, film, and music.

FMS 117-02
MWF | 12:00 – 12:50 PM
Instructor: Alejandro Hortal
MAC: Diversity and Equity

“Money and Happiness” is an innovative freshman seminar focused on the critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of economic class within cultural identity. This course uniquely addresses how economic status profoundly shapes individuals’ identity, health, character, and happiness. It emphasizes the intersectionality of economic class with other identity aspects (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), offering a comprehensive exploration of this dynamic.

In the course, students will explore cultural identity complexities, focusing on global poverty, social justice, and economic diversity. They will study both local and global economic disparities, including gentrification, the rise of the working poor as a new class, and the effects of public policies on economic inequality.

The main objective is to equip students with the intellectual tools necessary to comprehend the complexities of economic class as an aspect of cultural identity and its interrelation with happiness and well-being in our globalized society.

FMS 195-01
MWF | 1:00 – 1:50 PM
Instructor: Kevin Reese
MAC: Quantitative Reasoning

New mathematics is made through proofs. This course will present key discoveries in the history of mathematics via the proofs that made these discoveries possible. We will focus on ancient Greek mathematics, with topics including the Pythagorean Theorem, irrational numbers, Euclidean geometry (geometric constructions with compass and straightedge), Archimedes’ estimate of pi, Eratosthenes’s measure of the Earth’s circumference, and the use of spherical trigonometry in astronomy. Students will need only a background in high-school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry (NC Math 1, 2, 3).

FMS 115-01
T,R | 9:30 – 10:45 AM
Instructor: Dr. Susan Thomas
MAC: Written Communication

This Freshman Seminar in Reasoning and Discourse will focus on the post-Civil War American South through the twentieth century. Our readings will explore how historians, journalists, and novelists have depicted the region and its people. While that sounds straightforward, we will learn that whether intentional or not, writers often present ideas in ways that obscure rather than reveal underlying truths. They construct identities and create indelible impressions through and from a common language; but frequently the reality bears no resemblance to the carefully crafted image presented. We will be examining a variety of texts, looking at both fiction and non-fiction, some of which will provide historical foundations for our course so that we can build from an understanding of the ‘roots’ of southern culture. Various assignments will emphasize the writing/revising process and critical reading, which will require analysis of the sources and generating original work that reflects some aspect of your own experience.

FMS 115-02
MWF | 11:00 – 11:50 AM
Instructor: Raoul Djimeli
MAC: Written Communication

This course emphasizes cultivating creativity and imagination. This dynamic and interactive class invites students to explore a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, as they write about the impossible, the improbable, and the unknown. The texts we will examine in this course primarily come from non-American authors and address themes that are often overlooked in Western literatures. Although the course focuses on enhancing written English skills, we will also explore works that showcase different varieties of English, including those from Africa. Throughout the course, students will engage in various writing exercises, peer critiques, and readings of established authors, providing inspiration and insight into the craft of creative writing.

FMS 115-03
T,R | 12:30 – 1:45 PM
Instructor: Carole-Anne Morris
MAC: Written Communication

In this course, we will consider the language of investigation that we encounter in various examples of the mystery genre. We will ask how mysteries and investigations are rhetorically constructed, and how we experience these constructions in stories, reports, and podcasts. Students will also engage in the writing process and produce original, analytical arguments about the texts and concepts we discuss.

FMS 115-04
MWF | 10:00 – 10:50 AM
Instructor:​ Henriikka Koivisto
MAC: Written Communication

“Horror is like a serpent; always shedding its skin, always changing. And it will always come back.”–Dario Argento

From Early Modern revenge tragedies to 21st century horror film, humans have been drawn to things that scare, horrify, and disgust us. This course explores why we are drawn to horror, what horror stories can reveal to us about ourselves and the world we live in, as well as horror’s potential to serve as a platform for social change. Through reading and discussing various types of horror texts ranging from short stories to scholarly arguments on horror, this course aims to sharpen your skills as a reader, writer, and thinker while also strengthening your understanding of the horror genre. The assignments in this course will have an emphasis on writing and revision process, reflection, and critical reading.

FMS 115-05
MW | 2:00 – 3:15 PM
Instructor: Nora Webb
MAC: Written Communication

This writing-intensive seminar explores the intersection of witchy narratives and feminist perspectives to examine how they challenge and redefine ideas of power, identity, and justice. From historical trials to modern retellings, witches have long been figures of rebellion, transgression, and social commentary. Through close readings of literary works, feminist texts, and historical accounts, students will engage in critical reading and discussion to support the writing and revision process. As a result, students will foster deeper engagement with the material and develop strong writing skills while exploring the witch as both a symbol of oppression and empowerment.

FMS 116-01
T,​R​ |​ ​12:30 – 1:45 PM
Instructor: Ignacio López Alemany
MAC: Oral Communication

This course explores Hispanic identities that fall outside mainstream perceptions, offering a deeper understanding of the global diversity of the Hispanic world. Going beyond the limits established by the U.S. Census, students will delve into the rich histories and cultures such as Sephardic Jews, Equatorial Guinea in Central Africa, and the Philippines, among others.

The course emphasizes the development of essential oral communication skills by engaging in a variety of activities to practice and demonstrate their oral communication competencies, such as group discussions, structured debates, individual presentations, peer feedback sessions, and public panel discussions. This class aims to creating a dynamic learning environment where students examine complex topics, develop persuasive arguments, and interact with diverse perspectives.

FMS 116-02
T,R | 2:00 – 3:15 PM
Instructor:​ Will Smith
MAC: Oral Communication

Most of us stopped checking under the bed a long time ago, but that hasn’t stopped our fascination with monsters. In this class, we will explore the connections between cultures and the monsters that prowl outside their safe boundaries of “normalcy.” We will examine a diverse set of sources (from Shakespeare to professional wrestling) across a range of mediums (comic books, video games, podcasts, and movies) to identify the ways in which depictions of monstrosity express a culture’s anxieties, fears, and values. Course assignments will focus on a student’s ability to develop, structure, and present an argument in a scholarly setting.

FMS 116-03
T,R | 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Instructor: Talia Gray
MAC: Oral Communication

As digital platforms increasingly become the site of our society’s socialization and interactions, our course will focus on how one may identify, build, engage in, and most certainly communicate within and outside of online communities. We will strategize and discuss the most effective methods of establishing community and engaging one another within communal discourse. Our class will also serve as a learning community where we will practice various communication strategies within digital platforms in an effort to apply what we have learned through observing online social movements. Students will have the opportunity to use various mediums of communication like recorded video, face to face discussion, voiceovers, presentations, and other modes of communication relevant to digital platforms. Developing such skills will allow for students to expand the tools available to them as they continue their education and professional careers. At the end of the course, students will have several communication strategies in their employ, understand the position of the audience, and contextual factors in shaping their messages, be able to identify online communities and their goals/functions.

FMS 117-01
T,R | 2:00 – 3:15 PM
Instructor: Calvin Lowery
MAC: Diversity and Equity

A​ critical analysis of the complicated past, present, and future relationship between Race, Socio-Economic Status, and Education.

FMS 117-02
MWF | 12:00 – 12:50 PM
Instructor: Alejandro Hortal
MAC: Diversity and Equity

“Money and Happiness” is an innovative freshman seminar focused on the critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of economic class within cultural identity. This course uniquely addresses how economic status profoundly shapes individuals’ identity, health, character, and happiness. It emphasizes the intersectionality of economic class with other identity aspects (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), offering a comprehensive exploration of this dynamic.

In the course, students will explore cultural identity complexities, focusing on global poverty, social justice, and economic diversity. They will study both local and global economic disparities, including gentrification, the rise of the working poor as a new class, and the effects of public policies on economic inequality.

The main objective is to equip students with the intellectual tools necessary to comprehend the complexities of economic class as an aspect of cultural identity and its interrelation with happiness and well-being in our globalized society.

FMS 135-01
W | 5:20 – 8:20 PM
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Krive
MAC: Health and Wellness

This course explores connections between what we eat and who we are through cross-cultural study of how personal and collective identities, social relations, and economic inequalities are formed and maintained via food production, preparation, and consumption practices. Discussions are organized around critical discussion of what makes “good” food good (tasty, healthy, authentic, ethical, etc.) and draw on recent writing and films on the culture and politics of food and agriculture. A primary goal of the course is to provide students with conceptual tools to understand and evaluate food systems at local and global levels. 

Classes will combine lecture, discussion, and field experience. The class meets once a week for three hours. Each class is keyed to a set of readings, and students must keep up with the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class. Some lectures directly engage our readings, while others contextualize historical and theoretical information. Occasionally, we break into small groups for more concentrated discussion. At least one class session will be a field experience that takes us into Greensboro to engage directly with the ideas raised in the course. Class participation—regular attendance and participation in discussion—will count strongly towards the final grade. Missing more than two classes—for any reason—may affect your final grade.

FMS 183-01
T,R | 9:30 – 10:45 A
Instructor: Randall Hayes
MAC: Critical Thinking, Natural Sciences

This course merges fact and fiction as a way of bringing facts to life. As a class, we will choose a newly discovered exoplanet (fact) and build out its environment, based on scientific principles, before populating it with creatures of our own design (fiction). This process will involve studying topics such as the evolution of stars and planets, system dynamics, the history of life on Earth, and previous literary and artistic world-building projects. Students will present on their efforts to local and national audiences, through UNCG’s StellarCon and virtual opportunities.

FMS 183-03
T,R | 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Instructor: Austin Craven
MAC: Critical Thinking, Natural Sciences

With current advances in genetics and biotechnology we have seen changes in the way we as humans pass our genes to our children. It occurs more and more frequently whether it is through reproductive technologies or direct modification of human genes using systems such as CRIPSR/cas9. Huge databases of human genetics exist for the first time letting long lost relatives find each other, and serial killers be caught after decades, but may open the average citizen up to discrimination. Not only with humans but these technologies are rampant in our food, cloths, and so much more of our daily lives. The 1997 movie GATTACA predicted much of this and offers some possibilities about where our society may handle some of these challenges. This course will explore these concepts and more in regard to modern biotechnology and how it relates to the genetics of our world. This will be focused on how it may affect everyday citizens, and the choices we as a society will have to make when it comes to regulating and living with these technologies.

FMS 195-01
MWF | 1:00 – 1:50 PM
Instructor: Kevin Reese
MAC: Quantitative Reasoning

New mathematics is made through proofs. This course will present key discoveries in the history of mathematics via the proofs that made these discoveries possible. We will focus on ancient Greek mathematics, with topics including the Pythagorean Theorem, irrational numbers, Euclidean geometry (geometric constructions with compass and straightedge), Archimedes’ estimate of pi, Eratosthenes’s measure of the Earth’s circumference, and the use of spherical trigonometry in astronomy. Students will need only a background in high-school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry (NC Math 1, 2, 3).