Junior Core Seminar Course Descriptions
Common Core Seminar Description
CORE or Discipline Specific 379 - What is Justice?
3 credits
This is the third of three interdisciplinary courses that, together with the fourth-year
capstone course in the major, comprise ODU’s core seminars. All sections of this seminar
listed below will extend the discussion of human nature and the common good to address
the question, “What is Justice?” Students will examine the nature of justice in terms
of our obligations to ourselves, to others, and to the divine. While each section
will approach the question of the seminar from a unique perspective, all sections
share common learning outcomes and a common text or texts. Students are encouraged
to take this seminar during their third year. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate
transfer status; ENG 111.
Section-Specific Descriptions
ART/POL 379E CORE: Justice, Art, Politics
3 Credits
An interdisciplinary study of the influences politics has on art and the question
of how art and politics inform the human search for truth through an investigation
of artistic masterworks from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century. Selected
images of masterworks will be discussed and annotated. Prerequisites: ENG 110–111;
or consent of instructor.
BIO 379A CORE: Clean Water
3 credits
Water is essential for humans to live. Clean water is a prerequisite for commerce,
education and progress in any society. Clean, safe drinking water is, however, not
universally available in the world. Justice for all persons requires access to clean
water. This section of CORE 379 will explore the historical struggle for potable water
in the US and worldwide. We will also look at current problems with obtaining and
maintaining clean water faced both nationally and internationally. By examining the
history and challenges associated with securing clean water, this seminar highlights
the important role of science in the liberal arts. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate
transfer status; ENG 111.
CRJ 379A/POL 379D/HST 379A CORE: Justice, Rights, Liberty
3 Credits
The search for justice in terms of the development of civil rights in the United States.
Readings, discussions, and debate on the concept of justice; examination of history,
substance, and value of civil rights—with special attention paid to the Bill of Rights;
focus on the Civil Rights Movement (race and gender) as a case study. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This course fulfills the Arts requirement
(HST) or partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement (POL/CRJ).
Not open to students with credit in POL/CRJ 232. This course fulfills the diversity,
global, and multicultural requirement.
CRJ/POL/SOC 379C CORE: Causes of Collective Violence: Terrorism, Genocide, War
3 Credits
This is an introduction to theories of conflict and war from the inter-group to the
international level. Included are causes of terrorism, ethnic conflict and genocide,
revolution, and interstate war. This includes an analysis of causes of conflict at
four levels: individual, small group, the nation/state, and the international system.
This course is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories from biology, psychology, sociology,
economics, and political science. Case studies of contemporary conflicts are utilized
to explain and test various theoretical perspectives and to examine the consequences
of war. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
CRJ 379D CORE: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime
3 Credits
This course examines the intersection of race, crime, and justice. Course materials
and assigned readings will examine historical and contemporary research, theories,
and policies regarding race and crime. This course will provide an overview of the
history of race and ethnicity in the construction of law and the administration of
justice, an examination of differential involvement/treatment explanations for crime
and justice disparities, and a critical analysis of the broader implications of a
racialized criminal justice system. Policies for alleviating inequalities in the criminal
justice system will also be examined. This course fulfills the diversity, global,
and multicultural requirement. Not open to students with credit in CRJ 378. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
ECN 379A CORE: Social and Economic Justice
3 Credits
This course is an empirical, critical, reflective study of social and economic justice
pertaining to the problems of income inequality, inequitable distribution of income,
denial of property rights, resource allocation, and the determination of “just price/just
wage.” It is a reflection on poverty, its dynamics and remedies, and the just demands
of the poor. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This
course fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement.
EDU 379A CORE: Principles of Education
3 Credits
Justice is part of our schools. Or, is it? This course in educational foundations
will develop from diverse perspectives an understanding of the historical, sociological,
and philosophical roots of education as they are impacted by justice and the question
“how shall we live”. Current educational issues and developments will structure the
course as we look at how education became an institution and why it must continue
to grow and change. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
Not open to students with credit in EDU 348A. This course fulfills the diversity,
global, and multicultural requirement.
ENG 379A CORE: Feast and Famine: Class and Culture in Literature and Film
3 Credits
This course examines the question of justice by examining the haves and have-nots
in literature and film. Issues revolving around race, class, and gender will be raised
through the analysis of a variety of literary genres and films. This course fulfills
the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement and the Arts requirement (Literature).
Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
ENG 379B CORE: Rebels in Literature and Music
3 Credits
This course examines rebellion in literature (in fiction and non-fiction) and music
(for example rock and roll, its roots in blues and gospel, and influences on alternative
and rap) as social, personal, and political defiance of authority in order to advance
principles of justice regarding the individual as related to community and the divine.
Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
ENG 379C CORE: The Epic Tradition
3 Credits
A study of the tradition, form, and content of the epic from Homer to Milton, this
course emphasizes the role of the hero and deals with issues of justice and war, conceptions
of good and evil, and rewards and punishments on earth and in the afterlife. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit
for ENG 348A.
HST 379A/CRJ 379A/POL 379D CORE: Justice, Rights, Liberty
3 Credits
The search for justice in terms of the development of civil rights in the United States.
Readings, discussions, and debate on the concept of justice; examination of history,
substance, and value of civil rights—with special attention paid to the Bill of Rights;
focus on the Civil Rights Movement (race and gender) as a case study. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This course fulfills the Arts requirement
(HST) or partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement (POL/CRJ).
Not open to students with credit in POL/CRJ 232. This course fulfills the diversity,
global, and multicultural requirement.
HST 379B CORE: Slavery and Freedom: The Paradox of American History
3 Credits
This course will examine the central paradox of American History—Slavery and Freedom—around
the central event of the Civil War. Although the focus will be on history, literary
works will be assigned as well (i.e., Shelby Foote, Ambrose Bierce, Toni Morrison,
along with great primary documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Paine’s
Common Sense, Frederick Douglas, and the speeches of Abraham Lincoln (exemplary in
terms of literary style as well as substance)). Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate
transfer status; ENG 111. This course fulfills the Arts requirement (History). Not
open to students with credit in HST 348C.
HST 379C CORE: Columbus Urban History
3 Credits
This course addresses justice in the context of Columbus’s urban history. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
HON 379A CORE: Critical Writing and Research
3 Credits
Research allows us to better understand the world around us (theoretical research)
and to solve problems (applied research). In order to have these effects, research
must be shared with the rest of the community – both within and beyond the discipline
– and must be attentive to ethical issues and justice in every step of the process.
Student will actively engage in critical thinking exercises intended to improve their
abilities to develop testable hypotheses, meaningful critiques, and defendable arguments.
This will be coupled with a focus on research skills that will result in the successful
completion of an in-depth original proposal for a senior honors project in a discipline
of the student’s choice. Student will learn how to share their findings with the community
through written, oral, and visual presentations. Students will also demonstrate an
appreciation of the nature of justice as they consider the practical/applied implications
of their scholarly work to promote well-being. Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors
Program and ENG 111.
PHL 379A CORE: Principles of Justice
3 Credits
An examination of some fundamental questions about how people should live and how
societies should allocate their resources. To answer these questions, students will
study the basic tenets of different theories of justice and economic systems. The
course will focus on justice in the allocation of a society’s resources, but it also
will address how different forms of justice are related. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or
appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in PHL 230.
This course partially fulfills the Philosophy requirement.
PHL 379B CORE: Lives of the Philosophers
3 Credits
This course will examine ancient, medieval, and renaissance biographies and autobiographies
of famous philosophers. These texts will be considered as documents that exhibit one
of the traditional definitions of philosophy “as way of life.” The biographical and
autobiographical writings will be supplemented with challenging primary texts from
the philosophers that highlight issues of justice and morality. Students will be evaluated
through regular quizzes, essay exams, and papers. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate
transfer status; ENG 111. This course partially fulfills the Philosophy requirement.
PHL 379C CORE: Medieval Moral Dilemmas and Moral Luck
3 Credits
This upper-level philosophy course will approach medieval conceptions of justice by
examining philosophical texts that concern moral dilemmas and moral luck. Several
medieval philosophers considered whether the existence of moral dilemmas or moral
luck would be threats to justice. The course’s close reading of philosophical texts
from a variety of medieval writers will be supplemented with contemporary literature
on moral dilemmas and moral luck. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer
status; ENG 111.
PHL 379D CORE: Philosophy of History
3 Credits
This course examines the thought of select classical authors as well as contemporary
theorists who have considered the question, "What is history?" Related issues to be
examined include: whether there is justice in history, whether there is an end to
history, whether history is knowable, whether history repeats itself, and whether
the evils of history can be addressed. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer
status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in PHL 285A.
PJU/POL 379B CORE: Peace and Justice: Catholic Social Teachings
3 Credits
The study of justice and peace through the application of the social teaching of the
Catholic Church and the findings of social and political science. Prerequisites: CORE
179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in POL/THL/SJU/PJU
278. This course partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement.
POL 379A CORE: War and Peace: International Law and Organization
3 Credits
A study of the quest for a just international order through the development of international
law and organization and their importance to an understanding of issues of war and
peace. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to
students with credit in POL 361. This course partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral
Science requirement and fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement.
POL/PJU 379B CORE: Peace and Justice: Catholic Social Teaching
3 Credits
The study of justice and peace through the application of the social teaching of the
Catholic Church and the findings of social and political science. Prerequisites: CORE
179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in POL/THL/SJU/PJU
278. This course partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement.
POL/CRJ/SOC 379C CORE: Causes of Collective Violence: Terrorism, Genocide, War
3 Credits
This is an introduction to theories of conflict and war from the inter-group to the
international level. Included are causes of terrorism, ethnic conflict and genocide,
revolution, and interstate war. This includes an analysis of causes of conflict at
four levels: individual, small group, the nation/state, and the international system.
This course is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories from biology, psychology, sociology,
economics, and political science. Case studies of contemporary conflicts are utilized
to explain and test various theoretical perspectives and to examine the consequences
of war. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open
to students with credit in POL/CRJ/SOC 347.
POL 379D/CRJ 379A/HST 379A CORE: Justice, Rights, Liberty
3 Credits
The search for justice in terms of the development of civil rights in the United States.
Readings, discussions, and debate on the concept of justice; examination of history,
substance, and value of civil rights—with special attention paid to the Bill of Rights;
focus on the Civil Rights Movement (race and gender) as a case study. Prerequisites:
CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This course fulfills the Arts requirement
(HST) or partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement (POL/CRJ).
Not open to students with credit in POL/CRJ 232. This course fulfills the diversity,
global, and multicultural requirement.
POL/ART 379E CORE: Justice, Art, Politics
3 Credits
An interdisciplinary study of the influences politics has on art and the question
of how art and politics inform the human search for truth through an investigation
of artistic masterworks from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century. Selected
images of masterworks will be discussed and annotated. Prerequisites: ENG 110–111;
or consent of instructor.
PSY 379A CORE: Psychology of Women
3 Credits
A study of justice and the psychological and social dynamics that shape women’s lives.
Students will critically examine past and present psychological research and theories
of female personality and behavior, the research on gender comparisons and gender
roles, and female socialization and developmental processes. Prerequisites: CORE 179
or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in PSY 348A.
This course partially fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement and fulfills
the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement.
SOC 379A CORE: Poverty and Development Seminar
3 Credits
This course will examine the causes, consequences, and solutions to Central American
poverty while studying in Guatemala. The course will explore poverty in the context
of colonial history, economic globalization, political and economic policies of unrestrained
capitalism and trade, population growth, tropical climate, and cultural patterns.
Students will travel in both urban and rural Guatemala meeting with non-profit organizations,
government officials, and living with poor families. Grassroots efforts to address
poverty including micro loan programs, sustainable agriculture, empowerment of women,
literacy campaigns, prejudice reduction, and education for democracy will be emphasized.
Spanish is useful but not necessary. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer
status; ENG 111. Not open to students with credit in SOC 241. This course fulfills
the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement. This course partially fulfills
the Social and Behavioral Science requirement.
SOC/SWK 379B CORE: Global Ethnic Relations
3 Credits
This course seeks to empower students to become knowledgeable, caring, and active
citizens in a diverse and often ethnically polarized world. The course examines multiple
dimensions of global diversity (race, ethnicity, religion); common responses to differences
including prejudice, discrimination, segregation, colonization, genocide and positive
alternatives such as assimilation and egalitarian pluralism. We will examine ethnic
relations in the U.S. and around the world through the lens of history. The course
concludes with the ethical basis for seeking social justice via anti-discrimination
work and strategies for dismantling discrimination and repairing strained ethnic divides
at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Students will have the opportunity
to translate knowledge into action for social justice through a bridging cultures
project. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This course
fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement. This course partially
fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement. Not open to students with
credit in SOC/SWK 346 or 279.
SOC/CRJ/POL 379C CORE: Causes of Collective Violence: Terrorism, Genocide, War
3 Credits
This is an introduction to theories of conflict and war from the inter-group to the
international level. Included are causes of terrorism, ethnic conflict and genocide,
revolution, and interstate war. This includes an analysis of causes of conflict at
four levels: individual, small group, the nation/state, and the international system.
This course is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories from biology, psychology, sociology,
economics, and political science. Case studies of contemporary conflicts are utilized
to explain and test various theoretical perspectives and to examine the consequences
of war. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. Not open
to students with credit in POL/CRJ/SOC 347.
SWK/SOC 379B CORE: Global Ethnic Relations
3 Credits
This course seeks to empower students to become knowledgeable, caring, and active
citizens in a diverse and often ethnically polarized world. The course examines multiple
dimensions of global diversity (race, ethnicity, religion); common responses to differences
including prejudice, discrimination, segregation, colonization, genocide and positive
alternatives such as assimilation and egalitarian pluralism. We will examine ethnic
relations in the U.S. and around the world through the lens of history. The course
concludes with the ethical basis for seeking social justice via anti-discrimination
work and strategies for dismantling discrimination and repairing strained ethnic divides
at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Students will have the opportunity
to translate knowledge into action for social justice through a bridging cultures
project. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111. This course
fulfills the diversity, global, and multicultural requirement. This course partially
fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science requirement. Not open to students with
credit in SOC/SWK 346 or 279.
THL 379A CORE: Theology of Justice and Mercy
3 Credits
This course is an investigation of the meaning and relationship of justice and mercy
in the Christian tradition, with an emphasis on the social justice teachings of the
Catholic Church. Prerequisites: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 111.
Not open to students with credit in THL 238. The course partially fulfills the Theology
requirement.