Program Expectations
Academic Year: 2009 - 2010

The MCSP's curriculum is designed to educate on issues of social justice, community, community service, and aid in the transition from high school to college.

MCSP Course Requirements

As part of the MCSP academic curriculum, students are required to enroll and complete at least three MCSP course requirements during the academic year. In fall term students are required to enroll in 1) UC 102 and either 2) an MCSP-linked First-Year Seminar or 3) a community service-learning course (see the list)/intergroup dialogue course. In winter term MCSP students will enroll in the course option they did not complete fall term, either a 1) an MCSP-linked First-Year Seminar or 2) a community service-learning course/intergroup dialogue course. In addition, students are encouraged to enroll in the MCSP English 125 course section either fall or winter term. Those students planning to take Math 115 may want to consider enrolling in the section with spaces reserved for MCSP students. Below are the course descriptions for all of these courses.

MCSP Engineering Students, please note:
1) We strongly encourage you to enroll in an MCSP First-Year Seminar in fall semester.
2) We will have on-site at Couzens Hall, Lorelle Meadows of Engineering who will serve as your MCSP/Engineering liaison.

Outline of Expectations

* If there are exceptional circumstances that do not allow you to fulfill MCSP course expectations, you must see Wendy or David to arrange alternate means to complete the requirements. *

Some courses taught by MCSP faculty have limited spaces reserved for MCSP students. All students should check the LSA Course Guide and the Time Schedule for official and updated information on course times, course descriptions, classroom locations, information on grading, credit hours, prerequisites, and LSA graduation requirements.

Description of Courses - Winter 2010

Music in Our Lives
Louis B Nagel
University Course 150.001
Class #15587

How do people listen to music and how does it affect them? How does music respond to and inspire society?

This seminar will focus on how people listen to music and music's impact on communities of people who listen to it. In the first weeks of the course, students will learn how to listen to music and explore the interaction of different elements of music, such as rhythm, melody, and harmony. As we begin to listen to a wider range of music, we will explore the impact of music in cases such as the Paris riot of 1913 following the performance of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" or the reaction of King George to the "Hallelujah Chorus" at the conclusion of Handel's "Messiah." We will consider the impact of popular music the Beatles and some rappers, religious music, and the band as examples of how music has reached out into all types of communities. Students will attend three musical events and write reviews of each based on concepts explored in class. The professor will present and perform numerous examples of music on the piano, there will be invited soloists and chamber ensembles, and students who wish may share their musical talents in class.

(3 credits) Humanities Distribution
M&W 4-5:30 Couzens Hall, Living Room

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Race Narratives
Sarita See
American Culture 103.002/English 140.002
Class #26834

An introduction to narrative theory, this seminar proposes narratology as a method for reading race, including whiteness, in America. If race, according to a recent documentary series, signals the "power of an illusion," it structures our ways of reading, distributing, and mobilizing power in the U.S. And if narrative is an "instrument of power," as one critic puts it, it is crucial to identify the elements of narrative, combinations of which produce the readerly experience. We will read U.S. fiction and non-fiction - mostly by African American and Asian American authors - not merely as literary praxis, manifestations of narrative theory at work. We will pay attention to how they self-consciously propose their own theories of narrative.

(3 credits) Humanities Distribution
M&W 11:30-1 G449 Mason Hall
Note: Ten spaces are saved in this course for MCSP students; five in AmCult and five in English so try both approaches if the course appears closed.

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Creativity and Consciousness
Edward Sarath
Jazz 455.001
Class #36623

What is knowledge? What does it mean to be educated in today's world? What is the role of the modern university in preparing students to not only enter the workforce but also to thrive within and contribute to a world increasingly characterized by change, unpredictability, and a complex network of environmental and social challenges that raise unprecedented questions about the very sustainability of civilization? What is the place of inner fulfillment, spirituality, self-knowledge, and emotional and interpersonal development in the educational process? This course explores the idea that heightened consciousness may be a central aspect to creative activity in diverse fields.

***Note: This exciting and innovative course opportunity for MCSP students is not listed as a First-Year Seminar, but will count for fulfilling the MCSP First-Year Seminar requirement. **You must contact the instructor for permission (email Prof. Sarath at sarahara@umich.edu) but know that he is saving 10 spaces for MCSP students and expects to hear from you. Although this is a 400-level course, it is appropriate and recommended for 1st year students by Prof. Sarath. For more information about Michigan's Program on Creativity and Consciousness, go to http://sitemaker.umich.edu/pccs/home.

(2 credits)
T 7-9:30 Couzens Hall, CLC

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Recommended: MCSP-Linked Introductory Composition Courses

Walking the Ground: Writing the life
George Cooper
English 125.038 (Introductory Composition)
Class #30333

Writing teachers have often expressed a preference for writing that "shows" an event rather than "tells" about it. The movement now called "creative nonfiction" embodies something of the showing and telling axiom, promoting well written and well-researched information that is particularly designed to hold the interest of the reader—that is, designed to show the information rather than tell about it. This kind of writing might be contrasted with the presentation of accurate information that is not particularly well written and that does not hold the attention of the reader. Participants in this class will have a variety of opportunities to write about experience in dramatic, persuasive, and humorous ways. This writing course will examine a variety of ways to "show" an experience in writing rather than "tell" about it. We will also examine the problematic aspects of writing well, the politics of point of view, and how writers, in their presentation of language, can appropriate and alter truth. Such considerations of language and its use can and will enhance students’ understanding of the nature of academic thinking and writing, foster methods of invention, and support concepts of composition appropriate to university studies and beyond.

(4 credits) First-Year Writing Requirement
T&TH 10-11:30 Couzens Hall, CLC

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Recommended: Special Elective MCSP Course Offerings

Academic Decision Making
Wendy Woods
University Course 103.001
Class #30557

This course will provide students with an opportunity to critically review the roles of leadership and decision-making as they relate to academic, student leadership positions, and professional careers. It will allow students to consider various frameworks of decision-making and leadership through various theoretical perspectives and link them to civic responsibility, social justice and making change. It is hoped that students will develop a sense of application of one or more of these perspectives and consider how they might shape their own academic, professional, and community leadership careers. The issues and challenges of living and leading in a diverse and multicultural society will be examined. The class discussions will focus on relevant research, student perceptions, and university resources. This course is open only to participants in the Michigan Community Scholars Program and encouraged for all MCSP student leaders.

(1 credit) Credit/No Credit
T 3-5 (1/26-3/23) Couzens Hall, CLC (open to all; course expectation for next year’s MCSP student leaders)

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Sociology of Education
David Schoem
Sociology 458.001
Class #45158

This seminar will examine the purposes and roles of schooling in society. We will explore issues of socialization, stratification, the social organization of schools and classrooms, and the uses of both formal and hidden curriculums. We will examine issues of inequality, race, class and gender, cultural transmission and social change in K-12 and higher education. We also will explore the role and experience of participants in schooling. Finally, we will examine contemporary issues in schools and possibilities for change in schools and change in society. Students are expected to be active participants in discussions and presentation of class readings and topics.

(3 credits)
M&W 2:30-4 3463 LSA
Interested MCSP Students should see David Schoem to request an override.

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Required: Community Service Learning/Intergroup Dialogue Courses

Fall Term Options (see descriptions below)
1. Sociology 389 (Project Community)
    Sections 505 and 506 are highly recommended
2. Psychology 211 (Project Outreach)
3. Psychology/Sociology 122 (Intergroup Dialogue)

Sociology 389 - MCSP students may enroll in any section of Sociology 389 - see Course Guide for descriptions of each section and community site in areas of education, health care, criminal justice, and advocacy. However, MCSP highly recommends the following sections: 505, 506, 111, 112, 113, and 210 (see distinct section descriptions) so you may want to give special consideration to those sections and take the class with other MCSPers. MCSP students have a long history of participating at these community sites.

Course Homepage: http://ginsberg.umich.edu/projectcommunity/index.html

Soc 389 - Project Community - Students combine up to six hours of weekly service in community settings with weekly student-led seminars. Seminars are interactive, focus on readings on related sociological issues, and provide a time for mutual support, planning, and problem solving about the community sites. Students enrolled in Sociology 389 are responsible for regular attendance in the weekly seminar as well as regular participation at the designated community service site. Students will complete reflective journal assignments, a short midterm written assignment, and a final paper/project.

Up to four credits of 389 may be included in a concentration plan in sociology. A combined total of eight credits of Sociology 321, 389, and 395 may be counted toward a concentration in sociology. May be repeated four times, for a total of eight credits.

Reserved Spaces for MCSP Students

LUCY Initiative
Sociology 389.505
Class #46060

This course, as part of the LUCY (Lives of Urban Children and Youth) Initiative, is a service-learning course designed to enhance student service in Detroit by exploring the meaning and complexities of urban communities and social justice. Students will be active participants in their study of community through interviews with elders, discussions with children, and exploration and observation of their surroundings. This course is intended to give students a variety of lenses and theoretical frameworks through which to view the joys and challenges of urban children and youth.

Students enrolled in SOC 389 are responsible for regular attendance in a weekly seminar, and for tutoring at a Detroit school during designated a 4-hour block each week. In addition, students will complete weekly readings and reflective journal assignments, a midterm assignment, and a final paper/project.

If you have any further questions, contact Joe Galura (jgalura@umich.edu).

LUCY Special Topics: Interfaith Dialogue and Service
Sociology 389.506
Class #40339

This course, as part of the LUCY (Lives of Urban Children and Youth) Initiative, will bring together students from a variety of religious and spiritual backgrounds to participate in a semester long service-learning experience. The course will place a special emphasis on multiple social identities (especially cultural and spiritual), interfaith dialogue, and Detroit¡¯s unique ethnic and religious histories.

Unlike many other sections of SOC 389, the service work for this course is condensed into a weeklong Alternative Spring Break trip into the city of Detroit where students will stay in a Catholic Worker House, help to repair Malcolm X Academy, and work in area food pantries. In addition to their volunteer work, students will participate in cultural and educational experiences to enhance their understanding of Detroit¡¯s rich ethnic and religious history. Because of the nature of this trip, students will be expected to participate in fundraising endeavors during the first half of the semester.

Students enrolled in SOC 389 are responsible for regular attendance in a weekly seminar. Students will be expected to participate in a 6 day, 5 night alternative spring break trip to Detroit, Michigan from Sunday, February 28th until Friday, March 5th, 2010. There will also be fundraising commitments during the first half of the semester, as assigned by instructor. In addition, students will complete weekly readings and reflective journal assignments, and a final paper.

*This course requires an override. Students should contact Rachel Freedman-Doan (rachel.freedman.doan@gmail.com) for more information.

Recommended Sections

Elementary School Tutoring (Northside Elementary)
Soc 389.111
Course #28419

Participants in this section will work with elementary school students at Northside Elementary School in Ann Arbor.

Mentoring Middle School Students (Peace Neighborhood)
Soc 389.112
Course #28421

Participants will work with middle school and grade school students through the Peace Neighborhood Center in Ann Arbor.

Tutoring in Middle School Classrooms (Clague Middle School)
Soc 389.113
Course #28423

Students in this section will be placed at Clague Middle School to work with students in Language Arts, Science, American History, Social Studies, and Math.

University Living (Senior Assisted Living)
Soc 389.210
Course #28414
W 4-5:30 Couzens Hall, CLC; plus community site times

Students in this section will meet one-on-one with a senior and participate in weekly students-and-seniors discussion of current events.

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Psychology/Sociology/UC122 - Intergroup Dialogue

***Please read the registration information carefully ( www.igr.umich.edu ) and let MCSP know if you have filled out an override for this course!***

The Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) is a social justice education program. As a joint venture of the College of Literature , Science, and Arts and the Division of Student Affairs, IGR works proactively to promote understanding of intergroup relations inside and outside of the classroom. Multidisciplinary courses offered by IGR are distinguished by their experiential focus, teaching philosophy, and incorporation of dialogical models of communication. On this site you will find information on academic and co-curricular initiatives, program history and philosophy, and resources related to social justice education.

In a multicultural society, discussion about group conflict, commonalities, and differences can facilitate understanding and interaction between social groups. In this course, students will participate in structured meetings of at least two different social identity groups, discuss readings, and explore each group's experiences in social and institutional contexts.

Students will examine psychological, historical, and sociological materials which address each group's experiences, and learn about issues facing the groups in contemporary society. The goal is to create a setting in which students will engage in open and constructive dialogue, learning, and exploration. The second goal is to actively identify alternative resolutions of intergroup conflicts. Different term-long sections of this course focus on different identity groups (for example, recent dialogues have considered white people/people of color; Blacks/Jews; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and heterosexuals; white women/women of color; Blacks/Latinos/as; men/women; etc.). Once registered, please go to www.igr.umich.edu to fill out a dialogue placement form. Two course packs are also required.

STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THIS COURSE MUST FILL OUT AN OVERRIDE REQUEST AT WWW.IGR.UMICH.EDU. DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND THE MASS MEETING ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE COURSE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT THE PROGRAM ON INTERGROUP RELATIONS (PHONE: 936-1875; E-MAIL: rsgrekin@umich.edu).

Psychology 211 - Project Outreach - MCSP students may enroll in any section of Psych 211 - see Course Guide for descriptions of each section and community site in areas of working with pre-school children; big sibs: community and opportunity; juvenile and criminal justice; health, illness and society; exploring careers.

The purpose of Project Outreach is to have students learn about themselves and about psychology by becoming involved in community settings. As all sections of Project Outreach - Psychology 211 are for 3 credits (on a credit/no credit basis), the academic requirements for the course are uniform across all sections (except Exploring Careers, section 005) and include four hours of fieldwork placement, one hour of discussion section, and one hour of lecture each week. Attendance at your section is mandatory. Readings , a mid-term project, and a final exam will be assigned. The Graduate Student Instructor may state additional section requirements in class.

As an Outreach student you will be engaged in real work in the community, designed to meet community needs. You will have a chance to explore careers and significant social issues. You will be involved with a small group of students, led by an undergraduate under the supervision of a graduate student, and faculty member who will guide you through the learning cycle and make your experience educational and enjoyable.

If you have questions, please stop by the Project Outreach office in 1343 East Hall or call the office at 764-2580, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Working with Preschool Children
Psychology 211.001
Class #15149

Students will work with children ages 2-5 in community preschools and daycare centers. These placements offer hands-on experiences with a diverse group of children and the lecture series explores a variety of topics that influence child development. The placement sites vary in terms of the populations they serve, including at-risk children, children with specials needs, and children of international families with English as a second language.

Women and Children in the Community
Psychology 211.002
Class #15151

Students will have the opportunity to explore women's and children's issues in a community context. For their field experience, students may choose to work with individual women, women-headed families, or individual children in various community settings. The lecture series will explore topics related to gender expectations, particular issues related to women and children in our society, and child development.

Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Psychology 211.003
Class #15153

Designed to provide students with experience in and knowledge of the criminal justice system. The field placements match students with juveniles or adults in a number of placement settings in the criminal justice system. The lecture series is intended to expose students to a wide variety of issues relevant to juvenile delinquency and criminality. It is our hope that you will not only learn about the criminal justice system but also have the opportunity to reach out to juveniles and adult offenders and have a positive impact on their lives.

Health, Illness, and Society
Psychology 211.004
Class #15155

Help patients and families in medical facilities, community health clinics, elderly residential settings and community crisis centers. Opportunities include offering empathy, emotional and practical support, in the context of supervised care, and education. Work with a wide range of populations including children, adults, and the elderly. Learn about a variety of contemporary topics related to the field of health care and health promotion.

Exploring Careers
Psychology 211.005
Class #15157

Students explore how their understandings of themselves, their interests, their values, and their skills relate to ideas about a college major and future career possibilities. The aims of this section are twofold: (1) to provide students with a psychological perspective on the development of career identity and decision making processes and (2) to encourage the development of the skills needed to identify career options, become familiar with occupational resources, and to practice job or internship search strategies.

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Optional: Reserved Seats

MCSP has reserved spaces in Math 115.013 and Math 116.035. The advantage of registering for these sections is that you will be in the same class with other MCSP students so it will be convenient for you to study with others. The instructor for these math sections is selected by the math department, not MCSP, unlike all other MCSP courses. In addition, this class is not held in Couzens Hall.

Math 115.013
Class #14163
(4 credits)
M 11:30-1 655 Dennison; W&TH 11:30-1 641 Dennison

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