WHAT WOULD I BE STUDYING IF...

areas of study in LS&A
WHAT WOULD I BE STUDYING IF...

LSA offers courses in many academic disciplines. With so much academic choice, some of these disciplines may be unfamiliar to you. Here are descriptions of a few of our subject areas. As you brouse our course offerings and find other areas that are new, be sure to ask your advisor to describe what you would actually study if you took a course in that area.

Afroamerican and African Studies The Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS) provides students an opportunity to examine the histories, social organizations, cultures, and arts of people of African descent, particularly those of Africa, the United States, and the Caribbean.

Anthropology is a science that deals with the biological and cultural aspects of humanity. Courses examine the organic evolution of the human species; the origin, development, and integration of the customs and beliefs which define human social groups; and the interrelations between these biological and cultural factors in human behavior.

Asian Languages and Cultures offers courses on China (including Tibet), Japan, Korea, and South and Southeast Asia, studying the literatures, cultures, and civilizations, both ancient and modern, of these regions. Some courses deal with a specific cultural area while others are comparative. Beginning, intermediate, and in most cases, advanced language classes are available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, and other languages.

Astronomy courses provide an understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe by integrating observation and theory. Topics covered range from formation of stars to the physics of the solar system Courses for non-majors also serve as a good introduction to the scientific method.

Biochemistry, the chemistry of living things, studies the basic materials and processes of life itself. Biochemists seek to determine the chemical nature of such fundamental processes as photosynthesis, the hormonal control of metabolism, and selective gene expression. Knowledge of the chemical structures and interactions of biological materials helps humanity understand basic biological processes.

Biology The Biology program has 5 concentrations and a variety of courses for non-concentrators. The curriculum gives students an opportunity to study the structure, function, ecology, and evolution of the entire spectrum of living things over a scale ranging from individual molecules to entire ecosystems. Many courses also provide a general understanding of the science method and the science behind important issues.

Chemistry studies the composition, structure, and properties of matter. Chemists analyze, synthesize, quantitate, and design materials, and study a wide variety of compounds, their components, and their reactions. Chemistry interfaces with physics, biology, computer science, and numerous other fields; however, chemistry is the foundation of all sciences.

Classical Studies is concerned with every aspect of the worlds of the ancient Greeks and Romans:their languages and literatures, art and material cultures, philosophy, history, recreation, law and justice, political theory, and religion.

Communication Studies The Department of Communication Studies offers an undergraduate curriculum focusing on the structure, processes, contexts, and effects of mass communication. Several scholarly approaches to media research are represented in the curriculum, including historical, legal, cultural, institutional, and effects orientations.

Comparative Literature examines literature across national, historical, and linguistic boundaries. Literary movements, periods, genres, criticism, and theory are studied from an international viewpoint as are the relationships between literature and the other arts and literature and such disciplines as psychology, philosophy, anthropology, history, and women's studies.

Computer Science studies and develops theories on the fundamental capabilities and limitations of computation and explores the practical applications of computation. Computer scientists design and analyze algorithms that apply computation effectively and that store and retrieve information efficiently. Since computer scientists understand how computers deliver computation, they are capable of developing software systems that solve complex problems.

ECONOMICS analyzes the ways in which societies use scarce resources in the production of goods and services to satisfy human wants. Economists deal with recession and unemployment, inflation, poverty, environmental questions, governmental spending and taxation, the banking system and the money supply, labor unions, government regulation of business, foreign trade and balance of payments problems

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE examines the structure and content of works of literature, primarily in the form of poetry, prose, or drama. Courses explore theories of language and literature and develop the ability to interpret language in speech and writing.

Program in the Environment The Program in the Environment is a new undergraduate degree program offered by LS&A and the School of Natural Resources (SNRE). SNRE and LS&A faculty will teach courses for the program, resulting in a curriculum that presents an expanded range of opportunities interested in environmental literacy and environmental careers.

Film and Video The curriculum in Film and Video Studies provides an integrated program of courses in the history, aesthetics, theory, and techniques of film and video. Emphasis is placed on a liberal arts sequence that provides students with a solid foundation for understanding how film and electronic-based visual media arise out of varied cultural, historical, social, and technological circumstances.

Geological Sciences offers four concentration programs: (1) Earth Science, a general program designed for students who intend to have careers in a wide array of fields; (2) Geological Sciences for those interested in becoming professional geologists; (3) Environmental Geosciences for those seeking to specialize in environmental geology; and (4) Oceanography.

Germanic Languages and Literatures The German Department provides students with language instruction preparing them for careers in fields including business, medicine, law, and government. The department has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers a rich program of linguistic, literary, and cultural studies. The department helps students find internships abroad and receive credit for them.

GLOBAL CHANGE studies critical issues such as global warming, overpopulation, pollution, and the ozone hole, as well as the role of natural phenomena like earthquakes, volcanoes and extreme weather. It investigates the causes, potential impacts and politics of global change, from physical and human perspectives.

HISTORY embraces all recorded expressions of human activity. History includes the record of the political experiences of a people in its internal and external phases, and it also surveys the social and economic aspects of life, forms of artistic expression, intellectual achievements, scientific progress, and religious beliefs.

History of Art examines the wide range of things that people have made and endowed with meaning. Students of art history become conversant with world's cultures and develop skills in visual analysis in order to understand how images, objects, and built environments communicate, and what they meant in their own historical and cultural contexts.

THE Individual Concentration PrograM (ICP) affords a unique opportunity for students to design their own interdisciplinary concentration when they find that their academic interests go beyond the existing offerings of the College. Using the broad academic resources of the University, students recently have proposed programs in "Health and Illness," "International Development," and "Studies in Criminal and Social Justice" along with many other engaging programs.

Judaic Studies The Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan offers students an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Jewish civilizations and thought. The program explores the rich culture and historical experience of the Jewish people, their unique traditions, interactions with other cultures, and impact on world civilizations.

Latin American and Caribbean Studies The Interdepartmental Concentration Program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies is designed to provide students with a rigorous, multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Latin America and the Caribbean.

LINGUISTICS investigates all aspects of spoken and writtenhuman language. Its courses focus upon the principles of languagestructure, the structure and history of particular languages and groups of languages, the role of language in human experience, and the techniques used in analyzing and describing language.

Mathematics is sometimes called the Queen of the Sciences; because of its unforgiving insistence on accuracy and rigor it is a model for all of science. Much more than a collection of calculations, it is finally a system for the analysis of form. Alone among the sciences, it is a discipline where almost every fact can and must be proved.

Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS) is an interdisciplinary Honors concentration which offers cross-listed courses at all levels in history, philosophy, religion, history of art and architecture, archaeology, literature, law, music, anthropology, and sociology pertinent to the period from late Antiquity through early modern times in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. MEMS develops awareness of cultural connections among the diverse cultural zones of the pre-industrial world.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAN STUDIES (MENAS) offers a rich interdisciplinary program of study in history, language politics, religion, arts and culture of the countries and civilizations of this area of the world.

Music concentrators take courses in music composition, music history, music theory, and musicology along with performance courses. The LS&A music concentration is primarily for students interested in the study of music in a broad academic context and not for those interested in preparing for a professional music career.

Near Eastern Studies offers instruction in the languages, literatures, histories, and cultures of the ancient Near East and the medieval and modern Middle East through courses designed to initiate the academic study of the region, enhance the student's critical skills, and promote an increased understanding of the historical processes underlying the transformation of the cultures.

Organizational Studies is an interdisciplinary concentration program, emphasizing the influence of economic, sociological, psychological, informational, and political factors on individuals and complex organizational systems. The field is concerned with how organizational systems function, their effects on individuals and the larger society, and with the processes of organizational change.

PHILOSOPHY addresses a wide variety of questions, some that are familiar (Does God exist? Why should I be moral? How is the mind related to the body?), and others that are less so (What is time? What is space? Is it rational to rely on past experience as a guide to the future?). Philosophy also examines the methods and practices of virtually all areas of inquiry and human practice--from the sciences to the arts.

Physics seeks to understand the most basic principles of the physical world, including the properties of matter, what governs its motion, what it is composed of, and how its components interact. Physicists examine processes at scales ranging from the size of the smallest fundamental particles to the size of the universe. Physics includes the study of electricity, magnetism, radiation, heat, gravitation, and the relations between them. Physics studies order and chaos, the infinite and the infinitesimal.

Political Science Political science is the systematic study of governmental and political structures, processes, and policies. This study uses institutional, quantitative, and philosophical approaches. The field is highly diverse, ranging across political theory, comparative government, international relations, American government, public policy, and research methods.

Psychology Undergraduate courses in psychology give students an opportunity to learn what research has shown about how behavior is motivated; how we perceive, learn, and think; how individuals differ from one another; how the personality develops from infancy to maturity and is expressed by behavior; and how interpersonal factors affect human relationships in the home, on the job, and in the community.

Romance Languages The department offers courses in French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romance Linguistics. The primary goals of the undergraduate program are: mastery of the language; an understanding and interpretation of Romance literature and culture; and preparation for teaching or other careers requiring specialized linguistic knowledge and skill.

RUSSIAN AND EAST EUROPEAN STUDIES (REES) focuses upon the politics, culture, history, and society of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.

Slavic Languages and Literatures The department teaches the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Slavic nations. Courses are offered in Slavic languages, literatures, and cultures, and Slavic linguistics. A concentration is offered in Russian, and the undergraduate curriculum is designed primarily to provide competence in Russian along with knowledge of Russian literature and civilization.

Statistics deals with methods for collecting, visualizing, modeling and analyzing data so that it is transformed into information critical for decision-making. The concentration programconsisting of courses in applied and theoretical statistics, mathematics, and computer scienceequips students with sufficient background and experience so they can implement various standard statistical analyses on real data sets.

Theatre and Drama The undergraduate A.B. program in Theatre and Drama is intended to promote an understanding and appreciation of both those subjects, while recognizing their ultimate inseparability. The program's curriculum is designed primarily for those looking for a liberal arts education, one that could also lead to further academic study of theatre and drama.

WOMEN'S STUDIES examines the systems that shape women's lives. It asks: how does being female affect one's participation in the family, economy, politics, arts and literature? How do language, belief, and history convey meaning about women's and men's status in our society?

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