Step 2: Choose Electives

Electives are any course that are outside of your chosen program of study. All programs require students to choose electives to complete their degree, but the number of electives you need to take will depend on your program. You can choose to take electives from almost any other program at Laurier, even courses that are outside of your faculty!

How Do I Choose an Elective?

Choosing electives may seem overwhelming at first, but there are a few things you can consider to make the process easier:

Look for courses that sound interesting or relate to passions outside of the classroom.
Consider subjects you enjoyed in high school.
Think about courses that compliment your major or career path.
Review your program’s suggested electives listed in the year 1 program requirements.

First-year students can review a listing of courses available to first-year students, outlined below by faculty. All courses listed under "Waterloo Campus First-Year Course Offerings" or "Brantford Campus First-Year Course Offerings" will be offered in-person, on campus. Courses listed under "Online First-Year Course Offerings" will be offered virtually, and are open to students on both campuses. You can review courses listed under your campus, as well as those offered online, for a complete listing of electives available to you.

Upper-year students can find a complete list of all courses offered by each department in the Academic Calendar. Note that not all courses listed in the calendar will be offered each semester, and you can use the Browse Classes tool to build your timetable around what is currently being offered.

Waterloo Campus First-Year Course Offerings

Anthropology

AN100: Cultures Today (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the study of world cultures, focusing on the exploration of ethnographic case studies and the development of intercultural competencies through a problem-based approach, including participation in the Community Action Project developed by the Center for a Public Anthropology.

Exclusions: AN101.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

AN120: The Greatest Party in the World (0.5 Credit)

Introduces students to Brazilian popular culture by exploring the social relevance of things such as carnival, soccer and prime-time soap operas in national identity formation. At the same time, the course addresses the contested character of these social practices by looking at their potentially subversive use in the context of cultural resistance to dominant ideas. It fosters understanding of people's uses of cultural practices in the negotiation of power imbalances and alternative values.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

AN211/RE211: Indigenous Religions (0.5 Credit)

A study of indigenous practices and worldviews. Examples are selected from North, Central or South America. The course considers current writings, controversies and basic methodological problems in studying the traditions of people indigenous to the Americas.† (Cross-listed as AN211.)

Hours per week: 3 Lecture hours.

Applied Digital

DH100: Digital Creativity (0.5 Credit)

A hands-on introduction in both theory and practice to computer hardware, software, and open access/source digital tools targeting such areas as typesetting and basic audio and image manipulation. Ethics and aesthetic concerns in traditional and multimedia documents are also discussed, and students develop a digital research project for deployment through a content management system such as WordPress as contributors within the context of a project team.

Previous experience in these areas is not required but access to a personal computer featuring a recent release of either OS X or Windows is essential.
This course affords entry to the Design and Application pathway of the Applied Digital Option. Students interested in pursuing this option are strongly encouraged to take this course.

Arabic

AB101: Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Arabic. This course will introduce students to Arabic as a language and a culture. The emphasis will be put initially on speaking and listening with authentic audio, video material. This course is designed for students with no previous knowledge in Arabic.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

AB102: Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Arabic. A continuation of AB101. In this second course, the emphasis will be put foremost on improving reading and writing skills through the use of authentic material. Speaking and listening comprehension skills and cultural elements will be further developed.

Prerequisites: AB101 or permission of the department.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Archaeology and Heritage Studies

AR101: Invitation to Archaeology (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of archaeological practice and thought, concentrating on how and why archaeologists gather and evaluate data through a wide variety of field and laboratory techniques.

Exclusions: AR100*.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

AR102: Doing Archaeology (0.5 Credit)

This course builds on the fundamentals taught in AR101, using case studies to illustrate methods and theoretical approaches used in modern archaeology. A global perspective is taken on issues of concern to archaeologists today including site excavation and recording, the most recent scientific advancements, relevancy of archaeology to contemporary issues, conversation and protection of archaeological resources through legislation. Weekly labs provide hands-on experience with artifact analysis and interpretation.

Prerequisites: AR101.
Exclusions: AR100*.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

AR104: Greece: Minotaur to Alexander (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the cultural heritage of ancient Greece, from the palaces of the Minoans to the empire of Alexander the Great. This course will examine archaeological remains, artistic achievements, education, literature, technology, philosophy and politics.

Exclusions: CL101.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

AR105: Ancient Rome: Not Just Caesar (0.5 Credit)

This course aims to provide students with a thorough introduction to Roman civilization. Following a brief historical overview, each week we will discuss a different topic relevant to the culture and society of ancient Rome. We will assess the current state of knowledge for these topics and ask how they can contribute to our overall understanding of Roman history and culture. In addition, we will explore the extent to which our knowledge of Roman civilization has been altered/affected by portrayals in popular media.

Exclusions: CL102.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Arts Faculty

AF105: Think Arts: Skills for University Success (0.5 Credit)

Framed in the context of contemporary topics of interest, this course provides first year Arts students with the necessary skills and strategies to navigate the transition from high school to university, including time management, academic reading, analysis of complex ideas, and effective communication.

Hours per week: 3 Lecture hours.

Communication Studies

CS100: Media History (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the study of human communication from prehistory to the digital age, emphasizing the social implications of technological change, past and present.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

CS101: Canadian Communication in Context (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the key issues in Canadian communication studies from a variety of perspectives, including topics such as social history of communication in Canada, public policy and politics and popular culture.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Cultural Studies

KS100: Studying Popular Culture (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the history and practice of Cultural Studies with an emphasis on approaches to the analysis of popular culture. Popular cultural practices and forms will be viewed from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

KS101: Exploring Cultural Studies (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the key debates in contemporary cultural studies through a thematic and critical approach to culture. Contemporary cultural practices, institutions and forms will be explored by means of case studies, experiential learning opportunities and creative projects.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

English

EN111: Literature and Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course examines works in a variety of literary periods and genres (fiction, plays, poetry, graphic novels and others) on the topics of crime and criminality, with the intent of introducing students to literature addressing themes of surveillance, law-breaking, justice, suspense, villainy, violence, espionage, true crime, civil disobedience, and/or imprisonment.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

EN112: Literature and Love (0.5 Credit)

This course examines works in a variety of literary periods and genres (that may include fiction, drama, poetry, graphic novels and others) on the topic of love in any of its forms. The course will introduce students to the basic practices of literary study at the university level while exploring various ways that this fundamental set of human emotions has been represented in literature.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

EN119: Reading Fiction (0.5 Credit)

A critical exploration of short stories and novels with emphasis on the structural and narrative features of prose fiction.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

EN190: Introduction to Academic Writing (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to academic writing, reading and research at the university level. Covers different genres of academic writing such as the book review, annotated bibliography, and research essay, in addition to citation and documentation techniques. Students gain practical experience through in-class writing exercises and a series of linked assignments. Includes opportunities for instructor and peer assessment, and also promotes a reflexive approach to writing as a process by helping students develop strategies for self-evaluation and improvement.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Film Studies

FS101: Film and Narrative (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the analysis of storytelling in film, including problems of adaptation, modes of narrative cinema ranging from the classical Hollywood film to the contemporary art film, and the role of visual and aural elements in filmic narration.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 2 film-screening hours.

FS102: Film and the Image (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the analysis of the film image, with emphasis on the role of visual style (mise-en-scene, editing, inematography) in relation to cinema's various histrorical, cultural and technological contexts.

Exclusions: FS100.
Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 3 film-screening hours.

FS103: Film and Genre (0.5 Credit)

An introductory study of film through an historical perspective of different film genres.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 2 film-screening hours.

French

FR101: Introductory French I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. Fundamentals of the French language, basic grammar, practical vocabulary. Oral and written practice. This course is designed for students with little or no knowledge in French. Students who would like to register in FR101 must submit a Languages and Literatures Override Form, or contact Languages and Literatures department to register.

Exclusions: Grade 11 French, Grade 12 French, French immersion (except with permission of the department).
Students who have credit for FR102, FR150, FR151 or FR250 cannot take this course.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

FR102: Introductory French II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. A continuation of FR101.

Prerequisites: FR101, Grade 11 French (or permission of the department).
Exclusions: Grade 12 French, or French immersion (except with permission of the department).
Students who have credit for FR150, FR151 or FR250 cannot take this course.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

FR150: Practical French I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. This practical course reviews French grammar and helps students to achieve fluency in oral and written French.

Prerequisites: FR102, Grade 12 core French or equivalent, or permission of the department.
Exclusions: Graduation from a French secondary school, or Grade 12 Immersion French, or Grade 12 level 4 AP French.
Students who have credit for FR151 or FR250 cannot take this course.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

FR151: Practical French II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. A continuation of the practical aspects of FR150 with increased emphasis upon the development of writing skills.

Prerequisites: FR150 or Grade 12 AP French level 4.
Exclusions: Graduation from a French secondary school, or Grade 12 immersion French.
Students who have credit for FR250, cannot take this course.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

FR250: Language through Popular Culture I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. This course explores the French language as it is spoken and written through popular culture. There is also an intensive and in-depth grammar review.

Prerequisites: FR151 (or FR231), or French Immersion high school, or permission of the department.
Exclusions: Graduation from a French secondary school; FR 252 UW.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

FR251: Language through Popular Culture II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in French. This courseexplores the French language as it is spoken and written through popular culture. There is also an intensive and in-depth grammar review. In order to apply the grammatical concepts being studied and to develop their writing skills, students create a French magazine together.

Prerequisites: FR250, or permission of the department.
Exclusions: FR 251 UW.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

German

GM110: Introductory German I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in German. An introduction to the basic elements of German grammar for students with no knowledge of the language. Emphasis on group and individual practice to develop skills in word comprehension and both verbal and written communication. Aspects of German culture and everyday life are considered.

Exclusions: GM101 or any prior knowledge of German.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

GM111: Introductory German II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in German. Building on student's knowledge of basic German, this course provides further insight into grammatical structures and more in-depth communication skills.

Prerequisites: GM110 or equivalent.
Exclusions: GM100*, GM102.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Global Studies

GS101: Introduction to Global Studies (0.5 Credit)

An interdisciplinary introduction to the contemporary world that focuses on the ideological, political, economic and cultural dimensions of globalization. The class considers the principal actors, institutions, processes, and power relations that have shaped the challenges and opportunities associated with globalization, drawing on case studies to explore selected world issues in greater depth.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

GS102: Mapping Global Studies: Culture, Conflict, Development (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the three concentrations in Global Studies using case studies from different parts of the world. Students will consider core questions in Global Studies such as: What is development? Is peace always peaceful? Does globalization create new forms of culture?

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

GS223/RE206: World Religions in Global Perspective (0.5 Credit)

The study of major living religions in the world, including an exploration of the historical, cultural and religious setting of the various traditions; their major beliefs and practices; and their contemporary global significance, including their roles in fostering conflict and peace, in shaping and responding to globalization, and in contributing to international development. (Cross-listed as GS223.)(Online Learning only)

Exclusions: RE212*, GS223, GS224.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

History

HI102: War, Conflict & Rebellion in the Middle Ages, 730-1500 (0.5 Credit)

This course will examine a number of major conflicts that helped shape medieval society and determine not only the future development of Europe but also, to some extent, the rest of the world. Case studies will include not only military and political struggles, but also clashes between ideas and social conflicts involving class and gender. In the process, we will also consider how historians have themselves disputed with one another regarding some of these episodes. {P}

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

HI109: Age of Extremes: Europe's 20th Century (0.5 Credit)

This course surveys European history from the end of the First World War through to the present. Topics covered include: the Versailles postwar settlement; the rise of fascist politics; WWII; the Holocaust; the Cold War; 1960s political radicalism; Communism and anti-Communism; the fall of the Berlin Wall; and the wars of Yugoslav disintegration in the 1990s.

Exclusions: HI105.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

HI110: The History of Alcohol (0.5 Credit)

This course explores world history through the lens of alcohol. Alcohol has been everything from a necessary part of the diet, to a sacred element of religious rites, to a celebratory beverage, to a demonized drug. Topics include alcohol in religious life, changing patterns of consumption and production, the rise and fall of prohibition, and changing ideas of alcohol abuse and addiction.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

HI112: Problems in Modern Canadian History (0.5 Credit)

This course examines the ways in which factors such as region, institutions, and individuals influenced the course of modern Canadian history. Topics may include the impact of industrialization on ordinary Canadians; the resettlement of the west; Canada and the World Wars; youth culture in the 1950s-70s; Americanization; and the Soviet-Summit hockey series. HI112 will also expose students to the ways in which historians construct arguments, use evidence, and interpret and represent the past. {C}

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

HI121: Ancient History in a Global Context (0.5 Credit)

This introductory world history course surveys a selection of ancient civilizations of Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas prior to European cultural and economic ascendancy. Among these civilizations are Han dynasty China, Classical Greece, the Roman Empire, and the early Indus valley cultures. This course looks at political and historical events and how they shaped culture, slavery, warfare, trade and commerce. Among topics that may be covered are Mexica (Aztec) human sacrifice, Chinese Terracotta warriors, the lost libraries of Timbuktu, Egyptian Pharaohs' death tombs, the conquests of Alexander the Great, and Ancient Greek cross-dressing.{G,P}

Exclusions: HI120.
Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

HI123: Great Battles in History (0.5 Credit)

This course will explore eleven of the most important battles in world history. We will examine such topics as: the context of these battles; the commanders and armies that fought them; the strategy and tactics employed; the experience of combat; and the outcomes. Military history, however, is more than just an account of fighting. We will therefore also analyze how these battles affected the states, societies, and cultures that fought them.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

HI125: Business History (0.5 Credit)

How have entrepreneurs in the past executed to produce fundamental change? What is the history of the corporation? Why do we have mortgages? This course surveys business history in Western Europe and the Americas from 1500 to the present day. We debate the development of the corporation, the role of the individual in the market, the importance of consumerism, explanations for government regulation, and the history of economic thought. Structured around case studies, this course provides historical context to contemporary debates over business and society, while tracing how commerce and industry have had a transformative effect on the modern world.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

HI126: War and Society in the Western World (0.5 Credit)

This course proposes to exam the nature and consequences of war in the Western World from ancient times through to the 21st century. Although violent conflict has been a constant in human history, the ways in which people make war have changed dramatically over time. The course focuses on the changing face of warfare in a broad social and political context. It looks at how soldiers have been recruited, how armies have fought (i.e. with what weapons), how tactics and strategy have evolved over the centuries, and finally how warfare has affected non-combatant civilians.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

HI128: Revolution in the Modern World (0.5 Credit)

Examines the role of revolution in shaping the history of the modern world. From the start of the Scientific Revolution beginning in the mid-16th century to the Iranian Revolution of the late 20th century, students examine how revolutions begin and the scope of political, social, economic, and cultural changes they cause. While analyzing several case studies students interrogate the definition of revolution itself and determine its feasibility as a historical category.{G} (Online learning only.)

HI129: Art from the Renaissance to the Present (0.5 Credit)

The history of Western art (painting, sculpture, architecture, and decorative art) from the 15th century to the present. Included are the arts of the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Romantic, Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary periods. Works of art are examined in terms of the nature of the creative experience, art in the life of the individual and of society, and the influence of changing materials and practices over time. Through different role playing activities students develop skills in art writing and curatorial interventions (Online Learning only).

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

HI131: Ancient Heroes: Story and Tradition (0.5 Credit)

Traces how the concept of the hero was developed and redefined in the changing media and modes of storytelling in a selection of ancient societies that could include those of the Mediterranean Basin (e.g. the Bronze Age Near East, Archaic and Classical Greece and Rome), ancient Asian societies, and the traditions of Indigenous cultures of the Americas. In addition to examining different types of story patterns (e.g. descents to the Underworld) and heroic characters (e.g. trickster-heroes such as Odysseus), students explore how methods of transmission affected heroic narrative, and how storytelling traditions reflect some of the historical and political changes of the societies that created, transmitted and used them. {P}

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

International Education Studies

INED103 (0.5 Credit)

This course provides students with an overview of education systems in diverse parts of the world. Students will learn about public schools in different parts of the world as well as other school systems such as low-fee private schools and international schools. Students will consider the impact of globalization and internationalization on teaching and learning experiences at the local level. Critical questions about equity and diversity, particularly in relationship to gender, (dis)ability, and socio-economic status will be considered.

Restricted to students in the Honours BA International Education Studies program.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Italian

IT101: Introduction to Italian I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Italian. An introduction to the structure, phonology and semantics of Italian. Oral and written practice will focus on basic grammar, practical vocabulary and pronunciation. The course is designed for students with little or no knowledge of Italian.

Exclusions: Grade 11 or above Italian, IT130, or equivalent (except with permission of the department).
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

IT102: Introduction to Italian II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Italian. A continuation of IT101.

Prerequisites: IT101, Grade 11 Italian or equivalent, (or permission of the department).
Exclusions: Grade 12U (or above) Italian, IT131, or equivalent (except with permission of the department).
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Languages and Literatures

LL223: Sound, Structure and Meaning (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to descriptive/theoretical approaches to linguistics, the study of human language. We first look at the acoustics and articulation of sound (phonetics) and how some sounds change depending on the ones around them (phonology). Next, we explore the structure of words (morphology) and phrases (syntax) and how such structure is the foundation of meaning (semantics). The course ends with a synthesis of how sound, structure, and meaning change over time (historical linguistics), demonstrating that language evolution is a systematic and predicable phenomenon.

Exclusions: EN223.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Mediterranean Studies

MI202: Mediterranean Culture and Civilization II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in English. This course explores cultural intersectionality in the Mediterranean world. Focusing on specific areas such as Southern Europe, the Middle-East and Northern Africa and based on a comparative analysis of topics, students will be able to bridge cultures and customs, while at the same time analyzing the complexities and richness of the region.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Medieval and Medievalism Studies

ML100: Discovering the Middle Ages (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the major cultural traditions of the Western world in the Middle Ages. The course will include study of narratives and images from a variety of national and religious traditions, and will use, typically, a variety of approaches to examine the course material. Topics may include stories and other representations of kings, warriors, saints, knights, mystics, heroes and exotic beasts such as dragons.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

ML103: Skyrim and the Middle Ages (0.5 Credit)

Students will explore how Bethesda Studios' massively successful Role Playing Game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, draws upon, adapts, and/or represents medieval cultural artifacts, beliefs, and practices. Students will also examine how particular attitudes towards the Middle Ages are perpetuated by Skyrim multimedia, such as books, merchandise, fan communities, and fan-generated content ("mods"), as well as Skyrim's influence on other medievalist gaming franchises.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Muslim Studies

MZ200/RE231: Introduction to Muslim Studies (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an overview of the aims, methods, and central issues in the Muslim Studies field. In particular it will investigate the diversity of contemporary Muslims, ideational currents that are influencing them, and the major debates about Islamic identity. (Cross-listed with RE231)

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

MZ201/RE213: Religious Heritage of Islam (0.5 Credit)

This course is an exploration of the origins, precepts, and historical development of Islam, one of the world's major religions and multi-cultural civilizations. Attention will be given to the unity and diversity of religious beliefs and practices, the classical period of Islamic history, and issues facing Muslim communities in the modern era. (Cross-listed with RE213)

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

North American Studies

NO105: Billionaires, Beavers, and Banditos (0.5 Credit)

This course combines online and in-class learning to examine issues and ideas important to understanding how North America and its constituent countries (Canada, the United States and Mexico) are understood. Key themes include Indigenous Peoples: colonization and resistance; culture and identity: race, art, and sport; business and society: international trade, labour and migration; and public policy: drug wars, healthcare, and citizenship.

Exclusions: NO101, NO110.

Philosophy

PP110: Values and Society (0.5 Credit)

An introductory course that critically analyzes philosophical problems implicit in our moral, political and social attitudes, with a view to assisting the student in formulating reasonable responses to a diversity of current issues. It considers such questions as: Are there objective standards for value judgements or are they merely matters of subjective taste? What is morally right? How is justice related to law or custom?

Exclusions: PP/PY100*.

PP111: Knowledge and Reality (0.5 Credit)

This course critically analyzes philosophical problems implicit in our understanding of reality and quest for knowledge, with a view to assisting the student in formulating reasonable responses to a diversity of current issues. It considers such questions as: Can we ever be certain of anything through experience, reason, or faith? Is reality ultimately material, and is the mind distinct from matter? Does God exist?

Exclusions: PP/PY100*.

Political Science

PO101: Politics Within Borders (0.5 Credit)

This course explores the dynamic world of politics from Canadian and comparative perspectives. From the local level to the national, politics shapes how we address controversial issues, such as possession of guns or drugs and provision of public health care. Through the study of factors such as public opinion, constitutions and laws, political parties, social movements and the ideologies that motivate them, we can identify patterns that help us to understand the distinctive political worlds within countries.

Exclusions: PO110.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

PO102: Politics Beyond Borders (0.5 Credit)

This course takes students on a journey through today's breathtaking global terrain. It explores the politics of today’s international and global challenges: from nuclear proliferation to human trafficking, from clashes of competing ideologies to management of the global economy. Governments and international organizations are part of the mix, but so are less-conventional players like al-Qaeda, Doctors without Borders, Monsanto, Amazon, the Vatican, and even celebrities.

Prerequisites: None (PO101 is not a prerequisite for PO102).
Exclusions: PO111.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Religion and Culture

RE100: Religions of the Americas: Indigenous, African and European (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to basic questions in religious studies using selected examples of religion in the Americas. The course concentrates on the religious and cultural interactions of people who are of indigenous, African and European descent. It takes up fundamental questions such as: What is religion? What is the nature of religious experience? What is Religious Studies? How is religion related to other sources of identity such as ethnicity and nationality?

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

RE101: Religions of the Americas: Asian and Middle Eastern (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to religious studies using selected examples of religion in North America as sources. Major topics include inter-religious relations, the westernizing of Asian religions, the changing nature of religious tradition and religions in multicultural settings. The course concentrates on Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in North America.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

RE103: Love and Its Myths (0.5 Credit)

An enquiry into the mythologies of relationship which inform today's attitudes towards loving. Recurrent themes in the course are marriage, sexuality, attraction, friendship, fellowship and fidelity. The course utilizes these themes important to several religious traditions, to introduce basic concepts in religious studies.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour. Available online and in-class.

RE104: Evil and Its Symbols (0.5 Credit)

An investigation of the symbolism of opposites, for example, sacred and profane, God and the devil, feminine and masculine, villain and hero, light and darkness. The use of symbols of evil is considered in contexts such as crusades, heresy trials, sexism, racism and scapegoating. The course utilizes these themes important to several religious traditions, to introduce basic concepts in religious studies.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour. Available online and in-class.

RE204: Introduction to Judaism (0.5 Credit)

This course is designed to introduce the student to the core practices, beliefs and texts of historical Judaism.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

RE205: Canadian Religious Controversies (0.5 Credit)

Understanding religion and culture is essential not just for being a global citizen, but also for being a well-informed citizen of Canada. From the debates over religious rights and freedoms to the status of women and questions of identity and belonging to intergroup conflict and coexistence in a multicultural society, this course explores the controversial issues about religion and culture in the Canadian context. (Online Learning only)

Exclusions: RE212*, GS224.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

RE206/GS223: World Religions in Global Perspective (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: RE212*, GS223, GS224.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

RE207: Studying Religion (0.5 Credit)

Theoretical and methodological issues pertaining to the academic study of religion, including an examination of selected theories of the origin, character, and function of religion as a human phenomenon.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours. Available online or in-class.

RE211/AN211: Indigenous Religions (0.5 Credit)

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

RE213/MZ201: Religious Heritage of Islam (0.5 Credit)

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours. Available online or in-class.

RE231/MZ200: Introduction to Muslim Studies (0.5 Credit)

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

RE302A: Introduction to Sanskrit (0.5 Credit)

An irregular course in the study of pre-modern South Asian languages at beginning levels of learning writing systems and basic grammar. The goal of the course is to train students in methods of reading ancient texts and other written documents.

Hours per week: 3 lecture/discussion hours.

Sociology

SY101: Introduction to Sociology I: Critical Foundations (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to Sociology’s major thinkers, critical perspectives, theoretical foundations, research methods, and fields of inquiry. Topics include socialization, culture, and stratification.

Exclusions: SY100*.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

SY103: Introduction to Sociology II: Exploring Social Life (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the study of institutions and social change. Topics could include aging, social movements, families, religion, education, health and medicine, the environment, and crime and deviance.

Prerequisites: SY101.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Spanish

SP101: Introduction to Spanish I (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Spanish. Introduction to the phonological system of the language, basic grammar, practical vocabulary, oral and written practice. This course is designed for students with little or no knowledge of Spanish. (UW: SPAN 101)

Exclusions: SP100*, Grade 11 (or above) Spanish or equivalent (except with permission of the department).
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

SP102: Introduction to Spanish II (0.5 Credit)

Taught in Spanish. A continuation of SP101. (UW: SPAN 102)

Prerequisites: SP101, Grade 11 Spanish, or equivalent (or permission of the department).
Exclusions: SP100*, Grade 12U (or above) Spanish, or equivalent (except with permission of the department).
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.

Women and Gender Studies

WS100: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Women and Gender Studies that addresses the history of feminist thought, theories and activism, in addition to topics of contemporary concern. Topics may include the relationship between gender and work, the family, health, politics, the body, globalization and representations of gender in the media.

Exclusions: WS200.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Criminology

CC100: Introduction to Criminology (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the discipline of criminology from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. Students will be introduced to classical and contemporary theorists in the field, as well as research methods and disciplinary debates, with a focus on both Canadian and global issues in criminology.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

CC102: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (0.5 Credit)

This course will examine the functions and structure of the major components of the Canadian criminal justice system. Students will be introduced to the roles played by various criminal justice organizations in the administration of justice. Topics may include police, criminal courts and trial procedures, sentencing and corrections.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

CC200: Youth Justice (0.5 Credit)

This course is concerned with the young offender, law and society. Topics may include the juvenile justice system in comparative perspective, theories of youth criminality, treatment approaches, youth legislation, and broader societal issues raised by youth deviance and crime.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

CC202: Multiple Murder (0.5 Credit)

This course explores classic and contemporary theories and research in the field of serial and mass murder. Topics may include specific offender case studies, the psychology of multiple murder, social construction of offenders and victims, and legal responses to multiple murder.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

CC203: Women, Law and Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course explores women, the law and crime. Topics may include gender and criminality, legal systems and law enforcement, and feminist and post-modern theories of criminal activity.

Exclusions: LY203.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Leadership

OL101: Leadership and Personal Development (0.5 Credit)

Personal development is the basis for leading others and inspiring positive change. This course is an opportunity to explore avenues of personal growth and development in order to become a more competent leader, or follower. The principles of effective and ineffective personal development will be explored in detail.

Exclusions: OL140, Fall 2019 only.
Registration Note: BBA students are not permitted to take OL courses.

OL140: Leadership Foundations (0.5 Credit)

This introductory course provides an overview of the leadership skills, styles, activities, and approaches needed for today’s organizations. Through self-assessments and leadership case studies, students will gain insights into effective leadership practices and behaviours.

Registration Note: BBA students are not permitted to take OL courses.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

OL200/MB200: Communication Skills for Leadership (0.5 Credit)

This course is open to students in 1st year through 4th year. Communication skills are probably the single most important skill required to be a successful leader or follower. This course will provide an introduction to research and theories in the field of Interpersonal Communications and how this information relates to individuals in leadership positions and relationships. Research has consistently shown that effective communication skills are as necessary to career advancement as technical competence, work experience and academic qualifications. (Cross-listed with MB200).

Exclusions: BU208, OL109, MB109, PD101.
Registration Note: BBA students are not permitted to take OL courses.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

MU100: Music and its Contexts (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the act of music making in social and cultural contexts. Topics will be drawn from popular, classical, and world music traditions. The course will also address the social and cultural functions and uses for music including entertainment, art, dance, ritual, nationalism, propaganda and advertising.

Prerequisites: Registration in BMus program or departmental approval.

MU121: History of Rock Music (0.5 Credit)

A survey of the history of rock music in Euro-American traditions from the 1950s to the present. The course is open to music and non-music majors.

MU136: Musical Skills Lab I (0.25 Credit)

An introduction to solfege; sight singing of diatonic melodies in treble and bass clefs, intervals, chords and basic harmonic progressions; rhythmic reading; dictation of similar materials.

Prerequisites: Admission to the BMus program or permission of the instructor.
Exclusions: MU186°.
Hours per week: 2 lab hours.

MU137: Musical Skills Lab II (0.25 Credit)

Continuation of MU136°.

Prerequisites: MU136°.
Exclusions: MU187°.
Hours per week: 2 lab hours.

MU141: Introduction to Community Music (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to community music in theory and practice. Students will explore principles and characteristics of community music and will be introduced to key research in the field. Students will also explore practical examples of community music in local contexts, as well as nationally and internationally. Coursework will include lectures, observations, and experiential components, with focus on building students’ analytical skills, group leadership experience, and competencies in pursuing career pathways.

Registration note: Registration in the BMus Community Music program.

MU142: Foundations of Popular and Commerical Music (0.5 Credit)

The course provides foundations in music theory to prepare students for further work in popular music and jazz. Students will learn the elements of harmony (intervals, chords, progressions, voicing), melody (scales, modes), rhythm (groove), and form, and takes lead sheet notation as the principal mode of notation. Students will work primarily with chord symbols, but the course will also facilitate an introductory-level competency with roman numeral notation and the Nashville number system.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.
Registration note: Registration in the BMus Community Music program.

MU145A: Musicianship I (0.25 Credit)

Foundational musicianship skills are developed with a focus on graduated exercises to develop aural skills, such as sight-singing melodies in treble and bass clefs, identifying intervals, chords, and basic harmonic progressions; and rhythmic reading. Students will learn notation and basic dictation for pop, jazz, and folk music styles. Students will also explore improvisation and composition techniques with these genres.

Exclusions: MU140.
Hours per week: 2 lecture/discussion hours.
Registration note: Registration in the BMus Community Music program.

MU145B: Musicianship II (0.25 Credit)

A continuation of Musicianship I.

Prerequisites: MU145A.
Exclusions: MU140.
Hours per week: 2 lecture/discussion hours.
Registration note: Registration in the BMus Community Music program.

MU158: Introduction to Music Therapy (0.5 Credit)

Overview of the discipline of music therapy as it is practiced around the world. The study of special populations and contemporary models are placed within the overall landscape of contemporary clinical practice. Aspects of professionalization and ethical concerns when dealing with vulnerable populations are considered.

Exclusions: MU258, UU150.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

MU160: Composition I (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to composition. Primarily designed for Year 1 students interested in pursuing composition. Available as an elective for students in any year.

Prerequisites: Admission to the BMus program or permission of the instructor.

MU161: Theory I (0.5 Credit)

A context for the study of music theory including cultural issues, relationship of theory to other fields in music, parameters of music, and an introduction to counterpoint, harmonic function and part-writing.

Prerequisites: Admission to the BMus program or permission of the instructor.

MU162: Theory II (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to diatonic harmony, simple modulation, voice-leading, functional and sequential progressions, the harmonic structure of the phrase and basic components of form (motive, idea, phrase, period, sentence, hybrids). The course involves part-writing, analysis and dictation.

Prerequisites: MU161 or equivalent.

MU181: Ensemble (0.5 Credit)

Note: Two-term course.

Refer to the Faculty of Music's ensemble policy.

Exclusions: MU146.
Registration note: This is a two-term course taught across the duration of two consecutive terms. Students must register for the same lecture section for both fall and winter terms.

MU190A*: Practical Study (1.0 Credit)

Note: Two-term course.

Individual tuition in voice or instrument; weekly master class.

Prerequisites: Registration in BMus program and permission of the dean.
Registration note: This is a two-term course taught across the duration of two consecutive terms. Students must register for the same lecture section for both fall and winter terms.

MU194: Class Voice (0.5 Credit)

Students will learn the basics of healthy singing, providing a foundation of good vocal technique that applies to all singing and styles. Voice-building exercises, suitable vocal repertoire, and ensemble work will provide the student with opportunities to apply singing technique in a community context. A knowledge of pitch notation is assumed, but students lacking in this background will develop an improved fluency in musical notation.

Prerequisites: Registration in BMus: Community Music.
Exclusions: MU201R.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.
Registration Note: Section C will be open to non-music students.

MU195: Class Drumming (0.5 Credit)

The drum is a foundational instrument in many cultures. Using the drum in community music workshops and ensembles is common. Basic drumming techniques, including various Western, African, and Latin American practices are explored and applied. Students will develop an improved fluency in the notation of rhythm and meter.

Prerequisites: Registration in BMus: Community Music.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.
Registration note: Section C will be open to non-music students.

Astronomy

AS101: Astronomy I: Our Place in the Cosmos (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the science of astronomy, the process by which we develop astronomical principles and the application of these techniques to gain a modern understanding of our solar system. Topics covered include the historical development of astronomy, understanding the night sky, Newton's law of gravitation, light and telescopes, and a detailed study of the Solar System. New data from recent explorations of Mars, Saturn and other celestial objects will be discussed.

Exclusions: AS105*.

AS102: Astronomy II: Journey through the Cosmos (0.5 Credit)

A journey beyond our solar system to develop a modern understanding of other stars, galaxies and the structure, origin and fate of the universe. Includes an introduction to basic concepts of relativity and quantum mechanics, lives of stars, evolution of galaxies, Hubble's law and the Big Bang. Objects such as black holes, supernovae, pulsars, dark matter and wormholes are encountered and studied along the way.

Prerequisites: AS101.
Exclusions: AS105*.

Biology

BI110: Unifying Life Processes (0.5 Credit)

The unity underlying all life forms is explored through examination of the cell, and the biological chemicals, structures, and processes that govern cell organization, metabolism, communication, integration and reproduction. Major topics include respiration and photosynthesis; regulation of the cell cycle; features of multicellularity; DNA structure, function, and repair; gene expression and regulation; mitosis and meiosis; patterns of inheritance; microbial genetics.

Prerequisites: At least one of OAC or Grade 12U Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (OAC or Grade 12U Biology is strongly recommended).
Exclusions: SC100.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 tutorial hours (biweekly).

BI111: Biological Diversity and Evolution (0.5 Credit)

Interactions of organisms with each other and with the environment in the ongoing process of evolution by natural selection are examined in the context of the interplay of form with function – for bacteria and fungi, for plants and animals, for individuals and populations, and for communities and ecosystems. Major topics include regulation, homeostasis, growth and development, reproduction, and adaptation.

Prerequisites: At least one of OAC or Grade 12U Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (OAC or Grade 12U Biology recommended) or BI110.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 tutorial hours (biweekly).

BI196: Practical Skills for Biologists (0.5 Credit)

Biology is essentially a practical subject and this course introduces students to fundamental lab and field skills, investigative techniques, analysis and presentation of data in the context of understanding and communicating science to various audiences. Critical thinking and self-disciplined learning is fostered as students develop competencies in formulating hypotheses, gathering and assessing information, experimental design, oral, written, and visual communication, and creative problem-solving.

Prerequisites: BI110 or BI111; Registration Status: year 1 or year 2.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 tutorial hours (biweekly).

Chemistry

CH110: Fundamentals of Chemistry I (0.5 Credit)

This course is designed to be a first university-level course in chemistry. This course, followed by CH111, prepares students for further studies in all subdisciplines of chemistry as well as laying the chemical foundations for studies in related disciplines such as biology, physics, geography, anthropology and psychology. Topics covered include stoichiometry, gas laws, thermochemistry, models of the atom, trends in the periodic table, chemical bonding, 3-D structure of molecules, introduction to organic chemistry and reactions.

Prerequisites: OAC Chemistry or Grade 12U Chemistry or SC102.
Exclusions: CH120, CH130, SC100.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 3 lab hours (biweekly).

CH111: Fundamentals of Chemistry II (0.5 Credit)

This course follows and builds on the concepts from CH110 and prepares students for higher-level studies in the various subdisciplines of chemistry as well other university disciplines. Topics covered include properties of solutions, rates of chemical reactions, equilibria, entropy, free energy and electrochemistry.

Prerequisites: CH110 or CH130.
Exclusions: CH121, CH131.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 3 lab hours (biweekly).

CH120: Introductory Chemistry (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH110, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: OAC Chemistry or Grade 12U Chemistry or SC102.
Exclusions: CH110, CH130, SC100.

CH121: Introduction to Chemical Kinetics and Equilibrium (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH111, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: CH110 or CH120 or CH130.
Exclusions: CH111, CH131.

CH130: General Chemistry I (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH110, but with weekly labs.

Prerequisites: OAC Chemistry or Grade 12U Chemistry.
Exclusions: CH110, CH120, SC100.
Special Registration Notes: Students pursuing the following degrees must take this first year chemistry course: Honours BSc Chemistry, Honours BSc Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Honours BSc, Chemistry and Biology, Honours BSc Chemistry and Mathematics, Honours BSc Chemistry and Physics.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 3.5 lab hours.

CH131: General Chemistry II (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH111, but with weekly labs.

Prerequisites: CH131.
Exclusions: CH111, CH121.
Registration Notes: Students pursuing the following degrees must take this first year chemistry course: Honours BSc Chemistry, Honours BSc Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Honours BSc, Chemistry and Biology, Honours BSc Chemistry and Mathematics, Honours BSc Chemistry and Physics.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 3.5 lab hours.

Computer Science

CP102: Information Processing with Microcomputer Systems (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the concepts of microcomputer hardware and software applications in a hands-on environment. Topics include the history of technological innovation in microcomputer systems, design and operation, input/output devices, storage media and techniques, communications, operating systems, word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, database management and system utilities.

Available online only.
Exclusions: BU115, BU155, MB115; registration in BA or BSc programs in Computer Science or Physics; Comp SC100 (UW).

CP103: Principles of Computer Programming (0.5 Credit)

Introduce non Computer Science students to basic computer programming techniques. Emphasis is on problem-solving and structured program design methodologies. Programming projects are immplemented in a widely used high-level language.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2.5 lab hours.
Exclusions: CP104; registration in Hounours Computer Science or Honours Data Science programs.
Notes: Cannot be used as credit for the Minor in Computer Science, or any Computer Science or Data Science program.

CP104: Introduction to Programming (0.5 Credit)

An introductory course designed to familiarize the student with modern software development techniques. Emphasis is on problem-solving and structured program design methodologies. Programming projects are implemented in a widely used high-level language. (This course may be "challenged for credit.")

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2.5 lab hours.

CP164: Data Structures I (0.5 Credit)

Introduction to the study of data structures and their applications. Recursion, searching, sorting. Queues, stacks, heaps. Introduction to the analysis of algorithms, big “O” notation.

Prerequisites: CP104.
Exclusions: CP114.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2.5 lab hours.

Data Science

DATA100: Introduction to Data Analytics (0.5 Credit)

This course provides a broad overview of modern methods and tools for big data analytics. Different stages of data analytics lifecycle including diagnosing, cleaning, preparing, transforming, visualizing and modelling data are considered. Numerical and graphical methods of descriptive statistics are introduced. Data analytic methods are demonstrated using tools such as Excel, Google spreadsheets, Python and the R package.

Co-requisites: CP104.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

Environmental Studies

ES110: Environment, Sustainability and Society (0.5 Credit)

An interdisciplinary introduction to humans’ interactions with the natural environment. Pressing environmental challenges are explored, and creative sustainable responses, using Canadian and international examples, are proposed. Topics include food, water and energy systems; climate change adaptation; environmental management; and, policy-making.

Exclusions: ES101, ES102.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.
Available in-class and online.

Geography

GG101: Introduction to Physical Geography (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to physical geography. Topics include weather and climate, hydrology, geomorphology and biogeography. Laboratory exercises address geographic methods and techniques and illustrate human-environment relations through case studies.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours.
Available in-class and online.

GG102: Introduction to Human Geography (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to human geography. Topics include population and development, cartography and GIS, economic geography, cultural geography and political geography. In laboratory exercises, students learn methods and techniques used by geographers.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours.
Available in-class and online.

GESC151: Our Digital Earth (0.5 Credit)

The purpose of this course is to explore the Digital Earth: how our environment is represented in digital spaces and how these are used to plan cities, manage epidemics, and create a more sustainable world.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.
Available online only.

Geology

GL101: The Anatomy of Earth (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to the geological processes operating inside Earth. Topics include the identification of minerals and rocks, their structural arrangement and tectonic processes responsible for their global distributions. Human use of earth materials and the environmental impact of geophysical processes will also be addressed.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours.

GL102: The Surface of Earth (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to the shape of Earth’s surface resulting from internal and external geological processes acting at varying scales. Climatic and human interactions with these processes will also be discussed.

Hours per week: 2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours.

Health Science

HE100: Health Issues I (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to health issues pertinent to the individual and the community. Various health-related topics will be considered including defining health, determinants of health, health behaviour change and health promotion; psychosocial health and stress management; introduction to medical language and the body in health and disease, an overview of major chronic diseases affecting the Canadian population: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer; building healthy relationships, sexuality, fertility, pregnancy and childbirth.

Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 1 Honours BSc Health Sciences.
Exclusions: KP231.

HE101: Health Issues II (0.5 Credit)

A continuation of Health Issues 1, possible topics include: nutrition, physical activity and healthy body weight, risk behaviours (tobacco, alcohol, drug use and abuse), chronic and infectious diseases, introduction to the Canadian Health Care system, complementary and alternative medicine, aging, death and dying.

Prerequisites: HE100, and registration status: Year 1 Honours BSc Health Sciences.
Exclusions: KP232.

Kinesiology

KP100: Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Literacy (BKin) (0.5 Credit)

This course will provide students with an understanding of fundamental movement skills and physical literacy as well as expose students to how such skills should be taught to varied populations. Students will have opportunities to assess and improve their teaching of fundamental movement skills as well as leadership skills such as activity delivery and effective communication.

Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 1 of BKin program.
Hours per week: 1.5 lecture/discussion hours, 1.5 lab hours.

KP141: Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Kinesiology (BKin) (0.5 Credit)

This course will examine selected historical periods and philosophical theory in relation to the development and application of ideas about sport, physical activity, physical education, and kinesiology from Ancient Greece to contemporary Canadian culture.

Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 1 of BKin program.
Exclusions: KP241.
Hours per week: 3 lecture/discussion hours.

KP161: Fundamentals of Motor Learning and Control (BKin) (0.5 Credit)

An investigation of the processes underlying the acquisition, performance and retention of motor skills involved in everyday movements. The question of how movements are produced differently as a function of practice and experience will also be examined.

Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 1 of BKin program.
Hours per week: 2 lecture/discussion hours, 1 tutorial/seminar hour.

KP181: Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology (BKin) (0.5 Credit)

This is an introductory course exploring individual human performance and behaviour in the sport and exercise domain. This course examines psychological theory and research in sport, physical activity, and exercise. Topics may include personality, motivation, anxiety, stress and coping, aggression, mental imagery, goal setting, attentional control, physical activity adherence, group cohesion, and leadership.

Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 1 of BKin program.
Exclusions: KP210, PS286.
Hours per week: 3 lecture/discussion hours.

Mathematics

MA100: Introductory Calculus for the Natural Sciences (0.5 Credit)

This course concentrates on developing mastery of pre-calculus and introductory calculus skills and techniques. Pre-calculus topics include: solving equations and inequalities; algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions and their properties. Calculus topics include: rates of change and tangents; differentiation of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions; integration; and techniques of integration.

Prerequisites: A minimum score of 50% on the Calculus Preparation Evaluation (CPE) and 12U Advanced Functions.
Exclusions: Prior credit for, or current enrolment in, any of MA101, MA102, MA103, MA110*, MA129. This course may not count for credit in Mathematics programs.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA101: Calculus I for the Natural Sciences (0.5 Credit)

Review of algebra and trigonometry. Differential calculus of the algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions of a single variable; introduction to integral calculus; techniques of integration. Introduction to ordinary differential equations. Polar coordinates. Complex numbers. Applications to problems in the natural sciences are emphasized.

Prerequisites: MA100 or permission of the department.
Exclusions: Prior credit for, or current enrolment in any of MA103, MA110*. This course may not count for credit in Mathematics programs.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA102: Introduction to Functions and Differential Calculus (0.5 Credit)

Rational, algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions; equations and inequalities involving them. Thorough introduction to limits of functions. Continuity and its consequences. Introduction to differential calculus.

Prerequisites: Completion of the Calculus Preparation Evaluation (CPE) and 12U Advanced Functions.
Exclusions: Prior credit for, or current enrolment in, any of MA100, MA101, MA103, MA110*, MA129.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA103: Calculus I (0.5 Credit)

Limits and continuity; differential and integral calculus of functions of a single variable; the Mean Value Theorem; determination of extrema; the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and techniques of integration; introduction to series.

Prerequisites: MA102, or minimum score of 75% on the Calculus Preparation Evaluation (CPE) plus Grade 12 Calculus or MA100 or MA129.
Exclusions: MA101, MA110*.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA104: Calculus II (0.5 Credit)

Applications of integration; polar coordinates and parametric equations; infinite sequences and series; applications of partial derivatives.

Prerequisites: MA101 or MA103.
Exclusions: MA200.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA120: Introduction to Discrete Structures (0.5 Credit)

Introduction to sets, functions and relations; elementary logic including logical connectives; proof techniques and induction; basic number theory and applications; basic counting and combinatorics.

Exclusions: MA121.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

MA121: Introduction to Mathematical Proofs (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to proofs and to mathematical writing. Methods of proof, such as direct proofs, proofs by contradiction, contrapositive proofs, counterexamples and mathematical induction. Examples of proofs will be illustrated using sets, functions and elementary number theory. Use of precise mathematical language will be emphasized.

Prerequisites: 0.5 credit in MA (one of MA101, MA102, MA103, MA122, or MA170).
Exclusions: MA120.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.0 lab hours.

MA122: Introductory Linear Algebra (0.5 Credit)

Vector geometry in R² and R³ ; the vector space Rn and its subspaces; spanning sets, linear independence, bases and dimension; dot product in Rn ; systems of linear equations and Gaussian elimination; matrices and matrix operations, matrix inverse; matrix rank; linear transformations in Rn ; introduction to determinants, Cramer's rule; introduction to eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization of real matrices; applications of linear algebra.

Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.0 lab hours.

MA129: Introductory Calculus for Business and Social Sciences (0.5 Credit)

This course concentrates on developing mastery of pre-calculus and introductory calculus skills and techniques. Pre-calculus topics include: solving equations and inequalities; algebraic, logarithmic and exponential functions and their properties; matrix representation and solution of systems of linear equations. Calculus topics include: rates of change and tangents; differentiation of algebraic, exponential and logarithmic functions; optimization; introduction to integration.

Prerequisites: Completion of the Calculus Preparation Evaluation (CPE) and 12U Advanced Functions or permission of the department.
Exclusions: Prior credit for, or current enrolment in any MA100, MA101, MA102, MA103, or MA110*. This course may not count for credit in Mathematics programs.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

MA170: Introduction to Mathematics for Finance (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the theory of interest. Mathematical models and their analysis for problems involving fixed interest rates. Simple and compound interest. Cash flows, annuities, amortization and sinking funds. (Zero-)coupon bonds.

Prerequisites: 12U Advanced Functions, or equivalent, or permission of the department.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

Physics

PC131: Mechanics (0.5 Credit)

Calculus-based course, which introduces basic principles of physics. Detailed topics covered: one-dimensional motion, vectors, motion in two and three dimensions, force and motion, kinetic energy and work, potential energy, conservation of energy, collisions and momentum, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, torque, angular momentum, and gravitation.

Prerequisites: OAC or Grade 12U Physics or Advanced Functions and Introductory Calculus.
Co-requisites: MA100 or MA110* or MA103 or MA105.
Exclusions: PC100*, PC110*, PC141, PC151, PC161, SC100.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 lab hours (biweekly).

PC132: Thermodynamics and Waves (0.5 Credit)

Calculus-based course, which introduces basic principles of physics. Detailed topics covered: elasticity, fluids, waves and sound, temperature and heat, the laws of thermodynamics, entropy, and an introduction to electricity.

Prerequisites: PC131, MA110* (co-requisite) or MA101 (co-requisite) or MA103 or MA105.
Exclusions: PC100*, PC110*, PC142, PC152, PC162.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 lab hours (biweekly).

PC141: Mechanics for the Life Sciences (0.5 Credit)

Algebra-based course, which introduces basic principles of physics. Detailed topics covered: kinematics, motion in two dimensions, force, work and energy, linear momentum and collisions, circular motion and gravitation, rotational motion and equilibrium.

Prerequisites: One of OAC or Grade 12U Biology, Chemistry, Math or Physics.
Exclusions: PC100*, PC110*, PC131, PC151, PC161, SC100.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 lab hours (biweekly).

PC142: Thermodynamics and Waves for the Life Sciences (0.5 Credit)

Algebra-based course, which introduces basic principles of physics. Detailed topics covered: solids and fluids, temperature, heat, thermodynamics, vibrations and waves, sound.

Prerequisites: PC141 or PC31.
Exclusions: PC100*, PC110*, PC132, PC152, PC162.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 2 lab hours (biweekly).

PC151: Introduction to Mechanics (0.5 Credit)

Identical to PC131, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: OAC or Grade 12U Physics or Advanced Functions and Introductory Calculus.
Co-requisites: MA100 or MA110* or MA103 or MA105.
Exclusions: PC131, PC141, PC161, BSc degree programs, physics minor.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

PC152: Introduction to Thermodynamics and Waves (0.5 Credit)

Identical to PC132, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: PC151 or PC131, MA110* (co-requisite) OR MA101 (co-requisite) or MA103 or MA105.
Exclusions: PC132, PC142, PC162, BSc degree programs, physics minor.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

PC161: Introduction to Mechanics for Life Sciences (0.5 Credit)

Identical to PC141, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: One of OAC or Grade 12U in Biology, Chemistry, Math or Physics.
Exclusions: PC131, PC141, PC151, BSc degree programs, physics minor.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

PC162: Introduction to Thermodynamics and Waves for Life Sciences (0.5 Credit)

Identical to PC142, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: PC161 (or PC131 or PC141 or PC151).
Exclusions: PC132, PC142, PC152, BSc degree programs, physics minor.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Psychology

PS101: Introduction to Psychology I (0.5 Credit)

Methods for understanding human and animal behaviour are introduced. This course introduces psychology and its history, and shows how the different areas of psychology are integrated. Topics such as research methods, biological bases, learning, consciousness, personality, disorders, and treatment are surveyed.

PS102: Introduction to Psychology II (0.5 Credit)

Methods for understanding human and animal behaviour are discussed. This course continues the introduction to psychology and shows how different areas are integrated by covering topics such as research methods, sensation and perception, memory, language and thought, intelligence and testing, motivation and emotion, development, stress and coping, community psychology, and social psychology.

Science

SC100: Introduction to the Science of Everyday Life (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to the science behind questions ranging from small-scale phenomena, to larger-scale processes that may influence public policy for years or decades to come. The course will take an integrative and comparative approach, incorporating perspectives from across the natural sciences. Emphasis will be placed on the logic of scientific thinking, the process of gathering evidence, and the limits of conclusions that can be made with available evidence.

Exclusions: BI110, BI111, CH110, CH120, PC131, PC132, PC141, PC142.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

SC101: Essential Skills for Mathematics (0.5 Credit)

Thorough review of pre-university skills in algebra, trigonometry and functions. Topics discussed will include: algebraic manipulations used to simplify expressions and solve equations and inequalities; analytic geometry; and polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. Also integrated with the course content will be discussion of specific learning strategies to help students with the transition from high school mathematics to university level expectations. The course will not count towards satisfying program requirements in mathematics.

Prerequisites: Completion of the Calculus Preparation Evaluation (CPE), and one of: 12U Advanced Functions, 3U Functions and Relations, 3M Functions.
Exclusions: If a student has successfully passed, or is currently enrolled in MA100, MA101, MA102, MA103, MA110*, or MA129, then SC101 will not be eligible for credit. This course will not count for credit in mathematics programs. Additionally, the course will not count towards satisfying program requirements in mathematics.
Registration notes: Open to first-year students enrolled in one of: Biology, Chemistry, Health Science, Environmental Science, Water Science and Environmental Health, Psychology.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

SC102: Essential Skills for Chemistry (0.5 Credit)

Thorough review of pre-university skills in chemistry. Topics discussed will include: measurement (units and reliability), dimensional analysis, atoms (modern atomic theory, structure, molar mass, Avogadro’s number), molecules, ions, ionic compounds, chemical formulas and naming. Chemical reactions and stoichiometry will be introduced. While there is no associated lab, foundational lab skills (an introduction to lab equipment, lab notebooks, and lab report writing) will be included.

Prerequisites: One of: 12U Advanced Functions, 3U Functions and Relations, 3M Functions.
Exclusions: If a student has successfully passed, or is currently enrolled in CH110, CH120, or CH130 then SC102 will not be eligible for credit. The course will not count towards satisfying program requirements in programs offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, but does serve as a pathway to CH110/120/130, and other subsequent chemistry courses.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Business

BU111: Understanding the Business Environment (0.5 Credit)

This course highlights challenges in the external business environment with a focus on their impact on business decisions. Topics include competitive analysis, and an in-depth examination of political, economic, social, and technological factors. Students will apply their knowledge using cases, and by identifying and researching the feasibility of a new venture/business opportunity. The course includes a required weekly lab in which research, writing, teamwork, and individual and group presentation skills are also developed.

Exclusions: ENTR201, MB105.
Registration Note:
- Fall 2022 - BU111 lecture sections P1 and P2 are restricted to non-BBA students, labs #50-67 are restricted to non-BBA only.
- Winter 2023- BU111 lecture section S1 is restricted to non-BBA students, labs #50-58 are restricted to non-BBA students only.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

BU121: Functional Areas of the Organization (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an overview to the functional areas of a business; specifically marketing, finance, operations, and human resources. The areas will be examined using an integrative model and by focusing on current issues such as sustainability. Students will apply their knowledge using cases, and by developing a business plan for a new venture. The course includes a required weekly lab in which teamwork, business writing, critical thinking, negotiating, and individual and group presentation skills are also developed.

Exclusions: ENTR100, MB105.
Registration Note:
- Winter 2023- BU121 lecture section S1 is restricted to non-BBA students, labs #50-58 are restricted to non-BBA only.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours, 1.5 lab hours.

BU127: Introduction to Financial Accounting (0.5 Credit)

A study of basic accounting principles with emphasis on the recording, reporting and interpretation of financial data.

Exclusions: BU227, BU237, MB207.
Registration Note:
- Fall 2022 - BU127, P1, P2 and OC1 are restricted to non-BBA students.
- Winter 2023- BU27, S1, S2 and OC2 are restricted to non-BBA students.
Notes: Exclusions do not constitute equivalency.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

ENTR100: Introduction to Business Principles for Entrepreneurs (0.5 Credit)

This course is designed to provide non-business students that want to pursue entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship core, the key foundational business knowledge they need to succeed in their own start-ups. Course material will cover the business environment, and basic accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, and operational principles. Exercises and assignments will also focus on soft skill development such as team, presentation, and negotiating skills.

Exclusions: BU121, MB105.
Registration Note: BBA students are not able to take ENTR100. Students hoping to transfer to BBA should not take ENTR100.
Hours per week: 3 lecture horus.

Economics

EC120: Introduction to Microeconomics (0.5 Credit)

This course analyzes the decision making of individual households and firms in a market economy, with an emphasis on the use of the price mechanism to allocate resources. The course will include applications to relevant economic policy.

Exclusions: EC101.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

EC140: Introduction to Macroeconomics (0.5 Credit)

This course examines the working of the national economy with an emphasis on the determination of national income. There will be an examination of important issues such as unemployment, price stability, and balance of payments and of possible government policies to deal with these issues.

Exclusions: EC102.
Hours per week: 3 lecture hours.

Business Technology Management

MB200/OL200: Communication Skills for Leadership (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: BU208, OL109, MB109, PD101.

Brantford Campus First-Year Course Offerings

English

EN111: Literature and Crime (0.5 Credit)

Examines work in a variety of literary periods and genres (such as fiction, plays, poetry, graphic novels) on the topics of crime and criminality, with the intent of introducing students to literature addressing themes of surveillance, law-breaking, justice, suspense, villainy, violence, espionage, true crime, civil disobedience, and/or imprisonment.

EN119: Reading Fiction (0.5 Credit)

A critical exploration of short stories and novels with emphasis on the structural and narrative features of prose fiction.

History

HI121: Ancient History in a Global Context (0.5 Credit)

HI123: Great Battles in History (0.5 Credit)

HI125: Business History (0.5 Credit)

HI199: The Roots of Now: Modern World History (0.5 Credit)

This course examines the origins and development of the modern world along four thematic lines that comprise the multidisciplinary History tracks at Laurier: Peace and War; Culture, the Arts and Society; Politics, Power and Law; and Social Issues and Globalization. Students will come out of this course with an appreciation of the strong links between contemporary problems and their historical antecedents. Often using comparative or transnational approaches, students will learn about the most important and influential historical events, movements and people who shaped the modern world.

Philosophy

PP110: Values and Society (0.5 Credit)

Community Health

HS102: An introduction to Public Health (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces public health theory and practice. Consideration will be given to the history and development of public health movements in Canada and globally; the integration of health knowledge into institutional policy and professional practise; and the methodological, scientific, social, professional, and organizational bases of public health.

HS103: Introduction to Forensic Science (0.5 Credit)

This course is designed to develop scientific knowledge in forensics related to the human body for students without a science background. Divisions of forensic science such as DNA analysis, trace evidence, and toxicology collect and analyse evidence during criminal investigations. Students will learn about cells, DNA, blood and other tissues as well as forensic techniques used to analyse them. Forensic science related to the human body is a valuable tool in fields such as healthcare, the justice system, social work, and human rights.

HS200: Social Determinants of Health (0.5 Credit)

This course explores the nexus between social justice and health. How do various social, economic and environmental influences impact health? How can addressing inequities relating to issues such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, social support, food security and living and working conditions, improve population health?

Prerequisites: BF190.

HS/SOJE227: Aging: Realities and Myths (0.5 Credit)

Physical and cognitive changes can be part of the aging process. How we understand, describe and respond to these changes has evolved over recent generations. This course examines social understandings and ideologies in relation to the biological changes associated with aging. (Cross-listed as SOJE227.)

Criminology

CC100: Introduction to Criminology (0.5 Credit)

CC102: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (0.5 Credit)

CC200: Youth Justice (0.5 Credit)

CC202: Multiple Murder (0.5 Credit)

CC203: Women, Law and Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course explores women, the law and crime. Topics may include gender and criminality, legal systems and law enforcement, and feminist and postmodern theories of criminal activity.

CC205: Gangsters, Goodfellas and Wiseguys: North American Perspectives of Organized Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course will explore organized crime in North America. Students will learn about the historical underpinnings of organized crime in both the United States and Canada. Students will learn about the criminal activities, contemporary patterns, and emergent trends within North American organized crime groups. Students will also be exposed to the organizational hierarchy, rules and regulations, level of sophistication and law enforcement responses to organized crime in North America. Topics may include: an examination of the Five Families of New York, the Chicago Outfit, and the experience of organized crime in cities such as Montreal, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Boston.

CC210: Psychology of Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course will explore sources of individual variation in criminal conduct from a psychological perspective. Students will be introduced to classic biological, developmental, cognitive, and psychiatric explanations of criminal behaviour. Course topics will focus on associations between criminality and genetics, brain functioning, psychophysiology, mental disorders, personality and moral development, and social learning.

Prerequisite: CC100

CC211: Restorative Justice (0.5 Credit)

This course offers a basic introduction to the concept and practice of restorative justice. It explores the origins, development, values and principles of restorative justice. It examines the role of key stakeholders such as victims, offenders, and the community. The course highlights the program models and practices of restorative justice including mediation with focus on their application in Canada. It also explores the challenges and limitations of restorative justice.

Prerequisite: CC100 or CC102

CC212: White Collar Crime (0.5 Credit)

This course examines the various forms of white-collar crime in our society. Topics may include occupational crime, finance crime, corporate crime, crimes by the government and state-corporate crime.

CC215: Murder in Canada (0.5 Credit)

The focus of this course is the nature of “everyday” homicide within Canada. Students will learn about Canadian homicide through the use of historical case materials from the National Archives, statistics collected by the federal government and through an exploration of contemporary Canadian cases. Students will also learn about the basic processes which underlie the investigation and prosecution of homicide cases.

CC222: World History of Crime and Criminal Justice (0.5 Credit)

Understanding Canada and other countries' current criminological problems is rooted in crime and justice history. The course examines the history of crime and criminal justice on a cross-national basis. The course explores historical problems of crime, law enforcement, and punishment from ancient times to the late 20th century, covering both Western and non-Western civilizations.

Prerequisite: CC102

CC240: Introduction to Cybercrime (0.5 Credit)

This course examines the changing nature of deviance in the online world. Central to its design is the assumption that the internet, particularly the worldwide web, has opened up new realms of social possibility, including opportunities for harm and victimization. Students will be introduced to the functional definitions of cybercrime, the growing typology of cybercrimes, and socio-legal responses that have developed through the 21st century. Topics include 'traditional' cybercrimes such as spamming, phishing, and fraud as well as the contemporary blurring of the divide between digital and physical crimes, including topics like revenge pornography, cyberbullying, and hacktivism. The course will also critically assess the use of classical and opportunity-based theories of crime as frameworks for interpreting cybercrimes and cybercriminals. This course does not require detailed knowledge about internet technologies.

Prerequisite: CC100

Foundations

BF199: Modernity: Critique and Resistance (0.5 Credit)

This content-based course introduces students to key concepts that will help them become engaged political citizens of our contemporary global world. Students will learn about contemporary problems and ideas that have challenged and undermined traditional modern approaches to ethical and political debate and decision-making both in Canada and around the world. Through lectures, online discussions, and in-depth feedback on written work, students will learn: how to identify various political and ethical concepts such as fascism, colonialism, environmentalism, consumerism, disciplinary power, and neo-liberalism; how to compare and contrast the different opinions of various contemporary and modern thinkers on each of these concepts; how to apply these concepts to concrete real-world examples taken from contemporary news media; and how to develop and articulate their own opinions on these concepts in relation to those thinkers. By the end of the course students will have experience using Chicago style, writing an academic paper, and applying contemporary concepts to real-world examples.

Prerequisite: BF190

BF290: Academic Literacy: Social Sciences (0.5 Credit)

This skills-based course provides students with a broad introduction to the social sciences as a scholarly enterprise. Students will learn the basic skills necessary to find, understand, and critically evaluate research in the social sciences. Through lectures and small-group classes students will learn: how social scientists conduct research and report their results, including the distinction between quantitative and qualitative research; how to use databases and other research tools to effectively gather scholarly information; how to critically evaluate social science research; how to frame social science research questions; how to synthesize and clearly articulate their findings in both oral and written formats; and how to be ethical scholars by practicing research and academic integrity. By the end of the course students will have experience using APA style, writing an annotated bibliography and a literature review, and making an oral presentation.

Registration in this course requires a tutorial.

Game Design and Development

DD101: Critical Play (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the concept of critical play. To play a game critically means deconstructing the ideas, beliefs, and values a game conveys through its mechanics (i.e. actions within the game), dynamics (i.e. interactions within the game), and aesthetics (i.e. the look and feel of the game). Students will play various analog and digital games, read theory and criticism of games as a communicative art form, and write critical commentary on games. This introduction to critical play will provide a foundation for subsequent courses in critical game design.

DD102: Critical Game Design I (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to critical game design. To design a game critically means using the mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics of a game to express particular ideas, beliefs, and values. In Critical Game Design I students are introduced to fundamental critical game design practices emphasizing the relationship between rules, interactions, and aesthetics in the communication of particular values. Students will study theory and skills relating to the conception, development and documentation of analog games and initiate a critically-designed analog game project.

Prerequisite: DD101

Leadership

OL101: Leadership and Personal Development (0.5 Credit)

OL140: Leadership Foundations (0.5 Credit)

OL200/MB200: Communication Skills for Leadership (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: OL/MB109, BU288, PD101

Digital Media and Journalism

DMJN101: Reporting and Writing for News (0.5 Credit)

Students learn and practice the reporting, writing and interviewing techniques involved in news reporting while reflecting upon the fundamental values and principles of journalism.

DMJN202: Cross-Media Storytelling (0.5 Credit)

This course invites students to develop a cross-media mode of thinking about storytelling in a converged media environment. Students will learn the basics of researching, organizing and telling stories effectively across multiple media platforms (e.g. print, audio, video, and the web) and a variety of social contexts (e.g. public relations, blogging, journalism, speeches, etc.).

Prerequisites: DD101 or DMJN101
Registration in this course requires a lab.

DMJN/MX211: Introduction to Media Studies (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the history of media forms and key theories in media studies. (Cross-listed as MX211.)

Prerequisites: BF190

DMJN230: Audio Storytelling I (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the principles and practices related to capturing, editing and distributing broadcast-quality audio with a digital focus. Students learn how to record interviews and natural sound with a variety of equipment, edit digital audio files and prepare them for distribution. They also analyze a range of professional audio storytelling examples (e.g. newscasts, podcasts), learn the fundamentals of professional vocal performance and create short-form, research-based digital audio projects.

DMJN232: Photography and Digital Imaging I (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the principles and practices related to capturing, editing and distributing professional-quality photographs and digital images. Students learn composition theory, how to take photographs in indoor and outdoor locations using a variety of equipment and how to edit photographs and digital images. They also analyze a range of professional photography projects (e.g. news photography, digital slide shows) and create short-form digital photography projects.

Foundations

BF190: Modernity and the Contemporary World (0.5 Credit)

This course will introduce students to some of the key ideas and arguments that have accompanied the historical processes associated with Western Modernity, with an emphasis on how these ideas and processes shape the way we live in and understand our contemporary world. The course will introduce students to key Modern ideologies – liberalism, conservatism, and socialism – in the context of how they relate to contemporary forms of governance, economic organization and social function. Students will be exposed to primary sources, including those of Locke, Burke, and Marx. Evaluation will include expository writing. An academic integrity component will be included in this course.

BF299: Academic Literacy: Humanities (0.5 Credit)

Students will learn the basic skills necessary to understand how scholars in the humanities think about problems and approach a variety of cultural artefacts (e.g. works of film, literature or visual popular culture); how they conduct research; how they analyze information; and how they communicate their ideas. Students will attend lectures as well as small-group classes that will use the course material in a series of task-defined units designed to teach the critical thinking, research, information literacy, and communication skills necessary to conducting effective inquiry in the humanities.

Registration in this course requires a tutorial.

Human Rights and Human Diversity

HR100: Human Rights and Human Diversity (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of human rights, human diversity (e.g. race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, disability), and the complex relationship between human rights and human diversity within contemporary states. The course may involve the study of specific cases, issues, debates, and important historical events. Assessment will include a short written assignment.

HR163: Introduction to International Development (0.5 Credit)

Despite global economic growth, inequality between and within countries seems to have increased. This interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to international development: the processes, actors, approaches, interventions and policies affecting the lives of poor people across the world. Students will be introduced to key concepts and issues in international development, including such topics as human rights approaches to development, poverty, debt, environment, democracy, health, conflict, education, migration, indigenous peoples, culture and technology, and the role played by states, development agencies, international financial institutions, the United Nations and individuals.

HR200: Human Rights Violations: Advocacy and Analysis (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the relationship between scholarly research and advocacy in the effort to end human rights violations. Students are introduced to the nature and history of international human rights advocacy and then they explore how interdisciplinary research and social theory can help identify underlying root causes of human rights violations that can be used to define and assess policies and strategies to address these violations.

Prerequisites: HR100 and declared major in Human Rights and Human Diversity

Humanities with Leadership

HMLD100: Introductory Humanities Seminar (0.5 Credit)

Each seminar will focus on a complex and topical question which can be explored fruitfully from multiple perspectives. The perspectives will be representative of several Humanities disciplines, and in particular, History, Literature, and Philosophy. Students will work collectively and individually to understand both the subject at hand and the representative perspectives. There are two purposes in approaching a subject from multiple perspectives: (1) to help students appreciate both the complexity of the problems underlying the focal question; and (2) to appreciate the value of what scholars call multi-disciplinary research.

Indigenous Studies

ID100: Indigenous Peoples and Media (0.5 Credit)

Through various forms of media, the depiction of Indigenous people is traced from the silent film era to the present day. Students will assess the social and historical impacts of these images and consider the role that film can play in the future of Indigenous people.

ID/SOJE120: Introduction to Indigenous Studies (0.5 Credit)

Provides students with an overview of the discipline of Indigenous Studies including the history, cultures, and experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. (Cross-listed as SOJE120)

Labour Studies and Career Development

WORK100: The Future of Work (0.5 Credit)

This course will consider the changing nature and experience of work in Canada and its relationship to the emerging trends of globalization. Topics explored include the historical development of work, nature of work in the global economy, the evolving relationship between management and work, the demographics of work, employment and unemployment, the changing connections between work and leisure, the role of the state and other topics relating to work, economy and society.

Law and Society

LY100: Introduction to Law and Society I (0.5 Credit)

This course is designed to introduce students to the broad ranging field of Law and Society. Our focus is to challenge how people ordinarily understand Law by beginning to think about the various ways that law shapes social life and how social life shapes the creation and transformation of law. Themes addressed may include law and social control, law and culture, law and economics, law and violence, law and governance, law and diversity, and law and social change. Students will consider the various ways law gains its meaning and authority from society and the extent to which law shapes society through its regulatory and ideological force.

LY101: Introduction to Law and Society II (0.5 Credit)

This course will introduce students to important concepts, theoretical perspectives, and debates that have shaped the field of Law and Society today. Approaches that are informed by jurisprudence, philosophy, sociology, history, gender studies, critical race theory, economics, anthropology, political science, and psychology may be considered.

Prerequisites: LY100.

Social and Environmental Justice

SOJE100: The Engaged Citizen: Social and Environmental Justice in the 21st Century (0.5 Credit)

This course invites students to consider pressing global issues through the lens of social and environmental justice. Students will develop skills for identifying theoretical frameworks, and synthesizing and integrating disciplinary perspectives. Key content may include gender inequality, unequal access to education and healthcare, economic disparity, climate change the politics of Indigeneity, digital rights and privacy, and the impact of war. Topics will be examined in light of political, ideological and cultural influences aimed at sustaining, questioning, or overturning the status quo.

Registration in this course requires a tutorial.

User Experience Design

UX100: Design Thinking I: Foundations (0.5 Credit)

This course is an introduction to the theories and methods that underpin design thinking and practice. UX100 introduces the design process, visual analysis, design theories, universal design, and the socio-cultural implications of design. Students investigate the interactions between humans and their natural, social, and designed environments where purposeful design helps determine the quality of those interactions. Students will learn how design outcomes, whether successes or failures, shape and are shaped by socio/cultural and historical factors. Students of design thinking will learn to critically assess the processes, outcomes and effects of design engagement. During the course, students will have opportunities to test and explore the concepts of design thinking through small-group, hands-on participation in design projects.

UX103: UX Strategy (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an overview of user experience design principles and processes from a broad multidisciplinary perspective, emphasizing how user research and prototype assessment can be integrated into different phases of the design process for a wide array of products, services, and media content. The course introduces students to methods used to understand user's needs and activities, with a focus on conveying user-centered design solutions through storytelling, sketching, and iterative prototyping. Students are given real world design problems.

Prerequisite: UX100

UX115: Research Methods I (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the formative stages of the UX research process including concepts and techniques used to understand users and their needs/behaviours/tasks/goals, before designing solutions/interventions. Students also learn methods for communicating results including data-driven personas, journey maps and storyboards

Exclusion: UX271

UX204: Digital Technology Lab (0.5 Credit)

This course introduces students to the basic computer and digital media concepts in hardware, software and networking. Widely used applications including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation and web development software are studied and students are introduced to their academic portfolio platform as they learn how to manage digital media files across multiple platforms in order to create and maintain a professional portfolio.

Youth and Children's Studies

YC100: Studying Youth and Children: An Introduction (0.5 Credit)

This course provides students with an introduction to the key issues and interdisciplinary approaches in the study of children and youth. Students will demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to distinguish between the sociological, biological, developmental, historical, and cultural contexts from local, national, and global perspectives.

Biology

BI110: Unifying Life Processes (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: One of 12U Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (Grade 12U Biology is strongly recommended).
Registration in this course requires a lab.

BI111: Biological Diversity and Evolution (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: One of 12U Biology, Chemistry, or Physics; or BI110 (recommended)
Registration in this course requires a lab.

Chemistry

CH110: Fundamentals of Chemistry I (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: Grade 12U Chemistry.
Registration in this course requires a lab.

CH111: Fundamentals of Chemistry II (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: CH110.
Registration in this course requires a lab.

CH120: Introductory Chemistry (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH110, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: OAC Chemistry or Grade 12U Chemisty.
Exclusions: CH100, CH101, CH110.

CH121: Introduction to Chemical Kinetics and Equilibrium (0.5 Credit)

Identical to CH111, but without the labs.

Prerequisites: CH110 or CH120.
Exclusions: CH100, CH101, CH111.

Computer Science

CP104: Introduction to Programming (0.5 Credit)

Mathematics

MA127: Mathematics for Business Technology Management (0.5 Credit)

This course covers the basic mathematical concepts used in business. Topics will include basic algebra; ratios; solving and manipulating equations; functions and graphs; inequalities; introduction to linear algebra and matrices; inverse of a matrix; an introduction to linear programming; simple and compound interest; annuities.

Prerequisites: Grade 12U-level math course or equivalent.
Hours per week: 3 lecture/discussion hours; 1.5 tutorial/seminar hours
Exclusions: This course can only count for credit for students in the Business Technology Management program.
Notes: This course should not be counted towards qualifying for a teachable in mathematics.

Psychology

PS101: Introduction to Psychology I (0.5 Credit)

PS102: Introduction to Psychology II (0.5 Credit)

Business Technology Management

ENTR100: Introduction to Business Principles for Entrepreneurs (0.5 Credit)

Restrictions: BTM students cannot take this course, as it excludes MB105, a program requirement they must take.

MB105: Business in a Networked Society (0.5 Credit)

Business in a Networked Society introduces students to the external and internal business environments from the perspective of an increasingly networked environment. Topics include the structure of the firm, competitive analysis, an in depth examination of political, economic, social, and technological factors and an overview of the functional areas of a business. Students will identify and pitch a new venture or business opportunity.

Exclusion: ENTR100

MB106: Introduction to Strategic Management and Decision-Making (0.5 Credit)

Introduction to Strategic Management and Decision-Making will explore the strategic role of the manager in the firm related to a deep understanding of organizational issues based on internal and external analysis. Content covered will include strategy fundamentals with a focus on areas such as management, leadership, and organizational controls. Students will be introduced to strategic thinking and decision making through case analysis, with a focus on higher level but comprehensive analysis from problem identification through to option generation and analysis.

Prerequisites: MB105

MB115: Information Technology (0.5 Credit)

This course provides a conceptual survey of general systems theory followed by a conceptual and technological survey of the structure of distributed information systems architectures, operating systems, network operating systems, peripheral technology and user interfaces.

Registration in this course requires a lab.
Exclusion: CP102

Economics

EC120: Introduction to Microeconomics (0.5 Credit)

EC140: Introduction to Macroeconomics (0.5 Credit)

Online First-Year Course Offerings

Anthropology

AN100: Cultures Today (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: AN101

Archaeology and Heritage Studies

AR101: Invitation to Archeology (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: AR100*

AR104: Greece: Minotaur to Alexander (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: CL101

AR105: Ancient Rome: Not Just Caesar (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: CL102

English

EN112: Literature and Love (0.5 Credit)

Global Studies

GS101: Introduction to Global Studies (0.5 Credit)

International Education Studies

INED104: Theories of Learning and Development

This course explores current and emerging learning theories and applications in global education contexts as well as developmental theory ranging from the very young to adolescents and young adults. Theoretical frameworks are introduced to connect emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development to effective teaching practices within a broad range of learning environments.

Restriction: Must be enrolled in International Education Studies

North American Studies

NO105: Billionaires, Beavers, and Banditos (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: NO101, NO110

Philosophy

PP110: Values and Society (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: PP/PY100*

Religion and Culture

RE103: Love and Its Myths (0.5 Credit)

RE104: Evil and Its Symbols (0.5 Credit)

RE205: Canadian Religious Controversies (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: RE212*, GS224.

RE206/GS223: World Religions in Global Perspective (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: RE212*, GS223, GS224.

RE207: Studying Religion (0.5 Credit)

Sociology

SY101: Introduction to Sociology I: Critical Foundations (0.5 Credit)

An introduction to Sociology’s major thinkers, critical perspectives, theoretical foundations, research methods, and fields of inquiry. Topics include socialization, culture, and stratification.

Exclusions: SY100*

Women and Gender Studies

WS100: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: WS200

Eduction Minor

EM101: Images of Education in the Media (0.5 Credit)

Education as portrayed through film and literature serves as a lens on the cultural landscape of western society. This course will examine images of teachers and teaching in the past, the present and the future, through the study of film and literature. Canonized, villainized or lampooned, these media forms portray teachers in various and often conflicting ways, aiming to show what education is, what we perceive it to be and what it might or ought to be.

EM110: Foundations of Teaching (0.5 Credit)

This course will explore the rights and regulations guiding the profession of teaching in Canadian K-12 schools. Topics will include provincial curriculum expectations and an overview of lesson planning, assessment, learning theories, and the principles of democratic classrooms. There will be an intentional focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the course. This course will provide an introduction to the complex roles of teachers in developing global competencies of learners.

EM202: The Educational Divide (0.5 Credit)

Teachers, students, and school systems can either perpetuate or change circumstances of injustice, both locally and globally. This course examines these dynamics and how teachers and students work toward building just societies. Global educational philosophies, research, and practices will be examined through a social justice lens.

EM203: Learning in 280 Characters or Less (0.5 Credit)

In a digital world, 21st century learners need to be co-constructors of knowledge. This course will examine emerging research and innovative approaches to learning that utilize the potential of digital technology for collaborative, critical, creative and authentic learning.

EM299: Experiential Learning in Teaching 1: Engaging in Reflection and Analysis (0.5 Credit)

This course explores how reflective learning methods can drive meaningful learning from experience. Students will learn tools to critically reflect on their experiences working in a teaching role or with K-12 children through the lens of the Laurier competency framework. Through application of these tools, learners will become more self-aware and begin to articulate future-ready competencies and skills, which lay a solid foundation for successful transition into the teaching profession. Course delivery is a combination of online modules and in-class experiences.

Exclusion: UU299

EM300: Teaching in Non-School Contexts (0.5 Credit)

This course provides instruction in how to teach and assess learning in contexts such as athletics, music, theatre arts, community programs, corporate training, etc. Ideas to be discussed include the impact of developmental levels on learning, contemporary strategies for teaching, modifying instruction to address individual needs, and the incorporation of technology in pedagogically appropriate ways. These will be modeled throughout the course as individual class members' interests and needs are addressed.

Community Health

HS101: Physical Determinants of Health (0.5 Credit)

For students with little or no background in human biology, this course is a basic introduction to biological concepts related to human health and disease. Topics include a review of anatomy, physiology and the pathology of selected organ systems and their associated diseases.

Exclusions: SC103

HS102: An Introduction to Public Health (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: HS207

HS200: Social Determinants of Health (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: BF190
Exclusions: SY215

HS220: Epidemiology & Public Health (0.5 Credit)

This course is an introduction to epidemiology and its application to public health. Consideration is given to the ways in which variations in morbidity and mortality in human populations are studied, and how they can provide insight into the causes of disease.

Criminology

CC100: Introduction to Criminology (0.5 Credit)

CC102: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (0.5 Credit)

CC200: Youth Justice (0.5 Credit)

CC210: Psychology of Crime (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisite: CC100

Game Design and Development

DD111: Games as Art (0.5 Credit)

Through a blend of theory and practice, this course introduces students to games as a dynamic art form through the lenses of art history and contemporary visual cultures, situating games in the broader social, political, and cultural spheres occupied by painting, installation and urban art, comics, design, architecture, film, and performance.

Registration Note: Must be enrolled in Game Design and Development

Global Crime and Justice

UNDC100: Introduction to the UNODC (0.25 Credit)

This course introduces students to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and its leadership roll in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. It will outline the three pillars of the UNODC’s programme, including field-based actions; research and analytical work; and normative work. This course will also include an introduction to the Education For Justice program and its connection to the UNODC’s normative pillar, providing greater contextual discussion about the value of education as a primary means for battling criminality

UNDC101: Integrity and Ethics in Promoting Culture of the Rule of Law (0.25 Credit)

Building a culture of lawfulness starts with strengthening our ethical values and the ability to act upon them. This course provides an introduction to the concepts of integrity and ethics as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, expressed through the 2015 Doha declaration. Some topics that may be covered by this course include ethical leadership; ethics, diversity and pluralism; integrity, ethics, and law; and gender dimensions of ethics. Students will also study practical applications of these concepts, critically informing their personal and professional activities. This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

UNDC102: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (0.25 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to crime prevention and criminal justice in a global context as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Students are introduced to the United Nations’ norms and standards in crime prevention and criminal justice. It will also demonstrate international applications of these principles, which may include studies of police accountability; prison reform; violence against women; and alternative forms of justice. This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

UNDC103: Trafficking in Persons/Smuggling of Migrants (0.25 Credit)

This course introduces the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's definition of trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling. It commences with study of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, focusing on protocols against the smuggling of migrants and to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons. The course will focus on practical responses to this international phenomenon, and topics covered may include criminal and civil justice responses to human trafficking and migrant smuggling; international preventative measures; and the role of modern technologies in its propagation and prevention.

UNDC200: Anti-Corruption (0.25 Credit)

This course introduces students to corruption as a concept, operationalizing it within a global context as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The course will include studies of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and its applications in ratifying states, and additional topics may include public sector corruption; private sector corruption; detection and investigation of corruption; and anti-corruption partnership. This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

UNDC202: Illicit Misuse and Trafficking of Firearms (0.25 Credit)

This course focuses on the criminal use and trafficking of firearms as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This course will be framed by the UNODC’s Global Firearms Programme, and its implications for controlling and regulating firearms. Students will be presented with the fundamental role of firearms in both criminal and security contexts, and topics covered may include the implications of the illicit firearms trade; its impact on social and state institutions; and comparative studies of selected regulations. This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

UNDC203: Digital Technologies and Crime (0.25 Credit)

This course provides an introduction to cybercrime as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It will incorporate an introduction to the United Nations Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, its application, and ramifications. Students will study cybercrime as a growing, global problem from a theoretical and practical perspective. Topics may include legal and conceptual frameworks, digital forensics, and technical cybercrime investigations. This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

UNDC205: Counter-Terrorism (0.25 Credit)

This course explores key concepts relating to terrorism and counter-terrorism as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Students will be introduced to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, along with other key International instruments relating to global anti-terror efforts. Topics may include the spread of terrorism; international legal responses; and terrorism in connection with human rights This course curriculum was developed in partnership with the UNODC.

Leadership

OL140: Leadership Foundations (0.5 Credit)

Registration Note: BBA students are not permitted to take OL courses.

OL200/MB200: Communication Skills for Leadership (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: BU208, OL109, MB109, PD101.
Registration Note: BBA students are not permitted to take OL courses.

Policing

PD200: Police Psychology (0.5 Credit)

This course will introduce students to the techniques used to measure and assess police personnel, and deepen their understanding of the on-the-job experiences that can affect the mental health of police personnel. Students will learn about intelligence and personality testing, the effects of experiencing trauma and compassion fatigue, the importance of stress management, self-care and fit-for-duty assessments.

PD201: Intercultural Communication in Policing (0.5 Credit)

Intercultural Communication in Policing introduces students to the field of intercultural communication in order to recognize the challenges faced by law enforcement officials in understanding and interpreting the behaviours, actions and attitudes of individuals in conflict within their own communities, within the larger community and with the law. Topics include postmodern theory, cultural studies, critical race theory, race, racism and representation.

Human Rights and Human Diversity

HR100: Human Rights and Human Diversity (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of human rights, human diversity (e.g., race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, disability), and the complex relationship between human rights and human diversity within contemporary states. The course may involve the study of specific cases, issues, debates, and important historical events. Assessment will include a short written assignment

User Experience Design

UX100: Design Thinking I: Foundations (0.5 Credit)

Registration Note: The online section of this course cannot be taken by students in the UX program.

UX103: UX Strategy (0.5 Credit)

This course provides an overview of user experience design principles and processes from a broad multidisciplinary perspective, emphasizing how user research and prototype assessment can be integrated into different phases of the design process for a wide array of products, services and media content. The course introduces students to methods used to understand user's needs and activities, with a focus on conveying user-centered design solutions through storytelling, sketching, and iterative prototyping. Students are given real world design problems.

Prerequisites: UX100
Exclusions: DMJN103, JN103, JN270/UX270.
Registration Note: The online section of this course cannot be taken by students in the UX program.

Astronomy

AS101: Astronomy I: Our Place in the Cosmos (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: AS105*.

AS102: Astronomy II: Journey through the Cosmos (0.5 Credit)

Prerequisites: AS101
Exclusions: AS105*

Computer Science

CP102: Information Processing with Microcomputer Systems (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: BU115, BU155, MB115
Restrictions: Cannot be enrolled in BA or BSc Computer Science or Physics; Comp SC100 (UW).

CP104: Introduction to Programming (0.5 Credit)

CP164: Data Structures I (0.5 Credit)

Introduction to the study of data structures and their applications. Recursion, searching, sorting. Queues, stacks, heaps. Introduction to the analysis of algorithms, big “O” notation.

Prerequisites: CP104
Exclusions: CP114

Environmental Studies

ES110: Environment, Sustainability and Society (0.5 Credit)

An interdisciplinary introduction to humans' interactions with the natural environment. Pressing environmental challenges are explored, and creative sustainable responses, using Canadian and international examples, are proposed. Topics include food, water and energy systems; climate change adaptation; environmental management; and policy-making.

Exclusions: ES101, ES102

Geography

GESC151: Our Digital Earth (0.5 Credit)

GG101: Introduction to Physical Geography (0.5 Credit)

GG102: Introduction to Human Geography (0.5 Credit)

Psychology

PS101: Introduction to Psychology I (0.5 Credit)

PS102: Introduction to Psychology II (0.5 Credit)

Science

SC100: Introduction to the Science of Everyday Life (0.5 Credit)

Exclusions: BI110, BI111, CH110, CH120, PC131, PC132, PC141, PC142.

Step 2: Choose Electives

How Do I Choose an Elective?

Waterloo Campus First-Year Course Offerings

Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Human and Social Sciences

Criminology

Faculty of Liberal Arts

Faculty of Music

Faculty of Science

Interdisciplinary

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Business

Economics

Martin Luther University College

Brantford Campus First-Year Course Offerings

Faculty of Arts

History

Faculty of Human and Social Sciences

Criminology

Game Design and Development

Leadership

Faculty of Liberal Arts

Digital Media and Journalism

Foundations

Human Rights and Human Diversity

Indigenous Studies

Labour Studies and Career Development

Law and Society

Social and Environmental Justice

User Experience Design

Faculty of Science

Biology

Chemistry

Computer Science

Mathematics

Psychology

Faculty of Social Work

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Business Technology Management

Economics

Martin Luther University College

Christian Studies and Global Citizenship

Online First-Year Course Offerings

Faculty of Arts

Anthropology

Faculty of Education

Faculty of Human and Social Sciences

Faculty of Liberal Arts

Faculty of Music

Faculty of Science

Interdisciplinary

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

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