Diploma Students: Full-time — Blended Courses: Band 1

ENGL-1063-60: Themes in Science Fiction and Fantasy 

This course introduces students to the tropes and conventions of science fiction and fantasy, exploring such themes as "progress," Otherness, the ethics of bioengineering, the conflict between good and evil, fate and free will, and the quest. Students will explore the history of the two genres, including various subgenres such as first contact stories, cyberpunk, dystopian literature, portal fantasy, high and low fantasy, and urban fantasy. 

FILM-1004-60: Film Genres - Epic 

This course is designed to develop a critical approach to the medium of film and epic films, to examine individual creative expression in the films of important directors within the genre, to develop the ability to identify technical aspects of film, and to discern mediocre and excellent use of filmmaking technique.  Students will be required to watch one weekly film outside of class hours. Evaluation will be based on in-class quizzes as well as two essays and a final test. Some of the films which we will study include Collateral, Gladiator, Dances with Wolves, and Marvel's The Avengers. 

HIST-1054-60: History of Medicine 

This course offers a survey of the history of medicine from antiquity to the present day and introduces students to the most significant characters and cases in medical history. Students will gain an understanding of the social, economic, and political impact of outbreaks such as the plague, small pox, and AIDS as well as significant medical advancements in the conceptualization of disease, health, and medical care. Topics include: Greek, Roman, and Renaissance medicine, the development of anatomy and psychiatry, and modern epidemics. 

INDS-1076-60: Say What?!? Why We Speak the Way We Do 

This course will look at language use in its social context.  Why do we speak the way we do, and why does that vary across regions and social situations?  With a focus on English language use, we will look at gender and racial differences, as well as geographical and context differences. We will discuss how to gather and interpret linguistic information.  Finally, we will look at how language use has changed over time, and how (and why) it continues to evolve. 

PSYC-1079-60: Forensic Psychology 

How have TV dramas, movies, and documentaries such as CSI and "Making a Murderer" influenced the jury and our understanding of criminals? What characteristics make up a psychopath? Why is there an overwhelming number of lone wolf terrorists in North America, and how is this affecting our safety?  In this course, we will examine the many violent expressions of power, revenge, terror, greed, and loyalty, as well as the biological and environmental contributions. We will examine sexual sadists, serial killers, and mass murder cases such as Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo, James Holmes, Ed Gein, Charles Manson, and Mark Lepine. Topics discussed in this course include multiple murder in popular culture, psychopathy, criminal responsibility, sexual sadism, terrorism, eyewitness memory, and psychological profiling. Finally, we will debate sentencing and punishment from across the world.