New classes coming this spring semester
This spring semester, new classes will be coming to Utah State University, with topics ranging from computer programming to analysis of global conflicts.
How does a new course come into existence? According to Assistant Registrar Jessica Hansen, it’s mostly done by the departments within each of the colleges. Once there is a student demand or interest for a class, the departments create a curriculum for the proposed class. This curriculum is then taken to a college curriculum committee within the individual college.
After being approved at the college level, Hansen said, it is taken to the university level and then the registrar’s office. There, the department and the registrar’s office will begin the task of making a schedule for the class and assigning or hiring a professor to teach the class.
Multiple new classes have been given the OK for spring semester and are in the process of being advertised through posters, which can be found in their relevant colleges.
One of these new classes is LANG 3990-003: Perspectives on Russia and Ukraine, a special topics class taught by Irina McLaughlin. Through multiple angles, including language, identity and historical context, the class will explore the relationship and dynamic between Russia and Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine isn’t the only recent conflict getting a course, as another special topics class is being offered — Israel-Palestine Conflict: Past, Present, and Everyday Life, listed as LANG 3990-005. Taught by Ehsan Estiri, the class will explore the historical context of the conflict, as well as its effects on the daily life and culture of the region.
Another new class is STAT 5810: Intro to Python, a new class that will serve as an introduction to the Python coding language with a focus on data science. It is recommended that people who apply for the course have some basic programming experience.
For those who want a more applied science, then a new special topics course for STAT 5810/6810 is available: Data Science Autonomous Vehicles & Robotics. The class, taught by USU alum Taylor Bybee, will introduce students to how advanced statistics, computer science and engineering can work together to create autonomous systems beyond the theoretical. This class has multiple prerequisites, including STAT 3000 and MATH 2250, 2270 and 5710, as well as some form of programming experience.
For those who aren’t interested in engineering, perhaps ENVS 6400: Ecological Aspects of Wildland Recreation might be more appealing. The class will be taught by Christopher Monz and will focus on how ecological preservation and wildland recreation interact in both positive and negative manners.
Spanish is getting a new class as well — SPAN 4910: Anacaona, La Malinche, and Ines Suarez in the Imagination of Contemporary Hispanic-American and Caribbean Women Writers, taught by María Cordero. The class will focus on several historic women in Latin America and the Caribbean and how modern writers interact with their legacies.
A new language is also being offered: Ukrainian. LANG 3990-004 will offer an intro to the Ukrainian language as well as Ukrainian culture and history.
LANG 3990-002: Intro to Bilingualism, taught by Gaby Klassen, will explore what it means to be bilingual and bilingualism’s impact on both the brain and societies in which multiple languages are found.
Also in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, Li Guo will be teaching LANG 3990-001: Race, Ethnicity & Indigeneity in East Asia. The class will discuss racial, ethnic and indigenous cultures in East Asia and in diaspora, such as the Asian-American community. It will also explore how Asia and the West interact in regard to the understanding of race, as well as how nation-states come about within the region.
Finally, a new engineering course is available — MAE 5930: Introduction to Engineering Research, taught by Ryan Berke. This course will teach students about the scholarly side of research in engineering, such as papers, proposals and presentations.
More information on spring classes can be found in USU’s online catalog.