UNIV - University Courses

The Cornerstone Seminar is a one-credit hour course designed to support freshman and transfer students as they transition to Lewis University in their first semester of college. Part of the General Education requirement, this course provides students with an opportunity to understand and reflect upon Lewis University's Catholic and Lasallian Mission as well as grow and develop the skills needed to become successful at Lewis. The course provides resources and information to support academic advising and also introduces students to a variety of campus resources that will assist them during their transition to college life. Small groups of 18-20 students meet once a week in sessions facilitated by a faculty or staff mentor. Students who fail Cornerstone Seminar must repeat the course until a passing grade is earned.

ICE: SUCCESS Lab, held each spring semester, continues to address college transition themes covered during the fall semester.  This course is  open only to students enrolled in the SUCCESS Program.

This course is designed to prepare students for study abroad, monitor their experience during study abroad, and aid them in assessing the academic and cultural value of study abroad through a pre-departure session, required communication during the experience, and a re-entry session.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will examine selections from the genre of dystopian speculative fiction, using the lenses of sociological data, principles, and methods as well as the lenses of Christian theological ethical theory and values, in order to theorize about and practically address the causes and consequences of social problems such as inequality, racism, sexism, poverty, and hunger. Students will imagine, present, and enact strategies for the improvement of society through a community engaged learning project.

Students will learn the science behind food production; the environmental concerns related to food production; food inequalities; laws and policies; religious, ethical, and cultural world views contributing to communities’ understanding of these issues; and how disciplines come together to develop sustainable solutions. The course may include a common reader, guest speakers, field trips, and other experiential learning activities.

Students will learn how consumerism generates waste, degrades the environment, and sustains inequalities; how social and institutional power relationships shape decisions; and how disciplines come together to develop sustainable solutions. The course may include a common reader, guest speakers, field trips, and other experiential learning activities.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will examine selections from the genre of detective fiction and film, using the lenses of mathematical theory and principles of logic and syllogistic reasoning. Students will be introduced to the basic approaches to film and literature study as they examine the portrayals of the reasoning and approaches to solving criminal cases of the legendary fictional detectives, including Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, and Abby Sciuto, among many others. This course will also introduce students to the basic ideas of logic and introduce reasoning techniques and language tools necessary for constructing well-written arguments. Students will imagine, present, and enact strategies for deduction and problem solving.

Students will learn about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology applications and their impact in society. This course will present different cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, NEM, NEO, DASH, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple and others. We will also discuss their applications in the society, advantages and disadvantages. The course may include a common reader, guest speakers, field trips, and other experiential learning activities.

This interdisciplinary seminar would (1) orient students to the liberal arts; (2) familiarize students with the approaches to knowledge used in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities/fine arts; (3) invite students to apply these approaches, both individually and in concert, to texts that fit within the topic of monsters.