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.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will examine the conflicts, individuals, social movements, and theologies that shaped Christianity during its formative period, the second through sixth centuries. How did this religion become the official religion of the Roman empire? What implications did this "success" have for Roman society and the evolution of Christianity? How is this success reflected in the historical record? The course emphasizes primary sources against the background of Roman history.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will examine the cause, effect, and possible solutions of the current opioid epidemic plaguing the United States.  Students will learn how the health care industry contributed to this epidemic.  Students will also explore how the criminal justice system historically dealt with enforcing the drug laws, created new laws and policies, and examine how the health care industry is attempting to correct their mistakes.  The course will examine the history of drug trafficking and involvement of organized criminal groups in the production, manufacturing, transport, and illegal sale of opioids and opiates.  The course may include a common reader, guest speakers, field trips and other experiential learning activities.

This course will examine the influence of Harry Potter on popular culture and how many different disciplines played an instrumental role in creating these books and films. The purpose of this course will be to inform and demonstrate the essential collaboration between multiple disciplines used in the creation of the Harry Potter series. The disciplines discussed will include: Communication, Literature, Chemistry, Theology, Marketing, Education, Music and Sociology.  Student will then use the information gathered (while researching those disciplines) and apply it to particular media issues to establish an understanding of media influence on popular culture.

In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will embark on an in-depth investigation into the origins and evolution of the American Dream. They will sift through what are often thought of as 'particularly American' texts thinking critically about how Americans have defined themselves, and the problems with that definition. They will engage with a body of critical texts from a range of disciplines including history, sociology, economics, psychology, film study and literature through a variety of genre sources including film, fiction, and oral histories in order to examine the mythological nature of the American Dream, its evolution, and its place in American society past and present.

This course familiarizes students with the relations between history and English Studies, and with approaches to knowledge in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities/fine arts. Students will learn how to use these disciplinary approaches, both individually and together, to interpret texts that engage London as an imperial city.

In On A Mission: Lifelong Learning and Vocation, students will study the impact of their transition back to college and the meaning of their college degree, personally and professionally. Using sources from educational research and the humanities, students will analyze the connections and distinctions between knowledge about how we learn in adulthood and lived experience. Students will study the concept of vocation as a way to reflect on the connections between purpose and work. The course is designed to build upon and enhance students’ academic skills and self-knowledge so they can be mobilized to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Humans and non-human animals coexist in inextricable ways. This interdisciplinary seminar, encompassing perspectives from theology, ethics, and biology, will address the variety of ways humans interact with animals: as pets, food, entertainment, research subjects, workers, fellow inhabitants of our planet, and creatures in their own right. Disciplinary paradigms for relating to animals as well as ethical frameworks for advocating for animals will be explored and assessed.

This interdisciplinary seminar will examine the development and implementation of vaccines in society. This course will bring multiple disciplinary perspectives to bear on the ongoing discourse about vaccines in society, including the biology of the immune system and how vaccines work, the research methods involved in their development, the ethical values reflected in vaccine mandates (and in objecting to such), and public attitudes towards and popular communication about vaccines.

In this course, four iconic brands will be examined through the lenses of different disciplines: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, Miller Light, and McDonald’s. Students will look at the anatomy of iconic brands, how they reflect and influence our culture and how understanding multiple disciplines helps us become critical consumers. The disciplines discussed in this course will include: Psychology, DEI, Marketing, Art, Ethics, Public Policy, Microbiology, Women’s Studies, Health Promotion and Music.

This course provides an engaged learning and leadership development experience for students who serve as Community Engaged Learning Facilitators (CELFs). The course will investigate the distinctions among volunteerism, service, and community engagement, especially through community engaged learning (CEL), with attention to the strengths and challenges of this pedagogy. Course readings and discussion will provide opportunities for dialogue about mutually beneficial community relationships and leadership for social change. Students will be invited to consider their personal leadership style and to develop their skills in the areas of facilitation and reflection.