Spring 2025 Courses

Faculty: Gerry Mooney, emeriti faculty, Open University (Scotland)

Course description: Scotland: Society & Globalization is a wide-ranging course that explores different aspects of contemporary Scottish society. Locating Scotland in its historical and global contexts, the course focuses on many of the key social, economic, cultural and political issues that face Scotland today. It considers many of the ways that globalization can be said to be impacting on Scottish economy and society and takes a multi- and inter- disciplinary approach. The course draws on sociology, social policy, social history and human geography. The course emphasizes the importance & usefulness of comparative and transnational comparisons for the understanding of developments in a particular national context. Comparisons between different aspects of Scottish and US societies will occupy centre stage; students will be required to reflect on points of similarity & convergence between US & Scottish/UK society.

Required textbook(s): Textbook provided in Scotland; no purchase required

Course equivalents:

• Lake Superior State University: POLI 377, 3 cr.
• Murray State University: SOC 465: Globalization; HIS 390: Special Topics
• Normandale Community College: HIST Elective, 3 cr. (5, 8)
• PLNU: POL 3091 (for Political Science and International Studies majors), or HIS 4015 (for History majors), 3 cr.
• UW-Oshkosh: SS Elective 008U (SS)
• UW-River Falls: WIS 305, Scotland: Society & Globalization, 3 cr. (GP)
• UW-Superior: SOCI 201, Social Problems in Global Perspectives, 3 cr. (Social Inquiry)
• UW-Whitewater: LSINDP 999, L&S Interdisciplinary Elective, 3 cr. (GI)

Faculty: Beth Austin, University of Wisconsin-Superior

Course description: Digital storytelling and social media have become an increasingly important journalistic tool. In this course, students will learn how social media is used to engage audiences, provide news updates, and disseminate information across a variety of platforms using text, images, audio, and video. Students will study current social media posts by journalists and will learn to apply the techniques of news reporting via social media.

Required textbook(s): 

• Journalism Next
  • Edition: 4th
  • ISBN: 9781544309446
  • Author: Briggs
  • Publisher: CA Press c/o SAGE
  • Formats: Paperback (recommended), BryteWave Format
• Mobile & Social Media Journalism
• Edition: 2nd
• ISBN: 9780367460969
• Author: Adornato
• Publisher: Routledge
• Formats: Paperback (recommended), BryteWave Format

Course equivalents:

• Murray State University: JMC 322, Mass Media Study Abroad / JMC 304, Multimedia Writing
• Normandale Community College: COMM ELECT, 3 cr., MnTC 5 & 9
• UW-River Falls: SASA 310, Media Literacy, 3 cr.
• UW-Superior: COMM 304, Digital Storytelling and Social Media, 3 cr.

Faculty: Grace Coggio, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Course description: This survey course examines the complex relationship between culture and communication and explores the role of context (social, cultural, and historical) in cross-cultural interactions, particularly as it relates to your study abroad experiences. By the end of the course students will be able to:

• Describe and explain how issues of race and/or ethnicity shape social identities and influence behaviors within diverse segments of U.S. society
• Analyze social and historical factors that may influence their interaction with members of a diverse society
• Identify similarities and differences in communication among cultures in the U.S. and the world
• Explain how cultural differences affect verbal and nonverbal behavior
• Evaluate their own intercultural interactions, with particular emphasis on ethical considerations and the study abroad experience.

Required textbook(s): TBD

Course equivalents:

• Murray State University: COM 340, Intercultural Communication
• Normandale Community College: COMM 1131, 3 cr., MnTC 7 & 8
• UW-River Falls: Intercultural Communication, COMS 213, 3 cr. (ACD)
• UW-Superior: COMM 167, 3 cr.

Faculty: Linda Canzanella, Normandale Community College

Course description: A comparative religions course which examines the fundamental beliefs, practices and traditions of world religious traditions. The origins, major figures, sacred scriptures and creeds will be reviewed and compared. Topics may include justification for beliefs, cosmology, practices of the faithful, and the role of women, artistic expression, and contemporary issues. Major religious traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam will be studied. Additionally alternational spirituality, paganism, Egyptian religions, Native American traditions, atheism, secularism and other religious movements may be covered.

Required textbook(s): TBD

Course equivalents:

• Murray State University: HIS/RGS 309, Survey of World Religions
• Normandale Community College: World Religions, Phil 1150, 3 cr., Goal 6 (Humanities and Fine Arts) and Goal 8 (Global Perspectives)
• UW-River Falls: Special Topics in Philosophy, PHIL 289, 3 cr. (HF and GP with GEUR exception)
• UW-Superior: PHIL 189, 3 cr.

Faculty: Grace Coggio, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Course description: Sustainable Justice brings together knowledge from sustainability and environmental justice, recognizing that the ways humans treat each other are intimately connected with the ways humans treat "nature." The course explores standpoints that reposition human identities as interconnected with other species and environments, both ecological and cultural. It offers students fresh approaches to understanding climate change, food security, human and environmental health, ecological economics, social and environmental justice. Guest speakers will introduce applications of Sustainable Justice across the disciplines, i.e. eco-art, ecocriticism, environmental documentary, and environmental justice movements for protecting life on earth.

Required textbook(s): TBD

Course equivalents:

• Murray State University: EES 388, International Experiences in the GeoSciences / ANT 315, Special Topics in Anthropology
• Normandale Community College: SSCI ELECT, 3 cr., MnTC 5 & 10
• UW-River Falls: Sustainable Justice Foundations, SUSJ 197, 3 cr. (EC)

Faculty: Linda Canzanella, Normandale Community College

Course description: Should companies that employ sweatshop labor be boycotted? Who should take responsibility for the financial crisis of 2008? Is bribery morally acceptable if everyone is doing it? Is corporate downsizing morally wrong? Do corporations have any social responsibilities other than maximizing profits? Is capitalism an unjust economic system? These are just a few of the questions addressed in business ethics. In this course, we will examine various efforts to understand the ethical dimensions of capitalism and conduct of business in society. After an introduction to several major ethical theories and concepts in moral philosophy, we will investigate a variety of ethical issues that arise in the conduct of business.

Required textbook(s): TBD

Course equivalents:

• Murray State University: BUS 442, Business Ethics and Environments
• Normandale Community College: Business Ethics, Phil 1170, 3 cr., Goal 6 (Humanities and Fine Arts) and Goal 9 (Ethical and Civic Responsibility)
• UW-River Falls: Special Topics in Philosophy, PHIL 289, 3 cr. (EC with GEUR exception)
• UW-Superior: BUS 363, 3 cr.

Faculty: Ken Stofferahn, emeritus professor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Course description: Students will study the values of the theatre arts in general culture, with an analytical consideration of the various elements of drama, the elements of physical contemporary theatre, and a brief historical survey to give perspective and understanding to today's theatre-goer. 

Required textbook(s): Course materials provided onsite.

Course equivalents:

• Lake Superior State University: THEA 251, Theatre History, 3 cr.
• Murray State University: THD 104, The Theatrical Experience, 3 cr.
• Normandale Community College: THTR Elective, 3 cr., Goal 6
• UW-River Falls: SASA 105, 3 cr., HF
• UW-Superior: COMM 122, Theatre Appreciation, 3 cr.

Faculty: Ken Stofferahn, emeritus professor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Course description: This course is an introduction to film language, style, technology and analysis.  The course will provide an historical overview and a background on film theory. Basic film production techniques will be introduced and applied to assigned projects. The course materials will be augmented with out-of-class viewing of films and presentations by film professionals.

Required textbook(s): Course materials provided onsite.

Course equivalents:

• Lake Superior State University: HUMN 256, Intro Film: Images of Culture, 3 cr.
• Murray State University: ENG 330, Special Topics, 3 cr.
• Normandale Community College: THTR 1111, 3 cr., Goals 6, 7
• UW-River Falls: FILM/SASA 200, 3 cr., HF
• UW-Superior: COMM 104, Film and Culture, 3 cr.

Faculty: Gerry Mooney, emeriti faculty, Open University (Scotland)

Course description: Explores a number of different themes which will be of interest to students - and which will tie in with other aims of widening the opportunities for external engagement for many of the students including: Exploring Scottish Cultural Traditions, Heritage: Exploring the 'Scottish Brand', Exporting Scotland, and Sport & Society in Modern Scotland. Just as there are multiple America's, dependent upon the traditions, beliefs, expectations, and cultures that developed in each area, multiple Scotland's exist. By understanding the heritage/culture of Scotland, students will be able to see how society is structured today as well as see the reason for debates about the direction Scotland will head in the future.

Required textbook(s): Textbook provided in Scotland; no purchase required.

Course equivalents:

• Lake Superior State University: SDGE, Cultural Diversity General Education, 3 cr.
• Murray State University: HIS 390, Special Topics-Scotland, 3 cr.
• Normandale Community College: SSCI ELECT, 3 cr., MnTC 5
• PLNU: POL 3091 for Political Science and International Studies majors or HIS 4015 for History majors
• UW-Oshkosh: SS Elective 008U (SS), 3 cr.
• UW-River Falls: WIS 310, Scotland: Heritage & Culture, 3 cr.
• UW-Superior: ANTH 289, Anthropology Elective, 3 cr. meeting general education requirement: World Languages, Cultures, Philosophy
• UW-Whitewater: ANTHRPL 999, Anthropology Elective, 3 cr.