In IMPACT!, students take a set of four courses over two semesters. The courses fulfill general education requirements for UMass and Commonwealth College.
The courses for the 2009-2010 school year are:
FALL
American Diversity
HONORS 292D--American Diversity
GenEd: IU
This interdisciplinary course uses educational theory of social justice, draws on historical movements in the United States and abroad, and gives students an opportunity to reflect about themselves and the diverse society in which we live. We will use different lenses to explore these issues and our own social identities, including psychology, history, art, sciences, literature, and social justice theory. In addition, students will engage in ongoing community service, and will use this as a powerful source of learning. Students will be given opportunities to reflect on their service in order to gain a deeper understanding of the course as well as their experiences in the community.
College Writing
ENGLWRIT 112H--Honors College Writing
GenEd: CW
This intensive course in expository writing satisfies the First-Year Writing requirement. It focuses attention on the writing process i.e, pre-writing, composing, and editing. Students work with peer editing and in-class publication. Required Texts: The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference by Andrea Lunsford and The Text-Wrestling Book. This is a 3-Credit Honors Course.
SPRING
Connecting Theory and Practice in Leadership and Service
Honors 191T -- Connecting Theory and Practice in Leadership and Service
This course is designed to further the understanding of the relationship between leadership and community service learning, and to bridge theory and practice. During class meetings, students will critically analyze different theories of leadership and will learn about their personal leadership styles. In the latter part of the course, students will practice leadership and teamwork by planning, organizing and executing an event or by conducting research and facilitating class dialogues. In addition, students will engage in ongoing community service through the semester, and will use this as a powerful source of learning. By connecting theory to practice, students will gain self-confidence to act for social change and gain deeper insights into how social and cultural issues connect to their various service sites.
Honors Seminar
Honors 191 -- Honors Seminar
The Honors Seminar Series is designed to support Commonwealth College's goal to engage its students in honors-level research by providing small classes with both Commonwealth College's interdisciplinary faculty and departmental University faculty. Students enrolled in both levels of the series also have the opportunity to hone their writing, reading, listening, and presentation abilities. The first level of the course, Commonwealth Honors Seminar, uses close reading and class discussion to foster synthesis and analysis, and to promote creativity, critical thinking, and intellectual curiosity. For more info, visit the Honors Seminar website.
