UNIV 1302: Signature Courses
This course builds on UNIV 1201 by expanding student focus from self-awareness to global awareness. Designed to introduce undergraduates to in-depth analysis from an interdisciplinary perspective, students will explore community issues through a problem-based approach. This course will foster community engagement by integrating University and other relevant resources.
Signature Courses are preparatory grounds to help you develop highly valuable skills beyond your bachelor degree. These skills include critical thinking, team building, grit, growth mindset, independence, cultural sensitivity, problem solving, citizenship, and managing ambiguity and diverse perspectives through professional communication.
As part of the college experience, you not only gain deep academic learning through your majors, but also study and engage in other approaches to become a well-rounded graduate. As described by Jeffrey Selingo (2016), the vertical line of the "T" represents deep understanding of one subject matter (e.g., history) as well as one industry (e.g., health care); the horizontal stroke represents the ability to collaborate and think across disciplines, with empathy and professionalism playing key roles in promoting common grounds across different perspectives.
2024-2025 Signature Courses
Ecohorror in Literature and Film
Instructor: Jonathan Martinez, Ph.D.
A term dating to the end of the 20th century, ecohorror describes works in which nature seeks revenge against humanity, revealing insights into human/nature relationships via horror and its aesthetics. This course will explore how the tropes associated with horror—and adjacent genres—depict the human/nonhuman relationship via film and literature. Students will examine the young history of ecohorror, its evolution in popular media, and its potential as a form of environmental activism. Students will read excerpts of various literature, poetry, and screen films associated with the genre of ecohorror. Students will also engage in community engagement with local/area environmental organizations. Students will enhance skills in writing, oral presentation, and critical thinking in this course.
Disciplines: English, Environmental Humanities, Communication
Living Life on the Edge: Voices of the "Others"
Instructor: Monica Chavez, M.A.
Why do we fear the "other"? How does fear impact policy? How are groups negatively impacted? In this course, students will learn the negative consequences and ethical issues that fear of the “other” has on marginalizes groups. We will examine how discrimination has had a lasting negative impact on marginalized groups’ physical and mental health, culture, and educational attainment. With both nationalism and immigration on the rise, nationally and globally, it is important to understand how nationalistic attitudes and policies have affected people historically.
Disciplines embedded: Sociology, Public Health, Education
What do you Meme?: Understanding Social Symbols in Today's Society
Instructor: Daniel De la Miyar, Ph. D.
Signs and symbols tell a story the viewer may be able to understand its meaning and purpose. This course will teach the diverse uses of semiotics, its applications, forms of use in non-textual style (messages), non-sounding (memes) signs and symbols, and how individuals encounter semiotics on a daily basis. Western hegemony, however, has established dominance through the acquisition and control of goods that have certain value. Throughout history, cultures have developed unwritten rules to establish classism, which, arguably, has evolved into racism. Hispanic—with particular emphasis on Mexican-American—culture, demonstrates how they place and label individuals within their respective societies.
Disciplines embedded: Semiotics, Culture, Language, Media Literacy
Portraits of Feminism: Confronting Systemic Injustice Past and Present
Instructor: Rebekah Arenaz, M.A. and Jacqueline Martinez, M.A.
How do we use privilege to promote equality? In what ways can we challenge women’s status as a marginalized group in order to make more space for them in society? In this course, students will examine various topics affecting women living along the U.S.-Mexico border. Topics will include labor rights, free speech, migrant workers’ rights, and immigration/birthing rights.
Disciplines embedded: Labor Rights, Immigration
Clickbait and Dr. Google: How to Survive the Digital Swamp
Instructor: Veronica Juarez, M.B.A.; Karla Linero, M.S.
“Today’s online environment provides a world of information at our fingertips; unfortunately, this world is polluted with falsehoods, fake news, and misinformation and disinformation: a “digital swamp.” Furthermore, with so much polarizing information in the digital ecosystem, students must responsibly evaluate digital content as well as their sharing of information, whether in academic or social media settings. Therefore, this course invites students to examine connections between skills they need to identify fake news, misinformation, or disinformation, and psychological factors. The student will build digital literacy by completing an interdisciplinary research project to fact-check, analyze, annotate, and provide context to digital information.
Disciplines embedded: Social Behavioral Sciences, Communication Arts
Ritmo y Cultura
Instructor: Juan Espinoza, Ph.D.
The importance of music as revolutionary is well documented in Latinx studies. From corridos to punk, Latinx artists have relied on music and performance as inquiry. This course aims to engage in analysis of Latinx representations in music, with specific emphasis on how Latinx artists use music as a form of critical dialogue. This course will require students to engage in both musical and literary analysis via written and oral communication.
Disciplines embedded: Literary Criticism, Music, Sociology, and History
Gratitude and Imperfection
Instructor: Daniela Rodriguez, M.A. and Peter Kelley, M.A.
This course will tap into some of the 10 Guideposts from Brené Brown’s book, the Gifts of Imperfection--along with research on Gratitude--to empower students to let go of self-defeating practices and attitudes to regulate, self-advocate, and replace obstacles with Forward Movement.
Disciplines embedded: Humanities, Science, Social Science
My Voice, Your Voice, Our Voice: Social Warrior for Issues that Matter
Instructor: Janet Carillo, M.S. and Omar Ramirez, M.A.
Each of us has our own definition of what is socially just in society. Various types of people appear to be competing for finite resources. In most cases, this competition manifests itself through a form of individuals looking out for their own self-interest and offering less regard to the interests of others. This course examines how basic needs are regulated in terms of opportunities for employment, educational attainment, access to health care, and governmental benefits. Public perception of unfairness leads to significant discord that ranges from petty interpersonal incivilities to violence and war.
Disciplines embedded: Sociology, Business & Economics, Political Science, Philosophy, Public Health, Criminology
