Interdisciplinary Studies

This course provides a general overview and exploration of American culture(s) and what it means to be an American. It is designed as an introduction to the values, traditions, and customs in American culture, acquainting students with characteristics of American society in general, and with the history and aspects of everyday life in west central Illinois specifically. Consideration is also given to the diversity of American culture(s) in other regions of the country. In addition to the regular classroom experience, this course includes field-based activities through which students experience first-hand various dimensions of living in this region. Recommended for, and enrollment limited to, international students who are new to Illinois College; may not be repeated. 4 credits.

This class introduces students to the ethical implications of working on scientific research and/or applying science in healthcare in other countries and cultures. Students will identify the basic language, cultural, and scientific/healthcare knowledge and skills they will need to perform such work successfully. The course also introduces students to various opportunities to experience science and healthcare globally, in which they can use and contribute to develop the knowledge and skills they gained in this course. The course is especially beneficial to first year students who want to learn what opportunities are available to participate in science and healthcare experiences globally and want to begin the process of preparing for such an experience. But the class is open to all students. The course fulfills a requirement for the Global Science Certificate.

Students will learn how to analyze data and to visualize it well (in graphs, charts, and maps); they will also learn how to identify misleading or erroneous charts. This will be done with basic Python programming and the Python tools that data scientists use in their work.

This course number designates academic credit in connection with either an international BreakA way trip or study abroad. BreakAways: Credits vary (1-3), depending on the length of the trip and hours of preparatory course sessions. Students register for a BreakA way trip during the semester in which the trip and/or preparatory course takes place. (December-January BreakAways require Fall registration for the course; May-June BreakAways require Spring registration for the course.) Study abroad: For Fall or Spring study abroad, a student registers at IC for a block of 15 credits. After receipt of the transcript from the program abroad, the 15-block credit is replaced by individual course titles with their respective credits. Summer study abroad credits vary according to program.

This course constitutes the second of an interdisciplinary two-course sequence related to study abroad. This part focuses on integrating the experience of students returned from abroad into the remainder of their undergraduate career, anticipating graduation, applying to graduate school, or searching for a job. Required for students returned to campus from study abroad.

Students tutor Spanish-Speakers in the community on a weekly basis, helping them improve their use of English. Their work helps Spanish-speakers in the local community gain the language and intercultural skills to integrate into society. Through working with Spanish-speakers, students learn about local Hispanic cultures. Through training and practice, students gain basic skills in second-language tutoring. Class is repeatable.

Summer Internship

Training in a number of disciplines through internships in Washington, D.C., under the auspices of the Washington Center Program As part of the program, students take one, sometimes two courses parallel to the internship experience. For Fall or Spring internships, a student registers at IC for a block of IS credits. After receipt of the transcript from TWC, the 15-block credit is replaced by individual course and internship titles with their respective credits Summer internship credits vary. Open to juniors and seniors.

This capstone course is designed to look explicitly at how a liberally educated college graduate can apply the core ideas, practices, insights, and skills from her or his college education to the particular challenges of contemporary adult life The course focuses on how the interdisciplinary nature of a good liberal arts education is relevant - and even necessary - for success in the modern world. We will examine books, articles, films podcasts and multimedia sources reflecting important current ideas, perspectives, and challenges, engaging in a critical analysis of what it means to be a citizen in our modern world. It fulfills the BLUE print Transformations requirement.