Courses in this cluster help students better understand the factors that lead to conflict, and its resolution, at the local, national, and international level. Special attention will be paid to how people of different backgrounds reach peaceful solutions to difficult problems. Students will also be given opportunities to learn mediation and conflict resolution skills as part of their experience in this cluster.

UNST 204. 21st Century Organizations: Attitudes, Attention Drivers, and Angst
This course introduces students to the factors that affect organizations in the 21st century by exploring the principles, practices, and pitfalls that affect organizational success or failure in a global society. The empowerment of individuals to create organizational cultures will be demonstrated through case studies of successful organizations (e.g., Fortune 100 companies). Students will learn about leadership, communication, and group dynamics through the investigation of targeted units. 


UNST 208. Foundations of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
This course explores negotiation, arbitration, and mediation techniques. It encourages students to manage conflict and negotiate peaceful solutions to business, economic development, social, and political problems in our local communities and global societies.

UNST 216. Genocide in the Modern World
This course examines the concept of genocide, the deliberate murder of a specific group of people, through careful analysis and discussion of theoretical approaches, specific case studies, and relevant cultural artifacts, including literature and film.

UNST 220. Social Consequences of Scientific and Technological Progress in the African American Experience
This course presents an analytical approach to the issues of social justice and environmental racism with a focus on African-American communities. Students explore historical and contemporary social and economic impacts of science and technology, how and why they differentially affect African-American communities, and how these consequences can be mitigated.

UNST 221. Thematic Writing and Speaking: Technology and Society
This course is designed to improve students’ abilities to write, speak, and think critically about important issues in the contemporary world by focusing on the rhetoric of science, technology and progress. Students examine rhetoric as represented in fiction and nonfiction: essays, short stories, drama, poetry, novels, film, popular culture (including popular science writing and journalism), and speeches.

UNST 222. Introduction to Crime Studies and Research
This course will introduce students to research methodologies used in the field of crime studies. Students examine the impact of crime studies research on public policy. The topics include math and quantitative research, competing theories of crime in society, and the relationship between legal and scientific reasoning.

UNST 224. Thematic Writing Fieldwork
This course explores the interdisciplinary applications of fieldwork and emphasizes the ethnographer's skill set, cultural awareness and sensitivity, precise observation, careful interviewing and note taking, and the crafting of convincing prose. Fieldwork is centered around the principles of ethnographic research.

UNST 230. Religion and Society
This course examines interactions between religion and societies as factors influencing the formation of community, the breakdown of community, and reconciliation within and among communities. Contemporary, historical, and nonwestern examples will be explored. Interrelations between religion and societies will be explored from different disciplinary perspectives, including those of psychology, history, sociology, philosophy, evolutionary, biology, neurobiology, and neuropsychology.

UNST 231. Introduction to Christianity
This course introduces students to basic concepts and approaches to the academic study of religion including the origin and history of Christianity as evolving institutions, beliefs, practices, and the ongoing quest by Christians to define themselves in a changing, increasingly global world. The course will introduce students to the global diversity of Christian experience from its Middle Eastern and Greco-Roman origins, African, Eastern and Western forms of Orthodoxy, and contemporary international Pentecostal forms of Christianity in the global southern hemisphere.

UNST 232. Writing for Social Change
This introductory course explores the personal and political transformative potential of writing, exposing students to basic theoretical foundations of the power of writing to affect positive social change. Students utilize different forms for writing such as personal narratives, blogs, editorials, and essays to practice the communication habits of a socially responsible, engaged citizenry.

UNST 233. Global Leadership and International Service
This course offers students an opportunity to engage in critical examination of service; intercultural awareness and interactions; critical and creative thinking; oral and communication skills; and building a strong sense of global citizenship and responsibility. Summer delivery of this course will be taught in Ghana

UNST 235. Evolution, Conflict, and Society
This course focuses on the interdisciplinary applications of evolutionary biology in understanding the origin of human cooperative behavior and conflict. The topics include general evolutionary theory; the origin of kin favoring and reciprocal altruism; human mating strategies and their impact on social structure; conflict, aggression, and war; and human conflict in the modern world.

UNST 236. Uncovering Truth: The Modern Documentary
Students will work to develop a language to engage in critical analysis of the film medium, where they then examine how each of the documentaries work to inform audiences about a range of themes from human injustices to human triumphs. Course work will involve analysis of different film elements and narrative technique, as well as a final film project produced by student groups. Evening lab time for film viewing required (2.5 hours a week.)

UNST 238. Screenwriting History
This is an interdisciplinary course that strives to introduce and understand the writing of screenplays based on specific historical events, people, or places. Students will research a historical phenomenon, develop a compelling story based on the history, learn basic screenplay structure, write an original screenplay, and discuss their work with other students in a workshop environment.

UNST 239. Thinking, Conversing, and Writing About Film
This course focuses specifically on critical thinking and writing development through the analysis of film content, themes, and components such as scene composition, symbols, and sound. Films from various genres may be selected to represent a particular UNST cluster theme.

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BIO 100. Biological Science
This is a general education course that stresses the objectives presented under the general education program of the University. This course stresses central concepts in biology including; basic chemical and physical phenomena, biochemistry, cell form and function, genetics, evolution, and multicellular organization. The laboratory will examine major biological concepts. Biological Science is not open to Biology majors.

BUAD 361. Legal Environment of Business
An introduction to the legal system and the environment in which business and government operate. An examination of the creation of rights, liabilities, and regulations under the law as expressions of social and economic forces. Substantive coverage includes constitutional law, contracts, agency, corporations, partnerships, product liability, regulation of trade practices and credit, administrative law, antitrust, labor law, and selected social responsibility issues.

ENGL 336. Postcolonial Novel Credit
This course introduces novels and theory post-1960 from areas including the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, India, Asia, and Oceania. Prerequisite: ENGL 101.

HIST 203. North Carolina A&T State University: A Legacy of Social Activism and Aggie Pride
This course examines the establishment and evolution of North Carolina A&T State University within the context of the development of American higher education. With the use of various primary and secondary sources, students will gain a greater knowledge of the development and growth of the institution during major historical periods by examining past and present leaders, facilities, programs, and accomplished alumni. Attention will be given to the impact of the University and its alumni on political, social, economic, and intellectual development at the local, national, and international levels. Emphasis is placed on the institution's and activists' impact on the Civil Rights movement and the pivotal role that each played. The course will also explore relevant contemporary issues and the institution's global perspective in the new millennium.

HIST 209. The American Military Experience
This course is designed primarily to enable the student to understand better the role played by the armed forces in American society today through a study of the origins and development of military institutions, traditions, and practices in the United States, 1775 to the present.

HIST 312. History of Religions
A course that surveys the origin and development of the traditional religions of India and China and the three "Religions of the Book:" Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

HIST 332. The Modern Middle East
This course will focus on the Middle East from the mid 19th century to present. Areas of study will include: the nature of Islamic society; the rise of nationalism and independence movements; the creation of the state of Israel, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

HIST 417. Colonialism and Slavery in Latin America and the Caribbean
(Formerly HIST 317)
This survey course begins with an examination of pre-Columbian societies. It then considers the changes that accompanied the various European colonial projects in the region, and the coming of Latin America’s political independence. Topics considered include agrarian change and conflict, colonial economic practices, slave systems and slave cultural practices, indigenous resistance and rebellion, the spread and impact of Christianity, colonial state policies, and the role of women. Students will have the opportunity to develop their ability to analyze and evaluate historical materials, and formulate written and oral arguments.

HIST 418. Conflict and Change in Post-Cultural Latin America and the Caribbean (Formerly HIST 318)
This course surveys social and political conflict and change beginning with the movements for political independence and concluding with an assessment of recent developments. Topics considered include agrarian change and conflict, economic development and underdevelopment, slave emancipation, gender, urbanization and populism, social revolution, labor, and international relations and foreign intervention. Students will have the opportunity to develop their ability to analyze and evaluate historical materials, and formulate written and oral arguments.

HIST 461. History of the New South (Formerly HIST 361)
This course offers a chronological exploration of the history of the South from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 through the development of the concept of “The New South” to the politics and culture of the “Sunbelt South” of today. Major topics will include the political, economic and social conditions after Reconstruction; the myths and realities of the “New South”; Populism and Fusion politics; segregation and disfranchisement in the “New South”; the South in the Progressive Era and World War I; race, religion, gender, class and culture; the Depression and the new Deal; the South after World War II; urbanization and industrialization; and the Civil Rights movement. North Carolina will be used frequently as a case in point.

LIBS 220. Race, Class, and Environmental Quality
This course examines the relationships between race, class and environmental quality within the context of a global economy that seeks to maximize profits while minimizing responsibility. It also examines the concept of environmental justice as a means to restore positive connections within communities between environmental use and environmental quality.

LIBS 305. Race and Class in Caribbean Culture
This course will examine the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity of the Caribbean, including the impact of foreign cultures on the area, and the export of its unique cultural forms to the global society.

LIBS 307. Food and the Global Community
This course uses multidisciplinary perspectives to examine the connections between food and human lifeways. Focusing on varied ethnic food traditions and people around the world, this course will explore 1) the interplay of class and gender in the preparation of food, 2) the role of political and economic power in the accessibility and distribution of food, and 3) the religious and cultural symbolism of eating.

MATH 111. College Algebra and Trigonometry
This course is a review of basic algebra; first and second degree equations; polynomial and rational functions-systems of equations-inequalities, right triangle trigonometry; and trigonometric identities and equations. Prerequisites: Mathematics 099 or two units of high school algebra, one unit of high school geometry and a satisfactory score on the mathematical portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

MATH 112. Calculus for Non-Mathematics Majors
This course includes a brief treatment of basic concepts of differential and integral calculus with applications to business, economics, social and behavioral sciences; polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions. Prerequisite: MATH 102, 110, or 111.

PHIL 260. Introduction to Philosophy
An introductory course covering such topics as theories of reality, the nature in mind and knowledge, and the higher values of life.

PHIL 265. World Religions
This course examines the teachings and practices of the world’s major religions. This exploration is conducted as a factual approach in which the history, beliefs, philosophy, practices, and important figures of each religion are presented. Religions covered include African and Native American oral traditions, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and new religious movements.

POLI 446. Politics of the Americas
This course is designed to provide an overview of the development and operation of political systems comprising South and Central America, the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and Mexico. Important economic and social factors affecting the nature of politics in this region will also be emphasized, including: the debt crisis, the nature of politically motivated violence, the politics of race and racial identity, and the foreign relations of these nations.

POLI 448. Politics of Transportation
This course includes an analysis of the political roots of various transportation problems, such as highway location issues, mass transit issues, and the interest group struggle of transportation innovation. The working mechanisms of federal, state and local transportation related units will also be considered. Case studies of local, regional and national issues will be included. Prerequisite: Junior standing

SOCI 406. Criminology
The genesis and origin of crime and an analysis of theories of criminal behavior will be studied.

SOWK 413. The Community
This course is a study of the social areas commonly defined as communities, and analyses of the social processes that occur within their boundaries. Community organization skills are taught as a vehicle to address social ills.

*Use of these courses as theme-cluster electives in subsequent semesters is not guaranteed.

Community, Conflict and Society

Energy, Environment and Society

Health, Lifestyles and Society

Philosophy, Religion and Society

Science, Technology and Society

• Students are required to complete twelve (12) credit hours within a single thematic cluster.

• Theme-based courses are communication intensive (oral and written) and emphasize interdisciplinary learning motivated by societal issues and problems.

• Course descriptions of approved thematic courses can be found within the theme cluster website links above as well as in the requisite sections of the University Bulletin.

• If a student decides to change to a different thematic cluster, he/she will have to satisfy all the course requirements for the new cluster. The Dean of University Studies will consider exceptions to this rule based on individual petitions.