Certificate Program
Bradley Learning Community
Courses
228 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53715; 608/262-2190; www.wisc.edu/ils
Participating Faculty: Allen (Botany), Avramenko (Integrated Liberal Studies), Aylward (Classics), Brower (Social Work), Desan (History), Elder (Sociology), Gamoran (Sociology), Hsia (History of Science), Kleinman (Rural Sociology), McClure (Classics), Middlecamp (Chemistry), Nadler (Philosophy), Newlands (Classics), Nyhart (History of Science), Schweber (Political Science), Sell (Integrated Liberal Studies), Shank (History of Science), Staley (History of Science), Tikoff (Geology), Vandenheuvel (Theatre and Drama), Wandel (Religious Studies), Werner (Afro-American Studies)
As an alternative to scattered electives, the Integrated Liberal Studies Program (ILS) offers a set of related courses specially tailored to meet the breadth requirements of the College of Letters and Science. The program also serves as a useful background for many majors, professions, and careers.
A total of 12 credits is offered in each of the subject areas defined by the L&S breadth requirements: humanities, natural sciences, and social studies. Although these courses may be taken as single electives, the purpose of the program is to counter the fragmentation of undergraduate education by providing a common ground of learning.
Students who plan to enter the schools of Business, Education, or Journalism, or who wish to combine ILS with a premedical program, can also satisfy some of the requirements of these fields through ILS courses.
Because ILS courses are interdisciplinary, students are encouraged to make connections between the various subject areas. They study the relations between literature and the arts; science, technology, and philosophy; and political, economic, and social thought. The courses numbered 201-208 are organized historically. Together, these courses provide a comprehensive introduction to the achievements of Western culture. Those numbered 251-372 cover contemporary topics in the natural sciences, social studies, and humanities. ILS also includes a course (200) in Critical Thinking and Expression to sharpen communication and research skills necessary for college work. This course satisfies the university's Communication A requirement. ILS 400, a senior capstone seminar addressing contemporary issues, is required in order to complete the ILS certificate.
ILS is open to all undergraduates. Students must complete 18 credits of ILS courses in order to earn a certificate. Six of these credits must be in courses numbered 230 and above, including ILS 400, the required senior capstone seminar. The certificate attests to the student's accomplishment in completing a program of interdisciplinary study, in addition to a major.
ILS professors are volunteers drawn from a wide range of departments. They are selected on the basis of their commitment to general education and their interest in undergraduate teaching. The program encourages student-faculty contact.
The ILS program is affiliated with the Bradley Learning Community, a residence hall. ILS faculty participate in activities and offer courses taught in the residence hall.
All classes listed in the course descriptions section will be offered regularly unless otherwise noted. Please check with the department office for information on specific courses.
153 Ways of Knowing in the Sciences. I, II; 4 cr (P-E). Introduction to science as a process of inquiry and discovery, not as a pre-established set of facts. Emphasizes hands-on learning in both laboratory and lecture environments with small group work and interactive discussion. P: Open to Fr.
198 Directed Study. I, II; 1-3 cr (E). P: Graded on a Cr/N basis; requires cons inst and con reg in two ILS courses.
199 Directed Study. I, II; 1-3 cr (E). P: Graded on a lettered basis; requires cons inst & con reg in 2 ILS courses. Open to Fr.
200 Critical Thinking and Expression. II; 3 cr (b-H-E). The three modes of argument and expression: verbal, visual, numerical. Critical thinking about how these modes are structured and used. Practice in, and interpretation of, the three modes. P: Prev or con reg in another ILS course. Open to Fr.
201 Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I. I, II; 3 cr (N-E). Western science and technology in the making. Major developments viewed in philosophical and social context, from antiquity to 17th century. Cannot be taken by students who have taken History of Science 201 or 403. P: Open to Fr.
202 Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy II. I, II; 3 cr (N-E). Western science and technology in the making. Major developments viewed in philosophical and social context from the 17th to early twentieth century. Cannot be taken by students who have taken History of Science 202 or 404. P: Open to Fr.
203 Western Culture: Literature and the Arts I. I; 3 cr (L-E). The development of literature and the arts in the ancient and medieval world: Akhnaton's Egypt, Homer's Troy, Euripides' Athens, Virgil's Rome, Dante's Florence. Literature and art in the context of society and ideas. P: Open to All Undergrads.
204 Western Culture: Literature and the Arts II. II; 3 cr (L-E). The development of literature and the arts from the Renaissance to the modern period: such figures as Shakespeare and Michelangelo through T.S. Eliot and Picasso. Literature and art in the context of society and ideas. P: Open to All Undergrads.
205 Western Culture: Political, Economic, and Social Thought I. I, II; 3 cr (Z-E). The development of Western political, economic and social thought, from its origins in classic Greece and the Judaeo-Christian tradition, through Rome and the Medieval period, to the Renaissance and Reformation. P: Open to All Undergrads.
206 Western Culture: Political, Economic, and Social Thought II. I, II; 3 cr (Z-E). The development of Western political, economic and social thought from the Reformation to the present day: the origins, logic and evolution of liberalism, Marxism, and organic conservatism as the principal systems of thought of the modern age. P: Open to All Undergrads.
207 History of Western Culture I. I; 3 cr (Z-E). The historical development of Western civilization through the Renaissance. Emphasis on major institutions and the social context of ideas. P: Open to Fr.
208 History of Western Culture II. II; 3 cr (Z-E). The historical development of Western civilization and culture since the Renaissance. Emphasis on major institutions and the social context of ideas. P: Open to Fr.
209 Introduction to Global Cultures. I; 3 cr (Z-E). Introduction to the comparative study of world cultures from an interdisciplinary perspective. Cultures selected for consideration may vary from year to year. Consideration of such topics as literary and artistic representation, the life cycle, the idea of justice, religious beliefs. P: Open to Fr.
234 Genres of Western Religious Writing. (Crosslisted with Relig St) I or II; 3 cr (b-H-I). Writing intensive course based on the conventions in which Western writers have expressed religious ideas. Readings from Jewish, Christian, and other spiritualities. P: Successful completion of or exemption from Com A requirement. Open to Fr.
251 Contemporary Physical Sciences. II; 3 cr (P-I). Twentieth century physical theory and its application in science and technology. Relativity and the quantum theory; modern cosmology and astrophysics; the quantum basis of chemistry and molecular biology; nuclear physics and nuclear power technology; lasers. Philosophical problems connected with these theories are addressed. P: ILS 202 or Hist Sci 201-202 or cons inst.
252 Contemporary Life Sciences. I; 3 cr (B-I). A systems oriented approach to the interrelation of plants and humans in their evolution and cultural development; a historical geographic perspective concluding with a consideration of ecosystems in twentieth century America. P: Open to All Undergrads.
253 Literature and Society. I or II; 3 cr (L-I). Representative episodes in the interaction of literature and society, organized either around a set of social institutions and their literary connections or around a set of literary forms and their social connections. P: So st or cons inst.
254 Literature and Science. I or II; 3 cr (L-I). Examination of the interactions between science, technology, and literature. P: Open to Fr. ILS crse.
275 Special Topics in Integrated Liberal Studies. I or II; 3 cr (I-I). Interdisciplinary themes and issues from the ILS program. Topics are footnoted in timetable. P: Three cr in an ILS crse.
371 Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts and Humanities. I or II; 3 cr (L-I). Selected interdisciplinary topics in literature and art with emphasis on social, historical and political contexts.
372 Interdisciplinary Studies in the Social Sciences. I or II; 3 cr (S-I). Interdisciplinary analysis of selected topics in the social sciences.
400 Capstone Integration Seminar. I, II; 3 cr (A). Required capstone seminar for juniors and seniors seeking ILS certification. P: Jr or Sr st and seeking ILS certificate.
401 Global Cultures Capstone Seminar. II; 3 cr (A). Seminar to address the integration of intellectual, cultural, and social issues related to global cultures. P: Sr st.
490 Research in Integrated Liberal Studies. I, II; 2-3 cr (A). This course provides opportunities for students to pursue research in integrated liberal studies. P: At least 2 prev crses in integrated liberal studies.
681 Undergraduate Honors Thesis. I, II, SS; 3 cr (A). P: Jr or Sr st & cons inst.
682 Undergraduate Honors Thesis. I, II, SS; 3 cr (A). Continuation of 681. P: Jr or Sr st & cons inst.
691 Undergraduate Thesis. I, II, SS; 3 cr (A). P: Jr or Sr st & cons inst.
692 Undergraduate Thesis. I, II, SS; 3 cr (A). Continuation of 691. P: Jr or Sr st & cons inst.