Core Seminar Program
The Core Seminar Program is one of the distinctive components of the LIU Brooklyn campus curriculum. Students and faculty from every discipline join together for a common intellectual experience of inquiry into the shared theme: the Idea of the Human. Each seminar integrates readings from multiple disciplines with structured field explorations in New York City and unscripted conversations with other seminar groups. Additionally, students undertake multiple forms of writing, including the guided construction of a researched essay exploring some component of the seminar theme. The program aims to equip students with academic skills and lenses for inquiry necessary to undertake advanced work in the major and lead a flourishing life in an ever-changing world. This seminar is required for graduation, and is one of three required writing intensive courses.
Core Seminar 50
COS 50 is a three-credit interdisciplinary course providing a common intellectual experience for undergraduate students of all disciplines. Meant for upper freshmen or lower sophomores, it is a unique part of LIU Brooklyn's core curriculum. This is a seminar - never more than 22 students in a section - which emphasizes writing, class discussion, small group work and oral presentations. Clusters of 2-4 sections will meet together at least three times a term and, in teams, will explore sites off campus, familiarize themselves with the campus library, and acquire research techniques important both for this class and for their major.
Readings from many disciplines will shed light on the theme around which the course is organized. Currently, that theme is the Idea of the Human. All sections will include central readings representing scientific inquiry, social commentary, and literary/creative expression.
Catalog Description
COS 50 The Idea of the Human (3 Credits)
This three credit interdisciplinary course will explore ideas of the human and the human condition. We will consider what we believe makes us human, including how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world around us. As a class we will raise questions, draw distinctions, and discover commonalities. Through investigations, discussions, readings, group projects, and writing, we will delve into creativity and compassion.
Eligibility
You must have successfully completed English 16 to register for COS 50. You must have completed at least 13 credits prior to taking this course. Students from all colleges and schools on campus need this course to graduate.
Objectives of COS 50
- Cognitive Skills: to help students strengthen their capacities for inquiry, abstract thinking, and critical analysis.
- Knowledge: to help students acquire a general understanding of a body of knowledge in various content areas that contribute to a foundation for further in-depth study.
- Perspectives and Behavior: to help students develop respect for both human commonalities and diversity.
Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
COS 50 is one of the undergraduate courses designated as Writing Intensive. Students will need to feel comfortable selecting a problem, pursuing an investigation into it by utilizing multiple sources of information, and presenting both oral and written versions of their thinking throughout the semester.
COS Course Descriptions
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bernice.braid@liu.edu
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