Courses

(Thursday, 11:00am-12:15pm) TBD

Genes to Gender(Fall 2025)

Too often people use a binary definition of biological sex to justify a binary definition of gender. And too often biology courses reinforce this false dichotomy by teaching only a male/female binary definition of sex characteristics, overlooking the wide range of variation that exists. But not this class! This class focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of the variation of biological traits and how they may contribute to but do not direct gender identity. By the end of the class you should be able to: (1) differentiate gender and biological sex; (2) describe genetic, reproductive, hormonal, physical, and neural variation in sex characteristics; (3) identify factors that impact one’s gender identity, and (4) discuss how the use of a binary definition of sex and gender impacts those with non-binary, intersex, and transgender identities. We will close the class by exploring how a more nuanced understanding of sex and gender can inform current societal issues.

US Immigration Law and Policy (ARSC 1480 – 400R / Kevin Mason)

Tuesdays 2:00pm – 3:15pm, LBB 251

(Mondays 3:35pm-4:50pm) CASE W311 (20)

As Earth’s climate changes, the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of extreme weather events have increased significantly. While storms, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and droughts are all examples of natural hazards, the death and destruction that result from these events are anything but natural. For example, why are communities of color in the US more likely to experience excess deaths following a tropical storm or hurricane? Why are low-income countries hit hardest by natural hazards? This course explores the social determinants of vulnerability and exposure to natural hazards, with a focus on the populations and communities disproportionately impacted by “natural disasters” in the US and around the world. Across the semester we'll discuss climate change, environment-society relations, risk assessment, hazard mitigation, and climate resilience. We will also look at issues of environmental justice and inequality. The final group project for this course will involve developing an analysis of risk and vulnerability to natural hazards for a community of your choice. By the end of this course, you will gain a greater appreciation for natural hazards research and a recognition of the ways marginalized communities are vulnerable to “unnatural disasters”.

(Wednesdays 3:35pm-4:50pm) Renée Crown Aspen Conference Room

The 8-session Pass/Fail option only MCP course is the result of a multi-year collaborative and participatory process. Simply stated, the Mindful Campus course was created to actively encourage the mindfulness and wellness of undergraduates at the University of Colorado-Boulder.  

Our intention in creating an 8-week Mindful Campus MASP course is to build a community of practitioners. Together, we will prioritize care for our bodies, minds, and spirits. We will accomplish this by engaging in lectures, discussion, journaling, meditation, and movement. The tools of art and music will be integrated into all that we do. Therefore, whether you are new to meditation, frustrated by meditation, a contemplative movement beginner, or a seasoned practitioner, you are invited to meet, listen, and learn from one another, and us. You are encouraged to come and be, without fear of judgment, criticism, or the need to educate anyone but yourself.  

All MASP students are welcome to participate in the course. Please know that there will be an emphasis on the significance of mindfulness for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. We will discuss and explore injustice, and intersecting oppression(s) with the understanding that trauma-inducing systems must be resisted on all fronts. Mindfulness is but one path. 

Course Title:Side by Side: Creating A/Effective Climate Communication for Youth

(Wednesdays 3:35 pm-4:50 pm) LBB 330(24)

This course will contribute to the creation of touring exhibits that offer embodied art-science experiences centered around humanity’s relationship with birds and aimed at broadening participation in climate communication for diverse youth. Throughout the semester, students will apply lessons from social science research on what makes for effective climate communication as well as deeply exploring the connection between bird and human migration to generate materials that will be shared with early learners at state and national parks for years to come! Our work will culminate in a real-world offering through Side by Side-- an NSF-funded project your instructor is working on. Interested students from the course can then apply for a paid internship in the Spring and Summer of 2026 to continue the project.

Course Title: Narrative Sovereignty in Indigenous Literature and Film

(Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:45 pm) CASE W311 (20)

This course explores how Indigenous people in the U.S. and Canada tell their own stories through literature and film. We’ll examine how, despite the history of colonialism, Indigenous narrative self-expression serves as a way to resist, heal, and assert agency. The course will focus on Deborah Miranda's Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir and selected films by Indigenous directors to understand how these artists assert “narrative sovereignty” (Wente 2021) by challenging misrepresentations and taking control of their narratives. Through this course, you will gain an understanding of Indigenous tribal sovereignty and how narrative sovereignty helps communities resist exploitation and empower themselves.