May 2026 Campus and Field Trip Courses
Campus and Field Trip IL Courses for May 2026
You can register for any of these local courses via Self Service. Some courses have prerequisites which are listed below.
Room and Board for May 2026 is included in your Spring Semester Room and Board fees. Note that some courses have an additional fee for day trips, trips away from campus, or supplies. These will be charged to your Self Service account in April, 2026. Couses with a C as the first letter of the section (e.g. INQ-177-CC) are on-campus courses that may have day trips associated with them. Those with an F as the first letter (e.g. INQ-177-FA) spend most of their time on-campus but will include travel for a few nights to another destination. Please talk with the instructor if you have specific questions.
On Campus May Term Courses
INQ/HIST-277-CF
African Cultural History
Dr. Jesse Bucher
Fee: $0
Most courses on African history rely on a relatively narrow set of sources to analyze the past. Indeed, Africa’s academic historians write within parameters of style and content that are followed by other members of the discipline. Historians generally place a strong emphasis on interpreting government documents, minutes of meetings, and other official records that are valued for their inherent ‘truth’. Yet, many people on the African continent use other mediums to talk about, debate, and articulate their pasts. Like conventional historians, creative writers, filmmakers, and artists use their work to think historically and to raise poignant questions about the relationship between the past and present. In this course, we will work with some of these creative works to think about the cultural history of twentieth century Africa. By critically reading novels and films, the course will pursue new ways of evaluating African history. We will consider the following questions: How do novels and films permit new types of historical analysis? In what ways do these sources of history deliver larger historical insights into issues including colonialism, the formation of independent states, economic underdevelopment, and globalization? In addition to reading a secondary text on African history, students will critically interpret novels and films about Africa. These materials will allow students to develop a unique perspective on African cultural history in a comparative fashion.
INQ-277-CB
AI Versus Human Cognition
Dr. Anthony Cate
Fee: $0
Do artificial intelligence systems succeed by mimicking human cognitive skills? If so, do they produce the skills in the same way as the human brain? This course involves hands-on experimentation using artificial intelligence models as a means of understanding the differences between machine and human performance; no programming experience required. It focuses on two Cognitive Psychology topics in which AI neural networks have become productive tools recently: visual object recognition and natural language processing. These, in turn, will lead us to explore the related topic of creativity. We will investigate how the process of categorization is a central topic in neural network theory with practical consequences for how both AI models and humans can jump to incorrect conclusions about groups of things. We will discuss how AI software is prone to reflect social stereotypes present in its programmers and in training datasets.
INQ-177-CC
Bluegrass and Old-Time Music
Prof. Hanna Traynham
Fee: $125
Students will have one fieldtrip to Floyd and will need to carpool.
This course offers students a hands-on introduction to the traditional “mountain music” culture of southwestern Virginia. Experiential learning “in the field” will include attending music and dance events, class visits by musicians, and attendance at a regional music festival. Students develop and present a group project that explores how a music-culture of their choice can be better understood in light of what they have learned about the ideas, activities, repertories, and material culture of “old time” and “Bluegrass.” No prior experience performing music, either singing or playing, is required: a basic tenet of old-time music is that every member of the community can participate, regardless of familiarity or skill. Central to the course is the global idea that music is learned in the music-making experience.
INQ-177-CD
Celluloid Boot: Italy & Film
Prof. Giuliana Chapman
Fee: $0
This course will focus on Italian historical, cultural, and geographical identities as presented through Italian films. What version of history is revealed through her films? What do these films tell us about the Italian nation and her people? The course will study major movements in modern Italian history (the Risorgimento & Unification, the rise of Fascism, WWII and post-WWII, the North/South divide) and the attempts of some of Italy’s film directors (Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, and others) to contextualize these periods. The artistic innovations and contributions made by filmmakers such as Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini will also be examined. In order to better gain an appreciation for the Italian sense of place and belonging, the regions and cities that appeared in the frame will be explored to understand why these images endure. Daily screenings are mandatory and selected readings will include Italian history and some literature in translation. Proficiency in Italian is not required.
INQ-177-CB
Differ-Abilities - Global
Prof. Frances McCutcheon
Fee: $25
What are the experiences of an individual with disabilities living in an able-bodied world? Throughout American history how have able-bodied individuals provided opportunities and imposed limitations on those perceived to be disabled? What qualifies as a disability? This course is designed to challenge students to understand, and view with greater tolerance and appreciation, the challenges and abilities of differently-abled individuals. We will examine basic human anatomy, and consider mis-function in the human system, and living with mal-functions. We will investigate how laws and society perceive, protect, and limit people with differ-abilities; examine the lives of famous and successful individuals with differ-abilities; investigate careers in Assistive fields; and propose solutions or modifications to improve the lives of individuals with differ-abilities. Increasing empathy, and consideration of careers in the field are the expansive goals of this curriculum.
INQ-277-CA
Forensic Economics
Dr. Tim Carpenter
Fee: $0
An in-depth study of the required research, analytical techniques, report generation and court preparation required in the evaluation and court testimony for Personal Injury, Wrongful Death and Business Valuation Losses.
INQ-177-CI
Forest to Film: Fairly Tales
Prof. Susan Duffy
Fee: $0
Course pending faculty vote
This intensive three week course invites students to journey into the enchanted – and often unsettling – world of the Brothers Grimm, exploring the original versions of their fairy tales and tracing their evolution into the modern narratives we encounter in literature and film. Students will examine the cultural, historical, and social contexts in which these tales emerged, analyzing how their themes, characters, and morals have been reshaped over time to reflect changing values, audiences, and artistic goals. Through close reading, comparative analysis, and multimedia exploration, the course will reveal how the Grimm canon continues to influence global storytelling.
INQ-177-CA
Math of Gambling and Games
Dr. Hannah
Fee: $0
The gaming industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that relies on the mathematics of its games to drive their profits and avoid their losses. This course provides both a hands-on and a computational analysis of the probabilities involved when gambling and playing games. We include an introduction to the rules of and basic winning strategies for roulette, blackjack, various forms of poker, and other games, including selected board games and sports. Students will also learn to apply skills developed in this class to other games they come across.
INQ/PHST-277-CD
Outbreaks and Epidemics
Dr. Kristen Schorpp Rapp
Fee: $0
Epidemics shape the world we live in. History has demonstrated that bacteria, viruses, and parasites, though often invisible to us, have the power to decimate populations, restructure economies, and shape the way cultures and civilizations develop. This course will examine outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics in historical and contemporary context. Course content and discussion will apply a population perspective of health, using several illustrative examples of both infectious and non-infectious pandemics that have fundamentally shaped societies and the practice of public health. This class will also explore how knowledge of outbreaks and epidemics is acquired by outbreak investigators, translated to the public, and interpreted through the lens of both scientific and cultural understandings of the time. Finally, we will examine how epidemics intersect with existing social inequities to exacerbate health disparities and consider public health strategies that may contribute to a healthier and more equitable world.
INQ/CJUS-277-FGA
Join the Gang-Global
Dr. Sarah Murray
Fee: $0
This on-campus, intensive learning course will introduce students to the history, structure, culture, and operation of organized crime groups. In the lecture component of the course students will learn about theories of organized crime, the development of certain organizations over time, and the legal efforts to prosecute these groups. In the workshop sections students will demonstrate this knowledge by forming their own “gangs”, where they will engage in competition for resources and respond to existential threats in an increasingly globalized world. Prior knowledge of criminal justice not required.
INQ-177-CF
Drawing On and Off the Page
Prof. Margaret Walker
Fee: $50
Artists spend years developing the integration of perceptual and drawing skills—coordinating hand, eye, and mind to create polished works of art. We don’t have that kind of time in May. In this experimental course, we are going to pivot and focus on developing perceptual skills and pairing these with exploring a broad understanding of drawing/mark making and visual communication. What can drawing be? Why does one draw? What does a drawing look like? How can mark-making communicate content? What role does the audience and their participation have in making meaning? We will explore a variety of approaches to “alternative” drawing such as performative drawing techniques, installation, mapping, and collaborative projects. Our primary muse will be our interaction with nature and our environment through exploratory walks, day trips, readings, and reflective writings.
Field Trip Courses
INQ-177-FA
Adventure Into Nature
Dr. Steve Powers
Fee: $100
Includes camping in the central Appalachians
This course is an adventure into nature examining the geology, plants and animals of the central Appalachians and their interactions with each other and their human inhabitants. These interactions will be experienced in a classroom setting as well as first hand through trips into the central Appalachians that will include many strenuous hikes, wilderness camping and snorkeling in rivers. This course will provide students with a background in natural history and experience with resources commonly used by amateur and professional field naturalists, planning and executing adventures into nature, maintaining trails, and interpreting those adventures within an academic context providing students with the tools necessary for a lifetime of adventuring into nature. Students must be proficient swimmers (will have to pass a swim test) and have at least a moderate level of cardio-vascular fitness for admission to class. Camping in unimproved campgrounds will be the only form of lodging available for the travel portion of the course and is essential for complete “immersion” into our topic. That means no hotels, no beds, no bathrooms, no showers, etc. So, if you don’t think you can bathe in a river, cook food on a camp stove, or “go” in the woods, this is not the class for you. One objective of this course is to prepare you for future adventures into nature, and using unimproved campgrounds will illustrate how economical adventure travel can be when hotel costs are not an expense.
INQ-177-FB
Health and Happiness
Dr. Michael Maina
Fee: $600
Fieldtrip to Carolina Beach, NC. Transportation to NC not included. Expected additional out-of-pocket cost $200, covering self transportation, breakfasts, and lunches while away.
What makes people happy? How do people find happiness? How does being happy influence your life? The focus of this course will be on the relationship between the concept of happiness and its impact on all aspects of wellness. In particular, the course will look at several theories surrounding the idea of happiness, how real people have applied the theories to their everyday lives, and the results they have experienced. Students will be required to actively participate in all activities planned and be able to reflect upon their experiences showing a deeper understanding of the complex nature of happiness and its influence on health.