Michael Hyde, professor, English and Communication Studies
Jerilyn Zulli, adjunct associate professor, English and Communication Studies

Creepy castles, haunted houses, and maniacal monsters set the stage for an exploration of why we’re drawn to darkness, mystery, and the thrill of fear. Students trace this rich literary tradition by analyzing novels such as The Castle of Otranto and Frankenstein. Then they research folklore and craft their own horror story or visual piece.

Karen Pearson, chair, Science and Math

Students investigate forensic processes—such as how a DNA test works and how to analyze color scientifically—learning to apply these skills to their own fields of study. The course highlights the vital role science plays across creative industries, from creating cutting-edge cosmetics and eco-friendly packaging to enhancing digital photography.

Rebecca Bauman, professor, Modern Languages and Cultures

This course traces the evolution of mafia cinema, from The Godfather to modern-day crime sagas, exploring the power, betrayal, and family drama that define the mafia on screen. Students discover how these films both glamorize and critique organized crime, and how they reveal truths about culture, morality, and the American dream.

Dahlia Schweitzer, professor, Film, Media, and Performing Arts

A virus decimates Earth … will humanity survive? With Covid in our not-so-distant past, fascination with contagion narratives is at an all-time high. Students dissect viral apocalypse stories in film and media from the ’90s to the present—including Contagion, Hades Factor, and World War Z—tracing how these narratives evolve, why they endure, and what they reveal about how we confront danger, disaster, and hope.

Andrew Weinstein, professor, History of Art

How do current events shape our understanding of the Holocaust? This Honors course traces Holocaust memory from postwar footage to today’s debates, examining how history is remembered and represented. Through visual media, and interdisciplinary art, students explore how artists confront and represent the Holocaust, engaging with classmates from diverse backgrounds and discovering shared connections through histories of trauma. 

Praveen Chaudhry, professor, Social Sciences and Global Fashion Management

Bollywood cinema is not just a source of entertainment—it’s a mirror of India’s complex history. Family, caste, religion, gender, politics, and social change all play out on screen. Through film history and analysis, students explore how movies can shape national identity, spark debate about issues from modernity to migration, and influence society.

Kristen Laciste, assistant professor, Art History and Museum Professions and History of Art

What connects slavery and colonialism to today? Afrofuturism. The course explores the Twi word sankofa—”to go back and get”—as a way of reflecting on the past to shape the future. As a culminating project, students express their insights in the medium of their choice, such as a painting, poem, or art piece.

Daniel Levinson Wilk, assistant chair, Social Sciences

This course examines how illumination—from cave fires to neon signs—reshaped culture, society, and the economy. Field trips into the metropolis after dark provide opportunities to observe how nocturnal New Yorkers interact. When students learn that “night owls” are not lazy, unhealthy, or depressed, but an oppressed minority that technology can liberate, the whole class lights up.

Daniel Benkendorf, chair, Social Sciences

Flat Earthers, QAnon, vaccine deniers—why do some conspiracies persist despite clear evidence to the contrary? This course explores the science of conspiratorial thinking from cognitive bias to the role of AI in spreading misinformation. Students sharpen their critical thinking and media literacy to see through the haze of conspiracy.

Audrey Nasar, assistant professor, Science and Mathematics 

This course introduces the geometry of paper folding through major theorems, including Maekawa’s, Kawasaki’s, and Haga’s. Students fold, cut, and design paper models as a way of investigating mathematical principles. The semester culminates in a final project that applies these concepts to art, architecture, or wearable design.