List of Academic Communities

Discover the history, languages, and cultures of Asia with other students who share your interest. Explore study abroad opportunities and investigate the Hillman Library’s extensive collection of materials on Asian studies. | 4 credits, plus required language credits

NOTE: To be a member of this Academic Community, students also must enroll in any level of one of the following languages: Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese.

NOTE: Students in this community will travel to Washington DC to visit museums and national landmarks. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.) 

Classes

• RELGST 0505—Religion in Asia | MWF 11:00–11:50am (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 2:00–2:50pm (1 Credit)

Trace the political life of Europe and how it has affected the individual’s sense of identity and place in the growing European Union and in the world. Learn one of more than 20 languages that contribute to the complex cultural landscape of Europe. | 4 credits, plus required language credits

NOTE: To be a member of this Academic Community, students also must enroll in any level of one of the following languages: Arabic (Levantine or Egyptian), Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian, French, German, Greek (Modern), Hebrew, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Ukrainian. Other languages may be taken with approval.

NOTE: Students in this community will travel to Washington, D.C., to visit various Europe related sites with ties to the European Union. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.)

Classes

• HIST 0110—What is Europe? | MWF 10:00–10:50 am (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 4:00–4:50pm (1 Credit)

Dig deeper as you reach wider in this community designed to explore global contexts of social inequality. Gain insight from transnational issues informed by dominant political and economic trends and build connections to your studies both locally and abroad. | 7 credits

NOTE: Students in this community will travel to Washington, D.C., to visit sites related to international and global studies. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.) 

Classes

• PS 0550—Introduction to Global Studies | TuTh 11:00am–12:15 pm (3 Credits)
• SOC 0317—Globalization | TuTh 1:00–2:15 pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | Tu 3:00–3:50 pm (1 Credit)

Learn about the rich linguistic, cultural, and geographical landscape of our French-speaking neighbor to the north, Québec. In addition to developing your French language skills, you will explore other French-speaking areas of North America. Enrich your understanding of international studies with opportunities on campus and abroad. | 4 credits, plus required language credits

NOTE: To be a member of this Academic Community, students must enroll in one of the following French classes: FR 0102, FR 0103, 0104, 0220, 0221, 0227, 0255, 0256 or any three-credit 1000 level course taught in French.

Classes

• FR 0014—Introduction to French-Speaking Canada | MWF 9:00–9:50am (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 3:00–3:50pm (1 Credit)

Study the evolution of modern theater as a cultural mirror and gain insight into the different perspectives of actors, directors, and designers. Students will focus on movement and vocal practice as it relates to acting. Explore productions by Pitt’s Department of Theatre Arts and professional theater troupes in the city. | 7 credits

NOTE: Students in this community will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend a play, go on a behind the scenes tour, and visit other theaters. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.) 

Classes

• THEA 0810—Introduction to Dramatic Art | TuTh 1:00–2:15pm (3 Credits)
• THEA 1100—Voice and Movement 1 | TuTh 11:00 am–12:50pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | Th 4:00–4:50pm (1 Credit)

What role do museums play in society? What role should they play? As collectors of objects from different historical periods, peoples, and places, museums offer essential understandings of past cultures and our world. Because of their rich and yet sometimes controversial origins, can museums still spark wonder and curiosity? Explore these questions and the complexities of culture from our origins to the future. | 7 credits

Classes

• ANTH 0780—Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | TuTh 11:00–11:50am (3 Credits)
• ANTH 0780—Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Recitation | Tu 4:00–4:50 pm (0 Credits)
• HAA 0125—Museums: Society and Inclusion? | MW 3:00–4:15 pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 11:00–11:50am (1 Credit)

“Hollywood in Pittsburgh” is a common phrase here. Discover the important role Pittsburgh has had in the production and creation of films both past and present. Learn the processes of movie making by scripting, shooting, and editing your own film. Write about your own engagement with film and film production and make your way in Pittsburgh’s vibrant film community. | 7 credits

NOTE: To enroll in this Academic Community, students must place into Seminar in Composition. ENGCMP 0205 fulfills the Seminar in Composition requirement.

NOTE: Students enrolled in this Academic Community will travel to Rochester, NY to visit the George Eastman House to study early photographic and film technologies, as well as the Strong Museum of Play, which houses the World Video Game Hall of Fame. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.) 

Classes

Through the examination of film, photography, museum exhibits, video games, and other media you will discover how artistic vision is shaped socially, culturally, and technologically. You will also learn how these media influence your own critical practice as you work to develop your individual creative voice. | 7 credits

NOTE: Students enrolled in this Academic Community will travel to Rochester, NY to visit the George Eastman House to study early photographic and film technologies, as well as the Strong Museum of Play, which houses the World Video Game Hall of Fame. (This trip will be fully funded for all students in this community.) 

Classes

• ENGFLM 0401—Introduction to Visual Culture | W 6:00–9:50pm (3 Credits)
• SA 0180—Digital Studio: Photography 1 | MW 1:00–2:40pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | M 3:00–3:50pm (1 Credit)

How and when does a person develop a sense of self? How do both psychology and philosophy help us to understand our natures and personalities? The courses in this community will provide a multifaceted approach to finding answers to these questions. | 7 credits

Classes

• PHIL 0010—Concepts of Human Nature | TuTh 12:00–12:50pm (3 Credits)
• PHIL 0010—Concepts of Human Nature Recitation | M 10:00–10:50am (0 Credits)
• PSY 0010—Introduction to Psychology | MW 3:00–4:15pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 10:00–10:50am (1 Credit)

How do humans live in harmony with each other and nature in urban areas? Explore how sustainability plays out in natural and built environments. Examine the tradeoffs, challenges, and opportunities of balancing equity, environment, and economics at the campus and city scale. | 7 credits

Classes

• GEOL 0840—Environmental Science | MW 2:00–2:50pm (3 Credits)
• GEOL 0840—Environmental Science Recitation | F 1:00–1:50 pm (0 Credits)
• URBNST 0010—Introduction to Urban Studies | TuTh 11:00am–12:15pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | W 1:00–1:50pm (1 Credit)

Examine the intersection of art and neuroscience by developing artistic talent while studying the brain. Consider the relationship between art and science and how they complement each other. Nothing demonstrates this like the human mind, beautiful for its neural structure and complex in its creative expression. | 7 credits

Classes

• NROSCI 0080—Brain and Behavior | MWF 9:00–9:50am (3 Credits)
• SA 0130—Drawing Studio 1 | TuTh 3:00–4:40pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | M 3:00–3:50pm (1 Credit)

Explore ethical dilemmas in modern medicine in connection with modern chemistry. Cut through the advances in science and medical miracles with a critical eye that examines questions of ethics in medical experimentation, resource allocation, and health care reform. | 8 credits

Classes

• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 | TuTh 1:00–2:15pm (4 Credits)
• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 Lab | Th 6:00–9:50pm (0 Credits)
• HPS 0613—Morality and Medicine | MW 2:00–2:50pm (3 Credits)
• HPS 0613—Morality and Medicine Recitation | W 1:00–1:50pm (0 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | Tu 3:00–3:50pm (1 Credit)

Deepen your understanding of chemical structures and states of matter while learning about their wider application in psychopharmacology. Develop a better understanding of the basic structures of the brain and chemicals. | 8 credits

Classes

• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 | TuTh 9:30–10:45am (4 Credits)
• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 Lab | Tu 1:00–4:50pm (0 Credits)
• NROSCI 0081—Drugs and Behavior | MWF 1:00–1:50pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | M 4:00–4:50pm (1 Credit)

How does gender impact the study and practice of science in our world today? What can we learn from studying how science has been pursued, practiced, and promoted historically? Consider what the historical record reveals and how an awareness of it enhances your academic studies in the sciences at the University and beyond. | 7 credits

NOTE: All students intending to take BIOSC 0150 Foundations of Biology 1 must take the pre-assessment before they can enroll in the course. Information concerning the pre-assessment can be found at BIOSC 0150 Pre-Assessment.

Classes

• BIOSC 0150—Foundations of Biology 1 | MWF 12:00–12:50pm (3 Credits)
• BIOSC 0150—Foundations of Biology 1 Recitation | Th 10:00–10:50am (0 Credits)
• GSWS 0400—Gender and Science | MW 9:30–10:45am (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | Th 4:00–4:50pm (1 Credit)

Pursue your health care passion by starting with the fundamentals of biology while also discovering what literature can teach us about health care. Learn important biological functions and discuss crucial topics that inform how healthcare providers treat patients. | 7 credits

NOTE: All students intending to take BIOSC 0150 Foundations of Biology 1 must take the pre-assessment before they can enroll in the course. Information concerning the pre-assessment can be found at BIOSC 0150 Pre-Assessment.

Classes

• BIOSC 0150—Foundations of Biology 1 | MWF 3:00–3:50pm (3 Credits)
• BIOSC 0150—Foundations of Biology 1 Recitation | Tu 11:00–11:50am (0 Credits)
• ENGLIT 0648—Narrative and Graphic Perspectives in Health Humanities | TuTh 4:00–5:15pm (3 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations - Academic Community | F 1:00–1:50pm (1 Credit)

This Academic Community is for pre-health students who are from racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the health professions. This community will support student exploration of health professions and assist with preparation for such programs to build the foundation for future success. Students will develop a pre-health academic development plan and gain insight into numerous pre-health resources on and off campus. | 8 credits

Classes

• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 | MWF 3:00–3:50pm (4 Credits)
• CHEM 0110—General Chemistry 1 Lab | Tu 6:00–9:50pm (0 Credits)
• SOC 0477—Medical Sociology | MW 8:00–8:50am (3 Credits)
• SOC 0477—Medical Sociology Recitation | F 9:00–9:50am (0 Credits)
• FP 0002—Academic Foundations: Academic Community | Th 12:00–12:50pm (1 Credit)