Integrated Studies Course Descriptions (1970-1989)
During the period of 1970-1989, Messiah University students met a major portion of their general education requirements through the following sequence of interdisciplinary courses entitled Integrated Studies. In this sequence disciplines are fused to take special advantage of the strength of each discipline while minimizing any duplication of effort. For example, students write their compositions relating to the subject matter they are studying (e.g. concepts and principles of history, philosophy, psychology, etc.).
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INS 101
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Skills and perceptions (4) Develops skills for academic success and builds perceptions of self and of one's place in college and in the wider world. Includes English composition and literature, library usage, reading and study skills, self understanding, and the place of the liberal arts in higher education. |
| INS 102 | Three Ancient civilizations (4) The history and cultures of the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans. Special emphasis upon the Hebraic Christian tradition. continued attention to written communications, focus on the research essay. |
| INS 103-104 | Topics in Classical Studies (2) A variety of courses on special topics in the classical tradition. Required for B.A students. Open to all students. |
| INS 142 | Cross-Cultural Studies (3) The interaction of different cultures with emphasis on seeing issues in global perspective. Integration of knowledge will be sought by considering several aspects of culture. Discussion of issues resulting from ethnocentrism. |
| INS 203-210 | Topics in Non-Western Studies (2) A variety of courses on special topics in the history and culture of Non-Western traditions. |
| INS 211 | Christendom, Reformation and Enlightenment (4) the development of the West from the accession of Constantine through the French Revolution. Emphasis on the interaction of religion, the arts, politics, and science. Continued attention to written communication. |
| INS 212 | Modern Issues and Christian Values (4) Selected economic, social, philosophical, and political systems of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Current national and international problems examined in the context of Christian philosophical and ethical perspectives. Continued attention to written communication. |
| INS 214 | Topics in Modern Ethics (2) Modern ethical issues in areas of interest selected by students. Required as concurrent study with INS 212. |
| INS 267 | Human Needs and Christian Resources (3) Examination of selected local, national and international social problems, including racism, poverty, world development, hunger and war. Students assisted through filed reports, biblical studies, and class discussion to find viable responses at both the micro and macro levels. (Offered at the Philadelphia Campus). |
| INS 266 | Personal Ethics (3) Study of representative ethical theories (e.g. utilitarian, existential, situational and revelational). Examination of current issues in personal ethics (especially marriage, the family, and the sexual revolution) in the context of biblical faith. (Offered at the Philadelphia Campus. Together INS 267-268 meet the INS 212-214 requirement.) |
| INS 311 | World Views (3) Patterns of thought which both characterize groups or eras as well as guide individual behavior. thought systems of theists, naturalists, existentialists, humanists, monists, and others explored, compared, and contrasted. Facilitates clarification and development of personal world views from a Christian perspective. |
Suggested Credit Distribution
Assigning a credit to specific disciplines in the following table is somewhat arbitrary; however, in each case the subject matter content equals or exceeds the number of semester hours suggested.
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Specific Disciplines
|
101
|
102
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103-104
|
142
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203-210
|
211
|
212 & 214
|
311
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Total
|
| English Comp & Literature |
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
||||
| Behavioral Sciences |
2
|
3
|
5
|
||||||
| Religion & Philosophy |
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
|||
| History & Civilization |
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
|||
| Fine Arts |
1
|
1
|
2
|
||||||
| Totals |
4
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
22
|
|
*ISH 101, *ISC 101 Shapers of Man (3,3) ** |
An Introduction to the methodology of religion, philosophy and certain social sciences with special attention to varying approaches to current social problems. The refinement and critical analysis of oral and written communications are also stressed. |
| *ISH 102, ISC 102 Ancient Ideas and Institutions (3,3) ** | The history and culture of several early civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, India, and Rome. Special emphasis on the Hebraic-Christian tradition. Continued emphasis on communication skills literary analysis. |
| *ISH 201, ISC 201 Peoples and Cultures 400-1800 (3,3) | The development of Europe and of other cultures such as Gupta-India, T'ang-China, Islam and West African Kingdoms. Emphasis on the interplay of religion, art, literature, and other aspects of culture to form diversified world views. Continuation or oral and written communications and introduction to artistic expression. |
| *ISH 202, ISC 202 Modern Issues and Values (3,3) | Important social, economic, philosophical and political systems of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and their interaction with Christianity investigated topically. Major attention to the art and music. Written communication continued. |
Suggested Credit Distribution
Assigning a credit to specific disciplines in the following table is somewhat arbitrary; however, in each case the subject matter content equals or exceeds the number of semester hours suggested. It should also be noted that while a student will have earned 22 or 24 credit hours in this sequence, the total suggested in the chart is 23 or 26 credit hours. this larger total reflects the effort to avoid assigning fractional hours to various discipline.
| Prior to 1976-1977 | 1976-1977 and following | |||||||||
| Specific Disciplines | 101 | 102 | 201 | 201 | Total | 101 | 102 | 201 | 202 | Total |
| Speech ** | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
| English Comp. & Lit. | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Psychology & Sociology | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Religion & Philosophy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| History of civilization | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Fine Arts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 23 |
* The course is considered as one course and is taken for 6 credit. It is taught in an integrated manner, although separate grades are assigned for the humanities (ISH) and communications (ISC) parts.
** Beginning 1976-1977, the speech components of the Integrated Studies courses was put into a separate course, SPE 101, and in doing so reduced the credit of ISC 101 and ISC 102 from 3 to 2.