APS/HUM 1704: Intro to Appalachian Studies

This course introduces students to the history of the Appalachian region from European contact to the present. Students will examine the idea of Appalachia by tracing the ways in which Americans have imagined the region over time. Additionally, students will explore humanistic problems of cultural identity, race and ethnicity, place and globalization, and impacts of natural resource extraction.

Why take it?

This course provides students of all backgrounds and disciplinary fields with a foundational understanding of complex human problems, including their ethical dimensions. It encourages students to think critically and systematically about the human condition and social interaction in diverse societies, while helping them to develop skills in critical reading, thinking, and communicating. Successful students will emerge from this course as independent thinkers with the ability to form their own opinions, present their views clearly to an audience, and defend their positions against critical responses.

APS 1704 is the introductory course for the Appalachian Cultures and Environments Pathways minor and fulfills an elective in the Ecosystems for Human Well-Being, Leadership and Social Change, and Pathways to Sustainability Pathways minors.

Requirements

There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course fulfills Pathways requirements in Critical Thinking in the Humanities, Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States, and Intercultural and Global Awareness.