The Senior Seminar is the capstone experience in the general education of a Bellarmine student. It has as its primary focus the development of students’ abilities to examine contemporary issues in a comprehensive and integrated way within a Catholic social justice perspective and a liberal arts and sciences context. Seniors from various disciplines come together in small groups with a faculty member to reflect on critical issues facing contemporary society, such as racism, economic and social justice, environmental concerns, national and international crises, and ethical issues arising from developments in science, medicine, and technology. Students are also expected to bring the knowledge and skills gained in their major fields of study and their other general education courses to the seminar as appropriate.

The Global Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions

Valerie Timmons-Ellis                                MWF, 11-11:50

Course Description: Climate change, dwindling energy and food supplies, deforestation, and increasing poverty are just some of the environmental issues facing the world, and these issues affect us all.  This course will explore these topics, among others, focusing considerable attention on the solutions thereto.  While we will concentrate on planetary threats and solutions, this seminar is mostly about your perceptions of those threats and what you hope to contribute to their mitigation.  Topics will include:

• world energy use and alternative energy sources
• endangered species and habitats
• global warming and the resulting climate change
• man's connection to nature and the spiritual considerations involved in caring for the Earth
• the rise of China and India as world powers and the associated environmental, food supply, and population concerns
• transportation alternatives and urban planning

Senior Seminar        Dean Bucalos (Brown Scholars Section)            M, 6-8:45

Course Description: This course addresses contemporary moral, ethical, social and political issues in a global context as informed by the principles of Catholic Social Justice teaching.  Students engage these issues through reading, writing and dialogue with each other. 

Senior Seminar        Isaac McDaniel                                                    W, 6-8:30

Course Description: The Senior Seminar is the capstone experience in the general education of a Bellarmine student. It has as its primary focus the development of students’ abilities to examine contemporary issues in a comprehensive and integrated way within a Catholic perspective and a liberal arts and sciences context. Seniors from various disciplines come together in small groups with a faculty member to reflect on critical issues facing contemporary society, such as racism, economic and social justice, environmental concerns, national and international crises, and ethical issues arising from developments in science, medicine and technology. Students are also expected to bring the knowledge and skills gained in their major field of study and their other general education courses to the seminar as appropriate.

Social Justice and the Supreme Court        Linda Cowan                TTh, 12:15-1:30

Course Description: This course will study the U.S. Supreme Court’s Fall09 docket by following a limited number of cases that will be argued before the Court during the semester. We will begin the semester by developing students’ understanding of the historical background of the Court’s power and authority. We will next study the current Court by reading one of the excellent recent books on the topic. Next, we will choose a couple of the cases that will be argued before the Court and will study the lower courts’ decisions and the journey the cases have taken to reach the Supreme Court. Students will have opportunities to develop their critical thinking and argumentation skills, as well as moral and ethical lens,  through vigorous class discussion and debate of the cases studied, including the opportunity to argue the positions of the litigants in a mini-moot court.  

Social and Political Dilemmas                    Josh Golding                TTh, 1:40-2:55

Course Description: The Senior Seminar is the capstone experience in the general education of a Bellarmine student. It has as its primary focus the development of students’ abilities to examine contemporary issues in a comprehensive and integrated way within a Catholic social justice perspective and a liberal arts and sciences context. Seniors from various disciplines come together in small groups with a faculty member to reflect on critical issues facing contemporary society, such as racism, economic and social justice, environmental concerns, national and international crises, and ethical issues arising from developments in science, medicine and technology. Students are also expected to bring the knowledge and skills gained in their major field of study and their other general education courses to the seminar as appropriate.

Senior Seminar                        Fred Ehrman and Jake Hofmeister            M, 6-8:45

Senior Seminar                         Bob Pfaadt                                                  TTh, 9:25-10:40

Thomas Merton Activist          George Kilcourse                                        TTh, 12:15-1:30

Senior Seminar                         Page Curry                                                    TTh, 12:15-1:30

Senior Seminar                        Adam Bunnell                                                TTh, 12:15-1:30

Senior Seminar                        Nancy Schrepf                        S, 8-1 (October 17-December 5)