Love of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy

Taught by Fernando Alvear

Do numbers exist? Would you kill one to save five? How do you know you don’t live in a computer simulation? Is it wrong to have kids? Would you abandon your life to plug into a machine that can give you unlimited happiness? Should we be afraid of AI? Discuss these and other profound questions through captivating readings, lively discussions, hands-on activities, and thought-provoking experiments. This course introduces you to various branches of philosophy, including Ethics, Epistemology, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics, Logic, and Philosophy of Religion, with an emphasis on their contemporary relevance. By exploring these topics, you’ll engage with some of humanity’s most fascinating and controversial questions while learning how to think critically and view the world with greater depth and complexity.

Show Me the Value in Missouri’s Nature; Environmental Science in Action!

Taught by Joseph Barnett

Most people talk about what humans are doing to nature. But what does nature do for us? This class will explore the broad concept of ecosystem services (what nature does for us) through a Missouri lens. Learning activities will range from outdoor labs and field trips to scholarly writing and debates on how best to tackle the developing environmental crises. A key part of taking action, though, is recognizing what you’re protecting in the first place and why! Local experts in fields related to our learnings could be recruited… but what we dive into exactly will be, in part, up to you! Relevant topics I hope we will explore include sustainable agriculture practices, the functions of wetlands, and the vast and diverse role of trees in making our home a great place to live. All the while we will hone our skills as scientists (or just responsible citizens!) that translate to whatever frontier you head to next!

O Critics, Where ART Thou? Finding Greatness in Paragraphs, Pages, and Plasma Screens 

Taught by Ben Batzer

Have you ever wondered how we determine an artistic work’s merit? What does it mean to say a movie is a classic or a book is canonical? Why is it that we read Homer, Shakespeare, and Twain in class? Is it possible to look at art objectively? In answering questions like these, this class will help you think like English teachers, movie critics, poets, playwrights, and filmmakers. Although you’ll learn a range of approaches that professionals use to analyze, critique, and evaluate literature and film, you’ll also leave better prepared to analyze other art forms: photography, painting, and song—just to name a few. This class requires no prior knowledge, but it asks that you bring an open mind, an eagerness to participate in lively discussion, and the courage to see the world around you in new ways.

School of Thought: Redesigning Education & Exploring Giftedness

Taught by Jenny Blank

Are you ready to dive into the world of education and discover what makes gifted programs tick? In this class, we’ll uncover how schools work (and sometimes don’t), explore the mysteries of giftedness, and tackle big questions like, “How can we make education fair for everyone?” From school funding battles to your own unique strengths, quirks, and traits, we’ll tackle big questions about fairness and the future of learning. This course will challenge you to think deeply, dream big, and reimagine education like never before. Don’t miss your chance to make an impact while uncovering your own gifted superpowers!

Old School Engineering

Taught by Daniel Braithwaite

Before computers did the math for us, people accomplished amazing things, even space travel.  We will learn forgotten mathematical tools and methods from before the digital era, like the slide rule for calculation; the planimeter for measuring area; the sextant for navigation; and others.  We’ll learn the mathematical principles of these instruments, examine manufactured examples, and make and use our own.  This course is applied mathematics, both theory and practice.  You will be challenged to coordinate principles with application:  you’ll have to think, and do.  There will be problems to solve not only on paper, but also in the real world.  We’ll calculate, measure, estimate, locate, formulate, navigate, and integrate as did engineers of the 19th and 20th centuries.  Topics from the school year that can seem pretty abstract will find very practical uses here.

Lightning Bugs…Or Lightning? Write Words for the Natural World!

Taught by Tina Casagrand

Can stories set in a common landscape and time spread compassion for that region’s human and more-than-human world? Man, we have to try! This class will equip scholars with skills in journalism, editing, and outdoor adventuring. We’ll get outside to sense first-hand the nature around us, and in the classroom we will engage with interviews, reading, writing, discussion, and artistic expression to create new landscapes for the mind. Pack for the extremes: hiking on a prairie, gardening, light cave exploration, and creating written work that’s fit to print. 

To Infinity and Beyond

Taught by Frank Corley

This will be a challenging math class exploring infinity from many different aspects.  Challenging, but we’ll work as a group and leave no one behind, as we construct and discover concepts which are quite abstract.  We will consider philosophical, geometric, literary, analytic, and set-theoretic concepts of infinite objects.  We’ll have to create new ideas for ourselves, but when we do, we will expand our mathematical understanding from our previous experience into realms you’ve probably never considered before.  What happens when a process is repeated over and over again, changing only a single parameter each time? Does infinity come in different levels, or is it one size fits all? Is infinity a number or is it something else? How can we prove a statement about all the numbers without proving it individually for every number? Can infinity be arrived at or can we even get close to it? Will these questions never end? Take the course and find out.

Think Like a Programmer

Taught by Kristofferson Culmer

In this course, students will learn the systematic approach that programmers use to develop logical solutions to solve problems, and how to implement those solutions using the Python programming language. The course will cover a range of topics from basic programming concepts such as algorithm design, variables, decision structures, data structures, and repetition structures; to more advanced concepts such as object oriented programming, and game logic. Students will also learn some of the tools that programmers use and develop programs that connect to external APIs. This course is intended for beginners; students with little to no programming experience, or who have not programmed in Python before.

Show Me Missouri: Exploring Who We Are Through Civil Discourse

Taught by Stephanie Hasty

In this course, we will confront fundamental questions: Who are we? Why are we here? How can we shape the world for the better? Through an exploration of diverse voices and experiences, we will engage in civil discourse, critically examining texts to uncover stories and perspectives often left out. With guest speakers and discussions, we will explore topics such as culture, historical movements, and place to understand how these issues shape our roles in creating the future. By analyzing literature, media, and community narratives from the 1960s to the present, students will reflect on their own identities and share these discoveries with others. Ultimately, the course will challenge students to think critically about the world around them, reflect on what they’ve learned, and find ways to apply this knowledge to their communities, empowering them to take meaningful action.

Not-So-Trivial Pursuits

Taught by Jordan Henson

Do you love trivia nights? Do you play along at home while watching Jeopardy? Have you ever wondered how folks like Ken Jennings, Amy Schneider, or James Holzhauer know so many things? Then this is the major for you! This multidisciplinary major will examine all aspects of trivia, including its many different formats and cultural relevancies, how writers make sure their questions are engaging and accurate, and the methods that trivia aficionados use to make sure that they are competitive at the highest levels. Scholars who take this class will leave with both research and study skills, and will collaborate with their peers to design trivia experiences for the rest of the Academy to enjoy. All experience levels are welcome! Whether you are the captain of your scholar bowl team or simply curious about the world of trivia, this is the major for you.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Shakespeare Today

Taught by Mike Kersulov

What’s the big deal with Shakespeare? The language can be confusing. He’s been dead for years. But for some reason he is still important in today’s world. This course will look at how Shakespeare still impacts our lives and entertainment through film, television, and even comic books. Have you read all the different types of Shakespearean plays? Do you like romance, murder, mystery, shipwrecks, and fantasy? They are all there calling out to us. Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Iago, and Bottom. We will meet them all, act the parts, and find how they work themselves into our lives. But we won’t stop there. This course also delves into elements of theatre (i.e. design, costume, lights) and acting for all levels. This course also delves into elements of theatre (i.e. design, costume, lights) and acting for all levels. So come join us as we lose ourselves in the magic of drama and theater, we will find a way to become more acquainted with Shakespeare and his works and determine how each and every one of us has a little bit of Shakespeare inside.

Ground Forces: What’s Land Got to Do with It?

Taught by RJ Koscielniak

Have you ever wondered why your favorite restaurant is sitting all alone in a giant parking lot? Why does it seem like all the new housing is so far away from each other? Why is that massive football stadium in the middle of nowhere? Why are those wind turbines spinning away in that corn field along the interstate? What’s the deal with that abandoned gas station? What’s with all the pits and piles in our towns?

In this major, we’ll come up with answers to these questions and more by looking down at the ground. Land and land use remain powerful forces in the growth, decline, and transformation of our communities. Land isn’t just the neutral stage for our lives and activities – it often establishes the context for how we interact with each other and our communities. Land isn’t just inert! It is how cities and neighborhoods come to decisions about what they want to be. By simply controlling land, some people can influence and shape the future – finding new ways to design, plan, govern, and profit from the ground we are usually just moving along or settling upon. We’ll study landscapes, draft maps, imagine our perfect neighborhoods, and debate what the future looks like for our communities. By investigating the history of land in the United States, the emergence of private property, and why having lots of land isn’t always positive, we will develop a new understanding of food, entertainment, housing, and economics. What’s land got to do with it? Everything!

Chemistry and Energy: Creating Global Solutions

Taught by Megan Lilien

Energy is everywhere, manifesting in various forms all around us, from the depths of the earth to the skies above and everywhere in between. This hands-on course integrates chemistry with multiple scientific disciplines, including biology, physics, and engineering to comprehensively explore the fascinating world of energy. From photosynthesis to fossil fuels and nuclear energy, scholars will build a foundation of knowledge and develop models of energy through experiments, field trips, projects, and simulations. Scholars will apply this knowledge to solve global energy problems, one of the most important questions of the 21st century. If you’re passionate about science and eager to contribute to shaping a sustainable future, this class is designed for you!

Reel Wars: World Wars, Film, and Memory

Taught by Michael Limmer

Wars have been fought on the battlefield, but also on the big screen. Film is intimately connected to how wars have been interpreted and remembered. From propaganda to anti-war films, we will examine how cinema has reflected, shaped, and reimagined experiences and understandings of war. While our primary focus will be on World War II, we will also explore war and film from 19th-century European imperial conflicts in Africa to the 21st-century Russo-Ukrainian War. From battlefield blockbusters to haunting documentaries, we will consider the role of nationalism in film and its impact on collective memory. Lastly, we will intersect our analysis of film with other forms of media, from television shows to video games to podcasts, to consider how war has been reinterpreted in other mediums. Together, we will ask: How has Hollywood turned war and violence into spectacle? How have films continued to shape public memory of the conflict? Why do some stories get told while others are forgotten? Through screenings, discussions, and critical analysis, we will uncover the power of cinema in shaping how we see and remember the past. Lights, camera, action! 

A World of Math: Math Modeling for Community Improvement.

Taught by Matthew Matheney

By now, you have taken many math classes and learned quite a bit in that time. But when will you be able to put what you have learned into practice? This course aims to answer that very question. Our goal will be to use mathematics to better the world around us, including the Academy itself. As such, you will never be subjected to a lecture in this class, only interesting and relevant problems. Join us, as we apply our collective knowledge of mathematics to develop solutions to community issues and progress our own understanding of the math modeling process.

Kings, Knights and Knaves

Taught by Brian Matz

The legendary accounts of King Arthur and his “knights of the round table” fascinated the storytellers in the Middle Ages. They continue to fascinate us in video games, movies, comics, and books. It’s little wonder why. They are stories of romance, of quests, of duels, of daring adventures, of surviving against all odds. We’ll digest some of these stories, we’ll examine historical documents from the time that fill in some important details, and we’ll watch some films that tell these same stories today. Along the way, we’ll mix in a few quests around campus and the town of Columbia, craft an illuminated medieval manuscript with an adventure story of our own and then turn that adventure story into a role playing game. 

“Whaaaaaaaat, that’s not music!”

Taught by Austin McWilliams

Or is it? This major aims to explore just what music is. We’ll start at the physical origins of sound and dig through music theory and compositional techniques of the great classical composers—until we hit the twentieth century and musical chaos erupts. Then WE will become the musicians as we dare to perform and analyze some of the great experimental works of the last century. Finally, we’ll create and perform our own Contemporary musical works using digital audio editing software, found sounds, traditional instruments, and whatever else we’ve come to know as music. Having the ability to read music is recommended in order to enjoy this course. Bring your instrument(s) with you to MSA!

American Sign Language

Taught by Jessie Menchak

In this course, scholars will learn novice and intermediate levels of American Sign Language, Deaf history and Deaf culture. Through hands-on learning, signed conversations, projects and course materials, they will learn: the structure and grammar of ASL, how to communicate in the language, and information on the historical and cultural contexts of the Deaf community.

Sounds of Science

Taught by Sabrina Michael

What does science sound like? There are symphonies all around us—some we can hear and others that require special tools to uncover. Most acoustic signals on Earth are transmitted through substrate-borne vibrations, many of which remain undocumented. This course has a strong biology focus, teaching scholars how to eavesdrop on these hidden conversations in the natural world, from animals to plants. Students will learn to analyze the sounds and vibrations they detect, gaining insight into the fascinating world of bioacoustics. To spark creativity, scholars will also create an artistic soundscape inspired by the symphonies of nature.

Fiction Equals Lies (Or Does It??)

Taught by Caitlin Palmer

Short stories, novels, films – they are all art forms we go to, understanding they are curated, but hoping to find some truth within. Hemingway said: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter” (we’ll update the technology) “and bleed.” E.M. Forster wrote: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” We will explore fiction as a way of truth-finding – that is, writing, concocting, and experimenting, with made-up scenarios that say something about our real lives, now. We’ll get caught up to the present moment in literature by reading current writers such as Lydia Davis, Jamel Brinkley, Colin Barrett, and others. We’ll practice with exercises that get us into a story, through character, scene, language, and plot, and then we’ll pick one to build off of. (Hopefully) we’ll get a chance to workshop together, the way real college students do, and at the end we will briefly discuss publishing. Let’s get real and tell false stories.

The Cryptography Lab: Build, Break, Escape

Taught by Sam Rayburn

Unlock the thrilling world of cryptography in this thrilling major where puzzles, math, and computer science collide! Dive into the history of codes and ciphers, tackle hands-on challenges, and learn how cryptographic principles shape modern data security and even quantum computing. You’ll collaborate on projects and take on individual challenges, all while exploring the art of puzzle design. By the end, you’ll have the tools to craft your own escape-room-style games, complete with mind-bending puzzles to stump even the sharpest codebreakers. Get ready to unleash your inner cryptographer and bring your ideas to life in this immersive, brain-teasing adventure!

It’s the End of the World (As We Know It): An Exploration of -ISMs 

Taught by Brian Stuhlman

What is art? Where is art? Why is art?  If you look closely enough, you can find it, or make it, out of everything and anything, and for any reason…or for no reason. Artintertwines with the life and time of its creation, showing how people think and feel, and how they act, react, and interact with the world around them.  Art can inspire people to respond and to express thoughts, emotions and philosophies in all kinds of ways.  In this major, we will take a look at the past ~125 years (or so), and examine the instants, the people, the thoughts, and ideas that created some of the most influential -ISM movements of the modern age. We will become artists, performers, writers, and curators as we engage our imaginative spirits and learn from one another and from the big names (Picasso…Einstein…Marx…Seuss…Kermit…and many more). Our goal is not to focus on the end of things, but rather the new beginnings as we explore how our cultural attitudes have changed in the last century-and-a-half. Maybe then we’ll figure out where we were, where we are, where we might be going…and what part art plays in it all.