Fall 2022 catalog of First-Year Interest Groups

Click on the title of any FIG to open its full page: learn more about its classes, schedule, and download an info sheet to keep.

subject area:

Ethnic Studies:

General Education requirements:

Breadth:

Honors class:

Foreign-language course:

fig_id	title_url	instructor	credits	class1_subject_url	class2_subject_url	class3_subject_url	class4_subject_url	reserved	subject area	ethnic_combined	General Education requirements	Breadth	honors_combined	language	sorted title
1	African Americans Abroad	Laila Amine	10	English	+ Afro-American Studies	+ Sociology			English + Afro-American Studies + Sociology	Yes		Literature Social Science Social Science			African Americans Abroad
2	Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 1)	John Baldacchino	9 or 10	Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	for students advised by the School of Education	Art Department + Art Department + Art Department + Art Department			Humanities			Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 1)
3	Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 2)	John Baldacchino	9 or 10	Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	for students advised by the School of Education	Art Department + Art Department + Art Department + Art Department			Humanities			Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 2)
4	Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 3)	John Baldacchino	9 or 10	Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	+ Art Department	for students advised by the School of Education	Art Department + Art Department + Art Department + Art Department			Humanities			Art and Artists: Foundations of Contemporary Practice (Option 3)
5	Biology of Vision	Bikash Pattnaik	10	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ Psychology	+ Chemistry			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + Psychology + Chemistry			Biological Science Social Science Physical Science			Biology of Vision
6	Children, Marriage, and the Family	Harry Brighouse	10	Philosophy	+ Sociology	+ Educational Psychology			Philosophy + Sociology + Educational Psychology			Humanities or Social Science Social Science Social Science			Children, Marriage, and the Family
7	Classical Myth and Modern American Culture	Ron Harris	10	English	+ Integrated Liberal Studies	+ Latin			English + Integrated Liberal Studies + Latin			Literature Literature		Yes	Classical Myth and Modern American Culture
8	Climate Crisis Literature	Sarah Wood	9	English	+ Environmental Studies	+ Geography			English + Environmental Studies + Geography			Literature Social Science Social Science			Climate Crisis Literature
9	The Disability Experience	Susan Smedema	9	Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education	+ Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education	+ Counseling Psychology			Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education + Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education + Counseling Psychology	Yes		Social Science Social Science			Disability Experience
10	Disability, Gender, and Sexuality	Sami Schalk	9	Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Civil Society and Community Studies			Gender and Women’s Studies + Gender and Women’s Studies + Civil Society and Community Studies	Yes		Humanities Humanities or Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Disability, Gender, and Sexuality
11	Diversity in Special Education	Carlyn Mueller	10	Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education	+ Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education	+ Sociology			Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education + Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education + Sociology	Yes		Social Science			Diversity in Special Education
12	Earth Partnership, Indigenous Arts, and Sciences: Restoration Education and Stewardship	Maria Moreno and Cheryl Bauer-Armstrong	9	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ Environmental Studies	+ American Indian Studies			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + Environmental Studies + American Indian Studies	Yes		Social Science Social Science Social Science			Earth Partnership, Indigenous Arts, and Sciences: Restoration Education and Stewardship
13	Exploring Biology (Option 1)	Cara Theisen	8	Integrated Science	+ English	+ Mathematics			Integrated Science + English + Mathematics		Communication Part A Quantitative Reasoning Part A	Biological Science			Exploring Biology (Option 1)
14	Exploring Biology (Option 2)	Cara Theisen	9	Integrated Science	+ Anthropology	+ Chemistry			Integrated Science + Anthropology + Chemistry			Biological Science Biological Science Physical Science	Honors Optional		Exploring Biology (Option 2)
15	Exploring Biology (Option 3)	Cara Theisen	9	Integrated Science	+ Interdisciplinary Courses (SOHE)	+ Chemistry			Integrated Science + Interdisciplinary Courses SOHE + Chemistry			Biological Science Social Science Physical Science			Exploring Biology (Option 3)
16	Exploring Biology (Option 4)	Cara Theisen	9	Integrated Science	+ Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Chemistry			Integrated Science + Gender and Women’s Studies + Chemistry			Biological Science Natural Science Physical Science			Exploring Biology (Option 4)
17	Making Food, Making Meaning	Corrie Norman	9	Religious Studies	+ Horticulture	+ Anthropology			Religious Studies + Horticulture + Anthropology	Yes		Humanities Biological Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Making Food, Making Meaning
18	Game Design	Krista-Lee Malone	10	Curriculum and Instruction	+ Sociology	+ Communication Arts			Curriculum and Instruction + Sociology + Communication Arts	Yes		Social Science Humanities or Social Science			Game Design
19	Gandhi, King, Mandela: Nonviolence in the World	Mou Banerjee	11	History Department	+ Political Science	+ Sociology			History Department + Political Science + Sociology	Yes		Humanities or Social Science Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional Honors Optional		Gandhi, King, Mandela: Nonviolence in the World
20	Global Biodiversity and the Sixth Mass Extinction	Daniel Young	9	Entomology	+ Entomology	+ Chemistry			Entomology + Entomology + Chemistry			Biological Science Physical Science	Honors Optional		Global Biodiversity and the Sixth Mass Extinction
21	Global Food Security: The Real Hunger Games	Jeri Barak	11	Plant Pathology	+ Plant Pathology	+ Plant Pathology	+ Chemistry		Plant Pathology + Plant Pathology + Plant Pathology + Chemistry			Biological Science Biological Science Biological Science Physical Science	Honors Optional		Global Food Security: The Real Hunger Games
22	Global Poverty: Cross-Cultural Perspectives	Matthew Turner	9	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ Anthropology	+ Nutritional Sciences			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + Anthropology + Nutritional Sciences	Yes		Social Science Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Global Poverty: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
23	Global Reproductive Politics	Emily Callaci	9	History Department	+ Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Sociology			History Department + Gender and Women’s Studies + Sociology	Yes		Humanities or Social Science Natural Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Global Reproductive Politics
24	Globalism, World Regions, and Globalizing Education	Margaret Hawkins	10	Curriculum and Instruction	+ International Studies	+ Anthropology			Curriculum and Instruction + International Studies + Anthropology	Yes		Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Globalism, World Regions, and Globalizing Education
25	Harnessing Plant Chemistry for a Sustainable Future	Hiroshi Maeda	11	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ Chemistry	+ Community and Environmental Sociology			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + Chemistry + Community and Environmental Sociology			Biological Science Physical Science Social Science			Harnessing Plant Chemistry for a Sustainable Future
26	Healthcare and Engineering	Tracy Puccinelli	10	Interdisciplinary Courses (Engineering)	+ Chemistry	+ Religious Studies		for students admitted directly into the College of Engineering	Interdisciplinary Courses Engineering + Chemistry + Religious Studies			Physical Science Humanities or Social Science			Healthcare and Engineering
27	Hispanic Literatures through the Perspective of Gender	Ksenija Bilbija	9	Spanish	+ Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Spanish	+ Spanish		Spanish + Gender and Women’s Studies + Spanish + Spanish			Literature Social Science	Honors Optional Honors Optional	Yes	Hispanic Literatures through the Perspective of Gender
28	The History of Yoga	Gudrun Buhnemann	10	Asian Languages and Cultures	+ Anthropology	+ Philosophy			Asian Languages and Cultures + Anthropology + Philosophy	Yes		Humanities Social Science Humanities or Social Science	Honors Optional		History of Yoga
29	But Some of Us Are Brave: Introduction to Black Women Writers	Brittney Edmonds	10	Afro-American Studies	+ Sociology	+ Gender and Women’s Studies			Afro-American Studies + Sociology + Gender and Women’s Studies	Yes		Literature Social Science Social Science			But Some of Us Are Brave: Introduction to Black Women Writers
30	Human Memory, Big Data, and the Digital Age	Mark Vareschi	10	English	+ Philosophy	+ Computer Sciences			English + Philosophy + Computer Sciences		Quantitative Reasoning Part B	Literature Humanities or Social Science Natural Science	Honors Optional		Human Memory, Big Data, and the Digital Age
31	Imagining Crime: Criminal Justice in Fact and Fiction	Ralph Grunewald	11	English	+ Legal Studies	+ Sociology			English + Legal Studies + Sociology	Yes		Literature Social Science Social Science			Imagining Crime: Criminal Justice in Fact and Fiction
32	Internet and Society	Rebekah Willett	9	Library and Information Studies	+ Communication Arts	+ Library and Information Studies			Library and Information Studies + Communication Arts + Library and Information Studies	Yes		Social Science Humanities Humanities or Social Science			Internet and Society
33	Laboring for Revolution: An Introduction to the Life, Thought, and Legacy of Karl Marx	Joseph Bowling	11	English	+ History Department	+ Philosophy			English + History Department + Philosophy			Literature Humanities or Social Science Humanities or Social Science	Honors Optional		Laboring for Revolution: An Introduction to the Life, Thought, and Legacy of Karl Marx
34	Law and Disorder in Russia	Kathryn Hendley	7 or 11	Political Science	+ Political Science	+ Slavic Languages			Political Science + Political Science + Slavic Languages			Social Science Social Science		Yes	Law and Disorder in Russia
35	Listening to Land: Indigenous Education, Language, and Foodways	Dan Cornelius and Daniel Hayden	10	Educational Policy Studies	+ Environmental Studies	+ American Indian Studies			Educational Policy Studies + Environmental Studies + American Indian Studies	Yes		Social Science Physical Science Humanities		Yes	Listening to Land: Indigenous Education, Language, and Foodways
36	Make it Count: Measuring Physical Activity Behavior	Morgan Shields	10	Kinesiology	+ Mathematics	+ English	+ Kinesiology		Kinesiology + Mathematics + English + Kinesiology		Quantitative Reasoning Part A Communication Part A				Make it Count: Measuring Physical Activity Behavior
37	National Identity in the Global World: the Italian Case	Ernesto Livorni	11	Literature in Translation	+ History Department	+ Political Science			Literature in Translation + History Department + Political Science			Literature Humanities or Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional		National Identity in the Global World: the Italian Case
38	Nursing: Child Development (Option 1)		8	Nursing	+ Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education	+ Educational Psychology		for students advised by the School of Nursing	Nursing + Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education + Educational Psychology			Social Science Social Science			Nursing: Child Development (Option 1)
39	Nursing: Diversity and Women’s Studies (Option 2)		9	Nursing	+ Sociology	+ Gender and Women’s Studies		for students advised by the School of Nursing	Nursing + Sociology + Gender and Women’s Studies	Yes		Social Science Social Science Natural Science			Nursing: Diversity and Women’s Studies (Option 2)
40	Nursing: Equality in Healthcare (Option 3)		9	Nursing	+ Sociology	+ Religious Studies		for students advised by the School of Nursing	Nursing + Sociology + Religious Studies	Yes		Social Science Social Science Humanities or Social Science			Nursing: Equality in Healthcare (Option 3)
41	Nursing: Global Health (Option 4)		8	Nursing	+ Nutritional Sciences	+ Sociology		for students advised by the School of Nursing	Nursing + Nutritional Sciences + Sociology	Yes		Social Science Social Science Social Science			Nursing: Global Health (Option 4)
42	Nursing: Inclusive Communication (Option 5)		9	Nursing	+ English	+ Sociology		for students advised by the School of Nursing	Nursing + English + Sociology	Yes	Communication Part A	Social Science Social Science			Nursing: Inclusive Communication (Option 5)
43	Observation and Discovery: How Astronomy Shapes our Worldview	James Lattis	9	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ Astronomy	+ History of Science			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + Astronomy + History of Science		Quantitative Reasoning Part B	Social Science or Natural Science Physical Science Humanities	Honors Optional Honors Optional		Observation and Discovery: How Astronomy Shapes our Worldview
45	The Periodic Table of Life	Judith Burstyn	10 or 11	Chemistry	+ History of Science	+ Chemistry	+ Chemistry		Chemistry + History of Science + Chemistry + Chemistry		Quantitative Reasoning Part B	Physical Science Humanities Physical Science Physical Science	Honors Optional		Periodic Table of Life
46	Pharmacy and You (Option 1)	Denise Walbrandt Pigarelli, Michael Pitterle, Amy Zwaska	9	Pharmacy	+ Counseling Psychology	+ Chemistry		If you are advised outside the School of Pharmacy, please contact amy.zwaska@wisc.edu for approval to enroll.	Pharmacy + Counseling Psychology + Chemistry	Yes		Social Science Physical Science			Pharmacy and You (Option 1)
47	Pharmacy and You (Option 2)	Denise Walbrandt Pigarelli, Michael Pitterle, Amy Zwaska	9 or 10	Pharmacy	+ Counseling Psychology	+ Chemistry	+ Chemistry	If you are advised outside the School of Pharmacy, please contact amy.zwaska@wisc.edu for approval to enroll.	Pharmacy + Counseling Psychology + Chemistry + Chemistry	Yes	Quantitative Reasoning Part B	Social Science Physical Science Physical Science			Pharmacy and You (Option 2)
48	Philosophy and the Scientific Worldview	Farid Masrour	9	Philosophy	+ Science and Technology Studies	+ Computer Sciences	+ Computer Sciences	for students in the College of Letters & Science Honors Program	Philosophy + Science and Technology Studies + Computer Sciences + Computer Sciences		Quantitative Reasoning Part B Quantitative Reasoning Part B	Humanities or Social Science Humanities or Social Science Natural Science Natural Science	Honors Only		Philosophy and the Scientific Worldview
49	The Physiology of Human Performance	Gary Diffee	9	Kinesiology	+ Chemistry	+ Kinesiology			Kinesiology + Chemistry + Kinesiology			Physical Science			Physiology of Human Performance
50	Plants and Human Well-being	Irwin Goldman	10	Horticulture	+ Horticulture	+ Chemistry	+ Anthropology		Horticulture + Horticulture + Chemistry + Anthropology	Yes		Biological Science Biological Science Physical Science Social Science	Honors Optional		Plants and Human Well-being
51	Rainforests and Coral Reefs	Catherine Woodward	10 or 11	Botany	+ Chemistry	+ Spanish			Botany + Chemistry + Spanish			Biological Science Physical Science		Yes	Rainforests and Coral Reefs
52	Refugee Rights in a Bordered World	Jenna Loyd	10	Interdisciplinary Courses (L&S)	+ International Studies	+ Gender and Women’s Studies			Interdisciplinary Courses L&S + International Studies + Gender and Women’s Studies			Social Science Social Science Social Science			Refugee Rights in a Bordered World
53	Representing Inequality	Matthew Brown	10	African Cultural Studies	+ Sociology	+ Civil Society and Community Studies			African Cultural Studies + Sociology + Civil Society and Community Studies	Yes	Communication Part B	Literature Social Science Social Science			Representing Inequality
54	Sex, Drugs, and Literature in Latin America	Beatriz Botero	10	Integrated Liberal Studies	+ Sociology	+ Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies			Integrated Liberal Studies + Sociology + Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies	Yes		Literature Social Science Social Science			Sex, Drugs, and Literature in Latin America
55	Soccer in Africa (and the World)	Vlad Dima	10	African Cultural Studies	+ International Studies	+ History Department			African Cultural Studies + International Studies + History Department		Communication Part B	Humanities Social Science Humanities or Social Science	Honors Optional		Soccer in Africa (and the World)
56	Sustainability and Engineering	Katie Kalscheur	11	Interdisciplinary Courses (Engineering)	+ Mathematics	+ Environmental Studies		for students admitted directly into the College of Engineering	Interdisciplinary Courses Engineering + Mathematics + Environmental Studies		Quantitative Reasoning Part A	Social Science			Sustainability and Engineering
57	U.S. LGBTQ+ History in Film	Finn Enke	9	History Department	+ Gender and Women’s Studies	+ Communication Arts			History Department + Gender and Women’s Studies + Communication Arts	Yes		Humanities or Social Science Humanities or Social Science Humanities	Honors Optional		U.S. LGBTQ+ History in Film
58	Virtue in the Greco-Roman World	Leonora Neville	11	History Department	+ Legal Studies	+ Political Science			History Department + Legal Studies + Political Science			Humanities or Social Science Social Science Humanities	Honors Optional		Virtue in the Greco-Roman World
59	War and Forced Displacement	Cindy I-Fen Cheng	11	History Department	+ Political Science	+ Geography			History Department + Political Science + Geography		Communication Part B	Humanities or Social Science Social Science Social Science	Honors Optional Honors Optional		War and Forced Displacement
60	We Are What We Eat: Food and Identity	Erika Anna	10	Nutritional Sciences	+ Nutritional Sciences	+ Chemistry			Nutritional Sciences + Nutritional Sciences + Chemistry	Yes		Social Science Biological Science Physical Science			We Are What We Eat: Food and Identity
61	World of the Vikings	Scott Mellor	6 or 10	Literature in Translation	+ Folklore Program	+ Scandinavian Studies			Literature in Translation + Folklore Program + Scandinavian Studies	Yes		Literature Humanities	Honors Optional	Yes	World of the Vikings
62	Yoga in Poetry and Pose	Chris Livanos	9	Comparative Literature	+ Religious Studies	+ Nutritional Sciences			Comparative Literature + Religious Studies + Nutritional Sciences			Literature Humanities or Social Science Social Science			Yoga in Poetry and Pose
									subject area	ethnic_combined	General Education requirements	Breadth	honors_combined	language

Use the filter below to find FIGs that have classes in certain subject areas, or that meet UW General Education Requirements. Your SOAR advisor will help you understand these. Read more about General Education Requirements and the College of Letters & Science Honors Program.