Interdisciplinary Studies

First Year Experience Program

Courses

University Experience

• UE 0100 - The University Experience

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  Fall, Spring & Summer 1 Credit Hour
  UE 100 is required for all degree-seeking students having completed fewer than 30 credit hours. UE 100 is a fundamentals course designed to assist first-year students in successfully defining themselves both as active participants in the MSSU community and as citizens of a twenty-first century global community. The course offers information on university personnel, services, facilities, policies, study skills, and MSSU’s international programs and international study opportunities. Student participation in co-curricular activities is required.
• UE 0105 - Career and Life Planning

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  Fall, Spring & Summer 2 Credit Hours
  This course is designed to assist students in the career planning process. A primary objective of this course is to learn and practice systematic approaches to career planning and decision-making. To assist in this process, strategies for decision-making and goal setting will be discussed. Students will go on a personal journey to take a closer look at their personality and how their personality, wants, values and decision-making strategies affect how they choose a major or career. Recommended for all undecided majors and open to any students.
• UE 0400 - Leadership Training I

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  Spring 1 Credit Hour
  Leadership Training I is a semester-long, one-credit hour course designed to prepare students to serve as course assistants for the UE 0100   course. In Leadership Training I, students develop familiarity with issues, materials, resources, and methods relevant to assist them in mentoring first-year students enrolled in UE 100. UE 400 may be repeated for credit. UE 400 may be repeated for credit.
• UE 0401 - Leadership Training II

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  Fall, Spring & Summer 2 Credit Hours
  Leadership Training II is a semester-long, two-credit hour course for students who serve as peer mentors for the UE 0100  course. Students will receive credit for Leadership Training II for successfully assisting an instructor in teaching a UE 0100  class. UE 401 may be repeated for credit. Successful completion of the course entitles a mentor to a cash stipend. Prerequisite: UE 0400 . UE 401 may be repeated for credit.

Honors

Programs

Certificate

• •  Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate, HN90

Courses

Honors Program

• HNRS 0101 - Honors Forum

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  Fall & Spring 2 Credit Hours
  An open and interdisciplinary forum to introduce first-year Honors students to the principles and practices of scholarly inquiry and active learning. Students will read a variety of texts concerning personal and academic challenges inherent in a college environment. In doing so, they will define themselves both as students and as individuals while becoming active participants in the MSSU community and as citizens of a twenty-first century global community.
• HNRS 0201 - Service Learning

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  Fall & Spring 1-4 Credit Hours
  By engaging the Honors Scholar as a volunteer in an unfamiliar, public service-oriented institution, this course experience is designed to expose the student to the concepts of self and cognitive awareness and to lead the student through a critical analysis of the dominant paradigms of thought encountered during the service.
• HNRS 0298 - Special Topics

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  Demand 1-3 Credit Hours
  An interdisciplinary Honors course. Topics to be announced each time the course is offered and approved by the Honors Director. Emphasis on discussion, group activities and projects. Prerequisite: HNRS 0101 .
• HNRS 0400 - Research Seminar

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  Fall & Spring 3 Credit Hours
  Introduces Honors students to a wide range of research practices and methodologies in order to prepare them for their senior thesis projects. Students will be exposed to the language of research; ethical principles and challenges; the elements of the research process; research design; and a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Prerequisites: sophomore standing, good standing in the MSSU Honors Program.
• HNRS 0490 - Honors Thesis

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  Fall & Spring 1 Credit Hour
  Students will meet regularly with Honor Program faculty to assess their progress toward completing their Honors thesis projects and meeting the terms of the Honors contract they signed with their faculty mentor. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, good standing in the MSSU Honors Program.
• HNRS 0495 - Honors Seminar

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  Demand 3 Credit Hours
  Intensive seminar course for upper-division Honors students, culminating in a substantial research paper. Topics to be announced each time the course is offered and approved by Honors Director. Prerequisite: HNRS 0101  and HNRS 0201 . Honors 495 may be repeated once for credit when topic varies.
• HNRS 0498 - Advanced Special Topics

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  Demand 1-3 Credit Hours
  An Honors course for upper-division Honors students. Topics to be announced each time the course is offered. Prerequisite: HNRS 0101  and HNRS 0201  .
• HNRS 0499 - Independent Study

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  Fall, Spring & Summer 1-3 Credit Hours
  Course structured by the instructor with approval of the Director of the Honors Program. Prerequisite: member in good standing of the Honors Program. Registration must be approved by the student’s advisor, department head and school dean.

Military Science

Courses

Military Science

• GOLD 0101 - Intro to Tactical Leadership

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  Spring 2 Credit Hours
  Introduce students to the personal challenges and competencies that are critical for effective leadership. Students learn how the personal development of life skills such as critical thinking, goal setting, time management, physical fitness, and stress management relate to leadership, officership, and the Army profession. Overview of leadership fundamentals such as setting direction, problem solving, presenting briefs, providing feedback, and using effective writing skills.
• GOLD 0120 - Military Fitness I Spring

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  Spring 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0201 - Innovative Team Leadership

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  Fall 2 Credit Hours
  Explores the dimensions of creative and innovative tactical leadership strategies and styles by examining team dynamics and leadership theories that form the basis of Army Leadership framework. Students practice aspects of personal motivation and team building in the context of planning, executing, and assessing team exercises and participating in Leadership Labs. Focused on a continued knowledge of leadership values and attributes through the understanding of Army rank, structure, and duties and basic aspects of land navigation and squad tactics. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Prerequisite: GOLD 0101  or Experiential Learning credit (Current National Guard or previous active duty may qualify for experiential learning).
• GOLD 0202 - Found of Tactical Leadership

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  Spring 2 Credit Hours
  Examine the challenges of leading teams in the complex Contemporary Operating Environment. The course highlights dimensions of terrain analysis, patrolling, and operation orders. Further study of Army Leadership framework explores adaptive leadership in the context of military operations. Students develop greater self-awareness as they assess their own leadership styles and practice communication and team building skills. Contemporary Operating Environment studies give insight into the importance and practice of teamwork and tactics in real-world scenarios. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Pre-requisite GOLD 0201  or Experiential Learning credit (Current National Guard or previous active duty may qualify for experiential learning).
• GOLD 0210 - Military Fitness II Fall

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  Fall 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0220 - Military Fitness II Spring

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  Spring 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0298 - Topics in Military Science

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  3 Credit Hours
  Designed to give instruction in some area of Military Science not covered in other courses. Course provides a study of Military Leadership through a focused analysis of a particular military leader, using the Army Leadership Requirements Model, assigned readings, forum discussions and a final paper. The topic or area of interest varies from year to year. Prerequisites: GOLD 0101  and/or consent of the instructor.
• GOLD 0301 - Adaptive Team Leadership

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  Fall 2 Credit Hours
  Challenges students to study, practice, and evaluate adaptive leadership skills they are presented with the demands of preparing for Officer Candidate School and commissioning. Challenging scenarios related to small unit tactics are used to develop self awareness and critical thinking skills. Students receive systematic and specific feedback on their leadership abilities. Primary attention is given to leadership values, attributes, skills, and actions. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Pre-requisite GOLD 0202  or Experiential Learning credit (Current National Guard or previous active duty may qualify for experiential learning).
• GOLD 0302 - Leadership in Changing Environ

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  Spring 2 Credit Hours
  This course uses increasingly intense situational leadership challenges to build student awareness and skills in leading tactical operations. Having learned squad-level tactics in GOLD 0301 , students learn to lead up to Platoon Level. Students review aspects of combat, stability, and support operations. They also conduct military briefings and develop proficiency in garrison operation orders. The focus is on exploring, evaluating, and developing skills in decision making, persuading, and motivating team members in the Contemporary Operating Environment. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Pre-requisite GOLD 0301  or Experiential Learning Credit.
• GOLD 0310 - Military Fitness III Fall

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  Fall 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0320 - Military Fitness III Spring

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  Spring 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0401 - Developing Adaptive Leaders

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  Fall 2 Credit Hours
  Develops student proficiency is planning, executing, and assessing complex operations, functioning as a member of a staff, and providing leadership-performance feedback to subordinates. Students are given situational opportunities to assess risk, make ethical decisions, and provide coaching to GOLD students. Students are measured by their ability to give and receive systematic and specific feedback on leadership abilities. Attention is given to preparation for Platoon Leaders and branch-specific leadership abilities. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Pre-requisite GOLD 0301 , GOLD 0302  
• GOLD 0402 - Leadership in a Complex World

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  Spring 2 Credit Hours
  Explore the dynamics of leading in a complex situation of current military operations in the Contemporary Operating Environment. Students examine differences in customs, courtesies, military law, principles of war, and rules of engagement in the face of international terrorism. Students also explore aspects of interacting with nongovernmental agencies, civilians on the battlefield, and host nation support. The course places significant emphasis on preparing students for their first unit assignment Second Lieutenants. Two hours of lecture weekly with required drills and field experiences. Pre-requisite GOLD 0301 , GOLD 0302 , GOLD 0401 .
• GOLD 0410 - Military Fitness IV Fall

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  Fall * 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0420 - Military Fitness IV Spring

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  Spring * 1 Credit Hour
  Introduce students to personal challenges through the Army Physical Readiness Training program. Students learn how to conduct military physical fitness training through organized instructor-led training. This is a one hour of lab meeting MWF morning from 0600-0700.
• GOLD 0491 - Internship in Military Science

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  1-3 Credit Hours
  In conference with an internship committee one half of a semester in advance, the student shall select to work and observe in any area of applied leadership in which on-the-job experience would be beneficial to the student’s training. Prerequisites: GOLD 101, junior or senior, and/or consent of the instructor. Course can be repeated up to six credit hours. Student will complete 120 work hours with assigned position for 3 academic credit hours.
• GOLD 0498 - Adv Topics in Military Science

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  3 Credit Hours
  Designed to give advanced instruction in some area of Military Science not covered in other courses. Course provides a study of Military Leadership through a focused analysis of a particular military leader, using the Army Leadership Requirements Model, assigned readings, forum discussions and a final paper. The topic or area of interest varies from year to year. Prerequisites: GOLD 101, GOLD 201, GOLD 202 and GOLD 298 and/or consent of the instructor.
• GOLD 0499 - Independent Study Mil Science

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  1-3 Credit Hours
  Study and research by the student under the direction and supervision of instructor/advisor with prior approval by department chair and school dean. Prerequisites:GOLD 0101  , junior or senior status and/or consent of instructor. Repeatable up to six credit hours.