Associate of Arts in General Studies
Course Number | Course | Credit Hours | Description |
| NWLN100 | Newlane Basic Orientation and Jumpstart | 0 | An orientation to the Newlane learning and mastery-verification platform. |
| GE100 | Keys to College Success | 3 | This course is designed to prepare college students for the expectations of academic life. It aims to equip students with the tools needed to make their college experience a successful one. The course will cover everything from test taking skills to creating a resume. Though the text is oriented to a student in a conventional university setting, the expectations are typically similar or the same for students on the Newlane platform. This course also highlights how to navigate and make the most of your studies at Newlane University. |
| HLTH101 | Introduction to Health | 3 | Exploration of the connection between personal choices and health across multiple dimensions of wellness. Personalized behavior change strategies to advance health will be developed. This course provides students the opportunity to explore careers in health care. Instruction includes history of health care, in-depth study and exposure to health careers, career planning, employability skills, terminology, ethics, wellness vs. illness, and safety. |
| ENG102 | English Composition | 3 | In this light, writing becomes a dynamic, interactive, and creative rather than a rote practice. You will also begin to value writing as a process – an admittedly difficult one – rather than a product. You will come to see that writing is an act of discovery rather than a recitation of prefabricated ideas.Because this course is designed specifically for students in a university setting, the second unit will focus on academic writing. We will learn how to respond to an assignment or test question by using the “PWR-Writing” or “Power-Writing” Method (PWR: Pre-write, Write, Revise) while learning the ins and outs of building a solid thesis and supporting that thesis with evidence. The remaining units will focus on the minutiae of good writing practices from grammar to style to citation methodology. |
| MATH101 | College Algebra | 3 | In this course, you will study basic algebraic operations and concepts, as well as the structure and use of algebra. This includes solving algebraic equations, factoring algebraic expressions, working with rational expressions, and graphing linear equations. You will apply these skills to solve real-world problems (word problems). Each unit will have its own application problems, depending on the concepts you have been exposed to. This course is also intended to provide you with a strong foundation for intermediate algebra and beyond. It will begin with a review of some math concepts formed in pre-algebra, such as ordering operations and simplifying simple algebraic expressions, to get your feet wet. You will then build on these concepts by learning more about functions, graphing of functions, evaluation of functions, and factorization. You will spend time on the rules of exponents and their applications in distribution of multiplication over addition/subtraction. |
| PHIL101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | The Newlane Introduction to Philosophy is oriented around 5 key areas: The history of philosophy; Ethics; Epistemology; Metaphysics; and Logic. This course is an introduction and an overview of these different areas, but it presents enough in each field to equip you to engage philosophical texts and issues through some powerful frameworks. |
| BIO101 | Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology | 3 | This course is detailed introduction to molecular biology, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; water; and other compounds that make up the cell. There is a particular emphasis on the cell membrane, cellular metabolism, mitosis and meiosis, transcription and translation, and genetics and gene expression. |
| ANTH101 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 | The course begins with a basis in evolutionary theory and human variation. With this foundation, we will explore primate behavior and the fossil record to develop a better understanding of human evolution. We will discuss the archaeological record of early civilizations, the origins and use of language, and the concept of culture in the development of human societies, both extinct and extant. This class will also highlight the epistemological development of the field of anthropology and how religion, culture, and the scientific process pertains to the discipline of anthropology. |
| ART101 | Art Appreciation | 3 | An introduction to the multiple aspects of the visual arts and how to study them. In addition to explaining the creative process, this course will provide the methodology involved in the discipline of Art History. This course will cover multiple art forms, methods, media, visual elements, and principles of design. Finally, students will develop an art historical vocabulary and be able to describe, classify, and compare/contrast works of art. |
| ASTR101 | Introduction to Astronomy | 3 | We invite you to come along on a series of voyages to explore the universe as astronomers understand it today. Beyond Earth are vast and magnificent realms full of objects that have no counterpart on our home planet. Nevertheless, we hope to show you that the evolution of the universe has been directly responsible for your presence on Earth today. |
| PHIL102 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 | Ethics considers what constitutes moral or good behavior, and what constitutes a moral or good life. It also examines the grounds and justifications for ethical behavior, that is: why is one action moral, and another action not? What makes them moral or not?This course engages some of the most influential thinkers and texts in the field of ethics, including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, and Arendt. You’ll learn to wrestle with the moral arguments these figures make, and compare them in light of lasting moral questions and debates.We’ll also explore contemporary ethical issues in light of the frameworks articulated by these thinkers. |
| BIO102 | Introduction to Biology | 3 | Welcome to the Introduction to Biology course at Newlane! This course will give you an introduction to major biological principles, including the scientific method, the biochemistry of living things, the molecular structure and function of living things, genetics, evolution, and population and community ecology. |
| BUS101 | Introduction to Business | 3 | Have you ever wondered what the billionaire Warren Buffett, visionary Steve Jobs, and entrepreneur Jeff Bezos have in common? After you finish studying business practices in this course, you may discover you have many of these same qualities. This course will expose you to business terminology, concepts, and current business practices. We will help you establish a viable business vocabulary, foster critical and analytical thinking, and refine your business decision-making skills. You will acquire these skills throughout this course by simulating today’s workplace. By the end of the course, you will discover how to chart your choice of career in business. Since your education should help you contribute and compete in the global business environment, we will also focus on multicultural aspects of markets and business. We will examine how the business models other countries adopt often reflect their most salient characteristics. |
| COMM101 | Introduction to Communications | 3 | How did humans develop the ability to communicate? Are humans the only creatures on earth that communicate? What purpose does communication serve in our lives? Answers to these historical, anthropological, and social-scientific questions provide part of the diversity of knowledge that makes up the field of communication studies. As a student of communication, you will learn that there is much more to the field than public speaking, even though the origins of communication studies are traced back thousands of years to ancient Greek philosophers and teachers like Plato and Aristotle who were the first to systematically study and write about speech. Communication students and scholars also study basic communication processes like nonverbal communication, perception, and listening, as well as communication in various contexts, including interpersonal, group, and intercultural.Communication has been called the most practical of the academic disciplines. Even the most theoretical and philosophical communication scholars are also practitioners of communication, and even though you have likely never taken another communication studies class, you have a lifetime of experience communicating. This experiential knowledge provides a useful foundation and a starting point from which you can build the knowledge and practice the skills necessary to become a more competent and ethical communicator. |
| HIST202 | A History of the Modern World | 3 | This course offers a survey of the major political, economic, social, and intellectual forces that have shaped the world over the course of the last two centuries. It explores the impact of pivotal events in world history, such as wars and revolutions, as well as the transformative influence of longer-term trends in technology, culture, and ideology on the development of the global human community. |
| HIST203 | European History | 3 | The term “Europe” is an ambiguous one – geographically, culturally, and politically. The geographic boundaries of Europe are hazy, its population is endlessly diverse, and its constituent states morphed over centuries of rivalry, internal conflict, and invasion before it became the Europe we know today. Today we see European unity in the form of the European Union, and while there were attempts to unify Europe by the Roman Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler, among others, ultimately, the unifying factor for Europe is its diversity. |
| MATH201 | Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning | 3 | The main purpose of this course is to bridge the gap between introductory mathematics courses in algebra, linear algebra, and calculus on one hand and advanced courses like mathematical analysis and abstract algebra, on the other hand, which typically require students to provide proofs of propositions and theorems. Another purpose is to pose interesting problems that require you to learn how to manipulate the fundamental objects of mathematics: sets, functions, sequences, and relations. |
| PHYS101 | Introduction to Physics | 3 | This course is concerned with the description of nature – that is, the description and explanation of natural phenomena. These phenomena pertain to all classes of matter in motion or at rest. Its study also includes the different kinds of energy that interact with matter. Physics 1 also aims to explain the basic laws of nature and the most fundamental aspects of matter and energy. As an application of the various concepts learned and skills acquired, physics toys or gadgets are designed, tested and presented by the students. |
| POLSCI101 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 | This is a survey introducing the main foundations and workings of government and political systems. This will include constitutions and branches of government, elections, public opinion and media, political parties and interest groups, political economy and how all of these bring about policy, both domestic and foreign. In other words, the course is about what government does about issues, how and why. We will also look at political theory, ideologies, types of regimes and what makes a successful or legitimate government or state. |
| PSYCH101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 | This course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of psychology and to the major subjects of psychological inquiry. It has been designed to not only provide you with the tools necessary for the study of psychology but to present you with a sampling of the major areas of psychology research. The course begins with a short overview of how psychology developed as an academic discipline and an introduction to a number of the principle methodologies most commonly deployed in its study. The subsequent units are arranged around broad areas of research, including emotion, development, memory, and psychopathology. We will focus on well-substantiated research and current trends within each of these categories. |
| SOC101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 | The Introduction to Sociology course helps students understand the relationship between society and individuals. The idea that we are all profoundly affected by the society in which we live is the guiding light of sociology. In this course, students will study social theory and social research, learn to think beyond their personal lives and to connect the experiences of individuals with large social structures. Topics include sociological research, socialization, crime, media, global inequality, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, aging, marriage and family, religion, education, government and politics, the economy, health and medicine, urbanization and the environment, and social movements. |
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Course Number | Course | Credit Hours | Description |
| NWLN100 | Newlane Basic Orientation and Jumpstart | 0 | An orientation to the Newlane learning and mastery-verification platform. |
| PHIL101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | The Newlane Introduction to Philosophy is oriented around 5 key areas: The history of philosophy; Ethics; Epistemology; Metaphysics; and Logic. This course is an introduction and an overview of these different areas, but it presents enough in each field to equip you to engage philosophical texts and issues through some powerful frameworks. |
| PHIL102 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 | Ethics considers what constitutes moral or good behavior, and what constitutes a moral or good life. It also examines the grounds and justifications for ethical behavior, that is: why is one action moral, and another action not? What makes them moral or not?This course engages some of the most influential thinkers and texts in the field of ethics, including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, and Arendt. You’ll learn to wrestle with the moral arguments these figures make, and compare them in light of lasting moral questions and debates.We’ll also explore contemporary ethical issues in light of the frameworks articulated by these thinkers. |
| PHIL201 | History of Ancient Western Philosophy | 3 | This course surveys important figures in philosophy from the emergence of philosophy in Ancient Greece, through other Presocratic philosophers. The course explores in depth some of the key ideas, theories, and frameworks of Plato and Aristotle, perhaps the two most influential philosophers of all time.We’ll then explore the Hellenistic period, which followed Plato and Aristotle, and brings us to the cusp of medieval times. The course covers primary sources in the history of philosophy from Ancient Greece to Medieval times. |
| PHIL202 | History of Modern Western Philosophy | 3 | This course surveys important figures in philosophy from the Enlightenment, beginning with Descartes, and culminating in Immanuel Kant. The course covers primary sources in the history of philosophy from the dawn of the Enlightenment, through the beginning of the 19th century |
| PHIL203 | Symbolic Logic | 3 | This course covers basic symbolic logic. Students learn to write arguments in formal logic form, and to identify valid and sound arguments as well as arguments with logical fallacies. Students learn to identify and correct the logic in formal arguments, as well as informal arguments in written or spoken form. The course introduces logic, and logical notation, and presents important terms with idiosyncratic meanings in logic (e.g. ‘argument’, ‘valid’, ‘sound’, etc.). The course then explores logical fallacies and truth tables and propositional and predicate logic. Though propositional logic andpredicate logic present only 1/3 of the units, together, they comprise over 75% of the workload as students learn to translate natural language into logical forms, and to prove arguments using either propositional or predicate logic. Learning logic is akin to learning a language. In order to be successful, you’ll need to not just master the rules and definitions, but you’ll need to get fluent at recognizing patterns, solving puzzles, and exercise your “logic” muscles. |
| PHIL301 | Philosophical Writing | 3 | This course is an introduction to philosophical writing. The course involves close reading of philosophical texts, careful interpretation and explication, and the characteristics of making valid, sound, and compelling arguments. |
| PHIL302 | Plato | 3 | Who was Plato? Who were his contemporaries? What questions did he pose and wrestle with? What are his important works and why have they been important before and why are they important today? Why is he a significant figure in the history of philosophy and Western culture? This course seeks to address these questions and more about one of the most important figures in the history of philosophy and Western culture. The course is structured to help students gain a firm grasp on the central ideas of Plato, and to have a familiarity with many of his works. An essential part of gaining such familiarity is to respond to Plato’s ideas. Accordingly, the writing assignments challenge students to analyze an excerpt from a work of Plato, and to respond and carry on a conversation of sorts with Plato. |
| PHIL303 | Aristotle | 3 | This course covers the life and works of Aristotle, one of the most important figures in the history of philosophy and Western culture. |
| PHIL304 | Advanced Topics: Ethics | 3 | This course covers important figures and ideas in the philosophy of ethics or morality. The course engages some of the most influential thinkers and texts in this field, including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche, and Arendt. We’ll also explore contemporary ethical issues in light of the frameworks articulated by these thinkers. |
| PHIL305 | Advanced Topics: Metaphysics | 3 | This course covers important figures and ideas in the history of metaphysics, or the quest for discovering and identifying ultimate reality. |
| PHIL306 | Advanced Topics: Epistemology | 3 | This course covers the history, and important figures and ideas of epistemology, or how we gain and justify “knowledge”. |
| PHIL307 | Kant | 3 | This course covers the life and works of Immanuel Kant, one of the most important figures in the history of philosophy. |
| PHIL308 | Nietzsche | 3 | This course covers the life and works of Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most influential philosophers in the Western postmodern era, and one of the most controversial, convention-defying philosophers ever. Nietzsche is not an easy read, and that is in large part due to his novel, counter-current approach to many long-standing issues. But when you engage his works, and try to appreciate his fresh perspectives, he is a very rewarding writer and thinker. He opens up large vistas in a wide range of topics. We’ll explore Nietzsche’s idiosyncratic approach to philosophy, his heavy criticisms of other philosophers, and his novel approach to morality, epistemology, metaphysics, and aesthetics. |
| PHIL309 | Descartes | 3 | This course covers the life and works of René Descartes. |
| PHIL310 | Aquinas | 3 | This course covers the life and works of St. Thomas Aquinas, including important sections from Summa Contra Gentiles and Summa Theologiae. You will learn that even though Aquinas was a Medieval Dominican friar, his philosophy extends beyond Roman Catholicism and has influenced the entire western world. |
| PHIL311 | Wittgenstein | 3 | This course covers the life and works of Ludwig Wittgenstein. |
| PHIL313 | John Dewey | 3 | This course covers the life and some of the works of John Dewey. Emphasis is given to his philosophy of education, though we also discuss some of his views on ethics, and psychology. |
| PHIL314 | Hannah Arendt | 3 | This course covers the life and works of Hannah Arendt. |
| PHIL315 | Philosophy of Education | 3 | In this course, we will read together and engage some of the most influential texts in educational philosophy and practice. Having a strong background in working through these texts and through the issues we discuss related to these texts will prepare you to clearly articulate the basics of, and your position on a wide range of educational issues, tensions, and everyday educational practices. |
| PHIL316 | Philosophy of Transhumanism | 3 | An exploration of significant individuals and works in the intellectual movement of transhumanism. |
| PHIL317 | Philosophy of Science | 3 | This course covers key concepts in the philosophy of science, including scientific epistemology, scientific paradigms, and how philosophy is applied to the fields of physics and biology. In this course, we will engage some of the most influential works on philosophy of science. |
| PHIL319 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 | Though philosophers have discussed the similarities and differences between men and women throughout Western philosophy, a distinctly feminist philosophical analysis has been employed over the last fifty years. Feminist philosophers have challenged how core notions in philosophy are construed (reason, objectivity, autonomy, and gender, for example) and they have interrogated bias and misogyny in many subfields in philosophy (the history of philosophy, epistemology, and ethics, for example). This course will introduce students to feminist philosophy by examining these feminist arguments and by considering feminist responses to some contemporary issues such as objectification, reproduction, family, prostitution, and pornography. |
| PHIL399 | Philosophy Capstone Project | 6 | The Capstone Project is an extended study available at the end of the Bachelor’s degree program (it is not available for an Associate degree) in which students pursue independent research on a question or problem of their choice, engage with the scholarly debates in the relevant disciplines, and – with the guidance of an advisor – produce a substantial paper, or presentation in another media that reflects a deep understanding of the topic. The Newlane University degree Capstone Project challenges students to synthesize and venture out from what they have learned across their degree course work. This does not mean that the project must incorporate ideas from each course, but it should be a more developed work than a course project that represents that the student has “digested” from a wider range of courses. The Capstone Project should not be a summary of what students have learned from their course work, but rather a new selected line of inquiry, informed by their collective course work. |