Innovation and Creativity

Liberal Studies/LTHE 373: The Protestant Tradition

A study of the development of Christianity with special emphasis on the Protestant Reformation and the thinking of significant contemporary Protestant theologians. Prerequisites: LTHE 101 and LTHE 201 3 credits

Liberal Studies/LTHE 374: Protestant Christianity in the Twenty-First Century

The Protestant Christianity course is an examination of contemporary Protestant expressions and the interface of religion, politics, and social movements. The course provides a context by investigating the nature of Protestantism beginning with its origins in the Reformation of the 16th century. The defining characteristics of the movement are examined, as are the ways in which these characteristics influenced subsequent church formation both in Europe and in North America. An overview of the different traditions within the Protestant movement provides the basis for the examination of several expressions of Protestantism within the Erie area. Prerequisites: LTHE 101 and LTHE 201 3 credits

Liberal Studies/LTHE 377: Ancient Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome

This course examines the origins of Christianity and traces its development and institutional expansion until the end of antiquity, when the Roman church of the western Mediterranean began to resemble the Catholic Church. Central themes include the diversity of early Christian traditions, theological controversy in the service of unity, and the effects of changes in intellectual trends on ordinary people. Prerequisites: LTHE 101 and LTHE 201 3 credits

Liberal Studies/LTHE 381: Christianity and World Religions: Western Tradition

This course will consider the teachings of the monotheistic world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Islam) in the context of Christian belief, emphasizing both the openness of a post-conciliar Catholicism to insights from other faiths, points of similarity in beliefs and in practice between Christianity and other religions, and also the distinctiveness of different religious traditions. Prerequisites: LTHE 101 and LTHE 201 3 credits

Liberal Studies/LTHE 383: Christianity and World Religions: Eastern Tradition

The course will consider the teachings of the South and East Asian world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism), as well as primal (pre-literate) religions, in the context of Christian belief, emphasizing both the openness of a post-conciliar Catholicism to insight from other faiths, points of similarity in beliefs and in practice between Christianity and other religions, and also the distinctiveness of different religious traditions. Prerequisites: LTHE 101 and LTHE 201 3 credits

MINOR IN INNOVATION & CREATIVITY

KURT HERSCH, MBA, Assistant Teaching Professor The Minor in Innovation & Creativity has been developed in response to a growing recognition of the importance of developing in students the skills, attitudes and mindsets that will allow them to address the complex problems of our society. Creativity and innovation have emerged over the past decade as essential to success in our rapidly changing world. The Minor in Innovation & Creativity has been constructed to develop the key elements of creativity through a series of courses in which students will be asked to question respectfully, think divergently, and act collaboratively. As students work their way through these courses, they will be given opportunity to grow creative thought into actionable innovation. Creativity has been seen as the fuel of innovation, but innovation itself requires particular micro- and macro-environments that are fueled by interdisciplinary collaboration, distributed reasoning, planned failure, creativity modeling, and personal reflection, which will serve as the thread which ties the courses in the minor together.

The 15-credit MIC minor requires completion all of the following courses:

Minor in Innovation & Creativity (15 credits)

Take the following six courses MIC 201 The Launch (1 credit) MIC 205 The Pitch (3 credits) MIC 301 The Lore (3 credits) MIC 305 The Labyrinth (3 credits) MIC 310 The Prototype (3 credits) MIC 401 The Blastoff (2 credits)

MIC COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

MIC 201: The Launch

Creativity is serious business. Whether in the not-for-profit or public or business sector, organizations increasingly need people who understand the creative process, who know how to manage creative professionals and who develop an organizational climate that fosters innovation. Students will be introduced to several creative problem solving methodologies that complement traditional organizational processes and systems. Using a heavy-dose of experiential exercises, paired with readings, case examples, discussions and challenging team projects, students explore and apply the principles of creativity and innovation in interdisciplinary teams further developing the ability to identify, recruit, cultivate, manage, retain and collaborate with other creative people. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing 1 credit, Fall

MIC 205: The Pitch

Everyone loves a good story—and every good story requires a great storyteller. The Pitch is a course that provides students with multiple opportunities to design, write and deliver stories created to inform, persuade and entertain. Students will be assessed on the creative storytelling process, including the research, synthesis and delivery of information in a rhetorical strategy particular to speech communication. Special emphasis will be given to teamwork strategies and public presentations. “The Pitch” or idea/product promotion (as a persuasive communication event) supported by audience analysis and persuasive strategies will be part of the final presentation. This course satisfies the Liberal Studies Speech requirement. Prerequisite: MIC 201 3 credits, Spring

MIC 301: The Lore

Creators and innovators hold “rock star” status in the minds of many. Why? It’s not only because they’ve given the world a work of art or a life-changing invention, but also because of the way they’ve lived. The lives of creators and innovators often involve sacrifice, failure and strict discipline. They order their lives against the grain in order to imagine the world around them being different, better. This course will examine not only what is gained but also what is lost in the process of this imagining. The course will move from an initial examination of why art and innovation are necessary to an investigation of the American tradition of success being linked to individualism and the idea of the self-made person; the course will then transition into an exploration of the lives of famous historical and fictional innovators from a variety of cultures. Along the way, students will consider the role of collaborative creativity and “databased” creativity. This course satisfies the Liberal Studies Literature requirement. Prerequisite: MIC 201, LENG 111, LENG 112 3 credits, Fall/Spring

MIC 305: The Labyrinth

Creators and innovators are explorers, dedicated to navigating uncharted pathways in the mind. The 21st century requires outside-the-box thinking, values innovators, and seeks creators. Although we cherish and encourage creativity, we are still learning its inner mechanisms, as well as how to cultivate, employ and navigate it. We can see creativity as a problematic but crucial virtue, as a means of productivity that is experienced as child-like play, as a window into what makes human beings so distinct and as a means to insight into reality and ethical flourishing. However, the more we work to understand creativity, the more creativity shakes up neighboring paradigms about ourselves and reality. The examination of the labyrinth of creativity provides a journey into the more philosophical sides of such topics as insight, virtue, happiness, work, education and the mind. Examining the seed of creativity—imagination—also provides labyrinth-like journeys into the more philosophical sides of perception, reasoning and learning. Let The Labyrinth be a tour-guide into the philosophical undertow of creativity and maybe we could foster some newer insights into ourselves and reality. This course satisfies the Liberal Studies Philosophy II requirement. Prerequisite: MIC 201, PHIL 131 3 credits, Fall/Spring

MIC 310: The Prototype

Paper, Clay, Cardboard, String, Pixels and Metal are “such stuff as dreams are made on.” Prototypes are the visual explanation of a possible design solution. Creators enrolled in this course will be using the principles of Design Thinking to focus on the process and production of prototypes. The course will provide opportunities for the student to build several scalable artifacts for their portfolio use. Prototype development, build, testing and feedback will be part of the final presentation process. This course also satisfies the Liberal Studies Fine Arts requirement. Prerequisite: MIC 201, MIC 205, MIC 301, MIC 305 3 credits, Spring

MIC 401: The Blastoff

The blastoff is the point in a rocket’s launch when it finally leaves the ground. You may think this is the end of your journey, but it’s actually the beginning. In this course, you will take everything you’ve learned in the previous Minor in Innovation and Creativity (MIC) courses and apply it. It could be to solve some organization’s challenging problem, create a new product/service or start a non-profit. Regardless, you will apply your knowledge and passion to creating something great with a team of like-minded creators and innovators through a series of mini-project “sprints” leading up to one amazing, final project that will be one of the highlights of your creative journey. So buckle up! Prerequisite: MIC 201, MIC 205, MIC 301, MIC 305, MIC 310 2 credits, Fall