“University teachers should seek to improve their competence and endeavour to set the content, objectives, methods, and results of research in an individual discipline within the framework of a coherent world vision,” Pope Saint John Paul II wrote in his 1990 apostolic constitution on Catholic universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae. “Christians among the teachers are called to be witnesses and educators of authentic Christian life, which evidences attained integration between faith and life, and between professional competence and Christian wisdom. All teachers are to be inspired by academic ideals and by the principles of an authentically human life.”

Recognizing the important role professors can play not only as instructors but also as mentors and models, the Rover staff presents the following recommendations for courses offered in the 2016 fall semester, and also advises that students refer to NDCatholic.com for further suggestions.

 

Art Studio

If you are looking to fulfill your fine arts requirement, Bill Kremer’s ceramics class is a great option. His sense of humor, openness to student creativity, and flexible teaching style make ceramics an excellent choice for students of all artistic capacities.

 

Business

Walter Clements will be teaching “Advanced Corporate Finance” in the fall for juniors. In addition to being a superb teacher, Clements brings a wealth of experience to the classroom from his experience managing multinational corporations. The class focuses on the essential skills needed for any student interested in entering into corporate finance, and is extremely useful when interviewing for jobs or internships. Clements is also happy to work with his students outside of the classroom, giving them useful life advice and guidance as they determine the right career for them.

Rover advisor Laura Hollis will be teaching “Business Law: Contracts and Agency,” “Introduction to Entrepreneurship,” and “Legal Issues in Entrepreneurship.” Her teaching style makes law interesting for people who might never have considered a career as a lawyer. Class is almost always an interactive lecture, in which she both asks questions of the students and answers questions her students might have. When I say “any question,” I mean any question. If you have ever wondered if it was legal to get drunk with someone and then get them to sell their house to you, Hollis can tell you. While her tests are rigorous, it is possible to excel on them as long as you attend class and have a genuine desire to learn.

Other Rover picks include Carl Ackermann, Ed Hums, and Jamie O’Brien.

 

Classics

Tadeusz Mazurek is teaching the cross-listed course “Ancient Greece and Rome” this fall. teaches many courses that once encompassed much of classical education. If you are looking to get a serious liberal education, the classics department is a good place to start, and Mazurek provides a great introduction. He is an enthusiastic, energetic professor who is always willing to make time for his students. He also has a great sense of humor.

 

Economics

Kirk Doran, a Rover faculty advisor, is teaching “The Economics of Innovation and Scientific Research.” Doran is an accomplished economist who illustrates complex concepts with simple, humorous examples. He is a thoughtful professor who holds extensive office hours, takes time to get to know his students, and genuinely cares about their success in his class.

William Evans is teaching “Health Economics” next fall for economics majors. Evans is an excellent economist and is the co-founder of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities, which partners with Catholic Charities to respond effectively to domestic poverty.

Timothy Fuerst will once again be teaching “Monetary Theory and Policy” next fall. Fuerst is a relative newcomer to Notre Dame and is enthusiastic about the mission of the university. He is one of the most-cited economists in the world.

Joseph Kaboski is once again offering his economics seminar “Introduction to Economics and Catholic Thought,” which satisfies the writing-intensive requirement of the economics major. In the course students, will discuss the relationship between economics and Catholic social teaching and learn about key principles of Catholic social thought by reading key papal encyclicals and other writings. Kaboski is an engaging professor and his course, integrating the economics discipline with the university’s mission, is an excellent choice for any student wishing to receive a well-rounded education in economics or business.

Eric Sims, a Rover advisor, is teaching “Intermediate Macro Theory” next fall. The course is an intensive examination of macroeconomics with particular reference to the determination of economic growth, national income, employment, and the general price level. Sims is a very popular professor and is a great person to get to know. Taking his course during the football season is an extra bonus!

James Sullivan, co-founder, with Bill Evans, of the Lab for Economic Opportunities, is teaching “Advanced Labor Economics” next semester. Sullivan fosters a love of learning in all of his students and seeks to make the theories of the course relevant and applicable. Economics majors will certainly enjoy this course.

 

English

Peter Holland, teaching “Shakespeare and Film,” is an invaluable member of Notre Dame’s renowned Shakespeare program, bringing Shakespearean expertise and a passion for teaching and learning to the classroom. In this discussion-based FTT class, students will read Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies and explore film versions ranging from 10 Things I Hate About You to Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing. Holland is a riveting lecturer who loves engaging in conversation with his beloved students.

 

French

Father Gregory Haake, CSC, is once again teaching “Advanced Composition: The Art of Writing” this fall. A challenging but rewarding course, this French class is ideal for anyone studying abroad in the spring, or for those who wish to study abroad in the Angers or Paris programs in the future. Father Haake is an excellent teacher who demands a lot of his students. He is accessible to their questions and is dedicated to making each and every student progress in their writing and speaking abilities. He is engaging and friendly and creates a positive class environment conducive to serious study but also allows for the study of pop culture through student presentations on French music.

 

History

John Deak, one of the most innovative and personable teachers in the department, is once again teaching his fascinating course “Europe at War, 1900-1945” in the fall. Deak is an engaging and entertaining lecturer with an infectious passion for exploring the past, and also cares deeply about his students.

Daniel Graff, who specializes in labor history, is teaching “US Labor History, 1776-1945” this fall. Any class taught by Graff promises to be challenging, fulfilling, enlightening, and fun. He has a gift for spurring discussion and seeks the involvement of every student in his classes.

Thomas Kselman is offering “France: From the Old Regime to the Revolution” and a history university seminar. Not only is Kselman a passionate scholar of French history and religious history, but he is an approachable instructor who makes himself available to students. He is rigorous but fair, introducing the student to a real study of history. Kselman is a superb lecturer who welcomes input from the class and accommodates the interests of his students both in class time and by allowing them to pick the topics for their larger assignments.

Semion Lyandres, a scholar of modern Russian history, is once again offering “20th-Century Russia: from Rasputin to Putin.” His wit, sense of humor, and kindly nature make him popular among students, but his vast range of knowledge and passion for European history is what makes his classes truly academically enriching.

Other Rover picks include Paul Ocobock and Deborah Tor. Father Bill Miscamble, CSC, will not be teaching next semester, but his courses are not to be missed.

 

Italian / Literature

One of the world’s leading Dante scholars, Zygmunt Baranski, is offering “Dante’s Divine Comedy: The Christian Universe as Poetry.” Zyg (as he prefers to be called) fosters a thoughtful classroom atmosphere to explore this masterpiece of world literature.

Christian Moevs is teaching “Medieval-Renaissance Italian Literature and Culture” this fall.  A world-class Dante scholar, Moevs is a thoughtful and approachable intellectual who treasures his relationships and conversations with students. This class promises close reading and textual analysis of Renaissance texts alongside studying their cultural and historical context.

 

Music

Larry Dwyer is teaching his regular “Introduction to Jazz” course again in the fall, as well as “Jazz Band.” The Intro to Jazz course is difficult to enroll in due to high demand, but it is certainly worth pursuing as an elective or to fulfill the university requirement in fine arts. As a music appreciation course, no musical background is required, and students will gain an understanding and knowledge of the most significant musicians, styles, and structures of jazz music.

 

Philosophy

A recent hire and an expert in the thought of Thomas Aquinas, Therese Cory is teaching Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, a required course for the major. This course is excellent for majors and for anyone wishing to begin studying the role of philosophy in the Catholic faith.

Sean Kelsey is offering a class in translation on his area of expertise: Plato. This seminar-style class will be challenging but unparalleled in instruction. Kelsey is an excellent scholar of Plato and an engaging professor.

Interested in coordinating your course selections with the Jubilee Year of Mercy? Consider John O’Callaghan’s “Mercy, Justice, and Forgiveness,” which promises a philosophical examination of topics and problems lying at the intersection of those three themes.

Always a student favorite, David O’Connor will engage students by considering the works of Plato, Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Nietzsche in his Philosophy and Literature seminar entitled “Tragedy and Dignity.”

Adrian Reimers will teach a 200-level Introduction to Philosophy course entitled “Ethics and Politics,” as well as “Philosophy of Human Nature,” which will fulfill the second university requirement in philosophy. Reimers has a strong desire to involve students in class discussion and crafts engaging questions to make philosophical material relevant to modern issues. He is an accomplished philosopher, and his knowledge does not stop there; he is well known for enlivening his lectures with a variety of interesting and uncommon anecdotes.

 

Political Science

Run, don’t walk, to enroll in Patrick Deneen’s course, “Political Philosophy and Education.” Deneen’s latest promises an examination of philosophies of education from antiquity to modern times. The course will also examine higher education and implications for Notre Dame. If you are interested in asking questions about human nature and the ends of the modern university with one of the nation’s best political theorists, Deneen’s classes are for you.

An Aquinas scholar, Mary Keys will once again be co-teaching the Politics, Philosophy, and Economics minor capstone called the “Justice Seminar.” Keys is best described as incredibly thoughtful in the classroom, and she works hard to bring the same level of textual understanding that she has to her students. She provides helpful feedback on papers and is accessible to students outside of class. In the unit on Aquinas in the Justice Seminar, Keys helps provides an unparalleled explanation of one of the most important theologians who ever lived; allowing students to appreciate Aquinas, and the other texts in the Justice Seminar, as much as she does.

Phillip Muñoz, a Rover advisor, is teaching “Constitutionalism, Law & Politics II: American Constitutionalism.” Muñoz is an engaging and energetic scholar of religion and public policy, and he conducts class fairly and with regard for student input. As the founding director of the Potenziani Program in Constitutional Studies, he has in-depth knowledge of the subject matter to be covered in this class. He also has an in-depth knowledge of what to do on the courts.

Daniel Philpott is teaching a class cross-listed in theology,“Catholicism and Politics,” this fall. In this course students will have the opportunity to discuss questions revolving around the guidance the Church offers for the political order. How ought Catholics to view the state’s policy towards war, religious freedom, human rights, the death penalty, abortion, economics, global poverty, immigration, healthcare, and ethnic conflict? How ought Catholics to vote? These are the questions that students grapple with throughout the course, as they learn to think about politics analytically from a Catholic perspective. The course concludes with a series of debates on controversial issues facing the contemporary Church. Philpott teaches the course fairly, has a clear plan for each class, and brings a depth of knowledge and experience stemming from his scholarship on these issues to the table.

Not teaching undergraduates next semester, but always recommended, is Rover advisor Michael Zuckert.

 

Program of Liberal Studies

Steven Fallon will once again be teaching “Literature I: The Lyric Poem.” Fallon leads his classes with incredible energy and insight, helping his students to appreciate the beauty of various poems. In the past, studied poets have included Shakespeare, Keats, Dickinson, Eliot, and many more. Students experience an immersion into poetry from many angles—including reading it aloud, writing their own poems, and analyzing it through discussion and essays. Fallon challenges his students to write convincing, succinct papers and makes himself very available for assistance. The reading for this class is heavy but very enjoyable, and Fallon makes it all the more worthwhile with his enthusiastic guidance.

Jennifer Newsome Martin is offering two sections of “Christian Theological Tradition” and is always an excellent choice for a theology class. An engaging lecturer, Martin holds the attention of her students throughout all of her classes and provides an inquiry into theology that is unparalleled. The assigned readings are clearly chosen with care, and there is opportunity for both class discussion and lecture. Martin displays her passion for theology on a daily basis and is clearly passionate about the material that she teaches.

 

Theology

John Cavadini, a Rover advisor, will be teaching “Christian Traditions I” this fall. This class explores the writings of various prominent theologians from the time of the early Church all the way to the 14th century. While this is a required course for theology majors, Cavadini makes it both exciting and informative. From his “homespun analogies” to his mind-blowing insights on Saint Augustine and other Church Fathers, Cavadini’s teaching methods and lecture style will make you actually want to do the assigned readings and continue your quest for theological truth far beyond the course.

Father Terrence Ehrman, CSC, will offer a 200-level course, “Science, Theology, and Creation,” which fulfills the second university requirement in theology. Father Ehrman is an accomplished biologist with an extensive knowledge of Church teaching, and he weaves the two together seamlessly in discussion that involve both faith and reason.

David Fagerberg is once again offering his wildly popular course, “Transfiguration in the Fiction of C.S. Lewis.” This course is open to non-majors who have completed both university requirements, and students will enjoy the opportunity to engage both Lewis’ fiction and nonfiction.

Timothy O’Malley, director of the Institute for Church Life’s Center for Liturgy, is teaching “The Nuptial Mystery: Divine Love and Human Salvation,” which promises to be a compelling second university requirement in theology. O’Malley is an engaging and enthusiastic lecturer who cares deeply about connecting with his students.

Cyril O’Regan is teaching “Religion and Literature.” Vastly intelligent, O’Regan has the skill to break down material and relate it well to students. Students have also greatly enjoyed his love for his Irish culture, Irish accent, and sweet beard. O’Regan is among the finest theologians in the world and a course with him will not soon be forgotten.

Catherine Cavadini will be teaching “The Christian Theological Tradition I.” She is known for delivering engaging lectures, drawing students into conversation, and and connecting well with students. Her assignments can be challenging but are instructive and formative, making her class a very worthwhile experience.

Lenny DeLorenzo will again teach his 200-level course “The Character Project: Grace and Becoming Human.” This course works in collaboration with select residence halls on campus for a truly formative experience. DeLorenzo is a dedicated scholar and an engaging lecturer who fosters conversation in the classroom and promotes students’ learning and growth.

Gary Anderson, John Betz, and Monsignor Michael Heintz, are not teaching in the fall but it is worth taking their classes in the future. Father Brian Daley, SJ, and Gabriel Said Reynolds are teaching graduate level courses this fall.