In Person Courses

In Person Courses are regular term and participate in Gateway Days

Please Note: This course is for University Honors students

Exploration of the intersection of the mind and society with a focus on how we think, learn, and live. Topics of discussion are designed to investigate the role of ambiguity and complexity in the gray spaces of human endeavor. Specific areas of focus include complex systems; virtual reality; the philosophy of nature and sustainability; the Nazi war, genocide, and identity.

WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 1010/016 and 3010/001 / Instructors: Joseph Kuzma, Karen DeVries, Sudhanshu Semwal / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Since 2010, the M.O.S.A.I.C. Gateway has prepared students to think critically, maximize team-based learning, and master the skills needed to achieve a college degree. Throughout the course, we will deepen your understanding of why and develop your lifelong skill sets to better navigate the how of college success. We will engage you in the college-level learning process with alumni speakers, leadership panels, career exploration workshops, interactive projects, and hands-on mentorship throughout your first year. This learning community helps students find the answers to questions such as: Who am I as a college student? What am I really passionate about? When will I be able to participate in internships? Where am I able to find more friends and new experiences? Why am I being advised to take certain courses? How am I going to pay for college? Ultimately, the M.O.S.A.I.C. Gateway Community will be a partner in helping you navigate college, focus on learning, and transform your mind for lifelong success!

TUESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 007 / Instructors: Whitley Hadley, Eric Nissen / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Find your inner innovator! We as humans are inherently inventors! People design solutions from the moment they first interact with their world. In this experiential course, you will embark on a journey where you will experience firsthand how to transform ideas into impact.

THURSDAY: 8:00 AM - 10:40 AM / Section 009 / Instructors: Gail Richards, Carolyn Gery / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Does "chemistry" scare you? Do you perceive it as hard or impossible? Are you studying or thinking about studying chemistry or biochemistry? Have the courage to join us, as Elizabeth Zott says in Lessons in Chemistry, "Courage is the route of change - and change is what we are chemically destined to do." Lessons in Chemistry is a GPS course intended to build community with fellow chemistry and biochemistry students and majors, gain extra chemistry practice, and have some fun with chemistry in both a lab and classroom setting. We will dye lab coats, perform cool demos, help with Cool Science Carnival Day, and learn about chemistry in the world! It is everywhere, and that is cool.

MONDAY and WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM - 2:55 PM / Section 022 / Instructors: Elise Naughton, Niki Juhl, Tisha Mendiola / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

"Practice any art not to get money or fame, but to experience becoming. To find out what's inside you. To make your soul grow." Sir Ian Mckellen.

Who are you? Who do you want to be? How do you relate to the world around you? Language is epistemic, a way of knowing, an investigation into being and reality. What we say about ourselves defines who we are. What we say about the world is how we believe it to be. Through the practice of creative writing, this course will pair essential tools for excelling in college life with exploring your story and the world around us. This course will examine the art and science of learning, hone your academic skills, connect you with campus resources, help to build community, and navigate the technology and assignment expectations in college through the lens of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry ((but you can focus on your favorite genre!). We will learn craft elements of creative writing to learn how to write and write well while cultivating your creativity. Whether you have always loved to write or if you have never done it before, all students in any major or undecided are welcome in this section.

FRIDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM/ Section 015 / Instructors: Luke Elredge, Rachel Gibson  / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course will introduce students to cybersecurity principles in a non-technical way. It will explore the fictions and myths surrounding cybersecurity, compare those fictions and myths with reality, and explore cybersecurity basics in a fun, hands-on approach. This course is designed to generate interest in future cybersecurity courses and cybersecurity-related career paths. This course includes several field trips and is for students in all disciplines and majors!

TUESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / GPS 1010|Section 002 / Instructors: Dan Olsen, Terry Akse Johnson, Gretchen Bliss / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Please note: This course is intended for those students who wish to someday enter a healthcare field.

Learn about pursuing an exciting and rewarding career in healthcare in the Club Med GPS class. The variety of opportunities and avenues to explore in healthcare will be emphasized. This course will help guide and prepare the student for post-graduate studies in the challenging, competitive, and service-driven healthcare field.   

MONDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 021 / Instructors: Susan Davis, Timothy Stacey, Vicki Schober / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Please Note: This section is recommended for students accepted into the University Studies program

GPS Pathways: STEM is for students interested in science, engineering, or technology, whose goal is to enter the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences or another science discipline. This course helps you to develop the pieces of the puzzle in order to build the skills you need to succeed in future coursework. We will help you succeed in making your personal and professional dreams a reality!

FRIDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 003 / Instructors: Terry Geiger / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Please Note: These sections are recommended for students accepted into the University Studies program

This course is about empowering you to follow your own path to success in college and beyond. In this class, you will learn a deeper understanding of higher education by putting theory into action using self-reflection, group interaction and team exercises to explore pathways to careers. This course will challenge you to be creative and to interact with your peers and the broader UCCS community to grow both academically and professionally.

WEDNESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 006 / Instructors: Dawna Haynes, Kristina Charfauros / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

TUESDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 008 / Instructors: Brett Fugate, Chris Beiswanger / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Have you ever wondered what if…. What if I studied differently? What if I approached college differently than high school? What if I managed my personal health and well-being differently? To better understand our decision making during these moments and others, this course will explore thoughtful risk-taking, self-reflection, and emotional management. Join us through an experiential learning process as we reframe challenges, delve into new opportunities, and explore “what if…?”

WEDNESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 005 / Instructors: Nicholas Lockwood, Stephanie Trujillo, Jonathon DeWitt / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course focuses on building and developing skills that contribute to academic success and reflect what potential employers  “want” from college students. Participating in this course involves experiencing university life and the origins of the workplace through role immersion gameplay, interacting with visiting faculty and local business professionals about emerging academic and professional trends, and engaging in service-learning opportunities

THURSDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 025 / Instructors: Angela Dodson, Aaron Doussett / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

As students at UCCS you are now part of the Mountain Lion Family and Clyde’s community! The course focuses on communication, unity, and building community through a variety of activities, presentations, and service-learning opportunities. We will explore ways to make an impact in our community, while creating connections with our campus and fellow classmates.  Using the tools of effective communication, we will engage the issues you care the most about​ --from your personal heroes to your vision for positive change in the world.

WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 026 / Instructors: Cathryn Supplee, Lindsey McCormick, Majid Arjomandi / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Leaning into the Communication discipline, "Own Your Story!" is about reflecting on your personal experiences and using the knowledge from those experiences to navigate your future. What's your story? How do you understand who you are, what your purpose is, how you are impacting others and the broader world around you? Students in this course will explore different forms of communication while learning other skills to effectively navigate university life and college-level courses. Finally as a culminating project, students will have the opportunity to craft and creatively deliver their own stories.

FRIDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 028 / Instructors: Angel Tran, Nicole Simmons-Rochon / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024    

Our brains are amazing! In Make it Stick, we will explore learning and memory. We will study how to learn and ways to learn better. We will also investigate ways to study, build resilience, and work collaboratively with others.

MONDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 017 / Instructors: Alexa Salstrand, Sean Dean / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Explore the magic of successfully navigating life as a college student! This course will examine the art and science of learning, honing your self-advocacy and academic skills, connecting with campus resources, building your networks, and navigating the technology and assignment expectations in college through the lens of the Harry Potter book series. Whether you are a fan of the wizarding world or have never been exposed, all students in any major and undecided are welcome to this section.

FRIDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 018 / Instructors: Sandy Ho, Michael Ferguson / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

How is new knowledge created? What do professors do with all their time away from class? Join us and learn this and ways YOU can help faculty push the boundary of what is known and different student success strategies for both in and out of the classroom! We will explore the different types of research and creative works students engage in under the guidance of a faculty mentor as well as researcher ethics, skills, and identity. Our undergraduate students that engage in research or creative works are 120% more likely to graduate, they have 25% higher GPAs, and are 4X more likely to attend graduate school (Undergraduate Research Academy Data, 2020). Let’s learn about how to make the most out of your time as a college student!

TUESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 019 / Instructors: Jennifer Poe, Deanna Johnson / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Please Note: This course is a Learning Community Course

Denis Waitley put it best when he said, “Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” This class is designed for students interested in sport, recreation, and wellness careers, as well as student-athletes. We focus on building life skills that translate across disciplines with a sport education model; to include setting positive and attainable goals, finding balance in and out of sports, giving back to the community, choosing healthy behaviors, building healthy relationships and personal and career development.

THURSDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 020 / Instructors: Chrissie Bailey, David Fehring / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Sport Center looks at sports through a social science lens – examining sport from communication, economic, psychological and sociological perspectives. We will explore: How does the mindset of an exceptional athlete differ from the rest of us? What motivates fandom? What role do sports play in the economy? Do we have too much invested in our sports idols? How are sports reflective of culture? This course is for both the casual and die-hard fan as we learn about the role sports play in society

THURSDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 023 / Instructors: Majid Arjomandi, James Gromelski, Nicolas Cantrell / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course will examine the relationship between self and the environment. How does the place we live affect us? How have people changed the environment of Colorado? This class will be organized around field trips and outdoor activities (including an overnight camping trip), readings, discussions, group work, a service project, and presentations that help us reflect upon our place in Colorado and how we and others interact with it.

WEDNESDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 024 / Instructors: Christopher Ertman, Telma Frumholtz / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This GPS course is about to get LIT. We welcome anyone interested in learning about either (or both!) incorporating physical activity into your own life as a college student, or those interested in a field of health and wellness. This class is "low intensity" meaning we will explore the surface of different academic disciplines and physical activities. All abilities and previous experiences are welcomed (even if it means you have no previous exercise experience).

TUESDAY: 8:00 AM - 10:40 AM / Section 029 / Instructors: Emily Kulakowski, Jessica Kirby / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Have you ever seen a new product or service and thought to yourself: “Why didn’t I think of that?” This course can help you take control of your destiny. You’ll learn the “how to’s” of entrepreneurism: how to market your idea, how to run your business, how to understand your customers, how to get others excited to work for you, and how to grow the money you make.

MONDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 030 / Instructors: Laketia Johnson, Zachary Baker / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Are you interested in learning about managing and restoring the forest environment near Colorado Springs? This course focuses on balancing the ecology of a sustainable forest with the needs of human users. Through lectures and field studies, you will investigate the relationship between climate change, human influences, political perspectives, and the financial issues of forest management.

WEDNESDAY: 8:00 AM - 10:40 AM / Section 031 / Instructors: Julie Albertson, Keith Worley, Nicole Juhl / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course will examine numerous professional career opportunities in the criminal justice field in the United States. Students will review the hiring processes, daily operations, and career outcomes of criminal justice professions such as policing, corrections, parole and probation, and law. Students will meet with local legal and criminal justice officials and participate in scenario-based activities associated with the field of criminal justice. This course is for students interested in criminal justice matters.

THURSDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 032 / John Barnett, Kate Quintana / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Whether you were born and raised in Colorado Springs, or are brand new to the community, it’s the secrets of the springs that create the city’s histories, mysteries and one of the most exciting places in Colorado.

WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM- 4:20 PM / Section 033 / Instructors: Jenifer Furda, Zak Kroger / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Calling all space nerds! In this course, students will engage in interactive lessons on the history of space exploration while also gaining lasting professional communication skills such as public speaking, interviewing, and networking. Students will also receive guidance and resources for success in college and beyond. This course is geared primarily toward students who are either interested in engineering or space topics but is open to all.

TUESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 034 / Instructors: Tess Kyner, Jackson Kyner, Robert Kyner / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Students arrive to the college experience wide-eyed and insecure. For many, failure is an assignment away. Finding your true north helps students to discover what is important to their academic, social, and personal wellness so that they are ready to meet challenges head on.

THURSDAY: 10:50 AM-1:30 PM / Section 035 / Instructors: Sharon Simpson-Dogon, Laketia Johnson / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Course looks at the role health care professionals play in being change-makers for social justice issues both within and outside healthcare.

WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM/ Section 036 / Instructors: Tisha Mendiola Jessop, Morgen Thomas / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024 

Please Note: This class is for LIVE Leadership scholarship recipients

Strong roots grow powerful trees. This course is specifically designed for recipients of the Launching Integrity, Values, and Excellence in Leadership (LIVE) scholarship. Through dynamic weekly sessions and an epic field trip guaranteed to excite, you will uncover your unique leadership abilities and connect with opportunities to lead on the UCCS campus and in the community.

TUESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 039 / Instructors: Noelle San Souci, Rebecca Cherpak / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

The goal of the class is for students to learn basic programming skills in a fun and enjoyable way. This class is intended for students with little to no programming experience. Students will learn how to build a LEGO EV3 robot with sensors and motors. Robot construction plans are provided, but creativity is encouraged. Students will then learn to write programs to control the robot using the RobotC programming language.

WEDNESDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 004 / Instructors: TBD, Course TBA

TUESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 038 / Instructors: Leslie Tekamp / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course takes a broad-based look at gaming/poker theory and applications of statistical analytics to real-life situations. The purpose of this class will be to foster an environment for the study of poker and game theory, develop the basic strategies and advanced foundation for decision-making in poker and life, and provide an understanding of the current poker environment and how students might leverage talent for poker in their future careers.

TUESDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 044 / Instructors: Cynthia Norton, Justin Cole / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Social Work Superheroes includes meaningful coursework about the diverse roles and opportunities the social work field offers prospective students. Social justice issues, connections to real-world superheroes, and the impact social workers have in a variety of professional settings are explored in this course. This course is intended to demonstrate how to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through collaboration in advocating for a fair and just society. Social Work Superheroes also offers tools and skills to help students navigate the college experience while providing valuable career insights for those exploring helping professions.

TUESDAY: 4:45 PM-7:20 PM / Section 045 / Instructors: Catherine Barrios, Kim Sannes / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Are you a film buff with a passion for movies? Whether that be watching, analyzing, producing, directing, acting, etc.; this is the GPS section for you! In this Movie Madness section, we will watch weekly films and reflect on how specific themes and issues compare and contrast to our society's current structure and how those influence our own perceptions. In addition, this course will provide exposure to campus resources as well as connection opportunities with the different film-based academic departments and student organizations here at UCCS!

THURSDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 046 / Instructors: Ann Schwab / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

In this course you will learn what it means to be a student at UCCS and how to be academically, personally, and professionally successful. You will learn more about yourself to create a meaningful life and a meaningful experience while at UCCS. You will be engaged in a series of assessments and activities over the course of the semester so that, by the end of the semester, you will be able to answer the questions: “Who am I?”, “Where do I come from?”. “Where do I want to go?”, “What do I want to do?”, “What is my purpose?”, and “What is a meaningful life?”

THURSDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 047 / Instructors: Amanda Garcia, Heather Gardner / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Think “The View” meets GPS. In this class, we will have candid conversations about the most significant and challenging topics facing today’s college students. As Whoopi Goldberg says, “Take a little time and enjoy the view!”

MONDAY: 4:45 PM - 7:20 PM / Section 048 / Instructors: Cory Gavitt, Daniella Trujillo / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

What are you hungry for? Food? Passion? Success? Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul. Come explore ways to feed yourself, feed others and feed the community. This course will provide opportunities for you to engage in creative ways to eat, connect, explore, and feed the inspiration from within.

WEDNESDAY: 8:00 AM- 10:40AM / Section 049 / Instructors: Anna Bauer, Ryan Wong / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

Explore the field of health sciences through interactive sessions in a variety of heath science-related settings. In this class students will gain the skills necessary to be successful in a high-demand major while discovering careers in health science.

WEDNESDAY: 10:50 AM - 1:30 PM / Section 043 / Instructors: Gina Burton, Paige Whitney / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024

This course will guide you on your path to elevate your success. This seminar will help you to be more reflective and purposeful. You will learn how to elevate your success by becoming your own advocate, organizing your time, and stepping up to all the challenges you may face.

THURSDAY: 1:40 PM - 4:20 PM / Section 042 / Instructors: Ida Dilwood, Steve Linhart / 8/22/2024 - 11/10/2024