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Penn State College of the Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts GH/GN Inter-Domain Courses 

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Liberal Arts GH/GN Inter-Domain Courses 
Liberal Arts GH/GN Inter-Domain Courses 

Liberal Arts GH/GN inter-domain courses bring together the Humanities (GH) and Natural Sciences (GN) to explore big questions from multiple perspectives. From Beasts and History of Weather to Ethics of Climate Change and Chemistry and Literature, these team-taught collaborations examine where science, culture, ethics, history, and storytelling intersect. 

Open to all Penn State students, these integrative courses strengthen critical thinking, deepen scientific and humanistic literacy, and help you make meaningful connections across disciplines—preparing you to approach complex, real-world challenges with insight and creativity. 

A Penn State student participates in a class in the College of the Liberal Arts.
A Penn State student participates in a class in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Fall 2026 Courses

The College of the Liberal Arts is offering four GH/GN inter-domain courses for fall 2026. Check out the courses and their descriptions below. 

CMLIT 19N
Being in the Universe

Consider the nature of our universe, the nature of time, and what it would mean for humans to be alone (or not alone) in the universe.
More about ASTRO 019N

GER 115N
Scientific Discovery in Germany

Evaluate 20th century scientific advancements, the social and historical contexts in which they occurred, and the impact these discoveries had on society.
More about ENGR 115N

HIST 212N
Earthquakes and Human History

Analyze earthquakes as geophysical phenomenons and as natural hazards that interact with the built environment and the social structures of human societies.
More about HIST 212N

PHIL 133N
Ethics of Climate Change

Explore the ethical implications of climate change while learning the basic science behind the phenomenon.
More about PHIL 133N

More Liberal Arts GH/GN Inter-Domain Courses

The College of the Liberal Arts offers 10 other GH/GN inter-domain courses throughout the year. Learn more about them below. 

CMLIT 138Q
From Beast Books to Resurrecting Dinosaurs

Observe changing perspectives on life and approaches to studying life by examining mankind’s quest to describe and explain the diversity of the living world.
More about CMLIT 138Q

EARTH 155N
Scientific Controversies and Public Debate

Criticially examine the extent to which message communication in the scientific community influences the public’s perception of risk.
More about EARTH 155N

ENGL 142N
Science in Literature

Examine selected historic landmarks in science, while simultaneously analyzing the portrayal of the science used in literary and cultural contexts.
More about ENGL 142N

ENGL 233N
Chemistry and Literature

Identify how literature and science inform each other and negotiate cultural, religious, and political tensions.
More about ENGL 233N

HIST 006N
History and Weather

Discover how weather shaped the outcome of major world events, including the Allied invasion of Normandy, the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, and more.
More about HIST 006N

HIST 125N
History of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology

Dissect the intersection of treating infectious diseases and historical cultural, political, and religious concerns.
More about HIST 125N

HIST 128N
Cultural Perspectives on Mathematics

Evaluate the development of mathematical thought in multiple Afro-Eurasian cultures from the Bronze Age through the early medieval period.
More about HIST 128N

PHIL 131N
Identifying Bias and Falsehood

Question the ways statements are used for aims other than to convey accurate information and the role of bias in assessing claims.
More about PHIL 131N

SC 475N
Anatomy in Italy: Cadavers, Culture, and Science*

Practice critical thinking and analytical skills and develop key literacies while studying human cadavers.
More about SC 475N

STS 110N
Chemistry in World Wars I and II

Assess the significant historical events that led to the development of chemical innovations in materials, medicine, and weapons.
More about STS 110N
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Interdomain Courses

ARTH 307N American Art and Society

Students in the ARTH 307N American Art and Society are able to experience American art from the colonial period to the present, including getting to see firsthand how 19th-century potter David Drake — known as “Dave the Potter” — created his stoneware pots.
Read More
1CLA&PHIL-Nora Van Horn
Interdomain Courses

PHIL 133N Ethics of Climate Change

Spring 2022 college marshal, Nora Van Horn, said PHIL 133N The Ethics of Climate Change was one of the best classes she has ever taken and the course that got her interested in philosophy. She said she had coasted through large STEM-based courses with ease, but this philosophy class challenged her in a way that those bigger classes hadn’t.
IT Italy Embeded Course
Interdomain Courses

IT 175/SC 475N Anatomy in Italy

Students travel with the instructors to Italy and study anatomic wax specimens born through collaborations between anatomists and artists, Michelangelo’s hidden anatomy in the Sistine Chapel, and the history of medicine.
Read More
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Upcoming Events

Apr
20

Moral Fragmentations and Boundaries

11:15 a.m.–2:15 p.m.
Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub
Apr
20

Mindfulness Mondays: You’re More Than Your GPA Semester Wrap-Up

5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Liberal Arts Chaiken Center for Student Success, 139 Sparks Building
Apr
21

Graduate Students in Residence

noon–1:00 p.m.
124 Sparks Building
Apr
22

“How Did They Do It?: Exploring Multilingual Metadata and the Limits of AI-Augmented Translation in Digital Humanities”

noon–1:30 p.m.
Apr
22

Drop-In Career Support

1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network, 101 Sparks Building
Apr
22

WGSS Speaker Series: Micaela Amato Amateau

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
335 Willard Building
Apr
22

NeeDoh Bingo

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Liberal Arts Chaiken Center for Student Success, 139 Sparks Building
Apr
22

Comparative Literature Department Awards Ceremony

5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Garden Room, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center
Apr
22

Internship Panel

5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
134 HUB-Robeson Center
Apr
23

IHRM Webinar Series

8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Apr
23

Staff Potluck Tailgate

11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
335 Willard Building
Apr
23

Change-of-Campus Info Session

noon–1:00 p.m.
Apr
23

Poetry Salon with Ryan Teitman

4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Grucci Room, 102 Burrowes Building
Apr
23

Child Study Center Speaker Series: Vanessa LoBue

4:00 p.m.
Memorial Lounge, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center
Apr
23

Brazilian Film Series: The Pink Cloud

6:30 p.m.
Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library

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