GN120 Thinking Twice: How We Choose and Why It Matters (3 cr.)

This course explores how individuals and groups make decisions and the consequences for communities and society at large. Drawing on history, psychology, and sociology, students examine case studies and contemporary dilemmas. Through analysis of decision-making frameworks, students will connect theory with practice and build skills for thoughtful, ethical, and effective decision-making across diverse contexts.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Identify and describe decision-making theories within historical cases that influenced public outcomes.
2. Compare and contrast individual and collective choice mechanisms and evaluate their effectiveness in promoting the common good.
3. Apply ethical frameworks - including virtue, duty, and consequence-based approaches - to real-world social dilemmas and justify actions that promote the collective well-being of communities and societies. 
4. Analyze quantitative and qualitative evidence - including surveys, experiments, and archival sources - to interpret social phenomena and draw supported conclusions. 
5. Evaluate how social and cultural context and identity shape human behavior and propose design changes to improve outcomes for diverse stakeholders.
6. Reflect on character development and growth in ethical and practical decision-making.