HASS Inquiry Course | HASS Core Requirement
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) faculty believe that the first-year experience is an exhilarating time when students begin to ask compelling questions about their future and the future of the world. At Rensselaer, we confront complex issues by collaborating across disciplines to address the key challenges and opportunities of our time.
The faculty has developed a suite of courses known as HASS Inquiry. These courses are designed to help first-year students develop cross-cultural empathy and a multiplicity of perspectives that can be brought to bear on the key questions facing society today. The HASS Inquiry courses are a required component of your HASS Core curriculum.
Objectives and Outcomes:
HASS Inquiry courses are designed to give first-year students the opportunity for meaningful interaction with instructors through seminar-style discussion sections, and forums for dialogue and debate. Many HASS Inquiry courses act as introductory courses to the Integrative Pathways.
Areas of Focus
Central to our curriculum is a teaching philosophy that utilizes engaged learning strategies to add depth to student’s awareness about themselves and the world. Our primary areas of pedagogic focus include the following:
- Critical Thinking and Critical Wisdom
- Writing and Communications
- Personal Instructional Attention
- Teamwork and Group Work
- Community Building and Awareness
- A Focus on Diversity
- Effective Use of Instructional Technology
Guidelines and Policies:
- The HASS Inquiry course must be completed within your first two semesters.
- INQR courses are restricted to first-year students. Instructors will not grant overrides for upperclass students to take an INQR course.
- Transfer students who are enrolled as freshmen are required to complete a HASS Inquiry Course. During your first Registration, please work with your Academic Advisor to include this course in your schedule.
Common Questions:
At the bottom of this webpage, you will find the course descriptions for all the upcoming HASS inquiry courses and an archive of previous semesters.
In SIS, you can also use Class Search to search for courses by their Attribute Type as seen in this Screenshot.
No. Your HASS Inquiry course does not need to apply to your Pathway.
The HASS Inquiry course is part of the HASS Core, and you may satisfy this requirement within -OR- outside of a chosen Pathway. Pay close attention to the requirements outlined in your Cohort's Catalog year. Some Pathways require an intro-level course, which may be a HASS Inquiry Course.
Transfer Students, you have two additional Pathway options.
You cannot Pass/No Credit your HI course if...
- it is part of your Integrative Pathway, or...
- if it will be used to fulfill your HASS Communication Intensive Requirement.
If your HASS Inquiry course will not be used to fulfill your Pathway or CI requirements, then yes, you may apply PNC to your HASS Inquiry. Please keep in mind that most HASS Inquiry courses are Communication Intensive.
No. Similar to the Communication Intensive requirement, the HASS Inquiry requirement cannot be fulfilled by transfer courses, including AP or IB credits. It must be taken at RPI.
'Attributes' are Institute Requirements, which means they cannot be transferred to RPI. For example, some students may look to transfer Principles of Economics (ECON-1200) with their AP credits. As it is cross-listed as INQR-1200 it would seem to fulfill the HI requirement. It will not as it does not transfer with any course attributes. ECON-1200 as a transferred course may still be applied to relevant Pathways, Minors, and the HASS Core.
INQR 1200. Students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year will complete their HASS Inquiry requirements by taking Principles of Economics (INQR-1200).
Transfer Students, who enroll at a sophomore or junior status are not required to take a HASS Inquiry course.
HASS Core for Transfer Students
Learn more about the HASS Inquiry and your HASS Core by visiting the Core Curriculum in the Catalog.
How Inquiry Courses Can Apply to Integrative Pathways
HASS Inquiry courses may be the first course in a series of three courses that fulfill an Integrative Pathway. However, this is not always the case. Allow the opportunity for a HASS inquiry course to change your perspective, and allow your interests to evolve. You may take a HASS Inquiry course intending to follow one Integrative Pathway, and then discover a new Pathway of Interest. it may require courses beyond the HASS Inquiry you began with, which is perfectly alright and typically encouraged! Confirm your Pathways requirements using the Catalog, and adapt your Plan of Study.
Learn more about HASS Integrative Pathways