Fall 2026 Courses

The second in an integrated sequence of three courses (BIOS 201, 301, 302). Structure and function of proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids; enzyme kinetics; glycolysis, aerobic metabolism, and energy coupling.

Instructors: Natasha Kirienko & Dereth Phillips

Molecular mechanisms of eukaryotic cell function. Structure, function, and biogenesis of all subcellular organelles. Cell-cell communication, cytoskeleton assembly and function, cell cycle control, and cell-cell adhesions. Emphasis will be on cytoplasmic events; molecular studies of transcription are taught in BIOS 302 and BIOS 344.

Instructors: Janet Braam & Dereth Phillips

Students at Rice University consistently self-report as "happiest" by rankings like the Princeton Review. This course analyzes what we mean when we talk about "happiness" in the study of religion, assessing the role of community, habits, meaning, and positive thinking in religious and psychological texts, as well as lived experience.

Instructor: Niki Clements
Distribution: Receive D1 credit

This course treats complex connections between religious beliefs/practices and formulation of human psychology in western tradition through a historical reckoning with demonology. We will consider the way demons are represented—from semi-corporeal beings to marks of mental illness—by looking at texts from the ancient world to modern psychiatry.

Instructor: Niki Clements
Distribution: Receive D1 credit

Cannot register for RELI 350 if student has credit for RELI 605.

How does gender affect the onset, conduct, and conclusion of violent conflict—and how do wars, in turn, reshape gender relations? This course examines how gendered identities, norms, and institutions influence the causes, dynamics, and consequences of war. Students will explore key debates in feminist international relations and security studies, including women’s participation in combat and peacebuilding, sexual and gender-based violence, the construction of masculinity in military cultures, and the politics of representation in wartime narratives.

Instructor: Taylor Damann
Distribution: Receive D2 credit

This course introduces students to the core concepts, theories, and debates that shape global politics. We examine why states cooperate or go to war, how international institutions function, and how global issues such as trade, human rights, climate change, and security affect relations among nations. Students will learn to analyze world events through major theoretical perspectives and to apply these frameworks to contemporary cases. By the end of the course, students will have a foundational understanding of how power, interests, and ideas interact to shape the international system.

Instructor: Taylor Damann
Distribution: Receive D2 credit

A French language course taught by a local instructor may be offered to support cultural immersion. Details are still being finalized and subject to confirmation.