In response to the upcoming presidential election and the newfound role college students - many of whom could not vote in the 2004 elections - will play in it, the College of Arts and Science is offering two election-based courses this fall, Humanities 161 and Political Science 150.

Humanities 161: Mass Mediated Politics: Images and Issues, will be taught by Bruce Barry, professor of management and sociology, and John Sloop, the head of the communications studies department and associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs in the College of Arts and Science. The course, which will feature a great deal of guest speakers and is open to all majors, will focus on how political and social discourse throughout the presidential campaign shapes the course of the election.

"Students will really think deeply about how the press construct and transform the election," Barry said. "The course will explore how issues, both provocative and controversial, play out."

Barry also stressed the importance of this election, as much is at stake and its underlying concerns impact the entire American population, including college students.

In addition, another course, Political Science 150: Election 2008, will be taught by John Geer, a distinguished professor of political science and editor of The Journal of Politics; Bruce Oppenheimer, professor of political science and director of graduate studies; and Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman and a consultant who worked for former Massachusetts senator and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

This class will combine both the academic and real-world sides of the democratic process, giving students a sense of how elections work, why people vote as they do and why candidates act as they do. As the course is only offered every four years, it will be many students' only opportunity to expand their knowledge of elections.

Geer, who said he enjoys teaching the course, said he is especially excited about the addition of Weber, who he said will give the course "a real-world feel to it."

"It will be more fun with Weber," Geer said. "He will offer additional insight and perspective."

The course, Geer said, is an introductory course that is open to students of any major.

—Norah Scanlan can be reached at norah.o.scanlan@vanderbilt.edu