2023-24 Academic Catalog

LACC Course Descriptions

Table of Contents

LACC 160 Hiking for Health

2 hours

This course is intended to provide students with skills to enjoy safe and holistically beneficial hiking experiences. The course will include completing several hikes as well as engaging in personal reflections on the many health benefits of hiking. Specific skills learned in this course will include planning and preparing for a hike, navigation, and using the outdoors responsibly and courteously. (Note: This course is fully online; hikes will take place in student-selected locations. If there is enough Portland metropolitan area interest from students, optional in-person class hikes may be offered.)

Back to top

LACC 161 Walking for Fitness

1 hour

This course will introduce walking as an excellent fitness activity for people of all ages. Students will participate in various walking activities and learn about the health benefits of walking on a regular basis.

Back to top

LACC 162 Lifetime Fitness

3 hours

The course focuses on physical activity and the development and maintenance of good health. The goal of health and human performance is to develop physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.

Back to top

LACC 170 Math for Adults

3 hours

This course will focus on problem solving using the mathematics of finance, probability, statistics, population growth, and a variety of mathematical strategies. Students will utilize calculators and spreadsheets to solve real world problems.

Back to top

LACC 174 Earth Science

3 hours

This course examines the various landforms and earth processes of the United States with a special emphasis on the Western United States. The class includes the study of current earth processes, along with the history of these processes as they relate to the planet. This class will allow students to get outside and explore, while still being a completely virtual class.

Back to top

LACC 174 Earth Science

3 hours

This course examines the various landforms and earth processes of the United States with a special emphasis on the Western United States. The class includes the study of current earth processes, along with the history of these processes as they relate to the planet. This class will allow students to get outside and explore, while still being a completely virtual class.

Back to top

LACC 178 Ecology of the Pacific Northwest

3 hours

This course examines the ecology, geology, and climate of the Pacific Northwest from the perspective of the Native American groups that first lived here. The class includes the biology of the major organisms that live in this area, the geology that underlies the various habitats of Oregon and Washington, and the culture of respect for and love of the land that the Native American groups shared. This class will allow students to get outside and explore, while still being a completely virtual class.

Back to top

LACC 201 Writing for Adults I

3 hours

An adult-focused course designed to build on student writing and research skills such as composition techniques, critical reading and thinking skills, grammar and editing, and basic research skills, and offer an introduction to APA formatting and citation.

Back to top

LACC 202 Writing for Adults II

3 hours

An adult-focused course designed to build on student knowledge of essay construction, intermediate composition techniques, kinds of essays, intermediate research skills, and intermediate elements of prose, and teach advanced APA formatting and citation.

Back to top

LACC 207 Worldview & Identity

3 hours

In this course, students will investigate concepts of worldview as it relates to personal identity, cultural assumptions, interpersonal communication, individual decision-making, and faith. Students will explore the roots of the Christian faith and the influence of Christianity on society, seeking to construct a personal worldview that informs their understanding of the meaning of life.

Back to top

LACC 208 Intercultural Communication

3 hours

This course provides students an introduction to intercultural communication concepts to develop intercultural awareness, patterns of perception, and worldviews to enable effective communication within and across cultures. Students will critically assess and apply intercultural communication theories to address social justice issues and ethics, bound by culture, through mindful and self-reflexive intercultural practices. Students will explore the following topics: the nature of culture and cultural definitions; privilege, power, and oppression in historical and contemporary U.S. society; globalization, transnational conflict, and modern technological influences in intercultural practices; representation of cultures and identities in popular media; and the relationship between language, power, and culture.

Back to top

LACC 210 Conflict Resolution Strategies

3 hours

In this course, students will be introduced to the history and evolution of conflict resolution as well as basic concepts and methods required to work through the process. Students will explore the importance of communication in a conflict resolution environment and build strategies for their own personal use.

Back to top

LACC 211 The Art of Persuasion

3 hours

In this course, students will explore the art of effective persuasion both in the workplace and in everyday living. Students will consider historical definitions of persuasion, examples of persuasive speech and writing, and the impact of 21st-century communication mediums such as social media and internet news sources. Students will articulate individual needs for effective tools for persuasion, weighing the impact of purpose, audience, worldview, and medium.

Back to top

LACC 212 The Art of Storytelling

3 hours

This course will consider general elements of effective storytelling (voice, character, setting, theme); examine the components of plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement); and discuss 21st-century storytelling genres (fiction, poetry, drama, film, memoir). Students will engage in peer workshops as they practice varied genres and complete a final project in a genre and medium of their choosing.

Back to top

LACC 219 Grant Writing

3 hours

In this introductory grant writing course, students will examine the role of foundations, learn how to identify sources of funding, and write grant proposals for nonprofit organizations. A focus is on the grant proposal writing process and the elements of a comprehensive narrative, including program description with goals and “SMART” outcomes. Students will produce a base or “master” grant proposal for a nonprofit, as well as a “letter of inquiry.” This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisite: LACC 202 Writing for Adults II.

Back to top

LACC 220 Religion and American Popular Culture

3 hours

This course will study the mutual influence and interaction of religion and American popular culture, focusing on themes in entertainment media, the internet, politics, sports, education, church, and civil religion. It gives attention to the ability to compare and contrast biblical Christianity with cultural expressions of religion.

Back to top

LACC 221 U.S. in the 20th Century

3 hours

The aim of this course is to understand and evaluate important developments in the history of the United States during the 20th century. This course will give attention to the influence of selected events, trends, and key personalities in politics, religion, popular culture, and technology, and to their influence and application to the shape of our society today.

Back to top

LACC 222 Writings of C.S. Lewis

3 hours

Once a self-described atheist scholar, C. S. Lewis has become one of the most widely read Christian apologists of all time. Best known for The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity, Lewis wrote more than 70 books in the mid-20th century. In this course, students will read a sampling of his nonfiction and his fiction as they explore the broader societal contexts and implications for Lewis' life and far-reaching influence.

Back to top

LACC 223 Social and Cultural Diversity

3 hours

This course is designed to encourage students to develop multicultural awareness and competencies for working with people of diverse groups in society.

Back to top

LACC 224 Narratives of the Old Testament

3 hours

This course examines how the identity of Israel was shaped by particular narratives in the Old Testament. Students will discover the influence of the social, cultural, historical, and religious context on the narratives. Students will learn how the narratives convey theological concepts and explore personal application of those concepts.

Back to top

LACC 226 Jesus & Leadership

3 hours

This course will consider leadership through a New Testament lens, exploring the example Jesus provided in his years of ministry as presented in the Gospels. Students will examine Jesus' unwavering IQ (intelligence quotient), EQ (emotional quotient), and AQ (audience quotient), drawing connections between Jesus' example found in the Gospels and current popular theories of effective business leadership.

Back to top

LACC 230 Introduction to Art

3 hours

This class will focus on the artistic world of painting, drawing, and sculpture and what is considered fine art in general. Our examination of these media through aesthetic, historical and critical analysis will broaden our understanding, appreciation, and experience of art and its role in our lives. The course material will be brought to you through slide shows, films, field trips, and class discussions via the discussion board. Assigned readings will enhance your ability to "see the experience" art in a new light.

Back to top

LACC 231 Music Appreciation

3 hours

This course acquaints the adult degree completion student with a broad range of musical styles reflecting diverse cultures, including classical, jazz, and popular music. Various composers, performers, and their music are listened to and studied.

Back to top

LACC 233 Mission & Calling

3 hours

In this course, students will discuss personal mission, individual calling, and the danger of mission drift at both a personal and corporate level. In considering the groundwork that undergirds a clear sense of mission, students will explore what it means to live lives that are self-aware and intentional, identifying the impact of moral systems, ethical codes, values, beliefs, and biases on both individual decision-making and cultural assumptions.

Back to top

LACC 234 Introduction to Chaplaincy

3 hours

This course introduces students to what chaplaincy is and is not, the various organizations that utilize chaplains, and how chaplains of different worldviews interact with those who call on them. Students will be introduced to concepts and techniques that successful chaplains use as providers, facilitators, caregivers, and advisors.

Back to top

LACC 236 Grief & Loss

3 hours

This course will examine the physical, psychological, spiritual, and cultural impacts of grief and loss as a human experience. Throughout the course, students will discuss a holistic approach to understanding the many aspects of grief, loss, bereavement, and healing. Students will also explore strategies and skills to respond to grief and loss.

Back to top

LACC 237 Spiritual Formation & Discipleship

3 hours

In this course, students will explore the orthodoxy (right thinking), orthopraxy (right behaviors), and orthopathy (right feelings) of spiritual formation, asking such essential questions as, “Who am I?”, “How do I view God?”, and “How does my faith impact how I engage with those around me?” As students consider effective ways to articulate and communicate a deepening relationship with God, they will also explore specific spiritual practices and the art of discipling others within a faith community.

Back to top

LACC 240 Communication & Connection in the Digital Age

3 hours

The 21st-century digital age has introduced an exponential number of online tools that make electronic social and professional interaction possible. Through readings, video speakers, case presentations, and engagement with digital media, this interactive course will provide an opportunity to explore how the digital age is changing the way individuals think, interact, and engage.

Back to top

LACC 241 Personality Theory in Everyday Life

3 hours

This course is a study of major theories of personality, including Freudian, Neo-Freudian, behaviorist, trait, and humanistic theories. An experimental dynamic will involve synthesis of important elements of theory, faith, and personal thought processes and behaviors.

Back to top

LACC 242 Exploring Psychology

3 hours

This course explores the study of human behavior through a scientific and sociocultural lens. The foundational concepts included in this course are as follows: the history and major theories of psychology, disciplines in the field of psychology, biological bases of behavior, scientific method, sensation, perception, learning, memory, emotion, and motivation. Gender, cultural, and ethnic considerations are explored as they relate to understanding human behavior, perceptions, and emotions.

Back to top

LACC 243 Understanding the Social Landscape

3 hours

This course introduces the field of sociology. While developing a sociological imagination, students will consider how society functions and their role in it. We will examine how social interactions and groups comprise the social landscape.

Back to top

LACC 246 Mentoring in the Workplace & Community

3 hours

This course is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to investigate the mentoring process and its application in professional and personal settings. Participants will explore mentor qualities, relationships, skills, and best practices for those who mentor others. There will be a specific emphasis on mentoring in the workplace, as well as mentoring in avocational settings. Students will discuss, demonstrate, and apply techniques and strategies that develop their mentoring skills.

Back to top

LACC 247 Innovation & Social Impact

3 hours

In this course, students will be introduced to innovative business solutions whose primary goal is creating a better society and healthier environment. Using case studies, students will analyze and evaluate specific successful business models of social enterprise that made positive changes; then they will apply the same principles to current social issues. Further, they will explore how a mission and careful planning approach produce sustainable business operations that design and deliver value to society and the environment.

Back to top

LACC 250 Managing Stress: Mind and Body

3 hours

This course incorporates a theoretical and experiential exploration of the causes and effects of stress physiologically and psychologically. Students will be introduced to physical, mental, and spiritual techniques to reduce stress and increase relaxation.

Back to top

LACC 251 Social & Ethical Psychology

3 hours

This course will introduce students to the concepts that can affect social situations and events in their everyday lives. Students will explore the impact of culture, perceptions, prejudices, stereotypes, and attitudes on social awareness and interpersonal relations. This course will engage students in ethical decision-making processes as they relate to modern and historical approaches to social psychology.

Back to top

LACC 252 Culture, Kin, & Community

3 hours

This course provides a general introduction of culture through anthropology, with a focus on kinship and community structure. We will explore the way anthropology has offered a coherent system for understanding broader social connections. Because family, kin, and community are rapidly changing units in contemporary culture, we will study historical and current perspectives. We will consider both the western and global contexts and look at their emerging forms.

Back to top

LACC 260 Contemporary Healthcare

3 hours

A study of our nation’s current health problems and concerns. Emphasis on health consumerism and current trends, diseases, the sanctity of life, and fitness. The goal is to develop an educated view on current health issues.

Back to top

LACC 261 Nutrition for Health & Wellness

3 hours

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of nutrition and its role in health, wellness, and prevention of chronic disease. Topics covered include nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients), nutritional needs across the lifespan, weight management, fad diets, nutrition for exercise and sport, food safety, and food security. Further, this course will provide students with important information and tools in making personal dietary decisions.

Back to top

LACC 262 Yoga

3 hours

Students will develop a foundation for using yoga to enhance their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being throughout the lifespan. While exploring the basics of yoga practice, history, and philosophy, students will also study modern scientific research on the practice, and how to integrate yoga into their own worldview and spirituality. Special emphasis will be given to understanding how yoga can be integrated into Christian theology, prayer, and contemplative practices.

Back to top

LACC 285 Selected Topics

3 hours

A scheduled class with topics chosen to meet the special needs and interests of students, faculty, or visiting professors.

Back to top

LACC 295 Individualized Study

1-3 hours

Individualized study or supervised research in an area of special interest to the student which is outside the regular offerings of the major.

Back to top