Independent College Programs
Department Website:
https://www.haverford.edu/icpr
Independent College Programs (ICPR) supports courses that expand and enhance the curricular opportunities at Haverford College.
These courses, offered by visiting professors and members of the various departments of the College, are in different ways outside the major programs of the departments. They may be introductory in approach, or they may be interdisciplinary, bringing the insights and techniques of one discipline to bear on the problems important to another. They attempt to introduce students to intellectual experiences that are different from the ones available in our departmental curricula, although in recent years ICPR has served as something of an incubator for new interests and themes in the curriculum, such as health studies, visual studies, and environmental studies.
The courses have no prerequisites, except where explicitly stated.
Concentrations & Interdisciplinary Minors
Some of the faculty affiliated with ICPR teach courses that count towards various concentrations and interdisciplinary minors. Students should read more about the role these play in the curriculum under the Catalog descriptions for the individual programs in question.
Core Faculty
Sue Benston
Visiting Professor
Linda Gerstein
Professor of History; Chair of Independent College Programs; Chair of Russian (BMC)
Neal Grabell
Visiting Professor of Economics and Independent College Programs
David Harrington Watt
Douglas & Dorothy Steere Professor of Quaker Studies
Kristin Lindgren
Director of College Writing Center and Visiting Assistant Professor of Writing
Carol Schilling
Visiting Professor of the Writing Program
Affiliated Faculty
Emma Lapsansky-Werner
Visiting Professor of History and Religion
Shannon Mudd
Director of Microfinance, Impact Investing, and Social Entrepreneurial Programs; Assistant Professor of Economics
John Muse
Associate Professor of Visual Studies
Zolani Ngwane
Associate Professor and Chair of Anthropology
Judith Owen
Professor Emeritus of Biology
Anna West
Assistant Professor of Health Studies
Terrance Wiley
Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion and African and Africana Studies
Emeritus Faculty
Kaye Edwards
Associate Professor Emeritus of Independent College Programs
Courses
ICPR H146 ETHICS AND THE USE OF MATHEMATICS, WITH A FOCUS ON ANTI-RACISM (0.5 Credit)
Julia Costacurta
This half-credit seminar will explore what it means to “do math ethically”, to emphasize the ways in which mathematics is inherently political, and to think about anti-racism in mathematical disciplines. This course is graded P/F. Crosslisted: Independent College Programs, Mathematics
(Offered: Spring 2027)
ICPR H247 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING (1.0 Credit)
Neal Grabell
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
An introduction to financial accounting concepts, financial reporting, and managerial accounting. The course will address how accounting measures, records, and reports economic activities for business entities and how decision makers analyze, interpret, and use accounting information. Crosslisted: Economics, Independent College Programs
(Offered: Spring 2027)
ICPR H250 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF EXHIBITION: OBJECTS, IMAGES, TEXTS, EVENTS (1.0 Credit)
John Muse
Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)
An introduction to the theory and practice of exhibition and display. This course will supply students with the analytic tools necessary to understand how exhibitions work and give them practical experience making arguments with objects, images, texts, and events.
ICPR H277 ETHICAL LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS AND THE PROFESSIONS (1.0 Credit)
Neal Grabell
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Through an exploration of ethical theory and case studies, we will examine topics such as: the tension between compliance with the law and the profit motive, professional responsibility and detachment, the proper treatment of clients/patients, short-term vs. long-term benefits, the relevance of social benefits claims to business practice, doing "well" by doing "good", and the dilemma of ethical relativism in the world of international business.
(Offered: Spring 2027)
ICPR H298 IMPACT INVESTING (1.0 Credit)
Shannon Mudd
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Impact investing is investing to generate both a financial return and a positive social benefit. It supports firms seeking to address social, environmental and /or governance problems (ESG) in a sustainable way often within market activity. The focus of this course is to not only gain an understanding of the theory and practice of impact investing across its many components, but also to gain practical experience by assessing a particular set of potential impact investments, making formal presentations of findings to an investment committee leading to a recommendation for investment to a partnering foundation. Crosslisted: Economics, Independent College Programs, PJHR Prerequisite(s): ECON 104 or 105 or 106
(Offered: Fall 2026)
ICPR H313 SOCIAL JUSTICE: A WORKSHOP ON ETHICS AND SOCIAL CHANGE (1.0 Credit)
Terrance Wiley
Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World
This interdisciplinary course (workshop) will pivot around close readings of classic and contemporary writings and robust discussions with distinguished visitors about the ethical dimensions of and practical responses to contemporary social conditions, problems, and controversies. Crosslisted: Independent College Programs (HU), Peace, Justice and Human Rights (SO)