AACC administrators have approved a critical thinking and media literacy course with the word “bullshit” in the name.

“Calling Out Bullshit—The Art of Deceptive Misrepresentation” is the name of the one-credit, eight-week course.

The course name raised objections from some administrators during the approval process, but ultimately they approved the class on a trial basis.

“The term raises some eyebrows,” said Dr. David Tengwall, the history professor who proposed and will teach the class.

“[But] we’re adults here. … [And] this isn’t going to be a ‘funny funny’ class every time just because ‘Calling Out Bullshit’ is the title. I want you to think.”

During the approval process, Tengwall was adamant that the course name retain the profanity. He said the term has no exact synonym and would be more interesting to students than possible substitutes.

Gloria David, a freshman elementary education major, said the name makes the class sound interesting.

“I’m like, ‘OK let me see what that’s about,’ because that’s a pretty bold name to have,” David said.

Christian Bravo, a registered nursing and horticulture major, disagreed.

“I don’t know if it’ll be taken seriously among [college students],” Bravo said. “Something a little more professional might be a little more suitable for a class.”

The course will cover how to spot falsehoods and misrepresentation in advertising, medicine, politics and news.

Tengwall said the class differs from other critical analysis classes because instead of analyzing literature or speeches, it will cover things that affect people every day.

“Technology has advanced to such a degree that we’re just inundated with [BS],” Tengwall said. “I think we all [as educators] have a duty … to initiate something like this [class].”

Two University of Washington professors first created the course and taught it in spring 2017 as “Calling Bullshit: Data Reasoning in a Digital World.”

They posted their syllabus online, along with related readings and videos, and gave permission there for other professors to teach the class.

Tengwall said his class will not focus as heavily on academic papers and analysis of large data sets as the original.

“I’m going to try to completely alter how you perceive everything in the world hereafter,” Tengwall said. “I believe this will be the most important class that any student will ever take in their academic career.”

Members of AACC’s Committee on Education Policies and Curriculum approved the class by a vote of 11-2 on Nov. 1. Members of the Academic Forum approved the class by 23-13 on Dec. 7.

The class, Philosophy 295, will run at 2 p.m. on Mondays during the second half of the spring semester, starting on March 19. Registration for the class is open until March 18 or until the class fills.