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2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Religious and Theological Studies |
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RTS 3000 - Buddhism & Islam: Body & Belief Credits: 4
This course is a comparative study of Buddhism and Islam, including origins, historical and geographical development, scriptures, and doctrine with a focus on religious restrictions and prescriptions relating of food, clothing, sex, gender roles and ritual practices, exploring similarities and differences and their implications. Similarities point to the universal nature of human needs and drives; differences stem from variations in religious worldviews (conception of body and soul, relationship between humans and the divine).
Fulfills: D in LS Core.
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RTS 3030 - Humans, Earth, & the Sacred: Religion & the Environment Credits: 4
This course surveys different religious traditions and their understandings of nature and human relations to other humans, animals, environment, and cosmos. In each case we will be looking at how those belief systems, or worldviews, result in particular attitudes that affect the environment and other humans by influencing human actions in relation to nature, and in turn how those actions (and thus the worldviews) affect humans, animals, plants, earth, and space, often in unintended ways, such as the way that those on the bottom of the socio-economic ladder suffer greater hardship and health issues such as exposure to pollution or toxins, environmental illnesses, and poorer food sources. Attention will be paid to power structures inherent in religious ways of understanding the roles of humans in relation to nature. Course requires site visits outside of class.
Fulfills: D and X in LS Core.
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RTS 3050 - Religion and Popular Culture Credits: 4
This course examines religion in the United States-its definition, history, motivations and expressions-especially focusing on the relationship between religion and popular culture. In all cultures and throughout history people have practiced religion in other forms than those officially sanctioned; these are the focus of this course. Topics may include religious camps, religion and commerce, religion and leisure, religion and the media, miracle sightings, secularization, music, online religious practices (pilgrimage, e.g.), religious toys, religious apps, etc. We will explore religion as a living, changing phenomenon that people make their own to satisfy psychological and social needs, a phenomenon that makes use of available technologies and social changes.
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RTS 3100 - Contemplation & Compassion: A Course in Meditation Practice Credits: 4
This is a course in which participants practice meditating. It also entails some study and conversation about meditating its relationship to prayer, to religion, to ideas about God, to what may be disclosed about human beings by the act of meditating, the relationship of meditativeness (contemplativeness) to compassion and some comparative perspectives on the contemplative stream in some world religions.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Instructor.
Fulfills: X in LS Core.
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RTS 3200 - God in the Hebrew Bible Credits: 4
n selected biblical passages within their literary, historical, and cultural contexts. The course also introduces students to the hermeneutical complexities of reading texts that are regarded “sacred” in Judaism and Christianity but often stand in sharp contrast to doctrinal teachings about the divine. Discussions about the appropriations of these texts in contemporary religious, political, and academic discourses feature prominently.
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RTS 3210 - Gender and the Bible Credits: 4
The course investigates the Bible as a “gendered” text of Christian and Jewish religious history and practice. It introduces students to the pertinent gender theories, primary texts, and scholarly discussions. The course also helps students to develop an understanding about the lasting influences of the Bible on past and present formations of gender as practiced in Western culture, politics, and religion.
Fulfills: D in LS Core.
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RTS 3400 - American Catholicism Credits: 4
The Catholic experience in the American environment from colonial times to the present. Analysis of the theological, cultural, social and political influences which have affected Catholicism.
Fulfills: H in LS Core.
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RTS 3600 - The Roman Catholic Church Credits: 4
A systematic and interpretative study of the Church which explores the biblical and historical foundations of it nature, mystery and mission. An examination of the ways in which the Roman Catholic Church is affected by the structure and dynamics of society.
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RTS 3610 - Sacramental Theology Credits: 4
This course explores sacraments through examination of anthropological, theological perspectives. The human phenomena of word, symbol, ritual, myth and the theological perspective of God’s call and humanity’s response form the basis of investigation, providing rationale of why growth in spiritual life is inherent to personal joy and freedom. The study of historical origins, which gradually evolved into the contemporary rituals, will enlighten the deeper mystery and meaning of Catholicism’s seven sacraments. In addition, the course explores the ecumenical discussion on “sacrament” and recent studies including Protestant understanding and practice.
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RTS 3620 - Theology of the Virgin Mary Credits: 4
This course explores contemporary thinking on the Blessed Virgin Mary and its implications for interfaith dialogue, liberation, meaning of woman, and spirituality for the Christian. References to Mary in scripture and liturgy are also examined, as well as interdenominational theological approaches including the ecumenical dialogue on Mary, common sources of the first centuries, the Jewish Mary, goddess and mother images in other world religions, human rights and feminism, and a critical analysis of the meaning of apparitions and Marian prayer.
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RTS 3650 - Death and Dying in History, Religion, and Society Credits: 4
This course examines the question “What happens when we die?” in conversation with the many individuals and cultures that have proposed answers to this and related questions. The course will investigate the ways religions and philosophies throughout history define and cope with the fact of death, as well as the scientific and religious study of near-death experiences, hauntings, and claims of communication with the dead. A final section examines treatments of death and the afterlife in popular culture such as literature, cinema, and TV.
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RTS 3710 - Theology through Women’s Eyes Credits: 4
Attentive both to women’s contributions to the Christian tradition and to views of women articulated in the Christian tradition, this course examines the significance of women’s experiences for theological and ethical reflection. It explores the implications of this for theological reflection on such topics as the human person, Christ, the Trinity, the Church and the liturgy as well as for ethical reflection on such topics as family, bioethics and social ethics.
Fulfills: D and E in LS Core.
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RTS 3750 - Christians and Jews: Conflicts and Reconciliations Credits: 4
A Study and conversation about the history of Jewish-Christian relations: the origins of Christianity in Ancient Israel and its affinities with Judaism, the “parting of the ways, “the history of the “teaching of contempt,” of Judaism in ascendant Christianity, culminating in the 20th century in the Shoah, the Holocaust. Further study of historical and contemporary Jewish ethical, theological, spiritual and cultural richness, especially the centerpiece of Jewish ideals and practice Tikun Olam, the imperative to heal the world. (Current Israeli-Palestinian relations will be treated in this context). The course will also provide the opportunity to consider the nature of religion, the uses to which theological speech is sometimes put, and the importance in our time of embracing religious pluralism.
Fulfills: D and E in LS Core.
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RTS 3760 - Theology & History of Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations Credits: 4
This course considers the intertwined theologies and histories of the three “Abrahamic” Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with a goal of fostering increased appreciation and understanding for all three traditions. It introduces the three Abrahamic Faiths and highlights some important theological issues that characterize and sometimes divide them, and also examines historical interactions between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Fulfills: H in LS Core.
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RTS 3780 - Charles Darwin, Evolution and Creationism Credits: 4
This course is an investigation into the scientific history of the theory of biological evolution and will examine the religious and cultural impact of that theory over the past 150 years. Students will study the historical development of the theory of evolution through a study of the life and legacy of Charles Darwin, and examine the scientific and religious reaction that theory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as more recent reactions and developments, both scientific and religious.
Fulfills: H in LS Core.
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RTS 3800 - Having Heroes: Their Lives and Yours Credits: 4
Study and conversation about two people, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton, who sought from youth onwards to lives of consequence, purposeful lives beyond self-absorption and triviality, two persons set apart by Pope Francis (alongside Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr.), as representatives of the American people,” Day for “…her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed,” Merton as “…a source of spiritual inspiration.” Day and Merton’s bumpy young lives, their evolutions and their times illuminate questions of war and peace, racial harmony, economic justice, the works of mercy, the counter-cultural witness of monastics, the lives of the saints, the social teachings of Roman Catholicism, the rise of interfaith relations and the subversive impact of contemplative practice.
Fulfills: E in LS Core.
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RTS 3850 - War & Peace: Religious Perspectives Credits: 4
This course explores war and peace from a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives. It engages religious, philosophical, psychological, sociological and historical analyses of the phenomena of war and peace. Students will encounter such concepts as: Holy War (in both Christian and Muslim traditions); Pacifism (in the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu traditions); and the Just War tradition (as employed by Jews, Christians, Muslims, philosophers and political scientists). The course also explores a variety of particular challenges to war and peace, such as: guerilla war, terrorism, nuclear war, and the use of military force for humanitarian causes.
Fulfills: E in LS Core.
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RTS 3900 - Women’s Voices in the Holocaust Credits: 4
This course first examines the event of the Holocaust and its components, but then turns to the lives and stories of the women who lived in Europe during the Third Reich. Situating their experiences against women’s unique ways of knowing and behaving, the course employs sociological constructs to assist in understanding how women victims, bystanders and perpetrators endured this period of history. It also explores how religious faith was either abandoned or deepened through their experiences and how it aided in many women’s survival. Lastly, it investigates second generation voices of the “daughters of” those victims, bystanders and perpetrators as they try to understand their mother’s voices and lives.
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RTS 4400 - St. Augustine Seminar Credits: 4
ish of several of St. Augustine’s primary texts, including his Confessions. Major theological themes that emerge from these texts will also be studied in a seminar format that emphasizes reading, discussion and writing. The contemporary relevance of Augustinian spirituality and theology, as well as the influence of the Order of St. Augustine throughout Christian history will also be explored.
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RTS 4800 - Directed Study Credits: 4
In lieu of a formal course, qualified upper-class students may substitute an intensive program of reading under the direction of a member of the department. Normally, a student must possess a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.00 and have completed three courses in religion and theological studies offered in traditional format.
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RTS 4850 - Internship in Religious and Theological Studies Credits: 4
The Internship in Ministry and Religious Education (MRE) is a semester-long opportunity for students who have declared a major in Religious and Theological Studies to engage in service in a parish, congregation, synagogue, or religiously affiliated secondary school, as well as in hospice and hospital pastoral care agencies. The IMRE has been created especially for students who wish to pursue professional careers in ministry and religious education or who intend to pursue academic careers in religious and theological studies.
Fulfills: X in LS Core
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RTS 4900 - Seminar in Religious & Theological Studies Credits: 4
This course will be limited to ten junior and senior majors. The professor may make exceptions to this rule. This course is required for majors in religious and theological studies. The specific topic of the course is of the professor’s choosing. It is designed to serve as a capstone to the major and to expose students to the type of course one might encounter at the graduate level.
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Sports Medicine |
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SME 1104 - Introduction to Physical Activity, Fitness, and Wellness Credits: 4
This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions.
Fulfills: STEM requirement in LS Core.
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SME 2250 - Research Methods Credits: 4
This course introduces the student to current research in athletic training and sports medicine. The student learns about the research process, reads, comprehends and appreciates journal articles and begins writing a research proposal on a topic related to the sports medicine field. Specific attention is directed toward formal written communication using prescribed format.
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SME 2345 - Strength and Conditioning I Credits: 4
This course is a designed as an introduction to the principles of strength and conditioning with an emphasis on applications for improving health and performance in the athlete and non-athlete population. General content areas include concepts and applications of the exercise sciences, nutritional factors, psychology of athletic performance, physiological adaptation of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, hormonal responses, age and gender differences, performance enhancing substance. Lab will focus on an introduction to exercise technique, testing and evaluation, and program design in the strength and conditioning field. This course prepares students to sit for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 , HSC 1123 , SME 1304 .
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SME 2350 - Professional Development in Health Sciences Credits: 2
To provide the Merrimack College sophomore with a continuum of self and career exploration education in preparation for an internship or research experience. This professional development in health sciences course sets a foundation for building solid life and career decision-making skills through a series of exploratory exercises, as well as professionally prepares students for their upcoming internship or research experience.
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SME 3307 - Therapeutic Exercise with Integrated Lab Credits: 4
This course is designed to offer Athletic Training and Sports Medicine students a study of the principles and objectives of therapeutic exercise in the rehabilitation of athletic injuries. The course will examine different forms of exercise, resistance and motion and the proper application of each in order to stabilize, modify or reverse the process responsible for disability when the nature of the underlying cause is identifiable.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 , HSC 1123 , SME 1304 .
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SME 3308 - Biomechanics with Integrated Lab Credits: 4
The scientific factors affecting human movement are studied. Basic tissue, (bone, cartilage, ligament, tendon) influences are emphasized. Psychological and neurological control mechanisms are examined. Normal movement patterns are reviewed with emphasis on gait, fitness activity and performance analysis. Pathological implications are integrated into the course as the materiel progresses regionally from one area of the body to another. Modern techniques that quantify human movement and movement patterns are investigated. Current topics in biomechanics research and the design of such projects are made real by abstracting of grouped articles. Handouts are used in addition to course texts. In lab teams will be established to achieve common goals. Existing video analysis systems will be used to both study human motion and to create a database of human motion.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 HSC 1123 , PHY 2201 .
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SME 3309 - Therapeutic Modalities with Integrated Lab Credits: 4
This course is designed to offer Athletic Training and Sports Medicine students the opportunity to comprehend the principles of physical agents used in the treatment of sports injuries. The various theories of therapeutic modalities, their application to the healing process and their physiological effects on the patient will be examined as well as their indications and contraindications.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 , HSC 1123 , SME 1304 .
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SME 3311 - Exercise Physiology with Integrated Lab Credits: 4
A detailed examination of cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic physiology, responses to acute exercise, and exercise training adaptations. Laboratory will emphasize exercise testing procedures and techniques as well as research principles.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 , HSC 1123 .
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SME 3311L - Exercise Physiology Laboratory Credits: 0
A detailed examination of cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic physiology, responses to acute exercise, and exercise training adaptations. Laboratory will emphasize exercise testing procedures and techniques as well as research principles.
Prerequisite(s): HSC 1122 , HSC 1123 .
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SME 3347 - Exercise Testing Techniques and Prescription Credits: 4
The course will examine the principles of exercise testing and prescription as they apply to fitness and athletic performance. The course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of normal and abnormal exercise responses in a variety of populations. The course will cover topics in the following areas, energy production, nutrition, body composition, periodization, and fitness testing as related to strength and conditioning.
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SME 4348 - Exercise Program Design Credits: 4
This course is intended to take the skills and principles acquired in SME 3347 and to integrate them into the development of specific strength and conditioning programs. These programs may aid in injury prevention, performance enhancement, and overall general fitness. The development of these programs may be achieved through periodized manipulation of acute and chronic training variables.
Prerequisite(s): SME 2345 , SME 3311
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Sociology |
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SOC 1000 - The Sociological Imagination Credits: 4
This course develops students’ sociological imaginations through the introduction of basic sociological concepts. In the process, students learn how social forces influence their everyday lives. Culture, social interaction, group dynamics, bureaucracy, socialization, deviance, crime, urbanization, collective behavior, and social change are some of the topics studied. The course also explores society’s institutions, such as the family, the political system, the economy, religion, education, and the medical system. A central focus of the course is understanding the nature of social inequality.
Fulfills: SOSC requirement in LS Core.
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SOC 1500 - Success and the American Dream Credits: 4
For most people in the U.S., the answer to the question “What causes success?” is simple. They look within the individual for personal qualities and characteristics that give rise to achievement and success: genetic make-up, intelligence, ability, character, drive, etc. Sociologists, in sharp contrast, ask the following questions: What cultural beliefs shape how individuals pursue and measure success? What stereotypes, social processes, and social structures fuel different levels of accomplishment in individuals and between groups? What is the link between success, social identity, social inequality, and social justice? This interdisciplinary course will analyze ongoing debates about the nature of and misunderstood connections between success, happiness, intelligence, and ability. We will study and apply theoretical insights and practical strategies from sociology, psychology, education, and neuroscience that strengthen achievement by maximizing effective learning and enhancing happiness. This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, opens minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract topics that are often hard to relate to, we will connect the ideas that we explore to our questions, beliefs, and dreams.
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SOC 1600 - Happiness Credits: 4
This interdisciplinary course will analyze the key sources of and debates about happiness. As we explore possibilities of increasing happiness, individually and collectively, we will focus on the relationship between happiness and success, culture, motivation, social media, food, and exercise. This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, open minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.
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SOC 1700 - Social Problems, Creative Solutions Credits: 4
For most people in the U.S., the answer to the question “What causes social problems?” is simple. They look within individuals for personal qualities that lead to problems: personality traits, character flaws, free will, and other individual characteristics. They ask the “Who questions”: Who caused it? Who is responsible? Who has a problem and who gets the blame?
Sociologists, in sharp contrast, ask the “What questions” about social problems: What social structures, power relationships, and social processes contribute to widespread social problems such as crime or poverty? What cultural beliefs, values, and norms encourage harmful behaviors such as violence, sexual assault, and alcohol/substance abuse? In short, what kind of society promotes persistent social problems, and what is the link, if any, between social problems, social inequality, and social injustice?
This course will explore how some of the most pressing social problems in the U.S. - such as crime, violence, addiction, sexism, racism, class inequality, and heterosexism - are created by unequal power relationships, hierarchical social structures, and taken-for-granted cultural beliefs and social practices.
This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, opens minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.
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SOC 1800 - Tough Choices, Conflicting Values Credits: 4
This course will analyze difficult decisions that most of us grapple with in the U.S. As we study works by sociologists, psychologists, and ethicists, we will explore how people wrestle with complex choices such as:
- What fuels the epidemic of lying and cheating in classrooms, bedrooms, boardrooms, sports, medicine, and politics? How can you align your behaviors with your beliefs about honesty and morality?
- When does the pursuit of wealth, status, and pleasure (from alcohol, drugs, digital technology, food, sex, etc.) conflict with caring for and staying connected to self and others? How do you discover your core values and live accordingly?
- Why do many people who support “justice for all” sometimes, through words and deeds, disrespect or discriminate against females, people of color, LGBTQ folks, etc.?
- What helps people to challenge cultural beliefs and resist social pressures that encourage us to cheat and mistreat others, and how can this ability be strengthened?
The course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, opens minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.
Fulfills: D in LS Core
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SOC 1900 - Addictive Society Credits: 4
This course will analyze why addiction, broadly conceived, is not the pathological state of a few, but has become a driving force in our culture and daily lives. As we explore the complex links between addiction, culture, and social structure, we will use the sociological imagination to analyze: the rapid growth and harmful effects of addiction to substances, digital technologies, food, shopping, gambling, love, and sex; the social conditions and cultural beliefs fueling addictive behaviors in the U.S.; and the personal and social changes needed to reverse the alarming escalation of addictive behaviors. The course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, opens minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.
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SOC 2000 - Social Inequality - Class, Gender, and Race Credits: 4
This course examines the most important bases of inequality in contemporary society: social class, race/ethnicity, and gender. These categories determine the distribution of social resources, shape people’s experiences, and influence interactions with others, often in ways that we cannot immediately recognize. A more complete understanding of the issues related to these categories will give you greater insight into some of the most significant contemporary social problems.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: SOSC and D requirements in LS Core.
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SOC 2050 - Social Work Credits: 4
This course is designed to introduce students to the broad field of social work. Students who take this course become competent in the multi-disciplinary foundation of social work including values and ethics, diversity, populations-at-risk, social and economic justice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services and social work practice. Special attention is given to services for children and families, people with disabilities, gays and lesbians, the elderly, people with addiction and/or mental illness, and individuals in the criminal justice system. In addition, students are introduced to the various methods that social workers use including casework, group work and community organization.
Fulfills: SOSC requirement in LS Core.
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SOC 3000 - Social Theory Credits: 4
This course examines the classic origins of sociological thought in response to the emergence and conditions of modernity as found in the writings of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Students will also explore the ideas and writings of contemporary theorists responsible for Conflict theory, Structural-Functionalism and Symbolic- Interaction.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3100 - Research Methods Credits: 4
An introduction to the research methods employed in sociology. The course examines the nature of science, causality, research ethics, and how to conduct a literature review. Students will gain hands-on experience with the most important methods of data collection, sampling, variable measurement, and analysis. Upon completion of this course students will produce an original piece of sociological research.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1000 or consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: SOSC requirement in LS Core.
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SOC 3150 - Social Movements Credits: 4
The course is organized around key sociological questions about social movements: When and why do they occur? Who joins, supports, and leaves them? How are movements organized, and what do they do? How are they influenced by external forces, such as the state and mass media? Finally, why do movements decline, and how can we measure any changes that they ultimately bring about? In the process of answering these questions, we will examine the dominant ways of thinking about social movements, including resource mobilization theory, the political process model, and cultural approaches.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3300 - Sociology of Education Credits: 4
This course addresses a variety of sociological questions about the relationship between schools and society, including: Who is involved in the process of education, and what roles do they play? How and why are schools, classrooms, and curricula organized in the ways that they are? How do schools socialize children and adolescents? How do schools reproduce stratification and inequality? How is the education system connected to other social institutions? What are alternatives to the traditional education system? The primary goal of the course is to encourage students to understand their own educational backgrounds from a sociological, rather than individualistic, perspective.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3330 - Race and Ethnic Minorities
Formerly: SO333A
| The purpose of this course is to examine racial and ethnic diversity in the United States both historically and currently. The course will introduce students to a number of sociological explanations and theoretical issues in the study of minority and majority group relations. The specific experiences of different racial and ethnic groups in contemporary U.S. society will also be examined. We will also explore the interrelationships of gender, race, ethnicity, and class to gain an understanding of current social conditions which affect us all. By examining the intersections of race, class, and gender we can see a diversity of experiences and think about ways in which these experiences can (and do) reshape and enrich our society. |
Fulfills: D and SOSC in LS Core
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SOC 3370 - Urban Sociology Credits: 4
Urban sociology is the sociological study of the city. It examines the various historical, cultural, geo-political and economic factors that help explain the origin and development of the city as a social invention and changing human form. The course begins with a general review of the historical origins and theories of urbanization and a more specific focus on urbanization, suburbanization and the growth of metropolitan regions in the United States. Life as it is experienced in the city and its neighborhoods is examined in terms of class, gender, race-ethnicity, and lifestyles. Common problems of urban life such as poverty, racism, crime, and homelessness are addressed.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3400 - Population Problems Credits: 4
This course explores the history of world population growth and consider the prospects for future growth. We look at where the world’s population is distributed and from where population data emerge. Theories of population by Malthus, Marx, and others are discussed. We analyze important demographic variables of fertility, migration, and mortality. Some questions we consider are: What fertility differences are there among countries in the world and within the United States? Who has the highest birth rates? How does migration of the population vary among countries and within the United States? What has been the American experience with regard to immigration? How does mortality vary among countries in the world and between groups within the United States? Who has the highest death rates? Problems of environmental deterioration, food shortages, and inequality between countries are also discussed, as are possible policy solutions to them.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3450 - Sociology of the Family Credits: 4
This course provides a sociological overview of the family as a major institution. The changing form and function of the family are discussed in terms of their effects on individuals and society. The objectives of the course are to: (1) introduce students to the essential concepts, theories, and research used by sociologists to analyze the family; (2) enhance students’ understanding of the complexity of family life and how family experience is shaped by race, social class, gender, and culture; (3) enable students to identify and examine sociologically relevant problems and issues within the contemporary family; and (4) encourage critical thinking and writing skills that demonstrate students’ abilities to understand and analyze social phenomena.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3550 - Statistics Credits: 4
This course gives students an understanding of both simple descriptive statistics and the more advanced statistical techniques used by sociologists. The course answers four fundamental questions about social statistical analysis: What are the different statistical techniques that sociologists use to analyze data? How do we know when to use which technique? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? How do we interpret the results of any given statistical analysis? Among the topics covered are measures of central tendency and dispersion, the standard normal curve, t-tests, analysis of variance, chi-square, and regression. The course has a required lab component, in which students use SPSS to analyze real data.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 3100 or consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: Q in LS Core.
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SOC 3600 - Sociology of Health Credits: 4
This course examines health, illness and healing as not merely physiological states but also human experiences shaped by sociological forces. The course begins with a brief historical review of medicine and the emergence of scientific medicine. Social epidemiology, health behavior, social stress, social support, the stages of the illness experience, the sick role, the doctor-patient relationship, technology and medicine, and the delivery of medical care in the U.S. and how it compares to other countries are among the topics examined.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3650 - Sociology of Immigration Credits: 4
The immigration process, from the decision to leave one’s home country, to the crossing of international borders, to establishing oneself in a new host country, to the reception of the host population, to the acquisition of citizenship, to eventual assimilation, to the politics of immigration, is fascinating and falls directly under the purview of sociology. In SOC 3650 we will analyze all aspects of immigration through a sociological lens. We will focus on immigrants originating from all over the world with a primary focus on the United States and Western Europe as destination countries. We will also consider both historical and contemporary case studies to illustrate important theories and concepts. Upon completing this course, you will gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the immigration process as well as the science of sociology more generally. Note that this course may be offered during short-term abroad programs with a particular country of focus.
Fulfills: D, X and SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3800 - Sociology of Gender Credits: 4
This course examines the differences in socialization and life experiences of males and females. The purposes of this course are to: (1) discuss the differential experiences of females and males; (2) relate current sociological theory to these experiences; and (3) apply knowledge learned to students’ own lives. Consequently, students’ experiences, insights, questions, and ideas are a key part of the course. The class considers not only what is in terms of gender roles, but also what might be and how we, as change agents, may act to improve our individual and collective lives.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 3850 - Sociology of Aging Credits: 4
Aging is a complex process involving biological, psychological and sociological forces that interact and affect the nature and quality of human development in later life. This course examines the sociological dimension of growing older by investigating how social forces influence the experience of aging. The impact of the modern demographic revolution responsible for the aging of the American population and the policies and programs that have developed in its wake are examined. In considering the promises and problems of growing older, such topics as family relationships, housing, retirement, social security, and the social service and health care maze are examined. The roles that gender, class, race and ethnicity play in creating the mosaic aging experience are also considered, and the social dimension of Alzheimer’s disease is explored. The course concludes by considering the politics of aging.
Fulfills: SOSC in LS Core.
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SOC 4000 - Internship Credits: 4
The Internship course provides students a chance to experience possible career interests, to learn from those working in the field, to consider the need for further education, and to establish contacts that may be helpful in acquiring employment. Working in the field, and using and applying the sociological perspective, are integral and vital activities of the sociological tradition. Students volunteer at the placement agency between 12 to 15 hours a week. Students arrange with the supervisor at their placement an agreed upon work schedule and specific responsibilities and tasks. These agreements are stipulated in a Memorandum of Understanding which is signed by the student, the agency, and the instructor. The academic component of the Internship course requires that students meet on a periodic basis with the instructor to discuss their progress toward applying the sociological perspective to their experiences. The course grade, therefore, is based on two components: a Placement Evaluation of Student Performance and a Course Project where the student applies a sociological analysis to the internship experiences.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: X in LS Core.
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SOC 4810 - Directed Study Credits: 4
An intensive program of research or reading for qualified upper-class students, done under the supervision of a full- time faculty member in the department.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Chair and a full-time faculty member in the department under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.
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SOC 4815 - Directed Study Credits: 4
An intensive program of research or reading for qualified upper-class students, done under the supervision of a full- time faculty member in the department.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Chair and a full-time faculty member in the department under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.
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Social Justice |
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SOJ 1000 - Introduction to Social Justice (Theory & Practice) Credits: 4
The study of social justice involves questions of power, discrimination and institutionalized violence, deprivation and oppression. This course surveys major philosophical, theological, sociological, cultural, feminist, environmental and political theories of justice. In addition to these theoretical explorations, the course also focuses on narratives of injustice-how people have responded to liberate themselves and how those in power have endeavored to keep their privileged position. As the foundational course for the Social Justice minor and major, this interdisciplinary course exposes students to both historical and contemporary instances of injustice and the various responses people have taken to rectify them, as well as to the practical, organizational aspects of Social Justice work. As an experiential learning course, students will be engaged in a collective volunteering project that will connect the class to Merrimack College’s immediate context.
Fulfills: D, E and X in LS Core.
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SOJ 3800 - Encountering Cuba: History, Culture, Environment Credits: 4
This Study Travel Course will provide Merrimack College Honors students with a unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding Cuba and its complex relationship with the United States. The course will be structured around three thematic units or plotlines: Revolution, Race, and the Environment, and it will include a pre-travel section, where students and instructors will work together on building a framework from which to approach Cuba. This framework will be based on political, social and cultural history (from being a Spanish colony through US domination to the Revolution and beyond); constructions of and engagements with Cuba’s nature before and after the Revolution; and a study of alternative modes of social organization in Contemporary Cuba. Students and instructors will travel to La Habana, Cuba, where they will participate in workshops on topics such as US-Cuba relations, cooperative modes of production, and sustainability; they will engage with students from said university, and will visit sites of historical importance as well as contemporary relevant sites (rural co-operatives, sustainable enterprises). Upon returning, the class will decompress the experiences lived in Cuba, reflect on what they have learned and on the images of Cuba that circulate in the US, and work together on a project that will disseminate in the community the positive aspects of life in Cuba, the challenges the country faces, and any other relevant observations. This course will be team-taught by professors of History, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Global Justice, Spanish, and Social Justice. The course will also feature guest speakers from a variety of departments (such as Economics, Visual and Performing Arts, Criminology, and Spanish) that will allow the community to be better prepared to encounter Cuba and to appreciate the accomplishments that its people have achieved, and the challenges they face.
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SOJ 3800 - Encountering Cuba: History, Culture, Environment Credits: 4
This Study Travel Course will provide Merrimack College Honors students with a unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding Cuba and its complex relationship with the United States. The course will be structured around three thematic units or plotlines: Revolution, Race, and the Environment, and it will include a pre-travel section, where students and instructors will work together on building a framework from which to approach Cuba. This framework will be based on political, social and cultural history (from being a Spanish colony through US domination to the Revolution and beyond); constructions of and engagements with Cuba’s nature before and after the Revolution; and a study of alternative modes of social organization in Contemporary Cuba. Students and instructors will travel to La Habana, Cuba, where they will participate in workshops on topics such as US-Cuba relations, cooperative modes of production, and sustainability; they will engage with students from said university, and will visit sites of historical importance as well as contemporary relevant sites (rural co-operatives, sustainable enterprises). Upon returning, the class will decompress the experiences lived in Cuba, reflect on what they have learned and on the images of Cuba that circulate in the US, and work together on a project that will disseminate in the community the positive aspects of life in Cuba, the challenges the country faces, and any other relevant observations. This course will be team-taught by professors of History, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Global Justice, Spanish, and Social Justice. The course will also feature guest speakers from a variety of departments (such as Economics, Visual and Performing Arts, Criminology, and Spanish) that will allow the community to be better prepared to encounter Cuba and to appreciate the accomplishments that its people have achieved, and the challenges they face.
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SOJ 4900 - Directed Study Credits: variable credit
If a course on a specific Social Justice issue or problem is not being offered by Merrimack College, qualified senior majors may, with the approval of the director of the Social Justice program and the instructor, design an intensive program of reading and research under the direction of the director of the program or one of its instructors. This course will offer the student the possibility of working in depth on a specific problem or issue not covered by courses that Merrimack College offers. It requires a formal proposal approved by the director and the instructor. The end result should be a public presentation of the results of the work done, either in a related class, or in events such as Social Justice Week.
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Spanish |
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SPA 1010 - Beginner’s Spanish I Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA1110 Introductory Spanish I
This course is offered for absolute beginners only. This course is not open to heritage speakers or students with any prior study of Spanish. Oral-aural Proficiency is acquired through speaking and role playing in class plus audio and visual practice outside of class, including mandatory language lab. Students learn basic strategies for reading and writing in the language.
Prerequisite(s): No Spanish classes on high school transcript.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core
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SPA 1020 - Introductory Spanish II Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA1120 Introductory Spanish II
This course is offered for students with little or no background in Spanish. This course is not open to heritage speakers. Oral-aural Proficiency is acquired through speaking and role playing in class plus audio and visual practice outside of class, including mandatory language lab. Students learn basic strategies for reading and writing in the language.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1010 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core
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SPA 1030 - Intermediate Spanish I Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA2010
This course is not open to heritage speakers. This is an intermediate level course with an emphasis on the study of grammar. Readings will consist of short texts from Hispanic literature and civilization, along with articles of contemporary relevance. Most instruction conducted in the target language.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1020 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 1040 - Intermediate Spanish II Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA2020
This course is not open to heritage speakers. This is a continuation of the intermediate course with an emphasis on the in-depth study of grammar. Class materials will consist of short texts and films from the literature and cultures that speak Spanish, along with articles of contemporary relevance. All instruction in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1030 or equivalent or the permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 1060 - Intermediate Spanish for Healthcare Providers Credits: 4
Intermediate Spanish for Healthcare Providers is a course designed for students with low to intermediate fluency in the Spanish language, with a focus on medical vocabulary, grammar, and the Hispanic/Latinx communities surrounding Merrimack College. Students will learn grammatical structures necessary to interact with patients and to be efficient in a medical environment in such tasks as giving instructions, asking medical questions, and completing medical forms. This course has a strong practical component, and students will develop oral and listening skills for use in real medical scenarios. This course will also focus on the developing of cultural sensitivity towards the Hispanic/Latinx community in the United States. As part of this class, the students will complete an experiential learning component that will provide language and cultural immersion in medical-related activities in the communities around Merrimack College.
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisites: major within the School of Health Sciences and SPA1120, or placing into 2000-level Spanish via the language placement exam.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 1200 - Advanced Spanish for Healthcare Providers Credits: 4
This course reviews and reinforces conversational, cultural, and grammar skills commonly used by professionals who work in the healthcare industry. As the healthcare industry continues to grow, the need for bilingual professionals has become essential to provide these services to the community. This class has been developed for students who are planning to work in healthcare or related fields and who have an intermediate level of fluency in the Spanish language. This class develops linguistic and cultural knowledge in the medical area, helping future healthcare professionals to establish effective communication with (and cultural awareness and competence towards) Spanish language speakers. The topics of this class include medical vocabulary, statistical data about medical issues, information about symptoms and treatment, as well as the cultural competencies and humility required to provide healthcare services in the Latinx community in the United States. This course will also include translation and interpretation skills. This course will have a service-learning component where students will practice the linguistic and cultural skills learned in class in the community. P
Prerequisite(s): rerequisites: major within the School of Health Sciences and SPA1060 or placing into 3000-level Spanish via the language placement exam.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 1300 - Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers Credits: 4
This course is designed for Native and Heritage speakers of Spanish. As such, it has a double focus on language and Latinx culture in the US. The course will help students develop a command of formal Spanish, especially in professional,
academic and creative writing, through their own writing and grammar and vocabulary building activities in class. Students will learn about the diverse ethnic and national group that constitute the Latinx community in the US, and about cultural
artifacts produced by Latinx in the US. Issues of immigration, transnational communities and Diaspora will be addressed, as well.
Prerequisite(s): Self-identify as a native/heritage speaker of Spanish. Consult Department of World Languages and Cultural Studies if in doubt.
Fulfills: H, FL in LS Core. This course may be offered as writing intensive and fulfill the W in LS Core.
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SPA 1510 - Composition & Culture Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3010
An advanced study of the most important grammatical structures of Spanish, and extensive practice of these structures in the context of the skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural competence. There will be two sections of this course: one for non-native/heritage students, and another one for native or heritage speakers.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1040 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: H, FL in LS Core. This course may be offered as writing intensive and fulfill the W in LS Core.
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SPA 1520 - Latin American and Spanish Contemporary Film Credits: 4
Formerly: SOA3020, Conversation and Culture
This course is focused on the development of students’ confidence in their command of Spanish and their cultural knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world, through the discussion of cultural and social issues relevant to the contemporary world as presented via recent films from Latin America and Spain. Class work will focus on analyzing the way the films work and present real world problems, on learning more about Spanish-speaking cultures, and on strengthening students’ skills to communicate.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1040 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: Humanities distribution requirement. FL in LS Core.
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SPA 2060 - Actualidad Española Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3060
This course covers main events in Spain today. Reading, analysis and discussion in Spanish of recent articles from Spanish newspapers and periodicals on the most pressing issues facing Spain today and on the views of the Spanish people regarding important topics of world interest.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1040 or equivalent or permission of the instructor. Recommended as a cultural course for qualified international business students.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 2065 - Actualidad Latinoamericana Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3060
This course covers main events in Latin America today. Reading, discussion and analysis Spanish of recent articles from Spanish-language newspapers and periodicals on the most pressing issues facing the score of nations comprising Latin America.
Prerequisite(s): Placed at this level by Placement Test or SPA 1040 or equivalent or permission of the instructor. Recommended as a cultural course for qualified international business students.
Fulfills: FL in LS Core.
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SPA 2520 - Lawrence City of Immigrants Credits: 4
Course taught in english. This interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to the study of Lawrence, MA, as a complex system. Drawing from Urban Studies, Cultural Theory and other disciplines in the Liberal Arts, the course approaches Lawrence as a racialized urban geography where multiple social, political and cultural issues such as immigration, suburbanization, segregation and deindustrialization can be observed through time, from the birth of the city until our days. The course will pay special attention to the Latinx community’s role in the history of the city, as well as to the tension between media discourse on Lawrence and community efforts to make the city more livable. The course will challenge perceptions of Lawrence, as well as the way in which we perceive cities.
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SPA 2600 - Issues in Film and Literature of the Spanish-speaking World Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA4060 Film and Literature of Contemporary Spain and Latin America
A study of the Spanish and Latin American culture as viewed through its various symbols and myths, highlighted in texts and films of the 20th century. Students will learn about major cultural events and will also see daily culture in a wide variety of settings. A connection with the world of the Supernatural in Latin America will also be touched upon, as the nature/culture dichotomy and the world of the unconscious will be explored. Class discussions, written essays, exams and oral presentations in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: AL or FL in LS Core.
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SPA 2610 - MTEL Preparation for Spanish Teachers Credits: 4
This course will prepare Spanish majors for the Spanish MTEL Exam as it covers the different areas needed to succeed in the exam. It will provide a comprehensive, chronological overview of history, literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking world, as well as a review of grammar and an introduction to language teaching methodology. Students in the course will be able to improve studying techniques, practice their Spanish listening and writing skills, and test their knowledge with timed practice quizzed similar to the Spanish MTEL Exam.
Prerequisite(s): Placing at the 3000 level in the Spanish Language Placement Exam.
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SPA 2900 - Race, Literature and Culture Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3610
Through the exploration of literature, history, music, film, and contemporary media, this course will explore questions of race in Spain and Latin America. Through the analysis and discussion of discourses on race (in fiction, as well as in factual, historical or anthropological texts), students will understand the history of the relations between different races in the Spanish-speaking world, as well as the relationship between race and nation-creation, class, empire, immigration, and social inequalities. This is a topic-centered course which might focus on one specific country or historical period.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: D and AL or FL in LS Core.
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SPA 2950 - Gender, Literature, and Culture Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3620
This course will explore the complexities of Hispanic societies and cultures, considering gender, sexuality, in addition to other topics. The course will be structured around topics that may include feminist movements, the construction and performance of gender, the theory and practice of women’s writing and sexual identities as they relate to representations in literature and culture. This course will present materials from established authors such as Ana Maria Matute, Carmen Martin Gaite, Lourdes Ortiz, Isabel Allende and Angeles Mastretta.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: D and AL or FL in LS Core.
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SPA 3100 - Studies in Popular Culture in Latin America and Spain Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3630
This course will present relevant topics from the perspective of how they are constructed in Latin American and Spanish popular culture. Significant current as well as historical events and trends will be discussed and analyzed through their representation in cartoons, film, music, TV, journalism, and popular fiction. The class will develop analytical and theoretical tools to study mass and popular culture.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: D and AL or FL in LS Core.
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SPA 3200 - Introduction to Advanced Studies Credits: 4
The purpose of this course is to prepare students to transition from the intermediate-advanced courses to the cultural and literary analysis and discussion of the Advanced level courses. Theoretical texts in English will explain basic concepts that will later apply to cultural products from the Spanish-speaking world, such as literature, music, film, comics and journalism.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 1510 or SPA 1520 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: AL or FL and D in LS Core
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SPA 3300 - Latinx Cultures in the U.S. Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA3310
This course will present Latino culture in the US through a variety of media such as literature, comic art, film, poetry and music. Drawing from cultural studies, sociology, and history, this class will create a framework that will allow us to understand and analyze such phenomena as transnational spaces and hybrid identities and border cultures. A service-learning component will allow students to have a positive impact in local communities, while at the same time developing their own relationship with and learning from the Latino community around Merrimack College.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 , or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: AL or FL, D and X in LS Core
Three hours a week, community service and an out of class cultural engagement requirement.
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SPA 3400 - Literature(s)/Culture(s) of Resistance Credits: 4
Formerly: SPA4050
This course will deal with literary and cultural expressions of resistance and dissent drawn from the Spanish- speaking world. The course will be structured around topics (indigenous resistance, testimonials) or geopolitical areas (such as Dictatorship and post-dictatorship in Argentina, Chile, or Spain). It will present a wide array of materials to understand the historical and social context in which a literary or cultural act of resistance is staged.
Prerequisite(s): SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
Fulfills: D and AL or FL in LS Core.
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SPA 3500 - Encountering Cuba: History, Culture, Environment Credits: 4
This Study Travel Course will provide Merrimack College Honors students with a unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding Cuba and its complex relationship with the United States. The course will be structured around three thematic units or plotlines: Revolution, Race, and the Environment. This course will be team-taught by professors of History, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Global Justice, Spanish, and Social Justice. The course will also feature guest speakers from a variety of departments (such as Economics, Visual and Performing Arts, Criminology, and Spanish) that will allow the community to be better prepared to encounter Cuba and to appreciate the accomplishments that its people have achieved, and the challenges they face.
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SPA 3700 - Special Topics Credits: 4
This course will allow students to focus on one specific topic from the perspective of the world that speaks Spanish: a certain genre (poetry, drama, and fiction), historical event or period, and/or an issue relevant to our current global society will be the focus of the course. The topic will be discussed and developed through a wide variety of cultural artifacts (literary texts, historical documents, visual arts, media, film, and music). The course will change its contents on a regular basis in order to present topics relevant to the Humanities or current events. SPA 3200 or permission of the instructor.
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SPA 4900 - Directed Independent Study Credits: 4
Intensive program of reading/writing under the direction of a full time member of the department. Provides exceptionally qualified WLCS seniors and second-semester juniors with an opportunity to work in depth on a focused topic not covered by the usual departmental course offerings. Requires a formal detailed proposal approved by the faculty members and the department chair.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of at least one language course at the 3000 level, at least three additional courses in the major, a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the major, or permission of the instructor, in addition to the approval of the chair and consent of the members of the department under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.
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Sport Management |
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SPM 3000 - Introduction to Sport Management Credits: 4
In this course, students will be introduced to the unique opportunities and operational aspects of a sport management career. The course will provide introductory exposure to the following areas: the historical evolution of American and international sports; the relationship between the mass media and the sports industry; the economic impact of sports; the interactive relationship between sports and society; and legal and ethical issues in sport management.
Prerequisite(s): BUS 1100 .
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SPM 3005 - Sport Marketing Credits: 4
Building on foundational concepts in marketing, students will explore unique aspects of the sport industry and marketing to sport consumers. Numerous sectors of the industry will be explored, including both professional and intercollegiate spectator sport, apparel, fitness, etc. With regard to spectator sport, students will consider the unique challenges facing sport marketers, most notably a lack of control over the core product. Topics include promotion, public relations, event sponsorship, strategic marketing, consumer behavior, and brand management.
Prerequisite(s): BUS 2205 .
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SPM 3200 - Sponsorships and Endorsements Credits: 4
Building on prior exposure to sponsorship from a conceptual standpoint, this course intends to provide students with an advanced understanding of the fundamental principles applied to the sponsorship of sport, arts, music/entertainment, and charitable organizations. The course will provide an overview of the process of selecting, developing, activating, and measuring the effectiveness of sponsorships, both from the perspective of the sponsoring brand and sponsored property. An applied course that will require participation in hands-on projects with fellow students, the course will provide students with the strategic foundation to manage the entire sponsorship process from both perspectives.
Prerequisite(s): BUS2205
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SPM 3315 - Sport Finance and Economics Credits: 4
In this course, students will use both financial and economic analysis to study a wide variety of issues affecting the sport industry. Specific topics examined will include (but are not limited to): player contract structures and time value of money, the effects of free agency and collective bargaining processes on player salaries, the effects of league-wide policies such as revenue sharing, salary caps, and luxury taxes on team financial performance and on league competitive balance, methods of determining team valuation, the financial drivers of NCAA conference realignment, and the impacts and rationales for government subsidization of stadiums.
From this course, students will learn core financial principles as they are related to the unique context of sport organizations, while also gaining the ability to apply analytical techniques to these organizations’ financial decision making. In addition, students will gain an awareness of both the overall economic structure of the sport industry and of the key economic issues facing the industry. In short, students will be exposed to a blend of financial and economic principles that drive revenue generation and distribution in the sport industry.
Prerequisite(s): BUS 2215 and ECO 1203
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SPM 3500 - Legal Environment of Sports Credits: 4
This course examines the legal issues arising from the areas of amateur and professional sport. Areas of study include, but are not limited to; constitutions and legal enactments; policy making in sport management; case law related to administrative, constitutional, contract, labor, product liability, and tort law; and risk-management techniques.
Prerequisite(s): BUS 1100
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SPM 4000 - Sport Management Practicum Credits: 4
This course provides students with experiential learning opportunities relevant to the sport management career. This “hands-on” experience allows students to learn how their educational training applies to a sport organization. Students work with their supervisor and professor to gain insights into the routines, processes, activities, and content of a setting or industry. They will also gain valuable insider knowledge about their industry and meet the people who may someday be their co-workers and/or supervisors, gaining advantage in the job market. Increasing personal skills and knowledge and enhancing professional competencies are key goals of the course. The practicum experience may be in for-profit, non-profit, or public sector organization.
Prerequisite(s): SPM 3000 and must submit application to be reviewed for approval prior to registration.
Fulfills: X in LS Core
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SPM 4250 - Facilities and Event Management Credits: 4
This course is designed to prepare students to plan and manage sport and recreation facilities and events. Students will study and discuss client needs and the theories involved in planning, constructing, and managing facilities. Field trips to commercial and educational recreation facilities will occur throughout the semester. Students will review contemporary event promotion practices in the industry as well as the history of marketing events. Event types of study will include sporting events, concerts, trade shows, conventions, festivals, and exhibits. In addition, fundraising for event activities will be discussed.
Prerequisite(s): SPM 3000 .
Fulfills: X in LS Core
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SPM 4800 - Directed Study in Sport Management Credits: 1-4
An independent study course for senior sport management students under the direction of a faculty member. The student must identify his or her intention to apply for this course in the semester prior to actual enrollment. Approval must be obtained from the department chair and the faculty member involved. This cannot be used to replace a required sport management electives without department approval being received.
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SPM 4900 - Special Topics in Sport Management Credits: 4
This course is designed to explore contemporary issues in Sport Management. The specific topic varies each time the course is taught. Descriptions are available in the Lucey Center for Business Advising.
Prerequisite(s): SPM 3000
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STEM Education |
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STM 1010 - Foundations of STEM Credits: 4
This course will introduce STEM and its integral role in our current society. Students will investigate questions in the life and physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Students will learn to identify and understand the elements of the scientific method. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in scientific activities. They should achieve a more advanced level of skill in experimental design by learning to conceptualize problems, test their hypotheses, conduct experiments and make modifications as necessary to answer STEM questions.
Prerequisite(s): Education major with a concentration in early childhood, elementary, or moderate disability
Fulfills: STEM in LS Core
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STM 3000 - STEM Capstone Credits: 4
This course explores the core ideas of science that provide the framework for understanding the universe. It investigates many of the fundamental scientific principles that relate to all matter and life in the universe and considers technological advancements and engineering innovations that have altered the natural world and impact our lives on a daily basis. An integrated approach is used to establish the roles of the scientific method, physical laws and mathematical tools in our understanding of the natural world, including the concepts of scale and size, complexity, matter and energy, and the origins of the universe, our planet and of life. This course is supported by an experiential learning component related to the educational process. Students will explore a multitude of local resources that are available in the teaching of K - 5th grade science and math classes. Examples include visits to informal environments such as the Boston Museum of Science, Acton Discovery Museum, whale watch expeditions and the Joppa Flats Mass Audubon Sanctuary, which offer a variety of educational opportunities. Making connections with our undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students in their class projects such as bridge construction, circuit design, Thinkfest, the Seedling Project and the Environmental Sustainability campus initiatives offer opportunities for collaborative learning. At the end of the course, a global field study experience in which students travel with experienced faculty to Belize or Costa Rica to study tropical ecosystems is recommended.
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STM 4000 - STEM Practicum Credits: 4
This inquiry-based course provides students the opportunity to apply what they have learned throughout the STEM program to the teaching of that content to elementary students. This course examines how children learn science, math, technology and engineering and how teachers facilitate that learning. The course will be based on a framework where students use evidence to construct explanations and engage in argumentation. The course will be set in real life settings (both inside and outside elementary classrooms/lab/Quarrybrook Reservation) and students will become actively involved in the following: participating in and developing inquiry based STEM laboratory investigations, teaching those investigations to elementary students in two settings, assessing student understanding, addressing persistent student misconceptions and initiating self/peer/group reflections of implementation efforts. Observation and field experience are required.
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Women’s and Gender Studies |
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WGS 1010 - Gender, Race, and Society Credits: 4
This course focuses on gender as a useful category to analyze structures, institutions, relationships, and social problems in the U.S. and globally. Students will learn such key concepts as the social construction of gender, power and privilege, patriarchy, and intersectionality. Topics include gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and the relationship between sexism, racism, homophobia and other systems of oppression and inequality. The course looks at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, and nation with such areas as work, education, media/technology, family, religion, and politics. Students will also social movements that have and continue to emerge to promotegender equality and social justice in the US and globally.
Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
Note: Required for the Women’s and Gender Studies Major and Minor.
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WGS 2010 - Race and Ethnic Studies Credits: 4
The main objective of this course is to introduce students to the academic field of Ethnic Studies, and the interdisciplinary questions it poses about the way that race, ethnicity, and racism structure our world. The course analyzes a range of themes and topics including the intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality; issues of power and privilege; immigration; popular culture and representation. The experiences of various communities of color will be explored including: African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx, Native Americans and others. This course will also introduce major debates and issues facing Ethnic Studies in the 21st century such as immigration rights, Diaspora and globalization. A variety of mediums will be used in the course including historical and theoretical texts, newspaper articles, online postings, film and cultural analysis.
Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
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WGS 2200 - Gender, Race, and Social Movements Credits: 4
This course will explore social activism around gender issues both in the U.S. and globally. It will look historically at efforts to forge greater social equality, as well as competing efforts to maintain traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Students will look at grassroots and community activism, the changing meaning of citizenship and rights, and the impetus for and impact of reform, as well as the role of women and differently gendered persons as activists. Topics will include the intersection of race, class, gender and sexuality in several major US movements, namely, antislavery, suffrage, civil rights, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights. We will similarly explore the intersection of social justice initiatives in the US with movements around the world, noting how movements differ between nations and at the same time potentially influence each other. Finally, the course will address the anatomy of social change: how an issue comes to the fore, what leads people to become involved, the measures (successful or otherwise) taken to effect change, and the processes and timetables that facilitate or prevent change.
Fulfills: D and SOSC in LS Core.
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WGS 2260 - Southwestern Women Writers and Artists Credits: 4
This course will examine the diverse writing, arts and crafts, architecture, culture and landscape of the American southwest. Our focus will be on American Indian, Latina, Hispanic, Chicana, and women writers and artists whose work is inspired by their culture, history and relationship to the land. We will study how their work engages spiritual, social and embodied struggles on the borders and beyond. From performance art, painting, poetry, storytelling, Native American pottery, jewelry, weaving, essays and ceremonial dance we will consider how their writing and art challenge and expand the very definitions of what art and literature are.
Fulfills: Humanities distribution requirement. AL and D in LS Core.
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