Apr 18, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

 

Religious and Theological Studies
  

  • RTS 2100 - Judaism

    Credits: 4
    This course will examine how early themes in Judaism affected modern Judaism and how relations with other faith groups have influenced Judaism. In addition, there will be a discussion of some of the modern challenges facing Judaism and an exploration of certain aspects of the modern world that could affect the survival of the Jewish people. Finally, given the rapidly changing landscape of world religions and their influence on world politics, students will be asked to compare the teachings of Judaism with those of the two other Abrahamic faiths, Christianity and Islam.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2150 - Islam

    Credits: 4
    An introductory study of Islam, a complex religious tradition founded by Mohammed and drawing adherents from all over the world. Studies the historical movement and the charismatic impact of the founder of Islam, ritual practices, theological issues expressed in the Holy Qur ‘an and supplemented by Hadith literature, the personal and communal life of the people, and the mystical sects such as the Sufis. Modern Islamic movements and trends studied to bring traditional Islam into a modern perspective.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2200 - Introduction to Hebrew Scripture

    Credits: 4
    This course introduces students to the Hebrew Scriptures as history, story, and literature. The importance of this literature for religious communities (Jews, Christians and Muslims) as well as its influence on the Western literary imagination (from Shakespeare to Tolstoy and Faulkner) is difficult to overemphasize. The approach to study in this class is informed by historical-critical methods of scholarship; in addition other academic approaches will be welcomed, such as literary criticism, feminist criticism, liberation theology, socio-historical approaches, etc., especially when raised by students in the class.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. AL in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2300 - Introduction to the New Testament

    Credits: 4
    This course is a critical, historical, literary, and historical study of the collection of Christian writings known as the New Testament. Attention will be given to the religious, cultural, and political background of the New Testament documents, their literary form, composition and religious significance, as well as the inspiration this collection of documents has provided for writers and artists of many ages.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. AL in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2400 - Sex, Politics, Religion, and St. Augustine

    Credits: 4
    This course explores how the social, political and religious environment of 4th and 5th century North Africa influenced the development of Christianity. The life and thought of Augustine of Hippo shows how contemporary Catholic and Protestant teachings on human sexuality, political systems, sin, God and religion can be traced back to early Christian centuries.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. H in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2425 - Pellegrinaggio in Italia: In Search of Augustinian Community

    Credits: 4
    This course is a study of St. Augustine of Hippo as well as an exploration of the origin of the Augustinians, the Religious Order which bears his name. Classes meet weekly during the semester, then students journey during spring break to Augustinian Italy to examine, first hand, sites of importance in Augustine’s life and in the origin and early history of the Augustinian friars and their involvement in medieval, renaissance, and modern European culture. This experience provides active, engaged learning and dialogue among a community of friends, and offers a number of inter-disciplinary opportunities. The course will enhance the student’s search for the wisdom that can result from a deeper understanding of self, others and God, the search which captivated the life of Augustine.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. AL (effective 2014-2015) and X in LS Core. Permission of professor required.
  

  • RTS 2450 - History of Christian Thought

    Credits: 4
    As a course in the history of ideas, there will be an investigation in depth of a theological idea, for example, God, Christ, humanity, etc, in the history of Christian thought and doctrine from the biblical period through to the present. The emphasis will be on how Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox thinkers, responding to cultural influences in each historical period, developed Christian understandings of the selected theological idea in various times and cultures.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. H in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2650 - Spirituality of Running

    Credits: 4
    This course investigates ways in which running can be used as a spiritual exercise. Students will examine the nature of spirituality in a variety of religions and cultures throughout history, and discover how running has been and can be used. Themes will include the existence of God and the nature of sanctuary, prayer, meditation, sacrament, and pilgrimage. Finally, students are encouraged to explore their own experience of running to see how this can assist them in becoming more authentic persons and how running can enhance their experience of the world around them, and of God.
    Prerequisite(s): The prospective student must demonstrate that he/she is a serious runner, and obtain permission of instructor.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. X in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2700 - Science and Religion

    Credits: 4
    The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the main ways in which people have interpreted the interaction of science and religion, to help them understand some of the basic contours of the history of science and scientific method, and to give them an intellectual context in which they can explore ways of integrating science with a religious world-view. This will include discussion of topics such as scientific cosmology and the Bible, miracles and natural laws, as well as the pressing problems relating to ethics and the most current advances in science and technology - specifically in the area of healthcare ethics.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • RTS 2800 - Social Ethics: Christian Perspectives

    Credits: 4
    An examination of the Christian sources and methodologies used for addressing social, political and economic issues peace, war, violence, economic justice, environmental justice, criminal justice, political justice, racism, sexism, homophobia and social justice). In particular, emphasis will be placed on the ethics of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures; Catholic social thought and how other religious traditions approach various issues of social justice. Students will be encouraged to explore the intersection of ethical theory and real-life issues of social injustice.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E, D and X in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2810 - Sex, Marriage, Family & Work

    Credits: 4
    This course explores Christian understandings of human sexuality, marriage, family, as well as career and work responsibilities. In addition to studying the theological foundations of these personal, relational, and social commitments, students will focus on multiple ethical perspectives and practices related to sexuality, marriage, family and work. Topics covered may include: reproductive choices, parenting, gender roles, divorce and remarriage, same- sex marriage, family management and decision-making, and the rights and duties of labor in and outside the home. Students will explore diverse approaches to these topics. The course will include biblical, traditional, and contemporary religious and philosophical perspectives.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2820 - Bioethics & Healthcare: Theological Approaches

    Credits: 4
    This course considers medical and healthcare issues derived from new technologies and capabilities within the human sphere. Theological Bioethics aims to integrate the discipline of theology with the field of biomedical ethics to critically evaluate the goals of healthcare and practices associated with these goals. The course will involve an examination of the Theological sources and methods used for addressing biomedical and healthcare issues (e.g., End of Life Care, Physician Assisted Suicide, Abortion, Reproductive Technologies, Organ Donation, Genetics, and Social Justice concerns) in a contemporary context. In particular, emphasis will be placed on the ethics of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Christian moral tradition, and some nonreligious sources in their approach to a variety of issues facing the healthcare community. Attention will focus on foundations for religion, medicine, and spirituality as they intersect in care for the body and soul in the first half of the class while the second half of the course will turn to bioethical issues that involve religious and ethical discernment.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2950 - Ethics in the Abrahamic Tradition

    Credits: 4
    This course is an introduction to how the Abrahamic religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) approach ethics both in theory and in practice. The course explores (1) the sources and methods of ethical reflection in each tradition including sacred texts and their interpretation, history, concepts of law, religious authority, role of conscience, role of reason and ethical principles (love, common good, freedom, etc.) and (2) a host of contemporary dilemmas currently under debate in these traditions (e.g. abortion, capital punishment, war and peace, biomedical ethics, sexual ethics). Attention will be paid to the consistencies and inconsistence within and between the “people of the book.”
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E in LS Core.
  

  • RTS 2990 - Special Topics in Religious Studies

    Credits: 4
    This course will offer a focused study of selected topics of interest in Religious Studies.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D and X in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. X in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. H in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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. 
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D and E in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. D and E in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. H in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E in LS Core.
  

  • 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: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. E in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Second institutional requirement in religious and theological studies.
  

  • 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
  

  • 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.

Sociology
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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. 
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.
  

  • SOC 3000(W) - 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 and W requirements in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • SOC 3300(W) - 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 and W requirements in LS Core.
  

  • 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.

    Prerequisite(s): SOC1001 or consent of instructor
    Fulfills: social science requirement in LS Core
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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 1000  and SOC 3100  or consent of the instructor.
    Fulfills: Q in LS Core.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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 requirement in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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): SOC 1000  and consent of the Chair and a full-time faculty member in the department under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.
  

  • 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): SOC 1000  and consent of the Chair and a full-time faculty member in the department under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.

Social Justice
  

  • 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 and E in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.

Spanish
  

  • SPA 1110 - Introductory Spanish I

    Credits: 4
    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
  

  • SPA 1120 - Introductory Spanish II

    Credits: 4
    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 1110  or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: FL in LS Core
  

  • SPA 2010 - Intermediate Spanish I

    Credits: 4
    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 1120  or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: The intermediate language sequence (2010, 2020) satisfies BOTH Humanities distribution requirements. FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 2020 - Intermediate Spanish II

    Credits: 4
    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 2010  or equivalent or the permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: The intermediate language sequence (2010, 2020) satisfies BOTH Humanities distribution requirements. FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3010 - Composition & Culture

    Credits: 4
    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 2020  or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: umanities distribution requirement. FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3020 - Latin American and Spanish Contemporary Film

    Credits: 4
    Formerly: 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 2020  or equivalent or permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: umanities distribution requirement. FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3050 - Actualidad Española

    Credits: 4
    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 2020  or equivalent or permission of the instructor. Recommended as a cultural course for qualified international business students.
    Fulfills: Humanities distribution requirement. FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3060 - Actualidad Latinoamericana

    Credits: 4
    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 2020  or equivalent or permission of the instructor. Recommended as a cultural course for qualified international business students.
    Fulfills: Humanities distribution requirement. FL in LS Core.
  

  • 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 3010  or SPA 3020  or permission of the instructor.
    Fulfills: Fulfills AL, FL and D in LS Core
  

  • SPA 3310 - Latinos in the US: Culture and Service Learning

    Credits: 4
    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.
  

  • SPA 3500H - 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.
  

  • SPA 3510 - Culture and Civilization of Spain I

    Credits: 4
    This course examines Spain and the cultural heritage of Latin America and its people as descendants of Indians, blacks, and Europeans in the New World. It will become clear that Latin America has a multifaceted cultural heritage ranging from the indigenous people of Mesoamerica to the European presence–Iberian, and through Iberia Mediterranean, Roman, Greek, and also Arab and Jewish–to the singular and suffering black African presence. Taught in English.  
    Fulfills: D in LS Core
  

  • SPA 3610 - Race, Literature and Culture

    Credits: 4
    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: Humanities distribution requirement. D in the LS Core and AL or FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3620 - Gender, Literature, and Culture

    Credits: 4
    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: Humanities distribution requirement. D in the LS Core and AL or FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 3630 - Studies in Popular Culture in Latin America and Spain

    Credits: 4
    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: Humanities distribution requirement. D in the LS Core and AL or FL in LS Core.
  

  • 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.
    Fulfills: Satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement.
  

  • SPA 4060(W) - Film and Literature of Contemporary Spain and Latin America

    Credits: 4
    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: Writing intensive requirement or a Humanities distribution requirement. W in the LS Core and AL or FL in LS Core.
  

  • SPA 4080 - Hispanic Literature in Translation

    Credits: 4
    This course is for students, who have not necessarily studied the Spanish language or literatures, to discover Latin American and Spanish Peninsular authors who have captivated a broad international audience in the Twentieth and Twenty first centuries.  Possible authors whose texts will be discussed: Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Rulfo, Carols Ruiz Zafon, Isabel Allende, Angeles Mastretta, Carmen Martin Gaite, and Gabriel García Márquez.  Taught in English.  
    Fulfills: AL in LS Core
  

  • 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.

Sport Management
  

  • 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 .
    Note: This course will fulfill a required elective for the following concentration(s):
  

  • SPM 3005 - Sport Marketing

    Credits: 4
    Marketing is a critical function in the sport organization. Sport marketing exposes students to the dynamics of marketing a sport organization. Topics include promotion, public relations, event sponsorship, strategic marketing, consumer behavior, and brand management.
    Prerequisite(s): BUS 2205 .
    Note: This course will fulfill a required elective for the following concentration(s):
  

  • 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  
  

  • 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, 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): SPM 3000 .
  

  • SPM 4000 - Sport Management Practicum

    Credits: 4
    The practicum 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.
    Prerequisite(s): Must submit application to be reviewed for approval prior to registration. 
    Fulfills: X in LS Core
  

  • 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
  

  • 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): BUS 1100  

STEM Education
  

  • 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
  

  • 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.
  

  • 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.

Women’s and Gender Studies
  

  • WGS 1010 - Gender and Society

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore current attitudes about women, men and differently gendered persons in Western society. It approaches women’s, men’s, and differently gendered person’s experiences through insights provided by feminist thought on such areas as race and ethnicity, work, education, media, family, gender, sexuality, religion, and politics. Among the questions the course will consider are: Why is it important to study how gender is constructed? Why have women been treated differently than men in society? How have differently gendered persons been regarded and treated by society? What is patriarchy? And how is power distributed based on gender?
    Fulfills: Social Science distribution requirement. SOSC requirement and D in LS Core.
    Note: Required for the Women’s and Gender Studies Major and Minor.
  

  • WGS 2010 - Intro to 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’s focus is within a framework analyzing 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, Chicanos, Latinas, 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: Social Science distribution requirement. SOSC requirement and D in LS Core.
  

  • WGS 2200 - Gender 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.
  

  • 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 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.
  

  • WGS 2420 - Gender, Sex, and Film

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore how film intentionally or unintentionally reflects and shapes our perceptions of sex and gender categories and norms. Throughout the course students will examine mainstream, independent, and international films looking at how gender, sex and race are represented. Students will analyze how women and men and transgender persons have historically been portrayed in film and how sex and race are intertwined with gender. Questions and topics include how sexualities from heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, and gay have been represented during different socio-historical periods; how different film genres from romance to horror and comedy position characters according to sex and gender; who do we identify with and why; and how do different audiences respond to characters based on the intersections of sex, race, and gender? Students will have the opportunity to reverse the lens and experiment with video production.
    Fulfills: Humanities distribution requirement. AL and D in LS Core.
  

  • WGS 2520 - Women in Historic Massachusetts

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore the lives of women who shaped not only New England but the world. This class will be a hands on exploration into the lives and cultures of great Massachusetts women such as Maria Stewart, Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Fuller, the Peabody sisters, Tituba, Betsy Gump Chamberlain, and many others. Students in this class will explore the realities of these great women by going on field trips and reading informative articles. Students will walk the paths these women walked and travel back through time to explore what these great women did to make the world better for their having been there.
    Fulfills: D and X in LS Core.
  

  • WGS 2660 - Southwest Studies in the US

    Credits: 4
    This team-taught cross-disciplinary course with a focus on ethnicity, gender and culture and one or two additional areas including ecology and/or astronomy combine to form a coherent picture of one of the most diverse parts of the United States, the Southwest of New Mexico and Arizona. The course focuses on Native American, Chicana/o/Hispanic and Anglo forces that shape the land and influence the arts and architecture. We will examine Native American traditions, spirituality, gender, myths and rituals.  In addition we will focus on two of the desert ecosystems of the Southwestern US, the Chihuahuan and Sonoran, and the boundaries between them. The dominant plants and animals will be examined. And/or students will study astronomy and archeo-astronomy. The Southwest includes the best observing sites in the continental US and we will examine optical and radio astronomy, and investigate the relationship of the sky to Anasazi culture and the astronomical alignments of the ruins of Chaco Canyon. The course includes a field trip to the Southwest.  
    Cross-Listed: SCI2660
    Fulfills: D in LS Core
 

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