Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 

Sociology

  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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 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 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): 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): 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, E and X 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 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
  
  • 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
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • SPA 1520 - Latin American and Spanish Contemporary Film

    Credits: 4
    Formerly: SPA3020, 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.   
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • 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.
  
  • SPA 4060 - Film + Lit Contempt Spanish + 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.  
    Fulfills: Fulfills W and AL or FL 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): MGT 1100 .
  
  • 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): MKT 2205 .
  
  • 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): MKT 2205  

  
  • 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): FIN 2500  and ECO 1203  

  
  • 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): MGT 1100  
  
  • 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
  
  • SPM 4020 - Second Business Internship

    Credits: 4


     The second business internship is available to students who have completed their first internship (ACC4010, FIN4010, MGT4010, or MKT4010), the Sport Management Practicum (SPM4000), the Accounting Co-Op (ACC4000), or the Hospitality Management Practicum (HSP40000) and who would like to gain credit for another internship experience. Paid and unpaid internships are an opportunity for students to gain experience in actual work settings where they can apply their classroom and other prior learning. Students will work with their internship supervisor and their professor to gain insights into the daily routines and the overall process, activities, and content of a particular setting or industry that is different from their first internship experience. Internships may be in for-profit, not-for-profit or public sector organizations depending on the interests of the student.

     

    Notes:

    If the student wishes to complete their second business internship at a company where they have already completed their first internship, it must be a significantly different work experience with a different supervisor.

    While there is no specific GPA requirement for the course, it is generally recommended that you have a minimum GPA of 2.70.

    The Internship must be secured (usually during the previous semester) and permission must be obtained from the professor prior to registration for the course.

     
    Prerequisite(s): SPM 4000  and faculty consent.

  
  • 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 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.

     

  
  • 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   

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 - Introduction to Gender, Race, and Sexuality Studies

    Credits: 4


    Formerly: Gender, Race, and Society
    This is the introductory course to the interdisciplinary field of Women’s and Gender Studies. It 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. Using the tools of multiple disciplines - history, sociology, psychology, anthropology, media studies, philosophy, political science - the course explores social and cultural notions about gender and sexuality and the role of institutions in maintaining and reinforcing norms. Topics include gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and the relationship between sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other systems of oppression and inequality. The course looks at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, 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 promote gender 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.

  
  • WGS 2010 - Race and Ethnic Studies

    Credits: 4
    The main objective of this course is to introduce students to the academic field of Race and 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 Race and 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.
  
  • WGS 2200 - Gender, Race, and Social Movements

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore social activism around gender and racial issues both in the U.S. and globally in the past and present. It will look at efforts to forge greater social equality, as well as competing efforts to maintain traditional notions of gender, race, 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 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.
  
  • WGS 2310 - Gender and Diversity in Leadership

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore cultural perspectives on what it means to be a leader and how notions of leadership are both socially constructed and reinforced in ways that reify gender norms, as well as gender, racial, and other biases. Using the lenses of feminist theory, critical race theory, queer theory, and intersectionality, students will explore how racialized notions of masculinity and femininity, along with heteronormativity, function to determine socially acceptable and culturally valued standards of leadership. We will look at historical and contemporary contexts, locally and globally, in which leaders emerge and the ways in which leadership has been/is defined and represented. In effect, then, this is a course that examines power and the ways in which norms and biases are deployed to grant or limit access to leadership. The course will examine leadership across a range of categories and fields such as political leadership (Congress/presidency); social movement leadership (and questions of the potential for leaderless movements); business/corporate/workplace leadership. This course will explore the ways in which leadership is represented in media, as well as the language and symbols associated with leadership. Finally, our study will focus on both those who seek leadership roles and “unintentional leaders” – people who find themselves thrust into leadership positions by circumstances (i.e. Malala Yousafzai or Greta Thunberg). This course culminates by examining whether (and how) leadership as a concept can be reimagined and reinvented to allow for greater diversity.
    Fulfills: SOSC, D, and X 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 we will examine mainstream, independent, and international films looking at how gender, sex and race are represented.  We will analyze how women and men and transgender persons have historically been portrayed in film and how sex and race are interlocked with gender.  Questions and topics include how have sexualities and gender identities - i.e., cisgender, heterosexual, and LGBTQ+ – been represented during different socio-historical periods; how do different film genres from romance to horror to comedy position characters according to notions of 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. 
    Fulfills: 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 2880 - Gender, Race, and War

    Credits: 4
    This course will look at war and its aftermath through the prism of gender, race, sexuality and nation. It will explore war and peace as gendered and racialized phenomena while examining the impact of war on individuals and groups in conflict zones, including within militaries and armed resistance. It will address both the construction of the enemy and the making of the soldier as gendered and racial projects. Using feminist inquiry, students will study processes of militarization to understand how officials deploy conceptions of gender, race, and sexuality to construct citizens, soldiers, and enemies as gendered and racialized subjects. The course will also explore the role of gender and race in processes on demilitarization, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction. Case studies will include both US wars and militarized political conflicts in other parts of the world. Organized thematically, course topics include constructions of violent and nonviolent masculinities and femininities; the history, roles, and treatment of women, people of color, and LGBTQ within militaries and as veterans; rape, sexual violence, and sexual slavery on battlefields and within militaries, including the treatment of women around military bases; the use of history and memory to maintain gendered and racial understandings of war through official commemorations and war memorials; the role of women and underrepresented groups in resistance to war and in peace movements; and the prospect of envisioning post-conflict societies based on justice and equality for all. 
     
    Fulfills: SOSC, D, and X in LS Core
  
  • WGS 2900 - Writing the Gendered Life

    Credits: 4
    This course will use writing as a tool to raise students’ consciousness about gender - who we are as gendered beings, how gender functions in society, and what our constructs of gender mean in navigating our lives and our relationship to the broader world. Similarly, gender analysis will become a tool to teach and improve student writing. Where do students’ ideas of gender come from and what role does race, ethnicity, and nation  play in shaping ideas about gender?  How might they change when students factor in a wider and more diverse idea of gender and learn about cross cultural and global expectations, manifestations, and challenges of gender? In this writing-intensive course, students will ultimately develop the skill of balancing their analyses of the gendered self with that of the wider world. The course will be divided into thematic units that examine interdisciplinary approaches to gender and will include historical, sociological psychological, religious, feminist and critical race theory writings on gender. Students will look at how gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and nation affect and interact with lived experiences and ideologies of childhood; love/marriage/family; education; media; the body; and age/aging. Students will begin each unit by writing about themselves in relationship to a given topic. They will then explore that topic through readings and films offering multicultural local and global perspectives on gender.
    Fulfills: D and W in LS Core.
    Note: Course is offered as writing intensive and fulfills the W in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3000 - Thinking Green: Environmental Justice, Gender, and Animal Rights

    Credits: 4
    This interdisciplinary course will examine theories and social movements focused on environmental justice, eco- feminism and animal rights. Students will study environmental racism and how pollutants and toxic waste impact the health, lives, and land of economically disadvantaged communities of color, including Native Americans, as well as efforts to change this. The class will examine legal challenges and movements to expose and end cruelty to animals and animal exploitation, and the linkage between thinking green and creating an earth democracy that fosters a more just and healthy environment for all. Students will investigate gender diversity and the impact that environmental degradation has on populations. And they will employ cultural environmental theories to analyze how the environment and the earth is represented and misrepresented in popular culture, literature and art.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3100 - Feminist Theories in Action

    Credits: 4


    This course is designed to broaden and to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of feminist theories and their application with a focus on the intersections between gender-based oppression and struggles as well as other forms of oppression and struggles for justice and equality.  Students will master the vocabulary to discuss major concepts, themes, and debates in feminist scholarship and explore the relationship between theorizing about gender and other inequalities and struggles for social justice and the strategies used to promote social change.  Students will also examine differences, tensions, and conflicts among feminist and feminist theories, as we focus on understanding movements that highlight intersections between gender-based oppression and struggles and other forms of oppression and movements for justice and equality.  Students will then apply the theories they learn to a semester-long praxis project, engaging with the campus community and beyond.

     
    Fulfills: SOSC, D in LS Core.
    Note: Not required for the Women’s and Gender Studies Major.

  
  • WGS 3110 - Global Gender Issues and Social Justice

    Credits: 4
    This course provides a global perspective on gender and social justice issues.  Students will learn to critically examine patterns of continuity and change in different parts of the world, as well as similarities and differences among women, men, and gender non-conforming individuals, across cultures and contexts.  The course is structured to provide students with knowledge and analytical tools to understand the specific historical, political, and socioeconomic conditions that shape femininities, masculinities, as well as gender roles, relationships, and struggles. Students will also explore the ways in which activists on the ground seek to promote social justice.  Topics include disparities in power and resources between the Global North and the Global South, gender-based violence, globalization, militarization, and human trafficking.
     
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3120 - Women and Film: The Politics of Representation

    Credits: 4
    This course studies filmic representations of women and gender in US and international cinema, documentaries and independent film and the role of feminist film directors and producers. Students will study feminist film analysis, analyze the different film genres like horror films where a strong woman usually defeats the monster. The course will contrast US and International filmic representations of women. Issues to be addressed include how representations of women change historically and reflect shifting attitudes about gender, race, ethnicity, class, nation and sex. The course will also explore audience responses to films and some techniques of filmmaking. Additionally, students will produce short videos as a means to explore how to create a feminist film and what it is like on the other side of the camera.
    Fulfills: AL and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3140 - Studies in Masculinities

    Credits: 4
    The critical study of masculinities is not only a burgeoning subfield within Women’s and Gender Studies, but also an increasingly important subject within progressive humanities and social science scholarship of all kinds. Emerging initially as a result of the women’s and gay liberation movements in the late 1960s and early 1970s, masculinity studies today is an interdisciplinary endeavor based on the notion that masculinities are historically produced, culturally specific, locally practiced, and (continually) subject to change. Students in this course will explore how masculinity – whether considered at the global, national, local, or personal level – is always informed and mediated by intersecting social categories of race, class, and sexuality.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3230 - Gender, Race and Sexuality in Popular Culture

    Credits: 4


    Popular Culture is the US’s second largest export after weapons. This course will examine how gender is used in popular culture artifacts from popular entertainment including sports, films, music and more. Employing popular culture methods and theories including cultural studies, students will study how the meaning system is used to reinforce the status quo and also challenge it. By focusing on advertising, music, television, magazines, film, and social media, this course will explore how cultural values, fears, hopes and dreams are coded into gender scripts, and how these scripts intersect with other aspects of identity such as race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality. The course will also examine what is at stake both in negotiating gender, race, and sexuality in contemporary culture and in doing “feminist” cultural criticism. Topics include changes in representations of bodies, relationships, and families; reflections of politics in popular culture; and the varied influence of popular culture as well as efforts by individuals and groups to use popular culture to promote social justice and political/social change. Case studies include media and popular culture representations of #MeToo, the movement for black lives, and issues of migration and immigration.


     
    Fulfills: D in LS Core.

  
  • WGS 3250 - Sex and Gender Studies

    Credits: 4
    This course examines the ways in which sex and gender are constructed in a range of interdisciplinary discourses including: political, legal, historical, psychological, medical, literary, popular culture and in embodied practices. Much of the focus of the course will be on the biological, social, cultural and ethical dimensions of sex and gender with an emphasis on how cultures are organized around sex and gender. Students will examine the construction of sex and gender identities. We will look at how these identities are informed by race, ethnicity, class, nation and age. We will also explore the role of gender and sexuality in social movements, citizenship and human rights.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3290 - Women, Gender, and Business

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore the nature, scope, and development of women’s relationship to the business world from an interdisciplinary and intersectional perspective. The goal is to examine how business practices and behavior have been shaped by gender norms and ideals, as well as by the experience of, and biases based on, race, ethnicity,  class, and gender/sexual identity. Using a feminist analysis, students will study how business has been historically and socially constructed in gendered ways, how job categories became defined in gender and racial terms, as well as the strategies used by women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color to resist and overcome  obstacles and biases. We will also look at the ways in which entrepreneurship serves as a form of economic activism and a vehicle for marginalized people to provide for themselves economically. Course topics include occupational segregation; the gender pay gap; the glass ceiling, glass escalator, and glass cliff; sexual harassment; Title VII, and affirmative action.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3300 - U.S. Women’s History

    Credits: 4
    This class will provide an examination of the history of women in America. It will include history prior to colonization, up to the present. The course will explore women’s roles in US Society and the intersection of gender, class, culture, ethnicity and sexuality in shaping women’s historical experiences across time. The course will examine the transformations and continuities in women’s lives as well as the political, social, economic and cultural factors that inspired, infused or inhibited women’s changing roles. This class also explores the ways in which race, class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity have operated to unite and divide disparate groups of women. 
    Fulfills: H and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3360 - Fieldwork in the American Southwest: Classroom without Walls

    Credits: 4


    In this course, students will learn about one of the most culturally and geographically diverse areas in the U.S, the desert Southwest. Focus will be on the diverse landscape and people. In the classroom and in the field, students will study the unique archeology, ecology, history, and culture of the southwest. The course will be followed by a 7-10 day field trip to the Southwest, where students will visit various sites including Native American pueblos, Dine’ (Navajo) Nation, a working ranch, nature centers, galleries, cultural centers, and historic and archeological sites. Students will learn by doing from a variety of Native American, Chicana/o and Anglo southwestern writers, artists, storytellers, activists, cowgirls and cowboys, and environmentalists. Students will have an opportunity to create art, engage in social justice and environmental work. The course also focuses on the ways in which various came together and interacted, as well as their relationship to the land and the sacred. An extra travel fee is required for this course. 

     
    Fulfills: SOSC, D and X in LS Core.

  
  • WGS 3400 - US LGBTQ+ History

    Credits: 4


    Traditional histories of the United States typically leave out the stories, experiences, and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender fluid Americans. This course will move the voices of LGBTQ+ people from the margins to the center of study and analysis. The course will trace LGBTQ+ history from the earliest era (pre-contact) to the present. The focus will be twofold: to explore the ways in which gender and sexuality have been socially and historically constructed and deployed, and to uncover the meaning people gave to their own experiences, as well as their contributions to American history and life broadly conceived. In this way, we will study how notions of gender and sexuality are shaped by and resist systems of power and oppression across time.  In addition, we will look at the ways in which race, ethnicity, and class, further complicated  norms  and  experiences  of gender and sexuality  in  different historical moments, as well as the emergence of racial, ethnic, and class-based LGBTQ+ subcultures and communities. The story of LGBTQ+ history exists at the intersection of prejudice and pride; as such, topics will include representations of LGBTQ+ people in medicine, law, mass media, and popular culture, particularly in the late 19th and 20th centuries; the rise of resistance, liberation/ activist movements; the emergence of LGBTQ+ communities; and the historical development and evolution of language regarding LGBTQ+ people. 

     
    Fulfills: D and H in LS Core

  
  • WGS 3420 - Gender, Race, and the Media

    Credits: 4
    In this course, students will examine theories of gender, race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality in mainstream and independent media, including social media. We will study who controls the media, whose story is told, and from what perspective. A focus will be on the historical and current impact racial and gender stereotypes in the media have on individuals and communities. Students will also examine how various audiences interpret the media differently, how oppressed groups worldwide are portrayed in mainstream media, and how these groups use the media to tell their own stories. Topics include media representations of power, privilege, and systemic inequality; media literacy; historical and current racial and gender stereotypes in the media, and the impact they have on individuals and communities; and the role of alternative media in a democracy.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3630 - “Changing Woman:” The Reality and Myths of Native American Women

    Credits: 4
    Changing Woman is the most important deity of the Navajo (Dine’) people. She personifies the earth and the cyclical path of the seasons. During a young girl’s rite of passage ceremony (Kinaaldá), she is evoked as the “ideal woman” and symbolizes the change into adulthood and subsequent female empowerment. This acceptance of female change and empowerment is a dynamic characteristic in Native American culture and one aspect that will be studied in this in-depth look at the reality and myth of the Native American woman. This course will examine the historical and contemporary reality illuminating the real lives of North American Indigenous women and debunks some stereotypical myths. Students will explore how gender is constructed in tribal societies and examine various matrilineal cultures. They will learn to understand and appreciate the significance of oral traditions and storytelling that is the fabric of Indigenous communities, and students will be introduced to different worldviews examining such concepts as circular time, “walking in beauty”, and the Fifth World. A variety of mediums will be used in this exploration including feminist theory, poetry, artwork, personal narrative and film.
    Fulfills: D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3710 - Gender and the Law

    Credits: 4
    This course will begin with an introduction to constitutional law and develop into an intimate study of the inner workings of the Supreme Court and its major decisions affecting gender. Such topics and marriage and divorce, pornography, the right to privacy, as well as discrimination cases involving gender pay inequality, Title VII and Title IX, and LGBTQ rights will be discussed through an historical and legal framework. Debate and discussion regarding the historical evolution of these legal issues and their current trends will be emphasized.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3720 - Gender, Immigration, and the Law

    Credits: 4
    This course will examine the intersection of immigration, gender, and the legal system in the United States. Through a careful analysis of the influence of sex, race, ethnicity, and gender on the experience of migration and movement, students will develop an understanding of the state of immigration law and politics. Students will be immersed in the work of immigration studies pioneers, exploring the social, cultural, and political issues that surround modern immigration. Federal legislation and administrative policy will be discussed in conjunction with current trends of immigration. In addition to examining the lives of others, students will trace their families’ origins and craft the story of their ancestors to create a full picture of immigration in the United States.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 3830 - Gender and Global Health

    Credits: 4
    This course will explore the issues surrounding the achievement of health equality around the world, focusing on the intersection of gender, race, class, and location in determining health and well-being for global citizens. Using gender- based approach to study, students will examine the status of global health in a variety of areas including: access to care, HIV/AIDS, violence against women, human trafficking, reproductive health, and aging. Throughout the course, students will discover the challenges faced in ensuring global health care equality and analyze the response of non- governmental organizations (NGOs), local governments, and the health care community in addressing these challenges.
    Fulfills: SOSC and D in LS Core.
  
  • WGS 4100 - Gender Studies

    Credits: 4
    This interdisciplinary course will explore major issues, theories, and activism around the issue of gender including an analysis of gender stereotypes in the mass media. We will look at how gender identities are constructed, contested and mapped on the body.  Topics will include transgender, transsexual, intersex politics, identity and representation, the new masculinity studies, queer theory, hate crimes and what does feminism have to do with gender politics. And as always we will ask what is a woman and what is a man and how these identities have shifted and changed in various cultures throughout history and what it means politically.
    Fulfills: D in LS Core
  
  • WGS 4800 - Directed Study

    Credits: 4
    In lieu of a formal course, qualified upper-class students may, with the approval of the director, substitute an intensive program of reading and research under the direction of a faculty member of the program. Such research and reading will focus on local, national, and/or transnational issues related to women, gender, sex, race, class, and ethnicity and will emphasize intersectionality.
     
    Prerequisite(s): Consent of the director and the member of the program under whose supervision the Directed Study will be conducted.
  
  • WGS 4850 - Internship in Women’s and Gender Studies

    Credits: 4
    The Internship in Women’s and Gender Studies is a semester-long opportunity for students to combine practical experience with an in-depth academic theoretical analysis. Students will be expected to spend a number of hours per week in the field working in a setting where they experience firsthand issues related to women’s and gender studies. Such work may be individual or group/based. Students will arrange with the supervisor at their site an agreed upon work schedule, specific responsibilities, and tasks expected to be accomplished by the student over the course of the semester. In addition to the responsibilities assumed as part of their placement, students must fulfill the academic component of the internship which requires regular meetings with the internship director to discuss internship experiences and also requires that the student complete a research paper on a topic related to the internship experience. Past internships have included work with adolescent girls who are substance abusers, work with victims of domestic violence, political internships at the statehouse, working with LGBTQ+ youth, working in a feminist publishing house, and creating and implementing Diversity programs in a local high school.
    Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department chair and the internship director.
    Fulfills: X in LS Core
  
  • WGS 4990 - Senior Seminar

    Credits: 4
    This is the capstone course for Women’s and Gender Studies majors. Students will learn and employ feminist research methodologies and reflect on their intellectual journey in a semester-long project that is the culmination of their studies. The course will also include exploration of career development and future jobs that use their WGS education, as well as preparation for possible graduate studies. Throughout the semester, students will share their research, participate in classroom workshops to gain feedback and aid in the completion of their seminar paper. While required of majors, the senior seminar is open to WGS minors.  Students working on a capstone project for another program that focuses on gender and intersectionality may register for tis course with the permission of the instructor.
    Note: Required for the Women’s and Gender Studies Major

World Languages and Cultural Studies

  
  • GCS 1700 - The Global Zombie

    Credits: 4
    Formerly: WLC1200
    Courses will be taught in English.  Using the zombie as a powerful metaphor, the course will discuss the role of the zombie in a series of national and international blockbuster movies, from classical Hollywood to nowadays. Starting from the premise that there is some kind of inverse relationship between the zombie and the cyborg (Sci-Fi’s number one nightmare scenario before the return of the zombie: Cylons and Terminators and the Borg), we’ll explore how we moved from the cyborg (humanity’s attempt to triumph over nature and rule the world) to the zombie (Nature gone terribly awry, humanity’s complete loss of control). We’ll discuss how zombies can help us interpret our anxieties vis-à-vis such topics as: globalization, global health, international relations, environmentalism, race and gender relations, consumer culture, and societal norms.
    Fulfills: AL and D in LS Core.
  
  • GCS 1900 - Introduction to Latinx Studies

    Credits: 4
    Course will be taught in English.  This course will introduce Latinx culture in the US through a variety of media such as literature, mural art , film, poetry and music. Drawing from cultural studies, sociology, and history, this class will create a framework that will allow students to understand and analyze such phenomena as transnational spaces, hybrid and/or hyphenated identities, and the emergence of Latinx culture in the US. The course will apply this framework also to specific cultural art ifacts such as nuyorican poetry, border cultures, and reggaeton. Four Latinx groups will be the focus of this course: Chicanx, Puerto Rican, Dominic-American, and Cuban-American, with the possibility of adapting the course to changing historical conditions. Students who want it to count towards their Spanish Major Concentration will need to do coursework in Spanish .
    Fulfills: AL and D in LS Core
  
  • GCS 2000 - Introduction to Cultural Studies

    Credits: 4
    Course will be taught in English.  This course’s objective is to prepare students for the advanced cultural analysis of upper level WLCS courses by introducing them to the practice of Cultural Studies.  Drawing  from both the Anglo-American Cultural Studies tradition as well as from global perspectives on Cultural Studies, the course will focus on the tools and approaches provided  by a selection of cultural theory readings centered on ideology, community, power, class, race and gender. The concepts will later be applied to the analysis of a series of cultural and literary artifacts (translated into English when necessary)  from different parts of the world, with an occasional emphasis  on the Spanish-speaking world. Thus, students will develop their own critical voice and tools while they build up a general historical and geopolitical framework within which to understand artistic and social movements, as well as the work of individual authors.
    Fulfills: AL and D in LS Core
  
  • WLC 1000 - International Cultures, Customs, and Languages

    Credits: 4
    This course explores the culture (or cultures) of a non-English-speaking country. The course aims to stimulate cultural curiosity and cross-cultural communication, along with providing practical knowledge of the customs and culture(s) of the specfic country that will be covered each semester. The aspects of the country’s culture that will be covered include Culture and Arts, Social values, Food and other customs, Economics, Geography, History, Politics, Demographics and other social issues such as immigration/emigration, the environment, and mass media. There will also be a language component at the introductory level to provide students with the tools to navigate the target culture. This course is available exclusively for Degree Completion students who are taking courses through the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
    Fulfills: FL in LS core

Writing

  
  • WRT 2010 - Writing Across Cultures

    Credits: 4
    This course focuses on the study of identity, diversity, and multiculturalism as represented through the examination of cross/inter cultural intersections, past and present.  Through the examination of theory and textual representations, films, and videos, and listening to the stories of individuals, students will engage in reflective inquiry, develop discourse strategies, and scholarly research. Formal and informal writing will include blogging, online discussion, and research.  
    Fulfills: D and W in LS Core
  
  • WRT 2020 - Writing for Social Change

    Credits: 4
    This course examines the impact of writing on social change through analyzing existing texts and composing original texts. Students will analyze articles, books, pamphlets, web sites, advertising campaigns, court decisions, and other documents, focusing on how writers have contributed to social movements such as abolition, women’s suffrage, temperance, civil rights, and pro-choice/pro-life. Students will also compose a variety of texts advocating change on an issue of their choice. 
    Fulfills: D and W in LS Core
  
  • WRT 3700 - Special Topics in Rhetoric

    Credits: 4
    These courses focus on the study of writing in particular professional, academic, or cultural contexts. Sample topics include: Writing About Families, Death, and Violence; Travel Writing; Issues in Second Language Writing; Feminist Rhetoric; Visual Rhetoric; Social and Political Rhetoric; and Religious Rhetoric. 

Nursing

  
  • NUR 1550 - Introduction to Professional Nursing

    Credits: 4
    This course introduces the student to the discipline of professional nursing.  The roles of the nurse are explored within the health care delivery system to include that of an advocate, leader, care coordinator, educator and member of an interprofessional team.  Challenges that influence nursing, such as cultural diversity, health care disparities, errors and ethical/legal issues are examined.  Students are introduced to regulatory guidelines and the Nurse of the Future Competencies of patient-centered care, communication, professionalism, teamwork and collaboration, informantics and technology, evidence-based practice, leadership, safety, quality improvement and systems-based practice.  Simulated experiences will focus on skills basic to nursing practice; patient identification, handwashing, and therapeutic communication.  
  
  • NUR 2000 - Nursing Fundamentals and Health Assessment

    Credits: 4


    This course introduces the assessment components of interviewing, history and vital sign taking, functional assessment, and physical examination of adult patients. Students will learn the assessment phase of the nursing process using a systems focus assessment approach. Teaching will include special emphasis on health promotion and disease/injury prevention.  Additional course content will focus on the role of the nurse, basic skills essential to professional nursing practice, documentation, and patient teaching. A focus with respect to communication, sensory and motor deficits, and skill performance with emphasis on the importance of promoting safety in older adults is covered. Simulation will build on those skills mastered during the previous semester and include focused assessments, a full physical assessment, skin integrity and wound care, nutrition, pain/comfort and patient safety experiences. Individual student demonstration of competence in the various skills, with simulation, will commence this semester. 
    Prerequisite(s): HSC 1200 HSC 1300 NUR 1550 , and CHM 2037  

    Nursing majors only.

  
  • NUR 2500 - Mental Health Nursing

    Credits: 4
    This course provides an overview of the nursing care of persons with psychiatric-mental health conditions, including major DSM diagnoses. The course will focus on learning the pharmacotherapeutics and nursing skills to care for patients with psychiatric illness as well as those patients with mental health issues that arise in a variety of nursing and medical care settings. Students will apply knowledge about the nurse-patient relationship, patterns of therapeutic interactions, and develop effective communication skills and psychotherapeutic approaches and interventions with patients.
    Prerequisite(s): HDE 1000  , NUR 2000  
    Corequisite(s): NUR 2550  , NUR 2600  
  
  • NUR 2550 - Care Considerations for the Older Adult with Chronic Conditions

    Credits: 6
    Including both a didactic and hands-on component, Care Considerations for the Older Adult with Chronic Conditions will focus on understanding the aging process and age-related changes, common chronic adult health disorders, and evidence-based nursing care of those living in long-term/rehabilitation care settings. Standardized assessment tools for assessing the unique care needs of the older adult patient are introduced. Simulation/lab experiences will build on those skills mastered during the previous semesters and include medication administration, skin /wound care, use of standardized assessment scales, and patient communication/education. Student demonstration of competence in various skills will take place.
    Prerequisite(s): NUR1000 and NUR1500 and NUR 2000   and CHM 2037   or HSC 3320  
  
  • NUR 2600 - Pathopharmacology I

    Credits: 4
    This course is the first in a two part series that integratesconcepts of pathophysiology and pharmacology.  Pathophysiological changes resulting from disease processes within the human body are examined, with an emphasis on chronic conditions in the adult population. Pharmacological concepts are applied with particular focus on the mechanism of action, interactions, adverse effects, and the nursing implications of each drug classification, utilizing a body systems approach. The course will include effects of medications, in consideration of culture and age. The role and responsibility of the nurse in providing the safe and effective
    administration of pharmacological therapy within a legal/ethical framework guided by the nursing process will also be included.
    Prerequisite(s): NUR1000, NUR1500,  NUR 2000  , CHM 2037   OR HSC 2300  
    Corequisite(s): CHM2037 OR HSC3320, NUR2500, NUR2550
  
  • NUR 3000 - Medical Surgical Nursing

    Credits: 8
    Including both a didactic and hands-on component, Medical Surgical Nursing will focus on understanding the general concepts related to the care of adult patients.  The focus will incorporate pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic studies, interprofessional care and nursing management of various medical surgical disorders, and evidenced-based care of adults in a hospital setting.  Standardized assessment tools for assessing the unique care needs of the adult patient are introduced and reinforced.  Simulation/lab experiences will build on those skills mastered during the previous semesters and include medication administration, IV therapy, perioperative care, skin/wound care, tracheostomy care, use of standardized assessment scales, and patient communication/education.  Student demonstration of competence in various skills will take place. 
    Prerequisite(s): CHM 2037   and HSC 3320   and NUR2500 and NUR2550 and NUR 2600  
  
  • NUR 3050 - Pathopharmacology II

    Credits: 4
    This course is the second in a two-part series that integrates concepts of pathophysiology and pharmacology.  Pathophysiological changes resulting from disease processes within the human body are examined, with an emphasis on acute conditions in the adult population. Pharmacological concepts are applied with particular focus on the mechanism of action, interactions, adverse effects, and the nursing implications of each drug classification, utilizing a body systems approach. The course will include effects of medications, in consideration of culture and age. The role and responsibility of the nurse in providing the safe and effective administration of pharmacological therapy within a legal/ethical framework guided by the nursing process will also be included.
    Prerequisite(s): NUR 2500, NUR 2550, NUR 2600
    Corequisite(s): NUR 3000

Leadership

  
  • LDR 1010 - Foundations in Leadership

    Credits: 4
    This course explores theories of leadership, leadership philosophies and styles, as well as how leaders achieve institutional goals in an increasingly complex and challenging world.  It addresses questions such as who can be a leader, society’s biases and norms about what constitutes leadership, the differences between leadership styles such (i.e. collaborative, cooperative, problem-solver, and hierarchical), concepts such as mentorship and sponsorship, as well as the challenges, opportunities, and obstacles faced by marginalized groups who seek leadership positions. Students will have an opportunity to address their relationship to leadership and strengthen their capabilities through interactive and engaging assignments and activities, including Harvard’s Implicit Association Test, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Leadership Style Self-Assessment and Optional Thinking Leadership Assessment, among others.
  
  • LDR 2440 - Leading Teams

    Credits: 4
    Evaluating and transferring knowledge in team-based environments with diverse groups of employees can be challenging. Leaders need to adapt their practices for working across multicultural, multi-gendered, multi-racial, multi-abled employees and collaborators, as well as across national borders. This course will expose students to theories of team leadership and help them develop tools for sharing knowledge in an effective way. Measuring team effectiveness is difficult for team-based leadership because a majority of team tasks within organizations are not quantifiable. Some of the criteria which can be used to measure teams’ tasks are: Output from teams should meet or exceed expectations; collaborative efforts among team members should enhance the capabilities of other team members; the team experience should satisfy the personal needs of team members.
 

Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11