All courses, arranged by program, are listed in the catalog. If you cannot locate a specific course, try the Advanced Search. Current class schedules, with posted days and times, can be found on the NOW/Student Dashboard or by logging in to SiS.
Less than 200 years old, photography seems to span millennia. With 1839 as the invention's launch date, there is no photograph of George Washington, but very soon we are flooded with the faces of composers, painters, and presidents: we know and are reminded of the ravages of civil and world wars, industrial progress and social injustice, or the beauty of pristine landscapes and their ecological demise. In this course, students will become familiar with some 100 notable photographers, from the beginning years of its invention to contemporary times with works by major artists and forgotten visionaries, all serving as a foundation for inspiration and understanding of the art worlds most visible medium. Grading in the course is based on a mid-term and final exam along with a major research paper.
Pre-req: ARHI.2030 History of Art:Preh-Med, or ARHI.2040 History of Art II:Ren-Mod, or ARHI.1010 Art Appreciation, or Studio Art Minor or Art Minor.
This course will examine global architecture from the 19th century to the present. It addresses the major movements, "-isms", architects, publications, schools, and technological innovations that contributed to varied (and often conflicting) notions of "Modern architecture." Growing nationalism and politics, travel and colonial occupation, the effects of war, and changing conceptions of nature and science, all transformed the built environment. This course will provide a better understanding not only of individual works but also of the ways architecture manifests important themes such as nationalism, regionalism, functionalism, rationalism, and the most current theme, happiness.
This course serves as an introduction to the history of public art in the modern and contemporary world. The history of public art is examined in relation to such concerns as the definition of public space, community involvement in the creative process, the institutional and economic support system for the arts, the modern understanding of memorial sculpture, and the use of the visual arts to foster public dialogue and cultural exchange.
This course surveys developments in land, environmental, and ecological art. Some of the most compelling artists today engage with the politics of land use, including the conditions of the global economy, climate change, environmental justice, sustainability, sovereignty and land claims, uneven geographies and expanding megacities, and the privatization of public space.
Study of particular artist, style or selected art historical problem. Topics to be announced. Course may be repeated.
Pre-req: 58.204 History of Art II: Renaissance to Modern Art or Permission of Instructor.
General meteorology course. Topics include atmospheric composition, solar radiation, temperature, moisture and condensation relationship between air pressure and wind, weather patterns, severe weather, optical phenomena in the atmosphere, and the behavior and possible change of climate. Appropriate for KCS major science elective.
Co-req: ATMO.1430L Weather & Climate Lab, and Anti-req: ENVI.2020 Earth Systems: Atmosphere and Oceans, Please Note: Academic petition is required for anti-req exceptions.
A series of lectures concerned with the interrelationships of organisms with their abiotic environment with emphasis on the New England area. Selected current topics will supplement the text.
Pre-req: BIOL.2400 Evolution, Ecology and Conservation, and Co-req: BIOL.3170L Principles of Ecology Lab, or Permission of Instructor.
A series of laboratory exercises to supplement and illustrate lectures of 81.315. Field trips are an integral part of the course involving sampling and analysis of such ecosystem components as water, soil, invertebrate fauna and characteristic flora of various habitats. Directed readings, quizzes, practical exam and oral presentation of a research topic are integral parts of the course.
Co-Req: BIOL.3150 Principles of Ecology.
The economics of the public sector. Principles of public expenditure, taxation, and the public debt applied to federal, state, and local governments.
Pre-Req: ECON.2010 Principles of Microeconomics
This course provides an introduction to the field of environmental and natural resource economics. It is designed to give students an overview of how economic principles can be applied to environmental management and policy. Topic areas and applications include evaluation of environmental policies, valuation of environmental goods and services, climate change, and management of renewable and non-renewable resources. Students will learn to critique articles and other media and have intelligent discussions related to the topics listed above.
This course will introduce students to the experimental economics methodology. Experimental economics utilizes lab and natural experiments to investigate decision-making and motivations for observed behavior. After and overview of the method, the course will explore several specific topics where experimental economics has made particular contributions to the discipline. Experimental results often motivate theories of behavior that incorporate concepts such as altruism, reciprocity, and inequality aversion. Such, non-traditional, models of behavior were once considered to be solely the realm of psychology. As a result, this course will also serve as an introduction to behavioral economics - the incorporation of motivations other than self-interest into one's utility function.
Pre-req: ECON.2010 Economics I (Microeconomics), and ECON.3030 Microeconomic Theory , or Permission of Instructor.
This course offers an introduction to different types of professional writing, including journalism, technical writing, business writing, and other professional communication. Focus in the course will be on understanding the rhetorical situation, including the audience, purpose, and context of each communication task. Students will learn how to work effectively and ethically in a collaborative and professional environment. Students may not earn credit for both ENGL.2270 and ENGL.2390.
Pre-Req: ENGL 1020 College Writing II.
A study of the relationship between works of fiction, cultural attitudes toward technology, and social values. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Pre-Req: ENGL.1020 College Writing II.
Writers throughout time have been thoroughly grounded in place. Students in this course will read and write on a variety of topics: travel, cities, suburbs, dwelling places, nature, environmental issues, etc., in a variety of genres: creative non-fiction, essays, journalism, short stories, poetry, journals. This course will be held in a workshop format with strong emphasis on revision.
Pre-req: ENGL 2270 Essay Writing for English Majors, or ENGL 2290 Essay Writing for Non-English Majors, or ENGL 2380 Intro. to Creative Writing or ENGL 2390 Introduction to Professional Writing, or Permission of Instructor.
From John Muir to Rachel Carson to Bill McKibben, environmentalists have traditionally relied upon the power of their prose to transform the thoughts and behavior of their contemporaries. Stemming form the premise that writing is a form of environmental action, this course introduces students to a range of modes of writing in environmental studies. In the process of reading, discussing and practicing different kinds of environmental writing, students will develop a variety of writing skill in addition to an appreciation for writing as an important form of environmental action.
Pre-req: ENGL.1020 College Writing II, and Co-req: ENGL.2270 Essay Writing for English majors, or ENGL.2290 Essay Writing, or ENGL.2390 Intro to Professional Writing.
Like many of the 'grand challenges' currently facing society, climate change is a complex problem that cuts across academic disciplines, including the physical sciences, biology, engineering, economics, political sciences, and behavioral psychology. In this course, we integrate recent research from many of these disciplines to explore the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts on the natural world and human society, and societal responses to it. Through interactive simulations, class discussions, lectures, current scientific literature, and student-led projects (such as video production and dynamic modeling), the goal of this course is to empower students to come to their own decisions about how society can address the climate change challenge.
Co-req: ENVI.4170L Climate Change: Science, Communication, and Solutions Lab.
All purposeful human activity involves design. Every day we are surrounded by the products of design processes--buildings, cars, entertainment, corporations, schools, even laws and regulations. They make our lives easier in many ways, but they may also create significant social and environmental problems. In the past, designers often did not consider the impact of their deigns on society, or ignored the negative consequences. Our culture and legal system usually permitted, or even encouraged, this irresponsibility. Today, a small group of scholars, businessmen and women, and activists are rethinking how we design the things around us, with the goal of addressing the most pressing social and environmental issues. This class will introduce students to some of these issues, the people who are confronting them, and the ways in which all of us can contribute to designing a better Future World. With a series of hands on projects, coupled with readings and other resources, students will work to design aspects of the future. In the process you will learn about possible solutions to complex, important problems, but also learn valuable life skills such as problem framing, problem solving, critical thinking, active learning, communication, and simple construction methods. No previous experience is required-only curiosity and eagerness to learn.
An individual supervised research project relative to issues of the environment and society. Thematic or methodological issues must result in a significant research paper.
This course will examine the emergence and historical impact of consumer cultures in the modern West, from the eighteenth century through the present. Topics to be covered will include the emergence of spaces of consumption (the home, the commercial/spectacular metropolis, the department store, the shopping mall, the tourist site), changing attitudes toward shopping and spending, the construction of modern social identities of class, gender, generation and race through consumption, and political struggles over consumption.
This course examines change and continuity in American foodways from the pre-Revolutionary era to the present, focusing on the significance of class, race, gender, nationality, religion and region as well as transnational dimensions in that culinary history.
This course explores the environmental history of early America and the United States from the end of the last ice age (c. 12,500 years ago) to the present. It examines the role played by nature as an historical agent as well as the relationship between human communities and the physical and organic environment. Course themes include evolving land use, the environmental significance of industrial capitalism, urban public health, resource conservation and wilderness protection, the impact of ecology on public consciousness, as well as environmentalism.
Systematic research in primary and secondary sources culminating in the writing of an original research paper using proper methodological and stylistic techniques. Weekly meetings and written and oral progress reports. Students must be acquainted with word-processing techniques. Required of all History majors. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Applied & Integrative Learning (AIL), Critical Thinking & Problem Solving (CTPS), and Written & Oral Communication (WOC).
This course offers students the opportunity to engage in the intensive study of various topics in Middle East History. Examples of topics that may be covered include colonialism, nationalism, empire, capitalism, gender and sexuality, environment, technology and science, race, and class. Students will explore this history through reading both primary and secondary sources. They will also pursue their own research project on a topic of their choosing in Middle East history.
This course examines the legal and administrative problems of protecting the quality of the human environment. Federal and state legislation on environmental policy is studied. Public interest litigation as a supplement to the enforcement of environmental law is discussed. The course also focuses on the practical problems of balancing the needs of business, the global competitiveness of the United States, the increasing demand for natural resources, and the need to protect, preserve, and restore the environment. The importance of sustainable development and environmental ethics are discussed.
This course offers students an overview of the practical and theoretical foundations of managing, planning, and leadership within public and community-serving organizations. Topics and issues explored through the course include the role of professional managers within the public sector, the process of executive decision-making, employee incentives and motivation, conflict management, performance measurement, ethical challenges faced by managers, workplace diversity, strategic planning, and power dynamics. Course activities will include weekly critical readings and case studies, as well as individual and group problem-solving exercises.
Housing is fundamental to the quality of life in communities, and housing conflict, policy and practice shape the availability of this fundamental good. This course will examine the economic, environmental, social, and cultural factors that shape housing and its sustainability. The contentious nature of housing and land use policy in the United States will be summarized, with students learning how housing policy impacts communities, states, and regions. The course will then give students a detailed understanding of the conflictive process through which housing is developed and the role the market, government, funders, workers, and housing consumers play in influencing the creation and development of housing. The course will highlight ways in which current housing development policy and practices are not sustainable, and will examine more recent efforts to establish standards and practices that enhance consensus and sustainability. Students will learn how to manage conflict and take a housing project through the various stages, such as project conceptualization, market analysis, design, site acquisition, financing, construction, and occupancy. While the course focuses on the U.S. context, students will learn of international efforts to achieve greater sustainability in housing. The course will provide students with both practical and theoretical knowledge of housing and land use conflict, policy and development practices. Case studies of actual projects will be presented.
An examination of the philosophical foundations of environmentalism. Addresses both the question of ethical duties we owe to animals and to nature, and also the question of man's relation to the natural world.
This course introduces major concepts in environmental politics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the formation of environmental policy in the United States. Throughout the course, particular attention is paid to the role of government and markets in creating environmental crises and shaping policy responses.
The course will examine current debates in food politics over: regulatory politics and the appropriate reach of the state in food labeling, safety, and oversight; genetically modified food, organic and sustainable agriculture, the effects of economic globalization of the food supply chain and the future of the world food system.
This course traces Henry David Thoreau's influence on major social and political transformations in American history from the abolitionist movement to the present day. We will focus first on Thoreau's writings on slavery, commercial development, environmental history, and individual liberty. Then we will study his formative role in the civil rights and environmental movements of the twentieth century. Finally, through a mix of outside speakers and student presentations, we will explore how his writings continue to shape ongoing struggles to contend with climate change, advance social justice, and promote a greater sense of fairness in American life. The course will involve at least one trip to Walden Pond and a tour of Thoreau's birthplace in Concord, Massachusetts. Course page: http://faculty.uml.edu/sgallagher/Thoreau_in_Our_Time.html.
This course explores contemporary international environmental issues from both theoretical and policy perspectives; consideration too of broader forces impacting international environmental politics.
A study of the recent development of governmental institutions, parties, and ideology in China. Emphasis is placed on the processes of nation-building in the post World War II period.
This is a survey course that provides an overview of the rapidly growing field of environmental health, through an introduction to the links between environmental stressors and impacts on public health. The course will explore human and industrial activities that impact on health such as overpopulation, food production, air and water pollution, waste, toxic substances, pests, and global climate change. The course will also examine the types of diseases and illnesses that result from environmental impacts. These impacts have multiple causes and understanding these can in turn provide clues as to the most effective prevention options. Students will explore topics of interest in greater detail through short writing assignments. Meets Core Curriculum Essential Learning Outcome for Social Responsibility & Ethics (SRE).
Pre-req: Public Health Majors or Minors or Permission of Instructor.
This course examines workplace and regional factors that shape the prospects for sustainable prosperity and worker and community empowerment. The course begins by reviewing recent trends in the distribution of income and wealth and the industrial structure of the New England economy. The historical dynamics shaping work organization and regional development are examined. Several industry case studies are selected because of their importance to the regional and national economy. The case studies provide focus for studying the strategic choices made by firms in mature industries and newly emerging regions; the basis of competitive advantage for Japanese firms and the response of American rivals; and the influence of the product cycle and regional institutions on capture or retention of emerging and mature industries. The final section of the course focuses on the prospects for sustainability of the organization of production and its environmental impact, incentives for skill development and technological innovation, and shared prosperity. A central course objective is to foster an understanding of the links between the workplace and region in the pursuit of sustainable development and shared prosperity.
This environmental health course explores the links between human activities and environmental systems and examines how these interactions can impact human health. The course is designed to provide knowledge and skills necessary to understand how human and industrial activities such as population growth, methods of food production, pollution of the air and water, waste, the built environment, toxic substances, pest control, and global climate change can result in human diseases and impact the environment. Understanding the links between human activities and environmental systems is essential to developing effective prevention strategies and building sustainable communities.
Course introduces students to ongoing debates in the field of Sociology regarding the American educational system, its structures and functions and how it relates to issues of inequality by race, class and gender. Students are expected to explore, examine and evaluate the current issues relating to the system of education in the United States.
Focusing on case studies of recent and pending environmental disasters, this course will trace how political, social, economic and cultural arrangements and choices contribute to environmental catastrophes and their resolution. In order to identify possibilities for agency, students will play several environmental games in which they will assume roles in the global economy, governmental and civil society to identify possibilities for agency. As a final project, students will describe a recent disaster identifying both structures that create environmental stresses and the options that might exist for structural changes. The project is intended to develop both critical thinking and communication skills.
Most social interactions and interventions involve communication. Thus, communication patterns present critical issues for sociological inquiry. This course introduces communication as a central yet often ignored element of social life. It surveys existing communication theories, then focuses on models used by marginalized populations in efforts to democratize communication systems. Finally, it introduces tools for communication strategizing. As a final product students will conduct a frame analysis of a current social topic. From a general liberal arts perspective, the course will stress critical thinking and writing skills.
Pre-Req: SOCI.1010 Intro to Sociology.
With an eye on climate change sustainability, this course maps the social and historical dimensions of crisis and inequalities of food production and distribution. In addition to exploring food security's relation to sustainable food production, students will strengthen critical thinking, writing, and library research skills.