Winter Courses

Ethics and Social Responsibility provides students with opportunities to examine the meaning of business ethics and the social responsibility of business in light of the numerous high profile challenges that managers face in the current business environment. Varying ethical approaches will be applied to ethical leadership and the management of conflicting values confronting business leaders on a daily basis. The more global issue of balancing principles of good business with priciples of ethical behavior in various cultures will be discussed. Students will participate in a significant service-learning project in this course. Satisfies the E and X requirements in LS Core. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or permission of the instructor

This is a broad survey course providing a comprehensive overview of several human resource functions, including recruitment and selection, compensation, training, performance evaluation, labor and employee relations. Students will consider HRM topics as they relate to all employees with different roles and perspectives for supervisors and subordinates, and how these topics apply to creating strategic directions for an organization. Using an applied setting focus, instruction methods combine interactive lectures, experiential exercises, current events, case review, and external project analysis and presentation. Prerequisite: MGT 1100. Fulfills X in LS Core. Four hours a week.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the general framework of the legal environment in which twenty-first century business is expected to operate. The primary objective is to acquaint students with the many practical legal issues they should be cognizant of and are likely to encounter throughout their business careers. Class discussion will emphasize current court case decisions of the state and federal appellate courts and United States Supreme Court as appropriate. Students will appreciate how the law is integrated into the development of strategic business decisions. Primary course topics will be drawn from the following business law categories: 1. Government Regulation of Businessand the Court System 2. The Law of Contracts, Sales and an Introduction to the Uniform Commercail Code (UCC) 3. The Law of Torts; Negligence, Strict Liability and Product Liability with some applications to Professional Responsibility 4. The Law of Agency and Employment 5. Methods of Business Formation including Propriettorships, Parternships, Corporations and Special Business Forms. Prerequisite: MGT 1100 and Sophomore standing or permission.

Management Information Systems presents a core of IS principles with which every business student should be familiar. Information technology has become a key component in accomplishing strategic and operational goals in organizations today. It is necessary to understand how a company utilizes information technology to gain its competitive advantage in business. This course is designed to familiarize the student with the fundamental concepts and principles of information systems. Therefore, it focuses on breadth of coverage rather than the depth of any specific IS area. Topics include: the role of IT in organizations, computers and information processing, hardware and software, managing data resources, telecommunications and networks, electronic commerce, security, IS ethics and leading information technologies and applications. Prerequisites: MGT1100.

The marketing course introduces marketing as a functional area of a business enterprise. You will study numerous marketing concepts and functions, including the marketing concept, the marketing mix, buyer behavior, market segmentation, product position, and marketing research, all within a global context. Prerequisites: MGT1100.

Businesses are currently facing a fundamental change in the ways that consumers interact with brands and each other. Social media has connected consumers with family and friends while also giving them considerable power over marketers and brands. This course offers an overview of how marketing has changed due to the increasing prominence of social media as a digital marketing tool. The curriculum of this course is designed to equip students with the relevant knowledge, perspectives, and practical skills required to both develop and present an effective social media marketing strategy. Prerequisite: BUS2205.

This course explores crime, justice, and punishment. In this course, the causes of crime and the solutions and policies in place to deter or solve crime will be critically examined. We will also examine the social processes whereby crime is defined and detected, and offenders are apprehended and punished. The overall objective of the course is to examine crime and punishment within the context of the society and culture which surrounds it. These topics are connected to inequalities of race, class, and gender, which will be key concerns throughout this course. Coverage of crime and punishment in the popular media is also a central focus of this course. Required for majors. Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Police Culture is an introduction to the function and purpose of police operations. The course will examine the culture of American Policing today and include the study of police policy and procedure. Also included will be the study of organizational culture within law enforcement from a police officer’s perspective and the assessment of working environments within contemporary police departments. The effects of cultural diversity in law enforcement today will be examined in relation to traditional law enforcement models. Topics will include women in law enforcement, religion, employment rights and occupational attitudes in police work. Emphasis will also be on the growing problems in the Criminal Justice System as a result of societal changes in law enforcement and how it affects police management. Prerequisite: CRM1000.

This course will introduce students to theories and principles of child and early adolescent development. The course will specifically address the application of such theories to educational practice, examining the biological, cognitive and social changes associated with development, birth through early adolescence. Students will engage in a service learning project to gain understanding of children in this age range. Fulfills SOSC and X in LS Core.

This course will focus on issues of diversity, social justice, and ethics within various educational and social contexts. Its purpose is to develop theoretical, conceptual, and pedagogical foundations for supporting issues of equity and access. An understanding of the socio-historical context and the influence of the dominant culture on historically marginalized individuals and groups will be studied. Additionally, this course will explore the adaptive capabilities of strengths of marginalized groups and how such capabilities and strengths can be used in effective community engagement. Ethical theories and moral reasoning will be used to enhance an understanding and analysis of ethical issues inherent in working and supporting issues of diversity, equity, and access. Students will explore their own personal values, beliefs, and behaviors that may limit their ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds, in particular, disadvantaged and oppressed persons. The exploration of their own values will be made in relation to the different ethical theories studied in the course. This course fulfills the Diversity (D), Ethics (E), and Experiential Learning (X) Liberal Studies Core Requirements.

This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

The course will offer an introduction to human disease appropriate for students of all majors. The human body is a masterpiece of art. The more one understands the functioning of the body, the greater appreciation one has for it. Disease states, the body’s natural attempts to right what is wrong and the compensatory actions involved will be discussed. The general mechanisms of disease as well as specific body systems will be discussed from a human-interest point of view. The course focuses on basic medical concepts that are useful to every student and encourages them to become a medical advocate for themselves or for family members. It is so important to understand doctors and your health care plan, to be able to ask important questions, and to know what questions to ask. In addition, the course will cover many diseases that are ‘in the news’ and allow the student to gain some knowledge and insight into the myths and facts surrounding these diseases. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

Nutrition, Diet and Health will introduce the student to the science of nutrition. The fundamentals of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, and mineral requirements and metabolism will be explained as a basis for the study of the relationship between diet and health in both a personal and global perspective. The impact that human nutrition and industrial agriculture have on environmental quality, food resources and energy consumption will be explored. Nutrition, Diet and Health has a mandatory civic engagement component related to important public and environmental issues in human nutrition, health, and fitness that are considered in the course. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

Public health aims to understand the occurrence and causes of disease within populations with the goal of prevention and health promotion, through changes in individual behavior, control of infectious disease and environmental health factors, and social and political organization for health improvement. The aim will be to describe the patterns of selected diseases in populations, to explain the causation of disease at the cell/physiological to social levels, to predict disease occurrence and to control disease through prevention strategies aimed at individuals, communities and governments. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement and X in LS Core.

This course is designed around the assumption that conflict in its various forms is an integral and unavoidable component in human affairs. The course approaches the study of conflict from a communication-centered perspective. As such, students explore how communication theory and research can add to our understanding of conflict. A wide range of conflict contexts are examined (e.g., interpersonal; intercultural; small group; organizational) along with contemporary models and theories of effective conflict management.

This course focuses on the basic principles of mass communication and its historical development. Issues explored include media access, media ethics, media effects, and current trends in the growth of digital and wireless mass communication technologies. Students examine the role of the media industry in reinforcing and challenging dominant values, attitudes, and beliefs central to American culture. An additional feature of the course studies how mass media-created ideals have been disseminated internationally, as well as how media businesses reflect, influence and sometimes defy societal norms. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their own independent mass media project. No prerequisite. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

This is the capstone course for the Communication major. Students will engage in self-assessment of their academic and social development, skills, values, ethics, and knowledge gained during the course of study as a communication major at Merrimack College. Focus is also placed on preparing students to enter the professional workforce or graduate school. Through contact with a variety of professionals in the field students will discover opportunities available, strategies for entry into their chosen areas and the realities of life beyond college. Students should learn how scholarly development and competence in skills such as critical thinking, leadership, creativity and resourcefulness will lead to the accomplishment of their goals. Required for Communication majors. Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of the instructor.

An introduction to economics that stresses the value of knowledge of the market and its alternatives in understanding current issues of social and public policy. Focuses on how and why markets work; why they may fail; and how the implications of success or failure for social policy in such things as the control of industry, poverty, consumer choice, and the environment. Satisfies the (SOSC) social science distribution requirement.

Introduces the main genres of creative writing, including poetry, memoir, and fiction. In addition to producing their own creative forms such as poems, song lyrics, literary memoir, and short stories, students will study the works of contemporary and canonical authors in each genre. Classwork includes the workshopping of both short and longer projects and will culminate in a portfolio of revised work. Fulfills an AL requirement in LS Core.

One-semester course designed to introduce students to American literature through the study of writers representing a range of cultures and literary traditions. Satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement. Fulfills AL in LS Core.

This course covers the history of rock music in Western culture, focusing mainly on British and American contributions to the style. It begins with an overview of the musics that were predecessors of rock, including early blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, continues through the birth of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950, and traces developments throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, culminating in a review of current trends. Fulfills AL and X in LS Core.

This course covers the history of rock music in Western culture, focusing mainly on British and American contributions to the style. It begins with an overview of the musics that were predecessors of rock, including early blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, continues through the birth of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950, and traces developments throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, culminating in a review of current trends. Fulfills AL and X in LS Core.

A first course in philosophy focusing on classic questions that have stirred the perennial human quest for wisdom. We will explore such questions as: Are humans free or determined? How do the mind and body interact? Is ethics just relative to each person or society? Should there be any limits to the political freedom of citizens? Does God exist? The course will introduce students to the methods and culture of philosophy: sympathetic understanding, critical analysis, fair argumentation, and a persistent desire to know the truth whatever it is. The focus and questions covered will be determined by each instructor. Fulfills PHL in LS Core.

Before it comes to an end, how shall I spend the life I have? What would make that life genuinely worth living? We will seek the guidance of many masters: East and West, ancient and modern, women and men and from diverse races. We have much to consider, but the main challenge for each of us is to shape a perspective we can each embrace as our own. What could be more important? Prerequisite: PHL 1000. Satisfies a second institutional requirement in Philosophy if needed or a Humanities distribution requirement. Fulfill E and W in LS Core.

This course examines a variety of important issues, such as why are some countries democratic while others are not, what is a state and how did states come about, what is colonialism and how did it shape the present and future of billions of people? The course addresses these questions through an introduction to the study of comparative politics - the art and science of comparing political systems in order to raise and evaluate claims about politics. The substantive material draws on developed and developing parts of the world and covers contemporary as well as recent historical events Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC & D requirement in LS Core.

Examination of basic issues in psychopathology. Focus on description, etiology and treatment of neurosis, character disorder, and psychosis from varying theoretical and clinical perspectives. Prerequisite: PSY1000. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Provides a general overview of the wide-ranging field of psychology. Students will explore major concepts and issues in the study of human thinking, feeling, and acting. These include biological foundations of behavior and experience, how people learn and develop, how individuals perceive the world, individual differences in behavior, social influence and social relations, the difference between normative and non-normative behavior, and approaches to therapy. This course is a prerequisite for all other courses in psychology. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS core. Three hours a week.

Explores the development of a typical human being from conception to death. Investigates patterns of change in biology, cognition, personality, social interaction, and relationships that take place throughout the lifespan. Considers several conceptual issues including progression and regression, health and illness, normality and abnormality. Note that students who have already received credit for PSY2300 cannot receive credit for PSY2310. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

As an introduction to Christianity, this course will investigate a number of the “contexts” in which it began, in which it developed, and in which we find it today. Students will study Christianity in the historical contexts within the ancient world and of ancient Judaism, in the literary contexts of the Christian Bible and its interpretation, in the intellectual context of church history, and in contemporary global contexts. In keeping with the College’s Augustinian identity, mission, and vision, this course will also highlight the contributions of St. Augustine. Satisfies the first institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. Fulfills RTS in LS Core.

This interdisciplinary course will analyze the key sources of and debates about happiness. As we explore possibilities of increasing happiness, individually and collectively, we will focus on the relationship between happiness and success, culture, motivation, social media, food, and exercise. This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, open minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.

Health, illness and healing are not merely physiological states but also human experiences shaped by sociological forces. As Freund, McGuire and Podhurst point out in Health, Illness and the Social Body. A Critical Sociology [2003: 4], “The sick body is not simply a closed container, encased in skin that has been invaded by germs or traumatic blows but is also open and connected to the world that surrounds it. Thus the human body is open to the social body. Similarly, our material (or physical) environment, such as the urban landscape, the workplace, or our foods, is influenced by our culture, social structure, and relationships. And these in turn influence our bodies.” The course begins with a brief review of the history of past viewpoints and practices in western civilization toward health, healing and illness leading to the emergence of the modern medical profession, scientific medicine, and the establishment of the medical model as the primary paradigm of disease. We will examine the social factors that influence who gets sick, the types of illness suffered, the experience of being sick, the process of seeking help, and the context in which medical care is delivered. We will discuss the effect of stress on health and the role that human relationships and social support play in mediating stress. We will assess the state of our health care system and compare it to other systems. In general, we will depend on the theories, concepts and findings from sociology as they apply in the study of this area to direct our focus and inform our analysis. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Class involves intensive workshop style format devoted to the activity of writing for the stage. Examination of terminology, theory, principles, and methods of playwriting. Explores sources for developing dramatic works as well as strategies for critiquing new work. Class encourages creativity and discipline around the practice of playwriting. Course culminates in the writing and stage readings of students generated one-act plays.Fulfills: AL in LS Core.

This course focuses on gender as a useful category to analyze structures, institutions, relationships, and social problems in the U.S. and globally. Students will learn such key concepts as the social construction of gender, power and privilege, patriarchy, and intersectionality. Topics include gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and the relationship between sexism, racism, homophobia and other systems of oppression and inequality. The course looks at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, and nation with such areas as work, education, media/technology, family, religion, and politics. Students will also social movements that have and continue to emerge to promote gender equality and social justice in the US and globally. Required for the Women’s and Gender Studies Contract Major and Minor. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement and D in LS Core.

An examination of the history of women in America. It will include history prior to colonization, beyond and to the present. A look at women’s roles in US Society and the intersection of class, culture and ethnicity 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 and ethnicity have operated to unite and divide disparate groups of women. Satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement. Fulfills H and D in LS Core.

This course is intended to improve mastery of programming material found in CSC2820 Data Structures. Any student that earns a passing grade in CSC1011 will be able to take any class that depends on a B- or better in CSC2820. Students who receive between a C- and C+ in CSC2820 should enroll in this course.

This course is intended to improve mastery of introductory programming material found in CSC1610 Problem Solving with Java or CSC1611 Problem Solving with Python. Any student that earns a passing grade in CSC1010 will be able to take any class that depends on a B- or better in CSC1610 or CSC1611. Students who received between a C- and C+ in CSC1610 or CSC1611 should enroll in this course.