This course looks at the lively and vibrant arts and culture of UMass, including museums and galleries, rare books and manuscripts, one of America?s foremost literary magazines, innovative and historic architecture, a major international film archive, and other cultural resources on campus. The seminar will offer a history of the arts, writing, and design at UMass, and will include on-campus field trips to all the places and resources we learn about. The course will also include introductions to the people behind these cultural centers, including museum curators, librarians, designers, artists, and archivists. The course will include guest lectures by local cultural creators and administrators to give students information about UMass?s role in the cultural life of our area and beyond.
- Teacher: N Couch
Who are America?s undocumented immigrants? Why do they come to America? Why do they leave their home countries? What?s it like being an undocumented immigrant in America? How do they interact with American institutions (e.g., police, schools, hospitals, churches, neighborhood organizations, social clubs, the labor market, etc.)? What are the laws constricting the life of an undocumented immigrant? What are their expectations, values, beliefs, assumptions and dreams? How do other American groups (other immigrants, natives) perceive undocumented immigrants?
- Teacher: Razvan Sibii
With the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once there is an increased interest in learning more about the history of Chinese immigrant families. We will read Iris Chang?s Chinese in America and watch a few films celebrating Chinese American families to learn more about this forgotten history.
- Teacher: Richard Chu
Based on psychology and neuroscience, learn how your brain can be trained to help you be more confident, productive, and happy. Learn proven stress reducing techniques to make life easier, and to: Increase productivity and focus; Improve interactions with others, both personally and professionally; Increase self-awareness and self-confidence; Manage difficult emotions productively; Improve skills to attain better life balance.
- Teacher: Lisa Keller
The course will discuss the basic psychological principles of social influence. Topics include social norms, conformity, compliance, obedience, and persuasion.
- Teacher: John Bickford
In this course, students will participate in a professional-grade writer's workshop geared for beginning writings of fiction or creative nonfiction. Students will read instructive texts and participate in writing and thinking exercises in order to think about the important stories in their lives and how to begin to tell these, and other stories, as an anchor point toward beginning to understand themselves in the changing contexts of their lives as college students. This class is primarily focusing on fiction or creative nonfiction prose, but we will also accommodate interest in poetry or comic/illustrated pieces. Students will finish the course with one polished piece to share.
- Teacher: Sally Pirie
The Past, Present, and Future of Veterinary Medicine: An exploration of where the profession has been, the current status of the profession, and where the profession might be going. How did the field of veterinary medicine develop? Who are the pioneering scientists and veterinarians who made the world better through their dedication to animals and society, hard work, perseverance, medical curiosity, and ingenuity? What are the current costs and benefits of joining the veterinary profession? What traits (such as critical thinking, compassion, and resilience) and practices (such as self-motivation, goal-setting, time management, and communication skills) increase students? academic success at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and students? chance of joining the veterinary profession? What is the future role of veterinarians in companion animal health and well-being, animal agriculture, and public policy? We will explore these topics together during this seminar.
- Teacher: Katie Beltaire
Do you know your legal rights? Exploring the law through an equitable and inclusive lens, will examine several core social justice issues facing our society today as well as basic human rights principles pertaining to the law, including, First Amendment Rights; basic legal jargon will be discussed as well as the courtroom experience with an emphasis on the role of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, and other major players in the courtroom proceeding; implicit bias in the judicial system; the inequities in the issuance of bail; access to services and mental health treatment after incarceration; the lack of housing and employment opportunities for individuals involved in the justice system; and the concepts of microaggressions and their deleterious implications, including a discussion of racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism. Students will also learn about various services and programs on campus and with the goal that they will become involved on campus in clubs that interest them, thereby encouraging them to exercise their leadership skills and become involved in social justice initiatives on campus.
- Teacher: Maria Puppolo