Social Science & Policy Studies

Undergraduate Courses

DEV 1200. International Development and Society

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
What is development? How has international development been understood and what has been done about it? How do development scholars explain why some countries are rich while others are poor? How can students understand and incorporate development studies in the contexts of their own global engagements? This course addresses these questions by looking at theories, ideologies, and processes that have influenced and embodied development thinking and practice over the past five decades. We will examine the role of colonization, modernization, dependency, globalization, democratization, industrialization, and urbanization in processes of development in countries across the globe. The course encourages students to think critically about what development is, about how it is carried out and, most importantly of all, about what it can achieve. DEV 1200 provides excellent preparation for international projects and careers.

DEV 2200. Case Studies in International Development Policy and Engineering

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The engineers and scientists of tomorrow have a crucial role to play in discovering and implementing solutions to daunting international challenges related to food, water, energy, sanitation and infrastructure. The urgency of such challenges grows alongside and increasingly globalized workplace, where a growing number of graduates find themselves working outside the US, and invited to engage cultures, worldviews, value systems and physical environments that are very unlike their own. This course prepares students with global competency, to enable them to more effectively and ethically tackle problems in the context of starkly different socioeconomic, political, social and physical realities. Students will develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to consider, accommodate and effectively integrate contextual difference into engineering practice by exploring the complexity of project design, the potential for unintended consequences, and how technologies are transformed in different contexts. This course will prepare students for a broad range of international IQP and MQPs. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

DEV 4400. Science, Engineering and Design in International Development

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course provides students with a set of skills that will allow them to address complex problems and design challenges in development engineering. Students will learn to participate in and lead innovation and creativity in collaborative settings. This course includes design projects and case studies, many related to projects at WPI. Student teams will work with preliminary data to define the problem. They will then collect and analyze interview and survey data to learn about user needs. Students will explore how to understand end-user needs. Students will use a variety of tools to analyze their data, ideate potential solutions, and prototype. The teams will use their projects to develop plans for rapid improvement, scaling, continuous improvement and a rigorous impact evaluation. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 1110. Introductory Microeconomics

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
The course focuses upon the implications of reliance upon markets for the allocation of resources in a society, at the household, firm, and community level. Outcomes of current market systems are examined in terms of the efficient use of natural and other economic resources, as well as their impact upon the environment, fairness, and social welfare, of special interest in these analyses is the role of prices in the determination of what commodities are produced, their means of production, and distribution among households. In cases where current market outcomes have features subject to widespread criticism, such as the presence of excessive pollution, risk, discrimination, and poverty, the analysis is extended to suggest economic solutions. There are no prerequisites for the course.

ECON 1120. Introductory Macroeconomics

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course is designed to acquaint students with the ways in which macroeconomic variables such as national income, employment and the general level of prices are determined in an economic system. It also includes a study of how the techniques of monetary policy and fiscal policy attempt to achieve stability in the general price level and growth in national income and employment. The problems of achieving these national goals (simultaneously) are also analyzed. The course stresses economic issues in public policy and international trade.

ECON 210X. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

This course examines the theory of international trade and the policies followed by governments with respect to trade of goods and services among nations. Theoretical considerations will include the gains from trade under classical and modern assumptions and the impact of various measures used by governments to either restrict or promote trade. Policy considerations will include U. S. trade policies and the role of the World Trade Organization. Additional topics may include trade and the environment, NAFTA, U.S.-China trade, international financial markets, and the determination of exchange rates.
Recommended background: ECON 1120.

ECON 2110. Intermediate Microeconomics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The topics addressed in this course are similar to those covered in ECON 1110 (Introductory Microeconomics) but the treatment proceeds in a more rigorous and theoretical fashion to provide a firm platform for students majoring in Economics or Business, or those having a strong interest in economics. Mathematics at a level comparable to that taught in MA 1021-MA 1024 is frequently applied to lend precision to the analysis. The course rigorously develops the microeconomic foundations of the theory of the firm, the theory of the consumer, the theory of markets, and the conditions required for efficiency in economic systems. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 2120. Intermediate Macroeconomics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course is an advanced treatment of macroeconomic theory well suited for students majoring in Economics or Business, or others with a strong interest in economics. The topics addressed in ECON 2120 are similar to those covered in ECON 1120, however the presentation of the material will proceed in a more rigorous and theoretical fashion. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 2126. Public Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course examines the economics of government expenditure and taxation. On the expenditure side, the course will review why governments often choose to be involved in the provision of healthcare, education, national defense, a clean environment, and infrastructure such as roads and bridges. It will also delve into the rationale behind programs such as social security. Regarding taxation, the course will cover income, consumption, and corporate taxes, including the use of corrective taxes to address market failures due to externalities. Within each topic, the relevant economic theories will be presented, and then students will practice applying the theories to real-world examples. As such, there will be plenty of opportunity to discuss policy implications and debate proposed policy changes. Students who completed ECON 212X: Public Economics cannot receive credit for ECON 2126: Public Economics.

ECON 2130. Econometric Modeling

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Econometrics helps governments and businesses make more informed economic decisions. This course introduces the application of statistics and economic theory to formulating, estimating, and testing models about relationships among key variables. Topics include basic data analysis, regression analysis (including estimation, inference, assumptions, violations of assumptions, corrections for violations, dummy variables), and forecasting. Students will have the opportunity to use real-world socioeconomic data to test and interpret economic theories using econometric software. Successful students should also be able to formulate, estimate, and interpret their own testable relationships in other projects or fields of study.

ECON 2135. Information Economics and Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course provides an introduction to the economics, business strategies, and regulatory and legal aspects of telecommunication markets. The analysis of complex interactions between technology, Federal and state government policies, copyright legislation, and forces driving supply and demand is performed using Economic and Industrial Organization theories combined with computer simulation techniques. Topics include, among others: the economics of telephony services, cable TV, satellite communication, spectrum auctions, WLAN, and peer-to-peer file sharing. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of the latest regulatory and legal developments in the telecommunications industry. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 2145. Behavioral Economics

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
Behavioral economics incorporates insights from psychology and sociology into economic models of decision-making. While traditional economic theory typically assumes individuals are self-interested and have an infinite ability to analyze and understand their decision-making environment, behavioral economics relaxes these assumptions in light of evidence from the field of experimental economics. Topics in the course include social preferences, mental accounting, decision-making under uncertainty and intertemporal choice. Additional topics may include the economics of social identity, preference formation and learning. Decision-making processes will be examined using simple economic experiments conducted in class.

ECON 2155. Experimental Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Experimental economics is a set of methods for testing hypotheses about behavior. Traditional economic analysis using naturally occurring data is often confounded by the complexities of the real world. Economic experiments, on the other hand, give researchers the control required for isolating behaviors of interest. As such, economic experiments can be useful tools for testing existing theories and establishing empirical regularities assisting in the development of new theories. In this course, we cover the basic principles of experimental design. We also study a number of classic experiments, on topics ranging from the efficiency of markets to decision-making under uncertainty and behavioral game theory. Students will participate in mock experiments and will begin putting their new skills into practice by designing their own experiments, which may serve as the basis for IQPs/MQPs. If time permits, we will discuss some of the basic methods for analyzing experimental data, which presents challenges somewhat different from naturally occurring data due to small sample sizes. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 216X. ECONOMIC LESSONS FROM THE DUTCH GOLDEN AGE

During the 17th century, the Dutch became a world power, laying the foundation for much of our modern world. Despite the region’s scarce natural resources, the people of the Dutch Republic turned their country into the premier manufacturing, trading and financial center. The rich and the rising middle class became the main clients of Dutch artists and influenced a wide array of subjects that provide insight into everyday life in 17th-century Holland. We will use the visual arts to study the economic behavior of individuals, businesses, government, and other institutions and draw parallels to modern economies. We will learn, for example, about the tulip mania, the first documented speculative asset bubble, and discover that the Dutch were not that different from the exuberant traders of the modern stock market. The course will cover relevant topics in economic theory and will provide opportunities for students to conduct basic economic analysis. A major resource for the course will be the Worcester Art Museum’s rich holdings of Netherlandish art. On-campus PowerPoint presentations will be complemented by regular visits to the galleries as well as a visit to the Print Room.
Recommended background: None.

ECON 2910. Economics and Entrepreneurship

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course is designed to provide an introduction to economics, an introduction to entrepreneurship, and an understanding of the linkages between economics and entrepreneurship. Students will apply these concepts to the assessment of opportunities that might arise from participation in WPI projects. Students will engage in exploring how economics and entrepreneurship can inform opportunity assessment within an ambiguous and uncertain context. These decisions are always made with incomplete information and there is typically no single correct answer but rather multiple possible answers each with pluses and minuses. Students may not earn credits for both ECON 2910/ETR 2910 and ECON 291X/ETR 29IX

ECON 291X. ECONOMICS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This course is designed to provide an introduction to economics, an introduction to entrepreneurship, and an understanding of the linkages between economics and entrepreneurship. Students will apply these concepts to the assessment of opportunities that might arise from participation in WPI projects. Students will engage in exploring how economics and entrepreneurship can inform opportunity assessment within an ambiguous and uncertain context. These decisions are always made with incomplete information and there is typically no single correct answer but rather multiple possible answers -- each with pluses and minuses.

ECON 3100. Economics of Climate Change

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The accumulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane are projected to increase global warming by 2 to 5 C by the end of this century with impact on the environment, economy, and society. This course explores the economic causes and consequences of climate change and potential solutions to reduce its impacts. We will assess climate change policies in the U.S and globally and use economics tools to evaluate their costs and benefits and distributional effects between poor and rich countries.

ECON 3100. Economics of Climate Change

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The accumulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane are projected to increase global warming by 2 to 5 C by the end of this century with impact on the environment, economy, and society. This course explores the economic causes and consequences of climate change and potential solutions to reduce its impacts. We will assess climate change policies in the U.S and globally and use economics tools to evaluate their costs and benefits and distributional effects between poor and rich countries.

ECON 3117. Environmental Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course investigates the effect of human activity upon the environment as well as the effect of the environment on human well-being. It pays special attention to the impact of production and consumption of material goods upon the quantity and quality of environmental goods. The analysis focuses on the challenges presented in mixed economics where markets are combined with government intervention to manage pollution and scarcity. The course reviews efforts to measure the costs and benefits of improving environmental conditions and evaluates current and potential policies in terms of the costs of the environmental improvements they may yield. Attention is also paid to the special difficulties which arise when the impacts of pollution spill across traditional political boundaries. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

ECON 3125. Development Economics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course is a general introduction to the field of development economics. The focus is on ways in which a developing country can increase its productive capacity, both agricultural and industrial, in order to achieve sustained economic growth. The course proceeds by first examining how economic growth and economic development are measured and how the various nations of the world compare according to well-known social and economic indicators. Theories of economic growth and theories of economic development are then examined, as are the various social and cultural structures that are thought to influence economic progress. The inputs to economic growth and development (land, labor, capital, entrepreneurial ability, education, technical change), and the possible distributions of income and levels of employment that result from their use, is considered next. Domestic economic problems and policies such as development planning, the choice of sectorial policies, the choice of monetary and fiscal policies, rapid population growth, and urbanization and urban economic development are then examined. The course concludes with a consideration of international problems and policies such as import substitution and export promotion, foreign debt, foreign investment, and the role of international firms. In conjunction with a traditional presentation of the above topics, the course curriculum will include the use of computer simulation models and games. These materials have been formulated with a simulation technique, system dynamics, that has its origins in control engineering and the theory of servomechanisms. As a result, students will find them complementary to their work in engineering and science. In addition, the various development theories and simulation and gaming results will be related, where possible, to specific developing nations where WPI has on-going project activities (e.g., Costa Rica and Thailand). This course is recommended for those students wishing to do an IQP or MQP in a developing nation. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 1100. Introduction to Environmental Studies

ENV 130X. SMART & SUSTAINABLE CITIES

What is a smart and sustainable city? What shapes it? How does its history influence its future? How do physical forms and institutions vary from city to city, and how are these changes meaningful? How are cities changing, and what is the future of cities? This course explores these and other questions, focusing on international cities in the late twentieth century. Two areas of focus in this seminar are the physical patterns and socio-ecological processes underpinning urban change. On the one hand, cities are characterized by spatial patterns of grey and green infrastructure from downtown and inner city to suburb and edge city; on the other, they are driven by a host of social rules and norms, as well as dynamic and increasingly unpredictable ecological processes. These questions and more are explored through lectures, readings, videos, case studies, and guest speakers.

Recommended background: None.

ENV 1500. Introduction to Geographical Information Systems

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a powerful mapping and analytical tool. Topics include GIS data structure, map projections, and fundamental GIS techniques for spatial analysis. Laboratory exercises concentrate on applying concepts presented in lectures and will focus on developing skills using ArcGIS. These exercises include examples of GIS applications in environmental modeling, socio-demographic change and site suitability analyses. Although the course is computer-intensive, no programming background is required. Note: Students may not receive credit for both ENV 150X and ENV 1500. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 200X. CLIMATE CHANGE: VULNERABILITY AND MITIGATION

Global environmental change, especially climate change, is already proving to be a grand challenge to societies, ecosystems, and economies. While climate change impacts vary globally, people and governments are striving to reduce exposure to environmental risks and trying to design socio-ecological responses to improve welfare. Taking climate change as a starting point, this course introduces students to a wide range of climate change conditions, human responses to those conditions, and points toward the need for deeper understanding of human-environment relationships. The course will draw from Geography, Economics, Global Environmental Change, and other cross cutting disciplines for theory and case studies. Examples of climate change risks and mitigation efforts will come from the developed and developing world and will include both urban and rural examples. Assessment techniques include small group projects, case based testing, and in class and online discussions. The course will also reinforce monitoring, evaluation, and learning techniques with students and faculty who will design desired course outcomes and procedures. At the end of this course students will be able to discuss and describe differential climate change impacts, human mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and make educated contributions to climate change mitigation policies and programs.

ENV 210X. CLIMATE CHANGE, RESILIENCE, AND THE DEVELOPING WORLD

This course will examine climate change impacts through the lens of a number of emerging engineering challenges in the developing world, now and into the future. Beginning with an overview of climate change science, students will learn how rapidly changing ecological systems in turn affect a variety of human endeavors. The course will then explore case studies of human responses to these climatic changes in different countries faced with varied ecological, political, and cultural dynamics: mitigation efforts that aim to reduce the amount of future climate change; adaptation plans that anticipate high-probability future changes; and resiliency efforts that attempt to provide the ability to respond as circumstances evolve in as-yet unknown ways. At the end of this course, students will understand that they will be required to consider and incorporate climate change science ¬– and the expanding list of consequences from rapidly changing planetary conditions ¬¬– into almost every aspect of their professional lives

ENV 2200. Environmental Studies in the Various Disciplines

ENV 2201. Planning for Sustainable Communities

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Sustainability planning seeks to anticipate and balance environmental, social, and economic impacts of human actions. This course presents an overview of how various perspectives can contribute to frameworks for environmental land use planning and management. Students are encouraged to think critically about problems land and natural resource use pose to society. Technical principles and analysis of sustainability planning are introduced and applied to challenges that communities currently face such as food, fiber and energy production, environmental conservation, hazard mitigation and resilience, water security, economic development, and waste management. Techniques to engage a diverse set of stakeholders in a collaborative planning process are examined along with the role of technology. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2310. Environmental Governance and Innovation

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
With global attention dominated by environmental catastrophe and despair, we will spotlight new work that has brought together scientists, environmentalists, engineers, and artists to tackle the most serious problems facing communities. We will explore the political ecology implications of control over essential resources and the positive consequences of rethinking and democratizing basic social needs for a more sustainable future. Recent exciting case studies will feature examples of simple solutions that inspire elegant, transferrable, and inexpensive applications of technological design. We will examine the role and obligation that scientists have to collaborate with interdisciplinary and public policy efforts that benefit people with sustainable approaches to architecture, food, energy, transportation, and infrastructure. Students may not receive credit for both ENV 230X and ENV 2310. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2500. Psychology for Sustainability

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course applies psychological theory and research to understand the causes of human behavior that degrades natural systems and to identify and promote more sustainable actions and policies. Topics will include: social dilemmas and cognitive limitations as root causes of environmental problems; psychological methods for studying sustainability; the potential for and limitations of changing individual environmental cognition and behavior; environmental knowledge, attitudes, and values; motivations for sustainable behavior; and the relationship between environmental quality and human health and mental health. Students will gain experience applying social and cognitive behavior change strategies to reduce their own environmental impact.
Students may not receive credit for both ENV 2400 and ENV 2500/PSY 2500.
This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2600. Environmental Problems in the Developing World

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Environment and development are often seen as incompatible, in part because many poor people in the developing world depend directly on natural resources for their livelihoods. At the same time, poor people are often seen as responsible for causing environmental degradation because they lack the knowledge, skills and resources to manage the environment effectively. The vicious circle is completed as environmental degradation exacerbates poverty. However, optimists argue that poor people can and do contribute positively to environmental outcomes, that states and organizations can facilitate their efforts and that environmental interventions can coincide with development. This course will examine these different perspectives on environmental problems in the developing world through the insights and critiques of social science. Subjects covered include sustainable development, population, environmental risks, gender, urbanization, environmental decision making, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The goals of this course are to think critically about the various links between environment and development and the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations in promoting sustainable development in the developing world. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2700. Social Media, Social Movements, and the Environment

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Social media platforms are changing the world of social movements, giving rise to a new generation of social activism. Social media can enable local actors to link with others from across the globe to incite social and environmental change. Social media has enabled people to document and share injustices (e.g., violence; dumping of toxic waste) in places where freedom of the press is limited or non-existent, and it has enabled people across different social groups (race, class, etc.) to engage with one another on issues of shared concern. Social media has also allowed people to share resources (financial, expertise, and organizational) with other social actors across the globe, empowering communities in novel ways. This course introduces students to the phenomena of social and environmental movements, theories on why they succeed and fail, and how social media has changed the landscape of social mobilization. This course will draw on interdisciplinary readings, concepts, and case studies from the social sciences, with emphasis on geography, public policy, sociology, and media studies. Course work will include small group projects, analyses of current social movement cases, and a final project. The final project will consist of interviewing members of a current social movement (potentially using social media), evaluating whether particular social media applications have helped to enable social mobilization, and designing new or revised social media tools to further enhance social mobilization.

ENV 2710. Designing for Climate Resilience and Justice

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Resilience is the capacity to adapt to changing conditions and to bounce back after a disaster. Through resilience we can live, and even thrive, in the face of natural disasters. Resilience involves adaptation to the wide range of regional and localized impacts that are expected with a warming planet: more intense storms, greater precipitation, coastal and valley flooding, longer and more severe droughts in some areas, wildfires, melting permafrost, warmer temperatures, and power outages. Resilient design is the intentional design of buildings, landscapes, communities, and regions in response to these vulnerabilities. In this course, we will work to better understand what is at risk in a changing climate with more extreme and frequent disasters, the role people/companies and policies play in these disasters, who is most at risk and why, and develop resilient designs focused on practical, innovative, on-the-ground, and just solutions.
Students may not receive credit for both ENV 271X and ENV 2710
This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 2800. Special Topics in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Cat III (offered at discretion of dept/prgm).
(Credits will be assigned by the instructor ranging from 1/6-1/3 unit)
This course provides an opportunity for students with little to no background in Environmental and Sustainability Studies to learn about a special topic in the area. This course may be repeated for different topics.

ENV 2900. The Green Economy and Models for Alternative ForMS of Development

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course examines the limitations of traditional economic models and charts a new course for current policies and practices. To chart this path we draw upon and synthesize examples from existing alternative economies (e.g., different forms of dematerialization, hybrid organizations, solidary economy, sharing economy) .The course critically examines current paradigms of greening and seeks to expand thinking that will encompass new, alternative, and socially just conceptions of economy and economic development. A particular emphasis is laid on the spatial implications of de-growth oriented activities which partly challenge existing models and research methods in economic geography. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 300X. FIELD COURSE IN EUROPEAN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

This course examines the European City model for urban and sustainable development policies and practices. The course has both classroom and field-based components. In class we will learn about model strategies for urban development, how they are mobilized, and the causes of differentiated implementation from place to place. During the field-based component, we will travel to Europe for a one-week to 10-day field trip where we will meet policy makers and other stakeholders in several cities in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany. Discussion and reflection time will take place each evening. Field trip expenses, transport and lodging, will be paid for by the University of Luxembourg. Each student is responsible for getting to Europe and paying a few nights accommodation before and after the trip.
Recommended background: an interest in smart or sustainable cities and/or urban policy, planning, and practice.
Students who completed this course as an ISRP cannot receive credit for ENV300X.

ENV 3100. Adventures in Sustainable Urbanism

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course will take students on an adventure, both in the class and in the field. Students will examine the history of sustainable development, its antecedents, the factors that have influenced its evolution, and how the sustainable city came into existence. Students will be invited on a number of virtual field trips to sustainable cities from around the world. The goal will be to explore the underlying factors of sustainable urbanism, why it looks the way it does in different places, and how students can exercise their own agency in developing alternatives. Students will also develop their own field trips for publication on the course website. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ENV 3500. Women and the Environment

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course examines the perceived, existing, and potential links between women and the environment with an emphasis on the roles of women in environmental movements, climate change, climate justice, forest conservation, water management, disaster recovery, womenperceptions of environmental risk, and other environmental issues. Through reading, discussion, documentary films and research project, we will explore how social, economic, political and cultural systems that shape womens environmental experiences and their resistance and strategies for social change.

ENV 4400. Senior Seminar in Environmental Studies

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course is intended for Environmental Studies majors. The course is designed to integrate each students educational experience (e.g., core environmental courses, environmental electives, and environmental projects) in a capstone seminar in Environmental Studies. Through seminar discussions and writing assignments students will critically reflect on what they learned in their previous courses and project experiences. In teams, students will prepare a final capstone paper and presentation that critically engages their educational experience in environmental studies and anticipates how their courses and experiences will translate into their future personal and professional environmental experiences.

ENV 4800. Special Topics in Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Cat III (offered at discretion of dept/prgm).
(Credits will be assigned by the instructor ranging from 1/6-1/3 unit)
This course provides an opportunity for students with a solid background and interest in Environmental and Sustainability Studies to learn about a special topic in the area. Recommended background: one 2000-level Environmental and Sustainability Studies courses (or equivalent). This course may be repeated for different topics.

GOV 1301. U.S. Government

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles, institutions, and processes of the constitutional democracy of the United States. It examines the formal structure of the Federal system of government, including Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and the various departments, agencies, and commissions which comprise the executive branch. Emphasis is placed on the relationships among Federal, state and local governments in the formulation and administration of domestic policies, and on the interactions among interest groups, elected officials and the public at large with administrators in the policy process. The various topics covered in the survey are linked by consideration of fiscal and budgetary issues, executive management, legislative oversight, administrative discretion, policy analysis and evaluation and democratic accountability.

GOV 1303. American Public Policy

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
American Public Policy focuses on the outcomes or products of political institutions and political controversy. The course first addresses the dynamics of policy formations and stalemate, the identification of policy goals, success and failure in implementation, and techniques of policy analysis. Students are then encouraged to apply these concepts in the study of a specific policy area of their choosing, such as foreign, social, urban, energy or environmental policy. This course is an important first step for students wishing to complete IQPs in public policy research. Students are encouraged to complete GOV 1303 prior to enrolling in upper level policy courses such as GOV 2303, GOV 2304 or GOV 2311. There is no specific preparation for this course, but a basic understanding of American political institutions is assumed. Some sections of this course may be offered as Writing Intensive (WI).

GOV 1310. Law, Courts, and Politics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course is an introduction to law and the role courts play in society. The course examines the structure of judicial systems, the nature of civil and criminal law, police practice in the enforcement of criminal law, and the responsibilities of judges, attorneys and prosecutors. Additional topics for discussion include the interpretation of precedent and statue in a common law system and how judicial discretion enables interest groups to use courts for social change. The student is expected to complete the course with an understanding of how courts exercise and thereby control the power of the state. As such, courts function as political actors in a complex system of governance. It is recommended that students complete this course before enrolling in GOV 2310, Constitutional Law. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 1320. Topics in International Politics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
GOV 1320 is a survey course designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of international relations: power and influence, nations and states, sovereignty and law. These concepts will be explored through the study of issues such as diplomacy and its uses, theories of collective security and conflict, and international order and development. The study of international organizations such as the UN, the European Union or the Organization of American States will also supplement the students understanding of the basic concepts. The course may also include comparative political analysis of states or regions. It is designed to provide the basic background materials for students who wish to complete IQPs on topics that involve international relations or comparative political systems. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2302. Science-Technology Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course is an examination of the relationship between science-technology and government. It reviews the history of public policy for science and technology, theories and opinions about the proper role of government and several current issues on the national political agenda. Examples of these issues include genetic engineering, the environment and engineering education. It also examines the formation of science policy, the politics of science and technology, the science bureaucracy, enduring controversies such as public participation in scientific debates, the most effective means for supporting research, and the regulation of technology. Throughout the course we will pay particular attention to the fundamental theme: the tension between government demands for accountability and the scientific communitys commitment to autonomy and self-regulation. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2310. Constitutional Law: Foundations of Government

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Constitutional Law is the study of Supreme Court decisions interpreting the U.S. Constitution. The Foundations course focuses on the powers of the Congress, the Presidency and the Judicial Branch, especially the Supreme Courts understanding of its own power. These cases reveal, in particular, the evolution of Federal power with the development of a national economy and the shifting balance of power among the three branches of government. Issues of state power in a federal system are also addressed. Lastly, these materials are examined in the context of the great debates regarding how judges interpret the Constitution. How are the words and intent of the Founders applicable to the legal and political conflicts of the twenty-first century? This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2311. Environmental Policy and Law

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course deals with environmental law as it relates to people, pollution and land use in our society. A case method approach will be used to illustrate how the courts and legislators have dealt with these social-legal problems. The course is designed to have the student consider: 1) the legal framework within which environmental law operates; 2) the governmental institutions involved in the formulation, interpretation and application of environmental law; 3) the nature of the legal procedures and substantive principles currently being invoked to resolve environmental problems; 4) the types of hazards to the environment presently subject to legal constraints; 3) the impact that the mandates of environmental law have had, and will have, on personal liberties and property rights; 6) the role individuals and groups can play within the context of our legal system to protect and improve mans terrestrial habitat and the earths atmosphere; and 7) some methods and sources for legal research that they may use on their own.

GOV 2313. Intellectual Property Law

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Intellectual property includes ideas, and the works of inventors, authors, composers and other creative people. Patents, copyrights and trademarks establish legal rights in intellectual property. Alternatively, control over the use of an idea might be maintained by treating it as a trade secret. In these ways, the ideas of inventors and creators are protected and others are prohibited from appropriating the ideas and creative works of others. This course addresses the concept of intellectual property and the public policies that support the law of patent, copyright and trademark. Subjects include the process of obtaining patents, trademarks and copyrights; requirements of originality and, for patents, utility; infringement issues; and the problems posed by international trade and efforts to address them through the World Intellectual Property Organization. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2314. Cyberlaw and Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Rapidly developing technologies for computing, information management and communications have been quickly adopted in schools, businesses and homes. The growth of the Internet and of e-commerce, in particular, have given rise to an entirely new set of legal issues as the courts, Congress and international bodies struggle to keep pace with changing technology. This course addresses the governments role in the development of these technologies and the legal issues that result including questions regarding privacy rights, speech and defamation, and the application of patent and copyright law. Policy questions such as surveillance of e-mail, regulation of content, mandates on the use of filters, and the responsibilities and liability of internet service providers are also discussed. Additional policies studied include attempts to control Internet content and enforce international judgments (resulting from e-commerce or cyber-crime) by foreign states and/or international organizations. Students are expected to integrate knowledge of technology with law, politics, economics and international affairs. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2315. Privacy: Laws, Policy, Technology, and How They Fit Together

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course will begin by examining privacy in different societies, starting with Eastern Europe during the Cold War and moving west. We will look first at privacy and the threats to it from government, then privacy and the threats posed by business. We will consider various technologies (including online social networks, communication Devices, the Internet), and different regimes for protecting privacy (including law, regulation, and technology). The course is designed to develop critical thinking about the interactions between technology, policy, and the law as well as learning about the privacy tradeoffs one makes in using modern technologies. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2319. Global Environmental Politics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
It is apparent that environmental problems have outgrown national policy frameworks. Thus, institutions have emerged at the international and transnational levels to coordinate collective problem-solving. But governance involves more than just the practicality of problem-solving; it also involves uncertainty, controversy, power and politics. This course will examine the ways in which global environmental governance has been conceived: from establishing international institutions and agreements, to less tangible ways of interacting. We will examine themes such as scales of governance (from the United Nations to communities), policy networks, the role of NGOs, think tanks and special interests and the role of knowledge in global environmental debates. Students will then use this conceptual and theoretical basis to analyze major global environmental issues including: deforestation; biodiversity; endangered species; and climate change. The goals of this course are to gain an understanding of the main positions in global environmental debates; critically analyze these positions; and gain insight into the politics of global environmental policy and governance.
This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2319. Global Environmental Politics

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
It is apparent that environmental problems have outgrown national policy frameworks. Thus, institutions have emerged at the international and transnational levels to coordinate collective problem-solving. But governance involves more than just the practicality of problem-solving; it also involves uncertainty, controversy, power and politics. This course will examine the ways in which global environmental governance has been conceived: from establishing international institutions and agreements, to less tangible ways of interacting. We will examine themes such as scales of governance (from the United Nations to communities), policy networks, the role of NGOs, think tanks and special interests and the role of knowledge in global environmental debates. Students will then use this conceptual and theoretical basis to analyze major global environmental issues including: deforestation; biodiversity; endangered species; and climate change. The goals of this course are to gain an understanding of the main positions in global environmental debates; critically analyze these positions; and gain insight into the politics of global environmental policy and governance.
This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 2320. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Civil Rights and Liberties examines decisions of the Supreme Court which interpret the Bill of Rights and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. These court decisions elaborate the content and meaning of our rights to speak, publish, practice religion, and be free from state interference in those activities. Privacy rights broadly, the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and due process rights for criminal suspects are also addressed. Finally, rights to be free from discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation are examined in the context of equal protection law. Students completing this course will receive credit toward the Minor in Law and Technology among the courses satisfying the requirement in legal fundamentals. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 233X. SOCIAL ACTION AND POLICY CHANGE

This course offers students an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective advocates for social action and policy change. Policy advocates work to influence and change social policies in communities, organizations, or legislative bodies. This course will especially focus on developing methods of persuasion and how to address social problems, increase social justice, and assure access to resources, especially among individuals and groups who lack relative power in our society. Finally, the course will introduce students to and help them build the skills necessary for analyzing, developing, implementing, and assessing policy at the local, state, and national levels.

GOV 235X. INTERNTIONAL MIGRATION AND POLITICS

This course investigates the causes and effects of human movement from a political perspective. It explores many questions related to the movement of people across international borders such as: Why do people move across borders and how should local communities, national government, and international organization respond? Should countries have borders and, if so, how should they decide who is allowed entry and who should be denied entry? What types of obligations should a host country have towards immigrants and what responsibility should an immigrant have to the receiving society? Should citizenship be earned or automatic? How are women and children impacted by migration? How has immigration become a security issue in international relations? How has climate change impacted human migration? By the end of the term, students should gain critical insight into the language that fuels policy debates about migration.

Recommended background: Students are encouraged to take this course to broaden their understanding of public policies as it relates to the movement of people across international borders. This course assumes that students have a general knowledge of political science and/or public policy concepts, such as can be found in GOV 1320 Topics in International Politics; however, no specific prerequisites are required to take this course.

GOV 236X. WOMEN IN POLITICS

This  course  will  explore  the  socioeconomic,  historical,  and  political  status  of  women. Among the topics we will cover are the history of women’s rights, women’s participation in elections and specific issues concerning women such as reproductive rights, body image, the #metoo movement, women in political office and other issues concerning race, gender, class and sexuality. We will look at the relationship between men and women in politics as well as the role of family. We will ask: what is women’s equality and difference, what solutions are best for women and what constitutes a feminist approach to politics? This course is designed to introduce students to the study of gender, politics, and social justice issues in the United States and beyond.

Recommended   background: This   course   assumes   that   students   have   a   general knowledge  of  political  science  concepts,  such  as  can  be  found  in  GOV  1301  U.S. Government  and  1303  American  Public  Policy,  however,  no specific  prerequisites  are required to take this course.

GOV 3000. Psychology and Law

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
How does the courtroom work and where does psychology come into play? Is it really innocent until proven guilty? Do people confess to crimes they never committed? How accurate are eyewitnesses? In this course, we will discuss and examine questions like these and many more. This course examines empirical research in the interface of psychology and law. We will learn about standard practices in the criminal justice system and empirical psychological research devoted to understanding these practices. As a discussion-based course, we will tackle topics such as: courtroom procedures, confessions, death penalty, deception, decision making, deliberations, eyewitnesses, expert testimony, jury selection, memory, police, and pretrial publicity. We will also explore how and when psychologists can impact legal guidelines and policies.
This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

GOV 3312. International Environmental Policy

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
Environmental issues present some of the major international problems and opportunities facing the world today. Worst-case scenarios envision irrevocable degradation of the earths natural systems, but virtually every analysis sees the need for major change worldwide to cope with problems such as global warming, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, loss of biodiversity, and population growth, not to mention exponential increases in conventional pollutants in newly industrialized countries. The global environment issues represent a second-generation of environmental policy in which the focus of concern has moved from national regulations to international law and institutions. In addition, the environment has emerged as a major aspect of international trade, conditioning corporate investment and accounting for some $200 billion in sales of pollution control equipment in 1991. Exploration of the genesis and implications of these phenomena is the essence of the course. Topically, the material begins with the nature of global environmental problems, drawing on literature from large-scale global modeling as well as particular analyses of the problems mentioned above. Approximately half the course focuses on international laws and institutions, including multilateral treaties (e.g., the Montreal Protocol limiting CFC use, ocean dumping, biodiversity), international institutions (UNEP, the Rio Convention, the OECD) and private initiatives (international standards organizations, ICOLP (Industry Committee for Ozone Layer Protection), etc.) In addition, US policy toward global environmental issues will be compared with that in Japan, Europe and developing countries, from which it differs significantly. Students will design and undertake term projects that address particular issues in detail in an interdisciplinary manner. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

ID 2050. Social Science Research for the IQP

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course is open to students accepted to off-campus IQP centers and programs. The course introduces students to research design, methods for social science research, and analysis. It also provides practice in specific research and field skills using the project topics students have selected in conjunction with sponsoring agencies. Students learn to develop social science hypotheses based upon literature reviews in their topic areas and apply concepts drawn from social psychology, anthropology, sociology, economics and other areas as appropriate. Students make presentations, write an organized project proposal, and develop a communication model for reporting their project findings.

SD 1510. Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
The goal of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the field of system dynamics computer simulation modeling. The course begins with the history of system dynamics and the study of why policy makers can benefit from its use. Next, students systematically examine the various types of dynamic behavior that socioeconomic systems exhibit and learn to identify and model the underlying nonlinear stock-flow-feedback loop structures that cause them. The course concludes with an examination of a set of well-known system dynamics models that have been created to address a variety of socioeconomic problems. Emphasis is placed on how the system dynamics modeling process is used to test proposed policy changes and how the implementation of model-based results can improve the behavior of socioeconomic systems.

SD 2520. Modeling Economic and Social Systems

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The purpose of this course is to prepare students to construct original system dynamics computer simulation models of economic and social systems from real world situations. They are coached to experiment with these models to understand unintended consequences of policy and to design effective policy interventions. Such a modeling process can be used to examine the possible impacts of policy changes and technological innovations on socioeconomic systems. The curriculum in this course covers a detailed examination of the steps of the system dynamics modeling process: problem identification (including data collection and analysis), feedback structure conceptualization, model formulation, model testing and analysis, model documentation and presentation, and policy implementation, illustrated by examples from business, economy and social systems. This course together with either SSI505 or SD1510 can provide the basic background for the students to use system dynamics in their IQP/MQP projects. Students will not be granted credit for both SD 1520 and SD2520.

SD 2530. Advanced Topics in System Dynamics Modeling

This course focuses on advanced issues and topics in system dynamics computer simulation modeling. A variety of options for dealing with complexity through the development of policy models, large-scale models and the partitioning of complex problems are discussed. Topics include model building, model validation, model analysis, the use of summary statistics and sensitivity measures, and policy design. The application of system dynamics to theory building and social policy are also reviewed.

SD 3550. System Dynamics Seminar

This special topics course is conducted as a research seminar, with many sessions being reserved for student presentations. Students will read, evaluate, and report on research papers representing the latest developments in the field of system dynamics. Classical system dynamics models may also be replicated and discussed. Students will complete projects that address specific problems using the system dynamics method.

SOC 1202. Introduction to Sociology and Cultural Diversity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course encourages students to explore how a sociological toolkit may be used to examine the impetus for social and historical changes and the effect such changes have on how individuals live, work, and find their place in this world. It operates from the premise that individual lives are not just personal but social as humans we are shaped by the societies in which we live and the social forces at work within them. Major theoretical perspectives and concepts will be discussed over the course of the semester with primary emphasis on the roles that culture, dimensions of inequality and social change play in shaping individual lives. Students will also explore the influence that social institutions such as the family, religion, education, healthcare, government, economy, and environment have on how humans function within society.

SOC 1500. The Sociology of Race

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course introduces students to the sociology of race. The sociology of race examines how and why social, cultural, and historical forces combine to reproduce racism, racial discrimination, and racial inequality. What are the distinctions between race and ethnicity? What distinguishes, if at all, individual, institutional, structural, and cultural racism? What are racial formation, antiracism, pigmentocracy, and
Whiteness? What role did W. E. B. Du Bois play in founding sociology in the US? Why has Du Bois and his theoretical contributions been erased from the history of sociology? What works best represent Du Boiss thoughts on the meaning of race and race relations? What is the relationship between Du Bois, the Atlanta School, and the sociology of race? To answer these questions, students will examine a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary texts and become familiar with the conceptual theories and research methods that inform the sociology of race and Du Boiss pioneering role in the field of sociology. Students will learn to think critically about the aims of the sociology of race and the theoretical means used to achieve those aims.

Soc 3500. African American Political Thought

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
This course introduces students to the oral and written discourse of African American political leaders. Ranging from the 1800s to the present, the course examines representations of African American political thought in the speeches and letters of African Americans who have held leadership positions in political organizations or who have participated in electoral politics. Students will explore the ideological foundations of the major African American political movements, examining how their goals and objectives have been informed by combinations of various political ideologies: Pan-Africanism, nationalism, feminism, radicalism, liberalism, centrism, and conservatism. What roles did African American leaders play in the Abolitionist movement? Who were the leaders of classical and modern Black nationalism? Who were the leaders of the Pan-African Congresses? What is the relationship between religiosity and African American political leadership? What are the similarities and differences between the strategies and tactics of the Abolitionist, New Negro, Civil Rights, Black Power, Black Arts, and Black Lives Matter movements? To answer these questions, students will examine a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary texts and become familiar with the conceptual theories and research methods that inform the study of African American political thought and intellectual history. Students will learn to think critically about the relationship between African American political thought, identity, and behavior.

SS 1505. Games for Understanding Complexity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course addresses the theory and practice of developing solutions to complex social and environmental problems through interaction with roleplaying games and computer simulations designed to promote learning and improve decision-making. By interacting with a selection of games and case studies, students will learn to recognize the systemic causes of complex social and environmental problems and gain experience developing and using simulations to test policies for creating sustainable futures. Special attention will be given to appropriate modeling practices and the design of simulation experiments. The course is run in a laboratory format in which students work in groups to play games, develop simulation models and present them to the class for feedback before they revise and refine their work iteratively for final evaluation.

SS 1505. Games for Understanding Complexity

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
This course addresses the theory and practice of developing solutions to complex social and environmental problems through interaction with roleplaying games and computer simulations designed to promote learning and improve decision-making. By interacting with a selection of games and case studies, students will learn to recognize the systemic causes of complex social and environmental problems and gain experience developing and using simulations to test policies for creating sustainable futures. Special attention will be given to appropriate modeling practices and the design of simulation experiments. The course is run in a laboratory format in which students work in groups to play games, develop simulation models and present them to the class for feedback before they revise and refine their work iteratively for final evaluation.

STS 1200. Fundamentals of Global Health

Cat I (offered at least 1x per Year).
The focus of global health research and practice is improving the overall health and health equity of all people worldwide. In this course, we will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore the major biological, social, political, environmental and economic determinants of health. We will analyze the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable disease facing the worlds populations including study of current health systems, global health practices and priorities as well as major organization and institutional players. Class sessions will consist of lecture, intensive small group discussion, and global health case analyses. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to explain the basic principles of public health; discuss the determinants of health; describe how globalization has changed the patterns of the spread of disease and the methods needed to control disease; evaluate the complex, multi-faceted links between health, social and economic factors; and identify critical issues in the delivery of health care services, with a particular emphasis on challenges faced with regard to different cultural and economic settings.

STS 4000. Senior Seminar in Global Public Health

Cat II (offered at least every other Year).
The course is designed to integrate each students educational experience and interests in Global Public Health, (e.g., core global public health courses, specializations, and experience). Through seminar discussions and writing assignments students will critically reflect on what they learned in their previous courses and project experiences. In teams, students will prepare a final capstone paper and presentation that critically engages their educational experience in global public health and anticipates how their courses and experiences will translate into their future personal and professional. The course is especially designed as the capstone seminar for Global Public Health minors, but is also open to non-minors. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

Graduate Courses

DEV 501. Social Innovation and Global Development

Social Innovation and Global Development provides a broad overview of the program. We will touch on many of the themes that will be explored in depth in the core courses. These themes include but are not limited to: design thinking, cross-cultural design, ethics in design, and visual expression. We will also employ team building exercises bring the cohort together as a cohesive group. The mornings will be spent in interactive classroom experiences where students will engage in seminar discussions, small group activities, and feedback sessions. This course will take place in the two weeks leading up to the students first semester in the program. The course will run two weeks, for approximately six hours per day, Monday through Friday.

DEV 502. Design for Social Change

Everyone is entitled to good design, without distinction of any kind. Race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origins, property, birth or other status should have effective visual communication. Social Impact Design Course is a place where student designers learn to create good design for the good of others. Community engagement through community-based design projects is just one aspect of the course. Students will learn additional practice skills in design thinking and cause branding. This course explores various community and professional practices when designing for social change. Through community-based projects with non-profit organizations, students explore the many roles creative professionals can play when executing socially-minded work. Students will be challenged to expand their comprehension of design problem solving for new audiences. Design teams will develop skills in design methodology for visual communication: identifying problems, design research, ideation, and implementation.

DEV 510. Design Studio 1

This studio course introduces students to a variety of design case studies from developing world infrastructure projects, to human computer interaction, autonomous vehicles, and others to give students an opportunity to explore and critique design processes and to develop a sense of their own approach with some depth.

DEV 520. Design Studio 2

This studio course is taken in E(l) term. Here students will begin to develop their own GQP or thesis projects. They will share their work with their peers in weekly feedback sessions. Faculty will act as mentors who push the students toward project and process clarity. For students traveling abroad the studio will provide an opportunity to raise and explore important cultural considerations.

DEV 530. Ethics and Social Justice in Science, Engineering, and Development

How do contemporary engineers, technologists and other design professionals think about the relationship between ethics and design? Design is not simply about making objects or improving the customers experience, but also about restructuring the conditions of human and nonhuman life. Seen from this broader perspective, design lies at the heart of most of our current debates on social equality, cultural diversity, and environmental justice. In this course, our goal is to move beyond a view of design ethics as a reflection of the individual designer's intentions and responsibility. We will thus consider the extent to which professional codes of ethics, while perhaps being indispensable to modern professional associations, are useful for understanding the complex issues emerging in design practices. Moving the focus from the individual designer to historical and social contexts, we will think about the kinds of politics and communities that design practices can make possible.

DEV 540. Research Methods

This course takes a critical approach towards evidence generation and use, data and knowledge production in the context of this programs global aspirations. In particular, this course encourages students to grapple with complex issues surrounding different research practice models including evidence-based practice, research and data justice frameworks, and community-based participatory research. Students learn the research process from theoretical grounding and question formulation, searching for relevant and applicable literature, critically evaluating interventions, and translating research findings into implementation. To this end, students will consider the following questions: What counts as evidence? Who decides its relevance, and by what processes? How might researchers/implementers/partners embody principles of self-determination and other research justice principles such as equitable community involvement and accountability?

DEV 595. Special Topics in Design for Science, Technology and Innovation

This course will allow flexibility for faculty to offer courses on topics of current interest.

DEV 596. Independent Study

This course will allow a student(s) to study a certain topic under the guidance of an affiliated faculty member. The student must produce an appropriate paper (e.g., conceptual or empirical) from this experience.

DEV 597. Directed Research

Directed research allows students the opportunity to engage in a research project that is related to a member of facultys portfolio. The student must produce an appropriate paper (e.g., conceptual or empirical) from this experience.

DEV 598. Graduate Qualifying Project

This three-credit graduate qualifying project, typically done in teams, is to be carried out in cooperation with a sponsor or external partner. It must be overseen by a faculty member affiliated with the Science, Technology, Innovation, and Global Development. This offering integrates theory and practice of design for science, engineering, and innovation, and should include the utilization of tools and techniques acquired in the program. In addition to a written report, this project must be presented in a formal presentation to the WPI community. Professional development skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and collaboration, along with storytelling, will be practiced.

DEV 599. Masters Thesis

A thesis consists of a research and development project worth (a minimum of) nine graduate credit hours advised by a faculty member affiliated with the Program. A thesis proposal must be approved by the Science, Technology, Innovation, and Global Development Review Board and the students advisors, before the student can register for more than three thesis credits. The student must satisfactorily complete a written thesis document, and present the results to the WPI community.

SS 590. Special Topics in Social Science and Policy Studies

Individual or group studies on any topic relating to social science and policy studies selected by the student and approved by the faculty member who supervises the work.