Graduate Courses II
Criminal Justice
Gastronomy
Health Communication
Interdisciplinary Studies
Preservation Studies
Urban Affairs and City Planning
Actuarial Science
Administrative Studies
Advertising
Arts Administration
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
MET CJ 601 History of Criminal Justice
Prereq: upper-level or graduate standing. Evolution of the criminal justice system in America and selected international experience, emphasizing the eighteenth century through the present. Focus on the development of institutions: police, prisons, courts, and corrections. 4 crMET CJ 602 Criminology
This course will expand students’ understanding of criminal deviant behavior and the major theories of social and institutional control. It also addresses the effectiveness of social control methods and the policy implications associated with deterring deviant behavior. 4 crMET CJ 610 Selected Topics in Criminal Justice
Prereq: previous criminal justice or related course, or consent of instructor. Seminar topics of current interest in the field selected by program faculty, such as community policing. Occasional international faculty or topic. Consult the Criminal Justice Program office for additional information. 4 crMET CJ 625 Victimology
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the discipline of victimology, an emerging area of specialization in the field of criminology. Emphasis will focus on crime victims and their plight, the relationships between crime victims and other social groups and institutions, such as the media, business, politicians, special interest groups, and social movements. The issues of Justice and Redress from the perspective of the victim as well as general society will be stressed. An overview of victim prevention programs and victim assistance programs will be presented. Topics such as the Restorative Justice Model, Victim Repayment, and Victim/ Offender Mediation will be included in the course content. While the course follows an interdisciplinary approach and is designed for general interest and appeal, it has particular relevance to students drawn from disciplinary interests in the fields of criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, health care administration, and political science. 4 crMET CJ 631 Youth Crime Problems
Analysis of policy issues concerning juvenile justice and youth crime. Scope and nature of youth crime and the young offender. Juvenile justice procedures, programs, and institutional roles. Considers delinquency prevention programs, violent offenders, dispositional alternatives, and crimes against youth. 4 crMET CJ 632 White Collar Crime
Examines the nature and extent of corporate and white-collar crime, including detection, deterrence, and criminal liability sanctions. Social and legal changes related to corporate illegality. Case materials address securities fraud, money “laundering,” professional deviance, political corruption, and other topics. Policy responses including RICO and other laws, regulations, and court processing. 4 crMET CJ 650 Terrorism
This course will include a general introduction to the overt as well as underlying ideology, history, reasons, and causes of terrorism. Both domestic and international terrorism will be discussed. Domestic hate groups will also receive particular attention. The roles of politics and the media will be discussed. Students will be exposed to the philosophies of terrorists and terrorism. Counterterrorism will also be discussed at length. 4 crMET CJ 656 Forensic Criminal Investigation
Prereq: prior criminal justice or related course, or consent of instructor. Forensic Criminal Investigation is an examination of the strategies, techniques, and procedures implicated in the process of conducting forensic criminal investigations, i.e., cases that will seek adjudication in the criminal court. Students will examine cold cases, concluded successful investigations, and ongoing investigations, as well as the perspective and worldview of the perpetrators and victims of violent crimes in an effort to deconstruct and disassemble crimes, crime scenes, and the criminal mind. 4 crMET CJ 660 Gender and Justice
This course will examine the means by which the women who are members of the client class of criminal justice “participants” (criminal justice workers, victims of crime, arrestees and defendants, sex-workers, attorneys) may be positioned in secondary, submissive, and subservient roles by the criminal justice system. Much recent scholarship contends that sexism and male hegemony are still firmly entrenched in the criminal justice system and this perspective will be examined and deconstructed. Students will further evaluate the construction of various forms of masculinity toward an understanding of the role that gender plays in the criminal justice system: one that implicates both the “masculine” and the “feminine.” 4 crMET CJ 701 Crime and Punishment: A Conceptual and Ethical Inquiry
Prereq: upper-level or graduate standing. Examines the myriad ways that moral and ethical considerations inform decision-making processes that comprise so much of the professional (and personal) enterprise of the criminal justice worker. Police officers, corrections officers, probation and parole officers, youth service officers, federal law enforcement agents, and court professionals are all called upon on a daily basis to make critical decisions that significantly affect the lives of those entrusted to them. It is our expectation as a society that criminal justice professionals are so ingrained with the requisite diligence to ethics and to morality that the decisions that they make will be organically ethical and moral. Students in this course will consider applications of ethical actions as they pertain to issues of social justice. Toward that end, we will forge a strong notion of our definition of just what constitutes social justice over the next six weeks. In arriving at that working definition, and in our examination of ethics and moral decision-making, we would do well to begin with a look at what our current personal belief system is regarding morality and ethics. 4 crMET CJ 702 Analytical Methods
This course introduces students to the use of quantitative data in analyzing the criminal justice system. It serves as an introduction to the statistical methods used in applied social science research and furthers students’ understanding of the role statistical analysis plays in planning and policy development. 4 crMET CJ 703 Research Methods
This course examines research techniques useful for criminal justice and social science inquiry. It discusses the process and problems of social research and covers topics such as sampling, research design, and quantitative and qualitative methods. 4 crMET CJ 725 Forensic Behavioral Analysis
This course will examine the development of individual criminality and criminal careers; social group processes implicated in criminal activity; varieties of criminal behavior including violent, sexual, and predatory crime; mental disorders; psychopathy; victimization; offender profiling; and forensic criminal investigation. The course will also explore the contribution of psychology to our contemporary understanding of crime and criminogenic behavior through the application of psychological theories in the investigation of crime. 4 crMET CJ 750 Police in the Multicultural Society
This course will explore the ways in which issues of class, race, gender, and sexuality inform the perspective(s) of the criminal justice, social, legal, or medical services practitioner in his/her delivery of services. The standpoint and worldview of the recipient(s) of the myriad police imprint, in most situations the subaltern—the underclass, the working poor, ethnic others, immigrant adults and children, asylum seekers, people of color, women, and non-heterosexuals—will be examined and deconstructed. Students will be brought to an understanding as to the position of cultural ideology (that of the practitioner and the client class) in affecting the spectrum of the criminal justice, social service, medical, and legal service delivery apparatus. 4 crMET CJ 775 Seminar in the Law and Criminal Procedure
This course examines the origins and evolution of contemporary criminal procedure. Case law governing criminal justice functions such as stops, interrogations, arrests, warrants, identification practices, the use of informants, and searches and seizures will be explored through the prism of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 4 crMET CJ 801 Special Project in Criminal Justice
Prereq: approval of program director prior to registration. Individual faculty supervision of an independent student project demonstrating application of previous program coursework to a selected topic, issue, or theme in criminal justice. 4 cr.MET CJ 831 Criminal Justice Administration
The challenge of administering, managing, and leading today’s criminal justice organizations is becoming increasingly complicated due to many factors, ranging from terrorism and cyber crime to politicization and privatization. This course provides students with not only a conceptual and theoretical basis on which to manage these complex entities, but also practical approaches to organizational effectiveness, integrity, and innovation. 4 crGastronomy
Master of Liberal Arts courses are designed primarily for students matriculated in that program, but are open to other qualified students with stamped approval.
MET ML 611 Archaeology of Food in Ancient Times
How people have obtained and processed a wide range of foods through time, beginning with early civilization. Topics include food used by hunter/gatherers; changes in diet and nutrition through time to early farmers. Examines archaeological evidence for types of plants and animals exploited for food, as well as human skeletal evidence for ancient nutrition and diseases related to diet and food stress. Consideration of early historical periods, especially in terms of how certain foods such as wine have played a significant role in culture beyond basic dietary needs. 4 crMET ML 621 Researching Food History
This research seminar in food history focuses on the markets and marketplaces over centuries and across a wide geographical area. The focus of this seminar is to hone students’ research and writing skills. The broad general topic will allow students to pursue their own special research interest within a larger context while working with others engaged in similar research and writing challenges. By the end of the semester, students will have made a start on conference papers in the field of food studies and indentified potential venues for presenting their work. 4 crMET ML 622 Survey of the History of Food
Gives an overview of the history and role of food since the Greco-Roman period to the present using primary and secondary sources. Will examine how political, economic, social, and cultural structures might influence and be reflected by food choices. Focuses largely on Western Europe, but will use comparative analysis with non-Western cultures at points of intersection. 4 crMET ML 631 Culture and Cuisine
Survey of the history, concepts, and principles of cultures and cuisines. An examination of the connections and interrelations among food, anthropology, economics, and the arts, with a focus on food as a key to understanding and interpreting a culture and age. Historical materials and research resources used to investigate specific cuisines. Geographic regions have included: Asia, France, Italy, Middle East, New England, North Africa, Spain, Russia, and United States. 4 crMET ML 632 History of Wine
This course provides a survey of significant developments in the production, distribution, and consumption of grape-based alcoholic beverages in the West. Topics include the natural history of Vitis vinifera, the emergence of a culture of wine in the ancient Near East, wine as sign and sacrament, wine in the Roman economy and in the monastic tradition, the emergence of modern wines, alcoholism, temperance, and reform movements. 4 crMET ML 633 Readings in Food History
A comparative perspective on issues of human subsistence through time. Changing patterns of nutrition and health, agricultural production, methods of coping with famine and organizing feasts, and origins and impact of culinary and dietary innovations. 4 crMET ML 641 Anthropology of Food
Introduction to study of food as a subsystem within a larger social order. Examines the tools, resources, and methods available to anthropologists, and the strengths and weaknesses of previous historic interpretations. Cross-cultural investigation of dietary preferences and taboos, food symbolism, food rituals, and the role of food in preserving ethnic identity. Also studies specific cultural phenomena. 4 crMET ML 651 Geography of Hunger and Poverty
Variations in diet, malnutrition diseases, food production, income, and other related characteristics among the world’s hungry and poor. Analysis of the causes and consequences of hunger and poverty in contrasting regions of the world. 4 crMET ML 652 A Comprehensive Survey of Wine, Spirits, and Beer
Students passing this course will attain proficiency in the field of wine and associated alcoholic beverages. This intensive survey covers each of the world’s most important geographical areas and includes comprehensive comparative tastings. The final examination includes a tasting as well as a written component. 4 crMET ML 653 Mastering Wine: Skill Development
Provides students with mastery of the field of alcoholic beverages. The curriculum is divided into the following sections: viticulture, vinification, distillation, and brewing; wine tasting, including blind tasting; the interaction of wine and food; and the business of wine. Examination covers tasting skills, factual information, and essay writing. 4 crMET ML 654 The Wine Trade—Global, National, and Local Perspectives
Gives students an in-depth understanding of issues confronting national wine industries and how these issues relate to the U.S. and local wine trade. Students develop understanding and professional skills by researching assigned topics, participating in teacher-led discussions, and tasting numerous wines under the guidance of instructors. Specialists in the wine trade visit to contribute their expertise and provide an interface to the trade. Students share independent research with classmates by giving presentations and researching relevant topics which highlight issues currently facing the wine industry. The format of this course requires students to do independent research, which may be presented in class and/or submitted in the form of an essay. 4 crMET ML 671 Food and the Visual Arts
An extensive historical exploration into prints, drawings, film, television, and photography relating to food in the United States and elsewhere. Examines how food images represent aesthetic concerns, social habits, demographics, domestic relations, and historical trends. 4 crMET ML 681 Food Writing for Print Media
Students will develop and improve food-writing skills through the study of journalistic ethics; advertising; scientific and technological matters; recipe writing; food criticism; anthropological and historical writing about food; food in fiction, magazines, and newspapers. 4 crMET ML 691 Nutrition and Diet
An introduction to nutrition with special emphasis on carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals; course discusses the relationship between these nutrients and health. Applied topics include menu design based on current dietary advice, nutrient content of unprocessed and processed foods, regulation of food intake, food safety, and nutrition legislation. 4 crMET ML 692 Evaluating and Developing Markets for Cultural Tourism
This course introduces themes of cultural tourism, including the relationship between the tourist industry and the cultural heritage manager; conservation and preservation vs utilization of a cultural asset; authenticity vs commoditization; stakeholders’ rights and obligations; tangible and intangible tourist assets; the role of government, private industry, and the non-profit sectors in tourism planning; and sustainable economic development. We will examine these themes in art industry, historical sites, cultural landmarks, special events and festivals, theme parks, and gastronomy. 4 crMET ML 700 Laboratory in the Culinary Arts
Trains students in the classic and modern techniques and theories of food production, and how to work efficiently, effectively, and safely. Introduces students to various cultures and cuisines from around the world. Provides a craft-based understanding of the culinary arts from which to better understand how food and cuisine fit into the liberal arts. Integrates personal experience and theory into the knowledge base of the discipline. Restricted to students in the MLA in Gastronomy Program. Advisor’s approval required. 8 crMET ML 701 Understanding Food: Theory, Methodology, and Readings
This is a core course for students entering the MLA in Gastronomy program, serving as an introduction to the humanities, and social and natural sciences. Students will learn how differing scholars approach their disciplines, analyze primary sources, critique secondary sources, and how to research and frame arguments. Through readings, assignments, discussions, and lectures, students will learn interdisciplinary research and writing. 4 crMET ML 702 Concepts in Economics and Political Dimensions of Food Production
Course covers basic concepts in economic and political dimensions of food production, consumption, and trade, with emphasis on the global food system. Topics include market and consumption analysis, types of food policy instruments and how these affect consumer food choices, environment, diet, nutrition, and health. 4 crMET ML 704 Cookbooks and History
Seminar on the use of cookbooks and recipes as historical documents unique to food history. Cookbooks and recipes will be examined from a variety of perspectives: cultural, culinary, social, economic, agricultural, geographical, and comparative. 2 crMET ML 705 Artisan Cheeses of the World
An in-depth exploration of the styles and production of cheeses from regions around the world, from their beginnings on the farm to the finished product at the table. 2 crMET ML 706 Special Topic: Representations of Food and Gender in the Media
This course examines the relationship between food and gender (and gender roles) through an interdisciplinary examination of representations of food in visual culture. It looks at films and TV programs as well as other forms of visual culture (i.e., magazines, cookbooks, advertisements, photography, web pages, etc.). The investigation of these materials is guided by two main objectives: 1) to examine how these visual texts depict the relationship between food and gender; and 2) to analyze how these meanings are produced. In class, we watch relevant films and TV programs as well as look at other forms of visual culture. Assigned readings are designed to illuminate both the topics discussed as well as the specific visual material examined. A good portion of class time is given to discussing the readings in combination with a hands-on, in-depth analysis of the visual material. 4 crMET ML 707, 708 Directed Study
Prereq: consent of advisor. Variable crMET ML 709 Sociology of Food
How we grow, prepare, serve, and share food is a profoundly social activity. This course provides an introduction to particularly sociological approaches to the study of food and eating. However, because of the ubiquitous and complex nature of production and consumption in contemporary society, we explore cross- and interdisciplinary approaches, moving from political economy to everyday life. The course focuses on how food preparation and consumption are often entwined with systems of inequality, constructing boundaries of intimacy and distance based on race, nationality, gender, and social class. By exploring qualitative studies, statistical analyses, fiction, and film, we also consider the best methods for approaching different topics. 4 crMET ML 711 Special Topic: The Many Meanings of Meat
There is perhaps no foodstuff more prized than meat, and there is none more problematic. Long associated with power, masculinity, vitality, and progress, meat is also linked to imperialism, sexism, speciesism, environmental collapse, foodborne disease, and chronic illness. In this comprehensive overview we will examine meat’s many historical, economic, ecological, ethical, and nutritional dimensions. Coursework will include a wide variety of readings, online discussions, written assignments, field trips, and other experiential opportunities. 4 crMET ML 712 The Sociology of Food and Labor
This course will examine the work of producing food, from agriculture to domestic consumption and everything in between. It will focus on sociological frameworks for thinking about the labor of growing food, transporting it, transforming it into comestibles, and finally serving and cleaning related to food consumption. With some emphasis on the Americas, the course will also consider the way global labor shapes the availability of food for different populations. It will also include a substantial analysis of gender, race, and social class as factors in the division of food labor. Readings and discussion will touch on migrant labor, domestic cooking, waiting and serving, growing and butchering, cooks and chefs, and more. Course is structured around three meetings and online instruction. 4 crMET ML 713 Agricultural History: A Survey of Agriculture from the Prehistoric Period to the Modern Period
This course examines the history of agriculture within a broad interdisciplinary context, with discussion of the relationships between the environment, populations, cultures, technologies, economics, and politics as they shape agricultural history. Emphasis on food production within different civilizations and continents from the prehistoric period to the modern era. 4 crMET ML 720 Food Policy and Food Systems
This core course in the MLA in Gastronomy Food Policy Concentration will cover political, economic, and ecological concepts and approaches to food policies. 4 crMET ML 800 Final Project
Upon completion of courses and all requirements for the degree, the final project or thesis is required under the direction of a Gastronomy faculty member. A topic, outline, and completed schedule must be approved by the academic advisor to the Gastronomy Program. 2 crMET ML 801 Final Thesis
Upon completion of courses and all requirements for the degree, the final thesis or project is required under the direction of a Gastronomy faculty member. A topic, thesis outline, and a completion schedule must be approved by the academic advisor to the Gastronomy Program. 2 crHealth Communication
MET CM 701 Contemporary Public Relations
Provides an overview of the professional principles and practices in public relations for corporate, governmental, agency, and nonprofit organizations. Includes history, organization, and scope of the field; its roots in social science; types of campaigns and programs; and professional ethics. Theories, strategies, and tactics in current practice emphasized and applied to health communication. Explores opportunities and requirements for work in the field. Students will learn to apply the basic public relations campaign planning model and examine public relations specialty practice areas including media relations, community relations, government relations, crisis communication, investor relations, and employee communication. 4 crMET CM 719 Interactive Marketing Communications
An overview of the theories, practices, and techniques in the emerging field of interactive marketing communications (IAMC). Students gain an understanding of the strategy and tactics of IAMC and its place in the more comprehensive field of marketing communications. In addition, students review IAMC’s relationship to and its effects on society, culture, and the economic system. The course will explore almost all the ways interactive marketing can be practiced via the Internet: historical introduction, dot-com era, basic principles, database marketing, e-tail, e-mail, search (SEO and SEM/PPC), display advertising, social networking, gaming, mobile, et al. 4 crMET CM 734 Contemporary Health Care Marketing
This course provides an in-depth understanding of the essential concepts of marketing and their application to health care. Students gain a working knowledge of marketing tools (such as pricing, promotion, channels, consumer behavior, brand equity, and segmentation) and how to use them. Students build practical applied skills in analyzing marketing problems and developing marketing programs and strategies, with particular attention to health care and its organizational structures, financing, technologies, market demands, laws, and regulations. Students also expand their understanding of the differences and similarities between marketing in for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations, and they increase their appreciation of the role of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and management in marketing decisions. 4 crMET CM 743 Media Relations
Students learn publicity techniques used in mass media communication, including working with daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, and online media. The course will examine the principles and practices of working with mass media “gatekeepers” to accomplish campaign objectives as well as strategies and tactics for communicating directly with audiences through new media. Students will develop knowledge and skills related to the production and use of media relations tools with a focus on health communication. Case studies will be employed to understand the challenges and opportunities inherent in working with mass media as well as the special demands and practices associated with crisis communication. The course will also explore the emerging role of interactive and social media. 4 crMET CM 750 The American Health Care System for Health Communicators
A vital component of the Health Communication curriculum, this course explores the health care system in terms of 1) communication within organizations, resources, and processes that constitute structure and operations; 2) relationships among stakeholders that shape it; and 3) resulting policies that impact system performance and influence the future of health care. Given the complexity and dynamics of the health care environment, an understanding of related issues at all levels is essential for effective communication and prevention of error within health care organizations. Without such an understanding, organizations must react defensively to environmental and political threats, often at the expense of patient safety and well-being; with it, organizations can act strategically to maximize growth opportunities and anticipate those forces that influence policy. The course draws upon multiple perspectives, including health communication in medicine and public health, health management (access, quality, and cost), politics, health care ethics, law, and the complexities of cross-cultural and psychosocial considerations within today’s health care system. 4 crMET CM 751 Introduction to Epidemiology for the Health Communicator
This course is recommended for students who are not epidemiology concentrators. The purpose of this course is to introduce the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and demonstrate their applicability in the field of public health. A further objective is to provide an introduction to the basic skills needed to critically interpret the epidemiologic literature relevant to public health professionals. 4 crMET CM 752 The Biology of Disease
This course, designed for students who have little or no background in the biological sciences, provides a foundation in the biological mechanisms and principles underlying major health problems. Selected health problems are explored from a biological perspective in order to provide fundamental information about infectious and non-infectious agents of disease, disease transmission, biological defense mechanisms, co-evolution of man and microbes, the effects of nutritional deficiency and excess, effects of respiratory exposures, the biology of cancer, aging, and other topics. Each student completing this course should be able to knowledgeably participate in a discussion of related health problems with a basic understanding of the terminology and underlying biological mechanisms. 4 crMET CM 753 Nutrition and Health for Communicators
The course provides an introduction to concepts in human nutrition and their application in the area of public health. In addition to providing basic information regarding nutrients, the design of practical diets that promote health throughout the life cycle will be discussed. Issues such as development of public health nutrition policy, program planning and administration, and nutrition surveillance will also be reviewed. 4 crMET CM 754 Ethical Issues in Medicine and Public Health Communication
This course reviews the nature and scope of moral dilemmas and problematic decision-making in public health, medicine, and health care. After a survey of ethical theory, the course focuses on a broad range of ethical concerns raised by the theory and practice of public health and medicine, including the nature of health, disease and illness, health promotion, and disease prevention; rights, access, and the limits of health care; the physician-patient relationship; and truth telling and confidentiality. Through a series of case studies, the course examines specific topics, including the bioethics movement and its critiques; human experimentation; the role of institutional review boards; the concept and exercise of informed, voluntary consent; abortion, reproduction, genetic counseling, and screening; euthanasia, death, and dying; ethics committees; and international and cross-cultural perspectives. 4 crMET CM 781 Introduction to Health Communication
Health communication is an emerging field in which professional communicators inform, influence, and motivate individual, institutional, and public audiences about important health issues. This course examines theories of interpersonal, organizational, and mass communication relevant to the professional communicator in the health field; reviews strategies of persuasion, the relationship between attitudes and behavior, and the changing nature of health and health delivery in the United States; and evaluates successful and unsuccessful health information campaigns. 4 crInterdisciplinary Studies
MET ML 801 Final Thesis or Project
Upon completion of courses and all requirements for the degree, the final thesis or project is required under the direction of an Interdisciplinary Studies faculty member. A topic, thesis outline, and a completion schedule must be approved by the academic advisor to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. 4 cr
Note: Working with a faculty advisor, students in the Master of Liberal Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies choose appropriate coursework from offerings at Metropolitan College and other Boston University schools and colleges.
Preservation Studies
Note: Metropolitan College does not offer a graduate degree in preservation studies. Students interested in historic preservation should contact the Preservation Studies Program at amnesp@bu.edu or 617-353-2948 before enrolling in these courses. To learn more about the MA program offered through the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, please visit the website at www.bu.edu/amnesp.
MET AM 546 Historic Preservation
Prereq: consent of instructor. An introduction to the American preservation movement, including current issues and modern practice. Considers the history, theory, and philosophy of historic preservation, and introduces students to key figures in preservation agencies and organizations in this region. 4 crMET AM 553 Documenting Historic Buildings and Landscapes
Prereq: MET AM 546 and consent of instructor. Designed to train students in architectural research techniques through supervised reading, fieldwork, and writing. 4 crMET AM 747 Building Conservation
Prereq: MET AM 546 and consent of instructor. Theory and practicalities involved in conservation of historic buildings. The history and theory of building conservation, architectural investigations of buildings, and materials for conservation. 4 crMET AM 751 Financing for Historic Preservation
Prereq: MET AM 546 and consent of instructor. This course will focus on how to determine the value and potential income of a property, produce a feasibility analysis, and secure financing for preservation projects. 4 cr
MET AM 754 Planning and Preservation
Prereq: MET AM 546 and consent of instructor. This class covers the role of historic preservation planning at the national, state, regional, and local level, putting preservation planning in both an historical context and in the context of the larger field of planning. 4 cr
MET AM 755 Colloquium in Preservation Planning
Prereq: MET AM 546 and consent of instructor. This course provides an opportunity to pull together the various planning tools available to identify, evaluate, and protect cultural resources in a group project aimed at a particular community. Readings and class discussion reach beyond the specific project to include the tools, the philosophy, and the purpose of preservation planning, how preservation becomes part of the overall planning process, and the role of preservation planning in growth management. 4 crUrban Affairs and City Planning
MET UA 501, 502 Undergraduate Directed Study
Limited to a maximum of 8 credits toward degree requirements. Approval by program director required prior to registration. Study of urban and public affairs individually arranged between the student and an appropriate instructor to provide training opportunities not available elsewhere. Variable cr
MET UA 505 Urban Management
Examination of selected cases in municipal and public management. Organization, financial management, personnel relations, program planning and budgeting, and issues of public and private sector relations. The administration of municipal functions, including health, police, schools, and housing. 4 crMET UA 508 Real Estate Development
Various factors affecting location, construction, financing, and marketing of real estate in metropolitan areas. Studies the relationship of public policy to the activities of the private sector, market analysis techniques, evaluation of development projects, and problems of real estate investment. 4 crMET UA 509 Urban and Public Finance and Budgeting
Economic, social, and political aspects of state and local government finances. Theory of public finance; revenues, expenditures, and survey of budgetary processes. Planning techniques in capital budgeting and other finance activities. Selected issues: debt, user fees, property taxes, and incentives. 4 crMET UA 510 Selected Topics in Urban Affairs
Prereq: MET UA 301, UA 701, or consent of instructor. Program faculty selects seminar topics of current interest in the fields of urban affairs and city planning. Consult department for topics. Recent special topics have included: Planning Law, Conflict Mediation, Urban Design Studio, Urban Disasters-Resilient Cities, Climate Change, and Transportation Planning. 4 crMET UA 515 History and Theory of Urban Planning
History, concepts, and methods of contemporary urban and regional planning practice. Governmental, nonprofit, and private settings of professional planning; plans, research, and policy development; uses and implementation of planning. Political analysis of planning issues, such as comprehensiveness, public interest, advocacy, negotiation, and future orientation. Case materials drawn from redevelopment, growth management, land use conflicts, and service delivery. 4 crMET UA 521 Environmental Law
Principles and status of environmental law for pollution control and environmental improvement. Impact statements, resource conservation and protection, growth management. Emphasis on air, water, land, and hazardous waste issues. Environmental, economic, and other policy relationships. Case materials and court decisions. 4 cr
MET UA 533 Environmental Management and Sustainability
The management of environmental programs is rapidly moving toward a systematic approach that focuses on pollution prevention and promotes sustainability. This approach can better protect the environment and provide a long-term competitive advantage to an organization. The course examines current national environmental problems facing both private and nonprofit organizations from a management perspective. Interactive exercises and class discussion focus on practical management techniques. Guest speakers from different perspectives will join us and there will be a field trip to tour an innovative green building. 4 crMET UA 590 International Comparative Urbanization and Planning
Examination of a selected country, region, or city in relation to issues of urbanization and development planning. Emphasis on comparative analysis of policy, techniques, conditions, issues, and effectiveness. Topics and international subjects vary. Consult the department for details. 4 crMET UA 604 Urban Political Decision-Making: Citizen Participation in the Planning Process
This seminar/workshop is focused on the role of citizens in public sector decision-making processes. The first half of the course will be organized as a seminar that focuses on the history and theory of citizen participation in planning. The second half of the course is designed as a workshop that will require students to conduct research and observations of different manifestations of citizen participation in the greater Boston area. The course will expose students to theories and debates on democracy, power, deliberation, and collaboration, and how these concepts actually translate into political institutions as well as governmental and nonprofit practices. 4 crMET UA 611 Community Development
Examination of community development challenges in several areas, including housing, economic development, community policing, and resident activism. Analysis of past and present strategies for strengthening communities through case studies, actual government and community programs, guest lectures, and related readings. 4 crMET UA 613 Designing Urban Space
The role of urban design in the community development process. Examines human behavior, aesthetic foundations of design methods, citizen/ client participation, and public policy issues. Analysis of actual community spaces. Student design exercises. 4 crMET UA 619 Urban Transportation Policy and Planning
Basic theory for understanding and resolving transportation issues. Application of microeconomic techniques of analysis. Topics include routing, pricing of congestion, improving utilization, project impact evaluation, and investment analysis. Development of transportation planning and policy analysis skills. 4 crMET UA 620 Urban and Regional Land Use Policy and Planning
Techniques of land use planning, including socioeconomic studies, market analysis and needs forecasting, mapping, environment and service impacts, and transportation/land use coordination. Policies for achieving land use objectives: planned unit development, zoning, development corporations, new towns, and land preservation. 4 crMET UA 623 Regional and Metropolitan Development Planning
Analysis of regional planning as applied to land use, economic development, infrastructure systems, and other topics. Cases and class projects selected from metropolitan and substate regions, including regional approaches and organizations, economic base, comparative advantage, and growth centers. 4 cr
MET UA 629 Urbanization and the Environment
Interrelationships between physical environment and processes of urbanization. Case studies develop historical perspective on social, economic, and physical aspects of the quality of urban life. Special attention to the preparation of environmental impact statements and assessment of urban environmental quality. 4 crMET UA 701 Urban Problems and Policy Process
Major problems confronting urban areas and the process of policy formulation and implementation. Emphasis on problem interdependence and systems characteristics. Analysis of problem definitions (housing, crime, poverty, etc.), goals, public/private responsibilities, existing programs, and policy options. Analysis of selected comparative international experience. 4 crMET UA/CJ 702 Urban Analytical Methods
Use and analysis of quantitative data in public policy development and planning. Basic skills of organization and presentation of numerical information. Introduction to descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression; computer use. Math review. 4 crMET UA/CJ 703 Urban Research Methods
Examines research techniques useful for urban policy research. Emphasis on survey research techniques, including sampling, survey organization, questionnaire development, and interviewing. Participant observation techniques. Field data collection and analysis. 4 crMET UA 704 Urban Economic Issues and Analysis
Basic economic concepts and techniques of analysis necessary for urban public policy development. Analysis of the economic bases of selected current urban problems and evaluation of several policy solutions to common urban problems. 4 crMET UA 751 Urban Planning and Decision Theory
The role and process of planning in terms of theory and historical development. Tradition of rational/comprehensive and incremental decision theory: roles and functions, organization, participation, political relationships, and time and information use. Relationships between planning, ideology, ethics, social change, and implementation. 4 crMET UA 761 Planning Thesis
Prereq: approval of program director. Topic must be approved by designated instructor or advisor. For MCP students only. Application of program coursework and independent research to a selected topic individually arranged. 4 crMET UA 801, 802 Graduate Directed Study in Urban Affairs/City Planning: Internship for Credit
Limited to a maximum of 8 credits toward the degree requirements. Approval by program director required prior to registration. Study of urban and public affairs and planning individually arranged between student and instructor to provide training opportunities not available elsewhere. Variable crMET UA 803 Special Project
For M.U.A. students only. Approval by program director and project advisor required prior to registration. Students prepare an independent project demonstrating application of previous program coursework to a problem situation or policy issue within their area of specialization. 4 crMET UA 804 Supervised Fieldwork
Limited to a maximum of four credits toward the degree requirements. Approval by program director required prior to registration. Students spend a minimum of 12 hours working with public agencies, community groups, or private organizations. Seminar participation. 4 crMET UA 805 The Boston Urban Symposium
The Boston-based Urban Symposium will be a thematic spring symposium required for students in the Urban Affairs and City Planning programs. The class meetings will weave together the interdisciplinary nature of the urban planning and city planning professions. While the symposium topics will change each spring, professionals and industry leaders will be invited to lecture on their experiences, contemporary challenges to the professions, and major problems confronting the public and private sectors. Recognizing the unique and diverse characteristics of the Boston urban environment, the symposium themes will be drawn from topical issues that involve the greater Boston metropolitan area. The course features a combination of guest speakers and academic case studies that emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of urban planning. 4 cr
Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 02215
6 October 2009
Boston University
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