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Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

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  • CAS PO 583: Gender and War
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines gender constructions in world politics. Topics include gender biases in international relations theories, female and male roles in war, and rape as an instrument of warfare. Also assesses roles of women as leaders, actors, and objects of foreign policy.
  • CAS PO 587: Ethics and International Relations
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines important ethical approaches to normative controversies of contemporary world politics. Such questions as: Is my nation always right' Can war be justified' Is terrorism always wrong' What is the place of human rights in foreign policy'
  • CAS PO 589: Religion and International Relations
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Explores the role of religion in contemporary international relations in the context of questions about the common core of modernity. Reviews scholarly and policy literature, and case studies, in order to elucidate religion's intellectual and operational diversity in international relations. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing- Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS PO 590: Readings in Political Theory
    Topics vary. May be repeated for credit as topics change.
  • CAS PO 591: Seminar in Political Philosophy
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior, senior, or graduate standing. - An in-depth study of a major political philosopher, historical period, or topic in political philosophy.
  • CAS PO 594: Advanced Feminist Theory
    This course explores themes in advanced feminist theory. Specific themes vary by semester. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings.
    • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • CAS PO 595: Race and Capitalism
    Students engage with the political thought of philosophers, legal scholars, writers, and historians who have explored the global history of capitalism and race, covering topics such as labor, climate change, colonialism, slavery, and mass incarceration. In this course, students learn to compare different authors, place thinkers within their historical context, understand the roots of contrasting arguments, as well as develop their own questions, analysis, and arguments. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Historical Consciousness, Oral and Signed Communication.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • CAS PO 596: Colonization/Decolonization
    Prerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - This seminar introduces you to the political, theoretical, and historical study of colonization and decolonization. Topics include various kinds of colonialism, such as settler colonialism, internal colonialism, and domestic colonialism, as well as debates over the contemporary call to decolonize. Effective Spring 2024: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings.
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • CAS PO 598: Power, Identity, Equality
    Examines classic and contemporary theories of identity as well as their manifestation in political practice. We critically examine specific manifestations of identity including the role of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, ability, and foreignness in democratic politics. Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Ethical Reasoning.
    • Ethical Reasoning
  • CAS PO 599: Data Science for Politics
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: any 100-level course in political science and either enrollment in the PO Honors or BA/MA program, or consent of instructor. - Data science is changing how we understand and study politics, policy, and decision-making. This course introduces students to the fundamental tools of data science, including collecting, modeling, and visualizing data, and how to apply these tools to study political and policy questions. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
    • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • CAS PS 101: General Psychology
    Basic introduction to field of psychology; topics include theories and findings governing learning, memory, perception, development, personality, social and abnormal psychology. Three hours large lecture and one hour discussion section or three hours of small lecture class with no discussion sections. Students are required to participate as subjects in psychology studies. 4 cr. either sem. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2019, this course will fulfill a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Ethical Reasoning
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 211: Introduction to Experimental Design
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Introduction to the logic and processes involved in descriptive and inferential statistics for psychology. Topics include statistical inference, significance, t-tests, ANOVAs, correlation, regression, and statistical software analysis. This is a hybrid class - class time is reserved for hands on activities. Does not count toward the principal courses required for the major or minor. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
    • Quantitative Reasoning I
    • Scientific Inquiry II
  • CAS PS 212: Introduction to MATLAB Programming for Research in Psychological & Brain Sciences
    Teaches computer programming concepts, core statistical concepts, and related skills via MATLAB. Programming examples that cover four steps of neuroscience research (experiment control; random samples; data analysis; brain process simulation) promote "constructive" understanding of the quantitative reasoning behind decisions based on descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g., confidence intervals, linear regression models, model-specific anovas). Explains numerical integration programs in two settings: probability distributions, and simulations of neural dynamics. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • CAS PS 222: Perception
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - How do we perceive the world around us' In this course, we'll explore vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste and find out how the brain constructs our perceptual experience from light, sound, pressure, and chemicals in the world. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Scientific Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 231: Physiological Psychology
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Students will receive credit for CAS PS 231 or CAS NE 101, but not for both. Structure and function of the nervous system and how it controls behavior. Basic neuroanatomy, cellular basis of neurotransmission and physiological aspects of sensation. Mechanisms of simple and complex cognitive neural function and the biological underpinnings of major psychiatric disorders. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 234: Psychology of Learning
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - How do we learn to associate stimuli together' How do we learn to associate behaviors with their consequences' How is memory applicable to learning' What are the different memory processes and systems responsible for learning' The aim of this course is to review the major traditional and current theories of learning and memory. Students will begin with an understanding of simple learning, including theories and basic principles of classical and operant conditioning. Students will then be introduced to the memory system, the three stages of memory, implicit and explicit memory processes. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 241: Developmental Psychology
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Critical review of research and theories pertaining to intellectual and social development of infants and children. Role of early experiences and biological factors in later formation of personality, intellectual and motivational behaviors; theories include Erikson, Piaget, and Freud. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 251: Psychology of Personality: Theories and Application
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - The historical development of personality theories and their application to social, research, and clinical concerns are emphasized. Classic theories of personality (e.g., psychoanalytic, behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, and social roles) are explored and evaluated through lectures, readings, and case materials. A consideration of trait-based approaches and personality disorder with regards to DSM 5 criteria is also included. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 261: Social Psychology
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Provides an understanding of how behavior, feelings, and thoughts of individuals are influenced and determined by characteristics of the situation. Topics: attraction, attitudes, prejudice, social roles, aggression, person perception, and groups. Readings cover theories, experimental research, and application. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills units in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry 1, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Critical Thinking
    • The Individual in Community
    • Social Inquiry I
  • CAS PS 323: Experimental Psychology: Learning
    Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120, and CAS PS101 or CASNE 101, and CASPS 211 or CASMA 115 & MA 116 or CASPS/NE 212, and CASPS/NE 234. - Instruction in methodology, results, and interpretation of selected topics in classical and operant conditioning within the context of learning theory. Required written reports and poster presentation of instructor-planned and student-planned experiments using a virtual rat and laboratory mouse video recordings. Effective Spring 206, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU HUB areas: Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration, Writing Intensive.
    • Research and Information Literacy
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
    • Writing-Intensive Course

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