Scientific and Social Inquiry
Hub requirements will continue to be added to some courses throughout the academic year, so be sure to confirm the Hub requirements for your courses prior to registration. To explore courses further, please see the Class Search in MyBU Student or the Bulletin . In addition, you can find information about Hub courses offered during the summer on the Summer Term website .
Scientific Inquiry I
CAS AN 102 Human Biology, Behavior, and Evolution
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces basic principles of evolutionary biology, human origins, genetics, reproduction, socio-ecology, and the evolution of primate and human behavior and adaptions. Section activities include examination of fossil and skeletal material, and hands-on projects involving human and primate behavior and biology. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) 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. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 102S Human Biology, Behavior, and Evolution
4 credits.
Introduces basic principles of evolutionary biology, human origins, genetics, reproduction, socio-ecology, and the evolution of primate and human behavior and adaptions. Laboratory sections include examination of fossil and skeletal material, as well as hands-on projects involving human and primate behavior and biology. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Students must register for lecture and lab. 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.
CAS AN 233 The Evolutionary Biology of Human Variation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Addresses human biological variation. An introduction to the fundamentals of comparative biology, evolutionary theory, and genetics and considers how research in these fields informs some of our most culturally-engaged identities: race, sex, gender, sexuality, and body type. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 234 Evolutionary Psychology
4 credits.
Can evolutionary theory shed light on human psychology and behavior' This introductory course explores the evolution of mind: emotion and expression, learning and cognition, sex and reproduction, parenthood and family, cooperation and coalitions, aggression and warfare, mental health, and more. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 234S Evolutionary Psychology
4 credits.
Online offering. Can evolutionary theory shed light on human psychology and behavior' This introductory course explores the evolution of mind: emotion and expression, learning and cognition, sex and reproduction, parenthood and family, cooperation and coalitions,aggression and warfare, mental health, and more. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 235 Introduction to the Primate Senses
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry I
This course focuses on the major special senses of primates, and how they have evolved in an ecological context. Students study the major sensory systems including vision, hearing, smell, and taste from a morphological, neurological, behavioral, and evolutionary perspective. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS AN 263 The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An exploration of female behavioral biology focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. (Counts as an elective in Biology with a Specialization in Behavioral Biology. Counts towards the minor in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies.) (Counts for Natural Science credit; as a Biology - Specialization in Behavioral Biology - elective; and towards the Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies minor.) Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 263S The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits. Summer
Explores female behavioral biology, focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. (Counts for Natural Science credit; as an elective in Biology with a Specialization in Behavioral Biology; and towards the Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies minor.) Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 272 Introduction to Evolutionary Medicine
4 credits.
Why did natural selection leave us so vulnerable to illness' In this course, we explore how human evolution illuminates our susceptibility to illness and disease. Students apply principles of evolutionary biology to understanding physical and mental health. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS AN 305 Paleolithic Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduction to emergence of culture and reconstruction of early human lifeways from archaeological evidence. Topics include early humans in Africa, Asia, and Europe; Neanderthals; the first Americans; and the prelude to agriculture. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 331 Human Origins
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASAR101 OR CASBI107) or equivalent. - Introduction to human paleontology and methods for reconstructing the ancestry, structure, diet, and behavior of fossil primates and humans. Survey of primate and hominid fossils, primate comparative anatomy, radioactive dating, molecular and structural phylogenies, climactic analyses, and comparative behavioral ecology. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 337 Creation and Evolution
4 credits.
A critical survey of the creation/evolution dispute in historical and intellectual context. By discussing key texts and issues, participants will gain understanding of the history of science, its relationship to ethical and religious ideas, and the polarization of American society. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 550 Human Osteology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAN 102 or CASAN 331 or consent of instructor. - Development and structure of the human skeleton in anthropological and archaeological contexts. Basic processes of bone biology and how they are affected by lived experience. Meetings are lab-oriented and develop skill in whole and fragmentary skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS AN 552 Primate Evolution and Anatomy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN331 OR CASAN332 OR CASBI302) or consent of instructor. - The evolutionary history of the primate radiation- particularly that of non-human primates -is examined through investigation of the musculoskeletal anatomy of living primates and their fossil relatives. Comparative and biomechanical approaches are used to reconstruct the behavior of extinct species. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 553 Human Uniqueness
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102) or consent of instructor. - Language, labor, culture, self-awareness, symbolizing, and other traits have been called uniquely human. But if these things have no animal antecedents, how could they have evolved' Course participants examine this "continuity paradox" and its proposed solutions from Darwin onward. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AR 305 Paleolithic Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR101) - Introduction to emergence of culture and reconstruction of early human lifeways from archaeological evidence. Topics include early humans in Africa, Asia, and Europe; Neanderthals; the first Americans; and the prelude to agriculture. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AR 507 Low Impact Field Methods in Archaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR 100 OR CASAR 190) and CASAR 307; or consent of instructor. - Hands-on introduction to "low-impact" analytical methodologies employed in archaeology. Integrates field learning with conceptual and case-study readings, classroom instruction, and computer-based data manipulation and analyses. Introductions to GIS, field survey, UAV-based aerial photogrammetry, aerial imagery, subsurface prospection methods, dendroarchaeological sampling. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 550 Human Osteology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAN 102 or CASAN 331 or consent of instructor. - Development and structure of the human skeleton in anthropological and archaeological contexts . Basic processes of bone biology and how they are affected by lived experience. Meetings are lab oriented and develop skill in whole and fragmentary skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS AS 100 Cosmic Controversies
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
The goal of this course is to understand our place in the physical universe by examining three recent concepts that have revolutionized cosmic awareness. The observations that led to the proposals of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, the reclassification of Pluto to non-planet status, and the discovery of many planets orbiting other stars within life-sustaining regions called Habitable Zones radically change the human perspectives on origins and life. In each case, the roles of evidence, validation and conclusions are used to enhance students' capabilities and skills needed for our modern age. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AS 101 The Solar System
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The historical development of astronomy and the motion of the planets. The formation of the solar system. The sun and its effects on the earth. Description of the planets and the moons of our solar system including recent results from the space program. Use of the observatory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 101S The Solar System
4 credits. Summer
The historical development of astronomy and the motion of the planets. The formation of the solar system. The sun and its effects on the earth. Description of the planets and the moons of our solar system, including recent results from the space program. Use of the observatory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 102 The Astronomical Universe
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The birth and death of stars. Red giants, white dwarfs, black holes. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, and other galaxies. The Big Bang and other cosmological theories of our expanding universe. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 102S The Astronomical Universe
4 credits. Summer
The birth and death of stars. Red giants, white dwarfs, black holes. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, and other galaxies. The Big Bang and other cosmological theories of our expanding universe. Use of the observatory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 105 Alien Worlds
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examination of planets in other star systems and comparison with planets in our solar system. Study the historical context of planetary astrophysics and changes in our understanding of planetary formation and evolution. Explore the possibility of life on other worlds. Carries natural science divisional credit (without lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 107 Life Beyond Earth: A Consideration of Extraterrestrial Civilizations
4 credits. Fall and Spring
About 10 of the planets in our Milky Way galaxy are like Earth in size and material composition. The same physical laws operate everywhere so extraterrestrial life may be both common and technologically advanced. Where is Everybody' Carries natural 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, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS AS 109 Cosmology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The evolution of cosmological thought from prehistory to the present: Greek astronomy, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. Motion, gravity, and the nature of space-time. The expanding universe. The early universe and Big Bang. Carries natural 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, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 202 Principles of Astronomy 1
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA123) - Astronomical observing and the night sky; optics and telescopes; birth of modern astronomy; atoms, spectra and spectroscopy; planetary motion and orbits; overview of solar system; uses observatory. Intended primarily for astronomy or physics majors. Lectures and laboratories. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 105 Introductory Biology for Health Sciences
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Principles of biology; emphasis on cellular structure, genetics, microbiology, development, biochemistry, metabolism, and immunology. This course is appropriate for non-majors and students in the health and paramedical sciences (Sargent College). Students may not receive credit for CAS BI 105 if CAS BI 108 has already been passed. Three hours lecture, two hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 107 Biology 1
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
For students who plan to major in the natural sciences or environmental science, and for premedical students. Required for biology majors. No prerequisite. The evolution and diversity of life; principles of ecology; behavioral biology. Three hours lecture, three hours lab including several field studies. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 107S Biology 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
For students who plan to major in the natural sciences or environmental science, and for premedical students. Required for Biology majors. No prerequisite. High school biology is assumed. The evolution and diversity of life; principles of ecology; behavioral biology. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 114 Human Infectious Diseases
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry I
Not for Biology major or minor credit. A study of the world's major human diseases, their causes, effects on history, pathology, and cures. Principles of immunology. Emphasis on present maladies such as AIDS, herpes, cancer, mononucleosis, tuberculosis, influenza, and hepatitis. This course is appropriate for non- majors and students in the health and paramedical sciences (Sargent College). Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 114S Human Infectious Diseases
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry I
A study of the world's major human diseases: their causes, effects on history, pathology, and cures. Principles of immunology. Emphasis on present maladies such as AIDS, herpes, cancer, mononucleosis, tuberculosis, influenza, and hepatitis. This course is appropriate for non-majors and students in the health and paramedical sciences (Sargent College). Not for Biology or BMB major or minor credit. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 119 Sociobiology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
Designed for non-science majors to fulfill natural science divisional requirements. The evolution of animal and human societies; the adaptive significance of social organization; altruism; cooperation; courtship and reproductive behavior; the genetics, development, and epigenetics of social behavior; human social evolution; evolutionary psychology; religion; impact of evolutionary theory on social thought. Three hours lecture plus discussion. Carries natural science divisional credit (without lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 126 Human Genetics
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Classical and molecular genetics, advances in genetic technologies, and social/ethical issues related to genetic testing. Designed for science and non- science majors but cannot fulfill Biology/BMB major/minor or pre-medical requirements. Students cannot receive credit for both CAS BI 126 and BI 206/216. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 203 Cell Biology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR CASNE102) and CAS CH 102 or equivalent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH203)or equivalent. - Principles of cellular organization and function: biological molecules, flow of genetic information, membranes and subcellular organelles, and cell regulation. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Students may receive credit for CAS BI 203 or 213, but not both courses. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 203E Cell Biology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI 108 or CASNE 102) and CASCH 102, or equivalent; Undergraduate Corequisites: CASCH 203 or equivalent. - Cell Biology
CAS BI 203S Cell Biology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CAS BI 108 or CAS NE 102) and ((CAS CH 102) or equivalent). Corequisites : (CAS CH 203) or equivalent. Principles of cellular organization and function: biological molecules, flow of genetic information, membranes and subcellular organelles, and cell regulation. Students may receive credit for CAS BI 203 or CAS BI 213, but not both courses. Students must register for two sections: lecture and discussion. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 210 Human Anatomy
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI105) or equivalent. - Intensive preprofessional course for students whose programs require anatomy. Not for biology major or minor credit. Gross structure of the human body; skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Three hours lecture, two hours lab (lab requires dissection). Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title formerly numbered CAS BI 106. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 210S Human Anatomy
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI105) or equivalent. - Intensive preprofessional course for students whose programs require anatomy. Not for Biology or BMB major or minor credit. Gross structure of the human body; skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title formerly numbered CAS BI 106. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 213 Intensive Cell Biology
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 & CASCH102) or equivalents. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH203)or equivalent. - Recommended for students in BMB and the Specialization in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics. Alternative to CAS BI 203 emphasizing experimental approaches and in-depth discussion. Molecular basis of cell biology, including genomics, subcellular organelles, cell signaling, stem cells, and cancer. Students may receive credit for CAS BI 213 or 203, but not both courses. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 230 Behavioral Endocrinology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR CASNE102) and sophomore standing. - Hormonal control of reproductive behaviors and social affiliation, aggression, fluid homeostasis and feeding, biological rhythms including seasonal reproduction, stress, learning and memory, psychiatric illness, and steroid abuse. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS NE 230. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 260 Marine Biology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or consent of instructor. - Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 260S Marine Biology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequistes: (CAS BI 107) or consent of instructor. Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Students must register for two sections: lecture and discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 310 Human Structure & Function: Anatomy, Histology and Pathology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 108 and 203, or equivalent. - Examines the cells and tissues that make up our organs (histology), the structure and interactions of the organ systems (anatomy), and how disease reshapes our bodies (pathology). As a secondary focus, this course also studies and critiques educational media related to human anatomy, and builds introductory competency in health communication. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS CC 111 Core Natural Sciences I: Origins - The Cosmos, Earth, Life, and Human Beginnings
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
The origins of the physical world, and a scientific parallel to CC 101. Explores how the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, and anthropology help us to understand our place in the cosmos from a scientific perspective. Topics include the Big Bang, evolution of the stars and earth, evolution of life, and the origins of human life and society. Assignments include computer-based and experimental laboratory work as well as team-based investigation and original research. This course meets the CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory Requirement. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 1
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two years of high school algebra. - For science majors and minors who require a two-semester general chemistry course, but have little prior experience with chemistry. Topics include: atoms and molecules; quantum theory and atomic structure, chemical periodicity; bonding in diatomic and polyatomic molecules; stoichiometry and introduction to reactions in aqueous solutions; properties of gases; and thermochemistry and the first law of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises include basic training in lab safety and handling of chemical and experiments complementing the lectures, such as investigations of the size of an atom, gas laws, thermochemistry, and quantum aspects. Students must register for the following three (3) course components: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 101S General Chemistry 1
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two years of high school algebra. - For science majors and minors who require a two-semester general chemistry course, but have little prior experience with chemistry. Topics include: atoms and molecules; quantum theory and atomic structure, chemical periodicity; bonding in diatomic and polyatomic molecules; stoichiometry and introduction to reactions in aqueous solutions; properties of gases; and thermochemistry and the first law of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises include basic training in lab safety and handling of chemical and experiments complementing the lectures, such as investigations of the size of an atom, gas laws, thermochemistry, and quantum aspects. Students must register for the following three (3) course components: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 102 General Chemistry 2
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101. - Second semester general chemistry for students who have completed CAS CH101. Topics include: properties of solids and liquids; colligative properties; chemical kinetics; equilibrium; acids, bases, and buffers; solubility and precipitation; electrochemistry; and spontaneity, free energy, and the second law of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises include experiments complementing the lectures, such as investigations of the freezing point of solutions, kinetics, acid-base titrations, and electrochemistry. Students must have completed CASCH 101 prior to enrolling in CAS CH 102. Students must register for the following three (3) course components: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science laboratory credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 102S General Chemistry 2
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101. - Second semester general chemistry for students who have completed CAS CH101. Topics include: properties of solids and liquids; colligative properties; chemical kinetics; equilibrium; acids, bases, and buffers; solubility and precipitation; electrochemistry; and spontaneity, free energy, and the second law of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises include experiments complementing the lectures, such as investigations of the freezing point of solutions, kinetics, acid-base titrations, and electrochemistry. Students must have completed CASCH 101 prior to enrolling in CAS CH 102. Students must register for the following three (3) course components: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science laboratory credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 109 Advanced General Chemistry with Quantitative Analysis Lab 1
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one year of high school chemistry and two years of high school algebra , and online department placement exam. - First of an advanced two-semester general chemistry sequence for students in the sciences with a strong interest and prior preparation in chemistry. Students in CH109 must possess a good working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry as well as high school chemistry. Topics include: atomic structure and quantum theory; molecular connectivity; properties of gases and kinetic theory; and thermodynamics. The complementary laboratory emphasizes quantitative analysis. Three hours lecture, discussion, lab lecture, and four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 111 Intensive General Chemistry with Quantitative Analysis Lab 1
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least one year of high school chemistry, two years of high school a lgebra, and departmental chemistry placement exam. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA123)or credit for calculus 1. - First semester of an intensive sequence for well-prepared students concentrating in chemistry or other sciences. Students in CH111 have typically completed more than one year of high school chemistry and are expected to apply their high school chemistry knowledge. Additionally, they need a strong foundation in algebra and basic concepts from introductory calculus and physics. Topics include: quantum theory and atomic structure; theories of molecular bonding and interaction; and thermodynamics. The complementary laboratory experience emphasizes quantitative analysis, training in scientific communication, and brief review of stoichiometry and reactions. Three hours lecture, discussion, lab lecture, and four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CH 116 General Chemistry 2 with Integrated Science Experience 1 Lab
5 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH101) ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASBI116 OR CASNE116) - Integration of general chemistry with biology and neuroscience, with an emphasis on how each discipline interacts experimentally. Laboratory focuses on projects relating to enzymes and their function. Lecture portion meets with CAS CH 102 lecture (3 hours), 1 discussion hour (meets with CAS CH 102 discussion), 3 hours lab, and 1 hour lab lecture. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 121 Chemistry in Culture & Society
4 credits. Spring
The course is intended to provide scientific fluency in the basic concepts of chemistry, to understand basic, scientific principles and make informed decisions as an essential feature of an advanced society and culture. Contemporary topics including sustainable energy, nutrition, 3D printing, scientific ethics and many others will be explored. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 131 General Chemistry for the Engineering Sciences
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA123) - A one-semester, terminal general chemistry course for engineering students who do not require a two-semester general chemistry sequence. Lecture topics include stoichiometry; atomic and molecular structure; theories of bonding; chemistry of the solid, liquid, and gaseous states; properties of solutions; chemical thermodynamics; equilibrium; acids and bases; electrochemistry. Laboratory includes training in basic laboratory techniques such as data collection and recording, statistical interpretation of data, solution preparation, titrations, conducting chemical reactions, use of spectrophotometers, pH and voltmeters. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 131S General Chemistry for the Engineering Sciences
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA123) - Coreq: (CAS MA 123). A one-semester, terminal general chemistry course for students who do not require a two-semester sequence. Lecture topics include stoichiometry; atomic and molecular structure; theories of bonding; chemistry of the solid, liquid, and gaseous states; properties of solutions; chemical thermodynamics; equilibrium; acids and bases; electrochemistry. Laboratory includes training in basic laboratory techniques such as data collection and recording, statistical interpretation of data, solution preparation, titrations, conducting chemical reactions, use of spectrophotometers, pH and voltmeters. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 171 Principles of General Chemistry
4 credits. Fall
Introduction to chemistry: separation and purification of matter, atomic theory, structure of atoms, molecules and chemical bonding, chemical formulas, equations, stoichiometry; water, solutions, concentration, acids, bases, pH and buffers; gases; reaction kinetics and equilibrium, and radioactivity. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour prelab lecture, and three hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 171S Principles of General Chemistry
4 credits.
Introduction to chemistry: separation and purification of matter, atomic theory, structure of atoms, molecules and chemical bonding, chemical formulas, equations, stoichiometry; water, solutions, concentration, acids, bases, pH and buffers; gases; reaction kinetics and equilibrium, and radioactivity. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 181 Intensive General and Physical Chemistry 1
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: students in the Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program only . - First semester of intensive two-semester sequence for well-prepared students concentrating in chemistry or other sciences. Priority given to chemistry concentrators. Students registering for CAS CH181 have typically completed more than one year of high school chemistry and will be expected to apply their high school chemistry knowledge. Additionally, students in CH181 need a strong foundation in algebra and basic concepts from introductory calculus and physics. Topics focus on quantum theory and atomic structure; theories of molecular bonding and interaction; and thermodynamics. Brief review of stoichiometry, chemical reactions, and gas laws. The complementary laboratory experience emphasizes quantitative analysis and training in scientific communication. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, four hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CH 203 Organic Chemistry 1
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112) - Fundamentals of contemporary organic chemistry, including skeletal and electronic structure, stereochemistry, and reactions of important functional groups. Applications of organic reactions to important synthetic targets in materials and drug discovery will be highlighted, as will reactions pertinent to biochemistry. Laboratory includes training in basic organic chemistry skills, such as extraction, reaction performance, spectroscopy interpretation and chromatography. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 203S Organic Chemistry 1
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112) - Prereq: (CAS CH 102 or CAS CH 110 or CAS CH 112). CAS CH 203 and CAS CH 204 meet premedical requirements for organic chemistry. Fundamentals of contemporary organic chemistry, including skeletal and electronic structure, stereochemistry, and reactions of important functional groups. Applications of organic reactions to important synthetic targets in materials and drug discovery are highlighted, as are reactions pertinent to biochemistry. Laboratory includes training in basic organic chemistry skills, such as extraction, reaction performance, spectroscopy interpretation, and chromatography. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 204 Organic Chemistry 2
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 203. Corequisite; CASCH 204P. - Fundamentals of contemporary chemistry, including electronic structure, stereochemistry, and reactions of important functional groups. Laboratory includes extraction, distillation, and chromatography. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour prelab lecture, three-and-a-half hours lab in alternate weeks. Students registering for CASCH 204 must also register for CASCH 204P. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 204S Organic Chemistry 2
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH203) - Prereq: (CAS CH 203). Fundamentals of contemporary chemistry, including electronic structure, stereochemistry, and reactions of important functional groups. Laboratory includes extraction, distillation, and chromatography. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the each of following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS CH 211 Intensive Organic Chemistry 1
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112) - Recommended for Chemistry majors. Organic compounds and their reactions; functional groups, stereochemistry, synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and laboratory methods including qualitative organic analysis. Industrial applications and relevance to biological systems. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour prelab lecture, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CH 218 Organic Chemistry 1 with Integrated Science Experience II Lab
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS CH 116, and either CAS BI 116 or CAS NE 116. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: CAS BI 218 or CAS NE 218. - Integration of organic chemistry with cell biology and neuroscience, with emphasis on how each discipline interacts experimentally. Laboratory focuses on synthesizing compounds and testing in biological systems. 3 lecture hours (meets with CH 203 lecture), 1 discussion hour, 4 hours lab, 2 hour lab discussion. 4 Credits Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 101 Natural Environments: The Atmosphere
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to weather and climate. Topics include the controls of weather and climate, day-to-day variations in weather, severe storms, climates of the world, urban climate and air pollution, past climates and climatic change, and the impact of climatic variations on society. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 101S Natural Environments
4 credits.
Natural Environments
CAS EE 105 Crises of Planet Earth
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
After covering the origin of the universe, earth and life, the course examines two topics: natural hazards, including earthquakes and volcanoes; and human impacts on Earth, including climate change, ozone depletion, pollution, and increasing demands on mineral and energy resources. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 105S Crises of Planet Earth
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Crises of Planet Earth
CAS EE 107 Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Introduction to the Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 107S Introduction to Climate and Earth System Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Introduction to Earth as an integrated system composed of interacting biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. Major themes include earth system stability, instability, and capacity for change on all time scales, including human-induced climate change. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 142 Introduction to Beach and Shoreline Processes
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Coastal processes including tidal currents, wave action, longshore transport, and estuarine circulation; barrier island and spit formation; study of beaches, dunes, and marshes; effects of tectonics, glaciers, and rivers on beaches and coastal morphology. Cape Cod field trip. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 144 Introduction to Oceanography
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMR144)is required of all Marine Science majors registering for CAS EE 144. - Examines the physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes that govern that oceans with a focus on how the ocean is impacted by and also moderates the pace of global change. Dynamic nature of the oceans on both a short- and a long-term scale is emphasized. Marine Science majors are required to register for co-req CAS MR 144 as well. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS EE 144S Introduction to Oceanography
4 credits.
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMR144)is required of all Marine Science majors registering for CAS EE 144. - Examines the physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes that govern the oceans with a focus on how the ocean is impacted by and also moderates the pace of global change. Dynamic nature of the oceans on both a short- and a long-term scale is emphasized. Carries natural science divisional credit (without lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS EE 150 Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Examines the social, environmental, and technological aspects of renewable and nonrenewable energy systems, their historical evolution and implications for the future. Discusses energy issues in context of globalization, climate change, and sustainable development. Explores lifestyle and policy decisions related to energy issues. 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, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 150S Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Sustainable Energy: Technology, Resources, Society and Environment
CAS EE 317 Introduction to Hydrology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; CASMA 121, 123, or 127, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 317S Introduction to Hydrology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; CASMA 121, 123, or 127, or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the science of hydrology and to the role of water as a resource, a hazard, and an integral component of the Earth's climatic, biological, and geological systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 371 Introduction to Geochemistry
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 105 or EE 107 or EE 142 or EE 144; and CASCH 101 or CH 111 or CH171 or CH131; or equivalent - Chemical features of Earth and the solar system; geochemical cycles, reactions among solids, liquids, and gases; radioactivity and isotope fractionation; water chemistry; origins of ore deposits; applications of geochemistry to regional and global problems. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 512 Urban Climate
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one semester of physics (PY 211, 212 or 251) is required, one semester of calculus (MA 123 or 124, or 127, or 129) is recommended, prior coding experience is strongly encouraged, or consent of instructor - Introduction to urban microclimate within the context of global climate change. Basic climate processes in urban systems; urban heat islands; mixing and dispersion; modeling and observational techniques; anthropogenic emissions; climate change impacts on cities; mitigation and adaptation. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS LX 120 Language and Music
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Is the co-occurrence of music and language in human societies coincidental or inevitable' This course examines this question by defining what language and music are, exploring their structural similarities and differences, and surveying global diversity in musical and linguistic expression. Carries humanities divisional studies credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Properties that languages share and how languages differ with respect to structure (sound system, word formation, syntax), expression of meaning, acquisition, variation, and change; cultural and artistic uses of language; comparison of oral, written, and signed languages. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS LX 250S Introduction to Linguistics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
Properties that languages share and how languages differ with respect to structure (sound system, word formation, syntax), expression of meaning, acquisition, variation, and change; cultural and artistic uses of language; comparison of oral, written, and signed languages. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS NE 101 Introduction to Neuroscience
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Required of all NE majors. An introduction to the biological basis of behavior and cognition. Includes theoretical and practical foundations rooted in psychology, biology, neuropharmacology, and clinical sciences (e.g., neurology and neuropsychiatry). Neuroethical dilemmas are highlighted and integrated when relevant to discussion topics. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS NE 101S Introduction to Neuroscience
4 credits.
An introduction to the biological basis of behavior and cognition. Includes theoretical and practical foundations rooted in psychology, biology, neuropharmacology, and clinical sciences (e.g., neurology and neuropsychiatry). Neuroethical dilemmas are highlighted and integrated when relevant to discussion topics. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Students may receive credit for CAS PS 231 or CAS NE 101, but not for both. Students must attend both lecture and discussion. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS NE 230 Behavioral Endocrinology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR CASNE102) and sophomore standing. - Hormonal control of reproductive behaviors and social affiliation, aggression, fluid homeostasis and feeding, biological rhythms including seasonal reproduction, stress, learning and memory, psychiatric illness, and steroid abuse. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS BI 230. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS NE 234 Psychology of Learning
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS NS 101 Integrated Science I
4 credits. Fall
Laboratory-discussion course. Foundational concepts of elementary dynamics, conservation laws, thermal transport, introductory electricity and magnetism, properties of light, atoms and molecules, the chemistry and properties of materials are introduced through laboratory experiments and computer simulations. These concepts and models are used to explain climate change and understand electric power generation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 470 Philosophy of Physics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two previous PH courses, or consent of instructor. - An introductory survey of fascinating problems in contemporary philosophy of physics. The basic ideas and main features of physical theories, which touch upon nature at its most fundamental level and interact most crucially with philosophy in general, are outlined, so that students will have a road map of the central problems in the field. Throughout, the driving theme is the entanglement of a radical revision in our conceptualization of the world (which is forced upon us by the changes in the physical picture of the world due to major developments in modern physics) with central philosophical. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 670 Philosophy of Physics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
An introductory survey of fascinating problems in contemporary philosophy of physics. The basic ideas and main features of physical theories, which touch upon nature at its most fundamental level and interact most crucially with philosophy in general, are outlined, so that students will have a road map of the central problems in the field. Throughout, the driving theme is the entanglement of a radical revision in our conceptualization of the world (which is forced upon us by the changes in the physical picture of the world due to major developments in modern physics) with central philosophical. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PS 222 Perception
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 222S Perception
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisits: (CAS PS 101). 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 Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PS 231 Physiological Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 231S Physiological Psychology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites : (CAS PS 101). Online offering. Students may 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.
CAS PS 234 Psychology of Learning
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PY 104 Physics of Health Sciences
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. - PY104 is a one semester introduction to the basic physics concepts that relate to the health sciences. Material covered is selected from a range of topics, such as include Kinematics and Dynamics, Newton's Laws, Statics, Momentum, Work and Energy, Mechanical Waves, Electric Charge and Force, Capacitance and Resistance, Electric Circuits, and Properties of Electromagnetic Waves, Atomic and Nuclear Physics, and Medical Imaging. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 104S Physics of Health Sciences
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. - Recommended for students majoring in athletic training, physical therapy, or speech, language & hearing sciences. A one-semester physics course for students who do not require a two-semester sequence. Students must register for two sections: a lecture section and a laboratory section. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS PY 105 or PY 106. Students considering application to medical, dental, or veterinary schools should take PY 105/106 or another two-semester sequence instead of PY 104. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 105 Physics 1
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY105 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including forces and motion, momentum and energy, harmonic motion, rotation, and heat and thermodynamics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 105S Physics 1
4 credits.
The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. CAS PY 105 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including forces and motion, momentum and energy, harmonic motion, rotation, and heat and thermodynamics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 107 Physics of Food and Cooking
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Physical science concepts of thermal / soft matter physics and molecular biophysics such as phase transitions and gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 107S Physics of Food/Cooking
4 credits.
Physical science concepts of thermal physics, and soft matter physics such as phase transitions, gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Students must register for two sections: a lecture section and a laboratory section. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
CAS PY 211 General Physics 1
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127) - Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, and thermodynamics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural 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, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 211S General Physics 1
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127) - Prereq: (CAS MA 123) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking CAS MA 123. Coreq: (CAS MA 124 or CAS MA 127). Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, and thermodynamics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures and laboratory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Carries natural 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, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 231 The Physics in Music
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: musical performance experience, or some familiarity with the notes on the musical clef, or consent of instructor (no physics prerequisite). - An introduction to musical acoustics, which covers vibrations and waves in musical systems and sound production, intervals and the construction of musical scales, tuning and temperament, the percussion instruments, the piano, the string, woodwind and brass instruments, room acoustics, the human ear and psychoacoustical phenomena important to musical performance and perception. Examples from the musical literature that illustrate various acoustical effects are covered. Some aspects of electronic music are also discussed. Satisfies CAS natural science divisional credit. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS PY 251 Principles of Physics 1
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA123) or equivalent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA124 OR CASMA127)or consent of instructor for students currently enrolled in CAS MA 12 3. - Introduction to mechanics, conservation laws, rotation, waves, and thermodynamics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 333E The Italian Food Industry: Economics, Culture and Society
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The Italian food industry from economic, cultural, and social perspectives. Special attention paid to producers, product quality and certification, and relationships to the land and regional cultures. How is the industry evolving to offer consumers up-to-date products while remaining anchored in Italian tradition' Taught through a combination of lectures, seminars by industry experts, case studies, and company visits. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS WS 101 Gender and Sexuality: An Interdisciplinary Introduction
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
This course is the introduction to women's, gender, and sexuality studies, that considers the origins, diversity, and expression of sex and gender. Topics include the evolutionary origin of sexes; evolution, development, and social construction of sex, gender, and sexuality; sexual difference, similarities and diversity in gendered bodies, brains, and behavior. This interdisciplinary introduction is the foundation for the minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 233 The Evolutionary Biology of Human Variation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Addresses human biological variation. An introduction to the fundamentals of comparative biology, evolutionary theory, and genetics and considers how research in these fields informs some of our most culturally-engaged identities: race, sex, gender, sexuality, and body type. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 263 The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits.
An exploration of female behavioral biology focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 263S The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits.
Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CFA AR 236 Human Anatomy for the Artist
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CFAAR131 & CFAAR193) - Human Anatomy for the Artist is a course in which students study the method and science of gross human anatomy, and learn the medical terms for human anatomy from cadavers, skeletons, and live models. Students apply this knowledge to their own figure drawing and creative art making. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry I.
CFA MT 441 Acoustical and Psychoacoustical Basis of Music
4 credits.
Music is a complex system of human behavior with a basis in the physics of sound, musical instruments, and human physiology and cognition. There is a deep base of knowledge about music in the application of different modes of scientific inquiry -- physics, psychology, neuroscience -- to this complex system. This knowledge is a valuable resource for musicians and music researchers. In this class we investigate how we can use the science of sound and auditory perception to explain aspects of musical practice, and apply it to aspects of musical performance, composition, and music theory. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CGS IN 250 Cosmic Visions: The Science of Astronomy and the Arts
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Scientific Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - How has stargazing shaped understanding of our place within the world' Art draws inspiration from astronomy--and astronomy from art. This team-taught course traces the symbiotic history of these two ways of knowing and exploring the cosmos, culminating in a creative project. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Scientific Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CGS NS 201 Biology 1
4 credits. Fall
Focuses on the major paradigms (and shifts) including the origin of life, molecular and cellular theories of life, human origins, genetics, evolutionary theory and biodiversity. Encourages use of quantitative and scientific tools required to explore scientific models and connects the scientific process with ethical and social concerns arising from our understanding of the origin, evolution and diversity of life including our own species. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
KHC AN 106 Scientists in Society
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry I
Understanding the nature of science and the role of the scientist in society is critically important in an increasingly technologically driven and interconnected world. Through an examination of the work of 5 impactful scientists and their interactions with prevailing institutions and societal norms, we will explore the fundamental nature of science and how individual scientists have navigated unique challenges created by their work. We will examine the work and controversies that surrounded:
Galileo Galilei and Church authorities in the 1600¿s
Alan Turing and the British Government post WWII
Percy Lavon Julian and higher education in the US in the 1900¿s
Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier and the battles over credit and patent rights for CRISPR-9 technology
Antony Fauci and his leadership role in the nation¿s public health during COVID-19
Through a combination of assigned readings, lectures and interactive classroom discussions, students will explore the scientific achievements of each person(s) and then explore their broader circumstances and interactions with society. Using this knowledge students will consider and reflect on the nature of scientific contributions and important societal institutions and norms.
Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Critical Thinking, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry I.
KHC BI 101 Climate Change Biology in Massachusetts: What Would Henry Say'
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course will place Thoreau and Walden within the context of modern climate change biology research. Students will read Walden concurrently with papers on climate change and recent books to appreciate how Thoreau anticipated many modern climate change issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
KHC BI 104 Conflict and Cooperation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
What binds human and non-human societies together, and what pulls them apart, over the short (historical) and long (evolutionary) terms' This course draws on approaches from the natural and social sciences to address this question. Students will study the biology of social behavior and the puzzle of how cooperation can evolve even though most animals are selfish; employ game theory to predict when individuals, groups, and nations should cooperate and when they should not; and apply insights from sociology and psychology to contemporary social issues including partisanship and environmentalism. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
KHC BI 105 The Dynamics of Society in Nature
0 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
In this course we explore the dynamic relationship between human society and the natural ecosystems in which they are embedded, and of which they are today an integral part. This is the science of sustainability. We cover the theory, the gathering of empirical data from peoples and ecosystems, and types of dynamic modeling and scenario-forecasting, both heuristic and computational, that aid in good decision making. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy, Scientific Inquiry I.
KHC CH 140 The Material World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Discussion of how matter (gas, liquid, solid) is cycled within the earth's systems in the context of human use of the earth's resources and contemporary concerns about sustainability e.g. ozone layer, rare-earth elements, hydrocarbon combustion, potable water, plastic recycling. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
KHC EK 103 Mechanics on the Charles River Esplanade
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to mechanics, the science of motion, using examples visible on the Charles River Esplanade. Introduction to the concept of force, and to the concepts of mass, momentum, and energy, and their conservation. Students will learn to apply these conservation laws together with dimensional analysis, scaling, and order of magnitude estimation, to a variety of physical systems in and around the Charles River Esplanade. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
KHC MD 101 Fractured Lives and Bodies: Forensic Anthropology, Disasters, and Human Rights
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Scientific Inquiry I
This course will explore the roles and responsibilities of forensic anthropology - a sub-discipline of anthropology that addresses medico-legal issues - in the context of global disasters, forced and voluntary displacements and migrations, and human rights. Namely, what are the varied geopolitical contexts in which forensic anthropologists participate in humanitarian response' What are the ethical issues involved in humanitarian work' How does forensic science in global human rights contexts differ from local applications' How can forensic anthropology contribute to post- disaster recovery' Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
KHC NE 102 Reading, Language, and the Brain
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course explores the scientific study of reading and language development--a richly multidisciplinary effort that bridges psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and education--emphasizing the modern scientific effort to understand "the reading brain", the coordination of neural systems for vision, hearing, language, and memory. Specific topics include the history of writing, how different writing systems produce different reading brains, how brain injuries can result in specific impairments in language and reading, and how brain imaging is helping unravel the mystery of reading impairment. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
KHC NE 104 VISION & ART
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Scientific Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
The course will guide students to learn about the neuroscience and neurology of eye and brain functions and disfunction and will discuss their relationship paintings. We will discuss the effect of eye and retinal diseases on the painting of Degas, Monet, ElGreco, Georgia O'Keefe, and the blind Turkish painter (E.Armagan) who sees by touch. Impairments of cortical visual functions will be associated with discussion of the paintings of great masters such as Rembrandt, Bacon, and Van Gogh. Virtual and real visits to Art Museums. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Scientific Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC PY 102 Chance, Fluctuations and Their Relevance to Our Daily Lives
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry I
Randomness is ubiquitous in our lives, from attending an outdoor concert when there is a 40 chance of rain to understanding the role of chance in income inequality. The purpose of this course is to introduce concepts and methods that will foster an understanding of chance and to provide the tools to draw informed conclusions from incomplete information. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
SHA HF 323E ITLFOODINDUSTRY
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
SHA HF 328E AUS WINE INDSTY
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
AUS WINE INDSTY
WED DE 472 Sign Language Structure
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Covers the structure of sign languages, with a primary focus on American Sign Language. Topics include phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicology, language variation, psycholinguistics, and language emergence. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED DE 672 Sign Language Structure
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (SEDDE571) - Graduate Prerequisites: (SEDDE571) - Covers the structure of sign languages, with a primary focus on American Sign Language. Topics include phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicology, language variation, psycholinguistics, and language emergence. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED LS 560 Introduction to Language and Language Acquisition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Introduction to the main aspects of first language acquisition from infancy through childhood. Topics areas include phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse-pragmatics, language variation, multilingualism, child- directed speech, cognitive development, and theories of language acquisition. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
WED LS 560E Language and Acquisition
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Language and Acquisition
WED LS 560S Introduction to Language and Language Acquisition
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Introduction to the main aspects of first language acquisition from infancy through childhood. Topic areas include phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse-pragmatics, language variation, multilingualism, child-directed
speech, cognitive development, and theories of language acquisition. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
Scientific Inquiry II
CAS AN 330 From Conception to Death: The Evolution of Human Life History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107) - Life History is the story of the human lifespan. This course uses an evolutionary and comparative framework to understand fundamental features of the human life course, such as birth, growth, sexual maturity, and death. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 333 Human Population Genetics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CAS AN102 OR AN233 OR CAS BI108 AND either BI206 OR BI216). - This course uses human genomic variation as a framework for better understanding our evolutionary history. Using hands-on population genetic analyses, we will analyze real human genomic data from the 1000 Genomes Project to investigate the evolutionary patterns underlying human diversity. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 335 The Ape Within: Great Apes and the Evolution of Human Behavior
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI119) or consent of instructor. - Introduction to primate social behavior, focusing on the apes. Examines how great ape behavior helps us understand what is unique about human behavior and how we evolved. Topics include diet, juvenile development, social relationships, sexual behavior, aggression, culture, and cognition. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 335S The Ape Within
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI119) or consent of instructor. - Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 336 Primate Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102) - Introduction to the various theoretical approaches to understanding the diversity and evolutionary ecology of wild non-human primates. Using lemurs, marmosets, chimpanzees and more, this course delves into behavioral ecology, genetic approaches to mating systems, foraging theory, community ecology, and conservation. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS AN 519 Theory and Method in Environmental Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR307) - Problem-based course where students apply quantitative methods across archaeological datasets to address complex problems of human-environmental relationships rooted in deep time. Through teamwork-based research projects students develop marketable skills in research design, theory integration, and data analysis and visualization. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 555 Evolutionary Medicine
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107) or equivalent, and one additional biological anthropology course; or c onsent of instructor. - Why do we get sick' Evolutionary medicine seeks to answer this question by applying modern evolutionary theory to understanding health and disease among contemporary human populations. Topics include chronic and infectious disease, mental illness, allergies, autoimmunity, and drug addiction. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 556 The Evolution of the Human Diet
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An investigation of human dietary evolution including primate and human dietary adaptations, nutritional requirements, optimal foraging, digestive physiology, maternal and infant nutrition, hunting and cooking in human evolution, and impacts of food processing and agriculture on modern diets and health. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 556S The Evolution of the Human Diet
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An investigation of human dietary evolution including primate and human dietary adaptations, nutritional requirements, optimal foraging, digestive physiology, maternal and infant nutrition, hunting and cooking in human evolution, and impacts of food processing and agriculture on modern diets and health. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 559 Evolutionary Endocrinology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102) or equivalent. - Focuses on current research in the field of evolutionary endocrinology. Examines how hormones act as mediators of a variety of fundamental evolutionary phenomena from circadian rhythms to sexuality. Explores how and why natural selection shaped the "inputs" and "outputs" of the endocrine system. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 562 The Origins of War
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent) - Did humans evolve to have war' Is war in human nature' We explore the foundations of war through reviewing studies of non-human animals and hunter- gatherers. Focus is on understanding how and why war evolved. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS AN 588 Project Design and Statistics in Biological Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108 OR CASAR101) or consent of instructor. - This seminar teaches students project design and statistics using R and Rstudio. Students will become competent in coding, version control, data reports and commenting code, and implement both basic and advanced statistics to be used in student research projects. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 595 Methods in Biological Anthropology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN102 OR CASBI107 OR CASBI108) or consent of instructor. - An exploration of field and laboratory methods used in biological anthropology, with students participating in hands-on exercises. Topics include health assessment, body composition, diet, energetics, morphological adaptations, reproductive status, habitat composition, spatial movements, and conservation. Professional skills are also developed. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 730 From Conception to Death: The Evolution of Human Life History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Life history is the story of the human lifespan. This course uses an evolutionary and comparative framework to understand fundamental features of the human life course, such as birth, growth, sexual maturity, and death. Effective Fall 2018, this course carries a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 733 Human Population Genetics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AN 102; or CAS BI 107 and one of BI 119, BI 211, BI 303; or consen t of instructor. - This course uses human genomic variation as a framework for better understanding our evolutionary history. Using hands-on population genetic analyses, we will analyze real human genomic data from the 1000 Genomes Project to investigate the evolutionary patterns underlying human diversity. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 736 Primate Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry II
Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing. - Introduction to the various theoretical approaches to understanding the diversity and evolutionary ecology of wild non-human primates. Using lemurs, marmosets, chimpanzees and more, this course delves into behavioral ecology, genetic approaches to mating systems, foraging theory, community ecology, and conservation. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190 or consent of instructor. - Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 520 Theory and Method in Environmental Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR307) - Problem-based course where students apply quantitative methods across archaeological datasets to address complex problems of human-environmental relationships rooted in deep time. Through teamwork-based research projects students develop marketable skills in research design, theory integration, and data analysis and visualization. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AS 203 Principles of Astronomy 2
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA123) - Astronomical measurements; time and the celestial sphere; telescopes and observatories; the solar system, orbital motion; comparative planetology; the sun and solar-terrestrial effects; electromagnetic radiation; spectroscopy, stellar properties and stellar evolution; the Milky Way galaxy; galaxies; the universe. Lectures and laboratories. Intended primarily for astronomy or physics concentrators. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS AS 311 Planetary Physics
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 124; and CAS PY 211 or CAS PY 251. - Celestial mechanics, tides, resonances. Physical processes that affect atmospheres, surfaces, interiors of planets, and their satellites. Comets, asteroids, meteorites, and Kuiper belt objects. Formation and evolution of the solar system. Extra-solar planets. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AS 312 Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 124; and CAS PY 212 or CAS PY 252. - Basic physics of radiation; radiative transfer; spectral analysis; distances, motions, and physical properties of stars; stellar interiors and atmospheres; stellar evolution; clusters of stars; the interstellar medium; content, structure, and rotation of the Milky Way Galaxy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 108 Biology 2
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
For students planning to major in the natural sciences and for premedical students. Required for biology majors. It is strongly recommended students complete CAS CH 101 (or equivalent) before this course. High school biology is assumed. Biochemistry, cell & molecular biology, Mendelian & molecular genetics, physiology, and neurobiology. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 108S Biology 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
For students planning to major in the natural sciences and for premedical students. Required for Biology majors. It is strongly recommended students complete CAS CH 101 (or equivalent) before this course. High school biology is assumed. Cell and molecular biology, Mendelian & molecular genetics, physiology, and neurobiology. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 116 Biology 2 with Integrated Science Experience 1 Lab
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH101) First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH116) - Integration of general chemistry with biology and neuroscience, with an emphasis on how each discipline interacts experimentally. Laboratory focuses on projects relating to enzymes and their function. 3 lecture hours (meets with CAS Bl 108 lecture), 3 hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 211 Human Physiology
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI105 OR CASBI108) & (CASBI106 OR CASBI210); or equivalent. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) or equivalent. - Some knowledge of chemistry and anatomy assumed. Not for biology major or minor credit; Biology majors/minors should take CAS BI 315. Introduction to principles of systemic mammalian physiology with special reference to humans. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Digital Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS BI 211S Human Physiology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI105 OR CASBI108) & (CASBI106 OR CASBI210); or equivalent. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) or equivalent - Some knowledge of chemistry and anatomy assumed. Intended mainly for students in health sciences. Not for Biology or BMB major or minor credit; Biology majors/minors should take CAS BI 315. Introduction to principles of systemic mammalian physiology with special reference to humans. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Digital Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS BI 218 Cell Biology with Integrated Science Experience II Lab
5 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 116 and CAS CH 116 (or equivalent); or consent of instructor. F irst Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) ; Undergraduate Corequisites: CAS CH 218. - Integration of cell biology with organic chemistry and neuroscience, with emphasis on how each discipline interacts experimentally. Laboratory focuses on synthesizing compounds and testing in biological systems. 3 lecture hours, 1 discussion hour, 4 hours lab, 2 hour lab discussion. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Writing-Intensive Course, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 302 Vertebrate Zoology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) - Methods and principles of comparative vertebrate zoology. Phylogeny, natural history, adaptation, and taxonomy. Laboratory emphasis on correlation among structural, physiological, and evolutionary features of selected vertebrates by both dissection and experimentation. Field trips. Two hours lecture, six hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 303 Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) ; CAS BI 206 and CAS MA121/123 recommended. - Investigation of ecological processes and patterns at the individual, population, and community level. An evolutionary approach is emphasized. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. One research paper and one daylong field trip required. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS BI 306 Biology of Global Change
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) Recommended: CASCH101 or CASCH171. - The ecological impacts of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, forest decline, eutrophication, acidification, loss of species diversity, and restoration of ecosystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 311 General Microbiology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 & CASBI206) or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - The biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and protistans, including introduction to morphology, physiology, genetics, metabolism, ecology, and pathogenesis. Covers the basics of antibiotic resistance, motility, quorum sensing, symbiosis, epidemiology, and microbiome science. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 311S General Microbiology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 & CASBI206) or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Biology of bacteria and related microorganisms; morphology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and control. Brief introduction to pathogenicity and host reactions. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 315 Systems Physiology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR ENGBE209) , and CASCH101 and CASCH102, or equivalent. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - An introduction to physiological principles applied across all levels of organization (cell, tissue, organ system). Preparation for more advanced courses in physiology. Topics include homeostasis and neural, muscle, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and metabolic physiology. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 315S Systems Physiology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR ENGBE209) , and CASCH101 and CASCH102, or equivalent. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Prereq: ((CAS BI 108 or ENG BE 209) and (CAS CH 101) and (CAS CH 102) or equivalent) and First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120). An introduction to physiological principles applied across all levels of organization (cell, tissue, organ system). Preparation for more advanced courses in physiology. Topics include homeostasis and neural, muscle, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and metabolic physiology. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 325 Principles of Neuroscience
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203) or consent of instructor. - Introduces fundamentals of the nervous system at descriptive scales ranging from individual cells to the entire brain. Topics include biophysics of excitable membranes, synaptic transmission, sensory and motor systems, learning and memory, plasticity, neuromodulation, and the biological basis of complex behaviors. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 325S Principles of Neuroscience
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203) or consent of instructor. - Introduces fundamentals of the nervous system at descriptive scales ranging from individual cells to the entire brain. Topics include biophysics of excitable membranes, synaptic transmission, sensory and motor systems, learning and memory, plasticity, neuromodulation, and the biological basis of complex behaviors. Students must register for two sections: lecture and discussion. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 328 Cell Biology and Translational Medicine
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the cell biology mechanisms and treatment strategies associated with several significant diseases including heart disease, cancer, respiratory, Alzheimer¿s and viral diseases. Students will primarily engage with recent research papers that employ cutting-edge molecular techniques. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 333 Human Population Genetics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Human population biology and ecological adaptations: human demography, life history patterns, population genetics, and physiological adaptability. Topics: population dynamics of human societies, mortality and fertility schedules, evolution and genetics of human life history traits, physiological adaptability, and ecological correlates. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 336 Primate Behavioral Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry II
Introduction to the various theoretical approaches to understanding the diversity and evolutionary ecology of wild non-human primates. Using lemurs, marmosets, chimpanzees and more, this course delves into behavioral ecology, genetic approaches to mating systems, foraging theory, community ecology, and conservation. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 475 Urban Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instruc tor. - The biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics include the physical environment, patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function, global change, urban environment pollution and management, and sustainable urban development. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 481 Molecular Biology of the Neuron
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203 - Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology governing neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 500 Shark Biology & Conservation
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 519 Theoretical Evolutionary Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 107 and CAS MA 121/123 (also recommended: CAS BI 225 or CAS BI 303 or CAS BI 309); or consent of the instructor. - Familiarizes students with the theory of evolutionary ecology. Students gain enough background to read theoretical evolutionary ecology literature, do simple modeling, and move on to more complex theory. Students gain experience through homework assignments and computer labs. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS BI 520 Sensory Neurobiology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Animals receive a constant stream of sensory input that they use to adjust their behavior. In this course we explore how sensory systems translate the physical features of the outside world into meaningful patterns of neural activity. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS BI 530 Forest Ecology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) and CASBI303 or CASBI306, or consent of instructor. - Prerequisites: CASBI107 and CASBI303 or CASBI306, or consent of instructor. The major biotic and abiotic factors influencing forest ecosystem composition, structure, and function. Role of solar radiation, hydrology, soils, succession, and management of forest ecosystems. Includes New England case study. Three hours lecture plus discussion. Meets with CAS GE 530. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 542 Neuroethology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 325 or CASNE 203 or consent of instructor. - An in-depth study of the neural mechanisms underlying natural behaviors in animals, integrating perspectives from behavioral ecology and neurobiology. Emphasizes behaviors central to fitness, including sensory and motor bases of prey detection, predator avoidance, communication, courtship, navigation, and migration. Covers non-model organisms (e.g., honey bees, owls, bats, and crickets). Lectures are integrated with student-led discussions of relevant research papers. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 556 Drug Discovery in Neuroscience
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASNE 102 (or BI 108), CH 102, and NE/PS 333. - The process of drug discovery is complex especially when a drug is intended to treat a neurological disease. This discussion-heavy course examines the specific challenges of modern neuroscience drug discovery, including: target selection, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, modeling of disease states within the context of the drivers and limitations of the Drug Discovery Industry. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 556S Drug Discovery in Neuroscience
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 102/116, NE 333, CH 203. The process of drug discovery is complex especially when a drug is intended to treat a neurological disease. This discussion-heavy course examines the specific challenges of modern neuroscience drug discovery, including: target selection, pharmacodynamics, animal models, and clinical trials. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS BI 561 Proteostasis in the Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASNE 102 or CASBI 108. CASBI 203 or CASBI 213 are recommended. - A hands-on class focusing on the mechanisms that control protein homeostasis, and on the approaches that we can use to study how it may change in conditions associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The class mimics, as much as possible, a real research environment, as students carry out experiments throughout the semester, learn how to develop and test new hypotheses, and also share knowledge through weekly readings and presentation of research articles inherent to the topics of the class. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 566 DNA Dynamics in Disease
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI206 OR CASBI216) or consent of instructor. - What goes wrong to cause disease' In this course we examine diseases caused by problems in basic cellular processes including mitosis, meiosis, and DNA repair. We focus on past and current research that has led to the understanding of the mechanisms contributing to disease. Content is delivered through active, engaging lectures where you analyze data from past and current research papers, and think critically to answer questions. Paper discussion days include an in- depth analysis of one primary literature article that is central to the field. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 588 Project Design and Statistics in Biological Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
This seminar teaches students project design and statistics using R and Rstudio. Students will become competent in coding, version control, data reports and commenting code, and implement both basic and advanced statistics to be used in student research projects. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 589 Neural Impacts on Tumorigenesis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASNE203 OR CASBI325) - Explores neuronal invasion and mechanisms of neurogenesis into solid tumors, cross-talk in tumor microenvironments, and nervous system influence on cancer modulators that enhance tumorigenesis. Enhancement of cancer from environmental stress at this interface is also examined. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS BI 675 Urban Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instruc tor. - The biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics include the physical environment, patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function, global change, urban environment pollution and management, and sustainable urban development. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS BI 681 Molecular Biology of the Neuron
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Topics include electrical properties of single neurons, how neurons propagate electrical signals and communicate in synaptic transmission. The course will also examine the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopment and study synaptic plasticity in relation to learning and memory and disease. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CC 212 Core Natural Science II: Science, Reality, and the Modern World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of "junk science." Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st- century context. Effective Fall 2018, this course carries a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 110 Advanced General Chemistry with Quantitative Analysis Lab 2
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH109) - Second of the advanced two-semester sequence for students concentrating in the sciences. Building on the foundation from the first semester, the second semester will cover equilibrium; acids, bases, and buffers; solubility; kinetics; electrochemistry; and selected chemical systems as case studies. The complementary laboratory experiments continue to emphasize quantitative analysis. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour lab lecture, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 112 Intensive General Chemistry with Quantitative Analysis Lab 2
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing, Research, and Inquiry
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH111) - Second semester of intensive two-semester sequence for well-prepared students concentrating in chemistry or other sciences. Topics focus on physical and chemical equilibrium; acids, bases, buffers, and solubility; chemical kinetics and mechanism of reactions; electrochemistry; and case studies relating to advanced topics. The complementary laboratory experience emphasizes quantitative analysis and training in scientific communication. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour lab lecture, and four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing, Research and Inquiry, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 172 Principles of Organic and Biochemistry
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH171 OR CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112 OR CASCH131) - Introduction to organic and biochemistry: Classes of organic compounds and biomolecules; nomenclature, physical properties and reactions of organic molecules; techniques for synthesizing, isolating and characterizing molecules; structure, reactivity and properties of carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids; structure and function of proteins, nucleic acids and membranes; and the biochemical pathways associated with sugar and lipid metabolism. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour pre-lab lecture, and three hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS CH 174 Principles of Organic Chemistry
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH171 OR CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112 OR CASCH131) - Structure, stereochemistry, functional groups, and reactions of carbon- containing compounds; emphasis on compounds and reactions of biochemical interest. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour prelab lecture, and three hours lab. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS CH 182 Intensive General and Quantitative Analytical Chemistry 2
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing, Research, and Inquiry
Undergraduate Prerequisites: students in the Seven-Year Liberal Arts/Medical Education Program only . - Second semester of intensive two-semester sequence for well-prepared students concentrating in chemistry or other sciences. Topics focus on physical and chemical equilibrium; acids, bases, buffers, and solubility; chemical kinetics and mechanism of reactions; electrochemistry; and case studies relating to advanced topics. The complementary laboratory experience emphasizes quantitative analysis and training in scientific communication. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour lab lecture, four hours lab. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing: Research & Inquiry, Research and Information Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS CH 212 Intensive Organic Chemistry 2
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH211) - Recommended for Chemistry majors. Organic compounds and their reactions; functional groups, stereochemistry, synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and laboratory methods including qualitative organic analysis. Industrial applications and relevance to biological systems. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, one hour prelab lecture, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS CH 214 Organic Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH203) - Lecture and discussion shared with CAS CH 204. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion weekly, one hour prelab lecture, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 214S Organic Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH203) - Prereq: (CAS CH 203). For description, see CAS CH 204. Students must register for four sections: lecture, discussion, prelab, and laboratory. Lecture and discussion sections meet with CAS CH 204 lecture and discussion sections. This course with the more advanced lab is suitable for chemistry or BMB concentrators. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 220 Organic Chemistry Laboratory with Qualitative Analysis
2 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH204) - Laboratory methods in organic chemistry including multistep synthesis, organic qualitative analysis, and instrumental analysis. Equivalent to the laboratory part of CAS CH 214. One hour lecture, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 220S Organic Chemistry Laboratory with Qualitative Analysis
2 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH204) - Prereq: (CAS CH 204). Laboratory methods in organic chemistry including multistep synthesis, organic qualitative analysis, and instrumental analysis. Students must register for two sections: lecture and laboratory. Meets with CAS CH 214 prelab and laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 232 Inorganic Chemistry
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH102 OR CASCH110 OR CASCH112) ; CASCH211 or CASCH203; or consent of instructor. First Year Writing S eminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH212 OR CASCH214)or consent of instructor. - The relation of atomic and molecular structure to chemical properties. Bronsted and Lewis acid/base behavior; redox reactions; bonding and reactions of main group elements; d-metal complexes, including bonding, spectra, and reaction mechanisms; and organometallic chemistry. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing- Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CH 354 Physical Chemistry Laboratory
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH102/201, CASCH110, CASCH112 or CASCH351. First Year Writing Semin ar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH352) - Experiments in thermodynamics, vibrational and electronic, chemical kinetics and equilibrium, molecular modeling and structure determination. Statistics and error analysis of laboratory data. Six hours lab plus prelab lecture. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CS 583 Audio Computation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCS112) and understanding of physics equivalent to CAS PY 105. - Introduction to algorithms, data structures, and applications in computer manipulation of audio signals. Topics include the physical properties of sound and of musical instruments, representation and synthesis of musical and environmental sounds, analysis of audio signals using the Fourier Transform, and topics of current interest in research, including the use of deep learning for analysis of audio signals. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS CS 583S AUDIO COMP
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCS112) and understanding of physics equivalent to CAS PY 105. - AUDIO COMP
CAS EE 300 Earth's Rocky Materials
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Utilizing an Earth Systems approach, this course begins with the mineral phases of the core and mantle. Crustal mineralogy and petrology follow, examining how minerals and the rocks that contain them are produced by magmatic, metamorphic, hypothermal, and surface processes. Weekly two-hour labs and a required field trip. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS EE 302 Remote Sensing of Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sensor systems, methodology of remote sensing, and basic concept of image analysis. Presents the ways in which remotely sensed data can be used in scientific investigations and resource management. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 302S Remote Sensing of Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Prereq: (CAS EE 100 or CAS GE 100 or CAS EE 101 or CAS GE 101 or CAS EE 105 or CAS ES 105 or CAS EE 107 or CAS ES 107 or CAS BI 117 or CAS PY 105). Introduction to sensor systems, methodology of remote sensing, and basic concepts of image analysis. Presents the ways in which remotely sensed data can be used in scientific investigations and resource management. Students must attend both lecture and laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 360 Introduction to Physical Oceanography
4 credits.
This introduction to physical oceanography course introduces concepts, terminology and topics on the physical properties and dynamics of the ocean. Topics include observations, modelling and theory of ocean circulation and how it impacts the Earth's climate system. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 365 An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MA 115 or EC 203 or equivalent. - Practical hands-on computing experience using GIS for analyzing data from maps and other sources. Analytical functions unique to GIS are emphasized, as are applications in archaeology, land use planning, environmental monitoring, and other fields. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 423 Marine Biogeochemistry
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and 102, admission to BUMP or CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial- interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 475 Urban Ecology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instructor. - This course explores the biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics covered include the physical environment (particularly climate & water), patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function (net primary productivity, soils, nutrients cycling, organismal populations), global change (urban growth, disturbance, climate change), urban environment pollution and management (air and water quality), and sustainable urban development policies and regulations. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 483 Environmental and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPY211 & (CASMA123 OR CASMA127 OR CASMA129) or consent of instructor . - Large- and small-scale phenomena in oceanic, atmospheric, and landsurface fluids. Properties of gases and liquids; surface body forces; statics; flow analysis; continuity and momentum conservation. Darcy's Law; potential, open channel, and geostrophic flow; dimensional analysis; diffusion, turbulence. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 511 Introduction to the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 310, 2 semesters of calculus (CASMA 123 & 124, or 127, or 129), 1 semester of statistics (CASMA 213 or CASEE 270, or equivalent), 1 semester of physics (CASPY 211 or 251); or instructor consent. - Covers the basic dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), with a focus on the ABL processes and modeling. Introduces statistical descriptions of turbulent flows in the atmosphere and the connection between the ABL and other environment/climate system processes. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 520 Theory and Method in Environmental Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR307) - Problem-based course where students apply quantitative methods across archaeological datasets to address complex problems of human-environmental relationships rooted in deep time. Through teamwork-based research projects students develop marketable skills in research design, theory integration, and data analysis and visualization. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 530 Forest Ecology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI 107 and BI 303 or BI 306, or consent of instructor - Prerequisites: CASBI107 and CASBI303 or CASBI306, or consent of instructor. The major biotic and abiotic factors influencing forest ecosystem composition, structure and function. Role of solar radiation, hydrology, soils, succession, and management of forest ecosystems. Includes New England case study. Three hours lecture plus discussion. Also meets with BI 530. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 540 Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 or CH 109 or CH 111 or CH 171; CASMA 123 or MA 127 or MA 129; CASEE 270 or equivalent statistics course. - An introduction to the chemistry and physics of atmospheric pollution, and the impacts of air pollution on human welfare and the environment. Highlights the interactions between air quality, the biosphere, climate, and sustainable development. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS EE 683 Environmental and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MA 123 or 127 or 129 and PY 211; or consent of instructor - Large- and small-scale phenomena in oceanic, atmospheric, and land-surface fluids. Properties of gases and liquids; surface body forces; statics; flow analysis; continuity and momentum conservation. Darcy's Law; potential, open channel and geostrophic flow; dimensional analysis; diffusion, turbulence.
CAS HI 287S History of American Foreign Relations Since 1898
4 credits. Summer
Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 351 Environmental History of Africa
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Focus on the African environment and ecological systems over the past 150 years. Topics include climate change, hydrography, agriculture, deforestation, soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and the role of colonialism and government policy in environmental change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 376S History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
4 credits. Summer
America's tradition and heritage in foreign policy. American foreign policy during the Cold War. Conflicting approaches to the formulation of American foreign policy in the current international environment. Domestic and institutional actors in policy formulation: Congress, media, Presidency, CIA, military.
CAS LX 301 Phonetics & Phonology: Introduction to Sound Systems
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLX250) or consent of instructor. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASLX302) - (Students must also register for required co-req CAS LX 302.) Introduction to the nature and patterning of sounds in human language. Presents articulatory and acoustic phonetics, and basic phonological analysis, focusing on cross-language typology and comparison. Hands-on development of practical skills, including IPA transcription, field techniques, and digital speech analysis. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS LX 601 Phonetics & Phonology: Introduction to Sound Systems
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning I Scientific Inquiry II
Introduction to the nature and patterning of sounds in human language. Presents articulatory and acoustic phonetics, and basic phonological analysis, focusing on cross-language typology and comparison. Hands-on development of practical skills, including IPA transcription, field techniques, and digital speech analysis. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 124 Calculus II
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123) - Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 122, MA 124, or MA 129. Logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric functions. Sequences and series; Taylor's series with the remainder. Methods of integration. Calculus I and II together constitute an introduction to calculus of a function of a single real variable. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 124S Calculus II
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123) - Logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric functions. Sequences and series; Taylor's series with the remainder. Methods of integration. Calculus I and II together constitute an introduction to calculus of a function of a single real variable. Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 122, CAS MA 124, or CAS MA 129. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS MR 501 Marine Semester Co-Requisite
0 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission into the Marine Semester. - Co-requisite required of all students admitted into Marine Semester. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS NE 102 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - An introductory class examining the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern a cell's life, including mechanisms of neuronal function and disease. Project labs are intertwined with lectures and focus on experimental modeling of Alzheimer's disease. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single Hub unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Writing- Intensive Course, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS NE 116 Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology with Integrated Science Experience 1 Lab
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Scientific Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASCH101) and acceptance into the Integrated Science Experience (ISE). First Ye ar Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASCH116) - Integration of general chemistry with biology and neuroscience, with an emphasis on how each discipline interacts experimentally. Laboratory focuses on projects relating to enzymes and their function. 3 lecture hours (meets with CAS NE 102 lecture), 3 hours lab. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS NE 456 Neurobiology of Sex and Aggression
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II
Examines neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sex and violence. Students review primary literature from the past century that highlights major scientific discoveries that have reconceptualized our understanding of the origins of sexual-determination, -attraction and - aggression. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS NE 456S Neurobiology of Sex and Aggression
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II
Examines neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sex and violence. Students review primary literature from the past century that highlights major scientific discoveries that have reconceptualized our understanding of the origins of sexual-determination, -attraction and - aggression. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS NE 481 Molecular Biology of the Neuron
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 OR CASNE102) - Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology of sensory transduction. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS NE 481. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS NE 520 Sensory Neurobiology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Animals receive a constant stream of sensory input that they use to adjust their behavior. In this course we explore how sensory systems translate the physical features of the outside world into meaningful patterns of neural activity. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS NE 542 Neuroethology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASNE102 & CASNE203) and NE major; and junior or senior standing. - An in-depth study of the neural mechanisms underlying natural behaviors in animals, integrating perspectives from behavioral ecology and neurobiology. Behaviors that are central to fitness will be studied in detail, including the sensory and motor bases of prey detection, predator avoidance, communication, courtship, navigation, and migration. A wide variety of non- model organisms such as honeybees, owls, bats, and crickets are discussed. Lectures are integrated with student-led discussions of relevant research papers. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS NE 556 Drug Discovery in Neuroscience
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 102/116, NE 333, CH 203, NE major, and junior or senior standing g. - The process of drug discovery is complex especially when a drug is intended to treat a neurological disease. This discussion-heavy course examines the specific challenges of modern neuroscience drug discovery, including: target selection, pharmacodynamics, animal models, and clinical trials. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS NE 556S Drug Discovery in Neuroscience
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 102/116, NE 333, CH 203. The process of drug discovery is complex especially when a drug is intended to treat a neurological disease. This discussion-heavy course examines the specific challenges of modern neuroscience drug discovery, including: target selection, pharmacodynamics, animal models, and clinical trials. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS NE 561 Proteostasis in the Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 102, NE 203, NE major, and junior or senior standing. CAS BI 2 03/213 is recommended. - A hands-on class focusing on the mechanisms that control protein homoestasis, and on the approaches that we can use to study how it may change in conditions associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The class mimics, as much as possible, a real research environment, as students carry out experiments throughout the semester, learn how to develop and test new hypotheses, and also share knowledge through weekly readings and presentation of research articles inherent to the topics of the class. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS NE 589 Neural Impacts on Tumorigenesis
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 102, NE 203, and NE major; and junior or senior standing. - Explores neuronal invasion and mechanisms of neurogenesis into solid tumors, cross-talk in tumor microenvironments, and nervous system influence on cancer modulators that enhance tumorigenesis. Enhancement of cancer from environmental stress at this interface is also examined. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PH 465 Philosophy of Cognitive Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPH 310 and CASPH 360 and one other philosophy course; or consent of instructor. - This course focuses on the blurry boundaries between philosophical and scientific study of the mind. Philosophers sometimes appeal to findings from empirical psychology to support views in philosophy of mind and epistemology. To what sorts of philosophical debates are empirical findings about the mind relevant? To what extent should we allow these findings to constrain our philosophical theorizing? Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 665 Philosophy of Cognitive Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Scientific Inquiry II
We'll read important scientific work in evolutionary theory, psychology, etc. about human cognition. We'll then explore its philosophical implications. For example, we'll use research in cognitive science to think about whether humans are irremediably tribal and sectarian. Scientific Inquiry I and Social Inquiry I are both prerequisites for this course. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PS 211 Introduction to Experimental Design
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 211S Introduction to Experimental Design
4 credits.
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.
CAS PY 106 Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY105) or equivalent. - The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY106 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including electricity and magnetism, direct-current circuits, waves, optics, and modern physics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 106S Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY105) or equivalent. - The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. CAS PY 106 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including electricity and magnetism, direct-current circuits, waves, optics, and modern physics. Students must register for three sections: lecture, discussion, and a laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 212 General Physics 2
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASMA124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. - Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing electromagnetism, circuits, and optics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 212S General Physics 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASMA124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking MA 123. - Prereq: (CAS PY 211 & CAS MA 124) or consent of instructor for students concurrently taking CAS MA 123 or CAS MA 225. Calculus-based introduction to basic principles of physics, emphasizing electromagnetism, circuits, and optics. For science majors and engineers, and for premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106. Interactive, student-centered lectures and laboratory. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 252 Principles of Physics 2
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Quantitative Reasoning II Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY251) or equivalent. - Introduction to electric and magnetic fields, circuits, electromagnetic waves, and optics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PY 313 Waves and Modern Physics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Graduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Waves and physical optics, relativistic mechanics, experimental foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure, physics of molecules and solids, atomic nuclei and elementary particles. Along with CAS PY 211, 212, PY 313 completes a three-semester introductory sequence primarily intended for students of engineering. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PY 313E Waves and Modern Physics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Graduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Waves and physical optics, relativistic mechanics, experimental foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure, physics of molecules and solids, atomic nuclei and elementary particles. Along with CAS PY 211, 212, PY 313 completes a three-semester introductory sequence primarily intended for students of engineering.
CAS PY 313S ELEM MODERN PHY
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - Graduate Prerequisites: (CASPY211 & CASPY212 & CASMA124) - WAVES & MOD PHY
CAS PY 351 Modern Physics 1
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPY251 & CASPY252) (or CASPY211, CASPY212) and CASMA124. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASMA225) - This course traces the historical and intellectual developments that led to the formulation of modern physics. It introduces students to special relativity, quantum mechanics, classical and quantum statistics, emphasizing scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Labs are a required course component. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 456 Neurobiology of Sex and Aggression
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II
Examines neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sex and violence. Students review primary literature from the past century that highlights major scientific discoveries that have reconceptualized our understanding of the origins of sexual-determination, -attraction and - aggression. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II.
CAS WS 456S Neurobiology of Sex and Aggression
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Oral and/or Signed Communication Scientific Inquiry II
Examines neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sex and violence. Students review primary literature from the past century that highlights major scientific discoveries that have reconceptualized our understanding of the origins of sexual-determination, -attraction and - aggression. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II.
CGS NS 202 Human Ecology/Global Ecology
4 credits. Spring
What is the fate of the biosphere and our species' Can humans reconcile economic and technological growth with ecological sustainability' This course examines the impact of one species, Homo sapiens, on the ecosystems of the biosphere, seeking answers to these broad questions. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC PY 104 Energy and Society
4 credits. Fall and Spring
"Energy powers the world." This seminar explores that pithy statement, beginning with basic concepts and definitions. Students examine the history of human uses of energy, how energy arises in different realms (physical, chemical, biological), the primary sources of energy, how to transmit and store energy, and the politics of energy, seeking to answer the ultimate question: "What should be the path forward to a sustainable, environmentally sound, equitable energy future'" Students will demonstrate their understanding through problem sets/short essays, a mid-term exam, and a final project. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
SAR HS 201 Introduction to Nutrition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course focuses on the components of a healthy, well-balanced diet to meet nutritional needs and avoid deficiencies and excesses. The basic concepts discussed will include: MyPlate, food labeling, recommended nutrient intakes for all age and gender groups, weight management, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and lifecycle nutrition. Special emphasis will be on nutrition and disease prevention and applying the nutrition knowledge learned to everyday living. Note: students who take SAR HS251 Human Nutrition Science for credit cannot also take this HS201 course for credit. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
SAR HS 201S Introduction to Nutrition
4 credits. Summer
Focuses on the components of a healthy, well-balanced diet to meet nutritional needs and avoid deficiencies and excesses. The basic concepts discussed include MyPlate, food labeling, recommended nutrient intakes for all age and gender groups, weight management, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and lifecycle nutrition. Special emphasis is placed on nutrition and disease prevention and applying the nutrition knowledge learned to everyday living. Note: students who take SAR HS 251 Human Nutrition Science for credit cannot also take SAR HS 201 for credit. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
SAR HS 251 Human Nutrition Science
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Prerequisites: CAS BI105 OR CAS BI108. This course draws on principles of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry to deepen students’ understanding of macro- and micronutrients, digestion, and metabolism in preparation for applied discussions on individual- and policy-level tools to support healthy eating, dietary patterns for chronic disease prevention, and global nutrition challenges. This course is intended for pre-health and nutrition majors. For non-majors, see SAR HS 201 – Intro to Nutrition. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, lobal Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry II.
SAR HS 251S Human Nutrition Science
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Scientific Inquiry II
Prerequisites: CAS BI105 OR CAS BI108. This course draws on principles of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry to deepen students’ understanding of macro- and micronutrients, digestion, and metabolism in preparation for applied discussions on individual- and policy-level tools to support healthy eating, dietary patterns for chronic disease prevention, and global nutrition challenges. This course is intended for pre-health and nutrition majors. For non-majors, see SAR HS 201 – Intro to Nutrition. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, lobal Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Scientific Inquiry II.
SAR HS 300 Epidemiology 1
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: none - Examines the distribution of health and diseases across the population, and the factors that impact health. Which group of people is more likely to experience a heart attack or develop diabetes' Do our level of education, race or income impact our health and our life expectancy' This course studies how we approach understanding disease distribution within the population. Through in class presentations, real world examples, exercises and discussions students become proficient in research methods, disease screening, and infectious disease outbreak investigation. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
SAR HS 300S Epidemiology 1
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: none - Examines the distribution of health and diseases across the population and the factors that impact health. Which group of people is more likely to experience a heart attack or develop diabetes' Do our level of education, race, or income impact our health and our life expectancy' This course studies how we approach understanding disease distribution within the population. Through in-class presentations, real world examples, exercises, and discussions, students become proficient in research methods, disease screening, and infectious disease outbreak investigation. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II.
SAR HS 342 Exercise Physiology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI211 OR CASBI315) or consent of instructor. - What are the limits of human performance' Why can't we run 25 miles at the same speed we can sprint 40 yards' How do common diseases impact tolerance to physical activity' In exercise physiology we will discuss these questions and more, eventually uncovering principles that determine how our bodies respond to various forms of stress (like exercise). Through hands-on group experiments and collaborative projects in laboratory and lecture, we will also explore how scientists have come to these conclusions through the implementation of the scientific method in a research setting. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR HS 342S Exercise Physiology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI211 OR CASBI315) or consent of instructor. - What are the limits of human performance' Why can't we run 25 miles at the same speed we can sprint 40 yards' How do common diseases impact tolerance to physical activity' In exercise physiology we discuss these questions and more, eventually uncovering principles that determine how our bodies respond to various forms of stress (like exercise). Through hands-on group experiments and collaborative projects in laboratory and lecture, we also explore how scientists have come to these conclusions through the implementation of the scientific method in a research setting. Students must register for two sections: lecture and a laboratory. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR SH 335 Neurobiology of Language
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPS101 or CASNE101 or CASLX250 - This course examines the neuroscience of language and communication. Topics include the brain bases of speech perception and production; lexical, semantic, and syntactic processing; language learning and development; neurogenic communication disorders; reading and literacy; and the interface between language and cognition (perception, attention, and memory). The course emphasizes modern neuroimaging approaches to human neuroscience. Students design and carry out an fMRI experiment to study the brain bases of language. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, Creativity/Innovation.
SAR SH 501 Neurobiology of Language
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPS101 or CASNE101, and CASLX250 - This course examines the neuroscience of language and communication. Topics include the brain bases of speech perception and production; lexical, semantic, and syntactic processing; language learning and development; neurogenic communication disorders; reading and literacy; and the interface between language and cognition (perception, attention, and memory). The course emphasizes modern neuroimaging approaches to human neuroscience. Students design and carry out an fMRI experiment to study the brain bases of language. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration.
Social Inquiry I
CAS AA 112 Black Power in the Classroom: The History of Black Studies
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Centers Black experiences, cultures, knowledge production and identity formation in the United States and in the African Diaspora across time and space. Examines and traces the genealogies of Black Studies as a discipline: its political, ideological, and practical foundations on college campuses and in communities. Also explores earlier traditions and contemporary work in Black radical thought and activism that lay the groundwork for and build on the founding principles of Black Studies by mobilizing an intersectional and diasporic lens. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AA 238 Modern Africa
4 credits.
Provides an introduction to African history over the past 175 years, including the end of slavery, colonial rule and anti-colonial revolt, decolonization and nationalism, and the opportunities and challenges of life in postcolonial Africa. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AA 294 Religion and Black Popular Music
4 credits. Spring
Students explore the interplay of religious themes and Black music through social and political theory. They analyze how these themes shape behavior and examine the cultural significance of notable works, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural influences and artistic expression. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AA 294S Religion and Black Popular Music
4 credits. Summer
Students explore the interplay of religious themes and Black music through social and political theory. They analyze how these themes shape behavior and examine the cultural significance of notable works, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural influences and artistic expression. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AA 297 African American Women's History
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
Survey of African American women's history from the slave trade to the present, investigating its critical role in shaping the meaning of race, gender, and sexuality during slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights era. Also offered as CAS HI 297 and CAS WS 297. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AA 319 Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
How many people are affected by the criminal justice system' What is the relationship between crime and race' What criminal justice policies, if any, should change' In this course, students will grapple with these questions. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS AA 319S Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
4 credits.
Online offering. Considers the following questions: How many people are affected by the criminal justice system' What is the relationship between crime and race' What criminal justice policies, if any, should change' Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS AA 415 Fictions of Race and Migration
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Just as immigration is central to American literature, much African American literature has been produced by Blacks from outside the United States. This class explores the history and presence of these migrants and their impact on language, culture and politics. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AA 416 Religion, Race, and Climate Change
4 credits. Fall
A multi-disciplinary course delving into the influence of religion and race on human behavior and non-human, planetary realities at local and global scales. It focuses on the historical, systemic, and societal implications associated with ongoing climate change debates. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AA 616 Religion, Race, and Climate Change
4 credits. Fall
A multi-disciplinary course delving into the influence of religion and race on human behavior and non-human, planetary realities at local and global scales. It focuses on the historical, systemic, and societal implications associated with ongoing climate change debates. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AH 251 Ancient Maya Civilization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An exploration of the Maya civilization of Mexico and Central America, including its origins, intellectual achievements, city-state rise and collapse cycles, and the cultural endurance of the Maya people of today. This course carries humanities divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AH 319E British Arts & Media
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Liberal Arts Programme. - ARTS&MEDIA BRIT
CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture and Urbanism
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
This class presents a history of Boston from the seventeenth through twenty- first centuries, as seen through the region's architectural and urban history. Major buildings, architects, and urban planning schemes are examined in terms of economic, political, social, and institutional histories. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 101 Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Introduction to the basic concepts, principles, and problems of sociocultural anthropology, emphasizing the study of traditional and complex societies. Special attention to the organization and meaning of religion, economic life, kinship and political order; and the problem of cultural variation in the contemporary world. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 101S Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Introduces the basic concepts, principles, and problems of sociocultural anthropology, emphasizing the study of both traditional and complex societies. Special attention to the organization and meaning of religion, economic life, kinship, and political order. Explores the problem of cultural variation in the contemporary world. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 102S Human Biology, Behavior, and Evolution
4 credits.
Introduces basic principles of evolutionary biology, human origins, genetics, reproduction, socio-ecology, and the evolution of primate and human behavior and adaptions. Laboratory sections include examination of fossil and skeletal material, as well as hands-on projects involving human and primate behavior and biology. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Students must register for lecture and lab. 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.
CAS AN 103 Anthropology Through Ethnography
4 credits.
Examines the diversity of human lifeways and cultures across a variety of societies and through time, as well as the social processes that shape individuals. Seminar-style introduction to cultural anthropology through the reading of ethnography, with discussion and debate. (For anthropology majors, this course can serve as a substitute for AN 101.) 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, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 201 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to the archaeology and Indigenous peoples civilizations of the Americas, with a focus on the precolonial era. Topics progress chronologically as well as comparatively, with cases drawn from Native American cultures of the North America, Mesoamerica, and South America. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I.
CAS AN 220 Urban Anthropology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
An introduction to classic and contemporary definitions of the city and ethnographic approaches to the study of urban life. Examines urban inequalities and the stratification of space by immigration, gender, racialization, and poverty. Participants conduct mini- ethnographic projects in the city of Boston. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 234 Evolutionary Psychology
4 credits.
Can evolutionary theory shed light on human psychology and behavior' This introductory course explores the evolution of mind: emotion and expression, learning and cognition, sex and reproduction, parenthood and family, cooperation and coalitions, aggression and warfare, mental health, and more. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 234S Evolutionary Psychology
4 credits.
Online offering. Can evolutionary theory shed light on human psychology and behavior' This introductory course explores the evolution of mind: emotion and expression, learning and cognition, sex and reproduction, parenthood and family, cooperation and coalitions,aggression and warfare, mental health, and more. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 240 Legal Anthropology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduction to legal anthropology that investigates the role of law and legal systems in a variety of historical and contemporary societies from a cross-cultural perspective. It examines how different societies generate and maintain mechanisms to deal with competition and conflict. (Counts towards the Minor in African American & Black Diaspora Studies.) Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS AN 243 Shamans and Shamanism
4 credits.
Shamans in global and theoretical perspectives. The origins and construction of the category of shamanism. Modern theories and debates about the category and the appropriateness of applying it cross-culturally. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 260 Sex and Gender in Anthropological Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Cross-cultural examination of gender roles, expectations, and practices. Focuses on economic, social, political, and ideological determinants that structure the hierarchy of power and privileges accorded the activities and experiences of women, men, and non-binary people in various societies. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy,
CAS AN 260S Sex and Gender in Anthropological Perspective
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Cross-cultural examination of changing gender roles, expectations, and practices. Focuses on economic, social, political, and ideological determinants that structure the hierarchy of power and privileges accorded the thoughts, activities, and experiences of women and men in various societies. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 262 The Evolution of Culture and Society
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Where do culture and society come from' Are there common patterns that underlie social diversity' This course explores the origins of human societies, from our hunter-gatherer ancestors to the development of contemporary industrial nations. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I (SO1), Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 263 The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An exploration of female behavioral biology focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. (Counts as an elective in Biology with a Specialization in Behavioral Biology. Counts towards the minor in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies.) (Counts for Natural Science credit; as a Biology - Specialization in Behavioral Biology - elective; and towards the Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies minor.) Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 263S The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits. Summer
Explores female behavioral biology, focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. (Counts for Natural Science credit; as an elective in Biology with a Specialization in Behavioral Biology; and towards the Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies minor.) Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120) or consent of instructor - Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AN 280S Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120) or consent of instructor - Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AN 283 North American Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
North American prehistory from initial peopling of continent to development of complex societies. Explores human entry into the New World; migration across North America; subsistence changes; human effects on landscape; encounters with Europeans; role of archaeology in contemporary Native cultures. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I
CAS AN 285 Coping with Crisis in Contemporary Africa (area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores the ways ordinary Africans are coping with problems of security, environmental degradation, forced migration, economic decline, and disease. Readings and lectures contrast outsiders' interpretations of these "crises" with the way they are experienced by those they affect. Staff. 4 cr. Either sem. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 290 Children and Culture
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Cross-cultural exploration of caregiving and child development from infancy to adolescence. Topics include beliefs about infants and children; the acquisition of culture; gender socialization; moral development; and the influence of schooling, nation-making, and media on childhood. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AN 290S Children and Culture
4 credits. Summer
Cross-cultural exploration of caregiving and child development from infancy to adolescence. Topics include beliefs about infants and children; the acquisition of culture; gender socialization; moral development; and the influence of schooling, nation-making, and media on childhood. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AN 291 Peoples of the Arctic
4 credits. Fall and Spring
People have lived in the Arctic for 40,000 years and continue to thrive in this challenging environment. We use archaeological, oral history, historic, and ethnographic data to examine this long history, and to address the ways in which themes from the past can be used to highlight contemporary issues in Arctic communities. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 310 Studies in North American Ethnography (area)
4 credits.
A survey including an appreciation of the traditional background and heritage of native North Americans, analysis of the history and contact with Europeans and governmental policies, and an examination and evaluation of the contemporary situation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 318 Southeast Asia: Tradition and Modernity (area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines the dynamics of politics, religion, class, and gender across Southeast Asia today. Using both literature and film media, pays particular attention to the forces that have made Southeast Asia one of the most dynamic regions in the world today. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 320 Women in the Muslim World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
A cross-cultural approach to the diversity and complexity of women's lives in the Muslim world, including the United States. Looks at issues such as gender equality, civil society and democracy, sex segregation and sexual politics, kinship and marriage, and veiling. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 321 Cognition and Culture
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This class explores the relationship between culture and cognition. We place emphasis on the mechanisms of cultural change and how these affect features of human cognition. In turn, culture itself is shaped and constrained by human cognition. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 323 East Africa: Order and Change (area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores East Africa and its people's ways of understanding time, space, and social order. Topics include issues such as settlement order, birth order, inter-generational relations, ritual and ceremony -- as challenged, upheld, and reformed -- and questions of power, authority, belief, and ethics. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 348 Investigating Contemporary Globalization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Contemporary ethnographic investigation of globalization. Special attention to the impact of global capitalism on local communities, identity and reflexivity, transnational populations, women and work, cultural authenticity, tourism, and the relationship between social media and changing cultural norms and experiences. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 348S Investigating Contemporary Globalization
4 credits. Summer
Ethnographic and historical investigation of globalization. Special attention to the impact of global capitalism on indigenous communities; popular culture and consumerism; transnational populations; women and work; and relationships between novel forms of communication (i.e., Facebook and email) and changing cultural norms. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 349 Challenging Xenophobia: Perception, Prejudice, Performance
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Examines imaginings and stereotypes of savagery in change, comparing and contrasting them with real humans. Treats African, Native American, and European civilizations and their interrelations of perception, prejudice, and performance. Links history and human geography; connects culture, society, and psychology. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 351 Language, Culture, and Society
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Examines the ways that language both reflects and shapes thought, culture, and relations of power. Particular emphasis is placed on three broad topical areas: language, ethnicity and race; language and the performance of gender; and the linguistic performance of youth identities. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 357 Bioarchaeology and the Body
4 credits. Spring
Introduction to the study of human remains in bioarchaeological contexts. Course reviews key theoretical frameworks and methodologies in interpreting valuable information about demography, gender differences, social identities and the daily lives of past peoples, as well as ongoing ethical concerns in bioarchaeological practice. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 365E SPAIN MEXICO
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Madrid Internship Program or the Madrid Spanish Stud ies Program. - SPAIN MEXICO
CAS AN 384 Anthropology of Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN101) or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the anthropological study of myth, ritual, and religious experience across cultures. Special attention to the problem of religious symbolism and meaning, religious conversion and revitalization, contrasts between traditional and world religions, and the relation of religious knowledge to science, magic, and ideology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 384S Anthropological Study of Religion
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN101) or consent of instructor. - An introduction to the anthropological study of myth, ritual, and religious experience across cultures. Special attention to the problem of religious symbolism and meaning, religious conversion and revitalization, contrasts between traditional and world religions, and the relation of religious knowledge to science, magic, and ideology.
CAS AN 508 Landscape Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or 120) - A seminar-style introduction to "landscape archaeology," a theoretical and methodological approach that explores how past and present communities create (and are in turn affected by) "cultural landscapes" formed through the interplay of sociocultural values and the natural environment. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 531 Anthropology of the New Middle Class
4 credits.
Explores the emergence, expansion, and social dynamics of new middle classes across the developed and developing world. Situates the phenomenon within the context of widespread globalization and against the backdrop of varied on-the-ground ¿conditions of possibility.¿
CAS AN 718 Southeast Asia: Tradition and Modernity (Area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Provides an in-depth introduction to the culture, politics, religions, and gender realities of modern Southeast Asia. Using both literature and film media, pays particular attention to the forces that have made Southeast Asia the dynamic and deeply plural region it is today. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AN 720 Women in the Muslim World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
A cross-cultural approach to the diversity and complexity of women's lives in the Muslim world, including the United States. Looks at issues such as gender equality, civil society and democracy, sex segregation and sexual politics, kinship and marriage, and veiling. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy
CAS AN 749 Challenging Xenophobia: Perception, Prejudice, Performance
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Examines imaginings and stereotypes of savagery in change, comparing and contrasting them with real humans. Treats African, Native American, and European civilizations and their interrelations of perception, prejudice, and performance. Links history and human geography; connects culture, society, and psychology. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS AN 784 Anthropology of Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Myth, ritual, and religious experience across cultures. Special attention to the problem of religious symbolism and meaning, religious conversion and revitalization, contrasts between traditional and world religions, and the relation of religious knowledge to science, magic, and ideology. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 150 Archaeology of Cities
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
An introduction to the archaeology of cities and urbanism. The course includes introductory urban theory, exposure to ancient and early modern cities from geo-temporal contexts that Archaeology Program faculty specialize in, and comparison of cities and urbanism organized along central themes. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 190 Introduction to Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets. Relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 190S Introduction to Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Foundational training in how archaeologists study past peoples and cultures via field, museum, and laboratory methods. Students apply theoretical frameworks to archaeological themes and datasets and learn to relate archaeological outcomes to the present day through real-world examples from around the globe. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 200 Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Protection and management of archaeological heritage, including sites, artifacts, and monuments. Survey of heritage values and stakeholders. Issues covered include policy and legislation, U.S. preservation system, 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, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 200E HERITAGE MATTRS
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
HERITAGE MATTRS
CAS AR 201 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to the archaeology and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a focus on the precolonial era. Topics progress chronologically as well as comparatively, with cases drawn from Native American cultures of the North America, Mesoamerica, and South America. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AR 205 Origins of Civilization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The comparison of origins and institutions of civilizations in the Old and New Worlds, including the first state-organized societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, China, Mesoamerica, and Peru. 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 and Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 240 Archaeology of Ancient China
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines the archaeology of ancient China from the Neolithic through the early imperial periods (7000 BCE to 3rd C. CE) the interactions of technology, art, literature with ancient political, religious, and social power; and cultural heritage issues in facing modern China. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 251 Ancient Maya Civilization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An exploration of the Maya civilization of Mexico and Central America, including its origins, intellectual achievements, city-state rise and collapse cycles, and the cultural endurance of the Maya people of today. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 280 Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) or consent of inst ructor - Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AR 280S Eating and Drinking in the Ancient World
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) or consent of instructor. Survey of the archaeological evidence of the diets of human societies, from earliest humans to the present. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food and drink within their social contexts. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AR 283 North American Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
North American prehistory from initial peopling of continent to development of complex societies. Explores human entry into the New World; migration across North America; subsistence changes; human effects on landscape; encounters with Europeans; role of archaeology in contemporary Native cultures. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AR 290 Human Impacts on Ancient Environments
4 credits.
Examination of human-environmental interactions in the global landscape over the past 10,000 years through migration, hunting, disease, agriculture, and other cultural activities; implications for contemporary and future resources management and environmental policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS AR 291 Peoples of the Arctic
4 credits. Fall and Spring
People have lived in the Arctic for 40,000 years and continue to thrive in this challenging environment. We use archaeological, oral history, historic, and ethnographic data to examine this long history, and to address the ways in which themes from the past can be used to highlight contemporary issues in Arctic communities. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 347 Egypt and Northeast Africa: Early States in Egypt, Nubia, and Eritrea/Ethiopia
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120)or consent of instr uctor. - This course focuses on early states in northeast Africa, in Egypt, Nubia, and Eritrea/Ethiopia. Comparative analyses include socio-economic institutions, kingship, burial practices and religions of these early states, concentrating on archaeological as well as textual evidence. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AR 357 Bioarchaeology and the Body
4 credits. Spring
Introduction to the study of human remains in bioarchaeological contexts. Course reviews key theoretical frameworks and methodologies in interpreting valuable information about demography, gender differences, social identities and the daily lives of past peoples, as well as ongoing ethical concerns in bioarchaeological practice. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS AR 365E SPAIN MEXICO
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Madrid Internship Program or the Madrid Spanish Stud ies Program. - SPAIN MEXICO
CAS AR 508 Landscape Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or 120) - A seminar-style introduction to "landscape archaeology," a theoretical and methodological approach that explores how past and present communities create (and are in turn affected by) "cultural landscapes" formed through the interplay of sociocultural values and the natural environment. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CG 106E BUPH SUM CLT
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Critical Thinking Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
BUPH SUM CLT
CAS CI 128 Religion and Film
4 credits.
Religions and films are world-building engines. They create -- and re-create -- a visioning of society as a world of justice, of lived myth, of fantasy, of ideology: a world we may long to live in or a world we wish to avoid at all costs. This course explores such worlds by examining the ways in which religious beliefs, practices and people are portrayed in popular film from the 1960s to the present. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CI 255 The Myth of the Family in Classic American Literature, Film, and Television
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Blood bonds, criminality, violence, and language as they emerge across American cultural forms. Works include novels by Twain, Faulkner, Morrison, and Junot D¿az; films such as The Godfather and Boys Don't Cry; serial television such as Breaking Bad and The Wire. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS CI 268 Religion and Film
4 credits.
Religions and films are world-building engines. They create -- and re-create -- a visioning of society as a world of justice, of lived myth, of fantasy, of ideology: a world we may long to live in or a world we wish to avoid at all costs. This course explores such worlds by examining the ways in which religious beliefs, practices and people are portrayed in popular film from the 1960s to the present. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CL 102 The World of Rome
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to the world of the ancient Romans, as viewed in their literature, culture, and art. Discusses their origins, army, family life, religion, and education, and their legacy in our own time. All texts in translation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CL 102S The World of Rome
4 credits. Summer
An introduction to the world of the ancient Romans, as viewed in their literature, culture, and art. Discusses their origins, army, family life, religion, and education, and their legacy in our own time. All texts in translation. Carries humanities 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.
CAS CL 206 Women in Antiquity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
In this class, we explore the writings, representations, rituals, powers, and spaces of women in the ancient world (Greece, Rome) and beyond, discussing literature, documentary evidence, works of art and architecture, archaeological remains, and gender theory. All texts in translation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CL 216 Greek and Roman Religion
4 credits.
Survey of ancient Greek and Roman religions and their development from earliest beginnings to the eclipse of paganism. Theories and practices of these religions, comparisons with other religions, and relationships to Judaism and Christianity. All texts in translation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CL 228 The History of Medicine in Ancient Greece and Rome
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
This course surveys the history of medical thought and practice in Greece and Rome, from the archaic to the Byzantine period. It examines developments in anatomy, pharmacology, psychology and nutrition, and analyzes texts by important ancient medical thinkers. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS CL 228S The History of Medicine in Ancient Greece and Rome
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
A survey of the history of medical thought and practice in Greece and Rome, from the archaic to the Byzantine period. Examines developments in anatomy, pharmacology, psychology and nutrition, and analyzes texts by important ancient medical thinkers. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same name that was previously numbered CAS CL 328.
CAS CL 237 Race and Ethnicity in Ancient Greece and Rome
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Students explore and better understand the changing conceptions, motives, and effects of racial and ethnic formations and categorizations with a primary focus on the views presented in ancient Greek and Roman literature and art and the influence which those views have had in later historical periods and places, especially the United States. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS CL 321 Greek History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduction to the political, social, and economic history of Greece from the earliest historical period through the death of Alexander the Great. All texts in translation. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS CL 717 GRK & ROMAN REL
4 credits. Fall
GRK & ROMAN REL
CAS EC 101 Introductory Microeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The first semester of a standard two-semester sequence for those considering further work in management or economics. Coverage includes economics of households, business firms, and markets; consumer behavior and the demand for commodities; production, costs, and the supply of commodities; price determination; competition and monopoly; efficiency of resource allocation; governmental regulation; income distribution; and poverty. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. In 2019-20 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 101S Introductory Microeconomic Analysis
4 credits.
The first semester of a standard two-semester sequence is for those considering further work in management or economics. Coverage includes the economics of households, business firms, and markets; consumer behavior and the demand for commodities; production, costs, and the supply of commodities; price determination; competition and monopoly; efficiency of resource allocation; governmental regulation; income distribution; and poverty. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 102 Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The second semester of a standard two-semester sequence for those considering further work in management or economics. National economic performance; the problems of recession, unemployment, and inflation; money creation, government spending, and taxation; economic policies for full employment and price stability; and international trade and payments. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EC 102S Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis
4 credits.
The second semester of a standard two-semester sequence is for those considering further work in management or economics. National economic performance; the problems of recession, unemployment, and inflation; money creation; government spending and taxation; economic policies for full employment and price stability; and international trade and payments. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship, and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EC 341 Monetary and Banking Institutions
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC202) - Survey of commercial and central banking institutions. Examination of macro relations between financial organizations and principal objectives of stabilization policy. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 341S Monetary and Banking Institutions
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC202) - Survey of commercial and central banking institutions. Examination of macro relations between financial organizations and principal objectives of stabilization policy. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 361E Economic Development of Europe
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Offers a broad understanding of the European Union, its history and its prospects for growth beyond the current member-states. Topics: Europe in search of new structures; institutions of the Union; instruments and systems of organization; economic policies of the European Union; social dimensions of an integrated market; monetary policies; and relations with other free market nations, with Eastern and Central Europe, and with developing countries.
CAS EC 368 Contemporary East Asian Economics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Meets with CAS IR 368. An introduction to the economic history and institutions of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. Topics include structural change, trade, labor markets, corporate organization, financial systems, and macroeconomic and industrial policy. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS EC 368S Contemporary East Asian Economics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - An introduction to the economics of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Topics include Japanese firms, labor markets, finance, monetary and fiscal policies, industrial policies, and Taiwanese and Korean post-1960 economic development.
CAS EC 372E Irish Economy
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Dublin Internship Program; and CAS EC 101 or CAS EC 102, or consent of instructor. - IRISH ECONOMY
CAS EE 100 Environmental Change and Sustainability
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces the distinctive ways that environmental change and sustainability are studied across the environmental social sciences and humanities, focusing on the contested meanings as much as material realities and policy responses to global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 100S Environmental Change and Sustainability
4 credits. Summer
Introduces the distinctive ways that environmental change and sustainability are studied across the environmental social sciences and humanities, focusing on the contested meanings as much as material realities and policy responses to global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE 201 World Regional Geography
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Overview of the special combination of environmental, historical, economic, and organizational qualities of the regions of the Old World, including Western and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, East and South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Emphasis on current issues of regional and global development. 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, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 201S World Regional Geography
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
World Regional Geography
CAS EN 155 The Myth of the Family in Classical American Literature, Film, and Television
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Blood bonds, criminality, violence, and language as they emerge across American cultural forms. Works include novels by Twain, Faulkner, Morrison, and Junot Diaz; films such as The Godfather and Boys Don't Cry; serial television such as Breaking Bad and The Wire. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS EN 399 Fictions of Race and Migration
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Just as immigration is central to American literature, much African American literature has been produced by Blacks from outside the United States. This class explores the history and presence of these migrants and their impact on language, culture and politics. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS HI 112 Black Power in the Classroom: The History of Black Studies
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Centers Black experiences, cultures, knowledge production and identity formation in the United States and in the African Diaspora across time and space. Examines and traces the genealogies of Black Studies as a discipline: its political, ideological, and practical foundations on college campuses and in communities. Also explores earlier traditions and contemporary work in Black radical thought and activism that lay the groundwork for and build on the founding principles of Black Studies by mobilizing an intersectional and diasporic lens. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 151 The Emerging United States to 1865
4 credits. Fall
Explores how the United States, at first only a series of borderland outposts, became a sprawling national republic. Investigates factors that brought Americans together and those that tore them apart, as they struggled passionately over racial, religious, and sectional values. 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.
CAS HI 151S The Emerging United States to 1865
4 credits.
Explores how the United States, at first only a series of borderland outposts, became a sprawling national republic. Investigates factors that brought Americans together and those that tore them apart, as they struggled passionately over racial, religious, and sectional values. 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.
CAS HI 209 The Reformation: Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
4 credits.
Examines religious change in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, particularly the origins and causes of the Protestant Reformation, the parallel Catholic Reformation, and the consequent military conflicts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Also offered as CAS RN 310. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 209S The Reformation: Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
4 credits. Summer
Examines religious change in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, particularly the origins and causes of the Protestant Reformation, the parallel Catholic Reformation, and the consequent military conflicts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Also offered as CAS RN 310. Effective Spring 2024 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 228 Nationalism in Spain within the European Context
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course examines peripheral nationalist movements in Spain -Catalu¿a, Galicia and Basque Country- and its political, social, economic, and cultural implications. These identities are also studied from a wider European perspective with references to the political situation in the USA. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 228S HIST MOD DIPLOM
4 credits. Summer
NATIONLSM SPAIN
CAS HI 238 Modern Africa
4 credits.
Provides an introduction to African history over the past 175 years, including the end of slavery, colonial rule and anti-colonial revolt, decolonization and nationalism, and the opportunities and challenges of life in postcolonial Africa. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 243E BRITAIN&EUROPE
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - BRIT FORGN POLY
CAS HI 250E BRIT YOUTH CULT
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program and completion of one univ ersity-level history course or one university-level sociology course. - BRIT YOUTH CULT
CAS HI 253E LONDON AT WAR
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - LONDON AT WAR
CAS HI 254 The History of Ireland
4 credits.
This course provides an introduction to the major themes, individuals and events that have shaped modern Irish history. Each lecture focuses on a seminal period or event in the history of modern Ireland, examines its background and assesses its impact. Effective Summer I 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 254E HIST OF IRELAND
4 credits.
HIST OF IRELAND
CAS HI 254S HIST OF IRELAND
4 credits.
HIST OF IRELAND
CAS HI 266 French Revolution and Napoleon
4 credits.
The French Revolution began with high ideals of liberty and equality but quickly dissolved into civil war, the Terror, and Napoleon's expansionist ambitions. From the fall of the Bastille to Waterloo, this course traces the revolution's successes, failures, and legacy. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Historical Consciousness. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 268E POSTCOLNL PARIS
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program. - POSTCOLNL PARIS
CAS HI 275 Divided Nation: Germany 1945-1990
4 credits.
How is national identity formed' This course explores history of three German states after 1945 (East and West Germany and Austria), from the Nazi past and competition between communism and capitalism to the importance of German unification to European unity. Effective Spring 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 291 Politics of the American Environment
4 credits.
When have Americans addressed declining resources and ecological deterioration' Why did demands for environmental justice develop' We explore how the United States has distributed environmental risks and rewards from the country's beginning to the present. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community.
CAS HI 291S AFRICAN POST
4 credits.
POLIT AM ENVIR
CAS HI 297 African American Women's History
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
Survey of African American women's history from the slave trade to the present, investigating its critical role in shaping the meaning of race, gender, and sexuality during slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights era. Also offered as CAS AA 297 and CAS WS 297. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 302 Science and American Culture
4 credits.
Examines the rise of the natural and human sciences as influential forces in American society. Considers why they gained considerable authority in realms of medicine and technology but have proven far more limited in their impact on morality and religion Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 304 Science and Religion: Dialogue and Debate
4 credits.
Challenges conventional wisdom that science and religion have always been at war in Europe and North America. Explores their interactions, mutual existence, and conflict from Copernicus' claim that the earth revolved around the sun to contemporary debates about evolution. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 316 American Urban History
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines cities in America, from colonial era forward, focusing on Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, and San Francisco in national and transnational context. Focus on social, political, and environmental change to understand present and past urban landscapes. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 332 Introduction History, Humanities, and Social Sciences Research in the Digital Age: Tools and Methods
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Course 1 in two-semester-sequence (Fall: HI 332/XL 332; Spring: HI 333). Introduces principles and tools of digital research in history, the humanities, and social sciences. Through project-based learning, students combine skills in digital literacy, media creation, humanistic and social sciences inquiry. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 335 International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Also offered as CAS IR 315 and CAS PO 358. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing- Intensive Course.
CAS HI 335S International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120). Examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS HI 341 Political and Cultural Revolution
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Comparative historical analysis of modern and contemporary revolutionary upheavals and cultural change in Europe, the Americas, East Asia, Africa, Middle East, and the former Soviet republics. Examines the challenges posed by modernization, crisis of legitimacy, nationalism, imperial decline, and globalization. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS HI 215. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS HI 369 Empires and Modernity's in Motion: Modern Japan and the Asian World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Modern Japan is a story of miracles and tragedies, both to the extreme. This course explores the rise of the Japanese empire, the fall of its Pan-Asian intrigues, and the reconstitution of a nation on the ruins of empire. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 369S Empires and Modernity's in Motion: Modern Japan and the Asian World
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Modern Japan is a story of miracles and tragedies, both to the extreme. This course explores the rise of the Japanese empire, the fall of its Pan-Asian intrigues, and the reconstitution of a nation on the ruins of empire. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 370 Samurai, Ships, and Soil: Japan Among the Empires of Asia, 1600-1950
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Exotic as it may seem, Japan was never an isolated island country floating off the coast of Asia. This course offers a new narrative about the history of Japan in relation to the imperial orders and transnational spaces of Asia. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS HI 372 Power and Pleasure in Asian America
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
How have Asians and Asian Americans endured and survived US empire, war, and anti-Asian discrimination' Ranging across law, politics, and culture, this course reveals the complicated position of Asian Americans in the US racial order since the nineteenth century. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy (, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS HI 376 The Israeli Settlement Project: History, and the Dynamics of Power
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120). - This course explores the Israeli settlement movement's evolution, focusing on the religious rights ideological, political, and societal impact from the 1970s to today. Students will analyze its historical roots, legal structures, and implications for Israeli-Palestinian conflict and dynamics. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry 1, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS HI 457 Alternative America
4 credits.
Explores groups who not only dissented from mainstream American society, but constructed entire alternative communities. Considers the ideas of freedom, religion, sex, family, community, justice, ecology, and survival that inspired such experiments from the country's beginnings to the present day. Effective Fall 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 459 Paper Children and Tiger Parents: Capitalism and Asian American Families
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
How does capitalism condition the bonds, structures, or feelings in Asian immigrant and diasporic families' Explores how patterns of empire, war, and immigration lead to new family formations and how families adapt to this trauma through interdisciplinary texts ranging from history, literature, psychology, and sociology. Through sources like memoirs, scholarly works, literature, and film, we discuss dynamics such as intergenerational trauma, sexuality, and childhood. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
The Individual in Community, Oral and/ Signed Communication, Social Inquiry 1.
CAS HI 506 The Transformation of Early New England: Witches, Whalers and Warfare
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores how religious schisms and revival, warfare with native Americans, political revolution, and commercial development transformed New England from a Puritanical agricultural society into an urbanized, industrial society by the outbreak of the American Civil War. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 609 Christendom Divided: Reformation and Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
4 credits.
Examines religious change in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, particularly the origins and causes of the Protestant Reformation, the parallel Catholic Reformation, and the consequent military conflicts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Also offered as CAS RN 310. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS HI 704 Science and Religion: Dialogue and Debate
4 credits.
Challenges conventional wisdom that science and religion have always been at war in Europe and North America. Explores their interactions, mutual existence, and conflict from Copernicus' claim that the earth revolved around the sun to contemporary debates about evolution. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 238 Modern Africa
4 credits.
Provides an introduction to African history over the past 175 years, including the end of slavery, colonial rule and anti-colonial revolt, decolonization and nationalism, and the opportunities and challenges of life in postcolonial Africa. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 240 America Abroad: Debating the U.S. and the World since 1789
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces students to debates and associated concepts over the United States' role in international affairs since independence. Using history and theory, explores core elements in these debates, examines changes in US policy over time, and evaluates historical and contemporary policies. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 242 Globalization and World Poverty
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Addresses enduring global poverty and race, ethnic, gender, and class inequalities, especially in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Focuses on colonialism and post-colonialism, strategies of development, urbanization, immigration, religion, politics, women, drugs, social justice, and health issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS IR 251 Introduction to Comparative Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate core course. Meets with CAS PO 151. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 251S Introduction to Comparative Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate core course. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 271 Introduction to International Relations
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS IR 271S Introduction to International Relations
4 credits.
Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS IR 292 Fundamentals of International Economics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Covers basic principles of international economics, including trade, international finance, exchange rates, currency markets, economic policy, the role of institutions, and financial crises. Examines both theoretical frameworks and applications, with an emphasis on analysis case studies and real world examples in different world regions. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS IR 292S Fundamentals of International Economics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Covers basic principles of international economics, including trade, international finance, exchange rates, currency markets, economic policy, the role of institutions, and financial crises. Examines both theoretical frameworks and applications, with an emphasis on analysis case studies and real-world examples in different world regions. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS IR 305E COMP EUROPE POL
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program. - COMP EUROPE POL
CAS IR 311 Climate Change and Development Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores global and regional policy responses to the twin challenges of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines existing policies and radical alternatives to these challenges at global, regional and national scales. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 311S Climate Change and Development Policy
4 credits. Summer
Explores global and regional policy responses to the twin challenges of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change from a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Critically examines existing policies and radical alternatives to these challenges at global, regional and national scales. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 312 Comparative Development in the Middle East
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
This course surveys pertinent topics relating to the socio-economic and political development of the Middle East and North African throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will explore and critical analyze themes relating to colonialism and state formation and statebuilding, regime types, oil and rentierism, civil society, authoritarianism and democratization, military spending, gender relations, Islamist movements, elections, revolutions and social movements, territorial disputes, foreign intervention, and sectarianism and identity politics. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 312S Comparative Development in the Middle East
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Surveys pertinent topics relating to the socio-economic and political development of the Middle East and North African throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will explore and critical analyze themes relating to colonialism, state formation, and statebuilding; regime types; oil and rentierism; civil society; authoritarianism and democratization; military spending; gender relations; Islamist movements; elections; revolutions and social movements; territorial disputes; foreign intervention; and sectarianism and identity politics. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 315 International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Also offered as CAS HI 335 and CAS PO 358. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing- Intensive Course.
CAS IR 315S International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120). Examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS IR 319 Southeast Asia: Tradition and Modernity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Provides an in-depth introduction to the culture, politics, religions, and gender realities of modern Southeast Asia. Using both literature and film media, pays particular attention to the forces that have made Southeast Asia the dynamic and deeply plural region it is today. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 323E Iberia 20th Century
4 credits. Fall and Spring
CAS IR 344E EC DEV WEST EUR
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
EC DEV WEST EUR
CAS IR 359E British Political Institutions
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program.
CAS IR 361E POLICYMAKNG
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - POLICY MAKING
CAS IR 365 Rise of China
4 credits. Fall and Spring
How has China risen economically in the last four decades' How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models' In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise' what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world' The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 365E Rise of China
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
How has China risen economically in the last four decades' How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models' In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise' what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world' The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 365S Rise of China
4 credits.
How has China risen economically in the last four decades' How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models' In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise' what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world' The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 368 Contemporary East Asian Economics
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Meets with CAS EC 368. An introduction to the economic history and institutions of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. Topics include structural change, trade, labor markets, corporate organization, financial systems, and macroeconomic and industrial policy. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS IR 368S Contemporary East Asian Economics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - An introduction to the economics of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Topics include Japanese firms, labor markets, finance, monetary and fiscal policies, industrial policies, and Taiwanese and Korean post-1960 economic development.
CAS IR 370 China: From Revolution to Reform
4 credits. Fall
(Meets with CAS PO 351.) Introduction to modern Chinese politics including the development of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the political development of the PRC since its founding in 1949. Focus is on the party's official policy and its changing relationships with the people of China. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 370E China: From Revolution to Reform
4 credits.
(Meets with CAS PO 369.) Introduction to modern Chinese politics including the development of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the political development of the PRC since its founding in 1949. Focus is on the party's official policy and its changing relationships with the people of China.
CAS IR 370S China: From Revolution to Reform
4 credits. Summer
Introduction to modern Chinese politics including the development of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the political development of the PRC since its founding in 1949. Focus is on the party's official policy and its changing relationships with the people of China. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 373 Global Governance and International Organization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces the concept of global governance and examines roles of international organizations in select issue areas, taking into account perspectives of both industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS IR 391E Democratization
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Washington, DC Internship Program. - DEMOCRACY 21STC. Effective Fall 2023 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Creativity/Innovation, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 392E BRITAIN&EUROPE
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the BU London Internship Programme. - BRIT FORGN POLY
CAS IR 393 Technology and Economic Development
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
We use breakthroughs in New Institutional Economics, social network analysis and contract theory, to study new technological innovations in Africa and other developing regions. These include 'mobile money' in Kenya and Hello Tractor (an 'Uber for Tractors') in Nigeria. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS IR 399 Fundamentals of Global Money
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Examines financial globalization through the lens of the "money view," focusing on the cash inflows and outflows of all private and public actors in the global economy. Applies this analysis to issues including development finance, shadow banking, and financial crises. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 444E The Activities of International Organizations
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Geneva Internship Program. -
The purpose of this course is to examine and problematize the way in which international organizations, governmental and non-governmental alike but the United Nations in particular, have shaped international relations and international law. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS IR 584 Global Trade and Development
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Provides deep understanding into the impact of global trade on socio-economic development, emphasizing the role of global and regional institutions. Special attention is given to the transformative rise of global supply chain trade and its intricate links to development outcomes. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS JS 211 From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of Christianity
4 credits.
Introduces the texts of the New Testament and other early Christian writings: first, to place Jesus of Nazareth in the religious and social context of Second Temple Judaism and the Roman empire; and second, to explain the origins and growth of Christian beliefs, practices, and social formations up to the second century. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS JS 257 Antisemitism after the Holocaust
4 credits. Fall
Are there new forms of antisemitism that have developed since the Holocaust' How have old forms persisted and reappeared indifferent guises' Did the Holocaust change our understanding of possible consequences of bigotry and hatred' These questions are discussed, along with similarities to other forms of bigotry and racism, and the relationship of anti-Zionism to antisemitism. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS JS 388 The Israeli Settlement Project ¿ History, and the Dynamics of Power
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120). - This course explores the Israeli settlement movement's evolution, focusing on the religious rights ideological, political, and societal impact from the 1970s to today. Students will analyze its historical roots, legal structures, and implications for Israeli-Palestinian conflict and dynamics. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry 1, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS LC 426 Chinese American Stories: History, Identity, and Community
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate prerequisite: two 300-level modern Chinese courses or consent of instructor. - When and why did certain Chinese people choose to immigrate to the US for a new life' What were their stories upon arrival' Students develop all language skills and communicative strategies to explore the Chinese American experience in Chinese. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LF 299E CONTEMP FRANCE
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Grenoble Science Program. - CONTEMP FRANCE
CAS LF 312 French Language and Identity
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLF212) or equivalent, or placement test results. - This advanced French language course focuses on social debates and sociolinguistic issues on language and identity in the French-speaking world. Themes such as language policy, gender representation, and regional languages, are explored through analysis and discussion of authentic cultural materials. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
CAS LF 344E POST-COL PARIS
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program. - POST-COL PARIS
CAS LG 235 Around the World in 40 Fairy Tales
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or 120), or equivalent. - Traces how fairy tales influence each other within and across cultures and time periods and are adapted to changing socio-historical contexts. Students consider and write about a range of interpretational approaches and renderings in literature, the arts, and media. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS LG 260E INTCTL COM
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in BU's Study Abroad Dresden Programs. - INTCTL COM
CAS LG 305 Science and Culture
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLG212) or placement test results or consent of instructor. - How do science, humanities, and arts intersect and influence cultural attitudes towards society, nature, and the environment' Students progress in all language skills and acquire reading and communicative strategies necessary to discuss the sciences in German. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LJ 282 Samurai, Ships, and Soil: Japan Among the Empires of Asia, 1600-1950
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Exotic as it may seem, Japan was never an isolated island country floating off the coast of Asia. This course offers a new narrative about the history of Japan in relation to the imperial orders and transnational spaces of Asia. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS LJ 430 Supernatural Beings in Japan: Mononoke
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: LJ 303. - Mononoke "Supernatural Beings" have appeared in literature, historical records, traditions, and most recently, in anime and film. Through Mononoke students are able to learn about social issues, values and ideas in different periods of Japanese history. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS LJ 441 Japanese through Media
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Ethical Reasoning Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLJ303) - Analysis and discussion of authentic print, digital, visual, and social media while developing a high level of Japanese proficiency, and gaining knowledge of current issues and media literacy. Develops critical reading/viewing skills as well as communicative and intercultural proficiency. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS LJ 510 The Structure of the Japanese Language
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASLJ 112 and CASLX 250 (or equivalent placement in Japanese). - Introduction to linguistic analysis of the Japanese language (sound system, orthography, word formations, particles, basic syntactic features and semantics) and sociolinguistic aspects such as honorifics, young people’s speech and gender differences in language use. Conducted in English. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Critical Thinking, Social Inquiry I.
CAS LK 440 Korean Conversation and Composition through Media
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Ethical Reasoning Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLK312) or consent of instructor. - Intensive practice of both oral and written forms of Korean. Survey of important cultural, social, political, and economic issues in Korea as portrayed in films, television, and periodicals. Development of effective written and spoken communication. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS LN 381 Language and Identity in India: Exploring the Phenomenon of Hinglish
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores how the history and contemporary usage of Hinglish reflect India's postcolonial and globalized identity. Readings on sociolinguistic theories and linguistic rules of Hinglish, with examples from cinema, advertising, social media, and popular fiction. Course taught in English. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS LP 211E Third-Semester Portuguese
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLP112) or placement test results. - Review and practice of the structures of Portuguese. Use of spoken language in conversation. Readings in civilization. Writing exercises involving more complex grammatical and syntactical patterns. Lab required.
CAS LR 284 Women in Russian Literature: Past and Present
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Learn about literature by women and about women written in Russian. Understand the differences between Russian and Russophone. Reflect on the role of history, society and gender in literary production. Readings include Russian-speaking authors past and present. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Social Inquiry 1, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS LX 110 Say What' Accents, Dialects, and Society
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Exploration of how variation in accents and dialects interacts with various aspects of society and human life. Students examine how dialect variation arises, how it can be described, and how it interacts with literature, film, humor, and music. Cannot be taken for credit by students who have previously taken, or are currently taking, CAS LX 250 or a higher-level linguistics course. Carries humanities divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS LX 342 Language, Race, and Gender
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLX250) or consent of instructor. - Do women talk differently from men' How do race and ethnicity relate to the way people use language' This course examines these interrelated questions from the perspective of modern sociolinguistic theory, analyzing a range of languages and communities throughout the world. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LX 346 Language Variation and Change
4 credits.
Why do languages change over time' Who leads and who follows in situations of language change' The course answers these questions by examining the link between language change and linguistic variation, focusing on how synchronic variation leads to diachronic change. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LX 642 Language, Race, and Gender
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Graduate standing in the Linguistics program, or consent of instructor . - Do women talk differently from men' How do race and ethnicity relate to the way people use language' This course examines these interrelated questions from the perspective of modern sociolinguistic theory, analyzing a range of languages and communities throughout the world. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LX 646 Language Variation and Change
4 credits.
Why do languages change over time' Who leads and who follows in situations of language change' The course answers these questions by examining the link between language change and linguistic variation, focusing on how synchronic variation leads to diachronic change. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS MA 119 Applied Mathematics for Personal Finance
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Applications of mathematics for personal financial decision-making. Systems of equations, exponential functions, logarithms, probability, descriptive statistics, and numerical simulation, for modeling saving, borrowing, inflation, purchasing power, taxation, government benefits, risk management, insurance, annuities, and investments. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I. This course also fulfills the learning outcomes for Life Skills. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 119S Applied Mathematics for Personal Finance
4 credits.
Applications of mathematics for personal financial decision-making. Systems of equations, exponential functions, logarithms, probability, descriptive statistics, and numerical simulation for modeling saving, borrowing, inflation, purchasing power, taxation, government benefits, risk management, insurance, annuities, and investments. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. This course also fulfills the learning outcomes for Life Skills. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS NE 234 Psychology of Learning
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PH 253 Social Philosophy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least sophomore standing or any 100-level philosophy course. - Through a reading of some selected texts we will examine modern and contemporary theories of society, concerning its nature and the direction of its evolution. The philosophical and sociological discussions are framed in terms of the complicated relationship between individuals and society, and between civil society and the sovereign power. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 255S Law, Philosophy, and Society
4 credits.
Examines issues concerning law and its place in society, such as law's relation to democracy, the nature of constitutional rights, and legal (especially constitutional) interpretation. Readings include social theory and judicial opinions as well as more narrowly philosophical sources. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 418 Marx and Marxism
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two previous PH courses, or consent of instructor. - Marxism is treated as a conceptual framework for understanding history and society, as a critique of capitalism and a program of transforming it, with an analysis of both its philosophical and ethical presuppositions. The evolution of its theoretical bases is critically examined. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 436 Gender, Race, and Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two previous PH courses, or consent of instructor. - The goal of this course is to come to a deeper understanding of the concepts of race and gender, the problematic roles they played in the history of philosophy and history of science, and what roles they still play today. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 436S Gender, Race, and Science
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two previous PH courses, or consent of instructor. - The goal of this course is to come to a deeper understanding of the concepts of race and gender, the problematic roles they played in the history of philosophy and history of science, and what roles they still play today. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 446 Philosophy of Religion
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPH300 & CASPH310) - Critical investigation of the limits of human knowledge and the theoretical and practical demands for meaning attached to notions of God, providence, immortality, and other metaphysical conditions of human thriving, from Plato to modern philosophies of religion. Effective Spring 2022 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 618 Marx and Marxism
4 credits.
Philosophical foundation of Marxism and its development. Critical study of Marx's writings stressing questions of philosophy, political economy, science, and history. Emphasis on Marx's theory of relation of praxis to consciousness. Later (including contemporary) Marxists and critics. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 646 Philosophy of Religion
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
Critical investigation of the limits of human knowledge and the theoretical and practical demands for meaning attached to notions of God, providence, immortality, and other metaphysical conditions of human thriving, from Plato to modern philosophies of religion. Effective Spring 2022 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 111 Introduction to American Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate core course. Study of the national political structure; emphasis on Congress, the executive, administrative agencies, and the judiciary. Relations between formal institutions, parties, and interest groups. 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.
CAS PO 111S Introduction to American Politics
4 credits.
Undergraduate core course. Study of the national political structure; emphasis on Congress, the executive, administrative agencies, and the judiciary. Relations between formal institutions, parties, and interest groups. 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.
CAS PO 141 Introduction to Public Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate core course. What are public policies' Where do they come from' What are their effects' In this course, we grapple with these questions. We also examine the question: how do the politics of public policy affect racial and economic inequality' 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.
CAS PO 141S Introduction to Public Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate core course. Analysis of several issue areas: civil rights, school desegregation, welfare and social policy, education and urban housing, energy, and the environment. Characteristics of policy systems in each issue area are analyzed to identify factors which may affect the content and implementation of public policies. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
CAS PO 151 Introduction to Comparative Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate core course. Meets with CAS IR 251. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 151S Introduction to Comparative Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate core course. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 171 Introduction to International Relations
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate core course. Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS PO 171S Introduction to International Relations
4 credits.
Undergraduate core course. Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. 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, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS PO 221E BR POLTCL INSTS
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - BR POLTCL INSTS
CAS PO 222E BRIT LEGAL SYST
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Boston University London Internship Programme. - BRIT LEGAL SYST
CAS PO 225E POLICY MAKING
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - POLICY MAKING
CAS PO 231E HIST OF IRELAND
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Dublin Internship Program. - HIST OF IRELAND
CAS PO 240E PARIS POLITIQUE
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program. - PARIS POLITIQUE
CAS PO 242E The Activities of International Organizations
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the Geneva Internship Program. - The purpose of this course is to examine and problematize the way in which international organizations, governmental and non-governmental alike but the United Nations in particular, have shaped international relations and international law. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS PO 245E NATIONLSM SPAIN
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Madrid Spanish & European Studies Program. - NATIONLSM SPAIN
CAS PO 246E Democracy 21st Century
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Washington, DC Internship Program. - Effective Fall 2023 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Creativity/Innovation, Social Inquiry I.
CAS PO 248E COMP EUROPE POL
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Paris Internship Program. - COMP EUROPE POL
CAS PO 304 The Judicial Process
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - Introduction to the judicial process. Topics include the role of lawyers and judges, the structure of the court system, juries, and legal reasoning. Primarily intended for students who have little or no exposure to law courses. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 316 Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) - How many people are affected by the criminal justice system' What is the relationship between crime and race' What criminal justice policies, if any, should change' In this course, students grapple with these questions. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 316S Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy
4 credits.
Online offering. Considers the following questions: How many people are affected by the criminal justice system' What is the relationship between crime and race' What criminal justice policies, if any, should change' Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 338 Urban Politics of the Global South
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
The majority of the world's population now lives in cities. Course explores the origins and history of cities in global south (Latin America, Africa, Asia), with particular attention to colonialism and its effects on contemporary inequality and democracy. Looks at questions of citizenship, governance, informality, democracy, and the role of civil society, in dealing with challenges of urban inequality and climate change. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I .
CAS PO 350 The Making of Asia
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores the diverse experiences of modernization and development in China, Japan, Korea, as well as the countries of Southeast Asia. Also examines the domestic and international impacts of growing social-economic ties, as well as the complex security challenges among Asian states. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS PO 351 China: from Revolution to Reform
4 credits. Fall
Introduction to modern Chinese politics including the development of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the political development of the PRC since its founding in 1949. Focus is on the party's official policy and its changing relationships with the people of China. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS PO 351E The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
4 credits.
Definitional hypotheses of race and ethnicity based on cultural, sociological, and biological determinants tested against concrete examples of plural societies in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Correlations between racial/ethnic differentiation and sociopolitical stratification and cleavages examined.
CAS PO 352 Rise of China
4 credits.
How has China risen economically in the last four decades' How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models' In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise' what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world' The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 352E Rise of China
4 credits. Summer
How has China risen economically in the last four decades' How different was the Chinese economic model compared to other Asian nations and western models' In what aspects has China's political system been changed or unchanged during its economic rise' what opportunities and challenges are presented with the economic rise of China in the region and in the world' The course offers foundational knowledge on China's economic reform, domestic politics, and global implications, evaluates public and policy debates, and applies the process and methods of social research. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 358 International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing- Intensive Course.
CAS PO 358S International Nuclear Politics
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120). Examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Foregrounds the "global atomic marketplace" with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS PO 369 Comparative Development in the Middle East
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
This course surveys pertinent topics relating to the socio-economic and political development of the Middle East and North African throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will explore and critical analyze themes relating to colonialism and state formation and statebuilding, regime types, oil and rentierism, civil society, authoritarianism and democratization, military spending, gender relations, Islamist movements, elections, revolutions and social movements, territorial disputes, foreign intervention, and sectarianism and identity politics. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 375 Democracy and Protest in the Global South
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Explores roots, dynamics, and implications of recent popular protests both for democracy (e.g. 2011 Arab Spring) as well as challenges to established democracies (e.g. South Africa, Brazil). Focus on North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. Effective Fall 2023 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship, Social Inquiry I.
CAS PO 375S Democracy and Protest in the Global South
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
Explores roots, dynamics, and implications of recent popular protests both for democracy (e.g. 2011 Arab Spring) as well as challenges to established democracies (e.g. South Africa, Brazil). Focus on North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship, Social Inquiry I.
CAS PO 384 Global Governance and International Organization
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives on the creation and function of international organizations, comparative case studies of selected organizations, and an examination of present and future roles of international organizations in selected issue areas. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS PS 101 General Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 101S General Psychology
4 credits. Summer
Basic introduction to the field of psychology. Topics include theories and findings governing learning, memory, perception, development, personality, and social and abnormal psychology. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS PS 231 Physiological Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 231S Physiological Psychology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites : (CAS PS 101). Online offering. Students may 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.
CAS PS 234 Psychology of Learning
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 241 Developmental Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 241S Developmental Psychology
4 credits.
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, and intellectual and motivational behaviors; includes theories of 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.
CAS PS 251 Psychology of Personality: Theories and Application
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 251S Psychology of Personality: Theories and Application
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Emphasizes the historical development of personality theories and their application to social, research, and clinical concerns. Classic theories of personality (e.g., psychoanalytic, behavioral, trait, 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.
CAS PS 261 Social Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
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.
CAS PS 261S Social Psychology
4 credits.
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.
CAS RN 111 Religion in American Culture
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduction to American religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with an emphasis on developments after 1965, when new legislation opened up immigration and dramatically altered the American religious landscape. Exploration of interreligious interactions: conflict, cooperation, and creolization. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community.
CAS RN 111S Religion in American Culture
4 credits. Summer
Introduction to American religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with an emphasis on developments after 1965, when new legislation opened up immigration and dramatically altered the American religious landscape. Exploration of interreligious interactions: conflict, cooperation, and creolization. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community.
CAS RN 202 From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of Christianity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces the texts of the New Testament and other early Christian writings: first, to place Jesus of Nazareth in the religious and social context of Second Temple Judaism and the Roman empire; and second, to explain the origins and growth of Christian beliefs, practices, and social formations up to the second century. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 203 Religion and Film
4 credits.
Religions and films are world-building engines. They create -- and re-create -- a visioning of society as a world of justice, of lived myth, of fantasy, of ideology: a world we may long to live in or a world we wish to avoid at all costs. This course explores such worlds by examining the ways in which religious beliefs, practices and people are portrayed in popular film from the 1960s to the present. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS RN 209 Religion, Health, and Medicine
4 credits. Fall and Spring
How religious and moral narratives inform approaches to biomedicine from the nineteenth century to the present, including understandings of disease, illness, health, sexuality, and the body. Topics include medicine and prayer, alternative medicine, and boundaries between medicine and religion. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 243 Shamans and Shamanism
4 credits.
Shamans in global and theoretical perspectives. The origins and construction of the category of shamanism. Modern theories and debates about the category and the appropriateness of applying it cross-culturally. Also offered as CAS AN 243. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 250 Introduction to the Sociology of Religion
4 credits.
Explores the role of religion in the organization of meaning within human societies and its contribution to the construction, maintenance, and transformation of the social order. Ways in which religion provides specific sets of solutions to the problems of social order are also explored. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 294 Religion and Black Popular Music
4 credits. Spring
Students explore the interplay of religious themes and Black music through social and political theory. They analyze how these themes shape behavior and examine the cultural significance of notable works, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural influences and artistic expression. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 294S Religion and Black Popular Music
4 credits. Summer
Students explore the interplay of religious themes and Black music through social and political theory. They analyze how these themes shape behavior and examine the cultural significance of notable works, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural influences and artistic expression. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 301 Varieties of Early Christianity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing. At least one prior course in biblical or New Testamen t literature recommended. - Surveys the many different and often competing forms of Christianity that arose and flourished in the second to the seventh century. Topics covered include martyrs, apocalypticism, Hell, Gnostics, prophecy, magical texts, angels and demons, and the various meanings of Christ. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 310 The Reformation: Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
4 credits.
Examines religious change in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, particularly the origins and causes of the Protestant Reformation, the parallel Catholic Reformation, and the consequent military conflicts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Also offered as CAS HI 209. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 310S The Reformation: Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
4 credits. Summer
Examines religious change in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, particularly the origins and causes of the Protestant Reformation, the parallel Catholic Reformation, and the consequent military conflicts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Also offered as CAS HI 209. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 316 Modern Islam
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one course in RN or PH, or CC101/102, or consent of instructor. First- Year Writing Seminar" (CAS WR 120 or equivalent) - Pre-Req: First-Year Writing Seminar" (CAS WR 120 or equivalent). Challenges students to sociologically evaluate the concept of meritocracy, its origins, its societal implications, and contemporary adoption as an ideal worth striving for. Reviews empirical research on perceptions around and explanations of social inequality. Explores how beliefs about inequality are mobilized in class and racial conflict and in what ways people's beliefs are or aren't likely to change. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS RN 317 Greek and Roman Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Survey of ancient Greek and Roman religions and their development from earliest beginnings to the eclipse of paganism. Theories and practices of these religions, comparisons with other religions, and relationships to Judaism and Christianity. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS CL 317. Carries humanities 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.
CAS RN 355 Religion and Violence
4 credits.
What is the relationship between religious belief and violence enacted in the name of religion' This course will explore historical, social, ideological, and political contexts from which violent acts, conducted in the name of religion, emerge through studies of sacred texts, religious activists' writings, and recent case studies in multiple traditions and geographic contexts. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS RN 369 Science and Religion: Dialogue and Debate
4 credits.
Challenges conventional wisdom that science and religion have always been at war in Europe and North America. Explores their interactions, mutual existence, and conflict from Copernicus' claim that the earth revolved around the sun to contemporary debates about evolution. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 387 Anthropology of Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Myth, ritual, and religious experience across cultures. Special attention to the problem of religious symbolism and meaning, religious conversion and revitalization, contrasts between traditional and world religions, and the relation of religious knowledge to science, magic, and ideology. Also offered as CAS AN 384. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 396 Philosophy of Religion
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
Critical investigation of the limits of human knowledge and the theoretical and practical demands for meaning attached to notions of God, providence, immortality, and other metaphysical conditions of human thriving, from Plato to modern philosophies of religion. Effective Spring 2022 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 409 Cults and Charisma
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: undergraduates who have taken RN 200 and/or RN 355, and with consent o f instructor. - Examines religious sects, new religions, and charismatic leadership using case- studies from history and the contemporary world, as well as analytical principles from religious studies and anthropology. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 416 Religion, Race, and Climate Change
4 credits. Fall
A multi-disciplinary course delving into the influence of and race on human behavior and non-human, planetary realities at local and global scales. It focuses on the historical, systemic, and societal implications associated with ongoing climate change debates. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 494 Magical Texts: Literature & Practice
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: prior coursework in theory of religion (e.g., RN 200 or 242), ancient religions, or anthropology of religion recommended. - An advanced course in the interpretation of ancient magical texts that emphasizes the use of theoretical models (Malinowski, Levi-Strauss, Tambiah, J.Z. Smith, et al.) for understanding the complementary uses of sound and symbol, myth and nonsense, and forms of verbal/scribal efficacy in magic, all with attention to social context. Texts include a selection of ritual manuals, amulets, binding tablets, and mystical ascent texts from Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian antiquity. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 601 Varieties of Early Christianity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: At least one prior course in biblical or New Testament literature reco mmended. - Surveys the many different and often competing forms of Christianity that arose and flourished in the second to the seventh century. Topics covered include martyrs, apocalypticism, Hell, Gnostics, prophecy, magical texts, angels and demons, and the various meanings of Christ. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS RN 616 Modern Islam
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR120) - Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing. - Challenges students to sociologically evaluate the concept of meritocracy, its origins, its societal implications, and contemporary adoption as an ideal worth striving for. Reviews empirical research on perceptions around and explanations of social inequality. Explores how beliefs about inequality are mobilized in class and racial conflict and in what ways people's beliefs are or aren't likely to change. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS RN 669 Science and Religion: Dialogue and Debate
4 credits.
Challenges conventional wisdom that science and religion have always been at war in Europe and North America. Explores their interactions, mutual existence, and conflict from Copernicus' claim that the earth revolved around the sun to contemporary debates about evolution. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 687 Anthropology of Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Myth, ritual, and religious experience across cultures. Special attention to the problem of religious symbolism and meaning, religious conversion and revitalization, contrasts between traditional and world religions, and the relation of religious knowledge to science, magic, and ideology. Also offered as GRS AN 784. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 695 Topics in Philosophy and Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
PHIL RELIGION
CAS RN 709 Cults and Charisma
4 credits.
Examines religious sects, new religions, and charismatic leadership using case- studies from history and the contemporary world, as well as analytical principles from religious studies and anthropology. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 716 Religion, Race, and Climate Change
4 credits. Fall
A multi-disciplinary course delving into the influence of religion and race on human behavior and non-human, planetary realities at local and global scales. It focuses on the historical, systemic, and societal implications associated with ongoing climate change debates. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS RN 794 Magical Texts: Literature & Practice
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: prior coursework in theory of religion (e.g., RN 200 or 242), ancient religions, or anthropology of religion recommended. - An advanced course in the interpretation of ancient magical texts that emphasizes the use of theoretical models (Malinowski, Levi-Strauss, Tambiah, J.Z. Smith, et al.) for understanding the complementary uses of sound and symbol, myth and nonsense, and forms of verbal/scribal efficacy in magic, all with attention to social context. Texts include a selection of ritual manuals, amulets, binding tablets, and mystical ascent texts from Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian antiquity. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 100 Principles in Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to the major theories and basic principles of sociological analysis. Explores culture, media, socialization, race and ethnicity, globalization, capitalism, gender and sexuality, inequality and poverty, power in American society, and health and medicine from a sociological perspective. 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 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 100E Principles in Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
An introduction to the major theories and basic principles of sociological analysis. Subjects include methods of social research and investigation; role of individuals in groups, organizations, and society; socialization and education; stratification; race and ethnicity; science, culture, and religion; formal and informal organization; and economic and political systems.
CAS SO 100S Principles in Sociology
4 credits.
Introduces the major theories and basic principles of sociological analysis. Explores culture, media, socialization, race and ethnicity, globalization, capitalism, gender and sexuality, inequality and poverty, power in American society, and health and medicine from a sociological perspective. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 201 Sociological Methods
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one introductory course or consent of instructor. - Required of sociology majors and minors. Students learn to evaluate and practice social science research: survey, interview, ethnography, and experiments. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 205 American Families
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines the family as a historically and geographically contingent social construction. How families in the U.S. are organized. Considers diverse family formations and intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in the operation of family dynamics and politics. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 205S American Families
4 credits. Summer
Examines the family as a historically and geographically contingent social construction. Explores how families in the U.S. are organized. Considers diverse family formations and intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in the operation of family dynamics and politics. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 206 Introduction to the Sociology of Globalization
4 credits.
A sociological introduction to globalization. Explores the roles of technology, transnational corporations, and the state. Considers globalization's impacts on the workplace, the environment, and other institutions as well as the emergence of global social movements. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS SO 215 Sociology of Health Care
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Social, cultural, and intercultural factors in health and illness. Training and socialization of medical professionals, roots of medical power and authority, organization and operation of health care facilities. U.S. health care system and its main problems. Comparison of health care systems in the U.S. and in other countries. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS SO 215S Sociology of Health Care
4 credits. Summer
Social, cultural, and intercultural factors in health and illness. Training and socialization of medical professionals, roots of medical power and authority, organization and operation of health care facilities. US health care system and its main problems. Comparison of health care systems in the US and in other countries. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS SO 225 Law and Society
4 credits.
The development and impact of law as an institution. Analysis of the social and political foundations of law, the legal profession and the legal system in the U.S. context. Examination of law in everyday life and in social change. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 238 Sociology of Aging and the Life Course
4 credits.
Examines the social, psychological, and biological factors that shape aging and human development. Considers how childhood conditions affect later-life experiences. Reviews life course theories and research methods. Explores the importance of race, gender, and social class in shaping human experiences. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 238S Sociology of the Life Course
4 credits.
Explores the social construction of adulthood and aging. Focuses on such topics as age stratification, role changes, work and retirement, interpersonal networks, health and health care, and social policies.
CAS SO 240 Sexuality and Social Life
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Introduction to sociological perspectives on sexuality. Historical and comparative analysis of sexuality, with a focus on the social and cultural institutions that shape sexuality in the contemporary U.S. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS SO 240S Sexuality and Social Life
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Introduction to sociological perspectives on sexuality. Historical and comparative analysis of sexuality, with a focus on the social and cultural institutions that shape sexuality in the contemporary US. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS SO 242 Globalization and World Poverty
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Addresses enduring global poverty and race, ethnic, gender, and class inequalities, especially in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Focuses on colonialism and post-colonialism, strategies of development, urbanization, immigration, religion, politics, women, drugs, social justice, and health issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS SO 244 Urban Sociology
4 credits.
Explores urban growth and dynamics, delving into how cities reproduce inequalities, and foster culture. Additional topics include public space, crime and policing, gentrification, segregation, housing, and climate change. Students will collect original data and explore policy solutions for urban issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 244S Urban Sociology
4 credits.
Explores urban growth and dynamics, delving into how cities reproduce inequalities, and foster culture. Additional topics include public space, crime and policing, gentrification, segregation, housing, and climate change. Students collect original data and explore policy solutions for urban issues. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 250 Introduction to the Sociology of Religion
4 credits.
Explores the role of religion in the organization of meaning within human societies and its contribution to the construction, maintenance, and transformation of the social order. Ways in which religion provides specific sets of solutions to the problems of social order are also explored. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 250S INTRO SOC RELG
4 credits.
INTRO SOC RELGN
CAS SO 253 Sociology of Popular Culture
4 credits.
Sociological perspectives on popular culture and mass media, with a focus on the consumption and production of cultural goods; the effects of popular culture on politics and inequalities; and the mutual interdependence of consumer identities and cultural fields. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 253S Sociology of Popular Culture
4 credits. Summer
Sociological perspectives on popular culture and mass media, with a focus on the consumption and production of cultural goods; the effects of popular culture on politics and inequalities; and the mutual interdependence of consumer identities and cultural fields. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 315 Technology and Society
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR120). An introduction to Sociology would be beneficial, although not absolutely necessary, for the course. - A sociological exploration of the complex relationship between society and technology. Examines technologies' explicit and hidden costs and their potential to improve the human condition as well as the evolution of the relationship between technology and society over time. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS SO 352 American Masculinities
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one 100- or 200-level course in either sociology or women's, gender, & sexuality. - Explores masculinity: as a historical, social construct and site of power and violence; as a facet of identity and system of oppression; as style, myth, and representation; as something perpetually in "crisis" and in need of recuperation; as a process that helps and harms; as a set of ideals, practices, and traditions; and as system that cuts across race, ethnicity, sexuality, social class, nation, geography and place, age, and other lines of difference. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 352S American Masculinities
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one 100- or 200-level course in either sociology or women's, gender, & sexuality. - Considers the biological and social organization of masculinities; the ways culture reproduces/articulates masculinities, particularly with regard to race and class; how masculine identities are expressed; male privilege; alternative masculinities; and what is at stake in negotiating contemporary masculinities.
CAS SO 391 Social Inequality in America
4 credits. Spring
Students learn about sociological theories and read empirical research describing how social inequality in the US is produced and reproduced in various institutions and through different mechanisms. We explore what it would take to address these different sources of social inequality in the American context and learn from comparisons with other countries and historical moments. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
CAS SO 463 Social Status
4 credits.
Social status is the uneven distribution of honor or prestige. This course is designed to introduce students to contemporary and classical debates in sociological literature on the origins and implications of status distinctions. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 213 Resistance, Protest, and Empowerment: Global Women's Movements
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores how global expressions of sexism shape all of our lives, experiences, and life chances, with particular attention to how race, class, and sexuality intersect with gender to shape social inequalities. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
CAS WS 213S Sexism in the 2lst Century
4 credits. Summer
Examines the dynamics of contemporary institutions as they affect women's and men's lives, particularly in the United States -- the economy, politics, mass media and culture, the beautification industry, sex industries, and hook-up culture -- through the intersections of race, class, ethnicity, and sexual identity. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS.
CAS WS 240 Sexuality and Social Life
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Introduction to sociological perspectives on sexuality. Historical and comparative analysis of sexuality, with a focus on the social and cultural institutions that shape sexuality in the contemporary U.S. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS WS 240S Sexuality and Social Life
4 credits.
Introduction to sociological perspectives on sexuality. Historical and comparative analysis of sexuality, with a focus on the social and cultural institutions that shape sexuality in the contemporary US. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
CAS WS 263 The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits.
An exploration of female behavioral biology focusing on evolutionary, physiological, and biosocial aspects of women's lives from puberty through pregnancy, birth, lactation, menopause, and aging. Examples are drawn from traditional and industrialized societies, and data from nonhuman primates are considered. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 263S The Behavioral Biology of Women
4 credits.
Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 297 African American Women's History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
Survey of African American women's history from the slave trade to the present, investigating its critical role in shaping the meaning of race, gender, and sexuality during slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights era. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
CAS WS 347 Feminist Inquiry
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: sophomore, junior, or senior standing. - A survey of feminist theories and development of strands of feminist inquiry in the academy, movements, and politics. Considers the commonalities and contrast in gender relations across cultures and tensions between major feminist schools of thought. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I.
CAS WS 352 American Masculinities
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one 100- or 200-level course in either sociology or women's, gender, & sexuality. - This course will explore masculinity: as a historical, social construct and site of power and violence; as a facet of identity and system of oppression; as style, myth, and representation; as something perpetually in "crisis" and in need of recuperation; as a process that helps and harms; as a set of ideals, practices, and traditions; and as system that cuts across race, ethnicity, sexuality, social class, nation, geography and place, age, and other lines of difference. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 352S American Masculinities
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one 100- or 200-level course in either sociology or women's, gender, & sexuality. - Considers the biological and social organization of masculinities; the ways culture reproduces/articulates masculinities, particularly with regard to race and class; how masculine identities are expressed; male privilege; alternative masculinities; and what is at stake in negotiating contemporary masculinities.
CAS WS 542 Language, Race, and Gender
4 credits.
Do women talk differently from men' How do race and ethnicity relate to the way people use language' This course examines these interrelated questions from the perspective of modern sociolinguistic theory, analyzing a range of languages and communities throughout the world.
CAS XL 332 Introduction History, Humanities, and Social Sciences Research in the Digital Age: Tools and Methods
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Course 1 in two-semester-sequence (Fall: HI 332/XL 332; Spring: HI 333). Introduces principles and tools of digital research in history, the humanities, and social sciences. Through project-based learning, students combine skills in digital literacy, media creation, humanistic and social sciences inquiry. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CAS XL 335 Around the World in 40 Fairy Tales
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or 120), or equivalent. - Traces how fairy tales influence each other within and across cultures and time periods and are adapted to changing socio-historical contexts. Students consider and write about a range of interpretational approaches and renderings in literature, the arts, and media. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS XL 368 Religion and Film
4 credits.
Religions and films are world-building engines. They create -- and re-create -- a visioning of society as a world of justice, of lived myth, of fantasy, of ideology: a world we may long to live in or a world we wish to avoid at all costs. This course explores such worlds by examining the ways in which religious beliefs, practices and people are portrayed in popular film from the 1960s to the present. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CFA ME 408 Supporting Students with Dis/Abilities in Music
4 credits. Spring
In this course students will identify major issues embedded in communities that affect how individuals with disabilities are included or excluded through the social forces and social structures that exist in society, particularly in school settings and music education. Students will examine major social theories related to identity in the disability community, and the role of individuals both internally and externally to the disability community. Effective Spring 2026, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
CFA MH 407 Sonic and Visual Culture and Modern East Asia
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
This is a course about music as sonic and visual culture. Focusing on East Asian cultures in the Boston Area, students in the course will explore a diverse range of sounds, images and ideas across geographies. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CFA MH 432 History of Jazz
4 credits.
No prereq; open to all students. A chronological study of the history of -- and topics in -- jazz, from its beginnings to the present, focusing on styles, major performers and recordings, individuality and sound, instruments, voices, and forms, as well as social and cultural issues, such as race, popularity and commercialism, the individual versus and within the group, American identity and global rejection/admiration. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CFA MH 432S History of Jazz
4 credits.
No prereq; open to all students. A chronological study of the history of--and topics in--jazz, from its beginnings to the present. Focuses on styles, major performers and recordings, individuality and sound, instruments, voices, and forms, as well as social and cultural issues, such as race, popularity and commercialism, the individual versus and within the group, American identity, and global rejection/admiration. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CFA TH 213 Voice and Speech 4: Accents, Dialects, and Sociolects
2 credits. Spring
Prerequisite: CFA TH 211 or permission of instructor. This course builds on the skills learned in the fall, using Knight-Thompson Speechwork to deepen student¿s individual mastery of listening, describing, and executing the precise physical actions that make up communicative speech. Students will explore and apply the ¿4 P¿s¿ of Knight-Thompson Speechwork: People, Posture, Pronunciation, and Prosody to master diverse language expression across a variety of accents. 2.0 credits. Spring semester. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry 1.
CGS SS 103 Politics, Economies, and Social Change in the West: The Ancient World Through the Enlightenment
5 credits. Spring
This interdisciplinary course examines social change in the politics, economies, social structures, and culture of the West from the ancient world through the Enlightenment. Students look at developments in governance, trade, social inequalities, and ideas that gave the West its distinctive character, including the rise of its key institution, democracy. To interpret historical change critically, students are introduced to the social science "toolkit" of analytical concepts. Assignments outside the classroom will encourage students to consider how history has shaped today's world. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CGS SS 300 Science, Politics & Power: WWII to the 21st Century
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course will survey the careers of individuals whose scientific research and personal convictions compelled them to defy powerful authorities. It will explore the political, moral, and social, implications of scientific discoveries in the 20th century and beyond. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CGS SS 320 Identity Politics in the United States
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course explores the politics of race, gender, class, sexuality, religion and more, focusing on the history, dynamics and contemporary issues surrounding identity formation and mobilization. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Writing-Intensive Course.
COM CM 370E MULTCULTRL WRLD
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
MULTCULTRL WRLD
COM CM 413E ADV/PR ENGLAND
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
PRB SOL BRIT PR
COM CM 447E INTER BRAND MAN
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I
INTER BRAND MAN
COM CM 521E International Marketing Communications and Public Relations
4 credits.
A comprehensive overview of integrated marketing communications in the U.K. Focuses on advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. Using British and European case studies, students examine marketing strategy; brand identity; and market segmentation and product positioning within the framework of pricing, promotion, and placement relative to competition.
COM CO 101 The World of Communication: The Human Storyteller
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Corequisites: Students must have taken or be taking CAS WR120 or equivalent while ta king COM CO101. - Introduces students to many fundamental principles of communication. Students also learn about the intertwined nature of communication professions as they explore the major fields of study in communication. Guest lectures from various industries inform students of potential future career paths. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
COM CO 101S The World of Communication
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Corequisites: Students must have taken or be taking CAS WR120 or equivalent while ta king COM CO101. - Introduces students to many fundamental principles of communication. Students also learn about the intertwined nature of communication professions as they explore the major fields of study in communication. Guest lectures from various industries inform students of potential future career paths. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
HUB IC 205 America at War (and You)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
How has warfare, and the preparation for it, shaped the American experience' In this course, students explore how warfare and the building and sustaining of the American military as an institution has influenced the US economy, culture, and society along with issues that students care about today. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Digital/Multimedia Expression.
HUB IC 207 Heroes and Heroines: Quest for Self and Identity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explore how iconic classic and contemporary heroes struggle with identity, confront evil, and lead for the greater good through the art of decision-making and storytelling while uncovering your quest for personal growth, leadership, social justice, creativity, and risk taking. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation, Social Inquiry I.
HUB IC 209 Interdisciplinary Introduction to Forced Displacement
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry I
Over 120 million people have been displaced from their homes by war and persecution, creating a protracted humanitarian disaster. This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to this subject by exploring such questions as: What disciplines and methodologies will help us understand this global challenge? Who should bear responsibility for the welfare of refugees? What is our ethical responsibility to those who are displaced, and how do we write, research, and study others ethically? Do we believe in a basic human right to mobility and the search for “the good life”? How does forced displacement impact our understanding of home, identity, and belonging? Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry 1.
HUB IC 211 Engaging with Communities: Ethics and Skills
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces students from all disciplines to basic principles of ethical community engagement and prepares them to apply acquired skill sets to practical situations such as internships. Students learn to apply, interact with, and critically reflect upon themes related to community engagement and service, ethics, professionalism, social categories of advantage and disadvantage, and social justice and power in society. Students are encouraged to incorporate their own cases and prospective community engagement into discussions and assignments. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry 1.
HUB SA 304E KYOTO ELCTV 4
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
KYOTO ELCTV 4
HUB SA 305E KYOTO ELCTV 5
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I
KYOTO ELCTV 5
HUB SA 306E KYOTO ELCTV 6
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Social Inquiry II
KYOTO ELCTV 6
HUB SA 310E KYOTO ELCTV 10
0 credits.
KYOTO ELCTV 10
HUB SJ 102 Social & Racial Justice: Advocacy and Action
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: HUB SJ 101 - This course provides students with opportunities to engage the principles, theories, and practices of social and racial justice. Areas of focus will include effective evidence-based research to identify and articulate social problems; and a study of the role of the individual in social justice movements and organizations. Students explore how to engage in advocacy and action to challenge inequity. HUB SJ 101 is a prerequisite. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC AN 102 The Lives of Others: The Power, Politics, and Ethics of Storytelling
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
This course delves into the ethical and political dimensions of storytelling, explores various cultural and historical forms of storytelling, and examines the deployment of storytelling in applied contexts such as narrative medicine. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC AN 105 Conflict: The Human Condition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
What can we learn about the human condition when we think through conflict' Unlike premodern forms of political authority and social organization, modern sociopolitical forms sanction specific forms of adversarial interaction as positive, regulative forces while banning forms of conflict as unwanted, corrosive influences on sociopolitical order. Students will engage with a rich array of multidisciplinary writings on human conflict as well as theatrical, literary, and cinematic takes on the primacy of adversarial relations for understanding the human condition. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
KHC BI 104 Conflict and Cooperation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
What binds human and non-human societies together, and what pulls them apart, over the short (historical) and long (evolutionary) terms' This course draws on approaches from the natural and social sciences to address this question. Students will study the biology of social behavior and the puzzle of how cooperation can evolve even though most animals are selfish; employ game theory to predict when individuals, groups, and nations should cooperate and when they should not; and apply insights from sociology and psychology to contemporary social issues including partisanship and environmentalism. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I.
KHC HI 105 The Zapatista Rebellion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry I
This course will study the Zapatista Rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico, 1994--2010. Out of what processes and conditions did it grow, with what actions and imaginaries on the part of indigenous activists and communities, as well as their allies and opponents' Studying one major historical event in depth will enable us to consider different ways of seeing and interpreting the event and to consider what it means to undertake wide-ranging social inquiry. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
KHC LW 104 Citizenship, Immigration, and the Constitution
4 credits. Fall and Spring
In this seminar, we will examine constitutional questions concerning (1) the acquisition and loss of citizenship status, and (2) the privilege or right of entry into the United States. Throughout, we will consider the ethical and constitutional principles that have shaped rules governing national membership and entry into the United States. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
KHC NE 102 Reading, Language, and the Brain
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course explores the scientific study of reading and language development--a richly multidisciplinary effort that bridges psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and education--emphasizing the modern scientific effort to understand "the reading brain", the coordination of neural systems for vision, hearing, language, and memory. Specific topics include the history of writing, how different writing systems produce different reading brains, how brain injuries can result in specific impairments in language and reading, and how brain imaging is helping unravel the mystery of reading impairment. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
KHC PH 103 Seeing Poverty
4 credits. Fall and Spring
How do we understand poverty in modern America' Images of poverty might lead us to believe poverty is exclusively a problem of urban people of color, but what do historic and modern depictions of poverty in popular culture -- reality TV shows, or films tell us' How is data on poverty calculated and understood' This course will explore the ever-changing and ever-political sociological and public health issues of measuring poverty in America today. Using literature, film, photography, and public data sets, the course will explore the true meaning of "poverty." Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
KHC PH 104 Planning to Fix Health Problems
4 credits. Fall and Spring
U.S. health care suffers anarchy because market competition and competent government action fail. Costs rise. Coverage and quality fall. You'll learn to prepare a plan to ameliorate a health problem by analyzing both its real causes and the efficacy/cost/political feasibility of possible remedies. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I.
KHC PO 100 Democracy & the Climate Crisis: Politics on a Changing Planet
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry I
Course explores how democratic societies can respond to and survive the unprecedented disruptions of the climate crisis. Students will trace the global history of government by consent, the evolution of the climate crisis, and weigh possible reforms to protect democratic norms and institutions on a changing planet. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
QST BE 101 Introductory Microeconomics for Business and Strategy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Business economics provides students with an intellectual framework for understanding how businesses work: how firms interact in markets, and how markets respond to regulation and policy. Business economics has a dual mission: it is both a social science that describes how markets function and a framework that provides practical guidance for business leaders. This course focuses on business-relevant questions of how markets and businesses interact to create and distribute value. The course takes a data-based, empirical approach to these questions and uses experiential learning and interactive activities to enhance students' applications of economics to BU business problems. The course describes how social value is created via innovation and economic growth and how social value can be destroyed through harmful externalities. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry I.
QST SI 250 Ideas to Impact
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I
This course is required for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor. The goal of this course is to expose students to the conceptual frameworks that guide ideation and innovation. Thus it will include all five learning principles the guide design of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor. The course analyzes the conditions that foster innovation as well as the process by which ideas progress from conception to implementation and execution, and the creation of either economic or social impact. Students will be exposed to theories on the conditions that affect the generation and development of creativity and innovation within individuals, teams, cities, and regions. To foster experiential learning, the whole class will be structured around the process of innovation with a "live case" that focuses on creating social innovations for the City of Boston. When people think about great social challenges, they often look afar to distant countries. Yet, many social problems lie right around the corner from students' daily lives. Students will develop a toolkit comprised of brainstorming, design thinking, human centered design, prototyping, storyboarding and field research. Students will conduct original field research within the City of Boston and identify a challenge or problem to address which they will focus on for the duration of the course, culminating in final presentations. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
QST SI 250S Ideas to Impact
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation The Individual in Community Social Inquiry I
Required for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor. Open to visiting students during the summer. Explores the conceptual frameworks that guide ideation and innovation, focusing on the five learning principles of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor. Analyzes the conditions that foster innovation as well as the process by which ideas progress from conception to implementation and execution, along with their economic or social impact. Students study the conditions that affect the generation and development of creativity and innovation within individuals, teams, cities, and regions. To foster experiential learning, the course is structured around the process of innovation with a "live case" that creates social innovations for the City of Boston. Students develop a toolkit comprised of brainstorming, design thinking, human centered design, prototyping, storyboarding and field research. Students conduct original field research within the City of Boston and identify a challenge or problem to address for the duration of the course, culminating in final presentations. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, The Individual in Community, Creativity/Innovation.
QST SI 480 The Business of Technology Innovation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: ENG sophomores, juniors and seniors - Provides an introduction to entrepreneurship and business for the engineer. Topics include finding business ideas; recognizing good from bad; understanding the importance of business model; turning technology into a business, including what to sell and how to sell it; the role of engineering within a business; business financial statements; and startups and venture capital, including starting a company or joining a startup. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I.
SAR HS 425 Healthcare Policy and Practice in Ireland
4 credits. Fall
Available in Dublin Health Science program onlyHow can healthcare policy and practice in Ireland be described' What are its origins and how has it evolved, specifically related to cultural, political, social and economic developments' How can the current fragmented and two-tiered system be improved' These are key questions, especially following the launch in 2017 of the ten-year Sl¿intecare healthcare programme. During this course students will discuss these questions, using the six building blocks of the World Health Organisation (WHO) health system framework, comparing the Irish health systems with other health systems. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry I.
SAR HS 425E HLTH POL IRLAND
4 credits. Fall and Spring
HLTH POL IRLAND
SAR SH 415 Senior Seminar: Internship
2 credits. Fall
The goal of this capstone seminar is to provide SLHS students with knowledge and skills in professionalism and the application of different types of evidence as a basis for practice in a variety of clinical and research settings. The course involves internships related to the disciplines of speech language and hearing sciences and is for students in their final year of these majors. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
SAR SH 642 Senior Seminar
2 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SLHS & LX Major and Minor only; senior status - The goal of this capstone seminar is to provide SLHS students with knowledge and skills in professionalism and the application of different types of evidence as a basis for practice in a variety of clinical and research settings. The course involves internships related to the disciplines of speech language and hearing sciences and is for students in their final year of these majors.
WED CE 306 Introduction to Human Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Studies major developmental shifts from conception through the end of late adulthood across social, emotional, biological, and cognitive domains. Emphasis on competing theoretical perspectives, the role of socio-cultural contexts, and cultural diversity. Particular connections between theory, research, and practice. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED DE 340 Dynamics of Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice within Deaf Communities
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines theories and applications of diversity, dynamics of oppression, and social justice through a Deaf Studies lens. Explores the interrelated principles of social justice, equity, access, participation, and human rights, and the impact of these movements on Deaf communities. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
WED DE 372 Social Psychology and the Deaf World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This courses explores the psychological, sociological, and educational constructions of Deaf people and how cultural, social, and medical models contribute to our perceptions about social arrangements, "bodies," and the politics of difference. We will use ideas from a host of disciplines, events, and experiences to illuminate how many of the issues related to the Deaf World are universal, human issues. Finally, we will hope to arrive at conclusions that showcase how studying the Deaf World can have many important implications for understanding human development. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry I.
WED DE 640 Dynamics of Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice within Deaf Communities
4 credits. Fall
Examines theories and applications of diversity, dynamics of oppression, and social justice through a Deaf Studies lens. Explores the interrelated principles of social justice, equity, access, participation, and human rights, and the impact of these movements on Deaf communities. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
WED DS 502 Introduction to Adolescent Development
2 credits. Fall and Spring
Develops important understandings of cognitive, social-emotional, and identity developing during adolescence, as well as the role that educators can play in fostering the mindsets, skillsets, character strengths and contexts that adolescents need to grow into healthy and high-performing adults. 2 cr. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
WED DS 502S Introduction to Adolescent Development
2 credits.
Develops important understandings of cognitive, social-emotional, and identity developing during adolescence, as well as the role that educators can play in fostering the mindsets, skillsets, character strengths, and contexts that adolescents need to grow into healthy and high-performing adults. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
WED EC 305 Child Development and Early Childhood Education
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) Stamped approval required. Wheelock Students Only - Analyzes the physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional domains of development in young children from birth to middle childhood. Includes both descriptive information (milestones) and theory (processes accounting for development) and stresses application of these to early education. Prereq: CAS PS 101. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
WED HD 211 Student Motivation
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines theory and research on ways in which family members, teachers, culture, and society interact to influence the development of attitudes, beliefs, and approaches towards learning and academic achievement in children and youth. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED HD 300 Educational Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course is designed to apply psychological theory and research to educational practice. Students will examine how children think and learn, what motivates students and how teachers assess children's learning and progress in school. In addition, students will be encouraged to consider how teachers create learning environments to increase classroom engagement. Through this course, students will explore major theories of child development (cognitive, behavioral, social learning, etc.) and how they relate to education. Topics will include learning, motivation, instructional strategies, personality, and social development, cognitive processes and memory, and students' achievement and abilities. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I.
WED HD 306 Introduction to Human Development
4 credits. Spring
Studies major developmental shifts from conception through the end of late adulthood across social, emotional, biological, and cognitive domains. Emphasis on competing theoretical perspectives, the role of socio-cultural contexts, and cultural diversity. Connections between theory, research, and practice. (Formerly CE306). Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED HD 327 Asian American Psychology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course examines the psychological experiences of Asian Americans, including historical, sociopolitical, and cultural influences that shape lived experiences and mental health. Students will critically explore concepts such as culture, ethnicity, race, as they pertain to diverse Asian Americans. They will self-reflect and gain knowledge about cultural competence and advocacy in working with diverse Asian American individuals and communities. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
WED HD 330 Psychology of Race
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Interdisciplinary investigation of the historical, ideological, structural, and individual manifestations of race and racism in society. The course will also examine how the intersection of race with factors such as social class, gender, ethnicity, and identity shape the human experience. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry I.
WED HD 354 Challenging Educational Inequity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores roles that institutional racism, school funding, and socioeconomic factors play in contributing to inequality of educational opportunity. Interrogates the influence of cultural beliefs and educational socialization practices mitigating the negative impact of inequality. Examines cutting-edge solutions to equalize opportunities for all students. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
WED HD 385 Psychological Trauma
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces students to the concept of trauma and psychological consequences associated with exposure to potentially traumatizing events; explores risk and protective factors, inter-generational transmission, treatment of trauma, and post-traumatic growth. Special attention paid to sociological factors associated with post-traumatic adjustment and resilience. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
WED LS 560 Introduction to Language and Language Acquisition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Introduction to the main aspects of first language acquisition from infancy through childhood. Topics areas include phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse-pragmatics, language variation, multilingualism, child- directed speech, cognitive development, and theories of language acquisition. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
WED LS 560E Language and Acquisition
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Language and Acquisition
WED LS 560S Introduction to Language and Language Acquisition
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Restricted to Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students - Introduction to the main aspects of first language acquisition from infancy through childhood. Topic areas include phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse-pragmatics, language variation, multilingualism, child-directed
speech, cognitive development, and theories of language acquisition. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
WED YJ 360 Positive Youth Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores foundations of adolescent development and principles of positive youth development. Draws from multiple disciplines to examine roles of bio- psycho- social contexts and positive youth development practices and their impacts on the lives of developing adolescents. Applies developmental knowledge to current issues in adolescent development and youth justice and advocacy. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry I.
Social Inquiry II
CAS AA 270 Race, Sex and Science Fiction
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Science Fiction has always been engaged in complex conversations about culture and the fate of the human species. This course takes seriously the presence of issues such as race, sex and gender, which have become increasingly foregrounded in the genre. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS AA 308 Race and Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Combining research from history, political science, sociology, and economics, this course examines the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics and policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS AA 313 The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
4 credits.
HBO's television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. A number of interdisciplinary topics are covered, including the war on drugs, urban elections, bureaucracy, rational choice theory, and the decline of American cities. Also offered as CAS PO 313. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AA 363 Race and the Development of the American Economy: A Global Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101) or consent of instructor. - Surveys the economic history of African Americans within the context of the development of the American and global economies. Topics include the economics of slavery; race and industrialization; the Great Migration; anti- discrimination legislation; and the historical origins of contemporary racial inequalities. Also offered as CAS EC 363. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 210 Introduction to Medical Anthropology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This lecture and discussion-driven course uses ethnographic case materials and active learning strategies to introduce students to socio-cultural anthropological modes of understanding and analyzing health-related experiences and institutions, including political and ethical dimensions of illness and suffering around the globe. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 210S Introduction to Medical Anthropology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This lecture and discussion-driven course uses ethnographic case materials and active learning strategies to introduce students to socio-cultural anthropological modes of understanding and analyzing health-related experiences and institutions, including political and ethical dimensions of illness and suffering around the globe. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 309 Boston: An Ethnographic Approach (area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Using the tools of ethnographic practice, explores Boston's multiple identities. Boston's patterns of immigration and demographic change are mapped through fieldwork and historical documentation. On site observations will help students understand local meanings of place and community. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 309S Boston: An Ethnographic Approach
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - An ethnographic approach to the city of Boston. Explores Boston as a set of ideas surrounding identity, ethnicity, race, class, religion, and politics. Topics for lecture and discussion include Boston's peculiar patterns of geographical development, industrialization, and immigration. The tools of anthropological observation and ethnography will provide students with the capacity to understand community, diversity, and the human geography of Boston.
CAS AN 316 Contemporary European Ethnography
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAN 101 and First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CASWR 100 or WR 120) - What and where is Europe? Who is European? As authoritarianism rises, this class asks what is happening to belonging across Europe? Are old forms of racism and xenophobia returning? Or are new modes of exclusion appearing? Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AN 362 Culture and Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines mutually transformative relations between human societies and their environments. Shows how social constructions of environment, nature, and culture vary cross-culturally. Topics include: political ecology, environmental conservation, agriculture, climate, bioprospecting, relations with other animals, pollution. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 362S Culture and Environment
4 credits.
Examines how the social construction of environment, nature, and culture varies cross-culturally and historically as well as how it influences economic change, environmental movements, international politics, and public policy. Primary examples include several African countries, Papua New Guinea, and the United States; as well as contemporary global climate change.
CAS AN 363 Food and Water: Critical Perspectives on Global Crises
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Examines how people, past and present, have interacted with food and water. Explores multiple causes and consequences of global food and water inequities. Considers the cultural politics of food/water production, consumption, and distribution in different parts of the world. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AN 379 China: Tradition and Transformation (area)
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Examines daily life in China and Taiwan, tracing how opposed economic and political paths transformed a common tradition. Topics include capitalism and socialism; politics and social control; dissidence; gender relations; religion, arts, and literature; and pollution. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 379S China: Tradition and Transformation
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 440 Shadow Empires
4 credits. Spring
Examines the political, economic and social structures of empires in Eurasia and North Africa from an anthropological perspective and explains how they became and remained the world’s largest polities for 2500 years only to collapse worldwide in the 20th century. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Research and Information Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 462 Ethnography and Anthropological Theory 2
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAN461) and First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Required of majors. Examines current anthropological theory and method. Discussion focuses on recent ethnographies and the anthropological debates they have provoked. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS AN 506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Use of advanced computer (GIS) techniques to address regional archaeological problems. This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 518 Zooarchaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR101) - Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human- animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 533 Exploring Ethnographic Genres: The Poetics and Politics of Writing Culture
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course offers close readings of classic and recent ethnographic texts to ask: what distinguishes ethnography from other disciplinary traditions of writing about culture and human behavior' How do we see changes in anthropology's theoretical interests reflected (or not) in ethnographic writing' What are the different structural conventions, rhetorical tropes, allegorical patterns, and stylistic strategies used by authors considered to be master ethnographers' Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 563 Religion and Politics across Cultures
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor. - Explores the role of religion, religious movements, and secularism in modern politics, citizenship, gender politics, and public life. Case studies draw from Muslim-majority lands, Africa and Latin America, East-Southeast Asia, and the modern West. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 568 Symbol, Myth, and Rite
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Historical overview of ritual behavior, the role of symbolism in the study of culture, and the narrative quality of worldview and belief. Emphasis on verbal performance and public display events in specific cultural contexts. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AN 571 Anthropology of Emotion
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Advanced seminar on the study of emotion as culturally and historically specific experience, cognition and symbolic system. Focus on specific emotions including shame, anger, melancholy, hope, hate and love. Special attention to affect and the politics of emotion. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS AN 573 The Ethnography of China and Taiwan (area)
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing or consent of instructor; First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR100 or WR120). - Reading of major ethnographies and modern histories as a basis for examining changing Taiwanese and Chinese culture and society. Attention to ethnography as a genre, as well as to the dramatic changes of the past century. (Counts towards the East Asian Studies minor.) Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AN 791 Theory in Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least two archaeological studies courses at the 200 level or above, senior status, or consent of instructor. - Seminar dealing with the intellectual history of the discipline, research methods, concepts, and problems in archaeological theory, and the formulation of research designs. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AR 410 Archaeological Research Design and Materials Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR307) , or consent of instructor. - This laboratory-driven course engages students in independent research design and the hands-on analysis of archaeological materials. The course provides a foundation in the integration of theory, research design, and analytical methods through laboratory sessions where students work with archaeological materials. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AR 450 Methods and Theory of Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least two archaeological studies courses at 200 level or above, sen ior status, or consent of instructor. - Senior capstone seminar dealing with the intellectual history of the discipline, research methods, concepts, and problems in archaeological theory, and the formulation of research designs. Effective Fall 2018 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS AR 503E Archaeological Field Methods
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR101) , or consent of instructor. - ARCH FIELD METH
CAS AR 505 Digital Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two archaeology courses or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: two archeology courses or consent of instructor. - Lecture/laboratory course that introduces students to a broad range of digital techniques for collecting, visualizing, and analyzing objects, spaces, and landscapes. In addition to technical lab instruction, the course presents a series of research questions and case studies that explore how digital techniques can be used to investigate the material dimensions of social life. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 506 Regional Archaeology and Geographical Information Systems
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: one archaeology course or consent of instructor. - Use of advanced computer (GIS) techniques to address regional archaeological problems.This applied course examines digital encoding and manipulation of archaeological and environmental data, and methods for testing hypotheses, analyzing, and modeling the archaeological record. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AR 516 Paleoethnobotany
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduces the theory and method of the study of archaeological plant remains and basic botanical and ecological concepts. Highlights relationships between people and environments and the roles of plants in past societies. Laboratory sessions concentrate on quantitative analysis. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AR 518 Zooarchaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASAR 190. - Introduction to the study of archaeological animal bones. Provides theoretical background and methodological skills necessary for interpreting past human- animal interactions, subsistence, and paleoecology. Laboratory sections focus on skeletal identification. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
CAS AR 551 Studies in Mesoamerican Archaeology
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR201 & CASAR250) or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Analysis of major events and processes of the Mesoamerican area. Topics include rise of towns, temples, and urbanism; the origin of state; and the development of empires. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AR 551E STDS MESO ARCH
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASAR201 & CASAR250) or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - STUD MESO ARCH
CAS AR 591 Theory in Archaeology
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least two archaeological studies courses at the 200 level or above, senior status, or consent of instructor. - Seminar dealing with the intellectual history of the discipline, research methods, concepts, and problems in archaeological theory, and the formulation of research designs. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship, Social Inquiry II.
CAS AR 594 Scientific Applications in Archaeology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) and AR 307, or graduate standing. - Seminar exploring new ways of addressing archaeological questions through the application of scientific techniques, focusing on cutting-edge methodologies and the most recent literature in the field. Students pursue questions of individual interest through readings, discussions, presentations, and research papers. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS BI 414 Ornithology
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) - Examines the behavior, ecology, morphology, physiology, classification, and evolution of birds. Flight, navigation, migration, territorial courtship, nesting, and parental behavior. Field trips. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion and demonstrations. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS CC 211 Power, Political Forms, and Economics: Core Social Science 2
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Builds on CC 112, considering the major events and processes that have shaped the modern world, and looks at the roots of these changes in the works studied in first year Core. Ideas of human rights and self- determination, the relation of the individual and society, and the relation of power and economics to society. Readings are drawn from classic works of social and political theory: Thucydides, Ibn Khaldun, Hobbes, Rousseau, Tocqueville, Weber, Adam Smith, Marx, Durkheim, and Malinowski. The course is writing intensive. 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 II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS CC 221 Making the Modern World: Progress, Politics, and Economics
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g. CAS CC 101 or WR 120). Applying careful readings of Western social, political, and economic thinkers between 1600-1900, the course asks: How did "society" emerge as a distinctive object of political engineering, normative discourse, and social scientific inquiry? And what economic transformations helped shape theories of justice and social contract? Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS CC 222 "Unmaking" the Modern World: the Psychology, Politics, and Economics of the Self
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g. CAS CC 101 or WR 120). - Confronting the legacy of Enlightenment philosophy in the modern era, students encounter the postmodern psychological, political, and economic theories that expose the paradoxes behind freedom and individual rights ideologies framing slavery, colonialism, ethno-nationalism, capitalist exploitation, sexism, and institutional racism. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS CL 322 Roman History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Introduction to the political, social, and economic history of Rome from the foundation of the city through the fall of the western empire. All texts in translation. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 201 Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101) and (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123) or equivalent. - Determination of commodity prices and factor prices under the differing market conditions of competition and monopoly. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 201S Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101) and (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123) or equivalent. - Determination of commodity prices and factor prices under differing market conditions of competition and monopoly. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 202 Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC102) - Determination of aggregate income and employment. Analysis of fiscal and monetary policy. Inflation and income policy. Problems of the open economy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 202S Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC102) - Determination of aggregate income and employment. Analysis of fiscal and monetary policy. Inflation and income policy. Problems of the open economy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 221 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102 & CASMA225) - A mathematically rigorous approach to intermediate microeconomic theory. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 222 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EC 101, CAS EC 102, CAS MA 225, as well as CAS EC 221. - A mathematically rigorous approach to intermediate macroeconomic theory. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 320 Economics of Less-Developed Regions
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Theoretical and empirical examination of the structural changes associated with the process of economic development; special reference to poor regions and countries; rigorous analysis of criteria for policy judgments in developing planning and programming. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 320S Economics of Less-Developed Regions
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) - Theoretical and empirical examination of the structural changes associated with the process of economic development; special reference to poor regions and countries; rigorous analysis of criteria for policy judgments in development planning and programming.
CAS EC 322E ECON OF MENA
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101 & CASEC102) , and enrollment in the London Internship Program. - ECON OF MENA
CAS EC 323 Behavioral Economics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC203) - Introduction to a new field in economics that challenges the traditional model of rational decision-making and uses research in psychology to construct alternative models. Covers the theory of choice under certainty, uncertainty, and temptation; biases in judgment; social preferences. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 323S Behavioral Economics
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC203) - Introduction to a new field in economics that challenges the traditional model of rational decision-making and uses research in psychology to construct alternative models. Covers the theory of choice under certainty, uncertainty, and temptation; biases in judgment; social preferences. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 328 Urban and Regional Economics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC203) - Provides a broad introduction to modern regional and urban economics. In the first part of the course, we attempt to understand how and why cities grow and develop. In the second part of the course, we try to analyze why cities adopt different policies. In the third part of the course, we overview the issues of neighborhood inequality and segregation. If time remains, we will overview several other recent topics about urban and regional economics. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 330E EURO BUS MRKT
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - EURO BUS ENVMT
CAS EC 332 Market Structure and Economic Performance
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Structure of the American economy. The theory of imperfect competition. Topics include firm concentration and conglomeration, consumer ignorance and market failure, and advertising and technological change as part of market performance. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 332S Market Structure and Economic Performance
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Prereq: (CAS EC 201). Structure of the American economy. The theory of imperfect competition. Topics include firm concentration and conglomeration, consumer ignorance and market failure, and advertising and technological change as part of market performance. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 342 Monetary and Banking Theory
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC341) or consent of instructor. - After a brief survey of the development of modern monetary theory, concentration on selected theoretical aspects of monetary economics and financial organization covered in CAS EC 341. Additional emphasis on capital theory and macroeconomic models. Research paper required. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EC 342S Monetary and Banking Theory
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC341) or consent of instructor. - Prereq: (CAS EC 341) or consent of instructor. Following a brief survey of the development of modern monetary theory, students concentrate on selected theoretical aspects of monetary economics and financial organization covered in CAS EC 341. Additional emphasis is placed on capital theory and macroeconomic models. Research paper required. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EC 356 Economics of the Labor Market
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Application of current theories of labor supply and demand, wages, education and experience, immigration, labor efficiency, discrimination, and unemployment. Appraisal of the effects of government policies on labor markets. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 356S Economics of the Labor Market
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Application of current theories of labor supply and demand, wages, education and experience, immigration, labor efficiency, discrimination, and unemployment. Appraisal of the effects of government policies on labor markets. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 358 Economics of Education
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC204) or equivalent, or consent of the instructor. - Uses economic models to understand individuals' decision to invest in education, analyzes the effect of education, and examines policies impacting K-12 and higher education in the US. A variety of econometric methods are utilized throughout the course. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 358S Economics of Education
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC204) or equivalent, or consent of the instructor. - Prereq: (CAS EC 201 & CAS EC 204) or equivalent or consent of instructor. Uses economic models to understand individuals' decision to invest in education, analyzes the effect of education, and examines policies impacting K-12 and higher education in the US. A variety of econometric methods are utilized throughout the course. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 360E MACROECON UK
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: acceptance into the London Internship Program. - MACROECON UK
CAS EC 363 Race and the Development of the American Economy: A Global Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101) or consent of instructor. - (Meets with CAS AA 363.) Surveys the economic history of African Americans within the context of the long run development of the American and global economies. Topics include basic features of American economic growth in the long run; the economics of slavery; the Civil War and the aftermath of slavery; the evolution of racial inequality from the end of the Civil War to the present. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 364E European Economic Development
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in BU's London Internship Programme. - Examines the political economy of contemporary Europe. Concentrates on Western Europe (although the situation and policy developments in Eastern Europe and the former USSR are also touched on), and within that, on the European Economic Community (EEC)--its institutions, policies, and their impact, and its development.
CAS EC 367 Economics of the Public Sector
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Basic principles of public finance; consideration of classical and modern attitudes toward government revenues and expenditures. Survey of problems related to public debt and budget making. Evaluation of fiscal policy as an instrument of control. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 385 Economics of Sports
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC203) - Applies the tools of microeconomic theory and empirical methods to study such questions as the optimal design of sports leagues, the impact of new stadiums on a local economy, fan (customer) discrimination, and salary differentials between players. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 385S Economics of Sports
4 credits.
Prerequisites: (CAS EC 201 & CAS EC 203) or equivalent. Applies the tools of microeconomic theory and empirical methods to study questions such as the optimal design of sports leagues, the impact of new stadiums on a local economy, fan (customer) discrimination, and salary differentials between players. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 387 Introduction to Health Economics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Concepts of health economics for US and international settings. Topics include models and empirical analyses of moral hazard, adverse selection, health care systems, health insurance, hospital and physician behavior, pharmaceutical markets, consumer demand, alternative payment systems, risk, fairness, imperfect information, and topics in experimental and behavioral economics. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 387S Introduction to Health Economics
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Concepts of health economics applicable to both developed and developing countries. Topics include effect of health on the economy, effect of health care on health, hospital behavior, health work-force supply, and demand for health care.
CAS EC 391 International Trade
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Why do countries trade with each other' Who gains and who loses from international trade' What effect does trade have on consumer prices, wages, profits, income inequality, economic growth, and the environment' What are the costs and benefits of tariffs and other trade barriers' How have NAFTA and the European Union affected trade patterns, income distribution, and economic development' What effects do capital flows and migration have on sending and receiving countries' This course will use economic analysis to discuss these and other current international economic polies. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 391S International Trade
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) - Why do countries trade with each other' Who gains and who loses from international trade' What effect does trade have on consumer prices, wages, profits, income inequality, economic growth, and the environment' What are the costs and benefits of tariffs and other trade barriers' How have NAFTA and the European Union affected trade patterns, income distribution, and economic development' What effects do capital flows and migration have on sending and receiving countries' This course uses economic analysis to discuss these and other current international economic policies. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 392 International Macroeconomics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC202 & CASEC203) or equivalent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASEC204)or equivalent. - This course analyzes what determines exchange rates, including interest rates, fiscal and monetary policies, GDP growth, inflation, and other factors. We will examine the causes of exchange rate crises, the functioning of fixed and flexible exchange rate systems, the effect of the worldwide saving imbalance, the crisis in the euro zone, as well as other current topics. We will also study hedging and speculating in foreign exchange markets by using futures and forward contracts and options. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 392S International Macroeconomics
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC202 & CASEC203) or equivalent. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASEC204)or equivalent. - Prereq: (CAS EC 202 & CAS EC 203) or equivalent. Analyzes what determines exchange rates, including interest rates, fiscal and monetary policies, GDP growth, inflation, and other factors. Examines the causes of exchange rate crises, the functioning of fixed and flexible exchange rate systems, the effect of the worldwide saving imbalance, the crisis in the euro zone, as well as other current topics. Also considers hedging and speculating in foreign exchange markets by using futures and forward contracts and options. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 403 Game Theory
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EC 201 and (CASMA121 or CASMA123 or CASMA127); or consent of inst ructor. - Models of decision-making in which the choices of different individuals interact: basic equilibrium notions in normal-form and extensive-form games, including signaling games and repeated games. Applications may include oligopolies, auctions, foreign policy, takeover bids, entry deterrence, cooperation and conflict, financial markets, and public goods. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 403S Game Theory
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS EC 201 and (CASMA121 or CASMA123 or CASMA127); or consent of inst ructor. - Prereq: (CAS EC 201) and (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123 or CAS MA 127) or consent of instructor. Models of decision-making in which the choices of different individuals interact: basic equilibrium notions in normal-form and extensive- form games, including signaling games and repeated games. Applications may include oligopolies, auctions, foreign policy, takeover bids, entry deterrence, cooperation and conflict, financial markets, and public goods. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 404 Economics of Information
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) and one of CAS MA 121, 122, 123, 124, 127 or 129, or consent of instru ctor. Recommended: CAS EC 403. - Introduction to the field of information economics and its applications. Covers a wide range of situations in which players have access to different private information and this private information differently affects their incentives and strategic behavior. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 404S Economics of Information
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201) and one of CAS MA 121, 122, 123, 124, 127 or 129, or consent of instru ctor. Recommended: CAS EC 403. - Prereq: (CAS EC 201) and (CAS MA 121, 122, 123, 124, 127 or 129) or consent of instructor. Recommended: CAS EC 403. Introduction to the field of information economics and its applications. Covers a wide range of situations in which players have access to different private information and this private information differently affects their incentives and strategic behavior. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 436 Economics of Corporate Organization
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEC201; and CASMA121 or CASMA123 or CASMA127; and CASEC305 or CASMA2 13; and CASMA214, or SMGSM221. - Economic analysis of the architecture of firms and other organizations. Topics include firm boundaries, the allocation of ownership and control, integration and outsourcing, corporate governance, performance evaluation, and compensation. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EC 445 Economics of Risk and Uncertainty
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC202 & CASEC203 & CASEC204) and CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123 (or equivalent). - For advanced undergraduates. Economics of risk, with a focus on financial markets. Topics include expected utility, portfolio choice and the capital asset pricing model, interest rates and monetary policy, the relation between the real economy and the stock market. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EC 445S Economics of Risk and Uncertainty
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC201 & CASEC202 & CASEC203 & CASEC204) and CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123 (or equivalent). - Prereq: (CAS EC 201 & CAS EC 202) and (CAS EC 203 or CAS EC 305) and (CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123). For advanced undergraduates. Emphasis on quantitative links between theory and data. Topics include expected utility, portfolio choice and the capital asset pricing model, interest rates and monetary policy, the relation between the real economy and the stock market.
CAS EC 563 Race and the Development of the American Economy: A Global Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEC101) - Surveys African-American economic history in the context of the development of American and global economies, using available data and econometrics methods. Topics include: economics of slavery; race and industrialization; the Great Migration; anti-discrimination legislation; historical origins of contemporary racial inequalities. (Meets with CAS AA 563.)
CAS EE 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 309 Intermediate Environmental Analysis and Policy
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASEE 100 and CASEC 101. - Introduction and critical analysis of the economic and ecological foundations of sustainability. Applications to biodiversity, land use, energy, climate change, resource curse, ecological footprint, and planetary boundaries. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 322 The Politics of Science, Care, and the Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - This interdisciplinary course explores political conflicts over environmental problems as conflicts over science and care. Content ranges from concrete cases of U.S. environmental challenges (toxic exposure, wildlife in suburbs), to environmental political theory and the politics of climate change. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS EE 328E Australia Global Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Study Abroad enrollment.
CAS EE 347 Water Resources and the Environment
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Examines global water resource systems, with emphasis on questions of culture, development, gender, social inequality, politics. Analyzes social relations and historical legacies that shape water infrastructure, distribution, and meaning. Cases from Africa, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, South America. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 385 Israel and the Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Natural, social, and political factors in Israeli environmental resource management, impact on vulnerable populations, and opportunities for post- conflict, cross-border cooperation, environmental justice, and equitable division of scarce resources. Considers possibilities for a new paradigm in Middle Eastern sustainable development. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 524 Environmental Justice
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor; First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Exploration of the origins of and current trends in environmental justice activism and scholarship. Introduces empirical evidence of environmental (in)justice, links contemporary environmental problems to historical and broader political-economic processes, and explores a range of responses to environmental injustice. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 528 US Environmental Policy
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); CAS EE 100 or equivalent; EE 309 or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - Survey and historical overview of key environmental policies and regulations in the United States. Emphasis on policy development, including formulation and implementation of federal pollution control regulations since the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970. Considers possible future policy needs. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 538 Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Students gain professional experience by working in teams on research projects that assist environmental and public health officials in achieving the missions of their agencies. Research areas may include solar energy, environmental justice, toxics, water quality, and lead poisoning. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, The Individual in Community.
CAS EE 538S Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations 2
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Students gain professional experience by working in teams on research projects that assist environmental and public health officials in achieving the missions of their agencies. Research areas may include solar energy, environmental justice, toxics, water quality, and lead poisoning. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, The Individual in Community.
CAS EE 545 Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 121 or MA 123 or MA 124, or equivalent; EC 101, or equivalent; or consent of instructor. - A rigorous introduction to the economic analysis of environmental policy, and to the implications of the special character of environmental problems for public decision making. Introduces the tools available to environmental policy makers, and develops quantitative frameworks for analyzing their effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 552 Reconstructing Environmental Governance
4 credits.
Helps those who seek a future of participation in the reconstruction of systems and expectations for consumer, health, and environmental protection, that have been dismantled in recent years and can be restored to function better than before. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EE 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits. Spring
Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS EE 660 Resource Economics and Policy
4 credits.
Prereq: MA 121 or MA 123 or MA 124, or equivalent; EC 101 or equivalent; or consent of instructor *Economic and policy analysis of food, energy, and water, and the management of food, energy, water and land resources. Introduces resource economics and static and dynamic optimization as analytical frameworks for understanding the optimal management of scarcity, externalities, and impacts of environmental change on, and adaptation/vulnerability of, resource use. Meets with EE 460.
CAS EN 394 Cultures of Science
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: one previous literature course or junior or senior standing. - This course explores the shared cultures of the sciences and literature from the Enlightenment through the Victorian eras in Britain and Europe. We combine the history of science, the social history of literature and related arts, and sociology of knowledge. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry II.
CAS EN 395 Race, Sex and Science Fiction
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Science Fiction has always been engaged in complex conversations about culture and the fate of the human species. This course takes seriously the presence of issues such as race, sex and gender, which have become increasingly foregrounded in the genre. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS HI 283 The Twentieth-Century American Presidency
4 credits.
Examines the shifting role of the presidency in American politics, especially over the course of the twentieth century. Considers not only the accomplishments of individual presidents and institutional changes in the executive branch but also the evolving place of the presidency in American popular culture. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 283S The Twentieth-Century American Presidency
4 credits. Summer
Examines the shifting role of the presidency in American politics, especially over the course of the twentieth century. Considers not only the accomplishments of individual presidents and institutional changes in the executive branch but also the evolving place of the presidency in American popular culture. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 287 History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
4 credits.
Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 308 Religious Thought in America
4 credits.
Surveys many of the strategies that American religious thinkers have adopted for interpreting the cosmos, the social order and human experience, and the interaction of those strategies with broader currents of American culture. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 312 Disability in American History
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Investigates disability as a crucial aspect of power and identity in American history. Considers how people's bodies and minds have been rendered disabled in specific contexts. Explores disabled people's historical survival strategies, community-building projects, and campaigns to claim rights. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 315 The American West
4 credits.
We examine the American West, the mythical landscape of freedom and adventure, as a region of violence, empire, and exclusion. Exploring 300 years of Western history, we focus in particular on Indigenous conquest and the continuities of colonialism. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 338 Repression, Revolution, Rock n' Roll: US in 1950s & 1960s
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Few periods shaped American society, culture and politics as dramatically and enduringly as the 1950s and 1960s, transforming institutions, life experiences, the nation's role in the world, and the ways Americans thought about social problems and political activism. Topics include: Cold War, McCarthyism, Civil Rights, Vietnam, Campus Protest, Counterculture Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 339 A History of the Present: The United States since 1968
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Analyzing the recent experience of the United States and its people in historical perspective, the course allows students to explore important developments in US politics, race relations, economy, and popular culture, investigate diverse social science approaches to contemporary problems, and develop an independent research project. Topics include war, politics, religion, and popular culture as well as changing notions about race, gender, and selfhood. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 339S A History of the Present: The United States since 1968
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Considers the recent experience of the United States and its people in historical perspective. Students explore important developments in US politics, race relations, economy, and popular culture; investigate diverse social science approaches to contemporary problems; and develop an independent research project. Topics include war, politics, religion, and popular culture as well as changing notions about race, gender, and selfhood. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS HI 502 Drafts of History: Journalism and Historical Revisionism
4 credits.
Considers episodes from U.S. history, comparing the "draft" of journalists to subsequent historical accounts. Analyzes how new evidence alters understanding of events, but also how different eras ask questions about the past, interrogate different sources, and appeal to different audiences. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
CAS HI 507 Three Revolutions
4 credits.
The course examines how the English civil wars, the Glorious Revolution, and the American Revolution altered Anglo-American political thought and encouraged the rise of a democratic order and changed the nature of governance. Writers from Hobbes and Milton to Burke and Jefferson grappled with these transformations that created political modernity. The course situates these changes within their broader social and spiritual contextes and explores the continuation of inequality within a democratic order. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 525 Development in Historical Perspective
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 120 or 150) - A critical investigation of modern "development" practices and projects in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Explores the rise of development paradigms in the nineteenth century and key twentieth-century transformations; interrogates challenges to, critiques of, and reaffirmations of global development schemes. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 526 Poverty and Democracy: Modern India and the United States in Comparative Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Through an examination of historical, empirical, and journalistic evidence, students examine the peculiar and pernicious nature of modern and contemporary poverty in the context of two large democracies, India and the United States. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 527 Getting Around: Transportation, Cars, and Community in the Modern World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: "First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or 120)" - Explores the history of transportation and mobility and its impact on daily life, community, environment, and justice, examining automobiles, walking, biking, and mass transit in diverse global contexts from the nineteenth century to the present day. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS HI 708 Religious Thought in America
4 credits.
Surveys many of the strategies that American religious thinkers have adopted for interpreting the cosmos, the social order and human experience, and the interaction of those strategies with broader currents of American culture. Also offered as GRS RN 614. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 295 Quantitative Methods for Global Policy
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate prerequisites: Completion of CAS EC 101 and CAS EC 102, which are also prerequisites for a CAS IR degree. An applied math background, particularly in probability and statistics, is strongly encouraged, and completion of an introductory statistics or econometrics course (MA113, MA115, MA116, MA214, QM221, EC203/303) is recommended. - Introduces the principal quantitative methods that are employed in core global studies disciplines, including political science, economics, and public policy. Students are exposed to a range of descriptive and inferential statistical methods and their applications in research and policy. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 302 Campaigns and Elections Around the World
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR251) or consent of instructor. - Meets with CAS PO 325. Electoral campaigns in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Changes in campaigns over time; role of international political consultants; influence of party systems, electoral systems, campaign finance regulation, vote buying, and mass media; campaign effects on voting behavior and public opinion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS IR 302S Campaigns and Elections Around the World
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR251) or consent of instructor. - Electoral campaigns in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Changes in campaigns over time; role of international political consultants; influence of party systems, electoral systems, campaign finance regulation, vote buying, and mass media; campaign effects on voting behavior and public opinion.
CAS IR 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Traces the emergence of sustainable development as a defining challenge of our times. Surveys and evaluates approaches for balancing ecological sustainability and human development in various parts of the world and at the global level. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 334E EUR POL MIGRTN
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the Padua Italian & European Studies Program. - EUR POL MIGRTN
CAS IR 336E EURO BUS MRKT
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - EURO BUS ENVMT
CAS IR 347 Causes of War and Peace
4 credits.
War is the most destructive social act in which humanity engages. Why does war happen' This question is addressed by focusing on a variety of scholarly explanations. Theoretical discussions are paired with an examination of historical cases. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS IR 347S Causes of War and Peace
4 credits.
War is the most destructive social act in which humanity engages. Why does war happen' This question is addressed by focusing on a variety of scholarly explanations. Theoretical discussions are paired with an examination of historical cases.
CAS IR 376 History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 385 Foundations of Strategic Studies
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS IR 271 and First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Examines factors determining national and international security, and relationships between military power and politics. Topics include causes/conduct of war, civil-military relations, coercion in international relations, and grand strategy. Students cannot receive credit for both IR 374 and IR 385. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 389 Technology and Global Governance
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate prerequisite: One Social Inquiry I unit. - The international world order, largely forged after World War II, has come under increasing strain. The course critiques the traditional state-centric approach to global governance in which international organizations such as the United Nations and World Trade Organizations develop rules which nation-states follow. Provides an alternative approach of global governance - "experimental governance" - which can complement the state-centric approach. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 426 NGO Management and Leadership
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines roles and methods of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social change and international development. Reviews theory and practice of NGOs in development, NGO strategies, and internal management. Students will engage directly with international development NGOs. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 427E SEMINAR:INT BUS
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Programme. - SEMINAR:INT BUS
CAS IR 461 American Grand Strategy
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); junior standing o r consent of instructor. - Traces the United States' engagement in world affairs by evaluating U.S. grand strategy - its theory of how to 'create' security for itself in an often-threatening world. Using history and theory, identifies changes in U.S. strategy and evaluates policies today. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS IR 480 Political Economy of Human Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Also offered as GRS IR 680 A1. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 502 Latin American Political Parties
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Meets with CAS PO 561. Parties and party systems of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Historical origins and labor incorporation. Populist, working-class, and hegemonic parties. Market reform and party system transformation or collapse. Ethnic parties, clientelism, rise of a new Left. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS IR 505 Arms Control and Proliferation of Weapons
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar ( e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Examines why and how arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation have become important issues in modern diplomacy. Analyzes the progress made in concluding global and regional agreements, verification and compliance techniques, and their role in post-Cold War security issues. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 520 The State and Public Purpose in Asia
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: juniors & seniors in Internat'l Relations, Pol. Science, and Asian Stu dies who have completed the 1st-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR100 or 1 20) & Writing, Research & Inquiry (WR150, 151, 152). - Meets with CAS PO 550. Comparative exploration of the economic and political institutions of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, drawing on political and economic theory. Addresses how relationships among state, business, and labor have affected industrial development and contemporary economic activity. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 522 Politics of Nuclear Weapons
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASIR376 OR CASPO366) First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Graduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - This course examines politics, history, and technologies surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It analyzes the "global atomic marketplace" with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities for nuclear proliferation and nonproliferation. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS IR 527 Political Economy of China
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 527S Political Economy of China
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) and junior standing or consent of instructor. Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 552 Technology and War
4 credits. Fall
How do countries make choices between military technologies' How do they use them' What about emerging technologies' In this course, we examine the drivers behind countries¿ development of military technologies, how they operationalize them, and why they sometimes restrict them. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS IR 563 Religion and Politics across Cultures
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - This course examines the changing role of religion and secularism in modern politics, citizenship, and public life. It explores the causes of the global resurgence in religiosity and its implications for democracy, tolerance, and gender equality. It compares the public role of religion in Western liberal democracies with that of other world regions, including the Muslim world, Christianity in the global south, "Confucian" East Asia, India, and Buddhist Southeast Asia. The course asks whether an equitable and inclusive citizenship is possible in an age of deep ethico-religious plurality. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 564 Political Economy of Rising Powers
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Offers historical and comparative examination of industrialization and globalization in the contemporary world. Focusing on rising powers, the course examines different waves of industrialization, immigration, and globalization, as well as the business-state relations in different regions and nations. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS IR 572 Ballot or Bullet: The Global Struggle for Justice
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar. - How do people attain justice for issues with deep historical roots, such as colonialism, segregation, indigenous land rights, reparations, gender/race-based violence, and religious persecution' Explores the role of violence both in policing global morality and in popular responses to imposed universalist ideas. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 587 Global Energy History
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Prerequisite: one Social Inquiry I course. - This course traces global energy history from the Industrial Revolution to our era of climate change. We examine where energy resources come from, how they are acquired and moved, and why societies transition from one source of energy to another. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 591 Political Economy of Gender Inequality
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing; or consent of instructor. - Gender inequality is an enduring social phenomenon, despite variation over time and place. This course analyzes the political, economic, and social dimensions of gender inequality. It follows a comparative approach, focusing particularly on empirical analysis while also addressing fundamental normative issues of fairness. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 593 Technology and Economic Inclusion in the Developing World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
How can firms and governments use new technologies to provide clean energy, drinking water, and other services to rural and frontier communities in the developing world' The course investigates how rural communities, particularly those without access to formal and other services, manage their money, provide energy and other services they need, and general live their lives. We will then examine how firms and governance can design products, governance mechanisms, and policies which can most effectively tap into such communities. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS IR 594 Global Environmental Negotiation and Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Provides an overview of key actors, issues, and treaties in global environmental governance, paying particular attention to historical and contemporary differences in perspectives and interests of industrialized and developing countries. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II.
CAS IR 599 Science, Politics, and Climate Change
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. - Applies a science and technology studies perspective to climate change science and policy, examining efforts to address sources and consequences of climate change at global, national, and local levels. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 626 NGO Management and Leadership
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines roles and methods of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in social change and international development. Reviews theory and practice of NGOs in development, NGO strategies, and internal management. Students will engage directly with international development NGOs. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS IR 661 American Grand Strategy
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Traces the United States' engagement in world affairs by evaluating U.S. grand strategy - its theory of how to 'create' security for itself in an often-threatening world. Using history and theory, identifies changes in U.S. strategy and evaluates policies today. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course.
CAS IR 680 Political Economy of Human Development
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines human development in low- and middle-income countries from applied economics perspective. Topics include: (1) economic growth, inequality, and poverty; (2) health, nutrition, and education; (3) agriculture, environment, and resource management; and (4) social and political factors in economic development. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS JS 385 Israel and the Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Natural, social, and political factors in Israeli environmental resource management, impact on vulnerable populations, and opportunities for post- conflict, cross-border cooperation, environmental justice, and equitable division of scarce resources. Considers possibilities for a new paradigm in Middle Eastern sustainable development. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning. Social Inquiry II.
CAS LP 307 Portuguese for Business and Professional Life
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLP212) and consent of instructor. - This is a discussion-based course taught in Portuguese. It helps you develop effective reading, speaking and writing strategies needed to interpret authentic written and audio-visual sources, exploring different aspects of professional life in the Brazilian and the Portuguese-speaking world. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS LX 349 Bilingualism
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASLX250) or consent of instructor. - The psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics of life with two languages. Topics include bilingual language use, processing, acquisition, organization; effects of bilingualism on cognition and development; the bilingual brain; the bilingual speech community; bilingual education; bilingualism in the media and public eye. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS LX 649 Bilingualism
4 credits. Fall and Spring
The psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics of life with two languages. Topics include bilingual language use, processing, acquisition, organization; effects of bilingualism on cognition and development; the bilingual brain; the bilingual speech community; bilingual education; bilingualism in the media and public eye. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS LX 545. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 121 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123. Differentiation and integration of functions of one variable. Same topics as CAS MA 123, but with less emphasis on mathematical generality and more on applications. Especially suitable for students concentrating in the biological and social sciences. Carries MCS Divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 121E Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I
4 credits.
Differentiation and integration of functions of one variable. Same topics as CAS MA 123, but with less emphasis on mathematical generality and more on application. Especially suitable for students concentrating in the biological and social sciences. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS MA 123.
CAS MA 121S Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I
4 credits.
Differentiation and integration of functions of one variable. Same topics as CAS MA 123, but with less emphasis on mathematical generality and more on applications. Especially suitable for students concentrating in the biological and social sciences. Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 121 or CAS MA 123. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Students must register for two sections: lecture and discussion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 122 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences II
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123) - Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 122, MA 124, or MA 129. Continuation of CAS MA 121. Review of univariate calculus, calculus of the elementary transcendental functions, elementary differential equations, elementary multivariate calculus. Applications to exponential growth, optimization, equilibrium, and dynamic modeling problems. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS MA 122S Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences II
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASMA121 OR CASMA123) - Continuation of CAS MA 121. Review of univariate calculus, calculus of the elementary transcendental functions, elementary differential equations, elementary multivariate calculus. Applications to exponential growth, optimization, equilibrium, and dynamic modeling problems. Students may receive credit for not more than one of the following courses: CAS MA 122, CAS MA 124, or CAS MA 129. Carries MCS divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 458 Crime and Punishment: Philosophical Perspectives
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: two previous PH courses, or consent of instructor. First Year WritingS eminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course will explore philosophical questions about the criminal justice system, both in its ideal form and as it exists today. We will examine historical and contemporary writings on punishment, focusing on concepts of punishment, justifications for punishment, preventative detention, the death penalty, and alternatives to punishment. We will also ask how deep historical and contemporary injustices, including institutionalized racism, affect how we should theorize about institutions of punishment, their possible reform, or perhaps even their abolition. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PH 477 Philosophy of the Social Sciences
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry II
Topics in the philosophy of the social sciences such as the interpretation of human action and the objectivity of social inquiry. Social consideration of alternative theoretic viewpoints such as naturalism and interpretivism. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PH 677 Philosophy of the Social Sciences
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings Social Inquiry II
Topics in the philosophy of the social sciences such as the interpretation of human action and the objectivity of social inquiry. Social consideration of alternative theoretic viewpoints such as naturalism and interpretivism. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 301 Presidential Leadership
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Presidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 301S Presidential Leadership
4 credits.
Presidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 317.
CAS PO 302 Congress
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - The United States Congress is the most studied branch of U.S. Government, and central to our understanding of policy, elections, and representative democracy. The purpose of this course is to examine two fundamental questions: (1) what do Members of Congress do and why and (2) how do the individual and collective actions of Members of Congress explain national policy' Throughout, we will debate the common criticism that "Congress is broken'' and consider its effectiveness as an institution. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 306 Media and Politics in the United States
4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111) or consent of instructor. - Examines changes over time in the American polity's assumptions about what the press ought to do. In particular, relates our understanding of the press's role to contemporary media developments including technological changes, corporate media ownership, and the re- amateurization of journalism. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 307 Public Opinion in American Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - Public opinion is a central component of democratic politics; in this course we study public opinion in the United States. In addition to this substantive focus, the course is intended to foster the development of two skills: critical reading and rigorous, careful and clear writing. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry I. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 307S Public Opinion and Electoral Politics
4 credits. Summer
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO111 OR CASPO141) or consent of instructor. - Determinants and consequences of public opinion in the American political system. Social, psychological, and economic influences on opinion formation; role of mass media, parties, and interest groups. Public and private propaganda. Measurement of opinion; sampling techniques; interviewing; data analysis.
CAS PO 308 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Combining research from history, political science, sociology, and economics, this course examines the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics and policy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 308S The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
4 credits.
Definitional hypotheses of race and ethnicity based on cultural, sociological, and biological determinants tested against concrete examples of plural societies in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Correlations between racial/ethnic differentiation and sociopolitical stratification and cleavages examined. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 351.
CAS PO 313 The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
4 credits. Fall and Spring
HBO's television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. A number of interdisciplinary topics are covered, including the war on drugs, urban elections, bureaucracy, rational choice theory, and the decline of American cities. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PO 313S The Politics and Policy of HBO's The Wire
4 credits.
HBO's television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. A number of interdisciplinary topics are covered, including the war on drugs; urban policing and education policy; and race, politics, and poverty. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PO 317 American Campaigns and Elections
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Explores the nature of political campaigns and elections in the United States. We learn about how voters make decisions, how campaigns influence election results, and how the broader set of electoral structures and rules influence these outcomes. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Teamwork/Collaboration, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 322 The Politics of Science, Care, and the Environment
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - This interdisciplinary course explores political conflicts over environmental problems as conflicts over science and care. Content ranges from concrete cases of U.S. environmental challenges (toxic exposure, wildlife in suburbs), to environmental political theory and the politics of climate change. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
CAS PO 325 Campaigns and Elections Around the World
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Meets with CAS IR 302. Electoral campaigns in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Changes in campaigns over time; role of international political consultants; influence of party systems, electoral systems, campaign finance regulation, vote buying, and mass media; campaign effects on voting behavior and public opinion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PO 329 International Political Economy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Emphasizes the dynamic interaction between politics and economics to understand and explain historical and contemporary issues in international political economy, including international monetary, trade, investment, financial, and environmental relations. Considers emerging challenges and structures in the international political economy. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 329S International Political Economy
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Emphasizes the dynamic interaction between politics and economics to understand and explain historical and contemporary issues in international political economy, including international monetary, trade, investment, financial, and environmental relations. Considers emerging challenges and structures in the international political economy. Effective Fall 2024 fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 332 Civil Wars
4 credits. Fall
Prerequisites: CASPO 171 or CASIR 271. - Civil wars are the dominant form of political violence in the world. This course draws on a methodologically diverse body of research to examine the causes, durations, and outcomes of civil wars. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU HUB areas: Critical Thinking, Social Inquiry 2.
CAS PO 333 Democratic Erosion
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Trends in American and European politics have engendered fears about a turn toward authoritarianism where it was once unthinkable. This course explores the causes and consequences of democratic erosion, helping students to put recent developments into comparative and historical perspective. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 334 Political Violence
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Explores the concept of political violence and the dynamics of violent political behavior. Critically examines the causes and consequences of political violence around the world. Topics include civil war, government repression and disciplining, electoral violence, riots and demonstrations, vigilante and intercommunal violence. Comparative perspectives with a particular emphasis on the Global South. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 344 Democracy: Its Origins, Breakdown and Outcomes
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO151 OR CASSO100) - How do political scientists explain the emergence of democratic regimes' And what factors explain their breakdown' We look at these questions across a range of countries in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and other regions of the world. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS PO 357 Causes of War and Peace
4 credits.
War is the most destructive social act in which humanity engages. Why does war happen' This question is addressed by focusing on a variety of scholarly explanations. Theoretical discussions are paired with an examination of historical cases. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning.
CAS PO 357S Causes of War and Peace
4 credits. Summer
War is the most destructive social act in which humanity engages. Why does war happen' This question is addressed by focusing on a variety of scholarly explanations. Theoretical discussions are paired with an examination of historical cases.
CAS PO 381 History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
4 credits.
Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 381S History of American Foreign Relations since 1898
4 credits.
Meets with CAS HI 287. Analysis of the history of American foreign policy from the perspective of the changing world and regional international systems; emphasis on the effect of these systems and the impact of America on the creation and operation of international systems. This course cannot be taken for credit in addition to the course with the same title that was previously numbered CAS PO 366. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 409 The Political Psychology of Group-Based Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and one previous course in political science or social psychology; or consent of instructor. - The study of political psychology, integrating political science and social and cognitive psychology as it informs the dynamics of group-based politics, including especially race, gender, class, and political party affiliation. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy, Social Inquiry 2.
CAS PO 497 Crime and Punishment: Philosophical Perspectives
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPH350) and two other philosophy courses. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This course will explore philosophical questions about the criminal justice system, both in its ideal form and as it exists today. We will examine historical and contemporary writings on punishment, focusing on concepts of punishment, justifications for punishment, preventative detention, the death penalty, and alternatives to punishment. We will also ask how deep historical and contemporary injustices, including institutionalized racism, affect how we should theorize about institutions of punishment, their possible reform, or perhaps even their abolition. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 501 Formal Political Theory
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: PO 111, 141, 151, or 171. Calculus (MA 121,123, or 127) and probabilit y (MA 113, 115, or 213) are helpful, but not required. - Graduate Prerequisites: completion of BU Social Science Math Boot Camp. Some additional famili arity with calculus and microeconomics is helpful, but not required. - A course on formal theory, covering decision theory, game theory, and social choice theory. Topics include spatial models, electoral competition, bargaining, deterrence, and signaling models. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 502 Political Analysis
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPO399) or consent of instructor. Familiarity with algebra and calculus are he lpful, but not required. - The logic and methods of empirical analysis in political science. Introduces research design for a variety of social science applications, as well as data analysis, data visualization and statistical software. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 515 Advanced Public Opinion
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate prerequisites: CASPO 399. - Seminar on the theoretical underpinnings of public opinion in the United States. How do voters think about politics' How do they come to form their opinions' What causes these to beliefs change' Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 516 Gender and Politics
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or above. - Analyzes the relationship between gender and politics, law and policy primarily in the United States. Considers inequalities based on gender and sexuality, women's changing political, gender- and sexuality-based political action and social movements. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PO 518 Causes and Consequences of Political Segregation in the United States
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II
This seminar explores how political geography ¿ where different political, racial, economic, and social groups live in relation to one another ¿ shapes U.S. politics. The course covers trends shaping political segregation and its impacts on representation, elections, political campaigns, and polarization. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 528 Political Economy of Europe and US
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Prerequisites: Any two 300-level social science courses in CAS. - Explores challenges to democracy in Europe and the United States linked to the changing character of global capitalism. Covers topics such as rising wealth and wage inequality, automation in production and global supply chains, housing crises, cross-cultural differences in political support for welfare states the rise of populism, and assetization of basic human needs. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU HUB areas: Critical Thinking, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry 2.
CAS PO 540 Prohibition
4 credits.
The American experience of Prohibition is used to understand a variety of political and policy issues, including the War on Drugs, crime and law enforcement, bureaucracies, regulation, taxation, and social movements. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 548 Political Economy of China
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 548S Political Economy of China
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) and junior standing or consent of instructor. Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
CAS PO 550 The State and Public Purpose in Asia
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: juniors & seniors in Internat'l Relations, Pol. Science, and Asian Stu dies who have completed the 1st-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR100 or 1 20) & Writing, Research & Inquiry (WR150, 151, 152). - Comparative exploration of the economic and political institutions of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, drawing on political and economic theory. Addresses how relationships among state, business, and labor have affected industrial development and contemporary economic activity. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS PO 561 Latin American Political Parties
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Parties and party systems of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Historical origins and labor incorporation. Populist, working-class, and hegemonic parties. Market reform and party system transformation or collapse. Ethnic parties, clientelism, rise of a new Left. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS PS 365E Toward an Experimenting Society: Psychology Applied to Social Problems
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: enrollment in the London Internship Program. - PSYCH/SOC ISSUE
CAS RN 314 Religious Thought in America
4 credits.
Surveys many of the strategies that American religious thinkers have adopted for interpreting the cosmos, the social order and human experience, and the interaction of those strategies with broader currents of American culture. Also offered as CAS HI 308. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS RN 468 Symbol, Myth, and Rite
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Historical overview of ritual behavior, the role of symbolism in the study of culture, and the narrative quality of worldview and belief. Emphasis on verbal performance and public display events in specific cultural contexts. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS RN 614 Religious Thought in America
4 credits.
Surveys many of the strategies that American religious thinkers have adopted for interpreting the cosmos, the social order and human experience, and the interaction of those strategies with broader currents of American culture. Also offered as GRS HI 708. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II.
CAS SO 230 Crime and Justice
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Examines sociological research on the social context of crime and justice in the US. Considers how research can inform policy reform. Introduces students to data science and real-world datasets on criminal justice. Key topics: policing, racial disparities, incarceration, and abolition. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 241 Sociology of Gender
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
An introduction to the social construction of sex and gender with a focus on the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that shape gender relations. Examines gender as a social structure that patterns institutional inequalities and everyday interactions on society. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 241S Sociology of Gender
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Online offering. Introduces the social construction of sex and gender with a focus on the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that shape gender relations. Examines gender as a social structure that patterns institutional inequalities and everyday interactions on society. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 302 Social Networks
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning I Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Explores the mainstream theories in the field of social networks by sampling from empirical work across diverse fields such as social structure, culture, the economy, social media, and others. The course also focuses on the "how" of doing social network analysis including analyzing and interpreting properties of social networks quantitatively and learning to use software tools for analyzing social networks. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 306 Boston's People and Neighborhoods
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASSO244) or consent of instructor. - Via readings, field trips and documentaries, the course explores Boston neighborhoods, tracing their history and dynamics. We identify forces that shape Boston, garner insight into how different groups experience the city, and grapple with the challenges that Boston faces. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 308E AUST SOC POL
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Admission into Sydney Internship Program. - AUST SOC POL
CAS SO 313 Economic Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least one previous Sociology course or consent of instructor. - Presents the sociological approach to the study of production, distribution, consumption and markets, emphasizing the impact of norms, power, social structure, and institutions on the economy. Compares classic and contemporary approaches to the economy by the social science disciplines. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 318 Sociology of Childhood and Youth
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least one previous Sociology course or consent of instructor. - Uses in-depth studies centered on children and youth to examine the socially stratified and fragmented experiences of young people historically and contemporarily. This course focuses on the social construction of youth and the cultural and institutional forces that shape the social experiences of youth and our knowledge of them. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 320 Political Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least one previous Sociology course or consent of instructor. - Traces the sociology of politics from ancient times to modern era. Analyzes U.S. & global political shifts. Topics include: political cultures, constitutions and laws; political authority; political parties; revolutions and war; mass media, and politics of violence. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 322 Gender and Health
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Prerequisites: at least one previous sociology course or consent of instructor. - Gender power relations and inequalities in health, healthcare institutions, medical research, public health policy, and global health politics. Examines the intersection of gender with other systems of power in medical practice, research, and the experience of health and illness. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 323 Markets in Biomedicine and Healthcare
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: at least one previous Sociology course or consent of instructor. - Complex ways in which market exchange impacts commodification of the human body, the practice of medicine (assisted reproduction, organ transplantation) and drug clinical trials. Theoretical discussion of market exchange from an interdisciplinary perspective, brief overview of the US health care system and global medical tourism. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 400 Advanced Research Practicum
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASSO303) and junior standing; or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Sem inar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Prepares students planning to conduct honors research project in their senior year. Students interested in developing a research project for alternate purposes are admitted with permission of the instructor. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 411 Seminar: Sociology of the Nonprofit Sector
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sociological research on that part of society known as the nonprofit sector, including nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, voluntary associations, and social movements. Focus on some of the literature's major themes: civil society, social capital, and nongovernmental organizations. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 415 Seminar: Sociology of Law
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and at least two previous Sociology courses: or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Classical and contemporary perspectives on law's development in society. Selected applications of law are then examined with attention to constraints on law's ability to achieve such societal goals as justice and equality and to alter social relations fundamentally. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 418 Seminar: Sociology of Medicine
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and at least two previous sociology courses; or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Focuses on major topics in the area of health and medicine, with different themes each semester. Topics have included Global Health; Health Disparities; and Death and Dying. Check with instructor for topic. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing- Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 431 Seminar: Genders, Sexualities, and Youth Cultures
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing or consent of instructor. - Investigates the social construction of gender and sexuality in adolescence. Engaging critical approaches to youth cultures, the course examines the structural conditions that shape gender and sexuality norms, and the ways youth navigate and redefine their social worlds. Effective Fall 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 438 Seminar on International Migration
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and at least two previous sociology courses; or consent of instructor. - Explores key themes in international migration. It emphasizes connections between current topics in immigration, and sociological theories that explain immigrant pathways, mobilities, and outcomes. Students engage in analytical memo-writing that make these links, and write a final term paper. Throughout, the course emphasizes how the intersection of inequalities--of legal status, gender, race and class--shape immigration processes. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 459 Deviance and Social Control
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Explores sociological explanations for why attributes and behaviors are defined as deviant, the consequences of deviant labels, and how the state criminalizes and punishes people for deviant behavior. Examines how responses to deviance reflect the state's orientation to social marginality. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 460 Seminar: Economic Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and at least two prior sociology courses, or consent o f instructor. - Introduction to core theoretical perspectives and debates in contemporary economic sociology (structural/network, cultural, institutional/political, and performativity) with a special attention paid to morality of markets, commensuration and construction of value, money, credit and finance and inequality. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 483 Gentrification Studies
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
This seminar explores the process of urban gentrification from an interdisciplinary perspective, examining the variegated histories, geographies, and sociologies of gentrification globally, thinking through comparative urbanism. It considers definitions of gentrification, how theorizations developed over time, and key concepts. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 490 Seminar: Global Health: Politics, Institutions, and Ideology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and at least two previous sociology courses ; or consent of the instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 1 00 or WR 120) - What is global health' Who are the main actors in global health debates' This seminar explores the politics of global health, providing students with sociological tools, concepts, and knowledge to help make sense of conflict in contemporary global health debates. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 497 Understanding Meritocracy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
PreReq: Junior or Senior standing and at least two previous Sociology courses; or consent of instructor. Challenges students to sociologically evaluate the concept of meritocracy, its origins, its societal implications, and contemporary adoption as an ideal worth striving for. Reviews empirical research on perceptions around and explanations of social inequality. Explores how beliefs about inequality are mobilized in class and racial conflict and in what ways people's beliefs are or aren't likely to change. Fall term. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II and Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 499 Field Practicum
2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS SO 100 and SO 201, requires some foundational knowledge of sociological ideas and methods. - Joins real world experience in social change and social impact work with seminar-based coursework that encourages critical reflection, develops professional experience, and builds skills of sociological research and analysis. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
CAS SO 631 Seminar: Genders, Sexualities, and Youth Cultures
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing or consent of instructor. - Graduate Prerequisites: graduate student standing or consent of instructor. - Investigates the social construction of gender and sexuality in adolescence. Engaging critical approaches to youth cultures, the course examines the structural conditions that shape gender and sexuality norms, and the ways youth navigate and redefine their social worlds. Effective Fall 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 811 Seminar: Sociology of the Nonprofit Sector
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Introduction to sociological research on that part of society known as the nonprofit sector, including nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, voluntary associations, and social movements. Focus on some of the literature's major themes: civil society, social capital, and nongovernmental organizations. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS SO 818 Medical Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Sociological factors in physical and mental illness as they operate in the community, hospitals, and interpersonal relations. Current research on selected topics in medical sociology; contributions to sociological theory and their practical application. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 838 Seminar on International Migration
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing. - The course will explore key themes in international migration. It will emphasize connections between current topics in immigration, and sociological theories that explain immigrant pathways, mobilities, and outcomes. Students will engage in analytical memo-writing that make these links, and write a final term paper. Throughout, the course will emphasize how the intersection of inequalities--of legal status, gender, race and class--shape immigration processes. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 859 Deviance and Social Control
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - Graduate Prerequisites: graduate standing. - This seminar explores sociological explanations for why and how certain attributes and behaviors are defined as deviant, the consequences of deviant labels, and how rules and sanctions are created and enforced. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 860 Seminar in Economic Sociology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Introduction to core theoretical perspectives and debates in contemporary economic sociology (structural/network, cultural, institutional/political, and performativity) with a special attention paid to morality of markets, commensuration and construction of value, money, credit and finance and inequality. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS SO 890 Seminar: Global Health: Politics, Institutions, and Ideology
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - What is global health' Who are the main actors in global health debates' This seminar explores the politics of global health, providing students with sociological tools, concepts, and knowledge to help make sense of conflict in contemporary global health debates. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS SO 897 Understanding Meritocracy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Challenges students to sociologically evaluate the concept of meritocracy, its origins, its societal implications, and contemporary adoption as an ideal worth striving for. Reviews empirical research on perceptions around and explanations of social inequality. Explores how beliefs about inequality are mobilized in class and racial conflict and in what ways people's beliefs are or aren't likely to change. Fall term. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II and Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 241 Sociology of Gender
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
An introduction to the social construction of sex and gender with a focus on the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that shape gender relations. Examines gender as a social structure that patterns institutional inequalities and everyday interactions on society. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS WS 241S Sociology of Gender
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Online offering. Introduces the social construction of sex and gender with a focus on the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that shape gender relations. Examines gender as a social structure that patterns institutional inequalities and everyday interactions on society. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS WS 270 Race, Sex and Science Fiction
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Science Fiction has always been engaged in complex conversations about culture and the fate of the human species. This course takes seriously the presence of issues such as race, sex and gender, which have become increasingly foregrounded in the genre. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CAS WS 333 Queering Health
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course is about the unique physical and mental health needs, health disparities, and resiliency within the LGBTQ community. Students will learn about the psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity, intersectionality in LGBTQ communities, gender identity and sexual orientation development models, queer families and relationships, minority stress, hetero/cis-sexism, and other relevant topics. Students will also learn about LGBTQ affirming therapies, healthcare, public policy, and legislation. This course will take a constructively critical lens to medicalized/pathologizing constructions of sexual and gender diversity and examine topics within historical and modern social context. This course will explore strategies for advocacy, improving the healthcare experience of LGBTQ people, and addressing barriers to accessing healthcare from local, national, and global perspectives. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
CAS WS 431 Seminar: Genders, Sexualities, and Youth Cultures
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing or consent of instructor. - Investigates the social construction of gender and sexuality in adolescence. Engaging critical approaches to youth cultures, the course examines the structural conditions that shape gender and sexuality norms and the ways youth navigate and redefine their social worlds. Effective Fall 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS WS 631 Seminar: Genders, Sexualities, and Youth Cultures
4 credits. Fall
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Investigates the social construction of gender and sexuality in adolescence. Engaging critical approaches to youth cultures, the course examines the structural conditions that shape gender and sexuality norms, and the ways youth navigate and redefine their social worlds. Effective Fall 2023 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
CFA MT 441 Acoustical and Psychoacoustical Basis of Music
4 credits.
Music is a complex system of human behavior with a basis in the physics of sound, musical instruments, and human physiology and cognition. There is a deep base of knowledge about music in the application of different modes of scientific inquiry -- physics, psychology, neuroscience -- to this complex system. This knowledge is a valuable resource for musicians and music researchers. In this class we investigate how we can use the science of sound and auditory perception to explain aspects of musical practice, and apply it to aspects of musical performance, composition, and music theory. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
CFA MT 472 Music Perception and Cognition
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Covers selected topics in empirical research on music perception and cognition. These may include the cognitive processing of melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre, the connection of music to emotion, computational study of musical corpora, the quantitative study of music performance, and the connection of music to other areas of human intelligence. Students learn to evaluate research articles, apply statistical models to musical and behavioral data, and propose their own studies. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CFA MT 772 Music Perception and Cognition
3 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This course is designed to introduce students to scientific literature on music preparation, music performance, and related topics. It is designed as a readings course in selected topics with an introduction to statistical methods and methods of experimental design, flexible in response to the background of students and subjects of interest to them. Previous offerings have enrolled only music students from a variety of degree programs (Performance DMAs, Composition DMAs, Theory MMs, and undergraduates). This version of the course may be cross-listed with the new undergraduate HUB course in Music Perception and Cognition, MT472, and therefore will only enroll graduate students and remains a three-credit course to best fit into current graduate programs. 3cr Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
CGS HU 425 Trauma in History, Art & Religion
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Today trauma haunts soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. It afflicts the survivors of 9/11 and witnesses to the Boston Marathon bombings. It colors the lives of victims in the rape epidemic still unfolding on college campuses. It shapes the way we talk about race after the deaths of Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others. It is a lens through which we examine the unfolding climate crisis. And it provides novel ways to read literature, view art, and watch television and film. This course is an interdisciplinary seminar that explores the many ways that psychological trauma manifests itself. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry II. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Social Inquiry II.
CGS MA 121 Calculus
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Differentiation and integration of functions of one variable. Same topics as CAS MA 123, but with less emphasis on mathematical generality and more on applications. Especially suitable for students concentrating in the biological and social sciences. Carries MCS Divisional credit in CASv Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Quantitative Reasoning II. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
CGS SS 104E Politics, Economies & Social Change in the West: Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution
5 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
This interdisciplinary course examines social change in the politics, economies, social structures, and culture of the West from the Industrial Revolution to the present. Students consider the impact of technological innovation, industrial capitalism, global war, genocide, and the ideologies that shaped these developments. The course concludes with the globalization of economies and social structures in an era of rising inequality. Visits to relevant sites in Britain will supplement classroom instruction. Class meets twice a week for 2h with two additional contact hours as assigned. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
CGS SS 104S Politics, Economies, and Social Change in the West: The Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revol
5 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
This interdisciplinary course examines social change in the politics, economies, social structures, and culture of the West from the Industrial Revolution to the present. Students consider the impact of technological innovation, industrial capitalism, global war, genocide, and the ideologies that shaped these developments. The course concludes with the globalization of economies and social structures in an era of rising inequality. Visits to relevant sites will supplement classroom instruction. Class meets twice a week for 2h with two additional contact hours as assigned. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking.
COM CM 457E SEM GLOBL STRTG
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Critical Thinking Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
SEM GLOBL STRTG
COM JO 350 Law and Ethics of Journalism
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This interactive course introduces the core legal and ethical issues affecting how journalists, including the student press, gather, verify and communicate news. This course offers an exciting deep-dive into the key concepts affecting newsgathering and dissemination today.Students will discover the underpinnings of a free press as well as practical tools to use when confronted with government efforts to block legitimate newsgathering. Students will gain a working knowledge of how and why the First Amendment protects them as they gather, verify and disseminate the news. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
COM JO 350S Law and Ethics of Journalism
4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Ethical Reasoning Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
Introduces the core legal and ethical issues affecting how journalists, including the student press, gather, verify, and communicate news. Offers an exciting deep-dive into the key concepts affecting newsgathering and dissemination today. Students discover the underpinnings of a free press as well as practical tools to use when confronted with government efforts to block legitimate newsgathering. Students gain a working knowledge of how and why the First Amendment protects them as they gather, verify, and disseminate the news. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
COM JO 530 Drafts of History
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMJO357) - Journalism has been called "the first rough draft of history." We consider several episodes from U.S. history and examine how the first drafts written by journalists compare to subsequent drafts written by historians. We analyze how new evidence and chronological distance alter understanding of important events. Four credits, fall semester. (Undergraduate Prerequisite: COM JO 150.) Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
HUB SA 302E KYOTO ELCTV 2
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Historical Consciousness Social Inquiry II
KYOTO ELCTV 2
HUB SA 303E KYOTO ELCTV 3
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
KYOTO ELCTV 3
HUB SA 306E KYOTO ELCTV 6
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry I Social Inquiry II
KYOTO ELCTV 6
HUB SA 309E KYOTO ELCTV 9
0 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
KYOTO ELCTV 9
KHC AM 101 Whose Schools: Power, Equality and Public Education
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
How can we fulfill Thomas Jefferson's promise for public schools "which shall reach every description of our citizens'" The course examines significant eras, debates, and struggles for equality in U.S. education, with a particular focus on current policies in Boston. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Research and Information Literacy.
KHC EC 103 Housing Policy: An Economic Perspective
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Quantitative Reasoning II Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This course introduces students to economic analysis through the study of housing policy. The course covers both microeconomic issues related to housing affordability and macroeconomic issues related to the stabilization of the housing market and the Great Recession. Throughout, the course will teach students economic principles and how use data to assess economic arguments. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Research and Information Literacy.
KHC HC 302 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Global Challenges II
4 credits. Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
68.5 million people were displaced from their homes by wars and persecution by the end of 2017. What disciplines and methodologies will help us understand this unprecedented global crisis' A premise of this course is that any understanding of the contemporary refugee crisis requires interdisciplinary study, and the most effective solutions are developed by teams like the interdisciplinary groups you will form in this class. The refugee crisis will provide a lens through which to understand nation/states, culture, identity, technology, trauma, and human resilience. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
KHC LW 102 Marriage, Families & Gender: Contemporary Legal and Social Controversies
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This seminar will critically examine the family, marriage, and gender by asking several basic questions: What is family' What is marriage' Why do family and marriage matter to individuals and to society' What role does or should law have in supporting and regulating families and marriage' In defining parenthood' How do new technologies that provide new pathways to parenthood (assisted reproductive technology, or "ART") and new forms of control over reproduction (such as genetic testing and screening) pose ethical and legal challenges and how should law address those challenges' Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
KHC SM 102 Reforming the U.S. Health Care System
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
In this seminar, students explore the U.S. health care system and those of six other nations, analyzing policy challenges through team projects that evaluate evidence-based reform strategies, and take into account economic, social, political, managerial, ethical, legal, and regulatory factors. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Research and Information Literacy.
KHC SO 101 Social Networks and Culture
4 credits. Spring
This seminar will focus on the theories and applications of social network analysis to study culture. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
KHC SO 102 Health Justice
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry II
This course puts five pressing social problems related to human, animal, and planetary health under a microscope, examining the dynamics that led to these problems and innovative policies and practices that are being developed to address them. Effective Spring 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Research and Information Literacy.
QST BE 325 Strategy in the Health and Life Science Sector
4 credits. Spring
Undergraduate Pre-requisite: Sophomore standing. - This course examines the distinctive strategic and economic challenges that healthcare and life science firms face. It explores how innovators, providers, and insurers in the healthcare industry create and capture value. We will develop frameworks of competition specific to the healthcare industry. Public policy responds to the unique features of these markets, and we will examine how this generates new affects business opportunities. The course offers insights into the unique aspects of the U.S. healthcare system and how it compares globally. We explore questions such as: How does payment affect the types of drugs firms develop' How do insurers avoid expensive customers' Who is incentivized to offer high-quality health care' Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
QST BE 350 The Psychology of Decision Making: Implications for Business and Public Policy
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Pre-requisite: Sophomore standing. - We provide an introduction to how individuals make decisions, applying the tools of psychology and economics. We will learn to identify common mistakes and biases. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate their own decision- making ability and learn how to make improved decisions. We link each aspect of decision-making studied to current personal finance decision, business problem & public policy issue. This course will improve negotiation ability and prepare students to use social science data to support decisions. The course consists of cases, discussions, lectures & project. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
QST PL 325 Introduction to the Health Sector: Issues and Opportunities
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Sophomore standing - Formerly PL425. This course provides a dynamic introduction to the health sector, beginning with the burden and distribution of disease and current patterns of expenditures. While the primary emphasis will be on the U.S. healthcare system, a global context will be developed. The basic elements of insurance and payment, service organization and delivery, and life sciences products (drugs, diagnostics, and devices) will be described, and placed in the context of the unique economic structure of the sector. The intense challenges of the sector will be explored, including ethical, social and organizational dilemmas that arise as well as business opportunities that emerge. The roles that government policy, rapid technology growth, and practice development play as drivers of system change will be addressed throughout. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
QST PL 330 The U.S. Healthcare System in Transition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Sophomore standing - Formerly PL430. The U.S. health care system has undergone sweeping change as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. Knowledge of how the reform law is affecting health care organizations, health professionals, consumers, and American businesses is essential for everyone, especially those planning careers in management or business. This rigorous seminar, which counts toward the Health & Life Sciences concentration and the Law and Public Policy concentration, provides an in-depth look at the economic, political, social and organizational challenges facing the nation as attempts to repeal-and-replace the ACA are debated by Congress. Students read and analyze articles, business cases, issue briefs, and legal opinions from diverse perspectives to learn how the U.S. health care system came to be and how it will change in the future. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
QST PL 350 The Psychology of Decision Making: Implications for Business and Public Policy
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Sophomore standing - We provide an introduction to how individuals make decisions, applying the tools of psychology and economics. We will learn to identify common mistakes and biases. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate their own decision- making ability and learn how to make improved decisions. We link each aspect of decision-making studied to current personal finance decision, business problem & public policy issue. This course will improve negotiation ability and prepare students to use social science data to support decisions. The course consists of cases, discussions, lectures & project. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
QST PL 425 Introduction to the Health Sector: Issues and Opportunities
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing - This course provides a dynamic introduction to the health sector, beginning with the burden and distribution of disease and current patterns of expenditures. While the primary emphasis will be on the U.S. healthcare system, a global context will be developed. The basic elements of insurance and payment, service organization and delivery, and life sciences products (drugs, biologics, diagnostics, and devices) will be described, and placed in the context of the unique economic structure of the sector. The intense challenges of the sector will be explored, including ethical, social and organizational dilemmas that arise as well as business opportunities that emerge. The roles that government policy, rapid technology growth, and practice development play as drivers of system change will be addressed throughout. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
QST PL 430 The U.S. Healthcare System in Transition
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing - The U.S. healthcare system has undergone sweeping change as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. Knowledge of how the reform law has affected health care organizations, health professionals, consumers, and American businesses is essential for everyone, especially those planning careers in management or business. This rigorous seminar, which counts toward the Questrom Health & Life Sciences concentration and the Questrom Law concentration, provides an in-depth look at the economic, political, social and organizational challenges that face the nation as elements of the ACA are being dismantled by the Trump administration. Students read and analyze articles, issue briefs, and legal opinions from diverse perspectives to learn how the U.S. healthcare system came to be and how it will change in the future. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Social Inquiry II.
QST SI 453 Strategies in Environmental Sustainability
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST SM131, or QST SI250, or QST SI480, or COM FT591, or SHA HF307; Jun ior standing - With the growing global call for climate action, firms are recognizing business imperatives for climate resiliency. This course broadens our vision of corporate strategy to incorporate environmental initiatives as a way to create value. If you are a student who embraces the power of the private sector to lead climate imperatives, you will find this course particularly applicable. You will leave this course with a clear and actionable framework for implementing sustainability initiatives at all levels of the firm. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR HP 522E HEALTH/LIFESPAN
4 credits. Fall, Spring, Summer
HEALTH/LIFESPAN
SAR HS 333 Queering Health
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course is about the unique physical and mental health needs, health disparities, and resiliency within the LGBTQ community. Students will learn about the psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity, intersectionality in LGBTQ communities, gender identity and sexual orientation development models, queer families and relationships, minority stress, hetero/cis-sexism, and other relevant topics. Students will also learn about LGBTQ affirming therapies, healthcare, public policy, and legislation. This course will take a constructively critical lens to medicalized/pathologizing constructions of sexual and gender diversity and examine topics within historical and modern social context. This course will explore strategies for advocacy, improving the healthcare experience of LGBTQ people, and addressing barriers to accessing healthcare from local, national, and global perspectives. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Social Inquiry II.
SAR HS 348 Global Mental Health
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
This course provides an overview of critical issues in mental health and mental illness worldwide from a public health perspective. Globally, mental and neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability, and the World Health Organization estimates depression to be the largest contributor to the global disease burden by 2030. The burden of mental disorders on low- and middle-income countries is especially great while a large treatment gap persists. The course covers the concept of mental health, conceptualization and classification of disorders, cultural context, social determinants, causes and consequences of mental health disorders, strategies for intervention, policy development and implementation, human rights, women's mental health and research priorities. Special attention will be paid to the unmet need for mental health care globally (using case studies), disparities in access and use of services, stigma and attitudes towards treatment seeking. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
SAR HS 348S Global Mental Health
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
This course provides an overview of critical issues in mental health and mental illness worldwide from a public health perspective. Globally, mental and neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability, and the World Health Organization estimates depression to be the largest contributor to the global disease burden by 2030. The burden of mental disorders on low- and middle-income countries is especially great while a large treatment gap persists. The course covers the concept of mental health, conceptualization and classification of disorders, cultural context, social determinants, causes and consequences of mental health disorders, strategies for intervention, policy development and implementation, human rights, women's mental health and research priorities. Special attention will be paid to the unmet need for mental health care globally (using case studies), disparities in access and use of services, stigma and attitudes towards treatment seeking. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II.
SAR HS 440 Qualitative Research Strategies in Global Health
4 credits. Fall and Spring
Qualitative research methods are increasingly used in public health, and provide valuable insights into the local perspectives of study populations. This course provides practical strategies and methods for using qualitative research and includes the basic assumptions, approach and rationale for making qualitative research decisions, framing qualitative research questions, and designing appropriate research strategies. Examples will be drawn from current global health issues. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR HS 440S Qualitative Research Strategies in Global Health
4 credits. Summer
Qualitative research methods are increasingly used in public health and offer valuable insights into the local perspectives of study populations. This course provides practical strategies and methods for using qualitative research and includes the basic assumptions, approach, and rationale for making qualitative research decisions, framing qualitative research questions, and designing appropriate research strategies. Examples are drawn from current global health issues. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR HS 463 Beyond Germs and Genes
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Seniors only. - This course will focus on the social determinants of health--the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, age and die. We will examine case studies from around the globe that reveal the ways in which health inequities are shaped by the distribution of resources, money, and power at the local, national and global level, and the critical role played by social policies in reducing or exacerbating these inequities. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
SAR HS 480 Comparative Healthcare Systems
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Social Inquiry II
Health systems play an important role in improving life and well-being. Yet there is a profound gap between the potential of health systems and their actual performance. Today, countries around the globe face difficult choices and increasing challenges in organizing, delivering, and funding high- quality health care. In this course students will: understand the components, determinants, and approaches to the structure and outcomes of health care systems in low- and middle-income countries; learn trends in global health care reform and reform outcomes in country-specific contexts; and gain basic knowledge and skills to understand health care systems evaluations with a goal toward designing effective policy strategies that would improve health system performance. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
SHA HF 150 Experience Management
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Central to the hospitality industry is the provision of memorable, high-quality customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. This allows hospitality and other service organizations to turn satisfied customers into brand evangelists. This course introduces the emerging domain of customer experience management (CEM)--the discipline of understanding and managing customer interactions with the organization to improve satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. CEM is a unique domain that draws on practices from the fields of marketing, marketing research, technology and data science, and operations and service science, with the aim of understanding and improving customer experiences with the organization. The course will cover the definitions and basic requirements of customer experience management, and also provide detailed frameworks and tools and techniques to allow students to gain proficiency in the language and practice of customer experience design and improvement. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
SHA HF 150E Experience Management
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Experience Management
SHA HF 150S Experience Management
4 credits. Summer
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Central to the hospitality industry is the provision of memorable, high-quality customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. This allows hospitality and other service organizations to turn satisfied customers into brand evangelists. This course introduces the emerging domain of customer experience management (CEM)--the discipline of understanding and managing customer interactions with the organization to improve satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. CEM is a unique domain that draws on practices from the fields of marketing, marketing research, technology and data science, and operations and service science, with the aim of understanding and improving customer experiences with the organization. The course covers the definitions and basic requirements of customer experience management, and also provides detailed frameworks and tools and techniques to allow students to gain proficiency in the language and practice of customer experience design and improvement. Effective Summer 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
WED ED 431 CHILD POLICY: CREATING A SOCIETY WHERE CHILDREN THRIVE
4 credits. Fall
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent) - The course examines policies that address children's education, health, and social wellbeing in society. It takes an inter-disciplinary approach (developmental psychology, economics, sociology, and public health) to focus particularly on the needs, vulnerabilities, and strengths children. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Social Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
WED ED 540 Using Big Data to Address Educational, Social, and Economic Inequality
4 credits. Fall and Spring
This course will show how "big data" can be used to understand and address some of the most important educational, social and economic problems of our time. We will read current, peer-reviewed quantitative social science research with the goal of learning how data can be used to quantify current social issues and highlighting the potential for data analysis to inform policy. Students will complete a series of empirical problem sets, based on existing large-scale datasets, designed to put students in the shows of policy analysts. This course does not require prior coursework. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Social Inquiry II.
WED HD 265 Social Science Research for Community Impact
4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Students will collaborate with community organizations to design and conduct small-scale research projects (e.g., economic and educational equity, environmental justice, youth justice and mental health disparities). Research methodologies, qualitative and quantitative, will be determined based on the project. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Social Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.