These classes will be offered in the upcoming semester. Check MavLINK for enrollment appointments and to enroll.
MA CCT Courses offered Spring 2024 Semester
CACT 8000: Intro to Critical and Creative Thinking
This course is the foundational introductory course for the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking program (MA CCT). It focuses on the development of students' skills as critical thinkers and creative problem solvers as well as the cultivation of students' capacity to recognize and leverage tools, resources, and ideas toward finding innovative solutions to everyday problems.
Prereq: Graduate status and acceptance into MA CACT program or permission of instructor.
Instructor: Brian Kanouse
Spring 2024
CACT 8080: Independent Study
This course is designed for those students who are independently pursuing an area of study that is not covered under the existing curriculum. The student will be supervised by a member of the faculty of the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking program. All course assignments, readings, requirements, and expectations will be clearly communicated to the student in advance. May be repeated for credit for a total of six credit hours.
Prereq: Admission into the MA CCT program, successful completion of 6 hours of CACT coursework, including CACT 8000, and permission of faculty member. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
Instructor: Joseph Price
Spring 2024
CACT 8090: Graduate Project
The Graduate Project is an applied student project under the direction of a faculty advisor. In the project, the student will apply interdisciplinary knowledge and skills gained within the program to address a problem or to expand knowledge within or across disciplines. The product or artifact produced by the student may take a variety of forms.
Prereq: Permission of faculty advisor and Graduate Program Committee Leadership (or its designee). Not open to non-degree graduate students.
Instructor: Joseph Price
Spring 2024
CACT 8060-850: Special Topics: Human Trafficking (IMDC)
This course is designed to provide students with a systematic introduction to the study of human trafficking. Students will learn about the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of human trafficking. Additionally, students will develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the development and current state of theories, measurement, and quantitative and qualitative results that can be used to inform our understanding of the nature of these events, the victims who are harmed, the individuals who facilitate these crimes, and identification and response initiatives. Cross-listed with CRCJ 8430.
This course supports the International Development, Citizenship and Migration concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Kathleen Latz. For more information, please contact Joseph Price
Spring 2024
CACT 8060-851: Special Topics: Migration, Refugees and Human Rights (IMDC)
Students in this course will be introduced to contemporary topics and debates related to migration (including refugee and asylum concerns) and human rights. Students will gain knowledge about the current status of migration and migrants in the world; how religious and philosophical traditions of thought approach migration issues; and the challenge that international migration poses to human rights categories and protection. The course will also build skills of critical reading, thought, and expression, specifically students’ ability to analyze human rights documents and the global human rights “regime,” and their ability to consider case studies, debates, and ideas about migration by recognizing core values that inform these debates.
Crosslisted with RELI 3500/8900 and INST 4140. This course supports the International Migration, Development, and Citizenship concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Laura Alexander
Spring 2024
CACT 8116: Geography of Economic Globalization (CGA)
A study of the geography of economic globalization and the geography of the world economy. The major topics include the historical development of the world economy and globalization from the geographical perspective, trends in geography of global production, trade and investment, the most important factors and actors in the globalization processes and its geographic effects, geography of transnational corporations, case studies of economic geography of selected industries and service activities, effects of globalization on the developed and developing countries. This course also supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. (Cross-listed with GEOG 4550, GEOG 8556)
This course supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Petr Pavlinek
Spring 2024
CACT 8186 Urban Latin America (CGA)
his course examines the experience of Latin American urbanization, attending to its contributions to urban sociology, social movements, and policymaking. Topics include urban transitions (e.g. pre-Hispanic to colonial, post-colonial to industrial, and the neoliberal turn), socio-spatial configurations (e.g. plazas, squatter settlements), urban marginality debates, urban politics, and planning as well as governance innovations (e.g. bus rapid transit systems, participatory budgeting). Students will compare city case studies across the region and to urban life in the United States. (Cross-listed with SOC 8786, SOC 4780, LLS 8786, LLS 4780).
This course supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Lissette Aliagra-Linares
Spring 2024
CACT 8200: Seminar in Political Theory (EV)
This course introduces students to the history of political theory, from its origins in ancient Greece to its manifestations in contemporary thought. (Cross-listed with PSCI 8300)
Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate advisor. Not open to non-degree graduate students.
This course supports the Ethics and Values concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Carson Holloway
Spring 2024
CACT 8226: Violent Conflicts, Peacebuilding, and the Ethics of Intervention (EV)
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the nature of violent conflict, including terrorism, and a variety of the mechanisms for peacebuilding. The course will also explore human rights and the ethics of intervention. This course supports the Ethics and Values concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. (Cross-listed with RELI 4220, RELI 8226)
This course supports the Ethics and Values concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Rory Conces
Spring 2024
CACT 8506: Creativity and Innovation in Organization (OSL)
To provide a discussion of the antecedents of individual and organizational creativity, including measurement, models, characteristics of the individual and the environment that facilitate creativity and innovation in an organizational setting. Students in this course will be able to understand the research literature related to creativity and innovation and apply the findings to improve critical and creative thinking, implementation of creative ideas, and development of creative teams and organizations. This course supports the Organizational Science and Leadership concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. (Cross-listed with PSYC 4650, PSYC 8656)
This course supports the Organizational Science and Leadership concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. Note: By permission number only. Please contact the MA CCT office for permission number and eligibility.
Instructor: Vignesh Murugavel. For more information and permission number, please contact Joseph Price
Spring 2024
CACT 8530: Personnel Psychology and Leadership (OSL)
This course provides an overview of personnel psychology from a leadership perspective. Topics include methodology, employee selection, performance appraisal, organizational attitudes and behavior, motivation, and leadership style.
This course supports the Organizational Science and Leadership concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. Note: By permission number only. Please contact the MA CCT office for permission number and eligibility.
Instructor: Joseph James. For more information and permission number, please contact Joseph Price
Spring 2024
CACT 8630: Digital Rhetoric (WCR)
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop expertise in the theory and practice of digital rhetoric by considering technology's deep impact on how we define and engage in writing. Students examine contemporary writing practices as part of a rich rhetorical tradition while they design and create effective multimodal compositions and analyze foundational works in digital rhetoric. This course supports the Writing and Critical Reflection concentration in the Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking. (Cross-listed with ENGL 8630)
This course supports the Writing and Critical Reflection concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Maggie Christensen
Spring 2024
For more information on any of the concentrations in the MA CCT, or to view course listings and course descriptions, please see the Graduate Catalog.