These classes will be offered in the upcoming summer and fall 2024 semesters. Check MavLINK for enrollment appointments and to enroll.
MA CCT Courses offered Summer 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
Summer 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 8060-850: Special Topics: Environmental Ethics
This course introduces students to the thinkers and issues that make environmental ethics what it is today. It includes the analysis and evaluation, from ethical viewpoints, of such topics as: intrinsic value of animals, plants and ecosystems; animal rights; climate change; conservation and preservation; environmental law and politics; obligations to future generations; sustainability and new technologies; war, immigration, and the environment; human rights and the environment; nature and the built environment; and environmental activism. Cross-listed with ENVN 3180, PHIL 3180 and INST 4140.
This course supports the Ethics and Values concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Rory Conces
Summer 2024
CACT 8060-851: Special Topics: Geography, Gender, and Entrepreneurship
An advanced seminar focused on links among geography, gender and work, emphasizing leadership and entrepreneurship. The course considers theory and method in addition to empirical work. The nature of space, of gender, and of work, are examined. Topics include the gendering of work, the geography of entrepreneurship, gender and leadership. Cross-listed with GEOG 4150/8156, WGST 4150/8156, and ENTR 4150/8156.
This course supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Karen Al-Hindi Falconer
Summer 2024
CACT 8060-852: Special Topics: Human Trafficking
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.
This course supports the International Migration, Development and Citizenship concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Kathleen Latz
CACT 8540: Seminar on International Leadership and Strategy
This course introduces students to international leadership and strategy theory, research, and application. (Cross-listed with PSCI 8220).This course supports the Organizational Science & Leadership concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking. Note: By permission number only. Please contact the MA CCT office (Tim) for permission number and eligibility.
This course supports the Organizational Science and Leadership concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Michelle Black
Summer 2024
CACT 8640: Creative Nonfiction in Digital Environments
Students in this course will study creative nonfiction in digital environments, analyze rhetorical situations created in digital environments, which might include, in addition to other modalities, sounds, animations, and hypertext, and create multimodal essays. The course will also focus on the study and analysis of craft-elements of creative nonfiction: narrative persona, tone, rhythm and style, scenic construction, among others. Students taking this course will learn to read with interpretative and analytical proficiency a broad range of creative nonfiction in digital environments. (Cross-listed with ENGL 8640).
This course supports the Writing and Critical Reflection concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Jodi Keisner
Summer 2024
MA CCT Courses offered Fall 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
Fall 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
Fall 2024
CACT 8060-850: Special Topics, Information Design for Technical Communication
This course introduces students to strategies for integrating visual and textual elements of technical documents. Instruction will focus on design theory and application through individual and collaborative projects. Students will develop the professional judgment necessary for making and implementing stylistic choices appropriate for communicating technical information to a lay audience. (Cross-listed with ENGL 4850, JMC 4850, JMC 8856).
This course supports the Writing and Critical Reflection concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Tracy Bridgeford
Fall 2024
CACT 8060-851: Special Topics, Social Transformations in Latin America
The course reviews the main social, economic, and political forces that have shaped Latin American societies, and the sociological theories used to understand Latin American development and underdevelopment. Race, ethnicity, gender and class in Latin America, as well as the region's position in the global economy are examined. (Cross-listed with SOC 8246/4240, LLS 8246/4240)
This course supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Cristián Doña-Reveco
CACT 8060-852: Special Topics, Work and Family
This course examines the contemporary problems that individuals, families and communities in the U.S. have in integrating work and family/personal life. (Cross-listed with SOC 8356/4350)
This course supports the Cultural and Global Analysis concentration and/or the Organizational Science and Leadership concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Sam Ammons
Fall 2024
CACT 8090: Critical and Creative Thinking 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.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of faculty advisor and Graduate Program Committee Leadership (or its designee). Not open to non-degree graduate students.
Instructor: Joseph Price
Fall 2024
CACT 8216: Public Health, Religion and Human Rights
This course examines the intersections among public health, religion, and human rights. It considers how human rights impact public health and vice versa; how human rights and religious thought impact each other; how religious communities approach issues of public health; and how religious thought and practice affects people's health. Topics include infectious diseases such as HIV and COVID-19; issues of stigma and discrimination in public health; social determinants of health such as poverty and environmental quality; and women's and LGBTQ+ health. Students will gain skills of textual analysis, dialogue, and argumentative reasoning in both written and verbal form.
(Cross-listed with RELI 8216, RELI 4210)
This course supports the Ethics and Values concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Bharat Ranganathan
Fall 2024
CACT 8306: International Sustainable Development
This course introduces students to different concepts of international development through the lens of sustainability. The course explores a broad range of activities related to international development, including international aid, trade, philanthropy, interventions in conflict, peacebuilding, public health, human rights, social justice, and the environment. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4290/8296, INST 4140/8504)
Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.
This course supports the Health and Environment concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking.
Instructor: Beth Chalecki
Fall 2024
CACT 8510: Seminar in Leadership
This course introduces students to classical and contemporary scholarship on leadership theory, research, and application. Students gain a foundation in models of leadership, assess their own leadership styles, and learn to integrate what they learn in corporate, governmental, non-profit, or community organizations. (Cross-listed with PSCI 8120).
This course supports the Organizational Science & Leadership concentration in the MA in Critical and Creative Thinking. Note: By permission number only. Please contact the MA CCT office (Tim) for permission number and eligibility.
Instructor: Don Simmons
Fall 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. For questions about enrollment or registration, please contact Mr. Timothy Kniseley.