Online courses directory (19947)

The wars in Iraq and Syria have changed the course of international relations in the 21st century. During these conflicts, hundreds of thousands have died and millions have been displaced. After 13 years, these conflicts continue with no end in sight. The central question of this course is: How do political science theories and methods help us understand the course of these wars? In this course, you will answer this question by integrating three elements: theory, data/description, and application of theory to data/description. The primary goal of this course is to bolster students' skills in using various social science methods to explain important variations in violent conflict.

This course is an undergraduate-level introduction to social statistics. The central focus is descriptive, bivariate, and inferential statistics as they are used in social sciences to analyze survey data. Students will be introduced to how statistics are calculated. The class will focus on (1) understanding the intuitive meaning behind a variety of common social statistics, (2) calculating these statistics by hand with commonly-available spreadsheet software, and (3) practical application of statistical procedures.

This course is an undergraduate-level introduction to social statistics. The central focus is descriptive, bivariate, and inferential statistics as they are used in social sciences to analyze survey data. Students will be introduced to how statistics are calculated. The class will focus on (1) understanding the intuitive meaning behind a variety of common social statistics, (2) calculating these statistics by hand with commonly-available spreadsheet software, and (3) practical application of statistical procedures.

In this course, social, ethical and clinical issues associated with the development of new biotechnologies and their integration into clinical practice is discussed. Basic scientists, clinicians, bioethicists, and social scientists present on the following four general topics: changing political economy of biotech research; problems associated with the adaption of new biotechnologies and findings from molecular biology for clinical settings; the ethical issues that emerge from clinical research and clinical use of new technologies; and the broader social ethics of access and inequality.

This course surveys canonical and recent theories and methods in science studies. We will organize our discussions around the concept of "reproduction," referring variously to:

1. Scientific reproduction (how results are replicated in lab, field, disciplinary contexts)
2. Social reproduction (how social knowledge and relations are regenerated over time)
3. Biological reproduction (how organic substance is managed in the genetic age)
4. Electronic reproduction (how information is reassembled in techniques of transcription, simulation, computation).

Examining intersections and disruptions of these genres of reproduction, we seek to map relations among our social, biological, and electronic lives.

This course is an introduction to Personality Theories based on David W. Merrill's acclaimed "Style Awareness Workshop"

This course covers major theorists and theoretical schools since the late 19th century. Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Bourdieu, Levi-Strauss, Geertz, Foucault, Gramsci, and others.

This course explores how social theories of urban life can be related to the city's architecture and spaces. It is grounded in classic or foundational writings about the city addressing such topics as the public realm and public space, impersonality, crowds and density, surveillance and civility, imprinting time on space, spatial justice, and the segregation of difference. The aim of the course is to generate new ideas about the city by connecting the social and the physical, using Boston as a visual laboratory. Students are required to present a term paper mediating what is read with what has been observed.

Explore current social welfare issues in the context of their history and the underlying rationale and values that support different approaches. Emphasis is placed on major fields of social work service such as:

• income maintenance
• health care
• mental health
• child welfare
• corrections
• elderly services

You will learn about analytic frameworks with regard to social welfare policies and services. These frameworks identify strengths and weaknesses in the current social welfare system with respect to:

• multiculturalism and diversity
• social justice and social change
• behavioral and social science theory and research
• relevant social work promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs

There are four main content areas for the course.

1. The philosophic and practical basis for social welfare provisions.
2. The history of the social work profession and the emergence of specific policies and programs within their historical, social and political contexts.
3. A critical analysis of current social welfare policies in the U.S. and cross-nationally, and programs, nationally and cross-nationally with attention to the evolving policies.
4. An understanding of theory/research, debates, and trends in social welfare provision and patterns of service delivery.

This course is part of the Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX.

In this social science course we will discuss various methods, strategies and skills within macro social work practice, used to help identify and address needs on a larger scale. You will gain knowledge and skills in the areas of community organizing, management, and policy advocacy, and learn about the various roles social workers play within these areas. This course will provide an appreciation of the historical and contemporary importance of these social work methods and the relevance of these methods for diverse populations and identities.

We will focus on:

• understanding the context of macro practice;
• identifying community and organizational interventions to address social needs and problems;
• organizing and building relationships within communities and organizations;
• organization-based and community-based policy making, planning, and program development.

You will also learn concepts and practice skills involving assessment, problem solving and intervention planning at the macro level, and strategies to work effectively with communities and organizations. Content includes reflective practice and utilizing interpersonal skills in macro practice.

This course is part of the Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX.

This course focuses on the transactional relationships between people and their social environments.

You will learn social work practice methods to restore, maintain and promote social functioning as it relates to individuals, families, and small groups.

This course integrates content on multiculturalism, diversity, and social justice issues. You will examine social work values and ethics as well as issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religion, and ability as these relate to social work practice.

This course builds off of behavioral and social science theories to inform the practice concepts and skills presented. You will learn how to perform various social work roles (i.e. counselor/clinical social worker, group facilitator, mediator, and advocate), recognizing that these roles must adhere to social work values and ethics. You will learn the importance of developing relationships with clients, colleagues, supervisors, other professionals, and other constituencies. You will learn how to apply skills such as active listening, empathic responding, contracting, and critical and creative thinking in practice.

All phases of the social work practice intervention process (i.e. engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation) are presented and applied with individuals, families, and small groups.

You will learn how to assess vulnerabilities and strengths in clients' lives that relate to attributes (e.g. ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender {including gender identity and gender expression}, marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation) as well as situational and environmental factors relevant to the client's social functioning.

You will also learn how to assess risks, barriers, and plan, implement and monitor change strategies and evaluate techniques in order to demonstrate effectiveness.

This course is part of the Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX.

In this social science course, you will learn how social workers in the United States engage in creating change and supporting the resilience of individuals, families and communities in this new era.

Learners will have an opportunity to explore the social worker profession, the different roles of social workers in a range of settings, the cross cutting themes that guide social work practice, the history of social work, and current challenges.

Using a social justice lens, learners will reflect on current challenges facing the lives of individuals, families and communities and examine ways to advocate for needed changes.

This course is part of the Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX.

Understand social work practice through the critical examination of methods associated with decision-making, critical thinking, and ethical judgment.

The course integrates the core themes related to multiculturalism and diversity; social justice and social change; promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation; and behavioral and social science research.

You will learn how to formulate appropriate research questions and hypotheses, techniques for testing relationships and patterns among variables, methods of data collection, methods to assess and improve the validity and reliability of data and measures, and the ethics of scientific inquiry.

This course will cover:

• quantitative and qualitative research methods

• commonly used statistical procedures

• approaches to the evaluation of practice

Learn how to understand and appreciate a scientific approach to building practice knowledge and for evaluating practice, and to use research to advocate for clients and inform policy. Special emphasis will be placed on increasing one's ability to formulate research questions, apply research methods, conduct statistical analysis, and interpret research reports. The latest statistical, graphical, and display technologies will be used.

This course is part of the Social Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters Program offered by MichiganX.

How can you determine if a proposed real estate development project is socially responsible? Or determine whether the developer used the tools of social impact assessment (SIA), environmental impact assessment (EIA), and public consultation effectively?

This course will teach you how to evaluate a development project and practice socially responsible real estate yourself by applying SIA, EIA, and consultation methods. It is also designed to help students build their own personal theory of what constitutes socially responsible real estate development.

Taught by a professor with more than forty-five years of teaching experience at MIT, using an applied case study method, this course will open new opportunities for real estate developers and urban planners to see how SIA, EIA, and stakeholder engagement are the keys to creating socially-responsible real estate development throughout the world. 

From understanding social identities to modeling the spread of disease, this eight-week course will span key science and survival themes using AMC’s The Walking Dead as its basis. Four faculty members from the University of California, Irvine will take you on an inter-disciplinary academic journey deep into the world of AMC’s The Walking Dead, exploring the following topics: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—is survival just about being alive? Social order and structures—from the farm and the prison to Woodbury Social identity, roles, and stereotyping—as shown through leaders like Rick and the Governor The role of public health in society—from the CDC to local community organizations The spread of infectious disease and population modeling—swarm! The role of energy and momentum in damage control—how can you best protect yourself? Nutrition in a post-apocalyptic world—are squirrels really good for you? Managing stress in disaster situations—what’s the long-term effect of always sleeping with one eye open? Each week we’ll watch engaging lectures, listen to expert interviews, watch exclusive interviews with cast members talking about their characters, use key scenes from the show to illustrate course learning, read interesting articles, review academic resources, participate in large and small group discussions, and—of course—test our learning with quizzes. We recommend that you plan on spending about two (2) to four (4) hours per week on this course, though we believe the course is compelling enough you’ll want to spend more time. At the end of this course, you will be able to: Describe how infectious diseases—like a zombie epidemic—spread and are managed Apply various models of society and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to existing and emerging societies as a means for understanding human behavior Analyze existing social roles and stereotypes as they exist today and in an emerging world Debate the role of public health organizations in society Describe how mathematical equations for population dynamics can be used to study disease spread and interventions Apply concepts of energy and momentum appropriately when analyzing collisions and other activities that either inflict or prevent damage Summarize multiple methods for managing stress in disaster situations

Articulating important sociological principles, this course provides a critical understanding of social institutions and issues, while furnishing a framework for possible solutions to the crises that plague human societies.

Sociology examines individuals in their social contexts.

Psychology 102 takes a look at why we behave the way we do , and applies that information to the classroom setting. This is valuable to students of psychology and education alike.

Dr. Wind Goodfriend and Dr. Melissa Hurst combine classic psychological theories and experiments with practical applications for classroom teachers. These bite-sized video lessons are accompanied by free, self-grading quizzes for self-assessment. Watch the videos, test your knowledge, and then let us know what you think using the thumbs up/thumbs down buttons on the top right-hand corner of each video.

Build your earth science vocabulary and learn about cycles of matter and types of sedimentary rocks through the Education Portal course Earth Science 101: Earth Science. Our series of video lessons and accompanying self-assessment quizzes can help you boost your scientific knowledge ahead of the Excelsior Earth Science exam . This course was designed by experienced educators and examines both science basics, like experimental design and systems of measurement, and more advanced topics, such as analysis of rock deformation and theories of continental drift.

Build your earth science vocabulary and learn about cycles of matter and types of sedimentary rocks through the Education Portal course Earth Science 101: Earth Science. Our series of video lessons and accompanying self-assessment quizzes can help you boost your scientific knowledge ahead of the Excelsior Earth Science exam . This course was designed by experienced educators and examines both science basics, like experimental design and systems of measurement, and more advanced topics, such as analysis of rock deformation and theories of continental drift.