Socializing is a key part of being human. And, while being social may sound simple, the complexities behind interaction directly impact the world in which we live. Sociology, by definition, is the study of social change, life, and causes of human behavior, and a career in this field can be both challenging and fulfilling. Through this introductory course, students explore foundational concepts in sociology, including literature on socialization, cultural phenomena, urbanization, and inequity. Specifically, students will explore sociological institutions (family, government, etc.), growing concerns of social inequality, and popular theories that impact the world in which we live. By the end of the course, students will be able to appreciate human interaction in a new way, and become empowered to be agents of change themselves. 

This course offers an overview of the field of linguistics, the scientific study of human communication. It will cover the major components of language, including phonology (sound patterns), morphology (word formation), semantics (meaning), and syntax (sentence formation).

Students will examine the essential role communication plays in daily life, and the ways languages can vary by culture and evolve over time. They will explore topics such as dialects, slang, stereotypes associated with different accents, MRI research on language processing in the brain, differences between human and animal communication, taboo words, figurative statements, and the Internet’s impact on “proper” English. The course will also include talks by guest speakers, professionals in their fields who will share their valuable expertise.

Students will act as language scientists for the week, analyzing linguistic phenomena and working with texts, lectures, fieldwork, and videos that demonstrate how language permeates life. Participants in this course gain a deeper understanding of the relevance of linguistics to all career and academic paths, as well as the fascinating insights it can offer into the human experience.

Have you ever wondered how young children learn to communicate, form relationships, or even understand the world around them? In this course, we’ll explore the fascinating journey of early childhood development—from the first smile to the first steps, and beyond. Designed for students interested in education, psychology, social work, or related fields, this course will give you a deeper understanding of how children grow physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively during their first formative years.

Through a blend of key developmental theories and practical insights, we’ll look at how early experiences shape a child’s future. How do family, culture, and society influence development? Why are attachment and emotional regulation so crucial for children’s well-being? We’ll dive into these questions while exploring milestones from infancy through toddlerhood, the importance of language, and how social interactions foster emotional growth. You’ll also gain a broad overview of the American educational system and how it has evolved to support young learners. By the end of the course, you’ll not only understand the key principles of child development but also how to apply this knowledge to create supportive, nurturing environments in classrooms, clinics, and beyond.

Whether you’re interested in becoming an educator, psychologist, social worker, or simply want to understand more about the growth of children, this course will equip you with the tools you need to support healthy development and positive outcomes for kids.

Do rats laugh? Do dogs pretend? Can birds use tools? While it has traditionally been assumed that animals are not capable of thoughts, emotions, or anything comparable to human intelligence, researchers working with animals from rats and bats to wolves and whales now have an impressive and growing body of evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, that strongly challenges those earlier suppositions.

This course surveys the fascinating field of cognitive ethology—the study of animal minds—and explores questions of what animals think and feel, the complexity of their thought, and the depth of their emotions. Students examine cutting-edge research from fields such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, endocrinology, and ethology that support the theoretical ideas first proposed by Darwin, who is often credited as the first scientist to seriously study the emotional lives of animals. Darwin’s ideas were later advanced by Donald Griffen, the “father of cognitive ethology,” whose big questions about animal consciousness laid the groundwork for the explosion of research we see today. What we are learning about animal sentience is transforming our understanding of non-human animals, creating impetus for new research into how they experience the world, each other, and possibly themselves.

In this seminar-style class, students read and discuss the research of ethologists such as Marc Bekoff, Konrad Lorenz, James Gould, Jane Goodall, Franz De Waal, and E.O Wilson. These pioneering researchers fundamentally changed our understanding of the animal mind, shedding new light on the extraordinary and diverse abilities of our fellow species to learn, problem-solve, use tools, express emotions, and even mourn their dead. What’s more, we are learning that animals communicate complex information in ways we could never have imagined.

A field excursion to the Wolf Conservation Center offer participants an opportunity to observe animal behaviors up close, emulate observation techniques used by scientists in the field, and speak to experts about their research. This first-hand experience provides context for the material covered in class, and gives rise to important questions and rich, stimulating discussions. Students also have an opportunity to explore the broad array of academic and career paths that relate to cognitive ethology, including evolutionary biology, animal behavior, conservation biology, psychology, philosophy and ethics, cognitive neuroscience, science writing, and animal law.

Course requirement include assigned readings of scientific literature and excerpts from books on animal cognition, daily participation in class and small-group discussions, and a final project that demonstrates students’ understanding of the course concepts and content.

Laptops are required for this course.

In this course students examine language as a vital part of culture and social structure while discovering how it reflects and shapes our lives. We first tackle assumptions and myths we hold about language. For example, can animals learn to use language? Do Eskimo languages really have 17 separate words for snow? Is English the hardest language to learn? Then we explore the components of language (phonemes, morphemes, words, and sentences) and how each plays a role in what we hear as an “accent” or dialect. Thus, students investigate both the structural and cultural functions of human language.

The course employs a multi-disciplinary approach to investigating language behavior and variation in different cultures. This occurs mainly through the term project, which provides each student with the opportunity to conduct fieldwork as a means to research a culture and its use of language. Participants come to better understand themselves as members of their own cultures and language as a shaper of our self-identities in human society.

In the morning sessions we examine material in a seminar format. Afternoons are devoted to research, analysis of case studies, and other hands-on applications including probing popular culture, literature, and film for evidence of language used as a way to define cultural and social identities.

Students develop the skills of data collection and cross-linguistic and cross-cultural analysis and come away with a perspective of multiple viewpoints related to language correctness and relativity.

Though this course is intended primarily for older students, it is open to highly qualified rising freshmen and sophomores.

This course is an introduction to psycholinguistics -- the study of how humans learn, represent, comprehend, and produce language. The course aims to provide students with a solid understanding of both the research methodologies used in psycholinguistic research and many of the well-established findings in the field. Through weekly reading and discussion, students will also look at the flexibility of language and language use, the influence of psycholinguistic processes on reading and writing, and the social use of language. This course will be a strong entry point into psycholinguistics, speech-language therapy, and computer language learning majors.

This course introduces students to major psychological theories and research on human social behavior. We look at why humans often help each other but also why they hurt each other. Topics covered include empathy, prejudice, helping, compliance, bullying, conformity, and the development of personality. A variety of psychological methods for predicting and preventing anti-social behavior are discussed.

The course establishes a strong grounding in scientific principles and methodology. Students are encouraged to think about how empirical methods can be used to measure complex social phenomena, to recognize and appreciate experimental rigor, and ultimately to question common assumptions about human behavior found in ordinary discourse and the popular press. The course includes asynchronous work, which students are expected to complete between class sessions.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts and theories of psychology, the science of the mind and behavior. The course provides an in-depth excursion into psychological research, including biological bases of behavior, learning and memory, sensation and perception, cognitive development, language acquisition, personality, and social influences on behavior.