Merrimack College Winter Session Courses

Registration is open. Winter Session is three weeks and runs Dec. 24, 2024-Jan. 13, 2025. 

Course Format

All winter term courses are asynchronous-online in an intensive three-week format. All materials can be accessed and completed at any time within the parameters set by your professor; there’s no real-time interaction.

Winter Courses Available

Business

Management

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
MGT1150COATechnology Skills for Business4Online - AsynchronousTahir Hameed12/24/24-1/13/25This course will get students ready for a career in business by teaching them how to properly use some of the most popular software in industry. Students will learn how to import, clean, and manipulate data in order to draw empirically supported conclusions. In addition, students will learn how to create dashboards, documents, and presentations which will help them communicate their conclusions effectively.
MGT3130COALegal Environment of Business4Online - AsynchronousRick Arrowood12/24/24-1/13/25This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the general framework of the legal environment in which twenty-first century business is expected to operate. The primary objective is to acquaint students with the many practical legal issues they should be cognizant of and are likely to encounter throughout their business careers. Class discussion will emphasize current court case decisions of the state and federal appellate courts and United States Supreme Court as appropriate. Students will appreciate how the law is integrated into the development of strategic business decisions. Primary course topics will be drawn from the following business law categories: 1. Government Regulation of Businessand the Court System 2. The Law of Contracts, Sales and an Introduction to the Uniform Commercail Code (UCC) 3. The Law of Torts; Negligence, Strict Liability and Product Liability with some applications to Professional Responsibility 4. The Law of Agency and Employment 5. Methods of Business Formation including Propriettorships, Parternships, Corporations and Special Business Forms. Prerequisite: MGT 1100 and Sophomore standing or permission.
MGT3410COAHuman Resource Management4Online - AsynchronousChristine Benway12/24/24-1/13/25This is a broad survey course providing a comprehensive overview of several human resource functions, including recruitment and selection, compensation, training, performance evaluation, labor and employee relations. Students will consider HRM topics as they relate to all employees with different roles and perspectives for supervisors and subordinates, and how these topics apply to creating strategic directions for an organization. Using an applied setting focus, instruction methods combine interactive lectures, experiential exercises, current events, case review, and external project analysis and presentation.
MGT3430COAEthics and Social Responsibility4Online - AsynchronousLinda Richelson12/24/24-1/13/25Ethics and Social Responsibility provides students with opportunities to examine the meaning of business ethics and the social responsibility of business in light of the numerous high profile challenges that managers face in the current business environment. Varying ethical approaches will be applied to ethical leadership and the management of conflicting values confronting business leaders on a daily basis. The more global issue of balancing principles of good business with priciples of ethical behavior in various cultures will be discussed. Students will participate in a significant service-learning project in this course. Fulfills E/X, HUM

Marketing

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
MKT2205COAPrinciples of Marketing4Online - AsynchronousBen Larkin12/24/24-1/13/25The marketing course introduces marketing as a functional area of a business enterprise. You will study numerous marketing concepts and functions, including the marketing concept, the marketing mix, buyer behavior, market segmentation, product position, and marketing research, all within a global context.
MKT3400COASocial Media Marketing4Online - AsynchronousJim Frackleton12/24/24-1/13/25Businesses are currently facing a fundamental change in the ways that consumers interact with brands and each other. Social media has connected consumers with family and friends while also giving them considerable power over marketers and brands. This course offers an overview of how marketing has changed due to the increasing prominence of social media as a digital marketing tool. The curriculum of this course is designed to equip students with the relevant knowledge, perspectives, and practical skills required to both develop and present an effective social media marketing strategy.

Education and Social Policy

Criminology

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
CRM1000COAIntroduction to Criminology4Online - AsynchronousKathleen Burns12/24/24-1/13/25This course explores crime, justice, and punishment. In this course, the causes of crime and the solutions and policies in place to deter or solve crime will be critically examined. We will also examine the social processes whereby crime is defined and detected, and offenders are apprehended and punished. The overall objective of the course is to examine crime and punishment within the context of the society and culture which surrounds it. These topics are connected to inequalities of race, class, and gender, which will be key concerns throughout this course. Coverage of crime and punishment in the popular media is also a central focus of this course. Required for majors. Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Education

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
EDU2210COAChild Growth and Development4Online - AsynchronousRena Stroud12/24/24-1/13/25This course will introduce students to theories and principles of child and early adolescent development. The course will specifically address the application of such theories to educational practice, examining the biological, cognitive and social changes associated with development, birth through early adolescence. Students will engage in a service learning project to gain understanding of children in this age range. Fulfills SOSC and X in LS Core.

Human Development

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
HDE2130COADiversity, Social Justice & Ethics4Online - AsynchronousDan Sarofian-Butin12/24/24-1/13/25This course will focus on issues of diversity, social justice, and ethics within various educational and social contexts. Its purpose is to develop theoretical, conceptual, and pedagogical foundations for supporting issues of equity and access. An understanding of the socio-historical context and the influence of the dominant culture on historically marginalized individuals and groups will be studied. Additionally, this course will explore the adaptive capabilities of strengths of marginalized groups and how such capabilities and strengths can be used in effective community engagement. Ethical theories and moral reasoning will be used to enhance an understanding and analysis of ethical issues inherent in working and supporting issues of diversity, equity, and access. Students will explore their own personal values, beliefs, and behaviors that may limit their ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds, in particular, disadvantaged and oppressed persons. The exploration of their own values will be made in relation to the different ethical theories studied in the course. This course fulfills the Diversity (D), Ethics (E), and Experiential Learning (X) DPJ, HUM Liberal Studies Core Requirements.
        

Nursing & Health Sciences

Exercise Science

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
EXS1104COAIntroduction to Physical Activity, Fitness, and Wellness4Online - AsynchronousLeah Poloskey12/24/24-1/13/25This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.
EXS1104COBIntroduction to Physical Activity, Fitness, and Wellness4Online - AsynchronousLindsey Carbone12/24/24-1/13/25This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

Public Health

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
HSC1104COAIntroduction to Human Disease4Online - AsynchronousBecky Socha12/24/24-1/13/25The course will offer an introduction to human disease appropriate for students of all majors. The human body is a masterpiece of art. The more one understands the functioning of the body, the greater appreciation one has for it. Disease states, the body's natural attempts to right what is wrong and the compensatory actions involved will be discussed. The general mechanisms of disease as well as specific body systems will be discussed from a human-interest point of view. The course focuses on basic medical concepts that are useful to every student and encourages them to become a medical advocate for themselves or for family members. It is so important to understand doctors and your health care plan, to be able to ask important questions, and to know what questions to ask. In addition, the course will cover many diseases that are 'in the news' and allow the student to gain some knowledge and insight into the myths and facts surrounding these diseases. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.
HSC1500COAIntroduction to Public Health4Online - AsynchronousSarah Benes12/24/24-1/13/25Public health aims to understand the occurrence and causes of disease within populations with the goal of prevention and health promotion, through changes in individual behavior, control of infectious disease and environmental health factors, and social and political organization for health improvement. The aim will be to describe the patterns of selected diseases in populations, to explain the causation of disease at the cell/physiological to social levels, to predict disease occurrence and to control disease through prevention strategies aimed at individuals, communities and governments. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement and X in LS Core.

Arts & Sciences

Communications

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
COM2401COAIntroduction to Media4Online - AsynchronousMelissa Zimdars12/24/24-1/13/25This course focuses on the basic principles of mass communication and its historical development. Issues explored include media access, media ethics, media effects, and current trends in the growth of digital and wireless mass communication technologies. Students examine the role of the media industry in reinforcing and challenging dominant values, attitudes, and beliefs central to American culture. An additional feature of the course studies how mass media-created ideals have been disseminated internationally, as well as how media businesses reflect, influence and sometimes defy societal norms. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their own independent mass media project. No prerequisite. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.
COM3621COAConflict Management4Online - AsynchronousAndrew Tollison12/24/24-1/13/25This course is designed around the assumption that conflict in its various forms is an integral and unavoidable component in human affairs. The course approaches the study of conflict from a communication-centered perspective. As such, students explore how communication theory and research can add to our understanding of conflict. A wide range of conflict contexts are examined (e.g., interpersonal; intercultural; small group; organizational) along with contemporary models and theories of effective conflict management.

English

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
ENG1550COAMajor American Authors4Online - AsynchronousEllen McWhorter12/24/24-1/13/25One-semester course designed to introduce students to American literature through the study of writers representing a range of cultures and literary traditions. Satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement. Fulfills AL, HUM in LS Core.
ENG2150COAIntroduction to Creative Writing4Online - AsynchronousEmma Duffy-Comparone12/24/24-1/13/25Introduces the main genres of creative writing, including poetry, memoir, and fiction. In addition to producing their own creative forms such as poems, song lyrics, literary memoir, and short stories, students will study the works of contemporary and canonical authors in each genre. Classwork includes the workshopping of both short and longer projects and will culminate in a portfolio of revised work. Fulfills an AL, HUM requirement in LS Core.

Music

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
MUS1320COAHistory of Rock & Roll4Online - AsynchronousAndrew Cote12/24/24-1/13/25This course covers the history of rock music in Western culture, focusing mainly on British and American contributions to the style. It begins with an overview of the musics that were predecessors of rock, including early blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, continues through the birth of rock 'n' roll in the 1950, and traces developments throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, culminating in a review of current trends. Fulfills AL, X, HUM in LS Core.
MUS1320COBHistory of Rock & Roll4Online - AsynchronousAndrew Cote12/24/24-1/13/25This course covers the history of rock music in Western culture, focusing mainly on British and American contributions to the style. It begins with an overview of the musics that were predecessors of rock, including early blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, continues through the birth of rock 'n' roll in the 1950, and traces developments throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, culminating in a review of current trends. Fulfills AL, X, HUM in LS Core.

Philosophy

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
PHL1000COAIntroduction to Philosophy4Online - AsynchronousPeter Ellard12/24/24-1/13/25A first course in philosophy focusing on classic questions that have stirred the perennial human quest for wisdom. We will explore such questions as: Are humans free or determined? How do the mind and body interact? Is ethics just relative to each person or society? Should there be any limits to the political freedom of citizens? Does God exist? The course will introduce students to the methods and culture of philosophy: sympathetic understanding, critical analysis, fair argumentation, and a persistent desire to know the truth whatever it is. The focus and questions covered will be determined by each instructor. Fulfills PHL, HUM in LS Core.
PHL1000HCOAIntroduction to Philosophy - Honors4Online - AsynchronousPeter Ellard12/24/24-1/13/25A first course in philosophy focusing on classic questions that have stirred the perennial human quest for wisdom. We will explore such questions as: Are humans free or determined? How do the mind and body interact? Is ethics just relative to each person or society? Should there be any limits to the political freedom of citizens? Does God exist? The course will introduce students to the methods and culture of philosophy: sympathetic understanding, critical analysis, fair argumentation, and a persistent desire to know the truth whatever it is. The focus and questions covered will be determined by each instructor. Fulfills PHL, HUM in LS Core. Instructor permission required. Contact Dr. Peter Ellard - [email protected]

Political Science

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
POL1100COAPolitics of the US4Online - AsynchronousHarry Wessel12/24/24-1/13/25An introduction to the American political system, this course examines (1) the Constitutional basis of American politics, (2) the national institutions that are involved in decision-making and public debate (for example, the Presidency and the bureaucracy, the Federal Courts, the Congress, political parties, the media), (3) issues that Americans argue about (rights and liberties, economic benefits, foreign policy), and the processes by which those arguments are conducted and resolved (campaigns and elections, administrative action, legislation, lobbying, publicity). Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement and X in LS Core.

Psychology

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
PSY1000COAIntroduction to Psychology4Online - AsynchronousMichael Stroud12/24/24-1/13/25Provides a general overview of the wide-ranging field of psychology. Students will explore major concepts and issues in the study of human thinking, feeling, and acting. These include biological foundations of behavior and experience, how people learn and develop, how individuals perceive the world, individual differences in behavior, social influence and social relations, the difference between normative and non-normative behavior, and approaches to therapy. This course is a prerequisite for all other courses in psychology. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS core.
PSY2310COALifespan Developmental Psychology4Online - AsynchronousLinda Stroud12/24/24-1/13/25Explores the development of a typical human being from conception to death. Investigates patterns of change in biology, cognition, personality, social interaction, and relationships that take place throughout the lifespan. Considers several conceptual issues including progression and regression, health and illness, normality and abnormality. Note that students who have already received credit for PSY2300 cannot receive credit for PSY2310. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.
PSY2400COAPersonality4Online - AsynchronousDawn Sime12/24/24-1/13/25Introduces classical and contemporary thinking on the concept of 'personality'. Explores the contributions of several important theoretical frameworks in personality theory including psychoanalysis, phenomenology, trait theory, and learning. Prerequisite: PSY 1000. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.
PSY2460COAAbnormal Psychology4Online - AsynchronousGwyne White12/24/24-1/13/25The purpose of this course is to provide students with an introduction to abnormal psychology. Students will study psychological dysfunction that is associated with distress or impairment. Topics covered include serious mental illness as well as anxiety, stress, and personality disorders. Content is organized in accordance with the DSM-5 as part of an integrative approach that includes the interaction of biological, developmental, and social factors on the description, etiology, course and treatment of mental disorders. Prerequisite: PSY1000. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Religious and Theological Studies

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
RTS1100COAChristianity in Context4Online - AsynchronousNicholas DiSalvatore12/24/24-1/13/25As an introduction to Christianity, this course will investigate a number of the "contexts" in which it began, in which it developed, and in which we find it today. Students will study Christianity in the historical contexts within the ancient world and of ancient Judaism, in the literary contexts of the Christian Bible and its interpretation, in the intellectual context of church history, and in contemporary global contexts. In keeping with the College's Augustinian identity, mission, and vision, this course will also highlight the contributions of St. Augustine. Satisfies the first institutional requirement in religious and theological studies. Fulfills RTS in LS Core.
RTS1947HCOASaints, Sinners & The Sacred - Honors4Online - AsynchronousPeter Ellard12/24/24-1/13/25Humans have a long and complex history with what is often called "the sacred," "the divine," "the holy," or God. This course examines human understandings of and reactions to the sacred through narrative. The course begins with the foundational figure in Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, by engaging in an academic study of the gospels. We will employ the methods of modern biblical criticism to examine the stories and interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. The course them moves to the life, thought, and legacy of a seminal figure in Western Christinan history, Augustine of Hippo. The course concludes with an examination of select religious narratives from the contemporary period and/or other religions. Fulfills the RTS requirement in LS Core. Instructor permission required. Contact Dr. Peter Ellard - [email protected]
RTS1947COASaints, Sinners & The Sacred4Online - AsynchronousPeter Ellard12/24/24-1/13/25Humans have a long and complex history with what is often called "the sacred," "the divine," "the holy," or God. This course examines human understandings of and reactions to the sacred through narrative. The course begins with the foundational figure in Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, by engaging in an academic study of the gospels. We will employ the methods of modern biblical criticism to examine the stories and interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. The course them moves to the life, thought, and legacy of a seminal figure in Western Christinan history, Augustine of Hippo. The course concludes with an examination of select religious narratives from the contemporary period and/or other religions. Fulfills the RTS requirement in LS Core.

Sociology

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
SOC1600COAHappiness4Online - AsynchronousRob Koegel12/24/24-1/13/25This interdisciplinary course will analyze the key sources of and debates about happiness. As we explore possibilities of increasing happiness, individually and collectively, we will focus on the relationship between happiness and success, culture, motivation, social media, food, and exercise. This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, open minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.
SOC3600COASociology of Health4Online - AsynchronousMichelle Holliday12/24/24-1/13/25Health, illness and healing are not merely physiological states but also human experiences shaped by sociological forces. As Freund, McGuire and Podhurst point out in Health, Illness and the Social Body. A Critical Sociology [2003: 4], "The sick body is not simply a closed container, encased in skin that has been invaded by germs or traumatic blows but is also open and connected to the world that surrounds it. Thus the human body is open to the social body. Similarly, our material (or physical) environment, such as the urban landscape, the workplace, or our foods, is influenced by our culture, social structure, and relationships. And these in turn influence our bodies." The course begins with a brief review of the history of past viewpoints and practices in western civilization toward health, healing and illness leading to the emergence of the modern medical profession, scientific medicine, and the establishment of the medical model as the primary paradigm of disease. We will examine the social factors that influence who gets sick, the types of illness suffered, the experience of being sick, the process of seeking help, and the context in which medical care is delivered. We will discuss the effect of stress on health and the role that human relationships and social support play in mediating stress. We will assess the state of our health care system and compare it to other systems. In general, we will depend on the theories, concepts and findings from sociology as they apply in the study of this area to direct our focus and inform our analysis. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

Women's and Gender Studies

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
WGS3300COAUS Women's History4Online - AsynchronousKate Leonard12/24/24-1/13/25An examination of the history of women in America. It will include history prior to colonization, beyond and to the present. A look at women's roles in US Society and the intersection of class, culture and ethnicity in shaping women's historical experiences across time. The course will examine the transformations and continuities in women's lives as well as the political, social, economic and cultural factors that inspired, infused or inhibited women's changing roles. This class also explores the ways in which race, class and ethnicity have operated to unite and divide disparate groups of women. Satisfies a Humanities distribution requirement. Fulfills H,D, DPH, HUM in LS Core.

Engineering & Computational Sciences

Computer Science

NumberSectionNameCreditFormatInstructorDateDescription
No computer science courses offered.