Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies Course Descriptions
It is expected that the following courses will be offered during at least one of the terms for the current academic year. The College reserves the right to schedule courses according to availability of instructors, demand, and other circumstance that may arise. On occasion courses may be offered that are not listed in the catalog.
LEADERSHIP
Grassroots Leadership for Working America I and II (1 + 2 semester credits)
This is a grassroots leadership course that is offered in two parts that is designed to develop critical leadership skills for union activists. The first five weeks of the course, which is offered for 1-credit, provides students with an economic and historical analysis of the present U.S. situation. It includes descriptive and analytical readings of the present day situation for U.S. workers. Each student will conduct research and politically active in a local issue they are concerned about – both online and in their community. (1 semester credit)
The second part of the course, which is offered for 2-credits, takes place during the final nine weeks. In this course, students will carry out a detailed analysis of local issue(s) of concern to them and their community. They will then select one issue to focus a mini-campaign around. The mini-campaign will be comprised of a series of activities that will influence the outcome of the selected issue. Students will learn about and be exposed to many grassroots campaign skills that will be used during their campaign. (2 semester credits)
Leadership and Landmark Events in 20th Century Labor History (3 semester credits)
This course is designed for the individual with little or no knowledge of history--labor or otherwise. The objective is for students to acquire a basic understanding of late nineteenth and twentieth century organized labor history by using the lives of various leaders as the framework upon which broad themes, events, and concepts are woven. Reading assignments are from existing web sites or from published sources, documents, and artifacts of the George Meany Memorial Archives/National Labor College, available online exclusively for the course. A portion of the class time is devoted to “Dig Where You Stand,” where individuals learn about their local union history and/or their city, town, or county’s labor history. NOTE: This course is restricted to the students who have not taken any NLC BA Labor History classes; some exceptions by permission of instructor and Provost.
Effective Leadership: Making It All Work (3 semester credits)
One key aspect of leadership is being able to translate your vision into action. This course will take you through a number of skill sets that will help you lead more effectively. Everything from how to run effective meetings of all kinds to better managing staff and volunteers will be explored. Exercises and case studies will be utilized.
Leadership Theories (3 semester credits)
Whether in your community, political or union organization you take on a variety of roles. This course examines what a variety of leadership theorists say about leadership, will help you determine which leadership styles work best in your situation. Common problematic situations of organizational leadership will be discussed and resolved. Readings, exercises and case studies will be employed.
Research and Independent Study in Leadership (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
OCCUPATION SAFETY and HEALTH (Top)
Foundations in Occupational Safety & Health (3 semester credits)
This is two part course. First part is 2-credit core module concentrating on health and safety and the government, how to find and use resources, introduction to science/engineering, hazard recognition and abatement, and a special issues update. This course offers students with the core competencies required for a basic understanding of the field of labor safety and health. Second part is 1-credit "add-on" course that can take with the first part course. You may select one or more courses from the following: Safety and Health and Organizing (1 semester credit); Case Studies(1 semester credit); and Directed Study(1 semester credit).
Hazardous Materials Transportation (3 semester credits)
Students will be trained in OSHA and DOT requirements for hazardous materials training at the awareness level which includes recognizing, identifying and researching chemicals and their hazards, nature and causes of occupational diseases; relating OSHA standards to unsafe or unhealthy conditions; protecting workers health and safety rights under federal regulations and standards; and using involvement techniques for safety and health purposes.
Responses to Bio-terrorism 1 (3 semester credits)
An act of terrorism can occur anywhere, at any minute, when you would least expect it. No jurisdiction -- urban or suburban, or rural -- is totally immune. Despite our security consciousness, if terrorists intend to wreak havoc it will be difficult to stop them. This course is designed to provide workers with the knowledge and information on how best to respond to such an attack while providing a perspective of the historical, preparedness, response and psychological implications of terrorism. The course also provides a specialized module on agricultural terrorism: Agricultural Agents Threat and Response which discusses the economic and psychological impact of a biological attack against the U.S. agricultural industry. This course is the pre-requisite for Bio-Terrorism Agents and Emergency Response II.
Responses to Bio-terrorism 2 (3 semester credits)
This course offers students several modules designed to identify the biological agents of primary concern to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture which include Anthrax Threat and Response; Smallpox Threat and Response; Tularemia/Plague Threat and Response; Botulism/Foodborne Threat and Response, and provides students with an overview of key issues to be addressed when developing mass fatalities response plans by focusing on primary functions that must be fulfilled to facilitate mass fatalities response and community recovery. Bio-Terrorism Agents and Emergency Response I is a prerequisite to this course.
Research and Independent Study in Occupational Safety & Health (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER SKILLS (2 Tracks) (Top)
The Adult Learner (3 semester credits)
This class is conducted completely online. The Adult Learner is an online course that covers how adults learn, how to be a more proficient adult learner, and how to successfully instruct and communicate with adults. This course includes discussion of theoretical content and its practical application.
Computer Skills for Trade Unionist Level I (3 semester credits)
This class covers advanced features of Windows and Microsoft Office (word processing, multimedia presentation, and spreadsheet) applications. This includes designing complex spreadsheet, learning to embellish multimedia presentation, and students are introduced to the creation of database applications. NOTE: Students who have taken Computer Skills for the Trade Unionist Level 2 may not enroll in this course.
Computer Skills for Trade Unionists - Level 2. This class is taught completely online. The class is a continuation of COMP3010 and assumes a familiarity with the use of Windows and Microsoft Office applications. The course covers advanced features of Microsoft Office word processing and spreadsheet applications. Students are also introduced to the creation of database applications.
Multimedia Technology and Tools for Technical and Professionals (3 semester credits)
This course provides a comprehensive background for working with digital sound, images, and video for multimedia projects ranging from CD-ROM title production to website design. This course will help the student become familiar with current major software packages used in multimedia production.
Instructional Technology and Distance Learning (3 semester credits)
This course provides participants with a basic understanding of the instructional applications of modern technology. Participants will gain an understanding of the philosophy and purposes behind instructional technology as well as strategies for its integration into the online / onsite classroom. Major topics include the synthesis of concepts, knowledge and skills of the instructional technologist and distance educator, future trends in the field, strategic planning for the professional, refining roles, and responsibilities of the leader in the field. NOTE: Students who have taken Distance Learning in the B.A. program may not take this course.
Instructional Design (3 semester credits)
This course examines implications of theories and principles of instructional design for fostering productive thinking and development. The course also covers evaluating developed curriculum or instructional materials using formative and summative evaluation method.
Distance Learning for Labor Educators (3 semester credits)
This class is conducted completely online. The class offers an in-depth look at distance learning methods and applications that labor educators can use. The course examines the importance of distance education and its impact on future trends in education. The online and traditional learning environments are compared in the areas of instructional technology, design, administration and learning strategies. Participants will identify the characteristics that make a successful distant education student and discuss how to best prepare the distant student for the online learning environment.
History of Communications, Culture and Technology (3 semester credits)
This course is an overview of history of communications, culture and technology. The course explores how we have used media and technology to communicate from social, economic, political, and cultural perspectives. Topics include: definitions, models and theories of information processing, history of media change, cross-cultural communication, interpersonal communication, and the uses and effects of mass media.
Computers and Industrial Society (3 semester credits)
As computers have become increasingly important in our everyday lives, their potential to strip away our privacy and autonomy increases exponentially. This course offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary set of readings on the ethical and social implications of computer technology. Taking into account technical, social, and philosophical issues, the contributors consider topics such as the work-related ramifications of automation, the ethical obligations of computer specialists, and the threats to privacy that come with increased computerization.
Research and Independent Study in Instructional Technology (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
Research and Independent Study in Instructional Design (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
Research and Independent Study in Computers and Multimedia (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
MUSIC & ARTS (2 tracks) (Top)
Music Appreciation (3 semester credits)
This course provides a historical overview of the way music has developed in Western culture. It is designed for non-music majors and no need to have previous musical training to take this course. The course will cover the elements and principles of music including, rhythm, melody, harmony, color, texture and form. Learning about these elements will help you to develop a deeper appreciation for and greater understanding of music of all styles. The class also covers developing of your listening skills. This will be accomplished by listening to selected pieces of music from a variety of different periods in history and learn how they relate to the culture in which they were created.
World Music (3 semester credits)
World Music in context is a wide-ranging survey of music of the world, in their historical and social contexts, from ancient times to the present day. The course will examine a selection of the world's music including Africa, the Americas, and the Near and Far East, serving as an introduction to the field of ethnomusicology. Through listening and discussion, student will become familiar with some of the main sounds, concepts, and behavior of people making music in various parts of the world.
Introduction to Digital Music (3 semester credits)
The course uses the computer as a generative tool for music construction tool in the Windows platform. The course introduces number of music composition applications and sound design and construction techniques. Selection of software used in the course may vary from term to term depends on the trend of market and demand(e.g., Band-in a – Box Pro, Dance 5 E-Jay, ACID Music Studio).
Film and Globalization (3 semester credits)
Film is an ideal way to study and understand the momentous changes globalization has made in labor, the workplace, and our daily lives as America and indeed the world comes to terms with this reality of the 21st century. Students will view films on-line as well as at home, supported by readings in assigned texts and on-line, all designed to develop their understanding of how globalization works, its radically different ways of doing business, and how unions and other organizations are protesting its negative effects. Because we live in a visual culture, methods of assessing the positive and negative images of labor in films will also be discussed in the course.
Images of Labor in Art (3 semester credits)
Visual Arts and Labor offers students a unique opportunity to complete their general studies requirement in the humanities. Unlike typical academic art history or appreciation courses that are taught from a Euro-centric perspective, Images of Labor in Art focuses on the arts as they are reflected in the American Labor Movement from 1900 to the present day.
Creative Writing (3 semester credits)
Rich with creativity, the labor movement has nurtured and benefited from the artistic endeavors of its activists—from the poems and stories of the Lowell factory girls to the inspiration of the Wobblies’ The Little Red Songbook to the annual Great Labor Arts Exchange. Today’s unionists extend that spirit of creative passion to their own poetry, songs, fiction, and creative nonfiction; this class helps students to explore writing creatively. Combining traditional workshop techniques with instruction in craft and genre, the course centers on weekly student work, resulting in the development of creative writing portfolios. Prerequisite: Completion of at least one English course at the NLC or permission of the instructor.
Social History of Labor Music (3 semester credits)
This course provides an overview of the social history of labor music, as a key to understanding the growth of the labor movement in the United States. The course will introduce students to the songs of specific historical periods, events, industries, labor policies and genres of labor music. Learning about these eras and campaigns through the music that grew out of, empowered and documented them will help you develop a deeper appreciation of the rich history dating back hundreds of years that permeates industries and crafts around the country, from coal miners to health care, office workers and more. The course is designed for both students in Music and Arts specialization and non-music majors.
Spring 2008
Research and Independent Study in Music (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
Research and Independent Study in Arts (1-3 semester credits)
Need approval from faculty sponsor before the course registration.
LABOR STUDIES (Top)
Labor in the U.S.: Concepts, Choices and Challenges (3 semester credits)
This course is designed to be a fully online introduction to the labor movement. Through readings, a few short videos, online discussion, and research and writing, students will examine critical aspects of the past, present and future of the U.S. labor movement. While this course is designed primarily for students who have had little experience working with or studying the labor movement, it is also appropriate for students with some knowledge of the labor movement but who have not had the time or ability to reflect upon the workings, history and challenges of the U.S. labor movement. This course is open to BTPS and non-matriculating students; because it overlaps with but is not a substitute for Intro to Labor Studies, it is not open to students in the NLC's BA program.
GENERAL EDUCATION / REQUIRED/ and ELECTIVE COURSES (Top)
Learning in a Digital World (2 semester credits)
Technological development has resulted in widespread change in the way students can learn. The scale of this change cannot be over-emphasized with over 12 million students in the US alone now using distance education as their main access to learning. Every college and university in the world now relies on digital systems to a greater or lesser extent; students routinely use computer applications, internet technology, multi-media and internet resources. Against this background and the fact that technology is now a staple part of education, this course will prepare the learners the necessary learning and critical thinking skills and tools to be successful in the 21st century. Furthermore, the course offers the learners an opportunity to explore the world of distance education and its history, the advantages and challenges of learning online, cultural diversity issues in an online learning environment, and necessary computer skills for digital learning. Note: This is a required course for all BTPS degree seeking students, however, open to BA students for those who are preparing to learn in a digital world. The course runs on 7 week term.
Science, Technology and Our World (3 semester credits)
Science and technology touch our lives in many instances, and at many levels of concern, that it is important to make our citizenry knowledgeable and informed of the positive and negative aspects of science and technology, as well as the alternatives for the future. This course offers the understanding of basic principles of science to explain the world around you. The course will pursue in two directions: (1) to discuss the impact of some very important environmental and quality of life issues; and (2) to provide the basics facts, concepts, and principles of science, in a non-abstract manner, that will provide the student with a basic understanding of the phenomena discussed.
Bibliography and Research (3 semester credits)
This course is designed to provide students with the basic information literacy skills necessary to conduct research in both the print and online environment. Upon completing this course, students will be able to accurately cite sources, identify primary and secondary sources, distinguish the difference between scholarly and popular articles, conduct bibliographic research, and more.
BTPS Research and Methodologies (3 semester credits)
The course is intended to provide the BTPS students with the basic skills needed to complete their Capstone that will guide the students on the application of research methods appropriate to their specialization. The course will provide a general introduction to research methods, as well as providing practical exposure to problem statements, Literature Reviews, Writing the Proposal, and Organization of the Report. Qualitative Research methodologies will be emphasized in this course. Qualitative research is research that focuses on understanding, rather than predicting or controlling, phenomena. It is usually contrasted with traditional experimental and statistical research and is felt by many to be more appropriate to the study of human life. Included will be discussion of and practice in content and structural analysis, survey and interview design, and formative evaluation design. Prerequisite – Bibliography and Research or faculty permission. (Note: upon completing this class, students are highly recommended to register Research and Independent Study of your specialization)
American Labor Literature (3 semester credits)
How does literature connect to real-life experiences? How can studying poetry and short stories teach us about ourselves, our work, and our involvement in the labor movement? What does literature have to say about work and the labor movement? What role does the new working-class literary movement have within the larger context of labor relations? In this course, we will examine short stories, essays, memoirs, and poetry to seek answers to these questions and explore the connections between creative expression and historical and individual experiences, while learning about the forms of literature and improving critical thinking and writing skills. NOTE: Students who have taken Writing about Labor and Literature in the B.A. program may not enroll in this course.
Effective Writing (3 semester credits)
How do effective writers transform their messages from ideas in their heads into writing that works? How can writing shape the thinking process and enhance critical thinking skills? Through analysis and application of the writing process, students in this course learn to approach writing with more confidence, read more effectively, work towards developing individual styles, and gain skills in writing essays. This course addresses the writing needs of students returning to college or just starting school. NOTE: Student who have taken Reading and Writing Critically or Effective Writing in the BA program may not enroll in this course.
BTPS Education Planning (3 semester credits)
This course is open to BTPS online students only. Students will define and clarify their educational goals, identify and categorize prior college level learning, and develop a “portfolio” to receive credit for prior learning and experience. Note: This is a required course for all BTPS degree seeking students.
Capstone Project (6-9 semester credits)
Capstone project is required for all students enrolled in BTPS program prior to their graduation. Capstone project requires you to choose one of the topics related to your specialization. The project can be an open-ended project; curriculum or training material design / development / production / method / or procedure that solve problems for which existing skills / techniques are not widely available in the areas of your specialization. Capstone project will be worked out in a series of project meetings with your advisor(s), to ensure that the project scope is limited to something that can be reasonably completed in the time available, but is large enough to be meaningful.
Service Learning Internship (1-27 semester credits)
As part of your BTPS degree program, you have the opportunity to earn college credits by completing a Service Internship in conjunction with your union. These internships are typically for blocks of three credits, with a maximum of 27 credits, toward your NLC degree. Service Internships are designed to allow you to participate in a variety of different projects, from organizing to community service, and contribute in a meaningful way to the success of your union while also learning. The unique aspect of this process is that you have an opportunity to reflect, in writing about your internship. The number of credits will be determined by your advisor and your internship supervisor at the location you may be performing.