2020-2021 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Courses of Instruction
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Theatre Studio Performance: Acting |
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THR 450 - Advanced Topics in Acting 1 or 0.5 course unit
This intensive laboratory course explores the ideas and techniques of one or more advanced approaches to performance. In some iterations this studio class will concentrate on topics such as Advanced Problems in Acting/Emotional Techniques, will meet for 4 hours per week, and students will receive one unit. Additional topics may include Stage Combat, which will meet for 3.5 hours per week and students will receive 0.5 units, (students should start with the “Unarmed” version).
Prerequisite(s): For one unit version, THR 251 Acting II: Scene Study ; for 0.5 unit version, THR 250 Acting Process
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THR 451 - Performing Magic 1 course unit
This course is a studio introduction to the performance art of magic. While we read important works in the theory or philosophy of magic (by Eugene Burger, Juan Tamariz, Dai Vernon, Jeff McBride, and others), the primary focus is to train students in the effective performance of magic. Some main areas of training will be sleight of hand, directing attention, the psychology of deception, scriptwriting, persona, audience interaction, and repertoire selection. The course is being taught as an introduction, so no previous experience with magic is required. What is required is a strong desire to perform magic for other people and a commitment to focused, disciplined, and creative work. By the end of the semester everyone will have one or two quality performance pieces: that is, the beginning of a repertoire and knowledge of how to build upon it. As a culminating experience, students will perform their pieces for and be evaluated by a jury of professional magicians.
Prerequisite(s): THR 150 - Introduction to the Art of Acting or THR 250 - Acting Process or permission of the instructor.
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Theatre Studio Performance: Directing |
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THR 370 - Fundamentals of Directing 1 course unit
This class introduces the art form of theatre directing. Students learn key directorial concepts, focusing especially on issues of plot, character, space, and sound. A series of compact, supervised projects give students the opportunity to develop their abilities with these and other tools. In addition to teaching the basics of craft, the course presumes that directing is an expressive art form. Subsidiary concerns of the class will include models of rehearsal, directorial text analysis, and contemporary directing theory. Meets four hours per week.
Prerequisite(s): THR 251 - Acting II: Scene Study .
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THR 371 - Directing: Process in Production 1 course unit
This is an experiential course that explores the process of bringing the play text to the stage. Working as an ensemble of actors and directors, the class will confront the challenges of production conceptualization, text analysis, problems in physical staging, and collaborative process. Each student will participate as a director and actor in the mounting of several one-act plays in the course of the semester. Members of the class will also produce two production prompt books based on their work as directors. Meets four hours per week.
Prerequisite(s): THR 251 - Acting II: Scene Study .
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THR 372 - Major Directors: Theory & Practice 1 course unit
This course explores the ideas and techniques of one or more major theatre directors. The class will touch upon the historical development of each artist, concentrating on the conceptual and practical bases of their work. Students will read and write about these signal figures and create many new theatrical projects inspired by them. Extensive collaboration will be expected. The directors studied will change from semester to semester but might include Vsevolod Meyerhold, Bertolt Brecht, Joan Littlewood, Tadevsz Kantor, or Arianne Mnouchkine. Meets four hours per week.
Prerequisite(s): THR 251 - Acting II: Scene Study or permission of the instructor.
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THR 373 - Concepts of Directing 1 course unit
Concepts of Directing is an introduction to collective performance making with an emphasis on the role of the director. In a laboratory setting, we explore key concepts, including eventhood, media and techniques of composition, and collaborative process. Students will also read theories and philosophy of directing and practice critical skills through a variety of writing practices and group discussion of performance pieces.
Prerequisite(s): THR 251 Acting II: Scene Study
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Design and Technical Theatre |
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THR 162 - Introduction to Stage Make-up 0.5 course unit
This 7-week course is an introduction to the basics of stage make-up; study includes historical and contemporary techniques in make-up and hair design and execution. Students will analyze the face and explore ways to manipulate and exaggerate the features with make-up and three-dimensional mediums. Projects include work with analyzing plays and characters to then create conceptual make-up charts that lead to realized designs. Study includes human physiognomy, theatrical make-up styles, and rendering techniques.
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THR 164 - Stage Management 1 course unit
Introduction to the craft and art of the theatre stage manager and the professional stage management process. The course will cover the theory and historical development of contemporary practice. Studies will require the acquisition of specific skills and knowledge, including a vocabulary of theatre terminology, blocking notation, production book, and scheduling techniques. Students will learn how technical and design elements are coordinated, how to effectively work with directors, and to call and maintain shows. This course is designed to integrate theories and concepts with skills and techniques in order to meet the problem-solving and organizational challenges commonly encountered by stage managers in the creation of a show.
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THR 165 - Stagecraft: Aesthetics & Lighting 0.5 course unit
Introduction to a theatre designer’s aesthetic choices, including overview of stage design styles and design process as applied to stage design. The course will cover techniques, tools, and materials of stage lighting, including the hang and focus of lighting design. Crew/laboratory requirement will complement class lecture.
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THR 166 - Stagecraft: Scenic Techniques 0.5 course unit
This course will cover techniques, tools, and materials used in the construction and painting of scenery. Other technical studies will include safety, stage rigging and knots, properties, and production organization. A crew/laboratory requirement will complement class lectures.
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THR 167 - Stagecraft: Costume Techniques 0.5 course unit
This course will cover techniques, tools, and materials used in the construction of costumes. Topics will include properties of different fabrics, sewing, cutting and draping, dying, and costume maintenance. A crew/laboratory requirement will complement class lectures.
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THR 219 - Creativity & Collaboration 1 course unit
An introduction to the artistic process of creating a comprehensive design for live performance. Students will explore and apply the various means that designers, directors, and choreographers use to communicate the visual and aural world of the performance throughout the design process, and develop their looking and seeing skills. Over the course of the semester students will design the world of a production (scenic design), the characters that inhabit that world (costume design), how we visually perceive the world (lighting design), and how we hear it (sound design), all based in a unified directorial concept.
Prerequisite(s): THR 105 Performance & Society .
Pre- or co-requisite: THR 107 Dramatic Text in Action
Meets general academic requirement AR.
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THR 260 - Scene Design I 1 course unit
An exploration of the relationship between the play and its physical setting. Students will explore how the cultural/literary context of specific theatrical works can be expressed through the designer’s process. A major focus will be on production conceptualization and the aesthetics of the theatre. Class members will be introduced to the basics of model building, color rendering practice, and the various media available to the modern designer. Crew work will be required.
Offered in alternate years.
Prerequisite(s): THR 219 - Creativity & Collaboration or permission of the instructor.
Meets general academic requirement AR.
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THR 261 - Stage Lighting I 1 course unit
An exploration of the properties of light and their relation to the stage play in production. Areas to be covered include electrical theory, color theory, stage lighting design theory, and control systems. Students will develop an understanding of the potentials of the lighting instruments available to the designer and the uses of computer memory control. Crew work will be required.
Offered in alternate years.
Prerequisite(s): THR 219 - Creativity & Collaboration or permission of the instructor.
Meets general academic requirement AR.
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THR 265 - Sound Design I 1 course unit
Covers basic design theory and history, engineering, and technology for theatrical sound scoring and sound reinforcement. Classes include both lecture and hands-on labs in weekly three-hour sessions. Students write short plays that require sound designs, fabricate conceptual designs for short works, create a complete sound plot, engineer a series of audio projects, and work on lab projects and exercises. Students will be able to conceptualize, discuss, and research projects; record and create basic cues; and understand and operate simple sound systems.
Meets general academic requirement AR.
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THR 319 - Costume Design I 1 course unit
An exploration of the process of costume design for performance. Students will implement the costume designer’s process to analyze performance texts, conduct research, create a visual concept, and visually express their designs. Class members will be introduced to the basics of figure drawing, color rendering practice, and the various media available to the working designer. Students will view live and filmed performance and analyze the contribution of the costumes’ design to the piece through written and verbal responses.
Prerequisite(s): THR 219 - Creativity & Collaboration or permission of the instructor.
Meets general academic requirement AR.
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THR 321 - Stage Management II .5 course unit
Advanced study of stage management topics, including the integration of leadership and management theory and practice. Focus on leadership training: setting the tone, driving the process, and delivering results. Gain an understanding of current trends in workplace culture, team dynamics, and human-resource management will be actively analyzed and discussed across all professional settings. Develop a philosophy of stage management that stresses rigorous planning, adaptability to changing circumstances, and effective leadership. Develop the ability to create a safe and secure place where actors can work, to manage complicated schedules, to develop clear communication skills - both written and verbal, and the ability to organize space, people, materials and the time needed to realize a production.
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THR 360 - Scene Design II 1 course unit
Advanced work in production conceptualization and a discussion of the design process in relation to the demands of period drama. Students will study the historical development of architecture and period décor and will work to hone drafting and rendering skills.
Offered in alternate years.
Prerequisite(s): THR 260 - Scene Design I .
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THR 361 - Stage Lighting II 1 course unit
Continuing study in the practice of lighting design for the stage with principal emphasis on aesthetics and interpretation, discussion of lighting as an art form, and its effect upon other aspects of theatre. Drafting as it relates to the completion of lighting plots and the associated paperwork will be taught. Class projects as well as concentrated involvement in actual productions will be required.
Offered in alternate years.
Prerequisite(s): THR 261 - Stage Lighting I .
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THR 460 - Advanced Topics in Design 1 course unit
This studio course explores specialized ideas or techniques in theatre design. Possible topics might include scene painting; moving lights technology.
Prerequisite(s): THR 219 - Creativity & Collaboration or permission of the instructor.
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CUE, Ensembles, and Internships |
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THR 490 - CUE: Theatre 0 course unit
The Theatre CUE project essay is an opportunity for students to reflect on their journeys within the department and their development as artists and thinkers over the past four years. It is their chance to demonstrate mastery within their concentration(s) and also an invitation to look forward, beyond the walls of Muhlenberg College to begin to envision how their training here will carry them to life beyond college.
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THR 900-959 - Community Performance Ensemble 0.5 course unit
Members of the Community Performance Ensembles in theatre and dance develop, rehearse, and tour programs (plays, dance performances, interactive dramatic pieces) for presentation at schools, community centers, and senior citizen residences. In addition to participation in the touring ensemble, students will be expected to submit a journal about their experience in mounting the production and touring to diverse audiences. May be repeated.
Audition required for participation.
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THR 960 - Theatre Internship 1 course unit
An opportunity for students to serve internships with professional theatre companies. These internships will usually be in such areas as stage management, technical theatre areas, and theatre administration.
Acting internships are usually not available. Internships are available both in Allentown and at theatres outside the Lehigh Valley. Pass/fail only.
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THR 970 - Theatre Independent Study/Research
Each independent study/research course is to be designed in consultation with a faculty sponsor.
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Women’s and Gender Studies |
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WST 202 - Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies 1 course unit
Engages the foundational and vigorously debated ideas within women’s studies, gender studies, and feminist thought. The scope of the class encompasses women’s studies, feminisms, sexuality studies, masculinity studies, and lesbian and queer studies within their historical contexts. The course explores what is at stake in the constructions of femaleness and maleness. The readings are interdisciplinary and cover gender and women’s studies theories from the nineteenth century to the present. Special attention will be given to the connections among gender, race (including Black Feminism and whiteness), ethnicity, and socioeconomic class. We explore how gender functions as an organizing system of power, privilege, and oppression and intersects with other identity markers. Our readings will be grounded in objects of inquiry such as bodies, modes of artistic representation, the state, and health and science. Professors from such diverse disciplines as Africana Studies, Art, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Theatre teach the class. Students considering the WST Minor should take soon after taking a first Women’s and Gender Studies course.
Prerequisite(s): One course included in the WST list of classes or permission of the instructor.
Meets general academic requirement W.
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WST 960 - Women’s and Gender Studies Internship 1 course unit
Supervised work and/or community service, arranged in consultation with the Director of Women’s and Gender Studies.
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WST 970 - Women’s and Gender Studies Independent Study/Research
Each independent study/research course is to be designed in consultation with a faculty sponsor.
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Continuing Studies Accelerated |
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WBA 201 - Leadership and Team Development 1 course unit
Offers an introduction to, and an overview of, the concepts of Leadership and Team Development. This module will provide a framework and rationale for the team/cohort learning model in an organizational context. Emphasis is placed on the application of concepts to real managerial problems and issues. This module will use a combination of conceptual and practical approaches, lectures, discussions, case studies, and group exercises.
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WBA 202 - The Business Firm 1 course unit
The objective of this module is to provide an overview of today’s business environment. The overview should help construct a foundation that can be built upon in future modules and the work environment. Topical coverage will be broad, and include Organization of a Business, Business Environment, Management, Managing Employees, Marketing, and Financial Management. The application of this module to current events and the work environment is a desired outcome. Since the world of business is in a constant state of change, this module will rely on the student’s ability to think conceptually and offer insights regarding future business opportunities.
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WBA 203 - Communication 1 course unit
This module blends research, theory and practice in the art of effective team communication, presentation and facilitation skills, team dynamics, and written skills to create a dynamic contribution to the overall effectiveness of any organization. Each student comes to this course with expertise and experience; this module will reinforce individual strengths, identify areas of growth and set goals for development in the cohort as well as the workplace.
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WBA 204 - Marketing Management 1 course unit
This module will provide students with a solid foundation of marketing principles. Real world examples will abound, and students will be required to draw from their own experiences to further develop effective and efficient methods for improved marketing opportunities. The core essentials of product, place, promotion, and price will reach higher levels when theory and experience is combined to produce new and innovative methods and procedures. Creativity and logic will be demonstrated as a winning combination to achieve profitability and knowledge attainment.
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WBA 205 - Accounting for Managers 1 course unit
This module is designed to help students use accounting information in the workplace. The course will not focus on rules of debits and credits nor the official preparation of accounting records like journals and ledgers; instead it will focus on understanding and use of financial information for planning business strategy. Decision making, evaluation of process improvements and performance, interpretation of corporate and annual reports, and recognition of internal control systems will be the materials presented in this module.
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WBA 206 - Statistical Decision Making 1 course unit
The basic understanding of statistics and its application to business situations will be the objective of this module. Topics such as descriptive statistics, estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis will be explored in depth in order to provide a useful understanding of how these topics affect today’s business environment and decision making. Microsoft Excel will be used throughout the course.
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WBA 207 - Managing Organizations 1 course unit
This module is designed to expand on the concepts presented and to understand why management is vital to the success of the organization. Students will better understand the functions and systems associated with sound management. Effectiveness and efficiency will be stressed, providing the venue for improving decision making skills and critical analysis. Students in this module will be required to choose an organization and, along with this organization, plan, organize, lead, and control a project that produces “real” results. This course will force students to have a complete understanding of managerial theory and apply this material in a practical and effective method.
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WBA 208 - Managerial Economics 1 course unit
Basic principles of economics at both the macro and micro levels will be explored. Topics of supply and demand, national income accounting, monetary and fiscal policies, business cycles, money and banking, interest rate determination, market structure, elasticity, international trade policy, and budget deficit are among the long list of topics discussed in this module. A high level of student interaction will be expected. The course is taught using practical materials that provide a better understanding and use of secondary data to make interpretations regarding future business environmental forecasts.
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WBA 309 - Human Behavior & Organization 1 course unit
This is an introductory course on human behavior in the organizational setting. The focus of this module will encompass three levels of organizational behavior analysis: the individual, the group, and various modern organizational systems. There are two major goals: to provide students with a basic grounding in the most important principles in managing the human asset in organizations and to work to develop job relevant knowledge skills. The material covered will be applicable to a wide range of organizations and students should also find topic areas relevant to daily life.
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WBA 310 - Information Systems 1 course unit
Understanding information systems is central to managing in an information age. Approaches to studying information systems can be technical and managerial; we will cover technical aspects of information systems, and we will use a managerial frame of reference. This module will focus on how information systems are changing the way we work and the way business functions. Key issues that will be covered in this module include: strategic use of information, ethical issues related to information systems and information technology, technical issues relating to computers, software, databases, and networks, electronic commerce and information security.
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WBA 311 - Operations & Quality 1 course unit
In this module, students will focus on managing operations and quality, the problems operations managers face, and the approaches that operations managers use. Firms are realizing the tactical and strategic benefits that accrue by paying more attention to operations and quality. Students will become better acquainted with the operations function and the key issues that it faces. Discussions will include development of a better understanding of how quality issues relate to the process of producing goods and delivering services, and an understanding of some of the analytical methods and organizational processes firms use to manage operations and quality.
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WBA 312 - Financial Analysis & Risk Management 1 course unit
An introduction to basic financial concepts: valuation techniques, the relationship between risk and return, and the workings of U.S. capital markets. This module will enable students to broaden their financial knowledge by blending the concepts and applications to better understand the risks involved in the venture. Also, projects dealing with capital budgeting, financial statements and portfolio management will be presented. The understanding of materials covered in this module is an essential part of the business concentration and will aid in the completion of the capstone project.
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WBA 313 - The Global Economy 1 course unit
This module is about theory of international trade, balance of payment, global business, foreign exchange markets, regional economic integration, and markets. Students will have the opportunity to discuss several cases to understand the complexity of today’s global economy. While the marketplace is growing and global competition is the norm, this module provides the opportunity for students to evaluate current situations and, with the inclusion of a global competitive presence, make sound financial investments for the future. This module requires that students observe the world around them and explain how local decisions affect the world.
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WBA 315 - Social Responsibility 1 course unit
This module will help students determine the right and wrong ways to behave towards others, the proper and improper actions to take regarding others and how to analyze and make fair or unfair decisions. Organizations, as social institutions, face complex ethical problems due to rapid economic changes and global competition. Students will explore best practices to handle situations where ethics might come under question.
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WBA 416 - Corporate Strategy 1 course unit
Because of day-to-day crises and pressures, organizations often struggle to set aside time to create a common future and plan to attain it. This module provides an overview of the strategic visioning process as it applies to organizations. Included in this module will be working definitions of mission, vision, core values, philosophy, objectives and strategic plans. There will be discussion of the integration of planning and implementation so that the student will walk away with critical thinking and planning skills.
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WBA 417 - Multidisciplinary Project (Capstone) 1 course unit
Utilizing their knowledge from the previous modules, students will create a case study from a selected organization. This case must uncover one main problem for the organization and provide viable and supported solutions to help create a better situation for the organization. The main part of this capstone is that each team presents a rich enough case that the reader will, with a fair amount of certainty, be provided with enough information to allow them the opportunity to solve the case using methods and techniques gained from business knowledge and experience.
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WHC 213 - Marketing for Healthcare 1 course unit
This course will consist of an in-depth study of the essential concepts of marketing and their application to health care organizations. Students will gain a working knowledge of aspects of healthcare marketing such as pricing, promotion, consumer behavior, brand equity, and segmentation and will learn applied skills by analyzing marketing problems and developing strategies for addressing those challenges. Differences and similarities between marketing for the for-profit and non-profit sectors will be addressed. Students will learn the particulars of developing a comprehensive marketing plan.
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WHC 301 - The Healthcare Delivery System 1 course unit
This course provides an overview of the healthcare delivery system in the U.S., specifically the interwoven relationships between providers (physicians, hospital systems, ancillary service providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical supply companies), payers/funding sources (traditional insurance companies, HMOs/PPOs, government payers) and regulatory agencies (e.g. CMS-the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and State Departments of Health). Students will be provided with an historical perspective of the healthcare system and an understanding of some of the current environmental forces impacting managerial decision-making in healthcare organizations. These include changes in public policy and reimbursement models and the creation of large hospital-based networks that encompass multiple levels of care, from acute care to transitional care to outpatient and home-based services.
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WHC 302 - Healthcare Human Resources & Policies 1 course unit
Students will become familiar with all major areas of responsibility for Healthcare H.R. managers, such as management/ labor relations, collective bargaining, administration of a comprehensive employee compensation and benefits program, EOE compliance, Workmen’s Compensation issues, creation of job descriptions and an effective employee performance appraisal system, and staff training/ development. Due to its paramount importance in today’s healthcare industry, considerable attention will be given to the development of an effective recruitment/ retention program. Students will be exposed to some of the creative approaches being implemented by healthcare organizations to address shortages of nursing and other specialized care staff.
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WHC 303 - Regulatory Compliance & Accreditation 1 course unit
Healthcare is one of the most highly regulated industries in the United States, with extensive oversight of patient care and billing practices. This course will familiarize students with the operational role of managers/ administrators in designing, implementing and overseeing systems to ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines. Students will also be introduced to the standards required for accreditation by JCAHO, the Joint Commission for Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations, a highly valued credential in today’s increasingly competitive healthcare market. Course content will focus largely on preparing future managers to design, operate, evaluate, and refine an organization-specific quality management program, an essential element in meeting and maintaining JCAHO standards.
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WHC 327 - Healthcare Finance 1 course unit
This course focuses on the financial relationship between providers and various payer sources and examines factors influencing payment/reimbursement levels, such as patient acuity/case mix. Discussion will explore how services are coordinated to achieve positive patient outcomes while simultaneously ensuring an organization’s financial health. Financial management of institutional resources will also be covered, including preparation/analysis of financial reports, capital budgeting and project analysis, forecasting, inventory control and management and depreciation of equipment and other resources.
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WHC 328 - Healthcare Law & Ethics 1 course unit
Various legal and ethical issues related to managing a healthcare enterprise will be examined, including development and administration of organizational policy on Advance Directives, patient confidentiality (in compliance with HIPAA standards), and withholding of treatment. The wide realm of bioethical issues under debate by healthcare professionals and policy-makers will also be considered, such as physician-assisted suicide and palliative care versus life-sustaining treatment. The role of Ethics Committees in healthcare facilities will be discussed, as will the role of patient advocates/Ombudsmen and the establishment of institutional guidelines for resolution of patient grievances. The development of protocols for decisionmaking in regard to legal/ethical conflicts will also be covered. A case-study approach will be emphasized to help students fully understand the gravity of legal/ethical decision-making by healthcare management teams.
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WHR 221 - HR Functional Survey 1 course unit
A broad examination of the functions normally found in the HR organization: Compensation & Benefits, Employment Policies & Practices, EAP & Workplace Safety, Labor Relations, Training & Development, and Organizational Development. This course provides the student with a solid understanding of the traditional roles that the HR function traditionally performed and the trade-offs involved in balancing personnel costs between pay and benefits.
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WHR 222 - Strategic Planning & Tactical Execution 1 course unit
This course explores the importance of linking the planning for HR with the strategic plan and direction of the overall organization. Because this linkage often proves elusive in practice, the course will help the student understand the importance of tactical execution and the tools available to leaders and managers that make the linkage possible. The course begins with an examination of the overall planning and visioning process in organizations and explores areas where the overall plan and the HR plan diverge.
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WHR 308 - HR Global Issues 1 course unit
This module provides the foundation for understanding the diversity and global human resource practices in businesses and organizations today. It presents factors to consider with both a changing workforce and management of domestic and foreign enterprises. Students will develop their understanding of key issues in recruitment, selection, retention, training, safety, and labor and employee relations.
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WHR 314 - Knowledge Management 1 course unit
This module examines the critical role that knowledge plays in the modern enterprise and why productivity of the knowledge worker is so important. Factors for the dissemination and transfer of knowledge will be examined including the transfer of tacit knowledge. The module explores the many factors that contribute to the success of the creation, sharing, and value added from ideas generated by knowledgeable individuals.
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WHR 320 - Organizational Analysis 1 course unit
Explores the pivotal role that HR can play in ensuring that the skills and abilities required to support the strategic thrust of the organization are in place as well as identifying where there are weaknesses that need to be addressed. The importance of culture, structure, and leadership are examined.
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WHR 321 - Organizations & Employees in Transition 1 course unit
This module examines the issue of change in organizations and how HR can influence the culture and structure of the organization so that the experience is positive and contributes to growth and bottom-line results. Drivers of change are explored such as mergers and acquisitions, technology, relocations, and globalization to name but a few.
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WIS 201 - Foundations of Information Systems 1 course unit
This module is designed to introduce students to contemporary information systems and demonstrate how these systems are used throughout global organizations. The focus of this module will be on the key components of information systems: people, processes and technologies, and how these components can be integrated and managed to create competitive advantage. This module also provides an introduction to systems and development concepts, technologies and their acquisition, and various types of application software and architectures currently in use. In addition, the ethical and social implications of these components will be considered.
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WIS 206 - Information Systems Analysis & Design 1 course unit
This module is an applied study of information systems analysis. The course covers a systematic methodology for analyzing a business problem or opportunity, determining what role, if any, computer-based technologies can play in addressing the business need, articulating business requirements for the technology solution, specifying alternative approaches to acquiring the technology capabilities needed to address the business requirements, and specifying the requirements for the information systems solution. Topics covered will include traditional and contemporary systems development lifecycles, including waterfall, object-oriented, and rapid methodologies. The role of the business analyst in scope definition, requirements analysis, and functional requirements documentation creation will be discussed. Students will learn about completing a system design using CASE tools.
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WIS 208 - Fundamentals of Programming I 1 course unit
This is an introductory course on program design and programming: variables, data types, program structure, conditional logic, iteration, and event-driven programming. Modular program design including introduction to procedures, functions, and modular development will be covered, as well as the project environment, compilation process, and debugging techniques. Students will learn the basic concepts of program design, programming, problem solving, and programming logic. Program development will incorporate various stages of the program development life cycle: designing a solution, implementing a solution in a programming language, and testing the completed application. Students will utilize UML structures to aid in program design and will develop several small programming projects using a modern programming language.
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WIS 210 - Leadership and Team Development 1 course unit
This module offers an introduction to, and an overview of, the concepts of leadership and team development. This module will provide a framework and rationale for the team/cohort learning model in an organizational context. Emphasis is placed on the application of concepts to real managerial problems and issues. This module will use a combination of conceptual and practical approaches, lectures, discussions, case studies and group exercises. The differences between leadership and management will be explained.
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WIS 212 - Data Analytics & Business Intelligence 1 course unit
Building on the transactional database understanding, the course provides an introduction to data and information management technologies that provide decision support capabilities under the broad business intelligence umbrella. Students will study how data drives business and strategic planning.
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WIS 214 - IT Infrastructure 1 course unit
This module provides an introduction to IT infrastructure. It covers topics related to both computer and systems architecture and communication networks, with an overall focus on the services and capabilities that IT infrastructure solutions enable in an organizational context. It gives students the knowledge and skills that they need for communicating effectively with professionals whose special focus is on hardware and systems software technology and for designing organizational processes and software solutions that require in-depth understanding of the IT infrastructure capabilities and limitations. It also prepares students for organizational roles that require interaction with external vendors of IT infrastructure components and solutions. The course focuses strongly on Internet-based solutions, computer and network security, business continuity, and the role of infrastructure in regulatory compliance.
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WIS 215 - IS Finance 1 course unit
This module explores the fiduciary impacts of information systems operational activities. The focus is on the financing of enterprise architecture in support of the business units where students learn frameworks and strategies for constructing budgetary requirements, adherence to financial purchase and auditing requirements, determining life cycles for enterprise architecture components, and collaborating with business units to determine technology requirements that focus on sustainability and transparency. Students will also discover methods to finance operational readiness through a balance of funding for staffing and vendor management, managed service contracts, and responsible decommissioning of assets that have exhausted their life cycle. These topics are addressed within the organization with focus on advocating for investment in technologies that minimize risk, maximize return on investment, and empower business users to remain technologically agile.
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WIS 218 - IS Project Management 1 course unit
This module is an applied study of modern techniques and approaches to the management of IT projects: project planning, outsourcing versus in-house development, team formation and building, phases of project development, including roll-out, support, and retiring of projects. The role of the project manager and project management functions will be discussed in detail: business case development, cost justification, return on investment; management of IT projects through a geographically dispersed workforce, and the unique challenges to systems development. This module will give students exposure to the Project Management Institute (PMI) Knowledge Areas and lay a foundation for students to consider taking the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam.
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WIS 219 - Communication 1 course unit
Building on the students’ experience in the first module, this module blends research, theory and practice in the art of effective team communication, presentation and facilitation skills, team dynamics, and written skills to create a dynamic contribution to the overall effectiveness of any organization. Each student comes to this course with expertise and experience. This module will reinforce individual strengths, identify areas of growth and set goals for development in the cohort as well as in the workplace.
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WIS 220 - IT Security & Risk Management 1 course unit
This module provides an introduction to the fundamental principles and topics of Information Technology Security and Risk Management at the organizational level. Students will learn critical security principles that enable them to plan, develop, and perform security tasks. This module will introduce the student to understanding, managing, and controlling organizational risks associated with the implementation and use of IT solutions including protection of data and IT infrastructure from various security threats. The course will address hardware, software, processes, communications, applications, and policies and procedures with respect to organizational IT Security and Risk Management.
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WIS 221 - Enterprise Architecture 1 course unit
This module explores the design, selection, implementation, and management of enterprise IT solutions. The focus is on applications and infrastructures and their fit with the business. Students learn frameworks and strategies for infrastructure management, system administration, data/information architecture, content management, distributed computing, middleware, legacy system integration, system consolidation, software selection, total cost of ownership calculation, IT investment analysis, and emerging technologies. These topics are addressed both within and beyond the organization, with attention paid to managing risk and security within audit and compliance standards. Students also hone their ability to communicate technology architecture strategies concisely to a general business audience.
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WIS 308 - Fundamentals of Programming II 1 course unit
This module will build upon the Fundamentals of Programming I module. The primary focus will be on the design and development of data-driven n-tier client/server applications. Various types of application paradigms will be examined, including traditional web and mobile-based solutions. The course will emphasize architectural and design concepts with opportunities for code review and hands-on coding.
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WIS 309 - Data & Information Management 1 course unit
This module provides the students with an introduction to the core concepts in data and information management. It is centered around the core skills of identifying organizational information requirements, modeling them using conceptual data modeling techniques, converting the conceptual data models into relational data models and verifying its structural characteristics with normalization techniques, and implementing and utilizing a relational database using an industrial-strength database management system. The course will also include coverage of basic database administration tasks and key concepts of data quality and data security. In addition to developing database applications, the course helps students understand how large-scale packaged systems are highly dependent on the use of DBMSs.
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WIS 315 - Information Systems Strategy 1 course unit
This module explores the issues and approaches in managing organizational information systems at the strategic level. It explores the acquisition, development and implementation of plans and policies to achieve efficient and effective information systems. The focus is on developing an intellectual framework that will allow leaders of organizations to critically assess existing IS components as well as plan for new technologies and systems that support organizational strategy. The ideas developed and cultivated in this module are intended to provide an enduring perspective that can help leaders make sense of an increasingly globalized and technology intensive business environment.
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WIS 318 - Quality Assurance, Deployment & Disposition 1 course unit
Advanced topics will be investigated to reinforce the management of IT projects. Specific focus will be on the executing, testing, and deploying stages of the project life cycle. Topics paramount to the course include change management, continuous improvement, maintenance, quality assurance, risk, and communications. Students will monitor a project via a project plan throughout its various project life cycles.
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WIS 420 - Multidisciplinary Project (Capstone) 1 course unit
Utilizing their knowledge from the previous modules, students will create an information systems solution to an existing organizational issue compounded by non-existent systems, poor systems or a lack of information. The organization may be profit or nonprofit, and the students will develop a business case that supports their solution. The format of the course will consist of independent study that includes the selection and execution of a project by the student teams.
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WSC 300 - Overview of Supply Chain Management 1 course unit
Supply chain management is a process based approach of providing value to the customer at a competitive price. Its focus extends beyond the traditional boundaries of the organization and is dedicated to efficiency and quality in all operations. Issues of risk and sustainability will be explored. Rigorous cost control employing lean techniques is a common tool. Successful management of the supply chain requires a robust information system(s). This course provides an overview of all the activities that comprise the supply chain and why they need to be looked at as a series of linked activities in a process
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WSC 304 - Operating Philosophies & Quality 1 course unit
Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, Statistical Quality Control, and Lean Manufacturing are all different operating philosophies designed to improve quality, reduce costs, and provide the customer with value at a price that meets the expectation of the customer and enables the organization to make a profit. Students will learn about the attributes of these different operating philosophies and the necessary conditions for their success.
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WSC 307 - System Implications for Managing the Supply Chain 1 course unit
The information requirements for the successful management of the supply chain are substantial and require a robust IT system or systems to provide the timely information to manage the varied activities that comprise the supply chain. In many cases, these systems are web based and tie together disparate organizations.
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WSC 318 - Planning, Scheduling, & Inventory 1 course unit
These three interrelated topics are all driven by anticipated customer demand both in the short term and long run. The overall objective is to have the proper amount of inventory on hand to serve the customer. This implies that demand forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling, and inventory levels are in sync and that costly buffer inventory levels are not required. This synchronization would not be possible without control of process execution.
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WSC 329 - Strategic Procurement 1 course unit
Strategic procurement is an important business activity that ensures the long term supply of products or services that are important to the business in achieving its core goals. Fundamental to success is good planning and then the development of long term partnerships to meet current and future requirements. This involves a fundamental switch from managing vendors to one that involves managing mutually beneficial relationships.
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WSC 333 - Logistics & Distribution Management 1 course unit
Logistics and distribution management is concerned with efficiently moving raw materials into the facility from suppliers, the movement of materials during the conversion cycle, and finally moving finished goods to customers. The importance of information systems will be emphasized and examples of current best practices will be explored. Topics such as the role of the U.S. Department of Transportation and import/export documentation and duty will be examined.
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Project Management |
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WPM 101 - Project Management Theory and Practice 0 course unit
This course provides the foundational management principles and theory of project management. Students will learn the fundamentals of project management, including project definition, project selection, project planning, estimating, scheduling, resource allocation, stakeholder management, risk management and project control. Students will apply the learned principles and theories to case studies and simulations, and will actively participate in a culminating project.
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WPM 201 - Managing Relationships with a Fully Automated and Integrated System 0 course unit
The goal of the course is exposure to a fully automated and integrated stakeholder, vendor management, and procurement (SVP) system. A large percentage of a project manager’s job is spent communicating with both internal and external relationships, including all internal stakeholders, vendor management, and procurement. Students will trace the changing nature of how these relationships have been influenced by the technology available and how decision-making has been impacted by increased speed and efficiency and the identification of risk in the supply chain. Students will investigate the ways social enterprises engage with larger corporations, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) organizations. New insights from Big Data will be explored, as well as the use of machine learning/automated intelligence to continuously enhance and aggregate data and to improve the flow of information to all SVP parties. Vendor aggregation, negotiation tactics, savings, efficiency/compliance expansion of stakeholders, changes in procurement practices, and procurement key performance indicators (KPIs) will also be explored.
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WPM 203 - Earned Value/Budgeting 0 course unit
The goal of this course is to help students learn the methods used to financially plan and account for a project, how to determine the value of the project at any point in time, and how to create a budget for any project. It is crucial for an organization to know the economic value of the projects it pursues and the effect that value has on the bottom line of the organization. Once underway, the value the project has created for the organization and the remaining financial obligation the organization has to the project are necessary elements for financial planning.
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WPM 205 - The Project Management Office (PMO) 0 course unit
The purpose of this course is to give students an appreciation for functioning successfully within and under the auspices of a PMO. The PMO is an integral part of an organization’s strategic management team. In this course, students will examine what it means to work under a PMO and how to manage a PMO, and will navigate through the activities under a PMO’s purview. Specific focus will be on assigning projects; understanding expectations from project managers; analyzing performance metrics to apply effective decision making; recognizing risk to deduce the ratio of impacts; communicating with all levels of the organization for successful project interactions and change management; and extrapolating critical measures to gain project savings. The challenges of program and portfolio management will be explored as well.
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Graduate |
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MAA 500 - Math for Applied Analytics .5 course unit
This pre-course is designed to review with learners the basic mathematics needed to be successful in the Master’s Program in Applied Analytics.
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MAA 502 - Statistical Tools for Analytics 1 course unit
The goal of this course is to help students learn a variety of statistical tools useful in summarizing past events and information. Students will learn how to transform raw data into descriptive summaries that can be easily presented and understood. Topics include: Aggregate Analysis, Correlation, Trends, and Distributions (normal, binomial, chi-square, etc.), Confidence Intervals, Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (one sample, two sample, many samples, etc.), Estimation, Correlation and Simple Linear Regression. The software tool “R Studio” will be integral to studying these topics.
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MAA 504 - Business Intelligence 1 course unit
In today’s highly-competitive business landscape, it is crucial that an organization makes sense of the sea of data in which it operates. Raw transactional data acquired from both structured and unstructured sources must be vetted, categorized, enhanced, stored, secured and ultimately transformed into organizational knowledge. This is only accomplished if the integrity of the information is ensured and that the information is properly used. This course provides an overview of the concepts, processes, and technologies necessary to provide decision-makers with actionable intelligence to make good decisions and understand the drivers of their Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). Consideration will be given to both tactical and strategic intelligence with special emphasis on environmental requirements including data governance, regulatory compliance, and ethics.
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MAA 506 - Predictive Analytics 1 course unit
This course explores a variety of statistical techniques useful in making predictions about future events. The culmination of the course will lead students to employ predictive analytics to assist in decision making and transforming statistics into useful prescriptive analytics. The course will cover the use of statistical software to process data, fit statistical models, and assess the models’ performance. Statistical models will include Linear & Non-Linear Regression Analysis with a focus on forecasting. Examples of models that will be covered include Logit & Probit Regression, Ordinal Regression, Survival Analysis (time to event and hazard rate), Data Segmentation, and Time Series Analysis. The course culminates in a predictive analysis on a topic of the student’s choice and requires multiple iterations of model forms, model testing, and awareness of the path for possible future model improvements.
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MAA 508 - Data Warehousing & Mining 1 course unit
Technology has become integral to our lives and as crucial to modern society as the most basic utilities. As a result, data is being generated at an unprecedented rate, and for an organization to compete, it must make sense of it. This course will take an information technology approach to examine the theory, concepts, and technologies required to transform data into actionable intelligence in support of decision-making. The warehousing and mining of data represent two ends of a symbiotic process and are examined in detail, from data extraction, transformation and loading to the establishment of an appropriate mining architecture, algorithm and technique. A variety of current tools and technologies will be reviewed and evaluated. The unique challenges presented by “Big Data” will be explored in this course.
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MAA 512 - An Introduction to Programming Languages 1 course unit
Managing the underlying data for analytics can require specific languages for programming and development. This course will be an overview of programming concepts including hands-on learning with the programming language Python. This course provides students with the practical understanding and skills required to manage data and data structures at the field level as well as how Python has a place in data analytics, game design, and artificial intelligence applications.
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MAA 514 - Data Visualization 1 course unit
In the world of big data, there is a need to “tell the story” clearly and efficiently with the goal of influencing decisions. The data behind the story can represent customer behaviors, healthcare trends, or research findings. The ability to organize and present data in an understandable, visual, and coherent manner is an essential skill required in today’s world. This course teaches the student to explore innovative techniques to display data in effective and compelling analysis of past performance, current state, and project future trends. It also incorporates the soft skills that are necessary to influence decision makers. Students will learn effective visual communication methods for representing data. The student will learn and use a mix of statistics, data mining, and visual/graphic design skills with an introduction to several of the most prevalent tools. As a culminating exercise, students will select, prepare, visualize and present a data project.
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MAA 610 - Introduction to Cloud Computing 1 course unit
This course on cloud computing and the concepts of “Big Data” is an introduction to the concepts underlying the systems and infrastructure required to manage large data sets. As organizations across many industries seek to house and analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately, it will be important for the student to learn and understand the need to manage data methodically even when the data are from disparate sources and types. The student will learn about current technological tools and applications. The student will also learn aspects of data and server management, virtualization, and standard data solutions offered by Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and IBM. Students will have hands-on experience with tools such as SQL, NoSQL, and Hadoop.
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MAA 612 - Introduction to Data-Driven User Experience Design 1 course unit
Companies such as Apple and Netflix use data collected at their sites to understand the user’s experience and whether or not their marketing efforts are working. Amazon uses its data to present to buyers other items that might be of interest. Companies know that data is most useful when it can help them further their mission and vision. Data can help companies optimize their customers’ web experience, understand which elements capture attention and which do not, and also customize to specific users’ experiences. Students will be able to understand how to measure and report actionable data that help to improve the user experience.
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MAA 614 - Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Concepts 1 course unit
We have come to rely on the benefits of artificial intelligence and machine learning at an ever-increasing rate. The algorithms underlying this technology have touched our lives with smartphones, smart-speakers, social media feeds, video and music streaming, video games, travel, and security. The course provides students the underlying principles of artificial intelligence such as machine learning, natural language processing, game theory, algorithms, and discrete structures. Topics may include intelligent agents, searching, learning, planning, and classifying.
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MAA 616 - Stochastic Modeling for Analytics 1 course unit
How do companies and organizations use data to forecast what may lie ahead? Students will learn in this course the importance of stochastic methods and how probability and randomness are keys to simulation modeling. Applications of stochastic processes include the analysis of stock market results and trends, vital medical information, seismology, and weather research. Students will learn via real-life case studies and methods such as the Markov chain. Students will learn how to use historical data to understand the likelihood of what may happen in the future using robust stochastic models.
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MAA 640 - Ethical Leadership & Communications 1 course unit
The misuse of available, accessible data can have ramifications for companies and millions of their customers. The ownership of personal information has been in the public conscience for the past few years due to data breaches, identity theft, and misuse of data. As quickly as a company brand, people recognize company names recently scandalized such as Enron, Wells-Fargo, Facebook, and Cambridge Analytica. Just because data can be accessed, queried, and analyzed to understand a customer’s private details or a company’s buying trends does not mean it should be. This course will cover the ethical standards in place for those in the data analytics industry and the state, federal, and international regulatory rules in place to mitigate misuse.
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MAA 690 - Capstone 1 course unit
The individual/small team will utilize knowledge gained from the previous course modules to provide actionable information for decision makers to enhance an organization’s effectiveness. The topic chosen may be an “existing real” topic from an outside organization or use data sets from open source data repositories. The process will scope the project, formalize a question, locate data sources, determine the method of analysis, implement analytical procedures, visualize and communicate the results of the organizational issue. This process will allow students to integrate their learning over the entirety of the program.
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MOL 510 - Human Resource Leadership Strategy 1 course unit
The people of an organization are very often its strongest and best source of performance and competitive advantage. This course emphasizes the strategic importance of human resources in organizational action, with an overview of the objectives, requirements, economics, opportunities, and processes of creating the best workforce for long phases of an organization’s life. The course emphasizes the leader’s role in an organization’s HR management and the strategic opportunities and challenges that HR management present to leaders. Course methods include on-site learning and studies using current data on organizational performance and the student’s reflection on leadership development.
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MOL 512 - Talent Management, Rewards, & Relations 1 course unit
Successful organizations and their leaders realize the importance of sustaining workers over the different phases of their careers, and this course aligns understanding of adult development with organizations’ ongoing needs for leaders and managers. This course fuses key concepts from organizational behavior and industrial organization psychology and applies them to leadership practice building strong relationships and engaged workers. Students study a wide range of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards and motivation methods, their theoretical foundations, and how leaders can apply them in different organizational settings and to a diverse workforce.
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MOL 514 - Labor Law, Economics, & Policy 1 course unit
Workforce leadership is acutely affected by the macroeconomy, the local economy where organizations compete for workers, and the local labor market within that. HR is a heavily regulated field of work at all levels of government, and public policy concerning the obligations and rights of workers and employers is constantly changing. Students in this course study the major economic, legal, and policy issues affecting HR management, learning from specialists in the labor markets and from appointed and elected officials.
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MOL 620 - Multidisciplinary Leadership 1 course unit
Leadership studies are influenced by underlying disciplines of psychology, sociology, history, strategy, philosophy, military studies, and religion studies. This course prepares leaders by offering them a broad conceptual base for understanding leadership behaviors and effectiveness, contextualized in Muhlenberg’s interdisciplinary liberal arts teaching mission. The course features presentations by faculty from across Muhlenberg’s disciplines, using case studies, relevant literature, and critical writing and analysis to explore servant leadership, visionary leadership, and transformational leadership processes.
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MOL 624 - Leadership as Personal Journey 1 course unit
Organizational leadership training necessarily requires the leader’s personal development and growth in a personal capacity. This course supports students of leadership by emphasizing their individual growth and change through the reading of theories on change management and research, self-reflective study and analysis, and interpersonal learning with other leaders-in-training. Students will assess their own leadership strengths and weaknesses and create a plan for their personal development in critical areas, including emotional intelligence, empathy, and vision.
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MOL 628 - Intercultural Leadership 1 course unit
A diverse population of organization colleagues will have varying views and experiences of leadership’s role and practice. Leaders need to inspire and manage diverse teams of individuals with different identities and backgrounds. This multifaceted course provides a framework for examining the effects of culture on the leadership process, including consideration of personal identity and ethical issues relating to culture in leadership situations. Students in this course analyze the opportunities that diversity brings to the workplace and related issues of ethnocentrism and prejudice and prepare to succeed in diverse settings using reflection, simulations, and community practice.
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