Science in a Changing World
engaging with scientific understandings and practices in relation to personal development and social change
One emphasis for studies within the Graduate Program in Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) at UMass Boston is on science (especially the life and environmental sciences) in the context of conceptual development and of social change. A 15 credit graduate certificate and 33 credit M.A. program of studies with this emphasis are designed for educators and other concerned citizens who want to explore the relationships among new developments in scientific knowledge, in education, and in society. Innovative and inspiring instructors arrange course material, classroom activities, teaching/learning interactions that provide students an opportunity to learn about science in its social context, to gain a set of models for their own educational or activist work, to discuss practices and philosophies of education and social change, and to undertake research with a view to engaging with science in a changing world.
Programs of Study: Certificate students take Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, three other courses, and complete an exit performance as part of one of the courses taken. (The 3 courses may also count for a UMB graduate degree.)
Masters students take Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, two required courses in Philosophy and Cognitive Psychology (or substitutes), 4 electives, and 3 research and engagement courses leading to a capstone "synthesis."
Mode of delivery: Several courses are offered in both face2face and online sections (including CrCrTh 601 and 602). Some of the face2face courses [marked D below] are designed to bring in a small number of students from a distance by speakerphone (or "voice over the internet") during regular class meeting times. (Contact the Program for details and the Program Director for approval.)
It is possible to complete the entire M.A. at a distance by: undertaking the Certificate through online and distance courses; getting approval to transfer to the M.A. program; and participating in the remaining regular classes at a distance.
Online sections and the distance option are intended primarily for students outside the Boston area. Local M.A. students need permission of their advisors to take them in place of face-to-face sections. In no case may students count more than 5 on-line courses from UMass Boston toward their CCT M.A. degree.
Allied activities open to graduate students:
Courses
For timing and frequency of course offerings, see upcoming semesters' schedules and provisional longer-term plan.
Required courses
(First two required for Certificate; all four required for M.A.)
CrCrTh 601 Critical Thinking
CrCrTh 602 Creative Thinking
Phil 501 Foundations of Philosophy [D] *
CrCrTh 651 Cognitive Psychology [D] *
* With the program coordinator's approval, the following courses can be substituted for required courses in Philosophy and Psychology (respectively):
CrCrTh 649 Scientific and Political Change(formerly: Science, Technology and Public Policy) (crosslisted as PPol 749) [D]
CrCrTh 652 Children and Science
Electives
(3 required for Certificate; 4 required for M.A.)
CrCrTh 611 Seminar in Critical Thinking (Problem-based learning focus)
CrCrTh 619 Biomedical Ethics
CrCrTh 640 Environment, Science, and Society [D]
CrCrTh 645 Biology in Society [D]
CrCrTh 649 Scientific and Political Change(formerly: Science, Technology and Public Policy) (crosslisted as PPol 749) [D]
CrCrTh 652 Children and Science
Non-CCT electives taught by a CCT instructor:
PPol 753 Epidemiological Thinking & Population Health (subject to final approval) [D]
WoSt 597 Gender, Race, and the Complexities of Science and Technology [D]
Courses from other programs and other CCT courses (e.g., 692) may be taken as electives and up to 6 credits tranferred in from other institutions. (See listing of related courses from other Umass graduate programs)
Final courses in Research and Engagement (centered on students' own projects)
(required for M.A. only)
CrCrTh 692 Processes of Research and Engagement [D]
CrCrTh 693 Action Research for Educational, Professional and Personal Change [D]
CrCrTh 694 Synthesis of Theory and Practice [D]
For more information, please contact the Program Office, cct@umb.edu, or view the CCT Program handbook.