Graduate Courses

This course will introduce and review the organization and logic of English rhetoric.  It will demonstrate how these principles can be useful not only in writing, but also in reading, listening to lectures and giving oral presentations.  There will be practice in oral presentation including discrete pronunciation elements of stress, intonation and rhythm (segmentals and supersegmentals) as well as presentation and discussion skills.  Students will review the mechanics of sentence structure and verb tenses and learn to develop coherence within and between paragraphs.  Library use will be introduced. 

ELC 71 focuses on improving critical reading skills, developing effective listening strategies, gaining intelligibility in speaking, and acquiring familiarity with academic writing conventions. Through a variety of materials and task based activities, students will gain competence in writing well organized, coherent, and grammatically correct texts. Class discussions, text analysis, and teamwork will enhance students’ analytical skills and promote confidence in social interaction in an English-speaking environment. Additional required work in the Language Laboratory will also improve informal communication, as well as the ability to give formal presentations.

This course will provide non-native English speaking students with improved reading comprehension and writing skills.  Emphasis will be given to paraphrasing, summarizing, outlining, and studying from a text of technical readings.  Learn to develop a thesis, research and document an essay, as well as write argumentative-explanatory essays.

ELC 81 focuses on improving academic writing skills through emphasis on specific tasks, including email, summary, and problem-solution writing, which are necessary for success at the graduate level. There is additional focus on improving speaking and listening strategies for academic, social, and professional interaction, which includes an understanding of how these two skills are related. A variety of materials and task-based activities help students gain competence and confidence in writing and speaking, both formally and informally. Additionally, required attendance in the Language Laboratory will enhance students’ intelligibility in social and academic situations.

ELC 90 is designed to help students position themselves as successful members of Stevens’ graduate community through an improved understanding of academic conventions.  By resolving questions of rhetoric and language through text analysis and class discussions, students become more critical readers and effective writers.  Additionally, refining the use of stylistic tools, such as structure, syntax, and vocabulary, will result in clearer and more precise written and verbal communication.  Through a variety of task-based activities, such as email writing, Problem-Solution and Process writing, data commentary, and summary writing, the ELC 90 student will have the opportunity to improve the communication of both sourced and non-sourced information.  Students will also refine critical elements of pronunciation by giving formal and informal presentations.

ELC 91 helps students position themselves as successful members of the graduate community by exploring the effective use of academic conventions. Resolving questions of rhetoric through text analysis, class discussions, and collaborative activities strengthen critical reading, thinking, and academic writing skills. A variety of genre-specific tasks help students improve communication of both sourced/non-sourced and verbal/non-verbal (graphs, tables, etc.) information. Additionally, refining critical elements of pronunciation through class and Language Laboratory work will improve the quality of formal and informal presentations.

The course covers topics that include brainstorming,   organizing, writing and revision of technical documents, as well as preparation of   verbal
 presentations with visual aids.  In this overview class,   students will be
 exposed to these skills, and have time to generate their   own documents and presentations for feedback, but Hum 500 is primarily   designed to give the students a foundation so that they may continue on with   other, more specialized, classes in this field.  Students in need of   ESL/ESD attention will receive it.  The course may be offered as a week-long   intensive class designed to get students familiar with the basic concepts   and tools they will need to master in order to pursue the Certificate Program   in Professional Communications or other Stevens graduate degrees or   programs.

This course introduces professional communications: How should professionals construct technical documents for the business or scientific/technical community? What are the techniques writers need for specialized, clear writing? Topics include: genres of technical writing; successful writing strategies; design principles; format; and contents. Students will practice the techniques presented through weekly writing assignments.

This course will present a range of professional presentation techniques: oral, web-based, and audio-visual. Students’ existing skills will be sharpened and enhanced with knowledge of current best professional practices. Weekly assignments will guarantee that students will master new techniques.

This course sharpens students’ ability to deliver written descriptions, explanations, and instructions to a diverse audience who may not share the writers' technical expertise. Students will create overviews and abstracts; lay out guidelines for readers; craft orderly instructions and explanations; insert necessary illustrations that enhance the documentation; build links to the next set of instructions; summarize effectively; and format for maximum comprehension.

This course introduces the foundations of writing a business plan. Topics include: what investors and lenders are looking for; the key elements of a business plan; and special considerations when writing a business plan for an international endeavor or web-based or web-supplemented businesses. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the material presented through weekly writing assignments.

This course is an introduction to writing for engineers. As technical writers, engineers may often feel that their task is merely to "inform," but as has been dramatically illustrated over the last few years, "informing" can be vital to successful system deployment and operation. Lives are often affected by not only the accuracy of an engineer’s calculations, but by a clear and understandable presentation of conclusions and recommendations. The ability to write clearly and effectively is essential to an engineer.

This course introduces the issues related to writing for international markets. What factors make writing for an international market different from writing for a domestic market? Topics covered include: the influence on writing of the key elements that make each nation different; the behavior of foreign consumers; translation issues; and considerations when writing presentations, instructional texts, business plans, and Web content for international audiences.

This course is concerned with the communication of financial information in writing: How should financial professionals construct documents? What are the writing techniques needed to make the numbers tell their own story? Topics include genres of financial writing; successful writing strategies; organizing information; and using tables and charts.

This course introduces essential concepts for writing in pharmaceutical houses, medical advertising agencies, and other medical settings. Topics covered include basic medical terminology, appropriate AMA style and form and format in the use of professional research, preparation of meeting and conference materials for professionals in the field, and working with physicians.

This course dispels the myths about writing for the Web and provides students with the skills to move successfully from print to web. The dynamic medium of the Internet not only demands concise, clear, well-organized copy, but an ability to operate in a non-linear world. This course will enable students to: reinforce good technical writing practices; incorporate usability issues when designing information for the Web; think in non-linear ways; recognize the different functions of web copy and how to write for each (educational, promotional, information-seeking); and understand the different delivery methods and how they influence the layout of the information and audio-visual choices.

This course introduces the writing tasks that are critical to project management as it is used across a wide variety of industries. Topics covered include: the language of work breakdown structures; addressing project requirements; the semantics of risk analysis; assessing scope; and designing and building a project plan. Students will review online project management tools. Students will apply the techniques of writing for project management by creating a project plan to manage some aspect of an academic or extra-curricular activity.

This course introduces the interpretation and analysis of complex scientific information and the translation of difficult scientific concepts into lively and readable prose. Topics include: effective interview techniques; information-gathering skills; news and feature article structure; editing; and writing for the general public, scientists, and industry. Students will practice these skills through in-class and take-home writing assignments. Writing assignments will progress from short, weekly articles to longer pieces. By the end of the semester, each student will write a feature article.

This course introduces the technical aspects of publicity writing. Topics include: writing a press bio; writing a topic summary; the art of the press release; the basics of the op-ed; and organizing the short informational feature. The course will include "how-to" discussions regarding inquiries from the press and the public, and ways to negotiate direct contacts with both. Guest speakers from the press/marketing field will make occasional presentations during the length of the course.

This course helps students developing a case for support for a nonprofit organization, making long-range programmatic and financial plans, researching potential funders, and preparing proposal materials. Students will learn how to find funding sources and will make regular presentations on their research and writing samples. The class will compile a comprehensive set of funding resources, as well as sample grants and planning documents. Guest speakers will share professional insights and experiences.

The course covers topics that include brainstorming, organizing, writing and revision of technical documents, as well as preparation of verbal presentations with visual aids. In this overview class, students will be exposed to these skills, and have time to generate their own documents and presentations for feedback, but Hum 500 is primarily designed to give the students a foundation so that they may continue on with other, more specialized, classes in this field. Students in need of ESL/ESD attention will receive it. The course may be offered as a week-long intensive class designed to get students familiar with the basic concepts and tools they will need to master in order to pursue the Certificate Program in Professional Communications or other Stevens graduate degrees or programs

This course introduces professional communications: how should professionals construct technical documents for the business or scientific/technical community? What are the techniques writers need for specialized, clear writing? Topics include: genres of technical writing; successful writingstrategies; design principles; format and contents. Students will practice the techniques presented through weekly writing assignments

This course will present a range of professional presentation techniques: oral, web-based, audio-visual. Students' existing skills will be sharpened and enhanced with knowledge of current best professional practices.Weekly assignments will guarantee students will master newtechniques.

This course sharpens students' ability to deliver written descriptions, explanations and instructions to a diverse audience who may not share the writer's technical expertise. Students will create overviews and abstracts; lay out guidelines for readers; craft orderly instructions and explanations; insert necessary illustrations that enhance the documentation; build links to the next set of instructions; summarize effectively; and format for maximumcomprehension.

This course introduces the foundations of writing a business plan. Topics include: what investors and lenders are looking for; the key elements of a business plan; special considerations when writing a business plan for aninternational endeavor or web-based or web-supplemented businesses. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the material presented through weekly writing assignments

This course helps students prepare to write their masters theses.  Topics covered include use of databases in research; appropriate organization and development of masters-level research writing; review of technical writing; and general grammar and syntax overview.  This course is of special use to speakers of English as a Second Language.Prerequisites:  Enrollment in a relevant masters program.

This course is an introduction to writing for engineers. As technical writers, engineers may often feel their task to be only one of "informing," but as has been dramatically illustrated over the last few years, "informing" can be vital to successful system deployment and operation. Lives are often affected by not only the accuracy of an engineer's calculations, but by a clear and understandable presentation of conclusions and recommendations. The ability to write clearly and effectively is essential to an engineer.

This course introduces the issues related to writing for international markets. What factors make writing for an international market different from writing for a domestic market? Topics covered include: the influence on writing of the key elements that make each nation different; the behavior of foreign consumers; translation issues; considerations when writing presentations, instructional texts, business plans, and web content for international audiences.

This course is concerned with the communication of financial information in writing: How should financial professionals construct documents? What are the writing techniques needed to make the numbers tell their own story? Topics include genres of financial writing; successful writing strategies; organizing information; using tables and charts.

This course introduces essential concepts for writing in pharmaceutical houses, medical advertising agencies, and other medical settings. Topics covered include basic medical terminology, appropriate AMA style, and form and format in the use of professional research; preparation of meeting and conference materials for professionals in the field, and working with physicians.

This course dispels the myths about writing for the web and provides students with the skills to move successfully from print to web. The dynamic medium of the Internet not only demands concise, clear, well-organized copy, but an ability to operate in a non-linear world. This course will enable students to: reinforce good technical writing practices; incorporate usability issues when designing information for the web; think in non-linear ways; recognize the different functions of web copy and how to write for each (educational, promotional, information-seeking); understand the different delivery methods and how they influence the layout of the information and audio-visual choices.

This course introduces the writing tasks that are critical to project management as it is used across a wide variety of industries. Topics covered include: the language of work breakdown structures; addressing project requirements; the semantics of risk analysis; assessing scope; and designing and building a project plan. Students will review online project management tools. Students will apply the techniques of writing for project management by creating a project plan to manage some aspect of an academic or extra-curricular activity.

This course introduces the interpretation and analysis of complex scientific information – and the translation of difficult scientific concepts into lively and readable prose. Topics include: effective interview techniques; information-gathering skills; news and feature article structure; editing; writing for the general public, scientists and industry. Students will practice these skills through in-class and take-home writing assignments. Writing assignments will progress from short, weekly articles to longer pieces. By the end of the semester, each student will write a feature article.

This course introduces the technical aspects of publicity writing. Topics include: writing a press bio; writing a topic summary; the art of the press release; the basics of the op-ed; and organizing the short informational feature. The course will include “how-to” discussions regarding inquiries from the press and the public, and ways to negotiate direct contacts with both. Guest speakers from the press/marketing field will make occasional presentations during the length of the course.

This course helps students developing a case for support for a nonprofit organization, making long-range programmatic and financial plans, researching potential funders, and preparing proposal materials. Students will learn how to find funding sources and will make regular presentations on their research and writing samples. The class will compile a comprehensive set of funding resources, as well as sample grants and planning documents. Guest speakers will share professional insights and experiences.

A participating seminar on topics of current interest and importance in Professional Communications.

A seminar devoted to student projects that integrate knowledge from previous courses and work experience to analyze a problem based on an understanding of the complex role of cognition in modeling processes and producing innovations.

This course explores perspectives in the policy process for science and technology - agenda setting, problem definition, framing the terms of debate, formulation and analysis of options, implementation and evaluation of policy outcomes with regards to economic, social and ethical dimensions. In addition to lectures on technology policy and ethics, exercises will aim at developing skills to work on the interface between technology and societal/ethical issues. Case studies and group projects that illustrate issues involving multiple stakeholders with different value structures, high levels of uncertainty, multiple levels of complexity and value trade-offs that are characteristic of science and technology policy and ethics problems will be used to illustrate the inherent complexities of the problem landscape.

An in depth survey of the history of science and technology from the Industrial Revolution to the present.  Themes include the relationship between science and technology, the emergence of industrial research, the concept of a technological system, the history of innovation policy, and the uneven development of global capitalism.  In addition to lectures on the history of science, technology, and industry, class discussions will develop skills in reading and interpreting a variety of primary and secondary sources.  Students will learn research skills and gain familiarity with library, archival, and online collections by designing and completing a research project and paper.

An in-depth study of the most important theories of ethics—virtue ethics; deontological ethics; Utilitarianism—and their 20th and 21st century development.  The class covers milestones in the history of ethics, insofar as they still have an impact on current discussions.  Virtue ethics is studied in its classical form in Aristotle, which also allows students to address the unresolved problem of the scientific status of ethical theories.  The class covers deontological and utilitarian ethics in their canonical form in Kant and Mill.  Various methods and approaches that either criticize or transform these ethical theories are discussed in order to explore the theoretical options open to a 21st century ethicist.  In addition to the basic moral theories, the class covers some of the necessary elements of human agency, i.e.  free will, responsibility, and motivation.  Finally, it covers some work in social ethics that has particular relevance for questions of economic justice and injustice.

Please contact the Registrar for more information.
Phone: (201)216-5555
Fax: (201)216-8030
E-mail: registrar@stevens.edu

The class examines the central ethical problems that arise in the impact of technology on modern society, such as the responsibility of engineers, the precautionary principle, questions of risk/benefit-calculation, whistle-blowing.  Special focus is laid on the assessment of emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology.  The class also examines issues concerning the use and the development of computer technology, such as privacy, intellectual property, virtual realities, and artificial intelligence.                                                                 

This course offers an in-depth introduction to the applied ethics of technology-driven business.  Beginning with an overview of the principles of business ethics, including Kantian Business Ethics, Virtue Based Ethics, and Stakeholder theories, we will move on to more specific topics including: the proper goals of business in society, the role of the public good in business, intellectual property, globalization, the ethics of advertising, and the status of the corporation as a moral agent.  The course will end with a critical examination of more ethical dilemmas arising from technology-driven business and industry.  Particular attention will be given to recent corporate scandals as cases of ethical failure.

The course gives an introduction to the key issues and methodologies of bioethics. It refers to the central problems in bioethics (autonomy of the patient, organ transplantation, stem cell debate, cloning, etc.), as much as to newer developments, such as genetic enhancement and the commercialization of the body. A main focus is to explore the field of bioethics in an interdisciplinary way and to bring not only ethical, legal, or scientific criteria into play, but also those from an existential, social, or cultural background. An introduction to the moral theories used in applied ethics is given. The course helps to develop a responsible and sensitive conduct in future studies or occupations.

This course addresses various theories, approaches, and methodologies used in the sociology of scientific knowledge, including the strong programme, relativism, actor-network theory, gendered accounts of science, and laboratory studies. In addition, it discusses the relationships between science, technology, and society, such as how science and technology influence society and how society influences science and technology. Furthermore, the course explores the issues related to science and technology workforces and policies. The issues discussed in the course occur in both the U.S. and other countries, and the readings discussed in the course crosscut sociology and other disciplines.

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the area of philosophy that examines the aims, methods, goals, and practices of “science” and the quest for “scientific truth.” In addition to the traditional topics of  induction and confirmation, falsification, theory-ladeness of observation, demarcation, realism/instrumentalism/relativism debates, and the “science wars” of the late 20th century, special attention is given to current debates regarding the role of cultural, sociological, and psychological factors in scientific work as well as the state of particular scientific fields. Readings include such seminal figures as Hempel, Carnap, Duhem, Goodman, Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos, and Feyerabend, as well as contemporary thinkers like Putnam, McMullin, van Fraassen, and Kitcher.

This course is an in depth overview of various debates in environmental ethics.  We will consider the way in which ethical theories inform environmental decision-making in a number of situations including a selection of the following: the conservation of biodiversity, global climate change, human population growth, animal exploitation in agriculture, air and water pollution, and urban solid waste.  Questions addressed include the following: Should we be concerned about the impact of human life on the environment?  To what extent should sacrifices be made in order to protect the environment? Which ethical frameworks are most effective in resolving disputes?  To what extent are solutions based purely on economic concerns inadequate?  Special attention will be given to the ways in which traditional ethical theories must be amended in order to address environmental concerns.

This course considers issues at the intersection of ecology, economics, public policy, and ethics.  Specific issues to be covered may include: the history of environmental policy in the US, the role of Federal agencies in forming environmental policy, how values ought to play a role in environmental science, externalities, public goods, property rights, market-failure, benefit-cost analysis, environmental justice, the policy questions resulting from global climate change, propaganda versus information, and how pollution can infringe on human rights.
This class does not count for undergraduate humanities credit.

This course provides a survey of the scientific and societal issues associated with global warming, weather, and climate variability and change. The course will examine physical phenomena observed in the Earth’s weather and climate, providing sufficient scientific and technical background to enable students to critically examine arguments being discussed by policy makers and the public at large. The course content will focus on the phenomena of climate variability and change, both observed during the past century and projected for the next century, that have impacts on human society and natural ecosystems. The course will also review the roles of science, politics and the media in the current debate on climate change. The classes will consist of lectures, guest lectures, movies, in-class discussion, and student presentations. Students will have an opportunity to conduct research on impacts of climate change in New York and New Jersey and meet with governmental officials on risks and strategies for adaptation. Students also will have an opportunity to formally debate whether global warming is a clear and present danger or a hoax.

Please contact the Registrar for more information.
Phone: (201)216-5555
Fax: (201)216-8030
E-mail: registrar@stevens.edu

Please contact the Registrar for more information.
Phone: (201)216-5555
Fax: (201)216-8030
E-mail: registrar@stevens.edu