Graduate Course Descriptions

Social Sciences(SSC)

SSC 5301 Comparative Cultural Systems 3(3-0)

This course will introduce students to the approaches for the study of other cultures using the basic methodologies from both sociology and cultural anthropology. These methods will serve as tools to understand not only the living cultural context of a particular people, but also serve as means of understanding political and economic organizations. These issues will be seen not only from a local perspective, but how they fit into larger regional and international perspectives.

This is a Foundation Course in the MAISD

SSC 5302 Research Methodology 3(3-0)

This course is designed to incorporate both theory and practical methods in the field of social sciences. The course will introduce the students to major theories in the discipline. The course will present how a theoretical framework provides a means/method to approach and analyze any topic. The course will require students to produce at least two major pieces of research in addition to a number of shorter papers.

This is a Core Course in the MAISD and the Combined BAMAISD

SSC 5304 North African Migration and Immigrant Communities 3(3-0)

This course will cover the issues caused by the growing problems of rural migration within North African countries and the establishment of North African immigrant communities in Europe. The course will begin by looking into the causes for rural migration, focusing on the post-independence period. The social impact of rural migration on the economic and political well-being of North African states will be discussed. The subsequent migration of large numbers of North Africans to Europe and the establishment of immigrant communities with different cultural, religious, and linguistic identities from that of the host societies will be examined.

This is a Concentration Course in North African & Middle Eastern Studies for the MAISD

SSC 5320 The Social Revolution of the 1960s 3(3-0)

The earthquake that shook American culture and life during the 1960s is examined in detail as part of this course. Special emphasis is placed on the civil rights, women’s liberation and peace movements. The changing patterns of family life, the increase in challenges to social structures and the arrival of post-modern values is examined as a part of this seminar. The effect of environmentalism, anti-traditionalism and consumerism on American politics is also examined.

This is a Concentration Course in American Studies for the MAISD

SSC 5322 Minorities in the United States 3(3-0)

The role played by minority groups in developing the culture of the United States and their contributions to its economy is the main theme of this course. The course focuses on the leading minorities of the United States: Native Americans, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian- Americans. The experiences of each of these four minority communities are examined in light of discrimination, struggle and eventual emancipation. In addition, the course will inform students about religious minorities in American including Muslims, Mormons, Buddhists and Jews.

This is a Concentration Course in American Studies for the MAISD

SSC 5401 Statistics 4(3-2)

This course aims to equip students with the basic skills in statistics to understand and evaluate data produced in published sources. Topics include organizing data, percentile, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal curve, probability, correlation, regression analysis and non-parametric tests. The course will also include a weekly computer laboratory session.

This is a Foundation Course in the MAISD

SSC 5302 Research Methodology: 3(3-0)

This course is designed to initiate students to both theory and practice of methods in social science research. The course will introduce students to major theories in the discipline. The course will present how a theoretical framework provides a means/method to approach and analyze any topic. The course will require students to practice a range of data collection and data analysis methods.

SSC 5304 North African Migration and Immigrant Communities: 3(3-0)

This course will cover the issues caused by the growing problems of rural migration within North African countries and the establishment of North African immigrant communities in Europe. The course will begin by looking into the causes for rural migration, focusing on the post-independence period. The social impact of rural migration on the economic and political well-being of North African states will be discussed. The subsequent migration of large numbers of North Africans to Europe and the establishment of immigrant communities with different cultural, religious, and linguistic identities from that of the host societies will be examined.

SSC 5361 North African Societies: 3(3-0)

This course examines the political, economic, and social organizations in the contemporary Maghrib, including Mauritania, from a social science perspective. The main focus of the course is on how these various systems interlink with each other, the influences from outside of the Maghrib (from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East), points of unity between Maghrib societies, and points of difference between them. The course has required field exercises where students have the chance to investigate particular topics such as popular religion, contemporary development projects, impact of economic change on "traditional" societies, "traditional" and modern political organization, among others in greater depth. All class field exercises are required to complete credit for the course.