OVERVIEW: BENG/OMGT 5633 – Linkages among Technology, Economics and Societal Values

[ BENG/OMGT 5633 Course  Syllabus ]

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FORMAL COURSE TITLE: BENG/OMGT (Cross-listed) 5633: Linkages among Technology, Economics and Societal Values

COURSE OFFERED: Terms 1, 2, 3 and 4 (8-week format); Fall and Spring (Full semester format).

COURSE FORMAT: The format for the course is web-based distance education via Blackboard but with lots of class interaction via blogs, current events and formal presentations.

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: To help develop, prepare and equip
society’s future leaders in the quest to obtain sustainable prosperity and
wellbeing by providing them with the following:

  • A macro-level understanding of how the linkages among technology,economics and societal values have shaped history and will likely impact changes in society in the foreseeable future.
  • Knowledge of past societal demographics and the associated influence on current events, long-term trends and future societal directions.
  • The opportunity to enhance effective communication skills in a supportive but challenging environment designed to foster critical thinking and enlightened leadership in the face of societal change.
  • The ability to convey the nature of change to those having differing expertise, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
  • The underlying but necessary skills and insights required to provide the enlightened leadership needed for society to obtain sustainable prosperity and wellbeing.

COURSE AUDIENCE: This is an interdisciplinary graduate course that appeals most to those who enjoy such things as history, politics, public policy, business, economics, and exploring the role of technology and engineering, both in the past and in the foreseeable future. It is especially appealing to those who like to engage in open-ended discussions in the context of analyzing the systems at work, whether that system is a family, a business, a non-profit organization or a nation.

The course is not well-suited for those seeking highly technical material, but it does offer a valuable perspective on sustainable prosperity and wellbeing, often in the context of enlightened leadership.

Those who have taken this course have often reported in evaluations that it has changed their lives (hopefully for the better!) and opened their eyes to viewing the world very differently. The course is intended to be both fun and fulfilling. However, it does require effort, timely engagement and a lot of independent, creative and critical thinking. It is the type of course that allows a student to add structure to what he/she already knows instinctively.

SUMMARY COURSE INFORMATION: Designed for graduate students with interdisciplinary backgrounds who like to interact with others about broad social, economic and technology issues.

  • 3-hours credit.
  • Text: Option 1 – Basic version may be downloaded free in pdf form.
  • Text: Option 2 – A more enhanced version may be downloaded for the IPAD/IPhone for a modest price as published by Apple through its Bookstore.
  • Lectures are all prerecorded and available on demand via Blackboard.
  • Emphasis is placed on group interaction, independent investigation, written reports, oral presentations, and dialog about past, current and future events using blogs and discussion groups via Blackboard.
  • Project-based grading with no formal examinations.
  • No prerequisite courses; interdisciplinary interactions encouraged.