Featured Online Courses

Sports Media Relations (KIN 562)

E-Course 100% online, no campus visits required.

December 27 - January 18, CRN: 30002, Credits 4.0

A survey of basic concepts of sports media relations for students considering careers in school or college sports coaching or administration, media or related fields. The focus is on developing necessary skills, techniques and recommended media relations practices as well as social implications of the media in sports public relations including print, radio, television, the World Wide Web, and social media.

Instructor Bio: Tim Ashwell, Ph.D.

Questions for Tim Ashwell, Ph.D.

Why should students be interested in this subject matter?

"Media relations" means using all of today's media to build positive relationships between an organization and the public. While this course uses sports organizations as its model, students will learn skills equally applicable to community organizations, small businesses, advocacy groups and individual entrepreneurs. Media today include newspapers, radio, television and digital media of every description from social media like Twitter to websites powered by major newspapers and broadcast networks. We are surrounded by information everyday, and one goal of the course is to help students understand how the media work. More importantly, you'll learn how to use the media to tell your organization's story to the people your organization needs to reach.

Do you have a philosophy about learning?

I'm a teacher, but I've spent decades in journalism and public relations, too. I try to combine the practical and the theoretical to give students the tools they need to succeed. Ultimately, though, it's up to the student to take control of his or her own education. If I can help show students where to find the information they need and raise some questions students want to explore, I think I've done my job.

Clinical Kinesiology (KIN 652)

E-Course 100% online, no campus visits required.

December 27 - January 18, CRN: 30004, Credits 4.0

The science of human movement from biomechanical, neuromuscular, and anatomical perspectives; human muscular, joint, and connective tissue anatomy; and actions of skeletal muscles are detailed. Prereq: BMS 507-508.

Instructor Bio: John Miller, Ph.D., ATC

Questions for John Miller, Ph.D., ATC

Is there a difference between January Term and traditionally scheduled classes?

Yes there is. Other than the time compression, this January Term course is completely online with the benefit of learning at your own pace. In addition, I use various technology tools to bring the material to life in the online classroom.

Why should students be interested in this subject matter?

The course is about the human body and we all have one. Understanding how your body works will make your own exercise more interesting as well as allowing you to help others with their exercise.

Do you have a philosophy about learning?

I believe in active learning. The videos are designed to engage the students with exercises following each section. In addition I am available for meetings online to clarify any points and give the students the personal attention they may need.

Introduction to Russian Culture and Civilization (HIST 563)

E-Course 100% online, no campus visits required.

December 27 - January 18, CRN: 30050, Credits 4.0

Interdisciplinary course on the development of Russian culture from its origins through the end of the 19th century. Historical documents, literary works, ethnographic materials, films, slides of Russian art, and music.

Instructor Bio: Cathy A. Frierson, Ph.D.

Questions for Cathy A. Frierson, Ph.D.

How does teaching this class online change your approach?

I am able to use more visual materials and give every student a way to explain what they see in the images and what the images convey about Russian culture. Through the journal and blog activities, I also learn every student's perceptions and understandings of the lectures and readings.

Why should students be interested in this subject matter?
Russia has been a world culture since the tenth century and a major world power consistently since the early eighteenth century. Russia is one of the two most important Eurasian powers and cultures in world history.

Do you have a philosophy about learning?
I believe that the best learning is active learning. For that reason, my online course has multiple short response activities which students are required to submit. This keeps students on top of the readings and lectures and enables me to get to know them through the work they submit. I also believe there are many different learning styles. For that reason, my online course involves assignments designed for visual learners, students who understand a culture through literature as well as through laws, and students who like working with maps. The assignments are very diverse in content and method.

Occupy Democracy:
Radical/Participatory Democracy
in Theory & Practice (POLT 584)

January 3, 4, 5, 6 meet at Camp Merrowvista, Tuftonboro, NH

January 7-18 course continues 100% online

CRN: 30069, Credits 4.0

Instructor Bio: Marla Brettschneider, Ph.D.

This hybrid course features online study plus a retreat at Camp Merrowvista in Tuftonboro, NH. You’ll use the spirit and lessons developing in the Occupy movement to study, critique, and enact radical and participatory democratic theory and practice. You will engage in a critical examination of Occupy and democratic theory and spend four days together to learn in creative, active, personal, and collective ways to innovate and energize principles of radical democracy for our time.

Camp Merrowvista is an eco-educational, experiential learning site one hour north of the Durham campus. The camp’s leaders will help you take the academic concepts of democratic theory and translate them into activities in order to test, live out, and experiment with the concepts.

This course has a $35 non-refundable application fee and requires a $100 nonrefundable deposit.

Questions for Marla Brettschneider, Ph.D.

What most interested you about this subject matter?

Most interesting is that people think they know what democracy is, but once you start to look at it closely, my classes usually rock the students’ world (in good ways!) challenging their most basic assumptions, getting them to think about things they didn’t even know there were to think about. A good critical look at democracy empowers us to become critical thinkers and in the process much more engaged citizens. By taking democracy seriously I also always then expect students to work on SITUATING THEMSELVES and taking their own selves as citizens/activists seriously. In the case of this class this last part gets a HUGE boost, by putting ourselves out there in person in this eco-ed, experiential learning center together as part of the academic/theoretical study.

Do you have a philosophy about learning?

My philosophy is embedded in my response above as my content and pedagogy are always connected. Deep, meaningful, high level learning in political theory and how to do this, as I teach the skills to do so along with the content—enables deeper, higher level and critical thinking. It requires students to explore what is meaningful and important to them as they also learn subject matter, thus it empowers students in their personal lives as well as their student and work worlds, and of course makes for better, more active and engaged critical thinking citizens.