Welcome! This First Year Seminar (FYS) is designed to assist incoming students with their transition into college life and, more importantly, how to thrive as a college student. Human beings are creatures of habit (and we don't like change); and college is full of change. This is okay! This course will help students learn how to give themselves the best chance to confront and conquer their undergraduate years!

We are living in a world besieged by what many contemporary intellectuals are calling poly-crises ranging from but not limited to managing the impacts of rising inequality and climate change to artificial intelligence and political polarization. These set of multiple crises simultaneously that demand our focus and attention on confronting and resolving them. While many of the contemporary challenges may seem to be overwhelming in their nature and scope, there is a common thread of economic logic and public policy that interweave many of these crises.

We are living in a world besieged by what many contemporary intellectuals are calling poly-crises ranging from but not limited to managing the impacts of rising inequality and climate change to artificial intelligence and political polarization. These set of multiple crises simultaneously that demand our focus and attention on confronting and resolving them. While many of the contemporary challenges may seem to be overwhelming in their nature and scope, there is a common thread of economic logic and public policy that interweave many of these crises.

This course is an introduction to the world of pop music, as seen through a media studies lens. As a first-year seminar, it is intended to provide an introduction to UMass and campus resources, and to help new students practice academic reading and writing skills.

There's more than one way to find success in college and the path to getting there is different for every student. Our goals in this course are to connect with fellow students and the instructor as you become a contributing member of the community, both at UMass and beyond; start planning your individual academic goals and pathways toward achieving them; explore the different majors in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and start thinking like a social scientist.

As you transition to life at UMass, it is important to understand how to take care of yourself and your mental health. In this course, we will explore important resources on campus and methods of self-care through story-telling, discussion, and personal reflection. By better understanding the necessity of self-care using a critical lens, you will be better equipped to make the transition into college life. These experiences will ultimately lead to a better understanding of your academic path and professional goals

Independent study of a selected problem for qualified students. By arrangement. Consent of instructor required.

Basic concepts of linear algebra. Matrices, determinants, systems of linear equations, vector spaces, linear transformations, and eigenvalues. Prerequisite or corequisite: MATH 132, or 136, or consent of instructor.

This course examines the social, historical, cultural, and political construction of categories of disability. Through a wide variety of texts and cultural examples, we will study various meanings of disability.

Satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement. The impact of computers on modern society.