The National University of the Union of Myanmar – Global Campus: Course Descriptions of Course Offerings – Fall 2021

The National University of the Union of Myanmar – Global Campus, a new University being developed will offer 6 Certification Programs initially beginning in the Fall Semester, with the potential to expand in Spring 2022 and beyond. While roughly 12-18 credit hours each for the following 6 areas of study are intended to be offered, a minimum of 12 credit hours is required to receive a certificate. Additionally, 3-6 credit hours of Summer Policy Action Research via the Center for Research, Policy and Innovation (CRPI) may be counted towards the requirements of each of the 6 certificate programs).

While students can complete a certificate program in as short as one semester, the maximum allowable time to complete a certificate is 2 years. (Note: actual course implementation in a particular semester depends on the number of students enrolled and the instructor’s availability for that particular semester. For more information, please see FAQ).

A Teaching Fellow will teach or co-teach one of the courses listed below. All courses carry 3 credit hours, or 45 hours of class time per semester, unless noted. Note: one credit hour represents 1 hour per week of scheduled class/seminar time and 2 hours of student preparation time.

1. Law and Political Science (300-500 level courses)

UUM’s Department of Political Science offers a 15-credit hour graduate certificate (12 credit hour minimum requirement) in government and politics for educators and other professionals who already have an advanced degree in this field or in another field and wish to expand their knowledge in political science. This certificate can be learned completely online. This certificate can be completed in one semester, or within a 2-year duration.

Foundations of Political Science

This course focuses on reasoning and political theory as you learn to analyze domestic politics and the politics of other nations. This online program can help prepare you for a career in the growing field of political science or provide background for graduate studies.

Constitutionalism & International Law

This course explores the meaning of constitutionalism, its basic features, and how the central categories of constitutionalism – the constitution, basic rights, the rule of law, separation of powers, limited government, constitutional judiciary – are relevant for political science and political theory. This course also offers an introduction to a wide range of legal and policy issues centered around the relationships among nations and the role of law in world order. Problems studied include the nature and sources of international law, the existence and activities of states, the status of individuals and associations within the international legal system, and issues of war, development, and environmental protection.

Constitutional Designs

This course addresses the fundamental questions that face people drafting or revising constitutions: How does one design a system of government to fit the histories, cultures, and aspirations of a country’s people? What are the choices or models available from other countries? Which models work under which conditions and why? How should the constitutional drafting/revision process itself be designed?

Immigration, Race, Gender & Ethnicity

This course informs disciplines in the sciences, humanities, and social science as fundamental categories that produce and inflect knowledge. This course bridges the gap between theory and practice and classroom and community. It explores how race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality are lived realities and shape history, geopolitics, culture, economies, and domestic and international policy. This course studies historical knowledge as well as a critical understanding of historiography and its impact on marginalized populations.

Game Theory in Political Science

This course focuses on the key questions of comparative and international politics: why do states go to war, how can they deter nuclear war, how to curb nuclear proliferation, why do dictatorship exist, and what is the political rationale for terrorism, and so forth? Additionally, students will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of game theory such as the Nash equilibrium, subgame-perfection, and Bayesian learning.

CRPI Policy Action Research (3 – 9 cr hrs). See Summer 2021 CRPI Policy Action Research Topics here

2. Data Analytics and Project Management (300-500 level courses)

Applied Project Management

This course intends to provide the students with the knowledge and skill set in the areas of project management methodology and processes along with tools used to plan, manage, organize, monitor, and control a project. This will provide a selection of projects, effectiveness management of project teams, overcome conflict, and negotiation skills.

Introduction to Statistics and Data analysis

This course provides students with a basic understanding of statistics and prepares them to solve problems that involve collecting and analyzing meaningful data along with appropriate interpretation and communication of results.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is a computer-based tool that uses spatial (geographic) data to analyze and solve real-world problems. This course is intended to introduce the student to the basic principles and techniques of GIS through data collection, data entry, storage, analysis, and output using ArcGIS.

Human Resources Management

This course provides an examination in the processes of human resources from the managerial perspective which involves human resources planning, job analysis, manpower development and labor relations. This course also examines the policies and practices used by human resource management staff to build and maintain an effective work force.

Fundamentals of Program Evaluation

This course provides different types of program evaluation, process evaluation , assessment and monitoring of outputs and outcomes. Students can learn the evaluation process in the relevant stages of objectives, effectiveness, development and efficiency.

Grant Proposal Writing

This course is intended for the students that are required to provide knowledge of grant writing in their professional careers. This course includes proposal writing from political and social aspects of grantsmanship which includes sources of grant funding, criteria and time frame.

Strategic Management

Why are some firms more successful than others? The fundamental question of strategy is how firms can attain and sustain competitive advantage. In this course, we take the perspective of individuals who act as general managers who make decisions that cut across the functional areas in the firm (e.g., marketing, finance, operations, etc.). This course introduces and employs various analytical frameworks that help us identify the sources of competitive advantage from both an industry and firm perspective. By focusing on what makes some competitive strategies strong and viable, while others remain weak and vulnerable, we shall develop the ability to consider the impact of change and other important environmental forces (e.g., innovation, uncertainty, changing industry, etc.) on the opportunities for establishing and sustaining competitive advantage.

CRPI Policy Action Research (3 – 9 cr hrs)

3. Public Health and Humanitarian Action (300-500 level courses)

Introduction to Public Health

This course intends to provide students with the foundational knowledge of the public health principles and science of public health including its history, the major causes of morbidity and mortality, determinants of health and healthcare systems, the concept of population health and the importance of health equity through a social justice lens.

Health Systems

The students will explore the components of a health system by understanding its structure, functions, and effectiveness. The students will look at health systems globally to learn different choices that countries make in providing healthcare to their populations, its associated sets of challenges and benefits within a comparative health system framework.

Introduction to Humanitarian Emergencies

The course will familiarize the students with a theoretical foundation on the history of humanitarianism, its underlying principles and values, humanitarian actors and operational approach, international standards for humanitarian response and complex issues arising from humanitarian aid work.

The Role of Public Health in Humanitarian Crisis

This course will cover the role of public health in humanitarian crises in coordination with other sectors in a multi-sectoral approach ranging from examining the patterns of diseases in the affected population, management of diseases in humanitarian emergencies and the challenges associated with health service delivery in complex humanitarian emergencies.

Research Methodology

This course introduces the students to the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods applied to public health research. The students will gain a basic understanding of the appropriate application of these methodologies to effectively design research studies and critically appraise the rigor and quality of the research studies.

Management and Leadership

This course aims to introduce the students to how healthcare services are organized, governed, and the financial management of health institutions. It also focuses on public health leadership in terms of strategies and skills that have been applied to address pressing issues by guiding decision-making and improving system thinking.

Global Health and Determinants of Health

This course will cover the fundamentals of global health in particular the patterns and trends in demographics, socio-cultural, political, economic and technological changes that influence global health.

Introduction to Health Financing

This course will provide the students with foundational knowledge on the role of financing in the healthcare industry, examining the mobilization of resources for the health system and the funding of individual providers for health services in developing countries.

CRPI Policy Action Research (3 – 9 cr hrs)

4. Public Policy and International Affairs (300-500 level courses)

International Humanitarian Law

This is an introductory course on the basics of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). It is principally addressed to humanitarian practitioners, policymakers and other professionals who are keen on understanding how and when the body of law applies, and whom it protects.

International Development

This course provides students with a rich sense of the institutional and political context within which policy is made and implemented. Additionally, it aims to give an overview of some of the major contemporary analytical and policy debates regarding the politics of development. Topics to be covered are: States, Regimes and Industrialization; Politics of Poverty, Growth and Policy Reform; Governance, Civil Society and Development; and The Politics of Development in the Age of Globalization.

International Organizations

This course provides an introduction to the field of international organization. We will study rulemaking, trusteeship, human rights, dispute settlement, and enforcement, as well as the privileges and immunities of international organizations and relationship between the United States and the United Nations.

Public Policy and Politics

The course will introduce the U.S. public policy process through the use of general models and case studies. The topics will cover the various inputs of power and influence that are analyzed as proposals and are considered in policymaking, as well as the roles of public managers, lobbyists, leaders, and other stakeholders.

Foundation of Public Policy

This course will include studying the relationship between public policy and politics, identifying complex public problems, and developing and considering alternative solutions to address them. The topics will cover the steps in the process of policymaking and consider how each step is impacted by political agendas, interest groups, and advocacy networks. Additionally, contemporary policy issues will be examined across different levels and contexts of the government. To foster learning, the class involves a mix of instructor-led lectures, moderated class discussions and simulations, and case studies about different steps in the policy process. Assessments may include critical reflections, policy briefs, and reports.

Cost and Benefit Analysis

This course will introduce cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and cost-effective analysis (CEA) in policy and decision-making. The topics will cover the theory of CBA and CEA, calculation of the cost-benefit and cost-effective ratio, as well as the expression of ratios on costs and outcomes. Both methods are used by the policymakers, economists, and evaluation officers to evaluate different programs or investments.

CRPI Policy Action Research (3 – 9 cr hrs)

5. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (100-200 level courses)

This program is designed to better prepare students to further pursue their careers in the STEM-related field. Students will develop college-level skills and knowledge in applying the principles of mathematics and logic.

Pre-Calculus

The course covers trigonometric and inverse trig functions, trigonometric identities, solving equations, proving identities, and graphing.

Calculus I

The course covers the definition, application, and integration of derivatives and integrals of elementary functions with applications and analytic geometry.

English Composition I

The course covers a foundational knowledge for college-level writing valuable for nearly any field. Students will learn how to read carefully, write effective arguments, understand the writing process, engage with others’ ideas, cite accurately, and craft powerful prose.

Introduction to Computer Information Technology

The course covers an introduction to the engineering and information technology professions. The course includes guest speakers, team activities, and career planning. It will develop communication, teamwork, and creative skills.

Introduction to Engineering and Technology

The course introduces a broad range of engineering technology topics and fields, such as mechanical design, engineering materials, machining, computers and programming, data analyzing and graphing, robotics and process control, and communications. Discussion includes the roles, duties and responsibilities, fundamental skills and knowledge required in the various careers in the industry. It will include discussion on Engineering Technology as a profession, professional ethics, professionalism, and social responsibility. Seminars on topics of special interest to engineering technologists will also be included.

Engineering Graphics

The course covers the development of 2D and 3D visualization skills, fundamentals of orthographic projection, and isometric and engineering drawings by utilizing both hand sketching and AutoCAD.

Introduction to Computer Science (For next semester (Tentative))

This course will introduce you to the field of computer science and the fundamentals of computer programming. The course is specifically designed for students with no prior programming experience, and touches upon a variety of fundamental topics. This course uses Java to demonstrate those topics. Java is a high-level, portable, and well-constructed computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems (now Oracle)

Introduction to Statics (For next semester (Tentative))

This course is an introductory course in statistics intended for students in a wide variety of areas of study. Topics discussed include displaying and describing data, the normal curve, regression, probability, statistical inference, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests with applications in the real world. Students also have the opportunity to analyze data sets using technology.

CRPI Policy Action Research (3 – 9 cr hrs)

6. Social Science (100-200 level courses)

Sociology

This course will provide you with an introduction to and survey of the discipline of Sociology and its major fields of study. The topics will cover the scientific study in human behavior and interaction, social nature, and social groups (groups, cultures, religions, institutions, communities, and societies). The interdisciplinary concepts, theories, and research findings pertaining to social life at the national and international levels are presented and explored. This course aims to help the students understand different aspects of social issues, how communities broadly engage in efforts to confront social issues, improve their quality of life, and improve critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills.

Economics

This course will introduce the fundamental economic concepts used in the fields of microeconomics and macroeconomics, necessary for understanding and analyzing problems from an economic perspective. The course aims to help students understand basic economic concepts and understand the national development related to economics.

Psychology

This course will provide an introduction to psychology. The topics will include social and behavioral in psychology, including motivation, intelligence, personality, mental illness, and social relations, social psychology, abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology, and biopsychology.

History

This course will provide a historical overview that deals with the three major periods, i.e., Ancient, Post Classical, and Modern. The topics will include those such as Ancient History, European History, World Politics, etc. This course aims to help students understand the basic concept of history, theory, practices, and changes in socio-economic conditions in the world.

Geography

This course will provide an introduction to the study and analysis of humans in the landscape. The topics will cover how people perceive space, how they interact in space, and how space really matters to the study of everything. This course aims to help the student understand geography and how it impacts human society and human-environment interaction.

Anthropology

This course will provide a broad survey of the anthropological study of human biological variation in modern populations. The topics will cover a biocultural perspective on how human populations have evolved and adapted to life in diverse environments (e.g., tropics, high altitude, arctic), the biological and social meanings of human racial variation, and the historical development of race in modern societies. The course aims to help students improve thinking skills from different perspectives and further their understanding of engagement in social development.

Introduction to Politics (American Politics) and US Government,

This course will provide an introduction to the fundamental principles and theories of American government, the political process, the structure, and its functions. The topics will cover the study of the institutions, the problems, and the politics of policymaking in the United States. This course aims to help students understand American Politics and the U.S. government practices in social and political affairs.

Communication and Public Speaking

This course will provide the students the basic principles in international business practices and basic principles in communication and public speaking. The topics will cover the international contexts, countries and cultures, and business environments where English is used as a language of communication, and the theories and basic principles of communication and public speaking. The course aims to improve the students’ communication and public speaking skills and allow them to understand international business practices.

Gender

This course will provide an introduction to gender concepts and related social issues. The topics will cover the study of diversity and similarity of gendered experience across class, racial and ethnic groups, an interdisciplinary analysis of the status of women worldwide, and their efforts to create social change in a global context. This course aims to understand basic gender concepts and social conditions associated with gender, improve critical thinking skills and analyze gender-related issues with interdisciplinary tools and techniques.