KCC - Kendall College GenEd Courses

This course, the second course in The Citizen cluster, uses unique problem-solving scenarios to launch a scientific analysis of your individual thought processes. From there, we will introduce the psychology and physiology of growth and fixed mindsets. Across several case studies, we will practice identifying and analyzing approaches to problem solving that other accomplished individuals have employed throughout their careers. Students will then turn inward to study and reflect upon instances from their own lives when they landed upon different spots on the mind-set spectrum. Finally, we will create a personal plan to apply growth mind-set as a citizen. Prerequisite: KCC 101 or concurrent enrollment with KCC 101

The foundation of this course, the second course of The Professional cluster, will provide you an overview of consumer and financial problem solving. The course will challenge you to investigate financial decision making within a business or other organization and how those professional decisions have consequences across various communities. Throughout the course, we will tackle real-world financial issues like corporate responsibility, the time-value of money, probability and risk assessment, and predictive analysis. Prerequisites: KCC 103 and KCC 104, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 104

In this course, the 3rd and final course of The Professional cluster, students will examine professional identity of both workers and corporations. Have you ever wondered about the reasons for the 40-hour work week in the United States, the gender pay gap, the divide between the corporate haves and the have-nots, sweatshops, or labor unions? We will discuss both current and historic struggles of laborers to receive recognition and rights worldwide. We will also discuss ways contemporary, global businesses have fostered and maintained their corporate identity and how this has impacted their bottom line and society. Of course, tensions result in the wake of the relationships between workers and the businesses that employ them and the relationships between businesses and consumers. Throughout, we'll examine those tensions and the ethical implications in the ways they have been (or are being) resolved. Prerequisites: KCC 104 and KCC 105, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 105

It has been said that a butterfly flapping its wings in Chicago can cause a typhoon in Southeast Asia. In this course, the second course in The Globalist cluster, we will explore this phenomenon as it applies to a variety of notable scientific topics. We will analyze the impact human action has on the environment and ecosystems and how the effects of these actions have crossed political, cultural, and geographic borders. Prerequisites: KCC 206 and KCC 207, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 207

In this course, the third and final course in The Globalist cluster, we will get up close and personal with the ripple- effects of globalism across various communities within the societal hierarchy. In an increasingly globalized world, cultures are colliding and combining in new ways. This offers us the opportunity to reflect on assumptions about borders—how they're made, are they real or imagined, who decides where they're located, and in what ways they are defended. Prerequisites: KCC 207 and KCC 208, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 208

What makes a leader? In this course, the first course in The Leader cluster, we will investigate the role of the leader— what it means to lead during specific periods of time and at specific places on the globe. We will examine those traits and attributes that make a good leader, but also trace how those have changed over time and due to historical circumstance. We will look at models for leadership, measuring successes and failures, and then anticipate leadership values in the 21st century. By the end of the course, you will better understand that there is not just one kind of leader and that there is a place in the world for a leader like you. Prerequisites: KCC 208 and KCC 209, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 209.

Is the decision you make in your work today the correct decision to make in 5 years? Your day-to-day experiences are valuable data for you as an individual; but for a competitive business,or an efficient organization, the truly valuable data is scaled up to the thousands (and beyond!). Thousands of customers. Thousands of products. Thousands of times, measurements, dates, and descriptions. Within this flood of big data, patterns and trends can emerge. In this course, the second course of The Leader cluster, we aim to train the careful eye of a leader, one that is capable of seeing and describing these trends from among the data. We work through ways in which this ability to observe, understand, and communicate trends in big data can be a positive asset for a leader who is focused on making the decisions that can pay off not just today but five years down the road as well. Prerequisites: KCC 209 and KCC 310, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 310.

Why are some leaders respected and admired, able to leave behind many accomplishments, while others are not? This third and final course of The Leader cluster focuses on leaders in their professions—leaders in the worlds of culinary, hospitality, business, and education, leaders you will look up to as you make your way in your careers. We will inquire as to the particular styles of these leaders and how these styles have reflected the values of a society. Great leaders affect not only their professions but also their societies. We will examine how a leader does this, what style of leadership this requires. We will also investigate the other side of leadership: the mistakes and missteps made and the impact those have had on the leaders themselves, the people who work for them, and various other communities. Finally, this course will prompt reflection upon your own leadership style as you take the first steps into your chosen profession. Prerequisites: KCC 310 and KCC 311, or concurrent enrollment with KCC 311