Business & Protective Services

It is strongly recommended that students take the following sequence of courses during the recommended grade/year:

• Grade 10 Accounting, Law

• Grade 11-12 Virtual Enterprise, Marketing/Entrepreneurship, Economics/Financial Literacy, and Internship

POLITICS | Credit: .5

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

Politics looks at the effects of human interactions within our government. These essential questions for students as we go through the semester is: Why does my vote matter? Students will focus on this question as they progress through units including Elections, the Electoral College, and the Federal Budget. The course culminates in a project that encourages young people to be lifelong voters.

SOCIOLOGY | Credit: .5

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

This course focuses on the study of human social behavior: how individuals and groups of individuals behave in relation to one another, what sociological forces influence their behavior, and why those forces have such strong influence on our individual and collective ways of being. The course opens with a unit on sociology as social science, followed by a unit on sociology as social theory, and closes with a unit on sociology as social criticism. The first unit focuses on a variety of sociological studies on the central institutions and forces that shape our social behavior; the second examines a number of theoretical texts by thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, William Graham Sumner, Sigmund Freud, and Erich Fromm; and the third includes various works of fiction, including Notes From Underground, The Stranger, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Students can take the class for either an honors or a college preparatory credit. All students are expected to complete the reading assignments, write a number of analytical essays, and be prepared to participate in class discussions. Students seeking honors credit will be expected to write essays that meet more demanding criteria, and to write a final paper at the end of the semester.

PSYCHOLOGY I & II | Credit: .5

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

This course deals with a variety of psychological subjects that will increase the student's self-awareness. This is a hands- on class in which we explore the foundations of psychology and how they relate to everyday life. Our topics will include:

•  sensation and perception and how our senses can fool us

•  sleep and its effect on mood an alertness

•  the meaning of our dreams

•  stress and how to reduce it

•  depression and how to cope with it

•  motivation and emotion

•  personality

•  social psychology

CURRENT ISSUES | Credit: .5 or 1 May be taken one or two semesters.

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

The focus is on recent events occurring in the world and the issues that they represent. The Boston Globe or some other suitable sources will be used as a basic text, supplemented by various media articles. This course is intended for the student who wishes to learn about events and how to analyze their significance.

LIFE and DEATH | Credit: .5

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

Life and Death asks two questions: How do we value life? How do we add value to our lives and the lives of others? Throughout the course, students are asked to consider these essential questions as we move through units such as Assisted Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Cultural Attitudes of Life and Death. Ultimately, students are asked to demonstrate their knowledge about their own beliefs and form a plan to move toward the people and practices that will add value to their lives and the lives of others based on what they have learned about themselves.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SEMINAR | Credit: .5

Grades 11 – 12 College Prep Prerequisite: Successful completion of 9^th and 10^th grade Social Studies requirements

This course will offer students the opportunity to come to understand the origins and nature of the struggle for social justice in American history and society. SJS focuses on issues such as racism, sexism, genderism, homophobia, transphobia, nativism, and classism, all of which represent challenges that we face as a society that is ostensibly dedicated to an inclusive and egalitarian ethic. SJS employs a wide variety of instructional methods and materials: the study of prevailing historical conditions, economic circumstances, and cultural concepts; the reading of past and present works of social criticism that explore those prevailing conditions; the viewing of films, documentaries, musical performances, lectures, and interviews that offer additional perspectives on those conditions; the reading and performing of plays and spoken word poetry; special presentations by social activists, public intellectuals, and artists; and student-led community service and social activism projects.

Students enrolled in the SJS will meet the following expectations: active and engaged participation in the activities and experiences they encounter in the seminar, and regular entries in a reflection journal which will ask them to process their experiences and thoughts as students in the seminar. SJS students are encouraged to design their own projects and initiatives in accordance with their particular interests, inclinations, and talents.

CIVICS | Credit: .5

Grades 10 – 12 Prerequisite: None Standard

Civics considers the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship through the essential question: What does it mean to be an engaged citizen? Citizenship is considered at all levels: federal, state, and local with a focus on our immediate communities. Every effort is made to get students out into the community several times during the semester for the purpose of engaging with different people and groups who are active in the local community. The goal of Civics is to help students see themselves as participating, engaged citizens when they leave MMHRS.

ACCOUNTING | Credit: 1

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

As owners and employees in the business world, a background in accounting is essential to build a strong foundation for your career. Topics include payroll, taxes, preparing financial statements, and recording day to day financial information. College preparatory students interested in Business Administration and Finance should take this course to obtain skills/ experience for continuance in business careers.

LAW | Credit: .5

Grades 11-12 Prerequisite: None

This course makes use of a case study approach to understanding your legal responsibilities. Criminal Law, Tort Law, Constitutional Law, and Consumer Law are all investigated. Past field trips have included trips to the Berkshire County House of Correction and the Southern Berkshire District Court House.

ECONOMICS/FINANCIAL LITERACY | Credit: 1

Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None

This course deals with the topic of economics on international, national and personal levels. The course will discuss topics such as macroeconomics, the GDP, unemployment, growth and development, business cycles, supply and demand, and fiscal policy. The course will also address microeconomics dealing with business organizations in the US and sales choices made businesses as well as Entrepreneurship. Practical examples and cases studies will also be used. On a personal level, the course will focus on financial literacy providing information that students will use throughout their personal and professional lives. Topics include entrepreneurship, maintaining a checking account, credit, consumers smarts, major purchases like an automobile and home, legalities, identity theft, online shopping, college costs, employment and investments.

BUSINESS

• The American Finance Association (AFA): The purpose of The American Finance Association is to promote the knowledge of financial economics.

• American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA): The American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA), formed in 1938, provides opportunities for women in all fields of accounting and finance.

• American Marketing Association (AMA): The American Marketing Association (AMA) is the largest marketing association in North America and is a resource that thousands of marketers utilize daily.

• Social Media Club: Social Media Club is a professional organization that promotes social media literacy. They work to develop industry standards and provide members knowledge of industry trends in the cutting-edge field of social media marketing.

• American Management Association: The AMA provides trainings and valuable resources to ensure business professionals stay knowledgeable in the competitive business world.

• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO):The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) is a global network working to enhance entrepreneurs’ abilities to be successful by learning and growing from each other’s knowledge and experience.

• The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP): Founded in 1942, the International Association of Administrative Professionals provides administrative professionals opportunities for growth, networking, education and development.

• National Human Resources Association (NHRA): The National Human Resources Association (NHRA) was established in 1961 to support the professional development of human resource professionals.

HOSPITALITY

• American Culinary Federation A professional, organization for chefs and cooks offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation.

• American Resort Development Assoc. A trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries.

• Global Business Travel Association Provides business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education, research, and advocacy.

• Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals Providing networking opportunities, industry events, certification programs, educational opportunities, and essential resources.

• National Association of Catering Executives Offers members, partners, and the public a variety of rich resources that support, promote and enhance the catering and special events industries.

• National Restaurant Association A business association for the restaurant industry.

• Network of the Hospitality Industry (NEWH) Serves as the premier networking resource for the hospitality industry. Provides scholarship, leadership development, excellence recognition, and business development opportunities.

• Society for Foodservice Management National association serving the needs and interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry.

HUMAN SERVICES

• The National Organization for Human Services, NOHS is a membership organization that works to transform individuals and communities. They do this by providing professional development opportunities, promoting certifications, and advocating for social change. They also support the Keep Families Together Act which advocates for reconnecting children currently being held in custody without their parents at the border of the U.S. and Mexico. NOHS has different levels of membership for Students, Educators, and Practitioners.

• The American Public Human Services Association, APHSA is a bipartisan membership organization that represents state and local health and human services. It is committed to using all of their resources in influencing modern policies that support strong families, connecting members to policymakers and human-serving organizations, and building better communities through educational conferences and publications. Membership is for local, state, and social leaders in human services.

• American Counseling Association For those working specifically in professional counseling, the ACA provides free access to publications, discounts on conferences, and help with continuing education classes. The organization works in a variety of settings and serves in multiple capacities, including helping people become a counselor, therapist or psychologist.

• Council For Standards In Human Service Education, CSHSE was established in 1979 and its mission is to improve the quality, consistency, and relevance of human service education. Membership is geared to colleges and universities wanting to help human service educators and administrators access efficient and effective education to their students. Training and evidence-based education is focused on the mental health communities.

• National Council on Family Relations, NCFR works to strengthen families and provide academic journal reviews for their members. They also organize annual conferences that bring new practices, treatments, or methods of counseling to light. It was founded in 1938, making it the oldest non-profit professional association that is nonpartisan, multidisciplinary and focused solely on education, practice, and family research. Its members range from therapists and educators to public health workers, and even clergy.

• American Society for Public Administration ASPA, who link practice with theory in the field of public administration.

• Center for Credentialing and Education CCE, who develop and offer exams for different human services studies.

• National Association of Social Workers NASW a service and membership organization for social workers.

• US Department of Health and Human Services USDHHS, with the mission of is to enhance the health and well-being of all people in the United States.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES

• National Association of Police Organizations

• Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association

• Federal Criminal Investigators Association

• American Academy of Forensic Sciences

• The Young Forensic Scientists Forum

• International Association of Women Police

• Women in Federal Law Enforcement

• Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement

• American Criminal Justice Association

• Fire Department Safety Officers Association Promotes safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue, and emergency services community.

• International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Represents full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics in the U.S. and Canada.

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) Represents the professional interests of EMS practitioners, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, emergency medical responders, and other professionals working in prehospital emergency medicine.

• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Mission is to establish, implement, and maintain uniform requirements for the certification and recertification of emergency medical technicians.

• National Volunteer Fire Council Nonprofit membership association representing the interests of volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services across the nation.

• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Operational group designed to coordinate programs of the participating wildfire management agencies.

LAW/POLITICS

• Legal Associations From local voluntary bar associations to national non-profit legal organizations, these groups are the foundation for a well-versed community of legal professionals. Legal associations play a pivotal role in activism, reform, education and support for the legal community.

• American Society for Public Administration [ASPA]Approximately 9,000 government and nonprofit administrators, scholars, educators and students enjoy the benefits of membership in the largest and most prominent professional association in public administration.

• The American Political Science Association (APSA) The American Political Science Association (APSA) is the leading professional organization for the study of political science.

• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration NASPAA is an institutional membership organization which exists to promote excellence in public service education.

• International Political Science Association (IPSA) The IPSA supports the development of political science and aims to link academic scholars in both established and emerging and democracies.