Summer Programs

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Summer 2025 Programs
 

Perspectives on Organizations and Management: Organizations are a ubiquitous feature of contemporary life. From hospitals and schools, to workplaces and  local government, to museums and publishing houses, organizations have a hand in shaping nearly all  aspects of the human experience. This interdisciplinary course offers a critical exploration of organizations  and how they affect and shape society. How are organizations shaped by their environments, including  power, culture, politics and money? How do the human dynamics inside of organizations affect  organizational processes and outcomes? How do organizations contribute to the construction of  knowledge about their subjects and areas of focus? To complete the course, students learn about project  management, and design a project based on their interests for the final assignment. 

Ethical Leadership: This course provides a critical examination of the relationship between ethics and leadership, an overview  of the choices leaders face when tackling ethical dilemmas, and an account of responsible and sound  leadership for a world teem with challenges such as the advent of artificial intelligence, climate change, and  the assault on human rights. Students engage in a selective introduction to ethics, gaining a deeper  understanding of important ethical issues and some of the most crucial considerations behind our ethical  thought processes and decision-making. In addition to standard ethical theories such as consequentialism,  deontology and virtue ethics, we look at moral psychology, focusing on the relationship between the  intentions, motivation and actions of leaders. Students also explore ethical dilemmas found in thought  experiments such as trolley cases, the overcrowded lifeboat and Singer’s Drowning Child. We expand the  discussion and examine case studies in the workplace such as employee rights (privacy, whistleblowing),  governance and accountability (ethical guidelines for leaders, bailouts and bonuses) and the consumer  (consumer protection, marketing practices and discrimination). The focus here is both the merit of the  ethical concerns fraught in these difficult situations and the role of leaders in navigating them. Finally, we  examine the ways leaders navigate their responsibility to their organization and society while facing an  uncertain environment and a variety of global challenges. 

Knowing New York: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Gatham’s Past, Present and Future: This course offers an in-depth exploration of New York City as a dynamic and ever-evolving urban  landscape, blending insights from history, sociology, economics, urban studies, and environmental science.  By examining NYC’s past, present, and future, students will uncover how the city has been shaped by forces  such as immigration, labor movements, public policy, cultural innovation, and economic transformation.  Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course investigates how historical legacies continue to influence  contemporary challenges and future possibilities. Key topics include the development of NYC’s  neighborhoods, the ethics of gentrification, the environmental and social implications of urban planning,  and the role of public spaces in fostering community and civic engagement. Students will engage with case  studies, such as the transformation of Times Square, the development of Central Park, and efforts to  combat climate change through initiatives like the Green New Deal for NYC. Co-curricular activities will  include site visits to locations such as the Municipal Archives and the Brooklyn Bridge, alongside  discussions with community leaders and urban planners. 

New York Fashion: Introduction to American Fashion History and the Contemporary Industry: This course is an 8-week introduction to the history of American fashion, fashion studies, critical discourses  and contemporary professional pathways of the American fashion industry based in its historical center,  New York City. The course begins with a survey of the legacy of American design, labor history, the Garment  Center, and the global fashion industrial complex developed throughout the twentieth century. Students  will learn about the ways fashion, material culture and fashion studies are scholarly fields that consider  fashion and clothing as central to cultural production and identity. Visits to fashion themed exhibitions,  fashion and textile archives and study collections will expose students to the ways fashion materials and  objects are collected, preserved, incorporated into museum exhibitions and used in academic study. The  second half of the course will introduce students to the contemporary fashion industry through lectures and  class visits focused on professional pathways and sectors within the industry today such as design,  communications, forecasting, research and more. Lectures and interactions with professionals currently  working in the industry will include current critical discourses about the fashion industry such as  sustainability and the environment, labor equity, social justice, diversity and inclusion and more. 

Sustainable Fashion: What does sustainability in fashion mean and why does it matter? Each week, one class will involve a lecture  and class discussion, the other will be a hands-on lab, or a field trip to a business working in sustainable  fashion. Students explore the urgent need for sustainable fashion in an industry that generates billions of  tons of waste every year. With over 21 billion kilos of clothing ending up in landfills annually in the U.S.  alone, the future of fashion hinges on smart, eco-conscious choices. Students learn how design strategy,  production techniques, and sourcing materials can align with sustainability goals, all while addressing the  critical issues of textile waste, recycling, and circularity. Focusing on practical approaches like eco-friendly  materials, zero-waste techniques, and circular design principles, this course offers actionable insights to  help students lead the charge toward a radically sustainable fashion industry. Students also dive into the  importance of transparency and traceability in building a more ethical and responsible supply chain,  preparing you to drive change in a sector that is creative and essential for our planet’s future. 

Women and Leadership: New York City has been the epicenter of women’s activism since the mid 19th Century. From the original  Suffragette movement to the present-day activists in politics, law, the arts, music and culture – women have  found NYC to be a highly visible platform to exercise their viewpoints and shape society. Historical context  creates the platform for this class, with a brief overview of feminist leadership and its foundations in New  York City. However, unlike a basic gender studies curriculum, this class goes on to examine women’s  leadership in various professions, utilizing the rich resources and locations of the city to bring the topic to  life. The course also explains traditional leadership training and techniques which are taught in business  programs around the country. Class lectures and readings are combined with site visits to help students  experience the history of the city and introduce them to past and current leaders who are advancing  women’s issues in every profession.