Special Topics

About Special Topics

Special Topics courses are offered through several MCC departments and change regularly. To enroll for a special topic, you will need the course ID number and CRN.

Click on each listing’s ID and name to reveal the CRN and course details. Please review each option and make a note of the course’s name, CRN and other details. Then click the button to to the Course Registration page where you’ll find options to register as an existing student or to take a single course.

REGISTER FOR A SPECIAL TOPIC

Summer 2025 Special Topics

Arts, Humanities, Communication & Design

CRN: 30160  |  Thursdays, 9-1:30am  |  Hybrid Class* 

Course meets on MCC campus from 5/19 to 7/25, 2025.
*Some coursework is done online in lieu of class meeting times.

Come dig into the themes of power and politics in Stephen King’s epic novel IT. We will discuss the novel’s ideas through the cultural contexts of the 1950s as well as through our modern cultural lenses. We will discuss the way King uses the foundational concepts of literature in the novel and talk about the use of gore and horror in those foundational concepts. Lastly, we’ll talk about adaptations of IT, including the 1980s miniseries, and the two-part blockbuster movie from 2017 and 2019.
 

Fall 2025 Special Topics

Behavioral Science, Social Science, and Human Services

CRN: 13193  |  Fridays, 11:00am – 1:30pm  | Sep 22, 2025 – Dec 13, 2025

The focus will be on historical military events, wars, forces, and leaders that shaped the contemporary world. Critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills are emphasized, as well as the ability to analyze historical sources. Students will describe the importance of crucial events in military history including: the goals of studying military history, the evolution of the world’s militaries, including the innovative changes in warfare and warfare technology, the various military operations from the French and Indian War to modern military campaigns.

Course Prerequisites:  ENGL110M with a grade of “C” or better.

Fulfills Social Science credit

CRN: 10611  |  Wednesdays, 11:00am – 1:30pm  | Aug 25, 2025 – Dec 13, 2025

Criminal Intent is a 3-credit course that expounds upon the motivations behind criminal behaviors, sheds light on theories of crime and explores the psychology of serial killers, mass murderers and more. The course is taught by Dr. Michael Caparrelli who conducted a 100 hour case study on the infamous “Son of Sam”, meeting with him for 34 sessions at Shawagunk Correctional in New York.

Course Prerequisites: PSYC110M and ENGL110XM or ENGL110M with a grade of “C” or better.

Fulfills Social Science requirement.

CRN: 13197  |  On-Line Class  |  Sep 22, 2025 – Dec 13, 2025

This course will explore the pioneering work of Jane Addams, a foundational figure in the field of human services, known for her efforts in social reform, community organizing, and advocacy for marginalized populations. Through critical analysis of her work at Hull House and her influence on social welfare, students will examine key human services concepts including client and family concerns, community-based treatments, and evolving societal values. The class will also highlight other notable figures in human services to provide a broader understanding of the field’s historical and contemporary impact.

Course Prerequisites: HSV111M and ENGL110XM or ENGL110M with a grade of “C” or better.

CRN: 13348  |  Tuesdays, 5 – 7:30pm  | Aug 25, 2025 – Dec 13, 2025

This introductory acting course will cover a range of topics designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of acting and the development of basic acting skills. It will explore methods and theories of acting and their application to the portrayal of various characters in diverse styles of scripts. The curriculum will include an exploration of the fundamentals of acting, character development, stage presence, scene study, and script analysis. Students will be introduced to vocal and physical acting techniques, the expression of emotions, the use of body language, and stage movement. Students will be actively involved in acting exercises. No prior acting experience is required.

Course Prerequisites: None.

This course will satisfy a humanities elective.

CRN: 10551  |  Tuesdays, 11:00am – 1:30pm Tuesdays  | Aug 25, 2025 – Dec 13, 2025

For more than 100 years, archaeology has fascinated scholars and the public, from studies of our earliest ancestors to Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb to appearances in mainstream pop culture. This introductory course surveys the rise of human civilization from the first apes to walk on two legs over 2.5 million years ago to the development of complex societies. This course will cover the shift from hunters and foragers to the development of food production, and how the shift in the environment allowed humans to develop to today’s level of complexity. Students will be required to engage in fieldwork experience.

Course Prerequisites: Placement into ENGL110M.

Fulfills Social Science requirement.

Placement testing is helpful for incoming students to feel confident with placement as they begin their studies.
88%

of MCC Classes Have 19
or Fewer Students

See All Programs