Does the Outdoor Industry have an obligation to preserve and protect the environments where their products are used? This class will explore this question alongside methods to create more sustainable products that are free of toxic chemicals and have a low carbon footprint. We will examine what camping, skiing, hiking, climbing, and other outdoor activity companies are currently doing to create more sustainable products and imagine what products would look like if they were designed for a fully circular economy. 

Instructor: Ryan Bouldin, NAS

Are you tempted by low-cost, trendy clothing? This course examines the appeal of fast fashion and its hidden social and environmental costs, including labor exploitation, resource use, pollution, and waste. It asks how a system built on speed, affordability, and constant change shapes what we buy and wear, and what those choices mean for people and the planet. Can fashion be both accessible and sustainable, or does one come at the expense of the other?

Instructor: Nicole Hill, NAS

This course explores the interconnected forces shaping youth sports, including participation trends, access disparities, cultural expectations, economic pressures, and athlete well-being. Students will examine the structural challenges facing families, schools, communities, and sport organizations, and will evaluate how these factors contribute to long-term issues such as talent loss, competitive imbalance, and declining sport sustainability. Along the way, students will consider what youth sports owe young athletes, families, and communities—and why those goals often conflict.

Instructor: Nicholas Gorgievski, MS

AI is everywhere, and it's just the beginning. Chatbots, autonomous agents, and predictive systems are already changing how businesses, governments, schools, and individuals make decisions. As these tools become more powerful, one question becomes harder to avoid: does anyone really understand how AI works? This course explores that question from two directions: how well do the experts building AI understand their Frankenstein-like creations, and how much can ordinary people hope to understand the technologies increasingly shaping our lives?

Instructor: Noah Giansiracusa

Every day, we encounter the world through someone else’s lens. We rely on others (filmmakers, writers, journalists, scientists, government officials, influencers, etc.) to represent the world to us. At the same time, we present our own ideas and identities to others. In this course, we’ll explore how these representations influence what we notice, what we believe, and how we respond.

A central question for the course is how we can better understand and influence the ways the world is represented. Drawing on approaches you’ll encounter across courses at Bentley, we’ll learn how to analyze messages, question assumptions, and communicate more effectively. How we frame representation shapes the questions we ask, the answers we find, and the actions we take to make the world better.

Instructor:  Ben Aslinger, EMS

Reading is difficult and time-consuming. This is why summaries are offered to us everywhere. TikTok influencers offer to read and summarize the news of the week “so you don’t have to”; search engines prioritize AI summaries; AI tools promise to summarize dense class readings and research materials. This course will explore the value of reading in relation to time management, burnout, cognitive load, pleasure, and affect. How do we measure the value of reading dense or slow-paced texts? As our technologies and cultural scripts prioritize minimizing linguistic information, what kinds of information are we processing most efficiently—and what kinds of information escape capture? Is there value to reading slowly rather than quickly, and if so, how might that value conflict with or compare to the values of efficiency and speed?

Instructor: James Mulder, EMS

We all doomscroll, the planet may be in a "doom-loop," and doomsday stories flood our screens—but what does the opposite of doom look like? Inspired by political commentator Chris Hayes’s question, this seminar explores visions of desirable futures. What does a livable future look like? How is it related to past and current social structures and infrastructures? We will examine films and readings that take up these questions by representing utopian futures—along with the conflicts and contradictions involved in social planning. Finally, students will create a new response that builds on class materials and research of their own. 

Instructor: Luke Mueller, EMS

Loneliness is rising in the U.S.—so much so that former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called it an “epidemic.” At the same time, 73% of people in a Harvard study said technology contributes to that loneliness. As our lives become more digital, this seminar explores how we can build and maintain meaningful human connection—both personally and as a society—in an age of constant connectivity. 

Instructor: Greg Farber, EMS

Who controls what we see, and how can we recognize bias in the news we consume within today's chaotic, fragmented, and heavily partisan media landscape? In this course we focus on how we can analyze, contextualize, and fact-check the information we encounter from legacy media, social media, etc. We look critically at how media narratives are constructed and who benefits, and we exercise the research skills necessary to be information and media literate in our current media environment.  

Instructor: Jacob Crane, EMS

In a world saturated with information—much of it biased, incomplete, or conflicting—the ability to seek the truth is not just a scholarly pursuit; it’s a vital life skill. This course invites students to explore what it means to seek the truth in a complicated world and how to use that truth to make sound, responsible decisions.

Instructor: Marc Firenze, CIS 

This course explores what it means to compete with robots, both as tools companies use to gain a competitive edge and as forces reshaping the world in which you will live and work. We will focus primarily on physical robots and smart devices, while also considering AI and virtual systems. This is not a technical course. Rather than building robots, we will examine the business, societal, and ethical questions they raise.

As robotics becomes more common, these questions become harder to ignore. Who wins, and who loses? Who is responsible when a robot makes a decision? Should robots be allowed to kill? Would you trust a robot to care for a child or an elderly parent? What new rules will govern their use? By the end of the course, you will be better prepared to think through the opportunities, tradeoffs, and responsibilities that come with leading in a world shaped by robotics.

Instructor: Bruce Murphy, CIS 

Nonprofit organizations exist to make a positive difference, but doing good isn’t free. These organizations must pursue their social purpose while dealing with limited funding, donor restrictions, government regulations, and growing expectations for transparency. At the same time, they are asked to respond to increasing and changing community needs, often with little room for error and constant public scrutiny. This creates a wicked problem for nonprofits: how to balance mission, money, and impact.

How can a nonprofit stay financially stable, respect donor intent, and adapt to community needs, without losing its mission or the trust of the people it serves?

Instructor: Eric Gaynor, AC 

Success in college and beyond depends heavily on communication, yet it is rarely something we stop to think about in a deliberate way. This course explores how to build and sustain meaningful connections in college and beyond, from group work and team dynamics to friendships, family and professional relationships. We will examine listening, conflict resolution, and communication styles across different settings. At the center of the course is a wicked problem: how do you balance being authentic with communicating strategically, especially when those goals pull in different directions? Students will become more thoughtful about how they communicate, collaborate more effectively in groups, and build stronger relationships. 

Instructor: Ronen Gal-Or, AC

NASA’s Artemis Program aims to land the next generation of astronauts on the Moon by 2027 as a step toward human missions to Mars. This course explores the complex challenges and implications of spaceflight beyond Earth orbit. Through scientific, technological, medical, and philosophical lenses, we will examine why we go, what we risk, and what we gain by venturing into outer space..

Instructor: George Fishman, NAS

Our wicked problem focuses on plastic. From potato chip bags and water bottles to trendy outfits, sneakers, tires and even cars, plastic is one of the most widely used, durable and disposed of products in our world. We will look at plastic through the lens of debate: the problems associated with conventional plastics, why we’re still using them despite their downsides, and what we can do to reduce the use and harms of conventional plastics. Students will debate alternatives, regulatory initiatives, and big ideas to reduce the unwanted effects of plastics here and worldwide.

Instructor: Mary Marcel, UX

Breaking News: The economy added 100k jobs and oil rises above $100 per barrel…Is this a good thing? Should I postpone my summer road trip? 

How do we make good decisions in a world where the data is incomplete and often contested? This course develops data literacy by teaching students how to understand, interpret, and critically evaluate the data that shape public debate and policy decisions. Students learn where major data releases come from, how they are constructed and presented in the news, and what their limitations are. Our conversation will emphasize ethical data collection and reporting, measurement challenges, and real-time data revisions. Along the way, we will discuss how to distinguish signal from noise and to make informed decisions based on evidence. No advanced math skills are required.

Instructor: Laura Young, EC

Why do some countries stay poor while others grow wealthy and what can be done about it? This course takes poverty seriously as both a lived experience and a global puzzle. We'll look closely at how poor people make everyday decisions and what that reveals about their lives and constraints. We'll ask why some societies seem trapped by the rules and institutions that govern them. We'll also explore how researchers are using real-world experiments to test what actually helps and what doesn't. No economics background needed. Just curiosity about one of the biggest unsolved problems in the world.

Instructor: Maria Adelaida Martinez Cabrera, EC

Our particular wicked problem concerns social media: the good it does for society (e.g., connections and shared perspectives) and the bad it does for society (e.g., information biases and unrealistic expectations). You will explore ways to mitigate the bad, while keeping the good. We will also explore creativity, what it is, how to access it, and how to apply it to the wicked problem. 

Instructor: Andy Aylesworth, MK 

This course will focus on Marketing’s role in addressing Sustainability in Fast Fashion and Social Justice issues. Business leaders are grappling with how to marshal resources to address Social Justice and Sustainability. Organizations have turned to Marketing to help find the right words and the right strategy. Logically, it is ridiculous that a simple marketing-led communication will sufficiently resolve the racial injustice and sustainability challenges faced by organizations and society. We will explore this in more depth across fashion, retail sectors and top brands looking at what role marketing plays in solving these wicked problems. In addition, how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) can assist in resolving some of these issues. We will also ask ourselves do we associate with these brands, do we cancel them, do we continue to wear, or consume the brands that are not aligned with our values. 

Instructor: Isa Beltre, MK

Should social media companies be regulated? Should their content be moderated—and if so, how? These questions shape what you see online every day, from breaking news to viral posts.

This course examines how misinformation works: how it spreads, why its convincing, and how digital platforms amplify it. You’ll explore the psychology behind belief, the design of online systems, and the challenges of balancing free expression with accountability. Along the way, we’ll ask: Who decides what’s true, and who gets to decide who decides?

Instructor: Chris Beneke, HI

What makes a business truly responsible? How can companies balance profit with purpose? In this course, we'll explore how businesses today integrate economic goals with ethical, environmental, and social responsibilities. Through real-world examples, you'll learn how successful companies create lasting value for customers, communities, and the world around them.

Instructor: Cynthia Clark, MG

How do we decide what counts as success, quality, or value? The most tangible way is to measure them—on a scale. Numbers like your GPA, BMI, quality ratings, starting salaries, follower counts, and performance scores shape our choices in life, business, and society—all the time. They help turn complex realities into something simple and digestible. But these numbers are built on imperfect choices—what to measure, when to measure it, how to measure it, and what to include and what to leave out. This course explores a central wicked problem: our widespread reliance on measuring everything and the unintended consequences that follow. We will learn to question what numeric metrics such as your GPA truly capture, what it misses, and how it shapes decisions, behaviors, and systems—both intentionally and unintentionally.

Instructor: Monir Jalili, MG 

It is often said that teams and organizations should be inclusive. This means they should be welcoming and supportive, regardless of differences between members. When we think and talk about inclusion, we rarely consider: 

• How inclusion works with people with different social values (e.g., conservative and liberal);
• Factors that can influence the effect of inclusion on individual, group, and organizational outcomes; 
• How individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions influence inclusion;
• How far the inclusion umbrella can be expanded. 

Together, we will consider whether we can practice inclusion without exclusion.

Instructor: Marcus Stewart, MG 

What do stories about the movement of people across borders reveal, and what do they leave out? This course examines how individuals, communities, and organizations tell stories about migration to explore themes of home, family, belonging, displacement, and identity. It considers why people move, how they experience migration, and how those experiences are shaped into narratives. Along the way, it asks how storytelling helps us understand migration and how it can also frame, simplify, or distort a complex global issue. What story will you tell about migration, and how will you tell it?

Instructor: Leela Tanikella, GLS

What do today’s high levels of income inequality mean for U.S. politics?  To what extent does income inequality translate into political inequality?  We will evaluate the impact of wealth and money on U.S. politics—who participates, who has influence, whose concerns are addressed.  Do the wealthy have more say in U.S. politics than the working or middle classes?  What impact does lobbying business groups and corporations have on political outcomes?  Does the role of money in U.S. politics undermine the idea of equality at the heart of representative democracy?  In answering these questions, we will consider what could or should be done to limit the importance of money in politics.

Instructor: Juliet Gainsborough, GLS 

Whether reported by reputable news organizations or through social media and online platforms, the many ways of understanding current events in our times is a wicked problem. Drawing on political, economic, international relations, anthropological, sociological, and psychological theories, this course explores how power, incentives, interests, institutions, and, of course, people and their ideas & biases shape our interpretation of what is happening in the world. By comparing sources and applying theory to real-time events, students develop the skills needed to assess credibility, to navigate uncertainty, and to engage critically with complex issues that may have our attention.

Instructor: Johannes Eijmberts, GLS 

Why do people search for identity and belonging through music, and what does that reveal about the world around them? This seminar examines a central challenge of human life: the need to belong in a diverse world. While music connects people through shared experiences like love, loss, and identity, it also helps define group boundaries that can divide us. Students explore how communities use music to find meaning and connection, and why that same search, so important for personal identity, can both bring people together and push them apart.

Instructor: Girish Gulati, GLS 

Welcome to Bentley! Now what? How should you spend your time here? What do you want out of your Bentley experience? And what about after that? What should you do with your life? What will make your life happy and meaningful? This class will combine practical advice about making the most of your time at Bentley with deeper reflections about what it means to live a good life in our increasingly frenzied times. We’ll draw on perspectives from philosophy, psychology, economics, and several other fields to examine what makes human lives go well, both at Bentley and beyond.

Instructor: Aaron Ancell, PH

What does it mean to defend human rights in a world where justice is unevenly distributed, and what role can you play in that struggle? In this Wicked Problems course on Human Rights and Activism, the students are invited to engage in urgent global and local injustices, from displacement and inequality to climate crises and state violence, by connecting theory to lived realities. Going beyond treating rights as abstract ideals, we explore how they are contested and transformed through activism. We also examine how digital platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, among others, have become key sites of contemporary activism, and how Gen Z is leveraging those to mobilize, raise awareness, and challenge power in real time.

Instructor:  Ahmad Mohammadpour, SO

How to take care of our mental well-being? You’ve probably seen advice to eat well, prioritize sleep, exercise, manage stress, and stay connected. While helpful, this guidance suggests that mental health is largely up to the individual. But is it? People living in poverty are 4 to 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Unmarried people are about three times more likely to consider or attempt suicide. Women are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, while men face higher rates of antisocial personality disorder. Using the sociological imagination, this course will help you look beyond individual choices to understand how inequality, culture, and institutions shape these patterns and ask what it would take to build a more equitable system of mental well-being.

Instructor: Xuemei Cao, SO

This class focuses on factors at the intersection of wealth, markets and society and the role that capitalism has assumed in shaping many of our current conditions – economic and otherwise. The World Bank asserts that there are 700 million people (8.5% of the global population) who live on less than $2.15 per day, reflecting the extreme poverty line for low-income countries. The poorest 50% of the world’s population owns 2% of total net wealth. We'll explore the impact of capitalism and of markets on society and will consider their contributory as well as their mitigating role in global poverty and inequality. We do not seek certainty in this class but instead will endeavor to gain clarity as to the historical impact of capitalism on society and how you, as future business leaders, might become better stewards of this system in the future.   

Instructor: E. LaBrent Chrite, President

Gen-Z supports causes that they believe in. According to Sami Adler in the article “Power of Youth: How to Get Gen Z Behind Your Mission,” 75% of Gen Zers believe that their generation will change the world. To remain impactful, non-profit organizations need to reach Gen-Z, something that few non-profit organizations have been able to do. During the course, we will (i) delve into the non-profit world and Gen Z and (ii) explore how these two groups can successfully work together. 

Instructor: Steve Wasserman, FI

This course explores how business ideas and practices shift when they move across cultural and social settings. Through real-world cases and cross-cultural comparison, students will examine entrepreneurship, risk-taking, relationships, and ethical decision-making. It asks what counts as “good” or “successful” business, why these values differ across cultures, and what happens when those standards come into conflict. Students will also draw on their own backgrounds and experiences to consider how ideas about trust, responsibility, and success are shaped and challenged across cultures.

Instructor: Fei Yu, ML

This class will explore how the American Dream is both a myth that is unattainable for many Americans and at the same time real enough to shape our national identity and change the course of individual lives. We will learn how the American Dream has changed over time and how it both erases and creates social, economic, and political inequalities. Through the course we will question who gets to realize the American Dream, at what costs, and under what political, economic, and cultural conditions. 

Instructor: Jane De León Griffin, ML

Should the law treat a beloved family pet like any other type of personal property, or as a household member whose needs and relationships deserve consideration? Is it okay for a town overrun by peacocks to sterilize the males? Why can we hunt deer but not coyotes? This course will use concrete examples from rapidly expanding animal law disputes to unpack the “wicked problem” of how to ensure that U.S. laws keep up with rapid changes in science, culture, environment, and business.

Instructor: Marianne Kulow

Debates about AI often focus on visible risks such as bias, inequality, misinformation, and control. But even if those challenges were addressed, a deeper question would remain: what does it mean to live a good human life (what Aristotle called eudaimonia) alongside increasingly capable AI? This seminar takes up that question. 

Is a life of frictionless convenience a good life, or does meaning require effort and hardship? Can a relationship with an AI be a real relationship? What does meaningful work look like in an age of automation? And when should we insist on the right to a human, even when AI is more capable or more comfortable? Drawing on AI ethics, philosophy, psychology, and economics, students will develop their own account of living well alongside AI, one they can carry into the choices, relationships, and work ahead.

Instructor: Cody Turner, PH

In schools, workplaces, and public life, the way people speak is often used to judge how smart, capable, or “professional” they are. But who defines professional language, and who gets excluded from it?

This course explores how ideas about language, credibility, and professionalism are shaped by power and identity, especially in multilingual and intercultural settings. We examine how communication norms operate in schools and workplaces, and why some speakers are expected to adapt in unequal ways. We also turn to music, especially reggaetón, to consider why certain language practices are celebrated in popular culture but stigmatized in academic and professional spaces. Along the way, students investigate how these norms are produced, maintained, and challenged, and why changing them is a complex problem with no easy solution. 

Instructor: Claudia Matachana Lopez, ML 

This course will focus on Marketing’s role in addressing Sustainability in Fast Fashion and Social Justice issues. Business leaders are grappling with how to marshal resources to address Social Justice and Sustainability. Organizations have turned to Marketing to help find the right words and the right strategy. Logically, it is ridiculous that a simple marketing-led communication will sufficiently resolve the racial injustice and sustainability challenges faced by organizations and society. We will explore this in more depth across fashion, retail sectors and top brands looking at what role marketing plays in solving these wicked problems. In addition, how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) can assist in resolving some of these issues. We will also ask ourselves do we associate with these brands, do we cancel them, do we continue to wear, or consume the brands that are not aligned with our values. 

Instructor: Isa Beltre, MK

What does it mean to be human in an age defined by advanced technology? This question challenges us to consider technology as a defining force that transforms how people understand themselves and shapes their interactions in the world. We’ll explore the techno-human condition by analyzing films (and other media) that represent the anxieties, possibilities, and realities of living with and through technology. These chronicles will cover three primary themes: love, labor, and loss. Through these themes, we will trace cultural interventions that question this condition and reflect on how they offer alternative ways of relating to technology. 

Instructor: Jim Miranda, EMS

Gen-AI tools – such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and CoPilot – are rapidly transforming how students learn, think, and produce work.  Together, we will explore how higher education can integrate Gen-AI in ways that enhance learning, preserve academic integrity, and prepare students for the future while addressing important ethical, social, and equity concerns. 

Instructor: Karen Fisher, MGT

Why do movies get remade, and what is gained or lost in the process? In this course, we will explore the relationship between original movies and their reinterpretations by looking at films across a range of genres, including science fiction, drama, horror, musicals, animation, and live action. Analyzing movies from the early days of cinema to contemporary Hollywood blockbusters, we will study the creative and cultural forces behind remakes, examining how technological advancements, changing social norms, and diverse artistic visions shape the reinterpretation of cinematic classics. When filmmakers revisit a well-known film, are they preserving its meaning, reinventing it for new audiences, or capitalizing on its success—and how should we judge the result?

Instructor: Maik Stanitzke, EMS

What does it mean for a country to have or not have an official language? Why are conversations around language policy so controversial? Our particular wicked problem focuses on the question of national linguistic identity in the United States. 

We will start the semester by reading and analyzing the recent executive order establishing English as the Official Language of the United States. We will then explore the diverse languages, dialects, and accents of by people and communities within the United States. We will analyze the concept of a national linguistic identity and consider the ways in which our perceptions of language affect various stakeholders within the U.S. As we move through the course, you will develop your own conclusions to our wicked problem: What is the linguistic identity of the United States?

Instructor: Kristin Raymond, EMS 

In this class we use research from the economics of happiness and behavioral economics to examine the factors which make people happy. These materials are then connected to your situation at Bentley and reflections on your own life choices, personal goals, and sense of fulfillment.

Instructor: Michael Quinn, EC

College athletes are signing deals and building brands - but who benefits, and who gets left behind? 

Through case studies, debates, and real-world examples, we’ll explore the NIL era (Name/Image/Likeness) and what it reveals about power, money and fairness in college sports.  Students will weigh the competing interests of athletes, universities, brands and fans; explore gender and racial disparities and discuss what the future of college sports should look like.

Instructor: Ellen Nussbaum, FI

Philosophers – people like Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Mill, and Sartre – have been writing about what people should think and do for ages. Our world is very different from theirs. Are the ideas of these philosophers still relevant, or can they be safely ignored? The only way to answer this question is to read and discuss their work. This is what we’ll do. You will decide for yourself which of their ideas are worth taking seriously. 

Instructor:  Jeffrey Moriarty, PH

Using examples from the most popular sport in the world, we will examine the impacts of globalization. Among the topics we will explore are the exploitation of people, the neoliberal policies that have allowed the richest teams to monopolize tournaments, the mental health of players, sexism, and the corruption that hosting the World Cup brings to the economy of the host country.

Instructor: Christian Rubio, ML