Cal Poly Pomona Debuts New Courses for 2024-2025
Students wanting to help tackle the climate crisis, learn to live a positive life, write real-world journalist content and learn more about the future of artificial intelligence can do just that thanks to a slate of new course offerings that launched at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Cal Poly Pomona is incorporating dozens of new courses to focus on keeping curriculums up to date with new findings and technological advancements for students, including the biggest technological advancement yet: Artificial Intelligence.
Civil Engineer Professor K. Majid Sadeghi is teaching CE 4282, Sustainable Operations and Practices for Green Stormwater Infrastructure, one of the 11 new courses offered last fall. This course was developed to address the growing importance of stormwater management in the current climate change crisis. Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) has emerged as a new alternative to cope with urban stormwater.
“Cal Poly Pomona is one of the first universities in the country to have this GSI course. Stormwater is becoming the next wastewater treatment technology,” Sadeghi said. “Right now, most stormwater doesn't get treated; it just goes to the ocean. Now is the time to start focusing on our stormwaters, capturing, using, and treating it before it gets wasted.”
Students had the opportunity to create GSI models, hear from guest speakers, and visit project sites in Los Angeles. They follow a three-pronged GSI approach: improve water quality and meet regulatory requirements, educate and reach out to the public on stormwater issues, and implement GSI. In the future, Sadeghi hopes to help implement an effective GSI system in underprivileged communities and provide benefits that include stormwater management, improved community gathering opportunities, and increased public safety.
Viviane Seyranian, psychology associate professor, is teaching PSY 3388, Positive Psychology: The Science of the Good Life, another new class. Seyranian is revolutionizing her course by implementing new psychological findings in positive psychology.
“It differentiates from the pre-existing courses because it's really about the science of how people thrive. It teaches students concrete, scientifically validated ways for boosting mental health like becoming aware of when we experience positive emotions, practicing mindfulness, displaying prosocial behaviors like kindness, writing a gratitude letter, connecting with nature, moving into forgiveness, and so many more,” Seyranian said.
“Studies show that just taking a positive psychology class can boost well-being. We go over topics that you may not necessarily see in other courses. Things like, what are character strengths? How do we find meaning in life? How do we foster positive social relationships and adopt mindsets that boost our productivity and achievement? What role does culture play?”
The course covers topics not discussed in other classes. While classes may cover the topic of emotions, they may pay more attention depression, anxiety and negative emotions, Seyranian added.
“We focus primarily on positive emotions, and concepts like hope, gratitude, and optimism,” she said. “So, the course helps students understand the science of how to be balanced and flourish in life and how to apply this knowledge to boost their own well-being.”
The course follows a hybrid asynchronous model, with student-led discussions, activities, and hands-on practical exercises, all of which aim to make the course content interactive and applicable to the students.
“I think that everyone needs to be exposed to these ideas and concepts because they are really innovative. This is very new and novel; not a lot of people know about this and know about the impact of these practical things that they've been studying scientifically and how they can really impact our well-being,” said Berlin Garcia, a senior majoring in psychology. “I think it's an incredibly useful course and helps people think differently about psychology, think differently about themselves, and learn practical things to help them feel better in their life—and that is incredibly valuable.”
Other courses offered include COM 4451, Advanced News Practicum, built from a previous class named “Newspaper Practices.” This four-unit class offers students an opportunity to work for the award-winning student newspaper, The Poly Post. Students must first take an introductory course, where they gain experience covering multiple topics before developing their expertise on a specific beat in COM 4451. The course has also evolved to include a micro-internship program, offering students a $600 stipend for their work.
“They put in so many hours covering stories, writing and editing, and when we have the print product come out, the Sunday beforehand, our editors are in the newsroom for sometimes up to 12 hours creating and designing the print product,” said communication associate professor and advisor for The Poly Post, Lauren Furey. “I am very proud of them and their work and how much energy and time they put into it. It's not just a class of them. It's their futures. It's their passion.”
The curriculum emphasizes hands-on experience, with students working on print, online, video, podcasts and social media content. The course is required for multimedia journalism students and is offered every semester, with a focus on practical, real-world journalism skills.
“Being part of The Poly Post teaches you how to work hard. That’s one of the most important things in a career. It teaches you how to collaborate, work, and get out of your comfort zone,” said Charlize Garcia, a senior double-majoring in communication and music and editor–in–chief for The Poly Post. “The most important skill I learned was how to talk to different people from different backgrounds and how to handle communication, like learning how to encourage and create an environment that's safe and also motivating and accepting of others.”
Garcia attributes Furey’s discussion-based teaching to a great environment for brainstorming ideas and self-improvement.
More course offerings in the works over the next few semesters include Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fashion Entrepreneurship and Communicating Biology.
“AI is transforming various business fields, including finance, accounting, marketing, management, and computer information systems (CIS). The CIS department stands out as a discipline uniquely positioned to realize the potential of AI by focusing on its applications and strategic integration into computer systems that drive and support businesses,” said Professor Sonya Zhang, who is teaching CIS 3300, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, next fall.
This course was designed to meet the growing demand for AI skills, particularly in the College of Business Administration. The CIS department also plans on implementing an online AI certification program called the Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Applications for Business. To apply, students must have a bachelor’s degree in business engineering and a minimum GPA of 2.5. The certification includes three core courses in machine learning, AI tools and applications, and AI-driven geographic insights, along with elective courses in AI ethics, cyber operations, and text mining, totaling 12 units.
“It supports data-driven decision-making and enables automation, from creating campaigns in marketing to coding software development for business environment, building models for finance, and shaping the overall strategy to stay competitive,” said Zhang. “Companies and businesses adopt AI to cut costs, increase productivity and gain a competitive advantage in the market.”
To learn more about any new courses offered in your field of study, visit the CPP course catalog or contact your academic advisor.