BVR Academics: Students tackle local, national, global food insecurity issues

For more than a century, movies have brought people together to laugh, cry, and connect. Whether it’s The Batman or Barbie, It or Interstellar, moving images have the power to shape our identities and worldviews. Are you curious what makes that possible? In this course, you will explore what makes a movie great, breaking down everything from modern blockbusters to Hollywood classics to understand how ideas are communicated through image and sound. You’ll explore topics of interest to you—from economics to science to politics—and see how they intersect with film. Through screenings, analysis, discussions, and hands-on experimentation, you’ll gain the practical knowledge and skills necessary to dig deeper into what you see on screen—and you might even find a new favorite movie in the process.

Have you ever argued with someone and felt certain you were right, and then realize later that maybe you weren’t? Have you ever wondered whether you truly have free will? Have you ever asked yourself what it means to be human? If you are interested in questions like those, or if you are simply trying to understand how the world works, this course is for you. Through philosophical inquiry, we will question the assumptions that shape our beliefs about meaning, truth, and what it means to be human. We will read classic and contemporary philosophical texts, participate in thought experiments, analyze case studies, and engage in discussion and debate to challenge our deeply held ways of thinking. This course will help make philosophy relevant and meaningful to your life and the world around you. Expect to be surprised, challenged, and sometimes uncomfortable as you rethink what you believe and why, and discover that asking great questions is one of the most powerful ways to make sense of the world.

The class counts as English credit.
Honors and standard levels

Have you ever wondered what the meaning of life is or if a decision you made was the right one? Have you ever played the game, “Would you rather…?” Then you have done philosophy! Philosophy equips us with critical thinking and logic to navigate the world around us. Every day, we are faced with taking a stand on difficult moral questions and accept judgment on how we should lead our lives. You want to learn why people think, debate, love, hate, have emotions, and make (sometimes bizarre) decisions; or why people follow religions, search for truth, vote conservative or liberal; or you just want to learn how to make difficult decisions and how we should live our lives. Then this is your class. Be prepared to tackle challenging, real-life situations, consider alternative perspectives, understand how our brain makes decisions, and rethink your notion of morality, right and wrong, and what we ought to do to find the meaning of life. Take a class and discover not just what is, but also what could be!

This class counts as English credit.
Honors and standard levels

A Student-Directed Project empowers students to do an in-depth exploration of a topic of interest throughout the term.

The student designs, plans, and leads their research project in collaboration and with the guidance and support of a coach (faculty advisor). It allows students to delve deeper into their passion and to be the designer of their own learning. There is a wide range of Student-Directed Projects; they are multi-disciplinary, non-linear, and most importantly, student-created and led.

That’s what makes them so interesting.

Here are some examples of past projects:

• Creating an architectural model using 3D architectural software
• Through their eyes: Photo and interview series of veterans
• Robosub electromagnetic linear accelerator
• Acoustic pinger for Robosub
• Virtual Reality game for visually-impaired persons
• Creating a concept album
• Dispute: Landlord-tenant board game
• Multimedia journalism: Producing a podcast series
• Perplex: English and Theater Study
• Sensors and fiber optics: Building a fiber optic dress
• Haptic technologies: Force-Feedback Virtual Reality
• Applications of integrals to analytical continuation of functions

How is our behavior influenced by our social environment? How does our perception of others affect what we do and our sense of identity? Whether we want it or not, people (others) influence how we act or behave (how we dress, what we say or don’t say, what we feel). In this social psychology course, we will aim to get a deep understanding of human behavior, especially interpersonal relationships. We will look at theories and findings in psychology and social psychology, will learn about key ideas, and explore some recent research and unanswered questions. This course will be driven by student interests, and will also include topics such as biases, attitudes, obedience, mental health, social identity, and prejudice, among others. We will try to understand how others affect who we are and how we behave, and if indeed “hell is other people.” 

Honors and standard levels

Can entrepreneurship be the response to local and global challenges? Can it serve a purpose beyond being just a money-making endeavor? In this class, you will learn about how businesses are created and why some thrive and others fail. You will also design ideas to start your own business with empathy and a purpose in mind; business ideas that can have a meaningful, positive impact on others. This social entrepreneurship course will look at the change-making potential of people to pursue ideas, solutions, philanthropy and advocacy. You will hear from experts; analyze how businesses operate; explore Boston’s thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem; and brainstorm your own startup idea. This class will allow you to present your ideas to investors and organizations that look for purposeful social entrepreneurs to make a difference.

Should you invest in the common stock of Apple Inc. or Exxon Mobil? How do you decide whether to get a car loan or a lease? How do you determine how much a small business is worth? In this course, we will learn about (a) the fundamentals of the stock market, investment vehicles, and basic principles of investing, (b) key aspects of personal finance, including budgeting, credit cards, and investing for retirement, and (c) the time value of money and risk as it applies to analyzing these personal finance questions. Students will learn to create and maintain a diversified portfolio through a virtual stock exchange, and there will be opportunities for research and other projects based on student interest.