Back to School

Well, tonight I get started on semester number...well, how long I've been going isn't really all that important. I start class for the semester tonight. In order to get the finish line just a bit closer, I'm taking 3 classes for the first time in several years. Finally, I have a full deck of classes that I think I'll actually enjoy:

• International Management Perspectives - study of "the management of multinational operations in cross-cultural environments". Globalization is a hot topic in almost every management class I've taken and this looks to be another catch-all management survey course, only with a focus on the global side of the subject. Plus: looks to be all lecture and exam, which usually suits me well. Minuses: no term papers, so no research and writing (I know, I'm some kind of weird freak), 110 seats and the class is full, all of this in a room that is terribly uncomfortable for a class that large.

• Employee and Labor Relations - focuses on the (ever-diminishing) role of labor unions in business. I have always been a little fascinated by unions, their history, and their place in the business world, so I don't doubt that I'll enjoy this class. Big plus: past semesters of this course have featured a collective bargaining project. Classes are divided into teams and given a few class sessions to negotiate a labor agreement. Yipee! As of this afternoon, there's only 13 people signed up for the class, so I'm really looking forward to going next Monday.

• Leadership - "an in-depth course on leadership". Leadership is a common topic in management courses and I have enjoyed writing about it in other classes that I've taken. I don't know a whole lot about this specific class, but the description in the catalog gives me the impression that there will be a great deal of discussion and possibly writing. This also appears to be a small class with only 20 people enrolled so far.

I'll update my progress throughout the semester. Thanks for reading.