Zombies, the Doomsday monstres du jour, brainless creatures operating on bloodlust and a feral appetite for human flesh, have made their way into the Ivory Tower.
Okay, okay, a little melodramatic. But, hey, fun.
The School of Social Work at Michigan State University in East Lansing is introducing a new course, “Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse – Catastrophes and Human Behavior.”
The seven-week course starts in May when the university’s summer session begins and provides an opportunity to study “human behavior and nature change after catastrophic incidents.”
“The course begins and ends with a ‘Catastrophic Event Simulation’ (a Coronal Mass Ejection Incident has caused a Zombie pandemic),” the course description explains. “Students are assigned into Survivor Groups located throughout the United States and must face the challenges of living and surviving together during a catastrophic event.”
(By the way, a Coronal Mass Ejection is supposedly the result of a “change or shift in the magnetic flux on the sun’s surface.”)
"We are using the idea of a zombie apocalypse to attract attention to the important research and science on the topic of 'Catastrophes and Human Behavior,'" explained Glenn Stutzky, social work instructor and course creator. "Students will learn about the nature, scope and impact of catastrophic events on individuals, families, societies, civilizations and the Earth itself."
During the course, students be placed in teams in which individuals must work together to survive the “zombie pandemic.” Along the way, students will study such catastrophic events as the Black Death, meteor strikes and other major happenings. “During the final days of the course, students in their survivor groups will use what they learned and will face the conclusion of the simulation event.”
During the course, students be placed in teams in which individuals must work together to survive the “zombie pandemic.” Along the way, students will study such catastrophic events as the Black Death, meteor strikes and other major happenings. “During the final days of the course, students in their survivor groups will use what they learned and will face the conclusion of the simulation event.”
“Though the topic is serious and worthy of academic study, the challenges presented in surviving a hypothetical zombie pandemic have real-world applications," Stutzky explained. "After all, zombies make everything more interesting."
As a writer of the horrific, I whole-heartedly agree!
As a writer of the horrific, I whole-heartedly agree!
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