Our course

Special Topics in Social Sciences: Trust

Course Description: The course explores the role of trust in projects, organizations, and personal relationships as affected by psychological, social, legal, human, technical and other factors. Through experiential assignments measuring and monitoring trust students will explore how to develop trust and utilize it in managing situations and approaching life in a synergistic and creative way

More about this course: The course addresses trust as a critical construct in its contribution to social welfare and scientific development. The concept of trust is fundamental in economic development, social well-being, science development, media, art, etc. In this sense, understanding and developing trust is critical in many fields. Trust can be affected by psychological, social, legal, human, and technical factors, to mention a few. The management, measurement, monitoring, and effects of it are critical for societies, organizations, health management, policy implementation, politics, adoption of ideas and behaviors. This course addresses trust as a factor of societal development and welfare and examines its impact on different societal functions.


Short bio-career description of the faculty member

Fanis Varvoglis has a Doctorate in Marketing from Virginia Tech and specializes in Marketing Strategy and Entrepreneurial Decision Making. He is also an internationally certified mediator specializing in corporate disputes. He has been a professor of Marketing at San Diego State University, California, USA, adjunct professor at the University of Macedonia and the University of the Aegean in Greece, and Chair of the Business School at the American College of Thessaloniki. Since 2017 he is professor of Marketing at the American University of Armenia.

Essays and articles of his have been published in American, European, and Greek publications, and he has appeared on American and Greek television on issues relating to Marketing. He has implemented and coordinated studies and research in the private sector both domestically and abroad on education, strategy for corporations, startups, and not-for-profit organizations.

To learn more and get contact information please click here.

Contact him at: fvarvoglis@navigating-tust.org

Theofanis Varvoglis, Ph.D.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to take this course ?

All AUA students are eligible to take this course in Spring semesters. It will next be available in Spring – 2023. You could check out the course schedule that AUA will be posting and see whether it’s available or not.

What should you know before taking

During the semester you will learn a lot about trust and how it exists in different spheres around us. There will be a lot of discussions and group work with your fellow students.

What were this year’s final project topics ?

This year (Spring-2022), 7 groups works on 7 different topics:

  • Parents children trust issues
  • Cheating and trust in relationships
  • Trusting AI in Healthcare
  • Trust in workplace ( The Uber Case)
  • Trust in Brands (The Case of Jaclyn Hill Lipstick)
  • Trust in Media (War News Coverage: the Vietnam Experience)
  • The Media Coverage of Covid-19 and The Vaccines
In which cluster does this course belong to ?

This is an upper course.

It is part of Social Sciences, and cover clusters 4,5, and 6.

How you could become an external partner

You can contact the course professor directly by emailing him at theofanis@navigatingtrust.org. We would like to thank you for your interest in the course.

Why should we learn about trust ?

This is a very good question.

Go ahead and take the course and you will find that out yourself!

Become an expert on the topic


Take the course !

Learn about trust !