Courses Offered in 2011-2012
Core Curriculum
- Art, Technology, and Invention
- Catastrophe
COREA-AD 12
How does the idea of catastrophe shape artistic studies in the 21st-century? This interdisciplinary course explores catastrophe through a variety of disciplinary thematics. Students use films and literary texts to explore a range of real or fictional disasters. Can catastrophe serve as a lens to understand notions such as capitalism, globalization, network theory, and ecology?
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Collaborative Arts: Creativity and Social Experience
COREA-AD 08
This course is a practical exploration of collaboration as fundamental creative working method. Taught by a collaborative artist, the course looks at collaboration as it has emerged from the recent history of art, literature, and science to become an essential method of contemporary social experience. Course projects and materials are based around the use of the iPad. Working with the device on creative, co-authored projects, students gain first-hand experience in considering how collaboration is structured and managed in the production of creative works and how a consideration of collaborative and interactive methods changes the way we think about the nature of the finished creative project.
Students in the NYUNY Steinhardt Studio Art Dept: This course counts is equivalent to ART-UE 1910 Interdisciplinary Projects
- Communication and Technology
COREA-AD 19W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 1:10-2:25
Shawn van Every
Writing intensive
The ability to communicate has been central to humanity from the beginning of time. While speech may have been the first great revolution in human communication it certainly is not the last. Throughout our history, the forms of communications we have employed haven’t been limited to our innate capabilities but have been extended by technology. Technology has allowed humans the ability to overcome time and distance enabling ever more sophisticated and rich forms of communication. In this course we examine the history of human communication culminating with the current state of communication technologies that are being developed online and in the mobile world. Professor Jim Savio will teach the writing workshop.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Computers and Music
COREA-AD 23
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 1:10-2:25
Godfried Toussaint
This course introduces the students to basic concepts in music information retrieval, music classification, computer music recognition, music theory, music perception, and music cognition, from the mathematical and computational points of view. Topics to be covered include music notation systems; representation of music in a computer; features of rhythm; features of melody; features of timbre; measuring music similarity; measuring music complexity; searching music data-bases; designing composition tools, automatic generation of music; optical music recognition; phylogenetic analysis and evolution of music; models of tonality; beat tracking; music segmentation; meter induction, and the design and analysis of human listening tests using computer software tools.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Cultural Encounters
COREA-AD 15
This course discusses the contexts, dynamics and products of cultural encounters from the perspective of anthropology and art history. Focusing on pivotal moments of cultural interaction—in conquest, travel, pilgrimage or trade—it analyzes the processes of imposition, opposition, appropriation, and assimilation and the hybridized and disjunctive art forms that characterize such encounters. The course examines case studies from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa ranging from the 16th century to the 21st.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Gardens of Eden
COREA-AD 04J
The Garden of Eden haunts the history of the peoples of the Book—Jews, Christians, Muslims—as primal site of creation, bounty, betrayal, and loss, as spur to repentance and redemption, as preview of heaven and model of earthly Utopia. The exile of Adam and Eve from the garden that God planted for the first man and filled with all the Earth's creatures and plants set their descendants on an infinite quest to find, describe, and recreate it. The course studies the efforts by people of the Abrahamic religions to specify the site, form, and meaning of the first Garden, in theology, literature, visual art, film, and garden design. It seeks convergences and differences among these interpretations across millennia and media, and ask whether the Gardenof Eden continues to hold productive meanings today. All students participate in a garden design project. This course includes field trips to gardens in Abu Dhabi and abroad.
- Gesture in Speech, Poetry, Music, and Dance
COREA-AD 21
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Walter Zev Feldman
Gesture lies at the interface of the verbal and the non-verbal in human communication and expression. Through bodily movement, intonation, and stress gesture can transcend the distinctions between normal speech, poetry, song, and dance. Gaining a deeper understanding of the multiple meanings of gesture in a variety of media across different cultures enables the student to approach fundamental means of human expression, and to learn to recognize constants in human communication within the myriad of culturally specific conventions of language, prosody, music, and dance.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Instruments of World Cultures
COREA-AD 03
Musical instruments have been created by humans for at least 35,000 years. How do diverse musical cultures view the significance of the sounds and playing techniques of musical instruments? From instrumental story-telling in Siberia, Central Asian shaman-bards, dervish flutes, folk, Gypsy and classical fiddling, dulcimers, psalteries and keyboards to drumming in several parts of the world, the course examines why musical cultures need instruments; how these instruments interact with or take the place of vocal music; where they are connected to dance and where they have evolved far from dance; how diverse cultures attribute positive or negative moral values to different instruments and their players; and how a single musical culture may feel the need to exchange, develop or exclude particular musical instruments over time.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Music Dept: This course counts for Music ethnomusicology elective credit
- Inventions
COREA-AD 22
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
T 2:00-4:30, R 2:35-3:50
Leonard Retel Helmrich, Nikolaos Mavridis
Inventions have played a pivotal role in the development of history, mankind, and culture. Inventors articulate problems and find creative solutions, often by combining concepts that are not typically linked. This class examines inventions and the process of inventing through case studies. We consider the historical context of inventions and how the use of inventions can change from one culture to another. Some of the inventions we explore are the bow and arrow, the lever, the bicycle, dynamite, the fax machine, and the computer. Students are presented with problems and asked to create prototypes and invent new tools.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Maps
COREA-AD 13
What are maps, and what do they tell us? From prehistoric cave paintings to Mercator projection maps to contemporary mobile apps, maps combine the innovation and rigor of art and science. Maps interpret space in and over time. This course examines maps from the ancient and modern worlds, alongside reinterpretations of mapping in paintings, films, video games, and new media, to understand ways that maps produce knowledge visually.
- Reinventions of Love
COREA-AD 09W
Writing intensive
This course explores how the mythology, poetics, imagery, and emotion associated with romantic love have varied dramatically over time and in different cultures. Spanning several millennia and many continents, our material challenges us to think about gender, family, biology, and faith as manifestations of an attempt to reconcile human needs and desires. We work with ancient texts like the Ramayana, the Upanishads, and the Song of Songs; the poetry of Kalidasa, Rumi, and Neruda; plays by Zeami, Euripides, Shakespeare, Lorca, Tennessee Williams, and Sarah Kane; the music of PJ Harvey, Antony & The Johnsons, and Thom Yorke; the photography of Cindy Sherman; and the films of David Lynch. Students move towards creating their own inventions, employing creative writing, physical improvisations, ensemble performance, and photography.
COREA 9 - Renaissance Orientations
COREA-AD 20
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UT 8:30-9:45
Alexander Nagel
Scholarly approaches to Renaissance art have traditionally focused on what it inherited from the Roman world. What happens to our understanding of the Renaissance when we highlight its relationship to Jerusalem, Constantinople, and other cultural centers in the Eastern Mediterranean? This course investigates the interpretive implications of this shift in orientation, exploring the West’s fascination
with objects and images produced by Byzantine and Islamic artists, and the complications of identity produced by pilgrimages to the east, both real
and imaginary.Students in the NYUNY Art History Dept: This course counts for Art History elective credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Ritual and Play
COREA-AD 18
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:30-4:10, T 7:30-9:30pm
Richard Schechner - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 9:55-12:35, T 7:30-9:30pm
Richard Schechner
Underlying performances of all kinds—theatre, dance, music, the performances of everyday life, sports, and popular entertainments—are ritual and play. These must be understood from multiple perspectives. In the course, we investigate roots
of human ritual and play in animal behavior; human religious and social rituals; and children and adults at play. Examples include the Taziyeh of Shi’a Islam, the Ramlila of Hinduism, the Olympic Games, Noh Drama of Japan, American baseball, “deep” and “dark” play. - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Scapegoat
COREA-AD 10
The scapegoat, however unwillingly, has played a role in human culture since the earliest times. This course examines the phenomena of scapegoating from both a historical and psychological perspective, and examines its treatment in films, literature, music, and new technology. Tracing the origins of scapegoating as a tribal rite and as one of the defining aspects of Greek tragedy, this course ultimately poses the question—what is it, in the human psyche, that causes us to demonize and dehumanize the “other,” and demand, in the most extreme cases, witch trials throughout the centuries, mob lynchings, the Holocaust, and the more recent genocide in Rwanda. This course also touches on the technological forms of scapegoating such as cyber-bullying and examines how the Internet itself is often used as a scapegoating device.
- Technology, Arts, & Media
COREA-AD 16
The course explores how technology has influenced the arts and investigates the use of technology by artists over the ages. “Media arts” and other concepts such as “digital arts” are discussed as modern manifestations of the merging of technology with arts and media. A broad historical, cultural and technological understanding of main achievements of use of media in relation to arts is provided. New technologies and their use and influence on media and arts are surveyed.
- The Idea of the Portrait
COREA-AD 02
The course explores the portrait as a pivotal human artifact for artistic expression, private identity formation, and public self-fashioning. It traces a series of thematic issues central to the idea of the portrait through history in different cultures, media, and techniques. Themes to study are: image and likeness from antiquity to Facebook; the portrait as real and surrogate presence; portraiture and psychology; the “face of power”; portraits without a face; the work of art as self portrait; digital identity and the private portrait in the public domain; animal portraits and their owners; masks and casts; the unintended portrait; anthropomorphisms and readymades; the better self: face-lift and Photoshop; after life and afterlife.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- The Nature of Code
COREA-AD 17J
Can we capture the unpredictable evolutionary and emergent properties of nature in software? Can understanding the mathematical principles behind our physical world world help us to create digital worlds? This class focuses on the programming strategies and techniques behind computer simulations of natural systems. We explore topics ranging from basic mathematics and physics concepts to more advanced simulations of complex systems. Subjects covered include forces, trigonometry, fractals, cellular automata, self-organization, and genetic algorithms. No computer programming experience is required; the course starts with the basics of code using the Processing environment.
Students in the NYUNY ITP Dept: This course is equivalent to ITPG-GT 2690 The Nature of Code
- Catastrophe
- Ideas and Methods of Science
- Experimental Discovery in the Natural World
- Microbes, Meals, and Metagenomics
COREI-AD 15J
Yeasts are among the world’s oldest industrial microbes. These single-celled organisms are involved in the preparation of various foods, most notably bread and beverages. Indeed, the use of yeast in the baking industry is found
in many societies throughout the world. In this course, the diversity and functions of yeasts are examined using modern experimental approaches. Students begin by learning the fundamentals of the biological molecules that comprise the cell, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, and carbohydrates. In the laboratory, students then use a variety of methods, including DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction amplification, gel electrophoresis, sequencing, and metagenomic analysis to study these microorganisms that are so globally important in providing fundamental sustenance. - Mutations and Disease
COREI-AD 13
The very word “mutations” tends to raise fear and apprehension since it is so often associated with physical deformities or exposure to harmful agents, including radiation. Perhaps such fear is warranted since many human diseases, including cystic fibrosis and cancer, are caused by “mutations”, which are mere changes in the genetic information in DNA. Starting with basic concepts, this course explores important cellular macromolecules, such as DNA, and proteins as well as their three-dimensional structures that endow them with their specific functions. In fact, understanding how mutations induce alterations to macromolecular structures often sheds light on the characteristic symptoms and prognoses of some human diseases and syndromes. Laboratory projects, which focus on introduction to computer modeling, emphasize visualizing in a three-dimensional environment the normal and altered macromolecules associated with some common but complex human maladies.
- The Domain of Crystals
COREI-AD 17
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 9:00-12:00
Wael M. Rabeh
Knowing the three-dimensional structure of a molecule is important for understanding its functional properties. Is it indeed possible to visually analyze a molecule and use the observed experimental data to build a three-dimensional model? This structural information can be obtained using a variety of analytical techniques such as X-ray crystallography, and can lead to significant breakthroughs in pharmaceutics. Students grow crystals of different colors, shapes, and sizes and harvest them for physical and morphological characterization in order to understand the basic principles of atomic structure and theory, chemical bonding and reactions, thermochemistry, periodicity, and solution chemistry.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Language of Computers: Introduction to Programming Using Python
COREI-AD 12
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 2:35-5:15
Sana Odeh
This course provides a gentle introduction to the fundamentals of programming, which is the foundation of Computer Science. It is intended as a first course for students from different disciplines; no prerequisite is needed. Programming has revolutionized every aspect of our lives from art and other media to education, business, and the core sciences. Students learn the basics of how computers “think” and how computer programs (software pplications) are created. We develop simple and fun applications involving graphics, sound, text processing, animation, basic interactive game techniques, networking, and web interfaces. Students produce short programs and one final project using Python, a relatively easy programming language with powerful visual and graphics capabilities.
Students in the NYUNY Computer Science Dept: This course is equivalent to CSCI-UA.0002 Introduction to Computer Programming
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Where the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments
COREI-AD 16
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
T 2:35-6:00; R 2:35-5:00
John Burt
Over half of the human population lives within 100 km of a coast and coastlines contain more than two-thirds of the world’s largest cities. As a result, the world’s natural coastal environments have been substantially modified to suit human needs. This course will use the built and natural environments of coastal cities as laboratories to examine the environmental and ecological implications of urban development in coastal areas. Using data from multiple coastal cities, student teams will use field-based studies and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to examine patterns and processes operating in coastal cities. This course uses the local terrestrial, marine, and built environments as a laboratory to address these issues, and team projects requiring field-work form a core component of the learning experience. As part of the NYU Global Network University initiative this course is being offered simultaneously in New York and Abu Dhabi and students will be collaborating extensively with students from their sister campus through the duration of this course.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Microbes, Meals, and Metagenomics
- Science, Society, and History
- Genetics: Successes, Challenges and Implications on Society
COREI-AD 19
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 9:55-11:10
Rana Al Assah Saadeh
When the gene was discovered and our ability to manipulate it became apparent, a new era in science began. The Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, led to the identification of the genes in human DNA. As a result, gene therapy, genetic food modification, and organismalcloning emerged, all with the hope of improving the social, economic, and physical quality of human life. This course travels through the world of genetics and examines the successes, controversies and challenges of genetic research, with a particular focus on the Human Genome Project.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Innovation in the Ancient World
COREI-AD 14
This course probes the heuristics of human innovation in the ancient world. We study the earliest human inventions such as spears and simple tools; ponder the methods that might have been used in the construction of monolithic structures such as Stone Henge, Egyptian obelisks, and pyramids; and explore examples of technological innovations that affected the course of human history. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on developing personal approaches to creativity and innovation by studying specific examples of these attributes from the ancient world.
- Quantum Theory and Relativity: The Impact of a Scientific Revolution
COREI-AD 10
At the beginning of the 20th century, a scientific revolution started that was destined to change radically the way we think about the physical world. Einstein’s theory of relativity completely altered notions of time and space, laying the theoretical foundation for the use of nuclear power. At the same time, a new quantum theory was developed to describe the behavior of atoms and nuclei. It led to great technological advances, with much modern technology crucially exploiting quantum effects. But the revolutionary advent of relativity and quantum mechanics came with significant consequences: Physics became detached from the public’s everyday experiences and intuition. Challenging that notion of inaccessibility, this course analyzes some of the basic concepts of relativity and quantum theory.
- Science and Society
SRPP-AD 123
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50
Ann Morning
Social scientists who study science often make a simple, but controversial claim: that science is fundamentally shaped by social forces. This premise challenges contemporary understanding of science as producing true, objective knowledge that is independent of culture and social structure. We study debates about the nature of science versus religion, Western versus non-Western knowledge, and the physical versus social sciences in order to form our own conclusions about the relationship between science and society.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Serendipity in Science
COREI-AD 21
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 9:55-11:10
Joel Bernstein
In 1754 the antiquarian Horace Walpole coined the word serendipity based on the Persian fairy tale “The Three Princes of Serendip,” whose heroes “were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.” In the ensuing centuries, the word has had a colored history. Many of the major scientific and technological developments that shape our modern economy and culture had serendipitous components, including X-rays, penicillin, nylon, vulcanization of rubber, Post-Its, Velcro, saccharin, Nutrasweet, Teflon, insulin, the Pap test, super glue and a host of others. In this course we examine the history of serendipity, the synergism between the scientific background and experience of the individual scientist and researcher, and some of the many serendipitous breakthroughs that have changed and extended our lives and continually improve our standard of living.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- State and Fate of the Earth
COREI-AD 11J
What is the current state of Earth in terms of human well-being and human impact on Earth’s natural systems? Issues such as energy, CO2, climate, agriculture, water, and material fluxes are intricately tied together as a global system that has expanded by about 3% per year. This growth rate will lead to a world in 2050 in which the average world citizen will have a life approximately equal to that of the average European or Japanese today and about four times the average Chinese today. Will this be possible and what will be the implications for the issues above? In this inquiry-based seminar, substantial portions of the course will require students to conduct research by locating, using, and sharing technical papers and data bases, synthesizing facts and viewpoints, making presentations, and writing short technical papers that will be peer-reviewed by the other “researchers” in the class. The course includes field trips relevant to the topics above.
- The Atom and Energy
COREI-AD 20W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 9:55-11:10
Ingyin Zaw
Writing intensive
E=mc2: One simple equation encapsulates the power to grant life and death in equal measure. Life associated with fusion in the sun, radiation therapy, and nuclear energy; death via nuclear bombs and nuclear disasters. This course uses nuclear physics as a prism for exploring science as a human endeavor, focusing on the physics of the atomic nucleus and its technological applications. Arguments for and against nuclear power plants are analyzed, while the power and threat of nuclear weapons are assessed. The international treaties designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons are scrutinized, emphasizing the challenges that lawmakers and citizens face in determining and guiding the uses of nuclear power as we grapple with the moral responsibility that all of us—scientists, politicians, and citizens—must bear for ourselves, our nations, and ultimately, for humanity.
Students in the NYUNY Physics Dept: This course counts for Physics and Astronomy minor credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Trust, Risk and Deception in Cyberspace
COREI-AD 22W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 2:35-3:50
Nasir Memon
Writing intensive
Cyberspace is playing an increasing role in our lives, and our society is rapidly becoming structured around the 24/7 availability and trustworthiness of information systems. We already entrust cyberspace with our privacy, national security, physical safety, and digital identities. Maintaining an orderly, peaceful, safe, and productive society will increasingly depend on maintaining trust in information systems. However, trust cannot be realized by technology alone.
This course adopts the viewpoint that cyberspace is essentially a social system that relies on important technical components. The course will begin with a discussion of trust, risk and deception as developed in the social sciences and examine how traditional notions apply or fail to apply to interactions in cyberspace. In the second part of the course we will examine the technical underpinning of cyberspace and the mechanisms that have been developed to create trustworthy systems. In the third and final part of the course we will examine the interplay between the technical and social aspects and see how better policy and systems can be developed to tackle cybercrime, cyberespionage, cyberwar and cyberterrorism. A computer science or engineering knowledge is not necessary for taking this course. - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Genetics: Successes, Challenges and Implications on Society
- Experimental Discovery in the Natural World
- Pathways of World Literature
- A Thousand and One Nights
COREP-AD 01W
Writing intensive
For centuries The 1001 Nights (or Arabian Nights) has served as a point of encounter between Middle Eastern literary traditions and the cultural politics of Western literary and artistic production and translation. This course examines the much-debated history of the Nights and the cross-cultural exchange that has seen the tales adapted for distinct audiences in medieval Egypt and Syria, modern Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS literature requirement
- Cities: Writing the Urban Space
COREP-AD 10
Cities hold a special fascination for writers as the most complex form of social organization. This course investigates the various ways in which writers have represented the dynamics of city life. Topics to be investigated include the use
of cities as philosophical points of departure by such thinkers as Plato and St. Augustine; the development of mnemonics as a response to the challenges of urban space; the decline in representations of the city during the European Middle Ages; the inescapability of the city in post-Enlightenment Western Literature; and the depiction of cities in non-Western texts and films.Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- Families
COREP-AD 21
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 1:10-2:25
Wolfgang Neuber
The family has often been described as the nucleus of society. The course studies the representation of families—both biological and symbolic—as a source of blessings and burdens, bonding and betrayal in literary texts from around the world, starting with the Odyssey and moving on through the Middle Ages to modern writing. The course also investigates modern theories of the family as found in the works of such thinkers as Engels, Freud, and Foucault.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Interracial Learning
COREP-AD 22
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 9:55-12:35
Werner Sollors
This course examines a wide variety of literary texts on black-white couples, interracial families, and biracial identity, from classical antiquity to the present. Works studied include romances, novellas, plays, novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction, as well as some films and examples from the visual arts. Topics for discussion range from interracial genealogies to racial “passing,” from representations of racial difference to alternative plot resolutions, and from religious and political to legal and scientific contexts for the changing understanding of “race.”
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Journeys
COREP-AD 03W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 1:10-2:25
Sheetal Majithia
Writing intensive
The search for knowledge has been linked historically to the traveler’s experience of new places and peoples. Travel necessitates the creation of translations that reveal how knowledge of otherness necessarily involves comparison to home and self. Drawing on texts that represent travel in realistic, figurative, and fantastic terms, we explore the idea that a journey entails the discovery, not only of a destination, but also of the self. As Rilke wrote, “There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.”
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Texts and Ideas (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Law and the Imagination
COREP-AD 13
There is no life without law. Nature has its laws. Religions have theirs, societies theirs, families theirs. Business has its rules and contracts. How do people understand the laws that are as much a part of life as the weather? Literature—the work of the imagination—guides our great journey towards understanding. Writers dramatize the relations among law, justice, and freedom. Writers also show the effect of law on the fates, fortunes, and feelings of people. The course explores the power of literature to show us what the law is, what it should not be, and what it might be.
- Myth, Magic, and Representations of Childhood
COREP-AD 19W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 9:55-11:10
Deborah Williams
Writing intensive
Using some classics of children’s literature from countries around the world, including several novels from the Harry Potter series, students examine the ways in which children’s literature offers insight into contemporary culture, particularly concerns about power and politics. Course readings include fairy tales and myths from around the world, as well as writings from theorists and philosophers who have used these “children’s stories” to analyze and explain aspects of the human experience. Focusing on questions of genre, influence, and intertextuality, students explore how—or if—“children’s literature” ultimately offers a more cosmopolitan perspective than literature intended solely for adults.
Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Other Worlds: Cosmography, Utopias, Travel Accounts
COREP-AD 11
This course investigates the representation of other worlds in texts and films. Whether depicted as matters of fact (as in cosmography), as a projection of ideal conditions in opposition to one’s own world (as in utopias), or as a mixed blessing when a person meets with circumstances that put everything he knows about the world at risk (as in travel accounts), other worlds offer the opportunity to investigate the encounter with difference as a fundamental aspect of human experience.
- Our Monsters, Ourselves
COREP-AD 12W
Writing intensive
We examine work from the past two hundred years as a way to consider the profound transformations that have occurred during this tumultuous period. Some of the issues we consider have to do with very basic questions: What does it mean to be human—and who do we include in our definitions of "human?" What is the relationship of people to their landscape and environment? What is the relationship of technology to cultural production? How do gender and sexuality define or liberate us? And, ultimately, does the artist have an obligation to address any of these issues in her work? As a guide to our explorations, we look at the ways in which monsters and the monstrous illuminate particular cultural moments and reflect on whether the monsters of two centuries ago shed light on our own cultural preoccupations.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Placeless Modernism
COREP-AD 16
This class considers case studies in a global history of modernism in relation to two competing models of place: the ethnographic turn toward place that began in the late eighteenth century and continues in a wide array of projects today and, on the other hand, the idea of frictionless internationalism manifest in early twentieth-century modernism, and most of all in the slightly later concrete poetry movement.
Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- Reinventions of Love
COREA-AD 09W
Writing intensive
This course explores how the mythology, poetics, imagery, and emotion associated with romantic love have varied dramatically over time and in different cultures. Spanning several millennia and many continents, our material challenges us to think about gender, family, biology, and faith as manifestations of an attempt to reconcile human needs and desires. We work with ancient texts like the Ramayana, the Upanishads, and the Song of Songs; the poetry of Kalidasa, Rumi, and Neruda; plays by Zeami, Euripides, Shakespeare, Lorca, Tennessee Williams, and Sarah Kane; the music of PJ Harvey, Antony & The Johnsons, and Thom Yorke; the photography of Cindy Sherman; and the films of David Lynch. Students move towards creating their own inventions, employing creative writing, physical improvisations, ensemble performance, and photography.
COREA 9 - Speculative Fiction
COREP-AD 20
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 8:30-9:45
Cyrus R.K. Patell
This course uses texts and films to explore the speculative impulse behind narrative. Through the analysis of science fiction, utopian and dystopian narratives, texts from political theory, and even works considered to be “realist” in their orientation, students consider the ways in which works of fiction present their readers with thought experiments that pose different kinds of “what if” questions. Is it possible to conceive of speculative fiction as, in fact, the type of all fiction?
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Texts and Ideas (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Cosmopolitan Imagination
COREP-AD 14
Originating in the idea of the world citizen and conceived in contradistinction to nationalism, cosmopolitanism can be understood as a perspective that regards human difference as an opportunity to be embraced rather than a problem to be solved. Does this perspective lie behind all "great" literature, which asks its readers to experience otherness by opening themselves up to another person's words and thoughts? This course uses novels, poems, plays, and films to explore the cosmopolitan impulses behind the literary imagination.
Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- The Postcolonial Turn
COREP-AD 18W
Writing intensive
In postcolonial literature, representation and revolution intersect, as writers re-invent literary forms and seek to reconceive colonialism, nationalism, and modernity. We compare British, Caribbean, Latin American, South Asian, and African texts, including travelogues, whose maps envision fantasies of the other; adaptations and translations of novels, in which mimicry and magical realism reveal how “the Empire writes back”; and memoirs and short stories, whose fragmentary and experimental forms express how memories of violence, displacement, and exile shape individuals today.
Students in the NYUNY Comparative Literature Dept: This course counts for Comparative Literature elective credit or for the Literary and Cultural Studies Track
- Tragedy
COREP-AD 15
Tragic drama originated in ancient Greece and it has been central to both the aesthetic and the philosophical traditions of the West. At the same time, many classic works of Western tragic drama have been adapted by cultures all over the world for their own ends. This course examines key works of Greek and Shakespearean tragedy, critical, historical, and philosophical reflections on these works, and versions of some of these works from non-Western cultures, especially in film.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
Students in the NYUNY Comparative Literature Dept: This course counts for Comparative Literature elective credit or for the Literary and Cultural Studies Track
Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit; For the NYUNY Comparative Literature Dept: This course counts for Comparative Literature elective credit or for the Literary and Cultural Studies Track; For the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- A Thousand and One Nights
- Structures of Thought and Society
- Cultures and Modernities
CORES-AD 22W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 8:30-9:45
Nathalie Peutz
Writing intensive
“Culture,” wrote Raymond Williams, “is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language.” Modernity, arguably, is another. Moreover, “culture” and “modernity” are often held to be at odds with one another; if modernity can be defined by its claim to universal applicability, then culture(s) mark the disjunctures and discrepancies that repeatedly disrupt this narrative. This course examines the (cross-) cultural politics and imaginaries of “modernity” to ask: What does it mean to be modern in the global present?
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Disease and Society
CORES-AD 06W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 11:20-12:35
Lauren Minsky
Writing intensive
How have diseases, and efforts to control them, shaped the nature and course of human societies? Are diseases actors in their own right? What determines who falls sick and who dies? This course explores the complex relationship between disease and society, between the natural and social worlds. Our focus is on understanding how people have explained, argued about, and responded to diseases in different social contexts over time. The course readings consist of books drawn from a range of disciplines.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- Faith in Science, Reason in Revelation
CORES-AD 11W
Writing intensive
We live simultaneously in an age of science and an era of great religious faith, when reason and revelation are often depicted as being in inherent and eternal tension. In this course we trace the history of the relationship of religion and science in Christendom and Islamdom from the Middle Ages to the present day, drawing on primary sources and secondary readings from religious studies, the history of science, and anthropology.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement; For the NYUNY Religion Dept: This course counts for Religion elective credit
- Family and Kinship
CORES-AD 16
Being part of a family and of being related, or kin, to other human beings is a universal human experience; it is fundamental to our sense of ourselves. Yet what we mean by family or by kinship changes dramatically across societies and through time. This course introduces social scientific approaches to and methods for understanding and analyzing this diversity; it therefore asks students to explore the relationship between the universal and what is specific to particular societies and cultures.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Family, Gender, and Modernity
CORES-AD 13
This class examines a few universal, global patterns in the history of families and the many ways that families are culturally diverse. We begin with a historical survey, from the “traditional” families that once dominated throughout the world, to the “modern” (industrial) and “post-modern” (post-industrial) family values that appear today. Then we focus on particular aspects of family life: childhood; dating and courtship; sex and reproduction; husband-wife relations; old age; female-headed and other nontraditional families.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Financial Systems as Social Forms
CORES-AD 23
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 10:10-12:50
Mary Poovey
Financial systems direct flows of capital between savers and borrowers, but they also shape contemporary values and understandings of the self and others. This course compares the theories implicit in the U.S. and UAE financial systems and describes how they work in practice. Whereas credit and interest are central to U.S. banking, Shari’ah law forbids interest, so Islamic banking uses profit- and loss-sharing to organize investment. By comparing these two systems, we seek to understand how financial systems mediate competing values in a global context.
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Gender and Globalization
CORES-AD 21
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:30-9:45
Rahma Abdulkadir
What does gender as category of analysis indicate? How does gender intersect with other axes of identity such as class, nation, and ethnicity in a globalized world? This course considers the ways women around the globe have responded to both the benefits and costs of globalization through political, economic, and social lenses. We begin with a review of the debates that surround globalization emphasizing their gendered nature. The course introduces students to select women’s issues – employment, political participation, reproductive rights, and healthcare -- that have emerged in the global context and the international debates around them. Lastly, the course looks at the relevance of women’s representation to address gender issues in the ‘democratic process’ as well as the shortcomings of democratic mechanisms to achieve women’s rights and some proposed solutions to these limitations.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Globalization and Education
SRPP-AD 113
What is globalization, and what are the implications of living in a “global world” for education? How can education be used as a tool to promote global social justice and prosperity? This course explores these questions by first examining various theoretical perspectives on globalization, then analyzing several major themes associated with globalization and education. Case studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America provide concrete examples of how global forces are changing the content and context of education internationally.
- Landscapes of Memory
CORES-AD 24
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 9:55-11:10
Nadine Roth
This course explores the ways in which urban landscapes have traditionally served as fragile repositories for collective memory from the first monuments of Near Eastern civilizations to the modern architecture of contemporary global cities. Some cities seek to preserve their pasts, while others aggressively brush aside older forms and structures to make way for the new. Students examine the “politics” of urban memory, exploring historical and contemporary debates about the conflicting demands of preservation and modernization in a variety of cities from around the world.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Love, God and Politics
CORES-AD 12
The course grapples with love, a blind spot in social theory, and its relation with religion, transcendence, sacrifice, and faith. On the one hand, sexuality and gender have become objects of intense concern, politicized by religious movements around the world from the fundamentalist Christians in America to Islamists and pietists in the Islamic world. On the other hand, for large numbers of young people in the Western world not only has sexuality become increasingly unhinged from love, but love has become a troubling category, something uncertain and dangerous to believe in. This course examines the relation between love, sex, and religion as they reverberate in both the private and public spheres.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Metropolis: Culture and Politics in the 21st-Century City
MDURB-AD 116J
This course provides an overview of key issues in the culture and politics of urban life, with a focus on modern Buenos Aires. We engage class and contemporary urban questions such as: How does city-living shape our minds and shift our patterns of social interaction? How does the built environment relate to the local ecology and our experience of everyday life? How are civic and political institutions addressing emerging problems related to massive population growth, sprawl, pollution, and polarization? Students should be prepared for rigorous critical thinking and vigorous participation.
- Politics and the City
CORES-AD 15
Writing intensive
Cities are probably the most efficient social networks. They allow for increased communication and innovation. They are natural spaces for deliberation and collective action. This course explores the reasons why cities rise and decline, the mechanisms of formal and informal urban planning, skyscrapers and suburbs, urban nature and urban design. In-class sessions will alternate with workshops on Abu Dhabi, visits to the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, and mini-fieldwork in the city.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit.
- Prejudice
CORES-AD 04W
Writing intensive
This course covers historical and contemporary scientific approaches to understanding prejudice, specifically prejudice that exists between social groups (for example, ethnic prejudice, religious prejudice, etc.) across different cultures. Readings draw from multiple social scientific perspectives, and cover topics including the origins of prejudice, the justification of prejudice, the different forms of prejudicial expression, the identification of prejudice in individuals and institutions, the consequences of being a victim of prejudice, and the value (or not) of different prejudice reduction strategies.
Students in the NYUNY Psychology Dept: This course counts for Psychology elective credit
- Science and Society
SRPP-AD 123
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50
Ann Morning
Social scientists who study science often make a simple, but controversial claim: that science is fundamentally shaped by social forces. This premise challenges contemporary understanding of science as producing true, objective knowledge that is independent of culture and social structure. We study debates about the nature of science versus religion, Western versus non-Western knowledge, and the physical versus social sciences in order to form our own conclusions about the relationship between science and society.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Self-Representation
CORES-AD 14
There are many different ways in which human beings represent themselves. I represent myself as a living being, as belonging to a given society and culture, as having a given character, and so on. But do I have a representation of myself as the author of those representations? Exploring this question casts light on central questions of philosophy, for instance the relation between mind and body, the relation between self and other, or the belief that we have freedom of the will. Readings may include selections from Western philosophy and Buddhist philosophy as well as neuroscience, psychology, psychoanalysis, and literary works.
- Social Scientific Study of Religion: Religion, Nation-State and the Politics of Gender
SRPP-AD 117
This seminar will examine the vexed relation between the divine and popular sovereignty, religion and the nation-state, particularly as these involve issues of gender, sexuality and patriarchal authority. We will seek to compare instances of the politicization of religion as a basis of collective identity, state legitimacy and legislation in both Christian and Muslim countries: the United States, France, Turkey, Iran and Egypt. The seminar will also examine social theoretical understandings of the institutional relation of religion and nation-state in the works of Max Weber, Jose Casanova, Craig Calhoun, Talal Asad and Rogers Brubaker, among others.
Students in the NYUNY Religion Dept: This course counts for Religion elective credit; For the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- The Relationship of Government and Religion
CORES-AD 05
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 10:00-12:00
Angela Migally
This course examines the relationship between government and religion. To this end, the course concentrates on the interpretation, meaning, application, and wisdom of 16 words from the American Constitution: "Government shall make
no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." These 16 words serve as a starting point for the course because they broadly prohibit government entanglement with religion while simultaneously bestowing government with the responsibility to protect religious freedom. The primary texts of the course are the opinions of the United States Supreme Court, the highest Court in the United States, and final authority on interpretations of the Constitution. Prior knowledge of the subject matter or the United States is not a prerequisite for this class. This course is continued into the second semester.Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the political theory field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Social Life of Finance
CORES-AD 18J
This is a course about how and why finance matters. From credit derivatives to pyramid schemes, home mortgages to credit cards, finance both underwrites the aspirations and lines the underbelly of the contemporary economy. Finance also shapes the urban environment, producing new city forms and social structures. Drawing on sociology, anthropology, fiction, and film, our seminar examines finance as a mode of social relations and cultural meaning in contemporary capitalism. We pay special attention to the financial turbulence in Argentina, and visit sites in Buenos Aires where citizens, economic experts, and political officials engage important questions about culture and economy.
- The Wealth of Nations
CORES-AD 02
This course examines the determinants of economic development in the modern world. The course is divided into two parts. The first reviews theories that place factors of production such as labor and technology as the main cause of cross-country differences in economic wealth. The second part of the course investigates the role of institutions, culture, religion, geography, and luck as deeper causes of comparative development. The main questions addressed throughout the course are: Why are there such large differences in income per capita across countries? Why have some countries developed steadily over the past 200 years while many others have not? Why do some governments adopt policies that promote economic development while others set up barriers to economic activity? These questions are analyzed from a theoretical and empirical perspective.
- Tolerance and Relativism
CORES-AD 01W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 2:35-3:50
Matthew Silverstein
Writing intensive
Most of us agree that we should be tolerant. Often the call for tolerance is grounded in relativism—the thought that there isn’t a fact of the matter. After all, on what basis could we insist that others share our beliefs if those beliefs are subjective, a function of upbringing or our peculiar tastes and concerns? But should we accept relativism? Can relativism justify tolerance? If not, then how can we justify tolerance?
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Texts and Ideas (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- What is Man?
CORES-AD 10
The human sciences, born of the Enlightenment’s quest to recreate Man in its image, gave rise to a paradox. In brokering reconfigurations of the essence and boundaries of the human, new models for socio-political organization, and claims to inalienable human rights, they also demarcated and fortified the supposedly ‘natural’ fault lines between sexes, races, cultures, and peoples. The course provides an interdisciplinary exploration of the nature of cultural distinction and the historical development of the Image of Man in a variety of global case studies, from the eighteenth century to the present.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Cultures and Modernities
- Art, Technology, and Invention
Majors
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Biology
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Organic Chemistry 1
CHEM-AD 101
This course uses an interactive, problems-based approach to study the structure and bonding of organic materials, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy, topics that partly trace their roots to the development of quantum theory. The topics covered include basic reaction mechanisms such as substitution and elimination, and the reactions of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, carbonyl compounds, and carboxylic acids. The course incorporates modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 225 Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 227 Majors Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 9243-9245 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (London)
- Organic Chemistry 2
CHEM-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 2:00-6:30; W 1:10-2:35, 7:30pm-8:30pm
Ali Trabolsi
This is a continuation of Organic Chemistry 1, with an emphasis on multifunctional organic compounds, including topics of relevance to biochemistry and biological systems, such as carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, and nucleic acids. The course continues the emphasis on modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic analysis, with added emphasis on their application to biology and biological chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 226 Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 228 Majors Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 9244-9246 Organic ChemistryII and Lab (London)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Organismal Biology
BIOL-AD 101
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 9:55-11:10
Chiye Aoki, Claude Desplan
The array of organisms that populates the globe is astounding in its diversity and adaptability. This course uses fundamental concepts from the Foundations of Science curriculum to examine essential elements of animal physiology, including adaptations to environments such as deserts. This course develops an understanding of the relationship between structure and function of the organism; how structure develops through evolutionary and developmental processes; and how structure is related to the environment surrounding the organism.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Courses for Non-Science Majors
- Where the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments
COREI-AD 16
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
T 2:35-6:00; R 2:35-5:00
John Burt
Over half of the human population lives within 100 km of a coast and coastlines contain more than two-thirds of the world’s largest cities. As a result, the world’s natural coastal environments have been substantially modified to suit human needs. This course will use the built and natural environments of coastal cities as laboratories to examine the environmental and ecological implications of urban development in coastal areas. Using data from multiple coastal cities, student teams will use field-based studies and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to examine patterns and processes operating in coastal cities. This course uses the local terrestrial, marine, and built environments as a laboratory to address these issues, and team projects requiring field-work form a core component of the learning experience. As part of the NYU Global Network University initiative this course is being offered simultaneously in New York and Abu Dhabi and students will be collaborating extensively with students from their sister campus through the duration of this course.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Where the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments
- Calculus
- Chemistry
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Multivariable Calculus
MATH-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Sofiane Bouarroudj
This course explores functions of several variables and has applications to science and engineering as well as economics. Specific topics include vectors in the plane and space; partial derivatives with applications; double and triple integrals; spherical and cylindrical coordinates; surface and line integrals; and divergence, gradient, and curl. In addition, the theorems of Gauss and Stokes are rigorously introduced.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 123 Calculus III
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Organic Chemistry 1
CHEM-AD 101
This course uses an interactive, problems-based approach to study the structure and bonding of organic materials, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy, topics that partly trace their roots to the development of quantum theory. The topics covered include basic reaction mechanisms such as substitution and elimination, and the reactions of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, carbonyl compounds, and carboxylic acids. The course incorporates modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 225 Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 227 Majors Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 9243-9245 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (London)
- Organic Chemistry 2
CHEM-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 2:00-6:30; W 1:10-2:35, 7:30pm-8:30pm
Ali Trabolsi
This is a continuation of Organic Chemistry 1, with an emphasis on multifunctional organic compounds, including topics of relevance to biochemistry and biological systems, such as carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, and nucleic acids. The course continues the emphasis on modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic analysis, with added emphasis on their application to biology and biological chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 226 Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 228 Majors Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 9244-9246 Organic ChemistryII and Lab (London)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Biochemistry Specialization
- Organic Chemistry 1
CHEM-AD 101
This course uses an interactive, problems-based approach to study the structure and bonding of organic materials, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy, topics that partly trace their roots to the development of quantum theory. The topics covered include basic reaction mechanisms such as substitution and elimination, and the reactions of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, carbonyl compounds, and carboxylic acids. The course incorporates modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 225 Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 227 Majors Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 9243-9245 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (London)
- Organic Chemistry 1
- Courses for Non-Science Majors
- The Atom and Energy
COREI-AD 20W
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 9:55-11:10
Ingyin Zaw
Writing intensive
E=mc2: One simple equation encapsulates the power to grant life and death in equal measure. Life associated with fusion in the sun, radiation therapy, and nuclear energy; death via nuclear bombs and nuclear disasters. This course uses nuclear physics as a prism for exploring science as a human endeavor, focusing on the physics of the atomic nucleus and its technological applications. Arguments for and against nuclear power plants are analyzed, while the power and threat of nuclear weapons are assessed. The international treaties designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons are scrutinized, emphasizing the challenges that lawmakers and citizens face in determining and guiding the uses of nuclear power as we grapple with the moral responsibility that all of us—scientists, politicians, and citizens—must bear for ourselves, our nations, and ultimately, for humanity.
Students in the NYUNY Physics Dept: This course counts for Physics and Astronomy minor credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Atom and Energy
- Calculus
- Computer Science
- Algorithms
CS-AD 105
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 9:55-11:10
Godfried Toussaint
Formal algorithms and advanced data structures. Topics include dynamic programming; divide and conquer; advanced search and graph algorithms, particularly on trees; pattern matching; randomized and amortized algorithms; lower bounds and introduction to NP-completeness.
Students in the NYUNY Computer Science Dept: This course is equivalent to CSCI-UA 310 Basic Algorithms
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Data Structures
CS-AD 103
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 9:55-11:10
Jay Chen
This course treats the design of data structures for representing information in computer memory. Topics include abstract data types such as asymptotic notation; iteration and recursion; stacks, queues, and dictionaries (operations, implementations, time analysis, and applications); fundamental graph algorithms; and sorting.
Students in the NYUNY Computer Science Dept: This course is equivalent to CSCI-UA 102 Data Structures
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Discrete Mathematics
CS-AD 102
An introduction to discrete mathematics, emphasizing proof and abstraction, as well as the applications to the computational sciences. Topics include: sets, relations, and functions; graphs and trees; algorithms, proof techniques, and order of magnitude analysis; Boolean algebra and combinatorial circuits; Formal logic, formal languages, and automata; combinatorics, probability, and statistics.
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Introduction to Computer Science
CS-AD 101
This course introduces students to the foundations of computer science. Students learn how to design algorithms to solve problems and how to translate these algorithms into working computer programs using a high-level programming language. The course covers core concepts including: basic computation; data structure; control structure; iterative structures; file I/O and exception handling; recursion and functions. Students also learn the elements of Object Oriented Programming (OOP), such as objects, classes, inheritance, abstraction, polymorphism, and Interface. Students produce programs focusing on scientific concepts, graphics, games and web CGI implementation, and in a final project, they develop a fully functioning, interactive, fun game that employs a clean design, intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), simple to moderate strategy, and event-handling techniques.
Students in the NYUNY Computer Science Dept: This course is equivalent to CSCI-UA 0101 Introduction to Computer Science
- Courses for Non-Majors
- Mobile Media
MDMED-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
M- 2:35-5:15; R 2:35-3:50
Shawn van Every
Mobile devices (phones) are used for both the production and consumption of rich media, augmenting their original purpose as one-to-one communication devices. This course explores the technology that enables the consumption and production of media on these devices with an eye toward how that media can be used in conjunction with the devices’ original social and communicative purposes. Students create projects that utilize the available technology to explore new forms of social media creation and consumption.
Students in the NYUNY ITP Dept: This course is equivalent to ITPG-GT 2690 Mobile Media
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Mobile Media
- Algorithms
- Economics
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Development Economics
ECON-AD 300
This course covers the roles of factor accumulation, technology, human capital and ideas in the growth process; the political economy of growth; the role of openness to international trade versus international trade barriers; and growth and income inequality. The course provides an overview of foreign aid in the economic development process and the policies of international institutions like the IMF and World Bank. The course also includes: the study of randomized experiments in evaluating aid projects and development interventions; rural land markets; credit markets in imperfect and fragmented capital markets; the household migration decision; and nutrition and fertility decisions.
- Foundations of Financial Markets
ECON-AD 302
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 1:00-2:15
Andrea Tambalotti
This course offers a rigorous examination of the basic concepts and tools of modern finance. Students are introduced to cash flow analysis and present value, as well as basic concepts of return and risk, in order to understand how financial markets work and how financial instruments are valued. These instruments, including equities, fixed income securities, options, and other derivative securities, become vehicles for exploring various financial markets and their utilization by managers in different kinds of financial institutions to enhance return and manage risk.
Students in the NYUNY Economics Dept: This course counts for FINC-UB 2 in the Policy track; students who complete FINC-UB 2 or ECON-AD 302 may not take ECON-UA 368; students who have completed ECON-UA 368 may take FINC-UB 2 or ECON-AD 302,but it will not count towards the major
Students in the NYUNY Stern Economics Dept: This course is equivalent to ECON-UB 2 Foundations of Finance
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Global Banking and Financial Markets
ECON-AD 352J
The dynamics of the global banking and financial sector are central to economic performance and growth, and from time to time, financial markets and institutions are the scene of great turbulence. This course explores the process of national and global financial intermediation and its key elements involving commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance. Individual classes deal with such topics as project finance and equity new issues, mergers and acquisitions, financial derivatives, and institutional funds management. Based on an understanding of the industry, additional classes focus on financial regulation and strategies of financial firms. The course is relatively non-technical and is intended to provide a broad-gauge overview of the global financial sector.
- Intermediate Macroeconomics
ECON-AD 104
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:15-9:30
Chetan Dave
Building on the material in The Global Economy, this course addresses four key aspects of macroeconomics: (1) growth-productivity and the determinants of economic growth; (2) fluctuations— the interaction between output and interest rates and the ways in which fiscal policies and monetary policies affect a macroeconomy; (3) inflation—how capacity constraints, money, credit and expectations determine the inflation rate; (4) money and banking—the relationship between money, the central bank and the banking system, the tools of monetary policy, the importance of financial stability, and the role of regulation. This course may be substituted with Adavnced Macroeconomics.
Students in the NYUNY Economics Dept: This course is equivalent to Intermediate ECON-UA 12 Macroeconomics: Business Cycles and Stabilization Policy
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Intermediate Microeconomics
ECON-AD 105
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 9:55-11:10
Andrew Schotter, Bernard Caillaud
This course provides a rigorous introduction to topics in microeconomic theory, including: consumer choice and demand behavior, the theory of the firm under perfect and imperfect competition, game theory, and strategy. It also discusses market imperfections and public policy on topics such as: monopoly and antitrust laws, externalities and public goods, and regulations. Uncertainty and insurance markets, moral hazard, adverse selection, and informational market failures are also covered. This course may be substituted with Adavnced Microeconomics.
Students in the NYUNY Economics Dept: This course is equivalent to ECON-UA 10 Intermediate Microeconomics
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- International Economics
ECON-AD 103
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:10-3:50
Examining both macro and micro aspects of the globalization of world economies, this course begins with the fundamentals of trade: comparative advantage, gains from trade, the price of factors of production, and the implications of labor and capital mobility. The second part of the course covers the role of money and finance in global economic activity. Topics include: the roles of the exchange rate; current and capital accounts as key variables in international economic relations; purchasing power parity and interest rate parity; the international effects of macro policy and government exchange rate policies; the role of oil exports in the world economy; and the role of international economic organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.
Students in the NYUNY Economics Dept: This course is equivalent to International Economics, ECON-UA 238
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Introduction to Economic Thinking
ECON-AD 101
This course offers students an introduction to how economists look at the world and approach problems. It focuses on individual economic decision-makers (households, business firms, and government agencies) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape our economic life. Applications of supply and demand analysis and the role of prices in a market system are explored. Students are also exposed to game theory, the theory of the competitive firm, the idea of market failure, and policy responses. The course relies on cases and examples, and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to shed light on modern economic principles and their application to solving the problems that face the global economy.
- Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOCSC-AD 110
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 4:00-5:15
Defne Ezgi - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 1:10-2:25
Christian Haefke, Florin Bilbiie
This course introduces students to the use of statistical methods in social and behavioral science research. Topics include: descriptive statistics; introduction to probability; sampling; statistical inference concerning means, standard deviations, and proportions; correlation; analysis of variance; linear regression, including multiple regression analysis. Applications to empirical situations in the social sciences are an integral part of the course. This course may be substituted for Statistics and Probability for Social Science (SOCSC-AD 113).
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Global Economy
ECON-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
Alberto Bisin, Jean Imbs - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
Alberto Bisin, Jean Imbs - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
John Leahy
This course introduces students to the basic elements and relationships that characterize a national economy (e.g., unemployment, inflation, and production) as well as definitions of investment and savings and the role of financial intermediation and government policy. The class also explores the nature of globalization, economic differences among countries, and winners and losers in the context of development. It also examines the role of labor, migration, and natural resources and the reasons why price stability is important to the global economy.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Breadth Electives
- Advanced Game Theory
POLSC-AD 113
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UT 8:30-9:45
Mario Chacon
This course continues the study of game theory and its applications to the social sciences. The course is divided into two parts. Part 1 studies non-cooperative game theory: Nash equilibrium in static games, extensions such as subgame perfection for dynamic games of complete information, Bayesian Nash equilibrium for static games with incomplete information, and sequential equilibrium (with refinements) for dynamic games with incomplete information. Applications to the social sciences include strategic choice of electoral platforms, collusion, lobbying, bargaining and signaling. Part 2 studies cooperative game theory, including common solution concepts such as the core and the stable set, as well as hybrid topics such as coalition and network formation, or mechanism design. Applications include political party formation, dynamic agenda-setting, the construction and implementation of voting rules, and the study of social networks. Students may take this course without the prerequisites if they have permission of the instructor.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
LEAD-AD 115J
Social Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and growing field which may be defined in various ways, yet at its core is about using evolved business thinking and practices to change the world. This course provides an introduction to the topic through discussion of how social entrepreneurs develop their ideas of social and environmental innovation, how they fund/finance their ventures, the ways in which they overcome the challenges of integrating various levels of economic performance with social/environmental impact and the types of organizations social entrepreneurs create (for-profit, non-profit, cooperative, hybrid, etc). Through a "deep dive" case study of a leading social enterprise, Sekem Group in Egypt, we explore the relevance of social entrepreneurship in a changing world and heighten our understanding of the potential we each hold to be "change makers." The course includes a field trip to Egypt.
- Foundations of Modern Social Thought
POLSC-AD 117
Major works of social thought from the beginning of modern era through the 1920s. Attention to social and intellectual context, conceptual frameworks and methods, and contributions to contemporary social analysis. Writers include Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Weber, and Durkheim.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit, For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-GA 3100, 3101 Political Theory
- Introduction to Game Theory
POLSC-AD 112
This course introduces the basic concepts of elementary game theory in a way that allows students to use them in solving simple problems. Topics include: the basics of cooperative and non-cooperative game theory; basic solution concepts such as Nash equilibrium and the core; and the extensions of these solutions to dynamic games and situations of incomplete information. Students will be exposed to a variety of simple games with varied and useful applications: zero-sum games; the Prisoner's Dilemma; coordination games; the Battle of the Sexes; repeated games; and elementary signaling games. The course will rely on a wide array of example applications of game theory in the social sciences.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 840 Intro to Game Theory
- Logic of Social Inquiry
SOCSC-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UT 10:10-12:50
Peter Bearman
Examines the several methodologies employed in social analysis. Studies the relationship between social questions raised and methods employed. It offers skills in developing research designs for explorative, descriptive, explanatory, and evaluation research. Special attention is paid to test causality and use experiments in social research.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Political Economy of Development
POLSC-AD 134
It is now widely acknowledged that politics plays a central role in influencing economic development. This makes the political economy of development a central area of research. While a student with an introductory background to political economy will have familiarity with theories based on voting, this course stresses a variety of other factors, such as the security of property rights, the creation of market and non-market institutions, lobbying and rent-seeking, collective action, social conflict, corruption, and the political economy of redistribution. Examples from historical experience as well as modern developing countries would be used throughout the course.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to Political Economy of Development, POL-UA 725
- Principles of Marketing
BUSOR-AD 111J
This course studies the fundamentals of marketing—from determining what it is that consumers want and need, translating those wants and needs into products and services, and selling those products and services in a highly competitive global marketplace. Depending on the instructor, different topic areas are emphasized, including, for example, the role of consumer research, product design and pricing, branding, and communications and promotional strategies in effective marketing.
- Social Networks
SRPP-AD 115
Social networks are the subject of some of the most exciting recent advances in the natural and social sciences. This course provides an introduction to the major discoveries in the field of social networks, particularly advances during the last decade. It also provides students with an introduction to the methods and software used to analyze and visualize social networks. Topics include the small-world puzzle (six degrees of separation), the strength of weak ties, centrality, complexity, thresholds (‘tipping points’), and the spread of diseases and fads. Case studies used in the course include topics such as the contagion of suicides, social influence on musical taste, sexual relationships among adolescents, inter- organizational networks, and the network structure of the internet. Course readings are an engaging blend of popular social science texts, journal articles, and scientific papers.
- Survey Research
SRPP-AD 120
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:35-12:50 - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50, T 2:35-3:50
This course introduces students to survey research. It discusses different sampling procedures, issues of questionnaire construction, measurements of values and beliefs, and interviewing techniques. It also introduces students to standard surveys, such as the General Population Survey, Eurobaromoter, and surveys carried out in the Middle East in the past decades. In their final paper, students analyze data from one of the existing survey data sets.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Advanced Game Theory
- Finance Specialization
- Global Banking and Financial Markets
ECON-AD 352J
The dynamics of the global banking and financial sector are central to economic performance and growth, and from time to time, financial markets and institutions are the scene of great turbulence. This course explores the process of national and global financial intermediation and its key elements involving commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance. Individual classes deal with such topics as project finance and equity new issues, mergers and acquisitions, financial derivatives, and institutional funds management. Based on an understanding of the industry, additional classes focus on financial regulation and strategies of financial firms. The course is relatively non-technical and is intended to provide a broad-gauge overview of the global financial sector.
- Global Banking and Financial Markets
- Theory Specialization
- Introduction to Econometrics
POLSC-AD 111
This course applies statistical methods as well as economic and political theory to empirical problems. Multivariate regression is introduced as a fundamental tool for examining the relationship between various observed outcomes, and matrix algebra is reviewed as the mathematical foundation for regression analysis. The course introduces estimation theory and techniques in the regression framework and covers extensions such as specification error tests, heteroskedasticity, and errors in variables. The use of instrumental variables, probit/logit, panel data models, and basic time series methods are also part of the course agenda. Throughout, the course stresses both the importance of theory and statistical tractability in achieving proper model specification, as well as the appropriate interpretation of statistical findings. Several applications to political science and economics will be studied.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Introduction to Econometrics
- Calculus
- Engineering
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Engineering Foundations 1: Design and Innovation
ENGR-AD 110
Design and Innovation: The course introduces the students to history and culture of design and development philosophies and practices, the modern principles of technology design, and concepts of innovation, sourcing, shaping and evaluating ideas and inventions. The labs emphasize experiential learning and innovation, and require students to use existing innovations to create and build prototypes of new technology/design products, with real-life constraints.
(2 credits)
- Engineering Foundations 1: Mechanics
ENGR-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
M 4:00-5:15, W 3:30-6:30 (lab on alternate weeks)
Douglas Cook
Mechanics: This module forms the basis for understanding principles of static and dynamic properties of materials and systems, while applying the science and mathematics knowledge gained through other courses in the curriculum. The course addresses a number of topics across the engineering disciplines. These include: static equilibrium of particles and rigid bodies, equivalent force and couple system, distributed force systems; static analysis of trusses, frames and machines; friction and impending motion; Newton’s laws.
(2 credits)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Engineering Foundations 2: Digital Logic
ENGR-AD 113
Digital Logic: This module covers combinational and sequential digital circuits. Topics include the introduction to digital systems, number systems and binary arithmetic, switching algebra and logic design, error detection and correction, combinational integrated circuits, including adders, timing hazards, sequential circuits, flipflops, state diagrams and synchronous machine synthesis. Programmable Logic Devices, finite-state machine design, and memory elements are also introduced.
(2 credits)
- Engineering Foundations 2: Laws of Conservation
ENGR-AD 112
Laws of Conservation: This module addresses the conservation laws of nature as applied to engineering. These include the conservation of mass, conservation of momentum and force, conservation of energy, and conservation of chemical species. It addresses properties of pure substances, concepts of work and heat, fluid pressure and hydrostatics, conservation laws applied to closed and open systems, and the fundamental laws of thermodynamics. Basic conservation laws are derived in integral and differential forms. Inviscid and viscous flows are discussed, including Bernoulli’s and Euler’s equations.
(2 credits)
- Engineering Foundations 3: Analytical Methods
ENGR-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
W 10:55-12:10, U 2:00-5:00 (lab on alternate weeks)
Ozgur Sinanoglu
Analytical Methods: This module introduces the analytical techniques of analyzing and characterizing engineering systems. Systems approaches where the entire system or each of the sub-systems are considered as single units are introduced. Mathematical models, time and frequency domain responses of the systems, the system transfer function are discussed. Linearity, causality, response, stability, and transforms are studied. Examples from a diverse set of engineering applications are used, from biosystems and nanosystems to devices and equipment to large factories.
(2 credits)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Engineering Foundations 3: Experimental Methods
ENGR-AD 114
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 10:55-12:10, U 2:00-5:00 (lab on alternate weeks)
Ramesh Jagannathan
Experimental Methods: This module introduces the design of experiments within an engineering context, planning of experimental programs, calibration, measurement uncertainty, noise, and generalized performance characteristics. Typical engineering measurements, and the various devices for measuring variables of interest in engineering such mass and volume-flow rate, velocity, pressure, temperature, density and heat flux, etc., are studied. Statistical analysis also is discussed as well as its use in planning and analysis of results.
(2 credits)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Engineering Foundations 4: Instrumentation, Sensors, Actuators
ENGR-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 12:35-1:50, W 2:00-5:00
Abdulmotaleb El Saddik
Engineering Foundations 4 consists of one module, as follows:
Instrumentation, Sensors, Actuators: The course focuses on electrical circuits and components, passive and active filtering for signal conditioning, dynamic measurement system response characteristics, analog signal processing, digital representation, data acquisition, sensors, actuators and actuator characteristics. Study of measurement systems via computer simulation also are discussed. The laboratory experiments draw upon examples from all disciplines of engineering. - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Introduction to Computer Science
CS-AD 101
This course introduces students to the foundations of computer science. Students learn how to design algorithms to solve problems and how to translate these algorithms into working computer programs using a high-level programming language. The course covers core concepts including: basic computation; data structure; control structure; iterative structures; file I/O and exception handling; recursion and functions. Students also learn the elements of Object Oriented Programming (OOP), such as objects, classes, inheritance, abstraction, polymorphism, and Interface. Students produce programs focusing on scientific concepts, graphics, games and web CGI implementation, and in a final project, they develop a fully functioning, interactive, fun game that employs a clean design, intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), simple to moderate strategy, and event-handling techniques.
Students in the NYUNY Computer Science Dept: This course is equivalent to CSCI-UA 0101 Introduction to Computer Science
- Linear Algebra
MATH-AD 300
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Oscar Lanford
In many applications of mathematics a response of some systems is nearly a linear function of the input. These linear systems, which arise in elasticity, in electrical engineering, and in economics for example, involve linear equations in many unknowns. The associated matrix algebra is a rich and beautiful field of mathematics. It is also central to the analysis of linear ordinary and partial differential equations. The material in this course includes systems of linear equations, Gaussian elimination, matrices, determinants, Cramer’s rule, vectors, vector spaces, basis and dimension, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and quadratic forms.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 140 Linear Algebra
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Multivariable Calculus
MATH-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Sofiane Bouarroudj
This course explores functions of several variables and has applications to science and engineering as well as economics. Specific topics include vectors in the plane and space; partial derivatives with applications; double and triple integrals; spherical and cylindrical coordinates; surface and line integrals; and divergence, gradient, and curl. In addition, the theorems of Gauss and Stokes are rigorously introduced.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 123 Calculus III
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Ordinary Differential Equations
MATH-AD 121
Ordinary differential equations arise in virtually all fields of applied mathematics. Newton’s equations of motion, the rate equations of chemical reactions, the currents flowing in electric circuits, all can be expressed as ordinary differential equations. The solutions of these equations usually evolve a combination of analytic and numerical methods. The course studies first- and second-order equations, solutions using infinite series, Laplace transforms, linear systems, numerical methods.
- Calculus
- Film and New Media
- Sound, Image, and Story
FILMM-AD 101
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 2:35-5:15
Joanne Savio
An intensive and practical production workshop introducing the fundamental principles of storytelling through sound, image, and visual sequencing. Using digital single-lens reflex cameras, that shoot both stills and video, students learn the essentials of cinematic language from composition to editing. Sound can include music, sound FX, and/or voiceover. Character, place, and memoir are explored in the context of the projects assigned. Students work individually as well as in collaboration. A major goal of the course is to develop the ability to work with others, and to understand professional protocol. Projects will be edited on Final Cut Pro. Four lab sessions outside of class are mandatory.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course counts for Film and Television core production course
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Language of the Moving Image
FILMM -AD 103
An introduction to the basic methods and concepts of screen studies. The course provides an overview of the historical development of cinema and television as international artistic and social forces. Topics include the role of the Internet as a challenge to traditional modes of media production and distribution. Students are also introduced to aesthetic questions, the language of production, and the lines of critical enquiry that have been developed for the media.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course is equivalent to FMTV-UT 4 The Language of Film
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- History, Theory, Criticism
- Frames of World Cinema: 1960 to present
FILMM-AD 150
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, M 7:30pm-10:30pm
Seung-hoon Jeong
World cinema typically has been studied as a collection of national traditions. What happens when the history of cinema is reframed within a set of regional, transnational, and global traditions? Students use film theory and close analysis to rethink the history of world cinema with particular emphasis on post-1960 Hollywood and New Wave films.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course is equivalent to FMTV-UT 322 International Cinema
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Frames of World Cinema: 1960 to present
- Production and Craft
- Directing the Actor
THEAT-AD 115
A course for theater directors, filmmakers, actors, and visual artists. Students build a directorial vocabulary for translating impulse and imagination into compelling narrative and non-narrative staged moments. Using techniques from Brecht, Brook, Grotowski, and Bogart, students learn to articulate ideas to actors in compelling and inspiring ways. Students explore physical exercises to increase their range as directors; tools with which to fuel actors physically and emotionally; and theories of collaboration and ensemble. The core of the class is the exploration of directing as a physical collaboration with actors within a landscape of thought, emotion, openness, and truth.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Drama Dept: This course counts for the Theater Studies Track B; it is equivalent to THEA-UT 676 Directing Practicum (Non-Western)
- Mobile Media
MDMED-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
M- 2:35-5:15; R 2:35-3:50
Shawn van Every
Mobile devices (phones) are used for both the production and consumption of rich media, augmenting their original purpose as one-to-one communication devices. This course explores the technology that enables the consumption and production of media on these devices with an eye toward how that media can be used in conjunction with the devices’ original social and communicative purposes. Students create projects that utilize the available technology to explore new forms of social media creation and consumption.
Students in the NYUNY ITP Dept: This course is equivalent to ITPG-GT 2690 Mobile Media
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Single Shot Cinema
FILMM-AD 116
In this hands-on course, we explore the vocabulary of camera movement and the dramatic impact of the long, single take. Single Shot Cinema is a film method that re-interprets film language based on the technical developments and possibilities of filmmaking in the digital age. What was once only possible with cranes and Steadicams is now accessible to the low-budget filmmaker. Students discover how to block actions and characters in a scene and how to choreograph one single shot, using smooth and flexible camera movements that expresses the drama, emotion, and vision of the director.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course counts for Film and Television as a 3-credit craft course
- Writing the Short Screenplay
FILMM-AD 110
A workshop designed to develop short screenplays from concept to structure to final draft. Topics include theme, character, research, story, conflict, dialogue, and script editing. The course aims to make a connection between the ancient traditions of the oral storyteller and the professional practice of the contemporary screenwriter when pitching to producers. Screenings and discussions focus on classical and contemporary examples of the short film from a variety of genres, traditions, and cultures. All students complete two short screenplays.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course is equivalent to FMTV-UT 1020 Writing the Short Screen Play
- Directing the Actor
- Sound, Image, and Story
- Foundations of Science
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
- History
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Asia-Pacific World
- Food and Drugs in Chinese History
HIST-AD 145J
The goal of this course is to examine Chinese society and culture through the lens of the consumption of food and drugs and to elucidate the central role played at different times by food and drugs in Chinese culture and its representations. We examine the role of food and drugs, especially opium, in Chinese social, cultural, economic, and political history, with an emphasis on the pre-modern period. Topics may include the relationship of health and diet; food in religious and ritual practice, gastronomy, consumption and the material culture of food and drugs, restaurants and catering; famine; imperial dining practices; tobacco smoking; opium smoking, cultivation, and elimination; the Opium Wars; and food, drugs, and identity, including the global association of China with food and with opium.
- Food and Drugs in Chinese History
- Atlantic World
- Ethnicity, Race, and Immigration in United States History
HIST-AD 166
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:10-3:50
David Hollinger
This course covers the basic immigration, ethnic, and racial history of the US from colonial times through the present. Which population groups arrived when, and with what political and cultural consequences for themselves and for other groups? How has public and private authority dealt with ethnic and racial diversity in the most conspicuous of the immigrant-receiving nations in the world, and one with egalitarian aspirations? What ideas about diversity and cosmopolitanism have developed in this American context?
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- U.S. in a Transnational and Global Perspective II: America and the World Since 1898
HIST-AD 160
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:30-9:45
Martin Klimke
This course is designed to explore ways of narrating a history of the United States that are not wholly contained within the territory of the United States. It seeks to identify histories larger than that of the United States within which the history of America is embedded and entangled, with the aim of rethinking the basic narrative of American history. Chronologically, it examines America's place in the world from the Spanish-American War to the presidency of Barack Obama. Themes range from immigration and economics to culture and politics in their global and transnational aspects. The course focuses on readings and discussion.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course is equivalent to HIST-UA 667 American History in Transnational Global Perspective
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Ethnicity, Race, and Immigration in United States History
- Global Thematic Courses
- Global Revolutions 1789-1989
HIST-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Amir Minsky
The course explores the phenomenology, theory, and practice of revolution from the French Revolution to the fall of Soviet communism. It seeks to answer three fundamental questions: what are the underlying causes of revolution; how and why do revolutions migrate or undergo cultural translation; and to what extent have revolutions become the catalyst for societal (dis/re)organization in modernity. Readings include historical documents as well as theoretical works by Burke, Marx, Lenin, Lukacs, Arendt, Fanon, Debray, and Marcuse.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Revolutions and Social Change
SRPP-AD 116
Revolutions mean purposive and contentious efforts to re-engineer whole societies according to the visions of justice and progress. What social theories better explain these exuberant, extraordinary events? How did the revolutionaries, their strategies and programs evolve during the modern epoch? What typically happened after taking power? Why so many wars and revolutionary dictatorships? This course introduces the recent theoretical advances in understanding contentious mass politics in relation to the formation of modern states, democratization, socialism and nationalism. Empirical examples include: the American Independence of 1776 and the French Revolution of 1789; the communist revolutions in Russia and China; the anti-colonial movements of the 20th century in India, South Africa and Cuba; and the youth revolts of 1968 in the West, 1979 in Iran, 1989 in the Soviet bloc, and the newest rebellions of the 2010s in the Middle East. This is a hands-on seminar exploring the practical dilemmas of social change, freedom, and modernity.
- The World System
SRPP-AD 110J
Since the 17th century there have been a series of different hegemonic powers within a transnational capitalist economy. This course surveys (a) the history of the capitalist system from Dutch and British hegemony through the American 20th century, the growth of corporations, various approaches to economic development, and the current opening up of the world to new economic powers, and (b) the related political history of European colonialism, nationalism, postcolonial societies, the Cold War, and the emerging multipolar world of today. It considers the nature of crises and social change, efforts to establish stability in the face of conflicts and disruptions, and possible futures open to the contemporary world. The course includes several field trips in the UAE.
- Urbanism and Modernity: Paris, Istanbul, Berlin
HIST-AD 164
This course explores the emergence of the “modern city” in three significant urban centers (Paris, Istanbul, Berlin) in relation to the demographic, economic, and political pressures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Attention is given to the foundations of community, the changing uses of public space, the appearance of new strategies of urban planning, and the contested process of defining the “modern” within a specific local culture.
- Global Revolutions 1789-1989
- Mediterranean World
- Paradise Lost: Muslims, Jews, and Christians in al-Andalus
MDARA-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:30-9:45
Justin Stearns
From the beginning of the 8th to the beginning of the 17th century, Islam played a crucial role in the history of the Iberian peninsula. Today this period is often portrayed as one of inter-religious harmony, while al-Andalus is simultaneously mourned in contemporary Islamist discourse as a lost paradise. In this course we investigate the rich and complex history of al-Andalus, focusing on the changing relationships between Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Making of the Muslim Middle East
MDARA-AD 113
Islam changed and shaped the Middle East, the Mediterranean world, and South Asia following its emergence in the seventh century. Muslims subsequently developed and expressed their faith in the disciplines of law, theology, and mysticism, even as their religious communities fractured into a variety of Sunni and Shi’a groups. This course focuses on primary sources to examine the richness of Islamicate civilization in the pre-modern world, including inter-religious relations as well as political and economic trends.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History non-western lecture credit; For the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Paradise Lost: Muslims, Jews, and Christians in al-Andalus
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- Literature and Creative Writing
- Cities and Modern Arabic Literature
MDARA-AD 117J
The novel is becoming the new dominant literary form in Arabic literature. Its origins go back to A Thousand and One Nights, and its roots come from different forms: Maqama, Sira, Khabar, Kissas. The novel reflects a complex relationship with the European model, and its history can be read as part of the attempt of modernism to create an authentic global voice. We use fiction as a tool to visit (figuratively) five cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Beirut, Haifa, and Baghdad. The novels are our guides in order to understand the multiple layers of a city, and to build knowledge about the relationship between literature and social life. We read works by Naguib Mahfouz, Sunalla Ibrahim, Huda Barakat, Hanan Al Sheikh, Tawfic Yussuf Awad, Sinan Antoun, and Ghassan Kanafani. We read the novels as both individual and collective experiences, and we discuss how the new literary genre reflected and participated in the process of social change.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS literature requirement
- Classic American Literature
LITCW-AD 127
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 9:55-11:10
Cyrus R.K. Patell
This course focuses on works that have been considered classics of "American Literature" and examines the history and politics behind the formation of the U.S. literary canon. The course asks students to think self-consciously about the terms used in its title. We examine the rise of “literature” as a discipline unto itself; the various factors that lead a work to be dubbed a "masterpiece" or a "classic"; and the politics of inclusion and exclusion that underlie the cultural mythology of "America." Topics to be considered include the nature of the "American Renaissance"; the meaning of American individualism; the mythology of American exceptionalism; the relation between history and cultural mythology; the dialectic of freedom and slavery in American rhetoric; and the American obsession with race. Authors: Columbus, Bradford, Winthrop, Rowlandson, Bradstreet, Taylor, Edwards, Franklin, Jefferson, Brown, Irving, Poe, Douglass, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Dickinson, Hawthorne, Melville, Twain, and Hemingway.
Students in the NYUNY English Dept: This course counts for English advanced elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Creative Writing
- Advanced Creative Writing: Spectrum of Essays
LITCW-AD 128
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 2:45-4:00
Heidi Stalla
This advanced nonfiction writing course explores the creative possibilities of both the persuasive and familiar essay forms. With the Art of Memory as the organizing principle, our material will include works by Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, Joseph Conrad, John Fowles, John Berger, Margaret Atwood and Andre Aciman as well as films directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski and Pedro Almodovar. The course combines discussion seminars and writing workshops with one-on-one conferences with the professor. Students work on honing their own narrative voices and aim to produce honors level work by the end of the semester.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Tales of Love and Death
LITCW-AD 126
This course explores foundational myths and fairy tales, from the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh to contemporary re-envisionings of Bluebeard and Cinderella. Long before print and the coming of the book, every society has told stories to tackle deep questions: about the human place in the world, the origins of natural phenomena, the meaning of love and war, the mystery of death. This form of literature has been called the work of “reasoned imagination” (Borges). There readings from classic works (Homer, Ovid, as well as the above), which act as a stimulus to original writing projects and inspire tales that draw on the participants’ own cultures.
- Writing the Short Screenplay
FILMM-AD 110
A workshop designed to develop short screenplays from concept to structure to final draft. Topics include theme, character, research, story, conflict, dialogue, and script editing. The course aims to make a connection between the ancient traditions of the oral storyteller and the professional practice of the contemporary screenwriter when pitching to producers. Screenings and discussions focus on classical and contemporary examples of the short film from a variety of genres, traditions, and cultures. All students complete two short screenplays.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Film and Television Dept: This course is equivalent to FMTV-UT 1020 Writing the Short Screen Play
- Advanced Creative Writing: Spectrum of Essays
- Cities and Modern Arabic Literature
- Mathematics
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Discrete Mathematics
CS-AD 102
An introduction to discrete mathematics, emphasizing proof and abstraction, as well as the applications to the computational sciences. Topics include: sets, relations, and functions; graphs and trees; algorithms, proof techniques, and order of magnitude analysis; Boolean algebra and combinatorial circuits; Formal logic, formal languages, and automata; combinatorics, probability, and statistics.
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Linear Algebra
MATH-AD 300
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Oscar Lanford
In many applications of mathematics a response of some systems is nearly a linear function of the input. These linear systems, which arise in elasticity, in electrical engineering, and in economics for example, involve linear equations in many unknowns. The associated matrix algebra is a rich and beautiful field of mathematics. It is also central to the analysis of linear ordinary and partial differential equations. The material in this course includes systems of linear equations, Gaussian elimination, matrices, determinants, Cramer’s rule, vectors, vector spaces, basis and dimension, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and quadratic forms.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 140 Linear Algebra
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Multivariable Calculus
MATH-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Sofiane Bouarroudj
This course explores functions of several variables and has applications to science and engineering as well as economics. Specific topics include vectors in the plane and space; partial derivatives with applications; double and triple integrals; spherical and cylindrical coordinates; surface and line integrals; and divergence, gradient, and curl. In addition, the theorems of Gauss and Stokes are rigorously introduced.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 123 Calculus III
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Ordinary Differential Equations
MATH-AD 121
Ordinary differential equations arise in virtually all fields of applied mathematics. Newton’s equations of motion, the rate equations of chemical reactions, the currents flowing in electric circuits, all can be expressed as ordinary differential equations. The solutions of these equations usually evolve a combination of analytic and numerical methods. The course studies first- and second-order equations, solutions using infinite series, Laplace transforms, linear systems, numerical methods.
- Courses for Non-Majors
- Mathematical Functions
MATH-AD 101
A fundamental understanding of mathematical functions is critical before engaging in the rigors of calculus. This course examines single variable functions, including their algebraic and geometric properties. The course begins with a rigorous exploration of the following question: What is a function, and how can it be represented geometrically as a graph? The course delves into standard function manipulations and examines a range of mathematical functions, including polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Placement into Mathematical Functions is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 009 Algebra and Calculus
- Mathematical Functions
- Calculus
- Music
- Making Music: from Creation to Distribution
MUSIC-AD 120
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 1:10-2:25
Celina Charlier, Jason King
This practical course endeavors to expose students to the various processes and tools by which music is creatively conceived and brought to public life. Students of various skill sets gain the necessary footing to develop/envision themselves as music practitioners/makers in a changing global landscape, as we endeavor to focus on cosmopolitan music practices that draw on the uniqueness of the UAE as a global site. Students work in teams to develop creative music projects involving original writing/composition, recording, performance, and a basic creative plan for dissemination that also involves emergent and/or interactive media. The course also has a historical scope in which students consider how aforementioned broad course questions have been addressed at different key moments in history and how the complexion of those questions has differed in various national and regional contexts.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Arts Practice
- Independent Study in Music Practice
MUSIC-AD 121
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
Celina Charlier
Music majors as well as non-music majors are encouraged to participate in small ensembles or individual instruction. This course is not offered for credit. Music majors need to petition the instructor and the Associate Dean of the Arts for course credit.
Ensembles: There are three ensembles: strings, winds, and new music. New music ensemble will collaborate with an NYU New York music class for a telematic concert. Ensembles include weekly coaching and participation in two concerts per semester. Placement auditions are held during the first week of classes.
Individual Instruction: One-hour weekly music interpretation lessons on repertoire to be decided by the student and professor. The student may choose to concentrate on a specific period, style or genre, or choose a more eclectic/global approach. Students participate in two concerts.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Independent Study in Music Practice
- History, Theory, Criticism
- Topics in Western Classical Music: Baroque Music History
MUSIC-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 2:35-3:50
Celina Charlier
Rather than present stylistic overviews, this course focuses on selected works and introduce them in various contexts. Depending on the experience and expertise of the instructor, the course might focus on Bach fugues, Mozart opera, Schoenberg’s piano music, or the development of electro-acoustic music. While the focus is on issues of how these works create effects, and resultant questions of meaning, we also look at sociological and political issues.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Topics in Western Classical Music: Baroque Music History
- Making Music: from Creation to Distribution
- Philosophy
- Central Problems in Philosophy
PHIL-AD 114
This course introduces students to the discipline of philosophy by way of several philosophical problems, including skepticism, the ethics of punishment, and the existence of God. But philosophy is more than a set of specific problems. It is a way of attacking problems. We focus on the method of philosophy: clear, careful, analytical reasoning. We practice this method and hone our philosophical skills both in class discussions and in written work.
Students in the NYUNY Philosophy Dept: This course is equivalent to PHIL-UA 1 Central Problems; counts for the minor requirement of one Introductory course in the subject
- Logic
PHIL-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 11:20-12:35
Matthew Silverstein
All philosophers are wise. Socrates is a philosopher. Therefore, Socrates is wise. Our topic is the nature of this therefore. Logic is the science of reasoning—the study of the ways in which statements support or contradict one another. We investigate the logical structure of everyday language and see how the correctness or incorrectness of reasoning depends on this structure. We develop a formal language in order to make this structure more perspicuous.
Students in the NYUNY Philosophy Dept: This course is equivalent to PHIL-UA 70–001 Logic; counts for the minor requirement in the subject
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Central Problems in Philosophy
- Physics
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS-AD 301
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 1:10-2:35
Introduction to Maxwell's equations with applications to physical problems. Topics include electrostatics, magnetostatics, the solution of the Laplace and Poisson equations, dielectrics and magnetic materials, electromagnetic waves and radiation, Fresnel equations, transmission lines, and wave guides.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function
SCIEN-AD 107,108,110
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 4: Form and Function explores a question applicable to all branches of science: How does the form or shape of a physical entity set its function? This leads to another question: If a specific function is desired, can a form or shape be engineered or modified to execute or improve that function? The course examines the form/function concept in magnetic and electrical fields, the behavior and design of small molecules, and the activity of proteins as the workhorse in biological systems. Laboratory exercises require students to design experiments related to crystals and crystallography, and to examine chemical forms at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion section are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Linear Algebra
MATH-AD 300
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Oscar Lanford
In many applications of mathematics a response of some systems is nearly a linear function of the input. These linear systems, which arise in elasticity, in electrical engineering, and in economics for example, involve linear equations in many unknowns. The associated matrix algebra is a rich and beautiful field of mathematics. It is also central to the analysis of linear ordinary and partial differential equations. The material in this course includes systems of linear equations, Gaussian elimination, matrices, determinants, Cramer’s rule, vectors, vector spaces, basis and dimension, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and quadratic forms.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 140 Linear Algebra
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Mechanics
PHYS-AD 300
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 2:35-3:50
Joseph Gelfand
Intermediate-level course on the principles and applications of dynamics. Topics include rotational kinematics and dynamics, conservation laws, central force motion, Lagrange’s and Hamilton’s equations, normal modes and small oscillations, accelerated reference frames, Fourier analysis, and chaos theory.
Students in the NYUNY Physics Dept: This course is equivalent to PHYS-UA 120 Dynamics
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Multivariable Calculus
MATH-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Sofiane Bouarroudj
This course explores functions of several variables and has applications to science and engineering as well as economics. Specific topics include vectors in the plane and space; partial derivatives with applications; double and triple integrals; spherical and cylindrical coordinates; surface and line integrals; and divergence, gradient, and curl. In addition, the theorems of Gauss and Stokes are rigorously introduced.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 123 Calculus III
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Ordinary Differential Equations
MATH-AD 121
Ordinary differential equations arise in virtually all fields of applied mathematics. Newton’s equations of motion, the rate equations of chemical reactions, the currents flowing in electric circuits, all can be expressed as ordinary differential equations. The solutions of these equations usually evolve a combination of analytic and numerical methods. The course studies first- and second-order equations, solutions using infinite series, Laplace transforms, linear systems, numerical methods.
- Calculus
- Political Science
- Introduction to Political Thinking
POLSC-AD 130
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 9:55-11:10
Jeffrey Jensen - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Jeffrey Jensen
Students learn how political scientists look at the world and approach problems. The course focuses on individual decision makers in the world of politics (citizens, voters, legislators, executives, judges) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape political outcomes. Students study the formal modeling of political behavior and analyze the theories of social choice (how groups of rational individuals make decisions) and collective action (how groups of rational individuals take action). The course also explores how political institutions, such as electoral rules or the design of legislatures, can structure the interactions of these actors. The course relies on cases and examples and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to illustrate how these models of political behavior and institutions can shed light on current political events.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOCSC-AD 110
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 4:00-5:15
Defne Ezgi - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 1:10-2:25
Christian Haefke, Florin Bilbiie
This course introduces students to the use of statistical methods in social and behavioral science research. Topics include: descriptive statistics; introduction to probability; sampling; statistical inference concerning means, standard deviations, and proportions; correlation; analysis of variance; linear regression, including multiple regression analysis. Applications to empirical situations in the social sciences are an integral part of the course. This course may be substituted for Statistics and Probability for Social Science (SOCSC-AD 113).
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Comparative Politics
- Bridging the Divide Between the Arab World and the West
POLSC-AD 157J
The course provides students with an opportunity to engage in a multifaceted examination of Arab perceptions of the US and the West, and Western perceptions of the Arab world. Students review literature and press examples of how Arab and Western media, popular culture, and political commentary portray each other. They design and execute a public opinion survey of U.S. and Arab attitudes in order to better understand how each side sees the other—using the poll-driven data to measure the gaps in understanding. The course also includes a televised town hall discussion with the students as participants engaging each other and peers from across the region in an examination of the topic.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit.
- Introduction to Comparative Politics
POLSC-AD 150
This course will introduce students to the study of comparative politics and the study of domestic political institutions around the world. The course will emphasize the use of theory and evidence to generate and test hypotheses about both the causes and the consequences of the observed variation in domestic political institutions. For example, the course will investigate the factors that lead some countries to democratize, and others to institute authoritarian governments, as well as the consequences of those institutional choices for policy outcomes. The course will also look at the variations in institutional arrangements within both democratic and non-democratic governments.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 500 Comparative Politics
- Politics in Modern Europe
POLSC-AD 155J
This course explores the politics of the EU, of central and eastern Europe, and of western Europe. With regard to the EU, classical governance issues of popular representation and accountable elite decision-making are both sharply drawn and the subject of explicit agreements between states. These same issues were explicitly confronted in the recent past by those involved in democratization and democratic consolidation central and eastern Europe. Western Europe is the intellectual "home" to many of the classical models of popular representation and accountable elite decision-making, yet all countries, and especially smaller countries, are now forced to adapt these models in a setting where the traditional notion of the "stand alone" nation-state is becoming ever less relevant.
- Power and Politics in America
POLSC-AD 156
This course has as a central focus the political institutions of the United States and the effects of those institutions on policy outcomes. The course also places these institutions in the context of those of other wealthy democracies, as a means of illustrating several of the unique features of American political institutions. Topics covered in the course include separation of powers, federalism, and single-member district electoral rules.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Philosophy Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 300 Power & Politics in America
- Bridging the Divide Between the Arab World and the West
- International Politics
- Introduction to International Politics
POLSC-AD 170
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:00-4:00
Peter Rosendorff
This course is a prerequisite for most courses in this area of the curriculum.
The goal of this course is to introduce the basic analytical concepts and techniques that are essential for understanding international politics. We are especially concerned with analytically exploring major issues in international politics, such as the causes of war, the emergence of cooperative trade relations between states, the origins and functioning of international organizations such as the United Nations, and the political determinants of financial crises. The focus of the course is neither historical nor descriptive; rather, it requires students to exercise skills in logic and to think of imaginative ways to apply subtle techniques to gain a clearer grasp of the above political issues.Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 700 International Politics
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Introduction to International Politics
- Methods Electives
- Advanced Game Theory
POLSC-AD 113
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UT 8:30-9:45
Mario Chacon
This course continues the study of game theory and its applications to the social sciences. The course is divided into two parts. Part 1 studies non-cooperative game theory: Nash equilibrium in static games, extensions such as subgame perfection for dynamic games of complete information, Bayesian Nash equilibrium for static games with incomplete information, and sequential equilibrium (with refinements) for dynamic games with incomplete information. Applications to the social sciences include strategic choice of electoral platforms, collusion, lobbying, bargaining and signaling. Part 2 studies cooperative game theory, including common solution concepts such as the core and the stable set, as well as hybrid topics such as coalition and network formation, or mechanism design. Applications include political party formation, dynamic agenda-setting, the construction and implementation of voting rules, and the study of social networks. Students may take this course without the prerequisites if they have permission of the instructor.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Modern Social Thought
POLSC-AD 117
Major works of social thought from the beginning of modern era through the 1920s. Attention to social and intellectual context, conceptual frameworks and methods, and contributions to contemporary social analysis. Writers include Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Weber, and Durkheim.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit, For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-GA 3100, 3101 Political Theory
- Introduction to Econometrics
POLSC-AD 111
This course applies statistical methods as well as economic and political theory to empirical problems. Multivariate regression is introduced as a fundamental tool for examining the relationship between various observed outcomes, and matrix algebra is reviewed as the mathematical foundation for regression analysis. The course introduces estimation theory and techniques in the regression framework and covers extensions such as specification error tests, heteroskedasticity, and errors in variables. The use of instrumental variables, probit/logit, panel data models, and basic time series methods are also part of the course agenda. Throughout, the course stresses both the importance of theory and statistical tractability in achieving proper model specification, as well as the appropriate interpretation of statistical findings. Several applications to political science and economics will be studied.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Introduction to Game Theory
POLSC-AD 112
This course introduces the basic concepts of elementary game theory in a way that allows students to use them in solving simple problems. Topics include: the basics of cooperative and non-cooperative game theory; basic solution concepts such as Nash equilibrium and the core; and the extensions of these solutions to dynamic games and situations of incomplete information. Students will be exposed to a variety of simple games with varied and useful applications: zero-sum games; the Prisoner's Dilemma; coordination games; the Battle of the Sexes; repeated games; and elementary signaling games. The course will rely on a wide array of example applications of game theory in the social sciences.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 840 Intro to Game Theory
- Logic of Social Inquiry
SOCSC-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UT 10:10-12:50
Peter Bearman
Examines the several methodologies employed in social analysis. Studies the relationship between social questions raised and methods employed. It offers skills in developing research designs for explorative, descriptive, explanatory, and evaluation research. Special attention is paid to test causality and use experiments in social research.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Survey Research
SRPP-AD 120
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:35-12:50 - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50, T 2:35-3:50
This course introduces students to survey research. It discusses different sampling procedures, issues of questionnaire construction, measurements of values and beliefs, and interviewing techniques. It also introduces students to standard surveys, such as the General Population Survey, Eurobaromoter, and surveys carried out in the Middle East in the past decades. In their final paper, students analyze data from one of the existing survey data sets.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Advanced Game Theory
- Political Theory and Institutions
- Elections and Voting
POLSC-AD 131
In this course we will draw on both theory and evidence to investigate the interplay between voters' preferences and electoral rules in modern democracies. We will begin by thinking about voters' utility functions: what kinds of returns do citizens get from voting? How do voters in different democracies weigh candidates' policy positions, information about economic performance, and their partisan affiliations? We will then consider how different electoral institutions aggregate voters' preferences and the effects of varying electoral rules on party competition, including the number and ideological character of parties, and the responsiveness of elected officials to voter preferences.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 505 Elections and Voting
- Political Economy of Development
POLSC-AD 134
It is now widely acknowledged that politics plays a central role in influencing economic development. This makes the political economy of development a central area of research. While a student with an introductory background to political economy will have familiarity with theories based on voting, this course stresses a variety of other factors, such as the security of property rights, the creation of market and non-market institutions, lobbying and rent-seeking, collective action, social conflict, corruption, and the political economy of redistribution. Examples from historical experience as well as modern developing countries would be used throughout the course.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to Political Economy of Development, POL-UA 725
- Politics and Finance
POLSC-AD 135
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:15-9:30
Abdul Noury
This course examines how legislation and regulation influence the structure of financial markets, and how players in these markets intervene in the political process to create or modify legislative and regulatory outcomes. Particular emphasis is placed on the United States, although international comparisons are also present. The approach is similar to that used in microeconomics, except that transactions are made through voting institutions rather than through economic exchange.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the American Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Social Networks
SRPP-AD 115
Social networks are the subject of some of the most exciting recent advances in the natural and social sciences. This course provides an introduction to the major discoveries in the field of social networks, particularly advances during the last decade. It also provides students with an introduction to the methods and software used to analyze and visualize social networks. Topics include the small-world puzzle (six degrees of separation), the strength of weak ties, centrality, complexity, thresholds (‘tipping points’), and the spread of diseases and fads. Case studies used in the course include topics such as the contagion of suicides, social influence on musical taste, sexual relationships among adolescents, inter- organizational networks, and the network structure of the internet. Course readings are an engaging blend of popular social science texts, journal articles, and scientific papers.
- Elections and Voting
- Introduction to Political Thinking
- Psychology
- Introduction to Psychology
PSYCH-AD 101
Introduction to the fundamental principles of psychology, emphasizing both the unity and diversity of a field that spans major theoretical and research areas, including biological bases of human behavior, learning, development, motivation, as well as social and abnormal behavior. Opportunities to apply knowledge gained in lectures and readings are available through computer-based demonstrations, in-class exercises, and required field experiences.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Psychology Dept: This course counts is equivalent to PSYCH-UA 1 Introduction to Psychology
- Research Methods in Psychology
PSYCH-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:30-9:45
Susanne Quadflieg
Overview of diverse research designs of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Introduction to essential components of research methods, including formulation of questions and hypotheses, identification of variables and operational definitions, sampling, data collection, and basic analytical techniques. Students learn the basic elements and logic of psychological research and develop a conceptual and critical understanding of rigorous analysis.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOCSC-AD 110
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 4:00-5:15
Defne Ezgi - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 1:10-2:25
Christian Haefke, Florin Bilbiie
This course introduces students to the use of statistical methods in social and behavioral science research. Topics include: descriptive statistics; introduction to probability; sampling; statistical inference concerning means, standard deviations, and proportions; correlation; analysis of variance; linear regression, including multiple regression analysis. Applications to empirical situations in the social sciences are an integral part of the course. This course may be substituted for Statistics and Probability for Social Science (SOCSC-AD 113).
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Social Psychology
- Culture and Context
PSYCH-AD 152
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 9:55-12:35
Niobe Way
In-depth examination of the cultural and contextual factors and how these factors influence every aspect of psychological theory, practice and research. Major theories, assessment approaches, practice and research in psychology are critiqued by investigating universalistic principles, behavior and experience as it occurs in multiple cultures, as well as issues such as oppression, racism, prejudice, social class, and value differences.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Culture and Context
- Introduction to Psychology
- Social Research and Public Policy
- Entrepreneurship
SRPP-AD 122
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:00-4:00
Victor Nee
Whether as heroes or agents of creative destruction, entrepreneurs and their innovations have had a transformative influence on modern economic growth and the wealth of nations. The first part of the seminar introduces the classical and contemporary writings on the rise of entrepreneurial capitalism in the West and the global diffusion of modern entrepreneurial spirit and firm. Classical approaches pioneered the study of modern entrepreneurship in its rational orientation to profit-making through innovative activity. Contemporary approaches shift the emphasis away from analysis of individual attributes and agency to focus on examining the role of social networks, organizational forms, and institutional environment in facilitating entrepreneurial activity. In the final part, the seminar we focus on research on entrepreneurship using secondary sources and data available through the internet.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Ethnographic Field Research
SRPP-AD 125
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 1:10-2:25
Georgi Derluguian
The course offers a practical introduction to the theoretical and methodological issues of ethnographic field research. The course offers students hands-on experience to carry out ethnographic field research, conduct in-depth interviews, and carry out participant observations.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Family and Kinship
CORES-AD 16
Being part of a family and of being related, or kin, to other human beings is a universal human experience; it is fundamental to our sense of ourselves. Yet what we mean by family or by kinship changes dramatically across societies and through time. This course introduces social scientific approaches to and methods for understanding and analyzing this diversity; it therefore asks students to explore the relationship between the universal and what is specific to particular societies and cultures.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Foundations of Modern Social Thought
POLSC-AD 117
Major works of social thought from the beginning of modern era through the 1920s. Attention to social and intellectual context, conceptual frameworks and methods, and contributions to contemporary social analysis. Writers include Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Adam Smith, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Weber, and Durkheim.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit, For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-GA 3100, 3101 Political Theory
- Global Revolutions 1789-1989
HIST-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35
Amir Minsky
The course explores the phenomenology, theory, and practice of revolution from the French Revolution to the fall of Soviet communism. It seeks to answer three fundamental questions: what are the underlying causes of revolution; how and why do revolutions migrate or undergo cultural translation; and to what extent have revolutions become the catalyst for societal (dis/re)organization in modernity. Readings include historical documents as well as theoretical works by Burke, Marx, Lenin, Lukacs, Arendt, Fanon, Debray, and Marcuse.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Globalization and Education
SRPP-AD 113
What is globalization, and what are the implications of living in a “global world” for education? How can education be used as a tool to promote global social justice and prosperity? This course explores these questions by first examining various theoretical perspectives on globalization, then analyzing several major themes associated with globalization and education. Case studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America provide concrete examples of how global forces are changing the content and context of education internationally.
- Introduction to Economic Thinking
ECON-AD 101
This course offers students an introduction to how economists look at the world and approach problems. It focuses on individual economic decision-makers (households, business firms, and government agencies) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape our economic life. Applications of supply and demand analysis and the role of prices in a market system are explored. Students are also exposed to game theory, the theory of the competitive firm, the idea of market failure, and policy responses. The course relies on cases and examples, and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to shed light on modern economic principles and their application to solving the problems that face the global economy.
- Introduction to Political Thinking
POLSC-AD 130
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:20-12:35, T 9:55-11:10
Jeffrey Jensen - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:20-12:35
Jeffrey Jensen
Students learn how political scientists look at the world and approach problems. The course focuses on individual decision makers in the world of politics (citizens, voters, legislators, executives, judges) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape political outcomes. Students study the formal modeling of political behavior and analyze the theories of social choice (how groups of rational individuals make decisions) and collective action (how groups of rational individuals take action). The course also explores how political institutions, such as electoral rules or the design of legislatures, can structure the interactions of these actors. The course relies on cases and examples and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to illustrate how these models of political behavior and institutions can shed light on current political events.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Logic of Social Inquiry
SOCSC-AD 112
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UT 10:10-12:50
Peter Bearman
Examines the several methodologies employed in social analysis. Studies the relationship between social questions raised and methods employed. It offers skills in developing research designs for explorative, descriptive, explanatory, and evaluation research. Special attention is paid to test causality and use experiments in social research.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Societies and Social Sciences (Morse Academic Plan) credit; For the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Political Economy of Development
POLSC-AD 134
It is now widely acknowledged that politics plays a central role in influencing economic development. This makes the political economy of development a central area of research. While a student with an introductory background to political economy will have familiarity with theories based on voting, this course stresses a variety of other factors, such as the security of property rights, the creation of market and non-market institutions, lobbying and rent-seeking, collective action, social conflict, corruption, and the political economy of redistribution. Examples from historical experience as well as modern developing countries would be used throughout the course.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to Political Economy of Development, POL-UA 725
- Public Policy and Social Problems: Homelessness, Mental Illness and Child Welfare in New York City
SRPP-AD 118J
This course is an introduction to the study of social problems through exploration of three primary issues in New York City: homelessness, mental illness and child welfare. It encompasses: the history of each social condition; a review of research in each area and micro and macro (governmental) approaches to these problems. Students have the opportunity to visit agencies, to meet with professionals and consumers of service and to compare the government and American public policy response to these problems with that of their home country. Presentations are made by guest speakers who are experts in each of these areas.
- Punishment in Law, Politics and Society
LAW-AD 114J
This seminar investigates the state’s power to punish. We read foundational works from philosophy, sociology, political science, and law to explore why states punish, how they punish, and whom they punish. We also focus in particular on the modern American approach to punishment, including its use of mass incarceration and the death penalty. We closely read and analyze cases from the Supreme Court of the United States in light of the fundamental purposes of punishment, and we consider how the American approach compares with penal practices in other nations and regions. Part of the seminar takes place outside the classroom and inside criminal justice institutions in New York. Though subject to change, these outside activities may include attending arraignment court, observing a sentencing hearing, and visiting a correctional facility.
- Relationships, Love and Sex
SRPP-AD 124
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 10:10-12:50
Paula England
This course examines very personal areas of life—romantic relationships, marriage, and sexuality. Behavior in these private realms is strongly affected by culture, economics, and politics, and varies across societies and subgroups within societies. Topics include how young adults find romantic partners, changing standards of permissible sexual behavior, attitudes toward same-sex relationships, changing meanings of marriage, and public policies directed at these behaviors.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Revolutions and Social Change
SRPP-AD 116
Revolutions mean purposive and contentious efforts to re-engineer whole societies according to the visions of justice and progress. What social theories better explain these exuberant, extraordinary events? How did the revolutionaries, their strategies and programs evolve during the modern epoch? What typically happened after taking power? Why so many wars and revolutionary dictatorships? This course introduces the recent theoretical advances in understanding contentious mass politics in relation to the formation of modern states, democratization, socialism and nationalism. Empirical examples include: the American Independence of 1776 and the French Revolution of 1789; the communist revolutions in Russia and China; the anti-colonial movements of the 20th century in India, South Africa and Cuba; and the youth revolts of 1968 in the West, 1979 in Iran, 1989 in the Soviet bloc, and the newest rebellions of the 2010s in the Middle East. This is a hands-on seminar exploring the practical dilemmas of social change, freedom, and modernity.
- Science and Society
SRPP-AD 123
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50
Ann Morning
Social scientists who study science often make a simple, but controversial claim: that science is fundamentally shaped by social forces. This premise challenges contemporary understanding of science as producing true, objective knowledge that is independent of culture and social structure. We study debates about the nature of science versus religion, Western versus non-Western knowledge, and the physical versus social sciences in order to form our own conclusions about the relationship between science and society.
Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Social Scientific Study of Religion: Religion, Nation-State and the Politics of Gender
SRPP-AD 117
This seminar will examine the vexed relation between the divine and popular sovereignty, religion and the nation-state, particularly as these involve issues of gender, sexuality and patriarchal authority. We will seek to compare instances of the politicization of religion as a basis of collective identity, state legitimacy and legislation in both Christian and Muslim countries: the United States, France, Turkey, Iran and Egypt. The seminar will also examine social theoretical understandings of the institutional relation of religion and nation-state in the works of Max Weber, Jose Casanova, Craig Calhoun, Talal Asad and Rogers Brubaker, among others.
Students in the NYUNY Religion Dept: This course counts for Religion elective credit; For the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course counts for Sociology elective credit
- Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
SOCSC-AD 110
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UTW 4:00-5:15
Defne Ezgi - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 1:10-2:25
Christian Haefke, Florin Bilbiie
This course introduces students to the use of statistical methods in social and behavioral science research. Topics include: descriptive statistics; introduction to probability; sampling; statistical inference concerning means, standard deviations, and proportions; correlation; analysis of variance; linear regression, including multiple regression analysis. Applications to empirical situations in the social sciences are an integral part of the course. This course may be substituted for Statistics and Probability for Social Science (SOCSC-AD 113).
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Survey Research
SRPP-AD 120
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTR 11:35-12:50 - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 11:35-12:50, T 2:35-3:50
This course introduces students to survey research. It discusses different sampling procedures, issues of questionnaire construction, measurements of values and beliefs, and interviewing techniques. It also introduces students to standard surveys, such as the General Population Survey, Eurobaromoter, and surveys carried out in the Middle East in the past decades. In their final paper, students analyze data from one of the existing survey data sets.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Global Economy
ECON-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
Alberto Bisin, Jean Imbs - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
Alberto Bisin, Jean Imbs - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
John Leahy
This course introduces students to the basic elements and relationships that characterize a national economy (e.g., unemployment, inflation, and production) as well as definitions of investment and savings and the role of financial intermediation and government policy. The class also explores the nature of globalization, economic differences among countries, and winners and losers in the context of development. It also examines the role of labor, migration, and natural resources and the reasons why price stability is important to the global economy.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Global Ghetto: from Venice to Gaza
SRPP-AD 114
This seminar traces the birth and spread of the ghetto as a social form and as an idea from the early modern era to the present. It begins in Venice with the first community to carry that name, and ends with Gaza, a place which the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Situation of Human Rights in
the Palestinian Territories has argued evokes the worst historic memories of ghettoization. Along the way we explore the early modern Jewish ghettos of Frankfurt, Prague and Rome; Nazi-controlled ghettos in Poland during World War II; Jewish immigrant ghettos of early 20th-century New York and Chicago; and Black ghettos in northern U.S. cities from World War II to the present. Efforts to generalize to gay communities, Chinatowns, and barrios are also considered. As we trace the spread of the ghetto idea across history, we ask: what is it about this 16th century concept, coined for a now obsolete Jewish residential area, that continues to concern and captivate us? - Wealth and Inequality
SRPP-AD 119J
The rapid increase in wealth and income inequality in many countries, and its consequences, are the subject of this course. Using New York City as our laboratory, we explore some of the ways in which wealth and power are created and maintained, as well as examining some of the social consequences of high levels of inequality for individuals and societies as a whole. Readings and lectures explore the social and political economy of inequality through the work of contemporary social science. Field trips, films, and guest lectures, as well as meetings.
- Methods Electives
- Advanced Game Theory
POLSC-AD 113
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UT 8:30-9:45
Mario Chacon
This course continues the study of game theory and its applications to the social sciences. The course is divided into two parts. Part 1 studies non-cooperative game theory: Nash equilibrium in static games, extensions such as subgame perfection for dynamic games of complete information, Bayesian Nash equilibrium for static games with incomplete information, and sequential equilibrium (with refinements) for dynamic games with incomplete information. Applications to the social sciences include strategic choice of electoral platforms, collusion, lobbying, bargaining and signaling. Part 2 studies cooperative game theory, including common solution concepts such as the core and the stable set, as well as hybrid topics such as coalition and network formation, or mechanism design. Applications include political party formation, dynamic agenda-setting, the construction and implementation of voting rules, and the study of social networks. Students may take this course without the prerequisites if they have permission of the instructor.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Introduction to Econometrics
POLSC-AD 111
This course applies statistical methods as well as economic and political theory to empirical problems. Multivariate regression is introduced as a fundamental tool for examining the relationship between various observed outcomes, and matrix algebra is reviewed as the mathematical foundation for regression analysis. The course introduces estimation theory and techniques in the regression framework and covers extensions such as specification error tests, heteroskedasticity, and errors in variables. The use of instrumental variables, probit/logit, panel data models, and basic time series methods are also part of the course agenda. Throughout, the course stresses both the importance of theory and statistical tractability in achieving proper model specification, as well as the appropriate interpretation of statistical findings. Several applications to political science and economics will be studied.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the Analytical Politics field
- Introduction to Game Theory
POLSC-AD 112
This course introduces the basic concepts of elementary game theory in a way that allows students to use them in solving simple problems. Topics include: the basics of cooperative and non-cooperative game theory; basic solution concepts such as Nash equilibrium and the core; and the extensions of these solutions to dynamic games and situations of incomplete information. Students will be exposed to a variety of simple games with varied and useful applications: zero-sum games; the Prisoner's Dilemma; coordination games; the Battle of the Sexes; repeated games; and elementary signaling games. The course will rely on a wide array of example applications of game theory in the social sciences.
Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course is equivalent to POL-UA 840 Intro to Game Theory
- Social Networks
SRPP-AD 115
Social networks are the subject of some of the most exciting recent advances in the natural and social sciences. This course provides an introduction to the major discoveries in the field of social networks, particularly advances during the last decade. It also provides students with an introduction to the methods and software used to analyze and visualize social networks. Topics include the small-world puzzle (six degrees of separation), the strength of weak ties, centrality, complexity, thresholds (‘tipping points’), and the spread of diseases and fads. Case studies used in the course include topics such as the contagion of suicides, social influence on musical taste, sexual relationships among adolescents, inter- organizational networks, and the network structure of the internet. Course readings are an engaging blend of popular social science texts, journal articles, and scientific papers.
- Advanced Game Theory
- Principal Electives
- Anthropology and the Arab World
MDARA-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 1:10-2:25
Nathalie Peutz
How have anthropologists encountered, written about, and produced the “Arab world” over the past century? Beginning with early Western travelers’ imaginaries of Arabia and ending with an ethnography of Egyptian dreamscapes, this course provides an introduction to the anthropological project and to the everyday realities of people living in the region. Through ethnography, literature, film, and fieldtrips, we explore such topics as colonialism, nation building and development, family, gender and piety, media, art and globalization, labor migration, diaspora, and pilgrimage.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Bridging the Divide Between the Arab World and the West
POLSC-AD 157J
The course provides students with an opportunity to engage in a multifaceted examination of Arab perceptions of the US and the West, and Western perceptions of the Arab world. Students review literature and press examples of how Arab and Western media, popular culture, and political commentary portray each other. They design and execute a public opinion survey of U.S. and Arab attitudes in order to better understand how each side sees the other—using the poll-driven data to measure the gaps in understanding. The course also includes a televised town hall discussion with the students as participants engaging each other and peers from across the region in an examination of the topic.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit.
- Race and Ethnicity
SRPP-AD 121
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 1:00-2:15
Ann Morning
This course explores the concepts of race and ethnicity in
international comparative perspective. After their historical
emergence in Western Europe and the United States, we will consider
how migration, state policies, and economic organization shape the
classification and characterization of racial and ethnic groups
worldwide. Sociological theories of discrimination and stratification
will be applied to diverse national case studies. We will also
examine ways in which the media, arts, and sciences contribute to our
notions of racial and ethnic difference.Students in the NYUNY Sociology Dept: This course is equivalent to SOC-UA 135 Race and Ethnicity
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The World System
SRPP-AD 110J
Since the 17th century there have been a series of different hegemonic powers within a transnational capitalist economy. This course surveys (a) the history of the capitalist system from Dutch and British hegemony through the American 20th century, the growth of corporations, various approaches to economic development, and the current opening up of the world to new economic powers, and (b) the related political history of European colonialism, nationalism, postcolonial societies, the Cold War, and the emerging multipolar world of today. It considers the nature of crises and social change, efforts to establish stability in the face of conflicts and disruptions, and possible futures open to the contemporary world. The course includes several field trips in the UAE.
- Anthropology and the Arab World
- Entrepreneurship
- Theater
- Making Theater
THEAT-AD 100
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 8:15-9:30; T 8:15-11:00
Rubén Polendo
Working as a performance company, students learn the fundamentals of collaborative theater-making. Acting and performance are central to the process, but so is the recognition that a performance takes place in a space that has to be invested with rules and conventions before it can tell a story. Exploring the possibilities offered by these rules and conven- tions is key to understanding the potential for theater as a means of expression and mode of knowledge. Combining the tools and techniques of Aristotle, Stanislavsky, Meyerhold, Brecht, Grotowski, Brook, and Bogart, students work in groups to devise and stage silent stories as well as textual scenes to explore what it means to create a theatrical experience. All students participate as directors, actors, designers, and audience, and discuss each other’s work in order to develop a clearer and more objective relationship to their own.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Drama Dept: This course counts for Theater Studies B Practicum
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Thinking Theater
THEAT-AD 138
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 1:10-3:50
Carol Martin
This seminar-style course gives an overview of the intellectual landscape of the discipline and introduces key methodologies and contexts for understanding performance. Several classical and modern theories of drama are explored, including those of Aristotle and Brecht. A range of critical perspectives are applied to a variety of plays from different periods, places, genres, and movements, with a view to developing a shared vocabulary and framework for further studies. Though not a historical survey, the course always includes the study of at least one play using the methods of theater history, as well as one representative topic in performance studies.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Drama Dept: This course counts for Theater Studies B Practicum
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Arts Practice
- Directing the Actor
THEAT-AD 115
A course for theater directors, filmmakers, actors, and visual artists. Students build a directorial vocabulary for translating impulse and imagination into compelling narrative and non-narrative staged moments. Using techniques from Brecht, Brook, Grotowski, and Bogart, students learn to articulate ideas to actors in compelling and inspiring ways. Students explore physical exercises to increase their range as directors; tools with which to fuel actors physically and emotionally; and theories of collaboration and ensemble. The core of the class is the exploration of directing as a physical collaboration with actors within a landscape of thought, emotion, openness, and truth.
Students in the NYUNY Tisch Drama Dept: This course counts for the Theater Studies Track B; it is equivalent to THEA-UT 676 Directing Practicum (Non-Western)
- Fundamentals of Acting
THEAT-AD 110
Students begin to build a performance vocabulary by using a range of techniques for translating the actor’s imagination into stage action. Students are introduced to the internal and external demands of turning psychology into behavior. Students explore acting fundementals, such as investing yourself in the moment, genuinely listening, personalizing fictional material, and playing objectives are initially explored via games, improvisations, and exercises, followed by partnered scene work, ensemble technique, and solo performance.
- Painting by Seeing
VISAR-AD 117
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 10:10-12:50
John Torreano
In early sessions students will become familiar with the tools of painting such as brush and palette useage, mixing and blending of colors and the relationship between paint and surface(s). Techniques of painting are interdependent on particular traditions, styles and purposes. Therefore, historical concepts will be addressed with assigned readings and power-point discussions about painting as invention and meaning.
Later sessions will emphasize student inspired “projects,” wherein each student does a series of paintings based on a particular theme or idea. Along the way there will be periodic group critiques with possible trips to museums and other sites.
It is important to experience the “cycle of completion” as often as possible. Therefore, students should be prepared to make a lot of paintings.
Students in the NYUNY Steinhardt Studio Art Dept: This course counts is equivalent to ART-UE 109 Fundamentals of Painting I
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Directing the Actor
- Making Theater
- Visual Arts
- Introduction to Visual Culture
VISAR-AD 103
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 11:20-12:35
Joanne Savio
From the cave art to the present, human beings have used visual forms to understand and shape their world. This class examines how artists see the world, reconfigure, and transform it. Today, the study of visual culture is the focus of a vast body of scholarly investigation and continues to raise new questions in the wake of technological advances and a demand for visual satisfaction. This class offers an introduction to visual analysis in a world increasingly dominated by the graphic transmission of information, knowledge, and aesthetic experience. Topics to be explored include: the cultural and historical formation of human vision; translating perceptions of the world into art; and the impact of photography and media on all facets of visual culture and modern life.
Students NYUNY: This course counts for Expressive Culture (Morse Academic Plan) credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
AHC-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 4:00-5:15
Martin Klimke
This course explores the artistic and intellectual avant-gardes, counter-cultures, and protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s from a global perspective, assessing their impact on individual identities, social and gender hierarchies, domestic politics, and international relations during the Cold War. It traces the history of the various protest movements and the plethora of national experiences with respect to domestic and transnational networks of dissent as well as global imaginaries. Taking into account the aesthetics and performativity of protest, the course examines the role of cultural practices, action repertoires, the media, visual representations, lifestyle and fashion, the politics of memory, and the impact of dissent on political decision-makers and society at large. Course materials draw on the most recent historiography, as well as literature, film, art, music, and oral history.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History special topics lecture credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Enlightenment and Its Institutions
CORES-AD 20J
With astonishing speed—mere decades in the middle of the eighteenth century—Enlightenment not only transformed how we think about ourselves, through new concepts of individuality and community, liberty and verifiable truth, it also remade Britain’s cities and institutions. Imagine London without the British Museum (1759) or the Royal Academy (1768). Imagine our curriculum without Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) or the Encyclopedia Britannica (1768). 250 years later, we will use the resources of the Global Network University to recover how this revolution in methods, tools, and institutions recast inquiry and enterprise in the West and to consider what we might do with our Enlightenment inheritance now. Behind-the-scenes adventures into London’s museums, galleries, and civic societies allow us to add our own tracks to the intellectual map we will be drawing in class.
- The Miracle of Florence
CORES-AD 19J
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the city of Florence was a center of immense creativity in every area of human understanding and endeavor. It was the center of that extraordinary moment we call “the Renaissance”—the revolution in art, architecture, politics, philosophy and science that has shaped our view of the world, and the place of human beings in it. In this seminar, we read representative writings from several of the great Florentine thinkers of the period—Alberti, Machiavelli, Pico, and Galileo. Our goal is twofold: to discover what was original in each, and to grasp how all were connected by a shared set of ideals and beliefs. Our readings and discussions are supplemented by visits to the main cultural monuments of Florence, where we see (among other wonders) the palaces and churches that Alberti designed, the telescope through which Galileo spied the moons of Jupiter, and the tomb where Machiavelli lies.
- A World Transformed?: The Global "Sixties"
- Arts Practice
- Collaborative Arts: Creativity and Social Experience
COREA-AD 08
This course is a practical exploration of collaboration as fundamental creative working method. Taught by a collaborative artist, the course looks at collaboration as it has emerged from the recent history of art, literature, and science to become an essential method of contemporary social experience. Course projects and materials are based around the use of the iPad. Working with the device on creative, co-authored projects, students gain first-hand experience in considering how collaboration is structured and managed in the production of creative works and how a consideration of collaborative and interactive methods changes the way we think about the nature of the finished creative project.
Students in the NYUNY Steinhardt Studio Art Dept: This course counts is equivalent to ART-UE 1910 Interdisciplinary Projects
- Designing Abu Dhabi
BUSOR-AD 114J
This course guides students through the many facets of graphic design and visual communication. Beginning with a concise history of graphic design, students will learn the central importance of visual communication in modern society. Case studies of the Fed Ex logo, Coca Cola red, and logos that fail will be explored. Students will be introduced to the fundamental facets of visual design: user interface, usability, Norman doors, the perfect crossroad path, and type design. Practical exercises that emphasize visual communication skills are central to the class. Students will be asked to explore the usage of signage in Abu Dhabi and to develop logos that respond to the Abu Dhabi environment. This course does not require any design training. Students will become skilled at Photoshop.
- Drawing By Seeing
VISAR-AD 110
This workshop class is open to all levels of artistic experience. The premise is that customary perception (drawing what you “know”) is in conflict with aesthetic perception (drawing what you actually “see”). Each exercise reinforces an
essential principle such as: “the whole is greater then the sum of its parts” and “dynamic perception results in an integrated, dynamic drawing.” Students learn how to maintain a unified drawing while at the same time articulate detail. Later sessions address how to apply this experience to individual artistic goals. There are PowerPoint discussions of relevant examples of drawing from the history of drawing.Students in the NYUNY Steinhardt Studio Art Dept: This course counts is equivalent to ART-UE 107 Fundamentals of Drawing I
- Photojournalism: Your Personal Vision
VISAR-AD 116J
This class focuses on developing a personal vision within photojournalism. Students learn how to: shoot, edit, and present photographic essays, gain access to challenging subjects and cultures not their own, develop their own visual voice, honor ethics, and write proposals culminating in an in-depth photo essay. The course will include a short regional trip.
- Collaborative Arts: Creativity and Social Experience
- History, Theory, Criticism
- Approaches to Islamic Art & Architecture
VISAR-AD 150
This course surveys the architecture, painting, and decorative arts of the Islamic World, from North Africa to Central Asia, between the seventh and the eighteenth centuries. Viewing this millennial development from the perspectives of religion, politics and interactions with the past and with neighboring cultures, the course presents the primary monuments of Islamic art chronologically and thematically in order to understand the historical and regional variations of Islamic art and appreciate its major themes, including ornament, sacred space, palace culture and mysticism.
Students in the NYUNY Art History Dept: This course counts for Art History elective credit; For the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit
This course is equivalent to ARTH-UA 540 and 541, Art of the Islamic World I and II
- The Exhibition Industry
VISAR-AD 155
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 2:35-5:15
Alexander Nagel
The success of Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim may be seen as the culmination of a paradigm shift away from the old idea of the museum as an art vault to a new conception of the museum as a programming center, a venue for high-profile temporary exhibitions, and a tourist attraction. This course explores the consequences for art and scholarship of the recent museum boom and asks what might it take to produce a change of direction.
Students in the NYUNY Art History Dept: This course counts for Art History elective credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Multiple Lives of the Work of Art
MUSST-AD 112J
This course focuses on defining the main functions of museums and examining how they relate in practice to their stated mission. The purposes, processes, and ethics of such fundamental tasks as acquisitions, conservation, installations, exhibitions, and interpretation are examined in detail with particular attention to how the work of art is perceived in its many different guises and contexts. The role of museums in our age of globalization will also be discussed. Some classes may be taught on site and individual museum visits by students may be required.
- Types of Art: From Calligraphy and Stone Carving to Digital Type
VISAR-AD 118
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 10:10-12:50
Goffredo Puccetti
Type Design is the art and craft of designing typefaces. From calligraphy and stone carving to digital type, the history of type recounts the discoveries and technological progress made through human inventions. While some typefaces are insignificant and forgotten, others will survive mankind, such as Futura engraved on the Apollo 11 plaque, left forever on the Moon. Some of typefaces were revolutionary, others reactionary. But behind each of them there was an inventor. Students will follow the 'traces' and the stories of the type masters who shaped our visual typographical landscapes. Western and Arabic versions of typefaces will be examined and students will learn to identify and combine fonts on real visual design layouts. We will see how typefaces can become visual metaphors of towns and nations - Johnston Underground is London - or marketing tools for the advertising industry. Typography and type design in the digital age will be investigated via practical exercises and printing workshops. Our look will also turn to Abu Dhabi, a capital with a visual culture in the making, where western and eastern typography meet, clash, merge and evolve. A cross-cultural Calligraphy Workshop will be held in collaboration with Wasel Art in Al Ain.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Approaches to Islamic Art & Architecture
- Introduction to Visual Culture
- Arts and Humanities Colloquia
Multidisciplinary Concentrations
- Interactive Media and Technology
- Mobile Media
MDMED-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
M- 2:35-5:15; R 2:35-3:50
Shawn van Every
Mobile devices (phones) are used for both the production and consumption of rich media, augmenting their original purpose as one-to-one communication devices. This course explores the technology that enables the consumption and production of media on these devices with an eye toward how that media can be used in conjunction with the devices’ original social and communicative purposes. Students create projects that utilize the available technology to explore new forms of social media creation and consumption.
Students in the NYUNY ITP Dept: This course is equivalent to ITPG-GT 2690 Mobile Media
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Nature of Code
COREA-AD 17J
Can we capture the unpredictable evolutionary and emergent properties of nature in software? Can understanding the mathematical principles behind our physical world world help us to create digital worlds? This class focuses on the programming strategies and techniques behind computer simulations of natural systems. We explore topics ranging from basic mathematics and physics concepts to more advanced simulations of complex systems. Subjects covered include forces, trigonometry, fractals, cellular automata, self-organization, and genetic algorithms. No computer programming experience is required; the course starts with the basics of code using the Processing environment.
Students in the NYUNY ITP Dept: This course is equivalent to ITPG-GT 2690 The Nature of Code
- Mobile Media
- The Ancient World
- Innovation in the Ancient World
COREI-AD 14
This course probes the heuristics of human innovation in the ancient world. We study the earliest human inventions such as spears and simple tools; ponder the methods that might have been used in the construction of monolithic structures such as Stone Henge, Egyptian obelisks, and pyramids; and explore examples of technological innovations that affected the course of human history. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on developing personal approaches to creativity and innovation by studying specific examples of these attributes from the ancient world.
- Innovation in the Ancient World
- The Arab Crossroads
- Anthropology and the Arab World
MDARA-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 1:10-2:25
Nathalie Peutz
How have anthropologists encountered, written about, and produced the “Arab world” over the past century? Beginning with early Western travelers’ imaginaries of Arabia and ending with an ethnography of Egyptian dreamscapes, this course provides an introduction to the anthropological project and to the everyday realities of people living in the region. Through ethnography, literature, film, and fieldtrips, we explore such topics as colonialism, nation building and development, family, gender and piety, media, art and globalization, labor migration, diaspora, and pilgrimage.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Bridging the Divide Between the Arab World and the West
POLSC-AD 157J
The course provides students with an opportunity to engage in a multifaceted examination of Arab perceptions of the US and the West, and Western perceptions of the Arab world. Students review literature and press examples of how Arab and Western media, popular culture, and political commentary portray each other. They design and execute a public opinion survey of U.S. and Arab attitudes in order to better understand how each side sees the other—using the poll-driven data to measure the gaps in understanding. The course also includes a televised town hall discussion with the students as participants engaging each other and peers from across the region in an examination of the topic.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit.
- Cities and Modern Arabic Literature
MDARA-AD 117J
The novel is becoming the new dominant literary form in Arabic literature. Its origins go back to A Thousand and One Nights, and its roots come from different forms: Maqama, Sira, Khabar, Kissas. The novel reflects a complex relationship with the European model, and its history can be read as part of the attempt of modernism to create an authentic global voice. We use fiction as a tool to visit (figuratively) five cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Beirut, Haifa, and Baghdad. The novels are our guides in order to understand the multiple layers of a city, and to build knowledge about the relationship between literature and social life. We read works by Naguib Mahfouz, Sunalla Ibrahim, Huda Barakat, Hanan Al Sheikh, Tawfic Yussuf Awad, Sinan Antoun, and Ghassan Kanafani. We read the novels as both individual and collective experiences, and we discuss how the new literary genre reflected and participated in the process of social change.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS literature requirement
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
LEAD-AD 115J
Social Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and growing field which may be defined in various ways, yet at its core is about using evolved business thinking and practices to change the world. This course provides an introduction to the topic through discussion of how social entrepreneurs develop their ideas of social and environmental innovation, how they fund/finance their ventures, the ways in which they overcome the challenges of integrating various levels of economic performance with social/environmental impact and the types of organizations social entrepreneurs create (for-profit, non-profit, cooperative, hybrid, etc). Through a "deep dive" case study of a leading social enterprise, Sekem Group in Egypt, we explore the relevance of social entrepreneurship in a changing world and heighten our understanding of the potential we each hold to be "change makers." The course includes a field trip to Egypt.
- Food in the Global Kitchen
JOU-AD 114J
Abu Dhabi contains many worlds, from five-star hotel restaurants to South Asian migrant workers eating on the job. This course uses food reporting as a means and a method of inquiry into life in a global city. The course combines intensive reading, reporting, writing, and field trips. With Abu Dhabi as their beat, students explore the role of markets; traditional bedouin cuisine and the rituals of eating it; the hidden lives of food producers and growers; the cuisine of exile; the business of food; and other topics drawing on anthropology, economics, culture, and politics. Students participate in hands-on experiences like master classes with local chefs and visits to food markets. Each student is expected to find and report a feature article. Readings range from classics of food reporting to contemporary writing on Middle Eastern, South Asian, and global cuisine.
- Middle Eastern Cities: Urbanization and Society
MDURB-AD 118
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 2:35-3:50
Yasser Tabbaa
This course investigates urbanization in the Middle East from early Islam to the modern period. It examines medieval and premodern cities as centers of religious and political authority and crucibles of commercial and cultural exchange, and investigates the challenges of modernity and westernization on these cities and their current adaptation to globalism. The course emphasizes Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Isfahan, and Istanbul.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Paradise Lost: Muslims, Jews, and Christians in al-Andalus
MDARA-AD 115
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MW 8:30-9:45
Justin Stearns
From the beginning of the 8th to the beginning of the 17th century, Islam played a crucial role in the history of the Iberian peninsula. Today this period is often portrayed as one of inter-religious harmony, while al-Andalus is simultaneously mourned in contemporary Islamist discourse as a lost paradise. In this course we investigate the rich and complex history of al-Andalus, focusing on the changing relationships between Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Society and Politics of Saudi Arabia
MDARA-AD 114
Since its creation in 1932 and the discovery of oil in 1937, Saudi Arabia has become a crucial albeit poorly understood player on the international and regional scenes. This course is an introduction to the contemporary history, society, and politics of the country. Tribes and tribalism, state building and rentier economy, Islamic activism, youth and women are some of the themes we examine. The course puts a particular emphasis on the formation of space and authority, from pre-oil steppes and rural settlements to post-oil boom small hinterland towns, and to today’s metropolises.
- The Making of the Muslim Middle East
MDARA-AD 113
Islam changed and shaped the Middle East, the Mediterranean world, and South Asia following its emergence in the seventh century. Muslims subsequently developed and expressed their faith in the disciplines of law, theology, and mysticism, even as their religious communities fractured into a variety of Sunni and Shi’a groups. This course focuses on primary sources to examine the richness of Islamicate civilization in the pre-modern world, including inter-religious relations as well as political and economic trends.
Students in the NYUNY History Dept: This course counts for History non-western lecture credit; For the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Anthropology and the Arab World
- The Environment
- Environmental Science
- State and Fate of the Earth
COREI-AD 11J
What is the current state of Earth in terms of human well-being and human impact on Earth’s natural systems? Issues such as energy, CO2, climate, agriculture, water, and material fluxes are intricately tied together as a global system that has expanded by about 3% per year. This growth rate will lead to a world in 2050 in which the average world citizen will have a life approximately equal to that of the average European or Japanese today and about four times the average Chinese today. Will this be possible and what will be the implications for the issues above? In this inquiry-based seminar, substantial portions of the course will require students to conduct research by locating, using, and sharing technical papers and data bases, synthesizing facts and viewpoints, making presentations, and writing short technical papers that will be peer-reviewed by the other “researchers” in the class. The course includes field trips relevant to the topics above.
- Where the City Meets the Sea: Studies in Coastal Urban Environments
COREI-AD 16
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
T 2:35-6:00; R 2:35-5:00
John Burt
Over half of the human population lives within 100 km of a coast and coastlines contain more than two-thirds of the world’s largest cities. As a result, the world’s natural coastal environments have been substantially modified to suit human needs. This course will use the built and natural environments of coastal cities as laboratories to examine the environmental and ecological implications of urban development in coastal areas. Using data from multiple coastal cities, student teams will use field-based studies and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to examine patterns and processes operating in coastal cities. This course uses the local terrestrial, marine, and built environments as a laboratory to address these issues, and team projects requiring field-work form a core component of the learning experience. As part of the NYU Global Network University initiative this course is being offered simultaneously in New York and Abu Dhabi and students will be collaborating extensively with students from their sister campus through the duration of this course.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- State and Fate of the Earth
- Environmental Science
- Urbanization
- Metropolis: Culture and Politics in the 21st-Century City
MDURB-AD 116J
This course provides an overview of key issues in the culture and politics of urban life, with a focus on modern Buenos Aires. We engage class and contemporary urban questions such as: How does city-living shape our minds and shift our patterns of social interaction? How does the built environment relate to the local ecology and our experience of everyday life? How are civic and political institutions addressing emerging problems related to massive population growth, sprawl, pollution, and polarization? Students should be prepared for rigorous critical thinking and vigorous participation.
- Middle Eastern Cities: Urbanization and Society
MDURB-AD 118
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 2:35-3:50
Yasser Tabbaa
This course investigates urbanization in the Middle East from early Islam to the modern period. It examines medieval and premodern cities as centers of religious and political authority and crucibles of commercial and cultural exchange, and investigates the challenges of modernity and westernization on these cities and their current adaptation to globalism. The course emphasizes Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Isfahan, and Istanbul.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts towards MEIS history requirement
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Politics and the City
CORES-AD 15
Writing intensive
Cities are probably the most efficient social networks. They allow for increased communication and innovation. They are natural spaces for deliberation and collective action. This course explores the reasons why cities rise and decline, the mechanisms of formal and informal urban planning, skyscrapers and suburbs, urban nature and urban design. In-class sessions will alternate with workshops on Abu Dhabi, visits to the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, and mini-fieldwork in the city.
Students in the NYUNY MEIS Dept: This course counts for MEIS elective credit.
- Post-Catastrophe Reconstruction
MDURB-AD 117J
Emergency response situations, such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks, are unfortunate but recurring events that have a major impact on today’s global society. This course explores the variety of complex issues surrounding post-catastrophe reconstruction (PCR) and provides an understanding of the process and players in emergency response situations as well as a critical historical analysis of previous reconstruction efforts. The class includes a field trip to Sri Lanka where students have an opportunity to experience first-hand and gain an understanding of a post-catastrophe area. In addition, students have the opportunity to meet with NGOs and government officials involved in the humanitarian as well as reconstruction effort. This course includes a field trip to Sri Lanka.
- Urbanism and Modernity: Paris, Istanbul, Berlin
HIST-AD 164
This course explores the emergence of the “modern city” in three significant urban centers (Paris, Istanbul, Berlin) in relation to the demographic, economic, and political pressures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Attention is given to the foundations of community, the changing uses of public space, the appearance of new strategies of urban planning, and the contested process of defining the “modern” within a specific local culture.
- Metropolis: Culture and Politics in the 21st-Century City
- Interactive Media and Technology
Pre-Professional Tracks
- Business and Organizational Studies
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
LEAD-AD 115J
Social Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and growing field which may be defined in various ways, yet at its core is about using evolved business thinking and practices to change the world. This course provides an introduction to the topic through discussion of how social entrepreneurs develop their ideas of social and environmental innovation, how they fund/finance their ventures, the ways in which they overcome the challenges of integrating various levels of economic performance with social/environmental impact and the types of organizations social entrepreneurs create (for-profit, non-profit, cooperative, hybrid, etc). Through a "deep dive" case study of a leading social enterprise, Sekem Group in Egypt, we explore the relevance of social entrepreneurship in a changing world and heighten our understanding of the potential we each hold to be "change makers." The course includes a field trip to Egypt.
- Designing Abu Dhabi
BUSOR-AD 114J
This course guides students through the many facets of graphic design and visual communication. Beginning with a concise history of graphic design, students will learn the central importance of visual communication in modern society. Case studies of the Fed Ex logo, Coca Cola red, and logos that fail will be explored. Students will be introduced to the fundamental facets of visual design: user interface, usability, Norman doors, the perfect crossroad path, and type design. Practical exercises that emphasize visual communication skills are central to the class. Students will be asked to explore the usage of signage in Abu Dhabi and to develop logos that respond to the Abu Dhabi environment. This course does not require any design training. Students will become skilled at Photoshop.
- Global Banking and Financial Markets
ECON-AD 352J
The dynamics of the global banking and financial sector are central to economic performance and growth, and from time to time, financial markets and institutions are the scene of great turbulence. This course explores the process of national and global financial intermediation and its key elements involving commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance. Individual classes deal with such topics as project finance and equity new issues, mergers and acquisitions, financial derivatives, and institutional funds management. Based on an understanding of the industry, additional classes focus on financial regulation and strategies of financial firms. The course is relatively non-technical and is intended to provide a broad-gauge overview of the global financial sector.
- Introduction to Economic Thinking
ECON-AD 101
This course offers students an introduction to how economists look at the world and approach problems. It focuses on individual economic decision-makers (households, business firms, and government agencies) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape our economic life. Applications of supply and demand analysis and the role of prices in a market system are explored. Students are also exposed to game theory, the theory of the competitive firm, the idea of market failure, and policy responses. The course relies on cases and examples, and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to shed light on modern economic principles and their application to solving the problems that face the global economy.
- Principles of Marketing
BUSOR-AD 111J
This course studies the fundamentals of marketing—from determining what it is that consumers want and need, translating those wants and needs into products and services, and selling those products and services in a highly competitive global marketplace. Depending on the instructor, different topic areas are emphasized, including, for example, the role of consumer research, product design and pricing, branding, and communications and promotional strategies in effective marketing.
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
- Education
- Globalization and Education
SRPP-AD 113
What is globalization, and what are the implications of living in a “global world” for education? How can education be used as a tool to promote global social justice and prosperity? This course explores these questions by first examining various theoretical perspectives on globalization, then analyzing several major themes associated with globalization and education. Case studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America provide concrete examples of how global forces are changing the content and context of education internationally.
- Globalization and Education
- Journalism
- Food in the Global Kitchen
JOU-AD 114J
Abu Dhabi contains many worlds, from five-star hotel restaurants to South Asian migrant workers eating on the job. This course uses food reporting as a means and a method of inquiry into life in a global city. The course combines intensive reading, reporting, writing, and field trips. With Abu Dhabi as their beat, students explore the role of markets; traditional bedouin cuisine and the rituals of eating it; the hidden lives of food producers and growers; the cuisine of exile; the business of food; and other topics drawing on anthropology, economics, culture, and politics. Students participate in hands-on experiences like master classes with local chefs and visits to food markets. Each student is expected to find and report a feature article. Readings range from classics of food reporting to contemporary writing on Middle Eastern, South Asian, and global cuisine.
- Photojournalism: Your Personal Vision
VISAR-AD 116J
This class focuses on developing a personal vision within photojournalism. Students learn how to: shoot, edit, and present photographic essays, gain access to challenging subjects and cultures not their own, develop their own visual voice, honor ethics, and write proposals culminating in an in-depth photo essay. The course will include a short regional trip.
- Food in the Global Kitchen
- Law
- Law and the Imagination
COREP-AD 13
There is no life without law. Nature has its laws. Religions have theirs, societies theirs, families theirs. Business has its rules and contracts. How do people understand the laws that are as much a part of life as the weather? Literature—the work of the imagination—guides our great journey towards understanding. Writers dramatize the relations among law, justice, and freedom. Writers also show the effect of law on the fates, fortunes, and feelings of people. The course explores the power of literature to show us what the law is, what it should not be, and what it might be.
- Punishment in Law, Politics and Society
LAW-AD 114J
This seminar investigates the state’s power to punish. We read foundational works from philosophy, sociology, political science, and law to explore why states punish, how they punish, and whom they punish. We also focus in particular on the modern American approach to punishment, including its use of mass incarceration and the death penalty. We closely read and analyze cases from the Supreme Court of the United States in light of the fundamental purposes of punishment, and we consider how the American approach compares with penal practices in other nations and regions. Part of the seminar takes place outside the classroom and inside criminal justice institutions in New York. Though subject to change, these outside activities may include attending arraignment court, observing a sentencing hearing, and visiting a correctional facility.
- The Relationship of Government and Religion
CORES-AD 05
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 10:00-12:00
Angela Migally
This course examines the relationship between government and religion. To this end, the course concentrates on the interpretation, meaning, application, and wisdom of 16 words from the American Constitution: "Government shall make
no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." These 16 words serve as a starting point for the course because they broadly prohibit government entanglement with religion while simultaneously bestowing government with the responsibility to protect religious freedom. The primary texts of the course are the opinions of the United States Supreme Court, the highest Court in the United States, and final authority on interpretations of the Constitution. Prior knowledge of the subject matter or the United States is not a prerequisite for this class. This course is continued into the second semester.Students in the NYUNY Politics Dept: This course counts for Politics in the political theory field
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Law and the Imagination
- Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
LEAD-AD 115J
Social Entrepreneurship is a dynamic and growing field which may be defined in various ways, yet at its core is about using evolved business thinking and practices to change the world. This course provides an introduction to the topic through discussion of how social entrepreneurs develop their ideas of social and environmental innovation, how they fund/finance their ventures, the ways in which they overcome the challenges of integrating various levels of economic performance with social/environmental impact and the types of organizations social entrepreneurs create (for-profit, non-profit, cooperative, hybrid, etc). Through a "deep dive" case study of a leading social enterprise, Sekem Group in Egypt, we explore the relevance of social entrepreneurship in a changing world and heighten our understanding of the potential we each hold to be "change makers." The course includes a field trip to Egypt.
- Introduction to Economic Thinking
ECON-AD 101
This course offers students an introduction to how economists look at the world and approach problems. It focuses on individual economic decision-makers (households, business firms, and government agencies) and explores how they are linked together and how their decisions shape our economic life. Applications of supply and demand analysis and the role of prices in a market system are explored. Students are also exposed to game theory, the theory of the competitive firm, the idea of market failure, and policy responses. The course relies on cases and examples, and incorporates readings from classical and contemporary sources to shed light on modern economic principles and their application to solving the problems that face the global economy.
- Post-Catastrophe Reconstruction
MDURB-AD 117J
Emergency response situations, such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks, are unfortunate but recurring events that have a major impact on today’s global society. This course explores the variety of complex issues surrounding post-catastrophe reconstruction (PCR) and provides an understanding of the process and players in emergency response situations as well as a critical historical analysis of previous reconstruction efforts. The class includes a field trip to Sri Lanka where students have an opportunity to experience first-hand and gain an understanding of a post-catastrophe area. In addition, students have the opportunity to meet with NGOs and government officials involved in the humanitarian as well as reconstruction effort. This course includes a field trip to Sri Lanka.
- Principles of Marketing
BUSOR-AD 111J
This course studies the fundamentals of marketing—from determining what it is that consumers want and need, translating those wants and needs into products and services, and selling those products and services in a highly competitive global marketplace. Depending on the instructor, different topic areas are emphasized, including, for example, the role of consumer research, product design and pricing, branding, and communications and promotional strategies in effective marketing.
- Critical Issues in Social Entrepreneurship: Innovations in the Middle East
- Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies
- The Exhibition Industry
VISAR-AD 155
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 2:35-5:15
Alexander Nagel
The success of Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim may be seen as the culmination of a paradigm shift away from the old idea of the museum as an art vault to a new conception of the museum as a programming center, a venue for high-profile temporary exhibitions, and a tourist attraction. This course explores the consequences for art and scholarship of the recent museum boom and asks what might it take to produce a change of direction.
Students in the NYUNY Art History Dept: This course counts for Art History elective credit.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- The Multiple Lives of the Work of Art
MUSST-AD 112J
This course focuses on defining the main functions of museums and examining how they relate in practice to their stated mission. The purposes, processes, and ethics of such fundamental tasks as acquisitions, conservation, installations, exhibitions, and interpretation are examined in detail with particular attention to how the work of art is perceived in its many different guises and contexts. The role of museums in our age of globalization will also be discussed. Some classes may be taught on site and individual museum visits by students may be required.
- The Exhibition Industry
- Premedical and Health Studies
- Calculus
MATH-AD 110
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals, with an emphasis on proofs and theorems and an introduction to basic mathematical analysis. While the derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function, the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. Indeed, the relationship between differentiation (finding a derivative) and integration (determining an integral) is described in the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section that provides opportunities for rigorous analysis of proofs and theorems associated with the material. This course is primarily intended for students considering Mathematics as a major or for students who seek an in-depth understanding of the arguments that support calculus. Placement into Calculus is decided by discussion with mentors and the results of a mathematics placement examination.
Students in the NYUNY Mathematics Dept: This course is equivalent to MATH-UA 121 Calculus I
- Calculus with Applications
MATH-AD 111
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 8:15-9:30
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Social Sciences UW 1:10-2:25, T 1:00-2:15
Saglar Bougdaeva, Sofiane Bouarroudj - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
for Science & Engineering UTW 1:10-2:25
Sofiane Bouarroudj, Sunil Kumar
This course presents the foundations of calculus by examining functions and their derivatives and integrals. The derivative measures the instantaneous rate of change of a function; the definite integral measures the total accumulation of a function over an interval. These two ideas form the basis for nearly all mathematical formulas in science. This course also provides instruction in how to model situations in order to solve problems. Applications include graphing, maximizing, and minimizing functions. In addition to two weekly lectures, students attend a weekly discussion section focused on applications of calculus in Science or Engineering or Social Science, depending on their primary interest.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Engineering Foundations 4: Instrumentation, Sensors, Actuators
ENGR-AD 116
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 12:35-1:50, W 2:00-5:00
Abdulmotaleb El Saddik
Engineering Foundations 4 consists of one module, as follows:
Instrumentation, Sensors, Actuators: The course focuses on electrical circuits and components, passive and active filtering for signal conditioning, dynamic measurement system response characteristics, analog signal processing, digital representation, data acquisition, sensors, actuators and actuator characteristics. Study of measurement systems via computer simulation also are discussed. The laboratory experiments draw upon examples from all disciplines of engineering. - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter
SCIEN-AD 101,102
Foundations of Science 1: Energy and Matter provides a comprehensive introduction to these two fundamental concepts that are so famously unified in the equality E=mc2. Following an introduction to the physical sciences, the course focuses on velocity, acceleration, forces, and energy, while simultaneously introducing students to atoms and molecules. Chemical reactions are examined, and the energy changes associated with them are investigated via a thorough analysis of the three laws of thermodynamics. Laboratory exercises focus on the guiding principles of the scientific method and an introduction to experimental design, data analysis, and scientific presentation, including technical writing. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions
SCIEN-AD 103,104
Foundations of Science 2: Forces and Interactions introduces students to fundamental forces, including gravity and electrical forces. Concurrently, atomic theory, the theory of molecular bonding, and atomic and molecular structures and shapes, in which forces and energy play a role, are investigated. Students apply these concepts to understanding molecules related to the life sciences. Laboratory exercises focus on acquisition of computer skills and modeling with a continued emphasis on technical presentation. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly recitations are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment.
- Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux
SCIEN-AD 105,106,109
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, U 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, John Burt, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UMTWR 8:30-9:45, T 4:00-5:15, W 2:00-6:30
David Scicchitano, Ingyin Zaw, Joel Bernstein, Joseph Gelfand, Rana Al Assah Saadeh, Wael M. Rabeh
Foundations of Science 3: Systems in Flux focuses on changes in systems in the physical and living worlds. Capacitors, current, and basic circuits
are explored with an eye toward understanding their applications to chemical reactions and the behavior of living cells. The rates and directions of chemical reactions are explored as chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium are investigated with a special focus on acid-base chemistry. These fundamental physical and chemical principles are used to describe basic cellular monomers and polymers including DNA, RNA, and protein, and the sequence of events that leads to information flow and its regulation in the cell nucleus. They are also applied to macroscopic systems found in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises focus on classic scientific experiments that are designed to sharpen basic laboratory skills. Focused disciplinary tutorials in biology, chemistry, and physics provide an opportunity for in-depth analysis and discussion of classic papers, enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts, and development of practical skill sets. Weekly discussion sections are designed to hone proficiency at solving problems in a collaborative, team environment. - Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change
SCIEN-AD 111, 112
Foundations of Science 5: Propagating Change focuses on disturbances in physical and living systems that bring about change. In physics, disturbances generate waves that are associated with the transmission of light and sound. These same waves generate responses in living organisms as sensory systems detect them, including nerves in some species. Electromagnetic waves, interactions among light, matter, and living systems, and the responses of nerve cells are examined. Change during the maturation of organisms are explored at the molecular level as well. In addition, evolution are introduced as the fundamental means of propagating change that gives rise to new species in the living world. Laboratory exercises fuse physics, chemistry and biology as students engage in projects related to recombinant DNA technology, gene cloning, and protein synthesis and characterization.
- Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties
SCIEN-AD 113,114
Foundations of Science 6: Oscillations and Uncertainties examines how repetitious or cyclical events, although presumably predictable, are associated with inherent uncertainty in their outcomes. This is embodied in physics and chemistry in quantum theory and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But living systems, especially when populations are studied, provide countless examples of oscillatory events that possess inherent uncertainty when scientists try to predict outcomes. Indeed, this final chapter in Foundations of Science challenges students to consider the very nature of studying complex problems and systems and assessing the uncertainty associated with the scientific method. The laboratory exercises involve collaborative projects in which teams of students must apply their acquired knowledge and skills to design experiments focused on answering a question or solving a problem, keeping uncertainty in mind as they report their results and discuss additional data that would be needed to provide a better answer or solution.
- Organic Chemistry 1
CHEM-AD 101
This course uses an interactive, problems-based approach to study the structure and bonding of organic materials, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy, topics that partly trace their roots to the development of quantum theory. The topics covered include basic reaction mechanisms such as substitution and elimination, and the reactions of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, carbonyl compounds, and carboxylic acids. The course incorporates modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 225 Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 227 Majors Organic Chemistry I and Lab; CHEM-UA 9243-9245 Organic Chemistry I and Lab (London)
- Organic Chemistry 2
CHEM-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
U 2:00-6:30; W 1:10-2:35, 7:30pm-8:30pm
Ali Trabolsi
This is a continuation of Organic Chemistry 1, with an emphasis on multifunctional organic compounds, including topics of relevance to biochemistry and biological systems, such as carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, and nucleic acids. The course continues the emphasis on modern analytical methods that are the cornerstone of contemporary organic analysis, with added emphasis on their application to biology and biological chemistry.
Students in the NYUNY Chemistry Dept: This course is equivalent to CHEM-UA 226 Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 228 Majors Organic Chemistry II and Lab; CHEM-UA 9244-9246 Organic ChemistryII and Lab (London)
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Organismal Biology
BIOL-AD 101
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 9:55-11:10
Chiye Aoki, Claude Desplan
The array of organisms that populates the globe is astounding in its diversity and adaptability. This course uses fundamental concepts from the Foundations of Science curriculum to examine essential elements of animal physiology, including adaptations to environments such as deserts. This course develops an understanding of the relationship between structure and function of the organism; how structure develops through evolutionary and developmental processes; and how structure is related to the environment surrounding the organism.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Calculus
- Business and Organizational Studies
Language
- Arabic
- Advanced Arabic 1
ARABL-AD 301
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTWR 1:10-2:35
Omima El Araby
Builds on the skills acquired at the Intermediate level of Arabic study, with emphasis on writing compositions and conducting research.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Elementary Arabic 1
ARABL-AD 101
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTWR 2:35-3:50
Muhamed Osman Al-Khalil
Builds basic skills in modern standard Arabic. A continuing study of Arabic at the Elementary level. Five weekly hours of instruction and drill, stressing the proficiency approach, plus work in the language laboratory.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Elementary Arabic 2
ARABL-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 8:30-9:45
Khulood Kittaneh - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 1:10-2:25 - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 2:35-3:50 - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 4:00-5:15
A continuing study of Arabic at the Elementary level. Five weekly hours of instruction and drill, stressing the proficiency approach, plus work
in the language laboratory. - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Intermediate Arabic 1
ARABL-AD 201
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTWR 8:30-9:45
Omima El Araby
A continuing study of Arabic at the Intermediate level, with increased emphasis on writing and reading from modern sources in addition to aural/oral proficiency.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Intermediate Arabic 2
ARABL-AD 202
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 9:55-11:10
Khulood Kittaneh - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UMTW 11:20-12:35
Khulood Kittaneh
A continuing study of Arabic at the Intermediate level, with increased emphasis on writing and reading from modern sources in addition to aural/oral proficiency.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Advanced Arabic 1
- Chinese
- Elementary Chinese 1
CHINL-AD 101
Opened to students with little or no training in Chinese, this course is designed to develop and reinforce language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as it relates to everyday life situations. The objectives are: to master the Chinese phonetic system (pinyin an tones) with satisfactory pronunciation; to understand the construction of commonly used Chinese Characters (both simplified and traditional) and learn to write them correctly; to understand and use correctly basic Chinese grammar and sentence structures; to build up essential vocabulary; to read and write level-appropriate passages; to become acquainted with aspects of Chinese culture and society related to the course materials.
- Elementary Chinese 2
CHINL-AD 102
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTWR 9:55-11:10
Xiao Xiao Jiao
A continuation of Elementary Chinese I. The course is designed to reinforce and further develop language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as it relates to everyday life situations.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Intermediate Chinese 1
CHINL-AD 201
This course is designed to consolidate overall listening and speaking proficiency, with the focus gradually moving toward semi-formal usage of Chinese language in topic-oriented discussions. The objectives are: to be able to obtain information from extended conversation; to both express and expound on, in relative length, feelings and opinions on common topics; to expand vocabulary and learn to decipher meaning of compound words; to develop reading comprehension of extended narrative, expository, and simple argumentative passages; to solve non-complex textual problems with the aid of dictionaries; to write in relative length personal narratives, informational narratives, comparison and discussion of viewpoints with level appropriate vocabulary and grammatical accuracy, as well as basic syntactical cohesion; to continue being acquainted with aspects of Chinese culture and society related to the course materials.
- Intermediate Chinese 2
CHINL-AD 202
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MTWR 8:30-9:45
Xiao Xiao Jiao
A continuation of Intermediate Chinese I, focusing on semi-formal usage of Chinese language when discussing more academic-flavored cultural or social topics.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Elementary Chinese 1
- English
- Analysis and Expression
WRIT-AD 110
Sections
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
UW 11:20-12:35
Jim Savio - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 9:55-11:10
Kevin Riordan - Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
MR 2:35-3:50
Andrew Patrick
This course provides comprehensive instruction in the language and critical thinking skills essential for success in a liberal arts curriculum. Students engage with a variety of texts, learn how to analyze and express complex ideas in both written and spoken form, and complete assignments that range from shorter reviews and editorials to longer persuasive essays. Each assignment is the result of a progression of structured exercises with an emphasis on drafting and revision strategies. Students work collaboratively, offering constructive critique through class discussion, peer-group workshops, and one-on-one writing conferences. Those who place into Analysis and Expression must complete the course before enrolling in a Writing Intensive Core Curriculum course.
- Spring 2012; 14 Weeks
- Analysis and Expression
- Arabic
Physical Education
- Advanced Capoeira
PHYED-AD 15
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
TR 6:00-7:30
A Brazilian martial arts class incorporating acrobatics, dance, percussion, and song in a rhythmic dialogue of body, mind, and spirit. Unique to Brazil, capoeira developed during the slavery era through shared cultural customs, rituals, and fighting techniques. Capoeira is a movement game in which opponents mask defensive kicks with playful acrobatics and dance-like moves. The class refines basic moves and introduces advanced moves, while improving strength, flexibility, power, balance, accuracy, agility, and endurance. Completion of Capoeira is a prerequisite.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Advanced Golf
PHYED-AD 16
This course based golf instruction class is focused on refining the technical skills of golf and introducing tactical strategies for managing one’s game. Instruction includes course etiquette, shot shaping, playing in adverse conditions, and club selection. Previous golf experience and/or completion of the Golf for Beginners course is highly recommended.
- Advanced Tennis
PHYED-AD 26
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 5:30-7:00
This course is geared toward competitive men and women players with tournament level experience. Lessons include fast running and hitting drills, stroke technique, strategy, and match play. Practice time is supplemented with competitive play on other dates throught the semester. An assessment of tennis skills may be required. (note: Bus departs Sama at 5:00 pm)
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Aerobics
PHYED-AD 27
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 5:30-7:00
A low impact, rhythmic exercise, and aerobic move- ment class set to music. Body strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness are developed through a combination of exercise routines. Overall total health is emphasized through discussions on nutri- tion, posture, stress management, and goal setting.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Aerobics (women only)
PHYED-AD 10
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 5:30-7:00 PM
This comprehensive aerobics class will cover all aspects of movement with the focus on maintaining a targeted heart rate to maximize cardio benefit. This women's only class will be taught by an in-house instructor.
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Capoeira
PHYED-AD 6
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
TR 6:00-7:30
This introductory course to the Brazilian dance/martial art of Capoeira exposes students to a dynamic activity with associated movement and music. This course will be taught by a contracted instructor.
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Dance
PHYED-AD 12
The aim of the course will be to featureall types of dance such as ballet, belly dancing, modern dance, jazz, and contemporary dance. Music selections will include classic, pop, and dance beats.
- Dance (women only)
PHYED-AD 29
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 6:00-7:30
The aim of the course will be to featureall types of dance such as ballet, belly dancing, modern dance, jazz, and contemporary dance. Music selections will include classic, pop, and dance beats.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Fencing
PHYED-AD 11
This introductory course will expose students to the basics of fencing and help identify those students who have potential to be competitive fencers. Talented fencers will be directed to the Fencing Club with the long term goal of establishing a competitive intercollegiate fencing team. This course will be taught by a contracted instructor.
- Fitness for Life
PHYED-AD 1
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 5:30-7:00
Learn how to use cardio and strength training equipment safely and effectively. Individualized exercise programs are designed to maximize progress based on cardiovascular and strength evaluations. Supervised progressive workouts teach individuals to achieve personal fitness goals through strength and aerobic interval circuit training on strength machines, treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, bicycles, and rowing ergometers.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Golf for Beginners
PHYED-AD 17
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 3:30-5:00
This driving range and putting green based golf instruction class is focused on exposing individuals to the basics of golf. In addition to receiving technical instruction on proper grip and swing, individuals learn the history and rules of golf and basic golf etiquette. The class culminates with an on-course experience. (note: transportation departs at 3:00)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Ice Skating
PHYED-AD 30
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
TR 5:00-6:40
This class is open to skaters of all levels. Students will learn how to skate forward, backward, change direction and stop. Games will be incorporated into the instruction thereby enhancing technical skills in a fun environment.
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Jiu Jitsu
PHYED-AD 13
Jiu Jitsu is a strategic grappling sport where one manipulates an opponent’s force against himself rather than confronting it with one’s own force. Individuals learn how to apply the fundamental techniques of Jiu Jitsu, including positioning, leverage, joint locks, escapes, submissions, and self-defense.
- Karting and Driver Fitness
PHYED-AD 18
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 5:00-6:30
Karting is a motor sport with small, open, four- wheeled vehicles racing on scaled-down circuits. In addition to developing quick reflexes, precision car control, and decision-making skills, individuals gain a basic understanding of what can be altered to try to improve the competitiveness of the kart, including tire pressure, gearing, seat position, and chassis stiffness. The driver fitness portion of the class focuses on the physical fitness training necessary to effectively compete as a race car driver, including strength and cardiovascular training so as to handle steering, braking and the G-forces associated therewith.
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Kayaking and Sailing
PHYED-AD 8
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
T 3:30-dusk
This comprehensive course teaches the fundamentals of sea kayaking (including strokes, rescues, and recovery) as well as basic sailing skills. In addition students learn about the region’s vital eco system as they navigate coastal waters and inland areas of Abu Dhabi. (note: Bus departs Sama 2:45 pm)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Pilates and Yoga
PHYED-AD 24
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 4:30-6:00
Pilates is a conditioning program emphasizing the concepts of core strength and stabilization. Through highly focused and controlled movements, individuals experience increased body awareness, flexibility, coordination, and strength.
In the yoga portion of this course, individuals learn the basic disciplines of yoga, focusing on body awareness, appropriate warm ups, beginning yoga postures, breathing, and relaxation skills. Upon successful completion, students understand and are able to demonstrate the basic components of yoga practice, including safe, stable body alignment and classic yoga postures. - Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Pilates and Yoga (women only)
PHYED-AD 14
Pilates is a conditioning program emphasizing the concepts of core strength and stabilization. Through highly focused and controlled movements, individuals experience increased body awareness, flexibility, coordination, and strength.
In the yoga portion of this course, individuals learn the basic disciplines of yoga, focusing on body awareness, appropriate warm ups, beginning yoga postures, breathing, and relaxation skills. Upon successful completion, students understand and are able to demonstrate the basic components of yoga practice, including safe, stable body alignment and classic yoga postures. - Sailing
PHYED-AD 21
This is a comprehensive course in practical sailing. Topics to be covered in the class include; sea terms and parts of a boat, rigging and sails, sail handling,
rope work, personal safety equipment, man overboard, lifejackets and life rafts, helmsmanship, general duties, manners and customs, rules of the road, weather forecasting and meteorology, tides, technology, and electronic navigation. - Scuba - Open Water
PHYED-AD 9
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 5:30-7:00
This is a PADI Certified Open Water Scuba Diving Course. Individuals who successfully complete this class are awarded an internationally recognized certificate in scuba diving. Prerequisites: (1) the ability to swim continuously for 200meter or 300meter with mask/fin snorkel, (2) the ability to swim/float in water too deep to stand in for 10minutes, (3) the completion of a medical questionnaire with physician’s consent, and (4) access to a 20 bar or 200 meter waterproof watch.
PE credit will be awarded upon obtaining a PADI Open Water Dive qualification prior to the end of the class. Given the progressive nature of instruction; i.e. later classes are entirely dependent upon earlier classes, students must attend all sessions in the order offered. If a session is missed, the affected student is solely responsible for scheduling and paying for the makeup session. All makeup sessions must be completed prior to the next regularly scheduled session. (note: bus departs Sama 5:00pm)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Shooting Sports and Pilates/Yoga
PHYED-AD 19
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 5:00-6:30
Shooting sports are competitive sports requiring proficiency using various types of firearms. After gaining confidence with a simulated hand gun, individuals will engage in precision slow-fire and rapid-fire target shooting from distances of 10, 25, and 50 meters. In addition, a rifle will be used for distances of 10, 50, and 300 m and for shooting at moving targets. Finally, shotguns are used for clay targets thrown by a machine. Major emphasis is placed on safety resulting from a thorough understanding of the operation of the firearm and the personal responsibility of each individual on the range. Pilates/Yoga instruction is used to reinforce body awareness, posture/positioning, breathing and relaxation techniques specific to shooting sports. (note: Bus departs Sama 4:15pm)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Squash
PHYED-AD 28
Sections
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 5:30-7:00
This class is geared towards novice and intermediate players and will expose individuals to the basics of squash. In addition to receiving technical instruction in serve, forehand and backhand strokes, individuals will learn the rules of squash and participate in a weekly squash ladder. (note: transportation leaves Sama at 5:00)
- Spring 2 2012; 7 Weeks
- Swimming
PHYED-AD 3
Individuals are evaluated for basic swimming abilities and comfort level in an aquatic environment. The front crawl, backstroke, breast stroke, and side stroke are taught. Skill instruction in beginning diving, floating/treading water, and underwater swimming, as well as safety awareness in and around the water are included.
- Swimming (women only)
PHYED-AD 25
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
UW 5:30-7:00
Individuals are evaluated for basic swimming abilities and comfort level in an aquatic environment. The front crawl, backstroke, breast stroke, and side stroke are taught. Skill instruction in beginning diving, floating/treading water, and underwater swimming, as well as safety awareness in and around the water are included.
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Tennis for Beginners
PHYED-AD 22
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
TR 5:30-7:00
This class is geared towards novice tennis players and exposes individuals to the basics of tennis. In addition to receiving technical instruction in serve, volley and forehand and backhand strokes, individuals learn the rules of tennis. (note: Bus departs Sama 5:00 pm)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Triathlon Training
PHYED-AD 23
This challenging class is focused on developing athletes interested in competing in local triathlons, including the Yas Tri and Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. Individuals develop a personal triathlon training program—swim, bike and run. Workouts include indoor work on stationary bicycles, rowing ergometers, outdoor work on bicycles, distance swimming, running, and weight training. Individuals learn the secrets of competitive triathletes, including training techniques, equipment, race strategies and nutrition. NOTE: This is a physically demanding class with a challenging culmination.
- Wakeboarding and Core
PHYED-AD 20
Sections
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
MR 5:00-6:30
Wakeboarding is a sport in which individuals ride a wakeboard over a water surface. Although wake- boarders are typically towed by a boat, individuals in this class are propelled by an overhead continu- ous cable in a shallow manmade lake. Individuals receive instruction in maneuvers, jumps and grabs. Core training is used to develop the muscle groups (abdominals, obliques, back, inner and outer thighs) necessary to effectively wakeboard. (note: Bus departs Sama 4:15pm)
- Spring 1 2012; 7 Weeks
- Advanced Capoeira
