CORE 153S - Acid Rain: A Persistent Environmental Problem
Acid rain surfaced as an environmental problem in the 1960’s and a multitude of studies were conducted in the Northeastern US, Canada and much of the United Kingdom and Europe that examined the sources and scope of the problem as well as the impacts on terrestrial and aquatic environments. The Adirondack Mountains are particularly sensitive to acid deposition because of their geology and topography. Many different collaborative studies were conducted with geologists, biologists, hydrologists and atmospheric scientists, and their results led legislators to enact the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Twenty five years later, we examine how scientists addressed skeptical concerns about the extent of the acid rain problem, how effective the legislation has been in recovery of lakes, streams and forests as well as efforts to mitigate the effects of acid deposition through lime applications that neutralize acid and restore chemistry to lakes, streams and forests. Students will gain an understanding of linkages between soils, forests, streams and lakes, and we will compare how scientists and legislators addressed the acid rain problem versus our current actions to address climate change. Students compare restoration “success” in the Adirondack Mountains to changes in precipitation chemistry and biota in other parts of the world such as Canada, different European countries, the United Kingdom and Asia.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Drugs, used recreationally and medicinally, can have physiological and behavioral consequences that are important to both the individual and society. The processes in the brain and nervous system that mediate drug-induced effects on behavior and physiology are examined with emphasis on the strategies and methods used to evaluate, scientifically, the effects of drugs. This course is designed for students with no background in the field of neuroscience.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
How could a collection of atoms, tethered together to form molecules, have played such important roles in colonization, health, environment, lifestyle, and so forth? We will look at 13 of the most intriguing molecules in history. As we explore these interesting histories, we will catalogue a few of the relevant scientific observations and molecular structures that give rise to the important characteristics of particular “world rocking” molecules. Molecular modeling, demonstrations, and lab-like exercises will illustrate the connection between structure and function. Students will also suggest and research other molecules that have impacted history or might be projected to have a profound influence in the future.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Food is essential for all of us to survive but we often take food and food preparation for granted. Have you ever wondered why some food tastes as it does or how food preparation can alter the taste of consistency of a dish? What is a balanced diet and why do we strive to have one? In this course students explore how understanding the science of food and cooking enhances our enjoyment of it as well as our benefit from it. Students look at the history and culture of human nourishment, and explore some controversial aspects of food and food technology, such as use of additives, genetically modified organisms, and diets and weight loss programs. If you have an appetite for learning or are just food motivated, this course may appeal to your senses.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 163S - This Old Earth: Scientific and Cultural Perspectives on the Discovery of Deep Time
The antiquity of the Earth is geology’s most important contribution to science. In the late 18th and 19th centuries new findings about the Earth’s history and fossil record came into conflict with religious and cultural understandings of creation, evolution, and the place of man in the universe. These issues have been debated since Darwin first articulated his theory of evolution by natural selection. More recently, controversy over anthropogenic climate change has provoked similar questions: How long has our present climate lasted, and what has been the scale of climate change in the past? Knowledge of the Earth’s vast age has reached past scientific debates and influenced all aspects of life, including religion, poetry, art, and architecture. In this course, students explore the changing cultural and scientific views of the age of the Earth and how these longstanding debates influence how science is seen by non-scientists.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Weather and climate command our attention because they deeply affect life on Earth. Now more than ever, life on Earth also affects atmospheric conditions, with vitally important scientific, political, cultural, and ethical implications. Course readings, discussions, and lectures examine the atmosphere from microscopic and macroscopic points of view, exploring the atomic basis for atmospheric properties such as pressure, temperature, and transparency; investigating the physical processes behind weather patterns and disturbances; and examining some of the complexities of global climate change. The course emphasizes interactions between the atmosphere and humans, as well as interactions between science and other human endeavors. Students better their understanding of the atmosphere, weather phenomena, climate change, and the power and limitations of scientific inquiry. A term project allows students to study an atmospheric phenomenon of their choosing and to strengthen their knowledge through written, oral, and visual presentations.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 168S - Stem Cells, Gene Therapy, and Bionics: The Making and Remaking of the Human Body
Examines several topics on the cutting edge of regenerative science. Initially focuses on the body’s ability to repair itself. Students examine the nature of stem cells, as well as the limitations and potential for future work with these cells. Students then explore how gene therapy techniques have the potential to repair a wide variety of genetic disorders, but may also bring about the possibility of selective improvement in normally functioning bodies. Finally, students look at how scientists are developing techniques to grow organs in the laboratory to replace damaged or injured organs, and how bionic parts are being investigated increasingly as alternatives to biological replacements. Along the way, students consider the ethical and social concerns that surround each of these approaches, and explore whether current definitions of humanity will apply well to a future where we can increasingly manipulate fundamental aspects of the human body.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Uses a social scientific approach to examine the effects that media exposure has on audience members. Students develop an understanding of how the media affects audience members’ physiology, cognition, beliefs, attitudes, affective states, and behavior. Key media topics studied include violence, sex, politics, and portrayals of groups. Key types of media studied include television, music, video games, and social media.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 172S - The Biology of Women: Sex, Gender, Reproduction, and Disease
Myths regarding the female body have been circulating for centuries and still influence human behavior throughout the world. Though female and male anatomies differ, the underlying genetic material of each is very similar. This course investigates the historical and environmental construction of gender, the biological aspects of sex, the unique characteristics of female anatomy and reproduction, and the effect of sexually transmitted diseases and cancer on female health. Lectures, discussions, and in-class exercises explore the scientific methods used to acquire our current understanding of hormonal signaling, genetic inheritance, development, microbial pathogenesis, and cell biology that underlie these topics. Social and ethical issues that exist and are raised by the biological differences between males and females are also discussed, including hormonal therapy, in vitro fertilization, prenatal genetic testing, female genital mutilation, and the use of birth control to prevent AIDS transmission. This course is open to both men and women.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 176S - Natural Disasters: Science, Media and Movies
Natural disasters are part of the normal processes that shape the Earth, but can have dramatic and tragic impacts on human populations around the globe. Many citizens, however, are only exposed to these phenomena through media coverage seeking high viewership or movies optimized for spectacular special effects. This course will introduce the science behind many natural disasters – including earthquakes, asteroid impacts, storms, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis – while also considering how media stories and films present, frame, or incorporate disaster science. Students will gain a practical understanding of natural disasters, and learn to critically analyze the representation of science in popular media.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Examines a key global health issue, such as AIDS or Cancer, from an interdisciplinary approach. The readings introduce students to the history, politics, science, and public health issues of the disease. Students will examine the epidemiology of the disease, examining how geography, socioeconomic status, and other factors influence transmission and treatment, and statistical measures used to analyze data about causes, cures and spread of disease will be introduced. Finally, the impacts of the disease on communities at different scales will be examined.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives Formerly: CORE 116S and CORE 136S
Explores water technologies and their evolution through time, and how the technologies related to water distribution and treatment evolve with human’s understanding of and interaction with water. Through the lens of science and engineering, students examine the role water plays in human health, the environment, and sustainability. Focused on history of water transportation; water quality issues, coinciding with an improved understanding of water following advances in chemistry, biology, and physics; and modern and emerging problems related to water and water technology. Students cover topics on the application and limitation of scientific knowledge, and broader impacts that technology has on past and current societies.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Social inequality affects us all. This course will explore what the science of social psychology tells us about how social inequality shapes the ways we think, live, and die. Because social inequality is about the relative status of people based on their group memberships, we will begin the course by exploring social psychological theories that help explain the centrality of our group memberships to our identity. As we will see, these group memberships can be based on many different aspects of our identity: race, gender, socioeconomic status, among many others. Next, we will explore what experimental data tell us about the sources of, and consequences of, group-based disparities. In particular, we will examine the roles of limited resources, identity, power, morality, and prejudice in perpetuating inequality. Finally, we will discuss the emerging literature on how to coexist more peacefully in an unequal world.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
What is music? How do natural raw sounds become a musical phenomenon? Why are some combinations of sounds more pleasant than others? The answers to these questions are tightly related to the concepts of matter, energy, time and space. Where there is music, there is sound; and where there is sound, there is physics. This course is an exploration of the underlying principles of the musical phenomena, including acoustics of musical instruments, formation of scales and perception of sound.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Cooperation is the key to understanding many environmental problems and policies. When and how do humans cooperate with each other to solve environmental issues? What features make that cooperation easier or harder, and what can we do to encourage cooperation? This course explores the origins of cooperation from an economic, biological, psychological, and social perspective, with a particular focus on game theory. This knowledge is then applied to a variety of environmental issues, ranging from climate change to overfishing to the hole in the ozone layer.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Introduces students to interdisciplinary thinking: they learn the elements of computer programming in the context of visual art, developing problem solving skills that bridge disciplines. Students formally analyze the visual structure of paintings to create abstractions, sketches and collages, which provide templates that structure the computer programs they write.
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: No prior programming experience is expected. Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 183S - The Science Fiction Effect: Popular Science Writing and Science Fiction in Public Discourse
Combines popular science writing with works of science fiction in order to interrogate the ways in which science is presented, expressed, and translated into texts intended for lay people. Students will consider the role both kinds of work play in shaping public scientific literacy. Readings will include essays from Best American Science Writing, recently published nonfiction in the genre of popular science, assorted recent articles, as well as seminal and contemporary works of literary science fiction. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how science is practiced and written about today, as well as the ways in which fiction about scientific advances popularizes the science it addresses. Given what we learn through reading nonfiction, is fictional writing about real science a fruitful part of public scientific discourse?
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Fire is the quintessential human technology. It is also a potent symbol whose meaning has become central to our national and community discourse. Fire is at the root of countless traditions, myths, and foodways, and through controlled combustion of fossil fuels, fire has grown to be the central process at the heart of modern industrial and agricultural systems. The deliberate release of energy through different forms of combustion has changed the course of human social- and potentially, biological evolution. But where does the energy in combustion come from? How do humans harness that energy to do work? And how do storytelling and cultural perceptions of fire influence the choices individuals and societies make about what resources to burn, where to burn them, and what to do with the waste products?
Credits: 1.00 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Takes a scientific approach to understand the sources and validity of information. Students focus on the roles of language, mathematics, and computation in the production, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge. Discussions include strategies for recognizing false or misleading information, and topics are considered through multiple lenses. This requires questioning one’s own expertise as well as understanding the lifecycle of information, for good judgment and intellectual humility are two sides of the same coin.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Applies rhetorical theories and methods to scientific discourse in the public and academic sphere. Students develop an understanding of the relationship between research and writing, and they practice these skills by examining historical and current scientific debates and controversies. Through looking at case studies, students will gain an increased understanding of how, where, and when scientific research is influenced by (and influencing of) different audiences and communities. Students will examine and work with qualitative research methods, genre theory, rhetorical style, and multimodal compositions.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 187S - The Things with Feather: Human’s Passion for Birds and Scientific Study of Bird Intelligence
Emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the historic journey of scientific studies of bird behavior and nature while celebrating the triumphs of these surprising and fiercely intelligent creatures. Students examine the study of intelligence of birds from behavior, brain mechanisms, to ecological and evolutionary adaptation. Students look at the history of ornithological study in the past centuries and examine the key social-cultural events and conceptual breakthroughs that advance scientific study of birds. Students also explore how these scientific findings can shed light on human behaviors and help us to better understand ourselves. Moreover, students examine the impacts of human-created environmental changes on the behavior, reproduction, and survival of these precious creatures, and how citizen science has helped contribute to numerous bird conservation projects.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Dogs are a fascinating study organism. From their very beginnings their evolutionary history contains unpredicted effects across all levels of biological organization. From the social construct of being a wild animal (wolf), to becoming dependent on man (domestication), and colonizing our homes and our beds (inter-species bonding). The history of this single species provides a rich learning opportunity to introductory students. Readings and discussions include a brief introduction and exploration of most branches of biology, in an interdisciplinary manner: evolution, ecology, genetics, physiology, and behavior, with the underlying theme of how dogs are unique to each of those branches in biology. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between wild animals and early humans, and tracks that interaction through time as the domestication of the dog has progressed. Further exploration occurs on physiological aspects of canine biology that are beneficial for humans, for example, cancer research. Students are challenged to formulate questions about science and how science relates to the inter-species relationship we have created with “man’s best friend.”
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Why do we sleep? Why do we dream? Do we really need to get 8 hours of sleep a night to perform our best? How is sleep affected by a person’s neighborhood, job, family, or culture? Students will study the theories and empirical research that seek to answer these questions. The course begins examining sleep at multiple levels of analysis, including its biological underpinnings, methods of assessment, and developmental changes, as well as common sleep disorders and connections between sleep and learning, dreaming, and health. The second half of the course will address environmental influences on sleep and explore ways to improve sleep in diverse populations via intervention and policy.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
In our hyperconnected world, we expect the Internet, and its abundance of information, entertainment, social networking, e-commerce, and more, to always be accessible. Our expectations are usually satisfied thanks to a complex system of specialized devices and software. However, this infrastructure is susceptible to physical failures, human errors, cyber attacks, and censorship that compromise our ability to access (parts of) the Internet. In this course, students will learn how the Internet works and explore Internet design flaws and operational limitations that have been demonstrated by scientific measurements of Internet infrastructure. Additionally, students will examine a variety of technology- and policy-based solutions for making the Internet more reliable and open.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
CORE 192S - The Anthropocene: Earth Systems With and Without Us
Temperatures are increasing, sea levels are rising, many species are on the move, and some have gone extinct. These changes in Earth’s environments profoundly shape our lives, influencing where we live, the food we eat, the work we do, and how we see ourselves and others. Geologists have proposed that we live in a new interval in the history of our planet, the Anthropocene, in which the activities of our species have transformed Earth systems in ways that will leave an indelible signature in the geologic record. How do we know that these environmental changes are underway and that humans are responsible? Students explore the scientific evidence for the Anthropocene, considering how Earth systems operate both with and without us. Students learn about the process of science by critically reading the scientific literature, by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting scientific data, by communicating scientific research to different audiences, and by considering the social context in which science is done.
Credits: 1.0 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Human-induced climate change is a defining issue of our time. That people are dramatically altering the climate is now the consensus in the global scientific community. Potential short- and long-term impacts include biodiversity loss, sea-level rise and coastal flooding, more intense storms, threats to human health, and disruptions of freshwater supplies and food security. But while the global community increasingly understands the basic processes driving climate change, and is starting to appreciate the consequences of a warmer world, the cultures (different societies, scientists, policymakers, to name a few) grappling with the dynamics of global warming are complex and the issue remains controversial and less well addressed, globally, than needed to stem dramatic climate change over the next century. Understanding climate-society relationships requires examining both the climatic effects of human activity as well as the cultural responses to addressing climate throughout history. Students examine climate change in cultural context in order to create engaged global citizens who grapple with the science and scientific uncertainty of climate change alongside the social, political, ethical, and economic matrix of society’s responses.
Credits: 1.0 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: Scientific Perspectives
Explores scientific questions regarding infants’ and adults’ acquisition of native and non-native languages. Students read journal articles and book chapters in the interdisciplinary field of linguistics, and engage in collecting and analyzing spoken language data. What goes on in the brains of new-born infants before they discover the meanings of words? Why do some adults succeed in learning a second language, while others do not? What might be the linguistic and social consequences of acquiring an English dialectal accent? Do non-human animals use language? Addressing these questions illuminates physiological, linguistic, psychological, and social factors that determine success or failure of acquiring language.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None Formerly: CORE 115S and CORE 150S
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
An introduction to the basic concepts of statistics. Topics include experimental design, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, basic probability, mean tendencies, the central limit theorem, point estimation with errors, hypothesis testing for means, proportions, paired data, and the chi-squared test for independence. Emphasis is on statistical reasoning rather than computation, although computation is done via software.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: Three years of secondary school mathematics Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Restrictions: Not open to students who have either received credit for or are currently enrolled in
An introduction to the basic concepts of differential and integral calculus including limits and continuity; differentiation of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; applications of the derivative to curve sketching, related rates, and maximum-minimum problems; Riemann sums and the definite integral; and the fundamental theorem of calculus.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: Three years of secondary school mathematics including trigonometry Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
A continuation of the study of calculus begun in MATH 161. Topics covered include the calculus of inverse trigonometric functions, techniques of integration, improper integrals, L’Hôpital’s rule and indeterminate forms, applications of integration, and Taylor series.
with a grade of C- or higher or equivalent experience in a secondary school calculus course Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
The content from MATH 161 and MATH 162 is extended to several variables. Among the topics considered are surfaces in three-dimensional space, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, and multiple integrals.
) (PHYS 232 may be taken concurrently) (MATH 162 prereq can be satisfied with equivalent experience in a secondary school calculus course) Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
A study of sets of linear equations and their transformation properties over vector spaces. Topics include: systems of linear equations, matrices, determinants, vector spaces, linear transformations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and diagonalization.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites:MATH 163 (may be taken concurrently) Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of statistics and probability and the understanding of scientific programming and simulation. Students learn to clean, summarize, and analyze data in R, focusing on interpretation and extracting information. Aims to expose students to the theory of probability and statistics through computational exercises and topics that provide insight into the essential theories of probability, random variables, expectations, and statistical inference. The required lab portion of the course enables students to implement these ideas in R by exploring real data from several disciplines.
MATH 250 - Number Theory and Mathematical Reasoning
Questions about the positive integers 1, 2, 3 … have fascinated people for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks noted the existence of right triangles with sides of integral length, corresponding to equations such as 32 + 42 =52 and 52 + 122 = 132. Is there a way of describing all such “Pythagorean Triples”? As another example, 5 = 12+ 22, 13 = 22 + 32, 17 = 12 + 42, while none of the primes 7, 11, or 19 can be expressed as the sum of two squares. Is there a pattern? Does it continue forever? This course focuses on such equations as a means for introducing students to the spirit and methods of modern mathematics. The emphasis throughout is on developing the ability to construct logically sound mathematical arguments and communicate these arguments in writing.
with a grade of C or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
An exploration of computer manipulation and presentation of mathematical ideas. The computer allows mathematics to be explored, manipulated and connected to data. No background in programming is presumed. Students learn how numbers are stored and manipulated on the computer in order to do mathematics (from calculus to linear algebra to exploring patterns in the integers), how mathematical functions can be encoded and presented, and how data relates to functions. Induction and continuity are methods of proof relying on infinity, yet will be explored using the finite number cruncher called a computer. The results provide examples and intuition for further mathematical investigation. The required lab portion of the course allows students to implement these ideas in practice.
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Systems biology is an emerging interdisciplinary field that focuses on system level understanding of complex interactions of biological processes using quantitative approaches. The course focuses on the applications of mathematical techniques such as differential equations, network structure measures, machine learning and modeling (e.g., Boolean and stochastic modeling) to the study of gene regulation, synthetic gene circuits, small- and large-scale biological networks, and signal transduction pathways. Students also learn how to use computer software that is designed for biological data analysis such as GenePattern and COPASI.
Differential Equations relate unknown functions to their derivatives. Finding the solution involves identifying functions that satisfy that equation. This course focuses on techniques for solving ordinary differential equations as well as some basic general theory of ordinary differential equations. Topics include: first order equations with associated initial conditions, linear higher order equations with constant coefficients, systems of linear and nonlinear differential equations, and solutions written as power series and/or using transforms. Applications are presented.
Develops methods to solve combinatorial (finite) problems arising in mathematics, computer science, and other areas from the natural and social sciences. Enumeration and graph theory are the main subjects. Topics include recurrence relations, generating functions, inclusion-exclusion, modeling with graphs, trees and searching, graph coloring, and network algorithms. The emphasis is on problem solving rather than theory.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
How do we translate problems from the world into solvable mathematical problems? Mathematical modeling is the art of creating mathematical problems whose solutions are useful for real world problems. Methods such as scaling, qualitative analysis, chaos and limits of predictability, Markov chains and simple random models, and agent based models and optimization of non-parametric functions are discussed. Applications considered arise from economics, political science, and sociology.
By introducing the imaginary number i = √-1 the analysis of functions over the complex plane becomes, at times, distinctly different than over the real plane. Topics include complex numbers and functions, the theory of differentiation and integration of complex functions, sequences and series of complex functions, conformal mapping. Special attention is given to Cauchy’s integral theorem.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
Mathematical biology is a fast growing and interdisciplinary area in which mathematics is utilized as a tool for studying various biological phenomena such as population growth, infectious diseases, the spread of invasive species, cell movement, dynamics of a neuron, etc. This course provides an introduction to the basics of discrete and continuous models and mathematical concepts for students to learn how to derive, interpret, solve, simulate, and understand models of biological systems.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
An introduction to the basic concepts of discrete and continuous probability: axioms and properties of probability, standard counting techniques, conditional probability, important random variables and their discrete and continuous distributions, expectation, variance, and joint distribution functions. Additional topics may include: Poisson processes, Markov chains, and Monte Carlo methods.
MATH 354 - Data Analysis I - Generalized Linear Models
An applied regression course that involves modeling data with generalized linear and nonparametric models including hands on Tukey-style data analysis with statistics software. Students explore topics that are widely used today across disciplines in academic research and in business; such topics include point and interval estimation, correlation, regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), model diagnostics, model building, and transformations. Students will start with regression analysis with a single predictor variable, then consider regression analysis where two or more variables are used for making predictions. While applied, this course aims to combine theory and application to emphasize the need for understanding each methods’ theoretical foundation. This conversation is had through illustrating a variety of inferences, residual analyses and fully exploring the implications of our assumptions.
An investigation of the properties and structure of graphs. Graph theory uses mathematical constructs called graphs to approach a diverse set of problems that have nontrivial applications in computer science, operations research and other disciplines. It is one of the very few mathematical areas where one is always close to interesting unsolved problems. Topics include graphs and subgraphs, trees, connectivity, Eulerian and Hamilton cycles, matchings, colorings, planar graphs, directed graphs, network flows, counting arguments, and graph algorithms.
Abstract algebraic structures, rather than results specific to the usual number systems, are developed. Basic algebraic structures presented include groups, rings, integral domains, and fields.
with a grade of C or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
An introductory treatment of methods used for numerical approximation. Topics include: roots of equations, simultaneous linear equations, quadrature, and other fundamental processes using high speed computing devices.
with a grade of C or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
) with a grade of C or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
An introduction to both point-set topology and basic algebraic topology. Topics include metric spaces, topological spaces, compactness, connectedness, the classification of surfaces, mod-2 homology, and the Jordan curve theorem. Additional topics that demonstrate connections with analysis, dynamics, and algebra are determined by the instructor based on student interest.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
with a grade of C or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Explores mathematics as it is applied to the physical sciences. Mathematical topics may include boundary value problems, partial differential equations, special functions, Fourier series and transforms, Green’s functions, and approximate solution methods.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years
Unbreakable, inevitable, assured, inescapable: choose whichever synonym you prefer. Ramsey theory is the study of properties that must occur for sufficiently large structures. We can try to break the structure through partitioning, but a Ramsey property will persist. We will survey the main results in Ramsey theory and, along the way, encounter several disparate proof techniques. We will visit van der Waerden’s Theorem on arithmetic progressions, Ramsey’s Theorem on graphs and hypergraphs, the Hales-Jewett Theorem on multi-dimensional tic-tac-toe, and Hindman’s Theorem on infinite sets of finite sums, among other fascinating results.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years
Matroids take varying notions of “independence” within different areas of mathematics – including linear algebra, graph theory, geometry, and abstract algebra – and form a way to unite them. This single idea, first studied in 1935, turned out to form an immensely powerful framework that is among the most active areas of research within discrete mathematics. For example, it turns out that greedy algorithms are possible exactly when there is a matroid lurking in the background. Students are introduced to the fundamentals of matroid theory, with an emphasis on geometry. Topics include graphic matroids, representable matroids, affine and projective finite geometries, hyperplane arrangements, operations on matroids, and the Tutte polynomial.
Building on the material learned in MATH 316, students examine the theoretical underpinning of statistical results. Topics include estimation theory, confidence intervals, and tests of hypotheses (including an introduction to Bayesian and nonparametric estimation). More specifically, students explore sufficiency, maximum likelihood techniques, minimum variance principles, uniformly most powerful tests, pivotal quantities, test inversions, and asymptotic evaluation with the choice of topics determined by the instructor. While the primary focus is on the theory of statistics, students will learn to conduct and evaluate these approaches via simulation using software. Students may find MATH 416 a useful companion to the application-focused MATH 354.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years
A systematic study of continuous random processes through the lens of Brownian motion and the associated calculus, achieved via a balance of theory and numerics. Topics include: Gaussian processes, Brownian motion, conditional expectations, martingales, Itô’s formula, Itô processes, and stochastic differential equations. Applications to finance, physics, and computer science are illustrated.
An introduction to the techniques and concepts used to analyze real-time dynamic models that involve nonlinear terms. Applications are emphasized and demonstrate the universality of chaotic solution behavior. This course is team-taught by members of the physics and mathematics departments.
with a grade of C- or higher) Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Recommended: Students should enroll through the department for which they intend to use the credit. Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Continues the study of number theory begun in MATH 250 and includes the Quadratic Reciprocity Law of Gauss, the Cubic Reciprocity Law of Eisenstein and Jacobi, and other topics from algebraic number theory.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
MATH 454 - Data Analysis II - Nonlinear Model Inference
An applied regression course that involves modeling and interpreting data with nonlinear models including K Nearest Neighbors, Logistic Regression, Discriminant Analysis, Bootstrapping, Ridge Regression, LASSO, Principal Components Analysis, Regression Splines, Generalized Additive Models, Tree-Based Models, and Support Vector Machines. While applied, it aims to combine theory and application to emphasize the need for understanding each method’s theoretical foundation. This conversation is had through illustrating a variety of inferences, residual analyses and fully exploring the implications of our assumptions.
Introduces the notions of Hilbert and Banach spaces. A thorough understanding of these types of spaces is crucial in several areas of mathematics and applied mathematics. For example, quantum theory can be formulated in terms of operators on infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces. Students are also introduced to the notion of frames. In finite dimensions frames are spanning sets for a vector space.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: MATH 214 and MATH 377 Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Quantitative techniques have become a crucial tool in recent years for analyzing biological systems, a field which has been flooded with highly detailed experimental data due to new advanced data acquisition techniques in the biological sciences. This interdisciplinary research tutorial explores the analysis of biological systems using quantitative approaches such as mathematical modeling, statistical learning, and computer programming. Research topics include (but are not limited to) gene regulation, disease networks, and cell cycle regulation.
Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
This capstone seminar presents senior Applied Mathematics majors with a research experience in applied mathematics. Each student will work closely with the instructor on a research problem that will require the integration of previously developed applied mathematics skills. Students will apply their learning from previous math courses toward a specified research problem and will delve deeply into material related to the specific problem. Each student will complete a written piece of mathematics addressing their research problem and will present their work as a final thesis.
This capstone seminar presents senior Mathematics majors with a research experience in mathematics. Each student will work closely with the instructor on a research problem that will require the integration of previously developed mathematics skills. Students will apply their learning from previous math courses toward a specified research problem and will delve deeply into material related to the specific problem.
Continues the study of abstract algebraic structures, providing a careful and intensive study of topics such as group theory, ring theory, field theory, and Galois theory.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Spring semester only, in alternate years
with a grade of B or better Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
Set theory serves as a foundation for all of mathematics, in the sense that all of the objects and constructions of mathematics can be expressed in terms of sets. It was discovered over 100 years ago, however, that intuitive set theory is riddled with contradictions. This course introduces students to the axioms of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, which restrict the ways in which sets can be formed, in the hope of avoiding the contradictions. Topics include the Zermelo-Fraenkel axioms and some of their consequences; well-orderings and various statements equivalent to the axiom of choice; and ordinal and cardinal numbers.
with a grade of B or higher Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None Formerly: MATH 389
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Liberal Arts CORE: None
The topics covered include the following: propositional and predicate calculus, completeness and compactness theorems, the foundations of nonstandard analysis, first-order model theory, recursive functions, a full proof of Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem, and undecidability.
Credits: 1.00 When Offered: Fall semester only, in alternate years
Offers elementary training in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through intensive training in the phonology and script of Modern Standard Arabic and its basic vocabulary and fundamental structure. There is a focus on simple interactive communicative tasks involving teacher with students and students among themselves. Basic grammar is taught through reading, writing, and speaking drills in conjunction with the formal exercises in the text. This training is supplemented with simple lessons on interpersonal transactions and cultural contexts.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None Formerly: Formerly MIST 121
Continues the presentation of fundamentals of Arabic grammar and the development of proficiency in reading, writing, and spoken communication skills and oral comprehension, including extensive cultural material. Provides additional training in formal spoken Arabic, with significant consideration to deviations of certain Arabic dialects. In addition to standard drills, students are expected to engage in structured and semi-structured speaking activities, as well as content-based language activities built around regional topics.
ARAB 195 - Elementary-Level Arabic Language Abroad
Elementary-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
, or their equivalent. Emphasis is placed on grammatical analysis, writing, and reading of increasingly longer and more complex texts; further vocabulary acquisition; and continued practice in listening and speaking formal Arabic.
Continues the presentation of fundamentals of Arabic grammar and the development of proficiency in reading, writing, and spoken communications skills and oral comprehension, including extensive cultural material. Students should be able to receive instructions in Arabic. Provides additional extensive training in formal spoken Arabic, with significant consideration to classical Arabic, as well as the deviations of certain Arabic dialects. Students concentrate on extensive reading and writing as well as correct prose. Students encompass interdialectical features as well as the variations of modern standard Arabic; and complete and emphasize the functional as well as the situational aspects of the Arabic language. Students are expected to write brief essays in Arabic and continue to engage in structured and semi-structured writing and speaking activities, as well as content-based language activities built around regional topics.
ARAB 295 - Intermediate-Level Arabic Language Abroad
Intermediate-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
The first part of a year-long advanced Arabic sequence that aims to move students from the intermediate level towards the advanced level of proficiency as defined by the standards set by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Designed to enable students to refine and expand their knowledge of Arabic grammar and sentence structures via intensive daily instruction that includes practice of all the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural awareness is also integral to the Advanced Arabic course and is introduced through readings, lectures, and activities, and further reinforced through an assigned cultural project. Conducted in Arabic and most of the materials are authentic.
Second part of a year-long advanced Arabic sequence that aims to move students from the intermediate level towards the advanced level of proficiency as defined by the standards set by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Designed to enable students to refine and expand their knowledge of Arabic grammar and sentence structures via intensive daily instruction that includes practice of all the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural awareness is also integral to the Advanced Arabic course and is introduced through readings, lectures, and activities, and further reinforced through an assigned cultural project. Conducted in Arabic and most of the materials are authentic.
An advanced course dedicated to studying the Classical Arabic language and key themes of the Qur’an, the central text of Islam, and of classical commentaries which draw on it. The course aims to provide students with the advanced Arabic language skills specific to comprehending this Muslim holy text. By analyzing selected Āyāt (verses) of the book, students become acquainted with the distinct language of the Qur’an-its complex vocabulary, style, orthography, phonology, morphology, and syntax. Students also become familiar with the rules for its correct recitation as well as basic Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis). The languages of in class discussion will be both Classical Arabic (which draws on the Qur’an) and Modern Standard Arabic. A small selection of assigned readings are in English.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: MIST 202 Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
Advanced-level language courses taken abroad with a Colgate study group, an approved program, or in a foreign institution of higher learning.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
ARAB 401 - Topics in Arabic Language and Culture I
MIST 401 and MIST 402 comprise a year-long course sequence aimed at moving students from the Advanced-Low level of proficiency towards the Superior one. Six themes (three in each semester) are selected to represent a wide range of topics that are highly discussed among Arabs and non-Arabs in today’s world. These themes enable students to further develop their abilities to extract essential information and identify linguistic nuances in the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as well as further deepen their understanding of Arab cultures. The courses are designed in accordance with the latest pedagogical philosophy and in light of the national standard guidelines and best practices in teaching Arabic a foreign language. The only language allowed in class is Arabic.
ARAB 402 - Topics in Arabic Language and Culture II
MIST 401 and MIST 402 comprise a year-long course sequence aimed at moving students from the Advanced-Low level of proficiency towards the Superior one. Six themes (three in each semester) are selected to represent a wide range of topics that are highly discussed among Arabs and non-Arabs in today’s world. These themes enable students to further develop their abilities to extract essential information and identify linguistic nuances in the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as well as further deepen their understanding of Arab cultures. The courses are designed in accordance with the latest pedagogical philosophy and in light of the national standard guidelines and best practices in teaching Arabic a foreign language. The only language allowed in class is Arabic.
Provides an in-depth introduction to the Qur’an, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and the centuries of interpretative debates among both Muslims and non-Muslims over the meaning of these two foundations of the Islamic tradition. Students begin with an immersion in the earliest Islamic primary sources, reading excerpts from the Qur’an itself and the first biography of Muhammad ever written. Next, students examine recent scholarly debates over the nature of Muhammad’s movement and message. The second half of the course adopts a more thematic approach, looking at issues like the place of women in the Qur’an, the authority of reason vs. revelation, Islamic education, and Qur’anic ethics.
Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
An introduction to Middle Eastern politics, including historical foundations of the modern Middle East, competing strategies of state building, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf War, the rise of political Islam, and American policy toward the region.
Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Senior Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents Liberal Arts CORE: None
How have contemporary global markets, media, and mobility fueled a worldwide Islamic revival? Has expanded access to public schooling and digital media among ordinary Muslims challenged state power and authority—or enhanced it? If pious Muslims rejected Islam’s mystical (Sufi) traditions in the twentieth century, why are many embracing these traditions today? This course poses and answers such questions by exploring Muslim-majority societies across time and place, emphasizing the changing technologies, institutions, practices, and identities that bind them. Major historical topics addressed include Islam’s foundational texts and interpretive traditions, colonial modernity and market capitalism, the rise of nation-states and national identities, and contemporary globalization. Major social-cultural topics include changing media technologies and access, current Islamic revivalism and Islamic feminist movements, gender and sexuality, knowledge and power, and secularism and non-Muslim religious minorities.
Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, No Senior Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents Liberal Arts CORE: None
MIST 253 - Aspects of Contemporary Arab Societies: Morocco (Extended Study)
This extended study course aims at introducing students to the dynamics and development of a contemporary Arab society through engaging critically with academic sources on campus and an on-site living experience. It provides students a sense of the many layers and elements of selected aspects of Moroccan society on both theoretical and practical levels. It includes a three-week extended study in Morocco, which is designed to give the students a unique opportunity to reflect on the society utilizing the program’s language study, homestay experience, cross-cultural orientation, lectures, and excursions. Students learn how to apply the practical knowledge, the skills, and the daily experience they gain during their visit, to have a better understanding of the country from the locals’ standpoints while simultaneously comparing and relating it to their own Colgate academic perspectives and personal perspectives as citizens of the world. Students must complete both the on-campus component and the extended study component of the course in order to earn credit for the course.
The September 11th attacks left an indelible mark on both American political discourse and the experiences of Muslim communities across the globe. This course asks: how should we conceptualize the relationship between Islam and the West in our post-9/11 world? Together, we will explore the history and ideas behind contemporary headlines in an effort to understand the roots of Islamist violence, American foreign policy towards Muslim-majority countries, Muslim debates over the future of their faith, and popular discourse on Islam in the West. We will look at a wide range of sources and perspectives in order to tackle these difficult but exceedingly relevant issues.
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
MIST 330 - Global Political-Economy of the Middle East and North Africa
How can we understand the challenges that face the Middle East and North Arica in relation to the broad sweep of global history and our increasingly interconnected world? Students examine the evolving relationship between the modern world and the regions of northern Africa and southwestern Asia, from the global economy of the Silk Road to the transnational causes of the 2011 Arab Uprisings. Going beyond the intersection of politics and economics, students examine the various ways in which governments — states, colonies, and empires — have come to understand and manage the societies and territories under their jurisdiction. At the same time, students examine the interactive relationship between state power and regional changes to societies and environments within a global context. Deploying a broad array of disciplinary approaches, students engage with debates about the legacies of European imperialism, postcolonial development, contemporary globalization, persistent authoritarianism, oil dependency, intensive militarization, and seemingly endemic terrorism.
Credits: 1.0 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents Liberal Arts CORE: Global Engagements
Focuses on the longstanding struggle between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as on the history of the way the conflict has been defined (e.g., an Arab-Israeli conflict, a religious war between Jews and Muslims, etc.). The course profiles episodes in the history of the conflict–and of the efforts to resolve it–in light of contemporary developments across the globe. The war of 1948 is analyzed in light of decolonization struggles following WWII, just as the “Six-Day War” of 1967 is studied in light of Cold War politics. In addition to focusing on flashpoints in the history of the conflict, the course also examines international agendas for ending it. Repeated US efforts to broker a peace are analyzed in light of geopolitical developments elsewhere. Students will become well-versed in the historical and social developments of the conflict and study the various treaties, armistice agreements, and memoranda that have guided efforts to bring it to a conclusion. They also study outstanding issues in the contest between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as well as current peace and armistice proposals.
Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No First-year Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents Liberal Arts CORE: None
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: variable Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: None Liberal Arts CORE: None
Introduces students to the rich interdisciplinary array of historical, theoretical, and practical topics that comprise this fast-growing field. Major themes include the history of museums from cabinets of curiosity to the Museum of Modern Art; the post-colonial critique of museums; and the practical aspects of museum management, education, and curating.
Credits: 1 Crosslisted: HIST 120 Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: No Junior, Senior Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
Examines how advancements in digital technologies (e.g. 3D scanning, VR, online collections searches, digital publishing) have impacted the discourse, methods, and practices of museum curating. Through weekly readings and discussions, students engage critically with questions surrounding the use of digital technologies for enhancing museum exhibitions, collection access, and visitor engagement in twenty-first century museums, while developing an understanding of the practical implications of curating for both physical and virtual audiences. Students apply this knowledge while conducting research on objects from University collections, writing interpretive texts, and designing digital resources. Students are responsible for curating a digital exhibition together, based on the exhibition at the Picker Art Gallery and evaluating the needs of the museum to propose, develop, and prototype a digital curatorial project.
Opportunity for individual study in areas not covered by formal course offerings, under the guidance of a member of the faculty.
Credits: 1.00 Corequisite: None Prerequisites: None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
Examines historic and contemporary curatorial methods while exploring ways to apply these methods appropriately in the development of a current exhibition. Students build on their understanding of the theoretical and ethical issues in museums while engaging with the practical challenges confronted by museum curators, such as complicated museum legacies, curatorial voice, collaboration, and accessible design. Students apply this knowledge while conducting object-based research, designing displays, and writing interpretive texts.
Credits: 1 Prerequisites: ARTS 120 or HIST 120 or ARTS 370 or ANTH 300 None Major/Minor Restrictions: None Class Restriction: None Area of Inquiry: Human Thought and Expression Liberal Arts CORE: None
