INTRO TO FILM & MEDIA STUDIES

This course serves as an introduction to the study of film and related visual media, examining fundamental issues of aesthetics (mise-en-scene, editing, sound), history (interaction of industrial, economic, and technological factors), theory (spectatorship, realism, and indexicality), and criticism (auteurist, feminist, and genre-based approaches). The course also investigates how digital media change has been productive of new frameworks for moving image culture in the present.  Discussion section FILM UN1001 is a required corequisite.

• W 2:10 p.m.-3:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Jane Gaines
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 0 points

INTRODUCTION TO ART HISTORY I

The first half of the Introduction to Art History explores premodern art and architecture around the world, from cave paintings to Song dynasty landscapes and Renaissance sculpture. Lectures and discussion sections are organized around themes, including nature and naturalism, death and the afterlife, ornament and abstraction, gender and sexuality, colonialism and conversion, and ritual and divinity. Visits to museums across New York are also an integral component to the course.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Gregory Bryda
  CULPA: 7 h-index: 1 Info
• 0 points

THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites: BLOCKED CLASS. EVERYONE MUST JOIN WAITLIST TO BE ADMITTED Broad survey of psychological science including: sensation and perception; learning, memory, intelligence, language, and cognition; emotions and motivation; development, personality, health and illness, and social behavior. Discusses relations between the brain, behavior, and experience. Emphasizes science as a process of discovering both new ideas and new empirical results. PSYC UN1001 serves as a prerequisite for further psychology courses and should be completed by the sophomore year.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• MW 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Patricia G Lindemann
  CULPA: 64 Info
• Instructor: Sarah Demoya
  Info
• 0 points

HUMAN ORIGINS & EVOLUTION

This is an introductory course in human evolution. Building on a foundation of evolutionary theory, students explore primate behavioral morphology and then trace the last 65 million years of primate evolution from the earliest Paleocene forms to the fossil remains of earliest humans and human relatives. Along with Behavioral Biology of the Living Primates this serves as a core required class for the EBHS program.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Jill S Shapiro
  CULPA: 46 Info
• 0 points

OCEANOGRAPHY

Explore the geology of the sea floor, understand what drives ocean currents and how ocean ecosystems operate. Case studies and discussions centered on ocean-related issues facing society.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Baerbel Hoenisch
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 33 Info
• 0 points

UNIVERSAL TIMEKEEPER

The goal of the course is to illustrate — and perhaps even inculcate —
quantitative and scientific reasoning skills. The subject material
employed in this task is the study of atoms and their nuclei which,
through a wide variety of physical and chemical techniques, can be used
to reconstruct quantitatively the past. Following an introduction to
atoms, light, and energy, we will explore topics including the detection
of art forgeries, the precise dating of archeological sites, a
reconstruction of the development of agriculture and the history of the
human diet, the history of past climate (and its implications for the
future), the history and age of the Earth, and the history of the Universe.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: David J Helfand
  CULPA: 40 Info
• 0 points

DINOSAUR & HISTORY OF LIFE-LEC

Prerequisites: Recommended preparation: basic high school science and math. Dinosaurs: a spectacular example of a common, highly successful form of life, dominant for 135 million years. Where did they come from? Why were they so successful? Why did they die out? … or did they? A basic introduction to the historical sciences and the  interface between geology and biology.

• MW 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Paul E Olsen
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia h-index: 71 Info
• 0 points

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I-LECTURES

Corequisites: MATH UN1101 Preparation equivalent to one year of high school chemistry is assumed. Students lacking such preparation should plan independent study of chemistry over the summer or take CHEM UN0001 before taking CHEM UN1403. Topics include stoichiometry, states of matter, nuclear properties, electronic structures of atoms, periodic properties, chemical bonding, molecular geometry, introduction to quantum mechanics and atomic theory, introduction to organic and biological chemistry, solid state and materials science, polymer science and macromolecular structures and coordination chemistry. Although CHEM UN1403 and CHEM UN1404 are separate courses, students are expected to take both terms sequentially. The order of presentation of topics may differ from the order presented here, and from year to year. Students must ensure they register for the recitation that corresponds to the lecture section.

When registering, please add your name to the wait list for the recitation corresponding to the lecture section (1405 for lecture sec 001; 1407 for lecture sec 002; 1409 for lecture sec 003; 1411 for lecture sec 004).  Information about recitation registration will be sent out before classes begin.  DO NOT EMAIL THE INSTRUCTOR. Please check the Directory of Classes for details.

• TR 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
• MW 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Ruben M Savizky
  CULPA: 22 Info
• Instructor: Robert Beer
  CULPA: 22 Info
• 0 points

GENERAL CHEMISTRY II-LECTURES

Prerequisites: CHEM UN1403 Although CHEM UN1403 and CHEM UN 1404 are separate courses, students are expected to take both terms sequentially. Topics include gases, kinetic theory of gases, states of matter: liquids and solids, chemical equilibria, applications of equilibria, acids and bases, chemical thermodynamics, energy, enthalpy, entropy, free energy, periodic properties, chemical kinetics, and electrochemistry. The order of presentation of topics may differ from the order presented here, and from year to year. Students must ensure they register for the recitation that corresponds to the lecture section. Please check the Directory of Classes for details.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Christopher Eckdahl
  Info
• 0 points

EARTH RESOURCES & SUSTAIN DEV

Prerequisites: none; high school chemistry recommended. Survey of the origin and extent of mineral resources, fossil fuels, and industrial materials, that are non renewable, finite resources, and the environmental consequences of their extraction and use, using the textbook Earth Resources and the Environment, by James Craig, David Vaughan and Brian Skinner. This course will provide an overview, but will include focus on topics of current societal relevance, including estimated reserves and extraction costs for fossil fuels, geological storage of CO2, sources and disposal methods for nuclear energy fuels, sources and future for luxury goods such as gold and diamonds, and special, rare materials used in consumer electronics (e.g. ;Coltan; mostly from Congo) and in newly emerging technologies such as superconducting magnets and rechargeable batteries (e.g. heavy rare earth elements, mostly from China). Guest lectures from economists, commodity traders and resource geologists will provide ;real world; input. Discussion Session Required.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Peter Kelemen
  CULPA: 8 h-index: 84 Info
• 0 points

THEOR-UNIVERS:BABYLON-BIG BANG

Milestones in the science of cosmology over the past 6000 years. Skylore and observation in ancient cultures. The twin revolutions of the Greeks: Pythagoras and Ptolemy; and Aristotle, Aquinas, and the Great Chain of Being. The scientific revolution: the impersonal and deterministic world-order of Newton, Laplace, and Kelvin. The erosion of that world-order by mathematics and experiment in the 20th century (relativity, quantum physics, dark matter, and the expanding universe). Todays searches for a new grand order in the Universe, which can cope - or maybe not - with these blows to yesterdays comfortable wisdom.

• MW 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Frederik Paerels
  CULPA: 21 Info
• 0 points

Approaches to Literary Study

Why does literature affect us as it does, why might you want to understand its history, strategies, and meaning, and how exactly do you go about that? This course won’t give you 
the
 answer, because there is no single answer. It will instead point the way toward the multitude of possible answers, giving you a variety of critical tools for exploring these questions, and deepening your powers as a thinker, reader, and writer.
            The course consists of weekly lectures by department faculty members (ENGL 2000) and small weekly seminars with advanced doctoral candidates (ENGL 2001). The lectures will introduce you to texts from across literary history and in various genres (poetry, drama, prose narrative, etc.), giving you an opportunity to learn from and get to know our renowned faculty members. The intimate seminar setting will give you an opportunity to delve further into these texts and techniques, debate their meaning with one another and an expert guide, and engage in exercises that advance your critical writing and interpretive skills, putting into practice what you’ve learned. You will encounter the wide variety of critical approaches taken by our faculty, your seminar leader, and the discipline at large, while learning to expand upon these approaches and make them your own.
            The course is required for English majors and minors (who should take it as early as possible in their Columbia careers), but it is for everyone: advanced students of literature or those new to literary study; committed majors or those still exploring; anyone seeking the excitement and immersion this course offers.
            (
Note
: Students who register for ENGL UN2000 must also register for one of the sections of ENGL UN2001.)

• F 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Julie S Peters
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 0 points

INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY OF ART

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

CINEMA HIST II: 1930-1960

This course examines major developments and debates in the history of cinema between 1930 and 1960, from the consolidation of the classic Hollywood studio system in the early sound era to the articulation of emergent ;new waves; and new critical discourses in the late 1950s. Our approach will be interdisciplinary in scope, albeit with an emphasis on social and cultural history - concerned not only with how movies have developed as a form of art and medium of entertainment, but also with cinemas changing function as a social institution. Discussion section FILM UN 2021 is a required co-requisite.

• R 2:10 p.m.-3:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Ronald Gregg
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 0 points

THE SYMPHONY

The purpose of this course is to survey the genre of the symphony throughout its history in Western music from about 1750 to the present. In class we will listen to and analyze selected examples, and also discuss the relationship of the work and its composer to their historical time.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Elaine Sisman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

CINEMA HIST III:1960-1990

By closely watching representative classics from countries including Italy, Poland, Russia and Argentina, we will study the distinctive trends and masters of this vibrant era. Special attention will be paid to the French New Wave (60s); the New German Cinema (70s); the reformulation of Hollywood studio filmmaking in the 70s (Altman, Cassavetes, Coppola), and the rise of the independent American cinema (80s). Discussion section FILM UN 2031 is a required co-requisite.

• M 2:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Annette Insdorf
  CULPA: 10 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

JEWISH MUSIC IN NEW YORK

Prerequisites: Music Humanities (Columbia University) or An Introduction to Music (Barnard). With the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants in New York in the mid-1600s until today, Jewish music in the City has oscillated between preserving traditions and introducing innovative ideas. This course explores the variety of ways people have used music to describe, inscribe, symbolize, and editorialize their Jewish experience. Along these lines, it draws upon genres of art music, popular music, and non-Western traditions, as well as practices that synthesize various styles and genres, from hazzanut to hiphop. Diverse musical experiences will serve as a window to address wider questions of identity, memory, and dislocation. We will also experience the Jewish soundscape of New York’s dynamic and eclectic music culture by visiting various venues and meeting key players in today’s music scene, and thus engage in the ongoing dialogues that define Jewishness in New York. A basic familiarity with Judaism and Jewish culture is helpful for this course, but it is by no means required. You do not need to know Jewish history to take this class, nor do you need to be able to read music. Translations from Hebrew and Yiddish will be provided, and musical analysis will be well explained.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Tina Fruehauf
  CULPA: 7 Info
• 0 points

American Film: Film Noir

This course surveys the American film genre known as 
film noir
, focusing primarily on the genre’s heyday in the 1940s and early 1950s, taking into account some of its antecedents in the hard-boiled detective novel, German Expressionism, and the gangster film, among other sources. We will consider a wide variety of critical and theoretical approaches to the genre, and will also study a number of film noir adaptations and their literary sources.

• M 10:10 a.m.-1:55 p.m.
• Instructor: James A Schamus
  CULPA: 8 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

EARTH'S ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS: THE SOLID

EARTH'S ENV SYSTEM:SOLID

Recommended preparation: high school chemistry and physics; and one semester of college science. Exploration of how the solid Earth works, today and in the past, focusing on Earth in the Solar system, continents and oceans, the Earth's history, mountain systems on land and sea, minerals and rocks, weathering and erosion, glaciers and ice sheets, the hydrological cycle and rivers, geochronology, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, energy resources. Laboratory exploration of topics through examination of rock samples, experimentation, computer data analysis, field exercises, and modeling. Columbia and Barnard majors should plan to take W2200 before their senior year to avoid conflicts with the Senior Seminar.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Jonathan Kingslake
  h-index: 17 Info
• 0 points

The Song Within Us: Composition, Analysi

This class offers insight through composing, analysis, and performance for the composer, singer/songwriter, and performance artist. Coupling specifics of rhythm, melody, and harmony with story telling, lyric writing and the voice itself, students will be encouraged to share their imagination in song regardless of style, genre, or aesthetic. Music ranging from Chant to Music Theatre, the German lied to international pop fusion will be included as models upon which to base discussion and creative endeavor. Improvisation and musicianship techniques will complement pedagogical presentations of tonal and non - tonal compositional practice. A required final project based on any combination of composition, analysis, and performance, and in any media will be due at the end of the semester. All levels of experience and all types of instruments are welcome. Notation software is recommended but not required.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Peter M Susser
  CULPA: 20 Info
• 0 points

English Literature 1500-1600: Literature

This lecture course examines sixteenth-century English literature in the light of the new religious, social and political challenges of the period.  Texts, primarily poetry and prose, include lyric poetry by Thomas Wyatt, Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, and John Donne; sonnet sequences by Philip Sidney and William Shakespeare; early narrative works by William Baldwin and George Gascoigne; works of early English literary criticism; travel writings by Walter Ralegh and Thomas Harriot; as well as longer texts including More’s
Utopia.

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Alan Stewart
  CULPA: 14 h-index: 13 Info
• 0 points

British Literature 1900-1950

This is a survey course on great works of British literature from around 1900 through around 1950, starting with the late-Victorian world of Thomas Hardy, extending through the
fin-de-siècle
worlds of Oscar Wilde and W. B. Yeats, then into the modernist landscape of Joseph Conrad, James Joyce, and T. S. Eliot, and ending with the late-modernist vision of Virginia Woolf and W. H. Auden. The course includes a wide range of social, political, psychological, and literary concerns, and delves deeply into political and moral questions that are always urgent but which took specific forms during this period.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Edward Mendelson
  CULPA: 64 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

European Intellectual History

EURO INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

This course provides an introduction to some of the major landmarks in European cultural and intellectual history, from the aftermath of the French Revolution to the 1970s. We will pay special attention to the relationship between texts (literature, anthropology, political theory, psychoanalysis, art, and film) and the various contexts in which they were produced. Among other themes, we will discuss the cultural impact of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, industrialism, colonialism, modernism, the Russian Revolution, the two world wars, decolonization, feminism and gay liberation movements, structuralism and poststructuralism. In conjunction, we will examine how modern ideologies (liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, imperialism, fascism, totalitarianism, neoliberalism) were developed and challenged over the course of the last two centuries. Participation in weekly discussion sections staffed by TAs is mandatory. The discussion sections are 50 minutes per session. Students must register for the general discussion (“DISC”) section, and will be assigned to a specific time and TA instructor once the course begins.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Camille A Robcis
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVPT

The course provides students with an understanding of Earth's natural systems that is essential to addressing the multi-faceted issues of sustainable development.  After completing the course, students should be able to incorporate scientific approaches and perspectives into their research in other fields or policy decisions and be able to use scientific methods of data analysis.  The semester will highlight the climate system and solutions from both physical and ecological perspectives; water resources; food production and the cycling of nutrients; and the role of biodiversity in sustainable development.  The course emphasizes key scientific concepts such as uncertainty, experimental versus observational approaches, prediction and predictability, the use of models, and other essential methodological aspects.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: John C Mutter
  CULPA: 15 Info
• 0 points

Romantic Poetry

This course examines major British poets of the period 1789-1830.  We will be focusing especially on the poetry and poetic theory of William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and John Keats.  We will also be reading essays, reviews, and journal entries by such figures as Robert Southey, William Hazlitt, and Dorothy Wordsworth.  The class is open to all undergraduate; first-year students and non-English majors are welcome.  Graduate students interested in taking the course should email the professor.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Erik Gray
  CULPA: 35 Info
• 0 points

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I-LECTURES

Prerequisites: (CHEM UN1403 and CHEM UN1404) or CHEM UN1604 The principles of organic chemistry. The structure and reactivity of organic molecules are examined from the standpoint of modern theories of chemistry. Topics include stereochemistry, reactions of organic molecules, mechanisms of organic reactions, syntheses and degradations of organic molecules, and spectroscopic techniques of structure determination. Although CHEM UN2443 and CHEM UN2444 are separate courses, students are expected to take both terms sequentially. Students must ensure they register for the recitation which corresponds to the lecture section. Please check the Directory of Classes for details.

• MW 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Charles E Jr Doubleday
  Info
• 0 points

US LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY

This course explores the social, cultural, and political history of lesbians, gay men, and other socially constituted sexual and gender minorities, primarily in the twentieth century. Since the production and regulation of queer life has always been intimately linked to the production and policing of “normal” sexuality and gender, we will also pay attention to the shifting boundaries of normative sexuality, especially heterosexuality, as well as other developments in American history that shaped gay life, such as the Second World War, Cold War, urbanization, and the minority rights revolution. Themes include the emergence of homosexuality and heterosexuality as categories of experience and identity; the changing relationship between homosexuality and transgenderism; the development of diverse lesbian and gay subcultures and their representation in popular culture; the sources of antigay hostility; religion and sexual science; generational change and everyday life; AIDS; and gay, antigay, feminist, and queer movements.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: George Chauncey
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

Post-1945 American Literature

This course surveys major works of American literature written since 1945. It will situate the analysis of literature against a backdrop that includes key historical events.  We will also consider major literary and artistic movements.  Lectures will emphasize literature in its cultural/historical context, but will also attend to its formal/aesthetic properties. Assigned readings will cover a range of genres, including novels, short fiction, drama, poetry, essays, and literary and cultural criticism.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Rachel Adams
  CULPA: 16 Info
• 0 points

EAST AFRICAN HISTORY

A survey of East African history over the past two millennia with a focus on political and social change. Themes include early religious and political ideas, the rise of states on the Swahili coast and between the Great Lakes, slavery, colonialism, and social and cultural developments in the 20th century. This course fulfills the Global Core requirement. Field(s): AFR

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Rhiannon Stephens
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 0 points

Science and Pseudoscience: Alchemy to AI

During the 2020 US presidential election and the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, science and “scientific truths” were fiercely contested. This course provides a historical perspective on the issues at stake. The course begins with an historical account of how areas of natural knowledge, such as astrology, alchemy, and “natural magic,” which were central components of an educated person’s view of the world in early modern Europe, became marginalized, while a new philosophy of nature (what we would now call empirical science) came to dominate the discourse of rationality. Historical developments examined in this course out of which this new understanding of nature emerged include the rise of the centralized state, religious reform, and European expansion. The course uses this historical account to show how science and pseudoscience developed in tandem in the period from 1400 to 1800. This historical account equips students to examine contemporary issues of expertise, the social construction of science, pluralism in science, certainty and uncertainty in science, as well as critical engagement with contemporary technologies.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Pamela Smith
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 0 points

Tricksters in World Culture: Mockery, Su

Trickster in World Cultur

Tricksters constitute one of the universal themes or tropes in mythology and folklore of many cultures. Through the discussions of ancient Greek, Native-American, African, Paleo-Asiatic, Scandinavian, African-American, Muslim and Jewish myths and folklore about tricksters, the course will telescope the cultural functions of the comedic transgression as a form of social critique; it will also highlight cynicism, its productive and dangerous aspects. Then we’ll introduce different historical subtypes of tricksters, such as a fool, jester, holy fool, kynik, picaro, con artist, female and queer tricksters, thus  moving through premodern and early modern periods. Each type of the trickster is illustrated by literary examples from different world cultures (European and non-European alike) as well as theoretical works of Mikhail Bakhtin, Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, and Peter Sloterdijk. Finally, the role of the trickster in modernity will be discussed through the case of Soviet tricksters, who had become true superstars manifesting the resistance to repressive political ideology by the means of “cynical reason”.  

The class consists of lectures and group discussions. On Wednesday there will be a lecture for all students; on Monday you will be divided into 3 sections and have separate sessions (all three at the same time in different rooms)  led by Teaching Assistants. YOU HAVE TO REGISTER FOR A DISCUSSIONS SESSION AS A SEPARATE COURSE WITH 0 POINTS. Assignments for group discussions are listed on the syllabus along with others.   This course is a co-requisite of RUSS UN3232.

• M 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Mark Lipovetsky
  Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

Undergraduate Composition

This course provides an immersive experience in music composition, focusing on both practical and theoretical aspects within a given instrumentation. Please refer to the topic for the instrumentation for this semester’s course. This class is open to students with no prior experience in composition. Students of varying music backgrounds are welcome. Permission of the instructor may be required for enrollment. The class will explore a variety of compositional approaches, including traditional, experimental, and interdisciplinary methods. During the semester, students will complete several creative and theoretical exercises ranging from short composition projects to analytical responses to diverse works. Students will also engage in individual and group feedback sessions as well as in-class readings of selected compositional projects by the performers. The final project will be an original work between 5 and 7 minutes, which will be workshopped, rehearsed, performed in a public concert, and recorded by professional musicians towards the end of the term.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Suzanne Farrin
  Info
• 0 points

INTRO TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE HISTORY

INTRO FREN FRANCOPHONE HI

This class provides an introduction to the history of France and of the francophone world since the Middle Ages. It initiates students to the major events and themes that have shaped politics, society, and culture in France and its former colonies, paying special attention to questions of identity and diversity in a national and imperial context. Modules include a combination of lecture and seminar-style discussion of documents (in French).

This course is part of a two-course sequence and is a core requirement the French and Francophone Studies major.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Thomas Dodman
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 0 points

METAPHYSICS

Corequisites: PHIL V3611 Required Discussion Section (0 points). Systematic treatment of some major topics in metaphysics (e.g. modality, causation, identity through time, particulars and universals). Readings from contemporary authors.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• 0 points

PHYSICAL COSMOLOGY

Prerequisites: one year of calculus-based general physics. The standard hot big bang cosmological model and modern observational results that test it. Topics include the Friedmann equations and the expansion of the universe, dark matter, dark energy, inflation, primordial nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background, the formation of large-scale cosmic structures, and modern cosmological observations.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Greg Bryan
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 70 Info
• 0 points

SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT

This course will begin by clearly defining what sustainability management is and determining if a sustainable economy is actually feasible. Students will learn to connect environmental protection to organizational management by exploring the technical, financial, managerial, and political challenges of effectively managing a sustainable environment and economy. This course is taught in a case-based format and will seek to help students learn the basics of management, environmental policy and sustainability economics. Sustainability management matters because we only have one planet, and we must learn how to manage our organizations in a way that ensures that the health of our planet can be maintained and bettered. This course is designed to introduce students to the field of sustainability management. It is not an academic course that reviews the literature of the field and discusses how scholars thing about the management of organizations that are environmentally sound. It is a practical course organized around the core concepts of sustainability.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Steven Cohen
  CULPA: 1 Wikipedia h-index: 21 Info
• Instructor: Fernando Ortiz Baez
  Info
• 0 points

What's Left of Enlightenment?

In this seminar, we will consider how the spirit of critique and contestation forged during the

Enlightenment and French Revolution can be reactivated to confront the challenges of our current

moment. How did the eighteenth-century philosophers—many of whom were imprisoned or exiled

for their writings—address inequality, prejudice, the abuse of power, colonialism and slavery, and

women’s rights? What were their blind spots and how can they help us to discover our own? The

seminar will dovetail with a lecture series at the Maison Française featuring three new books by

scholars whose work reflects critically on the legacy of the Enlightenment and French Revolution.

The seminar will be offered in English. Readings can be done in French or English. Undergraduates

with an interest in the topic are welcome to enroll. Please do not hesitate to contact Professor

Stalnaker at jrs2052@columbia.edu if you have questions about the seminar.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Joanna R Stalnaker
  CULPA: 18 Info
• 0 points

LATE STYLE&EARLY ROMANTICISM

Historians point to the self-conscious awareness of a new age and a new temporality, but also a sense of belatedness, in the decades after the French Revolution of the 1790s. In this course we will study the ideas of lateness and late style across the generational breaks of late Classicism and early Romanticism (1798-1830) represented by Haydn’s late oratorios, Beethoven’s heroic and post-heroic styles, and Schubert’s overlapping private and public concerns during the 1820s. Classes will combine historical, analytical, and hermeneutic perspectives as we study innovative compositions completed under conditions of illness, disability, and cultural estrangement. Schubert completed his last symphony within a year of Beethoven’s—both of them “Ninths”— and their final string quartets were written at the same time, but the different fates of these works tell their own story.

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Elaine Sisman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

Reading and Rereading Proust

One cannot read Proust, one can only reread him. As a matter of fact, who has not heard of the legendary “Madeleine” before opening the book? However, we will try to read Proust’s novel, as far as possible, before rereading it, to read it afresh, with the naivety of the innocent readers who discovered
Swann’s Way
in 1913, and fell in love. Proust is a classic, but also an innovator, a follower of Balzac and Baudelaire, and a precursor of Barthes and Blanchot. This is why there is so much pleasure – complexity and contradiction – in reading and rereading the
Recherche
, betwixt and between, connecting centuries, coupling genres.

Our goal will be to closely read together at least four of the seven volumes of the
Recherche
, the first and last,
Swann’s Way
and
Time regained
, and two or three from in-between,
Within a Budding Grove
,
Sodom and Gomorrah
and
The Fugitive
.

Major literary critics will be introduced starting week 3.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Antoine M Compagnon
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 0 points

PRAC-INNOVATV SUSTAIN LEADRSHP

This course deals with a fundamental question of sustainability management: how to change organizations and more complex systems, such as communities, industries, and markets, by integrating sustainability concerns in the way that they operate. The course poses this question to a dozen leading sustainability practitioners, who answer it by discussing management strategies that they use in their own work. Through these guest lectures, extensive class discussion, readings, and writing assignments, students identify and simulate applying practical ways for transforming how organizations and complex systems work. The practitioners, who work in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and in a wide variety of organizations, make presentations in the first hour of the course. Students then have time to ask questions and speak informally with the guest practitioners, and will participate in an instructor-led class discussion, geared toward identifying management strategies, better understanding their application, and considering their effectiveness. By the end of the course, the students gain an understanding of management tools and strategies that they, themselves, would use to integrate sustainability in organizations.

The course complements the M.S. in Sustainability Management program’s required course, Sustainability Management (SUMA K4100). In that course, students study management and organization theory. In the Practicum, students learn directly from leading practitioners, who confront sustainability management issues daily.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Sophia Huda
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• 0 points

Music and Global Women

This course offers a comparative exploration of women music practitioners from cross-cultural perspectives, examining their music, oral histories, and lived experiences as well as the impact of these experiences on their music-making in a global context. By tracing the journeys and analyzing the music of specific selected women musicians from various regions, the course investigates their participation in art music, traditional music, popular music, and sacred music from women’s perspectives. Engaging primarily with their music and interviews, the course particularly examines the comparative roles of women as active creators, performers, sponsors, and consumers of music, highlighting how their lived experiences shape their musical contributions. Students will be introduced to critical concepts for analyzing representations of gender, class, ethnicity, nationalism, race, and globalization in music while exploring these women’s sounds, identities, and performances.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Ruth Opara
  Info
• 0 points

Biochemistry

Biochemistry I

In this course, we will explore the basic biochemistry of living systems and how this knowledge can be harnessed to create new medicines. We will learn how living systems convert environmental resources into energy through metabolism, and how they use this energy and these materials to build the molecules required for the diverse functions of life. We will discuss the applications of this biochemical knowledge to mechanisms of disease and to drug discovery. We will look at examples of drug discovery related to neurodegeneration, cancer, and the SARS-CoV-2 COVID19 pandemic. This course satisfies the requirement of most medical schools for introductory biochemistry, and is suitable for advanced undergraduates, and beginning graduate students. This course is equivalent to and replaces the prior course named UN3501, and is equivalent to the course offered in the summer.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Mary Ann Price
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 0 points

Renaissance Culture Religion and Society

Renaissance Cult. Rel. &

Close reading of Rabelais, Marguerite de Navarre, Montaigne and La Boétie, in the context of the Renaissance, the rise of the individual, the religious quarrels, the civil wars, the discovery of the New World, the progress of science.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Antoine M Compagnon
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 0 points

HISTORY OF HORROR CINEMA

As has become very obvious in American culture in the past twenty years or so, horror is having a moment. This is particularly true in American cinema, where horror tends to cost less and earn more for film producers than almost any other subgenre. The rise of horror has also, of course, been affected by the rise of perceived and real threats to public and individual safety—pandemics, government malfeasance, ecological catastrophe, etc. But the recent surge of popularity in horror doesn’t mean it’s a “new” genre; far from it, the horror genre extends as far back in American film history as film itself as a medium. This course will look at the entire history of horror cinema, focusing on American film. We will start before the era of the “talkie” movie, and will move forward, taking exemplary films from each decade, until we reach about 2020. The course will think about genre, subgenre, and formal elements of filmic analysis, and will also consider elements of American history and culture that inform and inflect the more concrete, material elements of film.

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Eleanor Johnson
  CULPA: 20 Info
• 0 points

THEORY & PRACTICE OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSME

THEORY & PRAC OF LIFE CYC

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a methodology to assess the environmental impact of products, services, and industrial processes is an increasingly important tool in corporate sustainability management. This course teaches both the theoretical framework as well as step-by-step practical guidelines of conducting LCAs in companies and organizations. Particular emphasis is placed on separating the more academic, but less practically relevant aspects of LCA (which will receive less focus) from the actual practical challenges of LCA (which will be covered in detail, including case studies). The course also covers the application of LCA metrics in a companies’ management and discusses the methodological weaknesses that make such application difficult, including how these can be overcome. Product carbon footprinting (as one form of LCA) receives particular focus, owing to its widespread practical use in recent and future sustainability management.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Adriana B Kliegman
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• 0 points

GHG EMISSIONS: MEASURING AND MINIMIZING

GHG EMISSIONS CARBON FOOT

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are now at a record high, and the world’s scientific community agrees that continued unabated release of greenhouse gases will have catastrophic consequences. Many efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, both public and private, have been underway for decades, yet it is now clear that collectively these efforts are failing, and that far more concerted efforts are necessary. In December 2015, the world’s nations agreed in Paris to take actions to limit the future increase in global temperatures well below to 2°C, while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C. Achieving this goal will require mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, both public and private. Critical to any attempt to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions is a clear, accurate understanding of the sources and levels of greenhouse gas emissions. This course will address all facets of greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting and will provide students with tangible skills needed to direct such efforts in the future.

Students in this course will gain hands-on experience designing and executing greenhouse gas emissions inventories for companies, financial institutions and governments employing all necessary skills including the identification of analysis boundaries,  data collection, calculation of emissions levels, and reporting of results. In-class workshops and exercises will complement papers and group assignments. A key component of this course will be critical evaluation of both existing accounting and reporting standards as well as GHG emissions reduction target setting practices.

This course will introduce many of the challenges facing carbon accounting practitioners and will require students to recommend solutions to these challenges derived through critical analysis. Classes will examine current examples of greenhouse gas reporting efforts and will allow students the opportunity to recommend improved calculation and reporting methods.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Ryan A Meinke
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• 0 points

ESG ALIGNED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

ESG ALIGNED CORP GOVERNAN

Environmental, social and governance issues (‘ESG’) are moving to center stage for corporate boards and executive teams.  This elective course complements management and operations courses by focusing on the perspective and roles of the board and C-suite of corporations, financial institutions and professional firms in addressing ESG risks as well as promoting and overseeing governance aligned with ESG principles. The course focuses on the interchange between the external legal, competitive, societal, environmental and policy ‘ecosystems’ corporations face (which vary around the world) and a company’s internal structure, operations and pressures. We will use the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Global Compact Principles (which incorporate all aspects of ESG) as the central frameworks to explore the concept of a corporation’s responsibility to respect and remedy human rights and environmental harms.  We will also examine the Equator Principles and other frameworks that spell out good practices for project finance and other investment decisions, and reference a wide range of the myriad indices, supplier disclosure portals and benchmarks that exist in this inter-disciplinary field.  Relevant regulations, corporate law regimes and court cases will be discussed from the point of view of what business managers need to know. While most of the course will deal with companies and firms serving global, regional or national markets, several examples will deal with the question of how the ESG ecosystem affects or offers opportunities to start-ups.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Jessica M Wasser
  Info
• 0 points

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FACE OF NATURAL DI

SUST IN FACE OF NATRL DIS

Natural hazards, naturally occurring phenomena, which can lead to great damage and loss of life, pose a great challenge for the sustainability of communities around the world. This course aims to prepare students to tackle specific hazards relevant to their life and work by providing them the scientific background and knowledge of the environmental factors that combine to produce natural disasters. The course will also train students about the methods used to study certain aspects of natural hazards and strategies for assessing risk and preparing communities and businesses for natural disasters. The course will cover a range of natural hazards, including geological, hydro-meteorological, and biological. The course will emphasize the driving physical, chemical and biological processes controlling the various hazards, and the observation and modeling methods used by scientists to assess and monitor events. Many case examples, including hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that occurred in the last five years, will be given and analyzed for the characteristics of the event, the preparation, and the response.

By providing students with a solid understanding of past natural disasters, the course prepares them to think more critically about creating more resilient communities, which can resist catastrophic events. Students will be studying the underpinning scientific principles of natural disasters but will also learn specific strategies for planning, mitigation, and response. During the course, students will master cutting-edge tools and technologies that will prepare them to work in the complex and demanding field of disaster management. After completing the course, students will be able to understand past events, communicate risk, and make critical decision related to disaster and preparedness. In increasingly unpredictable times, there is a need for more resilient and connected communities, and this particular course will train students in both the knowledge and skills needed to lead and strengthen those communities and resilience efforts at scale.

Advising Note:
Students are expected to have taken college-level Calculus, Physics, and Introductory Statistics. Students are expected to have experience with computer based data analysis (Excel, R, Matlab or Python).

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Einat Lev
  h-index: 16 Info
• 0 points

SUMA PS5046 Critical ESG: Navigating Opp

This course critically examines the growing opposition to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks in the United States and globally. Students will explore the historical evolution of sustainability, the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of ESG backlash, and how this impacts ESG integration in business, policy, and investment. The objective is to prepare students to engage productively with critiques of ESG in their professional careers, whether in academia, government, or the private sector.

Through an open-discussion format, case studies, and engagement with perspectives from both ESG proponents and skeptics, students will refine their ability to articulate ESG-related arguments, navigate controversy, and develop pragmatic strategies for sustainability leadership in an increasingly polarized landscape.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Aharon Kestenbaum
  Info
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Technology for Good and Civic Technology

Tech for Good and Civic T

This course equips the next generation of technologists with the skills, strategies, and savvy needed to secure systemic and lasting change for social good. These topics are examined in three units: 1. Intrapreneurship: how to guide responsible technology within and by multinationals and other large-scale, risk-averse institutions; 2. Entrepreneurship & Nonprofits: how to balance market pressures with values-based missions within startups, nonprofits, and other social-good tech enterprises; and 3. Civic Tech: how to navigate policy, politics, and bureaucracies in delivering citizen-facing technologies within local, regional, and national government bodies.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Alexis Wichowski
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 6 Info
• 0 points

STRATEGIC ADVOCACY

Strategic advocacy is defined as establishing personal and functional influence by means of cultivating alliances and defining opportunities adding value to the revenues and profits of any organization. This course focuses on the processes and competencies necessary for initiating strategically focused technology-related business conversations. Particular attention is given to the transitions in focus and mindsets necessary for moving from a technical/functional to a business model orientation. Conceptual frameworks, research, and practical applications are part of the design. Topics include: the political economy of exercising executive influence; expert and strategic mindsets; strategic learning and planning; and mapping the political territory. Students will apply theory to their own career related challenges.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Sam Liu
  Info
• 0 points

Essentials for Technology Management and

Essentials for Tech Mgmt.

This 3-credit core course in the M.S. in Technology Management program provides an overview of the strategic role of the technology function to improve business processes, drive transformations, and fuel innovation. Through lectures and applied case study work, students will learn how to develop and keep technology strategies aligned with business goals, navigate governance, regulatory, and budgetary frameworks, and evaluate risks to protect the organization’s IT investments.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Trace Wax
  Info
• 0 points

ANALYSIS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy Management is the cornerstone of any sustainability initiative. The generation, distribution, and use of energy has a profound, continuous, and global impact on natural resources, societal structure, and geopolitics. How energy is used has significant repercussions on an organizations cash flow and profitability. For these reasons, energy issues tend to be the fulcrum upon which sustainability programs hinge.

The ability to identify and articulate organizational benefits from energy savings tied to efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects is a requisite skill set for all sustainability managers.

This course will provide real-world information on energy management issues from a practitioner's perspective. Through lectures, problem sets, and readings students will learn how to manage energy audits, analyze building energy performance, and evaluate the energy use and financial impacts of potential capital and operations improvements to building systems. The class will focus on understanding energy issues from a building owner’s perspective, with discussions also examining energy issues from the perspective of utility companies, energy generators, and policy makers.

Best practice in energy management will always involve some level of complex engineering to survey existing conditions and predict energy savings from various improvement options. Sustainability managers need to understand how to manage and quality control these analyses and to translate to decision makers the opportunity they reveal. This course seeks to empower students to do that by providing an understanding of building systems and methods for quantitatively analyzing the potential benefit of various energy improvements.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Thomas Sahagian
  Info
• 0 points

AIR POLLUTION & MEASURING THE ENVIRONMEN

AIR POLL & MSR THE ENV BU

In this course, students will first be provided with a global perspective on the current status of environmental problems and the leading environmental contributors to the burden of diseases. Students will then introduce how air pollutants are produced, transported, and what are their environmental fates. This course will cover how air pollutants are measured and monitored, including government monitoring networks, NASA remote sensing techniques, and research tools for fixed site monitoring (indoor and outdoor) and personal level monitoring. Students will be able to learn basic concepts about the toxicity and target organs of different pollutants, both of which are important to understand dose-response and health outcomes. Building on knowledge of exposure and toxicity, Students will then introduce risk assessment and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) associated with air pollution. Their usage in evaluating sustainability as well as their limitations will be introduced.

The course will provide students with the methods and tools to understand, monitor, and analyze current environmental health threats in air, and explore strategies for policy interventions for solving these at times complex challenges. Students will leave the course with a stronger sense of the power, and limitations, of environmental data and better equipped to evaluate and communicate the effectiveness of new interventions. After completing the course, students will more confidently be able to apply core scientific concepts to evaluating and addressing public health challenges posed by, for instance, fine particulate (PM2.5) contamination.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Steven N Chillrud
  h-index: 48 Info
• 0 points

Cybersecurity

With the advent of generative AI and the impending arrival of quantum computing, risks to organizations and individuals have grown exponentially. Innovation in offensive and defensive tools and technologies continues to increase. How does a leader keep up? Leaders must know how to work with internal experts and to manage these issues internally, with Boards, and for the public. Proficiency in strategies and principles, some of which date back to the ancient Greeks and Chinese, prevail over tools.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Cristina Dolan
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• 0 points

SOCIAL PURPOSE BUSINESSES: AT THE INTERS

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Richard T Feiner
  Info
• 0 points

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT OF NONPROFITS

LEADERSHIP&MGMT OF NONPRO

Leadership & Management of Nonprofits is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of how nonprofit organizations function, including ways in which the various functional areas of a nonprofit interconnect to achieve its mission and vision. We will address the skills and knowledge needed to lead and manage the operations and programs of an organization as well as work effectively with organizational stakeholders including governing boards, staff, partners and program recipients.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Denora Getachew
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SUMA PS5157 Carbon Markets and Global Cl

Carbon markets have become a central tool in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This course explores the economics, institutions, and pricing mechanisms that shape these markets, providing students with a fundamental description and analysis of emissions trading systems (ETS), carbon taxes, voluntary carbon markets, internal carbon transfer pricing and emerging financial instruments. Beginning with microeconomic foundations such as externalities and market-based climate policies, students will analyze the role of international organizations and regulatory frameworks, including the Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, and regional policies like the EU Green Deal, the California carbon market and RGGI. Through real-world case studies, students will evaluate carbon pricing mechanisms across jurisdictions and industries, gaining the analytical skills necessary to assess policy effectiveness and market integrity. Designed for graduate students in environmental economics, public policy, sustainability, and finance, this course is particularly relevant for those pursuing careers in climate policy, carbon finance, and international development.

This course serves as a critical component of the environmental policy and sustainability curriculum, bridging economic theory with practical policy implementation. By integrating key concepts from environmental economics, climate governance, and financial markets, it reinforces students’ understanding of how carbon pricing aligns with broader sustainability goals. Additionally, the course supports programmatic objectives by equipping students with the technical expertise and policy fluency needed to navigate and shape carbon markets. Whether students aim to work in governmental agencies, international organizations, or private-sector sustainability roles, this course provides the necessary foundation to engage with one of the most dynamic areas of climate policy.

• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou
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• 0 points

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING FOR NONPROFIT

COMM & MRKTG FOR NONPROFI

This introductory core course examines the central role of marketing and communications in fulfilling the mission of nonprofit institutions of all types and at all stages of development. The programmatic objective of this course is to build a shared set of competencies and understandings around the power, practices, ethical applications, and desired outcomes of nonprofit marketing and communications.

Dramatic changes across civil society in recent years, including the evolving role of nonprofits in democratic discourse and the rise of new forms of communications technologies, means that nonprofit leaders today must have a fundamental understanding of the principles of marketing and communications in order to ensure organizational success both internally and externally. While outreach technologies and trends change rapidly in our era, true excellence in the field is based upon a core group of basic skills that are hardly novel: strong writing and analysis, strategic planning, and the ability to connect disparate individuals across a wide range of disciplines and diverse backgrounds to build an inclusive community around shared goals.

This course is designed to help students gain these skills through engaging with the strategic frameworks and tactical applications needed to create and leverage a range of communications and marketing activities. The course will introduce students to multiple communications and marketing practices designed to engage key stakeholders, including donors, the media, volunteers and advocates, and additional internal and external influencers and sector leaders. Throughout the semester, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all forms of outreach (written and oral; digital and print) will be foregrounded.

No prior marketing or communications experience is necessary.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Basil A Jr Smikle
  Info
• 0 points

Sustainability Metrics: Driving Urban an

SUSTAINABILITY METRICS

Over the past two decades, public and private institutions have set clear targets for environmental, economic, and social performance and they are increasingly using analytical tools to assess problems and measure progress.  The advent of “Big Data” has accelerated this work – and opened up new possibilities and challenges. This course will examine the use of data and metrics to shape and implement sustainability policies and programs and to assess and communicate their outcomes.

The course will survey a range of real-world sustainability challenges and evaluate the choices confronting public officials, private companies, NGO’s, advocates, and citizens – and the data that can be used to diagnose problems, develop solutions, and measure success. Particular focus will be given to urban sustainability efforts and corporate sustainability.  We will explore how data can be used and misused in each of these domains.  Throughout we will emphasize the importance of context, comparability, and completeness of information. 

Students will be required to critically evaluate what they read and hear. In addition, the course will give students an opportunity to learn how to express their ideas verbally and in written form and conduct a critical analysis of how environmental data is used to develop and implement public policy. Assignments will give students the opportunity to use their technical and analytical skills while understanding the real-world applications that will be important to their future work as planners, policymakers, advocates, architects, environmentalists, or other professions. The course will feature guest lectures from speakers who are leaders in their fields. Lecture topics may be moved to accommodate speaker travel and availability. Notice will be provided to students in advance of any schedule changes.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Adam Freed
  Info
• 0 points

Sustainable Operations - Corporate Value

SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS

Leading and advancing sustainability within an organization’s operations requires a strategic and balanced approach. Focusing on the integration of a wide range of today’s sustainability drivers, in a manner consistent with the organization’s culture and business objectives, optimizes the chances for long term success and impact. To that end, this course takes a broad high level approach at systematically analyzing both risks & opportunities to integrate sustainability at each step along a complex value chain. Specifically, students will be asked to assume the role of a sustainability professional within a private sector company, tasked with integrating various sustainability strategies, initiatives and tools into the fabric of the business.

Throughout the semester, the entire end-to-end value chain will be examined, however it is not the intent to conduct full in-depth technical analyses of each value chain area, rather we will look at sustainable operations from a high-level strategic management viewpoint, discussing integration opportunities and intersections related to: product design, procurement, logistics, physical operations, stakeholder engagement, product/service use and end-of-life disposition.

By considering the organization holistically, we will discuss analytical concepts and industry tools related to life cycle thinking, cost/benefit analyses, corporate sustainability strategies, and risk assessments. In addition to technical sustainability considerations such as climate change, energy, water and waste, students will learn to implement practical sustainability initiatives within operating organizations by carefully considering key stakeholder expectations and overall materiality. Finally, the intersection of sustainability and brand purpose will be explored, helping to find the sweet spot between sustainability science and creative/marketing communication.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Vance Merolla
  Info
• 0 points

REMOTE SENSING FOR AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

Aquatic systems are critical for provisioning ecosystem services that have sustained human civilization as evidenced by the establishment of the earliest civilizations on banks of rivers or along a coast.  Apart from regulating climate, aquatic systems provide food and transportation services, fresh water lakes and reservoirs provide water for consumption and irrigation, and coastal systems offer recreational services.  But growing human population, especially along the coast, has endangered the quality of ecosystem services.  The primary finding of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was that 15 out 24 ecosystem services examined are being degraded or being used unsustainably (MEA 2005).  Monitoring the aquatic ecosystem and understanding how to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural variability is an essential aspect of sustainability science. This course will provide an introduction to the use of remote sensing techniques that can be used to study the aquatic environment. There are several space-based sensors that provide information relevant to sustainable management of aquatic resources.  Depending on the sensor, observations are made as frequently as every day and spatially covering the entire globe.  Understanding the spatial and temporal context around an issue can help discriminate between local and far field effects and time series of remote sensing data can be constructed to investigate causes and consequences of environmental events.  Thus knowledge of the basic science of remote sensing, understanding how to select the appropriate sensor to answer a question, where to find the data and how to analyze this data could be critical tools for anyone interested in oceanic, coastal, and freshwater resource management. The course will follow active learning techniques and will consist of a lecture to introduce concepts followed by a discussion and lab time for hands on activities to learn and use tools for analysis of remote sensing data.  After the introduction of the basic principles of remote sensing, a series of case studies will be used to explore concepts in sustainability such as water quality, nutrient loading and hypoxia, coral reefs.  Remote sensing tools that are used to investigate and address environmental questions such as the effects of shutting down a sewage treatment plant, mapping of suspended sediment concentrations will be demonstrated and used by the students.  Each case study will be briefly introduced at the end of the pre

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Ajit Subramaniam
  Info
• 0 points

The Sustainable Transportation Economy

Course Overview

Transportation accounts for about 25% of global GHG emissions.  Significantly reducing emissions in this sector is fundamental for addressing climate change.  Historically, the technical and commercial tools for tackling emissions in this sector have lagged other sectors (for example, electricity production).  But over the last several years, this dynamic has changed and there is now unprecedented capital and brainpower focused on transportation decarbonization. The course focuses on capturing the key elements that will speed the scale-up to low- and no- carbon transportation (“sustainable transportation”) across the breadth of transportation sectors.  In doing so, this scale-up will create new industries and business models – and has the potential to benefit a wide group of people, including those who in the past have been disproportionally affected by poor air quality caused by existing transportation sources.  The course is designed for any student who wishes to understand these elements in a deeper way.

 

The course will explore the decarbonization opportunities and challenges across the various transportation sectors, including light duty, commercial fleets, public transportation, aviation, and marine sectors – as well as areas that cut across all sectors, such as battery adoption, the supply chain for materials, fueling/charging. and the impact of hydrogen.  Because the carbon content of propulsion fuels is dependent on other sectors (for example, the transition to renewable electricity), the course will examine the energy transition in transportation in the context of broader decarbonization trends.  In exploring each transportation sub-sector, the course will focus mainly from the commercial perspective, but will incorporate the external factors (e.g., innovation, policy, macro-factors) that affect commercial success.

 

The course is intended for anyone wishing to further their knowledge or their career in the areas of sustainable transportation – especially in areas related to electric transportation.  The course will rely on lectures and discussions, both led by the professor and guest lecturers.  There are no prerequisites for the course.  The course assignments will include a combination of problem sets, financial modeling, and case studies/written assignments.  No previous financial modeling experience is required; the professor and/or TA will provid

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Scott Fisher
  Info
• 0 points

Climate Technology and Innovation

This course is designed to furnish students with a conceptual framework for understanding climate tech innovation and an overview of practical ways to professionally engage in it. We focus on climate tech because the current global rate of decarbonization is not sufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C. To accelerate the rate of change and stabilize our planet’s climate, innovative technology development and diffusion is required. Beyond the moral imperative, rapid decarbonization represents an unprecedented economic opportunity. To realize the promise of a low-carbon economy, new practitioners must join the innovation ecosystem and drive it forward. This course will prepare students to do so.

The course starts by framing what climate tech means (i.e., all technologies focused on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the impacts of climate change) and how climate tech innovation will occur (i.e., as a complex process including co-evolution of technology, regulations, infrastructure, and consumer behavior). It then provides an overview of the innovation value chain including various stakeholders and avenues for professional involvement. It concludes with a survey of sectoral innovation opportunities. Considerations of equity and just transition are covered throughout.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Luke C Apicella
  Info
• 0 points

THE EARTH'S CLIMATE SYSTEM

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Benjamin I Cook
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 56 Info
• 0 points

CORPORATE, PRIVATE, COMMUNTY FOUNDATIONS

• R 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: John Tyler
  h-index: 3 Info
• 0 points

Navigating conflict: Diverging stakehold

This course will explore ways in which the shifting relationship between the human economy and our physical environment drive divergent, often conflicting, responses from different segments of society, including distinct economic classes, communities, nations, industries, etc. For the sustainability professional, such conflicts are important in the development of equitable solutions. They are also critical pragmatic issues in implementation of any new policies. The relative strength of different stakeholders, and the tactics they deploy to pursue their goals can determine what actually happens “on the ground”. We will take a case study approach, looking at how specific socio-economic impacts of environmental change generate calls for social change, shift alignments, deepen stakeholder entrenchment, and influence sustainability policy. Our cases include impacts of global warming, land-use changes, and expanded material throughputs as a result of growing demand in agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining and manufacturing.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Newton
  h-index: 9 Info
• 0 points

THE NONPROFIT SECTOR: SCOPE & IMPACT

NONPROFIT SECTOR: SCOPE&I

This course introduces students to the roles the nonprofit sector plays in providing for social needs, such as healthcare, education, and basic needs.  Throughout this course, we will also grapple with the ethical questions inherent in these pursuits, including the challenge of tainted money, participatory grantmaking, social impact, and the politicization of nonprofit organizations. The course will also explore distinctions, similarities and relationships among the nonprofit, government, and for-profit sectors. The course examines the parameters of the United States’ nonprofit sector and philanthropic practice, with some opportunity for global comparison.  

The course will require students to utilize and reflect critical and analytical thinking; students will write individual papers, actively participate in discussion both in class and through postings on Canvas and present material to classroom colleagues.  This full-semester course is required the first semester of study.

• W 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Jill Lalonde
  Info
• Instructor: Thomas W Watson
  Info
• 0 points

SOCIAL IMPACT & PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

SOCIAL IMPACT & MEASUREME

Nonprofit organizations compete for scarce philanthropic and government funding and are expected to account for how these resources are utilized for the greater good. However, understanding how well nonprofit programs and services produce their desired outcomes can be a challenge. This course is designed to provide a broad – yet rigorous – overview of the knowledge and tools available to evaluate the effects of nonprofit and social impact programs and policies.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Jessie H Lee
  Info
• 0 points

LEADING COLLABORATION

This course is about leading boundary-spanning coalitions. An old African proverb tells us that, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." While this advice is especially relevant in our interconnected 21st-century world, we have learned that working together is not always easy to do well.

“Collaboration at Scale: Leading Boundary-Spanning Coalitions” takes the study of collaboration into an even wider realm by examining the potential and complexity of large-scale, cross-organizational collaboration, and how to lead it.

The concept of scalability is common in the business world and this course demonstrates what it takes to make collaboration scalable and suitable for a variety of challenging contexts larger than a single organization. Inherent in the concept of scalability are the notions of "appropriate scale" and also "at scale." Both of these notions raise valid questions that we will address in this course. (Though our interpretations of scale have evolved with the advent of social media, specific technology selection is not the focus of the course.)

Students will learn the characteristics, conditions and dynamics of various large-scale collaborations, as well as how to design and lead them effectively. Course materials will be drawn from the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. Using a balance of practice and theory of networks and large system facilitation, students will demonstrate their mastery of course materials through an assignment in which they diagnose and (re)design a “collaboration at scale.” This could be in the business, scientific, religious, political, or humanitarian domains.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Angela Finlay
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CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR SUSTAINABILITY PROF

Throughout history, societies have discovered resources, designed and developed them into textiles,

tools and structures, and bartered and exchanged these goods based on their respective values.

Economies emerged, driven by each society’s needs and limited by the resources and technology

available to them. Over the last two centuries, global development accelerated due in large part to the

overextraction and use of finite resources, whether for energy or materials, and supported by vast

technological advancements. However, this economic model did not account for the long-term impacts of

the disposal or depletion of these finite resources and instead, carried on unreservedly in a “take-make’-

waste” manner, otherwise known as a linear economy. Despite a more profound understanding of our

planet’s available resources, the environmental impact of disposal and depletion, and the technological

advancements of the last several decades, the economic heritage of the last two centuries persists today;

which begs the question: what alternatives are there to a linear economy?

The premise of this course is that through systems-thinking, interdisciplinary solutions for an alternative

economic future are available to us. By looking at resources’ potential, we can shape alternative methods

of procurement, design, application, and create new market demands that aim to keep materials,

products and components in rotation at their highest utility and value. This elective course will delve into

both the theory of a circular economy - which would be a state of complete systemic regeneration and

restoration as well as an optimized use of resources and zero waste - and the practical applications

required in order to achieve this economic model. Achieving perfect circularity represents potentially

transformative systemic change and requires a fundamental re-think of many of our current economic

structures, systems and processes.

This is a full-semester elective course which is designed to create awareness among sustainability

leaders that those structures, systems and processes which exist today are not those which will carry us

(as rapidly as we need) into a more sustaining future. The class will be comprised of a series of lectures,

supported by readings and case-studies on business models, design thinking and materi

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Danielle Azoulay
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SOLAR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

TBA

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel J Giuffrida
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Infrastructure Development for Sustainab

Sustainable and resilient cities require integrated networks of transportation, water, waste, stormwater, energy, parks, housing, and communication infrastructure to support a low-carbon society and lifestyles. This course, led by two experienced practitioners and civic leaders, examines climate solutions at the city level through the lens of capital programs and policies, including responses to Hurricane-related challenges in New York City. Class modules cover key topics such as program development, stakeholder engagement, public support, project finance, contracting, and public-private partnerships, alongside sector-specific challenges, technologies, and initiatives. Grounded in real-world case studies, the course features guest lectures from city agencies and private-sector experts, as well as a field trip offering a behind-the-scenes look at an infrastructure facility. Designed for future sustainability leaders, this course equips students with the knowledge and skills to shape the cities of tomorrow.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Carter H Jr Strickland
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ANALYTICS & LEADING CHANGE

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: David Kreutter
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Electrification and Decarbonization

Electricity is the lifeblood of human society. Decarbonization of global economies through electrification is seen as the most viable path for reducing GHG emissions and addressing the worst effects of climate change. Though generally accepted as the best path forward, an understanding of the operational parameters of the electric system is essential to understanding both the benefits and limitations of current and future actions. This includes the highly visible investments in renewable energy generation, less visible but equally important investments in transmission and distribution infrastructure, and the largely personal, private choices of individual households and businesses.

The course will examine pathways for the transition from fossil fuel-based electricity generation to one dominated by electricity generated by renewable energy. Students will examine the drivers of past energy transitions and various factors influencing current energy systems. At the conclusion of the course, students will be able understand the drivers of past energy transitions, the impact of those drivers on the overall energy supply chain, and how new technologies (e.g. distributed energy resources, smart meters, internet of things (IOT), etc.), consumer adoption of mass market products (e.g. Electric Vehicles, battery backup, etc,) and evolving consumer expectations (e.g. fast charging) are altering long held assumptions about energy production and use. Through this work, students will be able to infer practical steps to support current efforts to decarbonize and the potential impacts of those actions on the modern energy supply chain.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Rory Christian
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Geographies of Environmental Justice and

The origin of the American Environmental Justice Movement can be traced back to the emergence of the American
Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and more specifically to the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964. These historical
moments set the stage for a movement that continues to grow with present challenges and widening of economic,
health and environmental disparities between racial groups and socioeconomic groups. The environmental justice
movement builds upon the philosophy and work of environmentalism, which focuses on humanity’s adverse impact
upon the environment, entailing both human and non-human existence. However, environmental justice stresses the
manner in which adversely impacting the environment in turn adversely impacts the population of that environment.

At the heart of the environmental justice movement are the issues of racism and socioeconomic injustice.
This course will examine the intersections of race, equity, and the environment – focusing on history and the
growing role and impact of the environmental justice movement in shaping new sustainability discourses, ethics,
policies, and plans for the twenty-first century. Environmental Justice embeds various disciplines into its analytical
framework ranging from human geography and history to urban studies, economics, sociology, environmental
science, public policy, community organizing, and more. Drawing from these disciplines, as well as from recent
policies, advocacy, and regulations, students will develop a deeper understanding of equity, sustainability, social
impact, and environmental justice in places and spaces across the nation.

Building on the broadness of environmental justice and sustainability, this course will use the geography lens and
frameworks, building on the concept that geography brings together the physical and human dimensions of the
world in the study of people, places, and environments. Geography will set the stage for us to explore a variety of
environmental justice topics and issues in different regions across the nation, from the Black Belt South to the Rust
Belt to Cancer Alley, New Orleans, and Atlanta; then back to New York City and the metropolitan area, introducing
students to initiatives, policies, stakeholders, research, community groups, and advocacy involved in the
development and implementation of environmental laws, policies, practices, equity-based solutions, and sustainable
infrastructure.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: John E Williams
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AI-ENHANCED FINDABILITY & SEMANTIC SYSTE

AI-EnhancedFindabil&Seman

The fusion of traditional information science principles with advanced AI technologies is revolutionizing knowledge management. This course explores how artificial intelligence, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), is transforming information organization, retrieval, and utilization in digital environments.

Students explore the world of AI-enhanced findability, learning to architect intelligent knowledge platforms that maximize the value of structured and unstructured data. The course covers:



Large Language Models (LLMs) and their game-changing applications in information retrieval



Vector databases and cognitive search capabilities



Advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) and semantic technologies



Knowledge graphs and how they are being used to add meaning to LLMs



Machine learning for sophisticated classification and categorization



Ethical considerations in AI-powered information systems



Through hands-on projects culminating in the design of real-world applications, students will gain practical experience in architecting AI-enhanced information systems. You'll learn to make informed decisions about integrating AI technologies into information architecture, balancing traditional methods with cutting-edge solutions.

This course is ideal for future knowledge strategists, information architects, and AI enthusiasts who want to lead the next generation of intelligent information systems. Join us to explore the intersection of AI and information science and prepare to shape the future of knowledge work.

No programming experience is required—just your curiosity and readiness to engage with the forefront of information technology.

• W 8:10 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Instructor: Ralph Poole
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LEADING LARGE COMPLEX PROJECTS

Project management has been important to many types of missions, projects, and activities for many years; however, it has been especially critical to the success of large complex projects across decades and centuries.  Large complex projects span the globe across all industries and sectors. They also span concepts, product design, development, manufacturing, operations, and logistics, etc. Products may include hardware, software, services, product support, systems, and systems of systems, etc.

The primary focus of this course will be around project leadership as projects are planned and executed (project management).  The course will start by recognizing the need and benefits of project management for large complex global projects, explore characteristics of project managers, and study the commonality and differences in types of projects.  The course will continue with understanding the essential capabilities of project management, and analyze the variations in project lifecycles. The course will address managing risk throughout the project lifecycle, controls, and performance measurement, and maximizing the use of knowledge.  Lastly, the course will visualize the future of projects and project management structure and core capabilities.

Our fundamental goal is to better prepare leaders for large complex global projects.  This will be gained via readings; real-world case studies; and study, research, analysis, and exploration by the students.  Therefore, the course will require students to engage in reflection, discussion, activities, and assignments aimed at personal unlearning and learning.  The assignment and class discussions will be quite provocative to drive maximum learning.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Gregory Robinson
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Environmental Law and Policy in New York

New York City has positioned itself as a global leader in the fight against climate change, often serving as a model for other jurisdictions to follow. This course explores the development and implementation of environmental legislation and policy in New York City during the past two decades. It includes discussions about historical context, environmental policymaking considerations, political processes, outcomes, and the role of stakeholders such as advocates, business, industry, labor, government actors, and community. Students will gain broad knowledge of key legislation and policies related to sustainability, resiliency, energy, emissions, waste and the circular economy, transportation, water and air quality, and green space. Furthermore, students will consider how environmental justice and equity play a role in the development of legislation and policy, and assess best practices for providing equitable treatment and engaging all communities. While the focus of the class will be on New York City, students will also learn about environmental policies implemented in other jurisdictions.

Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy in New York City is available to students in the Graduate Program for Sustainability Management. It is designed to provide future sustainability practitioners and others with a fundamental understanding of how legislation and policy is made, what influences this development, and how legislation and policy seek to address climate change in New York City in urban environments like New York City. Students will be able to use this knowledge to help government and public and private organizations achieve more sustainable solutions.

This is a semester-long elective class that will be taught on campus. Specific competencies or prerequisites are not required. This course will be interactive and discussion-intensive, engaging students to utilize and reflect critical and analytical thinking about how environmental legislation and policy is developed and how they can create innovative environmental legislation and policy in the future. Students will participate in class discussions, think critically about policy development and assigned readings, write a reaction essay on environmental justice and equity, and present their analysis to classroom colleagues. For the final project, students will write a research report and present their report to the class, focusing on a particular environmental policy topic, identifying areas where policymaking can be improved upon and/or expande

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Laura Popa
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SUMA PS6120 Equity, Policy, and Sustaina

Public policy shapes how our environment, both natural and built, is managed and regulated. Policy not only creates the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks needed to support sustainability goals, but is also critical in establishing an equitable foundation that supports individual and collective change in pursuit of those goals.

This course will serve as an introduction to equity in sustainability policy: We will survey federal, state, and local policies and proposals to understand how we use policy to enhance urban resilience, mitigate environmental impacts, and also promote social and economic justice. Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from economics, sociology, urban studies, critical theory, and more, students will develop their capacities to read and interpret policy, enhance their understanding of current policy frameworks, and strengthen their ability to engage with emerging policy developments.

Building on contemporary efforts in public policy, we will use an equity lens to focus on the human dimension of sustainability. We will explore policy frameworks and dialogues that foster more equitable outcomes, increase engagement of people most impacted, and contribute to sustainability goals. As an entry point, the course will focus on policies related to climate adaptation and urban sustainability transitions, setting the stage for students to explore equity in urban resilience efforts and to examine intersections of race, class, and other social factors with access to resources.

The course will be discussion-based and center participatory activities (e.g., student-led discussions, paired analyses, team exercises) designed to encourage students to consider policy issues from multiple perspectives—including identifying disparities and assessing opportunities for increasing equity in the sustainability policy sector. The course will also invite scholars and practitioners to share expertise and experience from the field. Students are not expected or required to have any previous experience with policy or law.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Skyller Walkes
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FASHION POLICY AND THE POLITICS OF GOVER

The fashion industry is an ideal case study on how governments, citizens and international institutions attempt to limit the environmental and social impacts of complex consumer industries with global supply chains. Historically, apparel and textiles have been at the center of some of the most consequential government actions under liberal Western democracy, including the abolition of slavery and the passage of the first workplace safety and labor laws in the United States. In recent years, fashion has returned to the center of dynamic policy debates within the sustainability and social impact space.

 

The $2.5 trillion global fashion industry’s social and environmental impacts often evade regulation. Major brands leverage long and opaque supply chains for raw materials and cheap manufacturing costs with very little accountability. Private regulation and voluntary commitments have policed fashion for the better part of four decades, an approach that arguably has ended in failures to protect human and environmental rights. The industry’s lack of accountability has cost lives, including the notorious Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013 where 1,132 garment makers died, and now contributes to a sizable percentage of annual climate change. Profits have been pushed to the top of the supply chain while garment makers consistently toil for poverty wages, and the pollution and environmental degradation of fashion is a burden almost exclusively carried by low-and-middle income nations and communities of color that manufacture clothing and produce raw materials.

 

But the tide is turning. Governments are being asked to step in and regulate the fashion industry. Can effective fashion policies police international supply chains and achieve their intended aims? Might they unleash unintended consequences and in what ways? This course is an introduction to the fast-evolving space of modern environmental and labor policy as it intersects with fashion, and which seeks to incentivize more responsible business behavior in the realm of social, environmental and governance impacts. The class will use recently passed and proposed fashion social and sustainability policies as our case studies, including the New York State Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act; mandatory human rights due diligence in Europe; California’s Garment Worker Protection Act and Congress’s FABRIC Act; the FTC Green Guides and the UK CMA’s Green Claims Code; and Europe&rsquo

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cline
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