Prerequisites: High school algebra or the instructor's permission. Recommended: high school physics and chemistry. This course is preparation for CHEM UN1403 General Chemistry I Lecture or the equivalent, as well as for other science courses. It is intended for students who have not attended school for sometime or who do not have a firm grasp of high school chemistry. Topics include inorganic nomenclature, chemical reactions, chemical bonding and its relation to molecular structure, stoichiometry, periodic properties of elements, chemical equilibrium, gas laws, acids and bases, and electrochemistry. Please note that students must attend a recitation section.
Extended Residence
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this will be used for students in flat-rate/full-time programs who are approved by OEM & OSA who due to academic or personal reason must re-take courses. The course will be zero credits and zero billable (see EXRS P0001 as an example). Students enrolled in this course will be responsible for University wide fees.
Residence Unit
This is a "dummy" course for CC and SEAS students studying abroad on a Columbia-Approved program (programs not administered by Columbia) for the semester.
1/2 RU tuition for Climate School students
1/4 RU tuition for Climate School Students
Extended Residence enrollment category for Climate School students.
Designed for students who have not attended school for some time or who do not have a firm grasp of high school mathematics. Recommended as a prerequisite for MATH S1003. Negative numbers, fractions, decimal notation, percentages, powers and roots, scientific notation, introduction to algebra, linear and quadratic equations, Pythagorean theorem, coordinates and graphs.
Prerequisites: high school mathematics, but not calculus. Basic Physics serves as preparation for General Physics 1201-1202 and is intended for those students who do not have a solid foundation in high school physics or who have been away from school for several years. The course will provide an introduction to the basic concepts and fundamental laws of physics, focusing on mechanics, together with a review of the mathematical techniques needed for problem-solving.
Recitration Section
This course traces our knowledge of the universe from astronomy’s ancient roots to the modern study of extrasolar planetary systems, cosmology, and black holes. We begin with Newton’s laws of motion and universal gravitation, Kepler’s laws, orbital dynamics, and space travel. Next we take up the nature of light, the structure of matter, the emission and absorption of light by matter, and nuclear physics. We apply this knowledge to describe the properties of our sun and of the planets of our solar system, the properties and fate of stars in general, and the discovery of planets around other stars. Further topics include galaxies and the dark matter and black holes they contain, supernovae and the creation of chemical elements, and the expansion of the universe. We end with Einsteinian cosmology, the cosmic microwave background, dark energy, and the fate of the universe.
Climate change is one of the world’s most critical challenges, and though quite prominent in today’s news it remains a complex and multifaceted issue. What is the current understanding of the anthropogenic impacts on global climate, ecosystems, and biodiversity? How are different economic sectors, geographic regions, and countries contributing to this? How are these impacts predicted to affect future global economic growth prospects, agricultural productivity, poverty, and society at large? Who bears the potential costs and benefits? What can be done? Using climate change as a unifying focus, this course examines the role of public policy in managing human impacts on the environment. Students are introduced to the theories and concepts of environmental economics, and using these they explore, discuss, and analyze current national and global environmental challenges. They learn the public policy approaches being used to address these challenges, and how these policies influence and interact with the role of the private sector and international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement. Through coursework and case studies from both the developing and developed world, students gain an understanding of the complex nature of global environmental change and the importance of human-based activities in driving it. Case studies lead to the introduction of sector-based issues (e.g. promoting renewable energy and organic agriculture), innovative policy approaches (e.g. environmental trading schemes, mitigation banking, carbon taxes), and key terms used by the global conservation community to frame and promote discussion of these issues (e.g. ecosystem services, natural capital, water-energy-food nexus). Coursework includes lectures, required reading, multimedia presentations, online research, and guest speakers. Students are expected and encouraged to participate in class discussions, raise questions, and contribute to small group exercises and presentations.
Studio arts courses are offered in conjunction with Columbia University's School of the Arts.
This course is aimed at developing a series of foundational drawings for a fine arts college-application portfolio. Students explore various approaches to drawing from both observation and imagination while focusing on conceptually creative assignments. Each session develops the students’ approach to various materials, composition, and personal narratives into completed works that can be used for a final portfolio. Students have prolonged time to study and sketch the human figure from live nude models in class. Ideas are explored through assigned writings and developed in a sketchbook throughout the course. A visit to a museum or gallery is scheduled as part of the course so as to facilitate discussion of relevant art historical concepts as well as contemporary approaches to drawing. Lastly, participants learn how to prepare and digitally document works into a final portfolio for college applications.
This course probes the evolving ethical, political, and social questions that have begun to emerge as a result of rapid technological transformations in the 21st Century. Students are introduced to selections of classical moral and political philosophy, which provides a critical vocabulary for discussing a broad range of concerns that have animated the emerging field of tech and ethics. We discuss issues associated with AI, algorithmic bias, data and privacy, free speech and content regulation, and antitrust claims against tech giants, among other topics. Participants debate specific issues and write sample policy reports based on case studies.
This course introduces students to the art and analysis of cinema through examination of works by filmmakers ranging from Orson Welles to Martin Scorsese. Readings, screenings, the analysis of clips and full-length movies, as well as hands-on exercises such as storyboarding, blocking, shooting, and editing a scene all combine to convey the excitement and artistry of film.
Week One:
Students learn how motion pictures developed their own language—their own, universally understood visual system of representation—by studying the masters of early and contemporary cinema: the edge-of-your-seat last minute rescue scenes of D.W. Griffith; the bravura long takes of Jean Renoir; the nail-biting tension created by Quentin Tarantino; and the nerve-tingling suspense that is the hallmark of Alfred Hitchcock. Beginning with a storyboard, students will try their hand at conceptualizing a scene from start to finish in the style of classical Hollywood cinema.
Week Two:
Having learned Hollywood’s tricks of the trade, we branch out into international cinema, where other nations developed different systems of representation—their own languages—that challenged but also inspired the American film industry. Meet the Soviet style of filmmaking that revolutionized cinema in every sense of the word; the Gothic excess of German Expressionism, whose use of lighting, setting, and costume echoes in all contemporary horror flicks; and the bold surrealism of Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dali, and Maya Deren, whose cinematic experiments impact on dream sequences to the present day. Each student writes a review of one contemporary American film that owes a debt to foreign cinema—or vice versa.
Week Three:
Putting it all together, Week Three culminates in group analyses of some of the masterworks of classical and contemporary cinema such as Citizen Kane, Run, Lola, Run and La La Land. We examine and discuss the ways in which sound and image, editing, and the elements of mise-en-scène combine to create transporting cinematic experiences that have the ability to make audiences cry, experience fear, feel empathy and joy and, above all, marvel at the magic of movies.
Daily readings include film reviews and essays on film analysis, technique and history. Students are also responsible for an oral presentation on a specific scene, film, or director of their choice.
Please be aware that some of the films viewed contain violence and mature subje
This course introduces students to the art and analysis of cinema through examination of works by filmmakers ranging from Orson Welles to Martin Scorsese. Readings, screenings, the analysis of clips and full-length movies, as well as hands-on exercises such as storyboarding, blocking, shooting, and editing a scene all combine to convey the excitement and artistry of film.
Week One:
Students learn how motion pictures developed their own language—their own, universally understood visual system of representation—by studying the masters of early and contemporary cinema: the edge-of-your-seat last minute rescue scenes of D.W. Griffith; the bravura long takes of Jean Renoir; the nail-biting tension created by Quentin Tarantino; and the nerve-tingling suspense that is the hallmark of Alfred Hitchcock. Beginning with a storyboard, students will try their hand at conceptualizing a scene from start to finish in the style of classical Hollywood cinema.
Week Two:
Having learned Hollywood’s tricks of the trade, we branch out into international cinema, where other nations developed different systems of representation—their own languages—that challenged but also inspired the American film industry. Meet the Soviet style of filmmaking that revolutionized cinema in every sense of the word; the Gothic excess of German Expressionism, whose use of lighting, setting, and costume echoes in all contemporary horror flicks; and the bold surrealism of Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dali, and Maya Deren, whose cinematic experiments impact on dream sequences to the present day. Each student writes a review of one contemporary American film that owes a debt to foreign cinema—or vice versa.
Week Three:
Putting it all together, Week Three culminates in group analyses of some of the masterworks of classical and contemporary cinema such as Citizen Kane, Run, Lola, Run and La La Land. We examine and discuss the ways in which sound and image, editing, and the elements of mise-en-scène combine to create transporting cinematic experiences that have the ability to make audiences cry, experience fear, feel empathy and joy and, above all, marvel at the magic of movies.
Daily readings include film reviews and essays on film analysis, technique and history. Students are also responsible for an oral presentation on a specific scene, film, or director of their choice.
Please be aware that some of the films viewed contain violence and mature subje
This introductory-level course is intended for students who have an interest in learning more about how corporations make business decisions and fund those decisions. The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of both sound theoretical principles of finance and practical tools of financial decision-making. The course provides a brief introduction to the fundamentals of finance, emphasizing their application to a wide variety of real-world situations in corporate decision-making and financial intermediation. Key concepts and applications include the time value of money, risk-return tradeoff, cost of capital, interest rates, discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, net present value, internal rate of return, hurdle rate, and payback period.
This course provides an intensive introduction to coding with the language of Python, one of the most widely used and intuitive programming languages. Python is an interpreted language that, while syntactically simple, is equipped with a powerful set of libraries. Data analysis, machine learning, AI, data visualization, and web development can all be done quickly and efficiently with Python. This makes Python an ideal language for beginners. Participants learn the fundamentals of programming with Python; they are introduced to best programming practices, data representation and storage, data structures, functions and scripts, and more. Students also learn how to take advantage of the incredible number of Python libraries. By the end of the course, they have an understanding of the programming fundamentals required to approach novel and interesting problems with Python. The course alternates between classic instruction, group work, and individual programming challenges. While learning to code in Python, students also develop logical thinking and problem solving skills that will be helpful to them in learning other programming languages as well as in college and beyond.
This course provides an intensive introduction to coding with the language of Python, one of the most widely used and intuitive programming languages. Python is an interpreted language that, while syntactically simple, is equipped with a powerful set of libraries. Data analysis, machine learning, AI, data visualization, and web development can all be done quickly and efficiently with Python. This makes Python an ideal language for beginners. Participants learn the fundamentals of programming with Python; they are introduced to best programming practices, data representation and storage, data structures, functions and scripts, and more. Students also learn how to take advantage of the incredible number of Python libraries. By the end of the course, they have an understanding of the programming fundamentals required to approach novel and interesting problems with Python. The course alternates between classic instruction, group work, and individual programming challenges. While learning to code in Python, students also develop logical thinking and problem solving skills that will be helpful to them in learning other programming languages as well as in college and beyond.
This course offers an overview of the field of linguistics, the scientific study of human communication. It will cover the major components of language, including phonology (sound patterns), morphology (word formation), semantics (meaning), and syntax (sentence formation). Students will examine the essential role communication plays in daily life, and the ways languages can vary by culture and evolve over time. They will explore topics such as dialects, slang, stereotypes associated with different accents, MRI research on language processing in the brain, differences between human and animal communication, taboo words, figurative statements, and the Internet’s impact on “proper” English. The course will also include talks by guest speakers, professionals in their fields who will share their valuable expertise. Students will act as language scientists for the week, analyzing linguistic phenomena and working with texts, lectures, fieldwork, and videos that demonstrate how language permeates life. Participants in this course gain a deeper understanding of the relevance of linguistics to all career and academic paths, as well as the fascinating insights it can offer into the human experience.
Neuroscience is the study of the neural processes and mechanisms underlying human function and behavior. It is an interdisciplinary field that combines the ideas explored in the field of psychology with the science that governs the brain and body. In order to understand the etiology of disorders such as addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia, it is crucial to understand how molecular, cellular, and endocrine changes contribute to disease progression. In this course, students learn about how the laws of neurons and neurotransmitters direct brain processes. Class time is devoted to interactive lectures, discussions, and assignments designed to help students understand the neuroscience of addiction, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. Outside of class, students explore case studies of neuropsychiatric disorders so as to fully understand the extent of debilitation and possibilities for recovery.