The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various classical ensembles and study with some of the most renowned chamber musicians in New York City. An audition is required.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
The Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program in the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various jazz ensembles, both large and small, instrumental and vocal, that cover a wide range of musical ensembles. All ensembles perform at an intermediate level or higher and require some past jazz experience.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
In collaboration with the Center for Ethnomusicology, MESAAS, Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program, the Music Performance Program (MPP) offers students the opportunity to participate in various world music ensembles: Arab Music, Bluegrass, Japanese Gagaku/Hogaku, Klezmer and Latin American Music. Each ensemble requires different levels of experience, so please refer to the World Music section of the Music Performance Program website for more info. Please note the Latin American Music Ensemble focuses on two different Latin music traditions: The Afro-Cuban Ensemble meets in the Fall and the Brazilian Ensemble meets in the Spring.
“Pop/Contemporary” is a broad term that embraces a wide range of popular and contemporary music styles. This ensemble is open to any and all instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, and songwriters interested in developing music in a workshop setting. Students rehearse and perform existing repertoire and original works, with an emphasis on group collaboration. While all are encouraged to contribute original songs and compositions, students are equally welcome to participate primarily as performers (developing their parts and shaping arrangements with the group). Class sessions will alternate between rehearsal-focused meetings and workshop sessions in which students present works in progress. The course culminates in a public performance.
Prerequisites: auditions by appointment made at first meeting. Contact Barnard College, Department of Music (854-5096). Membership in the chorus is open to all men and women in the University community. The chorus gives several public concerts each season, both on and off campus, often with other performing organizations. Sight-singing sessions offered. The repertory includes works from all periods of music literature. Students who register for chorus will receive a maximum of 4 points for four or more semesters.
Prerequisites: auditions by appointment made at first meeting. Contact Barnard College, Department of Music (854-5096). Membership in the chorus is open to all men and women in the University community. The chorus gives several public concerts each season, both on and off campus, often with other performing organizations. Sight-singing sessions offered. The repertory includes works from all periods of music literature.
Prerequisites: ) Limited to 16 students who are participating in the Science Pathways Scholars Program. Students in this seminar course will be introduced to the scientific literature by reading a mix of classic papers and papers that describe significant new developments in the field. Seminar periods will be devoted to oral reports, discussion of assigned reading, and student responses. Section 1: Limited to students in the Science Pathways Scholars Program. Section 2: Limited to first-year students who received a 4 or 5 on the AP and are currently enrolled in BIOL BC1500.
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.
This is an introductory course and no previous knowledge is required. It focuses on developing basic abilities to speak as well as to read and write in modern Tibetan, Lhasa dialect. Students are also introduced to modern Tibetan studies through selected readings and guest lectures.
This Fall semester introductory Hindi course is the first part of a year-long sequence (Fall and
Spring semesters) designed for true beginners with no prior proficiency in the language. It offers
a comprehensive foundation, starting with the introduction to the Hindi script. The course focuses
on developing proficiency in all key language skills—reading, writing, speaking, and listening—
while cultivating an appreciation for cultural awareness. Through engaging lessons and activities,
students will acquire practical vocabulary and basic sentence structures, enabling meaningful
communication in everyday personal and social contexts. The course also incorporates audiovisual
materials, such as short films and songs, to deepen cultural understanding and enhance
student engagement.
Performance Seminar Masterclass is open to classical musicians of any instrument(s) with the highest commitment to performance. Students are admitted via live audition during the first week of classes in the Fall. Each week, two students perform repertoire of their choice for the class and receive feedback from everyone present. The discussions, moderated by the director of the Music Performance Program, Dr. Magdalena Stern-Baczewska, are designed to provide constructive criticism to the performers and to pose questions related to performance from the perspectives of musical interpretation, career management, professional collaboration, and pedagogy.
Prerequisites: Corequisite: MATH UN1102 Calculus II or equivalent. Fundamental laws of mechanics, kinematics and dynamics, work and energy, rotational dynamics, oscillations, gravitation, fluids, introduction to special relativity and relativistic kinematics. The course is preparatory for advanced work in physics and related fields.
Prerequisites: Acceptable performance on the Department placement exam during orientation week AND either a grade of "B" or better in CHEM UN1403 or AP chemistry or the equivalent. Please contact Vesna Gasperov (
vg2231@columbia.edu
) or your academic advisor at CSA for further information.
Corequisites: MATH UN1102
Topics include chemical kinetics, thermodynamics and chemical bonding. Students must register simultaneously for a corresponding recitation section. Please check Courseworks or contact the instructor or departmental adviser for additional details.
When registering, be sure to add your name to the wait list for the recitation corresponding to the lecture section (CHEM UN1606). Information about registration for the required recitation will be sent out before classes begin. Please expect to also be available for review sessions on Fridays from 8:10am-9:55am.
Climate change mitigation is the greatest global political challenge of our times. This course uses concepts drawn from the broader political science literature to analyze the recent history and possible future trajectories of interactions between international and domestic politics and climate change. It focuses on mitigation questions, and includes the international political economy of various relevant commercial sectors. It has no prerequisites, and no background knowledge is required. The course has two fundamental goals: to increase student understanding of the complexity of political issues and interests involved in global climate change problems, and to counter growing climate despair by suggesting realistic paths forward toward global net zero carbon emissions. Class lectures will leave significant time for student questions and discussion. There is also a required weekly discussion section.
This is a fast-paced course that compresses two years of Hindi into one year. It is for students of South Asian background who already possess limited speaking and listening skills in Hindi or Urdu. Non-heritage students who have some exposure to Hindi or Urdu and South Asian cultures may also take this course.
It begins with an introduction to the Devanagari Script, which enables students to acquire basic reading and writing skills. They then build on their listening and speaking skills. To achieve these goals, students are introduced to a variety of materials, including literature, newspapers, folk tales, jokes, magazine articles, films, songs, commercials, and other kinds of audiovisual materials. These texts are related to language functions in daily personal and social life situations.
It focuses on vocabulary enrichment by exposing students to a variety of cultural topics and developing knowledge of basic Hindi grammar. By the end of the semester, students will develop productive skills in reading, writing, and speaking and will be able to:
• speak about themselves and their environment, and initiate conversations on topics of general interest.
• Understand most of the basic sentence structures of Hindi in formal and informal registers.
• Write correspondence related to daily life, letters, short essays, and compositions on various topics.
• Learn some basic vocabulary related to aspects of Indian life, such as family life, social traditions, and education.
• Initiate and sustain conversations on a range of topics related to different aspects of Indian culture, social, and family life.
On the first day of classes, there will be an interview/placemat test to establish the proficiency level. Please come directly to class. If accepted, the department will register you internally.
Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 or PSYC UN1010 Recommended preparation: one course in behavioral science and knowledge of high school algebra. Corequisites: PSYC UN1611 Introduction to statistics that concentrates on problems from the behavioral sciences.
Corequisites: PSYC UN1610 Required lab section for PSYC UN1610.
This intensive, fast-paced course condenses two years of Urdu instruction into one year. It is tailored for students of South Asian heritage who possess basic speaking and listening skills in Urdu or Hindi. Non-heritage students with prior exposure to Urdu or Hindi, as well as South Asian cultures, are also encouraged to enroll.
An interview will be conducted on the first day of class to assess speaking and listening comprehension proficiency levels.
The course begins with an introduction to the Urdu script, enabling students to develop essential reading and writing skills. It then enhances listening and speaking abilities using a diverse range of materials, including literature, newspapers, folk tales, jokes, magazine articles, films, songs, commercials, and other audio-visual resources. These materials are thoughtfully selected to support language development in everyday personal and social contexts.
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on vocabulary expansion, cultural understanding, and a foundational grasp of Urdu grammar. By the end of the first semester, students will have developed practical skills in reading, writing, and speaking. Specifically, they will be able to:
Speak about themselves, their surroundings, and engage in conversations on general topics.
Understand and use basic sentence structures in both formal and informal Urdu.
Write letters, short essays, and compositions on a variety of everyday topics.
Acquire vocabulary related to key aspects of South Asian life, including family dynamics, social traditions, and education.
Initiate and sustain conversations about South Asian culture, social life, and family traditions.
An introduction to the spoken and written language of contemporary Iran. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Introductory course to analog photographic tools, techniques, and photo criticism. This class explores black & white, analog camera photography and darkroom processing and printing. Areascovered include camera operations, black and white darkroom work, 8x10 print production, and critique. With an emphasis on the student’s own creative practice, this course will explore the basics of photography and its history through regular shooting assignments, demonstrations, critique, lectures, and readings. No prior photography experience is required.
Since Walter Benjamin’s concept of “work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction” (1935), photography has been continuously changed by mechanical, and then digital, means of image capture and processing. This class explores the history of the image, as a global phenomenon that accompanied industrialization, conflict, racial reckonings, and decolonization. Students will study case studies, read critical essays, and get hands-on training in capture, workflow, editing, output, and display formats using digital equipment (e.g., DSLR camera) and software (e.g., Lightroom, Photoshop, Scanning Software). Students will complete weekly assignments, a midterm project, and a final project based on research and shooting assignments. No Prerequisites and no equipment needed. All enrolled students will be able to check out Canon EOS 5D DSLR Camera; receive an Adobe Creative Cloud license; and get access to Large Format Print service.
An introductory course intended primarily for nonscience majors. This interdisciplinary course focuses on the subject of LIfe in the Universe. We will study historical astronomy, gravitation and planetary orbits, the origin of the chemical elements, the discoveries of extrasolar planets, the origin of life on Earth, the evolution and exploration of the Solar Systen, global climate change on Venus, Mars and Earth, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life (SETI).
You cannot receive credit for this course and for ASTR UN1403 or ASTR UN1453.
Can be paired with the optional Lab class ASTR UN1903.
This course covers the historical development of cities in Latin America. Readings, lectures, and discussion sections will examine the concentration of people in commercial and political centers from the beginnings of European colonization in the fifteenth century to the present day and will introduce contrasting approaches to the study of urban culture, politics, society, and the built environment. Central themes include the reciprocal relationships between growing urban areas and the countryside; changing power dynamics in modern Latin America, especially as they impacted the lives of cities’ nonelite majority populations; the legalities and politics of urban space; planned versus unplanned cities and the rise of informal economies; the way changing legal and political rights regimes have affected urban life; and the constant tension between tradition and progress through which urban society was formed. There are no prerequisites for this course. Attendance at weekly Discussion Sections required.
REQUIRED DISCUSSION SECTION for HIST UN 1786 History of the City in Latin America. Students must first register for HIST UN 1786.
How exhausting is it, really, always rooting for the antihero? Not very, our cultural and social landscape would suggest. From films to novels, popstars to political figures, contemporary culture marvels more and more at the misfits, the flawed, the scheming, the petty, the brats. Traditional heroic qualities are no longer necessary to appeal to audiences fascinated with the likes of Tony Soprano or Olivia Pope, the Punisher or Hannah Horvath. But is the antihero a product of the golden age of television? A result of our modern, revisionist impulse to reconsider the villains of our childhood?
This course will explore the complex and evolving figure of the antihero from its origins in the literary canon—in, for instance, Greek tragedy and the picaresque novel—to its prominence in modern fiction, film, and television. In parallel, we will explore how the antihero functions within broader socio-political contexts—whether as a critique of institutional power, a commentary on individualism and alienation, or a reflection of our anxieties about a world in which morality is no longer absolute.
Key questions will include: What does it mean to be anti-heroic in the modern world? How does the antihero challenge the distinction between protagonist and antagonist? How do marginalized voices shape and redefine antiheroic figures? What is it about figures who live on the boundary between law and lawlessness—the cowboy, the vigilante, the rebel—that so appeals to us?
The study of yoga in practice and philosophy to deepen and complement dance training and performance.
Yoga is a broad term for different components. The study of Yoga has 8 limbs or branches, one of which is an Asana (posture) practice. This yoga for dancers course focuses on Asana, Pranayama (breathing) and Meditation and reading to inform understanding of an ancient pratice and philosophy.
Based on the principles and practices of Hatha yoga, one of the Asana yoga practices, students will learn to integrate approaches to breathing and alignment to inform their movement practice and will learn the anatomy and histories behind the ancient practice.
Prerequisites: recommended preparation: a working knowledge of high school algebra. What is the origin of the chemical elements? This course addresses this question, starting from understanding atoms, and then going on to look at how how atoms make stars and how stars make atoms. The grand finale is a history of the evolution of the chemical elements throughout time, starting from the Big Bang and ending with YOU. You cannot enroll in ASTR W1836 in addition to ASTR BC1754 or ASTR W1404 and receive credit for both.
This class is an introduction to classical mechanics. Our goal is to develop an understanding of the principles underlying motion and how they apply to a wide variety of systems. The course will emphasize topics that help both to understand and to predict behavior in the world around us, highlighting when possible its relevance in medical & biological contexts.
Prerequisites: any 1000-level course in the Physics or Astronomy Department. May be taken before or concurrently with this course. Lectures on current areas of research with discussions of motivation, techniques, and results, as well as difficulties and unsolved problems. Requirements include weekly problem sets and attendance of lectures.
An introduction to the written and spoken language of Turkey. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Laboratory for ASTR UN1403. Projects include observations with the departments telescopes, computer simulation, laboratory experiments in spectroscopy, and the analysis of astronomical data. Lab 1 ASTR UN1903 - goes with ASTR BC1753, ASTR UN1403 or ASTR UN1453.
Laboratory for ASTR UN1404. Projects include use of telescopes, laboratory experiments in the nature of light, spectroscopy, and the analysis of astronomical data. Lab 2 ASTR UN1904 - goes with ASTR BC1754 or ASTR UN1404 (or ASTR UN1836 or ASTR UN1420).
Research Methods in Neuroscience: Circuits and Cells offers students a unique opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills development. This course pairs a weekly lecture with hands-on laboratory experiences, giving students a chance to see what day to day neuroscience research entails. The first three weeks of the semester will cover introductory topics in neuroscience, the scientific method, and experimental design. Then students will participate in three 3-week long modules covering human cognition, animal behavior, and neurological disease. The last two weeks of the course will be spent preparing students for a successful undergraduate research experience. Throughout the semester students will read scientific review articles to deepen their understanding of the lecture material and to contextualize that week’s lab experience.
This is the lab component for PSYC UN1950 Neuroscience Methods: Cells and Circuits.
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the wide-ranging, cutting-edge research in cognitive science and neuroscience happening at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute (ZI). Students will learn how research labs investigate fundamental questions of the mind, brain, and behavior, and will learn about the model systems, tools, and methodological approaches used across these fields.
Lectures will focus on how different animal and other model systems are used in neuroscience and cognitive science research. Through this course, students will gain an appreciation for the advantages and limitations of different model systems and why particular models are chosen to investigate specific aspects of mind, brain, and behavior.
Throughout the course, students will strengthen their ability to think like scientists, learning how research questions are formulated, how experiments are designed, and how scientific inquiry can be approached at multiple levels of analysis – from molecules to behavior – within the context of diverse model systems.
This course may also serve as a bridge to help students connect with faculty and the research labs at ZI, supporting future research involvement and mentorship opportunities.
Differential and integral calculus of multiple variables. Topics include partial differentiation; optimization of functions of several variables; line, area, volume, and surface integrals; vector functions and vector calculus; theorems of Green, Gauss, and Stokes; applications to selected problems in engineering and applied science.
This course introduces students to the study of comparative literature. For any student interested in what it means to live in a multi-lingual world with rich and diverse forms and traditions of literary, artistic, and philosophical expression, this course serves to cultivate lifelong skills and habits of attentivenes that will prepare you to navigate the world as engaged, critical-thinking cosmopolitan citizens. For students who would like to major in Comparative Literature and Translation Studies at Barnard, this course serves as the gateway course for the program. For students who wish to minor in Translation Studies, this course serves as an elective. The course is designed to introduce you to methods and topics in the study of literature across national, linguistic, and cultural boundaries, across historical periods, and in relation to other arts and disciplines. Readings are selected and juxtaposed in units designed to give you cumulative practice in doing comparative criticism and to foster thereby deepening reflection on underlying historical, philosophical, historiographical, and methodological issues. We will study works of narrative and lyric poetry, novels, short stories, and film and also works of philosophy, political theory, linguistics, and psychoanalysis. We will read texts of literary criticism, literary theory, and translation theory. Topics include: the role of language and literature in different cultures and historical periods, the relationship between genres, the circulation of literary forms, literature and translation, postcoloniality, gender and sexual difference, and the relationship of literature to other arts. By engaging with the particular combinations of texts in the course, students will learn how to read closely and deeply and make well-substantiated critical connections between textual and cultural phenomena that may yield new, original, and surprising insights. Students in this course typically bring with them a range of languages, but not everyone has proficiency in the same languages. Common readings will be in English translation, but students capable of reading the texts in the original languages should feel free to do so. You will be given the opportunity to work with the texts in the original languages in assignments of interpretive and translation criticism.
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.)
"The Core as Praxis/Fieldwork” provides students with the opportunity to explore the connections among texts from the Core Curriculum, their work in their major field of study, and their work in a professional environment outside of Columbia’s campus. Students will be guided through a process of reflection on the ideas and approaches that they develop in Core classes and in the courses in their major, to think about how they can apply theory to practice in the context of an internship or other experiential learning environment. Students will reread and revisit a text that they have studied previously in Literature Humanities or in Contemporary Civilization as the basis for their reading and writing assignments over the semester.
To be eligible, students must (1) be engaged during the semester in an internship or other experiential learning opportunity, (2) have completed the sophomore year, and (3) have declared their major (or concentration)
. HUMAUN2000 may not be taken with the Pass/D/Fail option. All students will receive a letter grade for the course. Students can take HUMAUN2000 twice.
Introduction to understanding and writing mathematical proofs. Emphasis on precise thinking and the presentation of mathematical results, both in oral and in written form. Intended for students who are considering majoring in mathematics but wish additional training. CC/GS: Partial Fulfillment of Science Requirement.
This course delves into drawing as an expansive, exploratory practice that underpins all forms of visual art. Designed primarily as a hands-on workshop, the class is enriched with slide lectures, video presentations, and field trips. Throughout the semester, students will engage in individual and group critiques, fostering dialogue about their work. Beginning with still life and progressing to drawings of artworks, artifacts, and figure studies, the course investigates drawing as a dynamic practice connected to a wide array of visual cultures.
Between 1967 and 1969, groups of American Indian, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Mexican, and Puerto Rican college students began to articulate demands for a transformed university, touching everything from admissions, relations to community, and curriculum. Their proposals contributed to the Third World Liberation Front strike at San Francisco State University, the longest student strike in US history. Drawing inspiration from Gary Okihiro, founding director of Columbia’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, this course takes student activists’ proposals for Third World Studies seriously. Our readings will draw on the traditions of anti-racist and anti-colonial struggle in North America, alongside perspectives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Prerequisites: a working knowledge of calculus. Corequisites: a course in calculus-based general physics. First term of a two-term calculus-based introduction to astronomy and astrophysics. Topics include the physics of stellar interiors, stellar atmospheres and spectral classifications, stellar energy generation and nucleosynthesis, supernovae, neutron stars, white dwarfs, and interacting binary stars.
Atoms; elements and compounds; gases; solutions; equilibrium; acid-base, precipitation, and oxidation-reduction reactions; thermochemistry. Laboratory one day a week. Laboratory experience with both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Counts towards Lab Science Requirement.
This first-semester of the Second Year Chinese course is designed for students who have
completed a rigorous first-year college-level Mandarin course or its equivalent. It aims to
advance proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to the Intermediate Mid to
Advanced Low levels (ACTFL). Students will engage with real-world scenarios relevant to
studying abroad, such as selecting phone plans, handling bank transactions, and mailing
packages. Emphasis is placed on detailed narration (e.g., emails, journals) and intercultural
competence through comparative cultural analysis. Course materials include dialogues and
narratives to support vocabulary, grammar, communication, and cultural learning.
Introductory biology course for majors in biology or environmental biology, emphasizing the ecological and evolutionary context of modern biology.