Neuroscience of Psychiatric Disorders

Neuroscience of Psych Dis

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.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• MTWRF 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Luiza Lodder
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• Instructor: Alexander Goldberg
  h-index: 5 Info
• 0 points

Neuroscience and the Law

In this course we look at how the brain functions, what the legal issues are, how the technologies that attempt to understand and address brain functioning work, and why this is pertinent to the legal system. Participants learn how to deal with the rising tide of neuroscientific information being proffered in litigation and in the legal policy context. They see how research studies are used in contexts outside the laboratory and are challenged to critically assess and evaluate not only the scientific principles but also their legal and ethical implications. The course focuses on brain functioning as it influences behavior and responsibility principles. The legal principle of culpable conduct and its implications are addressed, and appropriate penalties and punishment for criminal conduct are discussed. Students are asked to address fundamental questions about what it means to be morally and legally responsible, and what, if anything, neuroscience can provide to our assessments of individual responsibility for actions. Discussions transition from case-specific inquiries to first principles, namely: How do the separate domains of law, science, and behavior relate to one another? What are the purposes and roles of law in society? How may science help or hinder those purposes? And what can science tell us about behavior that might be legally relevant, and how? Some of the topics that may be addressed include the 
Frye and Daubert
 standards for the admissibility of expert testimony, objective assessments of subjective complaints of pain, inaccurate eyewitness testimony, cross-racial witness identification, applicable jury instructions employing principles of science, memory and emotion, lie detection, adolescent brain function and implications for sentencing and criminal liability, addiction, artificial intelligence, and cognitive enhancements. The course requires daily reading and active class participation; it is taught in a law school format, using the Socratic method. Assigned readings include scientific studies and articles from medical journals as well as prominent legal cases, including some lengthy U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Florina Altshiler
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• 0 points

Minds, Brains, and the Nature of Conscio

Intro to Philosophy of Mi

How is the mind related to the brain? Are sensations, beliefs, and desires immaterial or physical states? What are the different types of consciousness and how, if at all, are they related? How do we know that beings besides ourselves possess mentality? Can robots possess minds?

We explore these questions via a philosophical analysis of a number of attempts to explain the nature of the mind and mentality. The course begins with dualist attempts to characterize the mind as a non-physical soul that possesses immaterial mental states such as beliefs and hopes, and proceeds to an investigation of recent efforts to understand the mind and mentality as physical phenomena. Some historically influential answers to the question what is a mind and what is mentality? are critically assessed, including (i) substance dualism, (ii) mind-brain identity theory, and (iii) functionalism. In the latter part of the course, issues such as the nature of consciousness as well as how to make sense of the causal efficacy of mentality are discussed.

Course readings include such influential works as René Descartes’s Meditations on First Philosophy, J.J.C. Smart's "Sensations and Brain Processes,” Hilary Putnam’s “The Nature of Mental States,” and Thomas Nagel’s “What is it Like to be a Bat?” Course activities include class debates, group presentations, the designing of thought experiments, critical writing exercises, and close textual analysis.

The broad goal of the course is to sharpen students’ analytical reading and writing skills, while the more specific objectives are to give them a solid understanding of issues in the philosophy of mind as well as an understanding of the methods of philosophy.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Jared Peterson
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• 0 points

Painting Intensive

Studio arts courses are offered in conjunction with Columbia University's School of the Arts.
This course is aimed at introducing students to basic oil painting techniques. Participants explore various approaches to painting from observation. Each session focuses on assignments covering concepts such as composition, color theory, the use of materials, creativity, and visual communication in painting. Students work with live nude models and explore diverse approaches to the study of the human figure. 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 painting. Participants also learn how to prepare a final portfolio for college applications.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Miguel Cardenas
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 0 points

Political and Economic Ideologies of the

Political & Economic Ideo

This course explores the central political, economic, and social ideologies of the modern world, including capitalism, socialism, communism, liberalism, populism, and nationalism. We ask what principles define these ideologies, how these ideologies intersect with democracy, and how they produce and require different meanings and understandings of key concepts such as freedom, equality, justice, and citizenship. Starting with an extended focus on capitalism and liberal democracy, students investigate the origins and key beliefs of each ideology and think about the pros and cons of various systems of governance and social control. Our goal is not to proclaim any one ideology as superior, but to more deeply understand different ways of thinking about politics and society that have shaped the past and present, and that offer us possibilities for the future. In the process, class participants become more reflective about and aware of their own convictions, and better able to articulate and defend such convictions in speech and writing with thoughtfulness, precision, insight, and persuasive force. Course materials include excerpts from classic and contemporary political theory texts, as well as newspaper and magazine articles and film clips. Students draft and revise personal ideology statements and participate in debates in which they marshal ideas from the sources studied to justify and defend their positions. The course also includes guest speakers representing various ideological positions. Students are encouraged to engage in serious dialogue with and pose difficult questions of these guests, probing what they believe and why. The morning sessions are generally devoted to helping students achieve a firm grasp of the theoretical and factual arguments found in the readings, through a combination of presentations by the instructor and class discussion. The afternoon sessions allow students to put these theories and facts to work in written and oral form, working both individually and in small groups to develop arguments and debate controversial political questions. By the end of the three weeks, students are equipped with not only a deeper understanding of the competing political and economic ideologies that shape the modern world, but also with the tools to make, understand, and critically evaluate claims of all kinds—tools which should serve them well both in their future studies and as future citizens and leaders.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Geoffrey C Upton
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• Instructor: Ki Young Kim
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 0 points

Social Psychology: Understanding Human B

Understanding Human Behav

This course introduces students to major psychological theories and research on human social behavior. We look at why humans often help each other but also why they hurt each other. Topics covered include empathy, prejudice, helping, compliance, bullying, conformity, and the development of personality. A variety of psychological methods for predicting and preventing anti-social behavior are discussed. The course establishes a strong grounding in scientific principles and methodology. Students are encouraged to think about how empirical methods can be used to measure complex social phenomena, to recognize and appreciate experimental rigor, and ultimately to question common assumptions about human behavior found in ordinary discourse and the popular press. Students typically spend a portion of each day in lecture and a portion in learning activities such as group work, discussion, and hands-on experimentation. Outside of class, in addition to doing assigned reading participants complete homework assignments in which they apply what they have learned to real-world social situations. For example, they observe helping behavior on campus, complete personality assessments, and survey their family and friends. The data they collect is be pooled, analyzed, and discussed by the whole class.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Kate Jassin
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• Instructor: Hong Nguyen
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• 0 points

The Networked Self: Identity in the Digi

As the line between humans and technology becomes increasingly blurred, the proliferation of social media platforms is transforming conceptions of identity, community, and citizenship. This course aims to build on the premise that technology changes not only what we do but also who we are. We draw upon established theories of identity formation, self-presentation, and impression management in order to map the intersection between new media technologies and the evolving processes by which identities are constructed, maintained, and represented. We consider how these developments are providing new opportunities for individual expression and collective empowerment, while at the same time contributing to a growing sense of fragmentation, polarization, and uncertainty. Central to this course is the understanding that self and identity are both the product of social interaction, and a force impacting the societies which help create them. Toward that end, through a combination of readings, lectures, discussions, videos, short papers, group work, and oral presentations, students investigate the connections between social media and the following topics: 1) The development of the “commodified self” and “self-branding.” 2) “Digital surveillance” and the “managed self.” 3). Expanding opportunities for the expression of historically “marginalized” identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. 4). New avenues for the formation and mobilization of oppositional (or resistance) identities, including collective identification with political movements spanning the ideological spectrum from the far left to the far right. The central goal of this course is to provide students with a deeper appreciation for how digital technologies are fundamentally redefining traditional understandings of self and society, as well as to push participants to think more critically about their own place in what promises to an increasingly networked future.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Timothy Novak
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• 0 points

MATLAB: Computer Modeling for Science an

The course introduces students to programming in MATLAB, a software used by engineers and scientists for creating experiments, collecting data, analyzing the data, and simulating models. While learning how to use the software, students are also introduced to several broad concepts in science and technology, such as machine learning, statistical analysis, signal processing, electrical circuit models, biological models, and mechanical models. Participants learn to apply these concepts by writing code and building models in MATLAB. In the process of building those models, students learn how to legitimately carry on scientific inquiry. They apply this learning to create their own experimental paradigms in MATLAB. They formulate scientific questions and design hypotheses to test those questions. To test the hypotheses, they create experiments and collect the necessary data by building graphical user interfaces (GUIs) with MATLAB. They further analyze data from the experiments using the MATLAB software and form conclusions regarding their scientific inquiry. Students also visit science and engineering labs at Columbia University and are introduced to the process of journal publication.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Mohammad-Ali Miri
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• 0 points

International Humanitarian Law: Regulati

Is international humanitarian law (IHL) still relevant in regulating warfare in the 21st Century? Trends such as the proliferation of armed conflict between states and transnational insurgent groups and the development of autonomous weapons systems and cyber-warfare capabilities have raised questions about the sufficiency of IHL to regulate warfare today. This course introduces students to the theory and practice of IHL, and central debates about its interpretation and implementation in 21st-Century armed conflict. In the first part of the course, students are introduced to the moral principles underpinning IHL. They then turn to surveying the texts of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the two Additional Protocols of 1977, and the role played by the International Committee of the Red Cross in developing and ensuring respect for IHL. In the second part of the course, we examine major debates about IHL and its implementation today. Topics include the questions raised by the proliferation of transnational terrorism, multiparty civil wars, humanitarian intervention, drones, autonomous weapons systems, and cyber warfare. Course materials draw widely from political science, international law, psychology, philosophy, literature, and film. Class time is divided between lecture and discussion of the reading assignments, and film screenings, debates, group projects, and student presentations.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Muhammad Salman Ravala
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• 0 points

Creative Writing: Master Class in Fictio

Creative Writing: Fiction

For students who seek intensive experience with the writing of fiction. Students explore diverse styles of and approaches to fiction, and learn essential skills for writing their own short stories and novels. They participate in rigorous daily workshops and discussions on craft, as well as one-on-one teacher conferences.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Introduction to Journalism and Nonfictio

Intro to Journalism & Non

What creative possibilities do true stories hold? How can truth telling and storytelling work together? How can we turn ourselves—and other real people—into compelling characters? This class considers the possibilities of journalism and creative nonfiction. Students will learn basic research and reporting skills essential to all forms of nonfiction writing, as well as how to incorporate techniques traditionally associated with fiction writing into journalism and nonfiction. We will engage with a range of nonfiction prose and quality journalism—from news and magazine writing to memoir and personal essay—and use workshops to develop skills as editors and as writers.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Journalism and Nonfict

Creative Writ: Journ & No

What creative possibilities do true stories hold? How can truth telling and storytelling work together? How can we turn ourselves—and other real people—into compelling characters? This class considers the possibilities of journalism and creative nonfiction. We will explore sub-genres ranging from news and magazine writing to memoir and personal essay; from science writing and profiles to humor, food writing, and lyric essay. Students will learn research and reporting skills essential to all forms of nonfiction writing, as well as how to incorporate techniques traditionally associated with fiction writing into journalism and nonfiction. We will engage with a range of nonfiction prose and quality journalism, and use workshops to develop skills as editors and as writers.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Journalism and Nonfict

Creative Writ: Journ & No

What creative possibilities do true stories hold? How can truth telling and storytelling work together? How can we turn ourselves—and other real people—into compelling characters? This class considers the possibilities of journalism and creative nonfiction. We will explore sub-genres ranging from news and magazine writing to memoir and personal essay; from science writing and profiles to humor, food writing, and lyric essay. Students will learn research and reporting skills essential to all forms of nonfiction writing, as well as how to incorporate techniques traditionally associated with fiction writing into journalism and nonfiction. We will engage with a range of nonfiction prose and quality journalism, and use workshops to develop skills as editors and as writers.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Advanced Workshop

This workshop is geared toward students who have considerable experience in creative writing or who demonstrate unusual talent. Students read and write free verse poetry, short prose, drama, fiction, and creative nonfiction with the goal of developing a final portfolio of revised work. Daily workshops and seminars expose students to many aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of their peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of their peers. Students are expected to come to the workshops with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by weekly one-on-one conferences with instructors as well as optional electives.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Advanced Workshop

This workshop is geared toward students who have considerable experience in creative writing or who demonstrate unusual talent. Students read and write free verse poetry, short prose, drama, fiction, and creative nonfiction with the goal of developing a final portfolio of revised work. Daily workshops and seminars expose students to many aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of their peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of their peers. Students are expected to come to the workshops with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by weekly one-on-one conferences with instructors as well as optional electives.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Expository Writing Intensive: How to Wri

Participants learn how to read challenging texts and write about them clearly and coherently, assess and think critically about their own writing, and improve writing skills through in-class exercises, homework, and revisions. Readings for the course are taken from several disciplines, including literature, history, journalism, and social sciences. This course enables students to identify their strengths and weaknesses in writing and to improve their skills through individual and group work. We read and analyze short essays that exemplify good writing, and we learn how to define a thesis, organize an essay, and incorporate appropriate vocabulary. Participants are required to read a text and provide a synopsis; they also create a research project to outline and write an abstract. The class uses games as a mode to learn more advanced vocabulary. By the end of the week, students will have become not only better writers but also better and clearer thinkers.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Expository Writing Intensive: How to Wri

Participants learn how to read challenging texts and write about them clearly and coherently, assess and think critically about their own writing, and improve writing skills through in-class exercises, homework, and revisions. Readings for the course are taken from several disciplines, including literature, history, journalism, and social sciences. This course enables students to identify their strengths and weaknesses in writing and to improve their skills through individual and group work. We read and analyze short essays that exemplify good writing, and we learn how to define a thesis, organize an essay, and incorporate appropriate vocabulary. Participants are required to read a text and provide a synopsis; they also create a research project to outline and write an abstract. The class uses games as a mode to learn more advanced vocabulary. By the end of the week, students will have become not only better writers but also better and clearer thinkers.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Introduction to Creative Writing

Intro to Creative Writing

This course serves as an exploration of the creative writing process, including idea generation, creation and development of drafts, and basic editing skills. Through frequent and diverse exercises, students develop their use of voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, and narration. Students work in poetry, prose poetry, drama, and fiction. Works produced by professional writers as well as by students in the class form the basis of discussion in the workshop process.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Introduction to Creative Writing

Intro to Creative Writing

This course serves as an exploration of the creative writing process, including idea generation, creation and development of drafts, and basic editing skills. Through frequent and diverse exercises, students develop their use of voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, and narration. Students work in poetry, prose poetry, drama, and fiction. Works produced by professional writers as well as by students in the class form the basis of discussion in the workshop process.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Introductory Workshop

A course designed for students who have not had extensive experience in creative writing. Through frequent writing exercises, participants develop such writing resources as voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, and narration. Experimentation is encouraged. Daily workshops and seminars expose students to many aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of their peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of their peers. Students are expected to come to the workshops with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by weekly one-on-one conferences with instructors as well as optional electives.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Creative Writing: Introductory Workshop

A course designed for students who have not had extensive experience in creative writing. Through frequent writing exercises, participants develop such writing resources as voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, and narration. Experimentation is encouraged. Daily workshops and seminars expose students to many aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of their peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of their peers. Students are expected to come to the workshops with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by weekly one-on-one conferences with instructors as well as optional electives.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Lis Harris, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• 0 points

Inside the Animal Mind: What Animals Thi

Do rats laugh? Do dogs pretend? Can birds use tools? While it has traditionally been assumed that animals are not capable of thoughts, emotions, or anything comparable to human intelligence, researchers working with animals from rats and bats to wolves and whales now have an impressive and growing body of evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, that strongly challenges those earlier suppositions. This course surveys the fascinating field of cognitive ethology—the study of animal minds—and explores questions of what animals think and feel, the complexity of their thought, and the depth of their emotions. Students examine cutting-edge research from fields such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, endocrinology, and ethology that support the theoretical ideas first proposed by Darwin, who is often credited as the first scientist to seriously study the emotional lives of animals. Darwin’s ideas were later advanced by Donald Griffen, the “father of cognitive ethology,” whose big questions about animal consciousness laid the groundwork for the explosion of research we see today. What we are learning about animal sentience is transforming our understanding of non-human animals, creating impetus for new research into how they experience the world, each other, and possibly themselves. In this seminar-style class, students read and discuss the research of ethologists such as Marc Bekoff, Konrad Lorenz, James Gould, Jane Goodall, Franz De Waal, and E.O Wilson. These pioneering researchers fundamentally changed our understanding of the animal mind, shedding new light on the extraordinary and diverse abilities of our fellow species to learn, problem-solve, use tools, express emotions, and even mourn their dead. What’s more, we are learning that animals communicate complex information in ways we could never have imagined. Field excursions to locations such as the Central Park Zoo, the Wild Bird Fund, and the Wolf Conservation Center offer participants an opportunity to observe animal behaviors up close, emulate observation techniques used by scientists in the field, and speak to experts about their research. These first-hand experiences provide context for the material covered in class, and give rise to important questions and rich, stimulating discussions. Students also have an opportunity to explore the broad array of academic and career paths that relate to cognitive ethology, including evolutionary biology, animal behavior, conservation biology, psychology, philosophy and ethics, co

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Michelle A Ashkin
  Info
• 0 points

Inside the Animal Mind: What Animals Thi

Do rats laugh? Do dogs pretend? Can birds use tools? While it has traditionally been assumed that animals are not capable of thoughts, emotions, or anything comparable to human intelligence, researchers working with animals from rats and bats to wolves and whales now have an impressive and growing body of evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, that strongly challenges those earlier suppositions. This course surveys the fascinating field of cognitive ethology—the study of animal minds—and explores questions of what animals think and feel, the complexity of their thought, and the depth of their emotions. Students examine cutting-edge research from fields such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, endocrinology, and ethology that support the theoretical ideas first proposed by Darwin, who is often credited as the first scientist to seriously study the emotional lives of animals. Darwin’s ideas were later advanced by Donald Griffen, the “father of cognitive ethology,” whose big questions about animal consciousness laid the groundwork for the explosion of research we see today. What we are learning about animal sentience is transforming our understanding of non-human animals, creating impetus for new research into how they experience the world, each other, and possibly themselves. In this seminar-style class, students read and discuss the research of ethologists such as Marc Bekoff, Konrad Lorenz, James Gould, Jane Goodall, Franz De Waal, and E.O Wilson. These pioneering researchers fundamentally changed our understanding of the animal mind, shedding new light on the extraordinary and diverse abilities of our fellow species to learn, problem-solve, use tools, express emotions, and even mourn their dead. What’s more, we are learning that animals communicate complex information in ways we could never have imagined. Field excursions to locations such as the Central Park Zoo, the Wild Bird Fund, and the Wolf Conservation Center offer participants an opportunity to observe animal behaviors up close, emulate observation techniques used by scientists in the field, and speak to experts about their research. These first-hand experiences provide context for the material covered in class, and give rise to important questions and rich, stimulating discussions. Students also have an opportunity to explore the broad array of academic and career paths that relate to cognitive ethology, including evolutionary biology, animal behavior, conservation biology, psychology, philosophy and ethics, co

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Michelle A Ashkin
  Info
• 0 points

Digital Media and Advertising

Digital media has surpassed television to become the most important way for marketers to reach and influence consumers. While television advertising represents just one method of affecting consumer sentiment (video ads), digital is far more complex, offering video, search, social, email, and more. In this introductory course, students will learn how marketers leverage digital media to promote and sell products. Students will come to understand the inner workings of multiple digital media platforms (e.g., search, video, display, gaming, et al.) and the strategies and tactics marketers employ to influence consumers. In addition, students will explore the ethics of big data and privacy, as well as develop an understanding of how marketers use digital media to influence consumers. The course culminates with a final project presentation which allow students to put into practice topics and theories about digital media and advertising covered during the course. This course has no prerequisites and is appropriate for anyone interested in the fields of marketing and media, as well as those interested in the topic of persuasion and how corporations influence consumer behavior.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 0 points

Wealth and Democracy in the United State

This course considers the relationship between wealth and democracy, in theory, in history, and in practice today. Topics investigated include the following: political and legal debates about campaign finance reform from the late 20th century to the present, including whether money is speech and whether campaigns should be publicly financed; the role of the wealthy in American politics as candidates and as donors/funders; and the nature and problem of political corruption. Readings are drawn from philosophers and political theorists, contemporary studies of the impact of wealth on American democracy, and key Supreme Court decisions including Citizens United. Other sources include film excerpts and press accounts. Students also benefit from several guest speakers working on issues pertaining to campaign finance and related issues of money and politics on the local, state, and/or national level. Morning sessions are generally devoted to helping students achieve a firm grasp of the theoretical and factual arguments found in the readings, through a combination of presentations by the instructor and class discussion. Afternoon sessions allow students to put these theories and facts to work in written and oral form, working both individually and in small groups. In addition to completing and discussing reading assignments, students write position papers and participate in debates in which they marshal ideas from the sources studied to justify and defend their positions. Our ultimate goal is not to establish the proper role of money in politics, but to more deeply understand different ways of thinking about wealth and democracy that have shaped the past and present, and that offer us possibilities for the future.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Geoffrey C Upton
  Info
• 0 points

American Extremism

This course provides a history of hate and extreme movements in the United States. What different movements of extremism exist today? Should they be silenced, and how? Where is the line drawn between free speech and hate speech? What are the different factors at play in these movements and the people who subscribe to them? Have they gained popularity in recent times or have they just been more exposed? What is the role of media? What is the psychology behind these movements and those involved? Due to the nature of the content in this course, it is recommended for mature students who are willing to examine these questions with an open and reflective approach that requires a respectful attitude towards different opinions and their instructor and classmates.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Stacy Veeder
  Info
• 0 points

Core Skills Fundamentals: Reading, Writi

This course is designed for rising freshmen and sophomores who are interested in honing skills that are at the core of advanced study in high school and college. Classroom environments are intimate and collaborative, and students learn by engaging actively with the subject matter, the instructors, and their peers. The focus throughout is on learning to think clearly, critically, and creatively.
Expository Writing
The process of writing is emphasized as students learn to write through a "building block approach" which concentrates on how relatively simple-meaning relationships and rhetorical strategies within an essay combine to yield intricate and sophisticated results. Attention is paid to developing skills in grammar, diction, usage, syntax, and punctuation.
Critical Reading
Analyzing fiction and nonfiction trains students to identify and critically respond to the messages conveyed by different kinds of writing. Emphasis is placed on understanding how formal characteristics such as rhetorical strategy, point of view, and diction condition the reader's perception of content.
Academic Skills
In conjunction with writing and reading exercises, students also acquire techniques for effective study and research. Study skill sessions and tutorials teach practical skills such as note-taking, outlining, summarizing, managing time, and using research tools. Toward the end of the session, each student delivers an oral presentation, thereby honing public speaking and presentation skills.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Anne E Summers
  Info
• 0 points

Looking at Architecture: A Primer on Sty

Architecture: Primer on S

This course introduces students to the major historical styles of architecture in the Western hemisphere, with a consideration of notable examples from the East. Stylistic models from both the recent and ancient past have influenced how buildings look today. Likewise, social changes have shaped the way we inhabit the built environment. Understanding architecture in a historic context can enrich our experience of traveling, or of merely walking down the street where we live. It helps us connect our personal spaces and neighborhoods to places and cultures from different times, geographies, and cultures. Participants learn to recognize and describe the formal characteristics of architecture broadly described as Classical, Medieval, Victorian, Modernist, and Postmodernist, while recognizing that few buildings are designed in a “pure” or exclusive idiom. We analyze historic and modern images of buildings which exemplify the most recognizable styles of each era, both in the United States and abroad. When possible, we visit New York city sites whose architecture represents or evokes one or more styles under discussion.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Nenette Arroyo
  Info
• 0 points

The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Origin & Evolution: Unive

The origin and evolution of the Universe is one of the greatest (and oldest) questions ever asked. In a little over a century, cosmology has matured as a discipline due to improvements in our understanding of fundamental physics and technological advances allowing us to map the Universe in unprecedented detail and perform complex calculations. This course is an introductory review of the standard cosmological model, a quantitative description of the universe that explains with only six numbers a wide range of observed phenomena, from the chemical composition of the Universe, to the abundance and distribution of galaxies. The course includes in-class interactive exercises to illustrate how simple mathematical models can shed light on seemingly complex systems. We will discuss how the ideas on which the standard model rests won over alternative ideas, and how scientists are still working to solve some outstanding puzzles, such as the unknown nature of dark matter and dark energy.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• MTWRF 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Amy Barr Mlinar
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• Instructor: Alexander Kaurov
  Info
• 0 points

Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, AI, and Be

Blockchain, Crypto, AI &

This course is designed for students who have an interest in the future of finance, technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and work. Beginning with an exploration of Fintech (financial technology), we explore technology’s impact on everything from banking to real estate to Wall Street. Additionally, we look at how artificial intelligence (AI) will automate and reduce the need for human workers, as AI, Fintech, and other technologies are combined to automate many tasks. After gaining a solid understanding of the real-world use cases of Fintech and the everyday ways it impacts the economy, social justice, and our lives, students take a journey of discovery into the world of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency. Since Bitcoin’s launch in 2009, cryptocurrency and decentralized ledger technology, aka blockchain, have emerged as an economic force majeure, disrupting the fundamentals of how people interact and how they perceive money. In addition to pushing the evolution of money, blockchain technology is now poised to disrupt how we organize businesses and the future of work. Course participants explore the organizational impacts and transformations caused by blockchain and cryptocurrencies and examine what this will mean to them as future CEOs and global business and thought leaders. The course concludes by exploring the perspective of entrepreneurs and innovators, further examining how technologies come together to form the businesses, disruptions, and methodologies of the 21st Century. Participants walk away with a fundamental understanding of what tokens and cryptocurrencies are; how businesses leverage blockchain technology, AI, and other Fintech applications; and how digital transformation impacts social interactions and the future of work.
Please note: This course is not a computer programming course and requires no prior knowledge or experience, but rather looks at these emerging technologies more broadly from business, social, political, and cultural perspectives.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Lindsley Medlin
  Info
• 0 points

Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, AI, and Be

Blockchain, Crypto, AI &

This course is designed for students who have an interest in the future of finance, technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and work. Beginning with an exploration of Fintech (financial technology), we explore technology’s impact on everything from banking to real estate to Wall Street. Additionally, we look at how artificial intelligence (AI) will automate and reduce the need for human workers, as AI, Fintech, and other technologies are combined to automate many tasks. After gaining a solid understanding of the real-world use cases of Fintech and the everyday ways it impacts the economy, social justice, and our lives, students take a journey of discovery into the world of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency. Since Bitcoin’s launch in 2009, cryptocurrency and decentralized ledger technology, aka blockchain, have emerged as an economic force majeure, disrupting the fundamentals of how people interact and how they perceive money. In addition to pushing the evolution of money, blockchain technology is now poised to disrupt how we organize businesses and the future of work. Course participants explore the organizational impacts and transformations caused by blockchain and cryptocurrencies and examine what this will mean to them as future CEOs and global business and thought leaders. The course concludes by exploring the perspective of entrepreneurs and innovators, further examining how technologies come together to form the businesses, disruptions, and methodologies of the 21st Century. Participants walk away with a fundamental understanding of what tokens and cryptocurrencies are; how businesses leverage blockchain technology, AI, and other Fintech applications; and how digital transformation impacts social interactions and the future of work.
Please note: This course is not a computer programming course and requires no prior knowledge or experience, but rather looks at these emerging technologies more broadly from business, social, political, and cultural perspectives.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Lindsley Medlin
  Info
• 0 points

Big Data, Machine Learning, and their Re

The exponential growth of data, advances in cloud computing, and machine learning have transformed every industry from retail and banking to healthcare and education. This introductory-level course enables participants to navigate the new reality of the “data economy,” in which data is the “the new oil”—a ubiquitous and invaluable asset. We focus on the strategic use of data and innovative technologies to derive actionable business insights. Participants develop a strong foundation in data-driven thinking for solving real-world problems. They are introduced to a variety of popular technologies for data analytics and gain a familiarity with programming in R, a software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Much of the in-class work involves working with R. Students learn how to import, export, manipulate, transform, and visualize data; use statistical summaries; and run and evaluate machine learning models. From the start of the course participants are immersed in the world of data: they are introduced to the concepts of big data, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, cloud computing, and data ethics in the context of real-world business scenarios. Through hands-on experience and practice they study data harvesting and exploration, as well as the basics of data visualization. After they get comfortable with data manipulation and transformation, they gain familiarity with statistical frameworks and methods designed to extract practical insights from data. Participants learn and implement common machine-learning techniques and develop and evaluate analytical solutions. Toward the conclusion of the course, students work in groups on a final project and presentation, thereby (a) solidify their newly acquired analytical and programming skills and (b) practicing storytelling with data. Participants should expect a dynamic and interactive environment: hands-on exercises, teamwork, continuous in-class dialogue, demonstrations, and interactive presentations. The course features real-world applications of data analytics across industries and challenges students to think in terms of the business value of data and machine learning.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Harrison S Groll
  Info
• Instructor: Faith Bradley
  Info
• 0 points

Big Data, Machine Learning, and their Re

The exponential growth of data, advances in cloud computing, and machine learning have transformed every industry from retail and banking to healthcare and education. This introductory-level course enables participants to navigate the new reality of the “data economy,” in which data is the “the new oil”—a ubiquitous and invaluable asset. We focus on the strategic use of data and innovative technologies to derive actionable business insights. Participants develop a strong foundation in data-driven thinking for solving real-world problems. They are introduced to a variety of popular technologies for data analytics and gain a familiarity with programming in R, a software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Much of the in-class work involves working with R. Students learn how to import, export, manipulate, transform, and visualize data; use statistical summaries; and run and evaluate machine learning models. From the start of the course participants are immersed in the world of data: they are introduced to the concepts of big data, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, cloud computing, and data ethics in the context of real-world business scenarios. Through hands-on experience and practice they study data harvesting and exploration, as well as the basics of data visualization. After they get comfortable with data manipulation and transformation, they gain familiarity with statistical frameworks and methods designed to extract practical insights from data. Participants learn and implement common machine-learning techniques and develop and evaluate analytical solutions. Toward the conclusion of the course, students work in groups on a final project and presentation, thereby (a) solidify their newly acquired analytical and programming skills and (b) practicing storytelling with data. Participants should expect a dynamic and interactive environment: hands-on exercises, teamwork, continuous in-class dialogue, demonstrations, and interactive presentations. The course features real-world applications of data analytics across industries and challenges students to think in terms of the business value of data and machine learning.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Faith Bradley
  Info
• Instructor: Harrison S Groll
  Info
• Instructor: Rajeev Nair
  Info
• Instructor: Yiqiao Yin
  h-index: 2 Info
• Instructor: Rajeev Nair
  Info
• Instructor: Yiqiao Yin
  h-index: 2 Info
• Instructor: Rajeev Nair
  Info
• Instructor: Amanda Yang
  Info
• Instructor: Terra Taylor
  Info
• 0 points

Understanding Blockchain, AI, and Machin

This course provides an overview of the world of blockchain, AI, and machine learning. We explore artificial intelligence and machine learning and seek to understand the philosophical and ethical issues, relationship with consciousness and self-awareness, the categories and applications of the different families of AI algorithms, and what challenges and opportunities lie in the future. We then open the hood and look inside blockchain to see what it is, how it has evolved, and where it is headed, including Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. We examine how these technologies will impact the future of work. Students are encouraged to think about the impact of these technologies on society and how they might become leaders and shapers in these fields. Participants acquire an understanding and appreciation of these technologies so they can explore further on their own. The course is taught through a mix of instruction, discussion, and guest speakers.
Please note: This course is not a computer programming course and requires no prior knowledge or experience, but rather looks at these emerging technologies more broadly from business, social, political, and cultural perspectives.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• MTWRF 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• MTWRF 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
• MTWRF 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Lindsley Medlin
  Info
• Instructor: Michelle Jastrzab
  Info
• Instructor: Imen Ameur
  Info
• Instructor: Elsha Yiu
  Info
• Instructor: Douglas Ng
  Info
• Instructor: Cel Welch
  Info
• 0 points

Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine

Cell & Molecular Bio of M

At the core of most modern medical treatments is an understanding of how cells and biological molecules work. In this course we examine the functioning of medications such as antibiotics, antiviral drugs, chemotherapy, and psychiatric drugs. We also look at the molecular biology and treatment of conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and auto-immune disorders such as lupus. Class time is devoted to interactive lectures and in-class assignments designed to help students understand the connections between science and medical treatments. Outside of class, participants are expected to write a number of short essays exploring how various modern medical treatments work on a cellular and molecular level.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Frank A Ciulla
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• Instructor: Katherine E Kartheiser
  Info
• Instructor: Ugochukwu Anieto
  Info
• 0 points

Cyber-Threat Intelligence

Each year cybercriminals steal hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of information from major companies and vital national security secrets from governments, while terrorist organizations leverage cyber-networks for distributing their media and recruiting. It is imperative to nurture the next generation of intelligence professionals to understand the cyber-threat landscape given its ubiquitous impact on our daily lives. In this course participants are exposed to cyber-threat intelligence as a discipline and its function in providing decision-makers with the support they need to stay abreast of evolving security challenges. Case studies on advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and large cybercrime networks are examined so as to better understand their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs); their successes; and their shortcomings. Further, we look at technology’s evolution and how it is integrated into our lives along with the likely future threat landscape that accompanies these technologies. Threat intelligence encompasses more than the government, considering all private companies are reliant on technology and have their own threat intelligence teams, so this course focuses on both the public and private sectors. Course readings cover the topics of intelligence, analysis, advanced persistent threat groups, cybercriminals, terrorist organizations, and the different methods these actors use to conduct their attacks and operations. We discuss these topics in greater depth in class lectures and with guest speakers. Students produce short white papers and work on group presentations in which they represent threat intel teams focusing on particular entities.
Please note, this is not a computer science class and no technical expertise is required.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael J Gibbons
  Info
• 0 points

Comedy Writing Intensive

In this course students are introduced to the key tenets of writing and performing comedy. With the guidance of professional New York City performers and writers, they learn how to generate writing through improvisational comedy. Budding comedians and comedy writers learn how to make people laugh both on and off the page, a skill that can take practitioners down a variety of career paths on stage and in film and television. Participants hone their comedic sensibilities with a wide variety of exercises and readings, and build confidence by learning the art of 
Yes, and!
 Subject areas include sketch comedy, improvisational comedy, and stand-up. The course features frequent guest speakers.
Courses in creative writing are offered in conjunction with the Writing Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Overseen by Chair of Creative Writing Timothy Donnelly, Professor Alan Ziegler, and Director of Creative Writing for Pre-College Programs Christina Rumpf, the creative writing courses are designed to challenge and engage students interested in literary creation, providing them with a substantial foundation for further exploration of their creative work.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Paulina M Pinsky
  Info
• 0 points

The Supreme Court and the US Constitutio

Supreme Court & Constitut

This course examines the United States Supreme Court and several of the major social and legal issues over which it has jurisdiction. Beginning with a brief introduction on how cases are heard by the Supreme Court, we proceed to an in-depth and wide-ranging look inside America's most hotly debated cases and the issues that shape them. Covering both the substantive and the procedural law, students learn how to identify legitimate arguments for and against each topic and gain an understanding of constitutional challenges and limitations. We focus on the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and the cases that follow, examining issues such as privacy rights, freedom of speech, LGBTQ rights and the determination of sex and gender, abortion rights, the death penalty, legalization of marijuana, voting rights, gun control, and coronavirus-related issues.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Paula Russo
  Info
• 0 points

Geometric Topology: A Tool for Modeling

Geometric Topology: Unive

Is the universe infinite or finite? What is the curvature and overall shape of the space we live in, and how might we detect this? Many have considered these questions throughout the ages, and while we still don’t know the answers, a field of mathematics called geometric topology has given rise to a relatively new framework for approaching them. In this course, participants learn how models for topological spaces relate to theories on the shape of the physical universe. Philosophical discussions are informed by pencil and paper computations, experiments with common household materials, and interactive online games and modules. We begin by learning from the mistakes of archaic geocentric models so as to build intuition about manifolds — structures that look one way up close but totally different from far away. This sets the stage for a precise definition of dimension, providing the framework for the rest of the course. Students explore notions of curvature, flatness, boundedness, embeddings, and finiteness by constructing models of two-dimensional geometries out of toothpicks, cotton swabs, tape, or whatever works — creativity encouraged! We then apply our findings to the three-dimensional world, with the help of a few video games, such as flying a space ship through hyperbolic space. Finally, we look at the role of fractals in modeling reality, and how they push our notion of dimension to fascinating new horizons. Participants gain, in addition to early exposure to modern content at the intersection of topology and physical cosmology, an appreciation for rigorous mathematical thinking that is motivated not so much by numbers and quantity as by profound questions about the nature of our world.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Joseph Quinn
  Info
• 0 points

Contemporary Debates in American Law and

In this course, students gain essential skills in critical thinking and written and oral argument by studying several prominent controversies in American law and society. In recent summers these have included free speech and hate speech, immigration and open borders, religious freedom and anti-discrimination law, and abolishing/defunding the police. In considering each issue, we study texts including legal cases and works in political theory so as to evaluate the meaning and relevance of key concepts such as freedom, equality, justice, autonomy, and individuality. Course materials also include book excerpts, newspaper and magazine articles, and film clips. Guest speakers from the fields of law, government, and non-profit advocacy join us to provide insights from the “front lines” of the issues under consideration. Students are encouraged to engage in serious dialogue with and pose challenging questions to these guests. Numerous public speaking exercises also help students to become more confident, trained, and effective speakers. A primary component of the course is devoted to helping students achieve a firm grasp of the theoretical and factual arguments found in the readings, through a combination of presentations by the instructor and class discussion. Students then put these theories and facts to work in written and oral form, working both individually and in teams to construct powerful and nuanced arguments. At the end of each unit, students make arguments on various sides of each issue in structured in-class debates and other activities, marshaling ideas from the various sources so as to justify and defend their positions. By the end of the course, participants are equipped with not only deeper knowledge of the legal and political debates surrounding various key issues but also with the tools to make, understand, critically evaluate, and communicate claims of all kinds—tools which should serve them well both in their studies and as future citizens and leaders. They come away with more developed reasoning and analytical abilities, and with improved public speaking skills.
Note:
 While the class focuses on issues within the United States, students from other countries should feel free to apply, as most of the arguments under consideration will also be relevant to contemporary debates in other nations.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Dawn Post
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• Instructor: Anthony Venditto
  Info
• 0 points

Introduction to Anime

Anime is becoming more popular than ever in the United States and globally among people of all ages. In this course, you will learn the brief history of anime and the five different styles of anime: shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, and kodomomuke. After examining samples of anime, you will begin designing your own. The course will culminate in the creation of your own piece and the sharing of your work with your classmates.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 0 points

Medicine as a Career Choice: Thinking Li

Thinking Like a Doctor

Becoming a physician—mastering the intricacies of the human body and working to heal when illness occurs—has long been considered a noble pursuit, but it’s not all guts and glory. It takes a particular kind of mind; one that can focus on the smallest details while keeping the big picture in sight. A doctor must see the forest 
and
 the trees. This course is an investigation into how a physician thinks. This unique world is dissected through brain games, interactive lectures, thought experiments, and group projects. Discussion also covers what it takes to get into medical school, what it’s like to go through medical school and residency, and what it means to be a doctor in today’s society. Potential topics to be discussed include the following:

Logic and reasoning

Evidence-based medicine

Human psychology and its influence

The crossroads of media, myth, and medicine

Ethics

Malpractice

Medicine's history and future

Participants gain a deeper knowledge of the medical world as well as what it takes to think like a doctor—and acquire mental tools that can be utilized in any aspect of life.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Emma Sacks
  Info
• Instructor: Margaret Eng
  Info
• Instructor: Teresa Deluca
  Info
• Instructor: David Gershon
  Info
• Instructor: Magy Dawoud
  Info
• Instructor: Lisa B Moreno
  Info
• Instructor: Hannah Brooks
  Info
• Instructor: Penelope Lusk
  Info
• Instructor: Hannah Brooks
  Info
• 0 points

Dream Writing

From the ancient Greek and Chinese oracles and 
Taemong
 (birth dreams) of Korea to the sofas of Freud and Jung to contemporary Yanomami shamans and Hollywood’s 
Dreamworks
, throughout a vast array of cultures and eras, dreams have been a source of inspiration, healing, and insight. In this course we aim to reconnect with the imaginative power of dreams primarily by writing and interpreting our own, while reading extensively in dream literature. While composing and sharing our own dreams on a daily basis with foremost attention to dreams as a source for discovery and literary artistic production, we experiment with a variety of compositional, mnemonic, and lucid techniques. Readings and audio-visual texts from writers, theorists, and filmmakers such as Patricia Garfield, Jeremy Seligson, Robert Moss (especially his “six masters of the ‘three only things’”), Joan of Arc, Lucrecia de León, Harriet Tubman, Mark Twain, Wolfgang Pauli, Winston Churchill, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Richard Linklater provide guidance and inspiration.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 0 points

Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Social

Econ, Entrepre, Social Ju

Can economic growth be reconciled with sustainability? Can social entrepreneurs find solutions to climate adaptation challenges? How do we incentivize fishermen to conserve the world’s fisheries? Can microfinance loans to the entrepreneurial poor reduce global poverty? What practices can businesses adopt to align their bottom lines with sustainability? How can we do well while doing good – and while embracing principles of equity, access, participation, and human rights? In this course participants are introduced to key concepts and skills associated with social entrepreneurship, finance, and economics and are consequently enabled to think proactively about solving some of the world’s biggest problems – while also probing how profitability and social justice might intersect and at times come into conflict. Students are introduced to economic concepts such as supply and demand, utility, macro- and microeconomics, the time value of money, and the use of indicators. They also engage with key concepts relating to business formation and management, raising funds using debt or equity, and financial accounting. Participants begin to see some of the largest social problems we face today as essentially economic challenges – and are then asked, through a mix of projects, debates, field trips, and case studies, to come up with potential solutions, their work culminating with a social enterprise pitch competition.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Isabelle Marie F Delalex
  Info
• Instructor: Ciara Ungar
  Info
• 0 points

Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Social

Econ, Entrepre, Social Ju

Can economic growth be reconciled with sustainability? Can social entrepreneurs find solutions to climate adaptation challenges? How do we incentivize fishermen to conserve the world’s fisheries? Can microfinance loans to the entrepreneurial poor reduce global poverty? What practices can businesses adopt to align their bottom lines with sustainability? How can we do well while doing good – and while embracing principles of equity, access, participation, and human rights? In this course participants are introduced to key concepts and skills associated with social entrepreneurship, finance, and economics and are consequently enabled to think proactively about solving some of the world’s biggest problems – while also probing how profitability and social justice might intersect and at times come into conflict. Students are introduced to economic concepts such as supply and demand, utility, macro- and microeconomics, the time value of money, and the use of indicators. They also engage with key concepts relating to business formation and management, raising funds using debt or equity, and financial accounting. Participants begin to see some of the largest social problems we face today as essentially economic challenges – and are then asked, through a mix of projects, debates, field trips, and case studies, to come up with potential solutions, their work culminating with a social enterprise pitch competition.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• MTWRF 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Ciara Ungar
  Info
• Instructor: Angela M Paulk
  Info
• 0 points

Citizen Sleuth: Writing Compelling True

Bring your love of truth, justice, mystery, and New York City history to this writing class. Studying the elements of the city’s well-known, and not so well-known crimes, can open a lens into the race, class, and gender structures at work in our metropolis, and reveal whom they benefit, and whom they harm. The current explosion in True Crime books, podcasts, blogs, and documentaries, and the fact that women are taking control of more of these narratives cannot be ignored. Students will choose an actual criminal case from New York’s recent or not so recent history (e.g. Typhoid Mary), and write a nonfiction story driven by their point of view, which will emerge from shorter pieces and research done during the class. The coursework will cover best writing practices, such as learning the skills of legally sound, ethical reporting, interviewing people on sensitive matters, and using public records—all in the interest of uncovering and shaping the raw material into a story that needs to be told, for victims who may not always have the tools to tell them. Readings will include Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in The Dark, Becky Cooper’s We Keep the Dead Close, James Polchin’s Indecent Advances, and excerpts from Christopher Payne’s photography book, North Brother Island, the Last Unknown Place in New York City. We will take virtual tours of public archives, the Museum of the City of New York, Central Park, and The East River, listen to Laci Mosley’s Scam Goddess, and view documentaries and films such as Strong Island, The Witness (about Kitty Genovese), and Summer of Sam. Experts on various topics will also participate as occasional guest speakers in the class.

• Department: Pre-College Program (Barnard)
• TR 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Faculty
  h-index: 37 Info
• 0 points

Entrepreneurship: From Idea to Early Des

Entrepreneur: Idea to Des

This intensive ten-session course takes an applied, practical approach to the development, testing, and validation of customer or community-driven product solutions. By learning and applying contemporary design-thinking concepts and tools, students generate innovative solutions to important customer or community problems. During the program, students identify and define a major problem to be solved, work with real customers to better understand the problem from their perspective, generate multiple solutions, then choose a solution to test with real customers. Students acquire practical knowledge and tools focusing on the development, testing, and validation of new products that solve real customer problems and needs, from idea to early product development. Students can expect to learn how to:

identify and articulate customer problems in an accurate way, reflecting how individuals truly experience the problem and its challenges

create effective customer surveys to help validate your assumptions on customer problems (pain points), solutions, and benefits (expected outcomes)

assess current solutions provided in the marketplace in order to build on best practices as well as identify gap areas

develop a minimal viable product in order to gain additional feedback on specific solution features

measure and validate customer needs fulfillment or social impact assumptions

develop a solution (business or social enterprise) model to test your assumptions about customer interests, acceptance, and use

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Michelle Greenwald
  Info
• Instructor: Jack McGourty
  CULPA: 67 Info
• 0 points

Law at the Cutting Edge of Technology

Law at Cutting Edge of Te

This class explores the application of legal principles to advancements in technology, including social media, drones, video games, cryptocurrency, and smartphone apps. In learning about these particular topics, students gain a more general understanding of some of the most important concepts underlying much of U.S. law.

We analyze the law of nuisance and trespass through the lens of Pokemon Go, and we look at the legal concept of negligence by examining product liability issues arising from injuries related to autonomous vehicles and SnapChat filters. The class then explores how the right to privacy is impacted in the physical world by drone technology, and how privacy interests are impacted in the digital world by data gathering platforms such as Facebook. We look at legal issues having to do with the future of money, gaining a basic understanding of blockchain and its role in cryptocurrency and fractional asset ownership through tokenization. Finally, through a study of “influencer” marketing, we explore advertising, marketing, and contract law through a case study of the infamous Fyre Festival.

Students learn through a combination of lecture, discussion, debate, and group work. Content and learning examples are presented in various forms, including PowerPoints, short videos, images, in-class demonstrations, and a guest speaker. Students complete a culminating project involving an oral small group presentation.

Through this immersive learning experience, participants gain a broad understanding of the law as well as enhanced analytical and problem-solving skills. They learn how to approach complex, dynamic legal problems and methodically analyze all relevant factors so as to arrive at logical, evidence-based results. Further, they practice collaborative co-creation and public speaking as they work in small groups on their culminating oral presentations.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Mrinali Menon
  Info
• 0 points

Environmental Justice: From the South Br

Climate change and inequitable urban planning have damaging effects on people living in certain communities. Often these communities are people of color, indigenous, or living in poverty. From the city planner Robert Moses to the waste transfer stations disproportionately located in the Bronx, the rate of asthma for that area is one of the highest in the country. As our country plans to drill for oil and gas and create pipelines, who is impacted and what is the cost? What is the impact of deforestation? With global climate change, poorer countries are already facing life-threatening consequences. This course will examine the disproportionately damaging impacts of climate change and other environmental justice issues in the United States and abroad, and discuss viable proposals for resolving these issues.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 0 points

Fashion Design: Focus on New York City S

Fashion Design: NYC Style

In this course students explore fashion with a particular focus on style and culture in New York City and then develop their own designs. Participants get a first-hand look at the field through discussion with active figures in the fashion industry such as designers, marketing directors, and stylists. They take virtual field trips to locations such as the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the costume collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Readings on the history, theory, and culture of fashion include works by icons, artists, writers, editors, philosopher, and activists such as Diana Vreeland, Susan Sontag, Oscar Wilde, Bernard Rudofsky, and Marilyn Bender. As a springboard for inspiration and discussion, we view the works of a variety of designers through film clips and videos. Through our explorations into fashion as art we encounter individuals who live and enact fashion through performative dress, at times challenging social and gender expectations Having gained a firm grounding in the field, participants research and formulate their own original fashion concepts. Based on these concepts, they design their own unique collections. Concepts may center on a particular motif (e.g., technology as an extension of the human body), period or style (e.g., British monarchy, Imperial China, Ancient Egypt, imagined future, underwater or deep space), or material inspiration (e.g., mylar, fiber optics, recyclables, etc.). While sharing sources of inspiration and research discoveries with attention to both craft and theory, in addition to producing our individual collections, we engage in a collaborative design project.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Eva Goodman
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Critical Focus on the Visual Arts: Art a

Critical Focus on Visual

A two-course curricular option that provides a concentrated study of aesthetic concepts for students interested in the visual arts. Both courses emphasize critical thinking and analysis, skills that will be valuable to students in whatever fields they choose to pursue in college and beyond. Numerous field trips to museums and architectural landmarks throughout the city enable students to take advantage of New York’s vast cultural resources.
Architecture and Society: New York’s Built Environment
This course introduces students to the visual analysis of architecture. Instead of surveying the history of architecture, we look at specific New York landmarks to understand how great structures not only fulfill practical needs but also influence our relationship to the physical and social world around us. By studying some of New York’s notable museums, parks, houses of worship, office buildings, and transportation centers, we see how these sites reflect and inform different kinds of social experiences. As students learn to “read” these sites closely, they become familiar with the basic vocabulary of architecture (including light, space, mass, and circulation) and come to appreciate how architects of different eras and sensibilities have engaged these same basic elements to different ends. Some of the sites we explore together typically include Columbia University’s campus, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, Lever House, and the 9/11 Memorial.
Problems in the History of Art
This course covers selected monuments of painting and sculpture from various eras and cultures as well as basic trends and concepts in the history of art. Students learn about art from both the artist’s perspective (focusing on materials and technique) and the art historian’s perspective (focusing on issues of patronage, context, and interpretation), with both ultimately impacting how we view these objects in the modern world. The goal of this class is to examine specific objects and encourage students to think about formal analysis—understanding the choices artists make, as well as how these objects reflect upon their specific culture and era. Rather than addressing the subject of art history in the traditional survey fashion, this course will be topic-based, with particular emphasis on how curatorial decisions impact the way we view works of art. Field trips typically include visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art,

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Thomas I Campbell
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 0 points

Fundamentals of Neuroscience

This course is designed to introduce students to foundational concepts in neuroscience in an immersive classroom environment blending traditional lectures, weekly in-class projects, and hands-on work. We begin with an applied introduction to cellular biology focusing on the structure of the brain and spinal cord, from individual neurons to the entire central nervous system. We then study how this biological organization enables some remarkable features of living systems - sensation, perception, and action - and how these features have changed over the course of evolution. Using this knowledge, we turn our focus to big questions in modern neuroscientific research, including theories of attention, memory, and consciousness. We wrap up the course with a discussion of the societal contributions - and ethical implications - of neuroscience. Participants gain a rigorous introduction to key ideas in the field of neuroscience and a foundation with which to pursue further studies.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Arafel Buzon
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• Instructor: Trenton Jerde
  h-index: 11 Info
• Instructor: Dena S Goldblatt
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• 0 points

Fundamentals of Neuroscience

This course is designed to introduce students to foundational concepts in neuroscience in an immersive classroom environment blending traditional lectures, weekly in-class projects, and hands-on work. We begin with an applied introduction to cellular biology focusing on the structure of the brain and spinal cord, from individual neurons to the entire central nervous system. We then study how this biological organization enables some remarkable features of living systems - sensation, perception, and action - and how these features have changed over the course of evolution. Using this knowledge, we turn our focus to big questions in modern neuroscientific research, including theories of attention, memory, and consciousness. We wrap up the course with a discussion of the societal contributions - and ethical implications - of neuroscience. Participants gain a rigorous introduction to key ideas in the field of neuroscience and a foundation with which to pursue further studies.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• MTWRF 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
• MTWRF 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Dena S Goldblatt
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• Instructor: Carolina Fernandes Henriques
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• Instructor: Dena S Goldblatt
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• 0 points

Introduction to International Relations

Intl Relations & Great Po

The course begins by introducing international relations theory and practice, evolves into the evolution of the international order and concludes by discussing great power competition and economic statecraft. The first half of the course presents theoretical and practical frameworks for understanding international politics and the policy decisions that shape global outcomes. It considers major international trends, such as the rise and fall of great powers, cooperation and conflict between states, and the influence of non-state actors on security, economics, and politics. With an emphasis on contemporary world affairs, it also explores the institutions, interests, ideas, and personalities behind international events. Foundational knowledge will be conveyed by looking at key historical events and the evolution of theoretical concepts that frame our understanding of international relations and informs policy. Each class meeting will use illustrative historical/contemporary cases to link theory to real world policy formation and execution. The second half of the course, which builds on the material covered in part I, examines challenges to the current global order in a world of growing political, economic and military competition. We will examine the rise of great power competition among the United States, China and Russia and use of economic statecraft as a principle tool to advance each country’s interest. This part of the course examines each of these actors from an economic viewpoint, proceeding from the premise that a national economic base provides the resources from which these nations provide for domestic living standards while at the same time resourcing their national security objectives. The course provides an overview of each nation in context to its regional and the world economy. The course will examine contemporary and projected trends for each nation and relate these to security and strategy. This is designed as an economics course for those who are interested in international relations but who do not have a deep knowledge of macro-economics. The instructor will familiarize students with basic macroeconomic concepts and provide a framework for inquiry which the course will apply to each of the actors. The course will then draw conclusions for strategy and decision makers.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Rohan N Shah
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• 0 points

Human Rights in the 21st Century: Challe

Human Rights in 21st Cent

Are human rights still relevant in promoting social justice and freedom in the 21st Century? Human rights law and advocacy have been central to international politics since the end of World War II. However, recent rises in authoritarianism and anti-liberal regimes have raised new questions on whether the human rights framework is still capable of addressing injustices in the modern world. This course introduces students to the law and practice of human rights as well as the challenges of enforcing rights in an international environment that has grown increasingly hostile to principles of human dignity and personal freedom.

In the first part of the course, students review the philosophical foundations of human rights and then examine human rights from two perspectives. First, the legal perspective introduces them to basic principles and rules of international law and the main international organizations and mechanisms designed for promoting and enforcing human rights. Second, they adopt the role of social scientist. We debate evidence on the effectiveness of human rights law and discuss challenges of enforcing rights in an international system in which states are not accountable to a higher authority.

In the second part of the course, students apply their new knowledge to the problems facing human rights today. Topics include cultural relativist critiques of human rights as a Western, neo-colonialist institution, challenges from new technologies in state surveillance and autonomous weapons, and existential threats to human populations through climate change and environmental damage.

Each day participants are required to read college-level academic literature on the law and practice of human rights and engage with new ideas through group discussion and activities. The primary assignment for this course is participation in an international moot court activity, which challenges students to research and give oral arguments on a fictitious human rights case.

The course also introduces students to several different perspectives through a variety of guest lecturers.

• Department: Pre-College Programs (SHSP)
• MTWRF 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Alexander de la Paz
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 0 points