TUJBP0899 - UG Course

One of the last frontiers in science is the brain. We know a great deal about the structure and function of the brain and nervous system, but it is challenging to comprehend fully the complexity of a system made up of 100 billion components that are interacting with one another using tens of trillions of connections that can change and rewire during development and aging. Neuroscience is the multidisciplinary field in which brain research falls. Neuroscience is one of the fastest growing domains in all of science - and good bet for a future career path. Neuroscientists investigate brain function from the level of molecular genetics, to cellular dynamics, to brain anatomy and physiology, to relations between brain, behavior, and cognition, to brain development and aging, to diseases of the brain. In this course, we will touch on knowledge about the brain at all these levels, and more. We will also discuss case studies of brain impairment.

NOTE: This course fulfills a Science & Technology (GS) requirement for students under GenEd and Science & Technology Second Level (SB) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Psychology 0817.

This course explores the intersection of scientific knowledge with real-world applications and ethical considerations. The first module of the course focuses on the basic principles of genetics and how hereditary traits are transmitted. The second module consists of the study of genomics, including recent medical advances and the impact of the Human Genome Project. The third module explores the social, ethical, and legal issues related to personal genetics, ancestry, personalized medicine, genetic testing, genome editing (e.g., CRISPR), and the use of DNA in law enforcement. This course has both a lecture and lab component.

NOTE: A grade of C- or higher in this course fulfills a Science & Technology (GS) requirement for students under GenEd and the Science & Technology Second Level (SB) requirement for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Biology 0948.

Hip-hop is no longer a subculture where members of marginalized groups are rapping and DJing, break dancing, and participating in the activity of graffiti. No, Hip-hop has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon. Not only do Hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z perform to sold out crowds at Madison Square Garden, but they also headline such mega-events as the Global Citizen Festival in South Africa. Hip-hop is now a global force, ubiquitous with mainstream culture. In this class, we will explore, analyze, and critique the beliefs, practices and behaviors associated with Hip-hop in the context of the conditions of systemic racial oppression and marginalization. Further, the course content will reflect a historical, sociological, and psychological perspective of U.S. culture. Students will follow Hip-hop from its early days in New York City, to the dark and gritty environments that produced the sounds of Hip-hop in the 1990s, to the "bling-bling" era of the early 2000s, and now to contemporary Hip-hop that influences fashion, urbanization, and the mainstream lexicon. Models of racial identity development and race-related psychological impact will be used to explore the development of the group and personal identities for those who are part of Hip-hop culture. At the end of the course, students will be able to critically examine the extent to which Hip-hop has helped form a new cultural identity in the 21st century.

America once was envisioned by its colonizers as a new world, as a city upon a hill beckoning to humanity. After centuries of conquest, enslavement, immigration, and political struggle, conditions for sustaining this early vision continue to evolve. Explore the emergence of some of the most distinctive and influential American voices to inform our national debate about freedom, the individual, race, democracy, and oppression, as it has unfolded over the past two centuries. Through consideration of selected works of some of the most renowned figures to shape the landscape of American public discourse, we return to face the question of the promise of America, as it plays out today in the thought of some of the leading public intellectuals of our time. NOTE: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Philosophy 0924.

Course Attributes: GU

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Why were relations between Native Americans and whites violent almost from the beginning of European settlement? How could slavery thrive in a society founded on the principle that "all men are created equal"? How comparable were the experiences of Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants, and why did people in the early 20th century think of them as separate "races"? What were the causes and consequences of Japanese Americans' internment in military camps during World War II? Are today's Mexican immigrants unique, or do they have something in common with earlier immigrants? Using a variety of written sources and outstanding documentaries, this course examines the racial diversity of America and its enduring consequences. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: African American Studies 0829, Africology and African American Studies 0829, Anthropology 0829, Geography and Urban Studies 0829, History 0829, Political Science 0829/0929, Sociology 0829, 0929, 1376, 1396, R059, or X059.

Course Attributes: GD, SI

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

This course is typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer I.

For living things the ability to hear sounds is an essential tool for survival, and sound is central to speech and languages. In the arts sound also plays a fundamental role, above all in music. The close connection between music, mathematics, and physics has long fascinated scientists. Advances in electronics and computing are revolutionizing the composition, production, and recording of sound. Science of Sound is an interdisciplinary course involving elements of physics, physiology, psychology, music, and engineering. After a four-week introduction to the fundamental physics of sound waves, we will consider human hearing and the human voice; scales, harmony, and sound production by musical instruments; architectural acoustics; and the electronic reproduction of sound. The course includes many in-class demonstrations. NOTE: This course fulfills a Science & Technology (GS) requirement for students under GenEd and Science & Technology Second Level (SB) for students under Core. Students cannot get credit for this course if they have completed Physics 1003: Acoustics.

Course Attributes: GS

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Have you ever wondered why musical compositions from different parts of the world sound so dissimilar? Discover how an artist's creative imagination is molded by the cultural values of the society at large. Listen to guest musicians demonstrate different styles of playing and attend a live concert. Examine folk, art and popular music from around the world and discuss the wonderful sounds that are produced. NOTE: This course fulfills the Arts (GA) GenEd requirement. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed MUST 0909.

Course Attributes: GA

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Do you listen to hip hop, spend all your time in Second Life, dress up like a cartoon character and go to anime fairs, or go skateboarding every day with your friends? Then you're part of the phenomenon called youth culture. Often related to gender, race, class and socio-economic circumstances, youth cultures enable young people to try on identities as they work their way to a clearer sense of self. Empowered by new technology tools and with the luxury of infinite virtual space, young people today can explore identities in ways not available to previous generations. Students in this class will investigate several youth cultures, looking closely at what it means to belong. They will also come to appreciate how the media and marketing construct youth identities and define youth cultures around the world. NOTE: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed ANTH 0817, ASST 0817 or EDUC 0817/0917.

Course Attributes: GB

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

How do photographs become more than just a pile of disparate images? Is there more to photography than that single "decisive moment" in the hunt and capture of an image? How do photographers comment on issues that are important to them? How can photographs tell a story? Is there a way one can use the art of photography to elicit change? In this class, students will use their digital cameras to investigate individual photographs, as well as series of photographs. We will look at photography in its historical context -- at the advent of documentary photography and photojournalism, and at narrative photography in its more contemporary form, as photographers use it to chronicle their own lives and to tell a story. Through the exercises of looking at and making photographic images, several core concepts of social work, along with theories of human behavior in the social environment, will be introduced. Students will learn not only about the place photography holds in our culture, but our culture itself, and the students' place in that culture. Students will critically analyze published photographs, as well as photographs made during the class. The semester will culminate in a class exhibition where students will be given the opportunity to present their photographs to the public, demonstrating their understanding of human behavior in the social environment.

Course Attributes: GB

Instructor: Watanabe, S.

Should the federal government more forcefully engage health care issues, or are its current obligations a hidden time bomb facing the federal budget? Should we be concerned about the outsourcing of U.S. jobs? Is the minimum wage too low, or will increases in the minimum simply lead to greater unemployment? Students will engage these and other pressing issues, write position papers advocating specific actions that governments or firms should take, and debate these recommendations. While economic theory is not the centerpiece of this course, students will learn enough economic theory to be able to discuss policy in an informed manner. They will also be introduced to important sources of "economic" information, from government web sites to major publications.

Course Attributes: GU

Instructor: Boudier, L.

The purpose of this course is to develop and explore multiple understandings of race and diversity through reading and examining literature that is intended for children and adolescents. We will explore a wide range of historically popular and current picture-books, chapter books, graphic novels and young adult fiction that features characters from traditionally underrepresented racial groups. You will read stories from varied genres, gain an understanding of approaches to content analysis and examine responses readers have to stories. Through critical reading, we will explore the role of literature in identity development and will identify and carefully consider broader ideological beliefs about race and culture raised by the texts. This course will help you discuss issues of race, an important ability for all citizens in a diverse democracy, as well as to read critically and to employ textual data in your writing, two significant abilities needed for success in college across majors.

Course Attributes: GD

Instructor: Sterling, J.

This GenEd course will use the fascinating science surrounding the makeup, origin, and future of our Universe to teach the methods by which scientists study nature. The course will also explore the (sometimes controversial) history of the subject, including the intersections of ethics and science as well as the role of different cultures.

Course Attributes: GS

Instructor: Matsui, T.