Provisional University Bulletin (2025-2026)

The ability to engage in the digital world plays an increasingly important role in intellectual life. Every discipline has been affected by the digital revolution in its own way. Students will master the critical digital resources and techniques relevant to the scholarly or creative endeavors of their discipline.

For students entering Brandeis beginning fall 2019, the digital literacy requirement will be fulfilled for most students through coursework taken in the completion of their major, or through other options described in the requirements for the major. Please see the Requirements to Complete a Major for information on fulfilling writing intensive for a specific major.

There is no digital literacy requirement for students entering Brandeis prior to fall 2019.

AAAS 5a Introduction to African and African American Studies
[ deis-us dl ss ]

An interdisciplinary introduction to major topics in African and African American studies. Provides fundamental insights into Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas through approaches and techniques of social science and the humanities. Usually offered every year.

ANTH 26a Communication and Media
[ dl ss ]

A wide-ranging exploration of the human communicative capacity, starting with verbal and visual communicative modalities and culminating in the study of communication through mass and social media. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 60b Archaeological Analysis
[ dl ss wi ]

Introduces archaeological laboratory methods and analyses, emphasizing hands-on experience and research design. Students engage in practical materials analysis and research working with genuine archaeological artifacts. Course participants will build their project management skills and consider archaeological methodologies, including artifact recovery, analysis, conservation, and eventual publication. Students will also explore vital archaeological dialogues and theoretical approaches comprising the archaeological process, such as the challenges of interpreting human behavior from material remains, the ethical quandaries of cultural heritage, and the questions of who narrates and owns the past. Usually offered every second year.

BIOL 39b Biology of Global Climate Change
[ dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: ENVS 2a, BIOL 16a or BIOL 17b.

Examines the biology of global climate change from how biology informs understanding climate change to the evolutionary and ecological responses to climate change. This course includes an exploration of the primary literature. Usually offered every spring.

BIOL 51a Biostatistics
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

An introductory level biostatistics class providing an overview to statistical methods used in biological and medical research. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary probability theory, commonly observed distributions, basic concepts of statistical inference, hypothesis testing, regression, as well as analysis of variance. Basic statistical analysis using the R software package will be introduced. Usually offered every semester.

BUS 6a Financial Accounting
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: ECON 2a or ECON 10a with a grade of C or higher.

Develops basic concepts and accounts and applies them to income measurement, capital values, and costs. Through the use of cases, develops the basis for rational choice and control of business activity. Usually offered every semester in multiple sections.

BUS 10a Business Fundamentals
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: BUS 6a. BUS 6a may be taken concurrently with BUS 10a.

Introduces the internal complexity of modern businesses and the various roles they play in society. First examines the internal workings of firms--marketing, operations, finance, and other functions. Subsequently, the relationships between businesses and their context--the economy, social issues, and government are studied. Usually offered every semester in multiple sections.

BUS 51a Introduction to Data Analytics with Excel
[ dl qr ss ]

Prerequisite: Bus 6a. May not be taken for credit by students who took BUS 51b in prior years.

Teaches students how to analyze data, how to create data visualizations, and how to use data for basic inference. The course is taught using Microsoft Excel, thus allowing students to also learn the most common piece of software used in the workplace to analyze business data. Usually offered every semester.

CHEM 18a General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 11a. Dropping CHEM 11a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. Two semester-hour credits; yields half-course credit. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19a in previous years.

Introduction to basic laboratory methods and methods of qualitative and quantitative analyses. Included in the analytical methods are gas chromatography and infrared measurements. A synthesis project that includes analyzing the product by titration. Calorimetric experiment using probes interfaced with computers. Identification of unknowns based on physical and chemical properties. Analysis of the metal content of substances by atomic absorption. One laboratory lecture per week. One afternoon of laboratory per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 18b General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18a and CHEM 11a. Corequisite: CHEM 11b. Dropping CHEM 11b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19b in previous years.

The second semester of the general chemistry laboratory program. Continued use of probes interfaced with computers to monitor pH and electrical conductivity changes in titrating weak monoprotic and polyprotic amino acids, to monitor pressure changes as part of a kinetics study, and to monitor voltage changes of electrochemical cells with temperature so as to establish thermodynamic parameters for redox reactions. Also included is identification of unknowns based on selective precipitation. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19a Honors General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 15a. Dropping CHEM 15a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18a in previous years.

An advanced version of CHEM 18a. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19b Honors General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 15a and CHEM 19a. Corequisite: CHEM 15b. Dropping CHEM 15b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18b in previous years.

Continuation of CHEM 19a. An advanced version of CHEM 18b. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 29a Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18b or 19b or the equivalent. Corequisite: CHEM 25a. Dropping CHEM 25a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Gives experience in the important techniques of organic chemical laboratory practice of isolation and purification of organic compounds by crystallization, distillation, and chromatography, and their characterization using analytical and instrumental methods. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One ninety-minute laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CLAS 46a Practicum In Digital Literacy
[ dl ]

Corequisite: One course in Classical Studies and permission of the instructor. Yields half-course credit. Fulfills the digital literacy requirement for Classical Studies majors.

Provides students with subject-specific exposure and training in research and applied use of technology. Specific methods and topics will change according to student interest and technological development. Usually offered every semester.

COSI 10a Introduction to Problem Solving in Python
[ dl sn ]

Open only to students with no previous programming background. Students may not take COSI 10a if they have received a satisfactory grade in COSI 12b or COSI 21a. May not be taken for credit by students who took COSI 11a in prior years. Does not meet the requirements for the major or minor in Computer Science.

Introduces computer programming and related computer science principles. Through programming, students will develop fundamental skills such as abstract reasoning and problem solving. Students will master programming techniques using the Python programming language and will develop good program design methodology resulting in correct, robust, and maintainable programs. Usually offered every semester.

COSI 12b Advanced Programming Techniques in Java
[ dl sn wi ]

Prerequisite: COSI 10a or successful completion of the COSI online placement exam.

Studies advanced programming concepts and techniques utilizing the Java programming language. The course covers software engineering concepts, object-oriented design, design patterns and professional best practices. This is a required foundation course that will prepare you for more advanced courses, new programming languages, and frameworks. Usually offered every year.

COSI 21a Data Structures and the Fundamentals of Computing
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisite: COSI 12b. Graduate students may take this course concurrently with COSI 12b with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Focuses on the design and analysis of algorithms and the use of data structures. Through the introduction of the most widely used data structures employed in solving commonly encountered problems. Students will learn different ways to organize data for easy access and efficient manipulation. The course also covers algorithms to solve classic problems, as well as algorithm design strategies; and computational complexity theory for studying the efficiency of the algorithms. Usually offered every year.

ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis
[ dl qr ss ]

Prerequisite: ECON 2a or ECON 10a. Students must earn a C- or higher in MATH 10a, or otherwise satisfy the calculus requirement, to enroll in this course.

A first course in statistical inference. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, normal and binomial distributions, sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, properties of estimators, hypothesis testing, regression, and analysis of variance. Usually offered every semester.

ENG 20b Literary Games
[ deis-us dl hum oc ]

Course includes a mandatory lab and yields 6 credits.

Addresses a long durée history of the games through the lens of transmedia. This then is the start pointing to examine how transmedia theory may help unpack issues in what I call 'literary games' from the medieval chess board, dice game, to digital multi-player video games now. Within a discussion of transmedia we will address the various theories about narrative and play that have animated discussions about games from the Middle Ages to contemporary media. This class will also center race, gender, sexuality, disability, class in thinking through the issues of transmedia and the gaming cultures that have most recently been in the political mainstream news in relation to far-right politics. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 28a Environmental Literature in an Age of Extinction
[ deis-us dl hum ]

Explores literature's role in shaping modern understandings of environmental change and damage, as well as the possibility of ecological restoration. Works include environmental classics by Thoreau, Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson as well as contemporary genres including dystopia, the thriller, and climate fiction. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 41a Critical Digital Humanities Methods and Applications
[ deis-us dl hum ]

Introduces critical digital humanities methods and applications. Considers both theory and praxis, the issues of open and accessible scholarship and work, and the centrality of collaboration. We will investigate power relations, inclusivity, and the ethics of social justice. Usually offered every second year.

ENG 52a Refugee Stories, Refugee Lives
[ deis-us djw dl hum nw oc ]

Examines the functions of storytelling in the refugee crisis. Its main objective is to further students' understanding of the political dimensions of storytelling. The course explores how reworking of reality enable people to question State and social structures. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 62b Contemporary African Literature, Global Perspectives
[ djw dl hum nw oc ]

What is "African" in African literature when the majority of writers are somehow removed from the African societies they portray? How do expatriate writers represent African subjectivities and cultures at the intersection of Diaspora and globalization? Who reads the works produced by these writers? Usually offered every third year.

ENG 79a Screenwriting Workshop: Beginning Screenplay
[ dl hum wi ]

Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Enrollment is by instructor permission after the submission of a manuscript sample. Please refer to the schedule of classes for submission information. May be repeated for credit.

Fundamentals of screenwriting: structure, plot, conflict, character, and dialogue. Students read screenwriting theory, scripts, analyze files, and produce an outline and the first act of an original screenplay. Usually offered every year.

FA 8a Introduction to Video Art
[ ca dl ]

Explores producing moving images as fine art. While a basic overview of Adobe Premiere software is offered, emphasis is on conceptual framework and cultivating methodologies that best suit ideas. Students will experiment with materials, modes of production (performance, experimental documentation, appropriation, non-linear narrative), and exhibition (video monitors, projection, theatrical, installation, Internet) in order to consider the effect of these decisions on generating meaning and to better communicate one's statement through the genre. Usually offered every semester.

FA 9a Introduction to Digital Photography: Ethics of Photography
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: One studio art course, FA 3a - FA 28a. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor.

An introduction to the visual forms and concepts of the photographic image. A range of digital techniques is covered along with aspects of the history of photography. Students must provide their own digital camera. Field trips and image presentations supplement the studio aspect of the course. Usually offered every semester.

FA 10a Intermediate Photography: Constructing Imagery
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: FA 9a.

This photo is a fake! Through examining the notion of artifice, the creation of a photograph can adopt an interdisciplinary practice. By constructing the subject of an image, we are able to mediate the idea of what exactly a photograph can be. We will be examining the history of the constructed image alongside artistic approaches to image making, involving intervention and manipulation of a subject. In direct opposition to the methods of the candid and documentary genres in photography and film, the constructed image depends on artifice and invention to create or manipulate the subject. This genre makes use of a vast range of techniques including staging, directing, collaging, sculpting and painting, as well as creating a performative studio-based practice, where images are fabricated instead of being "found."

Students will work independently to produce visual works demonstrating the concepts learned in class. Topics will include: the history and theory of the constructed image, lighting equipment and techniques, intro to film software, as well as philosophical and political perspectives in the history of the constructed image. By the end of this class, students are expected to have a series of images (still or moving) that utilize these techniques to create a coherent body of work. Through constructing these images, students will be able to create their own visual language to convey personal narratives and ideologies. Usually offered every third year.

FA 23b Architectural Drawing and Digital Design I
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Only Architectural Studies IIM students may take both FA 23b and FA 24a for credit.

Intended to develop new skills in conceptualizing, designing, and communicating architectural ideas. Students will be exposed to conceptual strategies of form and space and site relationships within social and environmental factors. Students will study the basic techniques and concepts of architectural design and digital drawing, with two and three-dimensional representation skills. Usually offered every year.

FA 24a Architectural Drawing and Digital Design II
[ ca dl ]

Intended to develop new skills in conceptualizing, designing, and communicating architectural ideas. Students will be exposed to conceptual strategies of form and space and site relationships within social and environmental factors. Students will study the basic techniques and concepts of architectural design and digital drawing, with two and three-dimensional representation skills. Usually offered every year.

FA 86b Museum Studies
[ ca dl ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took FA 85b in prior years.

An experiential learning seminar focused on the art object in the context of the museum; the history of museums (architecture, educational mission, curatorial presentation); museum ethics and provenance studies; new theories of museums and their expanded role in the community. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

GER 30a Intermediate German
[ dl fl ]

Prerequisite: A grade of C- or higher in GER 20b or the equivalent. Four class hours per week.

In concluding the development of the four language speaking skills--comprehending, writing, reading, and speaking--this course focuses on finishing up the solid grammar foundation that was laid in GER 10a and GER 20b. It also presents additional audio and video material, films, radio plays, and newspaper and magazine articles, as well as a variety of extensive interactive classroom activities. Usually offered every year in the fall.

HISP 85a Introduction to U.S. Latinx Literatures and Cultures
[ deis-us djw dl hum ]

Introduces students to U.S. Latinx cultural productions and to the interdisciplinary questions that concern U.S. Latinx communities. Latinxs have played a vital role in the history, politics, and cultures of the United States. U.S. Latinx literary works, in particular, have established important socio-historical and aesthetic networks that highlight Latinx expression and lived experiences, engaging with issues including biculturalism, language, citizenship, systems of value, and intersectional identity. Though the Latinx literary tradition spans more than 400 years, this course will focus on 20th and 21st century texts that decolonize nationalist approaches to Latinidad(es) and therefore challenge existing Latinx literary 'canons.' Taught in English. Usually offered every year.

HIST 50b Race and America: Perspectives on United States History, Origins to the Present
[ dl ss ]

Investigates U.S. history in a wider world, from its origins to the present, starting with the premise that American History itself is a construct of modern empire. Only by investigating the roots of power and resistance can we understand the forces that deeply influence our world as we live it today. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 80a Introduction to East Asian Civilization
[ djw dl hum nw ss ]

A selective introduction to the development of forms of thought, social and political institutions, and distinctive cultural contributions of China and Japan from early times to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Usually offered every year.

IGS 10a Introduction to International and Global Studies
[ djw dl ss ]

"Globalization" touches us more every day. Introduces the challenges of globalization to national and international governance, economic success, individual and group identities, cultural diversity, the environment, and inequalities within and between nations, regions of the globe, gender, and race. Usually offered every year.

MATH 16b Applied Linear Algebra Practicum
[ dl oc ]

Prerequisite: MATH 15a or MATH 22a. Yields half-course credit.

Introduces fundamental skills for both computing and oral communication in the context of applied linear algebra problems. Includes basics of Python, numpy, and matplotlib. Usually offered every year.

MATH 40a Introduction to Applied Mathematics
[ dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a and MATH 20a or MATH 22b.

Introduces the problems and issues of applied mathematics, with emphasis on how mathematical ideas can have a major impact on diverse fields of human inquiry. Usually offered every fall.

NEJS 10a Biblical Hebrew Grammar and Texts
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: HBRW 20b or the equivalent as determined by placement examination.

An accelerated grammar course in Biblical Hebrew. Students engage with biblical Hebrew texts from the first class. They build from words and phrases to a literary translation and grammatical analysis of a student’s choice of biblical Hebrew narrative. Topics include: phonology and the Tiberian pronunciation tradition, syllables and stress patterns, nouns, articles, conjunctions, pronouns, adjectives, possession, prepositions, the prefix and suffix conjugations, derived stems, tense and aspect, volitives, infinitives, and irregular roots. The class uses music and digital tools to aid memorization. It builds students’ vocabularies and understanding of the unusual features of biblical grammar and syntax compared with other semitic languages and modern Hebrew.

PHIL 35a Philosophy of Science
[ dl hum ]

Philosophers in the twentieth century have often taken scientific activity to be the ideal source of our knowledge about the world. Discusses the problems involved in the analysis of the principles and methods of scientific activity, with an eye to assessing this claim. Usually offered every second year.

PHYS 18a Introductory Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: PHYS 10a. May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course consisting of basic physics experiments designed to accompany PHYS 10a. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 18b Introductory Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Corequisite: PHYS 10b. May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course consisting of basic physics experiments designed to accompany PHYS 10b. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 19a Physics Laboratory I
[ dl ]

May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course designed to accompany PHYS 11a and 15a. Introductory statistics and data analysis including use of microcomputers and basic experiments in mechanics. One afternoon or evening of laboratory per week. One one-and-a-half-hour lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 19b Physics Laboratory II
[ dl ]

May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course designed to accompany PHYS 11b and 15b. Basic experiments in electricity, magnetism, and optics. Basic electrical measurements. Determination of several fundamental physical constants. One afternoon or evening of laboratory per week. One one-and-a-half-hour lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

POL 51b Data and Politics
[ dl ss ]

Teaches students the basic of research design and covers advanced methodologies related to the intersection of data and politics. The class is a hands-on, workshop style class that directly teaches methodological skills and techniques used in political science. Each of the five modules will conclude with a tools workshop in which students use real data and a realistic policy scenario in order to demonstrate their mastery of the module. This class will help students develop the following core skills: thinking critically about arguments, based on evaluation of evidence; articulating reasoned arguments clearly, both orally and in written form; familiarity with a variety of research methods for understanding politics, including visualization tools, computer content analysis, network analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and game theory; ability to use the concepts and methods of political science to conduct research and analysis. Usually offered every second year.

POL 52a Basic Statistics for Social and Political Analysis
[ dl qr ss ]

Provides a foundation in statistics focusing on descriptive statistics, inference, hypothesis testing and the basics of regression analysis. Becoming familiar with basic statistics will help you to prepare for a career as a social scientist. Usually offered every year.

POL 53b Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis
[ dl qr ss ]

Prerequisite: POL 52a or equivalent statistics course, or permission of the instructor.

Examines the most common empirical methods used by policy analysts in the study of public policy. Emphasis on descriptive statistics, regression and textual analysis, research design and data collection, and the substantive components of policy analysis. Students will be introduced to and develop proficiency in the R statistical program/language. Usually offered every year.

PSYC 51a Statistics
[ dl qr ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or the permission of the instructor. This course normally should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Covers the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics. Techniques useful in the behavioral sciences will be emphasized. Students learn the theory of statistical decisions, practical application of statistical software, and how to analyze journal articles. Usually offered every semester.

RUS 29b Russian Language for Russian Speakers
[ dl ]

One additional hour of recitation required.

For students who grew up speaking Russian at home but have received no or minimal formal education in the language. Students will develop or improve their reading skills, acquire the foundations of writing in Russian, and expand their speaking ability through developing attention to linguistic form and dramatically expanding their vocabulary to include complex topics. Learning is enhanced by interactive online learning modules and authentic communicative tasks. Students will also engage in critical thinking about their bilingualism and multiculturalism. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

RUS 30a Intermediate Russian I
[ dl fl ]

Prerequisite: RUS 10a and RUS 20b or the equivalent. Not intended for Russian-English bilinguals; please contact language program director, Irina Dubinina, with questions about placement. Four class hours and one recitation hour per week.

Students will develop their proficiency in Russian to the intermediate level which will allow them to participate meaningfully in spontaneous spoken or written exchanges and make presentations on a variety of familiar and everyday topics. Students will also continue developing their reading and listening comprehension skills and growing their knowledge of Russian culture. Learning is enhanced by students' participation in a digital story project on a Russian-speaking city of interest. Active participation is essential. Usually offered every fall.

SOC 18a Observing the Social World: Doing Qualitative Sociology
[ dl ss ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took SOC 118a in prior years.

Observation is the basis of social inquiry. What we see--and by extension, what we overlook or choose to ignore--guides our understanding of social life. This class focuses on how to conduct a qualitative research study, including literature review, participant observation, in-depth interviews, and coding and analysis. Usually offered every year.

SOC 36b Historical and Comparative Sociology
[ dl ss ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took SOC 136b in prior years.

Explores the relationship between sociology and history through examples of scholarship from both disciplines. Using historical studies, the course pays close attention to each author's research strategy. Examines basic research questions, theoretical underpinnings and assumptions, and uses of evidence. Usually offered every third year.

SOC 81a Methods of Social Inquiry
[ dl qr ss ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took SOC 181a in prior years.

Introduces students to qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research. Throughout the course emphasis is on conceptual understanding, with hands-on applications and exercises. No statistical or mathematical background is necessary. Usually offered every second year.

SOC 82a Applied Research Methods
[ dl qr ss ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took SOC 182a in prior years.

Provides an introduction to research methods and quantitative analysis commonly used in sociology. Using quantitative data, the class explores how higher education reflects the social stratification found in U.S. society. Participants will read peer-reviewed journal articles; design their own survey and analyze the results; and conduct analysis on a national data set focused on education. The course assumes no prior knowledge of research methods, but it does assume a curiosity about why we conduct research, how research studies are designed, and a willingness to analyze the results of different research studies. Usually offered every second year.

THA 70a Directing: Imagination in Action
[ ca dl ]

Examines the art of theater from the director's perspective. Focuses on how theory and practice meet in the crucible of actual rehearsal, production, and performance from the director's point of view. Usually offered every year.

WGS 5a Women, Genders, and Sexualities
[ deis-us dl oc ss ]

This interdisciplinary course introduces central concepts and topics in the field of women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Explores the position of women and other genders in diverse settings and the impact of gender as a social, cultural, and intellectual category in the United States and around the globe. Asks how gendered institutions, behaviors, and representations have been configured in the past and function in the present, and also examines the ways in which gender and sexuality intersect with many other vectors of identity and circumstance in forming human affairs. Usually offered every fall.

WGS 6b Sexuality and Queer Studies
[ djw dl hum ss ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took SQS 6b in prior years.

Examines cross-cultural and historical perspectives on sexual meanings, experiences, representations, and activist movements within a framework forged by contemporary critical theories of gender and sexuality. Usually offered every year.

AAAS 104a Colorism in Paradise
[ djw dl oc ss ]

Introduces the concept of colorism, its relationship to racism, and consider the prevalence of color over race as a preferred identity and socio-political category across Latin America and the Caribbean. The course requires students to read interdisciplinary academic texts and utilize critical race and social praxeology theory to interrogate specific, national contexts within the Latin American and Caribbean region. Special one-time offering, Fall 2021.

AAAS 138a Africa and the World: Recentering Africa in Global History and Politics
[ dl oc ss ]

A wide-ranging survey of transnational history to the present, linked throughout by the thread of African connections to the global. The course is a nuanced and specific interrogation of African presence, influence, agency, and impact on aspects of the past, present, and future of the world as we know it, from human origins to slavery, the World Wars, globalization, feminism, environmentalism, global popular cultures, Afropolitanism, and global social justice campaigns such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter. Usually offered every year.

AAPI/HIS 163a Asian American History
[ deis-us dl ss ]

Provides students an introduction to the history and study of Asian persons in the United States from the mid-19th century to the present, with a focus on how their presence has shaped American institutions, society, and culture. We ask: How does our narrative of the United States shift when we center the experiences of Asian Americans—a group largely excluded or invisibilized in discussions of our nation’s collective past? How does studying Asian Americans push us to think about race and inequality beyond a Black-white binary? How does understanding anti-Asian racism inform our understanding of the US as a gatekeeping nation, at the same time the nation’s leaders purport it to be a melting pot and nation of immigrants? How do global politics and US imperial ventures into Asia—from formal colonial rule in the 19th century to US-waged wars and military interventions abroad in the 20th century—create waves of displaced peoples who are pushed towards America’s shores? Key themes and major events covered in this course include Orientalism, migrant labor, nativism and xenophobia, Chinese exclusion, US colonial empire, Japanese internment, the Cold War, refugees, the Asian American movement, anti-Asian violence and the murder of Vincent Chin, Asian/Black relations and the 1992 LA uprising, religion, islamophobia, the Global War on Terror, and much more. Usually offered every second year.

AMST 100b Twentieth-Century American Culture
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: AMST 100a.

The democratization of taste and the extension of mass media are among the distinguishing features of American culture in the twentieth century. Through a variety of genres and forms of expression, in high culture and the popular arts, this course traces the historical development of a national style that came to exercise formidable influence abroad as well. Usually offered every spring.

AMST/JOUR 109b Reinventing Journalism on the Local Level
[ dl ss wi ]

Technology has transformed journalism into a genuinely multimedia enterprise. This fast-paced, experiential course examines innovation at work, from digital storytelling to data visualization, at both start-up and legacy media outlets. Students will then put what they learn into action: reporting and producing multimedia news stories and participating in weekly workshops to sharpen their work so it can be published in a respected, professional local-news outlet. Usually offered every year.

AMST/JOUR 113a Long-form Journalism: Storytelling for Magazines and Podcasts
[ dl oc ss ]

What makes for a great story? This course will examine the hallmarks of successful narrative nonfiction, in both written and audio form. Students will analyze award-winning magazine stories as well as reporting-based podcasts that have injected new energy and financial success into the journalism world. They will learn story structure and techniques to capture and hold the audience's attention. And they will learn by doing, producing their own podcasts and written pieces. his course fulfills the Reporting requirement of the Journalism minor. Usually offered every year.

ANTH 121b Archaeology and Environment
[ dl nw ss ]

Provides an introduction to archaeological approaches to the environment. Explores how human history and prehistory have been defined by moments when political, cultural, economics, and ecological systems collide. Topics include climate change, food systems, plant and animal relations, and natural resources. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 124a Maritime Archaeology: The Salty Relationship Between Society and The Sea
[ dl ss ]

Provides an introduction to maritime archaeology, exploring the entangled relationships between human history, society, and the sea. Utilizing theoretical and technical methods from maritime, nautical and marine/underwater archaeology, this class will provide a practical approach to examining maritime archaeology methods and topics such as trade, boat and ship development and construction, navigation, submerged landscapes, maritime culture, climate and climate change, and legislative issues regarding underwater and coastal heritage. Usually offered every third year.

ANTH 129a Culture in 3D: Theory, Method, and Ethics for Scanning and Printing the World
[ dl ss ]

Designed to train students in the methods needed for the successful application of 3D modeling and printing for the documentation, conservation, and dissemination of cultural patrimony. Students will acquire the technical skills and engage in the ethical debates surrounding ownership and reproduction of such patrimony. Usually offered every second year.
Charles Golden and Ian Roy

ANTH 130a Filming Culture: Ethnographic and Documentary Filmmaking
[ djw dl nw ss ]

Introduces the history, theory and production of ethnographic and documentary filmmaking. This course traces how ethnographic and culturally-inflected filmmakers have sought to depict cultural difference, social organization, and lived experiences. Students will learn the basics of non-fiction film production. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 130b Visuality and Culture
[ dl ss ]

Introduces students to the study of visual, aural, and artistic media through an ethnographic lens. Course combines written and creative assignments to understand how culture shapes how we make meaning out of images and develop media literacy. Topics include ethnographic/documentary film, advertising, popular culture, viral videos and special effects, photography, art worlds, and the technological development of scientific images. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 137a GIS: Mapping Culture from Land, Air and Space
[ dl ss ]

An introduction to the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sense (RS) technologies that are fundamental for mapping and analyzing spatial data. This course is grounded in  archaeological applications, but provides training and research pathways for exploring urban landscapes, environmental dynamics, and more in modern settings. No previous knowledge of GIS or RS is required. Usually offered every third year.

ANTH 138a Digital Cultures
[ dl ss ]

Examines the complex and often fraught relationships between digital technologies and human cultures. By thinking through digital technology’s relationships to structures like race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability, this course helps us explore the human components in the creation, circulation, and experience of digital technologies. What this class spotlights is that though digital technologies may seem materially new and technically innovative, they are built on longstanding power relations that structure both their construction and their circulation. Involves participatory research projects and group work. Usually offered every third year.

ANTH 145a Anthropology of the Body
[ dl ss ]

Explores a range of theories that use the body to understand society, culture, and gender. Topics include how social values and hierarchies are written in, on, and through the body; the relationship between body and gender identity; and experiences and images of the body cross-culturally. Usually offered every third year.

ANTH 152a The Social Fabric: An Anthropology of Fashion
[ dl ss ]

An ethnographic exploration of fashion as industry and cultural practice. This course addresses how fashion shapes our gendered, ethnic and individual identities. Understanding how much seemingly personal processes unfold within larger economic structures illuminates the linkage between power, modernity, and capitalism. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 156a Power and Violence: The Anthropology of Political Systems
[ deis-us dl nw ss ]

Political orders are established and maintained by varying combinations of overt violence and the more subtle workings of ideas. The course examines the relationship of coercion and consensus, and forms of resistance, in historical and contemporary settings. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 158a Urban Worlds
[ dl ss ]

Explores some of the essential concepts of urban theory and conducts an in-depth study of urban experiences around the world. Topics include the city and marginality, urban modernity, gender and public space, gentrification, suburbanization, transportation, transgression, and urban nature. Case studies may be from cities such as Mumbai, Lagos, New York, Paris, Dubai, and Rio de Janeiro. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 161a Anthropology of Infrastructure
[ dl ss ]

There's a problem with infrastructure--electricity networks, water supply systems, pipelines, ports, roads, and railroads. Most of us would agree that infrastructure should be a public thing, serve society, and allow for better life, communication, and activity. Yet infrastructures are often hidden, subterranean, and therefore prone to exploitation and hijacking. The anthropology of infrastructure aims in part at making it more visible and at deciphering the complex interaction between things, society, and politics. But anthropologists end up unearthing more than utility networks and urbanism plans. They stumble upon the very power of inanimate things to orient our experiences, from the most intimate (having sex) to the least material of them (browsing the internet). From politics to ethics and back, this course will explore our relationship to infrastructure. Usually offered every second year.

ANTH 169a Museum Practices
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Intended to give students experience in the core set of museum practices, both in the domains of collection management and curation. It is a hands-on, experiential internship that uses the extensive archaeological and ethnographic collections of the Anthropology Department (some 5000 objects) in order to train students in the proper handling and transport of artifacts, design and preparation of adequate storage conditions, maintenance of records and databases, inventorying of un-accessioned objects, photographic documentation, 3D scanning, and computerized illustration of artefacts, virtual reconstruction of fragmented objects, research on individual or sets of related objects, and the exhibition of researched materials. Usually offered every third year.

BCHM 102a Quantitative Approaches to Biochemical Systems
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisite: BCHM 100a or equivalent and Math 10a and b or equivalent.

Introduces quantitative approaches to analyzing macromolecular structure and function. Emphasizes the use of basic thermodynamics and single-molecule and ensemble kinetics to elucidate biochemical reaction mechanisms. Also discusses the physical bases of spectroscopic and diffraction methods commonly used in the study of proteins and nucleic acids. Usually offered every year.

BCHM 104b Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules II
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: BCHM 100a, and one of the following: BCHM 104a, CHEM 141a, or Phys 40a, and Math 10a and b or equivalent.

Illustrates the basic principles on which biological macromolecules are constructed and by which they function. Describes overall structures of proteins, nucleic acids, and membranes in terms of the underlying molecular forces: electrostatics, hydrophobic interactions, and H-bonding. The energetics of macromolecular folding and of the linkage between ligand binding and conformational changes will also be discussed. Recitation optional. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 107a Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop
[ dl qr sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL51a, high school statistics, or similar course.

The interpretation of data is key to making new discoveries, making optimal decisions, and designing experiments. Students will learn skills of data analysis and computer coding through hands-on, computer-based tutorials and exercises that include experimental data from the biological sciences. Usually offered every year.

CLAS 113a Pots, Processes, and Meaning: A Practicum in Archaeological Ceramics
[ dl hum ]

Before plastic, there was pottery--pots and pans, bowls and dishes, jugs and jars--in every place and every society. Pottery lets us see people: It makes their actions and choices visible, anytime, anywhere. Pottery is also a thoroughly human product. Every aspect reflects a purposeful choice: material, mode of manufacture, shape and finish, place and way of use. And pottery is--and was--everywhere. It is the single most abundant type of artifact found on almost all archaeological sites. Archaeologists use pottery to elucidate everything from personal habits to broad social, economic, and political developments. In this course, you learn how to identify, classify, analyze, and interpret pottery in order to better understand the people who made and used it, and the worlds in which they lived. Usually offered every third year.

COML 100a Introduction to Global Literature
[ dl hum oc ]

Core course for COML major and minor.

What is common and what is different in literatures of different cultures and times? How do literary ideas move from one culture to another? In this course students read theoretical texts, as well as literary works from around the world. Usually offered every year.

COSI 114a Fundamentals of Natural Language Processing I
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisite: COSI 12b or enrollment in the Master of Science in Computational Linguistics program. LING 100a is recommended but not required.

Introduces the computational properties of natural language and the algorithms and machine learning methods used to process it. Students will develop an understanding of natural language processing (NLP) by implementing statistical NLP algorithms and building NLP tools in Python. Topics include statistical properties of natural language, text classification, language modeling, and machine learning and programming techniques for NLP. Usually offered every year.

COSI 115b Fundamentals of Natural Language Processing II
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: COSI 114a, plus at least one of LING 160b, MATH 10a, MATH 10b, MATH 15a, MATH 20a, MATH 22a, or equivalent knowledge.

Provides a fundamental understanding of the problems in natural language understanding by computers, and the theory and practice of current computational linguistic systems. Of interest to students of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and the computational processes of comprehension and understanding. Usually offered every year.

COSI 131a Fundamentals of Computer Systems
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: COSI 21a.

Fundamental structures of a computer system from hardware abstractions through machine and assembly language, to the overall structure of an operating system and key resource management abstractions. Usually offered every year.

ECON 184b Econometrics
[ dl qr ss ]

Prerequisites: ECON 83a. Corequisite: ECON 80a or permission of the instructor. Students must earn a C- or higher in MATH 10a, or otherwise satisfy the calculus requirement, to enroll in this course. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have previously taken or are currently enrolled in ECON 185a, ECON 213a, or ECON 311a.

An introduction to the theory of econometric regression and forecasting models, with applications to the analysis of business and economic data. Usually offered every year.

ECS 100a European Cultural Studies Proseminar: Modernism
[ dl hum oc ]

Explores the interrelationship of literature, music, painting, philosophy, and other arts in the era of high modernism. Works by Artaud, Baudelaire, Benjamin, Mann, Mahler, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Kandinsky, Schiele, Beckett, Brecht, Adorno, Sartre, Heidegger, and others. Usually offered every fall semester.

ED 165a Reading (and Talking Back to) Research on Education
[ dl oc ss ]

Open to education studies majors only.

In this required capstone course for education studies majors, students will review quantitative and qualitative research through disciplinary lenses. Students pursue some topic of inquiry by either reviewing and synthesizing educational research, or conducting some empirical research. Usually offered every year.

ENG 103b Medieval Women in Print
[ dl hum wi ]

We will be thinking about reading women, writing women, and the production of female bodies through images, sound, and script. We will be reading about teenage runaways, real and fictional queens, Muslim princesses, business women, warrior women, and transgender women. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 113b Performing Climate Justice
[ deis-us dl hum oc ]

Considers justice in relation to our ordinary and collective actions as these recreate or transform our social and material realities as human drivers of the Anthropocene. How can the embodied creation and transmission of knowledge and skills, by creative workers and change agents, help us imagine and create new, translocal ways of being and acting together no longer driven by fossil fuels? What happens to notions of the human, human civilization, and human history if we adopt a non-anthropocentric and biocentric approach to climate justice and climate ethics? Usually offered every fourth year.

ENG 119b Poetry Workshop: Special Topics in Poetry
[ dl hum wi ]

Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Enrollment is by instructor permission after the submission of a manuscript sample. Please refer to the schedule of classes for submission information. May be repeated for credit.

For those who wish to improve as poets while broadening their knowledge of poetry, through a wide spectrum of readings. Students' poems will be discussed in a "workshop" format with emphasis on revision. Remaining time will cover assigned readings and issues of craft. Usually offered every year.

ENG 120a Thirties Movies
[ dl hum ]

Explores how 1930s Hollywood invented modern movies and their techniques -- Romcom, horror, suspense, crime, melodrama, feature-length animation, musicals -- responding to and profoundly altering social, political, industrial, cultural, and economic history, from the Depression to the beginning of World War II. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 123a Violence and the Body in Early Modern Drama
[ dl hum ]

May not be taken for credit by students who took ENG 23a in prior years.

Explores early modern understandings of the body, with particular attention to gender, sexuality, race, and nation. Considers the role of violence in determining who counts as fully human, who can be reduced to a body, and whose bodies can be severed from citizenship, recognition, and value. Explores as well the claims of the body and voice to memorialization and belonging, and the evidence of actors' bodies on the stage. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 137b Women and War
[ djw dl hum nw ]

Examines how African women writers and filmmakers use testimony to bear witness to mass violence. How do these writers resist political and sociocultural silencing systems that reduce traumatic experience to silence, denial, and terror? Usually offered every third year.

ENG 139a Publishing Workshop: Literary Editing and Publishing
[ dl hum oc ]

Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Students will be selected after the submission of an introductory letter including student's major, writing/editing experience, why publishing is of interest to them, any experimental literary publications/performances they've experienced. This course fulfills a workshop requirement for the Creative Writing major and minor. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for submission formats and deadlines within the Registration periods.

Editing and publishing a literary journal -- either digital, print, or in more experimental forms -- can be an important component of a writer's creative life and sense of literary citizenship. This experiential learning course will engage students with theoretical and historical reading as well as provide practical hands-on tools for literary publishing. Broadsided Press (www.broadsidedpress.org) will be used as a case study. A group publishing project will be part of the coursework, and this can be tied into journals already being published on campus. By the end of the semester, students will have a fuller sense of the work, mindset, difficulties, strategies, and values of a literary publisher. Usually offered every second year.

ENG 143a The History of Mediascapes and Critical Maker Culture
[ deis-us dl hum oc ]

Class has a required lab component and yields six semester-hour credits towards rate of work and graduation.

To consider how to decolonize book history and “maker culture,” the class examines colonial erasure, colonial knowledge production, race, gender, disability, neurodiversity, sexuality in making an alternative book history that includes khipu, girdle books, wampum, pamphlets, zines, and wearable media technology. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 143b Chaucer's "Global and Refugee Canterbury Tales"
[ deis-us djw dl hum ]

Focuses on situating Chaucer, and particularly the Canterbury Tales, as a global
work. We will examine black feminist writers, playwrights, and poets of the African diaspora who have revised, adapted, extrapolated, and voiced the Canterbury Tales in Jamaican patois, Nigerian pidgin, and the S. London dialects of Brixton. Usually offered every second year.

ENG 144a Medieval Travel Writing
[ djw dl hum ]

Examining medieval travel literature from the Old English period to the early accounts of sixteenth-century explorers in the New World, this class will consider how the area of medieval travel writing exposes how race is framed in relation to gender, disability, multifaith encounters, critical animal studies, and thick mapping. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 146a Reading the American Revolution
[ dl hum ]

Explores the role of emerging literary forms and media in catalyzing, shaping, and remembering the American Revolution. Covers revolutionary pamphlets, oratory, the constitutional ratification debates, seduction novels, poetry, and plays. Includes authors Foster, Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Publius, Tyler, and Wheatley. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 149a Screenwriting Workshop: Writing the Streaming Series
[ dl hum wi ]

Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Enrollment is by instructor permission after the submission of a manuscript sample. Please refer to the schedule of classes for submission information. May be repeated for credit.

Introduces students to the craft of writing for a variety of television programming formats, including episodic, late-night, and public service announcements. Students will read and view examples and create their own works within each genre. Usually offered every year.

ENG 151b Performance Studies
[ dl hum ]

Explores paradigms for making performance inside and outside of institutionalized theater spaces, with an emphasis on the performance of everyday life. Students read theories of theater and performance against paradigmatic dramatic texts and documents of social performance. Combining theory with practice, students explore and make site-specific and online performances. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 152a Indian Love Stories
[ djw dl hum nw ]

Introduces students to writings on love, desire and sexuality from ancient India to the present. Topics include ancient eroticism, love in Urdu poetry, Gandhi's sexual asceticism, colonial regulation of sexuality, Bollywood, queer fiction and more. Usually offered every third year.

ENG 152b Arthurian Literature
[ dl hum ]

A survey of (mostly) medieval treatments of the legendary material associated with King Arthur and his court, in several genres: bardic poetry, history, romance, prose narrative. Usually offered every second year.

ENG 168b Plotting Inheritance
[ djw dl hum ]

Examines novels published in the last two decades set during slavery and indenture in the British Caribbean, alongside (and as) theorizations of accumulation, inheritance, and freedom. How does fiction account for and plot material, moral and emotional worth? Usually offered every third year.

ENVS 110a Data Analysis for Environmental Studies
[ dl ss ]

People in environmental fields increasingly need career-ready technical skills for managing, analyzing, and representing diverse types of data. The goal of this course is to engage students in authentic work with environmental data through a combination of collaborative, hands-on Python programming and project-based learning. Usually offered every year.

FA 169a Ecology and Art
[ ca dl ]

Provides a theoretical foundation and art historical background for discussion of contemporary art that draws attention to the ecologies, primarily natural but also cultural, of which it and we are a part. Usually offered every third year.

FA 181a Housing and Social Justice
[ ca deis-us dl ss ]

Employs housing as a lens to interrogate space and society, state and market, power and change, in relation with urban inequality and social justice. It trains students to become participants in the global debates about housing. In doing so, it teaches students about dominant paradigms of urban development and welfare and situates such paradigms in the 20th century history of capitalism. It will explicitly adopt a comparative and transnational urban approach to housing and social justice, showing how a globalized perspective provides important insights into local shelter struggles and debates. Usually offered every second year.

FA 199a Methods and Approaches in the History of Art
[ ca dl wi ]

Prerequisite: One course in Art History and instructor permission.

Explores various ways of analyzing works of art and provides an overview of the historical development of the discipline. Designed specifically for junior and senior art history majors. Usually offered every year.

FILM 110a Film Production I
[ ca dl oc ss ]

Preference given to Film,Television and Interactive Media majors and minors.

An introduction to the basic principles and techniques of fictional narrative motion picture production. Each student will produce three short films. The films will emphasize dramatic development and creative storytelling through image composition, camera movement, editing, and sound. Usually offered every year.

FILM 110b Motion Picture Editing
[ dl oc ss ]

Preference given to Film, Television and Interactive Media majors and minors.

Students will develop visual literacy through a study of the editor's role in cinematic storytelling. The course provides an overview of the craft's history and theory and offers practical training in editing digital video with Adobe Premiere Pro. Usually offered every year.

FILM 120a Cinematography
[ ca dl oc ]

Gives students the ability learn lighting, media capture techniques, camera and subject movement choreography in both analog and digital formats. They will gain knowledge of axis and frames, dynamic editing points and creating a motion picture as an essay tapestry. Usually offered every year.

FIN 103a Financial Management
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: BUS 6a. Corequisite: BUS 51a. This course cannot be counted as an elective toward the Economics major or minor. Cannot be taken for credit by students who have taken Bus 71a in previous years.

Introduces students to topics and methods in the field of finance. Covers how firms secure financing via equity and debt markets, valuation of stocks and bonds, fundamental analysis techniques, capital budgeting techniques, relationship of risk and return, and the time-value-of-money. Usually offered every semester.

FREN 106b Writing Workshop
[ dl fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: FREN 105a or the equivalent. Students enrolling for the first time in a French and Francophone Studies course at Brandeis should refer to http://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/newstudent/testing.html#frentest.

Innovative strategies and digital resources enable students to improve their descriptive and analytical writing and speaking skills. Students examine different types of texts (including films, photographs, and AI-generated images), exploring their style, determining their authority and creativity, and understanding how words and images move and manipulate readers and viewers. Usually offered every semester.

GER 106b Migration, Kultur, Synergie
[ djw dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: GER 30a.

Investigates the experience of refugees and immigrants in present-day Germany and discusses processes of social transformation. Through fictional and non-fictional texts and film, we gain an understanding of their cultural, economic, political and artistic contributions and of cross-cultural collaborations. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 121a Israeli Society and Post-Trauma: Family Dynamics Through a TV Series
[ dl fl oc ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Enhances students' oral communication skills by analyzing and discussing family dynamics, fostering empathy and ethical reflection. Develops cultural awareness by examining Israeli societal values, trauma, and conflict resolution, promoting a nuanced understanding of diverse perspectives based on popular Israeli television series "In Treatment." Usually offered every year.

HBRW 124a Hebrew for Business, Doing Business in Start-Up Nation
[ dl fl wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor. Does not meet the requirement in the school of humanities.

Provides students with tools and competence to deal with the Israeli business community. For advanced-intermediate Hebrew students who wish to gain cultural understanding and business language speaking skills. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 167b The Sleeping Beauty: The Revival of Modern Hebrew
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Any 40-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

An advanced course that surveys the origins of the Hebrew language and its development throughout the centuries, focusing on its major stages (biblical, rabbinic, medieval, and modern). Explores the unique phenomenon of its revival as a spoken language and its adaptation to the modern world. Usually offered every second year.

HISP 123b Supernatural Latin America: The Visual Culture of the Unknown
[ dl hum ]

Latin America is haunted by the specters of countless colonial genocides, ritual sacrifices, fratricidal wars, thousands of disappeared. Its vast territory is swarming with ruins, ghost towns, the emptiness of devastated fauna and languages killed by ecocide. This course explores the numerous ways Latin American artists have made sense of their own experiences of the paranormal and the supernatural, developing a rich visual culture of the intangible. Some of the topics that we will address in this journey into the unknowable are: popular culture and the paranormal/supernatural; otherworldly visitors; aura, trauma, and art; avant-gardes and the supernatural; hauntology; contemporary witch culture; uncanny spaces. Works by Jayro Bustamante, Leonora Carrington, Guillermo del Toro, Mariana Enríquez, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Samanta Schweblin, Xul Solar, among others. Usually offered every third year.

HISP 198a Experiential Research Seminar in Literary and Cultural Studies
[ dl hum oc ]

May be taught in English or Spanish.

A research seminar in which each student has the opportunity to become an 'expert' in a Hispanic literary or cultural text/topic that captures her or his imagination, inspired by a study abroad experience; an earlier class in Hispanic Studies; community-engaged learning; etc. Instruction in literary/cultural theory, researching a subject, and analytical skills necessary for developing a scholarly argument. Students present research in progress and write a research paper of significant length. Usually offered every year.

HIST 111b The Iranian Revolution in Global Context
[ djw dl nw ss ]

The 1979 revolution in Iran was the last great revolution of the 20th century that reverberates until today. We examine the roots of that revolution, and the nature of the state and society that resulted from it within a broader global context. The first two units focus on pre-revolutionary and revolutionary Iran, particularly the 1960s and 1970s, examining national and global forces that laid the groundwork for the 1979 revolution.  We also analyze the multiple narratives of the revolution itself—as an Islamic movement, an anti-monarchical movement, and an anti-imperialist movement. In the final unit, we look at some of the characteristics of the Islamic Republic and the global tensions that have resulted from its specific historical development. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 128a A Spatial History of the Modern U.S.
[ dl oc ss ]

What happens when we approach American history through categories of place rather than periods time? Organized around contemporary categories of land use, this seminar explores how the United States’ landscape came to be. Usually offered every third year.

HIST 131a Hitler's Europe in Film
[ dl ss wi ]

Takes a critical look as how Hitler's Europe has been represented and misrepresented since its time by documentary and entertainment films of different countries beginning with Germany itself. Movies, individual reports, discussions, and a littler reading. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 140a A History of Fashion in Europe
[ dl ss wi ]

Looks at costume, trade in garments, and clothing consumption in Europe from 1600 to 1950. Topics include sumptuous fashion, class and gender distinctions in wardrobe, and the rise of department stores. Usually offered every third year.

HIST 147a Russian Empire: Gender, Minorities, and Globalization
[ djw dl oc ss ]

Examines the processes and problems of modernization--state development, economic growth, social change, cultural achievements, and emergence of revolutionary and terrorist movements. Usually offered every year.

HIST 147b Twentieth-Century Russia: Revolution, Nationality, Global Power
[ dl oc ss ]

Russian history from the 1905 revolution to the present day, with particular emphasis on the Revolution of 1917, Stalinism, culture, and the decline and fall of the USSR. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 153b Slavery and the American Civil War: #1619 Project
[ deis-us dl ss ]

A hard look at American slavery from the Middle Passage to Mass Incarceration, plus an investigation into the Civil War through the lens of Black self-emancipation. Uses the tools and insights from #1619 Project. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 157b Marginalized Voices and the Writing of History
[ deis-us dl ss wi ]

Seeks to understand not only the system but the inner lives and cultures of slaves within that system. This course is a reading-intensive seminar examining both primary and secondary sources on American slaves. Focuses on the American South but includes sources on the larger African diaspora. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 158b Social History of the Confederate States of America
[ deis-us dl ss ]

An examination of the brief life of the southern Confederacy, emphasizing regional, racial, class, and gender conflicts within the would-be new nation. Usually offered every third year.

HIST 162a Writing on the Wall: Histories of Graffiti in the Americas
[ djw dl ss ]

Focuses on the history of graffiti in the U.S. from 1960s forward. Includes the historical role of Caribbean migration, the impact of criminology and economic recession of the 1970s on graffiti culture, and the relationship between private property, public space, and graffiti. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 170a Italian Films, Italian Histories
[ dl ss wi ]

Explores the relationship between Italian history and Italian film from unification to 1975. Topics include socialism, fascism, the deportation of Jews, the Resistance, the Mafia, and the emergence of an American-style star fixation in the 1960s. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 173b Digital History, Digital Historians: What's it All About?
[ dl ss ]

"Digital Humanities" are becoming widespread as a research approach to history. These qualitative and quantitative methods offer historians new research insights and efficiencies. This course explores Digital Humanities through reading, discussion, and experimentation to discover their strengths and weaknesses. Usually offered every year.

HIST 174b History Lab: Research and Writing in History
[ dl ss ]

Topics change from year to year. Refer to the schedule of classes for more information.

Offers a unique opportunity to engage in real historical research. Through research into key themes in history, it introduces components of the historian's craft, opens up archives and exposes students to the exciting field of digital humanities research. Usually offered every second year.

HIST 186a Europe in World War II
[ dl ss wi ]

Examines the military and diplomatic, social and economic history of the war. Topics include war origins; allied diplomacy; the neutrals; war propaganda; occupation, resistance, and collaboration; the mass murder of the Jews; "peace feelers"; the war economies; scientific warfare and the development of nuclear weapons; and the origins of the Cold War. Usually offered every third year.

HIST 187b Unequal Histories: Caste, Religion, and Dissent in India
[ djw dl nw oc ss ]

Examines the religious, political, and social dimensions of discrimination in India. In order to study caste, power, and representation, we will look at religious texts, historical debates, film, and literature from the Vedic Age to contemporary India. Usually offered every second year.

HIST/IGS 180b Modern India: From Partition to the Present
[ djw dl nw oc ss ]

Examines the history, culture, and economy of modern India (1947-2019) with a focus on key concerns, such as the environment, urbanization, gender/sexual relations, and the transformations of democratic politics. Usually offered every second year.

HIST/WGS 120b Queer History in the United States
[ deis-us dl oc ss ]

Traces shifting concepts and practices of gender and sexual deviance in the United States from the colonial period to the present. We will treat queer identity and experience as a topic of historical inquiry as well as a theoretical problem, following the way that currently distinct concepts of sex, gender, and sexuality historically defined each other in shifting configurations. Topics include: queer life and concepts of gender and sexuality before Stonewall; the emergence of the categories of heterosexuality and homosexuality, and later transgender identity; the dependence of gender and sexual categories on class and racial categories; the mechanisms of state and informal policing of gender and sexual norms; the creation of social movements around queer an0d gender-nonconforming identities; attitudes towards gender nonconformity in the gay rights and feminist movements of the seventies; the AIDS Crisis and activist responses to it; and the politics of contemporary representations of the history of queer and transgender struggle. Usually offered every year.

HSSP 100b Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health
[ dl qr ss ]

Priority registration given to HSSP students. Core course for the HSSP major and minor. Open to juniors and seniors only.

Provides an orientation to the science of epidemiology, the quantitative foundation for public health policy. As a comprehensive survey course, students from varying academic backgrounds are introduced to biostatistics and major epidemiological concepts, and provided with training in their application to the study of health and disease in human populations. Case studies examine how environmental, physical, behavioral, psychological, and social factors contribute to the disease burden of populations. Usually offered every semester.

IGS 173a Asian Gangsters: Contemporary Crime Cinema
[ djw dl ss ]

Studies contemporary crime films to examine modern Asian society and politics. Drawing upon film theory, cultural studies, historical and sociological research, this class considers the world's largest media market to understand the continent's rapidly changing socio-political milieu. Usually offered every second year.

IGS 175a Digital Asia: Democracy in the Internet Age
[ djw dl nw oc ss ]

Analyzes the transformative potential of the internet as an agent of development and as a mechanism for disrupting social and political orders in Asia, home to the world's largest democracy and also the world's largest authoritarian regime. Usually offered every second year.

IGS 177a Antisemitism on Social Media
[ dl oc ss ]

Studies show a rise in antisemitism in the US in recent years, and social media have a lot to do with it. In this course, we review the precursors of modern antisemitism, how antisemitism has evolved and adapted over the years, and how to combat antisemitism on social media today. Special one-time offering, fall 2023.

JOUR 111b Advanced Multimedia Storytelling Workshop
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: AMST/JOUR 109B, AMST/JOUR 113A, JOUR 13a, JOUR 15a, or JOUR 130b, or permission of the instructor.

In their highest form, podcasts can envelop us in narratives that rival the richness of character and incident in the best documentary films. This course connects these two media and invites students to produce multiple episodes of narrative non-fiction in audio (and optionally visual) storytelling modes, developing a central theme or concept of their own devising and exploring advanced sound recording and mixing techniques. Usually offered every spring.

JOUR 112b Social Journalism: The Art of Engaging Audiences
[ dl ss wi ]

Students will learn how to use social media storytelling to develop their own voices, sharpen their reporting skills, and reach new communities and platforms. They will also learn the art of tracking and building audiences through engagement tools and will critique the work of professionals and colleagues. Usually offered every second year.

JOUR 130b Science Journalism: Covering Crises from the Pandemic to Climate
[ dl ss wi ]

What is the best way to communicate real science in the age of fake news? What role should science journalists play in the face of today’s biggest crises, from the pandemic to climate change? This course explores the hallmarks of sound science and medical writing and how to confront the public-health consequences of misinformation. Usually offered every second year.

LING 105a Phonetics
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: LING 100a.

Introduces the production and perception of the sounds of human speech in the world's languages. Covers the transcription of speech, articulatory phonetics (anatomy and physiology of speech), acoustic phonetics (transmission of speech), and auditory phonetics (perception of speech). Usually offered every second year.

LING 131a Semantics II
[ dl oc sn ]

Prerequisite: LING 130b or COSI 135b, or permission of the instructor.

Continues the study of formal modeling of language meaning begun in LING 130, focusing especially on meaning and use of interrogative and imperative clauses, implicature and speech acts, information packaging, focus, and pragmatics of dialogue. Usually offered every second year.

LING 140a Discourse and Pragmatics
[ dl oc ss ]

Prerequisite: LING 100a or enrollment in the Master of Science in Computational Linguistics program.

Assuming a theory of sentence-level linguistic competence, what phenomena are still to be accounted for in the explication of language knowledge? The class explores topics in language use in context, including anaphora, deixis, implicature, speech acts, information packaging, and pragmatics of dialogue. Usually offered every second year.

LING 195a Introduction to Research in Linguistics or Computational Linguistics/Natural Language Processing
[ dl oc ss ]

Prerequisite: Junior standing or higher, and either (a) LING 120b plus one of LING 110a, 130a, or 140a, or (b) COSI 115b and concurrent enrollment in COSI 231a.

Introduction to researching a topic of interest from the primary literature and doing independent research in linguistics or computational linguistics/natural language processing. In short assignments, class presentations, and a final research paper, students gradually complete the initial stages of a research project. In the process, the course explores scholarly and scientific approaches to research in various areas of linguistics and computational linguistics/natural language processing, including the relevant terminology, concepts, and procedures associated with academic writing and research in these areas. Usually offered every year.

LING 197a Language Acquisition and Development
[ dl oc ss ]

Open to all students.

The central problem of first language acquisition is to explain what makes this formidable task possible. Students will learn about the acquisition and development of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics in child language.  Additional topics to be covered include the brain and language development, experimental methods for evaluating the linguistic knowledge of children, second-language acquisition, bilingualism, and heritage language and heritage speakers.The overall goal is to arrive at a coherent picture of the language learning process. Usually offered every second year.


MATH 122a Numerical Methods and Big Data
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a and MATH 20a or MATH 22b, and basic proficiency with a programming language such as Python or Matlab.

Introduces fundamental techniques of numerical linear algebra widely used for data science and scientific computing. The purpose of this course is to introduce methods that are useful in applications and research. Usually offered every year.

MATH 124a Optimization
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a, MATH 20a or MATH 22b, MATH 23b, and basic proficiency with a programming language such as Python or Matlab, or permission of the instructor.

Explores the theory of mathematical optimization and its fundamental algorithms, emphasizing problems arising in machine learning, economics, and operations research. Topics include linear and integer programming, convex analysis, and duality. Usually offered every second year.

MUS 101a Western Classical and Popular Music I: How It's Made, Part 1
[ ca dl ]

Admission by placement exam to be given in class on the first day of instruction. Corequisite: MUS 102a must be taken at the same time as MUS 101a.

A first course for students who already read music, but wish to develop a deeper involvement. Students investigate how music "works" by composing exercises based on examples of tonal music and literature that students are practicing for performance. Focuses on elementary harmony and voice-leading, counterpoint, analysis, and model composition. In the required one-hour lab (MUS 102a), students practice sight-singing and dictation, skills essential to music literacy. Usually offered every year.

MUS 101b Western Classical and Popular Music I: How It's Made, Part 2
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: MUS 101a. Corequisite: MUS 102b must be taken at the same time as MUS 101b.

The second semester introduces broad concepts of theory and begins the process of learning to write and analyze music. By the end of the year, students will gain experience in counterpoint, harmony, and formal analysis, and will compose in a simple form. Throughout the year, the relationship of repertoire and theory is stressed. The required ear-training and keyboard lab meets separately. Usually offered every year.

MUS 103a Western Classical and Popular Music II: How It's Made, Part 1
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisites: MUS 101a,b and 102a,b. Corequisite: MUS 104a must be taken at the same time as MUS 103a.

This course builds on MUS 101. Chromatic tonal harmony is covered, and short pieces of nineteenth century music are analyzed in depth. Students will analyze pieces on their own and write analytical papers. Students will also harmonize various chorale melodies. The required ear training and keyboard lab meets separately. Usually offered every year.

MUS 103b Western Classical and Popular Music II: How It's Made, Part 2
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: MUS 103a. Corequisite: MUS 104B must be taken at the same time as MUS 103b.

A continuation of MUS 103a. Twentieth century styles and techniques are covered, including extended tonality and atonality. Several compositional projects are assigned and performed in class. Usually offered every year.

MUS 107a Introduction to Electro-Acoustic Music
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisite: Any music course or permission of the instructor.

A course designed to give students basic studio skills and a context for listening to and working in electronic music. Topics include basic acoustics, sound design, digital and analog recording techniques, and assignments on the pioneers and current practitioners of electro-acoustic music. Involves hands-on experience in the use of MIDI-controlled synthesizers, samplers, production equipment, and includes individual studio projects based on individual studio time. Usually offered every second year.

MUS 160b Electronic Music Composition and Production
[ ca dl ]

Preference given to students who have taken MUS 107a or have permission of the instructor. Intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

Builds upon topics from MUS 107a and develops these into the professional skills of recording, production, and electronic composition. Students will refine these skills in both individual and collaborative projects. Work is carried out in BEAMS (Brandeis Electro-Acoustic Music Studio), but every effort will be made to equip students to compose on their own computers and to work collaboratively using contemporary tools, especially the Internet. Foundational concepts and approaches for this course will be drawn from both 20th century Avant Garde electronic composition and the commercial/popular music industry. Usually offered every other year.

MUS 175a Instrumentation and Orchestration
[ ca dl ]

Prerequisites: MUS 101a and b.

Technical projects in the art of writing for instruments and for groups of instruments, from chamber groups of various sizes to full orchestra. Score study of examples from 1770 to the present. Additional focus on notation and on rules for instrumental parts. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 136b Computational Neuroscience
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a or higher and one of the following: NBIO 140b/240b, PHYS 10b/11b/15b, BIOL 107a, or any COSI course.

An introduction to concepts and methods in computer modeling and analysis of neural systems. Topics include single and multicompartmental models of neurons, information representation and processing by populations of neurons, synaptic plasticity and models of learning, working memory, decision making and neural oscillations. The course will be based on in-class computer tutorials, assuming limited prior coding experience, with reading assignments and preparation as homework. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 121a Cloistered Life: Masculinity, Monasticism, and Material Religion
[ djw dl hum ]

Surveys the literature and artifacts related to the early monastic movement in the Eastern Mediterranean world, where monasticism began, and concludes with examinations in the Medieval Roman (Byzantine) and European world. In translation, students read Greek, Syriac, Latin, and Coptic literature of popular Christian authors to investigate how men constructed ideals of masculinity within a religious landscape. We will use gender and materiality theorists to develop reading strategies to understand gender expectations, sexuality, and how monks lived together in their cloistered communities. Students will build a Virtual Reality monastery by building rooms of monks over time based on the texts and artifacts studied in class as part of developing skills in digital literacy. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 123a Maps, Graphs and Timelines: Technology and Design in Historical Research
[ dl hum oc ]

Learn the practical skills to represent data digitally as graphs, maps, timelines and other models. Students will develop their own research projects in topics of their interest and learn to think critically about the opportunities and pitfalls that digital methods pose, for scholarship, inclusion and for social justice. The course will include extensive practical instruction. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 137b Dreams and Dream Interpretation in Jewish Thought
[ dl hum ]

Jewish culture has had traditions about the origins of dreams, how to interpret them, and even how to control them, for millennia. This course takes students into sources of Jewish thoughts on dreams, answering these questions: Do dreams come from the dreamer or somewhere outside the dreamer – what happened to them, from forces beyond their control, gods, demons, angels? Do dreams tell the future? Can dreamers control their dreams? Can dreams be harnessed for good, or to do harm? Who is a trustworthy dream interpreter? How do dreams manifest in the body? The texts will include guidance for dream-healing from the Dead Sea Scroll community, a handbook on dream interpretation in the Talmud, texts from medieval Europe, and a handbook on dream interpretation by a Turkish rabbi, which gained immense popularity across the Jewish world in the 16th century. Dreams open big topics in Jewish thought including prophecy, God’s power and effect in the world, free will, time, and the soul, and big ideas in human inquiry – our connections to others, our sense of self, and the mystery of our minds. Usually offered every third year.

NEJS 186a Introduction to the Qur'an
[ djw dl hum nw ]

Traces the history of the Qur'an as text, its exegesis, and its role in inter-religious polemics, law, theology, and politics. Examines the role of the Qur'an in Islamic teachings and its global impact. Usually offered every second year.

PHIL 107b Kant's Moral Theory
[ dl hum ]

An examination of the main philosophical issues addressed in Kant's Critique of Practical Reason from the perspective of their relation to works specifically belonging to his ethical theory: the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and the Metaphysics of Morals. Usually offered every second year.

PHIL 138b Philosophy of Mathematics
[ dl hum ]

Basic issues in the foundations of mathematics will be explored through close study of selections from Frege, Russell, Carnap, and others, as well as from contemporary philosophers. Questions addressed include: What are the natural numbers? Do they exist in the same sense as tables and chairs? How can "finite beings" grasp infinity? What is the relationship between arithmetic and geometry? The classic foundational "programs," logicism, formalism, and intuitionism, are explored. Usually offered every second year.

PHIL 139a Belief and Probability
[ dl hum ]

The discovery and application of probability theory to traditional areas of philosophical inquiry—but especially to epistemology, action theory, and metaphysics—has been one of the most important philosophical breakthroughs of the past 500 years. This course offers students the opportunity to learn the basics of probability theory and its philosophical applications. The majority of the course is focused on the study of epistemology through the lens of probability theory, but we discuss a variety of philosophical topics from a probabilistic vantage. Usually offered every second year.

POL 119a Seminar: Red States, Blue States: Understanding Contemporary American Voters and Parties
[ dl ss ]

What are the root causes of contemporary partisan polarization and how do we explain the observed differentiation in partisan leanings across red and blue states?  In this seminar, students will pursue guided, independent research on voter and party behavior. Because of the focus on primary research, students are encouraged, although not required, to have taken POL 52A (or an equivalent) prior to enrolling in POL 119. Usually offered every year.

POL 123a Seminar: Political Psychology
[ dl ss wi ]

Open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Explores public opinion, political socialization, and political behavior through the lens of psychology. Applying psychological theory to traditional topics in political science is emphasized. Usually offered every year.

POL 129b Internet and Politics
[ dl ss ]

Prerequisite: POL 10a, POL 11b, POL 14b, or POL 15a.

Explores the effects of the Internet on politics and society. Covers issues of Internet governance and institutions, the rise of the global network economy, and the effects of the Internet on social identity. Contemporaneous events and issues such as the digital revolutions, the digital divide, fake news, and coordinated disinformation campaigns are also covered in detail. Usually offered every year.

POL 137b Seminar: Psychology of Political Violence
[ dl ss ]

Why do people become terrorists? Social scientists argue that organizations use terrorism because it is a rational means for obtaining their objectives. But why do individuals sacrifice themselves for a cause? Drawing on behavioral economics and criminal psychology in addition to political sociology, the course will review new approaches to the study of extreme political violence. Usually offered every year.

POL 141a Seminar: Elections and Electoral Systems in Comparative Perspective
[ djw dl ss wi ]

Introduces students to the scientific study of elections and electoral systems from a comparative standpoint. Students will be exposed to social scientific literature on elections, analyze these processes from a comparative perspective, and learn how to use digital tools, such as ArcGIS and online mapping software (GIS) to analyze electoral processes. Usually offered every year.

POL 160a The War on Global Terrorism
[ dl ss ]

Intended for juniors and seniors, but open to all students.

Explores how 9/11 changed our lives. The course surveys the build-up of Al Queda leading up to the 9/11 attacks and ten years of counter terrorism. Students are given an introduction to Jihadist doctrines and Al Queda's structure, as well as theories about the cause of terrorism. Usually offered every year.

POL 163a Seminar: The United Nations and the United States
[ djw dl ss wi ]

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.

Investigates the United Nations organization and charter, with an emphasis on the integral role of the United States in its founding and operation. Using archival documents and other digitized materials, explores topics such as UN enforcement actions, the Security Council veto, human rights, and the domestic politics of US commitments to the UN. Usually offered every second year.

POL 165a Seminar: Dilemmas of Security Cooperation
[ dl ss wi ]

States regularly cooperate in the security domain. They can choose to band together in alliances, rely on stronger states for defense, or improve weaker actors' capacity to fight or defend themselves by providing arms and training. Security cooperation is a major feature of international relations, with powerful actors like the United States spending billions each year on efforts to arm, equip, and train partner militaries around the world. But security cooperation contains many dilemmas where states face difficult choices between alternatives without clear answers. Efforts to increase security can lead to unintended consequences, both for states and for the people who live in them. This course explores different dilemmas across a range of topics, considering both the causes and consequences of security cooperation. Topics include alliances, proxy warfare, arms transfers and military aid, peacekeeping, and security outcomes ranging from combat effectiveness to political violence and human rights. Usually offered every third year.

PSYC 130b Life Span Development: Early and Middle Adulthood
[ dl oc ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a, PSYC 51a, and PSYC 52a, plus one of the following: PSYC 31a, PSYC 33a, PSYC 36b or PSYC 37a, or permission of the instructor.

Seminar on advanced topics in life span developmental theory and methodology. Substantive emphasis will be on cognitive, personality, social, and physical changes that occur in early adulthood and midlife. Usually offered every second year.

RECS 100a Understanding Russian Culture: Myths and Paradoxes
[ dl hum ]

Open to all students. Conducted in English. Students may choose to do readings either in English translation or in Russian. Satisfies the Proseminar requirement for the Russian Studies major.

Russia has given the world renowned cultural luminaries such as Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky. At the same time, the Russian state—in different historical forms—has a long tradition of censoring, imprisoning, or even murdering artists and intellectuals. One scholar suggests that even as the Russian Empire has violently expanded its boundaries, the state has “colonized” its own people. Paradoxically, this very repression has made culture politically relevant—sometimes reinforcing imperial ideology, sometimes subverting it—and charged it with particular urgency. This course takes us inside the paradox, looking at some of the most important works of modern Russian literature, film, philosophy, visual art, music, theater, opera, and ballet in the context of the country’s troubled history. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 105a Russian Language Today: People, Society, State
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian.

For advanced students of Russian language (non-heritage learners) who strive for advanced-level proficiency in all four modalities (listening, reading, speaking and writing). Explores aspects of contemporary Russian society and culture, including such topics as education, social media, religion, gender relations, environment and others. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 106b Advanced Russian Language through Film
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Taught in Russian.

For advanced and heritage students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, listening, and writing. Course activities will focus on discussions of contemporary Russian feature films and documentaries. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 115b Topics in Russian Culture and Society
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Advanced Russian language skills.

For heritage and advanced students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Introduces students to issues central to Russian folklore. Through an analysis of chronicles, icons, epic tales, and folktales, discussions will explore the roots of Russian cultural values and beliefs. Students will examine structures and archetypes in folktales and magic tales. Usually offered every fourth year.

RUS 150b Advanced Russian Language through 20th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian. Course may be repeated for credit with instructor's permission.

A seminar for continuing students of Russian who wish to enhance their proficiency and accuracy in speaking, reading and writing. Focusing on the close study of Russian literature in the original Russian and the development of Russian oral and written language skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every second year.

RUS 153a Advanced Russian Language through 19th Century Literature
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: RUS 39b or RUS 40b with a grade of C- or higher, or the equivalent, or instructor permission. Taught in Russian.

An undergraduate seminar for heritage and advanced students of Russian. Focus on the study of 19th-century Russian literature in the original and development of Russian oral and written skills needed for the close reading and discussion of literature. Usually offered every fourth year.

SOC 110a Latinx Sociology
[ deis-us dl ss ]

Focuses on the sociology of Latinx communities within the United States. The course will cover a variety of topics that are of interest to sociologists, including race, gender, sexuality, class, family, immigration, and activism. Usually offered every third year.

SOC 140a Investigating the Past: Historical Methods in Sociology
[ dl ss ]

Examines the ways historical questions are posed and answered within sociology. Using the case of U.S. history, it evaluates sources of evidence from the federal government, land maps, Native American accounts, African American oral histories, written documents and personal narratives. Usually offered every third year.

THA 125b The Art of Scenography: Scenic Design and Invention for Performance
[ ca dl ]

May be repeated for credit if taught by different instructors. Open to non-majors.

Introduces students to the process of creating evocative and imaginative designs for the stage. This course is designed for students of all majors and years who want to learn about scenic design. Working with a variety of source material, students will explore how to develop ideas and striking theatrical images that tell the story of the text. How can we create a psychological visual environment that transports the viewer to another time and space? How do textures, colors, and composition work on the mind? We will use installation art, sculptural thinking, and creative writing to inspire our environments. We will examine the body and the space it inhabits to create new interdisciplinary possibilities. How can new technologies such as video and projection inform our process? Working in a studio setting, students will be introduced to methods and craft of set design - including research, sketching, model making and drafting. Above all, students will be asked to take risks, and begin to develop their artistic vision. Of interest to designers, directors, film-makers, fine artists, and anyone interested in the process of creating a visual story line. Students are required to purchase materials. Usually offered every year.

THA 180a Multimedia and Video Design for Live Performance
[ ca dl ]

Explores the convergence of multimedia theater, installation art, and video design. Students will learn about the use of technology in visual storytelling, and the cross-disciplinary and hybrid practices of multimedia design including sound, video, light and space. How can we use technology to enhance, frame or even reveal new perspectives on the stories we tell? Students will learn about tools and techniques from design professionals, and will engage directly and collaboratively with technology and space to design full-scale experiences focused around performance. No experience in performance, theater, or design expected. Usually offered every second year.

HS 263f Applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
[ dl ]

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Prerequisite: HS 297f or permission of the instructor.

Designed for students wishing to receive advanced training in GIS. Instruction includes geospatial data management and archiving, raster and vector analysis techniques, and basic GPS instruction. Emphasis is on 'hands-on' training using ARCView GIS software; qualitative skills in data gathering, analysis, and presentation; and understanding the potential of GIS as a tool for planning and evaluating development projects. Includes a computer lab. Usually offered every year.

HS 297f Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
[ dl ]

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

A primer for non-specialists on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its capabilities as a tool for planning and monitoring. Students learn how to determine an organization's GIS requirements, focus on those requirements during planning, and apply the requirements to assess the size and scope of the system needed. Includes a computer lab. Usually offered every semester.