15-110 Introduction to Programming
This course is a first in computer science with a focus on programming for first year students. Students completing this course will have mastered those topics required to take 15-121 Intermediate Advanced Programming. This course covers the following topics:
- Primitive Data Types and reference data objects and their uses (assignment statements and I/O)
- Flow Control (conditionals and loops)
- Classes, objects, attributes, constructors, methods and their uses
- Arrays, basic concepts of data structures, and basic concepts of sorting
15-103 Principles of Computation
Principles of Computation is an introduction to the principles that form the conceptual foundations of computer science for students with no prior background in computing. The topics to be covered in the course are listed below. This course is suitable for students with a non-technical background who wish to study the key principles of computer science rather than justcomputer programming. The textbook is Algorithmics: The Spirit of Computing (3rd Edition)by David Harel with Yishai Feldman (Addison-Wesley (2004) and it covers the essential ideasof the course.
15-121 Advanced Programming
A continuation of the process of program design and analysis for students with some prior programming experience (functions, loops, and arrays, not necessarily in Java). The course reinforces object-oriented programming techniques in Java and covers data aggregates, data structures (e.g., linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs), and an introduction to the analysis of algorithms that operate on those data structures. NOTE: students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for any subsequent Computer Science course. Pre-req: 15-100 or 15-110 or 15-117 or placement
15-123 System Skills in C
This course is designed to provide a substantial exposure to the C programming language and the Unix programming environment for students with prior programming experience but minimal exposure to C. Features of the C language that are emphasized include arrays, structs and unions, dynamic memory allocation (malloc and free), pointers, pointer arithmetic, and casting. Data structures that are emphasized include lists and hash tables. Students will develop a sense of proper programming style in the C idiom, and will be exposed to cross-platform portability issues. Students will learn to use tools such as emacs/vi, make, and gdb to assist them in the design, testing and debugging of their programs. Students will learn about regular expressions and grep and will be able to use a scripting language such as Perl to solve simple problems. NOTE: students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for 15-213.
Prerequisites: 15-110
15-129 Freshman Immigration Course
The Freshman Immigration Course is taken by first-semester Computer Science majors. The course is designed to acquaint incoming majors with computer science at CMU. Talks range from historical perspectives in the field to descriptions of the cutting edge research being conducted. 15-129 is a three unit course and is graded pass/fail. Enrollment is limited to SCS Freshmen ONLY.
15-211 Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms
Fundamental programming concepts are presented together with supporting theoretical foundations and practical applications. This course emphasizes the practical application of techniques for writing and analyzing programs: data abstraction, program verification, and performance analysis. These techniques are applied in the design and analysis of fundamental algorithms and data structures. The course is currently taught in Java. NOTE: students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for any subsequent Computer Science course.
15-212 Programming Foundation
This course has the purpose of introducing students who have had experience with basic data structures and algorithms to more advanced skills, concepts and techniques in programming and Computer Science in general. This will be accomplished along three dimensions.
- • The main skill you will get out of this course is a logical attitude toward problem solving. You will learn how to decompose a problem into manageable parts, how to compose their solutions into a complete program, and how to reason about programs to ensure that they are correct
- • As we do that, you will be exposed to some advanced but pervasive concepts in Computer Science and programming. In particular, you will learn about induction and recursion, program correctness, symbolic computation, search, grammars and parsing, structuring large programs, computability, continuations, streams and more
- • Our vehicle for achieving these objectives will be Standard ML, one of the most advanced experimental programming languages brewing in the labs worldwide. It will expose you to a number of high-level programming techniques such as recursive functions, higher-order functions, data abstraction, polymorphism, exceptions and modularity. Bits and pieces are found in current commercial programming language such as Java, and more will be part of the programming languages of the future Prerequisites
You must have completed CS 15-211 (Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms)
15-213 Introduction to Computer Systems
This course provides a programmer's view of how computer systems execute programs, store information, and communicate. It enables students to become more effective programmers, especially in dealing with issues of performance, portability and robustness. It also serves as a foundation for courses on compilers, networks, operating systems, and computer architecture, where a deeper understanding of systems-level issues is required. Topics covered include: machine-level code and its generation by optimizing compilers, performance evaluation and optimization, computer arithmetic, memory organization and management, networking technology and protocols, and supporting concurrent computation. NOTE: students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for any subsequent Computer Science course.
15-221 Technical Communication for Computer Scientists
The course is designed for sophomore computer science majors to improve their abilities in applied communication (written, visual and oral). It aims to help students design and present effective technical documents for professional audiences. Assignments include technical definitions, descriptions, instructions, process explanations, abstracts, memos, and research reports. Assignments may incorporate recent computer science research at Carnegie Mellon, projects in related technical courses, and professional case studies.
15-251 Great Theoretical Ideas in Computer Science
This course is about how to use theoretical ideas to formulate and solve problems in computer science. It integrates mathematical material with general problem solving techniques and computer science applications. Examples are drawn from Algorithms, Complexity Theory, Game Theory, Probability Theory, Graph Theory, Automata Theory, Algebra, Cryptography, and Combinatorics. Assignments involve both mathematical proofs and programming. NOTE: students must achieve a C or better in order to use this course to satisfy the pre-requisite for any subsequent Computer Science course.
15-295 Special Topics: Competition Programming and Problem Solving
Each year, Carnegie Mellon fields two teams for participation in the ACM-ICPC Regional Programming Contest. During many recent years, one of those teams has earned the right to represent Carnegie Mellon at the ACM-ICPC World Finals. This course is a vehicle for those who consistently and rigorously train in preparation for the contests to earn course credit for their effort and achievement. Preparation involves the study of algorithms, the practice of programming and debugging, the development of test sets, and the growth of team, communication, and problem solving skills. Neither the course grade nor the number of units earned are dependent on ranking in any contest. Students are not required to earn course credit to participate in practices or to compete in ACM-ICPC events. Consistent, disciplined participation in team practices and associated individual preparation earns three (3) units of credit. Six (6) units of credit are possible for those who routinely complete significant homework and/or teamwork assignments outside of normal group meetings. Students interested in the course should attend during the first week of classes to discuss enrollment details.
15-298 Social Networking
This is a new course on how the social, technological, and natural worlds are connected, and how the study of networks sheds light on these connections. Topics will include how opinions, fads, and political movements spread through society, the robustness and fragility of food webs and financial markets, and the technology, economics, and politics of Web information and on-line communities.
The course has no formal prerequisites and is suitable for undergraduate students in all years and all programs. It satisfies the elective requirements in all the three programs (Business, Computer Science and Information Systems).
After a gentle introduction to graph theory and game theory in the context of social and market interactions, the course will illustrate how they come together in models of network behavior. We then apply these models to information networks supported by the world-wide web, and also touch upon some models of network dynamics.
15-312 Fundamentals of Programming Language
This course has the purpose of exposing students who have mastered advanced programming techniques and concepts to some of the foundational principles that underly the very programming languages they have been using. These same principles pervade many disciplines in and beyond Computer Science and can be found any time one needs to give and work with a representation of some domain. More specifically,
- • You will see that a (good) programming language is not an ad-hoc collection of constructs, but a mathematical object whose external features (including expressiveness and usability) are the necessary manifestation of intrinsic properties. We will use judgments and derivations as a universal vehicle to talk and reason about language constructs.
- • You will learn some of these general design principles, for example the use of types as an organizing principle, safety proofs as a measure of correctness, and the orthogonality of constructs, and study how they apply to the most common programming mechanisms, such as functions, records, variants and recursion, as well as to more specialized or esoteric concepts, such as polymorphism, exceptions, inheritance and concurrency. This will provide you with the tools to knowledgeably design your own language if the occasion arises.
- • You will see that these same principles can be used to derive efficient and correct implementations techniques for a language. In particular, we will be able to establish correctness mathematically.
This course will be coordinated with the edition currently offered on the main campus , taught by Professor Robert Harper . The material presented and the homework will be roughly the same.
Prerequisites
You must have completed CS 15-212 (Principles of Programming)
15-313 Software Engineering Foundations
Students gain exposure to the fundamentals of modern software engineering. This includes both core CS technical knowledge and the means by which this knowledge can be applied in the practical engineering of complex software. Topics related to software artifacts include design models, patterns, coding, static and dynamic analysis, testing and inspection, measurement, and software architecture and frameworks. Topics related to software process include modeling, requirements engineering, process models and evaluation, team development, and supply chain issues including outsourcing and open source. This course has a strong technical focus, and will include both written and programming assignments. Students will get experience with modern software engineering tools and, later in the semester, create one of their own.
15-349 Computer and Network Security
An introduction to how microprocessors are designed and implemented. See how a hardware system executes the instructions in a machine-language program. Topics include: instruction set design and encoding, digital design fundamentals, sequential implementation, pipelined implementation, performance analysis, and advanced processor designs. Assignments: a series of laboratory exercises in which students extend and modify several processor designs to add new instructions or to change how the processor deals with conditional branches and data dependencies. The processors are described using a simple hardware description language. The labs involve modifying these descriptions and running simulations of the processors. These labs provide a glimpse at challenges faced by a processor architect in getting maximum performance for the least amount of hardware. Text: Chapter 4 of Bryant & O'Hallaron, "Computer Systems, a Programmer's Perspective." Copies of this chapter will be supplied. The course does not assume any prior experience in hardware design.
15-391 Technology Consulting in the Community
In this course, the student develops technical consulting and management skills while collaborating on site with a community leader of a non-profit community organization. This service-learning course de-emphasizes coding, asking the student instead to analyze a complex organization, then design and implement a work plan that will expand the organization's capacity to use information technology. Throughout the semester, students develop a consulting report. They learn how to use this working document to collaborate with others and to think through and communicate a strategic technology plan. Students also experience how urban community organizations function, seeing the valuable benefits these organizations provide to society. Prerequisites: 76101 and (15111 or 70451)
15-441 Computer Networks
15-441 is an introductory course in computer networks. The emphasis will be on the basic performance and engineering tradeoffs in the design and implementation of computer networks. To make the issues more concrete, the class includes several multi-week projects requiring significant design and implementation. The goal is for students to learn not only what computer networks are and how they work today, but also why they are designed the way they are and how they are likely to evolve in the future. We will draw examples primarily from the Internet. Topics to be covered include: congestion/flow/error control, routing, addressing, naming, multi-casting, switching, internetworking, and network security.
15-447 Computer Architecture
Computer architecture is the science and art of selecting and interconnecting hardware components to create a computer that meets functional, performance and cost goals. This course introduces the basic principles and hardware structures of a modern programmable computer. We will introduce the Von-Neuman architecture and understand the primitives of a programmable processor. We will learn how to design the control and datapath for a pipelined RISC processor and how to design fast memory and storage systems. We will also learn how to quantitatively evaluate the cost and performance of various designs. The principles presented in lecture are reinforced through projects involving the design and simulation of a RISC processor pipeline.
15-451 Algorithm Design and Analysis
This course is about the design and analysis of algorithms. We study specific algorithms for a variety of problems, as well as general design and analysis techniques. Specific topics include searching, sorting, algorithms for graph problems, efficient data structures, lower bounds and NP-completeness. A variety of other topics may be covered at the discretion of the instructor. These include parallel algorithms, randomized algorithms, geometric algorithms, low level techniques for efficient programming, cryptography, and cryptographic protocols.
15-453 Formal Languages, Automata, and Computation
This course provides an introduction to formal languages, automata, computability, and complexity. The following topics will be covered: finite automata, regular languages, pushdown automata, context-free languages, pumping lemmas, Turing Machines, decidability, reducibility, the arithmetic hierarchy, the recursion theorem, the Post correspondence problem.ime and space complexity, classes P, NP, and PSPACE, NP-completeness, PSPACE-completeness, the polynomial hierarchy, randomized time complexity, classes RP and BPP.
15-502 Technology and Global Development
This course studies meaningful ways to use advanced technologies to support the development of communities where the world's poorest people live. We will begin by reviewing the history and politics of development over the last century. During this phase, we will examine some of the assumptions inherent in the concept of development, and evaluate the extent to which development has been successful in achieving its mission up to the present day. We will then explore the economic and social contexts in which development work takes place and current applications of advanced technology for sustainable development. We will also explore a variety of advanced technologies and their potential for new applications in the context of global development. Throughout the semester, students are expected to: actively engage in debates and discussions based on assigned readings; evaluate existing development projects; participate in the decision-making process for a simulated field study; and complete a small-group project. While there will be no exams, there will be quizzes and short writing assignments. Because of the nature of the subject, this course will be broad and interdisciplinary; it will cover the basics of technology, economics, history, anthropology and policy. This course does not require programming, but does require an interest in understanding and evaluating information and communication technologies.
16-362 Introduction to Mobile Robot Programming
This course is a comprehensive hands-on introduction to the concepts and basic algorithms needed to make a mobile robot function reliably and effectively. We will work with newly modified ER1 robots and interface to them using laptops programmed in the Java programming language. This is a lab course with emphasis is on hands-on learning. You will get experience in this course in addition to some theory. Lectures are focused on the content of the next lab. There is a lab every two weeks and they build on each other. Students are likely to each have a robot to work with for the semester and the course will culminate with an individually implemented project. Students will also be introduced to the basics of doing research in this course.
There are no strict pre-requisites for this course, but it is expected that students will be comfortable with Java programming.
19-101 Introduction to Engineering and Public Policy
This course examines the processes of public and private decision making and of policy formation, which shape the evolution of a technology and its impact on our society. Technology plays an important role in shaping our worlds. At the same time, social forces often play a central role in the evolution of a technology. A particular technology such as an automobile or computer is chosen to study technology and policy in context. Specific topics covered in the case of the automobile includes automotive design and manufacture, safety, pollution, fuel economy and their interactions. In each area, we discuss the technological and institutional issues, their interaction, the possible need for public policy and the factors that govern the policy. The course will involve several group problem-solving sessions.
21-111 Integral Calculus
Review of basic algebra, functions, limits, derivatives of algebraic, exponential and logarithmic functions, curve sketching, applications with emphasis on economic models. Successful completion of 21-111 and 21-112 entitles a student to enroll in any mathematics course for which 21-120 is a prerequisite. 3 hrs. lec., 2 hrs. rec.
21-120 Integral Calculus
Functions, limits, derivatives, logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric functions, inverse functions; L'Hospital's Rule, curve sketching, Mean Value Theorem, related rates, linear and quadratic approximations, maximum-minimum problems, inverse functions, definite and indefinite integrals, and hyperbolic functions; applications of integration, integration by substitution and by parts. 3 hrs lec., 2 hrs. rec.
21-127 Concepts of Mathematics 9 units
This course introduces the basic concepts, ideas and tools involved in doing mathematics. As such, its main focus is on presenting informal logic, and the methods of mathematical proof. These subjects are closely related to the application of mathematics in many areas, particularly computer science. Topics discussed include a basic introduction to elementary number theory, induction, the algebra of sets, relations, equivalence relations, congruences, partitions, and functions, including injections, surjections, and bijections. A prerequisite for 15-211. 3 hrs. lec., 2 hrs. rec.
21-241 Matrix Algebra
Vectors and matrices, the solution of linear systems of equations, vector spaces and subspaces, orthogonality, determinants, real and complex eigenvalues and eigenvectors, linear transformations. 3 hrs. lec.
21-256 Multivariate Analysis 9 units
Taylor's Theorem; geometric sequences and series and their applications in compound interest; vectors and matrices, lines, and planes; partial derivatives, directional derivatives, gradient, chain rule, maximum-minimum problems, Lagrange multipliers and the Kuhn-Tucker Theorem. 3 hrs. lec., 2 hrs. rec.
21-257 Models and Methods for Optimization
Introduces basic methods of operations research and is intended primarily for Business Administration and Economics majors. Review of linear systems; linear programming, including the simplex algorithm, duality, and sensitivity analysis; the transportation problem; the critical path method; the knapsack problem, traveling salesman problem, and an introduction to set covering models. 3 hrs. lec.,1hr.rec. Prerequisites: 06262 or 18202 or 21241 or 21256 or 21341
21-355 Principles of Real Analysis and Approximation
The Real Number System: Field and order axioms, sups and infs, completeness, integers and rational numbers. Real Sequences: Limits, cluster points, limsup and liminf, subsequences, monotonic sequences, Cauchy's criterion, Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem. Topology of the Real Line: Open sets, closed sets, density, compactness, Heine-Borel Theorem. Continuity: attainment of extrema, Intermediate Value Theorem, uniform continuity. Differentiation: Chain Rule, local extrema, Mean-Value Theorems, L'Hospital's Rule, Taylor's Theorem. Riemann Integration: Partitions, upper and lower integrals, sufficient conditions for integrability, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Sequences of Functions: Pointwise convergence, uniform convergence, interchanging the order of limits. 3 hours lecture.
21-373 Algebraic Structures
Groups: Homomorphisms. Subgroups, cosets, Lagrange's theorem. Conjugation. Normal subgroups, quotient groups, first isomorphism theorem. Group actions, Cauchy's Theorem. Dihedral and alternating groups. The second and third isomorphism theorems. Rings: Subrings, ideals, quotient rings, first isomorphism theorem. Polynomial rings. Prime and maximal ideals, prime and irreducible elements. PIDs and UFDs. Noetherian domains. Gauss' lemma. Eisenstein criterion. Fields: Field of fractions of an integral domain. Finite fields. Applications to coding theory, cryptography, number theory. 3 hours lecture. Prerequisites: (21241 or 21341) and 21127
33-106 Physics for Engineering
This is a first semester, calculus-based introductory physics course. Basic principles of mechanics and thermodynamics are developed. Topics include vectors, displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, equilibrium, mass, Newton's laws, gravitation, work, energy, momentum, impulse, temperature, heat, equations of state, thermodynamic processes, heat engines, refrigerators, first and second laws of thermodynamics, and the kinetic theory of gases.
36-217 Probability and Random Processes
This course provides an introduction to probability theory. It is designed for students in electrical and computer engineering. Topics include elementary probability theory, conditional probability and independence, random variables, distribution functions, joint and conditional distributions, limit theorems, and an introduction to random processes. Some elementary ideas in spectral analysis and information theory will be given. The use of a computer package will be an integral part of this course (depending on the instructor). Not open to students who have received credit for 36-225 or 36-625. Prerequisites: 21112 or 21122 or 21123 or 21256 or 21259.
48-095 Architecture for Non-Majors I
This course serves as an introduction to the spatial concepts of architecture for students from other disciplines. The course is focused entirely on project design work (this is not an historical survey, technical or lecture course). Projects will explore the design and experience of spatial environments through a series of creative investigations. The first half of the semester will focus on short projects, with each design investigation progressively building upon the previous exploration; these early projects will consist of both individual and group work. The second half of the semester will consist of one long term project to be created individually, incorporating students¿ personal theories of architecture. Studio work will be supported by group discussion based upon critical review of student work, readings, slide presentations, videos and films. Students are encouraged to explore their own areas of interest with respect to their work in class. Self-motivation, class attendance and an open mind is mandatory, however, no prior architectural, engineering or artistic experience is required. Students are expected to perform work both inside and outside of class. Students should be prepared to purchase various supplies throughout the course. This course is in partial fulfillment of requirements for an Architecture Minor.
48-096 Architecture for Non-Majors II
Considered an intermediate level architectural design studio for the non-architect, this course builds on the design skills gained from the introductory course “48-095 Architecture for Non-Majors I.” Class will be conducted in a studio format, in which students will investigate design issues with special attention to concept generation and development of a spatial experience through the design process.
Students will continue to develop their ideas on architectural form and space-making. Students will also gain an understanding of the compositional principles which characterize great buildings, past and present. Issues explored will include contextualism, expression, perception, experience and representation. The course will introduce notions of materials, assembly systems, and construction processes and the ways in which they can - and should - influence the architectural design process and results, especially in determining the artistic, conceptual, poetic, creative and experiential aspects of architecture.
Architecture for Non-Majors I serves as a pre-requisite to this course. Students are expected to perform work (readings, drawings and model building) both inside and outside of class. Students should be prepared to purchase various drawing and model making supplies throughout the course.
48-576 Mapping Urbanism
The aim of this course is to provide the critical tools necessary to examine the city as both a representation and a reality in flux. Through an interdisciplinary framework we will study urban history, theory, visual thinking and information design. Weekly lectures will introduce world cities and their typologies ¿ e.g. the classic city, the shrinking city, the growing city and the megalopolis. Through readings, films, and class discussions that highlight the juxtaposition of socio-economic and physical factors, students will gain a more sensitive and holistic understanding of urban issues. Parallel to these urban explorations, we will study and employ a diverse set of tools with which to map urbanism, including traditional mapping techniques such as Nolli plans and Sanborn maps; cultural critiques of world map projections and tourist maps; and contemporary experimental explorations which draw from art, architecture and interactive web design. Weekly assignments will include student projects and presentations that synthesize required readings, writing and mapping. The final outcome will involve city case studies and the utilization of various representational techniques to create inventive mappings, possibly documented in a multi-media format. Our aim will be to learn new ways of seeing and portraying the city.
48-577 Middle Eastern Cities
As the capital of Qatar, Doha is a city on the precipice of immense change. The numerous cranes, the vast infrastructural investments, and the alterations to the natural landscape merely mark the beginning of an enormous nation-wide project that has chosen to focus on education, culture and sports. Amidst our enthusiasm for this progressive policy, the following issues inevitably arise: the environmental impact of rapid urbanization, the changes to the local culture, and the long-term effects on the next generation. These issues will be examined by looking at both cultural context and physical form. Students will investigate the large scale, regional effects of urbanization as well as smaller interventions within a given neighborhood, and will explore interrelations between the two scales. The course includes a field research trip in early September to gather data, document sites, and interview key decision-makers in the fields of planning, architecture, design and education. We will interact with students at Carnegie Mellon¿s branch university in Education City, a vast campus of institutions on the city¿s edge which figures large in the country¿s development and, consequently, in this course. Students will present to their peers their research results and will prepare work intended to culminate in a final project that represents a synthesis of their research. It is expected that students will respond in both writing and drawing, utilizing information design as a means of expressing their findings.
51-261 Communication Design Fundamentals
One-semester course that introduces non-majors to the field of communication design. Through studio projects, lectures, and demonstrations, students become familiar with the visual and verbal language of communication designers, the design process, and the communicative value of world and image. Macintosh proficiency required. This course is required for HCI double majors and Design minors. All students must visit the design office in MM 110 during registration week, and fill out a form to request a seat in this course. Section W - Qatar campus only
51-254 Design for People and Planet
The world has become a dramatically more complex and interconnected place. The linkages amongst our interdependent social, environmental, and economic systems create both significant challenges and opportunities. In this research & project-based course, students will examine the social challenges of sustainable development and use design research methods to identify and document current issues in the Doha immigrant community. In addition, the course will cover service design, social policy, and visualization topics to enable students to identify, understand, and begin to combat these social issues.
73-100 Principles of Economics
Literally, an introduction to economic principles, the goal of this course is to give students an understanding as to what constitutes good “economic thinking”. This thought process is grounded in the construction and use of economics models. Drawing on issues in both microeconomics and macroeconomics, fundamental principles are shown to transcend particular examples and allow the field to be seen as a coherent, unified whole.
76-100 Introduction to Reading and Writing
76-100 is a reading and writing course for those students who are not native speakers of English. Students who have identified themselves as those who speak English as a second or third language rather than as their primary or home language are eligible to take this class. The course, designed as a prerequisite for 76-101, stresses reading in English for comprehension and application of key concepts for writing summaries and short position papers. Students will be introduced to readers' expectations for western rhetorical style at the sentence, paragraph, and whole text levels. Norms for academic English will be explicitly taught within the contexts of these assignments, as well as academic standards for citing sources. Students who take this course will qualify through a placement test that is administered through the university prior to the fall semester.
76-101 Interpretation and Argument
76-101, a research-based First-Year English course, is structured to introduce students to an inductive process for writing an argument from sources. The course assumes that reading and writing are inseparable practices for responsible, academic authoring. In the course, students are exposed to a variety of different texts, both fiction and nonfiction, so that they can explore and critically evaluate a single issue from multiple perspectives. They are taught to summarize and analyze arguments within that issue so that they may contribute an argument of their own. The course is also geared toward helping students understand the requirements of college-level writing. Students should learn to be reflective and strategic with their composing processes as they plan, write, and revise their own texts. Ultimately, the course provides opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills and strategic methods for analyzing and producing texts within the context of an academic community.
76-221 Studies in Classical Literature: Books You Should Have Read By Now
It may seem more and more difficult to get a good classical, liberal education these days. The demands of professional training force many of us to skimp on our understanding of major artistic achievements. So, this class is for those people who should have read some of the best books around, but haven¿t managed to yet¿books you should have read by now. Kurt Vonnegut¿s character Kilgore Trout sings the praises of Dostoevsky¿s The Brothers Karamazov, pointing out that it contains everything you need to know about life. He then ruefully adds that unfortunately that¿s not enough any more. It may not be enough, but it might be a place to start. Each book will be considered in itself for whatever it might offer by way of understanding the world, then and now. Each one can be seen as a useful foundation point for understanding an important period of history (Machiavelli and the Renaissance, for example). Finally we shall use the idea that literature is equipment for living as a way of understanding and evaluating our experiences.
76-244 World English
This course is primarily geared for sophomores. This course will study how so-called Standard English is broadening its definition to accommodate the fact that English is now an international language, the default lingua franca for all educated speakers and writers who share no other language. We shall study the social, economic, and political facts that have caused English to rise to this status. We shall also focus on many cultural issues raised by these facts. Each week will introduce readings raising new issues and students will be expected to write short weekly position papers relative to these issues. The course will have an international component, as it will be taken concurrently by CMU students on the Qatar campus, most of whom are not native speakers of English. We will have regular video “town meetings” between students on both campuses.
76-274 The Writer's Craft
This course is designed to develop students' fluency with major patterns of English prose, patterns that underlie the range of genres of English (e.g., journals profiles, plays, histories, fiction, exposition, scenic writing, technical writing, instructions, computer documentation, business policy, and argument). Students learn how mastery of these patterns creates powerful experiences for readers, and learn to recognize, discuss, and produce theses patterns in a supportive and friendly workshop atmosphere. Grammar and word choice are not taught as isolated exercises but in the context of work-shopping students papers. Students learn from this method that language "errors" (in grammar, word choice, sentence arrangement, and paragraph arrangement) are best noticed and treated as "bumps" that hinder the reader's understanding or enjoyment of the text.
The workshop is organized around seven structured writing projects (Self-Portrait, Observer Portrait, Scenic Writing, Narrative History, Information Writing, Instruction, and Argument). Each assignment is introduced as a mini-lesson. Students learn from this lesson the challenge of the assignment and why they are likely to need multiple drafts to complete it. Students then will submit and workshop their drafts in class.
By the end of the class, students should feel comfortable with and gain competence in composing English texts across the main varieties of English prose.
76-310 Quest for Identity
The Quest for Identity’ is a literature course that introduces four major novels by both Arab and Western writers. The course is designed to familiarize you with several theories that will help you to investigate the identity issues presented in these novels. You will learn some basics of Narrative Theory that will be useful in your understanding and analyses of these novels. The novels selected for this course are diverse and vary in their historical orientations.
You will be introduced to Modern Arabic literature and post-colonial literature. Also, gender issues emerge as a focal point in the course as two of the novels are by female novelists. In addition to post-colonial and narrative perspectives, we will also consider the social and political contexts that informed the author of each novel.
We will explore the issue of identity, which presents a major issue in the selected novels and how identity as a major theme is manipulated in novels, focusing on identities under occupation and in post-colonial and post-modern novels where issues of hybridity and multiculturalism emerge.
The identity issue in selected narrative takes the form of the following questions: To what extent has the colonial era shaped people’s individual, cultural, and national identities? What factors contribute to building individual and national identities of people living in an occupied territory? How do gender issues emerge in a setting of oppression and occupation? How is one’s identity shaped by globalization and multiculturalism? And what are the main factors in all these cases that determine one’s identity?
76-318 Communicating in the Global Marketplace
In the current international environment, some of the most rewarding employment opportunities are in multinational and international settings. But are you prepared for the challenge of communicating with professionals from all over the world? Even as more people around the globe learn English, specific cultural values, beliefs, and assumptions continue to influence the way in which they communicate. Globalization brings along several pressing questions: How does technical and professional communication avoid the potential for misunderstanding and conflict that comes with cultural difference? How can international communication be effectively planned, measured, improved? How can multi-national teams work effectively on common projects, sharing common goals? This course prepares you to address these questions by explaining the specific ways in which national culture influences professional and technical communication, the impact of globalization in professional contexts, and the general concepts and principles you need to communicate effectively in specific international settings and situations.
76-358 Social and Linguistic Aspects of Immigration
This course introduces students to the linguistic and social aspects of immigration in today’s global society. Immigration will be studied as a socio-political construct with an emphasis on the linguistic, socio-cultural, and political challenges and opportunities that migration creates for individual and society. Throughout the course we will explore one key question: What challenges and opportunities do different aspects of migration posses for multilingual societies and individuals? A great deal of the course focuses on the linguistic challenges that migration creates for the individual and society, with a special emphasis on the development of bilingualism and the education of immigrant children. From a larger socio-political perspective, the course focuses on various case studies of immigrant populations throughout the world in order to obtain a better understanding of the characteristics, opportunities, and challenges faced by immigrant populations internationally.
76-368 Advanced Academic Writing
This course introduces the characteristics and types of writing required of students at advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate levels. Topics addressed include the role of writing in the academy, the writing process including editing and revision strategies, expectations for content associated with different genres, bibliographic styles and reference management software, and an introduction to the reporting of empirical research. Students will critique example texts at the same time that they workshop their own projects. This course is appropriate for students considering writing a senior thesis and/or applying to graduate school.
76-399 Bridging Civilizations
Bridging civilizations covers theoretical and practical aspects of the art of English-Arabic and Arabic-English translation. We will first overview the different assumptions governing English and Arabic syntax, semantics and pragmatics and so the different challenges facing the translator. We will then survey the different purposes served by translation and the different translation methods that vary depending upon your purpose. We will review how to produce a commentary of a translation so that you can evaluate, sympathetically or critically, its purposes and methods. You will then be asked to apply what you have learned to produce your own quality translations. You will be expected to translate several short pieces across a variety of genres (letter writing, literary, religious and political pieces). You will also be expected to produce a commentary of each of your translations that defends your translation approach and key decisions you made that might be controversial.
76-487 On-Line Information Design
Students taking On-Line Information Design must register for both 76-487 and 76-488 or receive permission from the instructor to omit the lab. On-Line Information Design This course will introduce you to issues and practices in the design of on-line information. The course has the following interrelated goals: Introduce you to the major theories, methodologies, and practices of on-line information design. Develop your skills in evaluating on-line information designs. Develop your skills in analyzing and reporting on user needs prior to design, and verifying a given design¿s effectiveness through usability testing. Develop the background knowledge you need to succeed in the interdisciplinary world of information design. Topics for in-class lecture and discussion will include: empirical and anlytic methods for exploring users¿ needs and tasks (interviews, observation); characteristics of effective Web site design (organization, navigational design, link labeling, form and search design, visual design); methods and artifacts of iterative design and evaluation of Web sites; methods for evaluating and reporting on a design¿s usability. The course¿s primary focus will be on the design of verbal and pictorial information typical of Web sites, though issues in on-line design0 for other modes, such as sound, and animation, will be touched upon. Special lecture topics may include personalization, Web communities, or on-line help. There is a series of homework assignments in which students analyze and report on user needs, iteratively design, and develop a Web site. There are two in-class exams and a final.
76-399 Bridging Civilizations: Translating English to Arabic and Vice Versa
Bridging civilizations covers theoretical and practical aspects of the art of English-Arabic and Arabic-English translation. We will first overview the different assumptions governing English and Arabic syntax, semantics and pragmatics and so the different challenges facing the translator. We will then survey the different purposes served by translation and the different translation methods that vary depending upon your purpose. We will review how to produce a commentary of a translation so that you can evaluate, sympathetically or critically, its purposes and methods. You will then be asked to apply what you have learned to produce your own quality translations. You will be expected to translate several short pieces across a variety of genres (letter writing, literary, religious and political pieces). You will also be expected to produce a commentary of each of your translations that defends your translation approach and key decisions you made that might be controversial.
79-104 Introduction to World History
In terms of subject matter, this course will tackle the entirety of the human past, though with an extremely wide lens, focusing primarily on long-term trends. Greater depth will be provided by occasional comparative case studies, in which we will examine how universal human needs (subsistence, identity, social order) are handled differently in different environmental, cultural, and technological settings. In addition, this course will pair with the Carnegie Skills workshop to help give the students the skills needed to transition from a high school to an academic environment.
79-212 Technology & the Environment in Global Historical Context
This course examines East Asian peoples on the peripheries of China and their interrelations from the time of Genghis Khan to the present, including Mongols, Manchus, Koreans, Tibetans, Muslim Turks of Central Asia, and ethnic groups of south China. It is, in part, a history of a civilization seen from its margins. We question the usual narrative of China¿s uncomplicated absorption of its neighbors and conquerors, and pay attention, unconventionally, to voices of minority peoples. Besides ecology, war and diplomacy, we examine cultural conceptions and mutual influences. We also look for the emergence of a sense of identity among peoples in contact, including Han Chinese, especially at the onset of nationalism and industrialization. The course also looks at some Western views of the subcontinent¿s peoples.
79-214 18th Century European History
The goal of this course will be to examine, in both breadth and depth, the history of Europe between roughly 1715 (the death of Louis XVI) and 1815 (the fall of Napoleon). Broad themes to be covered include “old regime” Europe, European religiosity and secularism, the Enlightenment, the development of public opinion, the rise of Prussia, the industrial revolution in Britain and the continent, mercantilism, and trends in the arts. Students will be expected to attend lectures, participate in class discussion, write two exams, read and discuss a number of primary and secondary sources, submit weekly opinion papers, and complete a term paper on an 18th-century European topic.
79-232 Britain and the Middle East
This course examines the history of British involvement in the Middle East over the last 200 years. We will explore the strategies of British formal and informal influence in the region. We will start by focusing on the development of political, economic and cultural ties between Victorian Britain and the Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century. We will then study the British occupation of Egypt in 1881 as the beginning of a period of expansionism in the Middle East, follow the rise of British influence during WWI and the post-war Mandates in Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Iran, before tracing the decline of British influence in WWII, the 1948 War and the Suez Crisis of 1956. Throughout the course we will explore each topic through a range of primary and secondary material.
79-270 An Introduction to Chinese Culture and Society
This course is an entry level survey to the culture and society in both historical and contemporary China. We will start the course by sampling various issues of current Chinese culture and society, and then trace the historical and cultural background of these issues. The following themes will be discussed: basic cultural concepts (qi, yin/yang, hexagrams, etc.) and their social implications; gender, marriage and family; ethnicities; tourism and environmental issues; practice of folk religions; public culture and urban space; as well as globalization and rise of consumerism. Our goal is to explore patterns of social and cultural transformations, as well as evaluate continuities and discontinuities in the historical development of China. We will mainly use scholarly works, but a few films and novels will be considered in understanding various themes.
79-283 Europe and the Islamic World
From Islamic conquest of Damascus to the modern-day ¿War on Terror,¿ the path of European civilization has been intimately entwined with that of the Islamic world. But cooperation as well as conflict has characterized the historical interactions between Islam and Christian Europe. This class, therefore, will map out the complex winding road of Islamic-European contacts from the time of Mohammed to the modern era. Europe and the Islamic World is primarily designed to be an upper-level history course featuring frequent oral assignments, a heavy reading load, and numerous discussions of relevant primary and secondary texts.
79-284 Islam, Africa and the Arab World
This course is a study of Islam’s origin and doctrine, and how it spread into Africa and developed a special link between the Arabs and the Africans. It will examine the foundations and diverse facets of this link from the formative period of the religion in Mecca to the present, with an emphasis on some axial events and on the issues of mutual perception. A proper appreciation of this history may lead to a better understanding.
In other words, the course will explore what is commonly known as “The international Islamic solidarity”, its doctrine, its scope and its limitations. This endeavor represents another way of appreciating the universalism (globalism) of Islam in today’s critical era of history and politics, as the annual meetings of the Islamic Conference held since 1970, bring together the leaders of Muslim countries from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. In summary, since the seventh century, the world has witnessed a changing but constant role of Islam in the internal and external politics of many a country as well as in regional and world politics.
79-294 History and Literature of Liberation
This is an introductory course to the humanities and social sciences through the prism of faith. It aims at:
1. - analyzing the interaction between these central disciplines and at appreciating the significance of humanism, especially the Islamic sense of humanism and applying it to the present context of cultural globalism; this endeavor requires an understanding of the history of Islam;
2. - getting familiarized with some important literary texts of the modern era; and learning how to articulate one’s thoughts in a cogent manner. All the texts to be read do not embrace the centrality of religion, but the absence of a system of belief may entail serious problems as we will discuss. Above all, faith and religion appear as powerful instruments of socialization and liberation /emancipation ( the examples include emancipation from social inequality and injustice, prejudice and domination, gender and ethnic oppression, fear and ignorance, narrow-mindedness and selfishness). The concept of emancipation/liberation truly expresses the whole history of humankind throughout the world and hence a positive sense of humanism;
79-326 The Role of the Environment in the Collapse of Ancient Complex Societies This course will explore how management (and mismanagement) of the environment interacted with political and cultural processes to contribute to the collapse of ancient societies. Taking an anthropological approach that includes geography, ecology, geology, history and archaeology, the course will examine case studies from ancient complex societies of the Americas (the Maya and the Moche), Mesopotamia and south Asia (Indus). Students will look at the role of the environment together with technology, political action, religion, culture, migration and individual agency in shaping the long term trajectories of collapse. Drawing on these themes, discussion will critically consider current world conditions for similarities and analogies to the past.
79 - 361 Unity of Islam and Diversities in the Muslim World
From the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean, Islam stretches as a system of belief and a total way of life encompassing peoples of different backgrounds and conditions and providing them with a sense of purpose and identity. Based on lectures and discussions that stress the unity of its creed since the 7th century AD and the extraordinary diversity of its communities throughout generations, this course offers a framework for the comparative analysis of religion and for the appreciation of the process of development
of one unitary tradition within different societies.
79-378 Islam and the Integration of Society
This course offers an overview of the history of Islam as a divinely-inspired religion, and a system of thoughts, principles and goals, laws, obligations and values that strengthen communities, foster cooperation and dialogue and can lead to a new international order like the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
79-374 Europe and the Islamic World
From Islamic conquest of Damascus to the modern-day “War on Terror,” the path of European civilization has been intimately entwined with that of the Islamic world. But cooperation as well as conflict has characterized the historical interactions between Islam and Christian Europe. This class, therefore, will map out the complex winding road of Islamic-European contacts from the time of Mohammed to the modern era. Europe and the Islamic World is primarily designed to be an upper-level history course featuring frequent oral assignments, a heavy reading load, and numerous discussions of relevant primary and secondary texts.
79-392 History of Modern Warfare
This is a discussion course on the emergence of and changes in European thinking about strategy and command as well as physical and technological developments from the end of antiquity to the world wars. Topics include the gradual evolution of European military thinking away from dependence on classical thinking about warfare; relationships between firepower and the character of warfare after the appearance of gunpowder; changing conceptions of strategy, tactics, and generalship; thinking about warfare, maneuver, and battle; the experience of combat; the relationship of war to the state; and the evolution of military technology and its production.
79-393 Inward Odyssey
Inward Odyssey will explore world history by examining it through the outward-looking eyes of travel writers, on the assumption that travelogues, though supposedly written about the “other,” in fact provide crucial insights about the mindset of the culture that produced them, and often serve as a vehicle for cultural self-exploration or even self-criticism. In terms of content, this course is intended to overlap with World History, Islam and the European World, and US-Arab Encounters. However, this course is intended to be a skills course, designed not to teach students about specific historical periods, but rather to give students the tools they need to conduct their own critical explorations into the historical past.
80-100 Introduction to Philosophy
In this introductory course we will explore three major areas of Philosophy: Ethics, Metaphysics, and Epistemology. Accordingly the course is divided into three sections. In each section we will read primary sources and discuss some of the main philosophic problems associated with that area. These will include: moral problems (Ethics), problems rising from the debates about free-will, personal identity or intelligence (Metaphysics), and inquiries about the scope and limits of human knowledge (Epistemology). We will then introduce some theories designed to solve such problems, and try to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these theories. We will apply different techniques and theories to issues that we might encounter in the real world. We will use class discussions, homeworks and papers to learn skills for evaluating arguments. These skills include: how to present a philosophic argument, what are the assumptions that justify it, what are its weaknesses and its strengths, whether such weaknesses can be resolved and, if they cannot be resolved, why.
80-210 Logic and Proofs
This web-based course introduces students to central issues in logic and develops their ability for constructing and refuting arguments. It addresses the question: How can one analyze the structure of rational discourse or, more specifically, the logical structure of argumentation? An answer to this question requires: (i) uncovering the logical form of statements; (ii) defining the correctness of logical steps; (iii) formulating inference rules for the logical forms; (iv) designing strategies for argumentation with the inference rules. The course takes these steps for both sentential and quantificational logic. Presentation: The material is presented on-line, though some exercises must be done with pen and paper. Additional reading of historical and philosophical character complements the systematic on-line presentation. Weekly small discussion meetings with collaborative reviews, substantive discussions and critical reflections supplement the on-line material.
82-104 Elementary French II Online
This is a continuation of 82-103, Elementary French I Online. There is a required weekly class meeting via teleconferencing for group activities, plus individual weekly one on one meetings with a tutor (office hours) or the instructor (via Skype) for conversation and practice. To see the course, visit www.cmu.edu/oli, click on ‘Open and Free Courses’ on the header, and scroll down to find ‘French Two’. Click on this link to find a detailed description of the course syllabus and structure. Prerequisites: French 82-101, 82-103 or permission of the instructor. Students new to French study at Carnegie Mellon must take the placement exam [http://ml.hss.cmu.edu/mlrc/information/pl/placement.html]. There is a required $35 materials fee for taking this course which is the only necessary ‘textbook’. This fee has to be paid online by credit card in order to enroll in the official version of the course. Contact Professor Bonnie Youngs for questions (byoungs@andrew.cmu.edu). Prerequisites: 82101 or 82103
82-111 Elementary Arabic I
To develop the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) through reading, writing, speaking and listening. As well as learn how to interact in an Arab dialect.
Course Outcomes:
By the completion of the course, students will be able to:
- distinguish and pronounce all Arabic sounds, and write accurately from dictation;
- Initiate social interactions, ask for basic information.
- talk about themselves, their education, and their family with native speakers of Arabic;
- comprehend simple written texts on familiar topics;
- comprehend simple audio/video texts on familiar topics;
compose simple paragraphs about themselves
82-141 Elementary Spanish I
A two-semester course sequence (82-141, 82-142) for beginning students emphasizing the development of communicative language proficiency: oral practice, aural comprehension, reading, writing, structural analysis, and language learning resource center work. Also a study of cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking countries. Prerequisite: None. If a student has studied Spanish before, then s/he must take the placement exam. Instructions for taking the placement exam are in Baker Hall 160.
82-142 Elementary Spanish II
This second half of the one-year sequence in Elementary Spanish continues the introduction of the grammatical structure in an attempt to give the student a basic understanding of and ability to use the Spanish language. Besides the emphasis on the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), the course continues to provide an understanding of the civilization, culture, and customs of Spanish-speaking world.
82-211 Intermediate Arabic II
To develop further the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) through reading, writing, speaking and listening. As well as learn how to interact in an Arab dialect.
Objectives of the Course:
The main objective of this course is to enhance the student’s abilities to converse on a variety of topics, narrate, and read authentic material in Arabic. Students will also learn almost all of the basic structures of Modern Standard Arabic. This knowledge will enable them to perform all of the functions listed in Al-Kitaab (part I).
82-241 Intermediate Spanish II
An integrated approach to the study of the Spanish language and culture by means of grammar review, literary and cultural readings and analysis, and intensive practice in written and spoken Spanish. This course explores definitions of culture and analyzes the dynamic role of language in culture and culture in language, with an aim to foster cross-cultural awareness and self-realization while developing proficiency in Spanish. The first part of a two-semester course sequence (82-241, 82-242). Prerequisite: 82-142 or approved equivalent.
82-242 Intermediate Spanish II
This course, a continuation of Intermediate Spanish I, emphasizes the fundamentals of Spanish structure in written and oral communication. Authentic readings and Latin American films give students a panoramic view of the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking world.
82-281 Tutoring for Community Outreach
The purpose of this course is to engage students in community outreach through mentoring and tutoring elementary, middle, or high school students in English, Arabic, Spanish, or French. This class meets as a group once a week for one hour, and depending on the number of units to be earned, students will spend four to six hours weekly at a school site working with language teachers and students. During the early weeks of the semester, students will meet to arrange their outreach activities and prepare for their experience. In addition to attending class and tutoring at a school site, students will also read and prepare for the school visits, keep a journal of tutoring experiences, and write a paper or complete a project at the end of the term that reflects experiences. Students may earn 6 units by spending 4 hours per week at a school site and 9 units by spending 6 hours per week at a school site.
82-311 Arabic Culture & Literature
To develop further the students’ linguistic abilities in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) through reading, writing, speaking and listening.
How this class works: This class has no text but rather selected readings. The theme of this semester is “Uniformity and Diversity in the Arab World”. During the week we will read articles but during weekends, you will read literature works.
The themes for this semester are: Ethnic groups in the Arab world, Proverbs, Poetry …etc. We will discuss your choice of other themes on the first day of class.
85-102 Introduction to Psychology
This course examines major areas of scientific psychology in some depth, the attempt being to develop basic models of our behavior and thought that explain wide areas of our functioning. The primary focus is on the areas of neural and motivational control of behavior, memory and thought, social interaction, and psychological development. Specific topics within these areas include brain function, motivational control systems, learning, cognitive and perceptual information processing, problem solving, obedience and conformity, social interaction, emotion, attitude consistency and change, how our social, cognitive and language functions develop, the importance of childhood to adult functioning, and psychopathology. In addition to the lecture, the course includes a weekly recitation section meeting and weekly short WEB-based laboratory experiences in which students get to perform actual experiments, interpret real data, and experience many psychological phenomena.
85-211 Cognitive Psychology
Did you ever wonder how the human mind works? What happens when you browse the web, read an advertisement or create a novel solution for a given task? Cognitive psychology investigates our cognitive processes in terms of attention, perception, memory, problem solving, and language. This research applies to all areas of human existence.
In this course you will get introduced to the major questions in the field of cognitive psychology in a very practical way with hands-on experience. Together we will explore relevant theories and replicate classical studies. You will experience central approaches of investigations. We will discuss and interpret results and will apply the implications to your domain of expertise.
At the end of the course, you will be familiar with major aspects of human cognition in theory and praxis. You will know key results on the building blocks of how the mind works. And you will be able to integrate these aspects into a coherent picture of the human mind and apply what you have learned intro practical scenarios.
85-241 Social Psychology
The focus of this course will be on how peoples behavior, feelings and thoughts are influenced or determined by their social environment. The course will begin with lectures and readings on how social psychologists go about studying social behavior. Next, various topics on which social psychologists have done research will be covered. These topics will include: person perception, prejudice and discrimination, the nature of attitudes and how attitudes are formed and changed, interpersonal attraction, conformity, compliance, altruism, aggression, group behavior, and applications of psychology to problems in health care, law, politics, and the environment. Through readings and lectures on these topics, students will also be exposed to social psychological theories.
88-326 Theories of International Relations
This course is an introductory survey of international relations. The purpose of the course is to familiarize students with the leading theories of international relations and the methods for applying these theories to key historical and contemporary cases. This course has three major dimensions. Assumptions and propositions of the leading theories of international relations will be reviewed. This course also seeks to ensure that students clearly understand how newer theoretical approaches to the study of international relations build upon or depart from classical theories. Finally, theories will be examined alongside the historical record by examining major policy decisions and events.
88-335 Drug Use and Drug Policy
I would be happy to advise a student interested in doing an independent study related to drug policy, which is a course we have on the books because I had expected to teach it in spring 2008. In addition, I would be happy to advise any student interested in doing an independent study on an epidemic "with behavioral feedback". That last phrase means epidemics in which the infectivity of an infected person and/or the vulnerability of a susceptible person can vary over the course of the epidemic because of precautionary behavior. A classic example would be greater condom use for spread of an STD (including HIV/AIDS) or greater attention to cleaning syringes or not sharing them in the case of the spread of blood-borne diseases via needle sharing.
If any student were interested in writing about a case study of an epidemic in their home country or in Qatar, I would be happy to advise it. The advising would be in person during Mini III and long distance from Pgh in Mini IV.
99-104 Carnegie Skills Workshop
This course focuses on information skills needed to effectively gather information from on-line and print resources. Issues include the critical evaluation of information, efficacious search methods, and citation practices.
You will be challenged throughout the course to apply the skills you are learning toward course-based assignments within the curriculum.
Learning assignments will provide opportunities for you to understand how to perform effective search techniques, to use academic scholarly resources, to practically apply the skills obtained to their outside courses, and to gain an understanding of computer ethics and academic integrity.
99-340 Global Issues, Local Solutions
Students will explore the set of pressing issues that has become the objective of the millennium development goals (MDG) of the United Nations. The 2005 report to the U.N. Secretary General stated: “The Millennium Development Goals set timebound targets, by which progress in reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion — while promoting gender equality, health, education and environmental sustainability — can be measured. They also embody basic human rights — the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security.”1
1 http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml
Students will study in detail the global issues that a body of experts on world affairs has identified as vital to our peaceful and healthy existence on the planet. They will then translate what these mean in their local contexts and in contexts in which their country plays a significant role (e.g., US AID, ROTA in Qatar). Because of the interaction between students in two very different contexts their different perspectives and perceptions should inform each other. Because of the time constraints, we may focus on a smaller set of goals after the initial review.
The students will have a unique opportunity in the 6th annual Global Issues, Global Solutions Inter-university conference to be hosted by Carnegie Mellon on February 21. Students will be required to attend the keynote lectures which we will also video and transmit to Doha. This year’s conference focus is on Human Rights as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2008.
