Category Archives: Undergraduate

Courses for All IMA Students

Fall 2023

Quantified Self (CCOL-UH 1059Q)

Self-tracking. Biohacking. Personal informatics. Quantified self. The contemporary “quantified self” movement makes claims of “self-knowledge through numbers” and improving health and human welfare. There are clearly other elements to self-tracking culture that deserve critical investigation. What does the self become through the lens of data? What is the dark side of data that can be used against us, and without regard for social justice and equality? This multidisciplinary course takes both a theoretical and a practical look at the pressing issue of data aggregation about human beings. It looks to the past for historical forms of self-quantification and to the future of a rapidly expanding globalized landscape of app tracking and wearable technologies. With the question of human data in mind, the course examines the unsure futures of humanity in a variety of domains: medicine and aging, education, the arts, marketing, and the Internet of Things. Students will situate themselves critically within this increasingly dense data landscape by creating data about themselves that can be analyzed and interpreted using a variety of data visualization and storytelling frameworks.

Core: Colloquium (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2023)

CCOL-UH 1059Q-000 (22917)08/29/2023 – 12/15/2023 Tue,Thu12:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Abu DhabiInstructed by Wrisley, David

Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2022

Monsters and Their Humans (RELST-UA 649)

Humanity has long imagined monstrous transformations of ourselves. What do these creatures mean to us, historically and today? What do we think we are becoming? Investigates the supernatural in popular culture through vampires and zombies. Places them in the context of our imagination of the divine through history and ethnography, and also alongside our intimate problems of managing sex, gender, race, and class. The archives of religions, psychologies, philosophy, film, TA, and novels provide rich source material, Requires a short midterm essay and a longer final project, while posting to a forum most weeks.

Religious Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2022)

RELST-UA 649-000 (20380)01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Tue,Thu11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Zito, Angela · Rubino, Rena

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate

Dancing in the Here and Now: Making Dances, Knowing Bodies (ARTS-UG 1221)

Both dancing and everyday movement offer continual opportunities for embodied experience. Those who regularly dance or engage in movement practices such as yoga, jogging, cycling, and walking typically develop an appetite, even a need, for moving and the breadth of experience it brings. Whether you already feel this appetite or want to explore embodied experience for the first time, this Arts Workshop offers the opportunity for deep investigation of movement, focusing on active and contemplative exploration of bodies in space and time. We will be guided by several research strands linked to the existence and power of embodiment, noting experimental choreographer Susan Rethorst’s term, “the body’s mind”: ways of knowing (individually, culturally) through our bodies. Through many movement options, including dancing and somatic practices, walking and other everyday actions, and personal/cultural/political movement histories, we will encounter or create relationships between what we do and who we are. In the studio and elsewhere, we will consider how our lives as movers, and our sense of ourselves as embodied, bring us into contact with others—walkers, dancers, friends and family—and with our spaces, places, and sociocultural worlds. In this course (open to anyone with/without previous training), our research-in-action will be supported by interdisciplinary scholarship engaged with dance, embodiment, space, everyday culture, phenomenology, environmental studies, and life writing. Readings may include works by Thomas DeFrantz, Anna Halprin, Victoria Hunter, Einav Katan, Marcel Mauss, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Andrea Olsen, Steve Paxton, Georges Perec, Yvonne Rainer, Susan Rethorst, Kathleen Stewart, and Yi-Fu Tuan.

Arts Workshops (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

ARTS-UG 1221-000 (9703)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Wed11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Satin, Leslie

Expressive Culture Fall 2025 Undergraduate
Fall 2023

Conserving Our Global Heritage through Science (CCOL-UH 1006)

What is “global heritage”? Is it simply our collective legacy as human societies – how we want to be remembered by future generations – or must we confront more difficult questions about identity, the ownership of culture, and conflicts between local and global stewardship of the cultural treasures and historical evidence? With time, negligence, and even military conflict working to erase the past, we must ask: Can a better understanding of our shared heritage assist us in addressing cultural differences in the present day? And how can science both help us understand the historic record and work to preserve it? This class examines ways in which scientific methods can help define “global heritage” and protect it for future generations. Students explore the history and the science behind the creation of paintings, frescoes, parchments, sculptures, ancient mummies, historical buildings, musical instruments, and other artifacts. They will also examine the methods used to differentiate between an authentic object and a fake and ask how some objects come to be valued more than others: distinctions that can lead, and have led, to cultural conflict in recent years.

Core: Colloquium (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2023)

CCOL-UH 1006-000 (17210)08/29/2023 – 12/15/2023 Mon,Wed11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Abu DhabiInstructed by Arneodo, Francesco · Parthesius, Robert

Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate

Cultural Appropriation (CCEA-UH 1069)

Virtually unknown outside of academic discourse until recently, the term cultural appropriation has become a commonplace in social and popular media, as activists and public intellectuals have highlighted what they see as problematic uses (or abuses) of cultural symbols, artifacts, or expressive modes connected to marginalized groups. But what exactly is cultural appropriation, and under what circumstances can it be said to constitute a form of exploitation or violence? This course approaches these questions both philosophically and empirically, asking, on the one hand: What is culture, and how can it be “owned” or “stolen”? and on the other: How have practices of adopting or using culture been implicated in processes of social subjugation or marginalization? Course readings are drawn from a range of disciplines across the humanities and social sciences, including cultural anthropology, art theory, music studies, and philosophy. By engaging with a rich corpus of ideas through in-class discussions, oral presentations, and written reflections, students will develop critical perspectives on cultural appropriation as well as the broader concepts of culture, race, and ethnicity.

Core: Cultural Exploration & Analysis (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

CCEA-UH 1069-000 (20400)08/25/2025 – 12/10/2025 Tue,Thu11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Abu DhabiInstructed by Eisenberg, Andrew Jarad

Fall 2025 Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate

Composing Music with Max (OART-UT 1097)

The foundations of Max, a powerful visual programming language for music and multimedia, will be covered in this course. We will examine how computers can be utilized to create situations for music creation, performance, and collaborative improvisation as well as applied to building interactive, generative music. In addition to learning Max’s fundamental building blocks, we will also use fundamental music theory as a tool to better understand music making. We will create programs that examine rhythm, melodies, chords, scales, and recognize other qualities of music like timbre, texture, and dynamics while taking into consideration the principles of harmony, melody, and rhythm defined in basic music theory. The final will require you to develop a collaborative piece of interactive computer music, a collaborative performance environment, or another final project that has been discussed and agreed upon together. This class does not require any prerequisite programming skills or prior music theory knowledge.

Open Arts Curriculum (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

OART-UT 1097-000 (18705)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Wed5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Late afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Aguilar, Gustavo

Fall 2025 IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Media & Entertainment) Undergraduate

City Photography and Architecture: Discovering Urban Treasures (IPHTI-UT 1210)

City, territory and architecture have been, from the beginning of photography, privileged objects for its practice. Photography has become a tool to strengthen the understanding of architecture, to highlight aesthetic and design ideas and to critically interpret the space. This class focuses on architectural photography and the photography of urban space, both in relation to their historical roots and contemporary practice. Florence offers a perfect environment to develop one’s artistic talent while learning the art of photography and discovering the secrets of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Assignments are designed to help explore options for technical control as well as visual experimentation and individual style. Keeping in mind the inseparability of photographic technique and expression, students are expected to articulate their particular choices in relation to the overall conceptual approach of the projects. Critiques of assignments are important to the progress of each individual in the class, to help verbalize visual concepts, and to learn to see actively. The final exam consists of the presentation of a portfolio of photographs and an artist’s statement. Students are expected to work on their projects to develop an aesthetic and coherent photographic language and a personal approach to the photographic medium in a different environment. An emphasis is also placed on refining craft in relation to ideas, and to research on an individual basis, since it is crucial in developing an artistic practice. The course includes lectures, shooting sessions and field trips, discussions and critiques of the photographs. Each student must have a camera with manually adjustable aperture and shutter speed.

Int`l Pgms, Photography (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

IPHTI-UT 1210-000 (10835)08/28/2025 – 12/02/2025 Tue10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Morning)at NYU Florence (Global)Instructed by Capodacqua, Alessandra

Fall 2025 Undergraduate

Electricity and Light (PH-UY 1223)

Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri
Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu,Fri

Second of two introductory courses in general physics for non science or engineering majors. (Not an acceptable substitute for PH-UY 2023 or PH-UY 2033) Electric forces and fields. Electric potential and capacitance. Electric current. Magnetic forces and fields. Faradays law and inductance. Maxwell’s Theory of Electromagnetism. Electromagnetic waves. Light and Color. Geometrical optics. Image Formation. Interference and diffraction. | Prerequisite(s): PH-UY 1213 or PH-UY 1013; Co-requisite: EX-UY 1.

Physics (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 15 Weeks

Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Introduction to Mechanical Engineering (ME-UY 1012)

Credits: 2
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue

This course introduces students to the range of mechanical engineering and emphasizes the basic principles and devices for storing and using energy, directing motion and satisfying needs. Case studies look at design issues and related ethical and professional practice issues. Emphasis is on a mindset of exploration. Engineering standards and standard parts. Teams work on and present two design challenges. | Prerequisite: Only first-year students are permitted to enroll in this course.

Mechanical Engineering (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 15 Weeks

Fall 2025 IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Physical Computing & Experimental Interfaces) Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Applied Audio for Video (MPATE-UE 1225)

Credits: 3
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Tue

A continuation of MPATE-UE 1010. This is an advanced & detailed study of the audio-visual production & post-production process including digital recording techniques, with special emphasis on synchronization & the interfacing of SMPTE time code. Sound design, advanced Foley topics, * creative workflow in audio post production will also be discussed.

Music Technology (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 15 Weeks

IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Media & Entertainment) Spring 2026 Undergraduate
Spring 2023 Spring 2024 Spring 2025

Sound Design and Spatialization at IRCAM (MPATE-UE 9055)

This course focuses on three important areas in music technology: spatialization, computer aided composition, analysis & synthesis techniques. In each area, concepts & implementations will be explored in a variety of artistic & technological contexts. Students will work with the latest technologies including IRCAM Tools, Spat plugin, Max Bach library, Ambisonics, & Wave Field Synthesis. The course includes a 3-hour weekly lecture, 3-hour studio lab, & workshops at IRCAM. This course is taught in collaboration with IRCAM in Paris, one of the world leading institutions in computer music and acoustics.

Music Technology (Undergraduate)
6 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2025)

MPATE-UE 9055-000 (2385)at NYU Paris (Global)Instructed by

IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Media & Entertainment) Undergraduate

User Experience Design (ITPG-GT 3017)

“This 2-pt course aims to provide students with the critical thinking and practical skills for creating effective and compelling interfaces. We will dissect what a compelling user experience is, apply proven research techniques for approaching and defining UX problems and apply design frameworks including mapping and testing techniques. The class format will include lectures, discussion, in-class design exercises and a final project. Week 1: what is UX Week 2: inclusive research methods Week 3: frameworks for defining a problem Week 4: understanding behavior and motivation Week 5: mapping flow and visual strategies, final project intro Week 6: testing methods and future UX Week 7: final projects”

Interactive Telecommunications (Graduate)
2 credits – 6 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

ITPG-GT 3017-000 (11383)09/05/2025 – 10/17/2025 Fri12:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Su, Peiqi

Fall 2025 Graduate IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Art & Design) Undergraduate

Digital Audio Workstations: ProTools (REMU-UT 1020)

During this course, students will acquire an in-depth, theoretical and practical knowledge of Digital Audio Workstations using the industry standard Pro Tools software through a weekly, lab-based workshop. Each class will be a combination of lecture and immediate application. An emphasis will be placed on getting to know Pro Tools, getting inside Pro Tools, creating sessions, working with media in sessions, audio recording, audio editing, file management techniques, MIDI recording, editing techniques, mixing techniques, backups and stereo mix-down.

Undergraduate

Class #
Section #
Meets

Class #: 2600
Section #: 001
Meets: MTWR 3-5p

Fall 2025 Summer 2025 Summer 2026 Undergraduate

Digital Audio Workstations: Ableton Live (REMU-UT 1022)

We live in an age of digital production where so much of today’s music is produced with comparatively few tools, and at the heart of the modern production set up, whether in the bedroom of the studio, is software that uses MIDI. One of the most versatile of today’s platforms which can be used in production, live performance, and even as a visual tool is Ableton Live. Ableton is unique amongst the contemporary software programs making music in that it is the only one that was created by working musicians who were looking for a tool that allowed for both the seamless creation of ideas and could also serve as a performance instrument. In the past 15 years, Ableton has played an important role in creating countless tracks and records in numerous genres and the go-to software for live performance, whether for vocalists and bands or for massive spectacles like Cirque du Soleil. In this course, we will cover Ableton’s unique abilities to manipulate audio which make it the preferred platform for remixing and mash-ups. We will cover the fundamentals of the software, explore techniques to program beats, chordal and melodic ideas, as well as cover creative workflow – how to use Ableton to quickly generate ideas for producers and songwriters. Finally, we will discuss its use as a live performance tool for use with live instrumentalists and vocalists, as a DJ tool and even as a VJing tool. 

Recorded Music (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17977)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Fri1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Carrero, Joanne

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17978)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Fri3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Late afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Carrero, Joanne

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17979)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Mon9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Morning)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Freeman, Dan

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17980)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Mon11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Morning)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Freeman, Dan

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17981)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Mon1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Freeman, Dan

REMU-UT 1022-000 (17982)09/02/2025 – 12/11/2025 Mon3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Late afternoon)at Brooklyn CampusInstructed by Freeman, Dan

Fall 2025 Undergraduate

Interdisciplinary Projects: Guided Practice (ART-UE 9921)

This course provides space and guidance for students to work on self-driven, individual and group projects in art and media. Course content consists of texts, site visits, presentations, workshops, and critiques built around each student’s individual practice. Faculty and guest critics will hold regular studio visits, to help guide students through their process. Students’ material and technical investigations and theoretical inquiries will be addressed in group workshops and demonstrations. This course will culminate in a public presentation of students’ work.

Studio Art (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

ART-UE 9921-000 (10702)08/28/2025 – 12/04/2025 Wed2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Early afternoon)at NYU Berlin (Global)Instructed by Komarov, Aleksander

Fall 2025 IMA Electives Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Introduction to Psychology and Its Principles (APSY-UE 2)

Introduction to the fundamental principles of psychology, emphasizing both the unity & the diversity of a field that spans major theoretical & research areas, including biological bases of human behavior, learning, development, motivation, & social and abnormal behavior. Links between theory & classic as well as contemporary research are a recurrent theme. Liberal Arts Core/MAP Equivalent – satisfies the requirement for Society & the Social Sciences

Applied Psychology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

APSY-UE 2-000 (11013)01/23/2023 – 05/08/2023 Tue,Thu9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Brito, Natalie

APSY-UE 2-000 (12169)01/23/2023 – 05/08/2023 Thu7:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Evening)at Washington SquareInstructed by Collado, Amarfi

APSY-UE 2-000 (12170)01/23/2023 – 05/08/2023 Thu8:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Evening)at Washington SquareInstructed by Collado, Amarfi

APSY-UE 2-000 (12171)at Washington SquareInstructed by

APSY-UE 2-000 (12172)at Washington SquareInstructed by

APSY-UE 2-000 (12337)01/23/2023 – 05/08/2023 Fri10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Sanchez, Nathalia

APSY-UE 2-000 (12338)01/23/2023 – 05/08/2023 Fri11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Sanchez, Nathalia

APSY-UE 2-000 (21776)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate

Disability Justice and Radical Inclusion (OT-UE 1403)

Explores the implications and meaning of having a disability in global contexts by introducing students to experts’ voices, especially disabled activists, as they seek to advance disability justice and inclusion and demand systemic change in spheres of influence including education, politics, healthcare, the arts, culture, social welfare, and everyday life. Examines how public (government) and private (outside of the government) policies and practices in these sectors affect the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Students explore and identify how international trends in disability and inclusion, local cultural beliefs, and biases influence inclusion.

Occupational Therapy (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 7 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2025)

OT-UE 1403-000 (12899)09/02/2025 – 10/21/2025 Wed11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Onwumere, Dora

Fall 2025 Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate