Category Archives: Liberal Arts & Sciences – Electives

All Liberal Arts Elective Courses: Quantitative Reasoning, Physical Science OR Life Science, Societies & the Social Sciences, Expressive Culture, General Liberal Arts Electives

Spring 2023

Spanish for Beginners – Level II (SPAN-UA 2)

After completing SPAN-UA 2 or SPAN-UA 10 (see below), students who wish to continue studying Spanish at an intermediate level must take a qualifying exam. Students who pass the exam may enroll in SPAN-UA 3, which is preparation for SPAN-UA 4. Students who complete SPAN-UA 2 or SPAN-UA 10 and pass the qualifying exam with high scores may enroll in SPAN-UA 20, a 6-credit intensive intermediate course that is the equivalent of Intermediate Spanish I and II. Completion of either SPAN-UA 20 or SPAN-UA 4 satisfies the MAP foreign language requirement.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8341)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8342)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8343)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8344)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8345)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8346)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8347)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8348)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8349)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8350)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8351)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8412)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8799)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 2-000 (8800)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Intermediate Spanish I (SPAN-UA 3)

Review of grammar, language structure, and culture, concentrating on fluency and accuracy through listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities. After completion of this course, students take SPAN-UA 4 in fulfillment of the MAP foreign language requirement.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8352)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8353)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8354)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8355)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8356)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8357)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8358)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8359)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8463)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 3-000 (8464)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Fall 2019

Terrorism and Political Violence in the Modern World (SOC-UA 474)

Following the 9/11 attacks, there has been much discussion of “terrorism” and political violence more generally by politicians, journalists, and scholars. But what exactly is “terrorism,” and how does it differ from other types of violence? This course addresses the following questions: How and for what purposes has the idea of “terrorism” been conceptualized and used by politicians, journalists, and scholars? How have scholars attempted to explain terrorism and political violence? Why and under what conditions does collective violence and terrorism in particular seem to arise? Are terrorism or other forms of political violence ever justified? And does terrorism or violence actually work? If so, how and under what circumstances? To answer these questions, we will examine a wide range of historical cases of terrorism and political violence in the modern world.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Summer 2021

Politics, Power, and Society (SOC-UA 471)

The nature and dimensions of power in society. Theoretical and empirical material dealing with national power structures of the contemporary United States and with power in local communities. Topics: the iron law of oligarchy, theoretical and empirical considerations of democracy, totalitarianism, mass society theories, voting and political participation, the political and social dynamics of advanced and developing societies, and the political role of intellectuals. Considers selected models for political analysis.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 6 Weeks

Sections (Summer 2021)

SOC-UA 471-000 (2730)07/06/2021 – 08/15/2021 Mon,Wed,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Meyer, Neal

SOC-UA 471-000 (2742)07/06/2021 – 08/15/2021 Mon,Wed,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Meyer, Neal

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Fall 2022

The Family (SOC-UA 451)

Introduction to the sociology of family life. Addresses a range of questions: What is the relationship between family life and social arrangements outside the family (e.g., in the workplace, the economy, the government)? How is the division of labor in the family related to gender, age, class, and ethnic inequality? Why and how have families changed historically? What are the contours of contemporary American families, and why are they changing?

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Summer 2022

Sex and Gender (SOC-UA 21)

What forms does gender inequality take, and how can it best be explained? How and why are the relations between women and men changing? What are the most important social, political, and economic consequences of this ?gender revolution?? The course provides answers to these questions by examining a range of theories about gender in light of empirical findings about women?s and men?s behavior.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 6 Weeks

Sections (Summer 2022)

SOC-UA 21-000 (2406)05/23/2022 – 07/06/2022 Mon,Tue,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Leigh, Jenny

SOC-UA 21-000 (4294)07/07/2022 – 08/17/2022 Mon,Tue,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Kaplan, Golda

SOC-UA 21-000 (4373)07/07/2022 – 08/17/2022 Mon,Tue,Thu1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Kaplan, Golda

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Social Networks (SOC-UA 131)

Social life in its different forms, from the delicate equilibrium of a triadic relation to the chaotic dynamic of a crowd, emerges from the interdependent behavior of multiple actors. By studying social networks – i.e., the web of relationships in which individuals and groups are embedded –, we will understand important collective dynamics, such as interpersonal influence, social diffusion, the origin of social norms, group cohesion and intergroup conflict, political participation, and market exchange. This course will offer an overview of basic social networks concepts, combining the theoretical tradition of structural and relational sociology with the analytical tools of graph theory.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 131-000 (9277)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 131-000 (9278)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 131-000 (9279)at Washington SquareInstructed by

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

Immigration (SOC-UA 9452)

Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed
Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed

To provide an understanding of the main immigration trends in Britain, France and Germany since 1850 To provide an understanding of the problems attending the social and political integration of immigrants in contemporary Western Europe To compare the experience and understanding of immigration in Europe with the experience and understanding of immigration in the United States To examine the ways in which the memory of immigration is represented in literature and contemporary culture.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Fall 2025 Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Spring 2026 Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Immigration (SOC-UA 452)

This course provides an introduction to contemporary immigration to the United States, against the backdrop of immigration since the start of the Republic and rooted in socio-behavioral science. The first half of the course is devoted to understanding U.S. law and policy governing immigration, and the second to understanding the characteristics and behavior of foreign-born – especially immigrants – in the United States.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 452-000 (8813)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Criminology (SOC-UA 503)

Examines the making of criminal laws and their enforcement by police, courts, prisons, probation and parole, and other agencies. Criminal behavior systems, theories of crime and delinquency causation, victimization, corporate and governmental crime, and crime in the mass media. Policy questions.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 503-000 (9851)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 503-000 (9852)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 503-000 (9853)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Race and Ethnicity (SOC-UA 135)

What is ’race’ exactly? Defining the concept presents a real challenge. This class explores what race and ethnicity mean, beginning with historical ideas about human difference. Comparing American beliefs and practices to those found in other societies, we will pay special attention to the particular notions and hierarchies of race that emerge in different times and places. The course also investigates the roles that institutions like the media, the arts, the state, and the sciences play in shaping our understandings of race and ethnicity. We will conclude by considering the predictions that scholars have made about the future of racial stratification in the United States.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 135-000 (9848)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 135-000 (9849)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 135-000 (9850)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Statistics for Social Research (SOC-UA 302)

Gives students in the social sciences (sociology, anthropology, political science, and metropolitan studies) an introduction to the logic and methods of descriptive and inferential statistics with social science applications. Deals with univariate and bivariate statistics and introduces multivariate methods. Problems of causal inference. Computer computation.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 302-000 (8328)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 302-000 (8329)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 302-000 (8330)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Sociological Theory (SOC-UA 111)

Prerequisite: one previous course in sociology, junior standing, or permission of the instructor. Brenner, Corradi, Ertman, Goodwin, Lukes. Offered every semester. 4 points. Examines the nature of sociological theory and the value of and problems in theorizing. Provides a detailed analysis of the writings of major social theorists since the 19th century in both Europe and America: Tocqueville, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, Freud, Mead, Parsons, Merton, Goffman, Habermas, Giddens, Alexander, and Bourdieu.

Sociology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SOC-UA 111-000 (8327)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 111-000 (8978)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SOC-UA 111-000 (8979)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Fall 2023 Spring 2023 Spring 2024

The Performing Arts in Global Cultures (MPATC-UE 1505)

The study of the intersection of key philosophical and ethical systems with the analysis of performing art works and the music industry. Students learn an “Eclectic Method” of analysis to holistically explore and study works of art from cultures from around the world while studying ethical complexities and analytical systems in relation to the performing arts industries.

Music Theory and Composition (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2024)

MPATC-UE 1505-000 (16548)01/22/2024 – 05/06/2024 Tue,Thu4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)at OnlineInstructed by White, Leonard · Bush, Christopher

Cultures and Contexts Expressive Culture Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate

Future of Medicine (CCOL-UH 1010)

Credits: 4
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed

One of the biggest challenges in medicine is to prevent disease and ensure personalized treatment. This is now becoming possible thanks to high-resolution DNA sequencing technology that can decipher our individual information. These developments are already impacting global health, but they raise global challenges such as equality. How will these new technologies blend into healthcare systems? What regulations are needed to ensure that personalized medicine reaches all layers of society? How do we prevent discrimination based on our genes? Through an inquiry-based approach we will examine the science, economics, and politics behind medicine and evaluate the ethical issues that arise in this fast-developing field.

Core: Colloquium (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Fall 2025 IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Seminar/Studies) Societies & the Social Sciences Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Music, the Mind and Artificial Intelligence (MPATE-UE 1113)

Credits: 4
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed
Credits: 4
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed,Wed
Credits: 4
Duration: 15 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Wed,Wed

Music is universal to all human cultures. This course will explore fundamental concepts of the psychological, emotional, and cognitive effects of music and what factors in the human body and brain are involved in producing them, with particular emphasis on cross-cultural study. Students will learn beginning methods of computational feature extraction and machine learning to explore simple artificial intelligence models that build on and articulate the conceptual frameworks of music and cognition introduced in the initial phase of the class.

Music Technology (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Expressive Culture IMA Electives IMA Electives (Legacy Structure - Programming & Data) Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Spring 2026 Undergraduate