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

Hist of Nationalism in Cent & Eastern Europe (HIST-UA 9176)

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

The goal of this course is to introduce the students into nationalism studies and into a plethora of historical and present roots of national identities and manifestations of nationalism in Central and Eastern Europe. The course will examine how selected aspects of national histories have been used (and misused) in 19., 20. and 21. century to support/justify national political programs and leaders; specifically, how a romantic picture of national history influenced the development of national identity and what role its interpretation has had in political struggles and programs of Central and East European nations. The course focuses on forces that triggered many eruptions of ethnic hatred and atrocities in Central and Eastern Europe including Holocaust, post World War II expulsion of Germans, civil war in former Yugoslavia, and most recently the nationalist aspects of conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The course will focus on Ukraine and Russia, Poland, Hungary, former Czechoslovakia, present-day Czech Republic and Slovakia, on former Yugoslavia and on independent states on its territory, and it will motivate the students to formulate a positive and cooperative prospect for the region’s future.

History (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Cultures and Contexts Societies & the Social Sciences Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Comp Modern Societies: Pol & Soc in 20C Germany (HIST-UA 9133)

Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Wed

The history of Germany in the twentieth century offers rich material to explore various approaches to organizing modern society. Beginning with Imperial Germany in 1900 and moving forward to today’s reunited Germany, we will look at different ways in which the relationship between the state and the individual, and relationship between politics, economy, and society developed over five different political systems. We will interrogate how these institutional arrangements were envisioned and structured and how they were experienced in everyday negotiations. In this course, principle narratives and events will be situated in a European and global context, allowing us to place the concept of German modernity in a comparative framework. Lectures will provide an overview of Germany in the twentieth century; readings and in-class discussions will explore different approaches to analyzing German history and society. During museum visits and walking tours, we will analyze contestations over the various attempts to integrate – both in concerted efforts to memorialize as well as to forget and erase – Germany’s oft-problematic pasts within the narrative of Germany’s present.

History (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Cultures and Contexts Fall 2025 Societies & the Social Sciences Spring 2026 Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Statistics for Business and Economics (BUSF-SHU 101)

This course introduces students to the use of statistical methods. Topics include: descriptive statistics; introduction to probability; sampling; statistical inference concerning means, standard deviations, and proportions; correlation; analysis of variance; linear regression, including multiple regression analysis. Applications to empirical situations are an integral part of the course. Pre-requisites: None Fulfillment: This course satisfies the following: Major req: BUSF, BUSM, ECON, CS, DS Foundational course; Social Science: methods course; IMB Business elective.

Business and Finance (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 13 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

BUSF-SHU 101-000 (17187)09/13/2022 – 12/16/2022 Tue1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by Zheng, Dan

BUSF-SHU 101-000 (17188)09/13/2022 – 12/16/2022 Wed1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by Zheng, Dan

BUSF-SHU 101-000 (17189)09/13/2022 – 12/16/2022 Fri1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Early afternoon)at ShanghaiInstructed by Zheng, Dan

Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Virgins Martyrs Monks & Saints: Early Christianity (RELST-UA 846)

What was it about Christianity that it made it so popular in the ancient world? Was it the martyrs volunteering for public execution? Monks’ sexual renunciation? The isolation of hermits living on the tops of columns in the wilderness? Or perhaps orthodoxy and its politically divisive anxieties about heretics and Jews? In fact, all these things (and more) explain how a small Jewish messianic sect from Palestine became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. This course will provide an introduction to the big questions in the history of early Christianity. The focus will be on early Christian literature, such as martyr texts, saints’ lives, and works of monastic spirituality and mysticism. Issues addressed will include the Christian reception of Greco-Roman antiquity, the origins of anti-Semitism, gender and sexuality in the early Church, and the emergence of Christian theology.

Religious Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Cultures and Contexts Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Fall 2022

History in the Headlines (HIST-UA 70)

The key events you read about in your morning twitter feed or on your favorite news sites are usually not unique in world affairs. They have a background, a context, that makes them more understandable and often more interesting. History is about everything that happened before you started reading this course description. And thinking historically means trying to make sense of the new in the context of what human beings have done before. In this lecture series, NYU’s historians take you on a behind the scenes tour of current events you thought you knew, with the goal of making you a better observer and analyst of news about the world around you.

History (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 15 Weeks

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Philosophical Approaches to Race and Racism (PHIL-UA 8)

This introductory-level course is needed to provide students with a firm understanding of distinctively philosophical approaches to issues concerning race and racism. This course has two themes. The first is an exploration of the concept of race. This is a question in social ontology, which is the philosophical study of the nature of social entities. The second is an examination of some of the normative and conceptual issues surrounding the most morally significant of the ways in which “race” has mattered for social life, namely as the concept that defines the object of the attitudes, practices, institutions and beliefs we call “racist.” We shall ask what racism is, what sorts of things can be racist, and what makes racism wrong.

Philosophy (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

PHIL-UA 8-000 (10079)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue,Thu11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Appiah, Kwame Anthony

PHIL-UA 8-000 (10080)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Mon8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Ulerie, Jodell

PHIL-UA 8-000 (10081)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Mon9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Ulerie, Jodell

PHIL-UA 8-000 (10082)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Mon11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Grabelsky, Dana

PHIL-UA 8-000 (10083)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Mon2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Grabelsky, Dana

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

British Art in London (ARTH-UA 9011)

Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Thu
Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Thu

The principal aim of this course is to familiarize students with the history of British art from the Stuarts to the early Victorian era. Teaching will be conducted entirely on sites in London or its immediate vicinity. The course will begin with the elite patronage of the Stuart court and end with the development of public institutions of art from the mid-eighteenth century. The social significance of portraiture, the cult of antiquity, the art market and the rise of landscape will all be studied as themes. There will be a strong emphasis on the European sources of British visual culture and the emergence of a distinctive national tradition of painting from Hogarth through to Turner.

Art History (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Expressive Culture Fall 2025 Spring 2026 Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Introduction to The New Testament (RELST-UA 302)

Introduces students to issues and themes in the history of the Jesus movement and early Christianity through a survey of the main texts of the canonical New Testament as well as other important early Christian documents. Students are given the opportunity to read most of the New Testament text in a lecture hall setting where the professor provides historical context and focus on significant issues, describes modern scholarly methodologies, and places the empirical material within the larger framework of ancient history and the theoretical study of religion.

Religious Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

RELST-UA 302-000 (26095)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue,Thu2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Cady, Alyssa

Cultures and Contexts Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Advanced Seminar in Personality Disorders (CAMS-UA 202)

Can we truly classify one’s personality, the very essence of an individual, as “disordered”? We explore the history, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of personality disorders. We begin with an overview of personality and theories of personality development and then complete an in-depth review of each disorder. We consider the genetic, neurobiological, and developmental research supporting and refuting these diagnoses. We review various classification systems, observe how the media often portrays personality disorders, and challenge the notion that undesirable personality traits are always maladaptive. Finally, we utilize both research and clinical material and aims at a nuanced understanding of these disorders and their sustained impact upon affected individuals.

Child/Adoles Mental Hlth Stds (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

CAMS-UA 202-000 (9695)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Mon,Wed12:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Goldberg, Ross · Davis, Jordan

Physical Science OR Life Science Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Fall 2022

TrendingMentalHealth (CAMS-UA 504)

Addresses current problems facing our society and threatening our mental health, such as the opioid epidemic, gun violence, video game addiction, legal use of marijuana, and prolonged separation of children from their parents. Students contrast what is scientifically understood with what is commonly believed and learn critical reading and thinking skills as they parse fact from fiction, reality from supposition. Given the topical nature of this course, themes may vary by semester and instructor expertise (including a focus on social and cultural issues, novel neuroscience, digital health technology, etc.).

Child/Adoles Mental Hlth Stds (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

CAMS-UA 504-000 (9479)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Waugh, Whitney

CAMS-UA 504-000 (9700)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue12:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Castellanos, Francisco · Baroni, Argelinda

CAMS-UA 504-000 (19793)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Wed8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Gerson, Ruth · Marsh, Akeem · Chhabra, Divya

Societies & the Social Sciences Undergraduate
Fall 2022

Introduction to Computer Programming (Limited Prior Experience) (CSCI-UA 3)

This course introduces object-oriented programming, recursion, and other important programming concepts to students who already have had some exposure to programming in the context of building applications using Python. Students will design and implement Python programs in a variety of applied areas.

Computer Science (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2022)

CSCI-UA 3-000 (9289)09/01/2022 – 12/14/2022 Tue,Thu11:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)at Washington SquareInstructed by Arias Hernandez, Mauricio

Quantitative Reasoning Undergraduate

Islam and Spain (SPAN-UA 9466)

Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu

From the 8th century until the 17th century, Islam played a crucial role in the history of the Iberian Peninsula. Today this period is often portrayed as one of inter-religious harmony, while al-Andalus is simultaneously mourned in contemporary Islamist discourse as a lost paradise. While we look at the history of Al-Andalus and assess the importance of the contributions of Al-Andalus to Europe and America, we evaluate the significance of its legacy in modern Spain. Furthermore, we will study the protagonist role that Spain has played in relations between Europe and the Mediterranean Islamic countries during the Modern Age. Students will gain further understanding and contextualization of current Arab-Muslim geopolitics. As a case study, we will address the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, as well as its ensuing process of decolonization and the consequences that shape the current international relations between the two neighboring countries, Spain and Morocco.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Fall 2025 Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Queer Cultures and Democracy (SPAN-UA 9481)

Credits: 4
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Tue,Thu

In the last decade, many Latin American nations have witnessed decisive progress in the legal recognition of non-normative sexualities and gender identities. The conventional map of “advanced democracies” crafting models of democratization to be exported to “less developed” nations seems definitely challenged: a new understanding of the multiple temporalities of queer cultures in North and South America is even more necessary than ever. In order to explore this multi-layered landscape, this course is aimed at reconstructing the historical detours of queer cultures in Buenos Aires and New York, considered enclaves of queer cultures in Argentina and the US respectively. The course revisits the last three decades in order to question the dominant and frequently reductive narratives of lineal progress. Taught simultaneously in Buenos Aires and New York, the class includes critical readings of queer cultural production as well as work on local archives and interviews with activists and GLTTBI organizations.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Spring 2026 Undergraduate

Intensive Interm Spanish (SPAN-UA 9020)

Credits: 6
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu
Credits: 6
Duration: 14 Weeks
Dates: Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Mon,Tue,Wed

SPAN-UA 9020.002 (Intensive Intermediate Spanish) is a six-credit course that continues and reviews the introductory level Spanish learned in SPAN-UA.1 and SPAN-UA.2, or in SPANUA. 10, while introducing literary readings, short films, and more complex composition exercises. The course involves an integration of the four basic skills: listening, speaking,reading and writing with the aim to improve communication in Spanish. Through this integrated approach, you will participate in a practical application of vocabulary, grammar,and culture. The course emphasizes mastery of language skills through specific contexts and dialogical situations.At the end of the course students will read a novel which will also be used to review many of the grammatical points covered in the textbook and class work, to improve analytical thinking and literary criticism skills, as well as to verbally express opinions about the situations presented in the novel. The goals of this course are to provide you with the opportunity to improve your oral and written communication skills in the language, by applying all the grammar rules you have learned and will be reviewing. You will be expected to substantially increase your working vocabulary and make solid progress in reading and writing skills.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
6 credits – 14 Weeks

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

Cultural History of Latin America (SPAN-UA 205)

This course provides an introduction to the making of modern Latin America through the study of key cultural practices in literature, visual art, film, and performance from the 19th century to the present. The course is organized around key concepts, which may vary by semester and by instructor

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SPAN-UA 205-000 (9397)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Intermediate Spanish II (SPAN-UA 4)

Readings and discussions of contemporary Hispanic texts and review of the main grammatical concepts of Spanish. Completion of this course fulfills the MAP foreign language requirement.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8360)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8361)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8362)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8363)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8364)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8365)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8366)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8367)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8368)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8369)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8370)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8371)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 4-000 (8372)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate
Spring 2023

Intens Elemen Spanish (SPAN-UA 10)

Open to students with some previous training in Spanish or another Romance language (one year of high school Spanish or the equivalent, or two years of high school French, Italian, or Latin) and to others on assignment by placement exam or in consultation with the director of the Spanish language program. This is a one-semester intensive course that covers the equivalent of one year of elementary Spanish (SPAN-UA 1 and SPAN-UA 2). 6 points. After completing this course, students may go into SPAN-UA 3, which is preparation for SPAN-UA 4. Students with high scores in the semester (B and up) or with permission from the Director of the Language Program may enroll in SPAN-UA 20. Completion of either SPAN-UA 20 or SPAN-UA 4 fulfills the Core requirement.

Spanish (Undergraduate)
6 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2023)

SPAN-UA 10-000 (8373)at Washington SquareInstructed by

SPAN-UA 10-000 (9212)at Washington SquareInstructed by

Liberal Arts & Sciences - Electives Undergraduate