English

This course focuses on the mathematics of financial derivatives which relies on both probability theory and PDE-based approaches. It assumes no prior knowledge of finance. The course begins with an introduction to the type of language and terminology used in the investment banking arena, followed by the essential elements of probability theory and stochastic calculus required for the pricing of options later in the course.

This course explores Jewish culture in Central Europe, covering the most significant periods, movements, and representations. Topics include the importance of Renaissance rabbis and scientific discoveries in early modern Europe, the large Central European centers of Jewish thought, the transition of Europe from the old order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the formation of national states, the onset of Nazism, and the circles of Jewish writers and intellectuals in the Central European capitals. The course also discusses the little researched and long disappeared world of wealthy industrialists, gaining rare insights into the world of large art collections which were mostly looted by the Nazis. The course examines “final solution of the Jewish questions” through the optics of notable Central European authors and filmmakers. The course consists of lectures, discussions, group work, student presentations, and excursions, including a mandatory one-day trip to Kolín.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)– also known as “The Law of Armed Conflict” or “The Law of War” or “Jus in Bello”– regulates the conduct of soldiers and their commanders during wartime. IHL attempts to balance the principle of Military Necessity, the requirement that soldiers do their jobs so that armies can win battles and wars, and the principle of humanity, which attempts to reduce the suffering caused by war. Thus, IHL sets legal standards that attempt to regulate hostilities and protect innocent persons amid the ambiguity and brutality of combat. The course considers the following: what kinds of precautions must soldiers take before launching an attack that may injure civilians; if a civilian briefly picks up a weapon, can he or she be a lawful target; are commanders always responsible for war crimes committed by their subordinates; how do law, policy, and military imperatives combine to produce the difficult decisions that soldiers and commanders must make in the battlespace. This course uses realistic examples to assist students to understand not only how law is supposed to regulate armed conflict, but also how the law is applied during the chaos and stress of combat. Thus, the course combines theory and practice to illuminate issues and challenges that are alive today in places as diverse as Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, and Mali. Prerequisite for this course is an introduction to public international law.

This master level course focuses on British society in the eighteenth century. The first half of the semester is focused on the arts. Various forms of music and their effect on society are studied, such as Handel's "water music". During the second half of the semester, the evolving political sphere within the British empire, including the reign of George I, is covered.

Concentrating on the novel, this course examines a series of major issues in relation to 19th-century literature: its relations to revolution in the aesthetic, political, and social spheres; its awareness of the world beyond the frontiers of Metropolitan France; its focus on the seemingly real and the everyday; its formal experimentation; and its preoccupation with the new category of experience called "modernité." Students read three of the most popular novels of the first decades of the century, by Cottin, Chateaubriand, and Duras, then consider the cultural and political battles around three longer novels by Hugo, Flaubert, and Zola while asking what makes these texts so influential to the present day.

This course provides an introductory study to comparative politics, examining approaches and theories, research methods, and the overall evolution of comparative politics as a discipline. Topics covered include: economic development and political regimes; democratization; institutional design and democratic performance; the welfare state.

This course provides an introduction to embedded and real-time systems. Students gain practical experience using a small micro-controller development board, programmed in C, and industrial development tools. The course examines the interface between the digital micro-controller and physical sensors and actuators, and the process of analyzing, designing, and testing systems that react to external events.

The Presentation Skills training module gives students insight into many different aspects of presenting. This course makes students more aware of their strengths and weaknesses in presenting. Students receive feedback and tips in order to make presentations more effective. The types of presentations covered are: Pecha Kucha, Elevator Speech, and TED Talks.