English

The course is an introduction to three important tools of applied mathematics, namely ordinary differential equations, Fourier-series, and partial differential equations. Some basic theoretical properties are proved and solution methods presented. Ordinary differential equations: linear differential equations of order n, the Cauchy problem, Picard's existence theorem, solution by power series and equations with singular points.  Fourier series: convergence point-wise, uniformly and in the mean-square, Parseval's equation. Partial differential equations: the heat equation and the wave equation solved on a finite interval by separation of variables and Fourier series and their solutions compared, the Dirichlet problem for the Laplace equation on the rectangle and the disc, the Poisson integral formula.

This course surveys the major approaches of human personality, covering classical and contemporary themes, such as psychodynamic theories, behavioral models, humanistic theories, trait theories, social learning theories and personality perspectives indigenous to cultures in Asia.

This course, via an emphasis on analytical thinking rather than memorization, introduces the major developments in ancient Chinese history from early human settlements to the fall of the Han dynasty (ca. 2000 BCE–220 CE). We explore the rise of early states, the growth of bronze-age cultures, the formation of imperial government, and the spread of classical philosophies.  

The course also examines the role of nomadic societies, especially the Xiongnu and their early predecessors, in shaping the political and cultural landscape of early China. 

 Students learn to analyze both archaeological evidence and historical texts to better understand how ancient Chinese and steppe civilizations interacted and co-evolved.  

Students are encouraged to engage critically with historical sources and debates, and to focus on interpretation, context, and historical reasoning rather than factual recall. The goal is to understand the formation and structure of ancient Chinese civilization. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the political, social, and ideological development of ancient China from the Neolithic period to the Han empire. Emphasis is placed on the formation of centralized states, classical philosophical traditions, and the institutional foundations of early empires. Students also analyze interactions between sedentary and nomadic societies. Through the case of the Xiongnu and their predecessors, students explore the dynamics between the Chinese states and the steppe world. The course emphasizes frontier politics, military confrontation, cultural exchange, and the construction of regional order in early East Asia. 

This course studies the history of English literature, exploring key texts from each literary period, and examines English literary texts from cultural and social perspectives. In particular, the course analyzes literary classics such as Beowulf and works by Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, John Milton, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Oscar Wilde, E. M. Forster, Virginia Woolf and Kazuo Ishiguro, situating them in their cultural and social contexts.

This course is a general introduction to contemporary theory and research in perception, including an analysis of philosophical and biological issues. Students explore the representational nature of knowledge and establish links between principles of perception and developments within the visual arts, music, and literature. 

This course provides a historical survey of British cinema as well as an introduction to critical and theoretical debates associated with national cinema. Examine the relationship between British cinema and British culture, history, and national identity. Consider how British cinema has represented other dimensions of identity such as class, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Analyze a range of films in order to explore how British cinema. Lastly, the course considers how specific genres such as the crime film and the period drama have functioned in the national and international marketplace.

This course explores the common ground between the discipline of history and art history by considering images as historical evidence, exploring both Western and Asian art from 5th century BC to the 20th century. Students acquire the conceptual tools to understand the meaning of images and read visual narratives as historical texts. Topics include art and democracy; art and empire; art and world religions; art and the modern world; art and absolutism; art and Imperialism; art and industrialization; art and dictatorship; and art and consumer society. 

This course is designed for students with no prior experience of thinking in a computational manner. Students examine computational thinking as a problem-solving process with the aid of a computer, i.e. formulating a problem and expressing its solution in such a way that a computer can effectively carry it out. By the end of the course, students will be able to derive simple algorithms and code the programs to solve some basic problems in the bioengineering domain.

This is a capstone course in which students establish and complete a substantial research project in the department of biomedical engineering while working with a faculty mentor.

This course introduces the foundational concepts, histories, and contemporary realities of Māori, Pacific, and other Indigenous peoples. It explores Indigenous philosophies and worldviews, with a focus on relationships to land, language, culture, resources, development, and political systems across settler-colonial contexts, Pacific nations, and beyond. It also examines how Indigenous communities respond to climate change by drawing on ancestral knowledge and practices to advocate for environmental justice and resilience.