English

This class studies the potential of graphic design in terms of productivity and usability while also questioning what value system we can convey through design. It explores the role of promoting through visual communication and adding value to digital products.  

This class researches what potential there is in graphic-driven product design when decoupled from productivity and usefulness. What happens when we consider the ideas of design and products as “useless machines” rather than productive tools. What do products look like that encourage formal experimentation, self-reflection, meaningful interpersonal communication, and logging off? What are the value systems embedded in our interfaces and goods, and how do they perpetuate ideologies? What sort of productive opportunities can be found in being adamantly unproductive?   

This course combines academic inquiry with practical hands-on experience. Students should be comfortable using design software and producing graphic outcomes (these can range from digital outcomes like webpages or videos, to physical materials such as books, posters, textiles, etc.) 

The following activities will take place in-person and online via several platforms: Reading discussion, Topic/lecture/discussion, Project critique/discussion, Group exercises, A weekend workshop, One-on-one meetings, Group meetings.  

Students should also be prepared to complete two individual projects and a group projects and be aware that these projects may comprise up to 70% of the final assessment. 

This course covers working principles and models of basic circuit components such as resistor, capacitor, inductor, diode, and transistor. Students learn to analyze the complex electric circuit problems composed of multiple circuit components using abstractions and various mathematical methods and gain an understanding of the working principles of various logic, memory, and amplifier circuits. The course provides students the ability to understand/modify/write LabView code that can be used to test electric circuits. Topics include Network analysis, Node voltage, Mesh current, Superposition, Impedance, RLC circuit, Diode, MOSFET, Amplifier, Logic and memory devices, Bipolar junction transistor (BJT), BJT small signal model, Lab work via LabView. 

This introductory course provides a survey of Western history from the ancient period through the nineteenth century. It is designed for students who wish to pursue more specialized topics in Western history in the future and/or who plan to major in history.  Students are introduced to key historical figures and events, while the course also emphasizes how perceptions and expectations of both individuals and collectives (such as nation and religion) have evolved over time.  

Lectures proceed chronologically and are complemented by in-class activities that center on a variety of primary sources. Through these materials, the course uncovers the historical complexity of important concepts that are often simplified or taken for granted, such as liberty, equality, progress, and truth.  Ultimately, the course invites students to consider how they, as historical actors, wish to engage with knowledge and the world around them. 

This course examines how literary and visual works from different periods from across the world engage with Empire, slavery, and their legacies. The course introduces students to the complexities of race, class, gender, and their representations in a variety of expressive forms.

There are two distinct parts to this course. The first few lectures provide students with a general overview of connectionism: its origins as an attempt to model the functioning of the brain, and the various classes of algorithms created starting from these foundations. The second part focuses on the last 10-15 years. The course provides a general framework for designing machine learning models that deal with complex structured data, introduces graphical models and Bayesian networks, and describes inference and learning algorithms for them. The course also addresses the case of neural networks, i.e. to describe possible strategies for effectively training them in real-world scenarios.

This course discusses a range of contemporary security challenges providing a set of key concepts that help you develop an in-depth understanding of the post-Cold war geopolitical and strategic environment. It seeks to provide students with the analytical tools for analyzing and assessing respective policy responses, and for developing critical perspectives that go beyond the mere explanation of political practice. In doing so, the course draws on a range of International Relations theories, illustrating ways in which various approaches can serve as a framework for analyzing global and regional security. The course places particular emphasis on the dichotomy between problem-solving and critical approaches to the study of global security and this is also reflected in the way it is assessed: the policy brief challenges students' problem-solving skills whereas the essay and the tutorial discussions give students room for critical reflection.

This course allows for a close examination of the Caribbean's creole identity by assessing Caribbean literary and cultural works from the 20th- and 21st centuries. Film, music, religion, literature, and food are explored to specifically examine the influence of slavery on Caribbean culture.

This course explores emotional, social, vocational, and health-related challenges individuals face throughout life. By integrating psychological theories, counselling techniques, and practical applications, it enhances well-being and promotes personal growth. Students engage with various therapeutic methods, assessment techniques, and ethical considerations in diverse cultural contexts. Emphasizing interpersonal skills, resilience, and self-reflection, the course prepares students to be empathetic communicators who can positively impact their communities. Through hands-on experience and coursework, students navigate mental health complexities for personal and professional development.

The legal framework for private international business transactions regulates the international sale of goods, imports/exports, technology transfer, intellectual property, and foreign direct investment. We consider such topics generally and in specific situations. Focusing largely on transactions between private parties, the central goal of this course is to understand the importance of international business transactions and the legal framework surrounding the topic. After successful completion of this course, students have basic information allowing them to be aware of and adhere to laws surrounding a variety of international business transactions. The main goals of this course are as follows: (1) to understand the importance of international business transactions; (2) to understand the legal framework surrounding the international business transactions; and (3) to understand the specific legal issues regarding international business transactions compared to domestic transactions. 

The course covers topics including language, gender, and sexuality; language, politics, and ideology; language and social identity (age, gender, class, region); language contact; and multilingualism. Students gain an overview of foundational and contemporary theoretical and methodological developments in the field.