English

What are the trends in both globalization and development? How is our understanding of both globalization and development changing in light of the recent global economic crisis and ongoing systemic weaknesses? Students investigate the trends that are going to shape the world in the coming decades: increased interconnectedness, crises in existing economic, political, and social institutions within nations and internationally; increasing pressure on natural resources; huge demographic shifts; and a shifting in the economic and geo-political balance of power, specifically the rise of China and India, with a secondary look at Brazil. The focus of this semester is on the economic sociology of globalization and development. The second semester focuses on culture and globalization and development.

This course traces first language development and examines different theoretical models of learning and acquisition throughout one’s lifespan. It discusses social, psychological, and linguistic aspects of languages and focuses not only on pre-natal to pre-school language development, but also development during later years in school. 

 

The course focuses on the historical development of the global economy, from earliest times until the 21st century. Students look at key phases in the development of global economy, in particular waves of integration and disintegration, and the role played by key factors, such as climate, geography, disease and technology. Success in this course depends on a willingness to read voraciously.

The course focuses on individual, social, and societal challenges that social psychology can help to address through interventions. Examples of such challenges are promoting behavior change, improving well-being, managing diversity, and increasing justice and cooperation. The course helps students apply basic principles from social psychology to their field of interest, and to find, understand, interpret, and use more specialized, applied research findings. The course is graded on a P/NP basis only. 

This course examines theoretical and practical aspects of Geographic Information Systems, including cartographic modelling, digital terrain models, management issues, and spatial interpolation.

This course offers an introduction to the legal requirements for creating, protecting, and financing innovative companies. The course is divided into three blocks: commercial law; industrial property law; and business finance law.

This course provides a study of psycholinguistics and the complex psychological processes underlying the use of language. It investigates the processes that take place in our minds when we use language as well as how these processes develop in children. Language impairment, for example in patients who have sustained brain damage, or in children with atypical language development, is also discussed. 

The goals of this course include improving listening comprehension, enhancing leadership capabilities, summarizing and connecting ideas, building vocabulary and expressions, addressing cultural topics, and sharing views/ideas with others. 

This course explores aspects of electrical power in the context of a wider energy system. The first aspect is electronic “switch-mode” circuits for conditioning and converting power such as in the grid interface for solar and wind energy systems. Circuits for various types of conversion between DC voltage levels and to/from AC are analyzed in order to support circuit design to meet a performance specification. The second aspect covers the electromagnetic devices such as transformers, motors, generators, and transmission lines of an AC power systems. The performance and efficiency of each type of electromagnetic device will be analyzed. The link between these devices and how frequency and voltage of a power system are controlled will be illustrated. The course concludes with a discussion of the transition needed in power systems to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions and the roles of power electronic, electromagnetic, and information technologies have in that transition.

This course provides the basic skills and theory necessary to carry out rudimentary research in the field of social sciences with a special emphasis on questions in the area of international studies.