University of New South Wales

This course examines the science and scientific methods within the life, environmental and Earth sciences. In particular, the course will introduce students to the research undertaken in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) and its application to contemporary environmental problems, management and issues. The course also focuses on skills including relevant quantitative techniques, methods for collecting environmental data including new technologies, sampling and experimental design, methods for visualizing environmental information (graphics, mapping) and communicating results.

Spanish is the language of over four hundred million people. It is spoken officially in 23 countries, and it is the second language of the United States, where there are some 45 million Spanish speakers. Spanish is also one of the four major languages of the European Union alongside English, French, and German. If you are interested in learning one of the most commonly spoken first languages in the world and have no prior knowledge of the Spanish language, then this is the right course for you. Based on a communicative and culture-based approach, this course is designed to help you quickly develop your proficiency in basic oral and written Spanish. Vocabulary and basic Spanish grammar are presented in contexts that are relevant for everyday language use. Students will also learn basic language learning strategies to make the learning process more effective.

This course examines how to decide where to invest, and how much risk to take on. It covers optimal portfolio construction (Markowitz portfolio theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), how to measure and price risk and exploit mispriced securities, investment strategies, performance evaluation, and bonds and their investment characteristics (such as duration, yield, and term structure). 

This course introduces the basic tools of game theory and its applications to business choices. The course covers normal form and extensive form games, games of perfect and imperfect/incomplete information, and introduces equilibrium concepts such as Nash equilibrium, subgame-perfect equilibrium and perfect Bayesian equilibrium. It also looks at repeated games and the theory of reputation.

This course examines geology, paleontology and Earth’s systems. It covers plate tectonics, the formation of rocks and minerals, the evolution of the atmosphere, and the origin of the hydrosphere. Students will gain knowledge about the evolution of life and what the fossil record tells us about past climates and ecosystems. The course will provide a basis in advanced measurement techniques using ground-, aircraft-, and satellite-based systems. Students will also learn how to use their understanding of geological processes to investigate and manage environmental issues. A comprehensive understanding of Earth’s processes is critical for the development of sustainable societies, protecting our ecosystems, sourcing materials for modern technologies, and economic growth.

This course examines the history of philosophy across several traditions, as well as contemporary research, to explore questions such as, what is the relationship between happiness and pleasure? Is happiness an emotion, a mental state, a social construct, or an objective condition? How is well-being/happiness pursued across different cultures, including Australian Indigenous cultures? And what does happiness have to do, if anything, with the philosophical idea of a well-lived life? This course doesn’t promise to make you happy, but it will certainly help you to clarify your thinking about happiness and the meaning(s) of life.

This course examines how contemporary linguists address issues of language use. It explores topics such as the nature of human communication, the influence of social attitudes on language, first and second language acquisition and development, the historical development of languages, language universals and language typology, and regional and situational variation in language. 

This course examines the physics of the Universe from scales ranging from our Solar System and extrasolar planets to the origin and fate of the Universe. It covers astronomical techniques, history of astronomy across cultures, beginnings of the Universe, formation and evolution of galaxies, origin of life on Earth and search for life elsewhere, stellar structure and evolution, planet formation, black holes, and compact objects.

This course examines the historical, social and cultural implications of the wastes generated by human society. Dimensions and topics you study include: life cycles of materials, how we make knowledge about waste, the social implications of waste management technologies, 'legacy' issues and the 'colonization of the future' by wastes. Our waste stream examples include plastics, water and sewage, nuclear materials, industrial sea dumping, international trade in toxic wastes, domestic landfill, and the creation of 'wastelands' and contaminated sites. Students explore solutions to the generation of wastes by studying the precautionary principle, environmental justice, international waste conventions and treaties, and regulatory and community responses to waste.