Yonsei University

This course explores contemporary Korean popular culture with an emphasis on drama and film, following the trajectory of the Korean wave (hallyu) with the framework of cultural translation. The course is designed to enable students to understand contested terrains in which the Korean new wave has been shaped: transnational cultural reception and national history, socio-historical, and political context of the Korean wave. Throughout the course students will learn how to analyze both of the Korean wave and their own reception of it as cultural translators.

This course introduces the discipline of international relations and provides students with the intellectual and analytical tools to understand how the world came to be how it is today, and where it might be headed in the decades to come. Topics include mainstream and critical perspectives on international relations, placing Western and Global South perspectives on the discipline into dialog with each other, global inequality, and the conflict in Israel/Palestine. 

This course covers the basic concepts and applications of linear optimization, convex optimization, and non-linear & combinatorial optimization. Topics include introduction to optimization, intro to convex optimization, linear programming (LP), least squares (LS), quadratic programming (QP), second-order cone programming (SOCP), semi-definite programming (SDP), duality: connecting convex optimization with non-convex optimization, strong/weak duality, gradient descent ascent (GDA), interior point method (IPM), Lagrange relaxation, applications: unsupervised learning (GAN, Wasserstein GAN), and applications: sparse/low-rank recovery (compressed sensing, matrix completion). 

Prerequisites: Calculus, Linear Algebra 

This course provides a comprehensive perspective on large language models. Specifically, in the first half, it covers the fundamentals of language models, including network structures, training, inference, and evaluation. In the second half, the course focuses on the interpretation of large language models, alignment, and their applications beyond simple text generation. Through this approach, the course equips students with foundational knowledge of the technologies behind large language models, helping them smoothly engage in research or practical applications in this field. Topics include Introduction and basics of large language models, Preprocessing: tokenization and data curation, Pre-training of large language models, Scaling laws and emergent behavior, Alignment: instruction tuning and preference learning, Learning from AI feedback, Decoding algorithms, Reasoning with test-time inference methods, Retrieval-augmented generation, AI agents, and Extension to multi-modality. 

Prerequisites: Machine learning, Deep learning

The Visual Literacy course equips students with a new language to communicate with the world: visual language. Simply put, visual literacy can be described as the "ability to construct meaning from images." Through this course, students learn the components and rules of visual language, enabling them to read, understand, and analyze various types of images. Beyond analysis, the course also focuses on developing the ability to create intentional images using visual language and articulate these images in verbal and written forms. The course combines theoretical lectures with practical exercises, including art appreciation and essay writing. A significant component of the course involves field trips to museums or galleries to observe and analyze artworks. Additionally, students participate in hands-on activities where they create images using the syntax and principles of visual language. For example, assignments may include expressing narratives using basic shapes, helping students internalize how images communicate meaning. This course is designed for a broad audience—not only for students majoring in art or design but also for those who wish to develop an appreciation for art, effectively use digital platforms, or write about art. Starting from the fundamentals, the course provides a step-by-step exploration of what visual literacy is and why it matters in contemporary society. 

This French conversation course is an intermediate-level course. It is based on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). It prepares students for the B1 level of the DELF: oral comprehension and production.  

The course goals include: ability to listen to real-world conversations or radio broadcasts on general or specialized topics multiple times and answer questions based on what has been understood. Ability to describe one’s personality, present one's strengths and weaknesses, talk about love stories, discuss friendships, talk about health and explain health issues, describe objects, talk about different types of houses, discuss jobs and create ideas for future careers, talk about sports activities, and share ideas for creative leisure activities. 

Prerequisites: French conversation 1 and French conversation 2 

This course provides a holistic understanding of the global fashion market and effective strategies for success in this dynamic and innovative industry. With a focus on managing the Korean fashion industry, this course covers a range of topics that reflect the unique characteristics and trends of the Korean fashion markets. 

This course covers issues related to important concepts, practices, and leaders in the world of modern management. 

The world of management is fiercely competitive; managers and their employers must deliver results. In this course, essential performance dimensions: cost, quality, speed, innovation, service, and sustainability are emphasized. A key focus is on the modern management function, including issues of 1) delivering strategic value (for planning), 2) building a dynamic organization (for organizing), 3) mobilizing people (for leading), and 4) learning and changing (for controlling) in turbulent and competitive markets. 

The course considers the following primary questions: (1) what skills will help you to be an effective manager, and (2) how can you apply the material in this course to daily life?  

Ultimately, this course provides core foundational knowledge and principles integral to organizational management careers. 

This course introduces quantum computing from a computer science perspective, focusing on mathematical and algorithmic foundations. Quantum computers have the potential to solve difficult computational problems for which no efficient classical algorithms exist. Writing quantum algorithms is radically different from programming classical computers and requires an understanding of quantum principles and the mathematical foundations behind them. Course participants will gain practical experience by developing quantum programs in Qiskit and their simulation and execution on quantum processing units(QPUs) of the IBM Quantum Platform, particularly the Yonsei University Eagle QPU. 

Course goals: (1) Acquire a firm understanding of the quantum-mechanical foundations of qubit superposition, entanglement, and interference at the heart of all quantum computations. (2) Understand the early quantum algorithms such as Deutsch’s Problem, Bernstein-Vazirani, and Quantum FFT, and be able to code and execute them on a QPU. (3) Know recent near-term quantum algorithms like the quantum simulation of Hamiltonian dynamics. (4) Understand and control, in principle, the quantum circuit compilation pipeline and error mitigation techniques to execute near-term quantum workloads on QPUs. 

Prerequisites: An introductory programming class, e.g., CAS1100-01, is strictly required. A course in linear algebra is strictly required. 

This honors-level course equips students with a comprehensive understanding and practical skills for embracing a holistic approach to healthy living. The curriculum empowers individuals to make informed decisions about nutrition, while cultivating habits that contribute to overall well-being. Through engaging discussions, in-depth research, and critical analysis of scientific studies, students integrate theoretical knowledge into practical applications. The course provides a strong foundation in holistic health, enabling informed choices and sustainable practices for lifelong wellness. Students maintain a health journal, recording insights and progress as topics are explored. Topics include Unpacking Your Beliefs about Health & Nutrition, Whole Foods vs Processed Foods, Macronutrients & Micronutrients, Becoming Literate in Nutritional Labels, Protein Packed Punch: The Science Behind Proteins, Careful with Carbs, Breaking Down Food: The Digestive System, and more.