Norway

This course provides an introduction to genetic studies on behavior, emotions, and cognition - a psychological discipline known as "behavior genetics." The course covers basic concepts in quantitative and molecular genetic sciences, and how these can be applied to study animal behavior, human traits and disorders, and socioeconomic outcomes. This includes studies of genetic and environmental contributions and how statistical models of complex traits are analyzed with computer software. The course covers development of research skills for practical implementation of quantitative genetic statistical methods applicable throughout the life sciences.

The subject provides a broad introduction to plants' development, function, and interactions with other organisms. Emphasis is placed on the connection from genes and genomes to cells and organs in different plant types, and how the evolution, development and function of plants is understood in such a perspective. In an overall focus, the role of plants in society is highlighted in this perspective, such as domestication, agriculture, environment, climate, and genetic engineering.

This course accompanies the build up to the 2024 United States election, election night, and its aftermath by offering a lecture series with different speakers from the Department of Political Science, other departments at the University of Oslo, and from outside the university. Besides the question of who will most likely succeed in the presidential election, the course introduces the way in which presidential elections work, the role of other electoral races that take place in parallel (e.g. for members of Congress), how the election will shape U.S. politics, and what impact the election will have on different policy fields both in the United States and globally.

The course gives an introduction to probability theory in a measure-theoretic setting. Among the topics discussed are: Probability measures, σ-algebras, conditional expectations, convergence of random variables, the law of large numbers, characteristic functions, the central limit theorem, filtrations, and martingales in discrete time. Recommended prerequisites include calculus, linear algebra, and probability and statistical modeling. 

This course introduces genetically informed social science, with a focus on how genetic factors and environments that siblings do not share influence social inequality. It discusses how to think critically and creatively about the complex interplay between genetics, randomness/luck, and social structures in modern societies. The course covers the theoretical framework of gene-environment interplay, which acknowledges that both genetic and environmental influences depend on one another. It also covers a breadth of readings from various fields in the social sciences, which allow sociology to be viewed with a new lens. This course presents a research field that is moving at break-neck speed following the sequencing of the human genome, leaving more questions than answers regarding how we as societies should interpret this newfound knowledge.

The course explores select classic and contemporary plays, poems, short stories, and novels by Norwegian authors. It analyzes literary texts and reflects on their intersections with gender, place, and history. Texts include folktales, an Ibsen play, novels, and other works of fiction. Through lectures and class discussions, the course develops proficiency in close reading and an understanding of the cultural contexts of literary expression.

This course gives an introduction to analytical mechanics and field theory, with an emphasis on Lagrange-Hamilton formalism and the action concept. Further, the course contains a thorough introduction to Einstein’s special relativity using four-vector formalism. This is used to give a covariant (independent of reference frame) description of mechanics and electromagnetism, including Maxwell’s equations.

The course consists of a research project in physics that involves the compilation of research findings, as well as processing information and data. Some projects involve independent practical research and/or numerical or theoretical calculations in a chosen topic. Individual supervision is provided by faculty member based upon an agreement with the student. The type of supervision and frequency of supervision depends on the project and its stage, and the supervisor supports the project and provides feedback during the final stage. Graded on a P/NP basis only.

This course explores how South Korean state and capital has been nurturing the country’s popular culture industry and promoting its exports. It discusses how South Korean popular culture attracts audiences, both domestically and globally, and what its strengths and weaknesses are, as well as how South Korea popular culture (mis)represents the current conditions of South Korean society. The course deals with the full spectrum of the popular culture developments, with special focus on films and music.

This course provides an introduction into epidemiological and public health perspectives on mental health and wellbeing. The course focuses on theoretical and empirical accounts of how wellbeing and common mental health problems (including symptoms of anxiety and depression, weight/eating problems, conduct problems, alcohol and other drug use) are understood in an epidemiological and public health perspective. Cultural, individual differences, and lifespan approaches to mental health and wellbeing are an integrated part of the course.