Utrecht University – University College Utrecht

This course teaches practical programming skills relevant for students in any discipline (science, social science, or humanities), emphasizing its broad application in diverse academic contexts. Being grounded in foundational programming techniques and theory, the course builds a strong basis for understanding computational advancements and challenges in our contemporary world. Furthermore, it provides hands-on experience with diverse applications, enabling you to apply your programming skills throughout your (academic) career. Our course provides a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to the fundamentals of programming, progressing from basics like statements and variables, to programming patterns and development techniques. Beyond experience with these skills, the course provides relevant theoretical and historical context on the development of computers and programming languages, to help gain a deeper understanding of the skills you are applying. After mastering the primary competencies, the course displays the broad applicability of programming within academia. In groups, apply a selection of modern and academically relevant programming techniques such as simulation, text analysis, database programming, and experiment programming, within the context of academic problems across disciplines. These techniques showcase the inter- and multidisciplinary nature of computational methods and equip you with the tools and understanding to use programming in your own field of interest.

This course focuses on the surprisingly long history of facts and truths in the public sphere. Study how politicians and philosophers devised ways to counter populism without touching the vital democratic principles of freedom of speech or the right to vote.  In this course, conduct a research project that explores the intricate relationship between press (media) and politics through analyzing the power of rumor, researching how representative political systems in the past have tried to avert the dangers of fake news and information, and researching news media in all ages in digitized collections across the globe or in the physical archives in The Netherlands. The course answers questions such as what is public opinion? Where and when does it take shape? If freedom of speech is a necessary condition for representative democratic systems, does it automatically breed populism? Did people in the past assess the information that they had to base their political opinions on differently than we do today? The course has entry requirements. 

This course brings teachers and students from different disciplines together to understand and combine the roles different disciplines to support a healthy society through public health. The overall objective of this program is to develop a comprehensive understanding of public health, and to acquire specific skills to apply this knowledge. This course includes practical examples, and this includes field visits within the Dutch setting. For example, the course investigates public health services like newborn, child and youth services, vaccinations, screening, and how these services provide support to vulnerable populations that are usually underrepresented in health dialogues. These examples are used to reflect on other global public health practices to understand a broad range of community health issues in the socio-political and cultural contexts in which they occur. Students participating in this course act as “experts” in their field and work in an interdisciplinary team to understand health systems in place. Students much be upper division standing in a related major.

This course provides first-hand knowledge about China and its global impact in two interconnected stages. The first part looks at China itself and asks how it is different and not-so-different from the West by examining China’s recent history, its culture, society and politics, study how China is portrayed in Western media. In the second part, we move to “global China”: how do the “domestic” factors studied in the first part of the course shape China’s decision-making at a global level? This part of the course focuses on its role in Africa, Asia and in the West.

This course builds upon the knowledge of Mandarin Chinese acquired in the Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture course. It also supports learners at more advanced levels (A2–B2) by expanding their vocabulary and allowing them to progress based on their individual language proficiency. Students are divided into two groups based on their current language level. Each group meets once per week for two hours in the classroom. Students may attend the other group’s sessions if they wish. Conversation practice is emphasized throughout the course. Listening skills are developed using audiovisual materials, while reading and writing skills are practiced through weekly assignments, such as writing short articles and reading texts. After completion of this course students are able to demonstrate an intermediate level of Mandarin Chinese through the acquisition of at least 200 new vocabulary words on top of their starting proficiency level, hold everyday conversations in Chinese, and tell or retell a simple story both verbally and in written form (using a computer). The following course module must be completed: [UCHUMCHI11] Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach by introducing contemporary development issues in the Global South. It draws on literature from Political Science, Economics, History, and Sociology. The module explores and analyzes the intersection of politics, history, sociology, governance, and economics in relation to development in the Global South. It does so by investigating the influence of colonialism, governance, culture, institutions, conflicts, and external forces on the development trajectories in the Global South. Empirically, the course addresses important questions such as: What is the connection between colonial history and development in the Global South; Why have some countries within the Global South developed faster than others since the WWII; What has been the impact of institutions on development in the Global South; What has been the impact of natural resources on politics and development in the Global South; Are there forms of corruptions compatible with development in the Global South; What is the role of foreign aid and foreign direct investments in development, including the China-effect in the Global South? e module also introduces students to important political economy theories such as Neo-patrimonialism, Corruption and Clientelism, Developmental state, Decoloniality. It achieves all the above by offering space for a diversified body of literature and perspectives.
 

This course integrates Chinese language and culture, by using materials from Chinese culture, history, and actuality to support language teaching. It was designed especially for those UCU students following a track in Chinese language and culture and preparing for their study abroad program in China. It is, however, also suitable for all students interested in Chinese language and culture.