CIEE, Berlin

This course covers the eventful and tumultuous decades of German history after the founding of the federal monarchy in 1871. Students study the Prussian kingdom and German Empire, World War I, and the collapse of the monarchy. The promise and failings of the Weimar Republic are examined in the context of the rising political extremes of communism and fascism that gave way to the terror of Hitler and the Nazi Party. The course analyzes World War II, including the Holocaust and complete defeat of Germany, and the 40 years of occupation and division of the country during the Cold War. Finally, the course examines the 1989 “peaceful revolution,” the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Germany’s reunification.

In this seminar, students learn about the role of cities in positively and negatively influencing global climate and biological systems, and the approaches taken by European cities to mitigate the negative impact while creating healthier, happier, and more productive urban environments. Topics span holistic dimensions of sustainable discourse, emphasizing the relationship and balance of environmental, social, cultural, and economic factors. The course focuses specifically on the northern European context, especially the host city, Berlin, where students regularly visit projects and meet with local practitioners.

This course examines how images enter and circulate in the public sphere of news and discussion, analyze how images of current events are made, and study the meanings these images create and the purposes they serve. It looks at the past and present of photojournalism, from its origins in the 19th century to its contemporary forms, at a time when it is being impacted by rapidly changing technologies, media structures and cultural values. In addition to reading about the history and contemporary forms of photojournalism, students study a wide range of photographic images and learn to write and think clearly and incisively about them. The class pays particular attention to the photojournalistic traditions of the host country. The history of photojournalism is inseparable from the representation of violence, which is its dominant subject. This course requires students to look at graphic, disturbing and shocking images and to think seriously about the questions they raise.

This course provides an overview of the major branches of mass media in the dominant European markets, with a focus on the transition from traditional mass media to digital media. After an introduction to media history, theories, and current research, the course examines specific industries such as television, radio, music, film, and print. Theories and models of mass communication are introduced and analyzed against their practical application in the markets studied in the course. Students compare how political and regulatory influences impact different sectors of the media in several European countries. The course is taught using a mix of lectures, case study discussions, student presentations, and site visits.

This course introduces key concepts and applications for the design of intelligent computer systems, or Artificial Intelligence (AI). Topics covered include heuristic search, game playing, logic, machine learning, deep learning,
natural language processing, robotics and image processing. Through interactive lectures, discussions, and assignments, students apply basic AI concepts and principles to develop modeling and analytical skills for problem-solving. Students create working programs that solve problems, reason logically, and/or improve their own performance. The class covers the history, different careers, and social/cultural impacts of AI as well. Finally, it prepares students to further explore and apply AI in research and application domains.