Seoul National University

This course presents the cellular basis of plant growth and development for undergraduate students in the major of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. The course provides students with an up-to-date understanding of the plant cell cycle, cell enlargement and cell differentiation processes, which is fundamental for improving plant growth and the production of special plant products. Thorough descriptions on the plant cellular compartments, cell division, dynamic growth and specialization are presented alongside the principles of advanced molecular techniques in genetics and visualization of the plant cell. 

Topics include Molecules and membranes, Nucleus, Protein sorting and transport, Cytoskeleton and cell movement, Plasma membrane, Cell wall, Cell cycle and cytokinesis, Regulation, Stem cells and meristems, Cell differentiation, Cell death.  

This survey course examines innovation holistically, encouraging students to question the status quo and critically examine both the positive and negative impacts of innovation. 

Innovation is often hailed as the ultimate solution to many challenges, ranging from economic growth to technological advancement. However, this enthusiastic embrace of innovation frequently overlooks its significant negative effects on individuals, society, politics, and the environment. While innovation has propelled societies forward in many areas, it has also created new problems, often exacerbating inequalities and producing unforeseen consequences. 

Through lectures and debates on current case studies—such as climate change, the brain drain from poorer countries to developed nations, and the impact of artificial intelligence on individuals and society—students will explore the multifaceted nature of innovation and develop principles for a more inclusive and responsible approach. This course challenges students to think critically about who benefits from innovation and who may be disadvantaged, prompting consideration of ethical, social, and environmental dimensions alongside economic and technological ones. By engaging with diverse perspectives, students gain an appreciation for the complexity of innovation and the importance of a balanced approach. 

This survey course focuses on the political dynamics of populism in contemporary European countries. The course begins by examining how social science researchers define and conceptualize populism, with a focus on identifying its boundaries - what is and is not considered populist.  Despite the widespread use of the term populism, disagreements over its definition and usage, as well as a general lack of clarity surrounding its meaning, hinder our understanding of populist politics and their causes and consequences. The course assesses competing academic definitions, explores subtypes of populism, and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of existing categorizations. The course addresses a number of key political dynamics and how they relate to populism, including attitudinal change, organizational formation, voting patterns, electoral performance, and protest and riot behavior.  We explore theorized causes such as economic downturns, political competition, migration, inter-cultural group tensions, global trends, and international relations.  In addition to examining its causes, the course studies the effects of populism, including its impact on democratic institutions, inter-group relations, and international relations. 

This survey course covers the ever-changing historical characteristics of Western civilization by examining various cities from ancient Athens to modern New York. Students critically analyze the urban spaces we live in from a historical perspective. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that civilizations were born in cities. The history of cities vividly portrays how broad historical transformations were experienced in the daily lives of ordinary people. Closely paralleling social, economic, cultural, and political changes in Western civilization, cities have taken a wide variety of forms, emerging and disappearing over time. By looking at the historical dynamics involved in the development and decline of the major cities of each era, we can discern the driving forces of civilization and history.  

This course examines controversial issues related to educational policies in multicultural societies. Students explore global case studies, engage with theories of equality and justice, and critically analyze how these issues intersect with multicultural education policy. Topics include religious symbols in public schools, affirmative action, language rights, and many other issues central to multicultural education. Students debate, reflect, and develop their own policy proposals to address real-world equity challenges.  

This class studies the potential of graphic design in terms of productivity and usability while also questioning what value system we can convey through design. It explores the role of promoting through visual communication and adding value to digital products.  

This class researches what potential there is in graphic-driven product design when decoupled from productivity and usefulness. What happens when we consider the ideas of design and products as “useless machines” rather than productive tools. What do products look like that encourage formal experimentation, self-reflection, meaningful interpersonal communication, and logging off? What are the value systems embedded in our interfaces and goods, and how do they perpetuate ideologies? What sort of productive opportunities can be found in being adamantly unproductive?   

This course combines academic inquiry with practical hands-on experience. Students should be comfortable using design software and producing graphic outcomes (these can range from digital outcomes like webpages or videos, to physical materials such as books, posters, textiles, etc.) 

The following activities will take place in-person and online via several platforms: Reading discussion, Topic/lecture/discussion, Project critique/discussion, Group exercises, A weekend workshop, One-on-one meetings, Group meetings.  

Students should also be prepared to complete two individual projects and a group projects and be aware that these projects may comprise up to 70% of the final assessment. 

This course covers working principles and models of basic circuit components such as resistor, capacitor, inductor, diode, and transistor. Students learn to analyze the complex electric circuit problems composed of multiple circuit components using abstractions and various mathematical methods and gain an understanding of the working principles of various logic, memory, and amplifier circuits. The course provides students the ability to understand/modify/write LabView code that can be used to test electric circuits. Topics include Network analysis, Node voltage, Mesh current, Superposition, Impedance, RLC circuit, Diode, MOSFET, Amplifier, Logic and memory devices, Bipolar junction transistor (BJT), BJT small signal model, Lab work via LabView. 

This course covers important algorithms and theories for data mining. Data mining refers to theories and techniques for finding useful patterns from massive amounts of data. Data mining has been used in high impact applications including web analysis, recommendation system, fraud detection, cyber security, etc. 

Main topics include finding similar items, mining frequent patterns, link analysis, link prediction, recommendation system, data stream mining, clustering, graph mining, time series prediction, and outlier detection. 

Prerequisite: Students should have an undergraduate-level knowledge on the following topics: Algorithms, Basic probability, Programming, Linear Algebra 

The course will provide some background but will be fast paced. 

This course covers the politics of development at various geographical scales (urban, national, and international). It also examines how partnerships and negotiations work among various participants who have conflicted, competed, and cooperated throughout the modern history of space/place making. Students learn skills to critically analyze the power relations that exist among different actors involved in development. The course asks “Who governs?” and “Who makes decisions or influences decision-making that leads to the formation of space?” Regarding the influence of decision-making, the course focuses on the politics of policy narratives and environmental discourses. Topics include What is the power in placemaking; Body Politics- Capitalizing, industrializing, and disciplining bodies; Critical Geopolitics; The geopolitics of nuclear weapons and nuclear power; The politics of memory and memory placemaking.  

This course undertakes a critical examination of the historical trajectory of Korean education while engaging students in in-depth reflection on its prospective vision and directions for the future. It surveys the philosophical foundations, the colonial education system, and the policies of the U.S. military government, as well as the diverse economic, political, social, and cultural forces that have shaped Korean education from the pre-1900s to the present. Special attention will be given to major sectors of education—including higher education, curriculum, teacher education, and technical education—in order to analyze the ways in which educational development has contributed to the nation’s growth and modernization. Through this inquiry, students will not only gain a comprehensive understanding of the overall evolution of Korean education but also develop a nuanced appreciation of its distinctive characteristics, interpreted through the lens of development and progress.