Class Descriptions
AST: 203: Topics in Modern Astrology
This course will discuss modern cosmology. We will discuss the origin and evolution of the Universe, gravitational collapse and the formation of galaxies, quasars and black holes, particle physics and the formation of the chemical elements, dark matter and dark energy, whether the Universe will expand forever, and the "anthropic" principle - in what types of Universe can life exist? Students will investigate some of these questions through the lectures and reading material, in discussion groups with the professors, and by the analysis of data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
The course would be interesting, but it seems like it's better to wait and take AST 401: Galaxies, Quasars, and the Universe, which appears to be a more rigorous treatment of the same subjects. It would fit in my schedule and would probably be painless. It's basically an alternative to physics.
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HUM 218: From the Renaissance to the Modern Period: Literature and the Arts
Part II of an intensive, interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture through a four-course sequence (216-219). Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits and other special events. Students enrolling in 218 must also take 219 in the same term. Prerequisite: 216-217 or strong background in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Sample Reading List:
Luther Erasmus Pascal Hume Nietzsche
Reading/Writing Assignments: Preparation (reading and writing) for the two courses, HUM 218-219 combined, will range from 12-16 hours/week. Active participation in lectures and seminars and thoughtful reading of texts; four short papers, one long paper; a final exam in which students deal with the larger issues addressed by the course and integrate the different disciplines.
HUM 29: From the Renaissance to the Modern Period: History, Philosophy, and Religion
Part II of an intensive, interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture through a four-course sequence (216-219). Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits and other special events. Students enrolling in 219 must also take 218 in the same term. Prerequisite: 216-217 or strong background in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Sample Reading List:
Machiavelli Milton Hobbes Shakespeare Rousseau Kant
Reading/Writing Assignments: Preparation (reading and writing) for both HUM 218-219 combined will range from 12-16 hours/week. Active participation in lectures and seminars and thoughtful reading of texts; four short papers, one long paper; a final exam in which students deal with the larger issues addressed by the course and integrate the different disciplines.
Okay, this is the class that I want to take.
==============
PHY 106: Advanced Physics (Electromagnetism)
We shall study electricity and magnetism, with special emphasis on the unification of these forces through the theory of special relativity. Subject matter is similar to that of Physics 104, but the treatment is more sophisticated. There will be application to physical optics and electromagnetic behavior of materials. Weekly laboratory.
Sample Reading List:
Purcell , Electricity and Magnetism
Reading/Writing Assignments: Reading, problem sets, about 10 hours/week. Lectures will be more like upper level physics courses than PHY 104 in format and rigor.
This class is pretty much required for my major, although I could take 104 instead.
==============
MAT 215: Single Variable Analysis
Description/Objectives:
The rigorous epsilon-delta treatment of limits, convergence, and uniform convergence of sequences and series. Continuity, uniform continuity, and differentiability of functions. The Heine-Borel Theorem. The Rieman integral, conditions for integrability of a function and term by term differentiation and integration of series of functions, Taylor's Theorem.
I want to take this course to see if I want to major in math. Unfortunately, they may have cancelled the time of the class that I could take...
alterneative:
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MUS 103: Introduction to Music
Music 103 is an introduction to Western Art Music (works from 1100 to the present). The course defines the basic elements of music - pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, and form - and the historically significant styles and genres of composition. Emphasis is placed on the five most important premiere performances in music history. The course also explores the relationship between "high" and "low," "serious" and "popular" music.
Sounds fun. Will easily fit in my schedule.
===============
PHI 203: Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology
An Intorduction to some of the central questions in the philosophical fields of metaphysics and epsitemology. We shall begin with the philosophy of mind, asking what is the distinguishing character of mental states and how they relate to the physical world. next, we shall ask what knowledge is and whether our standard assumptions about what we can know are justified. Then, we shall discuss how language relates to reality. Finall, we shall discuss two central metaphysical questions: the existence of God and free will. We shall explore these questions by discussing in detail the workds of philosophers from Descartes to the present.
This is an alternative to hum. It will fit in my schedule pretty easily.
==============
PSY 307 overlaps with MUS 103, and PSY 101/101a overlaps with hum and phsyics, so I'm no longer seriously considering them. Maybe next year, or over the summer.
Those are the classes that I'm seriously considering. I think.
This course will discuss modern cosmology. We will discuss the origin and evolution of the Universe, gravitational collapse and the formation of galaxies, quasars and black holes, particle physics and the formation of the chemical elements, dark matter and dark energy, whether the Universe will expand forever, and the "anthropic" principle - in what types of Universe can life exist? Students will investigate some of these questions through the lectures and reading material, in discussion groups with the professors, and by the analysis of data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
The course would be interesting, but it seems like it's better to wait and take AST 401: Galaxies, Quasars, and the Universe, which appears to be a more rigorous treatment of the same subjects. It would fit in my schedule and would probably be painless. It's basically an alternative to physics.
===========
HUM 218: From the Renaissance to the Modern Period: Literature and the Arts
Part II of an intensive, interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture through a four-course sequence (216-219). Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits and other special events. Students enrolling in 218 must also take 219 in the same term. Prerequisite: 216-217 or strong background in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Sample Reading List:
Luther Erasmus Pascal Hume Nietzsche
Reading/Writing Assignments: Preparation (reading and writing) for the two courses, HUM 218-219 combined, will range from 12-16 hours/week. Active participation in lectures and seminars and thoughtful reading of texts; four short papers, one long paper; a final exam in which students deal with the larger issues addressed by the course and integrate the different disciplines.
HUM 29: From the Renaissance to the Modern Period: History, Philosophy, and Religion
Part II of an intensive, interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture through a four-course sequence (216-219). Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits and other special events. Students enrolling in 219 must also take 218 in the same term. Prerequisite: 216-217 or strong background in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Sample Reading List:
Machiavelli Milton Hobbes Shakespeare Rousseau Kant
Reading/Writing Assignments: Preparation (reading and writing) for both HUM 218-219 combined will range from 12-16 hours/week. Active participation in lectures and seminars and thoughtful reading of texts; four short papers, one long paper; a final exam in which students deal with the larger issues addressed by the course and integrate the different disciplines.
Okay, this is the class that I want to take.
==============
PHY 106: Advanced Physics (Electromagnetism)
We shall study electricity and magnetism, with special emphasis on the unification of these forces through the theory of special relativity. Subject matter is similar to that of Physics 104, but the treatment is more sophisticated. There will be application to physical optics and electromagnetic behavior of materials. Weekly laboratory.
Sample Reading List:
Purcell , Electricity and Magnetism
Reading/Writing Assignments: Reading, problem sets, about 10 hours/week. Lectures will be more like upper level physics courses than PHY 104 in format and rigor.
This class is pretty much required for my major, although I could take 104 instead.
==============
MAT 215: Single Variable Analysis
Description/Objectives:
The rigorous epsilon-delta treatment of limits, convergence, and uniform convergence of sequences and series. Continuity, uniform continuity, and differentiability of functions. The Heine-Borel Theorem. The Rieman integral, conditions for integrability of a function and term by term differentiation and integration of series of functions, Taylor's Theorem.
I want to take this course to see if I want to major in math. Unfortunately, they may have cancelled the time of the class that I could take...
alterneative:
===============
MUS 103: Introduction to Music
Music 103 is an introduction to Western Art Music (works from 1100 to the present). The course defines the basic elements of music - pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, and form - and the historically significant styles and genres of composition. Emphasis is placed on the five most important premiere performances in music history. The course also explores the relationship between "high" and "low," "serious" and "popular" music.
Sounds fun. Will easily fit in my schedule.
===============
PHI 203: Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology
An Intorduction to some of the central questions in the philosophical fields of metaphysics and epsitemology. We shall begin with the philosophy of mind, asking what is the distinguishing character of mental states and how they relate to the physical world. next, we shall ask what knowledge is and whether our standard assumptions about what we can know are justified. Then, we shall discuss how language relates to reality. Finall, we shall discuss two central metaphysical questions: the existence of God and free will. We shall explore these questions by discussing in detail the workds of philosophers from Descartes to the present.
This is an alternative to hum. It will fit in my schedule pretty easily.
==============
PSY 307 overlaps with MUS 103, and PSY 101/101a overlaps with hum and phsyics, so I'm no longer seriously considering them. Maybe next year, or over the summer.
Those are the classes that I'm seriously considering. I think.