May 21, 2024  
College Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Catalog Navigation
  Catalog Home
  2023-2024 Calendar
  Mission, History and Religious Affiliation
  Admissions
  Expenses
  Financial Aid
  Academic Policies
  The Curriculum
  Areas of Study
  Courses
  Student Support Services
  Scholarships and Special Endowed Funds
  Directories
  Special Programs
  Archived Catalogs
HELP
College Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses

 

Mathematics
  

  • MATH 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 212 - Philosophy of Mathematics

    Cross-Listed as  
    Why does 2 + 2 equal four? Can a diagram prove a mathematical truth? Is mathematics a social construction or do mathematical facts exist independently of our knowing them? Philosophy of mathematics considers these sorts of questions in an effort to understand the logical and philosophical foundations of mathematics. Topics include mathematical truth, mathematical reality, and mathematical justifications (knowledge). Typically we focus on the history of mathematics of the past 200 years, highlighting the way philosophical debates arise in mathematics itself and shape its future. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 111 , MATH 279 , or permission of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 236 - Linear Algebra

    Linear algebra is one of the pillars of mathematics, both pure and applied. Linear relations can be used to model phenomena from numerous disciplines in the mathematical sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, engineering, and computer science. This introduction to linear algebra blends mathematical computation, theory, abstraction, and application. It starts with systems of linear equations and grows into the study of matrices, vector spaces, linear independence, dimension, linear transformations, orthogonality and projections, eigenvectors, and their applications. The resulting linear algebraic framework is a flexible and powerful way to approach multidimensional problems. Prerequisite(s):  MATH 279  or MATH 137 , or with permission of instructor, MATH 135  . Offered every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 237 - Applied Multivariable Calculus III

    This course focuses on calculus useful for the mathematical and physical sciences. Topics include: scalar and vector-valued functions and derivatives; parameterization and integration over regions, curves, and surfaces; the divergence theorem; and Taylor series. Attention is given to both symbolic and numerical computing. Applications drawn from the natural sciences, probability, and other areas of mathematics. Prerequisite(s): MATH 137  or a strong high school calculus at the level of AP calculus with a BC score of 4 or higher. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 279 - Discrete Mathematics

    Discrete mathematics studies collections of distinct, separate objects and is complementary to calculus (which studies continuous phenomena). This course introduces techniques for analyzing arrangements of objects and the relationships between them. The material emphasizes problem solving and logical argumentation, rather than computation. Topics include basic counting principles, induction, logic, recurrence relations, number theory, and graph theory. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 294 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 312 - Differential Equations

    Introduction to the theory and application of differential equations. Solving linear and first-order systems using algebra, linear algebra, and complex numbers. Using computers to solve equations both symbolically and numerically and to visualize the solutions. Qualitative methods for nonlinear dynamical systems. Applications to diverse areas of modeling. Prerequisite(s):  MATH 236  and MATH 237 . Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 313 - Advanced Symbolic Logic

    Cross-Listed as   
    A second course in symbolic logic which extends the methods of logic. A main purpose of this course is to study logic itself-to prove things about the system of logic learned in the introductory course. This course is thus largely logic about logic. Topics include second order logic and basic set theory; soundness, consistency and completeness of first order logic; incompleteness of arithmetic; Turing computability; modal logic; and intuitionistic logic. Prerequisite(s):  PHIL 111  or MATH 279  or permission of instructor. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 354 - Probability

    Cross-Listed as STAT 354  
    An introduction to probability theory and application. Fundamental probability concepts include: sample spaces, combinatorics, conditional probability, independence, random variables, probability distributions, expectation, variance, moment-generating functions, and limit theorems. Special course topics vary and may include: computer simulation, stochastic processes, and statistical inference. Prerequisite(s):   MATH 237 ; or MATH 137  and MATH 236  . Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 361 - Theory of Computation

    Cross-Listed as   
    This course examines the theoretical foundations of computation. It explores different mathematical models that try to formalize our informal notion of an algorithm. Models include finite automata, regular expressions, grammars, and Turing machines. The course also discusses ideas about what can and cannot be computed. In addition, the course explores the basics of complexity theory, examining broad categories of problems and their algorithms, and their efficiency. The focus is on the question of P versus NP, and the NP-complete set. Prerequisite(s): (COMP 128  or COMP 221 ) and  , or permission of instructor. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 365 - Computational Linear Algebra

    Cross-Listed as  COMP 365  
    A mix of applied linear algebra and numerical analysis, this course covers a central point of contact between mathematics and computer science. Many of the computational techniques important in science, commerce, and statistics are based on concepts from linear algebra, such as subspaces, projections, and matrix decompositions. The course reviews these concepts, adopts them to large scales, and applies them in the core techniques of scientific computing. These include solving systems of linear and nonlinear equations, approximation and statistical function estimation, optimization, interpolation, eigenvalue and singular value decompositions, and compression. Applications throughout the natural sciences, social sciences, statistics, and computer science Prerequisite(s): COMP 120  or COMP 123 , and MATH 236   Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 375 - Graph Theory

    Graphs are mathematical structures which represent the relationships between objects in a set. Graph Theory falls under the umbrella of discrete mathematics and borrows methods from several areas of study to explore properties like the overall strength and complexity of the graph. Topics in this course include connectivity, graph coloring, trees, graph algorithms, and network flows. This course also discusses how these topics relate to graphs found in applications, such as social networks and the internet. Prerequisite(s): MATH 279   Alternate fall semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 376 - Algebraic Structures

    Introduction to algebraic structures, including groups, rings, fields, and vector spaces. Other topics may include geometric constructions, symmetry groups, algebraic coding theory, Burnside’s counting theorem, Galois theory. Prerequisite(s):  MATH 279  and MATH 236  . Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 377 - Real Analysis

    Basic theory for the real numbers and the notions of limit, continuity, differentiation, integration, convergence, uniform convergence, and infinite series. Additional topics may include metric and normed linear spaces, point set topology, analytic number theory, Fourier series. Prerequisite(s):  MATH 237 . Every fall. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 378 - Complex Analysis

    A course in the study of functions of complex numbers, a topic which touches fields as varied as number theory, applied mathematics, physics, engineering, algebraic geometry, and more. We cover: geometry and algebra of complex numbers; complex functions; differentiation and integration, including the Cauchy­Riemann equations, Cauchy’s theorem, and the Cauchy integral formula; Taylor series, Laurent series, and the Residue Theorem. Throughout, we emphasize complex functions as transformations of the plane, and also make a strong connection to applications. This course is appropriate both for students with an interest and background in theoretical mathematics and proof, and students whose primary interest is the application of mathematics to other fields. Prerequisite(s): MATH 236  and MATH 237 . Every spring. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 379 - Combinatorics

    A second course in discrete mathematics that develops more advanced counting techniques. Combinatorics is the study of arrangements, patterns and configurations. Generally speaking,  we fix a set of objects and then arrange those objects into patterns satisfying special rules. Once we identify an interesting family of objects, we ask: how many are there? what are their structural properties? how can we find the “best” one(s)?  Topics are drawn from  graph theory, enumerative combinatorics, graph algorithms, and generating functions.  Prerequisite(s): MATH 279  and MATH 237  . Offered odd-numbered fall semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 394 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 432 - Mathematical Modeling

    Draws on the student’s general background in mathematics to construct models for problems arising from such diverse areas as the physical sciences, life sciences, political science, economics, and computing. Emphasis will be on the design, analysis, accuracy, and appropriateness of a model for a given problem. Case studies will be used extensively. Specific mathematical techniques will vary with the instructor and student interest. This course counts towards the capstone requirement. Prerequisite(s): MATH 312  and one of the following:  COMP 120  or COMP 123  or COMP 124 . Every fall semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 437 - Topics in Applied Mathematics

    Topics in applied mathematics chosen from: Fourier analysis; partial differential equations; wavelets; signal processing; time-frequency analysis; stochastic processes; optimization; computational geometry; and more. Topics are examined in theoretical and applied contexts, and from analytical and computational viewpoints. This course counts toward the capstone requirement. May be repeated for credit with departmental approval. Prerequisite(s): MATH 236  and one of the following: COMP 120  or COMP 123  or COMP 124 . MATH 312  or MATH 365  recommended. Odd numbered spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 455 - Mathematical Statistics

    Cross-Listed as STAT 455  
    An important course for students considering graduate work in statistics or biostatistics, this course explores the mathematics underlying modern statistical applications. Topics include: classical techniques for parameter estimation and evaluation of estimator properties, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and linear regression. Special topics vary and may include: tests of independence, resampling techniques, introductory Bayesian concepts, and non­parametric methods. Though not the focus of this course, concepts will be highlighted through applications in a variety of settings. Prerequisite(s): MATH 354  . Even numbered spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 465 - Signal Processing

    This course leverages theory and computation to explore how transforming data from one domain into a different domain often makes it easier to analyze, compress, communicate, or find structure in the data. Topics include: how signals such as audio clips and images can be broken down into combinations of basic building blocks (analysis); how those fundamental building blocks can be combined into more complicated signals (synthesis); the theory and applications of Fourier, discrete cosine, wavelet, and time-frequency transforms; the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem; the Heisenberg uncertainty principle; and sparse representations. Applications will be drawn from audio and speech processing, graph signal processing, medical imaging, physics, geology, biology, finance, and other disciplines. Prerequisite(s): MATH 236  and COMP 123 . MATH 365  recommended. Alternate fall semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 471 - Topology

    A course in both theoretical and computational mathematics. Theoretical concepts include fundamental ideas from point set topology—continuity, convergence, and connectedness—as well as selected topics from algebraic topology—the fundamental group, elementary homotopy theory, and homology. This theoretical framework provides a backbone to understand new advances in topological data analysis. Applications are chosen from diverse fields such as biological aggregations, medicine, image processing, signal processing, and sensor networks. This course counts towards the capstone requirement. Prerequisite(s): MATH 365  or MATH 375  or MATH 376  or MATH 377  or MATH 378   or MATH 379  . Alternate spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 476 - Representation Theory

    A course in matrix representations of groups, a topic which unites the powers of group theory and linear algebra. Topics include: symmetry in linear spaces, modules, group actions, characters, tensor products, and Fourier analysis on groups. Applications are chosen from: ranked data, molecular vibrations, quantum mechanics, random walks, number theory, and combinatorics. Important ideas from linear algebra are revisited from a more sophisticated point of view. These include: linear transformations, abstract vector spaces, change of basis, subspaces, direct sums, projections, and eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Prerequisite(s): MATH 376  . Odd numbered fall semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 477 - Projects in Analysis

    Students will work on semester projects that build on the material of MATH 377  or MATH 378 . These projects are designed to serve as Capstone projects and will be open-­ended exploratory projects on topics chosen from real, complex, or functional analysis. Prerequisite(s):  MATH 236 , and either MATH 377  or MATH 378  (MATH 377  recommended).  Even numbered spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 479 - Network Science

    Cross-Listed as   
    The modern Information Age has produced a wealth of data about the complex networks that tie us together. In response, the field of Network Science has arisen, bringing together mathematics, computer science, sociology, biology, economics and other fields. This course will explore the fundamental questions and the mathematical tools of Network Science. This includes: the structure of complex networks, including connectedness, centrality and “long tails”; community detection; random/strategic models for network formation; diffusion/contagion and “tipping points” on networks; and algorithms for analyzing complex networks. Prerequisite(s):  COMP 123 , MATH 236  and one of COMP 221 , MATH/STAT 354 , or MATH 379 .  Odd numbered spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 494 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 601 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • MATH 602 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • MATH 603 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • MATH 604 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 611 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. (1 Credits)
  

  • MATH 612 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. (2 Credits)
  

  • MATH 613 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. (3 Credits)
  

  • MATH 614 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 621 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • MATH 622 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • MATH 623 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • MATH 624 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 631 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form . Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • MATH 632 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form . Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • MATH 633 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form . Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • MATH 634 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form . Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MATH 641 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • MATH 642 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • MATH 643 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • MATH 644 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 112 - Introduction to Data Science

    Cross-Listed as COMP 112  
    This course provides an introduction to the handling, analysis, and interpretation of the big datasets now routinely being collected in science, commerce, and government. Students achieve facility with a sophisticated, technical computing environment. The course aligns with techniques being used in several courses in the natural and social sciences, statistics, and mathematics. The course is intended to be accessible to all students, regardless of background. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 125 - Epidemiology

    Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease and health in human populations and the application of this understanding to the solution of public health problems. Topics include measurement of disease and health, the outbreak and spread of disease, reasoning about cause and effect, analysis of risk, detection and classification, and the evaluation of trade-offs. The course is designed to fulfill and extend the professional community’s consensus definition of undergraduate epidemiology. In addition to the techniques of modern epidemiology, the course emphasizes the historical evolution of ideas of causation, treatment, and prevention of disease. The course is a required component of the concentration in Community and Global Health. Offered most semesters; check with MSCS chair for upcoming academic year. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 155 - Introduction to Statistical Modeling

    An introductory statistics course with an emphasis on multivariate modeling. Topics include descriptive statistics, experiment and study design, probability, hypothesis testing, multivariate regression, single and multi-way analysis of variance, logistic regression. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 212 - Intermediate Data Science

    Cross-Listed as COMP 212  
    This second course in the data science curriculum emphasizes advanced data wrangling and manipulation, interactive visualization, writing functions, working with data in databases, version control, and data ethics. Through open-ended and interdisciplinary projects, students practice the constant feedback loop of asking questions of the data, manipulating the data to help answer the question, and then returning to more questions. Prerequisite(s): COMP 112  and COMP 123  and STAT 155 ; STAT 253  recommended but not required. Every semester (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 253 - Statistical Machine Learning

    The linear and logistic modeling techniques from STAT 155  are augmented with the three foundational machine learning tasks: regression, classification, and clustering.  The course explores techniques central to these tasks, including methods of data exploration, supervised and unsupervised learning, parametric and nonparametric modeling, and model training and evaluation.  As required by the application of these sophisticated techniques, the course also introduces foundational statistical computer programming concepts.    Prerequisite(s): STAT 155 . Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 294 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 354 - Probability

    Cross-Listed as MATH 354  
    An introduction to probability theory and application. Fundamental probability concepts include: sample spaces, combinatorics, conditional probability, independence, random variables, probability distributions, expectation, variance, moment-generating functions, and limit theorems. Special course topics vary and may include: computer simulation, stochastic processes, and statistical inference. Prerequisite(s): MATH 237 ; or MATH 137  and MATH 236 . Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 394 - Topics Course

      Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 451 - Causal Inference

    “Correlation does not imply causation.” We’ve all heard this mantra, warding us away from reading too much into the association between murder rates and ice cream sales, between shoe size and reading ability, and the like. But this mantra leaves us wanting: how do we study causation? Questions of causation are essential when we try to understand the effects of new medical treatments, policies, or programs. In this course, we’ll examine frameworks of thinking, statistical tools, and study designs that enable us to learn about the causal effects of interventions. Some specific topics include graphical causal models, randomized experiments, propensity score methods, instrumental variables, and interrupted time series designs. This course should be useful to those interested in biology, economics, medicine, public policy and any area in which interventions are routinely evaluated.  Prerequisite(s): STAT 155  and STAT 354   Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 452 - Correlated Data

    One of the most common assumptions made in Statistics is that observations are independent; however, there are many situations in which the data violate this assumption by design. In this class, we discuss advanced visualization and modeling approaches for when the data are correlated. Topics will include time series analysis, longitudinal data analysis, and spatial data analysis. Applications are drawn from across the disciplines. Prerequisite(s): STAT 155  and STAT 354   On a rotating basis. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 453 - Survival Analysis

    Survival analysis refers to a set of methods used for modeling “time-­to-­event” or “duration” data. In many studies, the outcome of interest is the time between between events (e.g. onset of Alzheimer’s until death, time unlit default on a loan, unemployment duration, marriage duration, removal-­to-­recurrence of a tumor, emergency room length of stay). Survival analysis evolved from a practical reality: the precise values of data are often unknown. We will introduce the concepts of censoring and truncation, and discuss the Kaplan-­Meier curve, parametric regression models, Cox’s proportional hazards model, and time-­varying covariates. The course will have an applied focus. Examples may be drawn from a variety of fields including, but not restricted to, medicine, economics, sociology, and political science. The course will count toward completion of the concentration in Community and Global Health. Prerequisite(s): STAT 155  and MATH 354 . On a rotating basis. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 454 - Bayesian Statistics

    Bayesian statistics, an alternative to the traditional frequentist approach taken in our other statistics courses, is playing an increasingly integral role in modern statistics. The Bayesian philosophy is natural, allowing us to formally balance data with our prior knowledge, and updating this knowledge as more data come in. It answers natural questions. It can shine in settings where frequentist “likelihood” methods break down. And it is becoming increasingly popular with the availability of computing tools necessary to its implementation. This course explores the Bayesian approach to statistical analysis, Bayesian computing, and both sides of the frequentist versus Bayesian debate. Topics include Bayes’ Theorem, prior and posterior probability distributions, Bayesian regression, Bayesian hierarchical models, and an introduction to Markov chain Monte Carlo computing techniques. Prerequisite(s): STAT 155  and MATH 354 . Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 455 - Mathematical Statistics

    Cross-Listed as MATH 455  
    An important course for students considering graduate work in statistics or biostatistics, this course explores the mathematics underlying modern statistical applications. Topics include: classical techniques for parameter estimation and evaluation of estimator properties, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and linear regression. Special topics vary and may include: tests of independence, resampling techniques, introductory Bayesian concepts, and non­parametric methods. Though not the focus of this course, concepts will be highlighted through applications in a variety of settings. Prerequisite(s): MATH 354  . Every Spring (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 456 - Projects in Data Science

    Cross-Listed as COMP 456  
    This third course in the data science curriculum is a capstone course that emphasizes team-based learning through open-ended data science projects. Working with a team throughout the course of the semester you will take on an interdisciplinary in-depth data science project and gain experience in developing and refining research questions, identifying and wrangling datasets, and clearly presenting results and conclusions. Mini-lectures by the instructor, guest speakers, and students will present advanced topics that supplement and support team-based learning. Counts as a capstone course for the Computer Science major and the Data Science major. Prerequisite(s): STAT 212   and STAT 253   Fall semester only. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 494 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. On a rotating basis. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 601 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s):   Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • STAT 602 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • STAT 603 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • STAT 604 - Tutorial

    Closely supervised individual (or very small group) study with a faculty member in which a student may explore, by way of readings, short writings, etc., an area of mathematics not available through the regular offerings. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 611 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • STAT 612 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • STAT 613 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • STAT 614 - Independent Project

    Individual project including library research, conferences with instructor, oral and written reports on independent work in mathematics. Subject matter may complement but not duplicate material covered in regular courses. Prerequisite(s): Arrangement with faculty prior to registration, departmental approval, and permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 621 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • STAT 622 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • STAT 623 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • STAT 624 - Internship

    Internships are offered only as S/SD/N grading option. Prerequisite(s): Junior and Senior standing. Arrangements must be made prior to registration. Departmental approval and permission of instructor required. Work with Internship Office. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 631 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • STAT 632 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • STAT 633 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • STAT 634 - Preceptorship

    Work in assisting faculty in the planning and teaching of a course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. Work with Academic Programs Office to complete a Preceptor Learning Contract Form. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • STAT 641 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (1 Credits)
  

  • STAT 642 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (2 Credits)
  

  • STAT 643 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (3 Credits)
  

  • STAT 644 - Honors Independent

    Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and department chair. Every semester. (4 Credits)

Media and Cultural Studies
  

  • MCST 110 - Texts and Power: Foundations of Media and Cultural Studies

    This course introduces students to the intellectual roots and contemporary applications of cultural studies, including critical media studies, focusing on the theoretical bases for analyses of power and meaning in production, texts, and reception. It includes primary readings in anti-racist, feminist, modern, postmodern, and queer cultural and social theory, and compares them to traditional approaches to the humanities. Designed as preparation for intermediate and advanced work grounded in cultural studies, the course is writing intensive, with special emphasis on developing skills in critical thinking and scholarly argumentation and documentation. Completion of or enrollment in MCST 110 is the prerequisite for majoring in media and cultural studies. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 114 - News Reporting and Writing

    This class gives an introduction to the many media platforms that are vital to contemporary journalism, and provides a strong foundation in news writing and reporting. It is taught by a veteran editor and writer, who is a Macalester graduate and currently a digital editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune ( startribune.com ). Campus and Twin Cities communities are used as students plan, develop, report and write stories individually and in groups. Cookies are usually served in class.   (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 126 - Local News Media Institutions

    In this course students analyze the social, cultural, economic, political, and regulatory factors shaping the nature of US communications media, and then investigate how this affects local media organizations and their role in recognizing, serving and facilitating (or not) local populations, communities, interaction, identity, and civic engagement. Considering the history and practices of American journalism, and the current shifts in media technology and economics, the class examines the degree to which media function to provide effective access to news and information, foster diversity of content, encourage civic engagement, and serve the interest of citizens and diverse communities in a democratic society. Individual student projects for the course begin by identifying particular geographic, ethnic, or cultural neighborhoods and communities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, and proceed to explore the degree to which these communities are recognized, defined, or served by various media institutions and journalism practice. Students explore various attempts to revitalize local communication, news delivery and civic discourse through experiments in community media, citizen journalism, community-based news aggregation, media arts, community service and other media innovations and reforms across neighborhood, ethnic, immigrant, gender, sexuality, and other public issues and community participation. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 128 - Film Analysis/Visual Culture

    This course introduces the aesthetics of film as well as selected issues in contemporary film studies. Its aesthetic approach isolates the features that constitute film as a distinct art form: narrative or non-narrative structure, staging, cinematography, editing, and sound. Topics in contemporary film studies that might be considered include one or more of the following: cultural studies and film, industrial organization and globalization, representations of gender and race, and theories of authorship, horror, and spectatorship. Several papers, a test covering basic film terms, and a short video project emphasizing abstract form are required. Suitable for first year students. Every semester. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 160 - Culture Power Difference

    Cross-Listed as AMST 160  
    The theorization of difference is an important aspect of cultural theory. In this class we will look at the role of difference as it is understood through ideas of representational and aesthetic politics as well as through the practice and production of knowledge. We want to examine the turn to difference within cultural studies and how this move has shifted how we think about power relations and meaning making in society. We will look at the foundational work of critical race and ethnic studies in cultural theory as well more recent scholarly work that focuses on the administration of difference through surveillance technology and social media. The class will expose students to a range of material including print, digital media, film, television, and internet and social media. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 194 - Topics Course

    Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 202 - Global Media Industries

    Cross-Listed as  INTL 202 
    Global media collectively have tremendous influence in how many see and comprehend the world and therefore on the information and beliefs upon which they feel or act. While media are central to the continued production of a sense of “the world” at large or the “global” scale, media industries are situated geographically, culturally and institutionally. Even if they promise worldwide coverage or are multinational companies, there is much to be gained from studying how media are produced and distributed differently according to specific social, political, economic and historical conditions. This course considers media industries around the world with a focus on the relationships between the labor and infrastructures behind representations in a broad range of media (television, radio, cinema, news, telecommunications, internet). (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 232 - Fundamentals of Video Production

    This course is designed as a basic introduction to digital video production. The objective of the class is to familiarize students of film theory and history with the language of cinema from the standpoint of production in order to deepen your appreciation and knowledge of the technical aspects of film/video and to develop your capacity to use video as a tool for research and communication. In this way, the course will be a combination of technical instruction, critical engagement, and creative exploration. We will analyze and employ a variety of filmmaking techniques as well as constructing narrative and non-narrative strategies for doing so. The focus of the course will be to familiarize you with some basic conventions of experimental, documentary, and narrative cinema. In each assignment, you will be encouraged to think about how formal decisions enhance and further narrative or thematic elements. We will thus pay very close attention to formal aspects of cinematic production: mise-en-scene. cinematography, editing, and sound design. In addition to this attention to form, success in the class will be dependent on a commitment to working through the technical aspects of video production (camera operation, lighting, editing software) in order to create short, original video pieces. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 234 - New Media Theories/Practices

    In the last couple of decades we have seen the invention and popularization of a wide assortment of digital technologies and with them, a wide variety of new media forms. The internet (which includes a collection of media forms, from web pages and peer-to-peer software to social media and video sharing sites), massively multiplayer online video games, ubiquitous computing, software, mobile phones - together, many argue, these and other forms of new media are reshaping how we live, create, work and even, what it means to be human. In this class we’ll examine a cross-section of contemporary humanistic research that has sought to understand the impact(s) of new media through a comparison to earlier, pre-digital media. In addition, we will engage in hands-on workshops, where we will use and learn some of the tools, software, and websites that our texts consider. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 248 - History of Film 1893-1941

    This course provides an overview of the history of film up through the release of Citizen Kane , examining aesthetic, industrial, social, and theoretical topics in a variety of national and cultural contexts. Discussions, lectures, and screenings emphasize commercial and avant-garde styles and their determinants. What is the style now referred to as the “classical Hollywood cinema?- Why did it materialize? What alternatives were there? The course explores issues of racism and gender as well as connections between the history of film and the modernization of European and U.S. culture. Several papers are required. Prerequisite(s): MCST 128  recommended, sophomore status or permission of instructor. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 249 - History of Film Since 1941

    This course provides an overview of the history of film from the early 1940s, examining aesthetic, industrial, social, and theoretical topics in a variety of national and cultural contexts. Discussions, lectures, and screenings emphasize international commercial and alternative styles and their determinants. Why and how did alternative styles develop against and within the Hollywood system? The course explores issues of racism and gender as well as connections between the history of film and postwar transformations, with particular attention to the effects on filmmaking of the Cold War in the United States and of post colonial struggles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Several papers are required. Students who have completed MCST 248 - History of Film 1893-1941 will be encouraged to engage in independent research. Prerequisite(s): MCST 128  recommended. Alternate years. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 258 - The Middle East Through Film

    Cross-Listed as INTL 258  
    This course provides an introduction to the history, politics, and aesthetics of Middle Eastern cinema. Over the course of the semester, we will examine the development of both local and regional cinematic traditions; the role of cinema in the production of the collective memory of conflict and war; the international circulation of film as a form of soft power; and, not least, the profound discursive power of cinematic humor. Readings will offer an introduction to methods of film analysis as well as to the political and artistic history of the modern Middle East. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 266 - Cinema Studies

    Cross-Listed as GERM 366  

    Taught in English; there is an optional German component for those who want to have the course count toward their German-taught courses. In this case, students must do the reading and writing assignments and some of their oral presentations in German.

    Cinema Studies is a film course with a special emphasis on some aspect of German culture relating to cinema, such as German film production, film adaptations of German literary texts, or the representation of German history in world cinema. While familiarizing students with the methodologies of film analysis, the course focus may vary from a historical or genre survey to a particular concept (such as representations of gender, race, nationality) to a cross-section between film and other texts. Students will gain insight into film as an aesthetic, ideological, and political medium, and into specifics of German history and culture. Students may register more than once in this course, provided a different topic is offered.​ Alternate spring semesters. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 268 - On Television

    This course is designed to be a critical look at an often-unexamined medium, television. We will approach TV as an industry, a medium or mode of culture, a sometimes-maligned object of discourse, and a site of textual, social, and political practices. Our guiding principle will be that TV matters. And we will ask not just what ideas and practices it produces, but, importantly, how it produces them and how they have changed over time. Starting in the postwar period, we will trace the emergence of television culture, mostly within the United States, and think about how this particular media institution shaped, and was shaped by, its social and historical context. Specifically, this portion will focus on how the television was constructed as a domestic appliance and was used as an instrument for producing and policing the ideal or normative family. Then, the course will examine the history and politics of racial representation on television, starting with the symbiotic relationship between the civil rights movement and television news institutions in the mid-20th century. We will follow this into the present, with particular emphasis on television’s role in molding ideas about policing, protest, and racism. Throughout, we will consider the distinct textual, aesthetic, and stylistic aspects of individual television programs as well as the larger discursive environment in which they operate. Screening these episodes along with theoretical, historical, and analytical readings, this course will use class discussion, lecture, and written assignments to develop critical frameworks for understanding TV. Every year. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 271 - “Dead White Men” in the Era of Antiracism

    Cross-Listed as GERM 271  
    All readings and class taught in English; no pre-knowledge required. Commenting on the relation between Africa and European philosophy and culture, Kwame Anthony Appiah maintains that the temptation for Africa “to forget Europe is to suppress the conflicts that have shaped our identities; since it is too late for us to escape each other, we might instead seek to turn to our advantage the mutual interdependencies history has thrust upon us.” Appiah’s interracial approach is equally recommendable for the epistemological relation between the European philosophical tradition and contemporary culture-a culture that understands itself as post-ideological and declares any truth to be constructed (except for the inexorable laws of the market). In this culture, we can hear the question: Why should we bother with “dead white men”-who harbored universal truths and a universal self-conscious rational (male and white) subject-now that we understand that truth depends on historical context, that the self is decentered by the unconscious, that identity is constituted by factors such as class, race, and gender, and that truth is interlaced with imagination, ideology, and power? The faultiness of this question consists in presuming a clear-cut distinction or even break between philosophical tradition and contemporary culture, as if the latter had emerged autonomously and had not been shaped in relation and in conflict with this tradition. To gain insight into these mutual interdependencies, both epistemological and racial, in this course we shall pursue a double movement. On the one hand, we shall read closely texts by various “dead white men” as the unconscious (i.e., repressed and, for that matter, possibly all the more powerful) undercurrent of contemporary culture. And on the other hand, we shall read critiques of “dead white men” that point to the racialist unconscious that undergirds their argumentations. Emphasis may be placed on one or several main figures of any period since the early modernity (17th century) (e.g., Descartes, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Sartre, Lacan, Foucault, Deleuze, Derrida) and on their commentators and critics. The course may be offered in different iterations, and under different topics this course may be taken more than once for credit. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 273 - German-French Dialogues in Critical Theory: Marx-Freud-Sartre-Lacan

    Cross-Listed as GERM 273  
    All readings and class taught in English; no pre-knowledge required. This course focuses on the dialogue and mutual influence between the German- and French-speaking traditions of political economy and philosophical and theoretical thought, as it becomes evident in the relations among German Idealism, Phenomenology, Existentialism, Psychoanalysis, (post-)Structuralism, and their productive interconnections in the development of Critical and Political Theory. While becoming familiar with the work of Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Jacque Lacan, as well as the work of relevant thinkers who influenced their thought, we shall be examining the structural and conceptual homologies and differences among political economy, abstract thought, and human subjectivity. The dialogue will include the voices of race and feminist theory (e.g., Simone de Beauvoir, Franz Fanon, Julia Kristeva, Jacqueline Rose). The last part of the course will focus on the relation between these interconnections (among economy, ideas, culture, and the constitution of identities) and the exercise of power in the era of global capitalism, as theorized by thinkers who draw on this German-French-speaking line of thought. French majors and minors may read the French texts in the original and do some writing in French. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 275 - Theoretical Approaches to European and American Cinema

    Cross-Listed as GERM 275  
    All readings and class taught in English; no pre-knowledge required. In this course we shall approach films as a medium that, through all of its means (from dialogue to more formal aspects, such as camera angle or editing), raises and attempts to negotiate philosophical, ideological, and political issues and conflicts. We shall be exposed to different methodologies of film analysis while examining: (a) a few representative films of three influential European film movements (German expressionism, Italian Neo-Realism, French nouvelle-vague), as a means of tracing the itinerary of European cinema from an action-oriented to a reflection-oriented practice; (b) the British and later American work of Alfred Hitchcock, as a mode of cinematography that employs the “gaze” as a principle of structural organization; and (c), American films of the 1970’s - 1990’s, as attempts to represent the world of late capitalism. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
  

  • MCST 276 - Marx, the Imaginary, and Neoliberalism

    Cross-Listed as GERM 276 , POLI 276 , and RELI 276  
    All readings and class taught in English; no pre-knowledge required. Marx’s contribution to the theorization of the function of the imaginary in both the constitution of subjectivity and the mechanisms of politics and economy-usually referred to as ideology-cannot be overestimated. The first part of this course traces Marx’s gradual conceptualization of the imaginary throughout his work-as well as further Marxist theoreticians, such as Louis Althusser, Étienne Balibar, and Slavoj Žižek-while exploring how the imaginary enabled Marx’s discovery of three further crucial concepts: structure, the unconscious, and the symptom, all of which are central in the analysis of culture and ideology. In the second part of the course, we shall focus on the logic and mechanisms of power in contemporary neoliberalism, including the claim that today Marx’s theory is no longer relevant (readings will include Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, Maurizio Lazzarato, McKenzie Wark). Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
 

Page: 1 <- Back 10 … 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 -> 22