This course aims to establish a strong foundation in basic structures and principles, encouraging further study. Foundational elements include: pronunciation, intonation, basic grammar rules and basic vocabulary. The course blends both traditional materials and methods of instruction with active participation and activities.
This course is for learners who already have some knowledge of French, recent or not. In this course, instructors will make students talk about their field of interest and will quickly use what is said in the class to create the content of the course. Topics of instruction include pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, all with each student’s abilities and interests in mind.
This course develops basic conversation, reading, and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to express themselves in basic sentences, recognize gender and number in both nouns and adjectives, and begin approaching the Passato Prossimo. Emphasis will be given to the oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
This intensive six-credit course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of Italian. It will give students the opportunity to experience a total language immersion, learning how to use gradually more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course will start from linguistic fundamentals and essential grammatical structures, including singular and plural forms of articles, adjectives, nouns, and their agreement; regular and some irregular conjugations of -are, -ere, -ire verbs in the Present tense; and simple prepositions. It will then move on to reflexive verbs, conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the Past, and direct object pronouns. It will finally introduce students to Future and Conditional tenses, possessive adjectives, and indirect object pronouns, along with the continued practice of expanding vocabulary and gradual building of complexity in grammatical structures. All lessons will be taught in Italian.
Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This intensive six-credit course is intended for students who have previously completed one semester of elementary Italian language studies at the undergraduate level. It will give students the opportunity to experience a total language immersion, building on and extending fundamental skills developed in the elementary course. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to communicate in both written and oral form about topics they are familiar with pertaining to personal interests (i.e. family, hobbies, work, travel), as well as simple aspects of Italian culture. The grammatical structures covered will start with a review of Passato Prossimo and introduce Imperfetto conjugations, direct object pronouns, Future and Conditional tenses, possessive adjectives, and indirect object pronouns, followed by Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi and Combinati, Imperativo, and a basic grasp of the four Subjunctive tenses. All lessons will be taught in Italian.
Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This course builds on and extends fundamental skills developed in the beginning-level course. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency skills and integration of language and culture through more extensive reading and writing. Upon course completion, students will be able to express polite requests using the Present Conditional and develop their language ability by using direct and indirect object pronouns. This course is aimed at students who already have a basic vocabulary of Italian and some knowledge of elementary language structures.
Pre-requisites: Two semesters of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This level is for those students who already have an active knowledge of elementary language structures (i.e. the expression of past actions and events, discussion of future plans), can communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and can understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to use more complex pronouns both in spoken and written Italian and will have a basic grasp of the following topics: Condizionale, Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi, Imperativo and a basic grasp of the four tenses of Subjunctive.
This course concentrates on rapidly developing a basic command of Italian while introducing the student to various aspects of the Italian culture through the hospitality industry. Students will have the opportunity to learn on-site with their instructors through a series of walking tours and visits in Florence to hotels, restaurants, and wine-related establishments. Technical vocabulary will be enhanced and finalized to prepare the student for the hospitality industry. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. After taking this course, students will be able to express themselves in the Present tense and Passato Prossimo and to use both nouns and adjectives in the correct form with reference to gender and number. No prior knowledge of Italian required, this is a beginner-level course.
Teaches students the skills necessary to write essays of exposition and argument for university purposes. It includes brainstorming, writing an outline, structuring an essay, integrating quotations, summaries and referencing.
NOTE: This course is available only to students who speak English as an additional language.
Basic principles and concepts of accounting that underlie the production of information for internal and external reporting. This course provides the technical platform for second year courses in financial and management accounting, finance, and accounting information systems.
Examines how understanding financial, non-financial and legal information is critical to business decision making. Considers the accounting and legal requirements, issues and mechanisms that impact management of an organisation. Develops skills in analysing, interpreting and communicating accounting information.
An examination of the experience of African Americans during the ‘long civil rights movement’ of the twentieth century, emphasising the depth and breadth of Black oppositional spirit and activity, the achievements and remaining challenges.
In HISTORY 308, attention will also be given to the ‘long civil rights movement’ in historiography and popular memory.
A practical introduction to computing. Topics include: web design, an overview of computer hardware and operating systems, effective use of common applications, using the internet as a communication medium, applying programming concepts, and social implications of technology.
The history, philosophy and ethics of humanity’s treatment of animals; relevant legislation and case law. Topics include: the development of the humane movement; consideration of whether all animals should be treated as property and the justification for such an approach; the development of animal protection legislation and what it does for animals; and the emergence of a concept of Animal Rights; the use of animals in farming, entertainment, research, and in a companion animal context; enforcement and sentencing of animal welfare offending; and international trends and developments in animal law.
Studies aquatic activity with an emphasis on the practical competencies that underpin safe and engaging recreation in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Includes drowning prevention, promotion and water safety education with particular reference to high-risk activities and at-risk groups, including children and youth. Demonstrate responsibility in aquatic environments including developing a range of aquatic skills, identifying hazards, and care for aquatic environments.
Explores urbanisation and development in Asia as processes from a variety of disciplinary approaches to provide a comprehensive global studies analysis of these interrelated concepts. Focuses on critical topics such as pollution, housing, labour, gender, mobility and education. The geographical breadth of the course covers East, Southeast and South Asia.
An introduction to the basic principles of physics. Key topics are the physical description of motion, electricity and magnetism. The course focuses on the science of everyday phenomena and the understanding of important physical concepts. This course will equip students with little prior knowledge of physics to succeed in PHYSICS 120 or 160.
Introduces students to modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin, Putonghua) through exercises and activities to develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Also introduces the social and cultural background of the language.
Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed
Business on a global scale presents unique challenges and unrivalled opportunities to companies equipped to cross national boundaries. Set against a background of current events, the course explores the influence of international trade and multinational corporations on the contemporary global economy.
Focuses on the development and consolidation of choreographic and performance skills.
Prerequisite: Any 30 points at Stage I in Dance Studies
Communication knowledge and skills are essential in business careers and for interpersonal and intercultural relationships. This course offers a theory-based approach combined with applied communication practices. Communication knowledge, competencies and skills are developed through exploring relationships, mediated communication, writing, team dynamics, oral presentation and technologies.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
The fundamentals of chemistry are explored with a view to enhancing understanding of the chemical nature of the world around us and providing a foundation for further study in chemistry. Special attention is paid to familiarisation with the language of chemistry and the chemist’s perspective of the properties of matter and its transformations.
A first exposure to statistics that builds data handling skills and develops conceptual thinking through active participation in problems using real data, computer simulations and group work. STATS 100 makes full use of appropriate technology and prepares students for further study in Statistics.
An introduction to reasoning, argument, and explanation that emphasises the development of practical skills and their use in everyday life. The course introduces different forms of reasoning and explains techniques to evaluate them. It will enable students to distinguish good arguments and explanations from bad ones, to explain the difference, and thereby to improve critical thinking abilities.
Educational issues are pressing concerns in our society. The course will help develop understanding of the background of today’s public debates around schooling and will introduce ways in which educational thought and research address big topics.
A practical course in the statistical analysis of data. Interpretation and communication of statistical findings. Includes exploratory data analysis, the analysis of linear models including two-way analysis of variance, experimental design and multiple regression, the analysis of contingency table data including logistic regression, the analysis of time series data, and model selection.
A practical course in the statistical analysis of data. There is a heavy emphasis in this course on the interpretation and communication of statistical findings. Topics such as exploratory data analysis, the analysis of linear models including two-way analysis of variance, experimental design and multiple regression, the analysis of contingency table data including logistic regression, the analysis of time series data, and model selection will be covered.
Explores how information systems and analytical tools help organisations to innovate, optimise and deliver value. Examines how the development and implementation of systems and technologies coordinate and manage information, people, and processes within data governance and privacy frameworks.
Considers how the economic and legal environment affects individuals, businesses, markets and the global economy. Explores the meaning and impact of price fluctuations, interest rate changes, exchange rate movements and balance of payments problems, standard of living comparisons, regional trading agreements, and regulatory and legal mechanisms and constraints.
A skills-based analysis of texts written for academic purposes. Topics include: essays of comparison and contrast, argumentative essays, problem solution texts, literature reviews, critiques, and report writing.
A critical exploration of the interconnectedness of environment and society. The course highlights the importance of understanding how different views and attitudes influence people’s interactions with the environment. Key themes include governance, management and development, which are addressed through issues such as conservation, climate change adaptation, disasters and resource use. Classes draw on a variety of case studies from New Zealand and overseas.
This cross-disciplinary course examines political, economic, social and cultural integration and its effects in the fabric of contemporary Europe. Issues addressed include identity, immigration and citizenship in Europe, and matters pertaining to the European Union: its political form, enlargement, foreign and security policy, economic and monetary policy, and the European constitution.
This cross-disciplinary course examines political, economic, social and cultural integration and its effects in the fabric of contemporary Europe. Issues addressed include identity, immigration and citizenship in Europe, and matters pertaining to the European Union: its political form, enlargement, foreign and security policy, economic and monetary policy, and the European constitution.
An introduction to the risks and benefits of exercise, exercise policy and safety, physical fitness testing, guidelines for exercise test administration, principles of exercise prescription, cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular training.
An introduction to the principles of physical exercise, with a focus on understanding how the body moves and responds to exercise, how performance can be measured, and how fitness can be developed and maintained to optimise health. Particular emphasis will be placed on the debunking of common myths about exercise, and offering evidence-based advice on the benefits of appropriate physical activity.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
Focuses on practical aspects of corporate finance. Topics covered include: concepts of value creation, risk and required rates of return, financial maths, capital budgeting, capital structure and dividend policies.
Focuses on developing an understanding of academic reading and writing, including sentence and paragraph structure and academic vocabulary, and aims to develop strategies for employing these for effective reading and writing of academic texts. Develops an understanding of broad principles and practices of academic discourse at university level.
NOTE: This course is available only to students who speak English as an additional language. All students must do a writing and/or grammar test at the beginning of this course. Any student whose results show a higher level of English language proficiency than appropriate for this course will not be permitted to take this course.
An introduction to calculus that builds mathematical skills and develops conceptual thinking.
MATHS 102 works as a refresher course for those who haven’t studied Mathematics for some time, a confidence builder for those lacking Mathematical confidence and a preparation course for further study in Mathematics.
A general entry to Mathematics for commerce and the social sciences. MATHS 108 covers selected topics in algebra and calculus and their applications, including: linear functions, linear equations and matrices; functions, equations and inequalities; limits and continuity; differential calculus of one and two variables; integral calculus of one variable.
This sequel to MATHS 108 features applications from the theory of multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations to real-life problems in statistics, economics, finance, computer science, and operations research. Matlab is used to develop analytical and numerical methods of solving problems.
Written and oral use of German for students with no previous or very little knowledge of the language. May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed.
An introduction to the law regarding guarantees and indemnities in New Zealand. The course will mainly focus on guarantees, although indemnities will also be covered.
An examination of the nature of historical inquiry with reference to New Zealand’s educational past; questions why education has been analysed largely as something planned rather than something experienced and introduces oral history as methodology. Selected aspects of the educational histories of other countries will be discussed for comparative analysis.
An examination of the law and the policy considerations that relate to residential housing including: the historical development and current state of residential tenancy protection legislation; the relationship between social policy and housing regulation; human rights and social equity considerations; economic measures to achieve government policy objectives for housing; regulating the private rental market; property rights and security of tenure issues; ‘consumer protection’ measures to ensure safe and habitable housing; housing and natural disasters; retirement housing; new forms of housing ownership; and dispute resolution.
An introduction to the various layers that make up a modern computer system: encoding of data and instructions, hardware, low-level programming, operating systems, applications and communications.
To develop an understanding of our moving bodies through movement awareness, dance improvisation, choreography and creative and analytic writing. Students will undertake both theoretical and practical classes focusing on a range of practices that dancers and movement practitioners use to facilitate kinaesthetic awareness, experimentation, communication and choreography. Students will explore somatic theory and practice, improvisation scores, choreography and dance analysis.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
A survey of the production technology available to assist musicians, and an introduction to modern music production. Topics include: Modern DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) functionality, MIDI and audio recording/editing, synthesis, and multi-track mixing.
Fundamental programming techniques and processes, such as conditionals, iteration, recursion, functions, testing and debugging. Efficient ways to organise and manipulate data, including sorting and searching algorithms. Writing software that uses and implements common abstract data types such as lists, stacks, queues, dictionaries and trees.
An introduction to spoken Māori for those with no previous knowledge of the language. Concentrates on the acquisition of aural and oral skills, developing the ability to understand and speak Māori.
Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed
Intended for anyone who will ever have to collect or make sense of data, either in their career or private life. Steps involved in conducting a statistical investigation are studied with the main emphasis being on data analysis and the background concepts necessary for successfully analysing data, extrapolating from patterns in data to more generally applicable conclusions and communicating results to others. Other topics include probability; confidence intervals, statistical significance, t-tests, and p-values; nonparametric methods; one-way analysis of variance, simple linear regression, correlation, tables of counts and the chi-square test.
Introduces students to spoken and written French. It is delivered through two 90-minute sessions per week on campus, blended with an online component that uses up-to-date methodology and extensive multimedia materials. It is open to beginners or near beginners. May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed.
An examination of the common governance structures employed by iwi, why those structures are chosen and the legal and practical issues that arise as a result. Aspects of the law related to trusts, limited partnerships, charities and Māori Authorities, and how they may be interwoven within one overarching structure.
An integrated basic course in modern Japanese covering reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed
Basic written and spoken skills in modern Korean. Through the practice of listening to and reading basic Korean sentences, fundamental grammar and vocabulary are taught so that students will be able to carry out basic conversation and comprehend simple Korean texts.
Restriction: May not be taken if a more advanced language acquisition course in this subject has previously been passed
An introduction to theories of the nature, functions and origins of law and legal systems, including sources of law; comparative concepts of law; an overview of constitutional and legal arrangements in New Zealand, including the role of the courts; the operation of the legal system in historical and contemporary New Zealand with a focus on concepts of property rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, Treaty Settlements and proposals for constitutional change.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
Decision makers in commerce and industry require an understanding of legal structures, concepts and obligations. Provides an introduction to the New Zealand legal system and the legal environment in which businesses operate, and also introduces legal concepts of property and the law of obligations, including detailed study of various forms of legal liability relevant to business.
An examination of the history of the development of the law of the sea; the sources of the contemporary law of the sea, leading to the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and the legal regime of various maritime zones (territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, high seas, etc.). Particular issues such as the settlement of disputes, maritime delimitation, maritime security, fisheries and bioprospecting are also addressed.
An introduction to contemporary geospatial technologies such as web-mapping, GPS and tracking devices (such as your phone), Remote Sensing and GIS. Covers key concepts and principles behind these tools and their use, along with practical experiences through laboratories. Critical and theoretical perspectives on the tools, their use, and their social impacts will be discussed.
Focuses on the critical role and importance of information in marketing. Covers the fundamental concepts of marketing research in traditional and digital environments and examines how these can be used to assist companies in their decision-making.
Basic mathematical tools and methods needed for computer science are introduced. Elementary mathematical skills for defining, analysing and reasoning with abstract objects used in programming are developed. Topics include integers and rational numbers, strings and sets, methods of proof (including induction), algorithms and functions, and elementary introductions to graphs, trees, counting and probability.
The impact of chemistry on the modern world will be explored by focusing on the stories of specific molecules, including penicillin, DDT and nylon. Their discovery, the underlying chemical principles that explain their behaviour, their impact on our lives including social and scientific issues that arise from their use, and their likely impact on the future will be investigated.
Practical and theoretical introduction to performing cultures of the Pacific with emphasis on Polynesian cultures. Basic music and dance skills are taught in practical instruction. Consideration of commonalities and differences among Pacific cultures. Academic discussion of styles, instruments, performer categories and the place of the performing arts in Pacific cultures.
Examines personal experiences and views of teaching and learning and the impact of theories of learning on classroom practices. The course also includes discussion of the relationship between pedagogy and race, class and gender; Māori pedagogy; pedagogy and student achievement; and New Zealand and international examples.
Analysis of issues that affect our daily lives, including pricing decisions by firms and their impact on our cost of living; game theory and strategic decision-making; tackling problems of pollution and global warming; and how governments use monetary and fiscal policies to stimulate economic growth and address unemployment and inequality.
Prerequisite: BUSINESS 115 or ECON 151 or 16 credits in NCEA Level 3 Economics with a Merit average including standard 91399 (Demonstrate understanding of the efficiency of market equilibrium), or a scholarship pass in Economics, or B grade in CIE Economics or 4 out of 7 in Economics (HL) in IB
An introduction to computers and computer programming in a high-level language. The role of computers and computer professionals in society is also introduced. The course is intended for students who may wish to advance in Computer Science or in Information Systems and Operations Management.
Develops University-wide skills of reading, writing and analysis. Addresses the needs of students in both English and other disciplines where both writing and reading have an important role in learning. The course fosters personal writing skills and also introduces writing as a subject of study in itself.
An introduction to New Zealand’s home-grown popular music, from the 1950s to the present day. A broad range of musical styles will be considered and situated within various social contexts. The issue of cultural identity in music – at national and local levels – will also be explored.
Critically examines the socio-cultural, political and economic significance of sport within Aotearoa New Zealand. Examines how sport is embedded in the lives of people, constitutes identities, and is connected to major spheres of social life and various social issues. Through focusing on select sporting issues it analyses how New Zealanders negotiate understandings of self, ethnicity, gender, sexualities, health, and lifestyle.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
Application of the generalised linear model and extensions to fit data arising from a range of sources including multiple regression models, logistic regression models, and log-linear models. The graphical exploration of data.
Probability, discrete and continuous distributions, likelihood and estimation, hypothesis testing.
The standard Stage I Statistics course for the Faculty of Business and Economics or for Arts students taking Economics courses. Its syllabus is as for STATS 101, but it places more emphasis on examples from commerce.
Examines the processes of formulating and implementing strategies, and the critical thinking behind the multifaceted role of organisations in complex business environments. Focuses on strategy issues in and between a range of commercial and public organisations, from entrepreneurial firms to multinational corporations.
Structural analysis of the pronunciation, grammar, script and usage of the modern Japanese language.
An introduction to Māori analyses of topics that are often discussed and sometimes controversial, and that continue to shape contemporary life in New Zealand. Topics include aspects of world view, philosophy and social organisation; the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Waitangi and European immigration; and contemporary issues including Treaty claims, ownership of the foreshore and seabed and constitutional issues.
Special Topic course. Detail TBC.
Examines Tolkien’s primary fictional texts, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in relation to the author’s ideas about fantasy and world-building, his use of Celtic, German and Christian mythology, and the adaptation of the novels into film.
Critically engages the current debates surrounding the concept and movement of “transnational Asia” and the possibility of reconciliation among China, Japan and the two Koreas. Examines the historical, cultural and ideological sources and recent development of this new form of regionalism, in addition to such challenges as Chinese hegemony and competing nationalism in the region.
Prerequisite: ASIAN 100 or KOREAN 120 and 45 points at Stage I in BA Restriction: ASIAN 309, 753
Aims to critically engage the current debates surrounding the concept and movement of “transnational Asia” and the possibility of reconciliation among China, Japan and the two Koreas. Examines the historical, cultural, and ideological sources and recent development of this new form of regionalism, as well as such challenges as Chinese hegemony and competing nationalism in the region.
Prerequisite: ASIAN 100 or KOREAN 120 and 30 points at Stage II in BA Restriction: ASIAN 209, 753
A study of significant people, major discoveries and inventions, and key factors (artistic, intellectual, social, technical) that were important agents of change in Western music. No previous knowledge of music is assumed.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
How does the contemporary art world work? Premised on the idea that there are many art worlds, this course examines global and local contemporary artistic practices, theories, histories and institutions, exploring the practices and discourses that constitute these worlds. No prior knowledge or experience of contemporary art is assumed.
Note: This course has very limited enrolment availability. It is recommended that students apply early and have a second choice course option.
Models of work organisation, reform and performance, including industrial and post-industrial forms of work. Employee responses to work and the employment relationship. Workforce diversity.
Economics affects our daily lives and the global environment in many ways. Through the media we are constantly made aware of price increases, interest rate changes, exchange rate movements and balance of payments problems, growth and recessions, standard of living comparisons, regional trading agreements. What does it all mean and how does it all work?
Aims to develop skills needed for writing research and laboratory reports. It covers key stages in writing a standard report and the language patterns associated with each of these stages. Course components include writing the literature review, methodology, results and discussion sections of a report, dissertation or thesis.
NOTE: This course is available only to students who speak English as an additional language.
This course explores the principal architects and artists, monuments, and themes from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italian art and architecture. Class time is divided equally between lectures and on-site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be placed on Renaissance architecture in Florence and will also include architectural developments in other Italian towns. Special topics will include architectural theory, the Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. Coursework will focus on important figures such as Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Michelangelo, and Leonardo, in addition to visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence.
The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden one’s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and is aimed to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic architectural and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills.
This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.
This course is targeted towards students with an interest in Italian food traditions, society, and culture. The main focus consists of what is generally defined as “made in Italy” culture and style in post-war Italy. Also covered are the relationships between Italian traditions, folklore and contemporary Italian society drawing from examples including festivals, food, tourism, and economy, and the influence of foreign civilizations. Students will be asked to regard the subject of food outside of the context of ingredients and the procedures used to create a dish; we will instead examine a large scale context in which food is either featured as a main component or an integral element in cultural situations. Thus the student is asked first and foremost to observe the presented material across an anthropologic lens that roves over the entire Italian peninsula. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and/or tastings.
The front of house area of any restaurant should be carefully planned in order to balance ambiance with function. Restaurant seating, wait stations, and waiting areas are just a few of the areas to consider when planning a restaurant dining room. The course focuses on all aspects that characterize the front of the house experience. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the front of the house to properly reflect the restaurant concept and the necessity of planning front of the house spaces for efficiency. Furthermore, the course considers the pivotal role of excellent customer service and the training methods of front of the house staff.
This course develops basic conversation, reading, and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to express themselves in basic sentences, recognize gender and number in both nouns and adjectives, and begin approaching the Passato Prossimo. Emphasis will be given to the oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Marketing or equivalent
This course further develops the main principles of marketing by exploring the strategic implications of marketing in different countries and cultures and identifying specific marketing techniques and the modifications necessary to accommodate cultural differences. Topics include global marketing, marketing planning, segmentation, culture and business customs, political and legal factors and restraints, economic and technological development, and the international monetary system.
This course introduces contemporary technologies for producing photographic images. Approaching the medium in its current complex and pluralistic state, students explore a variety of photographic concepts and techniques. The fundamentals of using a digital camera including manual exposure and lighting are stressed. The course also introduces seeing, thinking, and creating with a critical mind and eye in a foreign environment (Italy) to provide understanding of the construction and manipulation of photographic form and meaning. Assignments, lectures, readings progressively build on each other to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of camera functions (manual mode) and processing techniques. The second half of the course will focus on weaving the techniques with specific photographic concepts via assignments. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
NOTE: This course is for beginners. The first half of the course will be devoted to understanding camera functions and basic printing. During this period assignments will emphasise basic camera functions in manual mode. A DSLR camera and a lens with a focal length of 55mm or wider is required for this course. Must have a manual setting: ability to set ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This course builds on and extends fundamental skills developed in the beginning-level course. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency skills and integration of language and culture through more extensive reading and writing. Upon course completion, students will be able to express polite requests using the Present Conditional and develop their language ability by using direct and indirect object pronouns. This course is aimed at students who already have a basic vocabulary of Italian and some knowledge of elementary language structures.
Pre-requisites: Two semesters of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This level is for those students who already have an active knowledge of elementary language structures (i.e. the expression of past actions and events, discussion of future plans), can communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and can understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to use more complex pronouns both in spoken and written Italian and will have a basic grasp of the following topics: Condizionale, Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi, Imperativo and a basic grasp of the four tenses of Subjunctive.
This course concentrates on rapidly developing a basic command of Italian while introducing the student to various aspects of the Italian culture through the hospitality industry. Students will have the opportunity to learn on-site with their instructors through a series of walking tours and visits in Florence to hotels, restaurants, and wine-related establishments. Technical vocabulary will be enhanced and finalized to prepare the student for the hospitality industry. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. After taking this course, students will be able to express themselves in the Present tense and Passato Prossimo and to use both nouns and adjectives in the correct form with reference to gender and number. No prior knowledge of Italian required, this is a beginner-level course.
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Nutrition or equivalent.
This course is a study of the importance of nutrition in sports and exercise in order to maximize athletic potential and performance. Covered topics include food nutrients, role of water, bioenergetics in exercise and training, heat and fluid regulation during physical activity, weight, and eating behaviors. Students are encouraged to form educated and strategic regimens (exercise and dietary plans) from both scientific and holistic approaches for professional athletes and physically active individuals.
The city of Florence is a veritable mine of food and cultural experiences spanning from the kitchens of the Medici family to the rustic regional cuisine of Tuscany, growing rituals such as aperitivo, and high profile restaurants recognized internationally. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the food, street, and cultural scenes that set Florence apart from other metropolitan cities; encourage the discussion of the historical weight of its storied past on the food culture of today, and construct a topographical map that indicates the pinpoints of Florence’s thriving gastro-cultural activities. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and tastings.
This module provides an opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of the history of London and of some of its most celebrated monuments, heritage and historical sites. It offers a pathway for students to study London’s history in greater depth and it internationalizes the learning experience. The module puts students in touch with various types of historical artefacts, namely London’s architecture, sculpture, painting and archaeological objects. It explores the past through various types of historical sources and approaches to studying. Students will develop a meaningful awareness of the particular character and challenges of London history through these visual and material sources as well as texts, both factual and fictional. The syllabus will include visits to London’s museums and heritage sites such as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and less well-known sites, off the ‘tourist trail’.
This course is a second year module (Level 5 of British system).
Additional fees (£80-£150) go towards the various galleries/museums/cultural houses visited as part of this course.
This module focuses on the ways in which non-fiction media such as news, documentary, advertising, lifestyle journalism and popular factual television articulate and explore contemporary experiences of profound social change. It focuses especially on the changing landscape of social class, race and ethnicity and asks how the media engages with these changes and presents them to its publics.
This course is a second year module (Level 5 of British system).
The Internet, the digital revolution, and the move toward an information-based economy are dramatically changing business and the way products are marketed and sold. To be more successful in this “new marketing world”, business people need to understand what is changing and how to use the new tools to their optimal advantage. This course is for both veteran marketers who want to understand the new tools available through the Internet, and those who are comfortable with Internet applications and the digital world but want to learn the marketing fundamentals as they apply to the Internet.
With the entertainment industry converging into a worldwide mass media, both business and operation models continue to rapidly evolve. This introductory course for producers, directors, writers, development personnel, and aspiring media executives examines the changing business issues associated with the entertainment industry. Through lectures, discussions with industry guests, and case studies, instruction focuses on current business and production issues, and introduces new business models to navigate content onto new distribution platforms. Some history is highlighted to provide a context for current practices and potential. The course also features opportunities to meet senior entertainment industry executives in various sectors. By the end of the course, students should have an understanding of the opportunities available in the business of entertainment.
The environment knows no boundaries, while national legal systems do. It is therefore of the utmost importance to develop international law approaches in order to deal with transboundary and global environmental problems. While environmental law originally focused on local problems like smoke and noise, today we are confronted with transboundary and global environmental problems like the continuing loss of biodiversity, long-distance air-pollution, and the threat of climate change. The conservation of important nature,the sound condition of air, water and soil, and the environmental safety of products and economic activities are core concerns.
Law serves as an important instrument to improve and protect the environment. The course International Environmental Law (IEL) discusses the role of international law – and the emerging body of global environmental law – in order to protect the environment. It takes a fundamental approach which means that we will examine environmental law from the perspective of principles, environmental rights, and the choice and design of regulatory instruments. Both strengths and, unfortunately, weaknesses will be discussed. As far as international law falling short, the importance of national approaches and private initiatives will be addressed. Some specific attention will go to the European Union as a regional international organisation addressing, inter alia, environmental problems. The world-wide problem of climate change serves as the leading case of this course.
This intensive course includes:
- Weekend excursion to Brussels – visits to the European Parliament & Parlementarium, and the European Commission (to be confirmed)
- Weekend excursion to The Hague and Amsterdam – visits to the International Court of Justice, Greenpeace headquarters, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (to be confirmed)
The European Union started in 1951 as an attempt to prevent a new World War in Europe. No other region has displayed similar willingness to give up important parts of national sovereignty in pursuit of a stronger global competitive positioning.
The European Union keeps pressuring the integration-process at a pace which is too fast for some and too slow for others. This integration has a direct impact on the daily lives of all citizens in Europe. The accession of the new Central and Eastern European Member-States poses new challenges for the EU. The East-West labour migration, which is driven by wage differentials creates both opportunities and problems. The free movement of people, and the current refugee crisis, has strained social welfare systems in some of the richer Member-States. Political pressures and the credibility of the EU integration system question the present forms of integration. Pressure such as Brexit, the Eurozone crisis and the related high-unemployment figures make national sovereignty more attractive for some voters.
The course offers a comprehensive coverage of the key political and economic policy areas of the European Union with analysis of the different approaches to regional integration throughout the history of the European Union. The course analyses the historical, political and economic bases for the rise of the European Union from its origins in the post-World War II recovery, to its historic enlargement in 2004 and 2007. Most of the present tensions inside the EU directly relate to the economic integration process and reflect on all other fields of European integration.
Further attention is paid to the protection of human rights within the European integration process. A comparison between the European and UN-framework for the protection of human rights will be made and practically applied to specific cases.
The course will give students an in-depth look at the European legal, economic and political landscape. The course contains academic classes around these themes, as well as field trips to a number of relevant institutions.
This intensive course includes:
- Weekend excursion to Brussels – visit to the European Parliament and European Commission (to be confirmed)
- Weekend excursion to The Hague and Amsterdam – visits to the International Criminal Court and International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (to be confirmed)
Positive psychology was introduced by Martin Seligman around 2000 and can be viewed as a supplementary approach to clinical psychology. The positive psychological movement formulated three aims: (1) to focus on well-being and happiness instead of abnormal behaviour and psychopathology, (2) to be concerned with building positive qualities and strengths instead of repairing damage, and (3) to prevent future problems instead of correcting past and present problems.
The course will start with a general introduction to the field of positive psychology. The main concepts will be introduced and clarified, and an overview of the results of happiness studies will be presented. In subsequent meetings, various more specific topics will be discussed by means of lectures and group discussions. There will be ample room to gain hands-on experience with positive psychological techniques ranging from simple journaling exercises to mindfulness meditation. A scientific evidence-based approach will be leading. Students will be provided with the tools to be able to evaluate and design research in the area of positive psychology, and also with the skills to apply some (basic) intervention techniques.
The instructional approach will include lectures, interactive meetings, group discussions, practical workshops and student presentations. Final assessment will be by means of an individual paper on a topic of choice. On the last day of the course, a student conference is held where each student presents their paper (review or research proposal) either by poster or an oral presentation.
This intensive course includes two weekend excursions to Brussels and Amsterdam.
This course aims to establish a strong foundation in basic structures and principles, encouraging further study. Foundational elements include: pronunciation, intonation, basic grammar rules and basic vocabulary. The course blends both traditional materials and methods of instruction with active participation and activities.
This course is for learners who already have some knowledge of French, recent or not. In this course, instructors will make students talk about their field of interest and will quickly use what is said in the class to create the content of the course. Topics of instruction include pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, all with each student’s abilities and interests in mind.
This course covers a variety of topics including: Entrepreneurship in Europe, Introduction to Social Business, Business Planning, Disruptive Methods, Entrepreneurial Failure and Success, Pan-European Business Development as Entry Strategy, Business Model Generation, Digital Strategy, Cross-Cultural Management, and Company / Corporate Visits.
This course covers a variety of topics including: Luxury Brand Concepts, Luxury Markets, Understanding the Consumer Worldwide, Retail Marketing, Brand Strategy, Disruptive Methods, Distribution in the Luxury Industry, Champagne & Wine Business, and Cross-Cultural Management.
This course is a survey of Japanese popular culture with particular topics covered such as anime manga, fashion, music, art and food. Part of the course will focus on Japanese animation within a historic and popular cultural perspective. Both anime and manga will be examined with particular emphasis on the art, culture and national and international popularity.
Advanced introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
A hands-on approach to the use of advertising and promotion to communicate with present and prospective customers. Topics include the elements of an integrated advertising and promotion campaign, promotional objectives, creative strategy and campaign planning.
This course is an illuminating blend of an overview of Advertising Structure (theory) and Media Mechanics (application). This blend, coupled with explicit self-evaluation, provides a conceptual template which is intended to not only lead to advertising effectiveness, but also to avoid workplace/career disgrace.
This 3-credit course is 42 hours in duration; 12 sessions of 3.5 hours each delivered over 3 weeks.
This course covers core theory and practice in the emerging field of Forensic Psychology. Forensic Psychology refers broadly to the research and application of psychological knowledge to the legal system. Students will be exposed to a breadth of topics including eyewitness memory, profiling, lie detection and confessions, jury selection and decision making, competency and criminal responsibility, and risk assessment. A minimum of 2 guest lecturers will present to the class.
Students will participate in a number of relevant field trips and activities focusing on the many elements related to Forensic Psychology. Half-day trips and activities include visits to the Nanaimo branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), the Nanaimo Correctional Centre and Guthrie Therapeutic Community and the Edgewood Treatment Centre.
This course is jointly administered by the VIU Faculty of International Education and the VIU Department of Psychology within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Students will be provided with a total of 42 hours of direct Psychology instruction (including guest lectures) and a number of related field trips and activities. Upon successful completion, students will receive a certificate of completion and will be awarded 3 CAD credits by VIU.
Prerequisite: One of PSYC 204, CRIM 220, or SOCI 250
Advanced introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. More advanced students will focus on reading Japanese newspapers and understanding other media outlets. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.
Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.
Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised. The method of instruction will be a communicative approach, Proficiency Method, Direct Method, Jorden Method, TPR, VTS, etc. There should be a minimum of four students per level per session in order to offer each level in each session.
Advanced introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
Introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
This high-intermediate Japanese course is an introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and introduction of the more complex grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language of different types of speech styles (casual, formal, polite, etc.), although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasised.
Intermediate introduction to modern spoken Japanese through aural-oral drills and exercises, and mastery of the basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on the spoken language, although there will also be exposure to enough of the Japanese writing systems to meet practical needs. Practical use and observing of the language will be emphasized.
This course is geared towards students who have a grasp of the four basic language skills – speaking, listening, reading, and writing – and augment their knowledge of the world’s Hispanic peoples and their cultures. Building on the foundation of previous Spanish study or direct experience with the language, this course is designed for those who have already achieved an intermediate mastery.
This course takes an analytical look at the present-day cosmopolitan city of Barcelona politically, economically and socially and looks back through over 2000 years of history to see how it has taken shape. This course will reflect on the definitive events in the history of Barcelona and how they have shaped today’s society. Special attention will be focused on its urban development and its reflection in how we interact with the city today. We will determine which historical events most impacted the transformation of this Catalan capital city’s physical, architectural and cultural heritage, and discuss the importance of its location in the Mediterranean.
No other institutions have permeated multiple cultures more than the multinational corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Nestle, BASF, etc. With this permeation, managers from many different cultures are relocated to new and alien cultures. More and more decisions made by future global managers will need to be assessed in terms of an understanding of the multiple cultures the decisions will affect. Future global managers can only do this by knowing how different cultural business ethics are derived, tested, and used. This course has as its purpose the introductory exploration of business ethics in a cross-cultural setting. This can no better be achieved than in a foreign culture where the students can immediately receive information from their surroundings and managers who have had to face the difficult decisions in the past.
Why are Spaniards currently exhuming mass graves of the Civil War? How can the country tolerate an unemployment rate of 20 percent? Why has Catalan and Basque nationalism dominated politics for decades? Why does a country with a historic reputation for machismo boast such progressive laws on gender and gay marriages? Why does political corruption remain so prevalent? This course examines political and social issues relevant to Spaniards today. It begins by discussing recent history in order to contextualize the major themes of the past few decades. It then moves to those subjects that emerged out of the transition to democracy – regionalism, terrorism, and linguistic pluralism – and still account for many of the peculiarities of Spanish politics. The second half of the course analyzes “Spain’s Second Transition” under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero by focusing on immigration, Islamic fundamentalism, foreign policy, gender and family relations, historical memory, political corruption, and the economic crisis. The course is multi-disciplinary, consisting of a mixture of readings from political science, history, and cultural studies. Each session will consist of a lecture and a class discussion.
Psychology has conventionally situated itself as universally applicable science, however, it can be described as a “modernist” and European-American phenomenon. This course explores the cultural aspects of psychology, examining how biology, psychology, and culture interact in the context of contemporary Spanish and North American societies. One of the key contributions of cultural psychology is thematizing the different filters that moderate how psychological phenomena are understood. These filters, which operate at both conceptual and epistemological levels in large part circumscribe how psychology is studied and applied. This course will provide a conceptual foundation for the understanding of psychology and culture, with a focus on human development, the self, intergroup relations, and cross-cultural communication. The study abroad experience will be used to experientially examine and apply the material covered in class. Finally, wider application of the material in the context of mental health and its care will be explored.
This course will teach students how the camera can be used in a foreign environment as an exciting tool of documentary record, cross-cultural understanding, artistic expression and self-discovery. After an introduction to the fundamentals of photography, both traditional and digital, students will be given several practical assignments to photograph the city of Barcelona itself, its architecture, history, people, and rich culture. As they acquire new technical, compositional and critical skills throughout the course, students will create a portfolio of images that will both showcase and celebrate their unforgettable study abroad experience.
Course load will include class lectures and technique-based lessons held in the classroom, combined with practice sessions in specific outdoor sites. Students will be introduced in class to the history of photography and various photographic genres such as photo-journalism, portraiture or street photography, through the work of well-known classic and contemporary photographers. Other activities include several field trips to visit photo exhibitions in art galleries and museums in the city of Barcelona.
Throughout the course, students will frequently participate in group critiques and individual reviews of their work. They will be required to actively involve themselves in analysing and evaluating their own work and the work of others, in a collaborative atmosphere of constructive reflection and criticism.
A digital camera SLR or a simple Point & Shoot is required. Students could use a traditional camera (film), but this will require an additional effort from their part.
No prior training in photography is required.
After completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Produce simple sentences
- Ask and answer questions about him/herself, about others, and about things s/he has or needs
- Produce simple statements concerning his/her needs or usual subjects and to answer questions of this type when they are directed to him/her
- Use culturally appropriate non-verbal communication
This course will examine various aspects of the relationship between food, culture and society in the Mediterranean basin, where eating is not a simple act of survival but rather a cultural and social activity. Looking at the local culture through the lens of food allows us to discover and understand social constructs, values and even the history of Europe, from ancient Greece to the great chefs of the 21st century such as Ferran Adrià. Through this we will discover the similarities and differences between how the Spanish, Italian and Greece societies work.
In this course we offer a cross-cultural perspective that will focus on history, anthropology, sociology, literature, gastronomy and the business that works behind the food industry.
Students will examine the process of European political and economic integration, from its first steps in the 1950s until today. The course offers an overview to the key dimensions that help understand what the European Union project is, how it works and why and how it was created. Particular attention is paid to EU migration and border dynamics and their interaction with ongoing debates about European identity and the rise of xenophobic and Islamophobic discourses across Europe. With a strong emphasis in current theoretical debates ongoing in the fields of political geography and population geography current demographic challenges and ongoing geopolitical disputes (within the EU and between the EU and its neighbourhood) will be scrutinised.
This course will provide a foundation in some of the most relevant Avant-garde movements of the 20th century in Western art, such as Cubism and Surrealism, through the thorough study of the lives, ideas, and artistic contributions of three great masters of Spanish art: Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. While examining exemplary artworks in several mediums of these three artists, and some of their contemporary European counterparts, the course will explore how Avant-garde movements were synonymous with progress, social disruption and change, and how Avant-garde artists contributed to widen the notion of culture and push the boundaries of what traditionally had been considered art. The course will also examine the level of interaction between international artists, writers, and thinkers, and the mobility of artistic ideas across Europe and the USA.
Lectures will be illustrated with presentations of many significant artworks and will integrate readings relevant to the various artists and concepts under discussion. In addition there will be several guided visits to the National Museum of Catalan Art, the Picasso Museum, the Miró Foundation and the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, which will aid students to get into direct contact with art.
After completion of this course, the student will able to:
- Tell detailed accounts that occurred in the past
- Understand the main ideas in semi-complex Spanish debates
- Justify an opinion in informal debates
- Ask for specific information, complain, ask for an explanation
- Give detailed instructions about how to do something
International marketing is more than a simple application of marketing principles to more than one country. In a world that becomes increasingly globalised, marketing strategies become absolutely essential. Both global and international marketing are attached to each other. On one hand, international marketing involves the firm in making one or more marketing mix decisions across national boundaries. On the other hand, global marketing involves the firm in establishing manufacturing facilities overseas and coordinating marketing strategies across the globe. Cross-cultural differences have an important role in both internal and external ways.
This course provides the knowledge of the fundamental concepts of international marketing from a European perspective. It is organised so that each class is either a lecture or a case discussion. In this course you will learn to look at international marketing problems through the lens of an analytical framework.
The focus of this course is the analysis of how a business must adapt to different cultural contexts. For this purpose, we study the interaction between the culture and the company’s structure, processes and human resources. In this way, the student will be able to understand strategies used to optimise such interaction. The general objective of the course is to learn the main business practices in different cultures, through the analysis of the differences in various countries. This will provide the background to understand and identify threats and opportunities to do business in a global context.
This course will examine various aspects of the relationship between sport and society in Spain, with a particular emphasis on sports with a long tradition in Catalonia. We will examine both the impact of sport on Spanish society and the influence of society on the practice of sport in Spain. The course begins with a consideration of general theoretical questions in the study of sport before moving on to an account of the historical development of sports in Spain in general and in Catalonia in particular. We also examine the reciprocal influences of sport violence, gender, race and ethnic and national identities in Spain.
The focus of this course is the study of the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial start-up process. Areas of concentration include the search for new venture opportunities, evaluation of the viability and attractiveness of the new venture; determining the resources required and the sources of those resources; preparation of financial statements addressing cash flow, valuation and investment justifications; and the development of a business plan appropriate for presentation to funding sources.
The course is also designed to be an experiential learning experience. During the course, students will work in teams to to design and test a business venture of their choosing, by applying the concepts learnt in class and tackling the challenges they encounter. This course may appeal to business and non-business majors alike, as well as to individuals who want to launch their own business in the future, pursue employment in the start-up world, or work in venture capital or entrepreneurial support.
This course examines the main political and socio-economic processes that help understand present-day Barcelona, particularly after the 1992 Olympics turned it into a vibrant global city. Through the lens of politics, human geography and history, students will explore topics like massive tourism, gentrification, environmental sustainability, the real state bubble, or immigration dynamics. Special attention will be paid to the tense power relations between Catalonia and Spain, the political heritage of Franco’s fascist dictatorship and the rise of the Catalan independence movement.
After completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Use frequent polite structures, speak in short social exchanges, describe what s/he does at work or in his/her leisure time, arrange an appointment
- Ask for information in different situations (in shops, banks, travel agencies…)
- Describe personal experiences in the past. Describe objects and places
- Explain what s/he likes or prefers
After completion of this course, the student will able to:
- Tell detailed accounts of events that occurred in the past
- Speak in detail about future and possible future events
- Argue and communicate effectively in a speech
- Explain his/her point of view about current issues arguing all of the points and counterpoints
Pre-requisite: Introductory course on research methods in psychology or equivalent.
What is “normal”? When asking ourselves this question, we often look to what is beyond the typical to contextualize what we consider normal. From the perspective of psychology, we all exhibit behavior at times that is not considered typical; but what is the line in which the behavior goes from quirky to clinical? This course aims to look deeper into the disordered personality to better understand the topics associated with abnormal psychology, with an emphasis on the classification, assessment and etiology of disorders, as well as analysis of the historical, cultural and sociological aspects as they relate to diagnosis. Examination of mood, personality, dissociative, and psychotic disorders, as well as fear and anxiety and the effects of stress will all be addressed in this course to allow students to gain a critical understanding of the factors that contribute to their causes and clinical approaches. As this course takes place in Italy, the Italian perspective of mental health will be a fundamental aspect of cultural analysis to develop a global sensitivity towards the topics the addressed.
This course explores the principal architects and artists, monuments, and themes from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Italian art and architecture. Class time is divided equally between lectures and on-site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be placed on Renaissance architecture in Florence and will also include architectural developments in other Italian towns. Special topics will include architectural theory, the Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. Coursework will focus on important figures such as Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Michelangelo, and Leonardo, in addition to visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence.
Italian destination cities immediately conjure up images of the art, food, fashion, wine, and culture in which their fame lies: fashion shows and La Scala in Milan, Renaissance art in Florence, Brunello wine in Montalcino, the Biennale and Carnevale in Venice. This course will explore how creative advertising strategies have been produced and implemented, their effect on city identity, the proliferation of creative areas in destination cities, and the future of creativity and creative marketing. Case studies of both well-established metropolises and developing destinations will be examined.
This course introduces students to baking and pastry fundamentals through an analysis of the features and functions of the main pastry ingredients. The course starts with a complete overview of eggs, flour, fats, sugar, and dairy products in order to create a basis on which all future courses will develop. Students will approach the basic mixing and cooking methods in order to understand the baking process with all its possible variations. Special emphasis will be placed on short crust pastry, pate choux, enriched dough, and stirred custards. Upon successful completion of the course, students will gain confidence in the production of sponge cake, pound cake, pastry and English cream, and basic short crust dough. Students will be able to describe and produce the main meringues.
This course examines the ethics of medical practices and issues in contemporary society. Coursework will pose questions regarding areas that affect human life and death. Topics include practices such as euthanasia, birth control and abortion, cloning, genetic engineering, and biomedical research. Students will analyze the ethical nature of covered practices, how they affect humans on individual and social scales, and the relationship between patients and physicians and medical structures in terms of information, consent, and responsibility. Case studies from local European as well as non-European countries will be closely considered for discussion and study.
Since ancient times bread has had a significance that goes beyond mere sustenance. Almost every society in the world eats bread in some form and bread has always been considered a symbol of life for all mankind. Bread celebrates life and plays a leading role in traditional celebrations and festivities. This course focuses on traditional Italian specialty breads, made with special, or alternative flours, shaped by local folklore and passed down from generation to generation like the most precious gift. Students will be introduced to natural yeast production and learn how to keep the yeast alive and strengthen it for better leavening as well as the nutritional advantages and flavor development thanks to its use. The course offers a complete survey of traditional specialty breads, specialty flatbreads, sweet breads and rolls with an emphasis on old grain flour, alternative flours and local folklore. In addition to this students will be introduced to special diet baking through lessons on gluten free bread and complements. A special focus is dedicated to Italy’s most famous baked product, pizza: through an in-depth analysis pizza will be explained and enjoyed in all its most popular variations.
This course introduces students to the heritage of Italian traditional breads and provides a survey of the suitable flours and their characteristics as well as an introduction to the chemistry of baking and the most common starters. This course offers the opportunity to learn principles and techniques to prepare Italian breads, flat breads and rolls. Emphasis will be placed on the use of traditional fermentation methods, equipment and skills that emphasise flavour, texture and appearance as well as techniques that increase shelf-life. Fresh brewery yeast, biga, and poolish will be used according to the leavening processes of a variety of products. Students will learn the proper techniques for mixing, leavening, shaping and cooking Italian breads and other Italian baked and non-baked classics using dedicated flours and ingredients according to the regional heritage.
This course offers students a combination of two original approaches to Bernardo Buontalenti: discovering the artistic contribution of a genius in Florence’s 16th century intellectual scene, and learning the cultural, political and scientific background that led to the creation of modern ice cream (gelato). The lessons will range from Buontalenti’s childhood at the Medici court to his artistic training spanning the analysis of his Florentine works (ephemeral installations for spectacular events, theatrical sets, and costumes), masterpieces of sculpture, architecture, and monumental gardens. Buontalenti’s eclectic genius also involved the creation of the first ice cream machine. Students will learn about the various production techniques and genesis of sorbet, granita, and gelato from both a historical and technical point of view. Coursework will be organized through a series of practical workshops on various types of frozen desserts, lectures focusing on the artistic works of Buontalenti, and guided visits of major works by Buontalenti in Florence. Visits will include specialized tastings at select artisanal laboratories in Florence. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
In this course, students will work on pottery and/or ceramic sculpture projects. During the first portion of the course, emphasis will be on different clay hand-building techniques. The second portion, students will progress to a variety of surface decoration techniques and different methods of firing and colouring. Lecture content will provide students essential information about the nature of clay and glazes and the history of Mediterranean ceramics. Students will be introduced to local Tuscan artisan traditions and the work of contemporary ceramic artists during field learning activities.
Pre-requisite: Baking Techniques I or equivalent.
This course will give students knowledge of the fundamentals of chocolate starting from an understanding of the ingredient, its history and evolution throughout centuries. The course will cover the chocolate production process from harvest to the finished product, and will focus on the composition of chocolate in all its different types: dark, milk and white. Students will understand the differences between different cocoa percentage in chocolate and their suitable applications in pastry. Emphasis will be placed on basic chocolate tempering techniques, on chocolate bar production, and on the application of special molds for simple pralines and small centerpiece production. The course will also focus on the use of chocolate to create different ganaches, including matching them with the suitable type of pralines or desserts. Students will learn to use traditional and contemporary production methods when creating confections both by hand and with special equipment.
This course will prepare students to work, run, and manage a retail shop successfully and provides theoretical insights into customer expectations and service delivery. Throughout the course, standard elements of a retail shop will be analyzed and focus on retail management will be given. This class will strengthen decision-making skills regarding expense planning, suppliers, store layout, and promotional strategies. Under the supervision of seasoned professionals, students will spend a portion of the course operating the school retail spaces (fashion retail store, restaurant, pastry shop) that are open to the local community. Here, theoretical knowledge, shop floor management skills, and ability to perform head office functions will all be developed in the context of retail. In order to offer a comprehensive view of retail management, experiential learning activities are scheduled in varying types of retailers, each of them characterized by different competitors, products sold, customers, and style of service required. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course presents the specific structural and phenomenological aspects of the various types of mafia operating in Italy and internationally. Topics analyze contemporary criminal, social, cultural, and political features of mafia-related groups and explore traditional and emerging illegal markets. The course describes main Italian and international law policies and legislations to contrast this type of organized crime and the experiences of leading individuals and groups developing a culture of legality to combat the mafia.
Pre-requisite: Baking Techniques I or equivalent.
This course provides students with fundamental working knowledge of the traditional methods of production for cookies and basic petit fours. The course will explore the preparation and design of cookies and mignardises ranging from Italian traditional cookies and biscuits to international specialties. Topics covered include mixing and make-up methods as well as shaping, baking, filling, finishing and storing. The course will also provide an introduction to petit fours production, with a focus on the description and service of petit fours and basic production techniques. Upon completion of the course students will be confident in choosing the most appropriate cookie for each occasion.
Pre-requisite: Two semesters of Culinary Arts course work or equivalent.
The last 40 years of food service have been characterized by a slow yet constant development of nutritional awareness and a more informed approach to food. The aim of the course is not only to offer students techniques for a healthier approach to cooking: this course will focus on cooking techniques that can be applied in order to reduce fat consumption and at same time become the emblems of contemporary cuisine. Flavor-extraction methods, flavoring methods, pressure cooking and sous vide cooking, marinades and brines and the use of alternative fats are nowadays the base of contemporary Chefs’ creations: students will learn how these techniques can be used to develop a fine dining cuisine that can be healthier yet not necessarily health-fanatic. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI).
This course provides an introduction to the theory, methods, and challenges of corporate finance. The main focus is on financing decisions and investment. The following topics are addressed: risk and return, asset markets and market efficiency, valuation, capital structure, capital budgeting, dividend policy, and derivative securities. Some consideration will also be given to financial management issues that multinational firms face, with an emphasis on the effects of currency denomination on financial decisions.
The study of Italian culture helps the student to acquire a deep awareness of both cultural unity and regional diversity. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth introduction to Italian culture and to broaden one’s awareness and understanding of the role of cultural heritage in customs and lifestyles. Lectures will provide students with an organized, focused, and academic understanding of Italian history, art, architecture, food, religion, and culture. The course provides additional enrichment through basic notions of Italian language and terminology along with assigned readings and a final paper. On-site teaching is a significant part of this course and is aimed to provide the student with an incomparable experience of studying important sites of artistic architectural and social relevance in present-day Italy. Students are encouraged to observe the sites through active participation and to discuss their observations using specific and analytic social assessment skills.
The course examines the development and structure of the Italian family through history with the following topics: Sexuality and the development of relationships, study of individuals, groups, and families, diversity in modern families, community regulations/policies addressing issues of family change, crisis, and maintenance. Students will conduct evaluation of different styles and examples of interpersonal communication behaviors. The course will also compare and contrast family/individual behavior patterns associated with human life cycle transitions and examine various social issues associated with the study of Italian families.
Pre-requisite: Background in Psychology or Social Psychology is recommended.
Over the recent decades, globalisation has brought about a phenomenon that has increasingly been recognised by both psychologists and anthropologists as a viable field of research: Culture Shock. Also referred to as “culture fatigue” or “role shock,” culture shock refers to the reactions of travellers during their first few months in a foreign country. This course presents culture shock within the context of cross-cultural psychology and places a specific emphasis on the students’ own experiences as they live and study in a foreign country. Topics explored will include the role of communication and communication norms, cultural variables, taboos and rituals, and cultural adjustment.
Pre-requisite: Baking Techniques I or equivalent.
The aim of the course is to give students the fundamentals of dessert presentation. Starting from fruit cutting skills, students will experience a variety of decoration techniques to be applied to mignons, single portion and tortes. Glazes and gelees, buttercream, whipped cream, icings, chocolate and caramel decorations will be explained and then practiced to gain confidence with the related techniques. Students will experience both classic and contemporary decoration methods, ranging from piping skills to the application of dedicated equipment for royal-icing writing. By the end of the course students will be able to execute the most common decorating and styling techniques and develop their own personal decoration style.
Pre-requisite: Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator highly recommended.
The course explores illustration as an instrument of communication (i.e. advertising) and narration (i.e. comic books). It aims at improving drawing and design skills by teaching image making with an emphasis on edge, shape, colour and value. Students will learn how to apply composition and design, colour, and conceptualisation to a wide range of materials and techniques. Students will use illustration software to enhance traditional work and acquire important knowledge in the digital domain. Idea development within real-world parameters, originality, aesthetics, and technical proficiency are emphasised. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course examines the practice and basic principles of addiction to drugs of abuse such as heroin, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or cocaine. Course topics will cover the epidemiology of drug abuse, the experimental models used in brain research, and the pathological consequences of drug addiction (including heavy drinking and smoking). The course will extend the concept of addiction to pathological behaviors such as compulsive consumption of palatable food, physical exercise dependence, compulsive shopping, sexual hyperactivity, internet abuse, and gambling. The neurochemical mechanisms that are shared and lead from reward to positive reinforcement, loss of control, and dependence will be examined. The symptomatological and neurochemical similarities and differences between drug and behavioral addiction will be addressed, along with the self-destructive behaviors, tolerance, craving, and withdrawal symptoms that both types of dependence produce.
The course traces also the basic aspects of human biology and physiology that are needed to fully comprehend the topics at hand, including the neuronal circuits and neurotransmitters that are altered by both natural and artificial rewards. Students will also learn how to analyze scientific data and correctly interpret the information that is published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals. Finally, students will gain an understanding of the social and ethical implications of drug and behavioral addiction and of the peculiar features of this problem in different countries, with an emphasis on the European and Italian approach as compared with other areas of the world.
The primary purpose of this course is to provide marketers with an in-depth understanding of product development practices including innovation, product strategy and processes, customer needs, identification, idea generation, concept development and optimization, forecasting, and launch. The course will analyze the marketing development strategies of new entrepreneurial companies with low budgets and little or no brand development. An important component of the coursework features hands-on approaches to real-life business problems that require application of topics learned in the classroom. Students will be introduced to highly creative and effective experiential forms of learning ranging from case studies to business plans, entrepreneurs in the classroom, conducting entrepreneurial audits, working with concepts of marketing inventions, and consulting projects. Furthermore, students will be part of a dedicated lab team of cross-disciplinary learners led by faculty and advisers, and will collaborate with executives and representatives from real companies on comprehensive business issues. Coursework includes site visits to local companies and special guest lectures from local prominent entrepreneurs.
This course addresses the new professional shopper profile by examining both the customer-oriented features of the industry as well as the general business principles of the fashion industry. Topics analyse the profession of the personal shopper, understanding the nature of services provided, as well as the strategies advised to clients from wardrobe analysis and purchasing. During the course, students will discuss fashion both in relationship to fashion history and international trends as well as communication and protocol for special occasions such as events. The final part of the class will include career guidance and marketing and promotion principles to build a customer base.
This course is an introduction to creative design development and fashion design skills. Topics include design processes, trend research, storyboard creation, colour, fabric selection, draping design concepts, design innovation, and the 2D to 3D development of creative ideas. Students will gain practice in these areas through projects and will also be introduced to the basics of fashion illustration. Students prepare for future apparel design projects by researching the design development process, textiles, materials, and industry practices. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.
This course examines the context in which the Italian fashion system was born. Topics begin from the evolution of fashion from the post-WWII period to the present and address the role and influence of media and culture on factors such as economic and social status, the arts, and other issues that influenced fashion. Students explore fashion’s connection to identity, body, politics, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and how fashion and media are interrelated with these aspects of culture.
This course is designed to take full advantage of the student’s unique experiences living and studying in the city of Florence. With on-site inspiration channelled into artistic creativity, students will draw on location at sites of historical significance and visual interest, ranging from architectural masterpieces, landscape vistas, and medieval streets to formal gardens, street markets, and Renaissance fountains. Slide lectures will document the rich history of how Florence and its environs have attracted and inspired visiting artists over the centuries. Students will develop individual sketchbooks with the aim of building up source material for future projects.
This course examines the city of Florence with themed walks offering a comprehensive approach to the city as an open-air cultural, historical, and artistic research site from its Roman foundation to its contemporary Zeitgeist. Students will learn the history of the city through its art: they will understand how buildings, streets, squares, and monuments can be mapped as living traces of multiple, overlapping layers of a complex past, and how to encode them in their personal appropriation of the city. Starting from learning how to decode the artistic environment of the city and to unveil its traces – both visible and invisible – the course aims at understanding the main social and cultural reasons underlying the existing shape of the city. The course explores traces and evidences from Roman times through Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, up to Art Nouveau and contemporary Florence. Students will be provided with a consistent theoretical background related to relevant historic-artistic landmarks and their social and cultural context and main characters (Guelphs vs. Ghibellines, the Florentine Guilds, Dante, the Medici family, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Ammannati, Pontormo, etc.). Students will be encouraged to develop their own experiential tools and strategies to approach the city through guided field learning activities that assess research, on-site involvement, and academic outcome for each themed walk in Florence.
This course introduces students to the design and construction of straw accessories such as hats and bags. 3D design principles and hat-making techniques are studied and applied to wearable and non-wearable creations. Students learn basic skills of millinery construction through the methods of patterned and blocked forms, how to manipulate straw and, how to acquire an in-depth understanding of the material.
This course features an Experiential Learning Project at FLY and assisted lab hours. Garments produced will permanently remain at FLY for placement in window displays, photoshoots and other special installations throughout the seasons.
This course introduces a fundamental area of study in the hospitality industry. Students will study the concepts and procedures of food and beverage control systems, cost control, operating budgets, and the effective management of food and beverage operations and cycles. Cost calculation, menu planning, storage, receiving, profit and budget forecasting, labour costs, service payment systems, and other topic-specific areas will be covered. This course features Experiential Learning hours (Mon-Fri) at Ganzo FOH and Beverage Operations.
Though food diversifies throughout the world according to local cultural backgrounds, there is a common ground in the universal approach to food: it is a part of everyday life and sharing food is still one of the greatest examples of humans acting as “social creatures”. Italy represents a unique case for now food is both celebrated and is involved in cultural celebrations that are still fundamental in Italian society. This course will provide students with a full immersion in the relationship between food and the local community in Italy, focusing on the many moments that represent conviviality in Italian culture and society. Coursework includes a wide variety of field learning activities through which students will be introduced to local and traditional crafts, food markets, typical street food vendors, local purchasing groups, community-supported agriculture, and countryside food festivals as fundamental milestones in the Italian gastro-social tradition. Through hands-on experiences and on-site activities students, will learn the fundamentals of community-geared food production and will acquire a deeper understanding of food as an essential element of society. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course is targeted towards students with an interest in Italian food traditions, society, and culture. The main focus consists of what is generally defined as “made in Italy” culture and style in post-war Italy. Also covered are the relationships between Italian traditions, folklore and contemporary Italian society drawing from examples including festivals, food, tourism, and economy, and the influence of foreign civilizations. Students will be asked to regard the subject of food outside of the context of ingredients and the procedures used to create a dish; we will instead examine a large scale context in which food is either featured as a main component or an integral element in cultural situations. Thus the student is asked first and foremost to observe the presented material across an anthropologic lens that roves over the entire Italian peninsula. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and/or tastings.
Recent decades have represented a dramatic change in the way we approach food. Food facts and information that are constantly updated and the ethics of sustainability have deeply influenced the worldwide awareness of food as the primary source of a healthy lifestyle. Italy has always stood out for its genuine cuisine characterised by fresh seasonal ingredients, an abundance of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and a distinct respect for food. This course will provide students with a complete overview of how food can be the basis of wellness, along with the practice of a positive lifestyle. Particular emphasis will be placed on seasonality, whole foods, and freshness, and contemporary innovations and traditional customs will be analysed for the production of dishes and snacks that are both tasty and healthy. Course topics will also introduce students to the fundamentals of nutrition in order to better understand the aphorism “We are what we eat” and how this motto aligns with the Italian culinary tradition. Students will also complete a survey of the different dietary recommendations that have been researched and developed to examine how the field of dietetics is directly affected by social implications. Through hands-on experiences and on-site activities, students will experience the fundamentals of wellness-oriented cuisine and lifestyles. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This class includes experiential learning with CEMI. Three days of food labs, one day of gastronomic walking tour.
This course is targeted towards students who are interested in the Italian traditions and the pivotal role that Italy has played in the evolution of food and wine culture. Italy is in fact the oldest wine-producing nation in the world where grapes are grown in almost every region of the country. This course will consider and analyze the various influences and cultural overlaps that this ancient tradition has brought to contemporary Italian culture. The course will also feature an Italian language component in order to better understand and appreciate the elements of contemporary Italian culture which will be discussed during the course. This course includes an Italian language component for beginning-level students and field learning activities. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centered process.
This course is targeted towards students who are interested in the Italian traditions and the pivotal role that Italy has played in the evolution of food and wine culture. Italy is in fact the oldest wine-producing nation in the world where grapes are grown in almost every region of the country. This course will consider and analyse the various influences and cultural overlaps that this ancient tradition has brought to contemporary Italian culture. The course will also feature an Italian language component in order to better understand and appreciate the elements of contemporary Italian culture which will be discussed during the course.
This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multifold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centred process.
This course includes an Italian language component for beginning language students + 90 field learning hours.
The front of house area of any restaurant should be carefully planned in order to balance ambiance with function. Restaurant seating, wait stations, and waiting areas are just a few of the areas to consider when planning a restaurant dining room. The course focuses on all aspects that characterize the front of the house experience. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the front of the house to properly reflect the restaurant concept and the necessity of planning front of the house spaces for efficiency. Furthermore, the course considers the pivotal role of excellent customer service and the training methods of front of the house staff.
This course introduces students to all aspects related to the operations and management of an art gallery and its exhibited content. Students will be involved in curating and promoting art shows and art-related events through community and on-campus exhibitions.
Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet offers many health benefits, especially when combined with exercise. This course includes lectures on various forms of physical and lifestyle activities and an overview of their respective health benefits. The program will also include visits to athletic centers within the local community plus an overview of the nutritional aspects of Italian culinary traditions as an example of Mediterranean diet. The aim of this course is to provide students with a study of fitness and wellness and how their relationship promotes a healthy lifestyle based on the Mediterranean diet. Cooking labs, wine tastings, and physical activity are integral components of the course and will result in the creation of a customized exercise and nutritional program developed by the student. This course also features a field learning component in relevant Italian locations to supplement and enrich academic topics.
Pre-requisites: An introductory chemistry course and an introductory mathematics course such as algebra are recommended.
Throughout history, science and chemistry have shaped the evolution of the world. This course is designed according to the learning needs and interests of both science and non-science majors and traces the emergence of chemistry as a discipline, its evolution from past to present, and how it continues to influence and be influenced by politics, morality, and society. Course topics will examine the impact of chemistry on human history and include a deeper look at specific molecules of enormous importance such as cellulose giving rise to the XVIII century Industrial Revolution and other relevant case studies. Students will gain a working knowledge of the history and techniques used in the analysis and transformation of matter.
This course will approach Christianity both as an institution and as an intellectual tradition from a historical point of view. Course topics will focus on the roots of Christianity, Christianity during the Roman Empire, the Medieval church, the Papacy, monasticism, the schism between the Western and Eastern Churches, the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, as well as the challenges faced by contemporary Christianity. The course will include visits to churches and monasteries in Florence.
This course explores the meaning of the term “Renaissance” when applied to the period of Italian history from circa 1350 to 1550. The subject will be approached from a variety of standpoints: social, political, economic, intellectual, scientific, and artistic. The focus will be on the concept of Italian Renaissance Humanism and on the relationship between art and society during this period. Lectures will be supplemented by a number of visits to key historical sites in Florence. Field activities and museum visits are an integral part of the course.
This course discusses the origins and development of the Mafia in the context of Italian politics, economics, and society from the nineteenth century to the present day. It analyzes the nature of Mafia activities and their international relevance. Special focus will be given to judicial procedures against the Mafia and the experiences of key individuals and groups contrasting their illegal activities.
This course provides a general introduction to the study of human anatomy and physiology. The course is designed for non-biology majors who want to learn the basics of anatomy. General properties of living organisms are considered while human structures and functions are emphasized. The class will study the creation of the human body, from cells to tissues, organs to organ systems, and finally the organism, along with the chemical and physical principles behind its operation, and the principal systems and their physiological processes will be discussed. In addition, students are given a historical overview of anatomical studies from the work of Galen in antiquity to the anatomical investigations of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Vesalius during the Renaissance. New and noninvasive technologies, such as MRI, that uncover parts of the human anatomy never seen before, will be introduced. Field trips include the La Specola Zoological Museum for its collection of 18th-century anatomical wax models.
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of human resources management, with particular emphasis on human resource planning and strategy, personnel selection, equal employment opportunity, training, performance appraisal, compensation, and other current issues. The course has been developed for individuals whose job requires managing employees in a global environment according to HR standards and practices. Topics covered include human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment, personnel selection, performance, employee turnover, the importance of HR in an industry like the hospitality sector, ethics and practices within personnel, legal issues, and how diversity impacts the workforce. Please note that this course is open to students of Junior standing (third years).
This course develops basic conversation, reading, and writing skills. Equal focus will be given to grammatical structures, vocabulary, and conversation skills. Students will develop a vocabulary that will enable them to engage in simple but useful everyday conversations, thus enhancing and supporting their Italian experience. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to express themselves in basic sentences, recognize gender and number in both nouns and adjectives, and begin approaching the Passato Prossimo. Emphasis will be given to the oral expression of practical vocabulary and newly acquired grammar structures. This level is for absolute beginner students who have never studied Italian before.
This intensive six-credit course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of Italian. It will give students the opportunity to experience a total language immersion, learning how to use gradually more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course will start from linguistic fundamentals and essential grammatical structures, including singular and plural forms of articles, adjectives, nouns, and their agreement; regular and some irregular conjugations of -are, -ere, -ire verbs in the Present tense; and simple prepositions. It will then move on to reflexive verbs, conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the Past, and direct object pronouns. It will finally introduce students to Future and Conditional tenses, possessive adjectives, and indirect object pronouns, along with the continued practice of expanding vocabulary and gradual building of complexity in grammatical structures. All lessons will be taught in Italian.
Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This intensive six-credit course is intended for students who have previously completed one semester of elementary Italian language studies at the undergraduate level. It will give students the opportunity to experience a total language immersion, building on and extending fundamental skills developed in the elementary course. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to communicate in both written and oral form about topics they are familiar with pertaining to personal interests (i.e. family, hobbies, work, travel), as well as simple aspects of Italian culture. The grammatical structures covered will start with a review of Passato Prossimo and introduce Imperfetto conjugations, direct object pronouns, Future and Conditional tenses, possessive adjectives, and indirect object pronouns, followed by Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi and Combinati, Imperativo, and a basic grasp of the four Subjunctive tenses. All lessons will be taught in Italian.
The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge on the role of urban policy and planning in relation to the housing market in a global context. Students will become familiar with the implications for policy and practice and will learn how to develop regional and local housing strategies. This course includes references to international cases from the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, and other European countries. Student will gain knowledge of the impact that the emerging sharing economies have on urban development, as well as learning about the process of buying an Italian property as a secondary home.
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Management or equivalent.
This course is designed for students interested in international business ventures and partnerships. Management, leadership, human resource management, organisational skills, and strategies will all be analysed from a cross-cultural business perspective. A major focus is on strategies adapting managerial skills across cultures. Guest lecturers and on-site visits to international business ventures are an integral part of the course.
This course examines the development of international tourism from its historic beginnings to current growth. Emphasis will be placed on the topics of tourism marketing and structures, the role of governments in international tourism, the effect of tourism in a country’s infrastructure and society, and the impact of tourism in developing countries.
This course features a 30-hour faculty supervised project (Mon-Fri) at Fab Lab.
This course is an introduction to accessory design. Students will be exposed to a variety of design materials. Emphasis will be placed on 3-dimensional sketching and on creative detail design for footwear, handbags (including embellished evening bags), small leather goods, gloves, and belts. The course includes a historical overview of personal accessories from ancient Egypt to the present. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This introductory art history course will take students through Italian and European art from the classical Greek and Roman periods up to and including the eighteenth century. Special emphasis will be given to Florentine and Italian art of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and to the “Golden Age” of the Renaissance. The course is aimed at students who have not taken a history of western art course before. Lectures will alternate with on-site teaching in Florence including architectural walking tours and visits to relevant museums, churches, and palaces.
This course introduces contemporary technologies for producing photographic images. Approaching the medium in its current complex and pluralistic state, students explore a variety of photographic concepts and techniques. The fundamentals of using a digital camera including manual exposure and lighting are stressed. The course also introduces seeing, thinking, and creating with a critical mind and eye in a foreign environment (Italy) to provide understanding of the construction and manipulation of photographic form and meaning. Assignments, lectures, readings progressively build on each other to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of camera functions (manual mode) and processing techniques. The second half of the course will focus on weaving the techniques with specific photographic concepts via assignments. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
NOTE: This course is for beginners. The first half of the course will be devoted to understanding camera functions and basic printing. During this period assignments will emphasise basic camera functions in manual mode. A DSLR camera and a lens with a focal length of 55mm or wider is required for this course. Must have a manual setting: ability to set ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
This introductory course provides students with the basic knowledge in the operation, coordination, and management of special events, and an overview of the major segments of the event industry. This course is designed for those who wish to explore the event industry for the first time with the purpose of developing their event management capabilities starting from a beginner level. Throughout course duration, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of real events held on campus in order to apply information acquired during class to a realistic context. During the course, students will gain first-hand experience by analytic observation through participation in a variety of events organised on campus. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course is an introduction to marketing and merchandising concepts in the fashion industry. Emphasis is placed on the apparel and accessory industry in Italy. Students learn terminologies specific to the field. Topics include the meaning of the “brand” in today’s consumer market, how to forecast trends, the product supply chain, the vertical business model and outsourcing, visual merchandising, advertising, different forms of in store and non-store retail, consumer behaviour and profiles, and store location and design. On-site visits to fashion retailers in Florence are an integral part of this course with suggested field trips to local designers as well as to fashion museums such as the Gucci Museum. Other topics include: Product development cycle of the fashion industry: the initial forecast, consumer analysis, marketing plans, sourcing and presenting the product. The importance of retail marketing and “experience shopping” – visual merchandising through analysis of store layout. The course will also cover market research and target customer identification, visual merchandising, direct marketing, internet and social media, and traditional advertising, and will focus on how to generate media attention through public relations (press relations, press kit releases, sponsorships, events, etc.).
This course involves theoretical and practical aspects related to film photography. In addition to lectures, coursework will take place both outdoors in the city of Florence and in the darkroom. Students will learn how to use the camera correctly, how to expose film, and the basic principles of black and white photography and composition. In addition, students will be given a broad overview of the history of photography. Students will work on two projects and a final portfolio. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course provides a fundamental overview of the hospitality industry and its main sectors: hotel, restaurant, management services, and clubs. In addition, students will learn the features of hospitality operations and trends, and examine the following topics: development of tourism, demand for travel, examination of food and beverages industry, associations and organisations related to hospitality as a sub-segment of the tourism industry. Students will gain a full understanding of the career opportunities that exist within the hospitality industry.
Knitwear design is a longstanding tradition that is is emerging again as an important professional discipline in the fashion industry. In this course, students familiarize themselves with the world knitwear techniques and are introduced to flat bed knitting machines, as well as technical instruments and methods of knitting. Through a series of exercises, students will be able to read and translate pattern schemes, develop ideas into patterns, make samples, and be able to construct a basic machine-knitted garment. Additionally, students will analyze fashion trends in knitwear and learn technical aspects of different yarn types, materials, structure in order to explore tradition and innovation while strengthening an experimental attitude.
This introductory course provides an overview of management functions and managerial problem-solving strategies. Students will be instructed in the areas such as the qualities of successful managers, elements of strategic decision-making at various levels of an organisation, global business issues, goal-setting processes, and basic business controls. This course also teaches the fundamental principles of management built on human relations in order to manage and lead people effectively, resolve conflicts, and build productive teams.
This course is designed for non-business majors and introduces students to the role of marketing within a business. Through a combination of lectures, case studies, readings and simulations, students will address analytical marketing concepts and techniques developed from economics, psychology, statistics, and finance in order to plan and develop products and services to satisfy the needs of target customers. Topics include product planning, pricing, promotion, advertising, distribution policies, targeting, and market research techniques.
The continuous growth of nutritional awareness worldwide has brought nutrition to be one of the fundamental subjects in constant evolution during the last decades. This course provides students with basic nutrition concepts and focuses on the overview of the requirements and functions of protein, carbohydrates, lipids and the major vitamins and minerals that are determinants of health and diseases in human populations. Emphasis will be placed on the role of nutrition in growth and health through the life cycle and the role of diet in the development of chronic diseases and the maintenance of a good health status thanks to a balanced food consumption. The course offers an overview of food policies, food education and an analysis of nowadays eating habits. Students will also learn the guidelines for the balancing of a vegetarian diet and understand how to read a food pyramid.
This introductory course to product design guides students through the exploration of the different stages involved in the design process. Case-study analysis enhances instruction as students explore parallel paths in the design of interiors, industrial and consumer products, public art projects and fashion. With carefully selected examples and practical exercises, students explore contemporary design practice within production processes. Students become familiar with concepts and terminology relevant to product design. Namely, production volumes, speed of production, costs of production, relevant materials and typical applications. The innovative use of a particular material, sustainability and its effect on the environment is also assessed. As an integral part of the course, students are required to develop a meaningful design challenge and – in the end – deliver a great design. Within such a process, students address the historical context of their designs as they practice critical thinking, research, problem solving, and aesthetic refinement. Projects require sketches, models, written reports and verbal presentations of design concepts.
This course is the first out of three about Professional Cooking and its aim is to introduce students to culinary fundamentals. The structure of the classical kitchen will be compared to the contemporary one in order to understand the differences in the organization of the brigade. The role of the Chef will be explained and discussed. Tools and equipment use, weights, measures and recipe conversion will be explained and practiced. This course will provide the first basic information about seasonings and flavorings and the application of herbs and spices in the kitchen. Students will approach cooking thanks to a careful analysis of knife skills, principles of cooking and basic cooking techniques, that include eggs, vegetables, pasta and meat cookery. Special emphasis will be placed on methods and procedures rather than on the complete preparation of finished dishes. A special focus will be put on kitchen cleaning, sanitation, maintenance and personal safety.
This course introduces students to the strategic roles and functions of the Public Relations (PR) practitioner. Students evaluate the context in which PR is practiced, gain an understanding of the potential and practice of PR as a management function, and critically analyze the structure of PR management, its role, and techniques. In addition, students will be introduced to the rhetorical arguments that impact PR activities and will be made aware of the importance of professionalism and ethics in the practice of public relations.
This introductory course is intended for students who have little to no background in the history of Western Art. Before examining the beginnings of Renaissance art that took flourished in Florence in the fifteenth century, students will be given a broad overview of Greek and Roman art and architecture, whose emulation is fundamental to understanding the cultural revolution of the Renaissance. Through on-site visits to medieval churches and palaces in Florence, students will early on become familiar with the Romanesque and Gothic styles in which the first Renaissance painters, sculptors, and architects found their roots and from which they were to dramatically diverge. As site visits are a significant part of this course, the focus will be on Florentine artists such as Masaccio, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. By way of comparison, consideration will also be given to other important centers of art in Italy such as Venice, Siena, and Ferrara. In addition to analysing the style and subject matter of works of art, students will learn about the techniques of painting and sculpture and comparisons will be made with techniques in other countries during the same period, for example the use of oil paints in Flemish painting. This course features a journalism project with Blending.
This course features a 15-hour faculty supervised project (Mon-Fri) at Sorgiva.
This course considers how street photographers strive to capture the life and culture of city streets, searching for what Henri Cartier-Bresson termed the “Decisive Moment.” When it comes to street photography, A skilled street photographer is able to anticipate action, interaction and that microsecond when the ordinary street scene becomes an extraordinary photograph. Methods that encourages interaction between the photographer and subject are stressed. Techniques mastered by Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Costas as well as others will be examined. Students will immerse themselves in the whirl of street life in Florence as they move towards an understand of what it takes to successfully photograph in the street. NOTE: This course is for beginners. The first half of the course will be devoted to understanding camera functions and basic printing. During this period assignments will emphasize basic camera functions in manual mode.
This course introduces students to photography with a particular focus on reportage and travel photography perspectives of this medium, offering a chance to explore the world through a camera viewfinder. Key course topics include learning to express a sense of place, capturing mood/feeling, and shooting a variety of subjects ranging from daily life to landscapes, urban settings, cultural portraits, festivals, and rituals. The course will be divided between outdoor field practice and learning introductory digital techniques. This course is recommended for students majoring in Communications, Journalism, and Tourism. Basic photography experience and knowledge will be helpful but not necessary. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
NOTE: This course is for beginners. The first half of the course will be devoted to understanding camera functions and basic printing. During this period assignments will emphasise basic camera functions in manual mode.
This foundation course will explore methods, techniques and various aspects of watercolour painting. The unique qualities of watercolour will be explored through direct observation exercises, demonstrations and individual projects. Watercolour techniques will be explored, including developing drawings to form strong compositions, capturing the effects of light, colour-mixing and washes. Students will develop their painting skills, techniques, and aesthetic sensibilities to artistic expression in watercolour medium. The class format consists of studio work with lectures, examples, demonstrations, and individual as well as group critiques. Reading and homework assignments are coordinated with the studio work.
Pre-requisite: Baking Techniques I or equivalent.
Students will study the history and background of various national and regional desserts starting from a focus on the most important and typical Italian ingredients. Special attention will be paid to a detailed analysis of DOP and IGP products that are traditionally used in Italian pastry and their fundamental role for the identity of Italian cakes and tarts. The course will cover the origin of classical desserts and eventual variations from classical methods. Students will study a variety of doughs, batters, fillings and glazes with an emphasis on a thorough understanding of the techniques and proper skills for the execution of classic Italian desserts.
Prerequisites: Baking Techniques I or equivalent.
Since it was invented, sugar has played a fundamental role in the evolution of pastry as we know it today. Its intriguing and complex chemistry is by far one of the most significant challenges of pastry arts. This course revolves around this fundamental pastry art ingredient, sugar, and its applications in confectionery. Students will experience a full-immersion in the world of sugar, sugar preserves and small pastry decorations. Lessons will focus on the chemistry of sugars, on the suitable sugars for different types of preparations, and on traditional and contemporary confectionery art. Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to produce marmalade and jams, chutneys and Italian mostarda, candied fruits and fruits preserved in syrup. Emphasis will be placed on candies and caramelized fruit production, sugared nuts (pralines) and a wide variety of torrone (nougat).
Pre-requisites: One semester of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This course builds on and extends fundamental skills developed in the beginning-level course. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency skills and integration of language and culture through more extensive reading and writing. Upon course completion, students will be able to express polite requests using the Present Conditional and develop their language ability by using direct and indirect object pronouns. This course is aimed at students who already have a basic vocabulary of Italian and some knowledge of elementary language structures.
Pre-requisites: Two semesters of Italian language or equivalent. Italian Language Placement Test required.
This level is for those students who already have an active knowledge of elementary language structures (i.e. the expression of past actions and events, discussion of future plans), can communicate simple and routine tasks, discuss familiar and routine topics and describe his/her background, and can understand clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Upon course conclusion, students will be able to use more complex pronouns both in spoken and written Italian and will have a basic grasp of the following topics: Condizionale, Trapassato Prossimo, Pronomi Relativi, Imperativo and a basic grasp of the four tenses of Subjunctive.
This course explores the principal architects, monuments and themes of fifteenth and sixteenth century Italian architecture. The course includes site visits in the city of Florence. Emphasis will be on Renaissance architecture in Florence, but will also include architectural developments in Rome, Urbino, Mantua, Verona and Vicenza. Special topics will include: architectural theory, Medici and papal patronage, urban planning, and church and palace design. A special focus will be dedicated to architects: Brunelleschi, Alberti, Michelozzo, Giuliano Sangallo, Bramante, Antonio Sangallo the Younger, Michelangelo, Giulio Romano and Palladio. Visits to key Renaissance buildings and urban spaces in Florence are included.
Prerequisites: This is an intermediate course. Working knowledge of manual setting is required. Portfolio submission recommended.
The city of Florence, with its backdrop of Medieval and Renaissance buildings coupled with the varied beauty of the Tuscan countryside, will offer students a stimulating range of opportunities for landscape and architectural photography. The course will be divided between outdoor field practice and the exploration of several camera format techniques, lenses as well as printing. By studying influential photographers compositional and artistic issues of parallax, distortion and perspective will be addressed and executed through assignments. A personal vision will be nurtured and guided by the instructor for the final project in a series of landscape/naturalistic/architectural visual context.
This course offers a comprehensive approach to wellness, nutrition, and fitness from a lifetime perspective. Course topics will examine how healthy lifestyles span across the continuum of lifespans and ages with a focus on how dietary and fitness needs evolve throughout the four main life-stages: childhood, youth, adulthood, and for the elderly. Theoretical core concepts of how dietary and fitness needs are correlated to mental health and adapt according to each life-stage will be addressed along with a comparative focus on the Italian and Mediterranean approach. In addition to in-class lectures, the course features hands-on field experiences in nutrition labs for healthy diets and physical activities held in local Italian fitness facilities. Students will implement course topics and to cultivate student motivation for incorporating them into their own daily lives.
Beginning with an examination of the “how to” advice manuals common to Italian households during the Renaissance period, this course explores various aspects of sexuality in Renaissance Italy. These aspects range from the aforementioned self-help books aimed at instructing young couples in sexual pleasure, to conception and childbirth, and an examination of the differing social roles of the common prostitute (meretrice) and the high-class courtesan (cortigiana). The theme of male homosexuality will also be explored with special focus placed on the intellectual climate of Renaissance Florence where the prevailing interest in Neoplatonic philosophy may have played a part in creating a more lenient moral climate for homosexuals. Discussions will take cue from Renaissance art in which erotic subjects became increasingly popular in courtly circles in the sixteenth century. Museum visits form an integral part of this course.
The first of a two-part series on magazine production, this course gives students a professional magazine production experience as an academic course. Students, under the supervision of faculty members, will curate every phase of production brainstorming, design, writing, photos, editing, layouts, production, and distribution of a professional lifestyle magazine produced by the institution. The magazine and its semiannual format will represent the student’s approach to living in Florence and topics such as the arts, gastronomy, travel, style, city scenes, etc. from a cutting edge perspective that seeks to challenge and go beyond the surface of a city. Course projects and activities will interact with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine of FUA’s campus press Ingorda. This project requires additional hours outside of regularly scheduled class times. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This is a studio class aimed at introducing students to the elementary techniques of modern dance based on the movement vocabularies of great choreographers such as Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and others. Structured technical exercises condition the body for strength, coordination, and flexibility. Aspects of space, time, shape, and movement dynamics are explored.
The course engages the student in the exploration of the history and culture of the French and Italian Riviera, a region that still today preserves a peculiar identity, and builds a bridge between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Strategically placed in the north of the Mediterranean, Provence and the city of Nice have always attracted civilizations from all over. Throughout its long history, people of many nationalities have docked here and been assimilated into the city, turning it into a cultural and culinary melting pot: Greeks, Romans, North Africans, Corsicans, Sicilians, Arabs, have all left their mark.
The course examines the many culinary identities of the area creating a unique culinary cornucopia of different cultures and flavors, as seen in establishments such as restaurants, markets, boulangeries, Maghreb spice stalls, Mediterranean fishmongers, and Sub-Saharan vegetable vendors.
The course also focuses on the relevance that the area had in the development of Europe. During the Middle Age, in monasteries and abbeys, the roots of cultural and religious traditions of Europe were continued. Furthermore, thanks to the work of the monks, the techniques of agriculture and viticulture were preserved and improved. Two of the great ancient pilgrimage routes have their start in Provence, the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), through the Roman Via Aurelia to Santiago di Compostela, and the Via Francigena, which leads from France to Rome.
Places of culinary, historical, and religious relevance, such as ethnic restaurants and local markets, archaeological sites, and monasteries, will be studied in order to contextualize an interdisciplinary understanding of the culture and history of the Italian and French Riviera. Group discussions and personal research assignments are essential forms of re-elaborating the course topics. The course emphasizes the development and evolution of religion, its connection to food, and their heritage in the contemporary society. This course includes cooking labs, food and wine tastings, and visits.
This course is centred around Ferrante’s four-volume work known as The Neapolitan Novels: My Brilliant Friend (2011), The Story of a New Name (2012), Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2013), The Story of the Lost Child (2015). Lectures will investigate the multifaceted universe of a friendship between two women, Lila and Lenù, from their childhood to adulthood. It also aims to shed light on the connections between their experiences and Southern Italy’s complex history and culture from the post-WWII war years to the present. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course will examine the protagonists’ effort to break out of the circle of extreme poverty, illiteracy, and male violence.
Amongst the themes addressed by this course through the study The Neapolitan Novels, students will explore issues such as post-war settlement in Italy and in the South, Italy’s Southern Question, the Neapolitan Camorra and its influence on the poor, the changing role of women during the Seventies, the “Economic Miracle”, terrorism during the “anni di piombo”, student movements in the late Sixties, Italian factory strikes throughout the Seventies, and technological advancements for computing machines.
This class includes field learning hours. Field learning is a method of educating through first-hand experience. Skills, knowledge, and experience are acquired outside of the traditional academic classroom setting and may include field activities, field research, and service learning projects. The field learning experience is cultural; because it is intended to be wide-reaching, field-related content is not limited to the course subject but seeks to supplement and enrich academic topics. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and practice while experiencing Italian culture, art, and community within the Italian territory. Faculty will lead students in experiencing Italian culture through guided projects and field experiences as planned for the course. Field learning will be developed through classroom preparation, follow up projects, and guided learning outcomes. Field learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and appreciate the multi-fold components of Italian Culture through direct experience. Field education will advance student learning as a relationship-centred process.
Prerequisites: Three semesters of culinary arts or dietetics/nutrition coursework and Cooking Light: Contemporary Techniques for Health Living, or equivalent.
Starting from the previously acquired knowledge of macro and micro nutrients, this course will provide students with the tools to analyze and develop a wide variety of nutritionally balanced meals on a seasonal basis. Students will learn the fundamentals of metabolism and digestion and apply previously acquired cooking methods in order to preserve nutrients, and the possible applications of a wide variety of ingredients to create satisfying dishes while still respecting nutritional concepts. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of special dietary requirements either depending on dietary special needs or ethical choices. Raw foodism, vegetarian and vegan diet as well as the possible alternatives to guarantee a balanced nutrient intake will be thoroughly covered. The course will give students the tools to design meals on a seasonal basis following the principles of healthy cooking. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI).
In this foundational open-air painting course, students will explore and familiarize with the pleasures and challenges of painting outdoors. The students will acquire skills in the techniques of Plein Air painting with oil pastels and develop critical skills to evaluate paintings executed in this style. This course will also provide students with an in-depth look at the various materials and products for outdoor painting using wet techniques. Students will be introduced to the history and tradition of this genre; the “conceptual” in landscape painting will be emphasized with a specific focus on the Italian impressionists also known as the Macchiaioli. Sessions will be held in studio and at different outdoor venues in and around Florence.
This course presents an exploration of food and wine pairing. The topic goes beyond a classic approach to pairing by demystifying the terminology and the methodology of matching wine and food. Whether preparing a meal at home or ordering at a restaurant, students gain an enhanced knowledge of pairing that can create a harmony and synergy between wine and food, which ultimately leads to a sublime connection of the mind, mouth, memories, and experiences. Particular focus will be given to the Italian cultural approach through wine tastings from the major wine areas paired with classic Italian recipes.
Pre-requisite: This is an intermediate course. Knowledge of camera functions is required. Portfolio submission recommended.
During this two-pronged course, students will focus on: 1) the history and study of photojournalism from its genesis/inception to today and 2) assignments/projects that are journalistic newsworthy (events, human interest, artistic/cultural, sports, feature, and portrait). Students will emulate what it is like to be a newspaper photographer and learn storytelling images of the everyday events that occur in life. Through lectures and discussions students will also address contemporary issues such as: the cultural, social, and political influence of images and photojournalism in society as well as ethics and legal issues in photojournalism. The print lab will provide students with the tools for elaborating and printing their own images. This course is recommended for Communications, Journalism, and Social Sciences students. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
The course is a basic introduction to playing the piano. Topics will cover basic technical skills and an introduction to the ground elements of solfège and harmony. The students will focus on understanding music symbols and terminology, using appropriate techniques for piano performance, and developing ear training. Students will also be exposed to a variety of musical literature and to the music environment belonging to the history of Florence, which will enhance their learning experience through hands-on research and through participation in concerts and venues offered by the local theatres and opera house. The course is designed for those students with little or no piano experience.
In the 1900s, fitness pioneer Joseph Pilates designed and refined a series of exercises to rehabilitate himself from poor health and physical conditions from which he suffered in the early part of his life. Students will explore the health benefits and the physical practice of Pilates, a form of low-impact, whole-body exercise adaptable to all fitness levels. Students will learn about alignment, breathing, strengthening, balance, flexibility, and awareness as they progress through Pilates exercises and learn how to intelligently move their body. Students will also identify and evaluate the characteristics of exercises which are optimal for modern lifestyles, long-term health and wellness, individual needs, as well as rehabilitation and injury prevention. Basic anatomy and physiology as related to Pilates as well as healthy diet principals will also be covered.
Pre-requisite: Culinary Arts Majors only. The Science of Cooking: An Introduction to Molecular Cuisine, or equivalent.
The course is divided into three phases and explores stimulating applications of contemporary cuisine. Precision cooking and texture development apply the latest scientific discoveries to food production and may require special instruments for the achievement of specific results. This course focuses on techniques that can be available in a professional environment and allow chefs to development their creativity in order to reach new and sometimes unexpected results.
- Phase 1, Temperature Application: This phase explores the possible applications in which precise and specific temperatures play a fundamental role. The microbiology as well as the sanitation practices for precision and low temperature cooking will be covered, with a complete overview of contemporary methods, equipment, and procedures used in contemporary kitchens and in food production labs. Special emphasis will be placed on sous-vide cooking through the use of the immersion circulator, applications of liquid nitrogen for different purposes other than freezing, stimulating effects of carbonation on food flavor perception, and the application of frozen food processing with the Pacojet food processor.
- Phase 2, Gels and Thickening Agents: This phase examines how contemporary chefs and food technologists use ingredients in ways that earlier generations would have never imagined. Topics will analyze the increasing use of ingredients such as thickening and gelling agents in order to create sauces with unexpectedly smooth textures, hot and cold gels, firm coating gels, and methylcellulose gels. With the support of a chemist, specific additives will be evaluated, discussed, and tested.
- Phase 3, Gases and Air-Based Preparations: This phase focuses on contemporary techniques of texture changes obtained by incorporating specific gases into foods in order to modify familiar textures, improve presentation methods, and serve unusual and contemporary dishes. Items such as foams, froth, and puffed snacks will be analyzed. Students will examine and test diverse types of foams, both hot and cold with different foaming agents from animal and vegetable sources, as well as learn how to produce light foams, thick fine-textured foams, textured snacks, airs, and froths.
This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI).
Pre-requisite: Baking Techniques II: Italian Pastry Techniques or equivalent.
This course explores stimulating applications of both classic and contemporary pastry techniques to pastry shop and a la carte restaurant production. The program focuses on three main topics: the use of freezing temperatures through a survey of the possible applications in which cold temperatures and the balance of ingredients play a fundamental role; handling fresh and seasonal fruits in pastry production; the increasing use of ingredients such as thickening and gelling agents in order to create products with unexpectedly smooth textures, a wide variety of gels and contemporary mousses, and pastry applications of molecular gastronomy. Through this experience students will have the possibility to understand the role of specific ingredients in the production of ices in order to serve frozen desserts with a perfect balance between texture and temperature. The course will disclose all the secrets of pastry arts classics like semifreddo, bomba gelato, parfait and bon bons. Special emphasis will be placed on the uses of liquid nitrogen for different purposes other than freezing, stimulating effects of carbonation on food flavor perception, and the application of frozen food processing with the Pacojet food processor. The course offers a full-immersion in the pastry lab production with an important focus on techniques that can be available in a professional environment and allow pastry chefs to develop their creativity in order to reach new unexpected results.
The aim of this course is to provide student with an overview of the main characteristics of the real estate industry. Students will learn about the real estate business and will compare the Anglo-American and Italian systems. This course includes an introduction to real estate contract law and to Civil Law and Common Law in order to understand the different approaches of the legislation that regulates the real estate world. Students will also gain knowledge of the basics of real estate market economics including USA’s foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to Italy.
The aim of this course is to provide students with the basic knowledge of professional property management. Students will become familiar with the different management methods, such as ownership and subleases, as well as the new specific insurance practices for the tourist rental market. This course focuses on major functions of property managers, and details specific practices and problems in managing a variety of properties, such as residential, retail and industrial ones. Students will also learn how to manage maintenance, construction, insurance, and relations with tenants.
This course examines the relationship between gender inequality and the legal system. Topics include abortion, marriage, divorce, custody, equal pay, sexual harassment, rape, pornography, and prostitution. Students are introduced to basic legal research tools, such as statutes, regulations, cases, and legal literature. Bride kidnapping, also known as marriage by abduction or marriage by capture, is a practice known throughout history and around the world through which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry.
Specific case studies will be covered such as the “fuitina” in Italy, which was a widespread practice in Sicily and the south. In theory and in some cases, it was an agreed elopement between two youngsters, in practice it was often a forcible kidnapping and rape followed by a so-called “rehabilitating marriage” (matrimonio riparatore). In 1965, this custom was brought to national attention by the case of 17-year-old Franca Viola, abducted and raped by a local small-time criminal, with the assistance of a dozen of his friends. When she was returned to her family after a week, she refused to marry her abductor, contrary to local expectations. Her family courageously supported her decision, and suffered severe intimidation for their efforts. Ultimately, the kidnappers were arrested and the main perpetrator was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The exposure of this archaic and intransigent system of values and behavioural mores caused great national debate. A 1970 film, “La moglie più bella” (The Most Beautiful Wife) by Damiano Damiani and starring Ornella Muti, is based on the case. Article 544 of the Italian Penal Code was amended only in 1981, when by law, rape could not be cancelled by marriage.
This course will examine the presentation and position of women in major world religious traditions such as Christianity and Islam. Other religions, including pagan and neo-pagan cults and religions, will be introduced for comparative purposes. Much use will be made of religious texts, feminist criticism, and the study of the visual arts. Lectures will be enhanced by on-site teaching in Florence in order to examine the depiction of female saints in Italian art in the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.
This course examines the problems of the financial structures of restaurant management, in parallel with the objectives and techniques of the individual owner. The planning and decision-making tools available to managers in an organisation and comparison between single or partnership managements will be discussed. Personnel organisation and food preparation plans will be covered. The course is based on a double approach, combining theory and practice: students will be introduced to the basics of restaurant management and will be given the opportunity to discuss their ideas and questions with selected professionals who are successfully running their restaurant businesses in Florence. Extensive site visits to local restaurants be organised. This course features Experiential Learning hours (Mon-Fri) at Ganzo FOH. Some shifts may take place in the evening.
The aim of this course is to provide students with a basic knowledge of retailing management. Students will learn about the different types of retailers, characteristics of retail channels, customers, and competitors in order to develop effective retail strategies. This course focuses on strategic decisions made by retailers including retail market strategy, location and site strategy selection for retail outlets, and store layout design and strategies. Students will learn about merchandising management principles, including how to manage merchandise inventory, organize merchandise, and evaluate performance. This course includes principles of retail pricing and how retailers set and adjust prices for the merchandise and services they offer. Students will also gain knowledge on how retailers build their brand image and communicate with customers. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI).
This course spans the history of Italian gardens from the 1200s to the 1700s. The course explores the evolution of the Italian garden landscape starting from the ancient Roman roots and the emergence of herbal gardens in medieval monasteries for medicinal remedies to the flourishing of early Renaissance masterpieces in the great palaces and villas of Italy. The early transformation of the garden from functional to recreational purposes will be examined in religious and humanistic contexts. A second phase of evolution from the recreation to symbols of power will be introduced through the gardens of ruling families and religious figures who combined garden aesthetics with experimentation and horticultural innovation until the late Renaissance. The course will conclude with the waning of the Italian garden in the 18th century, which ceded the domination of Italian gardens to the landscaping practices of France.
This hands-on course will develop the fundamental skills and techniques of sewing and garment construction. Course topics feature the approach to mechanized and manually-processed techniques involved in the creation of simple cotton garments. An understanding of the use of basic patterns, cutting techniques, seams and finishings will allow students to approach simple prototyping projects. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
The fundamental aspects of accessory design allow students to learn drawing and rendering techniques, which illustrate materials and textures for handbags, belts, gloves, shoes, and hats. Starting from sketches and basic technical drawing techniques, students develop skills that enable them to apply diverse drawing methodologies.
Pre-requisite: One communication course or equivalent.
What do we mean by “”community””? How do we encourage, discuss, analyze, understand, design, and participate in healthy communities in the age of many-to-many media? With the advent of virtual communities, smart mobs, and online social networks, old questions about the meaning of human social behavior have taken on renewed significance. Although this course is grounded in theory, it is equally rooted in practice, and much of the class discussion takes place in social cyberspaces. This course requires the active engagement of students and a willingness to experience a full immersion in social media practices. Much of the class discussion takes place in a variety of virtual world environments during and between face-to-face class meetings. Students who participate in this course will actively and productively engage in established and emerging forms of social media – and have some notion of how these practices affect the self and the community.
“We see the world as we do, not because that is the way it is, but because we have these ways of seeing” (Wittgenstein). Social psychology is a scientific discipline that explores how the individual is influenced by social contexts. Students will learn to identify how social, environmental, and cognitive factors shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions. The course covers theories regarding attraction, aggression, conformity, and pro-social behaviour. As this course is taught in Italy, students will have the advantage of observing and testing theories learned in class in a foreign environment.
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Event Management or equivalent.
This course examines all aspects of special event management and provides a comprehensive study of the special events industry focused on emphasising the dynamics of the creative process critical to these events. Special events include but are not limited to business events, weddings, ceremonies, celebrations, life cycle events, fairs, and festivals. Through the event planning process, special events will be examined from a logistical and financial perspective. The course will also provide students with the necessary background for improving effectiveness and profitability when managing special events, which demands competence in the areas of drafting contracts for events, marketing and sales, event logistics and preparations, staffing, and accounting. Special attention is given to the use of new digital tools for the organisation of events as well as the significant forms of social media in order to more effectively promote events. Coursework is tailored for students who already have studied the basics of event management. This class includes Experiential Learning with CEMI.
This course provides the opportunity to understand and appreciate the facility operations and event management in the sport industry. Course topics will focus on various aspects of business, legal, and operational practices in the sports field. The class will feature lecture hours as well as real-life practice through the development of both facility management and sports events projects. Students will be engaged within the community and will be able to learn-by-doing, applying business theories and frameworks to the projects development. Coursework will enhance the student’s perspective and awareness of business issues from both a technical and a cultural point of view.
This course is a unique exploration of startup ventures and entrepreneurship from an Italian perspective. Topics introduce the factors involved in initiating new entrepreneurial ventures that have the enduring power to become a successful company. Essential building blocks to be examined are market analysis and strategy, innovation and management, product development, operations, financial frameworks, and competitor analysis. Case studies are drawn from the Italian economy with a local focus on Florentine and Tuscan companies from the perspective of Innovation, Tradition, and Evolution, in order to understand how enterprises in Italy are generating new ventures.
The teaching method is a combined approach of lectures, visits, and laboratory activities enhanced by the active participation of involved companies. Coursework and projects will be supported by the EntrepreLearn Lab of FUA’s International School of Business, which also features workshops, activities, and networking events. The overall aim of advancing entrepreneurial knowledge through an academically grounded approach and interaction with the local economy is to prepare students for transforming ideas and projects into concrete and viable startup projects from an international perspective.
Through a series of walks and visits through art and design this course intends to show famous and hidden fashion paths in Florence. A journey through time and space to discover the place that marked the birth of Italian fashion and opened the doors to Made in Italy. Back in 1954 Florence was the star of the fashion system, anticipating trends and steeling the exclusive scene from Paris. Italy embraced the “new” in fashion through the talent and genius of Giovanni Battista Giorgini, who staged the first ever Italian fashion shows in Florence. Students will discover a city of exquisite taste, tradition and artistic craftsmanship. Starting from the location of the first Italian cat walk held in the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti, they will learn how to map the fashion environment of the city. From Renaissance to modern day inspiration, fashion is kept alive in the products that were designed here and that grace the beautiful city today. Designers, such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Stefano Ricci, Ermanno Scervino, and Roberto Cavalli, have all developed and changed through the years and they have all surely blossomed here in Florence. The course is intended to provide academic knowledge through guided field learning activities that include research, on-site involvement, and topic assessment for each fashion themed walk in Florence. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
The city of Florence is a veritable mine of food and cultural experiences spanning from the kitchens of the Medici family to the rustic regional cuisine of Tuscany, growing rituals such as aperitivo, and high profile restaurants recognized internationally. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the food, street, and cultural scenes that set Florence apart from other metropolitan cities; encourage the discussion of the historical weight of its storied past on the food culture of today, and construct a topographical map that indicates the pinpoints of Florence’s thriving gastro-cultural activities. Lectures will be complemented by student cooking labs and tastings.
Considering the renewed global interest in local sourcing and the growth of Km0 practices (locally produced), the study of sustainable food systems is an essential component in the education of an ethically-minded food industry learner. The course takes its cue from the Italian example based on regionalism and the table as an expression of local territories, and how these factors have influenced the national food industry. It analyzes the industry and the production of food (fish, meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and grains) and focuses on packaging, traceability (labels), and distribution while exploring the social aspect of the food supply chain. Sustainability principles will be analyzed, as well as case studies in Italian food and beverage service and retailing. A strong focus is placed on seasonality, food policies, and food education. The course objective is to provide students with a solid conceptual framework in order to analyze the Italian food industry and the food production system from a sustainable perspective. Through the understanding of the broader concept of sustainability, students will be able to explore the social, economic, and environmental implications of food production and consumption and to identify the global threats in terms of public health. Students will develop critical skills by analyzing sustainability as active citizens, consumers, and entrepreneurs. The analysis and rethinking of economic, social, and agricultural alternatives in the current food production system will also be developed. Lectures will be complemented by visits, food tours, tastings, and cooking labs.
The course discusses and analyses major marketing themes and concepts. Students will examine the influences a marketing plan has on Product definition (market of reference and segment analysis), Price, Place (distribution channels), and Promotion. Topics include an introduction to marketing, marketing planning, product concepts and product management, segmentation, targeting and positioning, consumer buying behaviour, promotional activities, channels of distribution, and pricing concepts. The course will also discuss a valid approach to the marketing process, from analysis to planning, implementation, and control of programs designed to generate the desired exchanges with target markets for the purpose of achieving organisational objectives.
Pre-requisite: Two semesters of Culinary Arts coursework or equivalent.
Forty years after the first appearance of Molecular Gastronomy, Chefs’ approach to food has dramatically changed. Gastronomists and food historians talk about the last great food revolution of our times; the movement that changed the way we perceive food and started to stimulate new questions and give interesting answers to those that want to enhance their food knowledge. Since then cooking has taken a great step forward, opening paths once impossible to even think about. This course is aimed at non-scientific students who wish to approach the world of scientific application toward cooking and want to improve their knowledge of cooking techniques. A scientist and a Chef will alternate teaching the course giving both technical information and practical suggestions. Students will learn cutting edge techniques to create new textures and amazing effects.
Pre-requisite: Tradition of Italian Food I or equivalent.
The survey of the most representative Italian preparations and ingredients continues as well as a deep analysis and application of Italian cuisine. Traditional preparations, characterizing ingredients and culinary movements will be fully covered during this course. The aim of this course is also to give students a complete overview of Italian cuisine evolution through the knowledge of XIX and XX century cultural influences such as futurism, nouvelle cuisine and present day innovations. This course is meant to help students understand the current Italian culinary trends as a continuous evolution of the different regional cooking traditions. The course will include an overview of the major Italian cuisine chefs styles and how they contributed to the mentioned evolution thanks to creativity and knowledge. Students will learn how to compose a menu in order to express a cooking philosophy and will also experience Italian fine dining standards through the practical application of learned concepts. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
Italian culinary tradition is the result of a long and complex historical, social and cultural process that can be fully understood through a careful analysis of the many aspects of Italian cultural heritage. In the past, food was characterised by the use of locally available ingredients and alimentary habits slowly became established and codified along with the specialisation and the improvement of regionally different production methods. Nevertheless, nutrition and cooking underwent substantial changes and profound transformations through the centuries, often resulting from historical and political events that affected the economy, the production, and the distribution of goods.
This course introduces students to Italian gastronomical traditions through the analysis of the main ingredients and the traditional preparations that have contributed to make Italian cuisine the most popular and imitated. Students will be introduced to the world of Italian quality ingredients thanks to a survey of DOP, IGP, and Slow Food Presidia quality certifications. The fundamental traditional cooking methods, techniques, and preparations utilised in Italian cuisine will be thoroughly covered and sampled in class. Course topics will be analysed through a focus on cultural background, origins, production processes, technical features and application in Italian cuisine. These experiences will prepare students continuing on to the advanced section of this course.
The basis of this course is the development of creative writing skills by focusing on the genre of travel writing. Students will read and discuss extracts from the great classics of travel writing as well as current travel journalism published in newspapers, magazines, and online. Assignments will focus on developing an individual voice, and honing ideas through revision and drafting. Topics will cover how to write for different audiences and publishing formats. Course projects and activities will interact with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine and newsletter of FUA’s campus press Ingorda. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
The course will introduce students to the outstanding richness of the Tuscan wine tradition. Wine typologies representative of the region will be considered throughout the course, which focuses particularly on a detailed study of the most important wine production areas in Tuscany. A general introduction to wine appreciation will be featured along with the analysis of select Tuscan wines and their specific characteristics.
Pre-requisite: Basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, or similar software, is highly recommended.
This course centres on visual communication design as a human communication problem and focuses on essential aspects of the profession and of the education of designers. The visual communication designer works on the interpretation, organisation, and visual presentation of messages. Sensitivity toward form should go hand in hand with sensitivity toward content. Visual designers concentrate their work on the effectiveness, appropriateness, beauty, and budget of the messages. Through a series of tasks and exercises, the ubiquitous presence of visual communication principles will let the student see the many aspects of shape, colour, space, typography and movement more compellingly as manifestations of one coherent medium. Topics include the study of space, colour, frame, layout theory through the principles of Gestalt Psychology and other fundamentals concepts. The course will focus primarily on the basic computer programs for visual communication from the Adobe Suite. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course examines the creative yield of visual merchandising and its importance to the retail and fashion industries. Students develop skills in the evaluation and implementation of visual merchandising concepts. Retail space management is a crucial topic of the course including the external of the store and the collaboration with architects and retail managers. Key elements are also principles and elements of design, lighting, props, mannequins and window display. Integration with the fashion, art, and overall environment of Florence is an integral part of the course. Students will be engaged in site and museum visits. Related terminology will complete the course.
This course will introduce students to the world of walking as an artistic, philosophical, political, literary, inspirational – as well as physical – experience. While exploring different types of walking, the concept of “wanderlust” will also be analyzed and discussed from both an anthropological and philosophical perspective, to provide students with a thorough overview of the traveling and walking experience both in natural and urban landscapes. Different types of walking activities will be an integral component of the course, allowing students to reflect upon walking as an act of desire, escape, imagination, freedom, rebellion, and well-being.
The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.
This course introduces students to Italy’s wine culture, tradition, and heritage as well as to the importance of wine within the Italian socio-economic framework and how to read an Italian wine label. The major grape varieties cultivated in Italy will be analysed and an emphasis will be placed on the main wine production techniques in order to understand the winemaking processes for red, white, rosé, Italian sparkling, sweet, and fortified wines. Students will learn the differences among types and styles of wine according to the winemaking choices, developing a critical capability of analysis and classification.
This course will examine the figure of the sommelier and provide essential information regarding wine service and beverage management. Topics include stocking a cellar, storing wine, reading and composing a wine list, selecting proper wine glasses, serving wine, decanting wine, and an introduction to other beverages. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
This course has been designed to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the main wine producing countries of the Old World as France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia and of course Italy. Students will be guided across Europe to discover the principal wine areas and native grape varieties, with a specific focus on the cultural heritage and winemaking tradition that belong to each country. Course topics include the different appellation systems, soil characteristics, and basics of winemaking process. The course also offers an introduction to wine tasting in order to better understand the original features of the wines from each country.
This is an introductory comparative study of the world’s major religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the religions of China and Japan. The course will examine a significant number of specific themes in all religions studied: the nature of this world and universe, the relationship between the individual and the transcendent, ultimate reality, the meaning and goals of worldly life, the importance of worship and rituals, the importance of devotion to the master or guru, ethics, and human action. Excerpts from important texts of each tradition will be analysed.
iPhoneography is a photography concept that involves the professional use of the iPhone camera. Various iPhone apps and constant connection to the internet (either via wi-fi or cellular data) can turn an iPhone camera into a powerful, self-sustained, hand-held camera and darkroom ready to release information globally in the constantly changing digital market. Students will learn to use the iPhone camera to produce photojournalism essays, portraits, landscape, and fashion images using different iPhone applications and professional post-processing tools. The final images will be published in a dedicated class website and will be delivered to students as fine art prints for their final portfolio. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI. iPhone or iPad with a camera, purchase capacity for up to 7 different applications, (an Apple account with credit card must be activated before course start).
This module is an introduction to the visual culture of London, including painting, architecture, photography and contemporary media. Students will visit the major art galleries to examine how art works exhibitions and cultural organisations can be understood within wider social contexts. The sessions also include museums and historical sites, such as the British Museum and St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as art galleries. The classes will explore how these institutions reveal the complex cultural identity and history of London. The module develops students’ skills in visual analysis and critical thinking about culture.
Typical visits include the Tate Modern Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Portrait Museum, Museum of London, British Museum, Wallace Collection, Serpentine Galleries and Welcome Collection. Note these visits are subject to change. This module may include additional costs for museum tickets.
This module is rich in theory from consumer studies, psychology and sociology explaining why consumers behave the way they do and how marketers can use this information. Both customer and organisational decision-making processes are explored.
This module offers students the opportunity to learn about business organisations, their purposes, structures and governance in a global context. At the same time students will study the cultural differences within and between business organisations and the ethical constraints facing these organisations. As part of the process of learning about business organisations students will learn effective group and leadership skills and develop the skills necessary to structure a coherent report with conclusions linked to evidence.
This module provides an introduction to rights while at the same time trying to motivate students to later deepen their interest in human rights law. It starts with broad discussion on rights and continues with an exploration of the central institutions of the human rights regime while pointing to some of the main controversies in the human rights system. The module will address the tension between universalism and relativism, the difficulties with regard to the right holders (individuals, groups, collectivities, organisations) and point to current and future controversies and challenges in the areas of rights in general and human rights in particular.
The class aims to provide the student with an informed understanding of the social, cultural and economic context of the Whitechapel murders that occurred in the 1880s. Assessing the wider history of Victorian London, and focusing upon the 1880s in particular, students will learn about class, poverty, wealth, religion and culture in late Victorian London. Students will also learn about the Ripper murders and their effects in the metropolis, and consider why the murders continue to exercise fascination to this day.
Students will visit the Museum of London, Tate Britain, The Royal London Hospital, The Metropolitan Police Heritage Centre, Sir John Soane’s Museum, The Bishopsgate Institute, The Museum of London Docklands. The students will also go on a walking tour to ‘map’ the Ripper murders and get to grips with the geography of the East End. Note these visits are subject to change.
London is one of Europe’s greatest cities, with a fascinating history stretching back over two thousand years. Originally built by the Romans, it has endured a long history of war and civil war, fire, famine and plague. It has survived aerial bombardment and terrorism, yet remains a fascinating mosaic of distinct villages, which has given shelter to successive generations of those fleeing persecution and poverty in other lands. It is home to the British monarchy and British parliament, and is the cockpit of British life and culture.
This class aims to offer an introduction to a new history of London and to the specialism of ‘public history’, based in part on recent archaeological research and visits to London museums. The class thus aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate how and how well the history of London is presented to audiences of non-historians.
Field trips include visits to the Roman Amphitheatre and the London Wall Walk, the British Museum, Museum of London, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery, Museum of London in Docklands, British Library, the museums of South Kensington, Greenwich, Westminster as well as Medieval and Tudor London Walk. Note these visits are subject to change.
This module offers students an introduction to the arts, entertainment, fashion, architecture and history that have made London the world’s most influential and vital cultural hub. Why see Paris and die when you can see London and live? How did London become the world capital of music, art, fashion, design, theatre, film, architecture, and so much else? From rock legends to the Royal Opera, Shakespeare to shock art and cathedrals to Canary Wharf, this module describes how London emerged from the ashes of war to become the most vibrant and culturally rich city on earth. It aims to give students an overall appreciation of London culture and to teach them the skills they need to write fluent, confident and relevant reviews across a variety of arts and entertainment genres. It will also give students an introduction to the various ways the arts are covered across all media platforms and to the work of some key London artists, designers and performers.
Site visit to Banksy exhibition (subject to change).
This module provides students with an introduction to marketing and its role in business and society. It gives students an overview of the principles underpinning marketing activities, and is both an introduction to the subject area. The module aims to introduce the key concepts of marketing, an understanding of consumer behaviour, and an evaluation and application of marketing tools in the context of contemporary major social and environmental issues.
This course examines London as the historical setting for monarchy and national ceremonial. As such the course considers Royalty’s central place in British life and examines how its purpose and function have changed over the centuries. It also investigates Royalty’s influence on British history and society and its impact on government, culture and science. Finally the course will consider how the monarchy has adapted – and continues to adapt – to changing times and how critics react to it.
As a part of the course, students will visit The British Museum, British Library, National Portrait Gallery, the Museum of London, Imperial War Museum. The students will also tour important royal sites in London. Note these visits are subject to change. This module may include additional costs for museum tickets.
In this module, we will explore the scientific evidence for phenomena widely accepted by the public but whose scientific validity remains open to challenge including, for example, astrology and near-death experiences. We will examine the methods used in the investigation of such popular myths and examine, from a psychological perspective, the factors which underlie how they grow and are sustained. The module involves a critical review of the scientific evidence for these phenomena, and general consideration of the application of scientific method.
The module includes a half-day field trip to the Freud Museum in Hampstead.
The course is designed as an introduction to the subject of Organisational Behaviour, which helps people in organisations to have a better understanding of factors that influence behaviour. It aims to improve self-understanding and also understanding of the behaviour of other people. The module draws on insights and research from Organisational Behaviour (specifically from the Psychological and Sociological parts of Organisational Behaviour) and more widely from the social sciences to explore a number of topics, enabling us to be more reliable and rigorous than using only “common sense” understandings of behaviour. The module highlights some areas of difference and diversity that we are likely to encounter in many contemporary organisations.
This module is concerned with an investigation of the city as represented through historical and contemporary photography. Through a series of lectures, workshops, photo walks and gallery visits students gain a critical perspective on the city as a social, cultural, architectural and artistic phenomenon. Through a research and development process they focus on an aspect of the city to represent through their own photographic project.
Students will also have a workshop in the famous Victoria & Albert Museum and will visit exhibitions in the Museum of London or Whitechapel and Barbican galleries. Note these visits are subject to change.
Please note that it is advisable for students to bring their own digital or digital SLR camera for this class. If students do not have a digital or digital SLR camera one can be hired out free of charge from the Photography department based at the Harrow Campus.
*The Harrow Campus is located within zone 4. Most summer school students will purchase a zone 1-2 travelcard so should budget a little extra travel credit to cover zone extensions.
This model aims to provide students with the opportunity to engage with a range of topics and issues in psychology that relate to growing up and living in or visiting a large global city such as London, England. It will bring together research and theory from a number of areas of psychology and forensic psychology. Topics include: Stress & Wellbeing; Crime & Aggression; Loneliness, Prosocial behaviour, and Resilience. Lectures will discuss recent research and seminars will provide students with practical activities, visualisation through documentaries and guided discussions related to each topic.
The module includes a half-day field trip to the Museum of London, Barbican.
Working in one large and several small groups students devise and produce a factual program realised in a multicamera studio.
Studio based multicamera television show. Students work in a large group to produce one 25-minute live magazine program. Through practice in the studio students learn the procedures and protocols necessary for shooting within a large crew, an “as live” TV studio show. Students learn how to schedule, source talent, produce a running order, design and build a simple set and work collectively towards the recording of a live show in a proscribed amount of ‘on-air’ time.
There is an emphasis on collective responsibility and problem solving. Students write a personal log plus a reflective and a critical analysis of the production process and their finished program.
*The Harrow Campus is located within zone 4. Most summer school students will purchase a zone 1-2 travelcard so should budget a little extra travel credit to cover zone extensions.
Creating and managing successful brands is a source of competitive advantage to modern organizations. This module provides students with the fundamental understanding of brands, brand positioning and brand portfolio management. It engages students by practical demonstration of the effective use of marketing and branding tools. At the heart of an effective brand strategy, is its seamless integration with the marketing mix. A successful brand plan does not only address how the brand will be communicated but also how it will be protected.
Students will visit the Museum of Brands (subject to change).
The course provides a student-centred understanding of the intercultural competencies needed in the professional world of the 21st century. It starts by supporting students in analysing their chosen career, identifying the challenges inherent in performing in a professional multicultural environment. It continues by developing, through interactive activities, skills such as recognising, acknowledging, mediating and reacting to a variety of cultural expectations and norms of behaviour. The course contains throughout a reflective strand, which encourages students to reflect on their internalised culture, unconscious bias and preferred social positioning, and how this might impact their work relations.
Study of psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, schizophrenia) across lifespan, including role of biological, behavioral, social, cognitive, and cultural factors, diagnosis and treatment approaches. Discussion of Stigma and practices that support inclusiveness.
Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisite: course 10. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 127B or 127C.
Introduction to interpretation of drama through art of actor. Development of individual insights, skills, and disciplines in presentation of dramatic material to audiences.
Development and practice in acting techniques. Preparation and taping of scenes for analysis.
Pre-requisite: Course 11A
Varied media and subjects to further develop students’ technical and expressive means to implement their ideas. May be repeated for maximum of 20 units.
Causes and effects of high concentrations of pollution in atmosphere. Topics include nature and sources of gaseous and particulate pollutants, their transport, dispersion, modification, and removal, with emphasis on atmospheric processes on scales ranging from individual sources to global effects; interaction with biosphere and oceans; stratospheric pollution.
Pre-requisite: MATH 115A.
Ring of integers, integral domains, fields, polynomial domains, unique factorization.
Pre-requisite: MATH 32B, 33B.
Rigorous introduction to foundations of real analysis; real numbers, point set topology in Euclidean space, functions, continuity.
Introduction to religious beliefs, practices, and sentiments of ancient Egypt to study Egyptian religion as coherent system of thought and sphere of action that once served as meaningful and relevant framework for understanding physical reality and human life for inhabitants of Nile Valley. General principles as well as developments through time (circa 3000 BC to 300 CE). Topics include mythology, temple and cult, magic, and personal piety.
Architecture as vehicle for political and cultural authority, citizenship, ethnic and social identity; its role in defining place and our relationship to natural environment and as vehicle for asserting human control over natural world; its place in world of work and commerce; and its status as professional and aesthetic pursuit.
Study of architecture, sculpture, painting, and minor arts during Predynastic period and Old Kingdom. May be repeated for credit with consent of instructor.
Exploration of role of producer as both artist and business person. Comparative analysis of screenplays and completed films. Emphasis on assembly of creative team and analysis of industrial context, both independent and studio. Screenings viewed outside of class and on reserve at Powell Library.
Overview of history of feminist theory and intersection of gender, class, race/ethnicity from cross-cultural perspectives, with focus on Asian American women’s lived experiences in U.S. Topics include Asian American women’s roles in family life, work, community organization, social change, and cultural creativity. Examination of broader structural forces that affect women in society, such as racialization, immigration, global capitalism, colonialism and post-colonialism, and social movements.
Introduction to basic acoustic principles, practical techniques, and working procedures for equipment used in contemporary music production, including microphones, mixers, recorders, synthesizers, and sequencers. Basic sound processing operations (equalization, compression, distortion, reverberation). Operating principles of most popular systems of music production software and hardware.
Beginning-level study of ballet as movement practice.
Introduction to guitar techniques, accompanying, and arranging for guitar; coverage of note reading and tablature. May be repeated for credit without limitation.
Simple keyboard skills together with basic aspects of music theory and its practical application to keyboard: sight-reading, tonality, chords, scales, cadences, simple compositions, and improvisations. May be repeated for credit without limitation.
Study of modern and/or postmodern movement practice.
Examination of theories and examples of invasion of new environments by plants and animals introduced through natural processes or by human activity.
General introduction to geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes and history of Earth’s global ocean system.
Essentials of contracts, agency, partnerships, corporations, and other select areas of law in a business environment.
Examination of role of business in mitigating environmental degradation and incentives to be more environmentally responsive. Emphasis on corporate strategies that deliver value to shareholders while responding to environmental concerns.
Pre-requisite: MATH 31A.
Introduction to differential calculus of several variables, vector field theory.
Survey of backgrounds, campaigns, and aftermath of this most lethal of all wars in human history–one that victors fought as moral imperative against Axis powers. Flawed Versailles peace of 1919 that ended World War I is starting point for inquiry. Inter-war malaise of Democracies and appeasement together led to outbreak of world war in 1930s, first in China, then in Poland/Western Europe. Student presentations serve as backdrop for identification of turning points of so-called good war itself, World War II. Survey of growing tensions among victors that produced ensuing epoch known as Cold War.
Survey of field of cartography. Theory and construction of map projections, compilation procedures, principles of generalization, symbolization, terrain representation, lettering, drafting and scribing, and map reproduction methods.
Analysis of how following personal lives of media-created celebrities impacts self-esteem, connectedness, and personal relationships from cultural studies and social sciences perspectives, and how entities cultivate celebrity for financial gain. Topics include celebrity gossip and privacy, news sharing, public relations, and impact of social media on fan support, image construction, and damage control.
Introduction to basic principles of cell structure and cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology.
Introduction to ceramic materials and processes, with emphasis on personal and cultural expression in ceramic media. Discussion of ceramics in contemporary artistic practice and social history of ceramic art. Letter grading.
Introduction to chemical principles: numbers, measurements, chemical calculations, gas laws, solutions, acids, bases, and salts, molecular structure, and nomenclature. Collaborative learning and problem solving; introduction to chemistry laboratory practice.
Overview of Chicana/Chicano schooling issues in U.S., with special emphasis on several important historical events that exemplify struggle for educational justice and equity that affected Chicana/Chicano education–Mendez versus Westminster (1947) desegregation case and 1968 high school Chicana/Chicano student walkouts. Through oral history projects, documentation of legacy of Sylvia Mendez, who experienced segregation in one Mexican school in 1940s, Sal Castro, Chicano teacher and central figure in 1968 walkouts, and Chicano Youth Leadership Conference (CYLC). Examination of how historical, social, and political forces have impacted Chicana/Chicano educational experiences.
Pre-requisite: Course 10 or Linguistics 1 or Sociology 1 or Psychology 10.
Analysis of fundamental nature of human communication; its physical, linguistic, psychological, and sociological bases. Study of theoretical models explicating process and constituents of communicative act.
Survey of determinants of species-specific behavior, including genetic influences and learning.
Requisite: course 115. Designed for junior/senior majors.
Pre-requisite: MATH 32B, 33B.
Introduction to basic formulas and calculation procedures of complex analysis of one variable relevant to applications. Topics include Cauchy/Riemann equations, Cauchy integral formula, power series expansion, contour integrals, residue calculus.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36.
Introduction to literary analysis, with close reading and carefully written exposition of selections from principal modes of literature: poetry, prose fiction, and drama. Minimum of 15 to 20 pages of revised writing.
Introduction to development of rap music and hip-hop culture, with emphasis on musical and verbal qualities, philosophical and political ideologies, gender representation, and influences on cinema and popular culture. P/NP or letter grading.
Theories of relation of variations in personality to culture and group life, in primitive and modern societies, and influence of social role on behavior.
Designed for juniors/seniors.
Open to non-majors. Understanding design process, with emphasis on development of visual language; study of historic, scientific, technological, economic, and cultural factors influencing design in physical environment.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H.
Study of British and American detective fiction and literature of detection.
Comparative survey of basic concepts and theories in sociology from 1850 to 1920.
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Mathematics Diagnostic Test.
Differential calculus and applications; introduction to integration.
With lectures, screenings, and demonstrations, study of principles of digital cinematography. How tools and techniques affect visual storytelling process. Topics include formats, aspect ratios, cameras, lenses, special effects, internal menu picture manipulation, lighting, composition, coverage, high definition, digital exhibition, filtration, multiple-camera shooting.
Study of Roman life and culture from time of city’s legendary foundations to end of classical antiquity. Readings focus on selections from works of ancient authors in translation. Lectures illustrated with images of art, architecture, and material culture. Knowledge of Latin not required.
Study and analysis of Disney’s animated features. Evaluation of why Disney’s animated features have dominated until recently and ramifications of this dominance on animation and society.
Investigation of diversity in American society as manifested in dramatic works and theatrical presentations.
Intended for Theater minors and other non majors. Exploration and development of creative writing skills for one or more of various forms of entertainment media.
For drawing, exploration of relationship between concept and image creation while fostering development of sound drawing and observation skills. For color, exploration of development of fundamental skills in mixing and applying pigments with brush on watercolor paper, as well as use of computer as tool for working with colors. Combination of painting and software to be predominant way of exploring and presenting ideas regarding color. Studio, six hours; outside study, six hours.
Seminar, four hours. Development of positive social behaviors and their enhancement. Broad overview of children’s psychological development, with emphasis on personal, social, and emotional attributes of preschool and elementary school child. Aspects of prosocial behavior and aggression. Enhancement of prosocial behavior and modification of such negative behaviors as aggression. Review and evaluation of contemporary educational programs for promoting positive social behaviors in elementary schools. Methodological aspects of child development. Overview of early childhood education and issues related to role of family, school, and television in child development.
Study of Earth’s physical environment, with particular reference to nature and distribution of landforms and climate and their significance to people.
Broad introduction to theoretical traditions in development studies, with focus on interactions between states, markets, and cultural value systems, with selected case studies in developing nations.
Changing European economy after World War I and II and in 1990s; impact of fourth and fifth Industrial Revolutions; Great Depressions of century during 1930s, 1970s, and 1980s; and changing modernization strategies; import-substituting industrialization in peripheries; Soviet modernization dictatorship in East Central Europe and its collapse; integration process of second half of century and rise of European Union; modernization model at end of century.
Seminar, four hours. Research seminar providing overview of high-profile legal controversies that shape so many policy debates at both K-12 and higher education levels. Major areas of focus include campus safety, religion and schools, educational quality and law, broad based right to equal educational opportunity, and Internet-related issues and concerns.
Contact CISaustralia for course description.
Pre-requisite: Satisfaction of Entry-Level Writing Requirement.
Rhetorical techniques and skillful argument. Analysis of varieties of academic prose and writing of minimum of 20 pages of revised text.
Environmental planning is more than simply finding problems and fixing them. Each policy must be negotiated and implemented within multiple, complex systems of governance. Institutions and politics matter deeply. Overview of how environmental governance works in practice and how it might be improved.
Exploration of history and origin of major environmental ideas, movements or countermovements they spawned, and new and changing nature of modern environmentalism. Introduction to early ideas of environment, how rise of modern sciences reshaped environmental thought, and how this was later transformed by 19th-century ideas and rise of American conservation movements. Review of politics of American environmental thought and contemporary environmental questions as they relate to broader set of questions about nature of development, sustainability, and equity in environmental debate. Exploration of issues in broad context, including global climate change, rise of pandemics, deforestation, and environmental justice impacts of war.
Examination of human sexual relations and social behavior from evolutionary perspective. Emphasis on theories and evidence for differences between men and women in their patterns of growth, maturation, fertility, mortality, parenting, and relations with members of opposite sex. P/NP or letter grading.
Exploration of identity as means of understanding cultural formations, dominant/non-dominant power dynamics, and systems of visual representation. Intersectional approach to explore how ability and sexuality intersect, overlap, and change notions of identity. Use of scholarly texts from disability studies, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies, popular culture, performance, and film to investigate factors that shape ability and sexuality as basis for identity. May be repeated for credit with topic or instructor change.
Introduction to strains of German philosophy and political thought that focus on cosmopolitanism. Exploration of different historical and philosophical engagements with cosmopolitan projects.
Practical application of film editing techniques, how they have evolved, and continue to evolve. Examination of history of editing, as well as current editing trends, terminology, and workflow.
Through discussions, screenings, demonstrations, and guests, exploration of script, previsualization, directing actors, directing camera coverage in relationship to story, practical on-set directing, and directing for camera.
Pre-requisite: Management 120B.
Comprehensive study of concepts and procedures used to interpret and analyze balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows. Calculation and interpretation of financial ratios and credit analysis. Valuation theory using both discounted cash flows and residual income model.
Examination of issues of environmental and public health effects of intensive and extensive agriculture, influence of corporations on government, animal ethics, food deserts and urban gardening, and food insecurity. Focus on representation of such issues in documentaries, public lectures, memoirs, novels, and visual art, as well as on initiatives to address such problems through policy and activism.
Introduction to French culture and literature through study of films of cultural and literary significance.
Epidemiology is interdisciplinary science with goal of identifying and describing patterns of disease occurrence, identifying determinants of disease, and evaluating disease prevention and health care treatment efforts. With its focus on human populations, epidemiology is directly linked with public health research, policy, and practice. Introduction to fundamental definitions, concepts, methods, and critical thinking used in epidemiologic study. Designed to lay foundation for future study to evaluate factors related to health outcomes in human populations using epidemiologic principles.
Pre-requisites: High School Chemistry or equivalent background and High School Mathematics.
Introduction to physical and general chemistry principles; atomic structure based on quantum mechanics; atomic properties; trends in periodic table; chemical bonding (Lewis structures, VSEPR theory, hybridization, and molecular orbital theory); coordination compounds; properties of inorganic and organic acids, bases, buffers.
Principles of Mendelian inheritance and population genetics. Introduction to principles and mechanisms of evolution by natural selection, population, behavioral, and community ecology, and biodiversity, including major taxa and their evolutionary, ecological, and physiological relationships.
Questions of population, resource use, Third World poverty, and environment. Analysis of global economic restructuring and its connections to changing organization of production and resulting environmental impacts. Case studies from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and U.S.
Development of world music or world beat, including its meaning and importance to contemporary culture as well as its history and impact.
Good food is healthy, sustainably produced, and culturally meaningful. Introduction to basic concepts and history of food systems, food science and nutrition, fair and sustainable food production, natural resources and environmental issues including climate change and biodiversity, agriculture and food policy and law, food distribution and access, cultural identity and artistic engagements with food.
Comparative study of governmental and political development, organization, and practices.
Impact of environment and lifestyle on individual health examined from geographical perspective, with examples from both developed and developing countries.
Designed for juniors/seniors. Examination of Chicano/Latino health status through life expectancy, causes of death, reportable diseases, services utilization, provider supply, and risk behaviors within demographic/immigration changes. Binational review of health effects in U.S. and Mexico.
Survey of history of American musical: its composers, writers, and performers from musical’s emergence in immigrant cultures to Broadway and Off-Broadway. With its roots in British music halls and comic opera, Viennese operetta and African American jazz, American musical theater emerged as vivid and popular art form with its own culture and identity.
Survey of architectural and urban history from 1600 to present in global context. Exploration of buildings, cities, spaces, artifacts, landscapes, and ideas through their relation to geopolitical conditions and through their relation to theories of design.
Multidisciplinary examination of history of Asians and Pacific Islanders in U.S.
Economic, social, intellectual, and political development of California from earliest times to present.
Cultural, scientific, and social context that shaped modern medicine from Renaissance to Romantic era. Topics include establishment of anatomy, physiology, and modern clinical medicine, mapping of human body, medical approach to mental illness, rise of anatomo-clinical method at Paris School.
Overview of major theoretical, conceptual, and empirical traditions in study of human development. Exploration of how diverse cultural, social, socioeconomic, and historical contexts interact with biological, cognitive, and psychological processes to affect individuals during key developmental periods (such as early childhood, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, and late adulthood). Topics may include historical changes in families, schools, neighborhoods, and workplace; economic conditions of families, schools, and neighborhoods; enduring effects of childhood on adult well-being; and impact of ascribed characteristics such as gender, race, and nationality on individuals’ environments, pathways, and outcomes.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3.
Specialized study of work of one single Anglophone poet, dramatist, prose writer, or novelist. May be repeated for credit with topic or instructor change.
Examination of key concepts and methods in marketing communications in both traditional and digital media. Development and execution of communications strategies, with primary emphasis on consumer insight, branding, market segmentation and positioning, message strategy, promotion, and execution of marketing communications through appropriate media technologies.
Pre-requisite: Management 1B.
Intermediate-level course in theory and practice of financial accounting. Underlying concepts of asset valuation and income measurement. Measurement and reporting of current and long-term assets, including cash and marketable securities, inventories, plant assets and depreciation, and intangibles.
Relations of China with its neighbors and other powers, with emphasis on contemporary interests and policies of China vis-à-vis U.S.
Examination of information technology in society, including Internet, World Wide Web, search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Lycos), retrieval systems, electronic publishing, and distribution of media, including newspapers, books, and music. Exploration of many of these technologies, social, cultural, and political context in which they exist, and how social relationships are changing.
Introduction to how social scientists think about, study, and treat intimate relationships, with emphasis on understanding how relationships change over time. Topics include attraction, relationship formation, conflict resolution, social support, sex, role of individual differences, and external circumstances.
Lecture, three hours. Requisites: courses 10, 100A. Limited to juniors/seniors.
Basic institutions and processes of democratic politics. Treatment of themes such as constitutionalism, representation, participation, and leadership coupled with particular emphasis on the American case.
Pre-requisite: Linguistics 20 with a grade of B- or better.
Not open for credit to students with credit for course 103. Basics of articulation and acoustics of phonetic categories used in world’s languages, including English in comparison with other languages. Practice in speech-sound perception and transcription using International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Applications to language learning/teaching and other fields.
Students acquire understanding of practical and aesthetic challenges undertaken by artists and professionals in making of motion pictures and television. Examination of film as both art and industry: storytelling, sound and visual design, casting and performance, editing, finance, advertising, and distribution. Exploration of American and world cinema from filmmaker’s perspective. Honing of analytical skills and development of critical vocabulary for study of filmmaking as technical, artistic, and cultural phenomenon.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36.
Knowledge of Asian languages not required. General survey of Buddhist worldview and lifestyle, with focus on those religious doctrines and meditative practices most essential to various Asian traditions of Buddhism. Particular attention to problems involved in study of religion.
Interdisciplinary survey of diverse historical experiences, cultural factors, and ethnic/racial paradigms, including indigenousness, gender, sexuality, language, and borders, that help shape Chicana/Chicano identities. Emphasis on critical reading and writing skills.
Recommended preparation: one to two years of college-level Chinese. Introduction to Chinese sound system, writing system and its reform, regional differences, major structural features, language in society and in cultural practices.
Knowledge of Chinese not required. General survey of religious life in China, with emphasis on everyday religious practice over doctrine, and themes common to Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.
Survey of urban history and evolution in U.S., urban social theory, current growth trends, system of cities, urban economy and economic restructuring, traditional and alternative location theories, urban transportation, and residential location and segregation.
Introduction to fields of mass communication and interpersonal communication. Study of modes, media, and effects of mass communication, interpersonal processes, and communication theory.
Limited to students in Public Health minor and graduate students.
Introductory course to provide non-Community Health Sciences M.P.H. students and qualified undergraduate students with broad and comprehensive overview of concepts, empirical research, and public health practice in community health sciences, with emphasis on social context and determinants of population health and principles of planning interventions to protect and improve public health. Ways to define and measure health and illness, social construction of illness, social and behavioral determinants of health, and health disparities, including socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, gender, and age. Social and behavioral theories of health-related behavior change, health promotion strategies and methods, and public policy. Case studies of evidence-based health promotion programs provided.
Pre-requisite: Satisfaction of Entry-Level Writing Requirement.
Designed to introduce fundamentals of creative writing and writing workshop experience. Emphasis on poetry, fiction, drama, or creative nonfiction depending on wishes of instructor(s) during any given term. Readings from assigned texts, weekly writing assignments (multiple drafts and revisions), and final portfolio required. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 20.
Pre-requisite: MATH 31A, 31B.
Discrete structures commonly used in computer science and mathematics, including sets and relations, permutations and combinations, graphs and trees, induction.
Elements of Earth science; study of Earth materials; nature and interpretation of geologic evidence; study of geologic processes; historical aspects of geology. Mandatory field trips introduce students to solving of geologic problems in field.
Students will be required to attend lectures and laboratories. Additional lab fees apply.
Systematic introduction to ethical theory, including discussion of egoism, utilitarianism, justice, responsibility, meaning of ethical terms, relativism, etc.
Pre-requisites: Course 101 / Co-requisite: Course 106GL
Enrollment priority to Business Economics majors. Introduction to basic ideas of game theory and strategic thinking. Discussion of ideas such as dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, commitment, credibility, asymmetric information, and signaling, with application to examples from economics, politics, business, and other real-life situations.
Introduction to key concepts in study of sex and gender. Exploration of topics such as gender socialization, body image, sexualities, masculinities, and women’s subordination. Special emphasis on interaction of gender with other identity markers such as race, nation, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and other differences.
Introduction to fundamental principles and concepts necessary to carry out sound geographic analysis with geographic information systems (GIS). Reinforcement of key issues in GIS, such as geographic coordinate systems, map projections, spatial analysis, and visualization of spatial data. Laboratory exercises use database query, manipulation, and spatial analysis to address real-world problems.
Structure and function of American healthcare system; issues and forces shaping its future.
Areas of health, illness, treatment, and delivery of treatment that can be elucidated by understanding of psychological concepts and research, psychological perspective on these problems, and how psychological perspective might be enlarged and extended in medical area.
Southeast Asia region is made up of 11 modern nation-states that encompass amazing diversities. As such, its histories reflect these diversities; and writing of those histories involves and includes variety of views and approaches. As it is with writing history of any people, there are competing interpretations. In Southeast Asian histories, among areas of conflicting views are history from below versus from above; those of colonial powers versus those of colonized peoples; peasants versus elites; nationalist versus anticolonialist movements; and many more. Dichotomies are not always so marked–there can be nuanced differences. Introduction to historical practice through cross-section and overview of Southeast Asian historiography, and examination of competing visions of various aspects of Southeast Asian history.
Structural presentation of human body, including musculoskeletal, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, renal, and reproductive systems. Laboratory uses virtual cadaver dissection and examination.
Exploration of historical and contemporary context of socioeconomic inequalities between Global South and Global North. Focus on cultural, political, and economic realities of developing world, which includes countries of Asia, eastern Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America.
Introduction to international and area studies from interdisciplinary framework, covering themes related to international politics and markets, as well as international societies and cultures, to illuminate and clarify profoundly international character of world we live in and to introduce set of contemporary issues and challenges that cross borders and affect every region of world.
Genesis of Islam, its doctrines, and practices, with readings from Qur’an and Hadith; schools of law and theology; piety and Sufism; reform and modernism.
Assumptions about work, including why some work is favored, whether those with good jobs really are better people than those without, and how this understanding of work and value came to be common sense. Unpacking of these and other assumptions about work, value, and power, with focus on low-wage workers, their communities, and their place in contemporary society.
Pre-requisite: Life Sciences 2 or 7B.
Introductory life sciences laboratory designed for undergraduate students. Opportunity to conduct wet-laboratory and cutting-edge bioinformatics laboratory experiments. Students work in groups of three conducting experiments in areas of physiology, metabolism, cell biology, molecular biology, genotyping, and bioinformatics.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36.
Exploration of skills and conditions involved in successful second and foreign language learning; application of this knowledge in development of framework for teaching second and foreign languages.
Introduction to history, politics, culture, and scientific study of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered, and queer people; examination of sexuality and gender as categories for investigation; interdisciplinary theories and research on minority sexualities and genders.
Introduction to theory and methods of linguistics: universal properties of human language; phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic structures and analysis; nature and form of grammar.
Introductory study of philosophical issues about nature of the mind and its relation to the body, including materialism, functionalism, behaviorism, determinism and free will, nature of psychological knowledge.
Study of some classical or contemporary works in political philosophy. Questions that may be discussed include What is justice? Why obey the law? Which form of government is best? How much personal freedom should be allowed in society?
Exposition and analysis of selected political theorists and concepts from Plato to the present.
Overview of principal topics of contemporary policy analysis, developing their applications with examples from instructor’s own research, visitors, small student projects, or field trips.
Origin and development of major U.S. social welfare programs and policies guiding them, with emphasis on analysis of policy developments/issues related to provision of social welfare services. Study of historical and current responses of profession to major social problems.
Introduction to methods used in contemporary sociological research, with focus on issues of research design, data collection, and analysis of data.
Interdisciplinary survey designed as introduction to modern Southeast Asia.
Summary, for general undergraduates, of what is known about human language; unique nature of human language, its structure, its universality, and its diversity; language in its social and cultural setting; language in relation to other aspects of human inquiry and knowledge.
Relationship of built environment to natural environment through whole systems approach, with focus on sustainable design of buildings and planning of communities. Emphasis on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and appropriate use of resources, including materials, water, and land.
Exploration of theater in production, with emphasis on collaborative role of theater artists and active role of audience. Understanding of and access to live theatrical event and enhanced appreciation of value of theater to society; development of critical skills through consideration of representative examples of theatrical production from Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.
Introduction to history of the West and its connections to rest of world from 843 to 1715. Profound social, political, cultural, and intellectual changes that affected development of modern world. Topics covered include economic, social, and cultural aspects of feudal system; relationship between Church and empire; new religious movements (including the Reformation); formation of nation-states; relationship between Western Europe and non-European and non-Christian people and traditions.
Designed for non majors. Survey of genetic, evolutionary, physiological, pharmacological, and experiential factors affecting behavior. Using comparative approach where appropriate, emphasis on relevance of biological mechanisms to understanding of humans and their interaction with their environment.
Lecture, four hours. General introduction including topics in cognitive, experimental, personality, developmental, social, and clinical psychology; six hours of psychological research and a grade of C or better required of all departmental premajors.
Structural analysis of feature films and development of professional screenwriters’ vocabulary for constructing, deconstructing, and reconstructing their own work. Screenings of films and selected film sequences in class and by assignment.
Survey of characteristics of social life, processes of social interaction, and tools of sociological investigation.
Examination of key issues (work, housing, and neighborhoods) in urban poverty, with particular focus on Mexican and Central American immigrant populations in Los Angeles. Exploration of major theoretical models that explain urban poverty and application of them in comparative context while exploring differences between Mexican and Central American immigrants. Social conditions and forces that help us understand lives of poor people in comparative context while looking at differences between two major Latino-origin populations in Los Angeles. Critical analysis of new forms of urban poverty in contemporary American society.
Survey of development of jazz in American culture. Discussion of different compositional/performance techniques and approaches that distinguish different sub-styles of jazz from one another, as well as key historical figures that shaped development of jazz from its early years through modern jazz. Important historical social issues (segregation, Depression, World War II, Civil Rights Movement) that intersect with history of U.S. and jazz music.
Exploration of social production of knowledge about gendered subjects and gender systems. Students engage key issues in feminist theory and feminist epistemology. How do feminist scholars identify and frame research questions? How is knowledge about marginalized subjects produced? How has feminism challenged dominant understandings of knowledge, rationality, objectivity, and scientific method? How have social movements sought to challenge traditional modes of knowledge production?
Pre-requisite: Linguistics 20, 119A or 120A, 119B or 120B.
Central issues in language comprehension and production, with emphasis on how theories in linguistics inform processing models. Topics include word understanding (with emphasis on spoken language), parsing, anaphora and inferencing, speech error models of sentence production, and computation of syntactic structure during production.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36.
Prior knowledge of foreign languages not required. Introduction to language from sociological perspective of gender. Use of research and examples in English and other languages to explore nature of male and female “genderlects” and gendered language, as reflected in lexicon, language behavior, phonetics and intonation, and language acquisition and linguistic change.
Language as social phenomenon. Introduction to several angles from which language use can be critically examined as integral to interactions between individuals and between social groups. P/NP or letter grading.
Exploration of range of topics related to study of language and social interaction in both mundane and professional settings, particularly how language affects social lives and how social organization affects use of language. Topics include different approaches to study of language in social interaction (theories and research methodologies), issues regarding language and social identity (such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and situational identity), and issues concerning language and culture (such as cross-cultural misunderstanding and language socialization). Satisfies Writing II requirement. Letter grading.
Overview of Mexican, Central American, and Latina/Latino immigration to U.S., examining social, political, and economic contexts out of which different waves of Latin American immigration have occurred.
Introduction to basic principles of criminal law. How to read and interpret judicial cases and provisions of penal code to learn how American criminal justice system works. Discussions structured to simulate experience of typical law school classroom.
Specific topics may include law in preindustrial and industrialized societies, legalization of contemporary social relations, participants’ experiences of legal processes, lay perceptions of justice, social movements toward equal justice, roles of lawyers and judges, social impact of court decisions.
Proven methods for motivating, and inspiring best performance, persuading, and influencing others; leading high-performance teams; creativity and innovation; decision-making, and negotiating skills, both one-on-one and in groups. Organizational examples, simulations, and in-class exercises.
Life on Earth and prospects for life elsewhere in context of evolution of universe from simple to complex. Course material primarily from astronomy and biology but includes some chemistry, geology, and physics. Selected topics treated in some depth, but with little or no formal mathematics.
Pre-requisite: MATH 33A.
Techniques of proof, abstract vector spaces, linear transformations, and matrices; determinants; inner product spaces; eigenvector theory.
Pre-requisite: MATH 3B or 31B or 32A.
Introduction to linear algebra: systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, linear independence, subspaces, bases and dimension, orthogonality, least-squares methods, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, matrix diagonalization, and symmetric matrices.
Pre-requisite: MATH 33B.
Dynamical systems analysis of nonlinear systems of differential equations. One- and two- dimensional flows. Fixed points, limit cycles, and stability analysis. Bifurcations and normal forms. Elementary geometrical and topological results. Applications to problems in biology, chemistry, physics, and other fields.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H.
Exploration of place of literary imagination in making of cities, with focus on questions of cultural exchange, development, migration, urban rebellion, and style. Topics may include meaning of urban space and time, city as urban village or cosmopolitan hub, segregated dystopia or postmodern future, and impact of exile, tourism, and migration in making of cities. May be repeated for credit with topic or instructor change.
Examination–through poetry, novels, stories, music, and film–New York underground, whether that be of avant-garde artists, people living on edge of respectability (such as hustlers or punks), or people otherwise marginalized by dominant cultural norms. Students read stories and watch feature films that depict this underground; but also look at material produced by artists that challenged cultural and aesthetic norms. Writers and artists include Glenn Branca, Frank O’Hara, Martin Scorsese, Patti Smith, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz, and many others.
Pre-requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36.
Study and discussion of major literary texts usually overlooked in courses that focus only on canon of Western literature, with emphasis on literary analysis and expository writing. Texts from at least three of following areas read in any given term: African, Caribbean, East Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern literature. Texts may include works by authors such as Ngugi, Desai, Kincaid, Emecheta, El Saadawi, Achebe, Pak, Can Xue, Neruda, and Rushdie. Satisfies Writing II requirement.
Recommended for students who plan to pursue more advanced studies in logic. Elements of symbolic logic, sentential and quantificational; forms of reasoning and structure of language.
Pre-requisite: Course 1B, one statistics course.
Nature, objectives, and procedures of cost accounting and control; job costing and process costing; accounting for manufacturing overhead; cost budgeting; cost reports; joint-product costing; distribution cost; standard costs; differential cost analysis; profit-volume relationships and break-even analysis.
Pre-requisite: MATH 115A.
Quantitative modeling of strategic interaction. Topics include extensive and normal form games, background probability, lotteries, mixed strategies, pure and mixed Nash equilibria and refinements, bargaining; emphasis on economic examples. Optional topics include repeated games and evolutionary game theory.
Pre-requisite: MATH 33A, 33B.
Introduction to fundamental principles and spirit of applied mathematics. Emphasis on manner in which mathematical models are constructed for physical problems. Illustrations from many fields of endeavor, such as physical sciences, biology, economics, and traffic dynamics.
Theoretical and empirical overview of Chicana/Chicano educational issues in U.S., with special emphasis on disentangling effects of race, gender, class, and immigrant status on Chicana/Chicano educational attainment and achievement. Examination of how historical, social, political, and economic forces impact Chicana/Chicano educational experience.
Designed for beginners; prior experience with meditation not required. Introduction to mindfulness, including basic mindfulness meditation practices, both sitting and moving, ways to deepen positive emotions like gratitude, kindness, and joy, and methods for integrating more awareness and creativity into ordinary activities. Examination of varying meditative traditions as well as emerging science on beneficial effects of mindfulness practice for mental and physical health. Beneficial effects include reduced stress, improved attention, reduced emotional reactivity, and greater mind-body awareness. Learning and development of practical skills of relational mindfulness in interactions with others.
Exploration of developments in painting, sculpture, photography, film, museums, and exhibitionary culture across Indian subcontinent from 1850 to 2000. This dynamic period saw rise and fall of colonial empires; emergence of nationalism(s); global conflict; and crises of territory, migration, and displacement in South Asia. Topics examined include artistic responses to empire and colonial patronage, relationship of modern art practices to notions of indigeneity, tradition and subaltern, and aesthetic cultures of nation-building in India and Pakistan.
Pre-requisite: Course 102
Principles of money and banking in U.S.; legal and institutional framework; money supply process; instruments, effects, and practice of monetary policy.
Introduction and integration of traditional design tools, camera, and digital technologies for application to visual thinking and fundamentals of design. Studio, six hours; outside study, six hours.
Exploration of ways music is mediated to people by industry, technologies, and corporations. Survey of leading theorists of media and exploration of case studies.
Survey of traditional and contemporary musical culture.
Pre-requisite: MATH 33A, 33B.
Selected topics in differential equations. Laplace transforms, existence and uniqueness theorems, Fourier series, separation of variable solutions to partial differential equations, Sturm/Liouville theory, calculus of variations, two-point boundary value problems, Green’s functions.
Pre-requisite: MATH 3B.
Multivariable modeling, matrices and vectors, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, linear and nonlinear systems of differential equations, probabilistic applications of integration.
Origins and nature of English vocabulary, from Proto-Indo-European prehistory to current slang. Topics include Greek and Latin component in English (including technical terminology), alphabet and English spelling, semantic change and word formation, vocabulary in literature and film.
Examination of evolving economic structures and business practices in contemporary Hollywood film industry, with emphasis on operations of studios and independent distribution companies, their development, marketing, and distribution systems, and their relationship to independent producers, talent, and agencies.
Exploration of ways in which human activity impacts natural environment and how modification of environment can eventually have significant consequences for human activity. Examination, using case studies, of real environmental problems that confront us today.
Basic overview of brain function and consideration of some management methods that exist already, and what future may hold. New methods for predicting our own futures and modeling what if scenarios that might alter risks and benefits of different courses of action, based on individual genetic background and other elements of personal history and environmental exposures. Introduction to key principles from science of behavior change, illustrating how important health-related behavioral habits are and how difficult these can be to change and why. Coverage of series of topics that center on personal enhancement of well-being through consideration of stress management, long-term goal and value identification, mapping of long-term goals onto immediate actions, reinforcement learning, meditation, neurofeedback, and time management. Critical appraisal of tools to help students distinguish scientifically validated procedures.
Genealogy of autism as diagnostic category and cultural phenomenon from its historical roots as new, rare, and obscure condition in early 1940s to its current contested status as minority identity and/or global epidemic. Examination of material sourced from various fields and disciplines invested in autism, including psychology, neuroscience, arts and humanities, popular media, anthropology, activism, and critical autism studies. Students encounter and analyze multiple perspectives on autism and put them in conversation with one another. Attention paid to way people on spectrum define, explain, and represent their own experiences of autism and discussion of what ramifications of these multiple framings are in context of autism intervention strategy and disability policy today.
Creation of critical framework for understanding concept of disability from sampling of disciplinary perspectives. Organized around productive and central tension in disability studies–between disability as lived subjective experience that is both individual and communal, and disability as objective, medical, legal, and sometimes stigmatized category. Students encouraged to make connections between units and to create their own perspectives on disability in field that defines itself by how it changes. Not open for credit to students with credit for course 101.
Examination, through study of recent philosophical writings, of such topics as nature of law, relationship of law and morals, legal reasoning, punishment, and obligation to obey law.
Preparation: one 4-unit psychology course, one philosophy course. Selected philosophical issues arising from psychological theories. Nature of perception and issues about perceptual psychology and development of important types of representation (e.g., of body, cause, agency) in early childhood. Relevance of computer simulation to accounts of thinking and meaning; relations between semantical theory and learning theory; psychological aspects of theory of syntax.
Pre-requisite: Linguistics 20, Linguistics 103.
Introduction to phonological theory and analysis. Rules, representations, underlying forms, derivations. Justification of phonological analyses. Emphasis on practical skills with problem sets.
Pre-requisite: Life Sciences 7B.
Organization of cells into tissues and organs and principles of physiology of organ systems. Introduction to human genetics and genomics.
Overview of planning history, theory, and contemporary issues that affect low-income communities, communities of color, and underserved neighborhoods, particularly in Los Angeles area. Field of planning offers distinct perspectives and opportunities for improving vulnerable communities. Topics range from discussion of intersection between race and income, critical race theory, community development, residential segregation, spatial mismatch, and environmental justice to social justice.