Dec 08, 2024  
2021-2022 Academic Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Academic Catalog [Published Catalog]

Courses


 

 

 

 

Philosophy

  
  • PHIL 000/5130 - Philosophy of Mind (3 cr.)



    Description
    This course is an introduction to the philosophy of mind. Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that deals with the analysis and resolution of conceptual questions concerning the nature of the mind. Research in the philosophy of mind tackles such questions as: What is a mind? What is consciousness? Is a person’s mind a distinct thing from her body? Could a sufficiently complicated artificial neural network or robot be a conscious agent, in the fullest possible sense? Questions such as these clearly straddle a boundary between conceptual analysis and empirical science. Therefore, philosophy of mind is an interdisciplinary subject, which draws on cutting-edge research from a diverse range of fields, including psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHIL 000/5150 - Philosophy and Film (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Students other than Philosophy majors must take FILM 3130   Film Theory prior to registering for this course.

    Description
    This course considers the relationship between philosophical reflection and aesthetic practice through the lens of cinema, with the purpose of engaging students of both philosophy and film theory in a cross-disciplinary investigation into cinema. The course will draw both from philosophical texts on film, and classical and contemporary film theory. Topics may include epistemological, ontological and ethical questions about film; the role of memory, subjectivity, identity, and desire in cinema; time, space, and the nature of the image; perspectives on sexuality, gender, and race in film; psychoanalytic, feminist, and postcolonial film theory; and analytic and continental approaches to film and philosophy.

    Cross-listed
    FILM 4350  


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHIL 403/5199 - Selected Topics in Philosophy (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Senior level, graduate level, or consent of instructor.

    Description
    According to special interest of faculty and students.

    Repeatable
    May be repeated for credit if content changes.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHIL 599/5299 - Research Guidance and Thesis (0 cr.)



    Description
    Students are required to write a thesis of approximately 15,000 words in length, which should demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct research and write critically and pointedly about a given subject. There will also be a final defense of the finished thesis.


    Check course scheduling information



Physics

  
  • PHYS 100/1001 - Physics for Poets (3 cr.)



    Description
    A conceptual overview of classical and modern physics. Mechanics, properties of matter, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, light, atomic and nuclear physics, relativity theory.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.
    Notes
    No credit for Thannawia Amma Math/Science students, or equivalent, or students majoring in any of the departments of the School of Sciences and Engineering.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 111/1011 - Physics 1: Classical Mechanics, Sound and Heat (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    MACT 1121 

    PHYS 1012  to be taken concurrently

    Description
    An introduction to classical mechanics covering vectors, applications of Newton’s laws, conservation laws and forces, motion in a plane, circular motion, equilibrium and elasticity, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, energy and power; mechanical and sound waves, temperature, heat and the first law of thermodynamics.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall, spring and summer.
    Notes
    Thanaweyya Amma Math or Science, German Abitur, French Baccalaureate, IGCSE O-Level Physics, International Baccalaureate, Canadian certificates, or American Diploma (with SATII in MATH or PHYS) students are allowed to take MACT 1121  concurrently with PHYS 1011.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 123L/1012 - General Physics Laboratory I (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Concurrent with  

    Description
    The fundamental quantities of physics are measured through selected experiments in mechanics, heat, and sound. Data are summarized, errors are estimated, and reports are presented.

    Hours
    .One three-hour laboratory period
    When Offered
    Offered in fall, spring and summer.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 112/1021 - Physics 2: Electricity and Magnetism (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      ,  ,  or concurrent.

    Concurrent with

      

    Description
    An introduction to electricity and magnetism covering the electric field, Gauss’s law, electric potential, capacitance, dc circuits, magnetic fields, Faraday’s and Ampere’s laws, time-varying fields, Maxwell’s equations in integral form and alternating currents.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall, spring and summer.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 124L/1022 - General Physics Laboratory II (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Concurrent with  

    Description
    The fundamental quantities of physics are measured through selected experiments in electricity, magnetism, and optics. Data are summarized, errors are estimated, and reports are presented.

    Hours
    One three-hour laboratory period
    When Offered
    Offered in fall, spring and summer.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 199/1930 - Selected Topic for Core Curriculum (3 cr.)



    Description
    Course addressing broad intellectual concerns and accessible to all students, irrespective of major.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 211/2041 - Foundations of Modern Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
     . Co-requisite   .

    Description
    Introduction to special relativity and quantum physics, experimental basis of relativity, Einstein’s Postulates, Lorentz transformation, relativistic momentum and energy, experimental evidence of quantization, wave-particle duality, and Schrodinger equation.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/2042 - Modern Physics Laboratory (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2041  or Concurrent

    Description
    Quantization of electric charge, thermal radiation law, quantization of energy, particle nature of light, spin

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 215/2211 - Introduction to Electronics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
     ;

      (or PHYS 2213 ) is taken concurrently

    Description
    Foundation of circuit analysis, AC theory, introduction to semiconductor devices, amplifiers, feedback oscillators.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall, spring and summer.
    Notes
    For computer science and computer engineering students, the course should be taken concurrently with PHYS 2213  instead of PHYS 2212  


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 222L/2213 - Electronics lab for Computer Scientists & Computer Engineers (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Concurrent with  

    Description
    Basic experiments in electronics for the Computer Science & Engineering majors.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 204L/2222 - Optics Laboratory (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or concurrent.

    Description
    Basic experiments in physical optics with special emphasis on laser optics.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 316/3023 - Electromagnetic Theory (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2221  and   

    Description
    Electric field and potential. Gauss’s law; divergence. Conductors, dielectrics and capacitance. Poisson’s and Laplace’s equations. Electrostatic analogs. Magnetic field and vector potential. Time varying fields; displacement current. Maxwell’s equations in differential form, Poynting’s theorem, Electromagnetic waves in vacuum and in matter

    Cross-listed
    Same as  .
    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 311/3031 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Concurrent PHYS 4042  

    Description
    A macroscopic and microscopic study of equilibrium thermal physics, fundamental laws of thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics applied to various systems.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 000/3071 - General Relativity and Cosmology (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    MACT 2132  - PHYS 3023  

    Description
    Coordinate symmetries, the principle of equivalence and its implications, metric description of a curved spacetime, Geodesic equation and Einstein field equation, applications of spacetime outside a spherical star, Hubble’s law, dark matter, Robertson-walker metric, the expanding universe and thermal relics, inflation and the accelerated universe.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 314/3223 - Advanced Optics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      , 

    Description
    Geometric optics: generalized paraxial formulas, matrix formalism of Gaussian optics. Imaging properties of lens systems: lens combination, the vector nature of light: polarization effects, diffraction effects, superposition of waves: interference, spatial and temporal coherence length, and multilayer structures.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 322L/3232 - Solid-State Physics Lab (2 cr.)



    Prerequisites
     

    Description
    Experiments in solid-state physics and semiconductor devices.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 421/4042 - Quantum Mechanics I (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      , MACT 2132 , PHYS 3013  

    Description
    Stern-Gerlach experiments, operators and measurement, Schrödinger time evolution, quantized energies and particle in potential wells, unbound states, angular momentum, Hydrogen atom, harmonic oscillator.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/4043 - Quantum Mechanics II (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 4042  

    Description
    Perturbation theory, hyperfine structure and the addition of angular momenta, perturbation of Hydrogen, identical particles, time-dependent perturbation theory, periodic systems, modern applications of quantum mechanics.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 413/4051 - Nuclear and Particle Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      

    Description
    A modern view of the fundamental structure of matter, nuclear structure, nuclear models, nuclear decay and radioactivity, nuclear reactions; quarks, gluons, leptons; accelerators, particle interactions with matter, detectors; weak, electromagnetic and strong interactions.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 414/4224 - Photonics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or consent of instructor.

    Description
    Light sources and transmitters, receivers, laser diodes, LEDs and photodiodes. Electromagnetic mode theory for optical propagation. Optical fiber measurements: fiber materials, multimode fibers, single-mode fibers. Fabrication, cabling, connectors and couplers. Optical amplifiers, Erbium-Doped fiber amplifiers. Modulation of light, multiplexing and de-multiplexing, fiber networking.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 404L/4225 - Photonics and Optical Communication Laboratory (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2222  

    Description
    Experiments in fiber optics illustrating concepts pertaining to fiber dispersion, attenuation measurements, characterization of light sources (LEDs and laser diodes) and detectors (photodiodes), optical multiplexing and de-multiplexing, optical and interferometric sensors.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 325/4231 - Introduction to Solid-State Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 3031  

    Description
    Classification of materials and their structural characteristics, symmetry and properties of materials, free-electron theory, band theory, dielectric processes, optical processes in material.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 412/4233 - Semiconductor Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
     

    Description
    Fundamental theory and characteristics of elemental and compound semiconductors. Semiconductor technology. P-N junctions and transistors.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  
  • PHYS 000/4241 - Introduction to Solar Energy (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2211 ,PHYS 2221 , PHYS 2041 . Consent of Instructor

    Description
    Working principle of a solar cell, fabrication of solar cells, PV module construction and the design of a PV system. The suitable semiconductor materials, device physics, and fabrication technologies for solar cells are presented. The cost aspects, market development, and the application areas of solar cells are also presented.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/4242 - Introduction to Nanophysics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2211  , PHYS 2221  , PHYS 2041  . Consent of Instructor

    Description
    Nanophysics fundamentals, physics nanostructures, thermodynamics of nanostructures, monocrystalline structures, Quantum nanostructures, Nano optics, nanoplasmonics.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/4243 - Physics of Solar Energy Conversion Nanosystems (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2211  ,PHYS 2221  , PHYS 2041  . Consent of Instructor

    Description
    Atomic structures, basics of energy conversions, fundamental of nanoscience and nanotechnology, wave optics, light-matter interactions, diffractions and interference, Solar cell physics and design.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/4244 - Introduction to Nanotechnology (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 2211  , PHYS 2221  , PHYS 2041  . Consent of Instructor

    Description
    Fabrication methods of nanomaterials and nano devices, properties of nanoparticles, nanowires and nanotubes. Electronic transport in nanostructures, nanoelectronics and nanophotonics, nanomagnetism


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 416/4281 - Experimental Methods in Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Prerequisites: Junior standing. Consent of instructor.

    Description
    Experimental techniques for studying thermal, optical, magnetic and electric properties of matter. Low temperature physics: gas liquefaction, storage of liquefied gases, cryostats for low temperature studies, applied cryogenics.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 402/4910 - Independent Study (1-3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Prerequisites: consent of the instructor, senior standing.

    Description
    In exceptional circumstances some senior physics students, with departmental approval, may arrange to study a selected topic outside of the regular course offerings. The student and faculty member will select a topic of mutual interest and the student will be guided in research and readings. The student would demonstrate achievement either by submitting a report or passing an examination, according to the decision of the supervisor. May be repeated for credit more than once if contents change.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 415/4930 - Selected Topics in Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

    Description
    Topics may include Quantum Field Theory, Superconductivity, Laser Physics, Biophysics, and Geophysics. Can be taken more than once as long as the topic is different

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be repeated for credit more than once if content changes.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 401/4980 - Research Skills (1 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Senior standing.

    Description
    A capstone course, essential research methods such as preparing a literature survey, assembling a bibliography, using order of magnitude estimates and dimensional analysis. Each student selects a topic in his/her field of interest under the supervision of a faculty member. The student submits a written study plan and delivers a seminar in which this plan is presented for departmental approval. The approved plan is carried out in the student’s Senior Thesis PHYS 4981  

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/4981 - Senior Thesis (2 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 4980  

    Description
    A capstone course. A continuation of PHYS 4980   where the approved study plan from this course is carried out. After finishing this research project, an oral presentation, defense, and a written thesis are required of each candidate in accordance with the departmental guidelines.

    When Offered
    offered in fall and spring


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 504/5013 - Classical Mechanics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or equivalent.

    Description
    Variational principles and Lagrange’s Equations, central force problem, kinematics and equations of motion of rigid body problem, oscillations, classical mechanics of the special theory of relativity, Hamiltonian equations of motion, canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory and action-angle variables.


     

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 502/5023 - Classical Electrodynamics I (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or equivalent and PHYS 5061  

     

     

    Description
    Boundary value problems in electrostatics: Poisson and Laplace equations, formal solution of electrostatic boundary value problem with Green function, applications in rectangular, spherical and cylindrical coordinates, multipoles, electrostatics of macroscopic media, magnetostatics, Faraday’s law and quasi-static fields, Maxwell equations, macroscopic electromagnetism and conservation laws.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 549/5024 - Fundamentals of Microwaves (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 502/5023 - Classical Electrodynamics I (3 cr.)  

    Description
    Transmission line theory, Planar transmission lines, Network parameters, Impedance matching circuits, Directional couplers, Noise in microwave systems, Microwave diodes and transistors, Dielectric resonators, Maximum gain / specified gain / low-noise / balanced / distributed / power amplifiers, Diode / transistor / dielectric resonator oscillators, Monolithic microwave integrated circuits.

     

     

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 509/5032 - Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or equivalent.

    Description
    The laws and applications of thermodynamics, Boltzmann transport equation and transport phenomena, classical statistical mechanics, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, quantum statistical mechanics, ideal Fermi and Bose gases, phase transitions and critical phenomena.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 506/5043 - Advanced Quantum Mechanics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or equivalent.

    Description
    Fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics including the harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom, electron spin and addition of angular momentum. Qualitative and approximation methods in quantum mechanics, including time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theory, variational methods, scattering and semiclassical methods. Applications are made to atomic, molecular and solid matter. Systems of identical particles including many electron atoms and the Fermi gas.

    Cross-listed
    Same as  .
    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 501/5061 - Mathematical Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or equivalent.

    Description
    Vector analysis, coordinate systems, tensor analysis, matrices, group theory, functions of a complex variable: conformal mapping and calculus of residues, series solutions of differential equations, special functions, partial differential equations of theoretical physics, separation of variables, nonhomogeneous equations-Green’s function, integral transforms, Fourier and Laplace transforms.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/5207 - Advanced Nanophysics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Consent of Instructor

    Description
    Nanophysics fundamentals, physics of nanostructures, crystalline nanostructures, light-matter interaction on the nanoscale, quantum nanostructures, diffraction and scattering from nano objects.

    Cross-listed
    NANO 5207  


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 510/5235 - Solid State Physics I (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or equivalent.

    Description
    Classification of solids; preparation and characterization; binding energies; ionic, covalent and metallic bonds; crystallography; reciprocal lattice; Brillouin zones; vector representation; crystal symmetry and macroscopic properties; tensor formulation; diffraction in crystalline and amorphous solids; crystal imperfections; point-, linear-, and planar type; effects on properties; origin of microstructure in crystalline and amorphous solids.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 512/5236 - Advanced Semiconductor Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      and    or equivalent.

    Description
    This is a course about how charge flows in semiconductors with an emphasis on transport in nanoscale devices. The course consists of three main parts. Part 1 focuses on near- equilibrium transport in the presence of small gradients in the electrochemical potential or temperature, with or without the application of a small magnetic field. The emphasis in Part 2 is on the physics of carrier scattering and how the microscopic scattering processes are related to macroscopic relaxation times and mean-free-paths. Part 3 examines high-field transport in bulk semiconductors and so-called “non-local” transport in sub-micron devices. The course concludes with a brief introduction to quantum transport. The objective of the course is to develop a broad understanding of the basic concepts needed to understand modern
    electronic devices. It is intended for those who work on electronic devices - whether they are experimentalists, device theorists, or computationalists.

     

     

    Cross-listed
    Same as NANO 5222  .
    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 513/5237 - Solid State Physics II (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    PHYS 5235  


     

    Description
    Semi-classical theory of electron dynamics; classification of solids; failures of the static lattice model; classical and quantum theories of harmonic crystal: phonons and lattice vibrations; thermal properties of insulators; defects, dislocations and thermodynamics stability; dielectric properties; phenomena in insulators: excitons, photoconductivity, light amplification, non-linear optics, luminescence.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 507/5242 - Computational Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
        or consent of instructor.

    Description
    Numerical methods for quadrature solution of integral and differential equations, and linear algebra. finite difference methods, finite element techniques, solving a system of equations. Use of computation and computer graphics to simulate the behavior of complex physical systems. Monte Carlo simulations.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 556/5277 - MEMS/NEMS Technology and Devices (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Consent of instructor.

    Description
    Basic MEMS/NEMS fabrication technologies, various transduction mechanisms such as piezoelectric, pyroelectric, thermoelectric, thermionic, piezoresistive, etc. The theory of operation of few sensors including infrared detectors, radiation sensors, rotation and acceleration sensors, flow sensors, pressure and force sensors, and motion sensors. An introduction to different techniques for analyzing experimental data.

     

    Cross-listed
    Same as NANO 5221  ,RCSS 5242  .
    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 508/5282 - Advanced Experimental Techniques (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
        and    or equivalent.

    Description
    This course is designed to introduce students to advanced techniques in experimental physics. The emphasis is on self-study of the phenomena, data analysis, and presentation in journal paper format. Experiments may vary each semester. Examples of topics: Thin film deposition and characterization, high pressure physics, photonics, solid state techniques, fluid flow visualization. This course is team-taught through a course coordinator.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 561/5910 - Independent Studies (1-3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Prerequisite: Consent of supervisor, graduate standing.

    Description
    In exceptional circumstances, some senior graduates with departmental approval may arrange to study beyond the regular course offerings. Guided reading for research and discussions based on a subject of mutual interest to the student and the responsible faculty member. The student demonstrates his/her achievement by submitting a report and by passing a subsequent examination.

    Notes
    Maximum of 3 credit hours of independent studies can be used towards the M. Sc. degree in physics.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 562/5930 - Selected topics in Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Consent of the faculty advisor.

    Description
    Topics to be chosen according to specific interests. Maybe taken for credit more than once if content changes.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 599/5980 - Research Guidance and Thesis (3 cr. + 3 cr.)



    Description
    Thesis consultation for qualified students. Two semesters are required, with credit being given each time.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 602/6025 - Classical Electrodynamics II (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
     

    Description
    Plane electromagnetic waves and wave propagation, waveguides, resonant cavities, radiating systems, multipole fields and radiation, scattering and diffraction, covariant formulation of electrodynamics, dynamics of relativistic particles and electromagnetic fields, collisions, energy loss, and scattering of charged particles, Cherenkov and transition radiation, radiation by moving charges, radiation damping.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 000/6121 - Nanophotonics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Consent of Instructor

    Description
    The course will cover: Maxwell’s equations, light-matter interaction, dispersion, EM properties of nanostructures, etc., Photonic crystals Photonic crystal fibers, Photonic nanocircuits Metal optics, manipulating light with plasmonic nanostructures, plasmonic nano-sensors, near-field optics, metamaterials, negative refractive index and super-resolution.

    Cross-listed
    NANO 6121  


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 641/6225 - Integrated Photonics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or equivalent.

    Description
    This course will introduce students to a range of passive photonic components; students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of how these devices operate and an appreciation of where these components find applications in communications, energy and sensing systems. Topics covered in this course include: interaction of light with matter; resonator optics; periodic structures, optical thin films and gratings; photonic band gap materials; waveguides and couplers, Plasmonics and Nanoparticles. Hands on experience for modeling and design of these devices and structures using photonic software is of prime essential to illustrate and validates the fundamentals of the course.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 642/6243 - Computational Electromagnetics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
       or equivalent.

    Description
    Modeling electromagnetic phenomena related to microwave, millimeter, terahertz, and optical frequencies. Fundamentals of electromagnetic theory, Green’s functions in layered media, Integral equation formulation, Method of Moments, The Mode Matching Method, Finite difference time domain, Variation approaches in electromagnetic and finite element methods, the Beam propagation method, Spectral Fourier method for periodic structures.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • PHYS 662/6930 - Advanced Selected Topics in Physics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    Consent of the faculty advisor.

    Description
    Topics to be chosen according to specific interests. May be taken for credit more than once if content changes.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information



Political Science

  
  • POLS 101/1001 - Introduction to Political Science (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    ENGL 0210  

    Description
    Methods of study and the nature of political phenomena; terminology and conceptual tools; origins, forms, and historical development of political organization; political institutions and functions; comparison of modern forms of political organization at the national, local, and international levels.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 199/1099 - Selected Topics in Political Science (3 cr.)



    Description
    Course addressing broad intellectual concerns and accessible to all students, irrespective of major, and available for fulfillment of the primary level Social Sciences requirement in the core curriculum.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 203/2003 - Introduction to Political Science II (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    ENGL 0210  

    Description
    This course is reserved for students who have completed 30 credit hours who wish to major in Political Science, but cannot be taken if students have already taken POLS 1001 . Students who are not eligible to register in POLS 1001  can take POLS 2003 during their freshman year.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 299/2096 - Selected Topics for Core Curriculum (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1010  

    Description
    Course addressing broad intellectual concerns and accessible to all students, irrespective of major.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be repeated for credit if content changes.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 204/2104 - Introduction to Research Methods in Political Science (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or   RHET 1010  

    Description
    The course is an introductory course intended for students seeking a career in political science-related fields. The key purpose of the course is to introduce students to main methods of scientific political enquiry. Using existing data sources, qualitative and quantitative research methods are the main topics to be covered in this course.

     

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 000/2405 - History and International Politics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1010   

     

    Description
    This course provides students with a foundational understanding of the historical events that gave shape to international politics and that today form the discipline of International Relations. It will give students the historical and conceptual foundations necessary to pursue a specialization in International Relations by introducing key events and their consequences in international politics.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 301/3201 - History of Political Theory l (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020   or    

    Description
    This course analyzes the major ancient and medieval thinkers and texts in the history of political thought. Students will study works by representative authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, and Averroes. Topics and themes examined in the course include justice, equality, liberty, wisdom, the city, and the good life.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 302/3202 - History of Political Theory II (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020 POLS 1001  or POLS 2003  

    Description
    This course analyses major modern and late modern texts in the history of political thought. Students will study works by representative thinkers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Mill. Topics and themes of the course include the state, individual rights, security, equality, revolution, commerce, cosmopolitanism, gender, and communism.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 313/3401 - Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or  RHET 1010  

    Description
    This course provides an introduction to the analysis of comparative politics, exploring differences in the institutional make-up and the workings of political systems worldwide. Topics covered include an examination of the key institutions of the state, executive-legislative relations, the different tiers of government, the media in politics, interest group and party politics and political transitions.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 308/3408 - Comparative Politics of the Middle East (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or  RHET 1020 

    Description
    Comparative study of government and ideologies, social stratification, and institutions in the Middle East. Also includes a study of the problems of modernization and political development.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 354/3454 - Political and Social Thought in the Modern Arab World (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 1001  or POLS 2003 RHET 1020 , or instructor approval for non political science majors

    Description
    Development of political and social ideologies in the Arab world since the beginning of the twentieth century. Topics will include the impact of liberal thought on Arab elites, the rise of nationalism, and the emergence of theories of political and social transformation.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 310/3510 - Introduction to Development (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or  RHET 1020 

    Description
    Introduces students to development dilemmas in the “Global South,” using a political economy approach. Questions raised include: What is development? How to measure it? Why are some nations “developed” and others are not? The course covers theories of Modernization, Dependency, Neo-Liberalism, and Statism, as well experiences of various countries.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 350/3550 - Introduction to Political Economy (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 1001  or POLS 2003 ECON 2021  and RHET 1010 

    Description
    This course introduces students to the main approaches of political economy and the interconnections between power and wealth. It surveys the main schools of thought in political economy, their evolution, convergence, and divergence. The course covers issues essential to the understanding of the interaction between politics and economics in today’s world, including wealth accumulation and distribution, the state, markets, gender, labor, and the environment.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 320/3620 - Introduction to International Relations Theories (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 1001  or POLS 2003 RHET 1010 POLS 2405  

    Description
    This course provides students with a foundational understanding of international relations theories. Students will engage in discussions of how these theories are applied to cases throughout history, gaining a thorough knowledge of the explanatory capabilities and limits of each of the major theories.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 400/4000 - The Discipline and Critical Social Theory (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 3201  , POLS 3202 , RHET 1020 , Honors status

    Description
    This course familiarizes students with the relation between political theory and social theory; introduces them to a range of authors, texts, and ideas associated with critical social theory; and helps prepare them to write their major research project. This course is the capstone seminar for the Department of Political Science’s Honors Program and is only open to students enrolled in the Honors Program.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 000/4018 - East- West Dialogue: Cross-Cultural Perceptions and Reflections (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  , 6 credits at 3000 level in POLS

    Description
    This course provides a unique opportunity for students at AUC to share their educational experience with students in the west. The medium for this shared experience will be videoconferences held over the internet with university classes in the United States and other Western countries. For each videoconference, we will be reading the same texts as the students at our partner institutions. The videoconferences provide not only the medium for the shared component of the course; they also suggest its substantive theme. For, while we encounter the apparent cultural other over the internet, we will be exploring with them the question of our relationship to the other - especially how our perceptions of the other have developed over time and how they continue to influence the political interaction between “East” and “West” today.

    Cross-listed
    Same as SEMR 4018  
    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 430/4030 - Seminar: Special Topics in Political Science for Undergraduates (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  and 6 credits at 3000 level in POLS

    Description
    Selected topics to be investigated under the guidance of a faculty member.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be repeated for credit if content changes
    Notes
    May be offered as a seminar.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 433/4033 - Individual Study and Selected Reading (1-3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 1001  or POLS 2003  , RHET 1020  and consent of instructor and department

     

     

    Description
    Guided reading, research, and discussion based on a subject of mutual interest to a student and faculty member.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 431/4035 - Political Sociology (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    9 hours of social science and junior or senior standing.

    Description
    Social bases of various political systems such as Western-type democracy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism. Topics include: determinants of political behavior, power, elite formation, bureaucracy, and the political role of the military and intellectuals in Third World societies.

    Cross-listed
    Same as  
    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 499/4099 - Senior Year Thesis (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      RHET 1020 , Honors status

    Description
    This course builds on work completed in   and   in order to provide students enrolled in the department’s Honors Program with the opportunity to complete an original research thesis with faculty supervision.


     

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 404/4104 - Political Science Methods (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 3201  and POLS 3202 RHET 1020 , Honors status

    Description
    This course seeks to provide students with a critical understanding of political science methods, the ability to read statistical materials, and to use advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods. Electoral behavior and systems are extensively studied in this course and used to demonstrate how different research methods are applied to study a topic as important as elections.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 416/4216 - Race, Class and Gender: Theorizing Political Identity (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020 , 6 credits at the 3000 level in POLS 

    Description
    This course surveys a variety of contemporary trends in the political theorization of race, gender, and class as they relate to the development of notions of identity in a historical context and as categories of political exclusion and inclusion. Special emphasis will be given to modern and contemporary concepts of identity, including notions of subjectivity, gender, race, culture, class and ethnicity.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 417/4217 - Cosmopolitanism and Global Justice (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  , POLS 3620 , and 3 POLS credits at 3000 level

    Description
    This course considers questions of justice in a global context. It uses case studies and theoretical (historical and contemporary) to explore issues associated with just war, human rights, migration, citizenship, as well as economic, environmental, and social justice across state borders.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 426/4226 - Contemporary Political Islam (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020 , 6 credits at the 3000 level in POLS

    Description
    This course is designed to provide an understanding of the phenomenon of political Islam in the Arab and Muslim worlds. It examines the reasons, implications, and consequences of the reassertion of Islam in today’s politics. The course is divided into three parts. The first provides a thorough analysis of the main idea and model (s) that inspire contemporary Islamist activists. The second part critically examines the different trends within the Islamic movements and presents case studies of their origins, evolution, dynamics, and limitations. Finally, the course concludes with a critical analysis of the ideas of prominent Islamic thinkers that are considered as main ideologues of political Islam.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 471/4371 - Introduction to Public International Law (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  and   

    Description
    Introduces students to the practice and theoretical foundations of public International law, covering such topics as source doctrine (customary International law, treaty law, etc.), international personality, jurisdiction, state responsibility, self-determination and the use of force. This course may be counted toward the Dual Degree Option combining a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Human Rights Law.
     

    Cross-listed
    Same as   
    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 472/4372 - International Law in the Middle East (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  and   .

    Description
    An in-depth treatment of selected issues of contemporary international law. Provides students with an understanding of specialized areas of international law including the use of force and dispute resolution, acquisition of territory, state succession, law of the sea, and international human rights law by focusing on specific issues relevant to the Middle East.

    When Offered
    Offered in spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 473/4373 - Special Topics in Public Law (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  and 6 credits at 3000 level in POLS

    Description
    Topics drawn from constitutional and administrative law, including related jurisprudence and judicial institutions.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be taken a second time if content changes.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 474/4374 - Special Topics in Public International Law (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020  and   

    Description
    Specialized areas of international law, such as human rights and humanitarian law.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be taken if content changes.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 475/4375 - Introduction to Egyptian and Islamic Law (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020 , 6 credits at the 3000 level in POLS 

    Description
    The Egyptian legal system will be considered according to its present structure and historical development including institutions, processes, laws, and the courts. There will be special emphasis on developments in constitutional law and the role played by the constitution in the political context of present day Egypt. The course also offers an introduction to Islamic jurisprudence in the classical doctrine, in the pre-modern Egyptian legal system, and in contemporary Egypt. This course may be counted toward the Dual Degree option combining a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Human Rights Law.

    Cross-listed
    Same as   
    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 477/4377 - Law and Development (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020   and   

    Description
    This course will explore the interface between law and processes of development. by looking critically at what is meant by “law”, we will explore the impact of law (however defined) on social and economic development. In so doing, the beneficial and detrimental impacts of law on development will be assessed. The influence of law in the domains of population, constitutionalism, and the environment, among others, will be considered.

    When Offered
    Offered Occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 478/4378 - Introduction to International Human Rights Law (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020   

    Description
    The course provides an overview of the major human rights treaties, customary norms, international institutions and mechanisms of enforcement, while at the same time encouraging a critical stance that questions the role and effect of human rights in a world of distress and inequality. This course may be counted towards the Dual Degree Option combining a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Human Rights Law.

    Cross-listed
    Same as   .
    When Offered
    Offered in fall and spring.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 303/4403 - American Government and Politics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or  RHET 1020 POLS 3401  or instructor approval for non political science majors

    Description
    Formation and implementation of public policy, with attention to the structure, powers, and functions of the presidency, the bureaucracy, the Congress, and the federal courts and the forces that influence their actions.

    When Offered
    Offered in fall.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 305/4405 - Comparative Politics of Contemporary Africa (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    POLS 1001  or POLS 2003 RHET 1020 POLS 3401   (or instructor approval for non political science majors who have not taken POLS 3401 )

    Description
    Introduction to the social arena within which politics occurs and the political arena which helps to shape society in Africa today. Focuses on understanding continuity and change in African politics and societies, and sheds light on both the significant potential of Africa, and the enormous challenges the continent faces.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 420/4420 - Issues in Middle East Politics (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020   and POLS 3401  

    Description
    Selected Topics in Middle East Politics investigated under the guidance of a faculty member. May be offered as a seminar.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.
    Repeatable
    May be repeated for credit if content changes


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 422/4422 - Contemporary Egypt (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
    RHET 1020 POLS 3401 , 3 credits at the 3000 level in POLS (or instructor approval for non political science majors)

    Description
    This course examines the politics of the Egyptian Revolution in 2011; its antecedents, dynamics and aftermath. Aspects of continuity and change in Egyptian politics are examined in light of theories drawn a wide range of cases of political transformation across the world.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 323/4423 - Comparative Government and Politics: Developing Systems (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or   RHET 1020 , POLS 3401  (or instructor approval for non political science majors)

    Description
    The government and politics of selected countries in the developing world (Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America). Subjects covered may include the structural and functional characteristics of executive, legislative, and judicial institutions; bureaucracy, political parties, mass movements, political culture, the role of public opinion, foreign policy.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


  
  • POLS 324/4424 - Comparative Government and Politics in Contemporary Eastern Europe and Russia (3 cr.)



    Prerequisites
      or  RHET 1020 , POLS 3401   (or instructor approval for non political science majors)

     

    Description
    The collapse of communism and post-communist political and economic developments. Transition to democracy and market economy. Ethnicity, nationalism and the emergence of nation states. Consideration of the government and politics of selected countries.

    When Offered
    Offered occasionally.


    Check course scheduling information


 

Page: 1 <- Back 1015 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25