2022-2023 Catalog 
    
    May 20, 2024  
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2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses

Browse the entire list of course offerings below, or use the course filter search to view a course or selection of courses.
 

Mathematics
  
  

  • MATH156 CM - Stochastic Processes and Modeling

    Topics chosen from the theory of discrete and continuous Markov chains, second order processes, renewal processes, martingales, Brownian motion, branching processes, random sums, ergodic theory, and stationary processes. Offered jointly by CMC and Pomona.

    Prerequisite: MATH 151 CM 

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH156 CM
  
  

  • MATH158 CM - Applied Statistics

    An introduction to basic probability theory and the techniques for statistical inference. The course will be developed from problems and data sets provided by business, industry and government. Data sets will be analyzed in terms of standard techniques including data analysis, point and interval estimation, and tests of hypotheses including goodness of fit tests. In accordance with the requirements of the data sets, further techniques will be selected from the general areas of non-parametric statistics, Bayesian statistics, and analysis of variance. Statistical software packages will be used.

    Prerequisite: MATH 031 CM  or instructor permission 

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH158 CM
  
  

  • MATH158 PO - Statistical Linear Models

    See Pomona College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH158 PO
  

  • MATH160 CM - Monte Carlo Methods

    This course introduces concepts and statistical techniques that are critical to constructing and analyzing effective simulations, and discusses certain applications for simulation and Monte Carlo methods. Topics include random number generation, simulation-based optimization, model building, bias-variance trade-off, input selection using experimental design, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), and numerical integration.

    Prerequisite: MATH 151 CM  

    Offered: Every other spring

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH160 CM
  
  

  • MATH165 CM - Numerical Analysis

    This numerical analysis course is an introduction course to numerical methods for theoretical techniques delivered in Calculus and Ordinary Differential Equations. Students will learn how to use computer to do numerical differentiation, integration and interpolation. Furthermore, many numerical techniques for solving linear and nonlinear algebraic equations and ordinary differential equations will be discussed. The theoretical properties of numerical schemes such as error analysis, convergence, and stability will be studied in order to understand the legitimate usage of numerical methods to approximate the theoretical solutions.

    Prerequisites: MATH 060 CM  and MATH 111 CM  

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH165 CM
  

  • MATH166 CM - Introduction to Data Mining

    Data mining is the process of discovering patterns in large data sets using techniques from mathematics, computer science and statistics with applications ranging from biology and neuroscience to history and economics. The goal of the course is to teach students fundamental data mining techniques that are commonly used in practice. Students will learn advanced data mining techniques (including linear classifiers, clustering, dimension reduction, transductive learning and topic modeling). Also listed as CSCI 145 CM .

    Prerequisites: MATH 060 CM ; CSCI 062 CM  or proof-based math course above 100; or instructor consent.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH166 CM
  

  • MATH169 CM - Representations of High-Dimensional Data

    In today’s world, data is exploding at a faster rate than computer architectures can handle. For that reason, mathematical techniques to analyze large-scale objects must be developed. One mathematical method that has gained a lot of recent attention is the use of sparsity. Sparsity captures the idea that high dimensional signals often contain a very small amount of intrinsic information. In this course, we will explore various mathematical notions used in high dimensional signal processing including wavelet theory, Fourier analysis, compressed sensing, optimization problems, and randomized linear algebra. Students will learn the mathematical theory, and perform lab activities working with these techniques.

    Prerequisite: MATH 060 CM  

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH169 CM
  

  • MATH171 CM - Abstract Algebra

    An introduction to the fundamental structures of abstract algebra, including groups, rings, fields, vector spaces, and modules; polynomial and field extensions. Applications to number theory will be presented. Offered jointly by CMC and Pomona.

    Prerequisite: MATH 060 CM  

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH171 CM
  

  • MATH172 CM - Abstract Algebra II: Galois Theory

    This course is a continuation of MATH 171 CM , covering selected topics in the theories of groups, rings, fields, and modules with a specific emphasis on Galois Theory. Topics covered will include polynomial rings, field extensions, splitting fields, algebraic closure, separability, Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory, Galois groups of polynomials, and solvability.

    Prerequisite: MATH 171 CM  

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH172 CM
  

  • MATH173 CM - Advanced Linear Algebra

    Possible topics include: The spectral theorem for Hermitian matrices and normal operators, Canonical forms, QR factorization and least squares, Singular value decomposition, Calculus of vector and matrix valued functions, Matrix inequalities and positive matrices, Convexity and the duality theorem, Iterative methods for solving systems of linear equations.

    Prerequisite: MATH 060 CM 

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH173 CM
  

  • MATH175 CM - Number Theory

    Properties of integers, congruences, Diophantine problems, quadratic reciprocity, number theoretic functions, primes. Offered jointly by CMC and Pomona.

    Prerequisite: MATH 060 CM 

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH175 CM
  

  • MATH180 CM - Partial Differential Equations

    Fourier Series, Fourier Transforms, Distributions. Partial Differential Equations: Heat, Wave, Laplace’s, Transport, Schrödinger, Black-Scholes. Reaction-diffusion equations, solitons, and numerical methods.

    Prerequisites: MATH 060 CM  and MATH 111 CM   

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH180 CM
  

  • MATH186 CM - Stochastic Operations Research

    Simulation Theory, Stochastic models of inventory, reliability, queuing, sequencing, and transportation. Applications of these models to problems arising in industry, government, and business. Cooperative course, offered jointly by CMC, Claremont Graduate University, Harvey Mudd, and Pomona.

    Prerequisite: MATH 151 CM  

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH186 CM
  

  • MATH187 CM - Deterministic Methods in Operations Research

    Linear, integer, nonlinear, and dynamic programming. Applications to transportation problems, inventory analysis, classical optimization problems, and network analysis, including project planning and control. Cooperative course offered jointly by CMC, Claremont Graduate University, Harvey Mudd, and Pomona.

    Prerequisites: MATH 032 CM  and MATH 060 CM 

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH187 CM
  

  • MATH188 CM - Mathematics of Game Theory

    Games in extensive form, combinatorial games, strategic equilibrium, matrix games, and minimax theorem, computation of optimal strategies, cooperative and non-cooperative solutions of bi-matrix games, coalitional games and the core, indices of power, bargaining set, nonatomic games. Not open to students who have completed ECON 129 CM .

    Prerequisite: MATH 060 CM ; MATH 151 CM  recommended

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH188 CM
  

  • MATH190 CM - Math Majors Seminar

    Intro to mathematical communication. Writing in LaTeX, making presentations in Beamer, making posters. Students will see a variety of mathematical research talks and learn the culture of mathematical communication. High-Pass/Pass/No-Pass grading only.

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MATH190 CM
  

  • MATH191 CM - Math Majors Senior Seminar

    Seniors will present on a mathematical project (their thesis or an alternative topic if their thesis is not in math) with in-progress talks and a final presentation. High-Pass/Pass/No-Pass grading only.

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MATH191 CM
  

  • MATH195 CM - Advanced Topics in Mathematics

    This course is devoted to exploring topics of current interest to faculty and students.

    Prerequisite: Varies by topic

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MATH195 CM
  

  • MATH197A CM - Directed Research in Mathematics

    This course is for first-years and sophomores who are interested in investigating an area of study related to a faculty member’s research and that is not covered in regularly scheduled courses. This class differs from MATH 199 CM  - Independent Study in Mathematics in that the course is limited to first-years and sophomores. Students may register in the class for either 0.25 credit or 0.5 credit: the corresponding academic requirements are to be determined by the instructor. Students may register in this course more than once. A maximum of 1 credit may accumulate to apply toward graduation (not major) requirements. High-Pass/Pass/No-Pass grading only.

    Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0.25 or 0.5

    Course Number: MATH197A CM
  

  • MATH197B CM - Directed Research in Mathematics

    This course is for first-years and sophomores who are interested in investigating an area of study related to a faculty member’s research and that is not covered in regularly scheduled courses. This class differs from MATH 199 CM  in that the course is limited to first-years and sophomores. The corresponding academic requirements are to be determined by the instructor. Students may register in this course more than once. High-Pass/Pass/No-Pass grading only.

    Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: MATH197B CM
  

  • MATH199 CM - Independent Study in Mathematics or Computer Science

    Students who have the necessary qualifications and wish to investigate an area of study not covered in regularly scheduled courses may arrange for independent study under the direction of a faculty reader.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 0.5 or 1

    Course Number: MATH199 CM

Media Studies
  

  • MS050 PZ - Introduction to Film

    See Pitzer College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MS 050 PZ
  

  • MS082 PZ - Introduction to Video

    See Pitzer College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MS 082 PZ

Military Science and Leadership
  

  • MSL001A CM - American Military History, from the Civil War to the Present

    The course is designed to enable a student with no prior military or cadet experience to quickly learn the importance of studying military history, conduct critical analysis, and identify patterns that occur in a study of history from the Civil War through the present. The course introduction provides an analytical framework for applying critical thinking skills to the study of military operations within each time period and provides a common language to use during the class. Students will demonstrate learning through classroom participation, short point papers, an in-class presentation and two longer analytical papers. This course is NOT about learning names, dates, and places. Rather, this course is designed to interest students in the study of American military history from the Civil War period to the present. Critical thinking about “the whys” things happened is the focus. Reading the assignments and participating in classroom discussions will facilitate student interest in further historical research on topic of their choosing. For Army ROTC cadets, this course satisfies the Cadet Command military history and pre-commissioning requirement.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 001A CM
  

  • MSL089 CM - Riflery and Orienteering

    The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals, principles, and techniques of safe rifle/pistol marksmanship and to instruct and practice using a map and compass to navigate between two checkpoints along an unfamiliar course. This course will give beginners an awareness of firearms safety and an appreciation for the sport of shooting and instruction and application of basic foot navigation skills. Physical Education (PE) credit.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: MSL 089 CM
  

  • MSL099 CM - Army Physical Training Program

    This course is designed on the Army’s current physical fitness training philosophy of cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition training. It includes a wide variety of events, to include: unit distance runs and ability groups, circuit training, upper and lower body strength drills, swimming, and road marching. The course helps to instill the fundamentals of conditioning and expose students to a variety of conditioning drills that can be incorporated into an individual fitness program for life. Additionally, the course teaches team building and esprit de corps utilizing standard Army training doctrine. Physical Education (PE) credit.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: MSL 099 CM
  

  • MSL101A CM - The Basics of Leadership A

    This course introduces students to the personal challenges and competencies that are critical for effective leadership. Students learn how the personal development of life skills such as critical thinking, goal setting, time management, physical fitness, and stress management relates to leadership, officership, and the Army profession. The focus is on developing basic knowledge and comprehension of Army leadership dimensions while gaining a big picture understanding of the ROTC program, its purpose in the Army, and its advantages for the student. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: MSL 101A CM
  

  • MSL101B CM - The Basics of Leadership B

    This course overviews leadership fundamentals such as setting direction, problem-solving, listening, presenting briefs, providing feedback, and using effective writing skills. Students explore dimensions of leadership values, attributes, skills, and actions in the context of practical, hands-on, and interactive exercises. Instructor role models and the building of stronger relationships among the students through common experience and practical interaction are critical aspects of the course. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: MSL 101B CM
  

  • MSL102A CM - Introduction to Military Operations and Leadership A

    This course explores the dimensions of creative and innovative tactical leadership strategies and styles by examining team dynamics and two historical leadership theories that form the basis of the Army leadership framework. Students practice aspects of personal motivation and team building in the context of planning, executing, and assessing team exercises and participating in leadership labs. Focus is on continued development of the knowledge of leadership values and attributes through an understanding of Army rank, structure, and duties, and basic aspects of land navigation and squad tactics. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 102A CM
  

  • MSL102B CM - Introduction to Military Operations and Leadership B

    This course examines the challenges of leading tactical teams in the COE. The course highlights dimensions of terrain analysis, patrolling, and operation orders. Further study of the theoretical basis of the Army leadership framework explores the dynamics of adaptive leadership in the context of military operations. It provides a smooth transition into MSL 103A CM  and MSL 103B CM . Students develop greater self awareness as they assess their own leadership styles and practice communication and team building skills. COE case studies give insight into the importance and practice of teamwork and tactics in real world scenarios. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 102B CM
  

  • MSL103A CM - Intermediate Leadership and Management A

    This course challenges students to study, practice, and evaluate adaptive leadership skills as they are presented with challenging scenarios related to squad tactical operations. Students receive systematic and specific feedback on their leadership attributes and actions. Based on such feedback, as well as their own self-evaluations, students continue to develop their leadership and critical thinking abilities. The focus is developing students’ tactical leadership abilities to enable them to succeed at ROTC’s summer Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Prerequisite: MSL 102B CM  or permission of instructor.

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 103A CM
  

  • MSL103B CM - Intermediate Leadership and Management B

    This course uses increasingly intense situational leadership challenges to build student awareness and skills in leading small units. Skills in decision-making, persuading, and motivating team members when “under fire” are explored, evaluated, and developed. Aspects of military operations are reviewed as a means of preparing for the ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). Students are expected to apply basic principles of the Law of Land Warfare, Army training, and motivation to troop leading procedures. Students are evaluated on what they know and do as leaders. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Prerequisite: MSL 103A CM  or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 103B CM
  

  • MSL104A CM - Advanced Leadership and Management A

    This course develops student proficiency in planning, executing, and assessing complex operations, functioning as a member of a staff, and providing performance feedback to subordinates. Students assess risk, make ethical decisions, and lead fellow students. Lessons on military justice and personnel processes prepare students to make the transition to Army officers. Students analyze, evaluate, and instruct students in other Military Science and Leadership courses. Both their classroom and battalion leadership experiences are designed to prepare students for their first unit of assignment. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Prerequisites: MSL 103B CM  or permission of instructor.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 104A CM
  

  • MSL104B CM - Advanced Leadership and Management B

    This course explores the dynamics of leading in the complex situations of current military operations in the COE. Students examine differences in customs and courtesies, military law, principles of war, and rules of engagement in the face of international terrorism. They also explore aspects of interacting with nongovernmental organizations, civilians on the battlefield, and host nation support. The course places significant emphasis on preparing students for their first unit of assignment in the Army. Leadership lab and MSL 099 CM  are required for all cadets.

    Prerequisite: MSL 104A CM  or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MSL 104B CM

Music
  
  

  • MUS062 PO - Survey of American Music

    See Pomona College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MUS 062 PO
  

  • MUS081 JM - Introduction to Music: Sound and Meaning

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MUS 081 JM
  

  • MUS130 SC - Rhythm and the Latina Body Politic

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: MUS 130 SC
  

  • MUS173 JM - Claremont Concert Choir

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MUS 173 JM
  

  • MUS175 JM - The Claremont Concert Orchestra

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MUS 175 JM
  

  • MUS176 JM - Claremont Treble Singers

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: MUS 176 JM

Neuroscience
  

  • NEUR080L KS - Behavioral Neurobiology

    This course will examine interesting behavioral systems and the ways in which nervous systems produce these behaviors. Among other things we will investigate the molecules and systems involved in bee colony organization, how birds sing, reproductive behavior in monogamous and promiscuous voles, and behavior of the parasitic wasp. This course has a laboratory fee.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR080L KS
  

  • NEUR095L JT - Foundations of Neuroscience

    An introduction to the nervous system and behavior that explores fundamental issues in neuroscience from a variety of perspectives. Emphasis will be placed on technological advances, experiments, and methodologies that have most influenced our understanding of the nervous system. The class will be divided into three groups that will rotate through four 3-week modules covering the history and philosophy of neuroscience, the electrical nature of the nervous system, the chemical nature of the nervous system, and cognition and the nervous system. The course will end with a final integrative module that brings together fundamental principles developed throughout the course. Intended primarily for first- and second-year students. Permission of instructor required of third- and fourth-year students. Lecture, discussion, and laboratory.

    Offered: Every spring

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR095L JT
  

  • NEUR123 SC - Cognitive Neuroscience

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR123 SC
  

  • NEUR133L KS - Introduction to Computational Neuroscience

    This course provides computational skills for neural data analysis, modeling of neural activity, and the analysis of time-delayed feedback control mechanisms. The laboratory develops computer programming skills for the analysis of neural time series including spiking and bursting neurons, power spectral analysis, and phase resetting of neural oscillators. Students must have a personal computer with internet access.  For students who do not have a personal computer, please see instructor for other options. A course in computer programming is useful, but is not required. This course has a laboratory fee. Formerly listed as BIOL133L KS.

    Prerequisite: MATH 030 CM  or equivalent and permission of instructor.

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR133L KS
  

  • NEUR140 KS - Selected Topics in Neuroscience

    A half-credit seminar course in which students will read current primary literature in neuroscience. Each class will cover new topics. Course can be taken twice. Enrollment is limited to 16. Formerly listed as BIOL140  KS.

    Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS  and BIOL 044L KS , CHEM 014L KS  and CHEM 015L KS  or equivalent. A neuroscience course is recommend.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: NEUR140 KS
  

  • NEUR148L KS - Neuroscience I: Cell, Molecular

    Current and historic methods of analysis will be discussed in relation to neurons and nervous system function. The focus will be on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal activity and function. The laboratory will introduce students to methods used for cellular neurobiology. Formerly listed as BIOL148L KS.

    Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS  and BIOL 044L KS , or BIOL 040L KS  and BIOL 044L KS ; CHEM 014L KS  and CHEM 015L KS  or equivalent.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR148L KS
  

  • NEUR149 KS - Neuroscience 2: Systems

    This course will examine the structure, function, and organization of nervous systems. Topics will include signal transduction, electrophysiology, the role of trophic factors, development of the nervous system, and neural networks. Consideration will also be given to neuropathologic conditions such as Parkinson’s’ and Alzheimer’s diseases. Formerly listed as BIOL149  KS.

    Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS  and BIOL 044L KS , orBIOL 040L KS  and BIOL 044L KS ; CHEM 014L KS  and CHEM 015L KS  or equivalent.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR149 KS
  

  • NEUR155L KS - Selected Topics in Computational Neuroscience

    This course will introduce future neuroscientists, physicians, and business entrepreneurs to the way that computational scientists create ideas starting at the black board. A variety of qualitative techniques are introduced together with computer software packages to illustrate the fundamental principles. These tools can be used even by non-mathematically oriented students to learn how to propose key experiments that can be tested at the bench top and bedside. Formerly listed as BIOL155L KS.

    Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS  and BIOL 044L KS  or equivalent, or NEUR 133L KS ; and permission of the instructor. Familiarity with at least one computer programming language and an introduction to differential equations is strongly recommended.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR155L KS
  

  • NEUR181 KS - Molecular Basis of Neurological Disorders

    Neurological Disorders is an introduction to the biology of nervous system disorders with a strong emphasis on the CNS molecular pathology and mechanisms of the disorder. General topics include traumatic brain injury, memory disorders, movement disorders and developmental disorders. Classes will be a combination of lectures and discussions of original research articles. An emphasis is placed on developing skills related to independent exploration of the subject. Formerly listed as BIOL181  KS.

    Prerequisites: Two semesters of introductory science.

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR181 KS
  

  • NEUR182 SC - Machine Learning with Neural Signal

    See Scripps College Catalog for course description.

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR182 SC
  

  • NEUR187C KS - Special Topics: Neural Organization of Behavior

    This seminar course focuses on central pattern generators (CPGs), a significant motif in the neural organization of behavior. CPGs, neural circuits that, by virtue of their synaptic connections and chemistries, convert unpatterned inputs into patterned outputs, have long been known to underlie various patterned behaviors, such as locomotor and respiratory rhythms, but are now also implicated in higher order brain functions. Discussions of research articles will be combined with writing and occasional laboratory exercises to examine the development and implications of this concept.

    Prerequisites: BIOL 043L KS  and BIOL 044L KS  or equivalent, and either NEUR 095L JT  or an upper-level course in neurobiology, or instructor permission.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR187C KS
  

  • NEUR188L KS - Senior Thesis Research Project in Neuroscience

    Seniors may apply to do laboratory or field investigation with a faculty member. The topic should be chosen by the end of the junior year. In this course, library and lab materials are developed, research begun, and seminar discussion held with faculty members and students in the field of concentration. This is the first course for students doing a two-semester senior project. Registration in this course will be followed by registration in NEUR 190L KS . This course has a laboratory fee.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR188L KS
  

  • NEUR189L KS - Senior Thesis Summer Research Project in Neuroscience

    Students who intend to satisfy a two-semester senior thesis project by conducting a substantial research project during the summer after their junior year should enroll in this course in the fall semester following their research. No credit towards graduation will be awarded for this course. Registration in this course will be followed by registration in NEUR 190L KS .

    Offered: Every fall

    Credit: 0

    Course Number: NEUR189L KS
  

  • NEUR190L KS - Senior Thesis Research Project in Neuroscience, Second Semester

    Senior laboratory or field investigation research is culminated and results are summarized in a written thesis and formal presentation. This is the second-semester course for those doing a two-semester research thesis. This course has a laboratory fee.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR190L KS
  

  • NEUR191 KS - One-Semester Thesis in Neuroscience

    All students who intend to complete a one-semester thesis should enroll in this course. Students are required both to submit a substantive written thesis-which may involve experimental work, analysis of datasets previously collected by other researchers, or a critical analysis of the literature-and to make a formal presentation. Students register for this course during the semester in which the one-semester thesis is written and due.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: NEUR191 KS
  

  • NEUR196 KS - Natural Science Research I

    In this 0.25-credit course, students will gain experience working independently on a natural science research experience, whether it involves field, laboratory, or data investigation and must be taken in collaboration with a Keck Science faculty member. The format and expectations of the research will be mutually agreed upon at the start of the semester. At the end of the semester, students will complete a product which could include things such as a reflection paper, an oral or poster presentation, a lab notebook, a dataset, a protocol, a figure, etc. This course is a ¼ credit course with a minimum of a 3-hour commitment each week. The course is taken pass/fail and can be repeated up to the maximum allowed by the student’s home college, with the same research mentor or with different research mentors. May not be applied toward major requirements. In any semester, students may take only one Natural Science Research course at Keck Science.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0.25

    Course Number: NEUR196 KS
  

  • NEUR197 KS - Natural Science Research II

    In this 0.5-credit course, students will gain experience working independently on a natural science research experience, whether it involves field, laboratory, or data investigation and must be taken in collaboration with a Keck Science faculty member. The format and expectations of the research will be mutually agreed upon at the start of the semester. At the end of the semester, students will complete a product which could include things such as a reflection paper, an oral or poster presentation, a lab notebook, a dataset, a protocol, a figure, etc. This course is a 1/2 credit course with a minimum of a 6-hour commitment each week. The course is taken pass/fail and can be repeated up to the maximum allowed by the student’s home college, with the same research mentor or with different research mentors. May not be applied toward major requirements. In any semester, students may take only one Natural Science Research course at Keck Science.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 0.5

    Course Number: NEUR197 KS

Philosophy
  

  • PHIL030 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophical Questions

    This course offers an introduction to philosophy. Some instructors focus primarily on historical texts, while others focus on contemporary readings; some survey a range of philosophical questions, while others compare how different authors deal with one core topic. All courses focus on teaching philosophical methods, including the skills of interpreting and evaluating arguments in a rigorous fashion.

    Offered: Every semester

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL030 CM
  

  • PHIL031 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy of Science

    This course surveys issues in philosophy of science. Topics vary by semester but might include: Is all of science based on observation? Can observations be truly objective? How should scientists derive theories from observation? What makes something a scientific law? Does science aim at true descriptions of reality, including unobservable reality, or only at useful formulas and theories?

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL031 CM
  

  • PHIL032 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy and the Arts

    This course explores the connections between philosophy and the arts. Topics vary by semester but might include: What is beauty? What makes something a work of art? How do we tell what a work of art means? What makes an artwork good or bad? Who should be able to own art? In some semesters, the course will explore philosophical issues raised within works of art and literature.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL032 CM
  

  • PHIL033 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Political Philosophy

    This course challenges students to critically evaluate some of the most difficult political issues facing society. It provides an introduction to the problems themselves and to the logical methods that enable us to better resolve them. Specific topics may include: the source of governmental authority, economic and political rights, and international justice. The course may discuss abstract theories or specific political problems.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL033 CM
  

  • PHIL034 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Moral and Political Issues

    This course challenges students to critically evaluate some of the most difficult moral problems facing society. It provides an introduction to the problems themselves and to the logical methods that enable us to better resolve them. Specific topics may include: global poverty, war and terrorism, capital punishment, abortion, human cloning, environmental ethics, and animal rights.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL034 CM
  

  • PHIL035 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Science, Technology, and Human Values

    This introductory course presents a philosophical overview of the relationship between the pursuit of scientific knowledge, the development of technologies, and the expression of human values. Topics vary by semester but might include: What justifies scientific reasoning? How do we measure the strength of evidence and update our theories accordingly? Can observations be truly objective? To what extent is scientific inquiry affected by social and cultural values? How does the explosion of technology both facilitate and hinder the scientific method? How can we guide technological developments to be more just and fair?

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL035 CM
  

  • PHIL036 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy of Religion

    An examination of questions such as: (1) Can God’s existence be proved? (2) Is religious faith ever rationally warranted? (3) Are religious propositions cognitively meaningful? (4) Can one believe in a good, omnipotent God in a world containing evil? Readings from historical and contemporary sources.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL036 CM
  

  • PHIL037 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Happiness, Meaning, Morality

    Three of the most pressing questions in anyone’s life are: How can I find happiness? How can I find meaning? How can I live morally with my fellow human beings? Many important philosophers have tried to answer these questions, and they have also offered ways to put this knowledge into practice in our everyday lives. This course explores historically important answers to these questions as well as the pragmatic suggestions for improving our lives. Readings may be drawn from such figures as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Augustine, Descartes, Buddha, and Bertrand Russell, among others.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL037 CM
  

  • PHIL038 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Reason and Reality

    Philosophy is sometimes divided into “value theory” and “metaphysics and epistemology”. Where value theory considers such topics as ethics and political philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology considers the fundamental nature of reality (metaphysics) and possible means of finding out about that reality (epistemology). This course is a general introduction to philosophy through metaphysics and epistemology. Questions to be considered include: Is the natural world all there is? Do we have free will? Is there a difference between perception and reality? What is consciousness? What is time?

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL038 CM
  
  

  • PHIL039 CM - Introduction to Philosophy: Special Topics in Introductory Philosophy

    This course covers special topics in philosophy that are not the focus of other introductory courses. Course content changes each time the course is offered. Like all introductory courses, this class focus on one or more central topics in philosophy, and it teaches philosophical methods, including the skills of interpreting and evaluating arguments in a rigorous fashion.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL039 CM
  

  • PHIL095 CM - Fundamentals of Logic

    An introduction to formal techniques for evaluating arguments. These techniques include truth tables, natural deduction for propositional logic, natural deduction for predicate logic, and introductory model theory. The goal of the course is not only for students to develop skill with these formal systems, but also for them to develop an understanding of what it means to reason logically.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL095 CM
  

  • PHIL100A CM - Classical Philosophy

    This course introduces students to some of the earliest, most profound, and most influential thinkers in the Western philosophical tradition. The focus of the course is methodological, its goal to teach students skills which will enable them to develop their own interpretation and critiques of classical philosophical texts. We will focus on the works of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and the Skeptics. Some of the questions we will address will be what philosophy is, what one should aim at in life, what kinds of things exist, and what can be known.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL100A CM
  

  • PHIL100C CM - Early Modern Philosophy

    This course serves as an introduction to philosophy during the 17th and 18th centuries, the beginning of the modern period. Readings are drawn from central works by philosophers such as Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. We will focus especially on epistemology (including skeptical and anti-skeptical arguments) and metaphysics (including issues concerning the nature of reality, the nature of the mind, freedom of the will, and the existence and nature of God).

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL100C CM
  

  • PHIL100E CM - Special Topics in History of Philosophy

    This course covers special topics in the history of philosophy. These will include at least: Ancient Greek philosophy, Early Modern European philosophy, and Continental Philosophy. The course content changes each time the course is offered.

    Prerequisite: One previous course in philosophy.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL100E CM
  

  • PHIL101C CM - Classical Ethical Theory: Aristotle

    Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is one of the most significant texts in the history of philosophy; it has also proved enormously influential in 20th-century ethical theorizing. This course will focus on a close reading of Aristotle’s Ethics. We will also assess Aristotle’s views for their philosophical merit and discuss their relation to contemporary virtue ethics. Some topics we will focus on will be the relation of virtue to happiness, the role of intellectual activity in the good life, the doctrine of the mean, Aristotle’s analysis of weakness of will, and the nature and significance of friendship.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every third year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL101C CM
  

  • PHIL101D CM - Classical Ethical Theory: Stoics, Skeptics, and Epicureans

    How should I live my life? What are my moral obligations? How do I sustain my moral commitments in situations of temptation and duress? The Greek and Roman philosophers of the Hellenistic period (4th century BC to 2nd century AD) pursued these questions in one of the most vigorous and probing debates in the history of Western philosophy. The Stoics identified happiness with virtue, the Epicureans with pleasure, and the Skeptics with the acceptance of one’s intellectual limitations. This course will focus on a close study of these three schools of philosophy. We will study the writings of figures ranging from Epictetus, a freed slave, to Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every third year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL101D CM
  

  • PHIL103 CM - Nietzsche

    An introduction to Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy. Topics include Nietzsche’s accounts of the problem of nihilism, the eternal recurrence, the death of God, his critique of morality, and his perspectivism. The emphasis will be on Nietzsche’s late works. Some discussion of interpretations of Nietzsche by later philosophers.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL103 CM
  

  • PHIL106 CM - Kant

    This course examines the philosophy of Kant. We pay special attention to Kant’s influential masterpiece, the Critique of Pure Reason. Topics include the nature and limits of our knowledge, freedom of the will, and Kant’s “transcendental idealism.”

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL106 CM
  

  • PHIL108 CM - Hegel

    This class focuses on Hegel’s philosophy, which stands at the crossroads between Early Modern Philosophy and later figures such as Marx, Nietzsche and Heidegger. We pay special attention to extremely difficult readings from the Phenomenology of Spirit and the Science of Logic. Topics include the nature of dialectic, the struggle for recognition and the dialectic of lordship and bondage, freedom of the will, Hegel’s criticisms of Kant, the laws of nature, teleological explanation, and Hegel’s account of “absolute knowledge.”

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL108 CM
  

  • PHIL109 CM - Africana Philosophy

    Philosophical thought and the philosophical cannon cannot be restricted to the ‘great thinkers’ of western history. This course will be a general introduction to Africana Philosophy. We will unveil not only that philosophy is more than the western world and has points of origin in other places, such as Africa, but we will also discover how Africana philosophy serves as a challenge to the integrity of integral concepts and themes in modern western philosophy; for example, the subject, freedom, the human, and even ontology. We will achieve these insights through a survey of thinkers, writers, and people who address themes such as traditional Africana thought, black existentialism, black feminism, postcolonialism, whiteness, double consciousness, and Afro-pessimism.  Also listed as AFRI 121 AF .

    Prerequisites:  One previous PHIL course

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL109 CM
  

  • PHIL121 CM - Naturalism and Morality

    It is sometimes said that science is the investigation of how things are, and ethics is the investigation of how things ought to be. But in what sense can we really “investigate” how things ought to be? Are there moral truths “out there” waiting to be investigated? If there are moral truths “out there”, how, if at all, do they fit into the natural world investigated by science? And how, if at all, could we come to know what the moral truths are? Does science reveal our moral sentiments to be mere products of our cultural and evolutionary history, having no connection to any alleged truths of morality? This course will cover classical and contemporary texts on the relationship between naturalism and morality.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL121 CM
  

  • PHIL126 CM - Metaphysics

    An introduction to the basic questions regarding existence: What is there? What is it like? Topics include the nature of the self and the mind, the existence of God, particulars and universals, necessity and possibility, the nature of truth, and the possibility of free will.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL126 CM
  

  • PHIL127 CM - History of Metaphysics

    This class surveys the history of metaphysics. Topics covered may include: Arguments for and against the existence of God; Accounts of universals including Plato’s forms; atomism; monism; causation; the laws of nature; time; the existence of a fundamental level of reality. Also, we address arguments that metaphysics is objectionable because it is either not meaningful, knowable, of pragmatic relevance, or a symptom of a broader problem. Figures may include: Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Ockham, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hume, Hegel, Nietzsche, Bradley, McTaggart, Russell, Dewey, Heidegger.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL127 CM
  

  • PHIL128 CM - The Metaphysics of Persons

    This course investigates how we should conceive of ourselves as persons. What is a person, and what is it that makes someone the same person over time? Is there such a thing as the self, and if so, can it be conceived of as a unified entity? We will also explore the relationship between the metaphysical nature of persons and various important moral, legal, medical, and psychological issues.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL128 CM
  

  • PHIL134 CM - Special Topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology

    This course covers special topics in metaphysics and epistemology, considered broadly to include philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and philosophy of science. The course content changes each time the course is offered.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL134 CM
  

  • PHIL135 CM - Philosophy of Mind

    An exploration of problems concerning the nature of the mind. The main topic of the course will be the mind-body problem: Is there a mind (or a soul) that is distinct from the body? Related topics include: What is the nature of consciousness? Can computers think? How can we know of the existence of other minds?

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL135 CM
  

  • PHIL136 CM - Belief, Justification, and Religion

    This course will explore various justifications that have been offered for religious belief. We will begin with a general survey of the ways in which beliefs can be justified. We will then ask whether religious belief fits one or more of these categories. We will look at traditional approaches to justifying religious belief—such as the design argument and Pascal’s wager—as well as modern approaches—such as Plantinga’s “reformed epistemology” and appeals to research on happiness. We will conclude by asking whether belief per se is really a core part of being religious.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL136 CM
  

  • PHIL137 CM - Skepticism

    Skepticism about a particular subject matter is the view that nothing can be known about that subject matter.  This course surveys various types of skepticism–such as external-world skepticism, religious skepticism, moral skepticism, and scientific skepticism–and the interesting relationships among them.  We will also be paying close attention to the way in which skepticism interacts with more practical matters–e.g., if you have no reason to believe that the external world exists, do you still have reason to get out of bed in the morning? 

    Prerequisite: One previous course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL137 CM
  

  • PHIL138 CM - Epistemology

    Every day, we casually sort our judgments into categories. If a belief isn’t well-supported, we might say that it is just a guess. If a belief is well-supported, we might say that it is knowledge. In between, we distinguish things like hunches, educated guesses, and reasonable beliefs. These and related distinctions play a fundamental role in our personal and legal relationships. But how, exactly, should we draw these distinctions? What, for example, makes a belief reasonable as opposed to unreasonable? This course introduces students to the basics of epistemology, which seeks to refine and answer these questions.

    Prerequisite: One previous course in philosophy.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL138 CM
  

  • PHIL139 CM - Philosophy of Language

    An exploration of issues in the philosophy of language and, in particular, the relation between language and the world. Topics to be discussed include: the nature of meaning, the nature of thought, and the reference of proper names and definite descriptions. Readings will be drawn primarily from late 19th-century and 20th-century sources.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL139 CM
  

  • PHIL141 CM - Free Will, Responsibility, and Determinism

    This course focuses on philosophical issues concerning freedom of the will, responsibility and determinism. Do we have a free will? Is free will compatible with determinism? What are we doing when we deliberate about what do do? Would it make sense to believe determinism is true and yet still deliberate about what to do? What is it to hold someone responsible? Is this compatible with determinism? What is determinism? Is it true? Can punishment be justified in a manner consistent with reflection on the nature of freedom of the will, responsibility, and determinism?

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL141 CM
  

  • PHIL142 CM - Black Phenomenology

    Phenomenology is a school of philosophy that emerged at the turn of the 20th century and is described by its forefather Edmund Husserl as a philosophy of experience. This class will explore how black experience challenges the Eurocentric proclivities that structure phenomenology’s fundamental tenets. ‘Black phenomenology’ is not a school of thought in opposition to phenomenology, but an engagement with different black thinkers who in articulating black experience, have come to reject, modify, and, in some cases, adopt in non-intuitive ways ideas concepts and frameworks from classical phenomenology and its many outshoots. Also listed as AFRI 128 AF .

    Prerequisite: One previous course in philosophy, or instructor permission.

    Offered: Every year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL142 CM
  

  • PHIL158 CM - Ethical Theory

    This course will address the question “What makes an action moral or immoral?” In the process of answering it, students will be introduced to the techniques that philosophers use to resolve ethical problems and to some of the greatest works of ethical philosophy in the Western canon, including works by Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Jeremy Bentham, and John Stuart Mill.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or permission of instructor

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL158 CM
  

  • PHIL159 CM - Metaethics

    Metaethics inquires about the nature of values and value judgments. Are values real? Imaginary? Constructed? When we judge that something is good or bad, what are we doing? Are we making testable observations? Expressing our positive and negative feelings? Asserting universal truths? Asserting culturally relative truths? Talking about fictional entities? Metaethics also inquires into the nature of moral motivation. Can we be motivated do what we believe is right just by the belief that it is right? Related topics include the nature of moral expertise, the relationship between values and reasons, and the relationship between reasons and motivation.

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL159 CM
  

  • PHIL160 CM - Special Topics in Value Theory

    This course covers special topics in value theory, including special topics in ethical theory, applied ethics, political philosophy, and aesthetics. Course content changes each time the course is offered.

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL160 CM
  

  • PHIL164 CM - Political Philosophy: Current Debates

    The government taxes you and regulates your everyday behavior in countless ways. It claims the right to draft you into the military and may fine or jail you if you commit a crime. What, if anything, gives it the right to do these things? What are the limits on state power? What obligations does a state have to its citizens, and what obligations do citizens have to the state? In this course, we’ll look at recent work in political philosophy addressing the appropriate relationship between a state and its citizens. Readings from Rawls, Nozick, Hayek, Cohen, Sandel, and others.

    Prerequisite: One previous course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.

    Offered: Every other year

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL164 CM
  

  • PHIL167 CM - Moral Psychology

    Moral psychology addresses questions at the intersection of ethics and philosophy of mind. Topics vary by semester but might include some or all of the following: Are human beings egoistic, or can they act altruistically? Are we ever motivated by reason, or are we only motivated by desire? Why do we sometimes act against our own best judgment? Do we have free will? When is it appropriate to praise and blame people for what they’ve done? What is the proper role of moral emotions such as love or shame? Does love entitle you to show preference to your loved ones?

    Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy

    Offered: Occasionally

    Credit: 1

    Course Number: PHIL167 CM
 

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