AAAS E-119
Chocolate, Culture, and the Politics of Food
Carla D. Martin PhD, Lecturer on African and African American Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25963 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the sociohistorical legacy of chocolate, with a delicious emphasis on the eating and appreciation of the so-called food of the gods. Interdisciplinary course readings introduce the history of cacao cultivation, the present day state of the global chocolate industry, the diverse cultural constructions surrounding chocolate, and the implications for chocolate’s future of scientific study, international politics, alternative trade models, and the food movement. Assignments address pressing real-world questions related to chocolate consumption, social justice, responsible development, honesty and the politics of representation in production and marketing, hierarchies of quality, and myths of purity.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course African and African American Studies 119x. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Thursdays, 12:45-2:45 pm starting January 25 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
ANTH E-1050
Moctezuma’s Mexico Then and Now: Ancient Empire, Race Mixture, and Finding LatinX
DavÃd Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
William L. Fash PhD, Charles P. Bowditch Professor of Central American and Mexican Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16855 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with the opportunity to explore how pre-Hispanic and Colonial Mexican and Latina/o cultures provide vital context for understanding today’s changing world. The emphasis is on the mythical and social origins, glory days, and political collapse of the Aztec Empire and Maya civilizations as a pivot to the study of the sexual, religious, and racial interactions of the Great Encounter between Mesoamerica, Africa, Europe, and the independent nations of Mexico and the United States. The study of the archaeology, artistic media, cosmovision, capital cities, human sacrifice, and the religious devotions of ancient Mesoamerica illuminate the Day of the Dead and Virgin of Guadalupe phenomena today. Objects at the Peabody Museum are used to examine new concepts of race, nation, and the persistence of Moctezuma’s Mexico in Latino identities in the Mexico-US Borderlands. This course empowers students to evaluate the ways the US is changing and struggling to define itself in relation to Latin America and especially the migration of peoples, ideas, arts, music, and food from and through Mexico.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Gen Ed 1148. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 am starting September 6 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ANTH E-1055
Religions of Latin America: Mexico, Peru, El Caribe
DavÃd Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
Pedro Noe Morales MTS
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16903 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on Mexico and the Mexican Americas from 1517-2017 while making comparisons with both Peru and religions of the Caribbean. While Mexican-based religions thread through the entire course, students can choose to also work on religious practices, sacred sites, and migration stories from either Peru or El Caribe in comparative perspective. We study emerging cult and folk hero worship such as Santa Muerte and Jes s Malverde. We examine symbols, root paradigms, saints, health practices, miracles, and migration by integrating archaeological, artistic, documentary, and ethnographic source materials and novels. Methods from anthropology, history of religions, religion, and literature are used to study race mixture, architecture, women’s roles, transculturation, liberation theology, and plastic arts. An innovation in the course is the exploration of ways music and current musical trends such as reggaton, rap and narco corridos reflect religious devotions.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:50pm-7:50pm, Harvard Hall 101
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Divinity School course HDS 3705 and the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Anthropology 1062.
ANTH E-115
Class and Culture
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26405 | Section 1
Description
It is commonplace to note that in the United States a large portion of the population self-identifies as middle class, even though our society is marked by deep, persistent, and increasing class inequality. Such self-identification, however, can obscure the complex and often contradictory ways in which we experience social class in our everyday lives. This course explores the cultural dimensions of social class in the US from an ethnographic perspective, focusing on the everyday lives and cultures of ordinary Americans. We consider questions such as the following: what is it like to be a working class person in a society heavily invested in ideas of individual advancement and meritocracy? How do professionals (the upper middle class) define themselves and how do they view those above and below them in the class structure? How does social class shape people’s values, political views, and tastes? How are class boundaries created and maintained? The course readings are drawn mainly from anthropology and sociology. Students may not take both ANTH E-115 and SSCI E-115 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 2-20, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 02, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Final papers due between January 18 and February 5. See course syllabus for details.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ANTH E-118
Histories and Ethnographies of Capitalism
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16813 | Section 1
Description
Karl Marx famously wrote that with the advance of capitalist social relations, “all that is solid melts into air.” Here Marx refers to the supposed power of capitalism to destroy pre-existing economic, social, and cultural orders. In the centuries since capitalism spread over the globe, it has indeed transformed the lifeways and cultures of peoples throughout the world. In more recent years, globalization understood as the widespread and accelerated movement of capital across national borders has radically altered the lives of many peoples, from peasants in China to industrial workers in Michigan. This course critically examines capitalism historically and ethnographically. In the first part of the course, we consider historical accounts of the origins, development, and transformation of American capitalism, focusing on the key themes of slavery, industrialization, and financialization. In the second part of the course, we consider ethnographic accounts of life under contemporary capitalism, focusing on the cultural responses of peoples experiencing the rapid social change, dislocation, opportunities, and hardships brought about by changing capitalist social relations. We consider questions such as how have people coped culturally with the demands of capitalist wage labor and work discipline? How have capitalist social relations transformed communities, families, and senses of ethnic and national identity? Students may not take both ANTH E-118 and SSCI E-118 (offered previously) for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ANTH E-1400
Quests for Wisdom: Religious, Moral, and Aesthetic Searches for the Art of Living
DavÃd Carrasco PhD, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor for the Study of Latin America, Harvard University
Arthur Kleinman MD, Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Anthropology, Harvard University, and Professor of Medical Anthropology and Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Stephanie A. Paulsell PhD, Susan Shallcross Swartz Professor of the Practice of Christian Studies, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26739 | Section 1
Description
This is an experimental course taught from the perspectives of anthropology and religious studies that is intended to be transformative for students and teachers alike. Our goal is to develop, in collaboration with students, a pedagogy for fostering students’ personal quests for wisdom, through lectures and readings, extensive conversation, and other experiences inside and outside of class, including dramaturgical experiences with film or theater, caregiving, and meditation. As teachers we are inspired by William James’s conception of knowledge in the university as a strategy needed to live a life of purpose and significance that also contributes to improving the world. In the words of Albert Camus, “Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” Together, we engage with the problems of danger, uncertainty, failure, and suffering that led the founders of the social sciences and humanities to ask fundamental questions about meaning, imagination, aesthetics, social life, and subjective experience. These are the same existential questions that bring ordinary people all over the world, and throughout history, to question common sense reality in the face of catastrophes and the violence of everyday life. The many answers to these questions wisdom that is found in religious, ethical, and aesthetic quests, expressions, and traditions are intended to furnish individuals’ art of living with strategies to respond to potential and hope, pain and suffering; to promote healing; and to address concerns about salvation, redemption, or other kinds of moral-emotional transformation. Together through discussions, lectures, films, virtual museum visits, readings, and action we explore different paths to wisdom, including the youthful quest for truth, beauty, and goodness; the affirmation of caregiving for others as the means of applying wisdom to repair and improve the world; suffering and the ordeal of journeying through labyrinths and tests of courage; the discovery of wisdom in teachers and mentors near and far; and the process of creative mourning for past losses and shaping new beginnings.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Anthropology 1400. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Wednesdays, 3:00-5:45 pm starting January 24 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
ANTH E-1410
The Storyteller in Flight: Migrant Narratives, Refugee Camp Cultures, and the Arts of Displacement
Lowell A. Brower PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16949 | Section 1
Description
What are the effects of displacement on tradition, storytelling, and cultural belonging? How does forced migration influence narration, creative expression, and imagination? What are the powers and potentials of artistic communication after existential rupture? What is the role of the storyteller in flight? This course explores expressive cultures in motion, amid crisis, and out of place, and asks how tradition bearers and creative innovators adapt when the communities in which their preexisting cultural practices had once flourished are destroyed, uprooted, transformed, or dispersed. It also asks how researchers, aid workers, activists, and other outsiders might engage in ethical and beneficial ways with individuals and communities in exile. In examining the impacts of forced migration on cultural production, transmission, and innovation, we put classical theories of refugee and migration studies in conversation with recent ethnographies and folklore collections, as well as memoirs, novels, songs, and films by and about displaced persons. With case studies ranging from colonial Africa, to post-war Europe, to contemporary America, we explore what, if anything, holds together the refugee experience, while also interrogating our own neighborly obligations and scholarly commitments as we navigate what has famously been deemed the century of the migrant.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 26 students
ANTH E-1645
Money and Power: Cultural Approaches to Economic Life
James P. Herron PhD, Director of the Harvard Writing Project and Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26215 | Section 1
Description
This course considers how culture shapes the economic aspects of our lives. That is, we seek to understand the economy not as a separate realm with its own special logic and structure but instead as embedded in the social relations, identities, and cultural practices of everyday life. Our major course themes include exchange, money, debt, commodification, markets, and labor. We consider questions such as, how do the different kinds of exchanges we engage in gift exchanges versus market exchanges, for instance shape our relationships with others? We explore the social meaning of money and the role of the market in our lives. In a world where it is possible to rent a family, does money destroy love and intimacy? What aspects of our lives are governed by the logic of capitalism and what aspects escape capitalism’s grip? Why does it feel shameful to be in debt, and how has this shame been manipulated for political purposes? Why in the US do we consider work to be sacred and morally purifying even though many of us have tedious jobs? The course readings include theoretical and empirical works drawn mainly from the fields of anthropology, economic sociology, and heterodox economics. Our key texts include David Graeber’s Debt, Viviana Zelizer’s The Social Meaning of Money, and Sidney Mintz’s Sweetness and Power.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ANTH E-1660
Anthropology and Human Rights
Theodore Macdonald, Jr. PhD, Affiliate of the Department of Social Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26048 | Section 1
Description
This course combines an introduction to the formal, theoretical, and normative structures of human rights with analyses of contemporary case studies. It illustrates several critical human rights issues, debates, and practices that demonstrate the increasing significance of ethnographic field methods and related interpretive analysis. Accepting that agreement on and realization of human rights often require negotiation and compromise, the course illustrates why, and suggests how, realization of many broadly-defined human rights require specific contextualization.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ANTH E-1663
The Supernatural in the Modern World
Lowell A. Brower PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26589 | Section 1
Description
What do our ghost stories say about us, what do our beasts betray about us? Which witches bewitch us, which rumors consume us, and what sense can be made of what haunts us? Restless spirits, alien invaders, wicked witches, bloodthirsty vampires, legendary cryptids, murderous ogres, illuminati satanists, deep-state conspirators, memetic online menaces: our contemporary bestiary is overflowing with meaningful monsters. Our spine-tingling intellectual task in this course is to analyze the roles that these malevolent entities and the supernatural narratives we tell about them play in our everyday lives, collective psyches, communities, and politics, and in the crises we confront as individuals and groups. Are our occult stories allegories of our modern discontents or simply holdovers from our childhood nightmares? Are they symptoms of specific societal crises or representations of timeless pan-human fears? How has the witch hunt, the rumor panic, the standardized nightmare of the group transformed in this meme-ified age of online participatory culture, global interconnection, ecological catastrophe, and fake-news-driven conspiracy thinking? What can we learn about ourselves, our pasts, and our futures by thinking deeply about what scares us the most? And how frightened should we be of what we might find if we dig too deeply into that question? We analyze the supernatural in relationship historical memories, cultural anxieties, folk traditions, spiritual beliefs, physiological sensations, political conflicts, environmental disasters, and existential imperatives. Because nowhere is safe from the things that go bump in the night, our interdisciplinary journey takes us across time and space into the bellies of various beasts, from the gates of Harvard Yard, to the hills of Rwanda, the message boards of 4chan, the proms of rural Pennsylvania, the ships of the Middle Passage, the villages of medieval Europe, the halls of the White House, your creepy neighbor’s basement, and the deep dark woods. Our abominable assignments include creative reading responses, the documentation and analysis of frightful folklore, a fearsome final project, and a co-created haunted Harvard virtual tour. Course activities may include local excursions, storytelling sessions, and paranormal experimentation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ANTH E-1667
The Opioid Epidemic
Jason Bryan Silverstein PhD, Lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine and Co-Director, Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health Program, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16797 | Section 1
Description
More people die every year from opioid overdoses than gunshot wounds and car accidents, and the crisis appears to be worsening and rapidly changing. Making matters worse, understanding the crisis in real time is notoriously difficult, especially since most who overdose do not go to hospitals and death certificates are often unreliable. And while everyone agrees something must be done, what that something is leads us into heated debates over health care spending and harm reduction. While most medical research focuses on the biology of disease, this course takes a biosocial approach to unmask how social factors, economic insecurity, and the availability of massive amounts of pharmaceuticals have become an overdose crisis. We read social scientists, journalists, public health scholars, and first-hand accounts in order to understand the chronic emergencies (such as de-industrialization and despair) behind this acute crisis. By investigating the opioid epidemic in this way, students are encouraged to think boldly and creatively beyond the traditional boundaries of medicine: perhaps someone’s best medicine is a housing voucher, or a testing strip to detect fentanyl. By the end of the course, students understand the social roots of the opioid epidemic and how solutions may be implemented.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ANTH E-1690
Internet Folklore and Digital Storytelling
Lowell A. Brower PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26375 | Section 1
Description
Exploring the wild world wide web of informal vernacular culture being created, transmitted, and adapted by online communities, this course examines the powers, potentials, and peculiarities of internet folklore in relationship to community-building, political engagement, social change, and everyday negotiations of individual and group identity. On our digital journey, we encounter viral videos, meme warriors, urban legends, occult folk beliefs, disinformation campaigns, and viral challenges, while examining connections between contemporary online culture and ancient storytelling traditions. What new folk groups, storytelling genres, and political potentialities are arising as a result of online engagement? What are the creative, destructive, and ambivalent capacities of online participatory culture, and how are they being harnessed in projects of future-making? Course assignments invite students to research, analyze, and participate in digital storytelling in an attempt to better understand ourselves and our historical moment through folkloristic engagement.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 26-May 11, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ANTH E-1720
Magic Today: An Introduction to the Anthropology of Magic
Giovanna Parmigiani PhD, Lecturer on Religion and Cultural Anthropology and Research Associate in Transcendence and Transformation, Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16985 | Section 1
Description
What is magic? Is it different from religion? Is magic a way of knowing? In this course, we look at magic from an anthropological perspective. We focus, in particular, on contemporary magic in Europe and North America, addressing for example contemporary paganisms, Wicca, chaos magic, new age spirituality, and contemporary esotericism. By engaging with ethnographic works, students become acquainted with or deepen their knowledge of the main issues, traditions, debates, and research in the field of the anthropology of religion and of magic. Students analyze contemporary magic vis- -vis popular culture, feminism, globalization, medicine, social media, history, and well-being. They do so through ethnographic readings, films, music, arts, discussions, and independent research.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ANTH E-186
We Are One: An Anthropological Introduction to Contemporary Spiritualities
Giovanna Parmigiani PhD, Lecturer on Religion and Cultural Anthropology and Research Associate in Transcendence and Transformation, Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26588 | Section 1
Description
What is spirituality? How is it different from religion? How is spirituality linked to well-being? In this course, we address some of the most widespread ideas and practices within contemporary spiritualities with an anthropological lens. We read scholarly work, for example, on astrology, Tarot, and divination; Reiki and energy healing; mediumship and near-death experiences; unidentified flying objects; and conspirituality. We discuss their relation to neoliberalism and material culture; their role in healing and in popular culture; and their connections with politics, time, environmentalism, the senses, and non-rational ways of knowing. We do so through ethnographic readings, films, music, arts, discussions, and independent research. By engaging with ethnographic works, students become acquainted with or deepen their knowledge of the main issues, traditions, debates, and research in the field of the anthropology of religion and spirituality.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
APMA E-115
Mathematical Modeling
Zhiming Kuang PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26062 | Section 1
Description
Mathematical models are ubiquitous, providing a quantitative framework for understanding, prediction, and decision making in nearly every aspect of life, ranging from the timing of traffic lights, to the control of the spread of disease, to resource management, to sports. They also play a fundamental role in all natural sciences and increasingly in the social sciences as well. This course provides an introduction to modeling through in-depth discussions of a series of examples, and hands-on exercises and projects that make use of a range of continuous and discrete mathematical tools.
Prerequisites: MATH E-21a and MATH E-21b or permission of instructor. Knowledge of some programming language is helpful, but not necessary, as we introduce Matlab to those with no previous experience. Students must have Matlab installed on their computers. Students proficient in Python are welcome to use that language instead of Matlab.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Applied Mathematics 115.
ARAB E-1
Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I
Muhammad A. Habib PhD, Preceptor in Arabic, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13547 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students who have not previously studied Arabic and introduces the script, sounds, and basic grammar of the language. Emphasis is placed on developing proficiency in all four skills (reading, speaking, listening, and writing), as well as an understanding and appreciation of Arabic culture.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ARAB E-2
Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II
Muhammad A. Habib PhD, Preceptor in Arabic, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23418 | Section 1
Description
This course is the continuation of ARAB E-1 and is designed to reinforce and build upon what has been covered during the first semester. This is a proficiency-based course; emphasis is placed on the development of reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills for the purpose of communicative goals. These technical aspects are acquired through the context of Arab cultures. By the end of this course, students are able to communicate about everyday situations, both verbally and in writing; understand the use of basic grammatical structures; acquire an understanding of fundamental cultural values, practices, and perspectives of native speakers of Arabic; develop productive listening skills; and enjoy using the language creatively.
Prerequisites: ARAB E-1 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
ASTR E-8
The Emergence of Space and Time, Light and Matter: How Our Galaxy, Our Sun, and Our Earth Came to Be
Alessandro Massarotti PhD, Associate Professor of Physics, Stonehill College and Associate of the Department of Astronomy, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26439 | Section 1
Description
From the birth of our universe, 14 billion years ago, the explosion of space into existence which led to the Big Bang, our knowledge is only recently beginning to give us more fundamental answers about our physical existence. In this course, we discuss how the expanding cosmos gave rise to galaxies, how stars are born and die, and how planets form. We explore black holes, neutron stars, and other mysterious states of matter. Students learn about the most recent developments in the field of astronomy, including the discovery of gravity waves coming from merging neutron stars and the first images from the huge black hole at the center of our galaxy. We look into the mystery of symmetry in the cosmic laws and explore the possible existence of portals between far away times and locations, wormholes. We delve into the near future of telescopic exploration, such as the Webb Telescope and many other upcoming space missions.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
ASTR E-80
Planets, Moons, and Their Stars: The Search for Life in the Cosmos
Alessandro Massarotti PhD, Associate Professor of Physics, Stonehill College and Associate of the Department of Astronomy, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16972 | Section 1
Description
Astrobiology, the subject of this course, is a new discipline born out of the convergence of all scientific inquiry currently under way on the question of the origin and development of life here on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the Universe. Recent advances in planetary exploration, astronomy, geochemistry, and biochemistry are leading to a revolution in our ideas on the emergence of life on our own planet and the likelihood of finding life outside the Earth. In particular, much is being learned about Mars and Venus because of the many recent and ongoing space missions. Spectacular data from Jupiter’s and Saturn’s moons, like Titan, Europa, and Enceladus, show that these moons may become possible targets of future searches for life in our solar system. Geochemists are finding more and more intriguing clues about the Earth’s past by analyzing rocks dating from the very first period after the Earth’s formation, thus providing a fundamentally new context for research on the transition between chemistry and primordial life. And astronomers have been recently successful in searching for planets around other stars. Searches for extra-solar planets are currently under way and are leading to the discovery of Earth-like planets around solar-type stars.
Prerequisites: High School algebra. Some chemistry and physics background useful but not necessary.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
BIOS E-10
Introduction to Biochemistry
Robin Lynn Haynes PhD, Principal Associate in Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Roopali Roy PhD, Instructor in Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14563 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry by relating molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure, and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways, and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Fridays, September 8-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center C
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
BIOS E-10
Introduction to Biochemistry
Robin Lynn Haynes PhD, Principal Associate in Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Roopali Roy PhD, Instructor in Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24316 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of the main aspects of biochemistry by relating molecular interactions to their effects on the organism as a whole, especially as related to human biology. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure, and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways, and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 26-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-107
Introduction to Medical Neuroscience
Daniel L. Roe PhD, Lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Part-time, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26711 | Section 1
Description
This course presents students with an introduction to the major topics in neurological injury and disease. The student is introduced to the signs, symptoms, and underlying causes of a variety of conditions. Specific topics discussed include aneurysms, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, prosopagnosia, aphasia, contralateral neglect, neuropathy, meningioma, acoustic schwannoma, epidural and subdural hematoma, and pituitary tumor among others. Emphasis is on the neuroanatomical basis of injury and disease, and how this informs our understanding.
Prerequisites: Some background in basic biology is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, Tosteson Medical Ed Center 227
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: On-campus meetings are recorded. A live stream is available at the time the class meets. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. See minimum technology requirements. This course meets on the Longwood campus.
BIOS E-11
Medical Terminology
Jennifer A. Carr PhD, Lab Instructor, Salem State University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16967 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches the medical terminology and vocabulary used by individuals working in healthcare setting. The focus of this course is on medical and clinical terminology relating to human anatomy and physiology from an organ system perspective. An emphasis is placed on those terms relating to the clinical diagnosis and pathophysiology of disease states. Students also learn how to use prefixes, suffixes and word roots to determine the meaning of new terms. Common short hand used in the medical field such as acronyms and abbreviations are also covered.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-118
Deep Sea Biology
Peter Girguis PhD, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26553 | Section 1
Description
The oceans contain 97 percent of the Earth’s water, and host the most disparate ecosystems on the planet. This course provides an introduction to deep sea ocean habitats, animals, and microorganisms. Emphasis is placed on the physiological adaptations of organisms to their environment, as well as the role of microorganisms in mediating ocean biogeochemical cycles.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-12
Principles and Techniques of Molecular Biology
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 22965 | Section 1
Description
The course addresses both the fundamental principles and techniques of molecular biology. Students gain an in-depth knowledge of nucleic acid structure, molecular genetics, and the biochemistry of transcription and protein synthesis. Other topics include how mechanisms of gene regulation play a role in retroviral pathogenesis and embryonic development. Each lecture directly relates molecular biology to current laboratory techniques. Virtual laboratory sessions, using LabXchange, a free Harvard educational platform are included, These virtual laboratory sessions provide students with a broad exposure to several important techniques in molecular biology. Virtual experiments include current approaches to mutation analysis, protein interaction assays, and recombinant cDNA cloning by PCR.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required labs Thursdays, 7:40-9:40 pm. See syllabus for specific schedule.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-123
Reproductive Biology: Physiological, Evolutionary, and Behavioral Aspects
Daniel Spratt MD, Professor of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25897 | Section 1
Description
This course undertakes a multidisciplinary exploration of reproductive function in humans, including physiology and evolution as well as the impact on behavior and society. Examples in other species ranging from seasonal reproductive physiology and behavior in deer to effects of testosterone on songbirds’ vocalizations and behavior help provide perspectives on the complex process of human reproduction and the intricacy of its regulation by hormones. The ability of humans to understand and manipulate the influence of these hormones has had an impact on our lives, healthcare system, and society. The impact on society ranges from significant advances in women’s health to passionate controversies on limiting reproduction to scandals involving androgen use in sports. The impact of androgens and estrogens on cognition and behavior is an evolving field in neuroscience, business, and politics.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology or physiology or BIOS E-163.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections Wednesdays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-129
Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology
Julie Park PhD, Lecturer on Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
BIOS S-129: Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology PhD
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16940 | Section 1
Description
We are entering a new era in which a fundamental understanding of developmental biology and regeneration will play a critical role. In this course, embryonic and adult stem cells in different organisms are examined in terms of their molecular, cellular, and potential therapeutic properties. Genetic reprogramming and cloning of animals are critically evaluated. Ethical and political considerations are also considered.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent; knowledge of cell, molecular, or developmental biology is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-14
Principles of Genetics
Frederick R. Bieber PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
Chu Kwen Ho PhD, Instructional Consultant, STEM Education and Teacher Development, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26516 | Section 1
Description
This is a general course in genetics providing a broad view of gene action from the molecular to the population levels, with emphasis on eukaryotes. Topics include bacterial and viral genetics, Mendelian genetics, mutation and DNA repair, forensic DNA technology, chromosome structure and function, genomics, and population and evolutionary genetics. The course also covers legal, ethical, and policy considerations for use of genetic technology.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent; CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b (offered previously) or CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, or the equivalent; and MATH E-8.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-155
Medical Microbiology
Matthew Schaefers PhD, Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School and and Research Associate, Boston Children’s Hospital
Nikolaus Jilg MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Sarah Osmulski MD, Resident Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24224 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the microbial species that cause human disease. We cover bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, and discuss current topics including antibiotic resistance, public health threats, and the microbiome. There is no laboratory component to this course.
Prerequisites: Basic molecular and cellular biology, such as BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOS E-16
Cell Biology
Jared Johnson PhD, Instructor in Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16988 | Section 1
Description
This course is an in-depth exploration of the structure, function, and behavior of the basic units of life cells. Students learn about the processes of cytoskeletal reorganization and vesicle trafficking, and the highly choreographed events that govern cell polarity and mitosis. Special attention is given to connections to human diseases and the experimental breakthroughs that changed how we view human life at its most basic level.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
BIOS E-162a
Human Pathophysiology I
Nancy Long Sieber PhD, Adjunct Lecturer on Physiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16915 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the pathophysiology of the human cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems, and on how these systems are altered by various physiologic challenges. The concept of homeostasis is integrated with general disease processes such as injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and neoplasia to demonstrate ways in which perturbations in physiological regulatory mechanisms result in disease. We particularly focus on chronic disease, the effects of stress and obesity on these systems, and on differences between men and women in the manifestation of these diseases. Please note that Human Pathophysiology II is offered in alternate years.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-65c and BIOS E-65d, or permission of the instructors.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional weekly review sessions to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-163
Human Endocrine Physiology
Daniel Spratt MD, Professor of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25898 | Section 1
Description
This course delves into the fascinating ways in which hormones influence the body’s development and function. Initial lectures describe the nature of different hormones and how they exert their actions. Subsequent lectures explore how hormones regulate body functions including growth and reproduction, thyroid and metabolism, calcium and bones, nutrition, and salt/fluid balance. Clinical examples from both health and disease as well as evolutionary and historical perspectives are used liberally to illustrate points. We also explore how this physiology can be used to understand and treat diverse medical disorders such as diabetes, infertility, abnormal sexual differentiation and puberty, and osteoporosis.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or introductory physiology.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 306
Optional sections Thursdays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-167
Principles of Cardiology
Abul Ariza MD, Research Fellow in Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Frans Serpa MD, Research Fellow in Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16980 | Section 1
Description
One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. From public health to critical care, in the outpatient setting to state-of-the-art clinical research, cardiology is a major staple in any physician-scientist career. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the basic concepts of cardiology, from anatomy and physiology to common pathologies, with a basic understanding of the tools and procedures performed in the specialty. All these concepts are then integrated to gain novel skills such as basic interpretation and understanding of the electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and the different types of angiographies. Finally, we hypothesize the future directions of cardiology by discussing the most advanced diagnostics and therapeutics, such as proteomic and metabolic profiling, ventricular assistant devices, artificial hearts, and heart transplantation. We use challenging clinical cases based on real-life scenarios to dissect this highly complex and fascinating specialty into clinical, research, and public health concepts. Through lectures, active participation in forums, clinical-based assessments, the most updated materials, and a final presentation of an individual project to the faculty, the course gives students the knowledge to understand how the cardiovascular system works in health and disease. Emphasis includes high-yield concepts of the cardiovascular system present in medical licensing examinations by analyzing epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of common cardiovascular diseases.
Prerequisites: Some background in basic anatomy and/or biology is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-18
Evolution
Maria Miara PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, Brandeis University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14330 | Section 1
Description
Evolution is such a major tenet of modern biological theory that in 1973, evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky penned that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” This course provides a comprehensive introduction to evolutionary biology. Students are introduced to both short-term and long-term evolutionary processes and they explore the patterns that result from those processes. Topics covered include the history of evolutionary theory, evidence for evolution, the origin of life, the origin of animals and the Cambrian explosion, genetic evolution, natural selection, sexual selection, species and speciation, human evolution, and evolutionary issues in modern society.
Prerequisites: An introductory organismal biology course such as BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1bx.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
BIOS E-1ax
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lecture)
Edith Julieta Sarmiento-Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17004 | Section 1
Description
This course is the first half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). Topics include molecular biology, energy, metabolism, and genetics. The series complies with the current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1axl.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center A
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AX, and in BIOS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
BIOS E-1ax
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lecture)
Edith Julieta Sarmiento-Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17005 | Section 2
Description
This course is the first half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). Topics include molecular biology, energy, metabolism, and genetics. The series complies with the current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in BIOS E-1axl.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AX, and in BIOS E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-1axl
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lab)
Edith Julieta Sarmiento-Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17007 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1ax. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AXL, and in BIOS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1axl
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology (Lab)
Edith Julieta Sarmiento-Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Michael J. Borrett PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17008 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1ax. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1AXL, and in BIOS E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1bx
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lecture)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Lorenzo Gesuita PhD, Research Fellow in Genetics and Genomics, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26631 | Section 1
Description
This course is the second half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). This course builds on the foundation established in BIOS E-1ax and covers the origin of life and principles of evolution, and anatomy and physiology. The series fulfills current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in¿ BIOS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1ax or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center A
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BX, and in BIOS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
BIOS E-1bx
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lecture)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Lorenzo Gesuita PhD, Research Fellow in Genetics and Genomics, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26632 | Section 2
Description
This course is the second half of a year-long introductory series focused on the principles of cellular biology (BIOS E-1ax) and organismic biology (BIOS E-1bx). This course builds on the foundation established in BIOS E-1ax and covers the origin of life and principles of evolution, and anatomy and physiology. The series fulfills current medical school requirements for one year of introductory biology. This course does not include a lab; students who need a biology lab should enroll concurrently in¿ BIOS E-1bxl.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1ax or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BX, and in BIOS E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-1bxl
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lab)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Lorenzo Gesuita PhD, Research Fellow in Genetics and Genomics, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26633 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1bx. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1bx in an actual laboratory situation.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BXL, and in BIOS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-1bxl
Introduction to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (Lab)
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Lorenzo Gesuita PhD, Research Fellow in Genetics and Genomics, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26634 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in BIOS E-1bx. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from BIOS E-1bx in an actual laboratory situation.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Labs meet roughly every other week Mondays, 6-9 pm. Other times may be available pending enrollment and student interest. See course syllabus for details.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of BIOS E-1BXL, and in BIOS E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
BIOS E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology
Catherine Cahill PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16872 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar is designed to teach students many of the writing and analytical skills that are required to succeed in graduate-level courses in the biological sciences. The course is organized around discussion of topics derived from peer-reviewed published research in the fields of mucosal immunology, microbiology, and virology. We discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and attempt to understand disease pathogenesis, innate responses, and vaccine design. We also learn about human microbiome and how its presence alters susceptibility to infection. We discuss how microbiome-derived metabolites can control the immune system and learn how diet, probiotics, and/or microbiota-released metabolites ensure health. Through critical reading and presentation of research articles, students practice asking research questions that can be addressed experimentally and write testable hypothesis. This course also addresses the process of experimental design and current experimental methodologies in biology. Students are given multiple opportunities to hone their writing skills on several short writing assignments and a final writing project due at the end of the semester. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone. This is the required admission course for the ALM, biology. Students interested in the ALM, biotechnology, should see BIOT E-200.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. In addition, at the first class meeting students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments. Molecular biology (BIOS E-12 or the equivalent) and EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOS E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology
Margaret A. Lynch PhD, Director of Undergraduate-Faculty Research Partnerships, Brandeis University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 22950 | Section 1
Description
This proseminar is designed to teach students many of the writing and analytical skills that are required to succeed in graduate-level courses in the biological sciences. Through critical reading and presentation of research articles, students learn how to form questions that can be addressed experimentally and how to write a corresponding, testable hypothesis. This course also addresses the process of experimental design and current experimental methodologies in biology. Students are given multiple opportunities to hone their writing skills on several short writing assignments and a final writing project due at the end of the semester. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course (students will complete the official proposal course later in their degree program), it does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone. This is the required admission course for the Master of Liberal Arts, biology. Students interested in the Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, should see BIOT E-200.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. In addition, at the first class meeting students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level reading comprehension and ability to write coherent, logical arguments. Molecular biology (BIOS E-12 or the equivalent) and EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOS E-203
Classic Papers in Experimental Biology
William J. Anderson PhD, Senior Lecturer on Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16899 | Section 1
Description
What makes a science paper a classic? Does it start or redefine a field? Does it reveal a fundamental understanding of life? Is it the basis for a class of compounds that revolutionize medicine? This course explores some of these transformative papers taken from different fields in biology.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or equivalent. BIOS E-200 recommended but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
BIOS E-204
Developmental and Regenerative Biology
William J. Anderson PhD, Senior Lecturer on Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26504 | Section 1
Description
The field of developmental biology provides insights on a most interesting question: how do all of the cells in our bodies arise from a single cell, the fertilized egg? This graduate seminar probes this question through critical analysis of the primary literature. Both classical as well as contemporary papers are scrutinized. We cover topics ranging from fertilization, organogenesis, patterning, regeneration, and aging, with a focus on humans whenever possible.
Prerequisites: One year of introductory biology (BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b [offered previously], BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or equivalent); developmental biology (BIOS E-55) and/or stem cell biology (BIOS E-129) strongly recommended. Graduate proseminar (BIOS E-200) recommended but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOS E-207
Forensic Pathology
Jennifer Coulombe PhD, Research Fellow in Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Dana Stearns MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26199 | Section 1
Description
This course explores injury analysis and the determination of trauma etiology and mechanics. Starting with an examination of injury and emergency department tables from the Centers for Disease Control, students move on to case analyses and self and team-run investigations. Topics include, but are not limited to, intentional versus unintentional trauma, ballistic trauma, child abuse, intimate partner violence, motor vehicle accidents, penetrating trauma, and various other methods of intentional trauma.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-65c or BIOS E-65d, or equivalent.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Tosteson Medical Ed Center 128
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets on the Longwood campus.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOS E-236
How Commensal Organisms Control Our Health
Mihaela G. Gadjeva PhD, Associate Director, Bacteriology, Moderna
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17030 | Section 1
Description
The overarching subject of the course is to describe how gut commensal organisms are involved in the maintenance of human health. The course uses a collection of recently published, ground-breaking, and exciting new discoveries on the subject. We make connections between diet, gut colonization with commensal organisms, metabolites released by the commensal organisms, and maintenance of health. We also discuss the role of commensals when health is perturbed during conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and infection. Students learn what changes in the commensal communities co-occur with the different diseased states. Under the commensal-neurodegenerative disease topic, we explore the contribution of commensal-derived metabolites to the development and progression of autism, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases. Under the commensal-cancer topic, we examine how the efficacy of current biologics for cancer treatment depends on commensal colonizers. Lastly, we explore how commensal species alter immune responses to determine susceptibility to infections. This is a highly interactive course, where students may suggest and select favorite topics to explore and present during section discussions. Students can also suggest innovative future research directions based what they have learned during our meetings.
Prerequisites: Knowledge in cell biology and immunology.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOS E-245
CRISPR: Gene Editing Applications for Healthcare and Biotechnology
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25920 | Section 1
Description
CRISPR is a recent gene-editing technology providing an efficient, effective, and precise solution to genetic engineering with applications in the healthcare, biotechnology, and agriculture industries. CRISPR has a promising potential to transform diseases treatments, contribute to food security, or even aid biofuel production. Using real-world case studies, the course illustrates CRISPR’s potential to cure inherited genetic disorders, to treat infectious diseases such as HIV, and to advance the fight against cancer. When applicable, the impact and possibilities of the outcomes of CRISPR’s applications on the healthcare industry are discussed. The course also discusses the applications of CRISPR in the biotechnology industry and their roles in the development of disease-resistant cultivars, improving food yields, and allowing biofuels to become a viable alternative energy source.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
BIOS E-280
The Human Brain in the Animal Kingdom
Erin Hecht PhD, Assistant Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26703 | Section 1
Description
Our brains make us what we are. How did they get that way? How are they different from other animals’ and how are they similar? This course explores the structure and function of the modern human brain and examines the selective pressures that have impacted the evolution of human neuroanatomy and cognition. Frequent comparisons are made with other primate and non-primate species in order to situate an understanding of Homo sapiens within the context of the broader animal kingdom. Additionally, the course delves into the types of methodological approaches used to study these topics and consider the frontiers of new knowledge in this area. The course integrates research and theory from biological anthropology, archaeology, psychology, ethology, and neuroscience. Topics covered include the evolution of large brains in humans and other species; the emergence of specializations for communication, tool use, and culture; social cognition and theory of mind; individual variation and experience-dependent plasticity in the brain; and domestication and self-domestication.
Prerequisites: Some background in basic biology, psychology, and/or neuroscience is helpful, but not strictly required.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Human and Evolutionary Biology 2339. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:45 pm starting January 23 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOS E-30
Epigenetics, Epitranscriptomics, and Gene Regulation
Amy Tsurumi PhD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16171 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to introduce students to the field of epigenetics and epitranscriptomics, and gene regulatory mechanisms that occur without changes in the underlying DNA sequence. Molecular mechanisms we cover in depth include DNA and RNA modifications, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, non-coding RNAs, and RNA editing. We discuss studies describing the role of epigenetics and epitranscriptomics in various developmental events, the natural aging process, environmental exposures, and malignancies such as cancer, obesity, neurological disorders, and inflammatory diseases. We also learn about molecular techniques and model organisms commonly used in epigenetics research.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-12 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-40
Introduction to Proteomics
Alain Viel PhD, Senior Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13099 | Section 1
Description
The completion of several genome projects, including the Human Genome Project, has further fostered a systems-based approach to biology. The goal is to determine how all the genes in a genome act and how their products interact to produce a functional organism. Proteomics seeks to identify and to characterize all the proteins synthesized in a cell or a tissue. Based on this information, one can then try to understand how individual proteins or protein collectives function within an organism. The first half of the course focuses on current methodology used to analyze and identify proteins. This includes protein electrophoresis, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and protein database analysis. The second half of the course focuses on case studies derived from the current scientific literature. This includes comparisons between healthy and diseased tissues, new approaches to analyze metabolic pathways, and the comprehensive analysis of protein-protein interactions in different cell types.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent. BIOS E-12 recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 302
Required review sessions Thursdays, 5:50-7:50 pm.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-45
Introduction to Genomics
Arezou A. Ghazani PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26515 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of human and comparative genomic studies, genomic architecture, numerical and structural variations, and regulatory mechanisms of the genome. The course topics include current and novel practices in genome interrogations, global copy number variation (CNV) assessment, sequencing, and data analysis. This course cultivates an understanding of functional genomics and genomic malfunction, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and the new field of personal genomics, along with discussions on social and ethical impacts resulting from advances in genomics studies.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, or the equivalent. CHEM E-1a and CHEM E-1b (offered previously) or CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-50
Neurobiology
Laura Magnotti PhD, Lecturer on Neuroscience, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13097 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the structure and function of the mammalian nervous system by examining the molecules, cells, and circuits that are involved in directing our behavior. We explore how the nervous system is constructed during development, how it adapts with experience throughout life, how it functions in normal behavior, and how it can be disrupted by injury and disease.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology or permission of the instructor. For graduate-credit students, successful completion of BIOS E-200 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center E
Required sections for graduate-credit students, optional sections for undergraduate-credit students to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
BIOS E-50
Neurobiology
Edith Julieta Sarmiento-Ponce PhD, Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26657 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the brain at the level of molecules, cells, circuits, and behavior. Topics include brain anatomy and function; sensory and motor systems; how the brain processes thoughts; how the brain regulates emotions; learning, memory, and attention; neurodiversity; and neurological disorders.
Prerequisites: A college-level introductory biology course or a strong background in biology is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOS E-52
The Neurobiology of Pain
Ryan W. Draft PhD, Lecturer on Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15683 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the neurobiological systems and mechanisms underlying both acute and chronic pain. Topics include nociceptive and sensory systems, molecular basis and modulation of pain, neuroanatomy of peripheral and central pain circuits, pain pathologies, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. The emphasis is on understanding basic neurobiological concepts underlying pain systems and reading and discussing the primary scientific research in the field.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
BIOS E-53
Brain Invaders: Pathogens of the Central Nervous System
Laura Magnotti PhD, Lecturer on Neuroscience, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26229 | Section 1
Description
The brain has evolved a unique but very effective system to protect itself from invaders. In this course, we explore the specific defenses that the nervous system uses to protect itself. We also examine how some pathogens evade or breach those defenses and the impact of those invasions. Finally, we explore how scientists have been able to translate their understanding of these pathogenic mechanisms into technologies for research and therapeutic applications.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously), BIOS E-1ax, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center 104
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
BIOS E-60
Immunology
David E. Sloane EdM, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23186 | Section 1
Description
What is the immune system and how does it work to protect organisms from danger like infections and cancer? In this comprehensive course, we answer these questions by exploring the structure and function of the immune system, focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms. Students develop a solid understanding of innate versus adaptive immunity; antigens and antibodies; B cells, T cells, and their receptors; major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins; cytokines and chemokines; processes of lymphocyte development and antigen presentation; and the genetics of the immune system. Case studies describe clinical aspects of human immune system function in health and disease including infections (bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic), cancers, autoimmune diseases, allergic and other hypersensitivity diseases, immunodeficiencies, transplantations, vaccinations, and medications and other therapeutic agents (including biologics and CAR-T cells) that affect and harness the immune system. Along the way, we touch on broader themes such as the relationship between the immune system and the nervous system, the dynamics of complex systems that operate at different planes of resolution (from the molecular and cellular to whole populations of organisms and the interactions of different species in ecosystems including the human microbiome), and some philosophical and interpretive views of immunity such as how it contributes to identity and how it functions in ways analogous to language. Upon completion of the course, students have a sound understanding of the essential elements of the immune system, preparing them to engage further in this rapidly evolving field.
Prerequisites: Background in biology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Sundays, January 28-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-65c
Clinical Anatomy and Physiology I
Britt Stockton Lee MD, PhD, MEDscience Teacher, Harvard Medical School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13387 | Section 1
Description
This course is an immersive introduction to human anatomy and physiology from a clinical perspective. Students gain a functional understanding of the systems of the body and the structure and function of the tissues that comprise them. Using real-life clinical scenarios, students use their newfound basic science knowledge to assess and diagnose pathologies of the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, endocrine, urinary, immune, and musculoskeletal systems.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 90 students
BIOS E-65d
Clinical Anatomy and Physiology II
Britt Stockton Lee MD, PhD, MEDscience Teacher, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23232 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of BIOS E-65c. Students gain a functional understanding of the systems of the body and the structure and function of the tissues that comprise them. Using real-life clinical scenarios, students use their newfound basic science knowledge to assess and diagnose pathologies of the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, endocrine, urinary, immune, and musculoskeletal systems.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, BIOS E-65c, algebra, and introductory geometry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 90 students
BIOS E-66
Sports Physiology
Maria Miara PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, Brandeis University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26621 | Section 1
Description
From the NFL’s “Play 60” program to the increased popularity of running clubs, yoga studios, and CrossFit gyms, there has been an increasing awareness in this country of the importance of physical activity for overall health. In this course we dive deeper into the physiology and anatomy behind exercise science looking specifically at how the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems respond to physical activity. Additionally we consider how the body reacts differently depending on activity type, environmental condition, and participant age.
Prerequisites: One semester of anatomy and physiology (such as BIOS E-65c or BIOS E-65d) or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-67
Introduction to Pharmacology
Elizaveta Wick PhD, HMX Pharmacology Curriculum Lead, Harvard Medical School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26585 | Section 1
Description
It is often thought that studying pharmacology involves memorizing drug names and chemical pathways, but in reality this subject is built upon a few simple concepts. This course aims to cover these fundamental concepts of pharmacology including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicology. Learning materials are delivered online through HMX, a digital learning initiative from the faculty of Harvard Medical School. The HMX pharmacology course has been created by a highly skilled interdisciplinary team of Harvard Medical School educators and creative professionals. Using integrated multimedia elements and didactic visuals the HMX course focuses on bringing foundational concepts in pharmacology to life via real-world and clinical applications. Students also participate in a live component where they have the opportunity to dive deeper into these pharmacological concepts and work on problem-solving activities in weekly sessions with their instructor. In addition to receiving course credit, students have the opportunity to earn a certificate from Harvard Medical School. A certificate of achievement or a certificate of completion can be earned by those who attain certain thresholds within the course. Students registered in this course have access to the HMX pharmacology course. They should not enroll separately in the HMX course.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and biochemistry are strongly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-70
Introduction to Epidemiology
Jennifer Fonda PhD, Lecturer in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, and Research Health Scientist, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24809 | Section 1
Description
How can you design a study to evaluate the risk factors associated with the recent reversal in life expectancy in the United States? How do you assess the benefits and risks related to the recent cancer screening guidelines? This course introduces the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and demonstrates the applicability to public health and medicine. The goal of this course is to provide fundamental skills needed to begin to interpret and critically evaluate literature relevant to public health. Topics include measures of disease frequency and association, epidemiologic study designs, sources of bias and error, screening, and applications to public health.
Prerequisites: Basic quantitative skills essential; familiarity with medical terminology helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOS E-72
Infectious Diseases in a World of Changing Climate, Drug Resistance, and Vaccine Hesitancy
Narges Dorratoltaj PhD, Director, Life and Health Modeling, Verisk
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16122 | Section 1
Description
Despite the availability of control measures, infectious diseases are emerging and re-emerging. These outbreaks emphasize the importance of understanding the epidemiology of infectious diseases through qualitative and quantitative methods. This course introduces the basics of infectious disease epidemiology and modeling, disease surveillance methods, dynamics of transmission, and assessment of prevention and control measures. The epidemiology of different diseases based on route of transmission (food-borne, water-borne, vector-borne, or air-borne) along with common and recently emerged infectious diseases (COVID-19, influenza, malaria, Ebola, Zika, and antimicrobial resistance pathogens) are discussed. Finally, we explore some modeling techniques to understand the epidemiology and dynamics of infectious disease outbreaks to help public health officials make more informed decisions. We consider the political, demographic, and social changes that have an impact on public health.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, MATH E-8, and MATH E-15, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
BIOT E-100
Business and Science of Biotechnology
Swetha Srinivasa Murali PhD, Senior Associate, OMX Ventures
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17003 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the science, practice, and business of biotechnology. The impact and drawbacks in areas of modern biotechnology such as genetic engineering as well as the ethical implications of innovative biotechnology applications are covered. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to biotechnology as an applied science, policy and regulatory aspects of drug development, academic and small business innovation, technical biotechnology applications, opportunities to cross-train with focus on various career possibilities, and building fundraising and organizational resilience for uncertain funding environments. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the four core areas of study for the biotechnology degree.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-12, or their equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 65 students
BIOT E-100
Business and Science of Biotechnology
Swetha Srinivasa Murali PhD, Senior Associate, OMX Ventures
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26640 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the science, practice, and business of biotechnology. The impact and drawbacks in areas of modern biotechnology such as genetic engineering as well as the ethical implications of innovative biotechnology applications are covered. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to biotechnology as an applied science, policy and regulatory aspects of drug development, academic and small business innovation, technical biotechnology applications, opportunities to cross-train with focus on various career possibilities, and building fundraising and organizational resilience for uncertain funding environments. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the four core areas of study for the biotechnology degree.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-12, or their equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
BIOT E-100
Business and Science of Biotechnology
Swetha Srinivasa Murali PhD, Senior Associate, OMX Ventures
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26743 | Section 2
Description
This course explores the science, practice, and business of biotechnology. The impact and drawbacks in areas of modern biotechnology such as genetic engineering as well as the ethical implications of innovative biotechnology applications are covered. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to biotechnology as an applied science, policy and regulatory aspects of drug development, academic and small business innovation, technical biotechnology applications, opportunities to cross-train with focus on various career possibilities, and building fundraising and organizational resilience for uncertain funding environments. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the four core areas of study for the biotechnology degree.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-12, or their equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
BIOT E-104
Introductory Bioinformatics
Soohyun Lee PhD, Senior Bioinformatics Scientist, Exact Sciences
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16716 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed to cover an introductory level overview of bioinformatics. It covers commonly used bioinformatics tools and algorithms as well as standard formats, with the focus on DNA/RNA sequence and sequencing data analysis. The topics include sequence alignment, motif detection, conservation analysis, Markov models, short-read sequencing data alignment, variant detection and visualization, peak calling, clustering methods, standard formats, random access tools, and performance analysis. Web-based tools and databases are also covered. Pipeline development frameworks and cloud-based approaches are discussed briefly. This course does not include artificial intelligence or machine learning techniques or theoretical analysis of algorithms. Programming is not the focus of the course, but students are welcome to apply their programming skills to the course material.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of molecular biology (DNA, RNA, and protein) required. Knowledge in genomics and epigenetics a plus but not required. Statistics and programming skills a plus but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-105
Bioinformatics: Fundamentals of Sequence Analysis
Michael Agostino PhD
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24434 | Section 1
Description
With breakthroughs in biotechnology such as high-throughput and inexpensive DNA sequencing, we are collecting vast amounts of data that will be analyzed for years to come. The details of this data reveal basic information such as gene and protein structures and may lead us to major discoveries like gene-disease associations. This course teaches the bioinformatics skills used in academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical laboratories for analyzing individual DNA and protein sequences. This is not a programming course. Classes consist of lecture and extensive hands-on work using mainstream web-based bioinformatics tools. Students learn how to evaluate data sources and choose the correct paths to solutions. Throughout the semester, interesting biological questions are addressed by analyzing sequences, searching databases, using sophisticated software, and interpreting results. Upon completion of the course, students have extensive skills with sequence analysis tools and are prepared for their own laboratory projects or bioinformatics software creation.
Prerequisites: Fundamental knowledge of molecular biology (DNA, RNA, protein) and genomics required. More advanced knowledge a definite plus. No programming skills required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-120
Ethics and Trends in Biotechnology
Timothy Furlan PhD, Burnett Family Distinguished Chair in Ethics, University of St. Thomas, Director, Center for Ethical Leadership, and Senior Editor, Pediatric Ethicscope
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15456 | Section 1
Description
Biotechnology offers exciting and promising prospects for healing the sick and relieving suffering. But exactly because of their impressive powers to alter the workings of body and mind, the dual uses of the same technologies also make them attractive to people who are not sick, but who would use them to look younger, perform better, or feel happier. These applications of biotechnology are already presenting us with some unfamiliar and very difficult challenges. In this course, we consider such possible beyond therapy uses and explore both their scientific basis and the ethical and social issues they are likely to raise. We consider how pursuing the goals of better children, superior performance, ageless bodies, or happy souls might be aided or hindered, elevated or degraded, by seeking them through a wide variety of technological means. Among the biotechnological techniques considered are techniques for screening genes and testing embryos, choosing sex of children, modifying the behavior of children, augmenting muscle size and strength, enhancing athletic performance, slowing senescence, blunting painful memories, brightening mood, and altering basic temperaments. Toward the end of the course, we begin to ask what kinds of human beings and what sort of society we might be creating in the coming age of biotechnology.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-1a and BIOS E-1b (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax and BIOS E-1bx, BIOS E-12, or the equivalents.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOT E-140
RNA Biology and Therapeutics
Casey Roehrig PhD, Manager of Instructional Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16997 | Section 1
Description
RNA molecules can store and transfer genetic information, as well as regulate cellular processes through enzymatic activity and their interaction with other biomolecules. In the past decade, advances in next-generation sequencing have revealed new classes of RNAs and the multiple layers of information and functions they carry. The newly discovered functions of different classes of RNA molecules and their roles in human development and disease have led to the emergence of RNA therapeutics. This course explores the intersection of modern basic and translational research on RNA biology along with the biotechnology industry’s drug development efforts around RNA therapeutics. The course offers a unique opportunity for students, researchers, and biotechnology innovators to expand their knowledge about the growing science of RNA therapeutics and to develop a deep understanding of RNA-focused drug development in the biotech industry. This course opens with an introduction to the RNA world, including evolutionary theories about biomolecules, fundamental concepts related to the structure and functions of RNAs, current classifications of RNA molecules, and modern tools and techniques for studying RNAs. The course then covers current classes of RNA molecules and their roles in normal biology and in disease. This course focuses on a number of classes of RNA therapeutics including drugs that target normal or abnormal RNA transcripts and drugs and vaccines composed of RNAs.
Prerequisites: BIOS E-12.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 35 students
BIOT E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biotechnology
Margaret A. Lynch PhD, Director of Undergraduate-Faculty Research Partnerships, Brandeis University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13645 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, we focus on science writing, data interpretation, and collaborative and independent experimental design. Students who successfully complete the course are those who demonstrate an ability to assess information from the primary scientific literature, a command of oral and written communication skills, and the ability to generate a logical progression of experiments to help validate or nullify their hypothesis. Reading materials include publications on scientific writing, experimental design, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone. This is the required admission course for the ALM in biotechnology. Students interested in the ALM in biology should enroll in BIOS E-200.
Prerequisites: Students without a background in life sciences should successfully complete BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, and BIOS E-12 or their equivalents before attempting to take BIOT E-200. EXPO E-42c is strongly recommended. Students must earn a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOT E-200
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biotechnology
Elizabeth Wiltrout Leary PhD, Senior Program Manager, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts Medical Center
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23457 | Section 1
Description
In this proseminar, we focus on science writing, data interpretation, and collaborative and independent experimental design. Students who successfully complete the course are those who demonstrate an ability to assess information from the primary scientific literature, a command of oral and written communication skills, and the ability to generate a logical progression of experiments to help validate or nullify their hypothesis. Reading materials include publications on scientific writing, experimental design, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Because skills learned in this course are useful in subsequent courses, it is the first course that prospective Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) candidates should take toward the degree (or the second, if they are completing the expository writing prerequisite). While not designed to be a thesis or capstone proposal course, this course does serve as a foundation for eventual work on the thesis or capstone. This is the required admission course for the ALM in biotechnology. Students interested in the ALM in biology should enroll in BIOS E-200.
Prerequisites: Students without a background in life sciences should successfully complete BIOS E-1a (offered previously) or BIOS E-1ax, and BIOS E-12 or their equivalents before attempting to take BIOT E-200. EXPO E-42c is strongly recommended. Students must earn a satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
BIOT E-220
Regulatory Aspects of Drug Development
Jonathon Parker PhD, Vice President, Head of Regulatory Neurology, Ultragenyx
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25749 | Section 1
Description
The course provides an overview of the prescription drug development process and regulatory considerations for this process, including small molecules, biologics, and gene therapy. It focuses on the phases of pharmaceutical development, aspects influencing the pharmaceutical industry, and the regulatory themes and healthcare concepts that shape the decisions having an impact on the entire process.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
BIOT E-225
Biomedical Product Development
Sujata K. Bhatia PhD, MD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15756 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the design and development of new therapeutic products. Students learn through case-based studies of product development for pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, and combination therapies. The course describes the steps of biomedical product development, from conceptualization, to design, to manufacturing, to regulatory approval and commercialization. The course discusses both technical and business factors that contribute to the success or failure of new biomedical products. Appropriate design of preclinical and clinical trials is also included. Students gain an appreciation for emerging technologies in stem cells, gene therapy, tissue regeneration, personalized medicine, and targeted therapies. Additionally, students learn about the special challenges presented by emerging biomedical technologies. By the end of the course, each student completes a project to propose a new biomedical device and identify the regulatory strategy, technical milestones, and business milestones for the new device.
Prerequisites: Background in introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
BIOT E-227
Immunoassay Design and Development
Masha Fridkis-Hareli PhD, President, ATR, LLC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16674 | Section 1
Description
This introductory course explores assays commonly used in drug discovery and development. Immunoassays are key in characterization of drug candidates for efficacy and safety prior to market authorization. The overall goal of the course is to provide students with knowledge of different types of immunoassays including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), flow cytometry, and cell-based assays. Topics include design and optimization process, reagent selection, assay validation, and implementation for various applications in drug profiling.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
BIOT E-597
Precapstone: Business Ideas and Entrepreneurial Innovation
Steven Denkin PhD, Director and Research Advisor, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
Nicolas Labovitis ALM, Chief Executive Officer, Ibex Finance, LLC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16815 | Section 1
Description
This precapstone course prepares students to write and present their business plan in the capstone. It is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, who wish to register for BIOT E-599 in the spring. Through idea discovery, market research, and prototype development, students identify an innovative biotechnology product or application. In addition to idea generation and development, students receive guidance and advising to work effectively in teams to develop and propose a viable idea and outline a business plan. During the semester, students meet with industry experts to discuss best practices.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, BIOT E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
BIOT E-599
Capstone: Business Ideas and Entrepreneurial Innovation
Steven Denkin PhD, Director and Research Advisor, Biotechnology, Harvard Extension School
Beth Zielinski-Habershaw PhD
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25061 | Section 1
Description
This capstone course provides an opportunity for biotechnology professionals to create a business plan for a new biotechnology company, a ground-breaking drug, or an emerging technology such as a diagnostic or medical device. The biotech business plan includes background research on the idea and investigation of the following: market opportunity, market strategy, funding, intellectual property, patents, and management. In addition to the business plan report, each student writes their own executive summary. During the semester, students meet with industry experts to discuss best practices.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, biotechnology, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must have earned a B-minus or higher grade in BIOT E-597 in the prior fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
CGRK E-1a
Beginning Ancient Greek
Nadav Asraf, Ph.D. PhD, Teaching Assistant in the Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16868 | Section 1
Description
This course is the first of a four-part sequence providing a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students develop a foundational understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical concepts covered include the declension of nouns and adjectives; pronouns (demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative); the function of the cases; the conjugation of verbs in the present, imperfect, and future indicative; and the present participle. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $750, undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 28 students
CGRK E-1b
Beginning Ancient Greek
Nadav Asraf, Ph.D. PhD, Teaching Assistant in the Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26493 | Section 1
Description
This course is the second of a four-part sequence providing a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students improve their understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical concepts covered include the conjugation of verbs in the aorist indicative; the aorist participle; the conjugation of verbs in the present and aorist optative (active and middle voices); the potential optative; comparative and superlative adjectives; relative clauses; particles; indirect statements; and the principal parts of common verbs. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $750, undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 28 students
CGRK E-2a
Intermediate Classical Greek I
Nadav Asraf, Ph.D. PhD, Teaching Assistant in the Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16869 | Section 1
Description
This course is the third of a four-part sequence providing a comprehensive introduction to the classical Greek language. Students improve their understanding of morphology and syntax while reading texts inspired by or adapted from authors such as Aristophanes, Demosthenes, Herodotus, and Plato. Grammatical topics covered include the perfect tense, the conjugation of verbs in the passive voice, the conjugation of athematic verbs, the genitive absolute, indirect statements, conditional clauses, clauses of effort, the subjunctive mood, articular infinitives, and indefinite constructions. In addition, this course provides an introduction to ancient Greek literature and culture.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1b or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $750, undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 28 students
CGRK E-31
Homer’s Odyssey
Jeremy Rau PhD, Professor of Linguistics and of the Classics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26071 | Section 1
Description
Reading of selections of Homer’s Odyssey, with an introduction to Homeric language and meter and the history of the poem. The course also includes a survey of Homeric linguistics, including the compositional background of the poems, the effect of meter and composition on Homeric language, and the dialect makeup of Homeric language.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a and CGRK E-1b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CGRK E-34
Plato
Jeremy Rau PhD, Professor of Linguistics and of the Classics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17044 | Section 1
Description
An introduction to Plato’s language and style, philosophy, authorial voice and narrative strategies, and his cultural context. We read selections of the Symposium in Greek and all in English.
Prerequisites: CGRK E-1a and CGRK E-1b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
CHEM E-100
Organic Chemistry of Drug Synthesis and Action
Craig Masse PhD, Senior Vice President of Discovery Research, Ajax Therapeutics
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14210 | Section 1
Description
This course emphasizes the application of organic synthesis to the development of pharmaceutical targets at both the medicinal and process chemistry levels. It examines the macromolecular targets of some of the more popular types of pharmaceutical therapies that exist today using case histories of modern drug molecules for each topic.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent preparation in organic chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CHEM E-17l
Principles of Organic Chemistry: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16999 | Section 1
Description
This hands-on experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17. Practical applications of the reactions learned in CHEM E-17, such as those of carbonyls, amines, and aromatic structures, are expanded upon in the laboratory. In addition to performing reactions, students are introduced to purification techniques and spectroscopic analysis. Laboratory procedures include acid-base extraction, distillation, chromatography, and quantitative multi-step synthesis.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent (prior or concurrent). Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in CHEM E-17 should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-10:00pm, Science Center 210
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17L, and CHEM E-27LAB may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 32 students
CHEM E-17l
Principles of Organic Chemistry: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17026 | Section 2
Description
This hands-on experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17. Practical applications of the reactions learned in CHEM E-17, such as those of carbonyls, amines, and aromatic structures, are expanded upon in the laboratory. In addition to performing reactions, students are introduced to purification techniques and spectroscopic analysis. Laboratory procedures include acid-base extraction, distillation, chromatography, and quantitative multi-step synthesis.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent (prior or concurrent). Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in CHEM E-17 should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 1:30pm-5:30pm, Science Center 210
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17L, and CHEM E-27LAB may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
CHEM E-17l
Principles of Organic Chemistry: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17027 | Section 3
Description
This hands-on experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17. Practical applications of the reactions learned in CHEM E-17, such as those of carbonyls, amines, and aromatic structures, are expanded upon in the laboratory. In addition to performing reactions, students are introduced to purification techniques and spectroscopic analysis. Laboratory procedures include acid-base extraction, distillation, chromatography, and quantitative multi-step synthesis.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent (prior or concurrent). Prospective students who do not plan to concurrently enroll in CHEM E-17 should contact the course instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, September 9-December 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, Science Center 210
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17L, and CHEM E-27LAB may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 28 students
CHEM E-17x
Principles of Organic Chemistry
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Brandon David Conley MA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16992 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to organic chemistry with an emphasis on structure and bonding, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and chemical reactivity. Many of the major classes of organic compounds are covered, including alkenes, alkyl halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acid derivatives. Students who succeed in this course are well prepared for more advanced organic chemistry courses as well as the MCAT/DAT/GRE exams.
Prerequisites: One year of general chemistry, such as CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, with grades of B-minus or higher.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center B
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17X, and in CHEM E-17L may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
CHEM E-17x
Principles of Organic Chemistry
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Brandon David Conley MA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16991 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to organic chemistry with an emphasis on structure and bonding, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and chemical reactivity. Many of the major classes of organic compounds are covered, including alkenes, alkyl halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acid derivatives. Students who succeed in this course are well prepared for more advanced organic chemistry courses as well as the MCAT/DAT/GRE exams.
Prerequisites: One year of general chemistry, such as CHEM E-1ax and CHEM E-1bx, with grades of B-minus or higher.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-17X, and in CHEM E-17L may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other courses.
CHEM E-1ax
General Chemistry I (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17039 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the structure and properties of atoms and molecules; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; quantum mechanics of light and particles, including the quantum structure of the periodic table; chemical bonding and photochemistry; coordination chemistry; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; energy relationships in chemistry; and thermochemistry. See CHEM E-1axl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: Mathematics through high school algebra; considerable fluency in elementary mathematics. Previous study of chemistry is not required but is extremely helpful. Students with no previous background in chemistry should become acquainted with the material beforehand and be prepared to make extra efforts. A review of elementary algebra, particularly word problems, is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center D
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AX, and CHEM E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course(s).
Enrollment limit: Limited to 340 students
CHEM E-1ax
General Chemistry I (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14578 | Section 2
Description
This course is an introduction to the structure and properties of atoms and molecules; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; quantum mechanics of light and particles, including the quantum structure of the periodic table; chemical bonding and photochemistry; coordination chemistry; properties of gases, liquids, and solutions; energy relationships in chemistry; and thermochemistry. See CHEM E-1axl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: Mathematics through high school algebra; considerable fluency in elementary mathematics. Previous study of chemistry is not required but is extremely helpful. Students with no previous background in chemistry should become acquainted with the material beforehand and be prepared to make extra efforts. A review of elementary algebra, particularly word problems, is highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AX, and CHEM E-1AXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course(s).
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14587 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 7:30pm-9:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17064 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 7:30pm-9:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17065 | Section 3
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, September 9-December 21, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 212
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CHEM E-1axl
General Chemistry I (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16859 | Section 4
Description
This laboratory course is only open to students who are concurrently enrolled in CHEM E-1ax or have previously taken CHEM E-1ax and earned a C-minus or higher grade. The course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1ax in an actual laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in one semester of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 9-December 21, 10:30am-12:45pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1AXL, and in CHEM E-1AX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or labs. Accordingly, when students participate in the labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CHEM E-1bx
General Chemistry II (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26676 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CHEM E-1ax. Topics include thermodynamics and electrochemistry; rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions; phase transitions, structure, and bonding in solids; acids and bases; buffers and titrations; and environmental chemistry. See CHEM E-1bxl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-1ax with a grade of C or higher, or the equivalent. Students interested in taking CHEM E-1bx without having taken CHEM E-1ax should e-mail the instructors with a detailed syllabus and grade report from their previous general chemistry course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Science Center B
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BX, and in CHEM E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions online, they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 340 students
CHEM E-1bx
General Chemistry II (Lecture)
Gregg Tucci PhD, Senior Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24285 | Section 2
Description
This course is a continuation of CHEM E-1ax. Topics include thermodynamics and electrochemistry; rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions; phase transitions, structure, and bonding in solids; acids and bases; buffers and titrations; and environmental chemistry. See CHEM E-1bxl for the lab course.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-1ax with a grade of C or higher, or the equivalent. Students interested in taking CHEM E-1bx without having taken CHEM E-1ax should e-mail the instructors with a detailed syllabus and grade report from their previous general chemistry course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BX, and in CHEM E-1BXL may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions online, they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 100 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24307 | Section 1
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 7:30pm-9:45pm, Science Center 210
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26701 | Section 2
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 210
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26702 | Section 3
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, January 27-May 11, 10:30am-12:45pm, Science Center 210
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CHEM E-1bxl
General Chemistry II (Lab)
Justin McCarty MM, Head Teaching Fellow in General Chemistry, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26483 | Section 4
Description
This laboratory course allows students to gain familiarity with laboratory techniques and apparatus, and to apply their knowledge of concepts from CHEM E-1bx in a laboratory situation. Prior to each lab, students read the lab experiment and complete a pre-laboratory report.
Prerequisites: Previous or concurrent enrollment in two semesters of college-level general chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 27-May 11, 10:30am-12:45pm
Labs meet roughly every other week. Specific schedule to be announced.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course, other sections of CHEM E-1BXL, and CHEM E-1BX may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions they will do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CHEM E-27lab
Organic Chemistry of Life: Laboratory
David Rose BA, Undergraduate Chemistry Lab Coordinator, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17096 | Section 1
Description
This experimental laboratory course is intended to complement CHEM E-17 and CHEM E-27 (offered previously). Practical applications of the concepts learned in lecture, such as chirality, enzyme catalysis, and pharmacology, are expanded upon in the laboratory. Emphasis is place on the intersectionality of chemistry, biology, medicine, and the environment.
Prerequisites: Students must have taken one semester of organic chemistry lecture and one semester of organic chemistry laboratory. CHEM E-17lab is recommended. If organic chemistry laboratory was taken at a different institution, students should contact the instructor to ensure that the necessary prerequisites are met.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Saturdays, September 9-December 21, 9:00am-1:00pm, Science Center 210
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $510.
Credits: 1
Notes: Students in this course and sections of CHEM E-17L may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or lab sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in labs, they may do so alongside students in other sections.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 8 students
CHEM E-27x
Organic Chemistry of Life
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Brandon David Conley MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26627 | Section 1
Description
This course is a second-semester organic chemistry course focusing on organic chemistry reactivity processes in living systems. Emphasis is placed on reaction mechanisms of enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, cofactors, natural products, and the organic chemistry and metabolism of drugs and drug-like molecules. This course does not include a lab; students who need an organic chemistry lab should enroll in CHEM E-27lab.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent preparation in organic chemistry. Basic knowledge of biology can be helpful.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm, Science Center D
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: Students in this course and other sections of CHEM E-27X may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
CHEM E-27x
Organic Chemistry of Life
Sirinya Matchacheep PhD, Lecturer on Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Instructional Laboratory Programs, Harvard University
Brandon David Conley MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26626 | Section 2
Description
This course is a second-semester organic chemistry course focusing on organic chemistry reactivity processes in living systems. Emphasis is placed on reaction mechanisms of enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, cofactors, natural products, and the organic chemistry and metabolism of drugs and drug-like molecules. This course does not include a lab; students who need an organic chemistry lab should enroll in CHEM E-27lab.
Prerequisites: CHEM E-17 or equivalent preparation in organic chemistry. Basic knowledge of biology can be helpful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,530.
Credits: 3
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course and other sections of CHEM E-27X may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or in live sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in the live sessions, they may do so alongside students in other sections. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
CLAS E-116
The Ancient Greek Hero
Gregory Nagy PhD, Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Keith Allen DeStone PhD, Research Associate, Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24099 | Section 1
Description
What does it mean to be human? This course takes a close look at the human condition as viewed through the lens of classical Greek civilization; the basic organizing principle is an objective study of a model of humanity, the hero. Students learn that there are different definitions of the hero in different historical times and places. In the end, though, the one true hero of this course is the logos or word of logical reasoning, as activated by Socratic dialogue. The logos of dialogue in this course requires careful thinking, realized in close reading and reflective writing. The last word about this logos comes from Plato’s memories of words spoken in dialogue by Socrates during the last days of his life, which is read towards the very end of the course. Such a last word, shaped by a deep understanding of the idea of the hero in all its varieties throughout the history of Greek civilization, becomes the latest word for students who earnestly engage in dialogue, by way of writing as well as reading, with heroic expressions of the human condition. This course is driven by a sequence of dialogues that lead to such an engagement, guiding the attentive reader through many of the major works of the ancient Greek classics. In this course, all readings (which are freely available via the course website) are translated into contemporary English and supplemented by selections from the ancient visual arts.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the HarvardX course The Ancient Greek Hero.
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24317 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring a 10-page sample of their work to the first class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-100r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Lecturer on Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26530 | Section 2
Description
This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring a 10-page sample of their work to the first class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, January 23-March 9, 5:30pm-7:45pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Deirdre Mask JD, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16883 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16305 | Section 2
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Deirdre Mask JD, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26577 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-101r
Writing a Nonfiction Book
Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25084 | Section 2
Description
This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books.
Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16882 | Section 1
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16475 | Section 2
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, September 6-October 21, 12:15pm-2:45pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17083 | Section 3
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Lecturer on Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17094 | Section 4
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
William J. Holinger MA, Director, Secondary School Program, Harvard Summer School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26407 | Section 1
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-105r
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel
Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26746 | Section 2
Description
This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another’s novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term.
Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-107
Advanced Fiction: Writing Historical Fiction
Rachel Kadish MA, MFA in Creative Writing Faculty, Lesley University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26566 | Section 1
Description
This is a writing workshop for creative writing students interested in exploring the possibilities of historical fiction. Students write and revise original historical fiction, and discuss published works by authors such as Toni Morrison, Geraldine Brooks, Jaroslav Hasek, Min Jin Lee, John Edgar Wideman, Alice Munro, and Italo Calvino. In addition to considering fundamental craft elements such as character and plot, students design an approach to researching their chosen historical period. Through brief assignments and class discussions, they engage with issues such as the ethics of historical accuracy, the rendering of period dialogue, and the challenges of working with worldviews different from their own.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-110r
Advanced Poetry Writing: The Art of the Line
David Barber MFA, Author
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26361 | Section 1
Description
This intensive poetry workshop offers students the opportunity to further develop their aptitude and affinity for the practice of writing in verse lines. In this case verse is understood to mean any and all forms of writing in lines as opposed to prose sentences: metrical verse, blank verse, syllabic verse, free verse, and verse haunted by what T. S. Eliot called “the ghost of meter.” Students follow a structured sequence of writing assignments, readings, and exercises aimed at cultivating a sound working knowledge of the fundamental principles of prosody and the evolving possibilities of poetic form. The collective goal is to create the conditions for reading and writing poems with a stronger sense of technical know-how and expressive conviction as well as a renewed appreciation for the inexhaustible art of the line.
Prerequisites: A beginning poetry course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-114
Advanced Fiction: Writing Suspense Fiction
Christopher S. Mooney MA, Author
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16783 | Section 1
Description
Learn how techniques used in suspense fiction structure, pace, tension, and plot can be applied to your own writing. In addition to studying the bestselling works of both commercial and literary writers of suspense, students complete weekly writing assignments and participate in writing workshops. Writing samples will also be read and critiqued by a literary agent.
Prerequisites: An introductory and/or intermediate fiction course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring to class either a work in progress or an idea for a novel or short story.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-114
Advanced Fiction: Writing Suspense Fiction
Christopher S. Mooney MA, Author
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26367 | Section 1
Description
Learn how techniques used in suspense fiction structure, pace, tension, and plot can be applied to your own writing. In addition to studying the bestselling works of both commercial and literary writers of suspense, students complete weekly writing assignments and participate in writing workshops. Writing samples will also be read and critiqued by a literary agent.
Prerequisites: An introductory and/or intermediate fiction course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring to class either a work in progress or an idea for a novel or short story.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-118r
Advanced Creative Nonfiction
Brian Pietras PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16880 | Section 1
Description
This workshop course is intended for experienced writers of creative nonfiction who want to produce publishable work. Sometimes referred to as true stories, well told, creative nonfiction is a capacious genre. In the first half of the course we study writing by masters of the craft, including James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Audre Lorde, and Jo Ann Beard. In the second half, we use what we have learned about scene, plot, character, point of view, and voice to produce new work. Students may write memoirs, personal or lyric essays, profiles, and literary nonfiction. Toward the end of the course, we focus on strategies for getting published, including how to identify likely publication venues and how to effectively pitch editors.
Prerequisites: A beginning creative writing course ideally, CREA E-22 or permission of the instructor. Students should come to the first class with either a work in progress or a well-developed idea for a 5,000-word piece of creative nonfiction.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-118r
Advanced Creative Nonfiction
Kurt Pitzer MFA, Author
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17075 | Section 2
Description
This workshop is for students who want to stretch their abilities as writers. The goal of the course is to produce publishable short memoirs, essays, profiles, literary nonfiction, or any of the other subgenres often called creative nonfiction. We develop pitches for editors; gather material through interviews, research, and observation; and then organize and rewrite our pieces until readers won’t put them down. Although we deal strictly in facts, we use literary devices such as scene, plot, character, and voice. We draw inspiration from masters of the craft such as Susan Orlean, Zadie Smith, David Foster Wallace, Virginia Woolf, and Ryszard Kapuscinski.
Prerequisites: A beginning writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-120r
Advanced Screenwriting
Wayne Wilson MFA, Screenwriter
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16668 | Section 1
Description
In this advanced screenwriting workshop, students watch films and episodic television excerpts and discuss the work of workshop members. During the course, students present two 20- to 30-page acts from their screenplays for class discussion. The final project is a revision of one of these two workshop submissions.
Prerequisites: CREA E-45 or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Students should e-mail a sample of their own writing (ten pages or fewer) to Mr. Wilson before the first class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-121
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel
Mary Sullivan Walsh BA, Author and Freelance Editor
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15776 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for writers interested in developing a middle grade or young adult novel. During each class meeting, we workshop chapters of students’ novels-in-progress, focusing on elements of craft (character, point of view, dialogue, and plot). In addition, by reading and analyzing sections of work by such exemplary novelists as Angie Thomas, Lois Lowry, and Kwame Alexander, students learn to read like writers and to develop their own voices. Students are expected to have completed approximately 40 pages and a working synopsis of their novel by the end of the course.
Prerequisites: A ten-page writing sample to be submitted to mlswalsh@g.harvard.edu before classes begin.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-121
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel
Mary Sullivan Walsh BA, Author and Freelance Editor
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25946 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for writers interested in developing a middle grade or young adult novel. During each class meeting, we workshop chapters of students’ novels-in-progress, focusing on elements of craft (character, point of view, dialogue, and plot). In addition, by reading and analyzing sections of work by such exemplary novelists as Angie Thomas, Lois Lowry, and Kwame Alexander, students learn to read like writers and to develop their own voices. Students are expected to have completed approximately 40 pages and a working synopsis of their novel by the end of the course.
Prerequisites: A ten-page writing sample to be submitted to mlswalsh@g.harvard.edu before classes begin.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-122
Advanced Fiction: Writing Fairy Tales
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25809 | Section 1
Description
Fairy tales have inspired authors for centuries and we are still very much under their spell. In the first part of this course, we study classic as well as contemporary fairy tales, including works by Helen Oyeyemi, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, and Kelly Link. In the second part, students workshop their own original prose fiction fairy tale, which may be a piece of short-form fiction or an excerpt from a longer work in progress. Throughout, we explore how fairy tales have encouraged authors to develop their own style and voice, even as they seem to speak in a language all their own.
Prerequisites: A beginning creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-122
Advanced Fiction: Writing Fairy Tales
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26745 | Section 2
Description
Fairy tales have inspired authors for centuries and we are still very much under their spell. In the first part of this course, we study classic as well as contemporary fairy tales, including works by Helen Oyeyemi, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, and Kelly Link. In the second part, students workshop their own original prose fiction fairy tale, which may be a piece of short-form fiction or an excerpt from a longer work in progress. Throughout, we explore how fairy tales have encouraged authors to develop their own style and voice, even as they seem to speak in a language all their own.
Prerequisites: A beginning creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-124
Writing for TV
Bryan Delaney MA, Playwright and Screenwriter
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16928 | Section 1
Description
The course covers the most important aspects of the art and craft of dramatic writing for television. Topics covered include the key elements of a TV show, an overview of the current TV landscape, how to create a show (including how to write a pitch bible and pilot episode), dramatic structure, characterization, dialogue and descriptions, in-class workshops of the students’ pilot drafts, and working on staff, collaboration, and the writers room. We also discuss the business side of TV writing, such as breaking into the business, selling a script, and working with agents, managers, producers, and directors. As the main goal of the course, each student creates a new TV show. They undertake to write two drafts of the first 15 pages of the pilot episode for their show (30 pages total), plus a story outline for the rest of the pilot episode. The TV shows we study and discuss in the course cover a range of genres hour long drama, half-hour comedy, and comedy/drama hybrids.
Prerequisites: Students should come to class with an idea for a TV series that they would like to write (drama or comedy).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-125r
Advanced Playwriting
Bryan Delaney MA, Playwright and Screenwriter
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26260 | Section 1
Description
This course is intended for students who have some experience with playwriting or dramatic writing in general so that they can refine the skills they have already acquired and take them to the next level. Topics covered include techniques for approaching the first draft, in-depth characterization, dramatic structure, conflict, shaping the action, language and dialogue (including subtext, rhythm, imagery, and exposition), how to analyze students’ own work as playwrights, dealing with feedback, the drafting process, techniques for rewriting, collaboration (with directors and actors) and the business of the art working with theaters, agents, literary managers, and dramaturges. The focus of the course is more on what might be called the classical principles of dramatic writing rather than the more avant-garde approaches to the art.
Prerequisites: Ideally, students come to the first class with an idea for a one-act play to write throughout the course, although this is not mandatory, as the first class explores techniques for generating ideas.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-126
Advanced Fiction: Writing Horror
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16669 | Section 1
Description
How do authors achieve the spine-tingling, bone-chilling, nightmare-inducing effects of great horror fiction? In addition to studying works of classic and contemporary horror, students in this course complete two works of short fiction before workshopping and presenting a final work. Throughout, we consider the diversity of the genre, from the gothic romanticism of Bram Stoker and Nathaniel Hawthorne to the paranoiac parables of Shirley Jackson and Ira Levin as well as the blockbuster works of Stephen King. We also pay considerable attention to emerging voices in the genre, studying selected works from Tananarive Due, Paul Tremblay, Carmen Maria Machado, Otessa Moshfegh, Emily Carroll, and Iain Reed. For final works, students are invited to workshop standalone works of short form fiction or selections from larger projects (novels, anthologies, scripts) provided these works are developed and drafted during the course.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-126
Advanced Fiction: Writing Horror
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17076 | Section 2
Description
How do authors achieve the spine-tingling, bone-chilling, nightmare-inducing effects of great horror fiction? In addition to studying works of classic and contemporary horror, students in this course complete two works of short fiction before workshopping and presenting a final work. Throughout, we consider the diversity of the genre, from the gothic romanticism of Bram Stoker and Nathaniel Hawthorne to the paranoiac parables of Shirley Jackson and Ira Levin as well as the blockbuster works of Stephen King. We also pay considerable attention to emerging voices in the genre, studying selected works from Tananarive Due, Paul Tremblay, Carmen Maria Machado, Otessa Moshfegh, Emily Carroll, and Iain Reed. For final works, students are invited to workshop standalone works of short form fiction or selections from larger projects (novels, anthologies, scripts) provided these works are developed and drafted during the course.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-128
Advanced Memoir: Mythic Structures
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26042 | Section 1
Description
Both myth and memoir share a structure: somebody goes into the woods and comes out wiser about the ways of the world, emerging with an elixir (real or symbolic) to bring healing and hope. In sharing a memoir with readers, we share our lessons, the morals of our stories, the keys to our versions of happily ever after. Yet memoir writers often get stuck choosing which stories (from all of the stories we have lived) to include. In this course, we study myths and fairy tales, and write memoirs. We read short memoirs by writers who use these imaginary stories as a framework to examine their own lives, including Linda Grey Sexton, Sabrina Mark, Alexander Chee, and Michael Mejia. Students borrow structure from the great pool of myth and fairy tale lore and then fill in their stories with the particulars of their human-sized lives. Using mythic structure to help shape ordinary life events helps writers to combine universal themes with their own true voice a way to write our lives and make it matter. Students must craft new material for this course or develop new material for an existing project, such as a chapter in a longer memoir.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Wednesdays, January 22-March 9, 9:00am-11:15am
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-143
Advanced Fiction: Writing the Murder Mystery Novel
David Freed ALM, Novelist and Journalist
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26475 | Section 1
Description
Murder mysteries have become the most popular realm of commercial fiction, with an insatiable demand for new titles each year among the millions of the genre’s loyal devotees. This course guides students in conceiving their own murder mystery, from plot outline to the execution of a commercially viable first chapter.
Prerequisites: At least one advanced writing course, or by prior permission from the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-148
Advanced Fiction: Writing Flash Fiction
Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Lecturer on Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26557 | Section 1
Description
How can you tell a story in a single paragraph? In a page? In three? This advanced writing course explores one of the hottest forms of fiction published today: flash fiction. Students read widely and experiment freely with the form, which offers a range of possibilities both in style and in length. In weekly writing workshops, students receive regular feedback on their work-in-progress and significantly revise 20-25 pages of prose with the aim of publication. As students draft their work, we study and dissect models of masterful very short fiction by writers both classic and contemporary, including Colette, Guy de Maupassant, Franz Kafka, Jorge Luis Borges, Clarice Lispector, Ernest Hemingway, Yasunari Kawabata, Dorothy Parker, Jamaica Kincaid, Lydia Davis, Charles Baxter, Anne Carson, Keith Taylor, Joyce Carol Oates, and Amy Hempel. We discuss these texts with the eye of a writer attentive to elements of craft, including dramatic structure, tone, point of view, suspense, prose style, rhythm, characterization, and plot. Working in this genre pushes students to write with economy and to polish their sentences as they aspire towards the hallmarks of excellent prose fiction: precision and economy, clarity and urgency. The course concludes with a conversation about how to break into publishing by working in a form that offers many opportunities for literary contests, awards, and first publications.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-156
The Art of the Pitch
Catherine Eaton MFA, Director and Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16929 | Section 1
Description
You have an idea or you have created a brilliant piece of work: a novel, a screenplay, a concept for a TV series, maybe even a scripted nonfiction podcast. Now what? How do you convince others to jump on board to buy or create or collaborate or publish or produce your story? How do you move it out of your desk drawer or hard drive or imagination and into the world? In this course, we break down the making of a pitch into its core elements generating the idea, developing the story, and stress-testing the material as we practice strategies for producing pitch materials and for pitching your project, in the room, to a live audience. Students write and revise two treatments: one for a work they have created and one for an idea they have yet to develop. Students build one look book and one pitch deck and do three live pitches. Students develop an insider’s perspective on industry practices and etiquette, essential knowledge for anyone interested in the business of creation.
Prerequisites: An advanced creative writing course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-156
The Art of the Pitch
Catherine Eaton MFA, Director and Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25774 | Section 1
Description
You have an idea or you have created a brilliant piece of work: a novel, a screenplay, a concept for a TV series, maybe even a scripted nonfiction podcast. Now what? How do you convince others to jump on board to buy or create or collaborate or publish or produce your story? How do you move it out of your desk drawer or hard drive or imagination and into the world? In this course, we break down the making of a pitch into its core elements generating the idea, developing the story, and stress-testing the material as we practice strategies for producing pitch materials and for pitching your project, in the room, to a live audience. Students write and revise two treatments: one for a work they have created and one for an idea they have yet to develop. Students build one look book and one pitch deck and do three live pitches. Students develop an insider’s perspective on industry practices and etiquette, essential knowledge for anyone interested in the business of creation.
Prerequisites: An advanced creative writing course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-159
What Writers Can Learn from Shakespeare
Joyce Van Dyke PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26611 | Section 1
Description
This is a course for playwrights, fiction writers, and screenwriters. The course explores specific techniques of William Shakespeare’s character creation, with the aim of enlarging our own technical repertoire as contemporary writers. Techniques include the most important thing to know about how Shakespeare builds his characters (developed by John Barton), using key-words and key-rhythms in a character’s language, why writers should obscure a character’s motives, Frank Kermode’s concept of Shakespeare as a virtuoso of openings, making minor characters spicy, and the creative use of stereotypes. Course work for individual students culminates in a major writing project in the student’s chosen genre (for example, a play, screenplay, piece of short fiction, or piece of long fiction). There are weekly writing exercises on the character techniques discussed in class; these exercises are the same for everyone, regardless of the genre of their writing project. The writing project, along with the weekly exercises, comprise the portfolio to be turned in at the end of the course. Course requirements include reading several Shakespeare plays (the tentative list includes Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, and Measure for Measure), weekly writing assignments, and the major writing project.
Prerequisites: Experience with playwriting, screenwriting, fiction writing, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-22
Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26257 | Section 1
Description
This is a workshop-based course for students interested in creative nonfiction: reading it, discussing it, and writing it for yourself. More specifically, the course is based on a simple premise: good readers make good writers. Reading and discussing texts by the likes of Zadie Smith, James Baldwin, and Joan Didion help students become both as they hone their knowledge and appreciation for the craft of writing. We also attend to such topics as persona and point of view, the relationship between concision and coherence, and various strategies for pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing. These conversations carry over to workshop, as well as the two different essays (and a final portfolio) that students submit by the end of term.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-24
Story Development
Shelley Evans MFA, Screenwriter
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24510 | Section 1
Description
This workshop introduces the unique challenges of longform storytelling, and helps writers develop strategies for approaching long projects, either screenplays or novels. Many writers are drawn to the page by character or language or theme, but story is the scaffold on which movies and novels depend. Over the course of the semester, we learn to work creatively with the tasks of story building. We begin with ideas where and how do we find them? What kinds of ideas can carry a story? How can you turn a wobbly idea into one that works? We then consider character who does the story belong to? How do their desires, problems, and drives give the story its essential energy? Then we turn to story development and structure, the primary work of the course: how do you keep an idea alive for two-hundred pages, or two hours? What elements help a story build energy and momentum, and deliver us to a satisfying close? We explore these essential story energies using writing exercises, examples from film and literature, and the shared experience of working writers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-25
Introduction to Fiction Writing
William J. Holinger MA, Director, Secondary School Program, Harvard Summer School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16814 | Section 1
Description
A workshop for writers with little or no experience in writing fiction. The class focuses on the elements of fiction: dialogue, voice, image, character, point of view, and structure. Students are asked to read and discuss fiction by major writers, to critique each other’s work, and to write and revise at least one short story. Requirements also include several short writing exercises.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-25
Introduction to Fiction Writing
Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Editor
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26570 | Section 1
Description
A workshop for writers with little or no experience in writing fiction. The class focuses on the elements of fiction: dialogue, voice, image, character, point of view, and structure. Students are asked to read and discuss fiction by major writers, to critique each other’s work, and to write and revise at least one short story. Requirements also include several short writing exercises.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-30a
Beginning Poetry: Listening to Lines
David Barber MFA, Author
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16374 | Section 1
Description
This intensive workshop offers students the opportunity to develop their aptitude and affinity for the practice of poetry. Students follow a structured sequence of writing assignments, readings, and exercises aimed at cultivating a sound working knowledge of the fundamental principles of prosody and the evolving possibilities of poetic form. There is a special emphasis on listening to lines and saying poems aloud, in concert with an eclectic assortment of audio archives. Another principal focus is the verse line through time, as we turn for instruction and inspiration to what the critic Paul Fussell calls the “historical dimension” of poetic meter and poetic form. The collective goal of the course is to create the conditions for reading and writing poems with a stronger sense of technical know-how and expressive conviction as well as a renewed appreciation for why poetry matters.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CREA E-45a
Beginning Screenwriting
Susan Steinberg PhD, Filmmaker, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16939 | Section 1
Description
This is a workshop for those who wish to learn the foundations and processes for writing feature-length motion picture screenplays. Adaptations, documentary, and television scripts may be written with the instructor’s permission. Topics covered include concept and theme development, dramatic structure, plot, character arc, dialogue writing, the use of visual language, and writing in format. By the semester’s end, students produce a full feature film treatment and complete act one of their film in script format. Class meetings consist of presentation and discussion of work, writing exercises, brief lectures, film, and script analyses. At the semester’s end, actors do readings of script segments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16990 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CREA E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course with the same instructor (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction or Nonfiction
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16656 | Section 2
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the world of their fiction or nonfiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel, memoir, or nonfiction book, or the first story or essay in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the narrative arc and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their work.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CREA E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course with the same instructor (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 11:00am-2:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-597
Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction
Leah De Forest MFA, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16821 | Section 3
Description
In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CREA E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course with the same instructor (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 11:00am-2:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction
Katie Beth Kohn MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26624 | Section 1
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction or Nonfiction
Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26250 | Section 2
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story, essay, or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters, stories, or essays, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters, stories, or essays developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 11:00am-2:30pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-599
Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction
Leah De Forest MFA, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26418 | Section 3
Description
This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 11:00am-2:00pm
Course meets roughly every other week. See syllabus for specific meeting dates.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 12 students
CREA E-65
Humor Writing
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26562 | Section 1
Description
This is an intensive workshop for creative writing students looking to seriously invest in their craft. Over the course of the semester, students draft five mini-essays (1-2 pages each) inspired by an author or comic technique studied in class, and then expand and substantively revise one or two of these drafts to include in a final portfolio (10 pages). As part of the final revision process, students identify an online humor publication in consultation with the instructor that is aligned with the spirit of their work, and then pitch and/or submit at least one piece from their final portfolio for consideration.
Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 2-20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 02, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Final papers due between January 18 and February 5. See course syllabus for details.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-90
Fundamentals of Fiction
Ryan Napier PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16784 | Section 1
Description
This intensive, immersive course is designed for graduate-credit students with strong writing skills and an interest in becoming fiction writers but little formal experience, students who would like to develop a solid foundation in story and scene structure before embarking on an advanced fiction writing course. The first part of the course focuses on a close analysis of plot and structure in several short stories and novels. Students then apply these techniques and methods to generate and shape their own ideas, build a solid narrative foundation, and use scene structure to craft a dramatic story. Using Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, students explore and learn the fundamentals of character, dialogue, showing versus telling, and point of view. By the end of the course, students complete a short story or the first chapter of a novel (about 15 to 20 pages of fiction), which is workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-90
Fundamentals of Fiction
Tracy L. Strauss MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26063 | Section 1
Description
This intensive, immersive course is designed for graduate-credit students with strong writing skills and an interest in becoming fiction writers but little formal experience, students who would like to develop a solid foundation in story and scene structure before embarking on an advanced fiction writing course. The first part of the course focuses on a close analysis of plot and structure in several short stories and novels. Students then apply these techniques and methods to generate and shape their own ideas, build a solid narrative foundation, and use scene structure to craft a dramatic story. Using Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, students explore and learn the fundamentals of character, dialogue, showing versus telling, and point of view. By the end of the course, students complete a short story or the first chapter of a novel (about 15 to 20 pages of fiction), which is workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-91
Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing
Shelley Evans MFA, Screenwriter
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16697 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students with strong writing skills who have an interest in writing plays and/or screenplays, but little formal experience. The course introduces basic principles of dramatic writing and provides a foundation for advanced playwrighting and screenwriting courses. Using both plays and screenplays as study texts, we elucidate the elements of dramatic writing and consider how those elements work differently in different mediums. Plays and screenplays are similar but not the same both genres create narrative using character and dialogue, but plays lean more heavily on the inner life and voice of characters, while screenplays unfold in the external world, building stories with images and action. Weekly exercises guide students through the process of developing different kinds of scripts assessing potential story ideas, doing pre-draft character and backstory exploration, finding structure, and writing scenes. By the end of the semester, students have completed a short outline and the first twenty pages of a play or screenplay, which are workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CREA E-91
Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing
Jennifer Rapaport MFA, Affiliated Faculty, Emerson College
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26708 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed for students with strong writing skills who have an interest in writing plays and/or screenplays, but little formal experience. The course introduces basic principles of dramatic writing and provides a foundation for advanced playwrighting and screenwriting courses. Using both plays and screenplays as study texts, we elucidate the elements of dramatic writing and consider how those elements work differently in different mediums. Plays and screenplays are similar but not the same both genres create narrative using character and dialogue, but plays lean more heavily on the inner life and voice of characters, while screenplays unfold in the external world, building stories with images and action. Weekly exercises guide students through the process of developing different kinds of scripts assessing potential story ideas, doing pre-draft character and backstory exploration, finding structure, and writing scenes. By the end of the semester, students have completed a short outline and the first twenty pages of a play or screenplay, which are workshopped in class.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
CSCI E-101
Foundations of Data Science and Engineering
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16602 | Section 1
Description
Most data scientists spend 20 percent of their time building data models and analyzing model results. What do they do with the remaining 80 percent of their time? The answer is data engineering. Data engineering is a subdiscipline of software engineering that focuses on the transportation, transformation, and management of data. This course takes a comprehensive approach to explore data science, which includes data engineering concepts and techniques. Key topics include data management and transformation, exploratory data analysis and visualization, statistical thinking and machine learning, natural language processing, and storytelling with data, emphasizing the integration of Python, MySQL, Tableau, development, and big data analytics platforms. Students cannot earn Harvard Extension School degree credit for CSCI E-101 if it is taken after CSCI E-29.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-50, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-101
Foundations of Data Science and Engineering
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26190 | Section 1
Description
Most data scientists spend 20 percent of their time building data models and analyzing model results. What do they do with the remaining 80 percent of their time? The answer is data engineering. Data engineering is a subdiscipline of software engineering that focuses on the transportation, transformation, and management of data. This course takes a comprehensive approach to explore data science, which includes data engineering concepts and techniques. Key topics include data management and transformation, exploratory data analysis and visualization, statistical thinking and machine learning, natural language processing, and storytelling with data, emphasizing the integration of Python, MySQL, Tableau, development, and big data analytics platforms. Students cannot earn Harvard Extension School degree credit for CSCI E-101 if it is taken after CSCI E-29.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-50, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-102
Econometrics and Causal Inference with R
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26343 | Section 1
Description
Supervised learning algorithms, such as support-vector machines, random forests, and neural networks have demonstrated phenomenal performance in the era of big data. However, they often fail in answering the question, what would happen if the world changed in some specific way while holding other variables fixed? Such problems arise in many business applications including in finance, policymaking, and healthcare. This course covers modern econometric techniques for evaluating causal effects based on observational (that is, non-experimental) data. Topics covered in the course include multivariate linear regression, heteroscedasticity and weighted least squares (WLS), dummy variables and interactions, difference in differences (DD), logistic regression, probit model, censored regression models, exact matching, propensity score matching (PSM), regression discontinuity design (RDD), fuzzy regression discontinuity (FRD), synthetic control, instrumental variables (IV), and two-stage least squares (2SLS). Students get hands-on experience using R.
Prerequisites: Calculus equivalent to MATH E-15, introductory probability and statistics, and familiarity with linear regression. Prior programming experience, preferably in R, is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-103
Data Engineering for Analytics to Solve Business Challenges
Eric Gieseke ALM, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pago Capital
Anindita Mahapatra ALM, Solutions Architect, Databricks
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16694 | Section 1
Description
In today’s world, data is generated at an ever-increasing rate. The analytic platforms need to match this pace of generated data, digest it, and generate useful insights. The best decisions are made with informed data and as it changes, one needs to follow the signals and indicators embedded in the data. The technology space is evolving rapidly and choosing the right technology fit for the data at hand is an important decision. The next decision is to select the best architecture to provide the solution for technical challenges and helps the business improve its growth, revenue, and time to market. Spark provides a swiss army knife to handle the entire data life cycle, from ingestion to consumption. Newer offerings from the open source community around Delta and MLFlow help strengthen the data platform by making it performant, reliable, and repeatable. Often, innovation is left in proof of concept stages and does not see production because of the lack of foundational architectural components necessary for hardened and mature enterprise-grade deployments. This lost innovation translates to lost revenue and missed opportunities. This course helps students to appreciate the power of technology and skillfully apply it in practical situations in the real world. It leverages the Databricks platform on Amazon web services (AWS) to simplify the cluster setup so that students can focus on the data engineering aspects of getting the data ready for analytics.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Amazon Web Services, structured query language (SQL), and Python. Some experience with big data, Spark, and data stores is good to have.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections Thursdays, time to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-104
Advanced Deep Learning
Zoran B. Djordjevi PhD, Senior Enterprise Architect
Blagoje Djordjevic PhD, Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26435 | Section 1
Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning applications have proliferated and are having an increasing impact on industry, sciences, and engineering. This course expounds on those trends and enables students to engage in advanced research and development in AI and deep learning. We investigate topics such as large language models (LLMs), generative adversarial networks (GANs), graph neural networks (GNNs), and differentiable applications in natural science. For important classes of neural networks, we explore the fundamental mechanisms behind their operations and provide practical illustrations of their uses. For example, we review the structure of transformer-based pretrained LLMs, the principles of attention, and their use in applications such as ChatGPT, with a focus on understanding prompt programming. For GANs, we examine the generation of realistic representations of people, speech, paintings, and music. For GNNs, we dive into the analysis of chemical molecules, proteins, and drugs and quantitative structure property relationship in physical systems. We learn how to impose constraints that are reflections of physical or geometric laws governing physical systems. Concepts introduced in every lecture are illustrated by practical examples. Code samples used in lectures and homework assignments are written in PyTorch and occasionally in Keras.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-89 or any other introductory deep learning course. Proficiency with Python.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, January 26-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-106
Data Modeling
Hakan Gogtas PhD, Head of US Model Validation Group, Deutsche Bank
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15765 | Section 1
Description
This course explores data modeling methodologies with the goal of understanding how to choose, apply, and interpret appropriate statistical designs and analyses for practical data problems. Topics covered include understanding the relationships in the data, theory and application of linear and non-linear regression models, model building steps, diagnostic of models, and remedial measures. Students can count one of the following three courses CSCI E-106, STAT E-109, or STAT E-139 (offered previously) toward a degree or certificate.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in R programming, introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and linear algebra equivalent to MATH E-21b.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-106
Data Modeling
Hakan Gogtas PhD, Head of US Model Validation Group, Deutsche Bank
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26017 | Section 1
Description
This course explores data modeling methodologies with the goal of understanding how to choose, apply, and interpret appropriate statistical designs and analyses for practical data problems. Topics covered include understanding the relationships in the data, theory and application of linear and non-linear regression models, model building steps, diagnostic of models, and remedial measures. Students can count one of the following three courses CSCI E-106, STAT E-109, or STAT E-139 (offered previously) toward a degree or certificate.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in R programming, introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and linear algebra equivalent to MATH E-21b.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-108
Data Mining, Discovery, and Exploration
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26492 | Section 1
Description
Extracting useful insights and relationships from massive complex data sets is the domain of data mining. Data mining has wide ranging applications in science and technology, including web search, interactions in social networks, recommender systems, processing signals in large internet-of-things (IoT) sensor networks, image search, genetic analysis, and discovery of interactions between drugs. This course surveys a range of unsupervised learning algorithms for data mining. The emphasis is on graph algorithms and scaling for massive datasets. The course comprises readings and lectures on theory along with hands-on exercises and projects where students apply the theory through Python coding. For the hands-on component of the course a variety of libraries in the Python language, including possibly Scikit-Learn, NetworkX, Neo4J, and Surprise are used. Students may not take both CSCI E-96 and CSCI E-108 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Students enrolling in this course are expected to have some background in Python programming equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 and statistical modeling equivalent to CSCI E-63c, CSCI E-101, CSCI E-106, or STAT E-109. Knowledge of basic linear algebra, equivalent to MATH E-21a, is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Wednesdays, 6-8 pm.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-109a
Introduction to Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Kevin A. Rader PhD, Senior Preceptor in Statistics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16877 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the analysis of messy, real life data to perform predictions using statistical and machine learning methods. Material covered integrates the five key facets of an investigation using data: data collection data wrangling, cleaning, and sampling to get a suitable data set; data management accessing data quickly and reliably; exploratory data analysis generating hypotheses and building intuition; prediction or statistical learning; and communication summarizing results through visualization, stories, and interpretable summaries. Students who have previously completed CSCI E-107 or CSCI E-109 (both offered previously) may not count CSCI E-109a or CSCI E-109b toward a degree or certificate.
Prerequisites: Programming knowledge at the level of CSCI E-50 or above, statistics knowledge at the level of STAT E-100 or above, and calculus (MATH E-15 or the equivalent) required. It is recommended that students have received a grade of B+ or better in these courses before enrolling in CSCI E-109a. Introductory probability is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 109a. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:45-11:00 am starting September 6 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 85 students
CSCI E-109b
Advanced Topics in Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Alexander Young PhD, Undergraduate Advisor and Lecturer in Statistics, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26501 | Section 1
Description
Building upon the material in CSCI E-109a, the course introduces advanced methods for statistical modeling, representation, and prediction. Topics include multiple deep learning architectures such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), transformers, language models, autoencoders, and generative models, as well as basic Bayesian methods and unsupervised learning. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in both the fall and spring course within the same academic year. Students who have previously completed CSCI E-107 or CSCI E-109 may not take CSCI E-109a or CSCI E-109b for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A grade of B-minus or higher in CSCI E-109a. Students who have not completed CSCI E-109a should contact the instructors before registering.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 109b. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:45-11:00 am starting January 22 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 85 students
CSCI E-10a
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java I
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14289 | Section 1
Description
Intended for students with no previous programming background, this course introduces problem-solving methods and algorithm development using Java, one of the most popular high-level programming languages in the world. Students learn how to design, code, debug, and document programs using modern engineering techniques in a cloud-based Linux environment. Related topics include programming using iterative constructs, the basic aspects of arrays and recursion, string manipulation, parameter passing, information hiding and encapsulation using classes, and the functional decomposition of methods to enable object-oriented design. Some applications are chosen for their relevance to more advanced coursework in computer science while others involve nonscientific and business-related areas. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-10b
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16971 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CSCI E-10a, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming using Java, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. We begin with the implementation of abstract data types using classes, focusing on encapsulation of procedures and data, inheritance hierarchies, and polymorphism across different object types. Other topics include string processing, multidimensional arrays, ArrayLists, Vectors, and linked lists; streams and file I/O; recursion; exception handling; threads and event-driven programming; and graphical user interface design using the Swing classes. The course concludes with an introduction to RISC machine architecture and aspects of compilers and operating systems. Programming exercises are conducted in a cloud-based Linux environment. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-10a, or the equivalent experience in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-10b
Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24027 | Section 1
Description
This course is a continuation of CSCI E-10a, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming using Java, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. We begin with the implementation of abstract data types using classes, focusing on encapsulation of procedures and data, inheritance hierarchies, and polymorphism across different object types. Other topics include string processing, multidimensional arrays, ArrayLists, Vectors, and linked lists; streams and file I/O; recursion; exception handling; threads and event-driven programming; and graphical user interface design using the Swing classes. The course concludes with an introduction to RISC machine architecture and aspects of compilers and operating systems. Programming exercises are conducted in a cloud-based Linux environment. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-10a, or the equivalent experience in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, or Java.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-11
Frontiers of Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Cybersecurity
Brian Subirana PhD, Instructor, MIT xPRO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26067 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we review use cases and challenges of three interrelated areas in computer science: artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), and cybersecurity. Students gain an overview of the possibilities and challenges of building complex information systems that take advantage of recent advances in these fields. The course is divided into three parts, each focused on the instructor presenting the research conducted by leading Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) experts in their fields. Students gain an understanding of what is possible and what not today, as well as what MIT researchers are trying to make possible in the near future. The course provides a framework to analyze the frontiers in computer science. The first part surveys state-of-the-art topics in designing AI products and services. The focus of this part of the course is to understand where the rapidly evolving frontier in AI areas is. It covers machine learning (including neural networks), speech processing, robotics computer vision, and natural language processing. Topics in this first section also include existing hurdles for successful AI design such as explainability, visualization, adversarial attacks, and institutional review board (IRB) approval. The AI segment has two weeks entirely devoted to healthcare, covering neural implants, ingestible robotics, multi-modal longitudinal diagnosis with deep neural networks, mechanical limbs including grasping, and wi-fi surveillance. The second part of the course looks at the IoT. While the promise of the IoT brings many new business prospects, it also presents significant challenges ranging from technology architectural choices to security concerns. This part of the course offers important insights into how to overcome these challenges and thrive in this exciting space. The concept of IoT has begun to make an impact in industries ranging from industrial systems to home automation to healthcare. MIT researchers continue to conduct ground-breaking research on topics that are presented ranging from radio frequency identification (RFID) to cloud technologies, and from sensors to the world wide web. The third and final part of the course covers cybersecurity issues related to hardware, software, cryptography, blockchain, and policy to make better, safer decisions. Topics include systems (secure architectures, network security, secure programming languages, and system verification); algorithmic solutions (public key cryptography, multi-party computation, secret sharing, distributing trust, and computing on encrypted data); public policy issues in cybersecurity; and case studies (BitLocker, web security, and mobile phone security).
Prerequisites: An introductory computer science course (for example, CSCI E-3, CSCI E-7, or CSCI E-10a) plus familiarity with precalculus mathematics (MATH E-10 or the equivalent).
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 200 students
CSCI E-114
Web Application Development with Jamstack
David P. Heitmeyer AM, Director of Academic Platforms and Development, Harvard University Information Technology
Arthur J. Barrett BSc, Senior Technical Architect, Harvard University Information Technology
Laurence P. Bouthillier MS, Executive Director, University of British Columbia Extended Learning
Michael D. Hilborn MS, Director, Platform Engineering and Operations, Harvard Business School Online
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26437 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to web application development through the Jamstack (Javascript, application programming interfaces [APIs], and Markup) approach. Jamstack is a development architecture for modern website and application development that is increasingly popular due to performance, reliability, scalability, and security advantages. This course focuses on learning and implementing key aspects of the Jamstack approach, including pre-built HTML markup created with static site generators, client-side JavaScript, the use of APIs for back-end data and content, and automated deployment workflows. While specific frameworks and services are used in project work, the course examines how they align with Jamstack architecture principles and how they relate to alternative tools in the Jamstack landscape.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to the level of CSCI E-12 is required, and knowledge of Javascript to the level of CSCI E-3 is preferred. Comfort working from the command line to install tools and packages, including troubleshooting.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 70 students
CSCI E-115
Advanced Practical Data Science
Pavlos Protopapas PhD, Scientific Program Director and Lecturer, Institute for Applied Computational Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17072 | Section 1
Description
The primary objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the deep learning process in a practical, real-world context. With a strong emphasis on machine learning operations (MLOps), this course not only reviews existing deep learning flows, but also enables students to build, deploy, and manage applications that leverage these models effectively. In the rapidly evolving field of data science, merely creating powerful predictive models is not enough. Efficiently deploying and managing these models in production environments a practice often referred to as MLOps has become an essential skill. MLOps bridges the gap between the development of machine learning (ML) models and their operation in production settings, combining practices from data science, data engineering, and software engineering. This course is built upon the model of balancing conceptual understanding, theoretical knowledge, and hands-on implementation. It introduces students to the iterative process of model development, testing, deployment, monitoring, and updating, ensuring they acquire a strong foundation in MLOps principles.
Prerequisites: An introductory course in machine learning and deep learning, such as CSCI E-89, CSCI E-109b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Applied Computation 215. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:45-5:00 pm starting September 5 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
CSCI E-116
Dynamic Modeling and Forecasting in Big Data
William Yu PhD, Economist, Anderson Forecast, University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16856 | Section 1
Description
Most machine learning models focus on cross-sectional data, while most time-series models focus on time series with few variables and low-frequency data. This course covers the skills and models to handle big data that are both rich in variables and time. We discuss both structural models and reduced-form models. Students learn dynamic regression model, dynamic factor model, vector autoregressions model, error correction model, dimensional reduction tools for fat dataset, and state-space model. Students also learn advanced methods to decompose trend, cycle, and seasonality in high-frequency data and to make more reliable time series forecasting.
Prerequisites: One programming course in any programming language. An introductory machine learning course, such as linear regression or machine learning in general.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-116
Dynamic Modeling and Forecasting in Big Data
William Yu PhD, Economist, Anderson Forecast, University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26469 | Section 1
Description
Most machine learning models focus on cross-sectional data, while most time-series models focus on time series with few variables and low-frequency data. This course covers the skills and models to handle big data that are both rich in variables and time. We discuss both structural models and reduced-form models. Students learn dynamic regression model, dynamic factor model, vector autoregressions model, error correction model, dimensional reduction tools for fat dataset, and state-space model. Students also learn advanced methods to decompose trend, cycle, and seasonality in high-frequency data and to make more reliable time series forecasting.
Prerequisites: One programming course in any programming language. An introductory machine learning course, such as linear regression or machine learning in general.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-117
Secure Applications: Managing the Deployment Infrastructure
Heather Hinton PhD, Chief Information Security Officer, PagerDuty
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26436 | Section 1
Description
You have spent time designing, developing, and testing your web-facing product and have released it into a would of ever-changing and constantly more aggressive cyber threats. How do you know if you can handle a data breach or a cybersecurity compromise? How do you continue to protect the data your application processes and keep your application available and secure, and how do you prove this to your customers? Thanks to the President’s Executive Order (EO) 14028 on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity and the anticipated US Securities and Exchange Commission ruling, this is getting harder and harder (or at least more time consuming). In this course, we work through the steps to secure your product, including the processes and tools needed to do so, and how to generate the evidence that you and your customers need in order to have a level of assurance that the necessary and appropriate data protection is in place.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-149a or experience with security software development principles. A basic understanding of security threats, tools, and landscape.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-12
Fundamentals of Website Development
David P. Heitmeyer AM, Director of Academic Platforms and Development, Harvard University Information Technology
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15078 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a comprehensive overview of website development. Students explore the prevailing vocabulary, tools, and standards used in the field and learn how the various facets including HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, multimedia, scripting languages, HTTP, clients, servers, and databases function together in today’s web environment. The course provides a solid web development foundation, focusing on content and client-side (browser) components (HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, multimedia), with an overview of the server-side technologies. In addition, software and services that are easily incorporated into a website (for example, maps, checkout, blogs, content management) are surveyed and discussed. Students produce an interactive website on the topic of their choice for the final project and leave the course prepared for more advanced and focused web development studies.
Prerequisites: Basic familiarity working with computers, including file management.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-120
Introduction to Algorithms and their Limitations
Adam Hesterberg PhD, Lecturer on Computer Science, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Anurag Anshu PhD, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, John A. Paulson School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16951 | Section 1
Description
Looking at the world around us, we see computers solving problems on incredibly large scales: finding webpages relevant to our internet searches and returning them in sorted order, computing the quickest way to reach a destination given current traffic conditions, and matching people on dating sites. How is this possible? More computing power? Intensive application-specific engineering? While these certainly have had a role to play, in this course, students are exposed to and learn how to use general algorithm design principles that cut across application domains and remain relevant even as computing technology changes. First among these principles is mathematical abstraction, whereby we capture the essence of a computational problem (as well as the notion of what a computer is) so that we can develop and analyze solutions independent of an implementation. Given these mathematical abstractions, we can apply a toolkit of basic algorithmic techniques in the search for solutions and then gain certainty in their correctness and efficiency through rigorous mathematical proofs. Furthermore, the powerful concept of reductions allows us to identify relationships between computational problems that seem very different on the surface and thus automatically transfer solutions from one to another. At the same time, some important computational problems have defied the search for algorithmic solutions. Computer scientists would love to have debugging tools that determine whether their programs can crash, natural scientists would love to have simulators that quickly determine the energy-minimizing states of physical or biological systems, and university registrars would love to be able to automatically schedule classes in a way that optimally maximizes the use of the best classrooms. Why have no scalable algorithms been found for these problems? In the last part of the course, students learn that many important computational problems are inherently unsolvable they have no general algorithmic solution whatsoever. Others are solvable, but have no efficient algorithm the minimum computation time inherently grows exponentially with the size of the problem instance. Uncovering these phenomena (known as uncomputability and intractability, respectively) are unique benefits of a mathematically rigorous approach to algorithms. While we may sometimes be satisfied with empirical demonstrations of the performance of an algorithm we have found, a proof seems to be the only way to convince ourselves that there is no algorithm whatsoever. This course aims to give students the power of using mathematical abstraction and rigorous proof to understand computation. Thus equipped, students are able to design and use algorithms that apply to a wide variety of computational problems with confidence about their correctness and efficiency, as well as recognize when a problem may have no algorithmic solution. At the same time, students may gain an appreciation for the beautiful mathematical theory of computation that is independent of (indeed, predates) the technology on which it is implemented.
Prerequisites: Experience with proofs and discrete mathematics at the level of CSCI E-20, and (Python) programming at the level of CSCI E-50.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 120. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting September 5 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-121
Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science
Boaz Barak PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14302 | Section 1
Description
Computation occurs over a variety of substrates including silicon, neurons, DNA, the stock market, bee colonies, and many others. In this course we study the fundamental capabilities and limitations of computation, including the phenomenon of universality and the duality of code and data. We touch upon the following questions: Are there functions that cannot be computed? Are there true mathematical statements that can’t be proven? Are there encryption schemes that can’t be broken? Is randomness ever useful for computing? Can we use the quirks of quantum mechanics to speed up computation?
Prerequisites: CSCI E-20 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 121. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:15-12:30 pm starting September 5 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-125
Crypto and Blockchain: Understanding the Technology and the Challenges It Presents
Daniel Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26601 | Section 1
Description
This course aims to unpack the hype behind the cryptocurrency craze and give students the facts through the eyes of leading regulators, technologists, lawyers, and experts. Students learn what blockchains and cryptocurrencies are, how they can be used, and where the future of this technology is headed. The course covers multiple areas, including the basics of blockchain technology and how it works; how to create, transact, and store cryptocurrencies; regulatory and legal challenges that come with the adoption of a digital currency; surveys of how different regulatory agencies define securities in the US; and technical pieces that are underpinning secure software, system interactions with cryptocurrencies, and distributed consensus for reliability.
Prerequisites: An introductory finance or economics course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-140
Ethics of Cybersecurity
Daniel Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26595 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to methods, controls, and frameworks to study ethics. The course examines cybersecurity professionals’ ethical responsibilities at various levels and their responsibilities to companies, governments, and themselves. The course then examines decision frameworks and applies these frameworks to multiple scenarios, including the government’s recent cases against cybersecurity professionals for ethical violations. The course examines the interplay of privacy, integrity, confidentiality, and legal issues. Students work together to create a professional code of conduct as part of the final project and present it to the class.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-142
Foundations of Technology Risk Management and Assessment
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16682 | Section 1
Description
Technology risk refers to any risk of financial loss, disruption, or damage to the reputation of an organization as a result of the failure of its information technology (IT) systems. This course covers the foundations of technology risk management, IT risk identification, IT risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk and control monitoring and reporting.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-144
Information System Forensics
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Daniel Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16955 | Section 1
Description
The course focuses on the principles and practices of forensic investigation and analysis of information in modern organizations and distributed information systems. Topics include studies of information processes, events, time measurement, causal factors, information volatility, technical and procedural forensic methods, rules of evidence, and case law.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-145
Networking at Scale
Minlan Yu PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26710 | Section 1
Description
Modern networks have grown to extremely large scale, connecting millions of servers, and high speed, with terabits per second to meet the needs of a variety of cloud applications in business and society (for example, social media, public health, and entertainment). In this course, we study not only basic concepts in networking but also how these concepts are applied and extended for networking at scale. We discuss the recent technology trends and design choices of performance, scalability, manageability, and cost faced by companies who own large-scale networks such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. This course includes lectures, system programming projects, and homework.
Prerequisites: System programming at the level of CSCI E-61.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences companion course Computer Science 145. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting January 23 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-147a
Fundamentals of the Law and Cybersecurity
Daniel Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26594 | Section 1
Description
In a world with almost limitless data collection capability, where cyberattacks can propagate instantaneously and where the identity or location of an adversary may not be known, individuals and institutions are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks that disrupt productivity, jeopardize privacy, and threaten national security. This course examines legal, business, and policy challenges stemming from rapidly evolving cybersecurity threats. It begins with an introduction to cybersecurity, cybercrime, and cyberwarfare. It explores the national and international legal frameworks that govern cyberspace, including laws related to cyber crime, espionage, and war. The course also discusses how current laws affect corporations and provides detailed case studies regarding the state of cybersecurity in various countries. It looks at the limits of current law and the need for further policy evolution, as well as the real-world impact of different legal, business, and policy options.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-151
Introduction to Databases with SQL
Carter Zenke EdM, Senior Preceptor, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17011 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to databases using a language called SQL. Students learn how to create, read, update, and delete data with relational databases, which store data in rows and columns, and how to model real-world entities and relationships among them using tables with appropriate types, triggers, and constraints. The course covers how to normalize data to eliminate redundancies and reduce potential for errors and how to join tables together using primary and foreign keys. Students learn how to automate searches with views and expedite searches with indexes, as well as how to connect SQL with other languages like Python and Java. The course begins with SQLite for portability’s sake and ends with introductions to PostgreSQL and MySQL for scalability’s sake. Assignments are inspired by real-world datasets.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-151
Introduction to Databases with SQL
Carter Zenke EdM, Senior Preceptor, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26716 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to databases using a language called SQL. Students learn how to create, read, update, and delete data with relational databases, which store data in rows and columns, and how to model real-world entities and relationships among them using tables with appropriate types, triggers, and constraints. The course covers how to normalize data to eliminate redundancies and reduce potential for errors and how to join tables together using primary and foreign keys. Students learn how to automate searches with views and expedite searches with indexes, as well as how to connect SQL with other languages like Python and Java. The course begins with SQLite for portability’s sake and ends with introductions to PostgreSQL and MySQL for scalability’s sake. Assignments are inspired by real-world datasets.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-155
Networks and Cloud Security
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Daniel Garrie JD, Founder and Managing Director, Law and Forensics, LLC and JAMS Neutral Mediator
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16963 | Section 1
Description
This course explores a wide range of topics within cybersecurity, such as computer operating systems, infrastructure, network, and internet security; intrusion detection and prevention; cryptography; basic attack methodologies; attack mitigation; information systems strategy and planning; security risk analysis and risk management; and information assurance, social engineering, and application security.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-155
Networks and Cloud Security
David Cass MBA, Vice President, Cyber and IT Risk, Supervision Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26603 | Section 1
Description
This course explores a wide range of topics within cybersecurity, such as computer operating systems, infrastructure, network, and internet security; intrusion detection and prevention; cryptography; basic attack methodologies; attack mitigation; information systems strategy and planning; security risk analysis and risk management; and information assurance, social engineering, and application security.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-159
Cybersecurity: Intrusion, Hacking, and Detection
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16996 | Section 1
Description
The course is an introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Students learn how to secure their accounts, data, systems, and software against today’s threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow’s as well, both at home and at work. Students learn how to preserve their own privacy. Students learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for them), and to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. The course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need to know technically to understand both. Assignments are inspired by real-world events.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-159
Cybersecurity: Intrusion, Hacking, and Detection
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26630 | Section 1
Description
The course is an introduction to cybersecurity for technical and non-technical audiences alike. Students learn how to secure their accounts, data, systems, and software against today’s threats and how to recognize and evaluate tomorrow’s as well, both at home and at work. Students learn how to preserve their own privacy. Students learn to view cybersecurity not in absolute terms but relative, a function of risks and rewards (for an adversary) and costs and benefits (for them), and to recognize cybersecurity as a trade-off with usability itself. The course presents both high-level and low-level examples of threats, providing students with all they need to know technically to understand both. Assignments are inspired by real-world events.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-165
Data Systems
Stratos Idreos PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16957 | Section 1
Description
We are in the big data era and data systems sit in the critical path of everything we do. We are going through major transformations in business, science, and everyday life collecting and analyzing data changes everything and data systems provide the means to store and analyze a massive amount of data. This course is a comprehensive introduction to modern data systems. The primary focus is on modern trends that are shaping the data management industry right now such as column-store, systems for machine learning, hybrid systems, shared nothing architectures, cache-conscious algorithms, hardware/software co-design, main memory systems, adaptive indexing, stream processing, scientific data management, and key-value stores. We also study the history of data systems and traditional and seminal concepts and ideas such as the relational model, row-store database systems, optimization, indexing, concurrency control, recovery, and structured query language (SQL). We discuss both how data systems have evolved over the years and why, as well as how these concepts apply today and how data systems might evolve in the future. We focus on understanding concepts and trends rather than specific techniques that will soon be outdated.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50 and CSCI E-61, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 165. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting September 5 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-171
Visualization
Hanspeter Pfister PhD, An Wang Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16477 | Section 1
Description
The amount and complexity of information produced in science, engineering, business, and everyday human activity is increasing at staggering rates. The goal of this course is to expose students to visual representation methods and techniques that increase the understanding of complex data. Good visualizations not only present a visual interpretation of data, but do so by improving comprehension, communication, and decision making. In this course, students learn how the human visual system processes and perceives images, good design practices for visualization, tools for visualization of data from a variety of fields, and programming of interactive web-based visualizations using D3.
Prerequisites: Students are expected to have programming experience (for example, CSCI E-50) and ideally some experience with web development.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 171. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:15-3:30 pm starting September 6 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-176
Advanced Cloud Technology Management: Strategies for Successful Enterprise Deployment
Jeremy Wei EdD, Chief Technology Officer, Foxit Software
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26700 | Section 1
Description
In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), organizations are confronted with an urgent and critical demand for competent technology leaders to align technologies with internal and external business needs. This course is designed to address this pressing need, equipping professionals with the essential skills necessary for effective enterprise technology deployment and management. Through a comprehensive curriculum encompassing lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments, students can actively explore and evaluate various aspects of enterprise technology deployment, business-technology alignment, and organizational change decisions and implementations. By engaging in these learning activities, students gain valuable insights and practical knowledge that enable them to drive successful technology strategies within their organizations.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday, February 17, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Sunday, February 18, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 205
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-184
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Governance, and Laws
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26606 | Section 1
Description
Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are creating new opportunities to improve businesses’ decision making, productivity, and competitiveness. However, data science and AI also create ethical and privacy concerns. For example, a classification algorithm can harm a sub-category of the population due to bias in the data used to develop and train the model. Data scientists and AI engineers often learn the concepts, tools, and techniques and then start to collect data and develop machine learning algorithms without realizing the unintended consequences of their data products. What obligation do data scientists and AI engineers have to be guardians of the data they collect and analyze? How do we ensure data and AI products’ fairness, interpretability, privacy, and security? This course focuses on ethics, governance, and laws specifically related to data science and AI. This course aims to provide a framework to help students understand the value tradeoffs at stake as they collect data, develop algorithms, and deal with some of the consequences. We use case studies, examples, and simulations to facilitate learning, critical thinking, debates, decision making, and problem solving in the context of data science, AI ethics, and governance.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-192
Modern Data Analytics
Marina Popova ALM, Engineer, TechTarget
Edward S. Sumitra MS, Associate Director, Curriculum Associates
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26646 | Section 1
Description
Data is the new gold of the modern age. It affects all aspects of business and everyday lives: social media, communication, financial and health data, web and application logs, security, and threat mitigation all rely on the ability to collect, process, and analyze terabytes and petabytes from numerous data sources. Modern cloud-based frameworks and infrastructure serve as a foundation and an enabler for most services. In this course, students learn how to navigate this extraordinarily diverse and fast-changing field through popular tools and frameworks to process and analyze data, such as Spark 3 and related application programming interfaces (APIs) and frameworks (Spark Core, Spark SQL, Spark MLLib, and GraphX). We cover the basics of machine learning and deploying models to the cloud, including how to design and organize data using modern distributed data storage options (such as Redshift and BigQuery); elements of data lakes and data warehouse design and evolution to data mesh architectures; trends in unified data analytics and modern data stack frameworks; and integration with business intelligence (BI) tools for data visualization (Looker or Amazon Web Services [AWS] Quicksight). We work hands-on with many of the above frameworks on AWS and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) cloud. We primarily use Python for those assignments that require programming.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-88, CSCI E-88a, or CSCI E-90, and intermediate Python skills. Some familiarity with Docker and cloud environments. CSCI E-88c is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-1b
Computer Science for Business Professionals
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16998 | Section 1
Description
This course is a variant of Harvard College’s introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for business professionals. Whereas CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach, emphasizing mastery of low-level concepts and implementation details thereof, this course takes a top-down approach, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and design decisions related thereto. Ultimately this course empowers students to make technological decisions even if they are not technologists themselves. Topics include cloud computing, networking, privacy, scalability, security, and more, with an emphasis on web and mobile technologies. Students emerge from this course with first-hand appreciation of how it all works and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision making. This course is designed for managers, product managers, founders, and decision makers more generally.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/business.
CSCI E-1b
Computer Science for Business Professionals
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25393 | Section 1
Description
This course is a variant of Harvard College’s introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for business professionals. Whereas CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach, emphasizing mastery of low-level concepts and implementation details thereof, this course takes a top-down approach, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and design decisions related thereto. Ultimately this course empowers students to make technological decisions even if they are not technologists themselves. Topics include cloud computing, networking, privacy, scalability, security, and more, with an emphasis on web and mobile technologies. Students emerge from this course with first-hand appreciation of how it all works and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision making. This course is designed for managers, product managers, founders, and decision makers more generally.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/business.
CSCI E-20
Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
Rebecca Nesson PhD, Associate Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Michael Mitzenmacher PhD, Thomas J. Watson, Sr. Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26502 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches all the math not taught in the traditional calculus/linear algebra sequence that is needed to take more advanced courses in theory of computation and/or algorithms. That is, it teaches discrete mathematics, logic, and basic probability, but does not teach calculus or linear algebra. It also gives a good introduction to reading mathematical notation and writing formal proofs. A principal objective of the course is to not just teach a set of mathematical topics, but also to prepare students to think mathematically and to read and write mathematics.
Prerequisites: MATH E-10 or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 20. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
CSCI E-22
Data Structures
David G. Sullivan PhD, Master Lecturer on Computer Science, Boston University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26616 | Section 1
Description
This course is a survey of fundamental data structures for information processing, including lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs. It explores the implementation of these data structures (both array-based and linked representations) and examines classic algorithms that use these structures for tasks such as sorting, searching, and text compression. The Java programming language is used to demonstrate the topics discussed; and key notions of object-oriented programming, including encapsulation and abstract data types, are emphasized.
Prerequisites: A good working knowledge of Java (CSCI E-10b, or the equivalent).
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-23a
Introduction to Game Development
Colton T. Ogden Chief Technology Officer, From Zero LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26415 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the development of 2D and 3D interactive games. Students explore the design of such childhood games as Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda, and Portal in a quest to understand how video games themselves are implemented. Via lectures and hands-on projects, the course explores principles of 2D and 3D graphics, animation, sound, and collision detection using frameworks like Unity and L VE 2D, as well as languages like Lua and C#. By course’s end, students have programmed several of their own games and gained a thorough understanding of the basics of game design and development.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, CSCI E-50, CS50x, or prior programming experience in any language.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/games.
CSCI E-25
Computer Vision
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26285 | Section 1
Description
Computer vision is an exciting and rapidly changing field. In a little over ten years, deep learning algorithms have revolutionized several aspects of computer vison. Applications that were infeasible or impractical a few years ago are now in routine production. These advances allow intelligent systems to interact with the real-world using vision. Examples of modern computer vision (CV) applications include digital photography, robotic or autonomous vehicles, medical imaging, and scientific imaging. This course is a fast-moving survey of both fundamental theory of CV algorithms along with hands-on practical assignments applying these methods using Python. Successfully deploying CV applications often requires a combination of classical methods and state-of-the-art algorithms. Therefore, this course includes classical image processing and CV techniques which are the basis of many standard CV applications. From this foundation the course moves to the deep learning approaches that have revolutionized computer vision. Students apply tools drawn from the extensive universe of Python CV related packages in the hands-on assignments. Major topics covered in the course include: algorithms used to prepare images, transform images and extract features; statistical properties of images and methods of decomposition; classification of objects in images; optimization and regularization for machine learning algorithms; deep neural networks for image classification; motion in images and optical flow; advanced deep neural network architectures; object detection and tracking algorithms; models of stereo vision; segmentation of images; and generative models.
Prerequisites: Experience programming using the Python language, equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-29. For people with limited Python programming experience, some experience programming, in any language, such as R, Matlab, or C++ is helpful. Some exposure to basic machine learning and data science methods, equivalent to CSCI E-101, is helpful but not essential. Knowledge of linear algebra, including eigenvalue-eigenvector decomposition and a bit of differential and integral calculus is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Mondays, 7-9 pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-26
Introduction to C, Unix/Linux Programming, and Web Interfaces
Bruce Molay AB, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14294 | Section 1
Description
Designed for students with some programming experience, this course provides a rigorous introduction to writing and using software tools in the Unix and GNU/Linux programming environments to build command-line and web-based programs. The course teaches students how to write C programs and Unix shell scripts, and how to create web interfaces to those programs. Topics include text processing, memory management, files and pipes, and processes and protocols. Students write programs to analyze data and generate reports, use shell scripts to combine tools into applications, and use HTML and server-side Unix programming to provide web access to those applications and data.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of a structured programming language such as C++, Java, JavaScript, or Python; a data structures course such as CSCI E-22.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-265
Big Data Systems
Stratos Idreos PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26522 | Section 1
Description
Big data is everywhere. A fundamental goal across modern business and science is to be able to utilize as many machines as possible, to consume as much information as possible and as fast as possible. The big challenge is how to turn data into useful knowledge. This is a moving target as both the underlying hardware and our ability to collect data evolve. In this course, we discuss how to design data systems, data structures, and algorithms for key data-driven areas, including relational systems, distributed systems, graph systems, noSQL, newSQL, machine learning, and neural networks. We see how they all rely on the same set of very basic concepts, and we learn how to synthesize efficient solutions for any problem across these areas using those basic concepts.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-61, and CSCI E-66 or CSCI E-165, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences companion course Computer Science 265. Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45-11:00 am starting January 23 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and SEAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or SEAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions.
CSCI E-28
Unix/Linux Systems Programming
Bruce Molay AB, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24040 | Section 1
Description
As an introduction to the fundamental structure and services of the Unix and Linux operating systems, this course combines theory with programming at the system call level. Topics include files and directories, device control, terminal handling, processes and threads, signals, pipes, and sockets. Examples and exercises include directory management utilities, a shell, and a web server.
Prerequisites: Solid knowledge of C or C++ at the level of CSCI E-26 and a data structures course such as CSCI E-22; some experience using Unix helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-3
Introduction to Web Programming Using JavaScript
Laurence P. Bouthillier MS, Executive Director, University of British Columbia Extended Learning
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15118 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to web development by way of the essential language and runtime environment that powers modern web interfaces. Through a series of examples and projects, students learn basic programming concepts while building an understanding of the power and complexities of JavaScript, which can perplex even experienced web developers. The course provides a solid foundation in computer programming in JavaScript: syntax and data structures, conditionals, objects, scope and closures, Ajax, the DOM, and event handling. Students gain an understanding of the popular libraries that power rich web applications such as jQuery, VueJS, and others. Upon completion, students are prepared to use JavaScript libraries in their projects, write their own or extend existing JavaScript libraries, and build rich web applications using these powerful tools. No computer programming experience is required, though exposure to basic HTML and CSS is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-31
Web Application Development using Node.js
Laurence P. Bouthillier MS, Executive Director, University of British Columbia Extended Learning
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25038 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to web application development by way of JavaScript and the node.js environment. Students learn the basics of server-side web development using the MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, node.js). Using the MEAN stack, the course introduces students to models of software development that can apply to any web development environment, including the application server (node.js), Model View Controller (MVC) frameworks using Express.js, front-end frameworks (Angular), and databases (MongoDB). The course includes setting up a node.js environment, building representational state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (APIs) and full-stack JavaScript applications using the MEAN stack, and following good application development practices. Experience with server-side application development is not required, though knowledge of client-side web development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) is important.
Prerequisites: Basic HTML/JavaScript. CSCI E-3 and CSCI E-12 are excellent preparations for this course.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-33a
Web Programming with Python and JavaScript
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16215 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the design and implementation of web applications with Python, JavaScript, and SQL using frameworks like Django, React, and Bootstrap. Topics include database design, scalability, security, and user experience. Through hands-on projects, students learn to write and use application programming interfaces (APIs), create interactive user interfaces (UIs), and leverage cloud services like GitHub and Heroku. By semester’s end, students emerge with knowledge and experience in the principles, languages, and tools that empower them to design and deploy applications on the internet.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or prior programming experience in any language.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/web.
CSCI E-33a
Web Programming with Python and JavaScript
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25184 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the design and implementation of web applications with Python, JavaScript, and SQL using frameworks like Django, React, and Bootstrap. Topics include database design, scalability, security, and user experience. Through hands-on projects, students learn to write and use application programming interfaces (APIs), create interactive user interfaces (UIs), and leverage cloud services like GitHub and Heroku. By semester’s end, students emerge with knowledge and experience in the principles, languages, and tools that empower them to design and deploy applications on the internet.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or prior programming experience in any language.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is also available for noncredit as OpenCourseWare at cs50.edx.org/web.
CSCI E-34
User Experience Engineering
David S. Platt ME, President, Rolling Thunder Computing, Inc.
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14557 | Section 1
Description
Success in today’s software marketplace requires excellent user experience (UX). This course presents the foundations of excellent UX in a platform-agnostic manner. This course requires no programming. Instead, we focus on deciding what to program to make our users happier and more productive. Students learn to start with the user, not the toolkit. Who are our users and how do we represent them with personas? What problems are these users trying to solve, what would they consider a good solution, and how do we represent that with stories? How should the user interaction flow and how do we represent it with quick, inexpensive mockups? How can we test different designs on users? How can we learn what users really do, instead of what they can remember or will admit to? Students work on a term project of their choosing, performing all steps of the UX design process. We use modern design tools such as Figma. We examine in-depth case studies and hear from industry-leading guest speakers. Students finish this course with a starter portfolio to show potential employers.
Prerequisites: Because we will not be programming, no specific software development skills are required for this course. However, more than for most computer science courses, students must be ready to think in new ways, participate in discussions, experiment, and challenge the assumptions they have worked with throughout their careers.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-39
Design Principles in React
Nicolas Javier Tejera Aguirre ALM, Chief Technology Officer, Tolemi
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16734 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students how to implement usable and understandable applications using ReactJS, including core concepts of design like typography, color theory, and visual hierarchy. The first weeks cover introduction to font families, color palettes, and design principles, and how to apply the right ones based on context. We then deep dive into ReactJS and build simple yet complete components, applying the acquired knowledge to produce user-friendly and proportionally designed objects. We finalize by building a small web application, leveraging existing component libraries and frameworks.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in Javascript, HTML, and CSS.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 306
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-40
Communication Protocols and Internet Architectures
Len Evenchik SM, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14296 | Section 1
Description
Networks are now too large, complex, and diverse to be built on an ad hoc basis. This course provides a structured approach to the design, analysis, and implementation of networks and protocols. We study various protocols, including TCP/IP, WWW/HTTP, e-mail/SMTP, domain name system (DNS), multimedia protocols for voice and video, routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, and BGP), and the IEEE 802 LAN protocol suite. In each case, the protocol’s functions and the underlying reference model are discussed. LAN architecture and design, network security and encryption, and the design and analysis of both private networks and the internet are presented. The course discusses new areas of work, including real-time voice and video on the internet, quality of service (QoS), gigabit wireless networks, internet of things (IoT), software-defined networks (SDN), and network functions virtualization (NFV).
Prerequisites: Programming or networking experience; a basic understanding of the principles of communication protocols.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-40
Communication Protocols and Internet Architectures
Len Evenchik SM, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24033 | Section 1
Description
Networks are now too large, complex, and diverse to be built on an ad hoc basis. This course provides a structured approach to the design, analysis, and implementation of networks and protocols. We study various protocols, including TCP/IP, WWW/HTTP, e-mail/SMTP, domain name system (DNS), multimedia protocols for voice and video, routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, and BGP), and the IEEE 802 LAN protocol suite. In each case, the protocol’s functions and the underlying reference model are discussed. LAN architecture and design, network security and encryption, and the design and analysis of both private networks and the internet are presented. The course discusses new areas of work, including real-time voice and video on the internet, quality of service (QoS), gigabit wireless networks, internet of things (IoT), software-defined networks (SDN), and network functions virtualization (NFV).
Prerequisites: Programming or networking experience; a basic understanding of the principles of communication protocols.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the fall course.
CSCI E-43
How to Assess and Communicate Risk in Information Security
Derek Brink MBA, Vice President and Research Fellow, Aberdeen Strategy and Research, Spiceworks Ziff Davis
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24587 | Section 1
Description
In simple terms, risk is the likelihood of something bad taking place, and the resulting business impact if it does in fact occur. We often talk about the bad things that could happen that is, the threats, vulnerabilities, and exploits, and the technologies that are used to defend against them but these are not risks. Senior business leaders need their subject-matter experts in cyber security to advise them not about the technical details (the “what”), but about the risk (the “so what”), and about how an incremental investment in recommended security controls quantifiably reduces that risk. This course covers how to assess security risks, properly defined, how to use these risk assessments to make better-informed recommendations regarding what to do about them, and how to communicate these risks more effectively to business decision makers.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-45a, CSCI E-45b, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 35 students
CSCI E-45a
The Cyber World: Hardware, Software, Networks, Security, and Management
Scott Bradner
Benoit Gaucherin Maitrise, Senior Director of Information Technology, Campus Systems, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14299 | Section 1
Description
Today we all live and work in a participatory cyberspace. Computers, the data networks that interconnect them, and the services available over the networks make up this cyberspace. As cyberspace invades almost all areas of modern day living, playing, and working, it is becoming more important that people understand its technical and political underpinnings and operations, as well as its capabilities, threats, and weaknesses. This is a companion course to CSCI E-45b. The goal of this pair of courses is to give students the tools they need to understand, use, and manage the technologies involved, as well as the ability to appreciate the legal, social, and political dynamics of this ever expanding universe and the interplay between the cyber and physical worlds. The pair of courses covers the essential elements of computing and the history, structure, operation, and governance of the internet. This course focuses on the fundamental workings of the digital world. From individual computing devices to the broader internet, students learn how each piece in this gigantic puzzle comes together to create the digital infrastructure that is the cyberspace of today and tomorrow. In addition, we explore the fundamental concepts, technologies, and issues associated with managing and securing cyberspace.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-45b
The Cyber World: Governance, Threats, Conflict, Privacy, Identity, and Commerce
Scott Bradner
Benoit Gaucherin Maitrise, Senior Director of Information Technology, Campus Systems, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24037 | Section 1
Description
Today we all live and work in a participatory cyberspace. Computers, the data networks that interconnect them, and the services available over the networks make up this cyberspace. As cyberspace invades almost all areas of modern day living, playing, and working, it is becoming more important that people understand its technical and political underpinnings and operations, as well as its capabilities, threats, and weaknesses. This is a companion course to CSCI E-45a. The goal of this pair of courses is to give students the tools they need to understand, use, and manage the technologies involved, as well as the ability to appreciate the legal, social, and political dynamics of this ever expanding universe and the interplay between the cyber and physical worlds. The pair of courses covers the essential elements of computing and the history, structure, operation, and governance of the internet. This course explores the technical and legal aspects of the interactions and tensions between security, usability, privacy, and surveillance in a post NSA-revelation world. We also look at the technical and legal underpinnings that affect the use of cyberspace for businesses. Finally, we explore the rapidly changing dangers of cyberspace from viruses to state-sponsored cyber-conflict.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-49
Cloud Security
Ramesh Nagappan MS, Principal Security Technologist, Amazon
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16960 | Section 1
Description
Cloud computing infrastructure has become a mainstay of the information technology industry, opening the possibility for on-demand, highly elastic, and infinite computer power with scalability and supporting the delivery of mission-critical secure enterprise applications and services. This course provides ground-up coverage on the high level concepts of cloud landscape, architectural principles, development techniques, design patterns, and real-world security best practices as applied to cloud service providers and consumers. It also addresses regulatory compliance requirements critical to design, implement, deliver, and manage secure cloud-based services. The course delves into the secure cloud-based application development processes that build on DevOps and DevSecOps processes, proactively identifying and mitigating risks with threat models, protection, and isolation of physical and logical infrastructures including computer storage (cloud-hosted virtualization, containerization using Docker and Kubernetes) and network topologies; comprehensive data protection with applied cryptography; end-to-end identity management and access control; monitoring, auditing, intrusion detection, and incident response processes; fraud detection (using machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques); and complying with industry and regulatory mandates. The course leverages cloud computing security guidelines set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), and Cloud Security Alliance (CSA).
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-12, CSCI E-33a, CSCI E-45a, CSCI E-45b, CSCI E-46, CSCI E-90, CSCI E-94, or the equivalent. Additional web application development and/or systems administration knowledge will be very helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-49
Cloud Security
Ramesh Nagappan MS, Principal Security Technologist, Amazon
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24557 | Section 1
Description
Cloud computing infrastructure has become a mainstay of the information technology industry, opening the possibility for on-demand, highly elastic, and infinite computer power with scalability and supporting the delivery of mission-critical secure enterprise applications and services. This course provides ground-up coverage on the high level concepts of cloud landscape, architectural principles, development techniques, design patterns, and real-world security best practices as applied to cloud service providers and consumers. It also addresses regulatory compliance requirements critical to design, implement, deliver, and manage secure cloud-based services. The course delves into the secure cloud-based application development processes that build on DevOps and DevSecOps processes, proactively identifying and mitigating risks with threat models, protection, and isolation of physical and logical infrastructures including computer storage (cloud-hosted virtualization, containerization using Docker and Kubernetes) and network topologies; comprehensive data protection with applied cryptography; end-to-end identity management and access control; monitoring, auditing, intrusion detection, and incident response processes; fraud detection (using machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques); and complying with industry and regulatory mandates. The course leverages cloud computing security guidelines set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), and Cloud Security Alliance (CSA).
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: CSCI E-7, CSCI E-12, CSCI E-33a, CSCI E-45a, CSCI E-45b, CSCI E-46, CSCI E-90, CSCI E-94, or the equivalent. Additional web application development and/or systems administration knowledge will be very helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-49a
Cryptography and Identity Management for Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications
Ramesh Nagappan MS, Principal Security Technologist, Amazon
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16685 | Section 1
Description
Confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, authorization, and accountability are the most critical security requirements that serve as the basis for deploying and delivering trustworthy information technology (IT) applications and services in on-premise enterprises, cloud provider hosted platforms, and network-centric devices that are connected to the internet. Adopting cryptography and identity management solutions for data protection and access control addresses these security requirements and has become a vital part of all business applications, electronic transactions, IT networks, cloud providers, and internet of things (IoT). This course provides a ground-up coverage on the high-level concepts, applied mechanisms, architecture, design, and real-world implementation practices of using cryptography and identity management solutions as they apply to cloud-hosted applications, services, and IoT devices.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-49, CSCI E-90, CSCI E-118, or equivalent. Experience with web application development and/or systems administration using a cloud provider is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 8-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-50
Intensive Introduction to Computer Science
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14290 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets are inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach students how to program in one language, this course teaches how to program fundamentally and ultimately how to teach oneself new programming languages. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today’s newer languages, through which students learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, and loops, but also how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that students understand all the more because of C. Toward term’s end, the course introduces SQL, via which students can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which students can create web and mobile applications. The course culminates in a final project. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 50 (CS50). Registered students can ordinarily live stream the lectures Mondays, 1:30-4:15 pm starting September 11 or they can watch them on demand. The recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day. Class sessions for this course may include students enrolled in the FAS companion course. Accordingly, when you participate in live class sessions, you will do so alongside both Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and FAS students. If you participate in a way that causes you to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to DCE students enrolled in this course or FAS students enrolled in the companion course, according to the policies of the two schools on accessing recordings of class sessions. This course is also available for noncredit via EdX.
CSCI E-50
Intensive Introduction to Computer Science
David J. Malan PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24107 | Section 1
Description
This course teaches students how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets are inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach students how to program in one language, this course teaches how to program fundamentally and ultimately how to teach oneself new programming languages. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today’s newer languages, through which students learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, and loops, but also how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that students understand all the more because of C. Toward term’s end, the course introduces SQL, via which students can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which students can create web and mobile applications. The course culminates in a final project. Students can count two of the following three courses CSCI E-10a, CSCI E-10b, and CSCI E-50 toward a degree. They may not count all three toward a degree.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences course Computer Science 50 (CS50). This course is also available for noncredit via EdX.
CSCI E-59
Designing and Developing Relational and NoSQL Databases
Gregory Thomas Misicko ALM, Engineering Manager, NetApp Cloud Solutions
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25690 | Section 1
Description
This course focuses on the design and development of databases using a very practical and hands-on approach to learning. Students begin by learning how to set up and configure a database server, followed by a thorough understanding of how to design and develop a real-world database built for stability and performance. Structured query language (SQL) is taught starting from the most basic level and leading up to an advanced level. As many projects today evaluate NoSQL options, students also learn about the more popular NoSQL options available and work with MQL and Cypher.
Prerequisites: Capable of learning new programming languages (such as SQL, MQL, or Cypher) from the beginning.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 8:00pm-10:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-597
Data Science Precapstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25390 | Section 1
Description
This course helps students develop academically strong, team-based capstone proposals. Working in teams is a critical industry skill that must be mastered for professional success. The course is mandatory for candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, who wish to register for CSCI E-599a in the spring. It prepares students to explore interdisciplinary capstone topics from a variety of industries and areas. Through workshops and collaboration with industry partners and other capstone students with experience from different industries and disciplines, students identify capstone topics, apply the appropriate data science methods, and use data to advance innovative solutions. Students receive guidance on how to work effectively in teams, refine project proposals, and build the domain knowledge necessary in their selected area. By the end of the course, each team submits a detailed capstone proposal, including project rationale, literature reviews, methods, and expected outcomes, which they intend to execute during CSCI E-599a.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, data science, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CSCI E-599a, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 2-20, 1:00pm-4:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: January 02, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Because this course requires in-person attendance, students must comply with the Harvard Extension School mandatory COVID-19 immunization documentation policy. Please see the COVID-19 updates page for details.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-599
Software Engineering Capstone
Peter Vaughan Henstock PhD, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lead, Pfizer, Inc.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24531 | Section 1
Description
This course examines how current software engineering methods approach structuring and managing software projects, from requirements gathering to production release. Formal methods in software engineering have a long history, from the older waterfall method to the current agile methods. Students collaborate in small teams to define an architectural model and a project plan, and then implement a system while practicing techniques in software engineering. They present to the Extension School’s Master of Liberal Arts, software engineering faculty committee based on the course project.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, software engineering, capstone track. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing, have completed nine degree courses including the software design requirement, and have proficiency in programming. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 27 students
CSCI E-599a
Data Science Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16091 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI S-597. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their data science, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about data, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in March with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the Harvard Summer School precapstone course, CSCI S-597, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course and CSCI E-599B may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they will do so alongside students in the other course. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-599a
Data Science Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25391 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, data science, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI E-597. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their data science, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about data, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, data science. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI E-597, in the previous January term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
CSCI E-599b
Cybersecurity Capstone
Bruce Huang EdD, PhD, Director of Master’s Degree Program in Information Technology, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16989 | Section 1
Description
This course is the culmination of the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity, where student teams execute their capstone proposal from CSCI S-597b. It gives students the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and other students on complex capstone topics using their cybersecurity, communications, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills. At the completion of the capstone, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically about cybersecurity, communicate with diverse audiences, and advance innovation in ways that benefit society.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted degree candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, cybersecurity. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in March with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CSCI S-597b, in the previous summer term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Students in this course and CSCI E-599A may interact with one another, for example, in Canvas or class sessions. Accordingly, when students participate in live class sessions, they will do so alongside students in the other course. If students participate in a way that causes them to appear in recordings of the class, those recordings may be shown to students enrolled in the other course.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 18 students
CSCI E-63c
Elements of Data Science and Statistical Learning with R
Andrey Sivachenko PhD, Scientist IV, Head of Bioinformatics, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Lab
Victor A. Farutin PhD, Senior Director, Computational Biology, Verve Therapeutics
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15123 | Section 1
Description
One of the broad goals of data science is examining raw data with the purpose of identifying its structure and trends, and of deriving conclusions and hypotheses from it. In the modern world awash with data, data analytics is more important than ever to fields ranging from biomedical research, space and weather science, finance, business operations and production, to marketing and social media applications. This course introduces various statistical learning methods and their applications. The R programming language, a very popular and powerful platform for scientific and statistical analysis and visualization, is introduced and used throughout the course. We discuss the fundamentals of statistical testing and learning, and cover topics of linear and non-linear regression, clustering and classification, support vector machines, and decision trees. The datasets used in the examples are drawn from diverse domains such as finance, genomics, and customer sales and survey data.
Prerequisites: Good programming skills, preferably in R or solid experience in other languages; good understanding of probability and statistics at the level of CSCI E-106 or STAT E-109. See the syllabus for the recommended pretest.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 200 students
CSCI E-63c
Elements of Data Science and Statistical Learning with R
Andrey Sivachenko PhD, Scientist IV, Head of Bioinformatics, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Lab
Victor A. Farutin PhD, Senior Director, Computational Biology, Verve Therapeutics
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24748 | Section 1
Description
One of the broad goals of data science is examining raw data with the purpose of identifying its structure and trends, and of deriving conclusions and hypotheses from it. In the modern world awash with data, data analytics is more important than ever to fields ranging from biomedical research, space and weather science, finance, business operations and production, to marketing and social media applications. This course introduces various statistical learning methods and their applications. The R programming language, a very popular and powerful platform for scientific and statistical analysis and visualization, is introduced and used throughout the course. We discuss the fundamentals of statistical testing and learning, and cover topics of linear and non-linear regression, clustering and classification, support vector machines, and decision trees. The datasets used in the examples are drawn from diverse domains such as finance, genomics, and customer sales and survey data.
Prerequisites: Good programming skills, preferably in R or solid experience in other languages; good understanding of probability and statistics at the level of CSCI E-106 or STAT E-109. See the syllabus for the recommended pretest.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 200 students
CSCI E-66
Database Systems
David G. Sullivan PhD, Master Lecturer on Computer Science, Boston University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16976 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the fundamental concepts of database systems. Topics include data models (entity-relationship, relational, and others); query languages (relational algebra, SQL, and others); implementation techniques of database management systems (index structures, concurrency control, recovery, and query processing); management of semistructured and complex data; distributed and noSQL databases.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-22 or the equivalent, and strong programming skills in Java.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:40pm-7:40pm, 1 Story Street 304
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-7
Introduction to Computer Science with Python
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16959 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to computer science for students without prior programming experience. It explores problem-solving and data analysis using Python, a programming language with a simple syntax and a powerful set of libraries. This course covers basic data types and collections (lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets), control flow, recursion, information hiding, and encapsulation using classes and objects, and introduces the analysis of program performance. The course presents an integrated view of computer systems, from switching circuits up through compilers, and examines theoretical and practical limitations related to unsolvable and intractable computational problems. Other topics include the social and ethical dilemmas presented by such issues as software unreliability, algorithmic bias, and invasions of privacy.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, Thursdays, October 24-December 21, 5:10pm-7:25pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: October 23, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-7
Introduction to Computer Science with Python
Henry H. Leitner PhD, Senior Lecturer on Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25531 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to computer science for students without prior programming experience. It explores problem-solving and data analysis using Python, a programming language with a simple syntax and a powerful set of libraries. This course covers basic data types and collections (lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets), control flow, recursion, information hiding, and encapsulation using classes and objects, and introduces the analysis of program performance. The course presents an integrated view of computer systems, from switching circuits up through compilers, and examines theoretical and practical limitations related to unsolvable and intractable computational problems. Other topics include the social and ethical dilemmas presented by such issues as software unreliability, algorithmic bias, and invasions of privacy.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:50pm-7:50pm, 1 Story Street 304
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-71
Agile Software Development
Richard Kasperowski ALB, Chief Technology Officer, Thrivelution
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16441 | Section 1
Description
This course is an immersive experience in agile software development. We study the technical, cultural, and social aspects of agile, including agility in software product development; business agility, including scrum, agile product inception, user stories, product backlog construction, definition of done and definition of ready, estimating, agile forecasting, project management, sprint planning, and retrospectives; technical agility, including pair programming, mob programming, test-driven development, working with legacy code, refactoring for clean code, behavior-driven development, continuous integration, continuous delivery, and DevOps; and advanced agility, including high-performance teams, core protocols for psychological safety and emotional intelligence, agile at large scale, and introducing and sustaining agile in your organization.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-22 or the equivalent. Students must have a computer suitable for software development.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Saturday, Sunday, September 16-17, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-73
Cross-Platform Development of Mobile Device Applications
David S. Platt ME, President, Rolling Thunder Computing, Inc.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26615 | Section 1
Description
Mobile devices are the hottest sector in software development today. Today’s mobile market is about evenly split between iPhone (iOS) and Android. Though developers have to cover them both, separate development efforts are difficult and wasteful. Microsoft’s MAUI platform provides a framework that covers both Android and iOS platforms from a single C# codebase. We start with the basic anatomy of a MAUI mobile application. We examine XAML, the layout language, and its code for constructing objects and setting their properties. We cover forms and layout, controls, navigation, and text handling. We study styles and user experience design. We go deep under the hood with multi-threading. We examine databinding and model-view-viewmodel architecture stack. We conclude by connecting our mobile applications to the cloud. This is a hands-on course, not a theoretical one, and extensive programming homework is required.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with either the C# or Java language. Successful completion of CSCI E-50 or equivalent, or at least one year of industrial experience in object-oriented programming.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Saturday, April 27, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, April 28, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-80
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16393 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the concepts and algorithms at the foundation of modern artificial intelligence, diving into the ideas that give rise to technologies like game-playing engines, handwriting recognition, and machine translation. Through hands-on projects, students gain exposure to the theory behind graph search algorithms, classification, optimization, machine learning, large language models, and other topics in artificial intelligence as they incorporate them into their own Python programs. By course’s end, students emerge with experience in libraries for machine learning as well as knowledge of artificial intelligence principles that enable them to design intelligent systems of their own.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or at least one year of experience with Python.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-80
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
Brian Paul Yu EdM, Preceptor in Computer Science, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25793 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the concepts and algorithms at the foundation of modern artificial intelligence, diving into the ideas that give rise to technologies like game-playing engines, handwriting recognition, and machine translation. Through hands-on projects, students gain exposure to the theory behind graph search algorithms, classification, optimization, machine learning, large language models, and other topics in artificial intelligence as they incorporate them into their own Python programs. By course’s end, students emerge with experience in libraries for machine learning as well as knowledge of artificial intelligence principles that enable them to design intelligent systems of their own.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-50, CS50x, or at least one year of experience with Python.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-80a
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Brian Subirana PhD, Instructor, MIT xPRO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16439 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces artificial intelligence (AI) programming tools inspired by our understanding of the human brain. The course includes four programming assignments in Python covering the four units of the brain as proposed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Brain, Minds and Machines (CBMM): sensor stream, brain operating system, cognitive core, and symbolic compositional models. Collectively the four assignments introduce a set of tools and computer science concepts, with a focus on deep learning, spanning a basic skill set to program complete models able to perform AI tasks. Part of the assignments include comparing the deep learning tools implemented with other AI tools not based on neural networks. The focus of the assignments is to build models reproducing as closely as possible the complex cognitive tasks humans do naturally. Human intelligence can be characterized in a variety of ways and as part of the course, we review how various computer engineering applications may benefit from these different advances in modeling human intelligence. We discuss various integrative approaches aiming at combining experimental techniques in neuroscience and cognitive science, with computational modeling in order to elucidate the architecture of intelligence. The course provides background to understand some of the current limitations in our progress towards a general artificial intelligence machine.
Prerequisites: Some basic computer skills to install and program with Python, for example CSCI E-7.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
CSCI E-82
Advanced Machine Learning, Data Mining, and Artificial Intelligence
Peter Vaughan Henstock PhD, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lead, Pfizer, Inc.
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15407 | Section 1
Description
The course is intended to combine the theory with the hands-on practice of solving modern industry problems with an emphasis on image processing and natural language processing. Topics include outlier detection, advanced clustering techniques, deep learning, dimensionality reduction methods, frequent item set mining, and recommender systems. Topics also considered include reinforcement learning, graph-based models, search optimization, and time series analysis. The course uses Python as the primary language, although later projects can include R and other languages. The course also introduces some industry standard tools to prepare students for artificial intelligence jobs.
Prerequisites: This course builds upon topics covered in CSCI E-63c and CSCI E-109a with either CSCI E-63c or CSCI E-109a as a prerequisite. Students should be proficient in Python including Pandas and readily able to load, parse, and manipulate data. A course such as CSCI E-7 or a course on Python and machine learning would be useful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
CSCI E-83
Fundamentals of Data Science
Stephen Elston PhD, Principal Consultant, Quantia Analytics LLC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16768 | Section 1
Description
This course builds on CSCI E-101, giving students a solid foundation for advanced data modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). The course focuses on the modern computational statistical methods underpinning advanced data science. In the twenty-first century, these powerful, computationally intensive models are both practical and widely used. Such models enable us to explore and model the complex datasets commonly encountered in the real world. The course employs a combination of theory and hands-on experience using Python programming tools. The focus is on foundational computational statistical algorithms and effective visualization methods. The hands-on component of the course uses the Python packages, NumPy, Pandas, Seaborn, Statsmodels, and PyMC3, along with selected other open-source packages. The focus of this course is on methods to address the exploration and modeling changes arising from the analysis of increasingly complex datasets. Basic computational statistical inference employing three approaches is addressed: maximum likelihood, modern resampling methods, and Bayesian models. The properties and behavior of the rich family of linear models, foundational to many statistical, machine learning and AI algorithms are surveyed. The course reviews probability theory, with an emphasis on conditional probability, essential to understanding modern computational statistical methods, machine learning, and AI. Additionally, large scale inference and series methods are explored.
Prerequisites: Some exposure to basic machine learning and data science methods, equivalent to CSCI E-101. Experience programming using the Python language, equivalent to CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-29. For people with limited Python programming experience, some experience programming, in any language, such as R, Matlab, or C++, is essential. Knowledge of linear algebra, including eigenvalue-eigenvector decomposition and a bit of differential and integral calculus is essential.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections Mondays, 7-9 pm.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-87
Big Data and Machine Learning in Healthcare Applications
Oleg Pianykh PhD, Assistant Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, and Director of Medical Analytics, Massachusetts General Hospital
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17070 | Section 1
Description
While large volumes of digital healthcare data have been captured for decades, we are only starting to mine them for information that can significantly advance healthcare delivery and quality. Built from many practical experiences, this course teaches students how to apply big data analytics and machine learning to the most challenging problems found in modern hospitals. We cover several important areas operational, clinical, and imaging using hands-on examples and real problems. Students not only learn how to build efficient data models, but also how to implement them in different healthcare environments, avoiding the most common pitfalls and achieving meaningful results.
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of statistics and machine learning. Programming in Python or Matlab is required for most homework assignments.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
CSCI E-88c
Programming in Scala for Big Data Systems
Edward S. Sumitra MS, Associate Director, Curriculum Associates
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16769 | Section 1
Description
Scala is a strongly typed, versatile programming language that has emerged as one of the de-facto languages in big data systems. Scala supports multiple programming paradigms, including familiar object-oriented programming (OOP) and functional programming (FP) techniques. This hands-on course covers types and data structures, build tools, functional programming concepts with higher-order functions, pattern matching, concurrency, and parallel processing. Popular libraries in the Scala ecosystem are introduced and applied. Students learn unit testing libraries and reinforce techniques taught in lectures by completing weekly programming assignments. Students apply their knowledge to develop batch processing applications in Apache Spark and stream processing applications in Apache Flink in the latter part of the course.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with a programming language like Java, Python, Javascript, C#, or C++.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-89
Deep Learning
Zoran B. Djordjevi PhD, Senior Enterprise Architect
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16392 | Section 1
Description
The ability of computerized systems to acquire vast amounts of data and display them in informative ways raises our expectations for fast, accurate identification or recognition of events or objects and for predictions about future events. Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have fulfilled those needs to some degree. Over the last 10 years, a versatile architectural style of artificial neural networks called deep learning has emerged as the most promising answer to those expectations. Today, deep learning is the primary technique for analysis and resolution of many issues in data analyses and natural sciences, linguistics, and engineering. We use deep learning for image classification, manipulation and generation, speech recognition and synthesis, natural language translation, sound and music manipulation and generation, navigation of self-driving cars, and many other activities. In this course, students master several key architectures for implementation of deep learning networks, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), long short-term memory networks (LSTMs), autoencoders, generative adversarial networks (GANs), transformers with attention, and graph neural networks. We provide references to many practical applications where those architectures are successfully used. The course starts with a review of the theoretical foundations of the neural networks approach to machine learning including auto-differentiation and backpropagation. The emphasis of the course is on practical applications of deep learning using Keras (packages within TensorFlow 2.x framework) and PyTorch.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with Python. We assume no familiarity with Linux and introduce all essential Linux features and commands. Students need access to a computer with a 64-bit operating system and at least 8 GB of RAM. Having a machine with NVIDIA card is a plus but not required. All complex examples given as assignments could be run on Google Collaboratory.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Fridays, September 8-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-89c
Deep Reinforcement Learning
Dmitry V. Kurochkin PhD, Senior Research Analyst, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Office for Faculty Affairs, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16817 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces deep reinforcement learning (RL), one of the most modern techniques of machine learning. Deep RL has attracted the attention of many researchers and developers in recent years due to its wide range of applications in a variety of fields such as robotics, robotic surgery, pattern recognition, diagnosis based on medical image, treatment strategies in clinical decision making, personalized medical treatment, drug discovery, speech recognition, computer vision, and natural language processing. Deep RL can be seen as the third area of machine learning, in addition to supervised and unsupervised algorithms, in which the learning of an agent occurs as a result of its own actions and interaction with the environment. Such learning processes do not need to be guided externally, but it has been difficult until recently to use RL ideas practically. This course focuses on foundations of deep RL and applications to problems that emerge in healthcare and social science applications.
Prerequisites: Introductory probability and statistics, multivariate calculus equivalent to MATH E-21a, and proficiency in Python programming equivalent to CSCI E-7. We formulate value (cost) functions and perform optimization. Students are expected to be comfortable taking derivatives. Basic knowledge of probability theory (in particular, conditional probability distributions and conditional expectations) is necessary. Understanding matrix vector operations and notation is helpful but not required. All coding exercises are performed in Python. Students are required to take a short pretest at the beginning of the course. The pretest score does not count toward the final grade but helps you understand whether your background in calculus, probability theory, as well as command of coding positions you for success in this course.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-8b
Mobile GIS
Pinde Fu PhD, Team Lead of Platform Engineering and Senior Principal Software Developer Engineer, Esri
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16696 | Section 1
Description
We live in the post-PC era. We have far more smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices than desktops and laptops. Mobile geospatial information systems (GIS) allow users to view, capture, update, and analyze geospatial data from a mobile device anywhere and anytime. With the popularity and location awareness of mobile devices, mobile GIS has become an indispensable part of geospatial solutions in sustainable development, health and human services, emergency management, and utilities. Consumer mobile GIS applications, such as Google Maps, Google Earth, Waze, and Zillow, have put the basic GIS capabilities in everyone’s hands. This course focuses on enterprise mobile GIS, which offers a much wider variety of capabilities. Students learn the foundational principles, in-depth knowledge, and state-of-the-art technologies to manage, design, and implement mobile GIS projects. This course teaches students how to create mobile GIS solutions and native applications for online and offline spatial data visualization, data collection, location tracking, and workforce coordination based on Esri’s mobile GIS products, including Survey123, Field Maps, QuickCapture, AuGeo, ArcGIS 360 VR, AuGeo, and ArcGIS Maps SDKs for mobile application development. The course explores the popular types of applications and frontiers, including location-based services (LBS), volunteered geographic information (VGI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR). Access to Harvard ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS mobile applications is provided.
Prerequisites: Students must have a computer (Windows or MacOS) and a smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android).
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-90
Cloud Services, Infrastructure, and Computing
Gregory Thomas Misicko ALM, Engineering Manager, NetApp Cloud Solutions
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15865 | Section 1
Description
Off-premise/cloud services, infrastructure, and computing have replaced in-house data centers across businesses of every size. Businesses rely on cloud services because of their extremely high efficiency, ease of setup, and their ability to scale with demand. It is essential for today’s engineers to understand how robust architectures can be implemented on a cloud platform, and to understand in depth which services and tools are available for them to use. This course does not require any prior experience working with cloud services and does not require any programming skills.
Prerequisites: Ability to read and write simple code in either Java or Python is a plus.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 8:00pm-10:00pm, 1 Story Street 306
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-92
Principles of Operating Systems
James L. Frankel PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and President, Frankel and Associates, Incorporated
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26605 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the role of operating systems: process synchronization and scheduling; memory management including virtual memory, swapping, paging, and segmentation; file management; protection and security; input/output techniques, buffering, and resource allocation; deadlock detection and avoidance; system modeling; performance measurement and evaluation; and operating system case studies. An extensive lab project is required of all students.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of data structures and programming experience, such as CSCI E-22 or the equivalent. An advanced algorithms course, such as CSCI E-124 or equivalent, is preferred but not required. Students must have sufficient experience to write large programming projects in the C programming language that utilize a wide variety of data structures.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 8:00pm-10:15pm, 53 Church Street L01
Required sections Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45 pm.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-94
Fundamentals of Cloud Computing and OpenAI with Microsoft Azure
Joseph Ficara ASEE, Lead Architect, The Predictive Index
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25152 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the student to cloud computing and serverless computing fundamentals. We contrast the challenges and benefits of cloud computing, serverless cloud computing, and traditional self-managed cloud and on-premises solutions. Students learn the fundamental architecture and design patterns necessary to build geographically distributed, highly available, and scalable solutions using key services in the Microsoft Azure platform. Students learn about the OpenAI offerings in Azure and how to leverage them in their cloud-native solutions. Students learn by doing, architecting secure, scalable, georedundant, and cost-effective infrastructure and deploying that infrastructure to Microsoft Azure using infrastructure as code via the Bicep language. Students also build, develop, and deploy cloud-native, secure, and scalable applications that gracefully degrade when non-essential functionality is unavailable on top of their Azure infrastructure. Students learn to implement defense in depth using network segmentation virtual networks (VNETs) and additional best practices. Microsoft Azure Services covered include Azure Front Door, Azure Application Services, Azure Application Configuration, KeyVault, Azure SQL, Azure application programming interface (API) management, serverless services including Azure Functions, and Azure Logic Applications. Azure Active Directory (AD) for authentication, Azure Storage, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, Azure Event Hub, Azure Cosmos database, and Azure Cognitive Search. In addition to Azure services and guidance, the course covers implementing processes to streamline development, such as continuous integration, continuous deployment (CICD), and automated testing using Azure DevOps. Students also learn how to test their applications and infrastructure at scale using Azure Load Testing. Coverage includes always-up architecture and deployment strategies, rollback strategies, A/B testing, testing in production, monitoring, distributed tracing, alerting, performance tuning, snapshot debugging in production, and health analysis using Application Insights and Azure Monitor. Additionally, students learn strategies and architecture for ensuring data sovereignty concerns are addressed in their solutions.
Prerequisites: Basic C#, C++, Python, or Java development skills. CSCI E-10a or the equivalent. This course involves a substantial amount of programming in C# and cross platform.NET (6 or above).
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
CSCI E-95
Compiler Design and Implementation
James L. Frankel PhD, Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University and President, Frankel and Associates, Incorporated
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16965 | Section 1
Description
This course is a study of the theory and practice required for the design and implementation of interpreters and compilers for programming languages. Coursework ranges from the abstract, such as categorization of grammars and languages, to the concrete, such as specific algorithms used in compilers and practical performance issues. Topics include lexical analysis, parsing, symbol table generation, type checking, error detection, code generation, optimization, and run-time support. Techniques for top-down and bottom-up parsing both with and without the use of automated tools are studied. Local and global optimization are covered. An extensive programming project is required of all students.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of data structures and programming experience (CSCI E-22, or the equivalent) with an advanced algorithms course preferred, but not required (CSCI E-124, or the equivalent). Students must have sufficient experience to write large programming projects in the C programming language that utilize a wide variety of data structures. This course does not teach programming.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 8:00pm-10:15pm, 53 Church Street L01
Required sections Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45 pm.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
CSCI E-96
Data Mining for Business
Edward Kwartler MBA, Field Chief Technology Officer, DataRobot
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15736 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces non-mathematical business professionals to data science principles widely used in today’s corporations. Quantitative methods affect many of today’s interactions for business leaders, students, and consumers. Emphasis is placed on practical uses and case studies utilizing data to inform business decisions rather than theoretical or complex mathematics. Case study topics include understanding customer demand, marketing, new market forecasting, revenue projections, and data mining to improve decisions. Learning goals include quantitative business application, basic programming, algorithm development, and process workflow. The course highlights methods that business leaders and data scientists have found to be the most useful. It introduces the basic concepts of R for data mining. This course is for students who want an introduction to how data science improves business outcomes.
Prerequisites: Since this course utilizes R throughout the semester students should complete the 4-hour free online course Introduction to R at DataCamp.com found here: https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional labs to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-96
Data Mining for Business
Edward Kwartler MBA, Field Chief Technology Officer, DataRobot
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26599 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces non-mathematical business professionals to data science principles widely used in today’s corporations. Quantitative methods affect many of today’s interactions for business leaders, students, and consumers. Emphasis is placed on practical uses and case studies utilizing data to inform business decisions rather than theoretical or complex mathematics. Case study topics include understanding customer demand, marketing, new market forecasting, revenue projections, and data mining to improve decisions. Learning goals include quantitative business application, basic programming, algorithm development, and process workflow. The course highlights methods that business leaders and data scientists have found to be the most useful. It introduces the basic concepts of R for data mining. This course is for students who want an introduction to how data science improves business outcomes.
Prerequisites: Students need to bring laptops to class to use for exercises.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional labs to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
CSCI E-97
Software Design: Principles, Models, and Patterns
Eric Gieseke ALM, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pago Capital
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15356 | Section 1
Description
This course approaches object-oriented software design from three perspectives: the software engineering principles that enable development of quality software, the modeling of software components using the Unified Modeling Language (UML), and the application of design patterns as a means of reusing design models that are accepted best practices. These patterns include both the original software patterns as well as more recent modularization patterns for software construction. There is at least one significant modeling exercise and a set of programming assignments that require the application of design principles and good programming technique. Students are expected to write a detailed description of the design for each of their programs, incorporating UML models as appropriate. Students implement their programs in the Java programming language. In addition, there is at least one significant assignment that requires designing and documenting a software subsystem without implementation.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-22, or the equivalent, and proficiency in Java.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DEVP E-102
Global Development: Theory and Practice
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16433 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the theoretical foundations of development in the twenty-first century and introduces students to the practical reality of development work, from project development to delivery in the field. During the course, students acquire a deep theoretical understanding of development and its principles and prerequisites. From there, students learn how to create, deliver, and measure the results of development projects with a particular focus on areas such as agriculture, education and training, governance, human rights, information and communication technology, safety and security, and humanitarian aid. Students assess and analyze the results of past development initiatives against a robust theoretical framework as well as political and organizational objectives. Real-life projects implemented by organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department for International Development (DFID) are used as case studies and entry points for discussion. This course is divided into the following four broad thematic areas that guide the discussions and analysis in class: theory of development and principles and prerequisites; project design and planning; operational delivery and coordination; and impact measurement and sustaining results. Students prepare a case study of a real-life development project implemented by a global development organization and the results of the study are published in support of the global community of practice.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DEVP E-102
Global Development: Theory and Practice
Alexander Puutio PhD, Senior Expert, Office of the Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25998 | Section 1
Description
This course covers the theoretical foundations of development in the twenty-first century and introduces students to the practical reality of development work, from project development to delivery in the field. During the course, students acquire a deep theoretical understanding of development and its principles and prerequisites. From there, students learn how to create, deliver, and measure the results of development projects with a particular focus on areas such as agriculture, education and training, governance, human rights, information and communication technology, safety and security, and humanitarian aid. Students assess and analyze the results of past development initiatives against a robust theoretical framework as well as political and organizational objectives. Real-life projects implemented by organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department for International Development (DFID) are used as case studies and entry points for discussion. This course is divided into the following four broad thematic areas that guide the discussions and analysis in class: theory of development and principles and prerequisites; project design and planning; operational delivery and coordination; and impact measurement and sustaining results. Students prepare a case study of a real-life development project implemented by a global development organization and the results of the study are published in support of the global community of practice.
Prerequisites: Experience manipulating data and algebraic equations on spreadsheets is helpful.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DEVP E-110
Foundations of Sustainable Development
Patrick Walsh PhD, Full Professor of International Development Studies, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16389 | Section 1
Description
The broad goal of this course is to introduce students to the foundations of sustainable development including food and nutritional security, social service delivery, energy policy, water resource management, urbanization, infrastructure, human rights, biodiversity, adaptation to climate change, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), sustainable business, ethics, governance, and education. Through a global classroom, lectures are attended virtually with academic, policy and practice partners of the Global Association from around the world. The course consists of weekly live global classroom broadcasts featuring international experts.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
DEVP E-135
Resiliency and Macroeconomic Policy
Bruno S. Sergi PhD, Professor of International Economics, University of Messina and Associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26651 | Section 1
Description
This course examines the challenges of formulating macroeconomic policy in the face of major global disruptions like COVID-19, climate change, and war, and examines how countries can be more resilient to these shocks and deliver on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This course examines economic growth stories to understand macroeconomic policy resilience from the past to the present, and how economic trajectories shape our future society. Given ever-changing business environment opportunities, we accurately assess and discuss how fiscal, monetary, exchange rate, and industrial policies might impact policymaking. There are addressed approaches to developing innovations and boosting structural reforms, and mechanisms for resolving apparent conflicts between macroeconomic policy and resilience. Each session explores the effective mechanisms underpinning pathways to growth and enhance resilience, including the role of structural policies and international financial institutions.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-136
More Than Just a Meal: American Food, a Global History
Zachary Nowak PhD, Director, The Umbra Institute
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26653 | Section 1
Description
How can food let us taste the past? This course uses food history to reveal the stories of Native Americans, women, enslaved people, factory workers, and other everyday people in the American past. By looking at what people in the United States ate from the twelfth century onward, we uncover how historical actors other than just elite white men made America. The course is about contributions to American food culture, but also about resistance. We make extensive use of primary sources of all kinds, including objects. The goals of this course are not just to teach content but also to teach students how to analyze historical data and objects, as well as convey skills that are useful for other courses students may take. It is designed to help students become much better researchers. Students can not take both DEVP E-136 and HIST E-1710 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-150
Racial Equity and Economic Development
LaChaun Banks MBA, Director for Equity and Inclusion, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School and Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26282 | Section 1
Description
This course addresses the organizational, institutional, and public policy foundations of stratification and racial inequality in the United States, particularly racial equity as a key value, measure, and framework for preparing and implementing local economic development plans and policies. The course examines theory as well as the implementation of local policy initiatives for racial equity in US cities. Investigating a wide range of contemporary theory and practice in the field of urban economic development, students propose new recommendations and executive strategies for cities currently pursuing pro-growth agendas. The course focuses on the Harvard Bloomberg City Leadership Initiative’s Guide to Equitable Economic Development as a framework for discussion and the adoption of a city for further examination and recommendations. From redevelopment to entrepreneurship approaches, the course provides students with a working knowledge of local government approaches to more equitable economic development strategies; a critical point of view on the merits and limitations of these strategies; and formal opportunities to present new views to public and political actors in the field.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-172
Case Studies in Development Economics
Bruno S. Sergi PhD, Professor of International Economics, University of Messina and Associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17021 | Section 1
Description
Sustainable development includes not only a healthy economic base, but also a sound environment, stable and rewarding employment, adequate purchasing power, distributional equity, national self-reliance, and maintenance of cultural integrity. This course explores the many dimensions of sustainability and its relationship to economic growth and the use of national, multinational, and international political, legal, and economic mechanisms including environmental and trade law, and economic incentives to further sustainable development. We examine the inter-relationship of global economic and financial changes, employment, and working conditions; the environment in the context of theories of development, trade, and employment; and the importance of networks and organizational learning. Mechanisms for resolving the apparent conflicts between development, environment, and employment are explored. Students may not take both DEVP E-172 and ENVR E-172 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DEVP E-599
Global Development Practice Capstone
Judith Irene Rodriguez MA, Senior Research Associate, Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure, Harvard Graduate School of Design and Research Specialist, Healthy Cities Lab, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25972 | Section 1
Description
This course is a capstone designed for students earning a Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice. The course approach is learner-centered, whereby students create a development plan for a client by applying skills and knowledge gained from their graduate school experience. This course builds upon the student’s guided prework completed in DEVP E-598. The course deliverables include a detailed actionable and measurable plan, as well as a presentation to be given to the class and to client stakeholders. Appropriate clients may include communities, corporations, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), governmental agencies, schools, universities, and hospitals. Students work with a client with one or more stakeholders to develop and deliver a customized development plan focused on one or more of these areas: community development, human rights, labor practices, education, environmental sustainability, and fair operating practices. Listings of prior projects may be viewed at the Global Development Practice Capstone website.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, global development practice. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, DEVP E-598, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Saturday, Sunday, February 3-4, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DGMD E-1
Digital Media: From Ideas to Designs and Prototypes
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16151 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical design course on perspectives, tools, and methods for going from an idea for a product or service powered by a mobile and/or web application to an interactive design prototype ready for handoff to a development team. We start with brainstorming and iteratively refining the core concept for your product or service, based on which we create the brand identity along with detailed personas and stories that capture why and for whom your product or service is developed. We then translate those personas and stories into storyboards that illustrate the application’s experiential flow in real-world contexts in terms of concrete visual and interaction design elements. The design and development of a component-based pattern library for creating interactive prototypes with live data is a central focus of this course. We introduce a varied, growing collection of third-party component libraries that can help give your prototypes a professional and polished quality. We create prototypes with a visual design tool that also allows creating and enhancing components with code for imagining and realizing even richer interactions and experience flows. The work in this course is based on significant use of a mix of the following tools and technologies: Notion, Milanote, and Framer (with Figma, Play, HTML, CSS, Javascript, React, Next.js, Github, and Visual Studio Code).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Friday, October 13, 5:30pm-8:30pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, October 14, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, October 15, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-1
Digital Media: From Ideas to Designs and Prototypes
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26600 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical design course on perspectives, tools, and methods for going from an idea for a product or service powered by a mobile and/or web application to an interactive design prototype ready for handoff to a development team. We start with brainstorming and iteratively refining the core concept for your product or service, based on which we create the brand identity along with detailed personas and stories that capture why and for whom your product or service is developed. We then translate those personas and stories into storyboards that illustrate the application’s experiential flow in real-world contexts in terms of concrete visual and interaction design elements. The design and development of a component-based pattern library for creating interactive prototypes with live data is a central focus of this course. We introduce a varied, growing collection of third-party component libraries that can help give your prototypes a professional and polished quality. We create prototypes with a visual design tool that also allows creating and enhancing components with code for imagining and realizing even richer interactions and experience flows. The work in this course is based on significant use of a mix of the following tools and technologies: Notion, Milanote, and Framer (with Figma, Play, HTML, CSS, Javascript, React, Next.js, Github, and Visual Studio Code).
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Friday, February 9, 5:30pm-8:30pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, February 10, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, February 11, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-10
Advanced Digital Photography
Gregory S. Marinovich MS, Master Lecturer, Journalism, Boston University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16834 | Section 1
Description
This course explores storytelling through the genres of photojournalism, documentary, and art photography. We look at photographic books with the goals of expanding students’ approaches, techniques, and aesthetic possibilities for their semester-long projects. The course constantly refers to the software tools we use to ensure reliable workflow and archive management. It addresses advanced color management as well as the science of converting images from color to black and white. Through lectures, hands-on assignments, and critiques, students expand their understanding of digital photography while exploring their creativity to broaden the possibilities and improve the quality of their photographs. Documentary photography and long-form photojournalism predominate, but we also explore art. This is a bridging course between accidental art while doing documentary work and art for art’s sake. We look at various types of photography that are defined or self-defined as art. We dive into portraiture outside of the studio, shooting stories involving people and discussing how to get the picture when everyone does not want you to. This course explores conflict and documentary photography extensively, with an emphasis on narrative photography, but it does not preclude students from any genre of photography they wish to pursue. The goal of the course is for each student to produce a body of work or a photographic essay in electronic book form. The skill of editing one’s own work is a key learning goal.
Prerequisites: Students should have an intermediate to advanced knowledge of photography, or have completed DGMD E-9 or the equivalent. Students need access to a camera where they can control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Students need access to the internet and a computer with software like Adobe Lightroom to tone and edit images. Please note that Photoshop is not an editing tool, it is a retouching tool.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 22 students
DGMD E-10
Advanced Digital Photography
Gregory S. Marinovich MS, Master Lecturer, Journalism, Boston University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26741 | Section 1
Description
This course explores storytelling through the genres of photojournalism, documentary, and art photography. We look at photographic books with the goals of expanding students’ approaches, techniques, and aesthetic possibilities for their semester-long projects. The course constantly refers to the software tools we use to ensure reliable workflow and archive management. It addresses advanced color management as well as the science of converting images from color to black and white. Through lectures, hands-on assignments, and critiques, students expand their understanding of digital photography while exploring their creativity to broaden the possibilities and improve the quality of their photographs. Documentary photography and long-form photojournalism predominate, but we also explore art. This is a bridging course between accidental art while doing documentary work and art for art’s sake. We look at various types of photography that are defined or self-defined as art. We dive into portraiture outside of the studio, shooting stories involving people and discussing how to get the picture when everyone does not want you to. This course explores conflict and documentary photography extensively, with an emphasis on narrative photography, but it does not preclude students from any genre of photography they wish to pursue. The goal of the course is for each student to produce a body of work or a photographic essay in electronic book form. The skill of editing one’s own work is a key learning goal.
Prerequisites: Students should have an intermediate to advanced knowledge of photography, or have completed DGMD E-9 or the equivalent. Students need access to a camera where they can control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Students need access to the internet and a computer with software like Adobe Lightroom to tone and edit images. Please note that Photoshop is not an editing tool, it is a retouching tool.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 22 students
DGMD E-11
Digital Media: From Prototypes to Products and Services
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25712 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical software engineering course on creating a minimum viable product or service based on an interactive prototype for a mobile or web application designed in Framer (or Figma). We begin with a detailed review of the designs with particular attention to the underlying design system, and in particular, its component or pattern library. The first half of the course is dedicated to building a fully functioning demo of your application, where the the front-end user experience is powered by these components and the backend is implemented on a platform like 8base. We dedicated the second half of the course to either enriching your demo with novel features or preparing a version of your application for launch as a product or service. In the former case, the work on final deliverables may focus on iterative refinements to interaction and interface design or integration with third-party services for real-time interactivity and working with cloud storage and live data. In the latter case, the work would focus on deployment, security, and scaling. Your work in this course is based on significant use of a mix of these tools: Notion, Framer, HTML, CSS, Javascript, React, Next.js, Remix, Github, and Visual Studio Code.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-1 or equivalent with permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference with Required On-Campus Weekend
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Friday, March 22, 5:30pm-8:30pm, One Brattle Square 204
Saturday, March 23, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Sunday, March 24, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 204
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Along with the web-conference meetings, this course also includes an intensive—and mandatory—weekend residency. Students must be present for the entire on-campus weekend session to earn credit for the course. The course begins via web conference during the first week of the term and continues to meet throughout the term. Please see the syllabus for the specific course meeting dates. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals for the on-campus weekend session. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-14
Wearable Devices and Computer Vision
Nabib Ahmed AM, Artificial Intelligence Researcher, Meta
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16693 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the field of wearable devices and computer vision, and exposes students to hands-on practical exercises based on real-life situations and industry problems. Wearable technologies is currently a 50 billion dollar industry, with estimated annual growth of 10 percent year over year. It is experiencing explosive growth with exciting applications in many fields, from medicine to sports to fitness to entertainment, empowering people to interact, communicate, and experience the environment around them in new, innovative ways. Some prominent examples are smart watches, medical trackers, and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets. Underlying these advances in wearable devices is computer vision, which is an exciting field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning enabling computers to derive information from images, videos, and other inputs. In this course we explore advances in wearable devices and utilize computer vision to tackle emerging problems (for example assistive devices, educational applications, and health monitoring). Students learn about sensors, signal processing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational optical analysis, simultaneous localization and mapping, lighting and material estimation, and robust algorithms for modeling. Students may not take both DGMD E-13 and DGMD E-14 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 or equivalent. Experience with programming, technical and code documentation, and data (any programming language will do; some examples are Python, R, Java, or C/C++). Familiarity with algebra and geometry. No background needed in machine learning, computer vision, or wearable devices.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-17
Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, and Artificial Intelligence
Nabib Ahmed AM, Artificial Intelligence Researcher, Meta
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26008 | Section 1
Description
This course explores the field of robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drones, and exposes students to the core technologies and systems through practical exercises and simulation. These are fields with tremendous growth and opportunities in the next 10-50 years; billions of dollars are being invested and the market size is expected to grow 10-15 percent annually. The impact of these technologies can fundamentally revolutionize a multitude of industries and transform our society, from self-driving cars to same-day drone delivery, to robotic assistants and laborers. This course explores the theories, tools, and processes that enable these technologies and the challenges, limitations, and capabilities of modern robotics, autonomous vehicles, and drone technologies. Students learn about sensor technologies for automation, autonomy from a systems perspective, vision-based perception and techniques, modern machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, mathematical modeling and abstraction, and engineering design. The goal is to develop a fundamental toolkit to advance the next generation within the field.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-7 or CSCI E-50 or equivalent. Experience with programming, technical and code documentation, and data (any programming language will do; some examples are Python, R, Java, or C/C++). Familiarity with algebra and geometry. No background needed in machine learning, computer vision, or wearable devices.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-2
Web Programming for Beginners with PHP
Susan Buck MPS, Web Programmer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16121 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of programming via the lens of web development using PHP. We start by learning about basic programming paradigms such as data types, variables, conditionals, loops, functions, classes, and more. Next, we apply these concepts to build simple web applications that involve form processing and basic database interaction. In addition to coding, students are also introduced to universal programming tools such as command line, Git version control, server management, and software testing. Emphasis is also placed on troubleshooting strategies and technical communication. While we primarily work with PHP, we address how the concepts we are working with apply to other web-capable programming languages. Additionally, we take a broad look at numerous tools and frameworks used on the web and learn about when and how each tool is most appropriate. By looking at the field as a whole, students leave this course with a big picture understanding of the many technologies used on the web, so that they can make informed decisions on what courses to take next and what tools to use in their next project.
Prerequisites: See https://hesweb.dev/e2/prereq.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
DGMD E-20
Modern and Mobile Front-End Web Design I
Rupananda Misra EdD, Assistant Professor and User Experience Design Program Coordinator, Professional Science Master’s Program, Rutgers University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14283 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn HTML, cascading style sheets (CSS), and JavaScript, which are three fundamental web development technologies. Students learn hands-on and practical knowledge of how to create responsive design websites that would run on any modern browser and mobile device. The course explores advanced topics in CSS such as complex motion, games using HTML Canvas, JavaScript document object model (DOM), and JavaScript libraries such as jQuery and Bootstrap. Students use version control software such as GitHub.
Prerequisites: Basic computer knowledge.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-23
Planning Successful Websites and Applications
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16308 | Section 1
Description
There are many options to build a website, from website builders to coding a site from scratch. Regardless of the option you choose to build the site, a solid planning process is crucial to produce an effective site. Questions such as what is significant about the product, for whom the product exists, and how should the product information be organized need to be addressed upfront. In this course, students learn to plan and design a website or web application, including choosing a target audience, defining site goals and reconciling these with user and business goals, establishing a brand and a tone of voice, and designing a page architecture. Students select two projects and then create a complete plan for each. These plans can serve as a blueprint for anyone charged with building the corresponding website. This course is not a coding course. It focuses on the other aspects of website and web application creation to set the stage for building better sites that get results.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-25
Developing Websites with WordPress
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16681 | Section 1
Description
A content management system (CMS) facilitates rapid website development and updates, often requiring minimal coding. Some of the key features of a CMS are separation of content from page structure by utilizing a database to store content, taxonomy to provide classification for posts and pages, themes to provide a foundational structure, building blocks (modules and plugins) that extend functionality, and templates to define the structure of related pages. In this hands-on course, we explore these concepts and more using the WordPress CMS to create engaging, mobile-friendly websites with compelling content that meets the goals of a business or organization. The course is project-based; students build several sites over the term, culminating in a final project to build a complete website of their choosing.
Prerequisites: CSCI E-12 or permission of the instructor. Students should have a solid understanding of HTML and CSS fundamentals.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-26
WordPress Programming
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26268 | Section 1
Description
This hands-on course helps students gain an understanding of how to utilize client-side and server-side web programming to create customized online solutions, rich user experiences, e-commerce, and mobile friendly websites using the WordPress content management system (CMS). Students hone programming skills by customizing WordPress websites including the WordPress backend. Course topics include working with WordPress, programming in PHP, relational databases, SQL and MySQL database programming, programming WordPress theme files, adding custom code to a WordPress site, the WordPress CODEX/function library, WordPress filters and hooks, plugin development, programming WordPress shortcodes, site migration, and site maintenance. Project assignments help students gain proficiency with individual concepts culminating in a comprehensive final project to create an interactive website.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of web technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Familiarity with programming concepts including conditionals, loops, functions, and arrays. Experience working with WordPress is helpful, but not required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-27
Modern and Mobile Front-End Web Design II
Rupananda Misra EdD, Assistant Professor and User Experience Design Program Coordinator, Professional Science Master’s Program, Rutgers University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24269 | Section 1
Description
In this course the students learn the technologies that will power the next generation of web and mobile applications. Using TypeScript syntax, students learn to develop programs using popular libraries and frameworks such as React.js. The course covers types, class-based objects, functions, ES6 features, interfaces and inheritance, and decorators. The students learn to create a React application.
Prerequisites: DGMD E- 20, basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or permission of the instructor.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-28
Developing Single-Page Web Applications
Lisa DiOrio MS, Owner and Lead Developer, Fembot Creative
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25694 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn how to build interactive, single-page applications (SPAs) and interfaces for the web. An SPA is a special classification of a website or web application in which the user can navigate between different screens without loading a new web page. Instead, new content may be accessed directly from the server using an application programming interface (API). This results in performance improvements and a more dynamic experience. Well-constructed SPAs include a rich user interface to provide a seamless interactive user experience. Two well-known examples of SPAs are Gmail and Twitter, which both provide dynamic page views without the need to reload the page. SPAs can be created with Javascript as well as various frameworks including React, Angular, Node.js, and Vue.js. We explore the pros and cons of SPAs, as well as their effective design. We explore several technologies in the course including Javascript ECMAScript 6, React, JSON, and APIs, as well as mechanisms involved in SPA development such as components, routing, and state management. This hands-on course includes many coding assignments to help students master the techniques used to build an SPA, culminating in a final project to build a complete single-page web application.
Prerequisites: JavaScript and/or a strong foundation in programming. Comfort with HTML/CSS (CSCI E-12 or equivalent). For the best chance of success in this course, students should understand the fundamentals of creating a website and have some coding experience.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-30
Introduction to Media Production
Nicholas J. Manley MFA, Co-Founder, The Ebiz Institute
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14285 | Section 1
Description
Building skills from the ground up, we demystify the technology and techniques, giving students everything they need to make professional-level video content in their fields. Cinematography, audio recording, editing, production management, and lighting for documentary and narrative film are all covered in a project-based approach. Students learn how to light an interview like a pro, make the most of their equipment in the field, conduct interviews, break down scenes, storyboard, plan, and produce video projects. We screen and critique students’ work as it evolves and refine methods for strengthening stories by looking at successful movies that have cracked the code. This course is designed for anyone who wants a crash course in producing quality video on a shoestring budget and for storytellers who want to translate their ideas into compelling videos of any kind.
Prerequisites: Students may use most available video capture devices including video cameras, DSLR/mirrorless cameras, or smartphones (additional applications may be required). Specific approaches for each device are covered. Additionally, a tripod, audio recording device (or smartphone), and access to video editing software is required. In this course we use Adobe Premiere CC.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-30
Introduction to Media Production
Nicholas J. Manley MFA, Co-Founder, The Ebiz Institute
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26602 | Section 1
Description
Building skills from the ground up, we demystify the technology and techniques, giving students everything they need to make professional-level video content in their fields. Cinematography, audio recording, editing, production management, and lighting for documentary and narrative film are all covered in a project-based approach. Students learn how to light an interview like a pro, make the most of their equipment in the field, conduct interviews, break down scenes, storyboard, plan, and produce video projects. We screen and critique students’ work as it evolves and refine methods for strengthening stories by looking at successful movies that have cracked the code. This course is designed for anyone who wants a crash course in producing quality video on a shoestring budget and for storytellers who want to translate their ideas into compelling videos of any kind.
Prerequisites: Students may use most available video capture devices including video cameras, DSLR/mirrorless cameras, or smartphones (additional applications may be required). Specific approaches for each device are covered. Additionally, a tripod, audio recording device (or smartphone), and access to video editing software is required. In this course we use Adobe Premiere CC.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-35
Video Editing and Digital Design
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15362 | Section 1
Description
The ability of the film editor to shape a story is one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the filmmaking process. This course serves as an introduction to the art of video post-production. We explore the theory and practice of various editing styles in order to gain a better understanding of how stories are most effectively constructed in the editing room. Through demonstrations and hands-on experience, students learn advanced editing techniques with an in-depth examination of Adobe Premiere. To further enhance projects, students create animated motion graphics using Adobe After Effects and learn how to enhance their audio recordings with Adobe Audition. Strong emphasis is placed on post-production techniques that improve the sound and image quality of the videos. Footage is provided for all exercises and projects, and students are given the option to shoot new material for their final projects if desired.
Prerequisites: General comfort with computers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-35
Video Editing and Digital Design
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24026 | Section 1
Description
The ability of the film editor to shape a story is one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the filmmaking process. This course serves as an introduction to the art of video post-production. We explore the theory and practice of various editing styles in order to gain a better understanding of how stories are most effectively constructed in the editing room. Through demonstrations and hands-on experience, students learn advanced editing techniques with an in-depth examination of Adobe Premiere. To further enhance projects, students create animated motion graphics using Adobe After Effects and learn how to enhance their audio recordings with Adobe Audition. Strong emphasis is placed on post-production techniques that improve the sound and image quality of the videos. Footage is provided for all exercises and projects, and students are given the option to shoot new material for their final projects if desired.
Prerequisites: General comfort with computers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-37
Introduction to Motion Graphics and Story Visualization
Jason Wiser MFA, Creative Director, Yaya Play Games
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16169 | Section 1
Description
How do we share a concept before the real counterpart has been created? How do we visualize a new piece of software, a business model, or a story dynamically? Motion graphics allows us to design enormously engaging visual experiences to communicate complex ideas. This course explores principles of visual narrative development toward an understanding of well-edited stories and effects.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections Wednesdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DGMD E-42
Making the Short Film: Innovations and Practices for the Digital Age
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14730 | Section 1
Description
Short films are an exciting and ever-evolving form of storytelling. This course explores the strong tradition short films have in our culture, as well as the new and innovative techniques filmmakers are currently using to tell and distribute their stories. In this course, students devote the entire semester to the creation and completion of one short film narrative, documentary, or animation with the intent of festival submission and/or online release. Students work in a collaborative atmosphere with classmates and the instructor to refine scripts and treatments, plan productions, and create the final film. Students may work individually or partner in a collaborative team. Either way, the course serves as a support system for each student, offering advice, critiques, and resources so that each member is an integral part of a fully realized short. In addition to supporting traditional filmmaking approaches, innovative storytelling techniques are strongly welcomed and supported. These can include interactive online documentaries, hybrid approaches (blending fiction and nonfiction), webisode pilots, and experimental techniques. Additionally, the course demystifies the online distribution process and the film festival circuit, exploring the many avenues filmmakers can take to get their work shown to a wider audience.
Prerequisites: Experience with video editing and production strongly encouraged but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 25 students
DGMD E-45
Introduction to 3D Animation and Virtual Reality
Jason Wiser MFA, Creative Director, Yaya Play Games
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25799 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of 3D modeling, surfacing, and animation. Students learn to model and texture objects, compose and light scenes, animate, and render as movies, learning techniques applicable to work in video games and augmented reality (AR), architectural and medical visualization, and television and feature films.
Prerequisites: Online students must have the following software, hardware, operating systems, and peripherals. For software: Autodesk Maya, Unity, Adobe Photoshop, and After Effects (see syllabus for details). For hardware: 4 GB of RAM (8-16GB recommended), 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core processor, a webcam, a microphone (headset recommended), and 15 GB of free hard-drive space for installing programs. For operating systems, one of the following: Apple Mac OS X 10.8.5 or higher, or Microsoft Windows 7 (SP1) 10 or higher. For peripherals: a three-button mouse (a two-button mouse will not work with Maya). A digital drawing tablet and pen, such as a Wacom Intuos, is recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Required sections Wednesdays, 7-8 pm.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DGMD E-5
Exploring Digital Media
Daniel P. Coffey ALM, Senior Product Manager, Dolby Laboratories
Ian C. Sexton MA, Senior Technologist in Production, Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26718 | Section 1
Description
This is a practical, introductory course that gives a fast-paced overview of a broad range of topics related to contemporary digital media. The course aims to equip students with an understanding of the basics of exposure and composition which are vital for the closely related fields of digital photography and digital cinematography. Topics also include fundamental lighting techniques, video technology, video production processes with practical exercises in each stage of the workflow, audio production, video compression, and distribution. The basic elements of web design via a graphical interface is also touched upon. Given the power of modern personal computers, all course topics apply to both professional production environments and personal media projects alike. By the end of the course, students can expect to understand common production workflows for a wide array of digital media including digital photography, video production, audio recording, and practical related topics.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the 2019 course.
DGMD E-50
Introduction to Visual Communication Design
Athir Mahmud PhD, Consultant
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15157 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces students to a theory-driven, hands-on approach to visual communication design. Students learn about vector and raster graphics, designing for target audiences and accessibility, and editing photographs using some of the most commonly used photo editing software in the visual design industry. Topics include elements and principles of design, color theory, visual perception, typography, symbolism, brand identity, logos, and information design. Connections to current and historical contexts of visual communication and the graphic arts are interwoven throughout the course. Students share design work and take part in design critiques and written discussions, as both designers and peers.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-52
Logo Design and Brand Identity
Athir Mahmud PhD, Consultant
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26648 | Section 1
Description
This course provides students with a comprehensive, in-depth theoretical and design-based understanding of logo design and brand identity from a visual communication perspective. Topics include logos and branding in corporations, education, medicine, and start-ups. Attention is also placed on logos and branding surrounding web development, print advertising, packaging, and mobile devices, as well as brand recognition and longevity. Students gain an appreciation for personal branding and spend time developing this during the course of the semester.
Prerequisites: A prior basic understanding of design is usually helpful, especially the use of digital design applications.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
DGMD E-55
Designing Educational Media
Kerry Foley EdM, Director of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, Department of Teaching and Learning, Division of Continuing Education, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26054 | Section 1
Description
In a society saturated with media and technology, what makes a great learning tool stand out among the rest? This course explores the many types of informal and formal educational media being developed for children, K-12, higher education, adult learners, and workplace training, and examines the cognitive processes that drive the learning. Together we explore theoretical models for learning and teaching, fundamentals of user experience, and techniques for effective product development as they relate to the creation of educational media. Over the course of the semester, students evaluate existing educational media, participate in design challenges, and design a prototype for an educational media product of their own. No prior experience in educational technology is necessary for the course, but a willingness to explore new technologies is a must.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
DGMD E-58
Design of Computational Media for Formal and Informal Learning
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26457 | Section 1
Description
Through hands-on activities and extended case studies, this course explores the principles underlying the design of technologies for supporting critical and creative thinking in mathematics, science, and engineering education. Special projects provide participants with opportunities to design and implement new learning experiences with computational media. Teachers in particular develop concrete starting points for integrating technology in their own classroom practice in a hands-on way. Technologies introduced include Framer, Processing, D3.js, Wolfram, Cylon.js, and a variety of physical computing toolkits.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
DGMD E-599
Capstone Design Studio
Bakhtiar Mikhak PhD, Co-Founder, Media Modifications, Ltd.
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17031 | Section 2
Description
This capstone course is designed for students whose research projects focus on web development with a focus on front-end design. Students apply knowledge and skills obtained in the program to design a significant individual project in a collaborative environment. At the end of the semester, they make a formal oral presentation to their peers and visiting faculty.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in March with only the capstone left to complete (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone tutorial, DGMD S-598, in the previous Harvard Summer School term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DGMD E-599
Capstone Design Studio
Alexandra Seckar-Bandow ALM, Video Editor, Verse Video Education
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24247 | Section 2
Description
This capstone course is designed for students whose research projects focus on video production and web development with a focus on front-end design. Students apply knowledge and skills obtained in the program to design a significant individual project in a collaborative environment. At the end of the semester, they make a formal oral presentation to their peers and visiting faculty.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, digital media design. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone tutorial, DGMD E-598, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DGMD E-60
Designing Online Courses
Adrienne Phelps-Coco PhD, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Division of Continuing Education, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16625 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we approach online course design as a creative endeavor that is grounded in learning theory and bound by the practical realities of everyday course development. We read as practitioners, reflecting on how various ideas might apply (or not apply) to designs we create and seeking inspiration in a wide variety of places. To help us envision the scope of design possibilities and to prepare for an unknowable future of online learning, we practice brainstorming multiple solutions to common design challenges. Over the course of the semester, students create an online learning project of their choice, which we collectively workshop and learn from. Students walk away with a project they can actually use or can showcase to potential employers. Among the topics we address are working with instructors and subject matter experts to identify and design to the heart of a course, enhancing student community, translation of face-to-face experiences, selecting online technologies, assignment and assessment design, working with artificial intelligence (AI), and evaluation of learning design success. Students may not take both DGMD E-60 and EDUC E-113 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, EDUC E-115, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
DGMD E-9
Fundamentals of Digital Photography
Leonie Marinovich BA, Documentary Photographer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16307 | Section 1
Description
This course is aimed at students wishing to master the fundamentals of photography. It gives students the opportunity to learn photography using their digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) and acquire the skills to use manual settings and use the different shooting modes available on their cameras. Topics covered in this course include the fundamentals of exposure, composition, lighting, editing techniques, color correction, delivery for print and digital media, metadata creation, and digital workflow management. We reference classical art that has heavily influenced photography in the way that images are composed and lighted. The course is helpful to students who wish to explore digital photography as a way to document their field work and other work in progress and enhance their visual literacy, enabling them to assess images and other visual media. Students are taught Lightroom to manage their digital archives and learn to use editing techniques to enhance their images. Coursework is structured along two main components: technical mastery and aesthetic development. During the semester students are first taught the technical skills which they then apply in practical exercises to consolidate those skills. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to have mastered their camera and their images should look more polished. Students have the option to create a learning portfolio to present their work.
Prerequisites: Students do not need to have previous experience as a photographer, but learning the craft also requires a commitment to mastering other associated technologies. Students need to have a digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) with the ability to manually control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. A compact camera or a smartphone will not be adequate. A tripod suitable for the weight of your camera is required. Students need a computer with Lightroom Classic CC installed. Photoshop is not required. Along with a computer, students need an external hard drive and memory card for their camera.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DGMD E-9
Fundamentals of Digital Photography
Leonie Marinovich BA, Documentary Photographer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26740 | Section 1
Description
This course is aimed at students wishing to master the fundamentals of photography. It gives students the opportunity to learn photography using their digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) and acquire the skills to use manual settings and use the different shooting modes available on their cameras. Topics covered in this course include the fundamentals of exposure, composition, lighting, editing techniques, color correction, delivery for print and digital media, metadata creation, and digital workflow management. We reference classical art that has heavily influenced photography in the way that images are composed and lighted. The course is helpful to students who wish to explore digital photography as a way to document their field work and other work in progress and enhance their visual literacy, enabling them to assess images and other visual media. Students are taught Lightroom to manage their digital archives and learn to use editing techniques to enhance their images. Coursework is structured along two main components: technical mastery and aesthetic development. During the semester students are first taught the technical skills which they then apply in practical exercises to consolidate those skills. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to have mastered their camera and their images should look more polished. Students have the option to create a learning portfolio to present their work.
Prerequisites: Students do not need to have previous experience as a photographer, but learning the craft also requires a commitment to mastering other associated technologies. Students need to have a digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless) with the ability to manually control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. A compact camera or a smartphone will not be adequate. A tripod suitable for the weight of your camera is required. Students need a computer with Lightroom Classic CC installed. Photoshop is not required. Along with a computer, students need an external hard drive and memory card for their camera.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
DRAM E-10
Introduction to Acting
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 12954 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, improvisations, and scene studies, this workshop eclectic in method helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Students are expected to write two performance journals after attending professional theatrical performances. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-10
Introduction to Acting
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26372 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, improvisations, and scene studies, this workshop eclectic in method helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, January 2-20, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Term Start Date: January 02, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-10a
Introduction to Acting I
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17006 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, and improvisations, this active learning weekend helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, September 29, 5:30pm-8:30pm, One Brattle Square 203
Saturday, September 30, 9:00am-5:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Sunday, October 1, 9:00am-1:00pm, One Brattle Square 203
Term Start Date: September 29, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020, graduate credit $1,610.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire three-day weekend to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-10b
Introduction to Acting II
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26669 | Section 1
Description
Through individual and group exercises, monologues, and improvisations, this active learning weekend helps students develop their acting potential and sharpen their performing skills. Previous theater study is not required. Students may only take DRAM E-10 or DRAM E-10a and DRAM E-10b for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a grade of satisfactory in DRAM E-10a to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, April 5, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Harvard Hall 202
Saturday, April 6, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, April 7, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: April 05, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020, graduate credit $1,610.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire three-day weekend to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-12
Acting Shakespeare
Remo Airaldi AB, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24418 | Section 1
Description
This course is an intensive study of Shakespeare’s dramatic works from the point of view of the actor. It is important to remember that Shakespeare’s verse dramas were written to be performed and that only when they are approached this way as playable, theatrical texts do they have their maximum impact. Through text analysis, scene study, vocal work, and acting exercises we attempt to find, not only the meaning, but the music and theatrical power of Shakespeare’s words. We spend a great deal of class time discussing blank verse and the different techniques for speaking it out loud and work to develop the end-of-line breath support needed to perform this language. We also study such topics as scansion, phrasing, word emphasis, antithesis, and imagery.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-20
Advanced Acting
Marcus Stern MFA, Head of Directing and Lecturer on Theater, Dance and Media, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23479 | Section 1
Description
This is an acting course designed both for students who have no previous acting, performance, or arts class experience, as well as for students who have had a fair amount of acting experience and are interested in honing their work in pursuit of a career in acting. The focus is on scene and monologue work and audition techniques. The texts for the scenes and monologues come from contemporary theater, television, and film scripts. Core components of the course include the idea of simply working from yourself, action-based acting (how one person is trying to change/affect another person in a scene), how to read a scene or monologue to figure out what your character might want from that situation, how to find a personal connection to that character, and how to choose material that best suits the individual actor for auditions and scene work. The course is designed around tangible and concrete ideas and techniques, so that those who might initially be intimidated by the idea of an acting course, or an arts course in general, feel comfortable. It is important to note that while the course is intentionally designed to be as un-intimidating and accessible as possible, it does require a good deal of work outside of class time.
Prerequisites: Audition. Registered students must bring a contemporary two-minute monologue to the first class. The instructor will determine who is in the class after the first day of audition monologues.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 16 students
DRAM E-21
Improvisational Acting
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16970 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-21
Improvisational Acting
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26636 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-21a
Improvisational Acting I
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17009 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, humor, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, October 20, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Harvard Hall 202
Saturday, October 21, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, October 22, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: October 20, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020, graduate credit $1,610.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire three-day weekend to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-21b
Improvisational Acting II
John Kuntz MA, Lecturer on Theater, Dance, and Media, Harvard University and Associate Professor of Theater, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26670 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed not only for students of the theater, but also for those with an interest in politics and debate, public speaking, trial law, and education, as well as a broad range of other careers. Students explore various improvisational techniques that fuse intellect, imagination, voice, and body. Students may only take DRAM E-21 or DRAM E-21a and DRAM E-21b for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Students must have earned a grade of satisfactory in DRAM E-21a to enroll in this course.
Class Meetings:
Active Learning Weekend
Friday, March 1, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Harvard Hall 202
Saturday, March 2, 9:00am-5:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Sunday, March 3, 9:00am-1:00pm, Harvard Hall 202
Term Start Date: March 01, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $1,020, graduate credit $1,610.
Credits: 2
Notes: Students must be present for the entire three-day weekend to earn credit for this course. Tuition does not include hotel accommodations, transportation, or meals. International students see important visa information.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-26
Creating Cabaret Theater: Storytelling Through Song
Pamela J. Murray MusM, Performance Faculty, Voice, Musical Theater Cabaret Ensemble, Boston College
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16953 | Section 1
Description
This performance workshop explores how to approach a song, deeply explore its meaning, and draw from personal experience to create a final product that communicates a story. Each student works on solo pieces in a supportive setting to further vocal, acting, and performance skills and keeps a journal of their learning process to be shared at the end of the semester. The individual pieces may incorporate scene partners and dialogue, and the class works together to develop these solo scenes into a final production to be performed at the end of the term.
Prerequisites: Some performance experience (in acting or singing) is helpful. Students must also bring a song to sing at the first class meeting.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm, Music Building PH9
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
DRAM E-38
Script and Score: The Intersection of Story and Song
Pamela J. Murray MusM, Performance Faculty, Voice, Musical Theater Cabaret Ensemble, Boston College
Wesley Verge MFA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26592 | Section 1
Description
This intermediate to advanced performance course explores how singing and acting intersect in musical theater. It develops the singer-actor as an interpreter of song using a variety of musical theater vocal styles. Students work to develop a flexible, expressive vocal instrument while also meeting the challenge of singing in harmony with a scene partner. The script and score analysis portion of the course develops musicianship and refinement in performance, combining vocal and acting skills with character development in musical play scene work, including dialogue. Students hone their acting skills through improvisational ensemble work and individualized coaching. They grow in their capacity as singers and actors while also developing a deeper understanding of the processes involved in being a musical theater performer. Scenes are chosen from a variety of eras and styles, and each student learns two contrasting numbers.
Class Meetings:
On campus only
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm, 34 Concord Avenue 213
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes:
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
ECON E-1000
Essentials of Economics
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16740 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an analytic and applied overview of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. In the microeconomic portion of the course, we examine exactly how prices are determined in competitive markets and what can distort that determination. Market structure is analyzed, including the fundamentals of firm pricing and production decisions. Using examples from various industries, we analyze what happens when market conditions change. Furthermore, we examine how these changes affect overall social welfare. Issues concerning trade are addressed, for example, when should countries, or even individuals, trade? Who gains or loses from trade? Turning to macroeconomics, we investigate the key economic statistics that you read about in the business press and other media, such as gross domestic product (GDP), the consumer price index (CPI), and the unemployment rate. For so many around the world, economic development is literally a matter of life and death. While economic growth is primarily a long-run phenomenon, short-run fluctuations in the economy cycles of expansion and recession are often the focus of short-run planning decisions by consumers, firms, and government. We examine in detail what causes these fluctuations and how government policies monetary and fiscal policy can dampen these cycles. An understanding of the Federal Reserve and monetary policy must be predicated on an understanding of the banking and financial system. Therefore, we delve into that in the course of our study of actions by the monetary authority. Recent events have also thrust fiscal policy to the fore. We talk in detail about how fiscal policy works and its implications for the economy in both the short and long term. Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the course, students are able to use the framework they have learned to form their own judgments about the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. Indeed, after completing the course, students often find that they are better able to read and interpret the business press and other media and are better equipped to evaluate the economic policies promulgated by governments and other institutions. More importantly, however, the analytical skills students acquire in the course are instrumental in their continued success in the pursuit of a graduate degree or certificate. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Exposure to graphing and elementary algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1000
Essentials of Economics
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26348 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an analytic and applied overview of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. In the microeconomic portion of the course, we examine exactly how prices are determined in competitive markets and what can distort that determination. Market structure is analyzed, including the fundamentals of firm pricing and production decisions. Using examples from various industries, we analyze what happens when market conditions change. Furthermore, we examine how these changes affect overall social welfare. Issues concerning trade are addressed, for example, when should countries, or even individuals, trade? Who gains or loses from trade? Turning to macroeconomics, we investigate the key economic statistics that you read about in the business press and other media, such as gross domestic product (GDP), the consumer price index (CPI), and the unemployment rate. For so many around the world, economic development is literally a matter of life and death. While economic growth is primarily a long-run phenomenon, short-run fluctuations in the economy cycles of expansion and recession are often the focus of short-run planning decisions by consumers, firms, and government. We examine in detail what causes these fluctuations and how government policies monetary and fiscal policy can dampen these cycles. An understanding of the Federal Reserve and monetary policy must be predicated on an understanding of the banking and financial system. Therefore, we delve into that in the course of our study of actions by the monetary authority. Recent events have also thrust fiscal policy to the fore. We talk in detail about how fiscal policy works and its implications for the economy in both the short and long term. Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the course, students are able to use the framework they have learned to form their own judgments about the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. Indeed, after completing the course, students often find that they are better able to read and interpret the business press and other media and are better equipped to evaluate the economic policies promulgated by governments and other institutions. More importantly, however, the analytical skills students acquire in the course are instrumental in their continued success in the pursuit of a graduate degree or certificate. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: Exposure to graphing and elementary algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1005
Foundations of Real-World Economics
John Komlos PhD, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Munich
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16840 | Section 1
Description
The course discusses complex economic processes in straightforward terms so that they can be understood without the use of mathematics and without prior knowledge of economics. The focus is on understanding the way the economy works in the real world in contrast to conventional economics, which relies excessively on assumptions, theorizing, and abstract models of the economy. We apply the concepts we learn to contemporary controversial topics such as minimum wage legislation, the function of unions, and why the free market overcharges for healthcare. We explore why Noble Prize-winning economists such as Paul Krugman and Joe Stiglitz are so critical of the current economic situation for its dizzying inequality, its endemic underemployment, humongous trade and government deficits, stagnating wages, and lack of inclusive growth that is unable to provide a dignified life for so many millions of its citizens. Mainstream economists do not have the answers to the challenges of globalization, inequality, and technological unemployment because they are unable to think creatively about new institutional structures that would enable us to transition to a full-employment, high quality-of-life economy in which the focus is not on production and consumption, but the achievement of a high quality of life. In contrast, this course weaves ideas from history, psychology, sociology, and political science into a common-sense economic perspective in order to explore these issues. We also discuss the achievements of Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economists and the impact of the financial crisis of 2008, the economic roots of the rise of populism, and the main impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Co-Founder and Director, Verida Credit and Key Principal, Alfieri SA
Marion Laboure PhD, Director, Thematic Research, Deutsche Bank
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16651 | Section 1
Description
This course presents the basic analytical tools of microeconomics. We start by looking at the decision making of individual consumers and ask how these decisions can be optimized or improved. Next, we look at the ways firms make and coordinate their decisions under varying market structures, including perfect competition and monopoly. Then we look at strategic behavior in imperfectly competitive markets, making use of concepts from game theory such as Nash equilibrium. Finally, we take up topics including bargaining theory, information economics, environmental externalities, and public goods.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Zinnia Mukherjee PhD, Associate Professor of Economics, Simmons University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16157 | Section 2
Description
This course covers the fundamental concepts of microeconomics at the intermediate level. Students learn about how individuals make decisions in a world of scarce resources. Students learn about how consumers choose over a range of goods and services given their limited resources, and how firms decide on how much output to produce and supply in the market. Our discussion on market structures focuses on the simplest of markets (perfectly competitive markets), single-seller markets (monopolies), and oligopolistic markets where firms are involved in strategic interactions with each other. We explore situations in which markets fail and the role of public policies in addressing these failures. The same principles that govern market-based decisions also govern non-market-based decisions. We apply the principles of microeconomics to understand how individuals make non-market related decisions.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 120 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Co-Founder and Director, Verida Credit and Key Principal, Alfieri SA
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17090 | Section 3
Description
This course presents the basic analytical tools of microeconomics. We start by looking at the decision making of individual consumers and ask how these decisions can be optimized or improved. Next, we look at the ways firms make and coordinate their decisions under varying market structures, including perfect competition and monopoly. Then we look at strategic behavior in imperfectly competitive markets, making use of concepts from game theory such as Nash equilibrium. Finally, we take up topics including bargaining theory, information economics, environmental externalities, and public goods.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ECON E-1010
Microeconomic Theory
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23285 | Section 1
Description
This course presents the basic analytical tools of microeconomics. We start by looking at the decision making of individual consumers and ask how these decisions can be optimized or improved. Next, we look at the ways firms make and coordinate their decisions under varying market structures, including perfect competition and monopoly. Then we look at strategic behavior in imperfectly competitive markets, making use of concepts from game theory such as Nash equilibrium. Finally, we take up topics including bargaining theory, information economics, environmental externalities, and public goods.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent; MATH E-8, or the equivalent understanding of introductory college-level algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1017
Financing Community and Economic Development
James Carras MPA, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25617 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an understanding of financing mechanisms, tools, policies, and programs available to community and economic development professionals. The course focuses on access and availability of capital, both public and private, for businesses and real estate development projects that have an impact particularly on low opportunity communities. The course covers how capital markets operate and are structured; challenges for community economic development professionals to access those markets, business, and real estate financing fundamentals; public development finance tools including Opportunity Zone Funds, New Market Tax Credits and Community Development Financial Institutions; and capital access strategies such as Community Reinvestment Act research and advocacy. The course also addresses sustainable development and the role of development finance and impact investing. We explore the relationship between local community economic development, environmental sustainability, cultural vitality, and trends in the regional and national economies. Specifically, we focus on how to make community and economic investments that yield development outcomes that contribute to economic, environmental, and cultural vitality. This approach extends a triple bottom line approach that seeks to benefit profits, people, and the planet.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
ECON E-1035
Behavioral Economics and Decision Making
David S. McIntosh MBA, Founder, Creative Business Breakthroughs
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15713 | Section 1
Description
In this course we study how people actually make decisions, what rationality lies behind seemingly irrational behavior, and how decision making can be influenced. Building on economic principles useful in understanding business and consumer decision making, we study forces that prevent efficient and rational outcomes from occurring, as well as tools for influencing decisions.
Prerequisites: Introductory economics (ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or equivalent) required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ECON E-1040
Strategy, Conflict, and Cooperation
Robert Neugeboren PhD, Lecturer on Economics, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17073 | Section 1
Description
This course is an introduction to the strategic way of thinking and a primer on the mathematical theory of games. Students learn about game theory through a combination of analytical techniques and a series of in-class and take-home exercises. Applications are drawn from economics and other social sciences. Topics include the prisoner’s dilemma and the arms race, the minimax theorem, Nash equilibrium, bargaining, subgame perfection, and the evolution of cooperation.
Prerequisites: MATH E-8 or the equivalent, or satisfactory placement test score.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 35 students
ECON E-10a
Principles of Economics
Rand Ghayad PhD, Head of Economics and Global Labor Markets, LinkedIn
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16609 | Section 1
Description
The course deals with basic economic principles that help us understand the process of decision making by individuals and societies. We analyze the fundamental economic activities of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption at both the micro and macro level. Besides developing an understanding of the functioning of a free market system, we also critically examine the controversies that surround the use of public policies for the greater common good. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry is required. Students registering in this course for graduate credit are also required to have some basic knowledge of calculus, preferably a college-level course in calculus.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-10a
Principles of Economics
Stacey Gelsheimer, PhD PhD, Lecturer on Economics, Boston University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25979 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an introduction to current economic issues and to basic economic principles and methods. The economist John Maynard Keynes wrote that, “the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood.” Economics is not primarily a set of answers, but rather a method of reasoning. By the end of the semester, students are able to use the analysis practiced in the course to form their own judgments about many of the major economic problems faced by the United States and other countries. In the first part of the semester, we focus on microeconomics, which is the study of the interaction of people and firms in markets. Since we live in a market economy, this study helps students to understand how American society organizes its economic affairs. We examine how the forces of supply and demand operate in the markets for goods and services. Students learn powerful tools that enable them to understand a great deal about the economy and how it works. Using these tools, we develop a framework to evaluate social policies. Trade always a controversial subject is analyzed, along with measures, such as tariffs, designed to restrict trade. Theories concerning firm behavior are then examined how companies decide how much to produce, and the profits which result. During the second half of the semester, we focus on macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole. We study economic growth and development, business cycles, and the impact of both monetary and fiscal policy on inflation, unemployment, interest rates, investment, the exchange rate, and international trade. Students may not take both ECON E-10a and ECON E-1000 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A working knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry is required.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1533
Monetary Policy After the Financial and Pandemic Crises
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Co-Founder and Director, Verida Credit and Key Principal, Alfieri SA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26567 | Section 1
Description
This course closely examines the path of public policy, whether fiscal stimulus plans or the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, through the nuts and bolts of the actual operations and from the viewpoint of the capital markets. When the Fed or the European Central Bank announces a monthly $85 billion securities buying program, how exactly does this money flow through the markets? When the government bails out a major bank, how does this action affect the bank, its competitors, the markets, future perceptions, and the economy at large? How can central banks affect the economy in an environment of zero and even negative interest rates? Should regulation influence the behavior of firms or individuals? Using the 2008 financial crisis and policy responses thereto as a backdrop, we explore how (and whether) the new capital markets created over the past thirty years as a result of greatly increased financial innovation, globalization, and communication are distorting the economic effect of traditional government monetary and/or fiscal influence. The role of important constituents (commercial and investment banks, exchanges, regulators, hedge funds, and government interventions) are reviewed and evaluated for both past performance and future relevance. The course addresses important current topics in both economics and public policy, such as too big to fail, moral hazard, globalization of markets, currency unions, liquidity traps, efficiency of markets, the role of credit rating agencies, shadow banking, regulation of derivatives and hedge funds, Glass-Steagall, and the Volcker Rule. Following deliberations and analysis of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, we then examine the monetary and fiscal policy responses to the pandemic crisis of 2020-2022. Were these policy responses even more extreme? Did central banks overshoot? Were lessons learned from the financial crisis? Was it too much, leading to inflation and too much debt?
Prerequisites: ECON E-10a or ECON E-1000, and basic algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ECON E-1615
Managerial Economics
Aleksandar Tomic PhD, Associate Dean for Strategy, Innovation, and Technology and Director of Master of Science in Applied Analytics and Applied Economics, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26198 | Section 1
Description
This course provides an overview of economic tools and analytic approaches available to the manager for business decision making. It includes such topics as pricing, forecasting, demand analysis, production and cost analysis, and macroeconomic policy as it affects the business environment. The purpose of this course is to develop an economic perspective that is appropriate for students aspiring to manage business units or entire companies in a wide variety of industries. Students may not take both ECON E-1600 and ECON E-1615 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. ECON E-10a, ECON E-1000, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1700
Urban Development Policy
James Carras MPA, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15079 | Section 1
Description
This course reviews development policy making in urban areas, focusing on differing economic, demographic, institutional, and political settings. Course topics include a critical analysis of the continuing viability of cities in the context of current economic and demographic dynamics, fiscal stress, governance, economic development, poverty and race, drugs, homelessness, federal urban policy, and survival strategies for declining cities. The course considers economic development, social equity, and job growth in the context of metropolitan regions, and addresses federal, state, and local government strategies for expanding community economic development and affordable housing opportunities. Of special concern is the continuing spatial and racial isolation and concentration of low-income populations, especially minority populations, residing in urban communities including older, industrial cities. The course examines how market forces and pressures affect the availability of affordable housing, exacerbate the impacts of gentrification, and inhibit the availability of capital for affordable housing and economic development. It also examines how issues around growing housing affordability problems, the changing structure of capital markets, the reduction of low-skilled jobs in central city locations, and racial discrimination combine to limit housing and employment opportunities.
Prerequisites: Courses in sociology, political science, urban planning, architecture, public policy, and economics are helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 55 students
ECON E-1920
Capital Markets and Investments
Bruce D. Watson MA, Master Lecturer on Economics, Boston University and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14510 | Section 1
Description
Students are exposed to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which they can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investing in financial securities and construct portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The course examines capital markets and fundamental models used in securities analysis and portfolio management. Topics include financial instruments, the organization of securities markets and trading, modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, market efficiency, behavioral finance and technical analysis, bond valuation and the management of bond portfolios, valuation of equities, active versus passive investing, the role of derivative securities in investing, and performance evaluation.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent course or experience; a course or courses in quantitative methods such as basic statistics or college algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ECON E-1920
Capital Markets and Investments
Aleksandar Tomic PhD, Associate Dean for Strategy, Innovation, and Technology and Director of Master of Science in Applied Analytics and Applied Economics, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16764 | Section 2
Description
Students are exposed to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which they can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investing in financial securities and construct portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The course examines capital markets and fundamental models used in securities analysis and portfolio management. Topics include financial instruments, the organization of securities markets and trading, modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, market efficiency, behavioral finance and technical analysis, bond valuation and the management of bond portfolios, valuation of equities, active versus passive investing, the role of derivative securities in investing, and performance evaluation.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent course or experience; a course or courses in quantitative methods such as basic statistics or college algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
ECON E-1920
Capital Markets and Investments
Dorian B. Klein MBA, Co-Founder and Director, Verida Credit and Key Principal, Alfieri SA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25654 | Section 1
Description
Students are exposed to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which they can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investing in financial securities and construct portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The course examines capital markets and fundamental models used in securities analysis and portfolio management. Topics include financial instruments, the organization of securities markets and trading, modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, market efficiency, behavioral finance and technical analysis, bond valuation and the management of bond portfolios, valuation of equities, active versus passive investing, the role of derivative securities in investing, and performance evaluation.
Prerequisites: MGMT E-2000 or the equivalent course or experience; a course or courses in quantitative methods such as basic statistics or college algebra.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 80 students
ECON E-1925
Emerging Markets: Investment Theories and Practice
Peter Marber PhD, Chief Investment Officer for Emerging Markets, Aperture Investors, and Adjunct Instructor, Finance, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16930 | Section 1
Description
Globalization is no longer an academic theory; it is a reality that affects all of our lives. From the foods we eat to the goods we buy, the ubiquity of developing countries from Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and former Soviet Union those frequently referred to as emerging markets intensifies daily. Yet beyond the well-documented commercial and cultural impacts of globalization, there are strong but less visible trends toward greater global financial and investment integration. What makes emerging financial markets different from those in the US, Europe, or Japan? What are the benefits of adding these markets to a traditional investment portfolio? How do policies shape these markets? Why invest in certain countries versus others? Within a country, which asset class should we invest in? How do hedge funds approach these markets vs. traditional investors? How has COVID-19 pandemic altered the trajectories of developing and industrialized countries? From the practical perspective of a US institutional investor, this course is geared to help answer these questions.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of finance and a modest competency with Microsoft Excel and/or a financial calculator. Prior course work or work experience in finance would also be useful.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ECON E-1944
History of Financial Crises 1637 to Present
John Komlos PhD, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Munich
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26443 | Section 1
Description
The goal of this course is to discuss the 386-year history of financial crisis culminating in the financial crisis of 2008. We ascertain recurring historical patterns of financial bubbles without, however, overlooking critical differences. If history repeats itself, why can’t we avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly? The great meltdown happened at a time when most mainstream macroeconomists (including the former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke) were writing about how great everything was going since business cycles had vanished for all practical purposes. They were obviously dead wrong. The historical evidence enables us to gain a more thorough understanding of global finance, which influences our lives to such a great extent. Our primary aim is not to concentrate on facts, theorems, or numbers, but rather to see the big picture in a multi-disciplinary and long-run perspective, integrating the knowledge gained from the work of such Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economists as Robert Shiller and Daniel Kahneman. We also explore our current economic situation, including the aftermath of the Wall Street bailouts that forgot to bail out the people on main street and stood by as nine million people were evicted from their homes. We also discuss the aftermath of the crisis, its effect on the rise of populism, and end by outlining the main impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial world.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 36 students
EDUC E-103
Introduction to Instructional Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Denise Snyder ALM, Director of Learning Design and Digital Innovation and Academic Affairs Campus Diversity Officer Liaison, Union College
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 14021 | Section 1
Description
Behind every good learning tool be it a website, application, webinar, online course, workshop, or interactive museum exhibit is the work of an instructional designer. Instructional design is a creative process that uses learning theories and frameworks, project planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology to architect experiences for today’s learners. The best instructional designers are agile and adaptable; they can quickly synthesize unfamiliar content, evaluate new technologies, and develop learning solutions that best meet the needs of a diverse audience. In this course, students work together to produce learning experiences using today’s media and technologies. The gap between theory and practice is an issue in many fields. By using a project-based approach, we work to close that gap by learning about instructional design theories and frameworks while developing a series of products; students submit a project every two weeks. This course is helpful for those professionals who work directly or indirectly to support and improve learning in their organizations, or those lifelong learners who want to better understand how to use technology to manage their own learning.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The orientation to the course opens mid-August. See course syllabus for details.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
EDUC E-103
Introduction to Instructional Design: The Art and Science of Building Knowledge
Valerie Mann EdD, Associate Professor, College Success, Johnson County Community College
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26467 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students learn application skills melding the best of learning strategies, learning theory, and mind-brain education research. This course is intended to provide managers, trainers, learning designers, and teachers with skills to manage their instructional design and teaching tools while infusing learning strategies to maximize knowledge for varied types of learning preferences and needs. With practical application at the fore, students engage with current research, strategies for effective learning, and design principles to explore how these concepts can be applied to help learners achieve their best in the classroom and workplace, both face to face and online.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
EDUC E-103
Introduction to Instructional Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25190 | Section 2
Description
Behind every good learning tool be it a website, application, webinar, online course, workshop, or interactive museum exhibit is the work of an instructional designer. Instructional design is a creative process that uses learning theories and frameworks, project planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology to architect experiences for today’s learners. The best instructional designers are agile and adaptable; they can quickly synthesize unfamiliar content, evaluate new technologies, and develop learning solutions that best meet the needs of a diverse audience. In this course, students work together to produce learning experiences using today’s media and technologies. The gap between theory and practice is an issue in many fields. By using a project-based approach, we work to close that gap by learning about instructional design theories and frameworks while developing a series of products; students submit a project every two weeks. This course is helpful for those professionals who work directly or indirectly to support and improve learning in their organizations, or those lifelong learners who want to better understand how to use technology to manage their own learning.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The orientation to the course opens mid-January. See course syllabus for details.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
EDUC E-113
Applied Learning Design
Stacie Cassat Green MEd, Principal, 64 Crayons
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24800 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students use a design thinking methodology to design and develop an authentic learning product or experience. Each student prepares a product, such as a course or workshop, social learning community, website, or software application. Using rapid prototyping, students present several iterations of their designs to the class, participate in peer critiques, and continually improve their products over the semester. As instructional designers work in a team, each student contributes to, and benefits from, a class consulting bank. They use their skills to help others and to gain currency that they can exchange for help on their own projects. Students also explore additional instructional design frameworks and learning theories to improve fluency and flexible thinking in the field. Students may not take both EDUC E-113 and DGMD E-60 for degree or certificate credit.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, EDUC E-111, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
EDUC E-113
Applied Learning Design
Dustin Liu MEd
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26539 | Section 2
Description
In this course, students engage as designers to scope and prototype learning experiences that apply the principles of adult learning and development. Throughout the semester, students practice key components of the learning design process such as determining need and learning objectives, and testing prototypes. Course topics include design thinking, instructional design models, learning technology, and learner engagement. The goal of the course is to equip students with the tools, mindsets, and frameworks to approach their work as designers of in-person, hybrid, and online learning.
Prerequisites: DGMD E-55, EDUC E-103, EDUC E-111, or the equivalent.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 20 students
EDUC E-115
Adult Learning Theories
Cindy Joyce MA, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Pillar Search and Human Resources Consulting
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16407 | Section 1
Description
Why is adult learning so important? When you understand adult learning, you have the knowledge and tools needed to tailor learning, training, and even feedback, ensuring that adult learners or your team members are motivated to learn and grow, connect with the learning experience, and eager to learn relevant material. Learning opportunities for adults are often modeled after how children are taught in grade school and high school. However, adults learn much differently from children, and their motivation to learn is vastly different as well. This course explores adult learning theory and practice, how to engage the adult learner, and how to provide learning opportunities that are meaningful. Human resources practitioners, trainers, instructional designers, managers, and leaders alike benefit from this course.
Prerequisites: Educational or work experience in education, teaching, organizational behavior, human resources, training, or instructional design.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
EDUC E-127
Ludic Learning: Designing Playful Learning Experiences
Adeeb Syed MEd
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26433 | Section 1
Description
Gaming is expected to become the dominant form of media in the twenty-first century, surpassing the film, television, and music industries in the competition for our attention. Unsurprisingly, this has led to renewed interest in using games for educational purposes, with various stakeholders in a variety of contexts contributing to the discourse. Educational technology companies and learning and development departments within organizations are particularly influential, armed with newly coined yet somewhat nebulous buzzwords such as gamification. At the same time, there has been a constellation of new and emerging technologies that are not only transforming our understanding of what it means to learn, but also disrupting traditional notions of work. These changes are all further complicated by new and potentially dangerous methods of data capture that influence design decisions to prioritize financial gain over the needs and well being of learners. However, the main puzzle is that while modern schooling has only existed for a few hundred years and various forms of digital edutainment for even less, games and play have served as natural, powerful, and intrinsically motivating learning vehicles for thousands of years. In this project and problem-based course, we strive to resolve these various tensions by viewing games and play as natural literacies that coexist and cooperate within a complex, interconnected ecosystem. We critically evaluate traditional ideas of learning, wrestle with the outlandish claims of companies, and explore alternative pedagogies and their associated measurement methods. While this course draws on foundational research in the learning sciences, we are less interested in debating the particulars of these findings and more interested in distilling and creatively translating them into playful tools for thinking, discovery, reflection, and expression.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENGL E-102
Introduction to Old English Language and Literature
Daniel Donoghue PhD, John P. Marquand Professor of English, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16766 | Section 1
Description
This course introduces the earliest English literature, starting with basic grammar and building up to selections from various prose texts and poems such as The Wanderer and The Dream of the Rood. Because the language has changed so much over 1,000 years, Old English has to be learned as a foreign language (hence the emphasis on grammar), but by the end of one term of study, students read the most challenging and beautiful literature it has to offer. Secondary readings supplement the Old English texts.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENGL E-109
Tolkien’s Library
Daniel Donoghue PhD, John P. Marquand Professor of English, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26583 | Section 1
Description
J. R. R. Tolkien’s creative imagination was famously inspired by his wide reading in medieval texts from northwestern Europe, drawing from Old English, Old Icelandic, and other vernacular literatures. This course reads across the genres of literature familiar to Tolkien, including Beowulf and other Old English literature, Nj ls Saga and other Icelandic sagas, excerpts from the Finnish Kalevala, and Irish literature like the T in B C ailnge. The readings are in translation, with facing-page original texts where possible (especially Old English). Primary texts are supplemented by relevant works of criticism. We also dip into Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and his other high fantasy to note parallels.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 38 students
ENGL E-142
Decadence, Degeneration, Decline: The Popular British Novel
Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16802 | Section 1
Description
The British Empire controlled roughly a quarter of the world by the end of the nineteenth century; its literature, however, was increasingly haunted by decline. This course explores why, by way of some of the writers and texts most responsible for shaping what it means to be British in our pop-cultural consciousness. Focusing on three kinds of breakdown aesthetic decadence, aristocratic degeneration, and imperial decline our course links popular texts like Dracula (1897), Brideshead Revisited (1945), and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974) to the emergence of a new kind of British power based on myth and nostalgia. We also think about decline as a shaper of modernism, the political power of decline, and the cultural afterlives of the texts we encounter.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENGL E-159
Reading James Joyce’s Ulysses
Theoharis C. Theoharis PhD, Associate Scholar, Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16315 | Section 1
Description
James Joyce’s Ulysses is the most admired novel of the twentieth century in English. In this course, we try to see why that is true by reading the book closely, chapter by chapter, looking at how Joyce made one story on one day in Dublin the universal story of how humane men and women prevail over the violence bent on destroying them. We pay special attention to how Joyce elaborately combined detailed realistic story lines and characters with symbolism, allusion, references, and off-kilter comparisons, such as the book’s title, which names an obscure and peaceful man after a notoriously sly and vindictive one, Ulysses.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENGL E-162
Greatest Hits of Twenty-First Century Theater So Far
Sue Weaver Schopf PhD, Distinguished Service Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
Robert Payne Fox Jr JD, Of Counsel, Nutter McClennen Fish, LLP
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16946 | Section 1
Description
British, Irish, and American drama of the twenty-first century has sought to push the boundaries of theatrical presentations in three ways: dramatic structure and stagecraft; thematic content that challenges assumptions about gender, race, ethnicity, class, historical memory, and politics; and more direct engagement with the audience as an actual part of the performance. In this course, we examine 15 game-changing plays and, when possible, view some of them. The plays we study include Jerusalem, Hamilton, Small Island, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Leopoldstadt, Take Me Out, War Horse, Topdog/Underdog, Prima Facie, Disgraced, Cypress Avenue, Fairview, Sweat, Sing Yer Heart Out for the Boys, and Fat Ham.
Prerequisites: Undergraduates should have successfully completed EXPO E-25, and graduate students HUMA E-100 or the equivalent proseminar in their respective areas before enrolling in this course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENGL E-182a
Poetry in America: From the Mayflower to Emerson
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15383 | Section 1
Description
This course covers American poetry in cultural context through the year 1850. The course begins with Puritan poets, some orthodox, some rebel spirits, who wrote and lived in early New England. Focusing on Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, and Michael Wigglesworth, among others, we explore the interplay between mortal and immortal, Europe and wilderness, solitude and sociality in English North America. The second part of the course spans the poetry of America’s early years, directly before and after the creation of the Republic. We examine the creation of a national identity through the lens of an emerging national literature, focusing on such poets as Phillis Wheatley, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edgar Allen Poe, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, among others. Distinguished guest discussants include writer Michael Pollan, economist Larry Summers, Vice President Al Gore, Mayor Tom Menino, and others.
Class Meetings:
Online
Required sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,000.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America (PiA) initiative. Teachers may apply for Poetry in America scholarships.
ENGL E-182m
Poetry in America: From the Civil War through Modernism
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25016 | Section 1
Description
This course spans a critical era in American literature, beginning with antebellum and Civil War poetry, entering the twentieth century, and traversing the transformative modernist era. This course begins with the poetry of the American Civil War and the series of major events and social movements that followed it including Reconstruction, the Jim Crow Era, and Manifest Destiny. Encountering such poets as Herman Melville, Julia Ward Howe, Walt Whitman, Edward Arlington Robinson, Paul Laurence Dunbar, James Weldon Johnson, Francis Ellen Watkins Harper, Emma Lazarus, and W.E.B. DuBois, we examine the language of patriotism, pride, violence, loss, and memory inspired by the nation’s greatest conflict. As we enter the twentieth century, we encounter modernism, a movement that spanned the decades from the 1910s to the mid-1940s, and whose poetry marked a clear break from past traditions and past forms. We read such poets as Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, Marianne Moore, Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Claude McKay, Dorothy Parker, and Wallace Stevens. We study how these poets employed the language of rejection and revolution, of making and remaking, of artistic appropriation and cultural emancipation. Traveling to the homes and workplaces of Robert Frost and Wallace Stevens; to the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, where the institution of American modernism was born; and even exploring the River Thames in the London of Eliot’s The Waste Land, we see the sites that witnessed and cultivated the rise of American modernism.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,000.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America (PiA) initiative. Teachers may apply for Poetry in America scholarships.
ENGL E-183b
Seeing Nature in the Twentieth Century
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16901 | Section 1
Description
In this course, students survey important contributions to modern American environmental literature. From the gritty social realism of the early 1900s to the post-pastoral lyricism of the early 2000s, we consider the diverse ways in which Americans have grappled with environmental issues in fiction, poetry, and even some photography. Our readings include writers like Mary Austin, Ann Petry, Annie Dillard, Leslie Marmon Silko, Helena Mar a Viramontes, and Rachel Carson.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-192
Poetry in the Anthropocene
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26666 | Section 1
Description
In this era of global environmental degradation what we are growing accustomed to calling the later Anthropocene many poets have turned their attention to the subject of human kinship and interdependency with the non-human world. And in this course, we read a number of poets, from the early twentieth century to the present, from A.R. Ammons to Ada Lim n, whose poems insist on a different way on an ecological way of seeing and talking about nature. This course may interest not only poetry enthusiasts but students of the environmental humanities more broadly: sustainability, literature, history, theater, and creative writing.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-207
The Culture of Capitalism
Martin Puchner PhD, Byron and Anita Wien Professor of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16442 | Section 1
Description
The course asks how cultural products, including literature, theater, and film have captured the spirit of capitalism fueling its fantasies, contemplating its effects, and chronicling its crises. More than just an economic system, capitalism created new habits of life and mind as well as new values, forged and distilled by new forms of art. Core readings by Franklin, O’Neill, Rand, Miller, and Mamet and background readings by Smith, Marx, Taylor, Weber, Keynes, and Schumpeter.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: The recorded lectures are from the 2013 Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Culture and Belief 56.
ENGL E-234
Art of the Personal Essay
Collier Brown PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26543 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we look at the art of the essay from the sixteenth-century to the present, making important stops along the way at the works of Michel de Montaigne (who first popularized the genre), William Hazlitt, Virginia Woolf, and James Baldwin, right up to today’s most innovative essayists writers like Rebecca Solnit, Janet Malcolm, and Ross Gay. This course would be of interest to nonfiction writers curious about the history of their craft and the evolution of the form over time.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 19 students
ENGL E-251
Identity and Difference: Becoming What You Are
Theoharis C. Theoharis PhD, Associate Scholar, Comparative Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26586 | Section 1
Description
The novel normally tells the story of a person flourishing or failing to flourish through succeeding or failing in love and work. Love and work involve choice on the part of the beloved and the worker, and by those bestowing the sought for love and work. The choice almost always involves assessment of the person’s identity, which is often defined by terms thought to indicate essential characteristics. These terms have often included the person’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and language. Differences in these terms between those choosing and those hoping to be chosen can mean inclusion or rejection in the flourishing offered by love and work. The stakes can be as high as life and death when difference plays into a person’s trying to become what they are through love and work. The novels in this course Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janet Frame’s Owls Do Cry, and David Leavitt’s The Lost Language of Cranes range across the twentieth century from the late Victorian era to the 1990s and are set in Africa, New Zealand, the rural American South, and New York City. Differences in race, religion, gender, and sexuality generate the conflicts over who is deemed worthy of love and who is allowed to flourish through work in the worlds these novels depict.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENGL E-259
What Was American Transcendentalism?
Ross Martin PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26617 | Section 1
Description
The transcendentalists can be described in a word: firebrands. From civil disobedience to heresy, from abolitionism to utopianism, this course explores how transcendentalism takes root in New England to generate some of the most radical experiments in Antebellum America life. However, regardless of transcendentalism’s fame, or how illustrious its members, or how canonical its texts, we have no satisfactory way to define the movement or its achievements. What does it even mean to transcend? Transcend what and to where? In this course, we attempt to figure out what transcendentalism is and why it matters by traversing its theological, historical, and literary contexts. Tracing (or perhaps dissolving) the boundary between human, world, and god, we investigate how intellectual and social revolution happens without distinguishing poetry from science, religion from politics, accident from fate, and perhaps even transcendence from immanence. We ask, among other questions, what are our obligations to ourselves and our neighbors or to animals and plants? Are we bound to respect what violates our conscience? How do we embrace both individualism and collectivism? All said, what do the transcendentalists teach us about rights and responsibilities in our own time?
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENGL E-260
Campus Literature
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26625 | Section 1
Description
For generations, writers of all stripes have looked to the college campus as both a window into the future and an invented setting from which to reimagine it. But why, exactly, does the college campus occupy a position of such significance in the American psyche? What can reading campus writing teach us about this country’s past and present? And how can writing it help usher in the future we want? In this course, we explore these and other questions by considering the evolving literature of American higher education over the last half century. Students can expect to read across a wide range of genres and forms from campus novels, to reported essays, to works of academic satire in service to a final creative or analytical essay on a related topic of their choosing.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENGL E-261
George Saunders: A Survey
Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16993 | Section 1
Description
In just over two decades, George Saunders has achieved the kind of literary prominence that eludes most writers for life. Widely recognized as the best short-story writer in English alive today, Saunders has won the National Book Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship, and is a four-time recipient of the National Magazine Award, among numerous other accolades for his fiction, nonfiction, and teaching. In this course, we take a broad view of Saunders’ life and work, asking ourselves what his writing can teach us about voice, prose style, and the state of contemporary American literature more broadly. Over the term, students should expect to read extensively in service to a final creative or analytical essay on a related topic of their choosing.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENGL E-300
Poetry in America for Teachers: The City from Whitman to Hip Hop
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16639 | Section 1
Description
In this course, we consider those American poets whose themes, forms, and voices have given expression to visions of the city since 1850. Beginning with Walt Whitman, the great poet of nineteenth-century New York, we explore the diverse and ever-changing environment of the modern city from Chicago to London, from San Francisco to Detroit through the eyes of such poets as Carl Sandburg, Emma Lazarus, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Langston Hughes, Marianne Moore, Frank O’Hara, Gwendolyn Brooks, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Hayden, and Robert Pinsky, as well as contemporary hip hop and spoken word artists. This course introduces content and techniques intended to help students and educators learn how to read texts of increasing complexity. Readings and activities were chosen and designed with the Common Core English Language Arts (ELA) standards in grades six through 12 in mind. Enrollment is not limited to teachers. Students with an interest in education, or with the poets and poems covered in this course, are welcome to enroll.
Class Meetings:
Online
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,000.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America (PiA) initiative. The course is also offered in partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Teachers enrolled for noncredit who are interested in professional development can earn certificates of participation for 90 professional development hours from HGSE’s Professional Education. Teachers may apply for Poetry in America scholarships.
ENGL E-305
Poetry in America for Teachers: Earth, Sea, Sky
Elisa New PhD, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature, Harvard University
Jesse Benjamin Raber PhD, Writer
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26680 | Section 1
Description
This course is designed specifically for secondary school educators interested in deepening their expertise as readers and teachers of literature. In the course, we consider the evolving relationship of American poets to the environment from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Emily Dickinson, whose poems on the landscape of rural Massachusetts from the 1850s to 1880s drew from the science and the incipient environmental movements of that century, is a touchstone for the course. But her sparse lyrics are only one of the poetic technologies of looking at, caring for, and mourning the destruction of, the natural world that we explore together: from haiku, to African American poems of exploitative agrarianism and fantastical gardening, to poems that expand the scope of nature from the vast and inhuman to the birdcalls echoing in urban backyards. Through field trips, classroom visits, and conversations with ecologists, scientists, gardeners, farmers and other guest interpreters, this course familiarizes students with a variety of canonical and contemporary American poets: Robert Frost, Jean Toomer, Lorine Niedecker, Gary Snyder, A.R. Ammons, Robinson Jeffers, Juliana Spahr, Ross Gay, and more.
Class Meetings:
Online
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit, undergraduate, graduate credit $1,000.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course is offered in partnership with the Poetry in America (PiA) initiative. The course is also offered in partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Teachers enrolled for noncredit who are interested in professional development can earn certificates of participation for 90 professional development hours from HGSE’s Professional Education. Teachers may apply for Poetry in America scholarships.
ENGL E-597
English Precapstone: The Novel and Its Contexts
Duncan White DPhil, Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15775 | Section 1
Description
This course prepares students to write their Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) capstone project. We read novels from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that both reflected and shaped the historical moment of their creation. In doing so we attended to the history and evolution of the novel as a form while also exploring the different approaches literary critics have taken to interpreting and analyzing works of narrative fiction. As we read these novels closely, we think about how they raise pressing social, economic, and political questions, consider their circulation and reception, and reflect on the role of representation, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. By the end of the semester, students are equipped with the critical tools to embark on writing an independent scholarly research paper for their capstone project in the spring semester.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, English, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements, including HUMA E-300a and HUMA E-300b (if admitted prior to September 1, 2023, this series is not required but encouraged; if admitted after September 1, 2023, it is required). Candidates must enroll in the capstone, ENGL E-599, in the upcoming spring term as their one and only final course (no other degree-fulfilling course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone). Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
ENGL E-599
English Capstone: The Novel and Its Contexts
Duncan White DPhil, Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25383 | Section 1
Description
This course guides students through every step of writing their independent research paper. Building on the work done in the prior precapstone course, students work through the progressive stages of writing a research paper, incorporating peer workshop feedback, and skill-building exercises to help them produce work that reaches the high standards of an academic journal article. Students write proposals, conduct a literature review, develop theses and scholarly interventions, and work through multiple drafts, before producing their final capstone paper.
Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted capstone track candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, English, capstone track. Candidates must be in good academic standing, ready to graduate in May with only the capstone left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, ENGL E-597, in the previous fall term. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 15 students
ENSC E-132
Tissue Engineering for Clinical Applications
Sujata K. Bhatia PhD, MD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25367 | Section 1
Description
Tissue engineering is now recognized as a way to lessen the global disease burden: novel methods for pancreatic islet regeneration can address diabetes; autologous cells for heart muscle regeneration can address coronary artery disease; and nerve regeneration technologies can be used to treat stroke. This course describes strategies of tissue engineering and focuses on the diseases tissue engineering can address. Each lecture identifies a specific disease (coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes) and describes tissue-engineered scaffolds that can alleviate the disease. Students learn the underlying pathology of the disease, understand the latest advances in tissue engineering for treating the disease, and discuss prospective research areas for novel biomaterials to modify the disease process. In addition, students gain an appreciation of clinical trials of tissue-engineered scaffolds, as well as commercialization of tissue engineering.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology and chemistry.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 30 students
ENVR E-100
Introduction to Sustainability
Michaela Thompson PhD, Lecturer in Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26485 | Section 1
Description
This course explores contemporary understandings and practical implications of the idea of sustainability. Throughout the semester we investigate the meanings and measures that different groups have given to sustainability; explore tools for analyzing the complex social-environmental systems that we seek to develop sustainably; and examine how societies have avoided depleting resources while instituting practical action that advances sustainability effectively and equitably.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 60 students
ENVR E-101
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development
Lindi Dorothee von Mutius JD, Director, Sustainability and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 11925 | Section 1
Description
The twin goals of this course are to introduce concepts of global development, sustainability science, law, policy, and economics and to prepare students to master writing and research competency commensurate to graduate-level scholarship at Harvard University. Students learn about emerging topics in the fields of sustainability and global development and conduct their own research projects over the course of the semester, culminating in a final paper. The process of research and writing that students learn in this course should serve them well as they journey through these two programs and their thesis, capstone, or consulting capstone project.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in English and knowledge of APA citation format. A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b or EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, September 9-December 21, 10:00am-12:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ENVR E-101
Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development
Lindi Dorothee von Mutius JD, Director, Sustainability and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Nazeli Tonoyan MA
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25505 | Section 1
Description
The twin goals of this course are to introduce concepts of global development, sustainability science, law, policy, and economics and to prepare students to master writing and research competency commensurate to graduate-level scholarship at Harvard University. Students learn about emerging topics in the fields of sustainability and global development and conduct their own research projects over the course of the semester, culminating in a final paper. The process of research and writing that students learn in this course should serve them well as they journey through these two programs and their thesis, capstone, or consulting capstone project.
Prerequisites: Proficiency in English and knowledge of APA citation format. A satisfactory score on the mandatory test of critical reading and writing skills or a B or higher grade in the alternate expository writing course. EXPO E-42b or EXPO E-42c are highly recommended.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Saturdays, January 27-May 11, 10:00am-12:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ENVR E-102
Design of Renewable Energy Projects
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Research Associate, Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16714 | Section 1
Description
This course helps develop the skills to design, fund, and implement renewable energy projects in the United States and around the world. It is aimed at anyone who would like to understand the relationship between energy and the environment, but is particularly helpful for energy developers and current or future professionals in the practice of renewable energy. Students learn the basics of how to design photovoltaic, wind, biomass, geothermal, small-hydro, wastewater to energy, solid waste to energy, and other large scale sustainable energy operations. Students also learn about the best global practices for engaging rural and indigenous communities in renewable energy projects while maximizing economic development and social equity. They learn how to deal with other important issues like negotiating land rights for renewable energy projects, how to encourage public utilities and private corporations to sign long-term agreements for purchasing renewable energies, how to prepare project proposals for international financial institutions and private investors who fund these projects, how to estimate the basic health and environmental benefits derived from proposed renewable energy projects, how to monetize health effects of renewable energy projects, and how to quantify the social benefits of such projects in the community.
Prerequisites: High school math and science.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
ENVR E-102a
Innovative Technologies and Practices for Climate Change Resilience
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Research Associate, Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26276 | Section 1
Description
Students in this course learn how to analyze emerging innovative technologies and practices comprehensively, how to assess their climate change and health impacts, recommendations to facilitate their implementation, and how to use green and social financial instruments to foster equitable social development while decreasing community vulnerabilities and increasing climate change resilience. Among some of the technologies and practices analyzed are advanced low-energy desalination systems, rainwater traps, advanced sustainable aquaculture systems, sustainable irrigation and soil reforming for sustainable agriculture, techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in meat and protein production, biodegradable solar systems, bladeless wind generation technologies, microalgae farming for food and fuels, biodegradable plastics manufacturing, plasma gasification of agricultural and municipal waste for electricity generation, carbon capture and sequestration technologies in power plants, lithium extraction from fossil saltwater in fracking operations, advanced hydrogen production systems using renewable energies, and advanced electric vehicles and geoengineering technologies. Students also assess community vulnerabilities and recommend risk reduction technologies and practices to increase resilience. Additionally, students learn how to monetize health, environmental, and social benefits for each technology or sustainable practice to use municipal bonds, green financing mechanisms from banks, carbon offset exchanges, and some government grants to fund their implementation in the community.
Prerequisites: Basic high school math and science.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
ENVR E-103a
The Law and Policy of Climate Change: Influencing Decision Makers
Aladdine Dory Joroff JD, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School and Director of Climate Policy, City of Boston
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26619 | Section 1
Description
Empirical data demonstrate that the climate is changing and that these changes could produce increasingly serious consequences over the course of this century. This course explores the legal framework in which climate change mitigation and adaptation actions occur and the policy tools available to regulators. We explore several climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in-depth to provide a window into the relationship between legal and policy strategies at the federal, state, and municipal levels, including how these relationships create opportunities and obstacles to climate change action. Students strategize how to develop and implement legally defensible climate change measures that are supported by stakeholders, including drafting implementation and supporting documents. The course begins with a brief introduction to climate change and its projected impacts and then reviews the legal framework of climate change law, including the evolution of climate change related laws in the United States and related litigation. This analysis focuses on the federal level, but also considers the separate authority of states and municipalities to take action. Massachusetts and Boston are the primary case studies for the course. Substantive issues that are addressed include administrative law and the relationship between congressional statutes and agency regulations; the structure of the federal Clean Air Act and history of air regulation in the United States; federalism, particularly the relationship between federal, state, and municipal governments in regulating air pollution; and the judicial review processes. The course applies this legal framework to an in-depth review of specific climate change issues, such as strategies for managing development in flood-prone areas. In this context, the course examines a range of legal and policy tools. At the federal level, for instance, we consider the implications of federal maps that designate flood risk areas without considering projected impacts of climate change and incentives created by federally-subsidized flood insurance. The course then considers strategies for improving regulation and removing obstacles to climate change measures, including through state and local actions, such as revised building codes and zoning laws. We review the process that municipalities often follow in climate change planning, with a focus on the technical and legal challenges that communities need help addressing. Through this analysis students learn about substantive legal issues such as preemption and takings law, procedural aspects of rulemakings, and opportunities for public involvement in policy and regulatory development. In addition to learning about the substantive legal issues covered in the course, students develop or practice legal research skills associated with researching statutes and regulations and interpreting judicial decisions. Students also gain experience with activities relevant to designing and implementing climate change strategies by writing comments on regulations, drafting statutory or regulatory language, and writing corporate climate change statements.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENVR E-107
Minerals and Natural Resources
Jennifer Cole PhD, Associate Professor of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 17035 | Section 1
Description
This course is a geologic and environmental treatment of the materials used in our global society. We discuss how these materials are obtained from Earth, what the sustainability impacts are, what types and amounts of energy are involved, what impacts on human health occur from using these materials, and how we might use more intensive recycling redesign to make them more environmentally friendly. We use case studies to underscore the importance of understanding where materials originate and how to select substances for use based on health impacts, sustainability, and other impacts. Topics include but are not limited to building materials, fashion and fibers, ceramics and glass, computers, film and video, minerals and mining, fossil fuel and renewable energy, planned obsolescence, innovations in zero waste products, economics of materials use, and mineral use in agriculture.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-110
Sustainable Ocean Environments
George D. Buckley MS, Consultant
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 21784 | Section 1
Description
The world’s oceans and coastal environments provide vital ecological services such as climate moderation, oxygen, food, energy, habitats, biodiversity, and natural flood control, as well as important services such as fisheries, global transportation, minerals, recreation, and tourism. We study those and other topics and their related environmental impacts such as coastal development and pollution, and related management strategies including the future of blue technologies. We investigate ways to be involved in ocean issues and life-long learning opportunities.
Prerequisites: High school biology.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 205
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-113
International Political Economy of Decarbonization
Juergen Braunstein PhD, Local Affiliate, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26231 | Section 1
Description
Starting with the economic aspects of global decarbonization, this course examines emerging issues raised by the transition to a low carbon economy its impact on jobs, inequality, finance, trade, mobility, and infrastructure for citizens, societies, and nations. Choices about global decarbonization are highly contested in terms of material interests and ideologies, and they raise a set of new questions at the intersection of climate change, geo-economics, national policies, and global politics. These questions include: how does the energy transition affect the global economic order? Will a greener future lead to fewer resource conflicts around carbon resources? Is green the new gold? How does the low carbon transition affect the value of carbon assets? Is the US equipped to sustain its role as global leader in finance? How does the sustainable transition affect international trade flows? Is a carbon adjustment tax a stepping stone towards decarbonized trade? What is the prospect of green trade wars erupting?
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 11:00am-1:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-116
The Carbon Economy: Calculating, Managing, and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Richard Goode MBA, Partner, PwC
Marlon Robert Banta ALM, Director, Product Definition, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 23508 | Section 1
Description
The global economy is undergoing a fundamental transformation to low-carbon technologies from electric vehicles becoming mainstream and large-scale solar, wind, and even battery installations. Many countries and companies understand that this fourth industrial revolution will change everything, and face risks as well as opportunities. Some countries are establishing policies that decarbonize their economy to avoid the worst effects of a 2 degrees Celsius rise in temperatures. Organizations should start to develop and implement a 2 degrees Celsius strategy by clearly understanding their exposure to climate-related risks and identifying best practices for adapting to new carbon regulation, along with transforming their businesses by deploying sustainable energy practices. Understanding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including how to calculate them and the importance of reporting them publicly, is vital to understanding how to identify sources of emission and how to reduce them. This course teaches students how to measure, report, and reduce GHG emissions with an eye toward understanding the roles that energy choices and usage play in reducing emissions.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 103 students
ENVR E-116a
Measuring and Mitigating Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Michael Macrae PhD, Senior Manager, Scope 2, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, World Resources Institute
Marlon Robert Banta ALM, Director, Product Definition, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation
Richard Goode MBA, Partner, PwC
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16165 | Section 1
Description
This course investigates best practices and approaches to measuring and mitigating indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, also known as Scope 3 emissions. These emissions include all indirect GHG emissions that occur in a value chain and therefore outside the direct control of a typical organization. Supply chain emissions are frequently the largest overall source of an organization’s GHG emissions and are becoming an increasingly relevant topic as more companies outsource manufacturing, logistics, and other key functions to third parties. Waste, water use, and GHG emissions are still incurred in bringing products and services to consumers, but they are often not fully accounted for. Proper accounting for these emissions that are known contributors to climate change is coming under increasing scrutiny through major disclosure initiatives including the US Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC) and European commissions such as the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG). Students investigate how to gather data from disparate sources, how to calculate or estimate emissions, and how the procurement of supplies, services, and travel can be managed to mitigate or even reduce indirect emissions. The course also familiarizes students with leading measurement and goal setting standards (the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Climate Registry, Science Based Targets, and the Carbon Disclosure Project or CDP) and investigates indirect emissions reduction efforts that are underway at several leading Fortune 500 companies as well as universities, municipalities, and government agencies.
Prerequisites: ENVR E-116 is encouraged but not necessary.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, September 7-December 21, 5:10pm-7:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ENVR E-117
Sustainability Leadership for the Twenty-First Century
Leith Sharp MEd, Director, Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Jack Spengler PhD, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 13543 | Section 1
Description
To inspire and enable people to lead effective change towards environmental sustainability, this course is designed to enhance individual change agency skills as applied to a variety of organizational contexts (education, business, government, nonprofit, church, community). The course explores what change leadership for sustainability is and guides students to advance their related capabilities, competencies, and strategies. The personal, interpersonal, organizational, and technical dimensions of change leadership for sustainability are addressed. A variety of specific case studies and examples of sustainability in practice, including everything from green building design and renewable energy to environmental purchasing are explored. Interdependencies between finance, politics, relationships, capacity building, and technology are discussed. Students leave with an experiential knowledge of change management because they are required to complete a project involving a real-life change leadership project of their choice. Students typically find this project to be both deeply rewarding and central to the development of their knowledge and confidence as change managers.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Required sections Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENVR E-118c
Sustainable Tourism
Mark Leighton PhD, Associate Director and Senior Research Advisor, Sustainability, Harvard Extension School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16642 | Section 1
Description
Travel and tourism (T T) was growing rapidly at scale before the COVID-19 pandemic, with six decades of consistent growth forecast to continue. In 2019, the T T sector contributed 10.3 percent to global gross domestic product (GDP), over US $8.9 trillion, supporting one in ten jobs (330 million) worldwide, and one in five new jobs over the last five years. However, the health and economic crises of the pandemic threw the disruptive forces acting on T T into sharp relief, drawing attention to the interconnected and hyper-dependent nature of sustainability, health, and business. For many countries, T T is the dominant sector generating income, tax revenues, and economic security for millions of individuals and their families. However, it is clear that the negative impacts of T T on people and the planet cannot be allowed to continue as the sector recovers it needs to build back better and more sustainably. Positioning sustainability as a strategic driver, many T T companies are showing the enormous potential the sector has to drive fulfilment of the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). This course presents innovative case studies and expert speakers from across the sector and challenges students to surface the tensions and choices inherent in driving growth and recognize the technical, economic, and political dimension in scaling sustainability solutions. It widens the view of sustainability beyond immediate operational impacts to consider the broader systems in which T T operates and the sustainability leadership practices that drive innovation. It pays attention to the trade-offs and dilemmas presented by T T activities and the enormous potential of the sector to educate the traveler and drive conservation. This course encourages student to re-imagine the sector and pursue more sustainable T T, focused on attenuating its negative impacts and advancing the contribution T T makes to global citizenship and a more balanced economy and equitable society.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, September 6-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-119
Transforming the Built Environment for Resilience and Sustainability
Grey Lee MPA, Business Development Manager for Sustainability, Environmental, Social, and Governance Specialist, S P Global
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16111 | Section 1
Description
How can real estate and buildings become more responsive to climate risk and other challenges to our communities? The greening of buildings has grown exponentially over the past decade, but is the transition fast enough to meet the needs of our communities in the dynamic times ahead? Can urban resilience become an intrinsic dimension of real estate development to mitigate widespread disruptions caused by climate change? The built environment of our communities creates energy and material utilization patterns and subsequent ecological effects. Climate change challenges existing buildings and infrastructure, which has led to new policies and professional responses for adaptation and regeneration. Building design and location are a critical determinant of wellness, comfort, and productivity for occupants. This course introduces students to the principles of sustainability and resilience in our communities with a focus on systems dynamics. We use the framework of social equity and basic environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics to explore how urban design and policy can embrace priorities for human well-being. Students become familiar with international standards for sustainable design, operations, and management of buildings more favorable to the integrity of communities such as the US Green Building Council’s LEED certifications, Passive House, WELL Building Standard, the Living Building Challenge, and other concepts related to sustainable design. We ensure hands-on engagement with local policy protocols and meet practitioners who have participated in the advancement of best practice in sustainability and resilience.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-119d
Decarbonizing the Building Sector
Paul Ormond MS, Efficiency Engineer, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 24776 | Section 1
Description
It is within reach to decarbonize the building sector within the next few decades. This can be accomplished with a combination of better buildings (such as Passive House), electrification, and a renewably-powered electrical grid. Buildings can also be built with their own on-site renewables to create a net zero energy building. This course provides a comprehensive exploration of our greening grid, zero energy buildings, and Passive House buildings. Topics include grid fundamentals, building energy dynamics, emissions profiles, renewable systems, energy economics, passive architecture, energy budgets, site and source energy, policy, codes, financing, and incentive structures. A variety of assignments, projects, and teaching tools are used in this course, including analysis assignments, a team pitch, weekly report-outs, a textbook and numerous references, live guest speakers, and a guest speaker library.
Class Meetings:
Online or On Campus
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 5:40pm-7:40pm, One Brattle Square 204
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: Students can attend in person on campus, participate live online at the time the class meets via web conference, or watch the recorded video asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-119e
Sustainable Infrastructure
Cristina Contreras Casado ALM, Founder and Managing Director, Sinfranova LLC
Judith Irene Rodriguez MA, Senior Research Associate, Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure, Harvard Graduate School of Design and Research Specialist, Healthy Cities Lab, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25775 | Section 1
Description
Sustainable infrastructure (SI) has been recognized as the central pillar of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sustainable infrastructure strives to enhance access to basic services, promote environmental sustainability, and support inclusive growth through its endeavor to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs), while looking for pathways to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This course introduces students to the current landscape of sustainability assessment tools and explores the benefits that sustainable projects bring to public and private entities, to local communities, and to the planet in general. We ask the following key questions: what is sustainable infrastructure? What are the main features of a sustainable project? How do these features overlap or differ from the SDGs? How can infrastructure and urban development projects align with both SI practices and the SDGs? To answer these questions, we use real-world case studies. Considering the mandate of the 2030 agenda, “leave no one behind,” specific attention is given to how different stakeholders participate in the process.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Wednesdays, January 24-May 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-119g
Sustainable Cities
Julio Lumbreras PhD, Visiting Scientist, Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Fernando Fernandez-Monge MPA, Research Fellow, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 15759 | Section 1
Description
More than half of the world’s population (54 percent according to the World Health Organization) live in urban areas, and this share is expected to grow in the future (65 percent by 2050 according to the United Nations). However, urban life is currently far from sustainable due to inequality, poverty, poor air quality, high risk of natural disasters and climate change, and lack of access to energy, water, and waste treatment. Faced with these challenges, member countries of the United Nations adopted in 2015 an agenda for 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), with one of these goals focused on “making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Therefore, the future of urban societies, and thus of most of the world’s population, depends on our ability to design, build, and run cities in a sustainable manner. This course aims at contributing to this goal by surveying the scientific principles of sustainability at the urban level, exploring cities and their metabolism as systems of systems. It covers the main challenges that cities of every size are facing: governance, inclusive urban economic development, national/regional development planning, safety, citizen participation, risk and vulnerability reduction, air quality, resource efficiency, and access to universal basic services, housing, and infrastructures. By paying attention to the contextual factors in which these challenges play out for different types of cities, students not only gain a general understanding of the key dimensions of urban sustainability, but they also learn fundamental governance aspects in cities, such as the need to create partnerships and establish radical collaborations between diverse stakeholders to foster urban transformations.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, September 11-December 21, 3:00pm-5:00pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-129a
Local to Global Agroecology
Dan Goldhamer MS, County Director and Horticulture Agent, Colorado State University Extension
Fall Term 2023 | CRN 16158 | Section 1
Description
Agriculture is one of humanity’s oldest pursuits and yet it is far from perfected. In this time of climate change and ecological degradation, a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions and damage to ecosystems can be traced back to the way in which humans produce food, feed, fuel, and fiber. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that 10-12 percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are due to agriculture. Agriculture is also tied to ecological degradation including deforestation, depletion and contamination of water and soil resources, and chemical pollution. However, many individuals and organizations are discovering innovative and tailored solutions to these problems. Addressing the ecological and climate change challenges of agriculture in the next ten years will be essential to ensure a meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and to creating resilient production systems. This course provides a broad introduction to the underlying biology and ecology of crop and animal agricultural production systems. We explore how different production techniques including conventional, organic, and regenerative, operate in both a dryland and irrigated setting. Students in this course gain a greater understanding of the realities that agricultural producers must face every day in their quest to feed themselves and the world. The goal of this course is to equip students with a basic understanding of the ecology of agricultural systems, gain applicable vocabulary and concepts related to agriculture, and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities farmers face when seeking sustainable solutions. We explore crop and animal agriculture at scales ranging from kitchen gardens to thousands of acres. We also explore the various tools, techniques, and technologies farmers employ throughout the globe.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, September 5-December 21, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Term Start Date: September 05, 2023
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 50 students
ENVR E-129c
The Role of Soil Health in Creating Sustainable Food Systems
Emily Lynn Holleran ALM, Instructor, Arizona State University School of Sustainability
Helen D. Silver JD, Principal, Ground Up Consulting, LLC
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25791 | Section 1
Description
Ninety-five percent of the world’s food is grown in topsoil, but current farming techniques are eroding this soil and stripping it of essential minerals, microbes, and nutrients needed to support human and planetary health. The United Nations has stated that if soil degradation continues, we may only have 60 years of farming left. Loss of topsoil through agricultural practices is a major contributor to water and air quality degradation and biodiversity loss. Replenishing degraded soils may be a critical element in battling burgeoning health crises such as micronutrient deficiencies, obesity, and related diseases. Increasing soil health will also be a critical response to combating and adapting to the climate crisis. Though strong market, political, and social forces perpetuate the status quo, policymakers, agricultural producers, and the general public are taking note and developing, examining, and implementing a wide array of interventions to reverse soil degradation. This course explores the global food system from food production to disposal from the premise that agricultural soil health must underlie any sustainable food system that supports public and planetary health and social equity. We address the current state of agricultural soil health globally and the current and future effects on public and planetary health, including effects on water, air, climate, and nutrition, and social and economic equity. We explore whether adopting sustainable agricultural practices that support and enhance soil health can feed the growing global population while simultaneously buttressing achievement of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, we examine the key interventions put forth to support agricultural soil health, including direct farmer education and subsidies, social movements such as food sovereignty, labeling requirements, corporate initiatives, consumer education, and increased organic waste recycling.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-131
Food Systems and Global Supply Chains
Jennifer Cole PhD, Associate Professor of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26652 | Section 1
Description
This course is intended for students interested in the supply-chain side of sustainable food. Of all the activities humans engage in on Earth, agriculture has the single biggest environmental impact. This course looks in detail at the supply chain of food production and the impact assessment of global food production. Together we investigate how food passes from production to distribution and consumption and what the sustainability ramifications are, specifically on air, water, soil, energy, mining, and human health. This is a research-based course where participants choose related food scenarios and quantify their impact on greenhouse gases and climate change; energy use; air, water, and soil degradation; and solid waste disposal. Topics include genetic modification of food for increased productivity, meat and dairy, additives for shelf stability, organic and local food, the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp, food subsidies, aquaculture, packaging and transportation, fast food, and food safety. The first part of the course is a series of lectures covering the principles of economics as they pertain to agriculture; agricultural styles and practices; soil resources and problems; and the myriad ways we pollute the Earth’s air, soil, and water as we obtain food. The second part of the course is a series of papers and discussion on supply-chain management and simple modeling scenarios designed to quantify the economics and sustainability of common food items.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Mondays, January 22-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 45 students
ENVR E-135b
Sustainable Business in the Twenty-First Century
Matthew Gardner PhD, Managing Partner, Sustainserv, Inc.
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 25745 | Section 1
Description
. These three modules (the business case for change, driving change at scale, and purpose driven systemic change) are expanded upon with guest speakers, real world case studies, and in-depth discussions. Each week students analyze examples from companies in a variety of industries to show how sustainability is integrated into their business models and to explore what opportunities still exist for companies to improve. The course uses case studies from publicly traded companies, augmented by links to various forms of information for students to compare and contrast throughout the semester. Information is presented from academic research, white papers published by respected scholars and experts, and the actual disclosures of major multinational companies. The case method is used to provide a participative and realistic forum that enables students to learn about sustainability while also developing the skills to use the information. In addition to receiving course credit, students who successfully complete this course for undergraduate or graduate credit can earn a certificate of completion from Harvard Business School Online.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 7:40pm-9:40pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
ENVR E-137
Sustainable Manufacturing and Technologies
Ramon Sanchez ScD, Research Associate, Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26623 | Section 1
Description
This course provides a set of tools and skills to identify, evaluate, and improve the sustainability of supply chain operations. It enables students to understand core concepts of industrial and commercial activities so that they are able to design sustainable manufacturing and service operations. Students learn to define green warehousing and distribution activities, plan retrofits and capital investments in current and future productive operations to save energy, select green materials for new products, manage efficient new product introductions by designing sustainable factory operations, and learn how to use continuous improvement techniques and value stream mapping to reduce waste and environmental impacts while reducing costs.
Prerequisites: High school math.
Class Meetings:
Flexible Attendance Web Conference
Tuesdays, January 23-May 11, 8:10pm-10:10pm
Optional sections to be arranged.
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students may attend at the scheduled meeting time or watch recorded sessions asynchronously. Recorded sessions are typically available within a few hours of the end of class and no later than the following business day.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 75 students
ENVR E-138
Introduction to Sustainable Finance and Investments
Carlos Alberto Vargas PhD, Faculty, EGADE Business School
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26684 | Section 1
Description
Sustainable finance is a main topic on the international agenda. Financial decisions worldwide are increasingly influenced by the scarcity of resources, the search for profits through efficiency, and climate change. We observe an increasing investment appetite for green bonds. Investment funds and asset managers worldwide search for innovative products that increase profitability but also create environmental and social value. This course studies finance and sustainability as integrated subjects beginning with an introduction of financial and investment principles and moving through financial analysis, financing, and valuation. The course covers diverse aspects of sustainable investments and offers tools for effective financial valuation and risk assessment. Students may not take both ENVR E-138 and ENVR E-235 for degree or certificate credit.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024
Tuition:
Noncredit credit $1,500, undergraduate credit $2,040, graduate credit $3,220.
Credits: 4
Notes: This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time.
Enrollment limit: Limited to 40 students
ENVR E-138a
Making the Sustainable Investment Case
Graham Sinclair MBA, Senior Responsible Investment Strategist, Parametric
Spring Term 2024 | CRN 26244 | Section 1
Description
Making the sustainable investing case is a crucial skill for every type of professional, whether in the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. This course takes lessons from the theories and practices of sustainable investment in the professional investment industry and makes them accessible to other disciplines. In every sector and situation, one is increasingly expected to identify, measure, and report material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks. Every investment has implicit ESG factors, because every decision made relies upon humans to buy, make, or do something and employs the rule of law to govern contractual relationships between investor and investee. Investment decisions are made daily for more than US $100 trillion assets under management in the global investment industry and projected to grow to US $145.4 trillion by 2025. This course explores capital allocation decisions more broadly, looking at decisions made every day by governments, companies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Sustainable investment proactively considers themes and issues such as climate pollution, workplace safety, employee health and wellness, local community relationships, diversity, executive compensation, business ethics, corruption, and new market innovation. We explore critiques of sustainable investment to better understand theory and practice. While some have tried to tarnish what ESG is, and is not, the reality is every investment, business or government today is fast learning how best to integrate all factors, including ESG factors, into their investment decision-making practice. In a multi-polar world with interconnected decision-making processes and consequences, more stakeholders demand greater transparency, customers have expectations of their vendors, reputation and litigation risks are profligate, and regulators seek to reduce negative impacts on society. This course is grounded in industry experience, investment policies and portfolios, and cross-disciplinary academic literature. We teach using Harvard Business School case studies and case examples drawn from industry. The course blends the academic and practitioner literature with current academic research and industry activities to ensure students learn from the most relevant material. We promote students’ experiential learning by building up components of simulated investment recommendations. Students have many opportunities to explore topics of interest to them, including those drawn from headlines.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with key concepts of sustainability, finance, or investment is helpful but not required.
Class Meetings:
Live Attendance Web Conference
Thursdays, January 25-May 11, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Term Start Date: January 22, 2024