Online Summer Undergraduate Courses

Intermediate Spanish I is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained an advanced elementary level in the language. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish I will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Intermediate Spanish II).There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. No new enrollments permitted after the third class session.

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

Intermediate Spanish II is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained a mid-intermediate level in the language or who have completed Spanish 212. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish II will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Advanced Spanish I). There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. 

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

Intermediate Spanish II is a comprehensive study of Spanish designed for students who have attained a mid-intermediate level in the language or who have completed Spanish 212. The course is organized around a thematic approach to topics relevant to contemporary Hispanic culture. Students will practice the four language skills in the classroom through guided grammatical and creative conversational activities and through the completion of three comprehensive exams. Outside of class, students will complete extensive online assignments and write three major compositions (as part of the three exams). In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture by viewing a Spanish-language film and by reading several literary selections. Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish II will prepare students for the next level of Spanish (Advanced Spanish I). There is no final exam. May not be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

Prerequisite: AS.210.112 (Spanish Elements II) or appropriate Spanish placement exam score.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

A first introduction to abstract algebra through group theory, with an emphasis on concrete examples, and especially on geometric symmetry groups. The course will introduce basic notions (groups, subgroups, homomorphisms, quotients) and prove foundational results (Lagrange’s theorem, Cauchy’s theorem, orbit-counting techniques, the classification of finite abelian groups). Examples to be discussed include permutation groups, dihedral groups, matrix groups, and finite rotation groups, culminating in the classification of the wallpaper groups.

Prerequisite: AS.110.201 (Linear Algebra) or AS.110.212 (Honors Linear Algebra).

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

This online course introduces students to important concepts in data analytics across a wide range of case studies. Students will learn how to gather, analyze, and interpret data to drive strategic and operational success. They will explore how to clean and organize data for analysis, and how to perform calculations using Microsoft Excel. Topics include the data science lifecycle, probability, statistics, hypothesis testing, set theory, graphing, regression, and data ethics.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

An introduction to basic strategies in the writing of poetry and fiction, with readings by Baldwin, Joyce, Lahiri, Garcia Marquez, Munro, Woolf, Donne, Bishop, Brooks, Komunyakaa, Tretheway, and others. Students will learn the elements of the short story and try their hand at a variety of forms: realist, fantastical, experimental. They’ll also study the basic poetic forms and meters, from the ballad to the sonnet, iambic pentameter to free verse. Students will compose short stories and poems and workshop them in class. This course is a prerequisite for most upper-level courses. This course is part one of the year-long Introduction to Fiction and Poetry and must be taken before AS.220.106.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

The second half of IFP, this course delves deeper into the finer points of fiction writing, including tone, description, and point of view; students will also enrich their knowledge of poetic forms and devices, such as figurative language, verse rhythm, and the poetic line. Readings include work by Achebe, Atwood, Calvino, Ishiguro, Maria Machado, Zadie Smith, Auden, Keats, Ada Limón, Li-Young Lee, Rankine, and others. Students will write and workshop their own stories and poems, and they will complete a final portfolio. This course is a prerequisite for most upper-level courses.

Prerequisites: AS 220.105 (Introduction to Fiction & Poetry I).

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

This course is designed to develop students' understanding of fundamental concepts of financial mathematics.  The course will cover mathematical theory and applications including the time value of money, annuities and cash flows, bond pricing, loans, amortization, stock and portfolio pricing, immunization of portfolios, swaps and determinants of interest rates, asset matching and convexity.  A basic knowledge of calculus and an introductory knowledge of probability is assumed.

Prerequisite: Calculus I or equivalent.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Mathematical Cryptography introduces students to the exciting practice of making and breaking secret codes as well as the mathematical theory behind them. Cryptography has applications to communication security, electronic funds transfer, and military and law enforcement. Students will study mathematical topics in both classical and modern cryptography, such as RSA, digital signatures, and elliptic curve cryptography through topics from probability, statistics, abstract algebra, computational complexity, and number theory.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

This course is a broad introduction to the fields of medical and mental health interpreting. Modules will include: (1) Three-way communication: managing role expectations and interpersonal dynamics; (2) Basic interpreting skills and techniques in a healthcare setting; (3) Ethical principles, dilemmas, and confidentiality; (4) Elements of medical interpreting; (5) Elements of mental health interpreting; (6) Trauma-informed interpreting: serving the refugee population. The course is taught in English, and has no foreign language pre-requisites.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor has scheduled a regular synchronous session each Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and may schedule additional live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course will provide a fundamental understanding of the mammalian nervous system, with an emphasis on how molecules, cells, circuits, and systems in the brain work to promote behavior and cognition. Topics covered in this course include the function of nerve cells, signaling between brain networks, basic neuroanatomy, and the neural bases of movement, sensation, and memory. This course is designed for any student who has an interest in the range of disciplines we call neuroscience.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course follows the actuarial Exam P syllabus and learning objectives to prepare students to pass the SOA/CAS Probability Exam. Topics include axioms of probability, discrete and continuous random variables, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, Chebyshev's Theorem, Central Limit Theorem, univariate and joint distributions and expectations, loss frequency, loss severity and other risk management concepts. Exam P learning objectives and learning outcomes are emphasized.

Prerequisite: Calculus II.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Mathematicians’ understanding of truth is based logical derivation. A mathematical proposition, i.e., a mathematical sentence whose meaning is unambiguous, is proven to be either true or false via a sequence of logical deductions starting from commonly accepted axioms. This course introduces students to methods of writing proofs which are rigorous, readable, and elegant. Students will practice using cases, contradiction, and induction. Proofs are performed on abstract structures such as finite and infinite sets, functions, and metric spaces. Mathematical communication, both written and spoken, is emphasized throughout the course.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Do we all see colors the same way? How did so many "good" people support the Nazi party? Do crossword puzzles really stave off Alzheimer's Disease? This course tries to answer these questions and many others, providing a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of the mind. We'll explore topics such as perception, language, memory, decision-making, creativity, love, sex, art, politics, religion, dreams, drugs, brain damage and mental illness, grappling with deep and long-standing controversies along the way: differences between the sexes, the relationship between mind and brain, causes and consequences of racism, human uniqueness (or not) within the animal kingdom, nature vs. nurture, good and evil, consciousness. Appropriate for anyone wanting to know who and what we are as human beings (or who noticed that psychology is now on the MCAT).

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

The course introduces students to the discipline of sociology. You will learn about (a) theoretical approaches in sociology; (b) some of the subject matters that sociologists study, including inequality, capitalism, labor, the state, social control, race, gender, sexuality, culture, religion, population dynamics, and health; and (c) sociological methods. Most importantly, you will learn (d) how to see the world as a sociologist. That is, you will become a sociologist.

The basic concepts of point-set topology: topological spaces, connectedness, compactness, quotient spaces, metric spaces, function spaces. An introduction to algebraic topology: covering spaces, the fundamental group, and other topics as time permits.

Prerequisite: AS.110.202 (Calculus III: Calculus of Several Variables) or AS.110.211 (Honors Multivariable Calculus).

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Students will be introduced to the history of Leadership Theory from the "Great Man" theory of born leaders to Transformational Leadership theory of non-positional learned leadership. Transformational Leadership theory postulates that leadership can be learned and enhanced. The course will explore the knowledge base and skills necessary to be an effective leader in a variety of settings. Students will assess their personal leadership qualities and develop a plan to enhance their leadership potential.

A meeting with the instructor and your teammates for projects will be required weekly. These will be established the first week of class to cater to internships, time zones, etc.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

This is a course in the study of linear, or vector, spaces and the structure of linear mappings between such spaces. Topics in this course include vector spaces, matrices, and linear transformations, solutions of systems of linear equations, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and the diagonalization of matrices, along with applications to differential equations.

Prerequisite: AS.110.107 (Calculus II for Biological and Social Science) or AS.110.109 (Calculus II for Physical Sciences and Engineering) or AS.110.113 (Honors Single Variable Calculus) or an Advanced Placement BC score of 5.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

This course provides an introduction to mathematical reasoning and discrete structures relevant to computer science. Topics include propositional and predicate logic, proof techniques including mathematical induction, sets, relations, functions, recurrences, counting techniques, simple computational models, asymptotic analysis, discrete probability, graphs, trees, and number theory.

Students may not enroll if they have taken EN.601.231 (Automata and Computation Theory) or EN.601.431 (Theory of Computation).

Prerequisite: EN.500.112 (Gateway Computing: Java) OR EN.500.113 (Gateway Computing: Python) OR EN.500.114 (Gateway Computing: Matlab) OR EN.500.132 (Bootcamp: Java) OR EN.500.133 (Bootcamp: Python) OR EN.500.134 (Bootcamp: Matlab) OR EN.601.220 (Intermediate Programming).

This course is designed for students of all backgrounds to provide a solid foundation in the underlying mathematical, programming, and statistical theory of data analysis. In today's data driven world, data literacy is an increasingly important skill to master. To this end, the course will motivate the fundamental concepts used in this growing field. While discussing the general theory behind common methods of data science there will be numerous applications to real world data sets. In particular, the course will use Python libraries to create, import, and analyze data sets. 

Prerequisites: There are no mathematical prerequisites for this course although prior knowledge of calculus, statistics and/or programming can be helpful.

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

This course is an introduction to the theory of functions of one complex variable. Its emphasis is on techniques and applications, and it serves as a basis for more advanced courses. Topics include functions of a complex variable and their derivatives; power series and Laurent expansions; the Cauchy integral theorem and formula; calculus of residues and contour integrals; harmonic functions.

Prerequisite: AS.110.201 (Linear Algebra) AND AS.110.202 (Calculus III: Calculus of Several Variables) or AS.110.211 (Honors Multivariable Calculus).

A flexible weekly schedule accommodates all student schedules and time zones, and courses include pre-recorded lectures, notes, and interactives to help students learn the material. Assessments include computer-scored items for immediate feedback as well as instructor-graded assignments for personalized learning. Students have access to instructors through email or individual reviews, and weekly instructor-led synchronous problem-solving sessions are recorded for viewing at any time. Students should expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week.

Is the mind identical to the brain? Is the mind (or brain) a computer? Could a computer reason, have emotions, or be morally responsible? This course examines such questions philosophically and historically. Topics include the history of AI research from 1940s to present; debates in cognitive science related to AI (computationalism, connectionism, and 4E cognition); and AI ethics.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, students must attend a 90-minue online discussion session each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM . Your instructor may schedule additional live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course is designed to help students push through any anxieties about public speaking by immersing them in a practice-intensive environment. They learn how to speak with confidence in a variety of formats and venues - including extemporaneous speaking, job interviewing, leading a discussion, presenting a technical speech, and other relevant scenarios. Students learn how to develop effective and visually compelling slides; hone their main message; improve their delivery skills; and write thought-provoking, well-organized speeches that hold an audience's attention. Students will also learn about the civic responsibilities of engineers in the democratic process.

A writing-intensive course (W) engages students in multiple writing projects, ranging from traditional papers to a wide variety of other forms, distributed throughout the term. Assignments include a mix of high and low stakes writing, meaning that students have the chance to write in informal, low-pressure--even ungraded--contexts, as well as producing larger, more formal writing assignments. Students engage in writing in the classroom through variety of means, including class discussions, workshop, faculty/TA lectures, and class materials (for instance, strong and weak examples of the assigned genre). Expectations are clearly conveyed through assignment descriptions, including the genre and audience of the assigned writing, and evaluative criteria. Students receive feedback on their writing, in written and/or verbal form, from faculty, TAs, and/or peers. Students have at least one opportunity to revise.

No previous knowledge of Portuguese is required. This is a Portuguese introductory course for non-romance language speakers. The course introduces students to the basic skills in reading, writing, and speaking the language. Emphasis is placed on oral communication with extensive training in written and listening skills. Class participation is encouraged from the very beginning. Upon the successful completion of this course with a grade of C or higher, students may enroll in 210.172 Portuguese Elements II. May not be taken on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory basis. No Prereq. There is no final exam.

This course expands students’ knowledge of the basic language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. It uses a multifaceted approach to immerse students in the cultures of Brazil, Portugal, and Portuguese-speaking Africa. The focus of the course is on oral communication with extensive training in grammar. The course is conducted entirely in Portuguese. Upon the successful completion of this course with a grade of C or higher, students may enroll in 210.271 Portuguese Intermediate I. May not be taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite: AS.210.171 (Portuguese Elements I) or placement exam.