Summer Term Undergraduate Courses

In this course, you will explore the culture of engineering while preparing to think and communicate effectively with the various audiences with whom engineers interact. You will read, discuss, present, and write about major themes and questions in engineering today. We explore the origins and evolution of the engineering profession, the dreams and nightmares of our engineered world, and today’s major debates in engineering ethics. Over the course of the semester, you will boost your ability to think and communicate as an informed engineer. Assignments may include ethical analyses, case studies, multimodal technical documents, argumentative essays about the history and trajectory of the field, professional presentations, and proposals supporting improved, human-friendly outcomes in engineering.

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 builds on the concepts presented and discussed in General Biology I. The primary foci of this course will be on the diversity of life and on the anatomy, physiology, and evolution of plants and animals. There will be a special emphasis on human biology.

Prerequisite: AP Biology or AS.020.151 (General Biology 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.

Population genomics is the study of the structure, function, and variability of the entire genetic complement of organisms considered on a population scale. By examining how gene variants change in structure and frequency in populations over time, we can study the process of evolution and how it contributes to biodiversity and the formation of new species; this information can be used to increase the efficacy of conservation efforts. By studying gene variants underlying diseases at the scale of populations, we can better diagnose complex polygenic diseases like cancer. This course introduces the fundamentals of population genomics and provides an overview of the subfields of evolutionary genomics, conservation genomics, and medical genomics.

This online program is primarily delivered asynchronously, but students are expected to meet both daily and weekly deadlines for class assignments. Your instructor will also provide optional opportunities for synchronous sessions, such as office hours, group discussions, and supplemental lectures. Attendance for synchronous sessions is voluntary and based on students’ availability.

Prerequisite: At least one semester of high school biology is recommended, but not required.

Required Text: There are no required textbooks for this program; all readings and resources will be made available to you throughout the program.