Topics Courses

This is a weekly discussion session for BIOL 401.  Students will: 1) alternate leading discussions of the current peer-reviewed scientific literature relevant to topics in comparative vertebrate anatomy; 2) alternate leading more detailed and focused prosections of particular anatomical structures to which they are assigned; 3) present a synopsis of their course term project papers to the class.

Co-requisite: BIOL 401.

Bioengineering uses the tools and principles of physics and engineering to analyze and solve biological problems and create medical applications. Students will learn the basic engineering principles that can be applied in biology.  This class designed for biology and biotechnology students interested in pursuing a PhD or Master’s in engineering or bioengineering. This is the lecture portion of the class, in which we will study basic engineering concepts and their application in biology and medicine.

Prerequisites: Biol 210 and Math 160, both with a grade of C (2.0), OR, enrollment in the Biological Sciences Master's program.

Focuses on learning the tools to create lab-on-chip designs and imaging. Students will apply these principles to a variety of bioengineering-related experiments.

Prerequisites: Biol 210 and Math 160, both with a grade of C or better, OR, enrollment in the Biological Sciences Master's program.

Explores how marine organisms interact with their environment. Promotes understanding that the characteristics, interactions, and processes that influence marine communities and organisms requires an interdisciplinary perspective. Heavily integrates concepts of chemistry, physics, and geology as it interacts with marine life.  Focuses also on oceanographic and atmospheric phenomena at various spatial and temporal scales.

Prerequisite: Biol 354 with a minimum grade of C (2.0).

This is a weekly discussion session for BIOL 576. Students will 1) learn how to prepare the results of the laboratories in an appropriate manner to present to their peers, 2) conduct instructor-supervised scientific literature searches of both primary and secondary sources to find relevant references to support their presentations, and 3) work as teams to peer review other students’ presentations and to discuss their literature search summaries.

 

Focuses on problem-solving techniques for programmers and computer scientists. Covers how to break seemingly large problems into smaller, manageable subtasks, and strategies for developing and evaluating solutions, verbal reasoning, and troubleshooting programs. This course will be run in parallel to respective lower-division computer science courses.

Credit/No Credit

Optional Co-requisite: CS 111

Focuses on problem-solving techniques for programmers and computer scientists. Covers how to break seemingly large problems into smaller, manageable subtasks, and strategies for developing and evaluating solutions, verbal reasoning, and troubleshooting programs. This course will be run in parallel to respective lower-division computer science courses.

Credit/No Credit

Optional Co-requisite: CS 211

Focuses on problem-solving techniques for programmers and computer scientists. Covers how to break seemingly large problems into smaller, manageable subtasks, and strategies for developing and evaluating solutions, verbal reasoning, and troubleshooting programs. This course will be run in parallel to respective lower-division computer science courses.

Credit/No Credit

Optional Co-requisite: CS 231

Provides hands-on introduction to the concepts and practices of Virtual Reality (VR) application development. Develops useful 3D Virtual Reality simulation software using a modern game engine and various Virtual Reality hardware. Includes the principles of human centered computing design, framework and roles in team-based VR application development, software-hardware pipeline of VR applications, modern game engine software development, and 3D content creation.

Prerequisite: CS 311

Hip Hop II allows for more experienced students to practice and participate in a global phenomenon that continues to evolve alternatively, experimentally, and commercially. This high energy class imparts the heart of Hip Hop, based in personal expression, political transformation, and social activism. 

Prerequisites: DNCE 203 (Hip Hop I), and consent of Instructor/Program Director.

 

Overview of GIS and spatial analysis applied to economic topics. Focus on geographic information, locational decision-making, spatial data, value of GIS and GIS strategies. Students learn through case studies and lab practice with spatial data.

Prerequisites: ECON 201, 202, and MATH 242. Exclude in-progress credit.

Uses economic theory and techniques to analyze crime and punishment.  Introduces a model of the rational criminal, from an economic perspective. Examines crime as a utility-maximizing choice based on incentives, which can be altered through public policy. Economists are interested in how responsive crime is to different policy options. Some topics include societal costs of crime, drug control, gun control, punishment, and deterrence.

Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 202 and MATH 132 or MATH 160; with a minimum grade of C (2.0). Exclude in-progress credit.

Required of all credential candidates. The purpose of this course is to prepare teacher candidates to successfully complete the California Teacher Performance Assessment (CalTPA). In California, all teacher candidates must complete a Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) in order to earn a preliminary credential. The assessments require candidates to complete defined tasks relating to subject-specific pedagogy, designing and implementing instruction and student assessment, and culminating teaching experiences or events. When taken as a whole, teaching performance assessment tasks/activities measure the Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs). Candidate performances are scored by trained assessors against rubrics that describe levels of performance relative to each task/activity. Each model must also meet and maintain specified standards of assessment reliability, validity, and fairness to candidates. The CalTPA consists of two instructional cycles completed over the course of a credential program. CalTPA cycles are scored by trained assessors who are experts in the content for their assigned assessments. Candidates submit CalTPA materials on or before the provided due dates and receive their scores in approximately three weeks. Candidates must successfully complete and pass both CalTPA cycles in order to receive a preliminary California teaching credential. Workshops are provided to support candidates with CalTPA completion.

Prerequisite: Must be admitted to a Teacher Credential Program.

(To become EDUC 603)

Explores current research, issues, and theories related to education equity and access. Students will analyze educational equity in K-12 classrooms and schools.

Note: This course will become EDUC 603 after the curricular approval process is completed.

(To become EDUC 617)

Guides students toward building and completing a proposal in the area of curriculum and instruction. Students work to identify an issue or problem about which to inquire, develop research questions, review the related literature, and develop methods of examination.

Note: This course will become EDUC 617 after the curricular approval process is completed.

Explores the theories, concepts and empirical reality of rebellion and civil war. We seek to understand intra- state conflict, both as full blown civil war between state and non-state actors and as violent opposition short of all out civil war.

This course is crosslisted with PSCI 390-24. Students may not receive credit for both.

Survey of the World Ocean from an Earth System Science perspective. Examines the origin of the oceans, the global geography of contemporary oceans, and the spatial and temporal patterns of key properties such as temperature, salinity, and currents, among others. Examines life in the ocean and the role of oceans in climate and climate change.

Satisfies GE Area B1 credit.

Critical analysis of major British novels of the nineteenth century in cultural context. Focus on narrative constructions of inner lives, social bodies, and intersectional (gendered, raced, classed, sexed, aged, and dis/abled) identities. Plots of development (bildungsroman or coming of age); love, courtship, marriage, and its discontents; and family relationships, with attention to genre (romance, sensation, the domestic, and the gothic). Instructor consent required.

Prerequisites: LTWR 300A and LTWR 300B and 9 additional units in upper division courses.

Designed for advanced piano performance focused music majors.  Weekly individual (1:1) lessons in faculty studio.  Development of practice techniques, and concert repertoire. Main course goals are to enhance musicianship, performance skills, playing techniques, develop individuality, and foster intricate and unique musicality.

Prerequisites: MUSC 145, 146 and 240

Explores the theories, concepts and empirical reality of rebellion and civil war. We seek to understand intra- state conflict, both as full blown civil war between state and non-state actors and as violent opposition short of all out civil war.

This course is crosslisted with GBST 390-9. Students may not receive credit for both.

Examines the influences of various media sources on the development of children and adolescents. Investigates television, internet, video games and mobile media use from an empirically supported and cultural platform. Discusses strategies for using technology productively at home and in school and explore techniques for protecting against destructive behaviors and addictions at all levels of intervention.

Prerequisites: (PSYC 100 & 210) OR (PSYC 100 & PSYC 331) OR (PSYC 100 & PSYC 349), all with a C (2.0) or better.