Course Descriptions & Schedules
| Course # | Course Name | Days | Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3050 | World Mythology | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3052 | Introduction to Psychology | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3053 | Introduction to Sociology | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3055 | Architectural Design | M | W | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | ||
| 3058.1 | The Practice of Law (AM) | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3058.2 | The Practice of Law (PM) | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3059 | Introduction to Business & Finance | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3060 | Contemporary Explorations of the Mind | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 | |||
| 3061 | AP Psychology | M | W | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | ||
World Mythology
| 3050 | Vera Hannush | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
This course will consider mythology, broadly framed. It will take as its point of departure the understanding that mythologies structure societies: they provide explanations for natural phenomena, justify social relationships, and affirm collective identities. This course seeks to provide an understanding of the symbolic and metaphoric importance of myth, and will explore relationships between myth and ritual myth, myth and urban space, and myth and the individual. Through critical readings of Egyptian, Sumerian, Norse, Greek, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon myths and epics, as well as myths from Asian and Sub-Saharan African traditions, we will interrogate both the content and structure of myths: how do myths talk about the past? What prescriptions do they have for the organization of society? What universal elements do they possess? How do they affect us today? Progress will be measured through a daily critical response journal, as well as a midterm, a final, two short papers, and one longer paper.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Introduction to Psychology
| 3052 | Natasha Dagys Pajoluk | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
The word psychology comes from the Greek psyche, which means "soul," and -ology, which has come to mean "the study of." This course will focus on the nature, dimensions, methods, and issues of this study of human behavior. As this is an introductory course in psychology, the syllabus is rather broad. Course topics will include learning and memory, language and thought, emotion and motivation, mental abilities and cognitive processes. Students will be required to lead classroom discussions and will work in research teams to develop and conduct original studies.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Introduction to Sociology
| 3053 | Leo White | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 8:30 - 12:00 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
What if psychology alone still leaves you with questions about how your and others' experiences are connected with the society you live in? Where can you seek such knowledge? In this course, we will examine such relationships by exploring "the sociological imagination," to use a term coined by sociologist C. Wright Mills. For example, we will use Durkheimian theory to investigate why so many people paint themselves in school or other team colors, why they chant in unison, and why they think that it is so much fun. We will learn how these and other acts function to ensure social solidarity, define the in-group, and maintain a collective identity. We will also learn how such phenomena affect persons and groups, to their benefit or detriment. Over the course of the class, students will collect data on the sociological phenomenon of their choice and analyze it using three theoretical lenses to reshape the way they see that phenomenon. Our final project will include an oral presentation of research findings, in the same way that other sociologists present their new knowledge to their colleagues.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Architectural Design
| 3055 | Susanne Cowan | 10 units | $830 | M | W | F | 8:30 - 12:00 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
This course explores the built environment and introduces students to the architectural profession. The class focuses primarily on the formal principles of architectural design by examining examples from lectures and by visiting buildings on and off campus. Students will also develop an understanding of concepts in two-dimensional composition, furniture design, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Students will express their ideas in scaled models and drawings. The course consists of several weeklong projects including: architectural drawings of existing buildings, abstract sculptural design, furniture design, and designing new landscape and architectural structures. While working individually and in teams, students will be able to explore their creative potential and test their ability to work effectively in groups. Knowing how to draw or build models is not a prerequisite for this course.
Homework per class meeting: 4-5 hours.
The Practice of Law
| 3058.1 | Gary Kitajo | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 8:30 - 12:00 | |||
| 3058.2 | Gary Kitajo | 5 units | $530 | Tu | F | 1:00 - 4:30 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
This course will provide an overview of social institutions and functions addressed in the practice of law. Students will participate in each of the lawyer's roles: investigation, research, advocacy, negotiation, trial preparation, and dispute resolution. In the process, students will examine the nature and history of law, interrogate parties, argue hypothetical cases, arbitrate conflicts, and draft legal documents. This class will require active participation in lively classroom activities and projects, which will include simulated trials, oral argument, and case briefing. Students will be encouraged to participate freely in robust classroom discussions and debates, with a premium placed on the open exchange of ideas and opinions. The course will culminate in a mock trial, conducted in a local courtroom before a judge. College-level texts will be used.
Homework per class meeting: 3-5 hours.
Introduction to Business & Finance
| 3059 | J. Lyons & J. Walukiewicz | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 |
Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II/Trig. or higher course in mathematics.
This course is designed as a concise introduction to business for high school students. Students will explore fundamental principles of finance and economics, including the basics of valuation, risk and return, and demand and supply. The course will emphasize real-world application through applied problems and projects, guest speakers, and a visit to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. We will study how firms make decisions, the role of banks and markets, and timely topics such as the underlying causes of the current financial crisis. Throughout, students will increase their financial literacy and gain tools for person financial planning, including an understanding of how interest accumulates and understanding residential mortgage terms and risks. Students will find that they can make exciting connections between these topics and the mathematical concepts they have learned in their math classes.
Homework per class meeting: 4-5 hours.
Contemporary Explorations of the Mind
| 3060 | Alex James | 5 units | $530 | M | Th | 1:00 - 4:30 |
For students who have completed grade 8 & up.
Thought, experience and imagination are possible only because we have minds. But what is the mind and how is it related to the physical world? Are our minds identical to our brains or are they distinct? What is consciousness and what can science tell us about it? Could a computer have conscious experience? To what extent can animals have thoughts or use language? In this course, we will explore the mysterious realm of the mind, pursuing answers to these and other questions. Part of the course will focus on the ways neuroscientists have presented their research and the philosophical assumptions contained therein. No background in philosophy is required.
Homework per class meeting: 4-5 hours.
Advanced Placement Psychology
| 3061 | Zachary Rosner | 10 units | $760 | M | W | F | 8:30 - 12:00 |
Prerequisite: Completion of at least freshman year of high school or permission of the Director. Completion of at least sophomore year is recommended.
This course provides an opportunity for students to prepare for the May 2011 AP examination in Psychology. The course is guided by the AP Psychology syllabus and covers the following areas: History of Psychology as a Science, Research Methods, Statistics, Biological Bases of Behavior, Sensation and Perception, States of Consciousness, Learning, Cognition, Motivation and Emotion, Developmental Psychology, Personality, Testing and Individual Differences, Abnormal Psychology, Treatment of Psychological Disorders, and Social Psychology. The course uses a college textbook and will require a lot of reading, active participation in classroom activities (discussions and labs), completion of an independent research project, and completion of examination questions similar to those given in the actual AP examination. For an additional fee, students in this class will have the option of taking Saturday review classes in the spring of 2011 to prepare for the AP examination in May of 2011.
Homework per class meeting: 8-10 hours.