18.335J Introduction to Numerical Methods (MIT)
This course offers an advanced introduction to numerical linear algebra. Topics include direct and iterative methods for linear systems, eigenvalue decompositions and QR/SVD factorizations, stability and accuracy of numerical algorithms, the IEEE floating point standard, sparse and structured matrices, preconditioning, linear algebra software. Problem sets require some knowledge of MATLAB®.
21W.732-2 Introduction to Technical Communication: Ethics in Science and Technology (MIT)
This section of Introduction to Technical Communication deals with ethical issues associated with the design, use, and propagation of technology. At virtually all stages of development and use, any technology can carry with it ethical dilemmas for both creators and users. Of particular interest is how such dilemmas are resolved (or complicated) according to how effectively they are communicated to stakeholders.
21M.030 Introduction to World Music (MIT)
This course explores the ways that music is both shaped by and gives shape to the cultural settings in which it is performed, through studying selected musical traditions from around the world. Specific case studies will be examined closely through listening, analysis, and hands-on instruction. The syllabus centers around weekly listening assignments and readings from a textbook with CDs, supplemented by hands-on workshops, lecture/demonstrations and concerts by master musicians from around the
21W.732-1 Introduction to Technical Communication: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health (MIT)
Over the course of the semester we will explore the full range of writings by physicians and other health practitioners. Some of the writer/physicians that we encounter will be Atul Gawande, Danielle Ofri, Richard Selzer, and William Carlos Williams. Students need have no special training, only a general interest in medicine or in public health issues such as AIDS, asthma, malaria control, and obesity. The writing assignments, like the readings, will invite students to consider the distinctive n
17.55J Introduction to Latin American Studies (MIT)
Interdisciplinary introduction to contemporary Latin America, drawing on films, literature, popular press accounts, and scholarly research. Topics include economic development, ethnic and racial identity, religion, revolution, democracy, transitional justice, and the rule of law. Examples draw on a range of countries in the region, especially Mexico, Chile, and Brazil. Includes a heavy oral participation component, with regular breakout groups, formal class presentations on pressing social issue
21F.010 Introduction to European and Latin American Fiction (MIT)
This subject serves as a broad introduction to the field of European and Latin American fiction. It is taught in an historical manner—beginning with the first picaresque novel, Lazarillo de Tormes, and ending with contemporary European fiction. It is designed to help students acquire a general understanding of major fictional modes-from 18th century epistolary fiction, Liaisons dangereuses, to 20th century avant-garde fiction: Cosmicomicsi and Aura. Attention is paid not only to the literar
11.301J Introduction to Urban Design and Development (MIT)
This course examines both the structure of cities and ways they can be changed. Its scope includes historical forces that have produced cities, models of urban analysis, contemporary theories of urban design, and implementation strategies. Core lectures are supplemented by discussion sessions focusing on student work and field trips. Guest speakers present cases involving current projects illustrating the scope and methods of urban design practice.
21W.732-5 Introduction to Technical Communication: Explorations in Scientific and Technical Writing
This course is designed to help you develop skills that will enable you to produce clear and effective scientific and technical documents. We will focus on basic principles of good writing-which scientific and technical writing shares with other forms of writing-and on types of documents common in scientific and technical fields and organizations. While the emphasis will be on writing, oral communication of scientific and technical information will form an important component of the course, as w
ESD.10 Introduction to Technology and Policy (MIT)
This course explores perspectives in the policy process - agenda setting, problem definition, framing the terms of debate, formulation and analysis of options, implementation and evaluation of policy outcomes using frameworks including economics and markets, law, and business and management. Methods include cost/benefit analysis, probabilistic risk assessment, and system dynamics. Exercises include developing skills to work on the interface between technology and societal issues; simulation exer
22.01 Introduction to Ionizing Radiation (MIT)
This course provides an introduction to the basic properties of ionizing radiations and their uses in medicine, industry, science, and environmental studies. We will discuss natural and man-made radiation sources, energy deposition and dose calculations, and various physical, chemical, and biological processes and effects of radiation, with examples of their uses, and principles of radiation protection.
1.201J Introduction to Transportation Systems (MIT)
1.201J/11.545J/ESD.210J is required for all first-year Master of Science in Transportation students. It would be of interest to, as well as accessible to, students in Urban Studies and Planning, Political Science, Technology and Policy, Management, and various engineering departments. It is a good subject for those who plan to take only one subject in transportation and serves as an entry point to other transportation subjects as well.
The subject focuses on fundamental principles of transportat
1.101 Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I (MIT)
This sophomore-level course is a project-oriented introduction to the principles and practice of engineering design. Design projects and exercises are chosen that relate to the built and natural environments. Emphasis is placed on achieving function and sustainability through choice of materials and processes, compatibility with natural cycles, and the use of active or adaptive systems. The course also encourages development of hands-on skills, teamwork, and communication; exercises and projects
1.101 Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I (MIT)
In this sophomore design course, you will be challenged with three design tasks: a first concerning water resources/treatment, a second concerning structural design, and a third focusing on the conceptual (re)design of a large system, Boston's Back Bay. The first two tasks require the design, fabrication and testing of hardware. Several laboratory experiments will be carried out and lectures will be presented to introduce students to the conceptual and experimental basis for design in both domai
21F.043J Introduction to Asian American Studies: Literature, Culture, and Historical Experience (MIT
An interdisciplinary subject that draws on literature, history, anthropology, film, and cultural studies to examine the experiences of Asian Americans in U.S. society. Covers the first wave of Asian immigration in the 19th century, the rise of anti-Asian movements, the experiences of Asian Americans during WWII, the emergence of the Asian American movement in the 1960s, and the new wave of "post-1965" Asian immigration. Examines the role these historical experiences played in the formation of As
17.20 Introduction to the American Political Process (MIT)
This course provides students with an introduction to the basic institutions of American government, especially as established in the constitution, and with an introduction to currents of thought among social scientists about the workings of U.S. politics. This is a communication intensive course. As such you are required to write at least 20 pages - that's the C.I. requirement - and participate in class discussions.
17.50 Introduction to Comparative Politics (MIT)
This class first offers some basic analytical frameworks - culture, social structure, and institutions - that you can use to examine a wide range of political outcomes. We then use these frameworks to understand (1) the relationship between democracy and economic development and (2) the relative centralization of political authority across countries. We will use theoretical arguments and a wide range of case studies to address several questions: Why are some countries democratic and others not?
4.191 Introduction to Integrated Design (MIT)
During this course, we will be exploring basic questions of architecture through several short design exercises. Working with many different media, students will discover the interrelationship of architecture and its related disciplines, such as structures, sustainability, architectural history and the visual arts. Each problem will focus on one of these disciplines and one exploration and presentation technique.
3.986 The Human Past: Introduction to Archaeology (MIT)
This class introduces the multidisciplinary nature of archaeology, both in theory and practice. Lectures provide a comparative examination of the origins of agriculture and the rise of early civilizations in the ancient Near East and Mesoamerica. The laboratory sessions provide practical experience in aspects of archaeological field methods and analytical techniques including the examination of stone, ceramic, and metal artifacts and bone materials. Lab sessions have occasional problem sets whic
21L.423J Introduction to Anglo-American Folk Music (MIT)
This course examines the production, transmission, preservation and qualities of folk music in the British Isles and North America from the 18th century to the folk revival of the 1960s and the present. There is a special emphasis on balladry, fiddle styles, and African-American influences. The class sings ballads and folk songs from the Child and Lomax collections as well as other sources as we examine them from literary, historical, and musical points of view. Readings supply critical and back
1.978 From Nano to Macro: Introduction to Atomistic Modeling Techniques (MIT)
The objective of this course is to introduce large-scale atomistic modeling techniques and highlight its importance for solving problems in modern engineering sciences. We demonstrate how atomistic modeling can be used to understand how materials fail under extreme loading, involving unfolding of proteins and propagation of cracks.
This course was featured in an MIT Tech Talk article.
