Interesting Courses I've Taken

I’ve always believed it’s important to be well-rounded intellectually and study subjects that interests me, regardless if it’s in my intended field of study. One great thing about Columbia is that they encourage students to take classes outside of our majors through the Core Curriculum and interdisciplinary course offerings. I’ve gotten a chance to take some cool classes during my time at Columbia- some required, some by my own choice. Here are some of my favorite ones so far:

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AHCE W4149: The Roman Art of Engineering: Traditions of Planning, Construction, and Innovation

Semester Taken: Fall 2024
Instructors: Francesco de Angelis [Art History]; Julius Chang [Engineering]
Course Description: This is a flagship Cross-Disciplinary Frontiers course that provides an interdisciplinary study of ancient Roman engineering and architecture. It addresses the questions of how and why infrastructure was built and critically why these questions are relevant today. Through a holistic examination of Roman buildings, monuments and infrastructure that draws upon the fields of engineering, architecture, archaeology, and history, we will articulate principles used for the construction of roads, bridges, and aqueducts, including iconic buildings and lesser-known examples. Themes that will be addressed throughout the course include: building materials and their affordances; the organization of labor and power hierarchies; the standardization of construction procedures; the epistemological premises of technological innovation and its societal consequences; the role of failure and error; the aestheticization and politicization of engineering “feats”; engineering and empire; and dissemination and transformation of engineering knowledge beyond Roman antiquity. Special lectures will be devoted to cross-cultural comparisons with other pre-modern societies across the globe. The main body of the course is organized in the form of dual lectures. In each “couplet,” the first unit (lecture A) introduces civil engineering principles; it analyzes the Roman cases both to illustrate said principles and to discuss the specific way they were understood and put to use within the frame of pre-modern technological practices. This unit is meant to familiarize students with the basic tenets of civil engineering, as well as to expose them to key technical aspects of main Roman monuments. The second unit (lecture B) examines the same engineering principles by focusing on the specific historical and societal contexts within which they were developed and applied. This unit invites students to reflect on the impact that external circumstances have on technical— often seemingly “objective”—choices; and to learn how these choices were conceptualized and made meaningful for non-specialized audiences.

My Thoughts: I first heard about this class during The Art of Engineering (a required seminar class for all freshmen engineering students), when one of the Civil Engineering department guest speakers briefly mentioned this class being a new option starting in a later semester. While I am neither an Art History nor a Civil Engineering major, I was very excited when I saw this course pop up on the course directory because it combines two disciplines that I’ve always been slightly curious about. Also, I chose to attend Columbia for this type of interdisciplinary education, and this class embodied the very thing I imagined. The class ended up being really reading-intensive and I was one of the only few non-graduate students in the class, but regardless the materials was interesting enough to keep my engaged throughout the semester. The cherry-on-top was the fact that I studied abroad in Europe the following semester, where I got to actually see many of the architectural wonders I spent the semester researching (i.e. the Pantheon) in-person.

Course Description Taken from Fall 2024 Course Offerings.

Spanish Art Masters in Madrid Museums

Semester Taken: Spring 2025 (taken abroad in Madrid)
Instructor: Hernando Gomez Gomez
Course Description: The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the history of Spanish art in the broader European context. In order to do so, we will focus on main periods in Spanish art history and on its most relevant names and works. Together with the historiographical approach, a basic introduction to some key theories on art will be provided. Furthermore, the course will provide the students with the basic skills that are required to analise and appreciate a work of art, as well as with the language and tools that are necessary in order to carry the study of an artwork. Description of contents:
1. Course presentation.
2. The origins of the Spanish nation around 1500. Spain and Europe.
3. The Renaissance: origins, characteristics and main European artists. Renaissance and Mannerism in Spain. El Greco.
4. The Baroque period: origins, characteristics and main European artists. Baroque art in Spain. Ribera, Zurbarán, Velázquez and Murillo.
5. The 18th century: Neoclassicism and Romanticism in Europa and Spain. Goya.
6. The origins of Modern Art. Spain in the 19th century. Sorolla.
7. The 20th century. The Avant-garde: cubism, abstract art and surrealism. Picasso, Gris, González, Dalí and Miró. Art and ideology in Spain.
8. The 20th century. Art after 1945: informalism, pop and conceptual art. Spain: arts and politics. Tàpies, Saura and Chillida.
The course includes both in-class sessions and visits to Madrid museums. The in-class sessions will consist on lectures, debates and the discussion of art works. The visits include the Museo del Prado, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and eventually some other museum or even a Madrid tour.

My Thoughts: Having gone to a high school that cared quite strongly about the arts, this class was not my first exposure to European and Spanish art. However, this class felt really special because I got to see the physical paintings I’m learning about right in front of my eyes, both during our class field trips to museums (i.e. seeing “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso at the Museo Reina Sofía) as well as on my during my weekend trips around Europe (i.e. visiting the “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz” by El Greco in Toledo). This class also changed my view towards pre-modern art. While my favorite art period is still 20th-century American Modernism, this class taught me to appreciate more of the classical art styles.

Course Description Taken from UC3M Course Program.

ENGL CC1010: University Writing: Readings in Urban Studies

Semester Taken: Spring 2024
Instructor: Therese Cox
Course Description: In University Writing: Readings in Urban Studies, you will develop as a reader and writer through engaging with contemporary essays that investigate and challenge cultural, political, and practical ideas about cities and urban life. Urban studies is an interdisciplinary field, bringing together disciplines as varied as economics, sociology, engineering, architecture, computational analysis, and environmental studies along with gender and sexuality studies, disability studies, critical race studies, political science, literature, and the arts. Over the course of the semester, we’ll read a variety of essays on themes of the city as you develop your ability to analyze texts, summarize and synthesize scholarly arguments, and conduct original research. Through both individual and collaborative practices of close reading, research, writing, and discussion, we will learn to think critically and creatively about cities and will both understand and contribute to key debates in contemporary urban studies.

As you learn to sharpen your own rhetorical and analytical skills, we will also ask questions such as: What problems can and should be addressed through city planning, urban design, and development? How might architecture and urban planning either improve or contribute to social and material problems such as inequality, segregation, and lack of access? In what ways are racial, gender, sexual, class, ability, and other identities shaped by urban life? By the end of the semester, you will know how to craft an argument, integrate multiple perspectives, demonstrate strong revision practices, and gain confidence in yourself as a public writer. You will also understand the collaborative processes that shape good writing, from written feedback to conversations and conferences.

My Thoughts: Although University Writing is a required course for all Columbia students, I found the urban studies theme of the class to be extremely fascinating (there were nine themes to choose from and we could choose one that interested us). Studying urban studies in New York City provided a unique perspective on the subject, especially when many of the readings were based on the streets I have personally walked on. Through my research paper for this class, I got the chance to dive through Columbia’s deep catalog of books and articles as well as visit my site of interest (Hudson Yards) in person to conduct an in-person survey of the area. I’ve always found cities fascinating, and this class helped me think more critically about the environment around me.

Course Description Taken from Core Curriculum Website.