CTYI 2012
From CTYIwiki
Contents |
Session I
Astronomy
This course is a scientific exploration of the human place in the universe. Astronomy is possibly the most fundamental of all sciences as it seeks to explore both the roots of the Universe and its ultimate fate through the disciplines of Physics and Mathematics. We study the origin and history of the Universe and the formation of the Earth and the solar system. We will look at the birth of stars such as our own Sun, the life cycle of stars and their final destination as white dwarfs, pulsars or black holes, the structure of our home galaxy the Milky Way and some speculation about the first and final minutes of our Universe. We compare the Earth's properties with those of the other planets and explore how the heavens have influenced human thought and action. This course includes study of the properties of light and matter and the tools astronomers use to measure radiation from celestial sources. The course also covers exciting contemporary topics such as black holes, the expansion of the universe and the search for extraterrestrial life.
Students will get the chance to do a research project in their own chosen area of astronomy and will have access to the university library and Internet for the duration of the course.
Biomedical Diagnostics
Biomedical diagnostics refers to the science and technology which aids the screening, detection, diagnosis and monitoring of human disease.
This course will be run in collaboration with the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI) at DCU. At the BDI, research is carried out into the development of miniaturised diagnostic devices that detect early markers of disease such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Initially, students will be introduced to the area of diagnostics through fundamental biology, chemistry and physics courses dealing with general principles central to biomedical diagnostics.
In subsequent weeks, students will cover areas such as immunology & immunoanalysis, biophotonics and genetics. An insight will be provided into cutting-edge concepts and technologies in the medical diagnostic field. Furthermore, students will be introduced to the ethical impact of medical diagnostics for society.
This course will include a mixture of theory and intensive laboratory practicals. A visit to the BDI research laboratories and lectures from Principal Investigators in the BDI will also form part of this course.
Criminology
What is crime? Who commits crime? Why do people commit crime? How is crime dealt with? Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behaviour in both the individual and in society. This course will delve into many areas in an attempt to explain crime and criminal behaviour.
The course will start by assessing the different theoretical perspectives which attempt to offer a scientific study of ‘crime’ and the ‘criminal’, from classical to contemporary theories. We then take a more practical approach, reviewing topical criminal justice issues in Ireland and elsewhere such as crime rates, media and crime, policing, poverty and sentencing policies. We conclude with an overview of studies in penology and penalty, theories of the prison and of alternatives to imprisonment. There is also normally the option to visit the Four Courts and Mountjoy Prison.
Film Studies
This course is designed to introduce students to the language of cinema. It explores a wide range of subjects including how film scripts work, the uses of cinematography, editing and special effects, what a national cinema is, the history of the motion picture, the development of different genres of film, how audiences make meaning from films, and more. The course is designed to give students a theoretical grounding in the issues that make film such an important part of our cultural lives, and to help them to develop a greater critical awareness of how the cinema speaks to us.
Please note: this is a theoretical, not practical, film studies course.
Game Theory
Game theory is the study of strategic interactions. This course is about asking what happens when people or things with different incentives or motivations interact against one another to achieve their own best outcome. It has become the underpinning of evolutionary theory, economics, business processes, international relations and is the subject of major motion pictures, like ‘A Beautiful Mind’. In this course we will discover the laws underpinning every game and study specific examples of different types of games taken using examples from literature, the movies, board games, economics, molecular biology, international politics, business studies, dating, game shows, government funding opportunities and, of all things, fuel injection mechanisms in cars and the songs of the Dunes in the Sahel. Students will learn to develop their own games and study the development of others. No mathematical knowledge is needed to take the course, all concepts will be developed as we go in a fun and intuitive way, focusing on the ideas and their implications rather than the technical aspects of the theory. Students who care about understanding their world should enjoy this course.
Heritage Studies
Ireland is internationally famed for the beauty of its landscapes and wildlife, its historical and archaeological monuments and its folklore. This course will explore all of these elements in detail and the varied ways in which they combine.
A wide selection of topics will be explored starting with Folk beliefs and Customs, where superstitions, curses, burial customs, Fairy rings, and other folk tales will be discussed. Then traditional Irish communities and countryside will be examined including topics such as the importance of the thatched cottage, farming and fishing industries. This will be followed by a focus on life on Traditional island communities such as the Blaskets and the Aran Islands. Ireland’s indigenous wildlife and flora will also be explored which will lead into the area of National Parks, wildlife reserves and Tourism in Ireland: where the effects and benefits of tourism on the Irish landscape will be delved into in detail, with an emphasis on the museums and interactive centres that are present in Ireland.
Themed regional case studies, incorporating the varied elements above, will include the Burren (Clare), the Dingle Peninsula (Kerry), the Boyne Valley (Meath/Louth), the North Antrim Coast (Antrim) and Glencolmcille, (Donegal). There will also be a number of field trips to important Irish monuments and heritage sites during the course.
Medicine
Do you want to be a doctor in the future? If so, why not try this innovative taster course in medicine, which contains both theoretical and practical elements. Students will learn about health and illness with a focus on anatomy, the causes, prevention and possible cures and treatments of various diseases. The course will focus on problem based learning where these health practitioners of the future will be taught the basics of medicine using case studies, evidence from expert speakers and advice from the instructor. Students will visit the 'hospital wards' in DCU School of Nursing to learn more about patient care and will also carry out microscope work in the lab to identify some common bacteria and viruses that cause infection. Debates and discussions on topics such as 'The value of alternative therapies', 'Should blood+ organ donation be compulsory?' and 'Is biotechnology the way forward for medical treatments?' will be carried out by the students.
Social Psychology
If psychology is the study of human behaviour, social psychology looks at that behaviour in action in the world. This course seeks to impart a detailed understanding of the burgeoning field of social psychology, focusing specifically on the applied use of psychology in the fields of politics, advertising and healthcare.
Students will be introduced to psychological theory of attitudes, attractiveness, prejudice, groups and teams, attribution, self-identity and helping behaviour. How do our attitudes affect our behaviour? Can we ever truly overcome prejudice? What is the best way to address racial tension in schools? How important are a candidate’s looks in a political campaign? How do juries behave, what influences them, and why? This wide-ranging course will use case studies from Irish advertising campaigns, the healthcare system, recent Dáil elections and the 2008 American presidential campaign to deepen students’ understanding of the structure and function of human behaviour and its effects in the world. Students will conduct and present research to the class on topics of current interest, and will have the opportunity to design and present the results of a psychological experiment of their choice.
The Tudors
What is it about the Tudors that fascinate people? They continue to inspire curiosity and wonder to the present day, with books like The Other Boleyn Girl and TV series The Tudors transporting us back to the sixteenth century.
This course will seek to uncover the mystery surrounding this dramatic dynasty; by looking at the unlikely beginnings of Henry VII following a half-century of war, to the legendary Henry VIII and his ill-fated children, Edward VI and Mary, ending with the ‘golden age’ of Elizabeth, ‘the Faerie Queen’. It will seek to explore this gripping age through three major themes: politics, religion and culture. The Tudors were always uncertain of their power, and rebellions at home and war in Europe will be examined, from Warbeck’s rebellion to the Spanish Armada. Religion was a constant source of conflict and even bloodshed, from Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon, to Mary I’s bloody restoration of Catholicism and Elizabeth’s ‘middle way’. Yet despite these problems, the Tudor age saw a great flowering of cultural life, especially the birth of the playhouse, and the emergence of Shakespeare and Marlowe. This course is for anyone who wants to know more about this fascinating, and famous, period of history, to get beyond the myths and explore this turbulent era.
21 Century Technology Skills
This three-week course, delivered by DCU's LINK Research Centre, introduces students to social media technologies and explores how these technologies can be used in the workplace. Students will develop critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration skills through learning and applying a variety of digital technologies including (v)podcasting, social networking, blogging and microblogging, multi-user virtual environments (incl. virtual worlds and role-playing games), and mobile phone applications. Students will work in groups on projects with real clients. With a heavy emphasis on applied skills, students will get the opportunity, through project work, research and class discussions to demonstrate these new skills.
Write, Act, Perform
Books, Film and Theatre are all linked and this course will focus on how each of these areas influence each other. To begin with, students will look at different types of poetry, including song, and write their own examples, compiling a class anthology by the end of the week. Guest Poets will read out from their own work and the students themselves will perform their own poems in front of the group.
Students will then move on to studying the links between film adaptations and the books on which they were based and will examine how the different mediums convey sense and meaning. Students will then create their own character for a novel or play and perform a monologue of their character. Well known plays including various Shakespeare pieces will be studied and students will write their own play and perform it to the class in the final week.
By the end of the course, students will have learned the most important techniques of literary analysis through the close study of poetic, novelistic and theatrical works, as well of the application of these techniques to the process of creating their own texts.
Session II
Architecture
Architecture could be termed the art and science of building. It involves the creating of environments which meet the requirements of a complex society whilst appealing to the highest cultural aspirations. Architecture is rooted in a long and rich tradition, and is vitally concerned with meeting the needs of today with appropriate technologies. Architects are concerned with the design of buildings and supervision of building projects. The range of subject material in the course is wide and calls for an interest and ability in artistic and cultural aspects as well as in technical matters and in managerial skills.
The study of Architecture involves many skills, and makes different demands on students compared to those of other disciplines. Design is the central activity of the course, and in this context, the ability to make judgements on appropriate solutions, and the exercise of visual awareness are extremely important. There will be an opportunity to witness the incredible Georgian architecture of Dublin within the course.
Behavioural Psychology
This domain of psychology is based upon the concept that behaviours can be explained through observation, and that individuals behave according to their environment. It contends that our actions are a response to stimuli. This course will bring into sharp focus the environmental component of the nature-nurture discussion. Assuming that each of us is born with a blank canvas, it will seek to better understand the impact of different life experiences and environmental factors. Students will be challenged to understand why the reaction of some jars completely with that of another.
Students can expect to learn about the work of Skinner, Pavlov, Thorndike, Erikson, and Bandura. With a myriad of fascinating topics, including, fight or flight syndrome, overcoming fears, conformity, aversion and altruism, students on this course will sit back, observe and develop their own conclusions as to why human behaviour is as it is.
This will be a highly interactive course, with a strong research component.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is the fascinating study of how living organisms can be manipulated to improve many areas of society. This course will investigate how animals and plants are cloned and why, and how the fields of pharmaceuticals, medicine, food and agricultural have all advanced using this form of biological engineering. Famous case studies, such as Dolly the sheep, and the controversy behind Monsanto's genetically modified fertilizers, will be discussed. The ethical dilemmas of using biotechnology, especially in the case of human and animal cloning, and also in genetically 'designing' babies to have particular traits, will be debated. The course will also have a strong practical element with students carrying out related experiments in a biology laboratory, including: amplifying DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR); growing microorganisms; extracting DNA; microscope work and more. Visits by guest speakers and project work will also be included.
Business & Innovation
The past year or so has been a very challenging period for the world economy and businesses in general. In the current economic climate, business leaders need to have the maximum relevant information available in order to succeed in a competitive business environment. This course, offered in co-operation with Deloitte, aims to arm students with as much of this relevant information to succeed in the business world.
During the course we will look at the various tools and techniques that give captains of industry the modern business knowledge required to drive their business forward and to think innovatively during these times of crisis. We will look at the internal workings of big business, the organisational behaviour of firms (internal psychology), how firms develop a strategy to succeed against competitors and we will consider the power of marketing. Students will have an opportunity to innovate and in teams develop a business idea, which they will pitch to the class in the last week of the course.
We will also look at the external environment in which firms operate and examine the importance of the stock market for corporate businesses; this will involve managing a portfolio of shares. We will examine tax law and how firms and individuals efficiently manage their affairs within the tax legislation.
Interspersed among these topics, there will be guest appearances from various experts in their field who will provide illuminating insights into their respective disciplines and also many lively student debates. If you're interested in how business works, then this is the course for you. Guaranteed to challenge the business leaders of the future!
Computer Gaming
This course is an introduction to computer game design and programming. Programming will be done with the popular and user friendly Game Maker program. By investigating the history of computer gaming, and through modelling of retro games, each student will build up their knowledge of good game design. Exercises on the programming of different types of games (puzzle, platform) coupled with tutorials on coordinate geometry, animation, logic and good programming technique will equip students with all the tools needed to complete an individual game design project. The course will also take a look at the consistantly growing computer gaming industry. With advancing technologies like motion detection, new applications such as health and fitness, and a huge online target market, the gaming culture is changing. These changes and their positive and negative social implications will be analysed during the course.
Economics & Politics
What is crime? Who commits crime? Why do people commit crime? How is crime dealt with? Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behaviour in both the individual and in society. This course will delve into many areas in an attempt to explain crime and criminal behaviour.
The course will start by assessing the different theoretical perspectives which attempt to offer a scientific study of ‘crime’ and the ‘criminal’, from classical to contemporary theories. We then take a more practical approach, reviewing topical criminal justice issues in Ireland and elsewhere such as crime rates, media and crime, policing, poverty and sentencing policies. We conclude with an overview of studies in penology and penalty, theories of the prison and of alternatives to imprisonment. There is also normally the option to visit the Four Courts and Mountjoy Prison.
Engineering
In reality, without engineers, the world would fall down around our ears. Yet, most of their work goes largely unnoticed. If we examine the world around us, practically everything man-made that we can see, an engineer has been involved in it.
This course introduces the basics of the various fields of engineering. The class will work on developing the problem solving and communication skills that are essential for a career in Engineering. We are faced with basic needs in everyday life. It is these needs and providing for them that fuels the problems for which engineers must provide solutions in the most efficient, socially aware, aesthetic and cost effective manner. Civil Engineering: buildings and roads, Mechanical Engineering: machinery and manufacturing, Electronic Engineering: circuits and robotics, Computer Engineering: programming and hardware. As the Engineering umbrella covers so many areas, this should prove to be a demanding, interesting, challenging and extremely enjoyable course.
Japanese
This course will offer an insight in to the world of Japanese Culture and Language. Each day the class will learn new language techniques while incorporating various aspects of the amazing Eastern culture. The course will examine traditional and current cultural practices in Japan and promote intercultural awareness. It will provide an appreciation of the main celebrations and customs of Japan while demonstrating a broad understanding of how history shaped modern Japanese society. In this intensive course there will be an opportunity to learn the Japanese alphabet and language and we will concentrate on conversation skills while also examining some Japanese fairytales. Over the three weeks we will also look at Japanese food and the great Japanese art of origami. By the end of the course students will have an opportunity to conduct a research project on some aspect of Japanese culture or language.
Journalism
This course provides an in depth look at the world of journalism and the media more broadly. The course has a dual focus on learning the different writing techniques used by journalists as well as providing a critical examination of the different messages sent out by the media. Students on the course will learn a range of writing techniques including news reporting, interviewing, feature writing and reviewing amongst others. All students on the course will then get the chance to put their new skills into action in the production of a class newspaper.
Topics covered more broadly in the media will include the framing of the same news in different ways by different media outlets, and the portrayal of race, women and crime in the media. There will also be an examination of journalism aimed at teenagers.
The course is suited to students who enjoy writing. It is suitable not just for those who may be interested in pursuing journalism as a career, but all those who are interested in learning more about how a near ever present in our lives operates.
Medicine
Do you want to be a doctor in the future? If so, why not try this innovative taster course in medicine, which contains both theoretical and practical elements. Students will learn about health and illness with a focus on anatomy, the causes, prevention and possible cures and treatments of various diseases. The course will focus on problem based learning where these health practitioners of the future will be taught the basics of medicine using case studies, evidence from expert speakers and advice from the instructor. Students will visit the 'hospital wards' in DCU School of Nursing to learn more about patient care and will also carry out microscope work in the lab to identify some common bacteria and viruses that cause infection. Debates and discussions on topics such as 'The value of alternative therapies', 'Should blood+ organ donation be compulsory?' and 'Is biotechnology the way forward for medical treatments?' will be carried out by the students.
Modern Maths
Mathematics is one of the oldest areas of human thought. It has developed into the common language of the sciences and an indispensable tool of engineers, architects and technologists. This course covers several important areas of pure and applied maths. The teaching of core topics like probability theory and cryptography/cryptanalysis will be underpinned by a study of functions, spaces and set theory. Later in the course, we will build on these ideas to learn about advanced topics like imaginary numbers, random walks, Brownian motion and graph theory. In recent times, computers and simulation have come to play an increasingly important role in mathematics. Weekly computer labs will allow students to use these powerful tools to explore further certain parts of the course.
Students will be encouraged to place the material learned in class in a historical context, and to consider some of the wider questions surrounding mathematics. There will be discussion periods covering such diverse topics as the nature of mathematical proof, the existence of paradoxes in the underlying structure of mathematics, the philosophy of mathematics and the role of geometry in the development of renaissance art. These discussions will lead to group projects in the final week of the programme.
Novel Writing
For everyone who’s ever even contemplated writing a novel, the following questions are probably all-too-familiar:
Is it really that important to have an outline? Should you always know how your novel is going to end? How do you write about the same characters for so long without getting fed up of them? What’s ‘dramatic tension’ and ‘conflict’ all about? What’s the difference between writing for children and writing for adults? How do you decide what genre to write in? Is it necessary to do research before writing? Has every idea really been done before or are there still new concepts out there?
This course will answer these questions and guide students towards finding a method of outlining that best suits them and identifying themes and situations they will most enjoy writing about. Students will have the chance to work on individual projects as well as collaborating on the first draft of a novel-length project, enabling them to see how things change and develop from the initial seed of an idea to what ends up on paper. If you’ve ever had writer’s block, if you want to improve your skills, or if you want to impress people by talking about that novel you co-wrote – this is the course for you!
Philosophy
Philosophy is possibly the most fundamental of subjects as it asks the question: `What does it mean to be?'
The aim of this course is to enable students to acquire the basic skills of philosophy i.e. analytic argument and essay writing; and to introduce students to some of the most profound thinkers in history. The course will cover some of the fundamental concerns of philosophy such as:
• The History of Philosophy
• Metaphysics and epistemology
• Logic
• Ethics and Political Theory
• The Philosophy of Mind
Over the course students will be introduced to the Presocratic and Greek philosophers, the enlightenment philosophers from Descartes to Kant, and more recent philosophical movements such as existentialism, phenomenology, and linguistic philosophy. In short the course seeks to teach `The Art of Thinking'.
War & Conflict Studies
This course in War and Conflict studies will examine the main wars and conflicts of the 20th Century through the lens of three disciplines: history, international relations and international law. The origins, course and consequences of World War I, World War II and the Cold War will be explored as well as the ideologies which dominated their formation (nationalism, fascism, communism, capitalism). We will continue by examining the phenomenon of ethno-political conflict in Yugoslavia and the Arab-Israeli conflict and methods of conflict resolution and post-conflict state-building.
On a thematic level, we will consider the relationship between war, human rights, propaganda, terrorism, the persecution of war crimes and the regulation of conflict by the international community. Throughout the course, equal emphasis will be placed on diplomatic, strategic, military and cultural perspectives and students will be stimulated by carefully selected readings, documentaries, films and role-play activities. Discussions and debates will also feature strongly. In short, this course will encourage students to explore why and how societies go to war and to examine the changing nature of conflict in the 20th century.
