SCN3665 Global Climate Change
4 Advanced Liberal Arts CreditsGlobal climate change is one of the most contentious, yet critically important issues facing the world today. However, the science behind climate patterns and the influence of human actions on global climate are not always well understood. This course is designed to investigate scientific knowledge and uncertainty regarding past, present and future changes in the earth's climate, and how scientists study and predict patterns of climate change. We will investigate the known relationships between the earth's atmosphere and global climate, historic patterns of climate change, recent observations of changes in global climatic conditions, how scientists develop models and conduct experiments to predict future change, and the myriad of predicted ecological, economic and societal shifts that may occur. Finally, we will discuss options to mitigate climate change impacts, public perception and media portrayals of climate change, and ethical considerations related to climate change.

Prerequisites: Foundation Science

FIN4570 Global Financial Management
4 General Elective CreditsThe central theme of this course is how to manage the finances of a multinational firm. It devotes attention to managing the short-term finances of a multinational, including topics like centralizing cash management, netting, and transfer pricing. It then deals with long-term financial management of the multinational. That section includes capital budgeting in the multinational context, capital structure decisions, and also studies how a multinational can sometimes have a lower cost of capital than a single-country firm of the same size. The third major theme is how the multinational can optimize its relationship with the capital markets, including the national stock markets where its subsidiaries operate. This section includes a discussion of the opportunities created for multinational companies by international portfolio investment. If time permits, there will be a section on how to operate in countries with inconvertible or hyperinflationary currencies. The course deals with the international financial environment, meaning topics such as exchange rates, balance of payments, and cross-border capital flows, only to the extent necessary to put the financial decisions for firms operating in more than one currency into proper context.

Prerequisites: SME2021

NST1040 Human Biotechnology
4 Foundation Liberal Arts CreditsThis course will provide you with a broad review of the basic scientific concepts, ethical considerations, and practical applications of biotechnology in our daily lives. We will discuss the regulations, technologies, and methods used by academic research laboratories, agricultural and pharmaceutical industries, and forensic scientists. Through this course, you will gain a number of different perspectives on personalized medicine, stem cells, drug discovery, development, and regulation, food, and the environment, all of which are directly connected to human health and well-being. By the end of this course, you will recognize the importance of biotechnology in the world today and see multiple scales of its application from molecular to global levels. You will be able to compare and contrast the positive and negative contributions biotechnology has made to our lives and you will grasp its strengths and limitations as we move forward into the middle of the 21st century.

SCN3660 Human Health and Disease
4 Liberal Arts CreditsThis class explores human health and disease. We identify the biological roots of infection, exploring advances in medicine and related disciplines. We analyze all facets of risk - from genetics to lifestyle - proceeding topically through major threats to human longevity and quality of life. Topics include the latest understanding of chronic illness - cancer, stroke, heart disease - that account for most premature mortality in the developed world. We will examine strategies to protect our health and to ameliorate some of the consequences of aging; we will investigate new challenges, such as emerging infections and eating disorders. Psychological aspects of wellness are discussed as well.

Prerequisites: Foundation Science

SCN3635 Human Nutrition
(Formerly Personal Nutrition)
4 Advanced Liberal Arts Credits
Every day we are bombarded with information about diet and health, often confusing and contradictory. As consumers, it is difficult to separate fact from fad, truth from fiction. This course will provide a foundation in basic nutrition, including anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract and the development of disease, with the goal of applying this information to aid in making informed choices in the treatment and prevention of nutrition related disease. We will also explore how the personal actions a student can take to encourage a sustainable diet, defined as "food choices that maximize personal health while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Prerequisites: NST10%

FIN4530 Investments
4 General CreditsThis course is designed for students interested in investment or portfolio management. Students explore the simultaneous management of multiple securities, using statistical and other mathematical tools. Topics covered include: risk and return, allocation of risky assets, setting portfolio objectives and strategy, portfolio optimization, risk crafting, and portfolio performance evaluation. Through case studies, investment tools, projects, and readings, students will explore investment and portfolio theory and practice.

Prerequisites: SME2021 or FIN2000

QTM2600 Linear Algebra

4 Advanced Liberal Arts Credits

Linear Algebra provides the mathematical background for modern applications in statistics and data science. In this course we study linear algebra beginning with the classic but still essential application of solving systems of linear equations. We use this as an entry to think of the properties of high dimensional spaces, and the relationships between those spaces. Students will learn how to compute with matrices and see their application to diverse areas such as cryptography, image recognition, page rank in computer searches and establishing fair ranking and voting systems.

Prerequisites: QTM1010 or AQM2000

NST1060 Oceanography
4 CreditsOver 70% of the globe is covered by ocean. Marine systems are a nexus of life - crucial sources of protein for human populations, reservoirs of minerals, and regulators of the global climate. However, human populations have increased demand for ocean resources in greater numbers than is ecologically sustainable. In addition, the ocean serves as a dumping ground for many types of waste, resulting in waters degraded by pollution. The objective of this course is to give you a basic understanding of the physical, biological, and chemical processes driving ocean fundamentals. In addition, we will examine how human demand on marine resources impacts ocean communities.

This course will stress the importance of the scientific method - both in principle and in practice. Extensive discussion of human environmental impacts on the ocean (e.g., climate change, marine pollution, overfishing) will enhance perspectives of self-awareness and ethical decision-making related to social, economic and environmental responsibility and sustainability (SEERS). Critical analysis is emphasized in class discussions, exam questions, lab reports, written assignments, and the group project. Assignments facilitate development of logical communication skills, appropriate use of graphs and tables, and organizing, synthesizing, evaluating and interpreting scientific information. Through lab and group activities, this course fosters team work and ability to work with others. International and multicultural perspectives are integral to the course, since the oceans influence on human populations is global, both directly on the coasts, and indirectly away from the coasts (via weather, climate, and seafood production).

Prerequisites: None

QTM3620 Optimization Methods and Applications
(Formerly Operations Research)
4 Advanced Liberal Arts Credits

This course provides an introduction to optimization techniques for decision making with spreadsheet implementation. Topics covered include: linear programming, sensitivity analysis, networks, integer programming, nonlinear programming, and multiple objective optimization. Models discussed span different business disciplines including finance, accounting, marketing, human resources, economics, operations, and project management. Throughout the course, learning is reinforced via hands-on computer experience using problems and cases.

Prerequisites: AQM 2000 or (QTM 1010 and QTM2000)

FIN4560 Options and Futures
4 General CreditsThis course is an introduction to options, futures, and other derivative securities. We examine the nature of the instruments, the theory of how they are priced, and strategies in which they are used. Cases address applications in both investment management and corporate finance, covering such topics as risk management, financial engineering, speculation, and arbitrage.

Prerequisites: SME2021 or FIN2000
Recommended: ACC3502