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Duke Kunshan University Undergraduate Courses

We are dedicated to making the Duke Kunshan University Master of Management Studies program available to all qualified and committed candidates. Basic information on the program’s tuition and supplementary fees can be found here.

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2018 Emerging Leaders convene at Duke Kunshan University in China - World  Heart Federation

Duke Kunshan University Undergraduate Courses

Duke Kunshan University (DKU) is a Chinese-American partnership of Duke University (Durham, North Carolina, United States) and Wuhan University (Wuhan, Hubei, China) to create a liberal arts and research university offering academic programs for students from China and throughout the world. DKU received approval from the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2013 and its curricula are also approved by the Jiangsu Provincial Education Bureau.

Students have the opportunity to study at both the DKU campus in Kunshan, China and at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to spend a summer and a semester on the Duke University campus in Durham, North Carolina. Students are awarded degrees from both Duke University and Duke Kunshan University upon graduation and become members of both institutions’ alumni organizations. In 2018, Duke Kunshan University welcomed their first inaugural undergraduate class

Founded in 2013, Duke Kunshan University is a private higher-education institution located in the metropolis of Kunshan (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants), Jiangsu. Officially recognized by the Education Department of the Jiangsu Province, Duke Kunshan University (DKU) is a coeducational Chinese higher education institution. Duke Kunshan University (DKU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. DKU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, as well as administrative services.

Campus

The 200-acre campus site is within the Kunshan Yangcheng Lake Science Park and features state-of-the-art classroom and meeting facilities, library resources, student and faculty housing and dining space, and recreational facilities. Multi-purpose meeting spaces, breakout rooms, and study areas allow students to work individually or in groups to review course material, complete assignments, and participate in the vibrant, intellectual life of the campus.

With a residential culture modeled after the world’s greatest universities, the Duke Kunshan University campus environment encourages the exchange of ideas and continuous learning and growth in the classroom and beyond.

The campus blends traditional Chinese elements with advanced educational technology in a spacious, modern setting.  Extensive aquatic elements, including an aquatic quadrangle at the center of campus, symbolize the region’s famous water towns and are integrated throughout the campus while leading information technology and Telepresence systems provide instant connections to colleagues and classmates around the world.

Located within the Kunshan Yangcheng Lake Science Park, the first phase of the DKU campus includes classroom and research spaces, student and faculty residences, dining facilities, an executive conference center, and recreation and leisure spaces.

Designed by the internationally renowned architect, Gensler, the campus seeks to be a model of sustainable development, reflective of the natural and cultural context of the Jiangnan region.

  • Native Wetlands: The 201-acre site has a high water table, so designers elected to preserve 40 acres as community gardens—much in the way that Duke’s original campus in Durham is carefully nested into a forest. As the Durham campus is noted for its Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the Kunshan campus highlights its regional geography by featuring landscaped gardens, wetlands and waterways.
  • Energy Efficiency: The campus design’s use of daylight, solar shading, passive cooling, and natural flood control is informed by centuries of experience dealing with the opportunities and challenges of Kunshan’s climate and terrain.
  • A Walkable Campus: Roadways are on the perimeter to create a pedestrian-friendly central campus with walking paths and bridges connecting the buildings to one another.
  • Regional Connections: Kunshan’s location between Shanghai and Suzhou allows easy access to these major metropolitan centers by highways and high-speed railway.

Duke Kunshan University, a Sino-American partnership between Duke University in the US and Wuhan University in China, offers a Duke education in the dynamic and rapidly growing China. 

At this truly international university, you will:

  • Receive a Duke University degree upon graduation
  • Have the opportunity to study at the Duke campus in Durham, NC, US
  • Learn from leading Duke and Duke Kunshan faculty (All courses are taught in English)
  • Live and learn on the state-of-the-art Duke Kunshan campus with students and faculty from all around the world
  • Cultivate critical thinking skills, acquire deep insights about China, and develop global leadership capabilities that will boost your educational and career opportunities

Duke Kunshan University is a place for learning, living and growing, in a setting that encourages the pursuit of knowledge within and beyond the classroom. The 200-acre campus site features state-of-the-art classroom and meeting facilities, library resources, student and faculty housing and dining space, and recreational facilities. Multi-purpose meeting spaces, breakout rooms, and study areas allow students to work individually or in groups to review course material, complete assignments, and participate in the vibrant, intellectual life of the University.

Designed by the internationally renowned architect, Gensler, the campus seeks to be a model of sustainable development, reflective of the natural and cultural context of the Jiangnan region.

Native wetlands: The 201-acre site has a high-water table, so designers elected to preserve 40 acres as community gardens—much in the way that Duke’s original campus in Durham is carefully nested into a forest. As the Durham campus is noted for its Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the Kunshan campus highlights its regional geography by featuring landscaped gardens, wetlands and waterways.

Energy efficiency: The campus design’s use of daylight, solar shading, passive cooling, and natural flood control is informed by centuries of experience dealing with the opportunities and challenges of Kunshan’s climate and terrain.

A walkable campus: Roadways are on the perimeter to create a pedestrian-friendly central campus with walking paths and bridges connecting the buildings to one another.

Regional connections: Kunshan’s location between Shanghai and Suzhou allows easy access to these major metropolitan centers by highways and high-speed railway.

Duke Kunshan University offers students a world-class education culminating in degrees from Duke University and Duke Kunshan. With students and faculty from around the world, Duke Kunshan offers a uniquely global academic experience. The undergraduate academic program spans two continents – in Kunshan, at a state-of-the-art campus; and one-semester at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Courses will be taught in English and will be primarily conducted in small-sized, discussion-based classes.

 In August 2018, Duke Kunshan welcomes the first students in its four-year bachelor’s degree program based in the liberal arts and science tradition. The undergraduate academic program currently offers 15 majors:

  • Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences/Math
  • Cultures and Movements (Tracks: Sociology and Cultural Anthropology)
  • Data Science
  • Environmental Science/Chemistry
  • Environmental Science/Public Policy
  • Ethics and Leadership (Tracks: Philosophy and Religious Studies)
  • Global China Studies/History
  • Global Cultural Studies/Literature
  • Global Health(Tracks: Biology and Public Policy)
  • Institutions and Governance/Economics
  • Material Science/Physics
  • Media and Arts (Tracks: Creative Practice and History)
  • Molecular Bioscience (Tracks: Cell and Molecular Biology, Biogeochemistry, Genetics and Genomics, Biophysics)
  • Political Economy (Tracks: Political Science and Economics)
  • US Studies (Tracks: History and Literature)

Duke Kunshan University Sat Scores

Due to the limitations on opportunities to prepare for and take the SAT and ACT because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke Kunshan is continuing a test-optional policy for the 2021-2022 application cycle. Students who do not submit SAT or ACT scores with their application this year will not be at a disadvantage in our admissions process. In the absence of standardized exam results, the admissions committee will place increased emphasis on the remaining components of your application, including high school performance, application essays, and, in some cases, an admissions interview. There are no additional requirements for those who choose test-optional, although applicants are welcome to submit any additional materials that they feel may strengthen their application. 4

Common Application Checklist

  • School report
  • Counselor recommendation
  • High school transcripts
  • Teacher evaluations (2)
  • SAT or ACT test score (optional for Fall 2021 applications)
    • No minimum test score is required for admission
    • International testing school codes for Duke Kunshan University:
      • SAT – 7059
      • ACT – 0621
  • Personal Essays
    • DKU-specific essay prompts:
    • “Why do you think Duke Kunshan University is a good match for you? And what special qualities do you feel you could bring to Duke Kunshan University?” (Required)
    • “Is there anything else you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you?” (Optional)

Duke Kunshan Majors

 Duke Kunshan currently offers 15 majors approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and more majors are under development. Some of the MOE approved majors have multiple tracks.

Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences/Math

The field of applied mathematics and computational sciences deals with the use of mathematical concepts and computational techniques in various fields of science and engineering. It is utilized in almost every discipline of science, engineering, industry, and technology, and has become an indispensable component. The computational science approach aims at understanding and solving problems mainly through the analysis of mathematical models combined with numerical simulations on computer.

Applied mathematics and computational sciences is a highly interdisciplinary field. The numerical simulation techniques are mostly developed and analyzed in the field of numerical analysis in mathematics. The modeling of and applications to specific scientific problems require disciplinary knowledge and expertise. The need of massive amounts of calculations and data processing calls for development in computer and information sciences. This is a time of opportunity as traditional boundaries between disciplines are breaking down, especially around data and computations.

The expertise of mathematics and computational sciences is in dire need, as access to unprecedented amounts of information and computing resources is creating new opportunities, working together in multidisciplinary teams, to actively engage with and to change the world around them. Mathematics and computing sciences are extensively applied in economics, biology, medical science as well as quantitative social science including global health, environmental science and humanities (for example, digital media). New application areas are constantly being discovered and established techniques are being applied in new ways and in emerging fields. Consequently, a wide variety of career opportunities are open to people with mathematical and computational talent and training.

Duke Kunshan University | China Admissions for International Students

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2020-2021.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
Choose one from the following two Math courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105Calculus4
And complete the following courses
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 302Numerical Analysis4
MATH 303ODE and Dynamical Systems4
And choose two courses from the following four courses
MATH 403Partial Differential Equations4
MATH 404Stochastic Modeling & Computing4
MATH 405Methods for Data Analysis4
MATH 406Mathematical Modeling4

Disciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus4
MATH 202Linear Algebra4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics4
MATH 307Complex Variables4
MATH 308Real Analysis4
MATH 401Abstract Algebra4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different disciplines or divisions as electives.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 301Advanced Introduction to Probability4
STATS 301Statistics4
MATH 306Number Theory4
MATH 408Differential Geometry4
MATH 409Topology4
MATH 450Measure and Integration4

Behavioral Science with tracks in Psychology and Neuroscience

This major is not available to the Class of 2022. It is available for the Class of 2023 and beyond.

The new field of behavioral science seeks to understand how humans think and act within their environments and how policies can shape that behavior. For example, research showing the power of default options on decision making has led to the introduction of “opt-out” policies for decisions like becoming an organ donor or contributing to one’s retirement account, leading to marked increases in participation (e.g., millions of newly eligible organ donors). Across many institutions – governmental, educational, and corporate – effective interventions rely on an understanding of human behavior. Behavioral science has been commonly applied to problems in marketing, health science, financial investing, charitable giving, human factors and environmental design, and education.

The twin goals of behavioral science – understanding mechanisms of individual behavior and developing policies that shape that behavior – require students to develop a knowledge base drawn from several disciplines. Empirical behavioral science research draws upon the methods of psychology (and, more recently, neuroscience) to create well-designed experiments and measures. Computational modeling and statistics have become increasingly important for isolating the variables that shape behavior, especially when examining the consequences of large-scale interventions. Applications to policy often require disciplinary knowledge in behavioral economics, political psychology, marketing, or another field. And, considering the implications of new policies benefits from expertise in philosophy and ethics. In summary, an integrated course of study in behavioral science will combine disciplinary knowledge with the abilities to evaluate experimental designs, to draw conclusions from experimental data, and to link concepts across levels of analysis from individual behavior to societal policies.

Behavioral science will provide a distinct program of study for DKU undergraduates – one that integrates research approaches and theories currently spread across the social sciences (and some of the natural sciences). Because the most common empirical approaches in sociology, economics, and political science all involve analysis of population-level data (e.g., large panel surveys, census records), students in those majors typically gain expertise working with and evaluating datasets collected by others. Behavioral science provides a complementary approach that develops expertise in experimental methods.

To identify the difference between these approaches, consider a student interested in how demography predicts voting behavior. Through a traditional social science major – say, political science or sociology – that student could learn to analyze census data, voting records, and economic variables to create models at the societal level. Or, by choosing to major in Behavioral Science, that same student could conduct laboratory experiments that test predictions about group identity and political affiliation – and then use her findings to design field experiments that manipulate self-identity and measure real-world political preferences. This latter skillset has become increasingly valued by policymakers, who use the methods of behavioral science to guide their social interventions.

Through its interdisciplinary component, students will gain core skills that have broad relevance for modern societal challenges, while retaining a grounding in a traditional academic discipline like psychology or neuroscience. Moreover, it could be readily integrated with other social science disciplines (e.g., economics, political science, sociology) based on student demand. Because of its focus on how an individual interacts with her environment, it will attract interest from students who think globally or cross-culturally. For example, encouraging pro-environmental behaviors may require somewhat different policies in the US, China, or another country, depending on cultural and economic factors. Students exploring a behavioral science major at DKU will not only receive a broad-based liberal arts education, but also gain highly marketable skills in experimental design, data analysis, and implementing research into policy.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2020-2021.)

Behavioral Science / Psychology

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
STATS 101*Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
And choose one from the following 2 courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105MATH 1054
* Students who are more interested in computational modeling can take MATH 205 Probability and Statistics as a substitute for STATS 101.

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BEHAVSCI 101Introduction to Behavioral Science4
BEHAVSCI 102Mechanisms of Human Behavior4
BEHAVSCI 201Individuals and Their Decisions4
BEHAVSCI 202Institutions, Groups, and Society4
BEHAVSCI 401Moving Beyond Nudges4

Disciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PSYCH 101Introductory Psychology4
BEHAVSCI 402Judgement and Decision Making4
And choose three courses total from Course Clusters I and II, with at least one course from each cluster
Course Cluster I
PSYCH 102Cognitive Psychology4
PSYCH 103Developmental Psychology4
PSYCH 104Social Psychology4
Course Cluster II
NEUROSCI 102Biological Basis of Behavior4
PSYCH 105Abnormal Psychology4
NEUROSCI 212Cognitive Neuroscience4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different disciplines or divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 107Political Psychology2
PSYCH 110Mindfulness, Stress, and Health: Eastern and Western Perspectives4
NEUROSCI 202Medical Neuroscience4
BEHAVSCI 203Comparative Analysis of Behavior2
BEHAVSCI 204Experimental Philosophy4
GLHLTH 301Global Health Research Methods4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
ECON 309Behavioral Finance4

Cultures and Movements with tracks in Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, and History

Culture and movements are two interdependent areas of inquiry studied across the social sciences that have implications for understanding contemporary public discourse, policy debates, and current events. Culture refers to the ways people act and interact, the material objects that shape their lives, the social and political organizations that shape social action, and how these change over time. Nearly every human action is shaped in some way by the cultural context in which it is embedded. Movements refer to the interactions and dynamics of practices, values, beliefs, economic systems and institutions over time and include—but are not limited to—social, political, and economic changes that reflect where a society has been and that shape where it may go in the future. Cultural perspectives are uniquely positioned to shed light on movements by providing insight into how movements are shaped—and how they shape—the broader society in which they occur. Cultural perspectives also contribute to understanding movements by clarifying the internal functioning of the social organizations that create and are changed by movements.

This major has three tracks, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, and History, each of which provides students the opportunities for academic study and applied research and practice. Students in this major will be exposed to interdisciplinary approaches to both theoretical understanding of culture and movements and the methods used to study related issues. Theoretical approaches include individual-centered, pragmatist, structuralism, cognitive, and political orientations. Methodological approaches incorporate ethnographic, survey research, network analysis, computational, and other approaches. By their senior year, students will have the skills to read cutting-edge research in this interdisciplinary field and will be equipped to compete for jobs with policy organizations, corporations, NGOs, and other top employers. They will also be well-prepared to apply to graduate programs in the social sciences, public policy, history, and management.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

For Tracks of Sociology, Cultural Anthropology:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4

For History Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARUHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CULMOVE 101Cultures of Globalization4
CULMOVE 201Migration, Inequality and Culture4
CULMOVE 202Culture and Social Movements4
CULMOVE 203Wealth, Inequality and Power4
CULMOVE 301Social Science Perspectives on China: From the Socialist Past to the Global Present4
CULMOVE 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
CULMOVE 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4

Disciplinary Courses

For Cultural Anthropology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CULANTH  206The Ethnography of China: New Directions4
CULANTH  211Gender, Mobility and Labor4
CULANTH  302Field Methods4
And choose two courses from the following five courses
CULANTH  207Cultures of New Media4
CULANTH  208Global Migration and Ethics4
CULANTH  304The Anthropology of Doing Good: China and Beyond 4
CULANTH  305The Culture of Development: Africa4
CULANTH  405Medical Anthropology4

For Sociology Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOCIOL 105Theory and Society4
SOCIOL 110Sociological Inquiry4
SOCIOL 202Sociology of Culture4
And choose two courses from the following five courses
STATS 101 *Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
SOCIOL 111Contemporary Social Problems4
SOCIOL 180Society, the Self, and the Changing Natural World4
SOCIOL 204Identity, Action, and Emotion4
SOCIOL 211Social Inequality4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

For History Track:
World History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 201History Methods and Research4
And choose one of the following five Pre-Modern World History courses
HIST 111Ancient Roots to Global Routes4
HIST 112History of the Indian Ocean World4
HIST 113Peoples and Cultures of Ancient South Asia, 3500BCE-1750CE4
HIST 202World History and Global Interactions4
HIST 312Southeast Asia and the Rise of Global Trade4
And choose one of the following three Modern World History courses
HIST 110Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Global Issues4
HIST 313Southeast Asia from the Age of Imperialism to the Global Cold War4
HIST 410The Spice Race: How the Spice Trade shaped our World4
And one course from electives in the World History thematic area (200-400 level)4
And one history course outside of the World History thematic area (100-400 level)4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically. 

For Cultural Anthropology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CULANTH 101Introduction to Cultural Anthropology4
CULANTH 105Sound in Everyday Life; Anthropological Perspectives4
CULANTH 106Home, House, and Housing: An Anthropological Exploration of Human Dwellings4
CULANTH 209Globalization and Alternative-Globalizations4
CULANTH 303Politics of Food: Land, Labor, Health, and Economics4

For Sociology Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOCIOL 104Love, Marriage, and Family in Comparative Perspective4
SOSC 203The Social, Political, and Economic Implications of Immigration4
SOCIOL 205Gender, Work, and Organizations4
SOCIOL 301Race, Ethnicity, and Citizenship4

For History Track

Electives in the World History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 107Gandhi and Moral Leadership4
HIST 114Modern South Asia4
HIST 115Brides of the Sea: Trading Cities in the Indian Ocean World, 200BCE to 2000CE2
HIST 116Mughal India Through the Eyes of European Travelers2
HIST 121Pan-Africanism: Global Story of an American Idea2
HIST 204Asia in World History4
HIST 206World History in Seven Meals4
HIST 314Writing the History of War4
HIST 315Why Be a Bandit? 4
HIST 411Seeing History from the Mountains and the Seas: Ethnographic histories of Asia4
HIST 412Global Labor History4

DATA SCIENCE

The field of Interdisciplinary Data Science (IDS) deals with the theories, methodologies and tools of applying statistical concepts and computational techniques to various data analysis problems related to science, engineering, medicine, business, etc. The objective is to inspect, clean, transform and model data in order to discover useful information, suggest conclusions and support decision-making. It is an emerging topic that plays a critical role in almost every discipline of today’s science and technology and has become an indispensable component.

Interdisciplinary data science is a highly interdisciplinary field. Its methodologies are mostly derived from statistics theories. The computational algorithms for implementing these statistical methodologies are based upon numerical computation and optimization, and are often executed on a large-scale hardware platform composed of massive computing units and storage devices. When applying data analysis to a specific application problem, it further requires disciplinary knowledge and expertise. To accomplish these ambitious goals, there is an immediate need to “invent” a radically new degree program that can break down the traditional boundaries between disciplines and, consequently, facilitate fundamental breakthroughs and innovations.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

Option 1: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101 & 102

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
INTGSCI 102Integrated Science 24

Option 2: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
And choose two from the following courses
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110 *Integrated Science – Chemistry4
CHEM 120 *Core Concepts in Chemistry: An Environmental Perspective4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4
* Students can choose one from CHEM 110 and CHEM 120 but not both.

Option 3: Applicable to Class of 2023 and any student who has not taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
COMPSCI 201Introduction to Programming and Data Structures4
STATS 302Principles of Machine Learning4
STATS 303Statistical Machine Learning4
STATS 401Data Acquisition and Visualization4
STATS 402Interdisciplinary Data Analysis4

Disciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 202Linear Algebra4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 210Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes4
COMPSCI 301Algorithms and Databases4
MATH 304Numerical Analysis and Optimization4
MATH 305Advanced Linear Algebra4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different divisions as electives.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 102Introduction to Data Science4
COMPSCI 207Image Data Science4
STATS 304Bayesian and Modern Statistics4
COMPSCI 302Computer Vision4
COMPSCI 303Search Engines4
COMPSCI 304Speech Recognition4
COMPSCI 401Cloud Computing4
STATS 403Deep Learning4
STATS 404Probabilistic Graphical Models4
COMPSCI 402Artificial Intelligence4

Environmental Science with tracks in Biogeochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Public Policy

The pressing needs for sustainable development and acceptable environmental quality are placing increasing demands upon governments and industries locally, nationally, and worldwide. To help meet those demands, the Environmental Science major provides training for students intending to enter environmental professions or to pursue graduate study in environmental science and related fields such as biology, chemistry, public health, law, and policy. The major offers an interdisciplinary course of study that combines elements of the natural and social sciences relevant to understanding the biosphere and its interaction with human society.

The Biogeochemistry track is designed for students interested in analysis of links between environmental systems and other Earth system processes including biological, chemical, and geologic forces. Studies focus on global and local cycles of chemicals like carbon, nitrogen, and water that ultimately lead to global environmental change. Students selecting this major and track will receive interdisciplinary training in environmental science with a focus on ecosystem sciences and will be uniquely prepared to solve short and long-term challenges related to human-mediated global climate change and environmental degradation.

The Biology track is designed for students interested in a biological perspective on environmental science. Students learn the processes that connect living organisms to their environment at the molecular, cellular, physiological, organismal, and population levels. The track is designed to encourage breadth in the life sciences and allows students to acquire depth in a chosen area of scientific concentration through the choice of electives. This track prepares students for careers in research, medicine, agriculture, and environmental management.

The Chemistry track within the Environmental Science major is designed for students interested in a scientific perspective on environmental issues, in particular chemistry, toxicology, and pollutant fate and transport. The track is designed to encourage breadth in the physical sciences and allows students to acquire depth in a chosen area of scientific concentration through the choice of electives. This track prepares students for careers in research, chemistry, and environmental management.

The Public Policy track is designed for students interested in the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of environmental sciences. The track provides a healthy balance between basic sciences and public policy aspects to prepare graduates for translating this knowledge into meaningful action and innovative policy solutions.

The Environmental Science major includes both coursework and experiential learning about the underlying science, and the social, political, legal and economic factors that both encourage and hinder environmental cooperation and competition around the world. All students pursuing this major must complete a set required Divisional Foundational courses that provide the required background and fundamentals in the discipline essential to advanced work in the major. The major includes a set of five required interdisciplinary courses (four set courses plus one to choose from a list of three courses) which provide a well-rounded, in-depth examination of environmental science and policy issues. In addition to the foundational and interdisciplinary and disciplinary requirements, students also have the choice of a number of elective courses that provide flexibility to add depth in their specific field of study, and/or explore other subject matters as they see fit.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2020-2021.)

Environmental Science / Biogeochemistry

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
Choose one from the following two Math courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105Calculus4
And complete the following courses
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 101Introduction to Environmental Sciences4
ENVIR 102Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment4
ENVIR 201Applied Environmental Science and Policy4
ENVIR 301International Environmental Policy4
And choose one from the following three courses
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR/ECON 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ENVIR/ECON 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

Disciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 208General Ecology4
BIOL 311Biogeochemistry4
And choose one from the following two courses
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics4
And choose one from the following two courses
BIOL 312Ecophysiology4
ENVIR 315Aqueous Geochemistry4
And choose one from the following two courses
BIOL 313Ecosystem Service4
BIOL 319Global Change Biology4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different disciplines or divisions as electives.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR 304Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology4
BIOL 318Food Web Ecology4
BIOL 405Microbial Ecology4

Environmental Science / Biology

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
Choose one from the following two Math courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105Calculus4
And complete the following courses
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 101Introduction to Environmental Sciences4
ENVIR 102Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment4
ENVIR 201Applied Environmental Science and Policy4
ENVIR 301International Environmental Policy4
And choose one from the following three courses
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR/ECON 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ENVIR/ECON 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

Disciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
CHEM 201Organic Chemistry 14
BIOL 208General Ecology4
BIOL 212Microbiology4
BIOL 202Genetics and Evolution4
BIOL 305Introduction to Biochemistry4
And choose one from the following two courses
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different disciplines or divisions as electives.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 203Molecular, Behavioral and Social Evolution: Evolution of Genomes, Traits, Behaviors and Societies4
GLHLTH 301Global Health Research Methods4
BIOL 306Cell Signaling and Diseases4
BIOL 307Cancer Genetics4
BIOL 308Evolution of Infectious Diseases4
BIOL 309Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy4
BIOL 310Developmental Biology4

Environmental Science / Chemistry

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
Choose one from the following two Math courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105Calculus4
And complete the following courses
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 101Introduction to Environmental Sciences4
ENVIR 102Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment4
ENVIR 201Applied Environmental Science and Policy4
ENVIR 301International Environmental Policy 
And choose one course from the following three courses
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR 302/ECON 302Environmental Economics4
ENVIR 404/ECON 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

Disciplinary Courses​​​​​​​

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHYS 122General Physics II4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus4
CHEM 201Organic Chemistry I4
CHEM 202Organic Chemistry II4
CHEM 210General Chemistry II4
CHEM 301Elements of Physical Chemistry4
CHEM 401Analytical Chemistry4
CHEM 402Inorganic Chemistry4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. The course list will be updated periodically.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CHEM 130Science of Cooking4
ENVIR 203The Theory and Practice of Sustainability4
ENVIR 303Climate Change and Society in China4
ENVIR 304Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology4
ENVIR 311/BIOL 311Biogeochemistry4
ENVIR 313/BIOL 313Ecosystem Service4
ENVIR 315/CHEM 315Aqueous Geochemistry4
ENVIR 402Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants4
CHEM 403Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry4

Environmental Science / Public Policy

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
Choose one from the following two Math courses
MATH 101Introductory Calculus4
MATH 105Calculus4
And complete the following courses
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4

Interdisciplinary Courses​​​​​​​

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 101Introduction to Environmental Sciences4
ENVIR 102Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment4
ENVIR 201Applied Environmental Science and Policy4
ENVIR 301International Environmental Policy4
And choose one course from the following three courses
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR 302/ECON 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ENVIR 404/ECON 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

Disciplinary Courses​​​​​​​

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
PUBPOL 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
And choose one course from the following two courses
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in the major or select other courses in different disciplines or divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 201Climate Change Law and Policy4
PUBPOL 202Global Disasters: Science and Policy4
ENVIR 203The Theory and Practice of Sustainability4
ENVIR 204Global Environmental Issues and Policies4
PUBPOL 209The Politics of Environmental Crises4
PUBPOL 220Introduction to Regulatory Governance4
ENVIR 303Climate Change and Society in China4
ENVIR 305Environment and Development Economics in Developing Countries4
SOSC 320Data in the World: Applied Social Statistics4
ENVIR 403Energy Economics and Policy4

Ethics and Leadership with tracks in Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Public Policy

The human sciences have made significant advances in understanding what makes for effective leaders and organizations and the qualities of character needed to make sound decisions. For example, social and organizational psychology and history have identified qualities of leaders and group dynamics that foster loyalty, trust, and creativity. Political science, economics and history have explored different models for supportive and regulatory relationships between governments and markets. Expertise of this kind is crucial for enabling leaders to deal with the challenges posed by globalization, climate change, and profound changes in technology that are drastically altering the kinds of work available in a constantly changing economy.

The Ethics and Leadership major meets a critical need to integrate such expertise from the human sciences with the best of thought from philosophy, religion, psychology, and literature about the ultimate ends of human life, about right and wrong, rights, duties and the common good. Leaders need the ability to see, to frame, and think wisely about the ethical issues that confront them. The major is not just for those who aspire to hold political office or high-ranking positions within various organizations. Citizens or members of organizations should have thoughtful and informed conceptions of what makes a good leader, so that they may choose wisely or be prepared to become one. People often serve as leaders or co-leaders in smaller groups within their organizations. People find themselves in social contexts where they may be called upon to lead, and they may decide to do so simply not because they desired to be leaders all along, but because they are needed.

This interdisciplinary major, drawing from fields such as philosophy, political theory, history, literature, religion, and the social and natural sciences, seeks to provide students with the specific expertise that is needed to address issues such as global health, pollution and the environment or regulation of corporations and markets. Students will be encouraged and guided in the task of framing specific expertise with a broader and deeper framework of thinking about what kinds of leaders and citizens they should be, and what their ultimate values ought to be. The major will encourage them to know more and to think more deeply about their own cultural tradition, but also will take them through different traditions of thought about how to make ethical decisions, about the virtues of leaders, the virtues of those they lead, and the right relationship between the two. Students will be encouraged to identify and form views about the differences as well as the similarities between different cultural traditions of thought about these matters, as well as about ultimate values that go into thinking about justice and the good life and how such values relate to conceptions of human spirituality, the divine, and the sacred, how this affects the way human beings relate to one another and with the natural world. Such global perspectives, rooted in one’s own traditions, are more than ever crucial for leadership. Students can choose among three disciplinary tracks: Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Public Policy.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses
For tracks of Philosophy, Religious Studies:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation 1: Written Texts4

For Public Policy track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation 1: Written Texts4
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ETHLDR 101Ethics and Leadership4
ETHLDR 202Ethics, Markets, and Politics4
ETHLDR 203Conceptions of Democracy and Meritocracy4
ETHLDR 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
ETHLDR 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
And choose two courses from the following six courses
ETHLDR 204Environmental Ethics4
ETHLDR 205Trust and Cross-Cultural Leadership4
ETHLDR 206Global Justice and Health Care4
ETHLDR 209The Psychology of Justice4
ETHLDR 301Ethics of Nudging4
ETHLDR 302The Sociology of Morality and Politics4

Disciplinary Courses
For Philosophy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHIL 101Introduction to Western Philosophy4
PHIL 102Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy4
PHIL 105History of Modern European Philosophy4
PHIL 204Theory of Knowledge4
PHIL 205Logic4

For Religious Studies Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
RELIG 101Comparative Religious Studies4
RELIG 106Religion and Leadership4
RELIG 201Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism4
RELIG 203Judaism, Christianity, and Islam4
RELIG 302Religious and Philosophical Thought on the Environment4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101 *Introduction to Statistical Methods4
PUBPOL 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
Choose one course from the following two courses
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For Philosophy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHIL 103Chinese/Mediterranean Philosophy4
PHIL 106Global Philosophy4
PHIL 107What’s the Right Things to Do? Ethics and Justice in the Modern World4
PHIL 108Philosophy and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence2
PHIL 109Philosophy Through Computer Science2
PHIL 110Philosophy and Sport2
PHIL 111Non-Human Animal Ethics2
PHIL 202Problems in Philosophy of Science4
PHIL 206Climate Change Ethics2
PHIL 301Philosophy of Mind4

For Religious Studies Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
RELIG 102Prophets and Priests4
RELIG 103Law and Revelation4
RELIG 104Myth and Nation4
RELIG 105Gods and People4
RELIG 107Readings in Religious Literature2
RELIG 202Modern Buddhism4
RELIG 204The Problem of Evil4
RELIG 303The Human Condition4
RELIG 304Ethics in Religious Perspective4

For Public Policy Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 110Introduction to Human Rights4
PUBPOL 215Law, Ethics and Responsibility4
PUBPOL 217Enterprising Leadership4
PUBPOL 218Ethics in an Unjust World4
PUBPOL 310Family Rights and Human Rights2
PUBPOL 312News as Moral Battleground4

Global China Studies with tracks in History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Economics, and Political Science

This major prepares students to engage, work with, and understand China in the twenty-first century. It provides students with opportunities to gain deep historical knowledge of China in the ancient, pre-modern, and modern periods, while focusing on the place and impact of China in the world—past, present, and future. Students will be exposed to debates about China’s philosophical traditions and their force in shaping China’s history and present; the political dynamics of development, decision-making, and grassroots protest; the importance of religion, entrepreneurialism, innovation, and social networks in China and beyond its borders; and the role of digital media, visual culture, and the internet in everyday social, economic and political life.

This major recognizes that China has continually had a global presence for many centuries, deeply influencing people, cultures, technologies, ecologies and economies elsewhere in our world, and that its influence is now deepening even further as China prepares to become a major player in the realm of global politics and economics. This major will query the meanings of “China” as a nation-state, a region, and culture in a global setting, and provide students with a new set of analytical and critical thinking skills in order to purposefully engage the changing landscape of academics, business, government, policy, and the arts. This major has tracks in History, Political Science, Economics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.

The major in Global China Studies prepares students for a world in which China—and Chinese firms, organizations, and individuals—are at the center of shaping the 21st century. It prepares international students for their lifelong engagement with China: its polity, economy, and society. It prepares Chinese students to navigate the wider world with a firm understanding of their own roots, their unique history and institutions, and the ability to see their own country as others see it. It prepares students for careers in business, the professions, and public service with a foundational knowledge of China’s global role, past, present and future.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses
For tracks of History, Philosophy, Religious Studies

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4

For Economics track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
And one of the courses below
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4

For Political Science track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4
And choose one of the courses below
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
GCHINA 201From Empire to Nation4
GCHINA 202Modern Chinese Politics4
GCHINA 203Visual China4
GCHINA 301/ POLECON 302China’s Economic Transition4
GCHINA 302The Factory: From Socialist Industrialism to World Assembly4
GCHINA 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
GCHINA 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4

Disciplinary Courses

For History track:
Chinese History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 201History Methods and Research4
HIST 103Chinese History 34
And choose one of the following two Pre-Modern Chinese History courses
HIST 101Chinese History 14
HIST 102Chinese History 24
And one course from electives in the thematic area (200-400 level)4
And one history course outside of the thematic area (100-400 level)4

For Philosophy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHIL 101Introduction to Western Philosophy4
PHIL 102Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy4
PHIL 105History of Modern European Philosophy4
PHIL 204Theory of Knowledge4
PHIL 205Logic4

For Religious Studies Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
RELIG 101Comparative Religious Studies4
RELIG 106Religion and Leadership4
RELIG 201Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism4
RELIG 203Judaism, Christianity, and Islam4
RELIG 302Religious and Philosophical Thought on the Environment4

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 101Economics Principles4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
ECON 202Intermediate Microeconomics II4
ECON 203Introduction to Econometrics 4
ECON 204Intermediate Macroeconomics4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 101International Politics4
POLSCI 201Political Institutions and Processes4
ETHLDR 203Conceptions of Democracy and Meritocracy4
POLSCI 301Program Evaluation4
POLSCI 302Public Opinion4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For History track:
Electives in the Chinese History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 108Shanghai Nightscapes: A Nocturnal History of the City2
LIT 108/MEDIART 108Love and Dreams on the Chinese Stage2
HIST 117Sounds and the Chinese City: Live Music Scenes in Urban China2
HIST 205Shanghai: From Treaty Port to Global Metropolis4
HIST 301China in Global Perspective 1: China and the Silk Roads World: 500-15004
HIST 302China in Global Perspective 2: The Internationalization of Modern China4
HIST 303China and the US Comparative 1: The United States and China in War and Revolution4
HIST 304China and the US Comparative 2: The World of Universities in China and the United States4
HIST 305Special Topics course in History of Institutions4

For Philosophy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHIL 103Chinese and Mediterranean Philosophy4
PHIL 106Global Philosophy4
PHIL 107What’s the Right Thing to Do? Ethics and Justice in the Modern World4
PHIL 108Philosophy and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence2
PHIL 109Philosophy Through Computer Science2
PHIL 110Philosophy and Sport2
PHIL 202Problems in Philosophy of Science4
PHIL 301Philosophy of Mind4

For Religious Studies Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
RELIG 102Prophets and Priests4
PHIL 102Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy4
RELIG 103Law and Revelation4
PHIL 103Chinese and Mediterranean Philosophy4
RELIG 104Myth and Nation4
RELIG 105Gods and People4
RELIG 107Readings in Religious Literature2
RELIG 202Modern Buddhism4
RELIG 204The Problem of Evil4
RELIG 303The Human Condition4
RELIG 304Ethics in Religious Perspective4

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 301Health Economics4
ECON 302/ENVIR 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ECON 303Financial Institutions4
ECON 304Economic Growth4
ECON 307History of Monetary & International Crises4
ECON 308Economic History and Modernization of the Islamic Middle East4
ECON 401Competitive Strategy & Industrial Organization4
ECON 402International Finance4
ECON 404/ENVIR 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution 4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 102Social Choice and Democracy4
POLSCI 105Contemporary Political Ideologies 2
POLSCI 208Political and Social Inequality4
POLSCI 209Democratic Erosion2
POLSCI 210International Relations in East Asia4
POLSCI 211/LIT 211Politics and Literature4
POLSCI 212Pathologies of Modern Society: Foundational Ideas4
POLSCI 221US/China Relations4
POLSCI 303International Politics of East Asia4
POLSCI 307Political Economy of Institutions4
POLSCI 308Global Governance4

Global Cultural Studies with tracks in Literature and History

Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field of research and teaching that investigates the forms of life and culture produced in today’s interconnected world. Combining the strengths of the social sciences and the humanities, and drawing on methods and theories from literary studies, cultural anthropology, history, sociology, media studies, film studies, communications, economics, etc., Cultural Studies explores ways in which “culture” creates and transforms individual experiences, everyday life, social relations and power. With its attentiveness to power relations, hegemony, inequality and diversity, Cultural Studies has a productive role to play in building a better world. Put simply, Cultural Studies is not just an abstract academic field but a production of knowledge that has real world implications.

Focusing on the practical and theoretical issues arising from cross-cultural encounters around the world, Cultural Studies examines conventional cultural products (literature, film, visual art, music, social media, new technology, etc.) and also their broader political and social contexts (colonialism, modernity, capitalism, etc.). In today’s era of economic globalization and neoliberal restructuring, the language of culture is increasingly heard in debates about issues as diverse as nationalism, political conflicts, human rights, immigration, trade, the environment, media, literacy, and education. In the new millennium, increasing students’ capacity to live with and understand the heterogeneity and flux that characterize global flows of people, culture, and capital is of paramount importance. The major in Global Cultural Studies has tracks in Literature and in History and imparts students with skills and competency in critical thinking, cultural analysis, and communication for careers in education, creative industry, NGOs and international business and law.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4
ARHU 102The Art of Interpretation: Images and Sound4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
GCULS 105Critical Comparative Studies4
GCULS 201Culture and Industry4
GCULS 202Empires and Culture4
GCULS 302Gender and Globality4
CULMOVE 201Migration, Inequality and Culture4
GCULS 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
GCULS 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4

Disciplinary Courses

For Literature Track:
World Literature track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
LIT 102Introduction to Literary Theory Writ Large4
LIT 203Reading Empire: Anglophone, Francophone, Sinophone and Japanophone4
LIT 209Critical Inter-Asia: Rethinking Local and Global Connections4
And two courses (300 level or above) from World Literature Electives8

For History Track:

World History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 201History Methods and Research4
And choose one of the following five Pre-Modern World History courses
HIST 111Ancient Roots to Global Routes4
HIST 112History of the Indian Ocean World4
HIST 113Peoples and Cultures of Ancient South Asia, 3500BCE-1750CE4
HIST 202World History and Global Interactions4
HIST 312Southeast Asia and the Rise of Global Trade4
And choose one of the following three Modern World History courses
HIST 110Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Global Issues4
HIST 313Southeast Asia from the Age of Imperialism to the Global Cold War4
HIST 410The Spice Race: How the Spice Trade shaped our World4
And one course from electives in the thematic area (200-400 level)4
And one history course outside of the thematic area (100-400 level)4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different divisions as electives.

For Literature Track:

Electives in World Literature:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
LIT 107From Data to Narrative: A Workshop in Non-fiction Writing2
LIT 204Online Novels and the Chinese Public Sphere4
LIT 208From Cool Japan to the Korean Wave: Popular Culture from East Asia4
LIT 210Robots and Monsters: Unruly Human Creations in World Literature4
LIT 211/POLSCI 211Politics and Literature4
GCULS 301Religion and Sexuality4
GCULS 303Chinatowns: A Cultural History4
LIT 306Melodrama East and West4
LIT 307Digital Storytelling4
GCULS 401Games and Culture: Politics, Pleasure and Pedagogy4
GCULS 402Digital Tribes4

For History Track:

Electives in World History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 107Gandhi and Moral Leadership4
HIST 114Modern South Asia4
HIST 115Brides of the Sea: Trading Cities in the Indian Ocean World, 200BCE to 2000CE2
HIST 116Mughal India Through the Eyes of European Travelers2
HIST 121Pan-Africanism: Global Story of an American Idea2
HIST 204Asia in World History4
HIST 206World History in Seven Meals4
HIST 314Writing the History of War4
HIST 315Why Be a Bandit? 4
HIST 411Seeing History from the Mountains and the Seas: Ethnographic histories of Asia4
HIST 412Global Labor History4

Global Health with Tracks in Biology and Public Policy

The global health major introduces students to global health as an area of study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. A synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level clinical care, global health aims to reduce health disparities through attention to modifiable determinants of health and provision of sustainable health services and human development. As a field of study, global health has emerged from tropical medicine, public health, and international health to encompass the complex transactions between societies that are a defining feature of globalization. Because many global health problems stem from economic, social, environmental, political, and healthcare inequalities, defining these problems and designing solutions is highly interdisciplinary and involves fields that span across health sciences, medicine, and public health, but also that bridge to a broad range of academic fields, including biology, agriculture, anthropology, business, computer science, engineering, environmental sciences, economics, history, law, psychology, public policy, and sociology, among others. To introduce students to this interdisciplinary field, the global health major integrates courses in the natural and social sciences and encourages students to take relevant electives in the humanities.

Health issues do not know borders. The advances in transportation and the increasing amount of human travel propels nations to address health issues in a timely manner and more deeply than ever before. Given the size of China’s population and its geographic location, there is no better place for students to immerse themselves in the study of global health. Every nation has faced challenges related to global health: from HIV/AIDS to Ebola and SARS, as well as health issues that arise from poverty, famine and natural disasters. The opportunity for students to study these issues in China will not just provide a generation of global health experts for China itself, but also for the entire world.

The Biology track within the Global Health major is designed for students interested in a biological perspective on global health, in particular cell and molecular biology, infectious diseases, microbiology, and anatomy and physiology. The track is designed to encourage breadth in the life sciences but also allows students to acquire depth in a chosen area of scientific concentration through the choice of electives, as is encouraged for students who desire to pursue graduate studies or intend to pursue a career in research. The Public Policy track is designed for students most interested in the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of global health. The track provides a healthy balance between basic sciences and public policy aspects to prepare graduates for translating this knowledge into meaningful action and innovative policy solutions.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses
For Biology Track:

Option 1: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101 & 102

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
INTGSCI 102Integrated Science 24
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4

Option 2: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110 *Integrated Science – Chemistry4
CHEM 120 *Core Concepts in Chemistry: An Environmental Perspective4
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
* Students need to take either CHEM 110 or CHEM 120 but not both.

Option 3: Applicable to Class of 2023 and any student who has not taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4

For Public Policy Track: 

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4
And choose one of the following courses
INTGSCI 101 *Integrated Science 14
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
* INTGSCI 101 is discontinued and was available to Class of 2022. 

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
GLHLTH 101Introduction to Global Health4
GLHLTH 201Global Health Ethics4
GLHLTH 302Social Determinants of Health4
And choose one from the following three courses
GLHLTH 203Global Disease Control Programs and Policies4
GLHLTH 303Global Comparative Health Care Systems4
GLHLTH 304Global Health Governance and Policy4
And choose one from the following four courses
GLHLTH 305Biological Basis of Disease4
GLHLTH 306Evolution of Health and Disease4
GLHLTH 110Ecosystem Health and Human Well-Being4
GLHLTH 307Global Mental Health4

Disciplinary Courses
For Biology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CHEM 201Organic Chemistry I 4
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
BIOL 202Genomics and Evolution4
BIOL 208General Ecology4
BIOL 212Microbiology4
BIOL 305Introduction to Biochemistry4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101 *Introduction to Statistical Methods4
PUBPOL 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
Choose one course from the following two courses
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in the major or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For Biology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 203Molecular, Behavioral and Social Evolution: Evolution of Genomes, Traits, Behaviors and Societies4
GLHLTH 301Global Health Research Methods4
BIOL 306Cell Signaling and Diseases4
BIOL 307Cancer Genetics4
BIOL 308Evolution of Infectious Diseases4
BIOL 309Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy4
BIOL 310Development Biology4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 102Introduction to the United States Health Care System4
PUBPOL 305War and Public Health in Africa4
PUBPOL 306International Development and Poverty4
GLHLTH 202Media and Health Communication4

Institutions and Governance with tracks in Economics, Political Science, and Public Policy

The Institutions and Governance major enables students to study the formal and informal rules that societies use to govern themselves at the local, national, and global levels. By focusing on institutions and governance as a guiding framework, students can better understand the dynamics of wealth and poverty, innovation versus technological/economic stagnation, and stability versus turmoil in different states and societies.  Students in this major will be exposed to the deep political science, economic, sociological, historical and anthropological explorations of institutional designs in a variety of constructs, such as governments, interest groups and social movements, media, and religion, among others.  By their senior year, students will be able to speak authoritatively on the comparative theory of institutions, the history of institutional and policy development, the drivers of institutional change, and distributional effects of institutional choices.  Particular attention will be paid to the challenges of governance, such as the processes and structures that societies adopt to manage their collective affairs, with an emphasis on the implementation and evaluation of government programs.

The world is more and more interconnected at a variety of levels and students are going to need a better understanding of the institutions that govern this global integration.  The more that students can identify, analyze and engage with global institutions and understand their governing processes, the more they will be able to navigate these complexities. This focus in Institutions and Governance will prepare students for a variety of careers requiring expertise in public administration, international development, political risk analysis, multinational investment and work in the non-profit sector at both the domestic and international levels.  Students can choose among three disciplinary tracks: Economics, Political Science, or Public Policy.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4

For Tracks of Political Science, Public Policy:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101 *Introduction to Statistical Methods4
ETHLDR 203Conceptions of Democracy and Meritocracy4
POLSCI 307Political Economy of Institutions4
POLSCI 201Political Institutions and Processes4
POLSCI 308Global Governance4
GCHINA 202Modern Chinese Politics4
INSTGOV 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

Disciplinary Courses 
For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 101Economics Principles4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
ECON 202Intermediate Microeconomics II4
ECON 203Introduction to Econometrics4
ECON 204Intermediate Macroeconomics4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 101International Politics4
ETHLDREthics, Markets and Politics4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
POLSCI 301Program Evaluation4
POLSCI 302Public Opinion4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
PUBPOL 315/ECON 315Economics of the Public Sector4
Choose one course from the following two courses
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for this major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different divisions as electives.

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 301Health Economics4
ECON 302/ENVIR 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ECON 303Financial Institutions4
ECON 304Economic Growth4
ECON 307History of Monetary & International Crises4
ECON 308Economic History and Modernization of the Islamic Middle East4
ECON 401Competitive Strategy & Industrial Organization4
ECON 402International Finance4
ECON 404/ENVIR 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 102Social Choice and Democracy4
POLSCI 105Contemporary Political Ideologies2
POLSCI 106Political Rhetoric, Crisis, and Leadership 2
HIST 202World History and Global Interactions4
POLECON 202The Politics of International Economic Relations: America in the World Economy4
GCHINA 202Modern Chinese Politics4
POLSCI 208Political and Social Inequality4
POLSCI 209Democratic Erosion4
POLSCI 210International Relations in East Asia4
POLSCI 211/LIT 211Politics and Literature4
POLSCI 212Pathologies of Modern Society: Foundational Ideas4
POLSCI 303International Politics of East Asia4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 213Authoritarian Regimes4
PUBPOL 308Managing the Oceans to Solve Global Problems4
PUBPOL 309War and Public Health in Africa4
PUBPOL 311Economic and Political History of the European Union4
PUBPOL 410Counterterrorism Law and Policy4

Media and Arts with tracks in Creative Practice and History

The Media and Arts major captures the breadth of both media as communications process and art as creative and documentary expressions.  By exploring the history of media and arts as well as emerging technologies and cultures, students in this major will gain a depth of understanding that is broadly applicable to future life choices.  Media studies might include communications studies, journalism, science, technology and society at the local, as well as national and global levels.  Arts studies might address visual art in film, photography, and sound; music; theater; and literature.  The intersection of media and arts will provide both a well-rounded foundation as well as the opportunity to immerse oneself in a particular field of study or practice.

Understanding of media and the arts is foundational to the concept of interdisciplinarity that is the basis for a liberal arts education at Duke Kunshan University.  On the one hand, exposure to the arts provides for the complete student: a well-rounded individual who is able to see the world in both its breadth and depth, thus creatively seeking, discovering and implementing solutions to global problems.  In particular, the documentary arts intersect history with creativity; the understanding of cultural tradition with the artistic imagination.  On the other hand, media literacy is not a luxury. In this interconnected world, it is a necessity.  Students in this major will gain a more complete understanding of the evolution of media, broadly defined, and how the media and media systems of today interact with the institutions, individuals and ideas in society.  

The Media and Arts major has two tracks: 1) Creative Practice and 2) History. The Creative Practice track will focus on providing opportunities for students to create the media and arts that interest them, with a strong academic foundation.  The History track provides a mixture of humanities and social science approaches to understanding media and arts, creating a foundation for work in the field or further graduate-level study.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation 1: Written Texts4
ARHU 102The Art of Interpretation 2: Images and Sound4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MEDIART 101Introduction to Media Studies and the Arts4
MEDIART 210Media and Arts Practicum4
MEDIART 211Media, Art and Critical Theory4
MEDIART 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
MEDIART 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics 
And choose one from the following two History courses
HIST 210Global Art History4
HIST 220Global Media History4
And choose one from the following three Creative Practice courses
MEDIART 103Introduction to Moving Image Practice4
MEDIART 104Introduction to Photography4
MEDIART 110Audio Documentary4

Disciplinary Courses

For Creative Practice Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MEDIART 109Introduction to Visual Culture4
MEDIART 202Ideas, Imagination, and Creativity4
HIST 207History of Media Art4
 Practicum course I: Choose one from the list of 200 level creative practice courses in the electives4
 Practicum course II: Choose one from the list of 300 level creative practice courses in the electives 

For History Track:

Art History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 201History Methods and Research4
HIST 106Art History 14
CULANTH 201New Media and Society4
And one course from electives in the thematic area (200-400 level)4
And one history course outside of the thematic area (100-400 level)4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For Creative Practice Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MEDIART 105Introduction to Film Studies4
MEDIART 108/LIT 108Love and Dreams on the Chinese Stage2
MEDIART 204The Photographic Essay4
MEDIART 205Digital Imaging4
MEDIART 206Computer Graphics4
MEDIART 207Creative Writing and Elements of Story4
MEDIART 212Editing for Film and Video4
MEDIART 301Experimental Filmmaking4
MEDIART 302Contemporary Documentary Film4
MEDIART 303Documentary Photography and the Cultural Landscape4
MEDIART 304The On-Going Moment: Presentations of Time in Still and Moving Images4
MEDIART 305Producing Docu-Fiction4
MEDIART 306Foundations of Interactive Game Design4
MEDIART 310Screenwriting4
MEDIART 311Cinematography4
MEDIART 312Graphic Design in Motion4

For History Track

Electives in the Art History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MEDIART 106The Visual Culture of News, Past and Present4
MEDIART 109Introduction to Visual Culture4
GCULS 201Culture and Industry4
GCHINA 203Visual China4
MEDIART 208Comparative Media Systems and Chinese Mass Media4
LIT 208From Cool Japan to the Korean Wave: Popular Culture from East Asia4
POLSCI 302Public Opinion4
MEDIART 307International Communication4

Molecular Bioscience with Tracks in Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Biogeochemistry, Biophysics

All biological sciences rest on two central principles – all organisms and their characteristics are the product of evolution, and all life processes have a physical and chemical basis. Simply put, at the most fundamental level, there is a shared molecular basis of life. Despite the astonishing diversity of living organisms, from bacteria living in deep ocean hydrothermal vents to cherry trees flowering in the spring to complex modern humans shaping the world around us, many features of all organisms at the cellular and molecular levels are fundamentally similar because of shared evolutionary history. Discoveries of fundamental molecular mechanisms in one species – a bacteria or fungus or fruit fly, for example – often apply to other distantly related organisms like humans. Solving many of the most perplexing and challenging biological, agricultural, medical, societal, and environmental problems in today’s world requires a broad and deep understanding of the molecular basis of life. The highly interdisciplinary field of molecular bioscience seeks to understand at the level of atoms and molecules how living things acquire energy and chemical nutrients from their environment, how they use that energy to fuel the basic biochemical reactions and cellular functions required for life, how they use molecular information encoded in their DNA to grow, survive, and reproduce, and how their metabolic and biochemical processes transform the environment in which we all live.

The broad goal of molecular bioscience, to understand the mechanisms of life processes at the physical, chemical, and cellular levels, requires students to integrate knowledge from several disciplines that traditionally are treated as separate realms of knowledge. Molecular bioscience is at the intersection of biology, chemistry, and physics, but most undergraduate programs require that students focus on one discipline at the exclusion of the other two. In contrast, the Molecular Bioscience major at DKU is designed to integrate fully the fields of biology, chemistry, and physics throughout the major’s course of study, so DKU students trained in molecular bioscience will be better prepared to understand and make fundamental advances on the tremendous challenges facing our current and future generations in human health, agriculture, biotechnology, and global environmental change.

Through the required interdisciplinary introductory courses including Biochemistry, Biophysics, Genomics and Evolution, and Biomedical Ethics, all molecular bioscience students will gain core foundational knowledge and skills that uniquely will enable them to pursue one of four more specialized tracks of courses that focus some of the most exciting fields of science today. Students who choose the Cell and Molecular Biology track, for example, will learn of stunning new discoveries of how cells work at the molecular level, and how that knowledge is critical for advances in cancer biology and medicine, pharmacology, biochemistry, virology, immunology, developmental biology, and the Biotech industries. The Genetics and Genomics track will provide students with deep insight into how the explosive fields of functional genomics, bioinformatics, and computational biology are revolutionizing our understanding of life. Students will learn how genomics is revealing the complex and highly orchestrated mechanisms that organisms use to regulate genes and genomes, how genomes evolve via population genomic processes, and how new methods like DNA editing promise to transform medicine, agriculture, and our understanding of basic biological processes. The Biophysics track will allow students to apply principles of physics to biological systems at molecular, organismal, and ecological levels. These students will learn how such integrated applications of these principles are leading to the incredible breadth of advances biophysicists are making in bioelectronics, quantum biology, nanotechnology, structural biology, biomechanics, biochemistry, and cell and molecular biology. Finally, students who choose the Biogeochemistry track will discover how the activities of biological systems and other chemical, physical, and geological processes drive the global or local cycles of chemicals like carbon and nitrogen, and ultimately lead to global environmental change. These students, with their interdisciplinary training in molecular bioscience with a focus on ecosystem science, will be uniquely prepared to solve existential challenges like human-mediated global climate change and environmental degradation.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

For tracks of Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Biogeochemistry:

Option 1: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101 & 102

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
INTGSCI 102Integrated Science 24
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4

Option 2: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110 *Integrated Science – Chemistry4
CHEM 120 *Core Concepts in Chemistry: An Environmental Perspective4
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
* Students need to take either CHEM 110 or CHEM 120 but not both.

Option 3: Applicable to Class of 2023 and any student who has not taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4
And choose one of the following courses
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4

For Biophysics track:

Option 1: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101 & 102

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
INTGSCI 102Integrated Science 24

Option 2: only applicable to Class of 2022 who have taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
INTGSCI 101Integrated Science 14
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110 *Integrated Science – Chemistry4
CHEM 120 *Core Concepts in Chemistry: An Environmental Perspective4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4
* Students need to take either CHEM 110 or CHEM 120 but not both.

Option 3: Applicable to Class of 2023 and any student who has not taken INTGSCI 101

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4
MATH 201Multivariable Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 2)4
BIOL 110Integrated Science – Biology4
CHEM 110 Integrated Science – Chemistry4
PHYS 121Integrated Science – Physics4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
CHEM 201Organic Chemistry 14
BIOL 202Genomics and Evolution4
BIOL 305Introduction to Biochemistry4
PHYS 303Introduction to Biophysics4
BIOL 320Bioethics4

Disciplinary Courses

For Cell and Molecular Biology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
BIOL 212Microbiology4
BIOL 304Molecular Genetic Analysis4
BIOL 306Cell Signaling and Diseases4
BIOL 315Experimental Molecular Biology4

For Genetics and Genomics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
BIOL 304Molecular Genetic Analysis4
BIOL 314Computational Biology and Bioinformatics4
BIOL 403Experimental Methods in Functional Genomics4
BIOL 407Population Genomics and Molecular Evolution4

For Biogeochemistry Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 102Dynamic Earth and Oceans: Physical and Biological Sciences for the Environment4
BIOL 208General Ecology4
BIOL 311/ENVIR 311Biogeochemistry4
And choose one course from the following two courses
BIOL 313/ENVIR 313Ecosystem Service4
BIOL 319Global Change Biology4
And choose one course from the following two courses
BIOL 312Ecophysiology4
ENVIR 315/CHEM 315Aqueous Geochemistry4

For Biophysics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PHYS 122General Physics II4
MATH 202Linear Algebra4
PHYS 201Optics and Modern Physics4
PHYS 302Thermal and Statistical Physics4
PHYS 406Biophysics4
And choose one course from the following two courses
PHYS 301Classical Mechanics4
PHYS 304Electricity and Magnetism4
PHYS 401Quantum Mechanics4
PHYS 404Nonlinear Dynamics4

Electives

Courses listed in the table below are recommended electives for the major and the course list will be updated periodically. Students can also select other courses in different divisions as electives.

For Cell and Molecular Biology Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 203Molecular, Behavioral and Social Evolution: Evolution of Genomes, Traits, Behaviors and Societies4
BOL 401Advanced Biochemistry: Cell Metabolism4
BIOL 310Developmental Biology4
BIOL 314Computational Biology and Bioinformatics4
CHEM 404Physical Biochemistry4
BIOL 307Cancer Genetics4

For Genetics and Genomics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
BIOL 203Molecular, Behavioral and Social Evolution: Evolution of Genomes, Traits, Behaviors and Societies4
BIOL 212Microbiology4
BIOL 310Developmental Biology: Development, Stem Cells, and Regeneration4
BIOL 317Systems Biology4
BIOL 404Genomics of Adaptation4

For Biogeochemistry Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
ENVIR 202Biodiversity and Conservation4
ENVIR 304Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology4
BIOL 318Food Web Ecology4
BIOL 405Microbial Ecology4

For Biophysics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
BIOL 201Cell and Molecular Biology4
MATH 303ODE and Dynamical Systems4
BIOL 316Quantitative Physiology4
MATH 403Partial Differential Equations4
CHEM 404Physical Biochemistry4
MATH  410Modeling Biological Systems4

Political Economy with tracks in Economics, Political Science, and Public Policy

Within the field of international relations in general, and international political economy in particular, interested Duke Kunshan University students will have a chance to explore–both broadly and deeply, a large array of the world’s most pressing issues–issues that will determine the balance between peace and conflict over the coming decades. Given the growing impact of globalization and the rather profound structural changes occurring in international affairs, it is imperative that we train a new generation of international relations theorists and practitioners who can appreciate, manage and lead in the increasingly complex world that we face on a daily basis.

The field of international political economy utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to examine the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, employing a variety of analytical and research tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political/economic power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes and vice versa; the causes and consequences of technological change, growth, and globalization; and regulation and global governance. The curriculum will provide students an overview of the changing face of international relations as well as impart to them the critical tools and techniques that inform the study of international political economy. Students will have an opportunity to examine and assess a broad range of global issues using the lens and conceptual frameworks of political economy. Students can choose among the three disciplinary tracks: Economics, Political Science, or Public Policy.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
Choose one course from the following two courses
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4
MATH 101Calculus (was Mathematical Foundations 1)4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4

Interdisciplinary Courses:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101 *Introduction to Statistical Methods4
ECON 101Economics Principles4
ETHLDR 202Ethics, Markets, Politics4
POLECON 201International Political Economy4
POLECON 301Development4
POLECON 302/GCHINA 301China’s Economic Transition4
POLECON 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

Disciplinary Courses:

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
ECON 202Intermediate Microeconomics II4
ECON 203Introduction to Econometrics4
ECON 204Intermediate Macroeconomics4

For Political Science Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 101International Politics4
POLSCI 201Political Institutions and Processes 4
ETHLDR 203Conceptions of Democracy and Meritocracy4
POLSCI 301Program Evaluation4
POLSCI 302Public Opinion4

For Public Policy Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict 4
PUBPOL 315/ECON 315Economics of the Public Sector4
Choose one course from the following two courses
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools 4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For Economics Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
ECON 301Health Economics4
ECON 302/ENVIR 302Environmental Economics & Policy4
ECON 303Financial Institutions4
ECON 304Economic Growth4
ECON 307History of Monetary & International Crises4
ECON 308Economic History and Modernization of the Islamic Middle East4
ECON 401Competitive Strategy & Industrial Organization4
ECON 402International Finance4
ECON 404/ENVIR 404Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place and Pollution4

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 102Social Choice and Democracy4
POLSCI 105Contemporary Political Ideologies2
POLSCI 106Political Rhetoric, Crisis, and Leadership2
HIST 202World History and Global Interactions4
POLECON 202The Politics of International Economic Relations: America in the World Economy4
GCHINA 202Modern Chinese Politics4
POLSCI 208Political and Social Inequality4
POLSCI 209Democratic Erosion2
POLSCI 210International Relations in East Asia4
POLSCI 211/LIT 211Politics and Literature4
POLSCI 212Pathologies of Modern Society: Foundational Ideas4
POLSCI 303International Politics of East Asia4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 120Globalization and Corporate Citizenship4
PUBPOL 210Development and Africa4
PUBPOL 211Globalization and Public Policy4
PUBPOL 214Globalization and History4
PUBPOL 307Market Power and Public Policy4

US Studies with tracks in History, Literature, Political Science, and Public Policy

America is a unique experiment in self-governance, economic formation, and cultural production. It is rooted in Puritan settlement and the American Revolution and has been reshaped from the beginning by racial, religious, regional, linguistic, and sexual minorities upwardly mobile and on-the-make. U.S. nationality therefore includes both patriotic nationalism and pointed dissent. There is also a long history to U.S. connections with Asia and of Asian—especially Chinese—impact on the United States, which is now taking on ever greater force as China and the United States engage on the global stage. 

US Studies fosters an understanding of the ideas, cultures, art, institutions, aspirations, and realities that have played an important role in the development of American society and public life.  Particular attention is paid to core ideas of American citizenship and to the ways in which institutions have facilitated and constrained efforts by marginalized groups to achieve full citizenship. U.S. Studies is therefore both an appreciation and a critique. It captures the utopian impulse in the American narrative, its far-reaching and inspiring vision, and its many successes including the achievement of a revelatory ironic and self-critical literature.  It also examines ideas of nationhood that transcend national boundaries and forms of nationalist ideology that have produced anti-nationalist dissent. The courses offered in the program examine the formation of historical, philosophical, religious, social, artistic and political traditions that shape American political thought, institutions, culture and literature. Students can choose among four disciplinary tracks with the overall US Studies major: History, Literature, Political Science, and Public Policy.

Major Requirements

(Not every course listed is offered every semester, and the course list will be updated periodically. Please refer to the online Course Catalog for Courses offered in 2019-2020.)

Divisional Foundation Courses 

For tracks of History, Literature

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4

For Political Science track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4
And choose one of the courses below
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4
STATS 101Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods4
MATH 205Probability and Statistics (was Mathematical Foundations 3)4

For Public Policy track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
SOSC 101Foundational Questions in Social Science4
ARHU 101The Art of Interpretation: Written Texts4
SOSC 102Introduction to Research Methods4

Interdisciplinary Courses

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
LIT 104The American Romance of Self-Making4
LIT 106American Otherness and Otherness in America4
POLSCI 103American Ideas and the Idea of America4
POLSCI 207Democratic Institutions in America4
POLSCI 310America in the World4
USTUD 390Junior Seminar: Advanced Topics4
USTUD 490Senior Seminar: Advanced Topics4

Disciplinary Courses 

For History Track:

American History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
HIST 201History Methods and Research4
HIST 104American History to 18764
HIST 105American History from Reconstruction to the Present4
And one course from electives in the thematic area (200-400 level)
And one history course outside of the thematic area (100-400 level)

For Literature Track:

American Literature track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
LIT 105The Epic of America (the novel)4
LIT 205American Lyric Across Borders (Poetry)4
LIT 308American Icons (rhetoric and performance—pulpit /address /theater/ music)4
And two courses (200 level or above) from the American Literature Electives8

For Political Science Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 101International Politics4
POLSCI 201Political Institutions and Processes4
ETHLDR 203Conceptions of Democracy and Meritocracy4
POLSCI 301Program Evaluation4
POLSCI 302Public Opinion4

For Public Policy Track:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
STATS 101 *Introduction to Statistical Methods4
PUBPOL 101Introduction to Policy Analysis4
PUBPOL 301Political Analysis for Public Policy4
PUBPOL 303Policy Choice as Value Conflict4
Choose one course from the following two courses
PUBPOL 304Microeconomic Policy Tools4
ECON 201Intermediate Microeconomics I4
* Students can take MATH 205 as a substitute for STATS 101.

Electives

Students can choose the recommended electives in their tracks or select other courses in different divisions as electives. The course list will be updated periodically.

For History Track:

Electives in the American History thematic area:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 106Political Rhetoric, Crisis, and Leadership4
HIST 120Writing Historical Fiction4
HIST 121Pan-Africanism: Global Story of an American Idea2
POLSCI 202U.S. Citizenship: History, Meaning and Conflict4
HIST 203America in Asia, Asians in America4
POLSCI 203Civil Rights and Civil Liberties4
POLSCI 221US/China Relations4
SOSC 301Religion and Community in America4
SOCIOL 301Race, Ethnicity, and Citizenship4
POLSCI 304Revolutions and Foundings: A Comparative Perspective4
POLSCI 305American Capitalism in the World4
HIST 306The United States and China in War and Revolution4
HIST 307Cold War America4
HIST 308Immigration and the American Experience4
HIST 311Documenting Durham and the New South4

For Literature Track

American Literature Electives:

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
LIT 201Asian-American Arts and Letters4
LIT 202African American Literature and Culture4
LIT 206Early Literatures from Colonization to Revolution2
LIT 207The American Renaissance and Its Rivals4
LIT 301The Realist Moment4
LIT 302America’s Novel Modernity4
LIT 303The Literary Arts of the Cold War4
LIT 304The Center Stage of Ethnic and Women’s Writing4
LIT 305The U.S. and the Contemporary Global Imagination4
USTUD 210American Musicals4
USTUD 301The Western Across Boundaries4

For Political Science Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
POLSCI 102Social Choice and Democracy4
POLSCI 105Contemporary Political Ideologies2
POLSCI 106Political Rhetoric, Crisis, and Leadership2
HIST 202World History and Global Interactions4
POLECON 202The Politics of International Economic Relations: America in the World Economy4
POLSCI 208Political and Social Inequality4
POLSCI 209Democratic Erosion2
POLSCI 210International Relations in East Asia4
POLSCI 211/LIT 211Politics and Literature4
POLSCI 212Pathologies of Modern Society: Foundational Ideas4
POLSCI 303International Politics of East Asia4

For Public Policy Track

Course CodeCourse NameCourse Credit
PUBPOL 102Introduction to the United States Health Care System4
PUBPOL 212Immigrant Dreams, U.S. Realities: Immigration Policy History4
PUBPOL 216Civic Participation and Public Policy4
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