In this course, students evaluate the assumptions and foundations of Western music theory, primarily under the critical guidance of feminist theory. Tonal theory is often a routine part of undergraduate music study. What are the goals and criteria of this kind of analysis? While critically examining Western music theory’s intellectual values, students develop approaches to analysis that are responsive, in a variety of ways, to queer, feminist, and antiracist thought.

A continuation of 110. One 50-minute musicianship section required per week, in addition to classroom meetings. Prerequisite: MUS 110 or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18.

A continuation of 110. One 50-minute musicianship section required per week, in addition to classroom meetings. Prerequisite: MUS 110 or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18.

This course explores different approaches to the study of music as a cultural phenomenon. We consider basic questions, such as: Why is music so often at the center of our most profound personal and social experiences? Why is music a fundamental means of connecting with our own lives, our communities and the wider world in which we live?

The primary goal of this course is to deepen your understanding of the music you like, while forging connections to music that is unfamiliar to you, making you a more well-informed music consumer. Throughout the course, you hone active listening skills, helping you to identify technical components and to connect with the music on an emotional level. These skills help you describe more specifically what you hear, and decode increasingly complex music. Classes cover folk, popular, jazz, non-western classical and other styles.

Colloquia are especially designed for those with no previous background in music. They emphasize class discussion and written work, which consists of either music or critical prose as appropriate to the topic. Open to all students, but particularly recommended for first-year students and sophomores. An introduction to music notation and to principles of musical organization, including scales, keys, rhythm and meter. Limited to beginners and those who did not place into 110. Enrollment limited to 20.

Partial differential equations allow us to track how quantities change over multiple variables, e.g. space and time. This course provides an introduction to techniques for analyzing and solving partial differential equations and surveys applications from the sciences and engineering. Specific topics include Fourier series, separation of variables, heat, wave and Laplace’s equations, finite difference numerical methods, and introduction to pattern formations. Prerequisite: MTH 211, MTH 212, and MTH 264 strongly recommended) or MTH 280/281, or permission of the instructor.

This is a second course in linear algebra that explores the structure of matrices. Topics may include characteristic and minimal polynomials, diagonalization and canonical forms of matrices, the spectral theorem, the singular value decomposition theorem, an introduction to modules, and applications to problems in optimization, Markov chains, and others.

In this course students work in small groups on original research projects. Students are expected to attend a brief presentation of projects at the start of the semester. Recent topics include interactions between algebra and graph theory, plant patterns, knot theory, and mathematical modeling. This course is open to all students interested in gaining research experience in mathematics. Prerequisites vary depending on the project, but normally 153 and 211 are required.

In this class we don’t do math as much as we talk about doing math and the culture of mathematics. The class includes lectures by students, faculty and visitors on a wide variety of topics, and opportunities to talk with mathematicians about their lives. This course is especially helpful for those considering graduate school in the mathematical sciences. Prerequisites: MTH 211, MTH 212 and two additional mathematics courses at the 200-level, or permission of the instructor. May be repeated once for credit. S/U only.