This helps students achieve an advanced level of proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic with an exposure to one Arabic colloquial variety using the four-skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) approach. Students read within a normal range of speed, listen to, discuss and respond in writing to authentic texts by writers from across the Arab world. Text types address a range of political, social, religious and literary themes and represent a range of genres, styles and periods.

This is a communication-oriented course in Arabic at the intermediate level, incorporating both Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic and providing students with an opportunity to hone their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will expand their ability to create with the language while reinforcing fundamentals and expanding their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and culture. In addition to in-class teamwork, students will produce a variety of essays, presentations and skits throughout the semester. Prerequisite: ARA 101 or its equivalent.

An introduction to Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic, using a proficiency-based approach to develop communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The course begins with a focus on reading, pronouncing and recognizing Arabic alphabet, and progresses quickly toward developing basic reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies and cultural competence using the Al-Kitaab series and a variety of authentic materials. Students will acquire these skills through a combination of interactive classroom activities, take-home assignments and group work.

An introduction to Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic, using a proficiency-based approach to develop communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The course begins with a focus on reading, pronouncing and recognizing Arabic alphabet, and progresses quickly toward developing basic reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies and cultural competence using the Al-Kitaab series and a variety of authentic materials. Students will acquire these skills through a combination of interactive classroom activities, take-home assignments and group work.

Topics course: “Biology gives you a brain. Life turns it into a mind”. This line from Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides raises a fundamental question in neuroscience: how does experience shape our brain and behavior? In this seminar, students will explore the molecular, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms of “critical periods”: temporary epochs across development characterized by heightened experience-dependent neural plasticity. Discussions will focus on how early life experience shapes neural circuits involved in vision, communication, and navigation.

A project-oriented study of the processes and products of sediment formation, transport, deposition and lithification. Modern sediments and depositional environments of the Massachusetts coast are examined and compared with ancient sedimentary rocks of the Connecticut River Valley and eastern New York. Field and laboratory analyses focus on the description and classification of sedimentary rocks, and on the interpretation of their origin. The results provide unique insights into the geologic history of eastern North America. Two weekend field trips.

A project-oriented study of the processes and products of sediment formation, transport, deposition and lithification. Modern sediments and depositional environments of the Massachusetts coast are examined and compared with ancient sedimentary rocks of the Connecticut River Valley and eastern New York. Field and laboratory analyses focus on the description and classification of sedimentary rocks, and on the interpretation of their origin. The results provide unique insights into the geologic history of eastern North America. Two weekend field trips.

A project-oriented study of minerals and the information they contain about planetary processes. The theory and application to mineralogic problems of crystallography, crystal chemistry, crystal optics, x-ray diffraction, quantitative x-ray spectroscopy and other spectroscopic techniques. The course normally includes a weekend field trip to see minerals in the field. Prerequisite: 101 and 102, or 108, or FYS 103, or 102 with any other GEO 100-level course. 102 can be taken concurrently. Recommended: CHM 111 or equivalent.

A project-oriented study of minerals and the information they contain about planetary processes. The theory and application to mineralogic problems of crystallography, crystal chemistry, crystal optics, x-ray diffraction, quantitative x-ray spectroscopy and other spectroscopic techniques. The course normally includes a weekend field trip to see minerals in the field. Prerequisite: 101 and 102, or 108, or FYS 103, or 102 with any other GEO 100-level course. 102 can be taken concurrently. Recommended: CHM 111 or equivalent.

This course seeks to answer the following questions: What do we know about past climate and how do we know it? What causes climate to change? What have been the results of relatively recent climate change on human populations? What is happening today? What is likely to happen in the future? What choices do we have?