EMC Course Descriptions 2013 Sample for Instructor Use Only

EMC Course Descriptions 2013
Sample for Instructor Use Only
Abnormal Psychology
Come explore the mind! In this course you'll be introduced to the exciting field of abnormal psychology. We'll
examine the fascinating history of mental health practice, and learn how psychologists today assess and treat
mental health issues. We'll visit Queen's University's state-of-the-art MRI scanner, tour some psychology labs,
have our questions answered by practicing psychologists, and design our own study.
Anatomy of the Human Body
This course will highlight the five major systems of the body, including the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular,
respiratory, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems. Students will learn from cadaveric tissues, microscopic
specimens, and have the exclusive opportunity to visit the Gross Anatomy Museum and Laboratory to explore
the human body, inside and out! Guest speakers include the President of the Canadian Association of
Anatomy, Neurobiology and Cell Biology, a highly-ranked professor from the Department of Anatomy, as well
as a leading cardiologist from Kingston General Hospital. This course will be taught by multiple instructors
who specialize in specific topics.
Biomedical Engineering: Keeping people moving
People tend to "break down" for a variety of reasons. Age, disease and injury to the musculoskeletal system
of the human body can lead to a loss of mobility, which drastically impacts quality of life. Biomedical
Engineering is a fusion of medicine, science and engineering in order to solve these problems and restore
mobility and quality of life. In this course we will learn more about biomedical engineering, the design and
mechanics of the musculoskeletal system, motion tracking and mechanics of human mobility, regenerative
medicine and artificial tissue, and the design and development of artificial joints.
Cancer Today
Cancer is a disease affecting millions of people in North America. In this course students will study what
cancer is, what causes a normal cell to become cancerous, how we now treat the disease, and what new
approaches are being researched. Information will be gathered through lectures and hands-on activities, such
as DNA modeling, reviewing real cancer cases, and cancer risk assessment. In-depth discussions about genetic
counselling, interviews with cancer survivors and advice for career paths from clinical and basic science
faculty are offered over the run of the course.
Comedy is a Serious Business
Comedy is everywhere—in movies, on television and the internet—but making comedy isn’t as easy as it
seems. In this course Trevor Strong (of the comedy group Arrogant Worms) leads you into the tricky world of
writing and performing humour. Learn how to find a comedic idea, develop its possibilities, and make it better
using such tricks of the trade as repetition, exaggeration, timing, and repetition. This is an intensive,
interactive, irreverent course, so come prepared to do the serious work needed to make good humour.
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Computing: LEGO Robotics and Programming
The course will introduce students to basic concepts and skills of programming through LEGO Mindstorms®
and Python. First, the students will learn, design, build, and program LEGO robots to compete in simulated
Olympic events with the aid of NXT software. By the end of this section, students will know how to instruct
the robots to interact with their environment using sound, touch, color, and distance sensors. Next, the
students will learn a new language, Python, to experience real life programming scenarios. Simple statements
and structures such as "if" and "loop" will be introduced. By the end of class, students will be able to write
simple Python programs such as a matrix multiplication.
Contemporary Drawing and Mixed Media
Students will explore contemporary practices and will broaden their understanding of drawing with an
emphasis on varied and mixed media. Students will visit campus galleries to study examples of contemporary
drawing, paper art and artists, and will adopt artists as “mentors” in their own creative process. You will learn
how using various media (e.g. pinecones, shells, bolts, sticks, etc.) can create interest and a cohesive image.
Students will work towards a small drawing installation based on techniques and materials introduced in
class.
Creative Writing: Secrets of the Pen
Discover the secrets writers use to create successful and popular stories. Spiderman, Star Wars, Twilight,
Harry Potter and other successful examples of genre fiction use powerful story-writing techniques to stir the
emotions while conveying meaning, values, and wisdom. If you have a desire to write fiction for any medium
(novels, screenplays, comic books, plays, etc.), this course will show you the methods writers use and guide
you through the complete process of finding story ideas, creating memorable, four-dimensional characters,
and structuring an emotionally compelling plot. In a few short days, you will go from "no idea" to an original
story treatment.
Disease Detectives: From Health Research to Policy Change
Disease Detectives is an interactive course which will expose students to health research and how its findings
affect policy change. Students will learn about how to conduct health research through doing a mini-study
which will include the development of a study question, creation of a study questionnaire, administration of
the questionnaire and data collection, data analysis, and the formation of conclusions based on the results.
The students will have the opportunity to create a scientific poster and present their findings to other
students in the course, as well as to faculty and students in the Department of Community Health and
Epidemiology. This course will introduce students to various study methods, ways of conducting health
research, and data sources. Students will learn about different aspects of public health and epidemiology.
Engineering the Green Power of the Future
Students will learn the fundamentals of electricity production and current technology in an interactive
environment. The course will feature math and science problems, laboratories, designing and building miniwind turbines, and visits to research facilities such as the ePOWER lab, Solar Education Centre, the Energy
House, and others. Students will learn about wind, solar and wave energy.
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Environmental Science: Our water use matters
Students will learn about environmental policy, decision making, and engineering from a Canadian
perspective. Students will be provided with knowledge of how environmental and water related issues are
dealt with in Canada using explaining field activities, lab activities, and calculations. This will be linked to some
current environmental issues in Canada including the Highland 'Mega Quarry' and Canada's use of the
Athabasca Oil Sands. The course will be taught with a mixture of computer and physical models in labs and
will include guided group discussion on some of these topical environmental issues. Students will be
encouraged to use critical thinking and will learn how to deconstruct what is presented in the news and
documentaries.
Fine Art: Art Quake
This is an inspiring process oriented course for students willing to delve into the creative journey. It is for
those with a yearning to create and willingness to step outside their comfort zone. Each day students will
explore a new fun project. We will work from photos and real life. Students will work with clay, wire and
acrylic paints. We will be motivated by the works of great artists: Van Gogh, Picasso, Carr, O'Keefe, Kahlo,
Kandinsky, Hunderwasser and others. Students will gain an understanding of why we produce art and
investigate the motivation behind creations. We will learn how artists from various time periods and cultures
are inspired to create art. Be prepared to expand your boundaries around art.
International Political Economy
While the study of international relations often focuses on guns, bombs and wars, the global political
economy plays an equally important role in world politics. Economists have explained the 2007-2008
financial crisis with reference to various market and regulatory failures, but these developments had
important political causes that are often overlooked. This course provides a broad introduction to the field of
international political economy (IPE) while focusing on the recent financial crisis in a way that helps us to
understand the day-to-day functioning of international politics.
Literature: Poetry, Pop-Culture & Personal Awareness
Language is the foundation to thought and therefore culture is understood using language. Throughout this
course we will analyze poetry and breakdown the meanings of words. Students will learn how to express
themselves and will become more aware and mindful of their surroundings. Through lecture, discussion and
YouTube videos, students will begin to understand the agenda/discourse that is present in media and pop
culture. Students will develop an understanding of Anglo-American poetry and will learn how to apply the
same meanings to modern pop culture.
Making Photographs
Students will work with a professional photographer on composition, lighting, concept and modification of
your own photographs. The class will also expose students to a variety of local, Canadian, and International
photographers from both a historical and contemporary perspective. You will shoot on and around our
Queen's campus and learn some Photoshop tips and tricks. Please note: Students are expected to bring their
own digital camera to the class.
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Manipulating Metal
Take part in a multiple-day hands-on lab! Students will learn all about shaping and testing of metals, and the
fundamental principles used to strengthen and choose various metals. You'll be able to see metals forming in
person and run the testing equipment yourself. You'll learn how to prepare a metal sample for observation
under a microscope, and learn how to interpret what you see. What makes some metals stronger than
others? How are metals shaped and tested in the industry? Learn how materials engineering is applicable in
daily life and enhance your understanding of the world around you.
Materials Science and Engineering
All vehicles, structures, and products are made with careful consideration of the materials involved. For
engineers to construct the world around us, it is necessary to understand what materials are made of, how
they fail, and how to design them for better performance. The field of materials science and engineering is at
the forefront of making cars safer, armour stronger, and aircraft lighter. This course will give you an exciting
look into the study of materials and the countless possibilities they present. Many practical examples of the
real world materials will be discussed, interactive lab experiments will be conducted, and the chance to
engineer your own material will be provided.
Oil Sands and Nuclear Energy
Oil has been the most valuable commodity in the world and wars have occurred because of it. Why is that?
Oil is used as fuel for energy and it is also the building block of plastics. It is essential for our daily lives;
however there is a world-wide energy crisis. Students will learn how Canadians are working to solve that with
the biggest oil sands business in the world. Oil’s economic, environmental, and political impacts are so
aggressive that they spark heated debates between the corporate players and the environmentalists every
day. Are oil sands the only solution? What about nuclear energy? Students will learn about the 2011
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan. Students will explore the economic and political complexities of
these industries during the course.
Pathology and Molecular Medicine
This course will provide students with a thorough introduction to the field of Pathology & Molecular
Medicine. Topics will include genetics, cancer, neuropathology, pharmacology and toxicology and many
others. We will tour the Queen's University Anatomy Museum and the Patient Simulation Laboratory.
Students will also have the opportunity to solve their own diagnostic cases. The course will include lectures
from graduate students, professors and doctors in the field. Please note: Only grade 10-12 students may
enrol in this course due to the advanced nature of the course.
Physics and the Human Body
What do magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the perfect free throw, radiation therapy, and Olympic sprinters
have in common? They all involve physics. Discover how physics makes medical imaging and diagnosis
possible, why race-walkers are able to move so quickly, and how humans are able to hear. Students will learn
about current medical technologies involving physics, the physics of sight, hearing and even your favourite
sport. Through lectures, labs, and group presentations, students will gain a new appreciation for the everyday
physics around them.
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Satellite Positioning and Navigation Systems
Have you ever wondered how a small 4-inch smart-phone can calculate our position and guide us in a trip?
Have you ever thought about how modern navigation systems in airplanes and vehicles work? In this course
you will learn how Global Positioning Systems (GPS) work. Through lectures, computer simulation, videos, real
experiments, a lab visit and a field trip, the course explains how satellites orbiting around Earth can provide
accurate position, speed, and orientation of objects on or near Earth. After learning scientific basics, students
will collect GPS field data using receivers and will learn how to use this data to calculate the position of an
object. In the field trip and lab visit, students will also learn about inertial navigation system (INS) and how it
helps and complements GPS.
Sociology: Crime and Criminology
In this course, students will be introduced to the theoretical foundations and research methods of crime and
criminology. Through lectures, presentations, videos, debates and discussions, and a final poster project,
students will understand the most important theories that explain crime and its control. Students will be
exposed to the different social problems that lead to criminal activity and the way each theoretical statement
works to explain it. We will also analyse the methods used by researchers to study crime. Students will apply
a survey to their classmates, and present their findings to the class using the theories learned.
Song-writing and Recording
How do you start to write a song? We will explore the art of song-writing through hands-on experience in a
workshop setting. We will develop and hone our ability to work with ideas, lyrics, melody, and groove. We
will work in an encouraging, playful atmosphere, in small and large groups, as well as individually. This week
long workshop will be a whirlwind experience of experimentation with ideas, sounds and lyrics as we create
and record ‘demos’ of your songs (either individually or in small groups). No previous song-writing experience
is necessary, only a willingness to experience and take risks. Note: Everything will happen FAST!
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