Online courses directory (2511)

This is a undergraduate course. It will cover normed spaces, completeness, functionals, Hahn-Banach theorem, duality, operators; Lebesgue measure, measurable functions, integrability, completeness of L-p spaces; Hilbert space; compact, Hilbert-Schmidt and trace class operators; as well as spectral theorem.

This course covers harmonic theory on complex manifolds, the Hodge decomposition theorem, the Hard Lefschetz theorem, and Vanishing theorems. Some results and tools on deformation and uniformization of complex manifolds are also discussed.

This course introduces principles and technologies for converting heat into electricity via solid-state devices. The first part of the course discusses thermoelectric energy conversion and thermoelectric materials, thermionic energy conversion, and photovoltaics. The second part of the course discusses solar thermal technologies. Various solar heat collection systems will be reviewed, followed by an introduction to the principles of solar thermophotovoltaics and solar thermoelectrics. Spectral control techniques, which are critical for solar thermal systems, will be discussed.

This course discusses MHD equilibria in cylindrical, toroidal, and noncircular tokamaks. It covers derivation of the basic MHD model from the Boltzmann equation, use of MHD equilibrium theory in poloidal field design, MHD stability theory including the Energy Principle, interchange instability, ballooning modes, second region of stability, and external kink modes. Emphasis is on discovering configurations capable of achieving good confinement at high beta.

This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism, including electric fields, magnetic fields, electromagnetic forces, conductors and dielectrics, electromagnetic waves, and the nature of light.

Course Format

This course has been designed for independent study. It includes all of the materials you will need to understand the concepts covered in this subject. The materials in this course include:

• A complete set of Lecture Videos by renowned MIT Physics Professor Walter Lewin
• A complete set of detailed Course Notes, replacing the need for a traditional course textbook
• A complete set of Class Slides, with overviews and illustrations of the concepts and applications of the subject
• Homework Problems and Concept Questions to gauge your understanding of and progress through the materials
• Homework Help Videos in which Prof. Lewin takes viewers step-by-step through solving homework problems
• Visualizations of electromagnetic phenomena which are normally invisible to the human eye
• An online study group at OpenStudy where you can connect with other independent learners

The content has been organized for linear progression through each of the Course Modules, starting with Electric Fields and concluding with The Nature of Light. It is a self-study course that you can work through at your own pace.

About OCW Scholar

OCW Scholar courses are designed specifically for OCW's single largest audience: independent learners. These courses are substantially more complete than typical OCW courses, and include new custom-created content as well as materials repurposed from previously published courses. Learn more about OCW Scholar.

This class provides a historical survey of the ways that people have interacted with their closest animal relatives, for example: hunting, domestication of livestock, exploitation of animal labor, scientific study of animals, display of exotic and performing animals, and pet keeping. Themes include changing ideas about animal agency and intelligence, our moral obligations to animals, and the limits imposed on the use of animals.

This course presents a challenging multi-dimensional perspective on the causes of human disease and mortality. The course focuses on analyses of major causes of mortality in the US since 1900: cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and infectious diseases. Students create analytical models to derive estimates for historically variant population risk factors and physiological rate parameters, and conduct analyses of familial data to separately estimate inherited and environmental risks. The course evaluates the basic population genetics of dominant, recessive and non-deleterious inherited risk factors.

This course introduces the concepts, techniques, and devices used to measure engineering properties of materials. There is an emphasis on measurement of load-deformation characteristics and failure modes of both natural and fabricated materials. Weekly experiments include data collection, data analysis, and interpretation and presentation of results.

The course provides a survey of the theory and application of time series methods in econometrics. Topics covered will include univariate stationary and non-stationary models, vector autoregressions, frequency domain methods, models for estimation and inference in persistent time series, and structural breaks.

We will cover different methods of estimation and inferences of modern dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models (DSGE): simulated method of moments, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian approach. The empirical applications in the course will be drawn primarily from macroeconomics.

This course examines the fundamentals of detection and estimation for signal processing, communications, and control. Topics covered include: vector spaces of random variables; Bayesian and Neyman-Pearson hypothesis testing; Bayesian and nonrandom parameter estimation; minimum-variance unbiased estimators and the Cramer-Rao bounds; representations for stochastic processes, shaping and whitening filters, and Karhunen-Loeve expansions; and detection and estimation from waveform observations. Advanced topics include: linear prediction and spectral estimation, and Wiener and Kalman filters.

This subject surveys main currents of European cultural and intellectual history in the modern period. Such a foundation course is central to the humanities in Europe. The curriculum introduces a set of ideas and arguments that have played a formative role in European cultural history, and acquaints them with some exemplars of critical thought. Among the topics to be considered: the critique of religion, the promise of independence, the advance of capitalism, the temptations of Marxism, the origins of totalitarianism, and the dialects of enlightenment. In addition to texts, we will also discuss pieces of art, incl. paintings and film.

This course covers Lessons 27 through 30 of Japanese: The Spoken Language by Eleanor H. Jordan with Mari Noda. The goal of the course is to continue expanding grammar and vocabulary by further developing four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The goal is to acquire the ability to use Japanese appropriately with increasing spontaneity emphasized, and to be prepared to become an independent learner to the point where you are capable of handling authentic Japanese by yourself, without fear or hesitation.

The Great Depression and World War II permanently changed American politics and society. Topics include: the Great Crash, the New Deal, Roosevelt, the home front, the Normandy Invasion, and the atomic bomb. Explores those events through film, novels, newspapers, and other historical documents.

This course focuses on the archaeology of the Greek and Roman city. It investigates the relationship between urban architecture and the political, social, and economic role of cities in the Greek and Roman world, by analyzing a range of archaeological and literary evidence relevant to the use of space in Greek and Roman cities (e.g. Athens, Paestum, Rome, Pompeii) and a range of theoretical frameworks for the study of ancient urbanism.

This seminar aims to develop a teaching knowledge of the field through extensive reading and discussion of major works. The reading covers a broad range of topics - political, economic, social, and cultural - and represents a variety of historical methods.

This course explores the design of innovative educational technologies and creative learning environments, drawing on specific case studies such as the LEGO® Programmable Brick, Scratch software and Computer Clubhouse after-school learning centers. Includes activities with new educational technologies, reflections on learning experiences, and discussion of strategies and principles underlying the design of new tools and activities.

This project-based course will explore the future of textiles, focusing particularly on blending rich crafting traditions with new technologies. Topics will include textile-based electronics, textile fabrication, algorithmic pattern design, and composites. We will experiment with a wide range of fibers, yarns, and fabrics including traditional materials like wool and cotton as well as metal fibers and yarns, fusible plastics, papers, and resins. We will also explore techniques like felting, laser cutting, CNC knitting, digital printing, and CNC embroidery. Students will complete weekly hands-on assignments and a final project.