All Courses
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GMPA 8642A: Taking Measure of Unmeasurable
Many of the problems that students at MIIS want to work on are structural, complex (meaning non-linear), have long success horizons (i.e., no 1-5 year project can truly solve them), and are only partially amenable to standard approaches and methodologies for assessing impact. Indeed, the difficulty of “measuring” structural progress in things like racial, economic, gender, and climate justice incentivizes projects and programs with short time spans, highly quantified “outputs” and “outcomes” which can be successful during their life spans but frequently fail to produce long-term impacts. Our class will a) unpack the reasons for a reliance on project modalities in social development work (spoiler: it’s not because donors or public officials or NGO leaders are stupid), and b) introduce learners – at a conceptual level – to 8 approaches to assessing impact in complex, nonlinear, emergent contexts, approaches that can help us avoid “dumbing down” projects to measuring that which can be quantified, or counted.
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TIJA 8522A: Intrm WrittenTrans to Japanese
Builds on the theoretical and practical foundation laid in Introduction to Translation and introduces the translation of specialized subject matter. Depending upon the language program in which they are enrolled, students will be expected to acquire and demonstrate basic proficiency in the sight and written translation of either commercial and economic texts, legal texts, or scientific and technical texts. The amount of emphasis accorded to a particular topic will depend on the specific professional requirements of each language program. Course assignments will include readings, research, presentations, practice and graded exercises in sight translation, and practice and graded written translation assignments, including exercises in speed translation. Students will also be expected to take at least one midterm and one final exam. The frequency, nature, and structure of course assignments and examinations are largely at the discretion of the instructor(s) of record. <br /> <p>Prerequisite: Introduction to Translation or equivalent background.</p>
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TIJA 8524A: Interm Sight Trans to Japanese
Builds on the theoretical and practical foundation laid in Introduction to Translation and introduces the translation of specialized subject matter. Depending upon the language program in which they are enrolled, students will be expected to acquire and demonstrate basic proficiency in the sight and written translation of either commercial and economic texts, legal texts, or scientific and technical texts. The amount of emphasis accorded to a particular topic will depend on the specific professional requirements of each language program. Course assignments will include readings, research, presentations, practice and graded exercises in sight translation, and practice and graded written translation assignments, including exercises in speed translation. Students will also be expected to take at least one midterm and one final exam. The frequency, nature, and structure of course assignments and examinations are largely at the discretion of the instructor(s) of record. <br /> <p>Prerequisite: Introduction to Translation or equivalent background.</p>
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SPAN 3411A: Informal Written Spanish
Informal Written Spanish<br /> This course is designed for those students who need to develop their writing production skills, and who are making the transition from fourth-semester (Intermediate) to Advanced coursework in Spanish. Throughout the course, students shall analyze different discursive genres (text types), establish the base from which to improve their syntax, learn orthographical rules, refine their use of discursive connectors, and expand their vocabulary. The main goal is for the students to create their own texts intended for different communicative objectives, and acquire the necessary tools to develop their own style in Spanish writing. (1 unit)
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FYSE 1124A: AI, Writing, and Creativity
<strong>AI, Writing, and Creativity: The Imagination in the Digital Age</strong><br /> In this course we will explore the relationship between artificial intelligence, human writing, and creativity. Students will examine how AI systems like large language models are transforming creative expression while considering fundamental questions about imagination, authorship, and the nature of human creativity in the digital age.
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GGPD 8508A: Power, Social Change & Orgs
Power, Social Change, OrganizationsComplex social problems are beyond the capacity of any single organization – or sector -- to solve. Their sheer intractability suggests that we need new ways of both understanding the problems themselves and imagining solutions that span across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. This course will look at one such intractable problem – the fact that a very large percentage of workers in the United States do not come close to earning a living wage – and unpack the multiple reasons for this and the harms to society that this situation creates. The course will then challenge students to identify pathways forward towards achieving a society in which all workers receive a living wage. Learners will master tools and approaches for power, institutional, and hegemonic analysis; acquire knowledge about the actions needed to bring together odd bedfellows (organizations/sectors that do not normally work together); gain understanding of what a true living wage is in the US and how to calculate it; and will build a sophisticated understanding regarding how structural social change actually happens…vs. how we may wish it happens.