On-Campus Courses by Session
(Photo By Dartmouth News)
Session 1 Courses (June 29 - July 11, 2025)
All courses are subject to change.
Course Description
This course will introduce students to the exciting ways Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing medicine and transforming the healthcare industry.
Students will work on practical projects that apply AI to real-world healthcare scenarios. For example, they will use CNNs to build image classifiers that can detect tumors in medical images, such as X-rays and MRIs, learning how AI assists doctors in making accurate diagnoses. They’ll also dive into Natural Language Processing (NLP) with Large language Models like BERT and ChatGPT, using these techniques to analyze medical texts—such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs)—to automate and streamline the way patient information is processed.
Throughout the course, we’ll also explore important ethical questions, like how to ensure data privacy and reduce biases in AI models. These discussions will help students think critically about the responsibilities that come with using AI in healthcare. Students will gain hands-on experience working with healthcare datasets, building and fine-tuning AI models with popular programming tools like Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch. They'll develop an understanding of how AI can support healthcare providers in making faster, more accurate decisions. Through these projects, students will also learn about the ethical considerations in AI, equipping them with a balanced view of its potential and limitations.
This course provides a unique opportunity for students to explore the intersection of technology and medicine, empowering them with practical skills and a forward-looking perspective on how AI can improve healthcare.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will:
- Understand how AI is transforming healthcare, particularly in diagnostics and predictive analytics.
- Gain hands-on experience with advanced AI techniques, including CNNs and transformer models, applied to real-world healthcare datasets.
- Analyze the ethical implications of using AI in healthcare and propose strategies to ensure ethical model development.
- Develop programming proficiency in Python for healthcare AI applications.
- Work on projects related to medical imaging and text analysis, presenting their findings at the end of the session.
Prerequisites
High school algebra, and some familiarity with coding concepts (e.g., basic experience with any programming language such as Python, Java, or C++).
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce students to the interdisciplinary nature of microbiology, encompassing both biomedical and environmental aspects. Initially, participants will explore the fundamentals of microbiology using E. coli as a model organism. The course will then transition to the study of other microbes whose metabolic activities are critical to human and environmental health.
Lectures will focus on understanding the diverse ecosystems, both human and environmental, that harbor microbial life, as well as the metabolic adaptations that enable microorganisms to thrive in variable (or even extreme) conditions. The potential benefits of these 'extremophiles' for human health through biotechnological applications will also be discussed.
Additionally, the course will examine the intricate relationship between environmental factors and the spread of pathogens responsible for epidemics, such as COVID-19 and antibiotic resistance. A significant portion of the course will be dedicated to laboratory work, where students will learn essential wet lab techniques for culturing microbes and analyzing their metabolic activities. Participants will also investigate the effects of chemical and antibacterial contaminants on microbial life in controlled laboratory settings.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the significance of microbes in human and environmental health. They will develop critical thinking skills and the ability to formulate evidence-based scientific approaches to problem-solving. Participants will explore how environmental degradation contributes to the spread of diseases and how "healthy ecosystems" can help mitigate these issues.
Successful completion of the course will involve acquiring fundamental laboratory skills essential for both environmental and biomedical microbiology through a hands-on approach. Through practical laboratory experiments, participants will learn how microbes can be harnessed for human benefit. Additionally, laboratory work will emphasize teamwork and collaboration among participants.
Prerequisites
Participants are expected to have completed introductory courses in Biology and Chemistry at the high school level. While a background in environmental science is desirable, it is not mandatory. This course is intensive in laboratory work, and participants should demonstrate enthusiasm for learning laboratory techniques.
Course Description
This course is for students interested in basic understanding and familiarity with the elements and procedure of the American criminal justice system. The material will introduce students to the building blocks of criminal statutes, their essential items to be proven in a criminal case, and a familiarity to the basic outline and structure of the American criminal process from investigation to trial and appeal, as well as civil rights and constitutional safeguards intrinsic to the present-day system.
For a final project, students will choose or volunteer for assignment as role players in demonstrative scenario sketches of direct and cross examination of witnesses; jury selection; interrogation of suspects, and perhaps mock appellate moot court if time permits. Alternatively, students might write a brief research essay on selected issues in the course, or a short expositive legal brief.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Understand the dual necessity of criminal intent and guilty acts in combination to comprise traditional common law crimes, and the procedural requirements and safeguards in the constitutional American system of justice.
- Be able to recognize the elements of due process for defendants, and all citizens, in investigations, interrogations, searches and seizures, and the right to counsel, as well as basic due process guarantees in trials and other court room proceedings.
Prerequisites
A middle or high school course in government or civics is helpful but not required.
Course Description
This course is for students who are fascinated by the brain. A concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), can be life-altering. It can lead to permanent brain damage or worse. However, concussions can also heal quite rapidly, even with minimal intervention. When the brain is damaged due to concussions, a number of systems may be affected including balance, vision and cognition. In this course, students will learn fundamental principles of neuroscience by examining the cognitive and behavioral changes that can result from concussions. The course will include:
- An overview of neuroanatomy and neural communication
- How brain damage impacts thoughts, feelings, and behavior
- Emerging diagnostics and rehabilitation strategies for brain injury
For their capstone project, students will work in groups of two or three on presentations on a topic of their choice related to concussions, such as latest rehabilitation techniques, diagnostic tools, or other topics of interest.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify key brain pathways structures and functions
- Describe new advances in concussion screening and treatment
- Explain brain-behavior relationships
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
This two-week experiential course is ideal for high school students interested in building business skills and becoming conversant in key business concepts such as economics, finance, accounting, strategy and marketing. Project work takes place in smaller teams, thus modeling the teamwork aspect of the modern workplace, and providing the participants the opportunity to build or enhance collaboration and leadership skills. We will also consider how some of the concepts and methodologies used in business apply to our daily lives and decision-making.
In addition to instruction and discussion of real-life case studies, the hands-on valuation project is at epicenter of the course. Through the valuation project, we will explore how real companies think about clients and customers, how they make money and finance themselves, how they think about competition, innovation, and new projects, and how those decisions affect their value. The project culminates with a group presentation of project findings and analyses.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course, participants will:
- Have a solid grasp of concepts in areas such as economics, finance, strategy, and accounting.
- Be conversant in the ways businesses evaluate and make decisions about new projects.
- Understand the effects of compounding, (financial) leverage, and risk on expected returns.
- Be able to apply financial analysis methodologies to issues of personal finance.
- Be able to discuss the differences between breakthrough and disruptive innovation and identify relevant opportunities.
- Practice teamwork and collaboration on a real-life problem.
- Feel more confident about creating and delivering persuasive presentations.
- Have explored potential career areas in business.
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
Creative writing is a process of exploration and discovery. This creative writing workshop offers an intensive opportunity for eager and motivated students to investigate ideas and reflect on their experiences. Students will be challenged in both fiction and nonfiction, through short stories, nonfiction narratives, and personal essays, to produce work that will be critiqued by the professor with the aims of developing their skills in written expression and creating tools for critical evaluation of their writing. Students’ work will also be shared with the class in small groups where methods for constructive criticism will be developed and applied. In the writing workshops, personal attention will be given to each student. In addition, we’ll read excerpts from exemplary writers, and guest speakers will talk to us about their own development. The aim is to become more insightful writers, more perceptive readers, more confident students, and even more excited about writing.
Learning Outcomes
- Greater motivation and confidence about writing, and greater enjoyment
- Commitment to keep challenging themselves
- Greater understanding of the skills needed to improve and develop no matter what the level of achievement and ambition
- Deeper appreciation for the writing process and openness to what others write.
Prerequisites
None.
Course Description
Data Science is a multidisciplinary field that blends data inference, algorithm development, and technology, transforming raw data into meaningful insights and innovations. This course introduces high school students to this critical and burgeoning field. Emphasizing both quantitative analysis and qualitative interpretation, the program begins with Python programming fundamentals and advances through key concepts like data structures, manipulation, and exploratory data analysis (EDA). A special focus on Natural Language Processing (NLP) highlights the interdisciplinary nature of data science, integrating computational methods with linguistic insights. Students will engage in hands-on projects, delve into real-world datasets, and acquire skills to convert data into compelling stories and actionable intelligence. This course is a gateway into the expansive world of data science, where machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data are pivotal tools in shaping our future.
Learning Outcomes
- Proficiency in Python for Data Science: Gain hands-on experience in Python, focusing on its application in data science, including understanding data structures, and libraries like Pandas and NumPy.
- Fundamentals of Data Analysis and Visualization: Perform exploratory data analysis (EDA), interpret data through statistical methods, and create meaningful visualizations using tools like Matplotlib and Seaborn.
- Introduction to Natural Language Processing (NLP): Learn to process and analyze text data, including text manipulation, sentiment analysis, and creating visual representations like word clouds.
- Execution of Data Science: Work on exercises aligned with each day's topic, culminating in a project where students reflect on their discoveries.
- Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in Data Science: Develop critical thinking skills specific to data science, learning to approach problems analytically, question assumptions, and interpret results within context.
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
Animals engage in an array of fascinating behaviors, like hunting, foraging, mating, and migration. Neuroscientists are particularly interested in the link between behavior and the brain. In this course we will ask questions such as, how do bats echolocate? Does birdsong give us insight into how the human brain acquires language? What can a crab teach us about nervous system plasticity? We will relate these behaviors to the core principles of electrical and chemical transmission in the nervous system. This course will also introduce students to overarching concepts of computation by neurons, like rate coding, receptive fields, and feature detection. Students will engage with this material through a combination of readings, video content, in-class activities, and hands-on experiments.
As a capstone project, students will form small groups (~3 students per group) to investigate a topic of their own choosing (with feedback from the instructor) in the area of animal behavior and neuroscience. Each group will conduct a scientific literature search and give a brief presentation at the end of the course.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify foundational ideas in animal behavior (ethology).
- Identify mechanisms of action of the nervous system and how they relate to behavior in the model organisms that we studied.
- Appreciate the wide diversity of animal behavior and the corresponding diversity of nervous systems in the animal kingdom.
- Identify and evaluate key findings from influential experiments in the field of behavioral neuroscience and what they tell us about human brain function and behavior.
Prerequisites
A course in high school biology (preference for Honors or AP Biology, but not required). A course in Algebra.
Course Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has gained significant attention with tools like ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs). However, AI’s roots go much deeper, with methods developed over decades to solve specific, complex challenges like Sudoku, Chess, and even Wordle. Inspired by the popular CS176 course taught at the Thayer School of Engineering, this course is designed for students eager to explore these foundational AI techniques from classical search algorithms like breadth and depth-first search to an introduction to logic. The course includes:
- An introduction to classical AI methods including Search, Constraint Satisfaction Problems, Minimax, propositional and predicate logic, Bayesian networks.
- Development of problem-solving skills by applying these AI methods to toy problems including famous games and logic puzzles.
- Exploration of real-world applications by applying these techniques to fields like robotics, economics, and genomics.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Have a foundational understanding of classical AI methods.
- Be able to implement basic AI algorithms in Python to solve problems and take away a collection of useful code templates to revisit after the course.
- Gain a clear understanding of the applications and limitations of classical AI in real-world scenarios, along with an appreciation for how the current excitement around LLMs fits into the broader history of AI.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of programming (Python preferred). Basic probability equivalent to that of AP Statistics would be helpful but not required.
Session 2 Courses (July 6 - 18, 2025)
All courses are subject to change.
Course Description
Improving health outcomes is the most challenging frontier in medicine today. Health care systems are driven to develop strategies and formulate action plans to not only improve population health, but also close health disparity gaps amongst all patient populations. Such goals and initiatives throughout our healthcare landscape are critical to our collective future health. This course is designed for high school students motivated to pursue a medical career, particularly future physicians, nurses, or healthcare executives.
This course dives into the world of health equity, health disparities, and population health. We will explore the integration of these fields and their impact on patient health outcomes. Real life strategies will be discussed and analyzed as healthcare systems grapple with such imperative challenges. A focus on specific variables, including patient access, funding through community engagement, and data analytics will allow participants to gain an enriched understanding how to combat health disparities. Hear from leading experts in breast and colon cancer, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Learning from current examples of success, students will work in small groups to develop their own future strategies to aid at-risk populations in cancer screenings. This course will arm you with the understanding and tools to dramatically improve the health outcomes of numerous patients. Your future strategies could prove to be lifesaving.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will have gained understanding of:
- Fundamentals of Health Outcomes: Gain an in-depth knowledge centering around the topics of population health, health equity, social determinants of health, and health disparities.
- Actionable Variable Analysis: Daily discussions and field experts will provide key insights into how patient access, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and community engagement impact health equity and population health. Each student will grow to understand how each variable impacts health outcomes.
- Strategy Development: Extensive discussions and analysis of real-life strategies to improve breast cancer screening in rural Wisconsin allow students to understand how critical population-based strategies can positively impact population health.
- Critical Problem Solving: Through daily exercises, fruitful discussions, and topic experts, students will hone their understanding of the challenges, ultimately working in small groups to develop their own strategies to tackle population-based colon cancer screenings.
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
This course combines foundational entrepreneurial competencies with practical startup methodologies, guiding students through the process of conceptualizing, designing, and pitching a new business venture. The course uses a hands-on, project-based approach where participants engage in theory and practice, and begin working on their startup ideas from the very first day, applying the skills and knowledge they acquire in real time. Students will be guided to develop key personal entrepreneurial competencies, including creativity, innovation, resilience, strategic thinking, financial intuition, collaboration, and leadership, while simultaneously learning the essentials of startup methodology. Topics such as market research, customer discovery, business model development, lean startup methodology, marketing and financial planning are integrated into the startup project, ensuring that theoretical knowledge is immediately applied to practical challenges. The course culminates in a pitch presentation, where teams showcase their refined business concepts, supported by robust analysis and strategic planning.
Learning Outcomes
- Creative Problem-Solving: Generate innovative ideas and solutions to address market gaps.
- Innovation skills: Learn to think outside the box, adapt existing solutions, and create disruptive ideas to drive meaningful change.
- Adaptability and Resilience: Navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and refine ideas based on feedback.
- Strategic Thinking and Execution: Make informed decisions, prioritize effectively, and plan for long-term success.
- Collaboration and Leadership: Foster teamwork and lead with confidence during the project development process.
- Opportunity Recognition: Identify and evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities based on real-world needs.
Prerequisites
None.
Course Description
Civil wars are the most common form of conflict across the world, causing death, destruction, and humanitarian crises. Their impact on politics, economics, and international stability can extend far after the war ends. How can the international community address this pernicious problem? What determines whether interventions to stop the fighting are successful?
In this course, students will learn about the tools the global community uses to solve disputes and debate potential solutions to ongoing conflicts. We’ll start by looking at the intersection of foreign policy, strategy, and negotiation—what do countries want and how do they get it? Then we’ll dive into theories of conflict resolution and how the United Nations plays a role as a peacemaker across the world. The course culminates with an exciting, hands-on UN Security Council simulation, where students will tackle issues related to real-world conflicts, develop informed solutions, and put their negotiation skills to the test.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course, students will:
- Understand important concepts related to negotiation and how they are applied both in instances of civil war and within international organizations like the UN
- Learn about the causes of civil war onset and termination, and the effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies
- Apply their knowledge of conflict resolution identify potential solutions to three conflicts covered in our simulation
- Apply their knowledge of negotiation to identify ideal scenarios, trade-offs, coalition-building opportunities in our simulation
- Learn how to find and evaluate sources about events in international affairs
- Develop written communication skill from drafting resolutions and oral communication skills by presenting and debating during our simulation.
Prerequisites
None.
Course Description
This course is for students who are interested in learning more about how DNA can influence traits, including ones that can lead to serious health issues. From sickle cell anemia to schizophrenia, we’ll study how human diseases can be caused by variation in our genetic makeup and how our genes and our environment can interact to influence our traits. In this course, we’ll discuss what we do and don’t know about the relationship between genetics and disease and think about the possibilities of personalized medicine, with treatments tailored to your specific genetic profile. We’ll also cover the social and ethical implications of genetic research and talk about the risks and benefits of genetic testing and genomics.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and explain different types of inheritance patterns for genetic diseases.
- Describe how genes and the environment can interact to influence a person’s traits.
- Explain the concept of personalized medicine and how genetic information can be used to tailor
- medical treatments to an individual’s specific needs.
- Read and understand primary research literature in the field of human genetics.
- Discuss potential benefits and risks of genetic research and its impact on society.
Prerequisites
High school biology, preferably AP or honors
Course Description
This course is for students interested in both biology and coding, as well as modern advancements in the biological research methodology. Bioinformatics is a field of science that utilizes computer technology to collect, store, analyze, and interpret large biological datasets, like DNA and protein sequences, to gain a deeper understanding of biological processes and diseases. The course will cover the basics of DNA, RNA, and proteins within the cells of the body to establish a fundamental understanding of these components. We will also study key advancements within science over the past thirty years, including focusing on how scientists have sequenced the human genome, measured mRNA in cells, and measure real-time protein levels in experiments. The course culminates in a final group project for which students will design an experiment using real scientific data sets and present their experiment, methodology, and analyses to their peers.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course, students will:
- Learn the basics of cellular biology, including how DNA is replicated, RNA is transcribed/translated, and how scientists use experimental techniques to measure these processes.
- Learn how to code in R (or Python) and write/run code to perform scientific experimental analyses using publicly available data sets.
- Learn how to read scientific journal articles to better understand the modern scientific process.
- Gain insights into the day-to-day work of research scientists.
Prerequisites
A previous course in biology. Previous coding experience is helpful but not required.
Course Description
This course is for students interested in learning how to design mobile and web applications. We will dig deeper into how design can make the user experience more enjoyable, intuitive, and meaningful. Along the way we will explore user interface (UI), user experience (UX), and human-centered design principles as well as visual design practices and agile teamwork practices. This course will include how to use design tools such as Figma to create testable functional prototypes.
For the final project, participants will work in teams that include both designers from this course and full-stack web software engineers from a separate concurrent course, simulating a real-world product development environment. Each team will pitch an idea and then collaborate to create a functional web application from start to finish. Designers will focus on the user interface and experience, using tools like Figma to create detailed functional and user-testable prototypes, while developers will turn these designs into a working product using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the React framework. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team to create a product with real use.
This course will be taught within the DALI Lab, and we encourage students to learn more about DALI by visiting our website! An important component of this program is that we will work together in a supportive environment and focus on the important human skills of investing in each other, sharing our differences, team building, agile collaboration, building a better world, and thoughtful curiosity.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students will:
- Learn about design thinking principles, user research, and designing and prototyping in Figma.
- Engage in independent and team assignments to put these learned skills into practice.
- Be empowered to design an application on their own from start to completion.
- Experience genuine teamwork and collaboration.
Prerequisites
No prior knowledge needed. An interest about the intersection of design, graphics, art, and technology is recommended.
Course Description
This course is designed for students interested in understanding how web applications work and how they are created from scratch. Students will explore both the front-end (what users see) and back-end (how things work behind the scenes) of web development. The course will cover topics like user experience (UX), user interface (UI) design, the basics of programming for interactive web applications, and agile teamwork practices. Participants will learn to create scalable applications and code using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create fully functional applications to solve real-world problems. At the end of the course, you will collaborate with students from a concurrent design course to bring your ideas to life.
This course will be taught within the DALI lab, and we encourage students to learn more about DALI by visiting our website! An important component of this program is that we will work together in a supportive environment and focus on the important human skills of investing in each other, sharing our differences, team building, agile collaboration, building a better world, and thoughtful curiosity.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this course, students will:
- Be able to develop a simple web application with structure, styling, and functionality.
- Understand key concepts of web development, including layout creation, front-end coding, and back-end logic.
- Gain hands-on experience in both individual and group projects, applying design thinking and coding to create functional and visually appealing websites.
- Be able to transform their ideas into working prototypes and build a basic web app.
- Experience genuine teamwork and collaboration.
Prerequisites
Some prior experience coding is necessary. Knowledge of concepts like data types, operators, conditionals, loops, and objects is highly recommended. Prior experience could be gained through online materials, boot camps, high school computer science courses, etc.
Course Description
This course invites students to explore the fascinating world of sociology by examining everyday behaviors and the social structures that shape them. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks and practical activities, students will delve into topics such as social norms, deviance, group behavior, and popular culture. Using a sociological lens, participants will critically analyze their own environments and the forces that influence conformity, identity, and cultural rituals. By integrating foundational sociological theories with real-world applications, this course empowers students to better understand and navigate the social dynamics of modern life.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain key sociological concepts and theories, including the works of foundational thinkers like Emile Durkheim and Erving Goffman.
- Analyze everyday social interactions and phenomena using a sociological perspective.
- Conduct ethical and insightful social experiments, such as norm violation exercises, to observe and understand societal reactions.
- Critique the role of media and popular culture in shaping and reflecting social norms and group dynamics.
- Apply sociological terminology to real-life observations through reflective journaling and discussion.
- Collaborate effectively with peers to explore and present sociological ideas and findings
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
This course is for anyone who wants their writing to be better and more interesting. With the exception of private diaries, everything we write, for business, school or leisure, is meant for someone else to read. That is more likely to happen if it is interesting. This course teaches how to use the three most important elements of non-fiction, structure, voice and perspective, to make writing better. It also exposes students to many areas of non-fiction they may be unfamiliar with and reveals the importance of writing in our lives. Coursework will include instruction, reading, writing, round table analysis and guest speakers.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Be able to use writing strategies and the key elements of non-fiction, including non-linear structure, to make their words jump off the page.
- Apply the techniques and strategies taught in this course to all areas of non-fiction, from book-length works to essays, memoirs, articles, research papers, blogs, and more, across all subject areas (sports, travel, arts, history, etc.).
- Learn to tell your stories better, in a more interesting way that will help you with all of your writing going forward.
Prerequisites
None
Hybrid Courses (on-campus July 13-20, 2025)
All courses are subject to change.
Course Description
The clean energy transition – one of the greatest challenges and opportunities of our time – is underway. Leaders in every sector need to navigate the rapidly changing energy landscape to contribute to a sustainable future. This course introduces students to the current trends and technologies at the forefront of clean energy and equips them to assess the sustainability of energy use in real facilities and propose new solutions. This course is for those who want to accelerate an affordable, reliable, and equitable clean energy transition for the benefit of society. The course will be taught by Dartmouth faculty and professionals in the energy industry.
In the online week, students learn about energy and the current landscape of the energy transition – why it matters, what is happening, what can facilitate the transition, and what barriers slow it down.
In the week on campus, students will attend class in a LEED Platinum green building and learn to “see energy” through classroom activities, tours of the decarbonization underway on Dartmouth’s campus, and engagement with Dartmouth faculty and energy industry professionals. A variety of energy careers will be showcased across both weeks. Students will complete a group project to assess a facility’s energy usage and present it to their peers.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain why the clean energy transition matters and key facilitators and barriers.
- Assess a facility’s energy usage and the resulting climate impacts through
- Interpreting energy bills
- “Seeing energy” in a facility walk through
- Benchmarking a facility’s energy usage against peer facilities
- Scale the assessment for a statewide estimate
- Describe a variety of career opportunities in the clean energy transition.
Prerequisites
Ability to perform basic unit conversions; a course either in high school chemistry or physics.
Course Description
This course explores the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) has on our current and future political institutions as AI becomes more broadly accessible to populations around the world. Offering students an engaging introduction to the intersection between technology and democracy, this course is designed for students curious about political science and AI. Through interactive discussions and case studies, students will explore topics like election integrity, political participation, freedom of speech, governance, and the benefits and harms AI can pose to democracy. They will also learn to critically analyze the ethical and practical challenges of integrating AI into democratic societies worldwide.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- understand the main types of political systems.
- learn to evaluate the benefits and risks of AI in political systems, including its impact on election monitoring, disinformation, civic engagement, and governance.
- be equipped to critically engage with debates on AI regulation and propose solutions to ethical challenges in the use of AI for democratic purposes.
Prerequisites
An interest in political science, ethics, or technology will enrich the learning experience, but prior knowledge of these areas is not necessary.