Remembered Princeton Courses in Politics and Neuroscience That Made a Lasting Impact
Ryan Champeau, Social Sciences Correspondent
As a junior at Princeton University majoring in Social Policy (SPIA), Ryan Champeau shares his favorite courses that have not only expanded his knowledge but also enriched his university experience.
During his first and third years, Champeau found himself frantically searching for the best courses online, a common practice among many students. He recommends drafting your schedule in advance to avoid last-minute schedule conflicts.
Two seminars that stood out for Champeau were SPI401: Rethinking Criminal Justice and SPI404: Impatient Politics. These courses provided valuable insights into the criminal justice system and political decision-making, respectively.
Other recommended courses include PSY254: Developmental Psychology, SPI333: Law, Institutions, and Public Policy, POL327: Mass Media, Social Media, and American Politics, and PHI352: Philosophy of Bias. These courses offer a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical applications, providing students with a well-rounded understanding of their respective subjects.
In SPI340: The Psychology of Decision Making and Judgment, taught by Professor Eldar Shafir, real-world context is applied to each unit, offering students a valuable opportunity to make a difference on campus. Meanwhile, PSY338: From Animal Learning to Changing People's Minds, taught by Professor Yael Niv, provides students with the chance to complete a creative end-of-semester project.
FRS147: How People Change: Short Stories and Life's Transitions, a freshman semester course taught by Sheila Kohler, feels like art as you delve into a new short story each week. At the end of the course, students share their stories, and Professor Kohler invites them to her home in NYC to celebrate.
Champeau recommends taking a seminar that makes writing the junior paper feel like a passion. He plans to cover the course recommendations of seniors in a variety of disciplines in a future post.
Course enrollment is a month away, and Champeau hopes this article serves as a resource for those asking the same question and introduces them to new courses of interest. However, it's important to note that his recommendations may not cover all disciplines, such as math, sociology, and economics.
For those interested in advanced computational courses, Champeau suggests POL346: Applied Quantitative Analysis, a course that brings your R programming skills to the next level.
Princeton University offers several memorable, research-based courses and programs across diverse subjects that provide unique experiential learning opportunities. The Princeton Laboratory Learning Program (LLP) is a prestigious, elite summer program for high school students focusing on cutting-edge STEM research. The university also boasts over 30 undergraduate degrees and numerous graduate programs spanning fields such as Neuroscience, Computer Science, Economics, Architecture, Public Policy, and Environmental Engineering. Many of these courses integrate rigorous research components and practical learning, such as the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, which focuses on sustainable energy technology development through multidisciplinary research and active collaboration.
In summary, Princeton’s unique learning experiences arise from combining foundational coursework across diverse disciplines with intensive research opportunities like the LLP, multidisciplinary centers like the Andlinger Center, and advanced computational courses, all designed to immerse students deeply in inquiry and innovation.
- Ryan Champeau, in his future post, plans to cover the course recommendations of seniors concerning their senior thesis, emphasis being on discovering a seminar that makes writing the junior paper feel like a passion for personal growth and learning.
- For students interested in education-and-self-development through advanced computational courses, Princeton University offers POL346: Applied Quantitative Analysis, a course that not only enhances R programming skills but also serves as a stepping stone towards a senior thesis, such as a senior thesis in a field like Economics or Public Policy.
