Get Involved :: Take a Class on Nuclear Weapons Issues
Most universities offer a class addressing US nuclear weapons policy at least once per year. These classes are excellent opportunities to learn more about pressing social justice issues, earn academic credit, and connect with other students interested in similar issues. Usually, such a class is offered through the political science, history, global studies, international relations, and/or physics departments. Student and faculty interest influence when such a class is offered and whether or not multiple classes are offered.
The list below includes a sampling of recent course offerings within the UC system. Please refer to the university registrar or contact the academic departments directly with any questions regarding enrolling in the class. If you have taken any of these classes, we are interested in hearing from you. Please send us a message at youth@napf.org. We are particularly interested in hearing: What did you enjoy most about the class? Would you recommend the class to others? How would you approach teaching a class on nuclear proliferation issues?
UC Berkeley | UC Davis | UC Irvine | UC Los Angeles | UC Riverside
UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Santa Cruz | UC Washington Center
 10 Tips for Conducting Research
| The University of California and the Military-Industrial-Nuclear Weapons Complex:Past, Present and Future | Top |
Course: |
Special Studies Course - Education 98/198 |
Description: |
"This student-facilitated course—The University of California and the Military-Industrial-Nuclear Weapons Complex: Past, Present and Future—will examine the role of the University of California in the development and production of nuclear weapons of mass destruction from the period of the Manhattan project through the Cold War to the current era of US global political and economic supremacy..." |
URL: |
http://www.berkeleywatch.org/pages/decal.html |
| Quantitative Aspects of Global Environmental Problems | Top |
Course: |
Energy and Resources Group 102, formerly Environmental Sciences 102 |
Description: |
Transport and fate of persistent pollutants, impact of human activities on climate, acid precipitation and other interventions in biogeochemical cycles, environmental consequences of nuclear war |
URL: |
http://socrates.berkeley.edu/erg/index.shtml |
| Ethics and the Impact of Technology on Society | Top |
Course: |
Engineering 124, formerly Letters and Science 124 |
Description: |
This course focuses on the changing nature of technology and the complex ethical issues that are emerging as a result. These new issues are arising in such areas as biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnology, and nuclear technology. The nature of these issues, their ethical, legal, and social ramifications, and what our society values in relation to these issues are discussed. Philosophy, religion, and the natural and social sciences will be explored in relation to these issues. |
URL: |
http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/ |
| Issues in Nuclear Science and Technology | Top |
Course: |
Nuclear Engineering 39 |
Description: |
Introduction to technical, social, institutional, and ethical issues in nuclear engineering; nuclear reactions and radiation, radiation protection and control, nuclear energy production and utilization, nuclear fuel cycle, reactor safety, controlled fusion, nuclear waste, medical, and other applications of radiation, nuclear nonproliferation and arms control and engineering ethics. |
URL: |
http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/ |
| Non-violence Today | Top |
Course: |
Peace and Conflict Studies 164B |
Description: |
The development of nonviolence since the Civil Rights movement. Nonviolent theory and practice seen in recent insurrectionary movements (freedom struggles), social justice struggles, nonviolent intervention across borders and protection of the environment in the emerging world of global corporatism. |
URL: |
http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/iastp/pacs/pacs.html |
| National Security Policy | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 132 |
Description: |
Development of national security policies since 1945. Analysis of deterrence and assumptions upon which it is based. Effects of nuclear weapons upon conduct of war, alliance systems, and the international system. Prospects of security and stability through arms control. |
URL: |
http://why.ucdavis.edu/academics/majors/pol.cfm?majors_list=divsocsci_majors.inc |
| Science and Technology of Nuclear Arms Effects and Control | Top |
Course: |
Physics 137, Applied Science Engineering 137 |
Description: |
Scientific and technical aspects of nuclear arms effects and nuclear arms control including nuclear physics of atomic and hydrogen bombs, blast and radiation effects, radioactivity, electromagnetic pulse, ICBM accuracy, laser weapons, verification safeguards, biological and ecological effects. Emphasis on order of magnitude calculations. |
URL: |
http://www.physics.ucdavis.edu/ |
| Nuclear Environments | Top |
Course: |
International Studies 122, Environmental Analysis and Design E127 |
Description: |
Understanding the impact of the nuclear age on the environment and human health through the interrelated developments of nuclear power and nuclear weapons. The early years of weapon development, catastrophic environmental pollution, perils of nuclear power in the U.S. and Russia. |
URL: |
http://hypatia.ss.uci.edu/istudies/ |
| Global Security and Cooperation | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 43D |
Description: |
Examination of global conflict and cooperation since World War II, and future prospects. The Cold War, nuclear arms race, regional conflicts, arms proliferation and control, deterrence theory, psychology of conflict, governmental and nongovernmental efforts to promote global peace and cooperation. Covers solutions to the problem of war including nuclear deterrence. |
URL: |
http://www.polisci.uci.edu/ |
| Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 129 |
Description: |
Introduces students to the politics of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Topics covered include why states develop such weapons and whether possession of them increases or decreases the likelihood of war. Also covered are international efforts to stop weapons proliferation, and specific cases of proliferation such as those in India, and Pakistan, North Korea, Iraq, and Iran. |
URL: |
http://www.polisci.uci.edu/ |
| Nuclear Weapons: Critical Decisions | Top |
Course: |
Environment M165, Policy Studies M116, and Political Science M139B |
Description: |
Examination of critical decisions regarding nuclear weapons, starting with President Roosevelt's decision to build atomic bomb and ending with current policies on containing nuclear proliferation and on avoiding nuclear catastrophe. |
URL: |
http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/ |
| Political and Economic Issues in Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons | Top |
Course: |
Economics 138, formerly numbered M188A |
Description: |
Interdisciplinary approach to problem of nuclear proliferation. Economic aspects of acquisition of nuclear weapons and economic aspects of nuclear energy treating technological, bargaining, and stability issues. |
URL: |
http://econweb.sscnet.ucla.edu/ |
| The Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 129 |
Description: |
Introduces students to the politics of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Topics covered include why states develop such weapons and whether possession of them increases or decreases the likelihood of war. Also covered are international efforts to stop weapons proliferation, and specific cases of proliferation such as those in India, and Pakistan, North Korea, Iraq, and Iran. |
URL: |
http://www.politicalscience.ucr.edu/ |
| Political Economy of Health | Top |
Course: |
Anthropology 160 |
Description: |
Examines critical medical anthropology. Focuses on the linkages between political economy, health, and healthcare systems in modern societies. Considers the effects of poverty, occupation, and environmental transformation in particular social contexts. Looks at four case studies: the political economy of HIV/AIDS, poverty, famine, and nuclear regulation. |
URL: |
http://www.anthropology.ucr.edu/ |
| Peace and War | Top |
Course: |
Religious Studies 176 |
Description: |
A study of peace and war from diverse religious and ethical perspectives. Addresses nuclear and conventional war and revolutionary wars of liberation as ethical issues requiring social policy and personal decision. Topics include "just war," "holy war," nonviolence, and pacifism. |
URL: |
http://www.religiousstudies.ucr.edu/ |
| Formal Models in International Relations | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 247B |
Description: |
Explores formal analytic and primarily game-theoretic research in international relations with emphasis on conflict and bargaining. Topics include: causes of war and peace, conventional and nuclear deterrence, crisis bargaining, arms race, and two-level games. |
URL: |
http://polisci.ucsd.edu/ |
| Origins of the Atomic Age | Top |
Course: |
History 111 |
Description: |
The atomic bomb changed the world. We examine the origins and impact of the atomic age: the discovery of radioactivity; the Manhattan project and bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ; the H-bomb, nuclear fallout, and the modern environmental movement. |
URL: |
http://historyweb.ucsd.edu/ |
| International Politics and Security | Top |
Course: |
International Relations and Pacific Studies 410 |
Description: |
Development of analytic tools for understanding international relations with applications to contemporary problems such as the environment, nuclear proliferation, human rights, humanitarian interventions, and the roots of conflict and cooperation among countries. |
URL: |
http://www.intlstudies.ucsd.edu/ |
| Ethical Issues in International Relations | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 119 |
Description: |
An examination of the possibility and desirability of normative international political theory and an exploration of the moral dimensions of statecraft; use of force, nuclear deterrence, humanitarian intervention, distributive justice, and human rights. |
URL: |
http://www.polsci.ucsb.edu/ |
| United States, Europe, and Asia in the Twenty-first Century | Top |
Course: |
Political Science 129 |
Description: |
The cold war and East-West tensions. NATO and its military problems, including nuclear strategy and arms control. Soviet foreign policy and its hold over East Europe . Transatlantic strains caused by peace movements, domestic trends, and new economic problems. |
URL: |
http://www.polsci.ucsb.edu/ |
| Global Politics | Top |
Course: |
Politics 70 |
Description: |
Intensive study of one or more of the following topics in international politics: nuclear arms control, wars of intervention, environment (acid rain, global warming, chemical pollution, nuclear winter), and Law of the Sea. Can common interest prevail against particular sovereign interests? Global interest, sovereignty, international agreement, self-help, self-determination, treaty, pacific settlement, international organization. (General Education Code: IS.) |
URL: |
http://politics.ucsc.edu/ |
| Policies and Politics of American Defense | Top |
Course: |
Politics 129 |
Description: |
Examines evolution of policy and politics of American national security, especially following WW II. Content of conventional nuclear defense policies explored with analytic focus on formation of policy and interactions between military policies and domestic policies. Enrollment restricted to politics, legal studies, and Latin American and Latino studies/politics combined majors during priority enrollment only. |
URL: |
http://politics.ucsc.edu/ |
| Senior Comprehensive Seminar - Issues in International Law | Top |
Course: |
Politics 190 |
Description: |
Explores theory and reality of international law; how it determines or governs or modifies policies of government. Emphasis on contemporary political and economic forces and international law in nuclear age, competing areas for new law, law of seas, human rights, new international economic issues, the environment. Limited and restricted enrollment. |
URL: |
http://politics.ucsc.edu/ |
| Security and Disarmament | Top |
Course: |
Politics 190 B |
Description: |
This class is an introduction, for upper-division students, to (i) global public policy issues posed by development and dissemination of nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons and (ii) measures proposed to prevent weapons proliferation.  View syllabus |
URL: |
http://www.ucdc.edu/ |
Sources: UC Riverside General Catalogue 2003-2004, UC Davis General Catalogue 2003-2004, UCSC General Catalogue 2004, UC Berkeley General Catalogue 2004, UCLA General Catalogue 2003-2005, UCSB General Catalogue 2003-2004, UCSD General Catalogue 2004-2005, UCI 2003-2004 General Catalogue.
Get Involved :: Take a Class on Nuclear Weapons Issues |
