More than 920 million people are undernourished worldwide, despite the fact that there is more than enough food for everyone. Numerous countries rank national interests above global concerns, leading to heavy pollution or overuse of nonrenewable resources. Meanwhile. affluent states regularly deny immigration to individuals seeking to escape persecution or poverty. What obligations do developed states and their citizens have to others who are suffering? Is it humane to uphold social structures that perpetuate inequality and harm future generations?

We know that computers are great problem solvers, but there is human work that must be done before computers can work their magic: first, it is necessary to formalize the problem within a mathematical model, find an algorithm to solve the problem in that model, and implement the algorithm in a particular programming language. This course teaches you how to do behind-the-scenes work like designing, analyzing, and implementing algorithms within a programming language.

Cryptology is the study of the codes and ciphers used to create secret writing. This math course explores many early techniques in cryptology, such as cipher wheels, the Caesar shift, polyalphabetic substitution, and the Vigenère cipher, as well as modern techniques like RSA public key cryptography. You and your classmates will learn how data transmitted by computers can be secured with digital encryption, and how the vulnerabilities of each encryption system enable hackers to attack and decrypt messages using techniques such as frequency analysis and cribbing.

This course covers material normally included in a year-long introductory course in high school chemistry, which is usually a prerequisite for AP® or IB Chemistry. It explores physical and chemical properties, the periodic table, the atom and atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, solutions, thermodynamics, acids and bases, kinetics, equilibrium, and some organic chemistry.

Master the basics of geography and the cartography of Europe, North America, and South America to connect natural earth features with historical human experiences in these regions—while Europe is geographically a part of the Eastern Hemisphere, it is covered in this course as a central part of transatlantic history in the Western Hemisphere.

Why do states fight, and what makes them cooperate? World affairs in the 21st century have raised new questions about international politics and revisited complicated old ones. Where the field once primarily sought to understand the causes of war, scholars now debate the impacts of globalization, the relevance of sovereignty and the state, and the power of global norms in promoting international development and human rights. Through discussions, debates, simulations, and individual research, this course explores these and other complex problems in international affairs.

What does it mean when bubbles burst, stock markets crash, and hyperinflation takes off? How do these major economic events affect businesses and individuals around the world?

Strengthen your analytical and problem-solving skills in this challenging course designed for students with little to no previous math competition experience. You’ll learn 12 different problem-solving strategies for becoming a more efficient problem solver and a stronger competitor. You’ll practice these strategies through lessons, sample problems, mini competitions, and videos designed to challenge and motivate you.

This course covers material typically included in a year-long, algebra-based introductory course in high school physics, a usual prerequisite for advanced physics courses like AP® Physics 1, or IB Physics. The course is divided into two parts: mechanics; and electricity and magnetism. You and your classmates will explore elements of mechanics including kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; and oscillations and gravitation.

Reasoning, logic, and critical thinking are the building blocks of intellectual inquiry. This course will help develop your skills in these areas through problem-solving and exposure to a wide range of topics in mathematics. You’ll learn the different techniques used in inductive and deductive reasoning and examine the roles each play in the field of mathematics. First you’ll explore algebraic and geometric concepts, patterns, and real-world questions that can be answered using inductive reasoning, creating recursive and explicit formulas to describe patterns.