ASA: Academic Study Associates 2009 Programs

What is global capitalism and how does it work? Examine the dynamic world of international business - supply and demand, market structure, trading, and investment - and some of the institutions that keep it in check, such as national governments, the WTO, and the IMF. With your classmates, you'll solve interesting business problems and form your own strategies for some of the world's top organizations.

How do philosophers, politicians and economists aim to create a just and fair society? Explore the connections between philosophy, politics and economics in America and Britain in this course based on the famous Oxford undergraduate major. Discover the real world consequences of financial policies that aim to improve our lives. Investigate controversial issues like the redistribution of wealth through taxation and economic incentives for individuals and companies to formulate your own opinion on how the government can best provide for its people.

How are people's beliefs, values and practices formed? Why have such different cultures developed around the world? Explore the myths, rituals, ethnicities, exchanges, and other human belief systems from a variety of societies, including British culture in Oxford. Work first-hand at the Pitt Rivers and Ashmolean Museums to research adaptation and cultural change. Observe English society on trips to downtown Oxford. Screen documentary films and reflect on your own experiences to understand the social, political and economic patterns of development that influence societies today.

From Hugh Grant to Harry Potter, British pop culture has sparked global trends in music, fashion, art and entertainment. Explore English culture through newspapers, magazines, TV, film and music, along with your own experiences in Oxford. Consider who decides what is popular and how much pop culture both reflects and influences the concerns of its time. Frequent field trips will accompany your study of social class, gender roles and what it means to be "British".

Become a member of a working theatre company, led by a professional director, and produce and perform a new play in front of a public audience. Stretch your imagination and develop the skills needed by all actors: movement, improvisation, characterization, voice and speech, storytelling, text interpretation, and ensemble work. At the conclusion of the course, perform a full-length play for your friends and the entire ASA community.

Pursue your passion for photography and improve your skills in this course designed for intermediate and advanced students. Master the fundamentals of composition through discussion of the work of well-known photographers and explore your own style taking pictures around Oxford. Learn how to use the manual features of your digital camera and apply your own artistic touch in Photoshop to conceive and create images with beauty, purpose, intent and meaning. Perfect your best work for display in the final ASA Art Show. You must supply your own SLR digital camera. (Supplemental Fee)

Use Oxford as your classroom to discover its thousand years of architectural beauty and history. On daily trips to sites around the city, you will explore the civic, ecclesiastical, and collegiate architecture of Oxford and engage directly with some of the finest art collections in England. You'll fill a journal with sketches and photographs of all that you see to create a living memory of your summer experience.

It's often said that all drama originates in conflict. Audiences are naturally drawn to watching characters at odds, either with themselves, with other people, with society, or with the universe at large. Explore the ways in which conflict and resolution are used in cinematic storytelling through screenings and group discussions of a wide variety of classic and contemporary films. Investigate the use of conflict across the many components of film - genre, cinematography, sound, editing and scriptwriting - to gain a deeper appreciation of what makes an effective and compelling cinematic experience.

Examine international relations not as abstract theory, but as events that affect the lives of ordinary people. You will study current events relating to war and terrorism, diplomacy, refugee status, human rights, and aid for the developing world in order to think critically about the arguments made in international politics. Formulate your own position on the issues, balancing moral concerns with national interests. Readings and class discussions will be augmented by guest speakers who can share their personal perspectives on events studied in the course. In past summers, speakers have include a former prisoner of war, an evacuee from the London Blitz of 1940, a Darfur activist, and the Head of the Oxford Islam and Muslim Awareness Project.

How does the law function as an instrument of social change and control? Compare and contrast the history, structure, and professional traits of the English and American legal systems and learn how Federalism and Constitutionality distinguishes American legal culture from that of Britain. This is the perfect class for anyone considering a career in law.

Welcome to your one-stop, all-inclusive SAT preparation course with The Princeton Review. Each class provides instruction in the math, critical reading, and writing strategies that you will need to perform at the highest level. In addition to 30 hours of small-group classroom lessons and individual consultation, you will take four full-length SAT tests and receive a personalized score report with your analyzed results and suggestions for further study. Students are grouped by shared strengths and weaknesses to provide targeted instruction. Watch your scores rise as you strengthen your skills with experienced teachers from the nation's leading test prep company. The Princeton Review guarantees that if you have attended all classes and practice tests, completed all homework assignments and view an online wrap-up session in the fall, and you are not satisfied with your score on the October SAT, you may take an SAT Refresher Course or extend membership to the online student center free of charge. (Supplemental Fee)

This exciting and challenging interdisciplinary course will introduce you to some of the fundamental concepts of medical science. Learn how the immune system functions, and sometimes malfunctions, with respect to disease and how health care professionals and organizations work to prevent, treat, and cure illness. Besides the scientific, you will also investigate the social, political and cultural dimensions of the experience of health and wellness. Prerequisite: Completion of a high school biology course.

Investigate the psychological concepts that have revolutionized our understanding of others and ourselves. Examine the roots of personality and behavior as seen through the theories of Freud, Maslow, Erikson, and Piaget and evaluate the validity of these theories in light of your own experiences. You will focus on the major areas of human experience: physical maturation, intellectual and moral development, sensuality and sexuality, family and peer relationships, and coping with stress and problems in everyday life.

Imagine. Compose. Inspire. Develop your unique voice as you focus on the main elements of writing short fiction. With works by well known writers as your model, learn to develop narrative point of view, effective description, characterization and dialogue. Make use of the rich resources of Oxford to turn your own experiences and impressions into finished works to share with others. Return home with a variety of revised pieces for a portfolio you can be proud of.

Master one of the most important skills for success in high school, college, and beyond. Reach higher levels of achievement by studying the elements common to all successful writing - defining an audience, developing a thesis statement, supporting your argument, and revising for grammar and style. By studying a variety of texts and critically evaluating your work, you will sharpen both your expository and persuasive writing abilities and come away with polished essays for your portfolio.

Are you a self-starter who is always looking for the next big idea? Do you want to develop your leadership skills and learn how to run your own company? This practically-based course will show you how to create your own business from start to finish. Learn how to identify a market, attract investors and manage growth and expansion. Study models of both successful and unsuccessful businesses and look at the developing impact of technology. Visit local businesses to gain a greater understanding of the complexities involved in running a successful entrepreneurial venture. Then, work with a team of your peers to develop your own original business plan to promote your innovative idea.

Get ready to buy, sell and trade your way through the basics of financial markets. Learn to navigate the stock exchange, to balance between risk and return and to create a diversified portfolio. Discover why corporations succeed or fail and use current financial news to gain an applied understanding of the global market. Particular focus will be spent on the similarities and differences between England as part of the European Union and the United States.

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage" - Catherine Douzel Britain consumes around 165 million cups of tea each day. Afternoon tea is an English institution, accompanied by sandwiches, scones or cake. Explore the culture and history of this English activity through the tea rooms, collections, shops and houses in Oxford. This will be a voyage of discovery leading from a variety of taste sensations to an exploration of English customs, rituals, trade and wars.

Britain has been responsible for many of the greatest acts in rock & roll and continues to produce top artists in all genres of popular music. You will study the core groups from the British rock and popular music canon including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Oxford's own Radiohead. Investigate the genres of rock, psychedelic rock, punk, ska, Britpop and Hip Hop.

Explore your passion for photography and apply your own artistic touch in the digital darkroom. Master the basics of exposure controls, shutter speed, white balance, depth of field and other features of your digital camera. Study compositional devises like contrast, framing and the rule of thirds and learn to use Adobe Photoshop to prepare your photos for printing. Showcase your best work in an end of program ASA Art Show. SLR digital camera required. (Supplemental Fee).

Explore the world of acting and develop new confidence and skill. Through games and exercises, you'll learn about improvisation, characterization, text interpretation and timing. Under the guidance of a professional director, you'll rehearse monologues and small ensemble pieces, with a final performance for your friends at an ASA show. No previous experience required.

Does your stomach sink when you hear the words "Oral Presentation"? Would you prefer to stay home sick rather than participate in a class debate? From speaking in front of a class to tackling a college interview, public speaking is a skill everyone should master. Develop your ability to express yourself confidently and clearly by practicing a wide range of presentation styles, including motivational, persuasive and entertainment. Sharpen your skills with the aid of videos and texts of famous orations to deliver a performance for any occasion.

What are our responsibilities to those living in poverty? What sort of action is best taken by which sort of groups - international organizations, NGOs, governments, businesses, and individuals? Explore current issues of humanitarian aid and economic development in our increasingly globalized world. Discuss specific case studies, including organizations such as the UN, the IMF, the World Bank, the Red Cross, and Oxford's own Oxfam, and issues such as poverty and AIDS in Africa and development in China and India. Guest speakers will allow you to engage with those actually working on these complex problems in order to inspire your own ideas and solutions for these difficult issues.

Welcome to your one-stop, all-inclusive SAT preparation course with The Princeton Review. Each class provides instruction in the math, critical reading, and writing strategies that you will need to perform at the highest level. In addition to 18 hours of small-group classroom lessons and individual consultation, you will take three full-length SAT tests and receive a personalized score report with your analyzed results and suggestions for further study. Students are grouped by shared strengths and weaknesses to provide targeted instruction. Watch your scores rise as you strengthen your skills with experienced teachers from the nation's leading test prep company. The Princeton Review guarantees that if you have attended all classes and practice tests, completed all homework assignments and view an online wrap-up session in the fall, and you are not satisfied with your score on the October SAT, you may take an SAT Refresher Course or extend membership to the online student center free of charge. (Supplemental Fee)

What drives people to commit crimes? Do offenders have a failed sense of morality, or, is it a biologically hard wired, unstoppable urge? Investigate psychological phenomena such as "group think" and "de-individuation" as they relate to environmental factors like poverty, drug use and social upbringing. Explore how mental illnesses like psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder can be a source of criminal behavior and study fascinating examples of how seemingly normal individuals commit serious and violent felonies.

Master one of the most important skills for success in high school, college, and beyond. Reach higher levels of achievement by studying the elements common to all successful writing - defining an audience, developing a thesis statement, supporting your argument, and revising for grammar and style. By studying a variety of texts and critically evaluating your work, you will sharpen both your expository and persuasive writing abilities and come away with polished essays for your portfolio.

Imagine. Compose. Inspire. Develop your unique voice as you focus on the main elements of writing short fiction. With works by well known writers as your model, learn to develop narrative point of view, effective description, characterization and dialogue. Make use of the rich resources of Oxford to turn your own experiences and impressions into finished works to share with others. Return home with a variety of revised pieces for a portfolio you can be proud of.

Immerse yourself in the Elizabethan world of William Shakespeare, and approach 'The Complete Works' from unexpected angles. Explore the elements of life in 16th century England that contributed to the development of the world's greatest playwright and better understand Shakespeare's plays. Recreate the provincial life in Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford, focusing on religion, schooling, courtship, marriage, work and class. Opportunities to see plays at London's Globe Theatre and in Oxford give you first-hand experiences to compare and contrast with the performances and customs of Elizabethan times.

What is global capitalism and how does it work? Examine the dynamic world of international business - supply and demand, market structure, trading, and investment - and some of the institutions that keep it in check, such as national governments, the WTO, and the IMF. With your classmates, you'll solve interesting business problems and form your own strategies for some of the world's top organizations.

Use Oxford as your classroom to discover its thousand years of architectural beauty and history. On daily trips to sites around the city, you will explore the civic, ecclesiastical, and collegiate architecture of Oxford and engage directly with some of the finest art collections in England. You'll fill a journal with sketches and photographs of all that you see to create a living memory of your summer experience.

Examine international relations not as abstract theory, but as events that affect the lives of ordinary people. You will study current events relating to war and terrorism, diplomacy, refugee status, human rights, and aid for the developing world in order to think critically about the arguments made in international politics. Formulate your own position on the issues, balancing moral concerns with national interests. Readings and class discussions will be augmented by guest speakers who can share their personal perspectives on events studied in the course. In past summers, speakers have include a former prisoner of war, an evacuee from the London Blitz of 1940, a Darfur activist, and the Head of the Oxford Islam and Muslim Awareness Project.

Welcome to your one-stop, all-inclusive SAT preparation course with The Princeton Review. Each class provides instruction in the math, critical reading, and writing strategies that you will need to perform at the highest level. In addition to 18 hours small-group classroom lessons and individual consultation, you will take three full-length SAT tests and receive a personalized score report with your analyzed results and suggestions for further study. Students are grouped by shared strengths and weaknesses to provide targeted instruction. Watch your scores rise as you strengthen your skills with experienced teachers from the nation's leading test prep company. You will need to complete your diagnostic test before the program begins and details about this will be sent to you in the spring. The Princeton Review guarantees that if you have attended all classes and practice tests, completed all homework assignments and view an online wrap-up session in the fall, and you are not satisfied with your score on the October SAT, you may take an SAT Refresher Course or extend membership to the online student center free of charge. (Supplemental Fee)

Imagine. Compose. Inspire. Develop your unique voice as you focus on the main elements of writing short fiction. With works by well known writers as your model, learn to develop narrative point of view, effective description, characterization and dialogue. Make use of the rich resources of Oxford to turn your own experiences and impressions into finished works to share with others. Return home with a variety of revised pieces for a portfolio you can be proud of.

Where better to study Shakespeare than in his homeland? Gain a new perspective on the world's most famous playwright. Examine a number of full-length plays, along with text excerpts and poems, to investigate Shakespeare's creative development and see the texts come alive on stage in performances in Oxford and London's Globe Theatre. Then, use your first-hand experiences to further analyze and understand the many layers of meaning in Shakespeare's stories.

Get ready to buy, sell and trade your way through the basics of financial markets. Learn to navigate the stock exchange, to balance between risk and return and to create a diversified portfolio. Discover why corporations succeed or fail and use current financial news to gain an applied understanding of the global market. Particular focus will be spent on the similarities and differences between England as part of the European Union and the United States.

Britain has been responsible for many of the greatest acts in rock & roll and continues to produce top artists in all genres of popular music. You will study the core groups from the British rock and popular music canon including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Oxford's own Radiohead. Investigate the genres of rock, psychedelic rock, punk, ska, Britpop and Hip Hop.

Explore your passion for photography and apply your own artistic touch in the digital darkroom. Master the basics of exposure controls, shutter speed, white balance, depth of field and other features of your digital camera. Study compositional devises like contrast, framing and the rule of thirds and learn to use Adobe Photoshop to prepare your photos for printing. Showcase your best work in an end of program ASA Art Show. SLR digital camera required. (Supplemental Fee).

Grab your pencils and paintbrushes and get ready to capture your Oxford experience with your artistic eye. Work both indoors and out, learning new techniques to portray the Gothic architecture and cobblestoned streets of medieval Oxford or the bustling cafes and lively street performers of the modern city. All of your supplies will fit in a backpack and by the end of the course you'll have your own visual journal of all that you've discovered. You will also feature your work in our final ASA Art Show. (Supplemental Fee)

Are we truly responsible for our actions or are we merely the products of our environment? Are we the masters of our own destinies or simply creatures left in the hands of fate? Take an introductory look at ethical theory and practice through discussion and debate. Explore texts by Plato, Machiavelli, Kant and Nietzsche to determine your own views on morality, free will and the public good.

Master one of the most important skills for success in high school, college, and beyond. Reach higher levels of achievement by studying the elements common to all successful writing - defining an audience, developing a thesis statement, supporting your argument, and revising for grammar and style. By studying a variety of texts and critically evaluating your work, you will sharpen both your expository and persuasive writing abilities and come away with polished essays for your portfolio.

Imagine. Compose. Inspire. Develop your unique voice as you focus on the main elements of writing short fiction. With works by well known writers as your model, learn to develop narrative point of view, effective description, characterization and dialogue. Make use of the rich resources of Oxford to turn your own experiences and impressions into finished works to share with others. Return home with a variety of revised pieces for a portfolio you can be proud of.