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A Systems Mindset prepares learners to work effectively as service providers, consultants, researchers, developers, or other professionals delivering a service or product to an individual, group, or community. This course provides policymakers, real estate developers, consultants, government agencies, engineers, and nonprofits with the foundational foundations for taking the first steps in solving complex problems that require community and stakeholder engagement. Being a successful professional requires a creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial mindset, as well as a relentless problem-solving mindset. Yes, absolutely! But you also need to be a listener. You must truly value the community and stakeholders—those who gain and lose the most from your actions. It is important for you to listen, learn what is important, and then act. This course will emphasize that you need to be a systems thinker to solve complex problems from a systems perspective, which means you must approach problems from multiple angles, at multiple scales, and from multiple perspectives. This course is the first step toward developing this mindset and effective collaboration—from receiving a “request” for help to problem orientation, understanding a community, and developing a project plan. Students will learn to use systems thinking to understand large-scale systems, nested hierarchies, and the interactions between social and ecological systems. Students will also learn practical skills and techniques to build rapport, trust, and support.

Being a successful professional requires creative, innovative and entrepreneurial thinking, as well as continuous problem-solving skills. As a systems thinker, you are expected to approach complex problems from multiple perspectives and angles, looking at them holistically. This course introduces students to the various tools used to engage stakeholders, collect data and gain a deeper understanding of society. This course is divided into three modules. In Data Collection Techniques, you will learn the importance of establishing trust and rapport with the client and stakeholders, which in turn helps build buy-in. Students will then learn how to enter a community, conduct a rapid assessment to gain a quick overview of the community or organisation and adhere to ethical behaviour throughout the course. Systems Mapping and Analysis will focus on systems and stakeholder mapping, two different techniques that are useful for visualising systems and identifying and assessing stakeholder networks. Finally, in Interviewing and Surveying, students will explore a variety of data collection techniques. From focus group interviews to one-on-one interviews and surveys, systems thinkers need to have a variety of approaches in their arsenal to identify needs and assets, engage stakeholders, and gather information throughout all stages of a project.

takeholder engagement is an increasingly important competency that requires tact, strategy, collaboration, and high-quality communication skills. Solving complex problems effectively, appropriately, and in a timely manner requires a major shift in thinking, moving away from siloed, discipline-specific approaches. The three courses in this specialization are designed to provide a foundation for approaching complex problems, engaging with stakeholders, and providing tools for collecting and analyzing data to address community transformation challenges holistically. Applied learning project Students will have the opportunity to write a proposal using systems thinking principles, formulate and illustrate a system and its components as they relate to a specific project, apply systems thinking and project management concepts, and engage stakeholders in identifying and assessing community needs.

In this course, we will expand our understanding of vision as a cognitive problem space and explore models that solve various vision-related problems. We will then explore how the boundaries of these problems lead to more sophisticated analyses of the mind and brain, and how these studies lead to more sophisticated computational models of understanding.

In this course, we will explore the history of cognitive science and how these ideas shape our understanding of artificial cognition.

In this course, we will study different types of problems, the boundaries of what makes a problem solvable, and the different algorithms, rules, and heuristics we can apply to solve these problems.

This specialization examines the ways in which our current understanding of human thought is illuminated and challenged by the evolving methods and ideas of artificial intelligence and computer science. Over the past half century, our collective understanding of "mind" - both biological and computational - has been revolutionized by topics such as cognitive psychology, machine learning, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, game theory, and more. This specialization focuses on both the broader "historical" arc of these changes and on current research directions and controversies. Applied learning project Upon completion of the Mind and Machine specialization, students will be able to: (1) demonstrate their understanding of topics and strategies through quizzes, and (2) discuss and debate various arguments and interpretations of philosophical problems in debates and peer-reviewed activities.

This course can also be credited toward ECEA 5361 in the CU Boulder Electrical Engineering Master of Science program. Hardware Description Languages ​​for Logic Design allows students to design circuits using VHDL and Verilog, the most common design methods for FPGAs. It uses natural learning processes to make learning the languages ​​easy. Simple examples are presented first, then the language rules and syntax, followed by more complex examples, and finally the use of bench simulations to verify the correctness of the designs. Lecture presentations are supported by a large number of programming example problems to build proficiency in the languages. Upon completion of the course, each student will have a fundamental knowledge of both languages, and, more importantly, enough knowledge to continue studying and gaining experience in Verilog and VHDL on their own.

Social media platforms are powered by digital advertising. As a result, social media advertising is affordable and can be purchased for almost any budget. Targeting capabilities in social media advertising are also advanced. Ads can be tailored to user behavior (such as likes, shares, and clicks). This course covers examples of how small businesses can use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter advertising. From basic campaigns to advanced techniques including lookalike modeling and audience retargeting, this course shows how to effectively advertise across the three major social media platforms.

Consumers search for almost everything. This includes what small businesses do, from restaurants to custom-made products. When consumers search, they get organic results along with paid ones. Paid search ads are systematically designed to be relevant. As a result, they are often useful in getting consumers where they want to go. Consumers don’t tune out paid search like they do other forms of digital advertising. Search advertising can be an opportunity for small businesses. While large advertisers pay huge amounts of money to advertise through search, we highlight smart ways that small businesses can create their own customized search campaigns on a small budget. This course shows small businesses how to create and run search campaigns in Google Ads Search (formerly AdWords). After an introductory overview, students will study official Google Ads Search training materials that will eventually lead them to official Google Ads Search certification. In addition to Google's materials, hands-on campaign creation and optimization exercises are provided by real experts.

Native advertising is a niche form of advertising that uses the design and format of news and entertainment content. Native advertising is less about selling products and more about creating useful content for consumers who are in the “consideration” stage of the advertising buying funnel. Often in the form of news-like stories, native advertising has been shown to be persuasive to consumers. Native advertising is affordable and does not require graphic design to get started. For these reasons, it is an attractive advertising technique for small businesses. This course looks at a case study of a small travel startup that used native advertising to increase hotel sales. Strategies for implementing a successful low-tech campaign are outlined, including: gathering existing news stories, ethically sourcing content, and creating content.

This specialization takes a critical look at digital advertising tactics for small businesses. Students will learn how to design and launch advertising campaigns on small budgets with limited or no design skills. These courses include: 1) Search (Google Ads), 2) Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), and 3) Native Advertising (Taboola). Students who complete our Search course will also be eligible for a resume through the Official Google Ads Search Certification and a certification from programmatic advertising leader The Trade Desk.