Course Offerings for the 2024 Academic Semester Program at Universidad Austral

The course analyses the economic development of the region from a historical perspective, paying special attention to some recent events in the region and in Argentina. The students will learn a variety of concepts, which will enable them to comprehend economic cycles, economic growth and the way regions interact with one another. This framework will be used to approach the study of the way in which the economy of different Latin American countries has evolved. Contents: After a brief overview of some fundamental concepts in the field of macroeconomics, the course will cover, among others: Stages of economic development Import substitution policies Inflation Stabilization Dollarization Socio-Economic development Institutions and productivity Poverty and Inequality

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

This course is designed to offer students a vision of International Development and Sustainability. We analyze paradigms in International Development, from the Wasington Consensus to the SDG 2030 Agenda. Students review historical, institutional and local contexts of International Development Cooperation, discussing challenges at the global level, with focus on Latin America. The course addresses recent debates on Sustainability, like economic growth evolution, climate and social crisis. At the end of the course students should understand challenges Latin American countries face in the Path for international development and sustainability, identifying strengths and weaknesses. The course is enriched by the professor’s 19 -year experience with international and local organizations in Latin america, field operations and local speakers.

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

This course analyzes some of the most important literary pieces of the Americas, focusing in three different traditions associated with particular geographies: North America, the Caribbean and the River Plate region. Course Aims/Objectives Knowing and understanding the literature of the Americas. Reading and being able to recognize important American writers and their contributions. Prerequisites: none, it is an introductory Course Learning outcomes   Know and understand different aspects of the American culture, especially its literature. Be able to compare different writers and genres, and speak critically about them Analyze literature in relation to its historical, geographical and cultural context.

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

We describe the biggest issues that concern Latin American journalism, from Mexico to Argentina. Studying its historical roots, we try to understand the economic, political and professional dimensions of this important public actor, industry, field and institution. In this course, we present various models to analyze its dynamism, and describe how global trends impact regional journalism. In the class we will discuss Latin American cases.

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Argentina has been largely influences by the mass migration waves of the mid-19th century as well as subsequent immigrant arrivals. This mix of ethnics and cultures, together with the social and political events of the 20’s century, developed a particular type of culture and social personality with big similarities of the European ones, but also with strong difference in terms of values, ideals, behaviors and principles that affect the way Argentinians act and decide as consumers. This class will start from the principles of marketing as a bridge to understand how Argentinian consumers behave in the local environment and how to develop strong marketing strategies aligned to their needs. We will analyze together from one side the basic theory of market (price, product channel, communication) and tools and a deep analysis of the major social forces which impact on the mind of the consumers. Course Learning Objectives Understand the basic principles and tools of the modern marketing; Develop the capability to analyze on a scientific approach, business situation and their proper marketing response; Analyze the major social forces that drive the Argentinian consumer behavior bench marking it with other countries; Develop strong marketing strategies, that meet both business objectives together with local consumer needs; Develop personal capabilities aimed to perform strong results in the market area (quantitative analysis, oral and written communication tools, business analysis)

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

This course focus is to analyze, create and apply for project planning formulation, working with different approaches -media, business, international/NGOs-considering central elements of project cycle and strategic management. Students will work in a personal project, developing key elements of project cycle from the initial strategic planning to the final presentation. Learning Outcomes Applied his/her methodological knowledge within a broader context (perspective) Learns to make use of his/her scientific capabilities for the benefit of tackling central elements of project cycle. Developed a profound understanding of a particular aspect of project cycle and strategic planning. Applied his/her scientific writing and strategic thinking skills to a focused research issues.

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

This course considers artistic developments in Latin America, from early twentieth-century avant-garde movements to recent contemporary projects. With the understanding that the modern construct of “Latin America” encompasses an area of tre-mendous ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity, we will survey a broad range of art practices throughout the Americas as well as major modern architectural projects in Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela. Particular attention will be paid to cases in which artists and architects worked in the service of governmental regimes, as in Mexican muralism in the 1920s and the construc-tion of Brasília, a new national capital for Brazil, in the 1950s. We will also examine those cases in which artworks and artistic networks offered a means of challenging or subverting repressive policies. Beyond politics, this course focuses on the ten-sions—indigenous vs. cosmopolitan, urban vs. rural, rich vs. poor—and the international dialogues that have informed the production and reception of art and architecture in the region. Group and individual visits to museums are integral aspects of this course, so that we may consider the contributions of artists from Latin America to global modern and contemporary art. While honing the careful looking, critical reading, clear writing, and effective public speaking skills that the history of art and architecture teaches, participants will: • Gain accurate knowledge of the great diversity and richness of artistic and architectural traditions in modern and contemporary Latin America, and learn to identify broad patterns of historical and regional categorization within the field of study. • Develop insights into how the production and reception of art in the region has been affected by processes of transnational and transatlantic movement and exchange. • Evaluate the ways in which artists have both articulated and challenged national and regional histories, identities, and stereotypes over time through their choices of subjects, mediums, styles, and modes of diffusion. • Analyze the complex interrelations among agents, institutions, publics, and markets in the production and recep-tion of works of modern art and architecture. • Assess the mechanisms by which “Latin American Art” came to be a category within the history of modern and contemporary art in the 1980s, and the limitations of this model.

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Business planning is an integral tool for any business to evaluate its potential and map out a desired future for the short and mid term. Being the students’ first approach to this topic, the course will address two areas: the regular process and conventional format of a BP, and the key concepts and tools of the several disciplines that it involves, such as Finance, Marketing, Strategic Planning, etc. Throughout the course, students will work in groups on their own business plans. They will have the chance to experience the full process and practice improving the plan in iterative cycles, based on feedback and discussion in class. Learning Objectives: ● To know what are the key components, format and style of a BP. ● To understand the purpose of Business Planning. ● To learn and apply analysis tools commonly used to evaluate the business potential, products and services positioning and strategic stand. ● To be able to put together an organizational plan and a marketing plan. ● To understand the financial documents that constitute a BP and be able to produce a 3 years P&L projection. ● To understand the specific aspects of business planning for nonprofit organizations.

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Prerequisites Recommendation: Basics of Business Administration ; Management Accounting and Basics of Controlling Course Description Introduction to (agile) project management, definition of important terms (Kanban, Scrum, …), international standards, literature, process models.  Project goals and project benefits, project environment.  Organisational structures in projects, programs and portfolios.  Task planning and scheduling, determination of milestones.  Team organisation, conflict management, project management.  Expense estimation methods.  Risk management.  Change management.  Quality management.  Project completion phase; Project evaluation, completion of the project Organisation, dissolution of the project team, lessons learned.  Trends in project management. Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this module, students will be able to: Describe international standards and procedures. Formulate specific (SMART) project goals. Analyse the respective project environment / stakeholder. Apply relevant project management tools and methods, such as the creation of schedules and project plans, milestones and work packages. Apply the principles of resource planning, risk management, and project controlling. Understand why good project culture is characterized by trusting cooperation and diverse networking in the team, allowing mistakes and learning. Solve conflicts that arise in a project team. Determine how projects can ensure sustainability and value creation in organisations. Derive a form of project management specific to their study programme/field. Critically analyse leadership in teams.

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description Once one of the richest and fastest-growing economies in the world, Argentina is now entrenched in the rankings of the less developed countries. Nevertheless, in the last decade, it has grown at a fast pace, one that was hard to predict in the days of the 2001-2002 crisis.  That a country that was viewed as a pariah, effectively shut out of the international financial markets, could recover from its worst crisis, is the topic of academic and political discussions. In the last decade, the Argentine economy has had many ups and downs, with high inflation and unstable economic and institutional settings, that has created a very particular business environment. The course will provide a truly comprehensive perspective that will enable the students to analyze and understand the process experienced by the Argentine economy from the late 19th Century until the present day, focusing on the last decade of it. It will also present the current weaknesses and strengths of the Argentine economy for future economic growth, its participation in the global economy, and the structure of its productive system. Due to its many particularities, Argentina can serve as a case study of sorts. Objectives Cognitive Skills: Business & Intercultural Identify and describe the historical roots of contemporary economic performance and business environment in Argentina Acquire and relate both historical knowledge of, and first-hand familiarity with, the business culture of Argentina Critical Thinking Skills: Oral & Written Analyze and account for the historical evolution of Argentina’s political economy and compare it with what happened in the rest of Latin America. Identify and assess current events in terms of business risks and opportunity

US Credits: 3-4
ECTS Credits: 6-8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description This course is intended to show the students the urgency and importance of taking action to tackle the climate crisis. To achieve this in a hopeful manner, students will build themselves, with the help of a climate simulator, their custom climate success scenario. Throughout the course we will review different tools to mitigate climate change and understand what might be their effectiveness to build a better future for the planet. Together we will end up co-creating and visualizing what the world would look like at this point. Above this global understanding of the problem and solutions, we will navigate the role of Latin America in the climate discussion. Starting by the very first question, ¿Is it part of the discussion at all? Throughout the global discussions and scenarios, we will review the challenges that Latin America will face but also the opportunities that might appear in this changing world that could mean competitive advantages for the world of tomorrow and a ticket to development. At the end of the course, students should be able to understand the big picture around climate change as well as the need for action from all possible actors.

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description Communication and Language in Society study the phenomena associated with the use of language in social interaction and the myriad of meanings users convey through it. Language itself is a system that can be used to express a range of social conventions and attitudes. However, there are various other messages that are conveyed by the choices made by language users. The aim of this course is to become aware of the influence of social phenomena on language and language on society. The aspects of communication and social use of language this course focuses on range from age, sex, ethnic origin, social class, educational background and the relationship between them to even the time and place in which linguistic interaction takes place.   Objectives: Introduce students to the study of language as a social phenomenon Identify the stage of language evolution Account for the relationship between language choice and attitudes Reflect on the social constructions expressed through language Understand the use of standard and non-standard forms of language Approach the study of language scientifically

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description In this course, you explore the trajectory of Latin America’s economic development and current business environment.  Beginning in the 1990s with the process of globalization, companies rushed to trade with and invest in countries throughout the world including the emerging markets of Latin America, which became a favored destination of foreign investors. In 2002, Latin American economies began a sustained economic recovery that lasted a decade, as the price of commodities increased due to the growth in global demand. Governments increased their role in the economy in order to deal with long-term Latin American problems, such as poverty and inequality. The second decade of this century was marked by irregular economic performance, with a concomitant reduction in government revenues, that in many cases struggled to continue with the social programs initiated in the previous decade. The third decade started with the pandemic and was followed by geopolitical conflicts, that have benefitted Latin America to some extent, as it is far away from the areas of conflict and there was a huge growth in the price of food and energy, the main exports of South America. A land full of natural resources, Latin America became again a focus of interest for Northern Hemisphere governments and companies. Objectives Cognitive Skills: Business & Intercultural Identify and describe the historical roots of contemporary business environments in Latin America Acquire and relate both historical knowledge of, and first-hand familiarity with, the business cultures of Latin American countries Critical Thinking Skills: Oral & Written Identify and assess current events in terms of business risks and opportunity Compare, contrast, and assess the economic, social, political, legal, and policy environments as they affect business

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description Argentina has been largely influences by the mass migration waves of the mid-19th century as well as subsequent immigrant arrivals. This mix of ethnics and cultures, together with the social and political events of the 20’s century, developed a particular type of culture and social personality with big similarities of the European ones, but also with strong difference in terms of values, ideals, behaviors and principles that affect the way Argentinians act and decide as consumers. This class will start from the principles of marketing as a bridge to understand how Argentinian consumers behave in the local environment and how to develop strong marketing strategies aligned to their needs. We will analyze together from one side the basic theory of market (price, product channel, communication) and tools and a deep analysis of the major social forces which impact on the mind of the consumers. Course Learning Objectives Understand the basic principles and tools of the modern marketing; Develop the capability to analyze on a scientific approach, business situation and their proper marketing response; Analyze the major social forces that drive the Argentinian consumer behavior bench marking it with other countries; Develop strong marketing strategies, that meet both business objectives together with local consumer needs; Develop personal capabilities aimed to perform strong results in the market area (quantitative analysis, oral and written communication tools, business analysis)

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

Course Description Although we often talk about creativity, we seldom think about it.  There is a need to find a formula composed by steps that Will make us creative.  The urgency of the task makes us forget the question: what it is exactly that we are looking for. Maybe the first thing we should do is ask, what is creativity?  How long has it been part of the dictionary?  Has the concept evolved?  Why do we consider it a valuable asset? Is there a dark side to the concept? This course fosters students to deconstruct creativity in order to question everything we think we know about the Word.  The objective is to find the definition that makes more sense to us.  This is an Academic discussion that has practical implications but, above all, brings personal insight. Course aims Acquire a critical perspective towards creativity Apply multiple paradigms to conceptualize the term Attain a distributive perspective of thinking Relate Creativity to Systems Theory and Communication Understand how to develop Case studies

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English

COURSE DESCRIPTION What if there was a planet made of Junk? Imagine a future world that is built on the remains of an ancient civilization. This course will ask students to imagine, devise and develop a distant future and fictional world called Junk, which is inhabited by a population that survives on the remnants of its history. We will consider economic trade, hierarchical governance, decaying infrastructure, cultural layers, and limited resources as the basis of world-building. We will interrogate the core ecologies to build a knowledge base that defines the unique rules of this world. We will develop narrative environments that will provoke characters within the world to tell their stories, and connect the dots of their mutual influence. World building is by definition collaborative and involves a holistic world space, so students should be prepared to build an interconnected world on multiple scales that will evolve based on their involvement and interaction. The course will focus on interdisciplinary opportunities to portray the world and its narratives. The class is media and platform agnostic, and students should consider – as the primary outcome of the class – the multiple ways in which they will tell the narratives they generate, and will be encouraged to use multiple media. Learning outcomes Students will learn to build a visual language through narrative and systems design by combining versatile and robust aspects from multiple fields to translate complex ideas and tell new stories. Students will learn, among other things, to develop capabilities in in-depth research, collaboration across platforms, holistic ecology at multiple scales, and the co-creation of a robust world as a generator of narratives and origin stories.

US Credits: 3/4
ECTS Credits: 6/8
Class Hours: 60
Category: Courses Taught in English